The role animals play in our lives Research Proposal

The role animals play in our lives - Research Proposal Example Animals as pets are our companions and friends, in terms of forensics, they are employed for searching crime and criminal or law breaking activities and in terms of their presence in the forests in our environment, they add beauty in our lives and our environment. Overall, it can be said that animals and human beings are attached to each other in a bondage that is beneficial for both of the members. In this paper, there is discussion of animal and human bondage to a detailed extent; afterwards the role of animals as pet animals is accessed and lastly, the role of animals in crime detection and solution is accessed. At the end, the topic is concluded. This paper analyzes the role of animals in our lives in a manner that is comprehensible and understandable. Woodward and Bauer (2007) inform in their article, â€Å"People and Their Pets: A Relational Perspective on Interpersonal Complementarity and Attachment in Companion Animal Owners† that â€Å"the roots of the human-animal bond date to very early history and likely have their origins in food acquisition† (172). Humans are attached to animals in a bondage that is very close and long lasting. From the advent of humanity on earth, there has been linkage between human beings and animals (Woodward and Bauer, 2007). Animals are not only kept as pets but they are employed for a lot of purposes. They feed us by their meat and milk. They live with us as our partners and friends. They try to solve our problems of loneliness and solitude. They try to sooth our pains. They make us happy. They help us towards resolution of problems. They love us and care for us and they give us merriment with their innocent activities and performances. The importance of animals in our lives cannot be neglected, as they are our partners in leading lives. Human and animal bond cannot be seen as a bond between a pet and his/her owner but every link that is developed between animals and human beings. The animals can be pets as well as

Evolution in Skyscraper’s Design Essay Example for Free

Evolution in Skyscraper’s Design Essay The term skyscraper in early times was commonly used in marine services to describe the high erected mast of a ship. This term was coined later to refer to storey buildings. Previously the term referred to very tall buildings of ten to twenty storeys but in the recent past the term now includes high-rises of forty to fifty storeys or even more. However, for a building to be termed as a skyscraper, it should be distinct from other surrounding buildings in its striking feature of high elevation and markedly affecting the normal view of skyline when looked across through its high rise due to its obstruction (Moudry, 2005 pp. 16-18). Evolution of skyscrapers Evolution of skyscrapers can be traced back to early Babylonian civilization with the Tower of Babel erected in the Babylon which was the first city to be established after great flood as it is given in the Biblical narrative, historical context and other extracanonical sources. Down the line, there has been erection of some tall buildings in different cities of the world but have not been such remarkable as those from the beginning of nineteenth century. Prior to this time, relatively tall buildings used to exist that basically employed use of masonry as the oldest material. The 19th Century structural system technological developments have been hallmark to the emergence of super tall buildings in the world. These new advancements from masonry which were the oldest material all through steel work era to use of composite construction have seen the erection of super tall buildings such as the Petronas Towers and the Jin Mao building that we see today. The City Hall in Philadelphia is the tallest masonry building in the world. It is 167 M (548 ft). It was completed in 1901 using masonry bricks and stones. But this technique could not easily allow construction of super tall buildings seen in today’s world because stone and bricks heavy weights were the limiting factor. The first skyscraper was steel- framed ten storeys known as Your Home Insurance Building in Chicago built by Illiam Le Barion Jenney, an engineering officer in 1885. Your Home Insurance Building was among the first buildings to use metal for support. After some sixteen years later, the first concrete 15 storey skyscraper known as Ingalls Building in Cincinnati, Ohio was erected by Elzner, O. A. It had integration of twisted steel bars with concrete as frame with slabs and concrete exterior walls (Haverstock et al, 2000 pp. 105-108). This was a remarkable stride in the realm of construction by 20th Century. However, more improvement in concrete technology has continued to be realized. The innovations of lightweight concrete material enable construction of tall buildings. The One Shell Plaza built in Texas in early 1970s which has 52 stories is a good example of tallest lightweight structure in the world. It can be observed that from early skyscrapers constructors, the technological evolutions were partly necessitated by the dictates of human needs such as residential and office apartment’s architectural arrangements so as to meet people needs wholesomely (Wright, 2007 pp. 77-80). Structural developments have even made it easier to meet these increasingly new demands by innovation of framed tabular structural systems. This has facilitated construction of many stories building. This is because they give three-dimensional robust framework that is able to resist mechanical stresses and compressions. Presently, skyscrapers constructions make use of steel; reinforced concrete, granite and glass. Many of skyscrapers in ancient times were found in parts o f Chicago, New York and London towards close to 19th Century. Today, skyscrapers are not limited to these regions alone, but are found even in Asian continent. In the New York City, at the beginning of 20th Century it was the center of the Beaux Arts architectural movement that made it so progressive having been graced with great architects that enabled it to be land of outstanding skyscrapers in the world. It is generally observed that skyscrapers since the past were associated with elements of nation’s power and economic status. This is because the nature of super tall building built largely depends on the financial capabilities, technological advancements and man power which reflects nation’s supremacy and hence its pride. In about last two decades skyscraper designs are taking latest architectural designs that include former designs but with characteristic features of the geographic elements of where these structures built such as cultural designs like Arabic arts as exhibited in Burj Dubai skyscraper which is yet to be completed. It is evident that, apart from innovations in structural system, geographical changes also markedly did affect the evolution of skyscraper designing especially in twentieth century. Early architects of skyscrapers as it can be seen in World Trade Center, as an example, assumed geometrical shapes like that of a box.

Harassment :: essays research papers

An issue that is particularly pertinent to students in the middle phase of schooling is that of harassment. Harassment has been ‘conceived narrowly as involving physical threatening behavior only. It is now generally seen as including verbal forms of aggression, as in the case of ridicule and name calling’.1 This essay will concentrate on the harassment as an issue within the middle phase of schools, years 5 to 10, and investigate what actions or responses are being taken by schools to address the needs of the learners. ‘The full extent of harassment is very hard to detect. It usually happens out of sight, away form teachers and other adults. The people most likely to know what is going on are other children. Children who are being bullied often do not tell anyone because they feel weak or ashamed.’1 This is the issue that needs to be addressed, students will not communicate with teachers/parents or seek help from teachers/parents if they are being bullied. This essay will address this need through how other schools have dealt with this problem. A school of approximately 450 students from middle to low income families reduced their harassment problem by introducing peer mediation. Firstly, changes were introduced within the student council, where a representative from each grade level was elected. Secondly, teachers were to demonstrate a positive role towards the new behaviour management system, and this in turn helped towards their ‘Working It Out’ process, with students getting involved in dealing with the harassment issue. Thirdly, a peer mediation team was setup that dealt with harassment that is more interpersonal. Mediation is now occurring on a regular basis and most issues brought to the mediators are resolved easily. The school intends to continue to expand on the mediation team-training students as others leave school.2 Another school of 750 students in a secondary, coeducational setup included a variety of cultural backgrounds throughout the school. This school recognized that a harassment problem was occurring in the school and a zero tolerance outcome was adapted for the school. There was a survey carried out for students from years 8 – 10 to gain a students perspective on the harassment situation in the school. The result of the survey helped teachers gain an understanding of what areas the harassment problems were prominent. A register was then setup to monitor those harassment and being bullied and workshops were setup for these students.

