Assessment Of An Individual s Physical And Psychological...

1. How is assessment used in the adult population? Cavanaugh and Blanchard-Fields (2015) provide six primary methods of assessment in the adult population. The methods of assessment include interviewing, self-reports, reports by others, psychological assessment, direct observation, and performance-based assessment. The most common assessment method is clinical interviews. This method is often used because it provides direct information and nonverbal information. Interviews also allow clinicians to get the background of patients, build rapport with clients, determine follow-up procedures, and evaluate the effects of treatment. Cavanaugh and Blanchard-Fields (2015) mentions that when clinicians are interviewing older adults, they should keep the sessions short and be aware of any deficits that may interfere with the interview. Self-reports are commonly used in assessment measures. Psychological assessment examines the relationship between an individual s physical and psychological fun ctioning. An example of a common psychological measure is the electroencephalogram which measures wave in the brain. While performing observations, they can be directed to the presenting problem, structured, or observed in other settings. Performance-baed assessment allows clinicians to gather information by instructing patients to perform specific tasks. Areas such as memory and cognitions are evaluated. Mental status exams are commonly used as a screening measure of mental competence toShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Psychological Assessment On Counseling And Clinical Practice1675 Words   |  7 PagesNUMBER TWO Assessment Discuss the role of psychological assessment in counseling or clinical practice. What are the strengths and weaknesses inherent in formal psychological testing? Why might you choose formal psychological testing techniques and for what types of clients? What limitations should be considered: Are there different considerations for objective and subjective assessment techniques? The Role of Psychological Assessment in Counseling or Clinical Practice Psychological assessment assessesRead MoreEvaluating A Service Member For Mst808 Words   |  4 PagesSome other assessment questions should assess for prior history of trauma, the types of responses they received at the time of the MST and whether the MST happened once or was repeated over time. Due to MST being associated with PTSD, depression, anxiety, or substance use, it is important that an assessment also looks at past experiences with psychiatric conditions as well as current mental health diagnoses. Similar to assessing for PTSD, a provider should assess for, work functioning, interpersonalRead MorePsychological And Emotional Hazards Of Nurses1612 Words   |  7 Pages PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL HAZARDS Like the general population, pilots are susceptible to the same psychological problems other people may encounter. Historically, pilots have had a deep distrust of psychologists and psychiatrists and are dismissive of psychological theories. This deeply rooted negative disposition most likely has been formed from bad experiences during training, licensing, selection, or during the routine tasks of managing daily personal problems. Pilots typically have a lowerRead MorePtsd And Diagnosis Of Ptsd1024 Words   |  5 Pagesafter experiencing trauma. PTSD can occur after an individual has been through a traumatic event, such as combat exposure, terrorist attack, sexual or physical assault, or serious accidents. According to The Department of Veteran Affairs, â€Å"About 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or between 11-20%) who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Enduring Freedom (OEF) have PTSD in a given year† (2015). The distinguishing characteristics in assessment of PTSD and diagnosis of PTSD are the evaluationRead MoreMood Disorders1364 Words   |  6 Pagesimagined of losing both her loved ones. Furthermore, she felt misery, as she could not engage on sexual intimacy with her husband. Therefore, it had triggered her emotion even more, she was feeling intense and where the emotion impaired her daily functioning that affects the quality of life by fulfilling the expectation of her mother and now her husband. Based on the diagnosis, Janice showed no psychotic symptoms or any history of a manic episode. But however, genetic factors could answer to herRead MoreThe Effects Of Midlife Psychosocial Development On Cognitive And Emotional Health1331 Words   |  6 Pagespsychosocial development and its effect as the person ages. 2. Summary of related literature or studies Erikson’s psychosocial development theory became the foundation of understanding human development across the lifespan. He hypothesized that individuals who fail to navigate the challenges of developmental tasks deal with consequences such as emotional despair and stagnation later in life. Numerous research found that psychosocial factors such as identity, relationships, and work have an impactRead MoreReview Selection Of A Standardized Test . Introduction.1457 Words   |  6 Pagesprocess of achieving a Master s degree in clinical psychology, it is essential to be aware of the reasons for certain tests, their reliability, and validity. This especially true for a clinical psychologist, which I plan to become. Clinical psychologists identify psychological, emotional, and behavioral concerns. Eventually, those issues are diagnosed. Then, treatment plans are developed and implemented. This would not be possible without tests, observations, and assessments. As a result, this paperRead MoreAlcohol Use Disorder Identification Test1569 Words   |  6 Pageseach individual, people seek psychotherapy propelled by unique problems and conditions. Generally, many people will look for therapy because of sense of dissatisfaction with emotional pain or life. Sometimes it can be from immediate distress that is related to a definite crisis like addiction, separation or a loss, maybe on ongoing difficulty in part of their lives like work or relationship. For some people it might be due to suffering strong sadness, worry or fear. To some extent individuals mightRead MoreEducating Health Related Professionals On Recreational Therapy And Future Life Long Benefits1569 Words   |  7 Pageslifelong impacts on the individual. Providing the definition of recreational therapy will give other health related professionals an understanding of what recreational therapy is, how the recreation professionals impact the lives of individuals with interventions, and how the interventions are chosen for specific problem areas. Educating health related professionals about recreational therapy can help with successful future intervention planning for individuals with physical and mental disabilitiesRead Moredrug addiction802 Words   |  4 Pagestriggering mechanism, they are addicted. The addictin can take over the person s entire life. Nothing else matter. DRUG ADDICTION People abuse substance such as drugs alcohol, and tobacco for varied and complicated reasons, but it is clear that our society pays a significant cost. The toll for this abuse can be seen our hospitals and emergency departments through direct damage to health by substance abuse and its link to physical trauma. Jails and prisons tally daily the strong connection between crime

Why The Kkk Was A Bad Organization - 965 Words

Reasons why Reconstruction Sucked. There are many reasons why the KKK was a bad organization. The KKK to be summed down is basically the white people didn’t like African Americans so they did everything in their power and will to get rid of the black population. In my opinion, I think it was a messed up period of time. Reconstruction is the period between 1865-1877 after the Civil War during the states of the confederacy, the confederacy was controlled by the federal government and the social legislation and it included the granting of new rights of the African-Americans was introduced. To basically summarize the last sentence, they wanted no more blacks. Why is the KKK so bad they ask? They did everything in their power and will to get†¦show more content†¦Although Congress passed legislation to avoid the KKK. Their goal to fix white supremacy grew from democracy victories. This happened in the South during the 1870s. After an unsuccessful time in the KKK they soon g ot revived. This happened in the early 20th century. The burning of crosses and rallies got serious to the point of major breakouts. There were also many parades and marches. The marches and parades were to bash immigrants. During the civil rights movement in the 1960s, the KKK would bomb black schools. They also would bomb churches. Many confederate veterans were included in the KKK. A group in Pulaski, Tennessee the first two words of the group started with the greek word, kyklos. The meaning of that word is circle. There were carpet baggers that wanted to feed on the misery and the depression on the south. In the south they had no money. They shut down the railroads in GA, LA, MI, and AL. There was no money for them to run the railroads. They couldn’t run locomotives because they didn’t have anything to haul. It didn’t matter anyway because it was destroyed. The people in the north found that they could make a dollar because of the misery of the south. 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In fact, the Confederate flag is now in question as a device to distinguish the organization as it has been deemed a symbolRead MoreHate Crimes Essay1417 Words   |  6 PagesGenerating a violate reaction under the right circumstances can turn a person to commit a hate crime. Reasons for each person committing a hate crime maybe different but they all most likely share the same the feels and most dont even know thats why they are committing the crime. IV. Hate crime laws Hate crime laws vary for the most part from state to state, country to country and all around the world. Hate crimes usually fall into one of four categories: 1. laws defining specific biasRead More Hate Speeches Essay2035 Words   |  9 PagesHate Speeches What do the words Cracker, Kike, Nigger, Jap, Chinc, Faggot, Queer, Dike and Spic all have in common? They are all derogatory remarks that humans call one another on a daily basis. Why can people use these terms and not have to worry about receiving any punishment or any ridicule? The reason is because of the First Amendment right of free speech. The first amendment gives people the right to basically say anything that comes to mind whether it is something niceRead MoreThe American Branch Of The United Negro Improvement Association1330 Words   |  6 Pages in Jamaica, Garvey was inspired by the works of Booker T Washington especially by the book â€Å"Up from Slavery†. From a young age, Garvey believed that is was his destiny to speak in front of millions this was one of the many reasons why he became an activist. Throughout his lifetime he made enemies with other African- American activist, like W. E. B Du Bois, who criticized Garvey and his ideology. The fi rst American branch of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was established by GarveyRead MoreTerrorism And The Terrorist Attacks3869 Words   |  16 Pagesbelieve that the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) is a terrorist group. The KKK, just like any other terrorist groups around the world argue’s their attacks on civilian targets to spread fear for some alleged political goal. The KKK was founded on December 24, 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee consider to be the original domestic terrorist. By six college students J. Calvin Jones, Frank O. McCord, John B. Kennedy, John C. Lester, James R. Crowe, and Richard R. Reed. Before their was a name for the KKK, African AmericansRead MoreThe Importance Of World Peace756 Words   |  4 Pagesprove to the world that their side of the story is better, which why we cannot have world peace. The Confederate south believed that Slavery was essential in America, while the Union wanted to the abolish the institution. 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The Ku Klux Klan quot;terrorized public officials in efforts to drive them from office and blacks in general to prevent themRead MoreThe Factors and Results of the Industrial Revolution1710 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Within a few decades from late 19th century to the early 20th century, from a rural agricultural society, the United States was transformed into an industrial economy centered with large metropolitan cities. Industrial revolution is fundamentally linked with the rise of factories and the decline of skilled artisans in manufacturing. The time period from 1870s to 1930s not only the expanded of industrialization but also urbanization. The pace of rural to urban migration of the native

