Microbiology and biotechnology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Microbiology and biotechnology - Assignment Example This is to produce drug intermediates and produce vaccines or the drugs themselves (Baker, Nicklin and Griffiths, 2011). One application of gene therapy in medicine has been in treatment of type I diabetes. In the treatment, the researchers have used adenovirus as a vector to enable them delivers the gene for hepatocyte growth factor. Another application of gene therapy is in treatment of x-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (Baltz, Davies and Demain, 2010). This is a disease common in babies where they lack both T and B cells of the immune system and they are mainly exposed to infections. The applications are through non-viral vectors being tested for the gene therapy uses. The application include receptor on the goal cell, artificial chromosomes and naked DNA that is not linked to another molecule at all and can be directly injected into the cell (Baltz, Davies and Demain, 2010). Crude oil and its products are non-renewable and are considered to one day come to an end. Biofuel has been used as a replacement of crude oil as the source is renewable and produced from biomass. The approach that has been used to eliminate the use of crude oil is on the effects on the environment and the costs of the use (El-Mansi and Bryce, 2007). The approach is that biofuels may be easy to market than crude oil with consideration of performance, infrastructure and other factors. The other reasons for the approach are that biofuels play an important role in climate change and the important increase in production and use (El-Mansi and Bryce, 2007). Biotechnology has resulted to several advantages such as reduction in the costs of agriculture production as those in the sector are able to use fewer pesticides and herbicides in protecting their crops. The improved varieties are also able to increase the yield in a short duration. Increase food production has also been observed through the use of the method. There has also been ability to produce food in even times

Fear of technlogy locally Essay Example for Free

Fear of technlogy locally Essay ICT had a big influence on work styles and the way in which day-to-day tasks are carried out in organisations. ICT has affected the way in which data is processed, information transmitted and knowledge is applied. Also ICT has influenced the physical environment of the workplace (individual workstations), what workers do (less paper more ICT), where they are based (sometimes from home), their job roles, their interaction with other people (less face to face and more electronic communication) and their skill needs (often need additional training or re-training). Communication ICT has affected not only the way people communicate but also the means that they use to communicate. Today the preferred methods of communication are e-mails and chat, messaging and chat facilities. The emphasis is on speed, interactivity and collaboration. An example would be that word processing programs allow comments to be added to documents without the original text being changed. This document can then be sent as an attachment using and e-mail program to one or more people who can also then add their own comments and re-distribute the document. Education ICT is incorporated at every educational level and begins with ICT being part of the national curriculum from an early age. Students need to develop software skills to enable then to carry out research and produce course work as they progress through the educational system. To support teachers and students a number of initiatives have been developed to provide them with resources that support both teaching and learning. Examples include cut-price computers and laptops for those with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Local authorities have supported schools in getting access to the Internet and have developed ICT centres where kills can be improved. Internet access is also available in most public libraries. The agenda is simply to widen participation in the use of ICT. The development of ICT skills is necessary as these transferable key skills are seen to be necessary by employers just as are maths and English competence. E learning has also been developed for those who do not have the time to study full time and prefer to enhance their qualifications form home. Online courses exist such as those for ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence), those provided by Learn Direct and Webwise. Check out the following sites: http://www. becta. org. uk/ http://www. ngfl. gov. uk/ http://www. bbc. co. uk/schools/ http://www. bbc. co. uk/learning/ http://www. bbc. co. uk/webwise/ http://www. learndirect. co. uk/courses Entertainment and leisure Entertainment and leisure pursuits have changed in terms of what we do and how we do it. These changes are primarily due to the Internet. Which provides opportunities for communication, playing games and other interactive activities. People can book tickets for flights, holidays and the theatre. Mobile phone and games consoles have provide additional ways to use the Internet without the need for a traditional PC. http://www.ticketmaster.com/ http://www.lastminute.com/ http://www.games.com/ http://www.londoneye.com/ http://www.alton-towers.co.uk/resort/

Teaching Philosophy Essay -- Education, Higher Education

Teaching Philosophy Stephen Brookfield (2006) defines a teaching philosophy as â€Å"†¦a set of values, beliefs, insights, and convictions about the essential forms and fundamental purposes of teaching† (p. 255). A teaching philosophy should serve to support a teacher and guide his or her actions so that the students’ best interests are always of primary focus. It should also come from within and be an extension of the teacher’s identity. When we consider the difficult environment and circumstances that students face today, the authenticity and actionability of a teaching philosophy is paramount. Students decide to attend college for a variety of reasons, but the essence within these reasons is a desire to grow (Shultz & Higbee, 2007; Cabgrera & La Nasa, 2000). Growth in education has often been defined as accumulating knowledge. This outdated way of thinking about higher education must give way to a different paradigm that focuses on developing the whole student. As our world becomes more connected and complicated, students have an increasing need to reach higher levels of cognitive development. In turn, teachers need to become student centered in their approach. Teachers are no longer tasked with imparting knowledge, but helping students develop abilities to understand and apply knowledge. The increasing needs of our students require an even deeper personal commitment by teachers. Parker Palmer (1998) believes that teaching is a deeply personal activity. I started teaching without much personal consideration. However my dedication to teaching today has grown out of my personal interactions with students. As a result, teaching has become a significant part of my identity. I realize my role in a student’s life is one of a ment... ... fluid and revisited. Dynamic environment demands constant organizational change. Training future business leaders demands a higher level of student analytical ability. Help them construct that through project based learning, dialogical interactions, and cross disciplinary cases. I feel that I am already a good teacher. The question now is how to become a great teacher. Me – I like dialogical – modeling, especially with different topics. ME : Teaching shouldn’t be routine Vaclav Havel (1998), former president of Czechoslovakia and of the Czech Republic, spoke often of seeing the world from a global perspective. Regarding intellectuals, Havel (1998) said, â€Å"Their increased sense of responsibility for this world has not made such intellectuals identify with an ideology; it has made them identify with humanity, with its dignity and its prospects† (p. 208).

Product Failure (Malaysia) Essay

Product Failure Failure refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Product failure ranges from failure to sell the product to fracture of the product, in the worst cases leading to personal injury, the province of forensic engineering. The criteria for failure are heavily dependent on context of use, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. A situation considered to be a failure by one might be considered a success by another, particularly in cases of direct competition or a zero-sum game. Similarly, the degree of success or failure in a situation may be differently viewed by distinct observers or participants, such that a situation that one considers to be a failure, another might consider to be a success, a qualified success or a neutral situation. It may also be difficult or impossible to ascertain whether a situation meets criteria for failure or success due to ambiguous or ill-defined definition of those criteria. Finding useful and effective criteria, or heuristics, to judge the success or failure of a situation may itself be a significant task. Failure can be differentially perceived from the viewpoints of the evaluators. A person who is only interested in the final outcome of an activity would consider it to be an Outcome Failure if the core issue has not been resolved or a core need is not met. A failure can also be a process failure whereby although the activity is completed successfully, a person may still feel dissatisfied if the underlying process is perceived to be below expected standard or benchmark. Failure to carry out a task Failure to perceive Failure to anticipate Fail product in local market In Malaysia, there is a lot of product failure and it just too numerous to say it one by one, most of them, it did not even catch the public attention, basically, the public don’t even know the existence of the particular product. There is so much factors that can leads to product failure. Failure causes are defects in design, process, quality, or part application, which are the underlying cause of the failure or which initiate a process which eads to failure. Rather than the simple description of symptoms that many product users or process participants might use, the term failure cause refers to a rather complete description, including the pre-conditions under which failure occurs, how the thing was being used, proximate and ultimate/final causes (if known), and any subsidiary or resulting failures that result. The term is part of the engineering lexicon, especially of engineers working to test and debug p roducts or processes. Carefully observing and describing failure conditions, identifying whether failures are reproducible or transient, and hypothesizing what combination of conditions and sequence of events led to failure is part of the process of fixing design flaws or improving future iterations. The term may be applied to mechanical systems failure. One of the product/brand that fail in Malaysia is: M . Mobile or simply known as M. Mobile is an R&D and mobile communication design company based in Malaysia. M. Mobile is Malaysia’s first cell phone manufacturer and is also the world’s first Muslim-owned mobile phone R&D and marketing company in a partnership between Malaysia and China. This company is currently in operation under its parent company, Kosmo Technology Industrial Berhad Type: Berhad Founded: 2005 Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia Key people: Norhamzah Nordin,Chairman Industry: Telecommunications Products: Mobile phones Website: M. Mobile M. mobile’s products: Factors that leads to this brand failure The reason why this brand failed in malaysia market because: M. mobile cannot give a better satisfaction to the consumer compare to their competitor that are well established in mobile technology sector such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson , Samsung etc. Promotion (marketing) M. mobile cannot compete with their competitors in term of : Price Features Quality After sales service Promotion M. mobile should have promote their product and brand more aggressively since they enter a market where most of them already loyal to a particular brand, M. obile did not market their product as well as their brand effectively, therefore they able to capture only few attention from the public, most Malaysian don’t even know the existence of the brand. Price Price offered by M. mobile considered less expensive, but somehow, consumer nowadays always think, â€Å"even though it’s not very expensive, but it’s still money, does it worth the money? † instead of taking a risk of buying t he product which they don’t really know the background of the company, consumer prefer to spend their money on trusted brand for the same price or a bit more. Left picture is NOKIA 2690 and on the right picture is M. obile M10, both phone has a pretty similar specification and the price is almost the same(RM300+), most consumer will go for NOKIA because they want to avoid risk from buying unestablishrd brand. Features Most M. mobile product is a low end product and it does not offer variety of features compare to their competitors. As we know, consumer nowadays demand for the latest technology, therefore as a mobile phone manufacturer, knowing the consumer needs and want is the main priority in coming up with a new product, most of the product produced by this company does not reach consumer expectation who demand for better technology. Quality The quality of the product produced by this company proven not to be as good as the other brand’s products, the materials they use to make the product is low in quality, from the mainboard(interior) to the exterior of the phone. After sales service After sales service is the service provided by the company to the customer of their product, M. mobile does not offer a good after sales service compared to another company like nokia and sony ericsson. It shows that the company do not really think about building a long and strong relationship with the consumer. How the product could be successful In order for this brand to be successful, there are so many things that the company have to take into account, its not easy becoming a great company in consumer eyes, there are several things that the company have to take into consideration especially the strength of the competitors, in order to be successful, a company need to have an advantage that can overcome the competitor’s strength. This is the reason why R&D very important in coming up with new product. The 1st thing M. obile have to focus on is their promotion, promotion plays an important part in creating a good image in consumer mind, since there’s a lot of well established company in mobile phone sector, M. mobile have to make a huge action in promoting their brand and product. Doing aggressive marketing by keep on promoting the product and brand is the best way to create a good image in consumer mind, of course it will cost a lot, but the return is way better. Psychologic ally, It’s a human nature, the more we hear n see it, the more we favor it, thus it will create the sense of security towards the product or brand. Price, features and quality are related to each other, this is one of the most important things a company need to think about, they need to know what type of product they want to come out with in term of the product’s quality level and the variety of it features, therefore they can set the price for the product, The company have to make sure the price is reasonable with the quality and the features of the product or else consumer will favor the competitors, M. obile comes out with one new product called M10 and the price for the product is around rm300+,Nokia as well comes out with a new product which is nokia 2690 and the price is almost the same with M. mobile m10, both model provide almost the same features, but in term of quality, we know nokia is better, consumer will think, why choose m. mobile instead of nokia? M. mobile have to make sure their offer can overcome their competitors offer, therefore consumer will find the advantage of choosing M. mobile’s products. May be it will take some time for M. obile to keep pace with the other established company in term of product quality and technology, but by putting a correct price, the company can attract more market and the company will grow. A company have to know how important word of mouth and how dramatic change it can do with the influence of word of mouth, satisfied customer will tell the others how good the product is, dissatisfied customer will spread the bad things about the product, do not give a high expectation to the consumer because the possibility of getting dissatisfied customer is high. After sales service is one of the thing people nowadays always talk about, M. mobile have to make sure they can deliver a good after sales service so that their customer will spread a good deal with the others. It is important for M. mobile building a strong and long relationship with the customer because it can create brand loyalty, once customer loyal to the product, they will keep on purchasing the product and influence other people into buying the same product. Good after sales service shows that the company really care about their customer and customer loves it when the company cares about their rights.

