Does the SAT Predict Your College Success and Income

Does the SAT Predict Your College Success and Income SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You know it’s important for you to do well on the SATs because better scores will get you into a better college - top colleges want high SAT scores because they are supposed to indicate insight that a particular student is academically strong. Ultimately, a better college education is supposed to help you be more successful in your career. But do your SAT scores really speak to how competent or prepared you are as a potential student? And does a great college really increase your chances of professional success? These are tough, but important, questions - I’ll address them all here. First, I’ll talk about what the research says about the relationships between SAT scores, college success, and income. Then, I’ll present some explanations for why these factors are (or are not) related - it might not be for the reasons you think. So what’s the real relationship between your SAT scores, college success, and income? Why do these questions even matter? Read on to find out! What Are the Relationships Between SAT Scores, College Success, and Income? In these next sections, I'll talk about the correlations between SAT scores, college success, and future income. If there's a correlation between two factors or variables, that means there's a relationship between them - a positive correlation means that if one variable increases, the other variable will also increase.Causation is something a little different: if there's a causal relationship between two factors, it means one has a direct effect on the other. Just because there's a correlation between two factors doesn't mean there's a causal relationship. Still, though, the correlational relationships I'll discuss are important because they give us clues about how important some predictive factors are - for example, can high SAT scores predict future income? You're about to find out. SAT and College Success If you have high SAT scores, are you likely to get better grades in college? Perhaps unsurprisingly, most research studies find that your SAT scores do predict college success - to an extent. The relationship isn't particularly strong, which means that if you have high SAT scores, you're only slightly more likely to have higher college grades than a student who had lower scores. Research shows a similar relationship between SAT scores and high school grades. Given this relationship, it makes sense that colleges use the SAT as part of their admissions criteria.Schools tend to prefer students with higher SAT scores because they think that, in some small part, these scores could predict how well these students do in school. If schools accept students with higher scores and then these students are successful in college (and beyond), the schools will begin building a positive reputation. Ultimately, higher SAT scores might predict college success, but they'll more likely make you a more competitive college applicant. Keep in mind, though, that highand low scores are totally relative(read more about good and bad SAT scores). SAT and Income If you have high SAT scores, are you likely to earn more money after you graduate from college?There does seem to be a positive relationship between SAT performance and future income - that is, the better a student scores on her SAT, the more likely she is to earn more money later in life. One study found that high scorers not only went on to earn higher incomes, but they were also more likely to earn PhDs, file patents, and get tenure as a professor at a top university. Again, though, this relationship doesn't seem particularly strong. There are many other factors that better predict future income; not all Bachelor degrees pay the same. College Success and Income If you're more successful in college, are you likely to earn more later in life?To answer this question, I'm going to break "college success" down into two different parts: success as attending a top school, and success as earning a high GPA. Top Schools and Income If you end up at a top college, are you likely to earn more money than other college graduates? Students who attend top colleges tend to do pretty well. Top colleges are well-rated in the first place because they have good reputations, high graduation rates, strong undergraduate programs, and strong alumni networks. It would make sense that these factors would be related to greater income post-graduation. And that's exactly what the research shows: graduates of science/math-heavy schools and Ivy League schools tend to earn more than graduates of other colleges. Again, though, these are correlative relationships - you don't necessarily need to graduate from a top college in order to earn a lot of money.Simply getting a college degree is likely to significantly increase your future earnings. GPA and Income If you get better grades in college, are you likely to earn more money than students with lower GPAs? In general, students who do well in college tend to earn more after they graduate. This might depend on your field.Research has found that the difference in income between low-GPA and high-GPA graduates can amount to tens of thousands of dollars in certain careers. You might imagine that if many recent grads are competing for the same awesome job, GPA could end up a very important factor in hiring decisions. So yes, depending on your career path, higher grades are correlated with higher income. How Do All of These Factors Fit Together? It looks like SAT scores, college success, and income are all positively correlated. We can infer that higher SAT scores tendto predict greater college success, and greater college success tends to predict higher incomes later on. These relationships seem to generally fit what we expect.It's important to keep in mind, though, that these are relationships, not rules -just because someone has a perfect SAT score, for example, doesn’t mean that she will end up a millionaire. The real question is WHY these factors are related. Why do we expect high SAT scores→ better college → higher income? I’ll address the possible explanations in the next section. What's the Reason for the Relationships Between SAT Scores, College Success, and Income? What do you think leads to successful outcomes? There’s no empirically supported response to this question. Just because we can observe a relationship (correlation) doesn’t mean we can determine what’s driving it (causation). In this section, though, I’ll present some of the most plausible explanations for the reason behind these relationships. 1. A Better SAT Score Means You'll Get Into a Better College, and Attending a Better College Means More Opportunities for a Higher Income. This explanation is perhaps the most straightforward.Top colleges consider students more competitive if they have higher SAT scores - we know this to be true (although standardized test scores aren’t the only things that admissions officers consider). The better the school you attend, the more career opportunities are available to you. Here's an example to explain what I mean.Let's say we have two very similar students who attend high school together: same GPA, same list of extracurriculars, same AP courses. Student A studies for two months for the SAT and scores a 1500, whereas student B studies for one week and scores a 20.Although both display the same degree of talent and intellectual ability, Student A gets into an Ivy League college and student B doesn't. Student A has access to more career fairs and recruiters, and can utilize a stronger alumni network before getting her first job, ultimately making more money than Student B. She isn't smarter or more ambitious than her peer - she just has more doors open to her. With student talent (and even the fundamental quality of education) being equal between two people, the opportunities that come with a top college make it easier to earn a higher income after graduation. 2. If You're Naturally Smart, You'll Have High SAT Scores and Probably High Grades. This Means You'll Get Into a Better College and Have More Opportunitiesto Earn a Higher Income. This baby was born smart and happened to score a perfect 1600. This is the College Board's general position on the SAT exam: it's designed to be a totally fair exam that tests aptitude and critical thinking, not general knowledge or even test-taking strategy. Thus, smarter students should earn higher scores without too much practice or prep. Intelligent students will go on to have success in other areas (college applications, job searches) because they're naturally skilled. Some smart people are naturally good test-takers who can earn fantastic scores without much effort. But there are many smart students who don’t necessarily do well on the SAT at first. High school students who don't have much information on the exam, or don't have a strong foundation in core SAT content areas, are at a particular disadvantage (even if they're smart). Test-taking anxiety or unfamiliarity with the exam can significantly bring down the scores intelligent students. Ultimately, while natural smarts might lead to higher scores, many other factors (unrelated to intelligence) can bring them down. 3. If You Come From a Privileged Background, You've Had More Opportunities (Like a Better High School Education), Leading to a Higher SAT Score and Greater Chances for Future Success. Having resources available to you through childhood into adulthood definitely doesn’t make things harder. Students may be fortunate enough to hire a private SAT tutor, for example. Perhaps parents help ensure future success through their own professional connections.Many critics of the SAT endorse this explanation - they feel that for this reason, the SAT puts students from underprivileged backgrounds at a disadvantage, which isn’t fair. Research tends to support this explanation: one study, sardonically naming the SAT the "Student Affluence Test," showed that students from wealthy families tend to out-score students from low-income families by about 400 points. That's a huge margin, one that can make an enormous impact on the sorts of colleges that are within students' reach.While you don't need to come from a wealthy family to do well on the SAT, attend a top college, and earn a high income, it seems that low-income students are fighting an uphill battle. So Which Explanation Is the Right One? What's the right recipe for success on the SAT, in college, and even in your career? Like I mentioned at earlier points in this points, it's really difficult to establish causality when discussing the effects of different factors on future success. It's likely that the "right" explanation is some combination of the ones listed above. High SAT scores + natural smarts + privileged background might be the easiest recipe for future success, but it isn't the only one. There are some factors you won't have any control over - like your family background, or natural test-taking aptitude - but there are things you can do to bring up your SAT scores. And like I mentioned in Explanation #1, SAT scores seem to have the clearest connection to college success and income. I'll address strategies for maxing out your chances for future success in the next section. How Do You Set Yourself Up for Future Success If You're at a Disadvantage? Even an uphill climb can be made easier with the right tools. If you don’t consider yourself a natural test-taker, or if you don’t come from a privileged background, you might be nervous about the SAT. You know it determines (to some extent) what sort of college you can get into, and it tends to predict income. So what can you do if you want to give yourself the best chance possible at being successful? Self Study Work out of a book on your own, take practice tests, and review your wrong answers to improve your scores over a set timeline. The College Board Blue Book is a great place to start if you plan on studying on your own.PrepScholar's blog is also a great free resource for comprehensive, up-to-date content on studying for the SAT. However, this self-study strategy might not be the best option for students who tend to procrastinate or who lack motivation. Take an SAT Class SAT classes are great for an intro to the test, especially if you want to focus on learning strategy. These classes can help you get motivated, but they're not customized to your particular strengths and weaknesses. Get a Private Tutor A private, one-on-one tutor can be a great resource because you get a totally customized experience. It’s also very costly, and it can be difficult to find an experienced and proven instructor. Wyzant is a good place to start looking for tutors in your area - you can see how tutees have rated them in the past. Use PrepScholar's SAT Prep PrepScholar's program isaffordable, customized, and effective. Get more info on the SAT prep program. What's Next? Ready todo your future self a favor? You can start right now by checking out our guides to the SAT. The right sidebar includes links to some of our most popular guides and a list of topics to explore further. Beginners should start here by learning about good and bad SAT scores, and what scores they should be aiming for. Already an SAT expert? Maybe you'd be interested in Ivy League SAT scores, or a guide to getting the perfect score. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Francesca Fulciniti About the Author Francesca graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and scored in the 99th percentile on the SATs. 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5 ways to help your teens career path

