" />

Business

China overtakes US as world’s biggest grocery market

By
April 4, 2012

Chinese women shop at Wal 008 China overtakes US as worlds biggest grocery market

WalMart is in China…Walmart was in South Korea at one time but pullout because of poor planning and not predicting the market that existed in Korea. What mistakes were learned that made WalMart take another shot at the China market? How are the comsumers different in purchasing products between the two countries? One thing becomes clear here…China will continue to grow and it’s population will maintain that growth and spending in the coming years as long as the economy can put money in the Chinese’s pockets.

http://www.yepod.com/?p=42718

That’s my comment…pass it on..

Dr Anthony

www.Yepod.com      

poweredbyguardianREV China overtakes US as worlds biggest grocery marketThis article titled “China overtakes US as world’s biggest grocery market” was written by Katie Allen, for The Guardian on Tuesday 3rd April 2012 23.01 UTC

China has overtaken the United States to become the world’s biggest market for grocery shopping, according to the latest report to underscore the country’s growing global economic dominance.

The Chinese grocery sector will continue its fast growth over the next few years to hit almost £1tn by 2015, according to grocery industry researchers IGD. That trend brings opportunities for both Chinese and international retailers, but economists warn it will also put upward pressure on already high food prices.

Driven by a growing population, a move to more expensive foods and robust economic growth, the Chinese grocery sector was worth £607bn at the end of 2011, while the US market slipped to second place at £572bn, IGD says in a report on Wednesday . The UK was the world’s ninth largest grocery market.

The researchers forecast that China’s market will grow at twice the pace of the US to be worth £918bn by 2015.

“China’s grocery growth story is phenomenal,” said IGD’s chief executive, Joanne Denney-Finch.

“Despite its various logistical and bureaucratic challenges, China is a crucial growth market for many of the world’s largest grocery retailers. Even beyond the major cities there are huge opportunities: forecasts suggest there will be over 200 Chinese cities with a population of over a million by 2025.”

The forecasts echo predictions that China’s economy will overtake the US to become the world’s biggest within years, said Andrew Sentance, senior economic adviser at consultancy PwC.

“Over the next decade China will overtake the US on a number of indicators,” he said, noting that more than 50% of the world’s population lives in the region.

“This reflects a broader shift in the global economy to the Asia Pacific region. Asia Pacific is going to be dominant in the world economy looking ahead.

“The negative is that this is putting a lot of upward pressure on energy and commodity prices. So while consumers seem to be benefiting in some ways, they are also facing pressures they have never seen before.”

Sentance warned that growth in Chinese markets presents challenges as well as opportunities for businesses in western markets, which he sees facing a “new normal” of disappointing growth and volatile commodity markets.

IGD says all the Bric nations – Brazil, Russia, India and China – present retail opportunities for UK and other companies. It forecasts they will all be in the top five grocery markets by 2015, with India displacing Japan as the world’s third largest grocery market by value.

Chains such as Tesco have already been expanding in emerging markets. The UK-based retailer opened in China in 2004 and now runs more than 100 stores there while also pushing online sales and opening a number of shopping malls. China is its strongest performing Asian market in terms of sales growth according to its most recent results, but at 4 million customers a week Tesco’s business there is dwarfed by the more than 20 million weekly shoppers it serves in the UK.

IGD estimates that international grocery retailers could open more than 2,700 stores in China over the next four years – around 13 a week.

“The Chinese government is taking steps to steer the economy to a more consumption-led growth model with measures to boost incomes, improve the social welfare system and increase access to consumer credit,” said Denney-Finch. “And as disposable incomes grow, Chinese consumers will be increasingly willing to buy premium groceries.

“But, as with any other market, there are several challenges to doing business in China. It is not always easy to open new stores, because legal requirements can make the process slow and arduous.”

The grocery boom brings mixed blessings for China’s population, nutrition experts warn. Many rural parts suffer from malnutrition while urban areas are being increasingly served by outlets offering less healthy convenience foods.

“Obesity is already growing in the younger generation in big cities,” said Peter Ben Embarek, food safety expert at the World Health Organisation.

He pointed to further pressures from a rising demand for animal protein. “Today we don’t know how we are going to produce all the protein that is going to be demanded globally.”

China overtakes US as worlds biggest grocery market

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Victor Lau’s Kapo Clothing T-Shirt Designs

By
February 12, 2012

Royalvalet – La ruta from Royalvalet on Vimeo.

