The Representation of Tricksters in the Works of Charles W. Chesnutt

Fraud, con-man, and hustler are all modern day terms to describe the age old character in African American literature known as the trickster. Today’s working definition of a trickster is one who swindles or plays tricks; often a mischievous figure in myth or folklore, who typically makes up for physical weakness through cunning and subversive humor. In African American literature the role of the trickster is a reoccurring theme, especially in the time period spanning from post Civil War to the Harlem Renaissance.During slavery and the years that followed the image of a trickster changed from a humorous amoral figure to a cunning and socially conscious icon. Charles W. Chesnutt is a primary example of an author, who faithful employs the trickster motif in many of his published works. Traditionally, the role of trickster often presents itself when there is a powerless group who longs to transcend an oppressive social order (Jefferies, Schramm 20). In African American literature, the trickster is often depicted as someone who has the ability to manipulate situations in his/her favor, despite having little or no power.Rhonda B. Jefferies states that â€Å"the primary goal of the trickster in is social nonconformity by redefining the norms of life and existence in mainstream American society (Jefferies, Schramm 20). † Since its origin in West African culture, the trickster figure has evolved from a folklore icon, mainly in the form or various animals, to an archetype whose behavior is both contradictory and complex. The tricksters reoccurring appearance in African American folklore, narratives, poems, novels and pop culture is no coincidence.It is the trickster’s pursuit of wisdom, cunning or power in an attempt to redefine social order that makes him/her such an attractive icon. The trickster character serves as an inspirational figure for the socially oppressed and has takes on many forms when expressed in past and present literature. Many Afr ican American folk tales, especially those from southern United States, include the appearance of a trickster. In â€Å"Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Fox Again,† the trickster takes on a classic form of a clever but lazy rabbit.In this tale the rabbit becomes stuck in a well and finagle his way out by convincing the suspicious fox to help him escape. He manipulates the fox to get into the well under false pretenses. By convincing Brer Fox that there is an abundance of fish he needs help catching and transporting out of the well, Brer rabbit was able to leverage an escape, consequentially leaving the fox in his place. It is the rabbit’s quick wit that makes him a quintessential trickster figure in many folk tales across a number of cultures. However, Brer Rabbit is just one of many depictions of a trickster rabbit in folk tales and stories throughout history.A more modern depiction of a rabbit trickster is Looney tunes’ Bugs bunny. The ways in which Bugs utilizes his p hysical endurance and mastery of disguise to deceive his arch enemy Elmer Fudd is a playful interpretation when compared to those in African American literature and folklore. The integration of the trickster in modern culture, whether it be in the form of animal or man, is just one demonstration of the many ways in which this popular character transcends time and culture, to eventually become one of the most reoccurring archetypes in African American literature.Charles W. Chesnutt’s relationship with the trickster archetype is most evident in his collection of short stories with the characterization of Uncle Julius. Uncle Julius appeared in seven of the thirteen short stories that make up Chesnutt’s The Conjured Women. In the collection of stories, Uncle Julius often â€Å"conjures† up his tales from old folklore, in an attempted to persuade or manipulate certain situations to his benefit.The description of Uncle Julius interaction with the John and Annie, the n orthern white couple interested in buying the grape vineyard Julius inhabits, in the â€Å"The Goophered Grapevine,† is a classic example of Chesnutt’s employment of the trickster motif. From Uncle Julius first impression, the audience is under the impression that Julius presence is to provide theatric and entertainment rather than fact or insight. His â€Å"performance† begins with the eating of the scuppernong grapes and ends with his fantastical account on the vineyard came to be bewitched.John, the white northern gentlemen interested in buying the vineyard, is instantly skeptical upon meeting Uncle Julius disregard Uncle Julius account by stating â€Å"At first the current of his memory –or imagination- seemed somewhat sluggish; but as his embarrassment wore off, his language flowed more freely, and the story acquired more perspective and coherence (Chesnutt 607). † The use of the word â€Å"imagination† is a clear indicator that Uncle J ulius is believed to be telling fiction. John goes on to further prove his disbelief when he goes against Uncle Julius’ suggestion and buys the vineyard, and later makes a considerable profit off.John however does take sympathy for the man who had lived and profited off the land and hired him as a coachman. While Uncle Julius is one of Chesnutt’s more memorable characters, he is by no means the only representation of the trickster motif in Chesnutt’s works. Grandison, from â€Å"The Passing of Grandison† is another example of a trickster character from Chesnutt’s collection entitled The Wife of his Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line. In this story, Grandison is a slave from a plantation in Kentucky, who successfully deceives his masters, Colonel and Dick Owens, on a number of occasions.His first act of trickery is when he is being questioned by his old master by assuring Colonel Owens of his contentment on the plantation and his disgust with the anti-slavery ideals of northern abolitionist. Colonel Owens’ intentions were to select a slave his son could bring up north, who had proven to be resistant to abolitionist ideals and the prospect of running away. To Colonel Owens elation, Grandison’s answers not only confirmed his view of a mutually benefits of slavery but went above and beyond to demonstrate a conceivably genuine appreciation of the resources and lifestyle on the plantation.He went on questioned Grandison about the fairness of his treatment and the kindness of his master before promising him a bead necklace for his future wife and deeming him â€Å"abolitionist-proof. † Although the interaction described was only a brief portion of the story it proves to be a pivotal moment in the plot and leaves the audience to assume that Grandison is loyal slave with no intention of running away. But, as we later find out, Grandison was not at all ignorant to the ideals of abolitionism and actually aspi red to be a free man.He eventually achieves his goal as we see in the very last chapter but not without an unexpected twist Grandison then goes on to successfully deceive his young master, Dick Owens, and forges his loyalty several times during their travels to New York, Boston, and eventually Canada. Throughout the journey, Dick Owens provides the Grandison with a number of opportunities to escape by leaving him alone on many occasions and supplying him with money that he could easily utilize to run away. Once Dick Owens realizes Grandison too dense to run away, or so he thinks, he silicates the help of local abolitionist, by writing an nonymous letter. However, Grandison unwaveringly loyal puts a quickly sidetracks Owens ploy to liberate his father’s slave. Day after day Grandison continues report to his young master every morning and night, leaving Owen to pursue more drastic measures. So, Dick Owens decides to leave Grandison alone for a couple of days, with one hundred d ollars to his disposal, in a sly attempt to get Grandison to runaway. Upon his return, Dick Owens finds his efforts were unsuccessful, and with much frustration and annoyance decides to take one last attempt by venturing to Canada, where slaves are free.Nevertheless, Grandison faithfully follows his master orders and does not attempt to runaway, despite the fact there are no laws binding Grandison to Dick Owens in Canada. At this point, the young master decides to gives up his efforts and solicits three men to kidnap Grandison. During this exchange Owens escapes and return to Kentucky alone. Dick Owens concludes that Grandison is too ignorant to recognize his opportunity for freedom and goes on to marry the motive behind his attempt at nobility, Charity Lomax.Once again it is not until the final chapter that the audience learns; it was Dick Owens and his father who proved to be most ignorant. In the final chapter, Grandison surprisingly returns to the plantation tattered and exhaust ed from his journey back to Kentucky. He recounts his story of being gagged and dragged to the â€Å"gloomy depth of a Canadian forest,† where he was locked in a hut and given only bread and water. He appeases his curious spectators by ending his story with his heroic escape and return to the plantation, all the while never revealing his true motives.It is not until Grandison, along with his new wife, family and friends disappears that his intentions to liberate true intentions are revealed. Once thought to be a model servant, blinded by his obedience and loyal dependence, Grandison outsmarts both his masters, by playing into slaveholder stereotypes and common misperception of the south. Grandison’s successful escape with family and friends exposes him as the true trickster. Because of his convincing portrayal of an ignorant and content slave, and willful patients he was