Dune Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dune - Essay Example The Bene Gesserit sisterhood also had superhuman powers, when using melange, a popular spice, to awaken genetic memories of their ancestors. During this backdrop a politcal struggle between three fuedal houses erupt. These houses were the Imperial House Corrino, and two lesser Great Houses, the Atreides and the Harkonnens. Shaddam IV, the Corrino Emperor, felt that Duke Leto Atreides of the Great House Atreides was becoming too popular. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen aided the Emperor in defeating the Atreides. They send the Duke Leto Atreides’ Great House to a planet Arrakis where Melange is grown. After removing the Duke from his planet of power, the evil forces against him attack. When trying to assasinate Baron Vladimir Hakonnen, Duke Leto is killed. After Duke Leto’s death, his son, Paul Atreides, and Paul’s mother, Jessica, escape into the desert. Because of Jessica’s ablities as a Bene Gesserit, plus Paul’s abilities as her son, they join the desert tribal group of the Fremen. Paul becomes the messiah, or political and religious leader, of the Freman. Paul then uses the Freman warriors to take control of Arrakis and the spice trade of the Melange, forcing the Shaddam IV to abdicate so he could become emperor.. The political theme in Dune revolves around a fuedal system like in Medevial Europe. There are Lords, Vassals, and Fiefs. The Lords or nobility are the Three Great Houses, Vassals are the people working for the nobility, and Fiefs are the planets like Arrakis. Colonialism and post colonialism themes run through this novel also. The colonist, Paul Atreides, rallied the natives, Fremen, to overthrough a oppressive government, Shaddam IV. The religious aspect of Dune is intertwined in the political one. By believing in the Missionaria Protectiva, or contrived religious myths, the Freman are convinced that Paul was not only the messiah, but the political leader as

The preaching ministry of Heinrich Bullinger Research Paper

The preaching ministry of Heinrich Bullinger - Research Paper Example Life of a Preacher 5. Highs and Lows of his Life in Zurich 6. Conclusion 1. Introduction Heinrich Bullinger was a well-known Swiss reformer who was the head of the Zurich church as the successor of Huldrych Zwingli. Most researchers show how different he was form the earlier generation of reformers such as Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli. Bullinger was rather a consolidator; he added his own perspective to the theology and was a genius to think beyond just gathering the gospel riches that the people of Switzerland craved. Hence, it is believed after being long underestimated, that without him, the shape of theology of England in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century would have been unimaginable1. Bullinger is known for being one of the most influential theologians in the history and specifically in the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The life of Bullinger indicated how he had been raised for priesthood. His father was a Catholic priest and though he was a prie st, he had married, mainly because of the loose enforcement of the vows of celibacy. Bullinger was the youngest of five sons. Bullinger’s parents are not much discussed, but the fact the Bullinger’s father came to confess on the doctrines of the Reformation when he was very old, is known. This may be probably because of the influence of his gifted son2. 2. Early Life Eventually Bullinger started with his formal education in the school of The Brethren of the Common Life in Cleves. While his education, his father gave him no money as he believed that his poverty is necessary for him to develop good habits and responsibilities in his life. However, like Luther, Bullinger was also subjected to sing to earn his living. Bullinger also wanted to enter a Carthusian monastery during his studies, but he was put off against his brother. And he rather set off to Germany to attend the University of Cologne when he was 15 years of age, as his parents expected him to follow the clerg y just as Luther3. Bullinger went through many of the experiences and formations of his life while he was in Germany. It was in Cologne when he started studying about the scholastic theologians of the middle Ages. Soon he became disgusted of them, and rather turned his way to the church fathers, specifically Chrysostom and Augustine. He was involved in the lives of the church fathers and eventually became inspired by their writings, especially by their abundant use of Scripture. Prompted by the determination of the church fathers to ground all their doctrine in God’s Word, Bullinger turned his direction to the study of Scriptures4. Thus, as he involved himself more in the pleasure of reading Scriptures, he went through the writings of Martin Luther and used to be inspired by them greatly. These writings used to revolve throughout Germany at that time and thus Bullinger involved himself immensely in this world. It is these years of study in Germany that Bullinger spent and bec ame one of those whose life was surrounded by the winds of reform that were let loose by Luther5. On returning to Switzerland with his master’s degree in 1522, Bullinger accepted the call by Wolfgung Rupli to teach in the cloister school. As he was already influenced by the thought of Reformation, he taught the monks form the New Testament and from Philip Melanchthon’s Loci Communes, which was considerably the first systematic theology of the Reformation. He also initiated the systematic