 

P+S: Tell me a little bit about yourself and Kapo Clothing.
 
VL: My name is Victor Lau, originally from Peru, but a proud New Yorker for the last 18 years. I’m a director/motion graphics freelance designer here in New York. I direct music videos, commercials, and on-air design for different TV networks freelancing under my production company called Kapo Entertainment.
Kapo Clothing, the sister company of Kapo Entertainment, was launched in the summer of 2011. It’s a small t-shirt line that I started as another outlet for creativity. As a freelance designer who gets paid to create COMMERCIAL work for other companies there was just a need to produce something more personal and meaningful for the world. The word Kapo, is a hispanic/latino slang, which means master of your craft. It’s a word that it’s in the collective consciousness of latinos. For example, one might say that Michael Jordan is the KAPO of basketball etc.

 

P+S: When did your interest for design and t-shirts start?
 
VL: I believe that I was born with the itch. Growing up I was always involved with art in some way or another. In school and at home I was always drawing and painting. I can recall when I was about 6-7 years old I grabbed a rock from the street and carved number 1’s on the hood, the roof, and the doors of my dad’s silver Toyota. I guess I wanted to transform his car into a racing car. Fair to say my father was not pleased but in retrospect I feel like it was probably my very first canvas. Then in High School, I designed my graduating class of 99’ senior t-shirt that should have been a sign of what was to come. But it wasn’t until I got to the School at the School of Visual Arts that I took some silkscreen classes that really made it possible for me to materialize some of my ideas. Maybe that is where my interest for t-shirts started.
 

 

P+S: What motivated you to merge your love for the two to launch this line?
VL: When I started buying and collecting t-shirts it’s when I started to pay more attention to the details of the t-shirts that I definitely loved and the details that I would definitely improve on if I had my own line. I guess you could say that my t-shirt collection was my field research into the different brands, cuts, and designs out there. After I had collected enough t-shirts from independent companies and big brands I had a good idea of what the market had to offer me. Then, I decided that I needed to make my own since there were a couple of ideas I had not seen yet and a lot of the t-shirts I had purchased were lacking a real sense of quality when it came to materials used, bothersome tags, or real rough silkscreen prints. I took all of these details into account when making the Kapo t-shirts and as a result our t-shirts are made with fitted fine Peruvian cotton 40/1, have silkscreened tags, go through a dye emulsification print process, and are prewashed for no shrinking.
 
P+S: How did it all start and how has it developed since the launch?
 
VL: I had been talking about having my own t-shirt line for years but the reason why it took me so long to get it started was that I had trouble finding the right manufacturer. I didn’t want to use American apparel like many other independent companies did. I wanted an original cut and wanted the control of using our very own materials. Luckily, in 2010 I found a great company that I work with from Peru. The quality of the t-shirts are amazing, the t-shirts feel good on you, and that really sets the brand apart from the majority of the t-shirt lines out there. I’ve had to learn a whole lot very quickly and roll with the reality of what sells and where it sells. In a way I have been living the “how to make it in America” scenarios in order to get the brand out there. Kapo has only had 1 run of 6 t-shirt designs so far but since our launch I believe that we have honed in our key demographic and who our key customers really are. 
 

 

P+S: How would you describe the style of the Kapo Clothing t-shirts? Who is your target market?
 
VL: I would say Kapo has a unique hand drawn/renegade style that addresses unique subject matter that is both relevant and historic. The concepts of the first 6 designs that we launched this summer have a more ethnic feel. That’s partly because I was born in Peru but grew up in New York and I wanted that duality to reflect on the concepts and artwork of the line. Kapo tackles certain racial issues with wit (sudaka t-shirt), pays tribute to certain war heroes (bolognesi, tupac), and brings a little quirky humor to people live’s (pisco, llama love, this is love).
 
I would say people ages 25-34 are our main buyers and followed closely by people ages 18-24. I believe that our buyers are independent thinkers that are a little bit tired of the big brands, overpriced clothes, and are looking for designs that are original and well made.
 
 
 
 
 
Get yourself an original Victor Lau’s Llama T-Shirt ….
 
That’s my comment…pass it on..
 
Dr Anthony
Yepod.com
logo smaller with star Victor Laus Kapo Clothing T Shirt Designs
 

Emotional intelligence: thinking and feeling on the job

By
February 11, 2012

What is the point in staying with a job that makes you unhappy and doesn’t challenge you to improve. A dead-end job is exactly that… a dead end. Given the economic times we face today, those with a job count themselves as lucky. Eventually the job market will wake up from it’s deep sleep and will be hungry for growth once again. When that occurs..don’t simply take the first job that comes around…ask yourself …will this job keep me happy and on a path of professional improvement? A simple yes or no will do….

