Thomas Payne's 'Common Sense vs. James Chalmer's Plain Truth Essay

Thomas Payne's 'Common Sense vs. James Chalmer's Plain Truth - Essay Example In Europe the concept of democracy was especially held in scorn. Underlying this attitude was the belief that the common man was incapable of ruling himself, being naturally lacking in intelligence, virtue and nobility. Thus monarchs appointed by God did the work of keeping the nations from dissolving into anarchy and barbarism. Great Britain in the 1700s was an example of a constitutional monarchy. It had a king, to be sure, but over the years he had gone from being an absolute dictator to one of many arms of government, with his power checked to a degree by charters, Parliament and the English public. To loyal English subjects this system seemed quite fair. It avoided the excesses of despotic rule while also ensuring that the ignoble peasants were kept in line. Even more, an ambitious commoner might even rise to a position of wealth and moderate prominence – though he would also be less than a nobleman. Examples of British subjects who attained these levels are George Washin gton, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, who would later be the chief architects of the American Revolution. For many in the American colonies, however, good old British rule was a silly anachronism that had to be swept away, so that the rightful rulers of society, the people themselves, could truly self govern. One of the most vocal and articulate of these libertines was Thomas Paine. Paine’s Common Sense was more than a political tract. it was in itself a revolutionary way of seeking political change. As mentioned before, the idea that the common person was qualified to judge matters of state was generally considered ludicrous. The established view was that people of superior breeding, with titles and possessing all the benefits of classical education, were the only ones who were competent to judge matters pertaining to a nation as a whole. Paine spoke directly against this view, calling the British monarchy a corrupt institution that governed poorly, oppressed the pop ulace and lived parasitically off of the fruit of other’s labors while producing little of value. In one section he says this most plainly: In England a king hath little more to do than to make war and give away places; which in plain terms, is to impoverish the nation and set it together by the ears. A pretty business indeed for a man to be allowed eight hundred thousand sterling a year for, and worshipped into the bargain! Of more worth is one honest man to society and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived. Paine advocated nothing less than the dissolution of the monarchy, to be replaced with a congress of representatives that would be directly elected by the people and directly accountable to them for their governing decisions. The congress would have a president that it would elect, and any legislation that became law would require a 60% majority of votes. The truly radical thing about Common Sense was not only the ideas it proposed but the wa y it which it did so. Prior to its publication political treatises were written by men of letters, and made copious references to medieval and Renaissance academics, renowned philosophers and scholars known only to the highly educated. Paine took a different approach. He used no Latin and no lengthy ivory tower arguments. Instead he wrote in direct, simple language easily understood by farmers, merchants and skilled trades people. (Smith 69)Even the

A.C. Devices Essay Example for Free

A.C. Devices Essay INTRODUCTION Although in our daily life we use A.C. current devices. But rectifier is a ‘Electronic device which converts A.C. power into D.C. power’. The study of the junction diode characteristics reveals that the junction diode offers a low resistance path, when forward biased, and a high resistance path, when reverse biased. This feature of the junction diode enables it to be used as a rectifier. The alternating signals provides opposite kind of biased voltage at the junction after each half-cycle. If the junction is forward biased in the first half-cycle, its gets reverse biased in the second half. It results in the flow of forward current in one direction only and thus the signal gets rectified. In other words, we can say, when an alternating e.m.f. signal is applied across a junction diode, it will conduct only during those alternate half cycles, which biased it in forward direction. TYPE OF RECTIFIER Mainly we have two types of rectifier : 1. Half wave rectifier. 2. Full wave rectifier. JUNCTION DIODE AS HALF WAVE RECTIFIER When a single diode is used as a rectifier, the rectification of only one-half of the A.C. wave form takes place. Such a rectification is called half-wave rectification. The circuit diagram for a half-wave rectifier is shown in Fig. Principle : It is based upon the principle that junction diode offers low resistance path when forward biased, and high resistance when reverse biased. Arrangement :- The A.C. supply is applied across the primary coil(P) of a step down transformer. The secondary coil(S) of the transformer is connected to the junction diode and a load resistance RL. The out put D.C. voltage is obtained across the load resistance(RL) Theory : Suppose that during the first half of the input cycle, the junction diode gets forward biased the conventional current will flow in the direction of the arrow-heads. The upper end of RL will be at positive potential w.r.t. the lower end. During the negative half cycle of the input a.c. voltage, the diode is reverse biased. No current flows in the circuit, and therefore, no voltage is developed across (RL). Since only the positive half cycle of the input appears across the load, the a.c. input is converted into pulsating direct current (d.c.). Disadvantage of Half-Wave-Rectifier : 1. Half wave rectification involves a lot of wastage of energy and hence it is not preferred. 2. A small current flows during reverse bias due to minority charge carriers. As the output across (RL) is negligible. 3. The resulting d.c. voltage is not steady enough for some purpose. The following device is used when a very steady d.c. voltage is required. JUNCTION DIODE AS A FULL WAVE RECTIFIER â€Å"A rectifier which rectifies both waves of the a.c. input is called a full wave rectifier†. Principle :- It is based upon the principle that a junction diode offers low resistance during forward biased and high resistance, when reverse biased. Difference from half-wave-rectifier :- The main difference is that in full wave rectifier we use two diodes. For this when we apply a.c. current to the rectifier then the first half wave get forward biased due to first diode. And when the second half wave comes. Then at that time the second diode comes in action and gets forward biased. Thus output obtained during both the half cycles of the a.c. input Arrangement :- The a.c. supply is applied across the primary coil(P) of a step down transformer. The two diodes of the secondary coil(S) of the transformer are connected to the P-sections of the junction diodes (D1) and (D2). A load resistance (RL) is connected across the n-sections of the two diodes and at centre of the secondary coil. The d.c. output will be obtained across the load resistance (RL). Theory :- Suppose that during first half of the input cycle, upper end of (S) coil is at positive potential. And lower end is at negative potential. The junction diode (D1) gets forward biased, while the diode. (D2) get reverse biased. When the second half of the input cycle comes, the situation will be exactly reverse. Now the junction diode (D2) will conduct. Since the current during both the half cycles flows from right to left through the load resistance (RL) the output during both the half cycles will be of same nature. Thus, in a full wave rectifier, the output is continuous but pulsating in nature. However it can be made smooth by using a filter circuit. REVERSE BIASING ON A JUNCTION DIODE A P-n junction is said to be reverse biased if the positive terminal of the external battery B is connected to n-side and the negative terminal to p-side of the p-n junction. In reverse biasing, the reverse bias voltage supports the potential barrier VB. (Now the majority carriers are pulled away from the junction and the depletion region become thick. There is no conduction across the junction due to majority carriers. However, a few minority carriers (holes in n-section and electrons in p-section) of p-n Junction diode cross the junction after being accelerated by high reverse bias voltage. Since the large increase in reverse voltage shows small increase in reverse current, hence, the resistance of p-n junction is high to the flow of current when reverse biased. MATERIAL REQUIRED 1. Transformer : It is device which is used to increase or decrease the alternating current and alternating voltage. For the rectifier, it may be step down or step up. 2. Junction Diode : It is made up of p-type and n-type semiconductor which conducts when the p terminal of diode to connect to positive terminal of battery and n region is connected to negative terminal of battery i.e. during forward biased and does not conduct during reverse biased.

If These Walls Could Talk: The Evolution of Abortion Essay -- Abortion

If These Walls Could Talk: The Evolution of Abortion In the year 2001, women can receive legal abortions. That was not the case just a small time ago. Imagine candle light vigils, signs that state â€Å"PRO LIFE IS A WAR TO THE END† and religious fanatics preaching the words â€Å"You Must Repent†. These are the things women must endure to this day just to enter the doors of a women’s clinic. Regardless of a routine Pap smear or a termination the lingering words of a protestor can be heard just to enter a clinic. The movie â€Å"If These Walls Could Talk† takes you through three different time periods, the 50’s, 70’s and the 90’s, and each time period deals with a story of a woman and her dilemma in dealing with abortion. Whether it is legal or not in that time, one idea stays the same. Equality Now, it is our choice as women. The time is 1952; Clare Donnelly (played by Demi Moore) is a widow who is dealing with a pregnancy. The problem that exists is that the father of her child is her deceased husband’s brother. Six months after his death a one-night occurrence happened between them. She was intoxicated, lonely, and severely depressed. They never again spoke of it after that one time. When she comes home from work she shuts all the drapes and sits in the dark drinking. She wants badly to terminate the pregnancy. At work she inquires with a doctor about receiving an abortion. His direct response is of shame. He resents her for even asking him. She is desperate and pleas for his help. His response is, â€Å"you put yourself in this situation†. In extreme desperation she returns home that night and takes an abundance of migraine pills. It only results were vomiting. Her second attempt was approaching a co-worker. Th... ... very controversial topic out into view. Viewers can see just how abortion has evolved through the decades and may change many people’s minds about how they think of abortion. Seeing the desperation on the faces of the women in the three different years never changes. All three are left with only a few choices that they must make on their own, where none of the choices are very appealing, and decide on something that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. No matter what year it is though, each woman has been left to deal with being pregnant and what to do about it on her own. That is something to think about. This movie achieves a good rating, and is recommended for people who want to see what abortion is about from the view of a victim, someone left to deal with it on her own and make a decision that will follow her for the rest of her life.

