Assessing The Strategy Of Blue Ocean Commerce Essay

Assessing The Strategy Of Blue Ocean Commerce Essay The market set is divided into two categories which are called oceans: Blue Oceans and red oceans. Red oceans are the known market space as it exists today, with all the various industries. Competitive rules are defined and barriers are clear and accepted. Competition exists among players to gain a bigger share; the more players are on the market, the fewer prospects for profit and growth is existent. Cutthroat competition turns the red ocean bloody. Blue Oceans on the other hand represent the opposite they are the unknown market space with industries that are not existent today. Demand is not created by competitive rivalry, because the rules of the game are yet to be set. There is substantial opportunity for profitable growth because of the deep potential of market space that is not yet explored.  [2]   To be successful in economic performance most companies are laying the focus on competitive strategies, plenty of enthusiasm is spend on analyzing and outperforming rivals. Using the vocabulary of the authors their focus is on red ocean strategies. In the future this will not be enough to survive; in addition to swim in a red ocean companies need to create Blue Oceans.  [3]  The following image illustrates the major differences between red and Blue Oceans. Image 1: Comparison of Red Ocean with Blue Ocean strategy  [4]   Value Innovation The basis of the Blue Ocean Strategy is called Value Innovation. Competition is made irrelevant by creating value for both buyers and the company. Buyer value is created by the benefit and price that the company offers to the consumer; value to the company is created from the price and its cost structure therefore only if those two variables are aligned the strategy works. The innovation of a product/ service must create value for the market and eliminate features that are not valued by the current market. New and uncontested market space is made accessible by simultaneously differentiate and reducing costs. This strategy is contrary to common management strategies which propose that companies can either create value to customers at higher costs or create reasonable value at lower costs.  [5]  According to the authors Value Innovation is a strategy that embraces the entire system of a companys activities.  [6]  Image 2 illustrates Value Innovation. Image 2: Value Innovation  [7]   Analytical tools and framework There are three basic tools that will help companies to build a Blue Ocean Strategy. The strategy canvas The strategy canvas is a tool that helps to build a Blue Ocean Strategy. It highlights the current situation in the known market space and shows the offering level that buyers receive across several key competing factors. By illustrating these factors in a simple matrix a graphic description in form of a value curve is visible. This value curve shows a companys relative performance within its industrys factors of competition.  [8]  By illustrating the current situation of an industry the strategic focus can be shifted away from current competition to alternatives and noncustomers, a redefinition of the industry can be constructed.  [9]  Image 3 illustrates a strategy canvas with an example of an Airline. Image 3: Strategy Canvas  [10]   The four actions framework This tool uses four key questions to lead to a new value curve: Which of the factors that the industry takes for granted should be eliminated? Which factors should be reduced well below the industrys standard? Which factors should be raised well above the industrys standard? Which factors should be created that the industry has never offered?  [11]   The first two questions give an insight in how to reduce the cost structure in comparison to other players in the industry. Question 3 and 4 give insight into how to lift buyer value and create new demand.  [12]   The eliminate-reduce-raise-create-grid This tool is supplementary to the four actions framework. It gives companies the possibility to act on all four questions answered before to create new value. The four factors of what to eliminate, reduce, raise and create are put in a matrix and by that scrutinize every factor the industry competes on.  [13]   Formulating Blue Oceans strategies Reconstruct market boundaries In order to break away from the competition the first principle is to reconstruct market boundaries. The challenge is to find possibilities of Blue Ocean opportunities. During performing research across various industry sectors the authors found a basic approach to remaking market boundaries, the six path framework.  [14]  This framework is applicable in all kinds of industries and all are based on looking at data from a new perspective. These are the six paths: Path 1: Look across alternative industries Path 2: Look across strategic groups within industries Path 3: Look across the chain of buyers Path 4: Look across complimentary product and service offerings Path 5: Look across functional or emotional appeal to buyers Path 6: Look across time  [15]   By analyzing each of the single paths companies will be able to get an insight into how to open up Blue Oceans by rebuilding market realities and leave behind conventional boundaries of competition.  [16]   Focus on the big pictures, not the numbers The approach to the strategic planning process is based on drawing a strategy canvas, as it is explained in the section of analytical tools and framework of this document. A structured process for developing a strategy canvas has been developed, which is called the Visualizing Strategy.  [17]  As the name implies, this process uses visual stimulation with the purpose to unlock peoples creativity. The main focus here is laid on the big picture rather than on defined numbers and operational details.  [18]   Reach beyond existing demand To achieve a maximization of the size of the Blue Ocean you are creating the focus should be laid on two things: The analysis of non-customers and finding out strong similarities of what buyers value.  [19]  This is a reversed approach to common strategies, where the focus is on customers and customer differences. The three tiers of non customers The challenge is to find out who the non-customers are and get a deep understanding of them. The authors describe three tiers of non-customers that eventually can be transformed into customers. The first tier of non-customers is closest to your market and would stay and increase their frequency of purchases if a leap in value would be offered to them. These non-customers also referred to as soon-to-be.  [20]  The second tier of non-customers is further away from your market and aware of offerings in it but has consciously voted against them. These non-customers are also referred to as refusing.  [21]  The third tier of non-customers is farthest from your market and has never considered its offerings as an option. These non customers are also referred to as unexplored.  [22]   By analyzing each of the three tiers an understanding of the non-customers can be developed to attract them into your market and expand your Blue Ocean.  [23]   Get the strategic sequence right The fourth principle of Blue Ocean Strategy focuses on the challenge to build a sustainable business model that will make profit on your Blue Ocean idea. The idea here is to use sequences and key criteria within a sequence to reduce business model risk.  [24]  Each sequence has a key question that has to be asked. If answered with no the sequence has to be reshaped. If answered with yes one can move on to the next sequence. The four sequences are: Buyer utility: Is there exceptional buyer utility in your business idea? Price: Is your price easy accessible to the mass of buyers? Cost: Can you attain your cost target to profit at your strategic price? Adoption: What are the adoption hurdles in actualizing your business idea? Are you addressing them up front?  [25]   With this sequencing as a starting point further analyzing of strategic pricing, target costing and finally the profit model is developed.  [26]   Executing Blue Ocean Strategy Overcome key organizational hurdles The challenge to execute the strategy of Blue Oceans is significant, since there are changes made from the conventional way of doing things. The authors present four common hurdles in the execution: The cognitive-, political-, motivational- and resource hurdle. Dealing with those challenges in form of hurdles with tipping point leadership is the key to make Blue Ocean Strategy happen in action.  [27]   Build execution into strategy The sixth principle of the Blue Ocean Strategy is about building commitment and trust into the strategy from the start. The focus is laid on a fair process as a key variable that distinguishes successful Blue Ocean Strategy moves from those that failed.  [28]   Case analysis In this section, we intend to describe and analize two cases of innovative companies (Virgin Galactic and Petrobras) based on the Blue Ocean theory. Virgin Galactic Description of Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic is a company which belongs to the Virgin Group. This group was founded 1970 by Sir Richard Branson and is one of the leading brand venture capital organizations of the world. The group has created more than 300 branded companies in a variety of different industries, employs around 50,000 people and generated revenue of approx. US$ 18 billion in the year 2009.  [29]  Based on them the success of this group derives from the power of the Virgin name, Richard Bransons personal reputation; our unrivalled network of friends, contacts and partners; the Virgin management style; the way talent is empowered to flourish within the group.  [30]   The Virgin Galactic company has the aim of making private space travel available to everyone by creating the worlds first commercial spaceline.  [31]  Virgin Galactic will create, own and operate spaceships, the SpaceShipTwo. To achieve this goal the Virgin Group uses it experiences in aviation, adventure and luxury travel combining with the technology developed by Burt Rutan. The company was founded in the year 2004 and is located in New Mexico. The SpaceShipOne became the first private spaceship with high altitude-flights in the year 2004. The successor of this technology, the SpaceShipTwo, has seats for two pilots and six passengers. Every passenger has to pay US$200.000 with a deposit ofUS$20,000. At the moment 340 passengers have registered for this service.  [32]  So far 450 people have ever been to space, the goal of Virgin Galactic is to take 1,000 people to space within the first year of commercial operation.  [33]  The first commercial flight shall start in the year 2012.  [34]   The mothership of the SpaceShipTwo, the WhiteKnightTwo, will take the SpaceShipTwo to a height of about 16km and then release it. At that point the rockets of the SpaceShipTwo will boost and bring it to a height of about 100km.  [35]  There it will fly for about five minutes in which the passengers have a magnificent view at the earth and can enjoy weightlessness. Afterwards the space ship will decrease the altitude and land at its base in New Texas. The first flying tests of the WhiteKnightTwo were executed successfully and the SpaceShipTwo completed the first manned glide flight in October 2010.  [36]   At current stage the company Blue Origin which is based close to Seattle is also working on a private space ship.  [37]   Analysis of Virgin Galactic The analysis will start by discussing the Value Innovation of Virgin Galactic. So far tourism in space was available for seven specific persons who paid in average US$ 25 million for staying about 14 days at the ISS.  [38]  The clear buyer benefit of Virgin Galactic is to make this tourism available for nearly everybody who can afford paying the US$200,000 which is less than 1% of the price so far. Moreover, these space trips also add value to Virgin Galactic as it will earn US$200,000 for every passenger having already 340 on the waiting list. Virgin Galactic clearly succeeded in creating a Value Innovation. In the following the strategy canvas for Virgin Galactic will be developed to see the value curve in comparison to its competitor the stay at the ISS.  [39]   As principal factors the following was defined: price, safety, request for personal attributes and easy preparation for the trip.  [40]  As seen in image one the Virgin Galactic company enables a much more comfortable and convenient stay as the previous tourism on the ISS. This is also based on the lower requirements a person has to fulfill to be able to execute this tourism and the lower time-investment. Image 4: Strategy Canvas of Virgin Galactic  [41]   Considering the four action framework Virgin Galactic reduced the costs by eliminated the factors that a stay in space has to be combined with a long duration and cost-intensive stay at the ISS and with cost-intensive rocket starts. Furthermore, they created the factor that nearly everybody would be able (from physical requirements  [42]  ) to go to space with a low time-investment and a comparably low amount of money. They increased the convenience of space-tourisms to a very high extent. In conclusion, they managed to dramatically reduce the costs while increasing the perceived value of the passengers which are interested in some minutes of weightlessness and seeing the earth from the space. Virgin Galactic also concentrated on the so called non-customers as the total number of customers was seven so far. They identified the implicit wish of most people to go to space once. Organizational hurdles The cognitive hurdle cannot be applied as Virgin Galactic did not start in a red ocean but directly entered the Blue Ocean with the start of the company. The hurdle resources will probably be not a big burden as the first flying tests went successful, customers on the waiting list already paid close to US$7 million as deposit and Sheikh Mansour invested US$280 million in this business.  [43]  Furthermore, the Virgin Group and the state of New Mexico are supporting this business. The motivation of the employees and managers is high which is also pushed by Richard Branson personal interest in the success of this company.  [44]  The political hurdle could be implemented by making new laws for required safety standards. But already in 2004 the US congress passed a law which allows passengers to fly into space with the understanding that these vehicles might not be as safe as regular airplanes. Furthermore, the governor of New Mexico supports this company  [45]  and the Virgin group has a high political power. In conclusion all the hurdles were passed successfully by Virgin Gallactic. Build execution into strategy From the beginning Richard Branson declared the vision of this company to make private space travel year 2004. Conclusion In final conclusion, Virgin Galactic entered a Blue Ocean from the beginning. It decreased the costs and made space travel available to everyone by creating the worlds first commercial spaceline. Virgin Galactic works towards this clear vision with having the first commercial flights very likely eight years after its foundation in the previous tourism in space and increased the value of it by leveraging especially the convenience for the customers. Moreover, it went beyond known customer space by offering this service for less than 1% of the costs so far. It managed the organizational hurdles and created a strong vision from the start. Although other companies as e.g. Blue Origin try to create space tourisms this ocean is deep blue so far for Virgin Galactic. Petrobras Description of Petrobras Petrobras was established on October 3, 1953 by the president of Brazil, Getà ºlio Vargas, to undertake oil sector activities in the country. In the early 1970s, the members of the Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose the international prices substantially, triggering the so-called Oil Shock. As a result, the market was troubled and marked by uncertainty. In order to overcome the difficulties, the Brazilian government adopted economic measures in order to overcome the supply of oil. Some examples of these measures were the encouragement for use of ethanol as automotive fuel and prioritizing offshore exploration and production. With the measures, the government intended to reduce the dependency on importing a very expensive product and to create an industry to create jobs and exports. These tasks where given to Petrà ³leo Brasileiro (Petrobras) for being executed.  [46]   Producing ethanol for powering the nation 1975 marks the beginning of the production of Ethanol by Petrobras in Brazil aiming to drive the large-scale substitution of oil based vehicular fuels for biofuels. Substituting gasoline for ethanol (produced from sugarcane and manioc) led to 10 million fewer gasoline fuel cars running in Brazil, reducing the countrys dependence on imported oil.  [47]   Today Brazil is recognized as the world leader in the production of ethanol for industrial purposes, based on the most advanced agricultural technology for sugarcane cultivation in the world and to the amount of arable land available in the country. In 2010, the Brazilian ethanol produced by Petrobras was designated as one of the most advanced biofuels due to the 61% reduction of green house gas emissions.  [48]   Pioneering in deep waters In 1984 the company discovered one of the biggest reserve in deep water ever registered in the world. The Albacora field was discovered; proving the existence of giant fields nestled at great depth in Brazil. This marked the beginning in deepwater exploration for the company. By 1986 the company, which until then purchased technology, was faced with the challenge of producing oil at a depth of 400 meters. After surveying the market and finding out there was no technology available for this depth, the company decided to invest in developing new technologies. This was an extremely ambitious project, since, at the time, Petrobras had been exploring at depths of 150 meters and had plans for 1000 meters by 1990. This project turned out to be a great success and the company is currently the global leader in this area. By 2005, Petrobras sets the record of drilling depth with a sloped that reached 6915 meters beyond the bottom of the sea.  [49]   Petrobras achieves self sufficiency In 2006 Brazil became a self-sufficient country in oil and gas production. With an average of 1.9 million barrels per day, Brazil went on to exporting more oil and oil products than it imported. It was like a dream came true, only possible because of the technological efforts and dedication of the employees. Since this point, Petrobras is the most profitable company in the Brazilian economy, being recognized as the eighth biggest oil exploring company in the world.  [50]   In the upcoming years, Petrobras intends to invest in using and developing new renewable energy sources. The portfolio of new projects includes wind, solar and water energy sources and fuel hydrogen. The intention is to reduce even more the dependency on oil, delivering the necessary energy sources to Brazil in order to sustain the intended growth of the upcoming years. Analysis of Petrobas Petrobras success can be summed up in one word and that word is innovation. This company faced the challenge of turning one of the biggest countries in the Americas from a big consumer of imported oil to self sufficient in oil and gas production. This strategy was based on focusing on the big picture (producing its own oil and become an exporter of petroleum) rather than finding a temporary solution for importing oil in the 70s, when the biggest crisis of oil prices occurred. Value Innovation They broke away from the competition by reconstructing market boundaries. For each challenge they faced, they were able to create and develop the necessary technology that didnt exist in the market, becoming a leader in deepwater oil drilling. They reached beyond their existing demand by having more oil available than they need for their own consumption. They also created value to the country by reducing the amount of CO2 in 61% emitted by cars and public transportation thanks to the introduction to ethanol and biodiesel. Brazil became a more efficient country thanks to the use of their natural resources for powering the nation. By mixing ethanol with oil, Petrobras has managed to increase the value for customers by creating a reduction of oil prices  [51]  and