Research About Students with Parents Working Abroad Essay

Tool. A person or a thing used to accomplish another’s purposes, to convey, & somebody who is manipulated to carry out tasks. It also refers to the process of how the data of this study is gathered & collected. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Spirituality. The quality or condition of being spiritual. It also refers to the subject of the study which is one of the many roles that a nurse has, & it is relentlessly provided to the appropriate respondents. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Hospital. An institution where people receive medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment and nursing care. It also refers to the location of the study conducted. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Experience. Knowledge or skill gained through being involved in or exposed to something over a period of time. It is used as the extent of the respondent’s awareness. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Practice. To work in a profession, especially law or medicine. Refers to the respondent’s profession which is adopted in the study. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Patient. Somebody who receives medical treatment. It is the respondents in the SACH which is given spirituality care by the nurse respondents. It also refers to one of the subjects of the study. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Demographic Data. The characteristics of a human population or part of it, especially its size, growth, density, distribution, and statistics regarding birth, marriage, disease, and death. In this study it refers to the number of respondents in SACH that is to be used in the study. (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009.  © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.) Level of Awareness. Relating to or having knowledge of something from having observed it or been told about it. In this study, it represents the total number of correctness of the respondents to the answers in the provided questionnaires on their level of awareness about spiritual care in both nurses & patients in SACH.

Bend It Like Becham and Looking for Alibrandi

This term we have studied the film bend it like beck ham and the novel looking for librarian. They both explore coming of age through different experiences to mature into the person they are today. But during that process they come across similar challenges to face. Jess is from a strict Indian silks family who expectations are high for both Jess and her sister pinky. The director of bend it like Bà ©chamel explores the experiences of coming of age by showing challenges with her culture.Jess wants to play football professional but her family and culture disapproves of this idea and has to go by her parent's values. The point of view shoot from basis's perspective and the quotation † you can become a fine doctor and solicitor now † this show the expectations and values of the family and culture. Josephine goes through similar challenges where she struggles to accept her culture and not hate it. Josephine says, † I hate being Italian † this shows Josephine not liking her culture and her background. BothJosephine and Jess go through similar challenges with their culture and learning to cope with it. Throughout the film and the novel Josses and Jess have to go through challenges with their family, Josses has grown up her whole life without a dad. When her dad shows up Josses is shocked and doesn't want to see him. â€Å"We don't need him†, Josses says to her mum ,telling her she doesn't want him in her life. Through out the novel Josses has to overcome her hate she had for her dad in the past and let it go. And allow accepting him in her life.Jess might not have a new dad in her life but she sure does have family issues. Jess finds out her finals is on the same day as her sisters wedding. She has to choose between her futures of her family. She chooses family because she knows it's the right thing to do † IM not lying any more† Jess says realizing . Lying is not right and has to become more mature and choose right decisio ns. As the wedding goes on her dad saw she was upset and allowed her to go to the rest of the game on a conditions she comes back straight after.The parallel hot of pinky held up by Teeth and Jess been help up by her team and Josses learning to accept her dad represents that both girls have achieved a new mile stone in the coming of age experience. By going through the experience of coming through age Josses and Jess also go through different challenges. Jess has gender restrictions where her culture and family do not believe a girl should play football Jess ignores her culture and lies to her parent's . When her parent's find out and forbids her to play again Jess stands up to her family telling them this is my passion and what I love to do. F I can't tell you what I want now, then I will never be happy' Jess sticks up in what she wants in life even if her culture and family do not agree. Josses also goes through a harsh time when her close friend died I wonder now why I thought it John's suicide] wasn't true. Paper and could forget the next day. † This shows Josses trying to accept John has died and is never coming back. Both Josses and Jess have similar challenges to allow them to come of age thought out the novel and film but despite there similarities they also have differences as well.

Negotiation Jujitsu

What if They Won’t Play (Use Negotiation Jujitsu) Getting to YesNegotiating Agreement Without Giving In By Roger Fisher and William Ury Vikas Singh Ed Hill What if They Won’t Play †¢ Theymaystatetheirpositioninunequivocal terms †¢ Concernedonlywithmaximizingtheirowngains †¢ Theymayattackyouinplaceofattackingthe problems Three Basic Strategies †¢ What you can do †¢ What they can do – Negotiation Jujitsu †¢ What a third party can do – One Text Mediation Procedure Negotiation Jujitsu Three Basic Maneuvers Asserting their position forcefully †¢ Attacking your ideas †¢ Attacking you Don’t attack their position, look behind it †¢ Neither reject nor accept the position †¢ Treat it as one possible option †¢ Look for interest and principles behind it †¢ Think of ways to improve it Don’t defend your ideas, invite criticism and advice †¢ Invite criticism, instead of resisting it †¢ As k them what is wrong with a particular idea or an option †¢ Use their criticism and advice to find out their underlying interests and principles †¢ Rework your ideas in light of what you learnRecast an attack on you as an attack on the problem †¢ Resist the temptation to defend yourself or attack them †¢ Listen to them †¢ Understand what they are saying †¢ Recast their attack on you as an attack on the problem Ask questions and pause †¢ Use questions instead of statements †¢ Silence One-text procedure Call in a third party to: †¢ Separate the people from the problem †¢ Direct the discussion to interests and options †¢ Suggest impartial basis for resolving differences †¢ Separate invention from decision making How does a third party do this Asksabouttheinterestsratherthanpositions †¢ Learnallabouttheirneedsandinterests †¢ Suggest a provisional solution/recommendation †¢ Askthemtocritiqueitorsuggestimprovements †¢ Improvisetherecommendationinlightofinputs †¢ Presentthefinalsolution Getting them to play: The case of Jones Realty and Frank Turnbull †¢$600 rent per month †¢Apartment under rent control†¢Max rent at $466 per month †¢Mrs. Jones reimburses after several long principled negotiation sessions Stock Phrases †¢ â€Å"Please correct me if I’m wrong. † †¢ â€Å"We appreciate what you’ve done for us. †¢ â€Å"Our concern is fairness† †¢ â€Å"We would like to settle this on the basis of Independent standards, not of who can do what to whom† †¢ â€Å"Trust is a separate issue† Stock Phrases (cont. ) †¢ â€Å"CouldIaskyouafewquestionstoseewhether my facts are right? † †¢ â€Å"What’stheprinciplebehindyouraction? † †¢ â€Å"LetmeseeifIunderstandwhatyou’resaying† †¢ â€Å"Letmegetbacktoyou† †¢ â€Å"Let me show you where I have trouble following some of your reasoning Stock Phrases (cont. ) †¢ â€Å"One fair solution might be. † †¢ â€Å"If we agree.. If we disagree. † â€Å"We’d be happy to see if we can leave when it’s most convenient for you† †¢ â€Å"It’s been a pleasure dealing with you† â€Å"Please correct me If I’m wrong† †¢ Establish dialogue based on reason †¢ Invitation to participate†¢ Good probability you won’t â€Å"lose face† †¢ Opening to correction and persuasion sets the tone â€Å"We appreciate what you’ve done for us† †¢ Through support, separate people from problem †¢ Defuses self-image threat †¢ Other side now has something to lose: – Praise and support â€Å"Our concern is fairness† †¢ Take basic stand on principle †¢ Remain open Both ends and means to accomplish ends are principled â€Å"We would like to settle this on the basis of independent standards, no of who can do what to whom† †¢ Don’t lose temper- and thus, control †¢ Bring negotiation back to merits †¢ Good example of negotiation jujitsu †¢ Reinforces principled negotiation â€Å"Trust is a separate Issue† †¢ Slip out of corner†¢ Remain firm on the principle â€Å"Could I ask you a few questions to see whether my facts are right? † †¢ Statements of fact can be threatening, questions are better †¢ Phrasing info as questions allows open participation Lays foundation for agreed upon facts â€Å"What’s the principle behind your action? † †¢ A principled negotiator neither accepts nor rejects other side’s opinion †¢ Leads other side to search for reasons †¢ Negotiation continues on principle â€Å"Let me see If I understand what you’re saying† †¢ Principled negotiation requires good communication †¢ Other side more l ikely to listen and be more receptive â€Å"Let me get back to you† †¢ Good negotiator rarely makes important decisions on the spot †¢ Timeanddistancehelptoseparatepeoplefrom problem Goodnegotiatorscomestotablewithcredible reason for leaving †¢ Allowsdiscussionwithconstituents(Paul)†¢ Freshcommitmenttoprinciplednegotiation â€Å"Let me show you where I have trouble following some of your reasoning† †¢ Present reasons before offering proposal †¢ Proposal first will often lead to other side not listening to reasons – Considering counterproposals â€Å"One fair solution might be. † †¢ Proposal not as yours, but as fair option †¢ Proposal not as only solution, but one fair solution â€Å"If we agree.. If we disagree. † †¢ Try to make it easy for other side †¢ Trickiest part is to communicate the alternative Use of third party – Creates distance, thus, separation of people from problems†¢ Don ’t always reveal BATNA â€Å"We’d be happy to see if we can leave when it’s most convenient for you† †¢ Incorporate other side’s interests †¢ Allows for other side to â€Å"save face† †¢ Other side feels good about agreement â€Å"It’s been a pleasure dealing with you† †¢ End on a good note †¢ Reestablishes principle of separation of people from problem †¢ Relationship maintained Summary †¢ You can get the other side to play principled negotiation, even if they don’t want to at first †¢ Principled negotiation, negotiation jujitsu, or a third party all work

Knights Apparel Essay

1. The philosophy at Alta Gracia can lower costs in the long run. They target their brand to colleges due to the fact that they are all about fair labor and there are many organizations within colleges that support this. Also colleges often have disputes with other companies such as Reebok and Nike. If Alta Gracia continues to thrive their popularity will increase and they will sell more of their items. If they get popular enough in the long run more individuals will support and buy theirs products and the demand will become higher. If the demand increases then they will be able to increase their prices and lower their cost in the long run. 2. I do not believe Joseph Bozich would be able to attempt the Alta Gracia Experiment if they were a publicly traded enterprise. Mainly because Joseph had his own personal reasons for wanting to do this experiment. If the company were publicly traded I do not believe the majority of the holders would share Josephs views and I strongly believe that they would not want to increase the costs of making their products. 3. I think that there are a few items that can stand in the way of the succession of Alta Gracia. One being the high costs, if they do not maintain their popularity amongst colleges the company could potentially suffer. Which leads me to the next impediment, which is competition. If there another company is established which has the same values but somehow manages to have lower prices then Alta Gracia could suffer losses. I think the best thing Alta Gracia can do to minimize risk of failure is to keep satisfying their customers by keeping them informed of how they treat their workers. This idea is the main driving force of this brand and the main reason why so many college students chose to buy their product. Then could also increase their advertising or attempt to find an additional focus group other than colleges as their main means of profit. 4. If the company tried to sell to the mass market through retailers such as Walmart I do not think he would be successful. The main reason of his success are the colleges and the only reason they want to pay more fore these products is because of the ethical values they represent, and college students are usually more aware of these issues than compared to others. Individuals shop at Walmart because they cheaper products and the customers only concern is low price. They do not really care where the product came from or how it was made, they are just interested in the low price. So Josephs products would be too expensive to sell at Walmart. 5. I feel that  it is somewhat ethical because if there are areas in the world where there are people willing to work for less than living wages that means that really have no choice. So ultimately it comes down to them making a small amount of money or no money at all. I think this is how big companies justify their low labor costs. If the alternative was to not produce at all then this would push companies to find these low cost labor areas because no products equals no profits. 6. The Alta Gracia experiment suggests that good ethics are also good practices to the extent of a selective market and the company has to have a history of success as well. The only reason he was able to conduct this experiment was because he was already successful and had the money to do it. Also it was privately owned so he made all the decisions and if it were not for this I do not believe there would have been a consensus of employees of a public enterprise that would vote for such action. There are hundreds of businesses who to not practice good ethics yet they are still very successful.

