Blackberry Strategy Leadership Plan - 1375 Words

Blackberry Strategy Leadership Plan (Case Study Sample) Content: Blackberry Company Analysis Institutional Affiliation Student’s Name Date Blackberry Company Analysis Introduction This paper analyzes Blackberry Company by describing its strategy, financial standing, industry trends and its general impact on the business, competition, and the detailed strategy for addressing the organizational challenges, proposed changes in the management plan and the alternative leadership approach. Organization overview Blackberry, a product of Research in Motion (RIM) Company, is a corporation that deals with production of mobile phones. RIM Company was founded in 1984 by two students who majored in engineering - Mike Lazaridis, and Douglas Fregin. The company did not make its headline after foundation until late when the founders made a breakthrough in technology by finding a way workers could receive emails, while being away from the office. They called the service Blackberry, and it became the base for wireless telephone devices that came up later. Blackberry started with a device that was known as an interactive pager back in 1996 and in 1990, when the Blackberry 850 was released. As it continued developing, Blackberry became the most useful device with RIM becoming the most valuable technology company. It enjoyed the monopoly and was the preferred gadget among respected senior executives, presidents and celebrities. The advent of competition in the form of Android and iPhone spelled a new era for Blackberry. Technology kept changing too rapidly, and consumer preferences also changed with that margin. Blackberry were caught on the wrong side of changes and ever since the company has struggled with dwindling sales, plummeting share prices, and market obscurity among other issues (Galliers this is the speed that Blackberry has to catch up with. Samsung’s launch of S8 and Iphone’s upcoming launch of IPhone 7 is expected to cause a buzz in the technology industry. Competitions from Asia, like one plus, are also entering the market with impeccable products. Others include HTC and Sony who are already marketing aggressively to capture the remaining market share that is yet not taken by the big players. The industry is witnessing high demand for wearable devices, commonly known as ‘gears’. This trend is shifting its attention to compatible devices that the smartphone can integrate with. These include smart watches and sunglasses, among others. Technology continues to advance, and the changes continue to take place. Consumers place a high value on user friendliness and consolidation, and if those are coupled with device security, then it will become a best seller (Roets, Bevan-Dye, & Viljoen, 2014). Constraint includes saturation of the smartphone with affordable and quality mobile phones from China. The mobile technology is fast cycle market with rapid changes and new products’ innovations. There is the existing need to keep pace with the technolo gical advancements in order to maintain a competitive advantage over competition. Technology becomes outdated, and some can be replaced quickly enough even before their cost is recovered (Grover & Saeed, 2003). Blackberry’s Competitive Landscape As far as competition is concerned, the mobile market is predominantly a two-horse race with Apple and Samsung, commanding 109% of profits. Regarding operating profits from feature phones, Samsung amassed 56%, while Apple managed to get 53% with the competitors like Blackberry, all losing out except Sony, which broke even. While Apple and iPhone are enjoying a bigger chunk of the industry, that figure could be lowered when China’s giants like Lenovo, ZTE, Huawei and Coolpad. According to IDC, Apple goes neck to neck with Samsung and closed the gap in the last quarter of 2014. Regarding the shipment, Apple takes the second position, while Samsung leads. While Samsung leads regarding purchases, Apple is the most profitable, buoy ed by its new models and the anticipation brought by the pre-launch of iPhone 7 is set to soar the high profits. Apple’s dominance is credited with its high-end products that have not been infiltrated by low-end devices that enjoy lower production costs. Samsung is the undisputed leader in market shares, while Apple is second with its high-end positioning. Low-end Chinese phones like Xiaomi, Huawei, and ZTE, are providing cheap and reliable phones that mean other players like Blackberry have no place to compete in the market (Cecere, Corrocher, & Battaglia, 2015). Samsung has streamlined its operation and product portfolio to counter infiltration by low end and midrange phones. Apple growth can be attributed to its push into the Chinese market and other countries, as well as increase appetite for a large screen. Addressing Organizational Challenges In order to address the organizational challenge, first the company needs to learn how to adapt to change. One significant aspec t of change would be to embrace Android and integrate it with the Blackberry system. Another possible solution would be to lay off staff to provide a lean, efficient workforce that aligns to revamp the strategy that is competent enough to take a r...