That’s my comment…pass it on,

Dr Anthony

Yepod.com

http://www.yepod.com/?p=32332 

poweredbyguardianREV Emotional intelligence: thinking and feeling on the jobThis article titled “Emotional intelligence: thinking and feeling on the job” was written by Jill Insley, for The Guardian on Friday 10th February 2012 22.59 UTC

How have you been using your emotional intelligence at work? Chances are you’ve called on it less than you might like, according to new research which shows that the art of identifying, understanding and managing your emotions – and those of others – to improve your performance has, apparently, declined since the start of the financial crisis.

A study of 12,400 workers, mainly from the UK managerial population from 2001 to 2010, found it increased steadily during the economically strong years of 2001 to 2007, dropped sharply in 2008 during the worst of the banking crisis and when the recession started, rose slightly in 2009 and fell again in 2010.

The report speculates that because economic uncertainty affects people’s security, they may feel threatened and switch into “survival mode” to try to protect what they have. John Cooper, chief executive of occupational psychologists JCA, which conducted the research, says: “Unfortunately this can make things worse as workers become less adaptive and responsive to change, and may miss business or personal opportunities.”

The term “emotional intelligence” was first used in the world of psychology in 1966, and although several different interpretations have developed since then it is still a relatively new field. JCA, whose clients include FTSE 100 companies and government agencies, describes it as an “innate human attribute” which, if understood and used well, can help us manage our thinking and feeling to improve our behaviour and relationships.

“If we liken the mind to a high-performance engine, then emotional intelligence would be the oil that enables us to maintain and manage ourselves to perform to our full potential,” JCA says in its report, A Decade of Emotional Intelligence.

It is divided into two main areas – personal intelligence and interpersonal intelligence. These, in turn, can be split into 16 scales, measured by JCA through its Emotional Intelligence Profile (EIP) questionnaire.

These include self-regard and regard for others; self-awareness and awareness of others; emotional resilience; personal power (the degree to which you believe that you are in charge of, and take responsibility for, your outcomes in life, rather than seeing yourself as the victim of circumstances or of other people); flexibility; authenticity; trust; balanced outlook; connecting with others ; emotional expression; conflict handling and interdependence.

The report’s findings seem to confirm some commonly held presumptions. While there is no significant difference between men and women in overall scores, men have a more critical mindset with higher self-regard and lower regard for others.

In contrast, women tend to have a more submissive mindset with lower self-regard and with higher regard for others. Emotional intelligence improves with age, as we develop a more balanced outlook and become less dependent on, but more trusting of, others.

But measuring emotional intelligence can also be used to identify areas of development for employees in specific positions. An awareness of where you sit on each scale can help determine whether you need extra training to progress, or will excel in a particular industry or sector.

Self-employed people score higher than any other occupational group, possibly because there is a greater need to be emotionally intelligent if you are dependent, mostly, upon yourself for your business success, says Cooper.

People working in the health sector scored significantly lower in self- regard, which Cooper says may result in them putting the needs of others first. Those working in human resources scored higher in “mistrusting”, reflecting the nature of some aspects of their work, including redundancies, tribunals and underperformance.

Those in the sales sector scored strongly on self-assuredness, not being easily put off and being able to connect with people without being overly caring. Employees in the technology and financial sectors – professions that are traditionally less people-oriented – scored lower than all other job groups on interpersonal aspects of emotional intelligence.

JCA says senior managers and directors tend to score highly in all aspects, but especially in self-belief, emotional resilience, personal power, positive outlook, going after goals, conflict handling and independence. But low scores on some of these scales can have a negative impact on others, especially if the person with the low score holds a senior position.

Graham Coxell, chief executive of stockbrokers Rowan Dartington, witnessed a main board director exhibiting a lack of emotional intelligence while working at a FTSE 100 company. There was a problem in a particular part of the company, and the director had asked six senior managers to present their views on why the situation had occurred. “The first person outlined what he thought the problem was, and the director shouted, ‘So you’ve been lying to me for a year.’ Who around that table would now say what they thought the problem was?”

In contrast, a different board director at the same company showed very good emotional intelligence when he approached Coxell about the performance of a colleague: “He said, ‘I think I’ve put ABC into the wrong position because he is very good, but he’s not thriving. What’s your opinion?’ That showed humility and openness.”

