Nco Respect Essay - 1566 Words

There are many reasons why lower enlisted soldiers should respect non-commissioned officers in the military. It is important to respect an non-commissioned officer in order to keep the balance in the work place. Even if respect is not deserved or given back to you, the military still expects you to give them respect because they are appointed above you. Not showing them respect will result in getting yourself in trouble that will make yourself look bad to your other superiors. Punishments will be given out to whoever disrespects or does not listen to a non-commissioned officer. These consequences must be obeyed. Further punishments will be given out to you if these are not followed to every specific detail. Some people say that you†¦show more content†¦Because of this inherent hierarchal quality, respect must be established between the ranks to ensure that tactical operations continue to fit within a strategic plan. Additionally, in order to successfully mobilize a m ilitary, some sort of structure must be enforced to ensure critical elements such as communication, discipline, and accountability are properly maintained. If hierarchal respect, particularly in the sense of customs and courtesies is not maintained, the effectiveness and efficiency of a military is inhibited. In combat situations, if this respect is not well established, it can put the lives of soldiers in danger. Furthermore, in most cases NCOs have more combat experience or, at least, more experience in their MOS. In this sense they are better equipped to lead lower enlisted soldiers into combat situations, to protect their soldiers, and to ensure the completion of the mission. This is why they have earned the position of a non-commissioned officer in the first place and should therefore be respected. I can understand the logic behind this point of view. In that aspect I believe that if someone is an NCO they should work and live by the NCO creed. The NCO is a soldier that is a well-rounded professional that has the experience and qualifications to lead other soldiers. They must learn the NCO Creed. The NCO creedShow MoreRelatedRespect for Ncos886 Words   |  4 PagesRespect and what it means By: -PFC- C, Mullins Respect it is something everyone wants, not many have, and few will give. Some people would appreciate having a little bit of respect from others, and some should make efforts to show some more respect. Unfortunately, this does not happen all the time. Maybe this is because respect is not clearly understood. What is respect? The dictionary defines it as an act of giving particular attention or high or special regard. Another definition shows respectRead MoreRespect for NCOs in the Army1063 Words   |  5 Pagesorganization, religion, civilization, culture or military, respect is almost as old, if not as old, as the human race itself. Respect started with prehistoric bands of people, looking for experience and leadership, and remains today as we know it within societies and militaries around the world. Indeed, nothing with an organizational hierarchy, including civilization itself, could exist as we know it today without the ongoing application of respect, in its many forms. This fact is most obvious, andRead MoreRespect in the Military5071 Words   |  21 PagesRespect Respect, especially in the Army is a very important value to live by. It is much more than just talking kindly and listening to someone. It is the process of taking into consideration someone’s emotions, feelings and needs. You must also focus on their ideas, thoughts, and preferences. It is showing someone that you value their time; that you care what they have to say. Showing someone respect allows that person to know and acknowledge that you are tracking them and that you comprehendRead MoreCorrective Action for Disrespecting Higher Ranking Military Personal1268 Words   |  5 PagesThis essay is on tact, professionalism, respect and disrespect, as part of my corrective action for disrespecting higher ranking military personal. I will start this essay off with defining each of the subjects so that the reader may have a full understanding on what each mean. Tact is the first subject on which I am suppose to include in this essay, tact is defined as a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations. The secondRead MoreThe Army Values Essay3283 Words   |  14 Pagessacrifice becomes nothing more than masochism at worst, a pity party at best. As soldiers, we are obligated to act on the loyalty we have for our U.S. constitution, the Army, our fellow soldiers, the nation and its heritage. This is our duty. Respect â€Å"Rely upon the golden rule.How we consider others reflects upon each of us, both personally and as a professional organization. Treat people as they should be treated.† According to The Free Dictionary: re ·spect tr.v. re ·spect ·ed, re ·spect ·ingRead MoreThe Importance of Not Lying Essay2119 Words   |  9 Pagessacrifice becomes nothing more than masochism at worst, a pity party at best. As soldiers, we are obligated to act on the loyalty we have for our U.S. constitution, the Army, our fellow soldiers, the nation and its heritage. This is our duty. Respect â€Å"Rely upon the golden rule.How we consider others reflects upon each of us, both personally and as a professional organization. Treat people as they should be treated.† According to The Free Dictionary: re ·spect tr.v. re ·spect ·ed, re ·spect ·ingRead MoreEssay about Disrepect1600 Words   |  7 Pagesshould be expected. More reference links: www.armynco.com 317 words Responsibility is being accountable for what you do or fail to do. NCOs are responsible to fulfill not only their individual duties, but also to ensuretheir teams and units are successful. Any duty, because of the position you hold in the unit, includes a responsibility to execute that duty. As an NCO, you are accountable for your personal conduct and that of your soldiers. Also, each soldier is individually responsible for his ownRead MoreNco of Marines810 Words   |  4 PagesWhat does ot mean to me what a marine NCO is First off i would like to state a well known quote known by all Marines, Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) are the backbone of the United States Marine Corps. Without the NCOs the Marine Corps could not function. This quote alone holds a great deal of history as well as gives a brief discription of what a Marine NCO truely is. NCOs execute all orders and lead their fellow Marines. An NCO will go out of his or her way in order to aid, or takeRead MoreEvaluation Of A Officer And Ranger Creed1547 Words   |  7 Pagesdevelopment of our NCO Corps, I take this opportunity to communicate with you. This memorandum will be given to each newly assigned NCO upon arrival in the command, as well as those individuals who are newly promoted into our Corps. 2. I think it is only fair to you as an NCO that I as your Platoon Sergeant, state the standards the Platoon Leader and I expect of you. Before I state these standards, I want you to fully understand how I see MOS and length of service. I do not expect a junior NCO to be asRead MoreMilitary Respect and Disrespect1438 Words   |  6 Pagesmilitary respect, and disrespect are and the history behind these acts are. I will first give the definitions of military discipline; which is a state of order and obedience existing within a command. ay look at you, Discipline helps to complete certain jobs/instructions efficiently and correctly. in the military it is used to train people so that they are good at their job/career as they have improved due to discipline. Disrespect to a Non-Commissioned Officer; which is where if told by an NCO to do

Socrates Political Martyr Analysis - 1909 Words

lato 1. Is Socrates a political Martyr? Socrates’ teachings of philosophy are to reveal thinking in its true purity. His principles and teachings are very important to him as a person. It is arguable that at the end of the Apology, Socrates contrasts the meaning of a political martyr. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a martyr is, â€Å"A person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle.† Socrates has no fear of death in its entirety because he believes that death is the deepest sleep or migration. Therefore, he sees the afterlife as a placeholder for the world and things that reality can no longer produce. The deep sleep is one of those nights to which the person has no dream or†¦show more content†¦This reinforces the idea that giving up his life is not sacrifice to him. Socrates values the truth, yet he knows that he does not have the truth. Socrates believes that dying is not a consequence for himself, but rather for the people of Athens. They can choose to listen to him now, or wait for someone else to come along again to challenge them. Therefore, Socrates can die, and would rather die because at least he has the chance to continue speaking after his death. To conclude, although Socrates’ death may have been voluntarily, it is not noble. Plato 4. Discuss how Socrates appeals for his own defense in his Apology. Specifically, his ideals. In the Apology, Socrates is standing before the judges for his trial of corruption of the youth and questioning the gods. Socrates is supposed to employ a defensive speech to persuade the judges of his innocence. However, he appeals for his own defense by protecting his public image. His rhetoric and speech to the men of Athens does not go for their emotions or to aid his situation. Instead, he tells the jury a story about how the Delphic Oracle told him he was the wisest man. Socrates believes that people may have a false connotation of the Delphic Oracle, and claims that by acknowledging his ignorance, he knows that he does not know. This has stark contrast to those who Socrates challenges after speaking to the Delphic Oracle because these people are ignorant to theirShow MoreRelatedSocrates Vs Machiavelli Essay875 Words   |  4 PagesSocrates, in his early works, maintained a steadfast distance from involvement in politics, making a comparison or evaluation of a political system in his persona technically impossible. To claim that Socrates would or would not be supportive of any political system might then seem irresponsible, a presumptuous analysis not fitting for an academic recognizing the false equivalence between Socrates’Read MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1681 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates, in his early works, maintained a steadfast distance from involvement in politics, making a comparison or evaluation of a political system in his persona technically impossible. To claim that Socrates would or would not be supportive of any political system might then seem irresponsible, a presumptuous analysis not fitting for an academic recognizing the false equivalence between Socrates’ philosophy and Machiavelli’s political ethics. The strategy to conduct any sort of liable and validRead MoreHegels Deep Reverence For Socrates1766 Words   |  8 Pages Hegel’s deep reverence for Socrates is reflected in his comparison of Socrates with Jesus. While there are many similarities between them—both men attracted disciples, taught orally, were persecuted for undermining traditional authority, were martyrs and dichotomized world history—Hegel’s comparison primarily meant to convey his belief that Socrates’ importance cannot be overstated (Most). For Hegel, Socrates not only introduced the world to philosophy, but also brought about the advent of a typeRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. Essay1553 Words   |  7 Page sfoundation for his own ideas and views, thus giving his need for change a more rational basis. Later, King uses a well-known philosopher in his argument. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depthsRead MoreSocrates Summary2196 Words   |  9 PagesAccusations made against Socrates:†¨corrupting of youth, allowing them to question authority not respecting traditional gods introducing new gods He was ugly so people thought he was evil Socrates Life: 469BC- 399BC Born: 469 B.C. Birthplace: Athens, Greece Died: 399 B.C. (execution by poison) Best Known As: The great Greek philosopher who drank hemlock Socrates is the ancient Greek thinker who laid the early foundations for Western philosophical thought. His Socratic Method involvedRead MorePolitical Philosophy and Plato Essay9254 Words   |  38 Pages SOCRATES Socrates 469 BC–399 BC, was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Many would claim that Platos dialogues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. Through his portrayalRead MoreThe Philosophy of Happiness11705 Words   |  47 Pagesruled out briskly at the start of the inquiry. Money is only as good as what it can buy. It is how someone spends his money that shows us where he really thinks happiness lies: does he spend it on luxury, for instance, or does he use it to gain political power, or give it to those less well off? What was Aristotle’s own choice between the three types of life on his short list? There is no single answer to this question: Aristotle wrote more than one treatise on happiness, and he gave different accountsRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesLine 58 Understanding and Appreciating Individual Differences Important Areas of Self-Awareness 61 Emotional Intelligence 62 Values 65 Ethical Decision Making and Values 72 Cognitive Style 74 Attitudes Toward Change 76 Core Self-Evaluation 79 SKILL ANALYSIS 84 Cases Involving Self-Awareness 84 Communist Prison Camp 84 Computeri zed Exam 85 Decision Dilemmas 86 SKILL PRACTICE 89 Exercises for Improving Self-Awareness Through Self-Disclosure 89 Through the Looking Glass 89 Diagnosing Managerial Characteristics

