How the external environment shapes the organization ( BOSTON PIZZA) Essay

How the external environment shapes the organization ( BOSTON PIZZA) - Essay Example Boston Pizza has a strong brand positioning and is the first chain of restaurants to offer fat-free menu items (Henry 234). The restaurants have huge televisions and spacious parking areas thus appealing to the middle income consumers. The external business environment shapes the operations of Boston Pizza and the strategic choices of the management. The external environment is beyond the control of the management and strategic choices must be made to adapt to the fast changing external environment in order for the restaurant chain to attain competitive edge in the market (Henry 172). The external business environment consists of the political environment, economic environment, social-cultural environment, technological environment, legal environment and ecological environment. PESTLE (political, economic, social-cultural, technological, legal and ecological) environment analysis tool will be useful in analysing and understanding how the external business environment shapes Boston Pizza. The political environment entails the political stability, the trade restrictions and attitudes of governments towards businesses, pressure groups, conflicts, and wars. The current political environment in Canada, United States and Mexico is stable, but there are different pressure groups such as anti-obesity campaigners that have been advocating for health eating habits (Henry 78). The Canadian government has implemented several measures that aim at protecting consumer interests and welfare in order to safeguard the health of the population. In this case, Boston Pizza must implement health-conscious menus in order to attract higher number of customers and adapt to the changing political environment (Kachru 84). The restaurant chain is capable of expanding to cities that have political stability and minimal pressure group influences. However, the government may

Developing Effective Teamwork in Organisations Essay

Developing Effective Teamwork in Organisations - Essay Example Evaluation of the organizational theories and approaches with examples 12 3.Ways of using motivational theories in organisations 13 Task 1. Impact of leadership styles on motivation levels in organizations in periods of change 13 Task2a. 3 motivational theories 13 Task 2b. 3 workplace situations for the 3 motivational theories 14 Task 2c. Comparison and evaluation of theories against set criteria of ‘benefits of motivational theories’ for managers 14 4.Developing effective teamwork in organizations 15 Task 1. Review workforce in the organization with regards to group behaviours 15 Task 2a. 4 factors to be considered for building effective teams 15 Task 2b. Contribution of 4 factors towards development of teamwork 15 Task 2c. How the 4 factors can inhibit development of teamwork 16 Task 3. Evaluation of the impact of technology on team functioning in the organization 16 Reference 18 Context The project presents the context of British Petroleum, which accounts for one of t he leading oil and gas companies in the world. The organization is known for its immense success in providing customers with fuel, energy, retail services and petrochemical products which is required in their daily lives. The company’s unique feature lies in its sophisticated technology usage and techniques which it uses for finding natural gases and oil under the surface of the earth. The organization earns the reputation of constantly updating its scientific techniques and tools used in its methods and practices and responding to customers’ needs and requirements promptly and successfully. The efficiency and competency demonstrated by the company truly reflects through its organizational culture and structure. It also demonstrates perfect leadership styles in different situations and needs. The impacts of effective leadership shows through its ability in enhancing motivations of individuals in the organization such that it proves itself as one of the most preferred a nd attractive employer to work with. The organization’s effective and efficient team management styles also accounts for one of the main factors for success. The project proceeds with the description of the organizational structure and culture of British Petroleum and way it impacts on the business performance. The different approaches to leadership and management are discussed in this context. Finally the impact of technology and its influence on the team functioning in the organization is provided in the project. 1. Relationship between organization structure and culture Task 1a. Organizational structures British Petroleum reflects a geographically based organizational structure, particularly because of its large overseas sales which do not necessarily remain dominated by any single geographic territory. Global area structures are generally seen in organizations having narrow product lines; for example, the automobile organizations, cosmetics, containers, pharmaceuticals as well as food and beverages (John & Gillies, 1996, p.278). On the other hand the organizational structure of General Electric demonstrates a product divisional structure. The multinational organization is structured according to the product divisions which exist across the world. General Electric has product divisional structure mainly on account of its wide and diverse product ranges in which the user markets as well as the technologies very to quite an extent between the various product groups (John & Gillies,