Symbolism in the Road

In McCarthy’s book, The Road, McCarthy is able to illustrate not only the setting of the book, but feelings, expressions, and actions, by various literary devices. Although he brought into play several devices such as: imagery, tone, metaphors, and a couple of similes, the most significant would have to be symbolism. Symbolism is when the author uses an object or reference to add deeper meaning to a story. The author may constantly use the same object to express deeper meaning. Symbolism is also often used to support a literary theme in a subtle manner, which in this case is what McCarthy did. An example of symbolism, and the most noteworthy would have to be the road. Just like that, the plain road. McCarthy refers to the road on several instances, thus making it imperative to the novel. The road symbolizes hope, as well as courage. The road means that for them it is the only hope of surviving. Hope that when they get to the end of that road they will be safe in a safe place. It also represents courage because they have the bravery of going on without knowing anything about the road, courage of going into the unknown. Not knowing what awaits them. Another example of symbolism is when the man tells the boy that he they are the only ones carrying the fire. In this quote the man refers to fire as being a symbol of them being the only ones left who have feelings in the world, who have a conscience, who still hold true to things that make us human, like empathy, hope, love and the will to survive without sacrificing your beliefs, things other people in this new world have lost. Compared to the others, â€Å"the bad guys,† The man and his son don’t kill, they don’t steal from the living, they help where it’s possible to do so, and, most importantly in the novel’s symbolism, they don’t eat other people, which can differ you from â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad. † Another example of symbolism is the mirror. The man and the boy went into a house and as they turned around a corner there was a mirror, and as the man saw his reflection he instantly reached for his gun, thinking it was someone else. In this case the mirror symbolizes what the man has turned into. It represents and supports the theme of survival present trough out the novel, what they have to be in order to survive in this new world. In another scene the man and the boy come across a river, which symbolizes after death, or the gateway to the afterlife. This symbol goes in hand with the quote â€Å"the grass is greener on the other side,† it is like if they are on the wrong side of it, like if they go to the other side everything would be better, and prettier. Therefore, the sea stands for the other life, the one you get when you’re dead, which in the case of the man and the boy would be best for them since the life they are â€Å"walking dead,† they are living a pitiable life. The boy himself is also a form of symbolism. The boy exemplifies innocence; he demonstrates that there still is purity in the world. He is always looking for the goodness of people. Throughout the novel they run into different people, he always wanted them to come along with his dad and him, and he was always willing to help them no matter if they are â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad. In a certain time the boy is willing to sacrifice himself to help the man they ran into. He was willing to give him his food and not eat himself so the man could eat. A further example that goes hand-in-hand with the boy’s innocence would be his kindness. In this case kindness stands for his vulnerability. Since in McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic world, the line between kindness and vulnerability is very fine. Thanks to his father though, the boy survives, and keeps focused. His father serves as a realistic intermediary between the boy and ideal goodness. The boy’s hair being described as a â€Å"golden chalice,† stands for the boy sometimes being like a divine child who can inspire the man to goodness. The â€Å"golden chalice† makes the boy seem angelical. The boy's gentle nature provides us, readers, with hope for the future. Though he has only known this wild, post-apocalyptic world, he's still full of kindness and innocence. Speaking of the boy another symbol about him is the â€Å"yellow truck†. This â€Å"yellow truck† represented the boy’s youth, and his childhood, despite the fact that they live in a world where he could not be a child. In this world he was not able to live his infancy like any other child, and when he played with this truck, it was like if one saw another side of him, like if we were able to see the child that lives within him. Cannibalism is another form of symbolism that represents what the world has come to, what mankind has turned into. It symbolizes the end of civilization, and that eventually there will be no human in this â€Å"new world† due to it. Cannibalism also forms a major part of the novel since it can differentiate the man, and the boy from the â€Å"good,† or â€Å"bad† guys. However, when you are living in a world like the one in the novel, if you are a cannibal is it being a â€Å"bad guy,† or is it you’re survival instincts coming into play? Does it make you a bad person to want to live? Due to symbolism along with the help of other literary elements McCarthy brings to life a world that no one else could have ever imagined possible. There are so many books and films that try to portray the end of the world, but no other has done so as Cormac McCarthy has.

Very Good Editors Must Pay Attention to the Details

Very Good Editors Must Pay Attention to the Details Its often said that the brains of human beings have two very distinct sides, with the left side being responsible for language, logic, and math, while the right handles spatial abilities, face recognition and processing music. Editing is also very much a two-sided process, one that we divvy up as micro- and macro-editing. Micro-editing deals with the technical, nuts-and-bolts aspects of news writing. Macro-editing deals with the content of stories. Heres a checklist of micro- and macro-editing: Micro-Editing AP Style Grammar Punctuation Spelling Capitalization Macro-Editing The lede - does it make sense, is it supported by the rest of the story, is it in the first graf? The story - is it fair, balanced and objective? Libel - are there any statements that might be considered libelous? Substance - is the story thorough and complete? Are there any holes in the story? Writing - is the story well-written? Is it clear and understandable? Personality Type and Editing As you can imagine, certain personality types are probably better at one type of editing or the other. Precise, detail-oriented people are probably best at micro-editing, while big-picture types probably excel at macro-editing. Small Details vs. Content of Stories And in a typical newsroom, especially at larger news outlets, there is a kind of micro-macro division of labor. Copy desk editors generally focus on the small details - grammar, AP Style, punctuation and so on. Assignment editors who run the various sections of a paper - city news, sports, arts and entertainment and so on - generally focus more on the macro side of things, the content of stories. But heres the rub - a good editor has to be able to do both micro- and macro-editing, and to do both well. This is especially true at smaller publications and student newspapers, which typically have fewer staffers. Not Getting Caught up in Small Details to Lose the Big Picture In other words, you must have the patience to correct bad grammar, misspelled words and punctuation problems. But you cant let yourself get so caught up in the small details that you lose sight of the big picture, i.e., does the lede of the story make sense? Is the content well-written and objective? Does it cover all the bases and answer all the questions a reader would likely have? Both Are Equally Important The larger point is this - both micro- and macro-editing are equally important. You can have the most wonderfully written story in the world, but if its filled with AP Style errors and misspelled words then those things will detract from the story itself. Likewise, you can fix all the bad grammar and misplaced punctuation but if a story makes no sense, or if the lede is buried in the eighth paragraph, or if the story is biased or contains libelous content, then all the fixes you made wont amount to much. To see what we  mean, take a look at these sentences: Police said they confiscated three point two million dollars of cocain in what was a massiv drug bust. The CEO of Exon estimated that 5% of the companys profits would be plouwed back into resarch and development. Im sure youve figured out that these sentences primarily involve micro-editing. In the first sentence, cocaine and massive are spelled wrong and the dollar amount doesnt follow AP Style. In the second sentence, Exxon, plowed and research are misspelled, the percentage doesnt follow AP Style, and companys needs an apostrophe. Now, look at these sentences. The first example is meant to be a lede: There was a fire at a house last night. It was on Main Street. The fire burned the house to the ground and three children inside were killed. The CEO, who is known for his money-grubbing personality, said he would close the factory if it lost money. Here we see macro-editing problems. The first example is three sentences long when it should be one, and it buries the most important aspect of the story - the death of three children. The second sentence includes a potentially libelous bias - the money-grubbing CEO. As you can see, whether its micro- or macro-editing, a good editor has to catch every mistake in every story. As editors will tell you, theres no room for error.

