Helen Keller as a role model for everyone - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 995 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category People Essay Level High school Tags: Helen Keller Essay Did you like this example? Helen Keller was a resilient woman through every stage in her life. She was a role model for everyone including women and the disabled alike. Keller had traveled the world to influence those who had lost hope and encouraged them to fight for their rights. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Helen Keller as a role model for everyone" essay for you Create order This led her to become a great historical figure in the United States. She had always been a step ahead, even as a toddler. When her disease posed as a setback, Keller took it with a grain of salt and pushed forward. Her ambition is admired by many and still stands as an idol for men, women and the disabled. Throughout her life, she had to pass many obstacles, overcome stereotypes, and fight for her rights as a disabled woman. Keller had been born the eldest of two girls to Arthur and Katherine Keller. Their income had been based on their cotton plantation. Helen Keller had been born with sight and hearing and was way ahead of her age. At six months old she was speaking. Then, only one year after birth, she was walking. At just nineteen months, she was stricken with what is now believed to be scarlet fever or meningitis. Kellers emotions were expressed very dramatically after this event. She would throw horrific tantrums for her parents but when she was happy, the giggles were unstop pable. As their concern grew, Kellers parents set out to find professional help for their daughter. Anne Sullivan Macy was renowned for her teachings to Helen Keller. As a child, Anne was abandoned by her father after her mothers death. Herself and her brother were rejected by the rest of her family and sent to Massachusetts State Infirmary, where her brother passed away shortly after. Being half blind, Anne was chosen to go to Perkins Institution for the Blind in South Boston, she blew every teacher out of the water with her will to learn. Anne soon had a successful eye surgery and graduated from the school. Shortly after, she received a letter from her former principal suggesting a job teaching a deaf, blind and dumb girl named Helen Keller. Sullivan decided to accept the challenge and arrived at the Kellers home in Alabama on March 3, 1887. Sullivan decided it would be best to begin this journey with finger spelling. She started with small words such as doll to help Keller better understand the gift Sullivan had brought for her. Eventually, Keller has gotten more and more defiant of this method. Sullivan decided to force Keller to push through it until she decided Keller was ready to move on. Kellers major and best-known breakthrough was learning the meaning and physical aspects of water. Sullivan had taken her out to the water pump and ran water over Kellers had while she spelled it out on the other hand. Keller absolutely loved this and demanded to learn so much more with this method. In 1990, Sullivan was convinced Keller was ready to move on to speech. She attended Horace Mann School for the Deaf and later in 1994 she transferred to Wright-Humason School for the Deaf. By 1996, she was ready for college. In 1996, she decided to enroll in Cambridge School for Young Ladies. With Kellers story becoming more popular, she started to meet well-known people. One had been Mark Twain. The start of this friendship was also the start of an entirely new journey for Keller. She had met Henry H. Rodgers through Twain. Rodgers was so pleased with Kellers accomplishments, he decided to pay for her tuition at Radcliffe College. Kellers story spread even more so Keller decided to write a book explaining her life from childhood to her then-recent age of twenty-one. John Macy and Anne Sullivan had been with Keller every step of the way with the creation of her first book The Story of My Life. Helen Keller writes her autobiography to tell the world what she had been through as a child. She did not write it for pity or sorrow, but to encourage others to strive for their goals in life no matter the circumstances. She had always been a step ahead, even as a toddler. When her disease posed as a setback, Keller took it with a grain of salt and pushed forward. Her ambition is a dmired by many and still stands as an idle for men, women and the disabled. In another one of Kellers books, The World I Live In, she explains how she was very ambitious and conscious of her state and how people treated her because of it. She goes on to tell about how people, specifically reporters, went about their conversations and discussing Kellers life. The reporters, or people, had no general interest in Kellers political views or thoughts on the affairs of the world. Keller proposes she would like to focus on her future, not her inconvenient past. She uses this as a foundation for the public appearances she has made. She served as an influencer for many and worked towards the issue of womens voting right and birth control. Keller was very active in politics and had testified before the court jury on many occasions. Keller took her disabilities and used them for the greater good. She became very well Known throughout her lifetime and used it to provide comfort to all of the disabled around the world. She joined many organizations and provided many lectures to influence her cause. In 1936, she received the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal and in 1964 the Presidential Medal of freedom. She also received multiple degrees and honorable mentions from universities around the world. Helen Keller was inducted into the Womens Hall of Fame in 1965. Due to health issues, Keller retired to her home in Connecticut in 1961. June 1, 1968, Keller passed away in her sleep at the age of eighty-seven. She had dedicated her whole lif e to make the lives of others better. She was a remarkable and passionate woman whose influence will continue to live through our history.

Taobao Vs. Ebay China - 1234 Words

Introduction Taobao vs. eBay China covers the emerging consumer to consumer market, growth of the internet, and multiple business interactions throughout a few decades. China started out with few online auctions, no set standardized rules for online trading, a lack of credit cards, debit cards that could not be processed in other areas, no way to make online transactions efficiently, and minimal precautions to eliminate fraud if these other obstacles could be averted. Overtime most of these were completely resolved, and China became a member of the C2C world. The following were discussed throughout the case; EachNet.com, eBay, eBay China, Taobao.com, PayPal, An Fu Tong (Secure Pay), AliPay, and Alibaba.com. Overall this case discusses why eBay cannot function effectively in China as well as the competition between eBay China and Taobao. External and Internal Analysis â€Å"eBay China† S †¢ Global foundation of eBay †¢ Experience/Established †¢ Funding †¢ Already a dominant online trading platform †¢ To start had 70% share W †¢ Markets willingness to adapt to their rules and regulations/fees †¢ Already failed in Japan †¢ Centralized decision making O †¢ Large target market in China †¢ Acquisition of EachNet.com †¢ Succeed and take over the online domain in Asia, to close the global gap T †¢ Markets willingness to adapt to their rules and regulations †¢ EachNet.com and Taobao.com †¢ Didn’t cater to local market necessities Problem Formulation Copying eBay in China was found to be aShow MoreRelatedTaobao vs. Ebay China8878 Words   |  36 PagesCASE: IB-88 DATE: 01/04/10 TAOBAO VS. EBAY CHINA Ten to 15 years from now, I think China can be eBay s largest market on a global basis†¦. We think China has tremendous long-term potential and we want to do everything we can to maintain 1 our No. 1 position. — Meg Whitman, eBay CEO, 2004 By 2008, Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba.com Inc., was in a position to consider how to fortify Taobao’s dominant position in China’s online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) market. Ma and his company had come a long wayRead MoreTaobao vs. Ebay China: The Internet Oligopoly Market1053 Words   |  4 PagesTaobao vs. EBay China The Internet Oligopoly Market The Chinese online C2C market has two main players, EBay China and Taobao who largely control the market. Their products are identical and the action of one company directly affects the other. For example, Taobao was launched with an entirely no-fee model thereby greatly affecting the chances of eBay in implementing