How to Create Mobile-Friendly Content (2019 Update)

Mobile users are consuming more content than ever before. According to an Internet Trends Study, in 2018 the average time consumers spent engaging with digital media on mobile devices reached 3.3 hours a day. In the same year, 52.2 percent of all website traffic worldwide was generated through mobile phones. This was up from 43.6 percent in 2016. The consumer shift toward mobile engagement should be a wake-up call to content marketers. A mobile-first approach to content marketing is now key to remaining competitive. This guide highlights the importance of mobile-friendly content and will help you create a better user experience for your mobile audience. Free Actionable Bonus: Looking to elevate your content strategy? Get our our complete guide to creating a content strategy, plus a free content planning template and a list of 30+ places to distribute content First, here’s a quick recap of how mobile has shaped the search engine landscape: Google’s Mobile-Friendly Updates In April 2015, Google released their mobile-friendly algorithm update, designed to give higher rankings to mobile-friendly pages and provide better results to mobile users. In 2016, another update gave an extra rankings boost to mobile-friendly sites. In March 2018, the Mobile-First Index began to roll out. This meant that Google started to use the mobile version of a page’s content for indexing and ranking to make search results more relevant for mobile users. In July 2018, Google released its Mobile Speed Update, making page speed a ranking factor for mobile results. From these updates, it’s clear that mobile-optimized content boosts search engine rankings. But it’s still important to publish content that mobile readers love. This is why many brands hire content writers to create engaging, audience-focused content. From these updates, it's clear that mobile-optimized content boosts search engine rankings. But it's still important to publish content that mobile readers love. Click To Tweet The Way People Consume Content Online Has Changed Our mobiles have become the go-to device for news, information, entertainment, shopping, and social interactions. If you’re not convinced about optimizing content for mobile, the following stats might change your mind. Mobile use has exploded in the past decade. There were around half a billion mobile phone users globally in 2010, but this number is predicted to reach five billion in 2019. In the United States, the number of smartphone users is expected to reach 247.5 million in 2019, up from 223 million in 2017. What accounts for this surge? Some demographics, especially millennials, have moved toward a mobile-only pattern of internet usage. People are taking their phones everywhere – 75 percent of Americans admit to using their smartphones while in the bathroom (the other 25 percent are probably lying) and 80 percent use their phones within 15 minutes of getting up in the morning. Mobile-Friendly Content Strategies Technical Strategies 1. Make Sure Your Site is Responsive A responsive website is when the design elements adjust according to the device people are using, giving users the best browsing experience. If you’re running a WordPress site, it’s as simple as installing the right theme. If not, check out Google’s guidelines for responsive design. 2. Optimize Site Speed If a mobile site takes longer than three seconds to load, 53 percent of mobile website visits are abandoned. And according to Google, for every one second delay in site load time, conversions fall by 12 percent. As page speed is now a ranking factor for websites in mobile searches, make sure your pages are optimized for speed. Use Google’s Mobile Speed Test to discover page speed issues and for optimization suggestions. 3. Implement Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) The AMP Project is an open source project developed in partnership with Google. Its main goal is to improve the user experience by ensuring websites load faster. If you optimize for AMP, your ranking should improve. Visit Google’s guidelines and then test if your AMP pages are valid. If using WordPress, install the AMP for WordPress plugin. 4. Produce a Sitemap A sitemap ensures Google crawls your site properly. WordPress plugin Yoast SEO will do the job for you. Otherwise, you can use XML Sitemaps to create one for free. 5. Optimize Titles and Descriptions Titles and meta descriptions appear in search results and are key to improving click-through rates. However, because mobile users may not see the entire descriptions because of the smaller screen size, insert the most important keywords at the start of titles and descriptions. 6. Use Rich Markup Rich snippets appear in search results and include content like recipe information, product ratings, and company information. Although they don’t directly impact search rankings, they influence click-through rates and website bounce rates. Google pulls the information from websites using rich markup, or structured data markup. The most commonly used markups include: Book information Embedded non-text elements Event information Article information Local business details Reviews Additional site link information Use Google’s Structured Data Marker Helper to get started. Content Writing Strategies 7. Start with the Most Compelling Content In one eye-tracking study, mobile users gave around 68 percent of their attention to the center and top half of the screen. This is because mobile users have to scroll down through content more than desktop users. It’s therefore important to put your most compelling, engaging copy at the start, above the fold. 8. Write Shorter, More Captivating Headlines When crafting headlines, create a sense of intrigue or explain how users will benefit from further reading. Shorter, snappier headlines are more scannable and engaging. Long headlines can also get lost below the fold, so minimize the size of headline fonts. 9. Create Concise, Scannable Content This doesn’t necessarily mean that every article should be short; longer content can still work for mobile viewing. In fact, in-depth content receives higher search rankings. In one study, the average word count of results on Google’s front page was 1,890 words. However, keep the writing tight by using short sentences and paragraphs. And insert more subheadings and bulleted lists to improve readability. Visual Strategies 10. Focus on Rendering According to Google, 46 percent of people say they would not purchase from a brand again if they had an interruptive mobile experience. Another study showed that 40 percent of users will abandon a site that isn’t optimized for mobile. Clean, simple design is key. Use mobile responsive design, display large, easy-to-click buttons, and provide clear navigation. Don’t forget to optimize your email content while you’re at it – over half of all emails are opened on a mobile device! 11. Break up Text with Images As well as breaking up larger chunks of text, images add visual appeal. Use bold colors in graphics to draw attention to visual elements, and compress larger images to reduce loading times. 12. Use More Video Content Mobile video consumption is growing. In 2018, global mobile video traffic amounted to 12,051 petabytes per month and is expected to multiply to 60,889 PB per month by 2022. Publish more informational, educational, and inspirational videos. Then share the content on social networks to increase engagement. Engagement Strategies 13. Make It Shareable Mobile users expect sharing features such as social media buttons, so make sure they’re clearly visible above and below content. This improves the user experience, increases trust, and encourages content sharing. 14. Optimize for Shoppers From grocery shopping to booking vacations, consumers are increasingly using mobile technology for purchases. During 2017, 11 percent of consumers shopped online via mobile on a weekly basis. In 2018, 86 percent of smartphone owners used their device to browse, research, and compare products. To encourage mobile purchases: Display attractive product images. Show customer reviews. Use simple product category links. Use exit-intent popups with discount codes. Enable guest checkout. Show security badges. Display clickable customer service phone numbers. Add clear â€Å"Add to basket† and â€Å"Proceed to checkout† buttons. Offer a variety of payment options. 15. Add Local Information Around one third of all mobile searches are related to location. In 2016 there were 65.6 billion local mobile search queries in the United States. This increased by 94 percent to 127.5 billion searches in 2018. In the same period, local desktop searches fell by four percent. If your business has a local element, optimize your mobile content for local search by including location keywords in metadata. Also, display your name, address, and phone number on every page. 16. Optimize for Social Media According to comScore, around 80 percent of social media time is spent on mobile devices. To get the most out of social media, ensure your posts are short and provide value. Use eye-catching visuals and videos, and join in conversations around relevant hashtags. The Bottom Line With Google prioritizing mobile content and as mobile viewing grows, optimizing your content for a mobile audience is now crucial for brand credibility and online visibility. Use as many of these mobile-friendly content marketing techniques as you can. It will maximize the reach of your content to mobile users and ensure that more people engage with your brand. Above all, publish website content that is optimized for your target audience, not just search engines. Then track your analytics data to see what is working and what isn’t. Is your content mobile-ready?

