Importance of Communication Skills

STUDENT NAME: NYAGOL ONYANGO BRIAN ADM NO. :EC/16/11 COURSE CODE: IRD 107 COURSE TITLE:COMMUNICATION SKILLS WORK:ASSIGNMENT. TITLE:IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO A UNIVERSITY STUDENT LECTURER: MR. KHWALIA DATE OF SUBMISSION: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦/†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. /†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ STUDENT SIGNATURE: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO A UNIVERSITY STUDENT. Communication skills are the skills that every individual requires in order to send information to an audience in the most efficient way and receive information from a sender and interpret it correctly. A university student is in dire need of good communication skills to help him/ her undertake all fields of activities in the university including social and academic fields. This is because he/ she will be required to communicate in the most accurate and efficient way to make sure that the information sent or received is perceived in the intended manner. To start with, communications skills will help a student to have good listening habits in class. This will ensure that the student gunners a lot from what he/ she is taught in class since she learns to fully concentrate in the lectures and their subsequent subject matter. Among the skills that will help the student is listening carefully, asking questions, requesting for clarification, responding accordingly, among other things. Communication skills will be very vital for any university student who is a leader. To ensure that all their followers and supporters get them clearly, and interpret their words, gestures and facial expressions correctly, the student has to know how and when to apply these in the communication process. Without appropriate communication skills, the students may risk losing supporters or derailing the people’s confidence in him/ her. The life of a student in the university involves entry into various offices like deans’ offices, lecturers’ offices, Vice Chancellors’ offices, security offices and so on. The student will only get the expected information from the people he/ she finds in the offices if only appropriate communication skills are employed. The student has to ensure that the correct enquiry or question is asked. The student has to give full details of events especially in security offices when reporting a case in order for the correct follow up to be undertaken. Academic life of a university student also entails discussion, public speaking and presentation or research projects and group assignments. The student with good communication skills will deliver his/ her content correctly, in a chronologically planned order and confidently in front of other students. This will ensure that fear in him/ her does not distract the audience from getting the message being communicated by the student. Lack of communication skills may make the student express the information wrongly and hence wrongly interpreted by the audience. Communication skills are also vital to university students in their social relations to their fellows. This comes whenever there is any disagreement on an issue, an extended argument, or a conflict between two or more students. Good communication skills help in conflict resolution and effecting negotiations. When communication skills are implemented at such times, several damages are barred such as fights, insults and even mob actions. For example a student resolving conflict between two other students will ask questions from both parties and evaluate their responses effectively in order to come up with the best solution which suits both parties. University students stay together like four or three students in one room. Angry face all the time, quarrelling at high tones, making noise, are examples of lack communication skills that interfere with the harmonious living if such students together. However, absence of these will leave the students at ease in living together with one another and make them be able to communicate effectively and assist each other in many ways. In conclusion, communication skills are as well important to a university student as academic skills. It is evident that without good communication skills, a student may not be able to acquire knowledge effectively, may get into dangers of misunderstanding and commotions, not get intended replies in university offices, lead an unsuitable social life and many other disadvantages. All students should therefore strive to equip themselves with appropriate communication skills to ease their academic and social life in the university.

Learning Psychology Essay

Education and learning are one of the most important ingredients to becoming all that you can be. How open you are to learning will help determine your path in life. Education and learning are one of the most important ingredients to becoming all that you can be. How open you are to learning will help determine your path in life. Education does not just happen at school. It is not just about Math and other subjects. Your education and learning are happening all the time. They happen any time your mind is open to learning. Education is not just about learning facts, but more so about learning how to think. It is learning to make good choices. It is learning to act with purpose. Becoming educated is a lifelong process. It can be hard and frustrating at times, but it can also be incredibly exciting and enriching. Most importantly, learning and education can help you: Change the world Become a better person Reach your potential Eliminate your fears Make the most of mistakes Support your family Here are some inspiring quotations that capture the power of education and what it can do for you and the world: Motivation in Learning by Haibat Khan haibiniazi@gmail. com. â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. † – Nelson Mandela â€Å"When you know better you do better. † – Maya Angelou â€Å"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. † – Carl Sagan â€Å"Even the wisest mind has something yet to learn. † – George Santayana â€Å"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. † – Henry Ford â€Å"The important thing is not to stop questioning. † – Albert Einstein â€Å"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. † – Chinese Proverb â€Å"None of us is as smart as all of us. † – Ken Blanchard â€Å"A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. † Benjamin Franklin â€Å"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled. † – Plutarch â€Å"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. † Aristotle â€Å"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions. † – Naguib Mahfouz â€Å"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. † – W. B. Yeats â€Å"If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. † – Albert Einstein. â€Å"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. † – Marie Curie â€Å"A mistake is a crash-course in learning. † – Billy Anderson â€Å"We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn. † – Mary Catherine Bateson â€Å"He who opens a school door, closes a prison. † – Victor Hugo â€Å"Knowledge will bring you the opportunity to make a difference. † – Claire Fagan â€Å"Education is teaching our children to desire the right things. † – Plato â€Å"I believe that we learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the  same. Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired. † – Martha Graham†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Education is the power to think clearly, the power to act well in the world’s work, and the power to appreciate life. † – Brigham Young â€Å"I received the fundamentals of my education in school, but that was not enough. My real education, the superstructure, the details, the true architecture, I got out of the public library. For an impoverished child whose family could not afford to buy  books, the library was the open door to wonder and achievement, and I can never be sufficiently grateful that I had the wit to charge through that door and make the most of it. †- Isaac Asimov â€Å"Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us – and those around us – more effectively. Look for the learning. † – Louisa May Alcott â€Å"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. † – Albert Einstein Haibat Khan haibiniazi@gmail. com.

Economic freedom Essay

Does economic freedom help explain why the standard of living improves in some countries and declines in others? First of all we have to understand, what economic freedom is? Economic freedom according to William W. Beach and Tim Kane, PhD. â€Å" Economic freedom is that part of freedom that is concerned with the material autonomy of the individual in relation to the state and other organized groups. An individual is economically free who can fully control his or her labor and property.† (Taken from 2007 Index of economic freedom chapter no.3 by William W. Beach and Tim Kane, PhD). Or in simple words we can also say that everybody in his or her own country is said to be economically free, if their respective government protects their rights in every possible way and without any constraint. i.e. if an individual wants to learn anything, to do any kind of business or wants a job, then, he or she has a right to do that, while it is the responsibility of the government to make it convenient and possible for them. The first study of economic freedom was published in the year 1995, and it was improved over the years. There are about ten different types of economic freedoms, which are known as index of economic freedoms. The main purpose of defining these freedoms is to rank the countries in order to pave the way for foreign investment. Following is the list of ten economic freedoms: (taken from 2007 Index of economic freedom from chapter no.3 by William W Beach and Tim Kane, PhD). 1) Business freedom: To check the status of starting, operating and closing any business in how much time. 2) Trade freedom: To check the barriers and constraints in tariffs, import and export in the country. 3) Monetary freedom: To check the measure of price stability and how governments are controlling the prices, inflation etc. 4) Freedom from government: To check either state is providing public goods with minimum expenditure or not. 5) Fiscal freedom: To check the burden on the government with respect to revenue side. 6) Property rights: To check whether the public have keeping the private property rights, defined and secured by the laws, and are clearly defined by the government. 7) Investment freedom: To check whether the government deserves to have the foreign investment or not. 8) Financial freedom: To check the operation of financial institutions i.e. banking systems; are they out of government control or not. 9) Freedom from corruption: To check the status of corruption in the society, i.e. in the business system, judiciary, and administrative system in the country. 10) Labor freedom: To check the status of growth of labor and business either they are working without government interruption or not. (Taken from 2007 index of economic freedom from chapter no.3 by William W Beach and Tim Kane, PhD). Each one of the ten freedoms is measured on a 0-100 percent scale, 100 as the maximum freedom while 0 is the least or minimum freedom. The study of economic freedom was conducted on about 157 countries of the world. To show how it works, I choose two countries that are North Korea and South Korea. North Korea has a communist form of government and is ranked at no.157 in the index of 157 countries, its economy is 3% free. It has exports of $1.3 billion, it exports: minerals, metallurgical products, manufacturing (including armaments), textiles, fishery products etc. and imports of   $2.3 billion, it imports: petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textile grains etc. In communist form of government every asset in the country belongs to the state, therefore there is no business freedom i.e. 0 % (in 0-100 % scale) in N. Korea. Also government controls all the imports and exports so trade freedom i.e. 0 % is also nil. No data on income or corporate taxes is available so fiscal freedom i.e. 0 % is also zeroed. Also government owns all the property including businesses therefore freedom from government i.e. 0% is also nil. No publicly record of inflation data therefore monetary freedom i.e. 0% is also zero. Also no private financial sector, therefore financial freedom i.e. 0% is also nil. Wages and incentives are also controlled by government therefore labor freedom i.e. 0% is also nil, also corruption is heavily present in the country so corruption freedom i.e. 10% is also negligible, but there is some investment freedom i.e. 10%, after the opening of foreign investment zone in the far remote area of rajin sonberg where basic facilities are also not provided till date. The government does not cover property rights i.e. 10%, so they are also negligible.   (Taken from 2007 index of economic freedom from chapter no.5). While South Korea has democratic form of government and it is ranked at no.36 out of 157 in the index of economic freedom, and its economy is 68.6% free. S. Korea has export of $299.2 billion, it exports: semi conductors, wireless telecommunication, equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships and petrochemicals etc. It has imports of $269.8 billion, it imports: machinery, electronics, electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport, organic chemicals and plastics etc. As South Korea has democratic form of government, in that form, the government tries every possible effort to please its citizens, therefore starting, operating and closing the business in that country is relatively easy, there is a lot of business freedom i.e. 83.1% present in the country. S. Korea as compared to N. Korea has good trade freedom i.e. 64.2% present but there are some restrictions in its some activities like import, non-transparent regulations and standards etc. S. Korea has high income tax rate of about 38.5% and relatively low corporate tax of about 27.5%, so we can say that it has a good fiscal freedom i.e. 0-100 bracket it has about 81% free. After the foreign investment promotion act of Nov 1998 the government opens the doors to foreign investment in almost every sector except media, electric power and some agricultural sectors, and also residents and non residents can now holds foreign exchange accounts, so there is a lot of investment freedom i.e. about 70% free. The private property right i.e. 70% is secure by the government; corruption i.e. 50% is present at some extent in the country. The labor i.e. 57.7% market is working under restrictive employment regulations due to which employment and production growth rate is very low. Government interference in private sector is negligible, so freedom from government is 81.5%. The government regulates the prices in some sectors like agriculture, telecommunication and other utilities, which monetary freedom 79%, the government in retained some ownerships, second largest domestic bank is under them, which makes the financial freedom about 50% free. (Taken from 2007 index of economic freedom from chapter no.5).   In short economic freedom in South Korea is much superficial than North Korea, and it is mainly due to democratic and communism forms of governments, democratic people are enjoying the fruits of freedom while others do not.

