Thursday, October 31, 2019
Corporate governance of Westpac Banking Corporation AUSTRALIA Essay
Corporate governance of Westpac Banking Corporation AUSTRALIA - Essay Example Corporate governance has become the buzz word and has accomplished in drawing a good deal of public interest because of its visible significance of corporations and society with respect to economic healthCorporate governance is a complex concept as it deals with many different economic happenings Looking at a broader perspective corporate governance can be regarded as a set of procedures, customs, guidelines, rules and regulations affecting the way a corporation is planned, directed, governed or controlled. It also includes the relationships among the stakeholders and the aims for which the corporation is managed. The main stakeholders involved are the shareholders, management and the board of directors. Along with employees, suppliers, customers, banks the environment and the community as a whole. As mentioned earlier corporate governance is a complicated and multi-dimensional subject. Corporate governance deals with issues of accountability and fiduciary duty, making sure all the guidelines and mechanisms are implemented for the safe guard of shareholders. Another focal point is to achieve optimize economic through corporate governance to emphasize on shareholders welfare.Westpac Banking Corporation was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1817 as the Bank of New South Wales and merged with the Commercial Bank of Australia and changed its name to Westpac in 1982. Today, it is a leading provider of banking and financial services in Australia, New Zealand, and eight Pacific island nations. It is Australia's oldest bank and offers general banking services to retail, commercial, and institutional customers and provides investment management and insurance. Westpac has strived to reach the position today it has by focusing on such issues only establishing a strong relationship with the stakeholders. "Corporate governance is a field in economics that investigates how to secure/motivate efficient management of corporations by the use of incentive mechanisms, such as contracts, organizational designs and legislation. This is often limited to the question of improving financial performance, for example, how the corporate owners can secure/motivate that the corporate managers will deliver a competitive rate of return." [www.encycogov.com, Mathiesen [2002].] Companies are scored based on specific issues such as board composition, management remuneration, accounting treatment and transparency. [https://www.shareanalysis.com/asp/glossary.asp]. Westpac has always focused upon promoting corporate justice, precision and self-actualization. The corporate governance structure followed at Westpac specifies the proper allocation of rights and responsibilities of the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders and properly defines the rules and procedures for corporate decision making. Increased competition, stringent regulatory standards, and continuous change in customer wants and demands have put pressure on global banking companies like Westpac to develop creative and cost-effective business strategies. Some of the examples of how corporate governance is implemented at Westpac are as follows: (http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WISEWP+Protection) SSL connection Internet Banking system uses a technology called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). This creates a secure connection between the customer and the Westpac. This is a highly beneficial technology developed by Netscape, Microsoft and RSA Inc that is supported by most browsers. Encryption Westpac has employed precise security mechanisms to guarantee that the client's information and accounts are secured. The latest encryption technologies have been used to protect the data when being sent over the internet. Westpac Internet Banking uses certificates which generate security "keys" to verify the connectivity with Westpac banking. Every stakeholder has an account with all the details. As information sent between the browser and the Bank is encrypted, it makes it
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Geography in the Arab region Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Geography in the Arab region - Essay Example Though contested boundaries and territorial disputes are factors that are not solely typical to Middle East, these factors still assume an immense importance for the region in a strategic context because of the existence of immense petroleum and natural gas resources in this part of the world (Held 1). As per Michael T. Klare, almost 65 percent of the entire worldââ¬â¢s unexploited petroleum wealth is located in this region (54). The magnitude of these oil reserves is expected to be approximately 673 billion barrels (Klare 55). So, it is both about money and political clout. Over time, the world is expected to get increasingly dependent on the Middle East oil reserves (Klare 57). As these oil reserves are expected to augment in value over time, many of the powers placed in this region may be tempted to develop hegemony over large tracts of this region through the use of military might (Klare 57). Some of the developed nations may resort to alternate methods to exercise influence o ver this oil wealth by forging alliances with the regional powers, which is readily feasible, considering the existence of multiple non-democratic and authoritarian regimes in the region (Klare 57). The long standing regional rivalries in the region are one more salient factor that has the potential to time and again jeopardize the regional stability. This refers to both Arab-Arab rivalries and the Arab-Israel rivalry. There exists little hope regarding the potential of the outside forces to help the regional enemies negotiate a way out, as most of the important external powers do have economic and strategic interests in the region. The United States tends to have vital economic interests in the region besides having related strategic interests like the survival of Israel and the withholding of regional energy reserves from the other competitive powers (Kemp & Harkavy 7).
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Various Cause Effects Of Video Games Psychology Essay
Various Cause Effects Of Video Games Psychology Essay The most successful aspect of video games is that they provide a huge amount of human interaction through imagery and audio, thus encouraging the player to think and act quickly(Wolf, 2001, p15). This aspect makes video games different from any other forms of non-interactive media like television or radio. Video games give clear instructions about actions to be performed to reach particular levels in the game and instils a level of confidence and spirit of victory in its players. They also serve academic purposes and can be utilised as a powerful medium for educating children and youth in a very interesting and powerful manner. For example, video games involving driving can be used as a medium to teach players the traffic rules and penalties imposed if the rules are violated. Puzzle based video games give valuable practice lessons of time management, helps to sharpen specific skills needed to succeed in the game, encourages critical analysis and thought and improves cognitive abiliti es (Wolf, 2001, p17; Seller, 2006, p20). Social Video games have a part in influencing the social behaviour of young players especially children. The interactive gaming gives a virtual environment involving the player and his opponent which is essentially the computer system. In addition to promoting a level of healthy competition among players, the penalties imposed help to give due respect to fellow participants and encourages sportsman spirit to a great extent. Games which involve military contents can help to inculcate patriotism in youngsters as they are made to believe that they are protecting their country from rival attacks. Though there has been criticisms regarding the effect of video games in sparking criminal behaviour among youth, Jenkins (n.d.) observes that the hostile factors contributing to these acts are coming from unsound minds and disrupted families rather than interactive media. In fact, James Gees work highlights the benefits of using video games as effective media for logical problem solving and continuous improvement, thus improving the qualitative skills (Gee, 2001). Psychological Apart from providing relaxation and enjoyment, video games boost the players confidence level and raises curiosity as in most games, each level is exciting and cannot be seen unless the players pass all the previous stages. In children, the level of psychological development obtained leads to sharpening of memory and logical skills, increased mental development and simulation, making them tougher to face the challenges of the real world. Vices Contrary to the popular belief that video game players are just youngsters, Entertainment Software Association(ESA) has shown that 49% of game players are in the age range of 18-49 while the demographic statistics give 52% male and 48% female players (ESA, 2009, p3). The revenue obtained by video game sales in US was $11M in 2008 with Wii console games at the top according to NPD statistics (ESA, 2009, p10). Though the video game industry has flourished and sales figures have been accelerating over the last few decades, a lot of negative publicity has affected the popularity of interactive games to a large extent. Though there are many pros, the bad effects are so obvious and derogatory that they outweigh the advantages to a large extent. Medical The increasing popularity of video games is making more and more youngsters spend considerable amount of time and money in front of the gaming console or computer which has harmful medical effects arising due to addiction (Gunter, 1998, p31). The addiction can lead to childhood obesity as children will find no time for outdoor games which are healthy and provides relaxation and exercise to brain, mind and body. The strain caused by continuous exposure to harmful radiation from television affects a significant number of youngsters by ending up having problems with their eyes. The adult players are even more in danger as the addiction causes a change in lifestyle which trigger a variety of fatal illnesses from high cholesterol to heart attacks in addition to causing spinal alignment problems due to wrong posture. Psychological Most of the video games depict violence and the motto is to kill and succeed. Young minds are particularly interested in games involving violent attacks, abusive language and homicide. Different researches have been conducted in psychological aspects due to violent video games. Anderson et al. (2007, p12-39, p40-60) has described about the different kinds of aggressive behaviour exhibited by children based on which an aggression model is created. The effects of violence can arise from thefts for buying video games to thrills obtained from imitation of the shootings and attacks on innocent subjects. Continuous exposure to violent media has a profound influence on the mental balance of the young player, giving a very wrong impression that killing is winning. Social Recent reports have shown that an average time spent by a child playing console, arcade or home video games is almost 11-13 hours/week (Gentile, 2004, p1; Olson et al.,2007, p1). It means that they get little time for social interactions, academic reading and outdoor games. Decrease in peer association hinders development of social etiquettes, family ties and character. The social and emotional commitments are disrupted