Saturday, November 30, 2019

Step Recipe for Success free essay sample

I know the best way to grow our business is to climb with care and confidence. † †¢ With 1,240-plus Chick-fil-A restaurants in 38 states and Washington, D. C. , Chick-fil-A is the second-largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the nation, based on annual sales. 2. CREATE A â€Å"LOYALTY EFFECT† â€Å"Our people are the cornerstone of all that we do at Chick-fil-A. As a chain, we believe that attracting great people helps create an unforgettable experience for our customers. It requires a lot of time and effort to make sure you have the right people working the right jobs, but we believe this is time well spent. The bottom line is that our people, from our restaurant Operators to the team members they hire, enjoy their work. Fewer than five percent of our franchise Operators leave the chain in any given year. The more we can foster the feeling that we are a group of people working together, depending on each other, the more likely we are to be loyal to each other. We will write a custom essay sample on Step Recipe for Success or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Customer satisfaction is the payoff for spending the time to search for the best employees. Our restaurant team members have proven time and time again that going out of your way to make sure our customer has a pleasurable dining experience will build customer loyalty. †¢ â€Å"This loyalty effect, the full range of economic and human benefits that accrue to leaders who treat their customers, Operators, and employees in a manner worthy of their loyalty, is at the core of most of the truly successful growth companies in the world today. And there is no clearer case study of the loyalty effect than Chick-fil-A. † –Fred Reichheld, Harvard Business Review and author of The Loyalty Effect. Truett Cathy’s 5 Step Recipe for Business Success / Page 2 * Exerpts adapted from Truett Cathy’s Second Book: Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People (2002 Chick-fil-A, Inc. ) 3. NEVER LOSE A CUSTOMER â€Å"Ever since I was a teenager delivering newspapers (for seven straight years), I have tried not to lose a single customer. I treated each one like the most important person in the world and delivered each paper as if I were delivering it to the front door of the Governor’s mansion. The key to succeeding with a paper route and the restaurant business, I would later learn, is to take care of the customer. Whether on the paper route or in my restaurants, I have found that the most effective way of promoting my business didn’t cost me anything but a little kindness to my customers. †¢ In 1935, at age 14, Truett delivered the Atlanta Journal newspaper to residents of America’s first public housing project, Atlanta’s Techwood Homes and developed his â€Å"people first† business philosophy. Chick-fil-A’s commitment to this principle is reflected in its mission statement to â€Å"Be America’s Best Quick-Service Restaurant at Winning and Keeping Customers. † †¢ 4. PUT PRINCIPLES AND PEOPLE AHEAD OF PROFITS â€Å"I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed. I have always encouraged my restaurant Operators and team members to give back to the local community. We should be about more than just selling chicken, we should be a part of our customer’s lives and the communities in which we serve. † †¢ Through the WinShape Centre Foundation, Truett operates foster homes for more than 150 children and sponsors a summer camp for more than 1,800 children each year; in addition, he provides college scholarships for Chick-fil-A restaurant employees (more than $20 million awarded since 1973). Chick-fil-A partners with nearly 1,200 elementary schools nationwide by providing the Core Essentials Character Education Program, which teaches students one value trait each month. Additionally, Chick-fil-A restaurants are involved in the local community with activities such as blood drives, school fundraisers, family nights and children’s sports sponsorships. †¢ Truett Cathy’s 5 Step Recipe for Business Success / Page 3 5. CLOSED ON SUNDAY â€Å"I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and priorities. One of the most visible examples of this is our decision to close on Sunday. Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business. † †¢ Chick-fil-A is the only major fast-food restaurant chain to be closed on Sundays, one of the busiest days of the week in the restaurant business. Despite being closed on Sundays, Truett Cathy has led Chick-fil-A on an unparalleled record of 38 consecutive years of sales increases, with its core free-standing restaurants achieving higher sales per unit in six days (with shorter operating hours) than most major chains in the industry.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

U-Shaped Kitchen Layout Overview

U-Shaped Kitchen Layout Overview The U-shaped kitchen layout was developed based on decades of ergonomic research. Its useful and versatile, and while it can be adapted to any size kitchen, its most effective in larger spaces.   The configuration of U-shaped kitchens can vary according to the house size and the homeowners personal preference, but generally, youll find the cleaning zone (sink, dishwasher) on the external-facing wall, which sits in the lower curve or bottom of the U. The stove and oven typically will be located on one leg of the U, along with cabinets, drawers and other storage units. And usually,   youll find more cabinets, the refrigerator and other food storage areas like a pantry on the opposite wall.   Benefits of U-Shaped Kitchens A U-shaped kitchen typically has separate work zones for food prep, cooking, cleaning and in eat-in kitchens, a dining area.   Most U-shaped kitchens are configured with three adjacent walls, as opposed to other kitchen designs such as L-shaped or galley, which only use two walls. While both of these other designs have their pluses, ultimately a U-shaped kitchen provides the most counter space for work areas and storage of countertop appliances. A significant benefit of the U-shaped kitchen is the safety factor. The design doesnt allow for through traffic that might disrupt the work zones. Not only does this make the food prep and cooking process less chaotic, but it also helps prevent safety mishaps like spills. U-Shaped Kitchen Drawbacks While it has its advantages, the U-shaped kitchen does have its share of minuses, too. For the most part, its not efficient unless theres room in the center of the kitchen for an island. Without this feature, the two legs of the U may be too far apart to be practical.   And while its possible to have a U shape in a smaller kitchen, for it to be most efficient, the U-shaped kitchen needs to be at least 10 feet wide. Often in a U-shaped kitchen, the bottom corner cabinets can be difficult to access (although this may be remedied by using them to store items that are not frequently needed). U-Shaped Kitchen and Work Triangle Even when planning a U-shaped kitchen, however, most contractors or designers will recommend incorporating a kitchen work triangle. This design principle is based on the theory that placing the sink, refrigerator and cooktop or stove  in proximity to each other makes a kitchen most efficient. If the work areas are too far away from each other, the cook wastes steps while preparing a meal. If the  workspaces  are too close together, the kitchen winds up being too cramped.   While many designs still use the kitchen triangle, its become a bit outdated in the modern era. It was based on a model from the 1940s which presumed only one person prepared and cooked all the meals solo, but in modern  families,  this may not be the case. The  standard kitchen work triangle  is best placed along the base of the U unless a kitchen island is present. Then the island should house one of the three elements. If you place them too far away from each other, the theory goes, you waste a lot of steps while preparing a meal. If they are too close together, you end up with a cramped kitchen without adequate space to prepare and cook meals.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Best Guide for Selecting Topics for Exemplification Essays