ultimately able to turn the tables on his masters and end up the victor in an unlikely turn of even ts.When comparing the presence of the trickster in â€Å"The Goophered Grapevine† and â€Å"The Passing of Grandison,† there are few parallels between the two stories. The general theme of a southern black man deceiving his white superiors apparent in both, but the similarities stop. The two main stories are vastly different in respects to how each trickster if portrayed. Because the audience in â€Å"The Goophered Grapevine† is warned very on early on to be wary of Uncle Julius credibility, he is at a disadvantage.However, Grandison has a very different introduction because he first enters under the impression that he is one of the most loyal and trustworthy slave on the plantation. On the one hand, we have Uncle Julius Characterization as suspicious figure throughout the story from beginning to end, and on the other hand there is Grandison, who appears to be a very pious, simple minded slave with no ulterior motives. Another difference between the two stories is that theatricality proves to be Uncle Julius main downfall, while somehow becoming Grandison’s greatest asset.The introduction and characterization, of Uncle Julius and Grandison, manipulates the audience perception and ultimately determines their success in deceiving and manipulating their audience for their own personal benefit. The trickster, whether presented in modern cartoon or in tradition folktale, is an archetype that continues to reappear in art and literature. The classic depiction of a trickster as a rabbit in old folklore and myths while common is not the only form a trickster may take.Overtime and across cultures, the definition of a trickster changes, but not so much so that it unable to provide an entertaining lesson. The appeal of the trickster to African American writers is the theme of an oppressed group overcoming the challenges of social norms. Charles W. Chesnutt is a prime example of the trickster’s mass appeal, in African American literature. By representing the trickster as Uncle Julius and Grandison in â€Å"The Goophered Grapevine† and â€Å"The Passing of Grandison,† Chesnutt adds to the long history of the trickster as an icon.Work Cited 1. Chesnutt, Charles W. â€Å"Literature Of The Reconstruction To The New Negro Renaissance, 1865-1919. † The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Ed. Henry L. Gates and Nellie Y. McKay. 2nd ed. New York, Ny: W. W. Norton &, 2004. 604-12. Print. 2. Schramm, Susan L. , and Rhonda B. Jeffries. â€Å"African American Trickster Representations in the Work of Romare Bearden. † JSTOR. JSTOR, Sept. 2000. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. http://www. jstor. org/stable/3193835

Food Macromolecules

â€Å"Macromolecules are a source of fuel. There are four major types of macromolecules-proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and lipids. This process plays important roles in the life of a cell. (Macromolecules, 2002). The macromolecules that was present in the packaged food product Lipids which are fats. According to (Alters & Alters 2009, p. 49) Fats also provide more energy in our diets that do equivalent amounts of carbohydrates or protein. Protein was also present on the packaged food. Proteins transport and rovide muscle contraction. Alters & Alters 2009, p. 51) Proteins build, maintains, and replaces the tissue in our body. Tissue meaning: muscles, organs, and your immune system. They are also important for the movement of lungs, legs, and protecting you from disease. (Learning about proteins,2008). How much protein do we need each day? Adults should get a minimum of 0. 8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. Increasing protein intake helps reduce the risk of heart disease. (The Nutrition Source: Protein, 2011). Carbohydrates are also present in the packaged food. Carbohydrates provide the body with fuel for physical activity and proper organ function. The best sources of carbohydrates -whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans- promote good health. (The Nutrition Source: Carbohydrates, 2011) Lipids are also present in the packaged food. Lipids are a group of molecules that consist of fats, phospholipids, and cholesterol. This packaged food is a part of a heart healthy diet because it has carbohydrates, low saturated fats, and proteins. Carbohydrates are important for fuel, breaking these bonds and releasing energy to sustain life (Alters & Alters, 2009, p. 47). Large amounts of saturated fats may lead to clogged arteries and risk of heart disease. (Alters & Alters, 2009, p. 50). The product I have chosen to use is Quaker Oatmeal. I consider carbohydrates to be the most important thing listed on the label. Knowing the amount of carbohydrates is important because carbohydrates turn into sugar, and there is only one gram of sugar in this product. When carbohydrates turn into ugar this increases the risk of diabetes if there is to much carbohydrates in your diet. I have never been a health fanatic, but after doing this essay I need to be a little cautious of what I am eating. I have found that reading labels helps us to eat healthier and to make the right choices our life style. I never really understood how carbohydrates work. Now I know the understanding of good and bad carbohydrates. Heart disease runs in my family. I do have a healthy heart but after doing the research for this essay I hope to continue to stay healthy. Reference http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/.carbohydrates

Paraphrasing 5 answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Research Methods - Assignment Example The research is divided into various topics that clearly explain each theme that the research is based on. Firstly, it focuses on various causes of absenteeism in schools. In this the roles of parents, teachers and the community at large of ensuring that students are always in schools are analyzed. Secondly, the article gives a connection between the absenteeism and exam failure. In this case, the essay explains in depth how school work accumulated up to a level that the student can no longer catch up with other students. Lastly, the study highlights the kind of life that the student lives once they clear school. In this case, the essay demonstrates how the student fails to fit well into the community. According to the research, the student will end being not very useful to the society should measures to restore them are not considered. The intention of this study was to probe the effect of constant communication on the general performance of online modules. The article makes an argument around the worth of effective communication in online units and the rationale of the achievement a scholar experiences when they succeed in an online course. The purpose the research is to find justification, to some aforementioned interests. Accordingly, the researcher was conducted in eight week through the analysis of students of an online module. This investigation incorporated the following strategy to observe classroom activity and online communication amongst student’s geographical location, maturity and cultural diversity are the most imperative fundamental dynamics. Additionally, the considerable statistics gathered by Mouffe, (2013) in their study describe the prospective consequences of failures and success was predictable. The research paper is divided into two parts; the first part investigates extent of the relationship between tutors and online students. In this the paper finds out various channels and

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Accounting Fraud in Daedalus Capital LLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accounting Fraud in Daedalus Capital LLC - Essay Example This fraud scheme where Coleman was taking people’s money and promising them huge returns on their investments but then fail to deliver due to the unpredictability of the marketplace. The Illinois department prohibited the company from selling securities for a period of 90 days in which investigations would follow. The Illinois securities department would charge him with fraud in offering and selling securities, offering and selling of unregistered securities and offering investment advice while he was unregistered to do so. The Illinois Securities Department hope to prosecute through seeking as much evidence against him as possible something which the court in Missouri failed to do leading to the current situation being experienced in Chicago at the moment. Despite the charges brought against him in the court of law and the pending investigations, Coleman still maintains that his company is able to get the clients the promised 100% reward on their investment as promised despite the conditions in the market (Yerak, 2014). The first thing that humans when accused of fraud or inappropriate misconduct do is to deny any allegations. This happens even in cases where there is evidence of whatever magnitude or the individuals charged have a prior record of the same offense in the past. This is the case with Coleman where he has recorded in court as well as with the securities department in Missouri about committing fraud to his investors but he still maintains that it is not the case (Ferrell & Fraedrich, 2012). He strongly stands for his company’s activities and promises even though it is evident that he cannot fulfill them without any fraud occurring in the process and there is evidence to that effect. Coleman would have been better off keeping quiet about the whole situation until cleared or charged by the court for committing the fraud. Talking would only worsen the situation in case his claims were proven to be untrue.  

