Friday, July 17, 2020
8 Failsafe Tips For Writing a Good Lede
8 Failsafe Tips For Writing a Good Lede Heres the story in a nutshellâ¦You may have heard somebody use this phrase when aiming to save time in telling a story. Its a good phrase to use as a rule of thumb when writing the first sentence of a news article. It can also be pretty useful, in different ways, for essays, stories and other forms of writing.Most people are not going to read your news article all the way through unless you capture their attention from the first sentence. There are other stories on the website or in the publication competing for their reading time. You want your writing to pull them right away. If readers really dont have time to do more than skim your story, they will appreciate it if your lead (or lede as its spelled at many news organizations) gives them that nutshell of basic information with which they can feel informed just enough.Most people are not going to read your news article all the way through unless you capture their attention from the first sentence, since there are other stories on the website or in the publication competing for their reading time. Photo by Daniel Korpai on Unsplash.So maximize your first sentence, your first paragraph, in terms of essential information while minimizing it in terms of words. Here are a few tips for doing so:1. Use active tenseMan Bites Dog is more succinct and compelling than Dog Is Bitten By Man. Avoid the passive tense, which describes something happening to someone as opposed to someone doing something.2. Try writing your lede in 35 words or lessThink about reading it out loud and see if you can do it in one breath. Reading the lede aloud can also help you gauge your word usage.Imagine that somebody is asking you what your article is about, but their bus is approaching. You have about 1 minute to get the theme of your article across. What are you writing about, the friend asks. Im writing about the 3rd Avenue Bridge replacement, you may respond. Whats it about? says the friend, as the bus approaches. You really want to let the friend know whats so interesting about this bridge. The bridge is 100 years old. Theyre taking it apart in two big halves that weigh 500,000 pounds each. The new bridge came up from Alabama on a boat and they have to put it in fast because 70,000 people use that crossing each day. Youre conveying to your friend the size and importance of this structure and why it matters, at least to the locals, that it is being replaced.3. Use visualsWith just a few well-placed adjectives and adverbs, you can paint a picture. Capture a specific moment in the story and freeze-frame it for your readers. Saying that the bank robbers made their getaway with $10,000 in cash is good, but saying that two youths wearing pantyhose on their heads got away with $10,000 in cash by fleeing in an aqua-colored station wagon definitely spices up the image for the reader.4. Put attributions in the second paragraphWhile journalists must always use attributions in reporting, the according to is secondary to the i dea. For example, I wrote a story about airport officials predicting that airport congestion will increase while security screening staffers will decrease. The lede began, U.S. airport travelers will face longer lines at terminals as security screeners lose their jobs. In the second sentence, I add the attribution, Airport officials said the 10 percent decrease in security staffing could cause hours of delays.5. Dont overload the lede with informationEvery good news story tries to answer Who, what, where, when, why and why care, but it doesnt all have to be in the first paragraph. Decide which of the Ws is the most important and lead with that. If youre writing about a fire that killed three people, perhaps the fact that it was caused deliberately should be in the lede. On the other hand, if it happened at a famous landmark, the whoâ"the landmarkâ"would be more important.Every good news story tries to answer Who, what, where, when, why and why care, but it doesnt all have to be in the first paragraph. Photo by Branden Harvey on Unsplash.6. Use short, simple wordsWhile it may be tempting to show off your vocabulary of four-syllable words, they dont have as much of a place in journalism as they do in academia. Sure, you can say, The agency placed a moratorium on using foreign labor, but The agency will stop using immigrant workers is a lot easier to grasp and works much better for the purpose of conveying information.7. Avoid beginning with clausesFearing that his election campaign is in jeopardy, Senator X declared his innocence at a press briefing yesterday, is okay, but somewhat cumbersome. Say, Senator X made a bid to save his election campaign by declaring his innocence at a press briefing yesterday.It can be challenging to stuff a lede with colorful description and important information while keeping it lean and mean. Think short, to-the-point sentences, even for anecdotal ledes.8. Anecdotal ledes should be used with cautionWhen good, theyre really good. When bad, theyre akin to that long-winded story at a party that ends in a pun nobody laughs at. A good anecdotal lede takes a specific example of the issue at hand and makes you care about, or feel familiar with, that person or subject. Then you find out what the larger issue is.For example, if your theme is about cutbacks in Medicare, you might create a lede that talks about the 90-year-old grandmother who sits down to knit sweaters for her family. You describe how her hands tremble with arthritis. She reaches for her arthritis medicine and says, I wont be able to afford a refill next month. Why? Because of Medicare cuts.Even in an anecdote like this, avoid dramatic flourishes. Describe what youve seen but dont infuse it with personal opinion. The beauty of journalism is that its about describing and recording real-life events. They usually speak for themselves. As they say, Truth is stranger than fiction. Describe what the issue is as truthfully as you can, and it will be powerfu l.
