Global Market Research Heineken in Australia-Get Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Market Research of Heineken. Answer: Background of the Research The Heineken Company was founded in the year of 1864 by Gerad Adriaan Heineken in Amsterdam. Currently its operations divided into five regions that are Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, The Americas, Africa and the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Within these areas the company has nearly 120 brewing plants in more than 70 countries (Colen and Swinnen 2016). However, it is the first time that Heineken is planning to make their presence in the Australian market. Currently in Australia, top beer companies are Cascade Brewery, Castlemaine Perkins, Coopers Brewery and Hahn Brewery (Johnston et al. 2016). However, from the current beer consumption trends, it can be said that if Heineken joins the Australian beer market, then they will have to bear heavy losses. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, beer accounted for about three quarters of the alcohol consumed by the Australian people in the previous years. However, it now makes up only about 40% of the total consumption (Livingston and Dietze 2016). This clearly states that slowly but steadily beer consumption rate is falling down in Australia. In this scenario it can be said that Heineken managements decision to expand their business in Australia is not an efficient one. Previous Research According to Chikritzhs et al. (2010), consumption of alcohol in Australia was at its peak since 1991-1992. It was expected that consumption rate of any alcohol will increase among the people of Australia in the upcoming years. However, it was mentioned that excise tax on ready-to-drink spirit-based products will increase from April 2008 which will affect the rate of beer consumption in Australia. On the other hand, as mentioned by Janssens et al. (2001), obesity and BMI (body mass index) is another problem among the Australians that is forcing them to consume less amount of alcohol. However, in the research, it is also mentioned that increased amount of alcohol consumption can only affect the male as it slightly increased their BMI. On the other hand, for the female consumers, consumption of beer does not increase their body mass. From this research, it can be stated that consumption beer seems not to confer an increased risk for obesity and overweight among the women. From this ana lysis it can be stated that Heineken has a moderate amount of the chance to become successful in the Australian market as their beer products will have lesser amount of calories and will target only the female customers of the country. However, as per mentioned by Johnston et al. (2016), in Australia the most advertised alcohol product was Wine with a 44% advertisement rate. Advertisement rate of Beer in the country is 24% that clearly exhibits that currently Wine is the most popular product in the Australian market. From this data it can be stated that Heineken will not only compete with existing beer companies, but will also compete with the wine manufacturing organizations in order to gain a stable position in the alcohol market of Australia. Literature review Levy and Shapnel (2014) has stated that the sales of non-alcoholic water based beverage in Australia have increased at the rate of 1.7% p.a. The breakup of the sales regarding this sale can be categorized into non-sugar varieties non-alcoholic drinks and sugar varieties of energy drinks and soft drinks. In the period of 15 years, it is seen that the volume of share of sales has increased from 30% to 42%. On the contrary, the sales of beer and other carbonated drinks have been drastically fallen to 0.7%. The middle-income group people as well as the higher income group people consumed carbonated drinks and beer compared to lower income group people. The drinking culture in Australia as well as in global perspectives has been changed. The decline in drinking culture of beer is the problem for the alcohol and spirited beverages manufacturers across the world. The companies are facing difficulties while determining the issues in drinking cultures among different categories of people. The culture of drinking is related with many influences such as structural and demographic changes, health and advertising promotion, purchasing power of consumers, taste preferences of consumers, buying attitude of consumers towards carbonated drinks, etc. It can be said that the consumers are more health conscious nowadays while purchasing high calorie oriented drinks including beer (Pennay and Room 2016). Jiang and Livingston (2015) stated that alcohol consumption of the Australian consumers is positively associated with the consumers affordability and is negatively associated with the price of alcohol. Author points out the fact that the increasing taxes and