Marketing Plan New Product Essay

Titles Page No 1) Executive Summary 4 2) Current Marketing Situation 5-6 3) Threats and Opportunities 6-9 4) Objectives and issues 9-13 5) Marketing Strategy 13-19 6) Action Programs 19-21 7) Budgets and Controls 21-23 8) References 24 Executive Summary on Apogee Apogee is a shoe which is completely made from old, unused soccer balls. After using a soccer ball for quite sometimes it becomes unworthy to use. So people throw out the old soccer ball to buy a new one. But what they don’t realize is how harmful this plastic material can be for our environment. To remove this problem and also to make brand new merchandise we are going to produce trendy shoes from these unused soccer balls. These shoes can be worn by the people of all ages. These are also going to be stylish so fashion concerned people can feel attractive in them. Next comes the huge issue of environment safety. There are many products in the market which are very useful but there deathly for our environment. But this shoe is completely made from recycling old soccer balls. So it does no harm to our environment. In fact it works to protect the environment. The third issue is price. People want to wear new and fashionable shoes. But most of them can’t afford such expensive products. As apogee is made from old soccer balls it is really cheap to produce. So we can offer people new and trendy shoes at a minimum price. Reviewing all the features of apogee we can assertively say that this product is going to be popular, environment friendly and last but not the least inexpensive. Current marketing situation We are planning to produce shoes from recycled soccer balls. In the current market people of all classes need shoes. They want more trendy & sturdier shoes. Furthermore people are now more conscious about the environment they live in. So we choose this idea of making shoes from recycled soccer balls keeping in mind the environment as well as the customers both at international and domestic level. Our customers: In today’s modern world there is a craze about sports, particularly about football.Soccer mania is here and everyone seems to be riding high on the popularity wave. Everyone watches football now a days, so what if they could use a product that not only served their purpose but also indicate their love for the game and that’s how we came up with the idea of making shoes from recycled soccer balls. Football is popular around the  globe , specially in Europe and south america. As we are planning for a global launch of our product we will concentrate particularly on these region. The youths of Bangladesh are quite interested about sports and of course football, so we are developing our product keeping in mind their taste and preferences. We are hoping we can go global with our product after we are successful in making it a success in our domestic market. Market segmentation: We are planning to divide our market on the differences of our customers trend,styl e and fashion. We will develop these shoes for both boys and girls. For Boys and girls who are aged from 10 to 15, we will asses their current demand for new shoes and also we will customize them according to their needs. We will use the same strategy for customers aged 16 and above. Thinking internationally, we may think about the international preferences of our global customers. We will also give our customers the alternative to customize their product according to their need and taste. Current market competitors: currently adidas and nike are dominating the sports accessories business by providing state of the art merchandises specially sports shoes. But what we want to do is we want to create an positive image of our product by creating the ultimate soccer shoes that is available and most importantly affordable for the customers. Furthermore we are using recycling material to make this product that will also create a positive image. As they say â€Å" first impression is the last impression† and that’s exactly what we are planning to do. We wan to make a global impact. Opportunity We cannot sustain our consumerist lifestyle without getting inundated by garbage and exhausting the earth’s resources. Solid waste disposal experts engage in an uphill struggle to contain this virtual avalanche of garbage we produce every day. It is apparent that digging a hole, a landfill, is clearly not the answer. Sooner or later, the waste becomes uncontainable and will spill into our farming areas, forests, and water sources. Here we have shown some opportunities of producing shoes from recycling football soccer – Good raw material: As football is an international game and it is produced for international purpose, we are getting almost best quality of product. If we recycle the  soccer and if we produce shoes from this waste material, ultimately we are getting good quality material for producing shoes. Less expensive: Many of we have the tendency to buy pure leather shoes. Sometimes we desire to buy but we step back when there is a question of money. If we use the useless soccer we will be able to reduce the cost of soccer and so ultimately we will reduce the purchasing price also. Save animals life: As we are using football soccer as our raw material which people consider as wastage, we are helping our environment to keep sound. When we are using animal leather, animal lives are in danger. So if we use the soccer we will be able to protect the life and it will be environment friendly. Proper utilization of resources: We are using the proper use of resources which is also good for environment. Environment friendly: Football is made with plastic, synthetic paper, leather and rubber. We know plastic, synthetic paper, plastic are discomposed material. When we get the utility, we throughout the ball in the dustbin that may causes problem to the environment. It may stick in the drain and can create problem in drainage system. Objectives and Issues of APOGEE: Marketing plans are written documents that help us communicate our marketing efforts for the following year. One of the most important parts of the marketing plan is the objectives and issues section, which helps internal employees or external stakeholders understand the marketing goals. 1. To save our Environment Our main objective is to save our environment through recycling. We will prepare shoes by recycling footballs. In recent years, scientists have been carefully examining the ways that people affect the environment. They have found that we are causing air pollution, deforestation, acid rain, and other problems that are dangerous both to the earth and to ourselves. With the help of recycling we can protect our environment to some extent. Recycling is a process using materials (waste) into new products to  prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for â€Å"conventional† waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic production. When a football gets old and rusty, it has no use. We often throw it into the dustbin or somewhere else. It is polluting our air and land. With the help o f recycling we can convert these footballs into shoes. We hope it will reduce air and land pollution and thus we can protect our environment. 2. Sell quality shoes with low price: Another objective is to sell quality shoes with low price. People now are very concern about quality and price. They want high quality product with low price. So we will sell high quality products with low price. 3. Increase market share: Another objective is to increase our market share. With the help of marketing strategy we can increase our market share. In this case we have to invest a lot of money in promotion and distribution of the product. We are expecting to increase our market share up to 10% in the next year. 4. To be the number one in the existing market One of the most important objective is to be the number one in the existing market. For these reason we have to implement our market strategies properly which have been discussed later. Issues that can affect our objectives: 1. Environmental issue: Environment means everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to live on the earth. Today environmental issue is very important. There are many organizations who are working to protect the environment. They are creating pressure on the companies. So we will sell environment friendly product. We will not use any synthetic leather or any other chemicals that may cause harm to our environment. 2. Health issue: Today people are very health conscious. They want to know everything about the product. If they feel that  the product they are using are not safe, they will not use the product. APOGEE shoes are really safe because it is a green product. We will not use any chemical product in producing the shoes. 3. Social issue: We have to work in our society. So we have some social responsibilities. We have to think about our society and produce products according to their needs and wants. We should keep a friendly relationship with the people of our community. 4. Child labor issue: Another important issue is child labor issue. According to the labor act policy in 2006 child labor has been banned from all the industries. Showing respect to the law we will not use any child as our labor. 5. High quality with low price issue: People now are very concern about quality and price. They want high quality product with low price. So we will sell high quality products with low price. We will also give some discount to our customers. Marketing Strategy Of Apogee : Introducing a new product to the market can be a challenging task for a business. No matter how much confidence you have in the value of the product or how unique it is, there are still things to consider before unleashing it on the public. The marketing concept of building an organization around the profitable satisfaction of customer needs has helped firms to achieve success in high-growth, moderately competitive markets. However, to be successful in markets in which economic growth has leveled and in which there exist many competitors who follow the marketing concept, a well-developed marketing strategy is required. Such a strategy considers a portfolio of products and takes into account the anticipated moves of competitors in the mark. Customer Driven Marketing Strategies for Apogee : Making strategy decisions need to be customer driven as your end customers are the ones who will be making purchase to our products and services. The topic of Customer Driven Marketing is how to divide up the identified market into meaningful customer groups, choose which customer groups to serve, create market offerings that best serve targeted customers and position the offerings in the minds of customers – referred to market segmentation,  targeting, differentiation and positioning. The reason for having customer driven marketing strategies is companies today cannot appeal to all buyers in the marketplace. Buyers’ behaviors are difficult to predict, too widely scattered and too varied in their needs and buying practices. Companies must design customer driven marketing strategies that build the right relationships with the right customers. Why Customer Driven Marketing for Apogee : In a nutshell, with proper application of a customer driven marketing strategy, the we can focus our efforts on meeting distinct needs of individual market segment & to target segments in which it can profitably generate and sustain customer value. It can then communicate & deliver the chosen position with its resources available for an effective strategic marketing plan. With a customer driven marketing approach, the company has clearer direction to maintain its desired marketing position on targeted market segment(s) through consistent performance & communications. Nonetheless, for larger companies such as Unilever and P&G, they can offer complete range of products to serve all market segments to meet customers’ needs. We must divide up the total market ,choose the best segments and design strategies for profitably serving chosen segments. This process involves market segmentation ,market targeting , differentiation and positioning . Market Segmentation : As we are making shoes from recycled soccer balls and its for everyone ( Boys,girls,Childrens) we can divide our markets into 2 types – 1. Customers Aged 10-15. 2. Customers Aged 16 and above. Market Targeting : Footwear sales have been falling in developed countries and slowing in emerging countries due to lower income levels; and therefore, less spending on apparel and footwear. Consumers are  focusing increasingly on value for money, looking for simple, hard-wearing shoes that last . As children and young people are passionate about stylish shoes we are focusing them as our target market . Positioning : We will make our shoes more attractive than our market competitors . We will sell our shoes at a reasonable price . We will give them longer lasting shoes and will guarantee them for a certain period. We will use our distinctive shoe logo or Brand name so that we can hold our market for a long time. At the beginning we will give advertisements to acknowledge them about our products .We will give discounts for our special customers . Our shoe logo Differentiation : We will serve our customer a different service compared better than our competitors on the following basis : I. We will make our Shoes attractive. II. We will sell our shoes at reasonable price. III. We will give discount to our customers . IV. Will give them guarantee for our products . V. Will take orders from customers to make customized shoes . Marketing Mix : This section outlines how we will make strategies for each marketing mix element of our Apogee shoes and how each responds to the threats , opportunities and critical issues . Product : In order to outdo our competitors we will take specific strategies for our product .The strategies will be – 1. We will make a variety of products on some specific categories such as for boys shoes ,Sandals , Sport shoes for girls we will make clogs ,lace ups, heel shoes etc. 2. We will always promise them  100% best quality for our product . 3. We will follow Fendi ,DIESEL ,Armani , Burberry ,Moschino designs to make our shoes . 4. We will use clear shoe box, ,paper shoe boxes in packaging our shoes . 5. We will make it eco -friendly. paper shoe boxes plastic shoe box clear shoe box – Price : We will always try to give customers good quality shoes at a reasonable price .For this we need to take some sort of incentives , they are – 1. We will give price tag on each of our shoes. 2. We will give 5% discount on our shoes at the starting of our business in order to get consumer attention on our shoes. Place : 1. We will open our branches in home and abroad. 2. We will try to open our branches in U.S.A , Canada , South-Africa .So we will obviously try to make an influence on consumers to buy our product. 3. We will always try to sell the shoes that were produced first. 4. As shoes will be produced in Bangladesh we need to transport them across national boarder and in home .We prefer to transport shoes to abroad by air and in home by our private transport . Promotion : 1. We will advertise our shoes on newspaper, magazines , and on t.v. 2. We will open our own branch in home and abroad . 3. We will show the positive sides of our products such as its durability, comfort ability , up to date with latest designs and customer choices . ACTION PROGRAMES A Marketing Action Plan is a way of putting in place a structured series of activities to get a predictable result. Here are the basic steps: 1. Define the service we want to offer. 2. Define our Target Market for the service. 3. Define additional outcomes 4. Plan the resources required 5. Plan of costing Financial Plan Our financial plan is based on receiving several loans to purchase/fabricate the production equipment, provide initial operating capital, and establish the customer value. We will achieve profitability early in the first year and due to the expected high growth rate, we will realize strong profits on sales by net year. APOGEE shoes are made with recycled soccer ball and produced in fair-trade factories. We also sell only to independent retailers worldwide in order to cycle money back into local economics. Our hope is that people with similar philosophies will be inspired by our experiment in grassroots capitalism and start their own business ventures. This company pretty much focuses on one thing: recycled material. In making shoes, we use 80% recycled material and other things. Our principles underlie on low cost, but effective marketing strategies. Budgeting Apogee develop and make use a effective budget plan that will make sure to achieve expected profit rate. The following is an estimate of the sources of our principal costs: Capital costs †¢ Land fees †¢ cost of special equipment and †¢ Cost of set-out containers. Operating Costs †¢ Labor; †¢ Supplies; †¢ Administrative and Overhead; †¢ Truck Maintenance; †¢ Fuel, Maintenance; †¢ licenses, insurance, registration fees; Cost of Production WE will establish a minimum cost estimate for producing hoe. As we use the useless soccer ball for producing hoe the cost will not be high than using the material. Recycling less energy and generate less pollution than using less material. So here we have low energy cost. Promotion cost Our budget include marketing cost. Because e need to advertise.issue pre release, and make calls to potential customer. We will determine the cost of each marketing element. Labor cost In Bangladesh, the labor cost is not high. Here at first e hire some labors who are expert in this work. We analysis that this cost will not exceed our budget. We will make sure that we can get maximum output from labor. Distribution cost Apogee first launch some testing product and when it reached at higher growth rate then it ill export it product to other country. Controlling Apogee practice a constant marketing control process. First it set specific marketing goal. Then we will measure it performance in the marketplace and then evaluate the cause of any difference between expected and actual performance. Finally it takes corrective action to close the gap between it goal and it performance. This may require changing the action program or even changing the goal. (RESOURCES) Recycling Benefits – A Recycling Revolution www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-benefits.htm Threats on scrap sources accessibility: the loss of access and a new †¦ www.institut.veolia.org/†¦recycling†¦/recycling†¦/recycling-threats.as†¦ Photos – National Geographic Kids kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/photos/