the payment system, An Fu Tong (Secure Pay). The importance of oligopolies in internet markets is that with limited companiesRead MoreEbay Expansion in China754 Words   |  4 PagesQuestion 1: eBay’s (diversification) expansion modes in China included acquisition and joint venture. Critically evaluate each mode of diversification by identifying the advantages and disadvantages for EBay given the competitive environment within the overall industry and specifically in China. By the year of 2006, eBay’s combined international investments in Latin American, Europe and Asia Pacific has totaled revenues of 2.1 billion, representing 49% of aggregate revenues of the companyRead MoreComparative Ebay and Taobao3114 Words   |  13 Pagesbetween eBay and Taobao in Chinese Online Auction Market BSAD 415:66 Electronic Business Prof. G. Trites Jie Yue (Kathy) 200706289 June 10, 2008 1 Introduction Being the largest online trading company, eBay has launched websites across the world, including thirty other countries in addition to its original U.S. website. China, with its large online market, is one of these countries. In 2003, after its cooperation with Eachnet, the first C2C online company in China, eBay becameRead MoreWhy Ebay Failed in China1913 Words   |  8 PagesA report on Ebay and Taobao. Ebay v/s Taobao Critically evaluate eBay’s chosen market entry strategies, into the Chinese ‘C2C’ market, determining the shortcomings of the strategies deployed during the case study period. When entering into a new market, there are many aspects that must be considered in order for a company to be successful. 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Besides, the company isRead MoreAnalysis of Ebay China’s Failure and Suggestions to Ebay’s Return Strategy from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Conf licts7600 Words   |  31 PagesAnalysis of eBay China’s Failure and Suggestions to eBay’s Return Strategy from the Perspective of Cross-cultural Conflicts 1. Introduction Along with the development of global economy, no one is unfamiliar with the word of globalization, and the world is filled with multinational-corporations. In such circumstances, those companies have realized that the necessary way to survive in the global market and maintain the competitive advantages is toRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Alibuba In China1093 Words   |  5 Pagesworth of goods were sold, according to Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-prime-day-vs-alibaba-singles-day-2017-7). Alibaba, founded in 1999 by Jack Ma to connect Chinese manufacturers to buyers, has grown into an e-commerce giant with a portfolio of innovative smaller companies working within it. However, the fact that a vast majority of their revenue is generated in China (83% of their revenue from Chinese commerce in 2015 http://www.alibabagroup.com/en/news/press_pdf/p150507Read MoreEbays Failure in China6789 Words   |  28 PagesInternational Strategy eBay’s failure in China †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© 1 Table†©of†©contents†© 2†© Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 2†© 3†© Theoretical†©background .................................................................................................................... 3†© 3.1†© The†©SWOT†©Analysis.......................................................Read More1. Based on the Case Study and Your Own Research on Competitors, Summarize the Strategic Approaches Which Have Helped Tesco.Com Achieve Success Online.5953 Words   |  24 Pagescountries are faced by many large companies that do business online. For example, eBay, which had struggled to compete in China for many years, finally closed its operations in the country in 2006. eBay entered China in 2003 with a $30 million investment. In subsequent years, it poured another $250 million into acquisitions and advertising in China. But the effort to compete effectively against Alibaba.com’s TaoBao consumer auction unit failed. Some observers believe that a Chinese cultural

Engineer Free Essays

Concentrated Knowledgeâ„ ¢ for the Busy Executive Vol. 24, No. 8 (2 parts) Part 1, August 2002 †¢ Order # 24-19 FILE: LEADERSHIP  ® Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence PRIMAL LEADERSHIP THE SUMMARY IN BRIEF Great leaders move us. We will write a custom essay sample on Engineer or any similar topic only for you Order Now They ignite our passion and inspire the best in us. When we try to explain why they are so effective, we speak of strategy, vision, or powerful ideas. But the reality is much more primal: Great leadership works through the emotions. Humankind’s original leaders earned their place because their leadership was emotionally compelling. In the modern organization this primordial emotional task remains. Leaders must drive the collective emotions in a positive direction and clear the smog created by toxic emotions whether it is on the shop floor or in the boardroom. When leaders drive emotions positively they bring out everyone’s best. When they drive emotions negatively they spawn dissonance, undermining the emotional foundations that let people shine. The key to making primal leadership work to everyone’s advantage lies in the leadership competencies of emotional intelligence; how leaders handle themselves and their relationships. Leaders who exercise primal leadership drive the emotions of those they lead in the right direction. By Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee CONTENTS The Vital Emotional Component of Leadership Page 2 Why Good Leaders Must Read Emotions Pages 2, 3 The Four Dimensions Of Emotional Intelligence Pages 3, 4 The Leadership Repertoire Pages 4, 5 What You’ll Learn In This Summary In this summary, you will learn the secrets of primal leadership by: ? Understanding what primal leadership is and why, when practiced correctly, it creates resonance in your organization. ? Understanding the neuroanatomy that underlies primal leadership and what emotional intelligence competencies you need to succeed. Understanding the six leadership styles you can use — from visionary to coaching to pacesetting — to inspire others, and when to use each one. ? Understanding who you are and what you need to change to become a primal leader, and then develop a plan to make those changes. ? Learning how to build emotionally intelligent organizations. Published by Soundview Executive Book Summaries, 10 LaCrue Avenue, Concordville, Pennsylvania 19331 USA  ©2002 Soundview Executive Book Summaries †¢ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited. Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Pages 5, 6 The Motivation to Change Pages 6, 7 Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations Pages 7, 8 Reality and the Ideal Vision Page 8 Creating Sustainable Change Page 8 PRIMAL LEADERSHIP by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee — THE COMPLETE SUMMARY The Vital Emotional Component of Leadership Gifted leadership occurs where heart and head — feeling and thought — meet. These are the two things that allow a leader to soar. All leaders need enough intellect to handle the tasks and challenges at hand. However, intellect alone won’t make a leader. Leaders execute a vision by motivating, guiding, inspiring, listening, persuading and creating resonance. As a result, the manner in which leaders act — not just what they do, but how they do it — is a fundamental key to effective leadership. The reason lies in the design of the human brain. Laughter and the Open Loop A study at Yale University showed that among working groups, cheerfulness and warmth spread most easily. Laughter, in particular, demonstrates the power of the open loop in operation. Unlike other emotional signals which can be feigned, laughter is largely involuntary. In a neurological sense, laughing represents the shortest distance between two people because it instantly interlocks limbic systems. This immediate, involuntary reaction might be called a limbic lock. Laughter in the workplace signals trust, comfort, and a shared sense of the world. a management team that did not get along, the poorer the company’s market return.  ¦ The Open Loop The brain is an open loop. We rely on connections with other people for our emotional stability. Scientists describe the open-loop system as â€Å"interpersonal limbic regulation,† whereby one person transmits signals that can alter hormone levels, cardiovascular function, sleep rhythms and even immune function inside the body of another. Other people can change our very physiology and our emotions. The continual interplay of limbic open loops among members of a group creates a kind of emotional soup, with everyone adding his or her flavor to the mix. Negative emotions — especially chronic anger, anxiety or a sense of futility — powerfully disrupt work, hijacking attentions from the tasks at hand. On the other hand, when people feel good, they work at their best. Feeling good lubricates mental efficiency, making people better at understanding information and making complex judgments. Insurance agents with a glass-ishalf-full attitude, for example, make more sales, in part because they are able to withstand rejection better than their more pessimistic peers. A study on 62 CEOs and their top management shows just how important mood is. The CEOs and their management team members were assessed on how upbeat — energetic, enthusiastic and determined — they were. They were also asked how much conflict the top team experienced. The study found that the more positive the overall moods of people in the top management team, the more cooperative they worked together and the better the company’s business results. The longer a company was run by Why Good Leaders Must Read Emotions Dissonance, in its original musical sense, describes an unpleasant, harsh sound. Dissonant leadership produces groups that feel emotionally discordant, in which people have a sense of being continually off-key. Ranging from abusive tyrants to manipulative sociopaths, dissonant leaders are out of touch and create wretched workplaces (continued on page 3) The authors: Daniel Goleman is Codirector of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University. Richard Boyatzis is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Annie McKee, who is a member of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, consults to business leaders worldwide. Copyright © 2002 by Daniel Goleman. Summarized by permission of the publisher, Harvard Business School Press, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02472 (for print and electronic rights) and Audio Renaissance, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 (for audio rights). 306 pages. $26. 95. 0-57851-486-X. Published by Soundview Executive Book Summaries (ISSN 0747-2196), 10 LaCrue Avenue, Concordville, PA 19331 USA, a division of Concentrated Knowledge Corporation. Publisher, George Y. Clement. V. P. Publications, Maureen L. Solon. Editor-in-Chief, Christopher G. Murray. Published monthly. Subscriptions: $195 per year in U. S. , Canada Mexico, and $275 to all other countries. Periodicals postage paid at Concordville, PA and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Soundview, 10 LaCrue Avenue, Concordville, PA 19331. Copyright  © 2002 by Soundview Executive Book Summaries. Available formats: Summaries are available in print, audio and electronic formats. To subscribe, call us at 1-800-521-1227 (1-610-558-9495 outside U. S. Canada) Multiple-subscription discounts and Corporate Site Licenses are also available. . 2 Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® Primal Leadership — SUMMARY Why Good Leaders Must Read Emotions (continued from page 2) Leadership and the Brain’s Design New findings in brain research show that the neural systems responsible for the intellect and for the emotions are separate, but have intimately interwoven connections. This brain circuitry provides the neural basis of primal leadership. Although our business culture places great value in an intellect devoid of emotion, our emotions are more powerful than our intellect. In emergencies, the limbic brain — our emotional center — commandeers the rest of our brain. There is a good reason for this. Emotions are crucial for survival, being the brain’s way of alerting us to something urgent and offering an immediate plan for action — fight, flee, freeze. The thinking brain evolved from the limbic brain, and continues to take orders from it when it perceives a threat. The trigger point is the amygdala, a limbic brain structure that scans what’s happening to us moment by moment, always on the alert for an emergency. It commandeers other parts of the brain, including the rational centers in the cortex, for immediate action if it perceives an emergency. Today we face complex social realities with a brain designed for surviving physical emergencies. And so we find ourselves hijacked — swept away by anxiety or anger better suited for handling bodily threats than office politics. Fortunately, emotional impulses pass through other parts of the brain, from the amygdala through the prefrontal area. There an emotional impulse can be vetoed. The dialogue between neurons in the emotional center and the prefrontal area operate through a neurological superhighway. The emotional intelligence competencies hinge on the smooth operation of this circuitry. Biologically speaking, then, the art of primal leadership interweaves our intellect and emotions. ? — although they have no idea how destructive they are, or simply don’t care. Meanwhile, the collective distress they trigger becomes the group’s preoccupation, deflecting attention away from their mission. Emotionally Intelligent Resonance Resonant leaders, on the other hand, are attuned to their people’s feelings and move them in a positive emotional direction. Resonance comes naturally to emotionally intelligent leaders. Their passion and enthusiastic energy resounds throughout the group. When there are serious concerns, emotionally intelligent (EI) leaders use empathy to attune to the emotional registry of the people they lead. For example, if something has happened that everyone feels angry about (such as the closing of a division) or sad about (such as a co-worker’s serious illness) the EI leader not only empathizes with those emotions, but also expresses them for the group. The leader leaves people feeling understood and cared for. Under the guidance of an EI leader, people feel a mutual comfort level. They share ideas, learn from one another, make decisions collaboratively, and get things done. Perhaps most important, connecting with others at an emotional level makes work more meaningful.  ¦ The Four Dimensions Of Emotional Intelligence There are four domains to emotional intelligence: selfawareness, self-management, social awareness and relationships management. Within the four domains are 18 competencies. These competencies are the vehicles of primal leadership. Even the most outstanding leader will not have all competencies. Effective leaders, though, exhibit at least one competency from each of the domains. The four domains and their competencies are listed below: Self-awareness ? Emotional self-awareness: Reading one’s own emotions and recognizing their impact and using â€Å"gut sense† to guide decisions. Accurate self-assessment: Knowing one’s strengths and limits. ? Self-confidence: A sound sense of one’s self-worth and capabilities. Transparency: Displaying honesty, integrity and trustworthiness. ? Adaptability: Flexibility in adapting to changing situations or overcoming obstacles. ? Achievement: The drive to improve performance to meet inner standards of excellence. ? Initiativ e: Readiness to act and seize opportunities. ? Optimism: Seeing the upside in events. Social Awareness ? Self-management ? Emotional self-control: Keeping disruptive emotions and impulses under control. Empathy: Sensing others’ emotions, understanding their perspective, and taking active interest in their concerns. ? Organizational awareness: Reading the currents, decision networks, and politics at the organizational level. (continued on page 4) Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® 3 Primal Leadership — SUMMARY The Four Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence (continued from page 3) ? Service: Recognizing and meeting follower, client or customer needs. Relationship Management ? Inspirational leadership: Guiding and motivating with a compelling vision. ? Influence: Wielding a range of tactics for persuasion. Developing others: Bolstering others’ abilities through feedback and guidance. ? Change catalyst: Initiating, managing and leading in new directions. ? Building bonds: Cultivating and maintaining relationship webs. ? Teamwork and collaboration: Cooperation and team-building.  ¦ The Leadership Repertoire The best, most effective leaders act according to one or more of six distinct approaches to leadership. Four of the styles — visionary, coaching, affiliative and democratic — create the kind of resonance that boosts performance. The other two — pacesetting and commanding — should be applied with caution. nd fostering friendly interactions. When leaders are being affiliative, they focus on the emotional needs of workers, using empathy. Many leaders who use the affiliative approach combine it with the visionary approach. Visionary leaders state a mission, set standards, and let people know whether their work is furthering group goals. Ally that with the caring approach of the affiliative leader and you have a potent combination. 