Statement of purpose in Leadership to Catholic University Personal

Of purpose in Leadership to Catholic University - Personal Statement Example In a class, I usually taught 20 students. Since then, I have spent three years teaching children whose ages were between 4-5 years old. I consider myself lucky to have found a job where I could practice what I had learned in college. As a teacher, I manifest my leadership abilities everyday by guiding my students in their in-class activities. Teaching pre-school children is both a very rewarding and demanding job. As many people know, children at the pre-school age are difficult to manage. It is an age where they are curious about everything around them. It is also the age where their personalities and characters are molded. When I was working, I managed to deal with all kind of children, and even some who have difficulties in speaking and very active children. Communication was also an important factor when I was a teacher. I loved exchanging ideas with my students, their mothers and their close relatives often on a daily basis. This way I could take note of what needed to be improved or kept to make my students progress even more. I also talked freely with my director about my ways and skills in teaching and managing my classes. I appreciated the input my director would give me about my performance. I am a very organized person so I always like to manage and improve myself. This trait proved to be in my favor because our school principal always complemented my good work and this built my confidence in my abilities. I chose to be a teacher for pre-school children because I enjoy studying about childhood and teaching. I found it interesting to work with kids at this age. As their teacher, I had to be patient yet firm with them at all times. I also had to be able to look beyond their tantrums, understand what they really needed and give this to them if I could. I feel that I have the ability to teach and lead students. I have a calm personality and I truly understand my students’ needs. Also, I hope this career will prepare me in

DEMONSTRATION OF A CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING & AWARENESS OF PROJECT Essay

DEMONSTRATION OF A CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING & AWARENESS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES - Essay Example At present, it is quite difficult to find a project, in progress without Project Management, as it can be very catastrophic at the end with huge losses of time, money and reputation. Even the working environment is in complete disarray, with everyone being confused over the sequencing of the task. We all know that the road to success is not one without challenges; and there are factors of Project Management that, if not fulfilled properly, can cause hindrances and thus, failure of the project. Following are such factors along with their courses of action in a particular framework. Information is the most vital resource for the completion of a successful project. It is mainly concerned with detailed information about the required standards of the final product, the time given for its completion, and the budget available for the task. Information regarding the nature of every aspect of the project is very important for the correct choice of work force hired for that particular job, but still keeping budget constraints in mind. In the same way, you should have knowledge of places where you can extract the maximum out of the initially set budget when looking for the required equipment for the project. Lack of information can lead to a complete disaster of the project. ... For example, if you do not have information regarding the aim of the final product, it is impossible to manufacture a product that perfectly meets its purpose. Lack of information regarding the different constraints and details of the nature of the product can lead to a bad choice of human and material resources along with defective quality management. All these problems combined will create a product nowhere near the required one. Let us keep the BSI (2006): 6079-4 framework in consideration and go through it systematically with inadequate information. First, the feasibility of a project cannot be deduced correctly if you do not know the detailed nature of the product. Then, a slight change in the outline design of the project will start a chain of events disrupting the scheme and detailed designs too. This obviously causes defects in engineering and construction works and thus the desired product is not manufactured. (Structured PM and CW) Example: Figure 1: The Eden Project in Cornwall. "Building" (Rawlinson, 2006) The Eden Project is a recreational place in Cornwall now in its fourth phase of construction. It has been a success until now as it is a huge tourist attraction and an exceptional construction project being well within budget and time constraints. In fact, it was actually a milestone, as fine points from this project, were used in the development of the 'DLivering Success', a popular system that analyses the status of a project. The Eden Project is a huge success as the information fed into its framework was appropriate and complete. It had no missing feature either in its planning, sequencing or in designing. That is why it has a faultless design and is quite within the range of the available time and money. So now, we can see

