Summaries and critical thoughs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summaries and critical thoughs - Essay Example They insist on the fact that homosexuality and its identity is in between the sexes of both men and women. The pedigree of male homosexuality is comprised of five categories, sodomy, friendship, effeminacy, inversion, and homosexuality. However, according to the study, male homosexuals act as prostitutes, in their roles as women. Studies suggest that many males who practice prostitution refer to themselves as heterosexual and they develop complex policies to neutralize their significant behaviors. The text has been described as taboo breaking that describes homosexuality in the 14th century in London. The author focuses on same-sex intercourse and male transvestism in medieval England. Rykener’s interrogation in the text raises concern on the public understanding of sexuality in a medieval culture. This entails of lack of specific sexualities, and the deployment of the concept of sodomy and homosexuality. The questions are difficult for John Eleanor Rykener to answer although the text explains the argument. Rykener is a transvestite and a prostitute. This is because he had sex with both men and women, although he committed homosexuality for money. The author states that all women who had sex with multiple partners and the commercial partners are described as meretrix in the medieval society. This means that prostitution is linked to feminist. However, in cases that involved men, they were referred as oxymoron. This is a reason that describes the reason why Rykener is not accused of prostitution in the London court. Men who indulge in commercial sex are not described as prostitutes but instead they are termed as sodomists. However, the text explains that if Rykener was not considered a prostitute based on medieval understanding of the concept, he would not be convicted as a sodomite. However, it is important to note that from the arguments of the text, a legal crime of sodomy did note mean that those involved were homosexual. The author states

Teaching children Essay Example for Free

Teaching children Essay While it is necessary to monitor the programs that children are viewing on television, it is also important to understand that children do not have the concept of what is real and unreal at an early age. Teaching children to become media skeptics is expecting them to think and rationalize like adults. In the essay, Remote Control: How to Raise a Media Skeptic, Susan Douglas narrates how she tells her young daughter to become a more discriminating television viewer. The author is not against children watching television as evident in her statement, â€Å"I am not one of those virtuous, haloed parents who has banished the box from the home. She points out that growing up with TV provides her daughter with a form of cultural literacy that is important for the child’s growing years. She only wants her daughter to understand about what is on television and why it is there. It is an act of showing the child that whatever she sees on commercials is not what it is in reality. She believes that talking to children about what they see on television and what is unreal is important in raising them to become media skeptic. It is similar to giving them the skills and the tools to know that not everything is true on television because advertisements are there to attract us to buy products that are not as good as they are presented on TV. By nature, children are attracted to toys that are colorful, with moving parts and attractive sounds and media knows how to attract the very young consumers. Children prefer anything that stimulates their senses. They do not have the capability to understand about safety, durability, and cost. They are just kids who want to play with their toys. When they are in the toy section, they will pick toys that are seen on cartoons shows or TV commercials. When I was a child, I never had parents like Susan Douglas. My parents never pointed out what is good on television or what is real and unreal with what we see on the commercials. As we grow up, we have our own ability to know whether we are being fooled by the advertisements or whether they are telling us the truth. I believe that as long as we are studying, talking with people and we are exposed to all forms of media, the knowledge of determining what is real and not real will come naturally even without the intervention of the adults. Being a media critic, the writer Susan Douglas is sensitive to whatever she views on television. There is also a strong tendency for her to push her opinions on others and influence them on what she believes is real and what is not real. She monitors her daughter well and fears the effect of media on her child. Although there are positive and negative effects of television on the young viewers, I also believe that we should keep tract on what the children are viewing. However, I do not agree that children should be trained to become media skeptics at a young age. Adults should allow their children to be children. Pointing out everything that is right or wrong on television will affect the imaginary minds of the children. It will also spoil the fun of making children enjoy the toys that are in the market. We should not hasten the growth of the child and make them think like adults. I do not agree with the statement that â€Å"one of the best words to use when you’re watching TV with your kids is stupid. † Adults do not have the same imagination as children. What is stupid for adults may be fun for the kids. In time, children will know that ladies do not have perfect figures like the Barbie dolls and that both males and females do household chores and change babies’ diapers. Susan Douglas’ method may be effective because children trust the opinions of their parents and regard them as an authority figure. However, since most of us were not taught by our parents to be media skeptics, I believe that her techniques will not be fully acceptable to all parents.

themebeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - Themes and Motifs in Beowulf :: Epic Beowulf essays

Beowulf:   Themes and Motifs    Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction.   Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon storyteller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the important character elements in Beowulf are Wealth & Honor, Biblical & Paganistic, and Man vs. Wild themes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the characters in Beowulf are, like in most epics, defined by their status.   But, in addition to status, the Anglo-Saxon culture also adds an element of honor.   To the Anglo-Saxons, a character’s importance, as well as their wealth and status, where measured not only in monetary terms, but it was also measured in terms of honor, fame, and accomplishments.   Hrothgar, king of the Danes, is one example of the Anglo-Saxon measurement of importance in Beowulf.   In Canto 1 the story teller describes his wealth and importance, not as mounds of gold or jewels, but instead as his ability to â€Å"[lead] the Danes to such glory.† and as his tendency to â€Å"In battle, [leave] the common pasture untouched, and taking no lives.† Through this display of compassion for the commoner who doesn’t fight in battles, Hrothgar proves the full extent of his honor and therefore the extent of his wealth and status.   Beowulf, th e hero-prince, also proves his true wealth and status through his deeds as defender of the Danes..   As he fights and defeats Grendel, Beowulf Earns Fame and wealth from his companions, and from the Danes, but more importantly, he earns honor raising him to the level of an archetypal hero.   Grendel, on the other hand, is the total opposite of Beowulf.   He has no wealth, no honor, and he in infamous as an evil killer.   This lack of wealth and honor defines Grendel as a symbol of evil and corruption.   In addition to using Honor and wealth to define a character’s character, the story-teller(s) have incorporated alternating Biblical and Paganistic motifs in the epic-poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The original Epic was obviously Paganistic due to the time period of it’s creation. But, as time wore on, the rewriting and touching up of the manuscripts by various sources including religious monks, caused the characters to have slight Christian characteristics. These Christian themes have become very important to the epic to add am element of depth that wouldn’t be possible in modern times due to the lost of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs.

Analysis of Cesar Vallejos Poem, Our Daily Bread (Translated by James Wright) :: Religion

Analysis of Cesar Vallejo's Poem, Our Daily Bread (Translated by James Wright) I was in a turmoil when I read and reread "Our Daily Bread." This poem has a lot of emotions involved in it. Feelings of hunger, sadness, anger, guilt, and warmth are felt through out the poem. In the first stanza, the speaker sets the scene with "Damp earth of the cemetery," "City of winter," "mordant crusade." Especially when the speaker speaks of "the fragrance of the precious blood," we feel coldness, loneliness and death. All through this poem, the speaker uses symbols to connect us with Jesus. The "precious blood" is a symbol of Jesus giving his life for us. If you look at it in a different way, the precious blood is the blood that drips down from Jesus' forehead from the crown of thorns. The phrase "and emotion of fasting that cannot get free" represents hunger and death. The meaning behind "I wish I could beat on all the doors, and ask for somebody" -- if we think of the narrator as Jesus's voice -- is that Jesus wishes he could have reached more people who were in need. "Look at the poor, and, while they wept softly" is surely an emotion of guilt that he didn't reach as many people as he wanted to. Then he goes on with feeding the poor: "give bits of fresh bread." He turns his guilt to anger toward the rich by saying he would "plunder the rich of their vineyards." Other symbols of Jesus dying for us is the blood and wine that our sins may be forgiven. The speaker uses "two blessed hands" -- Jesus's hands as they nailed him to the cross. "Blasted the nails with one blow of light" represents Jesus's crucifixion. As they nailed him to the cross, it grew dark, and his holy spirit "flew away from the Cross!" up to the heavens. The speaker returns to the crucifixion with the phrase "every bone in me belongs to others." This is a symbol of Jesus dying for us. "Maybe I robbed them," he says. Jesus feels that he did not achieve his purpose as he continues: "I start to think that, if I had not been born, another poor man could have drunk this coffee." "I feel like a dirty thief." This phrase conveys Jesus's feelings of betrayal that he robbed us by not fulfilling his goals.

