Stop Online Piracy Act

ORAL PRESENTATION ASSESSMENT July 2012 Name: Baiza Class: English 1-2 General Topic: Piracy (Intellectual Property Rights) Specific Research Area: â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† ————————————————- ————————————————- Information Report Proposal Analytical Research Question: This report aims to discover the different views on the benefit and harm of Legalizing Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) on the United States Government, Entertainment Industries, High Tech Companies and Internets users.Thesis: To discover how â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† brings benefit and harm to both High Tech Companies and Internet Users. OUTLINE OF REPORT [Note form] 1. WHAT is the issue? Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) * A bill that will allow the United States authorit y to block webpage that distributes on stolen materials * Combat online piracy * Protect the copyrighted material and censorship of the Internet * Prevent sharing or purchasing of copyright products online without authorizes permission from the produces 2. WHY is it of significance? * Protect intellectual property online Stop foreign webpage that sell counterfeit goods and let people stream and download the goods at no charge 3. WHO is involved in the issue? * United States Government * Blocking of webpages that provides link to private sites * Fines users that post copyright materials * Entertainment Business Industries * Losing profit of selling own products * Foreign thieves/Owner of the pirated sites * Stealing copyright materials * Earning revenue by selling copyrighted materials * Internet users * Wont be able to download music, video and etc. without charge * Online Search Engine/ High Tech Companies Will be blocked when other users post a link to pirated site * Generate loss in advertisement profits 4. WHAT started the debate? The debate started when: * Foreign thieves steal and sell American inventions and products and keep the profit to themselves. * The foreign thieves costs the US economy more than $100 billion annually * Result in loss of thousands of jobs. 5. WHAT are the differing opinions on the topic? 5. 1 Enforcing Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) brings benefit to Entertainment Industries. 5. 1. 1 – Increase in economy * American intellectual property industries provide million high-paying jobs . 1. 2 – Protection of intellectual property * Increase in revenue * Reduce/Discourage American cities to purchase from foreign thieves 5. 2 Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) brings harm to High Tech Companies and Internet User. 5. 2. 1 – Shut down of Major Internet Companies * American search engine provides links to pirated sites, which will cost the Internet Service Provided to be shut down. * Freedom of speech is affected 5. 2. 2 â⠂¬â€œ Censorship and Blocked of Webpage * Limited webpage to gather or find information * Difficulty to communicate with other countries Working bibliographyBennett, R. (2011, December 2011). Protecting Americans from Web scams. New York Post. Retrieved from http://www. nypost. com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/protecting_americans_from_web_scams_lvOOEKJEqzpjGIAW43mIXP Carr, D. (2012, January 1). The Danger of an Attack on Piracy Online. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2012/01/02/business/media/the-danger-of-an-attack-on-piracy-online. html? pagewanted=1 Sigal, I & MacKinnon, R (2011, December 14). Online Piracy Laws must preserve Web Freedom. CNN. Retrieved from http://edition. cnn. om/2011/12/14/opinion/sigal-mackinnon-copyright-internet/index. html Smith, L. (2011, December 14). Setting the Record Straight on SOPA. The Hill. Retrieved from http://thehill. com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/199385-setting-the-record-straight-on-sopa The New York Times. Copyrights and Internet Piracy (SOPA and PIPA Legislation. (2012, February 8). Retrieved from http://topics. nytimes. com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/copyrights/index. html? 8qa US House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary. (2012, January 20). Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote onPROTECT IP Act. Retrieved from http://judiciary. house. gov/news/01202012. html? scp=2&sq=lamar%20smith&st=cse ————————————————- Student’s Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Lecturer’s Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Hj/Was/mufy/2012 ———————————————†”- Oral Presentation Proposal Argumentative Research Question: Should â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† be enforced? Thesis: YES, Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) should be enforced. ————————————————- Argument 1: Increase in United States Economy Foreign thieves cost the United States’ economy more than $100 billion annually and result in loss of thousands of jobs * Entertainment industries are not able to sell their own products due to these foreign thieves Argument 2: Protection of Intellectual Property * Hard work is wasted because users can easily download the goods of the entertainment industries online through pirated sites * Blocks and censors’ webpages that provides these pirated sites links and the authorities can take immediate action on theses thieves. Refutation: 5. 1. 1 – Censorship and Blocked of Webpage

Of Mice And Men: Book vs Movie

As we all know, there’s one thing about books that appeal to every avid reader in the world; the visualization and imagination. This is something that movies can either enrich or abolish. For the book entitled ‘Of Mice And Men’, the movie acted as a detriment to the book. The differences between the movie and the book are insurmountable. To start thing off, the first thing that was dissimilar was when George and Lennie are shown sneaking into a train at night to escape from Weed. However, if one recalls on the book accurately, they will remember that no such seen in the book was described.Another flawless example is when a worker named Mike approached Slim and asked him whether or not he could switch jobs with someone else as he could not keep up with Lennie. Again, this was not mentioned in the book what-so-ever. The next part was an important part, but was cut from the movie for unknown reasons. The part is when Lennie is in the river and begins to hallucinate a bout his aunt Clara and the giant rabbit. In addition to that, and also near the ending of the book, when George shoots Lennie with the Luger pistol. In the film, the gun he was holding was a Colt Revolver, and was again changed for unspecified reasons.This brings me to how the ending of the book was changed: in the book, George remains on the ranch, whilst in the film, George is seen riding alone in yet another boxcar to his next destination in both the introduction and ending. This is indicative of George fleeing after killing Lennie and reminisces on past events during the ride. In spite of all this alterations or modifications, there are still an innumerable amount to be spoken of. Thus, vividly showing us that movies can indeed sometimes take away from the free-thinking, imagination that books exclusively hold.

Marketing research report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Marketing research report - Essay Example Figures are provided by various web sites, one of these is a reliable source from Mintel which conducts scientific and period reportage, with the aim of analyzing various industries and businesses affecting the UK and other countries. Not only this, the different incidents of global terrorism are briefly examined so that there can be an analysis on its impact on hotel and tourism industry. According to the EU, a hotel is defined as "a collective accommodation establishment, typified as being arranged in rooms exceeding a nationally specified minimum and as providing common services, including room service." The UK definition is made according to the holding of a licence to sell liquor. (Mintel website) Mintel defines tourism "as any travel which involves an overnight stay away from home." Tourism 'trips' divide between holidays (short breaks of 1-3 nights or long holidays), business travel, VFR (visits to friends and relatives (VFR) and miscellaneous travel purposes (eg shopping or religious trips), all of which may involve staying in a hotel. (Mintel website) When terrorists hijacked four U.S. ... The perpetrators - and indeed the entire world - may have thought that it was the end of America as an economic and military superpower. America under attack, America on its knees, Bin Laden, the anthrax threats and other security concerns, what would be the future of America and the world and the global economy Terrorism is a menace to society. It involves violence causing destruction and deaths for vague and questionable "religious causes" - love and service to God - never before heard in the annals of man as a religious being. The September 11 attack impacted on the lives of the American people and the economy, by creating fear and depreciating billions of dollars worth of man-made infrastructure, buildings and capital. Terrorism has spread all over, and where there is terrorism, profound effects impact on tourism, a direct victim along with the economy. From as far as the Philippines, to the small island of Bali in Indonesia, to the subways of London, to Spain, Egypt, Brazil, Nepal, and the skyscrapers of New York, terrorism wreaked havoc. There were instant reactions from countries and governments. Securities in airports and terminals were strict. People restricted their travel. Terrorism served its purpose - fear in everyone's heart. In the wake of the tragedy in New York, travel and tourism industry was reeling. Airline travel and hotel stays have plummeted worldwide. Industry revenues, profits, and stock values are all down. Industry workers are being laid off in large numbers. (World Economic News, 2000) The World Tourism Organization issued the "Report of the Secretary-General: Terrorist Attacks in the United States of America", and acknowledged that the "unprecedented and brutal act of terrorism is

Eusebius - History of the First Church Term Paper

Eusebius - History of the First Church - Term Paper Example Nothing is known of the parents of Eusebius, though, it is clear from his works that he must have received an extensive education in philosophy, biblical and theological sciences. He was greatly admired and cherished as a man and regarded as one who was very influential over his colleagues. At one time he was Presbyter of the Church, though it is difficult to narrow down an exact date for this. Eusebius was born C. 260 and lived through May of 339. He was baptized and ordained at Caesarea where Pamphilus gave him the name ‘Eusebius Pamphili’, meaning â€Å"son or servant of Pamphilus† (Eusebius Of Caesarea). It is possible that Eusebius was imprisoned for some time by Roman authorities as he was taunted years later for having escaped through some acts of submission though this is verified. He began to write the Ecclesiastical History during the Roman prosecutions and it was revised several times between 312 and 324. He described this work as a full and complete documented history of the Christian Church in which he used many paraphrasing and quotes from outside sources. This allowed earlier portions of work to be preserved which adds significant historical value. Eusebius’ role in the doctrinal debates and disputes within the Catholic Church during the fourth century included issues regarding the nature of Jesus Christ, enquiring as to the possibility that he had always existed in some form prior to human. Eusebius knew nothing of the Western Church and his strength was not in being a historian. Eusebius became the Bishop of Caesarea in 313 and in 318 became involved in controversy stemming from the views of a Priest from Alexander who taught subordination of the son to the father, and Eusebius, accordingly, soon became a leading supporter of Arius. Eusebius’ style was one that â€Å"weaved short entries into a broader scheme† (Ferguson), though some considered

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

Social and Behavioral Sciences - Essay Example In a phone interview with the CNN Turk news television the mayor of Manisa town, Cengiz Ergun, said that the blast had caused a fire that had blocked the exits of the mine trapping the workers within. The area has some of the largest coal reserves in the world. Since the tragedy occurred in the midafternoon as the workers were changing shifts it has been challenging for the officials in charge of the rescue efforts to determine the number of miners that were trapped underground. According to local authorities, the mine could have trapped more than 250 miners up to 2000 feet below the surface. According to the energy minister, out of the 787 miners registered at the site, only 363 of them had been rescued. Sixty rescue teams comprising more than 400 members had worked through the night in search of the trapped miners. More than 80 mineworkers were harmed in the tragedy according to Mr. Ergun. Families and friends flocked the Manisa State Hospital where the injured miners were taken. Many people questioned the safety conditions of the mine but the labor ministry in a written statement maintained that the mine had been subject to regular inspection and complied with occupational health and safety regulations. A federal appeals court in Huntsville, Texas on Tuesday halted the execution for a convicted murderer just hours before he was scheduled to be put to death. The court granted the stay to review a claim presented by the lawyers of the defendant saying he was mentally retarded and that state agencies had for a long time known and concealed this fact. Robert James Campbell, 41, had been set to be the first death row inmate to be executed in America after a botched execution in Oklahoma that drew attention to the methods and drugs used and the secrecy surrounding lethal injections. The U. S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans conceded the stay ask for by Campbells attorneys. The court was initially reluctant

