Purchasing and supplies Essay

Purchasing can be traced as far back as 2800 BC in cuneiform clay tablets purchasing orders. Curiously only during the past two countries has purchasing been addressed in trade books and text books. In 1832 Charles Babbage addressed purchasing in his book â€Å"On the Economy, Machinery and Manufacturing† The first book devoted specifically to purchasing, â€Å"The Handling of Railway Supplies: The Purchase and Disposition† published in 1887 was authored by Marshall M. Kirkman. The first college textbook on purchasing was authorized by Howard T. Lewis of Harvard University in 1933. Although interest of purchasing and supply function has been a phenomenon in the 20th, it was recognized as independent and importing function well before 1900. Growth of interest and attention to purchasing was rather uneven in the early 1900’s but by 1915, several books on purchase had appeared and several articles had been published in trade press primarily in the engineering journals. Yet prior to World War I (1914-1918) most firms regarded the purchase function primarily as a clerical activity. However during the world war, the ability to obtain raw materials supplies ad services needed to keep the factories and mines operating were the 3 key determinates of organizational success. Attention was given to the organization policies and procedures for purchase functions, and so it emerged as a recognized management activity. Historically since management interest has focused on research and development, marketing, finance and operations, purchasing has frequently been subordinated to these functions. Mangers are however becoming aware impact on the bottom line that does any other functions. It is with such insights the purchasing has evolved and evolves through the following four stages. Passive stage- Purchasing function has no strategic direction and primarily reacts to the requests of other functions, This stage is characterized by: a) High proportion and individual communications due to purchasing low visibility b) Supplier selections based on price and availability. Independent stage- Purchasing functions adopts the latest purchasing techniques and processes, but its strategic direction is independent of the firms competitive strategic. In this stage; a) Performance is based primary on cost reduction and efficiency measures. b) Coordination links are established between purchasing and technical discipline. c) Top management recognizes the importance of professional development. d) Top management recognizes the opportunities in purchasing for contribution to profitability Supportive- Purchasing function support the firm’s competitive strategy by adoption purchasing techniques and products which strengthens the firm’s competitive position In this stage; a) Purchase is included in sales proposal teams. b) Suppliers are considered a resource with emphases on experience motivation and attitude. c) Market product and suppliers are continuously monitored and analyzed. iv) Integrative stage- Purchasing strategy is fully integrated into the firm’s competitive strategy and constitutes part of an integrated effort among peers to formulate and implement a strategic plan. In this stage; a) Cross-functional training of purchasing professionals executive is made available b) Permanent lines of communication are established among other functional areas. c) Professional development focuses on strategic elements of the competitive strategy d) Purchasing performance is measures in terms of contributions to the firm’s success 1.3 The Role of the Purchasing Department The purchasing department is expected by the management to fulfill the following five rights Right Time Right Price These rights are also referred to as the principles of purchasing. In order to undertake these rights the purchasing department delineates the following as in roles;   To support company operations with an uninterrupted flow of materials and services. ii)To buy competitively- Keep abreast of the forces of demand and supply that regulate prices and material availability on the market; understanding suppliers cost structure and ability to help reduce it further; price negotiation to help reach a fair price. To buy wisely- Continual search for better vales that yield the best combination of quality service and price; reconciling users needs with suppliers capabilities by use of cross functional teams; To keep inventory investment and inventory losses at a practical minimum. To develop good relationship with suppliers community and good Continuing relationship with active suppliers- good relationship with potential suppliers is invaluable. To achieve maximum integration with other departments of the firmUnderstanding major needs of user departments and provide such support as; standardization of programmes, future price forecasting, make or buy analysis and providing a repository of information and data from suppliers. To handle the purchasing and supply management function proactively and in a professional cost effective manner- Continual analysis of activities to eliminate those that only marginally contribute to the effectiveness of the organization and establishing policies and procedures that achieve departments objectives in the most cost effective manner 1.4 The Contribution of Purchasing Department to the Overall Firm’s Performance As a function, purchasing is common to all types of business operations. The purchasing department however is an organizational unit of a firm whose duties may include responsibility for part or all of the purchasing function and additional activities as well. As a matter of fact, the purchasing function is usually performed most effectively and efficiently by a centralized unit made of buying specialist who a time may work in conjunction with a more comprehensive cross-functional team of specialists. Prior to the 1950, the purchasing department was a clerically oriented order placing unit. In the ensuing years however, managerial emphasis has focused on specialization of individual buying activities, professionalism and contribution to the firm’s profit. This emphasis by the management on the purchasing department has been borne out to of the realization of the profit potential of purchasing as a function. Every shilling saved in purchasing is equivalent to a new shilling in profit. The profit margin of a firm is usually given as.

Law and Freedom Essay

The concept of freedom has been a highly debated topic since the creation of the constitution in the 1700’s. Freedom can be defined in many different ways. In each definition, one commonality is apparent. Everyone is seeking freedom although has it ever actually been obtained? Is it possible to reach a state of being completely free? Of course not. Being free means having no limits or restrictions. In our world today freedom is only an idea, an unreachable concept that is constantly being chased. Freedom is not a distinct idea. Its meaning to one person may be completely different to another. â€Å"The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.†, and â€Å"Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.† are two definitions that are given for freedom at Dictionary.com. To me, freedom is the capability to express oneself. To be able to make choices on where you live, what books to read, what music to l isten to, and which religion to believe in. Freedom can also be referred to as free hand and opportunity. Free hand is the freedom to act and make decisions. That statement helped me define my concept of freedom. With the absence of the ability to make decisions and act in favor of your beliefs, freedom would not exist. Opportunity is a synonym for freedom, and without it freedom would be inexistent. When someone is restricted from living their own life, fulfilling their own dreams, and making their own decisions, they are not free. The components of freedom are democracy, constitution, and citizens. A democracy must be put into place so the opinion of the citizens is considered, as well as maintaining a peaceful state. Having a democracy will also assure that the majority will rule and the minority will be heard. The United States has had many proposed bills shut down because they have violated the rights guaranteed to the people by the constitution. This is why I believe that a constitution is one of the main components to freedom; one of its main purposes is protecting it. Without a constitution, citizens of our country would have such a frightening lack of rights. The final component necessary for freedom are the citizens. Without the citizens, there would not be a point of having a constitution because there wouldn’t be anyone to establish or fight for freedom. These components help me live my everyday life. The constitution sets out guidelines for the government and for the citizens. The constitution gives the citizens a right to be free and express themselves without any kind of judgment or consequence. These three parts of freedom allow society to express ideas, beliefs, values, and be happy. Freedom is not the inability to express personal beliefs and nor is it easy to obtain. Freedom does not exist in communist societies were a person has to watch what they say about the government. Many people feel differently about the meaning of freedom. Some may believe that they are in fact free. Others feel that complete freedom is inevitable. In my opinion, a free state would only cause chaos and possibly destruction. The free citizen has the ability to make opinions and act according to his or her own free will to achieve happiness. It is impossible to allow every citizen of a country to be free because they would eventually infringe on the freedoms of others. Freedom is a concept, an idea, it is not tangible, nor is it a reality.

Surrealism in Films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Surrealism in Films - Essay Example The essay "Surrealism in Films" discovers the films in the context of surrealism. Though Surrealism as a pure artistic form seemingly died out with the death of Andre Breton, the influence continues prevail in films. Surrealists emphasize the importance of the unconscious dream state and symbolism through the elements of surprise and juxtaposition. Unlike many pure Surrealist films in Europe, American cinema has adapted the influence of Surrealism into a storytelling method and a foundation for the interpretation of dreams and reality. Filmmakers use surrealist concepts and methods to cross the lanes from the conscious reality to the unconscious perceptive plane and attach philosophical statements to matters that are beyond a reflection of what is real. Such examples of Surrealist influence can be found across American cinematic history, in critically acclaimed films such as Spellbound, directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Blue Velvet, directed by David Lynch; and Eternal Sunshine of the Sp otless Mind, directed by Michel Gondry. Surrealism is a style of art that was developed to create an expressive expansion of the dreams of artists so that the internal could be expressed rather than the external repeated. Spanish Surrealist painter Salvador Dali described that the work of the Surrealist is â€Å"based on phantasms and representations brought about by the materializations of unconscious acts†. The style utilizes what is real but puts it into an unreal framework, which is best represented in his sculpture.