4. Democratic. A democratic leader builds on a triad of EI abilities: teamwork and collaboration, conflict management and influence. Democratic leaders are great listeners and true collaborators. They know how to quell conflict and create harmony. Empathy also plays a role. A democratic approach works best when as a leader, you are unsure what direction to take and need ideas from able employees. For example, IBM’s Louis Gerstner, an outsider to the computer industry when he became CEO of the ailing giant, relied on seasoned colleagues for advice. 5. Pacesetting. Pacesetting as a leadership style must be applied sparingly, restricted to settings where it truly works. Common wisdom holds that pacesetting is admirable. The leader holds and exemplifies high standards for performance. He is obsessive about doing things better and faster, quickly pinpointing poor performers. Unfortunately, applied excessively, pacesetting can backfire and lead to low morale as workers think they are being pushed too hard or that the leader doesn’t (continued on page 5) The Six Styles of Leadership 1. Visionary. The visionary leader articulates where a group is going, but not how it gets there — setting people free to innovate, experiment and take calculated risks. Inspirational leadership is the emotional intelligence competence that most strongly undergirds the visionary style. Transparency, another EI competency, is also crucial. If a leader’s vision is disingenuous, people sense it. The EI competency that matters most to visionary leadership, however, is empathy. The ability to sense what others feel and understand their perspectives helps leader articulate a truly inspirational vision. 2. Coaching. The coaching style is really the art of the one-on-one. Coaches help people identify their unique strengths and weaknesses, tying those to their personal and career aspirations. Effective coaching exemplifies the EI competency of developing others, which lets a leader act as a counselor. It works hand in hand with two other competencies: emotional awareness and empathy. 3. Affiliative. The affiliative style of leadership represents the collaborative competency in action. An affiliative leader is most concerned with promoting harmony 4 A Visionary Leader When Shawana Leroy became director of a social agency, there were clearly problems. Her predecessor had mired the agency in rules that the talented staff the agency had attracted because of its mission found draining. Despite increased needs for the agency’s services, the pace of work was slow. Leroy met one-on-one with staff and found out that they shared her ision. She got people talking about their hopes for the future and tapped into the compassion and dedication they felt. She voiced their shared values whenever she could. She guided them in looking at whether how they did things furthered the mission, and together they eliminated rules that made no sense. Meanwhile, she modeled the principles of the new o rganization she wanted to create: one that was transparent and honest; one that focused on rigor and results. Then Leroy and her team tackled the changes. The agency’s emotional climate changed to reflect her passion and commitment; she set the tone as a visionary leader. Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® Primal Leadership — SUMMARY The Leadership Repertoire (continued from page 4) The Case of Too Much Pacesetting The superb technical skills of Sam, an RD biochemist at a large pharmaceutical company, made him an early star. When he was appointed to head a team to develop a new product, Sam continued to shine, and his teammates were as competent and self-motivated as their leader. Sam, however, began setting the pace by working late and offering himself as a model of how to do first-class scientific work under tremendous deadline pressure. His team completed the task in record time. But when Sam was selected to head RD, he began to slip. Not trusting the capabilities of his subordinates, he refused to delegate power, becoming instead a micro-manager obsessed with details. He took over for others he perceived as slacking, rather than trust that they could improve with guidance. To everyone’s relief, including his own, he returned to his old job. trust them to get their job done. The emotional intelligence foundation of a pacesetter is the drive to achieve through improved performance and the initiative to seize opportunities. But a pacesetter who lacks empathy can easily be blinded to the pain of those who achieve what the leader demands. Pacesetting works best when combined with the passion of the visionary style and the team building of the affiliate style. 6. Commanding. The command leader demands immediate compliance with orders, but doesn’t bother to explain the reasons. If subordinates fail to follow orders, these leaders resort to threats. They also seek tight control and monitoring. Of all the leadership styles, the commanding approach is the least effective. Consider what the style does to an organization’s climate. Given that emotional contagion spreads most readily from the top down, an intimidating, cold leader contaminates everyone’s mood. Such a leader erodes people’s spirits and the pride and satisfaction they take in their work. The commanding style works on limited circumstances, and only when used judiciously. For example, in a genuine emergency, such as an approaching hurricane or a hostile take-over attempt, a take-control style can help everyone through the crisis. An effective execution of the commanding style draws on three emotional intelligence competencies: influence, achievement and initiative. In addition, self-awareness, emotional self-control and empathy are crucial to keep the commanding style from going off track.  ¦ Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders The key to learning that lasts lies in the brain. Remember that emotional intelligence involves circuitry between the prefrontal lobes and the limbic system. Skills based in the limbic system are best learned through motivation, extended practice and feedback. The limbic system is a slow learner, especially when trying to relearn deeply ingrained habits. This matters immensely when trying to improve leadership skills. These skills often come down to habits learned early in life. Reeducating the emotional brain for leadership learning requires plenty of practice and repetition. That’s because neural connections used over and over (continued on page 6) Boyatzis’s Theory of Self-Directed Learning Practicing the new behavior, building new neural pathways through to mastery 1. My ideal self: Who do I want to be? 2. My real self: Who am I? 5. Developing trusting relationships that help, support and encourage each step in the process 4. Experimenting with new behavior, thoughts and feelings My strengths: Where my ideal and real self overlap My gaps: Where my ideal and real self differ 3. My learning agenda: Building on my strengths while reducing gaps Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® 5 Primal Leadership — SUMMARY How One Leader Changed When Nick, a star salesman, took over as head of an insurance agency in a new city, he knew he needed help. The agency was in the bottom quartile. He hired leadership consultants, who determined what type of leader Nick was. He fit the pacesetting mold, with elements of the commanding style. As pressure mounted, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Nick was encouraged to focus on his salespeople’s performance rather than his own. This required he use the coaching and visionary styles. Fortunately, some of the traits that made him a great salesman — empathy, self-management and inspiration — transferred well. He seized the opportunity to work one-on-one and stifled his impulse to jump in when he got impatient with someone’s work. Eighteen months later, the agency had moved from the bottom to the top and Nick became one of the youngest managers to win a national award for growth. The Motivation to Change The first discovery — the ideal self — is where change begins. Connecting with one’s passion, energy, and excitement about life is the key to uncovering your ideal self. Doing so requires a reach deep inside. You, Fifteen Years from Now Think about where you would be sitting and reading this summary if it were fifteen years from now and you were living your ideal life. What kinds of people are around you? What does your environment look and