In what ways do cognitive biases affect decision-making Assignment

In what ways do cognitive biases affect decision-making - Assignment Example Cognitive biases affect decision-making when one wants to simplify complex decision situations (Das & Teng, 1999, pg. 760). Severe and systematic errors in decision-making result from the applications of ‘rule of thumb’ and adoption of heuristics. The contemporary ever-changing society does not allow long-term strategies, and in most cases, a quick decision saves company resources and determines their success in the business environment. There is often a need to evolve with the changing times and at times one has to make short-term and quick decision to address immediate needs. Cognitive biases result in temporal orientations in which one uses past happenings to predict the future impact of a decision. ‘Availability’ is a major heuristic that triggers cognitive biases, which eventually affect decision-making. It provides the bias of imagining in which decisions are about recent experiences. Decision makers often use their beliefs and previous experiences in current decision-making situations. This is common in organizations that focus on selected targets rather than broad-minded solutions. In such cases, cognitive biases arise because one may overlook important evidence and worthwhile objectives that may produce a different solution (Das & Teng, 1999, pg. 762). Cognitive biases limit a person to a limited number of objectives that can attain a goal. A small number of options if often favorable for most people and businesses because it saves time, energy, and money that could go to waste in brainstorming meetings. In the end, they have a list of alternative ideas that do not encompass fresh outlooks into a problem (Das & Teng, 1999, pg. 762). The assumption that ‘what has, will always be’, is dangerous, because it hinders appropriate decision-making. They serve as a as an impediment in the recognition of scientific non-intuitive knowledge. Cognitive bias develops an illusion of manageability in which a possibility of success higher than the

Hydration and nutrition at the end of life Essay - 8

Hydration and nutrition at the end of life - Essay Example According to standard practice in the UK and Scotland, palliative care and end-of-life healthcare requires a holistic approach through which patients are given the kind of care that influences all aspects of their lives positively (Tappenden, et al., 2013). Therefore, it is important for all aspects of healthcare to be considered and taken into account in order to provide the best of treatment for this category of patients. Furthermore, palliative care and elderly healthcare come with major issues that require the active involvement of the families of patients (Field & Cassel, 2013). This means there is the need for authorisation in an official and unofficial context for the provision of proper care and treatment. In spite of the importance of nutrition in improving the lives of end-of-life patients, evidence indicates that a vast majority of these patients are not given the proper care and attention in terms of feeding and the digestion process (Mann & Truswell, 2012). Over 55% of nurses and medical practitioners do not spend quality time examining and critiquing options for the provision of high quality care (Gillespie & Raftery, 2014). Therefore, patients get major complications that contribute to their challenges at these sensitive times of their lives. The purpose of this research is to examine the main issues with the provision of proper nutrition to persons who are going through end-of-life medical treatments and processes. This will culminate in the examination of a central point in research and from there, In order to design a proper research, there was the need to define the scope of the research and formulate an appropriate strategy to conduct the study.