Pursuing My Dream and Career free essay sample

The question â€Å"want to come help me practice?† is so imbedded in my head that I couldn’t forget it even if I wanted to. My step brother Bobby, used to ask me this question every day after school. Every day I would have the same answer, â€Å"YES!† I said with so much excitement and enthusiasm. My step brother and I would walk out into barn where the big blue and white, shiny, noisy welder was. I stepped into the barn, I could already smell the burning metal. Bobby is a pipe line welder and he loves it. He would always come home with a different story about where he had been and a pocket busting out of the seams with money. I did not want to be a welder for the longest time. I always thought it would be boring and not much fun being away from home so much. We will write a custom essay sample on Pursuing My Dream and Career or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Bobby slowly coned his way into talking me into it with all his exciting stories and most of all, his money. I knew this would be a tough career to pursue with all of the traveling and working in the baking hot sun all day. So, I thought I should mentally prepare myself for the long road ahead. Since Bobby started letting me weld with him I tried to have the most positive and great work ethic I could. When it would be so hot outside that you can’t step out the door without breaking a sweat. We would still have positive attitudes towards the crowded, muggy, humid outrageously hot barn. Bobby would sometimes invite some of his welding buddies over to practice with us. They would always give me the motivation to keep going; even though it looked like had just gotten out of the shower because of all the nasty, smelly sweat. One day I overheard someone talking about how terrible being a pipeline welder was. He came up with some pretty good reasons not to be on, like not getting to see your family or waking up at the crack of dawn. Slowly, I walked up to the big scruffy, burley, dirty man still speaking words of disappointment; I asked the man exactly what he thought about welding. He told me in a big deep voice â€Å"welding has its ups and downs just like any other job†. So, I went home and thought about that statement very hard. My mind went back and forth through the details about whether or not I should keep following my goals or just give up. I definitely did not want to give up. I swept the negative comments out of my brain and just kept going on with what I like to do. To this day I have looked into some different interests I have in other careers, but not much has changed. I still have the same mind set towards welding. I do not quit many things and welding will for sure not be one of the m.I plan on hanging onto this career for many years to come. I am ready to overcome whatever obstacles get in my way.

