Aircraft Maintenance Aircraft Systems Assignment

Aircraft Maintenance Aircraft Systems - Assignment Example The frequency channels of the VHF Omni-directional Range and the Tactical Air Navigation at each VORTAC facility are doubled in line with an overall plan to make air navigation easier. The MFD gives information on the current route of the aircraft. The information obtained from the on board radar and other sensors on the ground as well as detection sensors are relayed to the crew to analyses. The ground components are always stationary while the flight components are moving as the aircraft moves. The ground components too do not have a display system since the display in the aircraft will be the most essential. It is therefore wise to have one in the pilot’s cabin and not on the ground components. The Altimeter is a navigation instrument whose work is to reflect the vertical height of the mean of sea level. This is corrected to the pressure of outside air. The pilot will have to set the right pressure and the altimeter will automatically identify the altitude that corresponds to the Mean of Sea Level. The instruments work more or less the same like the barometer. When the plane is ascending or descending, the pressure will also reduce and increase in that order. The aneroid capsule compares the pressure outside and the one inside. The pointer and linkage help display the altitude on the cockpit display instrument. Vertical speed Indicator is the instrument that measures the rate at which the aircraft is rising or descending. The speed is usually measured in feet per minute. When the plane is flying level, the Vertical Speed Indicator will be reading â€Å"0† feet per minute. The VSI compares the static pressure in the expandable capsule to the metred static pressure in the exterior of the capsule. The inside of capsule pressure changes so fast on the climbing or descending of the plane and the opposite is true because of the leak that

Consumer Oriented Market Positioning Marketing Essay

Consumer Oriented Market Positioning Marketing Essay Dictionary meaning of Positioning is an act of putting something in some ones mind and in market we put our product in prospects mind. A very simple term and if you are good enough it is simple to execute but the art is hard to develop. It is the process by which marketers grab a position or built a position in target audience for its product, brand or organization. In this consumer oriented market Positioning is a tool to cut down the noise and establish a real contact with the customer who results in customers opting for your product rather than your competition. As todays customer is overwhelmed with unwanted promotion and advertising it becomes very tough for a product or brand to get noticed and after being noticed an urge to get opted as a first preference in target customers. Its all about mindshare you hold in prospects intellect, better you position yourself greater you achieve what is called as coveted mind share. A product or brand should always try to have an aggregate perception which is higher than that of its competitor and those who dont have that kind of percentage should not lose hope as they can very well influence the perception and position their brand through enlightened strategic alliance. Its an ongoing process and doesnt stops at one place because you may get forgotten by your audience so repositioning is needed or if there is any shift in your business for example Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley shifted from investment to commercial banks hence their expectations from investors, clients, employees and regulators all need to shift as per the paradigm and hence the organization needs to reposition itself. Primary elements of Positioning are: Quality. Quality is a pre -requisite, it has to be provided by any means and later should be backed by incentives. Back your quality claim with return policy warrantees and customer-friendly guarantees. Service. Added value in customer service and after sales supports and if the product is customized and personalized. Pricing. Whether is it luxury, averagely priced or cheap in its sector or very cheap. Distribution. The channel or distribution and supply chain is part of positioning. Packaging. Packaging helps in delivering the message you intend for prospect. Positioning can be distinguished by: Functional-Solve problems and provide benefits to customers. Symbolic-self image enhancement, ego identification, affective fulfilment and social meaningfulness Experiential-Sensory stimulation and cognitive stimulation What makes this market full of surprises and unquestioned answers that there is no certain way to be a leader in the market .Not even high level of marketing acumen of the company assures success and even while trying positioning, companies end up somewhere else in prospects mind and not the place where they intended. CURRENT MARKET SCENARIO OF SMART PHONES IN INDIA: Mumbai based Gartners research analyst say that smart phones are on the rise and with introduction of new phones in new software, better applications, features and reliable hardware has made it challenging for already established brands in different parts of the market. With the record annual growth of 30% for next five year it is very vital not only for smart phone vendors but also for operators, and OS developers. India being the 3rd largest market of smart phones after China and Brazil is seeing an intense struggle between various handset providers like Nokia, Samsung, LG, Black Berry, etc. with their tie-ups with different service providers and operators as well as focusing on the software platforms like iPhone OS, BlackBerry OS, Windows Mobile, Android, Symbian and Palms. In 2009 India witnessed sales of 69 million smart phone handsets, doubling from the 32 million mark reached in 2008. As far as global market is concerned ,Mr. Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner, mentioned that this year saw RIM, a pure smart phone maker making its debut in top 5 mobile devices manufacturers, as well as there was increase its market share of Apple by 1.2 percent points. Android-based phones saw a peak rise of 700 per cent year-on-year which is proving to be a threat to other smart phone makers Mobile devices market is seeing a double-digit growth of smart phone sales in mature markets, and helped by wider product availability as well as mass market price tags that are in budget of average income group. And particularly in India white -box products has shown growth as per expectation of the manufacturers with healthy traits in future. http://dqindia.ciol.com/images010/smartphones02_15aug2k10.jpg If all the Smartphone manufacturers are combined together they share total of 75% of the Smartphone market alone in India and rest 25 % is shared by smaller or followers in the market and the presence is hence insignificant comparatively. So in this year if we refer to the record in India more than 18 percent of the phones sold are Smartphone. [Supposed+mobile+data+market.gif] Trend in sales of Smart phones in India is firstly sales start with the early adopters in the beginning as shown at the right, and then as prices drop everyone switches to Smartphones replacing there old phones as they have limited features. In India target segmentation is done on various factors but researchers are also considering or rather already have segmented their target consumers into 3 types i.e. Entertainment users, Communications users and Information users. Now it has been observed that in these segments people pay more or extra for great solutions if their needs are matched in a particular segment. Many failures in mobile market are due to either focussing at a single specific problem or feature or by disrupting the whole package by adding all of it. Now the numbers of Smartphone are to be doubled by FY11 and this boom is there for upcoming years .Emergence of Smartphones was more in the form of service device rather than just another application based model which was the earlier trend shown by the OEMs. RIM blackberry services saw some mass adoption whereas OVI apps tried to create the same magic but performed average. Despite the variety Symbian has still the monopoly with 72%share in Indian market followed by windows, android and blackberry OS but in upcoming future trend Symbian may lose its market share to its competitors. POSITIONING OF BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONES IN INDIAN MARKET: In this dog-eat-dog world, positioning a brand is the biggest priority for a product or brand. Creating awareness and then fetching that special place for your brand in the consumers mind will be the key in determining the fate of the brand and if brand is becoming a l success or fading away to obscurity and especially in India, Blackberry has done some extensive research as it is one of the fastest growing telecom markets and within high competition has managed to take up a prestigious position settling just after Nokia in market share. Blackberry is following a simple rule of combining product and service benefits at a fair price that creates value in the minds of customers   which is the key variable for the success in handheld device market. And in the current climate of new entrants in this particular sector and ever increasing competition with very less differentiation among service-product offerings, these manufacturing companies are facing problem in clear communication what makes their offerings special better than those provided by the competitors. Value Proposition: Features that makes BlackBerry stand apart from rest of the players and clearly stating that quality is inevitable supported by Innovative design and iconic styling that blends optimum display and weight length ratio without compromising ease of use that users expect from their BlackBerry Unrivalled Connectivity with BB messenger application GSM/EDGE/ CDMA warranties and after sales service Built in GPS Engine Rich Internet and Multimedia Experience Full Page Internet Browsing Including support for streaming audio and video. Instant Messaging support for multiple communities including Yahoo!, Messenger, GoogleTalk Social networking communities including FaceBook, Flickr, Picasa On 25 Sep 2008, number of BlackBerry subscribers reached to approximately 19 million all over the world and the figures in India over these years are so high that they cannot be overlooked because company was able t identify customers requirement of accessing internet specifically emails and social networks on the move . In start BlackBerry placed itself in minds of corporate executives who are always on the run and with addition of social networking cites and various online applications, brand provided interfaces which also attracted youngsters out of the corporate outlook. Biggest eye-catching proposition flaunted by BlackBerry Smartphones was the idea of remaining connected at all times. So the first grand step was to position itself as an business executive handheld device which in turn helped in carving out niche for the brand without giving a head on collision with any of its top competitors which was the smartest move of all Hence BlackBerry became the Corporate Executive phone which was comparatively less famous in youngsters initially. Now the second way was to enter into non-corporate world of handheld devices where even the uncorporate wanted to be in connection or online with their friends and family all the time .And they came up with an excellent promotion stating as We are the BlackBerry boys which not only included suited up corporate but also baby boomers ,women of every age and cross cultural personnels who all enjoy using blackberry as they are in continuous synch with their work as well as connected to family and friends at the same time. Absolutely brilliant advertising with the pinch of great music and excellent humour banging right on the message brand wants to spread to the target consumers. Now the song We are the blackberry boys has been trending into minds of youngsters and BlackBerry lovers. It has left same effect on mass as Vodafone Zoo Zoos had done it during IPL. Blackberry first with the Pearl and Bold and now with the Storm and Torch is attempting a change in positioning and moving more towards the Lifestyle segment space. This can prove counterproductive for the company because it directly placing itself to its other bigger competitors and directly taking a head on collision in competition with Nokia, LG, Samsung and Apple I phone. In fact the handheld Smartphone models are being actively compared to models of other competitor for example Samsung galaxy, Apple iPhone and Nokia E series. But the real fight is between Apple and BlackBerry for capturing the lifestyle segment and taking the position of that perception in prospect customers. Now inspired by the advantage of continuous connectivity even if the operators are non functional has allowed along with the host many other manufacturing brands to enter with different applications in order to attract market audience and the argument is on offering of similar features (connectivity) along with a host of other value adding features by the other.. Now these were all physical features of Blackberry and the physical presence always lead to the cognitive, physical cues which in turn act as hints for the mind to form interpretations or in other words positions itself as a highly technical ,functional and great to use device. So far I personally believe Blackberry could strategy of positioning is slick and feature laden but in order to expand market the company tried to play with the emotional proposition saying: Do what you love and love what you do Now this tagline covers all the market sector a handheld manufacturing company wants to because everyone loves to do something and even if they BlackBerry its always a non-boring, happy and lovable moments during work hours. It emphasizes on the idea no matter how hard you do something as long as you love to do it and you have a Blackberry with you ,you will do it right. In one of the advertisements an Asian guy is on his bicycle roaming around seems like a courier guy and uses BlackBerry Torch but he is not a normal courier guy ,he is the current president of SanFrancisco Bike messenger association who is very busy in his work and BlackBerry helps him to be in contact with his family and friends ,manage his work, Blackberry GPS helps him on unknown roads and ways and in the end he loves what he does. Now this leaves a very big message in mind of prospect even if you are a leader an entrepreneur in your small world, business or community you need a blackberry support because even BlackBerry loves what you do.