Impact of Social Media on Surveillance Culture

Impact of Social Media on Surveillance Culture Evaluating the Impact of Online Social Networking on Surveillance Culture Online networking sites such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram are being used immensely as of late. Their prevalence gives new chances for information accumulation by the state and privately owned businesses, which calls for an increase in primary and hypothetical research on web-based networking media surveillance. The terms online networking and social media were created to portray the correspondence, group, and cooperative characteristics of websites, such as Blogger, social network websites such as Facebook and video facilitating stages such as YouTube. Regardless of the fact that there has been a considerable measure of build up about these terms, principally centred around how they provide platforms for new business and promoting opportunities on the web, there are societal impacts of these innovations that should be researched (Ellis et al, 2013). This essay will analyse current theory regarding the rising impact of social media on surveillance culture and discuss the frighteningly accurate foretelling’s of theorists whose work pre dates the social media revolution. Ultimately, displaying the argument that social media has given surveillance culture a platform to manifest and grow and that this ultimately changes the behaviour of the affected generations. Numerous current meanings of surveillance define a process of â€Å"data accumulation and handling, and then again procedures of forming practices (controlling, overseeing, administering, managing, affecting or directing practices)† (Fuchs 2011, p. 41). Societal surveillance includes the accumulation, stockpiling, preparing, and evaluation of information about people or groups of people by a performing artist to propel the latter’s objectives. Foucault (1997) recognises that knowledge is power and in order to gain and maintain power institutions use surveillance. Through methods such as data collecting, governments can turn something as complex as human behaviour into chunks of data. Monitoring people through numbers in order to maintain social order. However, throughout this essay surveillance culture will be defined through theorists such as Deleuze (1992) and Haggerty & Ericson (2000) because in their respective researches there is an understanding that surveillance is not just limited to institutions as Foucault (1997) suggests. In fact, surveillance is more networked now; as technology and globalisation has advanced people have become freer moving and have bigger networks. This has caused a power shift in surveillance that means that people are now more than ever able to monitor their peers’ behaviours. This is a culture of surveillance because it has grown to such a large scale that people have become reliant on it, particularly in the example of online social network because now huge chucks of our personal and social life are online and to step out of this leaves us ostracised. Online networking can be utilised as a successful apparatus for socialisation. Numerous individuals want to use new types of online networking sites keeping in mind the end goal to be included in this new format of community. It is essential to understand the criticalness of the connection between organisations and the public. Extraordinary consideration ought to be paid to the way technology includes people in surveillance culture because their impression of the public is as an initial form of surveillance (Dinev et al, 2008). Subsequently, social media allows for effortless control of the participants. As recent research suggests, the features of online networking can influence young people. Anderson (2009) highlights the vast amount of data that becomes available to researchers through the new field of social media, particularly in relation to violence, and how this is used to inform policy making. This clearly indicates the effect social media has had on surveillance culture in what could be seen as both a positive and negative manner. To expand, it could be thought that a new platform in which data can be retrieved without knowledge of the participants often makes for richer and more reliable findings, which could be a possible benefit to policy making. However, this essay will show that because this data is often taken from youths and utilised by those in power (Anderson, 2009), it means that the younger generation have no way of informing policy that directly affects them and their lifestyles. With this in mind, social media clearly provides a space for surveillance culture to overlook a whole generation and calls for more debate in issues such as protection and privacy. The issue of surveillance and privacy in the online networking world is talked broadly about in scientific studies. Teenagers may view surveillance on social networking both in a positive and negative attitude (Stuart and Levine, 2017). However, is imperative to recognise that surveillance online is not merely two-fold, as advertising for afore mentioned sites incorrectly suggest, interacting online is not just you being surveilled by your networked connections and vice versa. It is on the other hand, a method for large-scale organisations to surveil the public. It is notable that following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; government surveillance has expanded particularly in the United States. These measures incorporate an enthusiasm for social networking online (Marks, 2006). Government enthusiasm for online networking is straightforward, to profile possible offenders and terrorists, it is essential to consolidate an extensive variety of data about individuals. This data incorporates social relations, shared exercises, friend networks, and individual information about political perspectives, religious convictions, sexual preferences, and inclinations concerning regular day-to-day routines. Therefore, social media has clearly fuelled surveillance culture by providing an opportunity for data to be easily and unknowingly collected and manipulated accordingly. The consequences for actions on social media, particularly in younger people are not always understood. For instance, the transferring of their private data to social media websites and the outcomes might be adverse. In a classroom study, Barnes (2006) highlighted that attitudes towards social media in youths show that they do not feel a connection between what they post online and real world consequences and view online networking as a separate diversion from the real world. Barnes (2006) demonstrates the connection between web-based social networking and youths in a way, which highlights the negative impacts of online networking. As well as this, this study highlights the lack of education around surveillance culture on social media that in turn, gives it a bigger platform to go unnoticed; if people do not expect their data to be misused they are unlikely to refrain from giving it up. Andrejevec (2002) indicates the way that the surveillance issues concerning online networking usage cannot be taken as an absence of privacy for the users because the data is already available to be used by the organisations that do. However, Barnes (2006) highlights that surveillance culture is infringing on privacy because the lack of education around the privacy rights of these sights allow these organisations some degree of autonomy. Therefore, highlighting the lack of control placed on surveillance culture and the lack of control the public having from being utilised by it. Social media networking can carry a hint of private correspondence with it because of its situational and ordinary character, yet intervened public platforms are not private. This situation is a focal piece of the discourse concerning surveillance and it is particularly evident regarding accessible data on social media. Most network websites request that their clients give personal details; this data is requested during social network correspondence stages. As such, the required data to profile individuals is not something â€Å"concealed that must be revealed or recovered utilising fancy equipment, human operators and such† (Heidegger 1977, p. 6). Individuals themselves are making this data public, free for everyone to access and are therefore fuelling surveillance culture. Online social communication can have genuine adverse outcomes and has, in this way, offered an open door for various worries from moral frenzies to paranoid fears (Greenop, 2007). This has prompted talks of security and education; youths clearly should be given training on implicit rules concerning online exercises to figure out how to secure their selves. Without a doubt, numerous threats prowl in the world of social networking, incorporating possible security intrusion, misuse of equity given false data and, not slightest, the threat of predators who feel the need to hurt youngsters. These threats are genuine and ought to be dealt with. But, critics assert that the training and the security discourse is additionally an ethical frenzy (Fisher and Lyytinen, 2016).    Greenop’s (2007) mention of paranoia highlights how surveillance culture, particularly since the social media age is changing what it means to be human. Foucault highlights that the idea of what it means to be human is a recent term and is one that is changing drastically, it is worth noting that Foucault was not writing at a time where social media had reached its peak but the growth in a technology-dependant culture was already apparent.   A rising dependence on technology is directly link with mental health issues and the rise of a more neurotic population. Twenge and Campbell (2009) argue that culture in American culture has shifted from focusing on community to money and the results mean that a higher number of younger people are likely to experience poor mental health. Furedi (2006) claims that a neurotic population is desired by the state and that fear levels are being deliberately raised in order to create anxiousness, which in turn, makes people easier to control. To expand, dependence on social media and technology as a whole could arguably be making the population more complacent in surveillance. Terms such as â€Å"you have nothing to fear, if you have nothing to hide† are often used as a way of normalising mass surveillance and a highly technologically dependant community will be more neurotic and anxious and therefore easier to surveil. Haggerty and Ericson (2000) emphasise that surveillance culture is dependant on the rise of networked communities, with so many people on social media it becomes easy for everyone to surveil each other and therefore surveillance is not only a tool of large scale institutions but common practice for everyone. There are contending policy, media, and social talks stating that women ought to keep up their privacy within their online presence, yet all the while should openly exhibit themselves online in a specific, gendered way; either as mindful or as popular (Ball et al, 2009). In the meantime, â€Å"as self- showing as private and capable, it is normal for females to increase social capital from freely self-displaying as socially acknowledged, which includes uploading photographs and having numerous online contacts – immediately contrary to the desires of self- restriction and privacy† (Ball et al 2009, p. 356). These contradictory desires are authorised by social surveil lance, where females who do not give in to the societal pressure receive negative judgment or even provocation from other users on social media (Bailey, 2013). It is therefore clear that social media as a way of enforcing behavioural norms has impacted surveillance culture. Taking into consideration the discourse with regards to online interpersonal networking, a conventional and rather contrary origination of surveillance is rendered obsolete. If surveillance is related to the intrusion of ones privacy and is predominately a method of discipline (Foucault, 1997). By this definition surveillance is enforced by structures, for example, the Panopticon. The Panopticon is a metaphor for surveillance in which the disciplined are watched at all times and cannot see the watcher. This instils a sense of fear and theoretically enforces order. However, the issue is that it does not appear to sufficiently portray the desire to be surveilled with regards to online networking via social media (Lyon 2006; McGrath 2004).   Social media has impacted surveillance culture in such a way that it has became participatory and something to be desired, as long as the perception of yourself you present is desirable. The ethical frenzies, paranoid fears, and the challenges in comprehending why individuals really would need to participate in online social communication all mirror this tragic view on surveillance. It is the reason behind the talks of privacy and instruction and also for the possibility that clients are either performing risk examinations before establishing a profile on the social media website or just are not aware of enough regarding the prowling threats of surveillance. The visual illustration of surveillance offered by the Panopticon infers a spatial chain of command where the observer is situated over the one being observed. However, this might not be taken as surveillance being fundamentally a power dynamic in which the observer is in control of the observed. In fact, surveillance can be viewed as a levelled relationship even for the individual under surveillance, either through opposition (McGrath, 2004) or as exhibitionism (Koskela, 2004). Furthermore, surveillance can be conducted by both the watcher and watched, as depicted by Andrejevic (2005) who has presented the idea of horizontal surveillance. Despite the fact that Andrejevic does not explicitly build the association, horizontal surveillance appears to be a helpful idea to shed light on specific parts of social media as everyone who is being surveilled is also surveilling others. Counter arguments in regards to surveillance culture could see it as enabling, as the observing encourage better methods of building personality, meeting companions and partners, along with associating with people outside of your social circle. This progresses the part played by the client from uninvolved to dynamic, given that surveillance in this setting provides some autonomy to the user. Online media communication in this way represents surveillance, â€Å"as a shared, enabling and subjectivity formulating exercise – is in a general sense quite social† (Solove 2007, p. 745). The act of online interpersonal interaction can be viewed as enabling, as it is an approach to connect with other individuals and develop connections deliberately. However, it is critical to not consequently accept that the practice of networking, which these sites depend on, is just a product for exchanging. It is in fact a form of surveillance culture that extends on Deleuze’s (1992) belief that surveillance is no longer about monitoring those separate to us but a method of collecting data from the everyday and social media is a perfect way of gathering this. To conclude, this essay has demonstrated an understanding of surveillance culture is an advancement of surveillance in which being surveilled has become participatory. This is due to human beings becoming increasing technology-dependant. Particularly through the example of social media the impact of surveillance culture has been explored. Firstly as a readily available source of data which is used to both monitor and adapt the behaviours of a society by institutions and secondly as a way of encouraging participatory surveillance in turn, causing a complacent attitude towards surveillance cultural. The impact of social media was also shown to deeply affect human behaviour in general, creating a more neurotic and anxious population, which as explained by Furedi (2006), makes people easier to control and in turn, makes the aims of surveillance culture easier to accomplish. References Anderson, B. (2009). Affective atmospheres. Emotion, Space and Society. 2 (2). 77-81. Andrejevic, M. (2002). The Work of Being Watched: Interactive Media and the Exploration of Self-Disclosure.  Critical Studies in Media Communication. 19 (2). 230–248. Andrejevic, M. (2005). The Work of Watching One Another: Lateral Surveillance, Risk, and Governance.  Surveillance & Society. 2 (4). 479-497. Bailey, J. (2013). ‘Sexualized Online Bullying’ Through an Equality Lens: Missed Opportunity in  AB v. Bragg?†Ã‚  McGill Law Journal. 59 (3). 1-24. Ball, K., Green, N., Koskela, H. and Phillips, D. (2009). Surveillance Studies Needs Gender and Sexuality.  Surveillance & Society. 6 (4). 352-355. Barnes, S.B. (2006). A privacy paradox: Social networking in the United States. First Monday. 11 (9). Deleuze, G. (1992). Postscript on the Societies of Control. October, 59, 3-7 Dinev, T., Hart, P. and Mullen, M.R. (2008). Internet privacy concerns and beliefs about government surveillance. Journal of Strategic Information Systems. 17. 214–233. Ellis, D., Harper, D. and Tucker, I.M. (2013). The affective atmospheres of surveillance. Theory & Psychology. 23(6). 840–855. Fisher, M. and Lyytinen, K. (2016). Social networking as the production and consumption of a self. Information and organization. 26 (4). 131-145. Foucault, M. (1997). Discipline And Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage Books. Fuchs, C. (2005). The Internet as a self–organizing socio–technological system. Cybernetics & Human Knowing. 12 (3). 37–81. Furedi, F. (2006). Culture of Fear. London: Continuum. Greenop, M. (2007). Facebook The CIA conspiracy. New Zealand Herald. Available from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10456534, (Accessed 3rd February 2018). Haggerty, K.D. and Ericson, R.V. (2000). The surveillance assemblage. British Journal of Sociology. 51 (4). 605–622. Heidegger, M. (1977). The question concerning technology. Technology studies. 3-35. Koskela, H. (2004). Webcams, TV shows and mobile phones: Empowering Exhibitionism.  Surveillance & Society. 2 (3). 199-215. Lyon, D. (2006).  Theorizing surveillance: The panopticon and beyond. Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing. Marks, P. (2006). Pentagon sets its sights on social networking websites. New Scientist. Available from  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025556.200. (Accessed 3rd February 2018). McGrath, J.E. (2004).  Loving big brother: Performance, privacy and surveillance space. London: Routledge. Solove, D.J. (2007). ‘I’ve got nothing to hide’ and other misunderstandings of privacy. San Diego Law Review. 44 (1). 745. Stuart, A. and Levine, M. (2017). Beyond nothing to hide: When identity is key to privacy threat under surveillance. European journal of social psychology. 47 (6). 694-707. Twenge, J. and Campbell, W. (2009). The Narcissism Epidemic. New York: Atria Books.

Comparison of Seven Beowulf Translations Essay -- comparison compare c

Comparison of Seven Beowulf   Translations    There is not unanimity among Beowulf translators concerning all parts of the text, but there is little divergence from a single, uniform translation of the poem. Herein are discussed some passages which translators might show disagreement about because of the lack of clarity or missing fragments of text or abundance of synonyms or ambiguous referents.    After the Danish coast-guard meets and talks to Beowulf, the guard then begins his next speech with a brief maxim or aphorism:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aeghwaepres sceal scearp scyldwiga  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   gescad witan, worda ond worca,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   se pe wel penced. (287-289)    T.A. Shippey comments in â€Å"The World of the Poem† that :      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Translating this ought not to be difficult†¦. The problem here is caused by the fact that proverbs are not merely linguistic phenomena†¦. the hidden factor is the extralinguistic frame; we have been taught in childhood when to use proverbs, what their metaphors mean, who to say them to, and how to take them. It is this nonverbal knowledge that we need to be able to understand the coastguard’s ‘gnome.’ Reluctance to reconstruct such intangibles and dogged staring at the text have led literary critics into controversy (Shippey 34).    So let’s cross-reference six translators and determine how serious a discrepancy exists here. Howell D. Chickering translates the troublesome part of the passage:   â€Å"must know the distinction between words and deeds, keep the difference clear† (Chickering 65). E. Talbot Donaldson: â€Å"who thinks well must be able to judge each of the two things, words and works† (Donaldson 6). Kevin Crossley-Holland: â€Å"one whose mind is ... ... multiple synonyms, vague references, etc.    BIBLIOGRAPHY   Alexander, Michael. Beowulf A Verse Translation. New York: Penguin Books, 1973. Chickering, Howell D. Beowulf A dual-Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977. Crossley-Holland, Kevin, trans. Beowulf The Fight at Finnsburh, edited by Heather O’Donoghue. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Donaldson, E. Talbot, trans. Beowulf The Donaldson Translation, edited by Joseph Tuso. New York, W.W.Norton and Co., 1975. Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf, A New Verse Translation. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2000. Rebsamen, Frederick. Beowulf A Verse Translation. New York: Harper-Collins Publishers, 1991. Shippey, T.A.. â€Å"The World of the Poem.† In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987..