French Fishtail Braid

Demonstration speech I. Introduction A. Greeting and hook: Most of you probably already know how to do a simple braid and maybe some of you can do a French Braid, but do you know how to french fishtail braid? B. Thesis: Today I will show you how to do a French fishtail braid. C. Credibility statement: I personally love to do this braid because it’s intricate looking but easy to do. I have done it many times and really enjoy doing it. D. Main points: First I will talk about preparing the hair, then I will discuss the process of French fishtail braiding.I’ll give some helpful tips and finally I will show you a finished braid. II. Body (Transition statement: To prepare for this hair design, you are going to need some supplies) A. Getting the supplies, brushing hair and damp vs. dry hair 1. What you will need. a. A brush to detangle. b. One pony tail holder. c. A mirror. d. Some bobby pins to pin away stray hairs. e. Hair spray 2. To begin preparing whoever’s hair yo u’re braiding, start by brushing or combing the hair. 3. It doesn’t matter if the hair is dry or wet. But it is easier to braid wet hair because it doesn’t have so many flying pieces. Transition statement: Once the hair is prepared, let’s move on to the process of braiding. ) B. How to begin the braiding. 1. Gather a small handful of hair from the back center of the head, as though starting a classic French braid. 2. Separate the hair into two sections. 3. Take a skinny strand of hair from the right side of the face, pull it back and cross it over to join the left hair section 4. Take a skinny strand of hair from the left side of the face, pull it back and cross it over to join the right hair section. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all hair is incorporated into the two sections.You may now pull the rest of your hair into a ponytail or continue braiding the â€Å"tail† part of the braid. 6. Take a skinny strand of hair from the right section, cross i t over to the left section and pull tight. 7. Take a skinny strand of hair from the left section, cross it over to the right section and pull tight. 8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until all hair is braided. Secure the end with a hair tie. C. Tips and tricks 1. You can put the hair band on your wrist before you start, that way all you have to do is slide it off your wrist and it’s right there when you need it. . A spritz of hair spray as you go helps keep the braid neat while you keep working. 3. For a messier look, tease your hair before braiding. 4. Doing the fishtail braid while your hair is wet will give it a firmer grip, creating a more precise braid. 5. Try a fishtail braid bun if your hair is long. Start the braid and then wrap it in a bun. 6. For a Katniss Everdeen look from Hunger Games, start French fishtail halfway up one side of your head and wrap it down the other side. 7. For thicker hair, consider using thicker strands for better control. III. Conclusion Transition sta tement: Now you can see that creating a French Fishtail Braid is a simple variation of the regular French Braid. A. Main points: Don’t forget, when you are creating your own Fishtail French Braid, remember these tips; 1. Get your supplies all out and ready before you begin. 2. Practice using two instead of three strands of hair to accomplish the braid. 3. Wet hair is a great tip to keep the braid neater and finish it all off with hair spray. B. Closer: and as we come to an end I hope that I was helpful and that you all have a good understanding of how to do a french fishtail braid.