Careers in Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Careers in Accounting - Essay Example Income Tax Act and the Companies Act have laid down certain requirements on business organizations to put forward annual financial statements. These financial statements have to be prepared as per GAAP standards. The recording of accounts of a business using the double entry system of book keeping is done in a general ledger, which is also known as the nominal ledger. This is the principal book of entry and it includes accounts for items like current assets, fixed assets, liabilities, revenue and expense items, gains and losses. Collected group of accounts supporting the items displayed in the main financial statement is shown in the general ledger. The transactions are recorded in the general ledger directly from the sales daybook, purchases daybook, cash book and general journals daybook. This ledger is generally supported by one or more subsidiary ledgers which give the details of the accounts posted. For instance an accounts receivable subsidiary ledger would give the information for every credit customer so that the balance in the customer's accounts can be easily tracked. The subsidiary ledger is then totaled and compared with the controlling account which is the accounts receivable in this case. This ensures accuracy and it is a part of the process of preparing a trial balance. (Professor Cram, 2008). The general ledger helps in deriving the balance sheet and ... Each and every account in the general ledger may consist of one or more than one pages. Posting in general terms is the process of recording the credits and the debits in the general ledger. Also a column will display the running activity total (Professor Cram, 2008). Example of a general ledger entry: The above is the 'T' form of a general ledger. What is a Sales Ledger A salesledger incorporates the personal accounts of clients who have some sort of sales made on credit by the business. They are known as debtors. A sales ledger records information with regard to invoices issued, credit notes issued and payments received. As customers is the life-blood of any business it becomes a necessity for a business to main a sales ledger efficiently and accurately. What is a Purchase ledger A purchase ledger of any business contains the personal accounts of suppliers from whom the business has purchased on credit. Information with regard to invoices received, credit notes received and payments sent are recorded in this book. A purchase ledger invariably records all purchases made by a business. It supervises: The outgoings of a business. The amount owed to others by a business at any one time Theoretical need for these skills: Financial statements offer a synopsis of the financial condition of any business at any given time both in short and long term. All the related financial information of a business which is presented in a prepared manner and in a form easy to comprehend is known as the financial statements. The four basic financial statements are: 1. Balance sheet: shows the financial position or condition and reports on a company's assets, liabilities, and net equity at any given point of time. 2. Income statement: is the Profit and

The Great Mandela Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Great Mandela - Essay Example Many of the libraries and online resources that I sought had limited information which was too limited to be used. However, with intense research and accessing worldwide resource centers, I was able to get the information I needed. I had earlier written the guide to the information I needed so I had an easy time getting the important information and discarding the fluff. Being a famous leader in Africa and the world at large many scholars have written articles and journals on his rise and tribulations in the quest for freedom and equity in a country marred with racial prejudice during the apartheid period. Another problem I encountered is the authenticity of the information available over the search engines. Many people who post their information on the online forums do not intensive research and so they end up delivering information that is either compromised in quality or not true. I, therefore, had to compare information from various sources so as to come up with a final draft tha t was the best of all the ones that I sourced information from. This helped me a lot as I learned more about the African icon and so I had the choice to get the best for my work. This was time-consuming but worth it. Lastly, I had to be conversant with the rules of sourcing information so as to produce original work. Plagiarism is not allowed and so I had accredited all the people who contributed to the literature that I used for my work. At last, I had my work which covers the life of Nelson Mandela.

Strategies for community health promotion Essay

Strategies for community health promotion - Essay Example Thus, when the people’s health is at stake, while healthcare personnel might be responsible for initiating such moves, it would also be up to the people on whether or not they would do steps in order to keep their health at the most optimal state. Most people are more than willing to do things in order to keep themselves healthy. Some change their lifestyles, eating habits, and get regular checkups to maintain their health, which shows that people are capable of improving their lives. However, there are many instances that despite having the will to participate in such activities, some people encounter various hindrances that prevent them from attaining optimal health. Various factors can be attributed to such issues, such as socio-cultural factors, economic factors, or lacking information with regards to the importance of promoting health (Sines, et al.; 2009). Some persons may not be able to get proper medical attention due to their attitudes on health, such as deeply-rooted belief systems, or they may not have enough money to pay for doctors or medicine since they had to use money for much more important things, or simply because they feel that as long as they do not feel ill or they could still stand, they do not need to get any kind of medical attention (Hernandez, 2011). These kinds of outlooks regarding how overall health are viewed show that health promotion is not something that is solely affected by an individual’s attitude on health, but is also affected by other factors, whether external or internal. Thus, it is up to medical personnel such as community health nurses to create additional efforts in the creation of various methods by which interventions regarding the promotion of health within communities can be made, as well as identifying whether certain social or economic factors can be mediated to improve the outlook on health and wellness of people within an at-risk population. Description of an Aggregate Group for Community Health Promotion People belonging to at-risk populations mostly belong to either or both of the following: a population with high instances of developing the disease due to genetic factors; and a financially-disadvantaged population (Piper, 2009). In some communities or families it is the combination of having high disease risks and having financial limitations that cause problems in terms of keeping themselves healthy, and thus this describes the target group for the creation of health promotion strategies. For this study, Latino women living in Los Angeles were initially targeted as an aggregate group for community health promotion with focus on their outlook on health, particularly with breast cancer, an inherited disease. While their population in general is seen as a group with comparatively lower risks for breast cancer, some factors were identified to increase their risks for the disease such as socio-cultural and economic factors (Winchester, 2006). Due to the underlying problems surrounding the increase in their risks for the disease, some interventions are to be made to inform them regarding how the disease attacks the body, what treatment or other options are available for them within the community setting, as well as lobbying for them and raising their causes to at least the state government level. However, in order to understand their conditions

Tivo Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tivo Case Study - Essay Example They are providing personalized services to their customers who buy the black boxes by providing them Electronic programme guide (EPG) with menu option to watch TV live option having pause, replay and fast forward options without subscription fee and with subscription fee provide access to all previously recorded programming, preview of shows schedule for recording, video magazine produced by Tivo and network of showcases of best shows. It provides customers personalized TV viewing. Though the company is getting good feedback from customers but the sales is not picking up. Presently company is not facing competition from any quarter even then sales are dropping down. Strength: The company have certain inherent strengths such as Tivo is enjoying almost monopoly in the market. It’s nearest competitors like Replay TV has no advantage of product or price or services and Microsoft has not launched the product yet. The company has 42,000 subscribers and increasing 14,000/quarter. So the company have formidable customer base. Report of customers about service and performance of the product is good enough. The company enjoys technically sound product at present and no other competitors have better product right now. The company enjoys the most reliable and effective partners who are well known to everyone and it approves the quality of the product. Company have proper and wide network for marketing its product through electronic stores, online buying. The most important strength of the company is that it provides ability to its customers to decide what to see and when. It almost provides its subscribers to preferential and personalized viewing. Weakness: Tivo is also facing some weaknesses and due to these it cannot be able to improve its position. Though having good feedback company is not growing to its expected level due to lack of awareness of the product to its potential customers. The product seems to be technically