Contemporary Brand Management Report for EasyJet

Contemporary Brand Management Report for EasyJet Background Overall, the travel market has performed well since 2001, with revenue growth accelerating from 3% in 2002 to 11% in 2004, with total sales for that year being estimated at US$ 549.4 billion. However, some sectors performed better than others, and the share of air transport fell gradually between 1999 and 2003, partly as a result of falling fares due to industry liberalisation and the growth of low-cost airlines. However, sales rose strongly in 2004 as the travel industry recovered and economic conditions were stronger. Indeed, over the period from 1999 to 2004, online sales grew by a spectacular 403%, to reach US$85.2 billion, and the online share of total travel retail sales increased from just 4% in 1999 to almost 16% in 2004. Air transport is by far the largest transportation sector in terms of overall sales, due to its high prices and convenience, with a value share of 58% in 2004. (Global Market Information Database, 2005). As of 2004, no-frills airlines were continuing to expand, although there were signs of a shake-out in the industry as several smaller businesses went bankrupt in 2004, and intense competition has also brought some major US carriers to the brink of bankruptcy. In 2004, Air France Group became the leading airline in the world in terms of value market share, after the merger of Air France with Dutch national carrier KLM. The combined airline now operates a fleet of 550 aircraft, serving 189 destinations in 84 countries, through more than 1,800 flights per day. Air France Group had an estimated market share of 6% in 2004, overtaking the previous market leader, Japan Airlines Co Ltd (JAL), and is thus one of the strongest brands in the market, due to its new European identity, and high level of coverage. (Global Market Information Database, 2005). JAL Group itself was also the result of a merger in 2002 between Japan Airlines and Japan Air System, and its share fell in 2004 to 5%, due to the group’s poor financial performance in that year. Although domestic routes were reported to have performed well in 2004, the slump in the international segment gave rise to a  ¥72.1 billion (US$687 million) operating loss, due to the adverse effects of very low travel confidence in Japan, which prevailed in the first half of fiscal 2004. Nevertheless, JAL continued to increase its leading share in the domestic Japanese market to 43%, well ahead of the number two company, All Nippon Airways, with 34%, due to its strong connections with its country of origin. (Global Market Information Database, 2005). The largest US carrier, AMR, was virtually on a par with JAL in both 2003 and 2004 in terms of value market share, and also saw its share fall slightly, to 5% in 2004. The American airlines all suffered from the events of 11 September 2001 and from the economic downturn, and have continued to perform badly. UAL Corp saw its global share fall from almost 6% in 2001 to just over 4% in 2004, while the share of Delta Airlines fell to 4% over the same period. United Air Lines was the most severely hit of the â€Å"big three† US airlines after 11 September 2001, and was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of 2002. However, after undergoing a drastic restructuring programme, the airline had received the necessary financing to emerge from bankruptcy by the end of 2003. All the US airlines are currently experiencing brand identity crises, as the US continues to associate air travel with the spread of international terrorism. The European airlines British Airways (BA) and Deutsche Lufthansa have also experienced mixed fortunes. While the share of BA fell steadily over the review period, to 4% in 2004, that of Lufthansa rose, placing it almost equal with BA, and Lufthansa recorded increased sales and achieved profits in the first quarter of 2004, compared to a loss in the same period of the previous year. (Global Market Information Database, 2005)Both these firms are struggling to compete with the strongly growing no frills airlines, potentially indicating that the national brand reinforcement is no longer enough to build a strong brand in the airline industry, and that something more is needed. Brand Essence Govers and Schoormans (2005) provide one of the best pieces on the concept of brand management, claiming that, beyond their functional utility and purpose, products and series have a symbolic meaning, and parts of this symbolic meaning are accounted for by concepts like brand personality and product-user image, which describe the symbolic meaning associated with the brand or product class. Plummer (1984) also focused strongly on the personality of brands, claiming that there are, in reality, two different faces of brand personality, and it is necessary to understand both faces in order to better grasp the totality and power of this useful strategic concept. A brand presents itself to the world in many ways, through the product itself, through its packaging, its name and where it is sold. A brand sold in a supermarket or via the internet, is attempting to communicate something, but the world, on the other hand, interprets the brand through many different filters; through experience, t hrough perceptions, misconceptions, the value systems of the individuals out there in the world, and, of course, all the noise in the system. The two faces of brand personality therefore are input, that is, what advertisers want consumers to think and feel, and out-take, what consumers actually do think and feel, and these two perspectives on brand personality can be expressed in two forms. The first can be seen as the brand personality statement; and the other as the brand personality profiles, which are consumer perceptions of the brand. (de Chernatony and McDonald, 2003) In terms of a brand personality for an airline, this can be vitally important, as few markets are as brutally competitive as the airline market. However, just because the competition is tough, thats no reason to be tough on customers, like many airlines do, as they are convinced that travellers care mainly about price. As a result, many airlines most notably the major U.S. carriers and budget airlines seem to have made cutting costs the top priority at the expense of their service quality, and have built brand personalities around looking to pinch every penny. However, Prokesch, S. E. (1995) claims that it doesnt have to be that way, even in a cutthroat, mass-market business such as air travel. He argues that there are plenty of people who will pay a premium for good service, even among those who travel economy, and points at British Airways’ profits as a key indicator because, while the world airline industry has racked up billions of dollars in losses in the last five years, British Airways has remained solidly profitable on the back of outstanding customer service. EasyJet has taken this lesson to heart, recruiting senior marketers in each of its major European markets in 2004, in order to coincide with its major full-scale brand relaunch that year. The airline, whose previous marketing communications were accused by some of lacking the lustre of its early years, hired dedicated country managers for the UK, France, Germany, Spain and the rest of Europe, who were responsible for putting in place tailored strategies that relate to their markets perceptions of easyJet. (Rogers, Oct 2004) As a result, the airline managed to develop a fresh corporate identity and brand personality, along with its first sonic logo. It also relaunched its website, substantially increased its European advertising budget to back its first UK TV campaign, and changed typography, by removing the .com from most marketing communication and the cartoon style plane from its ads. The 11m euro ( £7.6m) campaign, which ran across Europe, featured the strapline Come on, lets fl y, and was created by Sledge, easyJets first UK ad agency, with media through OMD. This campaign was driven by the belief that although the â€Å"original marketing created lots of noise† it failed to â€Å"define the airlines distinctive attributes.† (Rogers, Oct 2004) As a result, the new campaign was aimed at creating more emotion around the brand, meaning that, although easyJet remained price-driven, it also focused on the all important customer service. This re launch appears to have pushed easyJet away from its previous position, near the foot of the airline industry brand pyramid. Previously viewed as a last resort for travellers who cared only for costs, with no thought to service or comfort, the company performed well, despite previously being one of the UKs most hated brands. However, with fuel prices rising, and cost cutting initiatives only being able to produce a certain amount of return, the firm has repositioned and re branded itself in order to move of the foot of the brand pyramid, leaving this space to Ryanair, and similar budget carriers, and moved itself into the middle market, with the likes of BMI. Although the carrier is still perceived as a long way below BA and the other premium service carriers, its brand re launch has now enabled it to move into the top five in the list of the UK’s preferred airline brands (Curtis, 2004) Positioning Most people have an opinion about easyJet, which is one of its core strengths, built on the back of the budget airline’s initial positioning as a liberator, enabling people to travel more frequently around Europe, with prices more akin to domestic train travel than the traditionally high prices charged by European flag carriers. Also, under the guidance of Stelios Haji-Ioannou it developed as one of the UKs most distinctive brands, with a trademark anti-establishment attitude. However, the sector has seen growing competition from domestic entrants such as Thomsonfly and Continental start-ups such as Wizz, from Eastern Europe, with higher fuel prices are also hitting profits. As a result, in positioning terms, some feel easyJet has been squeezed between airlines such as British Airways and the ultra low-cost Ryanair. (Rogers, Jul 2004) It is as a result of this that EasyJet hired Sledge as its first ad agency to develop the Lets fly positioning, and has recently launched a mult imillion-pound drive aimed at business travellers. (Marketing (UK), 2005) The airline had previously focused its positioning and marketing efforts on holidaymakers, but is now looking to increase its share of the business market, with print, poster and radio advertisements carrying the strapline ‘Youre a business. You work it out.’ (Marketing (UK), 2005). In contrast, it is a different story for one of easyJet’s key competitors: British Airways, for whom it would appear that, no matter how badly the firm performs, the UK public will always remain loyal. BA has a clear lead as Britains favourite airline, and is seventh place in the overall best-loved brands table; however this doesn’t tally with the reality of its declining fortunes, mainly at the hands of the budget airlines, which, with easyJet’s recent rise excluded, fail to make it into the top five airlines. This can be seen as a testament to easyJet’s strength, and successful positioning switch, that it has managed to make it into such list, especially when you compare the years of heritage and investment behind the BA brand, with the new re launch of easyJet. Comparing the easyJet brand, and relative success, to that of Ryanair, anlysts have claimed that: â€Å"both easyJet and Ryanair spotted a gap in the market, but there is a difference between a good-value proposition and being cheap. (Curtis, 2004), and this has been cited as the reason Ryanair failed to make the top five.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Celebrity endorsement The use of celebrities as part of marketing communications strategy is a fairly common practice for major firms in supporting corporate or brand imagery. Firms invest significant monies in juxtaposing brands and organisations with endorser qualities such as attractiveness, likeability, and trustworthiness. They trust that these qualities operate in a transferable way, and, will generate desirable campaign outcomes. But, at times, celebrity qualities may be inappropriate, irrelevant, and undesirable. Several studies have examined consumers response to celebrity endorsements in advertising. Findings show that celebrities make advertisements believable (Kamins et al. 1989) and enhance message recall (Friedman and Friedman 1979). Furthermore, celebrities aid in the recognition of brand names (Petty, Cacioppo, and Schumann 1983), create a positive attitude towards the brand (Kamins et al. 1989), and create a distinct personality for the endorsed brand (McCracken 1989). Ultimately, celebri ty endorsements are believed to generate a greater likelihood of customers choosing the endorsed brand (Heath, McCarthy, and Mothersbaugh 1994) Thus, the use of celebrity endorsements is an advertising strategy that should enhance the marginal value of advertisement expenditures and create brand equity by means of the secondary association of a celebrity with a brand (Keller 1993). However, celebrity endorsements are expensive for the firm, and depending on the status of the celebrity, remuneration could run into millions for several years. A contract may also include a profit sharing plan, with firms often building special and costly advertising campaigns around celebrities. For example, Coca Cola Co. reportedly spent $25 million in an advertising campaign with Bill Cosby as its spokesperson for Coke (Advertising Age 1986), and IBM spent $40 million in an advertising campaign involving MASH actors (Reuters 1987). Overall, the use of celebrities as spokespersons in advertisements constitutes a significant investment in intangible assets by the sponsoring firm, an investment that management hopes to offset with greater future sales revenues and profits. A possible choice of celebrity to endorse easyJet would be Michael Moore, the American author and film maker, renowned for his antiestablishment attitude. Although the signing of Moore would undoubtedly be controversial, and possibly difficult to achieve, easyJet’s image has been founded on being controversial and willing to offend people, especially those in positions of authority, in the pursuit of its ultimate goals, and thus Moore’s backing would help support these ideals, and ensure that they remained at the forefront of easyJet’s branding. However, Moore’s anti-Bush and anti-America rhetoric has often caused him to be at odds with a large portion of the population of the United States, and although easyJet doesn’t operate in the US, this is something to consider, as the firm may wish to expand to the US in the future, and may also have a large number of potential passengers amongst Americans living in Europe. Special Interest: Online Presence EasyJet is often cited as the firm which pioneered many of the innovations that shaped the market for low-cost air travel, and information technology and an online presence has been at the heart of those developments. For example, EasyJet was the first Great Britain carrier to sell tickets online, in April 1998; however launching that first site was relatively straightforward compared to the headaches that the company faces today when managing and updating a live site that handles millions of customers each year. As such, easyJet’s online presence is of vital importance to the company for its future brand management strategies. (Warren, 2003) Indeed, Campaign (UK) (2003) recently reported that EasyJet has appointed OMD Europe to handle its  £3 million online business across European markets including Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. One excellent example of how easyJet is attempting to widen its brand visibility and appeal through the internet is the recent agreement that easyJet entered into with First Choice Inc., seen as being the final nail in the coffin in both companies tenuous relationship with agents. First Choice Inc.’s vertically integrated online accommodation subsidiary, ‘Hotelopia’, will provide rooms in 10,000 hotels across the world through the easyJet web site, with easyJet getting the commission for the booking, although the commercial details of the agreement have not been released. In addition to the financial benefits, this agreement will also enable easyJet to spread its brand image and appeal to a much wider audience, thus increasing the impact of its brand management strategies. (Davern, 2004) References Advertising Age (1986) E. F. Huttons Spokesman Idea a Cos Celebre. p. 1. Campaign (UK) (2003) EasyJet picks OMD Europe for online media business. Issue 43, p. 7. Curtis, J. (2004) Brands we love, brands we hate. Marketing (UK); 9/29/2004, p34. de Chernatony, L. and McDonald, M. (2003) Creating Powerful Brands in Consumer Service and Industrial Markets, 3rd Edition. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. Davern, F. (2004) First Choice hops into bed with easyJet. Travel Trade Gazette UK Ireland; Issue 2465, p. 3. Friedman, H. H. and Friedman, L. (1979) Endorser Effectiveness by Product Type. Journal of Advertising Research, p. 63. Global Market Information Database (2005) The World Market for Travel and Tourism. Euromonitor International. Govers, R. C. M. and Schoormans, J. P. L. (2005) Product personality and its influence on consumer preference. Journal of Consumer Marketing; 2005, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p189. Heath, T. B., McCarthy, M. S. and Mothersbaugh D. L. (1994) Spokesperson Fame and Vividness Effects in the Context of Issue-Relevant Thinking: The Moderating Role of Competitive Setting. Journal of Consumer Research; p. 520. Kamins, M. A., Brand, M. J., Hoeke, S. A., and Moe, J. C. (1989) Two-Sided Versus One-Sided Celebrity Endorsements: The Impact on Advertising Effectiveness and Credibility Journal of Advertising; Vol. 18, Issue 2, p. 4. Keller, K. L. (1993) Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity. Journal of Marketing; p. 1. Marketing (UK) (2005) EasyJet targets business traffic. 4/27/2005, p. 5. McCracken, G. (1989) Who is the Celebrity Endorser? Cultural Foundations of the Endorsement Process. Journal of Consumer Research; p. 310. Petty, R. E., Cacioppo, J. T. and Schumann, D. (1983) Central and Peripheral Routes to Advertising Effectiveness: The Moderating Role of Involvement. Journal of Consumer Research; p. 135. Plummer, J. T. (1984) How Personality Makes a Difference. Journal of Advertising Research; Vol. 24, Issue 6, p. 27. Prokesch, S. E. (1995) Competing on Customer Service: An Interview with British Airways Sir Colin Marshall. Harvard Business Review; Vol. 73, Issue 6, p. 100. Reuters (1987) April 3. Rogers, D. (Oct 2004) EasyJet relaunches with top-level rejig. Marketing (UK); 10/13/2004, p. 5. Rogers, D. (Jul 2004) EasyJet. Marketing (UK), 7/21/2004, p. 22. Warren, L. (2003) Blazing the easyJet trail. Computer Weekly; 9/30/2003, p. 28.

