Sports and Public Relations Essay Example

Sports and Public Relations Essay Example Sports and Public Relations Essay Sports and Public Relations Essay This article notes how much a person should give importance to the contracts that he signs for. Michael Vick has primarily lost his reputation through a gradual process by which he has been loosing track of his career and has been loosing all that he has worked hard for to different vices and wrong decisions. The concentration that he once placed upon his career has been re-aligned to the things that he wanted to do.   It could be observed that through the different decisions that he has lately done, he was not able to control the consequences of what he has done that it gradually destroyed his name and the fame that he has been under for several years of playing for the Falcons.Along with loosing his fame and the reputation that he has earned in sports, he has also lost the chances that he had in enjoying financial freedom. It could not be denied that through the path that he has taken, the numerous cases brought about the consequences of his decisions has made him loose tons of c hances that she once enjoyed. This sends a strong message to the society with regards the importance of staying within the rules of the contracts that they have sworn upon to fulfill. The terms of the said contracts need to be respected thus treated as a law that binds the people involved in the said agreement. The implication of the case upon the society has naturally made it certain that the effect of Michael Vick upon those people who were actually treating him as a model, especially that of the young children has been gradually diminishing as well.Article 2: Is Michael Vick friendly to a fault?. DAVE FORSTER, BILL BURKE AND KYLE TUCKER. May 26, 2007. The Virginian-Pilot. http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/print.cfm?story=125491ran=117073.The friends of Michael Vick and their background have led commentators to a conclusion that he too is simply just like those of his friends. True, the saying on â€Å"tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are† is inde ed proven true in this side of Vick’s case. Undeniably, the process by which Vick got into trouble could be connected with who he usually hanged-out with. The people that he usually stayed with were notably involved in drug addiction. This particular fact heightened the situation of the case of Vick with regards drug addiction. Vick is known as loyal friend. However, at this point, his loyalty has caused him several damages to his own self. The trust that he has placed upon his friends and the loyalty that he has served unto them actually made it possible for him to get directly involved with what they were particularly up to. Undeniably, the situation has changed his life and the reputation that he has been taking care of.Article 3: NFL suspends Vick indefinitely. EDT, Fri August 24, 2007. cnn.com/2007/US/law/08/24/michael.vick/index.html.Loosing a good player on the field is such a great loss for NFL Falcon team. This is probably the reason why the suspension for Vick has b een reported with an indefinite span of time. Not suspending him when he was found with fault would have been a great jeopardy on the part of the team’s established name in the industry. Undeniably, they would be compromising the status and the morals as well as the standards of the entire team if they did not make any move when he was pronounced guilty by the court.Understandably, the issue here is all about dignity and reputation. Falcons needed to suspend even one of its strongest and best players for the sake of taking care of the name of the other players and the entire team itself. It has been the best move on the part of the team’s administration to retain the standards of the entire team in front of its internal and external connections as well.Article 4: MICHAEL VICKS OF NFL’s CASE ON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE. The smoking gun: Archive. Woman claims star NFL quarterback passed along herpes in 2003. thesmokinggun.com/archive/0405051vick1.html.It was D ecember when the plaintiff, Sona Elliot filed a case against NFL’s [a football team] Quarterback player Michael Vick. Allegedly, the plaintiff accuses Vick of using an alias when he first made himself known to Elliot. Moreover, he has also been noted for having been allegedly passing a Sexually transmitted disease to the plaintiff, thus causing her to suffer the consequences of having been able to commit sexual intercourse with Vick. The plaintiff, being young and just starting to recognize the happiness living is now robbed of from even being able to have a peaceful relationship with a man in marriage or even bearing a child. Psychologically, these situations are indeed hard to deal with on the part of the plaintiff.CounselDuring the years 200-2001, the plaintiff and the defendant had a close relationship, whereas they dated regularly, they see each other continuously and are thus able to discuss numerous personal details as part of their friendship. However, non of those oc casions was that of them both having a sexual affair between each other until came the year 2001. Most likely, the confession of the fact that the defendant has an STD, should have been done earlier during the establishment of the relationship. This is basing from the given fact that the defendant was aware of his health situation.Key PeopleThe people primarily involved in the case are only the plaintiff [Sonya Elliot] and that of the defendant Michael Vick. They are the key individuals who have the sole right to defend their statements and testimonies about the situations that they have been both involved with so as to be able to clear names as well as to fix the situations between them, especially that of the plaintiff’s life as a young woman.Facts in the CaseIt has been certain through the presentation of the court that the plaintiff admitted having been involved in a serious relationship with the defendant during the years 2000-2001. However, during those years, she knew Michael Vick as that of Ron Mexico and not as his real name Michael Vick. Moreover, during those times of intimacy, Elliot understood that if there are any secrets, those things should have already been suspended between the two during those specific times when they were together. However, as obvious as it is, Vick failed to inform Elliot of the facts regarding his health situation and the STD that he has. On many occasions when they already started to have sexual intercourse, there were at most times when they both observed â€Å"safe sex† whereas the defendant used a condom upon the plaintiff’s request. However, during the afternoon of April 13. 2003, the defendant refused to use condom even though the plaintiff strongly requested for him to do so. After that particular intercourse, the plaintiff did not have any intercourse with any other man anymore, thus when she has been diagnosed of having been infected of Herpes after feeling pain and irritability in her vagina , she was non the less sure that it was Vick who transmitted the disease to her. Upon tests and examinations, it has been proven to that Vick is a carrier of the STD virus.Federal IndictmentsThe venue of the court is noted to be rightful enough for hearing the case as the case happened in the same county thus allowing the prosecutors to have much competence of handling the said case being preceded.PleasThe plaintiff asks that the defendant be punished with his undoubtedly unguarded act that placed the life of the plaintiff in huge jeopardy. The bills for her healthcare had been much escalating and made it harder for her to survive city life. It has been moved then that the funding of those healthcare treatments in an aim of lessening the effects of herpes on the plaintiff be carried under the responsibility of the defendant.OpinionThere is nothing safer in safe sex than actually abstaining from it. Being unable to understand the real personality of a certain individual has naturally lead the plaintiff to falling short of notice of the fact and the possibilities that the defendant might do her with regards honesty and trust. In this case, obviously, one year or so of intimate relationship has been proven, not enough, for a person to know the reality behind a certain individual. Also, for those who are duly infected with STDs, it is their utmost responsibility to allow the people near them or are close to them in relationship with the fact that they are dealing with in their health situations. Most likely, it is in their hands on how the people they love could be well protected from what they are actually suffering from.Article 5: Vicks marketing deals fade into sunset: One of top NFL endorsers could disappear, like a magic act. TIM TUCKERThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Published on: 07/19/07. ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/18/vickbrand_0719.html.Endorsing is one of the major sources of profit in NFL industries. With Vick’s market ing charisma lost, the NFL industry is at least lost on several percentage of profit compared to other sport industries such as that of the basketball industries. From this article, the focus on the different aspects of seriousness of Vick’s case upon himself, his colleagues and the industry that he serves is presented well and with clarity.Obviously, the author wants to clearly point out how a wrong decision of one particular man could affect the entire group that he is with entirely. Most often than not, the impact is rather serious and strong. The constant importance given on the direct effect of the consequences that is made by an individual’s decision upon the values of others is featured strongly within this article.Article 6: The Involvement of Cheating in Sports: A Definition of what cheating is and how it directly affects the entire society today as it is related to sportsA recent symposium in the U.S. on ‘Sport and Ethics’ centered on the growing problem of cheating. Cheating, delegates agreed, is due to competitive pressures. Professor J. Keating of George Williams College in Chicago said: â€Å"Most of the moral problems posed by athletics can be traced to one single source- its highly competitive nature.† He added: â€Å"Deceit, lying, and hypocrisy all too often do follow in the wake of an intense competitive spirit.† According to W. Sadler of New Jersey’s Bloomfield College, adverse results of competition do not end on the playing field. He observed: â€Å"Competition is corrupting our nation. They say sports prepare us for life. I say, ‘What kind of life? The highly competitive and ruthless kind?’