Russia Legal System

The Russian legal system is operated as a civil law system meaning they follow the law based on written codes. Russian Civil Code is the primary source of civil law and the civil code spells out certain basic principles. Under Russian Law, foreign individuals and companies enjoy the same rights to sue and be sued in Russian Courts as Russian natives and companies. The court system is divided into three separate parts: 1. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation which focuses on ensuring compliance with Federal Law based on the Russian Constitution. 2.Courts of General Jurisdiction is a four-tier system with the Supreme Court of the Federation being the highest and the three-tier military court system beneath it. This four-tier structure deals with civil, criminal and administrative cases. 3. Arbitrazh (Commercial) Courts are specialized courts for settling commercial disputes and is also set-up as a four-tier system. They have special Jurisdiction over disputes arising out of the application of legislation governing corporations, shareholders and participants in Russian companies on all matters with the exception of employment issues.These courts also have exclusive Jurisdiction over the recognition and enforcement of foreign court decisions and awards for disputes stemming from commercial activity. Corruption in the legal system is still prevalent. Many of the judges were educated under the old Soviet Union regime and maintain a different mindset then those educated under the Russian Federation. The old regime influenced Judges to lean toward the prosecution adding leverage to the old saying â€Å"Guilty' until proven innocent. This methodology is still enforced by most of the older judges who were once prosecutors themselves.The business culture of Russia stems around superiority. Firm handshakes are a sign of power and coincide with their dictatorship attitudes. They are resistant to the western civilized ways which is a measure of weakness or los s of control. Their centralized concepts are designed to maintain control and ensure political power is prevalent. Their authoritative behavior is manipulative of their business practices. The act of gift giving is expected especially when contemplating business. The use of locals to gain Russian business insight is recommended however it comes with a price.Russia is known for legal nterference when it comes to doing business, with a magnitude of red tape and high tariffs. The process for conducting business could be long and difficult, requiring the assistance of locals. This practice plays into the level of corruption that is associated with Russian business. I hope I have brought some light to Russia's legal system and culture.

People at Work Essay

There are many styles of management that produces different kinds of results. If not done right, it would either be too much or too little, bringing out effects such as being less creative, however efficient or being more creative but less efficient. Wanting to bring out the best of our employees, innovation in management tends to analyze workforce who are also more adept to technical innovations and easy practical solutions. In a generation with ever changing attitudes who are attuned to the trends of society, it is also a must that old management styles are being updated and innovated. Philips Cooke (2006) described innovation in its simplest form as the transformation of new creative ideas into new goods and services. It is not only focused on products and new technological gadgets, innovation are also most effective when applied to management. With innovative management applied in a company, results can be seen in effectiveness, production, excellence, spirited positioning, and market share. This is why, in management innovation, Emotional Intelligence or Emotional Quotient (EQ) has now become a very critical factor in the workplace and top management today because more than just smart heads and high IQ people, companies and businesses today takes more than just desks, ledgers, machines and materials to make a business work. More than anything else, businesses need people. People are needed to make a company grow, people who are working together, not necessarily on the same department or in the same building, but people pulling together so that the organization operates efficiently and can continue running the business. But sometimes, people are being funny or uncooperative. They do not pull or group together, and sometimes fail to manage their full share of load. Thus, the question now is, how will we know that our managers possessed the ability of being a leader? Does he know how to properly handle people? Does he know how to develop new ideas and implement it effectively? How will we know in the first place that we have the manager we are looking for, or how can we develop such? Literature Review Globalization had brought out a steep competition for the market of goods and services everyday and it is management innovation that brings forth key factors for company’s future survival. (Cooke. P, 2006) According to Kira Fabrizio (2006), the world is currently entirely driven by technology. Additionally business existence routines are transforming rapidly. All the same, proper innovation management skills will always guarantee future survival of any given organization for a company or a firm cannot operate smoothly if not managed properly. Due to tough competition, companies always aim to satisfy customers by producing quality products and services. Chesbrough (2006), Simcoe. T, (2006) and Allen, & L. D. Evans. (1997) argued that for an innovation to be a success, correct discharge of the creative ideas already born is critical in any organization. As a matter of fact the creativity emanating from an employee and/or from a team of employees forms the basis for innovation. A successful innovation can not be attained by the Production of creative ideas alone but by correct implementation of those creative ideas to bring about new or improved product and/or service within the organization. For creative ideas to be generated there must be a room to try out the ideas emanating from the creative employees. This is usually achieved in a loose and flexible environment. Innovative work does not well with rules used for routine handling of an organization however these rules are supported by theory and practice. The efficiency of day to day within an organization requires stable routine (Sunbo & F. Gallouj, 2000). This is usually achieved in a stable controlled environment. The trick is to have a management that balances the factors that allow creativity while at the same time promoting effective operations of the organization (Utterback, M. 1994). Innovation normally occurs through a management system that allows for combination of many diverse players within any particular organization. (West, J, 2006). The player may include among others managers, supervisors, technicians, employees, and consultants. Research on social networks involved in the development of innovation process points out that successful innovation normally occurs near or at the primary interface of an organization and manufacturer. With these, O’Connor (2006) said that innovation process requires the inputs of all personnel of a particular company that is from the top executives to subordinate staffs. It may also require the expertise of a consultant who is normally outsourced. Existing Management Innovations Innovative approaches are assessed based on its impact upon its profitability. Through implementing strategic management approaches in ones company, the need for customer satisfaction will be met, not only locally but world wide. Currently, there are many innovative approaches to management, which needs top management support to be implemented properly. The new ISO 9000:2000 standards promote the adoption of a process approach when devising, implementing and improving a quality management system (QMS). PCL – Petts Consulting Ltd) This model of a quality management system approach acknowledge the facts that quality results are achieved by producing a company manual, complete with work procedures and work instructions, proper recording and keeping of quality records and tracking of inputs and outputs. The HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) System is a systematic approach to the identification, assessment of risk and severity, and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards associated with a particular food production process or practice. When speaking of HACCP, it is always associated with food safety. By using and by being certified with this system, the customers of the company are always assured of the safe processing of food. CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society. (Baker, 2006) It is the balance between the companies performance in terms of products and services to satisfy its market, on how the company manage ,treats and train its workers, on how the company shows its concern to its environment and on how it shows concern to the surrounding community. Low Morale due to Ineffective Management These are few of management innovations that are putting a company ahead of others. Today, companies encountered dilemmas such that too much management which ceased to innovate, thus, bringing out to little or no impact or improvements to a company at all. The problem here is that, businesses need more efficient people, have an environment to let innovative people flourish, however, it wont be effective if management does not have the skills and abilities to develop new ideas effectively. Thus, the question now is, how will we know that our managers possessed the ability of being a leader? Does he know how to properly handle people? Does he know how to develop new ideas and implement it effectively? How will we know in the first place that we have the manager we are looking for, or how can we develop such? The management should be flexible enough to absorb the views of all stakeholders. Management is not always willing to accept new ideas. Most managers always want to remain in a comfortable zone. Too much management, which is commonly found in large organization, should understand innovative people. Modern executives’ definition of efficiency is operating business which can supply their customers with better products or services at lowered cost. Modern executives are forever asking questions which is more concerned in productivity and efficiency rather than employees self regard and self esteem. â€Å"How are we doing? †, â€Å"Is production going up? †, â€Å"Sales up? †, â€Å"Costs going down? † are just few of executives questions about efficiency clearly showing the classic ways of hierarchal management systems. This results to low self-esteem which has a very strong relationship with morale. The loss of self-confidence or a feeling of discouragement may also be caused by frustration, which in turn causes mental efficiency and creativity to be lowered. This situation was experienced by Oracle. Ashby and Miles (2002) cited Oracle who was facing crisis in June 1992. Its culture â€Å"win at any cost, the end always justify the means† caused low morale and its effects on day-to-day operations was out of control since employees no longer pay attention to rules either internally or with customers. Applying EQ for Effective Management Innovations Change of management structure especially for large businesses to accommodate innovation is very critical for an organization to remain competitive (Tidd, J et al 1997). The management system in place should be flexible enough to create room for creative ideas. The management should easily adapt to changes brought about by trends in technologies and human issues. The organization needs to be loose and flexible enough to allow room for creative new ideas. A tight management system hinders creativity. Management should also motivate employees by rewarding not only success but also failure. This is because you cannot produce good ideas without bad ones (Maguire, 1994). Further for innovation to be successful there is a need for key personnel who are primarily concerned with the development of new product or services. The complexity of the procedures and levels involved in the production of a new product can impact negatively on the success of an innovation. (Fabrizio. K, 2006) For the success of an innovation the key is to delegate a few personnel on that activity, as too many people are less innovative compared to a few people. The virtuous circle can also impact negatively on the development of an innovation. It follows the following steps such as organization reputation for innovation, attraction of creative people, organizational need for creativity and innovation, development of innovation product, willingness within the organization to accept new ideas, motivation of people within organization to reduce frustration, high morale and protection of creative people (Henry et al: 1991). This means that if one the above listed steps is missed then innovation would not be established. So if we ask, why is there a need to apply Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in management innovations? This is because Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is now more important and useful especially in businesses. It tends to analyze and identify why people do what they do, think as they do and think as they do; with their abilities, motives, disappointments, ambitions, queer streaks. The successful business person is almost always efficiency minded through and through whether he is the boss or not. He keeps a close eye on the efficiency, and the personal efficiency of those working with him. According to Herrera (2006) IQ is quickly losing ground to EQ when it comes to predicting success. Moreover, supervisors and executives are generally rated on still more EQ qualities such as winning cooperation, handling people, suitable use of language and accepting suggestions and criticisms. This proves that the higher the position you can attain the higher EQ qualities, tests and evaluation that you have passed. An employee with more promotional possibilities shows high EQ for higher executives take on more social responsibilities at each step on the way up. According to Bradberry, T. & Greaves, J. (2005a), 16 hours of work can make a person feel 465 emotions in a day with (2005b) 90% top performers tested to have high EQ and only 20% high EQ individuals being rated as low performers. Rather than IQ, companies and corporations now opt for high EQ individuals to work for them. This is because, high EQ employees are more productive, and have great job performance and good leaders. High EQ employees and leaders are worker-centered which had higher producing work groups. And as we all know, companies aims for high productions at low cost and less turnovers. Conclusion Management systems have a significant effect on the innovation process. A tight management system normally hinders creativity because it does not allow employees to express and generate innovative ideas. All the same for small organizations suppressed management approaches can increase abilities to innovate through less formal management structures facilitating rapid decision-making, which is facilitated by having to communicate the changes to members of the organization. For innovation process to be a success there should be a â€Å"slack† element in the management Structure. To balance between effective running of an organization and creativity the management should know what is best for routine work and what is best for innovative work. And with this, management innovation and creativity is best improved by applying EQ tools. Today, EQ ratings are almost always taken with high importance in a company. During a company’s periodic reviews of individual efficiency, the boss, supervisor or head of the company watch work ways and attitudes of employees. According to Laird and Laird (1979) employees are rated according to desirable qualities or social characteristics such as cooperation, communication and appearance. This shows that individual efficiency is not based on high IQ but rather based on the qualities of high EQ. Production is also influenced by the friendly interaction of members of a work group. An employee’s level of EQ is tied in with friendliness because it shapes its interaction of people towards each other. High EQ of employees encourage warm and friendly atmosphere in the work place. On the other hand, employees with low EQ will be cold and aloof towards its co-workers. This will hinder the productivity of a worker with low EQ and increase the rate of absenteeism, thus, absenteeism is an outcome of an employee with low EQ. With this, managers will think that unnecessary absence from work shows irresponsibility. The human emotions shape the interactions of people to each other. With the types of people in one company, considering warm or friendly and cold or aloof, those employees with high EQ will stand out and be more productive than the others.

