Enlgish 2 ( Water Pollution ) Research Proposal

Enlgish 2 ( Water Pollution ) - Research Proposal Example Water pollution refers to the human-induced changes to water quality. Scholz contends that contamination of ground water, rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans can threaten the health of humans. Contaminated water has threatened the health of humans for centuries and continues to pose the same threat even today. Water is crucial for the welfare of the humanity and it is the quality of water that matters, not the quantity (Myllyntaus, 2005). Water occupies more than 71 percent of the earth’s surface but only 2.5% of it is fresh water, meant for human consumption. Again, 1 percent of this fresh water is divided into lakes (61%), atmosphere and soil moisture (39%) and the streams make up for less than 0.4 percent (Frank, McClure, Press & Walsh, 2001). The streams including the rivers constitute the smallest percentage of river distribution, most of the water for human consumption is provided by them. Drinking water accounts for even less because much of the fresh water in undrinkable (Myllyntaus, 2005). About 20 percent of the fresh water is stored in fresh water form and this is not a quickly renewable natural resource. Rainwater is the only naturally renewable form of water. Water pollution can be divided into two categories – point-source pollution and non-point-source pollution. When contaminants are discharged from a discrete location, as the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, it is known as point-source pollution (Scholz, 2003). Non-point-source or diffuse pollution refers to all other types of contaminants that polluter the water body. Acid rain is an example of non-point-source pollution. Water pollution poses threats to human health in different ways. The pollutants enter the body via skin exposure or when drinking water or contaminated food is consumed directly (Scholz, 2003). Mercury has been detected in fish tissues that are found in contaminated water bodies and

United States Economic Situation Essay Example for Free

United States Economic Situation Essay The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $49,800. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a two-tier labor market in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. In addition to dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, in October 2008 the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and  industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through 2011, direct costs of the wars totaled nearly $900 billion, according to US government figures. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on health care public plus private rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are too big to fail, and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. Long-term problems include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits including significant budget shortages for state governments.

Measuring Random Appraisal Error in Commercial Real Estate :: essays research papers

Recent empirical studies imply that most appraisal error is nonrandom, which suggests that strategies that advocate portfolio assembly over individual property selection may be defective. Each step of the appraisal process involves an unknown amount of estimation error. The combination of these errors is unlikely to produce a perfect, error-free estimate of value. Thus, appraisal error is virtually unavoidable. Investors need reasonable estimates of value when buying, selling, or retaining commercial property, so an unknown amount of appraisal error adds uncertainty to the decision-making process. Despite the uncertainty, investors have learned to make allowances for appraisal error in their decision-making processes. The way in which real estate investors interpret appraisal errors has a material effect upon the decisions that they make. In particular, the predominant belief among real estate professionals is that appraisal error is random. This belief materially influences investor attitudes toward portfolio management and the valuation process itself. Lack of understanding of the relative magnitudes of random and nonrandom components of total appraisal error has co nsequences for optimal portfolio strategies. For example, investors who deem the bulk of total appraisal error to be random may reasonably conclude that error in estimates is beyond their control or influence. To minimize total portfolio valuation error, such investors may assemble large, diverse portfolios even though the cost of owning an array of properties of various types and in various locations is expensive. On the other hand, if the bulk of total appraisal error is nonrandom, investors would do better to pay attention to improving value estimates on each property rather than hoping that the errors in values of a large pool of properties will offset one another. In particular, investors should institute valuation controls and procedures to minimize the errors in each valuation of individual portfolio assets. Such controls might include obtaining multiple simultaneous estimates, changing appraisers for each periodic revaluation, or increasing the frequency of valuations. This conclusion becomes particularly significant in light of studies like Miles that determine that the typical magnitude of total appraisal error is about ten percent of appraised value. Information in three recent empirical studies provides evidence that previous appraisal research has been mistaken in assuming most appraisal error to be random. The demonstration that most appraisal error is nonrandom should encourage real estate investors to focus additional attention on individual asset selection and valuation at the expense of portfolio assembly. Estimates of Total Appraisal Error

Love as Joyous Essay

Both Plath and the Metaphysical Poets show love as joyous by suggesting a strong physical intimacy between themselves and their lovers. Donne, known for his hedonistic ways tried to seduce his lady in the poem ‘To his mistress going to bed† by relating her undressing to a holy analogy. â€Å"Hallowed temple†¦ heaven†¦ paradise†¦ Angels† gives a sense of purity about the relationship and emphasises the innocence in that the love they are about to share is purely between them. Along with this, in order to fortify the intimacy felt during love making Donne uses polysemic terms such as â€Å"My mine of precious stones† which not only displays mine as a first person possessive pronoun- perhaps showing pride in the possession he has over his mistress- but also the mine that is her genitals- the new land he is yet to discover. Similarly Plath uses polysemantic terms as a way of showing the exclusivity in her relationships in the poem ‘Ariel , specifically referring to the apparent lesbian affair she had soon after her and Ted Hughes split ‘ – † The child’s cry melts in the wall† not only suggests that when with her alleged lesbian partner she’s free for the burden of motherhood and can just focus on their passion but also that when being in a homosexual relationship the possibilities of conceiving a child are none an therefore there is no-one else to detract from the bond and overwhelming desire that the 2 have for each other. Plath also represents this intimacy by using metaphorical imagery such as â€Å"White Godiva† which indicates the female naked freedom while also subtly protesting against her husband by portraying this great female symbol. Plath also uses imagery to intensify the passion she feels in love making with another woman – † The brown arc of the neck† and † into the red eye† suggest the vagina and feminists would argue that Plath portrays the orgasm as † Foam to the wheat glitter of seas† which exaggerates the intimacy experienced when the 2 are at their most vulnerable naked states. Along with this both Plath and the Metaphysicals display the joyous love by the overwhelming of emotions that it creates. In Donne’s poem † To his Mistress Going To Bed† the whole poem is written in one stanza with its contents being ridden with enjambment â€Å"we easily know By this these Angels from an evil sprite:†. This shows the feelings Donne has as not being able to express them fast enough as, as he’s seducing her, so many emotions are being created – at the foremost frustration and lust. At the time, Donne was known for being debauched and this excitement and unable to contain his feeling emphasises how much he risked in order to sleep with the woman. The use of plosives such as â€Å"Behind before, above, between, below† represent the transactional and heightening strength of the emotion whilst the caesura in the line suggests Donne needs to pause after the words to try and calm himself down from all the overwhelming urges and desires he has for his mistress. As Donne was a child genius and was working in law by the time he was 17 he was popular with the ladies, and so when a woman such as the one he’s addressing in the poem doesn’t succumb to his epicurean ways so easily, his emotions flair and overwhelm him into an almost plea for her to make love with him. Plath also uses linguistic features in portraying the overbearing love and excitement she has for her first child to be born. â€Å"You’re† is a poem written during her pregnancy of her first child Frieda. She uses the phrase â€Å"Vague as fog and looked for like mail† to represent the anticipation and urgency she has to meet her new child. However, this is a homophone and mail could also mean â€Å"male† as in the absence of her husband Ted Hughes who was rarely around. At the time she was having relationship issues with Ted and building a new everlasting love bond with her new child and so the conflict in positive and negative emotions at the time would have certainly been overwhelming. The fog in this phrase represents the uncertainty and space between the mother and the gestating baby which may also be ironic of the disbelief she has that she can love a person so much without having met them yet. Finally both the metaphysical poets and Plath display love as joyous by seeing it as an opportunity for a new start. Donne sees this new start being one as starting from the pure naked state in the relationship – † to enter in these bonds is to be free† is an oxymoron as the bond of marriage incarcerates two people in a relationship eternally. However Donne is expressing that by having this new start of marriage they will have a sense of freedom and self completion making love even more joyous. Whether Donne actually meant to marry the woman is questionable, after his strong womanising reputation however if he is then the new start he would have in actually committing himself in a marriage shows the strength of the love he feels. Plath, in â€Å"Ariel† sees the birth of her first child as a new start for herself. The metaphor of the last 2 lines â€Å"Right, like a well-done sum. A clean slate, with your own face on† shows the positivity she already sees in this new being â€Å"well-done sum† and â€Å"clean slate†. At the time she was going through hardships in her marriage with Ted Hughes and so the new child could be a source for a new start of optimistic love and a positive source to project happiness onto. The compound words in â€Å"Thumbs-down on the dodo’s mode. † Represents the new life and thus new beginning Plath will receive from the new baby whilst the assonance of the ‘o’ sound fortifies this by showing certainty and stability she sees in that this undoubtedly will give her the release and new start that she’s needed for so long

Do You Agree That Progress Is Always Positive? Essay

â€Å"Progress† is usually thought of as a positive thing. When people say, â€Å"He has made some progress,† others perceive it as a positive concept. Most of the [1] times, progress is positive, and positive progress can benefit one in many different ways. [2] But there are times when progress can also be harmful and [3] give negative effects. Thus, it will be [4] safest to say that [5] progress is [6] a â€Å"challenge.† One’s progress can promote numerous [7] salutations. It could provide guiding principles by letting one acknowledge new ideas [8], thus making him/her more informed and intelligent, and progress can also provide more opportunities [9]. [10] This opportunity is noticed usually when someone [11] achieve some progress [12] and his intending to stretch out more. Thus stepping forward and making progress might [13] sound always promotive and safe. [14] But let’s examine the situations when progress can [15] work counterly and become negative. â€Å"Making progress† can be [16] reiterated as stepping forward. [17] But who said that one will always profit out of stepping forward? Sometime [18] taking progress can [19] be miserable. [20] Think of case when people in stock markets take a challenge and make a progress. [21] Nobody knows what the outcome will [22] look like and many times [23] they lose most of their money. [24] So progress [25] can be positive, but [26] also [27] negative [28] ; just like flipping a coin. The main theme of the novel, â€Å"Father of the Fathers† by Bernard Weber gives a perfect example of misguided progress. Although the main character [29] search for the â€Å"missing link† of human evolution, every time he [30] progressed to grasp something new, he [31] continued to fall deeply into â€Å"missing link: and [32] become more and more confused. Finally he [33] finds out that [34] present human is the missing link and [35] it [36] is never understandable, he gives up. Therefore, [37] groping progress can sometimes [38] informative and positive, [39] it could also be disastrous and misguiding. [40] Conclusively, progress is not always [41] a positive action. It could certainly be informative, salubrious, and [42] providing opportunities, but it could also be miserable, misguiding, and even harmful. Therefore, [43] taking a progress is a challenge. [44] If progress is always positive, whey doesn’t everyone progress at any time?

