How to Write an Informative Essay on Art in Late Antiquity

How to Write an Informative Essay on Art in Late Antiquity If you need help with writing an informative essay on art in late antiquity, below is a quick writing guide. Creating your informative essay on art in late antiquity is not as difficult as many students think. It frames the research paper, but differs from it a great deal. When you are working with an informative essay on art in late antiquity type assignment, the first thing you should do is to think about a proper topic. Using brainstorming techniques can help you to narrow down a potential topic. You will have to use a brainstorming method to narrow down your focus to something feasible. Depending upon the required length of your informative essay on art in late antiquity and the subject you may have to be careful not to select a topic which is too broad. You can focus on one particular time, person, place, group, or event to otherwise narrow down the topic that you have. Instead of writing about the medias influence upon female body image you can narrow down your research paper to the impact of fashion magazine advertisements for adolescent body image. Once your topic has been narrowed down to something more manageable you will be up to focus on a particular type, time, or person or place. If you need to write a larger informative essay on art in late antiquity and you have to broaden your topic you may need to include information that makes it possible to cover 20 pages or more. If you are writing about a particular event, person, or subject you may be able to expand your topic by including additional people, places, events, or groups. Successfully composing your informative essay on art in late antiquity begins with starting the writing process early. Just because you do not think that you are ready to begin the writing process does not mean that you should avoid it. Sometimes the simple act of writing something down helps you to get into the exploration and discovery which will lead to improved draft writing. Additional Tips: Do not limit yourself to writing your introduction first. Many students worry that they have to be in with the introduction because it is the first part of their research paper. But this is not true. The sooner you start on your writing, the easier it will be to get into it, even if you will need multiple revisions. If you need three informative body paragraphs and you only have the one you want to include last, start writing that paragraph. You do not have to write the informative essay in the order it will be presented to the reader. Hope this guide will help you get the most out of your assignment. We also offer to your attention 10 facts for an informative essay on art in late antiquity and 20 subtopics plus 1 sample essay for additional help.

Data Server Technology - Database Modeling and Implementation For Essay

Data Server Technology - Database Modeling and Implementation For International Parcel Deliveries - Essay Example The paper tells that upon studying the system requirements, it was analysed that the application/business would require capturing 3 different types of details for each transaction: customer details, order details and invoice details and a look up database for obtaining the cost for the each item on the order based on the destination and the item type. Customer details would include a customer id that uniquely identifies each customer, customer name, address, postal/region code and the type of the customer (business/Private). The order details would include an order id that uniquely identifies the each order, order date, item to be shipped, destination details like name and address, destination Company and destination country, order arrival date and departure/shipped date, charge for the order, payment method and the payment status, and the order status. The invoice details would include an invoice id that uniquely identifies an invoice, invoice amount, invoice created and the due dat e and the invoice status. Using these general idea, the conceptual model or the ER (Entity Relationship) model can be created using UML (Unified Modeling Language). From the above requirement analysis, the entities are identified as customer, order invoice and cost. The ER diagram is first defined for each entity along with their attributes as shown in the below figure. Each Customer can have zero/one/more Orders, but no two customers can have same order id (one order contains information for one customer only). Customer/Invoice: Each Customer can place zero/one Invoice and no two customers can have same Invoice id (One invoice is created for one customer only). Order/Shipment: One order can be sent to one or more shipments (shipment here just means number of items but destination is same) depending upon the number of items but each shipment contains information about one order only. Cost/Shipment: One entry in the cost lookup can be supplied to one/many shipment (order id + item no combination) but no two cost entry should be available for one shipment (one shipment contains only one entry from cost entity). Assumptions: The above model is designed based on the following assumption: All the fields entered by the user in the web application are validated for invalid input errors before storing it in the database. Destination field in the web application is filled by the user from a predefined list (may employ a drop-down list) whose values for pulled up from the destination look up table and not by entering the text for destination manually. b) Relational Model: The first step in creating the relational model is normalization. Normalization is the process of eliminating data redundancy and update anomalies (the errors while inserting, updating or deleting the database due to improper relations definitions) in order to efficiently organise the data in the database. 1st Normal Form (1NF): 1NF requires that each group of related items must be stored in a separate table with a unique column (primary key) which identifies each row in the table and all occurrences of a record type

