Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation

Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation The aim of this module is to produce a 4000 word research proposal that would be capable for supporting the preparation of a Masters dissertation. The project report would include an introduction including a title, which would highlight the content of this business document providing a background, informing the reader of the problem / issue at hand and the context of the situation that would be discussed. The research issue would be provided highlighting the importance of the issue in todays ever-changing and competitive, cut-throat business environment. Adequate linkages would be provided to co-relate the research aims, research objectives, research questions and the hypothesis as such generated. A coherent and critical literature review would follow demonstrating the knowledge of the literature available and linking it to the situation which would be investigated. A research design and methodology would be adopted to investigate the concerned issue providing a rationale as to how the research objectives are to be accomplished explaining the selection of the research paradigm. The research design would include the methods of data capture, the data access issues, the analysis and the interpretation means that would be used to assess the situation and appropriate reasons would be provided for the choice of research tools used. Relevant ethical issues underpinning the research objectives would also be discussed along-with the resources required to complete the research proposal. The last part of this management report would include a timetable that would provide the time that it took to complete each part of the research proposal along-with a list of references utilized to complete the report. INTRODUCTION TITLE: FACTORS INFLUENCING STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION BACKGROUND The title of this research proposal is factors influencing strategy implementation. Before we discuss the issue and highlight the importance of the issue in the context of the report it is of prime importance to understand the concept of strategy implementation itself. It is the process by which the business strategy formulated is put into action. It includes the design and management of organizational systems to achieve the best integration of people and structure, allocating resources, managing human resources and developing information and decision processes to achieve organizational objectives. Pierce and Robinson  note that to effectively direct and control the use of the firms resources, mechanisms such as organizational structure, information systems, leadership styles, assignment of key managers, budgeting, rewards, and control systems are essential strategy implementation ingredients. After the creative and analytical aspects of the corporate strategy have been formulated the priority of the management is to convert the strategy into operationally effective action. A strategy is never complete, until it gains a commitment of the firms resources and becomes embodied in its organizational structure. Strategy implementation is an iterative process of implementing strategies, policies, programs and action plans that allows a firm to utilize its resources to take advantage of opportunities in the competitive environment (Harrington, 2006). There is no one definition of strategy implementation as seen from the above citations but for the purpose of this report, taking into consideration the definitions above we can define strategy implementation as an iterative, dynamic and a complex process, which comprises of series of decisions and activities by the management and the administration those affected by many interrelated internal and external factors, to turn strategic plans into reality in order to achieve the objectives of the firm. RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY This part of the report would highlight the aim and the objectives of the research, discussing the issue chosen and its importance by proposing a research question and providing an answer to it in the literature review. Many studies have acknowledged that business strategies often fail not because of inadequate strategy formulation, but because of an inappropriate implementation strategy. This report would study the factors that enable or impede effective strategy implementation. This report would highlight how strategy implementation has been researched so far and how this field may be moved forward so as to help in effective execution of a business strategy. As a result of the literature review undertaken, the report has found nine critical factors for strategy implementation that will be discussed further in the literature. Formulation of an effective strategy, making the strategy work and implementing it throughout the company is a difficult task (Hrebiniak, 2006). Many factors potentially affect the process by which strategic plans are turned into organizational action. Unlike strategy formulation, strategy implementation is more of a craft, rather than a science. After successful formulation of the business strategy, difficulties usually arise during the subsequent implementation process. If the business strategy formulated is not applied correctly to all the aspects of the organisational structure the business model would fail, thus harming the organisation in many aspects, the major being the financial capability of the firm, which would take a huge blow. It is of prime importance to get the implementation right otherwise there would be huge losses for the firm. Noble (1999b) notes, the best-formulated strategies may fail to produce superior performance for the firm if they are not successfully implemented. This issue is of utmost importance in todays day and age because of the cut-throat competition in the ever-changing business world where each firm needs to keep re-modelling their policies and procedures to keep up with the change in the external and internal business environment. There are combination of issues that influence the success of strategy implementation, ranging from the people who communicate or implement the strategy to the systems or mechanisms in place for co-ordination and control. How can we better understand these issues and their importance for successful strategy implementation? In this report we try to respond to this question by the critical analysis of the existing research on the factors that influence strategy implementation. An analysis has been conducted of the most widely used literature databases to identify key factors influencing the process of strategy implementation, to surface current areas of agreement and disagreement on the topic. LITERATURE REVIEW In the following section, the report would review the study