Obesity and Eating Disorder essays

Obesity and Eating Disorder essays One of the strengths of studying eating disorders such as compulsive over-eating or anorexia nervosa from a purely biological perspective is that eating is a biological phenomenon that impacts the body and the mind. Starvation, as observed in non-anorexic subjects that have been forcibly starved, produces psychological effects that might be assumed to be the result of personal pathology, not simply restricting ones diet-such as depression, an obsession with food, obsessive-compulsive behavior, guilt, eating rituals, and a lack of sexual desire (Clark, 2000). Obese subjects may be socially ostracized from their peers from an early age, become unable to physically move around adequately and therefore are likely to be socially isolated, become obsessed with food and dieting, use overeating as a coping mechanism much like a drug, and all of these symptoms are the biological consequences of obesity and the fast and binge cycle, not necessarily personal, social and cultural defects that dr ive the individual to overeat. To show an individual afflicted with an eating disorder that the starvation that triggers their obsession and fear of food, or the binging that may the biological result from repeated dieting, may be a comforting. It is biology, not weakness of the will, that is the reason that the obese person fails to reduce or the anorexic is unhappy. However, the psychological reasons that drive a person to starve and to relapse into anorexia nervosa outside of a contrived experiment or situation are not purely explained by biology. Why do some people find the psychological effects of anorexia to be addictive? This is not fully explained by the biological model of behavior, nor is the addiction of the obese for certain comfort foods, or why certain psychological trigger situations provoke a binge, even after successful weight loss. Biology may be helpful in showing an anorexic how food obsessions and depression are provoked by...

Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Knowledge Management - Essay Example It is also regarded as the only advantage that a firm can have over the others for it to be able to survive in a business environment that is unpredictable. Through knowledge management, an organization will be able to view all its processes as knowledge processes which include creation of knowledge, dissemination, upgrading of knowledge and all this will ensure the survival of the organization. Knowledge management requires the involvement of people, technology and processes that are in continuous interaction with each other. Knowledge management ensures the survival of organizations in a business world which keeps changing day by day due to the stiff competition. Organization of knowledge requires responsibility of knowledgeable employees and specialists who will be able to manage knowledge as an intangible asset. The process of knowledge management therefore requires the implementation of the following for it to be effective and they are: knowledge creation, knowledge collection, knowledge organization, knowledge refinement and knowledge dissemination. An ideal knowledge organization is one in which employees who are in different fields are able to exchange and produce knowledge by using technology. This way knowledge will be internalized and adopted within the culture of the organization. Knowledge creation and transfer (sharing) are the main basis of the success of a company in this era as they determine the way in which organization leaders will develop intellectual capital. In order for companies to be able to compete successfully, they have to ensure that they create knowledge through hiring, developing and maintaining competent and excellent managers as they will be able to accumulate valuable knowledge assets. Organizations have to keep creating new knowledge continuously as knowledge keeps changing and it can become obsolete in the future (IchijÃ…  & Nonaka, 2007, 4). Tacit and explicit are the

European Law - law essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

European Law - law - Essay Example This exemption is also available to agreements, which engender technical or economic progress that proves beneficial to consumers. However, these agreements should not destroy the competitive market for similar products1. The Commission had published the Guidelines with regard to the applicability of Article 81 EC to horizontal cooperation agreements. By virtue of these Guidelines, the Commission has expanded its erstwhile perspective and relies on the market power of companies as the most suitable test in this context. In this manner, the Commission is aiming to render the prerequisites for applying Article 81(1) EC, proximate to the merger control norms. This approach seems to be unjustified from the perspective of policy decision, because it relaxes the standards set out for the relevant markets. In addition, it is also inadequate from a legal point of view, for the implementation of the provisions of Article 81(1) EC; because, the market power of companies constitutes an inappropriate test in this regard2. In order to adopt an economics – based application of Article 81(1) EC, the Commission would be hard placed to acquire the necessary human resources, which could prove to be quite burdensome. Furthermore, Article 81 EC does not cover all agreements. It only covers agreements that restrict competition. The Commission had extended its application purview to new thresholds such as free market shares through the Notice on agreements of minor importance of 2001. This Notice deals with agreements that impose non – appreciable horizontal and vertical restrictions on competition. However, it excludes hard core restrictions. The new parameters could possibly exclude agreements between small and medium sized companies3. Agreements, that attempt to prevent, distort or restrict competition in the common market, are in violation of Article 81(1) EC. If an agreement violates Article 81(1) EC, then it is not necessary to