Best Guide for Selecting Topics for Exemplification Essays Deciding the topic of a paper is the most critical stage in the whole process of writing. The entire paper depends upon the quality and adequacy of the topic. Probably you are having a problem deciding the topic of your paper. There’s nothing to worry about because we’re here for your assistance. The right topic truly captures the gist of a paper. It’s neither too long nor too short. Get a good idea of deciding a topic by reading our guidelines. We offer you good exemplification essay topics related to all sorts of areas. If you still require help, you can have a customized topic generated just for you by our experts. What Is an Exemplification Paper? Before getting into a discussion of the selection of topics, it’s customary to have a quick look into the concept of this kind of essay. The word ‘exemplify’ means to show or demonstrate. Therefore, the significance of examples in these essays is a lot. It’s essentially argumentative in tone and nature. The writer incorporates cases in it which validate an opinion. The arguments are supported and substantiated by concrete evidence and examples. Hence, the readers get a clear understanding of the viewpoint of the writer and also have reasons to believe in the information they are offered. Here are easy tips to get you started in the right direction: Provide correct details. Incorporate examples that suit the paper’s prime subject. Use a persuasive tone by using excellent examples and using logical writing. Distribute the arguments and examples throughout the essay so that each part has them. How to Decide the Topic for Your Paper – Expert Tips Many times, teachers provide students with topics for exemplification essay themselves. However, if you have to come up with a topic yourself, make sure that you have a good knowledge of your chosen topic and that you can easily grab evidence and facts in support of the points you will make in it. Remember that the real challenge of finding good examples lies ahead. So if you select a unique topic, the chances are that you’ll fail to find appropriate examples for it. Think deep while choosing your topics to write an exemplification essay on. Let’s suppose your teacher asks you to write a paper on an author. While you can choose any writers of your choice, try to select one for your paper who has written more books than others. This will make it easy for you to find relevant information and examples from the author’s books because of the simple reason that they will be plenty. Important points to consider while selecting the topic of your paper is: It shouldn’t be more than 70 characters in length – spaces included Avoid the use of punctuation in the topic Don’t use complicated words in the topic How to Write the Paper So It Attracts Readers The importance of best exemplification essay topics in improving the readership of essays cannot be overemphasized. But everything is not done only by selection of the correct topic – your starting section should have the pulling power in it as well. You can start the paper with a popular question or phrase to grab the attention of readers. You have to identify your target audience to come up with the best examples in your paper. Examples for a topic will be different for children audience as compared to those for an elderly audience without any change in the topic. Good behavior for a child may mean behaving well with parents and cleaning the teeth every day, but for an adult, you will exemplify good behavior as giving charities and donations, and consuming less natural resources. Here Are Some Interesting Exemplification Essay Topics You don’t just have to find a topic for the paper, and you also have to ensure that it’s interesting. The topic should have a wow factor so that it sparks interest in the audience. Here are some easy exemplification essay topics that have this quality: Teaching children manners – the fine line between parenting and harassing. No meal is free in this world. Why not immigrate to Canada? Are people from all races related? Why we need vacations Find the Best Exemplification Essay Topics for College Students Topics for essays at the college level have to be academically very strong. Essays contain strong arguments, and strong practical examples substantiate them. Some topics you can select from the following ones: Is social media a reliable source of information? Technology has changed education. Is polygamy ethically justifiable? Can teachers deter bullying and violence in schools? Should students be taught subjects of religion in schools? Can a strict vegan diet be nutritionally sufficient? Is plastic surgery a necessity or a luxury? As you may have noticed, the above good topics for an exemplification essay relate to different fields of knowledge. The best way to phrase a topic for this kind of paper is as a question. As you try to answer it in the paper, you discuss examples that justify your opinions. Get Our Guru to Devise a Fine Topic for You Have you found the topic you were looking for in the ones we have suggested? If not – don’t panic. Our experts are here to help you with the college exemplification essay topics. What subject, area, or field you want to choose the topic from? Let us know by filling out a simple form so that we can assign you one of our most talented writers. We devise good topics for essays all the time as we have over ten years of experience in this field. Fill out the form.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Planning of Instruction in a Systematic Way Assignment

