Management Planning at World Com

IntroductionThe company was formed in the US in 1983.   The company became quoted in the stock exchange in 1989.   The company’s growth was mainly by acquisition, in   1999 it acquired MCI to become one of the biggest communication giants in the world.   Bernard Ebbers become the company’s chief executive in 1985.   In 1998, the telecommunication industry in the US was in the decline performance wise Mr. Ebbers was ousted, from the position in 2001.Between 1999 and 2002 world com was involved in a series of fraudulent accounting practices in order for the company to portray profitability whereas the telecommunication industry was performing poorly.   The directors carried out this activities so as to maintain the high share price of the company in which they held many shares.   The internal audit department at world com uncovered   the more than $3.8 billion fraud, and alerted its main external auditors who were KPMG.   Subsequently in July 2002 the co mpany filled for bankruptcy.   However, the company emerged from bankruptcy in 2004 .Planning function at World ComPlanning involves evaluating the impact of present decisions on the future.   The other managerial functions are carried out only after planning function has been carried out.   Planning is relevant to all managerial levels.   Planning involves coming up with the vision mission, objectives and goals.   A vision communicates where the firm should be in 5- 10 years time while the mission is the rationale for business existence objectives on the other hand convert the mission, into achievable tasks.Goals used to further express the objectives.   The goals in order to be acceptable should be SMART that is they should be specific, should be measurable, should be attainable; they should be rewarding and should be timely.   World com has developed tactics which describe how, who, what and when activities will occur to enable the goals to be accomplished.  World com carries out strategic planning.   Strategic planning helps the firm know where it is now, where it wants to be and how it will get there.Impact of Legal l issues on Management PlanningWorld com has been unable to efficiently plan its operations.   This is because   strategic planning process requires a lot of resources.   .   In 2002 the company was involved in a number of accounting scandals.   This made it file for bankruptcy.   The company had to pay more than $750 million, to the authorities to compensate investors.   The legal issues have affected world com since it can no longer attract competent managers, who can effectively and efficiently handle management planning at world com. {Ghallab 2004}In 2004, the company was able to come from bankruptcy but still it could not carry out management planning effectively.   World com had to pay its previous bond holders the value of their bonds, this payments affected the operations of the company.   World com also faced a number of contingent liabilities since it had very many suits pending in court; this meant that the management at world com could not be able to effectively carry out management planningIMPACT OF ETHICS ON MANAGEMENT PLANNINGEthics refer to ethical principles and moral that can suffice in corporate set up.   In world com a number of unethical practices have occurred.   Since companies aim at maximizing shareholders wealth, but at world com major corporate governance lapses have occurred in that, the directors art world com, contracted on improving their persona interests making the shareholders incur major losses.   In world com, directors were not able to follow the prescribed code of corporate governance leading to major losses in the organization, and consequently the management was not able to carry out management planningIMPACT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AT WORLD COMCorporate social responsibility refers to the organization looking at the interests of other stakeholders.   It involves the organization, caring   for the community are large.   World com was not a good corporate citizen since it did not look at the affairs of stakeholders like the government, shareholders and the general public.   A company which manages effectively its social responsibility programs enjoys a good corporate image in the eyes of the community.   World com lacks the effective resources to carry out sound social responsibility programs and this affects the management planning process, since, the objective set in the social responsibility department will not be met.   World com had too much power that the directors could control the share prices at the stock exchange.FACTROR S THAT IFLUENCE COMPANY’S STATEGIC TACTICAL, OPERATIONAL AND CONTIGENCY PLANNING1.    The size of the organization:   organizations which are large in size are able to carry out effective strategic planning like world com was able to carry out management plan ning to cover more   7 years.2.   The government policy:   Organizations will have to carry out management planning with the laws of the land in mind.3.      The Resources available:   Companies with a lot of resources like world com are able to carry out effective social responsibility programs.{Erven 2005}{cambell 1990}ReferencesCampbell M{1990}planning universal   process  London praeger greenwoodGhallab m paolo T   {2004}Automated planning  new york elsevier