The Similarities Between Classical Music and Ellingtons Jazz Essay

One of the greatest tragedies in the 20th century can be seen in the debasing of the Jazz genre as a unworthy equal to it’s predecessor, European Classical music. This can be seen in various statements about Jazz, such as Boris Gibalin commit, â€Å"The â€Å"Jazz Mania† has taken on the character of a lingering illness and must be cured by means of forceful intervention.†1 This conflict can be traced through out the history of Jazz, as Classical composers have relatively disregarded this new type of music. Before Duke Ellington’s Cotton Club performances, Jazz play on the radio was delegated for late night audience only. This sub-culture treatment has led many critics to disregard the Jazz movement as a dance craze, or unsuccessful recreations of Classical pieces. This slandering of Jazz has not only created a false image of the music, but it has also lead to a full disconnection between the two genres. It is for this reason that I propose in my pap er to show the relationship between these two musical categories. My hopes in demonstrating these similarities is to disassemble the schism of ignorance built between the two, and place both Jazz and Classical music on equal footing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Critics of Jazz have always perpetuated this schism by utilizing the reasoning behind Jazz, that of it being a free form interpretation, to question the legitimacy of calling a Jazz leader a composer. For how can one be styled as a proper composer and still remain true to the Traditional Jazz concepts? The classic composer has at their disposal highly skilled musicians who are trained to work within professional bodies, such as a symphony orchestra or string quartet, and who then relies on the efficiency of these professionally trained bodies to interpret his scores as he sees fit. On the surface this appears to run contradictory to the Jazz composer whom, â€Å"Has to write for specific combinations which do not exist until he brings them into being, and to rely on highly individual executants whose personal style must be blended together to give expression to his own ideas without†¦losing their individuality†.2 Yet to interpret this blending of highl y individualistic sounds as proof of a schism between this and the rigidly structured Classical composer is a false impression. This fallacy can be attributed to overemphasizing the sporadic and improvisational aspects of Jazz and refusi... ...usical category. From Bach to Mozart, Beethoven and even Tchaikovsyky employed it as a stylistic feature in their pieces.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, one can see the shared characteristics of the two musical styles. Yet I find myself pressing again the reasoning for this paper, for I must submit that I am in no way declaring that Classical music equates Jazz. The two musical categories are different in numerous ways, but one must wonder does this difference justify the mistreatment of Jazz. Throughout history great innovations have been created not thought the passive means, but through the torrent fires of dissent. Classical music has born the scars of numerous dissenting musicians, all of who now stands as pinnacles of their craft. Yet now we have arrived at a time in which this reverent originality has become cause for scorn, and it is this debasement that I am addressing. By showing the similarities of the two genres, I had hoped in quenching this distaste for Jazz. This musical elitism that is being perpetuated can lead only to a disastrous finale for all who engage in it. Duke Ellington has it right when he stated, â€Å"There are only two types of music, good music and the rest.†18

Alcohol and Energy Drinks- A literature review Essay

?In recent years, researchers have begun to focus attention on an emerging trend of consuming energy drink mixed with alcohol AmED. Consumption of AmED is thought to have a correlation with high-risk behavior and negative effects on the consumer. Several research articles have examined the various facets of this practice. Some of the points of consideration that have been researched include the motivations behind consuming AmED, the effects of consuming AmED on alcohol consumption and the likelihood of engaging in risk taking behaviors after consuming AmED compared to alcohol alone. This literature review will examine the following four articles in an attempt to explore this area of research. Energy drinks are beverages that boast the ability to provide the consumer with an increase in energy. Energy drinks frequently contain large amounts of caffeine. The upper daily recommended limits for an adult in regards to caffeine is XXX. Levels of caffeine can be up to 300mg per serving. A 6oz coffee contains 100mg. The caffeine from energy drinks is known to have a stimulating effect on the nervous system. Many brands of energy drinks contain additional chemicals including plant-based stimulants (guarana and yerba mate). The effect of these on the body is not well understood as there has been little research. Simple sugars such as glucose and fructose are also found in some energy drinks. Other potential ingredients include glucronolacteone (a naturally occurring metabolite), amino acids (taurine, carnitine and creatine), herbs (Ginko Biloba and ginseng) and vitamins. In a research paper by Peacock and Bruno (2012a), patterns of use and motivations behind the consumption of AmED were examined. The focus of this investigation was to examine the motivation of participants to consume AmED through self-reporting techniques in the form of an online questionnaire. The sample of 400 participants aged 18-35 years who had reportedly consumed AmED in the past 6 months. The results of the study indicated that 75% of participants used AmED for energetic purposes, 50% reporting use to extend their stay at a public venue, 60% claimed they were motivated by situational circumstances, such as mixed drinks containing ED, 40% reported sharing AmED with a companion, 20% used AmED to mask the flavor of alcohol, 50% of the sample reported using AmED to have more fun and only 33% reported consuming AmED to get more drunk Peacock al et (2012a). In addition to taste and situational reasons, the participants in this study appeared to be motivated by functional and hedonistic outcomes. Only a small number of participants being motivated by the desire to increase the level of drunkenness or experience similar effects to elicit drugs. A study conducted by O’Brian, McCoy, Rohdes, Wagoner and Wolfson (2008), where by responses from 4,271were recorded via a web based survey. Participants who consumed AmED in the past 30 days reported consuming significantly more alcohol in a typical drinking session as well as reporting more drinking sessions than those who did not consume AmED O’Brian et al. (2008). AmEd consumers also reported episodes of weekly drunkenness and among the sample who reported consuming AmED a single drinking session consumed 36% more than students who didn’t not report consumption of AmEd. The results of Peacock et al. (2012b) indicate that although risk taking behaviors occurred during sessions of consumption of both alcohol and risk taking behavior that occurred with AmED was statistically less than the risk taking behaviors that occurred in alcohol alone sessions. However consumption of AmEd did result in higher negative physiological and psychological outcomes than those reported from consuming alcohol. Verster, Aufricht and Alford (2012), conducted a review of articles of articles relating to the consumption of AmED. It was revealed through a critique of multiple correlational studies that there are currently insufficient properly controlled studies to draw any firm conclusions regarding the effects of AmED. Conclusions reached in their report were that only a minority of the student population occasionally consumes AmED Vester (2012). Research also suggested some evidence that AmED may result in an increase in some aspects of alcohol- induced performance impairment. There is no consistent evidence that alcohol alters perceived levels of intoxication, no evidence that consumption of ED causes an increase in alcohol consumption, no direct evidence exists to suggest that ED is linked to drug and alcohol dependence or abuse. A personality predisposed to higher levels of risk taking behavior may be the primary reason for increasing alcohol and drug abuse and that AmED may be a component of that lifestyle. The literature available relating to AmED consumption is insufficient. Presently there is an insufficient amount of evidence to link the consumption of AmED to an increase in risk taking behavior, increase in consumption of alcohol or negative effects on health. To understand the true effects of AmED further research is required. To draw more concrete conclusions about the effect of AmED there is a need for more complex and properly controlled clinical studies need to be undertaken. Research design needs to explore relationships with a within subject design whereby the relationship between the ingestion of AmED and the consumption of alcohol is further explored and documented.

