GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY Essay - 1

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY - Essay Example The role of PSI was to demarcate the areas that required improvement or modifications. The issues identified by PSI were not specific to CVS; rather, it included the complaints from customers regarding cancellation of orders, and wastage of time at the pick-up spot. Analyzing the situation and its complication, the first question that comes in the mind is what could be the solution, or what steps must be taken in order to make the difference? Since the problems are common with other pharmacy stores, it demands something innovative, and in this regard, one has to answer the question, could disruptive innovation and quality management help in overcoming the difficulties of this company? Companies can innovate three ways. Firstly, New and Improved products should be introduced to target the high-margin customers to whom old products are not satisfying enough. Secondly, to the customers who can’t afford much, cheap alternatives should be launched of the existing expensive products which can fulfil their requirements without being a burden to their pockets, and lastly, new products should be introduced in order to create new markets and bring fresh consumers. (Christensen et al., 2004) Disruptive innovation refers to mode of expanding and establishing new customer base, by adding services or introducing newer products and technology that may disrupt the existing market linkages. In contrast to disruptive innovation there is sustainable innovation that does not affect the existing market linkages; rather it aims at adding value to the products or services. However, defeating incumbents with sustainable innovation is very hard. The problems with CVS are common in almost all the companies that deal in pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the margin for innovation remains very narrow, because the stakes are too high, and the safety of the customer is top priority. The problems

The influence of ideology on the formation of Soviet foreign policy Essay

The influence of ideology on the formation of Soviet foreign policy - Essay Example The notion of a political system led in its international behaviour by a particular set of operational and ideological rules rather than temporary concepts of state ‘concerns’ is usually hard for Westerners to comprehend. Many scholars would agree that the complicated procedures, strategies, and goals making up the official Marxism-Leninism principle have had some influence on the formation of Soviet foreign policy, even though there are critical debates over the extent of the relevance of ideological influence. For instance, the policy aim underlying George F. Kennan’s well-known article in 1947 defining the justification for what developed into the ‘containment policy’ (Evans 1993, 44) was clearly to force the Soviet Union to discard ideological frame of thinking and to develop into a more cooperative and pragmatic one. Kennan tried to accomplish this by challenging Soviet rulers with geostrategic facts which rendered the policies and analysis origi nated from the ideology appears inexpedient and bleak (Quimet 2003, 81). A main idea underlying the containment strategy was that a ‘non-ideological’, specifically ‘normal’, Soviet Union would be much more unproblematic to contend with in the post-war period, when continuous cooperation between East and West would make the conditions of international security and reconstruction that much simpler to accomplish (Yanowitch 1991, 65). Kennan in the end came to challenge the relevance of the ideological influence (ibid, p. 65)... ev regime, Hugh Seton-Watson, satisfactorily described the continuous Western discussions of the influences of Soviet foreign policy as an outcome of what he refers to as ‘either-or fallacies’ (Miller 1991, 2): The most widespread is the controversy between those who see ‘ideology’ as the main force behind Soviet policy, and those who give this place to ‘security’. It is our case that the two are inseparable, and there is no need to repeat the argument. Arising from this misleading ‘either-or-ism’ is the dispute, perhaps even more widespread, as to whether Soviet policy is ‘expansionist’ or ‘defensive’. It is both. Obsession with protection of frontiers and of strategic position leads to expansion, and each successful expansion creates new positions to defend (ibid, p. 2). The argument of this essay resembles Seton-Watson’s assumption. Ideology has consistently been a major influence in the formation of Soviet foreign policy, but definitely not the only one. Also, its influence has usually been indirect rather than direct. Specifically, rather directly imposing policies, it has functioned to form the goals and context of Soviet policymakers, as well as their views of such seemingly ‘normal’ priorities as ‘defence’, ‘security’ and the requirements for ‘peace’ (Miller 1991, 2); the influence of ideology being referred to, as in Seton-Watson’s statement cited above, represent quite evidently the ‘old political thinking’ (OLT) (ibid, p. 3) that is currently challenged by Gorbachev. The Ideological Influence The definition of ‘ideology’ is itself the centre of some disagreement, as well as the characteristic of its contribution in state decision-making. Ideology, as defined by one scholar, is a ‘preconceived set or

KFC Customer Survey