Who does not belong there Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Who does not belong there - Essay Example Thus it becomes obvious that a library is a utility facility for the people in a community for their academic, professional and personal development as well as a place where they can entertain themselves through television and other media. Also, the role of libraries as sources of information is very crucial in any civilized society and this is specially so in the case of students. College and university libraries house a lot of books besides those related to academic field. These include literature, general subjects, comics etc. It is a well known fact that books contribute predominantly in the emotional and intellectual development of students besides teaching them morals, values, ethics as well as giving them knowledge about other cultures and civilizations. Therefore, one can say that libraries have a pivotal role not only in the students' academic pursuits but also in their grooming as responsible individuals. I am a frequent visitor to my university library. This is a place whe re I find the necessary calm and serenity which afford me the ability to concentrate, and also, as an avid reader, I cherish the library's resources as an invaluable treasure. I am further a keen observer of my surroundings and this habit developed in me right from my childhood. Thus I happened to observe some of the people who visit the library and I know they are not coming there for basically for any purpose for which a library is intended. On the other hand, they had some ulterior motive for coming to the Library. These are the lot I would term as 'Who do not Belong' here! It was the weekend and I was so immersed with the literature text I was reading that I hardly paid any attention to the person who passed me onto the next shelf of books. After some time, I got distracted with the sharp metallic noise emerging from the next shelf of books. Piquing my curiosity, the tone of the music prompted me to investigate its source. There he was - gyrating his hips in tandem with the rhythmic beats of an orchestra by a popular musician. The headphone, forging an arch shaped dip in his curly, black hair, chimed in full blast as he danced and hummed the tune aloud. He was about twenty; a slender masculine youngster, with a clean-shaven face. He was simultaneously sifting through a book, occasionally straightening a dog-eared page, and then he moved to another in an automatic manner, sans no interest on the contents of the page. Of course, he was not serious either about the book or its contents and he seemed to derive his pleasure from just turning the pages. From the back cover I found the novel was Stephen King's it. This would have been an extremely bizarre experience for Mr. King, and he would have definitely written a book on the horror he felt, had he been on this macabre scene. In the next instant, I found the youngster moving onto another shelf, singing and making gestures with his hands, causing distraction to the people present there. No doubt, people like him did not belong to a library, and all they can do is defeat the entire purpose of a library's existence. The concept of libraries as places of serenity and calmness remain so only in the conceptual level as I could find many people using their cellular phones so indiscriminately in the premises of the library where their use was restricted. A college girl of around twenty two captured my special notice because of the peculiar

International Penology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Penology - Term Paper Example In China, death penalty is reserved for human trafficking and serious cases of corruption. According to the Shot at Dawn Pardons Campaign (2006), world courts-martial have imposed death sentences for offenses such as cowardice, desertion, insubordination, and mutiny. Since time immemorial capital punishments such as decapitation, electrocution, firing squad, gas chamber, hanging, lethal injection, shooting and stoning have been widely used. Decapitation super cedes all other form of penal practice and this practice has been proved to be fatal, as brain death occurs within seconds to minutes without the support of the organism's body. Decapitation was a common practice in the Asian continent. Countries such as China, India, Japan, Thailand and European, American, and African counterparts also greatly used reserved this practice to punish criminals. However, these types of capital punishment methods has been widely debated, where opponents of the death penalty often feel that there is the possibility of innocent or wrong execution, the lack of deterrence of violent crime; and religious grounds for opposition to the death penalty. Supporters of capital punishments often feel this to put an end to violent crime, closure to the families and friends o f the victim and term of prison sentence is not an ideal way to punish. These debates across countries and among philosophers have gradually changed the style of handling criminals and punishing criminal activities. Foucauldian Perspectives Foucault brought forth the idea of the social permeation of power relationships inherently linked to resistance (Gupta and Ferguson, 1997). Foucault gives two senses to the word "subject": One is at once under the control of power and one is acting as one's own agent of power, but never is one outside of power (Foucault, 1972) According to Foucault (2005) "The emergence of prison as the form of punishment for every crime grew out of the development of discipline in the 18th and 19th centuries". He greatly looks are the development of highly refined forms of discipline, of discipline concerned with the smallest and most precise aspects of a person's body. He strongly believed that discipline develops a new economy and politics for bodies and those modern institutions required that bodies must be based on their tasks, as well as for training, observation, and control. His prime argument is that discipline could mould a whole new form of individuality for bodies, which enabled them to carry out their duty within the new forms of economic, political, and military organizations emerging in the modern age and continuing to today. Foucault challenges the commonly accepted idea that the prison became the consistent form of punishment due to humanitarian concerns of reformists. Hence Foucault's theory of "gentle" punishment made created a way for practice of more generalized and controlled means of punishment better compared to excessive force of the sovereign. In his lecture titled Governmentality, Foucault defines governmentality as "1.The ensemble formed by the institutions, procedures, analyses and reflections, the calculations and tactics that allow the exercise of this very specific albeit complex form of power, which has as its target population, as its principal form of knowledge political economy, and as its essential technical means

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

Business Environment - Essay Example The firm has developed its brand through the high quality food and service that it offers to all its customers. The firm has been able to capture a desirable percentage of market shares in terms of food market and on the other hand Waitrose has also gained its importance in the organic food market and fish market. This British supermarket chain which is partnership firm has an employee base of 91,000 (Randall and Seth, 2011).The organization operates on the concept of centralized decision making. Albam a small high street retailer was founded by Alastair Rae and James Shaw who have proved to be great partners through their decision making approach and strategy formulation. Both of them worked together with all its workers so as to deliver the best services to all its customers and position themselves as a strong brand in the market (Pride, Hughes and Kapoor, 2011).The retail business of Albam is focused towards developing sophisticated and practical menswear that is aligned with the ever changing fashion scenario. The small retailer has extended its branches into two other locations in London. The business ownership structure of this small retail firm is that the owners and staff aim at providing personal service to all its customers. The staffs get feedback from the customers and on that basis they develop their designs so that they are able to retain their customers and create more of timeless fashion (Menipaz and Menipaz, 2011).Thus it can be stated that ownership structu re of Waitrose which is a big firm, is completely different with that of a small firm such as Albam. In case of Albam the focus towards customer loyalty and dealing individually with customers but on the other hand the owners of Waitrose are more aligned towards smooth running of the subsidiary by enhancing their level of service through providing online facilities to all its customers (Heskett, Sasser

Compare the presentation of love within the three sonnets studied Essay Example for Free