prices of alcohol will help in reducing the consumption of alcohol in Australia. Pricing policies of alcohol will cautiously focus on beverage types of individuals. If the price of any alcoholic drink increases then the sales of the substitute alcoholic drinks will be increased substantially. The associations between the fatal injuries and the population level of alcohol are considered as the factors that are responsible for creation of external impacts in the perspective of major policy interventions. The study regarding the alcohol and beer consumption is conducted while quantifying the associations between non traffic and traffic mortality rates and the per capita alcohol consumption among Australian consumers. The major traffic safety initiatives are related to the effects of alcohol consumption to the consumers of Australia (Callinan and Livingston 2014). The level of consumption of beer across the world is unstable after the World War II. It is seen that the per capita consumption of beer has been declined in the countries where beer production is occurring. The technological innovations with the increase of income of people are not responsible for the falling consumption of beer in different countries. In developed countries like Australia, United States, the trends of drinking alcoholic drinks are reducing due to changing preferences (Piron and Poelmans 2016). The effect of consumption of alcohol is related to the cause of many diseases in the consumer of the drinks. The increased risk of disease in esophagus is due to excess alcohol consumption. The risk also increases due to the impact of smoking in the risk of diseases apart from esophageal diseases like cancer. Research has been conducted among the drinkers that most of the consumers of alcohol consume beer (Thrift et al. 2014). It is seen that the trends of consumption of alcohol is falling drastically. Among the other wine and spirited drinks, the consumption of Beer has fallen at a higher rate. The volume of consumption has been shrunk up to 10% considering the past six years. It is the reason of worrying the Australian brewers. The trends of reducing beer consumption among the Australians have forced the brewers to formulate and discover new products that will satisfy the needs of the consumers in Australia along with the profitability of the country (de Gaetano et al. 2016). Statement of the problem Heineken 3 is seeking to launch its new brand of its low calorie drinks in Australian market. However, on initial consumer trials it is seen that the company has obtained a great responses from the respondent consumers. The statement of the problem focuses on the marketing and identification of the opportunities in leveraging the easy drinking and spontaneous consumptions. It is seen that the company is targeting female consumers as they have portrayed the Heineken 3 as a low calorie drink with lower carbohydrate content (Bartram et al. 2017). The case study illustrates that the company is facing issues while conducting marketing research in determining the actual beer consumption occasions among the consumers of Australia. The initial research has pointed out that the consumers want a product that would match their lifestyle without compromise in quality and taste. MDP- In Australia, it is seen that the beer consumption has fallen drastically. It is the reason of targeting the female consumers by spreading awareness of the low calorie oriented beer in the market. By taking this consent, Heineken will be launching its new brand Heineken 3 in Australia where the consumption rate is falling day by day. The management of the company is in dilemma whether the Australian consumers will accept the brand like that of other Heineken products or not. The research objectives of the study is To find out the beer consumption trend in Australia To identify the issues related to falling beer consumption rate in Australia To identify the opportunities for Heineken in launching its new brand in Australian market The research questions of the study is MRP 1: What is the trend of beer consumption rate in Australia? H1- The rate of beer consumption in Australia is decreasing as the consumers are becoming more health conscious. MRP 2: What are the issues that are occurring related to the decreased beer consumption rate in Australia? H2- The issues are related to health and safety i.e. chance of getting obsessed. MRP 3: What are the opportunities that Heineken will be using while launching its brand extension in Australian market? H3- Heineken is targeting female consumers with the low calorie oriented drink. Research Design Role of Qualitative research Qualitative research is known as a method of inquiry used in many dissimilar academic disciplines that includes social sciences and natural sciences but also includes non-academic contexts such as market research, business and service