Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Example

Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Example Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Making Effective Oral Presentations Northeastern University, College of Business Administration Edward G. Wertheim, Ph. D. Associate Professor Human Resources Management Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://web. cba. neu. edu/~ewertheim/skills/oral. htm#visual |Outline of this Note | |Introduction | |Podium Panic | |Four Basic Steps | |1. trategy | |2. structure | |3. style | |Are You Distracting the Audience and Drawing Attention away from your Message? |Regional accents or colloquialisms: (or Id rather jump in the Boston Hahbah than give a speech) | |Physical mannerisms | |Voice Tone | |Keeping your Audiences interest | |4. upplement: questions and challenges | |Conclusion: A Checklist for your Presentation | |Appendices | |[pic]An Outline for Your Presentation | |[pic]An evaluation form that will be used for your presentation | |[pic]Using Visual Aids Effectively | | Introduction While hard work and good ideas are essential to success, your ability to express those ideas and get ot hers to join you is just as important. Much of this verbal expression will be one on one or in small groups but periodically (and for some of us often) you will be involved in more formal and public speaking in front of larger numbers. If this thought makes you nervous you are not alone. Many speakers lack the skills and confidence to make effective presentations. We have all been victims of speakers (eg. teachers) who put us to sleep. Despite knowing how ineffective many speakers are, many of us have found that, despite the best intentions, we havent fared much better. We knew the topic and the ideas were written down, but the presentation still didnt go well. Was it the way you delivered the speech? Was it because the audience didnt seem interested? [pic]Podium Panic Everyone experiences stage fright, speech anxiety, or talking terror. Surveys show that fear of speaking in front of groups is one of the greatest fears people have. Some surveys find people actually claiming that the thought of giving a speech is more frightening than falling off a cliff, financial difficulties, snakes, and even death. The following lists some techniques people use for coping with this fright: your audience understands your nervousness; they know what you are feeling and will forgive it; similarly they will forgive honest mistakes nervousness is usually invisible; most will not notice the small changes in your voice or occasional mistakes; most speakers who describe themselves as nervous appear confident and calm to the audience be yourself; let the real you come through; relax, practice some deep breathing techniques; begin in your comfort zone; practice with friends; share your fears with friends check out the room first; check out the space, the equipment, the lights concentrate on the message begin with a slow, well-prepared introduction; have a confident and clear conclusion most important: be prepared and practice The problem of poor communication is complex and cannot be solved by a single book, a course, and certainly not by this short guide. We will point out the critical elements and questions to think about. The approach presented here is predicated on the notion that there is a speechmaking process that involves a few basic steps and within each are particular strategic decisions. [pic] FOUR BASIC STEPS formulate a strategy for the specific audience develop a flexible, flowing structure combined prepared material with an enhancing, not distracting, presentation style; it is important to remember that how you present is as important as what you present. supplement the presentation with confident, informed responses to questions and challenges [pic] 1. STRATEGY understand your purpose and role: It is critical to be clear about your purpose in the communication. This involves knowing your audience, the occasion, and the expectations of your audience. Knowing the audience will be a criti cal determinant in what information is presented and how it is presented. tailor your message to the audience understand their needs, desires, knowledge level, attitude toward your topic be concrete, specific, practical, and relevant clarify your objectives is it to motivate? inform? persuade? teach? each calls for a different approach clarify what role you will be performing coach? advocate? teach? be devils advocate, watch dog, or messenger? develop a logically compelling case for your plan how will it help resolve a pressing problem, advance a salient value, or help reach a common goal research your topic In the classroom situation you may have to make a presentation about a topic about which you are not an expert In the working world, you will likely know a lot about the topic. Nevertheless, you will likely have to research the topic through internal trade documents, trade journals, or special interest publications. You will also likely find computerized data bases useful as sources of information. Subscription data bases such as CompuServe, Dow Jones News/Retrieval, The Source, and BRS/After Dark are some examples. Obviously the World Wide Web is a gr owing source of information. Librarians will assist you in your search. For those services that base charges on time on-line, it is important to be very well prepared for your search. [pic] 2. STRUCTURE Once you know what you want to say, you need to consolidate the materials into a meaningful message. You cant assume that the information will speak for itself. Your audience is capable of hearing your information in very different ways based on your organization and presentation. The audience needs to have these basic questions answered. 1. Why should I pay attention to you when I can think about more interesting things? 