The Policy of Deportation and Detention in Greece and the UK Research Proposal

The Policy of Deportation and Detention in Greece and the UK - Research Proposal Example Through an exploratory analysis of the immigration policies of both Greece and the United Kingdom, central questions I hope to address include the following: how do the immigration policies of Greece and the UK differ with respect to illegal migrants? Alternatively, how are their policies the same? What roles do deportation and detention play in the immigration process and how have Greece and the UK applied these measures in an attempt to stem the flows of migration, both legal and illegal? What role does the European Union play in dictating immigration policy and what does Brussels have to say with respect to the deportation and detention of migrants? These questions and much more will be explored in this comparative analysis of the immigration systems of both Greece and the United Kingdom. Utilizing data from the UK Border Services as well as from the Greek national authorities, this analysis will integrate raw concrete data with scholarly research in the field of immigration studi es. A comparative exploration of immigration policies in the twenty-first century will benefit significantly from an amalgamation of the latest scholarly research on the subject of British and Greek immigration trends and policies with tangible demographics obtained through the respective immigration authorities of each national government (EU statistics may also be used in this endeavor). Accordingly, the basis of this analysis will largely be qualitative but this analysis will most certainly benefit from quantitative data on immigration trends.

Contempory Management Functions Essay Example for Free

Contempory Management Functions Essay How do the theories proposed in your chosen reading inform your understanding of contemporary management functions and the employer-employee relationship? The Purpose of this essay is to determine how scientific management impacts contemporary management functions and the employer-employee relationship. This essay is based on the journal article [Locke,E (1982)The Ideas of Fredrick W Taylor: An Evaluation, Academy Management review,7(11),pp.14-24] and is regarding scientific management started by Fredrick Winslow Taylor which was a theory developed regarding management which analysed workflows. It was one of the earliest attempts to apply science to management. Scientific management’s main objective was to improve economic efficiency and productivity in the workforce. In most simple terms some of the many concepts were having a standardised method for doing a job, providing increased compensation to the worker as reward for being efficient and hiring the right person for the right job. Many of these theories are very commonly used in management today. Contemporary is a word meaning existing or occurring at the same time (Robbins,2012) . Management functions refer to the way somebody manages a business (Robbins,2012). Therefore contemporary management functions are how we typically manage today. Employer- employee relationship is the relationship in which a manager has with their employee’s and how they complete their work day together and if they are efficient together (Robbins,2012). The four contemporary management functions are Planning, Organising, leading and controlling. Planning is defined as a management function that involves defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals and developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities (Robbins,2012). Organising is a management function that involves arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organisations goals (Robbins,2012). Leading is working with and through people to accomplish organisational goals and controlling involves monitoring, comp aring and correcting work performance (Robbins,2012). Scientific management theories proposed in this reading do apply to  contemporary management functions. Although many of these theories could be argued as common knowledge today, when Fredrick Taylor established them they were prehistoric terms. He wanted to find out ‘one best way’ for everything in the workplace. Taylor’s most well known experiment was the pig-iron experiment (Locke, 1982 ). The experiment involved workers loading ‘pigs’ of iron on to rail cars. He knew their current daily output, but believed more was possible using scientific management. This was done due to many things. First of all putting the right person on the job with the right tools and equipment. In today’s management people hire the best person they can for the job. Secondly he had the worker follow his instructions exactly. This is also normal in today’s management functions, because people do things the way the employer wants them to. Taylor also motivated successful and productive workers with higher pay (Locke, 1982). This is also very common in today, with higher salary packages for good workers and pay increases for productivity fairly common. This improves employer and employee relationships by making the employee feel valued. Although many people believe in Taylors scientific management functions Lawerence (2010), Green (1986) both argue that that this is not the case and that scientific management is the problem in today’s management. Although there arguments are well presented there seems to be no evidence suggesting that Taylor’s theories do not work. Chung(2013) Agrees with Taylors contemporary management theories but argues the point that people could be to caught up on contemporary management functions and forgetting some key aspects of general managing. Taylor’s scientific management theories help the understanding of the employer-employee relationship by making it easier to understand what the relationship is actually for. This relationship is primarily about productivity .Many things Taylor did such as relaying messages from the employer to the employee to improve productivity) are also widely used in today’s management(locke,1982) . He also discovered that giving feedback to your employees will increase there skills and there productivity ( Locke,1982). This method is also very commonly used today with weekly meetings in many companies between employee and employer. Many large companies today use contemporary management functions in the work place. Companies Such as subway, burger king and McDonald’s are all very structured from top to bottom of the company and people are constantly striving to think of ways to improve productivity thus maximising profits. Yang (2012), Talks about all the hugely complex mathematical equations that now go into various parts decision making in Burger King and McDonald’s. Although the equations are to complex to understand to the average person it is clear that management is a lot more planned and structured in today’s workplace. Williams (2008) statesâ€Å"Consistency is a priority at McDonald’s† (p.15). This is true because anytime you walk into a McDonalds anywhere in the world you know what to expect. This is due to the contemporary management functions of a large scale to plan and organise and regulate what every individual McDonalds can do to ensure people know what they are getting and what to expect every time they walk through that door. Williams (2008) also discusses the change between old management styles and new management styles that have produced positive results for the company. The new management styles are all very similar to what Locke (1982) says about Taylor’s theories. For example Williams (2008) speaks about all the new rewards McDonalds have brought in for successful franchises and employees ranging from bonus’s to promotions to higher positions which like Taylor suggests encourages people to work harder hence greater profits (Locke, 1982 ) . Williams (2008) also talks about the extensive process in training managers and staff and the new expectations of every employee within the company that has increased greatly over the years to insure everythi ng runs according to contemporary management functions. Taylor’s theories of scientific management are helpful in informing you of contemporary management functions and employer-employee relationships. The way the workplace is shaped today seems very relevant to Taylor’s theories. Many of his theories are normal in today’s management functions. Although he has had many critics of his work It is shown in the articles that not many have been able to prove there arguments. Using evidence such as Williams (2008) journal on the change in managing McDonalds makes it clear that Taylor has had a big influence on typical management functions in today’s  workplace. Chung, C. (2013) The Road Not Taken: Putting ‘Management’ Back to Taylor’s Scientific Management, Journal of multidisciplinary research, 5(1), pp. 45-56. Green, M. (1986) A Kantian Evaluation of Taylorism in the Workplace, Journal of Business Ethics, 7 (2), pp. 165-169. Lawrence, P. (2010)The key job design problem is still Taylorism, Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 31 (2), pp. 412-421. Locke, E. (1982) The Ideas of Fredrick W .Taylor: An Evaluation, Academy of Management Review, 7 (1), pp. 14-24. Robbins,S.R., Bergman, Stagg, Coulter. (2012). Management (6th ed.). Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd. Williams, E. (2008) Accelerated leadership development tops the talent management menu at Mcdonald’s ,27(4),pp. 15-31. Yang,N. (2012) Burger King and McDonald’s: Where’s the Spillover?, 19(2),pp.255-281

batleby the scrivener Essay -- essays research papers

"Bartleby the Scrivener" is a complex story, so I am going to zero in on one particularly interesting and intelligent aspect of it. Due to the power of the message even this one particular aspect will be complex, of course. The first thing to note is that the story has a first-person narrator. The narrator, an anonymous lawyer, is in fact a major character in his own right. Ostensibly the story is about Bartleby and his actions as a scrivener. However, what the story is really about, in a sense, is the effect Bartleby seems to have on the narrator. We learn a great deal about the narrator, but more importantly, we see him undergo several rather significant changes. These changes bring to light Melville’s comment on the oppression and lack of compassion in the emerging capitalist economy The narrator's initial self-characterization is important to the story. He is a "safe" man, one who takes few risks and tries above all to conform to societies norms (Melville 1109). The most pragmatic concerns of financial security and ease of life are his priorities. He has made himself perfectly at home in the modern economy: he works as a lawyer dealing with rich men's legal documents. He is therefore a complement or a double to Bartleby in many ways. Doubling is a recurring theme in "Bartleby the Scrivener." Bartleby is a phantom double of our narrator, and the parallels between them will be explored later. Nippers and Turkey are doubles of each other. Nippers is useless in the morning and productive in the afternoon, while Turkey is drunk in the afternoon and productive in the morning. Nippers' ambition mirrors Turkey's resignation to his place and his sad, uneventful career, the difference coming about because of their respective ages. Nippers cherishes ambitions of being more than a mere scrivener, while the elderly Turkey must plead with the narrator to consider his age when evaluating his productivity. Their vices are also parallel, in terms of being appropriate vices for each man's respective age. Alcoholism is a vice that develops with time. Ambition arguably is most volatile in a man's youth. These characters provide valuable comic relief in what is otherwise a somber and upsetting tale. Melville’s p urpose in making Bartleby’s personality act complimentary to the narrator’s is to demonstrate the chang... ...ience with Bartleby. It is doubtful that the lawyer at the beginning of the story, as he pictured himself, could have imagined such personal tragedies. Here we see the denouement. The culmination of the change that Bartleby has affected in the lawyer. â€Å"Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!† (1134) This final sentence shows a depth of emotion that would have been impossible for the narrator at the beginning of the story. This obvious change gives readers the evidence that Melville was trying to display in support of his view of the negative aspects of the business world. This world and the humanity in it had affected both characters. Bartleby of course was the employee whose constant bombardment with the uncompassionate and pitiless world of Capitalism caused him to lose desire to think for himself and as a response to do nothing. The narrator was the employer whose use of the repetitive and routine tasks of his profession caused him to lose compassion and responsibility. The change in the narrator that one can see take place over the course of the story brings these traits and the institutions that founded them into glaring clarity.