Organisation development Essay

Organisations are human communities, which are formed by bringing people together to communicate, intact and build ties to help each other to create meaning together. Information plays an important role in building these societies and providing knowledge about the task people perform. The information networks created by the organisations help the people to adopt the environment. Build and develop communication networks, improves learning process, develops sense of understanding and sharing between the people, provides a platform to discuss discoveries and innovations, provide the people with chance to learn after making mistakes. A learning organisation intentionally designs the structures and strategies in order to enhance and maximise the learning of its employees. (Dodgson, 1993) With the changing environment of business and advancing technology the notion of the Learning organisations has gained much more importance. Learning has become an important characteristic of an organisation in order to compete in the global business. Learning is a volatile and dynamic concept through which the process of updating in an organisation takes place. With the growing size of the corporations and continuous innovations in the field of technology the individual learning has transformed to the notion of the organisational learning. The notion of learning plays an important part in the progress of an individual just like that the learning on the organisational level plays an important part in the growth of an organisation. The organisational group of people can define the organisational learning as the sum of the learning activities of the individual, which takes the shape of combined effort (Dodgson, 1993; Fiol & Lyles, 1985). An organisational learning program should be designed in the way that it is not lost when the members of the organisation leave the organisation. The learning system of an effective learning organisation not only serve the purpose of the present employees but also cater the needs of the future employees by the accumulation of histories, experiences, norms, and stories. In the highly competitive environment of the business in today’s high pace changing business environment enhancing the learning capabilities of business is the solution of half of the problems (Prahalad & Hamel, 1994). Equally important is the creation of an unlearning organisation which essentially means that the organisation must forget some of its past. Thus, learning occurs amidst such conflicting factors (Dodgson, 1993). Most of the leading companies of the world like Shell were among the first to embrace the notion of learning. In Shell Arie de Geus described learning as the only strategy to compete effectively. Hence learning organisation can be defined as â€Å"The essence of organisational learning is the organisation’s ability to use the amazing mental capacity of all its members to create the kind of processes that will improve its own† (Dixon, 1994) A Learning Company is an organisation that facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself† (Pedler, Burgoyne & Boydell, 1991) â€Å"Organisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to learn together† (Peter Senge, 1990) The following are the important characteristics of the learning organisations: †¢ Learning organisations adopts the external environments. They are flexible and continue the process of change. †¢ Depicts the combination of individual and collective learning. †¢ Keeps on learning with the outcomes. Learning can be done in two ways. 1) Single loop 2) Double loop In single loop learning people learn in a way prescribed to them by the organisation. In double loop learning people, people not only learn in a prescribed way but also can question and can change the framework. The ability to use double loop learning is a key to success for today’s organisations. Motorola puts great emphasise on the learning of its employees. It has created a strategic partnership with the ACS corporation in order to gain is tent expertise in learning and HR so that all the HR and training activities world-wide can be improved and modernised. The $650million contract has created a new business unit, which will play part in improvement of the HR and learning of employees. The step has been taken in order to gain world class management of administrative and transactional function related to HR with training and development. Many of the Motorola’s former employees provide virtual end-to-end HR capabilities. This is done in order to retain control over strategic areas. Developmental needs and assessment: Motorola has brought dramatic transformation in its training policy by shifting its rigid training hours of classroom training to a relatively flexible learning program individually designed for an employee. Motorola aims at improving the careers of its former employees. It is estimated that the people who focus only on training as a career are more enthusiasts rather than those in support function. The arrangement will put emphasis on the IT oriented skills development of employees at Motorola. (Harris, 2003)

Han’s Crime

Hand's wife gave birth to a baby eight months after their marriage. Han was under the Impression that the baby belonged to his wife's cousin. Han told everyone that It was a premature birth. This explained why the baby died so soon; nevertheless, It was actually the wife who killed the baby by smothering It with her breasts. For the rest of Mr.. And Mrs.. Hand's marriage, Han did not approach his wife and ask her if the baby was his. It seems to me that Han does not face his problems, but runs away from them or take the easy way out. For example, Han did not want to ivories his wife because he did not want there to be any wrong on him.If Han had confronted her about the possible affair as well as the death of their baby, their marriage would have gone in a completely different direction that did not end in one of them killing the other. I do not mean to say that they would have lived happily ever after or anything, but it definitely would have helped their relationship with each othe r. The birth and death of the baby symbolizes a new beginning for Han. â€Å"The child's death seemed Like retribution for everything and I decided that I should be as ignoramus as possible†.Han replaced the love for his wife with a tremendous hatred towards her. He thought of divorcing her, but having recently converted to Christianity he did not want there to be any wrong by his doing. Hand's actions cause me to think of him as the kind of person who works hard to please everybody. I mean, his Job is to entertain people. Becoming a Christian definitely made him an even greater person in his audience's eyes. When he was in the courtroom he told the judge that he did not know if he was guilty or not, he decided to tell the truth.I decided that the best way of being acquitted would be to make a clean breast of everything†, â€Å"Why not be completely honest†. That that is the kind of thing someone who wants to please people would say in his situation. In my opinio n Han did not mean to kill his wife; on the contrary, subconsciously he did kill her on purpose. Han would never hit his wife. Yes he was harsh, but never did he physically harm her. Of course that was Just because his conscious told him that that was wrong. Deep down Han wanted to hurt her and rid of her. Even though the

Timeline of the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War

Timeline of the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War U.S. troops had been in Vietnam for three years before the Tet Offensive, and most of the fighting they had encountered were small skirmishes involving guerilla tactics. Although the U.S. had more aircraft, better weapons, and hundreds of thousands of trained soldiers, they were stuck in a stalemate against the Communist forces in North Vietnam and the guerrilla forces in South Vietnam (known as the Viet Cong). The United States was discovering that traditional warfare tactics did not necessarily work well in the jungle against the guerrilla warfare tactics they were facing. January 21, 1968 In early 1968, General Vo Nguyen Giap, the man in charge of North Vietnams army, believed it was time for the North Vietnamese to make a major surprise attack on South Vietnam. After coordinating with the Viet Cong and moving troops and supplies into position, the Communists made a diversionary attack against the American base at Khe Sanh on January 21, 1968. January 30, 1968 On January 30, 1968, the real Tet Offensive began. Early in the morning, North Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong forces attacked both towns and cities in South Vietnam, breaking the ceasefire that had been called for the Vietnamese holiday of Tet (the lunar new year). The Communists attacked around 100 major cities and towns in South Vietnam. The size and ferocity of the attack surprised both the Americans and the South Vietnamese, but they fought back. The Communists, who had hoped for an uprising from the populous in support of their actions, met heavy resistance instead. In some towns and cities, the Communists were repelled quickly, within hours. In others, it took weeks of fighting. In Saigon, the Communists succeeded in occupying the U.S. embassy, once thought impregnable, for eight hours before they were overtaken by U.S. soldiers. It took about two weeks for U.S. troops and South Vietnamese forces to regain control of Saigon; it took them nearly a month to retake the city of Hue. Conclusion In military terms, the United States was the victor of the Tet Offensive for the Communists did not succeed in maintaining control over any part of South Vietnam. The Communist forces also suffered very heavy losses (an estimated 45,000 killed). However, the Tet Offensive showed another side of the war to Americans, one which they did not like. The coordination, strength, and surprise instigated by the Communists led the U.S. to realize that their foe was much stronger than they had expected. Faced with an unhappy American public and depressing news from his military leaders, President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to end the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Who pays for out of town interviews

Who pays for out of town interviews Job hunting today is different from what it used to be- these days, it’s not uncommon to cast a much wider net while searching for the perfect position, exploring available openings beyond your local town or nearby city. While you’re searching for a job, you may encounter a situation where you’ll have to make travel plans while scheduling an interview. This brings up a wide array of etiquette issues, not the least of which is the question, â€Å"Who pays for the interview?† Like most things in life, the answer is not completely black and white. The bottom line is: it depends. Let’s dig deeper.When you’re arranging an interview, the HR personnel or hiring manager will know where you’re located based on the information provided in your resume. In fact, don’t be surprised if your first point of contact occurs over an application like Skype or WebEx. If this is the case, and things are going well, the subject of arranging an out-of- town interview might come up during the conversation.If it does come up, pay careful attention to what is being said. You should get a fairly clear indication of whether or not the employer is willing to take care of the expenses while arranging an interview. The reality is, most- but not all- prospective employers are willing to pick up the costs of an out-of-town interview and will freely discuss it, saving you the potentially embarrassing task of having to bring it up.When it’s clearIf they’re willing to reimburse you for the expenses, an essential etiquette rule to stick to is not to â€Å"go for broke†- first-class travel and hotel accommodations and expensive meals fit for royalty will not reflect well on you when a prospective employer is making a hiring decision. Some will even go so far as to arrange all of the details for you. This could be a good indication that the company is the type of employer who takes care of its employees (or maybe they’ re just trying to woo you).Other times, the employer will make the opposite clear- that you’re on the hook for expenses if you’re interested in traveling for an interview. If this is the case, don’t let them see you sweat! (In fact, they may be looking to gauge your reaction and flexibility in this situation.) However, do take time to weigh the pros and cons of the situation.Since an interview isn’t a guarantee of a job offer, you need to ask yourself the following questions: Is this prospective expense a worthwhile investment in your career future? Will this be a one-time only expense, or will traveling on your dime be an ongoing reality if you get the job? Will you have to relocate if you get the job (and who would pay for that?), or will you be able to telecommute? Your answers to these questions will help you determine whether or not the expense of an out-of-town interview makes sense for you.When it’s not clearSometimes, things aren’t s o clear. You may have a perfectly positive experience during your initial contact with a prospective employer and both sides agree to take the next step and arrange a face-to-face interview. However, as the conversation progresses, the topic of who’s paying doesn’t seem to be coming up. If you find yourself in this situation, you have two options.Option one: You can ask, politely, if you’re responsible for the expenses involved. This is a perfectly acceptable question, and if handled properly will not affect your standing in the hiring decision. If they’re willing to foot the bill (perhaps they simply forgot to mention it, they are only human after all), make sure you follow the etiquette advice mentioned previously. However, if you’re responsible for the costs, make sure you handle the news with grace if you really want this job. You should consider whether or not you’d be willing to pay for an out-of-town interview before you even send you r resume and cover letter over, so you won’t have to sweat through an anxious decision-making process in the heat of the moment.Option two: You can choose not to bring it up and assume that you’re responsible for the costs. This option spares you the potential awkwardness of having to bring this topic up (especially when things are going so well!), but you may be throwing an expense in your lap that the employer would have gladly picked up if they would have just remembered to mention it!The bottom lineThe rise in out-of-town interviews is a reflection of the evolving workplace, with technology making it easier for people to work remotely (according to a recent study by Global Workplace Analytics, at least 20–25% of the workforce telecommutes at least part of the work week), and companies eager to source the very best available talent- regardless of geographical location. If you’re pursuing a job that may entail an out-of-town interview, use the strategie s presented here to handle any possible scenario when it comes to who’s paying for it.