Accountability: The Key in the Healthcare Environment Essay examples -

Accountability is key in the healthcare environment in that members of a healthcare organization must be responsible for their actions and held accountable by the organization or the consumer. Many significant changes have occurred in healthcare and one of the most noted was the beginning of professional integration between businesses, hospitals and physicians. Solid partnerships have emerged and over time individuals within these successful healthcare organizations have developed mutual understanding and respect for the others profession (Fraschetti & Sugarman, 2009). Leaders and managers in healthcare have used this knowledge to build high-performance teams through various competencies particularly with the skills found in interpersonal competency. Through positive communication, training, mentorship, collaboration and staff empowerment transitional managers and leaders exhibit interpersonal competency skills, which are very effective in the healthcare environment (Guo & Anders on, 2005). Through management’s team building efforts we see high-performance healthcare teams emerge with trust, shared goals and a strong organizational culture that understand the mission and the goals they need to accomplish. Individuals, teams, managers and leaders in a successful organization know and understand their responsibilities and the standard that is expected. Scott (2001) outlines a three-part accountability process that defines what is expected, assists individuals in understanding expectations, and establishes standards and guarantees that are consistent and allow for accountability. Measures and Implementation in the Accountability Process In the United States Navy we are taught the Navy definition of accountability and then ... ...rive. Pivot Health website. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from http://www.pivothealth.com/userfiles/pdf/090701%20Bob%20Fraschetti%20Michael%20Sugarman%20Successful%20Hosiptal-Physician%20Integration%20Trustee.pdf. Guo, K. L. & Anderson, D. (2005). The new health care paradigm: Roles and competencies of leaders in the service line management approach. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 18(6/7), XII,XIII,XIV,XV,XVI,XVII,XVIII,XIX,XX. Retrieved January 11, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 948775781). Miller, N. (2000). Seeking accountability. Nursing Economics, 18(2), 92. Retrieved March 6, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 52765815). Scott, G. (2001). Accountability for service excellence. Journal of Healthcare Management, 46(3), 152-5. Retrieved March 6, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 73034086).

Good Command for English

Now, the world is becoming smaller than before just because of advancement of technology and knowledge. Every person has different ideas, knowledge and strength and wants to share them with other person. There is no accepted and established common language for all other than English. This is medium language between to languages and cultures. In the course of our business or work, any where in the world, there is always possibility to come across with the people of different languages and cultures and we can simplify this situation with the help of English.We can do nothing, without having a good command of English, if we intend to do something good we like, coming out from our home. A good command of English is very necessary for the progression of my carrier in that by and large it is the most spoken language in the globe. I have a vision to connect to as many people as possible and to share issues with people of different levels and capacities. Should i use Kiswahilli or my Ateso l anguage that some people may have not even hard of?I know quite good English but still admire those best English communicators. Friends i tell you what, i have already registered for the Advanced Business English Diploma and will soon be getting my desire fulfilled. It is extremely important to have a good command of English in almost all spheres of one's working life and otherwise but in your career it gives you more confident in delivering both verbal and written correspondence.

IBM: Using Strategy to Build a “Smarter Planet” Essay

1) Pick a company (or a brand, institute, city or government†¦.) which can be a client of IBM and describe three (3) specific benefits the Smarter Planet initiative can provide to the organization. Wal-Mart; (i) By managing and organizing Wal-Mart’s huge database through database management which will be help keep better track of inventory levels, merchandise assortment and product pricing. (ii) Help Wal-Mart better analyze buying behavior through implementation of smart systems. (iii) Increased efficiency and better customer service. 2) Conduct a SWOT analysis for IBM’s Smarter Planet initiative. Strengths; (i) An Internationally recognized company with a very good reputation. (ii) Known for its revolutionary and innovative inventions like the hard disk drive and the ATM. Weaknesses; (i) Pressure to perform and deliver on what IBM has set out to accomplish through the smarter planet initiative. (ii) Because of IBM’s size and considering how long it’s been in business, the company will find it very challenging to make big changes such as a total change from their current commodity-based business to customizable businesses. Opportunities; (i) Growth of markets in developed and third world countries. (ii) Business analytics and optimization. Threats; (i) A strongly competitive industry with very well-known companies like HP and Dell who also cater to large organizations for almost similar purposes. (ii) Shifting from a commodity-based to customizable businesses will be very challenging. 3) What relevant trends to consider for the next three to five years? Customer Trends; (i) The desire for customers to work more efficiently. (ii) The desire for customers to stay updated and connected across technologies. Environmental Trends; (i) Fewer trade barriers. (ii) Growth of developing countries. 4) (a) How can IBM communicate its strategy to companies, cities, and governments? List 3 ways (i) By making Information such as industry reports, statistics and videos available on their website that describes the strategy. (ii) Through a â€Å"Letter from the Chairman† by Sam Palmisano, which shows how the Smarter Planet initiative represented an infusion of intelligence into the way the world actually works. (iii) By using print and television advertising campaigns to communicate IBM’s ability to make the world â€Å"smarter.† (b) How is Watson a part of the communication strategy? Watson is a very strong communication tool. Its exposure on shows like Jeopardy! are a great way to deliver its message about their strategy. 5) What are the benefits of the Smarter Planet initiative to; (a) Society; (i) Help cites, industries and organizations make smarter decisions, the result of which would help cut costs, reduce waste and increase productivity which would in turn making them more profitable and sustainable. (ii) IBM believes that through this initiative, any person or organization â€Å"can now become digitally aware, networked and intelligent.† (b) IBM; (i) Close customer interactions which facilitate better relationships. (ii) Successful implementation of smart solutions will lead to brand loyalty and ultimately increased revenue. (c) How should IBM measure the results of the Smarter Planet Strategy? IBM should measure the results based on how successful the Smarter Planet Strategy has been on an organization after its implementation. For example, by using IBM’s smart solutions to analyze its data, the Memphis Police Department reduced crime by 28 percent. Here we can clearly see that the strategy turned out to be very successful, hence, a great result for IBM.

Into the Woods essays

Into the Woods essays Into the Woods Into the Woods was simply an amazing theatrical performance! The play combined suspense ,excitement, and fascinatingly realistic set design to captivate the audience. Half way through this play I found myself and my classmates thinking Wow! What a play! How could anyone dream up such a crazy idea and turn it into a production? I think this is the first time that I have been taken to this level of astonishment. A kind where it just grabs you and throws you. And it knocks the wind out of you! Steven Sondheim, creator of the play, had obviously mastered the skills needed to make me say this. His style was was like a vinegar in the tomato sauce, a present yet unidentifiable hint, which reminds you of the crafters care. Even if you could not quite grasp it it was there. Something that made it stand out. His good sense of humor and wit and his superior plot development were blended subtly so that it wasnt to conglomerate. But most importantly, his use of well known characters which made the audience feel as though their family was up on ! stage. The characters were extremely realistic and were an ideal image of the thoughts they seemed to discharge. The catalyst of the plot were the main characters which were the baker and his wife, Jack, the witch, Red Riding Hood, the wolf and Cinderella were all major. It is this kind of interdependency that adds so much to this play. It was fascinating to me how much relied upon each characters actions. There was more of a co-operative essence about this play than most. The minor characters in this play( the two princes, the giantess, Rapunzel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and the bakers father) were also well done, which I have found in other plays to be half rate or quickly whipped up to add a twist which really wasnt a twist at all, but something everybody knew ...