Pope Pius, Ten Rules on Prohibited Books Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Childhood Vaccinations and Immunizations Research Paper

Childhood Vaccinations and Immunizations - Research Paper Example As from the year 1995, CDC in conjunction with American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has always put emphasis on annual childhood immunization schedule. Prior to this year, these groups updated the immunization schedule only once in a while. The first vaccines were: Smallpox, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type were introduced in the 19870s (The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2014). The first formal vaccination for adults was introduced in the year 2002. According to the state of Ohio, a child who presents a written disapproval of immunization for conscience reasons would not be expected to be immunized. This is an indication that parents say is always final to the immunization of their children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014). Otherwise, all the other children are supposed to be immunized in accordance with the most recent version of the recommended vaccine. When a child is humanized with a certain disease, it does not only protect them but also protect the other children around them. This is because they would not be able to spread the diseases because their bodies will be able to stand the attack. Immunization also helps in preventing lifelong suffering. Some diseases such as polio can lead to loss of body parts which means that the affected persons will have to live without those body parts for the rest of their lives. As compared to treatment, vaccination is usually safe.  

Transformational Leadership Plan Essay Example for Free

Transformational Leadership Plan Essay ABSTRACT Innovation and Transformational Leadership with respect to modern organizational hierarchies. The paper goes on to synthesize aspects of transformational leadership into an individual leadership plan, summarize outcomes of transformational leadership and innovation and present varied views stemming from empirical data on organizational philosophies. Several scholarly journals and industry papers were gleaned, they are listed in the annotated bibliography. Results and Outcomes of Innovation and Transformational Leadership Transformational leaders motivate others to do more than they originally intended and often even more than they thought possible. Such leaders set more challenging expectations and typically achieve higher performances. Transformational leadership is an expansion of transactional leadership. Transactional leadership emphasizes the transaction or exchange that takes place among leaders, colleagues, and followers. This exchange is based on the leader discussing with others what is required and specifying the conditions and rewards these others will receive if they fulfill the requirements. True transformational leaders raise the level of moral maturity of those whom they lead. They convert their followers into leaders. They broaden and enlarge the interests of those whom they lead. They motivate their associates, colleagues, followers, clients, and even their bosses to go beyond their individual self-interests for the good of the group, organization, or society. Transformational leaders address each followers sense of self-worth in order to engage the follower in true commitment and involvement in the effort at hand. This is one of the things that transformational leadership adds to the transactional exchange. Transformational leadership adds to transactional leadership in its effects on follower satisfaction and performance. Transformational leadership does not replace transactional leadership. That is, constructive and especially corrective transactions may have only marginal impact on followers unless accompanied by one or more components of transformational leadership for getting the most out of transactions: The follower needs to feel valued by the leader, the follower needs to find meaning in what he or she is doing, and the follower needs a sense of ownership in whats being done. Transactional leadership, particularly contingent reward, provides a broad basis for effective leadership, but a greater amount of effort, effectiveness, innovation, risk taking, and satisfaction can be achieved by transactional leadership if it is augmented by transformational leadership. When peers of military cadet leaders were asked what characterized the important traits of a good leader, they tended to describe such traits of inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration as self-confidence, persuasiveness, concern for the well-being of others, the ability to articulate ones ideas and thoughts, providing models to be emulated by others, holding high expectations for him—or herself and others, keeping others well-informed, and maintaining high self-motivation. Given a team task, the innovation process begins with the creativity of individuals. The generation of a new idea is a cognitive process, located within individuals, albeit fostered by interaction processes in teams. Thus, first and foremost, innovative individuals are both creative and innovative (i.e., they dont just have creative ideas; they also try to implement them). They are people who have a preference for thinking in novel ways, who think globally instead of locally (distinguishing the forest from the trees). They have appropriate intellectual abilities, including synthetic abilities (to see problems in new ways and escape the bounds of conventional thinking), analytic abilities to recognize which ideas are worth pursuing, and the practical contextual abilities to persuade others of the value of their ideas. Having a good idea about whether the Earth revolves around the sun or vice versa is not enough. Galileo, if he were alive today, might note that Richard Branson and Bill Gates did not succeed by simply being mavericks; they were also able to charm, persuade, and inspire people. To be innovative and creative we also require sufficient knowledge of the field to be able to move it forward, while not being so conceptually trapped in it that we are unable to conceive of alternative courses. People who are confident of their abilities are more likely to innovate in the workplace. In a study of role innovation among more than 2,000 UK managers, it was found that confidence and motivation to develop knowledge and skills predicted innovation following job change. Tolerance of ambiguity, widely associated with creativity, enables individuals to avoid the problems of following mental ruts and increases the chances of unusual responses and the discovery of novelty (Burpitt Bigoness, 2002). Innovative people also tend to be self-disciplined, with a high degree of drive and motivation and a concern with achieving excellence. This perseverance against social pressures presumably reduces the dangers of premature abandonment. Minority influence theory in social psychology suggests that perseverance acts to bring about change in the views of majorities and is a necessary behavioral style among innovators. An employee of 3M discovered Post-it notes because he sang in the church choir and needed some effective way of marking the place of hymns between services. Knowing of an adhesive with poor properties (it didnt stick well) being explored at 3M, he had the idea of using it on small strips of paper to mark the hymnal. But the real innovation came in his persistence in selling the idea to secretaries, chief executives, the marketing department, and the sales department in the organization. It became an annual $200 million business for 3M. Innovative people tend to be self-directed, enjoying and requiring freedom in their work. They have a high need for freedom, control, and discretion in the workplace and appear to find bureaucratic limitations or the exercise of control by managers frustrating. Such people need clear work objectives along with high autonomy to perform well. Indeed, in a study of 13 oil company teams, Jerry et. Al. found that the innovativeness of individuals in teams was superior as a predictor of team innovation to measures of group climate and process. In a more sophisticated longitudinal study of 27 top management teams in hospitals, it was found that the proportion of innovative individuals within the team did not predict the overall level of innovation but did predict the radical ness (changes to the status quo) of the innovations implemented by teams. Another influence on team innovation is the extent to which team members have the relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities to work effectively in groups. Some researchers believe that team members require appropriate team knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), or â€Å"team integration skills†. These are distinct from the technical KSAs that are relevant to task performance (such as medical skills for a physician on a breast cancer care team). They include conflict resolution skills, collaborative problem-solving skills, and communication skills such as the skill to utilize decentralized communication networks to enhance communication. Other key integration skills, they argue, include goal setting and performance management and the skill to coordinate and synchronize activities, information, and tasks among members. The more of these integration skills team members have, the more likely it is that the benefits of team working and team diversity will manifest, not just in terms of team performance, but also in innovation proposals and their successful implementation. Leadership processes in teams will moderate the relationship among team member characteristics, team processes, and innovation. Leadership processes will either encourage or block the expression of behaviors and skills supportive of team innovation. A dominant, directive leader may prevent attempts by team members to bring about change and steadily reduce their confidence and perseverance in initiating innovation implementation. Moreover, such a leader might inhibit the expression of team KSAs by repeatedly dominating decision making or discussion. A more transformational leadership style is likely to enhance the impact of individual characteristics such as confidence, innovativeness, and tolerance of ambiguity on group processes (such as support for innovation) and