The High Blood Pressure Essay Example for Free

The High Blood Pressure Essay The double whammy for people with hypertension is that the extra adrenalin required by being overweight or obese: constricts our arteries and blood vessels to raise our blood pressure and give us an energy boost ready to defend ourselves or to escape a dangerous situation; and it could also lead to type 2 diabetes! The good news is that losing weight need not be difficult or involve unappetizing diets. Losing weight is a natural way to reduce our high blood pressure. Here are my tips on how to lose weight healthily: # 1. Exercise: Take regular moderate cardiovascular exercise, such as brisk walking. Just 30 minutes brisk walking each day will improve our general health. Our heart and lungs will be strengthened; and, we will lose weight if we are burning more calories than we consume. We will also lower our high blood pressure. # 2. Diet: Adopt a healthy, calorie controlled diet that is rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, and is low in fat and salt. Avoid adding salt to your food at the table. Try to eat five different fruits and vegetables each day, of which at least one should be a green vegetable. Choose lean cuts of meat and try to have two portions of oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, each a week. Some of the most successful weight loss diet plans advocate having six small healthy meals a day in stead of the usual two or three large meals. Try out the principles of food combining which lends itself to having several small meals a day. # 3. Drink plenty of water: Try to drink at least two litres of water a day; not all at once, of course, but aim to have eight glasses of water spread out through the day. Doing this will help you feel fuller for longer, reducing the temptation for us to cheat on our healthy calorie controlled diet. Our bodies will also be properly hydrated. Dehydration can cause high blood pressure.