Pulmonary Edema Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Pulmonary Edema - Research Paper Example Pulmonary edema if left untreated could lead to a number of complications and could eventually lead to death of the patient. One of the most common conditions of pulmonary edema is the patient’s difficulty in breathing and in some cases the coughing is accompanied by the patient coughing up pink frothy sputum that is actually blood. Anxiety and pale skin are also attributed to pulmonary edema along with the patient sweating in great amounts. Patients in some cases cannot lie down in a straight position because of their inability to breathe properly. If a patient lies down then he or she would exhibit signs of breathlessness or shortness of breath (Ford & Mazzaferro, 2012). Patients can even suffer breathlessness during the night when they are asleep. Patients wake up from their sleep at night in a state of great anxiety (Ford & Mazzaferro, 2012). In cases where the patient suffers from a chronic case of pulmonary edema, there are symptoms that need to be looked for in the patient. One of the symptoms of chronic pulmonary edema is peripheral edema, where other parts of the body tend to swell up. In most cases peripheral edema is observed within the limbs of the patient. When pressed upon this swelled area, the skin takes a greater time to return to its normal state. An increased jugular venous pressure and swelling of the liver are also observed in patients with acute pulmonary edema. There has even been cases where patients with chronic pulmonary edema have displayed symptoms such as the heart making a third beat and crackling sounds being made by the patient at the end of each breath (Ford & Mazzaferro, 2012). Due to the seriousness of the illness, most physicians and medical personnel diagnose pulmonary edema based on the symptoms of the patient. The initial test conducted is an X-ray of the chest. The chest X-ray helps physicians determine if

Relationship between language,power and gender Essay

Relationship between language,power and gender - Essay Example Language, power and gender are highly related to each other. In order to understand the relationship between language, power and gender, let’s analyze their relationship with the other individually. Many scholars have commented on the relationship between language and the power people have on it. Writers have written many novels and stories on the issue the examples of which include Leslie Marmon Silko's short story Lullaby, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Richard II and The Tempest, Frederick Douglass’s Learning to Read and Write, and Gloria Anzaldua’s How to Tame a Wild Tongue. All of these works convey the same message that language and power are interrelated to each other and one cannot survive without the other.Patel states in his article that â€Å"the way a person speaks or writes determines that person's power in the world.† Elaborating on this will give the whole idea how easy it is to define the social status of an individual while consi dering the language with which he defines himself.An analysis of languages spoken in different regions in the world shows that there are some languages which are recognized and spoken internationally, while there are other which are only spoken within a limited are like within a country. Even inside a country,there are many forms of that one language by which that country is known.This is a sad truth that for a country to progress in this competitive world and to eventually come in power,it is important to get acknowledged with the internationally known languages so as to facilitate the trade and business. Just getting acknowledged is not sufficient but to inculcate that language in the educational curricula is vital to raise the nation with an intense knowledge of that language so that the people of the country can read, write and speak that foreign language just like they easily go with their own mother tongue. This brings power. The relationship between power and gender raises qu estions like whether one gender is given advantage over the other so that one gendered is empowered and the other is left discriminated. The gender differences in many countries makes power stay stuck to only one gender like men are politically preferred to women. Similarly, there are gender discriminations at occupational workplaces due to which men are given chances to get better jobs and women are told to stay at home in front of the stove all day. â€Å"Although women have made gains in the workplace, with more women working than in the past and women possessing approximately a third of all management positions† (Colwill, as cited in Carli, 1999). Male children are also preferred to get higher education which later on offers them high paying jobs within and across the border. This reduces power for the female gender. The difference in social power between the two genders has given rise to the feminist theories which fought for the liberation of women so that they come out of their houses and stand on equal status as men to enjoy the different luxuries of life. Beeching (2004) affirms that the relationship between language and gender gives rise to man linguistic issues. According to her, â€Å"Men's and Women's Talk have arguably been demonstrated to show differences at the phonetic, syntactic, lexical and discourse levels.† Gender socialization affects the overall structure and use of a language. Language has defined the changing responsibilities and roles of the men and women in different walks of life, nationally and internationally. Simkins-Bullock and Wildman (1991, p. 149) have studied in their research the differences in gender in the use of a language and have come to the conclusion that there is much inconsistency among the scholars in agreeing whether or not the two genders use the same language differently. They state that scholars suggest that there are several ways in which the males and females make use of a language but other as pects should also be considered besides gender in

Impact of international field experience on agricultural Education Article - 1

Impact of international field experience on agricultural Education - Article Example It is sometimes a manifestation of the human natural instinct to save one’s own race that leads to discrimination against international students in America. The international students coming to America are not disadvantageous to the country but rather they contribute to the economy, society and culture in many ways. So it is the prime duty of the country to protect the international students from bias, prejudice and discrimination. As Poyrazli, Thukral and Duru (2010) maintain â€Å"The international students face considerable difficulty in making new adjustments initially due to lack of social support, communication problems, and homesickness†. First and foremost, every educational institution in America should be bound legally to be answerable to the government regarding the mishandling of the international students. Secondly, as a protective measure, the government should give a chance to the international students to report to the institute regarding their experience in their new

Angie's list company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Angie's list company - Research Paper Example For instance, it uses an F-grading-system that is monitored through improved technology (â€Å"Angies List Unveils Naughty & Nice List – Newsroom† pr.10). Human review is used to certify clarity and genuineness of the reviews posted by the consumers. Utmost local companies rely on the company’s excellent review service. Angie’s List, Inc offers services in approximately 200 cities in the United States. The company offers satisfactory services to numerous small businesses. This implies that most companies and consumers appreciate the competence in service and technological reliability of Angie’s List Company ("Angies List Reports First Quarter 2014 Results (:ANGI)." Pr.6). It has a culture of inaugurating locally based affiliations. Local respondents insist that the company has assumed and partaken as one among the most reliable legal advisors. Most importantly, the founders and employees believe in sustained innovation with an objective of ascertaining better services. Success and failure are feasible experiences that any business can undergo. Angie’s List Company may have suffered from insignificant losses when it commenced operations. However, the company has gathered an admirable pace in development over the past few years. First, it intends to invest more on infrastructure and technology ("Angies List Loss Widens - Newsroom" pr.4). The company has a tendency of improving the quality of services through the adoption of new and reliable technology. In addition, increased infrastructural units will effectively harbor the 500 employees that the company intends to hire. Ideally, the company’s reputable status in customer review service is deemed to remain sustained in the

How I Can Make a Difference As A Scholar Essay Example for Free

How I Can Make a Difference As A Scholar Essay Each one has different capabilities to make a difference; difference that can change one’s family, school, community, country, and even the world. But before he can do a difference around him, he must first make a difference within himself. As a scholar of this prestigious university, the University of Bohol, I can also make a difference. But as I said, in order for me to make a difference in my surroundings, I must first make a difference within me. I was once a stranger in this university, seldom talks to anyone and even project a shy type of person, well in fact I’m not. I wasn’t then participative in school activities, even in our own department. Inside the classroom, I just stayed in one corner, scanned my notes and remained silent all those times. Those things happened before I tried to do something; something that would make my life different from before. It was different in the sense that I got out of my shell and began to explore the real world. I began by acquiring new friends that I believed would help me in my goal. I wasn’t wrong in having them since they really did the things I expect from them that would help me grow. They encouraged me to participate in the school activities because they thought that I would be of great help. I was inspired by their words and chose to accept the dare. I once participated in a sport contest during our department days, and fortunately, I won. I was one of the CBAians who brought the name of our department during the university days. I was really happy during that time. I then concluded that nothing is really impossible if you just tried. That was my first achievement in this university after I got out of my shell and that is also the first difference I made within myself. And since I have already made a difference in me, I will continue what I have begun. I will make a difference around me in my own unique ways. As the embodiment of the Trinity of Virtues (Scholarship, Character, and  Service) the University of Bohol stands for, we, as scholars, are obliged to act as a catalyst to difference. Not the negative one, but a positive difference for the betterment of our community. Upholding the first virtue of the university, SCHOLARSHIP, I will be responsible in my studies. Avoid unnecessary absences and never cut classes. I will study my lessons, not only during examinations, but every day to be prepared all the time. I will maintain my grades to avoid disappointment of my family and the persons behind this scholarship. CHARACTER: I will be a model to the students; specially the freshmen, through the way I speak, act, and move around. Obeying the rules in the school is the very first thing any student must do; wearing the prescribed uniform during uniform days and the proper Wednesday attire during wash days. Together with the ID, a student would really look as a student if he would just wear the proper uniform. I will also project as an Icon of Morality. I won’t indulge in any crime, neither practice any form of drug addiction, nor any forms of vices. As an epitome of SERVICE, I would participate in the school, or even outside the school, as the need arises. I would help in any form in any projects or programs of the university and involve myself in different community works. I will also take part in any volunteer works inside and outside the campus. These are just simple things all students can carry out to make a difference if they are just committed to do it. However, it can’t also be denied that as humans, we also commit mistakes; mistakes that might be a reason for discouragement. But through certain things, these mistakes might also help us grow as a student. To be successful in all our endeavors in life, we must not forget the Almighty God who is always behind every achievement we attain. We should put Him as the center of our lives, for without Him, we can do nothing. I am very much privileged to be one of the academic scholars in this  university. I will try my very best to perform the duties and responsibilities as a UB scholar. I will make a difference! Each one has different capabilities to make a difference; difference that can change one’s family, school, community, country, and even the world. But before he can do a difference around him, he must first make a difference within himself. As a scholar of this prestigious university, the University of Bohol, I can also make a difference. But as I said, in order for me to make a difference in my surroundings, I must first make a difference within me. I was once a stranger in this university, seldom talks to anyone and even project a shy type of person, well in fact I’m not. I wasn’t then participative in school activities, even in our own department. Inside the classroom, I just stayed in one corner, scanned my notes and remained silent all those times. Those things happened before I tried to do something; something that would make my life different from before. It was different in the sense that I got out of my shell and began to explore the real world. I began by acquiring new friends that I believed would help me in my goal. I wasn’t wrong in having them since they really did the things I expect from them that would help me grow. They encouraged me to participate in the school activities because they thought that I would be of great help. I was inspired by their words and chose to accept the dare. I once participated in a sport contest during our department days, and fortunately, I won. I was one of the CBAians who brought the name of our department during the university days. I was really happy during that time. I then concluded that nothing is really impossible if you just tried. That was my first achievement in this university after I got out of my shell and that is also the first difference I made within myself. And since I have already made a difference in me, I will continue what I have begun. I will make a difference around me in my own unique ways. As the embodiment of the Trinity of Virtues (Scholarship, Character, and Service) the University of Bohol stands for, we, as scholars, are obliged to act as a catalyst to difference. Not the negative one, but a positive difference for the betterment of our community. Upholding the first virtue of the university, SCHOLARSHIP, I will be responsible in my studies. Avoid unnecessary absences and never cut classes. I will study my lessons, not only during examinations, but every day to be prepared all the time. I will maintain my grades to avoid disappointment of my family and the persons behind this scholarship. CHARACTER: I will be a model to the students; specially the freshmen, through the way I speak, act, and move around. Obeying the rules in the school is the very first thing any student must do; wearing the prescribed uniform during uniform days and the proper Wednesday attire during wash days. Together with the ID, a student would really look as a student if he would just wear the proper uniform. I will also project as an Icon of Morality. I won’t indulge in any crime, neither practice any form of drug addiction, nor any forms of vices. As an epitome of SERVICE, I would participate in the school, or even outside the school, as the need arises. I would help in any form in any projects or programs of the university and involve myself in different community works. I will also take part in any volunteer works inside and outside the campus. These are just simple things all students can carry out to make a difference if they are just committed to do it. However, it can’t also be denied that as humans, we also commit mistakes; mistakes that might be a reason for discouragement. But through certain things, these mistakes might also help us grow as a student. To be successful in all our endeavors in life, we must not forget the Almighty God who is always behind every achievement we attain. We should put Him as the center of our lives, for without Him, we can do nothing. I am very much privileged to be one of the academic scholars in this university. I will try my very best to perform the duties and responsibilities as a UB scholar. I will make a difference!