Evaluation Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluation Argument - Essay Example 3) The argument is aimed at the general audience, some of whom may have differing opinions about the appropriateness of the pirate costume for a Halloween party. But they need to consider the validity of the costume keeping in mind the historical backdrop of pirates and how pirates still exist today, although in different guises. Some may find other costumes more appropriate and reject the idea of a pirate costume altogether. But the point to be noted for this discussion is that other costumes fail to satisfactorily meet all the criteria. 4) In forming the argument, I aim to base the validity of using a pirate costume from real life historical events and how many of the other costumes are borne from fiction and fantasy and not reality. In researching this topic, I refer to historical records pertaining to the age where much of the world's commerce was derived from ship farers and how high sea robbers spent much of their time chasing these ships for bounty. 5) The argument will be organized by first comparing the origins of some of the other costumes, (whether they came from fantasy or reality) with the pirate costume which is clearly based on historical fact. By focusing on the 'reality' aspect of pirates, explaining the fact that such bandits actually existed in the past, some credibility is given to the idea of a pirate costume. ... The argument will strive to give credence to the pirate, highlight the characteristics of strength, courage and daring that were the hallmarks of a pirate's personality and life. Comparisons will also be made with others costumes, against the different criteria and whether or not they are met. 6) The audience are both readers who like to believe that a pirate is the best costume for a Halloween party and to other readers who think otherwise but who would gain extra understanding from the argument proposed here. PAPER OUTLINE The introduction will enquire as to what is the best costume for a Halloween party and asks as to what are the different criteria to be used to base the argument on. A claim will be made about a pirate costume being ideal for a Halloween party. A selection of different criteria will be stated that are to be met in order for a pirate costume to qualify as being the ideal costume. The body of the final paper will set out to explain what various costumes represent, giving examples about whether the costumes originate from real life or fantasy. Next, the origin of wearing costumes in the context of Halloween is detailed and how the practice came about. Also a mention will be given to the justification of wearing a pirate costume for a Halloween party when clearly a pirate costume was never originally a part of the tradition of Halloween. This part will also look into the liberation a mask or costume can provide and how a pirate costume can enable the wearer to freely act out the role, thus providing some entertainment value. Comparisons with other costumes will also be made, even those that share similar 'qualities' with the pirate costume. A mention will also be given to the link that a pirate's traits has with a

Sombrero Case study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sombrero Case study - Assignment Example The total monthly fix expenditures for the entire business venture is six thousands seven hundred UAE Dirham (UAEDh 6,700). The total operating expense is ten thousands three hundred UAE Dirham (UAEDh 10,300). The entire expenditure is seventeen thousands UAE Dirham (UAEDh 17,000). Without any marketing budget mentioned, the only drawing power of the SOMBRERO venture is its price. Without any comparative data about any competition that is mentioned in the study, the only indication for the competitiveness of the SOMBRERO fruit drink price is its raw material cost versus price ratio which is about four hundred percentile (400%). However, including the other direct operation cost the cost to price percentile would be at fifty nine percentile (59%). The small revenue as compared to the cost would indicate that it is competitive. Fruit Drinks do not have any cultural sensitivity that is why no matter the race or even the origin of any potential customer its acceptability would always be high. The trend amongst young adults particularly those attending college is to live healthy. This would include drinking less carbonated drinks and reverting back to fruit drinks. This translates to a steady stream of customers from the University during school days which could increase the potential sales at that time. A steadier income that will be provided by mall visitors three hundred thousand potential customers is much more promising. Considering that the Mall is the only one of its kind within the area there will be no competition as far as Mall market share is concerned. The only issue now is the visibility of the SOMBRERO booth. It should be noted that the booth is located in the food court of the Mall this will provide a common area where solid foods will be served. Solid foods or main courses has a requisite of a liquid intake this would make the SOMBRERO booth’s location essential. There will always be a demand for food every day from

Analysis Of My Antonia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis Of My Antonia - Essay Example But as the story progresses and he comes to understand the reality of the situation, he shows his appreciation for immigrants like Antonia by stating –‘One result of this family solidarity was that the foreign farmers in our county were the first to become prosperous". As Jim blossoms in his youth, he undergoes a lot of changes in his life especially the areas where his personal life is concerned. His experiences in the West are interwoven with his academic education which is what makes the story all the more interesting.Antonia to Jim is someone whom he respects and loves a lot. In fact, Jim’s memoir is titled ‘My Antonia’ and is dedicated to her, proving the depth of his admiration and love for her. His memoir is not just about the story of his childhood and his experiences but it focuses on Antonia and what she had meant to him. The beauty of this memoir lies in the ambiguity of love. Jim’s feelings and emotions towards Antonia are very stro ng and though he does admit his deep love for her, yet it does not explicitly advertise it. Jim takes pride in her strong physical appearance and her sexual appeal, but he is also very protective of her, from the other ‘creepy guys’ in the neighborhood. However, now and then he is filled with flashes of passion and this is evident when he tries to kiss her one night near the gate, while Antonia jokingly pushes him away. But, whatever his feelings were towards Antonia, it had a great impact on him for the rest of his life.... Jim takes pride in her strong physical appearance and her sexual appeal, but he is also very protective of her, from the other ‘creepy guys’ in the neighborhood. However, now and then he is filled with flashes of passion and this is evident when he tries to kiss her one night near the gate, while Antonia jokingly pushes him away. But, whatever his feelings were towards Antonia, it had a great impact on him for the rest of his life. The following lines testify Jim’s feelings for Antonia -"I'd have liked to have you for a sweetheart, or a wife, or my mother or my sister – anything that a woman can be to a man" (4.4.7).   Antonia’s influence over Jim helps to change his life. The impact is clearly evident when Jim states -"You influence my likes and dislikes, all my tastes, hundreds of times when I don't realize it. You really are a part of me" (4.4.7) Both Antonia and Jim have opposing characteristics. While Antonia is strong and decisive, Jim is mor e emotional, passive and indecisive. All the above points show that Antonia represents a part of his past which was simple, pure and innocent. Representing yet another part of his life which is his adolescence and adulthood is the character of Mr. Shimerda who was the father of Antonia, Marek, Ambrosch, and Yulka well. He was an intelligent and dignified gentleman who loved his life in Bohemia and hated his new life in America. Mr. Shimerda became heart broken because he could not adjust to the hard life on the farm. Jim took a great liking to Mr. Shimerda because he understood the sadness and exhaustion that he was experiencing by feeling alone in this world. Jim admired Mr. Shimerda and was

What are the Pro's and Con's of Obama Care Research Proposal

What are the Pro's and Con's of Obama Care - Research Proposal Example alysis of the research topic will further assist in having a comprehensive understanding about the intentions and implications of the healthcare plan for the people. In the US, healthcare plans and policies are developed as well as implemented with the objective of providing better care and treatment services for the public. Principally, initiators of healthcare plans aim at providing adequate care along with treatment services in a cost effective manner, contributing to the overall social health altogether. Additionally, the US government has been spending substantial amounts of funds concentrated on the continuous development and growth of healthcare segments and policies for the enhancement of the entire healthcare system. In this regard, Obama Care was introduced as an affordable healthcare plan, under the Affordable Care Act. Obama Care has been initiated with the provision of offering affordable as well as low cost health and care services to a large number of uninsured people. The health plan has been implemented in order to improve insurance coverage. The plan is beneficial for providing affordable health services with better coverage. O n the other hand, the health plan has been criticized on the ground of racial prejudice and additional taxes. However, healthcare industry analysts criticized healthcare plans implemented through the Obama Care healthcare bill as fragmented in approach. Hence, the healthcare plan was also recognized to be ineffective as well as inefficient in its approach. In order to justify this claim, the healthcare plans were recognized to be inadequately covered within the diverse population. Contextually, the healthcare plans were perceived to provide uneven healthcare facilities and services. In addition, they were seen to have increasing gaps between the intended benefits to be delivered to the people and the realistic approach taken by the government (Chua, 2006). Subsequently, in this p proposed research study, a critical

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

Audit - Essay Example It has no intentions of growing thru expansion, enter into new contract (due to limitations of financial capability), or withdraw any line of business it is representing. All the lines it is representing are selling well and have contributed to the revenues earned by the company. Marketing activities of the company are direct and not very excessive. They do it on tradeshows, exhibits, and do lot of announcements thru social media and e-mails. Since company is limited to loyal customers, up-dating them on company products is easily done. Yes, cost-reduction steps can be taken. Cost reduction is implemented by monitoring of monthly operating costs and trying to figure out which expense could be limited. Company practices cost reduction on variable expenses such as travel, representation, energy consumption and miscellaneous expenses. Control procedures of the company are accounting controls, cash control, separation of duties, documentation of all transactions and regular audits. They are adequate controls to ensure that employees are performing their duties honestly and in accordance with company’s objectives. Yes, management performs periodic analysis of operation in all its angles thru the establishment of a performance goal. Here, management and employees sit down and talk how to accomplish the goals and objectives of the company by setting a specific target in a specified time. Each company assigned with different tasks, agree to set a specific goal of accomplishments. Management monitors accomplishments regularly, or as often as monthly. Yes, this also is monitored very closely on a weekly basis. Internal control is established as a process of monitoring marketing costs and its relative profitability. This process is the responsibility of the Accounting

Computer Information System Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Computer Information System Brief - Essay Example It is easily understood that Kudler has appropriately invested and organized their computer information method for various business functions. To develop the organization’s computer information system, it is necessary to identify the key business and accounting information needs such as strengths and weaknesses, opportunities as well as threats that Kudler may encounter. â€Å"The accounting firm discovered many troubles in the current information system for Kudler’s Fine Foods. While investigating Kudler’s Fine Foods’ key business and accounting needs, it was determined that they are in need of many changes† (Kudler Fine Foods Information System Analysis, n.d., para. 2). To correctly evaluate and suggest a successful computer system and make assessments based on: 1) Key business and accounting information requirements of Kudler’s Fine Foods. 2) Identifying Kudler’s current computer information system 3) Explaining advantages received from technological improvements in Kudler’s business. 4) Recognizing strengths and weaknesses by way of probable technology threats. The management of Kudler understands that using computer information technology enhances the accounting operations of the company and helps in meeting their company requirements. The computer information system in Kudler feels that food incorporation will develop the communication system between their retail stores by connecting every point-of-sale terminal, altering just-in-time procedure of inventory control management and cooperating with workers, clients as well as dealers to bring foodstuffs to market as quickly and cost efficiently as possible. Besides, by forming a virtual company, Kudler will be capable of expanding a well-organized distribution infrastructure in addition to organizing network of citizens and monetary resources to rapidly make profits for the company. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Kudler’s current comput er system and technology use, including hardware and software. At the present, most organizations use Information Technology (IT) to enhance functions and develop consumer service. Kudler Fine Food has plans to promote the inventory and ordering mechanization by setting up new e-commerce abilities and an online cookery linkage. Strategic Information Systems of Kudler Fine Foods Company have the capability to amplify strengths into possibly sustainable competitive benefit. Strengths of Kudler’s current computer system are as follows: Easily assessing all costs associated and completion targets. Ease of preservation and maintenance. Tolerates alterations in Management Information System staffing. Documentation of all the activities in all the locations. Well defined user input. Controls all the activities taking place in all the locations. Weaknesses of Kudler’s current computer system include: Increased development time. Enlarged cost of development. Inflexibility. Diff iculties in estimating expenses and projecting overruns. Explain what opportunities Kudler has in terms of technology and provide suggestions for improving Kudler's ability to maximize these opportunities: The Kudler’s food store was established by Kathy Kudler. Kathy enjoys cooking epicure foods and realized an opportunity to give her cooking to the public as a source to obtain revenue. Her stores give the most delicious domestic and imported food items such as pastries and other fresh baked eatables, fresh meat, fresh produce and seafood, packaged food and condiments, specialty