Business in China Essay

There are many cross cultural differences that would need to be taken into consideration if a US company were to expand into China. Language is an important cultural difference that has to be taken into consideration. It would be wise to consult a native speaker. Due to various dialects and local slang a translation of something would have to be understood by all and to not offend a particular market. An American advertisement in English would be understood by all of the US but a Chinese advertisement in one of the seven Chinese dialects would not be understood by everyone in China. An American advertisement or product info that is mistranslated could make it off putting to consumers or investors. The legal system in China is vastly different than in the US. Corruption is rampant in China when doing business and often times bribes are necessary in order to ensure that your operation runs according to plan. The legal system in China is more difficult to navigate and lacks neutrality as the China Communist Party is in complete control of it. The US legal system has more neutrality, transparency and it is easier to file court cases. Bribes in the US would be completely illegal and never permissible. Gender is another cultural difference between the US and China. Gender inequality in China has existed throughout history and just recently laws are being passed in order to ensure equality but discrimination is still experienced. Women are still expected to do all housework even if they have a job and they normally make less than their male counterparts. Although the situation is improving, males are more favored in business dealings. A US company would need to be hesitant in sending a female executive to China to do any new dealings as Chinese companies might not be as comfortable compared to if they were dealing with a male. B The safety of products in the US is very different as compared to China. China is known for their cheap goods but they come at a health cost as low quality standards often lead to toxic or unsafe products. Many US companies outsource their production in order to lower costs and US products are often  recalled due to lead or other chemicals being found in the products after they have been purchased by the consumer. In the US this would not happen due to high industry quality standards and regulations. In China companies must strictly implement their own safety standards and monitor that they are being followed in order to ensure quality products up to standards. In the US, food and medical related products would need to follow the strict guidelines of the FDA in order to be able to sell the product on the market. In China, a food or medical product by the same company would not have as strict guildelines as compared to the US, but the FDA has been training Chinese companies on how to produce safer products. Products are often cheaper in price in China due to cheaper labor and production. China is able to produce products on such a large scale that it further decreases the price of each individual product. Workers are paid significantly lower wages as compared to the US. Chinese companies often receive the taxes they paid on products back if it is exported and this also keeps prices low. In the US products are not commonly advertised with a price ending in zero such as $10 or $20. Instead the product would be advertised one cent less at $9.99 or $19.99 because having the product price at the lower dollar amount makes the product seem more att ractive. In China there is much emphasis on the luck of certain numbers and 8 is one of the luckiest number in Chinese culture and many companies use this to their advantage by advertising products with prices ending in 8. Products are often promoted very differently between the US and China. Advertisements in the US often make it seem as though a particular product such as vodka will give you the adventurous life of the model in the advertisement. In China, advertisements for luxury products are banned as it doesn’t fit with the China Communist Party’s want to promote thrifty values and not promote extravagance. In China, a company new to the market must advertise its product with an emphasis on affirming its products safety due to the rampant counterfeiting and low product safety in China. In the US, a new company to the market would advertise its product with an emphasis on its distinguishing features or cheaper price as product safety is not an issue in the US. There is a large portion of China’s population that lives in rural areas and products have not normally marketed towards them due to the lack of infrastructure to effectively reach them. Recently, companies are marketing outside of major cities as  infrastructure is improving. This is compared to the US where the USPS can send a package to any address in the country in a few days. In the US businesses utilize large semi trailers to effectively distribute large batches products across the country as all city streets are able to accommodate the large trucks and the US highway system reaches to every part of the country. In China, businesses send out smaller batches to each store as space is often more limited but most major cities limit the use of trucks. Shipments must then be sent by vans or cars which is less efficient. Although the situation is improving, bribes are very common when doing business in China. Bribes are expected in order to cut through bureaucratic red tape. Not giving bribes would put a company at a disadvantage to their competitors. Any sort of bribery or corruption is highly illegal in the US and illegal for all US companies. In the US, workers must normally be at least 16 with permission or 18 to hold a job in order to not exploit children in the workforce. Child labor is a huge problem in China due to lack of enforcement of policies. Due to poverty, families are letting their children which can be as young as 5 years old be exploited by working in extreme conditions and long hours. If a US company was caught hiring child workers not only would it be ethically wrong but it would be a major hit to the companies reputation.

3 Key Career Tips for Millennials

3 Key Career Tips for Millennials Ah, â€Å"the millennials.† Faceless generation of socially networked people who never touched a rotary phone- or so the media likes to generalize. In reality, the only thing that millennials have in common is being born around the same time. As such, there’s no â€Å"one size fits all† career approach that will boost all millennials as they enter and push further into the workforce. However, there are some career tips to keep in mind as you get started in your professional life. 1. Social networking does NOT equal social capital.According to career guru Margaret Heffernan, who gave a 2015 TED Talk about how to get more out of workplace structure, one of the most important things an employee (or employer) can do is to build bonds in the workplace, and enable things like casual stand-up meetings or coffee breaks to facilitate conversation. This builds â€Å"social capital,† or mutual trust and reliance. This is different from social networking, where we mig ht know where a colleague had dinner last night, but not necessarily much insight about what makes them tic professionally. Social media (and the tech-savviness it suggests) is a great tool, but you can’t replace good old-fashioned conversation with retweets.2. It’s okay not to be â€Å"on† all the time.There’s a certain perception that if you’re young and ambitious, you’re willing to â€Å"do what it takes† around the clock to move up and ahead. That could mean long hours, or it could mean putting yourself â€Å"on call† to answer emails at 10:30 at night. And while showing devotion and round-the-clock competence looks good to anyone who might be observing from a distance, it’s not going to mean much if you burn out early. Don’t neglect work-life balance, even at the start of your career. You’re committing to a career for the long haul, so setting dangerously high precedents early on can turn on you later on if your priorities change or you decide that your old work habits just aren’t sustainable.3. Time management is key.This is the mantra for all ages, actually. But for millennials, who are seen as natural multitaskers thanks to technology, it’s especially relevant right now. Set aside time for big projects or necessary productivity. Ignore your inbox for an hour (if possible) in order to check off some hard to-dos from your list. Look at your week in advance, and figure out what you need to do and when you can do it, to avoid running into a crunch time.Super-multitasking (email + chat + work task + second work task in the background) can be exhausting, and may lead to shoddier â€Å"productivity.† Mistakes happen when you’re trying to do too many things at once, so be sure to take specific â€Å"breaks† throughout the day from various tasks in order to give your attention to other things that need to be done as well.Whether you’re just get ting started out of school or still figuring out what you want your long-term career path to be, keeping these ideas in mind can help you navigate those bumpy early days. (And by â€Å"early days,† I mean every day until your retirement party.)

Gene One Strategy

Gene One Strategy Free Online Research Papers Gene One, founded by Don Ruiz and four of his colleagues, entered the biotech industry after Teri Robertson’s genetic breakthrough discovery. Teri discrovered that she could manipulate the genes of tomatoes and potatoes to make them resistant to bacteria and plagues leading to the growth of these plants without the use of pesticides, which pleased consumers since they could now buy homegrown products untainted by chemicals. It was after this discovery that Gene One grow to be a $400 million company in only eight years. Due to the rising stocks in Wall Street indices towards interest in biotechnology and Jim Maryanski, Ph.D., FDAs food biotechnology coordinator, establishing the need for biotechnology in the food market, the CEO and his board believed and understood the need to keep a balance between the supply and demand ratio of the market. This understanding represented a dramatic change in Gene One vision and mision. Gene One is now in need to go public (IPO) requiring capital for new development, advertising and marketing, this of course to ensure future success. The time frame established my the board was three years with the goal of achiving conservative annual growth targets of 40 percent. It was toward creating a clear strategy to acomplish this new goal, that Don Ruiz passed away leaviing his shares of stock to his siblings. Now the compaany is without a CEO and the high executives are waiting for siblings to take a decision towards the future of the company. Since Don left the company with a prospective plan for the future, his siblings decided to go forward with their father’s wishes. After continued delegations, the siblings, along with the board of directors, came with the decision of going forward with Don’s original idea of going public. Gene One’s new end vision is as follows: Meet key financial measures to achieve minimum of 40% revenue growth every year and offer an IPO in 36 months. Deliver on corporate imperatives such as increasing productivity, and goal to acquire qualified workforce. Employ Sarbanes Oxley, Internal auditors, and process compliance to meet the requirements of SEC. Grow an adaptable workforce that ensures we can provide the right skills for the right job at the right place at the right time. Achieve effective performance management in which every employee knows their objectives and contributions. Improve communications with our employees through survey, feedback, and face-to-face meetings, etc. In order to achieve the company’s vision, a new strategy is needed along with restructuration of the team members and the addition of new members to the team. Thorough evaluation of every member of the board was required and done by each of the siblings. Knowing the company’s situation, Don’s family is very interested in keeping peace with the company and employees and is trying to fit the possition with the best available candidate that not only will lead the company to success but also will help smooth and/or ease the transition process. Being that said, Don’s family don’t want to recruit externally, the members of the board have been together for eigth years now and they know how to accomplish their goals by working as a team. Therefore, the new CEO will be an internal candidate. The family in conjuction with the board, agreed on appointing Charles Jones due to his reputation for â€Å"smart† risk-taking and his buotechnology connections. Also, Charles has shown that eventhough he didn’t invested in the company, his professional pride is what motivates him to work hard towards the company. Another strategic decision taken by Don’s family and the board, was to request Lucas Antonio, as John Kirby recommended, to come on board the Gene One’s family for the marketting officer position. The board is confident that his experience will help Charles and the rest of the team acomplish a smooth IPO transition. Another strategic decision was needed due to the resignation of a member of the technology research department, Angela Thomas, VP. This lost could have been prevented if the leadership style of Don would have been different and less intimidating. Even though, her replacement was done by doing internal recruiting (Bill Chang), management needs still to motivate Teri Robertson and give her the prespective she requires to stay with the company. The board understand the need for a change in strategic leadershiphas also requested Charles Jones to present a strategic plan to obtain the end vision previoulsy mentioned. Don’s family added the following: The leadership structure should be based on the board request for the new IPO setting. The team should be able to perform according to guidelines and time frames. The commitment should be on both ends; management and board members. Sometimes it is impossible to please both ends, but we can always find away to compromise. At the end, it is all about accomplishing the established goal. Changes must be made to the company’s structure: IPO – In order to go public, a team is needed to guide the company and its employees through every step of the transition (management, research, decision-making process,etc) through good communication practices. Lucas Antonio will be in charge of this team and will report to the board of director. The purpose of this strategic decision is to facilitate the change to the rest of the employees. The addition of Lucas Antonio will create the elaboration of an IPO training program, which will give better understanding of the company’s new path. The Human Resources department will stay under Greg Thoman as before. He will be the â€Å"peace keeper† between management and staff. This department will be in charge of communicating decisions made by the board, changes in regulations, policys, etc, to the employees. Also, this department will be in charge of listening and answering questions or any concerns that may arise within the employees. It is with delicacy and caution that Don’s family is asking the board and the HRD to communicate these news and changes to the company’s employees. Michelle Houghton will maintain her position as Chief Financial Officer. Teri Robertson will maintain her position as Chief Technology Officer, at will. If she decides to stay, the company will provide her with a specialized research team to facilitate the innovation or discovery of those new technologies required to comply with the end vision. The board members, John Kirby and Susan Wells, will also remain at their current position. The leaders/managers of each department will be trained in communication skills and leadership styles. The reasoning behind this is to ensure employees that the company’s leaders are doing the best they can to work as efficient as possible. Knowing that there is not one perfect style of leadership, but that they are willing to learn on how to adapt and cope acording to circumstances and/or scenarios and that one of the basis of team work is effective communication within management and staff. Being that said, The board is ready to face the change and to adapt to the new regulations required for an IPO. The CEO will work in incorporating the values, gains and failures to accommodate this new end vision to help the company to keep moving forward. References Robbins, S. P. Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational behavior (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Yukl, G. A. (2006). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Research Papers on Gene One StrategyAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaGenetic EngineeringMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanOpen Architechture a white paperTwilight of the UAWThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital

