Starting a Small Business - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2562 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Narrative essay Level High school Did you like this example? Staring a small business require the entrepreneur skills such as self-belief and awareness of the product or service, self-determination, commitment to work for quit long hours, to be initiative and proactive to reduce the possible risk etc. My business idea is to open the travel and tourism agency here in Muscat Oman which is located in Arab Peninsula. Travel Agency is the private provider of travel and tourism services such as airlines, cruising, hotel packages, tours, car rental and others. It acts as an agent on the behalf of the suppliers and the stock is usually are on hand (Sighn). My service is new but an existing one whereby there is less risky compare to diversification. I will locate my small travel and tours office in Al-Khuwair because it is at the center of the ministries, offices and the availability of several colleges in nearby in Bawsher where there are bunch of international students, a good example is here in Modern College of Business and Science, some students are from Tanzania, Kenya, Pakistan and other parts of the world and so easier travel excellence they will get hence success onto my side. This kind of business is very attractive to me because first I have the experiences in some airlines and travel agencies such as general sales agent of Marhaba tours and Travel and worked as sales and reservation supervisor in Yemen Airways. I did on-the-job training at Ethiopian airlines in previous year where I used to handle different types of people and work as a team work. Apart from that I used to design the travel ittenaries in travel agent, prepare tourist accommodation and dealing with the embassies and consulates in obtaining the visa. I also was responsible of collecting sales from my fellow staff every day evening, which is among the reasons that I am aware of this job. In addition to that, I undergo some IATA courses of diploma, consultant and the computer reservation system. The type of the business that I have select is sole proprietorship which said to be owned by one person, I choose the type of the business because it is easy to start and end the business anytime where there is no any special corporate tax that is needed to be paid (Legal Match). The name of my business agency is Easy to go travel and tourism because it will attract many people as they will eager to easy to go where, when and other details. The slogan of my small Agency will be Awaken and Discover New World and my logo shows the full globe with some airlines pictures, it is of two colors blue which indicates ocean and green which shows the land and peace Hopefully, my small business will beat the rivals like Zahara Travels and Marmul Travel Agency, both located in Al Khuwair due to my design and my unique selling point that I will introduce. Vision of my small business is to serve peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s travel tour demand and to be the best operator in the region. In order to provide the best service s that would satisfy my customers demand, there are some objectives that assist to accomplish my goal, among those objectives is customers satisfaction, profit as the most important aim of my business and performing a marketing research like competitor analysis, swot analysis and other so as to understand what are my strength, weakness, opportunity and threats. Having the business insurance is very important aspect to consider. At the first point, I have planned to offer few services like in air travels include dealing with designing the ittenaries, booking, and issuing the tickets, a good example of the major airlines are Emirates, Etihad, Ethiopian Airlines and other carries, advising the customers, importance of travel requirements like visa and informing the clients in case of any changes when occur, refunds, taxes, surcharges and many more. Furthermore, I will deal in organizing the certain group travel such as expatriates and students. Introducing the loyalty schemes wit h my frequent customers in which when a passenger accumulates certain amount of points can get free ticket of any carrier, this is my one among the unique selling point, not only that but also for legal couples travel together five times within a year, my travel agency will offer free return air ticket fare with no surcharges and taxes included and for the singles travelers they will be offered one way ticket across the continent destination. As the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vision says that the company wants to fulfill the travel demand to everyone, due to the authorization from the car rental companies like Avis, I will be able to hire a cars for clients for a period of weekly and monthly hence easier tourist to be more comfortable in roving and roaming in town. According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), every year the rate of tourists increase and so in tourism sector, I will deal with design the cruise shipping. So far Oman is said to be an old town with many histori cal forts and heritage sites like Bahla which attract many people. Other attractions that Oman has are the dessert Safari, Rock climbing, caving and gallery. All of these I will design as one of my service hence benefit for the benefit for the government because more income in tourism sector (Index Mundi). Operation requirement that I need are three computers, two for reservation and one for accounts and sales, two printers and one photocopy machines. For the employees, one permanent employee as a reservation staff and myself, one messenger and I will hire a contingent worker for a peak season. Balancing the personal and business wants is very important strategy to focus on so as to be able to keep them in a good position as well as reduce own stress level which could affects ones health. Potential profitability estimated sales revenue is R.O 250.000 and 60 % of the cost of sale. Marketing research is the process of accessing how the product is appreciated by the users, customers through survey, focus group, questionnaires