feel like? What would you be doing during a typical day? Don’t worry about the feasibility. Just let the image develop and place yourself in the picture. Write down your vision, or share it with a trusted friend. After doing this exercise, you may feel a release of energy and optimism. Envisioning your ideal future can be a powerful way to connect with the real possibilities for change in our lives. Next, determine what your guiding principles are. What are your core values in the areas of life that are important to you, such as family, relationships, work, spirituality and health. Write down everything you want to experience before you die. Doing so will open you up to new possibilities. Developing Emotionally Intelligent Leaders (continued from page 5) become stronger while those not used weaken. Self-Directed Learning To work, leadership development must be self-directed. You must want to develop or strengthen an aspect of who you are or who you want to be. This requires first getting a strong image of your ideal self, and an accurate picture of your real self. Self-directed learning involves five discoveries, each representing a discontinuity. The goal is to use each discovery as a tool for making the changes needed to become an emotionally intelligent leader. People who successfully change move through the following stages: ? The first discovery: My ideal self — Who do I want to be? ? The second discovery: My real self — Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps? ? The third discovery: My learning agenda — How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps? ? The fourth discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new thoughts, behaviors and feelings to the point of mastery. ? The fifth discovery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships that make change possible.  ¦ Look at Your Real Self Once you see your ideal self, you need to look at your real self — the second discovery. Then, and only then, can you understand your strengths. Taking stock of your real self starts with an inventory of your talents and passions — the person you actually are. This can be painful if the slow, invisible creep of compromise and complacency has caused your ideal self to slip away. How do you get to the truth of your real self? You must break through the information quarantine around you. Actively seek out negative feedback. You can do this using a 360-degree evaluation — collecting information from your boss, your peers and your subordinates. Multiple views render a more complete picture because each sees a different aspect of you. Once you have a full picture of yourself, you can examine your strengths and gaps. Do this by creating a personal balance sheet, listing both. Don’t focus solely on the gaps. Metamorphosis: Sustaining Leadership Change It’s now time to develop a practical plan to learn leadership skills, which is the third discovery. Focus on improvements you are passionate about, building on your strengths while filling the gaps. Craft specific, manageable learning goals that are tied to the goals that motivate you. When goal-setting, consider that: (continued on page 7) 6 Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® Primal Leadership — SUMMARY Are You a Boiling Frog? If you drop a frog into boiling water, it will instinctively jump out. But if you place the frog in a pot of cold water and gradually increase the temperature, the frog won’t notice the water’s getting hotter. It will sit there until the water boils. The fate of that poached frog isn’t so unlike some leaders who settle into a routine or let small conveniences solidify into large habits — and allow inertia to set in. Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations When it comes to leadership, changing a single leader is only the beginning. The rest of the job is to develop a critical mass of resonant leaders and thereby transform how people work together. Parallel Transformations The most effective leadership development works hand in hand with parallel transformations in the organizations that those leaders guide. Groups only begin to change when they understand how they work, especially if there is discordance. They must understand what the underlying group norms are, and then develop the ideal vision for the group. The Motivation to Change (continued from page 6) ? Goals should build strengths. ? Goals must be your own, not someone else’s. ? Plans must be flexible and feasible, with manageable steps. ? Plans must fit your learning style. The Power of Group Decision-Making Group decision-making is superior to that of the brightest individual in the group — unless the group lacks harmony or the ability to cooperate. Even groups with brilliant individuals will make bad decisions in such an environment. In short, groups are smarter than individuals when (and only when) they exhibit the qualities of emotional intelligence. Leaders ignore the power of the Groups are smarter than group at great individuals when cost. You can’t (and only when) assume that the force of your they exhibit the qualities leadership alone of emotional intelligence. s enough to drive people’s behavior. Don’t make the common mistake of ignoring resonance-building leadership styles and steam-rolling over the team using the commanding and pacesetting styles exclusively. To lead a team effectively, you must address the group reality. Leaders who have a keen sense of the group’s pivotal norms and who are adept at maxim izing positive emotions can create highly emotionally intelligent teams. The Experimenting Stage The fourth discovery requires you to reconfigure your brain as you practice new behaviors to the point of mastery. You can only do this by bringing bad habits into awareness and consciously practicing a better way. Rehearse the behavior at every opportunity until it becomes automatic. Improving an emotional intelligence competency takes months because the emotional centers of the brain are involved. The more often a behavioral sequence repeats, the stronger the underlying brain circuits become, as you rewire your brain. Like a professional musician, you must practice and practice until the behavior becomes automatic. A powerful technique you can use is the mental rehearsal. Envision yourself repeating the behavior you want to master over and over again. This, coupled with using the behavior as often as possible, will trigger the neural connections necessary for genuine change to occur. Supportive and Trusting Relationships Finally, begin applying the fifth discovery — the power of supportive relationships. For anyone who has gone through leadership development that works, the importance of the people along the way is obvious. Having supportive people around when you want to change can make a big difference. Positive groups help people make positive changes, especially when the relationships are filled with candor, trust and psychological safety. For leaders, that safety may be crucial for learning to occur. Leaders often feel unsafe in the spotlight, and avoid risk-taking change. Where can you find these relationships? One approach is to find a mentor. Another is to hire an executive coach.  ¦ Maximizing the Group’s Emotional Intelligence A group’s emotional intelligence requires the same capabilities that an emotionally intelligent individual does — self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. A group expresses its self-awareness by being mindful of shared moods as well as the emotions of its members. Emotions are contagious, and a team leader needs to understand how to keep a bad mood from spreading. For example, imagine a meeting held in an out-of-the (continued on page 8) Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® 7 Primal Leadership — SUMMARY Building Emotionally Intelligent Organizations (continued from page 7) way location and a team member arriving late exclaiming that the meeting location is very inconvenient for him. If the member’s anger is allowed to fester, it will infect the whole team. But if instead, the leader acknowledges the sacrifice the member is making and thanks him, the anger dissipates. The leader who wants to create an emotionally intelligent team can start by helping the team raise its collective self-awareness. This is the true work of the team leader. Initiate the process by looking at what’s really going on in the group. Uncover the team’s less-productive norms and work with the team to change them.  ¦ Shoney’s Transformation The Shoney’s restaurant chain had a close-knit group of executives at the top — people who knew each other well, shared history and beliefs, and generally thought they knew how to run their business. In reality, they were an old-boy’s network of white male senior executives with an underlying culture that left people of color behind. All that changed when the company paid $132 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by employees and applicants who alleged discrimination. A cadre of new leaders have changed the company’s culture and broadened opportunities so much that ten years later, the company was listed as one of the top 50 companies for minorities by Fortune magazine. The change occurred because the lawsuit was a wake-up call regarding the reality of the company’s dissonant culture. The new leaders identified an ideal vision that would guide hiring practices, and the organization embraced that vision. Reality and the Ideal Vision Just as was the case with teams, a leader who wants to change an organization must first understand its reality. Change begins when emotionally intelligent leaders actively question the emotional reality and cultural norms underlying the organization’s daily activities and behavior. To create resonance and results, the leader has to pay attention to people’s emotions. Even toxic organizations can change. Creating Sustainable Change How does a leader create sustainable resonance in an organization? Every large organization has pockets of resonance and dissonance. The overall ratio determines the organization’s emotional climate and performance. To shift the ratio toward resonance, cultivate a dispersed cadre of emotionally intelligent leaders. To do that, leadership training must be the strategic priority and be managed at the highest level. Commitment must come from the top. That’s because new leadership means a new mindset and new behaviors, and in order for these to stick, the organization’s culture, systems and processes all need to change. Let’s say that as a leader, you get it. You’ve set the stage by assessing the culture, examining the reality and the ideal. You’ve created resonance around the idea of change, and you’ve identified the people who will take top leadership roles. The next step is to design a process that lets those leaders uncover their own dreams and personal ideals, examine their strengths and their gaps, and use their daily work as a learning laboratory. That process must also be self-directed and include the following elements: ? A tie-in to the organization’s culture. ? Seminars emphasizing individual change. ? Learning about emotional competencies. ? Creative learning experiences. ? Relationships that support learning, such as executive coaching.  ¦ Dynamic Inquiry A process called dynamic inquiry can help you discover an organization’s emotional reality — what people care about, what is helping A leader who wants them, their group, to change an organization and the organization to succeed, and must first understand what’s getting in its reality. the way. The process uses focused conversations and open-ended questions intended to get to feelings. Themes become apparent from these conversations, which are then taken to small groups for more discussion. The conversations that ensue about what’s right and what’s not create momentum. People feel inspired and empowered, willing to work together to address their collective concerns. Once they do, you will be able to help the organization define its ideal vision — one that is in sync with individual hopes and dreams.  ¦ 8 Soundview Executive Book Summaries  ® How to cite Engineer, Papers

Under Armour free essay sample

Rapid change and innovation of technology, affects company by continuous improving product innovation, procurement and production process Political Legal factor Intellectual property rights law and regulation of the countries in global market very vary, affecting the company to consider their unprotected intellectual property issue. Use Porter’s Five Forces Model to analyze the apparel, footwear, and equipment industry in the US. Given this analysis, is the industry attractive or unattractive? Ans. First, The threat of the entry of new competitors (High) due to †¢Total U. S. performance apparel business is dominated by existing brand ex. Under Armour, Nike and Adidas. The loyalty for existing brand is quite high while there’s high initial investment required as well. For The bargaining power of suppliers (High) as company heavily rely on relative few third party suppliers. Moreover, the intellectual property right owns by suppliers, not unique to us. Therefore, the switching cost is very high. Under Armour was first conceived in 1996 by Kevin Plank, who at the time was the special teams captain for the University of Maryland football team. Plank, frustrated with having to repeatedly change his cotton shirt during practices, set out to create a shirt whose materials allowed the perspiration to dry quickly, causing the athlete to be quicker, faster, and stronger as a result of less burdensome water weight. He made it his mission to develop a shirt using synthetic materials that handled perspiration most efficiently than was previously expected. He developed a shirt that used said synthetic materials to handle perspiration and tested the prototype, aptly named 0039, with his own football team. After he graduated, Plank went to many different universities trying to find a buyer for his product. After some time, Plank found his big break when he managed to earn the football team of Georgia Technical University as a client. As the performance apparel market has grown, Under Armour has diversified their product offerings, developed different types of performance gear, and ventured into women’s apparel, footwear, and other merchandise. This case study seeks to analyze Under Armour’s history, resources, capabilities, and core competencies, business and corporate-level strategies, as well as the general environment and competitive landscape. After careful scrutiny of these varying areas, the factors contributing to Under Armour’s current success and future challenges will appear to be much clearer. Current Situation Currently, 3Under Armour employs roughly 5900 individuals and, in terms of revenue, they are the third largest provider of performance sports apparel in the world. They are currently only in direct competition with Nike and Adidas. In 2012, Under Armour had an estimated revenue of $1. 8 billion dollars, with expected net revenue in the range of $2. 84 billion to $2. 87 billion for 2014. This represents a growth of 22 percent to 23 percent over 2013. 4Under Armour has an estimated operating income of $85. 3 million. In recent years, shoes have been Under Armours fastest growing product line, 5growing at a rate of about 31 percent from 2011 to $239 million in sales in 2012. Under Armour has quickly gained a reputation of providing quality equipment and sports apparel, thus leading to the company to be the official sponsor of many sports teams and individuals, such as the Tottenham Hotspurs of the Barclay’s English Premier League. Under Armour is also quickly becoming well-known for its charitable contributions to the community. They currently support the fight against breast cancer, as well as being a big supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project (which helps troops wounded in combat return to normal living) and various youth outreach programs in the community. Industry Structure Being an emergent competitor within the oligopoly of the athletic apparel industry, Under Armour is forced to focus on quality and innovation so as to keep up with competition and customer demands. Other than Under Armour, the industry’s most prominent competitors are Nike and Adidas. In Figure 1 of the Appendix, a strategic group model illustrates Under Armour’s performance in comparison to the other leading competitors in the same industry. 7The size of each bubble is the amount of market share that that company holds. According to the map, Under Armour comes in at third place; it is apparent  that the firm needs to make some changes if they desire to remain a legitimate player in the long run. As shown in Figure 2 of the Appendix, a Porter Five Force Analysis makes it clear that the overall rivalry within the athletic apparel industry is medium to high. Because Nike and Adidas already have a substantial amount of capital resources and other assets, Under Armour struggles against them to gain market share. 