Reflection Module Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflection Module - Assignment Example In the current project, a research reflection has been done for a 12 days programme which covered many topics of management. The purpose of this current project is to reflect the learning of the 12 days programme and analyse the benefits it will provide to the business. I have analysed four different topics from the programme. These topics were: 1. Managing change 2. Competitive Brand Management Plan 3. Sustainability 4. Food Health Innovation The essential question which framed my reflection project was to be able to properly criticise the objective of the learning and gain meaningful experience from it. We always come across the process of critical reasoning in our daily lives. We have also used this theory and application to solve problems of our daily lives and these reasoning are imbedded in our thoughts. But most of the time, we fail to apply the same theories while pursuing academic work. This will be the major objective of my reflection paper. This reflection paper will study the theories and practical tools which have been discussed and applied in the above mentioned papers and meaningful learning will be interpreted In this paper, I begin with an overview of the theory, articulate my thesis and then preview the learning of my paper. Essentially, I did a mini-review of each research essay to explain how the relevant theory is useful and practical and how they can contribute to solve a business problem. The main audience for this paper was my communication professor but the paper would be reasonably understood by professors and majors in the respective field. Sustainability This topic of my programmes, deals with the sustainability issues in a consumer cooperative in Britain, named as CP Ltd. according to sources, it was found out that CP Ltd was the largest consumer cooperative worldwide having more than 6 million members globally. This research paper helped me to understand a proper sustainability plan which can be applied for resolving issues related to society and economy. During the conduction of this topic, I learned many new things and discovered many new theories which have useful and meaningful interpretations in solving a business problem. During the programme, I leaned that majority of developing countries are over-consuming the natural resources. It was also found out that more than 30 percent of the resources used by people cannot be replenished in future (Adams, 2006). Thus, numerous marketing programmes have been organised and implemented to make people aware of the current situation and warn them, so that they can use these resources in a meaningful manner. The classes helped me understand the numerous problems faced by the government worldwide. These included biodiversity loss, climate change, changing demographics, increasing inequalities and unavailability of basic commodities. Few of the important things discussed during this programme were that consumers are many times motivated to perform things because of so cietal pressure. Lack of proper knowledge, information results in overuse of resources. Also, we cannot expect these consumers and individuals to learn and understand these critical issues by themselves. Apart from this, sustainable consumption is still a niche area of study and companies are still negligent about this critical issue. Thus it is the responsibility of big brands and corporate organisations will be a motivating factor and launch campaigns and other media

Expansion Essay Essay Example for Free

Expansion Essay Essay There were two presidents that did a great deal for our country in the area of expansion. These two presidents are Thomas Jefferson and James K. Polk. Though they had completely different policies on expansion and foreign affairs, both of them vastly expanded the country. Jefferson was a believer in the Monroe Doctrine which basically said we will mind our own busi ness. He was also a very firm believer in a strict interpretation of the constitution. He did not look to vastly expand our country and when the opportunity presented itself he had a hard time making the right decision. The United States was surrounded by European owned areas: England had Canada, Spain had Florida, and France had Louisiana. Fearing a possible war Jefferson strengthened the army especially by Louisiana. This act scared Napoleon, he was in a war with England and didnt even need the Louisiana Territory, so fearing a war with the U.S. and needing money for his war with England he offered to sell the whole Louisi ana Territory to us for very cheap. Jefferson not sure if the constitution justified the act of making this purchase struggled with the decision. He decided he didnt have much of a choice and accepted Napoleons offer. On the other hand, James K. Polk was a firm believer in Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the United States was predestined to control all of North America. When Polk ran in the 1844 election his campaign slogan was 54-40 or fight. Though he never got that boundary he did get a lot more in different parts of the country. After Texas revolted from Mexico Polk was easy to convince that the U.S. should step in and take Texas from Mexico. Though he wanted Texas he felt that the greatest prize would be California. After Mexico repeatedly declined Polks offers to buy Mexico and California Polk sent an army to the Rio Grande. This action led to the Mexican War. Polk pushed and pushed for Texas and California which after thirteen thousand American lives and fifty thousand Mexican lives were lost he got his land. Both of these presidents expanded the area of our country a tremendously. Jeffersons policies on expansion kept us out of war and doubled the size of our country with great land that would be much needed in coming years. Polk didnt keep us out of war but he got us a lot. He gained the United States half a million acres of prime land. Texas was an excellent producer of cotton and other crops, while Califor nia was abundant in gold causing the gold rush where thousands of men would head west to California in search of gold. Though Polk and Jefferson had almost opposite policies, in the area of expansion, they both ac quired much land for the United States. Jefferson, the believer in the Monroe Doctrine, and Polk the believer in Manifest Destiny, probably would not have agreed with each other but both did a lot of good for our country.