Interest Rate Risk

INTEREST RATE RISKQ1. Which of the following correctly defines Basis Risk? (MCQ)A company having a variable interest rate for a specific loanA company having a fixed interest rate for all loansThe risk of the difference of interest rate amount set on assets & liabilitiesA company has a similar quantity of assets & liabilities, having a different basis for their floating rate(2 marks) This information relates to Q2 & Q3.Rotec Co wants to borrow $30,800 in two months' time ; is seeking to save them from any interest risk. The bank has explained an agreement to provide hedging for Rotec Co. This agreement can lock interest rates for future. The borrowing will be for three months. The forward rate agreement is as follows: 2 months V 3 months 3% – 4.5%2 months V 5 months 4.2% – 5.1% Q2. Calculate the interest amount to be paid if the actual rate will be 3% in two months' time? (MCQ)$161.7$231$392.7$924(2 marks) Q3. Calculate the refund amount by the bank if the actual rate will be 6.3% in two months' time? (MCQ) $46.2$92.4$138.6$161.7(2 marks) Q4. A company is looking at the following options to hedge itself from interest risks. Which of the following will support the cause? (MRQ) SmoothingMoney market agreementsMatchingDealing with home currency(2 marks) Q5. A yield curve is a relationship between yield ; maturity dates of similar bonds. Select the appropriate yield curve. (P;D)Short-term bonds have lower yield due to their risk Long-term yields have lower yield due to the downfall in the economy Short/Long – term bonds provide a close equal yield FLAT YIELD CURVE NORMAL YIELD CURVE INVERTED YIELD CURVE(2 marks) Q6. Select the appropriate theories in relation to different interest rates on different securities. (P;D)Investors needing high returns for long-term security contracts The assumption by an investor that higher interest rates are due to future inflation Security markets are separate from each other ; have distinct customers GOVERNMENT POLICY MARKET SEGMENTATION THEORY LIQUIDITY PREFERENCE THEORY EXPECTATION THEORY(2 marks) Q7. Select the appropriate option relating to the usefulness of the yield curve. (HA)Yield curve may indicate the economy position TRUE FALSEYield curve may be helpful in decision making with respect to loan ; but not interest TRUE FALSE(2 marks) Q8. Which of the following contract have long-term validity? (MCQ)Currency FuturesInterest rate OptionsInterest rate Swaps Forward rate agreements(2 marks) Q9. Select the appropriate option in relation to interest rate futures. (HA)If the need for Borrowing, Selling the futures now ; Buying them back at the close date TRUE FALSEIf the need for Deposit, Selling the futures now ; Buying them back at the close date TRUE FALSE(2 marks) Q10. Which of the following statements is correct? (MCQ)Currency futures have a range of closeout datesInterest rate options are cheaper than Forwarding rate agreementsForward rate agreements lapse if unused in the given time periodSwaps are unable to be exercised if the amount ; time periods are different(2 marks) Q11. Yakut wants to borrow money from the bank in three months' time by using a collar transaction. Which of the following statements are true in relation to the collar transaction? (MRQ) Yakut will buy a cap agreementBank will buy a cap agreementYakut will sell a flooring agreementBank will sell a flooring agreement(2 marks) Q12. Uma Co wants to deposit money into Hale Ltd, a banking institution. Hale has offered a collar transaction. Which of the following statements are correct? (MRQ) Bank will sell a cap agreementUma Co will sell a cap agreementUma Co will sell a flooring agreementBank will buy a flooring agreement(2 marks)INTEREST RATE RISK (ANSWERS)Q1. DA company having a variable interest rate for a specific loan (Floating interest rate risk)A company having a fixed interest rate for all loans (Fixed interest rate risk)The risk of the difference of interest rate amount set on assets & liabilities (Gap risk)A company has a similar quantity of assets & liabilities, having a different basis for their floating rate (Basis risk) Q2. CInterest Payment = [30,800 Ãâ€" (3% Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $231Payment Extra = [30,800 Ãâ€" ({5.1 – 3} % Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $161.7Total cost = 231 + 161.7 = $392.7 Q3. BInterest Payment = [30,800 Ãâ€" (6.3% Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $485.1Refund = [30,800 Ãâ€" ({6.3 – 5.1} % Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $92.4Total cost = 485.1 – 92.4 = $392.7 Q4.Smoothing, Maintaining a balance between fixed & floating borrowing rates (Correct)Money market agreements not exist (Incorrect)Matching, Matching assets & liabilities with same interest rates (Correct)Dealing in home currency, the technique of dealing foreign currency risk (Incorrect) Q5.Short-term bonds have lower yield due to their riskNORMAL YIELD CURVE   Long-term yields have lower yield due to the downfall in the economy INVERTED YIELD CURVE Short/Long – term bonds provide a close equal yield FLAT YIELD CURVENORMAL YIELD = Sign of economic boom INVERTED YIELD = Sign of economic recessionFLAT YIELD = Sign of transition from boom to recession or vice versa Q6.Investors needing high returns for long-term security contracts LIQUIDITY PREFERENCE THEORY The assumption by an investor that higher interest rates are due to future inflation     EXPECTATION THEORY Security markets are separate from each other & have distinct customers   MARKET SEGMENTATION THEORY The government policy of keeping interest rates high may effect in keeping short-term interest rates higher than long-term rates. Similarly, a government may also keep very low short-term interest rates. Q7.Yield curve may indicate the economy position TRUE Yield curve may be helpful in decision making with respect to loan & but not interest FALSEYield curves help in both loan & interest decision making. Q8. CAll other agreements are less than a year. Q9. If the need for Borrowing, Selling the futures now & Buying them back at the close date TRUE If the need for Deposit, Selling the futures now & Buying them back at the close date FALSEIf the need for Deposit, Buying the futures now & Sell them back at the close date Q10.Currency futures have a range of closeout dates, has specified date (False)Interest rate options are cheaper than Forwarding rate agreements, are expensive (False)Forward rate agreements lapses if unused in the given time period, have to close out at the given time (False)Swaps are unable to be exercised if the amount & time periods are different, it can only be exercised if timing & the amount are same hence (True) Q11. Yakut will buy a cap agreementYakut will sell a flooring agreementCap is an interest rate ceiling limiting the interest rate. Floor sets a lower limit of interest rates. Q12.Bank will sell a cap agreementBank will buy a flooring agreementCap is an interest rate ceiling limiting the interest rate. Floor sets a lower limit of interest rates.

