Category: Business 11471

Talent Development Reporting (TDR) principles represent a system of assessing the effectiveness of human resources. The internal reporting on the development of employees talents allows for monitoring the human capitals progress and analyzing the effectiveness of the organizations efforts with the focus on spent resources and provided training (Barnett & Vance, 2012).

In order to collect or generate the data for TDR, it is necessary to focus on the assessment that can represent the information regarding the goals achievement and the quality or effectiveness of the work with reference to the measured outcomes and costs. The evaluation of employees learning and training results can be conducted with the help of Kirkpatricks Return on Expectations (ROE) Model, Phillips Return on Investment (ROI) Model, and Brinkerhoffs Success Case Method (SCM). However, it is possible to identify the most appropriate method in order to provide the data for TDR.

Phillips ROI Model can be referred to as the most efficient choice because the information collected with the help of this approach is important to conclude regarding the outcomes, effectiveness of the work, and efficiency in terms of costs. The data collected in the context of Kirkpatricks ROE Model are focused on employees attitudes to training and further changes in their behaviors and work performance. Still, this model does not provide the information on the financial analysis of costs and returns (Phillips & Phillips, 2016).

Brinkerhoffs SCM is based on collecting a lot of subjective data in the narrative form. As a result, the data are not concise or well-structured (Brinkerhoff, 2006). From this point, the use of Phillips ROI Model is the best choice because a corporate training director will be able to collect the factual data regarding changes in performance and effectiveness and provide the financial information that is necessary for reporting.

Interrelationship of Training with Other TDR Factors

While assessing such Talent Development Reporting (TDR) measures as outcomes, effectiveness, and efficiency, much attention is also paid to other TDR factors, including the hiring of employees, as well as their retention and promotion (Vance & Parskey, 2012). What is more important is that the training groups activities and results can be discussed with reference to these factors.

The improvement of the hiring process is an approach to guaranteeing the positive outcomes. Training initiatives allow for concluding what changes in the hiring process should be proposed and implemented (Pease, Beresford, & Walker, 2014). The work of the training group can demonstrate whether the previous hiring decisions were efficient, and it also allows for making decisions regarding the improvement of a hiring process in the future.

Retention is often regarded as one of the expected outcomes of the effective training. According to TDR principles, retention is also viewed as a factor that is associated with outcome measures (Implementing TDRp, 2016). The work of the training group can be evaluated in terms of changes in performance that are associated with the increased commitment and job satisfaction.

These changes can be discussed as indicators of the stable retention (Pease et al., 2014). Those employees who understand that the company invests in their development are not inclined to demonstrate turnover intentions, and the retention can be achieved with the help of fewer resources. If training is discussed as effective, and the representatives of the training group demonstrate positive changes in their performance, it is also possible to speak about the further promotion of the most skilled employees. Decisions can be made with reference to the conducted training and observed changes in outcomes. Therefore, it is important to state that TDR factors and training are interrelated concepts.

References

Barnett, K., & Vance, D. (2012). TDRp white paper: Talent Development Reporting principles.

Brinkerhoff, R. (2006). Telling trainings story: Evaluation made simple, credible, and effective. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

Implementing TDRp. (2016).

Pease, G., Beresford, B., & Walker, L. (2014). Developing human capital: Using analytics to plan and optimize your learning and development investments. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Phillips, J. J., & Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. New York, NY: Routledge.

Vance, D., & Parskey, P. (2012). Introduction to TDRp.

Introduction

Vertical and horizontal analysis are essential components in analyzing financial statements for the company; both vertical and horizontal analysis presents a significant source of information about the companys performance for internal users. Therefore, the forms of analysis are used by management to identify issues in the companys accounting and financial statements. This essay will use the example of Pfizer to draw conclusions from the companys vertical and horizontal analysis.

The Pfizer companys vertical and horizontal analysis

Firstly, the vertical analysis of Pfizers revenue in the 2021 report shows a decline in the proportion of gross profit margin. The proportion indicator data drops from 79,26% in 2020 to 62.08 in 2021 (Macrotrends, 2022). On the contrary, the net and operating profit margins show an almost 5% increase in proportion. The change can be explained by a decline in the proportion of revenue compared to sales volume. However, the increase in operating margin proportion can signal the increased amount of profit generated for each dollar in the revenue. Next, the horizontal analysis of Pfizers revenue through the period from 2018 to 2021 shows an almost double increase in revenues from $40 825 million to $81 288 million (Macrotrends, 2022). In general, all companys financial statements show a steady increase. However, the data for the cost of goods sold shows a drastic increase from $8 484 to $30 821, confirming the vertical analysis information.

Conclusion

Thus, the use of vertical and horizontal analyses can present a source of important information for the companys internal users. The vertical analysis indicates the proportion of financial statements, which can be used to identify exact changes in individual indicators. On the other hand, the horizontal analysis shows how the companys financial statements change with time, signaling wider changes in the companys finances. In the example, the data from the vertical analysis matched with the vertical analysis, which means there are no errors in Pfizers accounting.

Reference

Macrotrends. (2022) Pfizer income statement 2009-2022 | PFE. Macrotrends.

Abstract

Organizations must accurately represent their customer base to serve and appeal to their target demographic. However, many beauty companies overlook the importance of featuring women of different body types and skin tones in their advertisements and commercials. This lack of diversity is rooted in institutional racism and deeply entrenched stereotypes and must be addressed by encouraging companies to embrace and celebrate the remarkable diversity of their customers. By actively inviting women of different ethnic backgrounds and body types to participate in their promotional campaigns, companies can better represent and serve their wonderfully diverse customer base.

Introduction

The multibillion-dollar beauty business significantly impacts peoples perceptions of themselves and social standards of beauty. However, the absence of diversity and inclusivity in the industrys advertising efforts is a glaring problem that has plagued the sector for a long time (Brooks et al., 2020). The absence of diverse representation in beauty advertisements has led to an exclusive atmosphere that marginalizes people who do not conform to rigid aesthetic standards. As a result, it is crucial to consider the significance of representation in beauty advertisements and how it affects how society views certain groups. Should the beauty sector prioritize inclusivity and diversity in its marketing initiatives? This article explores this issue and makes the case that beauty businesses need to represent a broader range of consumers to reflect the diversity of their customers more truly.

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of representation in beauty campaigns in the modern world when beauty standards are highly affected by media and advertising. It is essential to start with a hook that grabs readers attention to hold their attention and highlights the issues importance. Consider this shocking fact: although women of all races and ethnicities use beauty products, a Tsai et al. (2021) study found that the industrys marketing efforts have consistently lacked diversity and inclusivity. Such a hook directs the readers attention to the current problem and creates a way for a deeper investigation of the subject.

The question is whether the beauty sector should prioritize inclusivity and diversity in its marketing initiatives. The topic will be presented as a single yes/no option to provide a neutral perspective and encourage a thoughtful discussion. Should the beauty industry emphasize inclusivity and diversity more in its advertising campaigns? This query enables a thorough investigation of the opposing points of view around the problem. The article will examine the critical justifications for the conflicting viewpoints in the next debate. On the one hand, proponents of restricted diversity in beauty ads may contend that advertising decisions should be made based on customer preferences. Conversely, proponents of increased inclusivity will stress the significance of presenting and recognizing the stories of those excluded due to conventional beauty standards. This disparity of viewpoints prepares the ground for a thorough investigation of the ramifications and effects of each position.

Literature Review

In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in research about diversity and inclusivity in the beauty business. Several crucial ideas and elements in the literature have surfaced that provide light on the connections between representation, health requirements, racism, and societal perspectives. To promote change within the beauty business, it is essential to understand these linkages. The idea of health requirements, the connection between varied groups, and the suitability of beauty products are crucial concepts in the literature. According to studies, White women with low to average BMI and women of color with various body mass index (BMI) have different skincare and cosmetic product needs than those often shown in commercials (McDonald et al., 2021; Thompson et al., 2020). The research highlights the significance of including skin tone and BMI-diverse women in beauty campaigns and suggestions for utilizing appropriate products.