Relationship Between Strategic Communication and Ethics

Relationship Between Strategic Communication and Ethics Discuss the role of strategic communication in relation to Ethics In the industry of public relations, understanding the ethical aspects of the profession has now become increasingly important. Just like any other professional industries such as journalism and psychology, public relations and ethics need to work hand in hand in order for the practice to be given a better name. As public relations have a bright future ahead due to the growing global economy, the professions’ most profitable days may still exist on the horizon. But public relations practitioners must know that in order to capitalize upon this growth, the hinge may lie on the ability for the industry to silence the critics of it being an unethical profession. However, due to the public’s negative perception of public relations, many people are saying that public relations and ethics are an oxymoron. In this essay, we will try to understand why there is a negative discourse of PR being an unethical profession and how we can change that perception. We will also analyse the importance of education in regards to public relations ethics. Before we proceed with the in depth discourse of Public relations ethics, we need to first define the meaning of public relations and ethics. According to Gunig and Hunt (1984), they wrote that ‘public relation is the management of communication between an organisation and its publics’. Harlow (1988) defined public relations in a more elementary level. He mentioned that Public relation is ‘a management function which deals with the relations between two or more organisations or public.’ There are many other scholars and practitioners that have produced their own definition of public relations but it is basically a communication process which uses different strategies to ultimately build beneficial relationships with publics or organisations. These obligations of serving the publics’ interest have caused heated debates amongst many practitioners and scholars over its fundamental values of public relations. It has also become a highly controversial indu stry as many people have negative stigmas towards public relations. It is obvious that for a long time there exists a negative perception of PR. It is not entirely a surprise that the general public has this negative stigma about public relations. BrautoviĆ¡ and Brkan (2009) said that ‘PR professionals have become manipulators of public mind rather than conveyers of truth.’ That is why the term public relations ethics is often understood as an oxymoron. There will be stories about PR making it to the media which are invariably the negative ones. Media outlets know that nice fluffy stories like successful charity work or meaningful campaigns don’t sell. But can we entirely blame the media for the bad reputation public relation has on the public? The tarnished reputation of public relations is often due to situations where PR was used to camouflage some serious problems, not to mention something that is today called spin. But what exactly is spin in the context of public relations? Spin can be classified as propaganda, where the ultimate goal is to persuade public opinion to be in favor or against a certain organization or public figure (Safire, 1994). Due to this term spin, publics often perceive the profession to be manipulative and unethical. According to Miller Dinan (2008), they mentioned that people believe the profession is about â€Å"spinning† stories in order to enhance the image of an organization at the expense of many others. One such case was the BP oil spill which happened in 2010 which falls under the category of spin. With regards to strategic communication, the oil company kept downplaying and deflecting the severity of the incident. BP (British Petroleum) underestimated the size of the spill and therefore tried to divert the attention of the oil spill as the â€Å"Gulf of Mexico oil spill.† The company’s attempt to sidestep the health and economic issues were s een as artificial and unethical. Case studies like these that are popularised by the media represent the problems that arise when public relations strategies are deceptive. Timothy Commbs, who teaches Public Relations at Eastern Illinois University said, â€Å"Wherever the fault lies, BP shouldnt be splitting hairs. Companies should take the fall and work out recriminations behind closed doors† (Beam, 2010). This goes to demonstrate why ethical public relations strategies are necessary to accomplishing the goals of an organisation. Though challenges still remain in the practice of public relations, there is also forward ethical progress. Much of this comes in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (2008) defines CSR as â€Å"the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large†. It basically means that an organisation doing CSR will have also ethical and societal responsibilities that go beyond their economic responsibilities. CSR is also seen as a way of behaving, which draws on ethics. But most importantly, there are many public relation bodies all over the world which provides similar codes of practice/ethics for public relation practitioners to follow and abide to. It articulates the value these bodies places on honesty, integrity, loyalty, advocacy, fairness etcetera. As public relations becomes more evident in the 21st century, two reports from the Commission on Public Relations Education, A Port of Entry (1999) and The Professional Bond (2006), insisted on the need for public relations ethics education at a university level. Public relation scholars Shen and Toth (2008) reiterated that there aren’t enough university level courses offering the study of public relations ethics. They also wrote that public relations education needs to integrate the study of ethics into existing PR electives in order for students to become more viable and attain a comprehensive public relations education. However, Juditb A. Kolb, together with other prominent scholars and wrote that public relations ethics courses are not only limited but it is also expanding to more university classrooms (Kolb, Lin, Frisque, 2005). Nowadays there are many university schools which offer the study of public relation ethics. Schools like the University of Virginia in the United States, where students will need to complete a module called ‘Public Relations, Ethics and Law’. The unit explores the ethical issues that arise in the practice of public relations and the ethical standards that govern the practice. In Peth, Australia, Murdoch University also offers the study of Public Relations Ethics in a module called Campaign Management. It is understandable for practitioners and scholars agreeing that the study of public relations ethics is crucial for students to have as a public relations curriculum but students themselves needs to know the importance too. As The Professional Bond state, â€Å"While public relations professional education perhaps cannot make students ethical, either professionally or personally, such education can define and teach professional ethics as It can provide a body of knowledge about the process of ethical decision-making that can help students not only to recognize ethical dilemmas, but to use appropriate critical thinking skills to help resolve these dilemmas in a way that results in an ethical outcome.† Kate Fitch, a Senior lecturer at Murdoch University, did a study on how students perceives ethics in public relations education and practice. Participants of a focus group study done by her acknowledged that public relations ethics was a grey area; â€Å"The line is very blurry but the uni is doing a good job to try and show us that PR isn’t all about that† (Fitch, 2013). The study also found out that students see ethics in public relations as being responsible to themselves, client or employer. In this study, students were critical of the Code of Ethics provided by bodies such as the PRIA as it only emphasise on issues such as reputation and risk manager rather than practices that are socially responsible. To conclude, the industry of public relations has indeed left many people with a sour taste in their mouths. We found out that PR is often perceived by the public as unethical, as practitioners often use the term ‘spin’ whereby he or she may not give a truthful interpretation of events which would ultimately lead to the lack of trust in the PR practitioner. With practitioners’ lack of trust it leads to the lack of trust of the organization and leads directly to the loss of reputation. That is why public relations ethics is paramount. Although professional skills are important in this industry, it needs to be ethical. What it basically means is that PR professionals need to do the right thing. Referring to international PR bodies for their codes of conduct is the first step when in doubt. We will also need to provide more emphasis for education and approved courses as to ensure that students will be trained on ethics and ethical decision making in practice of publi c relations in the real world. Word count: 1472 Grunig, J.E., Hunt, T. (1984) Managing Public Relations. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace http://195.130.87.21:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/904/1/Ethics%20in%20Public%20Relations.pdf file:///C:/Users/Joel%20St%20Pierre/Downloads/MA6_11_Helena_Brautovic_i_Dragana_Brkan.pdf http://thornelyhill.co.uk/dirty-words-the-ba-reputation-of-public-relations/ William Safire, The Spinner Spun, New York Times, December 22, 1996. World Business Council for Sustainable Development. (2008). Definition. [Online] Available: http://www.wbcsd.org/templates/TemplateWBCSD5/layout.asp?type=pMenuId=MTE0OQ. http://www.prsa.org/Intelligence/PRJournal/Documents/2014SilvermanGowerNekmat.pdf http://www.academia.edu/6415032/Public_relations_student_perceptions_of_ethics

Trade Union Increasing Of Their Membership Commerce Essay

Trade Union Increasing Of Their Membership Commerce Essay It is believed that employee relation is a relevant management activity if the organisation deals with trade unions. As Gennard and Judge (2005) explained in their book, trade unions are organised group of employees who consist wholly or mainly of workers of one or more description and whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers and employers. The primary purpose of trade unions is to protect and enhance the living standards of their members. (Gennard and Judge, 2005) To achieve this objective, there are two main methods industrial and political. Industrial methods include the negotiation of agreements with employers and all that belongs to collective bargaining, grievance procedure, industrial action, use of third-party intervention, joint consultation. Political methods cover all types of union participation in the political process, including pressure group activities in relation to the UK government and the EU decision making bodies. Trade unions which traced from the eighteenth century have developed into a number of forms, influenced by differing political adjectives and activities of trade unions vary, but may include: provision of benefits to members, collective bargaining, industrial action and political activity. Although trade unions bring about lots of benefits to their members, there is a decline in trade union membership. This paper will discuss the question how trade unions can increase their membership. The questions will be answered from four aspects. It will be organise as follow: first it will talk about the partnership, second is the policy specifically to attract younger members, third is organising model, and last is the investment in exploring new information-based technology and communication systems. Also a conclusion will be writing at the last of this paper. Partnership Blair declared partnerships to be an essential part of developing a modern workplace that can produce goods and services of quality. It is part of the answer to the quest for economic success (Brown et al, 2001) Heery (2002) mentioned that social partnership is an imprecise term and in Britain carries a number of meanings and refers to a range of union activities. At European level, it can refer to union involvement in European Social Dialogue and the negotiation of framework agreements. At state level, it can refer to attempts to position the TUC as an authoritative partner in economic and social management. At economy level, it can refer to attempts to revive multi-employer collective bargaining. At company level, it can refer to the negotiation of distinctive partnership agreements between unions and management, which are intended to promote a new and more co-operative set of relations within the firm. Partnership agreements may reflect an exclusive principle of representation; they provide an element of security for union members in relatively good jobs through a policy of deliberate insecurity for others who are less likely to be unionised. Partnership above the level of the company may be oriented towards the broad regulation of the labour market, partnership agreements focus very much on the immediate employment-centred interests of union members. (Heery, 2002) These partnership agreements seek to address interests which have often been neglected by unions in the past. They have common feature like worker entitlement to training and development. Indeed, the Return to Learn partnership concluded by unison with public and voluntary sector employers are confined solely to issue of personal development (Munro and Rainbird, 2000). Partnership agreements seek to cultivate shared interests with employers and take the form of productivity coalition (Windolf, 1989), in which security, d evelopment and involvement ideally are exchanged for worker commitment and flexibility. Partnership brings many benefits such as training and development, and also makes the worker more flexible that employers and employees working under the voluntary rather than law. Partnership is built on principles and practices of shared commitment between the organisation and the people who work there.   Partnership has brought benefits including greater disclosure of information, greater influence, inter-union co-operation and more local decision-making. It provides the opportunity for worker get training and develop their personal skills, increase workers involvement. In a word, there is a big potential of a move towards greater partnership with employers as a way of increasing trade union membership. Attract younger members Throughout Western Europe, trade union membership is declining. The average age of trade unionists is rising, and difference between trade unionists and young workers in perception, culture and identity are widening. If trade unions are tending to reverse the membership decline sustained since 1979, more young workers must be recruited. Sustained membership growth in trade union is facing two major challenges. The first challenge is to adapt their strategies and structures to the rapid growth and diversity of service-sector employment. The second challenge is demographic. Union membership in western industrial nations is ageing and tends to be concentrated in declining or slow-growth sector. As a result, it is vital that unions invent effective ways to recruit the next generation of workers. (Weil, 1994) A review of unionisation among young people in Western European showed that rates of unionisation among young people are lower than among their older counterparts and that the rate of unionisation for young people is declining more steeply than among older workers (Serrano Pascual and Waddington, 2000). It is argued that young workers attitudes towards trade unions are influenced by aspects as follow. First, family networks influence the unionisation of young workers. Young trade unionists were more likely to have parents who were, or had been, trade unionists. Second is the influence of some workplace characteristics and job histories on union membership. Young workers who often change employment rather than accumulate a stock of grievances in a single post are less likely to unionise (Waddington and Kerr, 2002). There are some actions can be introduced by trade unions to stem the sharp decline in unionisation among young people. First, reduce subscription rates for young trade unionists. In order to encourage higher rates of participation in union affairs and to foster contributions from young members on the development of union policy, many unions have set up youth or student sections. Second, launch campaigns on university campuses in an attempt to attract into membership students employed in McJobs, which is low pay, insecurity, unsocial hours and an absence of holiday or sick pay. Third, establish a presence at music festivals and similar events central to the culture of young people, to engage with potential young members. Fourth, establish the Organising Academy to train young people to recruit, amongst others, young workers, with the specific brief to extend union organisation into private-sector services. Organising model The trade union density is described as a product of five forces: macro-economic context, workforce composition, state policy, management strategy, and the recruitment activity of trade unions themselves (Metcalf, 1991). It is also argued that the fall in trade union membership was caused by inadequate investment or deficiencies in union recruitment activity much union recruitment has been unsystematic and reactive (Heery, 2000) (Kelly and Heery, 1994). While there is evidence of UK unions making an increased effort to recruit and organise new members, which has been informed by the organising model since the mid 1990s. (Heery, 2002) The concept of an organising model or organising approach is imprecise and embraces a number of principles and practise (Bronfenbrenner, 1998). Organising model tends to be used in two overlapping senses: First, it can refer to a model of union good practice which contributes to membership growth by re-building or extending organization at workplace level. Second, it represents an attempt to rediscover the social movement origins of labour, essentially by redefining the union as a mobilizing structure which seeks to simulate activism among its members and generate campaigns for workplace and wider social justice (Heery et al, 2000). Organising model includes some practices such as: reliance on targeted and planned organizing campaigns; the use of mapping techniques to research the target workforce and identify those likely to join; reliance on face-on-face recruitment, often in peoples homes and using like-to-like recruiters (Heery et al, 2000). Organising means the empowerment of workers, workers can resolve their own problems without recourse to external representation. The increasing investment by unions in organising leads to a recovery of union membership. Investment in technology and communication systems The union has invested little time or money in exploring new information-based technology and communication systems. The low cost of information, communication, and interaction on the web offers trade unions opportunities to improve services and attract members. The internet is the twenty-first centurys mode of mass communication, the logistic growth curve for internet usage making the internet one of the most rapidly adopted innovations ever. The use of web for workers and union members are very universal. It is believed that if unionists were not making extensive use of the internet, any study of the role of internet in the future of unions would be speculative or at least be limited to its impact. On the contrary, if unionists make wide use of the internet, then it has greater potential for the future of unions broadly. The internet offers unions some areas of opportunity: first, to present the union case various issues to the online population through provision of information; second, to communicate directly with union members or potential members through targeted electronic messages; third, to engage in interactive discourse with members or others by responding to queries and by online discussion forums. The uses of web by union members offer the opportunities for unions to use the new technology to improve their services to members and possibly attract new members, especially those young people. Because of younger union members are more likely to access the internet than older union members. The internet is also an inexpensive medium for communication. E-mails can be sent free to all members of the organization as well as one person to another. It makes union members easier to share information. Overall, by invest in technology and communication system such as internet and E-mail, unions can improve services to members and attract new members. Conclusion In conclude, the purpose of this paper is to discussed the question how trade unions can increase their membership. It answered the question from four sides were partnership, attract young members, organising model, and investment in technology and communication system. By looking at partnership, it is obvious that partnership has brought benefits including greater disclosure of information, greater influence, inter-union co-operation and more local decision-making. It is an effective way to recruit the next generation of workers for increase the membership of trade unions. Organising model had a success inform in unions making an increased effort to recruit and organise new members. It contributes to membership growth by re-building or extending organization. The last method to increase the membership of trade union is to investment in technology and communication system such as internet and e-mail in order to achieve the object of attract new members.