Compare the presentation of love within the three sonnets studied Essay The three sonnets that I studied were, How do I love thee? by Elizabeth Barret-Browning, Let me not to the marriage of true minds by William Shakespeare and Since theres no help let us kiss and part by Michael Drayton. Of these three there are numerous differences and similarities. It is known that at the time of writing her sonnet, Elizabeth Barret-Browning was happily married to Robert Browning, but without the consent of her father. They moved to Italy where she began to use the Petrachan form of sonnet. At the time when William Shakespeare wrote he was known to have already established himself as an actor and playwright and was working for the leading company, the Lords Chamberlains Men. In Draytons sonnet we see that he was a contemporary of Shakespeare, this poem comes from a long sequence of sonnets called Ideas Mirror. These sonnets were all inspired by his unrequited love for Anne Goodere, although he himself never married. As with Shakespeare his use of personification is extremely effective. Although their styles differ all three poets are speaking of their love for another person. Elizabeth Barret-Browning writes to her husband and as a women writing, it is written in a tender and soft tone. Her language and style used is incredibly dramatic. To begin with Browning presents her love to her husband in a very private and loving way. She uses language and expressions like; I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, Browning writes from a female point of view and wants to make a commitment to her husband. The ideas of love in the three sonnets differ, as Draytons love is unrequited and he is not writing in a reality, he has no one to write to. With Browning we know that she is writing to her husband and making a dedication to him. She writes in a serious yet, immensely loving form, we can tell from reading her sonnet that her husband is her life and the love she feels for him is described as endless. We see that Shakespeare writes in an incredibly confident manner, he is not writing to a person, as such, so his style differs from that of Browning or Drayton. Shakespeares sonnet is an explanation of love, he writes in his opinion and of how love can conquer all. As we know that Browning is a woman, her style and tenderness differs terribly from that of Drayton and Shakespeare. Draytons intention in his sonnet is to try and win over his idol of love, Anne Goodere. His efforts are useless and in his sonnet he says he wished to make himself free, so we can see that he does not enjoy the love he feels for Anne and wishes to be free of it. The name of his sonnet being, Since theres no help, come let us kiss and part. Meaning since they can no longer resist each other, let us have one kiss and part each others company. He does achieve what hes trying to do, as when reading this I truly understood how he felt, he was trying to depart from this love. Drayton goes onto say: And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart, That thus so cleanly I myself can free. He means that now, after this kiss, he is glad, extremely glad that he can get over the possessive love he once felt for her. We can clearly see that Brownings intentions are to make it perfectly clear to her husband and tell him exactly how she feels about him. She achieves this brilliantly and by her use of such outrageous, yet hooking lines, detailed with words and phrases such as, death, she produces her amazing sonnet: -and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. She talks of her after life and hopes that she will be allowed to spend it with him. Shakespeare intends to convince and tell every one of his thoughts on love, he is so confident that he is correct and that everyone will agree with him that he ends his sonnet with the rhyming couplet; If this be error and upon me provd, I never writ, nor no man ever lovd. Thus showing that if this sonnet is wrong and proved to be then he never writ it and noone ever loved. This can also be interpreted as Shakespeare being cocky, he is quite sure of himself and the accuracy of his sonnet that he is willing to make an extreme statement. The general tone of Brownings sonnet is a heart felt, true expression of her love for her husband, she counts the numerous ways of how she feels and lines such as; With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! Showing that she loves him with the most powerful feelings of all she has experienced in her life, her tears and smiles and the breaths she take each day. This differs from Shakespeare as he has a general confident manner and is stating the feelings and meanings of love. He uses personification in the lines; Loves not Times fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickles compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. Meaning that love is not timed, it has no schedule of when to begin and cease, but reaches until the end, when death occurs. Love does not change over hours and weeks it stays constant until the brink of Judgement Day, death is it only let out. He shows how love, if true, will stay with the lovers until death. Compared to Brownings and Shakespeares general tone, Drayton does not use the powerful and heart felt tone that Browning does, neither does he state a general meaning for love, as with Shakespeare. He seems to tell a story, or rather a tale, which he longs to happen between him and the one he loves, his love is not returned. He knows this and so at the end of his sonnet he uses the rhyming couplet; Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over. From death to life thou mightst him yet recover. This tells us that Drayton is willing to wait for his love, saying that if they ever change their mind, eh will be there waiting for them. He uses the form of a dramatic monologue and therefore does achieve a passionate sonnet. Shakespeare uses the rhyming form of abab cdcd efef gg. This enhances his poem and the rhyming couplet at the end of the sonnet changes the tone right at the end. This is effective and can give a totally different meaning. This structure gives his sonnet a flow and the language used works perfectly. We can see that his presentation of love and the way it is structured means that Shakespeare is an extremely experienced poet and writer. Browning uses Petrachan form in her sonnet and gives it the rhyming form of abbaabba cdcdcd, this is also known as an eight line section, known as the octave, followed by a six line section, known as the sestet. There is also a break in the thought and tone of the sonnet between these two parts. With Drayton his structure shows us that he was around at the same time as Shakespeare and uses the same rhyming scheme and couplet to finish. This again proves to be very effective and leaves the extra statement of the end to seal the sonnet to his love. All three of the sonnets are extremely original and all excellent. However, Browning seems to use the most powerful structure, source and form as it is written purely from her heart. All three sonnets flow very exceedingly well and have a good structure behind them. In comparison to Shakespeare, Brownings use of structure is the most varied. It lends itself well to her meaning and rhyming such lines as; I love thee to the depth and bredth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight Just increases the exaggeration of the rhyme, the meaning is therefore exerted and we find ourselves wanting to reach on. Shakespeare use of rhyme in alternate lines is also effective and lends itself well to his language and style used. The words fixed and wandring are designed specially for this sonnet, as there must be ten syllables and 5 stresses in a Shakespearian sonnet. Shakespeares use of language does not differ very much from Drayton as they were written around a particular period. Although in Draytons sonnet he is infact talking of getting rid of love and how he will feel after it has gone, he seems to want to be relieved of the feelin, Shakespeare however is talking of how great love is and how it does not alter. In comparison Brownings sonnet is the most different out of all three in her presentation of love. Her compassionate tone and kindhearted comments rule over he sonnet and seem to guide her to all correct places of describing. The effectiveness that Shakespeare, Browning and Drayton all have is one to make us all want to experience love. The three very different sonnets are similar in their presentation of love, as they all enjoy it, apart from Drayton who now wants to be free of the hold it has on him. But as we can learn from Shakespeare, Drayton may find it hard to do so.

To Homer by John Keats Essay Example for Free

To Homer by John Keats Essay Within the Mythological Criticism approach, Keats illustrates the use of different archetypes, including the archetype character; example of this is illustrated in the verse So thou wast blind! – but then the veil was rent, we can infer that the author wants to make certain allusion to the Greek Poet Homer, who was blind and was known in his time as a figure of reality and legend, author of the Great Epics The Iliad and The Odyssey. (VIII century BC). On the other hand, Keats mentions various gods of Greek Mythology, example we have: For Jove (Zeus Jupiter) uncurtained Heaven to let thee live,; And Neptune made for thee a spumy tent, and â€Å"And Pan made sing for thee his forest-hive†; these three lines the author may want to express the kindness and protection that Homer should have them on Earth, Heaven and the Sea and the fear of unconsciousness. These are examples of the different Mythic Archetypes in the Poem. In addition, we can infer that the author refers to a situational archetype To visit dolphin-coral in deep seas, as an allusion to the beauty of the deep sea and the golden fish, popularly called the dolphin. Within the poem is also identified a symbolic archetype darkness / light, this archetype describes symbolic polarity between life and death Aye, on the shores of darkness there is light. The poem can be considered as an apostrophe devoted to the absence and disappearance of the poet Homer, we can also qualify it as a praise or prayer to Homer, who was one of the leading poets in the history of Greek Mythology

The Death With Dignity Act

The Death With Dignity Act Although the Death with Dignity Act empowers individuals to control the timing of their death, physician assisted suicide still remains a controversial topic in todays society that raises many ethical questions. These questions include: Who is the true owner of our lives? Should relieving suffering always be the highest priority or does suffering occur for a reason? Is suicide a purely individual choice (Mathes, 2004)? The answers to the above questions are subjective, yet healthcare workers deal with the difficult issues associated with end-of-life care on a daily basis. Since patients and families frequently ask nurses to provide information about support in dying, it is important for nurses to thoroughly understand the topic of physician assisted suicide regardless of whether it is legally permitted within the State where they are working (Ersek, 2004). The purpose of this paper is to describe benefits and disadvantages of assisted suicide and to discuss the ethical reasoning behind both of these opposing viewpoints. Throughout the literature, there are many arguments that support the prohibition of physician assisted suicide. One of the most obvious arguments is that health care providers are supposed to save lives-not take them. (de Vocht Nyatanga, 2007). This principle of nonmaleficence can be traced back in time to Hippocrates, a Greek physician, who states this duty as I (healthcare provider) will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them (Beauchamp Childress, 2009, p. 149). In other words, this statement can be interpreted as do no harm. The American NursesAssociation supports the notion that active participation in assisted suicide goes against the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2001). Helping a client take their own life is not only in contrast with ethical traditions of nursing but it could also discourage clients from seeking out medical care due to fear (Ersek, 2004). In response, proponents for assisted suicide argue that it is well within the patients right to decide whether he or she lives or dies. Emphasizing the importance of the principle of autonomy, they feel that quality of life is a very personal opinion. By preventing clients from taking their life, they feel healthcare providers are being paternalistic and imposing their views onto their patients. Some also feel that it is pride, not altruism, which inhibits healthcare workers from supporting assisted suicide. They argue medical professionals do not like to admit that they cannot fix a situation, because it causes them to acknowledge their own limitations and evokes a feeling of failure. (de Vocht et al, 2007). Another reason many dislike physician assisted suicide is their belief that it might eventually lead to involuntary euthanasia. This slippery slope conjecture is based on the idea that small steps will eventually lead to an inevitable chain of events that cannot be stopped once started. This notion is supported by statistics gathered from the Netherlands that state roughly 1,000 patients die due to the result of an end-of-life decision made without their explicit consent (Dieterle, 2007, p. 129). Therefore advocates of this theory feel that the best way to prevent the establishment of involuntary euthanasia is by barring assisted suicide. In contrast, supporters of physician assisted suicide feel that the slippery slope argument is an exaggeration. Since the passage of the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon, involuntary euthanasia is far from being a reality of the status quo in the United States. This is a living example that demonstrates assisted suicide can be passed without spirali ng out of control. Therefore support of the slippery slope argument is closed minded and shows little faith in human nature (Dieterle, 2007). However, the possibility that patients might be coerced into participating in assisted suicide against their will is very concerning to many people. Opponents to legalizing assisted suicide fear that patients could be persuaded by their family or insurance companies into requesting support in dying. A specific concern exists for vulnerable populations which include the elderly, poor, and minorities. These groups of people may be easily manipulated and lack the means to defend themselves. In summation, it is very possible that abuses of law could occur (Dieterle, 2007). The argument also exists that legalizing assisted suicide would make it easier to regulate these practices. One result of not legalizing assisted suicide could be that people might utilize the euthanasia underground as a source of relief. These people are very determined to die and may go to other countries or fall back on illegal methods to reach their goal. This not only makes it hard to control what is happening, but some people are also dying in ways that they do not prefer (de Vocht et al, 2007). Since assisted suicide is a complex issue, many feel that forming comprehensive legislation that is safe is an impossible task. The current Death with Dignity Act uses many terms which are subjective. For example, there is no definite way to determine the exact time and date when a person will die. Therefore the 6-month prognosis is not reliable even if it is agreed upon by two different physicians. In addition, mistakes in assisted suicide are permanent and cannot be corrected (Gannon Garland, 2008). Conversely, assisted suicide supporters argue physicians are already familiar with facilitating the death of their patients. Currently, In all 50 states in the US, patients have the right to refuse treatment and be allowed to die. Furthermore, all 50 states have procedures in place for allowing substituted judgments for the refusal of treatment (Dieterle, 2007, p. 132). Although end-of-life issues are complex, legal support for physicians comfortable with this process should continue. Another argument against assisted suicide is that it could encourage people to give up and take the easy way out. By allowing a person to take their life when they feel hopeless, it might give off the wrong impression to the public that when life becomes hard it is acceptable to quit. (Dieterle, 2007). Instead of focusing on ending life, emphasis should be put on how to enhance palliative care. On the contrary, proponents for assisted suicide argue that the people who are requesting it are not hopeless and depressed. The clients who utilize the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon, Linda Ganzini states, are not so much depressed as determined (Schwartz Estrin, as cited in Dieterle, 2007, p. 134). Ironically, these people say that assisted suicide actually instills hope in people because they feel they have a way of controlling their life if it becomes too unbearable. Conclusion While there many arguments for and against assisted suicide, the answer to the question of whether it is right or wrong remains ambiguous. One reason for the lack of clear cut answers is that assisted suicide is an ethical issue which is dependent on a persons values, morals, religion, and experiences. In general, the topic of end-of-life decision making is very sensitive and evokes strong emotions and opinions. Instead of debating the issues involved with assisted suicide, this paper merely describes pertinent arguments that have been presented by both sides. There are many nursing implications that are associated with assisted suicide. Among these is the importance for nurses to be aware of their own beliefs about end-of-life care. Selfawareness will prepare nurses for obstacles they will face when dealing with death. Another implication is that nurses need to be cognizant of politics and legal authority. Becoming active in political processes, nurses can work to ensure that they w ill not be forced into doing procedures that come in direct conflict with their beliefs. Writing this paper has taught me that autonomy is a very controversial issue in the health profession. I have also learned that there is a fine line between being a patient advocate and acting paternalistically. There is also a very fine line between providing a patient with information and influencing their decision making process. I plan to use this knowledge in my practice by being aware of my own biases and respecting the beliefs of my patients. I have come to the conclusion that facing ethical issues is inevitable part of a nurses professional practice.