Recent studies have shown that women with different body shapes and skin tones have other aesthetic demands. The personal accounts of individuals who felt inadequate and not attractive enough as a result of the professional standards that were upheld are revealed by Cavusoglu and Atik (2023). This result highlights the pressing need for more diversity in the beauty sector. Baird (2021) also discusses the historical background of the complex relationship between Black women and the beauty business, emphasizing the absence of goods and representation for this group. Childs (2022), in contrast, examines how Black women use social media channels to combat colorism in the profession. According to Aagerups research (2022), men and women have latent prejudices toward fat fashion models. Fuentes et al. (2021) emphasize skin tones relevance within the Latinx community, which also urges action regarding study, education, and practice.

Furthermore, it is essential to depict women of various skin tones and body shapes to confront the issues of racism and prejudice in the American culture (Korlakunta et al., 2022). A widespread perception that associates femininity with whiteness and ideal body proportions has been created due to the overemphasis on mostly White women with slender bodies in beauty ads and marketing (Eisend et al., 2022; Shalaby et al., 2019). As a result, this promotes isolation and aids in the marginalization of people with diverse body shapes and women of color.

The most recent hypotheses in the literature concentrate on the effects of representation in beauty campaigns, the relationship between variety and health requirements, and the impact of maintaining strict beauty standards. Scholars draw attention to the inconsistencies and flaws in the industrys strategy, such as the inadequate representation and inadequately diversified product offers. The literature indicates study gaps, emphasizing the need for more research into how beauty standards affect disadvantaged populations and the possible advantages of inclusivity. The literature also emphasizes how crucial it is for society to solve these problems since they feed prejudice and exclusion.

This study offers a thorough overview of research on diversity and inclusivity in the beauty industry by synthesizing the extant literature. It highlights the need for more research by outlining essential ideas, correlations, discrepancies, and gaps in the literature. This review of the literature prepares the audience for the discussion that follows. The essay will contribute to the debate by offering practical suggestions for beauty brands that will improve their representation in advertising campaigns, promote inclusivity, and accurately reflect the diversity of their customer base.

Discussion

Skin Tone Discrimination

The presence of racist standards in the beauty industry profoundly affects the research issue regarding the needs of the target population. Due to the absence of proper representation of women of color and women of different body types in the beauty industry, there is a considerable lack of understanding of the relevant health needs of the specified community members (Taylor et al., 2019). Manjaly et al. (2023) point to the lack of understanding of the needs of women of color in contemporary healthcare, particularly regarding skin care, body mass management, and the associated concerns (Forbes-Bell et al., 2021; Karmakar, 2021; Eisend, 2022).

As a result, the target demographic will continue being exposed to more significant health risks and suffer a more excellent range of health issues for which solutions will not exist (Saraswati, 2020). For the reason above, companies must be compelled to represent a broader range of skin and body types in their advertisements and commercials.

Weight-Based Discrimination

A similar trend has been noticeable concerning depicting womens body types in beauty companies advertisements. Organizations offering cosmetics and relevant products tend to hire models with low-to-moderate BMI levels (Seo et al., 2019). The specified approach fails to be inclusive and sets dangerous grounds for women to resort to unhealthy dieting methods and other hazardous strategies for losing weight (Goodman & Lu, 2021; Jestratijevic et al., 2022). In addition, the failure to include women of different body types in their commercials implies that beauty companies discourage self-acceptance and even promote self-hatred in women with BMI rates or body types that do not meet the set standard (Ovalle, 2019; Couture Bue & Harrison, 2019).

As a study by Amalia et al. (2023) explains, the described trend in the beauty industry can leave real feelings of hurt for those who are continually underrepresented (p. 6). Therefore, companies operating in the beauty industry must be encouraged to include different body types in their commercials and advertisements (Lewis, 2019; Mwinga et al., 2019). With the focus on representing women of color and women with varying types of bodies, beauty companies will be able to address a complex social justice issue and contribute to resolving a major social problem.

Opposing Viewpoint

Some could counter that beauty businesses can direct their marketing efforts to the ideal clientele. Since they are businesses focused on making a profit, they must take all necessary steps to increase income. Others would counter that having women of color and women with various body types may only appeal to a portion of their consumers, resulting in lower sales and, eventually, lower profitability (Ovalle, 2019).

Additionally, businesses may contend that their main priority is the product rather than the representation of their target demographics (Peng, 2021; Pollock et al., 2021). In this instance, the emphasis should be on the products quality rather than the people shown in the commercials (Goodman & Lu, 2021). Despite this contrasting attitude, beauty brands must be aware of their societal obligations to advance inclusion and diversity in their marketing initiatives (Shen, 2022; Yip et al., 2019). Additionally, serving a broader spectrum of clients may boost earnings, create new markets, and draw in a more varied clientele (Forbes-Bell et al., 2021). It is significant to notice that the absence of diversity in beauty marketing impacts the target audience. It upholds damaging beauty standards that can impair womens mental health and general well-being.

Conclusion

Beauty marketing initiatives must promote tolerance and diversity to build a more welcoming and optimistic global society. Beauty brands must acknowledge the need for diversity and implement modifications to reflect better the range of body shapes and skin tones in their target customers. Beauty firms may convey that these variations are common and should be welcomed by including a wider variety of skin tones and body types in their marketing. Stereotypes and prejudice against women of color and women with various body shapes have resulted from the lack of representation in the media. However, beauty businesses may support a more optimistic and welcoming global society by embracing more inclusive marketing methods.

It is critical to remember that this shift is a sincere effort to advance tolerance and diversity rather than merely a marketing gimmick. Additionally, customers need to support companies that prioritize inclusion and diversity in their marketing initiatives. This assistance may inspire other businesses to adopt a similar strategy and make the same improvements. To encourage inclusion and diversity in the beauty business, laws and policies from the government can also be implemented. For instance, legislation may be created requiring a certain amount of body types and women of color in commercials. With the help of these rules, beauty businesses would be held responsible and forced to promote inclusion actively.

References

Aagerup, U. (2022). Mens and womens implicit negativity towards obese fashion models. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 13(3), 273-288. Web.

Amalia, F. A., Andani, A. R., & Guteres, A. D. (2023). The perception of young women towards beauty value in beauty advertisements. Journal of Marketing Innovation (JMI), 3(1), pp. 1-12. Web.

Baird, M. L. (2021). Making Black more beautiful: Black women and the cosmetics industry in the postcivil rights era. Gender & History, 33(2), 557-574. Web.

Brooks, B., Chanland, D., & Cox, S. (2020). Doves advertising campaign highs and lows: From real beauty to real success to real controversy. Business Case Journal, 27(1). Web.

Cavusoglu, L., & Atik, D. (2023). Extending the diversity conversation: Fashion consumption experiences of underrepresented and underserved women. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 57(1), 387-417. Web.

Childs, K. M. (2022). The shade of it all: How Black women use Instagram and YouTube to contest colorism in the beauty industry. Social Media+ Society, 8(2), 1-15. Web.

Couture Bue, A. C., & Harrison, K. (2019). Empowerment sold separately: Two experiments examine the effects of ostensibly empowering beauty advertisements on womens empowerment and self-objectification. Sex Roles, 81(9-10), 627-642. Web.

Eisend, M. (2022). Older people in advertising. Journal of Advertising, 51(3), 308-322. Web.

Eisend, M., Muldrow, A. F., & Rosengren, S. (2022). Diversity and inclusion in advertising research. International Journal of Advertising, 1-8. Web.