KFC Customer Survey The main aim of this assignment is to carry out a customer survey both in the stores of the KFC and outside available food joints to find out whether the people are willing for the introduction of local flavored menu by KFC. Through this, to identify the influence of differences in the culture, on the success of the multinational food retailing. This is a process to analyze the social aspect of a particular country influencing the acceptance of the food served by a retailing company from a different cultural background. Objectives This whole study is carried either to prove or disprove that people are willing to accept local menu items along with the standard menu items being offered by KFC in its several restaurants across the globe. Based on the customer willingness to accept or to study their appetite for local items in KFC and how these items could help out to attract many people and how it will support the increase in sales if at all accepted by the customers, and at the same how at all if introduced these items are going to surrogate the main branded items of the KFC which are already doing good in its menu. Identifying different variety of the local menu items being offered by several similar type of quick serving restaurants, analyzing deeply the menu items and their ingredients, the customer appealing value by those ingredients used there in. after an in depth analysis of these items and menu ingredients , trying to do research studies, which of them to be adopted and which can be innovated , to develop a new product. Research questions and justification KFC entered India in the year 1995, as Kentucky Fried Chicken, but due to the several agitations by the people from many sectors against it stating that KFC is not adhereing to the food safety norms that were prevailing in India and the issues of ill treating the chicken in the farms which supply meat to KFC (ICMR, 2005)etc, this was also followed by the agitation from the farmer leaders stating that companies like kfc encourage farmers go away from farming the normal crops to rear chicken. Adding to this most of the vegetarians from Mumbai treating kfc serve only non-vegetarian food and they never turned up in the restaurant. Due to all these reasons which ignored to study the business, cultural influence on the food consumption kfc had to leave India and it reenterd India after chaning its name to the now KFC from its past Kentucky Fried Chicken. This shows the importance of the study of cultural influences on the new market entry decisions. There are several issues to be answered through this research questions. First of decision should be made on whether the people are willing to accept any such item which is local in flavor. To identify this questionnaire is made with a question, Is that advisable to introduce local flavors in KFC? This is done along with other questions which enquire about the position of the KFC in the minds of the customers how they are perceiving its services and the ambience at the restaurants. This is also should be done along with the questions which inquire the acceptance of the present existing menu items. Question also should be raised, to identify the taste of the palettes of the target country which type of food they are most interested or which type of recipe they had their heart throbs for. This should be done so as to get in place the menu item which will be voted most by the general people who eat outside most of the times. Literature review This is basically a comparative study which also should be take into consideration the strategies of similar restaurants like KFC. So similar type restaurants like McDonalds, Texas chicken, Burger king, Subway , which are into similar format as KFC intro the quick serving restaurants, but still these form different menu items in each of them. McDonalds sell burgers as its main item but at the same this is taken as one of the referral because it is the first restaurant which broke its conventional standard item concept and introduced the local menu item in India which is named as Aloo Tikki this item is very much popular in the outlets of McDonalds, India knowledge,2009. Texas chicken is one such restaurant which delas with only chicken snack items exactly similar to the KFC, hence if the items from this restaturant is also studied which one is being liked most by the people from this restaurant. Burger king is also one of the famous quick serving restaurant in India which totally relies on the burger menu items only. Coming to the subway the food sold here is full of green in nature they serve for the gourmets who are calorie conscious also. Knowing the tastes of the people visiting such varied restaurants can enhance the knowledge of the taste of the people. Along with the consensus of which famous item is liked by them it should also be known whether they like the menu items which are local being offered by them. This will once again reconfirms the decision of introductions of the local menu item into a target market by KFC. Marie-CÃ ©cile Cervellon and Laurette Dube, 2005, made a research on how different cultures influenced the likes and dislikes in consuming a particular food. They discussed in detail the theoretical and practical results on the dominance of the culture. This study was done in basically to study the inter-influence of cultures on food between the French and the Chinese cuisines. American Heart Association, 2010, in their curriculum to teach their nutritional experts, briefly explain