etcetera. Marketing research help to control its target market and to discover its potential customers, this can be conducted by the organization itself or by the third party which specialize in market research (Investopedia). As I want my small business to be well-known, I have conducted both secondary and primary research. Through this research I will be able to follow the customers demand and build a good reputation for myself as well. During my research, I was able to visit Zahara Travels since one of my cousins is working there and so I got some important information like ownership and actual additional service charges per every ticket they issue and tour packages they design. I have conducted a primary research which involves the new out comings that no one has collected before, these include questionnaires, interview, survey in a focused group whereby I used a questionnaires and interview only. I prepared 120 ques tionnaires which consist of ten questions using qualitative method of research that uses the open ended questions, example of the questions that I have asked are what do you like in travel?, how many have you ever visit, where and why. I distributed my questionnaires to three different locations, in hotels such as Radisson in Al-Khuwair, in the colleges and in some entities. Nevertheless, I put some questionnaires questions in the social media such as face book, instagram and others but I used a closed ended questions. In addition to that, I have collected the figures from the government entities such as from Archive. Other method that I have used in primary research is interview with the Oman Ministry of Tourism on how many tourists are coming and from which parts of the world mainly outbound. To gather much information, I also have used secondary research which is said to be the data that are already existed, for instance of these data/statistics are from websites, the compe titorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s information, magazines and newspapers. However, I was aware when collecting this research because the data/information from websites may be old and outdated. Secondary information is divided externally and internally but for the entrepreneurs, only external research can be obtained. External research includes collecting the existence data from outsiders for example from the competitorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s information, for this, I have used main regional rivals such as Marmul Agency and Zahara Tours and Travel. Furthermore, I tried to concentrate and research about Pestle Analysis to determine the factors that will affect my business. Pestle analysis is a business tool that used by the businessman and entrepreneurs to monitor the political, economic, social, technological and legal factors that affects the business (Pestle analysis). Politics, a business may be affected by political factors like intellectual properties, consumer protection, taxation, t ariffs, environmental laws and others; therefore it is important to conduct research for the health of the business. Economic factors which may impact the business for instance inflation rate, recession, income, unemployment rate, exchange rate, fiscal policies, labor costs and many more in which I have to be aware and proactive on the certain changes when occur. Socio-Cultural Factors which I focused and considered include population, education level, health consciousness, and lifestyle, attitudes toward preserving green and cultural Beliefs. Technological Factors that I have researched about are including technology incentives and communication changes in order to manage my small travel and tourism agency. Last but not the least; in researching the Pestle Analysis, I have focused on the laws, when there are any new changes I have to go over with it. I have used Swot Analysis to create and develop my serves according to my clientà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s preferences and to know my target market which may bring more profit to my business. It is all about Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and threats. To start with Strength, I have research what I need to do to in order to operate the best than others and knowing the unique selling proposition (USP). My strength include I myself have required skills and qualifications to be a travel consultant, appointed as the authorized general sales agent of the big carries and have efficient and strong distribution channels. Weaknesses, it is very difficult to lease the place/office due to the high rent in central location and another weakness that i have is that my clients cannot buy travels via mobile. Opportunities, travel demand is expanding day by day, increasing of the expatriates and international students is one of my opportunities that I have. Not only that bust also many tourists come to Oman for cruising, according to the Times of Oman à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Oman attracted 300, 000 cruise passengers from October last year to June this year, compare that to the 2003 season when the number of cruise passenger arrivals was just 3,500à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  ( Times Of Oman). Threats, due to the increment of price of oil, the air ticket tend to be very high hence sometimes reduction of customers. Insurance cost becomes higher and higher day by day and Change of climate is considered to be threat also (Travel Industry). After the research that I have conducted early of the previous month, so far I have prepared and distributed 120 questionnaires with open ended questions as one of the method that I have used in Primary Research. Out of 120 questions, the respond were only 95 with real and clear respond. The first question I have asked is what do you like in travels? About 65% of the respond they mentioned about the customer Relation, they want to have travel agency loyalty programs the same as frequent fliers travelers to the airlines vendors, they want frequent client to the travel ve ndor locator. I also observed that geographically segmented, my target customers are male expatriates from Europe, America and India, and international students, majority students from