by over indulgence in interactive media leading to a set of humans devoid of emotions, respect or self-esteem. The increasing amount of violence and destruction involved in most games and the lonely atmosphere provided acts as detrimental to good social conduct. Stromberg (n.d.) has shown that almost 50% of popular games depict either fantasy or human violence to the extent that they encourage players to become less caring and friendly. According to Gentile Anderson (2003, p131-152), the tendency of aggressive behaviour is affected by repeated game play which often r eward the players for violence. Critical Analysis Wirth et al. (2003) has given that the virtual environment created by video games is essential to establish a spatial presence. But the impression of world as given by games has very little relation with the original real circumstances or actions. The violence and plan of action depicted in these scenarios, if practised in actual circumstances give horrendous repercussions for both the doer and the society. Some researches show video game learning as better to classroom learning in terms of memory retention (Moreno Meyer, 2000, p724) but it does not in any way substitute the knowledge obtained from books, classrooms or other interactive learning techniques but just complements them. The reason for success of video games has been described as the level of active control involved (Greenfield, 1984, p102). Active control often enables the player to decide on the course of action to be taken to fight the circumstances which gives them an uneven control and pseudo confidence that may urge them to enact similarly in a real situation. Moreover, the points gained during shooting or killing tends to glorify the violence depicted in games. The addiction to video games often leads to fits of anger and rows between the children and parents. The first rehabilitation centre for teenagers addicted to video games has been set up in London following the urge of parents (Taylor, 2010, p9). Parents have expressed concerns on the influence on video games on the psychological and social behaviour of children (Gunter, 1998, p35). Most video games have parental control through which the type, intensity and mode of play can be controlled by parents. But recent research has shown that only one-fifth of the parents are exercising their control over purchase of video games, with 55% of stores educating them on ratings (Walsh et al. 2003). Lee et al. (2009, p562) have put forward that the technological aspect has an influence on violent psychological behaviour in a way that a game played using less sophisticated graphics and audio do less harm. But here also, time is the deciding factor as continuous exposure to the virtual world even in low resolution graphics can cause psychological imbalance and health problems. Even though clear correlation between violent shooting attacks by teenagers and interactive gaming has not been established in all cases, the increase in vocal abuse and insensitiveness towards crime itself are appalling. American Health Associations research has given results stating that time spend by teenagers belonging to lower socio-economic status playing games was almost five fold than those of their educated and rich counterparts (ScienceDaily, 2008). This shows that education, and not money is the judging factor for use of technology. Conclusion
Friday, October 25, 2019
Object Oriented Development :: essays research papers
BSA400 ââ¬â Week 3 Individual Paper University of Phoenix, Online Object Oriented Development à à à à à When I first started learning how to write code, I had never heard the term ââ¬Å"Object Oriented Developmentâ⬠, or even ââ¬Å"Object Oriented Modeling.â⬠Iââ¬â¢m sure that some form of both of these existed, but they might not have been referred to in exactly those words. Fifteen years of coding later, I was finally indoctrinated in the ways of object oriented development. à à à à à The first language that I learned to use was BASIC, which was very simple and easy to learn. There were no objects per se, and the code was pretty much written from the top down. Now that I understand the mechanics of object oriented development, I can see that there were parts of the language that could be considered objects, especially from a design point of view. Even though most of my programs were written from the top down and were executed from the top down, a lot of them incorporated logic that was reused multiple times. Blocks of code that contained that logic could usually be segregated from the rest of the code. Instead of appearing multiple times, these blocks would be written only once, but ââ¬Å"calledâ⬠multiple times. à à à à à After BASIC, the next language that I learned was Pascal, named after the seventeenth century French mathematician. Compared to BASIC, Pascal was a much more organized language, with the code separated into actual blocks demarcated with ââ¬Å"BEGINâ⬠and ââ¬Å"ENDâ⬠statements. Against my instructorââ¬â¢s wishes, as well as popular programming practice, I still coded from the top down. I suppose this would have been an issue if I was entering code on punch cards. Luckily, though, these programs were all on monitors, so I could go back and forth through the document, correcting errors and changing the code where necessary. à à à à à After Pascal, I learned a few more languages, slowly realizing that maybe it wasnââ¬â¢t a great idea to always code from the top down. Another bad habit that I was slowly trying to rid myself of was writing code without a design document. A design document can be written in either plain English or pseudo code. With plain English, I would just write out what each part of the program should do, and then translate those concepts into code. Pseudo code is a cross between plain English and full code, using elements of both. Even though it might not be easily readable by someone without a working knowledge of that particular language, a lot of the time it could be figured out fairly quickly.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Critical Review of Theory-Maternal Role Attainment Essay
Mercerââ¬â¢s (1984) Maternal Role Attainment (MRA) theory was built upon Rubinââ¬â¢s (1967) earlier work on attainment of the maternal role. Maternal role attainment is defined as ââ¬Å"a process in which the mother achieves competence in the role and integrates the mothering behaviors into her established role set, so that she is comfortable in her identity as a motherâ⬠(Mercer, 1984, p. 198). Mercer has extensively studied the process of MRA with a focus on mothers of normal newborns. Purpose of Article According to Miles, Holditch-Davis, Burchinal, and Brunssen, (2011), one of the purposes of their study was to identify the most important maternal and infant behaviors in measuring the components of MRA in mothers of medically fragile infants. Another purpose was to examine the impact of specific maternal and infant qualities on the components of MRA over the first year of life (Miles et al., 2011). Finally the authors hoped to ââ¬Å"contribute to nursing science about MRA with this rare population of infantsâ⬠(Miles et al., 2011, p. 21) as there has been little research regarding the process of MRA in mothers of medically fragile infants. Critical Elements of the Theory The authors assumed that maternal identity would be delayed because of difficulty in taking on parental roles with infants requiring high levels of care (Miles et al., 2011). They also surmised that maternal presence would decresase as the infants became older and health increased (Miles et al., 2011). And finally competence would increase as the mother learned how to meet the health-related needs of her infant and was able to participate more fully in care activities (Miles et al., 2011). The assumptions regarding presence and competence were proven correct according to study results; however, maternal identity was not delayed in the study participants. The major concepts related to this study include maternal identity, maternal competence and maternal presence. The authors identified characteristics of the infant system as functional maturity and severity of the childââ¬â¢s illness. Characteristics of the maternal system included illness-related distress, satisfaction with family, marital status, educational level, and ethnicity (Miles et al., 2011). Characteristics of the infant and maternalà systems impact mother-infant interactions. According to the study, maternal identity was influenced only by worry. Maternal presence was only influenced by infant alertness. However maternal competence was related to infant alertness, parental role alteration stress during hospitalization, education and marital status (Miles et al., 2011). Referents include maternal confidence in role, the amount of participation in care activities for the infant, physical closeness to the infant, the quality of care given and interaction with the infant. Theoretical Definitions and Empirical Referents Maternal identity is defined by the authors as ââ¬Å"the mothersââ¬â¢ perceptions and feelings of self as the mother of her infantâ⬠(Miles et al., 2011, p. 22). The authors defined maternal competence as ââ¬Å"the quality of her parental caregiving and interactionâ⬠and maternal presence as ââ¬Å"the amount of caregiving and physical closeness displayed with or felt towards her infantâ⬠(Miles et al., 2011, p. 22). Empirical referents include Maternal Identity Scale: Critically ill infant (MIS), Maternal interview rating, naturalistic observations of mother-infant interactions and the home observation for measurement of the home environment (HOME) (Miles et al., 2011). References Mercer, R. T. (1984). The process of maternal role attainment over the first year. Nursing Research, 34, 198-204. Miles, M. S., Holditch-Davis, D., Burchinal, M. R., & Brunssen, S. (2011). Maternal role attainment with medically fragile infants: Part 1. Measurement and correlates during the first year of life. Research in Nursing & Health, 34, 20-34. Rubin, R. (1967). Attainment of the maternal role: Part 1. Processes. Nursing Research, 16, 237-245. Rubin, R. (1967). Attainment of the maternal role Part 2. Models and refferants. Nursing Research, 16, 342-351.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl Essay