Manuel Castells: Theory of Information Age

Manuel Castells: Theory of Information Age Manuel Castells is one of the most widely recognised contributors to contemporary debates about globalisation. Indeed his three volume trilogy The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture published from 1996 to 2000 was amongst the earliest, full-scale theories of globalisation. Castells transformed globalisation from a fashionable academic concept into a a whole new phase of human history. More recent contributors such as Hardt and Negri, Held, Bauman and Giddens have arguably been writing within Castells legacy. Few since however, have been able to match the boldness of Castells venture which some are already characterising as a work in the tradition of previous grand works of sociology such as Karl Marx and Max Weber. Of course, it is too early to place Castells alongside Marx and Weber but the central thesis of his trilogy is certainly all-encompassing. It is nothing less than the claim that new information technologies have not only transformed the technology of communicati on, they have not merely had a globalising impact but have brought about a new age, within which these technologies are the organising logic and principles. Very little of human life escapes this new age for Castells, from state structures and national sovereignty to the everyday individual reckoning with our own identity. In the first volume of his trilogy, The Network Society, Castells explains how the new age can be characterised as an age of informationalism. The world has shifted from industrialism to post-industrialism to informationalism (Castells, 1996). In other words the determining technology of our age is not mechanical but informational. This has brought about a whole new way in which economic activity and production is conducted, through networking. This takes place within companies, between companies and between regions. Networking is the new means for ensuring productivity, as opposed to old-fashioned heirarchical managerial strcutures which relied on the controllable logic of mechanical operations. Rather networking is informational and its technological medium is the internet. The networking society has important consequences not only for economic progress but for human relationships and the future of the nation-stae. In economic terms it means that progress is tied inextricably to in formation technology. If technology is responsible for transferring labor and matter into consumable goods and the production of  consumable goods determines economic progress then such progress is determined by information technology, and particular the manipulation of the internet. Furthermore, if human culture is significantly determined by the forms of economic activity that permeate it then the rise of the new information technologies is bound to have a rapid and dramatic impact on everyday human relationships. Perhaps the most significant of these is the impact on our conception of time. The world has become a much smaller place with the onset of information technology as we can interact and respond to each other in real time about matters of great significance. This theme is further developed in the second volume of the trilogy The Power of Identity. Here, Castells explains how the new social movements are posing a formidable challenge to the old nation-state system (Castells, 1998). These new social movements are the product of the new global economic order because this is new order is ruthless, perhaps more ruthless and brutal than previous economic orders. Whole communities and forms of life can simply by cut out or switched of. Individuals are likely to feel that their traditional roots have no value and at the same time there is very little security provided by this new order. In the End of Millenium, the third volume of his trilogy, Castells paints a gloomy picture of the trends that have been set in place by globalisation (Castells, 2000). On the one hand many will feel increasingly lost in the information age further removed from the forces that are shaping their lives. On the other hand many of those that embrace the new world or der will do so at the expense of the moral grounding that upheld previous social orders. Castells trilogy has been both widely discussed and heavily criticised. Much of this criticism has been concerned with the presentation of his ideas, that Castells covers too much ground and is uneccessarily verbose. There are more serious criticisms that can be made however. These criticisms are perhaps best highlighted by contrasting Castells work with other theorists of globalisation. Saskia Sassen provides one such contrast. For Sassen departs significantly in her account of globalisation from Castells economic and technological determinism. Whereas Castells argues that the new world order is fundamentally a new economic order and that this new economic order is  founded on progress in information technology, Sassen argues that there are two main trends that have driven globalisation (Sassen, 1996). According to Sassen these two main trends are both economic and political. And it is the development of political globalisation that tells most significantly against Castells thesis . New forms of transnational political association such as the European Union are acquiring a significant measure of political authority over process of global economic and social activities. They must therefore be understood as part of the driving force of globalisation. But political globalisation does not simply entail the transfer of power from national to international institutions. It also includes new human rights regimes. These rights have been centred around the protection, or at least the recognition, of peoples from the abuse of state power by international. Whilst human rights protection is patchy and far from universal it is one aspect of a way of avoiding the pessimistic conclusions made by Castells. Perhaps, even, a new form of global citizenship is possible through both global political institutions and the remaining and still vital democratic institutions of nation-states, which are far from disappearing as one might believe after reading Castells. But how will this be possible if, as Robertson explains, there is no prospect of any kind of unified global culture that could underpinn it. Well, perhaps it is if we follow Robertsons definition of globalisation as opposed to Castells. According to Robertson  globalisation refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the global whole. (Robertson, 1992: 8) In contrast to Castells then, who argues that in a globalised world individuals are likely to feel increasingly lost, disconnected from the forces that are shaping their lives, Robertsons globalisation leads to an increasing interconnectedness between people. This interconnectedness is obviously enabled to a significant degree by the internet. And, to be sure, not everyone is able to access the new communications technologies that are helping to drive globalisation. However, the possibility that those that are excluded from the rights and priviledges enjoyed by citizens of the west might be protected from the consequences of globalisation and might be eventually be included in these privileges is enabled by a key feature of globalisation itself. This is that in a globalised world we are more likely to position our views in relation to a far greater range of human  perspectives. In other words, globalisation involves comparative interaction of different forms of life. (Robertson, 1992:27) This process can be called relativisation, which is a process that affects both individuals and states. A more specific and more detailed exploration of the ways in which the comparative interaction of different forms of life may help to transform our world for the better can be found in theories of global civil society. There are many different versions of the theory of global civil society, but at its most optimistic it is envisaged that the key to the democratisation of forces of globalisation lies not in human rights regimes but in the development of networks of cooporation between international actors (NGOS) who can place pressure on both states and international authorities through the exchange of opinion within a global public sphere (Keane, 2003). Just as national civil societies ensured that national markets were socially embedded with moral and ethical norms, so global civil society may have this impact on the global economic order. The exposure of some of the unsavoury practices of certain global companies, such as Nike and BP, by NGOS and the paradoxically named anti-global isation movement, are surely already having such an impact. That said however, if we wanted to understand the forces that might render the prospect of a global civil society unrealized then there are few better theorists to turn to than Castells. That is if we put aside his economic and technological determinism. References Zygmunt Bauman (2000) Liquid Modernity Polity Press Keane, John (2003) Global Civil Society Cambridge University Press Castells, Manuel , (1996) The Information age: Economy, Society and Culture volume one. The Network Society Blackwell Castells, Manuel (1998) The Information age: Economy, Society and Culture volume two. The Power of Identity Blackwell Castells, Manuel (2000) The Information age: Economy, Society and Culture volume three. The End of Millenium Blackwell Robertson, Ronald (1992) Globalisation Social Theory and Global Culture. London: Sage. Saskia Sassen (1996) Losing Control? Columbia University Press

The Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered Essay example -- MLDA, Underag