thereby innovation implementation. Synthesize aspects of transformational leadership into an individual leadership plan It has been discovered that most of the large global companies studied operate, to one degree or another, under a traditional model of strong individual leadership at the top. Moreover, the quality of that leadership bears on the overall performance of those companies. A few of the companies studied—and some business units within others—are characterized by a different pattern of leadership. Instead of leadership being a solo act, an aria sung by the CEO, in these organizations it is a shared responsibility, more like a chorus of diverse voices singing in unison. Significantly, this characteristic is more than the frequently observed phenomenon of â€Å"cascading† leadership (in which a strong leader at the top empowers other leaders down the line). Although cascading is often a part of what is observed, more to the point in these organizations many of the key tasks and responsibilities of leadership are institutionalized in the systems, practices, and cultures of the organization. Typically, cascading leadership depends on the continuing support of whoever is the leader of an organization at any given time; behavior that is not personality dependent. Eventually, it has been realized that this form of leadership is rooted in systems, processes, and culture. Without the presence of a high-profile leader (or â€Å"superior† goading or exhorting them on) that people at all levels in these organizations †¦ Act more like owners and entrepreneurs than employees or hired hands (that is, they assume owner like responsibility for financial performance and managing risk). Take the initiative to solve problems and to act, in general, with a sense of urgency. Willingly accept accountability for meeting commitments, and for living the values of the organization. Share a common philosophy and language of leadership that paradoxically includes tolerance for contrary views and a willingness to experiment. Create, maintain, and adhere to systems and procedures designed to measure and reward these distributed leadership behaviors. Obviously, this is not a new model of leadership. Doubtless, it has been around a long time and we, missed it because we were blinded by the powerful light that emanates from high-profile leaders. We were also prisoners of the current wisdom about the necessity for personalized, take-charge leadership—particularly in times of rapid change. Moreover, it is important to stress that the organization based model identified was not the only one observed, nor was it necessarily always the most effective. In fact, the two most successful companies in an empirical sample operate, on two different models, Oracle being headed by a single strong leader, and Enron with widely diffused and systematized leadership responsibilities. Thus we are not advocating a newly discovered â€Å"best way to lead†; instead, calling attention to a previously unnoticed— but equally viable—alternative to the traditional leadership model. Among other things, this discovery helps to explain some persistent contradictions to the dominant model of leadership. If leadership were solely an individual trait †¦ Why is it that some companies continually demonstrate the capacity to innovate, renew strategies and products, and outperform competition in their industries over the tenures of several different chief executives? Intel, for instance, has been a rip-roaring success under the leadership of, in sequence, Gordon Moore, Andrew Grove, and now, Craig Barrett. Why is it that some CEOs who have succeeded in one organization often turn in so-so performances in the next? Consider George Fisher, who was a star at Motorola, but far less effective at Kodak. (Conversely, why is it that some companies headed by singularly unimpressive CEOs nonetheless rack up good performance records?) Why is that academics are unable to quantify the relationship between CEO style on one hand and organizational performance on the other? (In fact, they have found no objective correlation between those two factors—concluding, unhelpfully, that â€Å"it all depends.†) Moreover, as history shows, businesses that become dependent on a single leader run a considerable risk. If that individual retires or leaves (or dies in office), the organization may well lose its continuing capacity to succeed—witness the performance of General Motors after Alfred Sloan, ITT after Harold Geneen, Polaroid after Edwin Land, and Coca-Cola after Roberto Goizueta. More frequently, organizations learn the hard way that no one individual can save a company from mediocre performance—and no one individual, no matter how gifted a leader, can be â€Å"right† all the time. As one CEO said, â€Å"None of us is as smart as all of us.† Since leadership is, by definition, doing things through the efforts of others, it is obvious that there is little that a business leader—acting alone—can do to affect company performance (other than try to â€Å"look good† to investors) (Howell    Avoiio, 2003). In light of these observations, it should not have been so surprising that our research revealed that, in many successful companies, leadership is treated as an institutional capacity and not solely as an individual trait. It turns out that many corporations whose familiar names perennially appear on â€Å"most respected† lists are ones with the highest institutionalized leadership capacities. Like individual IQs, companies have collective LQs—leadership quotients— that can be measured and compared. (Moreover, unlike individual IQ an organizations leadership capacity can be bolstered through appropriately directed effort.) Hence, we now are better able to explain why companies like Intel, ABB, GE, Enron, BP, Ford, Nestlà ©, and Motorola continue to renew themselves year after year, and over the tenures of many different leaders: Such companies are not only chock-full of leaders from the executive suite to the shop floor, they make conscious efforts to build their LQs, that is, their overall organizational leadership capacities. That last point requires an important clarification. Some companies with continuing records of success do not pay much, or any, attention to traditional—that is, individual—leadership development. Instead of asking â€Å"What qualities do we need to develop in our leader?† these companies continually ask â€Å"What qualities do we need to develop in our organization?† And, though this may seem to defy the current wisdom about the importance of leadership, on reflection it squares with experience. At Motorola, for example, there has been a decades long pattern of self-renewal that has continually belied the predictions of Wall Street analysts who, on at least four occasions, have written the company off for dead. When it has suffered one of its periodic setbacks, how could Motorola reasonably be expected to turn itself around without a take-charge leader like Jack Welch at its helm? But it has done so repeatedly, and under the collective leadership of several different individuals. In light of what we have learned from our study, we posit that the secret sauce at Motorola is the companys strong, institutionalized leadership capacity— systems consciously created by former-CEO Bob Galvins leadership teams over a period of thirty years (Dong et. Al. 2001). And the effectiveness of the organizational leadership model should not come as a surprise to those who have tried to change the behavior of a CEO—or of any executive whose career has been validated by rising to the top. Powerful executives tend to see leadership as positional. To them, by definition, the CEO is the leader of the corporation. For example, a couple of years ago we suggested to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company that he (and his executive team) might benefit from a leadership development program. He looked at us as if we were space aliens and testily replied, â€Å"If the board thought there was someone who was more qualified to lead this company, they would have named him and not me.† Given that such ego-driven denial is fairly common in executive suites, it makes practical sense that the high-LQ companies in our study focus on identifying business-related activities as the source of leadership development—that is, they stress improving the ability of their leaders collectively to do their central tasks, rather than on trying to fix them as individuals. The lesson we take from this is not that individual leadership behaviors are unimportant, but that in some cases, at least, it may be more effective to treat them as secondary to organizational issues. Moreover, it is far easier for leaders to learn to do things differently in terms of business processes than it is for them to change who they are. III. Summarize the outcomes of transformational leadership and innovation Among the components of transformational leadership, idealized influence and inspirational leadership are most effective and satisfying; individualized consideration is a bit less so. But in turn, all four 1s of transformational leadership are more effective than is constructive transaction. However, constructive transactions remain reasonably effective and satisfying in most situations, except where a leader has no control of the ways a follower may be rewarded for good performance. Actively taking corrective action—that is, managing by exception by arranging to monitor the performance of followers—is somewhat less effective and satisfying, but passively waiting for problems to arise or remaining oblivious until a mishap occurs is seen as poor, ineffective leadership and is dissatisfying. The most ineffective and dissatisfying style is laissez-faire leadership avoiding leadership and abdicating responsibilities. Analyses of over 5,000 cases have affirmed these findings. Transformational leadership adds to transactional leadership in its effects on follower satisfaction and performance. Transformational leadership does not replace transactional leadership. That is, constructive and especially corrective transactions may have only marginal impact on followers unless accompanied by one or more components of transformational leadership for getting the most out of transactions: The follower needs to feel valued by the leader, the follower needs to find meaning in what he or she is doing, and the follower needs