Classifying Costs – By Accounting Function

Question: Describe about the Classifying Costs By Accounting Function ? Answer: Introduction Management Accounting refers to the process of identifying, analyzing, measuring as well as communicating information in concerned with organizations goal. The main objective of the management accounting to provide support to competitive decision making for the management by collection of information and processing information that would help in management planning, control and also to evaluate business process. Role of management Accounting in Service Organization As we all are aware that the main objective of the management accounting to provide support to competitive decision making for the management by collection of information and processing information that would help in management planning, control and also to evaluate business process. In the service organization, management accounting is broadly described as tools involving the use of quantitative data in the control of organization. In addition, it is also provided that it has been observed that larger the organization is the greater will be the need for managements/ management accounting for gathering information in order to identify and achieve organizations goal and objective (Accountingtools,2015) Basis of Comparison Financial Accounting Management Accounting Meaning It refers to the accounting system which mainly focuses on the preparation of financial statement. Financial position of the organization with an objective to provide the information regarding the financial position to the interested parties It refers to the accounting system which provides important information to the mangers / top management so as to make plans, strategies, policies for running the organization/ business effectively (Accounting Tools,2015) Mandatory Yes, it is mandatory s per law regulation It is not mandatory yet advisable to be maintained by the organization Purpose/ Objective The main objective is to provide required /true fair information to the outsiders about the financial position of the organization (Accounting Tools,2015) To assist management in planning as well as decision making. Format Specified Format There is no specified format Time Period Financial Statements are prepared at the need of the accounting period which is mainly one year Here, reports are prepared on the basis of requirement and need of the organization. There is no specific time period (Accounting Tools,2015) Main Users Internal as well as External parties Only Internal management since the same is for internal use only. Reporting Financial Accounting summarizes reports regarding the financial position of the company Here, it provides complete and detailed reports regarding various reports There are many classifications of costs the same are not mutually exclusive: Accounting Functions- In the accounting Functions, cost are classified as follows: Financial Accounting Cost - it simply known as accounting cost refers to the measurement of the amount of resources in the monetary terms for a certain purpose (Stede,2016).. If we see technically, cost means a value given to the goods as well as services and when the same expires, this cost becomes/treated as an expense. Example- Historical cost arising from the financial statement is considered as an instant of accounting cost Managerial Accounting Cost- refers to the present as well as future cost which helps management in decision making Example- Cost which derived from budget is managerial cost (Accounting tools, 2015) Management Function- It states that cost can be classified by management Function Operating Cost- it refers to the cost associated with production of goods or services Example- purchase of material cost associated with the production of goods Non Operating Cost- it refers to the cost associated in support to the production of goods or services. Example- Cost incurred for borrowing money for the purchase of material would be considered as operating cost Traceability it is provided that cost can be classified by traceability Direct cost- it refers to the cost which can be directly traced to a department, product, service such as Labor and supplies. Example- during production of concrete, cost of cement, sand wages are direct cost Indirect Cost- it means the cost which cannot be directly traced to a department, product and/or service for example- overhead cost, cost associated directly with heating and cooling or cost of insurance, depreciation, salary of supervisor incurred in a concrete plant Full cost it involves both direct and indirect cost. Behavior - it states that cost could be classified by behavior with regard to the volume of products and/or services. Fixed Cost- it refers to the cost which remain constant in relation to changes in volume for example- rent charges for manufacturing space will be considered as fixed cost or depreciation since this is considered as gradual charging to the expense of a tangible assets for a period of time over the useful life of an asset. For instance Rent, depreciation calculation using straight line method. It has been provided that fixed cost per unit decreases with the increase in production (Accounting Tools, 2015). Variable Cost- it refers to the cost directly proportionate to the change in quantity/volume. For instance cost of supplies is directly proportional to the volume therefore the same is considered as a variable cost. It is provided that variable cost vary with the unit of production. As the number of unit increases, variable cost will also increase vice verca. Semi Variable Cost- this cost varies incrementally to the changes in volume for example- there is no requirement to hire new housekeeper if patient volume increases by 1%. It have properties of both fixed as well as variable cost because of presence of both variable fixed component (Accounting Tools, 2015) In summary Variable cost refers to the cost that vary proportional to the volume, Fixed cost remain constant even though volume changes, semi variable cost refers to the cost that vary incrementally to the change in volume.. Relevant for Decision Making It is provided that cost can be classified by its relevancy True Cost- it refers to the hypothetical cost which is considered as most accurate representation of full cost that are easily determined by the managers/management. Controllable Cost- refers to the cost under the managers influence for example labor Uncontrollable cost- it is not influenced by the management. For example utility cost Differentiate Cost- it refers to the cost arises due to difference in the costs among two or more alternatives. Opportunity Cost- it refers to the potential revenues forgone by rejecting an alternative, for example - amount spent in purchase of fixed cost recovered as an interest income on leasing of machinery. Another example if a gardener decides to grow radish then his or her opportunity cost will be that alternative crop which might have been grown instead (Tomato, pumpkin etc.) as in both cases choice is required to be made. Sunken Cost- it refers to the cost already incurred and is consider that the same will not affect by and would not affect any future decision for instance- A person opens a new manufacturing factory with 1 million it is sunk cost. Another example can be advertisement expenses as expense paid for the same cannot be recovered once made. Variance Analysis refers to the quantitative investigation for the difference arises between the actual and planned figures. This is mainly done so as to maintain required control over a business. For instance- if planned for sale is 8000 and in actual it is 10,000, it means variance analysis yield difference of 2000. Following are most commonly derived Variance analysis Purchase Price Variance- it arises when actual amount paid for purchase is deducted by standard cost then multiplied by the number of units used (Cost Accounting tools, 2015). Variable Overhead Spending Variance- here, the standard variable overhead cost per unit will be deducted from the actual cost incurred the result would be multiplied by the total quantity of output. Labor rate Variance- this variance arises from the difference when actual price paid for the direct labor and standard cost then result would be multiplied by the number of units used. Labor efficiency Variance- it arises, subtract the standard labor quantity consumed during the period from the actual amount then result would be multiplied by standard rate per hour (Cost Accounting tools, 2015). Material Yield Variance- it arises by subtracting the standard quantity of material which is supposed to be used from the actual level of use and then the result arises to be multiplied by standard price per unit. Fixed overhead Spending Variance- it refers to the total amount by which fixed overhead costs exceed their total standard cost for the reporting period (Accounting Tools,2015). Selling Price Variance- Number of unit sold to be multiplied with the difference airing from actual and standard cost (Cost Accounting tools, 2015). It has been observed that there are many problems / limitation associated with variance analysis as follows: Delay in time- At the end of the month, accounting staff is required to compile the variances before issuing the result to the management (Van deer Steed, W. (2016). In the fast paced situation, management requires the result much faster than once a month and consequently relies upon other things that generated on the spot, generally in the production area. Variance Source Information- It is provided as well as observed that most of the reason of variances have not been located in the accounting record and then need arises for the staff to sort out the reason through information like bills of material, labor routing, overtime records etc so as to determine the causes of issue. This extra work may be cost effective only of management able to extract the required information Setting of Standard- as we all are aware that variance analysis is essential a comparison of actual result with a standard set/ derived from political bargaining. Consequently, variance arises as a result would not yield any useful information (Accounting Tools,2015). At the end, it is provided that it not essential to track all the mentioned variances by an organization. In much organization, it is sufficient to review just two or more variances in order to arrive at a desired result. Moreover, it has been seen that most of the companies prefer to use horizontal analysis rather than variance analysis in order to interpret their financial result. Using this approach, one can find multiple periods result to be listed at one side. Operating budget is considered as a forecast and analysis of the projected income as well as expenses of an organization, for a specified period of time. It is also provided that in order to arrive a clear picture, operating budget must account for various factors such as production, sales, labor cost material cost administrative expenses etc. it is usually prepared on weekly, monthly or sometime yearly basis. A review must be given by manager internally in order to check the status of the same. It is provided that maintaining operational budget helps business to track as well as manage their resources efficiently. Also business uses variety of budgets so as to measure their spending and so as to develop effective strategies with a purpose to maximizing their assets as well as revenue (Accounting tools, 2016). Please find below different operation budget: Sales Budget- For the sale budget, sale forecast is important on the basis of which entity can predict the production and also to budgeting variable and costs. It comprises of various item such as no. of units expected to be sell, revenue expected to be generated, impact of credit sales etc (Accounting Tools, 2015). This budget helps the entity to estime the sale to be made during the specified period Production and finished goods inventory Budget- Primary objective of preparing this budget is to provide the clear picture of the amount of inventory assets which is appearing in the budgeted balance sheet on the basis of which decision will taken regarding the cash requirement for the investment in assets. It consists of three main items as direct material, direct labor, and overhead allocation. This budget helps to estimate the inventory level to be maintained so as to protect them the situation of nil inventory at the time of sale. Production Budget- This statement of budget shows the number of units that must be produced. For preparing production budget, three factors must be considered 1. Number of units to be sold 2. Level of inventory at year end 3. Number of units in the beginning inventory (Accounting Tools, 2015). This budget helps to estimate the production volume so as to achieve the turnover and to prevent misuse. Direct Labor Budget- This budget shows the number of direct labor hours and the cost of the labor per hour in order to determine the total cost. For example it takes oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ half hour of labor to put together one pickup truck and each labor hour costs 00. The total direct labor budget is for 50,113 (100,225 units .5 hours per unit) hours at a cost of 701,575 (14.00 per hour 50,113 hours) (Accounting Tools, 2015).This budget helps to estime the one of the essential expenses which entity is required to incur while manufacturing the product Direct Material Budget- This budget determines the number of unit to be purchased in order to fulfill the sale expectation during the period. To calculate this budget, it involves the number of units to be produced from the production budget, require level of ending inventory, and also the number of units in beginning inventory (Accounting Tools, 2015). This budget helps to estimate the material to be purchased in order to meet the sales requirement. Manufacturing Overhead Budget- This budget is prepared to include all the cost of manufacturing excluding the direct material labor expenses. This budget includes variable production overhead and, fixed production overhead expenses also. It is also provided that most of the information mentioned in this budget may be estimated from the historical results in case the type of volume as well as product to be manufactures are not varies from the prior period. Through this budget, one can estimate the all expenses to arrive at a decision of sale price etc. References "5 Methods Of Classifying Costs By Accounting Function, By Management Function, By Traceability, By Behavior, By Relevance To Decision Making".Online Success Center. Professional Resources for Online Success. Money Management Success. Self Improvement Books. Training Books. Business Management Books. Cheap Bargain Discount Online Bookstores.. N.p., 2016. Web. 4 Mar. 2016. Albu, N., Albu, C., Bunea, S. and Girbina, M. (2015). Accounting academia in emerging economies: evolutions and challenges.International Journal of Accounting Information Management, 23(2), pp.128-151. Brown, W. and Marques, M. (2016). Questions and Answers February 2016.Dissolution Technol., 23(01), pp.54-55. Edelstein, I., Rachina, S., Touati, A., Kozlov, R., Henin, N., Bbar, C. and Pereyre, S. (2016). Mycoplasma pneumoniae Monoclonal P1 Type 2c Outbreak, Russia, 2013.Emerg. Infect. Dis., 22(2), pp.348-350. Gazetas, G., Anastasopoulos, I., Adamidis, O. and Kontoroupi, T. (2014). Corrigendum to Nonlinear rocking stiffness of foundations [Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng. 47 (2013) 8391].Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 63, p.234. Guo, Z., Chen, Y., Cheng, M. and Jiang, H. (2014). Near-surface air temperature retrieval from Chinese Geostationary FengYun Meteorological Satellite (FY-2C) data.International Journal of Remote Sensing, 35(10), pp.3892-3914. Kaspina, R., Molotov, L. and Kaspin, L. (2015). Cash Flow Forecasting as an Element of Integrated Reporting: An Empirical Study.Asian Social Science, 11(11). Myocyte enhanced factor 2C (MEF2C). (2014).Science-Business eXchange, 7(2). Swamidass, P., Baines, T. and Darlow, N. (2001). The role of manufacturing and marketing managers in strategy development.Int Jrnl of Op Prod Mnagemnt, 21(7), pp.933-948. Van der Stede, W. (2016). 2016 Editorial.Management Accounting Research, 30, p.1. Kaspina, R.G., and L.A. Molotov. 'Fuzzy Forecasting Of The à Ã‚ ¡ash Flow Statement Based On Accounting Data'.MJSS(2014): n. pag. Web. Readyratios.com,. 'Cash Flows From Operating Activities'. N.p., 2015. Web. 2 Oct. 2015. Small Business - Chron.com,. 'Items To Sell In A Convenience Store'. N.p., 2015. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.