its how the differences in the cultures, differences in the ethnicity they belong to, differences in the family backgrounds, depend upon the choice of food intake by their patients. This will really help them in formulating the complete diet chart. But there are very few studies which discuss on the influence of cultures for the success of multinational fast referred retailing giants. Though McDonalds is already serving with different menu items in different countries. Initially it got its lessons from its failure in the Chinese countries, where the eight initial intervals and its standard menu, which was not eventually accepted well by the Chinese people. Then it came out with a principle to introduce the combination menu with both the local and standard menu variants. Methodology and Data collection methods The research is intended to use two kinds of data to carry out the research namely, primary and secondary data. Assessing the data that was already been used by the others which was collected through primary sources for some other purpose is known as secondary data. Primary data is the most recent or new data that is collected specifically for the purpose intended book will for the research. Based on the aim and objective of the present study, the data should be collected afresh to decide upon whether to introduce a new customized menu for India by KFC. This should be taken from the people who are intended to be the customers of KFC. The whole survey would be done in two stages where in the first stage of the primary data collection is done at the outlets of the KFC only. This could be done through the responses of the customers who walk in to KFC, from whom the primary data is collected through a survey questionnaire. Basically this research is intended only to decide upon whether is it advisable to introduce a local menu item along with the standard items that were present with the KFC. This survey process shall be conducted by any survey agencies with the aid of the survey questions designed by me and the company together , this also can be done through any free online survey website or by directly mailing the questionnaire to those mail ids which were already present with the KFC which it maintains them as part of their promotional activity to mail them for greeting them on their special occasions, or which were collected through several of their contact points. The second stage of the survey process is aimed at actual introduction of the local menu item, this is to be carried out after the initial stage was complete and once any such decision was taken to introduce the local menu item and then if this is the time to decide which menu item should be introduced, based on the taste of the customers who regularly eat outside of their homes in quick serving restaurants like KFC. This survey could be done at other such outlets which are similar to KFC or those which have good appeal on the gourmets, and any other such hotels or restaurants which are famous for their exclusive or multi cuisine recipes. This survey also will be carried out online for a specific period of time till the intended sample size of the objective is fulfilled. Actual aiming sample size for online survey is 2000 people. After concluding the two types of surveys which will be done through different channels, the data collected here will be qualitatively analised using the statistical charts. This will enable us to go through an easy process of decision making as the figures here will disclose the intention of the people who participated in the surveys. Based on these results the recommendation ot the company whether there is a necesiity for the introduction of the local item is necessary or it is better to continue with the existing standard items with the KFC. Once it is decided to introduce the local flavour or local menu item decision to zero down on which type of item should be introduced should be made. This is based on the second survey, though there will be no concrete decision can be made to go out with the items or the spices being used in the survey list as is , KFC can get a clue which type of items can be liked by the people who visit the restaurants of KFC. For the second issue which is aimed at studying the cross cultural issues of introduction of Indian food in other countries, and the cross cultural issues to be taken care for KFC. The whole data is collected through secondary source only which include internet, This whole study is based on the exploratory method of research. Exploratory research frequently relies on secondary data for its research like reviewing the available literatures and/or data, also depends on qualitative approaches which include data collected by other researchers through informal discussions with the people involved or related to the fast food industry and the study of culture on the eating habits, employees, and the management or the competitors who can reveal different things which may be useful for carrying on the whole research successfully. And more such formal approaches of thorough in-depth interviews which were already available from the said focus groups, using of different projective methods, can a lso depend on the case studies or pilot studies which are already done by several intellectual individuals based on the primary information. Ethical issues and procedures: Fair practices are followed through out the study process while collecting the data , analyzing the data. All such disclosures