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
College Search Tips to Find the Best School for You
Not sure where to begin your college search? Feeling completely lost and confused? Well guess what? In my humble opinion, I think that means you are actually one step ahead of the game. Despite all the talk out there about a ââ¬Å"college search,â⬠the vast majority of college applicants never truly search for a school themselves. They make a list of colleges their friends like, their parents like, their counselors like, or simply schools theyââ¬â¢ve seen on t-shirts or on TV. I was one of these students. I never looked outside of my own backyard, and when I started learning about all the amazing colleges and universities that are out there later on, boy, did I have some regrets. So, first, pat yourself on the back just for being on the mission to uncover the right college for you. Now, letââ¬â¢s talk about how you can find it. Step 1: Take an Inventory of Yourself Ask yourself these questions: What do I like and dislike about my current school? How do I learn best? Do I like to study alone or with a group? Do I like to have personal interactions with my teachers? Do I like socializing in large or small groups? Does climate have a serious impact on me? Do I need to be close to home? Do I like to be involved in a lot of activities? Do I need school spirit? sports? theatre? There are so many questions to ask and lots of resources for self-assessments out there. Here is one that I particularly like. Taking stock of what you want and need will help you know what to look for as you research schools. Step 2: Establish Your Must-Haves Take a look at the following list of criteria and determine what your requirements are for each category. Are there any deal-breakers? Are there any you donââ¬â¢t have particularly strong feelings about? Be careful of eliminating anything you arenââ¬â¢t sure about at this point: If youââ¬â¢ve never seen a small liberal arts school before, how do you know you donââ¬â¢t want to go to one? If you donââ¬â¢t know, then make some college visits before you rule anything out. Curriculum: Have you already decided on a major to pursue? Do you want to make sure you have options? Do you want to have a core curriculum or total freedom? Do you want to double major? Do you want to design your own major? Location: Is it important for you to be close/far from home? In a certain geographical region or climate? Size: Small? Medium? Large? Mega? Donââ¬â¢t forget to consider the size of the individual program you are looking at, not just the whole school. Resources: Do you need specific resources for learning needs or psychological, social, or medical concerns? Desire a strong cultural or ethnic group support network? Want robust internships or research opportunities? Activities: What types of activities are you interested in participating in in college, both on and off campus? What type of leadership, service, study abroad, etc. opportunities would you like to pursue? Cost and Financial Aid: How much can you/your family afford to pay for college? What level of financial aid do you need? Step 3: Research, Explore, and Visit Once youââ¬â¢ve determined what you are looking for in a college experience, you can begin exploring schools that meet your criteria. College Navigator and College Scorecard are good tools to launch your college search based on the criteria youââ¬â¢ve established.à (You can also check out our list of the best free online resources for your college search here!) Once youââ¬â¢ve developed an exploratory list, lay out a plan for visits. If you donââ¬â¢t have the time or means to visit colleges far away, pick a selection of different types of schools within a dayââ¬â¢s drive. Plan out a handful of weekend trips to visit 2 to 4 schools each weekend (any more and they will all start to run together in your mind). For the schools you canââ¬â¢t visit (and even for the ones you can), do research online, get on mailing lists, visit with the rep when they come to your school, talk to current students and alumni, and go to