Exempel p opposition Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Exempel p opposition Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Exempel p opposition Exempel p opposition Nedanstende text r i redigerad form den opposition som framfrdes d Annelie Johanssons magisteruppsats i Svenska med didaktisk inriktning ventilerades. Den r tnkt att kunna anvndas som ett exempel p hur man kan lgga upp en opposition fr att seminariet ska bli en intressant och lrorik diskussion, ett samtal fr alla deltagare. Mlsttningen med seminariet r som alltid att uppsatsen ska frbttras s lngt det bara gr innan den publiceras i sin slutgiltiga version. Uppsatsens titel: Att producera eller reproducera text? En studie av fem gymnasiepojkars arbete. Frfattare: Annelie Johansson Oppositionens disposition INTRODUKTION -allmnt -specifikt PROCEDUR DISKUSSION -specifikt -allmnt 1 Oppositionens disposition Jag kommer frst att gra ett sammandrag av uppsatsen i sin helhet fr att f svar p om jag uppfattat din uppsats korrekt. Drefter kommer jag att redovisa ett allmnt omdme och lyfta fram styrkor och svagheter. Sedan gr jag in p sjlva oppositionen genom en bakgrundspresentation som gr frn det allmnna till det specifika fr att sedan snva in i en genomgng av uppsatsen med fokus p frgor om titeln -indikation -relevans -konstruktion -relation hur studien passar in i vad man redan vet -forskningsversikt -relevans i litteraturval, ev. andra frfattare -representativitet -tydlighet i kopplingen till det pgende samtalet hur du valt att gra din underskning -metod -material -reliabilitet -validitet -Mter underskningen det som avses? vad du kommit fram till/resultaten -relaterat till syfte och frgestllningar -koppling till teorin -behandling av resultaten -slutsatser r de rimliga? -fokus hur resultaten pverkar skolpraktiken, undervisningen och lrarutbildningen -diskussionen -resultatet i ett vidare perspektiv utomvetenskapligt, metodiskt, teoretiskt, praktiskt Under genomgngen kommer jag att stanna upp vid olika rubriker i din uppsats och ta upp ngra specifika frgor som jag har funderingar om. Det gller framfr allt fljande: -skrivuppgiften -metoden/genomfrandet -resultatet Jag kommer inte att uppehlla mig vid uppsatsens upplggning eftersom den fljer traditionella mnster och det inte finns s mycket att sga om den. Nr det gller sprkbehandling och formalia hnvisar jag till den srskilda sammanstllningen Kommentarer om sprk och formalia . 2 Sammandrag av uppsatsen som helhet Bakgrunden till din uppsats r att du ser en brist i elevernas skrivfrmga nr det gller att producera egna diskursiva texter med utgngspunkt i andras texter. Deras okunskap och ofrmga leder till reproducerande textskapande. Du framhller vikten av att frst hur elever producerar text fr att kunna hjlpa dem vidare i deras skrivande. Kunskap om elevens skrivprocess kan hjlpa lraren att snabbare fnga upp elever med problem och att vgleda dem i producerande av egentexter. Din underskning gr ut p att frst hur fem gymnasiepojkar gr nr de skapar text i en given provsituation dr kravet r att anvnda andras texter fr att producera en egen utredande och argumenterande text, en diskursiv text. Du vill veta hur de tnker om att skriva med egna ord, hur deras skrivprocess ser ut och i vilken grad de reproducerar eller producerar i sina texter. Din underskning utgr frn ett sociokulturellt perspektiv p lrande dr skrivandet utgr en kognitiv process som r socialt och kulturellt situerad. Din problemformulering lyder: Hur gr fem gymnasiepojkar till vga nr de skapar text i en diskursiv provsituation och hur beskriver de sin process? Hur visar sig de fem pojkarnas syn p skrivande, produktion och reproduktion i deras skrivprocess och i deras texter? Ditt material utgrs av elevernas texter utifrn en skrivuppgift med nationella provets A-uppgift som frlaga. Skrivuppgiften r av diskursiv karaktr och eleverna ska anvnda sig av referat eller citat av stimulanstexter fr att styrka sitt resonemang, sina argument och sin diskussion. Texten stller ven krav p mottagaranpassning. Uppgiften r formulerad utifrn en rad frgor med anknytning till stimulanstexterna och till d- och nuperspektiv. Materialet bestr ven av resultatet frn kvalitativa intervjuer och observationer av skrivsituationen. I din analys av texterna anvnder du som teori delar av Nils-Erik Nilssons indelning av texter i producerade och reproducerade texter. Fr att urskilja olika grad av avskrift anvnder du Sofia Asks modell fr olika avskriftsstt kopplat till referenser. Fr att beskriva hur eleverna tnker kring sitt skrivande och planeringen av det anvnder du den klassiska retorikens textbildningsfaser fr att drigenom belysa skrivprocessen. Resultaten av din underskning pekar p en tendens att de som har hgre betyg planerar sitt skrivande och sin text i hgre grad n de med lgre betyg. De med lgre eller medelhga betyg gr sin planering mentalt eller efter hand som de skriver. Eleverna har liten erfarenhet av refererande skrivande och signalerar att uppgiften r svr. Flertalet elever hittar drfr olika strategier fr att undvika uppgiftens krav.

