Monday, September 30, 2019

Narrative, Genre and representation of The Thomas Crown Affair

I have chosen to analyse â€Å"The Thomas Crown Affair† because the film has inspired me to indulge in life and make the most of the one life you get. For a film to inspire this it must be powerful and I want to analyse this film to really see how it can change people's lives and especially mine. As this was produced in the United States and being a popular film, I could tell this is Major. My Auntie works as an Administrator in the British Board of Film Classification, which means she sometimes gets free videos and gives some to me and that's how I found out about this film. Pierce Brosnan made it more enjoyable to watch because I've seen him act before and was impressed by his acting, but Rene Russo I had never even heard of until the film. The genre of the film is a hybrid between a comedy and crime because the absurd parts are humorous and the narrative is a detective crime. The iconography and the camera shots had a detective feel as well, for example, when it zoomed onto the bench and then panned up to where the painting was stolen. â€Å"Not quite as pleasurable, or guilt-inducing, as the first telling of the same story.† said Joe Rusly Which I think is absurd. In 1968 the film Thomas Crown Affair was made so this was the original one and then in 1999 it was remade and to me it's much better than the old one and even the rating has gone up by 7%. The narrative is basically a bored millionaire who decides to live his life on the edge and stages a multimillion dollar bank heist, but falls in love with an insurance investigator (from the victim bank) who suspects him of the crime. This narrative is obviously not a clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½; it's original with a twist to it. â€Å"Those expecting a caper flick will be bored to tears by the film's sluggish pace, and will be chilled by the icy chemistry between the stars.† according to a web site called www.rottentomatos.com, and I also agree myself. Nevertheless, there is a modest amount of suspense, for example, when Thomas Crown throws a painting into a bomb fire whilst the woman detective is watching and the detective and audience wonder whether that is the stolen painting. The narrative is elegant but mind twisting which is the reason I watched over and over again until I had got it, and believe me it's not sudden. The whole thing was believable but it did cross my mind that there were a lot of coincidences, for example, when the detective finds a secret painting stack the first time. The camera shots and mise-en-scene had an extensive amount of scenes and the camera shots were changing at a fast pace, in which case you could argue that it speeded up the enigma. This all made it hard to predict what was going to happen and prevents it from becoming predictable. The beginning and end were particularly entertaining with the music called Never Change and Sinnerman by Nina Simone. Combining this with the visual rhythm tic scenes is incredibly enjoyable and upbringing. The closure was closed because the woman detective went off with the so-called â€Å"Crown† in a private jet and disappeared into the horizon with the sun setting. The connotations of the horizon and sun set were that it was a contented forever-lasting relationship. The characters were believable every day people you would see if you were in New York. They were very realistic characters with authenticity. The woman was represented very stereotypically with the men complimenting her and she was always posing just so the men could talk about her behind her back. The protagonists were foreigners and they would speak in their own language and if not dreadful English. Everybody knows that all stars have make-up and special lighting to compose their look in a high-quality way. It has a big effect on the film because nobody wants to watch and old tatty film they want to see an effort has been made. The message of the film is to indulge in life and do whatever needs doing to get that thing, in this case it's the woman. If you've got the money spend, enjoy yourself, there is no point saving all that money when you only get one life, so make the most of it just like Thomas crown does. The targeted audience is middle-aged men and the odd 14-year-old boy wouldn't get hung over if he did watch it. People who believe they can get rich or even people who can be inspired would want to watch this film. The Narrative had met my expectations even if it did take three or four times to figure how his plan worked. It was surprisingly good and there was not one thing I didn't like, the music to the star appeal I got pleasure from.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

JanMar Case Study Case Analysis

The US paint industry is divided into three broad segments: architectural coatings, original equipment manufacturing (OEM) coatings, and special-purpose lacquers. The paint industry is a maturing industry. In 2004, sales were estimated to be slightly over $16billion and an average growth of 1-2% per year. Architectural Paint Coatings Industry The industry estimates that architectural coatings and sundries (brushes, paint removers, thinners, etc. ) created sales of $12 billion in 2004. The architectural paint coatings segment is also considered to be projected between the 1-2% increase per year. The demand level for this segment is reflected by the level of home improvements and redecorating, the sales of new and existing homes, commercial and industrial construction. Competition Competition within this segment has been a result of slow sales growth and new governemtn regulations. The number of competitors has decreased by 40%; however, major competitors with low prices have come into place such as Sherwin-Williams and others who account for 60% of sales within the segment. They market paint under their own names as well as for private retailers. Architectural Sales Breakdown and Consumer Purchase Behavior About 50% of architectural sales are sold under private controlled brands such as Sears and Wal-Mart, 36% of sales are sold in specialty paint stores, and 14% are sold in hardware and lumberyards. There are three types of buyers of architectural paint which account for percent of total sales: â€Å"Do It Yourselfers† who account for 50%, professional painters who account for 25% and contractor/government sales who account for 25%. Home Improvement Research indicated that the â€Å"Do It Yourselfers† have increased the product line carried by retail outlets and spend on average $74. 0 per purchase on architectural paints and $12 on sundries. JanMar Coatings, Inc. Company JanMar, Inc. is a privately held corporation that produces and markets architectural paint under the JanMar brand name. They also sell sundries and operate OEM coatings. The company’s architectural coatings and product sales totaled to b e $12 million and $1. 14 million in net profit before taxes in 2004. Dollar sales have increased at 4% on average for year for the past decade. The company distributes in 200 independent paint sores, lumberyards, and hardware outlets. They service 50 counties in the Dallas Fort Worth Area and Non-Dallas Fort Worth Area. Of their outlet sales, 40% is based in the 11 counties within the Dallas-Fort Worth area while the remaining outlets are in the surrounded non-Dallas Forth Worth area. Of the industry findings, 70% of sales in the Dallas Fort Worth area are to professional painters who account for 25% total sales while 70% of sales in the Non Dallas Fort Worth area are to â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† who account for the 50% of total sales. (See exhibit 1. 1). JanMar Coatings, Inc. Company Current Situation. Competition has accelerated in recent years at the retail level and JanMar Coatings, Inc. is the highest priced paint in their service area. Therefore, JanMar, Inc. is in need of how and where to deploy corporate marketing efforts among the various architectural paint coatings markets in the southwest United States area in a cost effective way to increase market share, revenue, and awareness. Four Proposed Tactical Strategies Given by the Vice Presidents Among the four proposed tactical pans from the different vice presidents at JanMar Coatings, Inc. the solution to the problem is the Vice President of Sales strategy of increasing the sales force and here’s why: 1) Increasing the advertising budget through television could have a positive effect because of the current 25% awareness to consumers who purchase paint. However, research shows that consumers choose a store location before choosing the brand and 70% of the consumers reached through advertis ing are not buying paint. The advertising budget is already 3% of sales, so in 2004, the advertising budget was $360,000 which is reasonable for selling paint. To efficiently create awareness, JanMar would need to produce a cooperate ad with a retail outlet to get the buyer in the store. They would also need to increase sales by 8. 3% or $1 million to cover the cost of increase in advertising. (See appendix 1. 2). 2) To make a price cut of 20% would be unreasonable considering the costs of JanMar are unlikely to go down. Cutting price by 20% with the same variable costs would bring their contribution margin down to 19%. To get the same net contribution of $4. million using their current new contribution margin, they will have to generate $22,105,264. 16 in sales which is far above their past sales of $12 million and creating more volume to increase sales at this lower cost is not feasible which just one manufacturer in the Dallas Fort Worth area. (exhibit 1. 3) JanMar needs to focus not on cutting prices but positioning themselves differently from competitors as a superior quality and service company since they are a privately owned, focuse d just in the market of southwest United States. ) Increasing the sales force could have a positive effect if the sales representative is assigned to the non Dallas Fort Worth area since account penetration there is only 16% and focusing on the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† because of the amount of sales they accumulate in that area. The amount of sales revenue needed to cover the cost of the one added sales representative of $60,000 base salary is $171,428. (See Appendix 1. 4) This amount of sales needed to incur this cost will be easy to achieve since the sales representative will be focusing on sales in the new area. ) JanMar has continuously controlled their 35% margin and costs even with added research and development. However, there are more competitors on the rise at big retail outlets such as Sears and Wal-Mart that the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† will fall for if not guided properly. Therefore even though JanMar will be profitable if they keep everything the same as how it is with controlling costs and guarding the mar gin, they still cannot predict the future and there is growth within the marketing of 1-2%. Recommendation The problem that lies at hand is that there have only been five added accounts in the past five years. The account penetration in the Non-Dallas Forth Worth area is only 16%. With an added sales representative reaching out to the Non-Dallas Forth Worth area where half the sales and most the dealers already exist, they can focus solely on the retail account and â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† who contribute $6 billion to the total market sales per year of architectural products. (Appendix 1. 1) The sales representative will focus on the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† in the non-Dallas Forth Worth area since they accumulate 70% of sales in that area as it is. We do not want to focus on the professional painters since 70% of our sales already comes from them in the Dallas Forth Worth area, and professional painters will chose our brand as it is because of the quality and knowledge and service of our representatives. We have to focus on reaching out to the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† through retail accounts which is what the new sales representative will do. â€Å"Do It Yourselfers† 1) pick their project and product, 2) they gather information, 3) decide on the store, and 4) decide on the product they buy. So through a four step decision process of a â€Å"Do It Yourselfer† is where the sales representative will come into the picture to push them along to make the decision of choosing JanMar’s brand. Even if the sales representative made no new sales (which would not be the case if hired properly) and only was paid his salary, JanMar, Inc. still would still make $1,080,000 net profit before taxes which is smarter than implementing an added advertisement budget strategy, or cutting the price by 20%, or staying the same. It is better to have more people working in order to reach out to consumers and sell the product and brand. Sales representatives can truly connect to the â€Å"Do it Yourselfers† through their knowledge and passion; rather than just focusing solely on a mass advertising plan that wastes money reaching out to people not even needing paints or cutting the costs so low that it takes away from the superior quality aspect. Therefore, I suggest that you hire a new sales representative because this option will be the most cost effective way to increase market share, revenue, and awareness in the architectural paint coatings marketing in the Southwest United States.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Hate running the mile in PE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hate running the mile in PE - Essay Example Secondly, nursing is a profession goes beyond the normal duration while studying. For my case, I intend to complete the two years full time course in nursing practice for admission into the nursing practitioner program, thereafter, continue with my study to for one year in order to obtain a certificate. Eventually, I will undertake a doctorate program at the University of Ohio. Thirdly, Nursing is a vocation and emanates from the heart. I do not deny the fact that I have had an interest in nursing, but I am not quite certain if this is my call2. Most people fail to pursue their career goals because of finances. In every college of nursing, admission fee is quite, and this discourages most students to pursue the course. I am from a humble background, and my parents may fail to raise the required amount. They struggled to pay my schools fees in my elementary school; therefore, it may challenge them to obtain an enormous amount of money to pay my school fees. For this reason, I will not sit down and watch them struggle; I will play a role in raising my school fees. I will have to apply for student’s loans from the government, charity organizations and other agencies that assist students achieve their purposes in life. Together with that, I will start-up a small business with little capital and save the profits until I get an opportunity to join the college of nursing3. The other thing that curtails accomplishment of careers is commitment. Nursing profession is a challenging field and requires dedication. Most of the nursing courses range from 6- 10 years for complete proficiency. This may be a lot of time while studying considering other factors in life other than studying. Life may present pressures and challenges that may block my achievement, but I have to soldier on and accomplish my goal. The next thing that may challenge my accomplishment is career conflict. In my life, I have desired to undertake either