When Politics Trumps Policy

While the public demand for the criminal justice system to help ensure a safe and secure environment, there are also occasions whereby the public may feel that the criminal justice agencies are actually the one posing unnecessary threats to the society. Issues like the abuse of authority, deadly vehicle pursuits and unauthorized use of weapons are all examples of cases in which the criminal justice system is actually threatening the safety of the public. This paper will discuss the case of Racin’ Ray’s Wild Day to examine the issues involved in the decisions made by Ripley as a law enforcing authority. Central Issues The central issue in the case study would be the authority of the police officers to use excessive force as well as to engage in violent pursuits. Due to a previous incident of a violent pursuit ending with the death of a 14 year old teenager, the Pineville County Sheriff’s Department is currently facing a lawsuit. As such, the Department has implemented stricter rules and regulations to prevent such accidents from happening again. However, another key issue which has cropped up would be that of the behavior of Deputy Raymond Ray Ripley who has been observed to be overstepping regulations as well as engaging in activities that are not part of his responsibilities such as to go for extra patrol as well as to engage in the violent pursuit of a vehicle that was not warranted since rules have been implemented to prohibit any pursuit which does not involve any violent felony crime or pose significant threat to the community. In addition, he is also using weapons which he does not have the authority to use (Peak, 2010). Use-of-force policy Ripley’s actions is not compliant with the use of force policy which states that â€Å"a supervisor [should] cancel any pursuit that does not involve a violent felony crime or other circumstances that would justify the danger and potential liability† . In addition, â€Å"A separate policy prohibits the firing of warning shots unless â€Å"circumstances warrant. †Ã¢â‚¬  (Peak, 2010). In the given case, Ripley had no evidence to demonstrate that the vehicle he was chasing was involved in any violent felony crime or circumstances that would pose extreme danger. In addition he used his fired warning shots even though the circumstances were not yet dangerous. As such, he was clearly violating the use-of-force policy. End Ripley’s pursuit The lieutenant should end Ripley’s pursuit. Firstly, this is because Ripley has already overstepped the policies implemented by the Department, as such there is a possibility that he would further abuse his power to bring about unnecessary harm to others. In addition, the Department is already involved in a current legal tussle. Should any mistakes go wrong with this one, the consequence would be especially dire and people would lose confidence in the criminal justice agency. Firing warning shots The deputy should have fired the warning shot. The department has already informed officers that no warning shots should be fired unless circumstances warrant. In this case, the officer was following normal regulations of being at least 30 meters away from the vehicle. In addition, he has proof to show that the circumstances warrant his actions since the driver was speeding towards him and thus the warning shot was fired to save his life. Lodging a complaint In the event that the people in the vehicle lodge a complaint about Ripley and his use of the force, the dog and the taser gun, there are various departmental policies which would need to be applied. First, it is necessary to record down all the processes involved during the whole incident including when , how and why the deputy came across the vehicle, fired the warning shots and gave chase to the vehicle. Given that there is evidence to sufficient to show that the deputy did abuse his authority such as to own a Taser gun and to use a dog, appropriate disciplinary actions would need to be taken to hold the deputy accountable for his actions. However, the head of the department will need to deliberate and take into account the factors affecting the situation and the decision-making of the deputy behind implementing the most appropriate form of punishment (Davis). Additional policies Given that the misconduct of the deputy has been identified, it is important that the department implement policies to ensure that similar acts do not occur again. Hence, this would involve programs like training as well as frequent audits to ensure that officers do not engage in behaviors that involve the abuse of their authority. In addition, the department should also set up a program to monitor the progress of those who have previously engaged in misconduct before to ensure that they are competent enough for their work. Conclusion In conclusion, the case of Ripley demonstrates the serious consequences of the abuse of authority by law enforcing officials. Therefore, it is necessary for criminal justice agencies to implement the appropriate strategies and programs to ensure that similar incidents do not occur again. ? Reference Davis, J. (n. d. ). Police Misconduct and Civil Rights Law. Retrieved from http://library. findlaw. com/1999/Nov/1/126320. html †¢Peak, K. (2010). Justice administration: police, courts, and corrections management (6th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Harlequin Enterprise Mira Decision

Harlequin enterprise had a competitive advantage in the women’s romance fiction genre up until the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Harlequin faced steady loss of share in a growing women's fiction market due to the popularity of single title novels. It is costly to imitate but to stay competitive I would recommend that Harlequin perform a limited launch of Mira by re-developing titles in their back-list and generating direct-to-reader sales through the Book Club, while it explores global distribution and marketing relationships. The Mira decision is great way of gaining new grounds but there are numerous issues surrounding it. First, competitions are fierce and there is great deal of threat to its potential in the U. S market. The agreement with Simon and Schuster at the end of romance wars may not be sustainable. If harlequin launches Mira in direct competition with S&S it would be very difficult considering harlequin is dependent on S&S for the distribution of its series titles within the U. S market. If Mira is pursued, harlequin would have to redevelop its distribution chain and its value chain within U. S. Harlequin’s brand loyalty is strong due to its readership base. This is evidenced by the direct-to-reader Book Club, which currently provides 3/8 of US Sales at significantly higher margins than indirect sales. With this value, harlequin should proceed cautiously but look towards reducing external threats and external opportunities. The Mira decision could be the solution to increase sales. With harlequin’s reputation of producing high quality books, Mira could be successful. There’s a great deal of risk involved in this investment, with significantly higher cost for production, distribution and marketing and considering harlequin’s inadequate expertise outside of the romance realm. As with the 1987 worldwide case, I believe harlequin could learn from their mistakes and be optimistic towards their future.

Love In Midsummer Nights Dream Essays - Fiction, Theatre, Hermia

Love In Midsummer Night's Dream Essays - Fiction, Theatre, Hermia Love In Midsummer Night's Dream Love is something that will never be defined. No one knows what love is. When Egeus describes it as being feign, and cunning, he is, for the most part, corredt. Love can sneak on a person, or a person can sneak up on it. I can back the former from personal experience. Love can be truly cunning, and when it is, it hurts. For example, Hermia and Lysander have to make plans to elope because otherwise they cannot be together because of her father, Theseus. Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius because Theseus likes him better. This makes the love that Lysander and Hermia have for each other hurt more than love already should, and then puts them in danger when they decide to elope. Thus, love can be a problem. One solution to this would be for Lysander to challenge Demetrius to a duel, as was a custom in Shakespeares days. If Lysander won, then he and Hermia would no longer have to worry about him, and they could be wed. In this however, there is a problem in the solution. Love is one of t hose things where there is no real Gray Area. Many people know if they are or if they arent. Its something that just comes. Often at the wrong times, like when it is not returned. Love can be a blessing, though, when it is returned, and can lead to many years of joy and prosperity, as long as the love is respected. Often times though, love is deceitful, and can stop on a dime. There is no solution for that.

Using Question Words That Begin With Wh in English

Using Question Words That Begin With Wh in English There are a number of ways you can ask a question in English, but the most common way is to use a word that begins with the letter combination wh-. There are nine wh-  question words, which are also called  interrogatives. One of them, how, is spelled differently, but it functions the same way and is thus considered a wh- question: What (What  do you want for dinner?)Who (Who  do you think will win the election?)Whom (I want to know to  whom  I should address this letter.)Whose (Whose  sock is this?)Which (Which  of these shirts should I buy?)When (When  does the concert begin?)Where (Where  should we visit in Spain?)Why (Why  is the sky blue?)How (How  do we get there from here?) By using one of these words to ask a question, the speaker is inferring that he or she expects a reply that is more detailed than a simple  yes or no  can satisfy. They imply that the subject has a range of options from which to choose or possess specific knowledge of a subject. Using Wh-  Question Words Wh-  question words are pretty easy to identify because they nearly always are found at the beginning of a sentence. This is called  subject/verb inversion  (or subject-auxiliary inversion), because the subjects of these sentences follow the verbs, rather than precede them. For instance: What did you do at the mall? (Subject is you)Where should we go on vacation? (Subject is we) As with much of English grammar, there are exceptions to this rule, such as when the  subject  is itself a  wh- word, as in these examples: When is not important; we need to decide where to go first.Who left the door open?What is that doing here? Another exception applies youre asking a question about the  object of a preposition  in a declarative sentence: To whom is that package addressed?For whom is the subject matter of this film appropriate? This kind of formal language, while grammatically correct, is not used often in informal conversation. But its quite common for  academic writing. Special Cases If your question is urgent or you want to follow up your first query to get more information, you can use the auxiliary verb do to add emphasis. For example, consider this dialogue: Where did you go on vacation? (verb phrase: did go)We went to Mexico City.What did you do there?   (verb phrase: did do)We visited our friends who live there. You must also use do if youre using a wh-  question in the negative, including instances where the wh-word functions as the subject: Who doesnt love freebies?Why I didnt buy this shirt earlier is beyond me. Finally, remember that you can also use wh-  words to ask a question by placing them at the end of a sentence, rather than at the beginning, where theyre usually found: Youll be visiting Spain until when?Todays date is what?Your wedding is being held where? Sources BBC World Service staff. Learning English: Wh- Questions. BBC.co.uk.Carter, Ronald; McCarthy, Michael; Mark, Geraldine; and OKeeffe, Anne. Wh-  Questions: From  English Grammar Today. Dictionary.Cambridge.org.