8Also, private labels of retailers and newer sports apparel companies could potentially pose a threat to Under Armour, but mostly due to the fact that Under Armour does not hold any fabric or process patents. This makes it extremely easy for any competitor to duplicate a product or process with no consequence. However, the threat of new entrants is not too troublesome within the industry because of the great capital cost required for branding, advertising, and meeting product demand. Furthermore, the sports apparel industry is in the maturity phase of the industry life cycle. This means that each company included in the oligopoly must compete directly against one another for market share. And in order to avoid becoming a weaker firm and being forced to exit, Under Armour must constantly rejuvenate their product line with better quality and new innovations. Macro-Environmental Trends In an examination of Under Armour’s external environment, or macro-environmental trends, the company’s political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, ecological, and legal environmental trends were considered. Politically, Under Armour does not face many roadblocks. If anything, the firm’s domestic operations benefit from government subsidies for eco-friendly practices. Additionally, since this industry is not usually called upon during campaigns, corporate taxes remain stable (meaning unlikely to change) and political pressures all bear a minimum on Under Armour in both the long and short term. 9Looking at the United States GDP growth over the last four fiscal years, the economy has grown at an approximate 2. 4 percent. Although climbing, this number continues to fall short of the desired 3 to 4 percent growth. With interest rates low, and constant growth in the economy quarter after quarter, the economy is looking more promising for large companies such as Under Armour. This also bodes well for Under Armour since consumer confidence is on the rise and disposable income becomes more available given the rise in employment over the last year. Next, the socio-cultural environment was examined to see what the trends are arising around the world. Although Under Armour started as a company whose mission was to serve the best gear to athletes everywhere so that they could reach their peak potential, Under Armour has made a name for themselves in the accessories industry. Not only are people wearing Under Armour in athletic events, but in the classrooms, and even in the back woods. People of all demographics are purchasing products from the industry. Technology is a force that can either make or break a firm’s success in today’s business world. 10 With Under Armour, the company regularly upgraded its products as next-generation fabrics when better performance characteristics became available and as the needs of athletes changed. Since Under Armour’s development team remains current on technology, there is nothing that the technological environment could possess to threaten the company. Finally, ecological and legal environments were examined. In the US, environmental and labor laws require companies to maintain their carbon consumption at a regulated level and give tax credits to those companies that practice sustainable activities. Also, hiring and promotion laws require businesses to promote and hire new employees fairly. 11 Employee reviews have been mostly positive with regards to Under Armour’s human resource policies, yielding an above average approval rate. Strategic Typology Under Armour has a strategy that has positioned them to be one of the top five athletic wear and accessory companies in almost every category regarded. They have done so by playing the role of prospector (according to the Miles-Snow model). By being the first to market such materials in athletic wear and clothing, Under Armour provided a product that had never before been seen in the world of competitive and non-competitive sports. With other aspects of production such as accessories and later generations of apparel and gear, Under Armour has also played the role of analyzer. This means they tested the markets by using athletes to test their newer products to determine the needs of athletes – both professional and amateur – as well as youth athletes. Internal Analysis The strong internal structure of Under Armour starts with CEO Kevin Plank. Because Plank founded the company he has the passion, dedication, and motivation one needs in order to grow a company into a large international competitor. No one will have the same drive to make their company succeed more than one’s self. Although the company is several years behind Nike and Adidas, Under Armour has been growing steadily since its inception. 12Since 2004, Under Armour has increased its net income from 25. 38 million to 208.62 million in 2012 and is predicted to keep growing. Under Armour has roughly 11. 20 billion of apparel clothing market capitalization, which is dwarfed by Adidas’ (24. 90B) and Nike’s (66. 47B) cap. 2013 revenues show the same results with Under Armour at 2. 33 billion, Adidas with 18. 62 billion, and Nike with 26. 29 billion in revenue. Under Armour is doing better than the industry average at 763. 1 million. These statistics are common across the board; Under Armour out performs the industry average but fails to compete with Nike and Adidas in many financial aspects. Under Armour does lead the industry in gross margin with . 49, tied with Adidas. The Nike and Adidas popular brand names have allowed them to rule the sports apparel market over the last decade, however, Under Armour keeps growing year to year. With a higher margin and a great research and development program, Under Armour can continue to creep up on the industry leaders, becoming a power house of its own. Since day one, it has been an uphill battle trying to compete with the top sports apparel companies in the world, however, Plank surrounded himself with a strong supporting team. Kip Fulks, a former Maryland lacrosse player and schoolmate of Plank, was brought onto the Under Armour team to help promote his product to lacrosse players, as well as other athletes in the Maryland area. Ryan Wood, a high school acquaintance of Plank, was also made a partner of the company to help continue to grow the business even further. With two fellow athletes as his vice presidents, Plank not only had two partners he could trust, but also had two fellow sports enthusiasts who shared the same passion for improving athletes’ performance in all sports. This strong upper management would be the key to getting Under Armour off the ground and competing in the worldwide market of sports apparel. Plank and his companions created a product the public had ever seen before; a compression shirt using wicking performance fibers that kept athletes cool and light without the feeling of a sweat-soaked cotton t-shirt. 14This product proved valuable because it kept athletes cooler, but it also kept them from being slowed down by the added weight of accumulating sweat. However, Under Armour did not stop there. Further research allowed Under Armour to create footwear, pants, hats, headbands, and other accessories in order to keep athletes cool, as well as special clothing that could keep athletes warm in colder climates. Unfortunately, due to no patent protections, competitors such as Nike and Adidas began to replicate such products into their own brand. Since changing the company’s name in 2005, Under Armour has grown into a solid, well-known sports apparel brand. Having such a high quality brand has allowed for high brand equity and loyalty from customers, much like top competing brands. The company has grown from the east coast to nationwide, as well as some international markets. With only a few thousand employees, Under Armour believes in quality over quantity. They hire only the best employees and train them well to ensure top research and development, not to mention top class customer service. A solid research and development team has allowed for the innovation of new products to gain an advantage over their top competitors. Under Armour is known for its â€Å"after-sales† follow up and interaction, which has allowed for a strong brand loyalty throughout its customers. Although Under Armour has a great infrastructure, there is still much more they could do to grow. About 80 percent of revenue comes from performance apparel while just 20 percent comes from footwear, accessories and licensed revenue combined. Also, about 90 percent of the revenue comes from domestic sales; a majority of them coming from only two distributors: Dicks Sporting Goods, Inc.  and The Sports Authority. There is still great opportunity for Under Armour to grow by broadening their product line, as well as penetrating new emerging worldwide sporting markets. Upcoming events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup offer Under Armour a great opportunity to get their apparel, footwear, and accessories worn by top athletes in a global setting. However, they are going to have to work diligently in order to steadily compete with Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Puma, and other sports apparel brands. Problem Statement As previously stated, Under Armour currently sits in the number two position in athletic clothing and apparel, bested only by Nike, the athletic clothing and shoe brand giant. 