Delinquent Daughters Summary essays

Delinquent Daughters Summary essays Delinquent Daughters Summary Delinquent Daughters by Mary E. Odem touches on many topics involving women residing in the U.S. from 1885 to 1920. Not only does the book raise issues about women as a whole, but also it breaks the women into a more realistic view. Womens age, race, religion, ethnicity and immigrant status, social class, and complex of morals are all used as means of classifying women for analyzing their sexual behavior. To start with there is the issue of statutory rape and what the legal age limit shall be set at. Not only are the middle class women groups seen as organizing ways to protect women they are also seen in terms of protecting only white girls through the passage of their laws. This is seen by the African American women having to form their own organizations in order to insure the morality of the young African American females, and by being denied real help when requesting help against the white male to protect the decency of their young females and help in response to lynching. The classes of girls being evaluated were also seen. For instance, reasoning was given as to why working class girls became sexually active. Like for marriage or rebellion. The female being looked at as helpless and taken advantage of was not shown in an exaggerated light. There were women who made the choice to become involved in sexual situations. ...

History of the Invention of Fireworks

History of the Invention of Fireworks Many people associate fireworks with Independence Day, but their original use was in New Years celebrations. Do you know how fireworks were invented? Legend tells of a Chinese cook who accidentally spilled saltpeter into a cooking fire, producing an interesting flame. Saltpeter, an ingredient in gunpowder, was used as a flavoring salt sometimes. The other gunpowder ingredients, charcoal and sulfur, also were common in early fires. Though the mixture burned with a pretty flame in a fire, it exploded if it was enclosed in a bamboo tube. History This serendipitous invention of gunpowder appears to have occurred about 2000 years ago, with exploding firecrackers produced later during the Song dynasty (960-1279) by a Chinese monk named Li Tian, who lived near the city of Liu Yang in Hunan Province. These firecrackers were bamboo shoots filled with gunpowder. They were exploded at the commencement of the new year to scare away evil spirits. Much of the modern focus of fireworks is on light and color, but loud noise (known as gung pow or bian pao) was desirable in a religious firework, since that was what frightened the spirits. By the 15th century, fireworks were a traditional part of other celebrations, such as military victories and weddings. The Chinese story is well-known, though its possible fireworks really were invented in India or Arabia. From Firecrackers to Rockets In addition to exploding gunpowder for firecrackers, the Chinese used gunpowder combustion for propulsion. Handcarved wooden rockets, shaped like dragons, shot rocket-powered arrows at the Mongol invaders in 1279. Explorers took knowledge of gunpowder, fireworks, and rockets back with them when they returned home. Arabians in the 7th century referred to rockets as Chinese arrows. Marco Polo is credited with bringing gunpowder to Europe in the 13th century. The crusaders also brought the information with them. Beyond Gunpowder Many fireworks are made in much the same way today as they were hundreds of years ago. However, some modifications have been made. Modern fireworks may include designer colors, like salmon, pink, and aqua, that werent available in the past. In 2004, Disneyland in California starting launching fireworks using compressed air rather than gunpowder. Electronic timers were used to explode the shells. That was the first time the launch system was used commercially, allowing for increased accuracy in timing (so shows could be put to music) and reducing smoke and fumes from big displays.

Different Renditions Of The Song Hallelujah By Leonard Cohen Assignment

Different Renditions Of The Song Hallelujah By Leonard Cohen - Assignment Example The song among the musicians who have covered this song includes Rufus Wainwright, Michael McDonald, Bon Jovi, John Cale, Jason Castro a former contestant in the American Idol among others. The different artists used the original lyrics while other changed the lyrics to fit their preference as Cohen never put a restriction on the modification of this song. One of the famous versions of this song is Jeff Buckley’s version that was the top song on the Hot Digital Songs chart of 2008. The same year another version that again topped the charts was released by Alexandra Burke who won the talent show â€Å"The X-factor† by Simon Cowell mastermind U.K. These are just a few of the many singers who have remixed and performed this song (Browne & Browne 2011). In this paper, the performance by Justine Timberlake and Matt Morris in a charity concert called â€Å"Hope for Haiti† will be compared with Jeff Berkley performance. The performance by Timberlake and Morris moved the crowd. It was a very beautiful duet that moved the crowd. The two sang harmoniously which no wonder is considering that they have been working together. The song was not very different from the original version. It was close to their performance by Jeff Buckley. However, it stood out in the manner the singers put their emotions to their performance and almost drove some of the audience to tears. There were other performers during the show such as Mary J. Blige but Timberlake and Morris's performance stood out.  

Networkinh Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Networkinh - Assignment Example In this scenario, they need to implement a computer network. This report discusses the scenario of Sally and John’s business, as they are running their business without having a proper computer network. This report suggests ways that can be adopted to improve their business capabilities. Introduction A computer network consists of a set of a number of parts which include hardware, software, and computers and all these parts are connected with each other using a wired or wireless medium to help business workers work in cooperation. Additionally, a network is established using particular cabling systems, software, communication medium and devices which deal with data traffic. Hence, a computer network allows its users to share files such as MS Word documents and resource such as scanners and printers, and transmits messages and data files electronically (or email) to each other (TechsChange, 2010; Nash, 2000; Norton, 2001; Turban et al., 2005). This report discusses the concept of networking in the context of Sally and John’s business. They are running their business without having a network support so they are facing several problems in managing their business tasks. This report guides them regarding the establishment of an effective network structure. Problem Analysis and Proposed Solution Up till now John and Sally have been using traditional approaches to run and manage their business process. In view of the fact that their business is growing rapidly and there is a need for an effective communication structure in order to deal with growing business needs hence they need to implement a computer network. A computer network is a set of computers which are connected with each other using wired or wireless medium. In this scenario, networks which are used using wires and cables are known as wired networks. On the other hand, wireless networks use microwaves or radio waves for the communication (Mitchell, 2013; Shelly et al., 2005; Malladi & Agrawal, 2002). Some of the basic requirements and objectives of this network implementation are: John and Silly want to improve communication structure for their business The establishment of an effective data and file sharing environment Implementation of secure data access points of communication Getting a support for remote access to the network Getting the facility of remote data transfer and access mechanism Putting into practice modern data communication framework Implementing an effective data recovery and backup mechanism The implementation of a network structure which allows them to transfer and retrieve data at high speed Suggested Solution Implementation of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) In light of business needs and objectives of John and Sally, I would suggest them to implement a modern and efficient network structure for their business. In this scenario, I would suggest them to implement a virtual private network VPN. A virtual private network extends the range of a private network incorporates connections all the way through public or shared networks such as the Internet. Basically, a VPN allows users to send and receive data and files between two computers across a public or shared internetwork in a way that follows the rules and characteristics of a point-to-point private link. In addition, the

Multicultural Education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multicultural Education - Coursework Example Creating a multicultural environment requires one to be non-judgmental and open. It is important that teachers act genuinely among diverse students. Classes have students with different experiences from all over the world, some good and some traumatizing. A number of students are refugees of different ethnic backgrounds running from war-torn countries. Some students may be poor and others from extremely wealthy families (Banks & Banks, 2010, p.49). Teachers should, therefore, respect students for who they are and accommodate their thoughts and concerns. Multicultural classrooms have children from different linguistic background. To have a better understanding of their students, teachers need to research the native backgrounds of these students. They should embrace the language differences since it gives them an insight into their customs and behavior. Schools should have multicultural libraries no matter the subjects taught. Having a variety of books from multicultural authors excites an ordinary classroom (Wayne, 2009, p. 34). Perhaps the most exciting way of creating a multi-cultural environment is celebrating cultural differences among students. Schools can accomplish this through simple events such as food fairs highlighting different cultures and cultural music. As countries continue to exhibit great diversity in classes, must teachers and students to understand and accept differences among people. There is, therefore, a significant challenge among educators to develop an effective multicultural education curriculum through which all students can learn happily with each

Self reflection 03094 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Self reflection 03094 - Essay Example and models and developed my understanding on how organization can cope up with the problems related to organizational culture and consequently establish harmony in the organizational context efficiently (Cameron and Quinn, 2011). In this reflective essay, I will discuss the critical opinion of researchers regarding organizational culture and its different perspective such as organizational changes, organizational learning and merger- acquisition. Organizational change is the process through which an organization introduces structural changes i.e. changes in its business strategies, technological involvement, operational methods and other attributes of organizational culture. My research has also shown that any organization, operating in the global multinational circumference, organizational change is inevitable for confirming its existence in the ever- changing business world and ensuring smooth running of its operations (Markovic, 2012). I have studied organizational change in the research of Battilana and Casciaro (2012) as a continuous process which is important for any organization to review the internal and external business environment over a distinct period of time and understand whether any changes are required to bring in the organization. My research on the theories introduced by Cameron and Green (2012) has revealed that various internal and external factors existing in the environment in which the business entity is operating, forces its management to bring changes in the organizational process. If I consider the external variables, changes in economic and political regulations such as increase in exchange rate or changes in trade regulations over time highly influences the business to change its short and long term decisions in order to safeguard the organization from realizing huge loss. Technological advancement also influences an organization to bring in changes so that the method of production becomes swifter and economic. In some cases, I

