Ebay Turnaround Strategy Essay Example for Free

Ebay Turnaround Strategy Essay The company known as eBay, which started in 1995, grew significantly within a decade to become the number one e-commerce site in the world by sales revenue. In 2008, Donahoe took over as the new CEO of eBay. This was a time when the company was facing issues with growth and consumer behavior was changing. What used to be a thrilling experience for buyers was now an inconvenient waste of time and money. Consumers who were eager to bid against each other for products online were now satisfied with buying new products at fixed prices. Therefore, ebay’s turnaround strategy was to bring the consumers the best experience to find what they want exactly how and when they want it. Although traditional eBay sellers complained about the difficulty for them to do business profitably with the new strategy, Donahoe believed buyers wanted fixed prices, quick service, and free shipping. I agree with Donahoe’s turnaround strategy because eBay had to focus on the market demands to see growth. Something had to be done in a market where consumers wanted fixed prices and free shipping that they were receiving from companies like Amazon. om. Marketing segmentation is dividing a market into smaller segments of buyers with distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviors that might require separate marketing and develops profiles of the resulting market segments. Creating applications for smart phones and tablets was a good way to separate a specific department to its customers. For example, the eBay Fashion app allowed users to browse through products from the fashion department. Buyers were able to take time out of their day and make more purchases with mix and match features. Using the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) method, companies like eBay classify all its SBUs according to the growth-share matrix. Market growth rate provides a measure of market attractiveness and relative market share measures a company’s strength in the market. The four types of SBUs are stars, cash cows, question marks, and dogs. Stars are high-growth, high-share businesses like eBay. When their growth slows down it turns into cash cows, which need less investment to hold their market share. Pepsi is a cash cow in the sense that its not growing but it is making large profit in the meantime. Question marks are low-share business units in high-growth markets. A question mark could be a small garage that does car repairs because it has a small market share but a large demand for car repairs. Dogs are low-growth, low-share businesses and products that may generate enough cash to maintain themselves. An example of this would be a small town theatre business.

Modern Western Thought :: essays research papers

Modern Western though has been shaped by emphasis on scientific thinking and reasoning from the time of Copernicus, Galileo and Newton. The scientific revolution gave birth to a new era of thought, in which observations were made to support an idea. This involved what man could prove through sense, not religion or superstition. Notable ancient Greek historians, philosophers and scientists, such as Thucydides, Socrates, Aristotle, and Hippocrates, laid down the seeds of modern Western thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An ancient Greek writer who demonstrated modern scientific objectivity was Thucydides. Over time, this type of scientific objectivity has become a valuable tool of modern Western thought. The vividness and detail of Thucydides’ description of the effects of the plague is striking. A doctor today would be very impressed by the accuracy and detailed description of the plague: â€Å"Externally the body was not very hot to the touch, nor was there any pallor: the skin was rather reddish and livid, breaking out into small pustules and ulcers.† This precise description of the plague would be comparable to any description written today. The scientific objectivity demonstrated by the ancient Greeks had a direct influence on our medical, and non-medical, description today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many ancient Greeks such as Socrates used logic, another invaluable tool of modern Western thought. Socrates, by asking simple questions, was able to draw answers from people that supported his argument. By thinking a problem through, step-by-step, Socrates was able to formulate answers to a problem or question. This laid down the foundation for modern logic. â€Å"Not at all, my dear Agathon. It is truth that you find impossible to withstand; there is never the slightest difficulty in withstanding Socrates.