Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 36

Strategic Management - Essay Example In this regard, the SWOT analysis combines two important factors that are external (Strengths and Weaknesses) and two that are external (Opportunities and Threats). One of the strengths for apple is its technological innovation. Apple has been able to create its position in the industry as the leader in innovation. As a result, most of the customers who are interested in technological products look at the firm as their first choice when it comes to these products. As Ahuja (2010), while using the SWOT analysis, the important thing to consider is to look at the strengths of a business. This is used to look at the organizational environment from within the organization and identify what works out for the business. These are the things that a business can use in its survival in the market. A business will determine its strengths with regard to how it stacks against its competitors in the market. For apple, they know that their strong brand is one of the strengths they can rely on. The other important strength for apple is its ability to streamline production and reduce cost, thus transferring the cost advantage tot eh customers. Apple’s main weakness can only be identifies by comparing it with its main competitor. When compared to Samsung for instance, Samsung has advantage in that it is located in a low cost economy where production can happen at less costs. Although Apple can still access these low cost environment by outsourcing, they still have a disadvantage. As has been identified, all businesses will have some disadvantage as well as advantages. Identifying the weaknesses (disadvantages) of the business is actually important in that it helps the managers to know what they weakest points are and so deal with them. The theory behind identifying the weaknesses of the business is that when a problem is well defined, it is already half solved. Identifying the strengths without identifying the weaknesses of the business can be futile. In this regard,

The impact of European settlement on Aboriginal people in Canada Essay

The impact of European settlement on Aboriginal people in Canada - Essay Example From fishermen on the coast, to traders for fur and other commodities, it is interesting to note that the story of the contact between Europeans and aboriginals does not start from the voyages of discovery but has its origins in the journeys of the Vikings. However, the real impact on aboriginal people only becomes clear when French and British explorers started making journeys into Canada rather than remain on the Canadian coast. Their journeys took them to areas where farm output was better and this allowed larger settlements to be created by the explorers (Schneider, 1996). The story of these connections between Europeans and people from the old world was quite similar to the situation which developed in America and elsewhere in the world. The aboriginals were struck with disease and conflict. Diseases which were unknown to them and for which their bodies had no real defenses were laid up against them. Smallpox and other ailments destroyed entire settlements of natives and they were not able to counter the disease with their medicine. As the concept of the disease and the manner in which it spread remained alien to them, they were also unable to take real precautions against the disease which spread quickly (Wikipedia, 2008). The aboriginals were also impacted in terms of religion and education as the Europeans attempted to civilize the nations of the new world. At the same time, there were several nations which were on friendly terms with the European settlers such as the Algonquin and others included in the Wabankaki Confederacy. With these nations, trade and exchange took place to a great extent which was mutually beneficial for all parties. However, the trade was often replaced with broken contracts and war. For example, the French were continually troubled by the Iroquois who had been given arms by the British in order for them to fight against the French. The