Global Warming: Causes, Effects, and Solutions Essay

Global Warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Many people do not see this as a problem. However, it is currently a huge issue that is often talked about among scientists and many other people. Global Warming is caused by many different things. Greenhouse gases, deforestation, and solar activity are three different proven facts that cause global warming. Global warming is not something that is going to disappear; it is only going to get worse if people do not start doing something about it. The main cause of global warming is the burning of greenhouse gases. Some of the main gases are: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and the loss of forests. Most of the harmful gasses are emitted by humans through the combustion of fossil fuels in cars, factories, and electricity production. But why and how do these specific gases cause global warming, it is because all of these gases have very different heat-trapping abilities. A molecule of methane produces more than 20 times the warming of a molecule of CO2. Nitrous oxide is 300 times more powerful than CO2. Other gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons (which have been banned in much of the world because they also degrade the ozone layer), have heat-trapping potential thousands of times greater than CO2. But because their concentrations are much lower than CO2, none of these gases adds as much warmth to the atmosphere as CO2 does. Trees provide an important ecosystem function by storing carbon, a cause of climate change, in their biomass. Currently the world’s forests store 283 billion tons of carbon in their biomass. Half the world’s tropical forests have been cleared or degraded. Every hour, at least 4,500 acres of forest fall to chain saws, machetes, flames, or bulldozers. In 2012 three million hectares of mature forests were cut down. This is a causing effect to global warming and continues to rise every year. Something called solar activity is also reasoning behind global warming. Solar activity is simply the amount of heat that comes off of the sun. Scientists can tell that solar activity contributes to global warming because there have been recent changes in temperatures at different levels in the Earth’s atmosphere. There are models showing how the greenhouse effect is warming the lower part of the atmosphere (known as the troposphere) but cooling the upper atmosphere (known as the stratosphere). However, if the sun was responsible for the observed warming, warming of both the troposphere and stratosphere would be expected. Global warming also has countless numbers of effects in the environment. It has been proven that the increase in Earth’s average temperatures have already been causing tons of ice to melt worldwide, also causing sea levels to increase over time. It is also causing precipitation to increase worldwide on average. It is predicted that if we do not stop global warming other effects could happen later this century; such as; Hurricanes and other storms becoming stronger, floods and droughts will become more common, and ecosystems will change to the point of some becoming extinct. All of this stuff may not sound that bad, but you have to think that over centuries and centuries it is only going to keep getting worse. There are things we can do to help this, to solve this. If the human race were refrain from using greenhouse gases, or even stop using them all together, it would help immensely. Depending on our choices scientists say it can only increase by 2. 5 degrees, or increase by 10. There are also other options to reduce the gases we emit into the atmosphere. We could try to decrease them by increasing the amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere. This can be achieved by planting more trees, increasing forestlands, and changing the way we farm. All of these things would help to increase the amount of carbon dioxide we are storing. Global warming is something that is still around today and will continue to be around if we do not decide to do something about it. There are many causes of it, some to which are still unknown to scientists. For every cause there is an effect, and this unfortunately is not a good thing for Earth. However there are solutions to reverse the effect of global warming. Even though some of these ideas have fallbacks, there are a variety of options that put us on a path toward a more stable climate. Work Cited: 1. http://environment. nationalgeographic. com/environment/global-warming/gw-solutions 2. http://www. facingthefuture. org 3. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Global_warming#Solar_activity Video: 1. http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ROZJmX73FF4

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - Essay Example The defense mechanisms have been constructed by the Freudian psychoanalytical approach. They were developed to aid in the explanation of person’s responses to anxiety (Myers, 2001). They have been evolved from their original background to help enlighten being’s coping styles. Individuals are not aware of the operations taking in the mind; therefore they are unconscious. Each individual uses a different set of defense mechanism so they are also individualized. Lastly, every individual makes use of them so they are thought to be normal. But if the use of the defense mechanisms becomes exaggerated than clinical interest arises. The defense mechanism of sublimation is utilized when intentions are either violent or sexual showing the psychoanalytic aspects of thanatos and libido. They are transmitted towards non-instinctual course. For example, aggressive temperament may be transmitted towards a more acceptable structure of games. Regression takes place when an earlier developmental stage reappears for the coping behaviors (Sarason & Sarason, 2005). For example, throwing a tantrum or crying may be used to deal with a tense experience. These behaviors are usually unacceptable for adults. Repression is focal point psychoanalytical approach. It is used when there is a very high anxiety deep in the unconscious and which does not affect the activities in the conscious. Items which are repressed may however, become apparent themselves in slips of the tongue or dreams. They are mostly not present for recall. Instead, it may appear later, unexpectedly (Barlow & Durand, 2002). For example, there was a time when I tried to recall the Independence days I had ten years ago but failed to do so. But, a few weeks later, they suddenly hit me while taking a shower. The thought had been repressed because I had been into a major family dispute. The defense mechanism reaction formation is unconsciously