Role Of Technology In The Operations Of Argos Marketing Essay

Role Of Technology In The Operations Of Argos Marketing Essay The organisation, Argos was founded in 1973 and is part of Home Retail Group (Parent Company). It is a generalized store, which sells a vast number of household products such as: household appliances, toys and games, DIY, sports and leisure, etc. According to the Times: Argos has a formidable grasp in most of the aforementioned markets. This establishments business model is based on a simple initiative: combine the comfort and the convenience of home selection (catalogues, internet, and phone) with the nearness of its high street stores. Since it first started out, Argos has always been noticed for its innovative use of technology similar to the way other organisations like Walmart, Amazon or Tesco utilize this type of technology. Computer systems have always had a huge impact on the way Argos functions as a retailer. Argos uses ICT to monitor stock levels, to recognise market developments earlier, to avoid stock shortage situations and to eliminate product theft. Tesco has a very similar business structure/model. Argos is convenient because of its integration with its virtual online business and its retail stores, just like the way Tesco operates; using its stores as its main core of operations. Argos also publishes two catalogues a year, the spring/summer edition at the start of January and the autumn/winter catalogue around mid-July. Finance and Accounting Argos is one of the UKs major non-fare retail groups. In 1998, after poor financial results, it was taken over by GUS (Great Universal Stores) plc. The then new appointed managing director Terry Duddy then set out to improve its performance. Part of Terrys job was to change the values and beliefs (the culture) shared at Argos. As stated in the Times 100 case study: The culture he (Terry) developed is one that values: customer service, teamwork, encouraging managers to take their own decisions, respect for each other and wanting to be competitive and improve. The Times then goes on to say that these values were clearly communicated to the employees; so that they felt more a part of the business. This clearly shows how Argos consulted with its staff to build a sound team, with team values such as: Welcoming change Being impatient to win Having lots of opportunities Working in teams Argos has built these values into its culture. To support this change, they also provided good introductory training, promotional opportunities and performance goals. As well as changing the culture at Argos, managers changed the marketing fusion. This consisted of the traditional Four Ps along with other issues which Argos thought important. Product. Market studies showed that the Argos brand was seen as dull and old-fashioned. Argos then modernised the brand with a new logo and new slogan: Brighter Shopping. It also extended its product range. Promotion. Argos advertises to separate market sectors. It divides its market by traditional ways but also uses brand awareness. As quoted from the Times: The get it group who know and understand the brand are used to help bring on board the dont get it group. Price. Argos continually keeps its prices as low as possible. Place (distribution). Argos continues to expand its retail market by opening new shops. Its catalogue is a key part of its distribution system and is found in 70% of British homes.  [2]   People Argos provides good training for its staff as part of its culture change. Process Alongside traditional shopping methods, Argos introduced Quick Pay and Text and Take Home. (Customers text to see if an item is in stock, and then reserve it to collect later) Quick Pay cuts down on queues by allowing customers to check availability, order and pay using credit or debit cards. Physical environment. Argos invested in improvements to make shops more appealing to consumers. As a result of these implemented changes to Argoss culture and the employment of technology. Argos now out-performs the market as a whole: Between the periods (2002-2003) sales grew by 13% and profits by 17%.  [3]   Sales Marketing For advertising, it (Argos) uses a variety of different media to promote its retail market, such as: television, radio, newspapers, catalogues, magazines, posters and the internet. Depending on which is the most beneficial and efficient at the time. This method of utilizing technology is very effective relating to attracting new and old customers namely by proposing: Value for money Convenience. Marketing managers at Argos are continually concerned with addressing questions such as: Who are our consumers? (Argos wants to discover as much information as possible on its customers in order to meet their requirements.) Are we proposing enough variety of products, appeal and convenience? How can we gain advantages over competition? (How is Argos different from the opposition?) How can we defend what trade we already have and how can we expand? How do we successfully interact with our customers? According to the website, computerworlduk, this year Argoss internet website accounted for 32% of the organisations total sales, 22% of which used the online click and reserve service. This shows how much of a positive impact the technology of the internet has had on this retail giant. However, compared to last years same interim sales review this year was 11% down, but despite the 11% fall in profits, online sales had significant growth. Argos sales ( £M): 2006 = 3,859, 2007 = 4,164, 2008 = 4,321, 2009 = 4,282, 2010 = 4,347Description: % Sales across more than one channel: Totals: 2006: 32 2007: 35 2008: 37 2009: 40 2010: 43 2010: Home delivery Store 7.7 Phone 1.6 Internet 9.5 Check Reserve Phone 9.5 Internet 22.5 Sales ( £M) (Picture on left) Definition: Sales in the 52 weeks to 27 February 2010 increased by 1.5% in total. There was further strong growth in televisions and personal computers, offsetting weakness in the video gaming market. Toy sales grew strongly. Challenging market conditions continued in home-related areas such as furniture, but the rate of decline moderated over the year. Source: audited financial statements. Sales across more than one channel (%) (Picture on right) Multi-channel sales grew to  £1.9bn or 43% of Argos sales. The internet represented 32% of Argoss sales; over two-thirds of this or 22% of Argos total sales were customers using online Check Reserve for store collection, with this channel growing by 36% for a second year in a row. Definition: Percentage of sales across more than one channel. There are three ordering channels: the internet, phone or store and two fulfillment channels, store or home delivery. Source: Measured internally. Argos has a multitude of unique marketing and sales strategies in retail. Argoss stated mission statement is: We provide our customers with the best value for money through the most convenient shopping experience. This statement clearly sets out the main areas which differentiate Argos from its rivals, namely by offering its customers. As stated in 2002 by managing director of Argos, Kate Swann. Customers can: Pick up a catalogue Choose at home (internet) Use a store to collect or order Use a store for collection point Order at home (telephone) Use home delivery She also specified that Argoss drivers for growth were: Small kitchen appliances (which it was in top position in 2001 for both value and volume) Beds and mattresses Watches Jewellery Portable audio Toys Retail Structure Tesco was the first to use such a structure; by combining its online website(s) with its supermarkets. Argos most likely adopted this similar strategy based on Tescos overwhelming success. However, Argos retail stores have minimal staff (unlike Tesco), and exploit technology to its full potential (like Tesco and Amazon). On an independent case study by Databank Consulting, they stated that: Argoss business model is a multi-channel approach: customers are offered different types of outlets for shopping. Prior to the introduction of the new e-channels, the customers could only browse the offer in the catalogue or directly at the store  [4]   They also suggested that Argoss success as a retailer has been based on its influential decision to adopt a technological based approach, by stating: The Argos website was launched in 1995à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Nearly 10 years later, Argos can be called a pioneer and leader in e-commerce. With www.Argos.co.uk, the company became UKs number two Clicks and Bricks retailer, combining both store based and online sales.  [5]   Before its decision to introduce a system called Nominated Carrier Scheme, the problem of receiving and delivering products was problematic and complicated, because every supplier has its own form of transportation, its specific method of documenting and specific time schedules. The decision was therefore to adopt a single system to bring together all the produce from suppliers and have them offered as only one delivery. This stock chain solution by UPS receives, validates and handles shipments from several hundred Argos suppliers. UPS then checks that the order is accurate, merges it with other orders and then sends it to Argoss own warehouses for the final delivery. Possible Improvements Argos could implement an improved stock ordering and restocking system. Argos stated that it would continue to roll out a voice put away process across all stores over the next two years. They then went on to say: This technology (voice put away) helps to automatically guide stock room assistants to the correct location  [6]   The key benefits of this technology would be; quicker processing and enhanced stock accuracy, thereby improving availability of stock and the level of customer satisfaction. Another possible improvement could be directed towards their gaming sector; as this is one of the areas they do not perform well in. They could do this by adopting a similar strategy to gaming stores like; Gamestation or Granger games. Which will include a trade in system for games and the value of the trade in(s) would be deducted from their chosen purchase from the Argos stores. Argos could then go on to sell the traded in games. The key benefits of this adopted strategy would be; increased sales at Argos as many people who buy games would be more inclined to shop there, increased revenue and a larger share of the gaming market. Conclusion Overall, this organisation effectively utilizes technology for growth, stability and convenience for both Argos and its customers. Argos has gained competitive advantage over competitors by distinguishing itself on the basis of providing the best value for money for customers through the most convenient shopping experience  [7]  . Tesco was one of the first organisation giants to integrate its already existing chain of supermarkets with a virtual online one, Argos uses the similar strategy but with a difference; convenience of reserving products online and collecting at the customers nearest retail store (there Click and Reserve service). The dominance and success of Argos (and other organisations like Tesco and Amazon) are a result of each of them applying their own unique shopping experience  [8]  . Argos is popular and successful because it is focused around meeting the customers needs. By incorporating new technologies, Argos continues to provide the methods that are most appropriate to the modern-day retailing experience.