Friday, September 27, 2019

What contribution has behavioural finance make to the explaination of Essay

What contribution has behavioural finance make to the explaination of stock markets bubbles and crashes - Essay Example Human behaviour and personal investment decision making can influence the trading results of a stock market and therefore, it is relevant to discuss the role of behavioural finance in the investment decisions at stock market. With this background, this paper attempts to discuss the influence of behavioural finance on the stock market performance in general and on the market bubbles and crashes in particular. The essay takes a descriptive approach wherein the present literature on these issues is mainly covered and an attempt is made to incorporate the relevant theories of behavioural finance. Behavioural finance is one of the fast developing areas in the field of financial literature. This field of knowledge has developed a number of theories and theoretical models to explain the behavioural aspects of investment decision making. Most of the theories and models have been developed by borrowing insights from other branches such as psychology, sociology, and other behavioural sciences to analyze the behavioural aspects of investors and its influence on stock market performance. A good number of studies have been undertaken across the world to evolve behavioural theories and models so as to explain the association between the investor psychology and stock market performance. This area of knowledge tries to answer the influence of individual and collective behaviour exhibited by investors on the market prices. The rational finance which stems from neoclassical economics postulates that the economic decisions of investors are determined by the principles of perfect self-inter est, perfect rationality, and perfect information (Ware2000). This is not going to be a logical view point as described by behavioural finance. Behavioural finance states that people are neither perfectly rational nor perfectly irrational; they possess diverse combinations of rational

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Social Mobility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Mobility - Essay Example Social Mobility Intergenerational mobility depends on a variety of factors. These that play a role in individual economic success and includes inheritable traits and factors related to the family and social context in which individuals develop (OECD 184). Some of the environmental factors are related to public plans while others are largely influenced by policies. For example, there are policies that control access to human capital formation. These may include public support for early childhood as well as policies that may increase or reduce economic and other barriers to accessing higher education (OECD 184). Therefore, in economic terms, intergenerational social mobility can be defined in terms of the potential to move up (or down) the income or wage scale relative to one's parents (OECD 184). In United States, different factors influence social mobility. Some of these factors have acted as a barrier to social mobility amongst many people in the society. A description of barriers to social mobilit y in American society helps in predicting future of children, point challenges, and effort that need to be undertaken to improve social mobility. One of the existing barriers to social mobility is racial differences. Racial differences in family background may result to racial differences in the accumulation of human capital (Kearney 46). Such kind of human capital is thought to relate to education attainment. This may arise in terms of parental wealth and emphasis on learning. (Kearney 46). Traditionally, different models assume that an personal achievement is based on ability. If this is the case, there should be a correspondence between black and white children. However, there appears to be cheaper labor market expectations for black children. Therefore, the black children’s choose a lower level of human capital investment (Kearney 46). Moreover, due to the constraints of getting credits, they are most likely not to associate with massive forms of investments. Therefore, i f minorities families tend to have less access to credit and wealth than other families, they are also less likely to get quality education than the white children’ of the same ability (Kearney 46). A report indicates that children from low-income families have less than one percent chance of reaching the top 5% of income distribution as compared to children of the rich with over 10% chance (Hertz 4). The other factor is labor market discrimination. This occurs as workers who are of equal productive measures are treated unequally in the economic sense (Kearney 46). This may arise in relation to gender, race, or ethnicity. In America, such type of racial discrimination still exists. This occurs through the prejudice of some members of the majority group’s against members of the minority group. Consequently, some of the group may gain promotion and thus earn more in comparison to the other group. Kearney notes, â€Å"The transmission of income level from parents to chil dren among blacks differs distinctly from among the whites† (37). He also notes that the average income is lower among blacks than whites are (Kearney 37). Consequently, the upward mobility is lower among blacks as compared to whites due to lower average income. In addition, the minority groups are also less likely to be hired based on the negative perception. This leads to such member of the minority g

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Nokia Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Nokia Corporation - Essay Example The journey of Nokia began since the year 1865 when Fredrik Idestam, a mining engineer, founded a timber pulp mill or factory in South-Western Finland. Gradually, the other mill was established in the year 1871 which inspired the name of his company to be changed as Nokia Ab. The effectual business operations of Nokia since its inception ultimately made the organisation to be a principal multinational business organisation relating with the telecommunication business sector (Nokia, 2012).Nokia became quite successful to operate its business functions influentially by employing approximately 139,000 employees throughout the world. The main products of Nokia include mobile electronic devices, mobile telephones that include smartphones with tough screens and phones with typing pads along with other communication devices. The products such as Lumia 800, E6-00 and N8-00 are few of the attractive mobile products that belong to Nokia (Nokia, 2012).The mission of Nokia is to enhance the conn ectivity amid the social framework of international regions. The chief goal of the organisation is to build superior quality of mobile products and serve its worldwide customers and to attain a significant market share. In order to achieve its expected business goals, Nokia has formed a tactical business partnership with its related industries such as Microsoft that is expected to support the organisation to attain maximum profits in the smartphone business market. In this context, the strategy of Nokia aims to leverage.... The products such as Lumia 800, E6-00 and N8-00 are few of the attractive mobile products that belong to Nokia (Nokia, 2012). The mission of Nokia is to enhance the connectivity amid the social framework of international regions. The chief goal of the organisation is to build superior quality of mobile products and serve its worldwide customers and to attain a significant market share. In order to achieve its expected business goals, Nokia has formed a tactical business partnership with its related industries such as Microsoft that is expected to support the organisation to attain maximum profits in the smartphone business market. In this context, the strategy of Nokia aims to leverage its strengths as well as innovations in developed business markets in order to connect a huge mass of people (Nokia, 2012). The organisation intends to invest heavily in its future endeavours in order to develop its different assets that include technical features, software application programs and har dware components relating with the different phones belonging to the organisation. The other important business tactic of Nokia is greatly focussing upon the aspect of new market as well as new product development strategy. The business organisation also tends to execute other noteworthy strategies with the intention of attaining its expected business objectives (Nokia, 2012). Telecommunication Industry The effective combination of several telecommunication deregulations, enhanced enlargement of various internet related applications and the attractiveness of the mobile services ultimately accelerated the pace of growth in the telecommunication industry. Due to rapid expansion as well as growth in the telecommunication