sources and assess their research context, theoretical bases, their main results and the research methods used as well as the analytical techniques which are employed for the study. The examined organizational levels and organizational types are the two elements of the research context. The core of the literature review, would concentrate on the nine factors identified through rigorous analysis of the study sources, that play a role in influencing strategy implementation success, as well as the frameworks or models that aggregate or relate the relevant factors to each other. This is followed by the discussion of the theoretical bases of the reviewed studies. Finally, the research methods and analytical techniques adopted will be reviewed to see which methods are still underutilized in the context of strategy implementation. By carrying out a literature review of the existing studies, the report found two types of strategy implementation studies: one that highlight the importance of the individual factors for strategy implementation and the second that emphasize the big pictureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ of how the single factors interrelate and form a strategic implementation environment. The research would highlight nine recurring, individual factors that influence strategy implementation. They are namely the strategy formulation process, the strategy executors (managers, employees), the organizational structure, the communication activities, the level of commitment for the strategy, the consensus regarding the strategy, the relationships among different units/departments and different strategy levels, the employed implementation tactics, and the administrative system in place. THE NINE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE STARTEGY IMPLEMENTATION 1. Strategy Formulation If the corporate strategy drafted by the business is a poor or a vague strategy, then it can limit the implementation efforts dramatically. Good execution cannot overcome the shortcomings of a bad strategy or a poor strategic planning effort (Hrebiniak, 2006). Several studies mention the fact that the kind of strategy that is developed (Alexander, 1985; Allio, 2005) and the actual process of strategy formulation, namely, how a strategy is developed (KimMauborgne, 1993; Singh, 1998) will influence the effect of implementation. Alexander (1985) believes that the need to start with a formulated strategy that involves a good idea or concept is the most crucial and critical factor which helps promoting its successful implementation. As Allio notes, good implementation naturally starts with good strategic input: the soup is only as good as the ingredients (Allio, 2005). 2. Relationships among different departments and different strategy levels Many studies in the concerned field have stressed that the institutional relationships among different units/departments and different strategy levels play a major role in the outcome of strategy implementation (Walker Ruekert, 1987; Gupta, 1987; Slater Olson, 2001; Chimhanzi, 2004; Chimhanzi Morgan, 2005). Walker Ruekert note that marketing policies, inter-functional structures and processes, corporate-business unit relationships and processes are a major influence on business strategy implementation. In addition, allocation of resources, functional competencies, inter-functional conflict, decision-making participation and influence, and coordination also have different effects on the implementation of various kinds of business strategies. Implementation effectiveness is negatively affected by conflict and positively affected by interpersonal communication and not written. Such interdepartmental dynamics are affected by senior management support informal integration and joint re ward systems. Other relationships that have received attention to a lesser extent include finance, manufacturing, engineering, quality, marketing, accounting, and sales. 3. Executors Executors comprise the top management, middle management, lower management and non-management. Effectiveness of strategy implementation is, at least in part, affected by the quality of people involved in the process (Govindarajan, 1989). The quality refers to the capabilities, experience, skills, attitudes, and other characteristics of people required by a specific position (Peng Litteljohn, 2001). Findings indicate that strategy implementation effectiveness, critically depends on the human or people side of project management, and less on organization and systems related factors. Top management refers to the senior-level leaders including presidents, owners, and other high ranking executives (CEO, CFO, COO etc.) and senior-level managers. Hrebiniak and Snow (1982) report that the level of interaction and participation among the top management team typically leads to greater commitment to the firms goals and strategies. This, in turn ensures the successful implementation of the strategy. Gupta and Govindarajan (1984) note that greater the marketing and sales experience of middle managers, the greater would be their willingness to take risk and successfully implement the strategy. Heracleous (2000) also finds that if middle management do not agree with the strategy, or do not feel that they have the skill set to implement it, then they would sabotage its implementation. Middle managers expect the direction from the top management but frequently feel that they are in a better position to start and evaluate alternative courses of action. Also, the lack of shared knowledge with lower-level management and non-management employees would create a barrier to successful strategy implementation. 4. Communication Many researchers have emphasized the importance of adequate communication channels for the process of strategy implementation. Alexander (1985) notes that communication is mentioned more frequently than any other single item that promotes successful strategy implementation. Communication includes explaining what new responsibilities, tasks, and duties need to be performed by the employees in order to implement the strategy. It answers the why behind the changed job activities, and explains the reasons why the new strategic decision was made. Rapert and Wren (1998) find that organizations where employees have easy access to management through open and supportive communication channels outperform those with more restrictive communication environments. Effective communication is a fundamental requirement for any effective strategy implementation. Organizational communication plays an important role in training, knowledge acquisition and applied learning during the process of implementation. In fact, communication is vital in every aspect of strategy implementation, as it relates in to the organizational context, organizing processes and the implementation objectives. 