How does Friiel use language and stagecraft Essay

Friels main concern, writing in the 1980s, seems to be the struggle for identity. One interpretation of the play is that Irish identity has been continually threatened since 1591. Friel writes his play in 1988 whilst living through Irish civil unrest during the troubles of northern island. By setting making history in 1951, friel is addressing time span and the struggle for identity that he may feel began with the English/Irish power struggle. The book centres on Hugh O’Neil, who is the Earl of Tyrone and at the start of the play is 41 years old. He is described as a ‘ private, sharp minded man’, and he is a good main character because he is an interesting person who has a lot of conflict in his life. Hugh O’Neil changing his accent from English/Irish to Tyrone, is a good use of a languageas he always speaks in an upper-class English accent accept on the occasions specifically scripted. The Tyrone accent usually happens when he is angry about something. ‘ Just to show him I haven’t reverted completely to type- would that be it’, Friel choosing to use this type of lanuguage shows that O’Neil is rebellious and is proud of his irish identity. The arguement between Mary and mabel in the garden shows how Mabels identity and alliegience has changed from English by Irish. This is shown when the two are discussing farming and is asked about the orchards and says ‘No, WE havent’. This use of language shows she conisders herself part of the irish identity. The use of stage craft in this scene shoes the intensity of Mary and Mables conversation ‘ speaks with concern and passion’. This further highlights the conflict between the English and and Irish and the struggle for Mary to accept Mabels new identity. Mabel and the baby’s death is a signifficant point in the play as it is a metaphor for the inabiliity of England and ireland being able to Co-exist peacefully, as the baby would have had both enlgish and irish blood in him.  The timeline from when the audience is first inroduced to hugh and then at the end of the play is a signifficant contrast and change to his identity. The stagecraft used shows this as he is described as being ‘volatile and bitter’ compared to the beginging of the play when he is described as ‘uncharacteristically outgoing and talkative’. Friel and lomabrd are both trying to create history, Friel with the play he wrote and lombard with his Biography of Hugh Oniels life. Lmbard tries to make Hugh appear to be a hero but this displeases hugh as he feels it is not his true identity.’ i dont trust you. i dont trust you to tell the truth’. Each part of the play highlilghts how brian friel has shown the struggle for identity through the use of language and stagecraft. The main use of language that friel has used to convey identity through language is the description of the characters and how each has struggled with thier identity. Potraying the characters in this way is a clever metaphor for the struggles ireland itself has had to go through to keep its identity. The clever use of stage craft and lighting symbolises the struggles ireland have continually faced throughout history. The way Friel describes hugh O’niel in later life, with his declining health and along with Mabel and the baby’s death, symbolises ireland loosing the struggle with england. The use of stage craft at the end of the play where it says ‘O’Neil is now crying. Bring down lights slowly’. is an effective end to the play as it symbolises the end of the struggle between ireland and england.

Trusts, Gifts and Estates term paper (ANY TOPIC) Essay

Trusts, Gifts and Estates term paper (ANY TOPIC) - Essay Example This results to the preservation of a harmonious familial relationship and the achievement of several financial benefits such as the creation of cash reserves and the after-tax income available. According to Brown and Myers (2008), it is important to underscore that the primary objective of all family estate planning is to provide psychological and financial security by obtaining â€Å"the maximum benefits of principal and income for the family and to pass on the family property intact (i.e. without losses)† (23). The last will and testament is an excellent example of estate planning and administration. There is also the case the revocable living trust. Both of these are popular choices for people seeking to manage and administer their assets and properties. This paper will explore why the revocable living trust can prove to be more beneficial for everyone than the last will and testament. Background The last will and testament or more generally known as the will is a legal do cument that provides the disposition of assets and properties. Simply put, in case of death, the ownership of a property is transferred according to the terms of the will of the deceased, the terms that document his desires particularly in the distribution of his estate and assets (Wardle and Nolan, 1042). Gau (2004) provided another definition, which states that it is â€Å"an expression of a person’s wishes for the disposition of property and the protection of loved ones at the time of the maker’s death† (7). The US legal framework considers the use of will as a developmental offshoot of basic estate planning, that one with the simple goal of planning for death (Wardle and Nolan, 1039-1043). It was further provided that the impetus for the development of wills was the need for federal estate tax planning for death and lifetime transfers (1039-1040). Baker wrote that the key is to keep it up to date because a clearly defined will could be the best piece of lega l work that one could have that can be used to honor one’s wishes and in defining the family’s futures (52). She also stressed that the will is a reliable backup to a trust in the estate planning process, in addition to several conditions, which she has listed such as: The fact that there are properties that are better left in a will; Money such as lottery winning can be distributed after death through a will and as a component of an estate plan; Parents with minor children. The will can name the guardian and the administrator of assets and properties before the children reach legal age; The appointment of an executor; and Disinheriting a person (Baker, 53-54). There are many other instances where the will is indispensable. It is important for people interested to draft their own wills to consult an estate planning professional or an estate planning team. The process may be simple, but there is a requirement to be thorough, clear and detailed so that the documented wou ld not be invalidated, contested and misinterpreted. It is also important to highlight that if assets are to be transferred through a will, the maker is necessarily deceased. The utility of the will as explained in this section does not mean that there are no other alternatives. There are several others that people prefer because it is more beneficial or that it is aligned with their own estate planning objectives. The Revocable Living Trust

Systems Requirements Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Systems Requirements Engineering - Essay Example It is the phase that encompasses those tasks that go into determining the needs to meet the goals, taking account of the possible conflicts and specifying the overall risks. A sub-phase of the requirements specifications which deems high importance is Software Requirements Specification (SRS). SRS is a description of a behavioral aspects of the system which includes all the interactions that the users will have with the product (Stellman & Greene, 2005). Modeling is a central part of all activities that lead up to the deployment of a good software (Booch et al, 2005). Modeling is exactly the role that Unified Modeling Language plays in requirements specifications. The role of Unified Modeling Language is to model interactive systems, whose behaviors emerge from the interaction of their components with each other and with the environment (Goldin et al., 2001). In traditional computation, algorithmic models were sufficient for description of requirements. However, todays interactive systems which are capable of self reconfiguring and adapting to their environment, algorithm tools do not suffice. Unlike traditional procedural languages, UML provides support for the inherently open-ended preliminary steps of systems analysis and specification, which are becoming increasingly complex (Wegner, 1997). UML is used to visualize, specify, construct and document the artifacts of the software-intensive system. A software of any nature or propor tion will have multiple methods, functions, interface and external and internal accesses. To support such a broad mix of entities, UML provides different views to analyze this software. Analysis of each of this views gives the software designer a set of requirements which can be consequently forward engineered. The prominent views provided by UML are Use Case View, Component View, Deployment View, Concurrency View and Logical View (Eriksson & Penker, 1998). Use Case View: Requirements capture has two objectives: to find the true requirements and to represent them n a suitable way for the users, customers and developers (Jacobson et al., 1999). True requirements are the end user functionalities desired by the user of the system. These functionalities must be presented in a way such that users spend minimum amount of time understanding it. Use Cases can be applied to capture the intended behavior of the system being developed, without having to specify how that behavior is implemented (Booch et al., 2005). UML provides Use Case diagrams to model the Use Case View. Logical View: The purpose of logical view is to specify the functional requirements of the system. This means that the logical view shows both the static and dynamic views of the system. The logical view concentrates on getting the best logical grouping of functionality into objects (fincher, 2007). The main artifact of logical view is the design model which gives a concrete description of the functional behavior of the system. UML provides Class diagrams and Object diagrams to model

Report on Religious Field Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Report on Religious Field Research - Essay Example By examining deeply and becoming aware of various religious practices of every religion may contribute to understanding and appreciation of each recognized beliefs and values. This is the purpose of this paper. This will also present a unique experience of attending personally one of the church’s services to actually see what is the strength of a certain religious group that holds each member tightly organized and unified in worship to God. Report on Religious Field Service: St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church Regardless of where we live, we can see the conspicuous effects of religion in the lives of millions of people. Since religion is about our relationship with God, our spirituality, what is more expected from us is the influence of our religious teachings in our personality, daily conduct, and with our relationship towards the people around us. However, religion with its various forms, created a society characterized with conflicts, battles and even wars, instead of a pe aceful society. We are all aware of the past, wherein some dominant religions in the world played a role in great wars that devastated mankind and caused untold suffering. This may be one major reason why some people refused to talk or discuss about religion. Or maybe, some may experience a heated argument if they discuss about their differences in their religious practices and beliefs. ... Additionally, interest on knowing about other religious beliefs may correct some misconceptions about them. Among the various groups of religion in the world, the dominant one is Christianity. About one quarter of the world’s population claim to be Christian, yet, divided into various sects. The prominent forms are Roman Catholic, the Orthodox Church, the Reformists or Protestants in its numerous sects such as Episcopalian, Lutheran, Calvinist, Baptist, Methodist and other churches. All of these churches consider themselves to be established respectable religion. I am interested to examine and know more about the St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church because on my opinion, as I have observed, its religious beliefs and practices are very similar with the Roman Catholic. So, why does this church has to separate itself and be recognized differently? So, I decided to attend one of its Sunday services to see the actual liturgical ceremony and practices. I believe this is one best wa y to correct any misconception about them. To my surprise, the church or cathedral itself is far different from the Roman Catholic Church. It is very colorful because instead of various relics and icons, the church is surrounded by hand-painted illustrations of various Jesus Christ’s image, his twelve apostles, angels and even images of Mary, all painted in the walls. All the paintings have relevant stories on the life of Jesus. According to one worshiper I asked, artworks in the wall contribute to a feeling of heavenly splendor while observing the liturgical ceremony, which is very solemn and serene. He also commented that the paintings in the walls constantly reminding him of the