Plasmodium falciparum: The Causative Agent of Malaria :: Essays Papers

Plasmodium falciparum: The Causative Agent of Malaria Introduction The protozoan Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for causing 500 million cases of malaria per year as well as 100-200 million deaths per year worldwide (Kuby, p438). The majority of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among malnourished children. Malaria is endemic in 92 countries, where 40% of the world’s population is at risk of the disease (WHO). Documentation of malaria occurs as far back as 4000BC, with mentions of the disease on clay tablets. The name of the disease originates from the late 1800’s and is derived from ‘mal aria,’ meaning bad air. There are four members of Plasmodium that cause malaria along with P. falciparum, with P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae (Schaechter, p450). P. falciparum is considered the most important as it is by far the most deadly species. The primary vector of P. falciparum is the female anopheline mosquito, which uses humans as a host for blood meals. The male anopheline feeds only on plant juices, and is not a competent vector for the disease. Humans compromise the only suitable reservoir in the enzootic cycle of the protozoa (Schaechter, p450). Both the P. falciparum and Anopheles gambiae genomic sequences have been recently published (Gardner et al. Holt et al. 2002), thus giving rise to invaluable tools in the development of new and much needed anti-malarial drugs and vaccines, as well as new targets in mosquito control. Encounter and Entry The female Anopheles interacts with the human host by piercing the host’s epithelium and releasing Plasmodium falciparum from its salivary glands into the human bloodstream while obtaining a blood meal. The form of P. falciparum injected into the human host is the sporozoite stage in the pathogen's life cycle (Kuby, Schaechter). As humans compromise the only competent reservoir for P. falciparum, the female Anopheles must have acquired the protozoan via blood meal from another infected human 9 to 17 days prior to being able to infect a new human host. Spread and Multiplication The sporozoites enter the human host and then travel via the bloodstream to the liver, where they enter liver cells and mature into schizonts after a period of 8-14 days. Sporozoites are covered with a 45-kDa protein called circumsporozoite which mediates adhesion to hepatocytes (Kuby, p439). Schizonts are released into the bloodstream as merozoites after a week, and are capable of entering and lysing erythrocytes and thus causing disease.

Parenting Style of the Watsons Essay -- Teaching Essays

Parenting styles are very important in influencing children’s behavior, and the styles form the context in which children’s behavior might occur (Fox para. 2). There are four different types of parenting styles. These styles, developed by child psychologist Diana Baumrind, who provides a majority of the information found in the book Understanding Children and Adolescents,include authoritative, permissive, authoritarian, and neglectful/uninvolved (Forsyth 376). In the extremely funny children’s book The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, the author Christopher Paul Curtis uses the family’s life and adventure as a way of showing many characteristics of a particular parenting style used on the children. The main focus is on Byron and what effect the parenting approach has on the child’s behavior. Throughout this essay I am going to argue that the Watsons, as parents, use the authoritative parenting style and that the parenting style has an effect on the child’s behavior. Using my research, I will define the four types of parenting styles and their effects on child behavior. Baumrind’s work on the classification of the four parenting styles has influence research on the effects parenting has on child behavior (Fox para. 3). I will also use specific examples from Curtis’s book, showing Byron’s behavior, along with various responses that demonstrate that the authoritative approach is used. The first type of parenting style identified by Baumrind is the authoritative approach. Authoritative parents use both parental authority and an explanation of their standards in specific situations. Children raised with the authoritative parenting style have the highest social competence (Forsyth 32). Authoritative par... ...—1964. New York: Bantam, 1995. Darling, Nancy. â€Å"Parenting Style and Its Correlates.† Eric Digest1999. Ebsco. 5 December 2001. Forsyth, Alfred G., Peggy D. Forsyth, David E. Schickedanz, and Judith A. Schickedanz. Understanding Children and Adolescents. 4th ed. Mayfield, 1993. Fox, Roberta A. â€Å"An Empirically Derived Classification of Parenting Practices.† Journal of Genetic Psychology 106 (1999): 343, 14 pp. Masterfile Premier. Ebsco. Joyner Library, Greenville. 2 December 2001. Horton-Parker, Radha J. â€Å"Teaching Children to Care: Engendering Pro-Social Behavior through Humanistic Parenting.† Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development 37.2 (1998): 66, 12 pp. Masterfile Premier. Ebsco. Joyner Library, Greenville. 2 December 2001.