a sense of ownership in whats being done. Transactional leadership, particularly contingent reward, provides a broad basis for effective leadership, but a greater amount of effort, effectiveness, innovation, risk taking, and satisfaction can be achieved by transactional leadership if it is augmented by transformational leadership. Transformational leadership can be directive or participative, as well as democratic or authoritarian, elitist or leveling. Sometimes, transformational leadership is misunderstood as elitist and antidemocratic. Since the 1930s, the praises of democratic, participative leadership have been sung. Most managers have at least learned that before making a decision it pays to consult with those who will implement the decision, although fewer managers pursue a democratic vote or strive for consensus in a participative discussion with ail those involved. There are many good reasons for encouraging shared decision making, empowering followers, and self-managing. Nonetheless, many circumstances call for a leader to be authoritative, decisive and directive. Democratic decisions can become a pooling of ignorance among a group of novices. Novices may wish direction and advice on what to do and how to do it. Even when no leader is appointed, someone must begin to take initiatives and soon comes to be seen as a leader. Many confuse transformational leadership with democratic, participative leadership. It often may be so, but at times it can also be directive, decisive, and authoritative. Idealized leaders can direct followers who are counting on them to help get the team out of a crisis by employing radical solutions to deal with the problems. Again, inspirational leaders can be highly directive in their appeals. Intellectually stimulating leaders may challenge their followers. Individually considerate leaders could rise above the demands for equality from their followers to treat them differently according to their different needs for growth. At the same time, transformational leaders can share vision building and Idea generation that could be a democratic and collective enterprise. Such leaders can encourage follower participation in the change processes involved. In the same way, transactional leadership can be either directive or participative. Most leaders profiles include both transformational and transactional leadership. The attitudes and behavior of Otto Von Bismarck, whose efforts led to the unification of Germany in 1871, illustrate how transformational and transactional leadership can be directive or participative, democratic or authoritative (Deborah, 1999). Interviews with executives about the leadership they had seen produced numerous behavioral examples of transformational leadership. Idealized influence or charismatic leadership was attributed to the interviewees leaders for demonstrating such traits as setting examples, showing determination, possessing extraordinary talents, taking risks, creating in followers a sense of empowerment, showing dedication to â€Å"the cause, † creating a sense of a joint mission, dealing with crises using radical solutions, and engendering in their followers faith in the leadership. Inspirational leadership included providing meaning and challenge, painting an optimistic future, molding expectations, creating self-fulfilling prophesies, and thinking ahead. Intellectual stimulation was judged to be present when leaders questioned assumptions, encouraged followers to employ intuition, entertained ideas that may have seemed silly at first, created imaginative visions, asked subordinates to rework problems they thought had already been solved, and saw unusual patterns. Individualized consideration was apparent to interviewees when their leaders answered them with minimum delay, showed that they were concerned for their followers well-being, assigned tasks based on needs and abilities, encouraged two-way exchanges of ideas, were available when needed, encouraged self-development, practiced walk around management, and effectively mentored, counseled, and coached. When peers of military cadet leaders were asked what characterized the important traits of a good leader, they tended to describe such traits of inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration as self-confidence, persuasiveness, concern for the well-being of others, the ability to articulate ones ideas and thoughts, providing models to be emulated by others, holding high expectations for him—or herself and others, keeping others well-informed, and maintaining high self-motivation (Atwater, Lau, Bass, Avolio, Camobreco, Whitmore, 1994). COMPONENTS OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP Transformational leaders do more with colleagues and followers than set up simple exchanges or agreements. They behave in ways to achieve superior results by employing one or more of the four components of transformational leadership. First, leadership is idealized when followers seek to identify with their leaders and emulate them. Second, the leadership inspires the followers with challenge and persuasion that provide meaning and understanding. Third, the leadership is intellectually stimulating, expanding the followers use of their abilities. Finally, the leadership is individually considerate, providing the followers with support, mentoring, and coaching. Each of these components can be assessed with the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). In the questionnaire, you can describe yourself as a leader. Those who work for you, with you, and for whom you work can do the same assessment of you. Idealized Leadership. Transformational leaders behave in ways that make them role models for their followers. Such leaders are admired, respected, and trusted. Followers identify with these leaders and want to emulate them. Among the things the leader does to earn this credit is consider the needs of others over his or her own personal needs. The leader shares risks with followers and is consistent rather than arbitrary. He or she can be counted on to do the right thing, demonstrating high standards of ethical and moral conduct. He or she avoids using power for personal gain and in fact uses his or her power only when needed. Inspirational Motivation. Transformational leaders behave in ways that motivate and inspire those around them by providing meaning and challenge to their followers work Team spirit is aroused. Enthusiasm and optimism are displayed. The leader gets followers involved in envisioning attractive future states. The leader clearly communicates expectations that followers want to meet, and demonstrates commitment to goals and the shared vision. Intellectual Stimulation. Transformational leaders stimulate their followers efforts to be innovative and creative by questioning assumptions, reframing problems, and approaching old situations in new ways. Creativity is encouraged. There is no public criticism of individual members mistakes. New ideas and creative problem solutions are solicited from followers, who are included in the process of addressing problems and finding solutions. Followers are encouraged to try new approaches, and their ideas are not criticized if they differ from the leaders ideas. Individualized Consideration. Transformational leaders pay special attention to each individuals needs for achievement and growth by acting as a coach or mentor. Followers and colleagues are developed to successively higher levels of potential. Individualized consideration is practiced as follows: New learning opportunities are created along with a supportive climate. Individual differences in terms of needs and desires are recognized. The leaders behavior demonstrates acceptance of individual differences (e.g. some employees receive more encouragement, some more autonomy, others firmer standards, and still others more task structure). A two-way exchange in communication is encouraged, and â€Å"management by walking around† is practiced. Interactions with followers are personalized (e.g., the leader remembers previous conversations, is aware of individual concerns, and sees the individual as a whole person rather than as just an employee). The individually considerate leader listens effectively. The leader delegates tasks as a means of developing followers. Delegated tasks are monitored to see if the followers need additional direction or support and to assess progress; ideally, followers do not feel they are being checked up on. Bibliography Follower Motive Patterns as Situational Moderators for Transformational Leadership Effectiveness. Journal article by Jerry C. Wofford, J. Lee Whittington, Vicki L. Goodwin; Journal of Managerial Issues, Vol. 13, 2004 In this article, two important leadership questions are addressed. Is transformational leadership universally effective or are there situational moderators which augment or limit its effectiveness? Is transformational leadership more appropriately viewed in terms of individual-level analyses or of multi-level analyses? First, we examine the literature on the potential moderators within the transformational leadership paradigm and on the appropriate level of analysis for transformational leadership. The present research examines the potential moderator effects of the need for autonomy and of growth need strength. In addition, we examine whether transformational leaders adapt their behaviors to different subordinates or behave the same way with all of them. Perceptions of Transformational Leadership among Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans: A Level of Analysis Perspective Journal article by Dong I. Jung, Francis J. Yammarino; Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 8, 2001 This study asserted a theoretical framework of transformational leadership and its effects on several process and outcome variables among Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans from levels of analysis perspective. Nomological relationships among the constructs of interest also were tested. Results indicated that effects of transformational leadership were positive, but generally stronger among Asian Americans than among Caucasian Americans. Results from Within and Between Analysis indicated that variation in perceptions of transformational leadership and other measured variables in the two ethnic groups was mainly due to individual differences. Based on these results, we offer