Distinctive Periods in History Essay

1. Discuss the causes of the Protestant Reformation. Which do you feel are most important? Why? The Protestant Reformation was caused by a number of cumulative factors ranging from socio-political developments during the 1600s to several blatant weaknesses in the Catholic Church. The socio-political factors range from the ongoing European decentralization during that period with the rise of independent nation states and the breakdown of a formerly medieval set-up under the leadership of the Pope.   Meanwhile, the causes for the breakdown of the medieval society were owed to the Black Death caused by the bubonic plague and the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. Another socio-political factor was the rise of the renaissance period wherein there was a renewed interest in humanism and a rebirth and rediscovery of the ancient arts and culture. Oh the other side of the spectrum, visible weaknesses in the Catholic Church caused a lot of discontent and rebels even among the most faithful within the Roman Catholic organization – the monks and the nuns.   The weaknesses can be further categorized as administrative divisions within the Catholic Church hierarchy, the proliferation of questionable rituals and practices, and rampant corruption and abuse of power in Church. The most blatant abuse came in the form of the sale of indulgences, certificates of remission from Purgatory and Simony or sale of higher Catholic offices to the highest bidder. However, the most important factor of the collapse of the control of the Roman Catholic Church over its followers is primarily because of the exclusion of the ordinary and regular people of direct communication with their God.   Earlier practices, literature and celebration of the Sunday Mass were all done in Latin.   Only the most educated and privileged sectors of society had access to the language.   Hence, the majority of the people felt alienated to it own religion.   Soon, several sects and break off organizations from the original Catholic practice of Christianity began to form their own groups and organizations. Some credit the start of this movement of Protestant Reformation to the posting of martin Luther King’s â€Å"95 Thesis on the Power of Indulgence† on October 13, 1517. It was a straight protest of the corruption of the Catholic Church and the inability of the Pope leadership to bring the Church to the people by making translations of the Latin version of the literatures of the Church like the Bible to plain everyday language like English.   From thereon, some of the more important Protestant groups to break away were the Lutherans, the Reformed/Calvinists/Presbyterians, the Anabaptists, and the Anglicans. The movement also led to a Catholic or Counter-Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church. 2. What advice does Machiavelli give a prince? The advice given by Machiavelli to the Prince is: â€Å"The Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; (Machiavelli)†. In giving this advice, Machiavelli has put the full weight of a country leader’s responsibility to that of mastering the art of war and defense of its own country.   He iterated again and again that it is the single most important task of a true leader.   Furthermore, he iterated that if a leader cannot take up arms and master the craft of war, he could descend into the rank of a private (Machiavelli). However, a private who has mastered the craft of arms and war could ascend to the rank of a leader (Machiavelli).   Hence, for purposes of maintaining his ascendancy or right to lead, a leader (or prince as referred to throughout the text), should be able to protect his domain above all else (Machiavelli). Another advice that Machiavelli gives the leader (or prince) is that of ensuring he is instills fear in his subjects or domain so that nobody would dare cross him.   He further explains that such a preference of being feared instead of being loved will ensure his throne because of the nature of men.   Men apparently find â€Å"no scruples† over betraying people they love but would find it harder to go against somebody they feared (Machiavelli).   Hence, if there is a choice to be made between being feared or being loved, the leader (or prince) should have no qualms that he should make sure he is feared.   A precaution added here though is that the leader (or prince), while assuring he is feared by his subjects also should ensure he is also not hated by them (Machiavelli).   Apparently, this he can do by making sure he respects their property and their women (Machiavelli). The last advice given was in tune with the practice of the times during the 1600 when nobilities and kings would often abuse their positions and wantonly take what they want from their subjects including the so called â€Å"right of first night† with total disrespect for the husband and also the women during that time. 3. Discuss the Age of Exploration. What were the motivations for the age? The Age of Discovery or Exploration came about when the rise of capitalism was surging throughout Europe and established nations like England and Spain started looking outward of their own domain to plot new territories and sources for gold, silver and spices. From the early 1600s to the 1800s, or for more than 200 years, it was not just the age of discovery for new lands but also a surge in technological innovations of equipment and machines.   The period saw a lot of improvement in the study of cartography and a more realistic global map of nations and territories. Aside from   cartography, improvements in navigation, firepower, and shipbuilding were also flourishing. Why is it significant? This period was significant for establishing the modern day map and the confirmation that the fundamental theories that the world is round and that global meridians do exist.   This period would also plot the socio-political divisions of global powers and their respective and strategic holds on territories and influences. Please name two explorers and describe what they ultimately accomplished. During this period of exploration and discovery, there were several individuals who were made their mark in history because of their contribution to the charting of new found continents and territories.   Among these prominent individuals were Captain James Cook and Ferdinand Magellan.   Captain James Cook was from England and Ferdinand Magellan was from Portugal, but served Spain after being refused by the administration of Portugal to be entrusted with an exploration fleet (Swenson). James Cook James Cook’s beginning was humble, being born to a farm laborer father.   But at sixteen old, his interest in sea voyage was triggered by being an apprentice in a shop located in a seaport with a window overlooking the vast sea.   After more than a year, he began apprenticeship in a merchant’s vessel.   Soon, James Cook went on to study algebra, geometry, trigonometry, navigation, and astronomy.   Ultimately, these skills proved very helpful in helping him pass his apprenticeship, and later on command his own ship.   To expedite the process, he joined the British Royal Navy. He participated in the Seven Years’ War.   He was an active participant in the siege of Quebec.   Here, he was able to use the various skills he learned during his first apprenticeship when he was sixteen yearrs old.   He displayed a talent for cartography and surveying. His main contribution to this age of exploration was his mapping of the Saint Lawrence River that helped General Wolf in his famous attack on the Plain of Abraham.   Capt. James Cook was also responsible for accurately mapping the coast of Newfoundland (part of Canada). He produced the first large scale accurate maps of Newfoundland, despite rough conditions   This started his huge career and impact on the British’ direction of discovery and exploration of new territories.   His most famous quote,   â€Å"To go further than any man has been before me, but as far as I think it is possible for a man to go (Collingridge)†, revealed his primary goal in life. Ferdinand Magellan The second other prominent individual during this age is Ferdinand Magellan. Ferdinan Magellan first approached the administration of   the Portugese royalty, but was refused.   Hence he tried the neighboring nation of Spain, and he was granted an audience and given a chance to prove himself, and his objective of circumnavigating the globe via a westward route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia (Swenson). The fleet of ships started with 270 crew members.   However, only 18 of the original crew was able to circumnavigate the globe and reported the success of Magellan’s team (Swenson). Ferdinand Magellan established the colonial reign of Spain in the Philippine Islands and was the first person to successfully cross all the meridians of the globe.   He also lead the crew   to sail westward from Europe to Asia, and successfully cross the Pacific ocean. Before his discovery of the Philippine Islands, this part of the world was totally unknown (Swenson).

Othello Moderno essays

Othello Moderno essays O is a teen adapted modernization of Shakespeares play Othello, The Moor of Venice. Now, with modernizations things can get a little shaky. The filmmakers tried to make it as close to the actual story though. It revolves around Odin Othello (Mekhi Phifer). He goes to an esteemed prep school which is located in America. In the story Odin is on the basketball team, from the story you can see that he was accepted for his ability to bring glory to them on the basketball court. The antagonist of the story is Hugo Iago (Josh Hartnett). Some say that Jealousy is a dangerous emotion. In this case one could say it really is. The affection of Hugos father, who is also the coach of the basketball team is enough to cause a spark. There is a part in the movie where the coach (Martin Sheen), says of Odin, "I love him like my own son." Hugo has the ability to manipulate people to do his own doing. This is a part where the movie itself lacks a bit. The ease he has with convincing people makes it look like he is not manipulating them, but merely playing upon their sense of gullibility. From then on Hugo begins a path of manipulation and deceit towards his own plans, which will bring about the destruction of Odin. The way Hugo brings about this is working towards Odins soft spot. This is Desi (Julia Stiles) whom is the woman that Odin loves. He works his manipulative games by subtly leaving hints to Odin that Desi is cheating on him, when in reality she really isnt. Hugo also enlists in the help of his roommate Roger Rodriguez (Elden Henson of "The Mighty" in the Rodrigo role), to bring Odin down. The acting in the movie is pretty solid. Mekhi Phifer does a good job all in all with playing Odin. He really captures the inner struggle that hes going through when he begins to believe that Hugo was right about his allegations of Desis cheating on him. ...