High School Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High School Experience - Essay Example Therefore, my expectations in the International school have been a little different from my prior exposure. I encounter a new set of challenges. First, I had a problem getting along with my colleagues who I could see they were taken aback by my presence. In several occasion, I had been frustrated because I was unwelcome to join the groups. Every time I did, they would abruptly stop talking and stare at me. This made me run over weeks without making even a single friend. For this reason, I have had a problem learning about the programs and activities of my new school. In my former high school, learning was easy, and I could get along with my teachers. However, in my new school I have had a problem understanding the teachers. Learning has been different, as I have been used to writing notes on the chalkboard. Here, the teachers teach as student writes their note. This made my learning so difficult at first, but I have come to understand, and now things are much better. I took the time getting to know my new teachers. The school has a huge population and getting an appointment is much difficult. This made learning a bit difficult in the beginning, as I could not seek help from most of the teachers. Moreover, my new school is among the best performing in the State, and this is the reason that made my parent seek transfer from my former school. Therefore, the expectation of teachers from the student has been higher compared to what I have been used. This got me in trouble, as I could not perform well compared to another student. I felt like in the wilderness alone for a long period until I improved my grades. It is through class work that I first made friends. Out of sheer frustration to get my class work done, I had to consult my classmate. However, with time my new friends introduced me to sports. I have been a football player, but I could not get it easy in my new school. I resulted in playing basketball. It was my first time playing

Modern Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern Democracy - Essay Example The term "democracy" has been claimed by both the capitalist world and the socialist world. To take for example the former East Germany that called itself German Democratic Republic and Viet Nam likewise. The first Russian marxist party that was set up by Lenin in exile, in preparation for the revolution against the czarist regime, had the name of Russian Social Democratic Workers Party. Later it changed its name to Russian Communist Party, and after the split of 1903 with Plekhanov, to Bolshevik Party. Lenin insisted on that real democracy would come only through the great revolution, which leads to the State socialism of the "dictatorship of the proletariat, and finally to the classless communist society. He blamed "bourgeois democracies" of being false democracies, in which parliament seats were systematically bought by the richest bidder, thus perpetuating the status qua of the propertied class-a statement which, incidentally, is an unwarranted generalization. So we can see that even the communists have employed the terms "democracy" and "republic" with an obviously different meaning as compared to their Western usage. In order to clear up the meaning of the concepts, it is necessary to have a look at their historical development ever since the origin of the terms in ancient Greece and Rome. (De Torre, 1997). The word "democracy" is of Greek origin, "republic" is Latin word which means "the public thing": res publi. The concept, however is taken from the Greek polis, which means group of men living and working together, and politeia, which means that this group gathered into "public thing" or commonwealth or commonweal by means of laws guiding towards the common good. Thus, through the work of logos (reason) on physis (nature), society came out from jungle to civilization, from herds to communities, from chaos or disorder to cosmos or order, as man stopped to behave like an animal, guided only by his sensitive feelings and emotions, and learns to guide himself instead by his reason and free will (De Torre, 1997). Modern scientists such as Robert Dahl, Anthony Arblaster, Benjamin Barber, Andrew Heywood and many others have their own, new view on democracy today. There are several models of modern democracy described in works of these authors. According to Professor Robert Dahl, one of the most prominent democratic theorists of nowadays, modern democracy has four historical sources: the direct democracy in ancient Greece, the republicanism of Roman and Italian city-states in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the theory and practice of representative government, and the idea of political equality. The democratic transformation occurred in Greece in the 5th century BC.So as Greece was not a single country, but consisted of a number independent cities-polices Athens was described as having the most innovative and sophisticated democracy (Dahl, 1989). Political ideals and aims of the classical Athenian democracy were expressed by the outstanding Greek philosopher Aristotle in The Politics dated between 335 and 323 BC. Aristotle identifies liberty as one of the founding principles of the classical democratic constitution. The philosopher argues that liberty has two major aspects, namely: 1) ruling and being ruled in

High School Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High School Experience - Essay Example Therefore, my expectations in the International school have been a little different from my prior exposure. I encounter a new set of challenges. First, I had a problem getting along with my colleagues who I could see they were taken aback by my presence. In several occasion, I had been frustrated because I was unwelcome to join the groups. Every time I did, they would abruptly stop talking and stare at me. This made me run over weeks without making even a single friend. For this reason, I have had a problem learning about the programs and activities of my new school. In my former high school, learning was easy, and I could get along with my teachers. However, in my new school I have had a problem understanding the teachers. Learning has been different, as I have been used to writing notes on the chalkboard. Here, the teachers teach as student writes their note. This made my learning so difficult at first, but I have come to understand, and now things are much better. I took the time getting to know my new teachers. The school has a huge population and getting an appointment is much difficult. This made learning a bit difficult in the beginning, as I could not seek help from most of the teachers. Moreover, my new school is among the best performing in the State, and this is the reason that made my parent seek transfer from my former school. Therefore, the expectation of teachers from the student has been higher compared to what I have been used. This got me in trouble, as I could not perform well compared to another student. I felt like in the wilderness alone for a long period until I improved my grades. It is through class work that I first made friends. Out of sheer frustration to get my class work done, I had to consult my classmate. However, with time my new friends introduced me to sports. I have been a football player, but I could not get it easy in my new school. I resulted in playing basketball. It was my first time playing

Contemporary Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contemporary Strategic Management - Essay Example The report will be divided into two segments. The first segments will cover the strategic analysis of the company and the second part of the study will cover the strategic choice and strategic implementation. The strategic analysis will be mainly carried out to find the current situation of the company and the strategies used by them to operate in the market place. In order to evaluate those strategies of Vodafone, several strategic frameworks will be utilized. The strategic frameworks which will be utilized in this study are SWOT framework, PESTEL analysis, and BCG matrix. Apart from that, to analyse the UK telecom industry, Porter’s five forces framework will be used. The tools will be directly applied on Vodafone to identify its current situation, performance and ability. Furthermore, the report will also suggest the alternative courses of action by which Vodafone can operate and market its products efficiently in the future. After that an alternative will be chosen and its selection will be justified. Finally, the process of implementing the strategy will be enlightened. SECTION I – STRATEGIC ANALYSIS Vodafone: A Brief Overview Vodafone group Plc. is a UK based multinational company involved in the business telecommunication products and services. The company was founded in the year 1991. However its history goes back to 1983, when it used to operate as Racial Telecom (Vodafone, 2012a). Previously, the company had its headquarters at Berkshire, however recently it moved to London, United Kingdom. The company has presence in places such as Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and USA. Some of the major products and services of the company are prepaid and post paid voice services, mobile data services, MMS and SMS services, handsets, land-lines and digital television among others. It employs around 70,000 employees around the world. According to the recent media publications, the company holds a mammoth base of 407 million subscribers aroun d the world. Vodafone in listed in the London Stock Exchange and has listing in NASDAQ. With the changing business environment and rapid technological growth, the expectation of customers has also increased. Hence in order to meet the needs of the customers, Vodafone periodically updates its product portfolio by launching new products. For example implementation of 3G is the latest addition. The competitors of the company are Tesco, Fresh, Sainsbury, Virgin, BT Mobile and One Tel among others. Situational Analysis Situation analysis is a method by which companies evaluate their internal and external environment. This helps in understanding the firm’s business environment, customers, capabilities and core competencies (Davis, 2008). In this context i.e. to understand and identify the business environment, capabilities and core competencies of Vodafone, several situation analysis tools will be used. To understand the industry porter’s five forces will be used and to gaug e the external business factors PESTEL analysis will be used. In addition, to get an in depth information about the internal environment of the organization, tools such as SWOT framework and BCG matrix will be used. SWOT