2. Now that I am listening, why should I care about this issue? 3. I agree with the significance of the topic, but how are you justifying your ideas? 4. So, now that I am convinced, what do you want from me? The following lists some points to think about when organizing your ideas begin by placing your topic in context; you might want to provide an outline or a road map provide the intended, expected benefits, organization of the presentation, and ground rules organize the body of the presentation logically make it easy to follow go from the simple to the complex when appropriate, plan ways to encourage audience participation maintain credibility: discuss the pros and cons conclude on a high note include an overall summary and proposed actions or options incorporate visual aids effectively (see box below) dont let mechanics of presentation interfere with your message prepare for contingencies practice your presentation and prepare for contingencies rehearse think about what might happen and prepare what if the overhead bulb blows ou t; what if the audience is more prepared than you expected what if there is an unexpected question if a disruption is particularly obtrusive, you might relieve the tension with a joke or humorous comment [pic] 3. STYLE Effective presenters recognize that communication is both intellectual and emotional. Organizing your ideas is part of the task. The other is to gain and maintain attention. The following lists some basic techniques to maintain attention: convey controlled enthusiasm for your subject the audience will forgive a lot if the speaker is enthusiastic -pay attention to posture, tone; dont lean your audience will mirror your attitude radiate confidence without preaching dont confuse enthusiasm with loudness; try to convey a range of emotions from concern, anticipation, excitement, dismay where appropriate, candidly discuss pros and cons; explain advantages first; present risks or challenges; Are You Distracting the Audience and Drawing Attention away from your Message? When we want the audience to focus on what we have to say rather than on us, it is important to think about anything that might detract from our message. This can be a sensitive issue since some of these facto rs are personal or part of who we are. Regional accents or colloquialisms: If we are in an audience of people who share our accent no one will notice. However, if we are in a more general audience, our accent may make the audience focus on this rather than our message. This is not to say that you should abandon your ethnic or regional identity and individuality; however, you need to be aware of the impact of accents on audience. This can be done positively as the Kennedys have done; but more often these mannerisms tend to detract negatively. We dont have to all talk alike but we need to know how we are perceived. physical mannerisms: speakers who pace, pound the podium, jingle change in their pockets, or do other things can focus attention on themselves rather than the subject; sometimes this can be done for affect, but more often it is inadvertent and distracting. voice tone: Professional speakers generally emphasize the lower registers of their voices (both men and women) and avoid dramatic variations in the pitches of their voices. Occasionally this rule can be broken for affect. clothing and jewelry: same as under regional accents Keeping your audiences interest provide variety and relief if possible; novelty and uniqueness will increase the impact alternative moving and standing still, speaking and listening, doing and thinking; use physical space and body movement to enhance your message try to add s tories, anecdotes, testimonials, analogies, demonstrations use humor appropriately make it in good taste presentations are movies not snapshots; prepare the space for movement try to position yourself to enhance rapport with the audience eye contact is your primary tool for establishing audience involvement; look at your audience in random rotating order use gestures naturally; do what is natural to you: some gestures are wrong jingling change in a pocket, toying with notes, shifting from one foot to the other; any repeated gesture Once you obtain attention, you must retain it. Audiences members drift in and out, without giving complete attention all the time. You need to help the audience refocus periodically. The following are some examples: I will give the three basic reasons why change is needed Transitions such as now that we have analyzed the problem, we need to look at the possible solutions. Conclusions: the discussion so far leads to this final thought Straightforward Conclusion: if you enact this program, three basic benefits will result [pic] 4. SUPPLEMENT: QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES USE OF QUESTIONS ask friendly questions dont use questions to embarrass or badger; avoid known sore spots avoid asking risky questions that is, questions that may imply lack of knowledge or intelligence make the interchange a mutually satisfying experience; ive respondents time to think and phrase their answer; help people save face by summarizing what they have said so far and asking if anyone else has something to add dont let respondent wander or attempt to take control of the presentation; a polite thank you, thats what I was looking for can get you back on track if extensive audience d iscussion is desired, avoid isolated one-on-one dialogues with specific individuals when challenged, be candid and firm but avoid over responding maintain control of the session be firm and assertive without being aggressive or defensive dont let interruptions disrupt your composure avoid circumstances that require an apology anticipate questions and prepare responses; rehearse answers to difficult questions if necessary, offer to obtain additional information and follow up use questions to strengthen your