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrology

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrology Astronomy and astrology are two distinct subjects: one is a science, and one is a parlor game. However, the two topics are frequently confused. Astronomy, as well as the related field of astrophysics, covers the science of stargazing and the physics that explains how stars and galaxies work. Astrology is a non-scientific practice that draws connections between star positions to make predictions about the future. The work of ancient astrologers formed the basis for the star and navigational charts used by the ancients, as well as some of the constellations we know today. However, there is no scientific basis in todays practice of astrology. Key Takeaways: Astronomy vs. Astrology Astronomy is the scientific study of the stars, planets, and galaxies, and their motions.Astrophysics uses principles and laws of physics to explain how stars, planets, and galaxies form and function. Astrology is a non-scientific form of entertainment that draws connections between human behavior and the alignment of the stars and planets. Astronomy and Astrophysics The difference between astronomy (literally law of the stars in Greek) and astrophysics (derived from the words Greek words for star and physics) comes from what the two disciplines are trying to accomplish. In both cases, the goal is to understand how objects in the universe function.   Astronomy describes the motions and origins of the heavenly bodies (stars, planets, galaxies, etc.). It also refers to the subject that you study when you want to learn about those objects and become an astronomer.  Astronomers study the light emanating or reflected from distant objects.   in astronomy, the bright star Alpha Centauri and its surrounding stars are studied by both astronomers and in astrophysics in order to understand their characteristics. . This is a main sequence star, just as the Sun is. NASA/DSS Astrophysics is literally the physics of the many different types of stars, galaxies, and nebulae. It applies the principles of physics to describe the processes involved in the creation of the stars and galaxies, as well as learning what drives their evolutionary changes. Astronomy and astrophysics are definitely interrelated but are clearly trying to answer different questions about the objects they study. Think of astronomy as saying, Heres what all these objects are and astrophysics as describing heres how all these objects work.   Astrophysics tells scientists about how stars, such as the Sun, work. Astrophysicists may also study how the solar wind interacts with the planets, as shown here. NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center Despite their differences, the two terms have become somewhat synonymous in recent years. Most astronomers receive the same training as astrophysicists, including the completion of a graduate program in physics (although there are many very good pure astronomy programs being offered). Others begin in mathematics and gravitate to astrophysics in graduate school. Much of the work done in the field of astronomy requires the application of astrophysical principles and theories. So while there are differences in definitions of the two terms, in application it is difficult to distinguish between them. When someone studies astronomy in high school or college, they first learn purely astronomy topics: motions of celestial objects, their distances, and their classifications. A deeper study of how they work requires physics and eventually astrophysics. Astrology Astrology (literally star study in Greek) is largely regarded as a pseudoscience. It does not study the physical characteristics of stars, planets, and galaxies. It is not concerned with applying principles of physics to the objects it uses, and it has no physical laws that help explain its findings. In fact, theres very little science in astrology. Its practitioners, called astrologers, simply use the positions of stars and planets and the Sun, as seen from Earth, to predict  people’s individual characteristics, affairs and future. Its largely akin to fortune-telling, but with a scientific gloss to give it some kind of legitimacy. In truth, theres no way to use stars and planets to tell anything about a give persons life or loves. Its all very imaginary and fanciful, but some people do derive a lot of satisfaction from fiddling with it. The Ancient Role Astrology Played in Astronomy While astrology has no scientific basis, it did play a preliminary role in the development of astronomy. This is because early astrologers were also systematic stargazers who charted the positions and motions of celestial objects. Those charts and motions are of great interest when it comes to understanding how stars and planets move through space. Astrology diverges from astronomy when astrologers attempt to use their knowledge of the sky to predict future happenings in peoples lives. In ancient times, they did this mostly for political and religious reasons. If an astrologer could predict some wonderful thing for his or her patron or king or queen, they might get to eat again. Or get a nice house. Or score some gold.   The IAU constellation designation for Pisces includes the main pattern plus numerous other stars. The early astrologers used the green outline of the stars as a way to divide the sky up into houses, through which the planets would wander. Pisces is a Zodiac constellation, meaning a region of the sky that the Sun and planets appear to wander through. To astrologers, where a planet or the Sun was on the day of a persons birth had some meaning. But, today, there is NO measurable link between those objects and the person being born. IAU/Sky Telescope   Astrology diverged from astronomy as a scientific practice during the years of the Enlightenment in the Eighteenth Century, when scientific studies became more rigorous. It became clear to scientists of that time (and ever since then) that no physical forces could be measured emanating from stars or planets that could account for the claims of astrology. In other words, the position of the Sun, Moon and planets at a persons birth have no effect on that persons future or personality. In fact, the effect of the doctor assisting with the birth is stronger than any distant planet or star.   Most people today know that astrology is little more than a parlor game. Except for astrologers who make money off of their art, educated people know that the so-called mystical effects of astrology have no actual scientific basis, and have never been detected by astronomers and astrophysicists. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Examining the Pros and Cons of a Four-Day School Week

Examining the Pros and Cons of a Four-Day School Week Across the United States, several school districts have begun to explore, experiment with, and embrace a shift to a four-day school week.  Just a decade ago this shift would have been unimaginable.  However, the landscape is changing thanks to several factors including a slight change in public perception.   Perhaps the biggest shift giving leeway to the adoption of a four-day school week is that an increasing number of states have passed legislation giving schools the flexibility to substitute the number of instructional days for instructional hours.  The standard requirement for schools is 180 days or an average range of 990-1080 hours.  Schools are able to switch to a four-day week by simply increasing the length of their school day.  Students are still getting the same amount of instruction in terms of minutes, just in a shorter number of days. Too Early to Tell The shift to a four-day school week is so new that the research to support or oppose the trend is inconclusive at this point.  The truth is that more time is needed to answer the most pressing question. Everyone wants to know how a four-day school week will impact student performance, but conclusive data to answer that question simply does not exist at this point. While the jury is still out on its impact on student performance, there are several clear pros and cons of moving to a four-day school week.  The fact remains that the needs of every community are different.  School leaders must carefully weigh any decision to move to four-day weekend seeking out community feedback on the topic through the use of surveys and public forums.  They must publicize and examine the pros and cons associated with this move. It may turn out to be the best option for one district and not another. Saving School Districts Money Moving to a four-day school week saves the district money.  Most schools that have chosen to move to a four-day school week do so because of the financial benefits. That one extra day saves money in the areas of transportation, food services, utilities, and some areas of personnel. Though the amount of savings can be argued, every dollar matters and schools are always looking to pinch pennies. A four-day school week can improve student and teacher attendance. Appointments for doctors, dentists, and home maintenance services are able to be scheduled on that extra day off.  Doing this naturally boost attendance for both teachers and students. This improves the quality of education the student receives because they have fewer substitute teachers and are themselves in class more often. Higher Teach Morale Moving to a four-day school week boosts student and teacher morale.  Teachers and students are happier when they have that extra day off.  They come back at the start of the workweek refreshed and focused. They feel like they accomplished more over the weekend and were also able to get some extra rest.  Their minds come back clearer, rested, and ready to go to work. This also allows teachers more time for planning and collaboration.  Many teachers are using the day off for professional development and preparation for the upcoming week. They are able to research and put together higher quality lessons and activities. Furthermore, some schools are using the day off for structured collaboration where teachers work and plan together as a team. Better Quality of Life for Families The change can provide students and teachers more time with their families.  Family time is an important part of American culture. Many parents and teachers are using the extra day off as a family day for activities such as exploring a museum, hiking, shopping, or traveling.  The extra day has given families the chance to bond and do things that would not have been able to otherwise. Teachers Already on Board The change can be a great recruiting tool for attracting and hiring new teachers.  The majority of teachers are on board with the move to a four-day school week. It is an attractive element that many teachers are happy to jump on.  School districts that have moved to a four-day week often find that their pool of potential candidates is higher in quality than it was before the move. Evidence Against a Four-Day School Week Moving to a four-day school week increases the length of the school day.  The trade-off for a shorter week is a longer school day. Many schools are adding thirty minutes to both the beginning and end of the school day.  This extra hour can make the day pretty long especially for younger students, which can often lead to a loss of focus later in the day.  Another drawback to a longer school day is that it gives students less time in the evening to participate in extracurricular activities. Shifting Costs to Parents Moving to a four-day school week also has many drawbacks. The first of which is that it shifts a financial burden to parents.  Childcare for that extra day off can become a major financial burden for working parents. Parents of younger students, in particular, may be forced to pay for costly daycare services.  In addition, parents must provide meals, typically provided by the school, on that day off. Student Accountability The extra day off may also lead to less accountability for some students.  Many students may be unsupervised on the extra day off.  The lack of supervision translates to less accountability which could potentially lead to some reckless and dangerous situations.  This is especially true for students whose parents work and make the decision to allow their children to stay home by themselves in lieu of structured childcare. Moving to a four-day school week will potentially increase the amount of homework a student receives.  Teachers will have to resist the urge to increase the amount of homework that they give to their students.  The longer school day will give students less time in the evenings to complete any homework.  Teachers must approach homework cautiously, limiting homework during the school week and potentially giving them assignments to work on over the weekend. Still A Divisive Subject Moving to a four-day school week can divide a community.  There is no denying that the potential move to a four-day school week is a sensitive and divisive topic.  There will be constituents on both sides of the aisle, but little is accomplished when there is contention.  In difficult financial times, schools must examine all cost-saving options. Members of the community elect school board members to make difficult choices and they ultimately must trust those decisions.