Ottawa Valley Food Products Case Study Essay

Ottawa Valley Food Products (OVFP) is a company which manufactures and distributes low calorie and diet food items. The employees at OVFP consist of 100 production workers and 18 management and support staff. R J Jennings is amongst these individuals and has worked for OVFP for 31 years. Even though he is able to retire, Jennings does not wish to do so any time in the near future. Jennings had a previous administrative assistant, Ella Arnold, who worked with him for 10 years. Ella, aged 58, decided to take early retirement due to deterioration in her eyesight. As Jennings’ assistant, Ella would work over time sometimes without pay, go above and beyond to make sure her job was done well including breaking previous personal commitments. By Ella doing this in her job, resulted in Jennings feeling she had a ‘sixth sense’ for her job, she even ran errands in her lunch break for him. When Ella retired, the personnel department replaced her with Mary Gregory. Mary Gregory is 24 years old and has qualifications in administration from a local community college as well as a well-known Canadian university. On her first day, Jennings phoned her using the interoffice telephone to ask her to get him a coffee and a newspaper on her way back from her break. He had asked this every morning for that past ten years before Mary had joined the company. Mary refused stating she was busy. After this, Jennings got his own coffee and newspaper, even though he purposely gave Mary a light workload. From this, Jennings just assumed it was first day nerves. OVFP had an important meeting coming up with agents who did not previously transport OVFP products. The meeting was to talk about and arrange production and shipping schedules before they signed a contract. When Jennings walked into the meeting, he found Mary talking to the agents about her weekend. He had asked Mary to leave the meeting, but she refused explaining to the agents she was not leaving. After the agents left, Jennings asked Mary to visit his office where he asked for an explanation of her behaviour during the meeting. She replied with an upset comment stating ‘she was not drafted into the army.’ Another incident occurred the next morning when Mary would not file away the reports in Jennings office. Jennings had stated at the end of Mary’s six week probation period she would no longer be needed in the company. Once the news of this was found out, Jennings was later faced with a note, handed to him by Karen Russell. The note stated he had two choices, either change his mind and allow Mary to continue with her job at the end of her probation period or all 10 of OVFP’s administrative assistants would take this further. They would go to Ottawa to state their protest on the CBC show at six o’clock. The administrative assistants were waiting for Jennings response to this in the lounge and gave him 20 minutes in order to make his decision. Assumptions made based on the report: ââ€" ªThe organization was structured properly and the business is successful. The business has been running for 30 years and has a large amount of staff and managers. ââ€" ªThere are different branches or departments that produce specialized products. The different branches manage things such as dairy, vegetables and fruits and meat products ect. ââ€" ªBecause the company is so successful; all the workers have the values and objectives towards bettering the company. The workers strive toward success in the company. ââ€" ªThe company’s marketing strategy is to produce low-calorie and diet foods to grocery stores made out of high quality ingredients. Their marketing advantage is that they sell unique healthy foods at a low cost . ââ€" ªThe company has monthly goals to attain that include having the correct products ready for certain stores and having them delivered on time to the stores. They finish their work on time frequently because they have a successful business and long term customers. ââ€" ªAll of the secretaries are female. Women are specifically hired to work as secretaries for Jennings. ââ€" ªSince all of the secretaries gathered together to meet with Jennings because they were unhappy so it can be concluded that Jennings treats most of his employees unfairly and expects too much out of them. ââ€" ªJennings asks too much of his employees sometimes. He will ask them to do things that are not in their job descriptions; such as get him coffee and pick up his dry cleaning. ââ€" ªJennings may be too comfortable at his job. He is taking his employees for granted and using them to do personal favours. Problem Statement: The senior director of Ottawa Valley Food Products, R.J. Jennings, is having issues with his replacement administrative assistant. His former assistant was very outgoing and willing to work long hours in order to please her boss and to get the work done in a timely manner. When she took an early retirement, the company hired a replacement assistant for Mr. Jennings. Over her time with the company the new assistant, Mary Gregory, was at times incapable of the workload she had been given, which her predecessor had no trouble with. Not only was Mary incompetent at times, she also seemed to have no sense of proper business etiquette. On the day of an important meeting Mary decided to entertain the client with stories of her weekend while Jennings was running late. When Jennings arrived in his office he found a less than impressed client and his assistant chatting him up. After Jennings had told her to leave the office so they could commence their meeting, which was already running late, Mary scolded Jennings telling him that it was rude for him to ask her to leave and then continued with her story. After the meeting had concluded Mary was asked into Jennings’s office where he demanded an explanation. Mary protested that the situation was through no fault of her own. Mary was told shortly after the incident that her duties would no longer be needed at the end of her six week probationary period. Mary rebutted this by rallying all the administrative assistants to Mr.Jennings office with demands to be met or they would go to the CBC NEWS in Ottawa to air a piece about their story. Jennings has to make a decis ion whether or not to disregard these actions. If the piece airs on CBC NEWS, it will be nothing but bad publicity for the company. If he decides to Leave Mary in her position, she could potentially lose clients and disrupt further office interactions. Internal (Strengths and Weaknesses): Strengths ââ€" ªThe company management is well respected and the company has been running for over 30 years and supplies to grocery store. Jennings is a respected manager and has a good reputation amongst other companies that OVFP have contracts with. ââ€" ªThe Company has a high rate of employment. OVFP employs 100 production workers and 18 management and support staff. This shows that the company is successful. The company has been able to expand and needed to hire more workers to finish the required tasks on time. ââ€" ªThe Company achieves corporate objectives as they are successful in obtaining their goals. The company creates all of the goods on time and has the products delivered to certain grocers on the requested date. ââ€" ªThe company is successful because employees share the same values in the company; aiming toward success. Management ensures the job is done and that it is done with quality. The values of the workers include completing current objectives on time and with good quality. ââ€" ªThe company’s current marketing objective is to have the goods ready for their clients on time and to have the food delivered on time. This marketing objective is a strength because the employees work hard to finish the jobs. The secretaries mainly finish their assigned jobs with unfortunately some miscommunications but they work hard to finish everything. Weaknesses ââ€" ªStructure is clearly not understood by some of the employees, as Mary was not aware of some of the duties she needed to accomplish. Also, Jennings expected a lot out of her, where are she believed that she did not need complete these tasks for him because they were in her job description. Because they did not agree on what each other must do to get the day running smoothly they had a conflict. ââ€" ªThe other secretaries wanted to meet with him because they were also not happy. Jennings does not treat his secretaries fairly and expects them to work as the pace of Ella. He expects them to answer his personal calls and do other personal favours such as work overtime without pay . ââ€" ª The company does not finish all of their objectives because Mary was not completing all of the tasks Jennings assigned for her. This is why they had a conflict. ââ€" ªIf Mary could not handle the tasks Jennings was giving her then his expectations were too high. He was asking too much of her. Potentially, he could have asked for her to do simpler tasks until she got used the environment. ââ€" ªJennings did not hire Mary, human resources hired her for him. He did not have a choice therefore he may not get along with her if he doesn’t have a say in who is his secretary. The human resource department did not know what Jennings was looking for. ââ€" ªAll of the secretaries were female. If they are all only women then they are violating human rights. ââ€" ª Human resources was not able to hire an efficient worker for the company. They did not hire someone fit for the job and made a mistake. ââ€" ªJennings may not be a good manager if he is asking too much from his employees. If they do not understand where he is coming from when he is asking them to do things for him they might not listen to him. Also, if he is being unreasonable the employees won’t bother doing what they are asked. ââ€" ª Human resources may not be the appropriate people to hire an assistant for Jennings. Jennings should be able to choose his own secretary to avoid further conflict. If he picked someone that he believes would fit the job description better than there would never have been a conflict to resolve. External Analysis: Political †¢Jennings had informed Mary that she would no longer be employed at the end of her six week probationary period. Mary has no real grounds to protest for her job but the administrative assistant Union is standing up for her. With a union involved, striking is always a possibility. The administrative assistants to a large load of the office work and filing. Without these workers the business will be running far less efficiently. Social †¢The way Ottawa Valley Food Products is perceived by the public is directly correlated to its sales. A local news piece that depicts the company in a negative image could have negative repercussions on the success of the company. Sometimes there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but if the company looks like it doesn’t care about its employees, that is tougher for the company to shake. Opportunities †¢With the administrative assistants up in arms, an opportunity has arisen to change the current hiring system. To ensure that no incidents happen in the future, it is possible to tweak our hiring techniques to make sure our employees are of a quality caliber and they have solid references. Jennings is however not the root of the problem, Mary is, and management should be looking seriously into this as well. The management of a corporation should not allow an administrative assistant to potentially ruin sales and lose the company money and clients. Threats †¢The threat of a unionized support staff is always looming. If the administrative assistants form a union it will be nearly impossible to fire unruly staff. Also unions usually bargain for more money, which would result in more overhead for the company. Ultimately a union would limit the amount of work that the assistants do, and give them more money. If the Assistants were to form a union, it could have direct correlation with the production of the company. †¢A new hiring standard is in desperate need at Ottawa Valley Food Products. Otherwise they run the risk of hiring more staff that could become problematic. If they continue to hire these types of staff, it could have detrimental effects on the productivity of the company. Alternatives courses of Action: Alternative #1 R.J can do nothing and continue to end Mary’s employment after the six – week probation period. This will force the 10 OVFP executive assistants to publicize their complaint on CBC. R.J. Jennings is a senior manager at OVFP who has been working with them for 31 years and Mary Gregory should treat him with respect and honor his requests. Advantages †¢R.J. Jennings has been employed at OVFP for 31 years and deserves a better administrative assistant. By continuing to terminate Mary’s employment he may be assigned an assistant that better meets his needs. †¢The cost of finding and training new employees with work equipment can end up being expensive but Mary wasn’t able to handle the duties necessary to be a successful assistant. The potential employees applying for the job can be strategically chosen through interviews so that time and money is not wasted if they hire a new assistant with extensive experience that can adapt to the new job easily and not require lots of training. †¢This option is easy to put into practice because nothing is required other than to document Mary Gregory’s progress until the six – week probation period has ended. During this period R.J. also is given enough time to search for and hire a new assistant that may better meet his needs. †¢By executing this option R.J. is also able to demonstrate his expectations to other coworkers. In future situations his coworkers will know what R.J. expects from his assistants. Disadvantages †¢By continuing to terminate Mary’s employment he will lose his assistant as well as having the potential to lose the other 10 executive assistants that are protesting this. As these other assistants do not agree with R.J.’s decision they may willingly quit. As well, by going public with this protest they can bring negative media