Monday, October 14, 2019

Apples Competitive Advantage

Apples Competitive Advantage Apples since its inauguration brought an easy to use computers to the market. So that users would not face any problems while using Apple products. Apple practiced horizontal as well as vertical integration. Apple relied on its own designs and refused to authorize its hardware to third parties. Apple used superior software which made help them to grebe the market share. Apple offered a complete package of desktop solution which includes hardware, software and other things. Apple always used typical design for its products. In the era of Spindlers (1993-1996), he opt the strategy to expand Apple products to international market. Apples competitive advantage are its control of software, Hardware, retail strategy, product differentiation and most important one is Steve Jobs strategically decision making. For the distribution system, Apple launched a website for direct sales for the first time. Apple also spent more money on its Research and Development. Apples current competitive advantages can be linked to its initial competitive advantage because users now-a-days value the user experience just like when Mac was initially introduced (Bajg, 2012). Personal Computer Industry and dynamics IBM brought PCs into mainstream in 1980s. Microsoft and Intel products dominated the personal computer industry and more people owned their personal computer. Overall industry continued to boom through early 2000s. In 2000 and on wards PCs were very fast, have more memory and storage. But the prices of PCs continuously dropped. As a result, PC manufacturers average profit margin fell down. New PC emerged as well. Also more expensive laptops gained the attraction of the market. But as the price of PCs fell down, their sales volume increased. As there is expansion of growth so competition in the market also increased (Rich, 2012). Due to the increase in competition, prices of the products fell down and it provided consumers with more options. There are five categories of Pc buyers: Home, Small and medium sized business, government and corporate education. The biggest segment is represented by home consumers. There are four main vendors of PC: HP, Dell, Acer and Lenovo. There are two types of suppliers; one who make product with many sources and other make products such as microprocessors and operating system (Aquino, 2012). By viewing the PC industry it can be said that dynamics are very favorable for the Apple. There are good signs for Apple due to certain reasons. Competition is very high in today era and every company wants to provide best products or services so that customer can be retain. Mostly top four vendors are dealing with desktops and laptops. The preferred personal computers may no longer take the form of a desktop or laptop. Indeed a portion of the personal computer industry has already shifted their preference from a desktop or a laptop to a tablet or iPaD. There are many reasons for this change, including convenience and mobility. So there is chance for Apple to come up with new products and capture the market (Rich, 2012). Apple competitive position in Personal Computers Since its inception, Apples mission is to bring as easy-to-use computer, difference in design elegance to market. Apple also practiced horizontal and vertical integration instead of open system. It relied only o its own designs ad also rejected to license its hardware to the third parties. When Sculleys was the CEO during 1985-1993, Apple targeted low cost computer. Apple also made an alliance with IBM for OS development on Intel platform, but that ended without any result. One of the Apple main strength is to offer its customers a complete desktop solution; which is simply Plug and Play. Apple target market is now increasing. Because people want convenience and they need products which are easy in use (Bajg, 2012). The creation of Mac boasted Apple sales. And Mac customers allowed Apple to sell its products at a premium price. During 1993-1996 Splinder made the strategy to expand Apple to international market but it did not help Apple in long term. Steve Job took over as CEO in 1997 and restructured company on the original strategy. Jobs also launched a website for direct sale and also he increased its spending on RD to get further knowledge about the products. Exhibit 3 shows Apples worldwide PC market share from 1980-2009. In 1980 Apple has the very high market share. But with the passage of time its market share started to decline. And during 1994 market share fell down substantially. When Steve Jobs joined the company again it started to increase gradually. Now Apple is gaining market share slowly (Rich, 2012). Apples Competitive positioning in MP3 players Ipod set Apple on the high growth path. Initially iPod was the portable digital music Players based on the Mp3 standard. It has very good design, large storage and a simple user interface. Early MP3 players only stored hour music, can stored up to 1000 songs. But with the passage of time Apple launched new and innovative design one after another. In 2010, Apple has more than 70% of the MP3 market share. Gross margin for IPod is around 40% in 2007. The cost of main