Abortion is a Womans Choice Essay -- Abortion, Argumentative, Pro-Cho

Today, abortion is a big issue concerning women because for years it had been said that abortion should not be legal. Many people feel aborting an unwanted child, or killing an unwanted child should be against the law. Many people don’t’ know what abortion is, who can receive abortions, and why people would even choose to get them. I feel as though a woman’s body is her own to do with what ever she wants. Therefore, on the topic of abortions, I am pro-choice. First of all, before a person makes a decision about abortions, they should know exactly what it is. The dictionary defines Abortion as: The termination of pregnancy and expulsion of an embryo or of a fetus that is incapable of survival. This simply means, inducing birth to kill the fetus, or baby before it is carried to full ...

Down Syndrome Essay examples -- essays research papers fc

Down syndrome is a birth defect caused by a genetic disorder that affects 350,000 people in the United States. It is caused by abnormalities in the genes and is not inherited, meaning that parents do not pass this onto their children. Genetics is the study of heredity or how certain traits are passed from parents to their children. Genes are the basic unit of heredity. Cells are the building blocks of your body and each one of us has more than 100 trillion cells. Our genes are located in chromosomes. Each cell in your body contains 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs. In a person with Down syndrome, there are 47 chromosomes. In 1956, a French researcher named Jerome Lejeune used a new powerful microscope to view human strands of DNA. DNA is what holds an individual person’s genes. He studied these DNA strands and determined that there is an extra strand in chromosome 21, which is now called â€Å"Trisomy 21† tri meaning three and somy for the word chromosome – meaning th ree chromosomes. No one knows exactly what causes Down syndrome aside from it being genetic. Many years ago, this condition was known as â€Å"mongolism† or people that had it were called â€Å"mongolian idiots†. But in later years, Asian people as well as parents of these children protested these terms and in the 1960’s the condition became known as Down syndrome in honor of the English doctor John Langdon Down. Who, in 1866, studied people with mental retardation and noted distinct physical features in them. Some of the physical features associated with Down syndrome are low muscle tone, many newborns appear as floppy and not toned, they have flat facial features especially a small nose with a flattened nasal bridge. Their eyes are slightly slanted with small skin folds at the inner corner. The have a short neck, small abnormal shaped ears, and an enlarged tongue that often tends to protrude making speech difficult to understand. Many people with Down syndrome suffer from a variety of health problems. The most common and significant symptom is mental retardation, which ranges from mild to moderate. People with Down syndrome suffer from congenital heart defects, which affect approximately 40-50% of these people. Their poor muscle tone makes much physical activity difficult. There are many hormonal problems, mainly thyroid disease. People with Down syndrome suffer from circulatory problems, respiratory ailments, ... ...the placenta is removed and the cells are tested under a microscope for chromosomal abnormalities. The last test is Amniocentesis, which is where a sample of the amniotic fluid is withdrawn from the womb. This procedure is done during the 14th to 18th week of pregnancy. This is the most reliable and accurate test. It is 99.8% reliable in testing for Down syndrome. There is another blood test available called Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS). The fact of the matter is no matter how different or unusual these people appear, people afflicted with Down syndrome should be treated with respect and dignity just like you and me. These people are productive individuals and have many things to offer. Just because they are different doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable to us. We can learn patience and acceptance from them and until there is a cure, our acceptance and a positive attitude will help us all to move forward. Works Cited Diseases and Disorders - Down Syndrome, Christina M. Girod, San Diego, CA, 2001 Down Syndrome, Salvatore Tocci, Grolier Publishing Company, Inc., 2000 www.aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/article/1680.54172 www.my.webmd.com Down Syndrome Essay examples -- essays research papers fc Down syndrome is a birth defect caused by a genetic disorder that affects 350,000 people in the United States. It is caused by abnormalities in the genes and is not inherited, meaning that parents do not pass this onto their children. Genetics is the study of heredity or how certain traits are passed from parents to their children. Genes are the basic unit of heredity. Cells are the building blocks of your body and each one of us has more than 100 trillion cells. Our genes are located in chromosomes. Each cell in your body contains 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs. In a person with Down syndrome, there are 47 chromosomes. In 1956, a French researcher named Jerome Lejeune used a new powerful microscope to view human strands of DNA. DNA is what holds an individual person’s genes. He studied these DNA strands and determined that there is an extra strand in chromosome 21, which is now called â€Å"Trisomy 21† tri meaning three and somy for the word chromosome – meaning th ree chromosomes. No one knows exactly what causes Down syndrome aside from it being genetic. Many years ago, this condition was known as â€Å"mongolism† or people that had it were called â€Å"mongolian idiots†. But in later years, Asian people as well as parents of these children protested these terms and in the 1960’s the condition became known as Down syndrome in honor of the English doctor John Langdon Down. Who, in 1866, studied people with mental retardation and noted distinct physical features in them. Some of the physical features associated with Down syndrome are low muscle tone, many newborns appear as floppy and not toned, they have flat facial features especially a small nose with a flattened nasal bridge. Their eyes are slightly slanted with small skin folds at the inner corner. The have a short neck, small abnormal shaped ears, and an enlarged tongue that often tends to protrude making speech difficult to understand. Many people with Down syndrome suffer from a variety of health problems. The most common and significant symptom is mental retardation, which ranges from mild to moderate. People with Down syndrome suffer from congenital heart defects, which affect approximately 40-50% of these people. Their poor muscle tone makes much physical activity difficult. There are many hormonal problems, mainly thyroid disease. People with Down syndrome suffer from circulatory problems, respiratory ailments, ... ...the placenta is removed and the cells are tested under a microscope for chromosomal abnormalities. The last test is Amniocentesis, which is where a sample of the amniotic fluid is withdrawn from the womb. This procedure is done during the 14th to 18th week of pregnancy. This is the most reliable and accurate test. It is 99.8% reliable in testing for Down syndrome. There is another blood test available called Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS). The fact of the matter is no matter how different or unusual these people appear, people afflicted with Down syndrome should be treated with respect and dignity just like you and me. These people are productive individuals and have many things to offer. Just because they are different doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable to us. We can learn patience and acceptance from them and until there is a cure, our acceptance and a positive attitude will help us all to move forward. Works Cited Diseases and Disorders - Down Syndrome, Christina M. Girod, San Diego, CA, 2001 Down Syndrome, Salvatore Tocci, Grolier Publishing Company, Inc., 2000 www.aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/article/1680.54172 www.my.webmd.com

Taoism in Chinese Culture Essay examples -- Taoism Chinese Culture Tao

Taoism in Chinese Culture Taoism, known as â€Å"The Way,† can be categorized as both a Chinese philosophy and a religion. Taoists believe in accepting and yielding to the ways of life, complementing nature and being by internalizing their goals rather than worshipping a god externally. Taoism, in its metaphysical and philosophical nature, is much like Confucianism, but the ideal interests of the two religions are contrasting. Confucianism was formulated during a time of war and relies heavily upon a moral and political system that fashioned society and the Chinese empire, while Taoism correlates to a time of peace and honors spiritual and metaphysical preoccupation (Taoism 2). The supposed author of the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu, is said to be the father of Taoism. It is estimated that Lao Tzu, spelled many other ways including Lao-tsu, Lao Tse, and Lao Tzi, was born under the name of Li Erh in Honan, China, around 604 B.C.E. Myth says that Lao Tzu was born fully developed with a long, white beard and hair the color of snow. He was somewhat of a recluse and withdrew from society to avoid governmental law and rule. He retreated to the Western frontier after the fall of the Zhou dynasty to continue his personal study of metaphysics and philosophy (Taoism 2). The collaborations of his studies and observations are said to be the basis of the Tao Te Ching, although some scholars argue that Lao Tzu’s existence cannot be proved and that the scholar Chuang-tzu played at least a partial role in the authorship. However the Tao Te Ching came to be, it is prized for being the foundation of Taoist belief and should hold merit as a universal guide, not as an aut hor’s accomplishment (De Bary, Chan, and Watson 49). There are t... ...e and space and is therefore attainable to each individual who is ready to be released from the bonds of the physical. The Tao is perfection, a place where yin and yang come together and all that lives in diversity finds unity. Works Cited De Bary, Wm. Theodore, Wing-Tsit Chan, and Burton Watson, eds. Sources of Chinese Tradition. NewYork: Columbia UP, 1960. Feibleman, James K. Understanding Oriental Philosophy: A Popular Account for the Western World. New York: Horizon, 1976. Robinson, B.A, â€Å"Taoism.† Religious Tolerance.org. 28 August 2000. 15 September 2000 . Smullyan, Raymond M. The Tao is Silent. New York: Harper & Row, 1977. â€Å"Taoism.† Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 1999-2000 ed. 19 September 2000 .