5 ways to help your teens career path These days, it’s more challenging than ever for teens to choose the right career path. On top of having a lack of real-world life experience and the self-awareness to help guide them towards making choices that are right for them, the world of work is changing so rapidly these days- the result of accelerating technological innovation, a fluctuating economy, and shifting staffing demands of companies across industries. What’s the end result? Many young adults who are struggling to find their purpose after high school. The challenges teens face when searching for their ideal careers starts in college, before they even enter the world of work. According to a recent Borderzine article, â€Å"About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career.† This general leve l of indecisiveness can have serious implications on young adults and their ability to make clear and rational life decisions, on top of adding stress and pressure to an already challenging time in life.If you’re a parent or guardian of a teen who’s trying to figure out what career path to pursue, consider taking advantage of the following 5 strategies for helping them out.1. Help them make choices based on who they are.This one’s important- although you may have big dreams and plans for your teen, your child is not merely an extension of you, and projecting your hopes and wishes for their future on them is not a guaranteed path to career fulfillment. If you want your teen to pursue a career path that has a good chance of making them happy, help them make choices based on who they are and what makes them a unique individual.2. Empower them to explore their strengths and passions.Choosing the right career doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark- in fact, it shouldn’t be! If your teen is having trouble making a decision, a great first step is to help them make a list of their strengths, interests, and passions. Once they have a list, it’s much easier to come up with a manageable set of possible career options that might be right for them.3. Help them find a suitable mentor.If your teen has an interest in a particular field, a great way to learn more- and discover if it truly is the right path for them- is to help them connect with a prospective mentor in the field who can help them learn the day-to-day realities of life on the job, as well as short-term and long-term career options and outlooks. Intern and volunteer opportunities are excellent ways to get valuable exposure and experience. Don’t forget, industry veterans- no matter how successful- were all once teens with little or no experience, and many will be more than happy to â€Å"pay it forward† and help the next generation of employees get their start .4. Support their choices.Sure, this seems obvious, but what happens if your teen chooses a career path that you don’t agree with? This happens all the time, and the parents who support and encourage their teens to follow their dreams- whether it’s a choice you wholeheartedly support or think is a bad idea- are much more likely to have teens who are happy and successful, no matter what path they decide to pursue. Be patient, be supportive, and be encouraging to your teen as they grapple with this tough life decision, and you’re much more likely to see a positive result.5. Set a good example.The truth is, parents who are happy and fulfilled with their professional choices in life and who stick to and display positive work habits and behaviors are much more likely to have children who make smart choices regarding their career paths- and they’re also much more likely to exhibit similar positive work habits, which will help them achieve success in their chose n fields.The truth is, teens who have a healthy and productive level of guidance and support from their parents or guardians have a much better chance at making better career choices than their go-it-alone counterparts. Use the strategies presented here to help your teen successfully navigate the career path maze.

Alternative medical practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alternative medical practice - Essay Example The term has been in vogue since the last decade of last century and since then it has been gaining momentum in different patterns (Ockler, 2007). The overall concept has been to familiarize the concept to the masses, familiarize them to the benefits of overall project and provide them with potential guidelines how they may benefit from the entire idea and concept. The documentary explains number of experiences by the people and their approach and acceptability towards the new trend. The documentary focuses on number of people who has had a history of different kinds of problems in form of allergies and other problems. To the alternative fix pattern, the remedy to the allergy is found and suggested in form of bee pollens which can provide a possible solution to the allergies. The video/ documentary focus on the observation, and experience of the senator Tom Harkin who shares his experience and overall views about the entire idea and tells about the positive impacts of alternative fix against all the heavy dose schemes and medicines which are conventionally and other wise taken up by the patients in cases of allergies and other skin and health related issues. All these measures led to the exploration and development of N.C.C.A.M and over period of time it has gained massive support from all over along with the funds being donated in abundance from all corners. The entire budget stands at over a hundred billion dollars, which is invested into multiple projects such as further research, medical treatments, scientific research and various other alternatives and options which may be useful in helping the people in one way or other and in a more affordable and cheaper way. With less than 15 years under its belt (Peterson & Arcangelo, 2006)), the overall idea and project is going at a highly effective rate and has provided dividends in many forms. It is being estimated that around 20 percent of the hospitals in the

Listening Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Listening - Essay Example In my opinion, this goes hand in hand with listening. Listening to what the client is saying shows that you are interested and hence elevates the chances of success. Sales people are required to possess effective communication skills such that they are able to communicate audibly to a customer and subsequently listen attentively. This paper describes the ‘why’ and ‘how’ listening is one of the most important components of successful salesmanship in the context of the residential renovation industry. There are various ways that a good salesman can adopt the skills of becoming a good listener. To become a better listener, a salesman is advised to first pay attention and listen to the other person before talking, exercise tolerance, persistence, and shun complains. In the modern world, the residential renovation industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. In general, listening has its importance in business communication. It is a key factor of prod uctivity and success in an institution. Listening is important in the establishment of effective and successful associations and relations within the workplace. This is also applicable in the residential renovation industry. Through listening, a salesman is able to establish a relationship or association with the customer. Listening makes it easier for the salesman to converse with the client as s/he is able to comprehend issues effectively. Salesmen are advised to ensure that they develop their listening abilities through offering their complete concentration to their clients and retain eye contact with the client (Green 98). Consequently, a salesman is advised to seek clarification of the statement or arguments brought forward by the client to ensure effective comprehension. A salesperson in the residential renovation industry is ought to listen to the client genuinely and openly. S/he is ought to consider the fact that the whole process is client based, so every attention should be focused towards the client. Listening to the need s of the clients ensures that all renovation work or sale conducted on behalf of the client meets his/her requirements. To elucidate the ‘how’ to listen, Green posits that: Active listeners have a good perspective of, and a strong handle on, paraphrasing, restating, summarizing, responding to nonverbal messages, and responding to feelings. These active listening techniques enable salespeople to hold three important things in their grasp. Listening results in a better understanding of what prospects are saying, listening causes a greater flow of information from prospects, and is the basis for tailoring a sales approach that matches the prospect (97). Listening makes it possible for a salesperson to grasp information and details presented by the client that are beneficial in establishing and putting forward resolutions geared towards benefiting the organization dealing with residential renovation services. This is attr ibuted to the fact that through listening, a salesman has a chance to identify and ascertain the feelings and thought of a particular customer on a particular issue of activity. The information gathered by the salesperson can subsequently be incorporated in chatting the way forward to meet the requirements of the client. Listening helps both the client and the salesperson to build conviction and confidence towards each other. Subsequently, listening helps the salesperson to

