Alexander II Managing the Challenge of Modernizing Russia free essay sample

How successful did Alexander II manage the challenge of modernising Russia Since the nineteenth century it has been evident that Russia and much of Eastern Europe has struggled to keep up with the modernising western powers; a problem which has become apparent to Alexander II. They were socially, economically and politically behind in many aspects; industrialising was a huge problem due to problems with serfdom as well as poor infrastructure and transport links which made industrialising uneven across the whole of Russia. Economically, Russia was truggling with problems in agricultural production, expertise in Jobs and basic infrastructure such as transport links. In hindsight, his economical reforms proved to be the most successful. Most successful of his reforms includes the introduction of Reutern. He was extremely successful as he was able to borrow less money from other countries giving more independency; He also allowed infrastructure to improve through the construction of railways across the landscape of Russia. We will write a custom essay sample on Alexander II: Managing the Challenge of Modernizing Russia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is extremely significant as it meant more raw materials could be travelled making Russia more conomically stable and less reliable on other countries resources. Moreover, it encouraged more highly skilled and better qualified workers to move to Russia to design and created Jobs for those to build the railway in turn leading to faster industrialising and economic prosperity. Other reforms included a treasury being reformed as well as the abolition of tax farming. Reformation of the government and treasury is important as it meant the government was more efficient with its budgeting and therefore saved money reducing their debt and consequently boosting the Russian economy. However not all of Alexander reforms were successful. Most controversial was the emancipation of the serfs in 1861 which has both benefits and drawbacks. It created a more mobile workforce allowing serfs to travel and become better qualified as well as pay taxes so the government had more to spent in other sectors however its drawbacks must be considered; many peasants were unhappy at the newly introduced high levels of tax and poor incomes preventing them from leaving their ex-serf owners household. There were also other issues with Alexander II reforms to modernise Russia. While railways proved to be ighly useful they took long periods of times to build as well as large sums of money to construct them. There were also large amounts of anti-Semitism towards the Jews who were now able to trade creating a largely hostile environment and many sought this to be wrong. Despite this, Alexander II was significantly successful in modernising Russia as he was able to develop a stronger infrastructure with better transport links allowing Russia to make better use of its resources it had as opposed to lending from other countries. He also created many new Jobs in building the railway improving the economy. While the emancipation of the serfs was not his biggest success it was clear it was a huge step towards equality and freedom for the people within Russia. Socially it is evident that Alexander II was largely unsuccessful seen was the military changes he brought about. With the emancipation of the serfs, ex-serfs were no longer to be conscripted into war as had previously done which had created a large but weak army with little or no skills with weapons quickly leading to defeats for Russia. Military changes meant a more concise and better trained army was made which proved to be more effective In its war against turkey. The government also proved education to the military improving literacy rates among the poorer people who could not afford so. However, while a more efficient army with rankings for soldiers to aspire to it had many faults. Despite Russia defeating turkey this took a much longer period of time than had anticipated and the army was evidently still not particularly powerful after its defeats from both Japan and Germany. Little was done to improve the other social areas which so badly needed reform. In regards to Judicial and legal reforms all people were to be treated equally efore the court of law and criminal were to be heard by barrister and a Jury. This created a fairer system with less temptation to Judges being bribed as salaries went up. However there were still a number of problems; open courts to press and news gave revolutionaries chances to spread the words of their causes changing public opinion and encouraging the movement of radicals leading to more splinter groups of the nihilists. Censorship on the press was relaxed allowing many articles to be published without subject to contents checks giving more freedom to the writers owever this was soon revoked in the 1870s with the rapid expansion of critical writers towards the government with many showing discontent towards the tsar. Again, this encouraged radical voices to be heard and the spread of revolutionaries to increase giving way to more political opposition. Educational reform faced the same issues when they relaxed educational laws allowing all to attend some form of education. More radical thinkers expressed their attitude through public speaking and critical writing. Educational reform also showed an explosion in the radical ideas of women as they were allowed to attend education. It is therefore evident to see that Alexander II was largely unable to positively affect people socially due to his half attempts to change without changing the attitudes of the public. Moreover society was still largely unrepresentative as peasants population was disproportionate to the population of Russia. There were still a higher number of nobles representing the local government and the power of the Dumas and zemstrva was limited meaning that the peasants lives were largely unchanged. His inability to stick by his reforms and consequently reverse them the public angrier and more resentful than they had een before. Politically there were a number of challenges that Alexander II faced due to large amounts of opposition. Many were unhappy with reforms and the tsar and so small rebellion groups appeared with the first being known as the nihilists. This was largely made of younger generations many of whom were students who believed the whole governmental body failed and needed to be completely removed. Groups such as the nihilists slowly branched out with people differing in beliefs with some taking a more aggressive approach. Most notable of these groups was the peoples will who ere responsible with the attempted and successful murder of Alexander II which is Alexander II failed to repress the political opposition through the secret police as this led to more aggressive and violent protesters. Moreover trials that came about did little to repress the revolutionaries attempts as some such as the trial of the fifty or one hundred and ninety three allowed most to leave without consequence and very few were convicted and many revolutionaries were able to voice their opinion and spread the word such as Alexander Zheliabov who would also be involved in the ttempted murder of Alexander. It can therefore be said that politically Alexander II failed to modernise Russia as he failed to repress the revolutionaries threat and almost encouraged it with his inability to please the peasants and younger generation. Whilst Alexander II succeeded in his economical reforms to modernise Russia with an improved infrastructure and the introduction of Reutern he essentially failed politically to repress the revolutionaries action and was not hard enough on them allowing them to continue to spread the word but also socially as his nability to stick to his action and eventually reverse them made him look weak and unsettled the Russian population.