Victorian Writing :: essays research papers

How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! -- Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. As my eyes fixated on my creation, lightning flashed among the clouds and was followed by drumming thunder. Rain started to pound down on the roof above me, like stones falling from the sky, the sound becoming progressively deafening by the minute. The surrounding trees howled terrifyingly, swaying from side to side, with the immense winds almost uprooting them. Debris, pushed up by the winds, crashed through the house’s windows. Glass flew apart with piercing sounds, flying towards me, and with swift strokes, they sliced the flesh on my face. Blood oozed out of the cuts profusely and my face became gory with red. The weather became more ferocious and the chilly winds blew through the wrecked windows, down my spine. The teeth in my mouth started chattering from the chills and fear. The going-on outside the house was overwhelming, numbing my senses and movement. â€Å"Oh Lord!† I said. â€Å"What have I done wrong?† Lightning unrelentingly flashed and thunder still roared after. This time, it was even more earsplitting. I have incurred God’s wrath, our environment and surroundings are his domain, expressing his fury. I continued to look up at the sky above, questioning God. Every remark thrown at him caused the storm to intensify. Nevertheless, I did not hold back as the potent emotions within me spurred me let it all out. Suddenly, there was a strident crash behind me, which could be heard among all the noises outside the house. I turned my head and the floor was covered in broken porcelain chips. My ancestral urn had fallen onto the floor. The floral velvet carpet that once lay colourful and vibrate, was now stained with fine gray ash and the blood dripping off my scared face. Persistent chilling winds blew through the window, and the ash flew with the gust and the room immediately became hazy.

Science :: essays research papers

Addition of Torques Objective:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To ascertain equilibrium of the meter stick. Doing so by finding missing variables consisting of torque, length, weight and mass. Record all results and compare to calculated results. Procedure:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Lab part A) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A fiberglass meter stick is to be used. Suspend this meter stick using string. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hang 100 gram weight from the meter stick with a string a the 10 cm point on the meter stick. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Move the loop that suspends the meter stick left or right horizontally until the meter stick balances. (with the 100 g weight still attached at the 10 cm point) Procedure:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Lab part B) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Place a string at 65 cm to support the meter stick. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Find the torque produced by the off centered string support by hanging weights on the shorter end of the meter stick to make it balance. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Take found torque and calculate mass to be placed at the 15 cm mark in order to balance the meter stick. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hang weights to meter stick at the 15 cm location until the meter stick acquires equilibrium to prove your calculations. Procedure:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Lab part C) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suspend a meter stick with string placed at the 65 cm point. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hang 100 grams of weight at the 45 cm mark, and 500 grams at the 90 cm mark on the meter stick. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hang 200 grams of weight between 0 – 45 cm mark and move this weight until equilibrium is achieved. Record this measurement. Data Part A:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mass of weight (m-2) = 100 grams Position string balanced = 36.4 cm Distance from center of meter stick to balance point. (L-1) = 13.6 cm Distance from balance point to suspended weight. (L-2) = 26.4 cm Mass of meter stick. (at center gravity) m1 = m2 (L1/ L2) Therefore: m1 = 100 (26.4/13.6) m1 = 100(1.94111) m1 = 194.1176 grams (mass of the meter stick) Data Part B:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Found natural torque (off set support string) = t = fl 85 grams placed at 100 cm balanced the off set support string at 65 cm. Therefore: t = 85 * (100 – 65) t = 2975 Total torque of right side of support string: t = 90cm – 65cm (500 g) t = 12,500 Then we calculated the left side torque: t = 65cm – 40cm (100g) t = 2500   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Then we took the right torque and subtracted the left torque: 9525 – 2500 = 7025 (this is the missing force on the left side) Missing torque 7025 = 50cm ( ? ) 7025/50 = 140.5grams Calculate weight to be placed at 15cm. = 140.5 grams Data Part C:

The Quarrel About Historical Explanation :: essays research papers

The Quarrel About Historical Explanation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The discussion of the philosophical question of historical explanation is in reality a disagreement concerning the nature of the philosophic method.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are primarily two sides taken in this argument, those who agree with Carl Hempel and those that do not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Hempel a historical event is only sufficiently explained when it logically fits a set of confirmed pre-existing conditions along with some universal laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Certainly all things cannot easily be assigned to rules and laws. Political coups, assassinations and revolutions are too complex for such a rigid explanation. And who is to say what perquisites there are for situations. Certainly there is no one who can predict every instance of a given event, there are just too many variables.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hempel then notes that Historians are seldom able to stick to his procedure and at best can only make an explanation sketch. Hempel seems to be saying then, that the majority of explanations surrounding historical events are inadequate and incomplete.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three main divisions of anti-Hempelians. There are those that agree with Hempel to the point that there are rules and general laws that can be followed, but a historian's explanation is adequate if all he can provide is a sketch. The second group states that the general laws are not necessary and as long as the explanation provides an understandable narrative, it is complete. The final group believes that only one condition is necessary, and if more information is needed, one only needs to elaborate on that one condition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Hempelians and the anti-Hempelians both have common ground. They are both engaged in the philosophy of history, but this is where the agreement stops for even the groups starting points are different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hempelians give their explanations to answer the question of why something happened. Their objective is to replace curiosity with understanding. For this to happen both the laws and general rules given must logically agree. In other words you must be able to deduce the answer after given the laws and rules.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It would not be enough for a Hempelian to hear that conditions led up to an event. He must know himself that these conditions are causes, and he'll know this only if the conditions are widely known or confirmed causes of said event. These conditions must not only be confirmed but true or the explanation would merely be an exercise in futility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An anti-Hempelian's problem with all of this is summarized in that historians do not use such methods to do their explaining, even if they did an explanation may not result, and finally historians are doing a very fine job