attention to R.J. and OVFP, as thus may ruin future business deals or current business commitments. †¢The approach of doing nothing and continuing to end Mary’s employment after the six – week probation period could negatively affect the company. The company will now have to go through the trouble of hiring and training a new assistant, rather than to address and try to fix the problem with Mary. If R.J. does need to replace Mary and possibly other executive assistants, he may replace them with new employees that might not work out and in fact be worse than his current employees. †¢If R.J. does terminate Mary’s employment, lose other executive assistance and bring negative media attention to OVFP he also has the potential of losing his job. Other senior management might view him as harmful to the company and may look into putting him on a probationary period or ultimately terminating his position. Alternative #2 R.J. Jennings could bring Mary Gregory into his office and have a discussion about the situation and address the problems that he has with Mary. Allow Mary to see what Ella Arnold successfully did and how she completed her tasks for R.J. daily. R.J. also clearly needs to express his expectations for his assistant so Mary is able to understand what is required of her. R.J. can allow Mary to move forward from this point and demonstrate how she is qualified for this job. If she is given another chance she may meet his standards and adjust to being a successful assistant. R.J. may also be given the opportunity to see his demands from Mary’s perspective. Because Ella did tasks for R.J that was not in her job description, R.J. has come to expect this. Mary can be given the chance to explain that she is not there to bring R.J. his coffee and newspaper and how she felt at some of his requests. Advantages †¢The actual problem can be addressed and Mary can see what Ella Arnold did as R.J.’s assistant. Mary will be given a list of expectations that she must meet in order to continue her employment at OVFP. If Mary clearly knows what is expected of her she may be able to carry out her daily tasks successfully. If Mary does not agree with what is expected of her in this role or does not feel she can complete such tasks she may willing leave her position, without spurring the negative media attention. †¢R.J. is also given the opportunity to see how much more Ella did for him that was required. Mary may have a different work style than Ella and does not feel like she should have to be taken advantage of or do tasks that R.J. can carry out himself, such as getting R.J. his coffee. †¢This alternative allows the problem to be addressed between both parties. It can also promote further open communication between coworkers as R.J. is setting a positive example to address a problem. †¢Negative media attention can be avoided as the executive assistants will not be on the CBC newscast. Disadvantages †¢Mary Gregory might become defensive once in R.J.’s office. After R.J. addresses the problem with Mary she might have a different perspective on the situation and feel she isn’t in the wrong. R.J. may feel he has wasted time and effort trying to fix the problem with Mary. †¢If Mary does not agree with R.J. she might notify the other 10 OVFP executive assistants about the meeting she had and continue with the CBC newscast. If Mary does not agree with the discussion she had with R.J. it could fuel further negative comments being made during the newscast. †¢Mary might feel she is underappreciated because she’s always being compared to Ella. Alternative #3 Terminate Mary Gregory from OVFP as an assistant immediately without reason and without allowing the six-week probation period to expire. Mary has been given enough chances to complete what is required of her and if she still continues to struggle with the everyday tasks that R.J. assigns then she is not the right person for the assistant position. Advantages †¢Mary Gregory is no longer an employee for OVFP so they can start to find a replacement assistant immediately that can be beneficial to the company. †¢It will be easier to release Mary as an employee because she’s still on probation. †¢R.J. Jennings can get back to being an efficient, hardworking employee with no distractions to affect his work. He can find a new assistant that meets his needs and will allow him to continue to be a dedicated employee. †¢Because Mary was new to the company she does not get paid benefits or other possible layoff payments that a fulltime life employee would receive. Disadvantages †¢Employees that formed a bond or friendship with Mary might disagree with OVFP’s choice to terminate her during the probation period. These employees might show their disagreement with the company’s choice by slowing work efficiency and motivation towards their job. †¢The assistants that have threatened to appear on CBC will still do so if Mary is immediately terminated. The immediate termination may infuriate them further if Mary is fired without being given any explanation or chance to further prove her work ethic. †¢Employees might take the message in a different manner and think there not being treated fairly for the work they give to the company. The employees might think that the company feels they are replaceable and aren’t an asset towards the company’s success when that isn’t the case. This could lead to further problems such as strikes or searching for other employment. †¢Time and money will be spent during the process of finding a new assistant. Alternative #4 Allow the option to release Mary Gregory from OVFP as an assistant with reason. Again, Mary has been given ample opportunities to turn her work ethic around but has failed to do so. R.J could have a meeting and tell Mary she is no longer employed at OVFP as well as notify her of the reasons why she’s being let go. This can allow R.J. to clearly express his reasoning for the decision as well as allow Mary to express how she is feeling Advantages †¢R.J. would no longer have to work with an assistant he feels does not meet up to his standards. †¢By having a meeting and clearly explaining the reason for her termination it may diffuse the situation. Mary can be given the opportunity to see R.J.’s reasoning and may agree with some of the issues he has raised. It can also be a learning experience for Mary as she looks for new jobs she may know what is expected of her in an administrative position. †¢Mary can be given the opportunity for a fresh start at a new company. She may also be able to use R.J. as a reference or connection toother jobs. Although her job was terminated R.J. may want to help her future search and just cite the termination as a clash of personalities or Mary not being the right fit for the job. R.J. is also able to have a fresh start with a new assistant and may be more aware of how to express his expectations. †¢R.J.’s executive assistants will not go on CBC if Mary has been treated with respect and had the opportunity to have a discussion with R.J. Disadvantages †¢Negative publicity can still arise if Mary still feels she wasn’t treated equally and was terminated without given a fair chance. The other assistants may feel that it is still necessary to make this issue aware to the public by being on CBC. †¢Legal issues may be a possibility. Even though she’s a new employee she could address the situation with the labor board or human resources to see if there are any options regarding her termination (i.e. severance pay). †¢Disagreement with the decision to terminate Mary’s position by other employees might cause work ethic and efficiency to drop or other possibilities such as a strike or employees quitting. Recommendations and Plan of Action: The alternative chosen to resolve the problem statement is option four which is allowing the option to release Mary Gregory from OVFP as an assistant with reason. This alternative is favourable as Mary has been given numerous amounts of opportunities to adjust her work attitude, still chooses not to do so. By choosing this alternative, Jennings could have a meeting with Mary and explain to her why she is no longer an employee of OVFP. At this meeting, he is able to discuss the reasons to why she is being fired. Jennings will be able to justify his decision and let Mary express her feelings about the situation. By using this alternative Jennings will no longer have to work with Mary as he feels her work ethics are not to his standards of being his assistant. As a result of having this meeting, it can calm the situation as Mary is able to understand Jennings’ reasoning and may even agree with some of the issues he states. This could also allow Mary to learn from this when she looks for future jobs as she may have a better understanding of what is expected of her in an administrative assistant’s role. As a result of Mary’s termination this will allow her to have a new start with a different company. Finally, if Mary is treated with respect and given justification to her termination, the executive assistants may change their mind and withdraw from appearing on CBC. There were a number of different alternatives decided upon as well when analysing Mary Gregory’s position at OVFP. The first alternative for Jennings to do nothing and to continue to end Mary’s employment after her six weeks probation period would not be suitable. This is due to ten other OVFP executive assistants stating they would also leave the company if Mary was not employed after her probation period. They also stated they would publicise their complaint on CBC. This could result in bringing negative publicity to OVFP, which could potentially cause problems with future business deals or current business relationships. Also, by terminating Mary’s employment the company would have to go through the process of finding a new assistant for Jennings and then having to train them. By doing this, OVFP may find these new employees to not be as efficient as their previous executive assistants. Finally, Jennings may lose his own job by bringing negative media attention to the business from firing Mary and the other assistants going to CBC with their disagreements. OVFP senior management team may find this damaging to the company and its image, therefore possibly putting him on a probationary period or terminating his position altogether. The second alternative, Jennings bringing Mary into his office to discuss the situation and address any problems is also not suitable for resolving this issue. This is could result in Mary becoming defensive once Jennings begins to discuss issues with her. She might feel she is not in the wrong and have a different outlook on the situation at hand. As a result of this, Jennings may feel he has wasted his time trying to resolve the problems with Mary and her work attitude. Also, Mary might speak with other assistants once she finishes talking with Jennings and explain to them what happened. After this, they may still continue with the broadcast with CBC and if Mary does not agree with Jennings and his opinions then this could result in even more negative comments said during the newscast, again bringing destructive media attention to OVFP. Also, by Jennings doing this Mary feel unappreciated as he is always comparing her to his previous assistant, Ella Arnold. This could demotivate he r to completing her job to the best of her ability and carrying out everyday tasks Ella used to do for Jennings. Finally, the third alternative is terminating Mary from OVFP as an assistant without reason and terminating her position once her six week probation period has finished. This, again, would not be appropriate for resolving the situation as employees who have formed a working or friendly relationship with Mary might disagree with OVFP’s decision. By showing their support towards Mary, they may decide to show lack of care within their working attitudes and not complete their own jobs properly. This could bring a long, tiring issue for OVFP if their employees are not motivated to work and complete their jobs on time or to the highest of standards. Also, the assistants who mentioned they would appear on CBC will continue to do so if Mary is fired from her position. They may do this as they will be upset by Mary being terminated without any justification to why she is no longer needed at OVFP. Also, from this alternative employees may feel they are not being treated fairly for the work they contribute towards the company, therefore they may feel they are replaceable. As a result of this, employees will not feel an asset to the company or feel they are appreciated when the company achieves goals. Employees could strike due to this or seek employment in a different company. Finally, precious time and money will be wasted on finding new assistants to replace Mary and the ten executive assistants if they decide to leave OVFP. The response that Mary’s and the other executive assistants gave when they hear the news that Mary is being let go after her probation period may seem like the major key component in this case. But as stated is this report there are many other factors that play into this company problem. Mary may response in an understandings way when Jennings explains his reasoning for letting her go from OVFP or she may not. Either way OVFP must realise they need to make changes in the company to prevent a situation like this from happening in the future. Reorganizing the human resources hiring process is a great start. Job posting that clearly state what the employee duties are within the company, will avoid confuse among Mangers and assistants. Also having Managers involved in the hiring of their assistants with make sure that Managers are paired with assistants that meet there individual needs. Having Human Recourse make these changes, it will over all avoid future problems like this from arising, and will create happier for efficient, and loyal employees. Which will o ver all benefits the company with loyal employees more efficient employees the company will save money and put this money in things such as expanding or improving other components.