The Da Vinci Code Essay Example for Free

The Da Vinci Code Essay Robert and Sophie will crack cryptex’s and anagrams with number puzzles, run from the police, and cheat death in this amazing book. For example for one of the codes they have to crack the key opens a safe deposit box at the Paris branch of the Depository Bank of Zurich. Saunieres account number turns out to be 10 digits. The digits of the first eight Fibonacci numbers: 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21. If you like this, there are many more to come. Second of All, why I think people should read this book is because, this book has lots of information in the pages about Christianity, Da Vinci, and a lot more. So if you’re in to learning about things while you read this is definitely the book you should read. The ultimate solution is found to be intimately connected with the possible location of the Holy Grail. This all also ties in with the history of Christianity and it ties in with Da Vinci. If you think all this information is interesting wait till you read this information filled book. Last but Certainly Not Least, why I think people should read this book is because, of this fantastic story line they used in this book. The novel has several concurrent subplots interweaving the lives of different characters. Eventually, all the characters are brought together and the sub-plots resolved in the main plot at the end of the book. There is nothing that would make this story plot more amazing. The fact that it is like a detective case because, Bezu suspects Robert Langdon as a suspect of killing Sauniere in the gallery is just so genius. In conclusion, I think people should read this book for these reasons: this book is a suspenseful and thrilling novel, this book has lots of information in the pages, and last the fantastic story line they used in this book. If any of these reasons interest you I recommend this book to you. In fact, I suggest you go to your local book store and pick up this book. A little information never hurt anyone. Some Info. On Dan Brown Dan Brown was born on June 22, 1964. He grew up in Exeter, New Hampshire. He is the author of numerous best-selling novels, including the 1 New York Times bestseller, â€Å"The Da Vinci Code†. One of the best selling novels of all time. It was published early in early 2004 by Bantam Press.

Real Politics :: Free College Admissions Essays

I have worked on many political campaigns in my life and I have enjoyed the work but the Virginia Gubernatorial election was a turning point in my life. I was seventeen and this campaign was different, this time I had a lot of responsibility, I was in control of a portion of a city and I was determined to show people that I could make a difference. It was the knowledge that I could make a difference that showed me that I wanted to work in politics either running as a politician or campaigning for one. I will continue to gain experience by volunteering on political campaigns and I will gain knowledge by completing my Bachelor’s degree in political science. This was the day that I decided that I can do more and effect more than I had ever believed possible. It was November sixth and right in the middle of fall. The leaves were changing color, falling off the trees, and the foliage was covering the ground. I remember my parents waking me up at 5am; it was hard for me to wake up because the night before I stayed late working at campaign headquarters and preparing for this day. It was the last day to make a difference; it was Election Day. When I finally got out of my bed it was still dark, I jumped into the shower then picked up a bagel for the road. It was dark and cold outside and my hands were shaking either from being nervous that I wouldn’t do a good job or just the cold weather. It was about a ten minute car ride to where my mother and I would be working for the day. When we arrived we immediately set up the signs, so everyone would know that this was the voting place. My mom went inside the school to meet some of the other people who would be working at the school. Her job was to check off all the people who voted that day. This list would later be given to me so I could relay the information to headquarters. But while she was inside I was still setting up the signs outside. This would be the beginning of a long and frustrating day. As I was putting up the signs I ran into another person who was also putting up signs for our candidate.

Analysis of company history development & growth

Arthur W. Perdue†s quest for excellence in the poultry business began in 1917. Perdue started his company as a table-egg poultry farm. He slowly expanded his egg market by adding a new chicken coop every year. Arthur†s son Frank joined the family business in 1939 after leaving school at the end of his the second year. In 1950 Frank took over leadership of Perdue Farms, which had over 40 employees at the time. During the 1970†³s Perdue entered into new markets in Boston and Philadelphia and also opened a new processing plant in North Carolina. Shortly after this, in 1977 Arthur Perdue died, leaving behind a business who†s annual growth rate was 17 percent compared to the industry average of 1 percent. Arthur†s son Frank was left behind to take over the business. Frank Perdue without a hint of self-deprecation stated that â€Å"I am a B-minus student. I know how smart I am. I know a B-minus is not as good as an A-said of his father simply†, â€Å"I learned everything from him† (Hill & Jones, 208). During the 1980†³s and 1990†³s Perdue Farms diversified and expanded its market further down to other eastern coast states and southern states. By 1994, revenues were around 1.5 Billion a year. To add to this number Perdue purchased the twelfth largest poultry producer in the United States with about 8,000 employees and revenues of approximately $550,000 a year. Internal analysis of strengths and weaknesses – Maintain an environmentally friendly workplace – Represent the total quality management slogan – Largest poultry producer in the northeast – Second largest producer in the United States – Involved in every aspect of the business External analysis of opportunities and threats – Produce roasted Chicken and Chicken parts Risk of entry by potential competitors The risk of entry from potential competitors is low, due to the barriers of entry. The barriers of entry are high, traceable to the cost of starting the business and what it costs to remain successful. Perdue also has a cost advantage over potential new entrants that is credited to superior production operations. Perdue has control of their inputs required for production, such as labor, materials, equipment, or management skills. Between the existing companies rivalry is strong. There is no significant price competition because of the over capacity in the broiler industry. Buyers (consumers) have a great deal of bargaining power because the buyer has a variety of brands to choose from and a lot of options to choose from such as precook, fresh, roasted and boneless. Perdue Farms supplies all of its own inputs, and they have established relationships with the distribution retailers. The substitute products for the broiler industry are pork, beef, and seafood. These items hold a real threat to the broiler industry. Perdue is in a very good competitive position. It has gained recognition for becoming one of the top broiler companies in the nation. One strength of Pedrue it that they own their own trucking fleet which they can distribute their own product. A main strength of Perdue Farms is that they refuse to let their product be shipped frozen. Perdue says that if the poultry is shipped frozen, it will loose flavor and moistness when cooked. This strength can result into brand loyalty, because when customers see the name Perdue, they know that the product is fresh not frozen. Another strength is that Perdue leads the industry in quality. To ensure that Perdue continues to lead the industry in quality, it buys about 2,000 pounds of competitors† products a week. Inspection associates grade these products and the information is shared with the highest levels of management (Hill & Jones, 1998). Perdue†s company policy is taught to all associates in quality training. Perdue has one weakness at this time. Perdue has rode down the experience curve and changed all of its other weaknesses into positives. For example, In the 1980†³s Perdue decentralized and formed separate business divisions. Soon after this was done, chicken sales leveled off. At on point the firm was losing as much as $1 million a week and, in 1988, Perdue Farms experienced its first year in the red (Hill & Jones, 1998). Perdue learned from this and quickly changed back to centralized. Currently, Perdue has the opportunity to produce other kinds of meat such as beef or pork. This opportunity could soften the financial impact if the threat of overcapacity continue to haunt the broiler industry. Perdue Farms Mission –†Create a quality product, be aware of your customers, deal fairly with people, and work hard, work hard, work hard† (Hill & Jones, 1998). Perdue is a vertically integrated agribusiness (www.perdue.com). Perdue practices forward integration by moving downstream to distribution. Perdue owns it own trucking fleet by which they distributes it to the end users. Perdue also practices backward integration by formulating and manufacturing its own feed. By vertically integrating backward to gain control over the source of critical inputs or vertically integrating forward to gain control over distribution channels, a company can build barriers to new entry into its industry (Hill & Jones, 1998). The business level strategy of a company encompasses the overall competitive theme that a company chooses to stress. Perdue Farms business level strategy is considered to be differentiated. In the early 1980†³s Perdue diversified and broadened its market. Perdue did this by raising turkeys and production other meat products. Perdue distinctive competency is in premium quality products. Frank Perdue was convinced that higher profits could be made if Perdue†s products were premium quality so they could be sold at a premium price (Hill & Jones, 1998). This distinctive competency resulted in 1994 revenues around about 1.5 billion and net profits at $50 million. The philosophy at Perdue is quality and efficiency with emphasis on the first over the latter. To ensure that Perdue continues to lead the industry in quality, it buys about 2,000 pounds of competitors† products a week. Inspection associates grade these products and the information is shared with the highest levels of management (Hill & Jones, 1998). The structure and control at the function level is improved with efficiency. Efficiency is improved through management of details. At Perdue nothing goes to waste. To make sure this is true Perdue is involved in every aspect of the chicken business, from breading and hatching its own eggs to processing chicken feet and selling then to Asia as a barroom delicacy. These efforts were implemented through team management with a focused message coming from senior management.