Light vs. dark

In the myth of the cave Plato and Socrates discuss the theory of having prisoners trapped in a cave chained, in where they are shown figures of the world being cast by shadows. Until one of the prisoners is dragged out into the real world and he experiences a change in perspectives. After realizing how wrong his perspective of the world was, he decides to share this information with the rest of the prisoners that are still trapped in the darkness of the cave.The other prisoners were so full of their own perspective, disbelieving that there was a world different than what they believed in, that they threatened to kill him if he spoke another word of nonsense. The prisoner returned to the outside world and left the other prisoners in the darkness of their ignorant ways. In â€Å"A Very old Man With Enormous Wing†, one day as Pelayo is disposing of crabs in the ocean, he notices an angel lying in the sand ill, he decides to take him home and keeps the old man caged in his chicken coop. fter a ew days Pelayo and his wife Elisanda start to noticed that their ill son is cured and healthy. They seek help from the priest who believes he is the devil since he dint speak God's language. People came from far and close to see the old man with their own eyes. Elisanda saw a great opportunity and started to charge people admission to see the angel, making her and Pelayo wealthy that they build a new home for themselves. When the old man regained his health and strength he disappears never to be seen or heard from again. The characters in â€Å"A Very Old Man with EnormousWings†, by Gabriel Marquez relate to the characters in Plato's â€Å"Myth of the Cave† because they are blinded by their perspective and there are similarities in the surroundings from both of the stories. Perspective; a particular evaluation of a situation or facts, especially from one person's point of view, is both a positive and negative thing in both of the stories. In the beginning the prisoner had this perspective that he strongly believed that the shadows that he was being shown all his life were what the world consisted off. When he did get the chance to go into the real world, he was hesitant and had to be dragged out of the cave.Once he stepped out of the darkness of the cave, he saw the light and came to the conclusion that all this time he was wrong for thinking that way. He tried to share his knowledge with the others that believed that the prisoners they were in was the world of sight. It is then, when he steps back into the darkness once more that he realizes how ignorant people could be, Socrates himself once said â€Å"That the unexamined life is not worth living†. Not bothering to question the chance or possibility of their being another world than the one they believe to be real.In the case of Pelayo and Elisanda in the beginning their perspective about the old man was that he was gruesome looking and that he was dangerous. They planned o n letting him regain his strength and send him of to sea with enough food and water to last him for three days. After seeing that there ill son became healthy since the old man had arrive, the thought of him not being such a negative thing crossed their mind. They ended up becoming egan to spread that the old man had powers that could cure others illness, that it led a leper, a blind man, and a paralytic to come visit the old man hoping for a miracle for the price of a nickel.Leaving with a miracle they didn't have in mind; the blind man didn't recover his eye sight but he did grow three new teeth, the paralytic who didn't get to walk but almost won the lottery, and finally the leper whose sores sprouted sunflowers. In the end Pelayo and Elisanda changed their perspective on the old man being dangerous and having powers that made miracles happened, but lso changed their financial status they went from being poor to becoming so wealthy they were able to build a big house that keep th e crabs out.The surroundings in both of the stories can relate to each other. In Platos story the prisoners are trapped and chained inside a cave, while the old man was kept locked away inside a chicken coop. in both stories the prisoner and the angel are surrounded by people that are too arrogant to accept the fact that there might Just be a world that's different than what they believe in. If they were able to change their perspective and step outside of the darkness and into the light there whole life would have changed completely.As it did for the prisoner who got his freedom into a whole new world he was amazed and curious about, while Pelayo and Elisanda not only became used to the old man towards the end, but also became very wealthy because of him. Both Plato's and Marquez story's share similarities from the characters to even the surroundings, from being trapped in a cave to a chicken coop. The way the prisoner saw how completely rong his perspective of the world was, that it was more than Just shadows being cast on a wall.How Pelayo and Elisenda were once scared of the old man with enormous wings until they changed the way the saw the old man. That they even allowed their son to play inside the chicken coop with the angel, leading to both the old man and child to catch chicken pox together. Most importantly how Plato uses the darkness of the cave to represent the ignorance we could have if we don't bother to question the world we live in, and Marquez uses the money to symbolize the root of all evil.

TTR Period

They took control of the production of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and mace. Due to this, the Dutch profits skyrocketed and they had a strong centralized control over the Indonesian islands, and were also strategically laced near China for trade purport nineties. Jamestown, Virginia being est.. In America; Thirty Years War used starting in late 16th century when slaves were Of use in the Atlantic region plantation complex The social set up of the way slaves were treated in society is known as the plantation complex.The complex was the agricultural system based in Brazil, North America, and the Caribbean. The system had slaves working under their masters, usually to harvest crops and bring in more profits for their master at free labor. Conflict between Ottoman and Safaris Empires; McHugh empire under Kafka Politically) 6181648 Thirty Years War This war between Rise of Catholic and Protestantism protestant states completely split Europe apart, as well as it being one of the most devasta ting European conflicts in history. 6005 Outage unites Japan The once feudal State Of Japan was united by Outage around this time. Some people say that this saved Japan from being taken over as other small island states had been. China got screwed over by silver trade 1500516005 Colonization of the Americas Americas lead to a mass dying out of peoples and paved the way for European do menace Atlantic slave trade in the continent.More Political(Ally) 16801760 King unification of China The unification during the King dynasty was an eighty year military effort to solidify China into an empire. The reason for this was largely security precautions to prevent another Mongol cone guest of China. Second Ottoman Empire siege of Vienna; High point of Slave Trade: European enlightenment; Wars of Islamic Renewal in West Africa 1 598 The Edict of Antes Henry IV issued the Edict of Antes to alleviate some of the tension between the Catholics and the Protestants.The purpose of this was to stop the brutal massacres and battles. It offered mom leniency for the French Protestants in hope that they would return to the Catholic Church and end this religious â€Å"war'. Jamestown is established as the first English settlement in North America; French colony in Quebec established; missionaries expelled from Japan Map: represents fur trade Interaction w/ the Environment(Ally) ca 1500 1600 Fur Trade The â€Å"World Hunt† was an economical and ecological turning point in the Americas.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Early Retirement

Constant pursuit of money, making the big time, flux, accomplishing social status but where is the time to enjoy those attainments? When are we to say ‘enough’? Current pace of life disables us to do so. Just work work and again. Is there any key? Maybe worth of consideration would be early retirement ; what are the advantages and disadvantages of previously mentioned action? Firstly, when we are talking about advantages. It is a new start, some kind of a new beginning. People can afford on more what they used to. There is much more time for themselves (when describing a couple) friends or family. On the other hand nimiety of free time makes human being feel redundant. It is the main cause of depression, slough, generalised anxiety disorder, loss of poise and many others. As the old dictum says ‘prevention is better than cure’. Secondly when one retires his post is within range of someone younger. It is a benefit for all the society- because early retirement is a mechanism for reducing unemployment which is widespread among young generation. Sad but true. Despite that fact it is said that ‘the older- the more experienced’ which factor is crucial for the employer. Some features of characteristics cannot be superceded, f. e. conscientiousness, diligence, reasonableness. As previously mentioned, filling someone's shoes it is not obvious as it may seem. As presented above; early retirement has both assets and drawbacks. It cannot be judged that one are more important than others, because it is simply individual point of view including encumbrances, personal assurances and many other aspects. ‘When you are young, you think that your path is longer than old colleague of yours. Is it so? ’ In my modest opinion that quotation is universal and definitely hits the point.

Music Appreciation Essay

1. What are figured bass and basso continuo? How are they related? Figured bass is a musical notation using numbers to indicate chords, intervals, and other aspects in relation to the bass note of the music and basso continuo is the harmony of the music itself. (this has nothing to do with the question; when I took AP music theory, figured bass was my favorite thing to do!) 2. What is ornamentation? Ornamentation is the use of non-necessary musical flourishes, such as trills and grace notes, to the basic melody or harmony. 3. What is an oratorio? How does it differ from an opera? Oratorios are basically just concerts, whereas operas are more theatrical. Oratorios have a different focus and don’t use scenery like operas. 4. What is an orchestra? How did the development of orchestras influence Baroque music? Orchestras are larger instrumental ensembles or groups that contain brass, string, percussion, and woodwind instruments. The development of orchestras brought along the development of new instruments, like the violin and cello & it also brought along the composition of orchestral music specifically. 5. What is an instrumental suite? A composition that consists of a succession of short pieces, forming into a large composition. Critical thinking questions: 1. What are the characteristics of Baroque music? How would you describe Baroque music? Baroque music is defined as â€Å"that in which the harmony is confused, charged with modulations and dissonances, the melody is harsh and little natural, the intonation difficult, and the movement constrained† (Jean-Jacques Rousseau). To me, baroque music is highly eccentric and decorative; extremely difficult and concise, yet beautiful all at the same time. 2. Choose one of the composers discussed in the unit and listen to several of the composer’s works. Which works did you listen to? How would you describe this composer’s music? Why do you think this composer was an influential figure in Baroque music? I chose to listen to one of my favorite composers of all time, Antonio Vivaldi. I listened to The Four Seasons (every season & every movement). I find his compositions astounding, able to tell stories without the use of words. Small things such as the incorporation of animals and sounds from nature truly paint a picture in the mind. In addition to this, the sudden change from a soothing violin soloist playing to a group of string instruments playing at once completely dramatizes the piece, making it more meaningful. Overall, I believe Vivaldi is an amazing composer, who was highly influential in the Baroque period due to his use of mostly stringed instruments, and he was highly innovative. His music was highly decorated and creative, and in most cases, very melodic and smooth. Vivaldi continues to be an influential composer to this day. 3. How did composers and musicians think about themselves during the Baroque period? How did this influence the music that they created? 4. What advantages and disadvantages did Baroque composers have in the patronage system? What did they gain from this practice? What limitations did it place on them? They were able to showcase their musical genius, yet they were limited to what they were able to play because of what the patron wanted to hear. They did gain a lot of fame and publicity through the patronage system despite the limitations that were placed on them. 5. Baroque music often tried to capture and reflect a particular emotion or feeling. Choose one of the musical works in the unit. Identify the work that you chose. What feeling or emotion is the composer trying to capture or reflect in the work? What aspects of the music lead you to this emotion or feeling?