Hunger in Haiti Essay Essays

Hunger in Haiti Essay Essays Hunger in Haiti Essay Essay Hunger in Haiti Essay Essay Abstraction Haiti is a little Caribbean state with serious hungriness job for many old ages. Even in 1980s. Haiti had advanced agribusiness and hungriness job was far from this state. However. the local wars and struggles happened in 1990s changed this. Agribusiness was disturbed and hunger job became more and more serious. It has been the cardinal job of Haitian development so Haitian authorities and international society have taken tonss of steps to better this state of affairs. The major international supports were from the US and some EU states. Plenty of informations and studies show that hunger population in Haiti has been reduced a batch. Haiti will be most likely to accomplish the Millennium Development Goal pronounced in 2000 by 2015. Hunger: the key job in Haitian developmentâ€Å" Civilization as it is known today could non hold evolved. nor can it last. without an equal nutrient supply† ( Borlaug. 1970 ) . However. the hungriness job troubles a one-fourth of the world’s population even in these old ages. The job of universe hungriness is serious and has affected economic development in many states. It is common cognition that nutrient is the first necessity of people. but to work out the job of feeding a population of about 6. 5 billion is a large challenge to the universe. Lindsay ( 2008 ) studies that nutrient is in short supply every twelvemonth because there is non plenty to fulfill people’s demand in the destitute states. However. nutrient security is the footing of the societal development in the universe. It is rather clear that a hungry state can non do great attempts to develop the economic system and better the life criterions of its people. For illustration. during the 3 old ages from 1959 to 1961. because of the nutrient defici t. China was wavering. virtually at a deadlock. and there was small economic growing and non much of a rise in the criterion of life. Therefore. work outing hungriness job is critical for universe but there are still many jobs demanding prompt solution in nutrient supplies in the universe. particularly in some less-developed states like Haiti. The Millennium Development Goal ( MDG ) pronounced by the United Nations in 2000 called for the proportion of people who suffer from hungriness to be halved by 2015. This paper will discourse Haiti’s battle to cut down hungriness and explicate why this state can likely run into the MDG by 2015. Although many developing states experience hungriness jobs. Haiti’s nutrient crisis shows the relationship between nutrient and societal stableness. This state has suffered from an highly serious nutrient crisis these old ages. Plunkett ( 2000 ) studies that agribusiness accounted for 30 % of Haiti’s GDP. using two tierces of Haitian people before 1980s. However. after the armed struggles between Haitian opposing political cabals happened in 1990s. agribusiness was disrupted and hunger job became both a rural and an urban phenomenon in Haiti. More than half of entire population suffered from hungriness and the per centum of rural population was higher. about 65 % of people populating in countryside didn’t have adequate nutrient. Children were the population most hurt by this long-run and intractable job. One in three Haitian kids suffered malnutrition and one in eight died before the age of five as a consequence ( Plunkett. 2000 ) . It was a daze that so serious the Haitian hungriness job was before the new century. Because of its nutrient crisis. Haiti’s societal stableness has been badly affected. Harmonizing to Gauthier ( 2008 ) . public violences have happened all over Haiti in past old ages and many people died in hunger-related public violences. Another study shows that a peaceable presentation turned into a violent incident in Port-au-Prince. the capital metropolis of Haiti ( Chatterjee. 2008 ) . Clearly. Haitian people have stored up discontent against their authorities due to the nutrient insecurity. At the same clip. unstable societal order and lawlessness soberly undermined Haiti’s economic system. which came to a deadlock. Harmonizing to Plunkett ( 2000 ) . the hungriness job caused depression in the market and the closing of industrial and commercial endeavors prevalent in 1990s in Haiti. The factors which caused this crisis are multiple. It is necessary to analyse the complicated factors before taking any steps to work out this job and aid Haiti achieve the MDG by 201 5. The long-run local wars at the terminal of last century had unfavourable impacts on grain production in Haiti so that the domestic supply of nutrient fell abruptly of demand. The lessening of rice production after wars besides caused Haitian people’s lower income straight so more than three quarters of the rural population lived below the poorness line by 2000. There was a dramatic addition in monetary value of stable nutrient and this caused devaluation in Haiti. To a certain extent. Haitian people’s purchase ability decreases because of their remarkably little income and the high nutrient monetary value. so they can non purchase plenty nutrient ( Gauthier. 2008 ) . Chatterjee ( 2008 ) points out that the inexpensive rice imported from the USA caused Haitian national rice production to plump. Because of advanced agricultural engineering. American rice has many advantages such as lower monetary value and higher nutrition. Large measures nutrient imports from the US in 1 990s after Haitian civil wars helped people have more nutrient but besides limited the national agribusiness growing in Haiti. Besides these. harmonizing to Gauthier ( 2008 ) . the increasing demand of nutrient by local people and decreases in rice imports because of financess burden these old ages are besides the factors that can non be ignored. In response to the challenges of the nutrient crisis. the Haitian authorities has spared no attempt to assist hungry people have enough to eat since 2000. Harmonizing to Gauthier ( 2008 ) . Haiti’s new authorities supports the modernisation of agricultural techniques and the Restoration of agricultural production. The authorities decides to open up more barren and the freshly reclaimed land is now conveying Forth big harvests. In state countries. authorities offers relief grain to the people who can non afford plenty nutrient ( Chatterjee. 2008 ) . The Haitian government’s attempts are effectual and have accomplished a batch but the authorities is short of financess to give hungry people support continually. so Haiti besides takes vigorous action to ad vance international cooperation in nutrient security. Chatterjee ( 2008 ) studies Haiti has late qualified for debt alleviation under the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative. and in the interim. many of Haiti’s creditor states. particularly some developed states. see a compassionate discharge because of Haitian domestic nutrient troubles. Apparently. international assistance plans from developed states and NGOs are of utmost importance to assist Haiti’s authorities. Harmonizing to Plunkett ( 2000 ) and Gauthier ( 2008 ) . Haitian nutrient crisis has improved significantly these old ages. the hungriness population has been reduced 32 % by 2007 and the good impulse is being maintained. To run into the MDG by 2015. attempts should be continued to win assistance plans from international organisations and developed states to assist Haitian people get equal nutrient in following old ages. Some international organisations such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization can organize the world’s nutrient assistance to Haiti. But Haiti can non trust on foreign aid and they need to go autonomous in the hereafter. so the UN peacekeepers should play a bigger function in the societal stabilisation of Haiti so that a stable political can assist Haiti reconstruct its native agricultural production. Autonomy and autonomy are the cardinal ways to extinguish the hungriness job in Haiti. In decision. with the execution of different steps. an optimistic estimation suggests that the MDG will be achieved by 2015 in Haiti. Ample nutrient is the basic human right in this universe. The states all over the universe should fall in custodies to safeguard the nutrient security. MentionBorlaug. N. ( 1970 ) . The green revolution. peace and humanity. Nobel Lectures. The Nobel Peace Prize Institute. Retrieved on November 12. 2008 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. nobelprize. org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1970/borlaug-lecture. html/ Chatterjee. P. ( 2008 ) . Haiti’s disregarded exigency. The Lancet. 372 ( 9639 ) . pp. 615 – 618. Retrieved on November 12. 2008. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. thelancet. com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736 ( 08 ) 61259-3/ Gauthier. A. ( 2008 ) . Food crisis in Haiti: exposing cardinal jobs in the procedure of stabilisation. FRIDE Comment. 782 ( 45 ) . pp. 34-38. Retrieved on November 12. 2008. from PAIS International database. Lindsay. R. ( 2008 ) . Haiti on the ‘Death Plan’ : Dissenters decry high nutrient monetary values and the barbarian cost of neoliberalism. The Nation. 286 ( 21 ) . pp. 22-24. Retrieved on November 12. 2008 from PAIS International database. Plunkett. D. ( 2 000 ) . Food security in Haiti: A instance survey comparing the nutrient security model of the Haitian authorities. the European Commission and the U. S. Agency for International Development. Retrieved on November 12. 2008 from hypertext transfer protocol: //pdf. usaid. gov/pdf_docs/PNACH663. pdf/

Aviation Regulatory Framework Comparison UK Vs USA Engineering Essay

Aviation Regulatory Framework Comparison UK Vs USA Engineering Essay This report looks at the aviation regulatory framework in both the United Kingdom and the United States, their differences and similarities. Due to the high level of cooperation between the FAA and the CAA and also EASA most regulation is very similar if not the same. By looking at the structure and functions of the regulatory bodies in terms of safety and security it is obvious that because the two countries are aiming for the same high level of safety that they should be taking the same steps in order to do this. The main difference between the regulation of civil aviation between the two countries is the fact that the FAA is the regulation making body for the US alone whereas the UK has regulation passed to it from EASA which the CAA has to implement over and above any regulations the CAA or the British government may have had in place previously. The US has a system where the FAA literally regulates every single aspect of civil aviation and although they freely communicate their findings and recommendations with foreign countries the FAA alone control us Regulatory framework reporting only to the Department of Transport. Introduction In this report the aviation regulatory framework of the United Kingdom will be compared and contrasted with the aviation regulatory framework of the United States. The report will describe the structure and functions of the bodies responsible for aviation regulation in both countries while addressing the responsibilities of airports, airlines and aircraft manufacturers within the respective frameworks. The issue of UK regulation being underpinned by EU legislation will also be discussed and anomalies between the UK and US framework will be identified. Report In the UK the secretary of state for transport is the government minister responsible for civil aviation. This position is currently held by the Rt Hon Lord Andrew Adonis who oversees the Department for Transport (DfT) which is involved in a number of areas in civil aviati on although the regulation and supervision of civil aviation is the function of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Aviation Regulation in the United Kingdom is statute law created by acts of parliament most of which is covered by the Civil Aviation Act 1982 which lays down the roles of the main authorities for the control and regulation of civil aviation in the UK, mostly covered by the secretary of state for transport, the department for transport and mainly the CAA. The Civil Aviation Act 1982 aims to deal with issues of roles, functions, duties and policies but does not act alone as other legislation affects civil aviation regulation. For example international conventions such as the Warsaw Convention and the Airport Act 1986 which provides of most of the regulation for UK airports (Blackshaw, 1992, p. 30). Civil aviation in the UK is also influenced heavily by EASA who will be discussed in detail later. The CAA is the National Aviation Authority (NAA) for the UK and amongst oth er things deals with most of the key functions of the regulation of civil aviation.