Modern College, Middle East College and Financial College, hence I will establish the relationship and agreement to these colleges where my target customers are. The feedback from the social Medias of Facebook and Instagram, where I have post the close-ended-questions and the sample of the questions were as follow which airline do you like the most? , what is your annual income? a) 6,000-10,000 b) 11,000-15,000 c) 16,000-20,000 d) above. For this question, according to demographic segmentation, the 70% respond were B. Due to these result, I add 10.00 Rial Omani to each ticket I will issue, the second reason that lead me to deduct 10.00 R.O per ticket is when I did the interview with the supervisor and some employees of Zahara Travels, they deduct 15.00 R.O as their service charge, hence I reduced 5 .00 R.O in each and every ticket. After the interview and conversation with the Oman Ministry of Tourism, the respond is many tourists are coming to Oman each year, hence my target market are tourists in a peak season which is in winter in November to early March. Market Demographics: due to this kind segmentation, my target market is early married couples who are eager to spend their honeymoon outside the country, during summer many students are leaving to their country home. Initially the pricing strategy that I will use is promotional pricing, it is a short-termed sale to stimulate the buyers to purchase, and then I will introduce the competitive method in the market because if I set the different very low price, people will consider my product as cheap with no guaranteed and my reputation may be destroyed. Not only that but also, I tried to arrange and calculate the cost of both fixed and variables where I set the margin of safety to be greater than cost of goods sol d. To conclude, that is how I design my small business as an entrepreneur I have conducted a research to determine the factors that can affect my business also to find where my target market are locate and how to price my services in order to obtain profit at the same time win large mass to fulfill customers demand. REFFERENCES: A. Scott, (n.d).pricing strategy. Retrieved on February 12, 2015 from, https://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/salesmarketing/a/pricingstrategy.htm Index Mundi, (n.d). Oman International Tourism. Retrieved on February 4, 2015 from, https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/oman Investopedia, (n.d). Market Reseach. Retrieved on February 8, 2015 from, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/market-reserch.asp J.Riley, (2012).Online Marketing Reseach. Retrieved on February on February 6, 2015 from, https://www.tutor2u.net/business/marketing/reseachlimitations-constraints.html Knowthis.com, (n.d). What is Secondary Research. Retrieved on February 3, 2015 fro m, https://www.knowthis.com/data-collection-low-cost-secondary-research/what-is-secondary-research Legal Match, (n.d). Advantages and Disadvatages of Sole Propriatorships. Retrieved on February 5,2015 from, https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-sole-popriatorship.html Lisa, (n.d).Opodo Swot-analysis. Retrieved on February 8, 2015 from, https://www.travelindustry.blogspot.com/2011/11/opodo-swot-analysis.html?m=1 Travel Excellence, (n.d). Mission and Vision .retrieved on February 3, 2015 from, https://www.travelexcellence.com/our-company/mission-vision Times of Oman, (2014). Cruise industry booming as tourists flock to Oman. Retrieved on February 10, 2015 from, https://www.timesofoman.com/News/43106/Article-Cruise-industry-booming-as-tourists-flock-to-Oman Pestle Analysis, (n.d). Different between Steep and Steeple Analysis. Retrieved on February 10, 2015 from, https://www.pestleanalysis.com/pesta-analysis/ S. Sukhraj, (n.d). Slideshare Project on Role of Travel Agency. Retrieved on February 5, 2015 from, https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/sukhrajsingh7798/role-of-travel-agency A. Scott, (n.d).pricing strategy. Retrieved on February 12, 2015 from, https://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/salesmarketing/a/pricingstrategy.htm Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Starting a Small Business" essay for you Create order

General George Washington As A Leader - 901 Words

General George Washington was conceivably the one indispensable man among the Founding Fathers. He was the only one out of many others to command the respect needed to lead the Continental Army to victory over Great Britain and presiding over the Constitutional Convention. He was indeed born as a leader to which a leader is defined as one who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by leader and followers. During the eight year Revolutionary war from 1775-1783 with Great Britain and America soldiers, General George Washington has proven himself to be a formidable leader that made him recognizable in a much later life such as his presidential selection. John C. Maxwell, the author of Communication Lessons From America’s Founding Father, draws the attention of General Washington strength qualities of being a leader as it explains â€Å"They watched him lead a bedraggled army of ill-equipped, under-clothed soldiers in battle against the world’s mightiest, most professional fighting force--the British Army.† In contrast, Mary Theobald, the author of Whatever happened to Benedict Arnold? argues â€Å"...trusted by Washington that the British thought him incorruptible, had attempted to betray his country by surrendering West Point.† Yet this disagreement raises the question, what does General Washington’s strengths and weakness lies during the Revolutionary War as he serves his role as the Commander in Chief? Based on research, General Washington’s leadership during that period had conveyedShow MoreRelatedGeorge Washington As A General Essay1078 Words   |  5 PagesGeorge Washington as a General. 