Starbucks India Essay Example

Starbucks India Essay Example Starbucks India Essay Starbucks India Essay Cataracts Is one of the most admired International coffee brands. As Indian economy is growing, Cataracts has sensed business opportunities and has entered through a Joint venture with Data Global Beverages and worked to create best business in India. Business Strategy To Generate Best Business In India: Cataracts is selecting strategy in a systematic manner by opening stores only in prominent locations to attract more consumers and starting with the small business to create best business in India. Giving customers a high quality coffee experience along with comfortable and spacious facility where they could spend their time with rinds and family. According to a research report on coffee chain, Very few of Indian consumers order a beverage to take away with them. Most consumers spend about 45 minutes in a cafe ©, using it as a spot to meet friends and relatives. Target Customers: Cataracts has higher prices as compared to other Coffee shops. As said by a customer (a college students We normally go 3-4 times during a week in coffee shops. Thats why we prefer to go to CDC than Cataracts. But if we have to go once in a month, we might go to Cataracts. Cataracts attracts mostly high class and foreign customers. Very few college students or youngsters go to Cataracts. Promotion And Advertising Strategy To Generate Best Business In India: Cataracts has adopted a unique sampling strategy for the publicity of Its product by distributing free coffee In small cups in front of their outlet to generate best business. Normally coffee is distributed during peak hours, such as during lunch hours. According to a server in Cataracts, We distribute free coffee to make consumers aware of our taste. Normally it is distributed when we have some new coffee. But since we are new in India, we are distributing all the coffees. In summers, we distribute cold coffee and in winters, we distribute hot coffee. Cataracts believe In word of mouth publicity. They believe that a satisfied and happy customer could be the best source of publicity and this could help in generating best business in India. Product Mix: Cataracts offer wide variety of products to Its customers. Ready to eat Items offered by Cataracts can be classified into 2 categories: Drinks: They serve 100 per cent Arabian coffee. All the drinks are prepared in top quality. This is one of the main reasons to create best business in India_ It can be further classified Into 3 sub- disagrees: 1 . Espresso Beverages (Hot or Iced) 2. Production Blended Beverages 3. Non-Coffee Beverages Each category has about 8 to 10 different varieties. Each product is offered to customers In 3 different sizes- short, tall and grand having different prices. Customers also have the option of adding special syrup or shot in their drinks. All the products are served In high quality cleaned and designer cups and glasses. They also have different types of sugars, such as brown sugar, no sugar and regular sugar for different customers. Food: All the food items were of high quality. But they have very less variety in food items which goes up to 6-7 items. Food items include delicious world-class coffee beans. They also sell different varieties of chocolates. Customers could also purchase world-class coffee cups, designer glasses and tea flasks from Cataracts. This business is another source of revenue for Cataracts. Pricing Strategy To Generate Best Business In India: Cataracts do not employ any discount strategy to attract customers. They have positioned themselves in high price segment. All the items in Cataracts are 30-40 per cent costly, if compared from other coffee shops. They believe in providing top quality and service at high prices. Ambiance of Cataracts can be rated highest if compared it to other coffee shops. They change their ambiance with the change in season. This is the main contributor which generates best business in India. They have different ambiance in summer and in winter. Each store is designed specifically. For example, the store in Consonant Place, New Delhi has ropes and carpets on the wall with the pictures of Indian spices. This look makes it very soothing for the eye. Sofas and chairs were very comfortable with enough space to sit. Outlets are so spacious that we could easily walk and move. This was complemented by the soft music soothing to ears. When I visited the store, there were lot of customers in the store, but the place didnt seem crowded because of vast available store space. Stores are designed to give customers a unique experience in Cataracts. They aim to provide world-class facilities to its customers. Cataracts has also emerged as a meeting place for businessmen and entrepreneurs. Attitude often Staff: Staff was very helpful and polite. They were good in communications and in etiquette. There was one dedicated person to help customers find their place. Also there was one extra person at the counter to help customers choose their drink. Behavior of the manager towards employee was also good. Even once, I saw manager picking leftover plates. This reflects their courteousness and good culture. All these factors increase customer loyalty which generates best business opportunities in India. Cataracts also replaces the drink of a customer free of cost, when a customer after tasting his drink finds it not suitable for himself. This sends a positive message towards Cataracts. Prepaid Card Cataracts also offers customers the facility of prepaid card. In which customers can fill any amount and then they can use this card for paying their bills. This card saves customer every time from carrying cash or their debit/credit cards. Recommendations For Generating Best Business In India 1 . They have either one or two stores in a city. Customers have to travel a lot, if they want to have coffee from Cataracts. Instead of traveling, many customers choose to go to other nearby coffee shop. So Cataracts should focus on increasing the number of outlets. This will further help them to generate best business in India. 2. Cataracts should try to give personal attention to each customer to generate best business in India. Cataracts has mostly high class customers and giving them personal attention will increase brand loyalty. 3. To attract more youths, Cataracts should decrease their price. 4. Cataracts has always adopted social media marketing strategy, but in India people are less attached to internet as compared to US and I-J. Therefore Cataracts consumers. 5. Shattuck further needs to identify business opportunities to increase their market share in India.

Free Essays on Metaphysical Poetry

Metaphysical Poetry The metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century particularly admired the methodology of science, & in fact they copied it, & their phrasing is often technical, spare, and polysyllabic, though they are not repeating actual science but making those metaphysicals substitutions that are so arresting. - John Crowe Ransom Sir, Herbert Grierson defines the term as â€Å"a poetry which like that of the Divina Commedia, the De Natwa Rereem, perhaps Goethe’s Faust, has been inspired by a philosophical conception of the universe & John Cleveland, Abraharm Cowley, & Andrew Marvell, who wrote mainly on religious topics. Metaphysical poetry is concerned with the whole experience of man, but the intelligence, learning and seriousness of the poets means that the poetry is about the profound areas of experience especially - about love, romantic and sensual; about man’s relationship with God - the eternal perspective, and, to a less extent, about pleasure, learning and art. By itself, metaphysical means dealing with the relationship between spirit to matter or the ultimate nature of reality. The Metaphysical poets are obviously not the only poets to deal with this subject matter, so there are a number of other qualities involved as well:  · Use of ordinary speech mixed with puns, paradoxes and conceits (a paradoxical metaphor causing a shock to the reader by the strangeness of the objects compared; some examples: lovers and a compass, the soul and timber, the body... Free Essays on Metaphysical Poetry Free Essays on Metaphysical Poetry Metaphysical Poetry The metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century particularly admired the methodology of science, & in fact they copied it, & their phrasing is often technical, spare, and polysyllabic, though they are not repeating actual science but making those metaphysicals substitutions that are so arresting. - John Crowe Ransom Sir, Herbert Grierson defines the term as â€Å"a poetry which like that of the Divina Commedia, the De Natwa Rereem, perhaps Goethe’s Faust, has been inspired by a philosophical conception of the universe & John Cleveland, Abraharm Cowley, & Andrew Marvell, who wrote mainly on religious topics. Metaphysical poetry is concerned with the whole experience of man, but the intelligence, learning and seriousness of the poets means that the poetry is about the profound areas of experience especially - about love, romantic and sensual; about man’s relationship with God - the eternal perspective, and, to a less extent, about pleasure, learning and art. By itself, metaphysical means dealing with the relationship between spirit to matter or the ultimate nature of reality. The Metaphysical poets are obviously not the only poets to deal with this subject matter, so there are a number of other qualities involved as well:  · Use of ordinary speech mixed with puns, paradoxes and conceits (a paradoxical metaphor causing a shock to the reader by the strangeness of the objects compared; some examples: lovers and a compass, the soul and timber, the body...