A Veteran's Account Of A War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Veteran's Account Of A War - Essay Example Here, that would be the personal re-telling of Colby Buzzell, who in his book My War: Killing Time in Iraq, details for the reader the events surrounding his service in the military during the current military operation in the nation of Iraq. Giving a firsthand account of what he saw, what he did, as well as how he felt during his time of service. A collection of words, that serve to give value, as well as to provide an effective perspective, on the issues that arise with being an enlisted member of the armed forces. "I was in my room reading a book (Thin Red Line) when the mortars started coming down. Usually when we get mortared it'll only be one, maybe two mortars. But this mortar attack went on for almost 20 minutes. Each one impacting the FOB every couple of minutes. Something was up," (Buzzell, p.248). For a document to be beneficial for such means as furthering the readers connection to what it is they are reading, the usage of personal experiences can greatly benefit the overall cause of better understanding the personal side of those who take part in military life and are faced with the ramifications of such a career choice. While news reports by journalists are chalk full of time lines having to do with what would have occurred, good or bad, the personal accounts of those closest involved provide a far greater service, than simply providing a listing of mass produced details. Giving a stronger image of what would have been the environment surrounding Buzzell at that moment, he writes that, "Sgt. Horrocks ripped open the door and yelled, "Grab your guys! And go to the motor pool! The whole BATTALION is rolling out!" Holy shit! The whole battalion! This must be big. So I closed my book and ran over to my guys' rooms and ripped open their doors and yelled, "Get your fucking shit on and head down to the motor pool! Time: Now!" I ran back to my room and grabbed my shirt and started running as fast as I could to the motor pool, hearing small arms fire off in the background. By now every swinging dick was running to the motor pool. Some putting their clothes on while they were running," (Buzzell, p.248). The image of soldiers running frantically to their places, aids the narrative's purpose of providing the most personal, yet factual, account of the events that would have been occurring around Buzzell and the fellow members of his unit. Readers value that which they identify with and as such, are able to understand in some minute way. Human beings inherently understand fear and stress through experiencing it themselves and are drawn to those stories that show other people experiencing great fear and stress for themselves, even if it's due to circumstances that they would have not known themselves. "While we were waiting for word to roll back out, we sat around and exchanged war stories over plates of food from the chow hall. I sat down on an ammo crate while Sgt. Vance sat down on a water cooler, and he told me all about 3rd Squad's heroics on the ground that day, about their vehicle that got shot by at least three RPGs the first time through Route Tampa. Each one that hit the vehicle knocked him down from the air-guard hatch. One of the RPGs took out the engine to their vehicle, and Spc Callahan, while it was still rolling, grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the fire. When they got to Bridge 5, Vance and Callahan were vomiting out of

The Impact of Fruit Juices on the Dental Erosion in Human Tooth Enamel Research Paper - 1

The Impact of Fruit Juices on the Dental Erosion in Human Tooth Enamel - Research Paper Example The difference in the degree of teeth erosion between the adult permanent teeth and the baby primary teeth will also be stressed in this project. The effect of orange juice acid on the dental tubules will also be clearly demonstrated in the experimental project. This is because the two teeth have a different structure and chemical make up and hence respond differently to any form of chemical erosion on their part. Project Aim The use of Scanning Electron Microscope images (SEM) was employed to present a clearer view of the macroscopic effects of the erosive effects of the acid, present in orange juice, on the teeth’s surface. The effects of the obliteration of the dentinal tubules are also clearly evidenced in the SEM images. SEM Analysis of Tooth Enamel The images used in the experiment were taken using a Scanning Electron Microscope. The teeth were placed in a horizontal position, and care was taken to ensure that there was zero degree of tilt. After that, the SEM image pict ures were taken at two different magnification levels of 10Â µm and 200Â µm for teeth in both categories of adult and primary. The electron acceleration that was used in the experiment was relatively low at 15.0kV and the working distance ranging from between 4.5mm to 7.0mm for both sets of adult and primary teeth depending on the overall size of the tooth. The Images taken by the microscope were then digitized with the help of SEM Image Slave software in order to obtain the quality images displayed1. The use of both back scattered and secondary electrons was employed to produce images. The SEM images in fig 1.4 show the surface of the adult tooth to be rough and scattered with many surface wide fissures and niches. The SEM image in fig 3.3 of the primary tooth shows the baby tooth to be covered with different size and number of particles, which are suggestive of different types of abrasive changes on the biting surface2. Discussion of the SEM Images Analysis of the Scanning Elect ron Microscope (SEM) Samples From the Scanning Electron Microscope image of the controlled tooth without any effect in fig 2.1, it can clearly be seen that there is an overall erosion of the entire smear layer of the tooth after its immersion in orange juice. The appearance of macroscopic lesions on the surface of the tooth after its immersion in orange juice is a clear indication of the erosive nature of the liquid. The result obtained is not much different from the one shown in the fig 1.1 of controlled tooth 1, which shows a normal human tooth viewed at 200Â µm; the tooth appears to be normal with a few deep lesions on its surface that can be ascribed to characteristic wear and tear due to the tooth’s normal activities while in the oral cavity. The surface appears to be smooth and not suffering from signs of any previous tooth erosion or any other tooth defect3. The figure 1.2 of controlled tooth 2 viewed at 200Â µm shows a normally developed adult permanent tooth. The t ooth appears to be normal with a few deep lesions on its surface. The tooth also seems to have more pronounced chipping as compared to the previous tooth in figure 1.1. No dental caries or any other defect can be detected on the tooth’s surface. The figure 1.3 of controlled tooth 3 that is being viewed at a magnification level of 10Â µm shows a clear lesion on the tooth’

Outstanding patient care issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Outstanding patient care issue - Research Paper Example Healthcare is the most varying and the most synchronized sector in the current world. The quality in healthcare management is very important, which determines the level of confidence in patients to rely on a particular organization. It is important for the patient to understand that the hospital works in a cohesive manner and there is outstanding patient care. The hospital is responsible to provide all facilities for the doctors as well as the patients. Nurses have an inevitable role in hospitals; first and foremost, they have to clarify what the doctors have prescribed. For providing outstanding care to the patient, these nurses have to call the doctors and be thorough with which types of antibiotics to be given at what time. They take rounds throughout the hospital regularly so as to check the conditions of patients. They need to accompany the physicians and take notes according to what they say. They are masterminds at assessing the patient’s level of pain just by judging t heir facial expressions and they try various things to cheer the moods of patients. The current healthcare field is evolving and advancing with time, as a result, many of the organizations are trying to fulfill the needs and wants of the patients by providing them high class treatment with all types of equipments and machineries. The patient had fever and drainage afterwards and that is why she was readmitted to the hospital for a probable postoperative disease, seven days before. The patient needs utmost care from the organization. This will improve her health both mentally and physically. From the hospital’s point of view, it is very important to take care of the patient by providing whatever treatment or medication is needed. The individual effort will make a group effort that will directly give the best name to the hospital as the staff work their maximum to revive a patient back to complete health. The patients will be pleased by the way they are treated and would also a ppreciate the teamwork of the hospital. A consistent team of thoughtful people will create a world of diversity in exceptional patient care issues, which would bring in wide-ranging rewards to the performance. â€Å"A trusting relationship with patients and their families is built on open, honest communication. However, today's health care environment makes good communication among patients, families, and caregivers harder and harder to achieve. Hospital stays are shorter, medical care is more technologically complex, resources are constrained, and there is a growing need for patients and families to have more information about, and involvement in, care decisions† (Communicating With Patients, 2011). This mutual consent between the hospital authorities and the patients will lead to a positive result. The doctors, nurses and others from the lab and various departments, who are involved in the health care operations, will help the patients to retain their confidence. The initia l nursing plan has been documented but not updated after surgery. The oxygen tanks have been found on the floor and it has been found in not a secured condition. The nurses should clarify orders properly. Also the nurse was not able to range order policy accurately. As diseases like laparoscopic hysterectomy cause a lot of pain and suffering to the patients, they hope for a better treatment that would relieve their pain. The nurses and doctors have to treat this 67-year old patient very carefully and have to put in their best efforts. The patient had to undergo a surgery to treat a swelling

Reflection on the movie We Are Marshall Research Paper

Reflection on the movie We Are Marshall - Research Paper Example Reflection on the movie "We Are Marshall" I consider this movie as an apt tribute to the victims of the plane crash because the remaining members of the Thundering Herd football team are not ready to give up. Besides, the movie is symbolic of the relationship between sports and willpower to withstand critical circumstances in human life. The film and the history of sports and games in America The director makes use of a historical incident in his film to portray the after effect of the same. But the director does not try to unearth the background of the tragic incident. Instead, he utilizes the incident as the background of his film. One can see that injury is usual in sports and games. But destruction of a whole team due to a plane crash is unimaginable. Within this context, the McG is aware of his role as film director. He never tries to unveil the background of the tragic incident. But he totally ignores the background and concentrates his attention on the after effect of the plane crash. If the director tries to concentr ate on the background of the incident, the output will be a historical anecdote. Here, a film direct cannot use his or her individual freedom. If the director decides to make use of an incident as a theme, he or she can utilize individual freedom. In my opinion, the director did not get distracted by the historical importance of the incident. This helps the film to go beyond a historical anecdote with limited scope. So, one can see that a historical event is the film’s theme but the same is used as a foundation to portray the after effects or the following events. ... Tribute to the victims of plane crash The film is based upon a real incident which happened in the year 1970 in America. Baker Publishing Group (2009) stated that, â€Å"In the sports movie We Are Marshall, nearly the entire Marshall University football team dies in a plane crash† (p. 411). The team members and the officials of the Thundering Herd football team became victims to the Southern Airways Flight 932 crash. The travel by flight was a rare event for the Thundering Herd football team because they usually made use of other transportation facilities. The Marshall University never suspected a tragic end to their players. One can see that the future dreams of number of families became futile due to the plane crash. But the University authorities were not ready to forget the victims and their family members. The memorials erected at the University campus and Spring Hill Cemetery is symbolic of the homage to the victims of the plane crash. On the other side, the directorâ₠¬â„¢s attempt to inculcate the plane crash and its after effects in his film can be considered as an apt visual tribute for the victims. But the director never tries to consider his film as investigation on the back ground of the plane crash. Instead, he tries to attract the attention of the viewers towards the after effects of the tragedy. I consider the director’s effort is important because it helps the viewers to realize that how to show tribute to the victims of manmade or natural disasters. Sports and games and willpower I consider that one’s achievement in the field of sports is interconnected with one’s willpower to withstand challenges in life. At the same time, failure to achieve success in a sports event helps human beings to realize that the