Culture shock Essay

Culture in simplicity is a body of learned behavior, a collection of beliefs, habits and traditions, shared by a group of people and successively learned by people who enter the society. Furthermore, culture is learned, not inherited. If this is correct, then it can be assumed that it is not impossible to learn new cultural traits and to unlearn old ones. Therefore, it must be feasible to integrate cultural differences. Cultural adaptation would involve many essentials as, language; verbal and non-verbal, economics, religion, politics, social institutions, values, attitudes, manners, customs, material items, aesthetics and education. Culture shock is primarily a set of emotional reactions to the loss of perceptual reinforcements from one’s own culture to new cultural stimuli, which have little or no meaning. In layman’s terms, culture shock is the anxiety resulting from losing one’s sense of when to do what and how. There are many different ways to experience culture shock. It can be experienced across the world or as near as one’s backyard. Some aspects of culture shock include strain caused by the effort to adapt, sense of loss and feeling of deprivation, status, profession, possessions, feelings of rejection and rejecting members of the new culture, confusion in role, values, self-identity crisis, anxiety, disgust, anger on foreign practices and feelings of helplessness of not being capable of adapting to the new environment. Culture shock is a widely experienced phenomenon when people enter a different country. Many Americans would venture that they consider themselves very culturally accepting. Often, when these same Americans travel abroad, they experience culture shock. It is not always a negative thing. Often it is just the shock of being in a place that is completely different in every way from anything one has ever known. The first Push factor is that operating in an unfamiliar environment is stressful and â€Å"hard work.† Secondly, it leads to feelings of helplessness as well as self-doubt. The role of an individual may be confused due to the new environment. Lastly, the more one learns about a different culture, the more visible differences become. The different practices could disgust a person, and the person would feel â€Å"guilty† because they â€Å"failed to respect local customs.† A good example is walking through a door regardless of other  people coming behind. I did it so many times with a clear mind not knowing how detrimental in was to my reputation on campus. So many kids misunderstood my ignorance to certain American cultural norms and hated me with a passion. The two Pull factors are loss of status and the ever-common homesickness. Whenever something new happens to me, mostly in shock, I remember home. I feel so demoralized and want to return back home. The stages do not always have smooth transition and take a different amount of time for each different individual. There is the initial contact, disintegration of the old familiar cues, reintegration of new cues, gradual autonomy and independence. Each stage is described according to the individual’s perceptions, emotional ranges, behaviors and interpretations of these. Disintegration is a period of confusion and disorientation where the differences become increasingly noticeable as different behaviors, values, and attitudes are introduced. The next stage is reintegration, which is characterized by a strong rejection of the new culture. This is the stage when visitors to a new and different country like me usually return home. It is when an individual wants to return to what they’re used to and know. Autonomy is when there is a rising sensitivity to the understanding of the new culture. The individual is relaxed and capable of understanding what happens around them. This stage is marked by the growth of personal flexibility and the development of appropriate coping skills. The last stage is independence. This is described as attitudes, emotionality, and behavior that are independent but not â€Å"independent† of cultural influence. Basically this stage is when the individual reaches a self-actualized state of being in which they choose to explore the diversity of the world, while still maintaining their sense of self as a changing being. It is the capability of having preconceptions, assumptions, values, and attitudes challenged. I believe that culture shock has a behavioral core, meaning the behavior determines the stage of shock, it has an emotional core, meaning the emotion experienced determines the level. Preparing for a two-year overseas college degree program in Lagos, Nigeria, I submitted to no fewer than five shots as a protective measure against everything from yellow fever to hepatitis. Although I managed to avoid any  dreaded tropical disease during his assignment, I contracted one malady for which there was no vaccination. The disease was culture shock. To speak of my own experiences, I have traveled abroad several times to different countries. Each time I left Nigeria, I was convinced that the culture in the country I was visiting would not be that much different. Every time I arrived, even so close to Nigeria in South Africa, I was bombarded by a culture difference than mine. Even within these individual countries there were different â€Å"sub-cultures† that were completely new to me. I spent a few months in South Africa and just when I thought I had gotten used to the culture, something would happen that made me experience culture shock all over again. That was quite a clash of different cultural beliefs and a difficult one to explain to my parents! One specific example of cultural difference is the market bargain. In America, when one goes to purchase an item, most times, no matter where one purchases it, it has a set market price. In Nigeria, there is no such thing as a set price unless you go to big stores. The vendors expect and want their customers to haggle with them and bargain the prices down. When I first tried to buy a necklace, the vendor got insulted because I wouldn’t haggle and refused to sell the necklace to me. Eventually I got the hang of haggling, but as soon as I got used to that, American culture found other differences to swing my way. Towards the end of my most recent two-month stay in a college where I intend to get my college degree, I feel reached a stage of autonomy in the model of culture shock. I was astonished by the sight of students who disregard the riches of the world and dressed in shabby outfits in practice popularly known as ‘hippies’. Many of them had metals pierced through their tongues, nipples, belly buttons, lips and eyebrows. In other countries, there’s nothing wrong with that, it was just shocking to have something I had always taken for granted so blatantly pointed out! I was appalled to find out just how â€Å"Nigerian† I am. Therefore an understanding of cultural self-awareness is important to understand ones own logic and structure before one can understand another. Another essential ingredient is communication. For a long time, my work supervisor nursed a bad impression toward my attitude to work because I  always responded contrary to her instructions. The only reason was the difficulty I had to apprehend the American accent. This problem lingered until I explained myself out. Because of this problem, many students feel uncomfortable interacting with me. It seemed to me like an unending quest to blend into the society because I had no other option other than explaining myself to a student body of seven hundred. Proficiency in communicating can also play a major role in adjusting to culture shock. Enhancing intercultural communication improves the procedural insight of a person interacting with those of another culture. For example, it is a known fact that Americans can be very expressive and open; blunt fits well, an American expatriate going to Nigeria, for instance, will face difficulties in holding back their thoughts as Nigerians are a fairly reserved set of people. Cultures have different perceptions of how each of these categories should be interpreted to be appropriate. Americans have very high individualism and relatively low power distance; thus, they prefer to do things themselves and are equal in terms of power. Conversely many of the underdeveloped countries such as Nigeria, Hong Kong and Columbia are characterized by a large power distance and low individualism, these nations tend to be collectivist in their approach. In summary, the home culture of an expatriate predisposes them to certain behaviors and situations. It allows them to operate efficiently in the environment. However, moving to another country changes that operating environment and makes their ‘mental software’ less efficient and effective. Better cultural understanding gives informational knowledge, in essence, about the host country and culture. My advice is not to mimic or copy local behavior, instead, just be yourself. Concepts such as values, needs, behaviors and norms are required to be understood. This information can assist them in better executing their work tasks and by knowing that culture shock may be present and is not a permanent disease will hopefully reduce their symptoms. In order to avoid culture shock, I suggest cross-cultural training programs that emphasize the cultural differences between behaviors of two different cultures. It would provide skills and information regarding the culture so that the visitor knows what to expect with their new culture. The training is aimed at cognition and designed to change the way people  think about differences between different societies. Communication, in-groups, and socially acceptable activities as well as socially unacceptable activities are all discussed and explained. Personally, as much as I think that would help limit culture shock, nothing short from going to the different cultures itself would eliminate it completely. A doctor can’t cure a patient with out ever seeing them; I don’t think culture shock can be prevented with out exposure. I personally don’t see a problem with culture shock as long as it doesn’t result in something harmful to oneself or others. A result of learning about another culture abruptly through culture shock, is that the individual learns about his or her self, his or her own culture, and new identities in the different culture. The individual learns to grow towards multicultural perspectives and develop alternative futures for his or her self, thus making his or her self a more culturally accepting person.

The movie “A Beautiful Mind” Essay

The movie is titled â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† and the psychological disorder that is depicted in it is schizophrenia. In the movie, the main character is Josh Nash is depicted as being schizophrenic in the following ways. In one instance, he is revealed as being able to hear voices that other people could not hear. This voices are seen as controlling agents of the actions he does. The voices in the movie control his thoughts and to some extend seem like they want to harm him. His behavior is quiet terrifying to the people around Nash. The depiction of psychological disorder of schizophrenia is a true picture of the condition as it occurs in real life. Another symptom of the disorder that was evident in the movie is the fact the sitting for several hours without any movement or speech. Nash had bout where he could not move or speak for a lot of hours. This is the typical behavior of schizophrenic people. He seemed fine most of the time but as soon as he made a revelation of what was on his mind people were shocked on what was going on in his mind. The portrayal of an individual with schizophrenic disorder in the movie â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† was indeed a realistic portrayal of the disorder CITATION Bus03 l 1033 ( Buss & Buss, 2003). My reaction after viewing the movie is that schizophrenia is a psychological disorder that affects families and societies in general. The people who are diagnosed with this condition find it quiet difficult to live a normal life as they rely so much on other people to help them in their daily activities. The only solution to it is by coping with the symptoms of the disease. References BIBLIOGRAPHY Buss, E. H., & Buss, A. H. (2003). Schizophrenia: Seven Approaches. Transaction Publishers. Source document