Expository Essay on Texting While Driving

Expository Essay on Texting While Driving Expository Essay on Texting While Driving In today’s world, cell phones play a central part in the lives of many people around the world. Tasks such as making calls, texting, taking photos and even surfing the Internet have not only been made easier but have also been made more possible for many more people. As a result, cell phone subscriptions continue to increase globally, As people continue to depend on cell phones for their communication needs, these devices not only become more useful but also more dangerous, especially when used at inappropriate times. One of the most dangerous ways to use cell phones is to text while driving. The available statistics sadly indicate that the number of the people who are engaged in accidents or even lose their lives because of texting while driving is on the increase. This can either mean that people do not really know the kind of danger that they place themselves in when they decide to text while driving or that they actually know the dangers but have chosen to ignore the w arnings. The action of many countries around the world to ban the use of cell phones while driving may have served to deter drivers from using their phones as they drive, but the increased number of causalities clearly demonstrates that there is still a lot more that needs to be done. One of the main reasons that make texting while driving very dangerous is that using the phone reduces a driver’s reaction time in traffic. on busy roads, the amount of time that one talks before reacting to a situation, in most cases, determines whether one gets to continue living. As much as it is both dangerous to call and text while driving, texting while driving is actually more dangerous because one has to constantly look at the screen of the phone in order to type or to read messages. The reduced attention on the road increases the chances that the driver will cause an accident because it reduces the time he has to react to traffic situations. Moreover, studies show that people who text while driving tend to accelerate more slowly after stepping on their brakes. This can cause irregularities for other drivers, leading to possible accidents. Also, since their eyes are more on the text than on the road, drivers who choose to text while driving have a much higher chance of hitting a pedestrian than those not distracted in driving. A large number of accidents, whether severe or not, usually occur within a twinkle of an eye. This means that just a moment of distraction is enough for a driver to cause a serious road accident. Given the many concerns, it is best if drivers were not only banned from texting but banned from using their phones in any way at all as they drive. Feel free to visit to order a custom expository essay about Texting While Driving written by certified academic writers.

Economic Demography - Economic on Fertility Essay

Economic Demography - Economic on Fertility - Essay Example Since the survey tracked their aspirations over the period of 35 years, it was seen that the participation rate amongst young women in human capital increased to 0.75-0.80. The survey also observed that a higher number of young women continued their education and graduated that in early 60s. During 1970s-80s, there was a remarkable decrease in the gap between boys and girls academic participation in maths and science courses at schools and colleges. In fact by late 40s, there was negligible difference between male and female college attendance and graduation rates. The median age of marriage for women increased by 2.5 years in early 70s-80s indicating that women were giving more serious thought to their higher education and building a career. 2. According to the Human capital theory, education, coaching or training increases the efficiency of workers by imparting valuable knowledge and skills, therefore raising employees’ future income by increasing their lifetime earnings. It hypothesizes that spending on education is expensive, and should be taken as an investment since it is commenced with a view to raise personal incomes. In part a, we discussed the evidence of expanding horizon amongst women in the late 70s era leading to a rise in their educational awareness and participation. As more and more women evolved from managing their homes to doing job driven by monetary reasons to finally building a career, the role of on-the-job trainings would also increase. Vocational training would ensure that women are acquiring the skill sets to perform their duties to their utmost levels. This is of course linked with the rising number of female workforce since 1970s. With higher investments in education and vocational trainings, higher penetration in the job market, it is evident that the earnings for female labor force will increase over the period of time. 3. In the write-up â€Å"Intra- and inter-national imbalances and migration†, Michael Teitelbaum de scribes the similarities and differences between the historical East-West migration wave and the current South-North wave that have attracted a lot of scholarly attention. The author reflects that the movement of people between countries and different lands is compelled by the collaboration of two factors: the negative and tough actuality of life at home (usually due to political violence and instability, social insecurity, economic challenges, or a combination of these) and the perception that a better life exists somewhere else. International migration stimulated by a failure of social welfare or internal political unrest has become more common over the past decades and would resume to drive the migration movement of many individuals. The author suggest that as a result, international migrations such as east-west and north-south, the most expected economic response to population explosions and deteriorating living conditions in developing nations, is the major challenge to worldwi de stability well into the twenty-first century. The similarities between east-west and north-south mass migrations also dwell on the fact that the aspects of hiring â€Å"cheap labor† for labor-intensive industries and services drove both. 4. The fundamental principle underlying most microeconomic models of migration policymaking is that ‘a person migrates in the expectation of being better off by doing so’ (DaVanzo). This premise is similar to the evidence found

Writing assignment either #1 or #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing assignment either #1 or #2 - Essay Example This group of people does not rely on facts, but by their awareness and have a world full of choices. They have changed the workplace by branding businesses by finding time to surf, check out for good deals at e-Bay, and maintain social networks. Global connectivity is already taking place and has changed the way individuals communicate with other people. The amount of information shared and the speed at which the transmission of information takes place is on the increase. This has led to the high efficiency and reduction of costs. In addition, global connectivity has led to an easier and faster way of connecting with friends and relatives. Individuals also make new friends and new business connections. Online communication support local identities and relationships, therefore making interactions easier among individuals who are mutually aware of each other. Individuals go online to search for research information that they can get in real time information through instant chats. For example, teachers can use this to facilitate discussions in classrooms. On the other hand, students can use the internet as an ultimate online textbook and they no longer need to pick many textbooks from the library. An individual can market a ne w product or service and can spread the advertising through social networking platforms free. The negative implications of global connectivity include the elimination of face-to-face socialization. It is easy to ignore or be rude to other people when having a conversation, but it is easy to filter unwanted people from making connections. Moreover, individuals find harassment, therefore; parents need to filter the internet content through parental control. Lastly, there is the risk of fraud or identity theft where the internet is available to anyone and thieves may steal an individual’s personal information and impersonate persons. Global connectivity has changed the way in which individuals interact and share information. Nonetheless, it

Differentiate among the three fungal phyla Assignment

Differentiate among the three fungal phyla - Assignment Example This organism is commonly referred to as the bread mold (Tortora, Funke & Case, 2012). Organisms in this phylum obtain their nutrients through absorptions. They usually secrete hydrolytic enzymes that can break large molecules into simpler substances in a process of decomposition. They then absorb the simpler substances as their nutrients. Organisms in this phylum are important to humans because they are used in producing coloring agents and anesthetics. They are also important in agriculture because they help in decomposition that returns nutrients to the soil. They also increase the absorption of water and minerals from the soil by agricultural crops. Organisms in this phylum reproduce both sexually and asexually. The asexual reproduction process of ascomycetes involves conidia formation. The sexual reproduction these organisms differs from those of Zygomycotes. For example, unlike the zygomycota, the haploid stage of reproduction of the ascomycetes involves joining of male and female gamete producing cells. The sexual reproduction of these organisms leads to the formation of Ascospores. An example of organism in this phylum includes the baker’s yeast The ascomycetes obtain their nutrients the same ways as zygomycetes. For example, they decompose the surfaces of their surrounding using their strong digestive enzymes. The decomposed substances are them absorbed into their cells in form of molecules. They obtain their nutrients from dead matter or through a symbiotic relationship with some living organisms. Ascomycetes are also used in food production. For example, the baker’s yeast is used in making many products such as bread and wine. In addition, their ability to decompose substances makes them important in agriculture just like the zygomyotes. In addition, they provide nitrogen to some plants during symbiosis. Unlike the other phyla, organisms in this phylum only reproduce sexually. They

Debt Consolidation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Debt Consolidation - Essay Example An agreement on collateral against the loan gives a lower interest rate for the loan, as the risk factor decreases. Naturally, if there's no collateral against the loan, lenders don't have any form of security for their money and they resort to charging a higher interest rate. So if the true purpose of debt consolidation must be achieved, it is advisable to keep an asset as collateral so the lenders can make a forced sale on non-payment of the loan and so that the borrower can receive the low interest rate he's looking for. This method has been proven successful when dealing with credit card debt, as credit cards often carry a much larger interest rate than even unsecured loans. In an interview, Kerri Cole talked about her practical experience in dealing with her debt problem. She went to Credit Consolidation Services and got her interest payments reduced on all 9 credit cards she owned; one of the card's interest rate fell from 27% to 9%. For a small monthly fee, she is saving over $600 a month since she started debt consolidation which makes a rough figure of $7200 saved each year. Though some companies tend to take advantage of these situations and indulge in predatory lending, the particular company Kerri talks about has been refreshingly fair and accommodating to her problem. Predatory lending is a term used for lenders who use deceptive methods to convince borrowers to agree to harsh and unfair loan terms, or the systematic violation of the terms by the lenders in such a way that it is very hard for the borrower to defend against it ('Predatory lending,' par.2). In recent reports, media has raised concerns over debt consolidation. They have pointed out that a large majority looks to reduce their interest rate by converting their unsecured loans into a secured loan. The problem arises at their choice of asset to secure the loan against. Most people tend to secure their loans against their home ('Debt consolidation,' par.13) which is a dangerous practice; putting at risk such a valuable asset would certainly not be the most advisable thing to do. The monthly payment does get lower, but the actual amount repaid over the years is often significantly greater in proportion due to the long period of loan. What people argue is that debt consolidation mostly cures the symptoms of the problem and doesn't hit at the root cause of the disease. To owe someone money is always very stressful. The stress is compounded when you owe money to not one, but quite a few lenders. Debt consolidation can provide means to develop a workable budget, and it would greatly reduce the stress level by bringing the number of lenders down to one. This would also be beneficial in the sense that one is less likely to forget a due payment of a single lender than attending to a large number of lenders, each with their own separate terms. Often it happens that because of a non-payment, you get further fines and charges on late payment; a debt of $500 could rise to $700 just because of an imposed fine. Debt consolidation will lessen that amount back to the principle amount (Selman, par.3). So, through debt consolidation we are looking at numerous advantages like no fines or monetary charges, reduced number of lenders, a lower interest rate and no warning calls. Also with your credit rating improving because of debt consolidation, if you are looking f or a new

Why was Intel initially successful in DRAMs Assignment

Why was Intel initially successful in DRAMs - Assignment Example Dennard claims he went home and formulated the basic idea for DRAM within a few hours, as Mary Bellis explains, â€Å"Dennard and his team were working on early field-effect transistors and integrated circuits, and his attention to memory chips came from seeing another team's research with thin-film magnetic memory. Dennard claims he went home and within a few hours had gotten the basic ideas for the creation of DRAM.† Within two years after its release, Intel would become a world leader in DRAM technologies. Intel created the Memory Systems Operation to assemble the DRAM chips to standards required for sale to OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturers), who then put the chips into more sophisticated machines. This operation allowed Intel to distribute their technologies to a wider area. This strategy, in conjunction with offering replacement parts for mainframe computer memories, allowed them to gain more control over the market. Over ninety percent of Intel’s rev enue was brought in by their DRAM, which was the world’s largest selling semi-conductor. Always being the first into new markets, Intel used that strategy and the fact they were the first to release DRAM to heighten sales of the chips and create the success they did ( Lazonick 148-149). Intel’s business strategy was very aggressive and they knew how to play the market to maximize profits.