Enhancing Presentations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enhancing Presentations - Coursework Example These become easy given the fact that it only involves sorting of already prepared items. This cannot be hard at all as you only need to put the already prepared items in order so as to ensure your presentation goes on smoothly and that it doesn’t fail. On the other hand, the creating effective slides seem to be the hardest step to adhere to in the enhancing presentations with visuals process. This becomes the hardest step since it requires acquaintance or familiarity with certain skills necessary for making of the slides (Charlene, 2013). For instance, it requires critical visual skills in order to choose a favorable color that can be used in order to emphasize important slides. As it is necessary to use color consistently, it is also important that the choice of colors be made wisely and compatibility should be taken into consideration. Again, choosing of the background and foreground colors requires special skills that might not be easy to just have. Such skills therefore make this stage B to be the hardest to adhere to. In real life example, we can compare presentation with doing a painting. Collecting materials for the painting and any other backup program for that may not be such a hard task. However, if the materials are not well articulated where colors are not well matched, the painting may not come out well. Therefore, it is easy to complete slides and support materials, but it seems hard to make the slides

Short answer 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short answer 3 - Essay Example One of the key elements of the union’s struggle was related to social movement unionism. Staley workers played an integral role in motivating the union members and other public to raise their voice against unlawfulness and the exploitation of rights of the workers. Members of the union worked on the strategy of reaching the community to create a grassroots support network in order to get the workers involved in the struggle. Staley workers not only organized their efforts to gather the required support for the movement but also made use of non-violent civil disobedience for the cause. The most effective part of the struggle was that the union members tried to motivate and gather people even without much involvement of an effective leadership. The Staley workers’ activism proved to be the greatest effort of the union activists in this regard as they successfully brought a lot of workers on a single platform. The union members effectively organized the movement by involving the Staley workers in the struggle which not only revealed social movement activism in their fight but also left a message for future generations that struggle is always the first step towards achievement of a common goal regardless of the result. In order to be effective, there should have been a proper support and communication with international UPIU in order to avoid the major pitfall. Secondly, they should not only have developed a result-oriented strategy but should also have listened to the advice of other larger unions in order to succeed in the struggle. If I would have been one of the union’s members, I would have made every effort to create awareness among the workers as well as local public regarding the basic aim of the movement. I would have educated them that the goal of the union is not to create disturbance or anarchy in the country; rather we want to fight for the protection of our basic labor rights. If AFL-CIO

Business analysis of an artist's career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business analysis of an artist's career - Essay Example The Eagles Band has remained active in Music Business for the periods of 1971-1980 and from 1994 to present. They have worked under the Labels of Asylum, Geffen Records, Lost Highway, Universal and collaborated on business ventures with Poco, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Dillard & Clark, James Gang.The band consists of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit.Some of the Band’s former member’s include Don Felder, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon. The American Rock Band is a very successful business venture in terms of strategy and revenues and originates from in California.The Band currently boasts of five Number 1 singles and four Number 1 albums.The band gained immense popularity in the 1970s and its album was rated number 37 on the Rolling Stone list "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".The business success of the band also reflects the fact that the band was ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Alb um â€Å"Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975† has been their most profitable business venture to date.Since its break up in the eighties, the band does not make any new albums but tours together often. However this year in 2007 they have released their first album in three decades called the Long Road out of Eden and it is currently on of UK’s top 40 Albums.The first album, Eagles, was one of the Top 40 singles of its era. Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" ranked Eagles at number 374.... History of business ventures: Success and Failure. The first album, Eagles, was one of the Top 40 singles of its era.. Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" ranked Eagles at number 374.The next album , Desperado, an experimental venture in conceptual song writing did not match the success of their former work and the Album only did business in the U.S pop charts ,with only two major hits.The third venture ,On the Border involved Henley and Frey's wish to employ a new business strategy and move towards hard rock. They had a change of producers from Glyn Johns to Bill Szymczyk for this purpose.The venture proved successful and this Album yielded a lot of profits with the Eagles' becoming the first of five chart toppers. The next album (One of These Nights) was a further experiment in hard rock and the business collaboration between Henley/Frey as lyricists was getting stronger as the album received a hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart in 1975.2However this new business strategy ultimately cost the band its unity as the hiring of Don Felder meant that Leadon's role was being underplayed.In 1976 with the release of "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)"(29 million copies sold),the band prepared for yet another phenomenal success with " Hotel California", which was also an instant hit on the Billboard in 1977.The single " Hotel California" was a major source of profits and royalties for the band in the years to come as since its release it has appeared on several lists of the best albums of all time.This album remains to date their best-selling studio album, with over 16 million copies sold within America..3 The late 70's saw the disintegration of this phenomenal band

Yakuza criminal organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Yakuza criminal organization - Essay Example The Yakuza is the name of the most famous criminal organization from Japan. However, the Yakuza is not a single homogeneous organization: it comprises several hundred of clans or gangs that operate in different cities. The Yakuza is involved - in some or other form - in many aspects of life in Japan and has certain interests in virtually every area of commercial activities. The Yakuza's sphere of influence is huge spreading from prostitution rackets to the government and top level businesses. At present, the Yakuza is considered to be one of the largest and most powerful criminal organizations in the world. Thus, the number of known yakuza members only in Japan is almost 85 thousand (Bruno 2007).The origins of Yakuza can be traced back to the Tokugawa shogunate. Tokugawa's unification of Japan in the beginning of the 17th century brought peace to the country, but also produced approximately half a million of samurai unemployed and with practically no employment opportunities. Althoug h many of these samurai turned merchants this option was acceptable and available to only few of them: the rest had not other choice but to search for other means to earn their living. Thievery and other illegal activities became an option for many samurai to support themselves (Seymour 1996).However, the precise origin of the organization is still debated: the diverse gangs that constitute the Yakuza have different origins. Furthermore, the versions of origin adopted by members of each gang often differ substantially from the actual origins traced through the historical records. Therefore, the most popular version is that the Yakuza developed from several different elements that characterized the Japanese society of Tokugawa period (Kaplan and Dubro 1986). Although the Yakuza claim that they originated from the Japanese versions of Robin Hood whose main function was to protect communities and restore social justice this standpoint is reasonably questioned by many. Thus, some resear chers trace origins of the Yakuza to the so-called kabukimono (crazy ones): the group of samurai who adopted unusual hair styles, dressed in a strange manner, spoke in highly specific slang, had long swords and harassed ordinary people: "Some feel that its members are descendents of the 17th-century kabuki-mono (crazy ones), outlandish samurai who reveled in outlandish clothing and hair styles, spoke in elaborate slang, and carried unusually long swords in their belts. The kabuki-mono were also known as hatamoto-yakko (servants of the shogun)" (Bruno 2007, p. 1). The adventures of kabukimono are still a popular theme in Japanese folklore literature. At the same time, the claims of some groups of the Yakuza to have their beginnings from the communal police or machi yakko (servants of the town) that protected the community are justified. These groups of police had different types of organization and consisted of various members of the community. Some groups also included several samurais: only samurai had the right to carry swords while the rest of population was officially prohibited to do so (Kaplan and Dubro 1986). The origins of the most well-known groups of the Yakuza, namely tekiya (peddlers) and bakuto (gamblers) have better traceability due to the specific initiation ceremony that involves rituals that directly relate to the initial spheres of interest of these groups. Tekiya began to create organizations to take over at least some administrative functions and duties relating to commerce and especially to protection of their business. Thus, during trade fairs and festivals each peddler paid certain amount to run his business safely under protection of their own security forces. These forces were eventually recognized by the Edo government, and their leaders called oyabuns (top chiefs) were granted the right to carry a sword like samurai and nobleman (Hill 2003). Bakuto (gamblers) also represented a low caste (even lower than tekiya) of the Japanese soci

Low Self Esteem and Luxury Marketing (Apples iPhone as a Luxury Dissertation

Low Self Esteem and Luxury Marketing (Apples iPhone as a Luxury Product) - Dissertation Example Brands like Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Gucci have started investing in their marketing campaigns. While old brands continue to lead the market, new luxury brands have also emerged. One such luxury product includes Apple’s iPhone. The definition of luxury has been presented by many researches and books and these have been drawn mainly through the consumers’ perception of luxury. Luxury has been known to impact the consumers through different ways. Luxury is loosely referred to products that are priced high, have a high perceived quality and provide an exceptional experience of the consumers. Products such as the iPhone redefine the concept of luxury to a certain extent. Such products are not always targeted to the rich and affluent class but also to those consumers who wish to improve upon their self-esteem by buying luxury products. Therefore, a correlation is observed between low self-esteem and luxury products. Significance of the Study As the global market is being revived after the long global recession that struck the world in 2007, demand for luxury goods is on the increase. This means that marketers around the world have to focus their attention back to marketing luxury goods. As the concept of luxury is being continuously redefined, luxury has been categorized into old luxury and new luxury. In the study, the aim is to evaluate the impact of self-esteem on the buying decisions of consumers