How does stock price and dividends reflect the value of the firm Term Paper

How does stock price and dividends reflect the value of the firm - Term Paper Example For example, if a corporation issues 100 shares in total, each share provides 1% ownership to the shareholder in the company. Share prices can increase or decrease based on the market conditions and the performances of the company. Corporations often keep certain percentage of its annual profits for future expansion of the company and pay certain percentage of the profits to its shareholders. The annual profit paid to the shareholders by the company is often referred as dividends. The amount of dividend supplied to the shareholders in a particular year depends on the profit achieved by the company in that particular year. In other words, when the company gets more profits, the shareholders get more dividends and vice versa. This paper analyses the importance of stock price and dividends with respect to the value of the firm. â€Å"A company's worth - its total value - is its market capitalization, and it is represented by the company's stock price. Market cap is equal to the stock p rice multiplied by the number of shares outstanding† (What is a company's worth, and who determines its stock price?, 2011). When the company grows or performs well, its share prices will increase whereas when the company underperforms, its share prices will decreases. When a company shows signs of growth, more demand will be created in the share market for its shares. Share purchasers often offer higher prices to the shares of growing companies and the shareholders who sell their share or stake in a growing company may get higher prices in the share market. â€Å"A company’s value for many investors is its ability to generate a satisfactory return over a long holding period. A number of things including financial strength, market dominance, growth potential, and so on, determines that value† (Little, 2011). For example, recently, the share value of many companies dropped drastically because of global financial crisis; however the share value of many other compan ies did not undergo many fluctuations as a result of the recent crisis. The companies which performed better in share market even in the crisis situations are generally perceived as better companies and the investors may invest more heavily in those shares. The share prices of better performing companies may not dip drastically even in unfavorable market conditions. In short, share price of a company is directly proportional to the growth of the company; when the company grows, the share prices will increase and when the company underperforms, share prices will decrease. Since dividend is a portion of annual profit made by a company, no company would be able to pay dividends to the shareholders when it underperforms. At the same time, it is not necessary that a company which is able to pay higher dividends is better than some other companies which are paying fewer dividends or no dividends at all. The value of the company can be better judged based on its operations or activities. O nly by generating more cash than it needs to finance its operating plan, should a company pay a dividend. Thus, for a company like Google with attractive growth opportunities, dividends are basically irrelevant to estimate its value. For mature companies, late in their life-cycle, paying dividends is a way to ensure management does not waste funds on silly projects, or build empires. Further, when a company is relatively mature, and it establishes a well-communicated dividend program, it attracts a particular investor

Energy Policy Paradox Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Energy Policy Paradox - Essay Example The earth’s respiration will be eased when people consume less of the plastic materials and walk more instead of driving in cars. However, realistically, people still need to drive and consumer products. Thus, solution that is more plausible would be electric cars and extensive recycling programs that educate people to reuse the previously used materials. By doing so, there will be no carbon flux that will negatively influence the earth’s fine balance on the carbon cycle. There is also the need to introduce sequestration where the carbon dioxide emitted is trapped before it spreads to the atmosphere. The Carbon dioxide is trapped as gas and then pumped underground or to the ocean. Countries should start using renewable energy sources such as solar, biofuels, wave, and wind as a direct substitute to the fossils fuels and erase carbon dioxide emissions. Renewable energy is efficient and it does emit carbon dioxide that leads to climate change. People should be encouraged to plant trees and save the natural environment from degradation. Summarily, greenhouse gases, fossil fuels, and human activities are responsible for the change in climatic patterns. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere is very high which leads to climatic changes. Therefore, there is the need to curb climate change through introduction of renewable energy to avoid the usage of fossil fuels, cut on green gases emitted from industries, and practice tree planting in order to minimize environmental

Us Involvement in Mogadishu Essay Example for Free