main arguments-answer questions candidly but positively link objections to attractive features avoid rhetorical questions ask interesting questions that are thought provoking but not too difficult to answer ask some open ended question with no right or wrong answers encourage sharing experiences, feelings, opinions put you elements into questions make them relevant to the audiences personal experience prepare key questions prior to the presentation; it is difficult to think of good questions on your feet Guideline for Answering Questions | |Anticipate Questions: think of the ten most likely questions and plan out your answer | |Understand the Question: paraphrase it if necessary; repeat it if needed | |Plan the Answer: particularly if you anticipated the question | |Do Not Digress | |Be Honest: if you cant answer the question, say so | |Reinterpret Loaded Questions: if attcked try to show the similarity to other situations | |Control Interchan ges: if a questionner becomes a heckler try to enlist the audience; if a questioner digresses, try to remind | |the audience of the goal of the presentation | |Use the Last Question to Summarize | [pic] Conclusion: A Checklist for your Presentation You owe your audience and yourself a good presentation, but creating an effective presentation takes planning and practice, so some final pointers Start preparing early; dont wait until the last few days to prepare prepare it early, let it rest a little bit and come back to it practice your entire presentation-including your slides if you can practice it before a group of colleagues or friends Think about Your Audience: who are they and why are they here; what are their interests; what do they know; what do they want to know; what is a worthwhile investment in their time Be clear about your purpose: are you informing or persuading; tell them what you are going to do, tell them, tell them what you told them; what do you want the audience to know, feel, or believe afterwards Use an Effective Introduction: orient the audience; explain why it is important; set the tone, establish a relationship between the speaker and the audience; establish credibility; avoid weak introductio ns such as apologies, jokes, rhetorical questions Organize your presentation clearly and simply: Prioritize topics and allocate time accordingly stick to only 3-5 main points; have a well thought pattern (examples are problem/solution, chronological, cause and effect, topical); use transitions to move smoothly from one point to the next Use supporting materials to flesh out main points Use examples, statistics, expert opinions, anecdotes Compose for the Ear, not for the Eye: use simple words, simple sentences, markers, repetition, images, personal language (You and I) Create an Effective Conclusion: summarize, set final image, provide closure; dont trail off, dont use trite phrases dont just present data or summarized results and leave the audience to draw its own conclusions you have had much more time to work with your information than your audience; share your insight and understanding and tell them what youve concluded from your work Sound spontaneous, conversational, enthusiastic- use key phrases in your notes so you dont have to read, use the overhead instead of no tes; vary volume, dont be afraid of silence, dont use fillers like um Practice, Practice, Practice Use Body Language Effectively: relaxed gestures, eye contact; dont play with a pen or pointer, dont block visual aids Use Visual Aids to Enhance the Message: you will probably need to use overhead transparancies in your presentation but to be effective, they must be designed and used properly use visuals to reinforce and clarify, not overwhelm; keep visual aids uncluttered; use titles to guide the audience if you use tapes or disks, make sure the equipment is compatible Analyze the Environment: check out size of room, placement of chairs, time of day, temperature, distractions check out AV equipment ahead of time; have a spare bulb Cope with Stage Fright by Remembering: its normal; it can be helpful, everyone feels it [pic] Engleberg (1994) proposes a 7 P approach to the principles of public speaking. You might find these helpful. Purpose:- Why are you speaking? What do you want audience members to know, think, believe, or do as a result of your presentation People : Who is your audience? How do the characteristics, skills, opinions, and behaviors of your audience affect your purpose Place: Why are you speaking to this group now and in this place? How can you plan and adapt to the logistics of this place. How can you use visual aids to help you achieve your purpose Preparation Where and how can you find good ideas and information for your speech? How much and what kind of supporting materials do you need. Planning: Is there a natural order to the ideas and information you will use? What are the most effective ways to organize your speech in order to adapt it to the purpose, people, place, etc. Personality: How do you become associated with your message in a positive way? What can you do to demonstrate your competence, charisma, and character to the audience? Performance: What form of delivery is best suited to the purpose of your speech. What delivery techniques will make your presentation more effective. How should you practice? Further Reading Antonoff, Michael, Presentations that Persuade, Personal Computing, 27 July 1990, 60-68. Benjamin, James and Raymie E. McKerrow, Business and Professional Communication, Harper Collins, New York, 1994. Engleberg, Isa N. The Principles of Public Presentation, Harper Collins, New York, 1994. Osborn, M. and S. Osborn, Public Speaking, Houghton-Mifflin, Boston, 1988. [pic] Supplemental Information [pic] An Outline for your Presentation INTRODUCTION What? overview of presentation (use visual aids if necessary) Why? purpose of presentation why subject is important