† Yes, indeed, cheating has long been an issue within the world of sporting competitions. This has long been given attention by the officials who were further appointed to deal with them. However, it could be noticed that no matter how the situation is aimed for control, the problem co ntinues to increase in the field of sporting events around the world.Excitement over sports is a worldwide phenomenon. For example, recent news reports spoke of growing sports enthusiasm in China. The New York Times (Nov.  18, 1981) reported: â€Å"Tens of thousands of Chinese converged on that [Peking’s] vast downtown area last night for boisterous celebrations .  .  . The euphoria was over the Chinese women’s volleyball team, which defeated the United States .  .  . and Japan .  .  . to win its first world title.† Even the normally placid Chinese got excited about sports. Volleyball became front-page news in the Peking press. Another outstanding case of sports-generated excitement is the 1982 World Cup soccer finals to be played between 24 qualifying nations in Spain during the dates of June  13 to July  11, 1982. Over the last two years more than a hundred countries have competed for the privilege of being among the last 24 qualifying teams. Hundreds of millions of supporters worldwide follow these soccer games with avid interest. In Lagos, Nigeria, a large crowd packed the stadium eight hours before the kickoff between Nigeria and Algeria. Likewise huge crowds celebrated China’s soccer success in qualifying for the World Cup finals.One underlying factor in modern life is the humdrum existence that millions are forced to lead in our computer-controlled society. As a consequence many want to break out of the treadmill routine by entering the exciting world of sports fantasy. For the minority, fulfillment comes as a participant. For the majority, it comes as a spectator. But they all want excitement, and that results from uncertainty. In sports uncertainty is the key- who will win? Thus the crowds flock to sports events or stay glued to the TV.Money has become an overriding concern in sports. Greed rather than sportsmanship and fair play seem now to dominate sports. â€Å"The innocence of sports, sorry to report, completely vanished during the 1980s,† laments The Denver Post columnist Jay Mariotti. â€Å"They swagger into the ’90s as a monster force in our culture, an incredibly mammoth, multi-trillion-zillion-dollar industry (actually, $63.1 billion [thousand million], 22nd-largest in America) that sometimes is better described as a racket.† Last year 162 major league baseball players in the United States- more than 1 in 5 of them- made over one million dollars, with something over three million dollars being the peak salary. Now, a year later, over 120 players will be paid more than two million dollars, including 32 who will collect more than three million dollars, and at least one will be getting over five million dollars, from 1992 all the way through 1995! The quest for money and huge salaries has become common in other sports as well. Even in college sports, the emphasis is often on money. Winning coaches are handsomely rewarded, making as much as one million dolla rs a year in salary and endorsement fees. The schools whose football teams qualify for the year-end bowl games in the United States receive many millions of dollars- 55  million in a recent year. â€Å"Football and basketball have to make money,† explains college president John Slaughter, â€Å"and they have to win to make money.† This results in a vicious cycle where winning becomes an obsession- with disastrous consequences.Since the jobs of professional ballplayers depend on winning, they often do practically anything to win. â€Å"It’s no longer a sport,† says former baseball star Rusty Staub. â€Å"It’s a vicious, physical business.† Cheating is pervasive. â€Å"If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying,† explains baseball outfielder Chili Davis. â€Å"You do what you can if you can get away with it,† New York Mets’ infielder Howard Johnson says. Thus moral fiber is undermined, and this is a big proble m in college sports as well. â€Å"Some coaches and athletic directors cheat,† admits Harold L.  Enarson, former president of Ohio State University, â€Å"while presidents and trustees look the other way.† In a recent year, 21 universities in the United States were penalized  by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for infractions, and 28 other universities were under investigation.No wonder the values of young players are ruined, which is another major problem with sports today. Drug use to enhance athletic performance is common, but getting an education often is not. A major study confirms that players on campuses with major athletic programs spend more time on playing their sport during the season than they do studying and attending class. A federal study also found that fewer than 1 in 5 players ever graduate at a third of American colleges and universities with major basketball programs for men. Even the few student athletes who eventually succeed in p rofessional sports and draw good salaries all too often become tragic figures. They are unable to handle their  finances  and to face life realistically. Travis Williams who died this past February in homeless poverty at age 45 is but one example. In 1967, while playing with the Green Bay Packers  football  team, he set a still-standing U.S. professional football  record,  returning kickoffs an average of 41.1 yards [37.6  m]. He once noted that while in college â€Å"he never had to go to class. Just show up for practices and games.†Cheating in sports is usually co-includes the issues of drug addiction among athletes. STEROIDS! The very word cast a long scandalous shadow over the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. A number of hope-filled athletes were suspended by the International Olympic Committee for the alleged use of the drug. The world’s fastest sprinter in the 100-meter final basked in the glory of his gold medal- but not for lon g. Tests taken after the race revealed steroid use. He lost his medal, and his world record. This, however, should not have taken the sports world by surprise. In the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary, Canada, an athlete was banned from the games after testing positive for steroid use. It is reported that at the prestigious World Class track-and-field meet in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1987, half of the 28 athletes scheduled to participate in the â€Å"power† events- shot put, hammer, javelin, and discus- did not show up after learning of steroid tests. At Caracas, Venezuela, in 1983, 15 athletes were barred from the Pan-American games for steroid use. The 1984 Olympics was not without its steroid shame as winners were stripped of medals. Almost every sport has a steroid scandal of its own- track and field, bodybuilding, weight lifting, and football, to name a few. More than 20 college football players from a number of U.S. universities were barred from playing in the postseason b owl games because of steroid use. In the world of professional football, one famed 14-year NFL veteran was quoted as saying: â€Å"On some teams, between 75 and 90  percent of all athletes use steroids.† Reported the magazine Psychology Today: â€Å"Many of those .  .  . interviewed put steroid use among competitive body-builders at 100 percent.† Dr.  William N.  Taylor, a member of the U.S. Olympic Drug Control Program, warned that the use of these drugs has reached â€Å"epidemic proportions.† How far-reaching is this epidemic? Taylor noted that in addition to athletes, accountants and professors as well as unskilled workers and police officers abuse steroids. â€Å"It’s not a sports problem anymore,† he said, â€Å"it’s a social problem. And these users are playing with dynamite.† Anabolic steroids are powerful synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Over the years steroids have been used clinically, and unde r careful supervision, as an aid in bringing on puberty that is delayed, in building up muscles withered by disease or surgery, and for the protection of blood cells during radiation or chemotherapy. For these and other physiological problems apparent to doctors, steroids have been a potent tool in the hands of the medical profession.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Olympics, the sports arena and everywhere else where the sports competitions are held have long been subjected to investigations of cheating. This growing dilemma of fraud among the sporting industries of the world today naturally affects the reputation that sporting events actually post among the audience that they target to influence for profitable causes.   To help retain the fine reputation of the sports industry, it is essential that the issue of cheating within the said field of recreation in the society needs to be swept clean. The authorities who are needed in the process are certainly aimed to fix the issue through efficient proc edures of investigation to be applied on the issues of sport cheating and sport profit growth.Article 7: High School Sport and the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances. Dodge, Tonya L ; Jaccard, James L (2006). The Effect of High School Sports Participation on the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substance in Young Adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health 39. Pages 367-373. dopingjouren.se/pdf-filer/sdarticle.pdf.High School sports are determined to have beneficial influences to the sociological, physical and moral development of the young adults actively participating in life. Since, puberty or the High School stage of young adults are very much important and that it urges the physiological and physical aspect of the said individuals to become active and energetic, they need a beneficial aspect where to channel their aggressiveness and their new found dynamic vigor such as sports activities. In addition, the said activity has been determined to significantly boost the personal morale and social skills of their participating individuals. Thus, sports activities are indeed beneficial to the development f young adults during their High School stage.However, an alarming social and cultural dilemma is rising in the society at the present concerning the role of sports in the lives of its young adult participants. The concept of sport participation as the main reason for inducing the use of performance-enhancing substances or drugs to actively participating young adults is becoming a widely accepted notion in the society. Thus, to answer and significantly determine the relationship between the concept of sport participation