Toyota to move from Torrance to Texas; Automaker plans to create new Essay

Toyota to move from Torrance to Texas; Automaker plans to create new American headquarters with jobs shifting to Dallas area - Essay Example However, the company now does not import its vehicles and 75 percent to its branded cars sold in the United Sates are manufactured there. Most of them are manufactured in Toyota plants in Texas, Kentucky and Mississippi. There is a reason that could have led the Toyota Company not to use Los Angeles as a manufacturing point. These are: the distance from the market; and the distance from the inputs. Locating a manufacturing firm near its market helps in lowering the transportation cost of the output. With such companies, the monetary weight of output is more than the weight of the input thus the firm locates manufacturing points near its market (Hirsch and Undercoffer, 1). As is suggested by the observer, the move that shows that Toyota is trying to avoid high taxes in California is true. This is evident from the article. It is stated that, Perry visited California so as to recruit companies. He contends that 50 California companies have planned to grow and move to Texas as it offers a business climate that is better than California. The author of the article also states that, â€Å"Toyota could also save money in an environment of lower business taxes, real estate prices and the cost of living† (Hirsch and Undercoffer, 2). With the communication technology today, the Toyota Company should not feel compelled to relocate its headquarters closer to its manufacturing facilities. This is because technology enables companies to operate even when there is distance between its headquarters and the manufacturing point. The managers of the Toyota Company are able to run it even from another location. There are also other factors that may hinder Toyota Company from relocating its headquarters such as the cost of moving, the quality of life in the new location, the cost of living and the cost of operation in the new area (Busch, 1). However, the location of a

Oedipus Fate and Outline Paper Essay Example for Free

Oedipus Fate and Outline Paper Essay The play Oedipus the King, translated by Robert Fagles, is a story of drama and tragedy. Oedipus’ pride and morals cause him to take fate into his own hands and it ends up blowing up in his face. He was abandoned as a baby and was raised by the king and queen of Corinth. When he reached manhood, he was informed by an oracle that he would one day kill his father and marry his mother. He left Corinth forever and along his way he came to cart carrying his real father. Out of rage, he killed everyone including his father. In Thebes, he defeated the Sphinx. His reward was kingship and the dead king’s wife, his mother. Oedipus tried to change his future but eventually fate caught up with him. Oedipus, as a king, was both caring and conceited. He talked as though everyone should know his name but at the same time worked to solve the illness that plagued his people. As an investigator, he was harsh, determined, and at times mean to the ones that he interrogated. As a husband and father, he was loving and caring, and as an arch-criminal, he was humble and accepting. His most predominant characteristic is being moral. He ran when he was told that he destined to kill his father and marry his mother. He gouged his eyes out when he found out that he was married to his mother and fathered her children. The characteristics that soften his as being moral were that he was prideful and determined. His pride and determination caused the events of his life to be brought to light and made him look unmoral. His personality causes him to continue with the investigation because he is prideful, determined, and in denial. His determination drives him to push the investigation into who killed King Laius. His pride keeps him from being the royal scapegoat when asked to be. His denial that he actually killed his father, married his mother, and fathered her children kept him investigating the death of King Laius. Eventually in the end he accepts his fate which he tried to avoid for a long time. He accepted his fate which was a humble and noble act by a king. That’s what makes his act the greatest act of kingship of all. He sacrificed himself for the betterment of his people knowing that he had done wrong and needed to be punished. In this play, Oedipus tried so very hard to control his own fate from the time he reached manhood to when it caught up to him. His fate caught up with him. Everything he didn’t want to become and tried to avoid came true in the end. It was a tragic ending for a man who tried so hard not be who ended up being. Oedipus Fate Outline Thesis: Oedipus the King tries to take fate into his own hands and it backfires. I. Discuss the character Oedipus as king, investigator, husband, father, and arch-criminal A. King is caring, investigator he is determined, as a husband and father he is loving, and as an arch-criminal he is reluctant to give up power II. What seems to be his predominant characteristic A. the King’s predominant characteristic is that he moral III. Under what circumstances does he exhibit this characteristic A. He feels for his people and tries to find a cure for them to heal their suffering IV. What additional characteristics does he have that soften this predominant characteristic A. Pride and Determination, they were the down fall of Oedipus V. How does his personality essentially force him to first begin his investigation A. He is caring and determined to find a cure for his people, which turned into an investigation into who killed King Laius VI. In what way is this final acceptance perhaps the greatest act of kingship of all, thus showing forth his arà ªte in the best light possible A.