Effective business communication

Effective business communication Introduction Although there is no universal definition of change, it has been explained in the terms of guises, transformation, metamorphosis, evolution, regeneration (Hughes 2006). Any alternations in the people, structure, or technology of an organization. It is constant yet it varies in degree and directions. It creates threats and opportunities for organizations. Change in the organisation take place for many reasons. It is sometime done in order to have new ways of doing work or organizing work. Noteworthy changes in the organization occur such as when organization wishes to change its strategy on the whole for success, the organization want to change the nature of its operations. The forces of change come through change in organizational strategy, work force, new equipment, employee attitudes, marketplace, government laws, technology, labour market and economical situations. Steps involved in change An organisations culture can be affected by a number of reasons which has been as under; The environment in which the organisation operates. The beliefs, values and norms of the employees within the organization, particularly those communicated by top management. The organisations size, history, ownership and technology also results in change within the organisation. Other factors includes trade unions, media and lifestyle of the people UnFreezing This is the first step that involves disturbing the equilibrium state of the prevailing status quo. This can be done by encouraging the individuals that they should adopt new behaviours and discard the old one (Burnes 2004). Moving According to an article published in the journal by (Burnes 2004), the step or block aims at shifting the behaviours of the individuals as well as the departments where the change is supposed to take place. The moving step aims to develop new behaviours and attitudes of the individuals. Refreezing This step called refreezing the change intended becomes permanent. The new way of organization is established according to (Burnes 2004) through new attitudes and behaviours. While considering the type of changes steps involved in the change is mention below The start of change process involves translating the need of change into a desire of change. The change may start with the formal announcement or it may be less explicit, but in some point it typically involves a review or project. A manager should diagnosis present state identify preferred future state for a better communication .The reviewing of present state help to identify the future challenges. Need/reasons for change In order to survive and prosper in competitive and changing environment, organisations also need to change. This may be brought about many influencing factors which may be internally within the organisation or in external environmental. Internal forces for change arise from internal activities and decisions. If top managers select a goal of rapid company growth, internal actions will have to be made to meet that growth. New department and technologies will be created so organisation will change according to that. What is Communication? Communication is the process of transfer of information. Communication means ways of sharing ideas, news, views, methods and techniques. Communication must involve two parties .It is vital part of almost every job. All companies and organisations demand it. Internal communication system The communication which takes place within the boundaries of the organisation is known as internal communication. (R Blundel k Ippolito 2007). Effective communication is an essential part of smoothly running business organisation. Communication involves the transmission of information from a source (or a number of sources) to receivers. The information is communicated in the form of a message(The times100 2009 1). For example a customer may request a new part from a supplier, with information on how to use that part in a piece of equipment. The supplier will then communicate with the customer setting out instructions for using the part, as well as sending a delivery note, invoice, and further sales literature. Increasingly these interaction will be carried out by electronic media such as through a sales website, e-mail communications and other means. Communication within the organizations is dynamic, two way(transactional) process can be broken into six phases The sender has an idea and want to share it. When sender put the idea in the form of message it means sender encodes it so that receiver can understand easily. Then sender transmits the message through a proper communication channel(spoken or written) and a medium(telephone, letters, email, report or face to face). For communication to occur, the must first get the message. After the transmission of message from the sender receiver gets the message which involves the understanding of message by receiver. Then the receiver decodes the message. The decoded message must be stored in the receivers mind. The receiver sends feedback after decoding the message from the sender, the receiver may respond the some way and signal that to sender. This internal communication process can be shown with the help of the diagram As the above fig shows that the communication process is repeated until both parties finish expressing themselves. Moreover effective internal communication try not to cram too much information into one message. The effectiveness of communications depends on: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theoryworking-together-business-communications388.php The clarity of the message. The quality of the medium used to transmit the message. The medium is the means of communicating e.g e-mail, telephone, letter, etc. Any distracting noise that prevent the message from effectively getting through. For example, if the recipient receives lots of email messages, they may fail to give proper attention to the senders message. The ability of the receiver to decode the message. For example, they may not be able to understand the instructions given. Supports of communication Verbal communication It is the spoken, oral, and unwritten way of communicating(Personal growth 2009 1). Non verbal communication Transmission of messages by a medium other than speech or writing(Business dictionary 2009 2).There are so many supports that can be taken for effective internal communication which mainly include Electronic mail This has rapidly become the most common form of written communication within the organization. It is the most easy and quick way of communication within the organization. Company websites A companys website will typically involve a portal or a section dedicated to internal communication with and between employees. Company databases In most of the large organisations including banks like Barclays employees will be able to access a number of company databases to communicate internally. Meeting Meetings is the also the most effective support to communicate effectively within the organizations. It can be formal or informal. In manufacturing companies like toyata teams of employees regurlarly meet to discuss issues like quality. Phone communication Phone communications are another important form of oral communication with most large companies having a lowcost internal telephone system. Internal memos, Voice mail, instant messaging, Faxing http://www.about-personal-growth.com/verbal-communication.html http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/non-verbal-communication.html An internal memo can be send by email to communicate with the employees within the organisation. Staff magazine, reports, notices and posters on staff boards provide other means of internal communication. Voice mails, instant messaging and faxing are also be used as supports for communication Impact of change on communication The change plays a vital role on the communication process. Communication calls change and change calls challenges like competition, globalization and technology. During the change process if communication goes wrong it can create huge impact on the organizations future. The impact of change can be positive or negative. Change can be of any type for example organization changing its policies or organization introduces new technology within the organization .There should be a proper communication as a result of any kind of change through a proper channel and support. In times of change, employee communication is vital to successful organizations. Let suppose if an organization want to change their technology then they should communicate and inform their employees so that they understand the change and adopt that change by the help of proper communication. Wrong communication like solider died in afghan calling wrong name, in place of doing right hand side operation doing left hand sid e can results in serious problems. Handle of communication at each level Communication among