The Difference Between Sore vs. Soar

The Difference Between Sore vs. Soar The words soar and sore are English homophones, meaning they sound alike but have different meanings. Definitions The verb soar means to rise or fly high in the air. Soar also means to rise above the ordinary level. As an adjective, sore means feeling pain, sorrow, distress, or resentment. The noun sore refers to a blister or some other source of pain or irritation. Examples Oscar watched the spotted eagle soar and then sweep low.The housing market in Canadas largest  cities has priced out many would-be buyers, leaving them stuck in their current homes as new listings hit  six-year lows and prices soar.(Reuters, Moving on Up? Not in This Canadian Housing Market. The New York Times, June 8, 2016)Another time  she  wakened to see a ball of fire, a kind of lit-up soap bubble, soar from one roof to another and sink behind it. She was aware that what she saw was the spirit of someone who had just died.(Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Key. A Friend of Kafka and Other Stories, 1970)If you feel sore after exercising, you may need to wait a day or two before you stretch.Even a small loan between friends can become a sore point in the relationship.The Chambers of Commerce are still trying to build a freeway through the Ozarks, and I am  still sore about  it.(Roy Reed, Looking for Hogeye.  University of North Carolina Press, 1986) Idiom Alerts The expression sore loser refers to someone who becomes angry or upset after losing a fair competition.In public he was willing to laugh at himself but in private he was not, and whether the game was billiards or business, he  was a very sore loser. When he could fire the men he thought had betrayed him he would.(John D. Seelye, Mark Twain in the Movies. Viking, 1977)The expression sore spot refers to something thats physically or mentally painful or sensitive.Though she had long since grown used to my dedication at the office and now accepted it as part of my character, I knew it had always been  a sore spot with  her.(Nicholas Sparks, The Wedding. Perfection Learning, 2005)The expression sight for sore eyes  refers to someone or something thats a welcome sight and/or particularly attractive.My!  Mrs. Evans! you are certainly a  sight for sore eyes!  I dont know how you manage to look so unruffled and cool and young! With all those children.(James Baldwin,  Blues for Mister Charlie. Dial Press, 1964) Practice Quiz (a) In 1903, the Wright Brothers became the first humans to _____  aloft in a power-driven airplane.(b) After spending the night on the living room sofa, I woke up feeling _____  all over.(c) The  Evening Star Baptist Church was crowded  when I arrived and the service had begun. The members were rousing a song, urging the music to _____  beyond  all physical boundaries.(Maya Angelou,  Singin and Swingin and Gettin Merry Like Christmas. Random House, 1997) Answers to Practice Exercises (a) In 1903, the Wright Brothers became the first humans to soar aloft in a power-driven airplane.(b) After spending the night on the living room sofa, I woke up feeling sore all over.(c) The  Evening Star Baptist Church was crowded  when I arrived and the service had begun. The members were rousing a song, urging the music to soar beyond  all physical boundaries.(Maya Angelou,  Singin and Swingin and Gettin Merry Like Christmas. Random House, 1997)

Problem Solving Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problem Solving Activities - Essay Example ESPN is the largest source of money for Disney and  is believed to be the worlds most valuable media asset. According to www.forbes.com , the company is worth more than $40 billion as of 2012. Therefore one may beg to ask where all this money for ESPN comes from. According to bloomberg.com, the companys revenue hit a $9 billion in 2012 above any other cable network in the world and was projected to hit $11 billion as of the end of 2013 due to increased subscriber charges. Apart from being a sports channel, the company also broadcasts news relating to sporting events and its websites gives fixtures for the next sporting events. This ensures that its customers do not miss scheduled sporting events. One of the major sources for ESPNs money is the customer subscriptions. This is executed worldwide where the moment cable TV customers access the channel, the provider gets revenue which is paid by the customer. For example, many DSTV subscribers are able to watch ESPN at different channels through customer subscriptions, the company gets substantial revenue which enables it manage its day to day operations. Monthly subscriptions make up the largest source of revenue for ESPN standing at almost 60% of the total revenue for the company. In 2012, the company charged the cable TVs the largest amount of money per subscriber regardless of whether the subscriber watched the channel or not. At 4.6 dollars per subscriber, it was the highest in US and the charges continued to increase by up to 17.9% in 2013 meaning that the money generated will continue to increase for 2013. The other source of money for ESPN comes from advertising. In advertising, the company has up to three avenues for making advertising money. These are digital advertising, magazine advertising and television advertising. Of these, television advertising is expected to net up to $4 billion in 2013 the largest share, followed by digital adverts at 700

Modular Integrated Manufacturing Systems (MISS) Essay

Modular Integrated Manufacturing Systems (MISS) - Essay Example This means they have to increase efficiency in the manufacture of their products, maintain good quality and make reasonable profit just to stay ahead of the others in the game. With this in mind, SMEs is embracing methods of improving manufacturing through different methods among which specialized designing and modular designing. Unlike specialized designing which is customized for a specific SME, modular designing involves the combination of standard components together to form a complete system that functions as desired by the manufacturer. This method offers a variety of options for the SME to choose from since standard components are in abundance in the market, thus making many modular designs available. However, one must research which of the many is best suited for the business. The best way to solve this is developing a Modular Integrated Systems Strategy (MISS) framework to help in the selection. This paper will look at the best way for SMEs to integrate formulation of a manu facturing strategy through MISS. Given that there are several types of modular design methods, only six of them are considered as standard. These include component sharing, component swapping, cut-to-fit mix bus and sectional modularity as illustrated in the figure below. All these forms of modularity are visible in our day to day lives in their simplest forms. Workmen’s tool kits with drills, sanders and jigsaws are one example. In terms of component sharing modularity, these tools are designed to use the same battery pack between them and the drill head being switched for a sander is an example of component swapping modularity. Bus modularity is used in the communication system of telephones through switchboards and cut-to-fit in the tailoring industry for custom fit clothes. The best example of sectional modularity is best brought out by the LEGO Â ® Company in making blocks that stack in any direction (The Daily Module, 2014). These forms of

Opinion and Voting Behavior in 2012 Elections Research Paper

Opinion and Voting Behavior in 2012 Elections - Research Paper Example The campaigns were competitive with the two spending over $1 billion in which much of the advertising was on television and was considered as negative. Instead of the campaign favoring the candidates it had some negative impact as Obama received four million fewer votes that the ones he garnered in 2008. However, he utilized the social media, which had a very big impact on the voters turnout. Romney was successive in the nomination process, and his campaigns focused on the dissatisfaction with the economic performance and other national problems. One of the national problems Romney used to influence people not to vote for Obama is the increased US debt and promised to improve the healthcare system. However, he could not explain how he would deal with spending deductions. The campaigns mainly concentrated on attacking each other rather than providing solutions for the economy. For instance, Obama team attacked Romney for opposing the Obamas initiative that had included abortion and co ntraception benefits under the health care plan branded as Obama care. Romney defeated Barrack Obama at the polls, and many believed that he might be the winner of the elections. He defeated most of his contenders during g the nominations and hoped to secure the presidential seat as well.

Healthcare organization strategic plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Healthcare organization strategic plan - Essay Example The management of the healthcare facility should put in place mechanisms that will see the staff motivated to do their work successfully. This will result in quality and services being delivered to the patients thereby alleviating the suffering experienced by the patients. Motivated staff will always feel proud of being associated with the healthcare facility whereas non-motivated employees tend to look down upon their place of work (Kadis, 2009). The management should enhance empowerment among the staff. A member of the staff should feel free or at liberty to act in a manner that is beneficial to the healthcare facility. Empowerment result in self-confidence among the employees and this is what makes it easy to attainment the objectives stated in the mission of the healthcare facility (Gill, 1997). The management should put in place mechanisms that will see new skills imparted in the staff members. This will help in the achievement of the objectives aimed at ensuring quality healthcare is provide to the patients. The disease or ailments of the world keep on changing and so do the approaches used to avert or treat them. Efficient service delivery or treatment of such diseases calls for an educated and competent staff which should have been pre-trained on how to handle patients (Crawford, 2010). Involvement of the patients in the management processes is crucial for it ensures that the patient understands what is expected of him or her whenever he/she is in the facility and also what to expect from the staff of the facility. Cooperation between the management staff and patients results in best attainable standards in service delivery (Kadis, 2009). Any organization must strive to achieve the requirement of running the operations in terms of human resource availability. The quality of service delivery is highly dependent on both the quality and quantity of

Human behaviour in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human behaviour in the workplace - Essay Example According to Mullins (2010), a trait is a characteristic that is dominant in an individual that makes them behave in a particular manner. Traits have been greatly used ti study the personalities of individuals mostly in their workplaces. The theory majors on the differences between individuals and what makes them unique in their different ways (Uczynski and Buchanan 2009).   Further to that, the main purpose of this theory is to identify the differences between individuals based on their personalities. Traits theory differentiates individuals into cardinal traits, central traits, or secondary characters. Cardinal traits are traits that are evident in individuals whole life. The traits are unique to every individual to some extent they are identified on the uniqueness of the traits. Central traits are the obvious characteristics found in a person that can be used to define their personalities. Despite being unique to most individuals in most cases, to some situations they are not un ique. Last is a secondary trait; the trait exists in a person's life because of a particular attitude or preferences. They are not dominant in an individual's personality, but they occur under different circumstances (Uczynski and Buchanan 2009).Personality Questionnaires Theory.This theory focuses on using questions to measure the personalities of individuals. The questions used are based on a yes, no or I do not know answers. In workplace, questionnaires theory can be applicable in measuring the level of team building exhibited by the workers.

Nursing Theorist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing Theorist - Essay Example The Neuman Systems Model, as it is sometimes called, â€Å"is a unique, open systems-based perspective that provides a unifying focus for approaching a wide range of international health concerns. Being universal in nature, it is open to creative interpretation and is widely used throughout the world† (Betty, 2009). Placed in the nursing process, Neuman’s system promotes holistic understanding of the patient. Because it is very broad-based and general, as the above quotation suggests, the Neuman system is applicable to a wide variety of situations. The generality of the theory also makes it more feasible in different situations. â€Å"The client in the Neuman’s system model is viewed as an open system in which repeated cycles of input, process, out put and feed back constitute a dynamic organizational pattern. The client may be an individual, a group, a family, a community or an aggregate† (Betty, 2009). Another strength is that the theory is modern, rather than having to be translated across dozens of years, or even centuries. Neuman’s model is actually, while it appears somewhat complicated, about two major components: stress, and the body’s reaction to it. If one can picture the theory in these terms, it becomes somewhat less complicated. One weakness of the theory is that it is so general that compromises in application could also result; another is that t he theory does not appear to have a lot of empirical support in peer-reviewed journals as anything other than a side-note, and the main source of information that comes up on an internet search does not include scholarly articles, but blogs and Neuman’s own website. Purpose: A lot of the problems with esoteric theory have centered around taking a theory and applying it to reality in a realistic and effective manner. Therefore, it is important to know whether or not real-world nurses can see

Human behaviour in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human behaviour in the workplace - Essay Example According to Mullins (2010), a trait is a characteristic that is dominant in an individual that makes them behave in a particular manner. Traits have been greatly used ti study the personalities of individuals mostly in their workplaces. The theory majors on the differences between individuals and what makes them unique in their different ways (Uczynski and Buchanan 2009).   Further to that, the main purpose of this theory is to identify the differences between individuals based on their personalities. Traits theory differentiates individuals into cardinal traits, central traits, or secondary characters. Cardinal traits are traits that are evident in individuals whole life. The traits are unique to every individual to some extent they are identified on the uniqueness of the traits. Central traits are the obvious characteristics found in a person that can be used to define their personalities. Despite being unique to most individuals in most cases, to some situations they are not un ique. Last is a secondary trait; the trait exists in a person's life because of a particular attitude or preferences. They are not dominant in an individual's personality, but they occur under different circumstances (Uczynski and Buchanan 2009).Personality Questionnaires Theory.This theory focuses on using questions to measure the personalities of individuals. The questions used are based on a yes, no or I do not know answers. In workplace, questionnaires theory can be applicable in measuring the level of team building exhibited by the workers.