Enhancing Employability in Marketing The WritePass Journal

Enhancing Employability in Marketing Introduction Enhancing Employability in Marketing ). Current trends also include co-marketing in which various brands allied in a particular field come together in marketing campaigns such as consumer, trade and press events for mutual benefit. Complementary businesses create partnerships which enable them to benefit from economies of scale, and enables increased exposure to new audiences (Gruber 2004). Also included among current trends are in-store merchandising which include posters, branding, brochures, product displays and the securing of valuable shop floor space for merchandise; in-house expos that are used to showcase product portfolio and entire brand to trade and press; product placements in movies, sitcoms, games and other media; direct marketing and public relations; and outdoor media campaigns targeting key commuter areas and areas with greater potential consumer reach which result in increased web traffic and enquiries by consumers (KTLLC report 2012). The traditional marketing platforms such as newspaper ads, magazine placements, and commercials on television and radio are still quite effective but are, however, challenged by the emerging technologies and are slowly losing the significance that they have had in the past (Roberts 2007). There are contemporary (non-traditional) forms that have emerged with the success of emerging technologies but these platforms are yet to gain prominence and therefore are not yet highly effective though they have huge potential (KTLLC report 2012). These are inclusive of mobile marketing which entails mobile advertising, as well as, the use of marketing apps and branded apps on mobile to reach consumers with brand messages; crowd sourcing which is an open innovative model pioneered by sites such as Threadless.com in which customers are engaged to design and vote on new product designs; and geotargeting which entails the use of popular tools such as local websites offering discounts and review opportunities making it easy for consumers to find deals and engage with the businesses in their neighbourhoods and beyond creating local marketing campaigns which are highly targeted (Ebling 2007). During my placement, I was also tasked with the management of databases containing customer information while ensuring the smooth and effective operation of general processes and procedures pertaining to the Brand Management team. These processes include the coordination of general Public Relations activities; magazine subscriptions; implementation of new policies into the department; cross-brand trade promotion analysis and the maintenance of cross-brand expenditure tracking tools such as the advertising log, among other expenses. With regard to Brand Specific activities, I was tasked to assist Fisher Outdoor Leisure’s brand managers with specific brand activities such as the devising of strategy and alignment of messages for the commute and leisure cycling categories, new product launches, overall brand building, trade and consumer communication, and the implementation of an integrated marketing plan. Employability Various selection methods are used by recruiters, employers and agencies in the search for individuals to form organization’s workforce and to enable these organizations to achieve their success and objectives. The traditional method is the form in which written applications are sent either directly to employers or to agencies which is followed by robust interviews to screen candidates for appropriate fit to the organization’s objectives (Srinivasan 2009). Registration with job recruitment agencies or job search firms, as well as the personal network/word of mouth is more prominent as employers through their relationship with the agency or its network are able to gain valuable insight into the track record on current or previous roles of a candidate and thereby avoid the rigor associated with screening for appropriate candidates (Jacoby 2005). Temporary staff recruitment by employment agencies is also a method of recruitment in which an agency recruits and offers individuals for employment in organizations on a temporary basis (CBI report 2009). ­Ã‚ ­ Choice of candidates from work placement candidates and interns is also prominent in some organization’s hiring activity as these individuals are deemed to have gained valuable experience and have been observed at work, tried and tested for appropriateness (Salary Market Insight report 2012). Advantages of work placement The main advantage of a year-long work placement for second year undergraduates is that it gives the individual useful experience of the job market and valuable experience on what goes on in the business environment or in various organizations (CBI report 2009). It also enables an individual to make appropriate decisions on their career path before they actually make necessary decisions regarding coursework paths, the areas that they would like to continue with as their chosen careers.   Work placement also enhances the chances of finding work with the respective companies as the individuals who have had gained experience on work placement are deemed more valuable than new recruits who would require extensive time-consuming training (CBI report 2009). Disadvantages of work placement A disadvantage arises from the increase in time spent in college, with the addition of a full year to enable the year-long work placement program. Also a disadvantage is the timing, as in second year, a student is not quite adequately informed about their career choices and paths and this might affect their choice of work placement programs (Brown 1998). Ease of obtaining work placement Organizations and employers in the modern day are cautious and risk averse, concerned with keeping the headcount within consistent which causes a dip in hiring activity. This caution also affects the work placement programs as these are paid positions which should contribute to the overall objective (Salary Market Insight report 2012). Getting work placement in this regard is therefore not easy under these circumstances and constraints. Organizations continue to seek specialist skills that will make immediate tangible impact on their bottom lines fighting for the high calibre, high quality candidates often in a limited talent pool. This has necessitated the use of screening and elimination processes to acquire the best fit with successful candidates often being those who have previous relevant and valuable experience (Salary