† This shows that Socrates merely saw himself as a guide to logic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristotle, one of the very first scientists, used evidence to support his claims. Today, any argument made must be supported by evidence. Any argument not supported by evidence is not accepted as fact. Aristotle’s use of evidence made his arguments strong and convincing, even if he was quite wrong. When Aristotle writes â€Å"Again, if the earth as a whole is capable of floating upon water, that must obviously be the case with any part of it. But observation shows that this is not the case. Any piece of earth goes to the bottom, the quicker the larger it is† he is able to prove his point by the use of evidence. The method in which Aristotle supported his arguments is constantly used today as it shows that the point one is arguing is true. Modern Western Thought :: essays research papers Modern Western though has been shaped by emphasis on scientific thinking and reasoning from the time of Copernicus, Galileo and Newton. The scientific revolution gave birth to a new era of thought, in which observations were made to support an idea. This involved what man could prove through sense, not religion or superstition. Notable ancient Greek historians, philosophers and scientists, such as Thucydides, Socrates, Aristotle, and Hippocrates, laid down the seeds of modern Western thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An ancient Greek writer who demonstrated modern scientific objectivity was Thucydides. Over time, this type of scientific objectivity has become a valuable tool of modern Western thought. The vividness and detail of Thucydides’ description of the effects of the plague is striking. A doctor today would be very impressed by the accuracy and detailed description of the plague: â€Å"Externally the body was not very hot to the touch, nor was there any pallor: the skin was rather reddish and livid, breaking out into small pustules and ulcers.† This precise description of the plague would be comparable to any description written today. The scientific objectivity demonstrated by the ancient Greeks had a direct influence on our medical, and non-medical, description today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many ancient Greeks such as Socrates used logic, another invaluable tool of modern Western thought. Socrates, by asking simple questions, was able to draw answers from people that supported his argument. By thinking a problem through, step-by-step, Socrates was able to formulate answers to a problem or question. This laid down the foundation for modern logic. â€Å"Not at all, my dear Agathon. It is truth that you find impossible to withstand; there is never the slightest difficulty in withstanding Socrates.† This shows that Socrates merely saw himself as a guide to logic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristotle, one of the very first scientists, used evidence to support his claims. Today, any argument made must be supported by evidence. Any argument not supported by evidence is not accepted as fact. Aristotle’s use of evidence made his arguments strong and convincing, even if he was quite wrong. When Aristotle writes â€Å"Again, if the earth as a whole is capable of floating upon water, that must obviously be the case with any part of it. But observation shows that this is not the case. Any piece of earth goes to the bottom, the quicker the larger it is† he is able to prove his point by the use of evidence. The method in which Aristotle supported his arguments is constantly used today as it shows that the point one is arguing is true.

Mental Health in Adolescents

Mental Health Service Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Major Depressive Disorder and Suicidality Amy H Cheung, M D Carolyn S Dewa, Objectives: Despite being recognized as a serious public health concern, suicidality among adolescents and young adults is frequently missed, and completed suicide remains the second leading cause of death for young Canadians. With such close links between depression, suicidality, and completed suicide, any intervention must address all 3 of these issues.However, to develop effective interventions, we must understand the types and rates of mental health service use among adolescents and young adults. This study examines service use rates in young Canadians with depression and suicidality and the influence of sex on the types of service provider chosen. Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Weil-Being. Our sample included 619 individuals, aged 15 to 24 years, who screened positive for depression and suicidality in the past 12 months. We examined mental health service use rates in general and by provider type.Results: Among adolescents aged 15 to 18 years with depression, 40% had not used any mental health services. This rate was higher for adolescents with suicidality at 50%. In young adults aged 19 to 24 with depression, 42% had not used any mental health services. Among young adults with suicidality, 48% had not accessed services. Female adolescents and young adults were more likely to receive services from nonspecialty mental health providers. Conclusions: In Canada, many adolescents and young adults with depression and suicidality do not receive mental health services.Further, there may be a preferential treatment of young men by mental health specialists. Further research is needed to understand the quality of care received by these young Canadians and the factors influencing service use. (Can J Psychiatry 2007;52:228-232) Information on funding and support and author affi liations appears at the end of the article. Clinical Implications †¢ About 50% of adolescents and young adults with depression and suicidality do not use mental health services. †¢ Strategies to increase service use in youth with depression are needed. Strategies to decrease differences between the sexes in service use are needed. Limitations †¢ The quality of care could not be examined from the CCHS 1. 2 data. †¢ The survey results were based on patient recall. †¢ Although this was a national population-based study, the sample size was small. 228 †¢ La Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, vol 52, no 4, avril 2007 Mental Health Service Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Major Depressive Disorder and Suicidality Key Words: adolescents, depression, suicidality, service use, young adults D pression and suicidality (ideation and attempts) among adolescents and young adults are frequently unrecognized and untreated by any health professionals. ‘ N ot only are depression and suicidality often linked, but both pose a significant burden on patients and their families. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth aged 15 to 18 years, second only to motor vehicle accidents. ^ Further, almost 50% of teens who complete suicide have a diagnosable mood disorder, such as depression, and have expressed suicidality prior to completing suicide. ^^ There are also consistent differences between male and female adolescents, with male adolescents more likely to complete suicide and female adolescents more likely to have depression and suicidality. ^ Policy-makers, families, and providers have struggled to understand how to address this significant public health issue. A first step in addressing the issue is to understand the mental health service use pattems among adolescents and young adults with depression and suicidality.Given the differences in prevalence rates between young men and women, it is also critical to understand the in fluence of sex on service use in this age group. have a form of depression. ^ Further, according to a biannual survey of youth in the United States, more than 16% of US teenagers have had thoughts about suicide, and 10% had actually attempted suicide in the previous 12 months. ‘† We found similar rates in Canada, with almost 20% of teens aged 15 to 18 years reporting suicidality in their lifetime. † However, it is not known how many of these youth received mental health interventions.Given that depression and suicidality are so closely linked, it would be a reasonable first step to examine the rates of mental health service use among Canadian adolescents and young adults and, flirther, to look at which type of service provider they are seeing to address these problems. Therefore, this study examines the rates of service use in adolescents aged 15 to 18 and young adults aged 19 to 24 with depression and suicidality. We will also comment on how these service use rate s could be used to develop policies targeted at this population. MethodsSubjects The survey sample was drawn from the CCHS 1. 2. We examined a subsample of CCHS 1. 2 respondents aged 15 to 24 years. The total sample size for the CCHS 1. 2 is 36 984, with a sample size of 5646 for individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Our subsample included 619 individuals who screened positive for a diagnosis of depression and (or) suicidality in the past 12 months. We examined the rates of mental health service use in general and according to provider type. Major Depressive Disorder. The diagnosis of MDD was evaluated in the CCHS 1. 2 through the use of structured interviews.The interview modules were drawn from the CIDI. ‘^ A diagnosis of MDD was derived from the CIDI. We used the 12-month estimates for MDD. Suicidality. Suicidal attempts and ideation were measured by using the questions on suicide in the depression section ofthe CCHS 1. 