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A Report On Succession Planning At Momentum Canada †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Report On Succession Planning At Momentum. Answer: Background Information Momentum is a reputable and leading tax, business consulting, and accounting firm in Canada. The company boasts of serving and responding to the needs of its clients both in the private and public sector. Additionally, it offers its services to non-profit organizations. The firm has remained steadfast in strengthening partner-led engagement in providing quality services. Further, Momentum endeavors to provide a cost-effective, collaborative approach as far as doing business is concerned. It suffices to point out that the company has developed strategies geared towards assisting other organizations to attain success in Canada and across the globe. The company is reputable for talent and leadership development[1]. The business activities are aligned to the mission and the need to enhance participatory management. Definition of Terms Succession planning is conceptualized as the entire process involving the identification and the development of a new crop of leaders when vacancies occur as a result of death, retirement, or leave[2]. In business realms, succession involves creating internal people with the ability to take up the key business leadership role in a company. Succession planning enhances the availability of experienced and skilled employees who can assume leadership roles in a company. Several studies have argued that talent mindset ought to be part of an organizational culture aimed at developing good leaders[3]. Indeed, succession management should be guided by the philosophy that top management in a company is central in gaining competitive advantage. By sticking to a good succession plan, a company or an organization is in a position to it employees for promotion or career advancement[4]. Therefore, succession planning is imperative in ensuring that an organization or a company is not hit by leaders hip vacuum if a particular employee exits[5]. Talent and leadership management is defined as processes and activities that occur throughout the life cycle of an employee. These activities include recruitment, training, onboarding, performance management, leadership development, professional development, workplace planning, work assignment, cross-functional roles, transition planning, and the exit process of an employee or a group of employees. It is imperative to point out that organizations often create elaborate models that are aimed at distinctively characterize their development and succession planning. In this endeavor, organizations succession planning must reflect repeated activities for leadership development[6]. The Objectives of the Companys Succession Plan The following objectives guide the company's succession planning: To create efficient mechanisms for the identification of potential leaders who can assume greater leadership roles in the company. To provide the essential development experiences to employees who are qualified to move into key positions in the company. Engaging the leadership so that they can adequately support the development of highly skilled leaders within the company. Creating a database which is used to guide the human resource management in making sound staffing decisions for critical roles. To enhancing the employee retention and satisfaction within the company as a result of continued career development. Countering the challenges that are associated with recruiting leaders externally. The Significance of Thoughtful Transition Planning and Strategic Succession It is imperative to establish from the outset of this report that transition and succession planning are critical to the future success of any company. Succession planning is a complex process that requires due diligence and commitment[7]. In most cases, it is a far more emotional encounter when a long-serving employee or when a founding member of a company has to leave[8]. For instance, a founding member who has founded an organization will find it very emotional to leave owing to the barriers that he/she had passed through; in the transition period. There is often strong attachment to the role and how the specific role is carried out. As a result of these reactions, most people find it hard to plan, or any plan that is developed does not occur in a thoughtful and proactive manner[9]. Certainties often face many organizations as to whether the successor possesses the experience and skills to steer it to success[10]. In many cases, the planning for succession become a challenge becau se the management is often busy based on the operational demands[11]. In most cases, more than fifty-percent of companies have no formal plan for succession. The company was awareness that the completion of a founders cycle of contribution to the company is imperative. It suffices to point out that proper succession and transmission planning requires transparency to avoid surprises. Additionally, the company in implementing its succession plan focused on leaders who have the ability to steer it to the next level in the coming future. The leader who is chosen to succeed the exiting leadership ought to be accepted and supported by other employees. The company has stressed the importance of employees and other stakeholders in the succession process. Additionally, the company has laid strong emphasis on candidates who are actually committed to the priorities, purpose, and vision of the company. The companys succession planning is centered on harmonizing three integral elements that include the vision, leadership and culture within the company, and the strategic direction of the company. The company aligned these three aspects for the strategi c selection of its successor. This step is imperative to ensuring that there is continuity of qualified leadership in the company. For the company, succession planning is aimed at enhanced growth[12]. The Process and practices of Succession in Momentum Company When Hossli who was the executive director of the company made an announcement regarding transitioning out of the company, he did this three years before exiting. The executive in this endeavor hired a coach who would assist him in his initial steps of departure. Additionally, Hossli sought assistance from two colleagues who worked in the private sector to help him. These two colleagues had undergone the succession process, and as such, they were able to avail