Forbes-Bell, S., Bardey, A. C., & Fagan, P. (2020). Testing the effect of consumer-model racial congruency on consumer behavior. International Journal of Market Research, 62(5), 599-614. Web.

Fuentes, M. A., Reyes-Portillo, J. A., Tineo, P., Gonzalez, K., & Butt, M. (2021). Skin color matters in the Latinx community: A call for action in research, training, and practice. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 43(1-2), 32-58. Web.

Goodman, J. R., & Lu, L. (2021). Have ideal female bodies in the media changed? A content analysis of womens representation in magazine editorials and ads. Journal of Magazine Media, 22(1), 112-136. Web.

Jestratijevic, I., Rudd, N. A., & Ilic, S. (2022). A body to die for: Body measurements and BMI values among female and male runway models. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 40(4), 291-307. Web.

Thompson, A. J, Poyrazli, S., & Miller, E. (2020). Western media and body image dissatisfaction in young women in developing nations. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 90, 45-66. Web.

Karmakar, G. (2021). The body and sexuality in cultural representation: An interview with Susan Bordo. Journal of Gender Studies, 30(7), 855-863. Web.

Korlakunta, A., Karpagam, V., & Sarada, D. (2022). Body image and perceived stress levels among obese women. Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders, 6(1), 8-17. Web.

Lewis, R. (2019). Modest body politics: The commercial and ideological intersect of fat, black, and Muslim in the modest fashion market and media. Fashion Theory, 23(2), 243-273. Web.

Manjaly, P., Xia, E., Allan, A., Vinjamuri, S., Garza, H. D. L., Manjaly, C., Szeto, M. D., Eichstadt, S., Maymone, M., & Vashi, N. (2023). Skin phototype of participants in laser and light treatments of cosmetic dermatologic conditions: A systematic review. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 1, 1-6. Web.

McDonald, R. E., Laverie, D. A., & Manis, K. T. (2021). The interplay between advertising and society: An historical analysis. Journal of Macromarketing, 41(4), 585-609. Web.

Mwinga, J. L., Makhaga, N. S., Aremu, A. O., & Otang-Mbeng, W. (2019). Botanicals used for cosmetic purposes by Xhosa women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany, 126, 4-10. Web.

Ovalle, P. P. (2019). Kim Kimble: Race, Gender, and the Celebrity Hairstylist. Media Industries Journal, 6(1). Web.

Peng, A. Y. (2021). A techno-feminist analysis of beauty app development in Chinas high-tech industry. Journal of Gender Studies, 30(5), 596-608. Web.

Pollock, S., Taylor, S., Oyerinde, O., Nurmohamed, S., Dlova, N., Sarkar, R., Galadari, H., Manela-Azulay, M., Chung, H. S., Handog, E., & Kourosh, A. S. (2021). The dark side of skin lightening: An international collaboration and review of a public health issue affecting dermatology. International Journal of Womens Dermatology, 7(2), 158-164. Web.

Saraswati, L. A. (2020). Cosmopolitan whiteness: The effects and affects of skin-whitening advertisements in a transnational womens magazine in Indonesia. Meridians, 19(S1), 363-388. Web.

Seo, Y. A., Chung, H. I. C., & Kim, Y. A. (2019). Experience and acceptance of cosmetic procedures among South Korean women in their 20s. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 43, 531-538. Web.

Shalaby, M., & Alkaff, S. N. (2019). A cross-cultural study of the representation of women in Instagram cosmetic advertisements. International Journal of Gender and Women s Studies December 2019, 7(2), 58-67. Web.

Shen, Y. (2022). Research on gender reverse promotion in short network videos: Taking the promotion of female cosmetics in TikTok as an example. International Journal of Education and Humanities, 5(3), 156-160. Web.

Taylor, C. R., Mafael, A., Raithel, S., Anthony, C. M., & Stewart, D. W. (2019). Portrayals of minorities and women in super bowl advertising. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 53(4), 1535-1572. Web.

Tsai, W. H. S., Shata, A., & Tian, S. (2021). En-gendering power and empowerment in advertising: A content analysis. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 42(1), 19-33. Web.

Yip, J., Ainsworth, S., & Hugh, M. T. (2019). Beyond whiteness: Perspectives on the rise of the Pan-Asian beauty ideal. Race in the marketplace: Crossing Critical Boundaries, 73-85. Web.

Introduction

Interoffice memos refer to short messages sent between individuals in different departments in an organization or institution. Generally, these memoranda are used to share confidential information, policy updates, project briefings, and news regarding departments. Nevertheless, they can share any information, including informal updates on non-business activities. Regardless, they observe the ethical and structural guidelines used to design formal letters. The following memo is addressed to committee members about a meeting to discuss a party to mark the upcoming holiday.

Email Draft

• To: Members of the Committee
• From: Chair of Party Planning Committee
• Date: 8/6/2022
• Subject: Scheduled Meeting to Discuss Planning the Upcoming Holiday Party

I hope this letter finds you well since our initiatives over the coming weeks require notable efforts from your end. I am writing to inform you of a scheduled meeting, on 15th June 2022, from 2:00 Pm to 5:00 Pm, at the main departments symposium. You have been selected to represent your department and aid in the party planning to mark the coming holiday. Therefore, your participation will be highly appreciated.

This year has been successfully compared to the previous years. Therefore, we aim to brainstorm and come up with a theme that reinforces the need to hold on to the top position and do better. On that account, you can begin thinking about some practical approaches that we can adopt to make the party worthwhile. Subsequently, we have all the resources we need at our disposal. Thus, the company expects us to make the most out of our talents and create a memorable experience.

Upon attending the meeting, you will meet other members of the committee and discuss the best way forward. On that account, I hope to receive your confirmation of attendance as early as possible. You can use the following contact information to reply to this memo.

Yours Faithfully,

Chair of Party Planning Committee

Main Body

The point that I considered including in the message is the main reason for the scheduled meeting and the obligations of the committee members involved. Moreover, I informed the committee members of the requirements of the meeting. Since it will be the first meeting, disclosing this information is crucial as it prepares committee members for their responsibilities. According to Baker (2020), Emails contain subject lines that are brief and specific to allow the recipient to understand the message easily and respond to the prompt effectively. Therefore, I only included the main issues to be discussed in our meeting and obligated the committee members to reply to the message when they got a chance. The members responsibilities during the first meeting were important to include since it facilitated the right mindset to tackle underlying issues. This information will help them prepare and come up with practical solutions and themes for the party.

The information that I chose not to disclose was the potential setbacks that we would experience during the party planning process and news that could create conflicts or differences between committee members. Susan, Mark, John, and Cathy have all been given an equal opportunity to contribute to the planning. Therefore, it would be irrelevant to disclose information about who might be difficult to work with and who will be best. Moreover, there are several constraints that the team is likely to encounter. Nevertheless, through collaboration, the team can achieve all the programs objectives. Sánchez-Cardona et al. (2018) suggest that leaders should continuously motivate and encourage their team members to act and think in new ways by challenging preconceived beliefs. Thus, as the committee chair, my role was to support innovative solutions and new ways of action by encouraging positivity throughout the project.

The formality of the email was a principal concern because as much as it shared information about an informal event to mark the holiday, it also constituted an organizational memo, thus obligating high levels of professionalism. Baker (2020) supports that emails can take a non-formal approach when in personal settings. However, emails used in organizational settings require attention to detail since they reflect on the organization and the sender (Baker, 2020). Hence, regardless of whether an email or organizational memo has an informal feel, its tone, and language should adhere to professional standards because any executive can access the information. While crafting the memo, I carefully chose my words to represent the appeal of the informal function and portray it as a fun activity while maintaining professional standards and sticking to the topic.