McDonald's Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

McDonald's Organizational Change - Essay Example tariffs, export fees and even import quotas. There has been a reduced restriction on the movements of capital from one country to another together with investment. These changes has increased comparative advantages of various companies that are currently rushing to open up various branches in the world as it has become easy to manage them due to increased information flow and improved technology. One of the companies that have recorded tremendous changes over the past decade is MacDonald’s company. The company deals with fast foods a sector that faces a lot of competition as result of mushrooming of food vendors both small and huge companies. As a result there was a need to change the old management system in order to install new skills that have adequate knowledge concerning the current global market. There have been an increase in the number of multinational companies that deal with fast food e.g. KFC. This has necessitated a reshuffle in the top management in order to be ab le to diversify and increase skills required in retaining the company competitiveness. The company has looked for leaders who have the latest skills and experience concerning the latest market trends (Roch & Boivin, 2010). Initially, the company agitated for individual work so that one can have an individual performance appraisal. This was meant to ensure that the employees work harder for their work to be recognized during awarding of the most hardworking person. Due to the latest organizational changes, the management has instead preferred to change this working strategy to instill teamwork. This has worked in helping the organization deal with different challenges that may face the organization. This is because team members are able to come together and bring about different ideas that can solve the current challenge. Team groups in an organization have also made it easy for the management to manage the organization easily. This is because the management is able to appoint team l eaders who report to them. The major implication of this move is that it has enabled the company to diversify its operations as the management has the opportunity to monitor the performance of other branches that are spread in different parts of the world (Huber & Glick, 1995). Macdonald has seen a tremendous change in organization culture. A culture of an organization plays a great role in setting the performance of the organization in the market. One of the major changes has been on power distance. This is the extent to which less powerful employees of the organization are treated unequally by their leaders. Initially leaders in the organization kept a distance and never related with other employees. Instead they used an intermediary or when they meet they addressed the whole group as they had no time for a single person enquiry. This created a rift between the employees and leaders an aspect that reduced the morale of the workers in the organization. This also put a barrier to em ployees who wanted to report any issue that may have been affecting the organization performance or the relation of the employees with each other. The change that has been implementation is open office policy. This is a policy which encourages any members of staff to meet the management and leadership of the company in case there is an issue or enquiry that the management can solve. This change has been received with a lot of positive attitude from

The difference in vegetation density in burnt and unburnt Assignment

The difference in vegetation density in burnt and unburnt - Assignment Example In this case, the mean ranks were compared but not the medians. The above table indicate the group with the highest density of plantation, overall; the group with the highest rank. In this regard, the un-burnt area is observed to have the highest density of plantation Basing on the data above, it can be concluded that plantation density in the un-burnt area was not statistically significantly higher than the burnt area(U=2,p=0.4).This implies that further studies need to be done to determine the repeatability of the results in order to confirm if the results are valid. According to literature it is clearly evident that frequent fires might have an impact on the young plants including higher size class (Trollope et al., 1998). The frequency of fire usually determines the length of time the plant is required to recover before the next fire occurs. The slower the rate of recovery, the more likely it is that the composition and structure of the vegetation will be changed, specifically where fires occurs often. Trollope W.S.W., Trollope L.A., Biggs H.C., Piennar D. and Potgieter A.L.F Longterm changes in the woody vegetation of the Kruger National Park, with special reference to the effects of elephants and fire, Koedoe, 41, pp103112.

Business ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business ethics - Research Paper Example The module takes ideas from all range of disciplines which include some of the greatest time while thinking how and understand, analyze all the ethical dilemmas in management. Business ethics Practical problems of the moral conduct in the business field, it emphasizes on the philosophy of the foundation of ethical conduct and other practical problems encountered daily. Much of the practical problems centers on the actual problem. Ethics is the study of what is admirable and right for human, business ethics refers to the aspect of human value. Business people speak about business ethics means, avoid breaking the law, in the relate work place, avoiding which may result in civil law against the company and avoid action which portray an unfavorable image about the company. All business are concerned with the three basic things, if not taken keenly the business can result to large loss and company reputation. A business theory addresses various sectors by assigning corporate attorneys and public relation to escort the employees on t heir dairy activities. Anytime an employee might stay a narrow and straight path for an acceptable conduct. Obviously, the solution would be a financial disaster is carried out in practice since it cost the company more. However, it is not the philosophers can teach the ethical issues, even if they can teach the advice will not be financially efficient. Morally responsible, pay attention to the product safety, truthful advertising and environmental impacts with excellent working conditions, we can never solve the tension between the ethical interests. Business people argue that the symbolic relation between business and ethics in which ethics naturally emerge from a profit oriented business. They are both strong and weak version of this approach; it expressed in dictum moral ethics result to a good business. It may be the best financial interest in respect of the company privacy policy. Moral business, practice usually has an economic ad vantage in the long run. It provides little incentive for business which is designed to simply as a matter of survival. More business practices are not economically viable even in the long run. Second approach to business ethic is the moral obligation in business which is restricted to what the law requires. Universal aspects of western morality have been put into a legal system such as, law against stealing, killing, fraud, harassment, validity and society wavers about its acceptance. Issue under consideration such as determining the counts is responsible in marketing in privacy in the work place. Moral requirements in the society become evident when considering societies that have strong external source morality, broad range of the requirements prohibits against sleeping partners that collect unearned money. Business ethics have limitation ethic is complex and history is filled with different theories, which systematically refuted by rival theories. We expect to find controversies when applying ethics in practices of the business. However, they bring closer to an acceptable moral behavior, close attention to ones profit motive and moral interest of consumers, in addition, the above business ethics help to examine stories of business that have a moral responsibility. Such often reveal blatantly crude,

Show how new product would be introduced into the market today Essay

Show how new product would be introduced into the market today - Essay Example Motives is a cosmetic company that controls a huge proportion of lipstick and mascara production in the American market. In this case, the product life cycle of the La La Mineral lipstick will be used as an illustration. Motivescosmetic has to highlight its key objectives and targets in the cosmetic industry. The new product has to be in line with the already established corporate strategies. This will require the company to come up with a precise and an all round mission statement. Since there is so much uncertainty in the market, this step will act like a guide to plunge into the market and face the future courageously. It is good to find out the potential customers. In this case, the lipstick that makes mouth fuller is will soot the female customers and those in the beauty industry. The company has to identify the expected perceptions in terms of value, quality and efficiency so that they can respond to inquiries. This kind of understanding prepares Motivescosmetic to position the lipstick product in the already congested market. In another perspective, the company has to make an analysis about its target market by grouping them into industries and geographical location among others. Having a great product does not guarantee success. Motivescosmetic has to conduct a keen analysis about the potential competitors and how they operate. This will include understanding how they carry out their positioning, handle their distribution channels and come up with pricing strategies. In addition, the company has to take a keen look at how customers respond to the competitors’ style of marketing. Positioning entails the ability to understand the uniqueness in the product and how it will stand out from the already existing products. It requires going beyond the normal anticipations and critically analyzing the perceptions likely