Successful Factors of Malmaison Hotel Chain free essay sample

I had worked in Malmaison hotel chain for 2 years in various departments taking up different roles, and over the two years, Malmaison hotel chain as an organization has demonstrated potential future market leader quality and showed excellent growth rate, good profitability and increased market share. However, the hospitality industry as a whole, over the past a few years has been far from as optimistic as the Malmaison hotel chain has been. In the West Midlands, for example, it has been common for bars, restaurants, hotels to changed ownership, merged, be acquired, or go bankrupt. Indeed, bars and restaurants are three times more likely to go bankrupt than other businesses in the UK, according to Accountants UHY Hacker Young (2007), Their report revealed that 15. 5% of businesses in the UK hospitality and catering sector (restaurants, pubs, and hotels) fail every year in comparison with just 5. 2 % for the economy as a whole. UHY Hacker Young (2007) had investigated over 150,000 businesses that had failed in the past one year, and found out lots of anecdotal warnings about the high failure rate of restaurants in the first year to be true. We will write a custom essay sample on Successful Factors of Malmaison Hotel Chain or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the hospitality industry the owners and managers were struggling with raising second round financing; market research and financial planning were not completed in a proper fashion; loyal customer base that protects against fast changing consumer tastes in bars and restaurants was not developed entirely, all of these have contributed to the high failure rate in the UK hospitality industry businesses. In such an economic and market environment, why Malmaison hotel chain has been a success becomes an interesting subject to study. Malmaison hotel chain was founded in 1994 along with its sister hotel chain Hotel du vin which is also owned by the same company MWB, there are 21 chain hotels that are under the same ownership and there are 3 more hotels which are just opened by the end the 2007 and a further 4 more Malmaison hotels are due to open by the end of 2008. The company is also in negotiation for another 7 sites. Malmaison hotel chain is recognised as the UKs leading lifestyle hotel group that is top of the brands in a recent survey. According to Caterer Hotelkeeper (2008), the survey of 2000 business and leisure travellers by BDRC, revealed that 53% of all travellers said they preferred to go to Malmaison as their first choice, 46% chose Hilton and 40% chose Marriott. Malmaison has over 1,500 bedrooms across the UK. The gross value of these hotel property assets in the Groups latest published accounts to 30th June 2007 was ? 553 million, not to mention the reputation which has gained the group a valuable brand image that worth millions. Over the years the group has won a number of awards, such as best hotel groups in the UK, also it won the best place to work for in the hospitality industry 5 years in a row. It is believed that a key reason for Malmaison hotel chain’s success lies in its efficient and developed human resource management system, productivity and performance measurement and monitoring system, market research team work, strategic management, adaptability to changes and its financial control. These will be investigated and discussed in detail later in the research. . 0 Aim The aim of this research project is to explore what has Malmaison hotel chain done to accomplish such a success while operating in the current UK economic and market environment. 3. 0Project Objectives ? To review the current teaching and practice regarding human resource management, marketing management, financial management, and operational management in relation to the hospitality industry. ?To analyze the management fashion and operation processes of Malmaison and their impact on the performance and productivity of Malmaison. To make recommendations to the management team of Malmaison Hotel Chain to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and the performance of the organization. 4. 0 Literature Review 4. 1 Introduction There are obviously a large number of factors, ultimately all contributing to the success of Malmaison, however, in this research, a limited range of key issues will be addressed which are believed to be the most significant contributing factors behind for Malmaison’s success. The literature review research was supported by electronic resources and library research. There has not been much work been done on the reasons for the success or failure of the UK hospitality industry, and there is even far less attention being paid to hotels. Both strategic marketing management and human resource management are broad concepts, it is therefore, necessary to focus upon a few critical issues within these subjects that have particularly been focused upon in the operation and management of the Malmaison group. 4. 2 Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is a critical factor that contributes to better performance, Professor Stephen Robbins’ study shows that happy workers are more likely to be productive workers. As a result, the correlation between job satisfaction and job performance is also rather strong (Robbins, 2007). However, George and Jones (2008, p93) pointed out: â€Å"job satisfaction is not meaningfully associated with job performance†. A study that was conducted by Iaffaldano and Muchinsky (1985) in the 1980s in this area concluded that job satisfaction only accounted for 2 percent of the difference in performance levels across employees. Another more recent review indicated a very similar result that job satisfaction only accounted for 3 percent of the difference in performance level across employees. (Judge, Thoresen, et al. , 2001) George and Jones (2008) also mentioned that work attitudes such as job satisfaction affect work behaviours only when employees are free to vary their behaviours. The study suggested that most of the employees are not free to vary their behaviours at work because organizations spend a considerable amount of time and effort to ensure that members perform their assigned duties dependably regardless of whether they like their jobs or not. However, it is worth mentioning that the hospitality industry might be an exception to this rule simply because the work attitudes of the employees account for a very heavy portion of the level of the service in delivering satisfaction to customers’ needs. It will, therefore be worth carrying out further research to study the correlation between job satisfaction and job performance in this particular industry. 4. 3 Motivation, Job Design and Goal Setting Wagner Hollenbeck (2005) suggested that: â€Å"one way for an organization to gain a competitive advantage over its rivals is to generate a more motivated workforce†, â€Å"a person who is highly motivated will start work sooner and leave work later relative to someone is unmotivated. While engaged at work, a highly motivated person will work faster, take fewer breaks, and be less easily distracted relative to someone who is unmotivated†. Job design and goal setting are two of the major factors contributing towards creating motivation, George and Jones’s (2008) study suggested that: â€Å"Job design can have a profound effect on employee motivation. The specific goals employees strive for and the more general corporate objectives that an organization pursues over time are important sources of motivation for employees. † Wagner Hollenbeck (2005) pointed out that the methods of work design developed with the motivational perspective in mind include job enlargement and job enrichment. Callinan, Forshaw Peter’s (2007) studies showed that a job’s core characteristics, which are skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback are believed to be key influences on employee motivation. Goal setting is also considered to be â€Å"communicating accurate information on work performance† and these â€Å"can be positive motivators for employees. † George and Jones (2008) have similar opinions on this subject. They believe that â€Å"two major characteristics of goals that lead to high levels of motivation and performance, one is specificity, the other is difficulty†, â€Å"specific goals lead to higher performance than do vague goals or no goals†, and â€Å"difficult goals (not impossible) lead to higher motivation and performance than do easy or moderate goals. However, there are limits to goal setting theory, Thus, studies by George and Jones (2008) show that there are three particular circumstances under which setting specific, and difficult goals will not lead to high motivation and performance, they are goals which involve employees’ skills and abilities, tasks which require employees’ complete attention and a considerable amount of learning, and when creativity is needed to perform the task. In hospitality, these 3 circumstances do happen very often, this research will be carried out with heavy focus upon these circumstances and issues to review how Malmaison Hotel balance these pros and cons within their organization. 4. 4 Groups and Teams A large amount of work has been done regarding group dynamics and team effectiveness. However, there is one area that is most interesting and related to, not only Malmaison hotel chain, but to the whole hospitality industry, that is the correlation between cohesiveness and performance of groups or teams. George and Jones (2008) suggested there are five factors that influence a group’s level of cohesiveness: 1. Group size, as it gets bigger, members tend to be less satisfied, group between 3 and 15 people are believed to be the right size that promotes cohesiveness. 2. Similarity/diversity of group member, depending on the tasks and situations, similarity and diversity can be beneficial to group cohesiveness. 3. Competition between groups, generally competition will be facilitating group cohesiveness but occasionally it can be dysfunctional and impair effectiveness when there is too much competition within a group. 4. Success, members will be more attracted to a successful group and proud to be a member. 5. Exclusiveness, when it’s difficult to get in a group, and the group has a high status, group cohesiveness tends to be high. However, they also pointed out that occasionally, too much cohesiveness within a group can impair the organization’s effectiveness if the group’s goal is not aligned with the goal of the organization or other groups within that organization, for example waiting staff‘s goals of providing good service in order to get decent tips are aligned with the restaurant’s goal of satisfying customers, but not aligned with bar tending staff’ goals. 4. 5 Leadership Leadership plays an important role in a hotel organization success. Thus, Peter Jones and Steven Gross-Turner pointed out in Managing Projects in Hospitality Organizations, hotels are in a turbulent environment, and â€Å"managers are in fact in the best place to identify what changes need to be made since they are the people who have direct contacts with employees and customers† (Jones et al, 1991). 4. 6 Organizational Structure Centralizing and decentralizing organizational structures are two most used structures nowadays. A decentralized structure will decentralize authority to lower level managers and non-managerial employees, give them the responsibility to make important decisions, keep the problem of slow and distorted communication to a minimum and make the job more interesting and rewarding while, at the same time, fewer managers are needed. (Blau and Schoenher, 1971) However, too much decentralization provides employees with too much authority and they might pursue their own goals at the expense of the goal of the organization. A centralized structure generally has more levels within the organization and provides employees with more opportunities to gain promotion and progress. For the hospitality industry, where employees perform primarily physically, more opportunities clearly will be attractive for those who desire a less physically demanding position. 4. 7 Conclusion Kotler (2001) pointed out that â€Å"today’s successful organizations to a certain degree all have one thing in common, that is they are dedicated to sensing, serving and satisfying the needs of customers in well defined targeted markets†. In the hospitality industry, when service is their major product, this philosophy is obviously critically important. However, how Malmaison strategically positions itself to compete with its rivals is an even more crucial and difficult issue that the proposed research will focus on. 5. 0Methodology 5. 1 Introduction A number of approaches will be taken to collect the needed data and information in order to serve the purpose of this research project, increase the quality of the results and findings and enhance the credibility of the research project. Malmaison hotel chain has over 20 hotels throughout the UK, each individual hotel will be unique and differentiated in terms of their focus and priorities depending on their local customs and culture. However, what this research project will be concentrating on is what the common factors are for the Malmaison hotel chain as a whole that turns the organization into a success. Therefore the Birmingham Malmaison will be the subject of the investigation. Birmingham is a multi cultural city and operating in a multicultural organizational environment has been becoming a trend for organizations world wide. The researcher gained two years working experience in this hotel, and therefore it is especially worthwhile doing the research project in such an environment. (Cox, 2001) To complete this research project, three stages will be taken in order to process the project, they are desk based research, field based research and the preparation of a detailed case study. 5. 2 Desk Based Research At this stage of the investigation, a heavy focus will be upon the articles that address the hospitality industry, hotel management, hospitality strategy, as well as the paper work that states hotel policies, financial and management accounts, board of directors statements, stock control data, and general manager’s letters to all the staff. These secondary data contain enormous amounts of information that indicates the hotel’s management style and attitude and forms the fundamental policy to the customers and market. These data are absolutely the first key for this research and will provides valuable information and evidence on the reasons for the Malmaison hotel chain’s success. In addition to that, some of these data are available to the public and can be quickly and easily collected. Some of these data are not available to the public, but, as a former member of staff, I could still gain access to this information. With the information and evidence collected, the primary data collection work will be much more focused and relatively easier having the support and assistance of the secondary data collected. 5. Field Based Research A series of interviews (8-12 people) will be carried out to gain a first hand insight of the impacts which the management style of Malmaison hotel chain has on its employees, and how it affects the performance of the organization. The interviews will take place in various departments across the organization in order to gain a full understanding of the operation sy stem in the Malmaison hotel chain. Some of the board of directors, the general manager, department managers, sector supervisors, and staff that work at the front line and have direct contact with customers all will be interviewed. The total number of interviews will be between 8 to 12. This will give the evidence and information on how each department functions and what are the impacts of them on each other. One or two suppliers will also be interviewed to provide evidence on how the Malmaison hotel chain cuts deals with suppliers and how they interact with each other and how is it affects the organization financially and what impact it has on the marketing and sales strategy of the organization. However, caution must be taken while conducting these interviews. Thus, Saunders (2002) suggests that it is in the researchers’ own interest to seriously consider the reliability, forms of bias, validity and generalisability of the information obtained. Therefore, carefully prepared interview questionnaires will be used and questions which appear in the questionnaires will also be cautiously selected to gain as fair a view as possible. The framework suggested by Easterby-Smith (1991) may be adopted to make sure that the data generated from the interviews is thoroughly reviewed and evaluated. The stages in this process will include: 1. Familiarisation 2. Reflection 3. Conceptualisation 4. Cataloguing concepts 5. Recording 6. Linking 7. Re-evaluation 5. 4 Preparation of the Case Study A case study will be generated at the final stage of the research by putting together the data that is gathered from the previous stages. The case study will bring up recommendations to the management team of Malmaison hotel chain and also, there will be discussions of to what extent the findings can be generalized and to what degree the Malmaison hotel chain management structure, human resource management policies and operational systems can be copied and utilized by other organizations within, or even outside the hospitality industry. . 0 Ethical Issues While conducting the research and interviews, the financial information of Malmaison will be discussed in the interviews, its financial statement will also be used later in the dissertation to analyse and measure its performance, and such information will be kept confidential. The final report will be identified as ‘Commercial in c onfidence’ and will not be available to a wider audience than those directly involved in its assessment. 7. 0 Task List TaskProblemsSolutions Research literature on hospitality management, current hospitality industry trends analysis in the UK. Limited amount of literature in the area of topic. E- journals, business review magazines, textbooks, newspapers, internet. Review literature and identify relevant and reliable articles. Time consuming to select relevant articles. Time management. Contacting general managers in Malmaison hotel chain to gain access to information. Very difficult to get access to key information and financial report and management accounting report. Utilize my identity as former employee in the organization. Selecting different individuals to conduct interviews. Too many employees to choose fromSelect people who may represent the department and be able to give valuable information and opinion. Arranging interviews with selected staff. Difficult to fit in everyone’s schedule and it’s time consuming since the amount of time between each interview when the person is available is unpredictable. Be patient and positive. Conducting interviews. Response may not be relevant. Textbooks on how to carry out interviews. Transcribe interviews scripts. Time consuming while large amount of information gathered in interviews with limited amount of transcribe skills. Information might not be captured fully in interviews. Tape record the interviews. Textbooks on how to analyze qualitative and quantitative data. Compiling reports from the gained information. Possible to overlook if large amount of data collected. Textbooks on how to write business reports. Making recommendations in the report where appropriate. Subjectivity. Textbooks on presentation of research materials. Sending out thank you letters to participants.

How did the gold rushes change colonial Australia

How did the gold rushes change colonial Australia In the history of nations that throve on the territories of North America and Australia, the nineteenth century is marked by a series of gold rushes that forever changed the ways of development in economical as well as political and social spheres.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How did the gold rushes change colonial Australia? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although in Australia minor gold deposits had been discovered already in early nineteenth century, it was only in the 1850s that mass hysteria and search for gold started, acquiring the name of the Victorian gold rush, after the state most abundant in gold. The events connected with the Victorian gold rush transformed colonial Australia by dramatically increasing its population, restructuring the economic system, and promoting a new sense of identity among the nation. The first and the most obvious transformation Australia underwent as a result of the 1850s g old rush was the immense growth of the population quantity due to immigration rates. Rumors of Australian gold spread in the twinkling of an eye, and the white Australian population which had comprised only 77 thousand people before 1851, rapidly increased by over 370 thousand in only the first year of the rush and constituted 540 thousand people by 1854 (Gold Oz, n. d.). More settlers arrived to Australia in the several beginning years of the Victorian gold rush than there were prisoners brought to the continent from Britain. By the year 1871, Australian population had trebled from 430,000 in 1851 to 1.7 million in 1871 (Australian Government Culture Portal, 2007). Such dramatic increase in population quantity had its consequences both for the economic and political life of Australia. Large-scale immigration brought about the ever-growing need of Australian population for developing agriculture, manufacturing, and construction industries. On the other hand, those industries faced h ard times due to the fact that laborers fled to the areas where gold was discovered and thus left their work unattended. Agriculture was in fact one of the spheres most negatively affected by the events of the Victorian gold rush. For one thing, tillers inspired by perspectives of fast enrichment, left their farms behind, abandoning the land for the sake of gold mining. Other farmers switched their production from wheat to meat and tallow, which were more in demand in the domestic market (Attard, 2008). For another thing, sheep wool which had been Australia’s major export product in the first half of the nineteenth century, was replaced by gold, since the latter appeared a more attractive and valuable source of enrichment for the British Empire (Attard, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In reply to the incredible wealth shipped by Australia, the country profited fr om a large amount of imports and business investment to it (Gold Oz, n. d.). The two major states where the largest deposits of gold had been discovered, Victoria and New South Wales enjoyed an improved system of transportation with the building of the first railroad, and the rudimentary mining techniques were quickly optimized to more modern capital-intensive forms of gold-mining by large companies (Cultural Heritage Unit, 2010). Together with economic benefits, Australian gold rush brought about a number of serious developmental issues to the country. With the land overcrowded by hundreds of thousands of new migrants, it was vital to provide people with appropriate living conditions. For this purpose, large-scale building projects were launched that satisfied the need for housing for the generation of the gold-diggers and their children later on, in the 1880s. The impulse in technology given by the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s helped Australia survive the severe economic depre ssion of the late nineteenth century (Attard, 2008). Simultaneously with economic development, population expansion during the gold rush inspired major social and political changes in the nineteenth-century Australia. The people who arrived to the country were no more exclusively criminals. Rather, the colony was seen as a land of new opportunities, and therefore the practice of providing criminals with a free ticket to wealth was ceased. Not only the British, but also German, French, Italian, and even American people came to seek luck in the gold mines of Australia (Gold Oz, n. d.). This turned the country into a multinational ‘melting pot’ distinguished by diversity of men united by a common ambitious idea of coining their own happiness. Huge masses of people demanded new way of organization and government that would correspond to the newly-arisen sense of being in control of their own destiny and building a self-governed democratic state. Principles of fair treatment and camaraderie led the new Australians to forming small mining clans which in the 1852 Eureka Stockade won the case against unfair mining licensing system. Two years later, another major rebellion resulted in giving the right to vote to the miners, providing more opportunities for buying land, and reforming the administration of goldfields (Gold Oz, n.d.). These events marked the birth of Australian democracy. Australian gold rush of the nineteenth century proved to provide a major impulse for developments both in economic and social spheres of the country. The drastic increase in population caused by mass immigration of the 1850s spurred not only technological innovations but also the establishments of democracy in the land that is now known for unprecedented cooperation and mutual support among its citizens.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How did the gold rushes change colonial Australia? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mo re Reference List Attard, Bernard. 2008. â€Å"The Economic History of Australia from 1788: An Introduction†. EH.Net Encyclopedia, edited by Robert Whaples. Web. Australian Government Culture Portal. 2007. The Australian Gold Rush. Web. Cultural Heritage Unit. 2010. Electronic Encyclopedia of Gold in Australia. Web. Gold Oz. n. d. The History of Gold in Australia. Web.