demonstrations by non-profits (Smith et al. 2015. In this particular research it is important to conduct a qualitative research method to understand current beer drinking occasions in Australia. It is known as a more focuses and appropriate method than quantitative method. In quantitative method a research problem is quantified by generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into useable statistics (Silverman 2016). However, to find out the latest beer drinking trends among the Australian consumers, it is necessary to conduct an exploratory research method which will be able to gain opinions and motivations of the consumers. Qualitative research method will help to collect thoughts and opinions and will uncover latest trends. That is why; q ualitative research would be appropriate for this research. Qualitative research technique Qualitative research methods can be conducted by using several different methods such as interview, focus group, observation, self study, ethnography and action research (Ritchie et al. 2013. For this particular research the methods of focus group and interview will be used. Conducting focus groups with the female consumers of Australia will help to pinpoint the problems of Heineken. On the other hand, it will also help to understand what the consumers are thinking currently about the beer products. Approximate Cost analysis For this proposal, an estimated cost analysis structure is hereby mentioned below. Activities Cost Hours Cost per hour () Total () Questionnaire Design 24 22 528 Questionnaire Printing 60 Questionnaire Handling 36 14 360 Data Entry 12 15 180 Data Analysis 25 22 550 Report Writing 40 15 600 Total 138 88 2278 Time Main activities/ stages Month March Month April Month May Month June Month July Month August Topic Selection Data collection from secondary sources Framing layout of the research Literature review Formation of the research Plan Selection of the Appropriate Research Techniques Primary data collection Analysis Interpretation of Data Collection Conclusion of the Study Formation of Rough Draft Submission of Final Work References Bartram, A., Eliott, J., Hanson-Easey, S. and Crabb, S., 2017. How have people who have stopped or reduced their alcohol consumption incorporated this into their social rituals?.Psychology Health, pp.1-17. Callinan, S., Room, R. and Livingston, M., 2014. Changes in Australian attitudes to alcohol policy: 19952010.Drug and alcohol review,33(3), pp.227-234. Chikritzhs, T.N., Allsop, S.J., Moodie, A.R. and Hall, W.D., 2010. Per capita alcohol consumption in Australia: will the real trend please step forward.Med J Aust,193(10), pp.594-597. Colen, L. and Swinnen, J., 2016. Economic Growth, Globalisation and Beer Consumption.Journal of agricultural economics,67(1), pp.186-207. de Gaetano, G., Costanzo, S., Di Castelnuovo, A., Badimon, L., Bejko, D., Alkerwi, A.A., Chiva-Blanch, G., Estruch, R., La Vecchia, C., Panico, S. and Pounis, G., 2016. Effects of moderate beer consumption on health and disease: A consensus document.Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases,26(6), pp.443-467. Janssens, J., BRUCKERS, L., Joossens, J.V., MOLENBERGHS, G., VINCK, J., RENARD, D. and Tafforeau, J., 2001. Overweight, obesity and beer consumption. Alcohol drinking habits in Belgium and body mass index. Jiang, H. and Livingston, M., 2015. The dynamic effects of changes in prices and affordability on alcohol consumption: an impulse response analysis.Alcohol and Alcoholism,50(6), pp.631-638. Johnston, R., Stafford, J., Pierce, H. and Daube, M., 2016. Alcohol promotions in Australian supermarket catalogues.Drug and Alcohol Review. Levy, G.S. and Shrapnel, W.S., 2014. Quenching Australia's thirst: A trend analysis of water?based beverage sales from 1997 to 2011.Nutrition Dietetics,71(3), pp.193-200. Livingston, M. and Dietze, P., 2016. National survey data can be used to measure trends in population alcohol consumption in Australia.Australian and New Zealand journal of public health,40(3), pp.233-235. Pennay, A. and Room, R., 2016. Drinking cultures and change: Local, national and global. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 23(1), pp. 267-269. Piron, E. and Poelmans, E., 2016. Beer, the Preferred Alcoholic Drink of All? Changes in the Global and National Beer Consumption Since 1960 and Convergence and Trends Since the 1990s. InBrewing, Beer and Pubs(pp. 205-227). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C.M. and Ormston, R. eds., 2013.Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage. Silverman, D. ed., 2016.Qualitative research. Sage. Smith, J.A. ed., 2015.Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage. Thrift, A.P., Kramer, J.R., Richardson, P.A. and El-Serag, H.B., 2014. No significant effects of smoking or alcohol consumption on risk of Barretts esophagus.Digestive diseases and sciences,59(1), pp.108-116.