the employees of the organization is a essential for effective function. Organizational decisions are usually made at top and flow down to the people who carry them out. From top to bottom each person should understand, apply and pass it. For each and every level of organizational change top managers, middle managers and first line managers should co-ordinate whole work efficiently and effectively with the other employees. Top management should act as planner, leader, communicator and organizer. The lower level employees can help top level management by giving accurate, timely reports on problems, emerging trends, opportunities for improvement and performance. The formal communication network within the organization is shown below Obstacle or Barrier in the context of change No matter how good the communication system in an organisation is, unfortunately barriers or obstacles can and do often occur. This may be caused by a number of factors which can usually be summarised as being due to physical barriers, system design faults or additional barriers. Language Barrier Different languages, vocabulary, accent represents regional barriers. Words having similar pronunciation but multiple meanings. The use of difficult words poorly explained or misunderstood messages can result as a communication obstacle(E z articles 2009 1). Cultural Barrier Age, education, gender, social status, economic position, cultural background, religion, political belief, ethics, values, assumptions, aspirations, rules or regulations, standards, priorities can separate one person from another and create a communication obstacle. Individual Barrier It may be a result of an individuals perceptual and personal discomfort. Even when two persons have experienced the same event their mental perception may/may not be identical which acts as a barrier. Style, selective perception, halo effect, poor attention and close mindedness, insufficient filtration are the Individual or Psychological barrier. Organizational Barrier It includes Poor Organizations culture, climate, regulations, status, relationship, complexity, inadequate facilities, opportunities of growth and improvement. whereas, the nature of the internal and external environment like large working areas physically separated from others, poor lightening, staff shortage, outdated equipments and background noise are Physical Organizational Barrier. Interpersonal Barrier Barriers from Employers includes lack of Trust in employees, lack of Knowledge of non-verbal clues like facial expression, body language, gestures, postures, eye contact; different experiences, shortage of time for employees, no consideration for employee needs, wish to capture authority. While Barriers from Employees includes Lack of Motivation, lack of co-operation, trust, fear of penalty and poor relationship with the employer (Know 2009 2). Channel Barrier If the length of the communication is long, or the medium selected is inappropriate, the communication might break up; it can also be a result of the inter-personal conflicts between 1-http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Barriers-to-Effective-Communicationid=121001 2-http://www.knowthis.com/principles-of-marketing-tutorials/promotion-decisions/obstacles-to-effective-communication/ the sender and receiver; lack of interest to communicate; information sharing or access problems which can hamper the channel and affect the clarity, accuracy and effectiveness of communication. Dealing with an international team When we communicate with the people of our own culture we can communicate effectively. But if we are working in an international organization we have to communicate with the employees from different background and nationalities so there will be lots of challegenes that can be met while communicating with the international team which are mentioned below Cultural Challenges Culture strongly affects communication and a big challenge while dealing with the international team. For example when we want to communicate we encode message using the assumption of our own culture while the receiver will decodes the message using assumptions of his/her own culture so meaning may be misunderstood. The greater the difference in culture greater is the chance of misunderstanding. The other type of cultural differences are Contextual differences From culture to culture people convey contextual meaning differently. In high context culture people such as south Korea Taiwan rely on more on the non verbal actions and environmental setting to convey their message. In low context culture people like united states and Germany rely more on verbal communication. Contextual differences affect the way cultures approach situations such as decisions making, problem solving and negotiating. Legal and ethical differences Legal and ethical behaviour is also influenced by cultural context. For example, people from the low context culture value the written word, they consider written agreements and tend to adhere to laws strictly. But the high context people less emphasis on the written words. Social differences In any culture rules may be formal or informal. Formal rules are specifically taught dos and donts of how to behave in a common social situations. Informal rules deals with how males and females are supposed to behave. In some countries like india, Pakistan and Bangladesh women are not taken seriously as business people. But in the western countries women treated equally in business places. Culture also tell how people show respect and signify rank. For example in united states people respect top managers as Mr Bush or Mr Andrew but in countries like china show respect by using official title like President or Managers. Non verbal differences Non verbal difference is also another type of cultural challenge while dealing with the international team. People in Canada and united state usually take five feet gap during business conversation as compared to the people in countries like Arab, Germany and Japan feel uncomfortable while keeping this distance. Recommendations Managers act like a pillars for any organization. As mention above that the change in any organization can create threats and opportunities for the organization. Managers should plan a proper strategy of communication in the context of change. The strategy should include; Considering the likely effects of change and and planning for it well in advance. Adapting a flexible, democratic management style even though this may be within a formal organisational structure, in order to create a climate where change is easier to achieve. Motivate employees by understanding nature and perception. Tell their employees reasons and the benefits of change after the change process. Recognization of cultural variation in communication style. Manage disputes at each level. Manage problems of each employee like stress, depression, relationship, personal issues and differences. Identify clearer gaols and targets so That every ones knows what is to achieve and time scale involved. Training and retraining and new work. Monitor and review progress to regularly access progress towards goals and identify and overcome any difficulties. Manager should act like a communicator, planner, leader, motivator and controller. Bibliography Adler, R.B (2006) Communicating at Work, (8th Edition) McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages Hughes M(2006) Change management A critical perspective. Chartered institute of personal and development. ISBN 1-84398-070-3 References Bernard Burnes Managing change 4th Edition prentice hall Burnes, B. (2004). Kurt Lewins and the Planned Approach to Change: A Re-appraisal. Journal of Management Studies. Vol.41, No.6 Higgs, M. Rowland, D. (2005). Exploring Approaches to Change and its Leadership. Journal of Change Management. Vol.5, No.2. John V Thill and Courtland Bovee (2002). Excellence in Business communication 8th Edition Pearson International Edition. John Hayes (2006). The theory and practise of change Management. 6th Edition London :Prentice Hall p233. Richard R L Daft (2005) Management 6th edition. R Blundel K Ippolito (2007) Effective business communication 2nd Edition Prentice Hall p13. Barriers to communication(2008). Available: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Barriers-to-Effective-Communicationid=121001. Last accessed 14 Dec. (2008). Non Verbal Communication(2009).Available: businessdictionary.com. Last accessed 11 Dec. Obstacles to business communication (2009).Available:http://www.knowthis.com/principles-of-marketing-tutorials/promotion-decisions/obstacles-to-effective-communication/. Last accessed 12 Dec. Personal growth(2006).Available :http://www.about-personal-growth.com/verbal communication.html. Last accessed 10 Dec. Working Together To Business Communication(2008).. Available: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theoryworking-together-business-communications388.php. Last accessed 11 Dec.