Securing a Vessel With Cleats Chocks Bits and Bollards

Securing a Vessel With Cleats Chocks Bits and Bollards At some point early in your maritime career, someone is going to ask you to tie a boat to something solid so it doesn’t float away. There are specific fixtures on all vessels and docks made for this purpose. We will take a short look at four of the most common and save the specialty fixtures for a little later. Cleats These are fixtures found on docks and vessels. They are shaped like a very wide and short capital letter T. Closed types have a solid base while open types have two closely spaced legs in the center. A line with a loop on the end can be passed through the legs and secured over the horns the name of the horizontal piece of the cleat. This allows it to pull tight without the chance of working loose as it would if the loop were just placed over the cleat. Some Dock Masters frown on this because the line can abrade the dock. The best way to tie to a cleat is with a hitch at the end of a line. They come in all sizes from the size of your little finger to the size of your leg. Chocks These are fixtures that hold a line rather than using it as a tie point. It is found near a cleat and keeps the line in position so it does not move laterally and chafe or abrade. They are flattened loops that have a narrow opening at the top to accept and remove the line. Like cleats, these come in all sizes but are usually found aboard vessels and not on docks. Bits These fixtures are a solid column which is sometimes square and sometimes cylindrical. They have a crossbar that is of lesser diameter and forms a lowercase letter t. These are also called Samson posts because they are so strong. You tie to them with a hitch around the crossbar or they accept a looped line well. Bits are mostly found on vessels near the bow and stern, they appear infrequently on docks but it isn’t unheard of if there is a need to use something taller than a cleat in order to accept large diameter lines. Bollards These are the things that look like short metal mushrooms. You can find them on docks and large ships and almost never on smaller vessels. They are made for a loop of line that is placed over the top and the slack is taken up on the other end to make the line tight. Each of the fixtures above has a preferred method of tying. Some of the methods, such as passing the loop through the legs and over the horns of an open cleat, are suitable for heavy weather situations with strong wind and waves. Other methods like a loop should be used in calmer conditions but a hitch can be used at any time. If you want to learn more go to our maritime glossary where you can find more than a simple definition of a term and get some insight into the context and rich maritime history.

Death with Dignity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death with Dignity - Essay Example Her decision faced immense opposition from different sects of the society. Indeed, despite its aim to alleviate patient suffering, doctor assisted suicide goes against moral and ethical principles and should therefore not be allowed. Oregon was the first to implement the Death with Dignity Act in 1997. It allows terminally ill patients who are of competent mental mindset and aged over 18 to obtain lethal medication to end their lives (Yuill 61). Such patients would be required to make a written request and two oral ones in a span of 15 days. The prescribing physician should concur with the prognosis or diagnosis that supports death with dignity, and in consultation with another physician agree to offer assisted suicide. Over time, more states have embraced this legislation as a way out for patients with lingering and intolerable pain. Just a few countries in Europe have legalized death with dignity, notably, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Belgium (Zakaria). Some other parts of the world, including the Ancient Greece and Rome, have been practicing doctor assisted suicide for generations (Loomis 146). However, the issue continues to elicit heated debate from different quarters on its morality and eth icality. Allowing for physician assisted suicide would lead to an inclusion of more people into the eligible groups. According to Yuill, allowing for assisted suicide would mount pressure upon people feeling that they have become a burden to their families and even healthcare providers to include more categories of people in the death with dignity category (32). This could go forth and even become euthanasia or further to involuntary euthanasia. Thus, allowing for death with dignity presents grounds for abuse of the practice, specifically when driven by greed as opposed to love. Those who should inherit from the patient could encourage premature death of

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Microeconomics - Essay Example In fact although not recognized back then the effects of globalization in its nascent stages was also leading to uncomfortably unprecedented changes in the economy in nations that were within the reach of integration and these effects also led to the need being felt for some sort of control (Salvatore, 2001). All these culminated to the creation of the system at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire where 730 delegates from all 44 allied nations had come to participate in the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference and they debated upon and signed the Bretton Woods agreement during the course of the initial three weeks in the month of July, 1944. The objective of the present endeavour is to bring out the rationale behind the creation of the system and to look at its various performances and then to finally examine the causes behind its breaking down as a system. In what follows, we first look at economic and political conditions the prevalence of which c reated the need for such a system to explore the rationale. We then look at the significant contributions and failures of the system and finally concluding with pointing out the main causes that led to a break down in the Bretton woods system. In the post First World War period most of the affected economies sought the security and the stability provided by the previous system referred to as the Gold standard and by 1926, most of them returned to it. However sub-optimal valuations of a significant number of currencies coupled with a seriously hurt and still recovering England having to assume leadership as well as certain other flaws in adoption of the system led to degradations in global economic relations and financial interactions. This drop hit its trough with the great depression that spread through open channels of trade from its origin of Great Britain to all the major economies of the World. As a direct consequence economies the world over saw