5 Lessons Writers Should Learn From Cormac McCarthy

5 Lessons Writers Should Learn From Cormac McCarthy Arguably one of the most important American writers of our time, Cormac McCarthy has written ten award-winning novels spanning the Southern Gothic, Western, and Post-Apocalyptic genres. His 1985 epic Western masterpiece, Blood Meridian: Or The Evening Redness in the West, made it to Time Magazines list of the 100 best English-language books published since 1923. Literary critic Harold Bloom called it the greatest single book since Faulkners As I Lay Dying.McCarthys 1992 romantic Contemporary Western, All the Pretty Horses, was adapted into a screenplay starring Matt Damon, and won the National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award. As a New York Times bestseller, it sold 190,000 hardcover copies within the first six months it was available on shelves. His 2005 crime thriller, No Country for Old Men, another novel, except one that was originally written as a screenplay, took home four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.Perhaps his most well-k nown book, the 2006 Post-Apocalyptic novel, The Road, won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction, and was ranked by the Times as one of the 100 best fiction and non-fiction books of the past 10 years. It was later adapted into a film starring Viggo Mortensen.As a Tennessee-native writer maintaining the stereotypical description of a recluse, McCarthy has granted few interviews. This interview with Oprah Winfrey shows McCarthys shy, humble nature, and reveals much of how he feels about writing and the writing process. Other interviews with Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times offer glimpses of McCarthys suggestions (however humble) for achieving the same level of fame he has achieved with his writing.Lesson #1: Brilliant characterization can be more powerful than plotMcCarthys works are best known for their exceptional and unforgettable characters. Even the bad guys are fascinating, with actions and words that make their characte rization run deep (for example, Anton Chigurh meticulously cleaning his boots after brutally slaying someone in No Country for Old Men). Much of this is due to his refusal to plot out his stories, but rather, to write them as they develop in his subconscious.Screenshot from the film adaptation of No Country for Old MenIn that elusive interview with Oprah Winfrey, he states: You cant plot things out. You just have to trust in, you know, wherever it comes from. Oprah seems surprised when he states this, as she mentions other writers she has interviewed who held vastly different views on the importance of plotting a novel before writing it. It is obvious from both the interview and McCarthys works that he is not the kind of writer who enjoys interviews or marketing ploys to advertise his books. He is as shy and awkward as he is talented, and its a breath of fresh air in a world where writers go on press binges for lesser works.In his interview with David Kushner of Rolling Stone McCart hy states, I just sit down and write whatever is interesting. If youre writing mystery stories or something, you might want to have an outline, because it all has to have a logic and fall into place and have a beginning, a middle and an end. But if youre writing a novel, the best things just sort of come out of the blue. Its a subconscious process. You dont really know what youre doing most of the time.Here, its important to understand that McCarthy recognizes a need for intricate plots in certain genres- and therefore, intricate outlines before beginning the writing process- but points out it isnt needed for all fiction writing. This is especially true if you want characterization to be the focus of your novel. In many cases, particularly when your subconscious is as finely tuned as McCarthys, allowing your instincts as a writer to take over is all that is needed to create unforgettable characters readers love (or love to hate).Lesson #2: Optimism and luck go a long way in the life of a writerIts easy to see, especially during Oprah Winfreys interview with McCarthy, that the novelist is both humble and an optimist- despite the grim settings and scenarios he so beautifully depicts with his words. Throughout his interviews, he consistently mentions those who are more brilliant than him gracing him with their presence and thoughts.In the Wall Street Journal interview, he states, There was never a person born since Adam whos been luckier than me. Nothing has happened to me that hasnt been perfect. And Im not being facetious. Theres never been a time when I was penniless and down, when something wouldnt arrive. Over and over and over again. Enough to make you superstitious.Lesson #3: Creative work is often driven by pain and is catharticIn his interview with Wall Street Journal, McCarthy states, Creative work is often driven by pain. It may be that if you dont have something in the back of your head driving you nuts, you may not do anything. Its not a good arrange ment. If I were God, I wouldnt have done it that way.McCarthy also mentions how after he has written something and psychologically processed his pain through those words, the context and content are no longer of interest to him. He explains it as the interests being flattened and used up, and mentions this as one of the reasons he doesnt read his own books after he has written them. Essentially, his cathartic process is over when the last word is written, and thus of no more use to him.This could be especially useful for writers who agonize over their baby after the work is completed: The pain has been written, its time to move on.This way of processing his internal struggle into and through his writing is part of what makes McCarthys writing so intense- and so viscerally human. His characters experience great interior conflict and suffer through horrifying situations, and McCarthy doesnt shy away from dealing with these struggles. He even focuses in on them with intense description - minimalistic and brutal- such as when he wrote the following passage in The Road:He walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it.From Cormac McCarthys The RoadScreenshot from the film adaptation of The Road, a novel that offers a bleak description of the human condition.Lesson #4: Stay interested in life and deathIn his few interviews, McCarthy details his interest in the physical world and science- even from the time he was young. In fact, in his undergraduate studies, he focused on physics and engineering. In his interview for Rolling Stone, McCarthy says, Its interesting to know how the world works. People ask me, Why are you interested in physics? But why would you not be? To me, the most curious thing of all is incuriosity. I just dont get it.Part of his fascination with science is its focus on the life cycle. If it doesnt concern life and death, its not interesting, says McCarthy. In fact, much of this fascination affected the crowds he chose to be around throughout his life, least of which were fellow writers. The artsy crowd was all dressed and drugged and ready to party, he recalls. I just started hanging out with scientists because they were more interesting.It is this fascination with death that both hindered McCarthys early success and later propelled it, making him the unforgettable writer he is. When you read a death scene in a McCarthy novel, or even a near-death scene, you understand his unique gift for describing the horrors of humanitys fear of it.For example, in his book Outer Dark, published in 1968 while McCarthy lived on the island of Ibiza, he writes about a girls search f or her baby, who was born because of incest. The brother of the girl later witnesses the death of his child at a campfire in the rural South and McCarthys brutal narrative style packs a dark punch:Holme saw the blade wink in the light like a long cats eye slant and malevolent and a dark smile erupted on the childs throat and went all broken down the front of it. The child made no sound. It hung there with its one eye glazing over like a wet stone and the black blood pumping down its naked belly.From Cormac McCarthys Outer DarkThere is no over-description or Faulknerian detail. The childs death is as short as its life, and equally as appalling. Its this refusal to look away from death that brings so much life (and depth) to McCarthys writing.Lesson #5: Understand that good writing requires rewritingIn the Rolling Stone interview, McCarthy stresses that much of the rigor of the writing process is in rewriting after a first draft. Writing is rewriting, he says. Someone said easy writin g makes for hard reading. McCarthy is notorious for leaving out unnecessary words and even skipping over punctuation that doesnt suit the flow of dialogue. And names! We never know the name of the man and the boy in The Road. Mainly thats because- we dont need to!Names are not necessary in The Road, since characterization runs so deep.In fact, McCarthy enjoys the process of editing work that has already been written, particularly editing scientific manuscripts written by other writers. McCarthy frequently proofreads scientific papers and books by Santa Fe Institutes focused studies on an emerging science called complexity. According to Kushners article, its the study of the complex systems behind our lives- from climate patterns to human societies- and how they evolve and adapt. Specifically, McCarthy copyedited a manuscript written by Harvard physicist Lisa Randall exploring the hidden dimensions of the universe. She mentions that he removed many semicolons, which he apparently doe snt like at all.Final takeawayCormac McCarthy has much to offer writers who seek to learn how to write bestselling novels. However, due to his humble and reclusive nature as an author, writers need to dig a little deeper into his words to learn those lessons. Ive offered you the shovel- the depth to which you dig is entirely up to you.

Top Tips for Observing Mitosis Lab

Top Tips for Observing Mitosis Lab We have all seen illustrations in textbooks of how mitosis works. While these types of diagrams are definitely beneficial for visualizing and understanding the stages of mitosis in eukaryotes and connecting them all together to describe the process of mitosis, it is still a good idea to show students how the stages actually look under a microscope in an actively dividing group of cells. Necessary Equipment for This Lab In this lab, there are some necessary equipment and supplies that would need to be purchased that go beyond what would be found in all classrooms or homes. However, most science classrooms should already have some of the necessary components of this lab and it is worth the time and investment to secure the others for this lab, as they can be used for other things beyond this lab. Onion (or Allum) root tip mitosis slides are fairly inexpensive and easily ordered from various scientific supplies companies. They can also be prepared by the teacher or students on blank slides with coverslips. However, the staining process for homemade slides are not as clean and exact as those that are ordered from a professional scientific supply company, so the visual may be somewhat lost. Microscope Tips Microscopes used in this lab do not have to be expensive or high powered. Any light microscope that can magnify at least 40x is sufficient and can be used to complete this lab. It is recommended that students are familiar with microscopes and how to use them correctly before beginning this experiment, as well as the stages of mitosis and what happens in them. This lab can also be completed in pairs or as individuals as the amount of equipment and skill level of the class allows. Alternatively, photos of onion root tip mitosis can be found and either printed onto paper or put into a slideshow presentation in which the students can do the procedure without the need for microscopes or the actual slides. However, learning to use a microscope properly is an important skill for science students to have. Background and Purpose Mitosis is constantly happening the meristems (or growth regions) of roots in plants. Mitosis occurs in four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. In this lab, you will determine the relative length of time each phase of mitosis takes in the meristem of an onion root tip on a prepared slide. This will be determined by observing the onion root tip under the microscope and counting the number of cells in each phase. You will then use mathematical equations to figure out time spent in each phase for any given cell in an onion root tip meristem. Materials Light microscope Prepared Onion Root Tip Mitosis Slide Paper Writing utensil Calculator Procedure 1.  Create a data table with the following headings across the top: Number of Cells, Percentage of all Cells, Time (min.); and the stages of mitosis down the side: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase. 2.  Carefully put the slide on the microscope and focus it under low power (40x is preferred). 3.  Choose a section of the slide where you can clearly see 50-100 cells in the different stages of mitosis (each â€Å"box† you see is a different cell and the darker stained objects are chromosomes). 4.  For each cell in your sample field of view, determine whether it is in prophase, metaphase, anaphase, or telophase based on the appearance of the chromosomes and what they should be doing in that phase. 5.  Make a tally mark under the â€Å"Number of Cells† column for the correct stage of mitosis in your data table as you count your cells. 6.  Once you have finished counting and classifying all of the cells in your field of view (at least 50), calculate your numbers for â€Å"Percentage of All Cells† column by taking your counted number (from Number of Cells column) divided by the total number of cells you counted. Do this for all stages of mitosis. (Note: you will need to take your decimal you get from this calculation times 100 to make it into a percentage) 7.  Mitosis in an onion cell takes approximately 80 minutes. Use the following equation to calculate data for your â€Å"Time (min.)† column of your data table for each stage of mitosis:  (Percentage/100) x 80 8.  Clean up your lab materials as directed by your teacher and answer the analysis questions. Analysis Questions 1.  Describe how you determined which phase each cell was in. 2.  In which phase of mitosis was the number of cells the greatest? 3.  In which phase of mitosis was the number of cells the fewest? 4.  According to your data table, which phase takes the least amount of time? Why do you think that is the case? 5.  According to your data table, which phase of mitosis lasts the longest? Give reasons as to why this is true. 6.  If you were to give your slide to another lab group to have them repeat your experiment, would you end up with the same cell counts? Why or why not? 7.  What could you do to tweak this experiment in order to get more accurate data? Expansion Activities Have the class compile all of their counts into a class data set and recalculate the times. Lead a class discussion on the accuracy of data and why it is important to use large amounts of data when calculating in science experiments.

The Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Essay

The Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation - Essay Example The purpose of the simulation is to construct a perceptual map for a marketing plan of Thorr Motorcycles. During the first round of the simulation the first step was to create a perceptual map of the company to attract customers due to the fact that the firm was facing declining sales from its existing product, the Cruise Thorr. â€Å"A perceptual map is a visual representation of what the customer thinks of a brand† (Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation, 2013). The student had to choose four parameters among the following nine parameters: lifestyle image, product design and styling, cool, product uniqueness, service offerings, price, engine capacity, safety, quality engineering. The parameters selected were lifestyle image, service offering, price, and quality engineering. According to the simulation the four parameters selected were the fundamental parameters for Cruise Thorr perceptual map. Lifestyle image was chosen because image plays a fundamental and critical r ole in the buying decisions of customers in this industry. Price is a no-brainer because people purchasing any type of product evaluate its price to determine whether the price is justified for the good or service a person is acquiring. The high price Thorr Motorcycles charge for the Cruise Thorr is obtained due to the brand image of the company and the perception of the customers that they are acquiring a superior product than the competition. The use of a branding strategy enables companies to charge a premium for its products or services (Kotler, 2003). Quality engineering was selected on the fact that this parameter is a good indicator of the quality of the product the firm offers. Service offering was chosen because motorcycle enthusiasts are attracted by companies that offer a wide variety of services. During the second round of the simulation the player was faced with the dilemma of the market position of the Cruise Thorr not being able to target customers adequately to achie ve the desired sales output. The simulation gave the option to either reposition the Cruise Thorr or to introduce a new product geared towards the economical market. The idea of introducing a new product to target young customers by making the motorcycle less expensive is a bad strategy that the company should not pursue. The firm since its inception has worked hard to create a brand value and corporate image beyond what anybody in the industry holds. Introducing an economical model is not aligned with the mission of the company and would be counterproductive because it would deteriorate the sales of the Cruise Thorr and anger the customer base of the company. The decision taken was to reposition the Cruise Thorr. The positioning strategy selected was to provide financing options and increase services. Providing financing options increases the potential customer base of the company because it allows people that cannot afford to purchase the bike by paying cash the ability to acquire the motorcycle by virtue of their credit. Increasing services is a smart move because it increases the value of the product for the customers. The simulation forced the player to choose a marketing mix for the new repositioning strategy. The price of the motorcycle was maintained without any changes. Decreasing the price would hurt the profitability of the company, while an increase in price will create customer dissatisfaction. The following three promotional options were selected: organize

Foreign Direct Investment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Foreign Direct Investment - Research Paper Example Acquiring equity interest in foreign countries is considered to be the most effective and easiest form DFI. From a pure financial perspective, acquiring equity interest in companies which does not give controls over the financial decisions of the local entity is not considered to be an effective FDI. By acquiring the controlling interest in a local company, a foreign country has an opportunity of obtaining strategic advantage. Another form of DFI, which has been gaining a lot of attention lately, is licensing and technology transfer between organizations. With the advancement in science and technology, the MNCs are now investing heavily in Research and Development (R&D) in order to devise cheaper, more effective and efficient ways of production. Through licensing and technology, organizations are entering into alliances with foreign entities, even academic institutions, which have brought significant advancement in the fields of medical, food and agriculture, digital media production , robotics and information technology communication. Licensing agreements are lucrative and beneficial for the companies as it allows them to take full advantage of the latest technologies and advancement, without having to expose themselves to the risk of failed R&D investments. Readymade ideas and innovations are on the shelves, and all the organization has to do, is to pay royalty. Organizations, particularly MNCs, indulge themselves in FDI bearing a defined set of motives into consideration. Enhancing profitability and shareholders wealth, reducing cost of production and improve the method of production are few. Broadly, the reasons for doing DFI can be divided into two categories; Revenue related motives and Cost related... Organizations, particularly MNCs, indulge themselves in FDI bearing a defined set of motives into consideration. Enhancing profitability and shareholders wealth, reducing the cost of production and improve the method of production are few. Broadly, the reasons for doing DFI can be divided into two categories; Revenue related motives and Cost related motives. Considering its revenue related motives, a company has to constantly evaluate the potential of its current market in order to identify whether it has been saturated to an extent where the derivation of additional revenue is impossible. These situations often arise when there is intense competition in the home country and the growth of the company has reached its threshold. In order to survive and operate profitably, the organizations then seek other horizons. Countries such as China, India, South Korea and Malaysia are few which have been attracting foreign investors lately. With the passage of time and international trade becomi ng more and more regulated, the trade barriers have been abolished and consumers of developing countries are being benefited. A Foreign market can be proved to be profitable in cases where the factor of production in the organization’s home country is expensive. Race for new and advance technology is becoming more vicarious among the giant MNCs. It is quite apparent that the organizations which are heavily technology driven are performing at a better pace when put in comparison with their competitors.

Unit 13&14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unit 13 - Essay Example The film scenario exemplified Andrew being discriminated from undertaking his responsibilities as a lawyer upon the discovery of his affliction. Besides being unfairly and unjustly prejudiced towards his condition, the case affected senior management, who wrongfully dismissed him, and society, in general, who scorned people afflicted with the disease. The lawyer, who Andrew initially approached to defend him, Joe Miller, played by Denzel Washington, was first apprehensive to take the case given the sensitivity of the issues. As it turned out, the court ruled in favor of Andrew and ordered the firm to award him for damages for wrongful dismissal. It is fortunate for Beckett to have been remunerated for the discrimination case filed in court. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2008) â€Å"proving a discrimination claim is inherently difficult, since the elements of proof are generally in the hands of the defendant, i.e. the employer† (5). Most victims choose to ignore the matter of filing appropriate cases due to the costs involved in pursuing discrimination cases. Regular-average-everyday Americans can make a profound difference to transform this country by acts of random kindness to others. With no thought of reward, the Good Samaritan in the Bible stops to help a man who has been beaten and robbed. That is the essence of an altruistic act: unselfishly giving help when it is needed, no strings attached. If each and every American believes in simple, unselfish acts, then each would be instrumental in making this nation a more conscientious one. Most men do some thing or behave in a certain way because we expect to get a reward for doing so. Naturally, one does not do something because the cost of doing it would be great. The leadership model that must be manifested in contemporary societies should assist in transforming the society through focusing on encouraging others

Fed Chairman Game Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fed Chairman Game - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of the â€Å"Fed Chairman Game.† In the game the player must choose the fed interest rates for period of four years or 16 quarters. The player must keep inflation and unemployment below 4 and 7 percent respectively. The logic that must be used to make decision is that you can lower inflation by setting federal funds well above the inflation rate, but doing so will also push unemployment upwards. You can lower unemployment by pushing up inflation by setting the federal funds rate close too or below the inflation rate. Throughout the game after each decision there is a newspaper headline that reports what is occurring in the economy based on the Fed decisions. The news must be used by the player in order to make decisions. The table below has a list of some of the newspaper headlines that I saw during the game. During the simulation I utilized the news as a point of reference to make decisions. I had to look at the impact my decisions had on inflation and unemployment at all times. The actions that I took to get reelection were geared at maintain the general public happy. I ran the simulation three times and I was not able to get reelected. The job of the chairman of the Fed is very hard. During the first two runs I was not able to keep inflation low enough to get reelected. During the third run I messed up as far as having negative inflation or deflation. I learned from the simulation that monetary policy is extremely important for the well being of the United States. People are happy with their government when there are jobs available in the marketplace and when their money has good purchasing power. Inflation decreases the purchasing power of the US

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper Term - 1

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts - Term Paper Example (Robbins, & Judge, 2010). Similarly, it has become possible for organizations to manage a clientele from all parts of the world since no matter how far they are, they are always just a click away. This technological revolution, however, along with all its marvels, brings numerous challenges for the organizations as well, which need to be handled proactively. One such challenge is that of delegating an effective and efficient organizational behavior uniformly throughout the organization. (Robbins, & Judge, 2010). Organizational behavior basically encompasses everything pertaining to human interaction and their relationships in any particular organizational setting. (Kinicki, & Kreitner, 2006). It includes intra-organizational interaction (i.e. among employees of all levels), inter-organizational interactions (i.e. with partners, competitors, distributors, suppliers, etc.) as well as extra-organizational interaction (i.e. interaction with customers). (Hellriegel, & Slocum, 2007). It de als with the culture that prevails within the organization, the relationships the employee share with each other as well as with various stakeholders and the image a company exuberates as a whole. (Kinicki, & Kreitner, 2006). ... (Keyton, 2010). It is a set of norms and principles pertaining to the behavior of the employees and their interaction with each other as well as the stakeholders. (Schein, 2004). It is the general environment of the organization that stems from the various values and attitudes defined by the organization. The organizational culture may be weak or strong. A strong culture inculcates an environment of unity and mutual trust. Employees tend to align themselves with the organizational values and rules and adhere to them strongly. (Robbins, & Judge, 2010). Organizational commitment is higher, employees take ownership of what they do and there is higher employee motivation and loyalty. (Keyton, 2010). In order to induce a strong organizational culture, the organizational values should be clearly defined and should be uniformly followed across the board. The consequences should be similar for all and the compensation should be equitable. (Hellriegel, & Slocum, 2007). Source: (New Horizons, 2009). http://www.nhorizons.ca/en-change-culture-change.asp Ideally, the values should be properly listed down. Moreover, the employees should be reminded of them in a polite and interesting manner every now and then. Various team building exercises and sessions may help strengthen the culture. (Schein, 2004). However, one drawback of a strong culture may be the presence of Groupthink, that is, when everybody tends to follow or agree with what one member of the group does or says in order to avoid mental effort as well as conflicts. (Keyton, 2010). This can be avoided, though, through encouraging the employees to voice their opinions and concerns on an individual basis instead in the form of a group. (Schein, 2004). Organizational

The U.S. Constitution- Bill of Rights, needed changes and amendments Research Proposal