Transfer information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transfer information - Essay Example The reputation of this university is exemplary. It is an epitome of success and honor. I am certain that transferring to this university is a huge step which will surely have an impact on my future. It will be playing an important role in my growth not just a student, but as an individual whose passion is to explore, discover, and conquer the surprises of life. I hope through working hand-in-hand with the staff, teachers, and my future colleagues, I would be able to be productive in and outside the premises of the school. As I pursue my desire to enter this university, I am anticipating a new platform where I can venture into different avenues. Furthermore, I would be able to acquire more knowledge and would be able to apply them in real-life situations. In return, I am very willing to offer my services and commitment to Northeastern University. I will do my best to be helpful in the propagation of the mission and vision of this institution. I may have shortcomings along the way, but I am sure that I would be able to overcome them with the learnings that this institution would be imparting me. Widening my horizon, becoming a learned individual, and rendering my skills and talents whenever it is necessary and helpful are my goals and objectives. Entering this prestigious university is a milestone and an achievement. Thus, with every step and move I make, I am aiming and striving for excellence. I hope my enthusiasm and eagerness would reach you and grant my request. I would be very delighted to be one of your students. To be able to set foot and grow in this institution is a lifetime privilege. I am proud to be a volunteer. I love to give. I live to serve. Volunteering is different from mandatory hep. It is done with commitment and intent to serve other people regardless of status and position. Rosenberg and Lampard emphasized that in joining a nonprofit organization, one must consider his or her passion (7). Doing

Gorbachev & Soviet Union Essay Example for Free

Gorbachev Soviet Union Essay The disintegration of the Soviet Union was an inevitable matter, and neither the 1991 coup could have prevented it even if it were successful. There were other factors too that contributed to the disintegration of the Soviet. However, Gorbachev had the power to prevent the Soviet from disintegrating, had he acted in a different way than he did after the coup. The coup fails On 19th August, some of the ministers who served Gorbachev, including the minister of defense, Yazov, the minister of internal affairs, Pugo and the head of KGB (Komityet Gosudarstvjennoj Biezopasnost), proclaimed state of emergency. They announced that Gorbachev’s health was a hindrance to his leadership duties, and that due to the poor political and economic situations in the country, a state committee had assumed economic powers. They also sent out messages that no one should disobey the orders of the committee. The leaders isolated Gorbachev in the president’s holiday villa at the Black sea. They also took over the radio and television stations, and instructed the military to roll over tanks in Moscow. The coup was however a failure as some of its members were not confident that it would be a success. Counterargument The failure of the coup radically accelerated the disintegration of the USSR. Also, all of the major organizations and mechanisms that were holding the USSR together, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the KGB, the military, the police, and the office of the presidency, were weakened. They also could not stop the disintegration of the Union because even before the coup was organized, already there were signs of its failure. Therefore, whether the coup happened or not, the disintegration would have occurred anyway. The failed August 1991 coup gave a sharp impetus to the process of the disintegration of the Soviet Union because by the end of the year the USSR had collapsed. Questions have been asked as to why the armed forces never intervened to stop the collapse of the USSR. The answer to this is because the coup and its aftermath increased splits in the armed forces, particularly along ethnic lines. There was also the belief that the coup attempt would fail and that the instigators of a military putsch would be punished. (Treisman 22) What Gorbachev could have done to prevent the disintegration Had Gorbachev acted differently, had he opposed and imprisoned the radicals instead of flirting with them, the USSR might have survived. The author says that the survival of the Soviet Union hinged on the personal determination of one person- Gorbachev’s ability to take advantage of all the powers at his disposal as president of the Soviet Union. Unlimited power as now concentrated in the hands of the general secretary/ president, who, being endowed with emergency powers could have carried out any reforms, completed perestroika, and achieved the same results within a very short time without disintegrating the Union. Gorbachev, like other leaders such as Yakovlev, or Shevardnadze, is said to have realized that the old system could not be maintained without bloodshed and institutionalized terror. The former leader was surrounded by opportunists, and narrow minded bureaucrats who couldn’t accept the end of their privileges. He did not get rid of his subordinates who were a threat to him and the Soviet. Many people did not want the Union to disintegrate, so they hated him because of his refusal to act despotically even if the stake was the future of the Soviet. Counterargument It is argued that perestroika would have been impossible without the leadership of Gorbachev. However, I disagree with this. Gorbachev would have introduced new reforms and enforced them on people, but this too failed. However, it is likely that the entire history of the Soviet Union would be different if someone else would have been in the position. Someone who understood what really needed to be done. Likewise, if someone outside the party leadership had suggested the sort of reforms that Gorbachev instituted, the powerful politburo would never have allowed the individual to remain in power. Because party officials recognized Gorbachev’s loyalty to the Soviet system and to socialism as a world view, they reluctantly endorsed perestroika. As a result of what would have been seen as mistaken judgment, party officials would therefore be extremely diligent in choosing future leaders of the party and would shy away from charismatic, forward thinking leaders. Instead, they would favor reactionary hard-liners for all leadership positions. If Gorbachev had followed the pattern set by Khrushchev and initiated reforms while keeping the reins of control tightly in his own hands, neither the central government nor the republics would have been in a position to quest or resist changes that resulted from the implementation of Perestroika. Another change that might have prevented the dissolution of the Soviet Union would have been for Gorbachev never to have introduced glasnost, which created an unfettered and critical media that in turn fostered a public ready to revolt. Without glasnost, the actions of Soviet leaders would have remained free of public reproach, and Gorbachev would have been able to force the people to comply with his reforms. An uninformed public would have trusted the Soviet government to act in their best interests. Aware of what Gorbachev could have done differently, the hard-liners would have been determined to avoid those same mistakes. With dissidents again in exile or strictly limited in their contact with the outside world and with tightly censored media, the hardliners would have been able to control ongoing influences on public opinion. All forms of Western media would have been banned from the Soviet Union. However, since the people had been exposed to liberalizing forces, the hard-liners would have been forced to resort to Stalin-like tactics to a stamp out all dissent and terrorize the population into submission. (Treisman 25) Conclusion In general, it could be said that Gorbachev’s strategies of leadership were unsuccessful. Although he made a difference in the history of Soviet Union, it is during his era that the soviet disintegrated. Although there were things that he could have done to prevent this, he preferred leading in his own way. His weaknesses are especially seen where the organizers of the coup were not immediately prosecuted. He was also unable to enforce the reforms that could have prevented the Soviet from disintegrating. He would also have denied people the freedom to demonstrate and rebel against authorities. This never happened, as the soviets had become enlightened and knew demonstrations and strikes were their key to freedom. The history of the Soviet Union should be a good indicator of the reasons why we need to choose leaders we can trust to lead us wisely. Works cited 1) Treisman Daniel, The Return: Russia’s Journey from Gorbachev to Medvedev, Daniel Treisman, 2009

The Great Railroad Strike Essay -- American History

The Great Railroad Strike In the first half of the 19th Century the working class in the newly industrializing American society suffered many forms of exploitation. The working class of the mid-nineteenth century, with constant oppression by the capitalist and by the division between class, race, and ethnicity, made it difficult to form solidarity. After years of oppression and exploitation by the ruling class, the working class struck back and briefly paralyzed American commerce. The strike, which only lasted a few weeks, was the spark needed to ignite a national revolt by the working class with the most violent labor upheavals of the century. Railroads were the big business of the mid-nineteenth century. The rail companies employed thousands of people and ran operations nationwide. The railroad transformed American society from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrialized one. The railroads contributed to an economic boom which pulled millions of peasant immigrants from southern and eastern Europe in search of job opportunities and a better life. However, this same industry took advantage of a vast labor surplus and exploited its workers. A record number of immigrants were admitted into the U.S. during the mid-nineteenth century. Attracted mainly by job opportunities and cheap passage from all corners of southern and eastern Europe, a wave of immigrants flooded the American economy. This mass immigration created a labor surplus which produced a marketplace where workers could be hired and fired at will and had to sell their labor for whatever the going rate; labor had become a commodity. Adding to the surplus in available labor was the boom-bust cycle. The depression of 1873 undermined the position of many worke... ...ctuals to the conditions laborers faced. This would lead to the progressive movement at the start of the twentieth century. The railroad was America's first big business. It pulled people from farm labor and individual proprietors to working for wages for a large corporation. Workers were now being treated as a commodity. They were exploited to keep corporate dividends high during an economic bust cycle. In an attempt to stand up to big business small craft unions began to form but they represented a very small segment of the working class. Strike power seemed the only chance to fight backÂâ€"to take a stand for a minimal life-balance. Though the strikes themselves did little to improve things, it brought national attention to the varying middle class as to their labor conditions. This national attention would help launch a new reform movement called progressivism.