A blind carbon copy refers to an email sent to several recipients without indicating who else has received the email. Although blind carbon copies are beneficial when distributing information to invisible recipients, it is unethical since it hides information about who else has access to the information. Most individuals perceive a blind carbon copy as offensive, and in some instances, it may be a violation of laws and regulations (Guffey & Loewy, 2018). However, in some scenarios, like in the case above, a blind carbon copy might come in handy since it will entice the selected members to attend the meeting and avoid negative attitudes due to preconceived beliefs about working with people like John. Hence, a blind carbon copy can be adopted in cases where it will not be destructive.

Team leaders have a role in streamlining individuals relationships and ensuring that they collaborate to achieve the best outcomes. Therefore, it would be wise to communicate with John and obtain information about why others think that it is difficult to work with him. According to Guffey & Loewy (2018), team leaders should adopt effective solutions to accommodate the needs of all team members. Thus, meeting with John and communicating about the underlying problems will place me in a better position to address his issues and design a strategy that will maximize collaboration. A face-to-face meeting is critical to obtain relevant information from John. Guffey & Loewy (2018) suggest that personal contact in such meetings is critical because the subject matter involves an exchange of information and ideas between individuals (p 49). Therefore, acknowledging the issue before the initial meeting will facilitate better preparation.

Conclusion

Internal and external organizational memos send information about various issues to involved parties. However, they adopt a formal tone regardless of the message being sent because they constitute business messages. Although the information presented in the email above is about a party and informal, it adheres to a business structure because it represents the organizational norms and culture. Additionally, the text avoids any information that could result in a conflict of interest since leaders should prioritize collaboration and accommodate the needs of all members for the best results. Nevertheless, addressing potential issues by meeting and communicating with individuals can improve outcomes.

References

Baker, S. (2020). Unit 5 Emails, Memos & Letters. Professional and Technical Writing.

Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2018). Business communication: Process and product. 9^th Edition, Cengage Learning.

Sánchez-Cardona, I., Soria, M. S., & Llorens-Gumbau, S. (2018). Leadership intellectual stimulation and team learning: The mediating role of team positive affect. Universitas Psychologica, 17(1). Web.

Introduction

Setting policies, processes, and priorities in order to increase a businesss or organizations competitiveness is the practice of strategic management. Strategic management often focuses on efficiently allocating personnel and assets to accomplish these objectives. Strategic management in the realm of administration includes the development and execution of the main objectives and initiatives undertaken by the executives. It is recommended that the Cochlear company adopts a product development approach as its development strategy since the firm can continue upgrading and modifying its current versions of devices.

Historic Strategic Performance of Cochlear

In terms of historic strategic organizational performance, it is reasonable to start by reviewing the companys key notions, goals, and distinctive features. The Nucleus cochlear device, the Dual electro-acoustic capsule, and the Baha bone conduction augmentation are all produced by the medical equipment business Cochlear (Cochlear, 2022). Cochlear is an innovator in implantable hearing devices that assist individuals in regaining their hearing and reconnecting them to the realm of sounds (Hubbard et al., 2015). The company, being the industry pioneer in implantable auditory systems, has implanted more than 600,000 units, more than any other organization, enabling individuals of all age categories to reap the benefits of chances in life (Cochlear, 2022). Cochlears purpose is to enable people to interact with others and lead full lives while additionally assisting in the transformation of how hearing loss is perceived and handled (Cochlear, 2022). Moreover, Cochlears vision is to continuously innovate and commercialize a variety of implanted hearing technologies that provide lifelong hearing benefits (Cochlear, 2022). The firm recommends that individuals consult with medical specialists regarding hearing loss solutions since results may vary and healthcare professionals may provide information on influencing variables.

Concerning the field of operations management performance and its historical perspective, it is feasible to underline the type of operational processes that the firm preferred due to the changing external circumstances. Cochlear started utilizing lean manufacturing principles, and the companys production methodology became customer-oriented (Hubbard et al., 2015). In other terms, the executives of Cochlear decided to create a system in which each implant was designed and assembled personally by an individual and passed from person to person (Hubbard et al., 2015). Referring to the environmental and corporate social results, Cochlear established the Cochlear Foundation to promote community fundraising initiatives, research and development, and treatment education for individuals with hearing impairment (Hubbard et al., 2015). Considering the Cochlear firms strategy in research and development, the business was capable of introducing innovative solutions for parts of its systems annually; six separate Nucleus implant models were successfully launched (Hubbard et al., 2015). Furthermore, to diversify its product line, Cochlear designed three different implant devices that were aimed at working with various types of hearing loss (Hubbard et al., 2015). Cochlear was concentrated on adapting to the challenges that occurred in the market.

Regarding the way changing circumstances have affected the organizational objectives of Cochlear, it can be stated that a specific focus is currently devoted to quality control, hygiene, as well as research and development activities. Biofilms are frequently connected to refractory systemic infection of implanted medical equipment (Turnbull et al., 2021). Hence, reducing infection probability in individuals with implanted medical equipment might considerably lower overall morbidity (Turnbull et al., 2021). Both bacterium adhesion testing and inspection of explanted gadgets were used to identify characteristics linked to the growth of microorganisms on the Cochlear Nucleus version of cochlear implants (Turnbull et al., 2021). In this scenario, Cochlear was driven to elaborate concrete measures and goals to address the issue of a potential infection spread on their devices. In addition, the company was able to adapt to the rapidly changing market conditions that impacted the organizations objectives and vision. For instance, a major factor of influence was that the market was shifting from single implants to double implants; thus, frequent technological replacements and upgrades were obligatory (Hubbard et al., 2015). In conclusion, ethical dilemmas and market alterations substantially affected Cochlear.

Cochlear Business Evaluation

Internal Environment

In particular, it is feasible to state that the internal environment of the Cochlear organization is mostly linked to corporate social responsibility and personnel development activities. The firm completed a number of internal learning and training workshops, and corporate standards acknowledgment processes were created and set in place. Similarly, the business promoted career pathways to students by conducting special visits to the Macquarie University location of the Cochlear worldwide offices (Cochlear, 2022). With the launch of new programs where leaders may exchange ideas and learn from one another, the Cochlear Corporation focuses on executive coaching and growth strategic planning. Through the competence framework, it seeks to maintain and implement measures that represent the objectives of the company in the future. Cochlear is dedicated to offering a diverse, inclusive environment that is indicative of its clients and surrounding areas (Cochlear, 2022). The inclusivity strategy is in line with the business plan and is created to make it practicable and promote the execution of the principal goals and projects of the organization. Therefore, Cochlear recognizes the need for its internal environment to adhere to the present organizational behavior standards.

External Environment

Considering the external environment of the Cochlear organization, a particular amount of attention is devoted to outside stakeholders. As the industry-leading organization, Cochlear is committed to altering the manner people perceive and manage relatively severe to extreme hearing loss via accessibility and awareness initiatives (Cochlear, 2022). The business retains its position of spending funds to broaden the scope of its initiatives for the category of adult individuals and seniors (Cochlear, 2022). Direct-to-consumer advertising and marketing campaigns and the development of hearing aid channel recommendations from the cochlear implant are among the external activities. Moreover, it is feasible to emphasize the quality control of care projects designed to provide a standardized treatment pathway for individuals with moderate to substantial hearing problems.

In this case, Cochlear is concerned with the issue of monitoring its external projects related to the connection between medical specialists, patients, and Cochlear employees. The Cochlear Provider Framework is expanding and educating cochlear implant audiologists in the United States of America on the applications and advantages of assistive devices (Cochlear, 2022). This clarification aids the firm in offering a referral route to cochlear implant doctors; thus, Cochlear improves external environment communication and avoids misinterpretation.