5. Implementation Tactics Nutt (1986) stipulates four types of implementation tactics used by managers in making planned changes: intervention, participation, persuasion, and edict. Intervention refers to strategy adjustments made during the implementation stage by introducing new practices and norms. Participation includes formulating strategic goals and nominating a task force that can develop and propose the corresponding implementation options. Persuasion is the tactic which uses involved parties to convince the employees about the desired course of actions. The issuing of directives is the main focus of the implementation tactic edict. Lehner (2004) considers the implementation tactics as genuine organizational behaviour based on the assumption that implementation in general is dependent on the environment, and various strategic and corporate variables. 6. Consensus Nielsen (1983) notes that firms must achieve consensus both within and outside their organization in order to successfully implement business strategies. The consensus about a firms strategy may differ across the operation channels within the company. If the employees of the company are not on the same information level or if information passes through many layers in the organization, a lower level of consensus would result. This lack of shared understanding may create obstacles to successful strategy implementation.(Noble, 1999b). Floyd and Wooldridge (1992a) label the gulf between strategies conceived by top management and awareness at lower levels as implementation gap. Strategic consensus is the agreement between the top, middle, and lower-level managers on the fundamental policies of the organization. Strategic decisions are initiated by a team of top managers and then mandated to the rest of the organization, overlooking the importance of securing consensus with and commitment to the organizational strategy with the lower level employees, which is a big barrier for effective strategy implementation. 7. Commitment Strategy implementation process may fail if the strategy does not achieve support and commitment by the majority of employees and the middle management. Shared understanding without commitment would result in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"counter effort and may negatively affect the organisational performance. The understanding between middle management and those at the operational level to that of the top management teams strategic goals is of prime importance to successful implementation. Noble Mokwa (1999) have put forward three dimensions of commitment that are central factors which directly influence strategic outcomes: organizational commitment, strategy commitment and role commitment. Organizational commitment is the extent to which a manager identifies with and works toward organization-related goals and values. Strategy commitment is the extent to which a manager comprehends and supports the goals and objectives of an implementation strategy. Role commitment is the extent to which a manag er is determined to perform his individual implementation responsibilities, regardless of his personal beliefs about the overall strategy. 8. Organisational Structure The type of strategy adopted could differ in many ways and have different requirements regarding an adequate organizational structure. Factors relating to the organizational structure are the second most important implementation barrier according to Heide GrÃÆ' ¸nhaug Johannessens (2002) study. Drazin and Howard (1984) stipulate that a proper alignment of the strategy with the organisational structure is an important pre-requisite for successful implementation of a corporate business strategy (Noble, 1999b). They note that changes in the competitive environment require adjustments to the organizational structure. If an organisations realignment strategies are lacking, it may exhibit poor performance and be at a major competitive disadvantage. 9. Administrative Systems Roth, Schweiger Morrison (1991) study suggests that organisational business units make use of three administrative mechanisms which are formalization, integrating mechanisms, and centralization, to create operational capabilities of configuration, managerial philosophy and coordination, to support business strategy implementation. Some researchers have also focused on the control systems which are one of important ingredients of administrative systems (Drazin Howard, 1984; Nilsson Rapp, 1999). Drazin and Howard (1984) discuss about the role of formal control system in the process of strategy implementation, and suggest that the fluidity of control system contribute to strategy implementation (Noble, 1999b). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY This part of the project report would focus on the research design and methodology adopted to carry out the research of the issue chosen which is the factors influencing strategy implementation. The following literature would highlight the components of the research paradigm chosen to accomplish the study. This section of the project report would provide a detailed rationale on how the study would achieve the research objective put forth in the title. This part would explain the methods of data capture used and the issues which would arise in gathering the required information along with the analysis and the interpretation techniques employed to achieve the research aim. Limitations would be included in the following report to make the reader aware of the shortcomings of the chosen methodology; the relevant ethical issues would also be discussed in the proposed research design along-with the resources required to complete the proposed research. The choice for the research methodology adopted is in congruence with the strategic issue chosen for the research proposal. The selection criteria to choose articles for inclusion in the research analysis: The articles which contain the keywords strategy implementation or strategy execution have been included in the literature .From this; further articles were identified using the references sections of the previously retrieved articles. In this way, the report also includes the articles which treat strategy implementation as one of the major subjects even if their title or keywords did not include the terms strategy implementation or strategy execution. As a final selection criterion it was checked whether the articles explicitly discuss factors impeding or enabling strategy implementation success. Data Collection Secondary Sources In order to identify the factors that enable or impede effective strategy implementation, the report has analysed relevant academic, peer reviewed journals such as the Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, Journal of Management, Academy of Management Executive, Human Relations, Sloan