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Developing Countries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Developing Countries - Research Paper Example However, India is able to develop rapidly than Pakistan because of India’s ability to maintain a healthy secular democratic administration. On the other hand, Pakistan is struggling to develop properly because of the over influence of religion on politics. This paper compares the political, economic and educational developments in India and Pakistan in order to learn more about the factors which affects the developments in developing countries. Developing Countries The classification of countries under the label of developing, developed or underdeveloped is often raises controversies. It is not necessary that these classifications are always correct. The controversies often arise when deciding whether a country is developed or developing. America, Canada, Japan, Europe etc are generally accepted as the developed regions or countries even though recent recession destroyed the financial backbone of these countries or regions. At the same time the emerging economies or the most r apidly developing economies like India, China, Brazil etc are only developing countries even now. A country with low level of material wealth is often considered as a developing country. ... Even if enough resources are available, it is not necessary that a country may develop rapidly. The development of a country depends on how well the country is able to utilize its internal resources and the external opportunities. The growth and development of developing countries are heavily dependent on the nature of politics and growth of education and economy. Culture or ethnicity plays an important role in the development of politics, economy and education in developing countries. India and Pakistan are two neighboring Asian countries and both of them have similar internal resources and external opportunities for developments. However, India is currently developing much rapidly than Pakistan even though India is the second in the list of population size. India is a true secular democratic country whereas democracy and secularism in Pakistan remain on paper alone. In fact military controls the politics and administration in Pakistan. Democracy in Pakistan was not developed proper ly because of the influence of Muslim religion in all the aspects of administration in Pakistan. â€Å"77% of the Pak population is Sunni Muslims whereas 20% is Shia Muslims. Christians and Hindus constitute the remaining 3 %† (Religious Intolerance in Pakistan, n. d). Shias and Sunnis often engage in violent clashes even though both of them belong to the same Muslim community. â€Å"Random acts of violence have occurred in Pakistan for many years between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. These often take the form of unprovoked attacks on peaceful Muslims at prayer† (Religious Intolerance in Pakistan, n. d). Religious fundamentalism made the Pak soil fertile for the growth of terrorism. It should be noted that Bin Laden was staying in Pakistan for the last few years

Monday, September 23, 2019

Drawing on academic theories and examples from practice, critically Essay

Drawing on academic theories and examples from practice, critically explore if diversity and inclusion make business sense - Essay Example Providing opportunities on the basis of differences in class, race, gender, religion or language is considered unjustifiable. Equality of opportunity is one of the forms of social equality and is best expressed in the phrase â€Å"career open to talents†. It means that individuals should attain public opportunities that they deserve because of the talent they possess and their achievements; color, nationality, religion, gender or any such corresponding characteristic should not hinder their progress. Consequently, equality of opportunity simply demonstrates the concept of equality before the law. The concept allows freedom to accompany an individual’s private interest or ambition without any arbitrary constraints based on inappropriate personal attributes. A good example from practice could be that of matrimony. An individual has every right to marry under any circumstances but it is not necessary that he gets whatever he desires for as his wife. In business, it means f reedom to engage in trade. However, it doesn’t give one a right to force someone else to give you a chance in his trade. In a nutshell, equality of outcome is a radically different concept. While equality of opportunity supports the idea that all individuals start at the same time, the concept of equality of outcome makes sure that all finish at the same time. It provides differentiated policies to social groups that have been disadvantaged. It is different from equality of opportunity which is a rather liberal approach and focuses on individuals rather than groups. The business case for  diversity formulates that in a global market, a firm taking on a diverse personnel (that includes both men and women, people from different generations, people from diverse backgrounds with respect to ethnicity and race, etc.) understands the enumeration of the marketplace it assists in a much better way and is and therefore has more chances of flourishing and surviving in that market than the one with a diminished variation in workforce statistics. A further consequence of this is that the employees working in a company approving of diversity are more satisfied; help in improving productivity and are more likely to be retained in the business. This contribution of the business case describes how a business makes use of its various diversities. In case of a diverse labor pool, if the span of this background is not recognized by the entrepreneur, then he might be able to enjoy the advantages following from diversity. Generally, the entrepreneurs are not authorized to consider ethnicity or race in recruiting the workforce. However, in case there is a ‘manifest imbalance’ in a ‘traditionally segregated job category’, the US Supreme Court has allowed for a limited selection on the basis of gender, ethnicity or race. Diversity in the workplace casts a special affluence, but also special confrontations. It is up to the organizations’ owners to make use of diversity in terms of an inspiring asset so as to boost organizational performance. C.L. Walck characterizes conducting diversity in the workplace as "Negotiating interaction across culturally diverse groups, and contriving to get along in an environment characterized by cultural diversity". Diversity benefits both the society and

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Law and Conflicting Perspectives Essay Example for Free

Law and Conflicting Perspectives Essay Composers represent conflicting perspectives through their own unique experiences and values as their political and social contexts. Geoffrey Robertsons self styled memoir The Justice Game written in the late 1900s heavily reflects these conflicting perspectives in the Trials of Oz and The Romans in Britain through the employment of emotive and persuasive language and ridicule in the form of satire to which convey Robertsons view through his eyes. Such conflicts also portrayed in Charles Waterstreets article Its a long fickle road to justice which similar to Robertsons use of persuasive techniques utilizes satire to challenge and question the myopic procedures of the legal system. As society develops, along with it come the changes in values and beliefs this is evident in The Trials of Oz which displays the differing attitudes and conflicting perspectives between generation gaps. The Trials of Ozs Rupert Bear was one of great offence in Robertsons time, whereas today material similar to this is everywhere and is mostly socially acceptable which parallely reflect the beliefs of freedom of speech and individuality growing within society. Robertson himself believed these values which is evident in his view put across in a metaphor for describing the legal system as â€Å" the justice game† revealing the lack of freedom of speech and individuality acknowledgement within it, which is reinforced through the chapter through repetition, arising questions for the responder. In the Trials Of Oz, Robertson uses persuasive language to describe the defendants as â€Å"honest young men† and to characterise Oz as a â€Å"harmless coffee-table magazine for the revolution that would never happen†.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Twice-exceptional students Essay Example for Free

Twice-exceptional students Essay The article titled How Can Such a Smart Kid Not Get it, is a document on implementing programs for twice-exceptional students in public schools. A twice-exceptional student is one who is gifted but also has a learning disability. Often in the public school system educators are forced to focus on the weakness of a student rather than the strengths which are often ignored. Therefore when a student has an IEP the school will focus on the IEP goals and objectives rather than improving on the strengths of the child in collaboration with the weaknesses. According to Yssel, Prater, Smith (2010), when educators focus on strengths rather than weaknesses, and when twice-exceptional students are provided with appropriate coping strategies and accommodations, social and academic success is possible. Researchers agree that a twice-exceptional student unique educational and emotional needs require an individualized approach not a one size fits all method (Yssel et al, 2010). Researchers suggest that in order to boost academic self-efficacy, twice-exceptional students must be empowered by opportunities to be successful and that traditional self-esteem programs alone cannot accomplish this task. A nurturing climate and emotional support system are crucial elements in effective learning experiences for twice-exceptional learners (Yssel, 2010. Therefore the authors of this article suggest that this population undergo certain programs and criteria within the public school system. Because twice exceptional children often feel isolated due to feeling like â€Å"one of a kind,† and not fitting in with their peers they should engage themselves with other students who are also twice-exceptional. Furthermore students with this disability are often distractible and have difficulty staying on task and therefore these students should be engaged in areas of strength and interest (Yssel, 2010). Also effective programming for these students cannot be accomplished without collaboration among teachers, special educators, and school counselors (Yssel, 2010). The author of this article agrees with the document written because they have a child who is twice-exceptional and often educators find it hard to alter their curriculum and have little understanding about the diagnoses. The author of this document can also relate to many of the stories explained in the article. In conclusion the writers of the original article created a camp for twice-exceptional students over the last six years. When they began their program they asked parents to rate how the public school system addressed the needs of their child. Almost all of the parents of the students reported that the schools focused more on the weaknesses of their child rather than the strengths. The authors of the text suggested a program that can be implemented into the school system. This includes having twice-exceptional students engage with other students, have the students participate in interests to their liking and focus on their strengths, and also having the students involved in extracurricular activities they enjoy such as an after school art class, drama class, or robotics class. The article employs that implementing a program for twice-exceptional children can be a difficult task but also successful if a team of educators and parents can collaborate effectively together.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Evaluate the Role of Leadership in Business