Business and Law - short story Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business and Law - short story - Case Study Example Apart from this she also had to undergo mental stress as she had lost her prestige. Sarah suffered physical injuries and mental agony because she got a t-shirt from a sale conducted by Cameron at her hotel. Just because she wore the t-shirt which had toxic material, Sarah suffered rashes all over her body and she was admitted to the hospital. She had to spend almost 6 weeks at the hospital. Finally when she was better the rashes left scars all over her body due to which she could not negotiate a movie deal with a major movie studio. The manufacturer has to use reasonable skill and care in the circumstances (ie. if the possible injury is very serious then the manufacturer will have a heavier duty, if the chance of injury is remote, the duty will be greater than if the chance of injury has a greater probability). When the facts indicate some negligence (eg. a snail in a bottle), the consumer does not have to prove how the manufacturer was negligent. The manufacturer has to prove that they did meet the standard of care. Based on the above Sarah has every right to take action against Cameron. She can sue Cameron in the court of law. Sarah's physical injuries caused by wearing the t-shirt resulted in her cancellation of a major movie contract. This was only because of the negligence on the part of Cameron who sold the t-shirt. Sarah also has the right to claim for emotional distress. The law says that if emotional distress causes physical injury in this case (Sarah's skin rashes) then the claimant who suffered emotional distress can make a claim. 3. Issues of the case: The gasfitter knowingly did damage to the pipeline of the hotel. Action: Sam can take legal action against the gasfitter. He can sue the gasfitter in the court of law and can also claim damages for negligence caused by him. Sam due to the negligence of the gasfitter had lost around $80,000 because it took 8 days to start the business after the gasfitter had tampered with his gasoline. 5. Sam the hotel owner had filed a claim for damages with her insurance company. In this case the insurance company has every right to deny her claim because it is evident that Sam has been inviting trouble from the whale rights activists 'Dignity for Whales'. She went against the law by selling whale meat. Sam had renewed the insurance policy and there was a contract with him and the insurance company. The insurance company cannot deny the claim. But since Sam had invited the damages she has no right to claim. With regard to the second attack, from the problem it is not clear as to why his hotel was attacked for the second time. Probably if she had carried on to serve whale meat then she has no right to claim. But if Sam had not continued serving whale meat then he has a right to claim from the insurance company. 6. Issues of the case: Cameron suffered loss of her stock due to fire. She had lost 95% of her stock but the insurance company paid her 100%. The issue is that whether Cameron can keep the sale