Implementation of Global Strategy

Manag Int Rev (2011) 51:179–192 DOI 10. 1007/s11575-011-0071-6 R e s e a R c h a Rt i c l e Effective? Global? Strategy? Implementation Structural? and? Process? Choices? Facilitating? Global? Integration? and? Coordination Attila? Yaprak?  ·? Shichun? Xu?  ·? Erin? Cavusgil Abstract:? 0 0 this article offers a contingency framework of global strategy implementation effectiveness on firm performance. The research question we seek to address is what the structural and process requirements are for MNEs to successfully implement global strategy through increased efficiency and effectiveness of integration and coordination across world markets.Our central premise is that MNEs’ capabilities in establishing supporting structural and process mechanisms will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing their global strategies which would, in turn, lead to better firm performance. Keywords:? Integration and coordination  · Global strategy  · Firm performance  · contingency framework Received:? 25. 12. 2009 / Revised:? 15. 08. 2010 / Accepted:? 11. 10. 2010 / Published? online: 02. 04. 2011  © Gabler-Verlag 2011 Prof. A. Yaprak (? ) Department of Marketing, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA e-mail: Attila. [email  protected] edu Asst. Prof. S. Xu Department of Marketing and Logistics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA Asst. Prof. E. Cavusgil Department of Marketing, University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, USA 180 A. Yaprak et al. Introduction The globalization of the world economy and markets has given rise to the growth of multinational enterprises (MNEs). With the expanded geographical scope and dispersed operations across national borders, managing MNEs effectively has become a challenging task for managers.As such, numerous studies have been conducted to understand what contributes to the success of MNEs in the global market. Many studies have adopted the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm as the theoretical basis of s uch an exploration, arguing that the competitive advantage of MNEs is sourced primarily in their ability to access and acquire rare and inimitable resources that create better value for customers around the world (e. g. Peng et al. 2008). These resources are considered indicators of firm performance levels in the global market (Lu et al. 010; Peng et al. 2008). While RBV has been instrumental in explaining the performance differences among MNEs, arguments have been advanced that the mere possession of resources is insufficient to generate superior performance (Sirmon et al. 2007). For instance, Barney and Arikan (2006) state that assuming appropriate strategic action will automatically follow from the recognition of valuable resources within the firm is an intellectually naive assumption.Specifically, how resources can be used through strategic actions to create superior value to create a competitive advantage for the firm remains unclear (Priem and Butler 2001). While firm resource s have a more or less direct impact on the strategic courses of action a firm may pursue, implementation of such strategies to realize value creation potential remains an under-researched topic (Barney and Arikan 2006). This deficiency in the literature has led to the distinction between resources and capabilities. Lu et al. (2010) propose that resources and capabilities are clearly distinguishable from each other.While Grant (1991) defined resources as stocks of tangible and intangible assets which firms use to convert into products and services while capabilities are viewed as intermediate goods generated by the firm to enhance the productivity of resources (Amit and Schoemaker 1993). As such, capabilities are different from resources since they act as enablers for firms to create value more effectively from the resources they possess. This distinction between resources and capabilities has encouraged researchers to examine the effect of MNEs’ capabilities on firm performan ce.Research regarding the capabilities of MNEs has mostly focused on those that facilitate global strategy formulation. For example, Elango and Pattnaik (2007) propose that networking capabilities have a direct impact on the internationalization strategy of the firm. Peng et al. (2008) articulates a framework in which firm resources and capabilities are viewed as one of three antecedents of a firm’s international business strategy (the other two being industry based competition and institutional conditions and transitions).Thus, the current literature sheds light only on how the capabilities of MNEs enable them to formulate appropriate strategic choices that match their resources with opportunities in their external, that is, their global, environment. However, mechanisms that ensure successful implementation of the chosen strategies remain unclear. While we assume that MNEs should be able to establish appropriate structures to match their strategies, research has shown that there is a lot of incongruence between MNE strategy and structure (Duysters and Hagedoorn 2001).Effective Global Strategy Implementation 181 Based on this backdrop and drawing from the strategic fit literature, the purpose of this paper is to offer a contingency framework of global strategy implementation effectiveness on firm performance. The research question we seek to answer is what the structural and process requirements are for MNEs to successfully implement global strategy through increased efficiency and effectiveness of integration and coordination across world markets.Our central premise is that MNEs’ capabilities in establishing supporting structural and process mechanisms will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing their global strategies which would, in turn, lead to better firm performance. That is, we argue that firms need to achieve a harmonious configuration among strategy, structure, and process to better deliver superior value from the res ources they possess. The remainder of this article is organized as follows.After reviewing the literature and presenting a comprehensive picture of the integration and coordination dimensions of global strategy, we offer propositions for future research. We discuss the merits of exploring each of these and conclude with suggestions for managerial practice. Conceptualizations? of? Global? Strategy The globalization of the world economy has pushed many organizations, particularly those MNEs with abundant resources, to rethink how they compete in this expanded market.The increasingly interdependent financial, product, and labor markets are all advancing at different paces towards a â€Å"globalized† system (Buckley and Ghauri 2004). As the political, economic, and cultural forces increasingly promote a global environment, many industries have become global in nature (Morrison and Roth 1992; Kim et al. 2003). Such global industries are largely driven by three structural forces: e conomies of scale, comparative advantage, and standardized markets (Birkinshaw et al. 1995).Firms competing in such industries have gradually been adopting a global strategy in which they no longer view their subsidiaries located across the world as independent subunits, but as a highly interdependent network (Kim and Hwang 1992). Global strategy is thus characterized as developing competitive advantage through operating in interdependent national markets by exploiting differences in national resource endowments, the flexibility of MNC networks, and economies of scale and scope, as well as learning (Malnight 1996).Extant literature suggests that the strategic choice of a firm competing in global markets is a function of firm traits and aptitudes and market contexts (Peng et al. 2008). The positive relationship between financial and market performance and global strategy is also well documented in the literature (Roth 1992; Kim et al. 2003). We further argue that these relationships are mediated by the interplay among strategy, structure and processes of the firm (Fig. 1). We now discuss these, in turn. Firm Traits and Aptitudes Firm traits and aptitudes refer to the resources and capabilities that a firm possesses to compete in the global marketplace.These resources and capabilities can take on different forms such as culture, knowledge, orientation, experiences, and learning capability. 182 A. Yaprak et al. Firm Traits Aptitudes Innovative Culture Firm's strategic creativity in its marketing strategy making Latitude in autonomy vs. control Local Embeddedness Depth in local market knowledge Local market orientation International Embeddedness International Orientation International Experience Firm Capabilities in Cross-subsidization (Leverage) Organizational learning Market Contexts Degree of international integration Degree of similarity with the primary international marketProcesses Degree of integration of strategic design and implementation [Integration vs. Independence] Configuration Perspective Strategy Degree of standardization . n marketing strategy [Standardization vs. Adaption] Coordination / Integration Strategy Performance Structure Degree of Concentration of value chain activities [Concentration vs. Dispersion] Contingency Perspective Fig.? 1: Strategy, structure, and processes as mediators of the firm, market and performance relationship. (Source: Constructed by the authors from Lim et al. 2006), Menon et al. (1999), Ozsomer and Prussia (2000), Solberg (2000), Xu et al. (2006), Zou and Cavusgil (2002)) Studies suggest that a fundamental antecedent to superior performance is the corporate culture of the firm, particularly those associated with innovation capabilities. They show that innovative culture, reflected by the firm’s creativity in its marketing strategy making, is a key ingredient in influencing strategic performance. They further show that focus on effective se of the firm’s marketing assets and capabi lities and prudent resource commitments across markets will upgrade its cross-market integration skills, and thereby enhance its market performance (Menon et al. 1999). The firm’s ability in reverse-innovating products, distributing them globally, and its skills in expanding opportunities in difficult markets and pioneering worthy segments in different types of market settings, all manifestations of creative strategy making, will also upgrade its market performance (Immelt et al. 009). A second key firm trait involves local market embeddedness. Local market orientation underscored by increasing depth of local market knowledge will lead to higher levels of global market penetration. When coupled with the ability to adapt to cultural diversity and affinity to the local market intermediaries’ aspirations to extract common denominators for many markets, this will likely lead to higher degrees of strategy effectiveness (Solberg 2000). Equally important is international embe ddedness.International orientation, bolstered by previous international business and/or marketing experience in the major markets of the firm will give the firm latitude in integrating and coordinating its competitive moves across world markets and thus lead to network-wide efficiencies, effectiveness and synergies. This valuable organizational resource will also help simplify worldwide planning and help establish the firm’s brands with a consistent image across markets; thereby enhancing the firm’s marketing strategy performance (Zou and Cavusgil 2002). Effective Global Strategy Implementation 83 Firm capabilities in organizational learning and cross-subsidization will affect global market performance positively. The firm’s ability to learn more and faster than its competitors and from its alliance partners in foreign markets will advance its marketing capabilities. Its skills in leveraging resources, information, experience, and ideas across markets and affili ates, sacrificing competitive gains in some markets for the benefit of other markets, and sharing organizational learning gains across its affiliate network will help the firm maintain a strong configural advantage, nd will improve the firm’s marketing strategy performance (Craig and Douglas 2000; hamel 1991; Lim et al. 2006). In light of these arguments, we propose that: P1: Firm traits, such as innovative culture and strategic creativity and firm aptitudes such as local and