which ever are necessary and important will be made to fulfill the analysis process. No data is suppressed or over described through the process. No stereotypic analysis will be made based on the fraud made by Ramalinga raju and his aids who had still had due respect till the case is to be finalized. No data will be collected or used which is copyright material, without the permission or only if it is free to use. Data Analysis both qualitative and quantitative to analysis of the data should our recommended league proposal to analyse the data in this research process. He grounded Theory approach (Strauss and Corbin, 1998) which uses the open coding, axial coding and selective coding all the tools which will be used to analyse the data obtained from in-depth interviews and extensive participation of the survey participants. to arrival at a particular theory through a less formalised and with less procedurals while maintaining rigourous data in a systematic way is only possible with this grounded theory approach and the sees its advantage for the data analysis more quickly. Apart from this as a part of the research process that data will be analysed by statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), which is a software package which he is being used for data management and statistical analysis. This will help in the research process to profile the respondents to the survey. Resource Requirement The college library facilities and the learning support services are the best resources for the publishing copies as well as the electronic copies of the required a literature which will be useful for literature review. Usage of both telephone and Internet facilities are very essential to carry on the fieldwork, survey which he is intended to carry on at the any of the outlets of the KFC. Continuous interaction with the store managers and other executives of the restaurant is very essential as there are key contributors for the whole research process. Frequent travelling is also can be expected to visit the place of fieldwork to negotiate and convened our research process with the help of the store manager and other authorities of the KFC. References Strauss, A., Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory, procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003. Research Methods for Business Students, 3/E. Financial Times Press. Saunders et al., (2007), Research Methods for Business Students,4e.prentice hall publication. India Knowledge,2009. Made for India: Succeeding in a Market Where One Size Wont Fit All. Found at http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4358. accessed on 25feb2010. Marie-CÃ ©cile Cervellon and Laurette Dube,2005. Cultural influences in the origins of food likings and dislikes. Elsevier Ltd. Volume 16, Issue 5, July 2005, Pages 455-460. American Heart Association,2010. What or Who Influences Your Food Choices? Lesson Idea. American Heart Association press. cgull8m,2007. McDonalds Strange Menu Around the World. Found on http://hubpages.com/hub/McDonalds_Strange_Menu_Around_the_World, accessed on 24feb2010.

Charles Dickens :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Charles Dickens criticizes his society and everything that he thinks is wrong about it. He expresses all his dislikes in the society of the Victorian Era. He expresses his feelings about the Victorian society in all his writings. He criticizes many things in each book he has written. Dickens traveled a lot and had seen “many little things and some great things, which, because they interested him, he thought may interest others';(Internet Site #3). His books all contain themes that show Dickens’s dislike of the way his society is. He wrote primarily for the lower-middle class. He was not particularly fond of the aristocratic class, and how they treated the people of lower classes. His ideas and attitudes were typical to the people of the lower-middle class. His audience was people of the same class as him, so they could understand his feelings and beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He displays his moral beliefs in every book that he has written. Dickens was a very big advocate in the “plea of Poor versus Rich';(Internet Site #1). Dickens gave plenty of aid to this plea by the works that he wrote, which provided progress to the battle for the poor. All of Dickens’ novels show the battle between upper and lower classes. He portrays the lower class in a respectable way, but he portrays the proletarian people in such a dishonorable way that the reader in some books despises them. One example of this is in Tale of Two Cities. This book shows how most people were poor during the French Revolution. The aristocracy consisted of about 3 percent of the population, and everyone else was poor in the lower class. This book shows the admirable qualities of the poor, and how they managed to squeak out a living despite the horrible conditions that they lived in. Dickens makes the reader feel bad for the lower classes in many books. He introduces many poor children in his books that the reader feels bad for because of their upbringing. This can be seen in Bleak House with the introduction of Jo into the novel. Jo was a poor boy who did everything he could to try and make money. Dickens’ makes the reader feel bad when Jo dies because the he could not help that he was given such a rough life, but he tried his best to survive. The reader also feels bad because he dies at such a young age.