component is flash memory which is more than half of the billing material. In MP3 market there are very less competitors for Apple so it will easy o gain more market share for Apple. So in MP3 market Apple performance is very good and it is increasing as Apple delivers innovative designs which are very attractive to the customers (Aquino, 2012). Apple Competitive position in Smart Phones Steve Jobs launched the first iPhone and smart phone industry began. Apple smart phone Market share is high. More than 2 billion applications have been downloaded from the Apple iphone App Store. Apple mission is that iPhone gets better with every new app. Apple has just great job of continuously improving the iPhone with new features and capabilities. Also Steve Job did excellently with I Tunes and iPod. And now he is doing it with it iPhones. Apple iPhone created a new class of phone. Apple invented the market and other mobile device maker is chasing Apple. The main competitors of Apple are Google Android, Nokia and Blackberry. Apple provides the best services in iPhones (Bajg, 2012). iPad and new iPad mini iPad is the mixture produced by Apple after lending iPhone and iPod technology. iPad is the best way to experience the web. It has revolutionized traditional ways of surfing the internet. It views whole pages in portrait or landscape on the screen of large multi-touch. Its also deals with checking e-mail and sending email as well. It is also worlds largest cookbook. Storage of iPad is very great and also it has large display. It is also easy to access different books from iPad. iPad is use in businesses, education, health and consumer usage. So iPad is very useful in different areas. And its demand will be increasing in next days. As now a days consumer wants more convenience and mobility (Aquino, 2012). According to Rich (2012) iPad mini is a another amazing product launched by Apple. It has a smaller screen as compared to iPad. iPad is cheaper than iPad. Nd the reason for its cheapness is that it has no retina display. iPad mini is lighter and thinner than iPad. Also it has less powerful processor and it uses a nano SIM. It has fewer functions than iPad. But due to its size and thickness it is very easy to keep in the pocket. In future it will be very helpful for the people to some extent.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

A Child Called It By Dave Pelzer :: Free Essay Writer

A Child Called â€Å"It† By:David Pelzer I chose the book, The Child Called â€Å"It† because one of my friends told me about the book. The whole story line caught my attention. I was amazed at what was going on in this boy’s life. This book, a true story, is very emotional. The title relates to the book because his mother calls the boy, David Pelzer, â€Å"It†. She does not call him by his real name. His mother treats him like he is nothing but an object. Also, I think the title fits well because it catches people’s attention and gives a clue what the book is about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author is attempting to teach the readers that no one should treat people this badly. David is an innocent child and does not deserve his bad childhood. David does not even do anything wrong, and his mother continued to treat him like an object. Pelzer succeeded in telling how cruel the mother is. He also teaches that people can be cruel to each other, and that it is important to teach people that kindness can go a long way. The whole book discusses his childhood. Pelzer wrote some sequels to tell the rest of his child life for the interested readers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins when he was first treated badly, in the 1960’s. His mother was a good mother until David’s father and mother started drinking. Its mother changed drastically from the alcohol drinking. The story begins in the kitchen of his house when he is doing his chores. His mother has a time limit on how fast he should do the dishes. If he does not accomplish the dishes in that amount of time, he does not get supper. In addition to the hunger, he receives a beating. The setting is very effective because the reader gets into the story. The setting also prepares you for what the mother does in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main characters are David, his mother, and father. David, the abused child, cannot escape his mother’s punishments. David’s mother is a drunken, abusive mother that refers to her child as â€Å"It†. David’s father is caring and understanding, but cannot help David escape. The mother and father drastically change after the alcohol abuse. David also changes in his attitude towards his parents. At first, David cares that his mother treats him badly. After awhile, he doesn’t care and becomes apathetic.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Odyssey :: essays research papers fc