and performance-enhancing drugs, a scientific study has been conducted to establish a general conclusion for the said argument.To mainly determining a plausible correlation between the two concepts, the scientific study explored and evaluated the main ideas surrounding the two general social notions. In social and cultural aspect, the subject of sp ort participation is generally embedded with the traits and values of competition thus pushing the need for physical enhancements to cope up with the challenge. In this aspect, young adults who are actively participating on the said activities are seeking other alternative with less physical and time demands to avoid compromising their other aspects such as the social activities and educational pursuit. Due to which, sport participants  Ã‚   started to incorporate performance-enhancing substances and drugs such as anabolic steroids and others to enhance their physical output thus coping with the competitive nature of sport.In this aspect, the scientific study has implemented a sample survey to determine the scientific correlation between sport participation and the use of performance-enhancing substances with the young adults. Thus, it has been determined with the results they have gathered that usage of performance-enhancing substances in young adults are indeed relatively high f or individuals who are actively participants of sports activities in their educational or social institutions. Another factor to be regarded in this subject is that social and cultural influences also affect the said correlation that the percentage of performance-enhancing substance in young adults are relatively higher in males compare to female. This idea is mainly because male activities are indeed more vigorous compare than that of the females. Thus, the usage of the said substances is determined by the demand incited by the activity itself and its social and cultural nature.Thus, the usage of performance-enhancing substance in relation to sport participation is indeed significantly substantial. Because of which, society especially the involved adults who have the responsibilities of monitoring these young adults should be well aware of the significance and substantial effects of this concept. They must closely discuss whether this action should be generally allowed or be forbid den as what its effects would be. It must always be prioritize that the main agenda of sport is to enhance the development of young adults in all aspects and not undermine their health and physical attributes by promoting usage of artificial substances to augment the active participation in this activity.Article 8: Lakers Versus Heats. (March 2007). http://nbasfinest.blogspot.com/2005/03/lakers-vs-heat-part-ii.html. (December 12, 2007).In the competitive world of the National Basketball Association (NBA), different teams representing their respective cities and states compete against each other to prove their dominance in the field of professional basketball. These teams are divided into two general categories namely the eastern conference and the western conference and within these groups are three subcategories representing the particular location of each team’s represented states or city. In each season of hard-brawling basketball competition rise one champion above all. T his title is viewed and considered by both the league’s players, staff and the spectating fans to be the supreme title, which is becoming the best among the best professional basketball teams in the league.In the present season of the NBA league, attentions are focused on the two teams that are leading their own respective division, The Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific Western conference and the Miami Heat in the Southeast Eastern League. Each of these teams have proven worthy of their place as they compete against other teams on either their hometown or on the road winning against many and losing to some. These teams have developed their own techniques and strategies to become formidable basketball teams and both have incorporated potential and talented players in their lineup. However in critical consideration, if ever these two teams will compete against each other, who will prove to be better and more skillful than the other? Is it the mature and experienced lineup of th e Miami Heat or the young, fresh and energetic lineup of the Los Angeles Lakers?By considering each team’s player lineup and their match up against the other in terms of playing position, one can actually see a significantly discrepancy between the two. Consider first the centers of each team where the Miami heat already prove to be potentially better than the other through the action and experiences of Shaquille O’Neil and Alonzo Mourning against Kwane Brown and Bynum Andrew of the Lakers. For the power forward, the defense and offensive actions under the rim could be quite intense as Lamar Odom and Brian Cook of the Lakers takes on Udonis Haslem and Earl Barron of the Heat creating an intense competition. The same can be said in the shooting guard position as Maurice Evans and Kobe Bryant face off with Dwayne Wade, Jason Kapono and Eddie Jones of the Heat. The small forward position can be potentially dominated by the Heat as the improving performance of Dorrell Wrig ht, James Posey and Antoine Walker could be more than equal for Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic of the Lakers. For the point guards, battle in this position can be significantly tipped to the Heat as Gary Payton and Jason Williams heads on with Smush Parker and Jordan Farmar in terms of experience and playing techniques. Thus, a critical comparison between the said two teams can potentially present the Miami Heat to be better than the Los Angeles Lakers winning them the rivalry between the two. Indeed, experience and playing techniques are significant elements to the competitive world of professional basketball aiding the potential success of the whole team. By considering the advantageous experience and professional level of the lineup of Miami Heat, one can actually say that the winning lever in their game against the Los Angeles Lakers is slightly pulled to their side.

Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President

Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon (January 9, 1913–April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. Prior to that, he was a U.S. senator from California and vice president under Dwight Eisenhower. As a result of his involvement in the Watergate scandal, a cover-up of illegal activities connected with his reelection committee, Nixon became the first and only U.S. president to resign from office. Fast Facts: Richard Nixon Known For: Nixon was the 37th president of the United States and the only president to resign from office.Also Known As: Richard Milhous Nixon, â€Å"Tricky Dick†Born:  January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, CaliforniaParents: Francis A. Nixon and Hannah Milhous NixonDied:  April 22, 1994 in New York, New YorkEducation: Whittier College, Duke University Law SchoolSpouse:  Thelma Catherine Pat Ryan (m. 1940–1993)Children: Tricia, JulieNotable Quote: â€Å"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.† Early Life Richard Milhous Nixon was born on January 19, 1913, to Francis A. Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon in Yorba Linda, California. Nixon’s father was a rancher, but after his ranch failed he moved the family to Whittier, California, where he opened a service station and grocery store. Nixon grew up poor and was raised in a very conservative, Quaker household. Nixon had four brothers: Harold, Donald, Arthur, and Edward. Harold died of tuberculosis at age 23 and Arthur died at age 7 of tubercular encephalitis. Education Nixon was an exceptional student and graduated second in his class at Whittier College, where he won a scholarship to attend Duke University Law School in North Carolina. After graduating from Duke in 1937, Nixon was unable to find work on the East Coast and decided to move back to Whittier, where he worked as a small-town lawyer. Nixon met his wife, Thelma Catherine Patricia â€Å"Pat† Ryan, when the two played opposite one another in a community theater production. He and Pat were married on June 21, 1940, and had two children: Tricia (born in 1946) and Julie (born in 1948). World War II On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, ushering the United States into World War II. Shortly afterward, Nixon moved from Whittier to Washington D.C., where he took a job at the Office of Price Administration (OPA). As a Quaker, Nixon was eligible to apply for an exemption from military service. He was bored with his role at the OPA, however, so he applied to the Navy and joined in August 1942 at the age of 29. Nixon was stationed as a naval control officer in the South Pacific Combat Air Transport. While Nixon did not serve in a combat role during the war, he was awarded two service stars and a citation of commendation and was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. Nixon resigned his commission in January 1946. Congressional Service In 1946, Nixon ran for a seat in the House of Representatives for the 12th Congressional District of California. To beat his opponent, five-term Democratic incumbent Jerry Voorhis, Nixon used a variety of smear tactics, insinuating that Voorhis had communist ties because he had once been endorsed by the labor organization CIO-PAC. Nixon won the election. Nixon’s tenure in the House of Representatives was notable for his anti-communist crusading. He served as a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which was responsible for investigating individuals and groups with suspected ties to communism. Nixon was also instrumental in the investigation and conviction for perjury of Alger Hiss, an alleged member of an underground communist organization. Nixon’s aggressive questioning of Hiss at the HUAC hearing was central to securing Hiss’ conviction and won Nixon national attention. Wikimedia Commons   Nixon ran for a seat in the Senate in 1950. Once again, he used smear tactics against his opponent, Helen Douglas. Nixon was so overt in his attempt to tie Douglas to communism that he even had some of his flyers printed on pink paper. In response to Nixons smear tactics and his attempt to get Democrats to cross party lines and vote for him, a Democratic committee ran a full-page ad in several papers with a political cartoon of Nixon shoveling hay labeled â€Å"Campaign Trickery† into a donkey labeled Democrat. Under the cartoon was written, â€Å"Look at Tricky Dick Nixon’s Republican Record.