Deception in Criminal Justice Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Deception in Criminal Justice - Term Paper Example But we can assume that criminal investigation might have started from the period of Adam itself. In any case, one thing is clear that the deception tactics also started along with the criminal investigation. Crime punishment is one of the core elements of criminal justice system along with giving suitable crime prevention programs. Despite of the severe punishments associated with crimes, the criminal behavior seems to be increasing in the current world. In other words the severity of punishments is not influencing the criminals much. This is purely because of the loopholes in criminal justice system procedures for the criminals to escape from punishments. No criminal wants to be punished for their criminal activities and they will try all type of tactics to influence the Investigative, Interrogative and Testimonial Processes. The criminal justice system is malicious in most of the countries because of the over influence of criminals on the criminal justice system. Deception can main ly occur at three levels of the crime detecting and punishment process; criminal investigation, interrogation and the testimonial process. Investigation of the criminal activities is mainly conducted by the crime investigation agencies like police. In many cases, the criminals are more influential than the police officers. They might have influences at the top levels of the political and judicial systems which controls the criminal justice system. Sometimes instead of the criminal, the investigating police officer will get punishment because of the higher influences of the criminals. Morality and ethical values are rapidly disappearing from most of the segments of human life and human profession and criminal justice system is also not an exception. In short, police officers are also human beings and they are also living in this corrupted world. Criminals can influence the investigating officer using bribes and

Corporate governance board in an organization operates via the Essay

Corporate governance board in an organization operates via the different members of board of directors - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to illustrate the working of corporate governance by means of the literature review. Corporate governance rules are settled by the directors who give rules and regulations for the firm to move it in a specific direction to achieve different goals. Corporate governance actually gives rules for internal control of the firm. This literature review shows different views on corporate governance of various scholars i.e. the point of generation of this idea and its history. The paper then elaborates on the principle of corporate governance and their responsibilities; two distinctive models are described for corporate governance, which are used all over the world. These models clearly defines that why the firms in the United Kingdom are not as powerful as in United States. The reason is provide latterly in the paper by showing different examples of United States industries that actually fails because their corporate governance was unable to work. Then what are corpor ate governance model used by the Asian companies are provided. The paper uses three different examples to show that either corporate governance work or not. ... The last section is the few lines defining the conclusion taken from over all paper. The paper uses the examples of real firms that show that either corporate governance work or not. These real examples show that how their corporate governance works so that we can conclude that either the concept of corporate governance work or not. Corporate governance concept does work but it all depends on the individual forming the board of director or corporate governance. Corporate governance ideology does work and that is the reason that why the top firms are still working. The best direction and decision making system is the only reason that works and all these are provided by corporate governance. The paper not only shows that the either corporate governance work or not rather it also provide that how corporate governance work. The examples of real firms that are taken to elaborate the aim of paper will clearly define that how their corporate governance working for the success of the firm. Fro instance, the example of Cadbury shoes that their corporate governance decided to separate the confectionery firms from the beverages firms and this decision really works and the firm actually gain profits. Different statistical data of the companies are provided by the paper that shows that impact of decision making and regulation provided by corporate governance. The approach to literature review is made by the use different scholarly piece of work. Different books are used to elaborate the topic and scholar's journals are sued to seek the issue discussed by this paper. Moreover, the paper uses the real firm's data showing the actual and real evidences that either the corporate work or not. This data is taken from different

Critically assess the role of the UN in the protection of human rights Essay

Critically assess the role of the UN in the protection of human rights with regards to the AIDS epidemic in subsaharan Africa - Essay Example The CHR's request was based on the Secretary General's statement during the 51st session of the UN in which he stated: of the complex relationship between the public health rationale and the human rights rationale of HIV/AIDS. In particular, Governments could benefit from guidelines that outline clearly how human rights standards apply in the area of HIV/AIDS and indicate concrete and specific measures, both in terms of legislation and practice, that should be undertaken (Para. 135) In order to meet this objective the Second Annual International Consultation on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights under the leadership of United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS along with their cosponsors (hereafter, UNAIDS)2 was held in Geneva from 23 to 25 September of 1996 to finalise guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. Secondly, the members upon acceptance of the final form of the guidelines set out recommendations to ensure the guidelines are disseminated and implemented by all UN intergovernmental bodies, nations and non-government agencies. The basic human rights guiding principles as established by the UN with regard to HIV/AID are contained in Appendix A on page 26. Several of the principles are of specific interest with regard to the current research topic. One of these guiding principles is the 'Right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications.' In this principle the UN recognises that every person regardless of where they live is entitled to quality health care, current treatment methods, preventative supplies, counselling and testing. They further acknowledged that third world and emerging nations do not necessarily have the means, resources and funding necessary to accomplish this. To that end, they spell out the need to supply within countries and between nations the fundamental supplies and resources for this to occur. This is further emphasised in principle 14 which more expressly states that "International support, from both the public and private sectors, for developing countries for

Bilingual Education Curriculum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bilingual Education Curriculum - Essay Example It is then necessary to lay down the reasons why despite several convincing arguments on the effectiveness of bilingual education, the arguments and debates continue. And to shed light on the cloudy controversy, Crawford (1998) presented the ten misconceptions or common fallacies about bilingual education as follows: 1. English is losing ground to other languages in the United States. More of a panic view than an empirical one, Crawford (1998) acknowledged that there are more world languages spoken in the US now more than ever but quantitative, he argued and not a qualitative change from earlier periods. He pointedly added the concentrations of non-English language speakers common in the 19th century provided for by laws authorizing native language instruction in several states and territories. Children in big cities and rural areas attended bilingual and non-English schools with a diversity of French, Norwegian, Czech or Cherokee while "English survived without any help from government such as official-language legislation," (Crawford, 1998). 2. Newcomers to the United States are learning English more slowly now than in previous generations. Another unfounded belief, Crawford (1998) argued that recent immigrants "appear to be acquiring English more rapidly than ever before" while minority language speakers grow, bilinguals fluent in both native and English language "is growing even faster. Waggoner (1995) reported that between 1980 and 1990, the number of immigrants who spoke non-English languages at home increased by 59%, while the portion of this population that spoke English very well rose by 93% . Likewise, Crawford (1998) added that only 3 percent of US residents reported speaking English less (as compared to well and very well) while only a very insignificant portion spoke no English at all. Also, Veltman (1998) found that about 3 in 4 Hispanic immigrants were reportedly able to speak English on a daily basis after 15 years of residency, and that 70 percent of their children became monolingual English speakers 3. The best way to learn a language is through total immersion. Rodriguez (1982) and de la Pea (1991) were often cited to have "succeeded in school without a special program and acquired a very high level of English literacy," (Krashen, 1997) but it was found out, both had substantial advantages. Rodriguez grew up in an English-Speaking neighborhood in Sacramento, California instrumental in his informal immersion from classmates while de la Pea had the bilingual education advantage in Mexico until fifth grade, and was placed two grades backwards in his schooling in the United States. Crawford (1998) further argued "there is no credible evidence to support the "time on task" theory of language learning-- the claim that the more children are exposed to English, the more English they will learn" emphasizing quality over quantity of exposure while Krashen (1996) pointed out that second language input must also be comprehensible to promote second language acquisition. Crawford (1998) adde d that children left alone to learn on their own in an all-English classroom setting with little or without help via native lessons, English learning will be of little use. And that native instruction will make learning

Rhetoricalanalysis of the new jim crow Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rhetoricalanalysis of the new jim crow - Essay Example The author has used rhetorical tools to emphasize how overt racial prejudices have become criminal offences but they are still covertly practiced within the system. It ultimately makes it difficult for people with color to become part of mainstream society and forces them to live like a second class citizen in their own country. The article becomes hugely pertinent because it underpins the issues that permanently stereotyped people of color into criminals that socially and legally discourages them to live with dignity. The text is also important because despite constitutional rights, the people of color are still vulnerable to the Jim Crow rules that deny them legitimate rights of a citizen. Stereotyping colored people has resulted in mass incarceration that helps to impose social control on them. The author has therefore, used rhetorical tools like ethos, pathos and logos to not only inform public about the subtle Jim Crow rules within the judicial system but also about the repercussion on the society that adds to the woes of the vulnerable. Throughout the article, author has been consistently using rhetorical approach to communicate important message or information to the target group or the public. The ethos applied in the article gives credibility to the author and convinces the reader about the authenticity of the text. It informs that the author holds a job of high repute. She is ‘director of the Racial Justice Project for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California’. Using the ethical paradigm of introducing herself as an esteemed public figure, the author has established her credibility. She also succinctly apprises the audience about her experience in working on ‘issues of racial profiling, police brutality, and drug-law enforcement in poor communities of color’ This is important information as it gives inkling about her experience and assures the readers that whatever she is talking

Four Stages of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Four Stages of Leadership - Essay Example Teamwork is also essential for any success of a leader (Stagish, 2006). This is because when a leader does not work with the employees, but instead issues orders, the employees can fail to work effectively. Through teamwork, the satisfaction of the employees will increase. There will be the creation of good ideas that will come out of the association between the leaders and employees (Kramer, 2002). For people to trust the leaders in a company, the leader has to portray some behaviors deemed ethical by the society. The leader should be honest in all the work that he does in the organization (Porter-O’Grady, 2010). He should be sincere when dealing with all employees and not exhibit double standard while issuing orders. The leaders should also have integrity. This means that, in all the decisions that he has to make, he should have the same stand. He should be able to show competence in his dealings. This means that the basis of his decisions should not rely on his emotions or his desires. The leader should also depict intelligence to their juniors. The employees will thus trust the leader’s opinion, since his intellect can be trusted. Vital behaviors are necessary for a leader to adapt and ensure that he achieves teamwork in all his dealings. The leader has to ensure he understands the benefits of teamwork. He should know that, through teamwork, creative ideas could crop up (Shockley-Zalabak, 2010). The leader should thus aim to encourage all employees to participate actively in meetings and jobs that they do. This will lead to the employees helping each other the moment they get a problem. The result will be a better time management as less time is wasted. Second level The organization should adapt the synergic approach. I believe that leaders of an organization can work well with the employees to make certain that they realize the objectives of the organization as well as benefit the society. This can be a milestone in increasing the growth of t he company (Holmes, 2005). The company needs to ensure the employees understand the need to please the society and achieve the goals of the company. The leader of the company should share and find ways of achieving the goals of the company through teamwork. The employees will then learn to help each other in the company, especially when they are in the same field in the organization. This is because when the employees work together, they learn to come up with an idea that works very well in a situation. The leader can analyze the effect of the change in the active participation of employees in the team (Salas, 2001). This way, they will appreciate teamwork, internalize it and use it in all the activities they do in the company. The leaders should also build their trust in the employees. They can do this by sharing with them and showing them that they can be trusted. Leaders should understand the imperativeness of earning the trust of the employees. Their consistency and competence a re what the employees will use to judge and trust them. A leader can openly tell the employees that he can be trusted, and act in ways that make the employees believe him. Third Level The purpose of the company should be to offer the best services for the clients of the organization. They should be very kind and respectful to them regardless of the attitude of the clients. This means that they should be very tolerant will all the clients. The employees should also be able to make