A Raisin in the Sun Compare/Contrast Play/Film Essay

Lorraine Hansberry’s play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun,† was a radically new representation of black life, resolutely authentic, fiercely unsentimental, and unflinching in its vision of what happens to people whose dreams are constantly deferred. I compared Act One, Scene 2, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is on a Saturday morning, and house cleaning is in process at the Youngers. In the film, the setting is the same as play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is when Mrs. Younger gets the insurance check of $10,000. In the film, the plot is the same, but includes music not mentioned in the play. The dialogue in the film has some deletions from the original text, with new dialogue added throughout the scene. Some film techniques used are: the film cuts back and forth to different characters, the room is well lit with the sunshine coming in through the window, and music is added throughout some parts of this scene. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene involves dialogue. Much of the dialogue is deleted, however, new dialogue is added through some parts of this scene. Also, in the play, the mailman comes up to their apartment and rings the door bell unlike the film, Travis runs up to him outside the building and gets the mail from him right away and runs back to give it to Mrs. Younger (his grandma). I also compared Act Two, Scene 1, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is later, that same day at the Youngers. In the film, the setting is the same as play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is when Mama, Mrs. Younger, buys Travis a new house for when he gets older to be a man. In the film, the plot is the same as play with music added to parts of this scene. The dialogue in the film has some lines rephrased and also has some deletions from the original text; new dialogue is added throughout parts of this scene. Some film techniques used in this scene are: the room is brightly lit with lamps and other light fixtures, the film cuts back and forth to different characters and the camera seems to move alone with the characters as they did, and music is added throughout parts of this scene. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene involves dialogue. Much of the dialogue is rephrased and not said as the author has written it in the play. And also, some of the dialogue from the original text is deleted, however, new dialogue is added. And also, unlike the film, a lot of the actions the author has described in the play did not happen in the film. Such as, on page 91 as Ruth says â€Å"Praise God! † the author describes that she raises both arms classically, and as she tells Walter Lee to be glad, the author describes she has laid her hands on his shoulders, but he shakes himself free of her roughly, without turning to face her, these actions did not happen in the film. I also had compared Act Two, Scene 3, in the play and the film. The setting in the play is on a Saturday, moving day, one week later. In the film, the setting is the same as the play, with lighting and costumes. The plot in the play is Linder tries to buy back the house from the Younger family. In the film, the plot is the same as the play. The dialogue in the film has some deletions from play; new dialogue is added in replacement of the deleted dialogue. Some film techniques used in this scene are: the film cuts back and forth to different characters, and the room is well lit with the sunshine coming in through the window. Perhaps the biggest difference between the play and the film in this scene also involves dialogue. The dialogue in this scene is mostly faithful to the play but has some deletions. On the other hand, new dialogue was added in replacement of the deleted lines from the original text.