† Despite the ad, Nixon went on to win the election- but the nickname Tricky Dick stuck with him. Run for Vice President When Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to run as the Republican Partys candidate for president in 1952, he needed a running mate. Nixon’s anti-communist position and strong base of support in California made him an ideal choice. During the campaign, Nixon was nearly removed from the ticket when he was accused of financial improprieties for allegedly using an $18,000 campaign contribution for personal expenses. In a televised address that became known as the â€Å"Checkers† speech delivered on September 23, 1952, Nixon defended his honesty and integrity. In a bit of levity, Nixon stated that there was one personal gift that he just wasnt going to return- a little Cocker Spaniel dog, whom his 6-year-old daughter had named Checkers. The speech was enough of a success to keep Nixon on the ticket. Vice Presidency After Eisenhower won the presidential election in November 1952, Nixon, now vice president, focused much of his attention on foreign affairs. In 1953, he visited several countries in the Far East. In 1957 he visited Africa, and in 1958 he visited Latin America. Nixon was also instrumental in helping push the Civil Rights Act of 1957 through Congress. In 1959, Nixon met with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow. In what became known as the â€Å"Kitchen Debate,† an impromptu argument erupted over the ability of each nation to provide good food and a good life to its citizens. The profanity-laced argument soon escalated as both leaders defended their countrys way of life. After Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in 1955 and a stroke in 1957, Nixon was called on to assume some of his high-level duties. At the time, there was no formal process for the transfer of power in the event of a presidential disability. Nixon and Eisenhower worked out an agreement that became the basis for the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on February 10, 1967. The amendment detailed the procedure for presidential succession in the event of the presidents incapacitation or death. Failed Presidential Run of 1960 After Eisenhower completed his two terms in office, Nixon launched his own bid for the White House in 1960 and easily won the Republican nomination. His opponent on the Democratic side was Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy, who campaigned on the idea of bringing a new generation of leadership to the White House. The 1960 campaign was the first to make use of the new medium of television for advertisements, news, and policy debates. For the first time in American history, citizens were afforded the ability to follow the presidential campaign in real time. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images For the first debate, Nixon chose to wear little makeup, wore a badly selected gray suit, and came across looking old and tired compared to the younger and more photogenic Kennedy. The race remained tight, but Nixon eventually lost the election to Kennedy by 120,000 votes. Nixon spent the years between 1960 and 1968 writing a bestselling book, Six Crises, which recounted his role in six political crises. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor of California against Democratic incumbent Pat Brown. 1968 Election In November 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the office of the presidency and easily won re-election in 1964. In 1967, as the 1968 election approached, Nixon announced his own candidacy and easily won the Republican nomination. Faced with mounting disapproval ratings, Johnson withdrew as a candidate during the campaign. The new Democratic front-runner became Robert F. Kennedy, the younger brother of John. Wikimedia Commons   On June 5, 1968, Robert Kennedy was shot and killed following his victory in the California primary. Rushing now to find a replacement, the Democratic Party nominated Johnson’s vice president, Hubert Humphrey, to run against Nixon. Alabama Governor George Wallace had also joined the race as an independent. In another close election, Nixon won the presidency by 500,000 popular votes. Presidency Major domestic accomplishments during Nixons presidency included Neil Armstrongs and Buzz Aldrins historic walk on the moon in 1969; the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970; and the passage of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1971, which granted 18-year-olds the right to vote. Nixons focus on foreign relations had him initially escalating the Vietnam War as he implemented a controversial bombing campaign against the neutral nation of Cambodia to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines. Later, however, Nixon was instrumental in withdrawing all combat units from Vietnam, and by 1973 he had ended mandatory military conscription. Fighting within Vietnam finally ceased when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975. In 1972, with the help of his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, President Nixon and his wife Pat embarked on a week-long trip to China in order to establish diplomatic relations. Resentment between China and the U.S. had lingered following the Korean War, during which China had fought against U.S. forces. The visit marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the communist nation, which was then under the control of Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong. Nixons visit was an important step in improving relations between these two powerful nations. Watergate Scandal Nixon was reelected in 1972 in what is considered one of the largest landslide victories in U.S. history. Unfortunately, Nixon was willing to use any means necessary to ensure his re-election. On June 17, 1972, five men were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., to plant listening devices. Nixon’s campaign staff believed the devices would provide information that could be used against Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern. While the Nixon administration initially denied involvement in the break-in, two young newspaper reporters for the Washington Post, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, obtained information from a source known as â€Å"Deep Throat,† who became instrumental in tying the administration to the break-in. Nixon remained defiant throughout the Watergate scandal, and in a televised statement on November 17, 1973, he infamously stated, â€Å"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.† During the investigation that followed, it was revealed that Nixon had installed a secret tape-recording system in the White House. A legal battle ensued, with Nixon reluctantly agreeing to the release of 1,200 pages of transcripts from what became known as the â€Å"Watergate Tapes.† Mysteriously, there was an 18-minute gap on one of the tapes, which a secretary claimed she had accidentally erased. Impeachment Proceedings and Resignation With the release of the tapes, the House Judiciary Committee opened impeachment proceedings against Nixon. On July 27, 1974, with a vote of 27-11, the Committee voted in favor of bringing articles of impeachment against Nixon. On August 8, 1974, having lost the support of the Republican Party and facing impeachment, Nixon delivered his resignation speech from the Oval Office. At noon the next day, Nixon became the first president in United States history to resign from office. Nixon’s vice president Gerald R. Ford assumed the office of president. On September 8, 1974, Ford granted Nixon a â€Å"full, free and absolute pardon,† ending any chance of an indictment against Nixon. Death After his resignation from office, Nixon retired to San Clemente, California. He wrote both his memoirs and several books on international affairs. With the success of his books, he became somewhat of an authority on American foreign relations, improving his public reputation. Toward the end of his life, Nixon actively campaigned for American support and financial aid for Russia and other former Soviet republics. On April 18, 1994, Nixon suffered a stroke and died four days later at the age of 81. Legacy In his time, Nixon was known for his uneasy public persona and intense secrecy. He is now best remembered for his involvement in the Watergate scandal and his resignation from office, a presidential first. He has been depicted in a variety of dramatic films and documentaries, including Frost/Nixon, Secret Honor, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, and Our Nixon. Sources Ambrose, Stephen E.  Nixon. Simon and Schuster, 1987.Gellman, Irwin F.  The Contender, Richard Nixon: the Congress Years, 1946-1952. Free Press, 1999.

Cloud Client Computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cloud Client Computing - Essay Example The most common mistakes that are made are: ordering too much computing power, no shutting down the software in off hours, not using monitoring tools to keep tabs on cycles, and not telling programmers about the costs. Companies such as Netflix have written software that automatically shuts the system down during off-peak hours, but many companies who are not as large in size do not have the means to do this. When these things are not done, the costs of cloud computing soar making the idea of the cloud not as cost beneficial as previously thought. Still, the cloud market is expected to grow 23% a year through 2017. In the world, there are more than 2 billion devices connected to Internet and majority of them are smartphones. CEOs must think every change in technology to keep their firms in the business. CEO if Parkmobile, Cherie Fuzzell states that they can’t rely on their current app or services, technology changes every day and they should keep considering all the changes, otherwise they won’t survive in the business. IBM has decided to invest in faster-growth segments such as cloud, analytics, mobile, social and security technologies. Those businesses generated $25 billion in revenue last year, or 27% of total revenue, though the trend line has been rising for both figures. The $4 billion spending has set a new financial target for those faster-growth segments: $40 billion in combined annual revenue by 2018, or more than 40% of the company’s expected total revenue. The trend is Cloud/Client Computing. It describes concentrating on cloud and mobile computing with the aim of promoting the development of applications that are centrally coordinated and thus be delivered to any device. The first article by Boulton talks of the wastes that are associated with cloud computing. The second one by an anonymous writer is about the mobile devices that are connected to a cloud and the third one.