He was sufficiently impressed by the impact the different approaches had on himself and his colleagues that, on buying the stockbroking firm in March 2011, he decided to incorporate emotional intelligence into the management methods used in the firm, especially by himself. This includes ensuring that employees feel liked, competent and significant.

“I will always strive to understand, rather than find fault. Why did someone make a mistake, what can you learn from that and how do you go forwards from that?” he says.

Coxell believes encouraging a greater understanding of emotional intelligence among his staff has benefited the firm. “It’s a very happy place to work now, and it’s turned the business from one which lost money to one which makes a profit,” he says.

Those who feel their effectiveness generally – but especially at work – isn’t up to scratch, need not despair. Unlike personality traits and IQ – relatively fixed from birth – emotional intelligence can be changed and developed.

But first you need to know how you score. Below is a link to the EIP test, giving you an insight into your own personal and interpersonal intelligence.

Personal intelligence includes aspects such as knowing what you want, motivating yourself to achieve goals, dealing with challenges and setbacks, maintaining physical and emotional well-being, improving your work-life balance, feeling confident in your decisions and actions, having clarity of thinking and adapting to new situations.

You have to understand and be in control of these aspects before you can develop your interpersonal intelligence. This includes knowing what others want, leading and managing others, helping motivate others, building trusting relationships, team working, coaching people and managing confrontation constructively.

Visit JCA’s website to take the free Emotional Intelligence Profile questionnaire and to receive a profile outlining key strengths and development areas.

Emotional intelligence: thinking and feeling on the job

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Why switching banks is easy

By
February 11, 2012

A man walks past a branch 007 Why switching banks is easy

Are you angry with your bank? Then switch to one that will treat you better…there are plenty out there who want your business…those big banks are dinosaurs…they have seen their time and are ready for extinction…go with a smaller bank…one that believes that customer service is still king…

That’s my comment…pass it on,

Dr Anthony

Yepod.com

 http://www.yepod.com/?p=32330 

poweredbyguardianREV Why switching banks is easyThis article titled “Why switching banks is easy” was written by Miles Brignall, for The Guardian on Friday 10th February 2012 23.00 UTC

Tell people you’re thinking of changing banks, and at least a one will suck their teeth and say you’re asking for trouble.

For years the banks have let this myth persist, knowing that people are more likely to switch partner than bank. A challenge to the status quo is long overdue.

I have switched bank account twice without a problem, and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again if I became disillusioned with my provider.

Despite what you may have heard, the truth is the majority of switches go without a hitch, and if it doesn’t there is usually some redress.

Having grown disillusioned with my treatment (and the overdraft charges) of the traditional big-five bank I’d joined as a 16-year-old, at 25 I switched to the then up and coming First Direct, which was pioneering telephoning banking and put its customer’s needs at the heart of the operation. Ten years later, having got married, and with all the financial paraphernalia of a mortgage etc, we moved our joint account to the Nationwide.

It wasn’t because I was unhappy with First Direct, but because we were moving to France. At the time Nationwide offered fee-free cash withdrawals abroad – making it the only bank to choose if you lived overseas. Nationwide has since taken away this benefit.

Both switches happened without a hitch. The banks do all the work and our mortgage payments and other direct debits were passed on from First Direct to Nationwide.

I’m always surprised that so few Britons are prepared to switch – even after terrible service. Guardian Money gets very few complaints from readers on this subject. I remember only two in the last few years. Compared with the energy or broadband companies, complaints about bank switching are rare.

You do need to keep an the eye on the process, checking key payments such as your mortgage.

If you want to switch account but have been put off, I’d say do it. Until more bank customers vote with their feet, the banks will continue to get away with poor service and low interest rates.

In Spain it is not uncommon for customers to switch bank six times. If the Spanish can build a competitive switching market, why can’t we?