Market Insight report 2012). This locks out candidates from the work placement category as this constrains opportunities for entrants into the job market with low skills and a huge requirement for training, therefore, making the finding of work placement opportunities a challenge. However, employers and universities have a duty to prepare tomorrows workforce through the development of their skills and attributes such as self-management, team working, understanding of key drivers for business success, problem solving, communication and literacy, entrepreneurship, and a positive attitude among other skills and attributes. In light of the limited talent pool and the difficulty in finding people with specialized skill sets, it is essential that organizations create work placement opportunities that enable the development of these desired skill sets and traits (CBI report 2009). This endeavour therefore eases the finding of work placement opportunities overall and enables companies attract quality graduates and post graduates with the desired skill and trait sets. Work placement fit in my career plan In the development towards my career in marketing, work placement at Fisher Outdoor Leisure Limited fits very well in my plan as it has given me invaluable insight and practical experience with regard to the marketing and advertising field. This opportunity has also enabled me to develop a number of skills and attributes that are often required in the job market and that enhance my chances in the job market upon graduating. The various tasks that I engaged in during my work placement covered a huge part of what marketing entails and were representative of the actual tasks that would comprise my future role in my career. My intention in preparing myself for the job market and enhancing my chances therefore includes identifying my skills sets and desirable attributes and those that I lack so as to further my personal development and employability. The skills that I intend to develop include entrepreneurship which includes risk taking, creativity and innovation which my work placement at Fisher Outdoor Leisure greatly helped me develop through the engagement in the marketing tasks. An attribute also developed at Fisher Outdoor Leisure Ltd. is communication through my involvement in developing marketing messages and general communication with trade and customers which required effective listening and questioning; problem solving skills through the situations in my particular responsibility and daily tasks with the requirement for creative thinking in developing advertising programs and strategies. It is evident therefore that my work placement was very important in development towards my future career. In my development towards my career, I need to develop self-management trait better in terms of developing flexibility, resilience, readiness for any responsibility and tasks, as well as, assertiveness; and to generally develop a positive attitude, openness to new ideas and a drive to achieve that will enable success in my chosen career path and contribution in my particular job. I would also need to develop number skills and the application of numbers that would be useful in analysis and evaluation of various data and information in the markets and in my particular professional field. This would require that I develop an understanding on the application and use of various Information technology tools and software, as well as taking relevant professional courses upon completion of my undergraduate studies that would build my capacity for such analysis and evaluation appropriate for my career. After graduation, I would also seek short term volunteer positions or internships that would enable to gain in understanding of key drivers for business and to fill up idle time that will result with the completion of my undergraduate study. This endeavour would benefit me in enhancing practical experience gained, adding on to my track record and overall skill thereby improving my employability and ease in getting a hiring. Conclusion This report has detailed my work placement which was undertaken at Fisher Outdoor Leisure Limited, a UK cycle distributor. My tasks and duties as Brand Assistant in the company entailed engagement in communication with trade customers, Market analysis, Corporate Brand development, enhancement of operational effectiveness in the marketing department, and involvement in Brand specific activities generally. The report has also delved into current trends in the Marketing and advertising industry taking an overview of the various platforms including social media and the online platform, the traditional print, TV and radio and the emerging contemporary platforms such as mobile marketing, crowd sourcing and geotargeting. It has also discussed the ease of obtaining work placement identifying the advantages and disadvantages of such work placement in second year undergraduate; overall employability and the skills and attributes that enhance such employability; and my personal endeavour towards employability and the development towards my future career. References Ataman, M., C., Mela, and H., Van Heerde, 2008. Building brands. Marketing Science, forthcoming. Burgess, S., and J., Steenkamp, 2006. â€Å"Marketing renaissance: How research in emerging markets advances marketing science and practice.† In: International Journal of  Research in Marketing, 23 (4). CBI Employability Report, 2009. Graduate employability – CBI/UUK Report. Jacoby, S., 2005. The Embedded Corporation. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. KTLLC communications report, 2012. Creative Solutions for Converging media. Salary and Market Insight Report, 2012. Michael Page. Roberts, J., U., Kayande, and S., Stremersch, 2007. Impact of marketing science on practice. European Marketing Association Conference Presentation. Srinivasan, S., and D., Hanssens, 2009. Marketing and firm value, Journal of Marketing  Research, forthcoming. Brown, S., and K., Eisenhardt, 1998. Competing on the Edge. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Gruber, M., 2004. Marketing in new ventures: Theory and empirical evidence. Schmalenbach Business Review, 56(April 2004), 164-199. Ebling, C., and D., Klapper, 2007. Dynamic effects of promotions in choice data: Differences with respect to whether, what and how much to purchase. Marketing Dynamics Conference 2007. Delre, S., et al., 2007. Targeting and timing promotional activities: An agent-based model for the take-off of new products. Journal of Business Research, 60 (8), 826-835.