Management Review, Journal of Marketing, etc. using the literature databases of EBSCO Host, ProQuest ABI, Science Direct, JSTOR and Wiley Interscience. Information has also been sourced from Google Scholar and books, newspapers, trade journals, industry portals, government agencies, trade associations, monitoring industry news and developments. The research data would be collected in different organisations or units of an organisation. The organisations were mainly professional service organisations, from both public and private sector. For example, finance, insurance and telecommunications companies, and government departments would be included. The size of the units under study would be 100 to 500 employees. The study would be qualitative in nature, main research method being semi-structured interviews. Primary Sources and Sampling In each organisation or unit, representatives would form three groups, namely the top management, middle management, and lower level personnel, would be interviewed using the questionnaire provided below. Altogether twenty-five interviewees per organisation would be randomly chosen: 2-5 persons representing the top management level, 4-13 persons the middle management level, and 8-17 persons from the lower level personnel. The interviewees would be chosen randomly, ensuring however that different tasks, work groups, and departments were represented equitably. The general topic of the interviews would be strategy implementation. During the interviews, the interviewees would fill out questionnaires, in which they would evaluate the various problem statements. The questionnaire has been given below: Q1. How do you define the concept of strategy implementation? Q2. What kind of issues would you associate strategy implementation with? Q3. How do you participate in the strategy implementation process? Q4. How are the policies pertaining to strategy implementation communicated within the different levels of the organization? Q5. Describe your own role in the process of strategy implementation. Q6. Evaluate the degree of the strategy implementation problems in your organisation. Data Access Issues Some data access issues might arise in the research journey, which could be the unwillingness of the employees to participate in the planned interviews hampering the information gathering capabilities of the subsequent research report along-with lack of co-operation from concerned companies which might not give permission to carry out interviews with its employees fearing a possible leak of its corporate strategy to its competitors. Also finances required for the successful completion of the information gathering process might not be adequate. Data Analysis The results of the questionnaires would be assessed, as well as the comments of the interviewees for the statements would be analysed. The main data analysis method employed would be content analysis of the interviews. The transcribed interviews would be coded accordingly to the central issues of the research. The analysis method would include historical trend analysis and linear regression analysis using software tools, judgmental forecasting, and conjoint analysis. Limitations of the Research Design The approach in conducting the literature review has shortcomings which should be acknowledged. The following are the limitations in the methodology adopted. Collection of articles has been carried out by relying on the databases of EBSCO Host, Science Direct, JSTOR, Wiley Inter Science and ProQuest ABI and the report thus may have overlooked some critical viewpoints on strategy implementation included in monographs or specialists books. Some selective articles in the review, however, rely heavily on concepts from advanced books on corporate strategy thus making up for the shortcoming to a certain extent. The articles have been located using the keywords strategy implementation and strategy execution. This procedure of gathering articles may omit some important articles. The report also excludes some very specific strategy implementation contexts, such as post-merger integration implementation. The research has discovered that most of the conducted studies in the subject focus on the influence of middle managers on strategy implementation. There is no special research relating to lower management and non-management, even if several authors have stated that it is important to consider their effects on strategy implementation as well. Another major research challenge incudes, a lack of understanding between the relationships among the nine reviewed factors, for example, there are major disagreements about the relationship between the variables of communication, commitment and consensus which the report fails to highlight. Also a limiting factor is that there are very few studies that systematically examine how different organizational units and strategy levels can influence strategy implementation, which the report has not included. Strategy implementation involves many theories including agency theory, social learning theory, expectancy theory, organization theory and social system theory. Because of the limited word count it was not feasible to include such theories in the text presented which is also a shortcoming. The lists of journal articles selected are not comprehensive enough, as many other issues could potentially affect strategy implementation. Such other factors, however, are less mentioned or not analysed in-depth, as many of them are also hard to control and modify. Research Ethics For research to be carried out successfully there are many ethical issues that need to be taken into consideration. It is very important to secure the permission and interests of all the people involved in the study. The people involved would be given assurance that any information obtained during the interview process would not be misused as this is the moral responsibility which would be maintained towards the participants. It is the duty of this research to protect the rights of the participants of the study as well as their privacy and sensitivity. The confidentiality of those involved in the observation would be maintained at all times, keeping their anonymity and privacy secure. Resources required for effective research The resources required to carry out the proposed research would require the support and co-operation of the supervisor in charge so as to provide guidance for submitting an effective research analysis report. Also would require permission from the industries chosen for the study of the research issue and the co-operation of its employees for conducting interviews. Adequate financial support would also be required to assist in the completion of the proposed research analysis report to cover the cost of commuting and resultant transportation fares. TIMETABLE TASK SELECTION OF INDUSTRIES FOR RESEARCH FOCUS DAYS 1-5 6-10 10-15 16-20 21-25 25-30 LITERATURE REVIEW/ CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SOURCES OF DATA INTERVIEWING PROCESS INDEPTH STUDY OF VARIOUS SOURCES ASSESSING RESOURCE FOR CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK COLLECTION OF SECONDARY SOURCES OF DATA DEVELOPMENT OF RATIONALE FOR STUDY FINALLY FORMULATED RESEAERCH PROPOSAL