Foxconn Suicides Case Study

Foxconn Suicides Case Study Introduction Foxconn Technology Group is a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry Company Ltd, a Taiwanese company which is a major electronics manufacturer catering to famous-name brands including Sony, Apple and Nokia. With the first manufacturing plant established in Shenzhen, China in 1988, around 450,000 workers are now employed at the Foxconn City, which intends to act as both working and leisure place to the employees. Foxconn has been involved in several controversies, relating to how it manages employees. It is mostly known by the public for the series of suicides in 2010. The 2010 Foxconn suicides occurred between January and November, 2010, when eighteen Foxconn employees, aging from 18 to 24, attempted suicide with fourteen deaths. Though investigation has found that employees personal problems may cause them to commit suicide, low income, enormous working pressure and a lack of communication opportunity are commonly accounted for the incidence. The suicides drew much media attention and in this project, we will focus on analyzing the managerial problems of Foxconn which lead to the incidence and the effectiveness of the measures taken by Foxconn after the incidence to alleviate those problems. Management problems: Military leadership style Many reports suggested that Foxconns leadership style is the culprit for continuous suicides. They argued that manufacturing workers also need a warm and supportive working environment which was the opposite of Foxconn practices. Almost every worker needs to stand to work 12 hours a day intensively so as to maintain their live with the low wages. As they do not have other qualifications, they have no choice but have to choose this kind of harsh jobs said a first-line manager in Foxconn. After a series of suicides happen in Foxconn, a reporter slipped into the company for 30 days. He found that the environment inside the factory was more terrible than imagine. For instance, no one can leave for a minute for washroom unless he can find someone to replace his duty. It shows that even peoples basic needs are ignored. In addition, Foxconn stresses heavily on execution and efficiency although it never delivers compensation late. Some workers point out that whenever your boss gives out command, the only respond you can give is Yes or OK. You cannot be suspicious for a second. The only thing you can do is follow his order and delegate the work to your subordinates. In other words, manufacturing workers get extremely low status in the industry. With low status, workers duty is to listen and follow their instructions, workers should have no say to what they can do. We are pretty sure that this kind of military management is unethical as they simply ignore the basic human needs. If we apply the motivation theory-Maslows Hierarchy of Needs to Foxconn, they cannot even fulfill the most basic physiological needs like sufficient rest time for the prolonged working hours. Ranging from work conditions to worker status, Foxconn fails to fulfill those hygiene factors( dissatisfiers) according to Fredrick Herzberg s Two-Factor Theory. Both of the theories above show us clearly that worker will get dissatisfied with this military leadership style. The strict and inconsiderate leadership style explains why Foxconn was blamed to be inhuman causing endless suicides. Rewarding policies From the view of motivating and rewarding employees, some believe that a string of  suicides at Foxconn has highlighted what some say that the minimal pay of 900 RMB is exploitative. We shall examine the issue and analyze rewarding policies of Foxconn. With respect to the monetary rewards, it is laudable that Foxconn has signed labor contract with their workers and pay their basic salaries on time. However, they set the minimum wage in Shenzhen, 900RMB, as the basic salary of workers in the factory before tragedy happened. In fact, the so-called basic salary is not enough to guarantee workers even the basic standard of living. They are long overdue for significant pay raises and the factory pay has not kept pace with inflation over the past decade that makes their lives hard. We may find that the monetary reward offered by Foxconn is insufficient to satisfy even the physiological needs of workers. It is very likely that workers will get more depressed when their job is overwhelming stressful at low pay level. Suicide attempts are usually preceded by a period of serious depression. It is easy to understand that the low pay can induce suicide with tremendous pressure faced by factory workers every day. After several suicides, Foxconn has reached a preliminary agreement on pension and maintenance payments with the bereaved families that Foxconn would make a 360,000 RMB pension payment to those families and offered maintenance payments of 30,000 RMB per year. This practice intensifies the suicidal problem. The original intention of this measure is to pacify the bereaved families, comfort employees after a series of suicide events and at the same time, relief the pressure from public. However, for those workers who are dissatisfied with their lives at Foxconn, huge amount of compensation induces them to end their life as they find it more preferable. The pension payment, being the culprit of suicides, is achieving the opposite. The dearth of non-monetary rewards also results in a string of suicides at Foxconn. Under the military leadership style, being blamed is one of the job duties. Non-monetary rewards like praise, status promotions or privileges are simply impossible. For general companies, not having any non-monetary or intrinsic rewards is not the critical problem. It is a different story for Foxconn and they become extremely important when monetary and extrinsic rewards are far from sufficient to satisfy workers. It acts as the supplements or compensation to workers with low pay. Unfortunately, Foxconn just does the opposite. There is neither significant extrinsic reward nor any form of intrinsic rewards. Worse still, they tend to punish rather than encourage workers when they get mistakes. All the above rewarding policies fuel the suicide problem. Communication opportunity Communication with peers is important to express their ups and downs and relieve their stress. Developing the social network in the industry would also enhance the job satisfaction and sense of belongings to the company. However, there is a lack of communication in Foxconn. When they are working, workers cannot talk with each other, or else there will be disciplinary action. After work, they seldom talks with their roommates, since they either have to work overtime or need to take a rest after long working hours. After the first few suicides, Foxconn carries out a number of measures. For example, managers buy information with monetary incentive. Whenever workers report employees with psychological problem, two hundred dollar is rewarded. This practice further worsens the relationship between peers, supervisors and subordinates as it weakens the trust between workers, making it more difficult for them to share freely with their peers. When employees are not satisfied with the working environment and have nobody to talk to, their stress level will add up. And one day they can no longer withstand the stress and end their lives to get rid of the work. Fairness Have you ever imagined that the unfair treatments in the work place would induce people to commit suicide? People in this generation pay more attention to the fairness. However, unfair affairs exist in Foxconn. There are rumors that security guards maintain order according to their personal mood, rather than the regulations of the company. Whenever one of the guards does not get along with you, you will be beaten for whatever reasons. One example will be Mr Leung. Some said that he spit to the guard after being dressed down and jumped from the roof the other day. Another example will be the management by Mr Kwok, the chairperson of Foxconn. He was born and educated in Taiwan. That is why he is criticized of preferential treating towards Taiwanese. He often employs Taiwanese to manage Chinese and rewards are different between employees from different origins. Taiwanese have a higher salaries and bonus than Chinese at the same level. It is true that we cannot check whether the above claims are correct or not. However, discrimination is not uncommon in the real society as we can think and thus it may be the fault of Foxconn not to balance the interests of different parties which directly leads to continuous suicides. With the workers being treated differently and nowhere to complain, they can only endure to it. When it comes to the end of ones patience, some of them choose to end their lives. Measures taken by the Foxconn Group: After the consecutive tragedies, the Foxconn Group had adopted various measures to prevent employees from committing suicide again. These measures included: 1.) Increase in workers wages. The management raised the wages of all production line workers by 30%. And for the production line operators in Shenzhen, their basic salaries and wages were raised from 1,200 yuan to 2,000 yuan per month. 