Debt Consolidation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Debt Consolidation - Essay Example An agreement on collateral against the loan gives a lower interest rate for the loan, as the risk factor decreases. Naturally, if there's no collateral against the loan, lenders don't have any form of security for their money and they resort to charging a higher interest rate. So if the true purpose of debt consolidation must be achieved, it is advisable to keep an asset as collateral so the lenders can make a forced sale on non-payment of the loan and so that the borrower can receive the low interest rate he's looking for. This method has been proven successful when dealing with credit card debt, as credit cards often carry a much larger interest rate than even unsecured loans. In an interview, Kerri Cole talked about her practical experience in dealing with her debt problem. She went to Credit Consolidation Services and got her interest payments reduced on all 9 credit cards she owned; one of the card's interest rate fell from 27% to 9%. For a small monthly fee, she is saving over $600 a month since she started debt consolidation which makes a rough figure of $7200 saved each year. Though some companies tend to take advantage of these situations and indulge in predatory lending, the particular company Kerri talks about has been refreshingly fair and accommodating to her problem. Predatory lending is a term used for lenders who use deceptive methods to convince borrowers to agree to harsh and unfair loan terms, or the systematic violation of the terms by the lenders in such a way that it is very hard for the borrower to defend against it ('Predatory lending,' par.2). In recent reports, media has raised concerns over debt consolidation. They have pointed out that a large majority looks to reduce their interest rate by converting their unsecured loans into a secured loan. The problem arises at their choice of asset to secure the loan against. Most people tend to secure their loans against their home ('Debt consolidation,' par.13) which is a dangerous practice; putting at risk such a valuable asset would certainly not be the most advisable thing to do. The monthly payment does get lower, but the actual amount repaid over the years is often significantly greater in proportion due to the long period of loan. What people argue is that debt consolidation mostly cures the symptoms of the problem and doesn't hit at the root cause of the disease. To owe someone money is always very stressful. The stress is compounded when you owe money to not one, but quite a few lenders. Debt consolidation can provide means to develop a workable budget, and it would greatly reduce the stress level by bringing the number of lenders down to one. This would also be beneficial in the sense that one is less likely to forget a due payment of a single lender than attending to a large number of lenders, each with their own separate terms. Often it happens that because of a non-payment, you get further fines and charges on late payment; a debt of $500 could rise to $700 just because of an imposed fine. Debt consolidation will lessen that amount back to the principle amount (Selman, par.3). So, through debt consolidation we are looking at numerous advantages like no fines or monetary charges, reduced number of lenders, a lower interest rate and no warning calls. Also with your credit rating improving because of debt consolidation, if you are looking f or a new

Westfield shopping centre London development project Essay

Westfield shopping centre London development project - Essay Example This paper is intended to identify and map out the key actors for each phase of Westfield Shopping Centre London Development Project, from its inception to the final use, as well as to describe and analyse the process of value generation and its distribution between the public and private sector. The paper also identifies the risks each of the main actors took within the project and the returns they get back for taking on those risks. Introduction Wilkinson and Reed (2008, p.) define the property development as â€Å"a process that involves changing or intensifying the use of land to produce buildings for occupation†. On the one hand the property development include not only the land/property itself, e.g. buying or selling it for a profit, but also the infrastructure, building materials, labour, finance, etc., which further determines the process as complex, lengthy and high-risk activity often involving large sums of money and providing a relatively illiquid product (Wilkinso n and Reed, 2008, p.2, 27). On the other hand, this activity does not exist apart from the wider economic and social contexts, whether at local or national levels; therefore, the market (in the case of market-driven economies) directly influences the process of property development. Like all market-driven activities, the property development appears an end product of the demand and supply imbalances generated in the user and investor’s sides of the market respectively; and is also subjected to different interests originating amongst various actors which are unequally represented in terms of whether financial, aesthetic, emotional, social, etc. profit or loss (D’Arcy and Keogh in Guy and Henneberry, eds., 2002, p.19). According to Wilkinson and Reed (2008, p.3) the development process could be divided into several not entirely sequential, often overlapping and repeating stages – initiation, evaluation, acquisition, design and costing, permissions, commitment, imp lementation, and final use – let/manage/dispose; and a variety of important actors appear either within each stage of the process or across some/all of them, as follows: public sector and government agencies, planners (planning authorities), financial institutions, building contractors, professional team, and objectors (Wilkinson and Reed, 2008, pp.13-27). Though these actors are likely to have different perspectives and expectations, they contribute to the outcome of the property development process. The property development process itself, despite its complexity, displays the general characteristics of any other industrial production process - a combination of various inputs in order to achieve an output or product; but there are two features that make it very different – the unique end product (either in terms of physical characteristics or location) and the constant public attention focused on it, from the first to the last stage (Wilkinson and Reed, 2008, p.2). Th e Brief Westfield London Shopping Centre is a mega mall situated in Shepherd’s Bush – London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which provides 130  803 sq m (1  408  000 sq ft) of retail and leisure accommodation, being home to over 265 shops on five levels, 50 restaurants and cafes, as well as cinema, and car parks for 4  500 cars. The development project has involved regenerating over 44 acres of brownfield site, 9 separate rail projects including the rebuilding/relocation of an operational depot facility for London Underground’s Central Line, together with major road works and construction of three railway stations – two on London’s underground network and one on its over ground network. The project included redevelopment of two Dimco Buildings – Grade 2 listed structures built in 1898 and adjacent to the main construction site, a revamp of Shepherd’s Bush Green and new affordable housing schemes funded by Westfield Develop ment (BBC News, 2009; Savills UK, n.d.). Main phases and actors The development scheme was being

Free

Free philosophy Essay In philosophy, the â€Å"self† is used to refer to the ultimate locus of personal identity, the agent and the knower involved in each person’s actions and cognitions. The notion of the self has traditionally raised several philosophical questions. First, there are questions about the nature and very existence of the self. Is the self a material or immaterial thing? Is the self even a real thing or rather a merely nominal object? Second, is the self the object of a peculiar form of introspective knowledge, and if so, what does this tell about its ultimate nature? Third, what is the relation between the nature of the self and the linguistic phenomena of self-reference, such as the use of the first-person pronoun ‘I’? In this course, we will investigate these and related questions with a special focus on the issue of the unity of the self. In the first half of the course, particular attention will be devoted to recent works on the relation between the nature of the self, the unity of agency and the process of self-constitution by authors such as Korsgaard, Velleman, Dennett In the second half of the course, we will discuss some of the peculiar features of self-knowledge and consider whether the idea of self-constitution can shed light on them. The self does not really exist as something truly real because: it is not available to introspection (Hume); it is not a thing (Existentialists); it is a soluble fish in a sea of general meanings or representations (postmodernists); and/or it cannot be found in the brain or its activity (neurophilosophers). There are many other lines of attack but these examples are sufficient to illustrate what is wrong with these autocides: they are looking for the wrong kind of entity or in the wrong place or both.

Characteristics Required for IT Industry Job

Characteristics Required for IT Industry Job Web Developer General skills: e.g. Interpersonal skills Talking to and dealing with customers and clients is important for a web developer in order for them to find out what sort of work they will be doing. Along with what software they will need to use in order to complete the work that has been given to them as well as this the web developer will need to make a set price for the work they do for the client and other costumers. As well as talking with costumers the web, developer will also need to be able to communicate with other employees from other networks with offices across Europe or even the world. As well as with their employers on what tasks need to be done and to see what event are happening if any. Along with working with high end clients web developers also work with clients in the public which means that technical language is not as useful here meaning that the web developer must talk using vocabulary that the client will be able to understand. As well as this, web developers also work privately for companies and doing extra work for the businesses that they work for as well as third sector organisations and charities. A web developers clients can range from small ecommerce businesses up to national enterprises, this means that the work they do will vary in difficulty as a national company will have higher needs were as a small businesses will have simple needs which may not require high end software to complete. Problem solving A web developer must also be a good problem solver as if there are problems with the packages or the task that has been set they can quickly rectify it. As well as this being able to solve issues with programming software. It also comes in handy when putting out new ideas and products if there is any design flaws. Time management A web developer must also have good time management skills when it comes to deadlines for work projects. As well as this time management is a good skill for when it comes to meeting clients and for work meetings. Team working As a web developer, you must be able to work efficiently and effectively with co-workers and other developers along with putting forward ideas for new designs as well as programming software packages. Creativity Being creative as a web developer is a major skill as it can lead to unique ways of tackling problems in your work or when it comes to the design aspect of the work. As well as this, it helps when talking with clients when deciding what they want and how they would like it designed. Along with this creativity could help when using code. Functional Skills: e.g. communication and numeracy skills involve Basic typing skills, which will help with communication Basic programming skills, these involve numeracy skills Above average user of basic Microsoft applications such as excel etc. Good communication skills, both written and verbal Strong problem solving skills Good knowledge of IT Proactive and motivated to learn Industry specific: e.g. technical knowledge, working procedures and practices and health and safety knowledge Technical knowledge is important in the IT industry especially for web developers, along with General IT knowledge. Most web developers require specific skills in certain technical areas for web developers would be required to have experience with the software they use to produce the their work else they would not be as efficient compared to a highly experienced developer. Working Procedures Employers will require the web developer to be aware of procedures and practices and to have knowledge of all typical working practices in the relevant IT industry. This means that there are certain rules, based on legislation, that determine how work is carried out as well as what is allowed to be talked about outside of work. The Employer and the web developer will need to be aware of certain legislation that applies to IT, such as data protection and copyright laws. IT employers want to make sure that their company or organisation does not break the law, so they need the web developer to be aware of their responsibilities in these areas. Health and Safety The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 lays down wide-ranging duties on employers. Employers must protect the health, safety and welfare at work of all the web developer, as well as others on their premises, including temps, casual workers, the self-employed, clients, visitors and the general public. The above quotation shows that all employers are responsible for the health and safety as well as welfare of the web developer. Employers will want all their employees to have some knowledge of the legislation, so that they are aware of their responsibilities under the Health and Safety Act 1974 and to know how to be safe in the work place, and report to the employer any issues. Behaviours: Independent Being able to complete tasks and make deadlines without help from other web developers and co-workers. Working as a game designer there may be some tasks that require independent work it is important to be able to complete these tasks often without help or assistance from other workers and web developers. Determination Being able to complete tasks without the intension of giving up and doing the task to the highest possible standard the professional is capable of. Working as an IT technician there are quite often tasks that can be extremely difficult and demanding it is important that the professional keeps trying, focuses on the task set, and completes it to the best of his or her ability. Honest The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. In addition, being considered as trust worthy whilst dealing with important tasks and to be trusted with important products and events. Following your moral convictions and doing the right thing in all work instances. Leadership Leadership qualities are important in the IT industry as people who work well in groups are often needed in the IT industry leadership is often linked in with good planning and organisation as well as taking the initiative people who have good leadership skills are often good when it comes to leading tasks. Confidence Confidence is a rather important skill to have when working in the IT industry. Tasks require you to have sensible levels of confidence but not to be to over confident. finding the right balance is key when working in the IT industry for example if the Web developer is to confident the likelihood that their task wont be completed due to the fact that they haveÂÂ   a limited amount of knowledge to deal with this task then they may be fired . Self-motivation In the IT industry, self-motivation is a key skill in the work place. Making sure that all web developers are working efficiently and productively rather than laying around doing little bits of work here and there and not getting a lot down over all. It is all so a key skill when it comes to teamwork based tasks as when your group members see that you are motivated they may notice this and slowly become motivated. Works Used https://www.technojobs.co.uk/jt/smc?ID=2311897dfmid=dir https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/web-developer/31812368#/jobs/it-jobs/web-developer http://www.careerbuilder.co.uk/uk/jobseeker/jobs/jobdetails.aspx?utm_medium=aggregatorutm_campaign=organicJob_DID=J3G7H277B2X6Q5QVHG5siteid=int_ukindeedutm_source=indeed