SAT Prep for ESL and Bilingual Students

SAT Prep for ESL and Bilingual Students SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT is a challenging test for all students, but especially for those whose native language isn't English. Even more so than its counterpart, the ACT, the SAT focuses on high level vocabulary words and reading comprehension. Most four year colleges require the SAT or ACT from ESL students, often along with the TOEFL or IELTS. This guide is for ESL and bilingual students who have college in their plans and want to know how to prep for the SAT. Before delving into your approach to test prep, let's discuss what exactly the SAT tests, and why it can be so demanding for non-native speakers of English. What Does the SAT Test? Some students ask, can you take the SAT in another language? What about the SAT in Spanish or Mandarin? What about just the SAT instructions in another language? The answer to all these is, sadly, no. There is no special SAT ESL or SAT bilingual version. The SAT is meant to assess your college readiness. It tests whether you have the math and verbal reasoning skills to do well in college classes. Since your college classes will be in English, it wouldn't be very helpful to offer SAT dual language or translations for the questions or instructions. The SAT has three main sections: math, Critical Reading, and Writing, which includes an essay. ESL, bilingual, and international students often score higher on the math section of the SAT than the Writing and Critical Reading sections. While the math does require some knowledge of math terminology and understanding word problems, it doesn't require as advanced English skills as the verbal sections (perhaps stating the obvious). The Writing section tests your understanding of grammar rules and sentence and paragraph structure. Multiple choice questions will ask you to identify errors in a sentence or rearrange ideas within a paragraph. Because the sentences are often complex, this section is challenging for ESL students. Some ESL students have an advantage on the Writing multiple choice, however. ESL students often study rules of English grammar more explicitly than native speakers do, who might just rely on their sense of "what sounds right." SAT scores of bilingual students who can identify and apply specific rules, like subject-verb agreement and parallelism, can do very well on this section. Writing also includes a 25 minute essay, which accounts for about 30% of the overall Writing score. This persuasive essay is tough for non-native speakers, since points are deducted for any errors in grammar or structure. Luckily, this essay is very coachable. By familarizing yourself with exactly what graders want to see and practicing essay writing before the exam, you can prepare yourself and improve your score. Finally, the most challenging section of the SAT for most ESL students is the Critical Reading section. To do well on this section, you have to be able to read and understand passages quickly. You also have to use reasoning skills to make inferences, interpret details, and determine main purpose. Doing well on the Critical Reading sections is no easy feat for any student. By improving your English level overall and studying specifically for the SAT, in terms of both content, and strategy, you can improve your scores a greal deal. The first step is asking yourself whether you're ready to start prepping for the SAT. Do you have the level of English necessary to study for and take the SAT? Let's try to answer this question for students in each of the three main levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. If you're a High Beginner or High Intermediate, you might fall somewhere in between and can take advice from both sections. Three delicious levels. What's Your English Level? Are you at the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level in your English language learning? As I mentioned above, many colleges require you to demonstrate your English proficiency with the TOEFL (another accepted exam is the IELTS) if you've taken one or more ESL classes in high school. Not only can this test help you get into college, but you can also use it to decide whether you're ready to take the SAT. SAT experts generally agree that you'll have trouble prepping for and taking the SAT until you've achieved at least a 90 on the TOEFL. The minimum TOEFL score I've seen to get into U.S. colleges is a 79, so this is another minimum benchmark to use. The TOEFL requires a lot of prep too, but at least all this studying will get you in the right mindset for the SAT. If you haven't taken the official TOEFL, you can try TOEFL sample questions and gauge your level that way. At the very least, you'll have a sense of your English level based on your class placement in school. If you're a beginner or high beginner ESL student, what can you do to start prepping for the SAT? Many colleges offer ESL bridge programs for beginner ESL students. SAT Prep for Beginner ESL Students If you're a recent ESL student at a beginner level, then you're probably not at the point yet where you can start planning for the SAT. The SAT is a measure of the math and verbal reasoning skills you need for college. Beginner ESL students would have a hard time keeping up with college classes in English. The best thing you can do at the beginner level is to keep studying and improving your English and all your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Build up your vocabulary and knowledge of English idioms (some idioms will appear on the SAT). You might begin to familiarize yourself with what the SAT is all about, so you can incorporate relevant material into your English learning. By this I mean you could make sure you're learning geometry and algebra terms or focusing on a detailed understanding passages when you read. If you're looking to go to college at the beginner level, many colleges offer an ESL bridge program for bilingual and international students (and those who score lower than a 79 on the TOEFL). In a bridge program, you can keep learning English and eventually go straight into the school's undergraduate program. Some colleges with ESL bridge programs include UMass Boston, Roger Williams, and the University of New Hampshire, among lots of others. Another possibility is enrolling in a community college (which doesn't require the SAT, but usually wants to see the TOEFL), and then transferring to a 4-year school after a year or two. This can be a great option to give yourself time to build up your English, experience the U.S. if you're not living here already, gain college credits, and then ultimately get your diploma from a 4-year college. Keep working on your English so you'll have the language skills you need to take the SAT and succeed at the college level. Once you've brought your skills up to the intermediate or high intermediate level, you can begin to do more focused prep for the exam. Keep reading to improve your English skills. SAT Prep for Intermediate Students Intermediate students may be in a better position to score between a 79 and 90 on the TOEFL and find the SAT more accessible. If you're an intermediate ESL student, you should familiarize yourself with everything about the SAT. Find out what's tested on the Math, Critical Reading, and Writing sections. Learn all about the different question types. Understand how much time you have in each section. Math is typically easier for ESL students, but you still need to focus on the math concepts and making sure you can understand word problems and math vocabulary,like integer, mulltiples, and isosceles triangle. For Writing, study the most commonly tested grammar rules and read widely to improve your understanding of syntax and structure. Practice writing essays; hopefully you have someone who can give you feedback on them. Finally, for Critical Reading, practice reading texts closely(and quickly) for main purpose, vocabulary, and details. Figure out where you need to focus your studying the most. Then you can determine your approach to test prep. What Are Your Prep Options? There are a few options for SAT prep, but I wouldn't recommend all of them for intemediate ESL students. These options include self-studying from books, SAT classes, one on one tutoring, and online programs. Self-studying can be tough and even ineffective for intermediate ESL students. You have to figure out everything on your own. Students can improve a lot by studying their mistakes and reading through answer explanations. If you don't have the language skills to understand your mistakes, then you could keep repeating the same ones without learning what you're missing. SAT classes are a slightly better option, but they can be difficult if they're not geared toward ESL students. They might move at a faster pace and teach to native speakers. In large classes, you might not get enough individual attention to really understand problem types. I would recommend online programs or one on one tutoring (or online programs that include a one on one tutoring component). That way you can match the prep to your pace and language level and get the thorough explanations you need. PrepScholar's program, for example, helps you figure out your strengths and weaknesses and target the areas you need to improve most. It also gives you lots of lots of practice writing essays and getting feedback. One on one tutoring can also accomplish this, but it works best if the tutor has experience working with non-native English speakers. It also may just be a weekly meeting, whereas you could access an online program anytime you wanted. The key thing to remember is that you should target your weaknesses, understand your mistakes, and find a prep method that best meets your needs as an ESL or bilingual student. All of this takes time and a plan, so it's best to start a year or more before your test date to give yourself time to prep and additional test dates to retake the SAT, if needed. Meanwhile, continue improving your English, as ultimately a strong score on the SAT, and especially the verbal sections, requires advanced English skills. Full speed ahead! SAT Prep for Advanced Students Advanced ESL students or bilingual students who are fluent will benefit from SAT prep in much the same way as native speakers. The difference is that they may have to focus more on understanding idioms, high level vocabulary, and essay writing, and work on their ability to read quickly under time pressure. There are a number of resources for free official practice tests that students can use to get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. As you review content and concepts, you can also try out strategies for saving time and approaching each section. Analyze your mistakes and keep trying out timed practice tests to improve your pacing. Is there a method of test prep that works best for advanced students? What Are Your Prep Options? In terms of your options - self-study, classes, one on one tutoring, and online programming - you have more flexibility as an advanced ESL student or fluent English speaker. If you can deeply understand test prep on your own from books, then you could benefit from using them to prepare. You also might learn in a class, though generally classes don't offer insight beyond the ordinary or give much individualized attention. The strengths of customized online programs and one on one tutoring still stand for advanced ESL students and native speakers, since they help you design a study plan, understand your strong points and weak areas, and prioritize the material in a way that will maximize your score improvement. Many schools waive their TOEFL requirement if you score a minimum score on the Critical Reading section of the SAT. UMass Boston wants to see a 450 for bilingual SAT scores, and Columbia and Brown want to see at least a 650. If you're an advanced speaker who can score high enough to waive the TOEFL, then you definitely want to get started on prep early. That way you'll know whether or not you have to take TOEFL before it's too late. The SAT is a challenging test that plays a huge role in your college plans. To do your best, you want to choose the best materials and method of test prep. Then you can design the study plan that will help you most increase your scores. And if you come up with the best design, Heidi Klum will wear it to the Emmys. Design Your SAT Study Plan While you should focus on prepping for all aspects of the SAT, you probably want to focus most of your energy on the Critical Reading section and the essay. These tend to be the hardest to score highly on if your native language isn't English. Official books, online programs, and tutoring can provide you with high quality materials, individualized attention, and detailed explanations. It also helps to keep improving your English and reading. There are even some SAT vocabulary novels that can be an engaging way to learn vocabulary in context. Once you figure out your target scores and check out the different test dates, you can divide your time according to your schedule. This is one possible study plan that starts early in high school. Some students may push this forward, but it's good to start early so you have available test dates to retake the SAT. Start prepping in sophomore year 2 to 3 hours a week. This would add up to 80 hours or more by the end of the school year! Take the SAT in the spring of junior year, like May or June. If you're not satisfied with your scores (which you very well may not be at this point), do intensive test prep over the summer, while continuing to advance your English. Test again in the fall of junior year, and again in the spring of junior year if you still see room for improvement. Keep in mind that the fall of senior year would be the last time you could take the SAT and make your deadlines. Don't wait too long to take the TOEFL if you'll need it for colleges. While you want to start early, you also need to have sufficient working knowledge of English and the content knowledge, like geometry, algebra, and certain literary terms. If you haven't studied geometry yet in sophomore year, then it might be tough to take the SAT then and better to wait a little longer. Even if you're just starting to study, adding an SAT Question of the Day is an easy way to slowly get familiar with the questions. You can also create vocabulary flashcards specific for reading and math to quiz yourself and build up your vocab. The SAT is meant to measure college readiness. Achieving your target scores shows you have the English and study skills you need to succeed in college level courses. What's Next? Check out these other free resources for learning about SAT content and strategy! How to Improve Your SAT Reading Score: 6 Strategies How to Improve Low SAT Math Scores: 6 Key Strategies How to Improve Your SAT Writing Score: 8 Key Strategies The Best Way to Read SAT Critical Reading Passages How to Stop Running Out of Time on SAT Math How to Stop Running Out of Time on SAT Reading How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step We have lots more guides to help students at all levels improve on the SAT and learn strategies to beat the test. Check them out and find the tips and strategies that work best for you! Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Chronic Pain Management and Nurse Practitioners Term Paper