Branding, Pricing, and Distribution Strategies

ASSIGNMENT 3 MARKETING PLAN FOR TEACH CHINA BRANDING, PRICING, AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES This section of Teach China’s Marketing Plan will focus in on key factors related to branding, pricing, and distribution: creation and development of the domestic and global product branding strategy; determination of optimum pricing strategy; looking at how the pricing strategy supports Teach China’s branding strategy, preparation of a distribution channel analysis, justification of opting for a push or pull strategy; an overall look at how the distribution strategy fits the product/service target market.It is very important that a start-up company, such as Teach China, build and develop a strong product brand. It is essential that such branding solidify the link between the values of Teach China and its customers. Because of the competiveness of the education market branding the commodities and services of Teach China must be unique. Additionally, branding education is considera bly different than branding a commodity. [ (Gupta & Singh, 2010) ] According the Dr. ’s Gupta and Singh, the movement of a globalized world to a knowledge economy opens immense opportunities for building education brands. (Gupta & Singh, 2010) ] Gupta and Singh also warn against the tendency to confuse â€Å"branding in education as making enough noise to get people to enroll. † (2010) In determining a brand for Teach China it is imperative that the numerous stakeholders in this market are taken into consideration. Gupta and Singh suggest that a â€Å"careful balancing of the stakeholders’ interest is a key requirement of the leadership of each education brand. They identify the stakeholders as, students, faculty, prospective employees, parents and society.Research of current literature show that educational services earn their repeat business by word of mouth of well satisfied and well placed individuals. [ (Gupta & Singh, 2010) ] This idea is further supporte d by a feasibility study conducted by Bradley and Griswold who posit that â€Å"most Chinese are reliant on third-party endorsements from friends and colleagues. † [ (Bradley III & Griswold, 2011) ] The branding of Teach China must also take into consideration the fact that consumers are savvier, demanding value for their money and have little brand loyalty. (Abhijit & Chattopadhyay, 2010) ] Like other service providers, Teach China will have a logo, but its main source of branding, based on current literature will be through the use of social media and word of mouth. Additionally, Teach China’s partnering with an established educational institute, as stated in an earlier section of the company’s marketing plan, will have a direct impact upon branding. For its international market, Teach China will rely heavily upon business to business publications and its Web presence to promote services offered.Teach China will also target setting up a booth or kiosk at trade shows. Dr. Young-Han Kim, et al, writing for Managerial and Decision Economic, 2006 stated compelling reasons why optimal pricing is important: Of the four P's of marketing (product, place, price, and promotion), pricing is the only T' that generates revenue for a company. Although effective pricing can never compensate for poor execution of other P's, ineffective pricing can certainly prevent careful execution of other P's from bearing financial rewards for the company (Nagle and Holden, 1995).The role of pricing becomes even more critical in the context of global market entry. [ (Kim, Aggarwal, Ha, & Cha, 2006) ] Pricing services offered by Teach China is drastically different from pricing a product. There are three different pricing strategy options available to Teach China: cost-plus pricing, competitor’s pricing, or value added pricing. Cost-plus pricing is the standard used by many businesses. Elizabeth Wasserman, editor of Inc. s technology website, quoting Jerome Ost eryoung, a professor of Finance at Florida State University and outreach director of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, states that when determining the cost of a service using this method, one must be certain to include a portion of your rent, utilities, administrative costs, and other general overhead costs. [ (Wasserman, 2012) ] This approach could return the greatest profit margin but would cause a fluctuation in price when other costs increase.According to Professor Osteryoung, one should be aware of what competitors are charging for the same service. Yet he cautions against competing on price. Instead, he suggests that service companies compete on service, ambiance, or other factors that set [them] apart,† [ (Wasserman, 2012) ] The other factor discussed by Professor Osteryoung is perceived value to customers. Osteryoung points out that setting a price for a service can be subjective.He rightly posits that pricing (for a service) becomes an art form whe n one considers that â€Å"the important factor in determining how much (a customer is) willing to pay for a service may not be how much time was spent providing the service, but what the customer perceives as the value of the service and the level of expertise,† [ (Wasserman, 2012) ] One method available for setting a price for the services offered by Teach China would be to use what has been called in some literature the â€Å"service pricing formula†.Simply put this method helps determine an hourly rate for services rendered. Desired annual salary + Annual fixed costs (overhead) + Desired annual profit ?Annual billable hour = Hourly rate The other method used by my most businesses offering a service is simply that of setting market-based rates. In the book, The Small Business Start-up Kit, the authors suggest that if your rate is too high it will result in not getting clients. (Pakroo & Repa, 2004) There is also danger in setting rates below the market value. A PDF document downloaded from www. edi. org, warns that â€Å"In a service business, people tend to think that something is wrong, if your prices are too low. They assume that the services are of inferior quality. † (Anonymous, 2012) Taking into consideration available literature research, Teach China will use a market based flat fee rate for services (including a 5% profit margin), with an offer of a discount for businesses enrolling five (5) or more employees. An internet search of prices for language courses returned a range of prices from $645 to over $2000.In order to be competitive in this market, Teach China will offer 20 courses for $1500 this will include study materials, for an additional fee students can spend two weeks in China practicing skills learned. Since these prices reflect doing business in one of China’s major cities, there will be a cost reduction of 10-20% for students from targeted cities. These projections will be adjusted as financial statements ar e prepared showing the cost of fixed assets, faculty and staff, and other operating expenses.The chosen pricing strategy for Teach China is designed to enhance customers’ perceptions about the service offered by the company (its brand). Teach China is selling a value service, offering expertise in language training and instruction. The pricing strategy chosen for Teach China will insure that the company can continue to afford and offer the best language instructors in the business. The target market of Teach China usually shop for similar services by listening to recommendation, reputation and testimonials of satisfied customers.The distribution channels most used by the industry include direct marketing via target mailing, the internet and broadcast media. Teach China will therefore follow the industry standard, specifically, the following strategies will be used to help accomplish the marketing objectives and business goals of Teach China: Direct Mail; Direct Sales; Televis ion programs; with infomercials; Internet strategies; Participation in business trade shows. In its international market, Teach China will benefit from its partnership with its designated education partner already in operation in mainland China.Chris Rimlinger wrote an article in 2011 in Franchising World in which he advocates a balance of both push and pull marketing strategies to â€Å"expand the brand's reach and attract new consumers, maintain lasting relationships with existing consumers, and meet sales goals by creating demand and satisfying existing market needs. † [ (Rimlinger, 2011) ] Teach China’s direct marketing tactics will be the push that gets the brand in front of the consumers. Teach China’s television, infomercials and internet strategies will be the pull that creates consumer demand for the service offered.Using a balance of both push and pull marketing strategies will facilitate Teach China’s brand being disseminated at home and abroad . The combination strategy will allow for specific target marketing to students, businesses and governments. Additionally, according to research conducted by Mike Sands, this type of combination strategy is the most effective way of harnessing technology to develop and control electronic customer relationship management. [ (Sands, 2003) ] Bibliography Abhijit, R. , ; Chattopadhyay, S. P. (2010). Stealth Marketing as a Strategy.Indiana University, Kelley School of Business. Retrieved May 07, 2012 Anonymous. (2012, May 9). PRICING METHODS. Retrieved from SEDI: www. sedi. org/DataRegV2-unified/capnet†¦ /pricing%20methods. pdf Bradley III, D. B. , ; Griswold, R. J. (2011). A Feasability Study to Develop a Foreign Language Academy in China. Journal of International Business Research, 19. Retrieved May 08, 2012, from http://go. galegroup. com/ps/i. do? id=GALE%7CA275130691;v=2. 1;u=tall18692;it=r;p=AONE;sw=s Gupta, M. , ; Singh, P. B. (2010).Marketing and Branding Higher Education: I ssues and Challenges. M. J. P. Hikhand University, Invertis Institute of Management Studies. Uttar Pradesh, India: Review of Business Reasearch. Retrieved May 07, 2012 Kim, Y. -H. , Aggarwal, P. , Ha, Y. -M. , ; Cha, T. H. (2006). Optimal Pricing Strategy for Foreign Market Entry: A Game Theorectic Approach. Managerial and Decision Economics. Retrieved May 08, 2012, from http://www. jstor. org/page/info/about/policies/terms. jsp Pakroo, P. H. , ; Repa, B. (2004). The Small Business Start-Up Kit. Ipswich,, MA: NOLO.Rimlinger, C. (2011, December). Push and Pull Marketing Strategies: Using Them to Your Advantage. Franchising World, 43(12), 15-16. Retrieved May 10, 2012, from http://search. proquest. com/docview/913283066? accountid=10913 Sands, M. (2003). Integrating the web and e-mail into a push-pull strategy. Qualitative Market Research, 6(1), 27-37. Retrieved May 09, 2012, from http://search. proquest. com/docview/213439175? accountid=10913 Wasserman, E. (2012, May 08). How to Pric e Business Services. Retrieved from Inc. Com: http://www. inc. com/guides/price-your-services. html .