War and Peace Essay: The Importance of Sonya -- War Peace

The Importance of Sonya in War and Peace Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace speculates deeply about history, religious life and human brotherhood. Most readers focus on the characters of Natasha, Prince Andrew, and Pierre. Another character named Sonya, who is an orphaned cousin, is staying with the Rostov family. Sonya is overshadowed by the other characters, however, she is vital to the rounding out of the other characters in the novel. The people she loves most take her life of commitment and sacrifice for granted. The reader is thus also inclined to give little emphasis to her role in their lives and in the novel as a whole. As someone who has essentially nothing, Sonya is willing to give everything she has to those she loves. She gives of herself willingly and thanklessly. This life of sacrifice truly embodies Sonya's generous character. This genuine nature of her character allows her to reveal so much about those with whom she interacts throughout the novel. With Sonya's seeming "simplicity" in the background, Tolstoy fully develops the characters of Natasha and Nicholas. He uses Sonya as a contrast for his heroine, Natasha, and also as a chart of growth for Natasha's brother, Nicholas. Tolstoy even uses Sonya as a contrast to Princess Mary. Here, if one looks deeper, one will find that there is very little contrast at all between the two women. Most importantly, Sonya is an illustration of society's effects on a poor selfless young girl who puts her needs below those of all others. Tolstoy employs Sonya's character in a variety of situations. Without Sonya, a great deal of his novel's depth and richness would be lost. Sonya is first introduced as Count Rostov's fifteen-year-old niece who ... ... all. Just as the characters in the novel never really appreciate all that Sonya does for them, the reader puts very little emphasis on all that Sonya does to enhance the entire novel. Sonya serves as a truly reflective mirror to Natasha who "never needed to sacrifice herself, but made others sacrifice themselves for her and yet was beloved by everybody"(903). Sonya's presence also helps the growth of Nicholas and reveals a great deal about the society in which she lives. The importance of Sonya's character to War and Peace is immense, yet overshadowed by characters deemed more "important" than she. Sonya tends to be put in the background of this novel as she is put in the background of the lives of those whom she loves. Without her Leo Tolstoy's novel would greatly diminished. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, Book of the Month Club, Inc., New York.

Greek Gods Research Paper Essay

â€Å"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature,† (Anne Frank, 5). In times of despondency and even contentment, people look towards the gods for counsel. They set the guiding principles for human subsistence. People worship these ideal beings throughout all circumstances. They pray to give thanks for good fortune, to ask for forgiveness, to be blessed, and more often than not, to obtain security. For a bounteous measure of people, the ultimate purpose in life is to be the most preeminent person you can possibly be, while satisfying your god(s) as well. In the Greek society the gods and the goddesses played a profoundly significant role. The lifestyles of the Greeks were concentrated on religion, which revolved solely around the gods. The gods were evaluated as being divine and were appraised with immense reverence. The Greeks viewed their gods as being immortal, but not eternal. From time to time life could grow to be bewildering and whether a person is at a high point or a low point they could permanently rely on the presence of the gods. The Greeks believed that they were accountable for all happenings. Throughout the entirety of the Greeks’ lives the gods remained as the central principle of existence. Religion was the basis of all Greeks’ lives. People existed merely to carry out the will of the much valued and esteemed higher beings. The Greek beliefs could not truly be considered a religion, but more of a â€Å"threskeia† or a â€Å"eusebia† which mean cult and piety. Eusebia’ chief concern was not wholly the individual, as much as the assembly – may that assembly have been the family, tribe, civilization, or the city-state. The objective of Eusebia was to cultivate benevolence, harmony, pleasure, and affluence. The gods took on a key position in creating this. Similarly, it was intended to circumvent the disapproval of the gods, conflict, controversy, and starvation. It was fixed on sacrifice, which was involved in the joining of the gods with man, and the joining of man with man (http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/lotzc/teaching/seattle/classes/greek_society.html). The gods assisted in the generation of all of this serenity by each playing their r ole, to the best of their aptitude, in the world. There was a  god for all things in nature and each one specialized in something different. There was Zeus, who was the king of gods and the god of the sky; Hera, the goddess of marriage; Poseidon, the god of the sea; Athena, the goddess of war, wisdom and crafts; Apollo, the god of light, intellect and art; Artemis, the goddess of the moon and hunting; Ares, the god of war; Hephaestus, the god of fire; Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love; Eros, the god of love and desire; Hades, the god of the underworld; Demeter, the goddess of fertility and crops; Persephone, the goddess of the underworld; Dionysus, the god of wine and ecstasy; and Hermes, the divine messenger and god of travel (Ions, 7). With each god or goddess following his/her part in the world, conformity could be easily accomplished. The Greeks also believed in myths. The myths contained, along with legends of the deities, legends of heroes who were semi-divine figures. These myths are used to explain the origin of th e Greeks. Eusebia could only be successful if there was reliance on old myths and cooperation between all of the gods. Greek gods and goddesses