Understanding the Strategies of Activision Blizzard Essay Example

Understanding the Strategies of Activision Blizzard Essay Understanding the Strategies of Activision Blizzard, Inc. What is the vision of Activision Blizzard, Inc.? Activision Blizzard, Inc. ’s corporate vision is to be a â€Å"worldwide leader in the development, publishing, and distribution of quality interactive entertainment software, online content and services that deliver a highly satisfying entertainment experience (Activision Blizzard – 2013 SEC Form 10-K/A Amended Annual Report). † Horizontal Integration Synergy; Activision Blizzard, Inc. ’s approach to success. Activision Blizzard, Inc. s â€Å"a worldwide online, personal computer, console, handheld, and mobile game publisher (Activision Blizzard – 2011 Annual Report). † The company was created via the merger of Activision, Inc. , Sego Merger Corporation, Vivendi S. A. , VGAC LLC, and Vivendi Games, Inc. (Activision Blizzard – 2013 SEC Form 10-K/A Amended Annual Report). Utilizing horizontal integration, the merger integrated â⠂¬Å"ownership of production facilities, distribution channels, exhibition outlets and ultimately allowed the formerly separate companies to profit from the others expertise (Turow 175). The new company uses three separate operating segments. Activision Publishing, Inc. , Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. , and Activision Blizzard distribution. Activision Blizzard, Inc. holds â€Å"leading market positions across every major category of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry (Activision Blizzard – 2011 Annual Report),† and is a classic example of synergy, â€Å"a situation where the final product is more valuable than the sum of it individual parts (Turow 175),† at work. What is the competitive environment for Activision Blizzard, Inc.? â€Å"The interactive entertainment industry is intensely competitive with new products and platforms regularly introduced. Competitors vary in size from small companies with limited resources to large corporations who may have greater financial, marketing, and product development resources than Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Activision Blizzard – 2013 SEC Form 10-K/A Amended Annual Report). † Whom is Activision competing with in the marketplace? Activision Blizzard, Inc. competes primarily with other publishers of PC, online and video game console interactive entertainment software. Most similar in operating structure is Electronic Arts, which has the largest portfolio of blockbuster games, including many sports titles, and other game franchises with long histories of success. Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft compete directly with them in the development of software titles for their respective platforms. We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding the Strategies of Activision Blizzard specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding the Strategies of Activision Blizzard specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding the Strategies of Activision Blizzard specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They also compete for the leisure time and discretionary spending of consumers with other interactive entertainment companies, as well as with providers of different forms of entertainment, such as motion pictures, television, social networking, online casual entertainment and music (Activision Blizzard 2013 SEC Form 10-K/A Amended Annual Report). † What does Activision see as their primary competition? Activision Blizzard, Inc. elieves the primary competitive factors in the interactive entertainment industry include: â€Å"product features, game quality, and playability; brand name recognition; compatibility of products with popular platforms; access to distribution channels; online capability and functionality; ease of use; price; marketing support; and quality of customer service. (Activision Blizzard – 2013 SEC Form 10-K/A Amended Annual Report). † What strategies and specific activities is Activision considering to compete with others? Expanded product develo pment – Activision Blizzard, Inc. s â€Å"creating a publishing arm that will bring third-party mobile games to market. Through the program, it will assist independent game makers with funding, development, distribution and promotion of their titles across both iPhone and iOS. The company is collaborating with Flurry to help with this transition (Duryee, Tricia. Activision Starting to Take the Plastic Wrap off Its Mobile Strategy. AllThingsDigital. com, 13 Jun 2012. Web). † Increase online capability functionality access new customers audiences: ‘Skylanders’ Is Officially Activision’s newest $1 Billion Franchise. The ‘Skylanders’ franchise became the first kids’ video game IP to cross the $1 billion mark in just 15 months, and I think we are still just starting to realize its potential,† Activision publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said in a statement (LeJacq, Yannick . Skylanders’ Is Officially Activision’s n ewest $1 Billion Franchise. IBTimes. com, 11 Feb 2013. Web. ). † Access new distribution channels Activision Blizzard, Inc. â€Å"announces in-game live streaming via YouTube for Black Ops II (McGlaun, Shane. â€Å"Activision announces in-game live streaming via YouTube for Black Ops II. SlashGear. com, 8 Nov 2012. Web. ). † What might an Activision customer see in terms of different offerings or approaches because of the strategies the company is undertaking? Increased Content and Online Services. Activision Blizzard, Inc. ’s shift towards digital delivery of content will result in more diverse online product offerings. Expansion of Mobile Products and Services – Activision Blizzard, Inc. will continue to expanding into the mobile arena by supporting legacy franchises as well as creating new brand assets. A Narrowing of the Gap between the real and virtual worlds – Riding an unprecedented wave of success, Activision Blizzard, Inc. will produce additional Skylander style kid’s games. Which one of the six changes in media is Activision’s strategies addressing well? Distribution of products across media boundaries: Activision has been very successful at creating methods of distribution that â€Å"allows businesses to make money back on products† (Turow 186). Activision Blizzard, Inc. will absorb the growing demand of digital content distribution without issue. Many of its video games and content expansions are already available for direct download. For example, â€Å"Activision Publishing’s innovative new online service, Call of Duty Elite, which launched with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is one of the fastest growing premium online services ever created. As of January 2012, more than seven million gamers had registered for the service, which includes more than 1. 5 million users who purchased premium annual memberships. Additionally, the franchise is estimated to have had over 40 million monthly active users across five Call of Duty titles (Activision Blizzard – 2011 Annual Report). Which of the six changes in media is Activision neglecting to address? Audience Segmentation: Activision Blizzard specializes in developing, publishing and distributing first-person action games, â€Å"which account for approximately 16% of the interactive entertainment industry’s revenue (Krause Fund Research, Web)†. Activision Blizzard’s target audience, â€Å"the people whom their products are directed (Turow 36),† are males 18 45 who â€Å"account for over 55% of all gamers and are the back bone of the industry (Krause Fund Research, Web). Activision Blizzard has been wildly successful with their media franchises, â€Å"properties that are highly profitable over time and in many media formats beyond their original appearance (Paul, Nora, slide 10),† but has neglected to address the need for audience segmentation, â€Å"creating products designed to reach different types of people (Turow 160). † Due to this dependence on a specific target audience, failure to achieve anticipated results by one or more products may significantly harm their business. For example, Activision Blizzard’s four largest first-person action franchises (Paul, â€Å"Understanding the Strategies of Media Giants† slide 10), accounted for approximately â€Å"83% of net revenues, and a significantly higher percentage of their operating income, for the year (Activision Blizzard – 2013 SEC Form 10-K/A Amended Annual Report). † If consumer demand trends away from first-person action games and Activision Blizzard fails to attract new audiences or add other sources of revenue, their lack of audience segmentation could significantly harm their business. References From news article: McGlaun, Shane. Activision announces in-game live streaming via YouTube for Black Ops II. SlashGear. com, 8 Nov 2012. Web. From news article: Duryee, Tricia. Activision Starting to Take the Plastic Wrap off Its Mobile Strategy. All Things Digital. com, 13 Jun 2012. Web From news article: LeJacq, Yannick. Skylanders’ Is Officially Activision’s newest $1 Billion Franchise. IBTimes. com, 11 Feb 2013. Web. From SEC report: Activision Blizzard, Inc. Form 10-K/A, Amended Annual Report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012. Web. From Annual report: Activision Blizzard, Inc. 2011 Annual report for fiscal year ending Dec 31, 2011. Web. From Journal article: Miller, Z. , Umphress, J. , Wang, B. (2012). Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI). Krause Fund Research Fall 2012 Technology, 13 November 2012. Retrieved from The University of Iowa Research and Technology Department. Web. From the text: Turow, Joseph, Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 4th edition, New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Chapter 2, â€Å"Making Sense of the Media Business: Identifying an Audience for Mass Media Content,† p. 36. From the text: Turow, Joseph, Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 4th edition, New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Chapter 5, â€Å"A World of Blurred Media Boundaries: Horizontal Integration,† p. 175. From the text: Turow, Joseph, Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 4th edition, New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Chapter 5, â€Å"A World of Blurred Media Boundaries: Synergy,† p. 175. From the text: Turow, Joseph, Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 4th edition, New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Chapter 5, â€Å"A World of Blurred Media Boundaries: Contrasting Views on the Social Pros and Con of Media Trends, Distribution allows businesses to make money back on products,† p. 86 From the text: Turow, Joseph, Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 4th edition, New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Chapter 5, â€Å"A World of Blurred Media Boundaries: Audience Segmentation, â€Å"creating products designed to reach different types of people,† p. 160. From PowerPoint Presentation: Paul, Nora, Jour 1001 – 002, Chapter 6, â€Å"Underst anding the Strategies of Media Giants,† PowerPoint presentation in â€Å"Introduction to Mass Communication,† Slide 10 Media Franchise,† February 10, 2013.