several theoretical and practical implications. Transformational Leadership and Urban Renewal Journal article by Deborah R. Rada; Journal of Leadership Studies, 1999 Despite Burnss contention that transformational leadership can occur at all levels of organization and society, most of the discussion of transformational leadership has centered on persons in traditional, hierarchical power positions. This paper focuses on a social movement, urban renewal, which involves volunteer activity and persons not in hierarchical power positions. The urban renewal efforts of two southern California towns are highlighted, with examples from other towns renewal efforts also cited. It is demonstrated that many renewal efforts utilize a transformational leadership approach. It is further shown that those efforts which employ a transformational leadership approach are often more successful than those that do not. It is concluded that transformational leadership does occur in voluntary, nonhierarchical groups and leads to substantive change. Further study is recommended to confirm these conclusions and advocate for broader recognition and encouragement of transfor mational leadership in various organizations. Howell. J. M. Avoiio, B. J. (2003). Transformational leadership, transactional leadership, locus of control. and support for innovation: Key predictors of consolidated business-unit performance. Journal Applied Psychology, 78, 89142   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Notes Portions of this paper were presented at the Academy of Management National Conference in Seattle, Washington, August 2003. Thanks to Major David Pursley, Dr. Orly Nobel, and several anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of the manuscript. Dr. Dardis recently retired from active duty and is currently the Chief Learning Officer at Freddie Mac Corporation in McClean, Virginia. Burpitt, W. J., Bigoness, W. J. (1997). Leadership and innovation among teams: The impact of empowerment. Small Group Research, 28 (3), 414–423.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Most research and writing on creativity has focused on individual creativity, the â€Å"lone genius,† with little recognition of the social and group factors that influence the creative process. Research on creativity has sought to understand the factors responsible for creative people and activities. Personality, developmental experiences, culture, motivation, and cognitive skills are just a few of the factors that appear to underlie creative behavior

Tesco Nature Scope And Purpose Of Strategic Management

Tesco Nature Scope And Purpose Of Strategic Management INTRODUCTION Tesco started as a one-man business in Londons East End. Tesco was founded by Jack Cohen, son of a Polish Jewish tailor. He sold groceries in the markets of the East End from 1919. The Tesco brand first appeared in 1924. The name derived after Jack Cohen bought a large shipment of tea from T.E. Stockwell (formerly Messrs Torring and Stockwell of Mincing Lane), he made new labels by using the first three letters of the suppliers name and the first two letters of his surname forming the word TESCO. The first Tesco store was opened in 1929 in Burnt Oak, Edgware, and London. The firm was floated on the London Stock Exchange on 23 December 1947. The first Tesco self-service store opened in 1948 in St Albans and is still trading in 2006 as a Tesco Metro store.The first Tesco supermarket was opened in 1956 in a converted cinema in Maldon, Essex. Tescos first superstore was opened in 1968 in Crawley, West Sussex. The group began selling petrol in 1974 and its annual turnover reached one billion pounds in 1979. Also In 1975 Tesco opened one of its first Hypermarkets in Irlam. The first Hypermarket under the Extra name opened in 1997. EXPANSION: In 1994, the company took over the Scottish supermarket chain William Low. Tesco successfully fought off Sainsburys for control of the Dundee-based firm, which operated 57 stores north of the border, paving the way for Tesco to expand its weak presence in Scotland. To the present day, Tesco has based its Scottish headquarters at the former Wm. Low offices in Dundee. From small beginnings in Scotland Inverness was recently branded as Tescotown, since an estimated 50p in every  £1 spent on food is believed to be spent in the three Tesco stores within the city. (Nationally, it is estimated that 1 in every  £8 is the proportion spent) It introduced a loyalty card branded Clubcard in 1995 and later an Internet shopping service. During the 1990s it expanded into Central Europe, Ireland and East Asia. In July 2001 it became involved in internet grocery retailing in the USA when it obtained a 35% stake in GroceryWorks. In October 2003 it launched a UK telecoms division, comprising of mobile and home phone services, to complement its existing internet service provider business. In August 2004, it also launched a broadband service. NATURE, SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT NATURE: Tesco opened its first store in Edgware, North London in 1929.It is founded by John Cohen and T. E. Stockwell. Tesco mainly used strategies to build customer loyalty. It reached the  £billion pound turnover in 1979.It became the first UK business to reach  £2 billion pound and became the largest retailer in UK. STRATEGY: According to Johnson and Scholes strategy is defined as the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term; which achieves advantage for the organisation through it configuration of resources within a changing enviroment,to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. Tescos growth over the last two or three decades has involved a transformation of its strategy and image. Its initial success was based on the Pile it high, sell it cheap approach of the founder Jack Cohen. The disadvantage of this was that the stores had a poor image with middle-class customers. In the late 1970s Tescos brand image was so negative that consultants advised the company to change the name of its stores. It did not accept this advice, yet by early 2005 it was the largest retailer in the United Kingdom, with a 29.0% share of the grocery market according to retail analysts TNS Super Panel, compared to the 16.8% share of ASDA and 15.6% share of third-placed Sainsburys, which had been the market leader until it was overtaken by Tesco in 1995. Key to success: Focus on customers. Focus heavily on value for money. Finest and low price. Core UK business. Non-food business. Retailing services. International Expansion. SCOPE According to Mintzberg and Quinn there are five definitions if strategy Strategy as a plan Strategy as a pattern Strategy as a position Strategy as a perspective Strategy as a ploy Tescos growth over the last two or three decades has involved a transformation of its strategy and image. Its initial success was based on the Pile it high, sell it cheap approach of the founder Jack Cohen. Levels of planning Planning of strategy in any organisation is categorised into three levels: Top level planning: this is done by the top management and is termed as strategic planning. It is a long range planning and is linked to long range goals. Second level planning: This is carried out by senior executives and is termed as tactical planning. The plans are devised to achieve the organisations main objectives. The long-range plans of the organisation are segmented and are oriented to functions and departments. Third level planning: This is the concern of the departmental managers and supervisors and is called activity planning or operational planning. It is confined to short term activities and also individual assignments and establishes performance of the organisation. Corporate strategy: It is concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the business to meet stake holder expectations. It is often expressed as mission statement of the organisation. The companys mission statement reads, Our core purpose is, To create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty. We deliver this through our values, No-one tries harder for customers, and Treat people how we like to be treated'. The underlying aim is of course to make higher profits, but there is a clear focus on customer service at the top level of the company. Business strategy: It is concerned with how a business competes successfully in a particular market. Tescos business strategy is to Expand overseas Maintain a strong uk business Expand into non-food merchandise Operational strategy: It is concerned with the operations to deliver the corporate and business strategy of the organisation. Tesco has its every little helps strategy to make both its employees and customers happy while achieving the organisational goals. PURPOSE Tesco adopts its strategy with a core purpose to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty. This is expressed as two key values. No one tries harder for customers Treat people as we like to be treated. Tesco positions all its resources with a purpose to satisfy this strategy while achieving its organisational goals. PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT While the corporate strategy of an organisation sets the objectives for different businesses; business strategy deals with individual sections of the overall business and the operational strategy directs and determines each function of the organisation. The process of business strategy of Tesco can be outlined as: Stating and understanding The Companys vision. Stating and understanding The Companys mission. Analysing the business environment. Crafting and evaluation of strategy. Implementation, monitoring and control. VISION Tescos vision can be clearly understood in the statement of its CEO Terry Leahy we have got only 5% of the non-food market in Britain, we have got only 6% of the convenience market and we have got only 2-3% of the banking market In all these examples we could be much bigger. This statement clearly presents the idea where Tesco wants to be in the future. MISSION A mission statement spells out the central purpose and shared values of a business organisation. Mission of Tesco is To create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty which is delivered through two key values no one tries harder for customers and treat people how they like to be treated. ANALYSIS OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT For the