Free Essays on Feminsim

Femininity An Evolution I have heard it said so many times and by so many women â€Å" I wish I were a man†. â€Å"Men have it easy†.This statement stems from the fear and anger that comes from so many years of submission and oppression. A statement that comes from the pressure to meet standards and bodily perfections, but the woman of today, as she grows with time is proud to say that she is a woman or rather a women of substance. Women have come a long way and freed themselves from gender related stereotypes and redefined femininity. Since the mid -twenties the role of women has changed dramatically from politics to business, to academics and sport. Women have gained prominence that would have been unimaginable to earlier generations, like that of the fifties where women lived in the shadow of men accomplishments and were powerless to change their situations. † Three decades ago a typical family was depicted as a man and woman who married each other, had beautiful children.and women proudly wrote occupation â€Å"housewives† on forms . Femininity was the epitome of the fifties and was constructed to the adaption of male power. A women of the fifties grew up in an era where women held one of the three stations -A daughter, Housewife or mother. Women were influenced by magazines and articles with slogans like â€Å"femininity begins at home† and â€Å"have babies when your young. The typical housewife’s goal or daily chore was to try make home a place of peace, order and tranquillity. She had to be prepared fifteen minutes before her husband got home from work, touch up her makeup , put a ribbon in her hair and look fresh. She also had to minimize the noise of the vacuum, washer dryer and urge the children to be quiet. Another rule to be followed was to be quiet and let him do all the talking and not greet him with problems and complaints.The only ambition of the fifties women was to be a perfec... Free Essays on Feminsim Free Essays on Feminsim Femininity An Evolution I have heard it said so many times and by so many women â€Å" I wish I were a man†. â€Å"Men have it easy†.This statement stems from the fear and anger that comes from so many years of submission and oppression. A statement that comes from the pressure to meet standards and bodily perfections, but the woman of today, as she grows with time is proud to say that she is a woman or rather a women of substance. Women have come a long way and freed themselves from gender related stereotypes and redefined femininity. Since the mid -twenties the role of women has changed dramatically from politics to business, to academics and sport. Women have gained prominence that would have been unimaginable to earlier generations, like that of the fifties where women lived in the shadow of men accomplishments and were powerless to change their situations. † Three decades ago a typical family was depicted as a man and woman who married each other, had beautiful children.and women proudly wrote occupation â€Å"housewives† on forms . Femininity was the epitome of the fifties and was constructed to the adaption of male power. A women of the fifties grew up in an era where women held one of the three stations -A daughter, Housewife or mother. Women were influenced by magazines and articles with slogans like â€Å"femininity begins at home† and â€Å"have babies when your young. The typical housewife’s goal or daily chore was to try make home a place of peace, order and tranquillity. She had to be prepared fifteen minutes before her husband got home from work, touch up her makeup , put a ribbon in her hair and look fresh. She also had to minimize the noise of the vacuum, washer dryer and urge the children to be quiet. Another rule to be followed was to be quiet and let him do all the talking and not greet him with problems and complaints.The only ambition of the fifties women was to be a perfec...

20 Quotes for People Who Would Rather Be at the Beach

20 Quotes for People Who Would Rather Be at the Beach Its time to head to the beach. The wind blows through your hair. The warm sun bathes your skin. Soft, golden sand caresses your feet. The waves sing to a perfect rhythm and the coconut trees gently sway against the breeze. If you love the sun and the sea, the beach is the right destination for you. So, grab your suntan lotion and your Frisbee and go frolicking to the beach. For those times when you are not at the beach, get into the right state of mind with beachy quotes. Annie Dillard ï » ¿The sea pronounces something, over and over, in a hoarse whisper; I cannot quite make it out. Isak Dinesen The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea. H. M. Tomlinson Most of us, I suppose, are a little nervous of the sea. No matter what its smiles may be, we doubt its friendship. Ambrose Bierce Ocean: A body of water occupying two-thirds of a world made for man, who has no gills. Anne Morrow Lindbergh The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea. One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. Henry Beston The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach. Isaac Newton To myself, I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me. William Manchester The coconut trees, lithe and graceful, crowd the beach like a minuet of slender elderly virgins adopting flippant poses. G. K. Chesterton Where does a wise man kick a pebble? On the beach. Where does a wise man hide a leaf? In the forest. Michelle Held Dont grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach. Farmers Almanac A real friend is someone who takes a winter vacation on a sun-drenched beach and does not send a card. T. S. Eliot I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. Henry David Thoreau My life is like a stroll on the beach... as near to the edge as I can go. William Stafford Even the upper end of the river believes in the ocean. Corey Hart Along the beach, I never collected shells from my fathers shore. Barbara Wilson Thats where we used to put our chairs. Way out there where that wave is rolling. Our beach is under that water. Anne Spencer One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. Cathy Haynes The more we have growth along our beaches and barrier islands, shelter is always going to be an issue. Charles Williams I dont care how much lip service they give you about it, there is this culture in Atlantic Beach that believes this nonsense is okay.

Getting Fit Dialogue and Reading

Getting Fit Dialogue and Reading Getting fit in English refers to doing exercise in order to feel better and live a more healthy lifestyle. People often go to the gym to get in shape or get fit. While theyre at the gym theyll do a wide variety of exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups. Its important to always do stretching exercises as well, these should be done both before and after you go to the gym.   At they gym, youll fid lots of equipment such as weight lifting machines, exercise bikes, ellipticals, and treadmills. Most health clubs also offer jogging tracks and areas for aerobics, as well as classes in fitness activities such as Zumba, or spinning classes. Most gyms offer changing rooms nowadays. Some even have whirlpools, steam rooms, and saunas to help you relax and unwind your muscles after a long hard workout. The important thing to remember when getting fit is that you need to be consistent. In other words, youll need to go to the gym on a regular basis. Maybe three or four times a week. Its a good idea to do a wide range of exercises rather than focus on just one such as weight lifting. For example, do fifteen minutes of stretching and aerobics, combined with a half hour of bike riding and another fifteen minutes of weight lifting on two days of the week. On the other two, play some basketball, go jogging and use the elliptical. Varying your routine will help keep you coming back, as well as help keep your whole body fit.   In the Gym Dialogue Hello, my name is Jane and Id like to ask a few questions about getting fit.Hi, Jane. What can I do for you? I need to get in shape.Well, youve come to the right place. Have you been doing any exercise lately? Im afraid not.OK. Well start off slow. Which type of exercise do you enjoy doing? I like doing aerobics, but I hate jogging. I dont mind doing some weight-lifting, though.Great, that gives us plenty to work with. How often can you work out? Twice or three times a week would be good.Why dont we start with an aerobics class twice a week followed by a little weight lifting? Sounds fine to me.Youll need to start slowly and build up gradually to three or four times a week. OK. What kind of equipment will I need?Youll need a leotard and some sneakers. Is that all? How do I sign up for the classes?Well need you to join the gym and then you can choose which classes fit your schedule best. Great! I cant wait to get started. Thanks for your advice.No problem. Ill see you in aerobics class! Key Vocabulary from Reading and Dialogue (do) exerciseadviceaerobicschanging roomellipticalequipmentexercise bikeget fit  get in shape  joggingjoinleotardpush up  saunasign upsit-upsneakersspinning classsteam roomstretchingtreadmillunwindweight lifting machinesweight liftingwhirlpool  Zumba More Intermediate Level Dialogues Making SuggestionsOn the TelephoneSeeing a DoctorDescribing a Friend - Uses of Like

Investment opportunities and risks in stock markets Literature review

Investment opportunities and risks in stock markets - Literature review Example With the EPFs emerging as a vital source of capital inflow for the developing countries, an array of issues arises regarding this pattern of investment. It is of prime importance to understand the diversification benefits accruing to an investor from investing in the developing countries and the returns to stocks of these emerging markets. Investors and researchers are concerned about the level of integration of these markets with the financial markets of the industrially advanced countries. Several research works have been conducted in the past to investigate about the process of integration between these markets and to understand the changes appearing in the risk-return features of emerging markets. This helps in the understanding of the individual investor’s reaction to the changes in organization of financial markets and the changes in her behaviour in favourable and unfavourable economic conditions. Sufficient research papers are available, that present their findings rel ated to the developed industrial countries. It has been found that there is a lack in recent researches concerning the stock market scenario and market returns in the emerging economies. This essay focuses on reviewing the existing literature on the risks and benefits accruing from investment activities in the developing economies and comparing it with the risks and benefits associated with investing in the advanced stock markets of the world. The diversification benefits are investigated and the correlation between the advanced and emerging stock markets is studied through this literature review. Review There are several reasons that provoke investors to seek diversified and long-term exposure to the emerging financial markets. Social as well as demographic trends are fundamental to the growth of emerging economies and the development of investment prospects in those markets. Recent researches show that the influence of the financial crisis of the US and the Euro zone has been felt more severely in the developed nations rather than on the developing countries. As a matter of fact, a few emerging financial markets are demonstrating a high degree of stability that is historically associated with the mature economies. This is an outcome of rapid evolution, which shows that the investment conditions are also evolving at a fast pace. Many investors of the developed countries such as the United States consider the emerging economies, like, Brazil, India, Russia and China to offer good investment opportunities. In fact, some other smaller markets, such as, Philippines and Indonesia, are emerging that put forward noteworthy opportunities to equity investors. But while choosing the market in which to invest, the investor require the understanding of the differences and parity among the emerging markets, and must not group them together. The investors have to weigh the currency strength of the country in which they are deciding to invest along with the stability of the country’s government (TIAA CREF, 2013). Rationale behind investing in developing countries According to Henry and Kannan (2008), two rationales emerge out of conventional theories pertaining to investment in risky assets, such as stocks, in developing countries. Th