Internship in an Investment Bank Essay Example for Free

Internship in an Investment Bank Essay Internship is a system of on-the-job training for white-collar jobs. It is a work related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field. Most internship is temporary assignments. As such my intern too was temporary for a period of one month. My association with Goldman Sachs was during my semester vacation. To me internship is to combine theory with practical work experience. As such my intern period was of great help in that sense. Generally the objectives of internships are: * Develop skills in the application of theory to practical work situation. * Aptitude test for a particular career. * Develop and pursue business ethics. * Increase on the sense of responsibility. * Opportunity to understand informal organizational interrelationships. * Enhance employment opportunities * Develop skills and techniques directly applicable to their careers. * Provides inside exposure to the structure, operations and decision process within the organization without a commitment to a permanent employer. Some of the obvious advantages an internship offers include strengthening written and oral skills, helping to make contacts to gain future employment, to enhance and strengthen the intern’s resume. Gain an increased awareness of skills, attributes, personal qualities and values. Guides a student to find out what it is to like to work in a business environment. However duties which aren’t structured either not enough to do or random office work or nothing to do with the supposed internship may result in just a waste of time and valuable resources. Sometimes the intern may not have enough time to learn the nuances of the industry and no proper guide or a mentor to guide the individual through the process. It may also result as a burden financially and mentally. About Goldman Sachs History 1869–1930 Goldman Sachs was founded in New York in 1869 by the German-born Marcus Goldman. The company made a name for itself pioneering the use of commercial paper for entrepreneurs and was invited to join the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 1896. In the early 20th century, On December 4, 1928, it launched the Goldman Sachs Trading Corp. a closed-end fund. 1930–1980 In 1930, Sidney Weinberg assumed the role of senior partner and shifted Goldmans focus away from trading and towards investment banking. It was Weinbergs actions that helped to restore some of Goldmans tarnished reputation. On the back of Weinberg, Goldman was lead advisor on the Ford Motor Companys IPO in 1956, which at the time was a major coup on Wall Street. Under Weinbergs reign the firm also started an investment research division and a municipal bond department. It also was at this time that the firm became an early innovator in risk arbitrage. 1980–1999 On November 16, 1981, the firm made a move by acquiring J. Aron Company, a commodities trading firm which merged with the Fixed Income division to become known as Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities. J. Aron was a player in the coffee and gold markets, and the current CEO of Goldman, Lloyd Blankfein, joined the firm as a result of this merger. In 1986, the firm formed Goldman Sachs Asset Management, which manages the majority of its mutual funds and hedge funds today. Since 1999 One of the largest events in the firms history was its own IPO in 1999. The decision to go public was one that the partners debated for decades. In the end, Goldman decided to offer a small portion of the company to the public, with some 48% still held by the partnership pool 22% of the company was held by non-partner employees, and 18% was held by retired Goldman partners. Goldman Sachs Overview The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients. Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 and is headquartered at 200 West Street in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City, with additional offices in international financial centers. The firm provides mergers and acquisitions advice, underwriting services, asset management, and prime brokerage to its clients, which include corporations, governments and individuals. The firm also engages in market making and private equity deals, and is a primary dealer in the United States Treasury security market. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world. As of 2009, Goldman Sachs employed 31,701 people worldwide.Goldman Sachs is divided into three businesses units: * Investment Banking * Trading and Principal Investments * Asset Management and Securities Services Investment banking Investment banking is divided into two divisions and includes Financial Advisory (mergers and acquisitions, investitures, corporate defense activities, restructuring and spin-offs) and Underwriting (public offerings and private placements of equity, equity-related and debt instruments). Goldman Sachs is one of the leading MA advisory firms, often topping the league tables in terms of transaction size. The firm gained a reputation as a white knight in the mergers and acquisitions sector by advising clients on how to avoid hostile takeovers, moves generally viewed as unfriendly to shareholders of targeted companies. Goldman Sachs, for a long time during the 1980s, was the only major investment bank with a strict policy against helping to initiate a hostile takeover, which increased the firms reputation immensely among sitting management teams at the time. The investment banking segment accounts for around 17 percent of Goldman Sachs revenues. The firm has been involved in brokering dea ls to privatize major highways by selling them to foreign investors, in addition to advising state and local governments – including Indiana, Texas, and Chicago – on privatization projects. Trading and principal investments Trading and Principal Investments is the largest of the three segments, and is the companys profit center. The segment is divided into four divisions and includes: * Fixed Income The trading of interest rate and credit products, mortgage-backed securities, insurance-linked securities and structured and derivative products * Currency and Commodities The trading of currencies and commodities * Equities The trading of equities, equity derivatives, structured products, options, and futures contracts * Principal Investments merchant banking investments and funds This segment consists of the revenues and profit gained from the Banks trading activities, both on behalf of its clients known as flow trading and for its own account known as proprietary trading. Most trading done by Goldman is not speculative, but rather an attempt to profit from bid-ask spreads in the process of acting as a market maker. On average, around 68 percent of Goldmans revenues and profits are derived from trading . Asset Management and Securities Services As the name suggests, the firms Asset Management and Securities Services segment is divided into two components: Asset Management and Securities Services. The Asset Management division provides investment advisory and financial planning services and offers investment products (primarily through separately managed accounts and commingled vehicles) across all major asset classes to a diverse group of institutions and individuals worldwide. The unit primarily generates revenues in the form of management and incentive fees. The Securities Services division provides clearing, financing, custody, securities lending, and reporting services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, and pension funds. The division generates revenues primarily in the form of interest rate spreads or fees. About Operations Division Operations is at the core of Goldman Sachs. For every trade agreed, every new product launched or market entered, every transaction completed, it is Operations that enables business to flow. Operations is a dynamic, multi-faceted division that partners with all areas of the firm to deliver banking, sales and trading and asset management capabilities to clients around the world. In addition, Operations provides essential risk management and control, preserving and enhancing the firm’s assets and its reputation. The Operations division represents approximately 14% of the firm, with more than 4,500 employees across the globe. Operations spans across all product lines and markets where business is conducted. Each area of business offers diverse opportunities that leverage a common core skill set. While there may be a group that interests you, it is not necessary to identify the group you would like to join when applying. †¢Clearing Operations provides clearing, execution and custody services for all major trading products across 75 exchanges. Our goal is to deliver superior client service, broad product offering and scalable technology to our global client base and franchise trading businesses, while minimizing operational risk. Our clients include hedge funds, asset managers, governments, corporates, broker dealers, Goldman Sachs franchise traders, other professional investors and market markers. †¢Derivatives Operations is responsible for ensuring efficient and accurate transaction processing across a broad range of products. Generally, the products supported are complex instruments that require close alignment with the business. A key focus for the organization is establishing strong risk management procedures and controls to ensure the firm and our clients are properly protected. Derivatives Operations is at the forefront of shaping and driving change in the industry with the ultimate aim of delivering greater accuracy, control and efficiency for our clients and our business. †¢Investment Management Operations delivers asset management and wealth management capabilities to clients around the world. We are a multi-faceted group that partners with all areas of the Investment Management Division to support evolving markets and business requirements. Alongside that vital service delivery role, Investment Management Operations provides essential risk management and control. †¢Liquidity Collateral Operations (LCO) manages the operational elements for daily funding and liquidity of the firm, oversees the firms payment strategy and overall cash flows and positions, and also performs key functions related to counterparty risk management, client transparency, and product and pricing data. In addition to the traditional line functions, LCO is home to Operations Technology Strategy and Reference Data Strategy, both of which focus on strategic process and technology solutions for the division and often the broader firm. †¢Regulatory Tax Operations is responsible for over 500 non-financial reporting and monitoring functions to over 400 regulators and exchanges. The group enhances the firms regulatory and tax transaction and position data and operational controls and develops best practices and standards for processing, infrastructure, and change management. The group aims to leverage expertise consistently across regions and entities in order to demonstrate supervision to regulators and provide efficiency, data accuracy, and transparency around controls. †¢Risk Control Operations supports the firm by ensuring the integrity of books and records, assessing regulatory requirements, and interfacing with regulators frequently. In addition, the group provides the firm with critical control indicators that assess economic, regulatory, and operational risks, while providing oversight of the Operations Division Risk Framework. †¢Securities Operations supports the Securities, Investment Management and Investment Banking Divisions of the firm. This group manages key relationships for the bank and infrastructure providers, on boarding of institutional and prime brokerage clients, and assists in the coordination of issuance of new financial product. Work Done and Experience I did my summer internship in the Operations Division of Goldman Sachs. My project was primarily based on corporate card reconciliation process. Being an intern to the office, there was a lot to be learnt and a lot more to be implemented, but the people at GS were really accommodating and willing to give the interns the required space and time. Goldman Sachs has, a completely flat organizational structure and everyone is very helpful and you can reach out to almost anyone and he/she will be more than willing to help. The Program is very efficiently carried out and there’s a lot to learn. The firm has its own In-House University where there are innumerable courses on Financial Markets, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking that we needed to learn from. Everything you do and suggest mostly goes into Production i.e. LIVE so obviously you will be having a hands-on experience on things which are actually going to be implemented. All things said, there is deadline within which the work needs to be done. Goldman Sachs was a good shot to achieve out of this internship – improved Problem Solving, Industrial Exposure, Understanding of Financial Markets. At Goldman Sachs, everyone is encouraged to take on more responsibility and stretch themselves. People are very professional and are always there to help when needed. This makes it a fun place to work even though the nature of work is very challenging.

Reducing waste in Europe Essay -- Waste Management, Waste Handling

European Union Directive 2008/98/EC outlines hierarchy of steps in which waste handling should occur. It suggests that waste prevention should be a top priority followed by re-use and recycling of materials. However in modern, demand and profit driven society this tactic has very small chance of success, certainly in terms of reducing and reusing. As a result generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is projected to rise by further 2020 by 16% in EU-27, with 80% produced in the EU-15 (which includes UK) (Skovgaard et al., 2008). This implies that â€Å"The 3 R’s† strategy fails to deliver its key objective – waste reduction. Thus attention should also focus on options that could help to reduce waste accumulation rather than just prevention. One of the most successful strategies to decrease landfill waste is to divert it to Waste to Energy (WtE) facilities. The most popular form of energy recovery from waste, for technical and economical reason, is Waste to Energy Incineration (WtEI). It raises a lot of controversy, mainly because it is associated with technologies from the past, when air pollution controls did not exist. This resulted in significant environmental degradation and heath issues. Understandably, this has left a bad image of incineration. Modern incinerators however emit less than 10% of pollutants than their counterparts 25 years ago (DEFRA, 2013). Technology has the potential to play a significant role as part of waste management strategy but equally important as constituent of balanced energy mix. This essay presents available evidence which sheds new light on Waste to Energy Incineration, highlighting its impact on environment, energy security and human health. In 2011 waste management contributed 17.3 MtCO2e (3.1... ...te Management 29, 1718–1724 Shalunenko, N., I.,Korolyuk, T., A., 2012. Construction glass material based on ash from waste incineration plants. Glass and Ceramics, Vol. 69, Nos. 11 – 12, March, 2013 Skovgaard, M., Hedal, N., Villanueva, A., Andersen, F., M., Larsen, H., 2008. Municipal waste management and greenhouse gases. ETC/RWM working paper 2008/1 Available at: http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/wp2008_1/wp/wp1_2008 Accessed on: 4th December 2013 Tabasovà ¡, A., Kropà ¡c, J., Kermes, V., Nemet, A., Stehlà ­k, P., 2012. Waste-to-energy technologies: Impact on environment. Energy 44, 146-155 UK biomass strategy, 2007. Working Paper 1 – economic analysis of biomass energy. Energy Technologies Unit Department of Trade and Industry. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file39040.pdf Accessed on: 24th November 2013 Reducing waste in Europe Essay -- Waste Management, Waste Handling European Union Directive 2008/98/EC outlines hierarchy of steps in which waste handling should occur. It suggests that waste prevention should be a top priority followed by re-use and recycling of materials. However in modern, demand and profit driven society this tactic has very small chance of success, certainly in terms of reducing and reusing. As a result generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is projected to rise by further 2020 by 16% in EU-27, with 80% produced in the EU-15 (which includes UK) (Skovgaard et al., 2008). This implies that â€Å"The 3 R’s† strategy fails to deliver its key objective – waste reduction. Thus attention should also focus on options that could help to reduce waste accumulation rather than just prevention. One of the most successful strategies to decrease landfill waste is to divert it to Waste to Energy (WtE) facilities. The most popular form of energy recovery from waste, for technical and economical reason, is Waste to Energy Incineration (WtEI). It raises a lot of controversy, mainly because it is associated with technologies from the past, when air pollution controls did not exist. This resulted in significant environmental degradation and heath issues. Understandably, this has left a bad image of incineration. Modern incinerators however emit less than 10% of pollutants than their counterparts 25 years ago (DEFRA, 2013). Technology has the potential to play a significant role as part of waste management strategy but equally important as constituent of balanced energy mix. This essay presents available evidence which sheds new light on Waste to Energy Incineration, highlighting its impact on environment, energy security and human health. In 2011 waste management contributed 17.3 MtCO2e (3.1... ...te Management 29, 1718–1724 Shalunenko, N., I.,Korolyuk, T., A., 2012. Construction glass material based on ash from waste incineration plants. Glass and Ceramics, Vol. 69, Nos. 11 – 12, March, 2013 Skovgaard, M., Hedal, N., Villanueva, A., Andersen, F., M., Larsen, H., 2008. Municipal waste management and greenhouse gases. ETC/RWM working paper 2008/1 Available at: http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/wp2008_1/wp/wp1_2008 Accessed on: 4th December 2013 Tabasovà ¡, A., Kropà ¡c, J., Kermes, V., Nemet, A., Stehlà ­k, P., 2012. Waste-to-energy technologies: Impact on environment. Energy 44, 146-155 UK biomass strategy, 2007. Working Paper 1 – economic analysis of biomass energy. Energy Technologies Unit Department of Trade and Industry. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file39040.pdf Accessed on: 24th November 2013