How? format you will use; what can the audience expect to see learn Who? if more than one person, provide introductions and indicate roles dont expect audience to memorize these BODY The following list suggests alternative formats for presenting information: multiple formats can be used within a single presentation: rhetorical questions and answers logical progression indicate steps e. g. A then B then C time series order information from beginning to end, earlier to later, and so on compare and contrast use same structure to compare different events, individuals or situations problems and solutions; dont present problems without working toward some recommended action simple to complex use successive building blocks to communicate complex processes or concepts deductive reasoning moving from general principles or values to specific applications or examples inductive reasoning from specific applications/examples to reach general principles or conclusions CONCLUSION review, highlight and emphasize key points, benefits, recommendations draw conclusions where are we? what does all of this mean? whats the next step? [pic] USING VISUAL AIDS EFFECTIVELY. PURPOSE both quality and number of visual aids should enhance, not distract from message display or distribute an outline to help audience follow long or group presentations use variety to increase intere st; remember the value of pictures, graphs, symbols and objects APPEARANCE never use a transparency of a typewritten page use a plain font (e. g. Swiss or Helvetica) of substantial size (18 point or more) if you use color, dont use more than three colors ask yourself Can the audience quickly and easily grasp what they see? Are they spending time reading and not listening? FORMAT-TEXT make one and only one key point per visual unless the audience is very familiar with the subject organize material into natural categories and contrasts? before vs. after, problem and solution, advantages vs. disadvantages, beginning to end; costs vs. benefits include no more than three or four points under one heading dont use whole sentences or paragraphs use bulleted words or short phrases only, except for quotes FORMAT-GRAPHS no more than three curves on a line chart or graph dont use a page full of numbers translate complex numbers into representative pie charts or bar graphs use diagrams or models to present complex concepts; use multiple charts illustrating different stages or parts of the full model; start with simple framework and build components successively into the full model or process [pic]Properly Designed Transparencies use high quality lettering at least 3/16 high; avoid hand-written slides and low resolution dot matrix print limit the number of overheads used; allow at least 1-2 minutes per overhead a well designed diagram or chart can often make your point more quickly and clearly than words avoid visual clutter-dont over use fancy graphics that might distract the audience have a good reason for showing each and every overhead Be Careful: dont block the audiences vision; limit the time your back is to the udience make sure you know how to operate the equipment; prac tice it ahead of time; have backup cords, bulbs, adapters, etc; prepare for the worst make sure you know the lighting requirements for your equipment; know where the switches are and what settings are needed; bring a small penlight in case the room has to be darkened and you need to see notes or equipment [pic] Group Presentation Evaluation Form (ver. 5) Rate the Group Presentation (5= Excellent; 1= Poor NA= not applicable) Comments would be very helpful. Group Number:____ Group Topic:________________________________ ____1. Introduction: Did the introduction capture your interest; was necessary background given; was a clear purpose conveyed ___2. Organization: Was there a clear organization; were transitions between sections clear and effective; did the organization lead to a clear conclusion? ___3. Content: Did the group support their points; was the supporting material relevant, up to date? ___4. Visual Aids: Were visual aids used effectively and appropriately, carefully prepared? ___5. Conclusion: Were key points reinforced; was a sense of closure provided; if appropriate, was a course of action proposed? ___6. Delivery: Were the speakers natural, enthusiastic; did they speak clearly; were appropriate gestures, posture, expreesions used ___7. Discussion: Were questions answered accurately, clearly, effectively? ___8. Overall Rating General Comments (use back): [pic] Presenting Overseas An American woman making a presentation to a group of German male colleagues began in a casual, lighthearted style. Several of the men snorted, stood up and headed for the door, declaring her presentation a waste of time. She spoke loudly and sharply, telling them to sit down and be quiet. They did, and she switched to an assertive, formal tone without qany of her fun techniques. The Germans paid attention. International Hearld Tribune, May 20, 1997 This anecdote illustrates that doing business internally requires concise, to the point yet diplomatic communication due to the lack of time to build relationships and sell ideas. International execuitives have to discipline themselves to listen completely and ask questions; this is particularly important when not everyone in the room has the same native language. A particular problem for many is the niceness problem; these occur when nice people are shocked to see how aggressive top-level communications and team communi ations can be in some places, and when they cant cope with aggressive peers. Another problems is conciseness. Many of us are trained to give an introduction, body, and conclusion and the mroe you say the better. In some places there is no patience for this slow, gradual building. In this case, you need to make the point first, prove it concisely and make recommendations.