Processes and Evaluation in Employment Relations Essay

Processes and Evaluation in Employment Relations - Essay Example A study of the Australian workplace scenario shows that strategic HRM are often faced with issues when trying to affect cultural changes as lack employee focus, leading to increased work related insecurities and a persistently decreasing job satisfaction (Leah, 1999). Culture, which fundamentally relates to the meaning an individual deciphers about the world around him and an understanding of the tools with which he must deal with this world, the primary objective of cultural changes within a workplace is associated with conscious and active processes aimed at developing capabilities that enable individuals to find new methods of working. It makes way for new processes, beliefs, thoughts, and measures that help to bring about organizational success. Owing to current large-scale globalisation, business strategies have become more intricate, making it necessary that workplace culture within an organisation becomes more complex in order to implement various modifications. This paper wil l study the role of HRM as regards affecting cultural changes within an organisation and will derive that implementing cultural changes is a complex and difficult process, and HR management has a limited role in affecting these changes. Human resource management can be defined collectively as comprising of â€Å"all concepts, strategies, policies and practices which organizations use to manage and develop the people who work for them† (Rudman, 2002, 3). The current function of HR is to manage long-term goals, and to take a wider and more balanced approach, instead of convening only on internal issues pertaining to human resource management. Modern HR managers emphasise more on future-based goals, long-term strategies, value adding leadership roles with focus on global integration, primarily in terms of economic and socio-cultural integration (Adler and Gundersen, 2008, pp.7-9). Fig 1: Human resource activities of a modern business firm (International HRM and organizational be havior learning guide, 2010). Ulrich (1996) delineated HRM roles and divided them into four categories based on their functions. These are Change Agent, Strategic Business Partner, Administration, and Employee Champions (Ulrich, 1996, pp. 19-20). Besides these, HR managers must be knowledgeable about the socio-cultural effects of globalization and be technologically oriented. In context of HR functions as a change agent and a strategic business partner, which encompass bringing in strategic cultural changes within an organization, these are associated with guiding and assisting in creating an overall business strategy and framing of HR plans and activities, keeping in mind the current globalization. If human resource strategies are incorrectly planned and implemented, an organization is likely to face failure within the global market that is highly competitive in nature (Belcourt and McBey, 2010). Here, the human resource managers help to formulate overall business strategies and se t goals for a firm, while bringing in suitable workplace cultural changes within an organization that would assist in achieving success in overall business outcome. The word ‘organisational culture,’ which became popular during the 1980s, is often considered

RESEARCH METHODS - Preparing an effective questionnaire that elicits Assignment

RESEARCH METHODS - Preparing an effective questionnaire that elicits the maximum rate of responses - Assignment Example Please go through the questionnaire, and answer the questions. We will collect it from you within 3 days. The questionnaire should not take you more than 20 minutes. The results of this research project will benefit you only, since it will enlighten Etisalat about where it is going strong and where it is lacking, when it comes to its reputation as an employer. We aim to use the results of the survey for future decision making, with respect to policies regarding many work related and employees-affecting issues. The results might not be shared with you, but their after effects will be quite visible to you, in the decisions that are then taken place. You are not exposed to any kind of risks while filling the form and we promise complete confidentiality when it comes to your responses. Your responses will not be shared with anyone and will stay within the research group that is conducting this research. If you do not personally wish to hand over the survey to us, we have alternatives for you. You can leave it in the postbox of Etisalat and address it to us. Your participation is completely your choice and voluntary, but we would love it if you participate. If you have any queries or comments regarding this questionnaire, contact us at 034-5678908. This study has been approved by an external research organization to ensure that it fulfills the ethics of any research. 12. Divide 100 points among the following characteristics of an organization according to how important each characteristic is to you when choosing an employer? For instance, if you think salary is the most important, then assign 50 points to salary, and then divide the remaining points among the other characteristics. The more points you give to a characteristic, the more important it is to you. Remember: the total should come to 100

Processes and Evaluation in Employment Relations Essay

Processes and Evaluation in Employment Relations - Essay Example A study of the Australian workplace scenario shows that strategic HRM are often faced with issues when trying to affect cultural changes as lack employee focus, leading to increased work related insecurities and a persistently decreasing job satisfaction (Leah, 1999). Culture, which fundamentally relates to the meaning an individual deciphers about the world around him and an understanding of the tools with which he must deal with this world, the primary objective of cultural changes within a workplace is associated with conscious and active processes aimed at developing capabilities that enable individuals to find new methods of working. It makes way for new processes, beliefs, thoughts, and measures that help to bring about organizational success. Owing to current large-scale globalisation, business strategies have become more intricate, making it necessary that workplace culture within an organisation becomes more complex in order to implement various modifications. This paper wil l study the role of HRM as regards affecting cultural changes within an organisation and will derive that implementing cultural changes is a complex and difficult process, and HR management has a limited role in affecting these changes. Human resource management can be defined collectively as comprising of â€Å"all concepts, strategies, policies and practices which organizations use to manage and develop the people who work for them† (Rudman, 2002, 3). The current function of HR is to manage long-term goals, and to take a wider and more balanced approach, instead of convening only on internal issues pertaining to human resource management. Modern HR managers emphasise more on future-based goals, long-term strategies, value adding leadership roles with focus on global integration, primarily in terms of economic and socio-cultural integration (Adler and Gundersen, 2008, pp.7-9). Fig 1: Human resource activities of a modern business firm (International HRM and organizational be havior learning guide, 2010). Ulrich (1996) delineated HRM roles and divided them into four categories based on their functions. These are Change Agent, Strategic Business Partner, Administration, and Employee Champions (Ulrich, 1996, pp. 19-20). Besides these, HR managers must be knowledgeable about the socio-cultural effects of globalization and be technologically oriented. In context of HR functions as a change agent and a strategic business partner, which encompass bringing in strategic cultural changes within an organization, these are associated with guiding and assisting in creating an overall business strategy and framing of HR plans and activities, keeping in mind the current globalization. If human resource strategies are incorrectly planned and implemented, an organization is likely to face failure within the global market that is highly competitive in nature (Belcourt and McBey, 2010). Here, the human resource managers help to formulate overall business strategies and se t goals for a firm, while bringing in suitable workplace cultural changes within an organization that would assist in achieving success in overall business outcome. The word ‘organisational culture,’ which became popular during the 1980s, is often considered

Project Management(file one) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Project Management(file one) - Essay Example The activity is determined by Mean = (o + 4m + p)/6. Its variance will be given by activity (Variance) = ((p - o)/6)2. The value attained is the z-value which can be related in the z-tables to give the probability of completing the project in time (Phillips, 2004). The CPM/PERT technique were used alongside the base lines for cost, work and schedule variances. The assumption taken was that the duration of activities was established with certainty. The realistic duration will make up to precisely as estimated (Oduwole, 2002). Nonetheless, in actual activities, this is impossible and several projects entail variability in activity times owing to factors like lack of previous experience, breakdown of equipment, erratic weather conditions. Besides, late supply of deliveries is an impediment. PERT analysis is applicable when activity durations are not known with precision. It constitutes three estimates of the activity duration as opposed to the single value analysis identified with CPM: The base line conditions for this report assessed and evaluated the situation of work considering the baseline and actual reporting. For instance, a deviation in the original budget is captured and observed in the percentage of work covered, the budget allocation and the amount of work remaining. This is a useful piece to learn from since the project manager can read the variance with ease and try to correct any change in project scope (Oduwole, 2002). This is the significance of using project management techniques to monitor and evaluate work progress. Any work related delays will be easily identified and correction made by observing the cause of such changes (Heerkens, 2007). Similarly, the schedule can be monitored for deviation. The possible correction to schedule is to check on the capability of the manpower or work force (Cleland, & Ireland, 2006). If work is going slowly than expected, it may mean that