Information to commit a crime Essay

The article from The Mail on Sunday spreads over 2/3s of a page. It is at first glance more interesting than the previous article because it contains a large color picture of Lord Archer and his wife, and a smaller picture of the book he has recently published. Articles with pictures beside them seize the reader’s attention. The caption under the picture of Archer and his wife reads ‘inside job:’ which suggests a crime has been committed from inside prison. ‘Inside job’ is a word used to refer to those who use their access to privileged information to commit a crime. It is an exaggerated and dramatic term to use, which will catch the reader’s interest. ‘Archer could pocket a fortune from his prison diary, left, which could ease his and wife Mary’s cash flow problems’ This sentence is intended to be humorous because it is sarcastic. The lord and lady are not expected to have any money troubles or ‘cash flow problems’. Humor is a method used by journalists to incite their readers. Also, here is introduced a motive for releasing the book that was not mentioned in the other article. However the article does not hold substantial evidence that this is true, and not just a conclusion drawn by the reporter for the purpose of obtaining public interest. The article says that this had been said by ‘sources close to the family’. Nevertheless it does go on to say that Archer recently paid out 2. 7 million to Express Newspapers. The Mail on Sunday article is similarly set out in columns. Unlike The Sunday Telegraph this article contains larger font for the first two paragraphs of the article. This is done because it contains the basis of the story and larger font stands out more. There is one enlarged quote, which reads ‘He simply put his memoirs in the post’. The reporter chose to enlarge this because it will surprise the readers. It is a controversial point: should Archer really have just been allowed to post his memoirs. The article uses language such as ‘far from smuggling the manuscript out ‘ which suggests this is what would have been expected. The article goes on to explain that prison authorities can check prisoners outgoing post and that they could have censored Archer’s book. This leaves the reader wondering why they allowed Archer’s book to get out. Could it be because he is a Lord and has high social status than the average prisoner? I think that is what the article is suggesting throughout. It does this because it wants to raise a point, make the readers think and get their attention. The language in this article uses more adjectives than the Sunday Telegraph article, examples of this are: Calls were made for Archer to be dealt with ‘harshly’. A spokesman ‘criticized’ the prison service. This has the effect of persuading to the reader to agree with the reporter’s point of view. Unlike the Sunday Telegraph article it refuses to sit on the fence. Both the articles are similar to each other in some of the ways they were written. For instance it is written like a story with intervening quotes and opinions from different people. Frances Crook says ‘anyone should have the right to free speech and free expression’. The article also stops to explain facts to the reader such as ‘letters or phone calls to or from the prison can be read’. The Mail on Sunday talks about many more different aspects relating to the story than the Sunday telegraph which chooses to stick to the main story. The Mail on Sunday article speaks of the ‘cash flow problem’. It explains what else has happened to Archer whilst he has been in prison, ‘used a weekend home leave to attend a champagne party’ and ‘lavish lunches with prison staff ‘. The word ‘lavish’ suggests to the reader that Archer is having an easy time, living the life of a high society, rich man. It is said because the reporter feels that Archer should not be treated as well as he is, because he is a criminal. It goes on to explain that these ‘breaches of prison rules’ has meant he has been transferred. The first paragraph of this article says Archer is ‘expected to escape any severe punishment’ for publishing his Prison Diaries. It also states that the diary is likely to net him at least 300,000. The word ‘escape’ suggests to the reader that Archer deserves a punishment and is getting out of it. The 300,000 is also a lot less than the 500,000 the Sunday Telegraph said Archer had gained. The effect of money written of in the first paragraph is also make the reader interested and angry that Archer has received so much money but will not be punished for his crime. The title stating that the punishment for Archer’s crime is to have his TV removed is not completely accurate. A prison service insider as one of a number of possible punishments mentioned it. The article picked up on this and enlarged its importance to capture reader’s attention because it sounds like a stupid and unfair punishment. The article also mentions that ‘under Prison Rule 55, Archer could have seven weeks added to his sentence’. However this is still a lot less than the ‘extra year’ mentioned in the other article. The two Newspaper articles were very similar in many ways because they were of the same type of media. I found the main differences between them were the main facts of their stories, the punishments disagreed with each other. They both used different techniques for get the readers attention. The purpose of this was to capture and maintain an interest in the article. The overall purpose is to sell newspapers, and make money. The Sunday Telegraph is known to be a more trustworthy newspaper than tabloids such as the Mail on Sunday. The article in the Sunday Telegraph was a straightforward news event and it had no signs of being biased. All the facts were presented The Mail on Sunday appealed more to people’s need for gossip and scandal, it tried to make the reader feel annoyed and shocked. This article was better at catching the reader’s eye because of the layout and bright pictures. I think the Mail on Sunday also did a better job of maintaining the reader’s interest because most people like to read about the more scandalous side of stories and it is more interesting when an article sways your emotions. The Sunday Telegraph, can be trusted to give a relatively non-biased true account but it is less interesting to read. The language in both articles was very similar; both used simple, factual writing backed up with quotes.