Why switching banks is easy

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Doctor, doctor, this sexist toy-selling is making me sick

By
December 16, 2011

Early Learning Centre doc 005 Doctor, doctor, this sexist toy selling is making me sick

Some toy companies are still living in the past…it is clear as a society we are past the gender gap…both men and women share the same opportunities in deciding what career paths to take ….your sex should not hinder your desire in becoming a doctor,lawyer,CEO,fire-fighter,police officer…careers that were once dominated by men have long since seen women occupy. Perhaps the toy companies need to come up with a new  way of identifying their inventory…what do you think of that ”Boss Man” or “Boss Lady”

http://www.yepod.com/?p=23438

Pass it on,

Dr Anthony

logo smaller with star Doctor, doctor, this sexist toy selling is making me sick    

poweredbyguardian Doctor, doctor, this sexist toy selling is making me sickThis article titled “Doctor, doctor, this sexist toy-selling is making me sick” was written by Jane Martinson, for The Guardian on Tuesday 13th December 2011 13.34 UTC

Look at this picture (above) of a doctor’s coat, which comes with a “handy stethoscope and mask”. It could fit any wannabe medic, as long as they’re up to 116cm tall – which covers most children aged between about three and eight. Why, then, would this outfit be seen as suitable for a “boy”?

My smaller-than-average eight-year-old daughter has asked for a real skeleton and a book about bodies for Christmas because she wants to be a doctor. Hurrah. Yet for sex-appropriate dressing-up, I should of course turn to the nurse’s outfit. This is filed under “girl” on the same website, Ocado, as it happens, which, like other online grocers, seems to fall straight into gender traps when it comes to toys. Why?

At least the Early Learning Centre, which sells these outfits, has learned not to gender stereotype the future career choices of its clientele. Look, here’s a firefighter with long hair! Such gender neutrality comes after a long and, at times, bitter campaign by Pink Stinks, which urged the toy retailer for younger children to stop promoting all things pink and pretty for girls as far back as 2009. Yes, girls like dressing as fairies and even princesses, but not to the exclusion of all else – and maybe they wouldn’t at all if they weren’t led to believe that that’s what girls should want. My colleague Polly Curtis has written here about whether nature or nurture dictates our colour and toy preference.

The campaign website shows other examples of gender-specific retailers, such as Sainsbury’s. Given today’s news that Hamleys is giving up the action-figures-for-boys and nail-varnish-with-feather-boas-for-girls signposting in its flagship central-London store, is it time to name and shame the stores still doing this?

Do you have more examples of sexist toy-selling? Does it matter? And if so, how do we get it to change?

Doctor, doctor, this sexist toy selling is making me sick

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Top tips: Leadership

By
November 30, 2011

George Bush 007 Top tips: Leadership

Do you want to lead? Are are many qualities of a leader, to be an effective leader requires communication skills…to persuade groups,inspire, and motivate. A leader must prove to others that he or she has the background and experience to tackle a problem with an solod solution. A leader must show a proven list of accomplishments that reflect the challenges that could arise in the future. Are you that person? With leadership comes responsibility.

http://www.yepod.com/?p=20616

Pass it on,

Dr Anthony   

poweredbyguardian Top tips: LeadershipThis article titled “Top tips: Leadership” was written by Kate McCann, for guardian.co.uk on Saturday 26th November 2011 10.30 UTC

Rob Noble is CEO of The Leadership Trust

Lead by example: Our core belief is that leadership is using personal power to win the hearts and minds of people to achieve a common purpose. The leader must have credibility through knowledge and provide an example – they must live the values to which they prescribe.

Where is local government today and where does it need and want to be? Can the current team get it to where it needs to go without a new perspective? This is not to say the leadership has to change but the leader may need some new input by reaching out personally or adding to the team. Perceptions of new arrivals with Surrey are interesting and the leader must ensure they do not miss an opportunity to harness this energy.

Tim Hall is a member of new Surrey county council leader David Hodge’s cabinet

Involve all staff and keep ‘walking the floor’: We have adopted a one team approach to leadership, this is very much a transparent style with cabinet members and senior mangers being both upfront and out walking the floor. We think the John Lewis model is a good model to learn from. We move our graduate trainees around departments to get them wide experience of the organisation as with a £1.8 billion pound turnover and over a million residents we are a large and complex organisation. Also the new leader and chief executive visited all our major sites in the first week or two to meet staff en masse, in their teams and at their desks. A lot of effort has been redirected into communication with frontline staff, as they are often residents and service users as well. This is very productive and positive.

Tim Gilling is deputy executive director at the Centre for Public Scrutiny

What makes a good leader? Leadership of any kind in any sector should be built around three principles – transparency, inclusiveness and accountability. In other words how leaders handle information and how open they are about what they do and how/why they do it; the extent to which leaders seek a range of views and respond to them; and how leaders use mechanisms of accountability to demonstrate credibility.