We knocked on the door of the off-campus apartment, as it opened we were confronted with the heavy stench of alcohol. A young girl was passed out on the living room floor, a pile of empty beer cans filled the kitchen sink, and the deafening music rattled the window panes. A group of girls managed to stumble past us. They waved goodbye to the host, who was handing drinks to me and my sister. It was not my first time drinking. In fact, everyone there was quite experienced – after all, it’s college. Half of the guests were completely drunk, and I had no problem with it. That is, until later that night when my sister locked herself in a room with a guy she had met only a week before. This prompted me to seriously consider the effects of alcohol. Would my sister have been able to see the danger of the situation had she been sober? Would the absence of alcohol have prevented the events of that night from occurring? These questions, along with the vivid memory of that night, fueled my examination of the complex social problem of underage drinking. In the 1960s, the drinking age was set as 21, to match the voting age. However, around the time of the Vietnam War, the public began to argue that if an 18-year-old was old enough to fight and die for his country, then he should be able to vote as well. As a result, the voting age was lowered to 18. Between 1970 and 1976, 29 states lowered their legal drinking age as well. In the words of Carla Main, author of Bulldozed and various other published works concerning law and society, the results were â€Å"catastrophic,† as â€Å"[h]ighway deaths among teenagers and young adults skyrocketed† (Main 33). Many states began raising the legal drinking age up again. In 1984, under the supervision of Ronald ... ...hus, focus should be on better enforcing the law, rather than amending it. Works Cited DeJong, William. â€Å"Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18? No.† American Teacher 93.3 (2008): 3. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. Main, Carla T. â€Å"Underage Drinking and the Drinking Age.† Policy Review. June/July 2009: 33-46. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. Martinez, Julia A., Miguel A. Munoz Garcia, and Kenneth J. Sher. â€Å"A New Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA)? Some Findings to Inform the Debate.† Addictive Behaviors 34.4 (2009): 407-10. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. Muhlenfeld, Elisabeth. â€Å"Seeking a Drinking Age Debate.† University Business 11.10 (2008): 53-4. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. â€Å"The 21 Club.† Economist 392.8645 (2009): 26. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.

My Generation Essay -- essays research papers fc

People throughout the world experience catastrophes, and contentment throughout their lives. Some incidences may impact just their lives, or even the world. People experience occurrences in their generation where only they could have an emotional connection. Ancestors, grandparents, and our parents have experienced situations in their lives, which we could only take a glimpse of. We see the photos, we hear the stories but we don't feel the emotions, which they experience during that time. In my generation there have been events in my life that I classify devastating and memorable. In the following paragraphs I will present the aspects of my generation of how incidences may impact our lives and the lives all across the world. In 1981 the year of my birth, Pope John Paul II and President Reagan, are both shot in assassination attempts. He was the first non-Italian pope in 450 years and the first Polish pope. John Paul traveled widely early in his reign, e.g., to Poland and the U.S. in 1979. Following a trip to E Asia (1981), he was shot at the Vatican on May 13, 1981, by a Turkish terrorist (Zpub). The assassination attempts on John Paul II and President Reagan have lifted a dilemma and gun control. Gun control is government limitation of the purchase and ownership of firearms. The availability of guns is controlled by nations throughout the world. In the U.S. the right of the people to keep arms is guaranteed by the Constitution but has been variously interpreted (Zpub). Some states have strict licensing and other control measures, and federal legislation prohibited the sale of rifles by mail. After years of controversy, the growing number of gun-related crimes pushed congressional passage of the Brady bi ll. Named for press secretary James Brady who was seriously wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan. The 1994 Federal Crime Bill banned the manufacture, sale, and possession of certain assault weapons. In 1984 a Rock n’ Roll Group Queen release their album Queens Greatest Hits Volume I. Without a doubt the album goes Platinum, with hits like â€Å"Bohemian Rhapsody,† â€Å"Another Bites The Dust,† â€Å"We Are The Champions† and â€Å"We Will Rock You†. My favorite song from the album is â€Å"We Will Rock You.† I really enjoy the song because it has personal significance and not only that, but it has a nice beat to it. The song has become an anthem in Am... ...and Elton John. And Steven Spielberg creates movies to help better understand the concept and tragedies of war. This is just a glimpse of what my world/generation was like from 1981-2002. Works Cited Atkinson, Rick.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crusade.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: Princeton Press, 1997. Schindler’s List. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Perf. Ben Kingsley, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes. Videocassette. Universal, 1993. No Author.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Online source   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.cnn.com/US/OKC/bombing.html Reeve, Simon.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The New Jackals.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1999 Rees Mat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"World Trade Center Tragedy†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time Sept. 2001 35-37 No Author.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Online source   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.zpub.com/un/pope/ G.I. Joe An America Hero: WPIX 11. New York. 1988