international embeddedness, along with capabilities in organizational learning and cross-subsidization, will enhance the adoption of a global strategy, which in turn, will positively influence firm performance. Market Contexts Porter (1990) suggests that the industry in which a firm finds itself competing largely determines its strategic choices.Market contexts specifically examine the external environment and the opportunities it presents to the firm. Market contexts, such as global industry and the fir m’s global orientation and international experience, will also give firms an incentive to adopt a global strategy which will, in turn, enhance marketing strategy performance. One argument here is that global strategy seeks benefits from both comparative and competitive advantages by leveraging economies of scale derived from common market demand and dispersion of operations across world markets to benefit from factor cost differences (Kim et al. 003). The degree of similarity among markets will incentivize firms to adopt a globally-integrated strategy which will lead to efficiencies and strategy effectiveness, and this will improve performance (Zou and Cavusgil 2002). Participation in multiple markets offers the firm the ability to identify different opportunities with which to exploit its resources. For example, the firm can extend its product life cycle by launching products with different pacings across global markets. Market contexts offer greater flexibility in implement ing global business battles against competitors.Participation in multiple markets also helps firms identify different value chain activity locations based on the unique comparative advantages of each location. The degree of integration in the firm’s markets will foster easier leveraging of resources and capabilities and will ease learning from these. As the firm expands increasingly into dissimilar markets, however, it will be inspired to develop creative solutions, innovative marketing mix adaptations, and imaginative strategies.The degree of coordination and differentiation in marketing strategies the firm is able to implement in global markets and its ability to harmonize competitive tactics across regions will also improve performance (Lim et al. 2006; Schilke et al. 2009). Since markets are dynamic, their changing nature will require emerging strategic mechanisms, inspiring the firm toward developing creative market-based learning, rather than deliberative solutions (Ozs omer and Prussia 2000; Vorhies and Morgan 2005). Thus, we propose that: 184 A. Yaprak et al.P2: Similarities and dissimilarities among the firm’s market contexts will move the firm toward adopting a global strategy, which in turn, will enhance marketing strategy performance. Integration and Coordination in Global Strategy and Implementation As the competitive advantage in adopting a global strategy lies in the firms’ ability to effectively link competitive actions across national markets, global integration becomes a critical task in coping with the challenges posed by the integrated global competitive arena (Kim et al. 2003).Thus, firms adopting a globally integrated strategy seek to integrate their globally-dispersed activities in a manner that will help them develop combinations of comparative (that is, location-specific) and competitive (that is, firm-specific) advantages that will foster more effective responses to cross-national competitive forces (Roth and Schwe iger 1991). Global integration, that is the coordination and control of business operations and functions across national borders (Cray 1984), is viewed as the ideal indicator of the degree of comparative and competitive advantage combinations within the firm (Kobrin 1991; Rangan and Sengul 2009).Roth and Schweiger (1991) describe these two sources of advantage in a global strategy as that developed through international scale economies and economies of scope (competitive), and that which results from exploiting the differences in factor costs across country locations (comparative). Comparative advantage arises from the geographic configuration of location choices while competitive advantage resides in geographic coordination or organization (Rangan and Sengul 2009). Thus, integration allows the firm to disperse its value-adding activities across national markets while integrating some of these within the firm’s own boundaries.Two major activities in achieving global integrat ion goals are coordination and control (Kim et al. 2003). The purpose of coordination is to achieve concerted action among the subunits and functional areas toward a unified organizational goal (Roth and Schweiger 1991). Coordination is essential in managing the interdependencies across the subunits of an organization. As coordination effort in an international business organization can range from low to high, the demand of a global strategy puts its coordination effort on the high end.A high degree of coordination implies that functional activities are tightly linked with one another and that these are tightly-integrated across geographic locations (Roth 1992). This integration leads to configural advantage (Craig and Douglas 2000). Thus, we propose that: P3: Superior performance of the MNE’s global strategy will be positively linked to increased integration and coordination of its value chain activities; that is, to the degree of its configural advantage.Structural and Proc ess Requirements for Global Integration and Coordination Even though MNEs enjoy the benefit of abundant resources and capabilities coming from firm traits and aptitudes and the opportunities their environments present, designing the organizational structures and processes that best support the strategies they deploy that Effective Global Strategy Implementation 185 use the resources and capabilities that suit the demand of their external opportunities is mandatory in realizing superior performance.In fact, the task of management is to formulate strategies based on the resources and capabilities of the firm and match them with identifiable opportunities in the external environment by selective market entry. Strategy, as such, is seen as an outcome of the process of identifying the alignment of the resources and capabilities of the firm and the opportunities present in the environment. Implementing such a strategy relies primarily on supporting the organizational structures and proces ses that are in place.Without the appropriate strategy, processes and structure, firm traits and aptitudes and market contexts may each present benefits by themselves, but they may also lead to detrimental performance when inappropriately combined. As such, firms need to examine both their internal strengths and the external opportunities they face and attempt to achieve the best synergy between these two. While strategy is mostly focused on identifying market opportunities that best utilize the resources of the firm, the reverse is also possible; the firm may identify opportunities in the environment but find that it lacks the resources to exploit these.Unique combinations of these structure and strategy elements will yield unique levels of strategic performance (Olson et al. 2005). Interrelationships among the internationalizing firm’s strategy, structure, and processes are positively associated with market performance and will lead to strategy implementation types that can serve as major sources of sustainable global competitive advantage (Xu et al. 2006). Structure A critical determinant of success in implementing a global strategy is the development of effective structures that will carry firm strategy toward superior performance.Organizational structural forces are crucial to effectively deploying and integrating firm resources (Fang and Zou 2009). One element of this effort is the global configuration of value chain activities such that achievement of the firm’s objectives is rationalized. Sourced in competitive advantage theory (Porter 1990), this effort involves selectively concentrating and dispersing activities across the firm’s global network so that it can differentiate, pursue cost efficiencies, focus on market niches, and achieve economies of scale in doing so (Roth 1992).It also involves assigning various roles to the firm’s affiliates so that they will serve the firm’s objectives in the most effective manner. For instance, subsidiaries might play such roles as strategic leader, implementer, and contributor, depending on their level of local competencies and the strategic importance of their markets to the firm or can be early or late movers in carrying the firm’s products throughout its network, depending on their special strengths and competitive advantages (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1989, 1992).The firm’s aims with regard to each local market as it incrementally internationalizes, and its desire for control over affiliates vs. encouragement of autonomy in local markets, can lead to subsidiary roles as local barons or implementers of headquarters strategies (Solberg 2000). These roles can then create internationalizing networks modeled as federations, confederations, and the United Nations (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1989; solberg 2000). Of the different dimensions of organizational structure, three dimensions are recognized as the most influential on global integration and coordina tion: formalization, departmen- 186A. Yaprak et al. talization, and centralization. Formalization is defined as the degree to which organizational norms are defined explicitly (Hall 1982). It essentially prescribes the acceptable and unacceptable behaviors within an organization. Roth and Schweiger (1991) argue that formalization boosts integration and coordination efforts by decreasing the discretion of the managers at both the headquarters and the subsidiary levels. Formalization reduces the direct involvement of the headquarters in subsidiaries by offering rules and procedures that fertilize the emergence of dominant logic within the organization.This dominant logic fosters similar actions from managers at different geographic locations. In addition, firms also increase integration efficiency by formalizing the ways functional activities are performed across units. By establishing standardized procedures, policies and rules, the effectiveness of integration will increase as the p rocess of conducting activities is codified, a form of coordination by standardization (Kim et al. 2003). Centralization is concerned with decision making authority and is regarded as an important means of reaching coordination goals within an MNE (Roth and Schweiger 1991).A global strategy leads to higher levels of interdependencies among the subunits within a global organization. This would require a higher level of coordination among the functional activities. Adopting a centralization structure in an MNE means that critical decision-making lies at the top management level because better understanding of the various activities and units scattered around the world is possible there (Kim et al. 2003). It could be argued that while formalization facilitates coordination of global integration, centralization plays more of a role in the control of global integration.The assumption here is that with a decentralized structure, each subunit will focus on achieving its individual goals an d tasks resulting in the sacrifice of the overall goal of the organization. Formalization and centralization along the firm’s value chain configuration will also affect its strategic behavioral orientations, such as customer, competitor, and innovationorientation, and by extension, the firm’s strategic performance. Departmentalization is defined as the degree to which the tasks are confined to a predetermined domain and members of departments are isolated from cross-functional interactions (Mintzberg et al. 1976).Departmentalization is believed to be detrimental to the integration and coordination effectiveness in business. It is argued that resource integration, especially as it involves knowledge integration, is an essential way to generate new ideas, particularly for new product development purposes. By isolating the subunits or functions from each other, members of the organization lose sight of the overall picture and the unique goals of the organization. Thus, we propose that: P4: Formalization and centralization of structure will positively influence integration and coordination effectiveness in firms that adopt a global strategy.P5: Departmentalization of structure will negatively influence integration and coordination effectiveness in firms that adopt a global strategy. Processes The major characterization of global strategy is focused on the integration of the firm’s global network of activities and the coordination of functions and resources that will yield enhanced strategy performance. This perspective is concerned with whether subsidiaries Effective Global Strategy Implementation 187 are standalone profit centers or parts of a more holistic design of deliberately integrated units (Lim et al. 2006).Its focus is on the dependence of affiliates on the headquarters and the interdependence among the subsidiaries for materials, resources, learning, efficiencies, and company-wide decision-making (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1989; Lim et al . 