Us Involvement in Mogadishu Essay In response to the impending starvation of hundreds of thousands of Somalians the United States entered Somalia in December 1992 to provide humanitarian aid and establish a functioning government as under the UN mandated United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNISOM II). Acting as a replacement for the ineffectual United Nations Operation in Somalia I (UNOSOM I) mission UNISOM II was carried out by United States-controlled (UN-sanctioned) Unified Task Force (UNITAF). UNISOM was given the power to establish a stable environment in Somalia under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. On October 3, 1993 a battle between UNISOM joint forces and Somali militia ensued in Mogadishu. The operation was in decline following the two day battle of Mogadishu. In the fighting 18 US soldiers perished and a further 83 casualties were reported. The bodies of several US casualties were maimed and dragged through the streets of Mogadishu by an assortment of civilians and members Aidid’s Somali National Alliance. In response to the events pressure mounted for the immediate withdrawal of US troops. President Clinton announced in the days following that, â€Å"our mission from this day forward is to increase our strength, do our job, bring our soldiers out and bring them home† and that by mid 1994 all troops would be withdrawn. The US, for fear of a repeat of the events in Somalia reshaped foreign policy terms the years following. The resulting concept of the â€Å"Mogadishu Line† became intertwined in post Cold War international relations discourse. The withdrawal of US forces following the Battle of Mogadishu has been identified by its commentators as the key reason for the failure of US intervention in later conflicts such as the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. â€Å"The ghosts of Somalia continue to haunt US 2 What effect did US involvement in Mogadishu have on US foreign policy? policy. Our lack of response in Rwanda was a fear of getting involved in something like Somalia all over-again†1 Further instances of Clinton refusing to mobilize US ground troops: †¢ 200 lightly armed hostiles at the Haitian harbor of Port-au-Prince causing the withdrawal of the USS Harlan County a week after the Mogadishu battle †¢ Bosnia and Herzegovina 1995 †¢ August 1998 bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania Killing 224 people and wounding more than 5,000 †¢ Clinton administration retaliates with missile strike on al-Qua’ida training camps at Zahwar Kili in Afghanistan Policy makers became more keen on risk avoidance. This became evident in a change in military tactics. Following the1998 bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the failure to kill Osama bin Laden prompted for the construction of plans for an armed assault to capture the Saudi masterm ind. Officers within the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) â€Å"were eager to go after bin Laden† 2. The CIA’s evaluation of the plans estimated a 95 percent chance of successful SOCOM capture of bin Laden given the chance to launch. The plans for the operation were opposed by the top brass. According to a Pentagon officer there was â€Å"reluctance to even discuss pro-active measures associated with countering the terrorist threat through SOF operations.† 2. Concluding in a Pentagon study Richard Shultz expressed that â€Å"The Mogadishu disaster spooked the Clinton administration as well as the brass†2. There was a prolonged and persistent refusal to implement surgical special operations strikes in the face of increasing intelligence regarding unspecified al-Qa’ida plans to attack US targets. A team of 20 Delta operators and SEALs from Task Force 20 were intent on conducting a raid on a home in Mosul, Iraq. The team was backed by a force of app roximately 200 of the 101st Air Assault Division. Forces were repelled by small arms fire repeatedly. To deal with the threat US forces evacuated neighboring homes and fired 18 antitank missiles thus neutralizing the threat. Following the September 11th attacks â€Å"US policy makers became more risk acceptant in dealing with the threat posed by al-Qa’ida.† 2. 1 Former US deputy special envoy to Somalia, Walter Clarke. Command Posts (Aug 2010) â€Å"The Mogadishu Effect and Risk Acceptance† Retrieved August 2nd, 2012, from Command Post site: http://www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the-mogadishueffect-and-risk-acceptance/ 2 3 What effect did US involvement in Mogadishu have on US foreign policy? Evaluation of Sources John S. Brown, Brigadier General, U.S. Army Chief of Military History. Taken from ‘The United States Army in Somalia 1992 1994‘ The source offers the perspective of a historian under military command who was alive at the time. With both hindsight and first hand knowledge the source allows for a more-complete over view of the situation. With the purpose of education, the source is trustworthy to have usable information, however it could very well contain altered information as it has been assembled by a member of the armed forces involved. This source in particular is valuable in that it provides an overall evaluation of US involvement in Somalia from incursion to excursion. With this being written by a member of the US armed forces there is a clear bias towards US service members. This is evident in the statement â€Å"The American soldier had, as always, done his best..†. The source highlights the scope of the blow to US forces during the operation and validates the US’s later decision to refrain from providing military aid on humanitarian missions to come. â€Å"fortytwo Americans died and dozens more were wounded†. While the source serves as an accurate recount of what happened during the operation and provides a brief insight into the events following (Bosnia) it is limited by failing to directly address the topic at hand. The source does not address United States foreign policy changes as a result of the conflict. Benjamin Runkle. August 27, 2011. Taken from ‘The â€Å"Mogadishu Effect† and Risk Acceptance’ http://www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the-mogadishu-effect-and-risk-acceptance/ The above source is an extract from an article written specifically concerning policy changes as a result of incidences during the US lead operations in Somalia. It has been taken from a site focusing on military history and policy. â€Å"CommandPosts.com was launched October 5, 2010, by St. Martin;s Press as a site for military history, current events, and fiction† 3. The purpose of this source is to provide relevant information to those seeking more in depth knowledge concerning Military history. â€Å"It is the intention of CommandPosts.com to foster a community that will