insights and pieces of advice based on their personal experiences to Hossli. Further, the executive director of the company sought assistance from scholars who had vast experience in handling succession and transition. The announcement made by the executive director regarding leaving the company prompted the Human Resources committee to hire a consultant. The consultant developed a detailed and multi-stage succession plan for the company[13]. The plan began with discovery and culminated into the transition to the new leadership. In the multi-stage succession plan, pertinent issues such as the professional duty of defining the role of the executive director and the leadership needs of the company. Additionally, the plan focused on the facilitation of the decisions of the Board concerning the selection of the candidate and how to effectively identify and prepare both Momentum and the successor for a seamless transition. It is worth noting that the company identified and developed the crucial roles in the succession plan. This was integral in guiding the final assessment and confirmation of the successor. In doing so, the company highlighted the key motivational and the competencies regarding the prof ile need to partake in the role of the executive director. Key importance was attached to preparing employees to be ready to advance in key roles in the organization[14]. It is imperative to note that externally there was growing demand for Momentums services. This meant that the companys operations could not be affected or disrupted by a succession. In this regard, the management endeavored to continue meeting the needs of its customers while going ahead with the success plan. It is vital to point out that focusing on the internal environment of the company; its culture has always been embedded to ensure the competitive edge. The succession plan was designed to adhere to and strengthen the culture of the company. In the succession and transition, there was the realization that mentorship, significant knowledge transference, and interpersonal communication within the company was instrumental[15]. Additionally, there was the need to keep a good relationship with the outside stakeholders who had some uncertainty regarding the future of Momentum. For the company, the consultant acted as a third party between the staff and the board. The consultant developed an active profile of the future executive director. Additionally, the consultant was able to implement the executive director candidate feedback mechanism that was based interviews and surveys. Further, the consultant developed a leadership development plan that would guide the internal successor candidate. This detailed planning ensured collaboration and transparency in trying to choose the right successor. In developing the profile of the executive director the company undertook several tasks that including the following: Engaging in comprehensive document reviews that were conducted through company charts, role descriptions, and strategic plan. The company conducted intensive surveys and interviews the leadership and the board of management. The interviews and surveys were central in collecting further information about the successor in relation to the role specifications. There was an in-depth and thorough culture assessment so as to aid in gaining the full perspective of the companys culture. Cultural aspect was critical because it acts as a tool for the definition the values, attributes, and the requirements that are useful for the new executive director[16]. Organizational culture is imperative in the process of succession planning owing to the fact that culture defines the values and the ways of carrying out activities. After the consultant drafted a clear profile and applied in developing an updated executive director job description, the company had to make a decision based on the where the new executive director should come from; whether internally or externally. The company had two choices to make between searching for the new executive director internally or externally. The board of directors initially opted to begin the search for a new executive director externally. It suffices to point out that in the meantime, they were also considering the suitability of Jeff Looms who was part of the leadership in the company as a possible successor. After some time, the board of directors decided to evaluate the credentials of Jeff Looms potential and capacity for the success in the role of executive director. The decision to evaluate Jeffs credentials was informed by the Momentums strength and depth defined by the strong culture. The companys leadership was aware that by selecting an internal candidate would guard against compromising the culture of the company. Furthermore, by choosing an internal candidate, the company would be able to strengthen its existing culture[17]. Assessment Assessment is a critical practice in succession planning[18]. It is essential to point out that there are no specific guidelines for conducting the assessment. As such, different organizations use various mode of assessment. Several studies have shown the organizations and companies are struggling to locate practices that are practical in the process of succession planning. Evidence shows that leaders who only act on gut or instinct do not produce good outcomes. Assessments carried out through numerous methods are the best because they examine various aspects of the candidates. Multiple assessments, therefore, provide a way in which potential key leaders can be judged based on the right facilitation and tools[19]. In the case of the Momentum Company, cognitive, personality testing, and team-based interviewing was applied in searching for the next executive director. Indeed, assessing an individuals ability to manage complex job requirements and the formulation of a robust operational definition of business intelligence. The company leadership worked towards minimizing bias in the selection of the new executive director and selecting a qualified candidate for the position; it made a decision to Evaluate Jeffs abilities against the criterion established in the executive director profile. The evaluation was