Essay --

First Aid is the initial care for an illness or injury. First Aid is usually performed in emergency situations by a non-professional person. First Aid can be performed on animals although it is generally meant for the care of humans. Going back to the beginning of the practice of First Aid, it was first practiced by the religious knights in the Eleventh Century. Care was provided to the Pilgrims and Knights as well as training on how to care for common battle wounds. Aid came to a halt during the High Middle Ages and organizations were not seen again until 1859. A few years later, a few nations met in Geneva and formed what we know to be the Red Cross. The main purpose of the Red Cross was to give Aid to the sick and wounded soldiers during battle. In 1878, the formation of St. John Ambulance was put into effect. The ambulance was generally for aid to people in emergencies. Large railway centers, mining districts and police forces were the first to pair with ambulances. A lso in 1878 the concept of teaching First Aid to civilians was announced. Surgeon-Major Peter Shepherd and Dr. Coleman performed the first First Aid class with a curriculum that they had formed. First Aid training began to grow in the UK with high risk activities. There are three major aims of First Aid. The first major aim is obviously to preserve a person’s life. Throughout medical care institutions, the main aim is to save lives and minimize the threat of death. The second major aim of First Aid is to prevent further harm to patients. The aim is to keep the injury from worsening. An example of this would be applying pressure to a wound to stop bleeding from becoming dangerous. The third and final major aim of First Aid is to promote reco... ...ause it can cause harm to the infant’s lungs. If an infant requires shock, one pad goes on the front and one pad goes on the back. You should keep performing CPR until EMS arrives. If you begin CPR you cannot quit until they arrive, you have already committed to that victim. In some situations with and AED you need to take precautions to make them work properly. If a person is very sweaty or wet, you need to wipe them off because the AED will not work properly. If a person has a hairy chest, you should apply pads and rip the hair off and then apply new pads. Some people have chest piercings now so if you notice these you should remove them or leave them in if you cannot remove them or you do not have enough time. Piercings in the chest can cause a person’s chest to be burned severely since the AED is delivering an electric shock and the jewelry is metal.

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power in Usa

NUCLEAR POWER GEOGRAPHY HOMEWORK 10/27/2012 DAISY SOWAH FORM 5W PROS AND CONS OF NUCLEAR POWER IN THE USA Worldwide, there are 441 nuclear power plants that supply about 16 percent of the world's electricity. There are currently 104 operating U. S. nuclear power plants that produce over 20 percent of U. S. electricity. ADVANTAGES a) Nuclear power generation does emit relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). The emissions of green house gases and therefore the contribution of nuclear power plants to global warming is therefore relatively little. USA is currently responsible for a quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions – an average of 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide is released by each US citizen every year – the highest of any country in the world, and more than China, India and Japan combined, the increased used of nuclear power will do well to curb these emissions. b) High Load Factor – Nuclear Power Plants have very high load factors in excess of 80%.Th ey can generate power almost 24/7 and only require shutdown for periodic maintenance c) Huge   Potential –Nuclear Energy Potential is almost infinite compared to the limited and peak features of other forms of   energy like Wind,Geothermal,Oil,Gas and others. Only Solar Energy can be said to have more potential. d) Low Electricity Cost – The Electricity produced from Nuclear Power is quite low at around 3-5c/Kwh making it very attractive to construct hydro plants e) Low Fuel Cost – Large amounts of Nuclear Energy can be produced from the fission on radioactive elements like uranium.The costs of nuclear fuel is relatively   very low compared to other energy sources like coal and gas. Also uranium prices currently are quite low making the nuclear electricity price even lower. About $100 a poundof uranium but a barrel of Brent crude oil is $114 a barrel but lasts for a much shorter period of time CHALLENGES 1. Nuclear and Radiation Accidents – This is the biggest con for Nuclear Energy and has been repeated 3 times in the last 30 years in Japan, Russia and USA.The fear of a repeat is so great that despite all the safety arrangements touted by the nuclear equipment operators and suppliers, Nuclear Energy faces an uncertain future The worst nuclear accident in U. S. history took place on March 28, 1979 at the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania. A cooling system failed, causing a partial meltdown, but a full meltdown was averted and there were no fatalities. However, despite the positive outcome and despite the passage of more than 30 years, the incident remains fresh in the minds of those who are old enough to remember it. 2.Nuclear Waste Disposal – Again a massive problem as the spent Nuclear Rods of Nuclear Reactors are prohibitively costly and difficult to dispose of. Spent nuclear fuel is initially very highly radioactive and so must be handled with great care and forethought. (10'000 years according to United State s Environmental Protection Agency standards). There is no foolproof way to dispose nuclear waste fuel after it is used in the Nuclear Reactors. The area around Nuclear Waste Sites can be dangerous to humans for hundreds of year as complex nuclear elements have half lives running into many years.The United States had accumulated more than 50,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from nuclear reactors. Permanent storage underground in U. S. had been proposed at the Yucca but that project has now been effectively cancelled. There is presently no adequate safe long-term storage for radioactive and chemical waste produced from early reactors, such as those in Hanford, Washington, some of which will need to be safely sealed and stored for thousands of years. 3. Regulations – The Regulations for Nuclear Energy Power Plants are many and cumbersome due to the massive risks of a failure of a nuclear reactor.This greatly increases the costs of generating nuclear power. It also leads to a long time in the actual start to the completion of a Nuclear Plant . 4. Fuel Danger – Uranium which is the main fuel used in Nuclear Fission Power Plants is limited to a few countries and suppliers. Its use and transport is regulated by international treaties and groups. 5. Nuclear power is reliable, but a lot of money has to be spent on safety – if it does go wrong, a nuclear accident can be a major disaster. Despite a generally high security standard, accidents can still happen.It is technically impossible to build a plant with 100% security. A small probability of failure will always last. The consequences of an accident would be absolutely devastating both for human being as for the nature. The more nuclear power plants (and nuclear waste storage shelters) are built, the higher is the probability of a disastrous failure somewhere in the world. People are increasingly concerned about this – in the 1990's nuclear power was the fastest-growing source of power in much of the world. In 2005 it was the second slowest-growing. 6. The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium.Uranium is a scarce resource, its supply is estimated to last only for the next 30 to 60 years depending on the actual demand. March 11, 2010 nightmare scenario: Terrorism at a nuke power plant. Nuclear meltdown. Level 7 core damage blows through the 6 foot thick reinforced containment structure releasing highly radioactive elements into the atmosphere and surrounding environment. 7. Nuclear power plants as well as nuclear waste could be preferred targets for terrorist attacks. No atomic energy plant in the world could withstand an attack similar to 9/11 in New York. Such a terrorist act would have catastrophic effects for the whole world.