The Terms and Conditions In a Contract of Employment Essay

The Terms and Conditions In a Contract of Employment - Essay Example employment will contain essential information; the details of employer/employees, date of commencement of the contract, place of work, role and duties of the employees, rate and mode of payment, sick pay arrangement, holiday leaf and pay, pension schemes, and the different policies governing the employment deal (Legal Service Commission of South Australia, 2007; Direct Advice, 2011). An employment contract will be defined by the terms and condition of the contract. There is some difference between terms and conditions as referred to here. The terms of an employment contract define all that an employer and an employee will expect from each other (Directgov, 2012b). The employer and the employee(s) have to agree on these terms of contract (Direct Advice, 2011) and the changes have to be made through an agreement by both the parties. On the other hand, conditions of contract are solely issued by the employer without consulting the employees, and they have to be followed by the employee in the contract period (Direct Advice, 2011). The contract terms refer to individuals’ mutual entitlements whereas the conditions often points at the employers’ requirements of the employees. Thus, they are both necessary to define a contract. The conditions of a contract can be changed by the employer after a timely notice to the employees and all the other parties that may be affected by the changes. Failure to issue a prior notice is a breach of contract. It is necessary that both the employees and the employers understand all that is contained in the contract of employment and their implications. The employee and the employer should be aware of the legally binding aspects of the signed contract, which forms the terms of the contract. In the event that either the employee or the... An employment contract will be defined by the terms and condition of the contract. There is some difference between terms and conditions as referred to here. The terms of an employment contract define all that an employer and an employee will expect from each other (Directgov, 2012b). The employer and the employee(s) have to agree on these terms of contract (Direct Advice, 2011) and the changes have to be made through an agreement by both the parties. On the other hand, conditions of contract are solely issued by the employer without consulting the employees, and they have to be followed by the employee in the contract period (Direct Advice, 2011). The contract terms refer to individuals’ mutual entitlements whereas the conditions often points at the employers’ requirements of the employees. Thus, they are both necessary to define a contract. The conditions of a contract can be changed by the employer after a timely notice to the employees and all the other parties that may be affected by the changes. Failure to issue a prior notice is a breach of contract. It is necessary that both the employees and the employers understand all that is contained in the contract of employment and their implications. The employee and the employer should be aware of the legally binding aspects of the signed contract, which forms the terms of the contract. In the event that either the employee or the employer breaks some term of the contract, the other party has the legal right of suing him/her for breach of contract (Directgov, 2012b)

Discuss why space exploration is not a waste of money Essay

Discuss why space exploration is not a waste of money - Essay Example As the world continues to struggle with the economic recession, the question on whether expenses on space exploration mission can be justified continues to be debated. This paper discusses" why space exploration is not a waste of money" There are hundreds of missions, which has been launched with a view to explore the extra-terrestrial bodies from the Mars to the moon and to other periphery of the solar system. From each of these bodies, mankind has been able to learn something about the universe, what constitutes it and what lies beyond the planet earth. Hereunder are prime factors underlying the justifying the important need for heavy spending on space exploration? Through space exploration of planets including Venus, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and others mass, man has gathered important information that has been used by scientists to unravel the question of why there only emerged life on earth. Scientists have also unravelled the mystery of solar system formation. With the recent space exploration on Planet mass, imaginative ideas of living on Mars have been put to rest, while at the same time confirming the existence of water on the mass. According to Kranz (2011) the knowledge of the nature of planets alongside their gravitational dynamics, and the structure of the solar system is a template that can help scientists to identify extra solar planets that revolve around stars that may harbour life. The underlying motive behind exploring the planets including Moon and Mars is that they can be future potential habitable places. It is, therefore, important to develop technologies that can make it possible for mankind to settle in these hostile worlds. This requires resources are dedication towards technologies that enable mankind to understand the material resources, composition, surface conditions and atmosphere of these worlds. Space exploration is one of the greatest challenge to mankind. The

BLIP Echo Planar Imaging Method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BLIP Echo Planar Imaging Method - Essay Example Sampling of k-space is different in EPI that enables high quality of images acquired. EPI uses quickly switching gradients to produce its echo train as against use of RF pulses in FSE. EPI frequency encoding gradient oscillates from positive to negative to create odd and even echoes. Each read gradient echo corresponds to one k-space with the positive and negative gradients changing the direction of the line that is read. The changing of direction of the line read results in a phase ‘blip’ causing a shift in Ky and this method of phase encoding is referred to as blip EPI. Characteristics of EPI: EPI has three distinct characteristics in terms of speed, the variety of contrast and the flexibility in terms of available resolution for imaging small structures like the pituitary gland. EPI offers higher speeds (6 to 10 times) of imaging of short temporal events under motion. It provides with high image quality by collecting more averages with increased slice frequency per TR . The signal to noise ratio of the images is high and the resolution is also high. Its usefulness depends on the MR system used and the efficiency is determined by the ability to perform 1282 or 2562 in a very short time to avoid large off resonance artifacts. It means that high quality images of moving patients can be obtained by using the speed of EPI. A variety of tissue contrasts (T1, T2 and T2*) are allowed by EPI for image acquisition and small structures are imaged using the flexibility in resolution where the field view can be reduced, the echo train length can be increased or geometric distortions can be reduced to increase the resolution. Also, just half of the data of the image can be gathered that can be further synthesized through conjugation to obtain the remaining data. Flexibility in contrast can be used to produce an image similar in standards to that of an SE image with the same TE and TR by using an excitation pulse in the front part followed by a 1800 pulse (T2* dephasing) to create the first echo. EPI compared to conventional fast imaging methods: EPI uses the Blip EP method of phase encoding where each phase blip between echoes causes a shift in k-space line. Each k-space line is contributed by the gradient refocused echo and is either read positively or negatively through the gradient change. The quickly switching gradients that produce the echo train are responsible for the odd and even echoes. When the lines are read, the reversed read lines are reordered before constructing the image. Also, the rf pulse is not used to create multiple echoes as in conventional FSE. Figure 1: (a) Pulse diagram of FSE, 4 echoes and (b) pulse diagram of EPI. Source: (McMahan, 2012). Benefits in EPI: Acquiring single snap shot images is much faster (20-100 ms) using EPI when compared to conventional FSE as gradient echoes take less time as all the encoding steps are obtained after one single excitation pulse is applied. This is in contrast to the train of rf pulses applied that increases TR. Also, EPI allows flexibility in contrast that enables even small structures to be imaged very fast. Further, slice coverage is increased with EPI when compared to FSE. EPI has fewer rf pulses that result in low specific absorption rate (SAR). As SAR is low, TR is also low, resulting in more slices to be covered in the same TR as in FSE. Sensitivity to resonance effects: A disadvantage in EPI is that it is sensitive to off resonance effects of the echo gradients

Creating Shared Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Creating Shared Value - Essay Example The concept of shared values focuses on the societal needs and not only the conventional economic needs, but the societal needs harms and weaknesses that create the costs for the firm through the energy wasted, accidents, and raw materials. Therefore, shared value does not emphasize on personal values or sharing the values that are developed by the firm or a redistribution approach, though it is an expansion of the entire field of economic and social value. On the other hand, roots of the shared values requires that the competitiveness of a company to and the community health to be closely interrelated. Therefore, there is a need for a successful community, which does not entail the creation of demand, but provision of critical public assets. The article explains that share value can be created through establishment of economic and societal value. In fact, the process of creating share value involves three distinct ways. These efforts involve preconceiving products and markets, redefinition of efficiency in the value chain and establishing accommodating industry at the location of companies. In fact, the concept of shared value applies in resetting the boundaries of capitalism, through a connection of companies’ effort to improve the society, and developing the ways for serving their needs and markets. The article covers the roles of the entrepreneurs since their venture are not considered the only way of seeking a profitable remedy to problems in the society. Therefore, entrepreneurs have the responsibility of introducing new products that are meeting the societal needs through business models. However, there are implications of creating shared values to the government since its principles are focusing on separation that exists between the business responsibilities and government or civil society. An organization that understands the significance of productivity and creation of value can have substantial implication to the government. In