The U.S. Constitution- Bill of Rights, needed changes and amendments to meet a changing World - Research Proposal Example All these acts have led the Bill of Rights being disregarded in the rush to make it quicker to investigate people after which they are put in jail and tortured if necessary. According to Giraldi, P (2008), a recent executive has authorized the President to get the property of anyone found or suspected of threatening the stabilization efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. To him, the order does not give permission for the concerned party to challenge the information which seizure is based on. According to Giraldi, P (2008) further, the United States will have to deal with home grown terrorists soon and that, for the country to be on the safe side, something has to be done in anticipation so as to neutralize the problem. The bill of rights should deals firmly with this issue by creating of a commission which will be charged with holding hearings, conducting investigations and to determine whether various groups which exist in the country can be called terrorists. To him, this commission should be allowed to propose a new dispensation that will enable the government to take punitive action as it deems fit against the said groups as well as the individuals who are associated with such groups. Unlike in the past, this commission should go around the country holding hearings meant to find the terrorists and root them out completely. This commission will empower its members to prepare for hearings to obtain testimonies while administering oaths to potential witnesses. This translates to more hearings running at the same in various parts of the country. However, homegrown terrorism prevention Act can easily be abused against any group which pressures the political system and be dumped as terrorists. The September 9/11 unleashed American lack of trust towards foreigners. The country has spent billions of dollars while strengthening law enforcement as well as intelligence

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper Term - 1

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts - Term Paper Example (Robbins, & Judge, 2010). Similarly, it has become possible for organizations to manage a clientele from all parts of the world since no matter how far they are, they are always just a click away. This technological revolution, however, along with all its marvels, brings numerous challenges for the organizations as well, which need to be handled proactively. One such challenge is that of delegating an effective and efficient organizational behavior uniformly throughout the organization. (Robbins, & Judge, 2010). Organizational behavior basically encompasses everything pertaining to human interaction and their relationships in any particular organizational setting. (Kinicki, & Kreitner, 2006). It includes intra-organizational interaction (i.e. among employees of all levels), inter-organizational interactions (i.e. with partners, competitors, distributors, suppliers, etc.) as well as extra-organizational interaction (i.e. interaction with customers). (Hellriegel, & Slocum, 2007). It de als with the culture that prevails within the organization, the relationships the employee share with each other as well as with various stakeholders and the image a company exuberates as a whole. (Kinicki, & Kreitner, 2006). ... (Keyton, 2010). It is a set of norms and principles pertaining to the behavior of the employees and their interaction with each other as well as the stakeholders. (Schein, 2004). It is the general environment of the organization that stems from the various values and attitudes defined by the organization. The organizational culture may be weak or strong. A strong culture inculcates an environment of unity and mutual trust. Employees tend to align themselves with the organizational values and rules and adhere to them strongly. (Robbins, & Judge, 2010). Organizational commitment is higher, employees take ownership of what they do and there is higher employee motivation and loyalty. (Keyton, 2010). In order to induce a strong organizational culture, the organizational values should be clearly defined and should be uniformly followed across the board. The consequences should be similar for all and the compensation should be equitable. (Hellriegel, & Slocum, 2007). Source: (New Horizons, 2009). http://www.nhorizons.ca/en-change-culture-change.asp Ideally, the values should be properly listed down. Moreover, the employees should be reminded of them in a polite and interesting manner every now and then. Various team building exercises and sessions may help strengthen the culture. (Schein, 2004). However, one drawback of a strong culture may be the presence of Groupthink, that is, when everybody tends to follow or agree with what one member of the group does or says in order to avoid mental effort as well as conflicts. (Keyton, 2010). This can be avoided, though, through encouraging the employees to voice their opinions and concerns on an individual basis instead in the form of a group. (Schein, 2004). Organizational

Nature Versus Nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature Versus Nurture Essay Nature versus Nurture The nature versus nurture debate has been one that has been around for centuries. This debate was spawned from the idea that nature and nurture are both pieces of the human puzzle. Are we as humans shaped because of our genes only or are we influenced by our peers and environment? The opinion of this writer is that a person is who he or she is based on both principals of nature and nurture. Personal Thoughts My thoughts on nature and nurture have never been explored until now. I have always assumed that I am who I am because God made me this way. Now that I have learned a bit more about this debate, I find that I am a product of both nature and nurture. I am tall, have brown hair, wear glasses, and speak with a country accent because of my gene structure given to me by my parents. The way that I act and my thought processes come from influences in my environment and the teachings of my family. â€Å"We are a product of nature and nurture, but we are also an open system† (Myers, pg. 167). This means that even though genes and culture are influences in a person’s overall structure, a person can defy each. For example, as a teenager, I was always pressured to go with the crowd and conform to their ways of thinking and acting. I wanted so badly to fit in and found it difficult because I was tall, lanky, and had acne which was all given to me by my nature or genetic structure. Growing up in a smaller town, teenage drinking was a pressure of my social group and while I knew it would be the â€Å"thing to do†, I opposed what culture was telling me was okay. I chose not to go with the crowd and for that, I enjoyed my high school experience in my own way. I was taught by my parents the consequences of right and wrong and knew that making such choices were wrong for me which was instilled in me through the nurture part of my makeup. God says Train up a child in the way in which he should go (Prov. 22:6) which must have been a very important verse as I was growing up. My parents and grandparents have always been influential in making me a self-respecting, confident adult who can make conscious decisions on my own. History The nature versus nurture debate first began in the 13th century in France. Our genes give us our internal imprint that tell us what color our eyes are, how tall we will be, and how big our feet will be. Our genetic structure makes us unique. Psychological influences refer to our beliefs, feelings, and expectations of life experiences. These characteristics are based on the â€Å"gene-environment interaction† and can give us â€Å"responses evoked by our own temperament, gender, etc. † (Myers, pg. 167). Finally, social-cultural influences are how society influences our development. These can come from our parents, friends, culture, and even gender. A person’s social-cultural influences can cause them to see people differently than they normally would. I could see this being the state where racism is influenced. Unfortunately, I see this becoming a bigger influencing factor in the years ahead and we, as a society, have many different cultural groups in our everyday lives. Conclusion In conclusion, the nature versus nurture debate can take on many different forms in how it is perceived. One could see that they are who they are based on their heredity while another could see it from an environmental viewpoint.

The Hegemony Of Imperial Rule English Literature Essay

The Hegemony Of Imperial Rule English Literature Essay It shall be prudent to begin by giving a brief definition of what is meant by colonial discourse before looking at the texts. Colonial Discourse the way in which the hegemony of imperial rule is conveyed within the text as a set of values, representations and beliefs that reinforce the ideology. It is a term brought into currency by Edward Said who saw Foucaults notion of a disclosure as valuable for describing that system within which that range of practices termed colonial come into being.  [1]   George Orwells Burmese Days has an array of imperialistic views which are held in opposing views with the main character, Flory, branding it the lie that were here to uplift our poor black brothers rather than rob them. Flory describes imperialism as the lie that were here to uplift our poor black brothers rather than to rob them  [2]   Colonial discourse is key within the novel which as a result raises the question of identity and binary oppositions. None more so than in the case of Flory, in one breathe an honourable english gentleman enjoying the riches his new cultures has to offer and in the next berating the dirty nigger and bathing in the relief of being out of the stink for a time.  [3]   Flory is a contradiction who is torn between his British roots and his love of the Burmese culture, this love is shown via his friendship with Dr Veraswami. Flory is the personification of Gramscis idea of Imperial ideology as he believes that the discourse providing the hegemony is right yet he faces an ideological struggle within himself due to his love of his new culture. It can be argued that due to his steadfast dedication to the British Empire, for whom he works, he is a loyal imperialist and is comfortable using and exploiting the Burmese for his own gain aswell as trying to impose his superior worth and colonise the Burmese. With his desire to do this along with integrating himself into the Burmese way of life he succeeds merely in creating a juxtaposition coupled with binary opposition that ultimately leads to his demise. Heart of darkness Heart of Darkness is part of a colonial discourse in which the African is represented by the European as savage, exotic, cannibal, primitive they did not eat each other before my face page 93 critics such as Chin Achebe in his essay An Image of Africa looked upon Conrads Heart of Darkness as a racist novel. He believed Conrad was using Africa as a prop in order to create a foil for Europe (always viewed through Europeans eyes). Achebe believed that Conrad was making generalizations about Africa, therefore also assuming that Conrad was the character of Marlow in the novel (through Marlows narration). In the novel, Achebe believed Europe came across as well developed, industrialized, and articulate while Africa was uncivilized, underdeveloped, unintelligible and animalistic The term colonial discourse was coined by Edward Syiad, it is the habit of representation as colonial posers represent cultures they encounter through imperialism. The men who work for the Company describe what they do as trade, and their treatment of native Africans is part of a benevolent project of civilization.Kurtz, on the other hand, is open about the fact that he does not trade but rather takes ivory by force, and he describes his own treatment of the natives with the words suppression and extermination:he does not hide the fact that he rules through violence and intimidation. Kurtz on the other hand shows no remorse whatsoever. He holds the absolute essential view to exterminate all the blacks. He holds the ideology of making the black race extinct. Hes a ruthless ivory trader, and arranges for the dead heads to displayed on poles. The white race use crude violence, and brute force. Very occasionally the natives show resistance, but their left largely helpless against the overpowering military control of the Europeans. They have no authority or voice. The colonists have become corrupted. They are blinded by the notion that this is their sacred duty to uphold the superiority of the colonial empire and white heritage. Through Marlow disapproval, he shows and exposes the Europeans, is equally deameaning, offensive, and undermines their superiority. flabby white devils.. Critiques immoral European behaviour. Transcends such prejudice, shows him to rise above racism. Ridicules benevolent project of civilisation. Uses an ambivalent tone to show the violent colonial enterprise. Kurtz the ultimate satanic, racist. Has the heart of darkness. However if he is showing Africa to be the reason for the deterioration of the European mans morale, it merely becomes a backdrop which eliminates the African as human factor. They have become marginalised. This marginalisation shows further through Kurtz mistress. He is racist towards her, but not so to his white woman. It can be argued that Heart of Darkness participates in an oppression of nonwhites that is much more sinister and much harder to remedy than the open abuses of Kurtz or the Companys men. Africans become for Marlow a mere backdrop, a human screen against which he can play out his philosophical and existential struggles. Their existence and their exoticism enable his self-contemplation. This kind of dehumanization is harder to identify than colonial violence or open racism. While Heart of Darkness offers a powerful condemnation of the hypocritical operations of imperialism, it also presents a set of issues surrounding race that is ultimately troubling. The noble and idealistic Kurtz situated in darkest Africa submits to alcohol, isolation and megalomania and ends up radiating darkness.  [4]   It seems improbable that a rule which now rests on avowedly upon force can endure.  [5]  E.M. Forster Critics have debated whether Conrads novel perpetuated colonialist views of the alleged inferiority of other peoples, or it questioned the entire colonial project, dissenting from colonial discourses.  [6]   In 1975 Chinua Achebe controversially denounced Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness on the grounds that it proved how Conrad was a throughgoing racist.  [7]   Fin de sià ¨cle as Marlow links britains contemporary imperialist drives to the uncivialised.  [8]  