The Road Not Taken Analysis :: Free Essays

Line 1 In this line Frost introduces the elements of his primary metaphor, the diverging roads. Back to Poem Lines 2-3 Here the speaker expresses his regret at his human limitations, that he must make a choice. Yet, the choice is not easy, since "long I stood" before coming to a decision. Back to Poem Lines 4-5 He examines the path as best he can, but his vision is limited because the path bends and is covered over. These lines indicate that although the speaker would like to acquire more information, he is prevented from doing so because of the nature of his environment. Back to Poem Lines 6-8 In these lines, the speaker seems to indicate that the second path is a more attractive choice because no one has taken it lately. However, he seems to feel ambivalent, since he also describes the path as "just as fair" as the first rather than more fair. Back to Poem Lines 9-12 Although the poet breaks the stanza after line 10, the central idea continues into the third stanza, creating a structural link between these parts of the poem. Here, the speaker states that the paths are "really about the same." Neither path has been traveled lately. Although he’s searching for a clear logical reason to decide on one path over another, that reason is unavailable. Back to Poem Lines 13-15 The speaker makes his decision, trying to persuade himself that he will eventually satisfy his desire to travel both paths, but simultaneously admitting that such a hope is unrealistic. Notice the exclamation mark after line 13; such a punctuation mark conveys excitement, but that excitement is quickly undercut by his admission in the following lines. Back to Poem Lines 16-20 In this stanza, the tone clearly shifts. This is the only stanza which also begins with a new sentence, indicating a stronger break from the previous ideas.

The Cardiovascular System: Factors That Affect Blood Pressure

NAME: _ MAP Instructions: Select â€Å"Study Area (myA&P) Select â€Å"Interactive Physiology† (left tab) Select â€Å"Chapter 19: Cardiovascular System – Factors that Affect Blood Pressure† Click â€Å"Topic,† watch the tutorial, and then answer the following questions. 1. What are the three main factors that influence total peripheral resistance (TPR)? a. Turbulence b. Vascular Resistance c. A change in blood viscosity 2. Name three hormones that act as vasoconstrictors. a. Epinephrine b. Angiotensin II c. Antidiuretic Hormone 3.Name two hormones that directly increase blood volume. a. Antidiuretic Hormone b. Aldosterone 4. Track the effect on blood pressure by reducing venous return. Go through all the steps. VR decrease in stroke volume (SV) –> decrease in cardiac output (CO) –> decrease in blood pressure (BP) 5. Categorize the following into: A. Factors which increase blood pressure B. Factors that decrease blood pressure _A___ arterial diameter_A___ total vessel length _B___ vessel elasticity_B___ plasma epinephrine _B___ blood volume_B___ plasma angiotensin _A___ stroke volume_A___ plasma ADH B___ blood viscosity_B___ parasympathetic stimulation _A___ blood volume_A___ sympathetic stimulation Use arrows in the spaces for questions 6 through 10. 6. A in hematocrit will result in ____ blood viscosity and ____ blood pressure. 7. Growth will result in ____ total vessel length and an ____ blood pressure. 8. Arteriosclerosis will result in ____ vessel elasticity and an ____ blood pressure. 9. Excessive sweating will result in a short term ____ in blood volume and a ____ in blood pressure. 10. An in epinephrine will result in ____ vessel diameter and an ____ in blood pressure.

Satire and irony by Jonathan Swift

Satire and irony are the main literary tools used by Jonathan Swift in A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels. The author has used irony to create satire in making the audience see the deeper truths within the prevailing social, moral and political circumstances prevailing during the time. While making a comparison between A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels, one can see that the author has used satire, irony and satirical settings in highlighting the problems and contradictions present in society. The author also intends to make comments on such circumstances without intentionally addressing the reader for his response. In both A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift has used irony and satire to achieve certain goals primarily because of the disparity in the structure of each work. There is a strong variance in the use of satire in A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels. A Modest Proposal is certainly a satire which aims at making people of that period to realize the patterns of cold and calculated callousness demonstrated by forthright rationalism in dealing with issues related to poverty and over population. Swift’s works fall under two kinds of satire; the formal and the indirect. Formal satire is narrated in first person while indirect satire is in the form of the character appealing to the audience. A Modest Proposal is an indirect satire since the author speaks on behalf of a character who proposes to provide solutions to an audience that is primarily anonymous while addressing the political economy. The satire used by Swift in A Modest Proposal is aptly demonstrated by the following; I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout† (Swift, 1996). The irony in A Modest Proposal has been presented by the author mainly through characterization whereby the speaker makes the proposals. For example the speaker in A Modest Proposal who is ironic is able to discuss coldly about the social and economic advantages of killing children and then eating them without a tinge or presence of any thought being given to the related moral problems. The irony exhibited by this character does reveal that he can just go on criticizing the moral weak points of mothers who undergo immoral acts such as abortions and committing infanticide. In a dramatic and very ironic statement, one of the characters in A Modest Proposal balks at the prospect of eating teen-agers because it amounts to cruelty, which is in stark contrast to the other suggestions in it. The characters in A Modest Proposal use satire and irony in indirectly telling the readers to ignore the other options and ideas thus giving an example of being represented by the most terrible social planners and politicians. The character can make ironical statements in making them to appear perfectly economical without appearing to comprehend the appalling nature of the same. For example, on one occasion the character talks about selling children as food, which is narrated in A Modest Proposal as â€Å"I grant this food [children] will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. † Indeed this is a very powerful statement in being disguised as being the meaning that conveys the philosophy of the speaker and in addressing the fact that the rich land owners of England and Ireland had taken away all that the poor inhabitants had. Such ironic narrations in A Modest Proposal convey to the reader in a rather cold manner about how children’s skin can be used in making †¦ â€Å"admirable gloves for ladies and summer boots for fine gentlemen†. It appears quite normal and nothing extraordinary for the narrator to rattle out such ironical words in implying as if it was something very simple and beautiful. The inherent irony in A Modest Proposal does make the reader understand the dangers involved in blindly adhering to a single philosophy especially when the entire population is likely to be adversely influenced. Verbal irony is the main figure of speech in A Modest Proposal, whereby the character says exactly the opposite of what he intends to mean. Swift has tactfully used such a device in making his arguments about the Irish people deserving improved conduct from the English, which is indeed extremely amusing and powerful. In pointing out that the Irish should not be ill treated as animals, Swift has written, â€Å"I rather recommend buying the children alive, and dressing them hot from the knife, as we do roasting pigs. In Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift has made the bureaucracy of England as the main target of irony and satire. Gulliver’s Travels is primarily a work of satire. According to Rodino , â€Å"Gulliver is neither a fully developed character nor even an altogether distinguishable persona; rather, he is a satiric device enabling Swift to score satirical points† (Rodino, 1992). Sure the work begins with a lot of satire in attacking the different political machines. Primarily, however, Gulliver's Travels is a work of satire. â€Å"Gulliver is neither a fully developed character nor even an altogether distinguishable persona; rather, he is a satiric device enabling Swift to score satirical points† (Rodino, 1992). Indeed, whereas the work begins with more specific satire, attacking perhaps one political machine or aimed at one particular custom in each instance, it finishes with â€Å"the most savage onslaught on humanity ever written,† satirizing the whole of the human condition. Murry, 1972). During the time of Swift, the monarchy in England had lot of influence in most realms including law despite the increasing power of the bureaucracy. It is this aspect which has been made as the object of satire in Gulliver’s Travels by way of the actions of the Lilliputians who take detailed stock of the possessions of Gulliver and in being prone to making official proclamations about the factors that governed the life of Gulliver along with that of the other citizens. This is evident from what Gulliver remarks in an important quote from Gulliver’s Travels, â€Å"I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk on my body, while one of my hands was at liberty, without trembling at the sight of prodigious creature as I must appear to them† (Swift, 1983). Such overpowering self importance is an example of the satire used by Jonathan Swift in Gulliver’s Travels. It can be seen that a small and unimportant matter can be transformed and made into a bureaucratic and political issue of great importance. The satire is also evident for example when there is a war between Blefuscu and Lilliput because the Emperor cut his finger with an egg shell and there was no consensus about the best way to break the egg. This is evident from the quote from the book, â€Å"Whereupon the Emperor published an edict, commanding all his subjects, under great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs. The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us there have been six rebellions raised on this account† (Swift, 1983). The war had specifically broken out between Blefuscu and Lilliput because the debate ended without any conclusion being arrived at in regard to interpreting which end of the egg was smaller. For the author of Gulliver’s Travels, Lilliput represents England while Blefuscu represents France. In narrating this story, Swift has satirized the aimless bickering and power struggle between the two countries. The introduction of Lilliput in Gulliver’s Travels is indicative of an absurd and miniature England instead of a distant Utopia. In conveying the description of the government and the land it is made clear that despite the Lilliputians suffering from the same faults as present in the English society, they possessed several principles that allowed them to have a Utopian existence, particularly when its comparison was made with England. After Gulliver escapes from Lilliput he goes to England and returns back to sea after some time. This time he lands in a strange land where he is the smaller one as compared to Llliput but is alone in this world and when he does encounter the first inhabitants he gets scared, â€Å"for as human creatures are observed to be more savage in proportion to their bulk† (Swift, 1983). This indicates that Swift has used satire in attacking humanity for their ways. The satire in Gulliver’s Travels reaches the pinnacle whereby â€Å"Swift put his most biting, hard lines, that speak against not only the government, but human nature itself† (Paij, 2009). Using a great deal of irony, Swift makes Gulliver to come in contact with the Yahoos when he comments about a Yahoo, â€Å"My horror and astonishment are not to be described, when I observed in this abdominal animal a perfect human figure† (Swift, 1983). Gulliver ponders that the basic difference between him and the yahoo was the absence of clothes and cleanliness; otherwise the animal was no less than a human. In making such narrations Swift achieved his goal in expressing the satire in showing that humans have overpowering flaws which ultimately lead to the degradation of man. He has used a satirical technique in Gulliver’s Travels in order to attack modernity. He is seen as being concerned about the enhanced power of Europeans throughout the world, the nastiness of the privileged and the increasing importance of wealth for achieving happiness in life (Harold, 1986). Swift took Gulliver on four voyages which made him have a larger understanding of the flaws in human nature. Gulliver’s perceptions about humans and the world change and it is the change in his narrations that conveys the author’s social commentary and satire. Gulliver’s image of humans is not much influenced after the first voyage and so is the case for the second one. But his image of humans declines steadily by the end of the fourth voyage when he comes across the Yahoos. It is in this way that Swift has presented his opinion about human conditions.