Quick and effective ways to de-stress without spending a dime

Quick and effective ways to de-stress without spending a dime Life can get stressful between work and our personal lives. We sometimes forget to take a break and step back from our everyday responsibilities. De-stressing is  crucial for our health; especially when we are always on the run. But taking a moment and relaxing for yourself doesn’t have to cost money. Simple things such as getting some sun and fresh air, calling someone after work, or meditating at least 5 minutes a day can help. With these simple  activities  for before and after work can help make the necessary changes to our lifestyle that help de-stress without having to spend money.  Source [ Quid Corner ]

Is There Still Discrimination Towards Disabled People After the Equali Dissertation

Is There Still Discrimination Towards Disabled People After the Equality Act 2010 - Dissertation Example The primary aim of the Equality Act 2010 is to commingle different laws into a concrete and systematic code that takes into consideration all anti-discrimination laws present in the UK. The purpose of the Equality Act 2010 is to codify both international and local laws such as such as the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act, the 1976 Race Relations Act and the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act.The primary aim of the Equality Act 2010 is to commingle different laws into a concrete and systematic code that takes into consideration all anti-discrimination laws present in the UK. The purpose of the Equality Act 2010 is to codify both international and local laws such as such as the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act, the 1976 Race Relations Act and the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act.   In order to protect disabled people from discrimination, the Act ensures that goods and service providers, landlords and employers are endowed with the responsibilit y of making reasonable modifications to their facilities to ensure access for disabled individuals (Evans 2011, 1).  The Equality Act 2010 does, however, allow service providers, landlords and employers to implement policies and practices that guarantee effective work operations despite appearing discriminatory. Available literature indicates the effectiveness of the law in deterring discrimination.   Since 2010, the UK has been free of discrimination towards disabled people, and this is largely attributable to the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 (Jackson and Banerjee 2013, 181).Literature review The literature review section of this paper analyses an array of available data on the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 in eradicating discrimination towards disabled people since 2010.The Equality Act 2010 ensures all public and private institutions implement the rights of disabled people as enshrined in the Act, as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Pe rsons with Disabilities.   Therefore, the 2010 Act is in line with this Convention on the protecting the rights of people with disabilities (Lawson 2011, 369).  The Act includes additional protection measures such as indirect discrimination.   This has enhanced analysis of disability-specific applications and offered new opportunities for debate regarding the need for greater protection of disabled people (Wallace 2011, 1).     

Alternative Approaches in Stress Reduction Assignment

Alternative Approaches in Stress Reduction - Assignment Example Besides behavioral and cognitive methods of stress management, other approaches have been proposed for this purpose like massage therapy and diet modification. Massage not only involves manipulation of physical and functional aspects of the body, but also psychological aspects. This is achieved by reducing anxiety and depression caused due to high blood pressure. Theoretically, massage is said to act by reducing the heart rate and blood pressure, stimulates release of endorphins and serotonin, increases flow of lymph and improves sleep (Moyer, Rounds and Hannum, 2004). Enormous research has been conducted which has established a relation between dietary type and increased levels of hypertension, blood pressure, diabetes and other health ailments that are also associated with stress. Increased stress instances caused due to these health issues are found to be more in people consuming high fat and carbohydrate. Modification in food habits, like consuming food rich in protein, fiber, nutrients, calcium etc have yielded substantial results in reducing body weight, cholesterol levels, blood glucose levels, and also blood pressure. Reduced salt and sugar intake have also lowered blood pressure and blood glucose. Hence, modification in diet along with reducing or eliminating risk factors such as smoking can help to a large extent in reducing stress levels (Billings,

The advantages and disadvantages of using solar panels and where it Essay

The advantages and disadvantages of using solar panels and where it used - Essay Example According to Gevorkian (2007, p. 57), these hitches have led humans to seek alternative energy sources such as wind, wave, and solar energy. Solar energy is basically the energy derived from the sun. One way of harnessing this energy is through solar panels. Solar panels are simply devices that convert light energy into electric energy as noted by Mayer, Scully, Hardin, Rowell and McGehee (2007, p. 29). Another name for solar panels is photovoltaics which simply means light- electricity. Yet another name for the solar panel is solar module. More specifically, a solar module refers to a group of solar cells put together and packaged in a frame, and these can be grouped into larger arrays. Even the most primitive generation of man was aware of the power stored in warmth of the sun. Some early uses of solar energy included home heating, solar cookers, and water desalinations. In the last couple of centuries, humans have been able to make great advancements related to harnessing the immense energy from the Sun. Though just a small percentage of the sun’s energy reaches the earth, it is still possible to create massive power plants that receive energy from it. In 1839 Alexandre Edmond Becquerel discovered how to explain the means by which photovoltaic effect can be used to create energy. The next century saw the development of solar cells, in 1921 Albert Einstein received Nobel price for his work on photovoltaic effects and in 1941 the first solar cells were invented by Russell Ohl (Energy Matters 2012; PRLOG 2009). Solar cells are made of materials which are special in function known as semi-conductors. The most common material semiconductors are made of is silicon. When the semiconductor comes into contact with light, it absorbs a portion of it, meaning the light energy absorbed is transferred to the semiconductors (Nelson 2003, p 25). This energy causes a knock on the electron making them to move freely. There are one or more electric fields that force

Discourse on Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discourse on Method - Essay Example In his work, Descartes argues that Science is not the only way of dealing with difficulties in the society. He indicates that Science is full of flaws and that human beings should not confine themselves in the practicality of scientific experiments. In this context, therefore, he indicates that, the human soul is the origin of truth, as it allows human beings go through a process of soul and self searching, in an endeavor to come up with answers to questions of nature. To prove this point, in part four, he gives an example of the incapability of Mathematics to distinguish the truth from fallacy. This is an interpretation of the fact that, Science does not encompass all aspects of problem solving skills and that human soul allows an individual go through a process of soul search; thus, allow an examination of facts from a first hand experience on the organs and they determine the existence of beings. For one to get answers regarding nature, they must have one on one experience with th e attributes and not just by creating formulae and theorems to explain the facts. He gives an example of feeling the heat through the fingers to the blood; thus, ascribe meanings to the same. In part 4, (pp.54) he indicates that, in the case that the human did not have a body, and the physical world did not exist, the existence of the soul is an explanation of existence in the world. The body is distinct from the soul and each exists on their own. This is an evidence of Descartes; part 6 is concurrent with the works of part 4 and 5. Just like in part 6, Descartes’ thoughts concur with those of part 4. He argues for, and proves the subsistence of the soul as well as God. This can be evidenced from his argument that the senses are unreliable from the nature of dreams. From this example, Descartes aims at proving his existence, and that he thinks that he exists. An analysis of facts leads to Descartes thinking and belief that the soul and the body are separate and the senses in the human body are not beneficial in coming up with the exact aspect of issues in the environment. From his thoughts, Descartes goes to an extent of doubting that he exists and that perfection is way beyond unreachable. He insists that perfection is only possible in God, and attests to the fact all things form Him and that He is the only one who has answers to the seemingly extremely difficult concepts to understand. From part 5, the thoughts of part 6 seeds of truth have a great correlation. Descartes explains human anatomy being almost perfect yet their ability to reason has a lot of flaws. Human beings, for instance, are rational beings whose soul, in his argument, must be alienated from the body. The human soul is way beyond death, and must not diminish with the fatality of the body of the human. This is an interpretation of the immortality of the human soul. In search for truth, Descartes argues that, aspects of fame and fortune may not be beneficial. Descartes’ pursuit prone to error Descartes confirms to the fact that all forms of undertakings are prone to errors. In his work, Descartes (pp.51) indicates that, in the quest to search for truth, human beings tend to relay on their senses to have an understanding of the facts that are around them. In this context, therefore, he