Planning of Instruction in a Systematic Way - Assignment Example To guide them through the college application process and how the needy students can apply for aid. The supervisors must oversee this guidance and counselling process. After reviewing the learning objectives stated above, I have come to the conclusion that they are sound. This is because I am aiming to achieve specific objectives such as the learner acquiring skills and knowledge in writing college application letters and essays. The first objective, however, sounds a little subjective. After thinking about it critically, I have decided to change it from â€Å"Demonstrate knowledge of high school courses that prepare them for college† to â€Å"List at least five high school courses that prepare them for college.† I have arrived at this conclusion realizing that a learning objective should be measurable. When the students are asked to actually list those specific courses then the supervisors will be able to determine whether or not the learning objectives have been met. A colleague commented that my objectives are too few. Even though I am looking to have a full day’s training, I intend to have breaks in between (it is important that learners get time to have lunch and to interact with one another). In my experience as a teacher, I have learnt that students learn better when they get time to interact and discuss issues taught in class. I will also make a PowerPoint presentation in class. I will also show the students a video in class to further clarify the points presented in class. This is because students learn better when they get a chance to view real-life situations on video. It is important for me to establish whether or not the content taught in the classroom is effective. I would want those admitting these students to college to actually report that the students are able to enrol better after the guidance and counselling sessions. I am of the opinion that the best way to determine whether or not the sessions are successful is by conducting random interviews on campus to establish the level of success of these sessions.  Ã‚  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Sports and Entertainment Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sports and Entertainment Management - Case Study Example Both companies had huge fixed costs to cover and working in their own capacities was proving insufficient to cover those costs. The decision to merge was brilliant as far as the financial performance is concerned. However, there were a myriad of issues to be dealt in this concern which were not easy to negotiate. Firstly, this was an undeniable fact that the two companies had been in a bitter competition over the past few years. There had been a feeling of animosity and it was not easy to get rid of it. Further, their policies and philosophies revolved around the same competition and their efforts had, so far, been largely oriented towards outdoing one another. Therefore, not only is there a need to merge their philosophies, there is also a need to create new philosophies according to which the amalgamated company was to work. However, the key personnel of both companies is mature enough to keep their eyes on the bigger picture. If the merger was the best solution to satisfy their pr ofit motive, they were prepared to go to the full distance. Secondly, Mark Redmond, the president and CEO of the new organization, has to make some big decisions regarding the staff. Redundant staff from both companies is to let go. At the same time, it is to be made sure that some of the staff, which is too essential to lose, is to be retained. It is natural in a merger that some employees prefer not to continue in the merged organization. It is probably because as soon as the news of a merger starts floating around, employees start a job search with more diligence than they normally do. Some of them even succeed in getting better job offers. There are certain employees that groom within a particular company and come to know about the operations of the company inside out. The element of acclimatization is too important to disregard. Such employees are too valuable to lose because new employees may come at the cost of valuable time. Further, it might take some additional cost to tra in the new employees. The merger in question is facing similar issues. They have to retain and integrate the personnel from the different companies. Integration is, of course, not an easy task either. The staffs had traditionally worked against each other and now they have to be harmonized. In this process, there is a great chance of losing momentum and having inconsistent standards. This in turn could have more adverse affects on the relationships with clients and the employees. Further complications arise when it comes to remunerations. While the remunerations at both companies for the respective staff were almost identical, XM Canada also had provisions for share ownership, options and change of control. This difference in the two companies was probably due to the fact that XM Canada was established as an independent company unlike SIRIUS Canada. This means that the remuneration scenario requires some serious decisions to create such a system in which all employees are remunerate d equally. Therefore, it can be seen that there are a lot of difficult things to manage during mergers. The companies in question belong to the field of radio broadcasting in Canada. They had significant differences in how they did their work. Their individual efforts had proved insufficient in the past and this is the primary reason of this merger. For instance, at XM Canada, the communication system was capable to develop the Canadian content for broadcast. On the other hand, SIRIUS Canada depended partly on Slaight Communications, who were also their investors, and partly on Canadian Broadcast Corporation for Canadian content. Further, XM Canada had developed and maintained its own communication and

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Measurement Guidelines Essay Example for Free

Measurement Guidelines Essay Management guidelines must be developed to create a benchmark of expectations. â€Å"Without measuring the effectiveness of strategy on a timely basis, makes it not only difficult to determine alignment, management is always working with lagging information† (The Executive Corner, 2004). Each step of the final solution will be measured to meet the businesses needs. The human resources department will define three main competencies of each department within sixty days. In order to ensure effectiveness, the competencies will have to be approved and agreed on by the CEO and senior management. Once this phase is completed, the human resources department will commit to training managers on employee behaviors. To ensure training is successful, the managers are tested to assess material understanding. It is estimated that in a maximum of 90 days, Riordan should achieve a predetermined number company goals by their employees. Long-term effectiveness is measured by an employee surveys. A recommendation for an additional survey between 6-12 months for employees to complete will go out. This survey will look for feedback on new processes and the current development and training strategies. The employee turnover rate should be less than industry standards to achieve success. A last of measure of success will be tied to Riordan’s performance output. References The Executive Corner. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.businessbuilders.bz/archives/06-15-04.htm

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

I chose to discuss clean eating for this assignment as I truly believe that nutrition is the cornerstone for good health. I believe this statement based on science and facts, and not what is trendy or currently being discussed during the evening news. Science has shown us that our bodies work on a cellular level, and if we feed those cells poorly in the forms of high-fat, high-calorie, processed foods, which offer no nutritional value, then the cells cannot do their jobs properly and have a negative impact on health. The term clean eating has different meanings to different people; however, all agree that at the heart of the phrase, it shows that people recognize that nutrition plays a vital part in health. So how and why does nutrition play a vital part in health? This paper will discuss the aspects. First, begin by eating whole foods. This one is pretty straightforward -- instead of a banana nut muffin, eat a banana and some nuts! The primary principle of eating clean is to replac e processed foods with fresh and natural foods. To me, this means foods that haven't had anything added to them, and haven't had anything valuable taken away. So, even if you're not growing quinoa in your back yard, you can buy this whole grain in the bulk section of your market, or in a box, where the only ingredient is quinoa, and only quinoa. That's a far cry from a refined grain, that's been stripped of its fiber-rich bran (outer skin) and nutritious germ (the inner part that sprouts into a new plant), bleached, and doctored up with preservatives. Let ingredients guide you I don't think it's realistic to never eat anything that comes out of a jar, box, or bag, but when you do, the very first thing a clean eater looks at is the ingredient list. ... ...l, the phrase "you are what you eat" is literally true, so being thoughtful about your food just makes sense. Nutrients create the foundation for the structure and function of every cell in your body, and because your body is in a continuous state of maintenance and repair, the health and functioning of your cells is directly determined by what you've been eating. Whole, natural foods provide the building blocks that go to work to uphold your muscles, bones, organs, immune system, and hormones. So cleaning up your diet is a lot like starting to build and support your body with the highest quality raw materials. For these reasons, I've seen a commitment to clean eating truly transform my clients' lives, from clearer, glowing skin and shinier hair to more energy, better mood and sleep quality, clearer thinking, less aches and pains, and even a greater sex drive.