Japan Value Exchange Rates

The recent crisis in Japan that is currently underway is a major blow to the Japanese economy as a whole and to its currency ratings in international foreign exchange market. At the moment the Tokyo yen exchange rates have already started plummeting by an alarming percentage just few days after the crisis (Langundo).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Japan Value Exchange Rates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A recent report indicates that the Japanese stock market is the hardest hit financially in the aftermath of the imminent explosion of the nuclear power plant which has further compounded an already existing problem (Langundo). Japan recent crisis has caused an â€Å"economic shock† in the country, a situation which comes about when natural disaster like Tsunami hits a country; it is more likely that a further weakening of the Japanese currency against all currencies will be the outcome as the c omplete damage that the tsunami caused is completely assessed in the coming days. This weakening of the Japanese currency which is also known as devaluation of the currency will greatly affect the economy by creating instability in the exchange rates (Aggarwal). The Japanese yen has already appreciated against the US dollar and surplus of the currency may be reported in Japanese market in the coming days which means the Yen is weakening against US dollar which will now become stronger; the only good news is that importers will benefit because of this weakening of Japanese currency but on the other hand exporters will be greatly affected since it will mean there products will lose value. The strengthening of the dollar may be due to immediate measures being taken by various firms and companies such as dumping of shares and massive conversion of already held Japanese Yen’s into dollars (Langundo). The devaluation of the yen literary means that, if the Japanese yen is trading at 70 against the dollar, it is likely to appreciate to about 75 against the dollar which in economics terms implies depreciation or weakening of the yen. The nuclear crisis being experienced is also directly affecting the yen value since majority of investors with shares in this sector have already started dumping their shares. The crisis is also likely to affect the import and export market. Indeed, the crisis has demolished many companies and even the nuclear plant which is one of the main sources of the electricity used in industries and domestic use.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, production in Japan will be affected and the country will be forced to do more importation compared to exportation until everything goes back to normal. Such an effect will also mean that exports will reduce due to decline in production which in turn means unbalanced trade that will eventually cause cash payment deficit to occur in the country (Aggarwal). Consequently, when exports have reduced, there will be an increase in demand for the foreign currency like US dollar. On the other hand, the demand for foreign currency will be followed by a further devaluation of the Japanese yen meaning that the yen will appreciate compared to the US dollar. Due to the devaluation of the local currency the trade of domestic goods and services should be expected to be cheaper compared to trade in foreign goods and services (Smith). However, there are measures that can be put in place to ensure that yen makes a comeback to its original value once again. For instance the central bank of Japan can regulate the strength of foreign currencies by maintaining the current exchange rates through sale of its foreign reserve in order to balance the capital outflow being experienced in the market (Smith). This will cause a shrink in the money supply which will in turn increase the domestic interest rates thereby maintaining stability of the yen currency in the market the international market. Works Cited Aggarwal, M. â€Å"Factors affecting the currency conversion rates† 2008. Web. http://ezinearticles.com/?Factors-Affecting-The-Currency-Conversion-Ratesid=1016704. Langundo, A. â€Å"Tokyo exchange falls sharply to 5 %.† 2011. Web. Smith, O. â€Å"Currency Exchange.† New Delhi: S.N publishers, 2007.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Japan Value Exchange Rates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This research paper on Japan Value Exchange Rates was written and submitted by user Alexia Jefferson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Reflective Essay Sample That Explain the Process to Choose Three Articles

Reflective Essay Sample That Explain the Process to Choose Three ArticlesA reflective essay sample that explain the process to choose three articles is one of the most important aspects when writing an essay. By reading a three article essay sample and not understanding the process that you need to follow, you will find it hard to write an effective essay.So what are the three things to look for in an essay sample that explain the process to choose three articles? The three tips that I am going to give you can be applied by anyone who is going to choose three articles. You should always be using two different sources for two different topics.A reflective essay sample that explain the process to choose three articles can be done with two different topics. This is the advantage that I like the most when using the reflective essay sample. However, with two different topics, you will need two different essay samples.As with any essay, you need to have at least three important things to b egin with. These three things will help you find and identify your target audience. When you identify your target audience, then you can start to research and read articles that address those issues that you identified.The reflective essay sample that explain the process to choose three articles can also be used when you are writing your essay to talk about an issue that you have experienced. I used this approach in one of my college essays when I was writing about how my parents supported me during my first semester of college.In that particular case, I needed to find an article on personal finance. The three things that I could use were to use the article source as my topic and I was able to narrow the topic down from financial concerns to personal finance. After identifying that topic, I started looking for some articles to apply.Then, I went on Google and searched for articles that discussed the topics I identified. I found many articles, but not all of them were relevant to my topic. It is always important to keep your essay ideas fresh so that you are not stuck by the time limit that you set for yourself.