Working as a Team

1. Introduction People form teams to accomplish a shard goal or task and have done so since the beginning of human history. For instance, cavemen building a fire together, students working on a group project, or basketball players playing on the same team, the need for teamwork is becoming greater. Parker (2011) suggests that teamwork is essential for business organizations to achieve success. Nowadays, working efficiently with others in a team is a key skill in order to survive in the competitive world of work.In any global business, certain skills and strategies are needed to incorporate into developing teams to maintain effective outcomes. The range of skills includes motivation, conflict management and team goals. This essay will examine the three mentioned aspects of teamwork that would prepare a person to work effectively in a team environment, supported by two real world examples for each aspect to show how individuals in organizations work successfully as active team players. 2. Body Firstly, motivation is an essential element in team-based workplaces.Workers are not mechanism, when they are asked to do the same tasks repeatedly, they will easily lose their interest or passion for their jobs. Consequently, a good way to keep team members’ passion is to motivate them. Motivation theory is one of the most vital theories in Human Resource Management. Armstrong (2001, p. 155) explains the motivation theory is applicable in organizations where they motivate their team members to utilize their skills and knowledge. This would aid at surpassing the organizations' goals and improve the capability to provide better for their teams.According to a research conducted by Macky and Johnson (2003, p. 82), the result shows that when teams are provided with a satisfactory workplace reflecting each personal necessity and requirement, instead of a higher wage or bonus, members are motivated to work harder and more efficiently. This indicates that using beneficial m otivators is becoming more important in nowadays business. In the operation of organizations, examples show motivation plays an important role in achieving success. Howard Schultz, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Google Inc. hich is based in California, considers that the success of the company is to put their employees as the first priority in its offices. According to the official website of Google (2011), the company offers a great range of benefits, including dining facilities, aerobics studios, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, car wash service and more. He firmly believes that â€Å"appreciation is the best motivation†, by providing a fun and inspiring workspace, team members are able to work in a positive atmosphere.This means team partners can motivate each other to satisfy their own needs, thus a greater opportunity to offer a higher level of performance (Google, 2011). Schultz is the CEO of Starbucks, an international coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, U SA, applies the same principle that employees matter just as much as products do. Michelli (2008) states that Starbucks provides a variety of welfare measures for the Starbucks teams, for instance, accommodation discounts, medical insurance, and vacations.This shows when the company satisfies team members’ needs, they are encouraged to work towards the same goal and strive for the best for the company. From these two examples, it is clear that therefore motivation can lead team members to provide higher quality of work and increase the profit of the company. Secondly, conflict management is a vital aspect in a high-performance team. Conflict is defined as â€Å"the perceived difference between two or more parties resulting in mutual opposition† (Bartol et al, 2008, p. 24). Conflicts are inevitable as different members in teams have different opinions and methods to show their variations (Engleberg, Wynn, 2006, p. 147). Some of the major causes of conflicts are arise fr om the oppose perspective of members’ desire, goals, values and beliefs (DeJanasz, Dowd, Schneifer, 2001, p. 243). Conflicts and arguments in teams can rise negative feelings among members such as ‘lost sight of team goal’, these feelings may lead to failure in achieving effective outcomes (Engleberg, Wynn, 2006, p. 48). Therefore, it is important for team members to recognize the effective strategies in dealing with conflicts in order to minimize fighting and hostility. With proper conflict management, workers are able to work productively as a team where differentiality are accepted (Boone, Kurtz, 2010, p. 2). This shows development of conflict management techniques is essential in contemporary business. In any team-based workplace, correct conflict management can enhance the success of organizations can achieve.The CEO of a Houston-based Birkman International Company, Richard Goldman introduced a policy where his team of employees need to attend compulsive com munication classes every week in attempt to reduce conflicts arise from misunderstanding when they communicate (Tallia et al, 2006). Goldman considers that overcoming communication barriers can provide outstanding insights with team members’ thoughts and act (Tallia et al, 2006). This suggests that team members are allowed to work more practically together when conflicts are handled and solved with efficient management skills.Another example is McDonald’s, the world’s largest chain of fast food restaurant located internationally. The CEO James A. Skinner believes that by offering training programs, such as McDonald’s Management Development Program, managers can build a fully understanding of the company’s policy and the basic skills of manager when working with other people in the McDonald’s Crew (McDonald’s, 2011). This enables mangers to deliver a better management performance when dealing with conflicts. As a result, staff can crea te a harmony team environment and maintain effective achievement.The above two examples indicates that conflict management is crucial in the success of organizations. Lastly, leadership is vital in team-oriented workplaces. Ivancevich & Matteson (2002, p. 45) define team leadership as â€Å"the process of influencing others to facilitate the attainment of organizationally relevant goals†. Leadership is important as it has been addressed as essential to achievement in teams(Gill, 2006, p. 1). A team leader with distinct leadership skills are able to help members to further the achievement of success.Good leadership skills include clear vision, the ability to spot the difference between team members, bring the team together to work towards the same goal and more (Armstrong, 2009, p. 36). All of these bring positive outcomes in teams. As a result, in nowadays organizations, leadership is one of the most vital aspect to be considered. The positive outcomes that team-based organiz ations achieve are visible. Carol Baines took over the Baines Company after the death of her husband, the previous owner of the company.She spent her time in the company to familiarize herself with the staff and operations of the company. She then analyzed the company’s situation and set a powerful set of term goals for the company. With her determined vision and remarkable leadership skill, she created a ‘family-like atmosphere’ for team members to work in. Members saw the clear goal of the company, thus significant success was achieved by the company (Northouse, 2010, p. 30). Another good leader is Steve Jobs, the CEO of America-based electronic company, Apple, Inc.. His good leadership skills have effectively bring success to the company.His quest for perfection has motivated his team to perform their best work quality. These two example makes it clear that leadership makes a huge different in maintaining effective outcomes of organizations. Conclusion To conc lude, this essay has examined three aspects of teamwork that are essential when working effectively with other people in business organizations, namely motivation, conflict management and team goals. It has also provided with real life examples that showed how organizations can incorporate numbers of skills and strategies to create the right team environment.First of all, motivation can create a positive team environment for team members to work effectively together. In addition, proper conflict management can reduce arguments and fights between team members in order to maintain efficient outcomes in organizations. Finally, leadership . Good teamwork certainly is beneficial in the operation of organizations and has become an important aspect to be considered. As s result, organizations should be aware of those aspects and utilize the ability of teams.

Existentialism and Human Nature Essay

Absolute individuality and absolute freedom: the basis of all existentialist arguments. The existentialist’s conceptions arise from their held views that since we are all ultimately alone, we have absolute freedom over our nature. Existentialists emphasize the â€Å"free and conscious self† which opponents constantly attack, exclaiming that there is a â€Å"higher power† enabling our consciousness. But are humans so simple? Can things be explained solely on blaming ourselves or another being for our nature? The existentialist generally believes in a sole existence; meaning that we are alone in the world, and that we have no one but ourselves. They also believe in the human being’s capacity to feel more than one kind of pain, and that there are three different levels to our pain, physical, psychological, and emotional. All of these types of pain can cause us to become irrational and anxious. But are we really anxious because of this pain, or is it because we ultimately feel alone? And if we are all individuals, can we really feel the same kind of pain as someone else? Existence precedes essence is also dominant in the mind and thoughts of the existentialist. That is, the idea that we are born into this world without a predetermined nature, and only later in life do we shape out nature through actions and choices. This opposes the traditional view that is that essence precedes existence, according to which we are seen as having a purpose, and values, all of which is determined before birth. (I personally think that the idea of essence preceding existence is rather obscure. There is no way that our values and purpose can be determined by genetic code. DNA is what we are, not who we are. ) Existentialists pose another question to the opposition: how can we be happy in a world devoid of significance and meaning? The loss of external values allows us to derive value from within ourselves. This value is greater than any imposed by outside forces, and thus cannot be taken away from said sources. Although many human beings live a life devoid of true happiness, it does not mean that we are incapable of attaining such a goal. If a person finds the meaning for their life, whether it be one meaning, or many, there is a large chance that they can achieve such a utopia without recognizing outside influences. People of different viewpoints follow different methods, as well as believe in different forces that shape our nature. It is in my opinion, as well as that of the existentialist, that we shape our own nature through decisions and actions made by our own free will; that we are ultimately free to act independently from the influences of outside forces. That we can ultimately ignore the views imposed on us, and achieve a sustainable level of happiness in the process. Human nature is a frail thing; people are just looking for someone else to blame for their actions and for who they are, even when there isn’t any. Therefore, there is no one to blame for who we are, but ourselves.

Marketing report based on industrial analysis Essay

Marketing report based on industrial analysis - Essay Example wing issue that needs to be addressed: due to the high competition in local market managers in Burger King should have alternative marketing tools available. This means that if the positioning of the firm’s products/ services in India is not successful then the re-positioning of the firm should be attempted by emphasizing on different market segments, as explained analytically below. Marketing, as a process, is rather complex. In the literature, emphasis is given to three elements of this process: ‘a) the marketing mix; these are the elements of each firm’s marketing plan; b) the market forces and c) the matching process’ (Payne & Frow 2013, p.12). The above elements of the marketing process interact in the following way: in the context of the marketing mix each organization identifies the criteria that its marketing plan has to meet. Then, the marketing plan is structured accordingly, i.e. it is designed in such way that these criteria can be met. At the next level, the forces that the organization has to face in each market are identified; emphasis is given to those forces that can affect the organization’s marketing plan. Finally, using the matching process the managers of the organization are able to align the marketing plan with the market forces, so that the success of the plan is secured, as possible. Marketing orientation is a term used for showing the alignment of ‘all the activities of each organization with the needs of its customers’ (McCabe 2010, p.117). According to Palmer (2012) in order for a business to promote marketing orientation the following term needs to be met: the business should be fully aware of the needs of its customers, of the performance of its competitors and of the capabilities of its employees. By focusing on marketing orientation Burger King would be able to attract many customers and to set the basis for significant growth in the Indian market. Moreover, the costs of marketing orientation for Burger King could be

Bio capital in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bio capital in India - Essay Example There is a reconfiguration of the relationship of imperial power to colony into one of the vendors to the client. 1.3 Indebtedness Indebtedness is found at all levels and especially in interactions between corporations and their investors (1). Even entrepreneurs are indebted to the venture capitalists and are forced to relinquish control over their companies. Consumers also remain indebted to the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries for undertaking high-risk, decade-long drug development ventures for therapies for otherwise untreatable diseases. This indebtedness is the symbolic capital for the industry. Thus indebtedness operates at multi-level even in India, observes Rajan. When India was in the midst of a crisis in 1991, it was suggested that India take further loans from IMF which would put India into a further state of indebtedness. The terms of the loan made India more fiscally responsible for the debts. A stage was thus created for moral reforms. Chapter 2 2.1 Biocap ital in India The strategic articulations of India do not resist the global orders of techno-scientific capitalism. Rajan has tried to establish a relationship between global capital and local forms of indebtedness. He has shown the ways in which touches down in different contexts in India. ICICI Knowledge Park in Andhra Pradesh and the Genome/Wellspring Hospital, Mumbai are the two locations where Rajan concentrated as both there are institutions and they represent the political ecologies within which they are situated.