Analysis of Hypocrisy in Adventures Essay

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, takes place in a time in age where the deficits of society are so intricately interwoven and ignored upon the individuals that make up that society. This results in hypocrisy that constantly plays a crucial part in how Mark Twain depicts the society that participates in such irrational activity. Characters, that Huck and Jim meet as they head for their freedom, which for Jim is slavery, and for Huck is the enslavement through civilization which is â€Å"practiced† by such a hypocrite society. Both are searching for freedom that is well defined in their own parameters; but are kept under constant hypocrisy in the pursuit to achieve their freedom. However, hypocrisy by a â€Å"civilized† society is as dominant in today’s society as it was in the time that Huck and Jim encountered it. Even though today’s, hypocrisies take a new shape and form and are interwoven with daily activities. They are given as much attention as any â€Å"civilized† society would. Although the hypocrisies that are evident in Huckleberry Finn might be in the form of the judge allowing Huck’s father, to keep him in custody, well knowing that he a drunkard would kill Huck to get his money. To the ignorance, of towns people and the nieces who were scammed by the duke and king. Everyone had taken so much self-esteem into the fact that the nieces had accepted the duke and king as their uncles that no one gave a second thought, even when it was publicly announced by Dr.  Robinson; as every â€Å"civilized† person who knew right from wrong sprang upon the doctor, trying to subdue him. As the greatest hypocrisy that took place in the book, was due to the time period itself; a time of white supremacy and racial prejudice, that took place everywhere, a time of slavery. These individuals who Huck ran away from to avoid being civilized, were themselves uncivilized due to the way they treated slaves who are non-other than human beings as well. Implying the fact that it is impossible for a society who owns and treats slaves as uncivilized people themselves can never be just. While, we see this constantly throughout our society today, as people call others fat, anorexic, sub-standard, not cool, not cute, irrational, and stupid; while they themselves have a bottomless pit of ignorance, leading to their own oblivion. Today’s society is actually worse than before in the sense that we are not only fed these things as a child; but we have to incorporate it into daily life through the influence of others, such as parents, media, and peers. Making our very existence, self-evident of such a paradox that can only derive from hypocrisy of a so called â€Å"civilized† society. As the time Mark Twain had written this novel, many social flaws existed within the fabrics of the community as a whole. The book played a major role within the cultural context of the era due to the fact that Jim, who was a slave and Huck a freeman were able to bond and have such an amazing journey together. Within this journey, Twain had interwoven several moments, that on the surface seemed like a norm at the time, but exploited several social flaws that would have otherwise been dismissed by ignorance. Resulting in a successful message from the author, hopefully allowing one to see at that time in age what horrid activities they take place in on a day to day basis, when viewed upon by another person’s spectacle.

Explore F.Scotts Fitzgeralds presentation of class and wealth in The Great Gatsby and The Diamond as Big as the Ritz

Wealth and social class permeate much of F. Scott Fitzgerald's ‘The Great Gatsby' and ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz'. Set during the roaring twenties when many people had newly accumulated wealth after the war, both texts seek to explore and satirise the complexities of wealth and social class. They particularly focus on how far people may go to fit into a social class or protect their fortune. Despite ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' being set within the fantasy genre, elements of Fitzgerald's own life run as undercurrents throughout both texts. Fitzgerald's life features heavily in the texts, be it through the characterisation of Nick and Gatsby or the underlying references to his personal experiences. The experiences of the main protagonists' form parallels with Fitzgerald's interactions with the wealthy, both at Princeton and Great Neck and in his relationship with Zelda. ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' satirises the exuberant wealth experienced by Fitzgerald when visiting a Princeton classmate. ‘The Great Gatsby' on the other hand, is more reliant on aspects of Fitzgerald's own life which forms the emotional foundation of the novel. Gatsby's relationship with Daisy mirrors Fitzgerald's turbulent relationship with Zelda who much like Daisy, was regarded as being incredibly materialistic. Gatsby can therefore be seen as a representing Fitzgerald's pursuit of sufficient wealth to support an aristocratic love interest. He does this to the detriment of his artistic integrity which he compromised by writing short stories to fund Zelda's opulent lifestyle. This is mirrored by Gatsby compromising his integrity and personal worth by bootlegging and lying about being the ‘son of some wealthy people in the Middle-West', in order to please Daisy and hopefully gain acceptance. He fails in both these areas. In integrating elements of his personal life, Fitzgerald may be implying that loving someone of a different social class comes with compromises and that one may lose sight of who they are in the process. ‘The Great Gatsby' by virtue of its representations of wealth and class can be seen as a running criticism of the American Dream and America's obsession with wealth amidst the hedonistic culture of the 1920's. The American Dream had originally been founded on the notion that anyone, irrespective of their background could achieve anything in the ‘land of opportunity' if they worked hard enough. Fitzgerald however, believed that the American Dream was just an ‘illusion' and that it had been corrupted by the of pursuit wealth. He consistently challenged the idea of the achievability of the American Dream in ‘The Great Gatsby'. The geographical motifs of East and West Egg embody just how unachievable the American Dream is. This geographical separation may symbolise the hypothetical and literal divides between the nouveau riche who reside in West Egg and aristocrats of East egg, consequently highlighting how they will forever lead separate existences. This gives the impression of the American Dream being highly flawed, as having acquired great wealth does not translate into acceptance for the people of West Egg, who are seen as the social subordinates of the aristocrats of East Egg. This is further established by the behaviour of the guests at Gatsby's party. The people of West Egg lack the refinement, grace and manners of their aristocratic counterparts for whom these traits form the rudiments of their social class. This consequently demonstrates how East and West Egg are separated by more than geographical distance but also by simple things such as social etiquette and fashion choices. Jordan's party (who consist of fellow East Eggers) are ‘spread around a table on the outside of the garden' ‘carefully on guard', emphasising that even within the intimate confines of the party the divide is still apparent and the people of East Egg are reluctant to mix. The corruption of the American Dream is further explored through the main protagonists' initial amazement and delight (early on in the text) at the great wealth they encounter. Fitzgerald employs a myriad of symbolisms, metaphors and similes to depict the sheer luxury and over exuberance of the aristocrats within both texts. Through these devices he is able to satirise the materialistic world the aristocrats inhabit, making it appear outlandish. In ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' John Unger, a boy from Hades with ‘meager standards of living' is ‘amused and delighted', by the luxurious lifestyle Percy and his family lead. When he arrives with Percy they are driven in what Percy dismissively calls a ‘buggy'. However, the reader can extrapolate from John's reaction at the ‘thousand minute tapestries of silk, woven with jewels' that the vehicle is far from an old buggy. In this instance John's amazement may have been employed to paradox Percy's dismissive attitude towards wealth as he refers to the luxurious car as ‘old junk'. Fitzgerald may have used this paradox highlight the hollow nature of the wealthy, whose lives are fueled by consumerism to the extent that they place little value to the possessions everyone else would deem as extraordinary. In ‘The Great Gatsby', Nick is also amazed by the wealth he experiences at the Buchanan home. His first interaction with Daisy and Jordon has a dream like quality to it. When he meets the women they are dressed in white, ‘their dresses rippling and fluttering †¦ a short flight around the house' this gives the women an angelic quality which hints at how Nick is initially drawn in by their great wealth. This surreal and dream like quality of wealth is also reflected in ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz' with the depiction of the girl who is dressed like ‘Titania'. In the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Titania is the queen of the fairies which Fitzgerald may have used to allude to the magical and mystifying qualities of wealth present within both texts. Conversely, the amazement the main protagonists' initially showcased soon dissipates when they discover the corruptive nature of wealth and the wealthy. Despite the people of East Egg possessing an abundance of grace, elegance and taste (that comes with adhering to the norms of aristocratic society) they lack compassion. The East Eggers are presented as little more than bullies who use their money to alleviate any concerns they have, irrespective of who they hurt in the process. This morally corrupt nature of the rich is explored through the Buchanan's in ‘The Great Gatsby' and the Washingtons' in ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz'. The Buchanans' are presented as ‘careless people' who ‘smash[ed] things up' only to retreat back into ‘their vast carelessness'. Their lack of moral fiber is further emphasised when instead of attending Gatsby's funeral they move into a house far away. Fitzgerald may have used the Buchanans' as a moral didactic for the readers to illustrate how wealth can corrupt when one allows themself to become consumed by it. On the other hand, it could represent the unfair nature of capitalist societies whereby the wealthy upper-class can afford to pay for peace of mind. This conflicts with Gatsby whom despite accumulating his wealth through criminality is kind and loving, keeping watch outside Daisy's window to insure Tom does not hurt her, consequently illustrating that wealth alone does not corrupt but when coupled with high social status it can have disastrous effects. Moreover, in both texts religion (which is supposed to strengthen ones moral compass) has been replaced by consumerism. Atrocious things are carried out in the name of wealth in the texts, including murder and imprisonment. These things are written off as a natural pre-requisite of success and expansion. Here Fitzgerald argues that wealth can be its own prison blinding its pursuers, dehumanizing them to the extent that they devalue human life and assume that everyone can be bought. Fitzgerald satirizes the absurd nature of the rich when Mr. Washington tries ‘offering a bribe to God' with a voice immersed in ‘inextinguishable pride'. Ross Posnock, a Marxist writer, praised Fitzgerald in his essay ‘A New World, Material Without Being real' for his presentation of the capitalist society in ‘The Great Gatsby'1. Posnock believed that Fitzgerald had captured the capitalist society's obsession with material wealth and how it leads to people being regarded as little more than object that can be acquired along with capital in order to boost ones social status. Gatsby's vast wardrobe is a ‘heavy defensive wall' consisting of ‘thick silk' and ‘expensive dye' which support the Marxist view of material possessions providing a barrier against hardship which the rich can hide behind. For Gatsby, and many others, material possessions help to protect their status in the same way the ‘invisible cloak' of Gatsby's army uniform had hidden his lower class status when he first met Daisy. In general, the negative portrayal of consumerism in his work has made him very popular with Marxist writers. In conclusion, Fitzgerald uses ‘The Great Gatsby' and ‘The Diamond as Big as Ritz' to highlight the negative elements of wealth and class, whilst particularly emphasising that class roles will never be crossed. Both texts highlight the potential hazards of capitalist societies when one becomes consumed by materialism, placing greater importance on monetary fortune and status than the consequences of their actions. Although Fitzgerald presents both wealth and class in negative lights he reminds the reader that wealth alone does not give way to moral corruption hinting that it is wealth in conjunction with high social class that leads to the decaying of one's moral compass.