When one ponders the Greek mythology and literature, powerful images invariably come to mind. One relives the heroes’ struggles against innumerable odds, their battles against magical monsters, and the gods’ periodic intervention in mortal affairs. Yet, a common and often essential portion of a heroic epic is the hero’s consultation with an oracle or divinity. This prophecy is usually critical to the plot line, and also to the well being of the main characters. Could Priam have survived in the Achaean camp if not at the gods’ instruction (200-201)? Could the Argos have run the gauntlet of the Prowling Rocks if not for the gods’ advice of using a sacrificial bird (349). Moreover, prophecy can be negative as well as positive. Achilles was prophesied to die gloriously in battle if he chose his life’s way as a warrior. Oedipus was exiled and condemned by his own words, after he slew his sire and wed his mother. This type of prophesy can blind eve n the gods themselves; Chronos was fated to be defeated and his throne stolen by his son. Demeter loses Persephone periodically every year because her daughter ate Hades’ pomegranates. Prophecy plays an important role in the whole of Greek folklore. Something this ever-present bears further examination. In The Odyssey, prophecy in its myriad forms affects nearly every aspect of the epic. Prophecies are seen in the forms of omens, signs, strict prediction of the future, divine condemnation, and divine instruction. Though conceptually these forms are hard to distinguish, they are clearly separate in the Odyssey. Moreover, prophecies can be interpreted not only on the "plot device" level, but also on the level of characterization. Whether a character accepts or denies the gods’ prophecies tells the reader something about the character himself. Omens are brief prophecies intimately connected to the action at hand, which must be interpreted in terms of that action . Halitherses comments on the eagle attack after Telemakhos condemns the suitors (463-464); he correctly interests it to mean that if the suitors keep feeding off Odysseus’s possessions they will be destroyed. Yet the suitors ignore the omen, inviting their eventual destruction. This haughty treatment of a divine omen is a justification for their deaths. When Penelope says if Odysseus had returned he would, with his son, surely slay the suitors, Telemakhos let loose a great sneeze (429). This omen reinforces the previous one, and simultaneously prepares the reader for the carnage to follow.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Lululemon Athletica

Last week I read a story about yoga clothes-maker/fashion brand Lululemon and their fairly blatant disregard for any sort of overweight or plus-size consumers. In short, they admitted that selling to women who wear size 12 and smaller is an important business strategy for them, and that it's based on â€Å"design, capacity and operational perspective. † That video seems to only anger some customers more. One wrote in response, â€Å"On one hand you are bashing us for being fat and on the other hand bashing us for maybe trying to do something about it.Should my fat ass' squeeze nto a small size Just so I can say I own a pair†¦ no! † In a video, Chip Wilson, the founder of athletic label Lululemon has apologized for suggesting that women's fat thighs were to blame for a line of yoga pants being recalled for being too sheer lululemon has released the video statement below from CEO Chip Wilson. It's Just shy of a minute, and if you were expecting an apology, this isn't it. The message is confusing, and â€Å"I'm really sad for the repercussions of my actions† seems like an apology to lululemon employees, not the consumers.He closes with a cryptic request o â€Å"stay in the conversation. † What do you think? Are you buying it? So he ended up blaming the customer for the quality control problem within the company, and that's what enraged the customers So, the media spoke to lulu enthusiasts and the customers went right ahead and said we have no interest in buying lulu products any more. Lululemon doesn't have the obligation to manufacture yoga pants but blaming customers for their defective see through pants wasn't cool either. The rules: 1 . A second chance comes after one error, not several. 2. You don't turnNamaste into nasty unless you want a serious time out. 3. Never blame mommy's thighs for anything, ever. Just how bad things can get when you refuse to own up to mistakes and choose to blame and insult others instead. Wilson's eyes appear slightly moist, his voice shaking. He seems to be apologizing to his colleagues and appealing for calm, but fails to address any of his controversial comments specifically. The glitches cost the company millions of dollars, damaged its reputation and depressed its share price. The recall continues to weigh on the company's performance, resulting in late deliveries. Lululemon Athletica Last week I read a story about yoga clothes-maker/fashion brand Lululemon and their fairly blatant disregard for any sort of overweight or plus-size consumers. In short, they admitted that selling to women who wear size 12 and smaller is an important business strategy for them, and that it's based on â€Å"design, capacity and operational perspective. † That video seems to only anger some customers more. One wrote in response, â€Å"On one hand you are bashing us for being fat and on the other hand bashing us for maybe trying to do something about it.Should my fat ass' squeeze nto a small size Just so I can say I own a pair†¦ no! † In a video, Chip Wilson, the founder of athletic