Systems Analysis and Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Systems Analysis and Design - Essay Example The most crucial security issues facing organizations today are data security, employee security, health risks, and physical security. A 2012 report by statistics organization Securitas showed that organizations, irrespective of size, dealt with data security issues most seriously (Wisegate 5). Dangers to data originate from rival companies, hackers, and espionage attempts. Employee security is the protection of employees from other workers, and internal and external dangers. Health risks companies deal with today often are contagious illnesses that perpetrate within closed rooms such as offices, unhygienic restrooms, defective wiring, and electrical structures. Physical security is protecting the organization’s property from theft or harm and access to all its premises and facilities (Shelly and Rosenblatt 502). Companies can prepare for security dangers and issues in the future by raising awareness and teaming amongst employees, making the information technology department the â€Å"First Adopter† of disruptive innovations, system segmentation, and system visibility. System segmentation is having all key applications of an organization under a single data setting where the degrees of dangers or effect that domestic workstations can have. System visibility is the analysis of ongoing in an organization’s network through solutions that determine system traffic patterns and note irregular patterns (Wisegate 6, 7,

ORGANISATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

ORGANISATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS - Essay Example According to psychological studies, individual behaviour and mental development can be determined through different activities performed by individuals (Cash, 2013). These activities can be very simple, such as the way people enter or exit from buildings through opening doors. Contextually, the objective of the current study is to reveal the psychological aspects relevant to the manner in which individuals enter or exit buildings through their doors. It is difficult to identify a specific manner or way in which people across the world use to open doors in order to enter or exit buildings. However, there are some common phenomenons among people, which are widely notable throughout the world. In this regard, Cash (2013) commented that several psychological factors, which influence individuals to conduct a definite pattern or manner of action while opening doors while entering buildings. Usually, individuals prefer to push doors in order to enter buildings or rooms. Mayer (2011) commented that the pushing of doors is considered as a significant physiological factor. Most of the people throughout the world attempts to push the doors, instead of pulling it towards their end. Bekerian & Levey (2012) conveyed that this phenomenon is largely because of the motor sensory of the individuals. This are considered as reflexive actions, which occurs simultaneously without the influence pre-meditated or pre-decided thoughts. Brain (2012) also suggested that these reflexive actions among the individuals are an influence of the motor nerves present in the human body that compels people to push doors in order to enter buildings. Brain (2012) also conveyed that there are certain individuals who prefer to pull doors instead of pushing it. This is also because of the physiological factors. In this regard, Sporrle and Stich (2010) commented that the psychological state of the individuals influences them to conduct

Police misconduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Police misconduct - Essay Example Another officer then appeared, and started feeling and searching the person in question. He also said to him: "I could be a real jerk..some officers would arrest you for not liking the way you look"(ibid). Another incident happened recently in San Diego and raised a storm in the media. This was the case where several women were arrested by El Cajon police officer named William Robert Taylor who allegedly made them perform sexual acts in return for their freedom. One case was thus described: "In one instance detailed in a Feb. 3 arrest warrant, a woman Taylor detained for petty theft in September 2005 at an El Cajon department store told police that Taylor forced her to disrobe and perform a sex act in the back seat of his patrol car while he stood outside and watched" (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060329-9999-2m29taylor.html ). The victim thought she had no options but to comply. Later Taylor claimed that the woman was not prompted to perform sexual act but that she willingly did it. There was yet another incident of the similar nature involving this same officer. This was when he arrested a woman for possession of marijuana plant and petty theft and told her that if she had sex with him he would not arrest her. These last two cases involve a questionable unethical behavior on the part of the police officer. The last case is somewhat more complex. It happened in Vancouver, BC, at the drug-ridden Downtown East Side. Apparently, the number of HIV infected drug users in this area has been alarming since the 1990's, and at the time when the said incident happened, in 2002, 40% of the residents of that area were HIV infected. This is higher than anywhere in Canada. This alarming fact prompted the health officials to start a safe injection needle exchange clinic, which was to be held outside, at the corner of Main and Hastings Street, which is where the greatest number of drug users can be found usually. The police had no right or warrant to close down the clinic. However, this is precisely what they did, as they alleged that there was illegal activity happening close by. This was a blow in the face of the drug addicts using heroin as well as the health officials who were concerned about more and more people getting infected with HIV virus due to the unsafe use of contaminated needles, which is apparently the quickest way for the HIV virus to enter one's bloodstream, quicker than sex for example. As in 2003 there was a new city major elected, he started a so-called 4-pillar approach to drug use in the city, which involved harm reduction, safe needle exchange sites and methadone program, as well as counseling. The police department asked the City council for permission to place more officers in the Downtown East Side, which was refused by the City council. However, the police still went ahead and, in addition to the 20 officers that were already there, they positioned another 40 officers from other areas of the city in the Downtown East Side. This made it almost impossible for the drug users to access the safe needle exchange clinic, as they had to bypass the police to get there. As the police were arresting people for drug possession,

Stragetic Management Essay -- Business and Management Studies