America Needs Preschool for All Children Essay -- Argumentative Persua

America Needs Preschool for All Children As you walk into the room, a pint-sized kid runs up to your legs and squeezes your knees. Squeals of delight bounce off the walls as kids boogie to Disney tunes, and another group is meticulously drawing pictures of rainbow colored snowmen. The faint smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafts through the room. Everywhere you look, there are smiles. Sounds great? Attending preschool is like running through a field of dreams. Unfortunately, not every child gets the opportunity to experience preschool. For low-income families, particularly single mothers, preschool is a huge financial burden. Despite what parents want for their children, it isn’t always a practical option; sometimes, the cost of enrolling their children outweighs the money earned at a job (Mason 46). Soon, mothers are sending their kids to preschool so they can work to make money to pay for preschool. Furthermore, without an education, parents are confined to minimum wage jobs with no hope of advancement (49). Where’s the incentive to work? Robin Mason describes one single mother’s motivation. For her, employment is more than just money; rather, it’s also a means to boost her self-esteem, gain financial independence, and set a positive example for her children. She emphasizes her responsibility to her children to keep a roof over their head, be a good mother, and choose a quality daycare (47). The value of preschool is often overlooked as parents consider it for its utilitarian purposes. Although most preschools do function as a daycare, the merits gained from an early education follow children throughout their entire lives. Children at this ripe age are eager to learn, excited about the buzzing world aroun... ...cial and cognitive skills suffer under the strain (195). But, there is hope: a loving, supportive environment that encourages children to grow into themselves. Preschool. Government programs are in place to help low-income families offset the costs, and national agencies provide multidimensional support for preschoolers and their families. Seven hours in a classroom doesn’t fix the problems at home. Rather, these programs are designed to help low-income families through a multi-faceted approach, attacking several issues in one mighty blow (Olson, Ceballo, and Park 427). These programs offer a variety of resources, including parenting classes, stress management courses, family counseling, and nutrition education. Through these programs, the entire community is assuming responsibility for taking care of its children. After all, it takes a village to raise a child. America Needs Preschool for All Children Essay -- Argumentative Persua America Needs Preschool for All Children As you walk into the room, a pint-sized kid runs up to your legs and squeezes your knees. Squeals of delight bounce off the walls as kids boogie to Disney tunes, and another group is meticulously drawing pictures of rainbow colored snowmen. The faint smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafts through the room. Everywhere you look, there are smiles. Sounds great? Attending preschool is like running through a field of dreams. Unfortunately, not every child gets the opportunity to experience preschool. For low-income families, particularly single mothers, preschool is a huge financial burden. Despite what parents want for their children, it isn’t always a practical option; sometimes, the cost of enrolling their children outweighs the money earned at a job (Mason 46). Soon, mothers are sending their kids to preschool so they can work to make money to pay for preschool. Furthermore, without an education, parents are confined to minimum wage jobs with no hope of advancement (49). Where’s the incentive to work? Robin Mason describes one single mother’s motivation. For her, employment is more than just money; rather, it’s also a means to boost her self-esteem, gain financial independence, and set a positive example for her children. She emphasizes her responsibility to her children to keep a roof over their head, be a good mother, and choose a quality daycare (47). The value of preschool is often overlooked as parents consider it for its utilitarian purposes. Although most preschools do function as a daycare, the merits gained from an early education follow children throughout their entire lives. Children at this ripe age are eager to learn, excited about the buzzing world aroun... ...cial and cognitive skills suffer under the strain (195). But, there is hope: a loving, supportive environment that encourages children to grow into themselves. Preschool. Government programs are in place to help low-income families offset the costs, and national agencies provide multidimensional support for preschoolers and their families. Seven hours in a classroom doesn’t fix the problems at home. Rather, these programs are designed to help low-income families through a multi-faceted approach, attacking several issues in one mighty blow (Olson, Ceballo, and Park 427). These programs offer a variety of resources, including parenting classes, stress management courses, family counseling, and nutrition education. Through these programs, the entire community is assuming responsibility for taking care of its children. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.

Howard Schultz Essay

Organization culture has been defined and studied in many and varied ways. Culture is defined as the set of key values, beliefs, understandings, and norms shared by members of an organization (Daft, 2012). The culture of an organization is going to play a big role in the success of the company. No matter how big or how small the company is, maintaining a culture that all employees can live by. Having all employees on board with the company’s mission will pay off a great deal in the long run. Starbucks is one of the premier coffee shops in the United States and their mission tell consumers what they do to maintain a huge customer base, to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time (www. starbucks. com). This paper will help consumers understand Starbucks’ organizational culture and the key leadership and management traits used to execute the business strategy. When people think coffee, they think Starbucks. Starbucks has become a hot commodity when it comes to consumers and their coffee. When people go to a Starbucks, they already know what they are getting, specialty coffee, great customer service and a nice cozy place to relax and just kick back. From the CEO on down to the baristas, Starbucks has developed a culture that sets them apart from other coffee shops around the world. Their success can be credited to the customer service. Anyone in a business knows that customer service is very important and can determine the success of a company. Starbucks thrives on ensuring that the baristas develop positive relationships with all customers. By doing this, customers will start to become loyal to the company. Loyal customers will keep Starbucks competitive in a market that a lot of people seem to be fond of because when people get up in the morning, nothing may be more refreshing then a cup of coffee. The Starbucks organization wants all its customers to feel like they are part of something special when they purchase a cup of Starbucks coffee. To help strengthen the culture, Starbucks focuses on being active in communities, in addition to their environmental responsibility, business ethics, open door policy, and their concern for the employees, customers, and stockholders, all these things make a strong positive organizational culture (Campbell, 2009). Within the organization, from the Starbucks executives down to the baristas, when it comes to maintaining the positive organizational culture that has been laid out for all employees, Starbucks separates themselves from many other coffee shops. The Starbucks management team has not based their success off of several things. Within the company the stores offer things that not many restaurants offer, such as Wi-Fi, exotic styles of coffee and a comfortable place to relax and enjoy a hot or cold coffee beverage. These things differ from other coffee spots in the world, so it makes Starbucks very unique. The innovative coffee styles that Starbucks uses attract the traditional coffee fanatic, as well as a new customer base. The styles of coffee will maintain customer loyalty and loyalty is one of Starbucks main focuses. The dedicated customers consist of business professionals and students. These are the individuals that Starbucks employees will see the most. The environment is made for them as well. For example, business men and women may go to Starbucks for lunch. It is comforting, quiet, and the store gives off a positive vibe. For students, it gives them a chance to indulge in a good beverage as well as take time out of their day to kick back and read a book or even catch up on a few homework assignments, whatever the case may be Starbucks offers an environment that others do not. To some consumers, having the coffee may just be a bonus; they really enjoy the environment Starbucks offers. According to brand expert Priya Raghubir, â€Å"Starbucks stands for coffee; it’s converted that into an experience, â€Å"People really have gotten to know Starbucks as the quintessential coffee shop, where they can sit and be welcome over a cup of coffee† (Shayon, 2013). As discussed previously, customer satisfaction is very important to the brand and company. Making customers feel at home by making Starbucks a cozy environment and providing free Wi-Fi keeps customers happy and keeps customers coming back. The management team coming up with these concepts really puts what they are trying to do as a company in prospective and also gives consumers an idea of what their company culture is. Throughout the company there are different management positions. It is the job of this team to attain organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, leading, and controlling organizational resources (Daft, 2012). Within the Starbucks culture one of the main focuses is the customers. With that being said a good management competency to have is communication. This is a very important skill to have because at Starbucks employees are constantly dealing with customers. Even at the executive level of management, communication is even more important because these are the individuals that are making the decisions that could affect the entire company as a whole. When those decisions are made they need to get communicated down to the baristas and everyone else in between. Communication fits perfectly within this company’s culture. Communicating things from the top to bottom tells all the employees what the main purpose of the company is. Communication helps maintain the culture throughout the whole company as well. For an organization like Starbucks were the focus is to keep customers coming back, the employees must communicate with them at a level that employees from other coffee shops just are not use to. With how Starbucks operates as a whole, they have made themselves the place to buy coffee, which they are not really known for. They are recognized for their great communication with the customers, with other employees, and the management team, and the goal is maintain this level of professionalism so the new and existing customers re-enter a Starbucks and always get the same exact experience no matter the location. â€Å"We’re not in the coffee business. It’s what we sell as a product but we’re in the people business hiring hundreds of employees a week, serving sixty million customers a week, it’s all human connection† (Gallo, 2012). Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz is the man behind how this culture was developed; he is the one that drives the bus today. Back in the 1980’s Schultz had a vision to enhance the way people drink their coffee and he did just that. Starbucks coffee speaks for itself; it is the culture Schultz put in place that makes Starbucks unique and a nice environment to be in. Starbucks opened its first store March 30, 1971 with more than 17, 000 locations around the world (Gallo, 2012). Without Schultz, this company would not be what it is today. Since the early 70s the company has managed to emerge as a premier coffee in the world, and in the 80s with Schultz at the helm. In 2000, with Schultz not in the mix, things did not go as well as expected when he resigned. Eight years after his resignation; he was appointed as CEO again to help the company from the downward spiral they were on. Schultz stressed that is was going to take a lot to get Starbucks back to where they needed to be. It is clear that Schultz made a big impact on Starbucks when he was CEO, and when he was not CEO, the company took a bit of a plunge. Without Schultz, over time it seems like Starbucks may have not lasted. Answering the question, would Starbucks achieve long-term sustainability as a global leader in the coffee industry without Howard Shultz, the answer would have to be no. Just in a short period of time, the company managed to get away from the culture Shultz brought to the company. As an organization, it is their job to live up to the culture that was put in front of them. There have been many times in business where new leaders are appointed and they just do not live up to the expectations. This is a problem that can be fixed if communication is sustained as well. All companies develop or have a culture set in place already. Management plays a key role in developing and ensures that the culture is maintained. Starbucks is an organization that thrives off their culture and this is the reason why they are successful in the business world. They have set themselves apart from other coffee shops by focusing on things other than just the coffee, like the customers, the environment, and for business professionals and students, the Wi-Fi. The organizational culture at Starbucks may not be the best, but they are making a strong case for the organization. References Campbell, A. (2009, November 09). Organizational culture. EZine Articles, Retrieved from http://ezinearticles. com/? Organizational-Culture&id=3203513 July 23, 2013 Daft. (2012). Management. (10th ed. ). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Gallo, C. (2012). Starbucks ceo: Lesson in communication skills. Forbes, Retrieved from http://www. success. com/articles/1272-rekindling-the-heart-soul-of-starbucks? page=2 July 23, 2013 Shayon, S. (2013, March 08). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www. brandchannel. com/home/post/Starbucks-Customer-Loyalty-030813. aspx July 23, 2013 .