Pre Marital Counselling Essay

Premarital Counselling is therapy with two people prior to their marriage, to help give them more realistic ideas of what to expect and how to cope with living with another person as a spouse; relating to each other as a committed pair. By taking the time to explore the reasons you came together, your similarities, your differences, your hopes and your dreams, as well as your expectations of one another, it is sometimes possible to avoid the disappointments that many couples face with the passage of time. Pre-marital counseling offers the opportunity to explore your differences in a relatively safe, supportive, constructive environment. And while some couples may choose to postpone their union until key differences can be resolved, most couples find that pre-marital counseling helps to prepare them for the kind of life they would like to build together. Premarital counseling can help ensure that you and your partner have a strong, healthy relationship — giving you a better chance for a stable and satisfying marriage. Premarital counseling can also help you identify weaknesses that could become bigger problems during marriage. Through premarital counseling, couples are encouraged to discuss a wide range of important and intimate topics related to marriage, such as: Finances, Communication Beliefs and values Roles in marriage Affection and sex Children & parenting Family relationships Decision making Dealing with anger Time spent together. The initial period of any relationship is called the honeymoon period; and after that fairytale, marriage can be a rude reality check. In most cases, quarrels over money, family and trust break a couple apart. A pre-marital session helps partners accept each other better and avoid future complications or conflict. † Contrary to popular belief, pre marital counseling isn’t only for couples who are going in for an arranged marriage. It is also very important for couples who have had long courtships or have been living together. In arranged marriages, the people going to spend their life together are perpetual strangers, with no idea of what lies ahead of them. In India specifically, arranged marriages are sealed with just one word of advice for the bride â€Å"you HAVE to adjust, and you HAVE to compromise. Premarital Counselling ensures that the couple do not just â€Å"fulfill† the responsibilities of marriage for their family, but also participate in it wholly as individuals. In india marriages are seen as a ‘union of two families’ and the individuals who are supposed to spend the rest of their life together, they get lost in the entire plan. Pre Marital Counselling ensures that doesn’t happen. People who have had long courtships and have been living together, need it perhaps more than than people who’re going in on for arranged marriages . Why? Because once you’re living in with someone ,you think you know everything that there is to know about that person and marriage cant spring any surprises. But guess what? You WILL be surprised greatly by what surprises pre marital counseling will bring for you. Marriage changes the set of expectations two individuals have from each other. More issues have to be dealt with, like children, financial planning etc. Most couples spend more time planning their weddings than their marriages!. If you think about the amount of financial and emotional investment that goes into preparing for the wedding itself, doesn’t it make sense to invest a little in strengthening the relationship at the onset? Many couples preparing for marriage honestly believe they are strong going into the union – and they probably are in a lot of ways. Being caught up with all the loving feelings and other feel-good stuff going on ahead of nuptials, couples often don’t consider the potential pitfalls. Those â€Å"pitfalls† are often times what leads them into a therapist’s office some time down the line. Here six great reasons to get pre marriage counseling: 1) Strengthen Communication Skills:  Being able to effectively listen, truly hear and validate the other’s position is a skill that isn’t necessarily a â€Å"given† for many people. Couples that really communicate effectively can discuss and resolve issues when they arise more effectively. You can tune up your talking and listening skills. This is one of the most important aspects of emotional safety between couples. 2) Discuss Role Expectations:  It’s incredibly common for married couples to never really have discussed who will be doing what in the marriage. This can apply to job, finances, chores, sexual intimacy and more. Having an open and honest discussion about what each of you expect from the other in a variety of areas leads to fewer surprises and upsets down the line. 3) Learn Conflict Resolution Skills:  Nobody wants to think that they’ll have conflict in their marriage. The reality is that â€Å"conflict† can range from disagreements about who will take out the trash to emotionally charged arguments about serious issues – and this will probably be part of a couple’s story at one time or another. There are ways to effectively de-escalate conflict that are highly effective and can decrease the time spent engaged in the argument. John Gottman’s (www. gottman. com) research has shown that couples who can do this well are less likely to divorce in the end. 4) Explore Spiritual Beliefs:  For some this is not a big issue – but for others a serious one. Differing spiritual beliefs are not a problem as long as it’s been discussed and there is an understanding of how they will function in the marriage with regards to practice, beliefs, children, etc. ) Identify any Problematic Family of Origin Issues:  We learn so much of how to â€Å"be† from our parents, primary caregivers and other early influences. If one of the partners experienced a high conflict or unloving household, it can be helpful to explore that in regards to how it might play out in the marriage. Couples who have an understanding of the existence of any problematic conditioning around how relationships work are usually better at disrupting repetition of these learned behaviors. ) Develop Personal, Couple and Family Goals:  It amazes me how many married couples have never discussed their relationship goals – let alone personal or family. I honestly think it just doesn’t cross their minds! This is a long term investment together – why not put your heads together and look at how you’d like the future to look? Where do you want to be in five years? Approximately when would you like to have children? How many children? There are many areas that can be explored and it can be a fun exercise to do together. Pre marriage counseling doesn’t need to be a long process, especially if you feel you’re starting out with a very solid foundation and only need some clarifications and goal-setting. For some people who are poised to start out the marriage as a â€Å"higher conflict† couple or have deeper issues to contend with, the process could take a bit longer. Regardless, be sure to take the time to invest in your marriage as you might in the event itself. The return on your marriage investment has the potential to be life long What you can expect Premarital counseling typically includes five to seven meetings with a counselor. Often in premarital counseling, each partner is asked to separately answer a written questionnaire, known as a premarital assessment questionnaire. These questionnaires encourage partners to assess their perspectives of one another and their relationship. They can also help identify a couple’s strengths, weaknesses and potential problem areas. The aim is to foster awareness and discussion and encourage couples to address concerns proactively. Your counselor can help you interpret your results together, encourage you and your partner to discuss areas of common unhappiness or disagreement, and set goals to help you overcome challenges. Your counselor might also have you and your partner use a tool called a Couples Resource Map — a picture and scale of your perceived support from individual resources, relationship resources, and cultural and community resources. You and your partner will create separate maps at first. Following a discussion with your counselor about differences between the two maps, you’ll create one map as a couple. The purpose is to help you and your partner remember to use these resources to help manage your problems. In addition, your counselor might ask you and your partner questions to find out your unique visions for your marriage and clarify what you can do to make small, positive changes in your relationship. Keep in mind that you bring your own values, opinions and personal history into a relationship, and they might not always match your partner’s. In addition, many people go into marriage believing it will fulfill their social, financial, sexual and emotional needs — and that’s not always the case. By discussing differences and expectations before marriage, you and your partner can better understand and support each other during marriage. Early intervention is important because the risk of divorce is highest early in marriage. In Pre marital counseling, as couples you become aware of so many issues that you never thought existed earlier between you two. Premarital counseling is a way to pull the darkness out from its hiding places so that you can turn it over in the light and see it for what it actually is. Remember, preparing for marriage involves more than choosing a wedding dress and throwing a party. Take the time to build a solid foundation for your relationship.

How Does Medea’s Personality Shift During the Play ? Essay

In the play Medea, the mythical Greek hero , Jason abandons his wife Medea and prepares to marry Princess Glauce of Corinth to secure a throne and the power and wealth of the kingdom. These events trigger various transformations in Medea’s character and emotional state; from suicidal despair at the beginning of the play, to apprehension and indecision when first faced with killing her children and finally to remorseless fury which leads her to undertake unnatural means to achieve her revenge. The play immediately introduces us to Medea’s total despair after being abandoned by Jason, giving the audience new insight into how Medea’s intense emotional pain turns her against those who inflict it (Jason) and all of his emotional attachments (Glauce and his children.) Early in the play, Medea demands â€Å"What use is life to me?† (line 96), showing her sadness and helplessness in the wake of her abandonment by Jason. With this line Euripedes implores the audience to sympathize with Medea who appears to be victimized by Jason’s callous behavior. Medea’s conflicting impulses about killing her children are revealed in her monologue in lines 1018-1080. In line 1057 she exposes her desire to spare her children saying â€Å"Let them alone, you miserable woman, spare your children†. However despite her initial apprehension to the task, the monologue concludes with her definitive resolution to murder her children, â€Å"I understand what evil I am about to do but my wrath is stronger even than my thoughts†(lines 1078-1079). For the rest of the play, she will no longer question her decision. While it can be argued that her children’s deaths are fated from the beginning, this speech can be seen as definitive turning point in her thinking as a character, as she has become firm and resolute in her decision. Finally, her cruel and vindictive natures prevails and she declares to the audience her desire that â€Å"They [her children] must die and since they must I who brought them into the world, will kill them†. This declaration shows her certainty that her illogical behaviour is both deserved and just under the circumstances. Medea’s vindictive nature causes her to wreak havoc on the Corinthian royal family as well as on her own family, especially her two innocent sons. Her complete conviction in her own actions and lack of remorse is shown when she declares to Jason, â€Å"I have wrenched your heart as I had to do.†

The Liberal Tradition in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Liberal Tradition in America - Essay Example The Liberal Tradition in America (p. 20). America did not have a "genuine revolutionary tradition" and a "tradition of reaction† and had only â€Å"a kind of self-completing mechanism, which insures the universality of the liberal idea†. In order for American to hold this broad liberal tradition, Hartz said that, we must look for comparisons between America and Europe so that we can see the absence of conservatism and socialism and the presence of "moral unanimity" forced by "this fixed, dogmatic liberalism of a liberal way of life." Louis Hartz. The Liberal Tradition in America (pp. 5-6). In addition, presence of red scares is shown by the â€Å"deep and unwritten tyrannical compulsion" of American liberalism "transforms eccentricity into sin†, according to Louis Hartz. The Liberal Tradition in America (pp. 9-12). In conclusion, "the master assumption of American political thought" is "the reality of atomistic social freedom. It is instinctive in the American min d." Hartz the Liberal Tradition in America (p. 62).He also said that Americans’ had mutual commitment to "Lockian" liberalism. These enable them to keep away from upheavals at a price of enforcing agreement. Louis used â€Å"Locke† to mean self-interested, behaviors of liberal capitalism and profit-maximizing values. This opposed the revolutionary democratic dedication of Marxian socialist and Jacobins. Moreover, it was against the traditional morals of church elites and aristocrats of the ancient regime in Europe. Regrettably, Hartz never stop to explain what he knew about feudalism or liberalism or what he meant by Locke, therefore, the meaning of his words remain unclear, and his claims are uncertain. However, he focused on issues that played a vital role in religion, democracy, race, gender, and ethnicity in American history. (Hartz 1948) A social theory that talks about a particular economic system or political system as a fair system is a consensus theory. It con tracts with conflict theory, which says that any social change is achieved through conflict. Hartz is as a consensus theorist, for a simple reason: First, Hartz came up with the most daring and a theory complete argument for a consensus in any political tradition. In his book The Liberal Tradition in America, first, Harzt compares Europe and United States to justify much of harmony portrait of America. He is preoccupied with socialism through his work. He said that the French and American had very different revolutions .in France, there was a hugely complex social system, divided by internal separations caused by growing middle class challenging the lost of agrarian , feudal system. Kings were using bureaucrats to control the authority of nobles; therefore, monarchs became unfriendly to "the very system of society of which they were the traditional apex†, according to Harzt book The Liberal Tradition in America. In addition, in England like in France, there were independent ar tisans who were undermined by the spread of merchant capitalism. This lessened nobility in England because British aristocracy had the ability to take the wealthy bourgeoisie. However, America lacked a feudal heritage, as in the case of France and Britain. There was no aristocracy between the merchants, and nobody objected creation of permanent laborers. As a result, the American scene did not have the hostility marked by French and English. Relationship between consensus theory and â€Å"

The United States Stand on Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

The United States Stand on Terrorism - Essay Example In the 1960s to ’70s, domestic terrorism became rampant involving hijacking of planes not sparing flights from the United States to Cuba. Terrorism continued globally and reached the United States. Terroristic activities were reported in some parts of the country however treated domestically. In 2001, Al Qaeda attacked the United States territory for the first time not only destroying the famous world trade center but had caused overwhelming effects on the people. With this provocation and problems of terrorism, the United States launched an all-out war against terrorism and they should rule the world against terrorism having the following reasons; the United States is the strongest country, it has a good relationship with other countries, and it has done so much to help other countries. The United States is the strongest country. Although the country is affected by the global crisis, the United States remains to be the world’s largest national economy with a GDP of nea rly 14.7 million ( Wikipedia,1). Having a strong economy had widened their influence to other countries. Along with this line, if the United States wants to solicit cooperation from other countries to fight terrorism, more countries would positively participate to support such action. Terrorism cannot be effectively managed by one country alone. Thus, the collaboration of many countries is needed. Having a strong economy also means having a strong military. The United States has been observed to have such a strong military because of efficient and enough training provided them. If the military has a stronghold, they can be able to defend the country for possible violent attacks as they are prepared. Combating terrorism entails preparedness plan to be effective (DO, 1). The United States has a good relationship with other countries be it in the Pacific, the Americas, East Asia, the Caribbean or in Europe.