The autobiographical narrative ââ¬Å"Incident of the Life of a Slave Girlâ⬠unveils casualties of life faced by black women during 19th century. A special attention Harriet Jacobs gives to a sexual relationship with Mr. Sand and moral values of black women. Thesis An ââ¬Å"illicitâ⬠sexual relationship with Mr. Sand described in the Narrative does not reinscribing the stereotype of the black woman as lascivious and hypersexual, but proves that the black women are loving and sympathetic creatures seeking for a relationship based on romantic love. Love and romantic relations between a man and woman has played a crucial love in their lives. For Linda Brent, an ââ¬Å"illicitâ⬠relationship with Mr. Sand means pure relations free from social statuses and financial gain. Harriet Jacobs stresses that love and passion are typical for the black woman even if she is engaging in the ââ¬Å"illicitâ⬠sexual relationship. As the most important, Harriet Jacobs underlines that the black women could not move beyond the constrictions of the ideology. The existence of the institution of marriage, in which men played the dominant role and wielded control, placed women at the mercy of their male counterparts. At the beginning of new millennium, there are more and more people who prefer not to get marriage, but living together for many years trying to keep or preserve their personal freedom and independence. The example of Linda Bret shows that in spite of all the negative life lessons Linda understands what it is to be an individual and loving woman. The autobiography portrays that the black women are not promiscuous or lascivious, but loving and sympathetic creatures. In this case, it is important to take into account the epoch and economic system of slavery which deprived black women their rights and freedom. Linda Brent is a person who uses love as her emotional guide. But love symbolizes psychological state of Linda who becomes more passionate and sympathetic. The problems, unveiled in the autobiography, are received much publicity, because for some people these problems are too intimate or dedicated, they touch personal feelings and human soul. Linda Brent is suppressed by the norms and circumstances, her own narrow worldview and personal low spirits which make her dependant upon life situations. One of the secrets of Linda Brent is her natural beauty, which lies in the way she perceives the world. Through the character of Linda Bret, Jacobs depicts that that to the black woman who had survived the illusions that freedom and marriage would provide lifelong companionship and identity, and who had come to recognize the existential solitude of all human beings, feminism became a kind of credo. For the black women love means dream which comes true. In this sense, she is a victim because she needs to escape from realities of life which she cannot change. She is a victim of social structure and class conflict which destroy human relations and hopes. The autobiography suggests something of the historical loss for women of transferring the sense of self to relationships with men. Her sexuality is still her life, just as it made her on the pillory superior to her disclosed lover. Jacobs associates shame over her ancestors with the guilty excitement she felt in taking up the story. Her love throughout is maternal compassion for what is vulnerable to the passage of time. But her mind does not recoil from such pain; Linda Bret never avoids disquieting realities. But it is precisely an indiscriminated change, this stream of undifferentiated ranà dom perceptions, which is called ââ¬Å"lifeâ⬠. à The ââ¬Å"illicitâ⬠sexual relations create a feeling of guilt being one of the reasons that her sexual freedom does not take her very far. It is possible to say that despite their efforts to escape the rituals of femininity, the black women seems fated to reenact them, even though, as Jacobs recounts these scenes and revises their conventions. The values and nature of black women described by Jacobs are not lascivious or hypersexual. Modern values and realities of life support behavior and choice of Linda who wants to love and be loved. References Jacobs, H. Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl. 2003. Available at: http://docsouth.unc.edu/jacobs/jacobs.html Ã
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
King Pakal of Palenque
King Pakal of Palenque Kinich Jahahb Pakal (Resplendent Shield) was ruler of the Maya city of Palenque from 615 A.D. to his death in 683. He is usually known simply as Pakal or Pakal I to differentiate him from later rulers of that name. When he came to the throne of Palenque, it was an embattled, destroyed city, but during his long and steady reign it became the most powerful city-state in the western Maya lands. When he died, he was buried in a glorious tomb in the Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque: his funeral mask and finely carved sarcophagus lid, priceless pieces of Maya art, are only two of the many wonders found in his crypt. Pakals Lineage Pakal, who ordered the construction of his own tomb, painstakingly detailed his royal lineage and deeds in finely carved glyphs in the Temple of the Inscriptions and elsewhere in Palenque. Pakal was born on March 23, 603; his mother Sak Kuk was of the Palenque royal family, and his father Kan Mo Hix came from a family of lesser nobility. Pakals great-grandmother, Yohl Iknal, ruled Palenque from 583-604. When Yohl Iknal died, her two sons, Ajen Yohl Mat and Janahb Pakal I, shared ruling duties until both died at different times in 612 A.D. Janahb Pakal was the father of Sak Kuk, mother of the future King Pakal. Pakals Chaotic Childhood Young Pakal grew up in difficult times. Before he was even born, Palenque was locked in a struggle with the powerful Kaan dynasty, which was based in Calakmul. In 599, Palenque was attacked by Kaan allies from Santa Elena and the Palenque rulers were forced to flee the city. In 611, the Kaan dynasty attacked Palenque again. This time, the city was destroyed and the leadership once again forced into exile. The Palenque rulers set themselves up at Tortuguero in 612 under the leadership of Ik Muuy Mawaan I, but a breakaway group, led by Pakals parents, returned to Palenque. Pakal himself was crowned by his mothers hand on July 26, 615 A.D. He was barely twelve years old. His parents served as regents to the young king and as trusted advisors until they passed away decades later (his mother in 640 and his father in 642). A Time of Violence Pakal was a steady ruler but his time as king was far from peaceful. The Kaan dynasty had not forgotten about Palenque, and the rival exile faction at Tortuguero made frequent war upon Pakals people as well. On June 1, 644, Bahlam Ajaw, ruler of the rival faction at Tortuguero, ordered an attack on the town of Ux Te Kuh. The town, birthplace of Pakals wife Ix Tzak-bu Ajaw, was allied with Palenque: the lords of Tortuguero would attack the same town a second time in 655. In 649, Tortuguero attacked Moyoop and Coyalcalco, also Palenque allies. In 659, Pakal took the initiative and ordered an invasion of the Kaan allies at Pomona and Santa Elena. The warriors of Palenque were victorious and returned home with the leaders of Pomona and Santa Elena as well as a dignitary of some sort from Piedras Negras, also an ally of Calakmul. The three foreign leaders were ceremoniously sacrificed to the god Kawill. This great victory gave Pakal and his people some breathing room, although his reign w ould never be completely peaceful. He of the Five Houses of the Terraced Building Pakal not only solidified and extended Palenques influence, he also expanded the city itself. Many great buildings were improved, built or begun during Pakals reign. Sometime around 650 A.D., Pakal ordered the expansion of the so-called Palace. He ordered aqueducts (some of which still work) as well as the expansion of buildings A,B,C and E of the palace complex. For this construction he was remembered with the titleà He of the Five Houses of the Terraced Building Building E was built as a monument to his forebears and Building C features a hieroglyphic stairway which glorifies the campaign of 659 A.D. and the prisoners which were taken. The so-called Forgotten Temple was built to house the remains of Pakals parents. Pakal also ordered the construction of Temple 13, home of the tomb of the Red Queen, generally believed to be Ix Tzak-bu Ajaw, Pakals wife. Most importantly, Pakal ordered the construction of his own tomb: the Temple of the Inscriptions. Pakals Line In 626 A.D., Pakals soon-to-be wife Ix Tzak-bu Ajaw arrived at Palenque from the city of Ux Te Kuh. Pakal would have several children, including his heir and successor, Kinich Kan Bahlam. His line would rule Palenque for decades until the city was abandoned sometime after 799 A.D., which is the date of the last known inscription at the city. At least two of his descendants adopted the name Pakal as part of their royal titles, indicating the high regard the citizens of Palenque held him even long after his death. Pakals Tomb Pakal died on July 31, 683 and was entombed in the Temple of the Inscriptions. Fortunately, his tomb was never discovered by looters but was instead excavated by archaeologists under the direction of Dr. Alberto Ruz Lhuiller in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Pakals body was entombed deep in the temple, down some stairways which were later sealed off. His burial chamber features nine warrior figures painted on the walls, representing the nine levels of the afterlife. His crypt contains many glyphs describing his line and accomplishments. His great carved stone sarcophagus lid is one of the marvels of Mesoamerican art: it shows Pakal being reborn as the god Unen-Kawill. Inside the crypt were the crumbling remains of Pakals body and many treasures, including Pakals jade funeral mask, another priceless piece of Maya art. à Legacy of King Pakal In a sense, Pakal continued to govern Palenque long after his death. Pakals son Kinich Kan Bahlam ordered his fathers likeness carved into stone tablets as if he were leading certain ceremonies. Pakals grandson Kinich Ahkal Mo Nahb ordered an image of Pakal carved into a throne on Temple Twenty-one of Palenque. To the Maya of Palenque, Pakal was a great leader whose long realm was a time of expansion of tribute and influence, even if it was marked by frequent wars and battles with neighboring city-states. Pakals greatest legacy, however, is undoubtedly to historians. Pakals tomb was a treasure trove about the ancient Maya; archaeologist Eduardo Matos Moctezuma considers it one of the six most important archaeological finds of all time. The many glyphs and in the Temple of the Inscriptions are among the only surviving written records of the Maya. Sources: Bernal Romero, Guillermo. Kinich Jahahb Pakal (Resplandente Escudo Ave-Janahb) (603-683 d.C) Arqueologà a Mexicana XIX-110 (July-August 2011) 40-45. Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. Grandes Hallazgos de la Arqueologà a: De la Muerte a la Inmortalidad. Mexico: Tiempo de Memoria Tus Quets, 2013. McKillop, Heather. New York: Norton, 2004.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Title Essays - Fiction, Literature, Allegory, Lord Of The Flies
Title Essays - Fiction, Literature, Allegory, Lord Of The Flies Title We as humans never want to see ourselves as the problem, we are constantly putting the blame on someone else. In the book The Lord Of the Flies, the boys are looking for a monster or a beast. They, while searching for the beast, become the monster themselves. Golding shows human inability to except responsibility of their evil. As the boys blame their inhuman actions on the beast rather than to accept the evil within. In the beginning of the book Simon and Piggy suggest that maybe they, the boys, are the beasts," Maybe there is a beast [] maybe it's only us." (Golding) As the suggestions are made, they are laughed off by the other boys. This is the first time the boys were unable to except even the thought of the evil within. Their inability to except what they are now becoming leads to their failure to believe what they later become. Simon talking to the Lord of the Flies is a turning point for him, because he realizes that the beast is only them and it wasn't something they could hunt down and kill," Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you?" (Golding) He later becomes not only afraid of himself, but of the other boys. Throughout the book the boys demonstrate inhuman actions, each time blaming it on the beast. Actions soon becoming increasingly worse soon lead up to the death of Simon. The boys fear of themselves ultimately lead to loss of their innocence and the beginning of a monster.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Caring for populations Essay Example for Free