John Atkinson is director of infrastructure, government and healthcare at KPMG

Perspective is essential: Leaders need to really immerse themselves in the context in which they work so being very visible and visiting where the work goes on are both important. Too often we focus inwardly on our immediate environment and what is happening in our organisation without understanding what is happening to the people who we are working for, be they customers, citizens, politicians or staff. Without this range of perspective we build stories that self-fulfil, we can tell ourselves we’re great when the world thinks otherwise.

Nick Forbes is Labour leader of Newcastle city council

Collaborate and co-operate for the best results: Councils are squeezed between increased demand from residents and decreasing resources. Leadership in local government is currently about setting a strong direction. We cannot just wait to be battered by storms and must have a vision for what we want to see in the longer term. To that end we have set out four clear priorities, not just for the council but for the city as a whole. Leadership is increasingly going to be about working with others, not just in soft partnerships but in true collaboration and co-operation.

A leader is not a manager: A key element of leadership is understanding the difference between that and management, or where the two overlap. I set out at a meeting of the top 100 managers at Newcastle city council that I am an elected leader and not another layer of management. Politicians who have as their ambition to simply better ‘manage’ the council should get a job there instead.

Emanuel Gatt is managing director of Shared Service Architects

Sharing is essential to being a good leader: Leaders are increasingly looking to new and innovative ways of collaborating with others, blending services and aligning resources around communities or places to maintain public value. This is challenging leaders to re-examine how they lead their organisations to address the complex issues we face in our society. There is much talk of collaborative leaders (those that can lead beyond their authority) or collective leadership (leaders skilled at both delegating leadership within their organisations and sharing leadership across partnership). The question is how we help our leaders build capacity and capability in these skills.

Broaden your knowledge base: It is dangerous for emerging leaders to develop a selective perception, seeing the world only from their organisational standpoint. The modern day leader must make time to stretch their peripheral knowledge, go see other organisations in different sectors and industries and find out how they address problems and innovate. We can encourage this by asking leaders to build networks beyond their sector or discipline – do some ‘shared service tourism’.

Sarah Hyder is external relations manager for Changemakers

What makes a good leader? Having knowledge and insight, values, being open-minded and communicating well. Younger people are more likely to value more personality based attributes such as charisma and open-mindedness, whereas those over 30 are more likely to see leadership skills as things gained through experience.

How to encourage younger people to become local government leaders: Provide mentoring opportunities for young constituents who may be interested in being a local councillor. Encourage those young people who have already become local councillors/reached senior positions within local government to promote the benefits of these roles to a younger audience – they are often more effective advocates. Maximise opportunities for young people to be engaged in decision making processes such as commissioning or participatory budgeting to give a real opportunity to understand, and influence, how local authorities work.

Robin Lawrence works for The Leadership Trust

Leaders can get sucked into the detail of the task: The more effective leaders divide their attention to ensure the needs of the team and the individual are met. This means lifting ourselves above the detail for long enough to ensure that the people are working effectively together, are clear on the objectives, and have what they need to tackle the task.

Not all changes are a bad thing: Seeking out the positives is a useful quality. Be prepared to muck in or do something different to make change a success instead of blocking or avoiding it. Similar to being positive but with the added quality of being proactive. The overriding quality needed is adaptability.

George Griffin is director of learning and development at Penna

What works best for you? Each organisation we work with faces a variety of challenges and opportunities so the first step is to clearly establish the ‘leadership brand’ required to support the organisation in the achievement of its objectives. A particular leadership style may work well for one organisation but have a detrimental impact on another.

A good leader must motivate people to follow them: Leadership boils down to the ability of an individual to inspire and motivate people towards a vision. This requires the ability to communicate clearly but also with conviction and passion. Additionally, a leader needs to have ‘followability’ which is harder to articulate but is based on a whole host of factors such as their values, emotional awareness, gravitas, impact and credibility. As an ex-soldier, the phrase ‘serve to lead’ resonates deeply with me. The best leaders I have known have always been prepared to put their own team’s needs before their own.

You can read the full debate here.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Join the local government network for more analysis and best practice direct to your inbox.

 

Top tips: Leadership

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Steve Jobs honoured by Silicon Valley

By
October 16, 2011

Steve Jobs honoured by Si 007 Steve Jobs honoured by Silicon Valley

What’s next now that Steve Jobs is no longer with us? Who will be the one to follow into the future? How will his passing impact this industry? We are left with many questions…

http://www.yepod.com/?p=15231

Pass it on,

Dr Anthony      

poweredbyguardian Steve Jobs honoured by Silicon ValleyThis article titled “Steve Jobs honoured by Silicon Valley” was written by Ed Pilkington in New York, for The Guardian on Sunday 16th October 2011 21.39 UTC

Some of Silicon Valley’s top executives were set to gather at Stanford university on Sunday evening to celebrate the life and genius of the Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Fittingly perhaps for a memorial of a man who was notoriously secretive, the precise location of the event and its guest list is under wraps. It is being billed as strictly private, with no public or media coverage welcome.