Report on FBI essays

Report on FBI essays 1. Define what do I need to find out? a Briefly list the matters to include in the report. Use this list to identify the information to find out or collect. b Conduct some initial research to establish if you can find sufficient data to support a report on your topic. (Note: If there are insufficient resources you might find it necessary to choose a different topic.) 2. Locate where can I find the information I need? Select the resources most relevant to your topic. Class time will be made available for on-line research. In your report you must refer to at least two journal based resources and not rely on web sites alone. 3. Select which information do I need to use, and how do I record it? a Research the issue you have chosen using library resources, computer magazines, journals, or web sites. The information you collect must be factual, and based on reputable and reliable sources. b Make notes of relevant information found and carefully record bibliographical information. For web sites this will include the access date in addition to the URL. 4. Organise how can I best use this information? a Read through your notes and select the parts of the research to use in your report. b Divide the information into logical sections. Choose headings and list the main points to be presented in each section. 5. Present how will I communicate this information? a Prepare a draft of the main sections of your report and your commentary. This is to be submitted to your teacher for advice, directions and suggestions at this stage. b Develop your draft into a report with the following sections: Title page report title, your name, who the report is for, due date Table of contents section headings and page numbers Summary (50 words ) brief outline of what the report covers ...

Compare two science fiction films which use different themes essays

Compare two science fiction films which use different themes essays A genre normally has a set list of possible themes in there narratives. Science fiction has a few strong themes running throughout the history of this recently popular genre; science fiction wasnt popularized until the 1950s. Most science fiction tales have a prophetic nature and are often set in a future time. They are usually visualized through fanciful settings and advanced technology gadgets, scientific developments or by amazing special effects. A strong theme is science fiction films express societys anxiety about technology and how to forecast and control the impact of technological and environmental changes on society. We use technology everyday of our lives, but most of us do not actually understand how the machine works. And most films show this ignorance and the repercussions of underestimating technological advances. There will be encounters with aliens, creatures or beings, of which a battle will occur, good vs. evil scenario. Although the aliens are not always bad for example, E.T the extra terrestrial. Alien Invader films in the Cold War Era (1950s) portrayed the human race as victimized and at the mercy The film Independence Day contains many strong themes, it contains the aliens. Also the aliens invade our planet, which makes the audience feel the theme of the fear of the unknown. But this theme is treated in a very Alfred Hitchcock attitude, to build up the suspense in the first sequence. The audience is shown the great mass of a spaceship heading past the moon towards the earth, before it is acknowledged by any of the characters. The spaceship is just very metallic and cold, not much is shown at this point, but this adds to the suspense more, for what people dont know scares them the most. Although the film has a serious tone at first, with very dominant military and political characters and situations, there are many humorous moments. For example the song The end...

Hiphop -- My Music and Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hiphop -- My Music and Identity - Essay Example This similarly applies for the other compositions which the artist has been able to deliver with more accountability for the youth than for the money-oriented industry. On the other hand, I believe that the late Tupac Shakur ought to be equivalently credited a lifelong endeavour of appreciation for meaningful pieces as â€Å"Lord Knows†, â€Å"When Thugz Cry†, and â€Å"Until the End of Time†. I can very well identify with these songs to the extent that, sometimes, I wish I were such man for being capable of making the audience understand and value the spirit of the civil rights movement which Tupac appears to communicate with his creative sound of rage in response to the evils of color discrimination. With the chorus portion playing â€Å"Oh why, children send your child off to die / In the streets of chalk where they lie / Let no wrongs cry out when thugs cry / Dear God ..†, Tupac exhibits serious concern for the future particularly of the black youth wh ose lame poverty and lack of education serve as grounds to take drugs, steal, and commit other horrible crimes. It could take a while to embrace the whole lyrics but what honestly sticks to mind is the powerful instrumentation and rap approach that settles the haunting theme in place. Like the stuffs demonstrated by Kells to amaze the public at depth, those of Tupac are themselves alive to present a great cause as they aim to preserve a ‘thug’ culture of fighting for liberty yet with the desire to act and achieve ends in the absence of violence and mischief. Despite certain differences in the hiphop styles of Machine Gun Kelly and Tupac Shakur, I am disposed to establish my music and identity on both as sharp influences who possess the...To me, it occurs that the subject of the song is most effectively conveyed via hiphop as it reminds me of the essence of classic poetry revolutionized by the age of Harlem Renaissance. Hiphop is a genre that takes me to the rhythm of my heart as it allows me to observe its journey down the time when artists like Tupac Shakur and Machine Gun Kelly matter in a society that has since time of racial and class division yearned for social justice and equality. Through the piece â€Å"Invincible†, for instance, Machine Gun Kelly raps the lines â€Å"As my world turns, the heart beats / Not only in my chest, but the heart in the streets / So when they feel this, they feel me / But I can’t feel nothin’, outside these Dre Beats† in an angst-filled tone. In that manner, rapper Kells wears hiphop so as to express a battle raw deep within which seeks release and resolution. Despite certain differences in the hiphop styles of Machine Gun Kelly and Tupac Shakur, I am disposed to establish my music and identity on both as sharp influences who possess the capacity to illumine the significance of immaterial verses. Their way with melodies and content, I suppose, is something that authentic musicians do i n the process of engineering and performing quality hiphop music.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, a Shared Faith Assignment