Plumbing Business

INTRODUCTION Plumbing (from the Latin plum bum for lead as pipes were once made from lead) is the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures for drinking water systems and the drainage of waste. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters. The plumbing industry is a basic and substantial part of every developed economy due to the need for clean water, and proper collection and transport of wastes.Plumbing also refers to a system of pipes and fixtures installed in a building for the distribution of potable water and the removal of waterborne wastes. Plumbing is usually distinguished from water and sewage systems, in that a plumbing system serves one building, while water and sewage systems serve a group of buildings or a city. The name of my small plumbing business is water tubes plumbing co. it is located at obehie, very close to veritas university, it provides homes with the best of plumbin g services, with a great range of new equipment. Executive SummaryWater Tubes Plumbing  is a Eugene-based plumbing company that has chosen residential new homes as their niche. Water Tubes will be able to handle any service request for plumbing of volume home builds or custom new homes. By concentrating on a specific segment of the market, Water Tubes will be able to rapidly gain market share  demonstrating their proficiency and professionalism in serving a specific market niche. Water Tubes will leverage their competitive edges of professionalism and trim quality by properly training all of their employees and impress customers who are used to the lackadaisical attitude of most plumbers.Water Tubes will have a total of four employees and will reach profitability by month eight. Objectives The objectives for the first three years of operation include: To  develop a  company whose primary goal is to exceed customer's expectations. To increase sales so in four to five years Do n can hire another master plumber. To create a sustainable business, surviving off its own cash flow. Mission Water Tubes Plumbing's  mission is to provide the finest new house plumbing installation. We exist to attract and maintain customers. When we adhere to this maxim, everything else will fall into place.Our services will exceed the expectations of our customers. Keys to Success The keys to success are to provide the customer with a fair price and outstanding service. Materials Water systems of ancient times relied on gravity for the supply of water, using pipes or channels usually made of clay, lead, bamboo or stone. Present-day water-supply systems use a network of high-pressure pumps, and pipes are now made of copper, brass, plastic, or other nontoxic material. Present-day drain and vent lines are made of plastic, steel, cast-iron, and lead. Lead is not used in modern water-supply piping due to its toxicity.The ‘straight' sections of plumbing systems are of pipe or t ube. A pipe is typically formed via casting or welding, where a tube is made through extrusion. Pipe normally has thicker walls and may be threaded or welded, where tubing is thinner-walled and requires special joining techniques such as ‘brazing', ‘compression fitting', ‘crimping', or for plastics, ‘solvent welding'. Fittings and valves In addition to the straight pipe or tubing, many fittings are required in plumbing systems, such as valves, elbows, tees, and unions. The piping and plumbing fittings and valves articles discuss these features further. FixturesPlumbing fixtures are designed for the end-users. Some examples of fixtures include water closets (also known as toilets), urinals, bidets, showers, bathtubs, utility and kitchen sinks, drinking fountains, ice makers, humidifiers, air washers, fountains, and eye wash stations. Equipment Plumbing equipment, not present in all systems, include, for example, water meters, pumps, expansion tanks, backflow p reventers, filters, water softeners, water heaters, heat exchangers, gauges, and control systems. Now there is equipment that is technologically advanced and helps plumbers fix problems without the usual hassles.For example, plumbers use video cameras for inspections of hidden leaks or problems, they use hydro jets, and high pressure hydraulic pumps connected to steel cables for trench-less sewer line replacement. Systems Copper piping system in a building with in tumescent fire stop being installed by an insulator, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The major categories of plumbing systems or subsystems are: Potable cold and hot water supply Traps, drains, and vents Septic systems Rainwater, surface, and subsurface water drainage Fuel gas pipingFor their environmental benefit and sizable energy savings hot water heat recycling units are growing in use throughout the residential building sectors. Further ecological concern has seen increasing interest in grey-water recovery and tr eatment systems. Self-leveling silicone fire stop installation in mechanical service penetration in 2 hour rated concrete floor. Fire stopping is required where mechanical pent rants traverse fire-resistance rated wall and floor assemblies, or membranes thereof. This work is usually done worldwide by the insulation trade and/or specialty fire stop sub-contractors.Regulation Much of the plumbing work in populated areas is regulated by government or quasi-government agencies due to the direct impact on the public's health, safety, and welfare. Plumbing installation and repair work on residences and other buildings generally must be done according to plumbing and building codes to protect the inhabitants of the buildings and to ensure safe, quality construction to future buyers. If permits are required for work, plumbing contractors typically secure them from the authorities on behalf of home or building owners.In the United Kingdom the professional body is the newly Chartered Institut e of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (educational charity status) and it is true that the trade still remains virtually