label Lululemon has apologized for suggesting that women's fat thighs were to blame for a line of yoga pants being recalled for being too sheer lululemon has released the video statement below from CEO Chip Wilson. It's Just shy of a minute, and if you were expecting an apology, this isn't it. The message is confusing, and â€Å"I'm really sad for the repercussions of my actions† seems like an apology to lululemon employees, not the consumers.He closes with a cryptic request o â€Å"stay in the conversation. † What do you think? Are you buying it? So he ended up blaming the customer for the quality control problem within the company, and that's what enraged the customers So, the media spoke to lulu enthusiasts and the customers went right ahead and said we have no interest in buying lulu products any more. Lululemon doesn't have the obligation to manufacture yoga pants but blaming customers for their defective see through pants wasn't cool either. The rules: 1 . A second chance comes after one error, not several. 2. You don't turnNamaste into nasty unless you want a serious time out. 3. Never blame mommy's thighs for anything, ever. Just how bad things can get when you refuse to own up to mistakes and choose to blame and insult others instead. Wilson's eyes appear slightly moist, his voice shaking. He seems to be apologizing to his colleagues and appealing for calm, but fails to address any of his controversial comments specifically. The glitches cost the company millions of dollars, damaged its reputation and depressed its share price. The recall continues to weigh on the company's performance, resulting in late deliveries.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Motivational Factors

Abstract This paper will explore and discuss the motivational factors that managers must be proficient with in order to accomplish the organization’s goals and objectives. This exploration and discussion will include aspects of different theories to understand how motivation affects the accomplishment of the organization’s goals and objectives. This exploration will be emphasized and interconnected with motivational theories to increase the success of today’s organizations and explain the impact managers have on the success of their organizations.In addition, this explanation will discuss how motivation is initiated and how this affects the personal and organizational goal settings. Implications and conclusions will be drawn from the application of ample discussion setting forth a better management practice that strengthens the understanding of the need of more motivation in today’s organizations. Motivational Factors and Organizational Goals Accomplishmen t Managers must consider many motivational factors to motivate their employees to perform at their highest ability.Motivation has internal and external forces, which influence employees’ behavior. â€Å"Motivation refers to the forces either within or external to a person that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action† (Daft & Marcic, 2010, p. 404). Any person who is successful in whatever they are doing it is very likely due to set goals. Goal Setting is extremely important to motivation and success. Motivating employees is beneficial for both managers and employees because it enhances productivity and the accomplishment of the organizational goals.In order to achieve these goals, employees need to be well trained and motivated by managers which are the key factors in the success of this task. Employees are the most important assets and they are human being first and then the employees. For that reason, they must be treated fairly and with dignity. This is one of the most prominent motivating factors in any organization. Leaders and managers need to earn the respect of their employees in order to excel in their task. Departing from the premise of treating others with respect and dignity, employees will react in the same way.Managers can show respect to their employees by assigning them tasks that they are best suited for them. Every employee has a unique set of skills and talents that are an enormous resource for managers. Managers by communicating employees’ strong points will motivate them to accomplish their task resulting in a higher level of job satisfaction. It also builds the employee’s self-esteem and confidence leading to very strong and loyal employees. This starts a cycle of self-motivation and confidence that continually builds upon its own momentum if carefully managed.Organizations with this type of management achieve their organizational goals with ease. Everything starts with a common cy cle of motivation that needs to be fulfilled to attain the motivation desired of the employees. Figure1 shows this cycle. Figure 1. A simple model of motivation. This figure illustrates the basic elements of human motivation: need, behavior, and rewards. Source: Daft, R. (2008). Management. (8th ed). Mason, OH: Thompson South-Western, p. 522, exhibit 16. 