engage the audience and provide a location rich in rational discourse and commentary, and find creative ways to support the m ilitary community† 4. Benjamin Runkle ‘is a former paratrooper 3 Command Posts (Oct 5, 2010) ‘About’ Retrieved Oct 30, 2012 the Command Posts site: http:// www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the-mogadishu-effect-and-risk-acceptance/ 4 Command Posts (Oct 5, 2010) ‘About’ Retrieved Oct 30, 2012 the Command Posts site: http:// www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the-mogadishu-effect-and-risk-acceptance/ 4 What effect did US involvement in Mogadishu have on US foreign policy? and presidential speechwriter, with a Harvard PhD, and a Bronze Star from Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has worked in the Department of Defense and the National Security Council, and is currently a Professional Staff Member on the House Armed Services Committee.’ This makes him a person who may have more direct knowledge concerning the topic. The source is limited in that Benjamin Runkle’s current affiliation with government organizations could result in some of the information being censored. The source supports the ideas concerning the ‘Mogadishu Line’ and its prevalence concerning following operations, especially those under the clinton administration. â€Å"The Clinton administration later declined to intervene to prevent repeated atrocities in Bosnia and a genocide in Rwanda due to its experience in the Aideed manhunt†.5 Analysis It became apparent following the unacceptable loss of U.S. lives in what was intended to be a humanitarian effort that changes needed to be made to the way the U.S. deals with foreign affairs and combat operations. A week following the Mogadishu battle the USS Harlan County was withdrawn from the Haitian harbor of Port-au-Prince. The ship was faced with lightly armed hostile demonstrators who’s numbers were well bellow 200. It became evident that the Clinton administration did not want a repeat of the events in Somalia where simple peace keeping initiatives would turn into hostile combat against the very the people the U.S. forces were sent to help. Bosnia and the Rwanda genocide were no different. As a result of its experiences the U.S. officials maintained a safe distance â€Å"deciding against taking a leading role†.7 in Rwanda. Instead public statements, diplomatic demarcates, initiatives for a ceasefire and attempts at contacting both the interim government perpetr ating the killing and the RPF were the chosen course of action. The U.S. further advocated that the UN refrain from a â€Å"robust response†. 7 With the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people and wounding 5,000+, the Clinton administration opted for a missile strike on the al-Qa’ida training camps at Zahwar Kili, Afghanistan. Officers within the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) were keen to launch an infiltration assault to capture Osama bin Laden, head of al-Qa’ida. In spite of a high 95 percent CIA predicted success rate of capturing bin Laden, should forces be given the go ahead to launch, members of the top brass were not convinced. The plans received strong opposition. â€Å"The Mogadishu disaster spooked the Clinton administration as well as the Command Posts (Aug 2010) â€Å"The Mogadishu Effect and Risk Acceptance† Retrieved August 2nd, 2012, from Command Post site: http://www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the- mogadishueffect-and-risk-acceptance/ 5 5 What effect did US involvement in Mogadishu have on US foreign policy? brass.†6 It was evident in the Pentagon conducted study that there was â€Å"reluctance to even discuss pro-active measures associated with countering the terrorist threat through SOF operations.†7 Not only was the Battle of Mogadishu an exemplar for a raid to capture bin Laden. The failed 1980 operation â€Å"Desert One† was â€Å"repeatedly cited as a catastrophic precedent†7 in which a team attempted the rescue of American hostages in Iran. Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, General Hugh Shelton dismissed the proposed SOF raids as â€Å"dumb-ass ideas, not militarily feasible,† and â€Å"something in a Tom Clancy novel† which ignored â€Å"the time-distance factors.†7 In the face of increasing warnings of active al-Qa’ida plans for attacks on U.S. targets the refusal to consider â€Å"surgical special operations strikes in Afghanistan persisted.† A formidable team of 20 Delta operators and SEALs from Task Force 20 were intent on conducting a raid on a home in Mosul, Iraq. The team was backed by a force of approximately 200 of the 101st Air Assault Division which were situated themselves in support by fire positions to the South and northeast of the target building. Forces were repelled by small arms fire repeatedly. Commanders decided against laying siege as it was unknown if there would be escape tunnels leading away from the building. Fears were mounting for an insurgent retaliation, â€Å"trapping the U.S. forces in an ambush similar to Mogadishu.† To deal with the threat US forces evacuated neighboring homes and fired 18 antitank missiles thus neutralizing the threat. This action showed the unwillingness of US commanders to spare the lives of their men for an objective. Decreasing the number of U.S. casualties has become a priority in United States combat operations in foreign lands. Following the September 11th a ttacks â€Å"US policy makers have became more risk acceptant in dealing with the threat posed by al-Qa’ida.†. 