college fairs. Learn as much as you can! Step 4: Refine Your List Once youââ¬â¢ve done your exploration, refine your college list. The length of this list can vary. Some students have three or four schools, others have fifteen. Whatever you do, make sure to cover your bases. You should have a balance of good bets (schools you have more than a 75% chance of getting into), targets (schools you have a 25% to 75% chance of getting into), and reaches (schools you have less than a 25% chance of getting into). Step 5: Express Your Interest Now that you know which schools you are interested in, make sure they know it too! Take advantage of opportunities for interviews and meetings with representatives and alumni; get on their mailing list. Even if these contacts donââ¬â¢t seem to lead anywhere, when it comes time for your application, you will be able to check off all sorts of boxes that show your demonstrated interest in the school and your essays will reflect your effort. Go to each schoolââ¬â¢s website and find the admissions representative who will be reading your application (sometimes this is based on the alphabet or geography, sometimes on other criteria). This person is going to be your contact throughout the admissions process. Definitely donââ¬â¢t pester them, but donââ¬â¢t hesitate to reach out if you have important questions or if you need to follow up with information regarding your application. Remember, this is YOUR college search! All sorts of peoplefrom your parents to your friends to your teachersare going to have their own thoughts about it. Listen to them, but donââ¬â¢t be swayed by the opinions of others. If you have a better sense of who you are and what you want in a school, youââ¬â¢ll be much less likely to fall into this trap and far more likely to fall in love with your chosen school once you get there.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Analyse the Different Forms of Power Presented in My Last...
Amongst the three love poems examined in this essay, the theme of male or female power in relationships pervades throughout. The views of the speakers are expressed and defined through literary and poetic techniques. This gives the reader an insight into the speakers problems and dissatisfaction of a relationship, due to an imbalance of power. However there are dissimilarities between the poems - for example where in La Belle Dame Sans Merci the female displays supernatural power and dominance over a knight, the Duke in My Last Duchess desires psychological power over his Duchess The poem My Last Duchess is a dramatic monologue written by Robert Browning, coming from the Duke of Ferrara. In the poem he displays his megalomaniacâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Due to the fact he is only controlling an object and not a person, he has attained no real achievement and the patriarchal power we assume he has, like the curtain covering the Duchess, is only a cloak shrouding his true self. The strong patriarchal ideas in My Last Duchess are a sharp contrast to the feminist theme of A Woman to her lover. While the woman in the poem may seem to be domineering, she is seeking equality amongst men and women rather than total control and believes the power of love conquers all other forms of power. In My Last Duchess the Duke displays his views of a society controlled by high-ranking men - such as himself, however in the poetic voice of A Woman to Her Lover, has a totally different attitude, where women and men share equal power. To illustrate this, the woman creates three hypothetical situations, each containing one of the expectations 19th century men had towards woman. In the first stanza, she discusses how woman are accustomed to be the servant and how their function was to bear you children. Her use of powerful wording displays her resentment and rejection towards the idea. At the end of the stanza she says, If that be what you ask, O lover I refuse you! here the use of the refrain, not only indicates her assertiveness but also that she is only interested in someone who shares the same views as her.