Identify one problematic aspect of Human Resource Management that Essay

Identify one problematic aspect of Human Resource Management that related to your organization - Essay Example On their way to becoming a part of the team, there can be many conflicts, disagreements, and unfortunate events. One major hurdle in achieving harmony among the members is the diversity that they have. The diversity involves age, education, religion, ethnic background, gender, pay scale, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation etc. Like any modern organization, oil & gas companies also seek diversity in their workforce in order to bring a variety of skills. Diversity in a workplace inevitably entails some problems. The biggest problem is created because of prejudices and lack of acceptance. The world consists of many cultures which are very different from each other. People have developed types and they identify other people using stereotypes. People are classified as Americans, Asians, Africans, Indians, Mexicans etc., and these classifications are so diverse that it is almost impossible to number them. Also, there are classes within classes. For instance, there are diff erent types of Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Jews etc. People are also discriminated against if they are homosexuals. Further, when people come from diverse cultures, they are bound to have different lifestyles. Little appreciation is shown in today’s world for each other’s lifestyle. ... When people are from different cultures, they might speak different languages. With English having become an International language, this problem is solved to a great degree. However, there is also a non-verbal communication and certain gestures are only understandable by a certain culture. They have different values, beliefs, behaviors and assumptions about the world (Alexander, 1988). The more the people are different from each other, the harder it is for them to communicate. In oil & gas companies in The Middle East, recruitments are made from almost all over the globe. The personnel consist of people from the Far East and the sub-continent to workers from Europe and the US. In a professional organization, people learn to respect each other and they try their best to get along. However, there are certain values that are not commonly believed. For instance, the workers from the West have the habit of having platonic relationships with women. In their society, it is very common that a man and a woman are friends. However, platonic relations are very uncommon in Muslim cultures. The Arabs and other Muslims frown upon the platonic relations that the others have. Following the lead of the West, some Muslims may also have platonic relations but they are then questioned by their own communities. Therefore, a web of sophisticated problems is weaved. Drinking wine or alcohol is also prohibited for the Muslims in their religion. They stay away from alcohol but the non-Muslims do not do the same. While sitting in a mixed gathering, it often happens that a non-Muslim unknowingly offers a drink to a Muslim but the offer is rejected in a very emotional manner. This can lead to a verbal or a physical altercation. Even if it does not, it gives

Compare the logic of Mill's utilitarianism with what he references as Essay

Compare the logic of Mill's utilitarianism with what he references as its compliance with the golden rule of Jesus of Nazareth - Essay Example The philosophy of utilitarianism is a theory found in the subsection of normative ethics. The theory proposes that every course of action taken by an individual is governed by the outcome of the result. In most cases, as the theory proposes, the action is justifiable if it has a positive impact to the lifestyle of an individual. The rationale behind this impression made by the theory is based on the fact that if a specific course of action makes one happy then the action is justifiable. The action may not fall in line with the ethics of the society but it is valid in the theory of utilitarianism. Such justifications are what that make the theory dismissed by most people in the society. This is because the members of the society hold high levels of ethics in relation to the action of different individuals. As long as a specific course of action negatively affects the lifestyle of another person, then the action should be considered as unjustifiable and unethical. Basically, utilitaria nism is a self centered concept that focuses on the on the impact of the action on the person taking the action (Meredith 2011). It tends to overlook the impact of the action to the recipient. ... The comparison of the theory to this rule to the theory of utilitarianism shows that the two concepts are in line with each other. This is based on the fact that Jesus proposes that one should unto others what he/she would like others do unto them. In this case one would tend to do unto others things that bring happiness. In this case, the course of action taken by an individual would be focused on the impact that the action has on personal life. Therefore, if a specific action would evoke feelings of happiness to oneself, the person would tend to take the course of action towards the people around him/her with the rationale that he/she would have wanted the same course of action to be directed towards his personal life. On the concept of love your neighbor as you love yourself, the same rationale applies. This is where one would engage in actions that show love to those around him because of the sense that it is the same thing that he or she would want from the person affected by th e action. Utilitarianism is solely focused on the maximization of happiness to the lifestyle of an individual. This is the base line for any course of action taken by an individual. The theory may appear to be self centered because the actions of an individual are not focused on the affected parties by the action. The theory’s main focus is on the lifestyle of the person engaging in the act. Therefore, the affected party by the course of action is not of great significance in the theory. This therefore is the reason as to why the theory is dismissed by most members of the society because it only focuses on one side for a specific course of action taken by an individual. Many societies

Age discrimination and its effect on the over 30s in todays workplace Research Paper

Age discrimination and its effect on the over 30s in todays workplace - Research Paper Example Age discrimination is all about taking the focus from job competency as reflected in the skill levels and placing it on the individual’s calendar age. Most people tend to view age discrimination as an aspect that relates to older employees but the fact is that ageism involves young employees too. This is for the reason that there are age restrictions that are illegal and their sole intention is to bar young people with proper educational credentials simply because the employer thinks that the credentials will hinder them from performing their duties as expected (Macnicol 3). Pension reforms were ushered in with the advent of industrialization. Social security in form of specified pension amounts lured older employees into retirement as the schemes had financial benefits. However, after the Second World War, the professional arena experienced a change that saw the entry of the younger generation and modern technology into the workplace (Sargeant 27). â€Å"Discrimination exist s in the minds of those that believe they have the right to exercise abusive authority and control over the powerless, the poor and the oppressed† (Hullet 28). This was the genesis of age discrimination as employers started viewing the ‘old’ employees as a professional burden that lacked the required technical know-how, conservative in their style of work, and above all lacked the zeal to work (Macnicol, 14). Nonetheless, there were those employers who stuck with the ‘old guard’ as they felt that the young were immature and inexperienced to enhance their productivity. Another fact that led to the cropping up of age discrimination was the low output achieved by older employees as they were incapable of keeping abreast with the new technology. Even so, their pay was high and they could not be fired because they had a lifetime employment policy. This made employer to review their policies in favor of the young thereby creating age discrimination. General ly, it can be said that age discrimination affects all age groups. Companies, on the other hand, view hiring young people as expensive as they will require further training and close supervision. They also have reservation on hiring old people because they tend to think that they will not get value for their money as older people will work for a short time before retiring and they are expected to pay out their retirement benefit. Age discrimination on a global scale and the USA Age discrimination is a worldwide phenomenon that affects every society in the world. However, this review will look at the European Union and the United States. â€Å"There is ample evidence that discrimination takes place in the EU† (Macnicol 45). Every standpoint has its own definition of old age, for example, in the statistical aspect old age is considered 60 to 65 years of age as pertaining to retirement or social program entry eligibility (Grobe 12). The European commission ranges old from 55 to 65 years of age. However, a 40 year old is defined as an old worker in the United States of America. Even though the current economic crises mostly affected the young people in Germany, there was also

The Role of a Woman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Role of a Woman - Essay Example ge topic for many countries, especially the developing countries, it is with no doubts that the position that women hold in the society is greatly changing. In particular, the society has opened doors for women to conquer in vast areas while trying to support themselves and their families. Apart from taking care of their families, women now take part in businesses, leadership, and even the political arena. The capacity of a woman to decide whether to stay home with her family or to pursue a career is greatly impacted by what the society requires of them. It is with no doubt that a lot has changed since the earlier days when all decisions on money and careers were solely left for men. Today, educational opportunities are wide open for both sexes, and women are allowed to apply legally for practically any type of job. However, as much as women take up new and bigger roles in the society, they are still expected to take care of their families and homes. Generally, there is a notion that women are able to do it all. In essence, women are taught that they can be able maintain a home, raise a family, have a social life and manage their careers all alone. This results in a condition known as superwoman syndrome since it is theoretical impossible for a woman to do all this and still satisfy every aspect of her life. In fact, studies have shown that women who get help with child care and their housework are able to handle their work responsibilities more easily (Elliott,  47). By not delegating enough duties, women block their own path to career success as this makes their workload unmanageable. In this regard, women ought to choose where to put more emphasis between their families and their work. The society does play a great role in determining the kind of choices women make in terms of career and family duties. Human values and beliefs are based on what the society has put to be right and what it has displayed as wrong. Most of the society voices actually hinder women

What are the limits and possibilities of critique in the context of Essay

What are the limits and possibilities of critique in the context of postmodern thought and culture - Essay Example Human culture and its eventual adoption the postmodernism in rejection of the modernism is highly recognizable in variant extents of life. Critiquing of the respective visual arts facilitates the improvement of the cultures and expounding of differing section of their application2. On the other hand, postmodernism entails the social inclined art aimed at capturing of the aesthetic, morally upright nurturing and advancement of the society as an envisaged section of the historical long civilization3. Post modernism is recurrently invoked when the artists sculpture their expertise through practicing of relevant options in their respective fields. Post modernism offers outstanding approach in enabling of criticism of art, thus questions the conspicuous values and comprehensible institutions for modernity4. The start of postmodern activities dates back to before 1960’s as active politicization intensified the liberalization and freedom process of other various sectors due to the fe lt inability of the modernism to capture and solve the existent humanitarian problems. From then onwards the main inherent components of modernism had been rationality, individualism, objectivity, truth; and were hence replaced by postmodernism features of the western contemporary and global society. From the video, ‘Is Bad art for bad people?’ the looks by Jake Chapman on astonishing and perturbing images of the alleged epitome of the postmodern traits is very much disturbing5. An audience notes that, post modernism conveys on a lot of contents of modernism thus rejecting the spirituality and the base backings of the benefits of arts. The documentary has no deeply placed meaning but extends on beyond the modern art by amplifying its ability to avail insight6. The documentary exhibits how the post modernism thought attempts to snub the apparent autonomy from the arts. From the documentary, the documentary featuring Terry Richardson, he feels that while other dislikes hi s works, he admires them a lot. He proceed on saying that, â€Å"good†¦ you are obviously effecting them†¦I want people to walk away and think about them... for them to be haunted.† Postmodern thought relates to postmodernism which refers to a an interlinked frame of ideas that assumed a recognition as a structured academic discipline in 1980s. The definition of the postmodernism is quite an obstacle due to variant avenues it receives its application in the society. This includes the art, music, literature, fashions, communications, sociology and technology7. Effectively, the intrinsic path of assuming triumphant path in attempts to acquire the approved meaning for the post modern thought is through acknowledging that post modernism is a model of motion or change towards modernism an hence it’s the essential center from which postmodernism assumes its initialization. The initial facet of this model of thinking is aesthetic motion vastly labeled as modernism. The boundaries of critiquing the post modernism highly underlies on the assumptions of the scientific objectives, the endeavors in explanation of the contemporary realities8. As for arts, the reality is in mankind is not mirrored from the general comprehension of it;