Paraphrase Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paraphrase Paper - Essay Example Modern industrial society, as primarily represented by the United States of America and countries in Western Europe, place undue primacy to the superficial over the substantial. This is nowhere truer than with respect to the Public Relations industry’s constant barrage of illusory imagery and ego-stroking message in the form of advertisements. This is a pitiable state of affairs, as the current standards of civilization are poorer compared to a century past. This essay will argue that Jenni Russell’s point of view holds valid and that it is imperative that our standard of civility improves at the earliest. Russell’s criticism against the capitalist-consumer culture is backed by fact. In this economic paradigm, people are stripped of their higher identities to be equated to units of consumption. By being recognized for their ability to consume products, they themselves turn into commodities. In many ways the bloodshed and human loss witnessed in geopolitical confl icts is a symptom of this fundamental flaw in the global economic order. Though Russell doesn’t go to the extent of linking the two phenomena, the connection is obvious to the discerning reader. The anecdotal evidence for commonplace hostility that Russell presents is experienced by all of us. We’ve all been in situations explained by her, whether it is an unpleasant exchange with a billing clerk or being the victim of an insecure boss in office. This accessible and verifiable reference to real-life situations makes Russell’s arguments quite strong. Further, what makes the author’s arguments hold ground is the background research and supportive evidence. For example, she notes, â€Å"Last month new scientific research demonstrated that the brain reacts to a social snub in just the same way as it does to a physical injury. In effect, by our thoughtless and self-protective behavior, we are going through our days delivering small social injuries to one anot her, each one of which is felt as acutely as physical pain.† (Russell, 211) A serious negative consequence of a capitalist consumerist culture is its tendency to alienate individuals from their own true selves. Most people go through their workdays in a numb routine as a result of not strongly relating to their work. Things they are most passionate about, such as music, dance, literature, etc get relegated to the background as they are preoccupied with the inevitable task of putting bread on the table. A kind of identity crisis develops as individuals are kept away from their most absorbing passions. Moreover, the uniformity and conformity required by the office environment further dents their individual thoughts, feelings and aspirations. Hence, mass production and economies of scale, which are cornerstones of capitalist industry, lead to severe loss in human capital. Moreover, the gains of capitalist industry have been unequally shared, leading to great disparities between t he haves and have-nots. Russell correctly observes how the sharpening class divide is at the root of social friction: â€Å"Those with the least money and the least authority are made continually aware of others’ contempt. The wealthier you are, the more protected you are from the consequences. Prosperous people can largely pay others to be nice to them, yet, they too practice and suffer from the new selfishness.†

Legislative Polices for Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Legislative Polices for Healthcare - Essay Example Leiyu Shi and Douglas A. Singh states that healthcare policies in America is shaped by accepting ideas from a number of agencies, campaigns, cabinet members and advisers in healthcare scenario (Leiyu and Douglas 544). The ‘Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act’ (2010), aims to adopt reformatory measures in healthcare sector. This Act is divided into two, the first part deals with healthcare and the second part deals with the student loan system. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA, (2010), is similar to the first Act/ Law and aims to reform the healthcare sector. These Acts/Laws helps one to realize the importance of reformatory measures adopted by current legislative polices for healthcare in USA. At the same time, the current legislative polices for healthcare provides immense importance to insurance coverage to the needy, especially young adults and uninsured individuals. For instance, the current legislative policies aim to reform the health insurance scenario by reforming insurance practices and available insurance coverage. Besides, the current legislative polices aim to reform the current health plan administration by improving appeals process and non-discriminatory measures or rules for insurance plans. The current health plans impose additional costs on healthcare sector. At the same time, there exists provision in the form of subsidies and tax credits to lessen the burden of taxation. Summing, the current legislative polices for healthcare in USA aims to reform the healthcare sector. Besides, the current legislative sector is ever ready to inculcate innovation to the healthcare sector through effective and timely

Microsoft Windows operating system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microsoft Windows operating system - Essay Example But in case of Microsoft operating the market is totally dominated by Microsoft. Based solely on market share, Microsoft appears to have a near-monopoly in operating systems for personal computers yet Microsoft priced the Windows OS very smartly and kept it at bare minimum and thus succeeded in capturing in the market. The law of demand tells us that as the price of a commodity falls, the quantity demanded increases and vice-versa. But the law is silent on the extent of increase in demand as a result of decrease in certain percentage of prices. That means the law of demand tells us only the direction of change, but not the rate which the change takes place. To know about the rate of change we should know the 'price elasticity of demand'. Elasticity of demand can be defined as the "degree of responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price." It thus represents the rate of change in the quantity demanded due to a change in price. Now in case of Microsoft it can be said that, if we treat PCs as a single homogeneous commodity, then Microsoft's pricing of Windows was 'not' consistent with its status of a monopoly over personal computer (PC) operating systems. Therefore Microsoft started with such penetrative pricing that consumers had no option but to go for it. The company priced Windows as low as it can because of several types of substitution; For the fi

Student achievement gap Essay Example for Free

Student achievement gap Essay Introduction A study achievement gap is considered to be the observed partiality and bias of educational measures between the working effectiveness of group of students (Lee, 2002). This group is described and identified on basis of gender, race, competency level and financial status. The race gap in educational accomplishment is an old issue. Several children are most likely to drop out of school. They are with or without school diplomas, cannot read or write or do simple math (Lee, 2002). The proof and data for the gap has been recorded which include drop out rates, number of students who have taken higher placement examination, top students and are admitted to higher-status secondary schools, colleges and other professional programs. This paper concentrates on the general question and then independently on the statistical gap in standardized test scores. The aim of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the differences between the two groups. Achievement Gap: Literature Review. In accordance to National Assessment of Educational Progress report, more than thirty percent of Asian-American students performed at proficient level whereas only ten percent of African-Americans did so in fourth grade reading exam. Disparities subsist in the student’s module-taking outline as well (Jansen Bruinsma, 2005). Researchers believe that disparities in achievement occur because of socioeconomic factors. In accordance to data of U. S Census Bureau, twenty seven percent of black children are living in poverty as compared to twelve percent of Asian-American children. Studies have also suggested that dropout rates are higher for children who do not have any access to proper housing and finance facilities and benefits. Another study indicates the boundaries and restrictions of economic and social mobility in African Americans and argues that their drop out rate is higher in schools in New York City. However, Asian Americans make up large portion of all the city’s elite magnet schools because they have good family background (Jansen Bruinsma, 2005). Case Study The case study selected to analyze the academic achievement gap study conducted in Cherry Creek School District in Colorado at high school level. The findings indicated that Asian American students performed at better levels than black students. The case study of Cherry Creek School District School lays out the causes for achievement gap. According to the research, they can be classified in to two main groups. They are the factors which are associated with financial status, societal ambience in which they live and their family background. The other factors are associated to student’s schools. Financial status is the main reason which shows low student achievement. Research shows has compared the living conditions of African Americans and Asian Americans and have reached to the conclusion that black students are living in poor conditions and they lack facilities. It also demonstrated that African Americans come from unstable family background which hinders in their learning process (Lee, 2002). Asian-Americans live in better conditions and come from stable family structure which allows them to perform better at school as compared to African-Americans. Achievement gap studied at Cherry Creek School District in math indicates that the gap exists because of lack of parent involvement. Educators have shown that parental involvement and cultural values play an essential role in school achievement among children of Asian Americans. Other factors which influence achievement gap are cultural attitudes and racism. A total of 72 blacks and 72 Asian Americans were interviewed. The number of low achieving students was higher in blacks as compared to Asian Americans. In the same school, Facts and figures collected suggested that about sixty percent of whites, Asians and blacks were high school students who were registered in an Algebra 1 course. However, the pattern changed for higher level math courses (Lee, 2002). Records indicated that sixty percent of Asian-Americans took Algebra 2 whereas only fifty five percent of black students were enrolled in it. The report showed that black students are behind their Asian-American counterparts on general knowledge and math skills. It showed that high percentage of Asian American students scored at proficient level while black students performed poorly in their math test. Conclusion This study demonstrates that Asian-American parents talk extensively to their children on the importance of customs, values and how to work in society. Whereas African American parents are not involved in their children school life. By comparing the two groups in the lights of economic and school contexts, it can be concluded that the gap between the black and Asian American students is wide because of socioeconomic backgrounds, family backgrounds and school contexts. This shows that culture plays an essential role in school achievement and demonstrates that culture interconnects with class, race and schools. References Lee, J. (2002). Racial and ethnic achievement gap trends: Reversing the progress toward equity? EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER, 31(1):3-12. Jansen, E. P. and Bruinsma, M. (2005). Explaining achievement in higher education. Educational Research and Evaluation, 11(3):235-252.