ungoverned; there are no systems in place to monitor or control the activities of unqualified plumbers or those home owners who choose to undertake installation and maintenance works themselves, despite the health and safety issues which arise from such works when they are undertaken incorrectly – see Health Aspects of Plumbing (HAP) published jointly by the World Health Organization(WHO) [8] and the World Plumbing Council (WPC) [6].WPC has subsequently appointed a representative to the World Health Organization to take forward various projects related to Health Aspects of Plumbing. Starting up a plumbing business Well, if you are starting your own business involving skilled workers working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures for water systems and drainage, then you should know exactly where your plumber is. If you wish to launch your own plumbing busi ness, the first thing that you should decide on is what kind of plumbing business you wish to start: service-oriented or product-oriented.If you are a business entrepreneur and you want to start a product-oriented plumbing business, you basically act as a supplier of pipes and tubing paraphernalia. You can also sell tools and other equipments to supplement your plumbing supply business. On the other hand, a service-oriented plumbing business can go two ways: a plumbing and heating business, and a fix-‘er-upper. The former is a business arrangement where you set up the necessary components of plumbing, heating and drainage in any architectural structure. The latter, on the other hand, is the most common type of small business plumbing type.The fix-‘er-upper (from the term fix her up) is when a house owner calls up a plumber to fix a broken sink or a clogged toilet, etc. This kind of business can still be categorized further as contractor and small business plumbing. For p urposes of discussion in this article, we will detail what business entrepreneurs need to do in order to start a fix-‘er-upper plumbing business. Obviously, you would need a plumber for this trade, preferably a skilled plumber who can install and repair piping systems, plumbing fixtures and water heaters.If you are a contractor, you need to know where to find reliable and trustworthy plumbers. Try to hire ones that have the most experience and are able to do quick work with minimal supervision. If you have inexperienced workers, it would be best to apprentice them with your veteran plumbers on their first few runs. As a contractor, it is your duty to buy the equipments and tools your workers need, get them to your clients when called and bill your clients accordingly. The plumbing business is a lucrative trade, if and when your plumbers can get to a job on time.Starting a plumbing business like this entails registering your business, acquiring a plumbing business license and e ven maybe acquiring plumbing business software so that you can bill your clients immediately and precisely. Transportation is important. The other type of fix-‘er-upper plumbing business involves just you, provided of course that you are a plumber. As a micro-entrepreneur, you can start this business from home; you don’t even need a complicated business set up as long as you’ve got the skills and tools to do the job.A successful business of this sort still needs to be registered and licensed, so don’t overlook that. Your business success is actually dependent on two things: how well you do your job (that your clients will seek and refer your services often) and how well you advertise your trade. As a plumbing business owner, you know that your services will not have a running start unless people know that you are a plumber, and that your services are available. Plumbing business cards are essential.If you can’t afford these as of yet, putting up fly ers and home-made posters can do most of the advertising for you. However, nothing beats word-of-mouth advertising. So tell your friends and family members that you are starting a plumbing business and ask them to help refer you to potential clients. Know the local requirements In addition to understanding the general guidelines for setting up any small business, you must explore the specific professional, legal and regulatory guidelines that are required to set up and operate a plumbing business in your locality.Licensing Professional licensing and certification requirements must be obtained to start and operate a plumbing business. Each state may have a different name for its licensing agency, but typically they have a name like The Department of Business ; Professional Regulation or the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Seek assistance from local business development providers You can also seek guidance and assistance from organizations in your area such as the local chapter of score or a local Small Business Development Center. Seek assistance from trade groupsBefore setting up a plumbing contracting business, find out if there is a local chapter of a national trade association like the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association (see link below) who can provide you with information about the requirements of setting up a plumbing business in your area. After being established, a membership in such organizations can provide you access to business and management training, along with professional development resources. Marketing a plumbing business It takes time and effort to grow any small business.As is the case with most service industries, plumbers tend to find most of their customers through word of mouth. The key to great word of mouth referrals is to provide great service at a reasonable cost to your current customers. Traditionally, telephone Yellow Page listings are important to developing business for residential repair and maintenance bus iness. Internet advertising, especially search advertising, is becoming more and more important to any professional service provider like plumbers. You need to know how to make sure that potential customers