Applied Workplace Practice Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Applied Workplace Practice - Personal Statement Example The second part, on the other hand, will be dedicated to my three-week journal. In this light, each weekly journal shall narrate the critical happenings I have encountered and how my team and I were able to come up with sound solutions to solve them. Emphasis will also be placed on the essential insights I have gathered in relation to business management and people empowerment. Jim’s Cleaning is dedicated to â€Å"providing its Franchisees with the safest workplace practicable, taking into consideration state legislative requirements, information from current Australian Standards and industry best practice† (Jim’s Cleaning Group, 2012, p. 1). Safety, therefore, becomes the core value of Jim’s business operations. In this regard, the company has concretized this vision by developing strict guidelines on safety, as embodied in its health and safety policy that outlines safe work methods and procedures to protect not just the lives of the client being serviced, but more importantly of the employees working. It is in this mindset that the company also recognizes the need to ensure that its operations do not place the community at risk of injury, illness, or property damage, in order to also ensure the preservation of the surrounding environment (Jim’s Cleaning Group, 2012). Jim’s Cleaning believes that the realization of these goals rely heavily on the concerted efforts of its franchisors, franchisees, and employees. Thus, constant communication and coordination is being strictly implemented throughout the company. It is through this emphasis on the proper alignment and enforcement of operational health and safety (OHS) that the company was able to develop its standard procedures and processes. For one, Jim’s Cleaning ensures to render proper induction and training to its newcomers for them to understand their

News Paper Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

News Paper Summary - Essay Example The biggest producers of coffee are focusing on their best customers, a move that is driving up prices. Coffee consumption is rising in Brazil, Colombia and Vietnam, the countries that produce 60% of the worlds beans. Brazil’s consumption of coffee is expected to reach 1.03 million tons this year. Rising incomes have enabled consumers in producing nations to not only consume more coffee, but also demand higher quality. Consumers are also switching from cheaper substitutes such as tea. Brazils coffee production has increased by 61% over the last decade, but its exports have only risen by 34%, with the rest consumed locally. U.S. importers are paying higher prices because they compete with Brazilian buyers. In the ongoing official unraveling of Espà ­rito Santo Saga, multiple threads have led to Eurofin, a small Swiss company. Eurofin Holdings SA was the only auditor of Espà ­rito Santo’s books, which were  discovered to be riddled with irregularities. The firm is also indirectly connected to Banco Espà ­rito Santo through its chief financial officer, Joà £o Moreira Rato. Mr. Ratos partner, Joà £o Poppe, is the nephew of Ricardo Espà ­rito Santo Salgado. Eurofin also helped Banco Espà ­rito in creating debt products that were sold to retail investors recently. Portuguese authorities suspect that the profits were used to finance other troubled Espà ­rito Santo entities. The authorities are seeking to establish Eurofins multifaceted relationship with Espà ­rito Santo. Goldman Sachs Group  is reconsidering its business with hedge funds; it is discarding less-profitable customers and increasing fees on others in an attempt to adapt to new banking rules. The regulations have forced the bank to allocate more capital, reducing profits from its business. The changes highlight the way Wall Street is trying to conform to the changing landscape. The bank also is pulling its cash from its internal hedge fund. Banks

Benefit Corporations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Benefit Corporations - Essay Example fit Corporations differ from other normal corporations based on the aspects of transparency in their operations, accountability to the state and specific purposes (Overton, et. al, 76). However, when it comes to taxation, there is no difference as they are all taxed in a similar manner. Benefit Corporations pursue a wide goals aimed at promoting the welfare of the society around it beside the profit-making motive. This separates them from other corporations that only focus only on maximizing profits to benefit the shareholders. The benefit corporations as opposed to other corporations are in a position to increase their fiduciary duty of their directors so as to have them consider non-financial stakeholders while at the same time their financial interests. Benefit Corporations have a number of provisions based on their purpose, accountability, transparency and right of action. The purpose of a benefit corporation to create a general public benefit. The directors are fully accountable to all the stakeholders of the corporation. Transparency in benefit corporations is ensured through publishing of annual Benefit Report that is delivered to all the stakeholders through the public website and circulars to all shareholders. The shareholders as well as the directors of Benefit Corporations have the right of action against violation of any of their duties. The structure of a benefit corporation is composed by a minimum status vote which is mainly a 2/3 in most of the states. Some of the benefits of a Benefit Corporation besides the general public benefit include improvement of human health, increasing the flow of capital to public entities to ensure proper benefit, preservation of the environment, promotion of economic empowerment to communi ties and individuals and provision of low-income individuals or communities with beneficial products and initiatives. Patagonia is among the first corporations to be registered in the state of California as a Benefit Corporation.

The Negative Impacts of Tourism on Egyptian Culture Research Paper

The Negative Impacts of Tourism on Egyptian Culture - Research Paper Example There has been a substantial growth of the tourism sector in Egypt due to massive tourists visiting the country. Despite the numerous benefits brought about by the tourism sector, there are also several challenges. This paper will evaluate the impacts of tourism on Egyptian culture. It presents a brief introduction of the state of tourism in the country, discuses some benefits brought about by the sector, as well as the need to curtail tourism in Egypt, especially because of the negative impacts it is having on Egyptian culture. Introduction For the last two hundred years, tourism has been an important component in Egypt’s economy. In addition, tourism for the last generation has become an important part of the economy, which contributes about 45 percent of the country’s yearly foreign currency earnings. To improve the infrastructure to the required standards, there has been a very significant investment by both the public and by the private sectors in addition to all t he budgetary planning by the Egyptian government. This is because of the assumption that there is need for this infrastructure to hold an ever-growing number of tourists. As a result, there is an annual expenditure of millions of dollars to encourage and promote tourism especially in the neighboring Arab countries, which now represent a growing segment of the Egyptian tourist market (Icomos, 71). Because of the thriving roads, trade, and economy in general, there was massive expansion of the travel industry. For instance, there was a rise in the number of transit customers through Egypt from 275 in 1844 to 3,000 in 1847. To cater for the outstanding increase in the number of travelers between the years 1848 – 1879, the government began to issue regulations and organize the services given to the travelers, who spent about ?60-?80 during three months stay in Egypt. Tour guide (TG) was among the first services to emerge immediately because of the expansion of the travelling indu stry. The tour guide became the intermediary between the region and the visitors (El-Sharkawy, 78). The Egyptians have been able to carry out easy market promotion for a long time because of the Egypt famous historical heritage sites. However, when the marine resort tourism became the main tourism product in the 1990s there was change in conditions. Consequently, Egypt has to compete with its competitor countries in many features, for example service level and price, in the marine resort market. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a suitable market promotion plan (Rady, 2). Impacts of Tourism in Egypt Tourism has an important effect to the society. Among the direct economic gains of tourism are augment of foreign exchange earnings, contribution to government revenues, income generation and generation of employment. In addition, tourism offers indirect effects on the economic sectors, for instance fisheries, agriculture, construction and handicraft manufacturing, which provide the goods and services for the tourism sector. Moreover, tourism offers other facilities and services that promote the economic and cultural development of the community in the region for example the improvement of transportation and other infrastructure (Rady, 26). Tourism in Egypt is peculiar on the types of travel and cross-cultural transactions including religious and intellectual pilgrimages, colonialism and imperialism, archaeology, anthropology, and more, which for centuries have been important components in building Egyptian national subjectivities and identities. The basis of the Western tourism is an imagination of an ancient Egypt scattered with the excavated monuments of a pharaonic past. On the other hand, the West’

Frank Sinatra's Contribution to Elevating Las Vegas to its Current Essay

Frank Sinatra's Contribution to Elevating Las Vegas to its Current Status - Essay Example His professional career as musician spans over 60 years throughout which he has displayed a â€Å"remarkable ability to maintain his appeal and pursue his musical goals despite often countervailing trends† (Sinatra). However, his biggest contributions came in the state of Nevada, the city of Las Vegas. When Vegas was not the glamorous metropolis in the desert it is today, early casinos such as the Sahara and The Desert Inn relied on the star power of their headlining performers to bring guests into their door. However, mainly it is Frank Sinatra’s fabulous and captivating songs hits such as â€Å"Summer Wind† and â€Å"My Way,† with his irrefutable talent and ability to mesmerize an audience, which has led to Las Vegas’ enviable rise to fame. The legend was brought up in Hoboken, New Jersey, where he attended Demarest High School. After his graduation, he enrolled for journalism classes and later became a cub sports reporter. His mother, with her do mineering and stubborn nature, encouraged him to sing in a band. Subsequently, after a while, she got him a job, which would broadcast his talents through the WNEW station. He married Nancy Barbato in 1939 and had three children with her. During the time, he met the Frank Mane band by whom he signed a one year contract of performing together. This was the beginning of his career and he made his first recording with this band, performing the song â€Å"Our Love.† Once the contract was over, Frank coupled up with Henry James’s band in his bid to make himself a name in the music industry. With his hard work and enthusiasm, he recorded ten songs along with this band under the labels- Brunswick and Columbia. Then he received overtures from Tommy Dorsey to become a member of his band Frank realized that perhaps this was the break that he was looking for and he accepted the offer happily. Fortunately for him, this venture got him into the movie â€Å"Las Vegas Nights.† Besides, as another stroke of good luck, he was also able to top the charts for twelve weeks with the song â€Å"I’ll never smile again.† The Billboard and Downbeat magazines, which were dominant authorities in music ratings, featured him with high ranks among the singers of that period. He was really rising to fame, achieving so much in such short time. Within a span of just three years, 23 of his songs were among the top ten on Billboard. He then left the Dorsey band and started solo music. By this time he had acquired thousands of fans, known as ‘Bobby Soxers.’ When he made an appearance in the Paramount theatre, everyone got so wild that the crowd was literally uncontrollable. Next in Sinatra’s agenda came his debut at the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden, when he was under the contract of Columbia Records. It is relevant to note here that when a person attain certain level of a celebrity status, the town or city he hails from or lives in, also becomes a center of attraction for the masses as well as media. Thus, Sinatra’s fame also began to make Las Vegas a place of attraction. Celebrities like Gregory Peck has endorsed that Sinatra and his band need to be credited for the everlasting â€Å"sense of free-floating fun and frolic that captured the imagination of the world† (Weatherford par. 4). On the other hand, Lt Gov Lorrain Hung claims that â€Å"