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, a Shared Faith - Assignment Example If not for lesser details of greater complications, these religions would be precisely the same. What a unified body of worshippers that would make! But there are discrepancies even among fellow believers. This paper is not about these discrepancies, but about the relative philosophies among believers of these three separate yet united religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam have been intertwined throughout history by the certain commonality they share in theology, all three are monotheistic (believing in one God) and conceive God to be the Creator and also the source of moral law. The same figures, histories and places are prevalent in each, although they are frequently presented with different roles, perspectives and meanings. 54% of the world’s population consider themselves of the Abrahamic religion. These religions share the collective belief that Adam was the first man created and ancestor of all human beings, Abraham is a prophet and the Torah (which is comprised of the first five books of the old-testament) as being a revelation of God. The holy scripture Jews read is called the Tanach, which is the Torah. Christians study The Holy Bible, both the old and new testaments. And the Muslims follow the Quar’an. All three of these works cover the first 5 old testaments, and the lessons of such prophets as Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Noah, and the list goes on. The fact these religions are monotheistic is the most significant unity between them. In Judaism and Islam, the monotheism of God is absolute including of God’s essence. In Christianity there is a doctrine titled Trinity which says that God exists as 3 persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit united in one being. Christians believe Jesus is God, Jews and Muslims deny this stating that God is too powerful to be reduced to a man that has such needs as eating and sleeping, and who could be beaten, and experience death as Jesus did. They attest that no savior is needed or available as an in termediary for us. Islam regards Jesus not as God, but only a human being that became a magnificent messenger of God, and was God’s word brought to Earth. Jews not only deny Jesus as God but as a prophet as well believing the true messiah the word promises has not come yet, but will arrive at a future place in time. Just as Jews refuse Jesus, so too do many Jews and Christians refuse Muhammad, a prophet singular to Islam religion, visited by the angel Gabriel who brought the final message of God to Earth. Christians share with Muslims the belief in the second coming of Jesus, yet they are split in this joint notion as Christians believe this will be the time of rapture and the final judgment day and Muslims believe Jesus coming will be only to kill the false messiah and restore God’s people once again leading them through this treacherous time. Jesus will rule and then die forty years after leaving behind him a world cleaned and restored to true religion, the religion of Islam. Aside from monotheism, some other mutual views of God these religions hold are that God will reward the good and punish the wicked, God knows the thoughts and deeds of men, the dead will be resurrected, and a personal relationship with God is within everyone’s grasp. We can return to God always through repentance, perfection is not expected of His creation. Following God’s commandments in this physical world connects us to God spiritually and our mission on Earth is to proclaim the glory of God and His existence everywhere. All three religions maintain that life is a test and we will all be judged by God after death since He

Human DNA and Sexual Differentiation Essay Example for Free

Human DNA and Sexual Differentiation Essay There has with respect to understanding human evolution, thus far, hardly been any greater an academic marriage than that which has occurred between physical anthropology and genetics. For anthropologists the union has been particularly beneficial as DNA has been incorporated into the quest to understand human evolution. Some scholars have referred to this as the culmination of the evolution of the once distinct fields represented symbolically by Darwin’s theories on evolution and Mendel’s speculation regarding genes; one scholar has opined that Darwin and Mendel are the core, the essentials of understanding. These basics work together.  The gene pool the hereditary property of a population of animals maintains the variation of the population or species, and mutation tends to increase that variation. Darwins selection cuts back the less favorable variation, in that way sculpting the inheritance of the species. (Howells 8) Fossils and genes, taken together, illuminate in ways that one without the other simply cannot. This refers to the discovery of positive knowledge as well as the discovery of long-established fallacies in the field of physical anthropology (Marks 131). This essay will focus on a few types of positive knowledge regarding the evolution of human DNA. More specifically, this essay will discuss how DNA variation can be used to explain some of the evolutionary physical features for sexual differences in humans as they pertain to language, sexuality, and visual spatial skills. As a preliminary matter, it is important to acknowledge that human sex differences were not always as pronounced as they are today. There were genetic variations that occurred over a long period of time and these genetic differences are evident in the fossils used by physical anthropologists to piece together how and why DNA has evolved as it has over the course of time. Scholars seem to agree that the evolution of human DNA is unique in certain respects; for purposes of this essay, it is significant to note that, regarding sexual differences in species, It is apparent that these same cross-species sex differences have become more pronounced in humans (Joseph 35). The evolution of human DNA with respect to sexual differences is greater than has been found in studies of other species. It has been demonstrated that DNA evolution led to Homo erectus females experiencing a vaginal reorientation at the same time that males experienced a change in pelvic structure (Joseph 35). The consequences were tremendous as this likely resulted in the development of long-term relationships between males and females; this is because, rather than being dependent on estrus in order to get pregnant, females were now physically and genetically configured to be sexually receptive continuously rather than sporadically. These long-term relationships also seem to have coincided with males and females establishing more permanent or semi-permanent homes. It can be argued, to some degree at least, that this genetic variation led to an embryonic notion of marriage and home. These human sex differences were further accelerated with the genetic evolution of the brain; indeed, as the brain became larger, this required a larger birth canal and an increase in the sexual physical differentiation in the size and width of the H. erectus (Joseph 35). DNA varied to accommodate these changes and they are manifest even today in the way that women walk as well as in the more fragile nature of their pelvic bones when compared to their male counterparts. As the female was evolving there were practical consequences; for instance, The transformation of the human female hips and pelvis, however, also limited her ability to run and maneuver in space, at least, compared to most males (Joseph 35). These DNA variations thus functioned to separate males and females and to lay the physical groundwork for other changes. This evolution in human DNA, in turn, led to a division of labor predicated on these newly exaggerated differences between the sexes. Generally speaking, women became gatherers and men became hunters. Each of these roles demanded different types of skills and the human animal adapted through the mechanism of its DNA. The female role demanded careful language skills rather than violence whereas the male role demanded aggression and physical strength. In explaining how the male DNA evolved to adapt to the male’s developing function, one scholar has noted that successful hunting requires prolonged silence, excellent visual-spatial and gross motor skills, and the capacity to endure long treks in the pursuit of prey. These are abilities at which males excel, including modern H. apiens (Joseph 35). In short, many of the human sexual differences noted today can be traced to the ways in which human DNA has evolved over time in order to adapt to changed environments and to changed sex roles. In the final analysis, even a cursory examination of the history of the evolution of human DNA suggests rather persuasively that there are watershed events which can aid in understanding the uni queness of sexual differentiation in humans and how sex roles evolved in response to that sexual differentiation.

The Shipping News :: essays research papers

The Shipping News â€Å"I’m tired of going somewhere. I want to be there!† These words spoken by Bunny Quoyle, riding along with her family on their way to the old homestead in Killick Claw, New Foundland seems an exclamation to a deeper desire to settle what has been an unsettled and unhappy life. The quote could also define the transition that Quolyle, Bunny’s father, experiences. Quoyle is nowhere it seems, until he finally arrives somewhere meaningful. The transformation is a lot about getting over the loss of his wife, Petal, but also much about getting over himself as a loser and getting to a place of contentedness and confidence. Quoyle’s life rides on waves – some small that are body-surfing-like, others that are huge and tumultuous that crash onshore with Tsunami-like devastation. Eventually, he manages to find a place suitable and sustaining. Quoyle began life feeling, believing that he had been born into the wrong family; that somehow he ended up with the wrong parents. He stumbled into adulthood, feeling invisible until someone noticed. His lack of esteem and confidence is evidenced by his always trying to hide his chin with his hand; the hand always goes to the chin, his monstrous chin, when he feels threatened. His love for Petal is partly based on the fact that he caught her attention – once, quite by accident – and that they had a meaningless sexual relationship that resulted in two children. He is the sort of character you feel sorry for from the start, feel badly that he’ll never become anybody, never make something of himself, yet you want to cheer for him all along the way. As we get to know Quoyle, we realize that although he has a negative self image, is always self conscious and has no confidence in his abilities, he has a huge heart and a huge capacity to love, and he especially has a huge consciousness to do what is right for his family. Quoyle is a man growing into himself. His first opportunity to grow comes by an invitation from his aunt to move to New Foundland, to settle in his family’s ancestral home and to find his roots. â€Å"You can be anything you want with a fresh start,† says his aunt in convincing him to go. And off they all go – the aunt, Quoyle, Bunny and Sunshine – and all their self-possessed demons.