Caring for populations Essay A community health nurse must be effective in targeting the population as a whole. The nurse will determine the needs for the community by using the data compiled from a windshield survey. As stated in the text, ââ¬Å"A population focus also involves a scientific approach to community health nursing: an assessment of the community or population is necessary and basic to planning, intervention, and evaluation for the individual, family, aggregate, and population levelsâ⬠(Nies & McEwen, 2011). The purpose of this paper is to establish a priority health problem of the community of Harlingen, based on demographic, epidemiological data and a windshield survey of the area. The community assessment for this project is Harlingen, Texas. According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, its population is about 64,918 of which 47.8% are male and 52.2% are female. The density is approximately 1629.1 residents per square mile. The racial makeup is 1.0% Black or African American, 79.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% White, 1.9% from two or more races, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Native American. The median household income, 2008-2012 was $34,096 in Harlingen, compared to $51,563 in the state of Texas. The percentage of persons below poverty level from 2008-2012 was 33.2% in Harlingen, compared to 17.4% in Texas. The city of Harlingen is in the center of the Rio Grande Valley. It is a community which has a transient population of ââ¬Å"Winter Texans.â⬠These Winter Texans are generally retirees from the northern states, who come to the warmer climates to escapeà the winter weather of their home states, usually between November and March. Harlingen has one mall, two medical hospitals and one mental health state facility, two libraries, one community college and numerous schools from primary to high school levels. Demographic and Epidemiological According to the website, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, for Cameron County in 2014, teen pregnancy is measured by the teen birth rate per 1,000 female population, ages 15-19. The number for Cameron county teen births is 80, the number for Texas as a state is 57. There is poor quality of life in relation to health in Cameron County. 30% of the population has poor or fair health, compared to 18% in Texas. Cameron County also has an adult obesity rate of 27%, 21% of physical inactivity while there is 69% of access to exercise opportunities. 16% of the population suffers from excessive drinking and 396 counts of sexually transmitted infections. 36% of the population is uninsured, 86% graduated high school, 10.5% are unemployed and there are a whopping 48% of children in poverty, which has increased from the 2008-2012 numbers. The top causes of mortality in Texas are diseases of the heart, followed by Cancers and Respiratory diseases. During the observation of Harlingen for the Windshield Survey project, overweight residents were visible. The majority of the population is Hispanics, most were slightly overweight and appear relatively healthy. There are nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the community and they are mainly Hispanic and White older adults who are a mix of thin and frail to obese and unhealthy. Women are seen pushing strollers on the jogging trails, while the young children play in the parks. There are groups of teens who play football and basketball in the same area. In the residential areas, some people can be seen outside maintaining their properties, while other properties are dilapidated. The general appearance of the residents are healthy, with some being overweight. I have seen a few multimedia billboards for the local hospital, which is displaying an ad for bariatric surgery, which is appropriate for the current overweight population. Harlingen has some city parks and Boys and Girls clubs and numerous gyms in the area that are heavily utilized. The restaurants in theà area are mainly along the expressway and lining the few main streets around town. There is no food sold along the street, but people can be seen sitting in the parks eating meals. In Harlingen, the population is overweight Hispanics and Whites who have access to healthcare and wellness measures, as it is advertised constantly. There is adequate transportation and resources available for the population. As stated before, Cameron County has an adult obesity rate of 27%, 21% of physical inactivity while there is 69% of access to exercise opportunities. While the averages for the state of Texas are 29%, 24% and 74%, respectively. Cameron County also has a limited access to healthy foods, 16% and 21% food insecurity and a mere 17% of children are eligible for free lunch. Since Harlingen and Cameron County have high obesity rates compared to the rest of the state, the Healthy People 2020 objectives applicable for Harlingen include: NWS-11 (Developmental) Prevent inappropriate weight gain in youth and adults and NWS-9 Eliminate very low food security among children. (Healthy People 2020, 2014) While these are two distinct objectives they are connected, much education will be need to be done to ensure change. The community needs to be educated and held accountable for their actions, at times they are unaware of how much damage an unhealthy diet can do. The Community Health Nurse must prepare for these challenges and have a good understanding of how to present information that will gain the interest of the population. A community health nurse must be well versed in the numerous efforts that are starting to prevent childhood obesity. There are new physical education requirements, nutrition standards for beverages and foods sold in school, to community initiatives to expand bike paths and improve recreational facilities (Koplan, Liverman &Kraak, 2005). ââ¬Å"Families need to make their homes to more conducive to a healthful diet and daily physical activity (Koplan, Liverman &Kraak, 2005). The nurse will need to get out to the community via health fairs, school assemblies, media outlets, etc. to get the message out there. Education on making healthy choices, getting adequate exercise and making small adjustments to their daily lives will help. According to the article, Relative and Absolute Availability of Healthier Food and Beverage Alternatives Acrossà Communities in the United States, there was a study that was conducted on 3 years of data from the Bridging the Gap Community Obesity Measures Project. It stated the mean healthier food and beverage ratio was 0.71, meaning that stores averaged 29% fewer healthier than less healthy products. There were less availability of healthy alternatives in Hispanic communities (2014). The community health nurse needs to be an expert in assessing and diagnosing health concerns in the community to be able to set realistic goals that will maintain the health of the population. Health promotion, education and community involvement are crucial. ââ¬Å"Nutritional education is essential and must include parents, teachers, and the childâ⬠(Nies & McEwen, 2011). The community should know and understand the food pyramid, how to make healthy choices and the importance of balancing intake and exercise. References County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/texas/2014/rankings/cameron/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot Koplan, J., Liverman, C.T., Kraak, V.I., & Institute of Medicine, (.(U.S.). (2005). Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2011). Community/Public Health Nursing (5th ed.). MO: Elsevier. Nutrition and Weight Status. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/nutrition-and-weight-status/objectives United States Census Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4832372.html Zenk,S.N., Powell, L.M., Rimkus, L., Isgor,Z., Barker,D.C., Ohri-Vachaspati,P., & Chaloupka, F. (2014). Relative and Absolute Availability of Healthier Food and Beverage Alternatives Across Communities in the United States. American Journal Of Public He alth, 104(11), 2170-2178. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014-302113 Caring for populations. (2016, Aug 20).
Friday, October 18, 2019
The development of the discipline of nursing has gone through many Essay
The development of the discipline of nursing has gone through many stages of philosophical debates. Justify the relevance and utility of the knowledge of theory development to your practice - Essay Example Theories were meant to confuse and offer no practical value thus the views widely held in the 21st and 20th century about nursing which focused on obtaining the right outcomes and performing the right process respectively (Shaw, 1993). Such thinking is restrictive and holds researchers and in this case nurses from defining, interpreting and understanding data and discoveries related to their discipline. Theories developed by different scholars view and define nursing from different angles. For example grand nursing theories identify the discipline as broad, complex, nonspecific and may not be easily testable. The middle range theories focus on issues like anxiety, death, social support and the quality of life. The nursing science is not only restricted to medicine and practice but from early theorist and emerging trends in the industry nursing involves other spheres of life such as the cultural, social, mental, environmental among other areas. The nursing profession prides itself in quality care for all people. This is a top priority for the nursing profession especially in this day and age where people have diverse needs and other conflicting issues surrounding the nursing profession (Meleis, 2011). Theory provides nurses with a framework for goal assessment, intervention and diagnosis. It focuses on care and used as a tool to render more efficient and effective service which is described theoretically for different situations. The professional autonomy and accountability is also safeguarded in the theory in practice through principles in the theory (Meleis, 2011). In conclusion theory helps in the identification of goals and enhances communication about care to the primary stakeholders. It also helps the nurses to gain control of several subject matters thus refining theory and relationships in the nursing
The Organisation & Key Aspects of its Management Structure Essay
The Organisation & Key Aspects of its Management Structure - Essay Example Sophieââ¬â¢s is a clothing and accessory retailer that is based in California, USA. Sophieââ¬â¢s was created by an aspiring fashion designer, Jin Lee who found the capital to invest from her own family. Sophieââ¬â¢s began in 1999 as a small retailer but soon developed its image as a leading fashion retailer that catered to the changing demands of fashion conscious consumers. It is important that Sophieââ¬â¢s quickly adapt to the changing demands in fashion in order to remain profitable in such a strong market that has reached its maturity. The company buys manufactured cloth and other accessories and uses it to produce fashion clothing and items for its high end consumers. Clothes are imported in the country from developing countries that produce cotton including China, Bangladesh and Mexico and bought from select importers who deal with these countries. The cloth is bought in bulk and stored in warehouses. Later the cloth is designed according to the specifications of th e designers. The company structure within Sophieââ¬â¢s is vertical with Jin Lee as the managing director of the company. Vertical organizational structure is where power and decision making is centred at the top and authority moves from the top to bottom. Since Jin Lee is also the founder of the company and is very passionate about the organization, she maintains a rigid control over the organization. Directly working Jin Lee are the managers of the company which include Store Manager, Design Manager, Supply Chain Manager and Marketing Manager.