Understanding HR concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding HR concepts - Essay Example Evidently, human resource managers use training as a performance appraisal tool, which they conduct either after selection of the employees or during a specific time of the year. Organizations such as Ubisoft initiate a yearly program of performance appraisal as part of their talent development strategy. The value of employee training is an issue that has drawn a lot of controversy within the field of research. Research shows that employee training is a complex and expensive process that demands both time and resources from the organization. Therefore, training increases an organization’s expenses within a year, a feature that has become undesirable for many organizations. During a century of intensive business competition, organizations are experiencing financial constraints and their priority is to minimise any expenses. Some organizations have eliminated their training programs as one way of cutting the costs of production. However, there is evidence that employee training may have a wide range of benefits for an organization. First, training keeps the employees motivated and gives them the zeal to work confidently within their department. Secondly, there is evidence that trained employees have a higher work output and this contributes to an increase in the profit generate d within a year. In addition, employee training helps to develop employee’s talents to help them grow as the organization grows (Bratton & Gold, 2001). This explains why large companies have elaborate training programs that seek to improve the employee performance. However, there are obstacles to employee training programs that the human resource managers must anticipate while implementing performance appraisal. Training may become ineffective when employee have acquired optimal performance and feel that they cannot learn more. In this case, investing in employee training does not improve worker performance. In other cases, the employees may feel

What are the limits and possibilities of critique in the context of Essay

What are the limits and possibilities of critique in the context of postmodern thought and culture - Essay Example Human culture and its eventual adoption the postmodernism in rejection of the modernism is highly recognizable in variant extents of life. Critiquing of the respective visual arts facilitates the improvement of the cultures and expounding of differing section of their application2. On the other hand, postmodernism entails the social inclined art aimed at capturing of the aesthetic, morally upright nurturing and advancement of the society as an envisaged section of the historical long civilization3. Post modernism is recurrently invoked when the artists sculpture their expertise through practicing of relevant options in their respective fields. Post modernism offers outstanding approach in enabling of criticism of art, thus questions the conspicuous values and comprehensible institutions for modernity4. The start of postmodern activities dates back to before 1960’s as active politicization intensified the liberalization and freedom process of other various sectors due to the fe lt inability of the modernism to capture and solve the existent humanitarian problems. From then onwards the main inherent components of modernism had been rationality, individualism, objectivity, truth; and were hence replaced by postmodernism features of the western contemporary and global society. From the video, ‘Is Bad art for bad people?’ the looks by Jake Chapman on astonishing and perturbing images of the alleged epitome of the postmodern traits is very much disturbing5. An audience notes that, post modernism conveys on a lot of contents of modernism thus rejecting the spirituality and the base backings of the benefits of arts. The documentary has no deeply placed meaning but extends on beyond the modern art by amplifying its ability to avail insight6. The documentary exhibits how the post modernism thought attempts to snub the apparent autonomy from the arts. From the documentary, the documentary featuring Terry Richardson, he feels that while other dislikes hi s works, he admires them a lot. He proceed on saying that, â€Å"good†¦ you are obviously effecting them†¦I want people to walk away and think about them... for them to be haunted.† Postmodern thought relates to postmodernism which refers to a an interlinked frame of ideas that assumed a recognition as a structured academic discipline in 1980s. The definition of the postmodernism is quite an obstacle due to variant avenues it receives its application in the society. This includes the art, music, literature, fashions, communications, sociology and technology7. Effectively, the intrinsic path of assuming triumphant path in attempts to acquire the approved meaning for the post modern thought is through acknowledging that post modernism is a model of motion or change towards modernism an hence it’s the essential center from which postmodernism assumes its initialization. The initial facet of this model of thinking is aesthetic motion vastly labeled as modernism. The boundaries of critiquing the post modernism highly underlies on the assumptions of the scientific objectives, the endeavors in explanation of the contemporary realities8. As for arts, the reality is in mankind is not mirrored from the general comprehension of it;

Paragraph for each of the following three topics Essay Example for Free

Paragraph for each of the following three topics Essay Write one paragraph for each of the following three topics. The entire assignment consists of three paragraphs and should fit in less than one page 1. Why is Capaneus (Inferno 14) so important in understanding the psychology of the sinners in hell? 2. Identify the political and religious issues Dante faces in Inferno 19. 3. Define the allegorical representation of Lucifer (inferno 34) Submit no later than Friday, October 17, 12-noon Make sure you do not go off topic. Be direct and concise, and follow the directions below. Directions for assignments and exams. Assignments consist of three topics, each topic to be developed in a concise paragraph. When you write your assignments and exams, make sure that what you write is based exclusively on the material covered in class, and make specific references (direct text citations for the exams) to the readings covered in class. Do not write information that is not relevant to the topics. Be direct and concise. Before you submit your assignments get rid of anything that does not belong to the topic. Understand the topics before you write, and check it after to make sure you do not go off topic. If you notice that you are writing a summary of a plot, you are off topic. If you receive a low grade for your assignments or exams, you were too vague, or failed to limit your answer to the given topics. Do not repeat the same mistake in future assignments and exams. The course grade is based on the two assignments (13% each) and the two exams (36% each) Exams and assignments must be submitted through Safe Assign Other Information: Assignments and exams must be completed and submitted by the due date Write your assignment in a word processor using any of the Word formats (.doc, .docx). If you do not have Word, convert your document to .rtf format. Your submission must be typed double spaced, font: size 11 or 12. (Do not send documents with the .dat extension) You must write your name and student ID on the upper left corner of your papers. Assignments and exams will be posted five days before they are due and deleted after they are returned to students. All graded assignments and exams will be returned to you only in class. If by any chance you are absent the day they are returned, you can get them during the Assistants office hours for a limited time. Always keep a copy of your assignments If you do not see your grade on Blackboard after it has being returned, contact me immediately, no later than a week from the day grades are posted. Keep a hard copy of your papers until you receive your grade. If you have any problem with your grades, you must resolve it within one week. You cant ask me to review your grades after one week from the day grades are posted. Make sure you have a Stony Brook e-mail address on file with the university, otherwise you will not receive important communication.