14Nike is the number one leading company in apparel, shoes (by nearly 30 times if you include Jordan and Converse brands by Nike) and even accessories. The reason for Nike’s long lasting, and most likely everlasting, success as number one is their brand name and its reputation as being the best. Specifically, Nike is not necessarily Under Armour’s biggest problem; rather it is the large number of competitors occupying similar – if not larger – market share in the industry. With players such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Mizuno, Reebok, and many others, it has become increasingly difficult for companies to generate enough momentum to tap the market share in a significant way. Of course there are ways to make Under Armour more successful through marketing, development, and product line expansion, however, the largest concern lies with the extent of the competition with already well-established branding. Currently, Under Armour has Cam Newton positioned as the face of their brand, with many other notable players solely being endorsed, however, the lack of multiple â€Å"MVP† caliber athletes as the face of the brand could also cause younger consumers to look elsewhere for apparel and athletic wear. Companies like Adidas – who endorse Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Robert Griffin III, as well as being an official sponsor of the NBA – and Nike – who has endorsed Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods and many more – already hold a slight advantage. Under Armour’s premium pricing for certain lines of apparel and clothing may affect sales in areas with lower average household incomes, causing certain consumers to shift towards the Adidas and Reebok aisles rather than Under Armour or Nike aisles. By capturing some of the smaller companies’ customers, Under Armour may have the ability to gain additional market share. Strategic Formulation While Under Armour maintains a strong market share compared to their competitors, there is still room to expand into untapped markets. Such markets would consist of expansion into international markets such as various major European Soccer leagues i.e. Barclays English Premier League, BBVA La Liga, and the German Bundesliga, as well as Latin American Baseball Leagues and European Rugby Leagues. By moving into these markets, Under Armour has the potential to take a larger share of apparel sales, not to mention securing long-term team sponsorships for professionally managed sports clubs. With the large number of professional leagues and individual players Under Armour can increase their overseas brand awareness and apparel sales. A second recommendation would be for Under Armour to use their overseas expansion to gain high profile endorsements for marketing purposes. This exposure to a greater presence across more platforms will allow for a more densely populated market in the household sector of sales. With sport platforms such as rugby, cricket, and soccer leagues still with alternative sponsorships, up and coming athletes are yearning for well-known corporate sponsors, and thusly Under Armour has the ability to gain market share through marketing campaigns. Another alternative strategy to increasing market share and sales would be for Under Armour to reinstate their original moniker, KP Sports, Inc. , as a low cost alternative to their Under Armour line of products. The product line of KP Sports, Inc. would include all previous Under Armour products sold at a reduced cost and marketed to lower income regions of the world. This would provide the opportunity for Under Armour to increase their sales without tarnishing their higher priced, higher quality brand name and image, while still providing quality equipment and apparel to regions of the world that would otherwise lack access to such products. A final recommendation for Under Armour would be to increase their retail presence through the use of more specialty store locations. With only a handful of existing Under Armour specialty stores, customers are being forced to shop at retail locations such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority. Such stores are over saturated with other top competitors such as Nike and Adidas. By increasing the number of specialty locations, Under Armour can offer their customers a wider selection of products, as well as offering them expert assistance in meeting their athletic apparel needs. Additionally, these locations could offer sales and discounts similar to those of factory outlet locations without the stigma of being a low quality alternative. After evaluating all of the potential alternatives the choice is clear that expanding to overseas markets is the best option to gain market share, increase sales, and build a stronger brand image. With approximately 98 percent of sales coming from North America, the expansion overseas would provide limitless opportunities for sales growth. Given the large amount of success since the company’s inception, Under Armour has the potential to become the largest athletic apparel provider in the world if they can gain a larger market share abroad. In order for Under Armour to implement these strategies the company needs to think on a larger scale. Plank has done a great job getting his company off the ground and into the top three performance apparel firms around the world, but if Under Armour wants to survive and continue to thrive, it needs to think beyond the norm and penetrate these new, emerging international sports markets. Plank has always strived to be the best so he has only hired the most competent workers for his company. Structurally, Plank should search for global partners that have connections in foreign markets. When marketing a product one must not only have to know the product well, but be familiar with the customs and norms of the market in which they are competing in. Incorporating foreign presidents and vice presidents into the company would allow Under Armour to get a solid hold on the Latin America, European, and even Asian, African or Australian markets. Under Armour should also focus on areas with extreme climate. Doing so would play to the advantage of their specialty performance wear for hot and cold weather. This may call for a rise in the number of people Under Armour chooses to employ. In order to reach new markets Under Armour must also reallocate its resources. This means looking for cheaper labor markets to manufacture goods, as well as setting up new distribution centers domestically and in foreign settings. Cheaper labor and shipping costs can lower the price allowing for Under Armour to compete with Nike in the price war. Also, licensing the cheaper KP Sports brand can allow for a lower, more cost efficient alternative that will not tarnish the Under Armour brand, which has been known for the highest of quality. In the United States, Under Armour needs to open up more outlet stores which exclusively sell Under Armour merchandise. Spreading out merchandise between other retailers such as Bass Pro Shop, Champs Sports, Foot Locker, and even Fanatics – an online sports apparel shop – will also help increase market share. Under Armour may want to stay away from generic stores such as Walmart and Target in order to reduce the chance of damaging brand name. Marketing is another key element to capturing market share and increasing sales. When it comes to commercials, billboards, and celebrity endorsements, Nike and Adidas lead heavily. Under Armour needs to get its name out to the public as much as Nike and Adidas in order to steal customers away, not to mention reaching up-and-coming teens who will be looking for gear to perform in when playing their desired sport. This also means targeting the biggest of star athletes on the rise. Not every endorsee will be a Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, or Peyton Manning, but finding the next big breakthrough athlete may be what it takes to get young athletes to switch to Under Armour products.  On a financial level, Under Armour needs to keep funding a strong research and development team to continue to develop breakthrough products. Innovation will allow Under Armour to gain an advantage over Nike and Adidas, causing these companies to develop their own new products in order to continue to compete with Under Armour.