International Management/Application Exercises Essay

Make a list of the reasons you would want to accept a foreign assignment and a list of reasons you would want to reject it. Do they depend on the locations? Compare your list with a classmate and discuss your reasons. Living in a culture that has a different language, different customs, and a different work style is exciting, and an once-in-a-lifetime experience. It can give your career a significant boost as well as broaden your horizons. But â€Å"global† assignments, as many companies call them today, have a downside, too. It’s true that some parts of the world are dangerous for Americans and other visitors, but in most global postings the challenges have more to do with different cultures and different ways of doing business. The good thing about accepting a foreign assignment: builds the resume when you are invited to take an International Relocation you should take it because there may be no other experience that adds to your resume more, become a multi-cultural pro when you take an International Assignment it gives you an opportunity to add to your multi-cultural tool belt. Every day you will be challenged by cultures different from your own in the workplace. Learning to manage people of different cultures than your own is an increasingly valuable asset today. While advantageous for some, international assignments aren’t right for everyone. Only you and those close to you can decide if you want to live and work in a different country, and if so, at which point in time. If success on your career path requires international experience and you are unable to take on an international assignment at this time for any reason, there are other ways to gain global exposure. These might include short-term assignments in other locations, jobs that involve cross-border interaction, or a task force made up of a global team. There’s a downside to working abroad: The difficulty of being away from friends and family. It’s especially hard if you move overseas alone, problems adjusting to living in a foreign country. Many people have a difficult time dealing with cultural differences, extreme disorientation. It can take several days or more to get used to living and working in a different time zone, a chance of getting sick. In tropical climates, malaria and dysentery are common. Different health care and sanitation practices must be considered, you’re out of touch with the home office. Many changes can occur in the space of two or three years, such as new management, mergers and acquisitions, and promotions, technological change. Technology in foreign countries can be years behind the United States. It could take several months to digest all the changes when you get home, your company may be reluctant to have you return. Keeping an experienced employee in an overseas post is often easier than training a replacement, and returning to your old job could be difficult, both for you and your coworkers.

The Future of Wi-Fi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Future of Wi-Fi - Research Paper Example Wi-Fi is fast becoming a comparatively low-cost, high-bandwidth wireless technology that's being embedded in a growing number of devices as well as a growing number of locations, including vehicles and carrier hotspots, like proliferating hotbeds of connectivity. This paper continues with a discussion of the role of how Wi-Fi technology and Wi-Fi enabled devices are expanding connectivity and increasing download speeds. The paper will then explore the benefits of the latest advancements in Wi-Fi technology and the challenges to implementing it. The conclusion discussions will comprise how Wi-Fi will change the future of wireless networks and shape how business and personal communication and collaboration are done. Introduction The vision of Wi-Fi blanketing entire cities in the United States has not been realized to the extent many people envisioned. Some people believe it may never come to pass while others believe that Wi-Fi technology has too many benefits and features for it pass into obsolescence. This paper explores various concepts of Wi-Fi. The basic aim of this research is to show the importance of Wi-Fi technology in today’s changing world. This paper will discuss advantages and disadvantages of Wi-Fi technologies. This paper will also discuss the ways companies make use of Wi-Fi technology in order to carry out their activities. Wi-Fi is a networking technology and usually abbreviated as Wireless Fidelity. In the past it was acknowledged as Hi-Fi. Additionally, Wi-Fi is a straightforward and efficient networking technology that is used to link companies, people and organizations to the internet for their personal and business related use. However changing trends result in tremendous changes to PC related stuff with new Wi-Fi-supportive applications. In this scenario, there are lots of examples related to high-end Mobile Phones that require no wires or device for establishing a connection between two devices or computers. Wi-Fi has grown to be a common technology that is used widespread either at home or in office environment. Additionally, the usage of Wi-Fi networks usually depends upon the needs of users. It offers various benefits such as there is no aspect of Roaming (access to get connect even far away from home), no need to change Wire from one place to another and also offers conferencing facilities (Eogogics, 2011; Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005, pp. 249-251; WellOiledPC, 2011). In view of the fact that Wi-Fi networking technology emerged and progressed in a short span of time however this technology finished with approximately billion of customers round the globe. In this scenario, a market growth survey was conducted by a market researcher In-Stat. According to this research 294 million customers were using electronics devices along with networking technology in the year 2007. Moreover, important aspect in growth is its growing still now. Some researchers and analysts say that this rapidly growth wil l probably exceed up to 1 billion by 2012. Thus, this fastest growth in Wi-Fi networking technology results in numerous factors that are liked with our daily lives or it leads toward the business solution. Another aspect in its growth is its low price over the past few years (Reardon, 2008). Wi-Fi networking technology is a standard way for enhancing sales and visibility for achieving competitive edge in the market.

How Does Internet Work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How Does Internet Work - Research Paper Example There are several benefits of being internet savvy for both business as well as individuals. In modern times, internet has heavily assisted individuals in gain information and education. Due to the advent of the internet it has become possible for individuals to gain distance learning. This means that internet allows individuals to study and obtain knowledge from where ever they are at any point in time. One of the main features of internet is that it is available 24/7 and this has several benefits for both individuals as well as business (Taylor 200). From business point of view, remaining connected 24/7 means that business no longer need to follow a schedule of opening their organizations or outlets to serve their customers. Customers can be served at any point in time and this has helped businesses in gaining consumer confidence in their products and services. Similarly, individuals are even able to gain assistance from businesses regarding product issues and other problems at any point in time. On one end are the several benefits that are associated with internet and on the other end are the harmful and damaging results of being internet users. Internet users tend to share very important information that is personal in nature with various websites such as social networking websites. This information can come in handy for those who know how to use internet for their own benefit over the expanse of others. They use this information to break into bank accounts as well as mentally torture people in order to gain financial benefits. Another issue associated with sharing information over the internet is the issue of privacy (Deitel 65). Internet has even caused problems in individual’

Case Study of Supply Chain Management in Larsen & Toubro Ltd Essay

Case Study of Supply Chain Management in Larsen & Toubro Ltd - Essay Example In fact, some of the most amazing business successes in the past 20 years are direct results of finding more efficient supply chains in delivering products to customers. Supply chain management emerged only a decade ago together with the emergence of the word "supply chain" in the business scene. This development started from the business world's recognition of the importance of integrating and managing the processes within a business entity. The new revolution in supply chain management significant changed business processes and introduced radical revolutions which promote the operation efficiency of companies and gain competitive advantage in their respective industries. Perhaps, the most successful in revamping its supply chain is Dell Computers. In fact, supply chain management is often referred to as the Dell's model (Cavinato, 2002). Currently, supply chains generally perceived as the "proper blending of physical resources with financial, informational, and relational resources-all within the strategic context of competing in the marketplace (Cavinato, 2002)." Experts argued that there is no "one size fits all" supply chain and that different businesses need to employ unique business models to run their operations. The shift in business model necessitates major changes in a comp... The first section will give a brief profile and background of the company. Next, it will look at the costs of shifting to a more streamlined value chain. Afterwards, it will explore the importance of technology in the new supply chain as well as its long-term collaboration with its supplier's to the system's efficiency. An analysis of the material procurement system of the ECC will be presented. The paper will end with its findings and recommendations. The Company: Larsen and Toubro Limited (L&T) L&T traces its origins by the partnership formed by two Danish engineers Henning Holk Larsen and Soren Kristian Toubro in 1938. The firm is engaged in the manufacture of a wide array of engineering products, earthmoving equipment, chemical and industrial machinery, switchgear valves, welding alloys and cement manufacturing machinery. The ECC division of L&T handled the turnkey industrial and infrastructure projects in civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering as well as turnkey construction services. The division is headquartered in Chennai and has operations dispersed in other countries like UAE, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and South Africa. The company's thrust of utilizing a business model to integrate the division's operations into a more cohesive one is the driving force in revamping the company's supply chain. From its manual operations, the company opted to employ a web-based SCM solution which took advantage of the recent trend in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Thus, the company was able to streamline its supply chain and boost the efficiency of its operation. Challenges in Integrating

Debt to Equity Ratio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Debt to Equity Ratio - Essay Example This essay discusses that  the calculation of the debt to equity ratio is as straightforward as its definition. The ratio is computed by taking an entity’s total liabilities and dividing it by the company’s equity. The total liabilities and equity used are got from the statement of financial position of the company on discussion. A company’s equity is the amount of capital the shareholders or owners of the business have put in the business. It is determined by subtracting the total liabilities from the company’s total assets. It is best if the debt to equity ratio is kept within a reasonable range. If the ratio is very high, it is an indication that the business can be in a financial distress and maybe in leverage problem where it can find it had to offset its debtors. On the other hand, if the ratio is to low, it implies that the company is heavily relying on the entity’s equity to finance its operations.  According to the report findings  lo ans acquired from lenders come with an interest payment, which must be paid together with the principal loan amount. The advantage of financing a company’s operation through debt finance is that the company can deduct the interest payments in its tax returns. On the other hand financing the company’s operations through equity makes the company at an obligation to earn return and increase the shareholder wealth. Company’s should therefore strike a balance between the debt and equity use to run the operations of their businesses.