Enterprise risk management Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Enterprise risk management - Literature review Example ERM involves taking a proactive view of the entire business or organisation rather than looking at risk as simply a matter of special project overview to identify threats. It goes far beyond the typical SWOT analysis that looks at different weaknesses and threats and recognises the whole of the business as a functional unit that is inter-connected whereby multitudes of risk possibilities exist. This literature review describes what constitutes enterprise risk management, its major components and also provides an identification of how an ERM programme can be designed into virtually any industry. 2. Defining a stable ERM programme Enterprise risk management is defined as: ââ¬Å"The discipline by which an organisation in any industry assesses, controls, exploits, finances, and monitors risks from all sources for the purpose of increasing the organisationââ¬â¢s short- and long-term value to its stakeholdersâ⬠(casact.org, 2003, p.8). What makes ERM different from typical risk ma nagement programmes is that it recognises strategic imperatives, thus making it an ongoing part of strategic analysis often dictated by executive leadership and Board governance. Generally, risk management programmes are short-term objectives associated with special project teams, thereby somewhat ignoring the long-term prospects of risk mitigation in multiple areas of the business. Kimmel & Anderson (2010) identify five specific elements of an ERM system to include: 1. Linking risk management to the organisationââ¬â¢s strategy, values and culture ââ¬â This definition insists that enterprise risk management is linked to the operational and human capital components of the organisation and is tied directly to organisational structure and design. 2. Providing management with a comprehensive and repeatable knowledge base so as to understand how to identify and assess potential risk factors. 3. Assignment of specific roles and responsibilities tied to governance for ERM. 4. The ab ility to provide higher valued knowledge so that managers can make better operational and financial business decisions. 5. Providing risk-related knowledge so that auditing and monitoring is an ongoing part of the programme design. Most organisations that utilise ERM systems recognise four categories of objectives in order to assist organisations in meeting long- and short-term strategic goals. These include, as offered by Moore (2010): 1. Strategic imperatives ââ¬â These are high-level goals that help align the organisation to its overall mission and value proposition. 2. Operational components ââ¬â Helping to achieve efficient and effective use of resources organisation-wide, such as marketing, production and accounting (as relevant examples). 3. Reporting ââ¬â Reporting aspects include financial figures and overall business strengths as related to stakeholders and shareholders. 4. Compliance ââ¬â Laws and regulatory compliance such as Sarbanes Oxley and other labo ur-related laws that drive business structure and operations. These four objectives are part of the COSO model that is widely used in most organisations that have developed an ERM system, one of the most common models of ERM available. It is a comprehensive tool for identifying and managing risk factors (Moore, 2010). Enterprise risk management is beneficial to the business as it creates a teamwork
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Prepare a report for a small business whose owners are considring the Coursework
Prepare a report for a small business whose owners are considring the introduction of a computer network - Coursework Example However, it should be noted that using LAN might have some disadvantage. As the business grows, it will be observed that the range in which LAN is applicable might hinder its effectiveness. This is because LAN connections are only capable of operating in a local area, which in most cases is within a single building. Essentially, this form of connection will only apply to a handful of clients. In most cases, LAN has always been observed to be slow thus inappropriate for a situation where a person wants to use it to enhance faster sharing of information, data, applications, and equipment. Thus, the speed of this network connection is an outstanding challenge. There are a number of equipmentââ¬â¢s that will be needed in order for John to set up the new network. He will need twisted wires fitted with RJ-45 plug at the end. A network switch will be important in transmission of data from one device to another in the office. They will also need Midspans and splitters, which will be important in enabling the network to support Power over Ethernet. Power over Ethernet enables a network to use the same cable used in data transfer in supplying power to devices. They will also need network adaptors for connecting devices to the network. Routers will be needed to enable connection to multiple devices. The one advantage that the business can get by using a wireless network is that it encourages high levels of mobility (Columbus 2001, P. 123). This will specifically be important when Edward, the accountant comes to review their accounts. The business office will have a neater environment because there is no need for the many cables that are required for wired cables. However, as Fitzgerald & Dennis (2009) argue, a wireless network might be a little bit more costly because it requires more equipment. It is believed to be a relatively cheap network connection that requires minimal hassle in the process of setting up. The infrastructure used for this
The Marketing Mix for Pets.com Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The Marketing Mix for Pets.com - Case Study Example Diversity of product was what differentiated the site from other competitors, both online and bricks-and-mortar, thus attracting more potential target segments. During the launch and growth period of Pets.com, product was one of the primary selling points along the marketing mix. Place was emphasized for convenience, providing new opportunities for consumers to get pet products without having to visit a bricks-and-mortar competitor. Place was important in the late 1990s as the Internet was just beginning to become part of consumer lifestyle and thus represented innovation in sales strategy. Furthermore, price was an important part of the marketing mix. This was reflected in the companyââ¬â¢s guarantees for a flat rate shipping fee of $4.95 regardless of the volume and weight of the products being delivered. Sales and discounting incentives that provided further value also emphasized the companyââ¬â¢s focus on pricing as a differentiation tool. Finally, Pets.com also utilized pr omotion effectively, gaining brand exposure through cross-promotional strategies with The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. A very large expenditure to be included in the 2000 Super Bowl ad gave the company considerable promotional exposure and gained more consumer interest in the process. Analysis of Differentiation Strategy Diversity of product variety served to differentiate from other pet-related competition, illustrating that the business wanted to gain market attention and assist many different target segments. However, there were difficulties with this strategy as the company did not maintain the distribution and warehousing capacity needed to support this differentiation tactic. Further, holding costs of high volume inventories must be considered that include lighting, labor, and taxation that can significantly raise operating costs (Heizer and Render 174). Sales and discounting incentives also differentiated the business from competition. The advantage of this is that pr ice-sensitive consumers are more attracted to the business model over competition. When offering a flat rate guaranteed shipping price, this also had advantages related to price. Furthermore, using expert consultations from experts in the pet field, such as breeders and scientists, gave the business more credibility and expressed perceptions of competence to many target segments. Some of the differentiation strategies were implemented successfully, including having expert information available to pet owners that gave the business a better market position under quality. However, discounting and high volume merchandise selection offerings conflicted the process of avoiding losses associated with operational budget. If the business had re-examined its low flat rate shipping policy and redetermined its distribution network strategy, it is likely the cost of goods sold would not have been so high and attracted more investor confidence and interest in common stock purchasing. The Product- Market Growth Matrix Analysis Adding horse products to the business model was a diversification strategy, branching into untapped or new markets with a new line of relevant products (Boone and Kurtz 218). The result of this strategy along the product-market growth matrix proposed by Ansoff is having presence in a new market where the business had not previously been devoted. The companyââ¬â¢s diversification strategy, however, was not efficient, especially since the business did not have the capacity to sustain such high volume inventories and inventory holding costs. Horse ownership is a niche market and most consumers procure their products from local organizations and, because of this, it is not likely that Pets.com would have gained much revenue growth in an effort to lure horse enthusiasts to buy
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Works of Art Comparison and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Works of Art Comparison and Contrast - Essay Example The essay "Works of Art Comparison and Contrast" incorporates several works of art placed side by side for comparison and contrast purposes. Matisse Henry paints ââ¬Å"Nasturtiums with the Painting Danceâ⬠within the 1900 AD timeline. This artwork emphasizes on illustrating the theme of dancing based on the artistââ¬â¢s version of this subject. Using painting oil, he depicts a tall image consisted of a picture within a picture on canvas. The image depicts the subject matter of dance and dancing, as the two human images seem to dance around the jar sited on the turning table and overflowing with nasturtiums. This image shows fauvism existent the twentieth-century in the European Art. Similarly, Oââ¬â¢Keeffe utilizes painting oil on canvas in the artwork, ââ¬Å"From the Faraway, Nearbyâ⬠in the 1900 AD intended to bring forth the themes of precisionism in modern and contemporary art. Furthermore, to illustrate the same in the twentieth-century American art, the artist shows an animal skull sitting on mountainous landscapes. This art means to represent the women artists in North America through suggestions of physical and emotional realisms of the Southwest. Moreover, Oââ¬â¢Keeffeââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Cowââ¬â¢s Skull: Red, White and Blueâ⬠painted in 1931 precedes ââ¬Å"From the Faraway, Nearby.â⬠Both artworks reveal the artistââ¬â¢s love for use of skulls to pass messages. The ââ¬Å"Cowââ¬â¢s Skull: Red, White and Blueâ⬠displays the prominent three colors of the American flag. This use of the distinctive colors illustrates how images symbolized America. ... On the other hand, American scene painters utilized this opportunity to unravel the existent urban problems during that time. Nonetheless, the weathered cowââ¬â¢s skull used by Oââ¬â¢Keeffe represented Americaââ¬â¢s enduring spirit, thus, making the artwork a quintessential West American icon. Pippin, on the other hand, aims at illustrating historical themes in his artwork as the key subject matter. These historical settings mostly rest on his fighting experience in the Infantry regiment wars. Through these artwork pippin also enhances religious and political symbols. In this regard, Pippinââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Lady of the Lakeâ⬠distinctively shows the literary subject matter acquired from the past Arthurian legends through the portraits landscape setting. The personified naked sunbather stretched out on a blanket at the waterââ¬â¢s edge demonstrates the exaggeration of scale to give a certain perspective. Most importantly, the use of bright and intense blends of red and green typically illustrates the use of palette during the period of 1900 AD4. Additionally, Hopper in 1930 draws an art piece named ââ¬Å"Tables for Ladiesâ⬠that most importantly illustrates his personal existence during the Great Depression in America. All through the period, very few Americans afforded to dine in restaurants as illustrated by the restaurantââ¬â¢s emptiness. The artwork positions the viewer directly outside an ordinary restaurant in New York allowing them a clear view through the front window. The artist focuses the viewer past the menu cards placed in order on the table and the mouth-watering foods and the waitress trying to adjust them5. The view presents wooden polished interior characterized by a tiled floor and mirrored walls. In the