Monday, May 18, 2020
Notes On The Homeland Security - 2290 Words
DEPT. OF HOMELAND SEC. V. MACLEAN: TSA ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE WHISTLEBLOWERS Author (51)* I. INTRODUCTION In response to the savage attacks orchestrated by foreign terrorist organization Al-Qaeda on September 11, the United States Congress enacted the Homeland Security Act in 2002. This Act established the Department of Homeland Security as an executive department of the United States. The Department of Homeland Security combined 22 different federal agencies into a unified, integrated Department for the purpose of protecting the nation against threats to the homeland. The Homeland Security Act authorized the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to ââ¬Å"prescribe regulations prohibiting the disclosure of information . . . if the Under Secretary decides that disclosur[e] would . . . be detrimental to the security of transportation.â⬠Acting on the authority outlined in the Homeland Security Act, the TSA created and implemented regulations that prohibited the unauthorized disclosure of ââ¬Å"sensitive security information,â⬠which included ââ¬Å"[s]pecific detail s of aviation security measures . . . [such as] information concerning specific numbers of Federal Air Marshals, deployments or missions, and the methods involved in such operations.â⬠The issue before the U.S. Supreme Court in this case is two-fold: (1) whether a whistleblowerââ¬â¢s disclosure was specifically prohibited by the TSAââ¬â¢s regulations on sensitive security information , and (2) whether the whistleblowerââ¬â¢sShow MoreRelatedKey Elements Of The Homeland Assessment Process Essay837 Words à |à 4 Pagesin the homeland assessment process have you identified as your top five in an ordinal ranking? Why? The Baldrige Criteria is used when conducting a Homeland Security Assessment for an organization. Within this particular assessment there are eight (8) steps listed that are suggested for a positive implementation of the assessment (Fisher, 2013). The Baldrige Criteria was developed as established guidelines and best practices that can be used by the organizations to appraise the homeland securityRead MoreDefense Against Terrorism1661 Words à |à 7 PagesIn the years following the September 11th terrorist attacks, homeland security has been at the forefront of American public policy. According to a January 2015 Pew Research poll, seventy-five percent of Americans believe that protecting the Homeland against terrorism should be the number one priority for policy makers (Pew Research Center 2015). These sentiments on homeland security are not novel to Americans. National Security has been of great concern to Americans since World War I (Reid 2015)Read MoreThe Assessment Team Admini strator Should Begin The Process Of Soliciting Evaluation Team Members838 Words à |à 4 Pagesconsidered from a group of employees who have expressed an interest in better understanding homeland security and using the Baldrige Criteria as a template for improving their organizationââ¬â¢s homeland security infrastructure. Once team members have been selected, it is recommended that an assessment workshop be conducted by the assessment team administrator or team participants who have an understanding of homeland security issues and the Baldrige Criteria. The workshop may include using a case study for theRead MoreRisk Management And Homeland Security1309 Words à |à 6 PagesRisk Management and Homeland Security The nationââ¬â¢s homeland security is a very multifaceted environment which must be controlled to effective function at its highest potential. ââ¬Å"The safety, security, and resilience of the Nation are threatened by an array of hazards, including acts of terrorism, manmade accidents, and natural disastersâ⬠(DHS., 2011). All together, homeland security agencies must manage risks at all levels connected with an array of components. Collectively, these external andRead MoreRole Of Risk Management Within The Homeland Security Enterprise1271 Words à |à 6 Pagesability of the Department of Homeland Security to effectively manage risk is vital to national security. Risk in general, is something that is permanent but because this is known, strategies can be used to mitigate situations as they present themselves. Government managers must manage risk in a complex environment taking into consideration the diverse missions and multiple objectives of public agencies (Hardy, 2014 ). The role of risk management within the homeland security enterprise was managed byRead MoreEssay on The National Response Framework852 Words à |à 4 PagesKatrina. The NRF is comprised of 4 sections. These are the foundation document, the Emergency Support Functions (ESF) Annexes, the Support Annexes, and the Incident Annexes. These annexes describe how the NRF can be implemented. It is important to note that the NRF and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) are meant to work in conjunction with each other, while NIMS and its component the Incident Command System (ICS) supply the NRF with an incident management function (Federal EmergencyRead MoreWhat Impact Did 9 / 11 Have On Policing Essay809 Words à |à 4 Pagesalso an amalgam of change brought about by various political, economic, and social factors in the United States...