Oregon State Printer Essay Example for Free

Oregon State Printer Essay The early history of the people who held the position of state printer reveals how closely tied the position was to the publication of newspapers. Asahel Bush (see photo) established the newspaper the Oregon Statesman, an important voice for the Democratic Party, in 1851 (Oregon Historical Society). He was named State Printer in 1859 (Morrison). Asahel Bush (1824-1913), first State Printer (Oregon Historical Society) Eugene Semple was the editor of the Oregon Herald from 1869-1873, and he assumed the position of State Printer in 1872 (Corning, p. 219). From 1894-1901 (at least), the State Printer was W. H. Leeds. Leeds founded the Tidings, a newspaper in Southern Oregon in 1878 and accepted the nomination for State Printer in 1894 (Larson). Others who held the position include Henry L. Pittock (1862), T. Patterson (1870), W. A. McPherson (1870), W. P. Keedy (1880), W. H. Byars (1885), Frank C. Baker (1893), and J. R. Whitney (1903). These names are found by perusing lists of works published by the State Printer, as these works bear the name of the printer in the bibliographic information. Oregon State Print Shop, 1890 Changes to the Position and its Oversight The 1857 Constitution calls for the State Printer to be an elected official, however this situation changed in 1913. In this year, the office of the State Printer became part of the Board of Control where it remained until the 1960s (DAS, p. 2). At this point, the State Printer was managed by the State Printing Board, a group comprised of Board of Control members (DAS, p. 2). The Printing Board was responsible for appointing the State Printer (DAS, p. 2). This is an important change in the position of State Printer, as previously this had been an elected position. In 1967, responsibilities for state printing were transferred to the Department of General Services (DAS, p. 5). From 1971 to 1973, there existed, as part of the Department of General Services, a Task Force on State Printing (DAS, p. 6). House Bill 2235 eliminated the position of State Printer and assigned the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to perform the duties of State Printer (House Bill 2235, 2001). The Department of Administrative Services was created in 1993 by combining the Department of General Services and the Executive Department (DAS, p. 1). Printing services are executed by the Procurement, Fleet, and Surplus Service Division of the DAS (DAS, p. 12). These numerous changes to the position and its oversight were discussed by the House Committee on E-Government in 2001. As Fariborz Pakseresht explained, mergers in the 1990s had essentially abolished the position of the State Printer (Minutes 2001). One problem with the position was the necessary experience, required by the Constitution. As State Printer Mike Freese asserted, the ten-year experience requirement for the position of State Printer was considered outdated (Minutes 2001). Additionally, Representative Lowe brought up economic and ecological issues when he questioned whether changes to the position would end up saving the state money and would be more ecological in reducing paper consumption (Minutes 2001). Despite all of these changes, in 2005, the position of State Printer still existed as Mike Freese is listed as State Printer in minutes from meetings in both 2001 and 2005 (Minutes, 2001 and 2005). Indeed, the 2008 version of the Oregon Constitution still provides for the position of State Printer: Laws may be enacted providing for the state printing and binding, and for the election or appointment of a state printer, who shall have had not less than ten years’ experience in the art of printing. The state printer shall receive such compensation as may from time to time be provided by law. Until such laws shall be enacted the state printer shall be elected, and the printing done as heretofore provided by this constitution and the general laws. (Oregon State Archives, 2008 Constitution). What is intriguing about the wording of this article from the Constitution is that it seems to be deliberately vague: the State Printer may be elected (as in the 1857 Constitution) or appointed (as it was since 1913). Furthermore, this article still calls for the ten-years mandatory experience in the field that Freese had questioned in 2001. Duties of the State Printer As noted in the Constitution of 1857, when the position was created, the State Printer is responsible for all public printing for the State of Oregon. According to House Bill 2235, priority is given to the publication of materials related to the work of the Legislative Assembly (including its officers and committees). In addition, the inaugural address of each new governor is required to be printed by the DAS. The Department of Agriculture may, but is not required to, use the DAS to publish reports and statistics. In accordance with House Bill 2235, any material that advertises or promotes products does not fall under the domain of this position (House Bill 2235, 2001). Another duty of the State Printer is revealed in House Bill 2235. This Bill reveals that the State Printer had previously held the task of printing the register of firearm ownership (House Bill 2235, 2001). This responsibility had been transferred to the State Police in 1991 (Senate Bill 32). The State Printer also published volumes containing biennial reports from the State Penitentiary, from 1868 to 1913 (Oregon State Archives, Department of Corrections). In House Bill 2235, the duties of the State Printer that the Department of Administrative Services is now responsible for include the following: control and manage all state printing, control all state printing purchases, determine and fix the price for all work done by those in this position, produce multiple copies of documents, purchase equipment for duplicating documents. Economic Issues As noted above, Representative Lowe had wondered in 2001 whether changes to the position of State Printer could save the state money. This seems to have been a concern for other government officials as economic concerns are frequently mentioned in debates about the position. In 1921, a law was enacted which allowed state offices outside of Marion County to do business with private enterprises that could underbid the State Printing Department (DAS, p. 3). It appears, however, that agencies had sought to do business with out-of-state companies. This ironic situation, with out-of-state businesses printing Oregon State documents, was addressed in 1931. In this year, this law was further amended with the provision that these outside contracts must be for businesses in Oregon unless the prices quoted by these businesses were â€Å"excessive and not reasonably competitive† (DAS, p. 3). House Bill 2235 still allows for some of the printing work to be contracted out to other businesses. This Bill reveals that state agencies are not required to use the services of the State Printer (or, in this case, the DAS) if they can demonstrate that the same quality work can be found for a lower cost (House Bill). This contingency is, as Mike Freese explained, a guard against individual agencies setting up small, inefficient printing shops (Minutes, 2001). The State Printer and Dissemination of Information In addition to fulfilling public printing for the state, the State Printer had other tasks that demonstrate how vital this position was to the dissemination of government documents and to making these documents available to the general public. In 1907, Senate Bill 136 was passed. This bill required the State Printer to deposit copies of state publications at the State Library (Wan). In the early history of the depository program, numerous copies of the documents were submitted – up to 50 copies of legislative bills and calendars, and 125 copies of legislative interim committee reports (Wan). However, in 1979, the number of copies that the State Printer was required to submit to the library was standardized. From this point, 45 copies were required to be sent to the State Library (Wan). In 1994, more changes were instituted to the depository program, led by members of the Documents Interest Group of Oregon (Wan). In 2001 (according to House Bill 2235), 45 copies were still required to be submitted to the State Library. Since July 2006, the Oregon State Electronic Depository has been in operation. This program aims to collect and archive electronic versions of state documents so that information that is held on the web does not get lost when pages are updated. Individual agencies are required to submit electronic copies of the appropriate documents to the Oregon State Library (Wan). However, agencies are still required to depose ten hard copies of each document (Wan). The publication of state documents is documented in the quarterly Checklist of Official Publications of the State of Oregon, published by the State Library beginning in the 1960s (Wan). This publication ended in 1979 and was replaced by a microfiche edition of the library’s catalogue (Wan). The microfiche catalogue, however, was short lived and stopped being produced in the 1980s (Wan). Through the interaction of the responsibilities of the State Printer with the library system, we can see how the tasks of the State Printer affected the general public. References 71st Oregon Legistlative Assembly. (2001). House Bill 2235. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www. leg. state. or. us/01reg/measures/hb2200. dir/hb2235. intro. html. Corning, H. M. (1989). Dictionary of Oregon History. Portland: Binfords and Mort Publishing. Department of Administrative Services. (2003). Administrative Overview May 2003. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://arcweb. sos. state. or. us/recmgmt/sched/special/state/overview/20020011dasadov. pdf. House Committee on Advancing E-Government. (2001). Minutes. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www. sos. state. or. us/archives/legislative/legislativeminutes/2001/house/advancing_egovernment/HAEG02_2. htm. House Committee on General Government. (2005). Minutes. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://arcweb. sos. state. or. us/legislative/legislativeminutes/2005/house/gengovernment/hgg0210. htm. Larson, T. (2006). W. H. Leeds. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://boards. ancestry. myfamily. com/surnames. leeds/212/mb. ashx. Morrison, S. B. (2005). Salem Online History – Asahel Bush. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www. salemhistory. net/people/asahel_bush. htm. Oregon Historical Society. (2002). The Oregon History Project – Asahel Bush. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www. ohs. org/education/oregonhistory/historical_records/dspDocument. cfm? doc_ID=7FB69DC4-1C23-B9D3-684905C8E0A57C86. Oregon State Archives. (2009). Crafting the Oregon Constitution: Transcribed 1857 Oregon Constitution, Article XII to Article XVI. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://arcweb. sos. state. or. us/exhibits/1857/learn/transcribed/trans9. htm. Oregon State Archives. (2009). Constitution of Oregon, 2008 Version: Articles XII through XVI. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://bluebook. state. or. us/state/constitution/constitution12-14. htm. Oregon State Archives. Department of Corrections Records Guide. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://arcweb. sos. state. or. us/state/odc/scope/scope. htm. Wan, J. (2007). History of the Oregon Document Depository Program. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www. oregon. gov/OSL/GRES/ordochst. shtml.

Gender Analysis of Anna and the King Essay -- Movie Film Anna King ess

Gender Analysis of Anna and the King If you are not the lead elephant, the scenery never changes. (Moonshee, Anna’s servant) One of the main issues in â€Å"Anna and the King† is the differences between men and women. What is less obvious is that those differences are of two types: the existing inequality of the social status of men and women, and the ways in which men and women try to deal with (end or prolong) this inequality. First of all, let us observe the structure of the Thai society. Men occupy the dominant position in all aspects of life from top to bottom of the Thai social structure. The King rules the society, and men enforce all the laws and government regulations (we see no women participating in the King’s council or in any government office). In addition to that, the ritual and custom behavior point to the humiliating position of women in Thai culture. According to Prince Chulalongkorn, men never apologize to women. The body language of the relationship between the two genders in the movie indicates that a woman always bows in the presence of a man and usually stays bowed until he dismisses her. All these customs, laws, and regulations separate Thai society into two unequal classes: men and women. In the situation of inequality, there is always a group of people who are not satisfied with the life around them. We will call them the agents of change. Although, the women in Thai society are very submissive, we can observe the attempts to change their life and/or social status. For example, the slave woman acts directly. She pays money to her mistress to buy her freedom (i.e. to change her life). She is acting according to the law that â€Å"bond-servants have the right to buy their own freedom.† However, her a... ...country to change: the King. He invites the â€Å"imperialistic† teacher to teach his eldest son. Why? In the letter confirming Anna’s employment, the King says that he wanted Siam â€Å"to take its place among the nations of the modern world.† As a man and as a king, he acts very carefully. He wants to ensure that in his country â€Å"no man is above the law.† He does not make any extraordinary changes, but he allows Anna to teach his children anything she wants (he knows Anna’s liberal position). His decision determines the future of Siam: his son abolishes slavery, institutes religious freedom and reforms the judicial system. In conclusion, we should say that it does not matter how big the social separation between men and women is and how unequal their statuses are – there are always ways to make that gap smaller, but this requires efforts on the part of both men and women. Gender Analysis of Anna and the King Essay -- Movie Film Anna King ess Gender Analysis of Anna and the King If you are not the lead elephant, the scenery never changes. (Moonshee, Anna’s servant) One of the main issues in â€Å"Anna and the King† is the differences between men and women. What is less obvious is that those differences are of two types: the existing inequality of the social status of men and women, and the ways in which men and women try to deal with (end or prolong) this inequality. First of all, let us observe the structure of the Thai society. Men occupy the dominant position in all aspects of life from top to bottom of the Thai social structure. The King rules the society, and men enforce all the laws and government regulations (we see no women participating in the King’s council or in any government office). In addition to that, the ritual and custom behavior point to the humiliating position of women in Thai culture. According to Prince Chulalongkorn, men never apologize to women. The body language of the relationship between the two genders in the movie indicates that a woman always bows in the presence of a man and usually stays bowed until he dismisses her. All these customs, laws, and regulations separate Thai society into two unequal classes: men and women. In the situation of inequality, there is always a group of people who are not satisfied with the life around them. We will call them the agents of change. Although, the women in Thai society are very submissive, we can observe the attempts to change their life and/or social status. For example, the slave woman acts directly. She pays money to her mistress to buy her freedom (i.e. to change her life). She is acting according to the law that â€Å"bond-servants have the right to buy their own freedom.† However, her a... ...country to change: the King. He invites the â€Å"imperialistic† teacher to teach his eldest son. Why? In the letter confirming Anna’s employment, the King says that he wanted Siam â€Å"to take its place among the nations of the modern world.† As a man and as a king, he acts very carefully. He wants to ensure that in his country â€Å"no man is above the law.† He does not make any extraordinary changes, but he allows Anna to teach his children anything she wants (he knows Anna’s liberal position). His decision determines the future of Siam: his son abolishes slavery, institutes religious freedom and reforms the judicial system. In conclusion, we should say that it does not matter how big the social separation between men and women is and how unequal their statuses are – there are always ways to make that gap smaller, but this requires efforts on the part of both men and women.