The Marketing Mix for Pets.com Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The Marketing Mix for Pets.com - Case Study Example Diversity of product was what differentiated the site from other competitors, both online and bricks-and-mortar, thus attracting more potential target segments. During the launch and growth period of Pets.com, product was one of the primary selling points along the marketing mix. Place was emphasized for convenience, providing new opportunities for consumers to get pet products without having to visit a bricks-and-mortar competitor. Place was important in the late 1990s as the Internet was just beginning to become part of consumer lifestyle and thus represented innovation in sales strategy. Furthermore, price was an important part of the marketing mix. This was reflected in the companyââ¬â¢s guarantees for a flat rate shipping fee of $4.95 regardless of the volume and weight of the products being delivered. Sales and discounting incentives that provided further value also emphasized the companyââ¬â¢s focus on pricing as a differentiation tool. Finally, Pets.com also utilized pr omotion effectively, gaining brand exposure through cross-promotional strategies with The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. A very large expenditure to be included in the 2000 Super Bowl ad gave the company considerable promotional exposure and gained more consumer interest in the process. Analysis of Differentiation Strategy Diversity of product variety served to differentiate from other pet-related competition, illustrating that the business wanted to gain market attention and assist many different target segments. However, there were difficulties with this strategy as the company did not maintain the distribution and warehousing capacity needed to support this differentiation tactic. Further, holding costs of high volume inventories must be considered that include lighting, labor, and taxation that can significantly raise operating costs (Heizer and Render 174). Sales and discounting incentives also differentiated the business from competition. The advantage of this is that pr ice-sensitive consumers are more attracted to the business model over competition. When offering a flat rate guaranteed shipping price, this also had advantages related to price. Furthermore, using expert consultations from experts in the pet field, such as breeders and scientists, gave the business more credibility and expressed perceptions of competence to many target segments. Some of the differentiation strategies were implemented successfully, including having expert information available to pet owners that gave the business a better market position under quality. However, discounting and high volume merchandise selection offerings conflicted the process of avoiding losses associated with operational budget. If the business had re-examined its low flat rate shipping policy and redetermined its distribution network strategy, it is likely the cost of goods sold would not have been so high and attracted more investor confidence and interest in common stock purchasing. The Product- Market Growth Matrix Analysis Adding horse products to the business model was a diversification strategy, branching into untapped or new markets with a new line of relevant products (Boone and Kurtz 218). The result of this strategy along the product-market growth matrix proposed by Ansoff is having presence in a new market where the business had not previously been devoted. The companyââ¬â¢s diversification strategy, however, was not efficient, especially since the business did not have the capacity to sustain such high volume inventories and inventory holding costs. Horse ownership is a niche market and most consumers procure their products from local organizations and, because of this, it is not likely that Pets.com would have gained much revenue growth in an effort to lure horse enthusiasts to buy
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Leadership Styles Essay Example for Free
Leadership Styles Essay The leadership styles of the United States Presidents can make them effective or it can limit their effectiveness. The effectiveness of the President has direct effect on the American people. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy were two leaders that had major influences in the mid-20th century. Both men played a key role in the United States involvement in Vietnam. The experiences, styles of leading, and characteristics of both Presidentââ¬â¢s Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy intensified the level of involvement the United States had in the Vietnam experience. Even though the leadership styles may have differed, the two leaders refused to let communism spread (Moss, 2010). Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedyââ¬â¢s leadership style although different had similar qualities. President Eisenhower and Kennedy could be considered to have the leadership styles of both the ââ¬Å"Directorâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Navigatorâ⬠. Thomas Preston has explained a Director style is a leader with ââ¬Å"both extensive policy experience and a high need for powerâ⬠(Preston, 2001). Directors have direct involvement in policy process by setting guidelines and advocating for their own personal views. The Navigator also has extensive expertise in policy but they also search for the opinions and viewpoints of other advisors. Navigators will gather the information and from the multiple different perspectives have a more deliberate decision making style. Without having a Navigator sense of style, the effectiveness of any leader can be limited because of a lack of information gathered and reviewed for decision. President Eisenhower proved his leadership style by the way he was involved in the political unrest in Vietnam. According to Preston, President Eisenhower ââ¬Å"preferred formal, hierarchically organized advisory structure where information and advice could be centralized into a small inner circle of advisersâ⬠(Preston, 2001). However because of the Presidentââ¬â¢s expertise in foreign policy he had a very active personal role in the policy process and delegated very little to other expert advisors. Eisenhowerââ¬â¢s own preferences in policy lead to the policy decisions. President Eisenhower gave the command to intervene in southern Vietnam and replace the French (Moss, 2010). This was to maintain a non-Communist state thereby halting the potential spread of Communism. President Kennedy was interested in multiple perspectives on policy; he listened to different sources on conflicting views and planned for debates prior to decision making (Preston, 2001). Kennedy wanted political rest and peace in Vietnam but knew that without US involvement, the fighting and attacks on Vietnam would increase. Because of this, the United States became more heavily involved which meant more military forces and money being spent. Kennedy had made decisions to violate the provisions of the Geneva agreements of 1954, thereby increasing the U.S. military significantly in Vietnam. ââ¬Å"Kennedy was not trying to win in Vietnam: he was doing only enough not to loseâ⬠(Moss, 2010). This sense of leadership by Kennedy was devised to protect the U.S. by only having a limited partnership with the Vietnam government. For President Kennedy, as a Director, he kept active involvemen t in policy process and needed assurance that his own thoughts and ideas would dominate the end result. However, as the Navigator, he trusted his advisory team and kept an open advisory system ââ¬Å"characterized by a mixed formal-informal advice networkâ⬠(Preston, 2001). With the dual leadership style the President called for the heavy military involvement in Vietnam in 1965 (Moss, 2010). By having expertise in foreign affairs and taking the advice of his advisors, President Kennedy made the important decision to become more involved in the war efforts. For the United States, the Presidentââ¬â¢s leadership is very important. The President is the countries representation. It is both very prestigious and powerful to be voted in as President of the United States. The President has the ability to keep the United States from war, or send us to war. The President is in charge of the military, deciding where troops should be stationed and how weapons should be used. That is great power, and without the backing of the American people the President and his cabinet wouldnââ¬â¢t be as powerful as they are. The American people need to know that the President has their best interest in mind. In conclusion, regardless of who the President is, the need for leadership is of great importance. By having both the Director and Navigator style leadership, the role of the President can be effective. The expertise, the desire to have a powerful role but also having the willingness to view other opinions for decision making is essential to making a great leader. The role the President has to be one that is inspiring to the American people but also the American people need to trust their leader, without trust there would be weakness.
Monday, October 14, 2019
The Traditional Family Life Cycle
The Traditional Family Life Cycle Traditional Family Life Cycle: Traditionally the life cycle, illustrated a progression of stages through which families passed; it comprised stages, starting from bachelorhood (single), to married (couple), to family growth (parenthood: birth of children), to family contraction (grown up children leaving home for studies or employment) to post parenthood (all children leaving home) to dissolution (single survivor: death of one of the spouses). Based on these, the traditional FLC can be synthesized into five basic stages, which may be mentioned as follows: Stage I: Bachelorhood: Young single adult (male/female) living apart from parents and into a livelihood. Stage II: Honeymooners: Young married couple. Stage III: Parenthood: Married couple with at least one child living with them at home. Stage IV: Postparenthood: An older married couple with no children living at home. Children have left home for studies or for employment. Stage V: Dissolution: One surviving spouse. These stages, consumption patterns and the product preferences are explained below: 1. Stage I: Bachelorhood: The stage comprises a young single adult (male/female) living apart from parents and into a livelihood. While incomes are low as they have just started a career, financial burdens and responsibilities are also low. As such bachelors have a high level of disposable income. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: They tend to spend their money on house rent, basic furniture and kitchen equipment. They are recreation oriented and like to spend on purchase of automobiles (particularly motor bikes), travel (trekking and holidays), adventure sports (motor racing, bungee jumping etc.), health clubs, clothes and fashion accessories. Implications for Marketers: Marketers realize that bachelors possess large disposable income; they find in them an attractive segment for sports, travel, entertainment and fun. 2. Stage II: Honeymooners: The stage comprises a newly married couple and continues till the first child is born. One of the spouses may be working or both may be working. They are financially better off than they would be in the next stages. If both are working, income is higher. If both are working, the couple has discretionary income at hand that permits a good lifestyle, and provides for purchases or savings. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: They tend to spend on creating a home for themselves. They spend on cars, furniture, curtains and upholstery, electronics, kitchen appliances and utensils, and vacations. Implications for Marketers: They form an attractive segment for the marketer as they form the highest purchase rate amongst segments. The highest average purchase of durables takes place in this stage. 3. Stage III: Parenthood: The stage comprises married couples with children. This stage extends for about a long 20-25 year period; and could be further broken up into three stages, viz., Full Nest I, Full Nest II and Full Nest III. Throughout these stages, the size and structure of the family gradually changes, so does income and expenses with varying priorities. The financial expenses increase rapidly with children being born in Full Nest I and gradually decrease as children become independent and self-supporting as one reaches Full Nest III. Full Nest I: The youngest child in the family is six or below. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: While liquidity of cash is low, expenses are high. The family spends on baby food, diapers, medicines for cough and cold, doctor visits, child toys and games, school admissions and fees and insurance policies. There are increased expenses on child care. Implications for Marketers: At this stage, purchasing is at the peak, and so this is an attractive segment for the marketer. The children in the family begin to impact family purchases, and are a huge potential for future. Full Nest II: The youngest child in the family is six or above. Generally the stage comprises children aged 6-12 years. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: Financial position gets better as one begins to rise up the ladder. If the wife is also working, children are à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