6 Richard Shultz. Command Posts (Aug 2010) â€Å"The Mogadishu Effect and Risk Acceptance† Retrieved August 2nd, 2012, from Command Post site: http://www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the-mogadishueffect-and-risk-acceptance/ 7 6 What effect did US involvement in Mogadishu have on US foreign policy? Conclusion As a result of the tragic loss of U.S. lives in Mogadishu changes in foreign policy were issued in attempt to â€Å"prevent repeated atrocities† in future conflicts. The American public became and its leaders became sensitive to the thought of loosing more American lives. For the remainder of the Clinton administration policy towards foreign conflicts was more reserved. U.S. officials took a restrained position on conflicts concerning lands or military operations of a likeness to that of their hunt for Aideed. The losses at Mogadishu and the similar loss during the 1980 â€Å"Desert One† mission combined to restructure the way officials approached military objectives. A higher value was placed on the lives of soldiers which resulted in an increased use of alternative methods such as direct missile strikes to neutralize a thread or complete restrained actions in response to a hostile situation such as Rwanda. 7 What effect did US involvement in Mogadishu have on US foreign policy? Bibliography †¢ ‘About’ [section detailing Website purpose] Command Posts (Oct 5, 2010) Retrieved Oct 30, 2012 the Command Posts site: http://www.commandposts.com/2011/08/the-mogadishu-effect-and-risk- acceptance/ †¢ â€Å"Battle of Mogadishu† Wikepedia (2012) Retrieved June 5th, 2012, from Wikepedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mogadishu_(1993) †¢ â€Å"Bosnia and

Bakhresa Group Organisational Structure and Innovation

Bakhresa Group Organisational Structure and Innovation Identify the strand of organisation structure and innovation approach used by the Bakhresa group. Is it organic or mechanistic structure followed by the Bakhresa group? Among the two which one is more suitable to innovation and why? How can Bakhresa group manage the tension between the need for creativity and efficiency? Discuss the main organisational characteristics that facilitate the innovation process in the Bakhresa group. Explain the key individual roles within the innovation process and the activities they perform in the Bakhresa group. How did Bakhresa group establish innovative environment that propagates the virtuous circle of innovation? Explain its features. BACKGROUND BAKHRESA GROUP OF COMPANIES TANZANIA Bakhresa Group is one of the leading Industrial Houses in Tanzania, East Africa. Started in a humble manner with a small restaurant in the Port City of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in mid seventies, it has now emerged as a respected business group in the Region. The Group has its operations spread in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia and most recently in Mozambique. Plans are in place to spread its wings to other countries. The group now boastsÂÂ  of a turnover of more than Three Hundred Million United Sates Dollars and is a proud employer of more than two thousand employees associated directly. There are several companies under its umbrella and have investments mainly in Food and Beverage Sector, Packaging, Logistics and Real Estate. The Bakhresa group of companies offers two groups of product and services that is food and beverage, and services. Examples of food and beverage companies owned by Bakhresa includes; Bakhresa Grain Milling (Malawi) Ltd, Salim Bakhresa Co Ltd, Bakhresa Grain Milling (U) Ltd, Bakhresa Grain Milling (Mozambique) Lda, Zanzibar Milling Corporation Ltd, Bakhresa Food Products Ltd, Azam Bakeries Company Ltd, Salim Bakhresa Co Ltd and those of services includes; Omar Packaging Industries Ltd, Said Salim Bakhresa Co Ltd, Paper Kraft International Ltd, Bakhresa Food Products Ltd, etc ORGANISATION STRUCTURE AND INNOVATION Identify the strand of organisation structure and innovation approach used by the Bakhresa group. Is it organic or mechanistic structure, among the two which one is more suitable to innovation and why? The structure of an organization is defined by Mintzberg (1978) as the sum total of ways in which it divides its labor into distinct tasks and then achieves coordination among them. One of the problems is recognizing that different groups within an organization behave differently and interact with different parts of the wider external environment. None the less, there have been numerous useful studies exploring the link between the organizational structure and innovative performance. Trott (2005) described the two organizational structures such as Organic and Mechanistic structure as follows:- Mechanistic organization tends to offer a less suitable environment for managing the creativity and the innovation process. From Bakhresa group of companies case study analysis the following facts were deduced The channel of communication is highly structured, there is restricted information flow, and operating styles are uniform and restricted. Authority for decision is based on formal line management position and the management is reluctant to adapt changing circumstances. Therefore Bakhresa group of companies use the mechanistic organization structure which offer less suitable environment for innovation and creativity. The seminal work by Burns and Stalker (1961) on Scottish electronic organisation looked at the impact of technical change on organisational structures and on a system of social relationships. It suggests that organic, flexible structures, characterized by the absence of formality and hierarchy, support innovation more effectively than do mechanistic structures. THE DILEMMA OF INNOVATION MANAGEMENT How can Bakhresa group manage the tension between the need for creativity and efficiency? Trott (2005) explained that within an organization there is a fundamental tension between the need for stability and the need for creativity. On the one hand, companies require stability and static routines to accomplish daily tasks efficiently and quickly. This enables the organization to compete today, for example processing of millions of cheques by banks everyday. On the other hand, companies also need to develop new ideas and new products to be competitive in the future. Hence they need to nurture a creative environment where ideas can be tested and developed. This poses one of the most fundamental problems for management today. The diagram below by Trott (2005) explains the tension Management between the need for creativity and