Murder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Murder - Essay Example However, it is a fact in criminal law, that the â€Å"criminal intent† or the â€Å"mens rea† of the offender to be convicted for the commission of any of the crimes under the Code requires a different degree of culpability which is dependent on the nature of the crime. Hence, the elements of these two crimes are to be treated differently. The issue that presented before us now that needs to be resolved is: The Mens rea for murder is too narrow in certain respects and too wide in others. The fault element for involuntary manslaughter is simply too wide. To differentiate these two crimes, first thing that needs to be done is to identify the elements for the commission of each of the crimes. We start with the crime of Murder. Alan W. Norrie has reported that for the crime of murder, the case of R. V. Woolin 1 should be highlighted as the basis of defining the intention of the accused. â€Å"In this case, the House has rejected the conclusion of the Court of Appeal that f oresight of a substantial risk of death or serious bodily harm could in certain circumstances be an â€Å"alternative mens rea† that can quality to intention of the accused†. While in the case of R. V. ... However, there exists a conflict in the Woolin case which leaves the test for the criminal intention too specific. In the event that in the future a crime of murder is committed, the victim or his family shall be prejudiced by the conviction of the criminal to a lesser offence, carrying with it a lesser penalty because of non-compliance with the attendant circumstances as stated in the Woolin case, to make him liable for murder. Thus, it gives the criminal the privilege to demand for a lesser penalty and escape a portion of the imprisonment. Moreover, there are two issues which are left unanswered by the Woolin case, which concern the moral basis for convicting a criminal for murder. In one, the foresight of virtual certainty may be regarded as morally under-inclusive, while in the other, it is over-inclusive. These problems, relating to issues of good and bad motive, originated from the unstable moral core at the heart of mens rea, which the dominant subjectivist approach ignores at its peril.5 The principle laid down by Woolin case caused quite a stir because foreseeability and intention are the elements used to prove the degree of culpability of the offender. The terms â€Å"direct† and â€Å"indirect intention† are given their conservative meanings of â€Å"purpose, aim or object† and â€Å"necessary means to an end or side-effect foreseen as virtually certain to occur whether desired or not†. The argument of Norrie is that in the â€Å"process of legal and moral judgment in the criminal law, these terms cannot be fully separated from broader issues of â€Å"motive† or â€Å"ulterior intention†, understood as the moral backdrop to the intentions that are formed, and generally seen as irrelevant to culpability†6. Therefore, if the