Archaeological Evidence for Domesticating Potatoes

Archaeological Evidence for Domesticating Potatoes Potato (Solanum tuberosum) belongs to the Solanaceae family, which also includes tomatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers. Potato is currently the second widest used staple crop in the world. It was first domesticated in South America, in the Andean highlands, between Peru and Bolivia, more than 10,000 years ago. Different species of potato (solanum) exist, but the most common worldwide is the S. tuberosum ssp. Tuberosum. This species was introduced in Europe in the mid-1800s from Chile when a fungus disease almost completely destroyed S. tuberosum ssp. andigena, the original species imported by the Spanish directly from the Andes in the 1500s. The edible part of the potato is its root, called tuber. Because the tuber of wild potatoes contains poisonous alkaloids, one of the first steps made by ancient Andean farmers toward domestication was to select and replant a variety with low alkaloid contents. Also, since wild tubers are quite small, farmers also selected the bigger examples. Archaeological Evidence of Potato Cultivation Archaeological evidence suggests that people were consuming potatoes in the Andes as early as 13,000 years ago. In the Tres Ventanas Cave in the Peruvian highlands, several root remains, including S. tuberosum, have been recorded and direct-dated to 5800 cal B.C. (C14 calibrated date) Also, remains of 20 potato tubers, both white and sweet potato, dating between 2000 and 1200 B.C. have been found in the trash middens of four archaeological sites in the Casma Valley, on the coast of Peru. Finally, in an Inca period site near Lima, called Pachacamac, pieces of charcoal have been found within the remains of potato tubers suggesting that one of the possible preparation of this tuber involved baking. Potatoes Around the World Although this may be due to a lack of data, current evidence indicates that the spread of potatoes from Andean highlands to the coast and the rest of the Americas was a slow process. Potatoes reached Mexico by 3000-2000 B.C., probably passing through Lower Central America or the Caribbean Islands. In Europe and North America, the South American root arrived only in the 16th and 17th century, respectively, after its importation by the first Spanish explorers. Sources Hancock, James, F., 2004, Plant Evolution and the Origin of Crop Species. Second Edition. CABI Publishing, Cambridge, MA Ugent Donald, Sheila Pozoroski and Thomas Pozoroski, 1982, Archaeological Potato Tuber Remains from the Casma Valley of Peru, Economic Botany, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 182-192.

The Evolution of the First Tetrapods

The Evolution of the First Tetrapods Its one of the iconic images of evolution: 400 or so million years ago, way back in the prehistoric mists of geologic time, a brave fish crawls laboriously out of the water and onto land, representing the first wave of a vertebrate invasion that leads to dinosaurs, mammals, and human beings. Logically speaking, of course, we dont owe any more thanks to the first tetrapod (Greek for four feet) than we do to the first bacterium or the first sponge, but something about this plucky critter still tugs at our heartstrings. As is so often the case, this romantic image doesnt quite match up with evolutionary reality. Between 350 and 400 million years ago, various prehistoric fish crawled out of the water at various times, making it nearly impossible to identify the direct ancestor of modern vertebrates. In fact, many of the most celebrated early tetrapods had seven or eight digits at the end of each limb and, because modern animals adhere strictly to the five-toed body plan, that means these tetrapods represented an evolutionary dead end from the perspective of the prehistoric amphibians that followed them. Origins The earliest tetrapods evolved from lobe-finned fishes, which differed in important ways from ray-finned fishes. While ray-finned fishes are the most common type of fish in the ocean  today, the only lobe-finned fish on the planet are lungfish and coelacanths, the latter of which were thought to have gone extinct tens of millions of years ago until a live specimen turned up in 1938. The bottom fins of lobe-finned fishes are arranged in pairs and supported by internal bones- the necessary conditions for these fins to evolve into primitive legs. Lobe-finned fishes of the Devonian period were already able to breathe air, when necessary, via spiracles in their skulls. Experts differ about the environmental pressures  that prompted lobe-finned fish to evolve into walking, breathing tetrapods, but one theory is that the shallow lakes and rivers these fish lived in were subject to drought, favoring species that could survive in dry conditions. Another theory has it that the earliest tetrapods were