Trend and analysis of SLS hotel external environment Research Paper

Trend and analysis of SLS hotel external environment - Research Paper Example The SLS Luxury brand caters to a specific class of people who desire a lifestyle of high-class service, sophistication, â€Å"over the top† luxury, and an atmosphere that fulfills these needs. SLS Hotels have created a new paradigm in the luxury hotel experience that speaks to a global, sophisticated audience. â€Å"SLS† stands for â€Å"style, luxury, and service. This speaks to the needs of today’s sophisticated travelers, offering an array of widely customizable features and an unwavering commitment to innovation and superior guest service (Hotels, 2014). The sort of products and administrations requested by customers is generally impacted by their convictions and state of mind which, on the other hand, are affected by social molding. The surrounding social entities and the associated activities. The Hollywood presence, for instance, presents the hotel with great opportunity for the constant flow of clients who even stay for longer periods. The hotel location is a great contributor to the accessibility by the target population who include the diplomatic tourists and business persons in Los Angeles. Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, in particular, is a popular destination for people seeking luxury and high-class lifestyle. The Hollywood movie industry, high-end shopping options and opportunities, beaches and resorts such as Santa Monica Pier and Venice boardwalk, attractions such as the Universal Studios, many museums and cultural events in L.A constitutes to the main social factors that make the destination popular (Enz, 2009). Being an economic hub, Los Angeles provides the hotel with an adequate supply of market as business people from all over the world frequently come to the city for conferences (Hotels, 2014). The growing population of Beverly Hills is also a social factor to consider. Currently, the population of the city stands at over 34,000 people. However, the population has various demands depending on the age-group and socioeconomic factors.

Is Elearning The Way Forward Education Essay

Is Elearning The Way Forward Education Essay E-learning, in its broadest sense, is the use of networked information technologies in education. E-learning is also called as web based learning, online learning or Internet based learning. E-learning is not bound to time and classroom attendance students and teachers may be at different locations on different times. One of the most common types of E-learning takes the form of distance learning courses. Universities upload course material for the student to study individually and complete tasks based on the course material. This allows students to access the course material on the web anytime and from anywhere. Advancement in computing and information technology coupled with almost universal availability of the broadband make e-learning an enticing option in many fields including medical education. In this assignment I will be reflecting on my personal experience with e-learning. I will also discuss its applicability in undergraduate medical education, postgraduate medical educatio n and continuing medical education of practicing clinicians. Theory behind e-learning The meaning of knowledge and learning have changed through time. There is a certain swift in emphasis on learning, rather than teaching, as we rightly move towards a learner centred curriculum. E-learning, which is based on well documented adult learning principles, certainly facilitates a learner centred approach. Traditional education is based on instructivism theory. Teacher or tutor teaches a predefined set of information, deciding what students had to learn. Students learn to pass the examination. E-learning is based on constructivist and cognitive theories suggesting that learning is individualised and the students past experiences and knowledge have a great impact on the newly acquired knowledge (Jonassen 1994). Blended learning refers to learning involving multiple methods and approaches, commonly a mixture of class room and e-learning Requirements for successful implementation Mitchell and Honore 2008 proposed a pyramidal system for successful implementation of e-learning programmes. The base of the pyramid, which forms the foundation for successful e-learning programme, consists of appropriate, accessible technology and usable, stimulating and interactive design. The apex of the pyramid is represented by the individuals who are involved in the programme and their attitude and motivation forms a major part in the success of e-learning methods. Basic computing skills are essential for the success of e-learning. There is an assumption that the current undergraduates have the necessary computing skills. Kiran et al 2004 has shown that computing skills among undergraduates are variable and one can not assume expertise or even ability. Good technical support is essential including after hours support. For effective e-learning, student should be able to access material quickly both on campus and at home. Slow connectivity can be a problem. There is considerable cost involved in setting an e-learning programme. Role of e-learning in Continuing Medical Education All practicing clinicians in the United Kingdom are obliged to attend Continuing Medical Education programmes to maintain knowledge and skills as a part of appraisal and revalidation (The General Medical Council). E-learning offers excellent opportunities in this area. I have completed many online e-learning courses. Advantages of these courses include minimal cost, no travel cost and there is no need to take time off to attend these courses as they can be completed from home. They offer excellent value for money and the quality of these courses are comparable to that off traditional courses. I recently attended an advanced laparoscopic surgery skills course. Few weeks prior to the course I was asked to sign up to the course organisers web site. I was able access part of the course material. This enabled me to practise some of the skills prior to attending the course. This has certainly enhanced my learning more than I would have acquired without the access to the e-learning material. There were 20 participants form 8 countries and most found the e-learning very useful. E-learning has made it possible for practicing clinicians from a remote part of the world to contact their peers through video conferencing in the management of difficult clinical situations and this facilitates on-the-job learning. When I was a resident in 1989 I had to wait for over two weeks to find out about an important adverse effect of a drug which now I could find out in a couple of minutes using online electronic databases. In medical education there can be no doubt that opportunities for learning occur all the time and not confined to the class room and e-learning has a lot to offer in this regard. Role of e-learning in Postgraduate Medical Education E-learning plays an important role in Postgraduate Medical Education. Many Deaneries across the United Kingdom has setup e-learning portals for the benefit of postgraduate trainees. Harden 2006 suggested that e-learning will be one of the most important developments in the delivery of postgraduate medical education. In surgical training many hands on courses utilise e-learning methods to enhance face-to-face learning. Types of e-learning resources The basic e-learning resources include e-textbooks, power point presentations of lectures and electronic notice boards. The communication in these methods is one way. Bilham 2005 argues that much of e-learning using these methods was based upon a model of knowledge transmission from the teacher to student as in the traditional education system. The rise of new technologies has turned the World Wide Web from strictly an information destination into a platform, not only to read or watch media, but to actually do things (Martin and Parker 2008). This has made innovative approaches possible in the field of medical education including group projects, virtual patients and virtual clinics. This encourages interactive learning. E-learning in undergraduate medical education I discussed with many Foundation Year one doctors who have graduated from different medical schools across the country. I have observed that the usage of e-learning is variable between medical schools. They felt that e-learning enhanced their learning in basic medical science like anatomy. Multimedia graphics helped them as they felt that the laboratory demonstration in it self was not sufficient for learning. In clinical medicine they felt that e-learning was beneficial in problem based case discussions and case presentations. E-learning has the potential to enhance the learning instead of simply presenting the information. Examples of beneficial multimedia may include a video clip, computer animation for explaining the underlying patho physiology and images of investigations like chest x ray or endoscopy pictures. I have observed that some e-learning using multimedia technology detract the learner from the key message that the teacher wanted to convey and this should be avoided. Physical skills are best learnt by performing them under direct supervision. E-learning, however, can be used to augment the teaching of practical skills. A video showing the technique will be helpful in priming the learner prior to attending a teaching session. Another interesting development in medical education is the application of virtual patient. Examples in this category include a video of clinical consultation to illustrate history taking or examination skills or for demonstrating a physical sign. This is useful for demonstrating certain clinical conditions which the student is unlikely to encounter during their short stay in certain clinical attachments like dermatology or rheumatology. Virtual patients can be used to teach the skills of diagnostic reasoning and patient management through interactivity. There