Evaluate the Role of Leadership in Business Introduction This paper strives to evaluate the role of leadership, group behavior, training and development and change management in the broader context of organizational behavior in todays environment. The new realities that businesses have to face are globalization, changing technology, employees from diverse demographic backgrounds, customers, investors and competition from both global and small innovators. Globalization brings in new opportunities and challenges in the form of new markets, exchange rate risks, trade and tariff barriers and distribution challenges. Companies have to compete increasingly with global competitors than local ones. Customers also have more options when selecting a product. The internet has made consumers savvier about the products available in the market. Improvements in the transportation and communication network meant that people were better informed and mobile. A classic example is the fall of the iron curtain where the people learned about the lifestyles of other countries which led to the collapse of the socialist countries. In this environment, Companies need the ability to adapt to the changes that are occurring at lightning speed or as coined by Bill Gates in his book business @ the speed of thought. Therefore organizations need to have the proper leaders who can drive the business towards their strategic goals. The other factors that companies need to address are intense competition, nontraditional management practices and societal consciousness of workers. he role of leadership in business In literature the influence a leader can exercise over followers in an organization is said to be the type of power he or she can exercise. There are five main sources of power; these are reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, referent and expert power. In addition to these five, finlay suggests that personal power and connection power are also factors that need to be considered. (Mullins, 2005). In addition to the above followers also look for trustworthyness, visionary, competancy and inspiring qualities in their leaders. In todays context although being a visionary leader is second only to being trustworthy it is the quality that leaders world over struggle with. In order to be a forward looking individual it is required to first pay attention to the here and now. A leader needs to know what is going on around him in order for him to focus on what needs to be done to get to the objective. It is not always about meeting deadlines it is looking at what comes after the deadline is met or the project is finished that define visionary leadership. Leadership Types A research study undertaken by a consulting firm and reported by Daniel Goleman has identified six types of leadership. Coercive leaders (do what I tell you) Authoritative leaders (Come with me) Affiliative leaders (People Come first) Democratic leaders (What do you think) Pacesetting leaders (Do as I do, Now) Coaching leaders (Try This) The study has also revealed that only four of these styles had a positive effect on employees. The authoritative style was found to be the most effective while the affiliative style. The democratic style and the coaching style were seen as positive. However it was also revealed that effective leaders often use more than one of these styles in various proportions in their dealings. (Mullins, 2005) leaders who have mastered the above four styles and are able to apply them in given situations have ben found to be more effective than others who do not. however it does not mean that the other styles of leadership are not effective when used in the correct situation and context. for example the coearcive style (demands immediate compliance) will work well in a crisis situation. When discussing leadership it is also important to explore the full range leadership model In the above model the bottom left hand quadrant describes avoidant behavior of leadership, which can be further described as non transacting these type of leaders avoid decisions or intervention relying on time to heal all ills. In the middle of the quadrant is transactional leadership, this is goal and result oriented leadership. And at the top right hand corner is the transformational leadership which broaden and elevate interests of followers. In todays organizations with the rapidly changing business environment the leaders we should develop are transformational leaders. The components of a transactional leader are individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation and idealized behavior. Delving deeper into these components we find that Individual Consideration; values individual needs, shows empathy and encourages continuous improvement. Intellectual stimulation; challenges existing practices, encourages imagination and values intelligence. There is no doubt therefore that all these traits are required from a leader of a organization in this day. Change management Change is often said is the only thing that remains constant in organizations, and change management is defined as the process of achieving the smooth implementation of change by planning and introducing it systematically, taking into account the likely hood of being resisted. (Armstrong, 2009) Most businesses founded during and before the last decade has been steeped in archaic practices that really do not work in the present. Therefore if organizations need to be able to compete in the current business atmosphere companies will need to change the fundamental approaches that they have practiced in the past and embrace new methods of management. Organizations need to first identify why they need to change, the need for change can manifest itself from two directions one is external factors such as economic, social, environmental, technological, legal and political the other is internal factors such as business processers, objectives, technology, finance and structure. In the current context businesses will more often than not be influenced by external factors than internal factors for change. Once this is identified then the organization needs to have a vision of the final destination and the gaps that need to be filled to reach the final objective. It is also important for organizations to plan for this change and most importantly make the stakeholders aware of the importance of this change to the organization in order to get their buy in. Herbert C Kelman explains in his paper on attitude change that there can be three processes of influence. Compliance Occurs when an individual accept influence because of a reward or punishment by conforming. Thus the satisfactions derived from compliance are due to a social effect of accepting influence. Identification This is said to occur when an individual accepts influence because he wants to establish or maintain a satisfying self defining relationship with another person or group. Internalization This occurs when an individual accepts influence because it is intrinsically rewarding, he adopts the behavior because it is congruent with his values. (Kelman, 1958) Therfore in an organisation which is going through change all the above three types may be encountered, there will be some who comply because of the rewards or punishment some who will comply with change due to their relaqtionship with other members of the organisation and others who find that the change conforms to their values. Resistance to change People resist changing whenever they feel that the change is a threat to them. Resistance can take many forms; it can be active, passive, covert, overt, aggressive, timid, individual or organized. The top ten reasons for resisting change as argued by A. J. Schuler, Psy. D (A. J. Schuler, 2003) The risk of change is seen as greater than the risk of standing still People feel connected to other people who are identified with the old way People have no role models for the new activity People fear they lack the competence to change People feel overloaded and overwhelmed People have a healthy skepticism and want to be sure new ideas are sound People fear hidden agendas among would-be reformers People feel the proposed change threatens their notions of themselves People anticipate a loss of status or quality of life People genuinely believe that the proposed change is a bad idea. Dealing with resistance In order to overcome resistance to change a few methods can be used, foremost is to guarantee the employees security, thereafter a good communication plan of the objectives of the change should be instituted. Concerns of employees should be discussed and understood by the management. Where possible the most vociferous resistors should be made participants of the change management team. Flexibility should be made a key word in the change process. Incentives such as rewards can also be used to change the mind set of employees. In implementing the change an incremental change model can be used where initially small changes are done and once the employees have been removed from their comfort zones a bigger and more radical change is made. There can be several iterations of this with small periods of inactivity to allow the changes to normalize. This approach will make the change more acceptable as employees will be able to experience the benefits of each change prior to proceeding to the next iteration. Group behavior In organizations you will find several individuals forming groups to achieve common objectives, these groups or teams can exist as formal or informal groups. When formed as a formal group they will be part of the structure of the organization. In order to appreciate how groups behave we need to consider the nature of the following. (Armstrong, 2009) formal groups; informal groups; the processes that take place within groups; group ideology; group cohesion; group dynamics; The concept of a reference group and its impact on group members; The factors that make for group effectiveness. Formal Groups Organizations set up formal groups in order to achieve a defined purpose. The composition, size and structure of the group will depend on the nature of the task; if the task is clearly defined the leader may exercise authoritative power which if the task is routine in nature then the leader will exercise a more supportive role in this case the team will operate in democratic manner. Informal groups Individuals who have likeness towards each other can set up Informal groups, these can be in the form of book clubs, social club etc. A study conducted by Roethlibeger and Dickson in 1939 has revealed that activities within groups could be regulated by their own conduct and output irrespective of what the administration wanted, however by understanding the processes that take place within groups can help them work for the organization rather that against it. The processes that take place within a group. The manner in which groups function are affected by the size of the group and the task at hand, although there can be a greater knowledge base in a large group, individuals in the group may find it difficult to contribute. The main processes that take place in groups are interaction, task and maintenance functions, group ideology, group cohesion, group development and identification. (Armstrong, 2009) Reference groups A reference group comprises of a group of people with whom an individual identifies with .Most individuals in an organizations belong to a reference group and this can considerably affect the ways in which they behave. Initially a group member may comply in order to be accepted as part of the group, however as time progresses the norm will get internalized and the individual will react in the same manner whether in the group or not. Influencing groups Vince Lombardi arguably the greatest NFL football coach once said true leadership involves not only the ability to direct people, but the ability to have them embrace your direction influencing or persuading people to embrace your direction is a multi step process. In order for you to be able to persuade the first thing you need is credibility or trust and be perceived to be a person who keeps his word. The second is to canvass, which is to have a series of exchanges with individuals and groups to obtain a clear view of the concerns, goals and aspirations. The third is to try your ideas on opinion leaders, discuss your ideas with small groups get their feedback and importantly try to get the opinion leaders acceptance of the ideas. Then use the information gathered and reframe the idea in a manner which they see it as their own. By adopting the approaches discussed in this chapter an organization can obtain the support it needs to change and overcome any resistance by employees to the proposed changes. Training and Development Donald Schon argues that the loss of stable state in our society and its institutions means that they are in a process of continuous transformation and that we cannot expect new stable states that will endure for our own lifetimes. Therefore we must become adept at learning. (Smith, 2009) In order for an organization to able to be competitive in its business space it first needs to understand the skills it needs. Thereafter a gap analysis should be carried out to identify what skills are required In order for the company to reach its goals. All employees want their services to be valuable to their employers and be able to be competitive in the employment market. And the only method of achieving these targets is training and development. It is also a motivating factor for the employee since by being trained on the skills he needs to perform his function he becomes more comfortable and adept at his task. Employers should strive to build in training into their evaluation of the employee so that the final measurement of his performance will be realistic and aligned towards to companies goals and objectives. Conclusion In conclusion, an organization of today need a multifaceted approach to shape its organizational behavior. Foremost among them is the need to be able to adapt quickly to change. To do this the organization needs to have visionary leaders who will be able to manage the changes happening around them in ways that keep the motivation of the employees at high levels while maintaining the momentum of the organization. They also need also to focus on other aspects such as environmental, cultural and political issues in order to survive in todays business environment. Donald Sull a professor of management practice at the London school of business has to say this companies that execute on their strategies quickly and effectively tend to construct solid organizational hardware: information systems, corporate priorities, incentives and so forth. But they also program in software That is the right culture, people and leadership for execution. The most agile organizations share a core set of va lues: achievement that recognizes and rewards employees for setting and achieving ambitious goals, ownership, team work, creativity and integrity. Most importantly agile organizations translate these principles into action. (Sull, 2010) A. J. Schuler, P. D. (2003). resistance to change. Retrieved 02 2, 2011, from www.SchulerSolutions.com: http://www.schulersolutions.com/resistance_to_change.html Armstrong, m. (2009). Hand Book of Human Resource Practice. london: Kogan Page. Kelman, H. C. (1958). Compliance identification and internalization. Retrieved 02 02, 2011, from scholar harvard edu: http://scholar.harvard.edu/hckelman/files/Compliance_identification_and_internalization.pdf leader to leader institute. (2009). The Organisation of the Future. San Francisco: jossey-bass. Mullins, L. J. (2005). Management and Organisational Behaviour. Essex: Pearson Education limited. Smith, M. K. (2009, 09 03). donald shon :Learning,reflection and change. Retrieved 02 04, 2011, from www.infed.org: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-shon.htm Sull, D. (2010, 05 23). Organisational Behaviour. Retrieved 02 04, 2011, from Management Quotes: http://www.mgmtquotes.com/subject/organisational+behavior/

