Walmart VS. Target Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Walmart VS. Target - Research Paper Example An ancient business analyst, Fernandez, in his publication once depicted that business and humankind are inseparable (98). This shows that the success of business entities and that of humankind are dependant of each other. With the increasing need to sustain human need, numerous business entities have been put in place. The quality and manner of delivery of the products determine the success the organizations realize. It is arguable that human needs are better satisfied when there is free entry and exit into the market. This increases competition, lowering the product’s prices and ensuring better services and service delivery (Chapman 15). In the competition of big box retailers, it is hard for two different firms such as Wal-Mart and Target to achieve the same kind of success in their operation. The first factor that makes Wal Mart to be rated above target is that Wal-Mart provides locally grown products, products that provide energy efficiently, and policies of innovative internal recycling (Kipple, et. al. 174). This has made the company dominate in the market. However, it does not have fair policies for its workers and the wage rate hourly of $10.76 is arguably not impressive. The number of employees at Wal-Mart is around 2.1 million. This proves that the progress of the company is very evident (Murphy 57). Further, the company has expanded to 15 countries with 8,100 retail units. This means that the firm has won a bigger market share than Target. The average revenue recorded by the firm totals $405.6 billion annually. The annual revenue is the commonly used determinant of the company’s success. This means that the firm is successful. From Schwartz Ariel’s article, Sustainability Faceoff: Walmart vs. Target, the number of employees in Target is approximatel y 351,000, which is relatively lower than Wal-Mart. In the entire United States, the firm has initiated stores in 48 states, bringing the retail units to 1,684 stores. This

Personal Development Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Personal Development Plan - Essay Example It shall also evaluate team building theories and the implications for effective management of practice. Finally, this paper shall justify my managerial style within the workplace. In effect, this paper shall critically analyse the evidence base for the action plan with the application of current management theories. Discussion As stated in the personal development plan, I need to develop my communication skills. At present, my communication skills are limited and they need improvement; more particularly, my English speaking skills need improvement. Communication is an important part of effective management because it assists in my self-improvement and it aids in successful management (Adair, 2009, p. 4). By increasing reading materials, I can improve my reading and writing skills; and by enrolling in private English classes, I can improve my grammar and syntax, as well as my technical writing skills. These methods can help inject confidence into my speaking, reading, writing, and li stening skills (Lehman, 2007, p. 69). Improving communication is a basic need or skill which has to be fulfilled before I can move on to bigger goals. Fulfilling this need is very much in keeping with the theory as set forth by Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs (Outward Bound, 2007, p. 56). There are different theories and motivation and leadership, and these theories affect the management of organizations. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, people start off fulfilling first their physiological needs and then go on to fulfil their safety, social, esteem, and finally self-actualization needs (Owston, n.d). People therefore can be motivated by their basic needs and also by other more noble goals or causes. For some employees, their motivation in working can start off with the basic need to feed their families (Marchionini, 2006, p. 42). At this stage, they would not look beyond the purpose of their work besides feeding themselves and their family. However, once t heir basic purpose is served, they go beyond that basic goal into higher goals – perhaps, that of saving for their family, and later serving humanity through their work (Marchionini, 2006, p. 42). In my case, my motivation for improving on my communication and eventually my information technology (IT) skills is to maximize use of our organizations’ IT programs. In terms of leadership, the loftier goal for many world leaders has been on the motivation of their armies – with one side insisting that his goal has more moral worth than the others (Owston, n.d). In this case, some leaders may see the need to deliver pain or threats in order to motivate, and others believe that doing so would not be effective ways of motivating people. In other ways, promising more tangible things like money, food, and even excitement can serve better ways of motivating people (Owston, n.d). In managing change, Maslow’s approach to leadership basically welcomes change because a member or even a leader eventually moves up in the hierarchy of needs. Once he fulfils a need, he has to change and move beyond that need on to bigger and better things (Koltko-Rivera, 2006, p. 302). Maslow’s theory therefore, handles and manages change well. McGregor divided human management into the