Chronic Pain Management and Nurse Practitioners - Term Paper Example Recent increased focus on pain via hospice programs, state, national, international pain gatherings, pain clinics and professional pain organizations confirm the importance accorded to chronic pain and its management in the healthcare sector. This level of attention notwithstanding, a good number of family and primary care nurses and nursing students are poorly armed with the information, skills and awareness to manage chronic pain (Arnstein, P., and Marie, B. St., 2010). In addition, patients and their loved ones lack the latest and the most accurate information on effective pain management (Droes, 2004). These problems are further compounded by certain misconceptions about chronic pain, which include the beliefs that most chronic pain patients receive enough pain treatment and that non-oral routes are preferred for opioid administration (Droes, 2004). The other misconceptions are that relief from pain is not a treatment outcome and that many patients exaggerate their pain. These ar e some of the misconceptions that nurse practitioners should drop to efficiently treat chronic pain (Droes, 2004). This paper explores the difficulties of treating chronic pain and barriers such as inadequate training and education, financial barriers and impacts, and issues of state and federal policies and guidelines on pain management. Specifically, the paper will focus on the healthcare economic issues surrounding nurse practitioners’ pain management efforts. Role of Nurse Practitioners in Chronic Pain Management According to a publication by the Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation released on December 15, 2010, the issue of moderate and severe chronic pain has been largely ignored in the sector just like the issue of derisory management and treatment of chronic pain, not to mention the misuse, abuse, and diversion of prescription opioids (Arnstein, P., and Marie, B. St., 2010). In fact, that millions of U.S. citizens use millions of pain relievers for non-medical re asons annually should be a wakeup call for medical practitioners and the relevant state and federal authorities. Importantly, health care practitioners ought to address these issues to avert and avoid resultant problems such as overdoes, increased illness and injury risks and even death in some cases (Arnstein, P., and Marie, B. St., 2010). These problems not only affect individuals but also impinge on the welfare of the larger community. This situation calls on well-meant nurse practitioners to rise to the occasion and properly prescribe and dispense pain relievers. More concernedly, opioids for chronic pain should be handled with more caution and keenness since the health care economic impacts are direr, more so for patients and members of public who may use opioids in a manner not recommended (Richardson & Poole, 2001). To know their roles in managing and treating chronic pain, advanced nurse practitioners should first understand the problem of chronic pain. First, it is of the e ssence that nurse practitioners appreciate that chronic and acute pains are worldwide health problems, which can be treated. However, chronic pain has not been associated with the benefits of acute pain, which may have protective effects on illnesses and injuries in certain instances. On the other hand, some experts regard chronic pain as a high prevalence disease on its own. In fact, by 2006, about 76

How Can Management Accounting Techniques Assisst the Management of a Essay

How Can Management Accounting Techniques Assisst the Management of a Real Life Company - Essay Example Arcadia Group Limited is UK's largest privately owned clothing retailer that operates approximately 2,500 outlets. These outlets offer street’s best known fashion brands to different market segments (Arcadia Group Limited, n.d.). TopShop is mainly engaged in selling of women clothing and accessories. The company is also focusing on on-line selling of the products. This retail chain offers clothes mainly for young females. Other fashion products like shoes, accessories, make-up and gift items are also available in these outlets. TopShop was launched in 1964 to cater the growing demand for fashionable clothes among females in UK. From then onwards it turned out as a style symbol that caters the imagination of fashion icon people in UK’s retail industry. Within UK the retail chain has over 300 outlets and around 100 outlets are operating in international territories. Considering its success in the target market it is quite difficult to accept that this brand once had its b eginning in the basement of Peter Robinson department store. It took almost a decade for the brand to emerge out as a stand alone retailer. Back in 1994, TopShop got an opportunity to acquire its own identity. At that time 90,000 sq ft area was acquired at London Oxford Circus to open a unique outlet solely for TopShop. This outlet gave an identity to the retail brand; till date this outlet is world’s largest fashion store that attracts more than 200,000 shoppers per week. The brand image of the company is enough to attract international designers. The retail has a history of collaboration with some well known international designers like Celia Birtwell and Kate Moss that gave an extra edge to the brand name of TopShop. With... This paper stresses that a retail outlet sells large amount of finishes products that require regular updating of data. The sale to stock ratio is low because large portion of working capital remain engaged in inventory. As the business cycle is short in length, hence cash-flow balance is quite critical. The suppliers are always in hurry for their payments whereas the customers prefer to make delay. This report makes a conclusion that a retail outlet can confirm poor management if it encounter over crowded cash counter during festive session, the invoice process take time and customers has to wait long and inaccurate data in the invoice such as mistake in weight, item or amount. These are the signal of inadequate availability of information that can be rectified with help of management accounting system. The author says that with help of management cost accounting tools, company can generate ample reports that provide in-depth information about performance of different departments. Among these tools, activity based management is the one that has gained high popularity. Activity based management can be segregated in two distinct section; the first one is activity based costing where cost incurred at different point in the operational process is identified and then allocated to specific activity centre. The second section deals with strategic decision were management take decision about re-engineering of the activity. There are other techniques of management accounting such as cost volume profit analysis where the management calculate contribution ration that reflects profitability of the business.