2006). When combined with the market offering and the concentration dimensions of strategy (Lim et al. 2006), and under the umbrella of contingency theory (Van de Ven and Drazin 1985), this perspective provides a window into our understanding of the spread of strategic autonomy, functional and operative control over affiliates, resource sharing, and cross-market consultation in he internationalizing firm. Dependence of the firm on its local affiliate or subsidiary for market knowledge due to lack of its own proficiency would lead the firm, for instance, to nurture interdependencies with its affiliates and strategic control over them. Low dependence of the subsidiaries on the headquarters, along with low interdependence among subsidiaries and high subsidiary autonomy are associated with worldwide mandates assigned to subsidiaries (Lim et al. 2006). The organizational processes of MNEs largely involve the control aspects of organizational activities.Gencturk and Aulakh (1995) classi fy formal control mechanisms as market-based and hierarchy-based. Birkinshaw and Morrison (1995) add the heterarchy model as an alternative control process. While the market-based control process intuitively works against the goal of integration and coordination, the hierarchy- and the heterarchybased control mechanisms facilitate integration and coordination to a greater degree. We argue, however, that the heterarchy-based control process is more appropriate for a global strategy.First, the hierarchy concept is incongruous with interdependence among the various regional and strategic business units that make up the global enterprise. Second, the hierarchy model implies unidirectional control, imposed by the headquarters over the subsidiary units, a notion incompatible with global integration. Finally, global integration requires stability and instrumentality to succeed and at least one of these, instrumentality, is less present in the hierarchy model than the other models of contro l.The heterarchy control model, in contrast, is based on three characteristics that global integration requires: dispersion of resources and capabilities; existence of lateral relationships among subunits; and coordinated activities. We feel that all three of these are consistent with the coordination and integration efforts of an MNE and foster greater integration. Thus, we propose that: P6: Adoption of a heterarchy-based control model will positively influence the integration and coordination effectiveness of firms that adopt a global strategy.The Interaction of Strategy, Structure, and Process While each of strategy, structure, and process may have a direct impact on firm performance, the interaction among the three may exert even greater influence on that performance. Viewing strategy as matching resources with the environment focuses essentially on strategy formulation. This relies largely on the fit of the external environment with the firm. However, strategy implementation re quires achieving the firm’s intended benefit. It relies more on the internal fit within the organization; that is, the fit between structure and processes (Venkatraman and Camillus 1984).Venkatraman and Camillus (1984) argue 188 A. Yaprak et al. that effective implementation of any strategy requires congruence among a large number of internal elements. This implies that the supporting role of structure and process cannot be separated from each other. In addition, the dominant logic in the strategic management literature is that strategy is the overriding concern, while structure and process are derived from strategy. Strategic performance is determined by how effectively the firm’s strategy is implemented, and by extension, how marketing objectives are accomplished (Olson et al. 2005).While there are many dimensions to performance measurement, financial and non-financial measurement metrics are typically used in strategy performance contexts. Among these are profitabil ity, ROI, and sales volume, as well as the strategic position of the firm relative to its most relevant competitor, its relative market share in key markets, and expectations compared to relevant competitors and satisfaction with achieved expectations (Olson et al. 2005; Zou and Cavusgil 2002). We argue that a holistic view should be used in measuring strategic performance; a measure that would incorporate both financial and non-financial considerations.We also argue that, all things considered, the strategy, concentration, and integration/coordination conceptualizations of global strategy will mediate the relationship between the firm and market antecedents of performance and strategic performance itself. This is evidenced by recent research which shows that the interplay of strategy, structure and processes lead to higher levels of performance when they are mediated by co-alignment of strategy with the market context (Xu et al. 2006). Thus, we propose that: P7: Firm and market ant ecedents of firm performance will be mediated by the interplay among the strategy, structure, nd process components of internationalizing firms. The Capability of Configuring Strategy, Structure, and Process The capability of an MNE to successfully configure a harmonious strategy, structure, and process could be a source of competitive advantage. Unlike the tangible resources such as plant and raw materials, intangible resources and capabilities such as the ability to align structural and process dimensions with the chosen strategy cannot be easily copied or substituted. When skillfully leveraged, these capabilities offer bases of competitive advantage and increase the effectiveness and efficiency in implementing a chosen strategy.Capability development is viewed as path dependent (Nelson and Winter 1982). Firms accumulate knowledge and capabilities by learning by doing. Dosi et al. (1990) views the firm as a historic entity in which repetitive activities offer the opportunity to le arn and form routines and search processes. In this perspective, capabilities are viewed as emerging from the past history of learning by doing. Firms may also actively invest in organizational structures and processes to make constant improvements of routines and practices (Ethiraj et al. 2005).As such, capabilities are a combined result of passive learning by doing and active investment in learning. MNEs with extensive internationalization experiences would have the opportunity to nurture the capability to align their structure and process with their strategies. As such, we propose that: Effective Global Strategy Implementation 189 P8: The international experience of an MNE will be positively associated with its capabilities to configure organizationally effective strategy, structure, and process combinations. Discussion? and? Suggestions? or? Future? Research The relationship between global strategy making and its performance outcomes has generated a rich stream of research in th e extant literature during the last few decades. This interest was heightened recently with the explosive growth in international business activity, especially by internationalizing firms from the emerging economies. This recent interest has resulted in conceptual developments attempting to explain the roles of various antecedents in explaining strategic performance and empirical testing of these frameworks (e. . , Katsikeas et al. 2006; Lim et al. 2006; solberg 2000; Zou and Cavusgil 2002). More recent work has explored the significance of the roles played by various moderators in explaining the strength of the antecedents-performance relationship (Schilke et al. 2009). All of these studies have deepened our understanding of the strategy making-performance relationship, but we do not yet have a comprehensive picture of many of the actors that might mediate this relationship. In this paper, we attempt to contribute to this void by developing one such picture.We propose that firm tra its and market contexts will positively affect strategic performance, but this relationship should be enhanced when mediated by the interplay among the strategy (standardization vs adaptation), structure (concentration vs dispersion), and process (integration vs independence) dimensions of strategy making (Lim et al. 2006). We offer propositions about each of these dimensions and the interface they have with the antecedents and outcomes of strategy formulation. Our work is exploratory and thus aims at offering a conceptual framework that should lead to empirical research.Some empirical questions that future research might explore include the following. First, what are the theory bases that might give us a better understanding of this relationship? The extant literature is full of studies that are anchored in the contingency and the configurational theories, but other theories/paradigms, such as agency theory, transactions cost economics, the resource based view, and social exchange theory might be fruitful avenues of inquiry in explaining the strategy making-strategic performance relationship.For example, agency theory may shed greater light on the impact of principal-agent relationships on product introduction rollouts in international markets and how these might shape the strategy formulation-strategic performance linkage. Social exchange theory might explore the significance that such constructs as trust, commitment, forbearance, and lack of opportunism might render on this relationship. The resource based view might explain the significance of the role played by the interdependence among the firm’s affiliates as they share certain types of esources; participate in decision-making contexts; and leverage capabilities across the firm’s network in the strategy making-strategic performance link. Second, what is the role of culture in defining and predicting the outcomes of the strategy-performance link? Culture, for instance, might influence conce ptualizations of the degree of control desired, what it means to be autonomous or interdependent, what kinds 190 A. Yaprak et al. f gains autonomy and interdependence might bring to subsidiaries and how desired these might be, and how norms and values might shape value chain configurations and levels of adaptations needed in different markets. Third, what role does time play in the shaping of this relationship? Longitudinal studies might show, for example, that the strategy making-strategic performance link changes in short time frames for some products, medium time frames for others, and long time frames for still others.Finally, are there other dimensions of strategy and/or performance that should be considered and how might these interact with the three discussed in this paper? For example, the firm’s position along its internationalization path or the level of its participation in its global markets might be dimensions that need to be considered more formally to better un derstand the strategy-performance relationship. The interactions among these and the dimensions already considered in the literature are also worthy of further study.Our purpose is to depict a more comprehensive picture of the strategy formulationstrategic performance relationship in international business and to suggest that the interplay among strategy, structure, and processes of the firm mediates that relationship. 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Ethics in Healthcare Essay Essays