How can retail banks in UK restore customer confidence and improve Dissertation

How can retail banks in UK restore customer confidence and improve customer satisfaction after the financial cri - Dissertation Example action and customer confidence. It gathers the multiple determinants of such problems based on several surveys involving about 10,000 respondents made of mostly customers of banks or households, some bank Branch Managers, and some bank employees. What will provide a way to improve customer satisfaction and customer confidence must be the creative initiative of all the UK Retail Banks. Since, it has been recovering from the economic crisis (in terms of profitability) while its customers do not enjoy the results of that recovery, the UK Retail Banks should identify the specific needs of customers, comply with FSA regulations, and offer customers a way to be a part of the economic recovery. That is aside from doing their services properly. After all, it was discovered that the customers were not the cause of decline in the economic variables. Speculations and lack of knowledge concerning the risks involved in the Capital Market were found to be the root cause of the most recent recessio n. Unfortunately, it appeared that the customers were the people castigated for the economic decline, while the banks that speculated were bailed out by government funds. Credit became hard to find for customers of banks. Terms and conditions became difficult to accept. Now the banks are recovering while the general public are still struggling to be treated fairly by the banks. How to revive customer satisfaction can be answered by the provision of the needed products and services for customers who need them in order to grow or be revived economically. There are many determinants of customer satisfaction. All of them point to one thing. Be concerned with the peoples’ needs and supply their needs properly. Chapter I Introduction In order to revive the UK economy during the recession period in 2008, the Bank of England implemented Quantitative Easing for its monetary policy effective 2009. In the month of March 2009, ?75 billion was added to the money supply when BoE printed ca sh to purchase Gilts (government bonds). This was followed by ?50 billion in May 2009; another ?50 billion in August 2009; and the final ?23 billion in November 2009. These amounts were anticipated to reach the households eventually so that the consumer spending would increase and the market was supposed to be revived. (BoE, 2009) Unfortunately, the money got stuck in the banks (Inmam, P. 2011). The appended Figure 1 shows how the velocity of transfer from banks to the corporations, SMEs, and households turned out to be very slow. When BoE researched for the reason why, it was reported that the banks had to rebuild its liquidity first with the total of ?200 billion released.

Discourse on Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discourse on Method - Essay Example In his work, Descartes argues that Science is not the only way of dealing with difficulties in the society. He indicates that Science is full of flaws and that human beings should not confine themselves in the practicality of scientific experiments. In this context, therefore, he indicates that, the human soul is the origin of truth, as it allows human beings go through a process of soul and self searching, in an endeavor to come up with answers to questions of nature. To prove this point, in part four, he gives an example of the incapability of Mathematics to distinguish the truth from fallacy. This is an interpretation of the fact that, Science does not encompass all aspects of problem solving skills and that human soul allows an individual go through a process of soul search; thus, allow an examination of facts from a first hand experience on the organs and they determine the existence of beings. For one to get answers regarding nature, they must have one on one experience with th e attributes and not just by creating formulae and theorems to explain the facts. He gives an example of feeling the heat through the fingers to the blood; thus, ascribe meanings to the same. In part 4, (pp.54) he indicates that, in the case that the human did not have a body, and the physical world did not exist, the existence of the soul is an explanation of existence in the world. The body is distinct from the soul and each exists on their own. This is an evidence of Descartes; part 6 is concurrent with the works of part 4 and 5. Just like in part 6, Descartes’ thoughts concur with those of part 4. He argues for, and proves the subsistence of the soul as well as God. This can be evidenced from his argument that the senses are unreliable from the nature of dreams. From this example, Descartes aims at proving his existence, and that he thinks that he exists. An analysis of facts leads to Descartes thinking and belief that the soul and the body are separate and the senses in the human body are not beneficial in coming up with the exact aspect of issues in the environment. From his thoughts, Descartes goes to an extent of doubting that he exists and that perfection is way beyond unreachable. He insists that perfection is only possible in God, and attests to the fact all things form Him and that He is the only one who has answers to the seemingly extremely difficult concepts to understand. From part 5, the thoughts of part 6 seeds of truth have a great correlation. Descartes explains human anatomy being almost perfect yet their ability to reason has a lot of flaws. Human beings, for instance, are rational beings whose soul, in his argument, must be alienated from the body. The human soul is way beyond death, and must not diminish with the fatality of the body of the human. This is an interpretation of the immortality of the human soul. In search for truth, Descartes argues that, aspects of fame and fortune may not be beneficial. Descartes’ pursuit prone to error Descartes confirms to the fact that all forms of undertakings are prone to errors. In his work, Descartes (pp.51) indicates that, in the quest to search for truth, human beings tend to relay on their senses to have an understanding of the facts that are around them. In this context, therefore, he

Choose one for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Choose one for me - Essay Example From the current federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 an hour, various states have proposed different figures in order to raise the wage rate to a favorable amount (Shemkus 2). One of the bigger challenges in increasing the minimum wage rates is increasing the costs for the employers. Although the initiative ensures that the employees get reasonable payment for their services, it forces the employers to incur huge costs (Jacoby 3). Federal labor statistics reported that about 70% of the minimum wage rate employees work for less than 35 hours a week. This makes their earning to be less thus the increment will give such individuals the opportunities of living decent lives. Left-leaning Economic Policy Institute concluded that, â€Å"by increasing workers’ take-home pay, families gain both financial security and increased abilities to purchase goods and services, thus creating jobs for other Americans.† Nevertheless, the business-backed nonprofit Employment Policies Institute remarked that increasing the minimum wage rate does not lower poverty. Studies indicate that there is no relationship between high wage rates and the reduction of poverty therefore; this initiative might not be used as a way of reducing the poverty rates in various states. According to Shemkus (2-3), further studies have also found the relationship between unemployment and increasing the minimum wage rate. Opponents of increasing the minimum wage rate reiterate that by increasing the minimum wage rates, the employers would be overburdened that they may not hire more workers. This will make it more badly when many people will be unable to be employed. On the other hand, the rise in wage rate is seen as a special move that will enhance the consumer patterns of purchasing. Nonetheless, the consumer goods and services will increase in correspondence to increased minimum wage rates. Studies have indicated that by improving the minimum wage rates, individuals will live