Fifth Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fifth Hour - Essay Example kers through some of the huge strides that people have made throughout the world in an attempt to ensure equity for all irrespective of racial origin. In like manner, I admired how contributors across diverse races aired their opinion with boldness and charisma. The event was beneficial to me in several ways as I learned that for a state or a nation to succeed, its occupants must tolerate the diverse cultures that exist within it. For that is what brings the difference between successful and failed states (Munin 188). Moreover, I learnt that racial understanding is of great significance in the current job market as various organizations always open their doors in different nations in an attempt to explore international markets. Over and above, the event made me learn that cohesive existence with our brothers and sisters of unlike originality is beneficial in our development through life, as they play a role in bringing the best out of

Leadership Style Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Style - Research Paper Example   The success and failures of an organization is a result of the leadership style implemented. My democratic style involves the contribution of both my personal contribution as a leader and the contributions of subordinates. My leadership style is the most highly recommended in achieving the goals of an organization within the desired timeframe. This is because the style has a direct impact on the subordinates who work towards the achievement of the organization’s goals. The response of workers in my leadership style is highly affected by the position held and the powers of the leader. Workers are often interested in their own achievements and thus would sideline with a leader who is likely to make them achieve their objectives.There are two types of leaders in the democratic leadership style. A consultative leader has the ideas of the subordinates, but the final decision is solely his. A consensus leader incorporates the ideas of the subordinates in making the final decisio n. A consultative leader partly practices democratic leadership also the authoritarian leadership in decision-making. Achievement of organizational goals does not only depend on the leadership style, but also requires motivation to the subordinates. As a consensus leader, I usually motivate his subordinates by including their ideas in a decision. The subordinates have the feeling that they also have some powers in the organization. This gives the subordinates the feeling that they are part of every success in the organization.

Personal Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Reflection - Essay Example I thought writing by explanation or simply retelling a certain story where the main idea comes from another author or perhaps another person’s idea would be a lot safer and easier as you would only have to expound on what an author’s line or idea meant and adding up a little commentary on yours which would not really welcome new thoughts that might not be accepted by your readers. In a way, writing this way would give you less need to think and just more of taking it from someone else’s point of view. However, through the whole course, I realized that writing made up of mostly explanations is something that people would probably think the same as already, which defeats that whole thrill of giving your readers something new and personal. We all know that we read books, journals, or blogs to be able to get something new or to feed any curious thought. Thus, I have learned to move forward by encroaching my writing with exploration which is the next level of writing I learned in the course. This is the fact that I would say I enjoyed a lot learning as a writer, as I would now feel braver to insert new thoughts, parallel or not to my readers’ thoughts, express myself even when it sometimes seems like no one will agree, and at the same time get excited with the fact that someone else is going to read something that comes from what I think. Indeed, writers need not be scared of one’s audience. After all, that is why there are different genres of books because of the different depth and trail of thoughts that are always welcome in writing. In the end, you would not have to blame yourself for giving your readers a lousy or totally strange read because they picked you and not vice versa. Realizing these, I had the guts to write not only based on the sources or principles given me to explain but moreover, explore in my writing like I would explore a new place or perhaps check out someone I am really interested in. Of course, though writi ng is really a very interesting thing to do, I would say that it also has challenges to give you as a writer. For me, one of the greatest challenges I faced in the whole course would be learning about analysis and synthesis and applying these two in my writing. This is because of the fact that both would require one to see beyond a certain topic, fact, or perhaps a thought and be able to unite it with one’s thoughts even when all the while there is not a thing you truly are interested with or hold true. Aside from that, I think that another strong challenge I faced would be having to write a beautiful piece that had to describe a great experience when all the while I was feeling a different mood, specifically sad and disinterested. I handled this challenge by changing the basis of everything I write from the goal of the task instead of my emotions. Although emotions play a big part in influencing the mood of one’s writing, it is important to go beyond emotions and go b eyond that by transcending oneself to the state of mind a certain topic would require you to have. Also, I learned that I should divert focusing on what I see to what people see. I veered away from using myself as the center point of my writing and put myself in the shoes of those people whose thoughts I have to analyze and interpret.  Ã‚  

Module 4 DQ 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Module 4 DQ 1 - Essay Example I also intended to record commercials that featured children as the target consumers. There was coding of the type of data recorded. As mentioned earlier, the items targeted were programs featuring children and commercials targeting children as the main consumers. In that, age of the primary characters was between 5 and 15 years. The reason for considering 15 years old characters as children is due to the fact that some people enter and leave adolescence late (Bordens & Abbott, 2014). There was coding based on ethnicity or race of the participants. Similarly, gender was not a primary concern in the selection of subjects to observe. Besides the video recording, there it was not possible to record the observation in another way. From the observation, it was apparent that the children observed in the program and the commercials had similar behaviors. Critical analysis of the behavior showed that children in both settings had high levels of brain activity. Children in the two settings loved play and seemed to be in quest for learning many issues. In fact, the commercials recorded had children appearing to be analyzing toys with great

Society, Community, & Family Impact of Technology Research Paper - 1

Society, Community, & Family Impact of Technology - Research Paper Example Additionally, some modes of communication such as use of smoke and hooting of horns conveyed wrong messages. In connection to this, the paper will provide detailed information on the computer and communication technologies along expounding on their history, development, use, and the conditions of the computer and communication technologies before and after the introduction of technology. As introduced above, technology has advanced extensively in the current society. Almost everything in the current world is run by the aid of machines such as computers and phones (Nayab 1). The effect of technology however is very extensive in the field of communication; many organizations have managed to produce diverse types of computers and phones to enhance the reduction of the whole world into a small village. The process of human communication has undergone many changes over the years, with many diverse path-breaking inventions and findings a lift from one step to another. Pictographs were the first writing materials that were invented to enhance communication in historical times. These writings were on solid materials such as stones and remained immobile. The invention of papyrus, wax and paper led to the invention of printing press in early 15th century. This invention enhanced the transfer of documents from one location to another, allowing uniformity of languages over wide areas (Nayab 1). The latest revolution is the extensive use of electronic technology such as computers and phones. Phones and computers have enhanced the transfer of documents via use of electronic waves and signals. Currently, computers and smartphones are used in communication between people without concern of physical distance. People from different ends of the world also communicate currently via audio, video l inks, and text via aid of correct hardware and software which are products of technological advancement. Communication was a great challenge before the invention

Module 4 DQ 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Module 4 DQ 1 - Essay Example I also intended to record commercials that featured children as the target consumers. There was coding of the type of data recorded. As mentioned earlier, the items targeted were programs featuring children and commercials targeting children as the main consumers. In that, age of the primary characters was between 5 and 15 years. The reason for considering 15 years old characters as children is due to the fact that some people enter and leave adolescence late (Bordens & Abbott, 2014). There was coding based on ethnicity or race of the participants. Similarly, gender was not a primary concern in the selection of subjects to observe. Besides the video recording, there it was not possible to record the observation in another way. From the observation, it was apparent that the children observed in the program and the commercials had similar behaviors. Critical analysis of the behavior showed that children in both settings had high levels of brain activity. Children in the two settings loved play and seemed to be in quest for learning many issues. In fact, the commercials recorded had children appearing to be analyzing toys with great

Gender Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Gender Roles - Essay Example The approach evaluates the society at a macro-level while focusing on social structures such as gender roles that shape the society as a whole. It addresses the society as a whole by considering by considering its constituent elements such as traditions, norms, institutions, and customs. Herbert Spenser popularized the analogy that presents parts of the society, for example, gender, as organs that function together for the human body to be normal (Magar). Gender roles from a functionalist perspective were articulated in early 1950s. The theory suggests that differences in gender roles are an efficient way of creating divisions in labor. The division, therefore, aims at maximizing the use of resources, as well as, the efficiency of the society’s system. The perspective views the predefined roles as complementary. Men will provide for the families while women manage homes. Gender, therefore, contributes to the society’s stability, in the same way, as other social institutions (Magar). The functional prerequisites refer to the basic needs such as shelter and clothing that people require to live beyond the poverty line. In a similar way, the functional prerequisite also refers to factors that help maintain society order. Gender roles maintain social order by ensuring that the basic needs people need in the society are available