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Business Ethics - Essay Example Since they are morally responsible, there is a greater need for them to act in ethical manners than if their actions caused no harm to anybody. One example could be international trade and the food industry. Ethically speaking, a lot of food from third-world countries is problematic because it is farmed using slave or child labor, or both. So if there were a major food company like Hershey’s which bought their cocoa through unethical channels, that company would be having a very negative effect on people who were being forced to farm cocoa beans. This would be an unethical act, and one that would effect society at large as well. On the positive side, though, there are many companies who sponsor elementary schools when purchases or made, or who sponsor community-oriented events and initiatives. In this case, the organizations can be good moral agents, as well as â€Å"top corporate citizens† who have made sure that they act ethically as well as just out of a sense of what is economically good for their company (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell

Managerial control case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managerial control case study - Essay Example The specific sector of the PC industry analyzed relates to the product lines offered by Apple Inc. in this industry, and thus includes Desktops and Notebooks together with allied peripherals and Software services. A schematic diagram of the framework used is shown in Appendix-A. One of the most important forces that govern the strategy adopted by a firm within any industry relates to the threat of new entrants. The PC industry is a high-technology industry characterized by constant innovation and technology obsolescence. Hence the most significant threat from the point of view of entry barriers figures in the form of high capital requirements, primarily for investment in research and development for coming up with innovative products in line with the dynamically changing requirements of the marketplace. This is therefore a major deterrent for new entrants. Secondly, since the industry has been growing very rapidly with large demand volumes in the global market, the economies of scale enjoyed by the established players cannot be matched by the new entrants and thus, this is another significant deterrent to new entrants. All other factors under Entry barriers are favorable to new entrants desirous of entering this industry. The level of product differentiation in this industry is not very high, with only a few innovative features offered by different competitors making for some minimal differentiation. Similarly the switching cost to buyers is not very high in the industry as a whole, considering substantial standardization. Although Apple Computers has been known for closely guarding the secrets of its proprietary technology so far, now with the alliance with Microsoft and availability of Windows 98 for Mac users since 1998, the switching cost for Mac users trying to switch to Wintel platforms has also been low. The distribution channels again, are no longer brand channels. Thus on the whole most of these

Caree Action plan And self reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Caree Action plan And self reflection - Essay Example At this present day, when internet marketing is considered a necessity, not an advantage it is considered the basic requirement of marketing strategy and a source of introducing a company worldwide. The key competency required to be a marketer is to be the generator of ideas out of the limitations. Individuals with skills and knowledge are valuable and appreciated in the company. Marketing is the idea of reaching out the customers worldwide with better strategies (Pride, 2006). As a marketer of this modern era, marketers have to think out of the boxes and limitations. Marketing is all about creativity. A different strategy for a new product or service can attain greater attention from valuable customers. A good marketing strategy can play an incredible role in achieving a positive image in the eyes of the customer (Hoffman & Bateson, 2010). It is the point where the marketer is considered to have brilliance in his sector of a job. To be specific, marketing is all about creating a valuable and positive image in the mind of potential customers. After graduating from school with specializing in marketing, students are considered to be creative. They are required to have enough potential to think and create new techniques of marketing by thinking out of the box and limitations. To be able to think out of the limitations, one needs to be attentive to the surroundings. It is necessary for the marketer to be the best communicator as the job requires customer dealing (Fill, 2002). A marketer should possess good communication skills either verbally or non-verbally. On the other side, a marketer should be able to understand gestures of customer (Ang, 2014). Information Technology is playing a vital role in marketing sector as the potential customers are approached by using the internet. A marketer should possess wide knowledge of information technology. The competition is growing rapidly, and the companies require those who possess

SOCIOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SOCIOLOGY - Essay Example Life is much more convenient as compared to the earlier eras, where only a few could afford telephones and could communicate but today cell phones are part of life and it has made an individual approachable. Although television has set the platform for all sorts of information required for different aspects of life but I disagree in the sense that it is also deteriorating the cultural norms of the society as there are certain unacceptable scenes that are forbidden for family shows. Giving it a different view point that if there is an introduction of discipline in home regarding timings to watch television, there could be enough time for the family interaction may it be the topic of personal development or creating awareness about the happenings around the world. This will preserve the decline of cultural values too. "Yes, I agree that internet services across the world has made the accessibility of documents within a few seconds and offers a platform for interaction amongst individua ls across the globe, but at the same time it is making children to access those sites which are prohibited for them". It is therefore imperative to understand Globalization from different perspective, where a deep understanding about globalization is desired. An individual must understand it in a highly disciplined manner.

Caree Action plan And self reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Caree Action plan And self reflection - Essay Example At this present day, when internet marketing is considered a necessity, not an advantage it is considered the basic requirement of marketing strategy and a source of introducing a company worldwide. The key competency required to be a marketer is to be the generator of ideas out of the limitations. Individuals with skills and knowledge are valuable and appreciated in the company. Marketing is the idea of reaching out the customers worldwide with better strategies (Pride, 2006). As a marketer of this modern era, marketers have to think out of the boxes and limitations. Marketing is all about creativity. A different strategy for a new product or service can attain greater attention from valuable customers. A good marketing strategy can play an incredible role in achieving a positive image in the eyes of the customer (Hoffman & Bateson, 2010). It is the point where the marketer is considered to have brilliance in his sector of a job. To be specific, marketing is all about creating a valuable and positive image in the mind of potential customers. After graduating from school with specializing in marketing, students are considered to be creative. They are required to have enough potential to think and create new techniques of marketing by thinking out of the box and limitations. To be able to think out of the limitations, one needs to be attentive to the surroundings. It is necessary for the marketer to be the best communicator as the job requires customer dealing (Fill, 2002). A marketer should possess good communication skills either verbally or non-verbally. On the other side, a marketer should be able to understand gestures of customer (Ang, 2014). Information Technology is playing a vital role in marketing sector as the potential customers are approached by using the internet. A marketer should possess wide knowledge of information technology. The competition is growing rapidly, and the companies require those who possess

Nutrition - Ask and Answer - Characteristics of Life Essay

Nutrition - Ask and Answer - Characteristics of Life - Essay Example The following hypotheses were formulated: First, simple obesity among children is affected by the following environmental factors: educational levels of parents, familial inclination to obesity, and other health patterns. Secondly, a diet with low energy component and low glycemic index results into body mass loss. Thirdly, dietary treatment will involve change in the body mass, reduction in skin thickness and adipose folds, scapula, BMI, body fat content and waist hip ratio. Lastly, administration of dietary treatment will affect biochemical indicators like lipid profiles (Rozwoj, 2006). A sample size of 236 children with known simple obesity from Mazowsze region was used. The research was carried out by Gastroentorogical and Endocrinological Unit of the Institute of Mother and Child for10 weeks. Nutritional state was analyzed on the principle of investigating. Eight essential features and five anthropometric parameters were used besides common biochemical indicators for carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Evaluation was done prior to and after the commencement of the study. Studies were carried out on nutrition that comprised eating habits, composition of food, and the constituent nutritional content of food given daily covering a period of 10-14 for every child prior to the dietary treatment and 3 random days after. Collection of data on environmental factors was administered by a questionnaire (Rozwoj, 2006). It was found that environmental factors constituted major risk to obesity. A relationship was established between a normalized BMI z-score with respect to environmental factors which included paternal obesity (Chi (2) test with p-value less than 0.05). Also a positive correlation was found between relative BMI z-score and the anthropometrical factors. No distortions in carbohydrate metabolism were established except for fats (Rozwoj, 2006). The dietary treatment contained

Communication Through Graphic Design Essay Example for Free

Communication Through Graphic Design Essay I’m going to college to earn a degree in Graphic Design. Graphic Design is the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books. My dream has always been to work for a large successful major business or company. I would love to live in the city and be able to drive down the high way or pick up a magazine and see my design in it for everyone to see. One of the biggest meanings of the word â€Å"design† is planning. To design is to come up with a plan for all elements of a project. I’ve always been really big on making plans. Like when I go to the mall I don’t like to just walk around aimlessly. I like to have a planned route of certain stores I’m going to go to, and in what order I’m going to go to them. I’ve never actually thought about the communication process when it comes to a career in Graphic Design. I always figured it was a career with little communication considering it’s all mostly done on the computer and independently. Depending on the job task, company, or person your doing a certain job for there has to be plenty on communication in order to get the project and design done. Which is a sender receiver type of communication. When going to create a design you must pay close attention to the person telling you what to design. So good communication skills are relevant to get a good job done and reach your bosses standards. Graphic Design is all about communicating images, ideas, and information visually. There are many different types of communication, Graphic Design is visual and non-verbal communication. For example, a billboard on the side of the road is still a form of communication even though there isn’t technically any talking going on. People drive by and still get the point and the message without any verbal communication. Some interesting history I never realized or thought about is that technically graphic design started back in the prehistoric period. With cavemen doing cave paintings and markings on boulders to relay a message to others. It’s interesting to think that people have been creating forms of non verbal communication through somewhat Graphic Design for quite some time now. Graphic Designs involves intrapersonal and interpersonal communication. This is because with this type of job comes lots of thinking, analyzing, listening, observing, questioning, and evaluating. Also I learned that there’s nonverbal physical means in Graphic Design such as; sign language, touch, eye contact, and body language by using design. It’s through communication that understanding, cooperation, and collaboration occur. Communication skills is way more important in Graphic Design than most would assume.

van gogh :: essays research papers

His move to Paris in 1886 brought van Gogh into contact with Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Paris saw the first evolution in his paintings; his palette became lighter and he started to use pure colours. In 1888 he moved to Arles, where his artistic liberation was accelerated and completed. He also had his first attack of insanity there; he used to paint every day and produced an astonishing amount of marvelous work, such as the Sunflower series. During a visit by his friend Gauguin van Gogh cut off one of his own ears. Austrian expressionist artist Egon Leo Adolf Schiele, b. June 12, 1890, d. Oct. 31, 1918, was at odds with art critics and society for most of his brief life. Even more than Gustav Klimt, Schiele made eroticism one of his major themes and was briefly imprisoned for obscenity in 1912. His treatment of the nude figure suggests a lonely, tormented spirit haunted rather than fulfilled by sexuality. At first strongly influenced by Klimt, whom he met in 1907, Schiele soon achieved an independent anticlassical style wherein his jagged lines arose more from psychological and spiritual feeling than from aesthetic considerations. He painted a number of outstanding portraits, such as that of his father-in-law, Johann Harms (1916; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City), and a series of unflinching and disquieting self-portraits. Late works such as The Family (1918; Oesterreichische Galerie, Vienna) reveal a newfound sense of security. 1902 - Ansel Easton Adams born on February 20, at 114 Maple Street, San Francisco, the only child of Olive and Charles 1915 - Despises the regimentation of a regular education, and is taken out of school. For that year, his father buys him a season pass to the Panama-Pacific Exposition, which he visits nearly every day. Private tutors provide further instruction. 1916: Family Trip to Yoesmite, Californina. 1925: Decides to become a pianist.