Impact of Consumer Credit Laws

Impact of Consumer Credit Laws In today’s consumer based society, the need for credit is undoubted. More and more individuals and organisations are reliant upon credit to undertake their day to day activities, thus the role of credit in society has magnified in unmeasurable amounts. There are also more personal credit products available on the market than when the original Consumer Credit Act 1974 was drawn up, thus there is more of a need to regulate these products and the relationships between creditor and debtor in order to avoid any unfair conduct on the part of either party. As the Government White Paper suggests: The laws governing this market were set out a generation ago. In 1971, there was only one credit card available; now there are 1,300. 30 years ago,  £32m was owed on credit cards; now it is over  £49bn. The regulatory structure that was put in place then is not the same as the regulatory structure required today. As the credit market has developed, reforms have become necessary to modernise the current regime and update it for the 21st century.[1] This evidence clearly supports the idea that the previous rules governing consumer credit relationships are significantly outmoded and outdated, and are in dire need of updating and reworking to meet the needs of a modern society. The nature of the relationship between a debtor and their creditor or supplier has subsequently become more complex and legalistic, and requires rules that govern these specific relationships without relying upon the general principles that can be found in, say, the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, which will be discussed in more detail in due course. This brief intends to consider the new provisions of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 and determine whether this legislation goes too far in protecting the rights of debtors, as opposed to the rights of creditors and suppliers. These conclusions will be drawn based upon consideration of the primary legislation, including the previous Consumer Credit Act 1974, as well as the apparent diverse and conflicting nature of secondary sources on this issue. It appears that a number of viewpoints could be explored, and this brief intends to do just that in order to arrive at the most appropriate conclusion. The Government had already completed a review of the 1974 Act in its White Paper, which will be discussed shortly. This Paper identified key areas where the law was not protecting the rights of consumers, and often allowed credit companies to take advantage of vulnerable individuals in order to rise to the top of what has effectively become a crowded and cut-throat marketplace. Each company is trying to sell its product to consumers, each trying to maximise the revenue it can make from it. In order to avoid innocent Britons from being exploited by unregulated corporations, the Government commission its review into the Consumer Credit Act 1974 before drafting the Consumer Credit Act 2006, in order to ensure that the new law was going to address the most salient of concerns of con sumers. It was also important to define who should be afforded protection under the new law. Should it be aimed at the general British consumer, or should it have specifications that restrict who could rely upon these provisions based upon certain socio-economic factors? This is where this report will begin. Perhaps the best place to begin would be to continue considering the DTI’s White Paper on consumer credit in the 21st century. While it does not consider the current Consumer Credit Act 2006 in express terms due to its publication several years before its enactment, it does highlight the perceived inadequacies of the then existing consumer credit protections of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Firstly, it appears that the Government is concerned with establishing a transparent marketplace that prevents debtors from being taken advantage of by creditors and suppliers. It plans to accomplish this by having clear and effective regulations in place to govern the use of advertising in selling credit products.[2] This intends to address the inadequacies provided not only by the 1974 Act, but also by the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 due to the recently explosive nature of consumer credit products and contracts. The rationale behind such a move by the government can only be suggested to attempt to protect the consumer against any deceptive or misleading conduct by creditors through advertising promotional campaigns that could unduly influence them into entering into consumer credit contracts which do not specifically cater for their needs or financial situations. This would be consistent with the notion that the intention of the 2006 Act is to protect the consumer/debtor more so than the creditor, due to their more vulnerable position in the marketplace. Quite obviously, disparity does exist between the negotiation and contractual powers of debtors and creditors, and thus the intention of the Government is to create a more level playing field, allowing them to do business in a manner which is not only legal, but also moral and ethical. Another way the Government claimed this will be done in its White Paper was through standardisation of the form of consumer credit contracts.[3] This would, theoretically, ensure that there are minimal difference s between the standard terms of a consumer credit contract regardless of who the credit provider was, and regardless of what the actual lending product was. Again, this clearly is intended to protect the debtor more so than the creditor, given the disparity in contractual and negotiation abilities and resources available to the two parties. The Government even intends to reflect the changes in the way we contract that have come into existence since the 1974 Act, including online contracts. The rationale behind this is that the use of the internet in contractual dealings can often lead to an increased possibility of fraud on the part of either party.[4] What this means is that one could quite possibly enter into a contractual agreement through an online method without going through the full stringent identity criteria as they might be required to if they were personally entering into this agreement at, say, a bank. Normally a 100-point ID check, or similar procedure, may be used or r elied upon by a creditor in order to ensure that they were dealing with the person whose name appears on the contractual documents. However, this may also extend to a debtor where the reliability of the credit provider could not be ascertained. This protection would then effectively protect both the creditor and debtor to ensure that the contract was reliable, and that the correct person or entity was included as a party to the agreement. Perhaps the most important aspect of the Government White Paper regarding consumer credit contracts is the introduction of more stringent licensing criteria for credit providers. The Government’s hope, in 2003, was that the reform to the consumer credit laws would give the Office of Fair Trading more power to investigate credit providers to ensure that they were complying with the terms of the license granted upon them. Previously, the DTI claimed that the tests that a credit provider was required to pass to gain a license only determined whether they initially met these criteria, and did not illustrate whether they continued to meet the criteria, and thus remain fit to provide credit to consumers.[5] This would, theoretically, maintain the integrity of the consumer credit industry, making it much safer for consumers to deal in the sometimes overwhelming credit market. Again, this appears to be protecting the consumer’s interests more so than those of the credit supplie r. The DTI has identified a number of areas that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 was lax in upholding and protecting in the interests of consumer credit, and it would appear that, based upon the general consensus of this White Paper (a fundamental research document that highlights the Government’s intention in reforming particular laws) that the DTI is more concerned about consumers being taken advantage of due to developments in the credit market that tend to fall outside the scope of the 1974 Act. This is mainly due to social and technological advances that were not within comprehension at the time the 1974 Act came into enforcement and a lack of reform since that time. However, while the shortfalls of the Act have been duly illustrated by the DTI, what if a consumer continues to have a problem with a credit contract? To what institution do they turn to exercise their right of redress? The DTI uses its White Paper to harangue the idea of the Financial Ombudsman Service being e mpowered to investigate contractual dispute involving consumer credit. This would create an alternative dispute resolution pathway that may ultimately avoid the pomposity, risk and financial burden that was previously required in order to take a matter to court. Rather, this would make the dispute resolution procedure much more appealing and affordable to a consumer, giving them more opportunity to vindicate their legal rights where they might otherwise be precluded from doing so due to pressing financial commitments. This does gear itself towards the consumer more so than the creditor, as a credit providing company would presumably have a greater access to legal expertise and resources by comparison to the individual person, thus the DTI found it prudent to address the shortfalls of the 1974 Act in protecting individual debtors. While these have all been appropriately illustrated by the DTI’s White Paper, it is important to note that this was simply and analysis of the 1974 Act in conjunction with today’s developing credit-based society, and does not in itself give rise to any legal effect. It does, however, point out the reasons behind the Government’s wish to reform consumer credit laws, and gives one a way to measure the effectiveness of the now enacted Consumer Credit Act 2006 by applying these criteria. It is now important to consider the express provisions of this Act in order to determine whether these shortfalls identified by the DTI have been adequately addressed and protected by the new Act. Before considering the possible codification of the DTI’s discussion in the Consumer Credit Act 2006, it is important to establish the scope of application for this Act. It does not apply to businesses or corporations who enter into consumer credit contracts solely for business purposes. Rather, it serves to protect individuals that may be at less of a negotiation or contracting position than what a business would which may have access to virtually unlimited capital. The 2006 Act defines an ‘individual’ as: (a) a partnership consisting of two or three persons not all of whom are bodies corporate; and (b) an unincorporated body of persons which does not consist entirely of bodies corporate and is not a partnership.[6] The inclusion of these two categories as ‘individuals’ for the purposes of the Act gives more people protection under the Act than what may have been afforded otherwise under the 1974 Act, thus ensuring more consumers are protected. It clearly precludes large businesses and corporations from seeking protection under the Act, thus ensuring that only those who may not necessarily be able to provide their own legal protection are protected by law from being taken advantage of. Additionally, section 2 of the 2006 Act removes the previously existing financial limits for protection under the Act ( £25,000)[7] thus broadening the scope of application, however section 3 excludes consumers with a ‘high net worth’ from also obtaining protection under the Act, which subsequently re-limits the scope of application to those consumers who really are in need of consumer protection. The presence of these provisions in the 2006 Act suggests that the intention of the Act is to provide protection for those that may otherwise be at a disability to do so of their own will and accord. One of the most important changes that the 2006 Act has made to consumer credit regulation is the ability of a court to now hear matters relating to unfair credit relationships. The powers of the court in such circumstances have been defined, as have the procedural requirements for bringing such a matter before a court.[8] Under the newly amended sections of the 1974 Act, a court must have regard for the following factors when adjudicating on the issue of an unfair relationship: (a) any of the terms of the agreement or of any related agreement; (b) the way in which the creditor has exercised or enforced any of his rights under the agreement or any related agreement; (c) any other thing done (or not done) by, or on behalf of, the creditor (either before or after the making of the agreement or any related agreement).[9] Additionally, the remedies available to the court include: (a) require the creditor, or any associate or former associate of his, to repay (in whole or in part) any sum paid by the debtor or by a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement (whether paid to the creditor, the associate or the former associate or to any other person); (b) require the creditor, or any associate or former associate of his, to do or not to do (or to cease doing) anything specified in the order in connection with the agreement or any related agreement; (c) reduce or discharge any sum payable by the debtor or by a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement; (d) direct the return to a surety of any property provided by him for the purposes of a security; (e) otherwise set aside (in whole or in part) any duty imposed on the debtor or on a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement; (f) alter the terms of the agreement or of any related agreement; (g) direct accounts to be taken, or (in Scotland) an accounting to be made, between any persons.[10] Essentially these provisions allow a debtor to challenge a consumer credit contract on the basis of it being ‘unfair’ to them, and empower a court to take remedial action where the law was previously vague and uncertain. It affords the debtor further protection from a creditor, given them a clear indication of their rights where they believe they have fallen victim to unfair conduct. It may serve to exonerate them from a contract they were having difficulty to adhering to because the terms were quite clearly outside their ability to keep to, or similar arguments. While this does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, which will be discussed shortly, it still allows a debtor to seek protection from the law from a consumer credit contract that they must have otherwise been contractually obliged to perform. This does not suggest that avoidance of a contract under these provisions is easier by any means as just cause still needs to be shown pursuant to the rules a nd principles of evidence and court, however there is no disputing the fact that this statutory remedy is available to those who are in dire need of exercising it where a contract can be construed as being unfair. Unfairness may result from the terms of the contract itself, or from any conduct by the creditor arising after the commencement of the agreement, thus this legislation appears to be catering more for the debtor than the creditor. These provisions specifically cover, in their express terms, any unfairness arising from the conduct of the creditor, as does not relate to the debtor as such. When viewed in conjunction with the application and definition provisions outlined above, it is clear that this law only intends to serve the individual, and not the creditor. In addition to the ‘unfair relationship’ protection through the courts afforded to debtors by the introduction of the 2006 Act, it also contains an alternative dispute resolution pathway that can often avoid a long and arduous litigation process. Sections 59-61 of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 confer powers upon the Financial Services Ombudsman to hear any disputes that involve licensed persons (i.e. a credit provider company licensed under the 2006 Act, which will be discussed shortly), and will also bind these license holders to abide by any decisions made by the FSO in accordance with Schedule 2. Section 59 of the Act requires that any person holding a license to provide consumer credit must submit to the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service in order to resolve any disputes which the FOS is empowered by the Act to hear. In order for the dispute to fall within the scope of the jurisdiction of the FOS, it must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the new section 226A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (inserted by the 2006 Act), which are: (a) the complainant is eligible and wishes to have the complaint dealt with under the scheme; (b) the complaint falls within a description specified in consumer credit rules; (c) at the time of the act or omission the respondent was the licensee under a standard licence or was authorised to carry on an activity by virtue of section 34A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974; (d) the act or omission occurred in the course of a business being carried on by the respondent which was of a type mentioned in subsection (3); (e) at the time of the act or omission that type of business was specified in an order made by the Secretary of State; and (f) the complaint cannot be dealt with under the compulsory jurisdiction.[11] Essentially, if the complaint is one that falls under the compulsory jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service that is granted under section 226 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, then it will not fall under the new consumer credit power. The presence of these provisions makes it more effective and less costly for an aggrieved person to raise a dispute with a consumer credit contract that they have entered, which can (and most likely will) avoid the matter proceeding before a court. This makes the dispute resolution process more accessible for individual persons that may not have otherwise had the available funds to commence a legal action in court. Finally, the other main practical change that the Consumer Credit Act 2006 has made to credit law is the introduction of more stringent licensing criteria for businesses and companies wanting to enter the market to sell credit products to consumers. Section 38 of the 2006 Act inserts a provision in the 1974 Act at section 33A which empowers the Office of Fair Trading to make regulations that will govern the distribution of licenses to these parties. This allows the Government the flexibility to adapt the regulations to address the changing social climate in a way that the broad framework of the 1974 Act could not. This would, then, allow the Government to impose regulations on advertising and other consumer interaction which may otherwise escape the broad legal framework of legislation. Additionally, section 44-46 of the 2006 Act specify requirements in relation to the provision of licensing assessment information (and changes thereof) by license applicants to the OFT, which allows t he OFT to make a continual assessment as to the fitness of a party to hold a credit provision license. This was one of the key shortfalls that the White Paper suggested, and appears to have been addressed adequately in the new law. Civil penalties of up to  £50,000 now apply if a licensed person or business fails to comply with the conditions of its credit provision license.[12] Finally, an appeals system has been established by sections 55-58 of the 2006 Act which allow for appeals against a decision by the OFT to grant a license to an applicant, which gives rise to a method of review via the newly established Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal. This provides for an administrative review of the decisions handed down by the OFT in relation to their licensing and regulative powers within the Act, which may be able to be judicially reviewed by the Court of Appeal with the leave of the Court (on questions of law, not fact).[13] This appeal procedure again appears to be consistent with the notion that the rationale of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 is to protect the rights and interests of debtors as opposed to those of creditors and suppliers. It appears that the idea of this Act is to saturate the market with new regulations that control the way creditors enter into consumer credit contracts with their debtors, and does not necessarily cater for the needs of creditors as such. In conclusion, it would appear that the Consumer Credit Act 2006 caters more so for the rights and interests of debtors than those of creditors, however it would be difficult to maintain an argument to suggest that the law goes too far in protecting these rights. The Government White Paper identified a number of salient points that the 1974 Act did not address, and the Government has appeared to have legislated accordingly. Given that the previous 1974 Act was significantly outdated and not particularly relevant to modern society in both a social and legal context, there was a real need for this law to be updated in order to afford consumers maximum protection against otherwise unfair conduct that was not recognised in law. The law was updated more out of necessity than out of spite for consumer credit providers. The application of these laws does not generally appear to infringe on the rights of credit providers, it merely suggests that the market needs more stringent controls to av oid certain parties taking advantage of otherwise vulnerable individuals. The rationale behind the introduction, as the White Paper suggests, was to create a fairer and more transparent consumer credit market, which gave the individual more competitive and legitimate rights that they are now able to exercise in an attempt to remove the disparity between consumers and credit providers in terms of their negotiation and contractual abilities. There appears to be no malice or ill-will by the Government towards credit providers, rather just a desire to exercise control in an area of commerce that has expanded exponentially since the law was last reviewed more than a generation ago. The flexibility provided under the new Act through delegation of regulative powers to the OFT and Ombudsman also allows the law to be updated as society dictates, which ensures that the law will always be given the opportunity to reflect the needs of consumers as the market changes. This means that this debate will continually be revisited as the market expands and changes and, if there is a need to review the law in the future, there is no need to go through the lengthy legislative process which has dragged this legislation through 18 months of parliamentary delays, especially due to the calling of the 2005 General Election after the Bill was only passed its Commons stages. This law appears to be perfect for the current socio-economic climate of the British consumer credit market, and to argue that it goes too far in protecting consumer’s rights is simply untenable. Bibliography Legislation Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 Consumer Credit Act 1974 Consumer Credit Act 2006 (also, explanatory notes) Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 Government Publications Department of Trade and Industry, Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century (2003), Journal Articles/Other Sources John, C, ‘Consumer Credit – The New Landscape’ (2006) 18 Compliance Monitor 9 Singleton, S, ‘In Focus: Consumer Credit Act 2006’ (2006) 29 Consumer Law Today 8 Smith, J, ‘Practice Points: Credit Where Credit Is Due’ (2006) 103.25 Law Society Gazette 34 Unknown, ‘Consumer Credit: A New Age But Old Problems’ (2004) 6 Finance and Credit Law 1 Footnotes [1] Department of Trade and Industry, Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century (2003), 4. [2] Ibid, 30-33. [3] Department of Trade and Industry, as above n 1, 33-36. [4] Ibid, 37-40. [5] Ibid, 45-48. [6] Consumer Credit Act 2006, s 1. [7] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 8. [8] Consumer Credit Act 2006, ss 19-22. [9] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 140A(1). [10] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 140B(1). [11] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 226A(2). [12] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 39A (as amended). [13] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 41A (as amended).