Events Management Report on Fan Expo - Canada Essay Example for Free

Events Management Report on Fan Expo Canada Essay This report has been commissioned by James Armstrong of Hobby Star Marketing to critically analyse and evaluate the Fan Expo Canada event. A general overview of the event will be provided as well as the event category it falls under and the implications of this. The event will then be analysed in terms of its social impact, the stakeholders involved and economic implications. This report is limited to the event information available on the internet and in the prescribed text for theory based arguments. This report aims to advise Hobby Star Marketing on the current and future states of their event and as related to tourism theory, what impact this may have on social and economic factors, as well as impact on event stakeholders as a whole. In conclusion recommendations will be put forward as to the best approach for event organisers to take in the future to ensure all stakeholders are kept satisfied as well as the wider community. 2.0 Description of EventFan Expo Canada is held annually at the end of each summer in Toronto Canada and features three days of non-stop festivities in the areas of video games, anime, science fiction, horror and comic books. The expo has been running for 12 years with its name recently being changed from the Canadian National Expo. Fan Expo is held primarily in the Toronto Metro Convention Centre and last year boasted over 37 000 admissions. Fan Expo is a unique event targeted to a specific range of markets. Having been dubbed in the past the Nerd Prom, the Fan Expo draws visitors from all around the globe to Toronto Canada, enhancing awareness of the region and its status in gaming, anime, science fiction, horror and comic book realms. Due to these factors it is suitable to classify this expo as a Hallmark event. This type of event is typically defined as a major one time or recurring event of limited duration developed primarily to enhance awareness or appeal and profitability of a tourism destination in the short or long term. In order to obtain success such events rely primarily on their uniqueness, status or timely significance to create both interest and to attract attention (Ritchie, 1984, p.2; Getz 1997 pp.5-6 in Allen et al. 2005). Fan Expo is highly significant to its target markets and provides the host venue, community and destination as a whole with a competitive  advantage over other conventions of a simu lar nature in North America (third largest event of its kind in this region) (Hobbystar 2006). 3.0 Social Impact 3.1 Social BenefitsAll events have a direct social and cultural impact on their participants and sometimes on the broader host communities (Hall, 1989; Getz, 1997 in Allen et al. 2005). In terms of the Fan Expo, the social impacts are expansive and many benefits come to fruition as a result of the event taking place. One in particular is the validation of community groups associated with the event. A positive impact can be seen here through the acknowledgment of local comic book artists, with the talents of the normally ostracised minority being recognised and applauded at an international level. As the community is one of the major event stakeholders, not only are these groups validated but further encouragement of community participation also results due to the overwhelming achievements of specific community members. Social constancy and community pride are again other factors that result in benefits to the community of Toronto. Fan Expo brings tourists from all over the world to one epicentre of likeminded people. Through this experience the local community may volunteer and band together to present their city in the greatest state possible to expo visitors. The impact this effect has on the tourists is also significant as it encourages migration attractiveness as well as an increased positive image tourists have about the city of Toronto. This has a two fold effect as the community also notes the economic gain of for example encouraging a major video game expert to relocate to Toronto (stronger and more competitive local economy). In retrospect the community is more socially aware of itself and its visitors and is more likely to retain and develop higher visitor rates due to its strengthened welcoming culture. The convergence of these likeminded industry experts also facilitates an arena for the development of new ideas and partnerships both within the industry and between expo visitors. Tourists that bring already existing ideas to the expo then can have that idea realised through the resources of local and visiting industry experts (i.e. a gaming designer that wants to  sell his or her idea to a major video game corporation). The potential for economic growth due to this convergence is quite extraordinary. 3.2 Social Costs Of the research conducted about what social cost Fan Expo has had to the local community, one common theme that was realised was the apparent facilitation of strongarm tactics. In an overview of what was discovered, local comic book retailers were being forced by expo organisers either feature solely in their expo (not other competing expos) or not feature at all. The local community backlash from this decision was quite significant with many key industry leaders in the community moving to boycott the Fan Expo event. The ramifications of this monopolistic type approach on the community can cause not only resentment towards event participants and tourists, but also commodification of the event because of the lack of attendance of original industry leaders and pioneers (eg. instead of the creator of the comic book The Phantom attending in person, Fan Expo constructs a video montage of the comic book creator and his work instead). This can cause dissonance between fans and organisers as what was once expected and a major highlight of the event is now replaced with a display that for most fans, the information presented is not uncommonly found on say the internet. On a whole, community resentment for the event taking place in their city can occur but also tourist resentment for the visiting the destination in the future is also a possibility. Social consequence such as criminal activity may occur as a result, specifically if some visitors have travelled a significant distance to attend the event. 4.0 Stakeholders In regards to the stakeholders for Fan Expo Canada, a number of categories can be used to separate the role and objectives of each. In terms of the host organisation, the Toronto City Council is a major figurehead as the support from local government for funding and other regulatory and staffing concerns is vital to the success of this event. Hobby Star Marketing as a corporation is also another obvious stakeholder as they are the primary event organisers and have substantial amounts of  resources injected into fate of this event. The Toronto Metro Convention Centre is also another key stakeholder as the event is being held at their premise. Their objectives for the event will be to ensure their function areas function as they should throughout the expo as well as working closely with Hobby Star to ensure all logistical requirements are executed without delay or error. Toronto as a community is also a primary stakeholder as its involvement and expectations for the event are additionally significant. For Hobby Star, their understanding of the local community is a key factor for the event to be a success. Specifically in this case, the understanding of local community comic book or gaming groups and societies will enable event organisers to develop the event to cater for the needs of these groups. Furthermore representatives from these groups could provide recommendations and assistance for future event ideas. In doing so the community expectations can be more accurately met and overall dissonance of the event significantly reduced (Allen et al. 2005). In terms of the media, local television, radio and print associations are also termed stakeholders as they have been invested in and have also dedicated resources to either cover the event progress or advertise the event in the weeks leading up. Due to the events widespread appeal, web media would also be considered an important stakeholder as accurate information needs to be communicated to tourists planning on attending. Web media is also important to monitor because as noted earlier, backlash or community opinions are not contained within the community when the web is involved, and negative impacts can occur quickly through use of the internet. Other stakeholders include event staff, volunteers and centre management and staff. Their role is to ensure the event plan is executed effectively and their presence as a required resource must also be nurtured through not only being catered for and looked after during the event, but also recognition for their contributions once the event has ended. One way this is performed is by volunteers being given free access to any event over the three days before and after their allotted shift time (Happy Star 2006). For any event  to be truly effective, the vision and philosophy of the event must be shared by all of the team (Allen et al. 2005). The participants of the event which include guest speakers, retailers, performers, industry professionals and the general public are also significant stakeholders. To make the event memorable and meaningful, the event manager must ensure all of these figureheads are satisfied in terms of what they want to get out of the event, which includes their physical needs of comfort, safety and security. At Fan Expo in 2006, it is the 40th anniversary of the birth of Star Trek and the key guest speakers are two famous stars from the original television series. Their involvement and satisfaction of how the event is run and managed will be reflected on how well they address the audience and subsequently the level of enjoyment the spectators receive. 5.0 Economic Analysis The economic standpoint in regards to events is the make or break factor events must generate revenue to be successful. Therefore one of the most important impacts is the tourism revenue generated by an event (Allen et al. 2005). External visitors not only spend money on the event itself such as tickets and merchandise but also on items such as travel, accommodation and other goods and services available in the host city. This economic influx is sometimes depended on in many smaller communities however in the case of Toronto, effective tourism can result in visitors that are in town for the event to extend their stay and consequently increase spending (Allen et al. 2005). As described in Section 3.1, many business opportunities are possible through the interaction of local and visiting industry members. Furthermore their interaction with the local community and its economy may also give way for tourists to increase stay or indeed make a bid to stay permanently. For the expo, this could mean opportunities for more qualified industry leaders to be a part of the planning process for the following years expo. The overall benefits for Fan Expo could include for example the cast voices for the latest Star Trek game to be sourced and recorded in Toronto due to Microsoft Games setting up headquarters after negotiations. In hindsight whilst the  majority of the Fan Expo is based around a market and display type setup, there are also many exclusive forums and networking conferences that occur over the weekend to further facilitate the creation of business opportunities (Hobby Star 2006). Higher rates of employment can also result from this event employment requirements for Fan Expo itself but also local industry members showcasing their talents then being offered work at a major firm. This can also have a negative effect as the local talent is snapped up and shipped out to other cities or countries, possibly damaging the part of the local economy they were once involved in. On the other hand if nurtured the community member could leave to gain more knowledge then return to the city, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and experience that could significantly increase the economy of the city and region. On the agenda of negative economic impacts, opportunity cost can clearly be linked to the issues described in Section 3.2 in regards to strongarm tactics allegedly being used by Hobby Star Marketing. With retailers being forced to choose between festivals, the chance for economic gain is lost. Spectators that cannot attend the Fan Expo are left with no alternatives to view and purchase expo items and retailers in general loose out because of reduced exposure. This consequently forces retailers to ascertain which festival would be more financially beneficial to them, hence reducing exposure and possible loss of business opportunities. As stated in Section 3.2 this can generate a negative reputation for Happy Star and the Fan Expo in general and have many negative social and economic impacts. 6.0 Conclusions This report has provided an overview of the Fan Expo Canada event and classified into the Hallmark event category. The event was then analysed in terms of its social impact, the stakeholders involved and economic implications. This report has found that Fan Expo appeals to a unique market and draws visitors to the town of Toronto. It has outlined relevant stakeholders and their goals and found that increased integration of local community groups with the planning process of the expo could be beneficial to future success and reduced dissonance. This report described the importance of economic planning and how decisions that are made in the best interests of the event may not be in the best interests of the wider community. This report aims to advise Hobby Star Marketing on the current and future states of their event and as related to tourism theory, what impact this may have on social and economic factors, as well as impact on event stakeholders as a whole. In conclusion recommendations will be put forward as to the best approach for event organisers to take in the future to ensure all stakeholders are kept satisfied as well as the wider community. 7.0 Recommendations In hindsight to this report, the following recommendations are made:Increase communication with community industry leaders to ascertain the best approach in organising the event so maximum exposure can be generated. Further develop networking events at the expo and facilitate the creation of business opportunities and discovery of new talent in the local community. Promote to industry leaders the benefits of setting up operations in the community and tie this in with a major showcasing of their products at the following years expo. Work closer with Toronto City Council to further promote local and regional tourism to increase longer stays and increased economic activity. Reduce dissonance by operating competitively and ethically with other expos. List of References Allen, J OToole, W Harris, R McDonnell, I 2005, Festival and Special Event Management, John Wiley Sons, Milton. Hobby Star 2006, Fan Expo Canada, viewed 20 August 2006, Getz, D 1997, Event Management and Event Tourism, Cognizant Communication Corporation, New York. Wikimedia Foundation 2006, Fan Expo Canada, viewed 6 August 2006,