formulation of strategy, it is necessary to analyse the organisational environment. These would include political, economic, social and technological factors. According to Johnson and Scholes: Managers face difficulties in trying to understand the environment. First, the environment encapsulates many different influences; the difficulty is making sense of this diversity in a way which can contribute to strategic decision making. A simple analysis of the business environment so Tesco involves three aspects: Analysing Internal capabilities and resources(core competencies) Analysing external environment by PEST Analysis Analysing the competitive environment by Porters five forces Core Competencies Core competences relate to those resources and capabilities if the firm which enable to Attain a competitive edge in the market According to Johnson and Scholes core competencies create and sustain the ability to meet the critical success factors of particular customer groups better than other providers in ways that are difficult to imitate. Tesco identifies core competencies by three factors: Creation of new products and services which provides potential access to a wide variety of markets. Skill which makes a significant contribution to the perceived customer benefits of the end product. competitive unique skills which are difficult for competitors to imitate PEST ANALYSIS The external environment of an organisation is analysed by PEST analysis. It helps to identify the key changes that are taking place around the organisation and which influence it in the future. A PEST Analysis looks at Political Factors Economic factors Social factors Technological factors The following is the PEST Analysis for Tesco Political Factors Risks of potential competition commission enquiry GM- Food EU competition Law Economic Factors Intensive price competition between the large supermarkets Cost of products keep falling because of strengthening buying power Socio cultural factors Organic foods and drink Customer concerns about GM food, allergies and additives Animal welfare policies Environmental policies and practices Technological Factors Radio Frequency identity technology in operation of its supply chain Radio barcode technology for tagging cases. Self service check-out system. PORTERS FIVE FORCES Porters five forces are used to analyse the external environment of an organisation and to determine the attractiveness of the market. The five forces are: The bargaining power of customers The bargaining power of suppliers The threat of new entrants The threat of substitute products The intensity of competitive rivalry Bargaining power of customers The buying power of customers may influence Tesco to force prices down. This may lead to competition where the other rivals may also bring down the prices. Tesco should maintain the customer loyalty to stop them from drifting to others. Bargaining power of suppliers Demand of suppliers to pay high prices for their goods. Recently, the agitation by the dairy farmers to get high price for milk is an example. But market giants like Tesco has an overwhelming advantage over their suppliers where they dictate the price they pay their suppliers. Threat of new entrants Supermarket chains like Tesco manage the threat of new entrants by imposing barriers to entry. This is achieved by paying high price to suppliers and buying large volumes of goods. This makes Tesco to supply goods at cheaper prices to its customers where it corners the new entrants. Tesco also has the advantage of economies of scale. Threat of substitute products Tesco faces the threat of cutting down the prices of groceries and goods by other giants like Asda and Sainsbury. This may lead to lowering of prices where the buyer gets an advantage. Intensity of competitive rivalry Retail industry is the one where the profit margins are low and the competition is high. According to classical economics, rivalry between companies should drive profits to zero. All the above mentioned factors impact the intensity of competition for Tesco. Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons and others with their expansion plans and strategies are making the competition tough. Their disciplined approach towards prices setting is preventing the destruction in profit war. Environmental evaluation of Tesco The environmental audit is reliant on the monitoring activity undertaken by the organisation. It includes Market intelligence Largest supermarket chain with a market capitalisation of  £26.037bn New strategies for mergers and expansion plans to US Effective and low prices Continuous monitoring and direct information on the sales figures in stores Efficient maintenance of customer loyalty. Technical intelligence RFID technology for supply chain management EPOs and Bar-coding technology Extension of RFID technology for tagging the cases through out the supply chain by 2007. Effective implementation of one in front policy at the tills to satisfy the customers. Acquisition intelligence Decision of receding from the bid to takeover Safeway. Expansion plans for US Other issues Convenience stores according to the needs of the people Decisions regarding the environmental issues Crafting a strategy By considering the above factors Tesco clearly crafted a strategy that keeps it in the leading position in all the aspects: The selected strategy of Tesco is To provide all the customers with excellent value and choice in UK business which is its biggest market and where Tesco enjoys top slot. Having a six element approach to be an international retailer while focusing on satisfaction of needs of the different local customers. KEY FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING STRATEGY The key factors for an organisation are those which exist within an environment and may generate a need for change. These are triggers for change in the organisation. The following is a brief description of the key factors which may lead to strategic change in Tesco. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Macro environmental analysis increases awareness of the relevant environmental changes at managerial level. This enhances strategic planning. Macro environmental analysis further focuses attention on the primary influences of strategic change and provides anticipation to opportunities and carefully develops responses to change. The following are the external environmental factors which pose challenges to Tesco High energy costs High recovery costs Improving position of competitors Risks of the potential competition commission enquiry Growing cautiousness among consumers STAKEHOLDERS Stakeholders can be defined as As those individual actors and parties, organisations and professions and institutions that have a bearing on the behaviour of the organisation as revealed in its policies and actions on the environment. Stakeholders can be divided into two categories; Those view the organisation externally Those have an internal interest External stakeholders for Tesco are competitiors, customers, suppliers, shareholders government departments etc.They judge the efficiency and try to influence its activities. So Tesco always determines the outputs required by the stakeholders. Internal stakeholders for Tesco are the owners, managers and employees. In large companies like Tesco there are thousands of shareholders who have a vested interest in the success of the business. MEDIA Media plays a very important role in an organisations strategy. It works in two ways; Interest in the success of the organisation and its subsequent positive feedback Interest in the proposed developments Tesco notifies well that the influence of effective public relations on the opinions of a wide range of groups will enhance the likelihood of success for its strategy. So it always maintains good relations with the media. Tescos media centre contain the latest news releases, images and briefing notes. Their latest TV ad campaign can also be viewed from their video library. The media people can also access to their media centre for easy access to the latest developments. LEGAL Organisations need to anticipate and prepare themselves for changes in legal procedures. The potential competition commission enquiry and other regulations are important legal factors which can influence retail sector now.Tesco has all the legal resources which enables it to respond to such changes well in advance and as a part of its developing strategy. ETHICAL These are the moral principles that should govern human relations and conduct. These are very important considerations in formulating strategy which involve subjective personal feelings about human behaviour. Tesco identifies as one of the key factors in its strategy and accepts this with enthusiasm and commitment. EDUCATIONAL In the present business scenario, the capacity to transmit knowledge through devices as the internet has become formidable. The most important and interesting aspect of the improvement in education and subsequent growth of knowledge has been the increasing professionalism of workforces in an organisation. Tesco understand this well and implements it in the improvement of skills of its human resources. It conducts training programmes a least two times a year. POLITICAL Political factors generally effect the organisation in two ways. One driven by the government pr by the multinational political initiatives and another concerned with the political shifts within the particular business environment. INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS The following are the factors that are instrumental to the internal environment of Tesco. Organisational policy The mission statement of an organisation sets out the purpose of a business The mission statement of an organisation is refined over the time to reflect the developed or enhanced capabilities of the business .The following are the purpose statements for Tesco which gives a clear picture of its policy Scope of an organisations activities is a fundamental element of strategy. Tescos scope relates to the extent of the market into which it sells its products and services. It is already the largest retailer in UK and is planning to expand to US .It has already wide markets in Europe and Asia. A key consideration for a firm is to identify what areas of activity to pursue in its markets. Tesco targets customers of all ages with its products and services ranging