literally chased out of the water by bigger fish- dry land harbored an abundance of insect and plant food, and a marked absence of dangerous predators. Any lobe-finned fish that blundered onto land would have found itself in a veritable paradise. In evolutionary terms, its hard to distinguish between the most advanced lobe-finned fish and the most primitive tetrapods. Three important genera nearer the fish end of the spectrum were Eusthenopteron, Panderichthys, and Osteolopis, which spent all of their time in the water yet had latent tetrapod characteristics. Until recently, these tetrapod ancestors nearly all hailed from fossil deposits in the northern Atlantic, but the discovery of Gogonasus in Australia has put the kibosh on the theory that land-dwelling animals originated in the northern hemisphere. Early Tetrapods and Fishapods Scientists once agreed that the earliest true tetrapods dated from about 385 to 380 million years ago. That has all changed with the recent discovery of tetrapod track marks in Poland that date to 397 million years ago, which would effectively dial back the evolutionary calendar by 12 million years. If confirmed, this discovery will prompt some revision in the evolutionary consensus. As you can see, tetrapod evolution is far from written in stone- tetrapods evolved numerous times, in different places. Still, there are a few early tetrapod species that are regarded as more-or-less definitive by experts. The most important of these is Tiktaalik, which is thought to have been perched midway between the tetrapod-like lobe-finned fishes and the later, true tetrapods. Tiktaalik was blessed with the primitive equivalent of wrists- which may have helped it to prop itself up on its stubby front fins along the edges of shallow lakes- as well as a true neck, providing it with much-needed flexibility and mobility during its quick jaunts onto dry land. Because of its mix of tetrapod and fish characteristics, Tiktaalik is often referred to as a fishapod, a name that is also sometimes applied to advanced lobe-finned fish like Eusthenopteron and Panderichthys. Another important fishapod was Ichthyostega, which lived about five million years after Tiktaalik and achieved similarly respectable sizes- about five feet long and 50 pounds. True Tetrapods Until the recent discovery of Tiktaalik, the most famous of all the early tetrapods was Acanthostega, which dated to about 365 million years ago. This slender creature had relatively well-developed limbs, as well as such fishy features as a lateral sensory line running along the length of its body. Other, similar tetrapods of this general time and place included Hynerpeton, Tulerpeton, and Ventastega. Paleontologists once believed that these late Devonian tetrapods spent significant amounts of their time on dry land, but they are now thought to have been primarily or even totally aquatic, only using their legs and primitive breathing apparatuses when absolutely necessary. The most significant finding about these tetrapods was the number of digits on their front and hind limbs: anywhere from 6 to 8, a strong indication that they couldnt have been the ancestors of later five-toed tetrapods and their mammalian, avian, and reptilian descendants. Romers Gap Theres a 20-million-year-long stretch of time in the early Carboniferous period that has yielded very few vertebrate fossils. Known as Romers Gap, this blank period in the fossil record has been used to support Creationist doubt in the theory of evolution, but it is easily explainable by the fact that fossils only form in very special conditions. Romers Gap particularly affects our knowledge of tetrapod evolution because, when we pick up the story 20 million years later (about 340 million years ago), there is a profusion of tetrapod species that can be grouped into different families, some coming very close to being true amphibians. Among the notable post-gap tetrapods are the tiny Casineria, which had five-toed feet; the eel-like Greererpeton, which may already have de-evolved from its more land-oriented tetrapod ancestors; and the salamander-like Eucritta melanolimnetes, otherwise known as the creature from the Black Lagoon, from Scotland. The diversity of later tetrapods is evidence that a lot must have happened, evolution-wise, during Romers Gap. Fortunately, we have been able to fill in some of the blanks of Romers Gap in recent years. The skeleton of Pederpes was discovered in 1971 and, three decades later, further investigation by tetrapod expert Jennifer Clack dated it smack to the middle of Romers Gap. Significantly, Pederpes had forward-facing feet with five toes and a narrow skull, characteristics seen in later amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. A similar species active during Romers Gap was the large-tailed Whatcheeria, which seems to have spent most of its time in the water.