are packages available which allows the student to take a virtual history from a bank of questions and this is followed by examining the patient. This can be artificial and I believe this is better learnt bedside. We have to acknowledge that most of the learning that occurs in clinical practice is opportunistic and technologies which could bridge the gap in experience will be beneficial. Assessment and feedback in e-learning Assessment and feedback are important elements of medical education. Time logged on to the website and accessing the e-learning modules can be monitored as a part of formative assessment. Formative or summative assessments in e-learning courses can be carried out using Multiple Choice Questions and Extended Matching Questions. Multimedia enhanced virtual patient case scenarios can be used for assessment followed by Multiple Choice Questions or diagnostic reasoning tests. Care must be taken to include all possible correct answers in diagnostic reasoning tests because programming can be technically challenging. I have some reservations in using e-learning summative assessments as the identity of the student can not be guaranteed and may encourage cheating. Feedback in e-learning is limited to correction of mistakes and it is difficult to provide detailed feedback. Evidence for e-learning in medical education Cook et al 2008 conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of internet based instruction in medical education. They have concluded that e-learning is better than no intervention and as effective as traditional education. They have also concluded that there is no evidence to conclude that e-learning is better than traditional education. Clark 2002 has demonstrated that students are very satisfied with e-learning. Students, however, do not see e-learning replacing instructor-led training but as a complement to it, forming a part of a blended learning strategy. Advantages and disadvantages of e-learning E-learning has many advantages. The learner can schedule the learning around their personal and professional life minimising disruption to their day to day life. E-learning allows the learner to choose the learning material which is beneficial to them. The learner can pace their learning which suits them best. They will be able to contact their colleagues and teachers in discussions which can happen synchronously or asynchronously depending on the nature of the discussion. E-learning encourages the learner to take responsibility to their learning. The disadvantages of e-learning are as follows. There is a considerable start up cost as well as maintenance cost and this should be taken in to account when setting up an e-learning programme. As learners are responsible for their learning unmotivated learners and learners with poor study habit may find it difficult to progress. There is added responsibility for the facilitator to be available on demand. Students may feel socially isolated, however, blended learning overcomes this issue. Slow or unreliable internet connection can be challenging as most multimedia content needs fast internet connection. Conclusion E-learning has become an integral part of medical education starting from undergraduate medical education to the continuing professional development of the practising clinicians. Like other teaching methods, e-learning has its own strengths and weaknesses and need to be used appropriately. E-learning has the potential to shift the balance form teaching to learning. Basic computing skills are essential for e-learning. The range of e-learning activities varies from e-books to co-ordinated project works. Studies have shown that the results of e-learning methods are comparable to traditional teaching methods in undergraduate medical education. To be successful e-learning has to be combined with traditional teaching methods as a blended approach as practice of medicine involves real patients not virtual patients. E-learning is also playing an important role in the development of postgraduate trainees and life long learning of practicing clinicians. E-learning certainly has the potential t o enhance the learning in medical education, if used appropriately.

Strategic Management of Agribank

ABSTRACT In the present age, big cities in Viet Nam are growing at a rapid pace, especially in the economics, as a result many banks are established including Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam.Founded on 26/03/1988, Agribank has always played the leading role in Vietnam’s economic development with 1034 correspondent banks in 95 countries and territories (since 12/2009). In the new period, Agribank constantly improve their competitiveness to maintain the number one position of commercial banks and the dominant role in agricultural and rural financial market, serving farmers, agriculture and rural areas. To become the member of Group Finance and Banking in the country, Agribank’s strategy is associated with the sustainable development of customers, banking, partners and communities.Based on the data obtained from a small-scale interview carried out within Agribank’s employees and reviewed literature, our project’s team analyze Agribankâ₠¬â„¢s strategic management. Another key point of this report is providing recommendations to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. It is hoped that this empirical report can bring the readers with a more detailed look at the Agribank’s strategic Management. TABLE OF CONTENT Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦1 I. Executive summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 II. Introduction of the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 III. Managerial function†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 IV.Literature review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 V. Strategic management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 1. Step 1: identifying the bank’s goal†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 2. External Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 3. Internal Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 VI. Conclusion and recommendation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 I. Executive summary This report was commissioned to analyze, evaluate and also to give recommendation about the Strategic management of Bank of Agricultural and Rural Development of Vietnam. The research draws attraction to AgriBank’s current missions and goals: focusing on renovating and developing banking technology in a modernization manner.Further investigations give a SWOT analysis about AgriBank and conclusions about their status are made: Internally, Agribank has quite a lot of strengths such as large number of gross capital, high prestige, modern facilities, as well as some weaknesses like bad financial capability and low operation effectiveness. Besides, externally, Agribank also has many opportunities: peaceful political status, economy recovery, the freshness of the domestic market, and has to deal with lots of threats from competitors, loss of well-qualified employees, or governmental policies. After carefully evaluated, Recommendations are given: AgriBank should penetrate the market strategies to get higher performance by focusing its sources of human and facilities on Main market. †¢ AgriBank should also expand the market strategy, which is to take advantage of its available products and services to enter a new market in order to expand market share, get more output and approach new potential customers. II. Introduction of th e company Agribank is the largest bank in terms of fund resources, number of employees, assets, operation network and customer bases with reputation not only in local market but also international market.Agribank has always focused on the innovation and application of banking technology in favour of business administration and the development of an advanced banking service network. As the report of Agribank. com. vn – â€Å"As of November 2011, Agribank had the total asset of VND 5240,000 billion, total equity of VND 22,176 billion, total outstanding loans of VND 414,464 billion, total fund resource of VND 478,000 billion, total staff of 35,000 people, 2,300 branches and transaction offices†.Agribank is one of the leading bank in Viet Nam in terms of receipt and implementation of foreign projects, especially from World Bank, Asia Development Bank, European Investment Bank and French Development Agency. At present, Agribank is serving 10 million household and 30,000 ent erprises. With the position of a leading commercial bank in Viet Nam, Agribank has shown its great efforts and contribution greatly to the nation’s industrialization and modernization as well as economic development. Due to its location and market share, Agribank’s target market is Vietnam, especially in rural areas.About target customer, in the first period, its target was people who did the agricultural work. However, nowadays, Agribank has no target customer as it welcome everyone who provide capital and invest in many fields other than agriculture. III. Managerial function In the context of a profound and comprehensive integration, to make a difference in how well Agribank performs as well as to cope with this uncertain situation, Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam need strategic management.Hoang Thu Hien – one of the staffs of Agribank – pointed out that: â€Å"One of Agribank’s strategies is making great efforts in fund mo bilization from both local and foreign sources and maintain the credit growth at a reasonable level†. Another way is giving priority in investment in agriculture, farmers especially to farm households with agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt production. She also reveals that those strategies is built in the period 2000 – 2010 by a group of financial experts hired by Agribank. They are still used today and other details of the strategic management are kept as secret database of the bank.The general strategy of Agribank this period is it will