Stragetic Management 1. Introductiom --------------- USQ MGT8039 Strategic Leadership S2, 2005 Study Book (p 1.11), sighted that Hoskisson, Hitt and Ireland (2004, p.37) defined strategic leadership as â€Å"the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and empower others to create strategic change as necessary†¦ managing through others, managing an entire enterprise rather that a functional subunit†. 2. Critical Analysis -------------------- Strategic management can be described as a process undertaken by top-level management. Thomson el all (2002, pp. 3-15)) elaborate that strategic management is process about defining the purpose of existent of an organization, formulating a long term strategy to fit the organization’s external and internal situation, build sustainable advantage and improve organization performance. In contrast, strategic leadership is a function that drives the strategic management process in the organization. In view of this, the author would like to adopt a stand that strategic leadership is different from strategic management but both intertwined and co-exist to compliment each other. Strategic management will not exist without strategic leadership. The scope of top level management in this respect shall encompasses the Board of Directors, CEO and top management and the strategic leadership which, they exercise would be in-conjunction or individually. Emergence of globalization whilst giving new opportunities for organization to new markets, also exposes organization to new challenges for competitions and rapid changes of competitive environment. The strategic management undertaken by organization to address these challenges required strategic leadership to drive the task of crafting and executing the organization strategy. According to Richardson (1994), modern strategic management needs to be met by a multi-skilled strategic leadership response and not adopt a stand of â€Å"this by and large, is the only way to do strategic leadership†. Nicholls (1994) proposed that in order to counter the fast-changing business environment, organization through the role strategic leadership must adopt the fundamental changes in the way they think and behave with respect to both people and customers. In the process of strategic management, decisions making would have to take place to determine ... ...e, Trends Source: http://www.autoblog.com/entry/6449113922489878/ Despite raking in $10 billion in earnings last year and looking like it will surpass that mark this year, Toyota is not happy. Chairman Fujio Cho lambasted his own company last week, saying â€Å"The sense of crisis we feel, despite increasing sales and profits, stems from our fear that we have no kept up. Particularly fears that we have not kept up with environmental issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ok, Fujio, I know it’s noble to be hard on yourself, as that’s how Toyota got to this point in the first place, but what about the unbridled success of the Prius and the manifold hybrid concepts like the Volta and Lexus’ pending RX hybrid SUV? It’s still not even close to enough, apparently, as Chairman Cho revealed plans to get 300,000 hybrids on tarmac by the end of next year. But, wait, this isn’t really about environmentally-responsible transport, is it? No, I didn’t think so: Toyota has long been forced to compete only with itself as far as quality and reliability were concerned; this year, however, the untarnishable reputation pitted slightly around the edges as Hyundai passed Toyota in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study. Stragetic Management Essay -- Business and Management Studies Stragetic Management 1. Introductiom --------------- USQ MGT8039 Strategic Leadership S2, 2005 Study Book (p 1.11), sighted that Hoskisson, Hitt and Ireland (2004, p.37) defined strategic leadership as â€Å"the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and empower others to create strategic change as necessary†¦ managing through others, managing an entire enterprise rather that a functional subunit†. 2. Critical Analysis -------------------- Strategic management can be described as a process undertaken by top-level management. Thomson el all (2002, pp. 3-15)) elaborate that strategic management is process about defining the purpose of existent of an organization, formulating a long term strategy to fit the organization’s external and internal situation, build sustainable advantage and improve organization performance. In contrast, strategic leadership is a function that drives the strategic management process in the organization. In view of this, the author would like to adopt a stand that strategic leadership is different from strategic management but both intertwined and co-exist to compliment each other. Strategic management will not exist without strategic leadership. The scope of top level management in this respect shall encompasses the Board of Directors, CEO and top management and the strategic leadership which, they exercise would be in-conjunction or individually. Emergence of globalization whilst giving new opportunities for organization to new markets, also exposes organization to new challenges for competitions and rapid changes of competitive environment. The strategic management undertaken by organization to address these challenges required strategic leadership to drive the task of crafting and executing the organization strategy. According to Richardson (1994), modern strategic management needs to be met by a multi-skilled strategic leadership response and not adopt a stand of â€Å"this by and large, is the only way to do strategic leadership†. Nicholls (1994) proposed that in order to counter the fast-changing business environment, organization through the role strategic leadership must adopt the fundamental changes in the way they think and behave with respect to both people and customers. In the process of strategic management, decisions making would have to take place to determine ... ...e, Trends Source: http://www.autoblog.com/entry/6449113922489878/ Despite raking in $10 billion in earnings last year and looking like it will surpass that mark this year, Toyota is not happy. Chairman Fujio Cho lambasted his own company last week, saying â€Å"The sense of crisis we feel, despite increasing sales and profits, stems from our fear that we have no kept up. Particularly fears that we have not kept up with environmental issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ok, Fujio, I know it’s noble to be hard on yourself, as that’s how Toyota got to this point in the first place, but what about the unbridled success of the Prius and the manifold hybrid concepts like the Volta and Lexus’ pending RX hybrid SUV? It’s still not even close to enough, apparently, as Chairman Cho revealed plans to get 300,000 hybrids on tarmac by the end of next year. But, wait, this isn’t really about environmentally-responsible transport, is it? No, I didn’t think so: Toyota has long been forced to compete only with itself as far as quality and reliability were concerned; this year, however, the untarnishable reputation pitted slightly around the edges as Hyundai passed Toyota in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study.