were looked upon with massive veneration and admiration. The Greek people prayed consistently requesting direction and assistance from the gods, on a daily basis. They believed that the gods would give them succor with their predicaments. They would pray for good fortune on their travels, for their family’s salubrity, for passionate and genuine love, for the prolificacy of their crops, for ascendancy in hunting, for academic acquirements, for ingenuity in the arts, and for a marriage that thrives on ardor and deference. A multitude of times they would not implore anything at all, but would give thanks for the endowments bequeathed upon them. The gods acknowledged selfless and reverential acts such as this. Sacrifices were perpetually made in the direction of the gods. The Greeks conjectured that they would be compensated in their everyday lives if they made methodical sacrifices. On every instant that a beast was slaughtered a fraction of its’ m eat would be extended to the gods. This act was one of homage and adoration. The gods in response to the act of consideration would, in turn, favor the Greeks who made the offering. They appreciated the approbation shown to them. The gods were believed to not disdain any altruism that was bestowed upon them. They would go about this by complimenting the deferential subject with calm seas and cloudless skies for  travel, by buttressing them in their conquests, and by sharing with them wisdom and intellect in times of dire need. If a god or goddess was in anyway dishonored, which was an atypical incidence, he/she would denounce the impertinent being and they would live, should they survive, a damned life. Insolence could in no way, shape, or form, be advantageous to a god or person. When gods were treated with high regards and adulation the result was joviality and elation for all and sundry. The people of the Greek society perceived the gods as undying, but not everlasting. This was an imperative principle in the Greeks’ beliefs and had extreme repercussions on their society. The Greek deities contained human qualities even though they were deathless. This was a substantial factor in the Greek philosophy. They had mothers, fathers, children, and other relatives, just like all human beings did. These characteristics were employed to validate associations of authority and administration. A god/goddesses’ appurtenance to rule could have been shown by expertise in combat, by collections of birthright, by guaranteeing first-rate direction and affluence, or by establishing scientific enhancements (Ions, 7). Particular god/goddesses’ began as solitary entities, but over time achieved interactions with other idols such as themselves. They helped each other out and aided each other in the process of continued existence. Alliances were meaningful in the acquir ing of endurance. The gods possessed much more supremacy than human beings did. They neglected to abide by the rules of the human civilization and they habitually altered their appearances. Unfortunately, the unfairness of these acts remained insignificant. These religious entities could not be killed or ruined by any person or thing. They could not experience physical death. It was completely and utterly impossible. Sycophancy en route for the gods’ connected the humans to their domination. They relied on the deference and immolate gifts of the Greeks. That is how they maintained longevity. The gods could not survive without people who believed in them. The Greeks, favorably, looked up to the gods. Heretofore, should the Greeks have concluded worshiping the gods, they would disintegrate. The gods were exempt from death, decay, and annihilation, but once faith was lost in them they would cease to exist. Although at times life could be perplexing, the Greek people knew that they could eternally entrust in the permanence of the gods. This remained as the one constant in their lives. During happenings of complacency people canonized these divine beings. This is due to the uncomplicated verity that these entities of holiness were amenable for this equanimity. When a Greek individual was blithe, the gods were as well. These idols remained at their sides to partake in the euphoria and to formulate or eradicate it accordingly. The gods lingered amid occasions of mediocrity. When proceedings were flowing neither precisely nor infelicitous they continued to intercede, when desired. Amongst circumstances like these, the gods premeditated schemes to accommodate their advocates. Should they be choleric at their devotees, these divinities would contrive arrangements to hinder them. Even amidst episodes of exigency and anguish, the gods would remain in attendance. They would strive to alleviate the living soul of his/her distress. In the universally acknowledged epic tale, The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus relies on the aid and guidance of the gods. In The Odyssey, Odysseus voyages all over the globe. He is encountered with many impediments, and the lives of his entire assemblage are relinquished. Odysseus’ aggregation faces their demise because they defied the gods. Odysseus, on the contrary, consulted the gods before he concocted any abstractions or took on any exploits. Consequently, the gods supported him and acted towards his benefit. These divinities shared in times of jubilation and that of misery. The gods never forsook any allegiant adherent. All throughout their lives, the people of the Greek society depended on the gods’ constancy. In Greek society gods were presumed to be responsible for all affairs. An accumulation of events could be traced back to these almighty beings. They manipulated all aspects of the world to their fancy. An entirety of the occurrences befell because the gods desired them to. They had power over all things and beings. Each god was connected to a feature of nature and controlled it in conformity to his/her temperament. If a person ensnared an animal it was affirmed to be on account of the goddess Artemis. If a thunderstorm transpired it was because Zeus willed it. If the waters were either calm or turbulent it was