1. Need The basic element of the motivational process in management starts with the satisfaction of employees’ needs.While motivation is universal and each employees needs are unique, managers must focus on identifying what needs are important to each individual in order to satisfy these needs and encourage the motivational environment within the organization. It is important that â€Å"managers take into account theories that will provide them a full understanding of motivation and its implementation in the workplace† (Patterson, 2007, p. 57). For instance, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory proposes that withi n every person there are needs that must be satisfied.These include safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. Within each of these stages, there is a vast range of needs that could fit into each category suggesting each individuals needs could be different and unique as illustrated in table 1. Behavior â€Å"Motivation is what influences behavior† (Daft & Marcic, 2010, p. 72). Therefore, employees’ motivation must be what influences employee behavior at work. Employees can be motivated by an employer, a co-worker, or any situation in their life.While employees behave at the level their employer is looking for, managers must develop proficiency in the motivational arena. This proficiency of the application of the motivational factors will help managers to motivate their employees and fulfillment of their needs. It is important to mention that employees are human beings that have needs and they want to fulfill those needs in a successful manner. Abraham Maslo w's theory is one of the most widely discussed theories of motivation emphasizing that Table 1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsNeed HierarchyFulfillment off the jobFulfillment on the job Self-actualizationEducation, religion, hobbies, personal growthOpportunities for training, advancement, growth, and creativity EsteemApproval of family, friends, communityRecognition, high status, increased responsibilities BelongingnessFamily, friends, community groupsWork groups, clients, coworkers, supervisors SafetyFreedom from war, pollution, violenceSafe work, fringe benefits, job security PhysiologicalFood, water, oxygenHeat, air, base salary Note: This table represents the hierarchy of needs theory.This theory proposes that people are motivated by five categories of needs that exist in hierarchical order as illustrated in the table from bottom to top. Daft, R. (2008). Management. (8th ed). Mason, OH: Thompson South-Western, p. 525, exhibit 16. 2. human beings have wants and desires which i nfluence their behavior as illustrated in table 1. Daft ; Marcic (2010) mentioned, â€Å"Only unsatisfied needs influence behavior, satisfied needs do not† (p. 233). For that reason, managers have to be proficient in the motivation arena in order to have employees performing well in the organization.They also need to understand what makes employees behave well in the workplace. Reward Employee motivation, positive employee morale, and rewards are important for the success of every organization. People have unique characteristics that make them special. These characteristics will define the level of satisfaction needed to satisfy their needs whether physically, economically, emotionally, or among others. The satisfaction level will affect morale, motivation, and their quality of life in a positive or negative way. Therefore, it is imperative every organization develop a recognition program that is motivational and rewarding.No discussion of rewards would be complete without ad dressing intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. When someone feels gratification when doing something it is considered as an intrinsic reward. â€Å"Intrinsic rewards are the satisfaction a person receives in the process of performing a particular action† (Daft, 2008, p. 522). This satisfaction is caused by choices and perception a person has when accomplishing a task. Keun and Kulviwat (2008) mentioned in their research that â€Å"expectancy is the perceived connection between the effort and the outcome and the perception between the outcome and the reward† (p. 95). Expectancy theory is about the mental processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. Intrinsic motivation is motivated by the interest or enjoyment in the task itself and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure as in the case of extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic rewards can be considered as when somebody tries to make someone else do something by giving them an external i ncentive that gratifies the receiver. Daft (2008) mentioned, â€Å"Extrinsic rewards are originated externally as a result of pleasing others† (p. 522).External rewards are extra pay, bonuses, promotion, incentives, among others. In the article, James (2005) presents a point of view of the cognitive evaluation theory to explain how â€Å"external motivation occurs when explicit rewards are implemented, which results in individuals having greater satisfaction† (p. 549). This theory is a theory in Psychology that is designed to explain the effects of external consequences on internal motivation. Intrinsic motivational factors are part of the job itself and boost the personal satisfaction by accomplishing something worthwhile.Many organizations need a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators to encourage top-notch performance. Managers must ensure