Examining the strategic location of South Face Mine

Examining the strategic location of South Face Mine The strategic location of the South Face Mine, owned by Mountain Mining Canada Ltd (MMCL), catches the attention of Can-Do to make an offer for purchasing the mine. If our company successfully acquires it, the combination of better surface logistics and optimal location of new drift mines could provide an annual cost saving of up to $1.5 million for 20 years. However, MMCL has closed the mine and currently been spending on closure and reclamation of it; undoubtedly MMCL would like to transfer those costs to us. The purpose of this memorandum is to determine the walk-away point, which is the highest amount Can-Do would agree to offer in the negotiation with MMCL, with the use of data from the management budget provided by MMCL, the discounted cash flow model and sensitivity tests on various assumptions. Given the data in the MMCL management budget with removal of costs which are not transferred to Can-Do or can be internalized  [1]  , and assuming a 6% interest rate for discounting, the 15% contingency allowance used in MMCL implies an inflation rate of 2.55%. Having studied various assumptions, the sensitivity tests indicate the variance of short-term duration is the most important risk underlying as a 1-year extension of short-term costs reduces the value of acquisition by $6.6 million from $15.5 million to $8.9 million (58% of original value). A 2-year extension further reduces the value by 6.4 million to $2.5 million (16% of original value).  [2]   The recommended walk-away point would be $14 million, a value lower than the net values of acquisition calculated in most sensitivity tests excluding those with respect to short-term duration and estimated cost saving. It also means that an efficient cost control should be performed to avoid an extension of short-term cost and a failure to realize the estimated cost saving. It is also worth noting that there are large discrepancies of cost items between the 2006 and 2005 budgets. A detailed review on financial data is suggested so as to find out any hidden problems or risks. Introduction The purchase of the South Face Mine, currently owned by Mountain Mining Canada Limited (MMCL), can provide Can-Do a very large reduction in operating cost of North Fork Mine, located adjacent to South Face Mine, by an estimated amount up to $1.5 million annually for the next 20 years, attributed to the optimal location of new drift mines and the improved logistics. However, it is expected that MMCL would require us to bear the closure and reclamation costs. Therefore, the net value of the acquisition is the value of cost saving net of the value of those additional costs. By considering the data provided and computing the net value of acquisition, it comes up with the walk-away point, which is critical and crucial to our negotiation with MMCL. The remaining parts of this memorandum explain the determination of the walk-away point. In particular, the purpose of this study is to: Review the financial data provided Do sensitivity tests for assumptions with respect to the closure and reclamation costs Set a reasonable walk-away point Identify other possible risks for the determination of the walk-away point There are different types of costs, including short-term costs which will be incurred within five years and long-term costs which will be incurred during the whole reclamation period. There are also salvage values of equipments remaining on site (i.e. Inventory Disposition), and they will accrue to Can-Do. Moreover, MMCL has included a 15% contingency allowance in its calculation. From the table above, it is clearly observed that large discrepancies exist for most cost items between 2006 and 2005 budget, and this indicates a deficiency of the contingency allowance in 2005 to cover the adverse development of costs estimated from 2005 to 2006. It concerns us about the accuracy and reliability of the predictions. It is suggested a detailed review of financial data as well as other information related to the situation of the mine be conducted in order to discover any potential problems which may put our company at risk. Data Adjustment The data provided is subject to adjustments so as to calculate a more reasonable walk-away point. They include: Removing costs not to be transferred from MMCL to Can-Do (e.g. severance costs) Removing costs which could be realized from internalizing them in Can-Do (e.g. inspection costs) Analysis: Methods Assumptions Contingency Allowance Inflation Rate MMCL has included a 15% contingency allowance in its budget while has not considered the time value of cost items. Assuming the allowance is totally for the inflation, the implied inflation rate that is equivalent to the 15% contingency allowance is found to be 2.55% (using the Excel function à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"goal seekà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ), after the data adjustment aforementioned. Sensitivity Tests, Risks Walk-away Point To investigate the risks underlying, sensitivity tests have been performed to examine the uncertainties associated with the assumptions of cash flow projections (all with 0% contingency allowance). Table 3: Sensitivity Tests The table consists of the net value of the acquisition under different combinations of short-term duration, long-term duration, inflation rate and discount rate (Scenario Base and #1-10). From the table, it shows that under most scenarios the value of acquisition is around $14-15 million. Therefore, it would be appropriate and conservative to set $14 million as the walk-away point. In addition, an extra sensitivity test on estimated cost saving are conducted (Scenario #11-12). When compared to Scenario #4, it demonstrates that a 10% decrease in cost saving causes the value of acquisition below $14 million. It implies a strong control is needed to monitor that the realized cost saving is close to the estimated one. As shown in the tables, the short-term duration should be the key risk factor as an increase in it leads to a tremendous decrease in value (by comparing Scenario Base to Scenario #1-2 or Scenario #4 to Scenario #5-6). Can-Do should therefore pay much attention to the extension of short-term cost projections. Conclusions and Recommendations Based upon the modified cost budget and assuming a 6% discount rate, a 15% contingency allowance implies an inflation rate of 2.55%. Also, after a study of various assumptions by sensitivity tests, a walk-away point of $14 million will be sufficient for the acquisition of South Face Mine. However, a few issues have to be highlighted: The large variances between the 2006 and 2005 budget raise concerns of the validity and reliability of the estimated values in the budget. The implied inflation rate of 2.55% is less than the lower bound of inflation rate projected by our economists. The net value of acquisition is very responsive to the duration of short-term costs according to the results of sensitivity tests. The determination of walk-away point is based on the assumption that $1.5 million can be saved annually over 20 years. A slight decrease in it can be enough to cause an overall loss for the acquisition provided that the final purchase price of South Face Mine is close to the walk-away point. For some costs including water treatment operation/maintenance costs and salaries of accountant/environmental person, they may be internalized to a certain extent; yet they are not removed for the determination of walk-away point due to their specialty. This also provides a relatively conservative walk-away point implicitly. It is recommended that a detailed investigation should be carried out to verify the estimated costs in the budget as well as to locate any other problems. It is also proposed that an efficient cost control should be established in order to keep the cost be aligned with the prediction if Can-Do successfully purchases the South Face Mine from MMCL

Source Analysis: The Death of Hector :: essays research papers

The Death of Hector is actually just one part of a larger work. The Iliad was written during the Dark Ages of Greece by a blind poet named Homer. It was mainly entertainment, but today has turned into a significant, though unrealistic History of the Dark ages of Greece. The Iliad was written and performed for a bunch of drunk, barbaric nobles who were the soldiers of the time. That’s the reason Homer put so much descriptive battle scenes and gory details. This is what they wanted; lots of blood, to go with the drinking and war. It is through this we get our first accurate picture of the times of ancient Greece: A backwards, warlike, perpetually drunk society whose only real interest was to gain respect and honor by killing everyone else. This makes no sense, since if you kill everybody for glory, who is left to honor you? Anyway, this was the main reason Homer wrote the Iliad. The specific story of the Death of Hector shows tells the story of Hector, who wants to fight Achilles outside the city gates. He refuses his father’s request to come inside and be protected. In the end he is killed. This entire episode shows the way one should act. Even if scared, it is better to die in battle than to live a coward. This was one of the basic tenants of the Greek code of conduct. So, not only did the stories entertain, but they also were the early Greeks code of conduct. If they were to be a "good Greek", they were to strive to be like someone in the pantheon of heroes. This honor code was needed to keep the people under one standard of honor and loyalty, and what is good, right, and acceptable. This honor code existed for many years, until Classical Greece

Philosophy :: essays research papers

Philosophy â€Å"Man’s life is a line that nature commands him to describe upon the surface of the Earth without ever being able to swerve from it, even for an instant†¦His organization does in nowise depend upon himself, his ideas come to him involuntarily, his habits are in the power of those who cause him to contract them†¦He is good or bad, happy or miserable, wise or foolish, reasonable or irrational, without his will being for anything in these various states.† -D’Holbach   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe D’Holbach is trying to convey essentially that man is deprived of â€Å"free will.† Mankind in no way possesses any control of their actions, being, personality, or will. Every aspect of a person’s life is predetermined. He says people have only adopted the views of religion and put their faith in supreme beings such as God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nietzsche, on the other hand, views human nature in a different perspective. He believes man originated the idea of â€Å"free will† solely for the purpose of accountability to give men authority in crime and punishment. He also writes of the injustice in common misinterpretations of causation. Nietzsche focuses mainly on the relationship between cause and effect and â€Å"free will† whereas D’Holbach speaks more assertively about man’s predetermination and ignores any opposition one might have towards his point of view. Nietzsche also believes a person cannot be held accountable for their existence or living environment (also accountability is a major part of his idea). He states â€Å"No one gives a human being his qualities: not God, not society, not his parents or ancestors, and not himself.† On the contrary, D’Holbach believes some superior being is responsible for having a â€Å"master plan† for each human and giving them their characteristics, hence â€Å"we are cogs in the universe.† I interpret the ideas of these two philosophers to be closely related. Philosophy :: essays research papers Philosophy â€Å"Man’s life is a line that nature commands him to describe upon the surface of the Earth without ever being able to swerve from it, even for an instant†¦His organization does in nowise depend upon himself, his ideas come to him involuntarily, his habits are in the power of those who cause him to contract them†¦He is good or bad, happy or miserable, wise or foolish, reasonable or irrational, without his will being for anything in these various states.† -D’Holbach   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe D’Holbach is trying to convey essentially that man is deprived of â€Å"free will.† Mankind in no way possesses any control of their actions, being, personality, or will. Every aspect of a person’s life is predetermined. He says people have only adopted the views of religion and put their faith in supreme beings such as God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nietzsche, on the other hand, views human nature in a different perspective. He believes man originated the idea of â€Å"free will† solely for the purpose of accountability to give men authority in crime and punishment. He also writes of the injustice in common misinterpretations of causation. Nietzsche focuses mainly on the relationship between cause and effect and â€Å"free will† whereas D’Holbach speaks more assertively about man’s predetermination and ignores any opposition one might have towards his point of view. Nietzsche also believes a person cannot be held accountable for their existence or living environment (also accountability is a major part of his idea). He states â€Å"No one gives a human being his qualities: not God, not society, not his parents or ancestors, and not himself.† On the contrary, D’Holbach believes some superior being is responsible for having a â€Å"master plan† for each human and giving them their characteristics, hence â€Å"we are cogs in the universe.† I interpret the ideas of these two philosophers to be closely related.