put forth a number of solutions which are following the policy of the Government and the State Bank of Viet Nam on monetary policy in 2011 and for coming years (n. d. ). First of all is speeding up the fund mobilization from different sources for serving agriculture, farmers and rural areas then setting up the progress on implementing the Circulation 13, 19 of SBV on safe index for credit institutions or following the SBVâ€℠¢s Governor and relative agencies for adding fund in 2011 and developing strategy on international cooperation and foreign fund projects for 2010-2015.Secondly, Agribank has completely changed into Ltd Company with 100% capital of State and pushing up the modern banking technology based on IPCAS II which is used to develop the new products and services with high quality to better serve the customers. Thirdly, Agribank is trying to train the staff about the core cultural values including honesty, discipline, creativity, quality and efficiency. Finally, Agribank plans to carry out the project on business development strategy for 2011-2015 towards 2020 †¦ to prove the prestige of the largest commercial bank-financial institution in Viet Nam.IV. Literature review Regarding Strategic management, many scholars have researched about it so as to find out the best way to establish strategy and manage it. Stephen P. Robbins   and Mary Coulter with â€Å"Management tenth edition† have drawn the most detailed and comprehensive picture of Strategic Management. According to their theory, strategy is â€Å"plans for how an organization will do what it’s in business to do, how it will compete successfully, and how it will attract and satisfy its customers in order to achieve its goals† (Stephen amp; Mary 2009, p. 163). And then strategic management is defined as what managers do to develop an organization’s strategies. There are three reasons why strategic management is important which are stated that it makes a difference in how well an organization performs, it is necessary to cope with uncertain situation and to provide organizational goals for each part of the organization to work toward. After clarifying the importance of strategic management, those two authors draw a big picture of the strategic management process.There are all 6 steps in the process which the first 3 are most important. The first step is to identify the organizationâ €™s current mission, goals and strategies. Mission is defined as a statement of the purpose of an organization and goals are understood as measurable performance targets. Identifying those concepts will help the organization draw a general path to follow. The next two steps can be combined as SWOT analysis which analyze 4 main factors: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.It can also be defined as doing external analysis – environment around the organization and its effect- and internal analysis – the organization’s specific resources and capabilities. The next step namely Formulating strategies is done after all the analysis and is to establish a detailed path for the organization to follow. The last 2 steps are about implementing and evaluating the strategies that have been built up in the last step. Agreeing with those two authors’ theory, we have conducted interview and done some research and analysis about Agribank Vietnam. V. Strateg ic ManagementTo research about the company’s strategic management, we are required to conduct the first three steps of Agribank’s strategic management process. Our project team will identify the Agribank’s missions and goals and do the internal (SW) along with the external (OT) analysis. Furthermore, the recommendations will be set up to uphold the strengths, overcome weaknesses, maximize opportunities and eliminate any threats or turn them into opportunities. 1. STEP 1: IDENTIFYING THE ORGANIZATION’S CURRENT MISSION AND GOALS To maintain the leading bank, provide the modern and high quality products nd services, meet the demand of customers and increase the non-credit income, Agribank is focusing on renovating and developing banking technology in a modernization manner. That is its mission in 2011 and for the coming years The Agribank An Phu pointed out that Agribank expects to reach the goals for 2012 as follows: the fund resource increases by 15-17% co mpared with 2011, outstanding loans rises by 11-12%, the rate of loans to agricultural and rural areas is 70%, NPLs below 3%, non-credit income goes up by 10%, CAR complies with international standard.In general, Agribank’s goal is bringing prosperity to the customer. 2. EXTERNAL ANALYSIS After deciding the mission and goals of Agribank, the important thing is to conduct an external analysis, which includes the two components: the general and the specific environment. Each factors in the components maybe an opportunity or a threat to Agribank, basing on how they can affect Agribank’s market. A. Opportunities As to mention about the general environment, it is reported that the world’s and Vietnam’s economy are recovering from the crisis and are predicted to be growing in the near future.A recent article from the famous BBC (9 October 2012) has reported: â€Å"What is happening is a re-balancing of our economy. We have created a million net new jobs [and] we are now a net exporter of cars, but it is a slow process. † With the economy flourishing, Agribank has an opportunity to expand the market size and provide more services to the customers. In addition to the country’s economy recovery, Agribank also benefits from the fact that Vietnam has officially entered the WTO. By joining the world’s economic flow, Agribank has more chances to meet big partners and to develop itself.For example, the bank can learn from the foreigners about the new technology and inquire their way of working and technical skills. And, as to mention the political conditions, Vietnam is a peaceful country with no terrorists or civil wars; which encourages the development of law and economy, and Agribank can make use of this to complete their working system. The opportunity for Agribank does not only come from the general environment but also the specific environment, especially from the customers.According to the Standard Charter Bank’ s CEO, saying to baomoi online newspaper (Phuong 2009), Vietnam has a young and fresh banking market, which is not fully exploited. He also points out that in the recent years, the number of banking service users rises gradually and it will continue to rise in the next 5 years. Furthermore, according to the vietnamplus. vn (Son 2009), Vietnam’s average age tends to become higher, consequently, many people will begin to consider saving for their pension plan.Agribank can take advantage of this opportunity to reach more to the customers’ need. B. Threats Besides the opportunities, there are also threats that Agribank has to deal with. The fact that Vietnam has entered the WTO also brings along the trouble of the market share being downsized because Vietnam banks and companies are now freely get investments from foreign companies. It will also increase the competition between Vietnam and other WTO countries, creating great tension to Agribank. In addition to this, the Gov ernment policies are also putting Agribank under pressure.The current ceiling interest rate is kept really low at 9% – started from 11th June, but it’s also predicted to be lower, according to Dr. Vu Dinh Anh’s analysis (Thanh 2012). This policy makes it hard for Agribank and other banks to mobilize capital from people, and so on earn less profit on lending other companies money. In addition to the general environment’s influences, the specific environment, too, holds some menaces. The number of competitors growing rapidly in today’s time of high-technology, following with the decrease in number of high-quality employees is current problems that Agribank have to face.Nowadays, joint-stock company banks such as Vietcombank, Vietinbank or ACB bank are playing their leading roles in banking industry in Vietnam, alluring a large number of users comparing to AgriBank. Not as powerful as JSC Banks, but the banks with foreign investments like the Standard Charter Bank being equipped with higher quality and credit funds and non-bank credit organizations are acting as the harbingers to Agribank. According to Vietnam Credit Information and Rating Company’s report (Thanh 2012), 32 banks are rated to be highly competitive.Unfortunately, Agribank is not listed. Adding to the threats from competitors, the upcoming workforce in banking being estimated to be really large but cannot be so sure about the quality is also a trouble for Agribank. The best workers tend to chase for high position with high salary in foreign countries or other bank rather than Agribank; while the rests are not really well-trained. In general, the threats to Agribank are surpassing the opportunities that the bank can get, but its whole banking business is predicted to be growing. 3. INTERNAL ANALYSISBeside external analysis, it is also very important to explore and assess the internal factors of Agribank which are its strengths and weaknesses. Understanding ab out those internal elements will give us the knowledge of Agribank’s ability to take benefit from the opportunities and to face the threats. A. Strengths The first and the most powerful strength of Agribank is that it has the largest total capital, the biggest operation network and the hugest source of labors and customers in Vietnam. According to the article â€Å"3 ngan hang thuong m? i nha nu? c co v? n di? u l? tren 1 t? USD† on gafin. n (23 March 2012), a familiar website for investors, Agribank is the commercial bank that has the greatest amount of total capital in Vietnam which is over 29. 606 billion VND. It is an advantage for Agribank as it can invest in a lot of fields and activities with its huge capital. About its operation network and source of labors and customers, Agribank has over 2. 300 branches and office and 37. 