Customer Relationship Management Plan for Hotel

Customer Relationship Management Plan for Hotel The Sao Paulo Case ABSTRACT The paper sets out to produce an outline customer relationship plan for a Brazilian hotel which has recently been taken over by a globally branded hotel chain. It begins with a review of selected literature which contains knowledge, techniques and ideas relevant to a customer relationship plan. Terms are defined within this section. The final section contains the action plan, which derives from ideas in the literature review section. 1. Introduction This report will consist of a concise, integrated customer relationship plan for Sao Paulo senior management with the specific aims of: reducing customer switching maintaining stakeholder relations in the service quality value chain Within this plan there will be: an identification of the gaps in Sao Paulo’s current approach to relationship marketing planning a description of internal and external relationships which impact the hotel proposed marketing objectives to help relaunch and reposition the hotel brand suggested developments of the brand an outline service quality management programme an outline CRM system an outline integrated marketing communications programme an outline internal marketing communications programme Input for the plan will be taken from the case material and the literature review which follows in section 2. 2. Literature Review This section will review the literature in a structured way. The first part will draw on lecture notes, text books and journal articles to clarify and explain aspects of: strategic marketing and branding relationship marketing and customer relationship management service quality management The second part will draw on three cases: The Ritz Carlton case Bergstrom Hotels Sao Paulo Hotel 2.1 Strategic Marketing and Branding Piercy defines strategy as simply being about: Being best at doing those things which matter most to customers Building shareholder value by achieving superior customer value Finding new and better ways of doing things to achieve the first two[1] If one accepts this no-nonsense definition it underscores the need for all companies to: Understand who your customers are and what matters to them Know how they perceive your service levels and what you must do to improve your performance Design and implement communication and management processes which make your strategy work In other words you need a plan. The planning process is described in the lecture notes as beginning with a Mission Statement and ending with implementation and measurement control. Before customer relationship objectives (the focus of the action plan below) can be identified and agreed the mission statement needs to be clearly understood as do the dynamics of the current market place. A SWOT analysis and Marketing Audit are effective tools for clarifying the company’s current position in the market, its performance so far and for suggesting possible changes in strategic and tactical moves. In a services business this will lead to the development of a customer relationship plan, which will be underpinned by a detailed understanding of the various internal and external stakeholders with whom one needs to develop and build relationships.[2] 2.2 Relationship Marketing and Customer Relationship Management â€Å"Relationship marketing concerns the shifting from activities of attracting customers to activities concerned with current customers and how to retain them. †¦At its core is the maintenance of relations between a company and its suppliers, channel intermediaries, public and customers.†[3] Focusing on retention is considered to be significantly more profitable than conversion of non-customers. CRM is a system to make relationship marketing work. The US writer, George Day sees CRM as a customer-responsive strategy, which seeks to give companies competitive advantage by: Delivering superior customer value by personalising the interaction between company and customer, Demonstrating trustworthiness Tightening connections with customers Achieving co-ordination of complex capabilities (functions, resources) within the company[4] Park Plaza International uses its new CRM system and global database to: â€Å"promote the hotels as a group, rather than an individually networked system, with targeted promotions and one-to-one marketing†¦.Through company profiling we will be able to identify who the biggest backers of the group are and who should be given special treatment, so that we can target our promotions accordingly†[5] Hwang and Chi[6] ,in their recent empirical study, highlight the fact that service personnel are the most important resource in the service sector and also the primary marketers. By helping to achieve customer satisfaction service personnel upgrade the entire performance of the organisation. The message to management is that they should engage in aggressive internal marketing to achieve and maintain a synergy of staff satisfaction and improved organisational performance. 2.3 Service Quality Management Customers will be loyal to a hotel, or a branded hotel chain, if they are satisfied with the quality and value offered. It is therefore important for service providers to know what influences these customer perceptions. Johnston suggests two approaches to understanding customers’ perceptions and judgements of service quality: The rational approach The incident-based approach[7] The rational approach suggests that customers consciously or unconsciously use a weighted average, so that a high score on one attribute or factor may offset a low score on another, to arrive at an overall evaluation of personal satisfaction. The SERVQUAL approach is based on the work of Parasuraman, Zeithamel and Berry[8] and sets out to measure customers’ perceptions of quality across 5 dimensions: Tangibles: physical facilities, equipment, appearance of personnel Reliability: abilities to perform the promised service dependably and accurately Responsiveness: willingness to help customers and provide prompt service Assurance: knowledge and courtesy of employees and ability to inspire trust and confidence Empathy: caring, individualistic attention provided by firm to customers A third approach suggests that any single incident, delighting or satisfying, could, whatever the weightings given to the other transactions, result in an overall feeling of dissatisfaction or delight. Another writer argues that â€Å"investment of time and money in quality improvement should concentrate on those areas of your business where the effort will have the greatest benefit†[9] Effort should not necessarily be directed to areas where you are worse than the competition if those factors are not so important to customers. 2.4 The Ritz-Carlton Case R-C has a total quality approach to the business. They fix causes not problems, i.e. they think about processes and systems to prevent problems and to ensure continuous quality. They set up a system to understand the real needs of their customers, to ensure delivery of these needs, to make it work continuously and to communicate all this to the market – not just an image-driven approach, but one which was conscious of the â€Å"experience† which customers were seeking. 2.4 Bergstrom Hotels[10] Bergstrom set up a total quality approach and system which was driven by senior management but acted on and supported by teams across the organisation. Vital components of the system are: training of all staff in internal customer relations, culture, process improvement and problem-solving, setting up and development of a data-base based on customer and employee surveys to drive improvement, open lines of communication and regular performance evaluation. Recognising staff contributions to quality of service was a key final element. The case demonstrates that significant quality improvements can be achieved without significant investment and ongoing cost. 2.5 Sao Paulo Case Sao Paulo is a recently refurbished hotel which is operating in a highly competitive market (with much price cutting) and unstable economy. It has recently been taken over by a hotel chain with a global brand name and a reputation for high service quality and the ability to build long-term relationships with stakeholders. It needs now to reposition itself in the Brazilian market such that it is clearly differentiated in stakeholders minds from the competition. Service must be the main differentiator, so an integrated customer relationship plan needs to be developed. 3. Action Plan for Improving Customer Relationships 3.1 Gaps in current approach Sao Paulo needs both to retain the loyalty of its current customer base and to grow via new customer and intermediary relationships. Growth will probably come via extended use of new services (e.g. restaurants and bars) by current customers and attracting new, more focused customer segments. This needs to be spelt out in its overall mission and made explicit with regard to individual stakeholders. 3.2 External and Internal Stakeholders Apart from the different customer segments important external stakeholders are: tour operators, airlines, travel agents and the many web-based hotel discounters. Local SP-based organisations such as the city hall and tourist office may also be influential in the communication of the hotel brand to intermediaries and potential customers. The current relationship-building approach appears to be re-active and now needs to become focused and pro-active. Important internal stakeholders are hotel employees – front-office staff and sales staff – and franchisees in the restaurants and bars. All need to be aligned with the culture of the refurbished and repositioned hotel. 3.3 Relaunching and Repositioning of the Brand The SP hotel is now part of a global chain. Its service level will need to be aligned with the core brand values of GHG and these values will need to be communicated to all stakeholders and acted upon by internal stakeholders if the communicated brand image is to be consistent with delivery on the ground. Proposed marketing objectives are to: grow the current customer base by 20% by increasing spend per customer and by improving retention by 10%; focus on excellent, caring service at a fair price. 3.4 Service-Quality Programme A customer survey should be carried out to establish which service attributes are important to customers. This should be linked to an assessment of the cost of correcting what goes wrong. The survey should be ongoing and reinforced by regular staff interaction with customers so as to identify any areas of dissatisfaction. Overall customer relationship objective will be to: create in the minds of all customers an experience of being cared for by warm, friendly staff who have your best interests at heart and will do all that they can to offer you speedy and professional assistance. This will be translated into specific CR objectives for the different stakeholders, all of whom will need to participate in service quality training programmes: Franchisees: communicate always in your words, dress and body language that you are a member of the SP team. Front-office staff: make the customer feel welcome, respected, valued and at home. Sales staff: communicate, warm, professional, helpful manner at all times, backed up by prompt follow-up. Service standards: FRONT DESK: Always smile at customers Address by name wherever possible Apologise for even slightest delay Never keep customer waiting without apologising Always do what you promise to do Be sensitive to cultural differences Keep desk and hall area clean at all times Always ask if you can be of further assistance – sincerely Never argue with a customer Try always to exceed expectations Service blueprint: Sales staff to CORPORATES (process service mix): Tangibles Dress smartly, speak warmly and professionally, ensure  that all promotional materials are packaged and presented professionally Reliability Be punctual, deliver what you promise Responsiveness Exceed customer expectations with your response times  and look always for creative solutions to difficult problems Assurance Be confident about the hotel and its qualities but radiate  courtesy at all times. Avoid over-familiarity and use of christian names, unless requested to do so Empathy Avoid any remarks/comments about religion, race,  culture. Be particularly sensitive to cultural differences and help people with language difficulties. Never make fun of anyone. Apologise for even the most minor errors Service guarantee for empowering FRONT-LINE STAFF: If a customer arrives after 19.00 and requests a rate  reduction you may offer him/her a room at a rate 20% below normal rate This service quality approach is in line with the realignment of the brand as a warm and caring hotel which offers fair prices. 3.5 CRM System A CRM system needs to be developed for the global chain. It would aim to profile customers both in order to communicate with them more effectively and to ensure that service features are adapted to meet individual requirements where possible. It should be seen as a support for the warm and caring approach, not a replacement. The communications programme would need to be consistent with, and integrated into, the CRM system. 3.6 Internal Marketing Programme Staff are at the heart of hotel service and underpin customer perception of quality. Training programmes must be run to ensure that all staff are aligned with the culture and attitudes of the hotel, are aware of service guidelines and have the requisite skills and knowledge. An appraisal and suggestions system will be introduced to help staff maintain requisite standards. Incentives will be introduced to encourage maintenance of these standards. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Barwise P. and Meehan S. (2004), Simply Better, Harvard Business School Press Cerasale M. and Stone M.(2004), Business Solutions on Demand, Kogan Page Johnston R. and Clark C. (2001), Service Operations Management, Prentice Hall Piercy N. (2002), Market-led Strategic Change, Butterworth Heinemann Journal Articles Breiter D., Tyink S. and Corey-Tuckwell S. (1995), Bergstrom Hotels; a case study  in quality†, Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol.7 No. 6 Brown T. (1997), â€Å"Using norms to improve the interpretation of service quality  measures†, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol.11, No.1, p.80 Day G. (2000), â€Å"Tying in an Asset†, in Understanding CRM, Financial Times  Editorial article, „CRM in Hotelsâ€Å", in Leisure Hospitality Business, September,  2001 Hwang I. and Chi D. (2005), â€Å"Relationships among Internal Marketing, Employee Job  Satisfaction and International Hotel Performance†, International Journal of  Management, Vol.22 No.2 Parasuraman A., Zeithamel V. and Berry L. (1988), â€Å"SERVQUAL: a Multiple Item  Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Quality†, Journal of Retailing,  Vol.64, No.1 Spring Footnotes [1] Piercy N. (2002), Market-led Strategic Change, p. 273 [2] Lecture Notes – Key Issues from the Marketing Audit to Prioritise Actions in a Relationship Services  Marketing Plan [3] Jobber D. (2004), Principles and Practice of Marketing, McGraw-Hill, p. 117 [4] Day G. (2000), â€Å"Tying in an Asset†, in Understanding CRM, Financial Times [5] Editorial article, „CRM in Hotelsâ€Å", in Leisure Hospitality Business, September, 2001 [6] Hwang I. and Chi D. (2005), â€Å"Relationships among Internal Marketing, Employee Job Satisfaction  and International Hotel Performance†, International Journal of Management, Vol.22 No.2, p.291 [7] Johnston R. And Clark G. (2001), Service Operations Management, Prentice Hall, p. 102 [8] Parasuraman A., Zeithamel V. and Berry L. (1988), â€Å"SERVQUAL: a Multiple Item scale for  Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Quality†, Journal of Retailing, Vol.64, No.1 Spring [9] Brown T. (1997), â€Å"Using norms to improve the interpretation of service quality measures†, Journal of  Services Marketing, Vol.11, No.1, p.80 [10] Breiter D., Tyink S. and Corey-Tuckwell S. (1995), Bergstrom Hotels; a case study in quality†,  Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol.7 No. 6