“In The Lake Of The Woods” by Tim O’Brien

In the book (O’Brien, 1995) â€Å"In The Lake Of The Woods† by Author, Tim O’Brien, the author was able to convince me that I was there on September 19, 1986, when the woman disappeared close to the lake in Northern Minnesota. The vanishing of Kathy Wade was eerie and I was constantly asking myself what could have happened to this woman. Did she drown in the lake? The possibilities were endless and the author kept me in suspense as I feared the worst in this situation that took place in the woods. Kathy’s husband John who was a politician seemed to be an immediate suspect in Kathy’s disappearance.His character didn’t seem like one that was very respectable and although he was very handsome, which made him seem less of a suspect, his downward spiral in his political career did raise questions of his innocence. When the Wade family drove to the woods in Minnesota, I knew that they were going to be in for a fearful adventure. The secret tunnels and doors were quite interesting but the underground chamber was terrifying! Anything was liable to happen down there and it did raise vivid images of the spooky quarters. One thing could easily turn into something else at any given moment in this haunting tale.How could John Wade go from being a magician to a killer of the woman that he was supposed to love? From the very beginning of the story, it was as if you knew that Kathy was going to vanish but there was always hope that she would be found, throughout the entire story and I did try to visualize something happening to her that didn’t involve her husband. This story was able to take me backward and forward throughout the book, talking about different periods of time, which all had to do with the ultimate question of â€Å"What happened to Kathy?† John Wade, the soldier, you just didn’t want to believe that he was a murderer, although his friends in Vietnam did refer to him as a Sorcerer because of his magi c tricks, which seemed to flow in the story. Was he capable of love or was that just an illusion or just another one of his many tricks he held up his sleeve. That question was always on my mind. Kathy did know some things about John, because she sometimes called him â€Å"Inspector Clouseau† just another one of the many names that people that had been associated with, called him.He was easily transferred from one title to another, and each title was just as interesting as the last. He was a character with many talents, I suppose, including murder, perhaps? You did have to wonder if maybe Kathy was in that house. Was she a part of the magic that was inside or was she at the bottom of the lake in the woods? This story is very spooky and a little evil. I wonder what kind of mind did the author possess, himself to be able to come up with some of his ideas that made John Wade such an exceptional character in this book.Did the author have some of the same characteristics of this m an, John Wade or did he just make it all up? I think that all authors have some of the traits and qualities that they describe in their writing and I tried to sort through the reading and pick out some of those traits and associate them with the author. Was he into magic tricks and murder or perhaps he fought in a war and wanted to describe some of the events that he was recalling. This book is so engrossed in questions and I still have to wonder how one man could have so many different personalities.He was a politician, possible murderer, fighter in Vietnam, magician. He was handsome and obviously charming because of the fact that he seduced his wife and was successful in marrying Kathy. She must have trusted her husband, fully. I would have liked to have been able to read more about Kathy, while she was still alive in this story. I’m positive that she would have been able to shed more light on this story and possibly talk about the more private side of her husband’s personal life; things that only a wife would know about their mate.She would have been able to talk about his very personal side and maybe shed some light on what was going to happen to her in this story. She could have possibly predicted her own death and talked about it and maybe she could have left behind some clear hints of her ultimate fate. This story is extremely scary and confusing, without any doubt. It tends to make you not trust people, fully. It leaves an empty feeling inside you as if you had witnessed a horrible event. You always want to hold that inch of faith that maybe people aren’t as bad as they probably truly are.In all reality, I think we should trust no human who possesses these traits as did John Wade. If I ever hear of a person talking about being ten different people in one, I will resort back to this eerie story and remember this character, immediately! He was one of those literary figures that gives you horrible nightmares and makes you question som e of his innumerous talents that you may have seen in another human being and never wondered about, before reading the book.I’m sure that I won’t be able to sleep after reading this story. It really wasn’t one of my favorite stories, although it was very interesting the way the author described the characters and events. His description of the events wasn’t lacking. It was the horror of it all that didn’t win my heart. There’s just something about being in the woods that makes you automatically feel like you want to leave, which is great for those people who love horror stories. The secret chambers would be incredible but terrifying!I guess that both John and Kathy were vanished into a crazy existence. Who knows where these two people were but I’m sure it was somewhere in the woods by the lake in Minnesota. Tim O’Brien is an incredible writer and does get the imagination going at full speed! I would like to read more of his wri ting but something a little less frightening, next time! What a crazy and tantalizing story. It is one that I won’t soon forget! Reference Page O’Brien, Tim. (1995). â€Å"In the Lake Of The Woods†. Penguin USA.