2.) Set up of Safety Net The company set up a rigid Safety Net within the staff residential areas, which occupied for over 150 million square meters of spaces, thus to avoid the death of any worker directly if they intended to jump off the roof downwards. 3.) Establishment of the Caring Team Foxconn had divided their workers into groups of 50 people, known as the Caring Team, and their responsibilities included giving cares and love to each other, and to report any unusual emotional changes of their co-workers. 4.) Counselors availability to assist the workers At the time after the incident, the company had already trained 1000 psychological counselors. They were sent to the factory to provide counseling, guidance and assistance to the workers via the psychological consultation hotline. 5.) Mandatory Psychological test Once new workers were employed after the incident, they should undergo an in-depth mandatory psychological test to evaluate their mental health and provided better guidance on how they could work happily in the future. To conclude, these measures aimed at preventing the same incident from happening again. Criticisms on the measures taken by the company Despite the several measures adopted by the company, did they really benefit the workers permanently? Or did they only bring temporary effects? It was surprising to discover that there were still cases of workers committing suicide shortly after all the above measures were implemented, which gave us the solid evidence that the measures might not be as effective as the managers expected and could not root out the problem. 1. Short-sighted measures without long-term consideration The above measures could be said to be effective in dealing with short term problems, yet it might not be long-term considered enough. For example, the set up of Safety Net could only enforce workers not to jump downwards from their roof, but it could not solve the workers dissatisfaction towards the company and enhance workers morale in long-term. Some even argue that the establishment of safety net shows the cool-blooded attitude of Foxconn towards workers. 2. Not sufficient psychological support Although the company sets up a psychological consultation hotline, helping employees to relieve their stress, this measure is quite passive and the number of employees being helped is limited. Top managers only select 1000 employees to take a training course of psychological consultation. Eighty of them pass the exam helping employees who cannot deal with stress. But, these eighty helpers, relative to over four hundred thousand of employees, are insufficient to prevent suicide from happening again. We doubt whether it is the effective method to prevent suicide and help employees. 3. Insufficient improvement in satisfying different needs According to Maslows hierarchy of needs, it states clearly that different needs ranging from physiological needs to self-actualization and esteem needs, such intrinsic values are the most crucial ingredient in the recipe of motivating workers. However, what Foxconn offered were far from fully satisfying workers fundamental needs (ie, financial security), not to mention what measures did Foxconn implement to satisfy workers social needs. Although they set up the caring team to show their love to workers, whether it works is in doubt. Can the need of social network be simply replaced by the so-called caring team? The act of suicides proves its effectiveness. Being ignored the intrinsic needs, workers hardly find the feeling of satisfactory and recognition from the work. Our Suggestions To coop with the incident, we ought to think of some more probable ways, which are listed in the following: 1. An increase in wages and a reduction on working hours Most of the workers in Foxconn endured their tiredness by standing for over 10 hours per day, with 6 days per week without adequate rest. The reason that workers choose to work overtime was that the wages were still far from enough for them, even after the little raise in the wages . By increasing the wages, workers no longer need to suffer from the extremely long working hours. If we want to save workers lives, we should first make sure that they get sufficient salary to maintain their lives. 2. Satisfying different needs Under the Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, social need like affection, belongingness and friendship is one of the essential needs for workers to get work. Apart from encouraging workers to make friends with others so as to alleviate the psychological problems, they should also encourage them to relax by having some leisure activities. Though Foxconn has good relaxing facilities like recreation centre for chess, mountain climbing and fishing, they never promote and encourage workers to enjoy them. From the Shanghai-based China Business News reported, Researchers questioned 1,736 employees and found they worked an average of 83.2 hours of overtime a month that is more than twice the maximum of 36 hours allowed under Chinese law. Workers work numerous overtime and thus they do not have time to enjoy those facilities. If Foxconn can truly allow workers to enjoy these facilities, workers would definitely gain a better sense of belonging and the morale would thus be enhanced greatly as differen t needs are satisfied. Google which provides its workers a comprehensive working environment and encourages them to enjoy it is a successful example. For instance, swimming pool, 24-hour canteen and gymnastics facilities are all free to use for every employee. Although Foxconn might not be necessary to imitate Google in such ways, it should consider deeply on how it can provide better environment to workers. 3. Means to let workers assure of a more certain future The suicide cases increase workers fears towards their future. They feel devastated and uncomfortable to what the public said and even lose confidence on Foxconn. These emotional effects can be disastrous if Foxconn cannot handle it well. We believe that more resources should be spent to stabilize workers emotion. Foxconn should first explain clearly why several workers committed suicide and hence encourage the remaining to cherish their lives. Secondly, several means should be provided to help workers establish their career paths with promising future so as to reduce their uncertainty about the future. If so, it is believed that the working pressure as well as the turnover rate of current workers would be decreased significantly. Eventually, the occurrence of suicides of workers could be diminished. Conclusion Deficiencies in management inevitably account for the series of suicides. The incidence, perhaps, is an alarm to Foxconn for the urge of a change in its management style. Is military leadership still viable and suitable? Or another style, a more caring one should be adopted to encourage workers? Instead of thinking how employees can benefit the company, it is more appropriate for Foxconn to think about how they can benefit the employees and get high productivity in return. The essence of the problem is simple: even human needs are not satisfied in Foxconn. But up to now, measures taken to tackle the problem, mostly short term, are far from satisfactory, or even worsen it. Apparently, these measures do not get to the root of the problem. To alleviate the dissatisfaction of workers, long term solutions to regain employees confidence towards Foxconn are the only way out.