Haier Group: A Chinese Company That Created A Global Brand Essay

Haier Group (â€Å"HG†) is a leading Chinese international manufacturer of large and small appliances, including refrigerators, freezers, conditioners, dishwashers and laundry products to cell phones and televisions. HG is not only known around the world for quality and innovation but as an early mover outside of the Chinese marketplace; it was able to implement a market strategy to take away market share from large manufacturers on their own home-front. I. Haier Group’s Global Brand Strategy A. Haier Group’s Expansion Strategy – It Was Time to Expand China joined the World Trade Organization (â€Å"WTO†) in December 2001 and became part of the international appliance marketplace. HG had a choice to maintain its current position as the leading manufacturer in China or to expand its operations into global markets. HG faced stiff competition from domestic manufactures and multinational companies (â€Å"MNCs†) that were penetrating the Chinese market. Although HG maintained a market advantage based upon its innovative and rapid market response to customer needs, superior after-sales servicing and efficient distribution centers, it would be only a matter of time before MNCs acquired similar resources through third-parties and adapted to local market needs (Palepu pp. 7-9). 1 HG could face overcapacity within the Chinese market – i.e., too many manufactures and not enough market share – and lose the opportunity to support its global expansion to capture market share overseas. If HG have had kept the status quo, it may never have another opportunity to use profits generated from its domestic sales to go head-to-head with large manufactures and develop its own brand. As early as 1997, HG had developed a formal global expansion strategy (Id. at 10). It manufactured products for MNCs overseas and entered into joint ventures (â€Å"JVs†) to explore foreign markets (Id.). HG had acquired access to the latest technology from the U.S. and Europe and was able to leverage its knowledge to manufacturer a better product at a higher profit per unit. Its  competitive advantage was two-fold: (1) product differentiation; and (2) response speed (Id. at 15). HG was successful in China, because it focused on organizing itself to understand what customers want and to satisfy those needs as quickly as possible. It also was able to  introduce brand new products or features that could be added to existing products to meet customers’ needs. While most Chinese manufacturers marketed and sold products under an original equipment manufacturer (â€Å"OEM†) client brand, HG was willing to endure the earlier costs of developing its own brand (Id. at 10). HG adopted an expansion strategy to first build its market share in developed markets and then go after emerging markets. It opined that many Chinese manufacturers would first export to South East Asia where they had no strong dominate competitors; HG would instead focus on the difficult and larger markets of the U.S. and Europe (Id. at 11). If HG could succeed in these markets it would have raised its competitive edge and could easily thrive in emerging markets (Id.). This logic makes sense since, because if the HG brand was widely accepted in the U.S. and Europe, it would become widely accepted as a high quality product in emerging markets. With the support and encouragement of the Chinese government, HG sought the benefits of being an early-mover and manufactured niche products in developed markets neglected by large manufacturers. HG focused on compact refrigerators for college students and offices and wine coolers (Id. at 11-12). When others began to imitate, HG was equipped to add new features, such as mini-fridges that doubled as a computer desk (Id. at 12). HG did not directly compete with the large manufactures in the U.S. and European markets because it had to â€Å"bridge the trust gap† and shed the low-quality  reputation attached to Chinese manufactured goods. After establishing the quality of the niche products, HG was able to gain the attention of major retail chains and introduce standard products to the U.S. HG learned from the mistakes made by MNCs in China and entered into new markets by hiring the right people with knowledge of local markets. HG developed JVs on five different continents, thus spreading the risk, and its strategy allowing HG to leverage knowledge from its local partners. It gained competitive advantage by product differentiation and response speed. HG’s large competitors were inflexible, slow moving and did not focus on the minor details of the customers’ needs. Customers felt as if HG’s products were local brands rather than imported Chinese brands. Haier Group Faced Risks with Global Expansion HG’s decision to globalize in developed markets faced risks if MNCs quickly learned from their mistakes in the Chinese market and started eating into HG’s domestic market share, depriving HG of the profits necessary to expand globally. If MNCs did not underestimate HG, they could have tracked movement and competed directly against the niches that HG sought to fulfill before introducing its standard products to major retailers. HG’s critical vulnerability was the Chinese reputation of manufacturing cheap quality goods, its harsh labor conditions and environmental practices. HG faced the risks that U.S. and European markets would reject out-of-hand the HG brand despite its innovation and high quality. China was fortunate to have HG lead the way in global expansion; another early-moving Chinese manufacturer with lower quality standards and poor market strategy could have resulted in failure and further setbacks for the Chinese government’s â€Å"going outâ⠂¬  policy. II.  Conclusion If HG chose to remain in its domestic market or sell its products under an OEM client  brand, it may have never been afforded an opportunity to develop its own global brand. MNCs invested millions into factories and distribution in China in hopes to prevent HG from using its profits in the domestic market to support its advancement overseas (Id. at 15). HG’s market strategy capitalized on MNCs failures in China and its knowledge of western technology. It was too risky for HG not to make its move into the global community. HG exploited MNC’s slow response to customer needs, inattention to minor details and inflexibility to become a leading player in the global market. The risk of not expanding globally when faced with MNC competition in China outweighed the risks of being complacent with its domestic market share.

The Audio Engineer

A vital part in the making of any professionally made album is the production and post-production process. These processes are the responsibility of audio engineers employed by record labels. The engineers are responsible for the recording, mixing, and mastering of audio tracks. To do this, engineers are trained with various technologies in the fields of multi track recording, outboard gear and digital/analog workstations.With their knowledge and tools, engineers help the artists convey their art as best as possible not only to themselves but also to the demographic they wish to express their art to. The job of the engineer can be best described as a presenter in a techno artistic field. The job requires the technical capabilities and instinct to translate the artist’s ideas into a working production. In order to do this, the engineer must be educated in the Audio Industry with a Bachelors Degree in at least one of many Audio Production courses. Associated essay: Advantage Energy Technology Data Center MigrationThe individuals training for this degree must know the fundamentals of proper signal flow, how to work a mixing board, set up microphones, and manipulate outboard equipment that includes time based and dynamic processors. Once the engineer has taken the proper courses for the specific field and has received their commemorative degrees, they can learn more about audio engineering by taking in an internship at a recording studio, music venue, or radio station.A suggestion made by the Audio Engineering Society states that, â€Å"students should complete and internship or apprenticeship to gain hands-on experience, which will make them more marketable to potential employers† (www. aes. org). After receiving the hands on experience from internships, the climb to the top of their field starts and soon they begin to take on more important tasks in the studio, which can include becoming a second engineer or even becomi ng the lead engineer.As an engineer, the skills learned through out the course of ones career can build a high reputation in the industry, which in turn opens a wide range of opportunities to experience. The first phase in the production process of any project is recording. In this phase, the engineer captures one or more sound sources through the use of a wide range microphones and record it directly to one or more of the isolated tracks of a recording system.Through the process of multi track recording however, technologies have added a degree of flexibility by allowing multiple sound sources to be captured onto and played back from isolated tracks. Some of the many types of technology and supplies engineers use in the recording process include microphones, dynamics and time based processors, equalizers, and personal address systems. Personal address systems are made up of three different components that include speakers, amps, and mixers along with a wide variety of backline equi pment.Time Based Processors include effects such as echo which is recognizable, repeat of direct sound and reverb which consists of multiple, blended, random echoes. Dynamic based processors deal with compressors that reduce the dynamic range of a signal by making the loud signals softer and the soft signals louder or vice versa; a gate, which utilizes a threshold knob, that tells the processor when to start the process by cutting out certain frequency ratios. The microphones for each instrument are selected by experience or by experimentation and are then connected to the desired console.They then place the microphone in the desired position in order to get the best possible sound without distortion. Once that is processed, the microphone and track selection should be noted onto a track sheet for easy input and track assignment in the studio. After all the assignments and labeling have been applied, the engineer can begin the process of setting levels for each instrument and mic in put by communicating with each musician to play in solo mode or by asking for a complete run through of the song and listening to one input at a time.With the new age of pro studios, project studios, and digital audio workstations, engineers have a wide variety of tools and options for different types of productions, causing the approach to the projects to vary in many different ways. According to an interview of noted audio engineer Simon Kasprowicz â€Å"what makes a good engineer from a bad is totally subjective and depends upon individual desire because what may sound fantastic to someone, others will find fault in† (Kasprowicz, about. com).When all of the tracks of a project have been recorded, assembled, and edited onto the digital audio workstation or tape deck, the next step would be to individually mix the elements of their work in their final edited forms. The mix down process occurs by routing the various tracks of a digital audio workstation or tape based recorder through a hardware virtual mixing console to alter the overall session’s program, all which include getting relative level, spatial positioning, using equalizers, and effects. Once these measures are taken care of, the engineer can then set up a rough mix of the song by adjusting evels and the spatial pan positions. The producer who is mostly provides feedback to the artist and the engineer during the session, listens to the mix and may ask the engineer to make specific changes such as amplitude adjustments. Instruments in their isolated tracks are often soloed for equalized changes to be made. The usual compression and limiting can be used in the mixing process to make individual tracks sound fuller and more consistent in level or to prevent them from overloading the mix when searching for a desired level.Finally, the team consisting of the artists, producers and engineers in the session can now begin the cooperative process of building the mix in its final form. When the m ix begins to take its form, signal processors, such as effects like reverb and echo, can be added to shape the ambience of the recording in order to help blend with instruments and give a more live feeling to the mix. It’s very important for levels to be as consistent as possible between the various takes. Very often, good judgment is needed to monitor compatible listening levels on speakers or headphones.The reasoning behind this technique is due to the variations in human ear frequency response at different sound pressure level will result in inconsistencies between song balances. Once the final mix is made, the engineer will listen to the mix over different speaker systems for flaws that may have been missed. Making copies of the final mix and sending them out to the producer and artists to listen to is also an ideal way to discover any changes that may be necessary before sending out the final mix to the mastering engineer.Mastering is the process that uses specialized hi gh quality audio gear together with one or more sets of critical ears to help artists and producers attain the desired sound. This has to be done before the recording is made into a finished product. Bob Katz, author of Mastering Audio states that, â€Å"Mastering is the last creative step in the audio production process, the bridge between mixing and distribution† (Katz, 13). It is the last opportunity to enhance sound or repair problems within a studio under an audio microscopic spectrum.Once the final mix is completed, the edited mix down project is sent to the mastering engineers who then fine-tune the overall project. These engineers lend their well-trained ears to help determine what can go wrong technically or aesthetically. With this in mind, mastering too can be considered a techno-artistic field; when applying the rules that one mastering engineer can have a different approach to the sound and overall feel of the project than a different engineer. Mastering can have an important impact on the final project and the assignment of finding the right engineer should never be taken lightly.At times, the mastering engineer may not need to adjust the final mix at all and just give the track the seal of approvable for press. Most of the time, however, the engineer still aids the producer in the track they could not get right during the mix down process by adding their final touch to it. With the audio industry’s constant evolution due to new artists, technologies and recording techniques, labels and production companies are constantly seeking the services of professionally trained engineers.The importance of audio engineers in the hypercompetitive world of entertainment will only increase as new media become more prevalent. Whether its recording tracks at the beginning of the project, assembling and implementing sound effects during the mixing process, or finalizing the project to a desired standard, the audio engineer will continue to be an int egral member in the creation of mass distributed records.