Last week Jobs had a small private funeral following his death on 5 October, aged 56, from pancreatic cancer. On Wednesday morning, another private event will be held at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters for the company’s employees to pay their respects to their deceased leader.

Despite the primarily private nature of the commemorations, Jobs’s many admirers and fans have been able to express their sentiments through an outpouring of messages and cards to Apple stores and the company’s website.

In California, the governor Jerry Brown declared Saturday “Steve Jobs Day”. In a proclamation, he said: “It is fitting that we mark this day to honour his life and achievements as a uniquely Californian visionary. He epitomised the spirit of a state that an eager world watches to see what will come next.”

Security around the Stanford commemoration has been so tight that scarcely any details have yet emerged. Reuters reported that the president of one of Apple’s bitterest rivals, Samsung Electronics, Lee Jae-yong, would be among the attendants.

Samsung and Apple are fighting for supremacy in the smartphone and tablet markets.

 

Steve Jobs honoured by Silicon Valley

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Fake Apple stores not limited to China

By
July 25, 2011

Fake Apple Store 007 Fake Apple stores not limited to China

When businesses get caught cheating the consumer, the reaction can be insulting as appears in the photo above. Is he angry because he got fingered? He is surely putting that finger into good use for the photographers. Caught with fake Apple.

Pass it on,

Dr Anthony

yepodcom2Logo 150x150 Fake Apple stores not limited to China   

poweredbyguardian Fake Apple stores not limited to ChinaThis article titled “Fake Apple stores not limited to China” was written by Charles Arthur and agencies, for guardian.co.uk on Monday 25th July 2011 10.37 UTC

The problem of fake Apple retail stores turn out not to be limited to the southwestern city of Kumming in China, as identified last week by an American blogger living there: similar fakes exist in countries from Croatia to Venezuela, according to readers who have contacted her.

Two of the five fake Apple stores in the southwestern city of Kumming identified by the writer on the Birdabroad blog last week have since been shut down by Chinese officials, according to a local government website there.

But Chinese officials said they would not be taking any action against the other three stores, which like the other two prominently displayed Apple signs and logos, because they did not find any fake Apple products for sale, according to a report by a local newspaper posted on the Kunming city government’s website. Apple has 13 official resellers in Kumming, but no official stores.

The latest post on the Birdabroad blog says that readers have contacted her with details about “fake (or at least seriously questionable)” Apple stores in countries including Burma, Croatia, Columbia, Slovenia, Spain and Venezuela. A number of other fake Apple stores were also identified in China, including one in the city of Xi’an.

Apple has 331 official stores worldwide which in the past financial quarter brought in $3.5bn (£2.15bn) of revenue. Their ability to attract customers and so generate revenues for consumer electronics companies seeing diminishing returns – or which can sell pricier goods using the company’s brand cachet – seems to have them popular, if expensive, targets for copying.

After the Birdabroad blogpost appeared on Wednesday, the Kunming Trade and Industry Bureau inspected more than 300 electronics stores in Kunming and found the five fake Apple stores, the city government’s website said. Calls by the Associated Press to the Kunming Trade and Industry Bureau went unanswered on Monday.

The maker of the iPhone and other hit gadgets has four company stores in China– two in Beijing and two in Shanghai – and various official resellers.

The proliferation of the fake stores underlines the slow progress that China’s government is making in countering a culture of a rampant piracy and widespread production of bogus goods that is a major irritant in relations with trading partners.

Fake Apple stores not limited to China

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Are you afraid of the telephone?

By
April 29, 2011

woman talking on cell 300x199 Are you afraid of the telephone?Hello everyone welcomed back to Your Educational Podcast.  I am your host Dr. Anthony.  Today’s podcast is titled, “Are you afraid of the telephone? ” Talking on the telephone can be extremely challenging for someone using a second language. You will want to be prepared so that the person you are calling understands what is being said.  Consider the following tips to  improve your English . First of all, you will want to write down the person’s name on paper. Practice pronouncing the person’s name correctly. During the actual conversation say the person’s name, people love to hear their names.  Next, write down the questions you will be asking.  For the beginners, do not stress yourself with too many questions.  It would be best to start off with two or three good questions concerning your inquiry. Practice saying your questions over and over again. You can also practice with a friend or family member until you feel confident.