by guaranteeing the oil supply they reduced the dependency on foreign companies. Strategy canvas We have decided to explain the differences between the two largest producers of Ethanol in the world, Brazil and U.S.A. As we have mentioned before, Petrobras is the only company responsible for the production and distribution of ethanol in Brazil. Image 5: Stragegy Canvas Petrobas  [52]   As we can see in the figure xx, Brazil is the second largest producer of Ethanol in the world (6,500 million gallons in 2009  [53]  ) behind the United States (10,900 million gallons in 2009  [54]  ). But, the total area used by Brazil for cultivating their sugar cane (3.6 million hectares  [55]  by 2006) is far less than the land used by the United States (10 million hectares  [56]  in 2006). This means that the productivity per hectare is superior in Brazil than in the United States. Another important thing to mention is that thanks to the mixture of Ethanol and oil in Brazil, green house gas reduction has been reduced considerably (89%  [57]  ), increasing the value the company gives to their customers. Organizational hurdles The hurdles are based on the theory mentioned in the first section of this project. During the oil crisis of the 70s, the company faced the challenge of completely changing the paradigm of production. In the cognitive hurdle, we can say that the employees understood completely the need of the company and were able to transform the company. In the second hurdle resources, we can say that the company successfully understood that they needed to invest a great amount of resources in RD in order to increase the efficiency of the production of ethanol and also to raise the drilling depth for oil extraction. Motivating employees on a thirty-year-old project has been an enormous challenge for the company. They have managed to succeed by achieving small goals each year, increasing the level of satisfaction and trust towards the leadership of the company. Finally, the political hurdle was managed correctly due to the implications of the transformation project, involving the government, the management and employees of the company. Build execution into strategy As we mentioned before, the strategy was clear from the beginning: Reduce the dependency of oil and turn the country into a self-sufficient country. The facts speak for themselves, the whole company aligned in order to achieve the goal and it is an example on how to implement the Blue Ocean strategy. Conclusion So, why can the strategy of Petrobras be considered a Blue Ocean strategy? First of all they focused on creating value for the country by reducing the amount of oil imported and gaining self-sufficiency. As a consequence, they were able to reduce considerably the prices of gasoline in Brazil and the dependency of external factors to develop the country. They achieved this goal by innovating in ways to reduce consumption of oil (alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel) and exploit the potential the country had in its coasts, regardless the technology available at the times. In the last twenty years, Petrobras has become a key player in the success of Brazil to achieve development. The upcoming years for this company look really bright, thanks to the investment they are doing on other alternative means to produce electricity (water, solar and wind), improve the efficiency of alternative fuels and by creating the necessary technology for increasing the depth for deepwater drilling for oil. Discussion In the following the degree of novelty of the Blue Ocean strategy and the general criticism about this theory will be discussed. Analyzing the degree of novelty in the Blue Ocean Strategy The book The Blue Ocean Strategy was first published in 2005 and according to the two authors based on more than 15 years of research in various dimensions of this business topic and 150 successful strategic moves spanning.  [58]   As we read above the Blue Ocean Strategy aims at creating new demand in an uncontested market space. This is done by reducing the factors of competition and offering new value to t

Pennsylvania Organization Essay

The overall initiative to increase equity and funding in public educational institutions in Pennsylvania brought about the creation of the Good Schools Pennsylvania Organization (GSP). Since its creation, the organization has undergone many changes and lobbied for the creation of an environment wherein important actors and legislation coincides with the needs of the growing student population. These struggles brought about new trends wherein it both opened up avenues for change to occur and encourage new parameters wherein goals and objectives are integrated with mandated standards. Recognizing the relevant contribution that GSP has done to the citizenry and target group, this proposal aims to increasingly widen the capability of the organization to address student needs. The prescribed programs for 2010 under three (3) categories seeks to intensify the approach wherein it both looks into the possibilities and scenarios that may happen during that time and appropriating the needed strategies that can intensify the needed outcomes for change. Likewise, by allowing these diverse program alternatives, it seeks to compensate the loopholes that may be associated in the process of planning, implementation and facilitation. At the same time, these proposals take into consideration the needs of all relevant actors who serve as potential members and benefactors in the success of the initiatives of GSP. By taking into account the relevance of these people, GSP can increase its arm in reaching out and fostering the commitment towards community building and empowerment. Such ideals clearly allows each parties to recognize their individual capabilities in the process of participation With all of these, the organizers seek to intensify the efforts given by GSP. It is in this light that the organization can remain committed in addressing the increasing challenges and trends of 21st century education. I. Introduction and Background The pursuit for creating an environment for equal opportunities among students via appropriate delegation and funding has been the integral foundation for the creation of the Good Schools Pennsylvania. Since its inception in 2001, the organization has continued to recognize the needs of students by making sure students in the district get the sufficient and quality education needed to help them combat the trends of today’s society (Good Schools Pennsylvania, 2008). These efforts have paved the way for new alternatives in addressing public education and opened up arenas for every actor in the community to take part in the process of collaboration and change. Looking at it, the initiative of Good Schools Pennsylvania GSP can be described in one sentence. It