HND in Business Accounting& Management Essay Example for Free

HND in Business Accounting Management Essay Operations Management explores the way organizations produce and distribute goods and services. Everything you wear, eat, sit on, use or read comes to you courtesy of the operations managers who organized its production and distribution. Goods such as automobiles, airplanes, computers and houses, must be produced, as do the services provided by hospitals, ski resorts, trucks, and airlines. Its the job of an operations manager to make sure these activities occur when and how they are planned. This explanation reflects the essential nature of operations management: it is the central activity in organizing things. Operations Management is the systematic development and control of the processes that transform inputs into goods and services. The operations function comprises a significant percentage of the employees and physical assets in most organizations. Operations Managers are concerned with each step in providing a product or service. They determine what should go into an operating system, such as equipment, labour, facilities, materials, energy, and information, to produce the output. Operations Managers are also responsible for critical activities such as materials management, capacity planning, purchasing, scheduling and quality. The importance of Operations Management has increased dramatically in recent years. Significant competition, shorter product and service life cycles, better educated and quality-conscious consumers, and the capabilities of new technology have placed pressures on the operations function to improve productivity while providing a broader array of high-quality products and services. Such like IEKA An organization that gets the binomial concept operations and business management right is more likely to experience short-term success and run efficient activities. The business might, for example, prevent errors in its record-keeping processes and rein in waste in money-eating mechanisms a perennial source of concern for top management. Given the importance of operational management, company principals may work with department heads and business-unit chiefs to draw up strategic blueprints and ask them to remain discreet about the companys operational tactics. The goal is not to convene a periodic top-level meeting and plot strategy in a warlike room, but to set sound procedures to make sure the architects of the companys blueprint keep mum about its objectives, resources and action plans. TASK2 Ikea because according to the specific market environment for the correct operation strategy, that was a huge commercial success.Ikeas household concept in the beginning of its creating had clear definition, that is: to provide a wide variety, beautiful and practical, ordinary people can afford the household articles for use.However, with the development of The Times, and constantly changing consumer demand, ikeas household concept also constantly enrich and perfect.Then, on the basis of the original, ikea household concept began with environmental factors.In particular, household concept of ikea is mainly in household concept of the masses.In most cases, expensive home furnishings is well-designed for a few people can afford to buy.From the early stages of creation, ikea will chose a different path, ikea decided to stand with most people.This means that ikea should meet the household needs of most people in the world, which meet with many different need, grade, dreams, and financial resources, at the same time hope to improve household needs and create a better life.In ikea, everywhere can see pasted on the wall of the ikea business motto: ikea will provide a wide range of design at a low price beautiful, fully functional household products, ensure that most people have the ability to buy.General household the management idea of success is based on partnership between ikea and customers.On the one hand, ikea ikea do the right thing to do.First of all, ikea designers and manufacturers to cooperate, in order to find out the use of the existing production process manufacturing furniture clever way.Then, ikeas purchasing companies around the world with the most appropriate suppliers of raw materials.Finally, ikea in global bulk purchase, ensure that ikea can get the lowest price.On the other hand, the customer do what they should do, namely through the ikea catalogue, visit the ikea store, choose furniture and customize the warehou se take delivery.Since most goods using tablet packaging, customers can easily to carry it home and assembled.In this way, customers can save a lot of cost.As a result, building with ikea low price, together create a better everyday life.Visible, ikea shows popular household concept for most people service business ideas.In high-end household take the high-quality goods in the 1950 s, ikea this breakthrough will surely shows its forward-looking strategies. Ikea is not just a product, it has its own retail system.Ikeas retail chain system adopted the operating strategy, in the global retail business through a wholly-owned crown stores and franchisees two modes of operation (blue and red group).As of August 31, 2003, 186 ikea stores in 43 countries and regions, including Europe, Asia, North America and Oceania region, ikea also continues to increase.There are 165 as a wholly owned stores, distribution in 29 countries and regions.In addition, in Australia, the united Arab emirates, Gre ece, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, Iceland and Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and other 14 countries and regions, there are 21 franchise, except for the ikea group a franchisor to own and run.Ikeas chain operation has been a huge success, and thus a high international reputation for ikea.In 2004, ikeas operating income of 12.8 billion euros, net profit more than 1.1 billion euros, employs 84000 workers, as the worlds biggest household goods retailer.Low price strategy is refers to through continuous compression cost, thus reduce prices, to win the market strategy.Ikea has been that only provide beautifully designed, practical series of products is not enough, also should make most people can afford to buy, in order to for most people rather than a few people to create a better life.After all, money is not much can meet the needs of the household consumer satisfaction.Therefore, ikea emphasizes the low-price strategy in the management strategy.Low price strategy ikea is the core of the operating strategy, ikea has unusual significance.Both household concept, cost control and other aspects of management measures, in the final analysis is to ikeas low price strategy.The success of ikeas low price strategy mainly from the following several aspects: adhere to the principle of small profit, principle of small profit in business is braving the down the sharp weapon, but also an important guarantee of ikeas low price strategy to success.After 60 years of development, ikea has always unswervingly implement the principle.Low-cost system, guara ntee the normal way of thinking of most enterprises, first in terms of product design and pricing, however, ikea has a tradition, price the product first and then followed by the specific design, finally find suppliers according to the established design.So it will be in the system design ensures the ikea, low prices.Ikeas pricing method is also unique, often use price matrix method for new product pricing.Ikea has three price high, medium and low grade, four basic style, modern, country and young Swedish northern Europe.In order to identify market opportunities, which is responsible for the product will take in charge of the committees instructions, the existing product prices to fill him in grid, and then look for space.First start from the little space of committee instructions, for example, have been found in the high price of ikea products for a large number of independent kitchen island, but he has lost those suitable for apartment or office cheap kitchen supplies.Then, head of products through the investigation to determine the cost of the new product competition, the goal is to lower than competitors prices by 30% ~ 50%, in this way, the price of ikea point occurs.This is the product manager for the low price of products of ikea kitchen utensils and appliances.The pricing model is kill two birds with one stone, it reflected the ikea has always been the production of standard and sales of the original and cheap, and also contains all to determine the content of the device in the conceptual design . TASK3 Operational management deals with the nitty-gritty basics of how a company operates, such as keeping track of spending costs and cash flow as well as maintaining a supply line. Some of the best managers have been those who have found ways to make the basic operations of a company more efficient. Operational management requires knowledge of a constantly changing variety of data and variables, and skillful and flexible planning is required. Strategic management does not merely have to do with setting broad and lofty goals, but works to establish a plan over the long term that will work toward those goals. This involves taking into account such factors as competition and consumer demand. The most successful business visionaries have been able to establish very realistic pictures of the market and operate within the constrictions that they were given by the market. Strategic management takes a great deal of common sense. Despite the clear distinctions we are making it is also important t o understand that operational and strategic planning are interrelated and complementary decision processes, which must link to each other, inform and support one another for effective management of strategies. Operational planning is the day-by-day, week-by-week, and month-by-month planning for a myriad of local and functional activities; strategic planning sets the overall direction of your organisation as a whole, its destiny if you will. The decisions that constitute the strategic plan include what the enterprise is not currently doing, but should be doing. The choices of what to do imply other things that the organization deliberately chooses not do. The strategic plan embodies very big decisions with major consequences for the overall performance. Strategic and tactical planning are different in kind. The two forms of planning must be linked, and integrated, and must not be confused. About IKEA: IKEA is a privately-owned company founded in Sweden by Ingvar Kamprad. He first started to sell pens, wallets, picture frames, table runners, jewellery and nylon stockings and decided to add furniture in 1947. IKEA has now around 260 stores, much of which are located in Europe, the United States, Australia and Asia. Nowadays IKEA is known for selling modern and utilitarian furniture at low prices their vision is To create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA motto is Affordable Solutions for Better Living. Their operations management are strongly focused on achieving this goal; they use their resources effectively to gain profit by developing a more economic way for the production of their wide range of service. This has involved them in working closely with their suppliers in order to control aspects of their business from the production line. Unlike most furniture stores, IKEA sells goods which need to be assembled by the consumer; this has enabled them to use space more efficiently in their warehouse. The company has developed methods to satisfy customers with their Unique Selling Point (show room, children’ area) and a wise use of technology (stock control, internet). TASK4 TASK5 The three-es that is economy, efficiency and effectiveness. MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY Efficiency can be measured in terms of the inputs required to generate the outputs. It is about the way in which work is completed. It is part of a manager’s job to help improve efficiency. For example, if the same work can be completed using less inputs or resources then efficiency has improved. Measuring efficiency means that the process followed to complete the work must be defined and then each part of the process studied to see what resources are required. This becomes the starting point or benchmark for measurement. Future work is then measured against the benchmark to see if it has taken more or less resource. Process changes are also measured to see if they are more or less efficient. It is also useful to measure one team’s efficiency against another and then adopt the most efficient methods as best practice– always assuming that effectiveness is maintained. MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS Effectiveness can be explained in terms of what is achieved. It is about whether targets are met or not. Performing effectively means that the right work is being completed. Managers are responsible for making sure that this happens. If a team is working really hard but not delivering what is needed, then they are not effective. Effectiveness is measured by setting out clear objectives before work starts and then evaluating whether the objectives have been met or not. MANAGEMENT ECONOMY Economy is the third element of the three Es model, covering the financial aspects of work being done. It could be argued that economy or finance is just one of the factors to consider when improving efficiency, but because finance is so important in today’s organisations, economy has become the third element. Economy is measured by looking at the cost of the resources consumed and the value of the output delivered. TASK6 The maximization of quality and productivity in each and every individual industry is the foundation of every economy aspiring to prosperity.Improve the companies income by making the production more acceptable to the customers: by providing longlife, greater usefulness, maintainablity,etc.Giving employees control includes giving them the power to make job-related decisions, the flexibility to organize their work in the way they find optimal, and the authority to find make improvements on how their job is done. Making this work requires providing employees with the training, coaching, and information they need to make intelligent decisions. Make Sure Supervisors Know How to Bring Out the Best in People Supervisors play a huge role in employee morale, performance, and stress level. Supervisors who know how to provide guidance, support, and encouragement minimize employee stress. Supervisors with poor management skills or with personal problems, not only cant help employees deal with stressful times, they themselves are a tremendous source of stress. The time and financial resources you invest in selecting and training managers will pay huge dividends in reducing employee stress, increasing productivity, and minimizing turnover.

Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation

Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation The aim of this module is to produce a 4000 word research proposal that would be capable for supporting the preparation of a Masters dissertation. The project report would include an introduction including a title, which would highlight the content of this business document providing a background, informing the reader of the problem / issue at hand and the context of the situation that would be discussed. The research issue would be provided highlighting the importance of the issue in todays ever-changing and competitive, cut-throat business environment. Adequate linkages would be provided to co-relate the research aims, research objectives, research questions and the hypothesis as such generated. A coherent and critical literature review would follow demonstrating the knowledge of the literature available and linking it to the situation which would be investigated. A research design and methodology would be adopted to investigate the concerned issue providing a rationale as to how the research objectives are to be accomplished explaining the selection of the research paradigm. The research design would include the methods of data capture, the data access issues, the analysis and the interpretation means that would be used to assess the situation and appropriate reasons would be provided for the choice of research tools used. Relevant ethical issues underpinning the research objectives would also be discussed along-with the resources required to complete the research proposal. The last part of this management report would include a timetable that would provide the time that it took to complete each part of the research proposal along-with a list of references utilized to complete the report. INTRODUCTION TITLE: FACTORS INFLUENCING STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION BACKGROUND The title of this research proposal is factors influencing strategy implementation. Before we discuss the issue and highlight the importance of the issue in the context of the report it is of prime importance to understand the concept of strategy implementation itself. It is the process by which the business strategy formulated is put into action. It includes the design and management of organizational systems to achieve the best integration of people and structure, allocating resources, managing human resources and developing information and decision processes to achieve organizational objectives. Pierce and Robinson  note that to effectively direct and control the use of the firms resources, mechanisms such as organizational structure, information systems, leadership styles, assignment of key managers, budgeting, rewards, and control systems are essential strategy implementation ingredients. After the creative and analytical aspects of the corporate strategy have been formulated the priority of the management is to convert the strategy into operationally effective action. A strategy is never complete, until it gains a commitment of the firms resources and becomes embodied in its organizational structure. Strategy implementation is an iterative process of implementing strategies, policies, programs and action plans that allows a firm to utilize its resources to take advantage of opportunities in the competitive environment (Harrington, 2006). There is no one definition of strategy implementation as seen from the above citations but for the purpose of this report, taking into consideration the definitions above we can define strategy implementation as an iterative, dynamic and a complex process, which comprises of series of decisions and activities by the management and the administration those affected by many interrelated internal and external factors, to turn strategic plans into reality in order to achieve the objectives of the firm. RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY This part of the report would highlight the aim and the objectives of the research, discussing the issue chosen and its importance by proposing a research question and providing an answer to it in the literature review. Many studies have acknowledged that business strategies often fail not because of inadequate strategy formulation, but because of an inappropriate implementation strategy. This report would study the factors that enable or impede effective strategy implementation. This report would highlight how strategy implementation has been researched so far and how this field may be moved forward so as to help in effective execution of a business strategy. As a result of the literature review undertaken, the report has found nine critical factors for strategy implementation that will be discussed further in the literature. Formulation of an effective strategy, making the strategy work and implementing it throughout the company is a difficult task (Hrebiniak, 2006). Many factors potentially affect the process by which strategic plans are turned into organizational action. Unlike strategy formulation, strategy implementation is more of a craft, rather than a science. After successful formulation of the business strategy, difficulties usually arise during the subsequent implementation process. If the business strategy formulated is not applied correctly to all the aspects of the organisational structure the business model would fail, thus harming the organisation in many aspects, the major being the financial capability of the firm, which would take a huge blow. It is of prime importance to get the implementation right otherwise there would be huge losses for the firm. Noble (1999b) notes, the best-formulated strategies may fail to produce superior performance for the firm if they are not successfully implemented. This issue is of utmost importance in todays day and age because of the cut-throat competition in the ever-changing business world where each firm needs to keep re-modelling their policies and procedures to keep up with the change in the external and internal business environment. There are combination of issues that influence the success of strategy implementation, ranging from the people who communicate or implement the strategy to the systems or mechanisms in place for co-ordination and control. How can we better understand these issues and their importance for successful strategy implementation? In this report we try to respond to this question by the critical analysis of the existing research on the factors that influence strategy implementation. An analysis has been conducted of the most widely used literature databases to identify key factors influencing the process of strategy implementation, to surface current areas of agreement and disagreement on the topic. LITERATURE REVIEW In the following section, the report would review the study sources and assess their research context, theoretical bases, their main results and the research methods used as well as the analytical techniques which are employed for the study. The examined organizational levels and organizational types are the two elements of the research context. The core of the literature review, would concentrate on the nine factors identified through rigorous analysis of the study sources, that play a role in influencing strategy implementation success, as well as the frameworks or models that aggregate or relate the relevant factors to each other. This is followed by the discussion of the theoretical bases of the reviewed studies. Finally, the research methods and analytical techniques adopted will be reviewed to see which methods are still underutilized in the context of strategy implementation. By carrying out a literature review of the existing studies, the report found two types of strategy implementation studies: one that highlight the importance of the individual factors for strategy implementation and the second that emphasize the big pictureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ of how the single factors interrelate and form a strategic implementation environment. The research would highlight nine recurring, individual factors that influence strategy implementation. They are namely the strategy formulation process, the strategy executors (managers, employees), the organizational structure, the communication activities, the level of commitment for the strategy, the consensus regarding the strategy, the relationships among different units/departments and different strategy levels, the employed implementation tactics, and the administrative system in place. THE NINE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE STARTEGY IMPLEMENTATION 1. Strategy Formulation If the corporate strategy drafted by the business is a poor or a vague strategy, then it can limit the implementation efforts dramatically. Good execution cannot overcome the shortcomings of a bad strategy or a poor strategic planning effort (Hrebiniak, 2006). Several studies mention the fact that the kind of strategy that is developed (Alexander, 1985; Allio, 2005) and the actual process of strategy formulation, namely, how a strategy is developed (KimMauborgne, 1993; Singh, 1998) will influence the effect of implementation. Alexander (1985) believes that the need to start with a formulated strategy that involves a good idea or concept is the most crucial and critical factor which helps promoting its successful implementation. As Allio notes, good implementation naturally starts with good strategic input: the soup is only as good as the ingredients (Allio, 2005). 2. Relationships among different departments and different strategy levels Many studies in the concerned field have stressed that the institutional relationships among different units/departments and different strategy levels play a major role in the outcome of strategy implementation (Walker Ruekert, 1987; Gupta, 1987; Slater Olson, 2001; Chimhanzi, 2004; Chimhanzi Morgan, 2005). Walker Ruekert note that marketing policies, inter-functional structures and processes, corporate-business unit relationships and processes are a major influence on business strategy implementation. In addition, allocation of resources, functional competencies, inter-functional conflict, decision-making participation and influence, and coordination also have different effects on the implementation of various kinds of business strategies. Implementation effectiveness is negatively affected by conflict and positively affected by interpersonal communication and not written. Such interdepartmental dynamics are affected by senior management support informal integration and joint re ward systems. Other relationships that have received attention to a lesser extent include finance, manufacturing, engineering, quality, marketing, accounting, and sales. 3. Executors Executors comprise the top management, middle management, lower management and non-management. Effectiveness of strategy implementation is, at least in part, affected by the quality of people involved in the process (Govindarajan, 1989). The quality refers to the capabilities, experience, skills, attitudes, and other characteristics of people required by a specific position (Peng Litteljohn, 2001). Findings indicate that strategy implementation effectiveness, critically depends on the human or people side of project management, and less on organization and systems related factors. Top management refers to the senior-level leaders including presidents, owners, and other high ranking executives (CEO, CFO, COO etc.) and senior-level managers. Hrebiniak and Snow (1982) report that the level of interaction and participation among the top management team typically leads to greater commitment to the firms goals and strategies. This, in turn ensures the successful implementation of the strategy. Gupta and Govindarajan (1984) note that greater the marketing and sales experience of middle managers, the greater would be their willingness to take risk and successfully implement the strategy. Heracleous (2000) also finds that if middle management do not agree with the strategy, or do not feel that they have the skill set to implement it, then they would sabotage its implementation. Middle managers expect the direction from the top management but frequently feel that they are in a better position to start and evaluate alternative courses of action. Also, the lack of shared knowledge with lower-level management and non-management employees would create a barrier to successful strategy implementation. 4. Communication Many researchers have emphasized the importance of adequate communication channels for the process of strategy implementation. Alexander (1985) notes that communication is mentioned more frequently than any other single item that promotes successful strategy implementation. Communication includes explaining what new responsibilities, tasks, and duties need to be performed by the employees in order to implement the strategy. It answers the why behind the changed job activities, and explains the reasons why the new strategic decision was made. Rapert and Wren (1998) find that organizations where employees have easy access to management through open and supportive communication channels outperform those with more restrictive communication environments. Effective communication is a fundamental requirement for any effective strategy implementation. Organizational communication plays an important role in training, knowledge acquisition and applied learning during the process of implementation. In fact, communication is vital in every aspect of strategy implementation, as it relates in to the organizational context, organizing processes and the implementation objectives. 