Essay on Australian Culture Essay

The composers of In Sydney’s Suburbs, An Endless Summer and Love Letter: McIver’s Baths have helped me to further understand Australian culture by using a variety of language devices and techniques to uncover the Australian culture. Chris West, the author of In Sydney’s Suburbs, An Endless Summer reveals that Australians respect the harsh landscape and presents beach culture as a prominent aspect n the lives of Australia. Helen Pitt, the author of Love Letter: McIver’s Baths, uncovers Aboriginal beliefs in Australian principles and shows that multiculturalism is freely accepted in Australian society. West conveys the Australian landscape to be harsh and rugged, yet respected and valued by Australians. West personifies the land and describes how it â€Å"points like a crooked finger†. The use of the verb â€Å"points† gives the land an intimidating quality. West continues to describe the land as â€Å"a patch of God’s country. † The juxtaposition of the two phrases suggests that the Australian is feared but respected and cared for by Australians. This comparison has broadened my understanding of the Australian culture. This idea is similar to Pitt’s description of the beach â€Å"which is as curvy as the female form. † The simile creates a unique attractiveness, which is intriguing but is appreciated in Australian culture. Both West and Pitt expose an underlying appreciation of natural beauty in Australia, confirming my understanding of Australian culture. Pitt has employed the use of figurative devices that helped extend my understanding of Australian culture. â€Å"You nursed me†¦your swell embraced me in a way she no longer could. † The use of apostrophe gives the baths motherly qualities. The verbs â€Å"nursed† and â€Å"embraced† mimic the actions of a mother caring for her child. The quote also alludes to the old Aboriginal beliefs that the land is mother. This reveals that Aboriginal culture and beliefs are still present in today’s society and highly respected in Australian culture. In West’s article, there are also allusions to Aboriginal culture. He describes children playing on the beach â€Å"under the watchful eyes of black-clad elders†. Both composers display an aspect of Aboriginal culture and its importance in Australian society, thus deepening my understanding of Australian culture. In West’s article, beach culture is displayed as a prominent aspect in the lives of Australians. He describes businessmen and how they â€Å"peel off their swimsuits in the beachfront parking lots, towel down and don sober business attire then drive straight to work. † The use of the verb â€Å"peel† suggests that the beach and beach culture is part of them, that it’s in their skin and soul. Pitt reinforces the idea that being at one with sea and its surrounding environment is what is truly valued in Australian society. â€Å"I took refuge in your barnacled depths, reacquainting myself†¦with what it meant to be Australian. † Both composers explore the notion that having connection with the beach is genuinely valued in Australian culture, thus challenging my understanding of Australian culture. In Pitt’s article, multiculturalism is celebrated by showing the freedoms that we as Australians, no matter what cultural heritage we have, are able to enjoy. â€Å"Muslim women frolicking in burkinis†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The use of the verb â€Å"frolicking† suggests that the women feel comfortable enjoying the Australian environment without fear of prejudice from other cultures. The revelation of the carefree attitude towards cultural diversity in Australian culture has expanded my understanding of Australian culture. West also presents the acceptance of a diverse range of culture in his article. â€Å"Families of newly arrived Mediterranean immigrants fetch extravagant picnics†¦from the trunks of Japanese-built sedans† Both composers clarify that people of other cultures and religions are accepted and welcomed in Australian society. The confirmation has contributed to my understanding of Australian culture. By manipulating a range of language devices, both composers have challenged and reinforced my understanding of Australian culture, beliefs and values. West and Pitt both confirm that the harsh yet spectacular landscape of Australia is respected and cherished in Australian culture. They both uncover Aboriginal beliefs that are still present in today’s society. Multiculturalism and beach culture are both thoroughly exposed by West and Pitt. In Sydney’s Suburbs, An Endless Summer and Love Letter: McIver’s Baths have definitely helped me to further understand Australian culture.