Growth Performance Management Essay Example for Free

Growth Performance Management Essay In this report I have given a lot of research into the relevant subjects. I think that the way I have looked at the possibilities will help Helen Marsh and Brian Taylor overcome some of the obstacles in their organisation in order to make there business successful. Suggestions on what you should be specifically looking at in order to make your business a success, in my view would be the try to improve employee attitudes and training for employees. I think I have covered all the points that you have given me in depth if I have not apologies on my behalf. Introduction- Aims of the Report The aim of this report is to show Helen Marsh and Brian Taylor the problems of their business in more detail than the report give (case study). I will outline and investigate further into the following matters: * Growth * Performance Management * Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation * Motivation * Rewards * Employee Turnover/Retention * Training and Development * Communication Growth To consider the growth of Brian and Helens company, we will look need to examine into the PEST (Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors) and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis for this company, this will help us identify if the company should continue to grow. By understanding about the SWOT and PEST analysis this will show us key information and help us identify some of the problems with the business. SWOT Analysis: SWOT Analysis is a very effective way of identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses, and of examining the Opportunities and Threats you face. Carrying out an analysis using the SWOT framework helps you to focus your activities into areas where you are strong and where the greatest opportunities lie. SWOT Analysis is a strategic method for identifying your businesses Strengths and Weaknesses, and to examine the Opportunities and Threats. These are just some of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats there may be more if you feel that there are, pleases do not hesitate to call me we can discuss these further. By reading the report that you gave me (case study) I found more weaknesses than strengths. This is not bad as this shows you that you can improve on these to make your business a success. Read more:Â  Difference Between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal PEST Analysis: It is very important that an organisation considers its environment before beginning the marketing and decision planning process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The SWOT analysis shows a lot of weaknesses in the business, the points that I have mentioned in the SWOT analysis affect the future growth of the business. I think that if you over come the weaknesses that are outlined in the SWOT analysis this will help improve and develop the company significantly because the employee would contribute to the full potential and would also create a good working environment which means less staff turnover. I suggest that you should postpone in growing for the moment and consider improving on the weaknesses that I outlined in the SWOT analysis. I suggest that you should consider growing in the future rather than now. I found out that: Weakness are not necessarily indicating bad things of the organization but showing a path to a better future. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR (1990) Northcraft. G page 437 You should consider improving the weaknesses into strengths as this would be beneficial in the future when you should consider to grow (it is not necessary yet) by improving weaknesses the business would function better and more advantages would be gained such as more share and profit. Performance Management In the report given to me (case study) I see that you have a problem on monitoring the field based staff. This is a important issue as the staff may or may not be doing what you have told them this would cause all sorts of issues with your company for example you may be losing money, valuable resources and time. Field based staff may be difficult to manage but there are ways. Staff that work in the office are easier to evaluate on what and how that are doing. When managing or monitoring employees you have to be aware of their privacy and not to breach that mutual line as this may inevitably cause conflict in the work place. But When you cant be present to observe employee performance, be sure that you have the right processes in place through which you can learn about how theyre doing this can be undertaken for field based staff also. These processes should be open, fair, and understood by everyone. Options for obtaining input about performance in your absence may include, but are not limited to, the following: * Evaluate the output and products of the employees work. * Have routine one-on-one meetings with your employee and include discussions of performance. * Every so often review and discuss with your employee the standards of performance for his or her job and your expectations. * Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion. * Obtain feedback from customers in writing when possible. * Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls to field based staff as well as office based staff. * Ask an appropriate person who is present day-to-day to serve as a work leader or give the person authority to act in your stead, and ensure that everyone understands the persons role. * Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work. * Ask for confidential evaluations of employee performance by peers (or direct reports of supervisors). This process should be clearly understood by everyone and applied fairly to all. Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation Performance appraisal systems are designed to serve the companys and employees interests. They are used to inventory the abilities and resources of employees and to let an employee know where he stands so that he will be stimulated to improve his performance. Employee motivation can be enhanced and performance improved with the monitoring of employees performance level and the use of feedback to advise those employees about their effectiveness. Performance feedback exchanges can be ongoing and informal, on a day-to-day coaching basis or on a formal basis, annually. I found this statement: ..Employers want to be sure their employees are doing a good job, but employees dont want their every sneeze or there trip to the toilet logged Managing People 2nd edition Tomson. R I think that employee monitoring is acceptable to a reasonable level but should nod be exceeded. I used to work at KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and the manager was constantly monitoring me and other staff that work there. I can understand this as people in other restaurants have tampered with food for example a Mc Donalds restaurant in USA Mississippi once was shut down because of food tampering. So to some degree a lot of monitoring needs to be undertaken. But I think you should use some of the procedures I have given for example I would recommend these: * Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work. * Obtain feedback from customers in writing when possible some sort of feed back sheet of possibly a questionnaire * Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls to field based staff * Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion. Motivation Staff motivation is the one of the most significant factors in managing people. No one style is better than another for motivating employees, but it is essential that leaders are aware of their staff motivation style and are able to adapt for different circumstances. Some circumstances will call for a strong direction to inspire staff motivation other circumstances will call for staff motivation to be influenced by a more advice-giving approach. The necessary skill is in knowing what motivates people and satisfying the needs of individuals and groups at a given time. Staff motivation in regard to reward and recognition means taking account of and balancing the needs of the organisation and its objectives as well as the needs of the people expected to achieve those objectives. One of the worlds most successful Software and Hardware entrepreneurs stated: When we create a desirable workplace and find good ways to have work/life balance, well attract and well retain the best people and thats our competitive advantage. Lewis Platt, CEO, Hewlett-Packard (1001 Ways to Reward Employees 2000) Source: www.nelson-motivation.com/hpackard/ceo Hear is an example of a motivational theory: Douglas McGregor, was a American social psychologist, he proposed his famous X-Y theory in his 1960 book The Human Side of Enterprise . Theory X and theory Y are still referred to commonly in the field of management and motivation. Mc Gregors X-Y Theory remains a valid basic principle from which to develop positive management style and techniques. McGregors XY Theory remains central to organisational development, and to improving organisational culture. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y THEORY X THEORY Y 1. Workers must be supervised as closely as possible, either through direct oversight or by tight reward and/or punishment systems. 1. People usually do not require close supervision and will, if given a chance to control their own activities, be productive, satisfied, and fulfilled. 2. Work is objectionable to most people. 2. Work is natural and enjoyable unless it is made offensive by the actions of organisations. 3. Most people have little initiative, have little capacity for being creative or solving organisational problems, do not want to have responsibilities, and prefer being directed by someone else. 3. People are ambitious, desire autonomy and self-control, and can use their abilities to solve problems and help their organisations meet their goals. Creativity is distributed normally across the population, just as is any other characteristic. 4. People are motivated by economic factors and a need for security. 4. People are motivated by a variety of needs only some of which involve economics or security. Figure Obtained from: MANAGING PEOPLE R. Tompson, 2nd Ed, Pub: Institute of Management I think that employee motivation in regard to reward and recognition means taking account of and balancing the needs of the organisation and its objectives as well as the needs of the people expected to achieve those objectives. I think that motivation should also have been included in the SWOT analysis. I think you should also consider how you can motivate staff you could use the web site I have given above for more information. The more you motivate staff the better they will work, this will also help with the monitoring of employees. You should also consider looking at the various patterns used by managers to encourage motivation in the work place, for a good example see Appendix 3. Rewards There are a staggering amount of reward types and schemes, you just have to make sure you have the right ones chosen for your business because performance of staff is the key to the success of any organisation. One of the main rewards that I think is relevant for your business is PRP (Performance Related Pay) One of the key contributors to effective performance is a well-designed performance management process. Such a process should incorporate objective setting, the day-to-day management of performance, the review or appraisal of performance, and rewarding performance. Your employees are your most important asset, they are the people who shape and form the companys future. Rewarding staff can develop healthy in-house competition between individuals, teams or even departments. Another major factor in rewards are employment benefit packages. Reward and incentive programs are a popular part of employee benefit packages. Many employees value such offerings as flexible scheduling, tuition assistance, and child care in order to satisfy personal needs and professional development. I think that you too should consider re designing your employment package. Nowadays society, it is becoming more and more common to support these reward systems with the overall business strategy of an organisation in order to satisfy business needs and to improve shareholder value. In addition, many organisations are developing or restructuring their rewards programs based on employee performance. This trend is likely to continue as costs continue to increase and competition continues to thrive in a highly unpredictable economy. Some other useful reward types that can be used are as follows: Social Rewards: Which include praise, employee recognition, and social acceptance within the business. Psychic rewards: Which include self esteem, job satisfaction, and feelings of accomplishments You could also give piece-rate pay, commissions, merit pay and bonuses. When I was talking about the business and how it will grow in Conclusion of Growth in the first part I think that in order for the business to grow you need the best employees you can get. So you would need to have the reward schemes that the employees are looking for. I the way you are rewarding employees at the moment is not working in fact I know it is not working I think you should use the PRP (Performance Related Pay) method, and also consider giving annual bonuses. Also if you give PRP (Performance Related Pay) you will sort out the problem you have with the monitoring of Field based staff as they too will be attracting more customers for the business. You should also give bonuses if the company is making a stable profit as this would encourage more work to be completed. Employee Turnover/Retention One of the most difficult problems companies had to cope with in the increasingly volatile business climate of the 1990s was the high rate of employee turnover. When employees, particularly long-term employees leave a company that has made a substantial investment in them, they take with them training, skills, experience, and productivity. Output is inevitably diminished during the training process of new employees, no matter how qualified. additionally, a high level of workplace turnover rends the types of social bonds that encourage other employees come to work and maintain their normal levels of productivity. ..In todays workplace, employers are not only having a hard time attracting employees, but are also having a difficult time keeping them.. (Harkins, 1998) I found out that employees leave for a variety of reasons, including poor supervision, unchallenging positions, limited advancement opportunities, lack of recognition, limited control over work, perceived pay inequity, and the perception of more favorable opportunities in other companies. Measuring Absence Obtained from: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES J. Weightman, 2nd Ed, (1996), Pub: Cromwell Press This overall figure, however, leaves many questions unanswered. For example, is the absence rate a reflection of a few employees suffering from long-term ill-health or are a substantial number of employees being regularly absent for relatively short spells? A more in depth way to monitor absence and retention is give in Appendix 1. Hear I found some of the ways in which to help with retention: * Align your employees with company goals and visions * Establish department goals and standards * Set employee goals and performance measurements * Conduct performance reviews that test the established goals * Train managers to effectively coach their staff * Identify barriers find strengths to build upon * Isolate key performance gaps and craft a plan to improve performance * Define the relationship between job satisfaction, goal alignment and individual performance growth I suggest that you should consider some of the points above in order to combat turnover/retention. You should regularly try to monitor staff absence. Try to make the rate as nearer to 8.5 % as possible if it goes over this may be critical to the business. You should have a maximum number of days for employees to comply by, for example I work as Safeway Petrol station in the Penn, employees there are only allocated 50 hours off of work (excluding sick or acceptable absence). You should check out Appendix 1 in how to measure turnover and retention in your organisation. Training and Development There are a number of advantages to training and development and this is another point that was added in the SWOT analysis that needed to be improved in order for the business to function properly and effectively. Training has become the most important feature of a successful organisation. Training is necessary because it improves profitability and/ or more positive attitudes towards profit orientation. Enhances the job knowledge and skills at all levels of the organisation. The work force gets a high morale. Due to proper training employees can identify with organisational goals, corporate image gets improved. Training fosters realism, openness and trust. A boss an the subordinates get to work in a better environment and relationship. Some typical reasons for employee training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or group of employees, for example: * When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed * To benchmark the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort * As part of an overall professional development program * As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the organisation * To pilot, or test, the operation of a new performance management system * To train about a specific topic I found out some key topics for employee Training and Development they are as follows: * Communication- The increasing diversity of todays workforce brings a wide variety of languages and customs. * Computer skills- Computer skills are becoming a requirement for conducting administrative and office tasks. * Customer service- Increased competition in todays global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers. * Diversity- Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity * Ethics- Todays society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also, todays diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace. By giving the appropriate training and development you can gain a lot of advantages. The general benefits from Employee Training and Development are: * Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees * Increased employee motivation * Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain * Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods * Increased innovation in strategies and products * Reduced employee turnover * Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics training!) * Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training I think that training aids in developing leadership skill, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes and other aspects that successful workers and managers usually display which we discussed earlier in the report. The quality of work is also increased and so is the productivity. Its cost effective as well, it cuts costs in different areas e.g. production, personnel, administration etc. it develops a sense of responsibility to the organisation for being capable and knowledgeable. Labor management is also improved, as workers instead of feeling ignored, feel taken care of which develops a sense of loyalty Communication Effective communication skills are vital for success in a business environment with most business people being engaged in some form of communication activity most of the time reading, listening, writing or talking. Business communication is, however, different from educational or literary writing and speaking it requires precision, clarity and efficiency since business people just do not have the time to savor an idea or an expression. Moreover, unethical behavior in the workplaces arising from the lack of ethical communication by the top management to the first-line supervisors proves the fact that employees are either directly or indirectly rewarded for unethical acts or harshly abandoned for going against the norm of practicing corruption (Zimmerman: Jansen and Von Glinow, 2001, p. 119). As explained in this text that I researched into, Jansen and Von Glinow through their in-depth study that encouraging counter norms in an organisation is also a form of promoting corrupt standards in a company in order to save the firms name or to avoid charges by this means reflecting the decreasing ethical communication in organisations. There are many factors that help establish an organisations ability and skill in maintaining the stability and organisation among its employees/members. One of these factors includes attaining an organisational communication process through effective communication skills. The most prominent forms used by most organisations are the development of verbal and non-verbal communication since these are the most obvious ways of communication that provide a dialogue for employees and the management in an organisation. However, what is not realized by both the employees and management is that listening is one important communication aspect that precedes verbal and non-verbal communication. I think that in order to attain effective communication verbally or non-verbally, communicators must first learn to listen in order to assess carefully the issues at hand and the required action that must be taken. If you have a look at Appendix 2 it shows you different types of communication processes. I would recommend that you try to focus on the complete network as this would make communications in your business better. Overall Report Conclusion and my Recommendations I think overall this is what we should be doing in order to maintain and run a successful business: * Growth- we should not be growing just yet as there are to many problems as indicated in the SWOT analysis. We should be improving on the weaknesses and consider to grow and expand in the future. * Performance Management- monitoring needs to be undertaken but only to some degree that is acceptable by you and the employees. But I think you should use some of the procedures that I have indicated in this previous section (please refer to Conclusion for Performance Management). * Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation- Performance appraisal systems are designed to serve the companys and employees interests. * Motivation- You have to consider Douglas McGregor Theory X and Theory Y. to offer the best motivation go through the chart that I have drawn and consider what you can do to have a successful motivated staff. Look at Appendix 3 for patterns of managerial approaches to motivation. * Rewards- if you offer better rewards and better benefit packages then Turnover/Retention will be low, and employees will work more and contribute their highest potential. * Employee Turnover/Retention- you need to make sure that you monitor employees sickness and absenteeism and make sure it dose not go over 8% Check Appendix 1. * Training and Development- if you train and develop employees better the function of your business will be better, you should try to encourage more employees to gain different skills and knowledge. You should also try to offer recognised qualifications. * Communication- look at Appendix 2 I recommend that you try to bring in the process of complete network communication. There are numerous factors that help conclude an organisations ability and skill in maintaining the stability and organisation among its employees/members, one of these factors includes attaining an organisational communication process through effective communication skills. References I recommend that you look at the following text as this will help you improve on the factors mentioned in this report and also help you with difficult decisions about your business. I recommend looking at this text: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR: INDVIDUALS, GROUPS AND THE ORGANISATION I. Brooks (1999) 1st Ed, Pub: Financial Times HUMAN RESOURCE STRATAGIES Salman, (1998) Pub: The Open University MANAGING PEOPLE R. Tompson, 2nd Ed, Pub: Institute of Management ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR: A MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE G.B.Northcroft M.A.Neale (1990), Pub: Ronda Colour PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT GA Cole, 4th Ed (1997), Pub: Ashford Colour Press MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES J. Weightman, 2nd Ed, (1996), Pub: Cromwell Press The following Web-Sites are useful also: www.bized.com www.hrmang.co.uk www.humanrecourses.co.uk/text/hrissues www.resourcemanage.co.uk