Geography of Belize :: Essays Papers

Geography of Belize Belize which was formerly known as British Honduras until 1981 is an 8,867 acre plot of land located in Central America. The territory covered by Belize is slightly smaller than the state of Massachusetts (Gall 45). Mexico surrounds Belize to the north, Guatemala to the southwest and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The population of Belize conists of approximately 256,000 people. Rougly seventy-one percent of Belize's population resides in cities such as Belize City, San Ignacio, and Punta Gorda. The remaining population lives in rural areas (Krutzinna 66-67). Belize's climate is tropical and humid throughout most of the year. The rainy season falls between the months of May and October. THe average temperature along the Belizean coast is 78.8Â °, while temperatures rise inland. The hurricane season is the most influential climatic element to Belize's environment and well being, which lasts from July to October. For example, the capital city of Belize was moved from coastal Belize City to Belmopan central Belize in 1971 because of the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 (Krutzinna 105). Belmopan has been Belize's captial since 1971. It is seated in the center of Belize on the Belize River, half way between the coastal Belize City and the Belize- Guatemalan border town of San Ignacio. The capital has not become the bustling metropolis that Belize City continues to be, but it does provide a train station for travelers as well as cultural buildings for some light sight-seeing. Belmopan, Belize is geographically and politically important to Belize, however, it is still not the center of Belizean culture and economy (Krutzinna 105-106). Forests and woodlands cover about ninety-two percent of Belize's terrain (Marshall 447). These forests and woodlands are home to seven hundered species of trees and approximately four thousand species of flowering plants. Among the seven hundred species of trees living in the forests and woodlands are mahogany, pine, cedar and rosewood. Belize exports much of its mahogany, pine and cedar woods, which directly affects the issue of deforestation it is currently facing from the abundance of trees that have been cut down in the past (Gall 49). Deforestation has become an important topic in Belize since many of its trees have been cut down for sale on the international market.