their organization has a very good employee reward program in place that promotes creativity and excellence. Feedback Providing ample feedback would work for employees motivated by esteem, while â€Å"providing predictable work, with minimal risk and uncertainty† would satisfy employees who desire security (Moyer ; Dunphy, 2007, p. 37). Any company that values its employees should provide feedback to their employee regularly.Feedback offers invaluable insight to employees about their performance that ultimately can affect the employees’ motivation. The key to a successful feedback is to focus on positive rather than negative feedback on the employees’ performance, which is the primary purpose of feedback. Feedback is not difficult but is a skill that all managers must master. Once mastered, managers have a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and facilitating knowledge skill enhancement. From Where Motivation Comes From Motivation may come from within a person or as the result of the situation.In contemporary workplaces, employees have become accustomed to external motivations such as bonuses, extra days off, contest prizes, etc†¦ The problem with motivation resulting from a situation is that they no longer motivate employees when they are no longer in the situation. External Motivation can make people dependent on things that are never part of a long-term motivational scene. If people want motivation to go deeper, they will have to find a way to create it within themselves or intrinsically. Internal motivation is self-motivation. It resides in everyone although it may be dormant. It is lasting and powerful.In combination with the external motivators mentioned earlier it is the foundation for success of organizations. Therefore, motivation comes from within and from a situation but self-motivation may be more powerful and last longer. Conclusion Overall, the motivational process is universal as all organizations through various strategies attempt to motivate employees in order to attain high performance and achieve organizational goals. The categorie s within these theories are wide-ranging thus suggesting that there are no definite motivator factors for each employee but each individual motivation is unique.Managers must consider many motivational factors and apply them to the employee’s need uniqueness. The basic element of the motivational process in management starts with the satisfaction of employees’ needs. For that reason, managers have to be proficient in the motivation arena in order to have employees performing and behaving well in the organization. It is essential for each organization to develop a motivational and rewarding recognition program. In addition, a good feedback program must be implemented to provide employees a valuable insight about their performance allowing them to realize the achievement of their goals.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The Value Investing Approach ( Banjamin Graham ) Research Paper

The Value Investing Approach ( Banjamin Graham ) - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that Benjamin Graham is believed to be the original intelligent investor. In his lifetime (1894 to 1976), he was able to enormously contribute to the main subject of investments and security analysis. His works vary from helping an individual perform his own portfolio management, searching for a timely company, purchasing of stocks, and investment of retirement savings at Wall Street. It is worth noting that Graham was always trying to purchase stocks that were been traded at a discount as compared to their net Current Asset Value. In simpler terms, he purchased stocks that were undervalued and he would hold them until they were fully valued. Graham was once known to have said that the determining characteristic of an investor will be his willingness to spare his time and care when selecting securities that are sound and can be seen to be attractive than the average. Nonetheless, an enterprising investor of his caliber could expect a worthw hile reward when it comes to his extra skills and efforts. This could take the form of a better average return as compared to the returns realized from a passive investor. The former world’s richest person (Warren Buffett) is one of the most known Graham’s disciples. Through Berkshire Hathaway, an investment vehicle that Buffet used for the last 40 years, he was able to make 22.2 percent annuals gains for all those years. This is one remarkable record. One may think that this form of percentage is small as compared to the 70 and 100 percent we witness on websites and newsletters. Fortunately, buffet was able to achieve his annual gain year after year, and what we see on the websites and newsletter is just the hype merchant’s use by the wayside. In the end, buffet still has the sovereignty as been the greatest investor of recent times (BuffetsSecrets, 2011). This paper will demonstrate what made Graham’s ideas stand out. It is not just the meager concept o f buying low and sell high. It was more of purchasing cheap assets and sell them later as expensive assets while at the same time looking for large gaps between the worthiness of stock’s and their price. Graham is known to have