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Impact of the End of the Cold War on Us Foreign Policy

Discuss the impact of the end of the Cold War on US foreign policy Introduction: When the world famous liberal thinker Francis Fukuyama in his masterpiece declared that we were witnessing the end of the history, he was greeting the new political structure and also the new international environment, which is peaceful[1]. However, developments that occurred after the collapse of the Soviet Union showed us that the dissolution of the Soviets was unexpected. The international society was not ready for peace and Fukuyama’s optimistic assumptions were far from becoming real. Moreover, the international society currently started to realise that the tension and the potential of mass destructive war during the Cold War era had provided a much more stable and securitize world order for any other periods of the history. Recent developments that occurred after 9/11 attacks showed us that the world is not much securer due to the characteristics of this new type of threat which is commonly known and referred as terrorism. As being the flagship of the Western powers during the Cold War, the US is facing with much more pressure than before. Post- Cold war developments proved that although the US has the leadership features and military superiority against conventional threats or in other words ‘known’ enemies, it is still lacking of showing the same attributes in the Post-cold War era. This paper is going to analyse the impact of the end of the Cold War on US foreign policy. In order to do it so, it will provide historic background information on Cold War era and also the developments occurred after. Later on this paper will focus on the shifts that occurred in the American foreign policy after the Cold War. Basics of the Cold War Policies: For almost five decades the Cold War was the main stage for the evolution of international relations. Many institutions, political or military organisations and even international norms and regulations of the Cold War are setting the base even for the modern day politics. Hence the legacy of the Cold War era is still shaping the political, economic and social relationships within, and also in between the states. Although there is no specific agreement between the historians on when it began, the Cold War is the name given to approximately 50 years long conflict between the Communist block led by Soviet Union and the Western nations led by United States of America. Cold War was a conflict, which did not include any direct military engagements between these two parties. On the other hand, it was fought by various types of means including diplomatic, economic and mostly by propaganda. In general basics of the Cold War era can be grouped under 4 categories. These are: 1) Bipolar System: The primary outcome of the Second World War probably was the emergence of two superpowers which created a new and never been before experienced system anytime in the history of international relations called bipolar system. A bipolar system includes two evenly matched powers in this case The US and the Soviet Union. Once allies during and opponents after the Second World War, these two victorious states have became the main actors of the world politics for over 50 years. 2) The US Foreign Policy of Containment: The Soviet Union and its supporters were declared as the enemy of the free world by the Western states mostly by the US during the Cold War. Although it has been argued that the first indications of hostility between these two states have emerged during The Yalta and Potsdam conferences[2], the first arguments on the soviet threat have taken place between the American decision makers in late 1940s[3]. The main idea during these arguments was focusing on the essential importance of containing the Soviets, both politically and geographically in order to save and protect the US interests in overseas. In his reply to the US Treasury Department, George Kennan a former American diplomat, mentioned the expansionist policies of the Soviets and suggested that the US should follow an active foreign policy approach in order to ‘contain’ the Soviets in its current (by late 40s) geographic borders[4]. In following years, when the Truman Doctrine came into action the idea of containment has also become one of the main strategies of the US against its opponent, the Soviets. 3) Crisis without Major Conflicts: Dissimilarity between the two blocs have produced a series of international crises during the Cold War such as the Soviets intervention in Germany/Berlin (1948), Korean War (1950-1953), Cuban Crisis (1962), Although both parties did not fight or exchange fire against each other. However, they did support the fighting groups and pick sides during these crises according to their national interests. 4) Second Strike Capability & Mutual Assured Destruction: Both superpowers of the Cold War era were also nuclear powers. They had highly effective and destructive nuclear weapons in their arsenal. Their nuclear capabilities were the main reason for the tension in the international society, during the Cold War. On the other hand, however this capability of theirs was also the reason why they were no major conflicts or military clashes between these super powers. Each party had the ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful nuclear retaliation against the attacking party[5]. This ability is called second-strike capability. Obviously as a result of this nuclear capacity both parties could have completely created a nuclear destruction not only for each other but also for the rest of the world as well[6]. That is why non- of the superpowers dared to attack the other one with its nuclear powers in order to eliminate the opposition, hostility, competition etc. The competition and increasing awareness on democratic rights did force the Soviets to stand back and make some major policy changes in 1980s. The Soviet Premier of the time Gorbachev tried to set some political and social reforms in the soviet society in order to ease the pressure and help Soviets to continue to survive in the international arena. Moreover, the Soviets did not only make shifts in their internal policies but also in their foreign policy understanding as well. For instance withdrawal from Afghanistan, signing of various nuclear deterrence agreements with multi parties including the US are some of the key changes that occurred in the 1980s. However, the reforms of Gorbachev did not prevent the Soviets to stop its collapse and eventually after a series of events in 1991 the Soviet Union formally announced its dissolution[7]. The First Ten Years: Although the indications were present well before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world was not completely ready for the end of the Cold War. The US was left alone without any major balancing opponents. Furthermore, after the dissolution of the Soviets the numbers of newly established independent states have increased significantly. All these new states were lacking of self-governing capabilities and also the Western vision, which was the victorious ideology of the Cold war. Moreover, some researchers courageously support the idea that international environment during the Cold War was much more safer and less hazardous system for the global security issues. Historian Paul Dukes criticizes the former American decision makers of the Cold War for only â€Å"trying to save the day† but not working for the future[8]. He suggests that due to the lack of long-term policies of the US administrators, the world had to face with too many new issues and problems at the same time with of the Cold War[9]. If we generalize the facts before we start analysing the American foreign policy approach to the end of the Cold War, we can see that there are now much more various types of threats then it used to be. The lack of long-term policies has got the world into an uncertainty. Not only the US but also most of the states got caught out without any preparation to the circumstances of the end of the Cold War. That is way the first decade after the Cold War had a crucial importance for the US to establish, promote and also to maintain its supremacy and leadership around the world. We have seen the effects of the reforms occurred during the 1980s in the Soviet Union on the previous chapters. When these reforms combined with the ne Soviet policy of compromising have eased the tension and created a new dialogue between two superpowers. The first real challenge of the post-Cold War era was the Gulf War. Despite its historic connections in the UN Security Council meeting the Soviets (later Russian Federation) agreed to take economic sanctions against Iraq[10]. Although it seemed like the first positive international attitude towards a multi polar political system, the US policy makers misinterpreted the facts and started to crate a hegemonic power. The first real post-Cold War indication for America’s attempts to build a hegemonic power is the so-called New World Order (NWO) doctrine of the Senior Bush’s administration. The NOW came as a response from the US after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi military forces[11]. On September 11, 1990 former US president G. H. Bush addressed the nation prior to a joint session of Congress and underlined the ideals that the US is willing to fight for[12]. Some of the points that Bush underlined are: ? A new structure of international system based on international law and norms under the leadership of the West (particularly the US) ? International cooperation on the issues of nuclear disarmament and the promotion of collective peace ? An integrated