âlatchkey kids.à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã The family spends on food, clothes for children, education of children, insurance policies and investments. They also pay for medical expenses and particularly, dental treatment. They go in for deals; buy larger-size packages, and economy packs. For example, junk food, fashion clothing and accessories, video games etc. are prime demands. Implications for Marketers: At this stage, purchasing is still at the peak, and so this is also an attractive segment for the marketer. The children, as also teenagers continue to impact family purchases. The latchkey kids are a potential for home delivered junk food like pizzas and burgers. Full nest III: They are older married couples with dependent and/or independent children but staying together at home. Children reach the higher educational level; one of them may start earning too. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: The family income continues to increase and so do expenses. The family continues to spend on food, clothes for teenagers, higher education of children, and also repeat purchase of durables that were bought in honeymooning stage or Full Nest I. The family buys new furniture, electronic goods and appliances and cars. Thus there is high average purchase of durables. The family also invests in real estate and property and/or flats. They continue to spend on medical expenses, particularly dentists and visit general physicians for regular checkups. Implications for Marketers: At this stage, income begins to increase as one of the children begins to earn. As expenses see a rise, the stage offers a potential for marketers. 4. Stage IV: Postparenthood: This is a stage that occurs once children have left home. They leave home first for education, and then for employment. As they complete their education, and find employment, they gradually leave home one by one, thus, leaving the nest. Thus, this stage has also been broken into two stages, viz., Empty Nest I and Empty Nest II. As one moves across Empty Nest I and II, the size and structure of the family changes (quite similar to the Parenthood stage and the Full Nest I, II and III). Empty Nest I: This is a stage that occurs when at least one of the children has left home. He/she has completed education, taken up a job and has left home to start his/her home. He/she is independent and can manage on own. While children are managing to start up on their own, parents are still working. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: The family size gradually begins to shrink. Parents are still earning; expenses gradually reduce, and so there is highest level of savings and disposable income at hand. The family spends on food, instalments for real estate/house, higher education of the dependent children, and, medical expenses on dentist, physiotherapy and heart. They have leisure time in hand, and watch television, movies, and may even go on a vacation. Implications for Marketers: At this stage, the couple beings to again have disposable income in hand. Financial responsibilities towards children begin to decrease. This stage offers potential for marketers who are involved in providing services like leisure, travel and holiday. Empty Nest II: In this stage, all the children have left home, and the couple has retired from occupation. They live on pension and other social security investments. If health permits, they take up part-time jobs. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: The couple has higher disposable incomes because of savings and investments, and they have fewer expenses. They decide to spend on all that they had been thinking to spend on but had not been able to because of familial responsibilities. They spend money on food, travel and holidays, watch TV and form hobby clubs. They refurnish their home or may even move to newer homes after retirement. Medical expenses also see a rise. However, for those older retired couples who do not have much income from adequate savings and investments, the situation is much different. There is a sharp drop in their income. Implications for Marketers: The stage is lucrative for those involved in the entertainment industry. Many industries provide special discounts in travel and stay as à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
âSenior Citizen benefits, for example, hotels, airlines and railways. Banks and financial institutions also have special facilities for those above 60, especially higher rates of interest on deposits. 5. Stage V: Dissolution: This stage in the FLC occurs when one of the couple dies, and leaves behind the other surviving spouse. Priorities and Preferences of Purchase: When one of the spouses is still earning, or earns money from savings and investments, things are little easier. However, if he/she is not earning, he/she follows a lifestyle that is economical. The primary expenditure is on medicines, checkups with doctors and restrictive diet. Implications for Marketers: The stage is characteristic of a widow/widower with lower income and least shopping and expenses. Modifications to the FLC: With changes in our society, a change in the traditional Family Life Cycle and the various stages through which it progressed earlier. There are various forms like single; late marriages; divorced (with/without children); dual income, no kids, live-ins etc. Consumer researchers have thus brought about changes in the traditional FLC, so as to reflect changes in the family and lifestyle arrangements. Broadly speaking households may be classified as family households and non-family households (single individual or live-ins). Each of these family types has varying features and characteristics, which also get exhibited in their buying patterns and consumption expenditure. Family life cycle of Dominos Pizza Bachelorhood: Dominos pizza does not come under this stage because the income a person is very low and have to spend their money on house rent, basic furniture and kitchen equipment. Honeymooners: Dominos pizza comes under this stage because they tend to spend their money more. Parenthood: Dominos pizza also comes into this stage because in this the family income increases and then family continues to spend on food, clothes etc. Post parenthood: Dominos pizza comes under this stage because family is small but wants doing expenses. Dissolution: Dominos pizza does not come under this stage because their primary expenditure is on medicines, checkups and doctors. Family life cycle of Mobile Phones Bachelorhood: Mobile phones come under this stage because the income a person is very low but they have to spend their money on automobiles, clothes etc. Honeymooners: Mobile phones come under this stage because they tend to spend their money more. Parenthood: Mobile Phones also come into this stage because in this the family income increases and then family continues to spend on food, clothes, accessories etc. Post parenthood: Mobile phones come under this stage because family is small but wants doing expenses. Dissolution: Mobile Phone does not come under this stage because their primary expenditure is on medicines, checkups and doctors. Family life cycle of Mutual Funds Bachelorhood: Mutual Funds does not come under this stage because the income a person is very low but they have to spend their money on automobiles, clothes etc. Honeymooners: Mutual Funds come under this stage because they tend to spend their money more. Parenthood: Mutual Funds also come into this stage because in this the family income increases and then family continues to spend on food, clothes, accessories etc. Post parenthood: Mutual Funds come under this stage because family is small but wants doing expenses. Dissolution: Mutual Funds come under this stage because their primary expenditure is on medicines, checkups and doctors and spend for future stability.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
International Trade and The Kyoto Protocol Essay -- Kyoto Protocol Pol
International Trade and The Kyoto Protocol Pollution, specifically global warming, is of growing concern to people and governments. It is a controversial issue whose validity is still being debated by scientists. The Kyoto Protocol is an international attempt to address global warming through emissions controls. Traditional neoclassical economic models do not incorporate pollution in rudimentary theories of supply, demand, or pricing, as a result, firms do not consider pollution as a cost of production, which leaves government regulation as the primary method for controlling these externalities. The goal of emissions trading is to allow one business, which can make greenhouse gas emission reductions for a relatively low cost, to sell the rights to those reductions, or credits, to an entity which would find it more expensive to achieve the same level of reduction through in-house activities. Unfortunately, public sentiment on the Kyoto Protocol focuses only on the end goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission and does not look at implications of the agreement. The Kyoto Protocol attempts to establish an international agreement to lower global emissions through a combination of domestic and offshore policies. While domestic policies can have an effect on international markets, they are considered less important than offshore policies. It is the offshore policies of emissions trading, clean development mechanisms, and joint implementation, which are predicted to have the greatest impact on emissions controls and international trade. This paper will outline the provisions of the protocol and attempt to explain some of the shortcomings which may have led to the United States withdrawing its support for the agreement. The ... ...al. It needs to include provisions for monitoring and enforcing standards. Environmental improvements may be better accomplished without credit trading. Instead, global standards and an international body of power may be more effective, similar to the WTO and trade. Works Referenced Carter, R.G. (2002). Contemporary Cases in U.S. Foreign Policy. CQ Press. Washington D.C. Chambers, W.B. (2001). Inter-linkages: The Kyoto Protocol and the International Trade and Investment Regimes. United Nations University Press. New York. Kerr, S. (2000). Global Emissions Trading: Key issues for Industrialized Countries. Edward Elgar. Great Britain. McKibbin, W. J. (2000). Moving Beyond Kyoto. The Brookings Institute. Washington D.C. McKibbin, W.J., Wilcoxen. P.J. (1999). Permit Trading Under the Kyoto Protocol and Beyond. The Brookings Institute. Washington D.C.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Forgiveness in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays
Forgiveness in The Scarlet Letter "Time heals all wounds." is a famous line in American history. I don't think that this is true. My line would be, "Forgiveness heals all wounds." I think that Forgiveness in a very important part of life. Without it, people can not move on with their lives. Let's take for instance a murderer and the family of the person he killed. The murderer may be sentenced to death. The family of the person who was killed could go in and watch the man that killed their family member be put to death. That may give them peace of mind, but they still can not completely move on. They must forgive murderer for killing the person before they can really move on with their lives. Once they do this it will be easier for them. A book that really illustrated this is The Scarlet Letter. In this book there are three main characters, Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne, and Roger Chillingworth. These three people either needed forgiveness or needed to forgive someone. Some got it, some didn't. Whether or not they received or gave forgiveness had a great impact in their lives. Arthur Dimmesdale was a Reverend. He was supposed to be a great, God fearing person. He was supposed to never break a rule and be the kind of person everyone wanted to be. The only problem was that Dimmesdale had sinned, and it had been a horrible sin. He had slept with a married woman, and she ended up pregnant. This married woman was Hester Prynne. He needed forgiveness from everyone else before he could forgive himself. Dimmesdale couldn't tell anyone what he had done because he could have been put to death for it. He was too afraid of everyone else's reaction to tell them what he person had done. Therefore he could not receive forgiveness. This sin ate away at Dimmesdale till he couldn't live anymore. All this happened because he couldn't receive forgiveness from the people of his community and himself. Hester Prynne had been sent to Boston with reports of her husband to follow. After about a year she got kind of lonely. She wasn't sure is he even was going to come to her.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Faith in ââ¬ÅLife of Piââ¬Â Essay
How deep is your faith? How strong is your will to survive if the tables were turned and misfortune rocked your boat of life? Throughout the entire novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the protagonist Piscine Molitor Patel develops an extreme devotion to God. As the story progresses Piââ¬â¢s faith becomes stronger, allowing him to continue living a peaceful life even when things get nearly impossible. Religion keeps Pi busy, happy and most importantlyâ⬠¦ alive. He develops a profound faith in Godââ¬â¢s of 3 different religions (Hinduism, Islam and Christianity), which is put to the test when he spends 227 days stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean. During those 227 days Pi as a character grows immensely and his beliefs are truly put to the test. Eventually the theme of faith leads to the biggest question in the novel after Pi tells two completely different stories of his survival to the Japanese insurance investigators. Which is the better story? Faith is believing what you want to believe, yet cannot prove. Sadly, many people live with this definition of faith. For some it feels liberating. It means being able to believe in anything; no explanation is required or given; it is just a matter of faith. For others, such a definition is sickening. This definition states as faith increases, reason and meaning eventually disappear. Nothing can be proved, so in other words living in faith is living in the dark. ââ¬Å"Religion will save us,â⬠I said. Since when I could remember, religions had always been close to my heart. ââ¬Å"Religion?â⬠Mr. Kumar grinned broadly. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t believe in religion. Religion is darkness.â⬠Darkness?â⬠I was puzzled. I thought, Darkness is the last thing that religion is. Religion is lightâ⬠Pi completely contradicts the statement ââ¬Ëfaith is living in the dark.