due to Poseidon. In The Odyssey, the gods  were answerable for the adventures that Odysseus commenced. On his expedition, Odysseus confronted abundant botherations. This was due to the unembellished actuality that the gods were exasperated. Poseidon made the waters violent and Zeus caused there to be rain, thunder, and lightening in the sky. This caused Odysseus to lose his way and it lengthened his voyage by copious years. Thus, if a god/goddess was tumultuous, disastrous and damaging circumstances would eventuate. Contrastively, if a god/goddess was exultant, congenial and propitious events would be consequent. These absolute beings were also authoritative for minor occurrences. For instance, if a person fell in love it was because of Aphrodite and her son Eros. If crops were fertile or infertile it was due to Demeter. Also, if a person is intelligent and artistic or slow and unoriginal it was because Apollo saw it fit. The gods maneuvered the world to fit their liking. They had ultimate control over all aspects of the universe, including nature. If these all-powerful entities wanted something to arise, it would. The Greek gods were predicated to be accountable for every occasion. The gods and goddesses played an extensively momentous part in the Greek society. The Greeks based their days on religion, and the gods, in accordance. These holy entities were conceived as being immaculate and were conducted with illimitable obeisance. They were also viewed as indestructible, but not amaranthine. The Greeks knew that they could invariably confide in the constancy of the gods throughout all times, pleasant or poor. The gods were also credited by the Greeks to be answerable for all incidences. Throughout the absoluteness of the Greeks’ lives the gods endured as the cardinal principle of subsistence. People looked up to the gods for guidance during episodes of anguish, as well as beatitude. They set up the ideology for the existence of man. These omnipotent beings were praised during all events. The primary intention of life, for most people, is to be as superlative as possible, as well as following the creed of the gods. The Greek gods played a great role within the Greek religion and mindset. Gods and religion governed the choices that people made and how they lived their lives. â€Å"†¦Let people differ about their answers to the great mysteries of the Universe. Let each seek one’s own way to the highest, to one’s own sense of supreme loyalty in life, one’s ideal of life.

My Alert Case Essay

Was the first to see the business opportunity in the mobile alerts. The idea was already working well in another channel (Internet). The mobile phone market was growing very quickly. They offered a wide range and tailor-made services. Besides as MyAlert will be the first in the market, the technology investment could became a strength and turn it in an entry barrier, thing that actually happened. For these reasons we can assert that MyAlert was a good business idea. Which is the competitive advantage of MyAlert when it is launched? How the competitive advantage and business model evolves? Why? Is it sustainable? The competitive advantage of MyAlert at the begging was its own technological platform (MAGO). The platform was Valuable because was the core of the business also it was Inimitable, Rareness and Original due to they developed it from the scratch and was the first in the market specifically designed for its business model. Content Production Design & Packaging 1- Corporate Customers Distribution Sales 2- Other Customers Provision of Infrastructure (Mobile Operators) Looking at the value chain of MyAlet we can see highlight in red their core activity, their platform allowed them to distribute the content throw the network to the final customers, the key was that the platform has a great scalability able to distribute data throw different technology enablers (GMS, GPRS†¦) From the beginning they realized that text alerts could be used to provide customized services for corporate partners exploiting new business opportunities and here we can see a new competitive advantage because the company was able to introduce their investors into its own value chain getting content and a solid customer portfolio. This is a win win situation, the investors provide contents and the MyAlert provides them a new innovative service for them increasing the company revenues as well as turn over for the shareholders, this business model provides feedback itself being able to maintain it in the long run. After the merger MyAlert, which started providing data services for the mobile industry, changed its product portfolio and business model providing technology and mobile marketing services. Thanks to MAGO platform MyAlert was far superior technologically than Buongiorno!. On the other hand appeared a new product â€Å"consumer services† (ring tones, logos†¦) the new company had to adapt its business model including consumer services which soon produced benefits. Also they were able to keep creating new business models as â€Å"Digital Marketing Project†. As we have seen MyAlert is a good example of how a company is able to adapt and survive in a really dynamic environment what changes pretty fast, adapting and creating new business models and investing in technology in order to keep its leading position. Is the merge with Buongiorno! a must or just a good idea? Definitely the merge was a MUST, MyAlert had become a world leader and to keep this status they needed to remain this position in every market, soon they realized that it was impossible to achieve through organic growth. The economical environment was unstable due to the dot com crisis, investors become more demanding looking for positives results in the short term, competitors started to appear and revenues from advertising and m-commerce were reduced due to the economic crisis. All this factors push to Mr. Jorge and his team to look for a similar company with the same goal to join forces and survive in the long term, and this is how they found Buongiorno! And merge in order to keep growing in a very competitive dynamic market.

Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry

Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry Introduction Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence a certain course of events. Various characteristics of a person are figured out as the person champions for a given course. General leadership abilities or traits often guide a person towards achieving what he or she is championing.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More We have witnessed different people in different industries who have been termed as outstanding leaders because of the excellent work they have accomplished, and the manner in which they have been able to do it. An example of such leaders is Jamie Oliver who has brought about many changes in the industry (Gogerly, 2010). Jamie Oliver was born in the year 1975 in United Kingdom. He has become extremely phenomenal in the global food industry. His passion for the food industry began in the early stages of his life, aping from his parents who were running several restaurants. He ended up taking catering courses in college in UK. He began by helping the chefs in the restaurants of his parents. He was so passionate about food and eating habits (Gogerly, 2010). While Oliver was in college, he underwent an apprenticeship program which gave him a perfect opportunity to interact with all time’s renowned chefs who continued to inspire him. This guided him in working towards promoting the food industry in the world. Oliver has managed to combine different characters in building the food industry in the world. Oliver has been combined different professions and integrated them in developing the food industry. Oliver has had outstanding achievements, which have led him to be recognized and rewarded by different agencies. Many people argue that Oliver is an accomplished leader and an icon in as far as the food industry is concerned. Therefore, this paper discusses the lead ership qualities of Jamie Oliver (Gogerly, 2010). The paper looks into the activities and initiatives of Oliver in the food and catering industry. Through an incisive look into his activities and initiatives, the paper derives qualities of leadership which can be attributed to Oliver. Jamie Oliver as a social entrepreneur It is no doubt that Jamie Oliver is a successful leader within the hospitality and catering industry. Oliver had entrepreneurship skills during his youth age. However, these skills alone cannot be a basis on which a person can be termed as a good leader. Oliver had a solid grasp of entrepreneurship skills having learnt them from a young age because his parents were entrepreneurs.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Being a young entrepreneur, Oliver has been a manager to up 15 restaurants in the United States and the United Kingdom. The restaurants hav e picked up well and are performing excellently, courtesy of the plans and products. This portrays him as very sound economic entrepreneur and a robust business leader. In this case, he can plan well on a venture before putting it up and later making it sustainable. Moreover, the pace at which he has put businesses in more than one country leaves entrepreneurs who have been in the field for long with shock. He has a strong mastery of the market and the exact requirements of the customers to be his businesses end up matching the needs of the customers (Joanne Steve, 2010). Succeeding in business will often need a dependable mastery of the environment under which one is operating his businesses. One must interact well with the society, and this requires a person to understand essential social entrepreneurship skills. This is one area in which Oliver has been remarkably outstanding. Indeed, Oliver is not only an economic entrepreneur but also a social entrepreneur. Social entrepreneur ship is explained on the basis on which a person can use his business skills in reaching different people and performing different activities. The activities must agree with the objectives, and this must end up benefiting a greater audience in society. Oliver is well known in US and UK for his tremendous efforts to improve the quality of food that is served in these two countries. This has been a move to address the problem of unhealthy diets, which has become a matter of concern for most of people residing in these countries. These countries record the highest number of maladies which result from unhealthy diets and unhealthy eating habits. He had been able to move in different places within the two countries, including schools and colleges, speaking about healthy diets. He has been convincing these institutions to change or adjust their diets. He has even taken the step of drafting diet for the institutions. This is a true picture of a leader; that is, not just being an economic c hampion, but also caring for the society by taking an active part in crafting solutions to societal problems using one’s own means. It is worthwhile saying that Oliver is a true social entrepreneur (Joanne Steve, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Responsibility and creativity in leadership Leaders are people who figure out problems that are affecting people in the industry in which they are occupied. After noting the problems, they then go ahead to think of the contribution they can make in eliminating or mitigating these problems. Being an investor and a leading advocate of hospitality and catering industry, Oliver saw a bright future for the industry. However, he noted that many people were being negatively affected because of the loopholes in the industry. He noted that he always takes matters to do with food a nd diet with the seriousness it deserves. This is because food and diet are things that have a direct effect on human lives. The problems in the hotel and catering