â⬠(Homeland Security for Policing, 2007, p. 43). Post September 11, Americans made the massive movement towards anti-terrorism. After the attacks, President George W. Bush created the Department of Homeland Security to help protect the citizens from terrorists. On that note as well, this counterterrorism move impacted law enforcement as well. Their roles grew from community law enforcementRead MoreIntelligence And The Homeland Security1205 Words à |à 5 Pagesthe capabilities and limitations of intelligence in supporting homeland security efforts? While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is one, centralized agency, securing the homeland involves the cooperation and collaboration of many, different agencies and organizations ranging from local law enforcement to national agencies such as the NSA, CIA, and FBI. Each of these agencies contributes to the development of homeland security intelligence. By carefully analyzing and commenting on the objectivesRead MoreDepartment of Homeland Security1073 Words à |à 4 PagesDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) is third largest Executive Department of the Federal Government charged with protecting the security of American homeland. Its primary mission is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reducing vulnerability to terrorism and minimizing the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters. The DHS was created by President G.W. Bush in the aftermath of terrorist attacks on America in 2001. It is relatively new agency that continues to evolveRead MoreT he Department Of Homeland Security1258 Words à |à 6 Pages HLSS302 Progress Assignment Ericlee F. Albarran American Public University System The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Risk Lexicon (2010) states that ââ¬Å"risk is a key organizing principle for homeland security strategies, programs, efforts, and activitiesâ⬠(p. 1). This means that risk management is a decision making tool that allows for the DHS to intelligently and efficiently make planning choices based on threat level priorities. Some of the choices that are made using risk
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
What Are The Characteristics And Dynamics Of Liberalism...
Within the field of international relations theory, neoliberalism and liberal theory have developed out of the notion of states cooperating within the international system. As states realized that through cooperation additional benefits can be gained in an anarchic world, institutions whose goal was to create cooperation among self-interested states took shape. As states initiated this type of multilateralism for mutual gain within the international system, scholars and theorist such as Stein, Keohane, Oye, and Moravcsik among others conceptualized Neoliberal and Liberal theories and the dynamics of the states and the system. There are key characteristics which differentiate these two theories from others in international relations theory. Moreover, these theories analyze why and how states, through working together were able to serve their own interests and attempt to discern the routes which states take towards cooperation which best suit their interest. This paper will attempt to explain the characteristics and dynamics of Liberalism and Neoliberalist theories, as well as display its challenges and limitations. Main tenets and actors of Liberal theory Liberalism sees the state as a rational actor however, see the influences from within the state as the main actor facilitating international relations. Additionally, this theory sees the statesââ¬â¢ main interest are its well-being, not power within the international system. Well-being of the state is translated through the
High School Athletes And Not College Athletes - 1971 Words
We hear stories about them in the news. We may even see them on TV. They are student-athletes. They live a busy life trying to balance school and athletics. Some say that their academic grades suffer due to their time spent on athletics, this is not true. Participating in sports while pursuing an education can help students promote not only good work ethics but help them achieve academic success. For the sake of this argument, I will focus strictly on high school student athletes and not college student athletes. Television and other mainstream media makes it seem like sports are all that matter in high schools and they have no benefit. We have sports in high school for a number of reasons. Some of the benefits are for the growth of theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Ripley says ââ¬Å"Here school is about learning, but itââ¬â¢s also about training to compete in games that majority of kids will never get paid to play. Itââ¬â¢s about pep rallies, booster clubs, trophy cases and cheerleaders decorating football playersââ¬â¢ lockers after they fill them with brownies.