Hound of the Baskerville Essay Example for Free

Hound of the Baskerville Essay In this gothic novel, logic and supernatural collide a lot of times over the course of the story. Logic is something that can be explained using facts and also by finding the cause and effects to prove something. Mean while on the other hand Supernatural is something beyond human powers. In the Hound of the Baskervilles logic is used when Sherlock Holmes it trying to explain something. The longer one stays here the more does the spirit sink into ones soul, its vastness and also its grim charm. The moor is isolated and is seen as gothic because of its location. It is set in a deserted place which at night looks as If with no sign of life, but during the day it is not. The deserted houses also help to create tension as well as the idea of a hound loose on the moors. Baskerville Hall is a big mansion located in an isolated area surrounded with land and individual passages. This helps to create suspense because the characters as well as the audience are taken into a dark, mysterious and unknown place. The story of the novel is that there is a convict on the loose, who is controlling a vicious hound. Sir Charles Baskerville is the first victim of the hound. He dies a suspicion death. So Doctor Barrymoore calls Sherlock Holmes, a police detective, who uses only logic to explain things. The Hound is found and killed and Stapleton is found and arrested. Dr Mortimer has to use logic in his works, but believes in the hound. Sherlock Holmes Uses logic to explain things. Sherlock Holmes often comes with conclusions through past experiences. Throughout the novel supernatural and logic collide. This is because at the time the novel was written society believed in the idea of supernatural and because there is a black hound in the novel people view it as being viscous because if something is black then it is perceived as evil, dangerous and harmful. Although dogs have a good and faithful relationship with humans, the idea of a black hound would be perceived as evil and viscous. Sherlock Holmes always dismisses the supernatural and keeps looking for scientific facts until he can explain what has happened. For example: Sherlock Holmes uses facts and logic to explain the death of Sir Charles Baskervilles until at the end of the novel when the hound is killed that Sherlock Holmes explains the supernatural. Dr Watson, who is quite logical, is more convinced of a supernatural element. Holmes is more convinced of the logical element. Literary traditions of this novel are of the same as other gothic novels. Novels like Emily Bronthe, Wuthering Heights and Du Maurier Jamaican Inn are also gothic. They have similar settings as to The Hound of the Baskervilles. They all have moors, which are isolated and located in a place with no sign of life with land surrounding. All have wild threats posed to the moors. Sherlock Holmes conducts everything through logic. For example: when a cane is left by a visitor, Holmes uses logic to come up with what the most likely thing the cane would be associated with. Sir Arthur Connan-Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles in the way he did because in the Victorian Era people used to believe in the idea of supernatural. Sir Arthur Connan-Doyle wanted to show the audience that the idea of supernatural could b e explained using logic and facts. He also wrote it the way in which he did because every month chapters of the novel were published in The Strand magazine. So therefore that built up suspense for the, who would then go out and buy the next edition. Watson believes more in the supernatural element because Sir Arthur Connan-Doyle wanted to have a character, who at first tries to explain through logic, but later starts to believe in the supernatural as well as what the Baskervilles say to him. For example: when Sherlock Holmes is in the caves to induct his own investigation that there is no hound and that Stapleton is the villain, while giving Watson no indication what he is doing. Stapleton is the son of Roger Baskerville. He is an ex-convict having previously done four large bank robberies. He is the husband of Mrs. Stapleton (real name Mrs. Lyons). Both the themes of logic and supernatural are important as the story is mainly based on the idea of supernatural, which later would be explained by logic and facts. The novel is not relevant to todays readers as many do not believe in the idea of supernatural as there is no proof of supernatural existing. Whereas if something is explained by logic there is evidence to back it up.