find your company's name when they search for a plumber in your vicinity.Franchise and cooperative marketing plumbing businesses Rather than create a totally new plumbing business, some plumbers consider buying a franchise of a national or regional franchise plumbing company. (Be sure to read the SmallBusiness. com Guide to Franchising for important suggestions and background on things you should explore when considering becoming a franchisee. ) In some locations, independent contractors may enter into joint marketing cooperatives that allow them to gain referrals and other marketing services in exchange for a recurring fee or commission. Plumbing Business PlanIf you are to open A Plumbing Business you will need to do a lot of things! We have no doubt that if you are to open A Pl umbing Business you will understand everything about the Plumbing Business but we can help you with a simple checklist of the things that every business has to do. Decide whether to buy an existing business, start a new business, or buy a franchise. Decide on the form of business: partnership, limited company, corporation or sole proprietorship. Estimate how much cash you will need to start your business advertising, fixtures, decorating, inventory, fees, working capital, etc. and estimate your monthly expenses.If the business will be incorporated you must decide where. If you will form a partnership, draft the partnership agreement. Check local laws in regard to zoning, permits, and licenses your business may require. Obtain a minute book, corporate seal, and stock certificates. Conduct a market analysis to determine the viability of your enterprise. Select and reserve a corporate name (first and second choices). Select officers and directors (names, addresses, and Social Security numbers). Develop marketing, advertising, and public relations plans. Develop a capitalization / borrowing / credit / debt service plan and cash flow plan ObjectivesThe objectives for the first three years of operation include: To  develop a  company whose primary goal is to exceed customer's expectations. To increase sales so in four to five years Don can hire another master plumber. To create a sustainable business, surviving off its own cash flow. Profitably carry out quality Hydraulic projects within Australia whilst:  · Producing workmanship in excess of our clients requirements.  · Completing projects earlier than the contracted completion dates.  · Ensuring the health and safety of employees and the general public.  · Minimising disturbance to and effects on the environment. Providing secure and satisfying employment for all employees. A sample of a company’s plumbing plan Company Summary Water Tubes Plumbing, soon to be located in Eugene, OR, will offer pl umbing services for residential new houses as well as custom new houses. The business will be based out of Don Roto's house. Water Tubes will have four employees by the end of the year. Start-up Summary Water Tubes will require the following equipment and materials: Two trucks (used) fitted with a pipe rack on top. Assorted pipes (different diameters and materials). Assorted fittings.A 30 gallon bucket to store fittings. Pipe wrenches. Reciprocating saw. Circular saw. Whole hog (high torque right angle drill). Cordless screw gun. Propane torch. Cast iron pipe cutter. Extension cords. Pipe dope (Teflon tape in paste form). Computer with CD-RW, printer, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Pro. Desk, chair, and filling cabinet, and assorted stationary. Mobile phone. Please note that the items which are considered assets to be used for more than a year will be labeled long-term assets and will be depreciated using G. A. A. P. approved straight-line depreciation method.

The Jewish Exodus From Ancient Egypt - 2136 Words

I. Introduction I am investigating the Jewish Exodus from ancient Egypt, which reportedly took place around the 13th Century BC. I was raised in a Jewish household, and growing up Passover has always been one of my favorite holidays. I had so much fun searching for the Afikomen, welcoming Elijah to our Seder table, and above all, retelling the story of how the Jews were freed from slavery and escaped the wrath of the Pharaoh thanks to the guidance of God. It’s a magical story which has inspired hope in me for years, and that’s why I was so surprised when I learned that there is little if no physical evidence for the exodus. The archaeological record should have physical evidence of such a major event, perhaps hidden so deeply that we†¦show more content†¦Or the cities where the Jews were enslaved, forced to build a city for the Pharaoh for around 400 years. Surely so much time and activity will leave artifacts which can tell us what happened. Therefore my plan is to survey and excavate in these important sites, and I will also confer with Egyptologists to decipher hieroglyphics. Perhaps the Egyptians of the time recorded clues which can tell us what happened, or at least help us to piece together the story. This research will have an important religious impact as well as tell us a lot about the history of this time period. The modern day Jewish people will appreciate the findings, even if the conclusion is that the famous exodus never really took place. But if it did, then it will shed a lot of light on the events that took place. For example if the Red Sea really did split, then scientists will be forced to hypothesize and debate how this could have been possible. III. Background Research The story of the Exodus as described in the Torah is as follows: In the 13th century B.C. (archaeologists estimate that this is the correct date), the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt and had been for around 400 years. They were desperate for liberation and prayed to their God for a deliverer to rescue them and bring them to the land that God had promised their ancestors (modern-day Israel). Their population became so great that the pharaoh ordered for every newborn Hebrew boy to be fed to the