Scarlet Letter Analysis

Kelsey Federspill Scarlet Letter Literary Analysis R5 12. 2. 12 Over Coming Guilt Remorse is a feeling experienced after committing an act that produces a sense of guilt. A life lesson can be learned in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, about the theme of guilt. Everyone experiences guilt when they commit a sin or human frailty but the way one handles the feelings of guilt is different.Guilt is expressed in three main ways: ignoring or hiding the sin and letting the guilt build up on the inside, blaming others for the sin and wanting revenge for the way the person feels, and embracing the sin committed and not releasing the guilt. The different ways guilt is experienced determines the way it is punished: by others or no one at all. But punishment for the sin doesn't always affect the amount of guilt felt by one. Hawthorne uses symbolism and irony to demonstrate that guilt should not take over one’s life, rather it should be a lesson learned of embracement , forgiveness, and acceptance.In The Scarlet Letter, the character Hester Prynne is well known for the scarlet letter that she was forced to wear. Prynne embraced the punishment of the scarlet letter and used the punishment in a unique way, â€Å"On the breast of her gown in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A† (37). The letter ‘A’ represented the sin of adultery that Prynne had committed.The community choose this form of punishment for Prynne to make her feel guilty for the act of adultery she committed and used it as an example to the rest of the community. As Prynne egresses from prison Hawthorne describes the scene, â€Å"the scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as must always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame in a fellow-creature† (39). Prynne chooses to embrace the scarlet letter rather than let the feeling of guilt take over her life because she desired to set a good example for her daughter, Pearl.She was able to embrace her sin and the scarlet letter because she was working to set an example for her daughter. It was ironic how the community tried to force guilt on to Prynne, but in return she embraced the punishment in full stride and even used it to purify herself, â€Å"Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and her should be the scene of her punishment; and so, perchance, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom† (55).When the town people saw Prynne as she exited the prison, people said, â€Å"thus she will be a living sermon against sin† (44). The town people would always be reminded of her sin. Prynne did not let the guilt of her sin produce a major impact on her life. Rather she accepted her transgression and learned the importance of not letting her past mistake s and guilt negatively affect her future. Rosebushes are full of beauty but pain can be inflicted on someone who tries to hold it due to the rosebush’s sharp thorns.When Hawthorne depicts the town he describes the rosebush on the side of the prison, â€Å"but, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rosebush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of nature could pity and be kind to him† (33). The rosebush symbolizes forgiveness from guilt throughout The Scarlet Letter.Pearl, Prynne’s daughter, was visiting the governor’s hall with her mother one day to deliver a pair of embroider gloves Prynne had made. While at the governor’s house, Pearl saw a rosebush and reacted in an unusual way, â€Å"Pearl, seeing the ros ebushes, began to cry for a red rose, and would not be pacified,† (73). Pearl responded with this meltdown because she wanted forgiveness for her mother and for her father, Reverend Dimmesdale, to be accepted by the community. Pearl felt guilty but blamed it on others. She was seeking revenge on the townspeople for the way they made her mother feel.The irony of the rosebush is how it hurt Prynne, Pearl, and Dimmesdale, like the thorns on a rosebush when touched. In the end the family moved out of their community attempting to not let the mistakes of the past take over their present lives. Ultimately, they choose a fresh start. Pearl was a product of Prynne’s sin of adultery. Pearl’s birth was very humiliating for Prynne; nevertheless Pearl still meant the world to Prynne. Pearl’s name even has significance, â€Å"but she names the infant ‘Pearl,’ as being of great price,– purchased with all she had,– her mother’s only tre asure† (61).The biblical allusion to the pearl is referred to in Matthew 13 about a parable of a man who gave up everything for a pearl of great price. Prynne gave up everything she had for her daughter. She even dresses Pearl in the best clothes, while she dresses very poorly. To Prynne, Pearl was a symbol of strength and overcoming obstacles. Prynne said, â€Å"I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this [the scarlet letter],† (76). Prynne is a great example and life lesson to Pearl of how to accept the mistakes made in the past and not let the shame define oneself. Prynne uses Pearl to show how tough a young child can be.On the other hand, the town viewed Pearl as the devil child: evil. The town discussed Pearl as, â€Å"an imp of evil, emblem and product of sin,† (64) and, â€Å"poor little Pearl was a demon offspring,† (68). Pearl herself is truly a symbol of ignorance and hope. Hawthorne described an occurrence of Pearl talking to Mr. W ilson, a pastor, â€Å"after putting her finger in her mouth, with many ungracious refusals to answer good Mr. Wilson’s question, the child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the rosebush of wild roses, that grew by the prison,† (76).Pearl believed she was created for good and had an optimistic attitude on life. She did not let guilt become an emotion known in her. Pearl did not let the past effect her future. In conclusion, life lessons were learned about embracement, forgiveness, and acceptance from guilt with the use of symbolism and irony from Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter. The different ways guilt can be handled was demonstrated in The Scarlet Letter, but not letting guilt take over one’s life was key. Moving on and learning from a sin or human frailty is significant and something everyone can learn from.

Organizational Language

Organizational Language A human language is a kind of code. It functions on the basis of words which is unique verbal symbols which correspond to all the objects or ideas which the speakers of that language need to communicate to one another. It also has rules, followed habitually by its speakers, for linking the words of the language together. Languages in the sense in which we understand them have developed as the common means of communication of large groups of people who habitually communicate with one another and communicate less often with outsiders.A language draws together the people who speak it, and excludes others. The rules for using a language are followed by all members of the linguistic community, for all wish to be understood. Those rules are typically paralleled by other rules or laws, conventions, customs which all also have to follow if they wish to be socially accepted in that particular social and political community. To be able to speak a language is a badge of membership of a community. It ensures acceptance by other members, provided the other rules of the group are also followed. Language networks minds together.The possession of a common spoken language and even more, the later possession of a common written language enables each member of a community to benefit from the communicated experience of others, so that the mental capacity of each separate individual becomes less important. It enables fellow-members of contemporaneous groups to share information and experience. Each people speaking a common language developed a collective memory, a common store of cultural experience on which all could draw. Language enabled a community to build up long-term traditions, beliefs and values which differentiated it from other communities.

Advertising and Marketing Research

Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy. [1] The term is commonly interchanged with marketing research; however, expert practitioners may wish to draw a distinction, in that marketing research is concerned specifically about marketing processes, while market research is concerned specifically with markets. [2] Market Research is the key factor to get advantage over competitors. Market research provides important information to identify and analyze the market need, market size and competition. Market research,as defined by the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market and Social Research, includes social and opinion research, [and] is the systematic gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or organizations using statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the applied social sciences to gain insight or support decision making. [3] Market Research is a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about a particular target market, competition, and/or environment. It always incorporates some form of data collection whether it be secondary research (often referred to as desk research) or primary research which is collected direct from a respondent. The purpose of any market research project is to achieve an increased understanding of the subject matter. With markets throughout the world becoming increasingly more competitive, market research is now on the agenda of many organisations, whether they be large or small. The Market Research Process To conduct market research, organisations may decide to undertake the project themselves (some through a marketing research department) or they might choose to commission it via a market research agency or consultancy. Whichever, before undertaking any research project, it is crucial to define the research objectives i. e. what are you trying to achieve from the research? and what do you need to know? After considering the objectives, Market Researchers can utilise many types of research techniques and methodologies to capture the data that they require. All of the available methodologies either collect quantitative or qualitative information. The use of each very much depends on the research objectives but many believe that results are most useful when the two methods are combined. Quantitative Research Quantitative research is numerically oriented, requires significant attention to the measurement of market phenomena and often involves statistical analysis. For example, a bank might ask its customers to rate its overall service as either excellent, good, poor or very poor. This will provide quantitative information that can be analysed statistically. The main rule with quantitative research is that every respondent is asked the same series of questions. The approach is very structured and normally involves large numbers of interviews/questionnaires. Perhaps the most common quantitative technique is the ‘market research survey’. These are basically projects that involve the collection of data from multiple cases – such as consumers or a set of products. Quantitative surveys can be conducted by using post (self-completion), face-to-face (in-street or in-home), telephone, email or web techniques. The questionnaire is one of the more common tools for collecting data from a survey, but it is only one of a wide ranging set of data collection aids. Qualitative Research Qualitative research provides an understanding of how or why things are as they are. For example, a Market Researcher may stop a consumer who has purchased a particular type of bread and ask him or her why that type of bread was chosen. Unlike quantitative research there are no fixed set of questions but, instead, a topic guide (or discussion guide) is used to explore various issues in-depth. The discussion between the interviewer (or moderator) and the respondent is largely determined by the respondents' own thoughts and feelings. As with quantitative techniques, there are also various types of qualitative methodologies. Research of this sort is mostly done face-to-face. One of the best-known techniques is market research group discussions (or focus groups). These are usually made up of 6 to 8 targeted respondents, a research moderator whose role is to ask the required questions, draw out answers, and encourage discussion, and an observation area usually behind one way mirrors, and video and/or audio taping facilities. In addition, qualitative research can also be conducted on a ‘one on one’ basis i. e. an in-depth interview with a trained executive interviewer and one respondent, a paired depth (two respondents), a triad (three respondents) and a mini group discussion (4-5 respondents).

A letter to the editor in the Wall Street Journal Assignment - 1

A letter to the editor in the Wall Street Journal - Assignment Example Additionally, he also made mention of emerging markets as reaching attractive levels because of short-term troubles that brought price levels to near- bargain levels. What his article basically said is that investment advisers made wrong guesses or bets as to which way the markets will go and those investors who believed in the advice are now sorry. However one looks at it, any investor should do his or her own homework and not accept as the gospel truth any so-called â€Å"sage advice† offered by some self-proclaimed financial market experts. It is worth noting that any investor who looks at the long-term prospects (whether stocks, bonds, or other investment vehicles) is bound to come out ahead if the investment horizon is long enough for dividends and price appreciation to take its effect (meaning, the time element kicks in like in the time value of money when invested). Anyway, most investors have a wrong or unrealistic time frame when they invest, so many are well advised to listen to reason (Jaffe para. 9) and look at the longer term instead. (Note: word count = 295) Jaffe, Chuck. â€Å"Always invest in what scares you: How to build a portfolio with a long-term outlook.† Wall Street Journal, 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.

Look into descripton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Look into descripton - Essay Example Being a member of the minority, the non-Muslim group, had motivated me to use my skills and knowledge to help others cope with similar personal, environmental and social challenges. Now, as an adult I want to be of service for people who have difficulty expressing themselves when the opposition's voice is too loud, I want to devote my time helping those who can't help themselves. During university, I became a tutor and teacher's assistant for the opportunity to help students cope with the changes that entering university usually causes. My dedication to my job and in helping others was not unrecognized by my peers and superiors; as such I received several appreciation awards. In the future, I still see myself devoting more and more of my time educating people on how to help themselves. A Ph.D. from the JFK University will surely help me achieve this personal goal. As a Ph.D. student, I will be given the opportunity to explore and research human behavior extensively. This opportunity can help me hone my skills in dealing with people, specifically those underprivileged. The environment of my childhood and adolescence had instilled in me a strong passion for achievement. As a non-Muslim in Iran, I pushed myself to do better.