The Effects of Business Planning, Financial Management and Performance Monitoring Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Business Planning, Financial Management and Performance Monitoring Essay Heraclitus (535bc-475bc) was a philosopher who believed in the power of change, claiming that everything would find repose by changing (Harris, 1994). This may not be true to the average sense of the concept of housing as a basic need to mankind. Housing has and will always be a constant, essential need and a basic right for every human being (United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 25, www. un. org). However, this paper may agree with him on the existence of uncertain changes in the political, social and economic states of countries at various times and how these changes affect housing policies. This essay shall examine the impact of these changes on housing businesses with the social housing sector as the area of interest. It will identify these uncertain changes as risks to the business of social housing and ultimately discover if business planning, financial management and performance monitoring are important to the productivity of the social housing sector. (Balchin and Rhoden, 1998) claim that housing is most times the largest and most expensive acquirable item. Next to agriculture, it usually requires the most use of land space. The only need that precedes housing in mankind’s scale of necessities is food. Otherwise, housing needs consume the most land space, thus making this need an expensive and enterprising one with governments and private individuals investing heavily in businesses related to supplying such needs to people. (Ogu and Ogbuozobe, 2001), classified this supply process in their theory that two paradigms are present in social housing provision in Nigeria. They referred to them as the â€Å"provider† and the â€Å"enabling† (supporter) paradigms. But claim also, that most governments in developing countries lack the financial strength to run the â€Å"provider† paradigm scheme. Hence they adopt the â€Å"enabler† strategy which was encouraged by the City Summit (Habitat II) held in 1996. (Reeves, 2005) elaborates these theories as he defines social housing bodies in the United Kingdom as primarily local authorities and housing associations which provide and manage houses even after tenant occupation, regardless of ownership. He states that they could be direct providers (e. g. housing association develops and manages a property), or enablers (e. g. a local authority, indirectly houses tenants by funding another body like a housing association by grants to build houses). This explanation is similar to Ogu and Ogbuozobe’s paradigms mentioned above. He concludes however, that the largest enabler in any country is the government (e. g. housing corporations and local authorities). (Lansley, 1979) had also stated years ago that housing corporations support social housing authorities with exchequer grants as they are primarily non-profit making organisations. This characteristic differentiates them from the primarily profit oriented nature of private enterprises. According to (Nyssens, 2006), Social Enterprises started in the late 1970s as an approach to tackle social needs collectively without the desire for individual profit. It is an alternative to conventional co-operative societies which functions in a manner that it assists low income earners tackle social exclusion (in this case, through provision of affordable housing). Because they are indigenously organised by a group of citizens, participatory and non profit oriented in nature allowing equality in decision making (not based on capital ownership), they have been proactively accepted by the local tenants and the government as housing service providers. (Paton, 2003) agrees that Social Enterprises have had positive impact on the social housing sector, but he also shows that they may be problematic as they consist of numerous stakeholders. He claims that contrary to its equality based nature, there is always a dominant stakeholder with the most influence. He also adds that the problem it faces is performance. But as social enterprises in the housing sector are also regulated by government policies, this paper would disagree with him as performance can be enhanced by methods which shall be analysed in this essay. This essay would refer to Social Enterprises, Housing Associations and local authorities as Social Landlords. According to (Ogu and Ogbuozobe, 2001), the economic recession of the 1980s negatively affected the housing sector as structural adjustment policies created by the International Monetary Fund to tackle economic problems were implemented without consideration of their effect on housing businesses and its stakeholders. This shows how international organisations make policies which affect social landlords in several countries as well. It also points out the possibility of economic uncertainties affecting the housing sector. Reeves, 2005) furthermore, illustrates how differences in economic performance in different regions of a country affects demand and supply of housing. He compares London and the South-East to the Midlands and the North-East, stating that the economic growth in London and the South-East (coupled with sustained shortages in skilled labour) created a rise in average wage levels and a consequent rise in house prices as demand for private ownership of houses rose beyond s upply. And that fluctuating growth levels negatively affected lower income earners making them unable to meet the prevailing housing cost. He blames this outcome on the inability of developers and social landlords to provide adequate housing as they strive keep prices at a level where they can maximize profit. This is another example of how inefficient preparedness against socio-economic issues affects social landlords’ decisions and ultimately, tenants. (Housing Corporation Centre for Research and Market Intelligence, 2008) also funded a research showing how the credit crunch of 2007-2009 had adverse effects on social landlords as the pace of building new houses slowed down with developers waiting for a change in the market condition. Unlike the case described by (Reeves, 2005), housing demand was poor as there was lack of access to mortgages for buyers leading to numerous unsold houses being carried over to the following financial year. The research ultimately showed that social landlords had to employ several financial and risk management procedures to stay in business. Some strategies initiated by the government to tackle social housing problems were analysed by (Garnett and Perry, 2005), who blame the late twentieth century’s decline in the demand for council housing on reduction n investment that led to inefficient building maintenance with most council houses occupied by low income earners. They state that the Chattered Institute of Housing (CIH) made a report which resulted in the Governments reaction of setting up a ten year programme for housing standards. They also highlighted the targets of this programme in the April 2000 housing green paper as; increasing investments in existing council housing stock, government demand for business plans from councils, demand for detailed council funding options (e. g. ublic or private financing), creation of the Decent Homes Standard with 2010 as its target year for all homes to meet its requirements and finally, directives to carry out monitoring and appraisal to evaluate progress. From this review it is clear that the government is the major policy maker in the United Kingdom as the (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2006-www. communities. gov. uk) explains to citizens that the â€Å"Decent Homes Standard† was formulated to regulate developers as well as landlords on the building and maintenance of houses to a set standard and the (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister- www. pdm. org, 2004) claims that it will ensure that all houses attain the laid down standards of decency by 2010. This is one of the latest in a series of policies that have evolved over time of which social landlords are mandated to effectively implement in their business planning schemes. Because as (Garnett and Perry, 2005) illustrated, the government has requested for business plans from housing authorities possessing housing stocks and a Housing Revenue Account-HRA. They explain that this plan must be taken after consultation with tenants and other stakeholders and must show detailed financial managerial strategies, stock condition management, demand and availability of resources, financial forecasts, priorities and a detailed, updated record of progress. Although this requirement might offer social landlords a basis to organise, strategise and enhance their businesses, (Garnett and Perry, 2005) also show evidence of feasibility problems as they reported that this business plan requirement was not achieved in Scotland and Wales whose authorities were required to deliver similar plans by April 2005. This probably questions the possibility of meeting the Decent Homes Standard policy by 2010. (Harrison and Lock, 2004) state that a project cannot be managed without risk consideration. From the illustration of (Garnett and Perry, 2005), the achievement of these requirements is a ten year project which the government has given to social landlords. And from the enabler theory explanation of (Reeves, 2005), these social landlords are sometimes given grants to facilitate these projects. Harrison and Lock, 2004) show the importance of identifying risks early in any project. They show how project success can be achieved by early identification, assessment and classification of risks and their mitigation methods. The required business plans are expected to include such risk management processes as stated by (Garnett and Perry, 2005) who also explained that the production of a detailed business plan involves financial planning and management with a view to not just cutting cost, but making the best use of resources. They add that financial management is the responsibility of not just the finance department of the organisation but every section as it generally involves value management. In conclusion, they state that financial management is important to housing organisations because it analyses long term and current outcomes of investing in a stock or service. Another approach was introduced by the (Improvement and Development Agency- IDEA, 2008) (which is one of four partner organisations with the Local Government Association). They call it â€Å"Place Shaping†, a concept developed by Sir Michael Lyons who describes it as creatively using authority to facilitate the overall wellbeing of a community and its citizens. It aims to provide strong governance through local strategic partnership, create a common vision within the local sustainable community strategy and promote local tenant involvement. In summary, they state that after a detailed research on the drivers that influence and affect local neighbourhoods (e. g. opulation growth, jobs, good schooling, antisocial behaviour and crime, and the quality and range of housing on offer), they would address these problems and supply affordable housing for all sections of the community with low income earners in mind and generally encourage the development of sustainable communities. This approach is a summary of the risk management strategies of (Harrison and Lock, 2005), where data is collected, brainstorming sessions are done, risks are identified, asse ssed, classified and their mitigation measures are implemented. Performance monitoring ensures accountability to all stakeholders as it is an open and interactive process involving the monitoring body, the social landlords and the tenants. This was clarified by the set of questions inspectors will use to appraise social landlords. These questions are known by the Audit Commission as Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE). (Audit Commission, 2010-www. audit-commission. gov. uk), state that they were developed to provide inspectors, social landlords, tenants and other stakeholders with a framework through which to review and assess service planning and delivery. It also recognises the relevance of political leadership, collaboration and spatial planning in creating effective methods, and demands that the housing long term plans must involve plans to develop sustainable communities. It however states the need for flexibility among councils as they are all not expected to use the same exact approach. Tools like the Balanced Scorecard may be used for such appraisal schemes. In another report (Audit Commission, 2010-www. audit-commission. gov. k) reveals that the new methods adopted by the government have received immense support and inspectorates have succeeded in concentrating on outcomes and local priorities. It also claims that monitoring and appraisal have also resulted in more efficient functioning of some local public services. As for the achievement of the Decent Homes Standard, the Head of the National Audit Office (Morse, 2010) claims that progress has been made. But he admits that there are risks facing the programmes completion. Addi ng that weakness in information is an undermining factor to the department’s efforts.

Compare and Contrast Essay Example for Free

Compare and Contrast Essay Love is an emotion that deeply alters a person’s thought-process. This emotion can bring out the best of people or even make them question who they are and what they’re willing to give up for the person they love. In Judith Ortiz Cofer’s short story â€Å"Catch the Moon†, she suggests that love can change a person for the better by making them want to improve themselves. However, in W. D. Wetherell’s short story â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant†, he suggests that love can make a person try to be someone they are not, ultimately leading in disappointment and regret. Although both authors center their stories on the topic of love, they differ greatly from their character conflicts, character changes, conflict resolutions, and their themes. In â€Å"Catching the Moon†, Luis Cintron and his father constantly argue and never get along very well. However, when Luis meets this girl named Naomi, he experiences an emotion that reconnects him with his dad. Meeting Naomi causes Luis to experience love—an emotion he hasn’t felt since the death of his mother—and causes him to want to develop better character because he knows that his mother would want him to be happy. In order to prove his improved character to both Naomi and his dad, Luis searches all night for a hubcap that will match the one that Naomi is looking for. After hours of searching, Luis finally finds the hub cap and rushes to bring it to Naomi. Cofer states that Luis, â€Å"†¦waited to give her [Naomi] the first good thing he had given any one in a long time† (Cofer, pg. 240). This quote demonstrates that because of his new love, Luis was ready to change his personality for the better and that love can truly reconnect old flames from within oneself. â€Å"The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant† portrays a different message than that of â€Å"Catching the Moon†. In this short story, the narrator faces an internal conflict between choosing over his two passions—Sheila Mant and fishing. The narrator has always dreamed about impressing Sheila Mant, but he wavers when Sheila criticizes fishing for being dumb and boring. Regardless of her opinion, the narrator continues his mission of impressing Sheila by taking her on a boat ride and going to a popular party. On the way to the party, a fish gets caught on the fishing line the narrator left out  on the boat, and by the struggle the fish puts up, he knows that it’s the bass he’s been waiting all summer to catch. Emotions rush through his head, and even though the narrator has waited all summer for this fish, he chooses Sheila instead. The narrator cuts the line, goes to the party with Sheila, and has his heart broken when she chooses to ditch him for another guy. From this experience, the narrator learns that there are plenty of fish in the sea and that he shouldn’t have changed himself just to get a girl to like him. He even goes on to say that, â€Å"There would be other Sheila Mants in my life, other fish, and though I came close once or twice, it was those secret, hidden tugging in the night that claimed me, and I never made the same mistake again† (Wetherell, pg. 150). This quote demonstrates the story’s theme of not changing who you are for love because it will only result in regret and disappointment. Love is a very complex emotion. There are a lot of rules and regulations to love, as well as a lot of exceptions to these rules. All in all, in order to have a happy relationship, one must do want makes oneself happy. If someone’s happiness is put in jeopardy just because of a relationship, then the relationship was definitely not meant to be. In other words, when entering a relationship, don’t choose the better boy or girl; choose the boy or girl that will make you a better person. Works Cited Cofer, Judith Ortiz. Catch the Moon. 2003. Holt Literature and Language Arts. 4th ed. Austin, Texas: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003. 234-40. Print. W. D. Wetherell. The Bass, The River, and Sheila Mant. 2003. Holt Literature and Language Arts. 4th ed. Austin, Texas: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2003. 245-50. Print.