efficiency. Organization Efficiency gains The efficient day to day operations within an organization require stable routines which can be achieved in stable and controlled environments The development of new products/services requires creativity and room to try out new ideas this is achieved in a loose and flexible environment Creativity gains From the Bakhresa group of companies study case analysis shows that The management of the Bakhresa Group is committed to long-term growth rather than short-term profit and the organization is willing to invest in the long-term development of technology and is aware of its threats and opportunities and thus comply straight to the organization creativity gains and efficient gains as described by Trott (2005) above. ORGANISATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT FACILITATE THE INNOVATION PROCESS Discuss the main organisational characteristics that facilitate the innovation process in the Bakhresa group. Trott (2005) explains the following organizational Characteristics that Facilitate the Innovation Process Growth Orientation It is characterized by a commitment to long-term growth rather than short-term profit. Not all companies first and foremost objective is growth. Some companies are established merely to exploit a short-term opportunity, other companies would like to maintain the company at its existing size: the objective of innovative companies is to grow the business the actively plan for the long-term, as it has been seen in the Bakhresa group of companies The management of the Bakhresa Group is committed to long-term growth rather than short-term profit and the organization is willing to invest in the long-term development of technology and is aware of its threats and opportunities. On top of that Trott (2005) added the following characteristics that facilitate the innovation process. Vigilance It is characterized by the ability of the organization to be aware of its threats and opportunities. Vigilance requires continual external scanning e.g. within the marketing function the activity would form part of market research and competitor analysis collecting valuable information is one thing, but relaying it to the necessary individuals and acting on it are two necessary associated requirements. Presently Bakhresa group is catering the fuel needs of customers in Zanzibar and Local bunkers. The vision is to enter the international bunkering business in near future since Zanzibar is the gateway to the East African coast. Commitment to Technology It is characterized by the willingness to invest in the long-term development of technology. Most innovative firms exhibit patience in permitting ideas to geminate and develop overtime. This need to be accompanied by a commitment to resources in terms of intellectual input without a long-term approach it would be extremely difficult for the company to attract good scientists. As seen in the Bakhresa group of companies technology is highly applied, most of the tasks are machinery operated. On the other hand the Company has a well supported IT system to run its day to day operations. PC Workstation Internet Access Satellite base Fleet Management Solutions Tracking System Fleet Cost and Maintenance Management System Road Base Daily Reporting Fleet Management System Real time location of trucks at finger tips Speed monitoring feedback on screen at all times Telephone and SMS availability at all times Acceptance of RISKS It is characterized by the willingness to include risky opportunities in a balanced portfolio. It means the willingness to consider carefully risky opportunities. Ability to take calculated risks and include them in a balanced portfolio of projects. Being an entrepreneur Bakhresa took a great risk to even in the foreign land and still think to spread its wings all over the African countries. Cross-functional Cooperation It is characterized by mutual respect among individuals and a willingness to work together across functions. Inter-departmental conflict is a well documented barrier to innovation. Often conflict has been observed between marketing and R D functions as the two groups often have very different interests. Receptivity It is characterized by the ability to be aware of, to identify and take effective advantage of externally developed technology. Most technology based innovations involve a combination of several different technologies. It would be unusual for all the technology to be developed in-house. That is why business is witnessing an in chasing number of joint ventures and alliances. Slack It is characterized by an ability to manage the innovation dilemma and provide room for creativity while organizations place a great emphasis on the need for efficiency, there is also a need for a certain amount of slack to allow individuals room to think, experiment, discuss ideas and be creative. Adaptability It is characterized by a readiness to accept change. The development of new product innovations will invariably lead to disruptions to established organizational activities. Major or radical innovations may result in significant changes, although the two are not necessarily linked. The organization must be ready to accept change in the way it manages its internal activities. Otherwise proposed innovations would be stifled due to a reluctance to alter existing ways of working or to learn new techniques. Diverse Range of Skills It is characterized by a combination of specialization and diversity of knowledge and skills organizations require individuals of a hybrid nature who are able to understand a variety of technical subjects and facilitate the transfer of knowledge within the company. It is the ability of the organization to manage this diversity of knowledge skills effectively that lies at the heart of the innovation process. Bakhresa Group started in a humble manner with a small restaurant in the Port City of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, past three decades, it has now emerged as a respected business group in the Region. The Group has its