Exemplary of the kinds of arguments made by realist, liberal and Essay

Exemplary of the kinds of arguments made by realist, liberal and critical theorists of International Politics - Essay Example The liberal theorists believe that there should be equality for all, while critical theorists critically analyze the mechanisms determining international politics. The liberal theorists believe that the facilities and entertainment offered in the Olympic Games should be available and accessible to all the sections of the interested community. They believe that the fact that the organizing committee has reserved some features exclusively for the athletes and sponsors’ representatives only is unjust and should be available to local community as well. (Boykoff & Tomlinson, 2012) The liberals have argued the fact that since the inception of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the 1890’s (known as some other association at that time) was formed as a body consisting of elites only which included lords and princes, and these were the people who would vote and decide the fate of the Olympics. This process then started to include more stakeholders in this decision makin g body but still only a select few that is the big businessmen who would control the commercial aspect of the games. Even today, the voting process is not completely impartial and the votes have been allegedly to be biased with the help of bribery and other benefits to nations who involve in such corruption. Other than this, the security measures taken to protect the Olympic Games involves huge costs which will have huge economic costs as well as psychological ones. The army soldiers deployed in London in areas near the Olympic venue even exceeds the number of British soldiers deployed in Afghanistan. This highlights the fact that the locals have not been treated as equals because the majority of these soldiers are deployed for the security of athletes and organizers’ representatives and not the locals. The realist theorists can present an argument to this according to their beliefs. The realists argue that the security of the nation and in this case, the security of London i s much more important for the good of the nation than sending out more troops to Afghanistan. Sending more troops to Afghanistan will benefit the world overall by fighting the terrorists and keeping them at their home rather than letting them enter into their countries for terrorist attacks. On the other hand, the soldiers deployed in London for the security of the Olympic games is much more important to the nation as it has higher stakes attached to the credibility of England and London to host such a major and prestigious event. Since the reputation, injection of finances and tourists, and credibility of the nation and British government was attached to these games, it is only fitting that the security measures are taken for the good of the country itself. Since the realist theory believes that self-interest has to be the first priority, in this case the security of the nation is more important as self-interest has to take priority. (Dowling, 2012) The realists also argue that in case of an aerial strike with the help of a ground-to-air missile, there may be some damage caused to the residents living in the locality where the incident occurs. However, the damage caused by this will be collateral damage and one that cannot be avoided or rather should not be given the fact that this collateral damage will be much less compared

Personal Development Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Personal Development Plan - Essay Example Humans made huge advance due to the doctrine of Empiricism (Power Point Lesson 2011) Enlightenment, a notion of break through in knowledge, emerged in the sixteenth and seventieth centuries in Europe. Thinking has four idols which Francis Bacon (1561-1626) warned of removing from human mind; Idols of the Tribe, Cave, Market Place and the Theatre. Tribe limits human thinking, Cave sets narrow perspective, Market Place determines regions for trading and Theatre that stages act is prepared by human thought systems (Power Point Lesson 2011) The core component of knowledge is fact. Research is made on the basis of facts. All facts contain data and all data is created by human action. Each individual determines as to how the data created by someone is to be used. Appendix 1 shows the complex process of interpreting data as facts. The problem of concepts arises with the truth and relativism in data which is dealt in philosophy by a special branch called Epistemology; the theory of knowledge (Power Point Lesson 2011) Most human beings wish to understand their world and many build theories to sense it. Various aspects of world require enormous efforts for comprehension. Mostly people abandon their efforts at sometime and point where they feel satisfied with what they have achieved. The issues in Epistemology as described in Appendix 2 deals with the nature of the knowledge which is an inquiry into a certain concept or idea (Epistemology 2011) The main objective of the study program is to enhance my knowledge while working. The continuous education is supported by my job and my work is supported by the education I get at the University. It helps understand and implement best practices at my work Skill is a set of abilities in an individual consisting of thinking, acting and performing. Skills are achieved through inheritance, training, observation, practice and experience. Skills such as reading, writing and speaking

Teacher leadership mentoring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teacher leadership mentoring - Essay Example First and foremost, the best plan for Ms. Thomas is to show that she has authority and control of all the activities carried out in class. She must ensure that all activities conform to the expected conduct of students in the class and supervise all work done even though in groups. It has been observed that some students are often found wandering during learning period which should not be the case. Managing effectively in class has several advantages as this would reduce the burden that seems to be negatively affecting her performance. With regards to student engagement, the best plan is to focus on the role of the student and make it the center of the educational process while she as the teacher would act as a regulator or facilitator that guides the learners throughout the lesson. This can be done through encouraging pupils to participate in class through responding to questions raised or to place the students in groups where they are given tasks to do then asked to give feedback to others. It has been noted that there is less student activity where the teacher is talking throughout the whole lesson with little input from the learners who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the knowledge they acquire from the teacher. When students work together to accomplish shared learning goals, there would be highly chances that they would master what they discuss in class which is a very good plan for Ms. Thomas to be able to entice the students to participate in class. It is very important for the students to work toge ther in order to share and exchange the ideas with others since they will feel that knowledge can be generated through feedback and communication with others which makes them become more realistic than teaching through the book and focus on homework only. Group work is recommendable since it inculcates a sense of interdependence where the students would discover that the

Math Modeling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Math Modeling - Essay Example Thus both the subjects are pure creations of the human intellect and exist only in our creative plane of abstraction. In its outset, it seems surprising that there must be a mathematical basis for music, but centuries of mathematical thought form the theoretical foundation upon the modern musicology has been built. All fields of modern mathematics have found applications in musicology – from the simple tuning of instruments and the description of notes to numerical algorithms for tonal temperament. The very description of notes begins with mathematics. All the notes that we are familiar of - A, B, C major, C minor- and so on are ratios of each other. Music is nothing but the harmony of sound waves reaching our ears. Each wave is characterized by its amplitude (which determines its sound or pitch), frequency, shape of its wave envelope, beat and so on. The ‘A’ note for example has a standard frequency of 440 Hz. All corresponding notes until the next octave of 880 Hz are in a fixed ratio to each other (this ratio is the subject of our further discussion). It has been found from our experience that these notes are melodious and when played in the correct combinations create the sensation of music. This description might create a rather mechanistic view of melody but the selection of the right notes is not easy and can come only with deep knowledge, practice and a more than an average talent. String instruments use this manipulation of notes (or equivalently frequencies) to the fullest. A flute produces unadulterated notes. A string on the other hand also produces what are known as ‘harmonics’ of the original notes. A 440 Hz note has its ‘first Harmonic’ at twice the frequency and half its amplitude, the second harmonic at thrice its frequency and a third of its amplitude and so on. This iteration can continue as long as the frequencies are too high to be discerned or the amplitude is too low to be heard. Thus the

Discussion-MODULE 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion-MODULE 5 - Essay Example The Chinese rivers fostered agricultural development and population growth while the Chinese coastline and the Grand Canal unified China by promoting communication and integration. The Chinese history entailed Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties that developed early ideologies. The Confucian ideology promoted the Xia dynasty. The Shang dynasty promoted the development of Bronze technology and written language as well as ancestral beliefs. The Zhou dynasty established a strong centralized government that manifested how heaven delegates authority to strong and wise rulers and condemns failed leaders. From the primary source readings, we derive the Confucian philosophy that valued universal order, respect of children for their parents, moral cultivation of men, social harmony, state service, and ethical and competent leadership. The Confucian philosophy asserts that a virtuous person should know their place in the society and offer their best. Daoism addressed violence, arbitrary laws, and strict social hierarchy by valuing a simple and individual life. Daoism asserts that a virtuous person should cultivate harmony with nature and with other individuals by living a simple life and fostering unity of purpose. Legalism values strict laws and harsh punishments to maintain centralized leadership. It also values the head of state as a divine leader who should derive respect and authority from a virtuous person. From the video "Engineering an Empire,† Qin Shih Huang Di came to power after defeating the last Warring State in 221 BC and declaring himself the first Sovereign Emperor of Qin. Qin Shih Huang Di brought stability and unity to China after the Warring States Period by introducing a new currency, standardizing the Chinese units of measurements, abolishing Confucianism and feudalism, and using military power to enhance state unity. Indeed, Qin Shih Huang Di manifested extensive power by relying on military power, abolishing feudal holdings, forcing