Customer Needs

Referring to customer needs, since the organization provides constant advancements as per technological progress, customer needs tend to rise proportionally with an expectation of greater customer experience. The Cochlear Corporation works to implement strategies that will enhance the customer experience, for instance, by elaborating on Cochlear family memberships (Cochlear, 2022). Due to the growth needs of the business over the time period, provoked by changing customer needs, the organization was required to adapt to the rapidly changing environment. For instance, one of the indicators of increased customer needs and quality control is linked to the transformation of working conditions for the employees.

In fact, the appearance of a customer experience center shows the necessity of establishing a clear communication channel with the clients to comprehend their desires. In terms of employee conditions, new and modern offices were designed that included training and conference rooms, a customer experience and suggestions center, a fitness center and a café (Cochlear, 2022). Furthermore, to ensure a steady supply of items to clients, the company makes an effort to maintain acceptable levels of stocks for the majority of elements and regulates distribution in accordance with the demand.

Opportunities

It is possible to determine several external environment opportunities for the Cochlear organization associated with customer needs, financial benefits, and technological developments. For instance, in the area of macroeconomics, the government authorities green or eco-friendly sustainability initiatives may present a chance for state and federal government agencies to purchase Cochlear Limited goods. In addition, an input that might reopen certain distribution networks for Cochlear Limited is represented by prospective customers from digital platforms. The business may take advantage of this opportunity by leveraging big data analytics to properly identify its customers interests. Moreover, Cochlear Limited has the chance to use a differentiated pricing approach in the niche venture due to the newly developed technological innovations or solutions (Hubbard et al., 2015). Hence, it will allow the business to attract new clients with various value-oriented offerings while retaining its existing ones with excellent service. Ultimately, Cochlear Limited might have the chance to access a new, developing market due to the acceptance of new technological standards and partnerships. Alternatives to investing in related product sectors and new technology can be obtained when financial conditions are consistent and the free cash flow rate is high.

Threats

Regarding the probable threats that can arise for the Cochlear organization, it is crucial to focus on competitiveness difficulties, legal issues, and technological deficiencies. Additionally, due to a potential lack of options and opportunities, which can occur, there might be drawbacks in the firms product line, which might allow a new rival to establish a position in the market. The products positioning strategy and distinctive selling proposition are to be well-defined, despite major sales successes being frequent (Hubbard et al., 2015). Cochlear may have unfavorable repercussions, including competitive challenges in this market area if it ceases providing its brand image and distinctive market propositions with greater recognition. Furthermore, Cochlear Limiteds capacity to remain profitable may be threatened by rising costs for raw materials and important components.

Underlining financial aspects, sales numbers may fluctuate greatly over time due to a lack of a consistent supply of creative items. Generally, in some locations, the competition is compensating local distributors larger budgets, which is a challenge given the local dealers potential increasing strength. Due to the diverse regulations and ongoing changes in the markets product requirements, the corporation may be sued in a number of jurisdictions. Consequently, due to the varying liability regulations in various nations, Cochlear Limited may be subject to a variety of damage claims when the markets rules alter.

Strategic Way Forward

Concerning the development of a strategic way forward for the company Cochlear Limited as per its internal and external environments, customer needs, and opportunities, it is reasonable to suggest highlighting the necessity of marketing advancement. The researchs authors emphasize the applicability and possible significant effect of using practical organizational resources and online competencies in impacting foreign market choices (Katsikeas et al., 2019). Moreover, businesses should evaluate entrance decisions and foreign marketing plan choices, execution, and control using digitalization methodologies (Katsikeas et al., 2019). The scholars, in fact, were able to illustrate that adequately using digital technology may assist an organization in selecting an appropriate foreign market and implementing successful marketing and networking strategies (Katsikeas et al., 2019). Additionally, the companys present social media marketing initiatives provide insight into the acceptance of digital technologies in a manner that will allow it to execute and manage its worldwide marketing plan more efficiently (Katsikeas et al., 2019). In this situation, the strategic way forward should be dedicated to transferring digital marketing activities from the operational to the strategical managerial layer in order to elaborate marketing automatization and development approaches for attracting customers.

Recommendations for Cochlear

The first organizational development and business growth strategy that can be potentially proposed to Cochlear is market penetration. Market penetration is the proportion of an item or services predicted total market that consumers are actually utilizing. The development of tactics used to enhance the market position of a certain good or service may include the usage of market penetration. The prospective markets size may be estimated using market penetration (Alkasim et al., 2018). If the sectors overall market is substantial, entrants may be motivated by the possibility of gaining market share or a portion of the sectors entire pool of prospective consumers. At the same time, market penetration can be ineffective unless the item is swiftly consumed, which is a shortcoming of the method; this approach is suitable for sectors that do not prioritize low prices (Alkasim et al., 2018). Hence, market penetration leads to entering new business segments, but this strategy is only applicable under specific conditions.

The second business advancement strategy that can be suggested to Cochlear is linked to diversification. When businesses decide to expand, they can use the diversification technique, which involves adding a new item to the distribution chain in an effort to boost earnings. These goods can represent a new sector of the market that the business currently serves, a strategy called business-level diversification (Shaturaev, 2022). Organizations can locate new markets to enter or goods to introduce using the diversification approach, which will enhance sales and income. In contrast, as a disadvantage of this approach, business returns can be more inclined to resemble the average market return as the degree of diversity rises, and the quality of the products may decline (Shaturaev, 2022). Consequently, a product diversification strategy can provide a wide range of offerings, but the return on investment and quality of goods can be diminished.

Finally, the third method that Cochlear can adopt in the companys future growth is product development. A product design strategy is a method for introducing a new product into a potential market by doing extensive testing, ongoing market analysis, and rigorous product idea preparation (Alkasim et al., 2018). Product creation is frequently involving selecting an existing product, making a minor modification, and putting it on the market (Alkasim et al., 2018). Clients who may purchase a new item regardless if they already own the current edition will benefit from this added value. At the same time, as a shortcoming of the approach, developing a product strategy may be costly and risky, particularly if a business is comprehensive and spends in activities including research and marketing (Alkasim et al., 2018). Although a product development strategy can incorporate significant expenses and additional research, it is considered as a complex technique for advancing current product lines.

Concerning the three abovementioned organizational development strategies, it is feasible to emphasize that product development can be assessed as the preferable one. With the help of the product development approach, Cochlear will be able to integrate its technological innovations into existing implants and other products that will require upgrades during specific time periods. The practical improvements and solutions are to be discovered and elaborated by its research and development department and operational management groups. A product development plan assists the company in supporting the trends and attracting customers who become exhausted of purchasing identical products all the time. Referring to the change processes, it is possible to propose to clearly identify and summarizing the organizations mission, vision, and value statements prior to the implementation of the strategy. Moreover, it is compulsory to adequately evaluate the business environment and determine strategic options. Finally, it is necessary to formulate operational-level objectives that will be strictly correlated with the previously set development strategy.

Conclusion

To summarize, Cochlear is a pioneer in implanted hearing technologies that help people virtually restore lost hearing and re-engage with the auditory world. Although Cochlear focused on responding to business issues, moral quandaries and market changes significantly impacted the company. It is reasonable to assume that corporate social responsibility and employee development initiatives play a major role in the Cochlear organizations internal environment. Cochlear understands the need to maintain the current corporate behavior standards in its internal environment. It is possible to underline that product development might be viewed as preferable when it comes to the three organizational growth techniques stated above.

References

Alkasim, S. B., Hilman, H., Bohari, A. M. B., Abdullah, S. S., & Sallehddin, M. R. (2018). The mediating effect of cost leadership on the relationship between market penetration, market development, and firm performance. Journal of Business and Retail Management Research, 12(3).

Cochlear. (2022). About us. Home. Web.