industry have become a crucial concern for him and his business. He has chosen to dedicate most of his time in addressing the challenges. The most notable problems in the industry are the diseases related to diet, which are highly prevalent in the developed nations. Jamie has visited a number of countries among them Australia, United States, UK, Netherlands and Germany. Obesity levels in these countries are on the rise. His investigation has revealed that the cause of this is food and diet, that is, poor cooking skills, cheap and poorly processed food among others (Oliver, 2010). He believes that these problems can be addressed by the stakeholders in the industry. Being one of the stakeholders in the food industry, he has taken the initiative and responsibility to disburse skills and knowledge which is one sure way of com bating the problem. He has a strong belief in this course. Having initiated this course, he has been calling for support from what he believes are the main participants in the industry including the government, consumers and even food retailers. He believes that collective efforts will lead to the elimination of the dangers and the dilemma in the food industry. He emphasizes on setting a foundation in dealing with the challenge, that is, food education for children, as well as adults. Through this discussion, we can note a number of characters or qualities of leadership which is responsibility, creativity and initiative (Oliver, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Going out of way in initiating The other aspect of leadership that is attributed to Jamie Oliver, and which any person who is talking about the revolution in the food industry cannot afford to ignore is the street kitchen. The idea behind this was something that many people thought would not work. He strongly believed in the idea and forged ahead to put it into practice. He availed everything and launched the street kitchen which came as a surprise to many people. The kitchen was situated in the open air and at the center of the street where he had many chefs offering training of food and catering. He is a person who believes that everything can be possible so long as it is worked. The street kitchen came to get a lot of publicity, thus drawing attention from many publics. People visited the place and were trained on preparing healthy food. The street kitchen was another significant milestone for Oliver in the training program series, which he had initiated. Thousands of people were trained through the street kitchen program (Oliver, 2010). How Jamie Engaged Audiences Another trait of Jamie Oliver is that he is a natural and instinctive person, which is what a leader has to be. Leaders need to engage audiences and make them attentive to what they are saying or advocating. While many leaders find it extremely challenging to gain the attention of audiences, this is what Oliver finds very easy to do. He is particularly energetic especially when addressing and audience. He is always exciting to watch when he is in action. For Oliver, he considers leadership to be an activity and not just a position as many people would take it. This stands to justify his energy and activeness when he is doing his work. People will always want to see the people who are leading being fully dedicated to the work they are overseeing. This is one of the aspects which Oliver has mastered exceptionally well, and this helps him in drawing many people closer to him. His kitchen and trainin g series always attract bigger crowds, thanks to his ability to attract the learners. Leaders must attract people to them, and this cannot be achieved by virtue of being in an influential position and posing to be a boss, but reaching out to people through activity and interaction. The audiences are engaged by the inspiration which they get from the leader (Joanne Steve, 2010). Determination and vision in leadership The current business environment is immensely challenging which calls for determination. One needs to have a lot of determination in order to overcome these challenges. Determination is the ability to be resilient and being quick to develop options for dealing with a given drawback and keeping a course on track. Challenges are the true taste of the leadership abilities of a person. It is what gets to define determination and commitment of a given person in what he or she is doing (Joanne Steve, 2010). A leader has to have a bigger vision by not only focusing on the cur rent performance of his or her ventures but also being able to see the bigger picture. The leader must see the opportunities of using his ventures to develop other sectors in the economy. While Oliver has managed to make a lot of wealth from his restaurant business as an entrepreneur, he has not concentrated on developing his business. He has devoted a considerable amount of time to invest in other opportunities, which are transforming the lives of other people through his training lessons and many other activities. He has published and distributed many cook books. These books have training lessons, which are particularly helpful to the users. He also has Television shows, which help him in imparting food and cooking knowledge on a larger audience (Stephen, 2010). Leadership and charity Oliver is charitable, and he has been listed among the group of the most charitable people in the United Kingdom. He has a personal fortune of approximately 65 million pounds. Of this, Oliver has giv en away with about 2.7 million pounds, which represents about 4.2 per cent of his total fortune. He has invested a lot of time, energy and effort in doing charity work. He has been offering training lessons in different countries. He has formed many charity networks. As such, he works with one of the largest food chains in the United Kingdom known as