international financial structure International cooperation on regional issues. In other words lesser sovereignty and much more international/humanitarian interventions[13]. Bush’s NWO have been criticised by various social scientists. In his 1992 article Joseph Nye categorises the NWO as a traditionally realist documentation, due to key points that was emphasised in it such as the leadership of the US [14]. Howev er, another political scientist Freedman argues that the NWO gives special importance to the UN and other multinational institutions and that is why it should be seen as a statement of liberalism and also the promotion of liberal values and norms[15]. No matter whose opinion is correct, Bush’s NWO is a fine statement of the US foreign policy makers on the Western leadership in the world politics. There is a significant increase on the numbers of US supported ‘humanitarian interventions’ since the end of the Cold War. One of the main reasons for this suitable environment for humanitarian intervention is the emergence of the newly established former communist states. Since the declaration of the NWO the US got more involved in world politics not only under the Bush administration but also under Bush’s successors. Many of these humanitarian interventions, took place under the president Clinton’s administration especially in the Balkans. In order to understand the logic of these interventions it is essential to point out the main focuses of the Clinton administration. A few weeks after he took the office President Clinton mentioned the new challenges of the post-Cold War world on a speech at the American University. These challenges and goals are: ? â€Å"To restore the American economy to good health; ? to increase the importance attached to trade and open markets for American business; to help the developing countries grow faster; ? to promote democracy in Russia and elsewhere; ? to demonstrate US leadership in the global economy[16]† The former communist states experienced series of problems during their transition periods. They not only suffered from disintegration but also they were also â€Å"forced to redefine their national interest and roles in the light of the radical c hange in the international balance of power†[17]. As a consequence of establishing a sovereign nation state, especially in the Balkans, nationalistic movements grew and tuned into violent acts. The lack of an opposing superpower helped the US to carry out the flag and start creating its global leadership. The US and its Northern Atlantic allies lunched series of military and civilian actions in order to ease the violence especially in the Balkans. During the Clinton administration US led coalition forces carried out more than 20 military missions in Yugoslavia to put an end to the ongoing violence. Main critics for the US supported missions came from a very familiar place. Although NATO eased the tension in the Balkans with its operations, the Russia was critical of the NATO operations in the Balkans. Russia prepared a resolution proposal to the UN Security Council to condemn NATO actions in Yugoslavia, though, the proposal was defeated 12-3 during the Security Council meeting, with only Russia, Namibia and China voting in favor of the resolution while NATO member countries along with the temporary members of the Security Council voted against it[18]. Hence, in general due to the sudden changes in the world politics it can be assumed that the uncertain environment and the need of a leading power led the international society to show full support on the US policies and foreign actions. Post-post Cold War? : The tragic events of the September 11, 2001did not create a new era such as post-post Cold War. However, they did assist to end a decade of positivity[19]. The attacks have generated a new era and a dimension not only for the US policies but also for the rest of the world as well specifically on the issues of global security. Although the G. W. Bush administration got the full support of international society after the attacks and even during the Afghanistan intervention, with the start of the campaign against Iraq and Saddam Hussein regime the US started to lose its supporters. The US lost its soft power over the other states and even after President Obama took the office in 2008 elections it looks like the decline will continue. Conclusion: Since the declaration of the Truman Doctrine until the collapse of the Soviet Union, the tension between two major blocks led to many crucial events, which have changed the context of the international relations and also re-framed the understanding of the world politics. The effects of these major events, which occurred during the Cold War, are traceable in contemporary world politics and also in the working structure of today's international society. On the other hand, it should be noted that no matter how important are these Cold War based policies, the collapse of the Soviet Union has brought up a new dimension to the international relations. In general the international society faced with new radical changes with the end of the Cold War. The World has seen the implementation of various types of new policy changes in both Western and Eastern blocks. For example instead of fighting with communism the US changed its role as the promoter and the fighter of the democracy and also the global security[20]. Furthermore, the former communist states focused and forced to rethink on issues of transition and liberalisation as well[21]. The US leadership started to lose its connective power within the first decade of the post 9/11 era. Unfortunately the Bush administration misread the consequences of both post-Cold War and also September 11 attacks. The administration acted much more unilaterally then its predecessor and also its successor. The support on the US supremacy/ leadership will continue to decline unless the US foreign policy makers start to interpreting correctly the current world system. The World is no longer a secure place. International cooperation and partnership is an essential element in order to fill in the vacuum that created after the Cold War. Reference List Cameron, F US Foreign Policy after the Cold War, Routledge, Second Edition, 2006 Crockatt, R ‘The end of the cold war’, in J Baylis & S Smith (eds), The Globalization of World Politics, Oxford Press, Second Edition, 2001 Dukes, P ‘A long view of the cold war’, History Today, vol. 51, issue. 1, 2006, retrieved on 20 September 2011, Evans, G & Newnham, J The Penguin Dictionary of International Relations, Penguin, 1998 Freedman, L ‘ Order and Disorder in the new world’, Foreign Affairs, Winter 1992 [22] Fukuyama, F ‘The end of history’, in G Tuthail & S Dalby(eds), The Geopolitics Reader, Routledge, Second Edition, 2006 Hass, R. N. ‘Defining U. S. foreign policy in a post cold war world’, The DISAM Journal, Fall 2002/Winter 2003 Kennan, G. F Memoirs 1925-1950, Pantheon, 1983 Kessler, B. R ‘ Bush’s new world order: The meaning behind the words’, Air Command and Staff Collage, ACSC Research Department NSW, 1997 Mingst, K Essentials of international Relations, Norton & Company, Second Edition, 2003 Nye, J. S ‘What new world order? Foreign Affairs, Spring 1992 Petherick C. J, ‘Bush announces new world financial order’, American Free Press, December 2008, retrieved on 21 September 2011, Sokoloski, H. D Getting MAD: Nuclear Mutual Assured Destruction, Its Origins and Practice, Strategic Studies Institute, November 2004 ‘T he Yalta and Potsdam conferences’, BBC UK, retrieved on 20 September 2011, ‘Union of Soviet Socialist Republics’, Encyclopedia Britannica, retrieved on 21 September 2011, Williams, I ‘Balkan crisis report: The UN’s surprising support’, Institute for War and Peace, 19 April 1999, retrieved on 21 September 2011, ———————– 1] Fukuyama, F ‘The end of history’, in G Tuthail & S Dalby(eds), The Geopolitics Reader, Routledge, Second Edition, 2006, pp. 107 – 114 [2] ‘The Yalta and Potsdam conferences’, BBC UK, retrieved on 20 September 2011, [3] Mingst, K Essentials of international Relations, Norton & Company, Second Edition, 2003, p. 40 [4] Kennan, G. F Memoirs 1925-1950, Pantheon, 1983, p. 356 [5] Evans, G & Newnham, J The Penguin Dictionary of International Relations, Penguin, 1998, p. 487 [6] Sokoloski, H. D Getting MAD: Nuclear Mutual Assured Destruction, Its Origins and Practice, Strategic Studies Institute, November 2004, p. 5 [7] ‘Union of Soviet Socialist Republics’, Encyclopedia Britannica, retrieved on 21 September 2011, [8] Dukes, P ‘A long view of the cold war’, History Today, vol. 51, issue. 1, 2006, retrieved on 20 September 2011, [9] ibid. [10] ibid. [11] Mingst. op. cit. , p. 54 [12] Petherick C. J, ‘Bush announces new world financial order’, American Free Press, December 2008, retrieved on 21 September 2011, [13] Kessler, B. R ‘ Bush’s new world order: The meaning behind the words’, Air Command and Staff Collage, ACSC Research Department NSW, 1997, pp. 2-4 [14] Nye, J. S ‘What new world order? ’ Foreign Affairs, Spring 1992, p. 84 [15] Freedman, L Order and Disorder in the new world’, Foreign Affairs, Winter 1992, p. 22 [16] Cameron, F US Foreign Policy after the Cold War, Routledge, Second Edition, 2006, p. 19 [17] Crockatt, R ‘The end of the cold war’, in J Baylis & S Smith (eds), The Globalization of World Politics, Oxford Press, Second Edition, 2001, p. 93 [18] Williams, I ‘Balkan crisis report: The UN’s surprising support’, Institute for War and Peace, 19 April 1999, retrieved on 21 September 2011, [19] Hass, R. N. ‘Defining U. S. foreign policy in a post cold war world’, The DISAM Journal, Fall 2002/Winter 2003, p. 31 [20] Crockatt, op. cit. p. 93 [21] ibid.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