The Production Process Of Monster Inc Film Studies Essay

The Production Process Of Monster Inc Film Studies Essay The process of movie making entails four stages, development, pre-production, production and post-production. The development stage involves the process of creating the story line. At the pre-production level the technical challenges are addressed. It is in the production stage that the actual filming takes place and polishing of the movie is done at the post production stage. The Pixar process through which Monster Inc passes is detailed below. Step1: This step entails explaining of the idea about the movie to the audience and the members of the development team. At this stage the originality of the idea is pivotal as it translates to how viable the movie is. The idea of Sulley and Mike working for Monsters Inc is an incredible idea and so is the inclusion of Boo. The work was developed from the two artists namely Docter and Grant. The adult man had the childhood drawings come to life and start plaguing on his existence. He could see the monsters but the other could not. The monsters represented the fears he had to deal with as a kid and which he did not. However, these monsters disappeared at he continued to overcome these fears. Step 2: this idea is then written down in what is referred to as text treatment. It also worth mentioning that it necessary to come up with many text treatments as they help in opening up the possibilities available. In addition, such treatments help to refine the main idea of the story. For instance, the initial idea was to have a 32 year old man who could see the monsters but which was later changed to an innocent girl. Step 3: Elisabeth (12) defines storyboards as the graphic organizers which could include illustrations and images and are necessary in the movie making process for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture. It is a tedious and intricate process and was developed in Walt Disney Studio in 1930s. This concept of story boards is credited to Webb Smith where scenes would be drawn in different sheets of paper and would be pinned on a bulletin board (Mark 65). This proved effective in telling a story in a sequence. The Monster Inc incorporates story boards and is better described as a hand drawn comic book version. The artists receive the scripts and they are then expected to make the drawings. The sequences by the artists utilize the emotions from the scripts to be able to make the illustrations. The drawn out sequence is then handed to the director of Monster Inc. Step 4: In making of the Monster Inc movie the scratch voice is used to the story board reels. However, professional actors are hired when the story and the dialogue have been perfected. It is also worth noting that the actors hired need not depend on the script alone but also need to improvise to make the movie interesting. The actors hired for different role in Monster Inc then record the lines in different ways and the best ones are chosen. However, if the scratch voices are good enough then there will we no need to follow the rest of the process. Sulley the massive monster who finds himself in trouble was played by John Goodman who had a rich and wide vocal range. His voice also similar to that of a bear and it seemed to fit to this role. Finding the voice for Boo was challenging and it is the voice of Mary Gibbs who plays this role that brought the energy needed. In addition she was playful and fit in well in this role. Step 5: This is the stage where by the illustration by the story board is developed into a reel. The reel is able to tell a story without the need to have a pitcher person to tell the story behind the shooting of Monster Inc. This process is pivotal in the making of Monster Inc as it helps in validating the sequence of the story. The editorial of Monster Inc also takes this chance to ascertain the elements required for each shot. For instance, in this movie Joe Rauft did the story board and also was the scratch voice of Sullivan. Step 6: The art department utilizes the work from the above process and brings life to the scenes. In particular this involves creating inspirational art, illustrating the world and the characters. In addition, the artists also design sets, props, visual looks for surfaces and colors which will be necessary lighting. In looking for the style of Monstropolis the production designers had to go to view different locations which could inspire the design of the movie. 22 different sets were designed for the movie and some of theses sets included the Boos bedroom, sushi eatery, Harryhausens and home of yeti. Step 7: This step is another tedious task in the making of Monster Inc. The characters, sets and props to be used are sculpted by hand and then scanned in three dimensions. These elements are then given avars and the animators use them to make the movements. In this movie the clay sculptures were made and then digitized for the main characters. For the rest of the monsters they were created by the computer using the kit of virtual parts. It is also worth noting that in order to give the animators a lot of movement those modeling the characters used Geppetto; a program used to add more controls. Step 8: This is an interesting stage where the sets are dressed with prop models in bringing out a realistic scene. It also worth noting that those charged with this task, work closely with the director in ensuring his vision of Monster Inc is being actualized. For instance in making the monsters colorful, the city and the factory had to be muted. Step 9: The real work of taking shots then starts and the story is translated into 3-dimensional scenes. This stage is involving for the layout crew of Monster Inc, who use a virtual camera to create shots while capturing the emotion of each scene. Multiple shots are created for each scene and this helps the editorial team to make the best choice of the shots that will give the maximums story telling effect. Step 10: At this point the layout, dialog, sound, character and models are already done and the animators choreograph the movements and facial expressions of the characters and this is done for each and every scene. Computer controls are used and avars are also necessary at this point. The movement of the Boss shirt and Sullivan long fluid fur posed a great challenge. How do you animate every wrinkle in both of theses two characters clothes? This required the use of simulations that would automatically generate such movements. Similarly, for Boo having the hair was another problem and Docter found a temporary solution by use of pigtails which were easier to animate. However, this was also complicated by the fact that these movements needed to be realistic. In particular, the Boos shirt had to drape in an aesthetically appealing way and Sulleys hair had to stick out attractively as well. The animator John Kahrs was in-charge of Sulley and lead animator for Boo was Dave DeVan. Step 11: At this point the shading is done to bringing out different color effects. In shooting of Monster Inc this was done by using software which allowed complex variations where the color shifted with the lighting. Step 12: It is the lighting that completes the whole picture and at this stage the key, fill and bounce lights become important in enhancing the mood and emotion of the characters in the scene (Richard 45). The room ambience is also defined in creating a realistic and giving out the right impression. Step 13: At last the sets, colors, character movement are put in one frame. The Pixars process used in making the Monster Inc utilized a huge computer system which interpreted the data and incorporated the motion blur. After this was done the completion of Monster Inc required final touches from the various departments. For instance the special effects and sound effects were added. In particular, the photo-science department recorded the digital frames in readiness for projection. Work Cited Elisabeth, Weis Film Sound: Theory and Practice. Columbia University Press, 1985 Mark, CottaVaz. The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting, Chronicle Books, 2004 Richard, Reckitt. Special Effects: The History and Technique, Billboard Books; 2nd edition, 2007

Expatriation

Expatriation Introduction: Expatriation is a very significant characteristic of International Human Resource Management (IHRM), which is a result of the developments made in global business environment. For instance, such as Asia Pacific Region came up as world economic centre becoming the rivals of existing centres of Europe and North America. Moreover, the extended role World Trade Organization in dispute settlement and facilitating international trade flows and emergence of international economic forums such as North American Free Trade Association, European Union, Asia Pacific Economic Conference, European Union and expansion of the membership and status of A.S.E.A.N., have significantly changed the platform on which the international business used to operate. It was concurred through the basis earlier studies, that expatriates were home country employees. And these expatriates were assigned to the foreign or overseas location of the organization for relatively long periods of time. If we try to understand the trends in context to industrialization, it can be figured out that during initial stages of internationalisation, major industry restructuring was driven by advancements in communication and information technologies, whereas, the new global context is witnessing alteration in the structure of international operations with the availability of labour markets and staff requirements. Remuneration policies form a very integral part in the implementation of business strategies and change initiatives for an organization. For the employees its a substance of motivation and mobilization to achieve the valued corporate goals. Most of the companies today are committed in providing competitive salaries and benefits. Culpepper and Associates carried out the compensation and benefits survey in 2008, which showed that base salaries are growing in Asia Pacific at much faster rate as compared to other regions of the world, followed by Latin America and Europe. Changes in remuneration practices are inevitable worldwide with surge of globalisation and the increasing demand of skilled labour. More companies nowadays are following a trend of reinforcing pay and performance relationship through variable pay plans (Hewitt Associates, 2007). Especially, expatriate workers are appreciated and rewarded for their performance through variable pay plan, a share program and other benefits , not just through base pay. Multi-national companies that maintain effective remuneration policies tend to have sustainable competitive advantage as they effectively lock their key employees into their careers and keep minimal employment cost. Thus, these remuneration practices for expatriates and every other employee will continue evolve and expand as it plays a very important role in these multi-national organizations. As per the International Human Resource Management theory underpinning, the relationship between expatriation and seemingly inequitable salaries on the basis of hardship experienced give rise to many arguments. Remuneration systems for expatriates range from simple systems based on base country net salaries plus various allowances to ones of eye-watering complexity operated by large multinationals for hundreds of nationalities with thousands of permutations. (http://www.exfin.com/) To understand the remuneration policies for expatriates and its effectiveness in the multi-national organization, the researcher has developed a case-study on Satyam InfoTech, an Indian based I.T. company. Satyam has a big infrastructure which has around 100,000 people working under it in India and abroad, with expatriation as a common practice in the organization. Aims Objectives: Research Question: What is expatriate remuneration in a multi-national organization and how effective is this practice to Satyam InfoTech? The key aim of the study was to establish if the expatriate remuneration policies in this sample multi-national company are effective and are aligned with global practices. The main objective of this research is to understand the current trend in remuneration practices for the expatriates in multi-national organization. Also, the objective is to understand its effectiveness in the context to the Human Resource perspective and the Organizations perspective. Hypothesis: H1: Expatriate Remuneration has positive effectiveness in Satyam InfoTech. H2: Expatriate Remuneration has negative effectiveness in Satyam InfoTech. H0: Null hypothesis. Literature Review: International assignments are important investments for MNCs. Besides the direct costs of employee salaries, taxes, housing, shipment of household goods, education assistance for dependants, spouse support, cross-cultural training, goods and services allowances, repatriation logistics and reassignment costs, the administrative costs of running an international assignment program should not be neglected. These include home based HR support (assignment planning, selection and compensation management), assignment location or host based HR support, post assignment placement costs as well as post assignment career tracking costs. Furthermore, adjustments costs of expatriates have to be taken into account. While many of these figures are highly quantifiable, it is even more difficult to assess the return on investment of international assignments. In a study conducted by Cranfield School of Management and PrincewaterhouseCoopers (Dickmann et al. 2006: 18-19) it was reported that the averag e costs per annum for expatriate are amounted to US$311,000. This includes the direct compensation costs and the costs to the organizations of managing their international assignments program. At US$22,378 the latter accounted for 7% of the total assignment costs. While more and more firms are interested in measuring a return on investment in international assignment, to date only 14% are addressing this complex task mainly looking at the definition and respective fulfilment of assignment objectives. Having summarised the expatriate remuneration practice, now some theoretical perspectives related to the various levels have to be looked upon. In this a scene can be set for addressing a question of how expatriate remuneration outcomes may be influenced by a series of independent variables, in dynamic interaction with the environmental context in which international employee mobilization occur. Human Resource Perspective: Two aspects in particular may influence the H.R. perspective on expatriate reward determination. First, the ideas of ‘best practice and related commentary on policies and practices that MNCs should adopt a ‘functional lens focusing the H.R. view point. Secondly, the role and interests of the H.R. function likely to affect H.R. specialists interpretations of alternative approaches to expatriate remuneration determination, a ‘political orientation. Administering the remuneration of expatriates employees has been an important concern for H.R. specialists, accounting for over 50% of their time (Perkins and Hendry 2001). Changes in the nature and duration of international employee mobility, not necessarily of HRs making but which need an H.R. response, condition the context for H.R. strategies to address the attendant compensation policy and practice implications.