Sainsbury’s in supporting the improvement of the quality of food being offered in restaurants. He also uses the opportunity in enhancing consumer education. His tireless efforts and dedication have been noticed. He has received a number of rewards, including the MBE, which he was awarded in the year 2003. This is one of the top prices or awards in the United Kingdom. He was given this award for being a key contributor in the food and hospitality industry in the whole world. Being discovered and awarded such a significant price at such a tender age is a rare phenomenon. He decided to include and make charity work part of his great er business plan in the early stages of his entrepreneurship from the year 2001. Since then, he has been a leading supporter of charity work. Charity work, on the other hand, works to enhance his business (Peggy, 2011). One of the greatest charitable works of Oliver is his social program whose main aim has been to transform the lives of the poor young people. He has been working to ensure that the young people engulfed in poverty get education and employment. These are aspects that are critical building blocks in eliminating poverty. Through the program, he built a restaurant called â€Å"Fifteen†. This is a restaurant that has been dedicated to young people. The young people are trained here in courses like catering and food handling. The training gives them an opportunity to be absorbed in the food industry. The profits that are realized from the operation of the restaurant are used in the Fifteen Foundation. This foundation has moved outside the United Kingdom and is now e stablished in several other countries like Netherlands and Australia (Peggy, 2011). Through the Fifteen Foundation and its related programs and projects, Oliver has managed to expand his social course. His utmost passion, which is love for food, has been realized through the program. He now uses the program in transforming the lives of many people using his passion for food (Clifton Ahmad, 2009). As his charity work continues to take root in different destinations, Oliver has become a lobbyist. He confronts authorities and urges them to support positive initiatives. He challenges the political classes to know and begin backing schemes whose objectives are improving health and the general wellbeing of the population. Through his lobbying activities, he formed a campaign which has come to be known as Jamie’s School Dinners. He used this campaign for inspiring school kids to enjoy taking healthy meals rather than taking processed food, which is unhealthy. This campaign involves offering training lessons to chefs and dinner ladies on how to prepare healthy meals and budgeting for such meals. This campaign has been preceded with many other campaigns for instance the Jamie’s Ministry Food. Under this campaign, he introduced healthy eating habits to the working class population in UK cities. Food policy had not been a highly topical issue in the Kingdom until the later years of the 20th century. This is when most of conditions related to food stated to become prevalent. Attention began being paid to the food policy in order to control the cases. This led to a focus on diet and food safety. Oliver came in at this point with his campaigns, which had best suited solutions to the turmoil that was being experienced in the food industry. Through his lobbyist activities and continued campaign, the government recognized the School Dinners and incorporated them in the food policy (Butler, 2011). It is worth saying that all the given campaigns, which were starte d and run by Oliver, have been successful. Their objectives were fulfilled because they managed to educate the population, and pressurized the political class and the monopolistic entrepreneurs in the food and catering industry to make substantial changes. These changes have been tremendously helpful in improving the health of the population. Its impacts have been more visible with the stepping up of the public and backing the campaign through changing eating habits and lifestyles. This is what is expressed in the eating values that inform Jamie’s campaigns. At the pick of the school dinner campaign, Oliver managed to lobby for about a quarter a million signatures. These signatures helped in petitioning the government forcing it to release 280 million pounds, which has been used for enhancing the quality of meals that are served in schools. The Ministry campaign has become the main driver in reducing cases of obesity. It has encouraged healthy recipes in family diets. Oliver was a thought leader, who did not only come up with ideas but also coded these ideas into activities and programs for easy execution (Butler, 2011). Averting situations A leader must be ready to do outstanding things. Jamie has identified with disabilities in society. As a corporate person, he rolled out the programs for people with physical disabilities in his restaurants. Under this program, he identifies and selects people with disabilities who undergo training after which they are absorbed in his restaurants. This has been one of his most successful programs which have attracted unusually many people to his restaurant. Many people have applauded this program. Oliver has found a lot of favor with a significant number of customers. This is because of this program, which is likely to continue being a success factor for his business. A leader must be a person who can see potential in trouble. Many leaders have been witnessed, but it is rare to come across a leader like Oliver. Olive r has had a gift in articulating between different problem setups and yet he manages to craft a solution to nearly all using a single motivation – his passion. He also does not take advantage of situations as many leaders who are entrepreneurs do. He keeps focus