Exemplification Essay: Welfare, A Vicious Circle -- Expository Exempli

  Ã‚  Ã‚   It's Diana's turn at the tiny glass window. Her face burns red with shame as she is handed her monthly check. Two small children tug at her dress, their stomachs growling from a day without food. She looks down at her two children, her face filled with pain and guilt. What had happened to their happy life? With just the stroke of the pen across a divorce decree, Diana and her children were thrust into the humiliation of the welfare line. For two years now, Diana has tried to get back on her feet, but with only a high school diploma, she can't find a job to support her family. Getting a college degree is her only way out, but her check isn't enough to afford daycare, so she's stuck accepting welfare.    This is not an uncommon scenario. Most people on welfare are looking for a way to rejoin the American work force; yet, society's stereotype of a welfare recipient is consistently that of a lazy, immoral woman who continues to have children out of wedlock just to increase her welfare benefits. This image could not be further from the truth; most single mothers who turn to welfare do so for the purpose it was originally created for: to be a temporary safety net for those trying to get back on their feet after a job loss or tragedy. Though welfare is supposed to be a temporary source of help, once the woman begins to receive her benefits, she has actually trapped herself in a vicious cycle of poverty, and while the U.S. government takes credit for providing budget money to help thousands of people regain their positions in American society through welfare programs, it actually robs them of their dignity and self-determination. Not only that, but this system, ostensibly devis ed to uplift women and chil... ...rs in the system, there will never be any hope for those on welfare to get off. The welfare program has turned into a vicious circle that traps the recipient, namely single mothers, into a cycle of poverty. But before we can change anything politically or economically about the welfare system, we must first re-evaluate our beliefs and prejudices against those who did not ask to be put in this situation is the first place.    Works Cited Abramovitz, Mimi, and Frances Piven. "What's Wrong With Welfare Reform?" The New York Times 2 Sept. 2001: A23. Buchsbaum, Gerbert. "The Welfare Debate." Scholastic Update 11 Mar. 1999: 6-8. DeParle, Jason. "The Entitlement Trap." The New York Times 27 Jan. 1994: A12 Lavelle, Avis. "Welfare: Means to an End?" Essence Apr. 1998: 124 Peart, Karen. "Life On Welfare." Scholastic Update 11 Mar. 1994: 9-10.