Oculocutaneous Albinism Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oculocutaneous Albinism - Literature review Example Albinism is a typical hereditary skin disease with varied clinical presentation and inheritance. It is mostly present from birth and increases the risk of cancer. It is not curable and there is no specific treatment. It can be a part of syndromes which cause bleeding diathesis and recurrent infections (Okulicz, 2002). In this article, a specific type of albinism, the oculocutaneous type will be discussed. Albinism Albinism is a group of disorders that are hereditary in nature and are related to abnormality in the synthesis or distribution of melanin (Okulicz, 2002). The abnormality of pigmentation manifests in eyes with or without involvement of skin and hair (Park et al, 2012). Thus, clinically, there are 2 categories of albinism. They are ocular albinism where in eyes are involved and skin involvement is either absent or minimal, and oculocutaneous albinism in which skin and eyes are involved. Oculocutaneous albinism may be defined as "a group of congenital heterogeneous disorders in which there is either complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes because of the absence of or a defect in an enzyme involved in the production of melanin" (Park et al, 2011). In both the conditions, the primary morbidity is related to the eye. The pattern of inheritance in albinism is variable. While the ocular albinism is through autosomal recessive or sex-linked inheritance, oculo-cutaneous albinism is autosomal recessive (Park et al, 2012). ... In patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, easy bruising is seen and in those with Chediak-Higashi syndrome, recurrent infections are noted. In X-linked ocular albinism, decreased hearing is seen (Okulicz, 2002). As far as discoloration of eyes, skin and hair is concerned, the range of depigmentation is variable and depends on the type of albinism. The color of the iris is usually blue and can even be brown. The iris will have transillumination defects. The fundus also, in general, is hypopigmented. To broadly classify, there are 2 forms of albinism. The classification is based on the tyrosinase hair bulb incubation test which differentiates between the tyrosinase-positive and tyrosinase-negative forms. In those who are tyrosinase-positive, some degree of production of pigments occurs. In those who are tyrosinase-negative, there is absolutely no pigment production (Okulicz, 2002). Oculocutaneous albinism There are four types of oculocutaneous albinism or OCA (Okulicz, 2002). OCA typ e 1A is the classic tyrosinase negative type of OCA. In this condition, the infant is born with blue-grey irides, pink colored skin, white hair and predominant red reflex (Wei et al, 2011). The individuals have manifestations of the defects of eye as discussed above. They never develop pigmented lesions like freckles, naevi or lentigines. Hair becomes yellow with age due to denaturation of the keratin following exposure to ultraviolet light. In type1B, the presentation features at birth are similar to those in type 1A. However, as the age advances, the hair color darkens to brown color. The skin can get tanned on exposure to sunlight and can even develop pigmented lesions like naevi and freckles. The

Strategies for Responsible Downsizing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategies for Responsible Downsizing - Essay Example 4). This article is of interest to corporate management and Board members who are exploring the option of downsizing their workforce. Cascio delivers a lengthy review of real-world risks, benefits and disappointments by organizations choosing to downsize. It is highlighted that a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis be carried out first. This will assist management to make an informed decision as to whether to downsize, and how to implement their decision in a responsible and transparent way (Horngren et al. 100; Hoggett, Sweeting and Radford 15). The goal of strategy change is to enhance market competitiveness and to align with international discourse of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Management may decide to downsize with the goal to improve returns. Evidence shows that this is only a short term solution. There are significant social consequences, such as the loss of human resources, customers and suppliers confidence. Future growth will be more costly because of having to continuously hire new staff to be trained; low wages and poor working conditions do not endear staff loyalty. Further, there can be a lack of corporate structure following downsizing, in turn increasing the workload and interpersonal and intrapersonal pressures on staffs, affecting customer interest and loyalty. With regard to needing a strategic option that is a preventative measure to reduce costs, downsizing is a last resort. Are Employees Assets or Costs Management accounting classifies labour as a variable cost rather than a fixed overhead (Horngren et al. 10). Employees are viewed as "costs," to be "cut" when downsizing. Human Resource managers however, view people as the greatest asset within a corporation, which is a network of social beings interlinked with external networks. As Cascio notes, contemporary responsible restructuring requires that employees be seen as assets to be developed. Multi-skilling of employees is a key training focus within commercial industry today, with R&D using predominantly government support, to study organizational culture, leadership patterns, continuous improvement and learning across the lifetime. Business Concept