The Canterbury Tales Women Essays - The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales' Women Essays - The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales' Women The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Thomas a' Becket's tomb in Canterbury. Throughout the stories, women are often portrayed in two opposing ways. The women in these tales are either depicted as pristine and virginal, or as cunning and deceitful. First, women are described as being pristine and virginal. This type of woman is always beautiful and has men vying for her affections. However, she is so pure that it seems she is unattainable. She is not treated like a real person and people never ask her what she wants. This virginal woman is captured in the character of Emily in The Knight's Tale. Emily, who is described by the author as radiant and serene (32) enchants two cousins and cause them to argue over her. Palamon is so love-struck that he states Woman or Goddess, which? I cannot say. (32). He doesn't even know her yet calls her ... my lady, whom I love and serve (34). When Arcite is released, he becomes sick because he can no longer see her. He is described as Thin as a shaft, as dry, with nothing left./His eyes were hollow, grisly to behold,/Fallow his face, like ashes pale and cold (39). When the cousins finally reunite, Palamon claims Emily for his own once again by saying You shall not love my lady Emily./I, no one else, will love her! (45). They are engaged in battle when the king rides by with his wife and Emily. When confronted, Palamon tells the king that Arcite dares love Emily (49), and that he is also in love with Emily the Bright (49). Even though Emily is sitting right there he still doesn't talk directly to her, instead he tells the king. Emily is herself immune to love: she has seen neither of the knights, nor is she aware that they have seen her, much less that they are in love with her (Hallissy 59). Poor virginal Emily knows no more of this affair,/By God, than does a cuckoo or a hare! (51). However, the king tells the cousins to get Ready by battle to decide his claim/ to Emily. (52) without even asking her what she wanted to do. If he had asked her, he would have found out that she wanted to remain a virgin and marry no one. She even prayed that she would be mistress, no, nor wife. (65). However, she was forced to marry Palamon when he won the battle. Secondly, women are described as cunning and deceitful. This type of woman causes her husband nothing but heartache. She is depicted as a liar and a cheater with low morals. She is a woman neither to be trusted nor respected. In many of the stories she makes a fool of her husband by having adulterous affairs. This type of woman is depicted in the Miller's Tale, the Merchant's Tale, and in the character of the Wife of Bath. In the Miller's Tale, Alison who is described as . . a fair young wife, her body as slender/As any weasel's, and as soft and tender; (90) marries an old man named John. John then takes in a lodger by the name of Nicholas. Since there is a big age difference between Alison and her husband, there is an assumption that Alison is sexually unsatisfied and thus easily seducible by a younger and more virile mana man just like Nicholas (Hallissy 77). John foolishly leaves the two at home alone while he goes to Osney. Nicholas seizes this opportunity to make his move: he held her haunches hard (91) and begs her to satisfy him. Immediately: She gave a spring, just like a skittish colt Boxed in a frame for shoeing, and with a jolt Managed in time to wrench her head away. And said, Give over, Nicholas, I say! (91). However, it rapidly becomes clear that Alison consents to Nicholas's advances. In fact, so swift is the courtship that it is clear that Alison is a woman of exceedingly flexible moral standards she is, in modern terms, easy (Hallissy 77). It is not long before another man named Absolon also falls in love with

Career Guide How to Become an Office Clerk

Career Guide How to Become an Office Clerk When you see office clerks on TV or in movies, they’re often overworked, apathetic workers who hassle a main character, setting up laughs or conflict. In reality, office clerks are skilled administrators who keep an office organized and humming along. They have stellar organizational skills, and a versatile collection of administrative know-how that makes them indispensable players in any office. This is also one of the most popular jobs in the U.S., with more than 2.9 million office clerks working across the country.The Role of an Office ClerkBasically, office clerks do what needs to be done in an office, administratively. Their duties might include any of the following:Answer phonesFile records and manage filing systemsReview data for accuracyEnter data into databases or other systemsMaintain customer or client accountsSort mailMake copiesProcess payments or perform basic bookkeepingEnsure office compliance with rules or regulationsThe job varies according to industry as wel l- for example, a medical file clerk’s day-to-day would likely be very different from a file clerk in a law firm or a large corporation. There may be industry-specific administrative duties in addition to these general responsibilities.The BenefitsA job or career as an office clerk makes you a very adaptable employee, with a skill set you can carry with you to any number of industries. It’s also a very stable career path, because offices will always need skilled, organized people to handle daily administration.The QualificationsOffice clerks can usually get started with a high school degree or an associate’s degree. There is no specific training or certification program for office clerks. Clerks are typically hired based on experience and/or skills rather than specific educational milestones.Office clerks should have strong skills in the following areas:Organization. Keeping everything straight and moving forward is a major part of the job description.Communicat ion. Office clerks are often a liaison between different parts of an office, making sure that information and processes are running efficiently. This means you should be able to communicate clearly and effectively with a variety of different people.Customer service. This is a service position, often dealing with direct requests inside the company or external customer interactions, so it’s important to have a strong, patient customer service game face.Attention to detail. Office clerks may be processing sensitive information or just lots of it, so it’s crucial to be able to spot inconsistencies, and ensure that everything is correct and accurate.Computer skills. Forty years ago, an office clerk would have been deeply knowledgeable about hard copy filing systems, recordkeeping, and the like. Now, an office clerk has to be up on all the technology used to manage the storage and flow of information in a company. That can be anything from standard paper files to apps to dat abases. You don’t have to be a hacker-level computer genius, but knowing how to use the most important tech for your particular industry or company is key. Knowing the technology can also make you an even more valuable member of the team as companies look for ways to streamline their staff and operations.The SalaryFor general office clerks, the median salary is $30,580 per year (or $14.70 per hour), per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The pay can vary depending on the industry (specialized file clerks might earn more, for example), level of experience, and type of company.The OutlookThe good news about being an office clerk is that this is a pretty evergreen job. How companies manage their information and offices may change and adapt with the times, but there will always be the need for qualified people to perform these tasks. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that growth will be steady, if slightly slower than average: 3% growth by 2024. But again, the skills you use as an office clerk are excellent baseline skills that you can take to a variety of different fields, even if office clerking isn’t necessarily your long-range plan.

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Marketing plan - Essay Example The Insider Fashions has got a good reception to in the market, thanks to its broad range of customers. Its target market has found the place a one stop shop for all the family fashion. This has brought the need for the store to stretch its branches in various parts of the state. Therefore, it is only from a good marketing plan that the operations of this company can be well executed. Mission Statement, Goals and Objectives The mission of The Insider Fashion Store is to ‘’use the displayed opportunity in the current trends in fashion to provide the best outfit solution to all categories of customers, under one roof, through vigorous market research and rapid product design’’. Its vision is to ‘’become a world class store of the best outfits to all consumer categories’’. As a progressive store, The Insider has a goal to cover all the states in the USA by 2014. SWOT Analysis i. Strengths The Insider Fashions Store is a one stop shop for all the family cloths; therefore it attracts a broad range of customers. There is a welcoming mood created by the store’s employees, where customers are ushered in, well attended to and even provided with snacks to keep them shopping even for longer hours. The store stocks a range of products from all over the world, most of which, come from the most reputable brands in the world. It has partnered with children's entertainment companies to provide various entertainment facilities like video games for the children. This makes the parents to prefer the store since they can move in with their children and stay for longer hours without the children complaining Provision of trial rooms where the outfits are tried by customers to confirm the sizes. ii. Weaknesses The store is forced to charge relatively higher prices than its competitors since it deals with exclusive high quality products which come from far and at high prices. There is need to train employees thoroughly befor e they are employed, this makes the store to lose a lot of money in training iii. Opportunities All the store’s branches have been strategically placed at busy malls and near big colleges where there is a thrilling lot of customers There is a need for a one stop shopping store for all the family outfits which the store has exploited. There is still need for such stores in various parts of the state, an opportunity that the store has taken up positively and planning for further expansion. The store specializes in training its employee and is now planning to start up a commercial training college for such services. iv. Threats There is stiff competition that the store receives from several other stores set up in the state. By opening up a commercial training facility, there are high chances that the store will disperse its idea of success which other people will use to start up other stores like The Insider. There is also a threat of the new companies that are entering the mark et with new strategies The store has a threat of losing its international customers in case similar stores are starting up in the customers’ respective countries. Market Segmentation The market will be segmented in the strength of the customers’ demographic characteristics. The stores around colleges will be stocked up with various youth outfits, more than the other outfits of other age categories. The prices at these stores near colleges will also be lowered to consider that the targeted clients at these places are students who have tendencies of spending less money. For example, one

Community teaching part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Community teaching part 2 - Essay Example Diabetes is widespread in the Mexican community and thus are eager to learn. The CDC has clear statistics that diabetes affects more Hispanics than other Americans. The disease causes pain, discomfort and disrupts the social welfare of the people. The Alma Ata declarations are poised to enhance the general health of the people and equity in access to health. The initiatives recognize that health is a factor of social economic, cultural and individual a behavioral factors. As reported by the CDC, the Hispanic community is highly vulnerable to diabetes and thus should be enlightened more about it to be at par with other Americans. At the end of the teaching, the participants will fill teacher and process evaluation forms. The forms will be anonymous and will not require personal details. Sample questions include; did the process meet your expectations? Did you learn something new about diabetes? How professional were the teachers? How organized was the presentations? Will the information you have gathered influence your future lifestyle decisions? The main problem will be education differences in the population. Some participants may have basic information about the disease and other may not be aware. In this regard, the teaching session will reconcile the two groups and start from scratch. I will start with an eye-catching PowerPoint video that will outline the basics of diabetes and the introductions of all items to be covered in the session. The participants will thus be eager to learn more about the contents. The session will end with a video on the disease. The video will provide testimonials of people who have managed to control diabetes and people who are at risk the diabetes but have managed to stay