Analysis Of Terrorism On The African Continent Politics Essay

Analysis Of Terrorism On The African Continent Politics Essay As the Middle East continues to be the primary spotlight of international attention in the American-led War on Terror, it is easy to overlook the fact that the most extreme terrorist attacks adjacent to 9/11 all took place in Africa. (BRON) Since the atrocities of 9/11, there has been a significant change in the United States (US) foreign policy towards the African continent, a progression that has been hastened by the demands of the War on Terror. The development away from the American hands off attitude to Africa has had a striking impact on human security on the continent. Yet, the imperative effects of the shift in the American foreign policy towards Africa to prevent and suppress the threat of terrorism and improve human security levels on the continent are an unexplored area of research. To create a base of knowledge on this topic, this paper examines the impact of the War on Terror on human security in Africa. The focus of research is put on the two major American military ope rations in Africa since 2002: the Horn of Africa Combined Joint Task Force (HOACJTF) and the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI). The successfulness of the War on Terror in Africa is indicated in the evaluation of the decrease in the number of terrorist incidents on the African continent and the improvement of the Human Development Index (HDI) of the Africans nations during these operations. The War on Terror has succeeded to improve national security on the African continent by the active promotion of democracy, peace and stability through the Horn of Africa Combined Joint Task Force and the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative. If the September 11 attacks would not have taken place, then-President George W. Bush would arguably never have made an official visit to the African countries of Nigeria, Uganda, Botswana, South Africa, and Senegal in July 2003 the first visit by a sitting Republican president to the African continent. At the very least, the attacks of 9/11 added necessity to his visit. Moments before his departure, Bush acknowledged that many African governments have the will to fight the war on terror we will give them the tools and the resources to win [this] war.(Quote Bush) According to United States National Security Strategy of September 2002, 9/11 taught the United States that weak states can pose as great a danger to our national interests as strong states. Poverty does not make poor people into terrorists and murderers. Yet poverty, weak institutions, and corruption can make weak states vulnerable to terrorist networks and drug cartels within their borders. After 9/11, U.S. focus on terrorism in Africa became much more pronounced. For the first time since 1993, the United States deployed a sizeable contingent of American troops on the continent with the establishment of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa is Africas bridge to the Middle East. Quietly the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa has emerged as Americas most productive post-9/11 alliance. Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa focuses its efforts on conducting unified action in the combined joint operations area of the Horn of Africa to prevent conflict, promote tourism as well as regional stability, and protect Coalition interests in order to prevail against extremism. At the time, the Operation also have several peacekeeping missions in Sudan and Somalia. Since the start of the operation in 2002, the Task Force has succeeded to promote good governance throughout the region by strengthening diplomatic understanding of the area of and increasing support to those countries that already play a key role in counterterrorism operations, but that suffer from poor employment, education, and social services. At the same time, Though the US presence is essential for the stability of the Horn, the Horn states themselves prove to be successful in resolving the regional threats- particularly the al Qaeda terrorist threat- that are essential to providing confidence among Horn states. Another operation that has played a pivotal role promoting human security is the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI). Much like the Horn of Africa Operation the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative, or TSCTI, has exceeded the expectations of the participant countries and those of American military planners. The Initiative is an interagency plan by the United States government, combining efforts by both civil and military agencies, to combat terrorism in Trans-Saharan Africa. The goal of Initiative is to counter terrorist influences in the region and assist governments to better control their territory and to prevent huge tracts of largely deserted African territory from becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups. The Operation officially started in, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, but Current membership includes eleven African countries: The goal of the alliance is not to fight in hot spots, but to provide preventative training and engagement with governments to help prevent the growth of terrorist organizations in the partner countries. Member states noted the improvement in communications between the numerous conferences between senior military officers of participant states. Such gatherings have increased confidence among states, improved the training practices, improved joint tactics to confront indigenous terror groups or those outside the region, and assisted in the synchronization of communication. Another important result is that border security has increased throughout the regions. The Sahel countries (Chad, Niger, Mali, and Mauritania) in particular have dramatically increased the presence of troops along their borders, helping to prevent the emergence of safe havens in the expansive desert areas within the region. These elements and the administrations consistent statements regarding the importance of democratic governance represent another aspect of the legacy of the TSCTI. This point is fundamental because it is clear that the success of the TSCTI in the short term and long term will depend on the abilit y of member states to adopt and to implement democratic principles. After having analyzed the two most successful US operations in Africa to counter terrorism, the question of how these results reflect improvement in human security still remains. It is clear that the Operations have succeeded to play an active role in the promotion of democracy, peace and stability, but have they really improved human security in Africa. In order to show you so, I have linked to successfulness of the operations to two important statistic trends. First of all, I did research on the change of the number of terrorist attacks in Africa. Next, I focused on the Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of human development The statistic is composed from data on life expectancy, education and per-capita GDP (as an indicator of standard of living) The HDI has been used since 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme for its annual Human Development Reports. Conclusion (draft) although I hope to have convinced you that human security in Africa has improved indeed since the start of the War on Terror, I have to say there is still much room for further improvement of human security in Africa. The War on Terror in Africa is still facing some major humanitarian challenges, including the crisis in Darfur and the Civil War in Somalia. On October 1, 2008, responsibility for the Trans-Sahara Counter Initiative together with the command of the Horn of Africa Operation was transferred to The United States Africa Command or AFRICOM. It is now up to AFRICOM to prove it is capable of bringing and maintaining peace and stability on the African continent.

Shramik Bharti Essay --

Sharmik Bharti is a nonprofit organization registered on the 15th of Oct. 1986, under Societies Registration Act of 1860. It is situated in Vikas Nagar of Lakhanpur, Kanpur and works for both urban and rural communities. It believes in building a true democratic society. Eradication of poverty, empowerment of women, welfare of children and community’s capacity building are its main goals. The organization now has more than 90 full time professionals and 150 community based volunteers striving hard for the betterment of 125 slums and 11 blocks of Kanpur and Dehat districts of Kanpur. The early years of its inception were very genuinely spent in identifying the problems of the community and their root causes. Right from 1986, the organization was working along with the people and for the people to better understand their priorities and the needs of the community. Based on these findings, there emerged Self Help Groups for the empowerment of people. These groups became one of the core strengths of Shramik Bharti and worked for the slums of both rural and urban areas of Kanpur. Importance was given to the creation of sanitation infrastructure and the introduction of health care facilities in these areas. From then onwards, there is no look back for Shramik Bharati. It had taken up many useful activities for the betterment of the people and the community. To cite a few, reclamation of waste land for generation of livelihood, establishing partnerships with support organizations to cater to the needs of the society, respecting people’s choices and assisting them to improve upon those areas etc. To achieve their objectives and goals Shramik Bharti focuses on three core areas... ... This program of the Shramik Bharti is the charity based and is supported by Helpage. Under this project, till now more than 51 senior citizens who don’t have proper livelihood and shelter are taken care of. Shramik Bharti appointed a five member committee to support such people and fulfill their basic day today needs. Grassroot Democracy: Our country is still facing certain socio economic challenges. To overcome these, community based organizations need to go hand in hand with the public organizations both at rural and urban levels. Shramik Bharti strongly believes in this principle and working hard to attend the challenges at grass root level. Thus, Shramik Bharti as a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization is striving hard to build a strong community where there are no traces of poverty and women are empowered to handle their own lives with immense confidence.