involves seeking new ways wherein legislators provide equitable funding in public education to ensure that students get the quality of education they need and foster increased accountability and responsibility among actors involved in the process (Good Schools Pennsylvania, 2008). With these renewed interest in seeking outcomes for development in budget appropriation and education, it has opened up the door for greater cooperation among the state and the integration of vibrant members who have paved the way for the organization’s growth. Dwelling further, the role of the GSP is to encourage organizers to come up with new approaches that can motivate different sectors of society to come up and take the stand towards achieving equal education for all. Good Schools Pennsylvania argues that â€Å"among the constituents who have stood with us are students and retirees, clergy and lay leaders, parents and teachers, school board members and superintendents, and business and civic leaders† (p. 1). With these continuing initiatives to seek out new members who are committed towards changing the level of education of Pennsylvania, the GSP has been vibrant in addressing the needs of public education in the community. Realizing these relevant objectives of the organization, it greatly coincides with our purpose to find alternatives that can strengthen and improve the capability of GSP to facilitate and clamor for new ways to increase accountability and equity in public education. By elaborating on several new strategies and outlining them in three possible scenarios, our group can maximize the potential of GSP and implement the new ideas that can expand the scope of practice, intensify efforts for commitment, and be adaptive to the state’s current trends. II. Research For the initiative in 2010 to be completely realized, it is essential that the organizers understand and comprehend the developments happening within the GSP. Under this facet, we need to know the truths surrounding education and the current legislation that outlines public education funding. This is relevant because it helps us integrate new policies in-line with specific standards and objectives mandated by law. Another significant element that needs to be considered is the cost of study in Pennsylvania. Its importance revolves around the capability to make budget estimates in proposed initiatives to actively create adequate funding to support and help students in public education. Lastly, there needs to be an understanding on what programs are in place that the GSP provides the citizenry. By synthesizing these programs, it can create an active environment wherein it can be changed, renewed or developed to suite the needs of members, potential members and target contributors. Dwelling into the first facet, it can be seen that Pennsylvania has undergone several legislative changes that had improved the way budget is allocated. This has been brought about by the realities and scenarios that public education has faced in the region. Good Schools Pennsylvania argues that in â€Å"2005, nearly 50 percent of Pennsylvania’s eleventh graders scored below proficient in math and 35 percent of eleventh grade students scored below proficient in reading on the state’s standardized tests† (p. 2) At the same time, there has been disparities in the way schools have been addressing the way they had adhered to the objectives mandated by NCLB of 2001. Likewise, these statistics also denote increased risk among students of getting pregnant, imprisoned or engaging into substance abuse (Good Schools Pennsylvania, 2006). In response to this, the government has adopted several policies and amendments that sought to address these realities. For example, in 2004, Governor Rendell â€Å"appropriated funding for the first time to support early childhood education – both through the first ever state funding to expand the General Head Start pre-kindergarten program, and through an Accountability Block Grant Program that allowed school districts to target money to educational practices with a huge track record of helping students to achieve academic standards† (p. 3). This has been considered a first step towards realizing the states role in pursuing public education that is equitable and responsible in nature. Another significant change was made in 2006 when a formal budget was introduced and implemented together with a defining the cost associated with public education. Good Schools Pennsylvania mentions that the â€Å"2006-2007 budget includes a first-time appropriation of $650,000 to fund a comprehensive study of the educational resources and associated costs of providing each student an education that is line with academic standards† (p. 3). These have been significant because it can address an equal measurement of how much student needs in order to actively achieve education under mandated standards. Operating on the second element, it is crucial to decipher the numbers associated with public education because it can determine the budget that shall be allocated per district depending on the ratio and student population within a specific area. Looking at the current research, considerable development has been seen in determining the costing-out study of Pennsylvanian students. Good Schools Pennsylvania mentions that â€Å"by understanding these costs the state can adjust its funding system to close the gap between high-spending and low-spending school districts† (p. 1). Upon careful consideration and research, it sees that for a student to actively achieve the given state standards, an average amount of $11, 926 must be provided (Good Schools Pennsylvania, 2007). This formula has been instrumental in determining the appropriation needed to sustain the further needs of students. Lastly, looking at the projects GSP is engaged in, it can be argued that they comprise of different models geared towards addressing the needs of its target audiences. These initiatives center on (1) engaging into legislative awareness and debate, (2) fostering community involvement, and (3) speaking out in different ways possible (Good Schools Pennsylvania, 2007). These three main facets cover a myriad of initiatives and programs that outlines the significant arenas wherein each actor can actively take part. By allowing and integrating these diverse ways of addressing the issue of public education and funding, each one can contribute and provide help in each ones capacity. Seeing all these facets, the development of 2010 programs revolve around intensifying on these three relevant ideas. Though these findings have been supplemental in carrying out objectives in the previous years, it is also necessary that further studies be conducted on these issues. This is relevant because it can seek to determine the potential challenges that public education may face amidst