J.L. Mackie

J. L Mackie Introduction Mackie’s argument The proposed solution to be discussed and Mackie’s response to it is the claim that ‘evil is due to human free will’ and as such it cannot be attributed to God. Evil should instead be attributed to the free actions of individuals, the power of which has been endowed upon them by God. While it is acknowledged that there exists evil in the world, as a result of some human free will, it is claimed that freedom of will is a more valuable good than any resultant evil. Through God allowing such freedom, He has satisfied His ‘wholly good’ requirement. Creating men who always choose good Mackie’s first criticism of this solution is that if God was omnipotent and he created men so that they would favour choosing good over evil, why did he not create them such that they would always choose good? The obvious response to this claim is that to constrain man’s actions in such a way is to critically undermine freedom of the will; to demand that man always choose one way whether it be in the promotion of good or evil is still to control his will and deprive him of his freedom and autonomy. Paradox of Omnipotence Adequate solution For Mackie, an adequate solution is one that if adopted the initial problem does not arise for you, however the solution may have raised other problems. The only discussed solution that does not hold God responsible for evil in the world is the compatibilist approach to free will. Upon formulating this solution the two major issues are on the interpretation of omnipotence and freedom. Omnipotence has been revealed to be an almost meaningless term by way of the paradoxes that it gives rise to, such as the ability or inability of an omnipotent God to make rules or animals that restrict its own powers. The interpretation discussed and ultimately the proposal that gave rise to a compatibilist approach was that proposed by Mackie and so there is little that he could criticise about this part of the argument. Conclusion Mackie’s argument that God could have made men always choose good undermines the most valuable good which is freedom of the will. His claim that this implies that it must then be a logical necessity for man to choose wrong instead of good is not accurate, for it is sufficient to be a logical possibility for man to choose wrong. On this interpretation freedom is maintained, however the strongest objection arises with the omnipotence paradox. A resolution for this paradox can be reached using Mackie’s dichotomy of omnipotence. The resulting solution maintains God’s omnipotence and man’s free will and while there exist some issues as to the credibility of this interpretation of freedom, as described from a compatibilist perspective, these are ‘other problems’ and as such the solution can be classified as an adequate one.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Algae derived biofuel