SWOT Analysis :: Business, Administration, Analysis

SWOT Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This type of analysis is designed to help identify several areas of a business that may need improvement and other areas where the company may be able to improve upon. SWOT is an acronym for; Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats. A company should consider this analysis to be one of the most important steps to becoming one of the leading stores and schools of this nature in the area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A business idea gets started by acquiring knowledge of a product, market or skill. In this case, the company’s idea got started from the skills gained from years of diving and love of water and marine life. These things inspired the owner to start his business. One of the most difficult things to identify as a business owner and as an entrepreneur is that area where the company or owner is lacking strength. When considering a business venture, normally one is not looking at the negative factors of the business itself. In most cases, the entrepreneur looks at the positive factors that can help his business get started. SWOT Analysis:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strengths †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Highly Qualified Staff †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reasonable Prices †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over 20 years experience in the business †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Offers scuba gear, training, certifications & eco trips †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Good rapport with customers Weaknesses †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of mission statement on the website †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of competition †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Limited funds (Typical in small businesses) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over $200k in inventory (Too much capital invested in inventory) Opportunities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Virtual store (Offering used equipment and possible equipment trade-in) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New retail store †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proper advertisement (Direct mail, sponsorships, place mats, radio, television advertisement, travel and sports magazines, Verizon yellow book etc.

Financial Report of Loewen Group Inc. Essay -- Finances Accounting Bus

Financial Report of Loewen Group Inc. The Loewen Group Inc. was founded in 1969. The company has two major headquarters in North America, one in Burnaby, British Colombia and a second in Cincinnati, Ohio. Loewen Group Inc. (L.G.I.) is the largest funeral services enterprise in Canada and is the second largest company in the North American Funeral Services Industry. L.G.I. owns 918 funeral homes and 269 cemeteries and also engages in the pre-need selling of funeral services including cemetery and cremation services. The company strives on respecting its Eagle Principle, which is displayed on the first page of its 1995 Annual Report: "To soar to heights of possibilities one needs two equally healthy, strong wings - one being that of people or service concerns, the other that of responsible planning and fiscal management. It is the balance of these wings that enables the eagle to soar beyond all heights"1 In 1995, the company defended itself against two major lawsuits, as well as continued to negotiate acquisition agreements. The Loewen Group Inc. stresses that once an acquisition has been completed, local management is encouraged to remain and offers long term contracts to its key employees, rarely dismissing the other employees. L.G.I. provides many services to its acquired companies including offering training to new employees on its management information systems and covering costs for any renovations which are needed on the acquired locations. Each funeral home and cemetery is operated as a distinct profit centre, with monthly and annual financial performance monitored by regional and corporate management in accordance with budgeted projections. This report includes a study of The Canadian Funeral Services Industry practices, a review of the take-over attempt by Service Corporation International, an analysis of the Loewen Group Inc. 1995 Annual Report for the period ending December 31, 1995, and examination of the revenue recognition practices used by L.G.I.. The Funeral Services Industry According to a paper issued in August 1995, by Statistics Canada's Services, Science and technology Division Final Purchase, Growing Demand: The Canadian Funeral Services Industry, the funeral services industry, in comparison to other industries, has historically been considered a low risk industry. The Fu... ...adian Funeral Services Industry. APPENDIX D: Total Revenue of the Funeral Services Industry by Sector Source: p.4 of Final Purchase, Growing Demand The Canadian Funeral Services Industry. APPENDIX E: The Scott Formula (Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars) 1995 1994 Symbols Total assets 2262980 1326275 A Total liabilities 1648298 915136 L Total equity 614682 411139 E Total revenue 599939 417328 REV Net income (76684) 38494 NI Interest expense 50913 34203 INT Income tax rate (38.1) % 33.9 % TR After-tax interest expense 50913 * 1.381 = 70311 34203 * .661 = 22608 ATI = INT (1 - TR) ROE (return on equity) (76684) / 614682 = (0.125) 38494 / 411139 = 0.094 NI / E SR (sales return before interest) [(76684) + 70311] / 599939 = (0.011) [38494 + 22608] / 417328 = 0.146 [NI + ATI] / REV AT (asset turnover) 599939 / 2262980 = 0.265 417328 / 1326275 = 0.315 REV / A ROA (return on assets) [(76684) + 70311] / 2262980 = (0.003) [38494 + 22608] / 1326275 = 0.046 [NI + ATI] / A IN (average interest rate after tax) 70311 / 1648298 = 0.043 22608 / 915136 = 0.025 ATI / L D / E (debt-equity ratio) 1648298 / 614682 = 2.682 915136 / 411139 = 2.226 L / E

Speech: Stop Bullying in the U.S.

Six months ago I read about a cheerful, vivacious, ten-year-old girl, Ashlynn Connor, an honor roll student and a cheerleader, who dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. However, one year ago, Ashlynn’s dreams came to an abrupt end. One year ago, Ashlynn’s sister found her dead, hanging from a scarf in her bedroom closet. One year ago, Ashlynn Conner committed suicide. This ten-year-old girl felt so desperate, so alone, so hopeless, that she took her own life. Ashlynn Conner killed herself because she was bullied.Her classmates called her ‘whore’, ‘slut’, and ‘fat ass’ every day. Every day she was rejected, humiliated, and harassed by her classmates. And sadly, no one stopped it. Her friends didn’t stop it, her teacher didn’t stop it, no one stopped it, so Ashlynn stopped it the only way she knew how. This is just one instance of a pervasive problem. Every year, ten million students in the United States are bullied; 2 mi llion are cyber bullied, 3. 5 million are physically bullied, and 4. 5 million are verbally bullied.Beyond the immediate effects of sadness and hurt, many victims hurt themselves, drop out of school, act violently, get involved with drugs, commit suicide, and develop depression. And this doesn’t just affect a few of us; it affects all of us. All of us have friends, or cousins, or nephews, or nieces, or brothers, or sisters, or kids who will one day attend, or who currently attend school. With the prevalence of bullying, there is a very high chance that someone you care about will encounter a bully, that someone you care about will be bullied, and that someone you care about will get hurt.Take a moment to imagine what it would be like. Imagine what it would be like for someone you loved to be laughed at, pushed around, to have her head shoved into a locker, to be ignored by her peers, to find a note in her desk with the word ‘loser’ written on it. Imagine how upse t you would be. It is our responsibility, as students and as human beings, to help these kids. When Ashlynn was bullied, nobody stood up for her. She went to her teachers for help; they told her to stop tattling.She went to her friends for help; they told her they were too scared to help. This is very common. Teachers often overlook bullying, ignore bullying, or respond to bullying ineffectively, while students, on the other hand, allow bullying to continue because they are afraid of becoming targets themselves, or because they think someone else will intervene, or because they don’t know any better. Teachers and students rarely intervene when it comes to bullying. According to national anti-bullying organizations, only 15 % of bullying incidents are intervened in. 5%. In school, 15% is an F, a failure. And that’s what this is; this is a failure. Teachers and fellow students are failing to stand up for the bullied. Our society is failing to stand up for the bullied. Te n million kids are bullied every year, and nobody is standing up for them. It is evident that we cannot leave things as they are. Millions of kids are being bullied, and nobody is stopping it. We must encourage teachers and students to step in and speak up.We must educate them about the costs of bullying, and teach them how to stop it. We must take action. Fortunately, two organizations, Champions Against Bullying and Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center are taking action. Each organization has a unique approach. Champions Against Bullying offers in person workshops for students and schoolteachers where they learn what bullying is, what its costs are, how to prevent it, and how to stop it when it does occur. Pacer’s takes a different approach.It provides online resources such as toolkits, action plans, and learning games that teachers use to educate their students. YOU can increase the influence of each of these organizations. You can tell your friends, tell you r family, and tell your local schoolteachers. You can donate or volunteer by going to championsagainstbullying. com or www. pacer. org/bullying. If we do this, we will strengthen the anti-bullying movement. If we do this, we can look forward to a future where people do not tolerate any form of bullying, and kids are accepted for who they are.Once it was acceptable to use the word homo, to use the word fag, to use the word retard, to use the word Jap, to have segregated schools, segregated housing, to smoke at work, to not wear seat belts. These things are no longer acceptable because people, people like us, decided they are unacceptable. And if we work hard enough, we can make bullying unacceptable too. Ashlynn dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. I think Ashlynn's had another dream, a dream of a future in which she wasn't bullied, a dream of a time when bullying was no longer tolerated.We can help Ashlynn’s other dream come true. We can make bullying unacceptable. I look forw ard to a future where  EVERYONE will be treated graciously. I look forward to a future where  kids like Ashlynn will not have to die in order to stop being bullied. I look forward to a future where  people will stand up for those put down. I want a future in which my children are not at risk of being bullied, a future in which your children are not at risk of being bullied. We can make Ashlynn's other dream come true. (pause) If we want to.