operations spread in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and most recently in Mozambique. There are several companies under its umbrella and have investments mainly in Food and Beverage Sector, Packaging, Logistics and Real Estate. The Bakhresa Group has established companies dealing with variety of products from manufacturing of Food and Beverage Sector, Packaging, Logistics and Real Estate and has become a market leader because of innovation and entrepreneurship. THE ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE INNOVATION PROCESS Explain the key individual roles within the innovation process and the activities they perform in the Bakhresa group Trott (2005) explains innovation process is essentially a people process and that organizational structure, formal decision making processes, delegation of authority and other formal aspects of a so-called well run company are not necessary conditions for successful technological innovation. The study of Rubenstein has revealed that certain individuals had fulfilled a variety of roles that had contributed to successful technological innovation. Technical Innovator: This individual is an expert in one or two fields. Generates new ideas and sees new and different ways of doing things. Also referred to as the mad scientific. In the Bakhresa group of companies there is no technical innovator. Technical/Commercial Scanner This individual acquires vast amounts of information from outside the organization, often through net working. This may include market and technical information. For the company to survive and perform effectively, technical information is very important as seen in the Bakhresa group of companies. Gatekeeper This individual keeps informed of related developments that occur outside the organization through journals, conferences, colleagues and other companies. Passes information on to others, finds it easy to talk to colleagues. Serves as an information resource for others in the organization, consequently for the organisation to meet customer needs it is important to search for the outside information to see what other organisation do. Product champion This individual sells new ideas to others in the organization. Acquires resources, aggressive in championing his/her cause, takes risks. As per Bakhresa group of companies there is no product champion. Project Leader This individual provides the team with leadership and motivation. Plans and organizes the project ensures that administrative requirements are met. Provides necessary coordination among team members sees that project moves forward effectively. Balances Project goals with organizational needs Sponsor This individual provides access to a power base within the organization: a senior person. Buffers the Project team from unnecessary organizational constraints, helps the project team to get what it needs from other parts of the organization. Provides legitimacy and organizational confidence in the project. The Bakhresa Group engages commercial scanner, gatekeeper and project leader and sponsor to facilitate the innovation process. Even though the Bakhresa Group of companies lack product champion and technical innovator still the innovation activities within the organization is excellent. ESTABLISHING AN INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENT AND PROPAGATING THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE How did Bakhresa group establish innovative environment that propagates the virtuous circle of innovation? Explain its features As from (Porters 1985 cited in Trott 2005) explained that, given the importance of innovation, many businesses have spent enormous sum of money trying to develop an environment that fosters innovation. Creating a virtuous circle of innovation means getting competitive advantage over others. Virtuous circle of innovation The organizations Reputation for innovation High morale and Attraction of Retention of creative creative people people Motivates people and organizational Reduce frustration encouragement of Creativity and innovation A willingness in the Org. to accept new ideas Development of Innovative Product Reputation of the Organization It takes many years to develop. It is strongly linked to overall performance. Some companies are able to achieve wide exposure of new products or new research as seen in the case analysis Bakhresa group of companies started in a humble manner with a small restaurant in the Port City of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in mid seventies, it has now emerged as a respected business group in the Region. The Group has its operations spread in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia and most recently in Mozambique. Attraction of creative people Creative people will be attracted to those companies that themselves are viewed as creative. TOP scientists and researchers will seek employment with such companies. Currently Bakhresa group of companies is an employer of more than two thousand employees associated directly. Organizational encouragement of creativity The creativity has to be supported with actions and resources with the time to be creative: Organization can try to build sufficient slack into the system to allow for creative thinking and tolerates errors and mistakes and successful ideas need to be rewarded. Development of Innovative Products Developing new products that are genuine improvements compared with products currently available. Taking an example of Bakhresa Food Products Limited (BFPL) is based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and produces high quality, delicious and nutritious Azam brand Ice Creams, Fruit Juices, Frozen Chapattis and Uhai (means Life in Kiswahili) brand Pure Drinking Water. Azam Bakeries, the largest bakery in Tanzania, produces the popular Azam brand bread, cakes and donuts. The state of the art technology is used for producing the bakery products making the company proud of supplyingÂÂ  essential food in the country. It has a modern biscuit factory producing the finest