The Psychological Impact of War and Peacekeeping Essay -- Psychologica

Comparing ‘Suspicious Minds at Risk? The Role of Meaning in Processing War, Peacekeeping Experiences’ and ‘Nationalism, Internationalism, and Perceived UN Irrelevance: Mediators of Relationships between Authoritarianism and Support for Military Aggression as Part of the War on Terror’ and How Many Casualties Are Too Many? Proportional Reasoning in the Valuation of Military and Civilian Lives War is one of the unfortunate constants of human history, fought for various reasons. One has to wonder how much human beings can dehumanize the enemy, or their own soldiers with simple propaganda. How much distress and suspicion can lead to soldiers having a hard to readjusting to normal life? How easy it is to see one’s own country as the ultimate moral good, and all means to show it are legitimate, and anyone who speaks out is irrelevant? There are studies over this, but one wonder how well were they done, and how they compare to each other. The journal, ‘Suspicious Minds at Risk? The Role of Meaning in Processing War and Peacekeeping Experiences’, wanted to see correlation of age, meaning as comprehensibility, perceived threat, personal significance, intrusion/avoidance with quality of life.(Shok et al. 2011) They hypothesized that age and perceived threat has a positive correlation with meaning as comprehensibility and meaning as personal significance and that both of these in turn had positive correlation with quality of life and a negative correlation with intrusion/avoidance. Perceived threat was also hypothesized to have a positive correlation with intrusion/avoidance, which had a negative correlation with quality of life. (Shok et al. 2011) It was a cross sectional correlational study, who used Dutch veterans who had been ... ...ers experiencing war and their state mind prior to it. Works Cited Friedrich, J., & Dood, T. L. (2009). How Many Casualties Are Too Many? Proportional Reasoning in the Valuation of Military and Civilian Lives. Journal Of Applied Social Psychology, 39(11), 2541-2569. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00537.x Crowson, H. (2009). Nationalism, Internationalism, and Perceived UN Irrelevanc Mediators of Relationships Between Authoritarianism and Support for Military Aggression as Part of the War on Terror. Journal Of Applied Social Psychology, 39(5), 1137-1162. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00475.x Schok, M. L., Kleber, R. J., Lensvelt-Mulders, G. M., Elands, M., & Weerts, J. (2011). Suspicious Minds at Risk? The Role of Meaning in Processing War and Peacekeeping Experiences. Journal Of Applied Social Psychology, 41(1), 61-81. doi:10.1111/j.1559 1816.2010.00702.x

Companies that gives importance to their employees

Companies that gives importance to their employees BY 2141361 Companies that gives importance and value to its employee. Boston Consulting Group BCG invests â€Å"100-plus hours and thousands of dollars to recruit each consultant,† says the company's site, and it also claims to pay 100 percent of its employees' health care premiums. â€Å"Attracting top talent and maintaining an environment in which employees can rapidly develop have been key to our success and our ability to deliver enormous value to clients.Recognitions like this are a nice acknowledgment that our efforts are highly unusual and, based on our growth and client retention, ffective,† says Rich Lesser, BCG's chairman of North and South America. SAS Institute SAS has ranked in Fortune's Top 100 for 14 consecutive years, according to the company's web site. The company says that â€Å"if you treat employees as if they make a difference, they will make a difference. SAS employee rewards includes subsidized Montessori child care, unlimited sick days, a free health care center, and intramural sports teams. CEO Jim Goodnight says that â€Å"[we create] a culture that rewards innovation, encourages employees to try new things and yet doesn't penalize them or taking chances, and a culture that cares about employees' personal and professional growth. † Zappos. com Zappos accomplishes a mix of both â€Å"traditional† ways of showing employee appreciation, like company picnics and holiday parties, as well as more unique ways.Last year they held the Zfrog awards, which let employees pitch their own business ideas, â€Å"laughter yoga† classes, Tank Top Tuesday, and recognizing employees in different departments, such as Merchandiser of the Quarter. â€Å"l love working at Zappos; the creativity and fun we have here are unparalleled, at least by any other ob I've ever had. There are all sorts of people here: young and old; shy and extremely outgoing; ‘normal' andâ₠¬ ¦ weird. I love that Zappos embraces people of all cultures, styles, and personalities,† says one Zappos employee.DreamWorks Animation According to DreamWorks' careers site, â€Å"the work community is enriched with many special events including movie screenings, art and short film festivals, artistic development classes, and family get-togethers. † â€Å"We are committed to fostering a culture that embraces innovation, creativity, collaboration, and a solid dose of fun. † Throughout the year, the company offers its employees art shows, craft fairs, movie screenings, art classes and lectures.CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg communicates daily with his employees through blog posts and his staff appreciates â€Å"the transparency between the employees and the CEO,† says Dina Strada, Manager of Employee Events and Communications. Hasbro, Inc. On its web site, Hasbro writes: â€Å"We value our employees and understand that our success would not be possible without al l their hard work, dedication, and passion. † Hasbro employees have access to the company's fitness centers, half-day Fridays, rograms.Hasbro also makes sure to remember employees' children by participating in Kids Carnival, Santa Breakfast, and Bring Your Son/Daughter to Work Day. S. C. Johnson At the family company S. C. Johnson, 12,000 employees have access to a concierge service that will see to it that their chores get done. This ranges from returning overdue library books to making sure your dry cleaning gets picked up on time. â€Å"To make the best products for your family, we need the best people in our company family,† according to the company website. Also available are childcare for parent employees, and paid sabbaticals.

Long-Term Debt Gaap V Ifrs

Long-Term Debt U. S. GAAP vs. IFRS Scott Bailey Acc 311 Debruine Every company in the world must raise funds in order to finance its operations and expansion. The most common form of this funding is through the use of long-term debt. Depending on where the company does business and who uses their financial statements, there are different ways of recording this debt through the use of United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U. S. GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).The main differences between the two accounting standards, with regards to long-term debt recognition, deal with debt issue costs and convertible bonds. Debt issue costs are the payments associated with issuing debt, such as various fees and commissions to third parties. According to U. S. GAAP these payments generate future benefits that under ASC 835-30-45-3 are recorded on the balance sheet as deferred charges. These charges are capitalized, reflected in the balance sheet as an as set, and amortized over the life of the debt instrument. Early debt repayment results in expensing these costs.Under IFRS costs are deducted from the carrying value of the financial liability and are not recorded as separate assets. Rather, they are accounted for as a debt discount and amortized using the effective interest method. (IAS 39, par 43) The debate between which set of standards correctly portrays the financial implications of these costs is centered on the idea of matching expenses and revenue. Those for U. S. GAAP argue that the deferred costs create an asset to which we can then match the revenue with the expenses over the useful life of the debt.This is in compliance with the matching principle of the conceptual framework for financial accounting. Under IFRS the costs are said to be immaterial and do not require consideration of the matching principle. This brings up possible issues of managed earnings based on when companies are issuing debt and when they are recogni zing the issue costs. A convertible bond is a type of bond that the holder can convert into shares of common stock in the issuing company or cash of equal value, at an agreed-upon price.The difference between US and international standards arises when determining how to measure and account for convertible feature of the bond. Under U. S. GAAP, ASC-420-20-25-6 states: A contingent beneficial conversion feature shall be measured using the commitment date stock price but shall not be recognized in earnings until the contingency is resolved. This basically says that the convertible feature of the bond is not recognized until it is actually resolved.Under IFRS they refer to the convertible part of the bond (equity element) as an embedded derivative which must be accounted for separately from the liability element of the bond. (IAS 39, par 11) These embedded derivatives are treated the same as stand-alone derivatives in that they are measured at fair value with all changes in fair value r ecognized in profit or loss. (IAS 39, par 46) This process of recording causes a company to be less stable and more reactive to changes in the market. This is not necessarily a bad thing because it accurately portrays the value of the future benefits of the bonds.Accounting for convertible bonds and debt issue costs is likely to change in the future. The US and international standard boards are constantly working on a convergence in order to have a single set of accounting standards for every business. The issues with long-term debt are only a few of many differences that need to be resolved between IFRS and U. S. GAAP. They have been working on the idea of a convergence for many years and personally I do not believe there will be any type of convergence in the near future.With that being said it is important that we know the differences in reporting between IFRS and U. S. GAAP and are able to recognize the financial implications of these differences. Works Consulted Financial Accou nting Foundation. (n. d. ). Financial Accounting Standards Board. In FASB Accounting Codification Standards. Retrieved October 11, 2012, from http://www. fasb. org/home IFRS Foundation. (n. d. ). International Financial Reporting Standards. In eIFRS . Retrieved October 11, 2012, from http://eifrs. ifrs. org/IB/Register