From Belief to Agnosticism

I was always wondering why people experience miseries, travails and hardships while others are on cloud 9 experiencing great happiness and contentment. Then I questioned myself why it so? Why is it that not all people experience happiness that they deserve? Why is life unfair? It was not until one day, I heard my parents talking about Jesus. I then asked myself, who is Jesus? Is he that important to the lives of the people? Why were my mom, grandparents and dad talking about him? In their conversation, they said that Jesus is the Savior of all humanity.It was the only time I heard them talking about Jesus. That probably was the effect of their TV watching about religion and great evangelist. My parents, especially my mother, taught us that faith in God is very important. My mother is very religious, very active in other church activities and the one who really pushes us to go to church though my father is very lazy in attending Sunday services in the church. Just like my mother, my g randparents are also very religious. They never miss to go to church every Sunday. My parents and my grandparents actually meet in the church.My parent’s wants that we should earnestly go to church every Sunday and see to it that it will only be spent for Jesus alone. Eventually, we found a church where we always fellowship. It is also where I grew and mature spiritually. As I served Jesus through the years, I never experienced such great manifestation of His goodness. I always hear my friends and church mates talk about Him and the miracles and help that Jesus did for them and for their family. But why is it that I still do not experience it all? It was not until my dad passed away.I felt so empty inside of me; it was like something is just so missing. I questioned the existence of God that if He really existed why would all this sufferings happen to me? I was faithful to Him all along and all I deserve is this, the lost of my father? I was so miserable and so discouraged at that time. I was full of uncertainties and insecurities at that time. Then one day, I found my bible inside my cabinet and when I opened it I saw God’s words saying that whoever is lonely, weary and tired should just call upon His name and He will feel all of the emptiness one feels.He is also our great loving father that even we lose our earthly father; He will remain our father now and forever. I then realize my worth and regained my faith back to him. I put on my mind that whatever happens, God has a plan for it. That everything happens for a purpose, for a reason. I continued my relationship with God and as I mature I began to see things in a different perspective. In the ways that Jesus wants me to. Things that I should perceive that are right, noble and perfect. But I cannot deny that this generation becomes cruel.Others do not consider religion an important tool in ones life. As we all know Religion involves the relationship between mankind and what is regarded as sac red. Religion almost always includes the belief in the supernatural and a code of ethical behavior. Why do men suffer? What is the nature of the Universe and how it is governed? What is the nature of man and what is his destiny? Religion tries to answer the questions of ultimate existence and of life and death and human and destiny. Many religions hold the universe is governed by God.Through religion man may see meaning in the universe and find a personal role in it. Thousands of years ago, religion played a very vital role in the lives of the people. Even thought that time things were not that so complicated not like now, people still has a closer connection to God. People then put a greater emphasis on going to church, fellowshipping with their brother’s and sister’s in the Lord and in maintaining their relationship with their creator. As of now, in our present times I think that Religion is ten times important than it was before.As the modern world is evolving and i s now being introduced to different kinds of beliefs and theories that could likely shake our foundation of faith for God. The basis and the only foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ. We must hold on to him more especially these days that there are many deceivers out there that are being used by the enemy to destroy us and to keep us away from the loving arms of God. When we don’t have a strong foundation of our relationship to God, we can easily yield to the temptations and offerings that Satan will present to us, like the technology of today.If we don’t know how to control the usage of technology of today, we can be manipulated and controlled by it. That is just one of the tactics of Satan to let us fall into the pit he is preparing for us, for us to be kept away from God’s destiny for us. Today, there are many existing religions. There are the Protestants, Orthodox and the Roman Catholics. But whatever our religion is, let us always remember that salvation is an individual concern. One cannot be saved because of his religion but what counts is his relationship with Jesus.As I look around and observe the magnificent things, I can really say to myself that how awesome is he who created the heavens and the earth. I can truly say to myself that there is someone up there, who is greater than us and omnipotent. There are times that I try to figure out things but the truth is I cannot fathom it; thus, that is how religion came in. Through religion, I have learned that there is God; the God who created the universe and I am his masterpieces. But his existence has been questioned for many years now whether he does exist or not. Doubts and disbeliefs reign in others’ minds because of lack of knowledge in knowing God.Religion plays a vital role in helping us to know our Creator; thus, many religions are coming out because they want to help the mankind to know about God. Like the family and the economy, religion is a universal and pervasi ve phenomenon, a part of the cultural system, because it is assumed to meet some basic need of human being. Religion is an integrated part of human experience and shows remarkable continuity through time. Personally, religion has a significant role in my life. It helps me know who my creator is. Through religion I can be able to know the words and the ways of God.Yes, I do have religious convictions. My principles and philosophies in life are guided with the teachings of my religion. I have faith in my religion because it helps me to do what is right in the sight of God; thus, it helps me live life wisely by loving and putting God first and love my neighbors as myself. I believe that God is my Savior, He is my redeemer. He redeemed from the darkness. I was once was lost but now I am found in His arms already. I believe He created from His image and likeness. He restored my dying soul when I was still lost. I believe that He rose from the dead and ascended in heaven.He is my comforte r, my best friend and my loving father that I could never have here on earth. My personal perceptions with regards to religion are very much different from my mother and my grandparents. They believe that the Bible is for every individual and its principles can be applied to all ages and everything should works the same way as the word of God never changes and still the same yesterday, today and forever. But in my own opinion, I believe that the Bible was written to the older audiences so some of the concepts and rules do not apply to the world we are in today.An example of this is that, the Bible says that parents should train up their children to where they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it. As I have observed, most of the parents right now do not train their children to the right thing (excluding my parents). They fail to supervise their children. They just let their children talk back to them and allow them to do their own thing even though it is not right. Just like aborting a baby without a valid reason. They consent and condone their child’s immoral act by aborting the babies. I can say that because I have observed it.Another thing, the Bible also agrees that parents should not spare the rod in disciplining their children. In addition to this, the Bible commanded the children to obey their parents for this is right and honor them so that we may live long. Yet, children nowadays are very disrespectful to their parents’ authorities. There are still a number of religious issues being tackled by now. The issues that keeps affecting the different aspects of human life. Different religions keep on competing for them to invite individuals to come and join with them. Sometimes because of these, the essence of having a religion is lost.The real perspective of establishing a deeper relationship with God is lost because of the overwhelming issues that could bother the spiritual and emotional aspect of a person. The real ro le of having a religion is to develop a deeper and serious relationship with our Almighty Creator. God does not base our salvation on what religious denomination we join to. He looks at the position of our hearts and of we really love Him and long to be with Him sincerely. He does not base his judgment on the things we do and achieve. It is our hearts that He looks up to.