Ethics in Healthcare Essay Essays Ethics in Healthcare Essay Essay Ethics in Healthcare Essay Essay Healthcare is a diverse field with many fortes. but a commonalty in all facets is provider’s moralss. Ethical motives means following the criterions and guidelines set by establishments as it relates to occupation responsibilities. professional behaviour. and patients. The determinations made by healthcare professionals. be it physicians. nurses or medical staff. affect existent people and may intend the difference between life and decease. The wellness and public assistance of patients. along with the really serious facet of intervention facilitation. requires that ethical criterions be followed every measure of the manner for the wellness attention professional. Following ethic issues will give us a comprehensive position of what it means and how it applies to the health care industry. Healthcare professionals follow moralss from how medical guidelines are set. how moralss can go legal issues. and ethical effects on forbearance. Puting of Guidelines The scenes of guidelines differ from installation to installation. but the nucleus values are the same. â€Å"Guidelines are normally produced at national or international degrees by medical associations or governmental organic structures. such as the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Local health care suppliers may bring forth their ain set of guidelines or accommodate them from bing top-level guidelines. † ( Guidelines A ; recommendations. n. d. ) â€Å"Clinical pattern guidelines are consistently developed statements to help practician and patient determinations about appropriate wellness attention for specific clinical fortunes. † ( Institute of Medicine. 1990 ) . Such paperss have been in usage for 1000s of old ages during the full history of medical specialty. ( Wikipedia ) Clinical protocol is a predefined written procedural method in the design and execution of experiments. † Protocols are written whenever it is desirable to standardise a research lab method to guarantee successful reproduction of consequences by others in the same research lab or by other research labs. Detailed protocols besides facilitate the appraisal of consequences through equal reappraisal. In add-on to detailed processs and lists of needed equipment and instruments. protocols frequently include information on safety safeguards. the computation of consequences and coverage criterions. including statistical analysis and regulations for predefining and documenting excluded informations to avoid prejudice. † ( Wikipedia ) All facets of guidelines all have a signifier of moralss that follow. Ethical motives Groups There are many different moralss groups in health care. Ethical motives groups improve patient attention and the wellness of the populace by analyzing and advancing physician professionalism. The Ethics groups are organized into three parts: as stated by ( AMA ) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs ( CEJA ) . which promotes attachment to the professional ethical criterions set out in the Code through its judicial map. Ethical motives Resource Center. which provides pupils and doctors with the indispensable tools and accomplishments to turn to ethical challenges in a altering wellness attention environment. and the Institute for Ethics which is an academic research centre unambiguously situated in the nation’s largest professional association of doctors. All these different groups listed supra. advance moralss in health care. Another ethic that consequence patients is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPPA ) . As stated by ( AMA ) â€Å"Created in 1 996 ( HIPPA ) provides the ability to reassign and go on wellness insurance coverage for 1000000s of American workers and their households when they change or lose their occupations ; Reduces wellness attention fraud and maltreatment ; mandates industry-wide criterions for wellness attention information on electronic charge and other procedures ; and requires the protection and confidential handling of protected wellness information. † So many different parts of moralss that consequence patients seem ceaseless but all these things are set in topographic point to assist patients. but when do these moralss go excessively far? When do they go legal issues? Ethical motives codifications and policies of installations can turn incorrect fast and one person’s position alteration others as things go amiss and it becomes a legal issue. An illustration of moralss going a legal issue is a Texas jurisprudence that says vital intervention can non be withdrawn from a pregnant patient. regardless of her end-of-life wants. Recently there was a Texas adult female who was encephalon dead and pregnant. She and her hubby both paramedics. between each other. did non desire to be kept alive by machines in this type of state of affairs. The infirmary applied the jurisprudence cited above. but is this the right type of moralss regulating infirmaries? Larry Thompson. a state’s lawyer reasoning on behalf of the infirmary stated the infirmary was seeking to protect the rights of the foetus as it believed Texas jurisprudence instructed it to make. ( Urbanski. D. 2014 ) Keeping a dead organic structure alive with a foetus that had slim to no opportunity at life. where do moralss come in? Are moralss more of a personal belief or sentiment of some? Ethical Codes Ethical motives codifications help standardise the quality of moralss in healthcare field. The Code of Medical Ethical motives made by the American Medical Association ( AMA ) which was founded in 1847 nem con adopted the world’s first national codification of professional moralss in medical specialty. Since that clip it has been the important moralss usher for practising doctors. â€Å"The Code articulates the digesting values of medical specialty as a profession. As a statement of the values to which doctors commit themselves separately and jointly. the Code is a standard for medical specialty as a professional community. It defines medicine’s unity and the beginning of the profession’s authorization to self-regulate. † ( AMA ) This codification has set the guidelines for the medical industry. The Hippocratic Oath besides shows how guidelines are set in medical specialty. Hippocratic Oath is an curse historically taken by physicians and other health care professionals cursing to pattern medical specialty candidly. There have been ethical guidelines in medical specialty a long clip. the â€Å"Hippocratic curse was written in fifth century BC. † ( Tyson. 2001 ) Such paperss have been in usage for 1000s of old ages during the full history of medical specialty. Each medical installation has their ain ethical guidelines to follow and it plays an of import function in health care and plays a function on patients. The last codification is the National Association for Healthcare Quality ( NAHQ ) . NAHQ’s ( 2011 ) Maintains active personal and professional development plans in the field of healthcare quality and exhibits a wide scope of cognition creates and supports an environment that Fosters teamwork. emphasizes quality. recognizes the client. and promotes larning maintains a committedness to the betterment of the professional through engagement in. and active support of. the local. province. and national professional organisations references concerns and takes formal actions to decide or describe the unethical or questionable patterns to the appropriate channels. ( Code of Ethics for Healthcare Quality Professionals. n. d. ) Decision In drumhead. moralss have effects on how medical guidelines are set. how moralss can go legal issues. and ethical effects on patients. Every portion of health care moralss plays an of import function in the procedure. Decisions of installations. suppliers. and patients are all impacted by moralss. Medical professionals must follow ethical guidelines and be cognizant of legal issues. and ethical effects on forbearance. The determinations made by healthcare professionals. be it physicians. nurses or medical staff. affect existent people and may intend the difference between life and decease. The wellness and public assistance of patients. along with the really serious facet of intervention facilitation. requires that ethical criterions be followed every measure of the manner for the healthcare professional. Mentions ( AMA ) Code of medical moralss. ( n. d. ) . Retrieved fromhypertext transfer protocol: //www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics. page American medical association ( AMA ) -Council on ethical and judicial personal businesss. ( n. d. ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/ama-councils/council-ethical-judicial-affairs. page ( AMA ) Ethics resource centre. ( n. d. ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/about-ethics-group/ethics-resource-center. page ( AMA ) Health insurance portability and answerability act. ( n. d. ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/solutions-managing-your-practice/coding-billing-insurance/hipaahealth-insurance-portability-accountability-act. page Guidelines A ; recommendations. ( n. d. ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ahrq. gov/professionals/clinicians-providers/guidelines-recommendations/index. hypertext markup language ( NAHQ ) Code of moralss and criterions of pattern for healthcare quality professionals. ( p. 3 n. d. ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. nahq. org/uploads/files/about/codestandards. pdf National institute of wellness -Clinical pattern guidelines. ( n. d. ) as cited by ( Institute for medical specialty. 1990 ) Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //nccam. National Institutes of Health. gov/health/providers/clinicalpractice. hypertext markup language Protocol ( natural scientific disciplines ) . ( n. d. ) . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Clinical_trial_protocol Tyson. P. ( n. d. ) . The Hippocratic Oath today. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. phosphate buffer solution. org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today. hypertext markup language Urbanski. D. ( 2014. 01 26 ) . Family: Pregnant and brain-dead Texas adult female removed from life support. . Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. theblaze. com/stories/2014/01/26/family-pregnant-and-brain-dead-texas-woman-removed-from-life-support/