Algae derived biofuel Abstract The first section of the paper focuses on a background or historical context of algae derived fuels for aviation. It was found that the technology is relatively new. Tests have been done by several aviation firms but no fleet is powered by the fuel. After coverage of developments in the sector, the advantages and limitations of the fuel source were identified.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Algae derived biofuel specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Advantages include low greenhouse emission, similarity to conventional jet fuel and no competition with food. Limitations include poor commercialization, lack of incentives and costliness. Thereafter, some recommendations were made on how to make this technology viable. They included private-public sector collaboration, improvement of the production process, government investment, sensitization of the masses and mobilization of stakeholders for standardizati on. Introduction Concerns about the rate of green house gas emissions necessitate the shift to more sustainable fuels. Algae-derived jet fuels have been suggested as possible solutions to this problem. However, most producers are still at the research phase of the product life cycle. It is, therefore, necessary to analyze the past and present trends in order to identify future possibilities. Methodology The study involved secondary research where journals, books and newspaper reports on the subject matter were collected. In this analysis the need for using the fuel was one of the topics identified. Furthermore, a historical analysis of the development of this fuel in the aviation industry was done. Thereafter, some articles were collected on adoption of the fuel in various industries presently. The disadvantages and advantages of the fuel were examined. Finally, an analysis of findings was done in order to make a forecast on future developments. Findings Historical context The aviat ion industry is one of heaviest sources of pollution in the world. Statistics indicate that for every fifty units of greenhouse gas generated on the earth, one unit will come from the aviation sector. This number may increase to 1.5 units in the next half a century. Consequently, sustainable and effective ways of dealing with this high carbon footprint are necessary.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Numerous scientists have already responded to this need through a myriad of innovations. Some of them have suggested the use of biodiesel, but its propensity to solidify in cold conditions makes it untenable (Shirvani et al. 2011). Others have suggested the use of FT SPK, which involves the use of solid biomass to generate oil through a process known as pyrolysis. The product is then transformed into the synthetic paraffinic form of kerosene that is used in ai rplanes. The major problem with this approach is that it is quite resource consuming. Firms also have the option of using oil from algae in order to create synthetic kerosene through a process of hydro processing (Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension 2012). The latter approach is the focus of the paper. Algae-derived fuels have gained popularity in the late 2000s. However, most research on them started in the 1990s. During the year 2008, several aviation stakeholders such as the Boeing, Virgin Atlantic, and Air New Zealand formed the Algal Biomass Organization. In January 2009, Continental Airlines tested the first commercial jet using a blend of algae-derived fuels. At the time, a 50-50 combination of the conventional fuel and algae biofuel was used (Kyriakos 2012). In July 2010, the first plane to be powered by 100% algae-derived biofuel was flown by Airbus maker-EADS. The demonstration was done in Berlin and then England. It was found that the fuel was more efficient t han the conventional ones. About fifty percent less fuel was needed compared to a petroleum-derived fuel. Even the unwanted emissions were drastically reduced. The company estimated that eight times as much greenhouse gases are produced by conventionally-powered aircrafts. In September 2010, Exelon Corporation worked on a new method of algae production that could be sustained even during cold temperatures. In June 2011, Honeywell, which specializes in the production of jet fuel from algae, tested a Gulftstream jet using a blend of the algae fuel as well as petrol in an equal ratio. The aircraft belonged to the US military and thus demonstrated that this government had faith in the possibilities of the fuel. Even the Navy in the US powered a helicopter for the first time with a blend of algae biofuel. It was reported that the aircraft was just as efficient as a conventionally-powered aircraft (Goldenberg 2010|). During the month of October, an organization known as Pond Biofeuls Inc. found a way of growing algae from cement plant emissions. However, the quantities were still minimal in number.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Algae derived biofuel specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In November 2011, another Aircraft departed from a city in the US (Houston) to another – Chicago. In the first month of 2012, an organization known as VG Energy discovered a new method of producing algae that could increase the amount of oil that it produces by 700%. Current uses (benefits and limitations) The most promising aspect of algae-derived biofuel is their environmental sustainability. Aviation companies that belong to sustainability associations often have to follow certain criteria before adopting a fuel as an alternative. The source of the fuel should not cause pressure in food production. Oils derived from corn or other food products are deemed unsustainable because they lead to competition between humans who need the seed for food and those who want to make fuel out of it (Scott et al. 2010). Algae-derived fuels do not threaten food production because human beings do not eat algae. In addition to competition for food, the plant source of the biofuel ought not to use up land for farming. If a plant needs to be grown in the same way as other food crops, then it may use up a lot of land and prompt residents to practice deforestation. Once again, algae-derived biofuels do not have this quality because they are not grown on land. Most of them can be cultivated in salty water or even polluted water, yet they can yield as much as two hundred percent more oil than soybeans. Therefore, they will not cause depletion of natural resources like forests or water. Lastly, sustainable fuel should not lead to high amounts of carbon emissions in the air. The carbon lifecycle of the product needs to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; otherwise, the fuel would not be environmenta l friendly. This trait is quite true for the fuels from algae; it minimizes the availability of greenhouse gases by 50% (MIT 2012). In order to use a substance as a sustainable fuel, it must possess certain chemical characteristics that make it suitable for this purpose. The chemical composition of the product should allow it to be mixed with normal fuel for use. Jet fuel ought to have high tolerance for extremely hot and cold weather; this is true for algae-derived fuels.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More That requirement means that automotive derived alternatives cannot be suitable for aviation. The algae-derived fuels clearly fit this description. The sustainable fuels also need to be similar to conventional jet fuels in order to minimize the need for aircraft adaptation of the engines, which is another quality that the fuel under analysis possesses. Despite these tests, even on commercial airlines, most companies are yet to treat algae-derived biofuel as a reliable source of fuel. In fact, most research organizations are still working on ways of producing the algae at a large scale. Most organizations working on the technology are in educational or research institutions. The University of London and Cambridge are some of the many institutions researching on sustainable mechanisms for producing algae. Therefore, the reliability of the fuel is still questionable. For effective use of the technology, aviation companies need to take advantage of incentives offered for use of an altern ative fuel. Currently, some governments have given their aviation companies reprieve by providing incentives. In the United States, the government has passed a law that allows aviation firms to buy alternative fuels, including algae-derived ones, at fair prices. These benefits are accorded to members of the Renewable Fuel Standard group. However, several other countries do not possess such incentives thus making it difficult to try out algae fuels (Hartman 2008). The nature of business is also minimizing the adoption of this fuel commercially. Using biofuels in aircrafts is an expensive practice because one has to pay more per unit of fuel consumed. These high prices have dampened demand for the product. Investors, in turn, have avoided the product because it may be considered as a high-risk venture. Furthermore, whenever a technology is in its early stages of discovery, many investors tend to refrain from it until it picks up. Government bodies can come in and provide incentives fo r the use of the product. However, because only a small portion of these subsidies and deductions exist in aviation, then adoption of the technology may take long (Yang et al. 2010). Discussion Politics will play a large role in the adoption and use of algae-derived biofuels. The international business environment is not suitable for the use of these fuels unless governments step in and change the way things are done. Governments can collaborate with other sustainably oriented countries in order to create standards for the use of algae-derived fuels. The European Union has already started working on this aspect. Other countries, including Australia need to follow suit; otherwise, the adoption of the technology will continue to take too long. Additionally, governments can create incentives for the use of these fuels, and that would encourage more companies to use it. Governments also have the power to invest in this emerging technology. They can empower businesses who may want to sta rt with demonstration plants. Governments should try as much possible to treat algae-derived biofeuls as other fuels used on land transport. That would imply that the product is being taken seriously. People would invest in it and thus develop it. As the case is now, people still think of the technology as a reserve for wealthy aviation firms with extra amounts of money to spare (Greenwell 2010). Conventional jet fuel is sourced from firms that have well established production facilities. Since these companies have been in the industry for so long, they often take advantage of economies of scale and thus make their products affordable. Furthermore, they are easily accessible to aviation firms because they have an expansive distribution network. However, this is not true for algae-derived products. Few companies have large production facilities that can accommodate an increase in demand. Additionally, these organizations do not have a vast distribution network thus making it difficul t for customers to rely on their prompt response when in need of fuel. In order to match current demand levels of conventional jet fuels, companies should invest as much as $15 billion dollars in the new technology. Clearly, this is a large sum of money and few companies are yet to make such a commitment. Few partnerships exist between the government and public sector thus implying that all the opportunities available for the development of this technology are not being exploited fully (Teixera 2012). Conclusion Algae- derived jet fuels are quite promising because they provide an answer to most of the problems created by other biomass derived products. Not only are there no threats to food security or land resources from algae, but it easily blends with conventional fuels thus eliminating the need to change aircraft parts before use. However, the major problem with this fuel is that it is still in its early stages of development. No company has a distribution network that can sustai n the commercial production of the same. Few government incentives exist to encourage investment in the technology. Additionally, stakeholders are not cooperating or sharing resources in order to make the development even more promising. Unless these flaws are corrected, then prospects for commercialization of algae-derived jet fuels still remain slim. Recommendations The first approach that companies need to embrace is research and development. More should be done in order to ensure that commercialization of the fuel occurs. Firms have already discovered effective sources of algae feed stocks. Now they need to work on the refining process so as to convert it into a large scale endeavor. Since algae-derived fuels are new technologies, then governments should try to reduce risks in investing in this sector through public-private sector collaborations. There is a need for incentives that would encourage airlines to use the product. Investments and collaborations should be done in orde r to encourage creation of a clear network. Countries should mobilize other nations and convince them to join algae sustainability groups. This would cause them to commit to certain standards and thus develop the sector. Lastly, stakeholders ought to be empowered about the importance of algae-derived jet fuels. If they can understand the groundbreaking advantages that emanate from the technology, then they may become participants in its development. References Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension 2012, ‘Renewable and alternative energy fact sheet’, Pennsylvania State College of Agricultural Science, 7 March, pp. 15-22. Goldenberg, S 2010, ‘Algae to solve the Pentagon’s problem of jet fuel’, The Guardian, 13 February, pp 8. Greenwell, M 2010, ‘Placing microalgae on the biofuels priority list: A review of the technological challenges’, Interface, vol. 7 no. 46, pp. 703-726. Hartman, E 2008, ‘A promising oil alternative: Al gae energy’, The Washington Post, 6 January, pp. 5. Kyriakos, M 2012, ‘High biofuel blends in aviation’, Official Journal of the European Union, no. S111, pp. 5. MIT 2012, Technical report: near term feasibility of alternative jet fuels, RAND, Massachusetts. Scott, S, Davey, M, Dennis, J, Howe, C, Horst, I, Smith, A, Lea-Smith, D 2010, ‘Biodiesel from Algae: challenges and prospects’, Current Opinions in Biotechnology, vol. 21 no. 3, pp 277-286. Shirvani, T, Yan, X, Inderwildi, O, Edwards, P King, D 2011, ‘Life cycle energy and greenhouse gas analysis for algae-derived biodiesel’, Energy and Environmental Science, vol. 4 no. 10, pp 377. Teixera, R 2012, ‘Energy efficient extraction of fuel and chemical feed stocks from algae’, Green Chemistry, vol. 14 no.2, pp. 419-427. Yang, J, Ming, X, Zhang, X, Qiang, H, Sommerfeld, M Chen, Y 2010, ‘Life cycle analysis on biodiesel production from microalgae’, Bioresources Technology, vol. 10, pp 1016.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Business Law Essay Example for Free (#18)