Maternal Employment And Child Development - 862 Words

Maternal Employment and Child Development When a mother works outside the home it is considered maternal employment. The nation has seen more and more mothers entering the work force. In fact, women, whose presence in the work force have been ascending, are now the main providers in 40 percent of families, up from 11 percent in 1960 (Wang, Parker, Taylor, 2013). Therefore, it is believed that mothers work hours are a hinder to a child’s cognitive development. This controversy has been a focus of psychology and sociology literature over the past decades (Bernal, 2008). However many mothers here in the United States are still working outside of the home because the income is needed to help the family’s financial needs. This paper will show that early maternal employment can have an impact on children ages 3-5 cognitive development. How maternal employment impact adolescences’ achievement, behavior, and cognitive development will be shown in this paper also. Materna l employment impact on a child’s mental health will also be discussed in this paper. This paper will also show maternal employment effects on childhood obesity. Then maternal employment and child care effect on child development will be discussed. Finally maternal employment effect on juvenile delinquency will be discussed. Maternal Employment Effect and Young Children Development The increasing employment of mothers’ of young children affects children adversely (Cooksey, Joshi, Verropoulous, 2009). Early yearShow MoreRelatedThe Legal Basis For Maternity1342 Words   |  6 Pageswere employed (Bachu, 1995). For those women with young children who are employed, the majority (65%) return to work shortly after the birth of their child, and most work full time (Hayghe, 1986). In light of these statistics for maternal employment, child and family advocates have pushed for parental leave legislation and supportive policies in employment settings. Prior to 1963, the fact that women bear children was treated as a legal justification for excluding women from certain occupations, limitingRead MoreEFFECTS OF MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT ON CHILDREN1000 Words   |  4 PagesEFFECTS OF MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT ON CHILDREN Families are the foundation of the society. The main function of the family is having and raising children. Having children not only expands families, it also strengthens and renews society. Parents’ greatest responsibility to society is socialization and well-being of children. It provides continuation and supports health of society. All members of the families are interdependent. As a result, mother’s choice to be employed directly affects ability of theRead More child development Essay828 Words   |  4 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Child development is a very important in today’s psychology. That is why it is not surprising that so much research has been developed on that topic. In the article â€Å"Transforming the Debate About Child Care and Maternal Employment† the author, Louise B. Silverstein, presents a very interesting point of view on the history as well as the future of psychological research on child care and influence of maternal employmen t on child development. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;TheRead MorePositive And Negative Influences Of Working And Stay At Home Mothers On Children1409 Words   |  6 Pagespositive and negative effects of working mothers on their children. While working mothers can teach their children some invaluable life skills, they can also make the child feel neglected at times. Maternal instinct ensures that in the initial crucial weeks, the baby is mostly in the mother s care. During this period mother-child bonding becomes very strong and sees many women happily opting out of pursuing a career. Later on, financial implications of living on a single income and economic aspirationsRead MoreThe Importance Of Resilience For Childrens Wellbeing And Development1627 Words   |  7 Pagesqualifications and greater skill levels, increased employment prospects, and increased emotional wellbeing (Challen, et al., 2011; Friedli, 2009; Gutman Schoon, 2013; Hammond Feinstein, 2006). In light of this evidence, it is important for EYFS settings to build resilience in young children. The EYFS recognises the importance of resilience in aiding children’s wellbeing and development be regarding every child is a ‘unique child’, and a child who is continually learning and is able to be ‘resilientRead MoreThe Social And Environmental Levels843 Word s   |  4 Pagesseveral differences were observed overtime. To preface, it was stated that mere contact between the father and the child is insufficient, and it is proven that quality of time is greater than the quantity of it. The level of involvement of a father is truly measured â€Å"in terms of the division of work between the mother and the father himself, and his perception of his contribution to child-related tasks within the family†; although it was analyzed that stepfathers assumed to have similar levels of responsibilityRead MoreEssay on Effects of Maternal Employment on Infant Development1645 Words   |  7 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The topic of this paper is the debate of whether or not maternal employment has any effect on infant development. Research on this described topic has recently become popular due to the rise of working mothers over the past several decades. Their increasing numbers in the workplace and decreasing numbers as stay at home moms a re creating a number of different issues to be studied. The effects of maternal employment are determined by a number of factors that include, the mother’s jobRead MoreEssay about Effects of Maternal Employment on Infant Development1676 Words   |  7 PagesThe topic of this paper is the debate of whether or not maternal employment has any effect on infant development. Research on this described topic has recently become popular due to the rise of working mothers over the past several decades. Their increasing numbers in the workplace and decreasing numbers as stay at home moms are creating a number of different issues to be studied. The effects of maternal employment are determined by a number of factors that include, the mothers job satisfactionRead MoreEssay on Career and Changing Family Roles829 Words   |  4 PagesDifferences in employment schedules among spouses contribute to the complexity of home life, yet the many dimensions of this important link remain largely undetermined, particularly with regard to primary care giving (PCG) fathers (Frank, 1995). The traditional family is characterized by the division of roles whereby one spouse (husband) is involved primarily in paid work and the other spouse (wife) primarily attends to family work, specifically the activities of household and child care (Pleck, 1983)Read MoreThe Importance Of Nutrition And Supportive Environment1526 Words   |  7 Pages1000 days of development- Global context The first 1000 days of life is defined as the duration starting from period of conception up to 2 years of child age.After several evidences have been found that nutrition plays an extremely important role in the early childhood development, to be specific, within 1000 days of period between conception to 2nd Birthday of child(1), the global movement of The First Thousand Days has started in 2010 in Washington DC. (2) The effect of receiving sufficient nutrients