Ford’s E-Business Strategy

Jacques Nasser, Ford Motor Company president and chief executive officer announced a new vision for the firm in the fall of 1999: to become the â€Å"world’s leading consumer company providing automotive products and services. † Key to that dream was the transformation of the business using Web technologies. Brian P. Kelly (Kelly), Ford’s e-business vice president, described Ford’s plan to rebuild itself as a move to â€Å"consumer-centric† from â€Å"dealer-centric,† and stated that Ford would transform itself from being a â€Å"manufacturer to dealers† into a â€Å"marketer to consumers. Kelly explained that the main objectives of Ford’s e-business strategy were to bring speed, convenience, and information to customers rather than just focusing on cost cutting. The strategy was based around the principle â€Å"The consumer is King† and using the net, customer orders would be sent directly to factories and suppliers whi ch will eventually allow Ford to deliver cars to consumers within days of ordering. Some of the e-business initiatives that Ford put in place to transform the company into an e-commerce company is mentioned below. Improving Efficiency in Supply Chain: 1. Ford believed that using the internet improved the efficiency of its supply chain, so in mid-1999, the company along with Oracle, created AutoXchange that allowed online B2B transactions with its suppliers. This e-commerce tool helped Ford and its suppliers swap information and bids on goods and services worth nearly USD 300 billion. The company expected to reduce its purchasing bill by 10% through the use of AutoXchange. 2. Until February 2000, the company followed the ‘push’ operations model, but by collaborating with GM and DaimlerChrysler, Ford set up an online marketplace cum private exchange – ‘Covisint’. This substantially reduced the operating costs and brought efficiency to the business. ‘Covisint’ followed the ‘pull’ model which allowed Ford to first take the order from a customer and then manufacture the car according to the customer’s specifications, thus the traditi onal supply chain became a demand chain. 3. To optimally utilize the features of Covisint, Ford launched the Ford Supplier Network (FSN). FSN was used to share information with its suppliers over the web. By increasing the flow of information between suppliers and Ford, it reduced the vehicle delivery time. Focusing on the Demand Chain: 1. In partnership with Microsoft, Ford developed CarPoint an auto buying website in 1999. Retail customers could order cars through this website. In addition to developing this website, Ford also got into alliances with reputed portals like Yahoo. com, iVillage. com and bolt. com. These alliances gave Ford insight into the preferences and buying habits of various segments of the society. . In late 1999 Ford realized that customers’ queries should be resolved quickly to get closer to those who use the net and for this it established a new e-CRM company ‘Percepta’ a joint venture with TeleTech holdings. 3. In continuation with the e-CRM strategy, Ford in 2000 launched another e-commerce initiative to supplement CarPoint. com and Ford. com; it was called ‘Ford Int ernet Retail System’ (FIRST). FIRST was aimed at facilitating communication of leads and orders between the company and its dealer network. This system gave customers capability and options for buying a car like never before, right from research to financing options. 4. Another e-commerce tool – MyFord. com launched in February 2002, offered personalized service information like the maintenance schedules to owners All the above initiatives helped Ford to gain competitive advantage and they achieved the vision of the Build-to-Order (BTO) system that was conceived before the launch of e-commerce initiatives. It was estimated that a Web-enabled, BTO system could reduce distribution costs by almost USD 2,600 per vehicle. About USD 1,400 of these savings would be in physical costs such as freight, sales commissions, and advertising. The balance would be in â€Å"phantom† costs associated with the current â€Å"push† vehicle distribution/sales system, such as price discounts and stockout costs. Adding together all the supply-chain savings thus identified(back-end, on-line direct sales, and build-to-order) would produce an estimated total potential cost reduction of about USD 3,643 per vehicle, amounting to 14 percent of total vehicle cost. Source: GS Research Analysis) With the means of e-business websites, Ford established a direct connection with its customers. Now when customers came to FordDirect. com they had the ability of choosing the features of the car they wanted to buy. This reduced the role of the middlemen and so dealers felt that they were being gradually excluded from the value chain. To avoid channel conflicts arising out of online retailing Ford began a number of initiatives. One of the main initiatives was to share the ownership of FordDirect. om with its 4200 dealers in the US. Ford also facilitated the communication of leads and orders between the company and its hugh dealer network through Ford Internet Retail System (FIRST). In addition to this, using MyFord. com the company enabled Ford dealers to inform vehicle owners about recommended maintenance, remind them of oil change and provide information about tyre care, safety, insurance, loans and leases. It also provided dealers a vehicle locator tool to help them find a vehicle on another dealer’s stock.