these new developments. For example, the formula for computing the cost of student may change over a period of a year for it is dependent on factors such as inflation, increasing expenditures, and other elements that are relevant to its computation. That is why further research on these topics remains to be an important concern to consider. III. Opposition Research It can be seen that the GSP has made significant progress since its inception in creating the consensus about creating drastic changes in the legislative level as far as addressing public education is concerned. Though this may prove to be a valid analysis, there are still setbacks that continue to hinder the organization from functioning according to its prescribed goals and objectives. Seeing this, it is essential that the organization recognize its shortcomings and try to incorporate new methods to increase the possibility of adapting to the trends of 21st century education. Looking at one institutional obstacle that hinders its capabilities is the presence of other organizations that have the same objectives and purpose. Though at a glance this may seem to be rather significant in further elaborating the needs of public education in Pennsylvania, it also denotes the limited functions associated with GSP. Being unable to synchronize its relevant goals and actions towards its counterparts would mean alienating itself with the potential of further collaboration and cooperation. Examples of these institutions that cater the same agenda as the GSP include: Education Law Center and ACCESS. These institutions in turn have overlapping objectives and ideals that are similar and related to the standpoint of GSP. Another setback that is relevant in the GSP is its dependency on contributors and benefactors. Even if its members had shown significant improvement and effort through the years in gaining potential donors, it cannot guarantee its existence primarily on this. They must have a significant support and foundation that will make them adaptable even in times of little contribution or monetary support. By allowing this scenario to occur, they shall not solely depend on these contributions but can continue to develop on new ways in continuing to promote its specific goals and objectives. Recognizing the setback in the previous section, it can be also observed that GSP is also susceptible to economic downturns. Since its continued existence revolved around contributions among benefactors, having a slow economy can slow and hamper its capability of recognizing its objectives. Seeing this, the organization has to constantly double its efforts and adapt new strategies that can intensify and implement new approaches for change. Similarly, during these periods of slowdown, the organization refocuses its approach and center on programs that creates limited budget but with increasing results. Such case only results in a limited scope in both application and practice. IV. Our Plan After reviewing the relevant history and studies associated with GSP, it is now relevant to point out and outline the scope and objectives for the plan in 2010. Among the core elements of this proposal is to (1) Effectively get our message out to prospective and current members as well as potential contributors in the community, (2) facilitate active communication among different parties and (3) Intensify the efforts brought about by the Who-Ville Presentation. These three objectives can be recognized and incorporated by including them within the scope and parameters of each specified initiative. Under these specific objectives, the proposal shall outline detailed ways wherein these approaches can be realized and achieved. In the first objective, it seeks to cater on ways wherein advertising can be made and integrating the cause and how it can contribute to the needs of the organization. While on the second facet, it outlines the communicative patterns that can maximize the potential of each project and provides new approaches that can realize the specified goals and objectives. The last part deals with seeking new opportunities that will further recognize the contribution of Who-Vile in addressing the needs of today’s public education as well as the tenets promoted by GSP. With these objectives in place, the next part involves pointing out several programs that can be applied in the year 2010. Under this framework, three proposals shall be given and denoted by the current trends present in the target year. These include (1) period of net gain, (2) period of stasis, and (3) period of net loss. The formation of these three initiatives is one important aspect to make the program feasible in any scenario that the state may face during the prescribed year. At the same time, it moves to adapt to the existing trends that may come along in the selected time frame. The formulation of these three facets can minimize the setbacks that may be incurred in the timeline provided. Good School Pennsylvania (GSP) is a non-profit organization that is based upon membership as well as the employment of competent personnel that fit the requirements of the specific position of the job that they are looking for. In relation to this, GSP is also regarded as a grassroots campaign that is affiliated with other non-governmental organizations such as: the Public Education Network, the National Council of Churches, and the Children’s Defense Fund, and the Children’s Defense Fund. Even though GSP is not regarded as an organization that is solely based upon membership, this factor still plays an important role in its overall operation. The GSP has an active membership as they have devised many ways by which people all over the state could be able to participate in the attainment of the organizations objectives. Some of the means that the organization implemented in order to influence the people participate is by convincing to take action by writing to their legislators, speaking out through various mediums like essays and photo contest, and by connecting to their community that could help in furthering the cause of GSP (Good Schools Pennsylvania). Active membership in this organization involves helping in the offices throughout the state. GSP need active volunteers that would help them with mailings, database maintenance, and other administrative functions. In connection to these, the organization also benefit a lot from members that could help them in the next phase of their work, which involves sustaining and expanding the state policy reforms with regards to enhancing the quality and equality of education among the students in Pennsylvania. Furthermore, active members also entail aiding them in supporting the local stakeholders in making various schools accountable in the equal and effective distribution and utilization of resources (Good Schools Pennsylvania).

Piaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development - 983 Words

Piaget (1936) was the first psychologist to make a systematic study of cognitive development; contributing a theory of child cognitive development, detailed observational studies of cognition in children, and a series of simple but ingenious tests to reveal different cognitive abilities (McLeod, 2009). Analysing of this information indicates that Piaget undertook multiple educational studies, which undoubtedly helped with the creation of his theory. Questions could be asked in relation to this theory, for example, what were the specifics of these theories and how do they support child development? The theory can be implemented into teaching practices however there maybe strength and weaknesses as a result. There are a few key concepts that significantly stand out when researching into Piaget’s theory. One important concept that is an obvious stand out is the stages of cognitive development (Margetts, 2016). From examining this theory it shows that Piaget broke down the stages of cognitive development into four different phases according to age and the person’s ability to use their brain to function and think (Margetts, 2016). The stages are Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years), Preoperational Stage (2-7 years), Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years) and Formal Operational Stage (11 years to adult) (Ey, 2015). During the sensorimotor stage, intelligence is demonstrated through motor activity without the use symbols (Second Source), this indicates that children (0-2 years) areShow MoreRelatedPiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1289 Words   |  6 Pagesare many great cognitive theorists, but the one that comes to mind is a development psychologist by the name of Jean Piaget . One of his prized declaration was in 1934, where he declared that education is capable of saving our society from collapsing whether its violent or gradual. Piaget had a key effect on education and psychology, and because of that effect he made many contributions to learning and to cognition. One of most important contribution was a model that was made by Piaget. This modelRead MorePiaget s Cognitive Development Theory1077 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to Piaget (1957), cognitive development was a continuous restructuring of mental processes due to varied situations and experiencing the world and maturing biologically. His view of cognitive development would have us look inside a child’s head and glimpse the inborn process of change that thinking goes through. â€Å"He was mainly interested in the biological influences on â€Å"how we come to know’† (Huitt and Hummel, 2003). Piaget’s views helps us to have appropriate expectations about childrenâ₠¬â„¢sRead MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1813 Words   |  8 Pages ECH-130 Sociocultural Tables LLlllll Cognitive Development Definition Examples of Application of Concept Strategies to Support and/or Assess Learning Birth to Age 5/Pre-K Piaget Sensorimotor stage: :the first stage Piaget uses to define cognitive development. During this period, infants are busy discovering relationships between their bodies and the environment. Researchers have discovered that infants have relatively well developed sensory abilities An infant who recently learned how to rollRead MorePiaget s Cognitive Theory And Cognitive Development1494 Words   |  6 Pages 1) Examine how Piaget’s cognitive theory can help to explain the child’s behavior. Piaget confirms â€Å"Each cognitive stage represents a fundamentally new psychological reorganization resulting from maturation of new functions and abilities† (as in Greene, 2009, p.144). The case Vignette describes Victors’ stages of development through Piaget’s stages of cognitive development as exhibited behavior that occurred during the sensorimotor, preoperational, as established areas. Victor experienced a normalRead MorePiaget s Theory On Cognitive Development1449 Words   |  6 Pagesstrengths and weaknesses of Piaget’s theory on cognitive development. It will focus on Piaget’s work highlighting positive attributes and how they’re being applied in modern day and also delve on key limitations of the theory. Piaget was a Swiss psychologist who was interested on why children would give similar but wrong answers in an intelligence test (Vidal, 1994). Based on his observations, he concluded that children undergo sequential cognitive d evelopment patterns which occur in defined stagesRead MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development969 Words   |  4 Pages20th century, the development of psychology is constantly expanding. Erikson and Piaget are two of the ealier well known theorist, both being significant in the field. Their belief s are outlined in Piaget s Cognitive Development Theory and Erikson s Psychosocial Development Theory. These theories, both similar and different, have a certain significance as the stages are outlined.Erikson and Piaget were similar in their careers and made huge progressions in child development and education. WithRead MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1519 Words   |  7 Pagesrelates to both Piaget and Vygotskian theories in the sense that they describe how the child s mind develops through different forms of stimuli that occur during early childhood. Piaget s theory focuses mainly on things such as; how children think; how the world around them is perceived and how th e newly found information is explained through the language they use. Vygotsky s theory however differs as the effects of different forms of social interaction occur in cognitive development such as; internalisation;Read MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1111 Words   |  5 PagesPiaget’s theory of cognitive development Piaget’s theory of cognitive development was based around his belief that children will develop their intelligence through a series of stages: Sensorimotor (birth – 2yrs), Preoperational (2-7yrs), Concrete Operational (7-11yrs) and Formal Operational (11+). He believed these stages to be invariant, the same stages taking place in a fixed order, and universal, the same for every child regardless of their background or culture. (McLeod, 2015) Piaget believedRead MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development Essay1790 Words   |  8 PagesCognitive developmental theories provide a framework for understanding about how children act and perceive the world. However, every theory has both strengths and weaknesses. A certain theory may explain one aspect of cognitive development very well, but poorly address or completely ignore other aspects that are just as important. Two well known theories of cognitive development are Piaget’s stage theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. As I plan to be a pediatric nurse, these two theories willRead MorePiaget s Theory Of Cognitive Development1325 Words   |  6 PagesJean Piaget developed a systematic study of cognitive development. He conducted a theory that all children are born with a basic mental structure. He felt that their mental structure is genetically inherited and their learning evolved from subsequent learning and knowledge. Piaget’s theory is differ ent from other theories and he was the first to study a child’s learning by using a systematic study of cognitive development. His theory was only concerning the learning of children, their development

Christian Persecution - 2039 Words