The Automobile Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Automobile Industry - Assignment Example BMW began off as a manufacturer of aircraft engines. In the year 1918 following the end of World War 1, the Versailles Armistice Treaty forced the company to cease the business of aircraft engine production. It thus changed the line of business to start producing motorcycles in the year 1923, and later automobiles in 1928 when the treaty’s restrictions began to be lifted. The very first car successfully produced by BMW and which actually propelled the company’s automobile business was known as Dixie. It debarked again to the production of engines for aircraft in the 1930s producing engines such as BMW 132, BMW 801 and BMW 003. The Quandt family has since the year 1959 owned a controlling stake of 46% of the company’s stock and the rest is public. BMW bought Has Glas Company in the 1966 and in 1992 acquired a controlling stake in Designworks USA and went on to fully acquire the company in 1995. BMW also acquired the Rover Group for six years and sold the group off to the Phoenix Consortium as it was making losses. It retained the rights of building the new Mini brand which entered the market in 2001. The company’s long-serving lead designer Chris Bangle left in 2009 and his place was taken by Adrian Van Hooydonk. BMW bought the Husqvarna Motorcycles. In 2012 Bavaria Motor Works was listed by Forbes as world’s most reputable company. The Forbes ranking system bases a lot on the willingness of people to buy, invest in, work for and recommend the firm to others. 60% of the Forbes raking points is driven by the perception of people about the company while 40% is the perception of the company’s products. Specializing in the production of automobiles, the BMW Group has earned itself brand recognition as the worlds most successful. The group runs with three major brands, MINI, BMW and Rolls-Royce all of which are targeted for different market segments. The company has for a long time continued to be among the major players in luxury automobile section and registering consistent sales growth even with the crisis in the European markets.  

Comprehensive Exam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Comprehensive Exam - Research Paper Example Nature and Types of Theory In order to understand the nature and types of theory, five articles in the field of ‘virtual project management’ have been analyzed. Article 1: â€Å"Patterns for Effective Management of Virtual Projects: Theory and Evidence† This research was undertaken with the intention of understanding the forms for efficient management of virtual projects. The research uses a blend of theories and disciplines in order to recognize different perspectives on the research subject. It explores the theoretical foundation of project typologies. For instance, in this research, the researcher used ‘Media Richness Theory’, ‘Channel Expansion Theory’ and ‘Adaptive Structuration Theory’ in order to recognize the theoretical concept of virtuality. The research is based on ‘Pattern Theory’ in order to understand natural perspectives on effective methods in the field of virtual project management. Theory is use ful way in this research to develop a sense with respect to different factors which impact on the virtual project management. In order to explain the theory, the researcher has also used figures. The figures help to describe different patterns on the aspect of virtual project management. ... It discovers the combined impact of leadership, personality and organizational aspects on time, scope and quality of virtual projects. The research is based on the theoretical aspect of transformational leadership, personality and other substitute factors in order to measure their effects on virtual projects. A model has been used in order to demonstrate the impact of leadership on performance of virtual projects. In this research, the major concept is to measure the impact of leadership, personality, and other aspects on virtual team performance (Strang, 2010). Article 3: â€Å"Knowledge Integration in Virtual Teams: The Potential Role of KMS† This article explores difficulties of knowledge integration in virtual team context. The research is based on communication theory in order to recognize ‘Knowledge Management System’ (KMS) in different stages of virtual project management. The research concepts are operationalized by concentrating on virtual team circumstan ces where organizations try to utilize the knowledge oriented assets. In order to conduct the research, the researchers used secondary databases for describing how virtual teams can generate challenges towards application of knowledge oriented assets throughout virtual project phases (Alavi & Tiwana, 2002). Article 4: â€Å"Getting it Together: Temporal Coordination and Conflict Management in Global Virtual Teams† The research aims at investigating the impact of chronological management on virtual teams through asynchronous interaction. The research demonstrates an explicit theoretical framework on the aspect of chronological management challenges, interaction and management of conflict within a virtual team. In order to gather information theories on non-virtual teams have