Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 28

Strategic Management - Essay Example ted and respected models of strategic analysis, including SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces, and even cultural characteristics modelling provided by Geert Hofstede in order to adjust in an evolutionary or systemic philosophy. To build a solid brand reputation and gain market share among competition, KFC must understand its strengths and weaknesses, as well as externally-driven market threats to build a sustainable and marketable strategic position. Without this knowledge, the business will not be able to create productive and long-standing relationships with the very diverse markets in which the business operates. The SWOT analysis is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Performing a SWOT analysis is a measure by which a business entity examines both its internal competencies and capabilities aligned with the external market to determine its current strategic position in its market. The basic assumption of the relevancy of the SWOT analysis is that the company can be properly fit within the context of external opportunities and threats by understanding internal resources available (Pearce and Robinson 2011). The SWOT analysis is a framework by which strategic planners are able to make adjustments to the internal organisational structure or reallocate resources to better respond to external market conditions. Porter’s Value Chain is a model that looks at the organisation as a chain of activities that transforms inputs into effective outputs. It is a customer-centric model that views that organisation as being an entity with a set of inter-dependent systems and divisions able to create outputs that customers will perceive as having sustainable value (Pearce and Robinson 2011). There are three ways in which customers perceive the aforementioned value: through activities that provide differentiation of product or services, through activities that lower their costs, and the ability of a company to respond to customer needs rapidly (Thompson,

Narcissistic personality disorder Research Paper

Narcissistic personality disorder - Research Paper Example Diagnosis There are no laboratory tests or medical examinations that can be undergone to determine if someone has narcissistic personality disorder. As such, narcissistic personality disorder is often diagnosed through the means of observing an individual displaying signs or symptoms, or else a psychological evaluation involving questionnaires and responding to certain scenarios during which signs of narcissism can be observed. Since many signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder can be found in other personality disorders, it is not uncommon that someone is diagnosed with multiple disorders, or even misdiagnosed if there is not enough evidence to prove a specific disorder. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association has provided a list of criteria that must be met for a person to be properly diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. ... praised based on looks or talents by adults; severe emotional abuse as a child; an imbalance of excessive praise and excessive criticism; and overindulgence by the parents (Groopman and Cooper, 2006). When these behaviors are continued throughout the childhood of the individual and a failure on the behalf of the child causes a cease in the praise and admiration, narcissistic personality disorder can be exposed as they become an adult. Narcissistic personality disorder is a very rare personality disorder and is more common in adult males. As aforementioned, the cause of narcissistic personality disorder is unknown, but researchers have still compiled some risk factors that might play a role in an individual developing narcissistic personality disorder as they become older. A massive lack of praise during childhood or neglect or abuse during a young age are among the more common risk factors. As can be seen in the causes and risk factors, narcissistic personality disorder usually begin s while the individual is a child, but does not make itself known until they reach adulthood. Symptoms The greatest symptom of narcissistic personality disorder is overdramatic and overemotional behavior. â€Å"People with this disorder require attention and admiration and have difficulty accepting personal criticism (Sue et al, 2010)†. Some of the other more common symptoms connected with narcissistic personality disorder involve the individual believing that they are better than anyone else, thus acting accordingly and expecting an excess of admiration and praise from others. Suffers of narcissistic personality disorder over-exaggerate their accomplishments and their talents in an attempt to receive praise from others, though feeling jealous if they observe someone else being more