PESTEL Analysis of K-Mart Essay

Understanding the general environment of a certain business requires knowledge regarding the key factors and trends in broader society. PESTEL Analysis gives a business the ability to break down the general environment into six different categories: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal. By analyzing and studying each area, a company can create a strategy that most benefits them. Sears and K-Mart are two retail businesses that can gain from understanding the general environment through PESTEL Analysis. They could use it bad. One way to take a step forward is by creating new innovative strategies and conducting a PESTEL analysis is a good place to start. The first step of PESTEL is to try to understand the political environment. Sears and K-Mart focus on what political factors might affect the way they conduct business and create strategies based on this information. Sears and K-Mart are a part of many companies owned by Sears Holdings Corporation. Sears Holdings Corporation engages in government and political affairs that will benefit them. They openly express interest in politics on their website, stating â€Å"In some jurisdictions, Sears Holdings is engaged in the political campaign process to help elect candidates of both major political parties who support the retail industry and believe in the free enterprise system.1† Engaging in the political arena helps a business like K-Mart understand political trends. Political factors that may be lobbied on by Sears and K-Mart are ones that involve tax policies, labor laws and tariffs. Sears Holdings Company would most likely back the candidate that most benefited them. In 2008 former CEO of Sears, Alan J. Lacy, was one of many retail executives who supported John McCain for President.2 Being open about political affiliations can possibly affect customer opinions. This may not have affected the customer base of Sears, but Sears believes that the Republican Party best helps them. Economic and Social conditions are two major areas that any retail company must focus on in order to create effective strategies. These two areas have can have tremendous affects on the success of retail companies. If the Economy is down then people don’t usually like to spend a lot of money, and this takes a toll on sales of retail businesses. In 2011 Sears and K-Mart closed over 100 stores in an effort to raise cash. According to an article in the Huffington Post, the â€Å"problem is the weak economy that is hurting virtually  all retailers that cater to low- and middle-income shoppers, who are being forced to cut back on spending.3† Today, Sears and K-Mart are being affected by the changing retail landscape, where shoppers are going online for convenience and finding better prices. In order to be successful Sears Holdings must try to get on top of this changing landscape before it passes them by. Social factors go hand in hand with economic factors. If the economy is doing well that does not immediately translate into a major boost in sales. Social factors, like perception, play a gigantic role in the success of today’s businesses because of the affects of social media and the internet. Social perception is an area Sears and K-Mart have been lacking in. Preschool teacher Sara Kriz expresses a view that captures the perception of K-Mart beautifully by saying, â€Å"It seems easier to go to Target and Wal-Mart to get the same thing at the same price,† adding â€Å"the stores are cleaner, and they’re better stocked.4† If Sears and K-Mart want to become more profitable and generate more sales then they must direct their attention to trying to change this negative view associated with their stores. Social media and internet give customers a platform to share their opinions and experiences with the whole world. If most experiences are negative, then the general consensus will be to shop at other places. Technology like the internet has brought about a lot of change and it is another area of the external environment that businesses must try to understand in order to gain a competitive edge. Technology is everywhere we look and its getting better and better. Technology has affected the way Sears and K-Mart strategized in the past. In an attempt to bridge digital and in-store shopping, Sears and K-Mart rolled out iPads and iPod touch devices to almost 450 stores around the country in October 2011.5 Kimberly Freely, spokeswoman for Sears, Chicago, explained the move: â€Å"We wanted to enhance the relationship between customers and associates and improve the overall shopping experience,† adding that, â€Å"it is part of our strategy to become more of an integrated retailer a nd combining the digital and retail formats within the company.† This goes to show the impact that technology is having on the retail market. Today Sears and K-Mart are still striving to incorporate advanced technology in order to improve. Environmental and Legal factors are the last two pieces of PESTEL analysis. Sears and Kmart have aligned their environmental goals with that of the general public.  Sears and Kmart realize promoting a clean environment can benefit both themselves and society as a whole. Many of the appliances Sears sells tout the label of being energy efficient. This reflects Sears and Kmarts efforts to educate customers about a variety of environmental issues, including carbon and energy management, waste reduction and recycling, and water and transportation management. On Sears Holdings Company’s webpage you can learn about all the steps it is taking to promote a clean and sustainable environment. By continuing to engage in this type of activity, Sears and Kmart demonstrate responsibility and a genuine care for protecting the environment. This can go a long way in terms of changing social perception of Sears and Kmart. The Legal aspect of the external environment plays an everyday role in the way Sears and Kmart do business. Sears and Kmart must follow strict legal guidelines covering accounting and reporting practices, antitrust laws, and bribery and corruption among others. Failing to stay within the boundaries of the law can be detrimental to any business. Sears addresses its willingness to comply with laws in the Corporate Governance section of its main website. It states that â€Å"Sears Holdings Corporation values honesty, integrity, and adherence to the highest ethical standards. As part of this commitment, SHC has instituted a series of policies and procedures to reaffirm its dedication to the highest ethical standards.6† Keeping a keen eye on the legal aspect of the external environment will allow Sears and Kmart to focus on its corporate strategy without unnecessary distractions. Understanding the general environment of a certain business requires knowledge regarding the key factors and trends in broader society. It is essential for a business to know the aspects of the external environment so that it can create and enforce an effective strategy. Performing a PESTEL Analysis is the first step in understanding the external environment. Sears and Kmart can greatly benefit from knowing what external factors impact business operations. SWOT Analysis is the next step in collecting information to help understand what capabilities Sears and Kmart should focus on. Works Cited 1 â€Å"Government Affairs.† Sears Holdings. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. . 2 Farfan, Barbara. â€Å"Democratic and Republican Parties Both Get Strong Support from Retailers.† About.com Retail Industry. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. . 3 Berman, Jillian. â€Å"Sears Kmart Stores Closing: At Least 100 Stores To Shut Down Retailer Says.† The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Dec. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. 4 Berman, Jillian. â€Å"Sears Kmart Stores Closing: At Least 100 Stores To Shut Down Retailer Says.† The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Dec. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. 5 Tode, Chantal. â€Å"Sears Puts IPads in Shopper Hands to Enhance In-store Shopping.Napean LLC, 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. 6 â€Å"Corporate Governance.† Sears Holdings Code of Conduct. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .

Develop Tourism in Sri Lanka Essay

Introduction In countries like Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore and Spain, tourism and related recreation activities play a significant role in the generation of income / foreign exchange and provision of employment opportunities. In fact, in the global context this industry is identified as the single largest economic contributor. Moreover, tourism plays a crucial role in the attainment of macroeconomic stability. Besides, the political stability of a country has a major impact on its tourism industry. According to the preceding view, this essay aims at evaluating empirically the significance of tourism in Sri Lanka after ending civil war. The relationship will be analyzed based on a time series approach. The study will end eavour to estimate the relationship between economic performance and tourism revenue, subject to main macroeconomic variables and political stability of the country. With respect to policy implications, the study recommends that The role of tourism could be highly emphasized in the sustainable economic development with a stable political environment. Sri Lanka entered the international tourism market in the 1960s. Since then, this industry has been growing steadily as a promising sector for the economic development, subject to periodical setbacks especially the civil war prevailed in Sri Lanka, world terrorist attacks and natural disasters. For example, international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka increased from 18,969 in 1966 to 438,475 in 2008 consequently the receipts from tourism (Sri Lanka Tourist Board 2008). In particular, the contribution of Travel & Tourism to Gross Domestic Product was 7.5% (LKR407.5bn or US$3,388.1mn) in 2009 in Sri Lankan economy. The contribution of the Travel & Tourism economy to  employment wasb503,000 jobs in 2009, 6.2% of total employment or 1 in every 16.2 jobs it also is expected to grow up to 579,000 jobs, 6.7% of total employment or 1 in every 14.8 jobs by 2020. Similarly, the contribution for real GDP growth for Travel & Tourism sector was 5.9% and the travel & Tourism investment was at LKR131.9bn, US$1,096.8mn or 10.1% of total investment in 2009. Out o f 186 registered countries of WTTC the Sri Lankan Travel & Tourism economy is ranked number 87 in absolute size worldwide and 110 in relative contribution to national economies. Tourism remains the fastest growing service industry in the economies of most of developing countries; hence more research has gone into the operations of the sector in order to examine its economic significance and potential. (Amstrong, 1974) It is known that the industry provides an important impetus to growth in other sectors such as agriculture, transportation, retailing and manufacturing and is therefore seen as a key component of economic development. It plays a major role for the generation of foreign exchange which directly facilitates the improvement of foreign reserves of said economies. (Stynes, Daniel J 1999) Similarly, the sector has shown greater improvements in employment generation (direct and indirect), revenue accruing to tourist sites, and increase in number of hotels and similar establishments and other tourism supply establishments. Main Body Given its natural advantages, the tourism sector is viewed as one of the most important engines of growth and development in the Sri Lankan economy and as such, is a key focus in the Government’s industrial strategy. Tourism main supporting sectors account for more than 8.0 per cent of GDP. In relation to employment, agriculture transport, storage & communication, construction, and distribution are the primary beneficiaries from a dollar spent within the tourism industry. Further, these sectors account for over 7.0 per cent of the employed labor force. However, the descriptive analysis points to the continued low and declining impact of the industry on the overall economy in particular in the context of other countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Kenya. However the investment share for tourism sector being high the unstable political situation could be the closest reason for this less performance in the case of comparison. With the end of war, the expected boom in the industry over the years to come will have a noticeable impact. The second empirical modal shows a strong relationship between the political stability and macroeconomic performance in particular with reference to the tourism sector. It is highly recommended to maintain a stable political situation of the country in order for industries like tourism to flourish. The paper has, in the main, addressed two of the important elements of an economic significance of the tourism industry. Further work to be undertaken includes the computation and comparison of cyclical movements of tourism sector performance in response to the global economic and political changes. Percentage of Capital investment in travel and tourism sector in Sri Lanka, South Asia and in the World 2009 In comparison to the 7.7 of South Asia and 9.4 in the world the capital investment percentage of Sri Lankan economy for travel and tourism sector is 10.6. This also highlights the significance of this sector in Sri Lankan economy. Source; World travel and tourism Council Economic impact report – 2009 Percentage of direct industry GDP in travel and tourism sector in Sri Lanka, South Asia and in the World 2009 In 2009 the direct contribution to the GDP from travel and tourism sector is 2.7 in Sri Lanka. The World situation is 3.2 for the same and South Asian Region’s contribution to its GDP from the said sector is 2.2. Source; World travel and tourism Council Economic impact report – 2009 Percentage of Travel & Tourism Employment in total Employment -2009, selected Economies The above figure compares the contribution of employment generation from travel and Tourism sector and Sri Lanka is in the 9th place just 0.1 above India. India being a giant in its resources for tourism product this is the significant place irrespective of Sri Lanka’s internal issues. However Seychelles, Maldives and Maturities are islands who offer similar product. Source; World travel and tourism Council Economic impact report – 2009 Percentage of Travel & Tourism sector contribution to the total GDP-2009, selected Economies The following graph highlights the contribution to the total GDP from Travel and Tourism sector. Sri Lanka enjoys here too a better place in comparison to India which illustrates the significance of this sector in Sri Lankan economy. Here too Seychelles, Maldives and Maturities are islands are out of the general comparison since their product is totally different from the rest of the countries. Source; World travel and tourism Council Economic impact report – 2009 When we move to the second objective of this research we have to check whether there is a war influence on Sri Lankan tourism industry or not. After running an OLS regression The following results have been obtained. As we know receipts from tourism depend on many factors, but in this study factors such as exchange rate, word GDP has been considered. To measure the civil war influence in tourism sector, dummy variable has been included. According to the results changes in exchange rate causes to change in receipts from tourism averagely by 395.78 million while world GDP causes to approximately 930 million. However coefficient of exchange rate is  significant at 1 % level by showing the importance of exchange rate behavior in the tourism industry in Sri Lanka. As the theory implies increase in exchange rate motivate the tourist’s arrivals, because then they are able to exchange more rupees for ICBI 2010 their dollars. World GDP also a better proxy for world living condition and it is positively related with the Sri Lankan tourism industry. When we are evaluating the war influence, the coefficient of dummy variable should be taken in to account. According to this coefficient the average receipts from tourism in non war period is higher than averagely by 3919.75 million compared to the war period. This implies that there is a significant war influence on the Sri Lanka tourism industry. In fact tourist’s arrivals have been limited during the war period, because several international media have also warned Sri Lanka as an unsafe place to visit. Especially, after terrorist attacks on Katunayake International Airport and Central Bank of Sri Lanka, tourism arrivals have dropped down dramatically. The model which has been used to evaluate the above situation is statistically significant at 1 % level and according to the value of R2, explanatory variables jointly explained approximately 93 % of total variation of receipts from tourism. According to both descriptive and econometric approaches of analysis in this study, the significance of tourism sector in Sri Lankan economy has implied to be a major portion for key macroeconomic measurements. Similarly the adverse effects of war on tourism sector have showed a massive loss for Sri Lankan economy over the last decades. The policies of the government in promoting tourism can be summarized as comprising seven main points. * The Government, recognising the significant contribution that tourism makes to social and economic * development of Sri Lanka, has accorded high priority for tourism in its overall programme of national development. * Apart from the obvious economic advantages of tourism, the Government also recognizes the socio-cultural and political benefits that can accrue. * The Ten-year Tourism Master Plan (1992-2001), prepared by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) with funding assistance from UNDP, will serve as the blue-print for tourism development up to the end of this century, with appropriate modifications to suit changing circumstances. The Government also recognises  the importance of promoting domestic tourism, not only as a means to enhance the quality of life of the people, but also as a vital necessity for national integration of people living in isolation due to geographic and ethnic barriers. However, the Government is conscious and mindful of the potential adverse effects that uncontrolled and unplanned tourism development can have on Sri Lankan society and the physical environment. Accordingly, the corner-stone of the Tourism Development Policy will be planned, coordinated and sustainable development. The pace of tourism development over the five-year period 1995-1999 will be moderate, neither too high nor too low, as recommended in the Tourism Master Plan, by taking into consideration the socio-cultural and environmental absorptive capacity. This will help to optimize the economic benefits of tourism, while at the same time minimizing potential adverse impacts on Sri Lankan society and the environment. P olicy of mobilizing the private sector to invest in tourism projects and operate tourism enterprises will be pursued with greater vigor in line with the free-market economic policies of the Government. The Government will follow the main recommendations of the Ten-year Tourism Development Plan for development of tourism, with modifications as deemed necessary. The Plan has set definite targets for development. * to increase tourist arrivals from the 1992 level of 394,000 to 874,000 by the year 2001, with an average annual growth rate of 9 per cent; * to increase foreign exchange earnings from the 1992 level of US$ 201 million to US$ 706 million by 2001, an average annual growth rate of 15 per cent; * to increase hotel accommodation capacity from the 1992 level of 10,200 rooms to 17,600 rooms by 2001, an average annual growth rate of 6 per cent; and 95 * to increase total employment, both direct and indirect, from the 1992 level of 69,000 jobs to 137,000 by2001, an average annual growth rate of 8 per cent. The Government believes that the targets are realistic and attainable and is working towards their attainment. However, with the improvement in the security situation with the restoration of peace and stability, a boom in tourism is expected and hence a re-adjustment of the targets will be required. The tourism product program is designed to encourage the private sector by providing fiscal and other incentives to undertake activities such as refurbish existing hotels, start new hotel development projects and establish tourist restaurants and develop tourist  recreational facilities. The new hotel projects already approved has resulted inexceeding the room requirement for the year 2001. The objectives of tourism marketing and promotional activities are: * To consolidate market growth in the priority * Tourist-generating markets of Europe and Asia by servicing the travel trade and by further raising consumer awareness and * To create consumer awareness and the desire to travel to Sri Lanka in the secondary and opportunity tourist markets. The selected priority markets for promotional activities have been identified as: * The primary markets of Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan and India; * The secondary markets of Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Republic of Korea, China and South Africa; and * The opportunity markets of Spain, Eastern Europe, the United States of America, Canada and Australia. Each of these markets will have different degrees of emphasis in terms of required marketing activities, Depending on the degree to which Sri Lanka is already an established destination. There is a need for awareness of Sri Lanka to be raised particularly at the consumer level and point-of-sales. The Board is represented through its offices in Frankfurt, Paris, London, Japan, Thailand and India. It is proposed to appoint Marketing Services Agents in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, the United States and South Africa. There are a number of promotional activities being carried out by Sri Lanka. Servicing of tourist information is a continuing activity which includes distribution of literature to the travel trade and to the consumers and servicing telephone and mail inquiries on a continuing basis. The Board participates in a number of major tourism fairs held annually, along with Air Lanka (the National Carrier) and the Sri Lanka Travel Trade. This is considered an effective means to promote the travel trade as well as to attract consumers. Among the major trade fairs where Sri Lanka participates are: ITB -Berlin, WTM -London, BIT -Milan, BTF -Brussels, TRAVEL -Singapore, JATA -Japan, FITUR -Madrid, HOLIDAY TRAVEL SHOW -Sydney, GIFT -Guangzhou, TOP RESA -Dauvilli, SMTV -Paris, LTE -Hong Kong, SATTE -New Delhi, KOFFA- Seoul and VAKANTIE -Utrecht. Regular presentations on Sri Lanka are made to major tour operators and travel agents in the form of seminars and workshops to educate  and inform them a bout tourism in Sri Lanka and to induce them to sell Sri Lanka by offering tour programs. With the help of the national carrier (Air Lanka) and other airlines, educational and familiarization tours to Sri Lanka are organized as a continuing activity to enable trade and media personnel to obtain first-hand knowledge and experience of Sri Lanka’s tourism product. These programs are conducted for the travel trade as well as for the travel media. Travel journalists, writers, television, broadcasting and film producers will be given high priority in order to obtain maximum publicity for Sri Lanka’s tourism in the key media in major tourist generating markets. Special promotions in the form of cultural and food festivals, Sri Lanka Evenings, etc., are undertaken in the major generating markets, in association with Air Lanka and the travel trade. New trends in tourism marketing policies and strategies in Sri Lanka On the basis of research undertaken by the Ceylon Tourist Board and the World Tourism Organization (WTO), it has been revealed that there is a tremendous potential in developing tourist markets in the Asian region. This has resulted in a change of the tourism marketing policy to consider Asia as a major generating market for Sri Lanka, in addition to Europe. To pursue the change in marketing policy, the Ceylon Tourist Board has developed an Asian Marketing Strategy for Sri Lanka with the assistance of WTO and UNDP. Several markets in the Asian region have been identified with three priority groupings. The first priority is Japan and India. Between them, it is estimated that by 2004 they will be producing over half of all the Asian visitors to Sri Lanka. The second priority is the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan province of China and Thailand. Travel from these markets to Sri Lanka can grow strongly but on a lower scale. The third priority is China and Hong Kong. The ma rketing programme of the Asian Marketing Strategy has been divided into two phases. Phase 1 is the period until the end of hostilities in Sri Lanka. It is assumed that this will be in December 1997. Phase 2 is a peacetime marketing program that will be introduced by a marketing campaign. It has been shown that the prevailing situation of tourism in Sri Lanka is partly due to the security situation and partly due to misconceptions and disinformation about the image of Sri  Lanka. The negative image of Sri Lanka is due to the wide publicity given by the international media about the civil disturbances and acts of violence. In order to counter the misconception, the Sri Lanka Government will launch an Image Restoration Campaign on a sustained basis for a minimum period of two years by means of a public relations and communication campaign supplemented, where necessary, with limited advertising in the key international markets, by using the services of a professional public relations firm with an international network. The current trend in international travel is for tourists to be attracted not so much to a destination, but to spe cific tourist products. The Ceylon Tourist Board has identified this significant development and is planning to develop specific tourist products to which international travelers could be attracted. Conclusion Given its natural advantages, the tourism sector is viewed as one of the most important engines of growth and development in the Sri Lankan economy and as such, is a key focus in the Government’s industrial strategy. Tourism main supporting sectors account for more than 8.0 per cent of GDP. In relation to employment, agriculture transport, storage & communication, construction, and distribution are the primary beneficiaries from a dollar spent within the tourism industry. Further, these sectors account for over 7.0 per cent of the employed labor force. However, the descriptive analysis points to the continued low and declining impact of the industry on the overall economy in particular in the context of other countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Kenya. However the investment shares for tourism sector being high the unstable political situation could be the closest reason for this less performance in the case of comparison. With the end of war, the expected boom in the industry over the years to come will have a noticeable impact. The second empirical modal shows a strong relationship between the political stability and macroeconomic performance in particular with reference to the tourism sector. It is highly recommended to maintain a stable political situation of the country in order for industries like tourism to flourish. This essay has, in the main, addressed two of the important elements of an economic significance of the tourism industry. Further work to be undertaken includes the computation and comparison of  cyclical movements of tourism sector performance in response to the global economic and political changes.