Acting To Save Mother Earth Essay -- essays research papers

Everday we hear more bad news about our planet. Reports tell us that wildlife and forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Newscasts give the latest word on how quickly earth is losing its protective shirld and warming up. Newspapers lament the pollution of our air, water, and soil. What can we do in the face of such widespread gloom? In fact, we do not have to feel helpless. We can each learn practical ways to better our environment. For example, saving and recycling newspapers has a number of positive results. First, recycling newspaper saves trees. The average American consumes about 120 pounds of newsprint a year-enough to use up one tree. That means close to 250 million trees each year are destroyed for paper in this country alone. If we recycled only one-tenth of our newpaper, we would save 25 million trees a year. Second, making new paper from old paper uses up much less energy than making paper from trees. Finally, this process also reduces the air pollution of paper-making by 95 percent. Another earth saving habit is "precycling" waste. This means buying food and other products packaged only in materials that will decay naturally or that can be recycled. The idea is to prevent unrecyclable materials from even entering the home. For instance, 60 of the 190 pounds of plastic-especially styrofoam-each American uses a year are thrown out as soon as packages are opened. Be kind to your planet by buying eggs, fast food, and other products in cardboard in...

Difference between a School and University Essay

There are many inevitable changes and transformations that a person can experience all throughout his/her life. Having a really good education is one of the greatest gifts that parents can give to their children. Moreover, entering a university is already an opportunity these days. In my case, I have given the chance to enter a university that helped me practiced my academic freedom and at the same, understanding my needs. There are many differences that occur during a high school education and a college education. I came from a private high school that mostly speaks Spanish. All of my classes are in Spanish and majority of the students came from the same culture. There is almost no diversity in terms of people, culture and language. But more than that, a very distinct rule that was implemented in our high school is regarding the grading system. Teachers and parents have a very strong relationship that is why, they were able to control over school time and the way classes should be handled and if a student misses on any of her assignments, she can easily have a make up exam. Since the school was private, there was an air of exclusivity amongst the school grounds and it was regarded dearly. When I entered the university, there were many changes that took place. It was very shocking at first but I have to cope up with it. First of all, the university that I attended to was public and all the classes were taught in English. Moreover, in high school, the student body does not partake in more important matters about the school whereas in college, the student body does not take part in school matters but it is also highly respected. And since it is a public university, it was filled with different people from various cultures and places. Another difference that I experienced in college is the fact that parents do not have a strong authority over the school so they are not involved in the management of classes and time. Because of this situation, they cannot just access the grades of the students and if they want to, they still have to ask permission from the student. Lastly, missed exams are hard to get so you really have to manage your time and study very hard. Along with the decision to go into a public university are the transformations and changes that I was obliged to adapt to. In high school, I was highly dependent on my parents for my primary needs but since stepping into college, I was made to watch over me. I am no longer dependent on my parents for my needs; I should now work for them. But the real challenge that I faced was handling my time between being a wife and a mother and being a student. It is a very time consuming and tiring responsibility but I am happy to say that I am handling it very well. The changes and challenges that I faced from high school through college is one of the most memorable experiences in my entire life. Admittedly, it was really shocking at first but I learned to cope up with it. The fact that I am now in an environment that is filled with very different people means that I should learn to have a hard face in dealing with their moods and personalities. Moreover, since I am now a family person, the biggest challenge that life posted on me was how to balance my time so that I will excel in both aspects. With this realization in mind, I learned to manage my time very well and at the same time, keeping track of my family. I learned to become a different woman. I discovered new talents and potentials that I never thought I had. Going to college opened my eyes to different views and opportunities in life. More than that, I consider this to be a great achievement because there are only few people who can excel in academics and at the same time, a full woman.

Strategies to gain a competitive advantage through managing cultural diversity within a service sector organization.