Nero was the fifth and final Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. His full name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but when he was adopted by his great uncle Claudius and became his heir to be the next Roman Emperor hi name changed to Nero Claudius Ceasar Augustus Germanicus. He succeeded to the throne on 13 October, 54, after Claudius’s death. â€Å"During his rule from 54 to 68 Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade, and increasing cultural-capital of the empire.† His rule as Emperor was often associated with tyranny and extravagance. He was obsessed with retaining his title as Emperor, and would not hesitate to execute or ruthlessly kill anyone who he saw as a threat or opposition against him. He stamped out all†¦show more content†¦I think that it was probably a working progress and that Mark recorded lots of Peter’s stories and other early Christian’s stories about Jesus in Aramaic over his years in Rome, and then transl ated them into Greek and compiled them all together into Marks Gospel. I think this is why there is some dispute over when the Gospel was written, Because it probably took Mark a few years to complete it. The style of Marks Gospel is another matter of dispute. We know that Marks Gospel was written in Greek as that was the main language of the Roman Empire, throughout which Christianity was spreading. However the Gospel in Greek does not flow very well and is quite â€Å"jerky† as if a child was writing it. This suggests that Greek was not Marks original language and that he was translating his stories into Greek, (for that was the main language throughout the Roman Empire.). This supports the belief that he was John Mark whose home was Jerusalem and whose main language was probably Aramaic. The content of the Gospel seems to have been written to encourage Christians facing persecution especially Mark 13:9-13. Marks Gospel also focuses a lot on the passion of Jesus, (passion i n the Greek language translates into suffering). This also suggests that he was encouraging Christians who faced persecution, by showing them of the persecution Jesus faced, and how heShow MoreRelatedChristian Horbury : Early Christian Persecutions1490 Words   |  6 Pageswhat theologian Horbury surmised about early Christian persecutions, and I largely agree with this view. The Jews sometimes persecuted the early Christians because their beliefs clashed and this caused friction between the two religions. As well as this ‘incompatibility’ between the two faiths, Donatism also developed as a separate sect of Christianity within the orthodox church and a lot of persecution and hate was directed towards the early Christians. However, without this I do not believe thatRead MoreEssay on Roman Persecution of Christians1235 Words   |  5 Pagesanyone admitting to Christianity became a target. The persecutions hit a climax during Diocletian’s reign. These persecution s actually helped the spread of Christianity by glorifying Christians and beginning a tradition of martyrdom that shaped the Church, and the strength that Christians displayed shows that the persecutions could not have possible stopped the spread of Christianity. In the first half of the third century, Christian persecution was fragmented and while Christianity was illegal, thereRead More The Persecution of Christians Today Essay examples1848 Words   |  8 PagesThe Persecution of Christians Today The persecution of minority groups has been well documented throughout history. These documentations have been mostly of people of one race, culture, or ethnicity; persecuting another based on the belief that one race is superior to the other. In the case of Christianity, however, the documentation of the persecution has been kept to a minimum. In fact, it is rare to find a case in today’s world of the media reporting on the persecution of ChristiansRead MoreChristian Persecution1933 Words   |  8 PagesChristian Persecution Christians are being persecuted for their faith in more than the forty nations around world today. In some nations, it is illegal to own a Bible, to share one’s faith in Christ, and even teach one’s children about Jesus Christ. Those who boldly follow Christ, in spite of government decree or opposition, can face harassment, arrest, torture and even death. Dr. Nhia Vang Vang, the pastor of the First Hmong Alliance Church in Longview, NC, mentioned that Christianity hasRead MoreChristians and Persecution Essay1146 Words   |  5 PagesChristians and Persecution In the year 64 A.D. in the city of Rome, the centre of the Roman Empire, there was a huge fire which wiped out most of the city. A rumour started to circulate that the Roman Emperor, Nero, had started the fire as it was well known that Nero thought that much of the city was ugly. It was thought he burned it down so he could re-design and rebuild it himself. Because of this he needed to find someone to blame it on. The Christians were an obviousRead MoreChristian Persecution in Nigeria790 Words   |  3 PagesChristian persecution by Muslim extremists in (mainly) northern Nigeria is and has been a serious problem for several years. The main contributors to this issue are the Islamic extremist and Muslim purist organization, Boko Haram. According to Religion Today, over 3000 people have been killed since Boko Haram began it’s insurgency. Murders and jihads are a regular occurrence in Nigeria, with new reports seemingly coming out every day of another terrorist attack or mass shooting. With government beingRead MoreThe Persecution Of Christians And Jews2123 Words   |  9 PagesIn order to better understand the persecution of Christians and Jews that occurred during the reign of the emperor Domitian in the year 89 AD, one must first understand the dynastic line he was born into. Domitian was a member of the Flavian family, a family that has origins in the equestrian class, the tier just below the senatorial class in terms of influence and wealth. Domitian’s grandfather, Sabinus, had built up the family’s wealth first as a tax collector, and later as a money-lender. Sabinus’Read MoreChristian Persecution by the Romans3001 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿CHRISTIAN PROSECUTION BY THE ROMANS Even though Roman chastisements for religious continuous within three points of time and it was never congested throughout that period, the biographers worn to consign it into ten enormous chastisements occurred by ten Imperium Romanum, is going to mention in a while. Various apprentice related to this ten chastisements in the midst of the ten afflictions that occurred to Egyptians in the older tribute and the ten horns of the brute sirens in the sacred tomeRead MoreReligious Persecution of Christian Beliefs875 Words   |  4 PagesReligious Persecution of Christian Beliefs What is religious persecution? At the beginning of this project, I thought religious persecution was a black and white topic with a clear definition. I thought that religious persecution was simply the persecution of a group because of their religious faith. However, I discovered that there are no simple explanations of religious persecution, and it is a much more complex and controversial issue than I had imagined. In fact, some events categorizedRead MoreEssay on Third Century Christian Persecution1244 Words   |  5 Pageshistory of Christian persecution. Section two, â€Å"Persecution AD 193-249† and section three, â€Å"The Persecution of Decius†, provide an in depth review of Christian persecution under the Roman Emperors’ Septimius Severus, Caracalla and Decius. However, the exact number of Christians persecuted and martyred for their faith will never really be known. Very few written records exist that chronicle events throughout the entire Roman Empire. At the start of the 2nd century, persecution of Christians