Business Strategies :: essays research papers

Strategy evaluation is an attempt to look beyond the obvious facts regarding the short-term health of a business and appraise instead those more fundamental factors and trends that govern success in the chosen field of endeavor. Strategy can also be defined as a set of objectives, policies and plans that, taken together, define the scope of the enterprise and its approach to survival and success. Alternatively, we could say that the particular policies, plans, and objectives of a business express its strategy for coping with a complex competitive environment. A good business strategy can be broadly categorized into functions like consistency, consonance, advantage, and feasibility. A strategy that fails to meet one or more of these criteria is strongly in suspect. It fails to perform at least one of the key functions that are necessary for the survival of the business. Inconsistency in business is not simply a flaw in logic. A key function of strategy is to provide coherence to organizational action. A clear and explicit concept of strategy can foster a climate of tacit coordination that is more efficient than most administrative mechanisms. Organizational conflict and interdepartmental bickering are often symptoms of managerial disorder, but may also indicate problems of strategic inconsistency. It is no exaggeration that to say that competitive strategy is the art of creating or exploiting those advantages that are most telling, enduring, most difficult to duplicate. Competitive strategy, in contrast with generic strategy, focuses on the differences among firms rather than their common missions. Competitive advantages can normally be traced to one of the three roots: (1) superior skills, (2) superior resources, and (3) superior position. Positional advantage is of two types, first mover advantages and reinforcers. First movers may also gain advantages in building distribution channels, in trying up specialized suppliers, or in gaining the attention of customers. Reinforcers are policies and practices acting to strengthen or preserve a strong market position and which are easier to carry because of the position. Other position-based advantages include the ownership of special raw material sources or advantageous long-term supply contracts; being geographically located near k ey customers in a business involving significant fixed investment and high transportation costs; being a leader in a service field that permits or requires the building of a unique experience base while serving clients; being a full-line producer in a market with heavy trade-up phenomena; having a wide reputation for providing a needed for providing a needed product or service trait reliably and dependably. Business Strategies :: essays research papers Strategy evaluation is an attempt to look beyond the obvious facts regarding the short-term health of a business and appraise instead those more fundamental factors and trends that govern success in the chosen field of endeavor. Strategy can also be defined as a set of objectives, policies and plans that, taken together, define the scope of the enterprise and its approach to survival and success. Alternatively, we could say that the particular policies, plans, and objectives of a business express its strategy for coping with a complex competitive environment. A good business strategy can be broadly categorized into functions like consistency, consonance, advantage, and feasibility. A strategy that fails to meet one or more of these criteria is strongly in suspect. It fails to perform at least one of the key functions that are necessary for the survival of the business. Inconsistency in business is not simply a flaw in logic. A key function of strategy is to provide coherence to organizational action. A clear and explicit concept of strategy can foster a climate of tacit coordination that is more efficient than most administrative mechanisms. Organizational conflict and interdepartmental bickering are often symptoms of managerial disorder, but may also indicate problems of strategic inconsistency. It is no exaggeration that to say that competitive strategy is the art of creating or exploiting those advantages that are most telling, enduring, most difficult to duplicate. Competitive strategy, in contrast with generic strategy, focuses on the differences among firms rather than their common missions. Competitive advantages can normally be traced to one of the three roots: (1) superior skills, (2) superior resources, and (3) superior position. Positional advantage is of two types, first mover advantages and reinforcers. First movers may also gain advantages in building distribution channels, in trying up specialized suppliers, or in gaining the attention of customers. Reinforcers are policies and practices acting to strengthen or preserve a strong market position and which are easier to carry because of the position. Other position-based advantages include the ownership of special raw material sources or advantageous long-term supply contracts; being geographically located near k ey customers in a business involving significant fixed investment and high transportation costs; being a leader in a service field that permits or requires the building of a unique experience base while serving clients; being a full-line producer in a market with heavy trade-up phenomena; having a wide reputation for providing a needed for providing a needed product or service trait reliably and dependably.