Modern Management – Unilever

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How effectively do you think Unilever’s mission statement establishes the Company’s direction and important values?   What changes, if any would you recommend and why? Unilever’s new mission statement was ‘Add vitality to life’.   They were considering making people feel that with their personal care products, they could look and feel good, and get more out of life.   The managers and employees which were working for Unilever could now do their work activities in wellbeing of the clients that belong to the communities the products are sold in. Through this mission statement Unilever tried to differentiate its products from its competitors in a global market.   Fitzgerald, the outgoing Chairman of Unilever, took into consideration several factors including the fast rate of urbanization, the constantly increasing age of the people and healthy living strategy adopted by people.   He decided to use this strategy for his nutrition, personal care and hygiene items.   The strategy adopted by Unilever was quite unique and was keeping in tune with the needs of the people.   The â€Å"Unilever 2010 Strategy† was appearing on the products and promotional of the company.   To some extent, the strategy adopted by Unilever was effective and good for its growth. As it was keeping in tune with the changing needs of the people, it was a step ahead of other companies such as Proctor and Gamble, Nestle and Reckitt Benckiser.   However, if this strategy could enable a high growth rate of the company was doubtful.   This was because the company had to take care of other strategies such as effective brand-building, marketing and product innovation.   Several assumptions over sales, growth, profit, cost debt, etc, were made.   The company was competing against 20 other companies and had to ensure that their new mission statement was supported by sound development in the other areas. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Identify one or more Unilever strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.   How might Cescau use the strengths to counteract the threats? Unilever strengths 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company was formed by a merger of two giants, namely the British Lever Bros and the Dutch Margarine Unie, and had a stronghold in both these nations. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unilever established itself as an MNC in about 150 different countries. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It had a very good human resource team (about 234, 000 employees). 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 2004, it had about 12 products which were in the $ billion-brand mark.   This was up against it 4 such brands in the year 1999, suggesting growth of the company. Unilever weaknesses 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the year 2004, the revenue growth of the company, was far below the targeted 5 to 6 % mark. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company did not apply a strategy that would thrive in the market environment of its 2000-2005 strategy.   Hence, this strategy adopted by the company did not work on past experiences and could have been risky to adopt. Unilever Opportunities 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company began to realize the changing needs of the people and the situation of the market whilst adopting its 2005 to 2010 strategy.   They realized that people were becoming more and more health consciousness and were getting older.   They also realized that the urbanized areas of the World were becoming larger and more populated. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company was now working for the well-being of the people and the communities, which could help differentiate the company from their rivals.   This was a unique feature of their strategy. Unilever Threats 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unilever was making assumptions of the sales, growth rate, profits, debt and costs. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They were competing against 20 other companies that had sound finances. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other companies were adopting strategies that were based on market research As the company adopted a unique strategy that helped it to be differentiated from other companies by the people and the society, the chances of the company growing were high and realistic.   Besides, Unilever were selling their products in tune with the changing needs and ideas of the population.   Hence, there were chances of it surviving and becoming successful in the Market. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Where on the BCG matrix would you place Unilever’s 400 remaining brands?   Where would you place any newly developed products being introduced? Explain. The 400 remaining brands of Unilever were â€Å"Stars† as they had a high-growth rate and required huge amounts of investments in the long-term.   The new range of products from Unilever were â€Å"Question Marks† as they had a high-growth rate but doubts whether the management would invest in them in the future existed. References: Cresto, S. C. and Cresto, S. T. (2006). Chapter 3: Planning, Modern Management, (10th ed), New Jersey: Upper Saddle River, pp. 199-200.