varieties of biscuits. Many varieties of biscuits such as Chai, Creams, Glucose, Coconut, Nice, Marie, and Shortcake are popular in the country. Willingness to Accept New Ideas Many organizations suffer from an inability to implement changes and new ideas even after rewarding the people involved in developing those ideas. Once a new product idea has been accepted it is important that it is carried through to completion. In future Bakhresa group of companies expect to trade Lubricants Jet A1 LPG With 60odd resorts of 150beds capacity each, in Zanzibar there is also ample scope for bulk supply LPG (In tanks), if they will able to arrange logistics. Increased Motivation and Reduced frustrations Individuals within the organization can see their ideas and efforts contributing to the performance of the business; they will be encouraged still further: on the other hand if seemingly good ideas are constantly overlooked, this will lead to increased frustrations. High Morale and Retention of Creative people A rewarding and enjoyable working environment will help to retain creative people. This in turn should reinforce the companys innovative capabilities. The Bakhresa Group, given the importance of innovation, has spent enormous sums of money trying to develop an environment that fosters innovation. The Bakhresa Group is aware of developing a reputation for innovation which helps propagate a virtuous circle that reinforces Groups abilities. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION As seen in the case study analysis, Bakhresa group of companies is now expanding towards all over the Africa supplying services and products. The company mainly caters through the food and beverage products and service products. The organisation structure of Bakhresa group of companies is characterized by mechanistic structure which is not very much conducive for enhancing innovation process within organisation, for more efficiency and effectiveness I suggest Bakhresa group of companies to start adopting organic structure. Meanwhile the structure of Bakhresa group of companies lacks the product champion and technical innovator so I suggest also including those two individual roles for maximum output of companies. Despite various organisation that falls under the umbrella of the Bakhresa group of companies the top management of all sub companies is comprised by family members, something that might bring trouble when family instability happens.

Alfred Nobel Essay example -- essays research papers

Alfred Nobel Born in Stockholm in 1833 of Swedish parents, Alfred Nobel moved with his family to St. Petersburg, then the capital of Russia, at the age of nine. There his energetic and inventive father soon acquired a strong and respected position as an inventor and industrialist. Nobel subsequently lived in several countries and ultimately came to regard himself as a citizen of the world. Even so, he never gave up his Swedish citizenship. By virtue of the education he received in many countries, Nobel read, spoke and wrote fluently in five European languages: Swedish, Russian, English, French and German. His numerous handwritten letters demonstrate his remarkable proficiency in all of them. He perfected his French when sent to Paris by his father in his late teens to study chemistry. His letters in French are particularly elegant. Those in English sometimes bear traces of the early nineteenth-century style generally associated with Byron and Shelley (his two favourite poets) and are remarkably free of grammatical and idiomatic errors. To his mother he always wrote in Swedish, which is also the language of the will he composed in Paris. The fields embraced by the prizes stipulated by the will reflect Nobel's personal interests. While he provided no prizes for architects, artists, composers or social scientists, he was generous to those working in physics, chemistry, physiology and medicine—the subjects he knew best himself, and in which he expected the greatest advances. Throughout his life he suffered from poor health and often took cures at watering places, â€Å"less to drink the water than to rest.† But he expected great improvements in medicine, and the profession has since realized many of them. Once he employed a young Swedish physiologist in Paris to test his own theories on blood transfusions. Although these efforts were not successful, problems related to transfusions were later solved by an Austrian, Karl Landsteiner, who won the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Prize in Literature, too, reflects the donor's personal predilections. From his early youth he had been a writer as well as an avid reader, but he later destroyed many of his adolescent poems written in Swedish. He did, however, save a long autobiographical poem in English and occasionally gave copies of it to intimate friends. He was always an omnivorous reader of bo... ...ctive prize-awarding bodies. After the merits of the candidates have been discussed, the bodies announce their final decisions in mid-October. All proceedings of the prize-awarding bodies are secret. The presentation ceremonies The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and the Prize in Economic Sciences are presented to the laureates by H.M. the King at a ceremony generally held in the Stockholm Concert Hall on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896 at Sanremo, Italy. The Peace Prize presentation takes place on the same day at the Oslo City Hall. Each laureate receives a Nobel Gold Medal and a Nobel Diploma. The prize money, which varies according to the net income of the fund capital, is transferred after December 10 according to the laureate's wishes. In 1995, the value of the Nobel Prizes was some SEK 7.2 million per prize. The awards are widely recognized as the world's highest civic honors. Besides spurring recipients and possible candidates to new efforts, they have served to make scientific and literary achievements, as well as humanitarian contributions, much more widely known than would otherwise have been the case.