â⬠(Ripley). There are benefits for student athletes that a class room could not teach. For example, say an student-athlete was awarded team captain of a basketball team. The captain would gain leadership skills that no textbook, teacher or classroom could teach him. From that experience they are able to take that talent they have learned and apply it to the classroom and their personal studies. The life skills that the se student-athletes are learning are irreplaceable. Another thing is that being a student-athlete brings personal responsibility. They know that they need to meet certain academic standards they must meet in order to play in the games and practice. However that reasonability causes them to push themselves and do better than students who do not participate in sports. A study published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise in August 2007 said that students who were active in sports performed 10 percent better in core subjects (math science, social studies and language arts) than those who were not active in sports. (Chen) This type of academic improvement does not just happen. There are a number of roles thatShow MoreRelatedHigh School And College Athletes930 Words à |à 4 Pages Wrestling is one of the more difficult sports when it comes to being in high school or college. It is not for everyone the sport is very demanding physically and mentally. To the point where it could seriously injure someone. In wrestling at the beginning of the season you will choose a weight class that you will wrestle for the season. On the day of the meet you have to weigh in and weigh the weight class you chose. Some wrestlers would do just about anything to make weight even if it meant makingRead More High School Athletes Should Consider College Over the NBA Essay1196 Words à |à 5 Pages In the last ten years many young and talented high school basketball players have chosen to enter the NBA draft. These 17 and 18 year olds decide to skip college, and instead they choose to take a big risk and enter the NBA, hoping to become stars and earn millions of dollars. In many cases, these youngstersââ¬â¢ careers are a failure because they donââ¬â¢t turn out as talented as they thought to be. They end up spending only a few seasons in the NBA because they are not good enough to compete at thatRead MoreDrug and Alcohol Use by Student Athletes Essay1057 Words à |à 5 PagesDrug and Alcohol Use by Student Athletes The topic that I have chosen is student athletes use of drugs and alcohol. Im interested to see if the old theory that student athletes tend to stay away from these things still holds true today. From my own personal experience as a former high school and college football player, I doubt that this is true. Id also like to find some studies that may compare student athletes to the general student body to see if there is a correlation of usage betweenRead MoreThe NBA One-And-Done Rule1584 Words à |à 7 Pagesfor recent high school graduates to forego their eligibility to play college basketball and enter straight into the NBA draft. The informed high school basketball players that they had to be at least one year removed from high school and had to be at least 19 years of age in order to partake in the NBA draft. Currently, the league does not require players to play NCAA basketball as you can be drafted after playing a season overseas. However, for many high school graduates att ending college has becomesRead MoreThe Future Of The Ncaa1634 Words à |à 7 PagesSeth M. Marshall Professor Kristen Bradley English 1010 9 November 2015 The Future of the NCAA College athletic programs are among the most popular sporting events in America. With this rise in popularity, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and its colleges have also seen a rise in revenue in recent years. In 2014, the NCAA made over 900 million dollars in revenue. Some collegiate coaches, such as Kentuckyââ¬â¢s John Calipari, have yearly salaries in the millions, not counting incentivesRead MoreItââ¬â¢s Time to Pay College Athletes Essay1704 Words à |à 7 PagesCollege athletes should be paid because of the huge amount of money being made off of the use of their athletic ability. The college basketball and football games that everyone watches on TV is no longer just a game, it is a business. The colleges and arenas hosting such events are not doing it solely for the love of sport, they are doing it for the money that will flow generously into their banking accounts. The coaches also, they are not volunteers, they are not there just for their love of theRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1713 Words à |à 7 PagesCollege sports are one of the largest and fastest growing markets in todayââ¬â¢s culture. With some college sports games attracting more viewers than their professional counterparts, the NCAA is one of the most profiting organizations in America. Recently there has been controversy in the world of college sports as to whether the college athletes that are making their universities and the NCAA money should receive payment while they are playing their respective sport. Many believe that these athletesRead MoreCollege Athletics Is A Major Part Of PeopleS Lives Around1364 Words à |à 6 PagesCollege athletics is a major part of people s lives around the world. From the athletes playing the various sports to the fans watching from their televisions it has become a huge thing. A portion of these people seem to think that the athletes deserve more then what is already given to them. A question has been brought up and debated on whether or not these athletes should be paid to play. College athletes are hard working young adults trying to earn a degree at whichever school they have chosenRead MoreEssay about Should College Athletes Be Paid?1220 Words à |à 5 Pages College athletes should be paid because of the hard work, dedication and effort they put into their respective sports. These athletes are a major source of income for their schools and they are not receiving a penny for it. These college athletes deserved to be paid, colleges are using these athletes to get money and they are never given anything but a pat on the back and a good job. College athletes work and train extremely hard to perform at the highest level possible. In most cases, they spendRead MoreYoung College Athletes730 Words à |à 3 Pagesbecoming a college athlete and going down in history. With the many controversies in athletics today it is getting harder to fulfill this dream. One of the main controversies is co llege athletes becoming employees of the college. There are many reasons why athletes should not be employees. College athletes should not be considered employees of the college it will send a bad message to younger generations, cause contract disagreements and lastly it would make the cost of colleges much high than they