Foraging and Nutritional Ecology of Primates in SE Asia Essay

There are foods of various kinds that fit the foraging and nutritional needs of primates in SE Asia, these primates in question use the foods to extract carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats and minerals. We look at the impact of the environment on these primates for there foraging and nutritional needs. We also observe systematics, their distribution, their genetics, their anatomy, their physiology, their ecology and conservation. Some of these primates, to observe and study are wood antelope and fossarial leaf rat. Availability of the plant species and their evolutionary history comes in and also cell theory is also looked at, fossil history is also looked at to some extent, and the whole work becomes interesting (Balee, 1998, 25) The foraging needs as well as the nutritional needs of primates are much varied due to the special needs of that particular primate. In most cases they need food to provide them with energy for growth, reproduction, movement and even at rest (the basal metabolic rate). Once the food is ingested it travels inside the body of the organism or in this case the primate and once assimilated into the blood stream it passes through a process called respiration and the energy needed for the body is obtained, Normally, when the primates are still as infants, energy is really needed for their growth and development and as they mature their energy requirement tend to increase and thus the need for more food (Balee, 1998, p. 68) As for the wood antelope and the fossarial leaf rat they normally have a special kind of bacteria in their guts, which helps to digest cellulose. This is because all the types of food the rely on have cellulose as one of the components and since other components are digestible, cellulose is not digestible and so the work of this special kind of bacteria comes in. The wood antelope feeds on the grasses, shrubs and bushes, which contain cellulose, and the fossarial leaf rat feeds mostly, if not exclusively on leaves of certain trees, bushes and shrubs and so they also contain cellulose. So this particular bacteria plays a very important role in the lives of these primates (Govbson, et el, 1998, p. 100) The extraction of carbohydrates, vitamins, fats, proteins and minerals normally occur through some other body metabolisms, which also play a very important role in the growth and energy requirements of these primates. The extracts are also used in the bone formation, in this case proteins are used for this purpose and the minerals and vitamins are used for important functions in the bodies of the organisms (Leyh, 2007,p. 150) In any ecological systems there is competition among organisms for space mates and food. All these things that they compete for depend in one or another with the energy available. For instance, if an organism is to get an adequate space for himself, the organism has to fight for it and unless he is strong enough, it cannot be easy for him to get it. It is more of the survival for the fittest and death for the unfit. Only the fittest is this case can survive. When it comes to competition for mates this one also depends with the idea of having enough energy for mating with as many mates as possible for the male, and having enough energy of bearing the pregnancy and being able to deliver in the case of the female. It is also another case of survival for the fittest Another thing that these primates, especially of the same species must have enough and adequate food for them, those who are capable of getting food survive, while those who do not get die. This is also another good example of survival for the fittest and death for the unfit. Charles Darwin first put this forward in his theory of evolution of species (Kenzey, 1997,p. 15) Migration of the primates in question is one important area to look at. For an organism to migrate like in this case the wood antelope must ensure that they have eaten enough food because of the long distance, which may be required to be covered. Migration normally occurs due to climatic changes, which may lead to scarcity of food, mates and poor or harsh environmental condition as such the organism is forced to migrate and look for a more favorable place to start life a fresh. (Balee, 1998,p. 250) In this case, migration does not make it possible for the primates to start eating different foods, what happens is that they go at a place with similar foods and nutritional needs which suits them. If this idea of starting to eat different foods could be true then it would have been brought through evolution. The primates in question would have evolved a natural mechanism of adapting to different forages and nutritional needs; and it is the only known ways for the different mechanism to have been possible. This idea of evolution is very important in many ways, the first and most important case is this of the availability of the plant species, which provide food for the primates. Another is the cell theory, which gives room for the availability of certain organelles necessary for the type of environmental or ecological situations in which these primates in question find themselves (Caro, 1998,p. 341) These primates have therefore adapted certain special ways through which they use to survive in their environments. One important thing is that they have sight. This importance of sight comes handy to see their food or forages. And also being able to spot their enemies. The adaptation is evolutionary connected; and the nutritive values of the forages of these primates go together with evolution. The influence of forages availability on the primates in question, on their sociality and reproduction is another crucial factor to consider. The fact that these forages are available within the environment of these primates shows that, they are influenced a great deal on their sociality and reproduction. In the first place the population of rats tend to be higher than that of antelopes, because of some factors, which we can consider, for one the rats are smaller in size and thus can occupy a smaller space with just a very large population of them. And secondly their evolutionary mechanism suits them to be many in number than the antelopes. These antelopes consume more food and therefore are naturally fewer in number. Therefore food is a limiting factor in the population of these primates in question (Campbell, 1995,p. 120) Therefore in studying the population of these primates in question the factor of availability of forages is very important in deed. It determines the reproductive tendencies and also their presence in a given environment. Their daily habits are also affected. Their natural anatomy and physiology evolve according to available forages. This factor should always be put into consideration when dealing with systematics of these primates, if one is to be on the safe side (Caro, 1998,p. 350) Apart from the availability of forages for the nutritional needs of these primates one must also consider a depth the evolutionary tendencies. These primates have body structures suitably adapted for their functions. For instance, they have legs, which help them to run, from their enemies or rather predators, and also these legs help them to reach their foods in good time. (Caro, 1998,p. 50) The nature of their energy requirements is such that they function up to the time when they are required to rest, this is where the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) comes in. The bodies of these primates function such that they must relax or have a rest. This is usually at right. It is common at night. As rest remains necessary and so is the regulation of the available food. The leaves are given time and room to grow and mature again. When the food becomes abundant, these primates tend to increase their population, which leads to a very high competition for food, and so there are those who die in the process especially when food becomes scarce (Campbell, 1995,p120) The food available to these primates is also connected to their evolutionary tendencies. One will find that always there will be certain kind of trees shrubs or bushes where certain primates are found. In this case, some species of trees, which tend to produce leaves in plenty, will found where certain primates are found. This is important because it contributes to the importance of the food chain. As such certain animals will also be found there in plenty especially in this case, those animals which feed on wood antelopes like the lions, cheetahs and leopards will always be found in these environments. The case is the same with those who feed on fossarial leaf rats. (Gouldey, 2007, 200) As such the foraging and nutritional ecology of primate in South East Asia recently important and complex as it looks. The fossils found in some places always have evolutionary connections with some primates . The fossarial leaf rats have some bearing of connectivity with the domesticated rats and some animals of lower form. As for the wood antelopes they show some similarities with some animals of both lower form and higher form. The analyzed cases are very important as they contribute a lot of information to those who study the fossils; and the whole field of study becomes interesting. This clearly shows that the evolutionary connection of fossils and the organisms in question is true and reliable. The primates then must have evolved in a special way, where they have teeth for chewing their food or forages; their elementary canals are also highly specialized in performing their functions. Mammologists should come up with better methods of studying the organisms in question, since there is a lot to show and inform those who are interested. In the case of the organelles of the cells, when the energy requirement is high the cell tend to have a lot of mitochondria, which help in the respiration process. But all this is not important if the food is not available. Therefore the special way through which these primates have evolved with time to be where they are and eat what they eat shows a very interesting field of study(Caro, 1998,p. 400) As we consider more about these organisms, more information on theories should be properly compared and observed in the practicals so that the scientists or rather the mammologists should always compare with accurate and reliable information. The mammologists have always shown that the foraging and nutritional ecology of primates is an important field of study. As it provides us with some vital information concerning human beings, since human beings are also primates. Therefore the whole of these primates in question when properly studied, we tend to get some useful tips about us human beings (Balee, 1998,p. 650_. The nutritional needs of these primates may be varied with that of human beings, but they all belong in the same Kingdom and Phylum, as they have a lot of similarities than differences. These similarities are due to evolution. All the same, they play a very important role in the foraging habits of these primates, which are exclusively found in South East Asia. In this case it is important to note that energy and food are both important; one cannot be there without the other, in other words food is energy, and energy is food. The food chain of the primates in question in South East Asia goes on and these primates become healthy and thrive. Their habits are maintained and the value of food remains crucial. Finally, the foraging and nutritional ecology of primates in South East Asia is notably very interesting; therefore a lot of money should be invested in the continuous research in this spectacular part of the world. . Bibliography Balee, W (1998), Advance in Historical Ecology; Columbia University Press. New York Campbell, B (1995); Human Ecology; The Story of our place in Nature form Pre history to the present.Adline de Gruyter New York. Caro, T, (1998); Behavioral Ecology and conservation Biology; Oxford University Press; New York. Gouldey, M & Mahar, I (2007) Floods of fortune; Ecology and Economy along the Amazon Columbia University. New York. Govbson, S, et el (1998); Ecology; Oxford University Press. New York Kinzey, G. W (1997); New World Primates Ecology, Education and Behavior. Aldine de Gryter. New York. Leyh Jr, G (2007); Tropical Forest Ecology. A view from Basso Colorado Island. Oxford University Press. New York.

Change Management Model Paper Essay

In order to evaluate organizational change, it is crucial to understand the models of organizational change. Change models can reveal the compelling forces of change, what will happen, and how it will happen. It is sometimes difficult to find a model that best fits the nature of the organization. However, the use of any change model is beneficial because it offers a guideline to follow and predict the presumed results of the change initiative (Mento, Jones, & Dirndorfer, 2002). While there are many change management models, a few of the well-known models are: Lewin’s change management model and Bridge’s transition model. This paper will discuss Lewin’s change management model and Bridge’s transition model. Within each change model, it will address the role of the leader in the change initiative, overcoming resistance to change, and communication process of both models. It would also assess the strengths and weaknesses of each model. Lewin’s Change Management Model According to Kurt Lewin, successful change in any organization should follow three steps: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Unfreezing involves overcoming the pressures of individual resistance and group conformity. Changing or movement happens when the change is initiated and the organization is getting ready to move into a transition stage. Refreezing occurs after change has been accepted and the organization can operate under the new changes (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Lewin’s model identified that most people prefer to function within their comfort zones. Most people like the comfort, sense of identity, and control from the environment that they are familiar with. In this model, the leader’s role is to remove the resistance of change through motivation. One  way to deal with the resistance is to use positive incentives to encourage employees to accept the change. For example, management can increase the pay for those who accept the change. Management can also address the concerns regarding the need for change (Robbins & Judge, 2009). It is important to communicate directly with the employees who are most affected by the change. Leaders move through the change process by promoting effective communications and empowering people to embrace the change. Employees who are not involved with planning the change could lead to increased resistance and decreased motivation. Zigarmi & Witt (2007) states that change are successfully implemented when people have an opportunity to express their concerns and influence how the change is implemented (p. 17). Lewin’s change model is a simple and easy to understand framework for managing change in an organization. Most companies prefer to use this model to enact major changes. However, it takes considerable time to put into practice. This model can be compared to overcoming bad habits by changing them with new or better habits. The organization has to be determined and dedicated to make the change and do what is necessary despite obstacles involved in the process (Brisson-Banks, 2010). Bridge’s Three-Phase Transition Model For many logical reasons, people are often uncomfortable with change. This could lead them to resist and oppose change initiatives that may come their way. It is important to understand how people feel as change happens so that leaders can guide them through the process. Bridge’s transition model can help organizations understand how people feel during the change process so that they can guide their employees to support and accept the change. The model emphasizes three stages of transition that people go through when they encounter change. These are: ending, neutral zone, and new beginning. In the ending stage, people must let go of the past before they can embrace the new. This is the initial stage of transition that people go through when presented with change. It is often marked with resistance because people are being forced to let go of something they are comfortable with. As a leader, it is important to accept the employee’s resistance and be able to  understand their emotions. Give them time to accept the change and let go. Leaders should acknowledge the loss and a variety of reactions and be able to give people instructions on how to move on to the next stage (Brisson-Banks, 2009). When communicating with employees, leaders must listen empathetically and communicate honestly about what is going to happen. Leaders should explain to employees that their knowledge and experience would apply once the change i s implemented. It is also important to assure them that resources would be provided so that they can work effectively in the new environment (Mind Tools, 2014). In the neutral zone, people begin to explore their comfort with the new change. Individuals in this stage may feel disoriented with decreasing motivation and increasing anxiety and uncertainty. Employees may have increased workload as they transition into the new system and new ways of working. They might resent the new change initiative; have low morale and productivity; be anxious about their role or status in the company; and be skeptical about the change initiative (Mind Tools, 2014). This stage is a terrific time to inspire people to try new ways of thinking and working. As people go through this neutral period, a leader’s guidance is important in this stage. People may feel lost and it is the leader’s role to provide them with a solid sense of direction. They should encourage employees to talk about their feelings and remind them of the team goals (Mento et al., 2002). In order to overcome resistance to change, leaders can involve people in designing the new change initiative. They can create short-term structures and lead them to innovate. Leaders must explain the neutral zone and validate feelings. They must be optimistic about the change and share information as often as possible. Short term goals are important at this stage so that employees can experience some quick wins to increase their enthusiasm (Mind Tools, 2014). When communicating with employees, allow them to voice their concerns regarding the change. Leaders should remain optimistic and be able to admit when they do not have an answer for people’s concerns. Leaders must meet with their team frequently to provide them with feedback on how they are performing. They must be able to do what they can to boost morale and continue to remind people of how they can contribute to the success of the change (Washington University, n.d.). In the new beginning stage, people begin to embrace the new change (Washington University, n.d.). Employees  develop the skills they need to function effectively in the new way and is beginning to see quick wins from their efforts. At this stage, people are likely to experience openness to learning, positive attitude, increased productivity, high energy, and renewed commitment to the group or their new role (Mind Tools, 2014). As employees embrace the new change, it is necessary for leaders to help them maintain it. Leaders can picture the future and plan the next steps. While they plan the long-term objectives of the organization, they must take the time to celebrate the change they’ve all been through and reward their team for all their hard work. Leaders must communicate a picture of how the new organization will look and feel. Communicate a step by step understanding of how the organization will change and remember to avoid complacency so that people would not revert back to previous stages (Mind Tools, 2014). This model is beneficial in understanding how people feel as they are guided through the change process. It also clarifies the psychological effect of the change. However, it is not a substitute for other change management models such as Lewin’s change management model. Bridge’s model must be used along with other change management models (Brisson-Banks, 2009). Conclusion Change management is a challenging process to carry out and manage for any organization. With so many change management models, it is not always easy to find one that fits the organization’s nature. However, the use of change models is fundamental in the successful implementation of the change processes in organizations. This paper examined Lewin’s change management model and Bridge’s three phase transition model. It discussed the leader’s role in each model, how to overcome resistance, and their communication process. It also assessed the advantages and disadvantages of using each model. Lewin and Bridge’s models have significant commonalities between them. These models can be used as a guide to assist organizations through the world of constant changes. There is no definite model that exists for each organization, but each model has helpful ways of managing change that can be customized according the organization (Brisson-Banks, 2009). References Brisson-Banks, C. V. (2010). Managing change and transitions: a comparison of different models and their commonalities. Library Management, 31, 241-252. doi:10.1108/01435121011046317 Mind Tools. (n.d.). Bridges’ transition model – Change management tools from MindTools.com. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/bridges-transition-model.htm Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. (2009). Organizational behavior (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Washington University. (n.d.). Three phases of transition – William Bridges. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/research/rapid/resources/changeModels/mc_three_phases.pdf Zigarmi, P., & Witt, D. (2007). Leading Change. Retrieved from http://www.kenblanchard.com/img/pub/leading_change_handout.pdf