Stock Market and Stock Option Plan

Should the company implement the proposed employee stock option plan? In a typical stock option plan, the employee is offered a specific number of shares which he/she can exercise (buy) at some specified time in the future. The price at which the employee can buy the stock is equal to the market price at the time the stock option was granted (grant price). The employee's gain is equal to the market value of the stock at the time it is exercised, less the grant price. If the market price of the stock remains the same or decreases relative to the grant price, then the stock option is worthless. Stock options are typically offered to managers, most technical individual contributors and about half of the other professionals. Smaller organizations offer stock options more widely, in some cases to all employees In THTF case, stock options are offered to the former category. There are various factors that Tsinghua Tongfang should consider before implementing the proposed employee stock option plan. Future growth Stock options are appropriate for small companies where future growth is expected. Being a young company, THTF looks to be well posed for future growth. Cultural differences In China, there is high importance attached to feeling valued and having a sense of belonging. This results in Chinese companies having to maintain a good reputation for treating their employees well or risk unwanted attention. In the current economic climate, competitions for key employees are extremely fierce. Options, to a certain extent, do inspire loyalty and commitment and provide employees with a sense of ownership which is a unique and potentially powerful compensation tool. However, research (Economist’s article â€Å"False Options†) has shown that unlike the US counterparts, the Chinese rarely exercise vested stock options during their tenures at the firm. This may be due to the perceived notion in China where cashing out stock option may suggest disloyalty to the firm since once the options are cashed, the alignment of ownership and management no longer exists. Thus, options become an ineffective measure. Hence, there may a need for the company to consider the level of understanding among its Chinese employees with regard to options. An option may become an ineffective measure as seen from above. Educating employees is one resolution but the cost and logistical burden of such undertaking may outweigh the potential benefits for company and its employee. In THTF’s case, as the key management are pushing for the implementation of the stock option, it can be inferred that they do understand the usefulness of stock options. Retention Retention of employees is of great interest especially in the high-tech industry THTF was based in. Key management were highly sought after. Stock options can serve as a retention mechanism as stocks options will motivate employees to remain with the firm as they can see their investment grow. Stocks options will also encourage less risk-averse and optimistic employees or have employees that can increase value to work at the firm. This may be aligned with THTF interests. Therefore, stock options can help to retained and attract suitable people to work at the firm. However stock options can fall underwater due to bearish stock market conditions rather than poor firm performance and cause major morale and retention problems. This may lead to stock options not having their intended effects. Still, in this THTF’s case, they are currently in a robust and high-growth economy, thus stock prices are unlikely to fall. From an incentive point of view, employees benefit when stock price goes up, so stock options motivate employees to increase their company’s price. This si aligned with the shareholders interest as when stock price goes up, presumably value has been created. The stock options may get the employees to think like shareholders. Nonetheless, this may not be the case. An option holder does not share the downside in holding the stock. If the stock loses value, the option holder will simply just fail to exercise the option and thus avoid the loss. Risk that would scare off a shareholder is a matter of indifference to an option holder. This may lead management taking too much risk as the upside to taking the risk gives high paybacks whereas there is virtually no downside. In THTF, other measures need to be put into place to make sure of the interests’ alignment before implement stock options compensation. Employees From the employee’s point of view, receiving stock options is a huge benefit as the employee can reap financial success from the firm. But is it really so? The executives may suffer from the more volatility then the market as they are too under diversified with their stake too over concentrated in a irm. Employees should not put their eggs – instruments and salary – into one basket. Thus, this will lead to the undervaluing of options by the employees. This shows that options are wasted on employees. Market Paranoia Stock options compensation may also lead to the market being deeply suspicious of the corporation. When top executives are paid in stock options compensation, they get huge compensation packages which are hidden away from public scrutiny. Furthermore, stock options also dilute shareholders. Management may also manipulate the market before the stock options grant date to get a better deal for themselves which would lead to excess volatility. Thus, having stock options compensation may lead to distrust from the market, having long term adverse effects on the stock prices. Conclusion Given the current restrictions and ambiguities of the Chinese laws and regulations applicable to options, THTF should take a conservative approach to such practice. If THTF determined that the use of options is immediately necessary for the recruitment and retention of employees, the options should be granted.