500 staffs all over the country. Moreover, according to the official website of Agribank (n. d. ), it also signs contract with other foreig n banks from Laos, Cambodia and China to expand its market.Another strength is that it is the unique and main bank that focuses on the field of agriculture and rural areas. In Vietnam, only Agribank is the commercial bank that is nurtured and controlled by the government to develop agriculture and support agricultural workers. Vietnam is the country that has the main focus on agriculture and producing food so that this market share would be a big benefit for Agribank. Moreover, Agribank is considered as having the lowest rank of risk due to its support from the government and it also has the prestige of a governmental bank with tradition and experience.This advantage can gain the customers’ trust that not all other rivals can do. Last but not least, one more strength of Agribank is that its high technology applying in its infrastructure. To approve this point, the article â€Å"Viettel va Agribank ky k? t th? a thu? n h? p tac toan di? n† on danviet. vn (D? c 2011) sta tes that from November 20th, 2011, Viettel would coordinate with Agribank totally with its telecommunication infrastruction. The combination of those two giants will be an extreme advantage for Agribank to upgrade its system and bring better products to its customers. B. WeaknessesIt is undeniable that Agribank is one of the strongest banks in Vietnam at this time; however, it still has its own weaknesses that need improving to get the highest performance. The first alarming weakness is its bad financial capability. Although its system is modern and successful in Vietnam, Agribank’s financial control is still weak compared to the global standard. Stockbiz. vn reported that Fitch Ratings has affirmed Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development’s (Agribank) Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘B’ (12 July 2012). The Outlook is Stable.At the same time, the agency has affirmed Agribank’s Viability Rating (VR) at ‘cccâ €™ and Support Rating Floor at ‘B’. A full rating breakdown is provided at the end of this release. Also according to this rating agency, Agribank has low rank of risk thanks to the support from the government, not from its own ability. The bank’s reported non-performing loans (NPLs) are the highest among domestic peers. Its low level of reserves, together with a high level of special mentioned loans (SMLs) and a slower economic backdrop, is likely to keep credit costs elevated in the near- to medium-term.As a result, Fitch expects the bank’s profitability to remain low, given also potential margin squeeze from a regulatory cap on lending rates on the agriculture sector. Therefore this weakness may not affect Agribank immediately in the domestic market, but if it wants to expand to the oversea market, it has to improve its financial capability a lot. Another clear weakness of Agribank is that its operation effectiveness is not high enough. Although the bank was established in 1988, it still hasn’t made huge impact on Vietnam’s agriculture.Farmers still do the farming work with traditional methods and do not use much technology in working. The rate of poor households in rural areas is still high after years. This weakness could be very dangerous as it would lose the customers’ and government’s trust, which can reduce its total capital. One last weakness of Agribank is that its human resource is huge but not qualified enough. There is a sad truth in Vietnam that people who have social relationship with some â€Å"big men† inside the company are likely to get the job. And Agribank is not an exception.Due to this terrible truth, many people who are not educated well enough still have good job and decide the destiny of the bank. Therefore, its human resource can not satisfy the requirement of the global standard, which would be a disadvantage for it when expanding to the bigger world. VI. Conclusion and Recommendations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, like other corporations and organizations, Agribank has its all strengths such as large number of gross capital, high prestige, modern facilities, and weaknesses namely bad financial capability and low operation effectiveness.Beside these internal factors, Agribank also faces up with opportunities: peaceful political status, economy recovery, the freshness of the domestic market, and threats from competitors, loss of well-qualified employees, or governmental policies. Therefore, based on the analysis of SWOT and the wholesome interview of sole employee, we have drawn up the strategies for Agribank to achieve more success in the next five years. 1. Penetrating market strategies In this strategy, we would focus our resources of human and facilities on Main market to get higher performance.To get the strategy accomplished effecti vely, some methods must be applied such as: Improving the mobilization capital – by allowing wide range of maturities, or periods, interests rate or accumulated interests. Furthermore, the bank can also try to attain   sponsored -agricultural projects or projects of supporting small and average-scale business. Another method is improving the quality of credit service by using up the qualification of the staff to do   research on reducing some steps of procedures so that the transaction duration will be minimized which makes it faster and more convenient to deposit.Another effective   solution is diversifying and developing the quality of the services because at the moment most of Agribank   products are traditional ones, so it is less competitive. Therefore, the bank should introduce new advanced and convenient services and products to ensure the ability of serving customer efficiently. This method also heightens the administrative status of the management. 2. Expandi ng market strategy This is the strategy in which Agibank would take advantage of its available products and services to enter a new market in order to expand market share, get more output and approach new potential customers.There are some methods that can be applied, the first one could be intensifying the process of constructing material facilities or, in detail, purchasing necessary assets especially IT equipments, strongboxes, electric generators. Secondly, it could develop the network by establishing more   transaction posts which help popularize brand name. Thirdly, Agribank can enhance the quality of the staff by focusing on recruiting, introducing new reserving reward policies, retraining the current staff to get higher qualification and ability.Furthermore, in the period of expanding to new market, Agibank may appoint the most important and experienced cadres (skillful employees) to new brands in order to make sure that new brands can operate effectively. Beside those, Ag ribank   should speed up marketing operations/ activities   because marketing plays an important role in popularizing and giving products to the public. Some methods for developing marketing performance are : for products, improving traditional products and services, shortening procedure of transaction, and bringing new benefits to customer.For location, it can choose the most convenient location so that customers can easily make transactions. For advertisement, it is advisable to use radio, television, newspaper and the internet as the important way to advertise the bank. Furthermore, it is the way we serve that is one of the most means of advertisement to customers. Last but not least, we recommend to reinforce the control of internal activities which means that does not merely   check the account or the asset of the bank but verify the quality of credit, the efficiency, safety so that administrator can easily find out and re-correct defects and mistakes.References Agribank An Phu official website n. d. , â€Å"D? nh hu? ng phat tri? n c? a Agribank Vi? t nam†, viewed 17 November 2012, http://agribankanphu. com. vn/vn/company/details/dinh-huong-phat-trien-cua-agribank-viet-nam6. html Agribank Vietnam official website n. d. , â€Å"Agribank phat tri? n b? n v? ng vi s? th? nh vu? ng c? a c? ng d? ng†, viewed 17 November 2012, http://www. agribank. com. vn/101/786/gioi-thieu/dinh-huong-phat-trien. aspx Agribank Vietnam official website n. d. , M? ng lu? i ho? t d? ng Agribank – hon 2300 Chi nhanh, Phong giao d? ch tr? dai cung hinh ch? S, viewed 21 November 2012, http://www. agribank. com. vn/101/790/gioi-thieu/mang-luoi-hoat-dong. aspx BBC 9 October 2012, viewed 18 November 2012, http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-19876587 D? c Hi? u, Viettel va Agribank ky k? t th? a thu? n h? p tac toan di? n, 21 October 2011, viewed 21 November 2012, http://danviet. vn/62504p25c50/viettel-va-agribank-ky-ket-thoa-thuan-hop-tac-toan-dien. htm Ga fin 23 March 2012, viewed 23 November 2012, http://gafin. vn/20120323104832101p0c34/3-ngan-hang-thuong-mai-nha-nuoc-co-von-dieu-le-tren-1-ty-usd. tm Phuong Nhi 2009, â€Å"Th? tru? ng ngan hang Vi? t Nam r? t tr? †, Baomoi, April 2009, viewed 20 November 2012, http://www. baomoi. com/Thi-truong-ngan-hang-Viet-Nam-rat-tre/126/2960677. epi Thanh Thanh Lan 2012, â€Å"L? n d? u tien x? p h? ng nang l? c c? nh tranh ngan hang†, Vnexpress, 8 September, viewed 19 November 2012, http://ebank. vnexpress. net/gl/ebank/tin-tuc/2012/09/lan-dau-tien-xep-hang-nang-luc-canh-tranh-ngan-hang/ Thanh Thanh Lan 2012, ‘Tr? n lai su? t huy d? ng co th? v? 8% m? t nam', Vnexpress, 29 August, viewed 18 November 2012, http://ebank. nexpress. net/gl/ebank/tin-tuc/2012/08/tran-lai-suat-huy-dong-co-the-ve-8-mot-nam/ Son Bach 2009, â€Å"Vi? t Nam co co c? u dan s? vang, tu? i th? tang†, Vietnamplus, 31 December, viewed 19 November 2012, http://www. vietnamplus. vn/Home/Viet-Nam-co-c o-cau-dan-so-vang-tuoi-tho-tang/200912/29400. vnplus Stockbiz 12 July 2012, viewed 23 November 2012, http://en. stockbiz. vn/News/2012/7/12/309322/text-fitch-affirms-vietnam-s-agribank-at-b-outlook-stable. aspx *** Group tasks No| ID| Name| Task| Report|

What Should Being Successful With Achieving Your Goal,...

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