Difference Between Humanistic Geography and Positivistic...

Difference Between Humanistic Geography and Positivistic Approach There are definite differences between positivism and humanistic methods that geographers use. Positivism, which has it’s roots in quantitative theories, excludes the human element and includes such fundamentals as cumulative data. Humanistic geography has it’s roots in qualitative procedures and focuses on the combination of research with the people. Positivism is a rigorous and formal way to collect and analyze data that was developed around the 1960’s by Auguste Comte (1798-1857) who is also credited with formalizing it. Studies are clear and straight forward and researchers believe that there is only one method that all sciences should rely on. Positivism believes†¦show more content†¦Within the humanistic views there are several different ways of thinking; pragmatism, phenomenology, existentialism, and idealism. While existentialism and idealism have not been very influential in geography, pragmatism and phenomenology have been. Pragmatism believes that every human action is based on human perceptions and experiences. The focus is on groups or societies rather then on individuals. Phenomenology believes that knowledge is subjective and that the understanding of the individual is crucial. Researchers who use this method need to be able to be sympathetic and have a deep understanding of the issue being research ed. Humanistic researchers believe that it is impossible to separate the mind and reality and therefore there cannot be a set of standards and reproducible methods to be used. These geographers will use a more loosely structured set of ideas and consider the individual being studied as well as the geographer’s own intuition and interpretation. One prominent geographer named Yi-Fu Tuan, who was born in 1930, was critical of geography that did not include the humanistic factor. Landscapes, he believed, were often a result of the humans living around or near them. For example, gardens were a persons attempt to control the environment. The humanistic approach allows the scholar to explore a wide range of human experiences, but it lacks rigorous procedures of objectiveShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesand Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of work that today qualify as constitu ting the subject of organisational theory. Whilst their writing is accessible and engaging, their approach is scholarly and serious. It is so easy for students (and indeed others who should know better) to trivialize this very problematic and challenging subject. This is not the case with the present book. This is a book that deserves to achieve a wide