DIGITAL DIVIDE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DIGITAL DIVIDE - Essay Example Based on the attributes, scores were developed and the scores became the basis for building an overall score on digitization with a scale of zero to 100 with 100 representing as the measure with the highest level of digitization. The Global Technology Report 2012 defined digitization as â€Å"the mass adoption of connected digital technologies and applications by consumers, enterprises, and governments† (Dutta & Bilbao-Osorio, 121). However, the way that The Global Information Technology Report of 2012 defined the economies appears to indicates that no other finding would be possible except the finding that as an economy move from a constrained economy into an emerging economy and then ultimately into a transitional economy and eventually into an advanced economy, digitization would increase. â€Å"Constrained economies† were defined as economies with digitization scores below 25, â€Å"emerging economies† with digitization scores of 25 to 30, â€Å"transitional economies† with digitization scores of between 30 to 40, and â€Å"advanced economies† with digitization scores of greater than 40 (Dutta & Bilbao-Osorio, 122). Expectedly, The Global Information Technology Report of 2012 obtained Figure 1 on the relation between economy type and digitization for 150 economies of the world. Based on The Global Information Technology Report of 2012 , the constrained and emerging economies include Ethiopia, Morocco, India, Egypt, China, Algeria, Thailand, Indonesia, Kenya, Angola, Lao PDR, Cuba, Iraq, Bangladesh, Uganda, Peru, Mongolia, Georgia, and Guatemala. The transitional economies include Turkey, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, and Chile. Finally, the advanced economies include the United States, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Austria, and Australia. The countries enumerated are representative countries only. The association between GNP per capita and digitization

Personal Learning Statement for Dissertation

Personal Learning Statement for Dissertation Careful, precise and comprehensive planning is the key to success. Having known the importance of planning, I carefully planned my project with a step by step approach. The first step at this stage was the analysis of my strengths and weaknesses in order to decide the topic of my research project. I have always been interested in stock markets and business analysis of companies. This interest helped me learn more about business and financial analysis of companies and the different ways by which their financial performance and position can be analysed. The next important step was the formulation of a strategy as to how I would carry out the task in hand i.e. How to conduct the research? When to start? And most importantly whom should I choose as a mentor? In regards to the selection of a suitable mentor the article titled Making the most of your Mentor by Pippa Riley (11th August, 2005) published on ACCA website proved to be a life saver. I gave it a deep thought and after carefully considering all my options I chose my mentor to be my tutor Mr Muhammad Yasser Naqvi Syed, who is a Member of ACCA. A person who has helped me a great deal since the day I joined ACCA and has been a role model for me over the years. After concluding my decision I approached my mentor and I was extremely delighted when he accepted to be my mentor and guide me through the project. 2. Meetings with Mentor The role of Project Mentor is of great significance in the success of a research project. I had my first meeting with my chosen mentor on 5th January 2010, just after December 2009 ACCA examinations. In that meeting I introduced my mentor to the topic I had chosen and the reason behind my selection. I told him about my strategy and the means and methods I intended to use. I was confident that I had properly communicated the reasons and objectives of the topic I chose and my mentor seemed to be satisfied with my choice and strategy. Furthermore, I sought his advice on the matters such as research methods and we had a fruitful discussion. All in all, the first meeting was highly successful and cemented my ideas showing me a clear path to my objective. After my first meeting I was much more confident as I had a clear direction towards preparing the project. Our second meeting was scheduled for 12th March 2009. Before the meeting I reviewed my project at every stage and tried to make sure that there are no spellings or grammatical mistakes and after that I sent the completed part to my mentor for reviewing the progress. I also noted all the feed back from my mentor and tried to improve the quality of my work. In the meeting I demonstrated all the information I had gathered from different sources and asked my mentors advice on some unresolved issues. Before the 3rd meeting I sent a draft copy of the project to my mentor and noted his feed back and then I prepared slides in Microsoft PowerPoint along with extra slides showing charts and share prices. We held our third and final meeting on 14th April 2009. I was very confident of the work I had done and prepared for the presentation beforehand. I had a clear set of mind of what I had done and how I wanted to express that work in the presentation. My mentor was satisfied and equally amazed at my effort and congratulated me on my work. As stated in the guidelines, I had 15 minutes for the presentation; therefore I planned for my presentation well in advance and made sure that I included all the relevant information. Before I started my presentation, I handed out printed copies of my presentation to my mentor and my colleagues. I started my presentation by introducing J Sainsbury and giving a brief history of the company. After that I explained the various analyses and comparisons I had performed in order to analyze the financial position of J Sainsbury and to reach at a conclusion. I also explained the potential opportunities and the threats faced by the company. I used Microsoft Power Point to convey my message more efficiently and used graphical analysis to help my cause. My presentation was indeed a success and I felt all my hard work and dedication paid off. My mentor was pleasantly surprised and gave me a pat on my back. My strengths included a thorough understanding of the topic, detailed research work and good presentation skills while my weaknesses included taking a few more minutes outside my allowed quota. This experience was a massive confidence booster for me and it proved to me that I am very well capable of delivering top class professional presentations. 3. Self Assessment / Critical Evaluation As part of the skills and learning statement, I would now try to critically evaluate my performance and the skills I learned during the preparation of my project. One of the ways of evaluating the success of a project is to analyse whether it has answered all the relevant research questions satisfactorily or not. In formulating the strategy of my research project, I identified a few research questions which were critical to the overall success of my project. I focused my energies to finding the answers of these questions. Although I think I managed to answer most of the research questions in a satisfactory manner, there were a few areas where I could have done more research and allocated more time and resources. The feedback I got back from my mentor suggested that I have been able to achieve the objectives of my research project successfully. This being the first extensive research project carried out by me made the task a little bit daunting in the beginning and made me a little apprehensive about my abilities of carrying out the task with perfection. But as the project progressed, things started becoming clearer and my confidence levels were boosted. I chose to assess the business and financial performance of J Sainsbury plc over the last three years. J Sainsburys plc is a United Kingdom-based company principally engaged in grocery and related retailing, and financial services. Financial ratios were used to asses the financial performance of the company over a three year period and then I tried to explain the reasons for variations in the ratios. I kept sending my draft incomplete project to my mentor and requested him to assess my performance under the guidelines of Oxford Brookes University so I could judge the quality of my work done so far. For this purpose I sent several emails to my mentor and made notes of every feed back. I carefully assessed the external position by looking at the macro environment by using Porters Five Forces Model. I tried to do well on this analysis by giving a detailed overview and try to look at the wider side of the picture. I highlighted critical strengths and weaknesses and the resulting opportunities and threats faced by the company by using a technique called SWOT analysis. This exercise was very beneficial to get a thorough understanding of the company and also helped me to come up with some recommendations to capitalise on the strengths of the company and eliminate or neutralize its weaknesses. 4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills The term interpersonal skill is very often used to measure the personal ability to operate within the business organization through social communication and interaction. And the Communication skills are the skills which enable people to communicate effectively with each other. It also includes the ability to speak in public, meetings, presentations and writing letters. In my RAP it relates to the communication skills which I demonstrated during the meetings with my mentor and customers. The meetings with my mentor helped me to assess my interpersonal and communication skills and identify the areas which needed improvement. Questioning is one of the most important utensil in communication in order to derive answers and achieve confirmation. Since it is a fundamental tool in seeking information it is was imperative to get direct answers during the initial stages of the project as I required direction from my mentor. However I realised that getting direct information was not easy as the response is directly dependent on the style of question. During the project I used both closed questions where I needed a confirmation of what I knew and open questions where the intention was to get as much information as possible. Towards the end of the project, when I had passed the data gathering stage I was seeking specific answers, this also entailed asking probing questions in order to clarify many areas. Restating information in a form of a question enabled me to understand difficult factors. Effective communication also entails speaking and listening. I used both gestures and a variety of verbal and non verbal means for instance, nodding my head, making notes of important points, and basic words of confirmation to express a form of acknowledgement seen as a verification or feedback that is identified as active or reflective listening, as I would continuously be seeking to understand what my mentor was stating. This was reinforced with the use of eye contact to show that I understood and was interested in what was being communicated to me by my mentor. Prior to meetings I would make sure that my mobile phone was switched off, to reduce disturbance that was in my control. These activities helped me to improve my interpersonal and communication skills and also made me more confident in my approach. 5. How RAP Helped In Studies / Employment The preparation of RAP has helped me to gain certain invaluable and precious skills which have helped me both in my studies and my working life. I learned a lot of new skills and techniques which has given me an edge over my competitors in the job market. The preparation of RAP helped me immensely in better understanding of professional subjects of ACCA such as P3 (Business Analysis) and P2 (Corporate Reporting). As a part of my RAP I used different financial and non financial techniques described in these subjects to asses the business and financial performance of JS Sainsbury. It was a great exercise for me and gave me a chance to apply all my knowledge gained from ACCA qualification in to a practical company scenario. RAP also improved my skills in Microsoft Office. I learned a lot of new features of MS Word, MS Excel and MS Power Point. These skills are still helping me in my current job and have increased my work efficiency. I have also had a pay rise from my employer since preparing my RAP, underlining the improvement I have made. RAP has also helped me polishing my interactive skills as I improved this skill by collecting financial and non financial information about the company from different sources. These interactive skills have helped me a lot in my current job and as a result I am much more confident while interacting with clients during audits and client visits. The project helped me develop my IT skills. I added not only to my accounting knowledge, but also learned different aspects of planning, organising, time management, writing, and public speaking. These skills will be of use to me in all aspects of my life.