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Lady Macbeth - Macbeths Incredible Lady :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth's Incredible Lady      Ã‚   In William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth there are two main characters, one of which is more believable than the other. Lady Macbeth is not as lifelike or realistic as her husband. In this essay we shall explore her character.    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson describes the role of Lady Macbeth:    Professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband: "You promised me you'd do it!" "You'd do it if you loved me!" "If I were a man, I'd do it myself!" But Macbeth's mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncan's chamberlains. (72)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" describes the unnaturalness of Lady Macbeth's words and actions:    Thus the sense of the unnaturalness of evil is evoked not only be repeated explicit references ("nature's mischief," "nature seems dead," " 'Tis unnatural, even like the deed that's done," and so on) but by the expression of unnatural sentiments and an unnatural violence of tone in such things as Lady Macbeth's invocation of the "spirits" who will "unsex" her, and her affirmation that she would murder the babe at her breast if she had sworn to do it. (95)    Samuel Johnson in The Plays of Shakespeare underscores how ambition by the protagonists leads to detestation on the part of the readers:    The danger of ambition is well described; and I know not whether it may not be said in defence of some parts which now seem improbable, that, in Shakespeare's time, it was necessary to warn credulity against vain and illusive predictions. The passions are directed to their true end. Lady Macbeth is merely detested; and though the courage of Macbeth preserves some esteem, yet every reader rejoices at his fall. (133)    In "Memoranda: Remarks on the Character of Lady Macbeth," Sarah Siddons comments on the Lady's cold manner:    [Macbeth] announces the King's approach; and she, insensible it should seem to all the perils which he has encountered in battle, and to all the happiness of his safe return to her, -- for not one kind word of greeting or congratulations does she offer, -- is so entirely swallowed up by the horrible design, which has probably been suggested to her by his letters, as to have forgotten both the one and the other.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Week 3: Discussion 1 – Conceptual System Design Colorado Technical University CS672: Systems Engineering Methods Pooja Kattimani Instructor: Professor John King January 20, 2014 Conceptual System Design 1. In accomplishing needs analysis in response to given deficiency, what type of information you would include? Describe the process that you would use in developing necessary information? Information required to accomplish needs analysis in response to given deficiency is statement of problem presented in specific quantitative and qualitative terms and with enough detail to justify progressing to next step. Problem statement must reflect true customer requirements Information necessary for accomplishing needs analysis is developed using the team approach process. Team approach is involving of customers, consumers, producers, suppliers as appropriate in order to identify the problem and define WHATs first. The objective of team approach process is to establish effective communication between all the parties involved in the team approach process. Among all parties involved in...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Inventory System

A perpetual inventory tracking system is a method of immediately accounting for inventory sales in the inventory account, if there is no theft or spoilage. It is an inventory management system where store balances of inventory are recorded after every transaction. It eliminates the need for the store to close down constantly for inventory stock-taking as perpetual inventory systems allow for continuous stock-taking. Perpetual inventory systems keep a running account of the company's inventory. Perpetual inventory systems involve more record-keeping than periodic inventory systems.Every inventory item is kept on a separate ledger. These inventory ledgers contain information on cost of goods sold, purchases, and inventory on hand. Perpetual inventory management systems allow for a high degree of control of the company's inventory by management. Perpetual inventory management is generally used by companies who have the ability to scan the inventory items sold and who use  point-of-sal e inventory systems. Perpetual inventory systems provide the business owner with a record of what is sold, where it was sold from, when it was sold, and for what price it was sold.As a result, it allows for businesses to have more than one location with one centralized inventory management system. Even with a perpetual inventory management system, the company still needs to shut down at least annually to do a periodic, or manual, inventory count. The scanned data should tell the business owner exactly what inventory should be on hand. The major advantage of doing a periodic inventory count is to determine how much inventory has been lost, stolen, or subject to spoilage.What is a Periodic Inventory System? A periodic inventory system does not require day-to-day tracking of physical inventory. Purchases, cost of goods sold, and inventory on hand cannot be tracked until the end of the accounting time period when a physical inventory is performed and ending inventory is compared against the sum of beginning inventory and purchases. Cost of ending inventory can be calculated by using the  LIFO or FIFO inventory accounting methods, or other less common methods. Inventory System Janes (2001) stated that computers are extremely reliable device and very powerful calculators with some great accessories applications like word processing problem for all of business activities, regardless of size, computers have three advantages over other type of office equipment that process information because computer are faster, more accurate more economical Reyes (2005) task would be time consuming to accomplish manually and more practical with the aid of computers field in cabinet.Dioso (2001) stated    that computer assist    careful intelligent planning, organizing, actuating and controlling . This maybe observed from the past that they monitor production activities, solve scientific problem and help arrive in tentative answer to a multitude of involve conditions. Ralph M. Stair (1999) emphasized that the development of technology through the years have enabled us to do more with less effort. From the orientation of the light bulb to the industrial revolution and beyo nd, we have continuously tried to in a more efficient means of doing tasks.Lewis (2002) stated that the reason for using computers vary from person to person. Some of the computers in business are to perform accuracy, to be as productivity, to decrease bottle necks or hassles to alter cash flows or to simples elevate your status. Sybex    Inc (1999) stated that visual basic provide a graphical environment in which the users usually designed the forms and control that become the building block of tour application . Visual Basic support many useful tools that will help the user more productivity. Computerize sales and inventory systemComputers began from a wild imaginative idea to the world’s highly prioritized tool. Computers today are now used as a substitute to manual processes and other past inventions like the radio, television, etc. It is now used by people for much simpler, easier and faster way to do things. Some used it as a hobby, and some use it as a job. Technolog y has never stopped from advancing through the years. Its new innovations helps answer the people’s further complex questions. Why not use these advantages to benefit ourselves? Many people use computers in their daily lives.Some use it for transactions, some use it for educational purposes and others use it for data storage. Though it might sound unnecessary but in some cases when storing a file for such a big company, can you manage it properly? Organizing, finding a file, etc. With computers, it can help you simplify the process of storing and managing the files you need for future use and make finding files easier than the manual process. A Proposed Sales and Inventory System In business like merchandising, Sales and Inventory system plays an important role.It is used to track all the transactions made by the business and responsible for monitoring the items supplies. All the business transactions must be properly recorded and must be fully secured by password. A Computer ized system is the best solution and most innovative answer for their needs. The researchers had been motivated to do a study on this topic according to the above observation. The result may help others to understand more about computer-generated data processing, especially on how to deal with computers in terms of speed, accuracy and data security Inventory System This chapter of a thesis commences a brief statement and enumerating the main topics that are to be covered in it; namely;1) Research Design; 2) Sources of Data (Locale of the Study and Population/Sampling); 3) Instrumentation and Data Collection; and 4) Tools for Data Analysis.Research DesignThe appropriate research design should be specified and described.A research design encompasses the methodology and procedure employed to conduct scientific research. The design of a study defines the study type (descriptive, correlational, semi-experimental, experimental, review, meta-analytic) and sub-type (e.g.: descriptive-longitudinal case study), research question and hypotheses, independent and dependent variables, experimental design if applicable, data collection methods and a statistical analysis plan.Sources of DataDescribe the locale of the study and the research population.Locale of the Study Describes the place where the study was conducted and the rationale behind its choice. Popu lation/Sampling Describe the population of interest and the sampling of subjects used in the study. Instrumentation and Data CollectionDescribe the instrument, what it will measure, how to interpret, to whom it will be administered and if it is necessary, describe how it will be administered. Discuss how the validity and the reliability will be established. Specify the level of reliability (probability). Give details of instruction given to assistants if persons other than the researcher gather data. State qualifications of informants if used in the study.Tools for Data Analysis Determine and justify the statistical treatment for each sub-problem Determine and justify the scales of values used and the descriptive equivalent ratings, if any.In thesis writing, the most difficult part to defend is Chapter 4 because it is inthis section where you will present the results of the whole study. Here is a sample thesis format.In thesis writing, the most difficult part to defend is Chapter 4 because it is in this section where you will present the results of the whole study. Here is a sample thesis format.CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATAPresentation of DataPresent the findings of the study in the order of the specific problem as stated in the statement of the Problem. Present the data in these forms: Tabular Textual Graphical (optional) The ZOOM LENS approach may be used for purposes of clarity in the presentation of data, i.e. general to particular, macro to micro or vice versa.Analysis of the DataData may be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively depending on the level of measurement and the number of dimensions and variables of the study. Analyze in depth to give meaning to the data presented in the data presented in the table. Avoid table reading. State statistical descriptions in declarative sentences, e.g. in the studies involving:Correlation State level of correlation State whether positive or negative Indicate the level of significa nce Make a decision Differences of Measures State the obtained statistical results Indicate the level of significance of the difference Make a decision Interpretation of Data1. Establish interconnection between and among data 2. Check for indicators whether hypothesis/esis/are supported or not by findings. 3. Link the present findings with the previous literature. 4. Use parallel observations with contemporary events to give credence presented in the introduction. 5. Draw out implications.In thesis writing, the Chapter is simply a summary of what the researcher had done all throughout the whole research. The following format serves as a sample:CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSSummary of Findings This describes the problem, research design, and the findings (answer to the questions raised). The recommended format is the paragraph form instead of the enumeration form. For each of the problems, present:The salient findings, The results of the hypothesis tested Conclusions These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the general and each of the specific sub-problems. These contain generalized in relation to the population. These are general inferences applicable to a wider and similar population. Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a must to state conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence with the problems and the findings as all variables can be subsume in one paragraph. Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a macro-level or vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).Recommendations They should be based on the findings and conclusion of the study. Recommendations may be specific or general or both. They may include suggestions for fu rther studies. They should be in non-technical (skilled) language.They should be feasible, workable, flexible, doable, adaptable. An action plan is optional. Inventory System A perpetual inventory tracking system is a method of immediately accounting for inventory sales in the inventory account, if there is no theft or spoilage. It is an inventory management system where store balances of inventory are recorded after every transaction. It eliminates the need for the store to close down constantly for inventory stock-taking as perpetual inventory systems allow for continuous stock-taking. Perpetual inventory systems keep a running account of the company's inventory. Perpetual inventory systems involve more record-keeping than periodic inventory systems.Every inventory item is kept on a separate ledger. These inventory ledgers contain information on cost of goods sold, purchases, and inventory on hand. Perpetual inventory management systems allow for a high degree of control of the company's inventory by management. Perpetual inventory management is generally used by companies who have the ability to scan the inventory items sold and who use  point-of-sal e inventory systems. Perpetual inventory systems provide the business owner with a record of what is sold, where it was sold from, when it was sold, and for what price it was sold.As a result, it allows for businesses to have more than one location with one centralized inventory management system. Even with a perpetual inventory management system, the company still needs to shut down at least annually to do a periodic, or manual, inventory count. The scanned data should tell the business owner exactly what inventory should be on hand. The major advantage of doing a periodic inventory count is to determine how much inventory has been lost, stolen, or subject to spoilage.What is a Periodic Inventory System? A periodic inventory system does not require day-to-day tracking of physical inventory. Purchases, cost of goods sold, and inventory on hand cannot be tracked until the end of the accounting time period when a physical inventory is performed and ending inventory is compared against the sum of beginning inventory and purchases. Cost of ending inventory can be calculated by using the  LIFO or FIFO inventory accounting methods, or other less common methods. Inventory System Janes (2001) stated that computers are extremely reliable device and very powerful calculators with some great accessories applications like word processing problem for all of business activities, regardless of size, computers have three advantages over other type of office equipment that process information because computer are faster, more accurate more economical Reyes (2005) task would be time consuming to accomplish manually and more practical with the aid of computers field in cabinet.Dioso (2001) stated    that computer assist    careful intelligent planning, organizing, actuating and controlling . This maybe observed from the past that they monitor production activities, solve scientific problem and help arrive in tentative answer to a multitude of involve conditions. Ralph M. Stair (1999) emphasized that the development of technology through the years have enabled us to do more with less effort. From the orientation of the light bulb to the industrial revolution and beyo nd, we have continuously tried to in a more efficient means of doing tasks.Lewis (2002) stated that the reason for using computers vary from person to person. Some of the computers in business are to perform accuracy, to be as productivity, to decrease bottle necks or hassles to alter cash flows or to simples elevate your status. Sybex    Inc (1999) stated that visual basic provide a graphical environment in which the users usually designed the forms and control that become the building block of tour application . Visual Basic support many useful tools that will help the user more productivity. Computerize sales and inventory systemComputers began from a wild imaginative idea to the world’s highly prioritized tool. Computers today are now used as a substitute to manual processes and other past inventions like the radio, television, etc. It is now used by people for much simpler, easier and faster way to do things. Some used it as a hobby, and some use it as a job. Technolog y has never stopped from advancing through the years. Its new innovations helps answer the people’s further complex questions. Why not use these advantages to benefit ourselves? Many people use computers in their daily lives.Some use it for transactions, some use it for educational purposes and others use it for data storage. Though it might sound unnecessary but in some cases when storing a file for such a big company, can you manage it properly? Organizing, finding a file, etc. With computers, it can help you simplify the process of storing and managing the files you need for future use and make finding files easier than the manual process. A Proposed Sales and Inventory System In business like merchandising, Sales and Inventory system plays an important role.It is used to track all the transactions made by the business and responsible for monitoring the items supplies. All the business transactions must be properly recorded and must be fully secured by password. A Computer ized system is the best solution and most innovative answer for their needs. The researchers had been motivated to do a study on this topic according to the above observation. The result may help others to understand more about computer-generated data processing, especially on how to deal with computers in terms of speed, accuracy and data security