Diversity in the workplace Essay Example for Free

Diversity in the workplace Essay a.) Diversity in the workplace is recognized positively in many different ways, and can make up a strong workforce of all aspects inside different organizations. These include a variety of age, gender, their background, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and personality or even the style of how somebody works. All these factors create a diverse work force. By embracing these factors into the daily running of an organization it can be beneficial for both employer and employee, working pleasantly where everybody feels valued and respected. New talents are discovered and people are treated as individuals and are not stereotyped due to popular beliefs. see more:explain the principle of informed choice Employers must abide by, practice and integrate all aspects of the Equality Act 2010 as a legal requirement. Employees of the organization can help to create and carry out these policies and have the responsibility of ensuring a positive outcome in workforce tasks. Having a wider area of skills and talents to choose from will help generate new ideas helping the organization to run smoothly and exceed success on new levels. The workplace becomes host to diversity’s benefits recognizing the different terms of knowledge and differences in all work related areas. In feeling valued and respected as an individual this reflects on that persons work persona in a positive way, sympathizing with customers and working better in general to achieve the organizations crucial targets and goals. The Equality Act 2010 was introduced on 1st October 2010 and is a key piece of legislation. This Act provides the overall legal guidelines that protect the individual’s rights in the workplace and provides the correct legislation that promotes opportunity amongst all diverse platforms. The key acts that comprise the act as a whole are: * Equal Pay Act 1970 * Sex Discrimination Act 1975 * Race Relations Act 1976 * Disability Discrimination Act 1995 * Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 * Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 * Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 * Equality Act 2006, Part 2 * Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 Within the workplace there are policies/procedures and legislation materials that employers and employees can have easy access to on a day to day basis by using the organizations in house systems such as intranet or company website which will have sections specifically targeted to that area of the business. These sources of information can be readily available at the click of a button. By having access to the human resources department this also can offer a wealth of information in regards to company policies, company legislations, handbooks and information with regards to the courses and training that can further background knowledge on this information and can then allow both parties to put what they have learnt into practice. b.) It is of the highest importance to make sure we are all working in a healthy and safe environment and it is the responsibility of all staff to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and of others. It is important to follow instructions and cooperate with the health and safety department on regulatory matters that will arise and to attend relevant health and safety training where necessary. We must also familiarize with the health safety at work manuals these can be found on the DRI intranet or the Human Resources department. We must report any injuries, strains or illnesses as a result of your job role or potential hazards and defects observed in the workplace to the health safety department, so they can be resolved before it can lead to potential escalation. In recognition of these problems it is important that you utilize the company facilities for example this could be in the form of using of VDU’s (visual display unit) which could potentially cause eye strain as a result of prolonged use. The company can reimburse the cost of spectacles and lenses. If in specific departments you require personal protective equipment (PPE) or adequate welfare facilities, these are used free of charge and it is important you notify health safety department, should you need to order more. This is a fundamental rule when working with abrasive products. It is also vitally important to us you that you have the correct amount of rest breaks during the working day. Security of all employees is crucial, so we must make sure to fob in and out of the building when arriving or leaving the building so as to safely access the building and have a record of when and what times you leave during the day. If you happen to leave the fob at home or lose it you must contact reception to be provided with a temporary or a replacement from payroll. If you are expecting a visitor you must request they sign in and out of the building at all costs this ensures we have a record of who has been in and out of the building should an incident occur. By working in a healthy and safe environment we can remain motivated and enthused in order to prevent incidents occurring. We can be confident in our workplace surroundings striving for a much better working atmosphere. The two types of decision making made at DRI (Diamond Resorts International) are those of operational decisions which are carried out on the everyday running of the business, and decisions derived from other departments (strategically) which factors in senior management staff to make long term decisions for the business and to pin point the direction the business is going to take with more beneficial effects. Operational decisions are made up of key stages that we strategically follow; firstly we identify the decision and analyze all factors. Grid Analysis is one stage in the process that helps you to decide between several options, where you need to take many different factors into account. An alternative way is also writing out the pros and cons of that area presenting it to you in balance. An example of using grid analysis; in the key stages of making decisions. By consulting a team leader and organizing a group meeting you will be able to obtain ideas and advice from all knowledgeable bodies and consult with senior staff before a decision is made. This can give you wider pool of avenues to consider whilst going through the key stages. If the decision to be made is predominantly made by two people from separate parties they must have the knowledge to negotiate with each other to implement the decision and be satisfied in all areas. The use of feedback is important in these key stages as it allows us to gain feedback from people who hold down different job roles and responsibilities; therefore are given a variation of information that may assist in the final decision. Most operational decisions are being made day to day by team leaders and departmental managers which factor in team member’s assistance and views. Departments that deal with more executive decisions will have a larger span of control; when a manager oversees the day to da y smooth running of his/her department of staff. When training on the job role we are trained to identify what decision would need to be referred through for approval. An example of this would be the procedure that Human resources department at Diamond Resorts follow which is known as a Recruitment Authorisation form (SRAF), this is used for the recruitment of any new member of staff. If the Resort Manager at Pine Lake wanted to recruit a new housekeeper she would fill this form in and send it to the HR department. Human Resources review this by checking we are paying the correct wage or the number of hours worked is reasonable. It is then sent to the Regional Director (Carmina Saiz) for approval. Once returned to us with approval we ask Vice President of European Resort Operations (Suzana Gomercic) for approval. Once approved HR then send the form, to Executive Vice-President Steve Bell, for final approval only when these processes happen can the recruitment process begin. At each of these levels the approver has the potential to decline the request or to make a change, for example, to suggest the hours worked should be 40 hours instead of 37 hours. This would implicate the span of control going through the different processes identifying who would approve each decision before a permanent decision is made. Task 2 a.) The Importance of planning prioritizing work at DRI – Notes for guidance To help support you and achieve to the highest standard here at Diamond Resorts International it is important you are able to plan and be organized in order to meet the set deadlines for the daily running of all the departments. It is important that you are able to use your time correctly to ensure that all deadlines are met and so that you can achieve the required goals and objectives’ in daily set tasks to help other people in their responsibilities to others. We have a number of facilities at DRI and it is important we use them in order to be timely and efficient, and allow all outcomes of the day be less stressful for you and your team members. * The online mailing system is a key part of the organization and is vitally important for the outside communications and communicating inside all departments around the building. Diary systems are very useful for booking/referring back to appointments and can be used to schedule any tasks or work you may need to prioritize before the end of the day. * You may have access to different calendars’ for meeting rooms around the building. By gaining this access it allows you to see who and what time a room is booked out for, enabling you to book in and around it for yourself or upon a request via another team member. This could include any visitors meeting with you or senior management. The calendar sends you reminder so you can make the necessary arrangements for their arrival. * To do lists can be simple and easy to do on paper or electronically. If for any reason IT department is having issues via the computer software and you become unable to access your computer and cannot use the software to input your data. You can do a simple to do list on paper this will be a temporary measure to remind you and help your day run more smoothly whilst the repairs are underway. Under some circumstances we take under consideration the reasons deadlines could be late, interrupted and may not potentially be met due to certain contributing fa ctors inside the office. * Communication is important throughout working hours, between team members, and is important to have the right level at all times to ensure work is communicated effectively around the office. Too much communication can cause distractions if certain topics are not work related and can be discussed out of office times. This can be avoided by talking about unrelated work topics out of office hours, on lunch breaks or short breaks throughout the day. * It is possible you may be interrupted frequently throughout the day. This could simply be to help another team member, due to technical difficulties or answering the telephone to a customer which could unfortunately take you off task. Make sure you log where you are in order to resume where you left off. The technical difficulties can have a knock on effect for everyone in your department and it is important to try and do as much paper based work as possible to get you up to speed and prepared for the deadline so you are ready to carry on once the issues have been resolved. * There may be times when there is lack of resources around the office if you feel this will have a significant effect on areas of your work then you need to notify a member of the senior management team so they can replenish stock or locate resources from an alternative means. If the department you are working in is short staffed, senior management may want to hire temporary staff to complete clerical/admin tasks. If there are unforeseen circumstances for example you are unable to get to work on time due to problems with public transport, family emergencies or problems etc. In this case some issues cannot always be helped; you must notify your department of issues and if possible explain what work may need to be completed in order to help contribute with the work that is being delayed. b.) After three months of working for Diamond Resorts International it is company procedure to have an appraisal after three months service. I first received a letter from my head of department a week before my appraisal was due. Stating where the meeting was to be held, what time and who it would be with. It was held on the 23rd of October at 3.00 pm with the Human Resources manager. Before I was to attend the meeting I did a small self assessment on paper to remind me what needed to be outlined during the discussion. Once we sat down to commence the meeting I was asked if I was enjoying the new job role also if there was any ongoing problems that needed to be resolved. I explained that I had been enjoying the job role very much and found the prospects for working for DRI very exciting. I was told during my appraisal that all my hard work had been satisfactory and what I had been achieving was more than up to standard. As the job role was new to the company I felt proud to say that I had built the reception area up by myself and enjoyed co-coordinating the maintenance of the building. Making the area more organized and flow with the filed systems I had created. Whilst in the meeting I thought that it would be a good idea to discuss what I had planned for the future, as although I like the job role I require something more challenging and something that can test and push my abilities to what I am more capable of. This meeting was vital for the communication between manager and employee as is important to see where can be improved and problems can be raised and dealt with properly to the discretion of the employee. c.) My career goals illustrated via the SMART technique Complete Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration course with all distinctions aiming for the highest mark possible and pass the functional skills math’s exam, after attending all after hours classes and get back up to speed with mathematic skills. Consider moving job roles/departments after completion of the six month probationary period. All technical certificates will be prepared, passed and achieved in order to start the NVQ level units. Keep practicing for the functional skills math’s test, continuing the drop in math’s sessions allowing learning and improvement on the subject. I will be looking at different job role summaries and familiarizing with them. All the technical certificates have been prepared for and have the correct resources and information to achieve each unit. Each certificate will have a specific time to achieve handouts and activities to complete in order to gather all the information required to achieve set target scores. By completing and concentrating on each unit at once I can put 100% into each unit, also enabling me the flexibility of fulfilling my own job role. There will be points in the day where I will have to break of and do my duties that are required of me as an employee of DRI. I will also be completing functional skills out of office hours. Each unit I have set myself minimum of 2 weeks to complete. This is ample time to have completed each individual unit and have the feedback comments sent over to me via email from my assessor. Each 2 weeks my assessor will come and visit and discuss my progress. Section B 1. a) The key points that are included in a contract of employment could be any of the following; the contract will have the name of your employer and the employee also the date the employment commenced. The number of working hours you will be required to work during the week. The contract will inform you of how much holiday entitlement you are allocated annually, also how they will calculate them yearly. The details of sick pay and statutory pay will be enclosed in a contract of employment also the pension details. The contract will describe the job title and the brief job description of the work, and the location of where work has to be carried out. b.) A contract of employment is an agreement between employer and employee which determines the relationship between both parties. A written contract can include one short handwritten page or a lengthy document containing detailed components. Each business should take the time to carefully prepare a contract of employment for each employee. All businesses have different needs and outlooks, the style and content of each contract of employment will be different. 2. There are a number of representative resources that can assist employees with information and support them where necessary; The Equal Opportunities commission (EOC) is a regulatory body that promotes statutory rights within the employment sector and monitors human rights; offers on hand legislation and legal frameworks to the members of the public informing them of their rights. ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is a regulatory body available online and is available for employees/employers that aim to improve organisations through better employment relationships. They also help by updating their website with the most current forms of legislation, and offering free independent advice. 3. a.) There are many factors that can lead to being under pressure in a workplace environment, where a professional manner can become difficult to maintain. If you are running by a tight deadline it could become increasingly difficult to reach, due to lack of resources or due to your organizations department being understaffed. The nature of your work could become strained as a result of more elements being added to a task than originally identified. There could be fundamental changes in your job role with new standards that need to be met in order to meet company deadlines pressuring the work environment further. b.) It is important in any departments of organizations that we declare our work progress; this is so we can keep up to date with targets and deadlines also so that team members can utilize the use of support they may need in the work processes, where necessary in order to complete tasks. It is also important to log our progress of work so we can anticipate any problems that we could encounter, and identify them before them before they happen. To identify our progress we are not impacting on others workloads in a negative way, we are working alongside them resulting in a positive outcome. 4. By continuously seeking to improve our performances at work we are able to assess and consider the possible options going forward in the work place, you are exceeding your own limitations/performance, learning new skills and producing quality work that meets the high standards of your organization. By achieving targets and goals are of a higher standard because you are putting more effort into your work. This not only gives the employer a good impression but can give you more chance of increasing your income or getting a promotion, it also gives you the motivation needed to proceed with your work. The efficiency and effectiveness in producing work can give you a sense of satisfaction, as well as receiving positive feedback from the people around you. By using certain analytical procedures we can assess our progress and see where would be the need for improvement. By using SWOT analysis or SMART techniques we can identify our skills, threats, our strengths which can be used to our advantages helping us to focus on our career pathways. Feedback (whether formal or informal) is a key way of enabling us to improve our own performances in the workplace whether it be positive or negative feedback we can take pointers away and work on them to improve work place performances inside of office hours. 5. There could potentially be problems in the workplace which cannot be solved without the interjection of another member of staff. This could be caused by lack of resources for example being short staffed, which is the responsibility of senior management who overlook the Rota’s to make sure there is significant cover ensuring the team can operate as a whole. If the department you are working in has frequent interaction with customers; there may be customer complaints that are not being dealt with correctly. Customers may wish to speak to senior members of staff who can investigate further taking the customer down a different route to solve their query, which only they will have the authorization to do. You may need to refer a problem if the solution involves reimbursement of company funds, or the problem may have a serious impact on an overall company targets. If there is a serious risk to a person’s life or the problem is in breach of a Health and Safety procedure, you must ensure that the information is passed on and dealt with by a member of the correct department as they will be familiar with all the policies and be able to devise a solution.