Remember this important fact, when talking over the telephone all you have to rely on is your voice.  The people you are talking to can’t see you, so it is very important to make a good impression.  Try not to sound too nervous over the telephone, if you are well-prepared, this will not be hard to do.  Nervous people talk too quickly and have hard time conveying information over the telephone.  With practice  you eliminate any nervousness. Be sure to make your call in a quiet area, away from distractions.  Having background noise will make it difficult for your listener to hear you.

Did you also know that your mood also affects how you sound over the telephone?  Do not make calls when you are emotionally upset.  Your listener will easily pick up on your mood.  Try smiling while you are talking on the telephone.  Professional speakers smile naturally, because they understand that they sound brighter and friendlier when they use this technique.  Decide whether you want to stand up or sit down while you’re making your call.  I prefer to stand up while I’m making my calls, because it allows me the freedom to move around and use my body language.  Others prefer to sit down while they’re making their calls, and have the luxury of having paper and pencil nearby on their desk.  Taking notes are important, so be prepared to write down important information relating to your questions.

As a native speaker, I can remember the time when I was terrified of talking over the telephone.  But with practice, I was able to overcome my fear.  Having the ability to speak over the telephone can be a great asset to your personal and professional life.  When it comes to international business, the ability to get the point across is essential for success.  Consider how valuable, you will become when your colleagues realize your ability to speak to international clients.  In this ever challenging business arena, we cannot solely rely on e-mails as a form of communication.  Being able to make that call overseas, delivers a personal touch, and strengthens business and personal relationships.  I want to thank all my friends and students around the world for listening to Your Educational Podcast… 

This is Dr. Anthony, signing off….

Are You Ready for Your Interview?

By
April 29, 2011

Hello everyone and welcome to Your Educational Podcast,  I am your host Dr. Anthony.  Our website is for professionals and students who are looking to improve their English as a second language.  Your Educational Podcast is written and published by Dr. Anthony.  Today’s topic is “Are you ready for your interview?”  Whether you are preparing for your university or a job interview, there are certain steps you can take to prepare for it.  Being able to answer confidently will depend on how much time, practice, and research you do before that important day.  Many of the questions that are asked during the interview do not have a right or wrong answer.  What is most important about answering questions during the interview is how you answer them.  What the interviewers are looking for is an individual who can answer a question without seeming too nervous.  The interviewers like to see their applicants show control and knowledge during the interviewing process.  Even before the interview has begun, the first impression that you give your interviewer is your appearance.  So you need to dress in a professional and comfortable attire. Let’s take a look at some examples of questions that may come out in a typical interview.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

2. Why do you want to be a part of our university or company?

3.  Do you work well under pressure or deadlines?

4. Where do you see yourself in 2-5 years?

5. What have you learned from your mistakes in the past?

6.  What makes you angry?

7.  What are your strengths?

8.  What are your weaknesses?

9.  What is the most exciting thing you’ve ever done?

10.  What are your future ambitions?

11.  What do you like most about our university or company?

12.  Are you a creative person?

13.  Do you have any regrets?

14 what is the most difficult decision you have ever made?

15. Do you believe you are an honest person?

The above is a small sample of questions that many institutions use to qualify or disqualify a candidate.  You should do a little research on the Internet about the university or company that you’re interested in.  Knowing a little information ahead of time can give you an edge over other individuals seeking the same position. The Internet is a great resource to find different questions to practice .  Read over the questions that you find and write down an answer for each one . Have a friend or family member, pretend to be the interviewer and rehearse your responses.  Be sure to keep your answers clear and short.  Do not bore your interviewers with long responses.  Maintain good eye contact, it shows that you are confident and interested.  Try to avoid negative words, and keep the tone of your conversation on a positive note. The more you practice your responces,the more successful you will be at your interview.

This is your host Dr Anthony signing off.

China to make multimillion pound investment in beleaguered Spain

By
January 5, 2011

Agreements likely to involve public support for Spanish bonds and exports of olive oil, ham and wine


Social English: Introduction

By
September 10, 2009

Archives

Links

  • Dr Anthony's English as a Second Language

Archives

Pages

Categories

Resources


© 2009-2012 Your Educational Podcast and Video All Rights Reserved