Business Law Essay Consideration is an essential element of a valid contract. The four main ingredient of a contract is the offer, the acceptance, the consideration and the intention to create legal relation. Consideration refers to what one party to an agreement is giving or promising in exchange for what is being given or promised by the other contracting party. There are certain rules that govern a valid contract.The issue in the case is whether the agreement was legally binding upon Dream Design or whether it failed for want of consideration. If the promise merely fulfils an existing contractual duty to the promisor, he does not provide consideration to buy the buy promisor’s promise. The baskets were to be delivered by A and a rate was agreed upon between the party. After the first delivery A demanded more money from K before making any further deliveries to W. K unwillingly agreed to pay the extra money and A continued with the delivery. Later on K refused to pay the extra money to A and A sued K. It was held that A had not given consideration to K to buy K’s promise of extra money. A could not say that making the delivery was the consideration, as A was contractually bound to make these deliveries under the original contract. With the case of Dream Design the consideration will not be sufficient where a contractually duty already exist. The fact is that Parma Steel and Dream Design agreed on a written contract dated October 22, 2009 for the supply of fabricated steel at a cost of $165 per ton for â€Å"Grade60,000 and $156 per ton for â€Å"Hard Grade. † In this case Parma Steel could not say that making the deliveries was the consideration, as Parma Steel was already contractually bound to make these deliveries under t he original contract. According to Tucker J. there was no consideration for the new agreement. The plaintiff was already obliged to deliver the defendant goods at the rates agreed under the terms of the original agreement. The facts constituted economic duress but the court has to refuse to enforce the new agreement for the increase in the prices or the higher charges as it lacked any fresh consideration from the purchaser, Dream Design. The supplier, Parma Steel claim for the outstanding balance has to be dismissed. Business Law. (2018, Oct 18).

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Leadership, Innovation and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership, Innovation and Change - Essay Example The paper tells that the roles played by top leaders are fundamental in determining the market position of a company’s product. Considering the fact that top leaders are involved in the development of both corporate and business strategies, their ability to influence market performance cannot be ignored. Whereas there is evidence that leaders and their leadership style can have an impact on the market performance of the company, it is not clear the level of impact involved. Researchers have sought to analyze whether the influence of leaders is an extremely significant contribution to the market performance of a company or whether the critical importance of other factors supersedes the role of leaders. The top leadership in any organization indulges in active planning and development of the leadership strategy, corporate strategy, and the business strategy. The development of these strategies depends on the leaders understanding of the potential strengths and the weaknesses of the company as well as a critical analysis of the possible threats and opportunities. The role of strategic planning is basically to ensure that a company has in place initiatives that promote and utilize its strengths and opportunities while taking measures of handling threats and minimizing the weaknesses. Such strategic planning is impossible if top leaders do not understand both the internal and external environment of the organization. Leaders face the compulsion of ensuring that strategic planning brings together different departments in an appropriate response to both external and internal factors. Moreover, leaders need to be informed on different issues regarding the industry they operate in. They need to understand the ensuing trends and be able to predict what the future holds.