Teen Suicide…Enough Is Enough

Teen Suicide†¦Enough Is Enough One day I will be getting a tattoo on my right shoulder that contains the phrase, â€Å"Live For More! † I want the words to be in an old-fashioned, yet fancy, script and the letters will be both black and bold. My reason behind that specific font is to make the phrase stand out as much as possible, so that whoever reads my arm can see exactly how meaningful life really is to me, as a teenager living in today’s highly competitive, responsible, and stress filled world! Teen suicide attempts and completions are at an all time high in these present days and there are many reasons contributing to its growth as years progress. I am sick of adolescents ending potentially happy and successful lives. Now is the time to address not only its growth and statistics throughout the years, but also to reveal the underlining causes and warning signs of suicide. Essentially, it is also the most opportune moment to discuss the many possible life saving solutions to end this serious, yet popular, problem. It is official that today teen suicide is at an all time high. Surveys have shown that more than 25 percent of high school students and 10 percent of college students have seriously considered taking certain actions to end their lives. This unfortunate problem has grown a rate four times that of 1950. In present days, girls are about twice as likely to attempt suicide, whereas boys are actually four times more likely to complete the act. To prove wrong the assumption that the problem is mostly based upon economic terms, statistics show that rich teens kill themselves as often as poor or middle-income adolescents. Statistics even state, â€Å"Today, an estimated 276,000 kids between the ages of 14 and 17 try killing themselves each year, and more than 5,000 succeed† (Roleff). Studies also show that, at one time or another, every person has already thought of or will think about suicide. These numbers are very disturbing, and yet they only partially convey the ultimate tragedy that each teen suicide victim truly contributes to the aching hearts of their family and community. The only possible way to stop this travesty starts with understanding the pain that the suicide holder possesses and to force them to understand that the juice really is not worth the squeeze. Due to these statistics, a culmination of confusion tends to ensue. The big question is, why are teenagers so willing and eager to end the most valuable thing that a person can possibly possess, which happens to be their life? I am sure you have asked yourself this question once before, I know I have. The truth is that stress is the most contributing factor to suicide. The fact is that growing up is more stressful in present times than it’s ever been before. Other reasons include the death of a loved one, overpopulation and the break down of family, obesity, increased parental pressure to excel, and the easy access to drugs, alcohol, and firearms. Personally, I view romantic relationships to also be a huge concern within this problem. It is commonly seen, that following a break-up, teens choose suicide to impose a point or to just cause the most severe form of guilt. Stress is the number one cause of depression. â€Å"Suicide is a major danger associated with depression. Because of the associated shame and secrecy with suicide, many fail to get or give help. † (Carpenter 353). There are three main warning signs and symptoms pertaining to the act of suicide. The first is behavioral changes, which include changes in eating and sleeping habits, social isolation, drinking or drug use, or the giving away of valued possessions. The second is personal changes, which includes the appearance of common moods associated with anger, anxiety, or depression. These moods lead to aggressiveness, hopelessness, hypersensitivity, boredom, or difficulty concentrating. The final symptom includes health problems, such as frequent headaches, weight loss or gain, or fatigue. â€Å"It has been proven that two-thirds of those who commit suicide give some warning signs first† (Gorman). It is really up to us†¦as friends, relatives, teachers, and parents to recognize these signals and symptoms. We must all work together to react and respond quickly and strongly, person to person! Furthermore, once we all understand the warnings and overall reasons behind teen suicide, many steps can be taken to prevent future cases. Overall the ultimate aim is to make suicide more difficult and less likely. Researchers say that suicidal impulses usually last only about fifteen minutes and making it past that time may be just enough to defuse the whole situation. This is obviously easier said than done! First of all, never keep suicide a secret. If there is ever suspicion, immediately seek parental assistance. â€Å"The use of a therapist is the most popular solution, yet sometimes money is a huge issue. In that case, get somebody involved whom you can fully trust, that will charge very little to nothing† (Manning). Another very simple prevention is the denying of availability of prescription drugs and alcohol by keeping them out of easy access. Since about half of all young people who kill themselves do it with guns kept at home, one solution is for parents to keep guns hidden and unloaded, with bullets stored separately† (Roleff). My personal solution would be that of bringing about the most apparent, yet hidden, importance and splendors within life. I would forcefully exp lain and emphasize that it is a blessing and privilege to be alive, and that people must make the most out of what they have. Of course it is easy enough to just give up, but there is really no point. Once you are gone then you can never again see the beauty of a sunset or the magic of growth in all living things, never again feel the excitement of a shooting star, never again smell the sweet scent of spring air, or never again experience the splendor of romance. After one is all said and done, then there is no coming back! Finally, I would ask once again†¦is the juice really worth the squeeze? Now is time for teens to stop committing the morbid sin of suicide! Cases have grown drastically throughout the years, mainly due to all of the stress that teens are forced to face each and everyday. The only true way to stop this grievous problem is to eliminate all depressants, such as alcohol and drugs, and to promote motivation and confidence to succeed no matter what obstacle stands in the way. The key is to live for more†¦to take what you have and make the most that you possibly can, which I do everyday of my life! If you ever prevent somebody from committing suicide, he or she may be upset with you for a while. But chances are they won’t be upset for too long. At least they will have a lifetime to change their mind!

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business IP Week 5 Essay - 1

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business IP Week 5 - Essay Example es the environmental regulations as well as wages and working-hour legislation that exist in Malaysia and Singapore, two of the well known East Asian countries. To ensure harmony in the Malaysia industrial sector, the government has allocated the administration of the labor laws to the Department of labor. Based on the high demand for employment in Malaysia, adequate labor laws have been enacted to stimulate the minimum requirements that are needed in all types of employment that exist in the country. One of the notable legislations that have been established by the Malaysia government is the Employment Act of 1955. This law applies not only to manual laborers regardless of their salaries but also to all workers in Peninsular Malaysia whose monthly salaries is not more than RM1, 500 (Malaysia Labor Standards, 2012). Some of the major obligation of an employer under the Employment Act 1955 is that all the employees must be provided with a written contract that depicts the terms and conditions of their employment. Additionally, the law provides normal hours of work as well as the rate of hourly payment for overtimes and extra work. Employees provident Fund Act of 1991 is another key legal aspect that stipulates mandatory contribution for all employees working in Malaysia. According to this law, employees below the ages of 55 years earning more than RM5, 000 should contribute a minimum of 11% of their monthly wages to Employees Provident Fund (EPF). On the other hand, the employer should contribute a minimum of 12% of the employee’s wages to the Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia Labor Standards, 2012). Malaysia environmental regulation is sufficient. Based on the large number of legislations passed by the law making body, the country has addressed large number of issues that does not affect the local companies but also foreign firms. For example, the Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1952 imposes obligation on the employers to insure their employees. In the same