Hubbard, G., Rice, J., & Galvin, P. (2015). Strategic management: Thinking, analysis and action (5th ed.). Pearson.

Katsikeas, C., Leonidou, L., & Zeriti, A. (2019). Revisiting international marketing strategy in a digital era: Opportunities, challenges, and research directions. International Marketing Review, 37(3), 405-424.

Shaturaev, J. (2022). Company modernization and diversification processes. ASEAN Journal of Economic and Economic Education, 1(1), 47-60. Web.

Turnbull, L., Leigh, R., Cavaliere, R., Osvath, S. R., Nolan, L. M., Smyth, D., Verhoeven, K., Chole, R.A, & Whitchurch, C. B. (2021). Device design modifications informed by in vitro testing of bacterial attachment reduce infection rates of cochlear implants in clinical practice. Microorganisms, 9(9), 1809.

There is a large variety of methods of initial assessment. Different companies have different preferences when it comes to the specific methods they employ to select the candidates. Each of the methods has its advantages and disadvantages. There is no right answer to the question which methods are better to use. The combinations vary from a business to a business. Some of the most popular initial assessment methods such as resumes and cover letters, interviews, and references can be unreliable and provide invalid information (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 400).

This occurs due to the applicants desire to present themselves to the employer in the best way possible. As a result, heavy misrepresentation of facts and realities can appear. Besides, one of the most reliable and useful initial assessment methods is the collection of biographical data. It is helpful for the employers as it carries important information about the inclinations and characters of the applicants, their past experiences, typical behaviors and abilities (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 387).

At the same time, as beneficial as it is for the employers, this method is not appreciated by the applicants as it makes them feel like their privacy is violated. Besides, it presents the biodata collector as a prejudiced and judgmental person. If I were to start my own business I would not employ the latter assessment method as it might not be tolerated by the job seekers. Instead, I would rely on such methods as application blanks, training and experience, licensing and certification, references and interviews. The first three assessments can be accessed on paper through the application blank, and then the interview would be a secondary tool to evaluate the applicant based on the information they provided. Background check could be done as a final stage to confirm the validity of the information provided in the other assessments.

The structured interview stands for the assessment method which is standardized and very job-related (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 455). A structured interview is very different from an unstructured one. For example, unstructured interview is quick, casual, the questions included into such interviews target psychological suitability of an applicant, they are open-ended, informal, and allow the interviewer to get a basic impression of the applicants character and personality within several minutes (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 456). At the same time, a structured interview contains a fixed set of questions for each of the applicants, the questions are very specific, job-related and are based on the job analysis, the applicants answers are graded numerically, and notes of the interviewees behavior are taken (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 457).

Structured interviews fulfill the disadvantages of the unstructured ones such as low reliability, the perception of candidates based on their appearances and first impressions and poor recall by the interviewers. Situational question I suggest assesses the conflict resolution skills for a team leader: One of your team members reports being mocked and disrespected by another member based in his sexual orientation which affects the efficiency of the teams work, what will be your actions? Best answer (graded 5) will include scheduling a conversation with both of the participants of the conflict to find out what actually happened.

Next response (graded 4) will be a warning for the offender about their behavior. Grade 3 is the response where the leader tells both participants to keep their private issues outside of work and refuses to resolve the problem. Grade 2 is the report to the superior about the situation. Grade 1 is informing all the other team members about the issue to seek resolution. Grade 0 is not knowing what to do.

When the compensatory model is applied the higher scores of one predictor can compensate the lower scores of another predictor and then the total score is evaluated (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 550). The weakness of this model is that the lack of some of the required skills and abilities cannot be compensated by the stronger sides of the applicants. In order to make a decision using compensatory model four main procedures may be applied; they are clinical prediction, unit weighing, rational weighing and multiple regression (Heneman, Judge, Kammeyer-Mueller 550).

In clinical prediction the scores of the applicants are evaluated subjectively and the applicants are selected based on the intuition of the evaluator. This approach works through the individual experience of the evaluators which is in some situations can be valuable and in others  very individual and unreliable. In unit weighing the total score of the applicants is calculated by adding the grades. The benefit of this method is its simplicity, the drawback  the assumption that all predictors have equal value.

In rational weighing each predictor is assigned a rating based on which individual score of each applicant is calculated. The benefit here is specific approach to each predictor, but the disadvantage is the possible disagreement of the evaluators about the value of each predictor. Multiple regression is similar the rational weighing but the individual value of the predictors is established statistically. The advantages and disadvantages are similar to those of rational weighing approach. I personally like rational weighing the most, because it is relatively simple and if the evaluators agree on the value of each predictor  it is the most careful method of evaluation, but I would use it in combination with clinical prediction, because regardless of the precision of the calculation, the intuition of the employers plays an important role in candidate selection.

Works Cited

Heneman III, Herbert, Timothy Judge and John Kammeyer-Mueller. Staffing Organizations. 8^th ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2012. Print.

Nowadays it has become common knowledge that people are the most precious asset of any organization. Every company should ensure efficient management of qualitative personnel and its most optimal use. Human resource management becomes an integral part of the overall success of the organization. It is not only a set of pre-defined steps to calculate the employees performance and to minimize the companys expenditures on salaries and another spending to sustain the workflow process. Human resource management is an elaborate philosophy developed on the thoughts of the prominent experts in this field and companies best practices. It has several sub-divisions, among which human resource planning is the crucial one. The well thought out strategic planning makes it for the smooth functioning of the company and eliminates risks connected to the employees dissatisfaction and blurry vision of themselves in the companys structure.

During the last decades, human resource management and human resource planning have become highly demanded and relatively well-developed fields of scientific research. The trends of the scientific thought in the field were determined by the changing principles and values of organizational management, the transition from solely numeric approach to the evaluation of the companys quality performance and by increasing the importance of psychological and behavioural factors in the business environment. In general, human resource management can be understood as the system of activities and methods that enable working people and the organization which uses their skills to agree about the objectives and nature of their working relationship and&ensures that the agreement is fulfilled (Torrington, Hall, & Taylor 2008, p. 25).

Human resource management may be divided into the following areas: search for and adaptation of personnel (recruiting), human resource planning, accounting and operational work with the staff including staff training and development, assessment, work organization, management of business communications, motivation and remuneration (Daft & Marcic 2004). Among the key purposes of the human resource management are the following: ensuring the presence of the required staff in accordance with the organizations short- and long-term strategies of development, formation of the system of preparation of top management reserves, reduction of risk of employees loss, streamlining of the companys staff to achievement of required workflow results. Moreover, HR management aims to constant professional development of the personnel and their successful promotion by the career ladder (Bach & Edwards 2012).

Focusing on HR planning as critical subsystem of the HR management system, one may refer to Brattons and Golds (2012, p. 176) definition of HR planning as of the set of activities aimed at the development and ensuring of a framework that would allow an organization to integrate fundamental HR practices so that it could meet the needs of its employees, enhance their potential and meet the performance requirements of the business strategy. Initially, this concept was seen solely within the framework of operational performance of the organization and was focused on the achievement of its numerical targets without putting an emphasis on the workers as the main asset.

Such a set of activities and corresponding management philosophy was called manpower planning. The principal goals of manpower planning were to ensure the balance of demand and supply of labour and to tailor the peoples skills to the needs of the organization (Torrington, Hall, & Taylor 2008). The priorities of personnel managers were to forecast and calculate the required equilibrium of labour supply and demand and to hire the staff in agreement with the companys plans (Bratton & Gold 2012). Manpower planning saw employees mainly as a factor of production and not as a significant value of the enterprise (Storey 2015).