Monday, September 16, 2019

An Argument of Existentialism in ‘The Metamorphosis’ by Franz Kafka Essay

Argument: A person’s will to live is strongly linked to the opinions of loved ones have of that person. While some persons allow the will of their lives to become influenced to the opinions of their loved ones, others do not forget to factor the ideals of human existentialism. In order to appropriately approach the point brought across, one must factor in the underlying tone of the existentialist values of ‘The Metamorphosis’ as written by Frank Kafka. Although many existentialist philosophers hold conflicting values across the board, there are many key traits that follow existentialism. Therefore, I am inclined to, due to my level of understanding remain impartial towards both sides of the argued statement. Humans, as sentient beings, have free will and are responsible for the effects of what they decide to do. Existentialism also rejects the concept of ‘human nature’, a generalization that has become popular in attempting to identify objective external truths rather than the subjective for the individual approach. Thirdly, I say this because existentialism shows the indifference of the world towards us. Firstly, we all possess free will as independent entities apart from our society. As Gregor is dehumanized by his transformation, his family quickly deserts and rejects him of his former place in the household. The transformation can be seen as dehumanization as Gregor loses his human aspects to his self-sacrificial working ethic due to his family’s wages. One must make the balance between himself and society. When Gregor chooses work over himself, he quickly loses his humanity, hence, the transformation. Although being alienated from his family through his dehumanization causes him to ultimately lose his will for life, Gregor is yet a prime example of how free will creates a ‘cause and effect’ ripple due to the individual which is not influenced by another’s opinion but one’s subjective tastes. Additionally, a generalization cannot be approached for this situation. Existentialism as whole, strives to reject the idea of a human nature obtained by the external objective truths that cannot be applied to the subjunctive self. Instead, humans are radically liberated by their free will in order to shape their own life and defy any generalized ‘nature’. This is not seen in Gregor’s life or in Kafka’s novel. Irregardless, the existentialist value must be factored in an argued due to the underlying tone of the philosophy throughout the novel. Moreover, this approach dictates the world’s indifferent existence towards human beings. As possibly symbolized by Kafka where the household represents society’s indifference to its people, the Samsa family never cared for Gregor as the universe does to society. The absurdist branch of existentialism is then clearly revealed throughout the novel. The absurd nature of the novel highlights Gregor’s quest for purpose, for which he has lost due to the world’s indifference. It can only be here that existentialism can justify as an appropriate response. However, for some, this might not be a worthwhile approach due to the subjective nature of the mind. In conclusion, I remain indifferent to both sides due to the inability of existentialism to pinpoint whether or not this is appropriate. Human beings have free will, and this philosophy rejects the ideal of the objective truths of ‘human nature’. The will may be affected by absurdist, but infinitely varying across the board.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Maximizing the Unearned Dollar