Honey And Mumford Learning Style

Honey And Mumford Learning Style It is commonly believed that most people have a preference with regards to interacting with, taking in and processing information to allow them to learn (Smith, 2003). Different people adopt different learning styles where an optimum style allows the individual to learn best. The concept of individualised learning styles has gained a great deal of popularity in recent years ever since the idea was proposed in the 1970s. To date, there has been a massive abundance of tests that can be performed to assess a persons learning style (Sprenger, 2003). The project is divided into two parts: Part A: To identify and analyze my learning style preferences through various questionnaires; the VARK test, Honey and Mumford learning style, Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Belbins team inventory. Prem and Phil stated that Learning affects performance because all performance can be improved through learning. (Prem Phil, 2008). Thus, this allows me to gain an understanding of who I am as a learner and how this knowledge may affect my performances, both individually or within a team environment. Part B: To discuss my personality type and how my learning style may affect my career choices. However, it is worth noting that although personality is a possible contributor to learning, it is difficult to define (Davies, 2008). Sigmund Freud used the analogy of an iceberg to explain the complexity of human personality by suggesting that most of the personality is hidden out of sight under water (Freud, 2003). Hence, identifying ones personality is not an easy task, and tests should only be used as a starting point rather than as a means to make definite judgements (Bayne, 1997). Nonetheless, my results will give a general idea of a career field that most closely match my personality and strengths. Part 1: Who I am as a learner? 1.1 VARK Test The VARK test is one of the most commonly used models to help identify an individuals preference for receiving and analysing information with regards to learning. It can help people to develop additional learning strategies. There are four modes for people to use, such as visual, aural, read/write and kinaesthetic (VARK, 2009). It is a framework to assess a persons learning style. The results of the VARK test (Appendix A) suggest that my strengths in a learning context rest on my aural skills. I have a strong preference for aural based learning since I like to listen to others during discussion to gain a different perspective which allows me to understand more of the topic being discussed. My group mate agrees with this by saying Although Yin Sung is normally quiet during group activities, she is an active listener of other peoples views and cares about other peoples thoughts, (Vicky, 2010). Another part of the test results that I particularly agree with is that my written/reading skills quite weak and isnt my preferred method of learning. Having only recently moved to study in the UK, English is not my first language which could explain why this type of learning is not one of my main strengths, although my proficiency is improving a lot. Since, the western educational system places a lot of emphasis on reading and writing, I believe that I will gain a lot of improvement in this learning aspect as time goes on with added practice. However, I am a bit surprised by my low score on my kinesthetic skills. I have always thought that I am someone that learns well when given the opportunity to experience something via a hands on approach. For example, I find that I am able to pick up new skills easily (i.e. badminton) when I am able to physically try it out rather than just reading from a book on how to play. 1.2 Honey and Mumford Learning Style The Honey and Mumfords (1992) Learning Style identifies and categorises an individuals learning style. There are four possible styles; an activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist, with a total of eighty questions in the test (Honey and Mumford, 1992). According to the results of the Honey and Mumford learning style questionnaire (Appendix B) I adopt a high reflector mentality. I agree with the majority of the description of the reflector which I believe fully describes me. A Reflector is a careful person who prefers to take a back seat in group discussions (Honey and Mumford, 1992). I like to listen to other peoples views before I come to conclusions and take my time before making any decisions. Being less assertive and tending to hold back from participation, I believe that I will work well and learn more efficiently if placed around an activist, as one would be able to encourage me to tackle situations via a more head on approach. This would enhance my participation in group activities and discussions. In agreement with my VARK results, the Honey and Mumford test suggests that I am a good listener which is one of the strengths of a reflector. I fully agree with this since I have always been someone that likes to listen to everyone in the group thoughtfully. This gives me an opportunity to gain different perspectives from different angles before I come to conclusions. However, a possible weakness that I see in myself by being a reflector is that I spend a long time when performing set tasks. For example, during my last assignment, it took me in excess of two months to complete it as I was dwelling too much on the preparation stage. I spent too long researching information before I finally began writing my assignment which is due to my cautiousness with regards to deciding how to write it. Although I do show a cautious mentality, I dont fully agree with the description that a person with reflector behaviour never likes to take risks. I occasionally like to step out of my comfort zone to experience things that I have never experienced before to broaden my own knowledge. For example, I chose to leave my home and familiar surroundings in Hong Kong to study in the UK. I also like to take up activities and hobbies that I have never tried before. 1.3 Myers Briggs Type Indicator The Myer Briggs type Indicator (MBTI) is a questionnaire used to identify an individuals personality type based on Carl Jung theories. MBTI categorises individuals into two functions, such as extraversion or introversion which is the preference in which an individual prefers to direct their energy (Madeline Rebecca, 1988). For example, one that likes to direct their energy to deal with outer things, situations or other people is deemed to have a preference for extraversion. Conversely, a person that likes to deal with ideas, information, explanations or the inner world, then their preference is introversion. The results of the MBTI (Appendix C) suggest that I have a dominant introverted function, with a high preference for introverted sensing as demonstrated by my high score in ISFJ. These results show that I like to listen to others and to absorb as much information as possible in a particular situation, to expand my knowledge and to achieve a clear understanding of a topic. These compliment well with my results from the Honey and Mumford test mentioned above. The results also suggest that I am a hard working individual, which I feel describes me well. I like to start early and ensure that I perform tasks to the best of my ability. Regarding my academic life, I tend to study at least five hours a day. I also begin my research for assignments long before the deadline. For example, although this professional project is due for submission in April 2010, I have been preparing and doing the necessary reading since October 2009. The MBTI results also suggest that I have an important preference for extraverted feeling, as demonstrated by my high ESFJ score. I am someone that likes to focus on building harmony in the world around me and build positive relationships. Also, I always value other peoples contributions during work or other activities. My previous employer said Sung Yin is a very personable individual that is popular with the customers and staff which creates a very positive atmosphere around the place, (Mrs Poon, 2008). I will always try to persuade people to agree with my views if their opinions are different to mine. However, I always need to be careful not to offend those around me while trying to do so. Briggs Myers stated that although ESFJs are friendly and sympathetic, they are very persevering and insist that others share the same views as them. (Myers, 1995). 1.4 Belbin Team Inventory The Belbin Team Inventory is a test used to gauge insight into a persons behavioural tendency in a team environment (Furnham, Steele Pendleton, 1993). The test allows us the opportunity to determine not only our individual aptitude strengths, but also gives an awareness of our position within a team and how we are expected to contribute. It scores people based on how strongly they express traits from nine different team roles. (Belbin, 1981). According to my Belbin test results (Appendix D), I have a major preference for a role as a shaper within a team. A shaper contains behavioural traits that correspond to my results from the MBTI. For example, a shaper displays a drive to succeed and to overcome obstacles which complements my desire to fulfil my ambitions and follow my clear goals. Although I display reflector characteristics, I also see myself as a competitive individual that thrives on pressure and challenges, which forms the basis of the shaper role. My high school P.E teacher wrote on my school report Sung Yin has demonstrated her competitive side during badminton class and has the necessary personality and desire to become a good player in the sport in future, (Mr. Yeung, 2001). The results also show that I am a monitor evaluator suggesting that I am an individual that likes to evaluate all options before coming to a conclusion, which allows me to make accurate judgements. This agrees with my Honey and Mumford test results which say that I am one who likes to gain different perspectives in discussion before making decisions (being a reflector). Finally, the test results also consider me to have a preference for a specialist role that displays single mindedness and dedication. These are traits that I agree with since I am a rather stubborn person that doesnt like to change my mind once I have my mind set on something. Mr Robinson, my previous employer said Sung Yin is a very driven person with a clear path with where she wants to be and is unlikely that she will be swayed from it, (Mr. Robinson, 2007). I am always dedicated to my tasks at hand and always give my best to do them as well as I can. This has allowed me to develop my skills and knowledge to a level that means I can give a useful contribution within a team. Despite what I feel is a fairly accurate assessment of my preferential roles within a team, I do not fully agree with a resource investigator being my least preferred role. This is because I believe that I am a communicative person which is a key trait of the resource resource investigator. As demonstrated by previous test results, I am a person that possesses strong aural skills. Despite regularly adopting a cautious approach to group discussion activities (in line with my reflector personality), I like to ask questions and participate in activities once I feel comfortable enough to express my views once I have gauged other peoples viewpoints. Part 2: Implications for career choice 2.1 Lifelong Learning Even from a young age, I have always been aware of the importance of learning new things to broaden my own knowledge base having been constantly reminded by my parents to work hard till old, and to learn till old. With an ever changing society and increasing demand for talent in any professional career, it is mandatory that an individual should not only acquire new skills, but to also constantly upgrade these skills to meet challenges set by the changing work environment. This is the act of life-long learning which is the deliberate progression throughout life of an individual, where our knowledge is constantly being expanded which allows us to effectively survive in society (Peter, Jenny and Shelagh, 1998). The essentiality of life-long learning has been well documented even as early as the 17th century where Comenius wrote that no age is too late to begin learning. And that one should never make the mistake of standing still in terms of skill acquisition (Comenius, 1996). Through m y practical experience and life in general, I have come to the realization that continuous learning is a necessity to maintain a competitive advantage over the many individuals that seek the same career opportunities as me. Hence, I search for any opportunities to improve myself through life-long learning. With my desire to improve, I have recently resigned from my job to study my bachelors degree in Northumbria University. Prior to my resignation and subsequent move to partake in full time studies, I worked three years in the Bank of China as a Customer Service Officer (Appendix E). During that time, I was working full-time, while studying part-time during evenings by attending studying classes. The part-time study has allowed me to develop many key skills to heighten my proficiency in doing my job in minimal time. This is important because of the current unstable and competitive job market. It has now become a requirement for me to identify a clear career path for me to pursue and then to develop my knowledge towards the relevant areas to fulfil the needs of my future employers. I am now studying an International Business Management degree course with the aspiration to achieve a future career in the business sector. Life-long learning will help me provide a solid base for the development of essential transferable skills (as discussed later) that would stick to me throughout life and to aid me in the progression towards my career goals. It is also important for making me a better person. After all it is the bottom rung of the ladder of personal development. (Peter, Jenny and Shelagh, 1998). 