planned to take place a period of eighteen months, and this involved a total of three hundred and sixty assessments. These evaluations were aimed at enhancing transparency within the company. The rest of the company team was made aware of the fact that Jeff Looms was being considered to be the next executive director. This announcement provided all the team members with the opportunity to join what was essentially an extended job interview[20]. According to the board of directors, if Jeff failed in any of these assessments then they will be prompted to explore the external search for the next executive director. Lack of progress or any regress on the internal candidate would automatic lead to revoking of his candidacy for an external candidate. The company through its board of directors made it clear to Jeff that his appointment to the position of executive director will only be based on meritocracy. Additionally, Jeff was aptly and promptly informed that he would not be offered the job as an executive director of the company as a result of his role in Momentum. At this moment, the board of directors decided to confirm Jeff as the internal candidate for the next executive director. The decision by the board prompted the consultant to offer advisory and supported the companys staff as the transition plan was developed. It suffices to point out that an effective integration was integral in the transition plan of Momentum[21]. On his part, Jeff was to face new challenges as the new executive director. Additionally, he was meant to hold a vital strategic position within the company. To ensure that the transition was a success, the transitional plan was tailored to take place in two phases. These phases included the transition plan and the development plan. The Development phase In this phase of the transition, there was regular coaching in the company. The training entailed general decision-analysis sessions[22]. The company leadership also conducted meeting debriefs. It suffices to point out that the external coaching centered on the new successors key development goals. These development goals were central developing a comprehensive understanding of the companys context so as to support the transition and the succession plan fully. Furthermore, the company identified specific leadership courses were identified regarding the development goals that entailed change management, financial management, and active listening[23]. It suffices to mention that during the development process, many measurable processes were put into place so as to gauge the performance of the successor[24]. To achieve these measures, the company focused on the following: first, there was a focus on a development plan that built on concrete measures that were aimed at assessing the performance of the successor relating to the identified development areas. Additionally, the company laid emphasis on accountability agreement that outlined appropriate measures of progress. Secondly, the company conducted two more 360 assessments. One of the 360 assessments was carried out as a mid-point check-in. With this assessment; both the board of directors and the staff of the company had the opportunity to give their input. The final 360 assessment was conducted in order to give the successor the confirmation as a preferred internal candidate[25]. At this point, members of the board had the privilege for an informal evaluation of the successors progress. Some organizations succession plans are characterized by confidentiality, handpicking of executives, and rigidity in picking successors. At Momentum, the succession plan is more fluid, very transparent, and a process that leads to the identification of talented and qualified leaders. Additionally, Momentums succession plan sufficiently incorporates development programs that are tailor-made to prepare employees for top leadership roles. At Momentum, succession planning is an integral part talent management. The Transition Phase This plan focused mostly on the outgoing executive director, the human resource department, and the successor. This plan was spread over a period of seven months. It suffices to point out that every month in the transition plan provided the guide for transitioning particular area of roles forms the outgoing successor over to the successor. The company endeavored to provide both the staff and the board members with copies of the transition plan so as to keep them abreast with what was happening in the transition process. During this phase of succession planning, there was a lot of information and primary knowledge that was transferred[26]. There was coaching at every month of the transition plan between the successor and the outgoing executive director. The successor also had the opportunity to interview the outgoing executive director regarding the role, challenges, and opportunities of an executive director. It is worth noting that to reflect that the company was undergoing transiti on, the successor acquired the title Associate Executive Director. The Results The succession planning in Momentum Company was a success. This success was attributed to adequate preparations, the effort given to the succession planning, and transparency. The succession planning was seamless. When the successor stepped into the role of the executive director, he has already experienced responsibilities in the role in several aspects. The company has shown a continued strong operational outcome after the succession planning. Further, the company boasts of the prudent financial management and continued program results. All these attributes point to the fact that the succession planning was indeed seamless in the company[27]. There has been an external validation of the succession planning by the companys annual funder survey. The succession planning at the company has been considered a major success was because it gave all stakeholders the opportunity to be involved in the process. Further, the succession planning at the company showed no negative perception of th e companys stakeholder[28]. The company has continued to make meaningful and measurable progress towards achieving its mission. Key Lessons from the Case From the case of Momentum