â€Å"Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a living; barely gettin’ by, it’s all talkin’ and no givin’ (Parton, p.1)†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Dolly Parton had the right idea when she wrote this song. We have to work to be able to pay for necessities such as housing, clothing, and food. In addition to necessity, having enough money left over at the end of the month to go watch a show or eat at a nice restaurant is an added bonus. Most of us put our nose to the grind stone only to live by the old â€Å"pay check to pay check† creed. Payday arrives and it’s smiles all around. Money makes us happy, but more money makes us ecstatic.There are the lucky few who win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse sweepstakes or the lottery, but the rest of us have to stretch our dollars as far as they will go.   If you aren’t rich, stretching the dollar is a way of life. However, not everyone wants to live that way. For them, there are several alternatives. They can hit up their wealthy relatives, further their education, chose to work a not-so-glamorous job, or they can turn to crime.Unfortunately, not everyone has wealthy relatives, not everyone has their mind set to get their Masters degree, and not everyone has the body to swing on a pole for hundreds of dollars a night. What’s left? That’s right†¦crime. Somewhere out there people have figured out that you don’t have to work that hard to maximize your bucks. True-be-it that not all of us will turn to crime to make more money, from big corporations to mom and pop shops, maximizing utility is what it’s all about.In the movie â€Å"Friday†, the character â€Å"Big Worm† sells the drugs he produces to make money (Gray, 1995). His operation is based on delegating sales to others, such as â€Å"Smokey†, a  drug addict himself. In addition to owning a classic vehicle, which is decked out in style, Big Worm also owns a snack vending truck, which he uses to check out the progress of his sales people†¦incognito.Big Worm’s character is dressed in name brand clothing, wears gold necklaces, rings and diamond earrings, and appears to have his hair professionally styled. His character seems to be so powerful that when Smokey fails to give him his due profits from sales, Big Worm has access to â€Å"guys† that are willing to put a scare in Smokey by driving through the neighborhood shooting guns. Sure†¦this is just a movie, but what Big Worm’s character does is no different than what big corporations do†¦he is utilizing his resources to maximize his utility. The only difference is that Big Worm is an undiscovered criminal, and big corporations are operating legally.Without the assistance of a writing staff, some real-life criminals don’t have the same results with their efforts. Hollywood gave Big Worm nice clothes, a nice car and nice hair, so it appeared that as a criminal, he had his business in a position good enough to create a profit. Unfortunately for real-life criminals, however, the way they handle their profit-maximizing decisions can prove that not all criminals are utility maximizers.Striving to achieve happiness can lead to extreme measures. Being financially set, though sometimes an unattainable objective, can relieve numerous stresses in one’s life, which can lead to happiness. For some, this goal is so important that they are willing to do not-so-legal things to get there. Occupational crimes, or crimes committed by altering records, overcharging customers or cheating a client (Wikipedia, p.1) is an example of an attempt to maximize utility. But the key word here is attempt. An attempt can be unsuccessful, which translates to the aforementioned criminal type not being a utility maximizer after all.Take a bank teller, for example. While the money people deposit daily into their bank accounts in no way belongs to the bank teller, the teller has access to an available source. Over time, the teller discovers that by accompanying his or her deposit slip with the daily customer deposits, they are able to obtain hundreds, or maybe thousands of extra dollars in their own bank account.After much research, the bank discovers that the teller is responsible for the discrepancies in so many people’s bank accounts. Upon the teller’s arrest, it is demanded that all monies embezzled be returned. To the bank’s horror, the teller is unable to make restitution because the money was poorly spent on material items such as clothing and electronics. In this instance, the crime was committed without the intention of creating financial security.   This particular criminal was not interested in being a utility maximizer.Back to the flip side of criminal utility maximization, insurance fraud is a good example to work with. In July of 2004, the owner of a grocery store in Everett, Washington lost everything to a f ire that was being investigated as a case of arson, more specifically, a hate crime (SPI Staff Writer, p.1). It was later discovered that the owner of the store was the culprit, spray painting hate messages throughout the building’s exterior, then dousing it with gasoline before setting it on fire. This was far from a hate crime, the investigative team determined. The reason for setting his store ablaze was to obtain the insurance he had on the store in order to alleviate some financial stresses he was experiencing. The investigation team determined that this was a case of arson for profit.On the legal side of multiplying your dollars, businesses, such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car, operate quite similarly to the style of our undiscovered criminal mentioned earlier within the text. Dubbed by â€Å"Business Week Magazine† as one of the best places to work (ERAC, p.1),Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a prime example of how utilizing your resources will maximize your profits. The stru cture consists of the sales team, the managers, the regional managers and the executives. In combination with pushing upgrades with their rentals, the sales team also pushes damage waiver insurance. Good performance will earn bonus checks.The managers then direct the sales team in order to receive higher commissions. The regional managers push the managers for increased pay scales, and the chain continues. The key to this process is using what you have to make more of what you want. Incentives help this system. As noted, the ERAC team is compensated for increasing the company’s profits. When you compare both criminal and legal operations side by side, the basics are the same.Though we have only compared corporations and criminals, we are all utility maximizers in one way or another. We have gambling, which comes in forms of scratch-offs, lotteries, bingo games, bets and casinos. Seeking to multiply their wealth, one might use their entire pay check to maximize his dollar. On the safer side of multiplying what you’ve got, we have people who invest.Conservative maximizers will place their money in low-interest savings accounts, while the more daring types will play the stock market. Making the most of what you have is, for most of us, human nature. On our own accord, we may choose to leave things as they are, or we may chose to make an attempt at becoming self-made millionaires. Maximizing legally or illegally, how we get there matters. After all, you can’t enjoy your maximized utilities from a jail cell.Works Cited1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dolly Parton. â€Å"9 to 5†. Greatest Hits. RCA Country, 1980. www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/9to5.shtml.2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Friday. Dir. F. Gary Gray. Ice Cube, Chris Tucker. 1995. DVD. New Line Cinema. 1997.3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enterprise Rent-A-Car. 2000/Rev. 2006. ERAC.com. January 2007. www.erac.com.4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wikipedia. 2001/Rev. 2004. Wikipedia.org. January 2007. www.wiki pedia.org.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Self-Love and Friendships

In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes the three different types of friendships: virtue, pleasure and utility. He describes how each friendship is different and how some friendships last and some don't. According to Aristotle, the relationship between friendships and self-love is friendships break down into self-love, the type of self-love one has determines what types of friendships one can maintain. Aristotle explains how in self-love one loves themself the most, or loves their partner the most, but should a man love himself most, or some one else?By breaking down friendships into self-love and using the truth tables, one can find the relationship between friendship and self-love. According to Aristotle, a friendship of utility is for the old. This type of friendship is easily broken and is based on what the other person in the relationship has brought to that relationship. One is in this relationship of utility because it is beneficial to them; one gets something out of it fro m the other person in it. This relationship is based on the benefits one can gain from being in this relationship (Page 130).This friendship is easily broken because when one no longer benefits there is no need for the friendship. The relationship of utility is a selfish relationship. The friendship of pleasure is to be seen in younger people. This usually involves the feelings between two lovers. This is when people get greater pleasure than when they are alone. This friendship is much like the friendship of utility where the relationship only lasts as long as the pleasure is still there. The friendship of virtue is the highest friendship one can have.In this relationship, both artners are alike in virtue, and they wish well to each other. This relationship, unlike utility and pleasure, is hard to obtain because these types of people are hard to come by. A virtuous relationship is long lasting as well because of their moral virtue. Friendship of virtue is seen to be permanent becau se the people involved meet all the qualities that friends should have. (Book Viii, chapter 3). Aristotle states that there are two different types of self-love.Many people who love themselves the most are characterized as selfish and egotistical, these people re seen as a disgrace. When people are egotistical they value things only in their personal interest Someone who is only interested in their own self-interest won't do anything if they can't get something out of it that will benefit them. When one looks for the greatest share of wealth, honor and bodily pleasures, their self-love is bad. It is problematic to think these are the best things. These people are motivated by greed and self-interest.Aristotle claims if this one has the bad type of self-love then they should love their friend the most. If they can relate to their self as their own friend, then this is the self-love they should have, to love their friend the most. â€Å"A man's best friend is one who wishes well to t he object of his wish for his sake, and these attributes are found most of all in a man's attitude towards himself, and so are the other attributes by which a friend is defined. † (Book ‘X, Chapter 8). According to Aristotle, people who look for utility or pleasure are not treating themselves well.One should love a friend for who they are, and one should love their self for the same eason. A person who seeks for personal goodness will aim at a virtuous life. (Page When one looks at self -love and the different types of friendships, utility, pleasure and virtue, they need to take into consideration the two different types of â€Å"or†. A friendship can be either â€Å"x/or† virtuous or â€Å"and/or† virtuous. â€Å"X/or† is when the friendship is exclusively virtuous meaning one or the other friendship, not both. The â€Å"and/or† relationship can be a virtuous relationship or another friendship exclusively and both.One who has the bad o r negative self-love can have an â€Å"Wor† virtuous relationship or an â€Å"and/or†, business and pleasure relationship. A person who has the good type of self-love is increasing virtue so they can strive to be a person who is living a life well-lived. In this self-love, one can have an â€Å"and/or† virtuous relationship. The use of the truth tables will help determine which type of â€Å"or† goes with the correct relationship. One who has virtuous friend love â€Å"and/or† self-love has a balanced life.One who has egotistical self-love â€Å"x/or† virtuous friend love, has love or another, but the love can only increase or decrease and never grow. It is important to remember that according to Aristotle, one who is not virtuous cannot be in a virtuous relationship. Aristotle explains how the three relationships, pleasure, utility and virtue can differ. Aristotle states how each relationship needs certain characteristics in order to be obt ained and who can interact in such a relationship. When one loves them self the most, a person can be in all three relationships.When one loves their friend the most, they can only be in a virtuous relationship. The relationship of utility and pleasure both are relationships that are based on benefits and once those benefits are gone, the relationship ends. I believe that many people have friendships of utility and not so much virtuous relationships. Not many people can say they have been friends with the same person for a long time. I agree with Aristotle when he says virtuous relationships are rare because of that. According to Aristotle, the relationship between friendships and self-love is friendships break down into self- love.