2 survey. Subjects were interviewed for sui cidality regardless of their screen for depression. Although there are significant risk differences between those with suicidal ideation and those with attempts, we combined these 2 groups in our analyses because of Statistics Canada reporting rules regarding rare events.Service Use. Service use for MDD and suicidality was measured with mental health service use questions. All service use was measured according to provider and place of contact in the following groups: GPs (nonpsychiatrist medical doctors), psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers or counsellors, and other professionals, including nurses, religious counsellors (such as ministers or rabbis), and naturopaths or other alternative health care practitioners. Service use for each of the groups was defined according to use and nonuse.Statistical Analyses The CCHS 1. 2 uses a stratified design with differences in sampling fractions across the strata, with some geographical 229 Several studies have examined the rates of m ental health service use by adolescents and young adults. However, most of these have been US-based studies. * These studies show that service use is less than 50% among adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 years* and that up to 80% of children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years do not receive needed mental health services. Among adolescents with depression, 50% are not diagnosed prior to adulthood. * In Canada, the rates of depression and service use in Canadians aged 15 to 24 were examined in the Ontario Mental Health Supplement in the early 1990s,' which found the rate of service use in this age group to be less than 50%. However, aside from the supplement, no other Canadian study has examined the rates of service use by young Canadians aged 15 to 24 with depression.Therefore, even with the increasing recognition by policymakers and service providers that depression poses a significant burden on our youth and their families, there is very little research furthering our unde rstanding of this issue or helping to develop effective strategies to address it. Similarly, we know very little about young individuals with suicidality and their pattern of service use. US surveys have shown that more than 50% of youth who complete suicide Abbreviations used in this article CCHS 1. Cl CIDI GP MDD Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Heaith and Weli-Being confidence interval Composite International Diagnostic Interview general practicitioner major depressive disorder The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Voi 52, No 4, Aprii 2007 Original Research Table 1 Twelve-month service use rates by provider type among youth with major depression and sutcidality Any service % (95%CI) Psychiatrist % (95%CI) GP % (95%CI) Psychologist % (95%CI) Social worker or counsellor % (95%CI) Other provider % (95%CI)Respondents Adolescents aged 15 to 18 years. suffered from major depression Male Female 56. 3 (34. 4 to 78. 1) 55. 9 (40. 7 to 71. 1) 45. 5 (21. 2 to 69. 9) 21. 4 (11. 2 to 31 . 6) 24. 6 (7. 2 to 42. 0) 30. 7 (17. 9 to 43. 6) 25. 2 (0. 5 to 49. 8) 16. 7 (7. 9 to 25. 5) 10. 8 (0. 9 to 20. 7) 39. 9 (24. 7 to 55. 0) 23. 9 (-0. 6 to 48. 3) 16. 4(8. 1 to 24. 8) Adults aged 19 to 24 years, suffered from major depression Men Women 52. 5 (37. 3 to 67. 8) 55. 6 (44. 3 to 66. 9) 28. 9 (15. 3 to 42. 5) 26. 1 (18. 0 to 34. 2) 37. (22. 2 to 51. 9) 45. 9 (35. 3 to 56. 5) 33. 9 (19. 2 to 48. 6) 21. 9 (13. 4 to 30. 5) 17. 6 (7. 8 to 27. 5) 29. 1 (20. 3 to 38. 0) 9. 5 (1. 9 to 17. 1) 21. 1 (12. 7 to 29. 5) Adolescents aged 15 to 18 years. suffered from suicidality Male Female 36. 5 (18. 4 to 54. 5) 49. 0 (38. 5 to 59. 5) 23. 3 (6. 3 to 40. 3) 19. 3 (10. 9 to 27. 7) 14. 7 (4. 4 to 25. 1) 27. 2 (17. 7 to 36. 7) 21. 7 (4. 5 to 38. 8) 21. 0 (12. 3 to 29. 8) 13. 2 (4. 2 to 22. 2) 31. 9(22. 1 to 41. 7) 16. 2 (-1. 1 to 33. 4) 15. 9 (8. 5 to 23. 3)Adults aged 19 to 24 years, suffered from suicidaiity Men Women 39. 5(27. 1 to 51. 9) 50. 8 (37. 0 to 64. 6) 22. 6 (12. 3 to 33. 0) 17 . 5 (9. 6 to 25. 4) 27. 9 (16. 6 to 39. 1) 41. 3 (28. 3 to 54. 3) 24. 1 (10. 9 to 37. 3) 24. 6 (14. 0 to 35. 2) 12. 8 (4. 9 to 20. 7) 20. 8 (11. 6 to 30. 0) 9. 3 (2. 2 to 16. 4) 16. 2 (7. 0 to 25. 3) areas under- or overrepresented in the sample relative to their representation in the population. Therefore, we used the weights recommended by Statistics Canada when conducting analyses.Rates of service use for mental health reasons were calculated for subjects with MDD and (or) suicidality in the past 12 months. Service use rates were examined according to provider type and the sex ofthe subjects. Chi-square tests were conducted to examine for differences between young men and women with depression and (or) suicidality. Results Among adolescents aged 15 to 18 years with depression, 40% (95%CI, 28% to 53%) had not used any mental health services. The rate was higher for those with suicidality, at 50% (95%CI, 41% to 59%).Most adolescents and young adults with