Company, it is very clear that the value of prioritization and preparation is crucial. Companies ought to recognize and be thoughtful of succession planning as an intellectual process and planning. The succession planning and the process are equally emotional. Furthermore, leadership plays an integral role in the success of the plan. In this regard, it is imperative that the Momentum dedicated both resources and time to ensure that the process was a success. Secondly, in the succession planning and process, transparency is important. It suffices to point out that one of the measures that the company stressed on in order to promote collaboration and transparency was creating a connection with all board members, external stakeholders, and the staff. This initiative allowed everybody to partake in the process of succession effectively. By doing this, the company was able to address all risks and uncertainties in real time. Further, the company cemented stronger relationships with other stakeholders along the way. Ideally, the benefits derived from an external communication plan provided for an appropriate relationship with the business community[29]. Third, for proper succession planning, all stakeholders need to collaborate effectively. During the succession planning at Momentum Company, there are considerable gains that were made by engaging the whole leadership team and the staff in coming up with the success plan. The enhanced collaboration provided the opportunity for various perspectives on how the succession planning should be done[30]. Fourth, the succession planning should embrace a holistic approach. It suffices to point out that despite the fact that this plan focuses so much on the transition, the company should not forget that the process is only one of the numerous roles of the leadership teams[31]. Therefore, there is need to invest in the significant development of all staff to enhance their chances of being leveraged within the company. In conclusion, the process of succession planning is robust and participatory. In the succession plan, the company stresses on the need of developing employees leadership capabilities so as to fill leadership gaps that may arise. Further, the company uses several assessments as a way of gauging and determining the suitability of candidate selected as successors. It is important to note that when companies are managing with talents internally, there is need to seek for the right people. These are individuals who are moving in the direction of the businesss mission and vision. Accordingly, a good succession planning strategy contributes to employees retention and a bright future for the organization. In approaching the succession planning, the company hired a consultant who provided useful insights into the process. By carrying out the succession planning in two phases, the company provided enough time and resources to examine the candidate for the role of executive director. Its visio n and mission guide the company's succession planning. It is worth noting that developing a seamless succession planning reduces the potential harm to the stakeholders. In a nutshell, the company has been successful in its succession processes because it has continued to a financial powerhouse and the production process has been satisfactory. 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Internet Identity Essays - Virtual Reality, Cyberspace, Identity

Internet Identity It is certain that the Internet impacts a person`s sense of identity. As humans, we are live by language, and as an Internet user, one submits himself to an existence that is pure language: written, audio, and visual language. This reality, distilled down to pure language, is appealing to most people. There is no violence online. There are no social expression norms. A person can be, say, or do precisely as he chooses. More than 131 million people populate the Internet. Why is VR so attractive? When a person is born, many things are decided for him. No one is asked if their name or visage adequately describes his person or psyche. His genetic makeup is created from that already contained in his parents, and they dress and feed him with things they personally enjoy. It is many years later before he can begin to make decisions about who he is, and by then, so much has been laid down as factual evidence to the content of his character. The Internet has now permeated our society. Someone can decide who they are at the beginning of a new life, to be reborn in cyberspace. There is the issue of naming oneself, to feel inside and find what makes someone himself. When one signs up with any Internet Service Provider, the first thing it will ask is for his new name. In *1*The Matrix*1* Mr. Anderson named himself Neo: "New" and also an anagram for the "One" he truly was. There is now also the ability to visualize the image of self and present that as an avatar in a visual virtual environment, a step up from nomenclature and font color self-expression. Deciding what one looks like as an imaginary character is also interesting, and like naming oneself it can be good psychotherapy. These are used in elaborate chat rooms where participants immerse themselves in whole new worlds, and where identity is defined by images and one's own character description. As in a story, dialogue will also define a character, virtual or otherwise. Your words are your deeds, your words are your body, says *2*Sherry Turkle*2*. There are even thousands of sites that offer self-inspection quizzes to help people define themselves in a few short questions. What is clear is that the Internet fluidly becomes an extension of the self, and can play an important role in defining our identities. Walt Whitman discusses childlike identity changes with, "A child went forth every day/And the first object he look'd upon/That object he became." In real life (RL) people are told what to do and where to be and how to do so. There are social norms that presume to inhibit our opinions. That is culture. Yet in Cyberspace, the immaterial existence of virtual reality (VR), people become in many ways, the masters of themselves and writers of the universe. How can that not be seen as more appealing?