Strategies to gain a competitive advantage through managing cultural diversity within a service sector organization. Introduction Culture has been defined by different authors differently, but what is perhaps the most common definition is that culture is the collective programming of individuals’ minds, which distinguishes members of a particular group or category from the rest of the population.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategies to gain a competitive advantage through managing cultural diversity within a service sector organization. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A model by Edward Hall involved the division of cultures according to the communication patterns of individuals into a high context where much of the information is implicit, and a low context where the information is explicit (Harris, 2004). Talcott Parsons and Edward Shils also came up with their own model that suggested that all human actions are influenced by five pattern variables. These pattern variables include: the need for gratification versus the restraint of impulses; self-orientation collectivity orientation; universalism versus particularism; ascription versus achievement and; specificity versus diffuseness. Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck also came up with another model after conducting a field study on five communities in the US that were geographically close. Their model distinguishes communities by five value orientations which are: the evaluation of human nature; the relationship between an individual and the environment; the orientation in time; the orientation toward activity and; the relationships among people (Chavan, 2005). The cultural dimensions model of Geert Hofstead is based on a study of IBM as a company in regard to their employees in 40 countries. He identified a number of problems that the employees had to cope with and from their coping mechanisms formulated his model of cultural dimension. He identified that the solutions that the employees had to these problems were different from those pr oposed by the old workplace which they had all been presented with (Burnes, 2003). He, therefore, came up with five dimensions of national cultures. These dimensions include: power distance, which is the degree of inequality among different people and which, the population of a particular country may define as normal; uncertainty avoidance, which is the degree to which a particular population prefers structured situations over unstructured ones; individualism versus collectivism; masculinity versus femininity; and long-term versus short-term orientation (Carmichael, White, and Jayawardena, 2008).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strategy for Managing Cultural Diversity It is important to note that different organizations have different organizational cultures and in as much as a new manager would like to increase the competitive advantage of the organization in the market, his or her strategies may not fit into the inherent culture in the organization. For a Swedish manager moving into Hong Kong it is important to note that he or she has to identify the differences in culture between the two countries first, before a decision to adopt a particular competitive strategy is made. The careful evaluation of the cultural differences allows the manager to come up with a management strategy that incorporates a balanced human resource selection and recruiting process (Hughes, and Rog, 2008). This will also allow the manager to reduce the conflict that may exist between two different cultures by identifying that the market has been predisposed to particular cultural aspects, which if changed will lead to customer dissatisfaction and reduce competitive advantage (Wildes, 2008). It is important to note that any competitive strategy has to be formulated with the customers’ preferences in mind for it to be successful. Selection The process of select ion in a culture that has a high power distance and a high level of masculinity has to incorporate a structure that will complement the formulated strategy meant to increase competitive advantage. Among the components to be identified are clear rules and procedures since the organizational culture in Hong Kong has a high preference for bureaucratic structures. This increases employee loyalty which in turn increases productivity and the organization’s competitive edge in the market. The recognition that people are assets is also vital in the boosting of employee morale and this is transferred to the employees who then identify with the customers in the same way (Scott, and Revis, 2008). The result is a highly aware customer who is loyal to the business and this increases the business’ competitive advantage. The selection of managers who can motivate the other employees is crucial especially in a culture that identifies with achievement such as the one in Hong Kong. This requires that the manager to be flexible and a fast learner for him or her to quickly adapt to the new culture.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategies to gain a competitive advantage through managing cultural diversity within a service sector organization. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The reduction of conflict is also important for managers since cultures such as that of Hong Kong identify conflicts as offences against efficiency. The threat to efficiency has a direct impact on the productivity of employees and the general productivity as well as profitability of the business (Wildes, 2008). Recruiting The process of recruiting employees has to be consistent with the chosen or the existing organizational strategy for it to be successful. This has to incorporate a shift in culture from the original culture of the already selected employees to that of the new country or organization. The culture in Hong Kong requires that businesses instill superior differentiation structures in their recruitment programs, where division of labor and leadership structures that complement the inherent bureaucracy are put in place (Hughes, and Rog, 2008). The structures are supposed to increase efficiency and output which in turn gives the business a competitive edge in the market. This has to take place in an environment where the new employees can recognize with the new culture for it to have a quick and efficient success rate (Carmichael, White, and Jayawardena, 2008). The identification of employees who may already be conversant with the new organizational structure and nurturing them to train the others increases cooperation and team work in the workplace. This ensures a higher success of the recruiting process as new employees who have moved into a totally different culture are able to comfortably adapt to the new culture (Burnes, 2003). The recruiting process should ensure that the managers are ab le to identify the particular aspects of the new culture that they can combine with their own without creating conflicts that may lead to both employee and customer dissatisfaction. The identification of the strong aspects of culture that can be exploited further is important especially in an environment where competition is stiff and business practices are almost similar, either due to standardization or similarity in cultural preferences (Chavan, 2005).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because it allows managers to introduce new practices that are unique in the market and increase their competitive advantage in the market. Pre-departure For new managers to adapt to a new environment effectively, they have to be briefed on the particular aspects of the new environment before leaving. This gives them the opportunity to prepare themselves adequately for the new workplace (Salama, Holland, and Vinten, 2003). In this case, role orientation would be of great help to any such managers since it gives them a firsthand idea of the capacity they will have to work at and what is expected of them after they join the new workplace (Harris, 2004). It is also important for the new employees to be conversant with cross-cultural communication especially if the diversity is high. This is meant to reduce the effects of culture shock as the new employees identify channels of communication they are conversant with and have had some experience with. It also increases their effic iency as communication is critical in the productivity of the employees (Littlejohn, and Watson, 2004). With increased efficiency and output, the manager can increase the competitive advantage of the business in the new market with ease. Challenges faced by expatriates due to different cultural backgrounds In the case of multinationals, both the local processes at the headquarters of the company and the processes in their national and global subsidiaries are often at work. This is after their managers realized that some of the cultures differentiate individuals as well as groups in their own unique way and can’t, therefore, be shared (Scott, and Revis, 2008). In this case, expatriates have to be ready to change their thinking and quickly adapt to the new culture and organizational practice of the new country they are posted to. They will obviously need some guidance from locals since some of the cultural characteristics may be too distinct and region specific. For managers wh o always insist on the strict adherence to their home management structures in their new workplace, they often fall out with some of the loyal customers and employees who feel that they are too conservative and rigid to the different challenges that are involved with the different culture in a different country (Wildes, 2008). This means that organizations may lose their competitive advantage in the market if they are too rigid or conservative to change their thinking and the way they come up with solutions to common organizational challenges in the new setting. The identification of the advantages or rather strengths of a particular cultural aspect is sometimes a challenge for foreign managers. The strength of a particular culture often translates to different levels of employee turnover and where a foreign manager may not understand the strength of the culture, he may try to change it by bringing in his own foreign culture into the new organization. This leads to employee dissatis faction and increases their turnover as they no longer feel comfortable and some may have a hard time adjusting to the new culture (Hughes, and Rog, 2008). Ways of Motivating and Leading Staff to Gain a Competitive Advantage Expatriate managers could motivate the new staff by first understanding the cultural practices that are inherent in the new country and in the new organization, and try to incorporate those new practices in their relationship with the new staff (Carmichael, White, and Jayawardena, 2008). This is meant to identify the potential of the staff that the manager manages and especially their cultural potential. With the full exploitation of this potential the managers will be able to gain a competitive advantage over the competitors (Burnes, 2003). This also increases harmony in the workplace as employees complement each other’s potential as they are culturally predisposed and this increases their output. They may also have to allow the new staff to take a leadi ng responsibility is dealing with the new challenges that are unique to their particular position especially where the foreign manager may have a problem adjusting or understanding the particular cultural practices and market needs (Salama, Holland, and Vinten, 2003). This will obviously require the expatriate managers to be flexible and recognize that cultures do change. This should, however, not mean that they should drop all the practices that are in place in their own home country, but rather incorporate them into the practices of the new organization by balancing some of the new cultures to fit into it (Hatch, and Schultz, 2003). Since they have to deal with unique market needs and patters that they may not have been used to in their home country, expatriate managers have to identify the particular successful aspects of the new employees’ culture that have a higher success rate in giving the business a competitive advantage (Chavan, 2005). They should then substitute the strong strategies that have led to successes in their home country with the weaker aspects of the new market. Conclusion The ease at which new managers adapt into a new environment is identified as critical in increasing the productivity of the employees that he or she manages and this has a direct effect on the competitive advantage that the business enjoys in the market. This can only be achieved if the new manager is conversant with the new culture in the new environment before moving. An efficient selection and recruitment process ensures that the manager is not only capable to adapt in the new environment, but is also prepared for the different challenges that he may come across due to cross-cultural differences. Reference List Burnes, B. 2003. Managing change and changing managers from ABC to XYZ. Journal of Management Development. 22(7). Pp. 627-642. Carmichael, C, White, A, and Jayawardena, B. 2008. Binational tourism in Niagara: insights, challenges and the future. Interna tional Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 20(3). Pp 347-359. Chavan, M. 2005. Diversity Makes Good Business. Equal Opportunities International. 24(7/8). Pp 38-58. Harris, P., R. 2004. European leadership in cultural synergy. European Business Review. 16(4). Pp 358-380. Hatch, M, and Schultz, M. 2003. Bringing the corporation into corporate branding. European Journal of Marketing. 37(7/8). Pp 1041-1064. Hughes, J., C, and Rog, E. 2008. Talent management A strategy for improving employee recruitment, retention and engagement within hospitality organizations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 20(7). Pp 743- 757. Littlejohn, D, and Watson, S. 2004. Developing graduate managers for hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 16(7). Pp 408-414. Salama, A, Holland, W, and Vinten, G. 2003. Challenges and opportunities in mergers and acquisitions. Journal of European industrial training. 27(6). Pp 313-321. Sc ott, B, and Revis, S. 2008. Talent management in hospitality: graduate career success and strategies. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 20(7). Pp 781-791. Wildes, V., J. 2008. How can organizational leaders really lead and serve at the same time? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 20(1). Pp 67-78.