so long as his main objectives are being achieved (Asmita, 2008, Hellmich, 2011). Good leadership entails a superb mastery of communication. A leader must be an excellent master of communication skills, which are useful in driving activities. Oliver uses communication to reach a large number of people. His television show has drawn lots of audiences. He uses his television shows to speak and critique the ills in the food industry. He is remarkably open in discussing issues of a healthy lifestyle (Lisa, 2008). Leaders can only be leaders when other people can identify and recognize their work or efforts. Jamie Oliver is such a person. His work was extremely outstanding making even the government recognizes it. His camp aigns were fruitful. Therefore, the government requested him to come forth and help in advancing the food manifesto in the UK. The government borrowed a lot from his manifesto and used it in crafting good food policy for schools in the UK. Most of the recommendations made in the manifesto were big milestones in the food policy. The secretary of state for education invited Oliver to help in shedding light on the way forward for the school diet programs (Hellmich, 2011). Good communication in leadership Oliver has ensured that he clearly leads his team of employees. He guides the team on what the expectations are, and he articulates well with employees. He communicates his vision to the group and leads the team in implementing the objectives in relation to the vision. He is always exemplary to his staffs, and he always leads the way in implementing programs. He exercises a high level of responsibility by leading and demonstrating all the initiatives. Leadership is tested when a person is placed within a group context. Jamie has always been working with groups. He has been so efficient in managing teams to bring about change which he desired. He initiated and developed good working relations with different schools and school children who came to like him. This led to their support for a healthy diet as was being proposed by him (Tania, 2010). Conclusion From the discussion above, it is quite evident that Jamie Oliver has been a successful leader. Oliver acquired catering skills from his parents, and has applied the skills in creating an empire. He has been a major driver in bringing the desired change in the catering and food industry in the world. Through what he has been doing, a number of character traits of Oliver have been highlighted. These include determination, responsibility, creativity, initiative among many other management skills. These characteristics have brought Oliver out as a true leader. References Asmita, N. (2008). Did Jamie Oliver Really Put School Dinners on the Agenda? An Examination of the Role of the Media in Policy Making. Political Quarterly, 79(3), 426-433. Butler, G. (2011). Think Write Grow: How to Become a Thought Leader and Build Your Business by Creating Exceptional Articles, Blogs, Speeches, Books and More. London. John Wiley Sons. Clifton, R. Ahmad, S. (2009). Brands and branding. New York: Bloomberg Press. Gogerly, L. (2010). Jamie Oliver: Campaigning chef. London: Wayland. Hellmich, N. (2011). Jamie Oliver in a food fight a fattening-food fight. USA Today. Joanne, H., Steve, J. (2010). At least hes doing something: Moral entrepreneurship and individual responsibility in Jamies Ministry of Food. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 13(3), 307-322. Lisa, E. A. (2008). Jamie Oliver: Turning up the Heat. Library Journal, 133(2), 91-92. Oliver, J. (2010). The World in 2036: Jamie Oliver on what we will eat. Economist; p. 111-112. Peggy, R. (2011). Jamie Olivers Food Revolution. Journal of Appalachian Stud ies, 17(1/2), 283-285. Stephen, M. (2010). Is Jamie Oliver the Biggest Loser of All? Esquire, 155(1), 48-49. Tania, L. (2010). Branding, Celebritization and the Lifestyle Expert. Cultural Studies, 24(4), 580-598.

Why You Should Not Follow Your Passion

Why You Should Not Follow Your Passion Who would ever suggest that you should not follow your passion on your blog?  Surely this post is about to commit some kind of blogging sacrilege. But bear with me. Passion about blogging is an admirable thing. We are passionate about it here; thats why we build . But when it comes to the actual content marketing and writing, you might do well to be cautious about letting your passion be your guide. Why Passion Can Be Dangerous It seems to go against the zeitgeist of content marketing now, suggesting that you might approach passion cautiously. But passion can be deceptive and can get you into trouble if it is what youve based your entire blogs existence on. Passion is the quickest to develop, and the quickest to fade. – Robert Sternberg 1. Passion Isnt Always Consistent Passion is like the moon; it waxes and wanes (though not as consistently). When you only blog what youre passionate about, youll find you might have 10 posts in one week and then nothing for a month. If passion is your sole motivation and guide, youll never make it blogging. Youll start, but not finish. Youll be inspired once in a while, and flounder the rest of the time. 2. Passion Gets Bored Are you passionate about getting in shape? After months at the gym, if passion is your only motivation, youll get tired of the repetition. Passion quickly gets bored with how things are. Passion is too often motivated by measurable results. It isnt always interested in the day-to-day building blocks; it prefers the exotic dream, the what if. 3. Passion Is Inspired By Big Moments Passion is motivated by Big Moments. It is motivated by the day you lose 60 pounds, or the day you close the deal at work. Its motivated by the thought of getting 500,000 visitors to your blog every day. It isnt motivated by the unsexy work it takes to get to those big events.