Principles of Construction Management

Principles of Construction Management Contents (Jump to) 1. Gulick’ 7 Functions 2. Fayol 3. Management Theories 4. Challenges Managing People in Construction 5. Conclusion 6. Bibliography Word Count 2070 1. Gulick’ 7 Functions In 1937, social scientists Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick (Papers on the Science of Administration) describe seven â€Å"major activities and duties of any higher authority or organisation†. Since then, the acronym POSDCORB has been used to describe the 7 functions of managers: This essentially refers to the various steps or stages involved in a typical administrative process. POSDCORB stands for: Planning: This essentially refers to establishing a broad outline of the work to be completed and the procedures required to implement them. Organising: Organising involves establishing a structure of authority, formally classifying, defining and synchronising the various sub-processes or subdivisions of the work to be done. Staffing: This involves recruiting and selecting the right candidates for the job and facilitating their orientation and training whilst maintaining quality in their work and their environment. Directing: This comprises of continual decision making and delegating structured instructions and orders to execute them. Coordinating: This basically refers to arranging and piecing together the various components of the work. Reporting: Reporting involves regularly updating knowledge about the progress or the work related activities. The information dissemination can be through records or inspection. Budgeting: Budgeting involves all the activities that fall under Auditing, Accounting, and Control. POSDCORB generally fits into the Classical Management movement, being classified as an element of scientific management. Gulick’s POSDCORB principles were instrumental in highlighting the theory of span of control, or limits on the number of people one manager could supervise, as well as unity of command to the fields of management and public administration. For Luther Gulick, the central problem of administration was determining how to achieve the coordination and control necessary to accomplish organisational objectives. His solution was to establish a strong chief executive to counter the divisive aspects of increasing specialisation and division of labour. 2. Fayol Gulick and Urwick built their ideas on the earlier 14 Principles of Management by Henri Fayol in his book General and Industrial Management (1918). Fayol defined theory as â€Å"a collection of principles, rules, methods, and procedures tried and checked by general experience† (Fayol 1918) Fayols 14 Principles Division of Work Authority and Responsibility Discipline Unity of Command Unity of Direction Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest Remuneration of Personnel Centralisation Scalar Chain (line of authority with peer level communication) Order Equity Stability of Tenure of Personnel Initiative Esprit de Corps Fayol’s influence on Gulick is evident in the 5 elements of management discussed in his book. Fayol clearly believed personal effort and team dynamics were part of an â€Å"ideal† organisation. Planning – examining the future and drawing up plan which areas of action Organising – building up the structure (labour and material) of the undertaking Command- maintaining activity among the personnel Co-ordination – unifying and harmonising activities and efforts. Control – seeing everything that occurs conforms with policies and practices. Fayol’s five principle roles (Plan, Organise, Command, Co-ordinate, and Control) of management are still actively practiced today. The idea of giving authority with responsibility is also widely commented on and is well practiced, though his principles of â€Å"unity of command† and â€Å"unity of direction† are not adhered to in the structure of choice in many of today’s companies. 3.0 Management Theories There are several important management theories which basically classified are as follows: The Scientific Management School such as the works of Frederick W. Taylor and Lillian Gilbreth’s motion study, The Classical Organisational Theory School such as the works of Henri Fayol’s views on administration, and Max Weber’s idealised bureaucracy, The Behavioural School with the work of Elton Mayo and his associates. Management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims (Koontz and Weihrich 1990, p. 4). Theories provide an understanding of what we encounter. A theory provides criteria for what is relevant. Theories enable us to communicate effectively and develop more and more complex relationships with other people. Theories make it possible to keep learning about our professions with continuous development. Management Theories Since the late 1800’s management theories and scientific approaches have been produced by a number of people such as Henri Fayol, Fredrick Taylor, Elton Mayo, Henry Gantt and Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. These people introduced the classical and scientific approaches and over the years developed these principles through their working careers. These styles have changed, merged and stayed the same depending of the person implementing their ideas and the type of company they work for. The traditional classical approach started around the beginning of the 19th century and mainly focused on efficiency together with bureaucratic, scientific and administrative styles of management. The bureaucratic style of management tends to rely heavily on a structure of guidelines such as rules and procedures. While the scientific approach to management mainly focuses on â€Å"the best way to do a job† and the administrative style really emphasises the flow of information in the operation of the organisation. Later towards the end of the 20th century the empowerment style was developed and as a result helped give the employee a sense of responsibility. This was done by offloading some of managements work onto the shop floor and turn gave the employee a sense achievement and direction at work. Modern Theories of Management, Human Relations Douglas McGregor (1906-1964): Who is best known for his formulation of two sets of assumptions- Theory X and Theory Y. McGregor argued that managers should shift their traditional views of man and work (which he termed Theory X) to a new humane views of man and work (which he termed Theory Y). According to McGregor, A theory X attitudes man was lazy and work was bad were both pessimistic and counterproductive. Theory X assumes that people have little ambition, dislike work, want to avoid responsibility, and need to be closely supervised to work effectively. Theory Y, proposed that man wanted to work and work was good. Theory Y offers a positive view, assuming that people can exercise self-discipline, accept responsibility and consider work to be as natural as rest and play. McGregor believed that Theory Y encompassed the true nature of workers and should guide management practice.   Ã‚   Fig 1. Douglas McGregor Theory X and Y. Scientific management – This type of management was introduced by Frederick Taylor and focuses on the worker and machine relationship and as a result of this approach helps increase productivity by increasing the efficiency of the production processes and as a result of his research, Ford Motor Co. embraced this style of management. This type is also designed so that each member of staff has a specified, well controlled task that can be performed as instructed. Time and motion – Frank and Lillian Gilbreth developed this method by focusing on identifying the individual motions of a task. These motions were combined to form both the methods of each operation and the time it took to carry out each task. They believed it was possible to design and time the method of each task in advance, rather than relying upon observation of trial and error. Administrative Management – Henry Gantt developed the Gantt chart, which is used for scheduling overlapping tasks over a period of time. Gantt charts have since become a common technique for representing the phases and activities of a working project and break down the structure so they can be understood by all. Gantt’s management approach focused on motivational schemes and as such emphasised heavily on rewarding staff for good work as opposed to disciplining them over poor work. He also looked at the quality of management skills in building effective industrial organisations. Motivation – Abraham Maslow developed the human relations and behaviour theory in the 1950/60s by distinguishing between what motivates people to do certain activities. His theory suggested that people had to satisfy one level of need before moving onto the next and this in turn resulted in what ultimately motivates people / staff. This is shown in the pyramid illustration as shown below. Fig 2 . Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Empowerment – This style of management is a modern theory and was developed in the early 90’s and basically gives the employee a sense of power at work. This is carried out by the employee being authorised by their superior to carry out certain duties without the need to seek approval from above. This type gives the employee a sense of responsibility and achievement while helping to reduce the workload of their boss and in turn cuts down the amount of work the manager has to do as they have delegated certain responsibilities. 4. Challenges Managing People in Construction As highlighted in numerous government and academic reports (Latham, 1994; Egan, 1998, Fairclough, 2002), the construction industry is a sector of the economy which faces many challenges, especially in terms of performance. There are many challenges facing a construction manager. Many challenges are a result of construction operations, while others are a result of indirect activities. A number of challenges are not construction related issues but must be addressed and managed by the construction manager. These issues include workforce/labour considerations, safety, time, and the changing nature of construction work. The construction industry in general is a labour intensive industry and the role of construction manager is to manage people in a strategic and tactical way. One way of managing people would be a classical theory on human behaviour / relations such as Elton Mayo’s on motivation, as a group working dynamics will always have an impact on the projects performance. The term group working dynamics refers to the attitudes, energy and interaction of its group’s members and leaders. The groups working dynamics will always be dependent on the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the project depending on the coordinated efforts of staff working together as a team. Human resource is the most valuable asset in construction industry. Human resource practices are generally concerned with gaining value through increased skills, productivity, contribution, and cost consciousness and productivity are the important factors affecting the overall success of any construction project. Human resource management is the process of finding out what people want from their work, what an organization wants from its employees, and then matching these two sets of needs. Construction projects depend on the knowledge and skills of planning and executing the work. The quality of this most important resource: people, which is what differentiates one team or company from another. Having talented management on board to guide and direct a project is paramount. Having the right balance of skilled and unskilled workers to perform the work is a basic necessity. Finding and recruiting sufficient numbers of skilled, talented people is becoming increasing difficult. There are many reasons this is a problem. One of which is construction is generally viewed as being one of the least desirable industries in which to work. By nature construction is dangerous, dirty, hard work. Other industries out there offer preferred work environments that are cleaner, safer, and generally more desirable. Consequently, there is a severe shortage of talented people willing to work in construction. In order to maximise long term performance, it is important to provide the training necessary to enlighten your workforce. Leadership must be developed among the workforce to aid in effectively coordinating work activities by providing communication links between management and labour. This provides the opportunity for upward mobility and gives motivated people the chance to advance professionally. Empowerment leads to high levels of commitment, enthusiasm, self-motivation, productivity, and innovation. Benefits of this include feelings of appreciation, belonging, and heightened self-worth. Empowerment enables employees to make decisions for which they are accountable and responsible. Empowerment of workforce is one of the keys to improving construction performance. 5. Conclusion – The management theories that have been discussed, important as they are, have to be translated in practice by construction managers, For practicality, all construction managers must develop three sets of skills, namely; conceptual, technical, and human ( Fleet and Perterson 1994, p. 25). A good construction manager should also be able to see members of the organisation as human beings who have needs and psychological feelings and emotions. The development of management theory involves the development of concepts, principles, and techniques. There are many theories about management, and each one ad to our knowledge of what managers should do. Each one has its own characteristics and advantages as well as limitations. The operational, or management process combines each and systematically integrates them. The styles of management best suited to construction are a blend of all described above whilst trying to motivate staff using both the autocratic and democratic approaches because of the need to be one type of boss with one employee and another with somebody else. This is extremely prevalent when dealing with health and safety where and autocratic authoritative style is a prerequisite to the success of reducing the risk of accidents on site. Therefore a manager who makes definitive attempts to translate theory into practice is more likely to increase productivity than a manager who chooses to use the trial and error method of management. 6. Bibliography Egan, J (1998) Rethinking construction: report of the construction task force on the scope for improving the quality and efficiency of UK construction, DETR, London. Fairclough, J., (2002), Rethinking construction innovation and research: A review of government RD policies and practices, Department of Trade and Industry, London Fayol, H. (1949). General and Industrial Management. (C. Storrs, Trans.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman Sons, LTD. (Original work published 1918) Fryer, B. (2004) The Practice of Construction Management, 4th Ed, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Gulick, L. H. (1936). Notes on the Theory of Organization. L. Gulick L. Urwick (Eds.), Papers on the Science of Administration. Koontz Harold and Weihrich Heinz (1990) Essentials of Management, Fifth Edition, McGraw-Hill. Latham, M., (1994), Constructing the team, HMSO, London Oxley, R. And Poskitt, J. (2007) Management Techniques Applied to the Construction Industry, 5th Ed, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Winch, G.M. (2008). Managing Construction Projects, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Websites Figure 1 taken from Beta Codex Network (2008) The Way People Are [Online] available from http://www.betacodex.org/de/node/508 [Accessed February 2014] Figure 2 taken from Maslows hierarchy of needs [Online] available from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslows_hierarchy_of_needs [Accessed February 2014] S150-943