An Urban Tourism Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

An Urban Tourism Experience - Essay Example Through the development of a narrative of the experience of being out in the field, the study uses thematic descriptions in order to define the way in which the experience of Rome can be brought into context with the modern experience. The themes that emerge in the development of the case are defined by the overall Roman culture through which an understanding leads to a sense of pride in the Italian lifestyle. A definition of urban tourism can simply be made by stating that it is tourism that has a city or cities as a destination for holiday. A more complex version of the definition, however, involves the desire to seek out other cultures and explore social meaning and context through first hand experiences. While urban tourism needs an additional amount of information in order to have real meaning, the ability to go to an urban center and taste the nature of the culture through experience can expand the understanding that one has about that locale. The culture of a city comes from the incidental and unintentional things that are encountered. The development of an urban tourism encounter is based upon the development of a conglomeration of disciplines so that the holiday creates a sense of the environment, not just the concept of the outsider who is looking in on a culture as if it were a zoo. Many travellers see the world as if it is a zoo for their observation, but not a place in which to immerse oneself in the culture of a city is to discover something more than just what can be observed. Urban tourism types of travel have the ability to create a connection to the observed culture that is based upon seeing their world through eyes that have been taught to look. Through information from outside sources, through learning a bit of the language of the city that is the focus of the travel, and through looking for aspects of the city that are not intended for the eyes of the traveller, the culture begins to emerge. 1.1 Research Questions The following research questions have been developed in order to frame the inquiry that this study has endeavoured to create: What is the cultural experience that defines the urban tourism event in Rome? What appears to be the hidden culture that the facade created for tourists has tried to dissuade tourists from observing? What are the cultural meanings that the urban tourist can readily observe within the experience of the city of Rome? What experiences in the city of Rome can become part of a profile of its identity? 2. Literature Review 2.1 Urban Tourism Buhalis and Darcy (2011, p. 123) discuss the nature of tourism by writing that â€Å"Travel involves the movement away from home with its gendered responsibilities and expectations, as well as the movement towards other worlds and possible selves experienced within a relation to difference†. The experience of immersing oneself into another culture is defined both by the lived experiences of the indigenous population, combined with the public identity of the locale that has been created through carefully cult ivated perceptions about the regions.

LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

LAW - Essay Example They were convicted and sentenced for felony murder in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for New York County. Judgment was affirmed without opinion in the Appellate Division. A motion to reargue was denied by the New York Court of Appeals on June 15, 1976. Victory was tried for felony murder (N.Y.Penal L. Â § 125.25(3) predicated upon the crime of escape in the second degree (id. Â § 205.10(2)). To convict Victory the jury had to find that Bornholdt and he escaped from custody after Officer Varecha had arrested them for a felony and that the policeman was shot in the course of or in furtherance of this escape. In charging the jury, the trial judge explained several times that it was necessary for them to find that an escape was being committed at the time Varecha was shot in order to convict Victory of felony murder. http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F2/570/66/3893 For example, "the prosecution must show that during the commission or attempted commission of the crime of escape in the second degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of that crime, or the immediate flight there from, a defendant caused the death of a person other than one of the participants." Both the crime of felony murder and the crime of escape in the second degree were submitted. After retiring, the jury asked for a re-reading of the law of escape, and twice for a re-reading of testimony about events prior to the shooting. "As a matter of law, does the fact of flight after the shooting itself establish escape in the second degree after an arrest has been made for felony assault?" The judge indicated that there was no "categorical" answer to the question posed, carefully stated what the jury would be required to find for a conviction of escape in the second degree, then re-read the statutory definition of felony murder which, as the jury had often heard, requires death be caused in the course of or in furtherance of a predicate

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors Essay Example for Free

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors Essay Communication is a multi-faceted term in the realm of management and employee relations. It can apply to the individual’s ability to interact in general terms (supervisor to employee) or literal language skills (e. g. clearly speaking the domestic language). When language is the concern, supervisors must work to ensure all employees can effectively communicate within the organization as well as with the client or customer. In an era of diversity, most organizations employ individuals from all ethnic backgrounds and conduct business with a diverse clientele. Having clients of different cultural backgrounds does not have to pose communication barriers. In fact, with a little research and training, both the international employee and client can enjoy a mutually prosperous relationship. One of the most effective methods in communicating is in understanding. Understanding in the context of internal relations involves the supervisor’s ability to interact with employees at a level that encourages positive behavior and productivity. In terms of clientele, the best strategies and techniques in communicating with clients of different cultures would be know as much as possible about the client’s cultural background. Supervisors must be aware of the uniqueness of individual needs and how they relate to different aspects of life. While adapting to various levels of communication may seem difficult, it is possible and encouraged for the overall success of an organization. Determining Effective Orientation and Training Methods Effective orientation and training methods are similar to recruitment and selection methods, whereby selection tools prove beneficial to managers in determining which applicants are best suited for a particular position. Regardless of the industry, methods recommended include various forms of testing (personality tests, cognitive ability tests, and biographical inventory tests), combined with interviews and evaluations at both a team and individual management level. The most common indicators of training needs are when workers consistently fail to achieve productivity objectives and excessive customer complaints. These issues are best identified through organization analysis, task analysis, and person analysis, including a variety of specific training options. Specialized technology training uses the systems model of training whereby asserting the needs assessment followed by design (objectives, readiness and learning principles). After determining the needs of each individual employee, supervisors must then work toward implementation with on-the-job or other applicable training methods. If faced with a report of increased customer complaints, supervisors must first look at the organization as a whole, investigating areas that seem to be lacking and narrow down results from there. All aspects of the needs assessment can be useful: organizational, task and person analysis. Once the source of the problem has been identified, the next step is to design a training program that will address the issues while teaching employees better customer service skills. While most employees detest mandatory meetings, such gatherings work to encourage employees in maintaining good performance records and motivate low performing employees. Training to increase employee participation in pep meetings would be designed to motivate individual employees through incentives. It is important that employees feel valued and that each is an essential member of the collective team. Positive training methods must also include a level of encouraging traits, allowing each to feel he or she gains valuable knowledge from these meetings versus a feeling of dread. Improving Productivity for Teams In all levels of business, it takes teamwork to achieve the result of productivity, whether the team is part of human resources, production, shipping, or in executive management. All members of an organization must work together to attain a desired result. An effective means of encouraging and improving productivity for teams is in the use of team-based incentives. This type of incentive encourages employees to continue working as a team and thus creating a cooperative environment within the company. To the credit of individual incentives, often times individual employees put forth more effort than others and are not rewarded according to their actions when applied under a team-based incentive program. However, positive aspects of the application of team-based incentives indicate such action works toward achieving the desired result: teamwork. There is no doubt that employee incentives promote better performance. Team-based incentives are more economical in many ways. By allowing employees to work as a team, there is a greater chance of attaining a better productivity level. Offering incentives under this premise offers each employee to work well with others to ensure that final goal is attained, and therefore creating the certainty of receiving such incentives. When team-based incentives are geared toward individual teams, the results are more apt to be to the executive department’s satisfaction. For example, if X department understands that it must be the monthly requirements for Z department to complete its end of month reporting and that there will be no incentives given in the event of missing a specific deadline or goal, each respective department team will be more likely to work harder to achieve the end goal. Team-based incentives also give the appearance of â€Å"fairness† in the type of incentives offered. For example, as referenced through an article by Nancy R. Katz (Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, June 2000), although incentives lead to enhanced motivation, effort, and performance, â€Å"in the real world, however, incentives can have dysfunctional effects† (2000). Katz writes that the most common dysfunctional effect an employee’s expression, â€Å"It’s not fair! † When incentives are contingent on performance, Katz explains that workers give greater concern to the issues of fairness. â€Å"When the distribution of rewards that is perceived as even slightly unfair can lead to significant problems† (Katz 2000). Team-based over incentives provide positive points including economical benefits, encouraging teamwork, giving the feeling of fairness, and reduction of employee absenteeism. Clearly, when employees work together cooperatively the outcome requires an understanding of what makes cooperation work. Such traits include positive interdependence, individual accountability, positive interaction, social skills, and group processing. The discipline structure of these traits includes the growth of group commitment and an increased dedication to the company as a whole. While each employee must be held accountable for his or her own actions, they must also work to meet and promote each others productivity. Team settings also provide a setting whereby each employee has the opportunity to participate in explanations and discussion, problem solving, present ideas and feedback, receive group support and encouragement, and be held accountable by coworkers which leads to an individual putting forth a greater effort for a satisfying end result.