Some authors, however, distinguished different approaches within the concept of manpower or workforce planning. Walton yet in 1985 defined the traditional control-oriented strategy of workforce management based on strict control and hierarchy, precise calculations and employees as a changing and easily replaceable variable. In 1970-s, the leading companies from various fields came to the re-evaluation of the approach to workforce planning. The new commitment strategy emerged; it provided more flexibility and engagement of workers in the process of decision-making. Jobs were seen not only as means to exchange time and efforts for money to reach the key figures set by the company but also as a chance for workers to realize their potential and develop professionally (Walton 1985).

The modern concepts of HM planning see it as one of the essential elements to support the organizations strategy. Elaborate HM planning provides for engagement of employees at all levels to the process of overall organizations planning. The employees are to perceive the organizations mission, vision, core values and objectives and to understand their personal contribution to the attainment of those objectives. The understanding that employees at any level participate in the noble deal of the companys successful performance in the competitive environment becomes an important motivation factor apart from material reward (Hughes 2014). Purcell (2014) suggests that behavioural or employee engagement is much more efficient to stimulate personnels successful performance than work engagement oriented solely on material results.

However, the spread of new individualized approach towards employees working commitment does not mean that mechanisms of employees control are now abandoned; they just become more flexible. Based on the prevalence of strict or liberal peculiarities HR planning may be either hard or soft. Hard HR planning focuses mainly on the benefits the company receives from a particular worker and on cost reduction by making the workforce more affordable for the company (Taylor 2005). Soft HR planning suggests that to reach success the organizations need more than the right people in the right place and the right time but also an appropriate outlook and set of attitudes of employees who will contribute to the corporate culture (Taylor 2005, p. 111). Hauff, Alewell and Hansen (2014) note than the prevalence of commitment-based HR planning approach nowadays does not guarantee the increased companys performance. The researchers propose to distinguish two hybrid forms of HR planning combining the features of control and commitment strategies. Those are long-term-oriented control system and regulated commitment system (Hauff, Alewell, & Hansen 2014, p. 425).

The fundamental concept, which lies within the effective HR planning, is flexibility. In the modern changing and highly competitive environment, it is crucial for the organization to be shrewd and adaptive to unstable economic conditions. The process of globalization leads to increased international labour migration, creates more job opportunities but at the same time sets more requirements to the skills of employees (Bratton & Gold 2012). Companies can now hire part-time and remote workers or offer flexible working hours for full-time workers. Reward system also becomes more flexible, taking into account the level of contribution of an employee to the success of a particular deal or project. Torrington, Hall, and Taylor (2008) define four types of flexibility in HR management: numerical (concerning the number of people employed and required), temporal (possibility to establish flexible working hours), functional (modern employees can receive various skill and not focus on only one function within the organization) and financial (employees may receive extra reward for excellent performance and their initiatives).

HR planning may be effective only if it is conducted in conformity with the general strategy of the company. HR planning can be developed only if the company already has a strategic plan for its activities. As Bohlander and Snell (2010, p. 51) aptly note, the integration of HRP and strategic planning tends to be most effective when there is a reciprocal relationship between the two processes. HR planning should be realized according to the general strategic planning steps such as mission, vision and values definition, external and internal analysis (SWOT analysis), strategy formulation, strategy implementation and evaluation (Bohlander & Snell 2010). HR planning methods include economic methods (evaluating the salaries and other forms of material stimulation), organizational methods (establishing guidelines and rules for the employees) and psychological methods (motivation and moral encouragement) (Bohlander & Snell 2010).

Strategic HR planning requires system approach. It is important for the top managers to look into the future to forecast changes in the labour market, to assess the likely demand for new talents and understand how to attract, recruit and retain people (Storey 2015). Companies need to know exactly how many workers they need now and how many of will be required in the future. Companies should develop working scenarios of possible human resource needs in different categories of job types (Torrington, Hall, & Taylor 2008). With this data in their hands, companies will find themselves in a better position than others as they will be able to make decisions based on accurate information.

While conducting planning, HR department should consider both manpower planning part and employees development part of the HR planning. The main steps of manpower planning include demand forecast, supply projection, assessing competencies, gap analysis and final strategy development (Bhattacharyya 2006, p. 53-56). As to the second and no less important part of the HR planning, HR managers should evaluate the expertise of employees, define the crucial skills to be developed for a particular position, work out a plan of possible further educational activities and develop an individual career plan for every employee. Moreover, it is crucial for HR managers to contribute to the development of overall team spirit within the company. Excellent team-building results can be reached by various team-building extracurricular activities and training (Storey 2015).

Overall, it can be seen that modern human resource planning is both the result and the driving factor of positive changes in the organizational management. Being an inalienable part of the global management strategy, thorough HR planning helps the company to reach the highest performance results that are expressed both in material indicators of cost-effectiveness and immaterial employees satisfaction. HM planning, thus, can be named not only good practice of the companys system of management but also a rule of good tone in the modern working environment. Recent HR management developments bring together the most valuable experience or the practitioners and give the top managers hints to successful companys development in the competitive environment.

Reference List

Bach, S & Edwards, M 2012, Managing human resources: human resource management in transition, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Bhattacharyya, D 2006, Human resource planning, Excel Books India, New Delhi.

Bohlander, G & Snell, S 2010, Managing human resources, Cengage Learning, New York.

Bratton, J & Gold, J 2014, Human resource management: theory and practice, Palgrave Macmillan, London.

Daft, R & Marcic, D 2004, Understanding management, Thomson/South-Western, Mason.

Hauff, S, Alewell, D & Hansen, N 2014, HRM systems between control and commitment: occurrence, characteristics and effects on HRM outcomes and firm performance, Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 424-441.

Hughes, C 2014, Impact of diversity on organization and career development, IGI Global, Hershey.

Purcell, J 2014, Disengaging from engagement, Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 241-254.

Storey, J 2015, New perspectives on human resource management, Routledge, London.

Taylor, S 2005, People resourcing, CIPD Publishing, London.

Torrington, D, Hall, L & Taylor, S 2008, Human resource management, Pearson Education, Harlow.

Walton, R 1985, From control to commitment in the workplace, Harvard Business Review, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 77-84.

Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy is a system of administration based upon the hierarchy of authority that is designed to perform tasks through specific formal procedures or a routine manner. In this case, efficiency is enhanced as tasks are organized according to their complexity as well as in a formal line of control that ensures those in a certain level report directly to the level immediately above them.

Bureaucracy may sometimes be dysfunctional due to how it is expected to operate in an organization especially given that it emphasizes more on the decision-making process than on control. This often creates unnecessary and unhealthy forms of bureaucracy. Also, changes implemented from the top in the chain of hierarchy to the bottom may take longer due to rigidity consultations, which must be made by bottom-line employees. This may lead to dissatisfaction of employees and customers who are not in a position to make decisions and innovations without consulting the management (Garston, 1993, p. 5).

Power principle may also lead to those in authority using power to fulfill personal interests other than the fulfillment of the organizations core objectives. Also, management may focus on achieving better control through power other than a professional advantage in their organizations. However, bureaucratic dysfunction is managed by the adoption of various principles that help in designing organization structure as discussed below.

A formal hierarchical structure

In this formation of an organization, there is a tall span of control where lines of communication are vertically aligned such that each level must report to the level just above it. In this case, decision-making is more or less centralized such that those belonging to a lower level are not allowed to participate in decisions of a higher level.

Management by rules

In a bureaucratic organization, rules are set by top-level managers and applied consistently throughout all other levels such that all subordinates (or employees) are supposed to abide by such rules without question or compromise.

Organization by functional specialty

Bureaucracy allows specialization where work to be split into specific jobs or job groups, which are handled by specific individuals based on their skills or competence. Each unit executes a certain type of work that cannot be executed by other units, thus enabling control of processes and performance review in specific units.