ââ¬â¢ Faith is not meant to be interpreted in such a way, which is something Pi realizes during the earliest stages of the novel. Pi chooses to believe what he would like to believe, even if it meant taking several concepts from 3 completely different religions and combining them to create a Utopian religion in a sense. As a child, Pi begins to read a great amount and starts embracing more than just one religion. He notices that their powerful narratives have the ability to provide meaning and dimension to life, which is where Piââ¬â¢sà interest and faith in multiple religions truly begin to develop. In Pondicherry, his atheist biology teacher Mr. Kumar challenges his Hindu faith in God, this makes Pi realize the positive power of belief and the need to overcome the harshness of the universe. Piscine then becomes incredibly motivated to learn more and begins practicing Christianity and Islam, realizing these religions all share the same foundation: belief in a loving higher power. Practicing three different religions gave Pi the flexibility to choose the good and convenient aspects from each. This allowed him to practice a utopian religion where his curiosity could be satisfied, so Pi became very dedicated to each religion. He went to worship at the local mosque, mandir and church but chose to hide all of this from his parents. Piââ¬â¢s faith and belief in God inspires him as a child, keeps him motivated and constantly thinking but most importantly, helps sustain him while at sea. While Pi is in middle the ocean on the lifeboat after the sinking of the TsimTsum, he turns to faith and religion to keep busy and give himself hope. Throughout the novel we see that faith and religion is something Pi turns to in order to keep himself occupied, especially during his 227 days at sea. On that stormy night, cruising on a ship in the middle of the ocean, Pi lost everything, everything that meant something to him, his family, his protection, the feeling of safety and love. In other words, everything that could give him a hint of hope had disappeared in a matter of seconds. In exchange for all of that he was left stranded on a life boat in the Pacific Ocean surrounded with fierce zoo animals. Even though he had no way of being sure that he would be saved, he still pushed himself to believing that somehow he will be able to overcome the crises that he had fallen in. He prayed to God even though he had no proof He was there but he believed that God really was listening. He believed because he had no other choice. In a situation such as this one, Pi needed a miracle. On the lifeboat, prayer becomes a daily routine for the cast away. Each day Pi wakes up, prays, feeds Richard Parker and inspects the raft and lifeboat, which helps him maintain his mental sanity by keeping busy. His religious rituals allow him to feel a sense of calmness and give him the will to go on. ââ¬Å"They brought me comfort, that is certain. But it was hard, oh, it was hard. Faith in God isà an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love- but sometimes it was so hard to love.â⬠(page 231) Pi admits that it was hard to put his trust in God when it seemed like He wasnââ¬â¢t listening, but continues praying, staying faithful and practising his religious rituals throughout the entire 227 days. On a superficial level, Piââ¬â¢s faith contributes to his survival by providing daily rituals. On a deeper level, Piââ¬â¢s faith contributes to his survival through answered prayers. Several times during his experience on the life boat Pi calls to deities during life threatening situations. ââ¬Å"My heart stopped and then beat triple speed. I turned. ââ¬Å"Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu!â⬠I saw a sight that will stay with me for the rest of my days. Richard Parker had risen and emerged. He was not fifteen feet from me. Oh, the size of him! The hyenaââ¬â¢s end had come, and mine.ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ Here, Pi who is on the point of death. Richard Parker, a deadly animal, could have easily killed Pi. However, due to Piââ¬â¢s prayer, he is saved. A rat ââ¬Å"appeared out of nowhereâ⬠and Pi is able to fling at Richard Parker who accepts the rat as an ââ¬Å"offeringâ⬠and flops back down on the bottom of the lifeboat. Piââ¬â¢s prayer along with many others had been answered due to the immense amount of faith and dedication Pi shows throughout the novel. Pi has the faith to go on. Even in the most difficult situations, he realizes that in order to survive or even have the will to survive he must put his trust in God and have faith that things will get better. Pi stays strong and courageous and never has the attitude of defeat, he believes that he will get off the lifeboat eventually. Pi has faith in everything around him, giving him more motivation to continue on with his daily life on the boat. à Throughout the course of this entire novel, Piââ¬â¢s faith is put to the test. At the beginning of the novel, an older Pi states that he can tell a story that will make the author believe in God, which is true in many ways. Yann Martel creates two stories on Piââ¬â¢s survival in the Pacific while talking to the Japanese insurance investors. One story involving the zoo animals that was very long, fantastical and elaborate and the other that was incredibly brutal and deals directly with issues such as human brutality andà cannibalis m. The story with Richard Parker and the zoo animals is told in great depth for 318 pages of the novel, but after the insurance investigators flat out tell Pi ââ¬Å"We do not believe your storyâ⬠Pi recreates another more believable, yet more gruesome story. In Piââ¬â¢s second story he retells the first one but using humans instead. He hints that the zebra is the Japanese sailor (innocent and defeated), Piââ¬â¢s mother is the orang-utan,(motherly and caring) the hyena is the cook (pure example of evil in humans) and Pi is Richard Parker. In his second story, the cook is a pure example of evil in humans, which is something that many choose to believe that such a thing does not exist. The first story Pi tells is a much more powerful, inspiring story but the second is more believable in many ways. So where does God come in? How can this story make someone believe in God? In a way, Richard Parker represents God. At the end of the novel, when Pi has told his long story to two Japanese insurance investigators but they refuse to believe him, Pi tells a shorter, ugly version that is much more believable, but many hate to believe. Then Pi asks the investigators which story they prefer. Many want to believe in the story where Richard Parker existed because itââ¬â¢s a better story than the one of madness, murder and cannibalism but that is where faith comes in. Faith that Pi was telling the truth the whole time. So what about the prediction at the beginning, that the story will make anyone believe in God? Yann Martel uses the desire to believe in Richard Parker as a stand in for God, creating an analogy, that the readers and audience must make on their own. Pi desperately wants to believe in God. The whole point of the novel is to trick the reader into the question, which is the better story?. Of course everyone prefers Richard Parker to be real. The theme is to accept that belief in God is the better story, just how Richard Parker is hoped to be real. Yann Martel states people prefer religion over reality because the story of God is a better story than reality.The novel is an elaborate metaphor to explain why people believe in God. It doesnââ¬â¢t say that God exists. It just says people prefer to belief in God because itââ¬â¢s a better story than how we see reality directly. Conclusion: During the course of life of Pi, the theme of faith occurs often. Whether it is keeping Pi educated, alive or even kept in the back ofà peopleââ¬â¢s minds long after the novel ends. Faith gives Pi the power to go on, even when he feels as if everything is hopeless. So, without Piââ¬â¢s faith in God that he developed near the beginning he would not have made it through the 227 long, hard days as sea. And whichever story is right, the better story will always be the one with Richard Parker because faith is God and God is faith.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Formal and Informal Organisations Management
Introduction This essay is based on Formal and Informal organisations and the details and difference between the two. Recommendations and conclusions are also drawn based on the information presented. Formal and Informal Organisations The fundamental concepts of formal and informal organisations are regarded with the nature and processes in the workplace. A formal organization is the actual framework of the organization including its organizational chart and its chain of command which determines accountability.However, within the informal organization, otherwise known as the ââ¬Ëgrapevineââ¬â¢ in a business, is the familiar working relationships that are established in the business place and contributes significantly to work culture. (Reingold, 2007) The real purpose of an organizational chart is to effectively outline the structure of the formal organization. It shows who is accountable to whom, from the top management to middle management and front line employees. It also sho ws the horizontalrelationships of the different functional and operational divisions and department personnel.This chart consists of the functional framework and is important in the workplace to establish stability, clarity in work relationships and reporting standards between supervisors and subordinates. (Parker, 2002) Although top management in some businesses does not take into account, the actuality of informal organizations when trying to determine culture, it does have an essential influence on work dynamism. Workers interact with each other at different intervals and in different situations such as lunch, in the break room, and even after work.These encounters can greatly influence the level of the sense of belongingness each employee experiences or feels in the working environment. If it is that these encounters are generally negative, the quality of work ethics and morale will be very poor. (Reingold, 2007) Understanding the direct reporting relationships outlined in the o rganizational chart is often less important than knowing the ââ¬Ëgo-to peopleââ¬â¢ in the company. For ambitious employees, this may mean looking beyondimmediate coworkers and managers and finding helpful mentors and internal coaches that want to help them succeed.Information communication networks are also useful tools in learning how the company works just beyond what is conveyed from top management. It is important to note that when front line employees get prompted into management positions they often forget the significance in striking a balance between the formal structure and informal networks within the business. Disciplined structure and clear reporting relationships are important. However, management also has a lot to gain by remembering that informal networks are real and is of much use.Managers can maximize insight on how employees feel towards their jobs and how functional terms are operating through familiar conversations. While formal relationships are key to ac complishing organizational and departmental goals and objectives they are sometimes restrictive to open interactions. (Parker M. , 2003) An example of a formal organization would be the Jamaica National Building Society which has clear concise goals written and duly communicated. It is a registered financial institution that provides service to the public in a very organized and structured manner both in physical space and information management.An example of an informal organization would be a study group where interactions are familiar and there is no legal framework or organizational structure that governs the operations of the group. In businesses, employees are both part of the formal organization as well as the informal. A sales clerk in a marketing company is part of the formal structure of the business and is given a job description and specification but can also be part of an informal organization within the same business such as a partner group.Recommendation Individuals i n an organization normally work according to the structure prescribed by formality. However, at the same time, they develop other relationships in the organization, which may be deeply grounded on personal rather than work related principles. Both formal and informal organisations exist in all businesses and can impact their operations in negative and positive ways. My preference and recommendations with regards to choosing between the two would be the formal organization as it has many advantages.It constitutes the fundamental structure of the delegation of work and responsibilities. Without a structure it would be very difficult for employees to agree between themselves and their roles and functions and such problems multiply in large amounts with the increase in size of the organization. In addition to this, formal organisations generate clarity of what support and input each employee can expect form others and in turn what is expected of him/her by others. Extreme discipline is promoted in the business and so employees have respect for each other.In formal organisations it is easier to review and revise the organization with changing requirements. It provides a framework or structure for laying down pay scales and taking other decisions linked to organizational levels. It also helps in other human resources development activities such as recruitment, promotions, career planning and development and manpower planning. Conclusion Formal organisations are characterized by a chain of command and empowered individuals to enforce agreed upon rules. Rotary clubs and boy scouts are examples of formal organisations.They both have a charter stating their place and function in society. On the other hand, an informal organization is one where the participants have no empowered central leader who has the power to enforce rules on the group. References Parker, A. (2002). Myths about Informal Networks. Sloan Management Review , 345-350. Parker, M. (2003). The Psychologica l Foundations of Business Administration. The Early Siciology of Management and Organisations , 216-235. Reingold, J. (2007). Hidden Workplace. Comments on organisation , 706-811.
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