Down Syndrome Essay Example For Students

Down Syndrome Essay Down Syndrome Essay is a birth defect caused by a genetic disorder that affects 350,000 people in the United States. It is caused by abnormalities in the genes and is not inherited, meaning that parents do not pass this onto their children. Genetics is the study of heredity or how certain traits are passed from parents to their children. Genes are the basic unit of heredity. Cells are the building blocks of your body and each one of us has more than 100 trillion cells. Our genes are located in chromosomes. Each cell in your body contains 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs. In a person with Down syndrome, there are 47 chromosomes. In 1956, a French researcher named Jerome Lejeune used a new powerful microscope to view human strands of DNA. DNA is what holds an individual persons genes. He studied these DNA strands and determined that there is an extra strand in chromosome 21, which is now called Trisomy 21 tri meaning three and somy for the word chromosome meaning three chromosomes. No one knows exactly what causes Down syndrome aside from it being genetic. Many years ago, this condition was known as mongolism or people that had it were called mongolian idiots. But in later years, Asian people as well as parents of these children protested these terms and in the 1960s the condition became known as Down syndrome in honor of the English doctor John Langdon Down. Who, in 1866, studied people with mental retardation and noted distinct physical features in them. Some of the physical features associated with Down syndrome are low muscle tone, many newborns appear as floppy and not toned, they have flat facial features especially a small nose with a flattened nasal bridge. Their eyes are slightly slanted with small skin folds at the inner corner. The have a short neck, small abnormal shaped ears, and an enlarged tongue that often tends to protrude making speech difficult to understand. Many people with Down syndrome suffer from a variety of health problems. The most common and significant symptom is mental retardation, which ranges from mild to moderate. People with Down syndrome suffer from congenital heart defects, which affect approximately 40-50% of these people. Their poor muscle tone makes much physical activity difficult. There are many hormonal problems, mainly thyroid disease. People with Down syndrome suffer from circulatory problems, respiratory ailments, and digestive problems. Nearly 70% of infants have some type of problem with their eyes. The most common eye problem is eye muscle imbalance, known as strabismus which causes the eyes to cross. About 50% afflicted with Down syndrome will suffer from hearing loss. Many of these problems can be serious or even life threatening but fortunately, most of them can be treated if they are detected early. Due to the nature of the disease and the many health issues involved, the life expectancy for a person with Down syndrome is only 50-65 years. Babies are born with poor muscle tone causing weak muscles and making it harder for them to develop motor skills such as using their arms and legs. It is harder for them to grasp objects, crawl, and walk. Children with Down syndrome have difficulty with their cognitive (thinking) abilities, problem solving, memory retention, social, language, and motor skills. This is one reason why people with Down syndrome become frustrated very easily. Although people with disabilities are becoming more acceptable in society, we still have a long way to go. Congress has passed many laws to help the disabled such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, and the most well known, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. Facebook, Twitter and Other Social Websites EssayThyroid dysfunctions are more common in children with Down syndrome than in normal children. Between 15 and 20 per cent of children with Down syndrome have hypothyroidism. It is important to identify individuals with Down syndrome who have thyroid disorders since hypothyroidism may compromise normal central nervous system functioning. Skeletal problems have also been noted at a higher frequency in children with Down syndrome, including kneecap subluxation (incomplete or partial dislocation), hip dislocation, and atlantoaxial instability. The latter condition occurs when the first two neck bones are not well aligned because of the presence of loose ligaments. Approximately 15 percent of people with Down syndrome have atlantoaxial instability. Most of these individuals, however, do not have any symptoms, and only 1 -2 percent of individuals with Down syndrome have a serious neck problem that requires surgical intervention. Other important medical aspects in Down syndrome, including immunologic concerns, leukemia, Alzheimer disease, seizure disorders, sleep apnea and skin disorders, may require the attention of specialists in their respective fields. TreatmentAlthough many medications and various therapies have been touted as treatment for people with Down syndrome, there is no effective medical treatment available at the present time. However, recent advances in molecular biology make it feasible now to examine the genetic basis for Down syndrome. Once we identify the genes on chromosome 21 ( many already have been discovered) and once we find the mechanism of how these genes interfere with normal developmental sequences, and if one could counteract these specific actions, a rational approach to medical therapy could emerge. Today early intervention programs, pre-school nurseries, and integrated special education strategies have demonstrated that youngsters with Down syndrome can participate in many learning experiences which can positively influence their overall functioning. Research has shown that early intervention, environmental enrichment, and assistance to the families will result in progress that is usually not achieved by those infants who have not had such educational and stimulating experiences. Children with Down syndrome, like all children, can benefit from sensory stimulation, specific exercises involving gross and fine motor activities, and instruction in cognitive development. Also, preschool nurseries play an important role in the young childs life since exploring the environment beyond the home enables the child to participate in a broader world. Later, the school can give the child a foundation for life through the development of academic skills and physical as well as social abilities. Experiences provided in school assist the child in obtaining a feeling of self-respect and enjoyment. School should provide an opportunity for the child to engage in sharing relationships with others and help to prepare the child to become a productive citizen. Contrary to some views, all children can learn, and they will benefit from placement in a normalized setting with support as needed. During adoles cence, youngsters with Down syndrome should be exposed to prevocational training in order to learn good work habits and to engage in proper relationships with co-workers. Appropriate vocational counseling and job training will result in meaningful employment, and this, in turn, should lead to a feeling of self-worth and of making a contribution to society. PreventionsParents who have a child with Down syndrome have an increased risk of having another child with Down syndrome in future pregnancies. It is estimated that the risk of having another child with Down syndrome is about one in 100 in trisomy 21 and mosaicism. If, however, the child has translocation Down syndrome and if one of the parents is a translocation carrier, then the risk of recurrence increases markedly. The actual risk depends on the type of translocation and whether the translocation is carried by the father or the mother.