Process Control

Control is an important aspect mainly because goals can only be met if processes are controlled and guided towards achieving desired objectives. Therefore, the management of any organization must develop a control system tailored to its organizations goals and resources (Daft, 2009, p. 6).

Control is the process of monitoring activities in an organization to achieve desired results. Generally, there are two approaches in controlling individual performance, one being controlling the processes in which people do their jobs and the other being controlling the outcomes. Some principles help in designing control systems in an organization depending on the structure of the organization.

Integration into established processes

In this case, controls and processes seem to work in harmony without having to interfere with the ease of carrying out the organizations operations. Also, controls of the different organizations may not necessarily fit into structures of other organizations thus the need for integration of tailor-made controls. Moreover, the time and cost of the control systems must be favorable concerning the organization.

Acceptance by employees

All employees should be allowed to participate in the design of controls to make such control exclusively acceptable; however, controls imparted on employees without their involvement may not be accepted due to lack of understanding and motivation.

Economic feasibility

Effective control systems must ensure that the benefits realized from the implementation of controls are more than the cost that will be incurred in the process. Generally, the control system is mainly aimed at enhancing productivity, efficiency, and accuracy; therefore, the secret to this is to match the characteristics of the organization to the application such that, when this match is made, one accomplishes reliable and accurate control.

References

Daft, R. L. (2006). Organization theory and design. OH: Cengage learning.

Garston, N. (1993). Bureaucracy: three paradigms. MA: Springer. Griffin, R. and Moorhead, G. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. OH: Cengage Learning.

People form a vital component in the product mix. They denote the consumers of Niveas array of cosmetic products. The entity has adopted a consumer-led approach. Hence, its policies in product development are channeled towards meeting the clients needs.

Nivea consumers are diverse concerning their needs. Accordingly, they can be classified into two key classes. First, there is the young generation mainly constituted by teenagers. These consumers require certain cosmetics that will enable their skin to grow healthily.

This segment of the clientele requires trendy products. As such, Nivea has to constantly rebrand its products that target this segment. Their older counterparts are after products which will maintain their skin in the right condition.

This class entails women whose age bracket is from the mid-twenties going upwards. They buy most of their products from supermarkets.

Most prefer established product, but they do not shy from trying out new products. Understanding the clientele is vital since it will enable an entity plan accordingly.

In the current corporate world, the consumer has become a god. Hence, entities efforts are largely focussed towards meeting the customers needs. If entities fail to meet their clients needs, they will lose some of their customers.

Owing to this, most corporations have adopted an approach that is consumer-led. This approach focuses primarily on the clients needs. A company utilizing this approach will utilize market research to know what the customers want to form their product.

Market research has become a vital undertaking in entities that constantly rebrand and launch products. It provides invaluable information which is utilized in product developments and promotion.

Overall, a consumer-led strategy aims at focusing the entitys efforts towards winning over the clients by the value transferred to customers.

There are four components in a product mix. They include product, promotion, price, and place. The product denotes the merchandise that will be availed to the clients.

However, companies have to maximize their sales volume. As such, they undertake promotion which promotes the popularity of the product.

Moreover, the promotion also ensures Nivea or any other entity maintains its market segment. The product has to be availed in the proper location which is convenient to the target consumer. In the above case study, the supermarket is the best location.

The price denotes the money the consumer pays for the value they will receive once they utilize the product. If the price is unreasonable, the product will perform poorly.

A balance in the product mix is vital. It will ensure that none of the vital aspects of the product mix is overlooked. A balance ensures that an entity undertakes appropriate measures to ensure that the four components have been put up appropriately.

Failure to maintain a balance would culminate in an ineffective marketing campaign which would result in the underperformance of products. Maintaining a balance in the product mix is crucial and requires shrewd allocation of resources.

Nivea Visage Young is a product which targets young people. The product seeks to ensure that young people have a product from Nivea which will ensure their skin grows healthily. The product has been availed in many places such as supermarkets.

Additionally, the company has made appropriate measures to transport the product. The price model adopted has ensured that the entity can cover its cost and maintain an appropriate profit margin.

Promotion is the strongest aspect of Nivea visage youngs marketing mix. The entity has popularised its product via advertisements, free samples, and free trials. Such a strategy has ensured massive sales maintaining Nivea as one of the market leaders.

Please identify at least 6 competitive factors (factors that consumers consider in making their buying decision).

Add-on from multi-media is a major competitive factor that enables game console to perform varied functions like an entertainment box. It can act as Mp3 player, plays high definition (HD) video disks, CD player, as well as ripping and burning of CDs (Iacovoni 72). Different companies work towards addressing this factor in order to be in line with the clients tastes and preferences. Simplicity of starting games is another fundamental factor offering competitiveness in the market. The length of the instruction manual and the language used determine the ease of launching gaming.

These parameters affect the time required to make connections, activate controllers, make connections to the visual presentation, and start the game. The hassle involved in beginning gaming makes consumers prefer a company to others. Pricing is another competitive factor (Iacovoni 88). Companies compete based on pricing, but the factor depends on a companys net worth and brand in the market. For instance, Game Zone will need to lower its prices in order to compete effectively with the market giants like Gamespot and Kotaku.

This is as opposed to the two giant gaming companies that dominate the market; they cannot be under pressure to lower their prices, as their loyal customers buy the brand name. Exertainment are controllers allowing gamers to move and exercise while playing the game (Potential Product Competing Factors par. 2). Graphic sophistication involves the image quality and graphics that game console renders. Game Zone meets all the graphic requirements in the competition list, hence no need to make changes as opposed to other competitors (Kim and Mauborgne par. 5). The complexity of games must be considered to enhance mastery of content by gamers.

Please identify 3 different competitors. Rank yourself and each competitor for each of the competitive factors creating a strategy curve.

The competitors include Gamespot, Kotaku, and Joystiq. The ranking of the three competitors against Game Zone are elaborated in excel sheet and shown in the table below.

Apply the four-action framework of eliminate, raise, reduce, and create.

Game Zone needs to eliminate multi-media add-ons and unnecessary adverts, as the rating is 10 in both. With a rating of 8 for complexities and high resolution, Game Zone has to work on how to eliminate these factors in order to remain competitive. For a company like Gamespot, the rating of 0 in all the four competitive factors shows that it has no factor to eliminate.

Game Zone has to work on online support quality as well as ease and simplicity of starting games. Joystiq has to raise all the factors noted. On the reduce aspect, Game Zone being lower than the three companies in terms of net worth, pricing should not be a major factor to reduce  it has a rating of 0. Game Zone should include exertainment in its consoles to compete the major market controllers (Yip par. 7).

Please identify the value innovation that you will be creating to move your business into a Blue Ocean market space.

Being a relatively smaller company among the market controllers like Gamespot, Kotaku, and Joystiq, Game Zone has to apply the product differentiation strategy for different games in order to move from Red Ocean to Blue Ocean. The approach will enable customers to differentiate its products from those of the competitors (Strategy Notes: Blue Ocean Strategy Simulation Game par. 5). Notably, the company should employ different strategies from those of the existing competitors. The unique approach will be quite innovative and helps in capturing new demand in the market (Layton par. 3). In addition, the strategy taps into the uncontested market, and not continues competing in the already existing market space with the aim of making the existing competition in the market irrelevant.

Works Cited

Iacovoni, Alberto. Game Zone: Playgrounds between Virtual Scenarios and Reality. Basel: Birkhauser, 2004. Print.

Kim, Chan, and Renée Mauborgne. Boss Presentation Games. 2012.

Layton, Sarah. Blue Ocean Strategy Tools: The Four Actions Framework and ERRC Grid. 2009.

Potential Product Competing Factors. 2015.

Strategy Notes: Blue Ocean Strategy Simulation Game. 2015.

Yip, Khai Biau. Blue Ocean Strategy  Summary and Examples. 2010.