5. Implementation Tactics Nutt (1986) stipulates four types of implementation tactics used by managers in making planned changes: intervention, participation, persuasion, and edict. Intervention refers to strategy adjustments made during the implementation stage by introducing new practices and norms. Participation includes formulating strategic goals and nominating a task force that can develop and propose the corresponding implementation options. Persuasion is the tactic which uses involved parties to convince the employees about the desired course of actions. The issuing of directives is the main focus of the implementation tactic edict. Lehner (2004) considers the implementation tactics as genuine organizational behaviour based on the assumption that implementation in general is dependent on the environment, and various strategic and corporate variables. 6. Consensus Nielsen (1983) notes that firms must achieve consensus both within and outside their organization in order to successfully implement business strategies. The consensus about a firms strategy may differ across the operation channels within the company. If the employees of the company are not on the same information level or if information passes through many layers in the organization, a lower level of consensus would result. This lack of shared understanding may create obstacles to successful strategy implementation.(Noble, 1999b). Floyd and Wooldridge (1992a) label the gulf between strategies conceived by top management and awareness at lower levels as implementation gap. Strategic consensus is the agreement between the top, middle, and lower-level managers on the fundamental policies of the organization. Strategic decisions are initiated by a team of top managers and then mandated to the rest of the organization, overlooking the importance of securing consensus with and commitment to the organizational strategy with the lower level employees, which is a big barrier for effective strategy implementation. 7. Commitment Strategy implementation process may fail if the strategy does not achieve support and commitment by the majority of employees and the middle management. Shared understanding without commitment would result in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"counter effort and may negatively affect the organisational performance. The understanding between middle management and those at the operational level to that of the top management teams strategic goals is of prime importance to successful implementation. Noble Mokwa (1999) have put forward three dimensions of commitment that are central factors which directly influence strategic outcomes: organizational commitment, strategy commitment and role commitment. Organizational commitment is the extent to which a manager identifies with and works toward organization-related goals and values. Strategy commitment is the extent to which a manager comprehends and supports the goals and objectives of an implementation strategy. Role commitment is the extent to which a manag er is determined to perform his individual implementation responsibilities, regardless of his personal beliefs about the overall strategy. 8. Organisational Structure The type of strategy adopted could differ in many ways and have different requirements regarding an adequate organizational structure. Factors relating to the organizational structure are the second most important implementation barrier according to Heide GrÃÆ' ¸nhaug Johannessens (2002) study. Drazin and Howard (1984) stipulate that a proper alignment of the strategy with the organisational structure is an important pre-requisite for successful implementation of a corporate business strategy (Noble, 1999b). They note that changes in the competitive environment require adjustments to the organizational structure. If an organisations realignment strategies are lacking, it may exhibit poor performance and be at a major competitive disadvantage. 9. Administrative Systems Roth, Schweiger Morrison (1991) study suggests that organisational business units make use of three administrative mechanisms which are formalization, integrating mechanisms, and centralization, to create operational capabilities of configuration, managerial philosophy and coordination, to support business strategy implementation. Some researchers have also focused on the control systems which are one of important ingredients of administrative systems (Drazin Howard, 1984; Nilsson Rapp, 1999). Drazin and Howard (1984) discuss about the role of formal control system in the process of strategy implementation, and suggest that the fluidity of control system contribute to strategy implementation (Noble, 1999b). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY This part of the project report would focus on the research design and methodology adopted to carry out the research of the issue chosen which is the factors influencing strategy implementation. The following literature would highlight the components of the research paradigm chosen to accomplish the study. This section of the project report would provide a detailed rationale on how the study would achieve the research objective put forth in the title. This part would explain the methods of data capture used and the issues which would arise in gathering the required information along with the analysis and the interpretation techniques employed to achieve the research aim. Limitations would be included in the following report to make the reader aware of the shortcomings of the chosen methodology; the relevant ethical issues would also be discussed in the proposed research design along-with the resources required to complete the proposed research. The choice for the research methodology adopted is in congruence with the strategic issue chosen for the research proposal. The selection criteria to choose articles for inclusion in the research analysis: The articles which contain the keywords strategy implementation or strategy execution have been included in the literature .From this; further articles were identified using the references sections of the previously retrieved articles. In this way, the report also includes the articles which treat strategy implementation as one of the major subjects even if their title or keywords did not include the terms strategy implementation or strategy execution. As a final selection criterion it was checked whether the articles explicitly discuss factors impeding or enabling strategy implementation success. Data Collection Secondary Sources In order to identify the factors that enable or impede effective strategy implementation, the report has analysed relevant academic, peer reviewed journals such as the Strategic Management Journal, the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, Journal of Management, Academy of Management Executive, Human Relations, Sloan Management Review, Journal of Marketing, etc. using the literature databases of EBSCO Host, ProQuest ABI, Science Direct, JSTOR and Wiley Interscience. Information has also been sourced from Google Scholar and books, newspapers, trade journals, industry portals, government agencies, trade associations, monitoring industry news and developments. The research data would be collected in different organisations or units of an organisation. The organisations were mainly professional service organisations, from both public and private sector. For example, finance, insurance and telecommunications companies, and government departments would be included. The size of the units under study would be 100 to 500 employees. The study would be qualitative in nature, main research method being semi-structured interviews. Primary Sources and Sampling In each organisation or unit, representatives would form three groups, namely the top management, middle management, and lower level personnel, would be interviewed using the questionnaire provided below. Altogether twenty-five interviewees per organisation would be randomly chosen: 2-5 persons representing the top management level, 4-13 persons the middle management level, and 8-17 persons from the lower level personnel. The interviewees would be chosen randomly, ensuring however that different tasks, work groups, and departments were represented equitably. The general topic of the interviews would be strategy implementation. During the interviews, the interviewees would fill out questionnaires, in which they would evaluate the various problem statements. The questionnaire has been given below: Q1. How do you define the concept of strategy implementation? Q2. What kind of issues would you associate strategy implementation with? Q3. How do you participate in the strategy implementation process? Q4. How are the policies pertaining to strategy implementation communicated within the different levels of the organization? Q5. Describe your own role in the process of strategy implementation. Q6. Evaluate the degree of the strategy implementation problems in your organisation. Data Access Issues Some data access issues might arise in the research journey, which could be the unwillingness of the employees to participate in the planned interviews hampering the information gathering capabilities of the subsequent research report along-with lack of co-operation from concerned companies which might not give permission to carry out interviews with its employees fearing a possible leak of its corporate strategy to its competitors. Also finances required for the successful completion of the information gathering process might not be adequate. Data Analysis The results of the questionnaires would be assessed, as well as the comments of the interviewees for the statements would be analysed. The main data analysis method employed would be content analysis of the interviews. The transcribed interviews would be coded accordingly to the central issues of the research. The analysis method would include historical trend analysis and linear regression analysis using software tools, judgmental forecasting, and conjoint analysis. Limitations of the Research Design The approach in conducting the literature review has shortcomings which should be acknowledged. The following are the limitations in the methodology adopted. Collection of articles has been carried out by relying on the databases of EBSCO Host, Science Direct, JSTOR, Wiley Inter Science and ProQuest ABI and the report thus may have overlooked some critical viewpoints on strategy implementation included in monographs or specialists books. Some selective articles in the review, however, rely heavily on concepts from advanced books on corporate strategy thus making up for the shortcoming to a certain extent. The articles have been located using the keywords strategy implementation and strategy execution. This procedure of gathering articles may omit some important articles. The report also excludes some very specific strategy implementation contexts, such as post-merger integration implementation. The research has discovered that most of the conducted studies in the subject focus on the influence of middle managers on strategy implementation. There is no special research relating to lower management and non-management, even if several authors have stated that it is important to consider their effects on strategy implementation as well. Another major research challenge incudes, a lack of understanding between the relationships among the nine reviewed factors, for example, there are major disagreements about the relationship between the variables of communication, commitment and consensus which the report fails to highlight. Also a limiting factor is that there are very few studies that systematically examine how different organizational units and strategy levels can influence strategy implementation, which the report has not included. Strategy implementation involves many theories including agency theory, social learning theory, expectancy theory, organization theory and social system theory. Because of the limited word count it was not feasible to include such theories in the text presented which is also a shortcoming. The lists of journal articles selected are not comprehensive enough, as many other issues could potentially affect strategy implementation. Such other factors, however, are less mentioned or not analysed in-depth, as many of them are also hard to control and modify. Research Ethics For research to be carried out successfully there are many ethical issues that need to be taken into consideration. It is very important to secure the permission and interests of all the people involved in the study. The people involved would be given assurance that any information obtained during the interview process would not be misused as this is the moral responsibility which would be maintained towards the participants. It is the duty of this research to protect the rights of the participants of the study as well as their privacy and sensitivity. The confidentiality of those involved in the observation would be maintained at all times, keeping their anonymity and privacy secure. Resources required for effective research The resources required to carry out the proposed research would require the support and co-operation of the supervisor in charge so as to provide guidance for submitting an effective research analysis report. Also would require permission from the industries chosen for the study of the research issue and the co-operation of its employees for conducting interviews. Adequate financial support would also be required to assist in the completion of the proposed research analysis report to cover the cost of commuting and resultant transportation fares. TIMETABLE TASK SELECTION OF INDUSTRIES FOR RESEARCH FOCUS DAYS 1-5 6-10 10-15 16-20 21-25 25-30 LITERATURE REVIEW/ CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SOURCES OF DATA INTERVIEWING PROCESS INDEPTH STUDY OF VARIOUS SOURCES ASSESSING RESOURCE FOR CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK COLLECTION OF SECONDARY SOURCES OF DATA DEVELOPMENT OF RATIONALE FOR STUDY FINALLY FORMULATED RESEAERCH PROPOSAL