Character Development and True Love in Anton Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Dog”

A study of the theme of true love and character development in the lady with the dog by Anton Chekhov In 1899, Anton Chekhov published a short story of two lovers’ clandestine affair called â€Å"The Lady with the Dog†. Dmitri Dmitritch Gurov, the story’s main character, sees a young woman walking a dog on the sea-front in Yalta. It is said that everyone calls her the lady with the dog. One day, the lady sits next to Dmitri and he strikes up a conversation with her. He learns that her name is Anna Sergeyevna, and that she is visiting Yalta on vacation. He also learns that she is married, like himself. Over the course of a week, Dmitri and Anna grow close and spend a lot of time together. Dmitri, being used to affairs with many different women, sees Anna no differently from the rest at first. However, as time moves along and Anna is urged to return home, Dmitri realizes that his affair has turned into something much greater. For the first time, Dmitri feels as though he is in love. The character development of Dmitri in this story is used to support the progressio n of the main theme, true love. In the beginning of the story, Dmitri’s characterization of being withdrawn and a philanderer supports the conclusion that he has a lack of love in his life. Chekhovs description reveals that he is unhappy with his current situation. He looks down on women, especially his wife, and seems to dislike everything about his home and family. The narrator says, â€Å"[†¦] he secretly considered her [his wife] unintelligent, narrow, inelegant [†¦] and did not like to be at home. He had begun being unfaithful to her long ago – had been unfaithful to her often, and probably on that account, almost always spoke ill of women, and when they were talked about in his presence, used to call them ‘the lower race’† (252). It is made clear that Dmitri really has no true feelings towards his wife other than the ill-willed ones. He tends to view women as below him, and treats them as objects as seen clear by his multiple affairs. It would be fair to say that Dm itri is cold and unloving at this point in the story. This is spoken of in a literary overview: â€Å"Gurov at first seems to be a shallow philanderer whose view of women shows him to be without emotional or spiritual depth†. He has no regard for the women he is involved with physically. There is no emotional connection formed, even with his own wife. Many of these personality traits of being cold and disconnected can be attributed to the lack of love, or any form of strong positive emotion, in Dmitri’s life. As time progresses with the affair, and Dmitri begins developing feelings for Anna, his personality changes dramatically. He begins to look at Anna as more than just another women. He shows his feelings, and his perspective on the world around him change. Dmitri goes from being bored and disconnected to being fascinated and deeply involved: â€Å"He told Anna Sergeyevna how beautiful she was, how fascinating. He was impatiently passionate, he would not move a step away from her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chekhov 256). Dmitri is in love; although he does not realize this. He is no longer looking at Anna the way he views his past affairs. He is even holding her in a higher light than he does his own wife. As well as having stronger and more positive feelings towards Anna, Dmitri is having more positive feelings towards the world: â€Å"In reality everything is beautiful in this world when one reflects [†¦]† (Chekhov 256). His natural and uncontrolled feelings towards Anna are making h im a happier, or at least more content, person. The world that was once so boring and bland is now something beautiful. Dmitri’s personality and behavior change represent the presence of true love, whether noticed by Dmitri or not. The change in Dmitri’s personality due to true love, or the lack thereof, is seen again in the story when Anna leaves to return to her husband. At first, still believing the affair is somewhat like the others, Dmitri returns to Moscow in a good mood. As a month goes by, he is convinced that the memory of Anna will fade away and he will no longer be affected by her. However, much to his dismay, Anna never strays from his mind. The narrator says, â€Å"[†¦] From time to time [Anna] would visit him in his dreams with a touching smile as others did. But more than a month passed [†¦] and everything was still clear in his memory [†¦.] Anna Sergeyevna did not visit him in dreams, but followed him about everywhere like a shadow and haunted him† (257). At this point, Dmitri is beginning to realize that something is different about Anna. Something new is happening that has obviously never happened before. Even when Dmitri is around his children he thinks of Anna. S he is the only thing on his mind. Dmitri acknowledges that with previous affairs he would think of the women for only a month and then continue on as though nothing happened. However, with Anna a month has already passed and the memory of her is still fresh. Dmitri takes this heavily, and begins a downward spiral. He tries to carry out his life, but the thought of Anna prevails and he is paralyzed. Literary critic, Erik Huber, comments on this moment, â€Å"He wants to speak to others of his feelings for her, but nobody will listen. This eventually leads him to a great feeling of disgust [†¦.] Gurov is so ‘indignant’ after this moment of personal crisis that he cannot sleep and finds that he is ‘fed up’ with his job and his children. He has no desire to do anything†. The fact that Dmitri is not with Anna is preventing him from living his life. He has become so involved with her and he is emotionally connected to her. His life in Moscow seems dis gusting and uneventful. He no longer wants to carry out his life the way he has for so many years. This indicates that something has changed; and that change is Dmitri is in love. Besides the apparent change in personality and behavior, Dmitri’s age and appearance, and his acknowledgment of Anna represent true love as well. In the beginning of the short story, Dmitri simply calls Anna â€Å"’the lady with the dog’† (251). This can be attributed to the fact that Dmitri is not emotionally connected with Anna, nor is he planning to be. He does not give her a name in order to keep her distant. As the relationship evolves, Dmitri calls her by her name. This action makes things personal, and signifies Dmitri’s growing love for Anna. In relation to this, when the reader is briefly introduced to Dmitri’s wife, her name is never mentioned. This represents the fact that Dmitri does not have a strong emotional connection to her. The only woman’s name in the story is Anna’s because Anna is the only woman Dmitri has ever loved. Going back to the beginning of the story, when Chekhov introduces Dmitri, he speaks of his ease in attracting women; â€Å"In his appearance, in his character, in his whole nature, there was something attractive and elusive which allured women and disposed them in his favour† (252). Dmitri has no problem attracting women. There is something about him that attracts them, and he is very aware of this. It seems as if he uses the attraction to pull women in to the affairs he has. This attractiveness is how he allures Anna. In contrast, near the end of the story, Dmitri sees himself in the mirror and sees how much he has changed. Chekhov writes, â€Å"At that moment he saw himself in the looking-glass. His hair was already beginning to turn grey. And it seemed strange to him that he had grown so much older, so much plainer during the last few years†¦. Why did she love him so much?† (262). Dmitri looks distinctly different than he had when he first met Anna. His looks and age leave him questioning why Anna loves him. He speaks of how all the years of him bein g with women while he was young never left him with a feeling quite like the one Anna leaves him with. When he was more attractive and young, love had not yet reached him. Now, older and less handsome, he has finally found love. His appearance represents this change and journey to finding true love. Dmitri’s character development, whether it be behavioral or physical, represents the transition to, and the theme of, true love in the short story â€Å"The Lady with the Dog†. Through Dmitri’s first encounter with Anna, their involved affair, her return home, and their continuation, Dmitri changes and evolves as a character. He grows older in appearance and personality, begins to see the world differently, and begins to see Anna differently; all because he is falling in love for the first time. This development is used to support the theme of true love in the story because Dmitri is shown to change with the growth of his love for Anna. Works Cited Chekhov, Anton. â€Å"The Lady with the Dog.† The Norton Production to Literature. 11th ed. Ed. Kelly J. Mays. New York: W. W. Norton Company, Inc, 2013. 251-262. Print. Huber, Erik. An overview of â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog†. Gale Online Encyclopedia. Detroit: Gale, 2015. Literature Resource Center. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. The Lady with the Dog. Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena O. Krstovic. Vol. 102. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Leadership and a Charismatic Leader Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership and a Charismatic Leader - Assignment Example Charismatic leadership delegates authority and can exert great influence on the attitude and performance of the team through their personality and charm. They use body language and facial expressions in order to appeal to the emotions of employees and persuade them in high commitment to work (Yukl, 2001). In contrast, transformational leadership is based on a specific view of the future based on passion and energy. These leaders seek to persuade and consider the feelings of persons and encourage their participation in decision making. Great enthusiasm and energy of transformational leaders inspire employees to implement new changes and new goals into practice. The ability to motivate and inspire employees is a core for the transformational leader. In order to achieve optimal goals he/she takes into account: motivation, reward, and commitment. In contrast to charismatic leaders "transformational leaders stimulate their followers' efforts "to be innovative and creative by questioning a ssumptions, reframing problems, and approaching old situations in new ways" (Stone, et al, 2004). 2. Fiedler's Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) Theory defines three bases of leadership: relationships, power, and task. The core of this approach is to think of employees a leader works and then to score this employee on a range of scales including positive factors and negative factors. Fiedler distinguishes two types of LPC leaders: high and low leaders. It means that high LPC leaders score their employees positively while low LPC leaders see their subordinates more negatively. On these assumptions, Fiedler concludes that it is common for high LPC leaders to have positive relationships with employees and support them in achieving corporate goals while low LPC leaders do not support their subordinates putting takes and demanding the work will be done properly without personal participation. If leaders do not have good relations with employees, they can change the nature of communication with subordinates.