Solving The Foreclosure Crisis - 1291 Words

On its surface, the current foreclosure crisis appears to have erupted from a volatile mix of debt, deregulation, risk, and over-leveraging within the economy. This; however, is a merely symptomatic approach to the recession, and does not address its underlying causes. In order to truly solve the crisis of foreclosures, one must address the systemic deficiencies which allowed the crisis to originally form. In the housing sector, the foreclosure crisis can be viewed as the bursting of the housing bubble. Indeed, the economy as a whole around the turn of the millennium can be characterized by its bubbles, and any solution to the housing bubble must necessarily take into account the complex web of interconnections between each and every†¦show more content†¦In this way, an incentive is provided for cleaner, sustainable development, which has been hindered to the current day by its economic infeasibility. When taking a long term approach, however, one can see that any further entrenchment of the current fossil fuel status quo is ultimately infeasible due to its unsustainability. With true economic incentives in place for the development of green energy, new development in the future will take on a different character. A host of new industries will manifest themselves, moving the economy away from the old modes of production into an engine ready to take the United States through the 21st century. With the development of new jobs and reliable long term sources of income for the population will come the true economic growth and security needed to save peoples homes. The United States stature on the world stage has long been derived from its avant-garde status as a technological innovator --all GDP growth is born of technology; GDP is simply the adaptation of technology to marketplace. The fiscal mirages of the past decade are a product of the lack of incentives in place for fostering real, production based growth. Adopting a Graduated Energy Standard for the dollar not only provides an incentive for increasing economic output, but also pushes that new output in a forward-thinking direction. Because the foreclosures in the housing market are a direct symptomShow MoreRelatedSolving the Foreclosure Crisis 1107 Words   |  5 PagesSolving the foreclosure crisis is not an easy quest. In order to solve the crisis, it will take everyone getting involved. The banks and other lenders need to be willing to work with people who have been in their homes and need to have their loans restructured or refinanced. There should not be any more QUICK FIXES. Too many of the lending institutions are trying to put a bandage on an open wound. Instead of working with the homeowners, they are willing to put the residents out of the homes and thinkRead MoreSolving the Foreclosure Crisis 972 Words   |  4 PagesIn order to solve the foreclosure crisis, first we must identify and examine the reasons why people are going into foreclosure. The unstable economy which has led to the loss of thousands of jobs is the most obvious reason that people are foreclosing their homes. Without a stable and sufficient source of income, it is virtually impossible to pay back mortgage lenders. The first step we should take to solve the foreclosure crises is to create more jobs so that people can pay their mortgages on timeRead MoreSolving The Foreclosure Crisis Essay985 Words   |  4 PagesHome foreclosures have been a hot topic in recent months as the economy has been in a serious downfall with a very slow recovery process. There are many different philosophies and many people truly feel that we can recover from this. We can alter the foreclosure status by giving serious considera tion to the economic times and the types of mortgages that are available. Buyers must become more educated on the additional costs when getting a mortgage such as taxes, insurance, etc. The governmentRead MoreSolving the Foreclosure Crisis 1156 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Foreclosure filings were reported on 336,173 U.S. properties in June, the fourth straight monthly total exceeding 300,000†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Brooklyn, NY – December 30, 2009 Foreclosures continue to rise drastically across the United States due to the recession, and have effected, and continue to affect thousands of families and individuals every day. One aspect we must take into consideration is that most people are not informed of what foreclosure means, or the process, even those who are homeowners.Read MoreSolving The Foreclosure Crisis1012 Words   |  5 PagesThe current foreclosure crisis is affecting everyone in this nation. If people are not experiencing the crisis firsthand, they hear about it through family, friends, and their other social networks. Nonetheless, it is impossible to escape because the media is constantly showing coverage about it. People are becoming more aware and seeing how expansive the impact is through television, internet, print, and radio. Americans are quickly realizing the impact the foreclosure crisis is having on theRead MoreSolving the Foreclosure Crisis 979 Words    |  4 PagesOne way to solve the foreclosure crisis is to actually foreclose on every homeowner’s home loan, including the homeowners in bankruptcy, pre-foreclosure and post-foreclosure. The credit report of these homeowners should read as a recession in 2009 and it should not lower their credit scores. The banks should then match the previous interest rates to the interest rates of today and appraise each home and property at the value that it was assigned by its local tax assessor. By doing this it willRead MoreSolving the Foreclosure Crisis 1578 Words   |  7 Pagespotential loss breaks down as follows: Loss from sales price: $200,000.00 5% Commission: $10,000.00 3% closing cost credit: $6,000.00 Repair credits: $1,000.00 Foreclosure fees: $50,000.00 Total loss $267,000.00 Case number one: For those whose income has not had any major variations from the time they initiated their mortgage, but are finding themselves unable to continue their payments because of anRead MoreSolving the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1092 Words   |  5 PagesThe foreclosure crisis was one of the harbingers of the coming economic recession. This was the issue that shifted the focus of the 2008 presidential election from the Iraq War to the economy. As one can imagine, many individuals and families are currently hurting as a result of this foreclosure crisis. High unemployment rates and lack of job creation leave very few options for already struggling homeowners. Because the housing industry composes such a large part of the American economy and affectsRead MoreEssay on Solving the Foreclosure Crisis 969 Words   |  4 PagesThe current foreclosure crisis that our nation is experiencing has become a great hardship on many people in America. People that have lost their jobs due to cut backs, people with families for whom they need to provide shelter, people who are otherwise very responsible but have been put in a position from which they cannot escape, these are the people that are suffering. Normally if one could not afford to make payments on their mortgage, there would be ways for them to refinance their mortgageRead MoreThe Solving The Foreclosure Crisis933 Words   |  4 Pages The foreclosure crisis, which tragically happened several years ago, stole away the homes from countless Americans and left them high and dry. These Americans were not even neglecting to pay for their mortgage on purpose; the economy took a drastic downfall and took all of those unshielded Americans with it. Now, these Americans are left with many questions that are unanswered – until now. They still have the chance to improve their credit, test out their dream home, and thrive in the current reasonable