The Sons Veto

The Sons Veto Thomas Hardy was an English novelist and poet and his story ‘The Sons Veto’ is based on the rigid class system popular in Victorian England. At that time, women were perceived as having a diminutive purpose with little independence. The restrains of society were clearly seen in Sophy’s character. Hardy opens the story with a detailed description on a woman’s hair. He comments on the fashion of that time. Her name was Sophy and she was born in the country village of Gaymead in a remote nook of North Wessex.As a young girl, she worked as a parlour maid in the house of the reverend, Mr. Twycott. Sophy had a young man named Sam Hobson, a gardener in the village. After a few months, Sophy wanted to leave her job and marry Sam but couldn’t do so after Mr. Twycott’s wife died. She decided to stay back and also had a quarrel with Sam regarding her decision. As time progressed, Mr. Twycott realized how dependent he was on Sophy. He became ill and whilst he was ill, Sophy brought his meals to him.One day, she slipped on the stairs while taking the tray down. She twisted her foot in the fall. Mr. Twycott’s health became better although Sophy was no longer able to walk. The parson felt guilty for her and asked her to marry him; she felt as though she was unable to refuse and felt obligated to marry him in order to be socially accepted. She married the vicar out of respect and not love. She was more concerned over her future and knew that any marriage would mean that she would have a home and a good lifestyle in the imminent years.As the story progresses, Mr. Twycott dies and Sophy raises a son all by herself. The author sets up a social detachment between Sophy and her son, Randolph through the language they speak. Sophy could not formulate sentences correctly and her incorrect grammar would blatantly annoy Randolph. Sophy as a woman had her deficiencies. One day while sitting by her window, she found her childh ood friend Sam. They get together after so many years and after a few days he proposes to her.When she talked to her son he was positive about the idea of remarriage but became angry when he found out that the man was a farmer. In a fit of rage, he made her swear on the cross that she would never marry Sam. One may also interpret it to be Sophy’s fault, which wouldn’t be incorrect, however Randolph gains a sort of power over her eventually leading to her death that could have been avoided had he not been so full of pride for himself.

Improvement of Coca Cola Market Decision Making Research Paper

Improvement of Coca Cola Market Decision Making - Research Paper Example The company has a variety of products, and it licenses or possesses more than 500 brands. With is vast empire worldwide the company has grown to become a market leader that is considered one the influential organization in the world. The company has grown from operating within the city of Atlanta in 1886 to operating in more than two hundred nations currently. It has further grown from selling 8 glasses of soft drinks to 1.8 billion bottles a day. Furthermore, the company has over 300 hundred bottling branches and organizations worldwide, which are the link between the company and its customers. The company manufactures syrup that is sent to these organizations to produce the soft drinks that are distributed to the consumers. The company values its customers who sell and consumes its products worldwide and it considers them a significant part of its sustainability process. INTRODUCTION The company focuses on producing light and diet beverages, waters, juice drinks, and coffees, as we ll as tea. It also provides energy and sports beverages, operating in over 200 nations. It has its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia with around 140 000 employees. The company has been successful in its businesses registering revenues of $35, 119 million in the financial year of 2010. This was an increment from of 13.3% from the previous financial year. The beverage was initially being sold in glasses, but it was later sold in the bottles, first in 1894, to make it portable, and enhanced its distribution to other states.   The tools applied include Affinity Diagrams, Control Charts, and SWOT analysis that have enabled the company to remain relevant in the market and become a leading organization in the production of the non-alcoholic beverages worldwide. ANALYSIS Affinity tool diagram The Coca-Cola Company has managed to dominate the non-alcoholic beverages world because it applies the right decision-making tools concerning its products worldwide. Since the company operates in more than 200 nations, it faces the problem of utilizing a lot of information and ideas, which affect their targeted audience. The affinity tool diagram, comes in handy, in ensuring that large sums of data and information are gathered from ideas of groups, through the process of brainstorming, to ensure that the information is prompted, based on the natural affiliations of the groups 8 Parnell, 2011). The company ensures that it melds the perceptions, ideas, and opinions as well as insights of a faction that is conversant or well acquainted with the modern market changing trends (Hoerl and Snee, 2012). This includes the marketing and advertising segments, who gather the relevant information, which the managerial body of the company, uses to make decisions that affect the investments and marketing strategies of the organization. These decisions are aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the company in the market as well as attaining the maximum possible returns.  Ã‚  

Marymount University computer lab Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marymount University computer lab - Term Paper Example This part takes 11days of the time schedule with the first week of activity being exclusively the meetings before the process of gathering information on the current system also begins to run concurrently with it for the remaining eight days. The next stage is the discussion and analysis of the risks and the financial requirements of the project. This stage runs for three days as shown in the graphs and charts and begins immediately after requirement gathering stage. The second last activity is the obtainment of the building approvals by the relevant authorities that takes five days. The very last activity is the movement of equipment to the building that also takes five days. This section explains the expenditure throughout the whole project. The financial plan is generally divided into two main parts which are the requirement gathering and development part and the maintenance section. The main focus here is in the development part. The other budget estimation that also experienced a lower actual amount is the Mice budget that was first set for $50 and the actual figure comes up to $40 giving a deference of $10 on the actual estimated values. The other budgets are expected to run in line with the actual budgeted figures as earlier estimated making the schedule more realistic and precise as expected. This gives the entire budget for the project to

Impact and Meaning of the Gnostic Movement Research Paper

Impact and Meaning of the Gnostic Movement - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that the Gnostic Movement was a Christian religious movement where an extended base of knowledge from the pagan and the scriptural sources formed the path to salvation leading to the divine personality Jesus Christ. This movement identified and stressed on â€Å"gnosis† or knowledge as the medium for achieving salvation. Sometimes it has also invested knowledge itself with the stature of salvation. The proponents of the Gnostic movement mainly operated in ancient Alexandria and exerted their influence on the Christian inhabitants of that region during the middle of the second century. The movement was mainly pioneered by Basilides, Valentinus, and Hearcleon living in the city of Alexandria during 130-180 CE. Till the advent of the Gnostic Movement, Christianity was a religion based on the fundamental ways of life as preached by Jesus Christ and Paul. The Gnostic proponents provided many unique insights into the religious faith and Ch ristianity assumed the form of a philosophical religion that could deal with serious moral and intellectual issues. The members of the Gnostic religious movement hailed from different backgrounds. Majority of the Gnostics were Christians while some members were of Jewish origin and some others belonged to the Greco-Roman race. The Mandaean members originated from Iraq and Iran while the Manichaean gnostics hailed from â€Å"Europe, the middle east, northern Africa and China†. Besides, the movement included Muslim Gnostics from the Islamic world and the Cathars hailing from Western Europe. The Gnostic Movement The term â€Å"Gnosis† in the Greek language means â€Å"knowledge†. In the context of the Gnostic movement, it refers to the knowledge regarding the spiritual world. The knowledge of the direct experience

Intellectual Property Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intellectual Property - Assignment Example 2. Intellectual property may include inventions, creative efforts of individuals, original works by authors or trade secrets etc. that will provide future economic benefits to the business. How we protect intellectual property depends on the type of property we deal with and the industry we’re operating in. This usually involves obtaining patents, trademarks and copyrights for the intellectual property we own. The holder of a patent can protect his product by preventing other companies to use, or take advantage, in any way, of their invention up to certain future date depending on the type of invention. The key question that arises here is does the business own the inventions or does the creative work is the result of efforts of the individuals hired by the company? Similarly copyright offers the authors and creators the protection of their original intellectual work (such as literature, art, music, photographs, video recordings, software etc.). The copyright symbol informs ot hers that the author is intending to exercise control over the production and redistribution of the work. Likewise a â€Å"trademark† offers businesses the opportunity to sell their product to the consumers under their unique name. As such it avoids confusion and deceiving. In such employment agreements, the employer restricts the employee from quitting the company and joining another competitive firm or setting up his/her own competitive business. Such employment agreements are usually enforceable only if they apply restrictions within a specific area and for a definite future time period. In some states non-compete agreements are enforceable only if they are supported by the adequate consideration for the employee otherwise they are considered as agreements in restraint on trade and hence void. The advantage of non-competitive clause is obvious that it

Forensic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Forensic Management - Essay Example He can also create awareness to the employees to be careful in their duties and warn them of malpractices (Griffin & Moorhead, 2012:65). The best alternative to the above is training employees to abide by the code of conduct and report issues that they feel critical and calling for attention. Consequently, this will serve as a source of motivation as workers will be able to distinguish the good from the bad. They will also be in the capacity to express feelings as long as confidentiality prevails. All these values come from unity and value of each other irrespective of his rank in the organization (Goethals, Sorenson, & Burns, 2004:64). Every organizational goal is relatively direct to profit maximization. The key factor of production that prevails among all others is human resource. For the company to achieve all strategies effectively, it should value its labor force for it is the only way to merge it with other factors of production. All human beings adapt to change depending on t he degree they perceive. The management should learn that, employees would accept positive changes and defect to negative ones. Thus, managers should endure on initiating favorable dynamics that suit the needs of their subordinates, as well as the entire organization (Shah, & Gardner, 2008:123). Through motivation refuels, employees’ zeal and they will undertake their obligations in accordance to will of the organization. Managers should understand that appreciation goes along way, and when endeared on, employees will perceive their importance and merge their efforts closer to other factors of production (Griffin, & Moorhead, 2012:60). The main reason that people seek for job opportunities is to cater for their... The author of the essay "Forensic management" assumes that motivation is the process of influencing a person to perform a given task either by use of a positive measure or a negative one. In management, motivation plays the most crucial role as it affects performance of the set goals. Giving employees more than just financial incentives, will similarly improve their performance and the outcome is that the company will achieve its objectives. Therefore, the importance of motivation is to enable workers sense that they are part of the organization. Managers should engage in motivation as it eases unnecessary fears amongst the employees. Statistics reveal that workers perform poorly under oppression as compared to when motivated. Forensic is the scientific study of observing and establishing any criminal activities at a given scene. In management practices, forensic study refers to the observation of any unethical trends that in jure organizational performance. A manager will then be ab le to come with structural objectives that will enable the company learn and counter malpractices at their early stages. Motivation comprises mainly of all assets that push an individual to perform a duty. It can either occur by will or force depending on the situation. However, business’ approach to motivation reveals that, it is best when it applies positively to the employees. Hence, no matter how a manager may feel uncomfortable to work with other people, he must exercise motivation for the purpose of the organization.