referred to this as the Margin of Safety (GrahamInvestor, 2012). This form of approach is known to have consumed plenty of time as it was an active investment. It should be known that it could not be done submissively until recently. In any given financial matters, the management of finances is something very important for the immediate and event the later future of an individual’s finances or that of an organization. This means that finance management can either be long term or even short term. In that case, the management of finance will basically involve the future planning of someone’s finances or even that of a business. This is usually done so that there can be a guarantee of smooth financial flow for the business or one’s af fairs. So as to be done in a much effective manner, it has always been necessary to have administration issues and maintenance of all possible financial goods and assets. Another important element of financial management is that it has to cover all the processes which are involved in the overall identification and management of risks. When it comes to the issues of financial management, there should be the element of assessment on the financial situations rather than involving the techniques which entail quantification of the finances. This gives the duty of a financial manager in ensuring that he or she looks keenly at all the available information and data in making useful judgments on the enterprise or business performance of enterprises. Management of finance should be applied as an interdisciplinary approach which has to effectively borrow from the areas of managerial aspects, accounting modalities, and with corporate financing. Graham’

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Crisis Communications Paper on MS13 Gang Violence Essay

Crisis Communications Paper on MS13 Gang Violence - Essay Example This radical change in this field caused the mankind inviting many problems as well as solutions to deal with them. Appropriate communication during the time of crisis plays a pivotal role to manage the situation effectively. As at the time of crisis the emotions are at their highest level because of stress which often makes people behave in an erratic way. Confusion creeps in their mind to manage the crisis and at that time effective communication skills comes to their rescue. Crisis situations may vary in their nature such as a disastrous situation due to a natural calamity or a terrorist attack or even violence caused by the street gangs and many others. All these situations demands prompt actions which in turn can lead to wrong moves. "Adequate coping skills along with other balancing factors, such as realistic perception of the event and social support can help minimize overreaction"(Radziewicz, http://www.conversationsincare.com/web_book/chapter03.html). In recent days youth ga ngs are mushrooming at many places causing havoc in the society with their violent deeds. One such deadly and violent youth gang of United States and of Central America is MS-13 which poses a threat to the life and liberty of the people. Mara Salvatrucha abbreviated to MS-13 derives its origin to the Civil War of El Salvador in 1980s which caused a million of Salvadorans to emigrate to USA and settle there as refugees. These immigrants in USA faced a bitter opposition from the Mexican gangs formed by other immigrants settled there earlier which prompted the Salvadorans to form their own gang for defending their existence. But soon the gang expanded and became the largest gang symbolizing violence and barbarism to their peak. "Composed of mostly Salvadorans and other central Americans-many of them undocumented -the gang has a uniquely international profile It's considered the fastest growing, most violent and least understood of the nation's street gangs" (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7244879/site/newsweek). Unlike other gangs the members of MS-13 are very flexible in their activities. They are into various fields of crimes specializing in extortions, drug and arm trafficking, homicides, cross border human trafficking, theft and so on. "Mara Salvatrucha members have tattoes on most of their upper body, including the arms and face, with lettering done in Gothic (Blackletter) style. The "MS" and "13" is always tattooed on them. (This has resulted in the arrest and detention of many people, first in Honduras then in El Salvador for illicit association based entirely on the fact that they are wearing tattoos associated with gang membership) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_Salvatrucha). The members of MS-13 are relatively fearless compared to other gangs and shows zero tolerance to the persons who became informant to the cops about their misdeeds. Even they act defiantly without being intimidated by the law enforcement officials easily. The members who abandons the gang is brutally killed by other active members. They impose rent on the people in the locality in which they live in lieu of guarranty of the security of the locals from the threats of other gangs. They are quite adept at using exlosives, firearms and grenades. Having been trained in guerilla warfare the MS-13 members frequently change their places