IKEA assignment Essays

IKEA assignment Essays IKEA assignment Essay IKEA assignment Essay Essay Topic: IKEA In this writing we will try to analyse IKEA, the furniture retailer in relation to the assortment of its products and the position it holds in the market. Another question we would analyse is what causes the consumer to decide on where to buy their products enabling the companys position in the market To complete this report we would use a SWOT analysis and a map positioning IKEA along with its competitors with reference to the variety of designs and the value for money. Mintel will be used to obtain statistical information and further research will be carried out from journal, books and news paper articles to support the evidence. As a result of the research we would also develop a list of factors that effect IKEA completing it with a summery. Facts and figures Ingvar Kamprad the founder of IKEA was 24 when he started selling furniture in 1943 opened his first store in his home town Sweden in 1958. As to date IKEA has 180 outlets operating in 22 countries to which 60% of the products are developed in Sweden and consists of approximately 10,000 home ware products in various assortments as listed below. * Bathroom, Beds, Mattresses, chairs and Childrens IKEA * Bookcases, storage systems, Kitchen Cook wares * Floors, Rugs, Lighting, Mirrors * Sofas, Sofa beds and Armchairs * Tables, Textiles, Wardrobes cloths storage * Workspace Furniture accessories During the year 2004 over 365 million customers have visited IKEA stores. The company purchases products from approximately 1,500 suppliers in 55 countries with 27 distributions centres in 16 countries. IKEA is 40% dependent in sourcing from other countries and also transporting from swedwood (own industrial groups)1 to other outlets, therefore it is important for these transport to supply their end of the purchasing to the customers. However the approach IKEA follows is mainly based on being environmentally friendly and they expect their suppliers wherever they are in the world to follow their code of conduct the Ikea Way (IWAY) which is explained in further details in Appendix A Ikea requires the routes from the suppliers to customers to be direct, cost effective environmentally friendly as possible which is also why flat packs are important to them and the customers Ikeas ethos is to provide affordable furnishing for working families, the flat pack nature of the products developed specifically in that format to enable prices to be kept low2. 12 months prior to February 2003 the mintel report has stated that Argos was the favourite source of decorated house ware products but less in functional house ware at 18% whereas IKEA attracted 12% of consumers holding its position in the 2nd place. However it would be necessary to mention that Argos also attracts shoppers interest in other products such as clothing, electrical and entertainment. Below is a table with further details from Mintel. On the other hand as seen on the table below in 2004 the retailer used for purchasing furniture is IKEA with 16% followed by Argos with 10% and department stores being 3rd with 5%. Source Mintel report3 Although IKEA may have counteracted with difficult situations in the past such as the the deadly poisoned bookshelves4 where formaldehyde was found after a tests were conducted by an investigative team from Germany. They have taken immediate action with stopping production world wide showing how the values of the customers were important to them. There may also be difficulties for the shoppers with no transports, with IKEA stores located in retails parks out of the city; however they do ensure transport via train and buses along with the offer to deliver. Position mapping After completing a research travelling the stores, browsing the catalogue and websites, it has helped to analysing the variety of products IKEA produces in comparison to its revelries. This has enabled us to compare prices and position them on the map as seen below. The map is designed to show where the companies stand in relation with its competitors with one line marked as the design/style of assortment the company has and the second line is to measure the value/pricing with both indicating the low and high levels. With approximately 10,000 assortments of furniture the consumer would know that there are varieties to choose from at reasonable prices with quality. This also helps the positioning of IKEA to be the 1st in the market place. `The UK is Ikeas third biggest market, generating 12% of group sales, or pounds 800m last year. Germany is biggest, with 21% of sales. In addition, Brent Park is the busiest Ikea store in the world.5 We can see that IKEA has the highest assortment of all 5 companies with 10,000 products at reasonable pricing. Whereas Habitat was placed on the map for the lowest design yet high with pricing. On the other hand although Argos was the cheapest company the assortment was also much less than IKEA with 3,500 furniture products. John Lewis was positioned on the map to be the third least expensive with the third in line for the variety of assortments in its product range, whereas MFI was placed to be 4th in line of varieties but 3rd with higher prices compared with IKEA. This is a tool used to measure the strength, weakness, threats and opportunity of a company in the market upon competitors as shown in Appendix B One of the major strengths of IKEA is that it a wide variety of products therefore giving them a competitive edge in comparison to their competitors. IKEA strengths come from storing their products under one roof and producing catalogues in various languages and delivers to homes. Last year, a total of 145 million copies were printed in 48 editions and 25 languages 6 The idea was to produce and sell simple, practical items of furniture that were easy to install The flat pack packaging is another one of IKEA strength with easy to install instruction. Another weakness of IKEA is the number of outlets with in UK and in order to strengthen that weakness it would be advisable to open further outlets which would be to their advantage. Although MFI has more outlets, unfortunately most of their furnitures are made as units which are one off to order that requires few weeks of delivery time where the likes of MFI or Courts may make money selling to the customer on a one-off basis7. An opportunity for IKEA is that it does not do e commerce as it is missing out on a great opportunity with large market segmentation, which is one of Argos strengths On the companys website it states that trade through the Internet is small but growing. However, in the UK IKEA does not offer home shopping either through its websites or the catalogue. Customers must make a trip to one of the stores to actually make a purchase8 One other weakness of IKEA is as stated by Mail on Sunday is the queuing system It is reckoned that customers often spend an hour queuing to pay at the checkouts of a busy store. And that helps explain why it wants to build 20 more9. Factors effecting IKEA There are a few factors which affect Ikea in a positive and negative perspective such as the change in fashion If you bought a new coat or boots this winter, the chances are it was not because your old ones had worn out but because you wanted the latest style, label or colour.10 Below listed are few other factors that effect IKEA and the consumer before buying the product. * Change in fashion and taste * Busy life schedule * E commerce * Retailing mistakes/Delivery issues * Marital status Factors in selecting a retailer * Flexibility Buying furniture is an emotional process. Customers require time, flexibility and support from their retail outlets when making such important decisions. We have to respect their needs11. * Quality and Price We are the ones who make the selection of the products by the quality, variety, and also by the price. It doesnt work if we pay a high price12 * Assortment of Product range * Location/ packaging * Media Pressure * Fashion change * Customer loyalty and perception.

6 To-Do List Styles to Get Your Life in Order

6 To-Do List Styles to Get Your Life in Order Do you find the idea of making a to-do list strangely daunting? If you’re one of those people who don’t naturally tend to the to-do list, you might need a little help or inspiration to get you started. Here are some of the best templates, options, and styles for you to try.The Old School ListGo the simple route and simply handwrite your list. If you get a random thought and aren’t near your computer, just jot it down! You can always add it to a more high-tech list later on. You might find this method less distracting when you’re in a working groove. If you have a hard time conceptualizing how to organize your list, there are tons of printable templates in .doc or PDF. Just print ‘em out and fill ‘em in!Bullet JournalingEverybody’s talking about Bullet journaling. Read up on this new technique, described as â€Å"a customizable and forgiving organization system†- an all-in-one â€Å"to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary.â₠¬  It helps you keep your lists manageable in size and keep items from overwhelming you while making sure more of them actually get done. So go to the website and see whether or not the Kool-Aid is right for you!Breaking It DownSet yourself one big goal for the day, then break it into actionable chunks. The smaller tasks will feel more manageable than the larger goal, and you’ll find you chip away at them quickly. Once you build momentum, you’ll be surprised at how fast you knock out your ultimate goal and consider that day a success.Use Your CloudUse the cloud calendar function already on your laptop or your phone. They’ll merge effortlessly together so you can update from either device and have your to-do list with you at all times. And it can help you visualize how much time you have for each segment of your day. Try out the Google â€Å"Goals† feature along with this method for your long-term wish list of goals.Prioritize Your TasksCheck out Wunderli st, Todosit, or iDoneThis, or the thousands of apps like them, to sort your to-dos by priority level. You’ll also earn reward â€Å"points† for every task completed, which is just fun enough to make you feel really good about yourself. If you want a version with fewer bells and whistles, try Template.net which sorts your tasks into columns like â€Å"to do, to get, to call,† etc. Or TidyForms, which lets you schedule out two full days instead of one.Do It For CupcakesNo, honestly, that’s the name of the template. Design Eat Repeat created an adorable weekly organizing template called DO IT FOR THE CUPCAKES that lets you identify six goals per day. If you finish all your tasks in that week, you get cupcakes! Well, you’re strongly encouraged to get them.