depression were either not accessing services at all or accessing services for their mental health problems through one provider. Among those aged 15 to 18 years, 22% (95%CI, 11% to 33%) accessed services through one provider, compared with 20% (95%CI, 14% to 27%) of those aged 19 to 24 years. Among young adults aged 19 to 24 years with depression, 42% (95%CI, 33% to 51%) had not used any health services for mental health reasons. For those with suicidality, 48% (95% CI, 39% to 5 8%) had not accessed services in the past 12 months.As with those with depression, most of our sample with suicidality either did not access services at all or accessed services through one provider. Among those aged 15 to 18 years with suicidality, 21% (95%CI, 14% to 28%) accessed services through one provider, compared with 22. 12% (95%CI, 14% to 30%) of those aged 19 to 24 years. 230 Differences between young men and women were not found in the overall use of mental health services. Service use by type of provider and sex are show n in Table 1.However, female adolescents aged 15 to 18 years with depression were more likely to use services from social workers and (or) counsellors, compared with male adolescents (female adolescents; 40% [95%CI, 25% to 55%]; male adolescents, 11% [95%CI, 1% to 21%]). Similarly, in young adults aged 19 to 24, a higher percentage of yotmg women saw social workers and (or) counsellors (women, 29% [95%CI, 20% to 38%]; men, 18% [95%CI, 8% to 28%]). For those with suicidality, female subjects in both age groups were more likely to use mental health services from GPs.Among those aged 15 to 18, 15% (95%CI, 4% to 25%) of male adolescents saw GPs, compared with 27% (95%CI, 18% to 37%) of female adolescents. Among those aged 19 to 24, 27. 9% (95%CI, 17% to 39%) of young men saw GPs, compared with 41% (95%CI, 28% to 54%) of young women. Overall, female adolescents and young adults with depression and (or) suicidality were more likely than male adolescents and young adults to use services fr om GPs (female subjects aged 15 to 18 years: x^ = 4. 53, dfl,P< 0. 03; aged 19 to 24: X = 14. 88, df 1, P < 0. 001) and from social workers and (or) ^ counsellors (aged 15to 18:^^=15. 54,dfl,P

Is Homeschooling A Viable Alternative For Traditional...

Is homeschooling a viable alternative to traditional classroom-based education? According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), â€Å"Homeschooling †¦ is an age-old traditional education practice that a decade ago appeared to be cutting-edge and ‘alternative’ but is now bordering on ‘mainstream’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ray). There are about two million home educated students in the United States, an increase of two to eight percent over the past few years (Ray). Yet with this steady rise, there are many families who disregard homeschooling as a schooling alternative simply because they are oblivious to the fundamentals of it. If parents were knowledgeable of the benefits associated with homeschooling, most would embrace it rather than question the social aspect and academic credibility of a homeschooled student. Socialization is a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position. The development of social skills is a frequent question directed towards parents of homeschoolers. Contrary to the belief that homeschoolers are incompetent to socialize, a study conducted by Thomas Smedley, M.S. proves otherwise. Thomas C. Smedley is a graduate of Redford University with a Masters degree in Corporate and Professional communications. In his master’s thesis titled â€Å"The Richards 2 Socialization of Homeschool Children,† he uses the VinelandShow MoreRelatedHomeschooling: On the Rise in America1869 Words   |  8 PagesHomeschooling is on the rise in America. According to a 2007 NHES study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education there are an estimated 1.5 million students actively being homeschooled up from the 850,000 estimated in previous study conducted in 1999 (NCES, 1). Once seen as a fringe activity usually associated with the religious right, homeschooling now encompasses many mainstream families looking for educational alternatives in the face of such issues as violence, peer pressure, and poor academicRead MoreBenefits of Homeschooling2307 Words   |  10 Pageswhen it came to his or her education. Although Freeport, Illinois, does not have a significant amount of schools from which to choose, we certainly looked at them all. After we had spent numerous hours talking to teachers and touring classrooms, we were not impressed by any of the lo cal schools. Basically, every school offered the same general subjects served in a cookie cutter fashion. We, however, wanted our children to have a more diverse and individualized education. Therefore, we decided to look