2.2 Career Choice Having conducted various learning style tests on myself, I have been able to gain a better understanding of my learning preferences, personality and environments where I am likely to thrive upon. It is expected that knowing an individuals learning style preference may help that person to delineate a possible career path that is best suited for them, or even influence that person towards certain career choices. Indeed, it is common for managers to use questionnaires to identify ideal personality traits in their candidates that would most likely be suitable for their jobs which would aid them in the selection process. However, it is worth noting that human behaviour is highly complex, and such tests may not necessarily give an accurate or thorough assessment of an individuals personality (Freud, 2001). Hence, results of these tests should not be held absolute and should only be used as a guideline to aid a person with regards to making key decisions such as possible career paths to tak e. Despite obvious drawbacks with using these tests, I agree with most of the suggestions made by them regarding my learning preferences and some aspects of my personality. In terms of employment, through my practical experiences, I have developed a strong desire to pursue a career in Marketing. The skills I have acquired to date have largely influenced my interest towards this career path which, together with my personality, has made me consider that I possess the raw foundations to succeed in the marketing sector. In a survey carried out by Honey and Mumford, it was found that the majority of managers preferred employees that are reflectors for Marketing jobs; a trait that they believe would bring the biggest success to their company. Having carried out a Honey and Mumford test on myself, it was concluded that I am a strong reflector, which makes me aptly suitable for Marketing. Reflectors such as myself likes to adopt a cautious approach during group activities. This means that I tend to take an initial back seat in group discussions, preferring to obtain different viewpoints before making key decisions. Being cautious, can also involve thinking ahead in anticipation of possible obstacles. With marketing jobs, it is important not to rush into decisions without first thinking and planning ahead. This is because, with the nature of the type of work, it is inevitable that there will be lean periods so hence, it is especially wise to be prepared for such periods and to have a plan to act accordingly. For example, a part of planning ahead is anticipation of changes in the markets and finding new products to promote. It is important to be aware that the best marketing entrepreneurs are always looking for the next big money marker. They are always planning ahead (Scott Brooks, 2004). Hence, having a cautious approach to things can be a good trait as it means that I am less likely to make wrong decisions due to rushing into things and take necessary precautions. My Belbin results that conclude that I have a strong preference towards a Monitor evaluator who likes to evaluate all options before coming to conclusions adds further support of my suitability for a Marketing career. The ability to remain calm is one of the most sought after personality traits in the Retail profession, (John, 2007). Pressure can come in different ways, for example, when dealing with unhappy customers who are dissatisfied with the products sold to the; It is the job of the marketer to deal with the problem and to restore the customers opinion of the company. Hence, to achieve this, it is essential to remain calm under pressure when dealing with these situations. With marketing jobs, it is also important to be able to respond well and appropriately to strict targets and deadlines that are set and to work towards them, which can also lead to pressure building up. My Belbin test results suggest that I am suited towards a shaper role which is another reason why I feel that a Marketing career is suitable for me. Shapers are adept at performing under pressurising situations and with the added drive to succeed. This is important since there is a lot of competition within the market. Only when you have your client on your side, are you able to effectively get what you want. (John, 2007). I believe this quote highlights what a career in Marketing is essentially all about. Success within the field of Marketing and Retail is highly dependent on your clients or customers which means that good people skills allowing you to connect effectively with both colleagues and customers is essential. On a personality level, it is advantageous to be a likeable person which can involve being a pleasant individual with a cheery disposition. You are more likely to be able to negotiate better if your client likes you, (Scott Brooks, 2004). My MBTI results have described me as having a strong preference towards extroverted feeling which means that I like to build positive relationships with people around me and to create harmony around me. This, in my opinion has contributed largely to me being a personable individual. The benefits of this personality trait are two-fold. Firstly, I w ould be able to sell my products to customers more easily since they are likely to find me a pleasant person. Secondly, I am more likely to be on the right side of my work colleagues and so they may be more likely to offer me their help. Having identified a career field that best suit my personality as based on my personality tests, I seek to achieve a future career as a Marketing manager. A job of this kind would allow me the responsibility to make key decisions that will influence the success of the company. I crave the opportunity to manage a team, and to give a major contribution to the company that I work for. A successful career as a Marketing manager demands certain personality traits in addition to those mentioned above. For example, it is important that a Marketing Manager (Appendix F) is one that, not only is able to make accurate judgement, but also needs to stand by these judgements and not be too easily influenced by other peoples words. In other words, they need to be prepared to ignore naysayers, even if its those that are closest to them. (Scott Brooks, 2004). Hence, being brave and also single minded can be seen as a requirement in this sense. The Belbin test results have identified me as being a specialist where the key characteristic of this role is single mindedness. With me being a naturally stubborn person who doesnt usually change my mind having made my decisions, I believe I am suitable for this particular career choice. 2.3 Transferable skills In addition to the right personality and job specific skills, a wise employer will also look to see what transferable skills a perspective employee can offer. The term transferable skills simply refers to a set of generic skills in which an individual needs in order to be effective members of a flexible, adaptable and competitive work force and for life-long learning. At the heart of it all, most employers are looking for people with common skills and characteristics. (Phil OReilly, 2009). Unlike job specific skills, transferable skills can be used in many ways, gained through past experiences. They are skills that can be used in a variety of jobs and situations. In order to be successful in Marketing, there is a repertoire of skills that are required for me to effectively do my job which include time management, people skills, leadership, teamwork and good organisational skills, amongst others. Marketing jobs rely on the ability to sell products through interaction with a variety of different customers. Hence, good communication skills are essential. As identified by my VARK test results, I have strong aural skills that would be especially useful in Marketing since the job demands that I have a good understanding of customers needs. Being a good listener, and also someone that likes to see things from different perspectives, this would allow me to communicate effectively with my clients. My ability to communicate well has been greatly developed through my past employment as a Customer Service Representative at the Bank of China and private tutor, teaching Maths and various languages to children. Therefore, good communication now represents one of my key strengths. I am tri-lingual giving me versatility in my communication skills allowing me to talk with a wider customer range. Good presentation skills is also an important aspect of communication skill that is required in my future career since it is likely that It would be needed when promoting new products for instance. Fortunately, my presentational skills have been greatly enhanced over time through past experience in giving presentations during my past employment and current studies. Having a good understanding of the products that I am promoting and any new products on the market is also very important in Marketing. Hence, it is necessary to have good research skills and also to have an open mind with regards to learning new material. Being a reflector means that I happy to absorb information from many different angles and use it to make my decisions, while being a specialist as identified by my Belbin test results suggests that I have a natural eagerness to learn and expand my knowledge in topics at hand. As I am likely to be working within a team in my workforce with similar targets, there is no doubt that good teamwork skills are a requirement. I believe that I possess good teamwork capabilities having already been in employment where good teamwork is a must, such as working with my colleagues in the promotion and deriving of comprehensive financial plans during my previous job. I also actively partake in various teamwork sports that have allowed me to effectively build on my teamwork skills. It is my target to achieve a career as a Marketing manager in future, which will demand additional skills in order to be successful such as leadership and ability to motivate myself and others within my team. Being a Marketing manager will mean that I will receive greater responsibility, managing a team or making key decisions that will affect company success. Although I believe that I possess an ideal personality to undertake such a role in a company, I feel that I will need to improve myself further before I am ready. With regards to transferable skills, I believe my biggest weakness lies in my leadership qualities, being a less assertive individual that likes to hold back from participation in group activities. I understand that if I am to be a good leader, I will need to improve this aspect by playing a more prominent role in group activities and essentially stamping my authority. I do not fully agree with the notion that leadership is a quality that cant be taught, and some peop le are just born leaders. I feel that leadership is a skill that can be improved through life-long learning and experience; hence I will thrive to improve myself in this respect. As with all skills, they need to be learnt and no-one is born with them. (Phil OReilly, 2009). Conclusion Life-long learning is an essential process for me to learn new skills and also to improve existing ones. It is also highly important for my personal development towards being a better person, and one that is able to adapt to an ever changing world. The constant acquirement of new transferable skills is also vital for career progression and to give myself a competitive advantage over those thriving for the same opportunities as myself. By using a variety of different tests, I have gained an appreciation of my own personality, learning preferences and strengths. This information, together with my interests makes me ideally suited for a future career in the Marketing field.