Hybrid Cars Essay Example for Free

Hybrid Cars Essay Are hybrid cars the answer? Author Jack R. Nerad explains to us in his book, â€Å"The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles† (Nerad, p. 5) that â€Å"With the rising cost in gasoline costs, the hybrid car has exploded into the fastest-growing segment of the American car industry. † With this important information we should all stop to ask ourselves why. Many individuals in our country feel that each person must do their part in protecting our environment. Not only has our population been more educated in recent years on environmental factors that can destroy our planet, but it’s clear that this impact has enlightened us to start making huge efforts in becoming a part of the solution to save our planet. By using hybrid cars for transportation, we are each showing respect and concern for this problem. We learn from Author’s Nick Yost and David Friedman (Yost; Friedman, p.4) in the book â€Å"The Essential Hybrid Car Handbook: A Buyer’s Guide† that hybrid cars were first introduced to Americans in our recent history of transportation. â€Å"When Japanese manufacturer Honda introduced its insight to the American motorists in December of 1999, it also ushered in a radically different concept in modern automotive transportation; the hybrid car. † Since this important date in history, hybrid cars are popping up in more and more places, everyday and are even becoming more popular with movie stars and those who are wealthy. This proves the importance of the utilization of hybrid cars since most of these people can afford luxury vehicles and are using the alternative hybrid cars in their daily lives. Not only are they proving that driving hybrid cars are necessary in changing our ideas about the way we participate in taking care of our environment but they are demonstrating that hybrid cars are attractive and just as useful as other cars on the road. Everyone in our country must take in as much information as possible about hybrid cars and spread the word that these vehicles should replace all other road vehicles. We can start by educating in our schools and communities where people can learn at an early age the incredible importance of changing our ways of thinking. Children will grow up with a better understanding of hybrid cars and be more apt to create and purchase them. With the education being spread and used by everyone in our country, it will be a sure way to express that we do care and our taking every single effort in changing over to hybrid cars. Although, it is virtually impossible to transform every American car over to hybrid in the next year, we can only take useful steps in making changes to better our own future and that of our descendents. Purchasing and driving hybrid cars are a wonderful sign that we are improving our ideas about the way we think about changing transportation and our environment to make things better. Hybrid cars are affordable and will even get cheaper in the future as we learn to manufacture them for higher demands. We will witness a growing number of people buying hybrid cars as we get used to the idea that they are popular and affordable to everyone in our country. Reference Page Nerad, Jack R. 2007. The Complete Idiots Guide to Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles. Alpha Publishers. P. 15. Yost, Nick; Friedman, David. 2006. The Essential Hybrid Car Handbook: A Buyer’s Guide. 2006. The Lyons Press. Edition 1. P.

Questions and Answers on the Growth and Success of Starbucks

Questions and Answers on the Growth and Success of Starbucks Evaluate the role played by Howard Schultz in the growth and success of Starbucks. Is the company in danger of relying too heavily on Mr. Schultz? Howard Schultzs vision was for Starbucks to become a national company with values and guiding principles that employees could be proud of. Schultz wanted to recreate the authentic Italian coffee bar culture in the United States (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). He believed that building a company that valued and respected its people, that inspired them, and that shared the fruits of success with those who contributed to the companys long term value was essential, not just as an intriguing option. His aspiration was for Starbucks to become the most respected brand name in coffee and for the company to be admired for its corporate responsibility (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). Schultz strategized a plan to lead the Starbucks Coffee Company by speculating to open 125 stores in the next five years of the companys operation. To symbolize the merging of Starbucks and II Giornale, Schultz instituted new changes by creating a new logo and equipping espresso machines in all the coffee resta urants. In 1987, Schultz was able to regain the mood of the employees and also ventured in new markets such as Vancouver, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Starbucks store expansion targets proved easier to meet than Schultz had originally anticipated and he upped the numbers to keep challenging the organization and so there was 161 stores, which was above Schultzs original target of 125 stores in 1992 (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). Howard Schultz argued that patience was needed as the company invested in the infrastructure to support continued growth. He contended that hiring experienced executives ahead of the growth curve, building facilities far beyond current needs, and installing support systems laid a strong foundation for rapid, profitable growth down the road. Even though Schultz was the founder of the Starbucks Corporation and managed it for long time, I dont think the company would be in danger if he leaves the position he holds today. Some basic reasons to these are, since Starbucks heavily depends on Schultz, I believe he most likely has a careful succession plan for the betterment of the company. I also firmly believe that Schultz has already developed a sound contingency plans for his position. That is he might already have set the plan of who should take over the reins on a short notice. If these strategies are in place, then Starbucks future would not be uncertain. Discuss the business engineering processes used by Starbucks to stay competitive. How does the company track performance and use its control systems? Starbucks created its own house team of architects and designers to ensure that each store would convey the right image and character. Stores had been custom -designed because the company didnt buy real estate or build its own freestanding structures, rather, each space was leased in an existing structure, making each store differ in size and shape. The company had emphasized the four stages of coffee making: growing, roasting, brewing, and aroma. With increase in its stores, greater store diversity and layout quickly became necessary. The company had some special seating areas to help make it a desirable gathering place. The company also came with the drive through windows in locations where speed and convenience were important. Just as recent as June 2009, the company announced a new global store design strategy (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). This meant that each new store was to be a reflection of the environment in which it operated and was to be environmentally friendly. To better control average store opening costs, the company centralized buying, developed standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidated work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). The retail operations group outlined exactly the minimum amount of equipment each core store needed so that standard items could be ordered in volume from vendors at 20 to 30 percent discounts, then delivered just in time to the store site either from the company warehouses or the vendor. Modular designs for display cases were developed. The layouts for new and remodeled stores were developed on a computer, with software that allowed the costs to be estimated as the design evolved. All this cut store opening and remodeling costs significantly and shortened the process to about 18 weeks (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). What is the compensation strategy that the company has used to motivate its employees to focus on the companys strategy and its execution? Howard Schultz deeply believed that Starbucks success was heavily dependent on customers having a very positive experience in its stores. This meant having store employees who were knowledgeable about the companys products, who paid attention to detail in preparing the companys espresso drinks, who eagerly communicated the companys passion for coffee, and who possessed the skills and personality to deliver consistent, pleasing customer service (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). Some of the compensation strategy that Starbucks used to motivate its employees included instituting health care coverage for all employees whether full time or part time. From 1988, part timers working 20 or more hours were offered the same health coverage as full-time employees. Starbucks paid 75 percent of an employees health insurance premium; while the employee paid only 25 percent. The health insurance coverage was also offered for unmarried partners in a committed relationship (Thompson, A.A. et al., 201 2). The company also had presented a stock option plan for all employees .This was aimed at turning all employees into partners, giving them a chance to share in the success of the company, and make clear the connection between their contributions and the companys market value. The company also implemented an employee stock purchase plan that gave partners who had been employed for at least 90 days an opportunity to purchase company stock through regular payroll deductions. This had really motivated many employees and since the inception of this plan, some 23.5 million shares had been purchased by partners; and one third of these partners participated in stock purchase plan during the 2000-2009 period (Thompson, A.A. et al., 2012). Starbucks workplace environment was good for its employees. The management believed that the companys competitive pay scales and comprehensive benefits for both full time and part time partners allowed it to attract motivated people with above average ski lls and good work habits. How would you describe Starbucks corporate culture? What is the relevance of corporate culture for Starbucks future growth and success? The cornerstone value to build a company with soul was that Starbucks would never stop pursuing the perfect cup of coffee by buying the best beans and roasting them to perfection. Schultz and other senior executives were adamant about controlling the quality of Starbucks product and building a culture common to all stores. Schultz was rigidly opposed to selling artificially flavored coffee beans. The management was also emphatic about the importance of employees paying attention to what pleased customers (Thompson, A.A. et al., 2012). At the very base of the companys culture was its roots within the community. Howard Schultzs goal was to build a company with soul, which included corporate responsibility. In 1997 the Starbucks Foundation was established. The foundation was one of the largest contributors to C.A.R.E. which provided health and education programs to third world countries most of which Starbucks purchased its coffee beans. Starbucks is also committedÂÂ  to the enviro nment.ÂÂ  It has organizedÂÂ  a Green Team of store managers from all regions that assist the community in environmental efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The team has introduced innovative ways to reuse some of the paper, plastic and cardboard the store uses. They have reused packing materials and have donated these materials to local schools for art projects. These corporate cultures that Starbucks developed over the years had been very useful and would emphasize the companys growth into the future (Starbucks 2006).