From Traditional Marketplace to Tomorrowââ¬â¢s Marketspace Free Essays
Focusing on past mergers that were unsuccessful, we will investigate the major cultural issues these companies faced that were the biggest obstacles jeopardizing their success. We will then be able to identify which cultural issues are most important for mergers of the future to succeed. The second part of our paper will talk about virtual conferencing, and the large position it will play in tomorrowââ¬â¢s teams. We will write a custom essay sample on From Traditional Marketplace to Tomorrowââ¬â¢s Marketspace or any similar topic only for you Order Now Bringing this together, our discussion will focus on the positive and negative effects virtual teams can have on a merging companyââ¬â¢s culture. After presenting both sides, our ultimate goal will be to cite the more important roles the virtual teams of tomorrow must play, in efforts to create and maintain a strong and successful common culture among merging companies. The increase of Internet usage, combined with the latest e-commerce craze has changed the way most companies are doing business today (Knox 26). Companies that are not in the dot-com domain now desire to take part in the e-commerce world. Many industries are moving their business from the traditional marketplace to the highly sophisticated marketspace; the AOL/Time Warner merger is an example of this. Today, merging has become the answer to how businesses are going to increase and retain their competitive advantage. Once a company merges it becomes an even bigger powerhouse. This raises one companyââ¬â¢s market share tremendously, allowing it to stand tall against competing firms (Fairlamb 20). Now, other companies in the same industry need to search harder to reestablish their competitive niche. This is done most of the time through additional acquisitions of similar competing firms within the industry. Unfortunately a lot of mergers are doomed for failure. While sales figures and bottom lines play a big part in the execution of a successful merger, they are only one piece of the puzzle (qtd. in Pacific). Along with number crunching comes culture, the true heart of the company. Every companyââ¬â¢s culture is unique. Different personalities, ways of doing things, expectations, and ways of defining success are some examples. Even the information technology a company possesses is as much a part of a companyââ¬â¢s culture, as the people using it. Bringing together two or more companies that may have entirely different corporate culture forms an acquisition. With technologies latest advancement, companies have the ability to be brought together on an entirely new plateau. Virtual conferencing is redefining the way people are able to work together (Seanet). Through virtual teams people can primarily interact electronically. There are several reasons to create virtual teams. Specifically, teams may be distributed because of the new realities facing organizations such as: organization-wide projects or initiatives, and alliances with different organizations, some of which may be in other countries. There are also mergers and acquisitions, which we will pay close attention to, as well as the desire of many people and government organizations for telecommuting. These are a few of the many reasons why people will look to create virtual teams as their primary way of conducting business. Functional integration teams charged with the idea of knitting together two or three preexisting functions usually leads to turf protection, infighting, and special interest pleading. Planning for success, a lot of companies use a creation approach. Creating a comprehensive future-centered vision and strategy that defines the new organization. Together a new set of cultural behaviors and norms will be develop that are consistent with the accomplishment of the strategic goals, as well as creating a workforce passionately committed to the new organizationââ¬â¢s values, vision, objectives and ultimate success. There are many reasons why we chose virtual conferencing and how it will effect the important aspects of culture within merging companies. As future business people of America this is an issue that we will be faced with. In a time when job security seems to be approaching an all time low, it is important to know what we are going to be up against. Having a better idea of what is happening around us will be useful as we troop forward in efforts to create our own niche in this extremely competitive world. While this is a required project for us, we feel that we should take it for everything that it is worth, bettering ourselves as a result. How to cite From Traditional Marketplace to Tomorrowââ¬â¢s Marketspace, Essay examples
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)