Effective Team Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Effective Team - Assignment Example During the course of project, many problems and conflicts surfaced as the team progressed through its four development stages as described by Tuckman’s model (Beyerlein and Johnson 2000), which were not beyond expectations. However, these were dealt along as the team developed more cohesion and understanding of the common goal but still the opinion is that these problems could have been avoided and effectively managed as highlighted by (Kayes 2004). Throughout the task, group remained engaged in number of activities that played vital role is team development and are discussed throughout the report. This project report is an aim to comprehensively elaborate significance of reflection in learning and evaluates how experiences are transformed into genuine learning (Kolbs 1984). Secondly, this report narrates process of building a group of individuals into a team and difficulties faced during this progression. It also encompasses the significance and critical role of different con cepts and theory elements that influence this process. Problem and Context After the group was formed, I was much skeptical group future as to what form would it take, how we are going to interact and what would be the course of action towards desired goals. A good explanation for this could be that team was in its initial stage of forming as described by Bruce Tuckman in his model of team development (Beyerlein and Johnson 2000) since members were trying to get know each other and develop relationships. McManus (2000) distinguished group from a team in that team has a strong commitment, high degree of cohesiveness and accomplishment to each other and towards common goal than in a group because teamwork promotes creativity, problem solving, effective decision making and improved communication (Chaney and Lyden 2000). During initial sessions, I found that there were member who were not concerned deeply with purpose and goal of the team as they were often found busy in dealing with pe rsonal social issues which they thought were of more importance to them. Even at times, they were not prepared for what meeting were all about and had no agenda to talk about. At early stages, team did not seem much organized and interactive as members were shy and reluctant in sharing experiences and knowledge. I was of the view that these issues would induce many problems during the course of task completion and would make it difficult for team building and cohesion. Although team project went much better but often task-based conflicts arose when one member’s job depended on other member’s input or cooperation which (Bartos and Wehr 2002) stated as interdependence conflict. However, main cause of interdependence conflict was being unable to effectively communicate one’s part to another member which (Shapiro 2004) called communication breakdown conflict. Competitive conflict was exhibited by one of team members who always tried to prove himself better than othe r team member and tried to find his own way through the process if not agreed upon (Rahim 2011). However, overall the project was a huge success and a great effort to understand the team development process in practical scenario and

Crime Rates Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Crime Rates - Research Paper Example An in-depth analysis of counties in Texas that focus on these issues indicate that Texas’s crimes’ drop rate was due to an increase in the jail and prison populace. A rise in wealth and improved income led to the decrease of property crimes (Nachmias & Nachmias, 2004). Increased prison construction would not be cost-effective in Texas. This is due to the declining marginal returns of investing in prison construction, but direct interventions in improving the economy sectors and enhancing police operations would be more proactive. Ideally, most of the discussions in the article are based on assumptions rather than facts. The researcher gives possible reasons as to why crime rate is dropping but he does not answer how these attributes are connected to the crimes. He mentions variables such as demography, unemployment, prison expansion and the economy. It is hard to establish a relationship between the variables and the crimes due to lack of concrete proof to his suggestions. Hypothetically, unemployment is a particular clear case, but the principle can be expected to apply to several other explanations. A blend in heterogeneity of most local areas in social class, household structure, race and income among others can be causational to each other (Nachmias & Nachmias, 2004). The assurance of civil rights is grounded on inclusion; yet the massive difference imprisonment rates between Latinos, blacks and whites still stands as the ugliest reminder of nation’s history of segregation based on race. In the article, the researcher argues that the best way of understanding law and race in this twenty-first century is by understanding and appreciating the American federal system. Some of the things that need appreciation include, the system structures, political mobilization, legal authority and solutions to policy loop holes. In addition, the federal system serves as a vital and disregarded obstacle to more persistent and