from food, household products and retail to insurance and personal finance. An important aspect of strategy is for a company to identify the positions held by their products and services in the market place. Tesco has already built a very strong businesses over the time with very strong market positions. Each and every one of them has huge potential for further growth. Human resources Tesco is the largest private sector employer in UK. Tesco is the largest private sector employer in UK. It employs 250,000 staff alone in the UK and 367,000 staff worldwide. It has 2365 stores all over the world. Tesco employs about 11,000 employees every year. It recruits about 80 to 150 graduates each year to two training schemes one store and one office based. It recruits by in-store advertising, events in local areas. and recommendations From existing employees through an employee referral scheme. These employees are the need for effective communication in the field of management. Financial resources As per the statistics of 2006 Tesco is the fourth largest retailer in the world. Its market capitalisation was  £26.035 billion which was the largest of any retailer based outside the united states. Tesco also has got tremendous property portfolio. It does its own development and owns about 85 of all its assets around the world. And always Tesco invests a lot in its property. According to company authorities over the next five years its property value will be  £5 billion and still be a predominantly freehold property company. All these factors are described as the key factors for Tesco DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF STRATEGIC OPTIONS Strategy whether developed for a whole organisation or for an operating department or a team follows the same building process .Its central concern is to create a long-term vision of where we want to be or what we would like to become .Strategy that an organisation adopts should be feasible and practicable. Its pulling power is extremely important to survive in the tough competitive environment where an organisation operates .The art of strategic development involves a set of sophisticated tools to facilitate the process. The following is a brief context of different strategic options for TESCO and their evaluation. PEST ANALYSIS To develop a strategy for an organisation to assure its long-term effectiveness it should carry an analysis about its future. For this PEST Analysis is the best tool. It carries analysis of four or six major factors which can effect the organisation in future .TESCO which is the largest player in retail sector carries PEST Analysis to analyse the external factors which may affect in the future .The following is the PEST Analysis for TESCO: Political and legal considerations Risks of potential commission enquiry TESCO may face the risk of the potential commission enquiry in future which aims to curb the unhealthy competition in the retail sector. GM-Food With increasing awareness in the consumers all over the world TESCO may face the risk with Green peace workers regarding the labelling of genetically modified foods. . EU Competition Law EU Competition Law constituted to regulate monopoly power may impact TESCO and its expansion in the European Union in the near future. Economic considerations Intensive price competition between the large supermarkets Cost of products keep falling because of strengthening buying power Social Factors Organic foods and drink Consumers growing concerns about the organic food and drinks may influence in near future Customer concerns about GM food, allergies and additives With growing cautiousness and discontent about the GM food and use of allergic causing agents and additives in the manufacture of food may show impact Animal welfare policies Animal welfare policies which oppose the testing of the products on animals Environmental policies and practices Green peace workers and changing concerns about environmental issues. Technological Factors Radio Frequency identity technology in operation of its supply chain Use of RFID technology in its supply chain helps TESCO to efficiently carry its operations and maintain its position. Radio barcode Technology for tagging cases. Use of Radio barcode Technology to tag the cases and extending this technique to the entire chain by the end of 2007 will show an impact on operations in TESCO. Self-service checkout system SWOT Analysis IT is a commonly used tool .Its main purpose is to locate the organisation in its operating environment and try to assess its internal and external capabilities and vulnerabilities. SWOT stand for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths are internal and opportunities are environmental. Similarly weaknesses are internal and threats are environmental. The following is the SWOT analysis for TESCO Strengths These are the strengths of TESCO TESCO s Brand name Loyal customers Largest player in the retail sector Well established supply chain Excellent ware housing capability Largest online grocer Great store locations Skilled work force Club card scheme for enhancing customer loyalty. Weaknesses These are the weaknesses of TESCO Vast usage of fossil fuel in transport chain and super market heating systems Lack of integration between departments at certain times Opportunities These are the opportunities where TESCO can explore in future Improving customer relationships Real growth opportunity for grocery retailing in the newly enlarged European Union. Increasing sales through better integration of high street and internet resources Threats These are the threats that might affect TESCO in the future. High energy costs Increasing taxes on retail items Expansion of low cost supermarkets like LIDL. Recovering competitions like Sainsburys and Morrisons. A weakening economy An increase in unemployment PORTERS GENERIC STRATEGIES After establishing the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation and analysing the competitive environment, we have to establish the generic strategy of the organisation. No set of the strategic tools will be complete without a look at Michael porters generic strategies. Porter advocates, Gaining and maintaining competitive advantage The three generic strategies of Porter are Differentiation This is a strategy where the organisation offers a product or service which is unique compared with those of its competitors .This differentiation must be known to at least a segment of the market. Cost Leadership This is a strategy where the organisation enables itself to provide the products or services at a cost less than any other competitive organisation. It is the ability the organisation has to price below competitors if and when it needs so. Focus This is a strategy where the organisation targets its products or services at a given sector of the market with great accuracy and with a depth of capability and knowledge to support its position in the sector. In the retail sector with a very low profit margin the environment is hypercompetitive .TESCO being the largest player adopts the Cost Leadership strategy to challenge its competitors. TESCO has all the capabilities to adapt to this strategy. It develops its internal resources and its core competencies to support this strategy. In addition to these a number of generic strategies have emerged to define the modern organisation .The following is a list of the strategies. Reducing cost base Improving quality Getting closer to the customer Shorter cycle times Strategic partnerships Ability to change fast Of the above mentioned generic strategies, TESCO adopts the following: Reducing cost base To cut down the expenses and to increase productivity and efficiency, TESCO adopts this strategy to face the challenges of price war with its competitors, high property costs a and to provide value based products to the customers. Improving quality TESCO always concentrates on improving quality to rule the existing markets. It adopts new techniques and softwares both in the logistics and in-store operations to consistently serve the customers. Getting closer to the customer Customers are whimsical, customers are fickle, customers are not loyal. The ability to anticipate this fickleness is a strategic strength.TESCO understands this well and introduced club card schemes which helps TESCO to have millions of loyal customers. THE ANSOFF MATRIX This is a classic model in strategy building .Its main purpose is to analyse the organisations approaches to its products and to its market to ensure that an appropriate marketing strategy is being pursued .The following is the An off matrix for TESCO Current products New products Current markets Market penetration Improving services Improving quality Product development Expand own brands like The Finest and TESCO Value. Expansion into non-food sector Adding new products to the existing product line New markets Market development International expansion and globalisation Home shopping Developing small express stores Diversification New services Using the Ansoff matrix in conjunction with the BCG matrix, TESCO conducts a useful review of its strategy to achieve its vision. EVALUATION The BCG matrix The Boston Consulting Group matrix is a valuable tool .Its purpose is to analyse the organisations product portfolio. The definitions used in the BCG matrix are very precisely expressed in terms of the generation and use of cash. This makes this matrix a sharp-edged tool. the following are the definitions used in BCG matrix Stars These are the products that are performing well .They are generating positive cash and they usually require continuous update to maintain their market share. Problems These are the products which are not performing and not generating sufficient cash to maintain them in their markets. Cash cows These are the products which are performing well in markets which are growing slowly or are static. They are probably generating more money that can be profitably invested in them. Dogs They have low market share in markets which are growing slowly or are static. They may be consuming more resources to maintain their availability. They need quick decisions. The following is the BCG matrix for Tesco Market share High low Star On-line shopping Organic foods Loyalty cards Non-grocery items New services Problems On-line shopping with demographic analysis Home delivery of products Cash cows Cash cows Branded produ