Lord Of The Flies And The Withered Arm Comparison :: essays research papers

I have chosen â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† and â€Å"The Withered Arm† because they are similar even though they were written in different time periods. Lord of the Flies was written in the 20th century and the Withered arm was written in the 19th century. Lord of the flies by William Golding The title signifies Death, devil (Beelzebub).The Withered arm by Thomas Hardy The title signifies decay or decline. Settings:The withered arm is set in the 19th century on a farm. This is in Anglebury .The story starts of on Mr Lodges farm and finishes on the farm. Gertrude lodge lives in a mud built cottage.The lord of the flies is set on a fictitious remote island in the 20th century. The story starts of in the jungle. They later move onto the beaches. They then move to other locations on the island such as the fort and the mountain.Differences and similarities between settingsBoth of the settings are isolated. Lord of the Flies, is on an island so they cant get off but in the Withered Arm there is not much transport so wherever you went you would have to walk or get a horse.The settings are different because they are set in different periods. Themes:Lord of the flies:Good and evil, good and evil is a fairly large theme in the story. Early in the novel good is represented by the conch this is a symbol of decency and order. The two tribes Represent good and evil in the best way. However, there are other things such as the beast and the ship. The beast frightens them because they think it is an evil sign. The ship is a good sign but they do not manage to flag it down, because Jack had not looked after the fire. This springs an almost air of hatred between Ralph and Jack.Law and order, plays a big role in the story. It comes into play at the very beginning with the conch. Ralph and Piggy find the shell and Ralph blows it, this draws all the children onto the beech. The conch later becomes an element of law and order, because the boys are only aloud to talk during meetings if they have the conch. Fear, fear is probably the biggest theme in the story there is a big list of elements of fear such as the fear of the beast, the isolation of the island, the war outside of the island, the fear of not being rescued, the fear of Jacks group (savages) and the fear of fear itself.

Infancy and Childhood Reflection :: essays research papers

Infancy And Childhood Reflection 1.) The shows I chose to watch are shows that children usually don't grow out of or are attracted to at a younger and older age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Simpsons, a classic comedy which draws the majority of us in with its realistic family and practical witt. The family goes through hardship,excitement, triumph and everyday experience that most families go through. 'Homer' the father of the family is employed by the power plant and is in constant battles to keep his job. 'Marge' the wife of the family is edgy or easily becomes paranoid, her main job is to be a stay at home mom, however she often goes out and tries to become more distinguished in society by working outside the home. She tries several times to get a job but often realizes she can't part with her family for those few hours a day. She is the basic prototype of every average American mother. 'Bart' the families son is a brat, of course being the boy of the family they make him out to be the trouble maker mainly because most families direct evidence of mischief to the boy because they are more curiouse or perhaps more unaware of the consequences whi ch come along with right and wrong actions but they may also simply not care. Bart vandalizes things, humiliates several members of the schools faculty, steals items from stores and dis-respects his parents. All this seems quit bad for a children show but Barts softer side does come around once in awhile, for every wrong thing he does it later shows his guilt and the punishments that come along with misbehaving. 'Lisa' the families most prevailed member of the family, is of a much higher intelligence then the rest of the family and is not blind of her families social class and immmature behaviour excluding Marge. Lisa, however still loves her family and even though they irritate and ignore or fail to notice her natural talent and integrity she knows this is who they are and she most except this.

The Background and Methodology of Childhood Obesity

Over the years childhood obesity has grown by more than 9 million, and this number is expected to grow by even more. Parents are not always heard, and often schools are not run the way they would prefer. In this article parents are given a voice and a chance to be heard on what they feel is important for their children’s health. In this article the researchers survey the parents and get their opinions on what they feel needs to be done to help the fight against childhood obesity. Problem to solve: Childhood obesity is the main focus in this article.This paper helps to give the parents their view of how schools are dealing with childhood obesity. Childhood obesity has been on a steady rise over the past few years. Approximately over 9 million children are obese and that number continues to rise (Murphy & Polivka, 2007). Schools play a very important role in children’s lives. There are many health issues that can arise due to obesity if it is not treated. Treating this di sease can be as easy as more physical activity and a healthier diet. Unfortunately, children are eating more unhealthy foods and are engaged in less physical activities.Myers and Vargas decided to survey 200 people to get their views on childhood obesity (Murphy & Polivka, 2007). In this article there is discussion on how the parents feel and what they think can be done to try and help fix this issue. Health Care Administrators: With all the money that is spent helping to treat childhood obesity, it is very important that health care administrators study this issue. There was $127 million spent for hospital cost in 1999 alone, and this number is still on the rise.By 2025 it is estimated that the cost will raise $100 billion (Murphy & Polivka, 2007). Schools can help and play a huge role in the way children choose to live their lives. Children spend a huge part of their day at school, and by providing healthier lunches and more exercise we can help to decrease the amount of children that are going to the doctor because of issues from obesity. Health care administrators can come up with plans for the doctors to suggest to parents who bring their children in for check-ups.Making suggestions for healthier lifestyles should be a priority in many physicians’ offices and health care administrators can help to make that happen. Purpose: It seems as though the purpose of this study is to inform or let the reader know about the statistics behind childhood obesity. They wanted the reader to be aware of the risks of childhood obesity and what parents think schools can do to help their children by offering programs to teach about healthier lifestyles and more physical activities.Many students feel as though gym and physical activities can cause embarrassing moments from their peers, and they also stated that the school lunches were low quality, so the vending machines were more convenient (Murphy & Polivka, 2007). School nurses are responsible for creating these cha nges and this paper tells ways that these changes can be made. Research Question: A research question is basically the first step the researcher must conduct before starting their research.It is known as the methodological point and any questions that are asked should be answered during the research (Colorado State University, 2012). It should be defined clearly as well as accurately. It can be used for quantitative research. This step allows the researcher to figure out what he or she wants to know the most (Colorado State University, 2012). This article did not clearly state a question, but if there were to be a question it would probably be, do parents view schools as having a big impact on their child’s health and if so what can be done to provide a healthier environment?Hypothesis: A research hypothesis is a statement that is created by the researcher and it is a speculation of what they believe the outcome will be. This article does not have a hypothesis directly stated ; the authors only provide statistics within each paragraph. If there were to be a hypothesis it would probably state that the parents who will partake in the survey will mostly all agree that schools play a big role in their child’s life and providing healthier foods and more exercise would be a positive change.Independent and Dependent Variables: An independent and dependent variable are two different variables. An independent variable is a variable that can be wielded by the researcher. It is basically a hypothesized in order to influence or affect the dependent variable. The independent variable is measured from the researcher. The researcher assigns an experimental or a controlled condition to the participants. The independent variables would be the surveys and what they say prior to the participants taking the survey (Murphy & Polivka, 2007).The dependent variables would be the participants that partake in the survey (Murphy & Polivka, 2007). Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework is used in research to give details or to create an outline of what the possible actions may be. It is used to try and connect the aspects of the topic. The theoretical framework that was conducted in this article was what the relationship between a parent’s perception of their child’s BMI and obesity and what the schools role is in preventing as well as treating the children’s obesity issues (Murphy & Polivka, 2007).Literature Review: Literature review is important because it allows the researcher to find out what has already been discovered and what has not. It gives them a chance to create a research strategy that works best for them. It gives them a chance to avoid other researcher’s mistakes. Instead of surveying the school nurses or random people, the researchers in this article asked the parents how they feel and what they feel is important to keep their children on a healthy track so that they do not become obese (Murphy & Po livka, 2007).Study Design: There are many research designs that can be used. Descriptive design, correlation studies, semi-experimental designs, experimental designs, reviewing other research, and test study before conducting full-scale study (Experiment-Resources. com, 2012). This article is more of a descriptive design because it was based off of surveys. There was one subject studied which was childhood obesity and how schools affect children’s health (Murphy & Polivka, 2007). It was not clearly stated how long the study took.Childhood obesity is a growing issue and there are many contributions to this problem. Children spend most of their lives at school, so changing the ways that schools handle health issues is important. By removing vending machines, providing healthy programs, and allowing more physical activities can be a positive change. When the school nurses, parents, and children are all on the same page healthier changes might start to show and the level of child hood obesity may start to decrease.