Women on the front lines essays

Women on the front lines essays Can women meet the physical requirements as men? In most cases no, they can not. As you have seen day in and day out the standards for hiring women are being lowered. Women are considered a minority in todays world along with every ethnic group there is now present in our society. But lowering the standards for women also bring in individuals who are not capable to do the job or even have the right classifications to ensure the safety of the coworkers as well as the public. There should not be a standard for one classification such as men and different one for others. If the job can be done to the standards it was originally set for, there should be no deflections from those standards. We have seen in WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korean, Gulf wars which no or a minimal amount of women serve on the front lines. Most women were not brought up to be in combat, things may be changing to accommodate some women but we are close to providing this type of employment for women and mothers who have children at home as well as major responsibilities to who they are accountable for. There shouldnt be any questions when our men or woman are providing the service which is the outmost one can give!!!! Most women feel that since only men are serving in the military it is a discrimination against women. As you know already the lawsuits which have been present in courts now and in past years have made women a more powerful influence in our society. Therefore providing them with a tool which gives the women of today an equal ability to do as men do in there everyday life; this in turn gives them the right to serve in the military. As for military service physical standards, which give women more of a chance to serve the military, they shouldnt lower their requirements for women so they can pass just for them to feel ...

Relationship Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Relationship Analysis - Essay Example When Harry Met Sally When Harry Met Sally is a film directed by Rob Reiner in 1989, and was written by Nora Ephron. It is listed as one of the top American comedy films of all time and is also considered one of the most romantic movies of all time. Ephron gained an Oscar nomination for this movie. The film also gained a lot of Golden Glove nominations, primarily with Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress. The film follows the story of two people, Harry Burns and Sally Albright. The story is set within a twelve year span, starting in 1977 to 1989, from Chicago to New York. The movie chronicles their relationship: from the point that they do not like each other to the point that they got married. They first met in Chicago, where Harry hitched a ride with Sally on the way to New York. It should be noted that Harry’s girlfriend is Sally’s friend and that’s how they knew each other. They did not go along with each other because of their different opinions regarding relationships between men and women. The film’s theme about relationships is revealed here: Men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way (Harry) and Women and men can be friends (Sally). They part ways as soon as they reached New York. The relationship is not romantic, not even friendly. Five years after that encounter, they saw each other at an airport and even share the same plane. Both are in romantic relationships: Sally was with Harry’s friend and Harry is engaged to a woman named Helen. This surprises Sally. Harry suggests that they become friends but further elaborates on this previous rule (but with an exception now because they are both in respective romantic relationships), making Sally reject his â€Å"friendly offer†. After five years, they meet again in a New York bookstore. Harry is now divorced and Sally is now single after breaking up with Harry’s friend, Joe. They have coffee togeth er and they have talked about their previous relationships. At this point, they decided to become friends. They spend more time with each other (platonically), have dinners together, have late night phone calls and have dates with other people. Their dating experiences with other people continue to show each other’s differing beliefs on dating. One New Year’s Party, Harry and Sally danced, and they found themselves getting attracted to each other. They denied their feelings and they set each other up with their respective friends. By some twist of fate, their best friends hit it off and got engaged. One night, Sally calls Harry because her ex is getting married. Harry goes to Sally’s house and comforts her. They had sex unexpectedly, leading to awkwardness the next day. This leads to their friendship’s cooling off, until they have an argument at their best friends’ (the one they set up for each other) wedding, promptly severing their friendship. Ha rry then tries to patch things up with Sally, to no avail. Fast forward to another New Year’s Party with Sally and she felt alone because there was no Harry to be with her, unlike the last New Year’s Party. As she leaves the party, Harry appears and they make up their mistakes and realize that they do indeed love each other. They kiss. The last scene shows that they were being interviewed about their marriage.

Human Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Behavior - Essay Example Nonetheless, the several States possess several rules as well as regulations, due to the fear of being litigated, that teenagers give up on their prospects for their personal explorations. Thus, pools can be enclosed so that it does not issue the impression of an ‘attractive nuisance.’ Most individuals within the given area do not possess pools; however, even the streams frequented do not have symbols to mention ‘Jump at your risk,’ since it is obvious. However, why would someone decide on jumping unless they are ready to face the consequences? Accountability within the nations appears to have been considered from the individuals acting as well as placed upon the possessor of the given land; hence, making most citizens want to blame somebody else as much as possible (Peters-Golden, 2012). The author also mentions he was capable of growing up, play creatively, as well as able to explore the outdoors as well as nature freely, with the requisite element of risk ; yet, well succeeded, that is currently lacking from the typical risk-averse American childhood. Hence, the need for such police as well as laws in addition to the moral mandates to be nice to an unfamiliar person does not arise within tiny cultures, in which every individual knows everybody else.Conversely, getting to learn about a diverse group of different cultures that appear to be unique on their own. Thus, it is a relief to learn that every culture tends to possess distinctive patterns as well as practices