Parents Play a Critical Role in Education

Parents Play a Critical Role in Education While parents have always had a role in their children’s education, there is a growing body of research today that confirms their critical role in helping both teachers and students succeed academically. Parental Engagement Starts Early The parent-school relationship is one that should begin early, a fact recognized by both the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education (ED). In May 2016,  these departments issued a joint  Policy Statement on Family Engagement from the Early Years to the Early Grades  to recognize the critical role of parents in promoting children’s success starting in early childhood systems and programs: Strong family engagement in early childhood systems and programs is central- not supplemental- to promoting children’s healthy intellectual, physical, and social-emotional development; preparing children for school; and supporting academic achievement in elementary school and beyond. The policy statement reiterated the findings in an earlier report,  A New Wave of Evidence,  from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (2002). This report remains the most comprehensive meta-analysis using 51 studies on parent engagement and student academic success. The report released the statement: â€Å"When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more.† The  reviewers  considered backgrounds and income and included studies covering all grades, all regions of the country,  diverse populations along with a variety of methods, both quantitative and qualitative. The conclusion reached was that that parent engagement led to: Higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programsIncrease in earned credits and promotions.Improved attendanceImproved behavior and social skillsIncrease in enrollment in postsecondary education Increasing parent engagement in order to achieve these outcomes means schools are seeking ways to connect parents to school communities. What Parents Think A report commissioned by Learning Heroes and supported by the Carnegie Corporation called  Unleashing Their Power Potential  details why communication can help. The data for the report came from a survey that focused on the â€Å"perceptions of schools and the state and national assessment data.† More than 1,400 K–8 public school parents across the nation took part. The survey co-collaborators included Univision Communications, National PTA, National Urban League, and the United Negro College Fund. The findings from  Unleashing Their Power Potential  may hold one big surprise for educators; elementary school parents place more emphasis on their child’s happiness than academics. Putting happiness first, however, shifts in the middle school years as parents develop doubts about their children’s preparedness for postsecondary schools. One primary area  for  concern in the survey found parents are confused on how to understand the different ways students are accessed: â€Å"[M]ost of the communications parents receive- report cards, annual state test score reports, and curriculum summaries to name a few- are indecipherable and incomprehensible for most parents. About a quarter of parents are not aware of their childs annual state test scores.† The authors of the report suggest  there is a need for improved communications â€Å"that are responsive to parents needs, interests, and concerns.† They note, â€Å"Most parents rely on report card grades, quizzes, and communications with teachers to determine whether their child is achieving their grade level.† They promote helping parents to understand the connection between these forms of assessment. That sentiment was echoed by Claudia Barwell, Director of Learning, Suklaa, with her essay,  How Parents Can Change the Global Landscape of Education  in which she discusses the challenges in finding the right balance in communicating with parents. Her essay, written from a parent’s point of view, suggests that there are three fundamental areas for balance: the teacher’s relationship with parents, parents’ relationship with formal assessment, and the latent power of parents in co-designing schooling. She suggests that schools survey parents and ask these key questions: What values do you believe are essential for a developing child?What part of the current curriculum is essential?What should we be teaching that we are not?What skills will they need for the future?What role would you like to play in the education of your children? Such questions can begin a dialogue and improve the conversations between parents and teachers and administrators. Barwell would also see value in seeing â€Å"links to brief teaching methods and a glossary of terms so that parents can support learning at home without being told we are ‘doing it wrong’ by our children.† Barwell’s request for links illustrates an audience willing to use a growing number of technology tools designed for parents to understand how a school operates. There are also technology tools designed to help parents interact with the teachers and administrators. How Parents Interact With Schools If parents are looking for an explanation with details of what their child is expected to learn over the course of  a week, month or year, there are multiple options schools may be using, from software platforms to mobile apps.   For example, SeeSaw or  ClassDojo, used in preschool and elementary grades, are software programs that can document and share information about student learning in real time. For the upper elementary grades, middle and high school, the platform  Edmodo  allows parents to see assignments and class resources, while Google Classroom provides teachers a means to send out parent/guardian updates. All of this software offer mobile apps as well. Because evaluation programs for teachers, support staff, and administrators include  a parent communication/engagement goal, a need exists to measure communication and engagement, and these technology tools collect that data. For this reason,  many schools districts encourage parents to sign up for the mobile app  Remind. This app can be used by a teacher to send homework updates or by a school district to send general school updates through text messages. Finally, most public schools now post student grades online through student-management software such as  PowerSchool, Blackboard,  Engrade,  LearnBoost, or  ThinkWave.  Teachers can post student performance ratings (grades) which let parents keep a watchful on student academic progress. Of course, the amount of information available through these kinds of technology can be a little overwhelming. Technology tools designed to increase parent engagement are only effective if they are used by the parents. School districts need to consider how they will educate parents to use different technology tools to guide their decisions.  But it is not only in the area of technology that parents need training.   Research findings report that most parents do not understand educational policy at the local, state or federal level. To correct these gaps, the  Every Students Succeed Act (ESSA), an educational reform plan that replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2015, places an  emphasis on the importance of stakeholder engagement. There are mandates for community input; states  must  solicit and evaluate input from parents when developing strategic plans for schools. Finally, while teachers need to keep parents â€Å"in the loop† they also need to respect the limited time today’s parents find themselves, stretched for time, energy, and resources. Home and School Connection Technology and legislation aside, the are other ways parents can be supportive of education in general, and they have been around almost as long as the institution of public education. As early as 1910, a book on education by Chauncey P. Colegrove titled The Teacher and the School placed an emphasis on engaging parents. He advised teachers to â€Å"enlist the interest of parents and secure their co-operation by making them acquainted with what the schools are striving to accomplish.† In his book, Colegrove asked, â€Å"Where there is no knowledge of each other, how can there be close sympathy and cooperation between parents and teacher?† He responded to this question  by stating, â€Å"The surest way to win a parents heart is to show an intelligent and sympathetic interest in the welfare of his children.† Over 100 years after Colegrove published  The Teacher and the School,  Secretary of Education (2009-2015)  Arne Duncan  adds, â€Å"We often talk about parents being partners in education. When we say that, were usually talking about the healthy and productive relationships that can develop between the adults in a childs life at home and the adults who work with that child at school. I cant overstate how important this partnership is.† Whether it is a handwritten note or a  text message, the communication between teachers and parents with parents is what develops the relationships described by Duncan. While a student’s education may take place within the walls of a building, the school’s connection to parents can extend those walls far into the student’s home.