Water Pollution In Rural Areas Environmental Sciences Essay

Water Pollution In Rural Areas Environmental Sciences Essay Water is a vital commodity and is essential to the natural environment. We not only rely on it for drinking but also for its use in industrial processes, cooking, cleaning and the growing of our food. There are many sources of water pollution the major sources of water pollution being; runoff, agricultural pollution, urban stormwater, organic matter, toxic waste, and thermal pollution (The Environment Agency 2010). These types of pollution tend to be area specific (for example agricultural runoff will on the whole come from rural areas as thats were most farms are situated) although this is not always the case, any type of water pollution could occur in any area rural or urban. Rural and urban areas both have many contrasting sources of pollution, all of which will have varying affects on the surrounding environment and its habitants. Although the environment which makes up Urban and rural areas can be vastly different they can at the same time be affected by the same environmental problems relating to water pollution. One example of this is eutrophication of waterways both rural and urban. Eutrophication is a situation when foreign bodies such as fertilizers of sewage enter a river or stream and act as a nutrient for algae causing rapid growth and algal blooms (May Sivakumar 2009). These algae grow out of control and thus the water becomes depleted in oxygen. The water becomes depleted in oxygen because dead algae sink to the river bed the retrieve the oxygen so it can decompose. This can then lead to further problems if too much algae decomposes it may use all the oxygen. This will mean all the oxygen has gone and because the water near the surface of the water is warmer its oxygen doesnt mix with water from the bottom as its colder and has a higher density .This eutrophication of a water body can occur in both rural and urban areas. In an urban area this problem arises primarily from sewage treatment works, if a works has an increased amount of sewage to treat then there may be some secondary or direct discharge that may enter the water supply thus causing Eutrophication (Neal et al, .2010). A similar problem can occur when leaks of phosphorus from septic tanks discharges into a local river system (Neal et al,.2010) although this isnt tied down to either rural or urban areas .This is also very likely to occur in rural areas where agriculture is more prominent and the uses of fertilizers are increased. Particularly in the following practices of cereal production, maize, potato and dairy production where fertilizers are heavily used or large amount of manure needs to be recycled. (Jarvie et.al 2009) One of the biggest problems which can lead to the pollution of urban waterways is runoff. Runoff is also a major cause for concern in more rural areas and areas of intense agriculture. The problem of runoff in urban areas however is contrasting to rural agricultural runoff. In the sense that runoff in urban areas arises from garden fertilizers, pesticides, anti-icing chemicals, vehicle emissions and pet waste. These pollutants are both organic and inorganic and can also be perversely complex, this leads to little knowledge of how these pollutants will interact once they combine and enter a water body. Due to the little knowledge of these interactions it makes it increasingly difficult for an amount allowable discharged concentration to be devised (Kuhl et.al 2010). These pollutants runoff into any local water system via tarmac or pavement areas and because of the increase in tarmac and concrete roads and driveways it makes this pollution easier to reach the water. This non permeable surface which is found more so in urban areas not only makes it easier for any pollutants to travel into water systems , but it also increases the risk of flooding and the risk of storm water moving sewage into freshwater. In rural areas this isnt such a prevalent problem as most rural areas are permeable. Although because of this it makes the control and identification of runoff in rural areas much more difficult to locate. Runoff in rural areas is usually linked to agricultural runoff. This is categorized as nonpoint-source pollution because the pollutants involved originate over larger areas and the entry of this pollution into waterways cannot be pin pointed precisely (which is not the case for some sources of urban pollution). As this rural agricultural runoff is nonpoint-source it means any treatment of pollutants entering any water system is almost impossible, although agricultural runoff can be supervised in other ways such as farmers minimizing fertilizer use and the correc t disposal of animal waste and fertrilizers. However there is another type of pollution Point source which is where pollution will enter a water system in a specific point (such as a sewage pipe). These point sources of pollution are more often found in urban areas where there may be a sewage treatment plants are normally located. This type of point source pollution makes any control or treatment of pollution much easier as it is located in one area and not spread over larger areas as agricultural runoff sometimes can be. Urban stormwater is a major source of pollution to any water bodies. It arises from when rainwater washes over any impermeable urban area picking up with it toxic chemicals, vehicle emissions, sewage, household waste etc. The problem of urban storm water becomes exacerbated when extremely heavy rainfall occurs and the flushing water can erode stream banks and streambeds. This stormwater will then be moved downstream along with any eroded soil into any waterbodys, this sediment will then sink to the bottom of a water body. This can do damage to aquatic environment and can even destroy fish eggs. Excessive sediment in a water body can damage aquatic life in other ways. It can increase risk of disease, damage fish gills and also because of thick layer of sediment will cause darker conditions it may block enough light to limit growth of aquatic plants which is essential along with oxygen to aquatic life. As well as sediment from eroded soil urban stormwater can also pick up metals from t he urban environment, the main source of which is from vehicle emissions in urban environments. Some examples of the types of metals usually found in urban stormwater are Lead, cadmium, zinc, mercury, iron, nickel and copper. All of which have differing affects including damage to fish gills and death of aquatic organisms. These metals will accumulate on roadways and then be washed off in rainwater into the water bodies. In smaller amounts metals can derive from other sources such as metal roof tops which are pelted from heavy rain, some weed killers contain zinc and also scrap yards which keep metal outside. Unlike most sources of urban water pollution rural sources normally come in the form of diffuse pollution. One of the mains sources of which is agriculture as previously mentioned, the main pollutants involved in diffuse water pollution in agriculture are nitrogen and phosphorus. Phosphorus and nitrogen are both essential in term of animal and plant growth. Phosphorus and nitrogen are found in a variety of different sources. Animal waste as found in areas of agriculture, also the use of phosphorus and nitrogen in fertilizers contributes to water pollution. The adding of fertilizers to crops also returns the essential phosphorus back to the soil, which gets taken from the soil to help grow the crops to start with. Phosphorus can also be found in soils in both the organic and inorganic form. In terms of organic phosphorus it exists in plant residues, organic soil and microbes. Phosphorus can also be in an insoluble form within soil meaning that plants cannot take in this phosphorus. Wh en fertilizers are applied that contain phosphorus as soluble compounds most of the phosphorus will be absorbed into the soil which can then be washed on directly into a body of water, leading to eutrophication. This introduction of nitrogen can seriously affect the balance of the natural nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen is essential nutrient for plant growth and part of a natural cycle that occurs which if perturbed can have serious effects on organisms that rely on the cycle. As shows in figure 1 the addition of extra nitrogen from farming practices and the use of fertilizers will lead to the potential eutrophication of water bodies. This is due to the when the balance of the nitrogen cycle is interrupted with the addition of nitrogen from fertilizers. As a result of this the natural nitrogen cycle expels the surplus nitrogen which can be washed away into a water body. Figure 1 Nitrogen cycle diagram (source:http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9s.html) Although not a major source of water pollution Mining still can influence water bodies. Mines are normally found in more rural areas although they can be found in urban areas, as in earlier time small towns would have been built around these sources of coal and iron ore .Minings primary source of water pollution comes from acid drainage in mine systems. This happens when the contents of a mine (coal or metal ore) oxidise on contact with air to create sulphuric acid. This problem of mine drainage is more of a problem generally in closed mines. This is because water which may have previously been blocked or stopped somehow from entering can now enter washing the acidic solution with it. As well as containing sulphuric acid the washout from the mines may also contain high concentrations of sulphur, heavy metals and iron. When this mine drainage enters a water body the change in pH from acid to a more neutral pH causes the iron to precipitate as ferric hydroxide. This will settle to the bottom of a water body which will deplete the water of oxygen thus seriously harming aquatic life. Mining can be mainly described as a rural source of water pollution whereas one source can be described as the opposite. Land fills sites are growing and growing in the United Kingdom and many land fills are situated in urban areas as they tend to bill filled with waste from nearby towns and citys. Land fills are a potentials source of water pollution as when it rains when waste is being deposited the rainwater will pass through the waste picking up along the way all the pollutants such as heavy metals, ammonia and oxygen depleting pollutants which if they reached the water bodies could seriously harm any aquatic life. Also the waste itself in whatever from this may come in as will contain water and as the waste degrades in the landfill this water will be released which will also carry the pollutants into the soil, which may eventually end up in a water body. These problems will all be more prevalent with older land will sites as new land fills have measure in place to reduce the ris k of water pollution from these sites. In conclusion both rural and urban areas have a number of different sources of water pollution. Although there are some very different sources such as mine drainage in rural areas which causes acids and heavy metals to enter water body whereas in urban areas land fill sites can cause pollutants such as ammonia to enter water systems. One common source that both rural and urban areas share is runoff. Although both share this source of pollution they do both differ slightly. Rural areas will tend to have agricultural runoff where nitrogen and phosphorus are the common pollutants which as a result cause eutrophication. Whereas urban areas also encounter the pollution problem of runoff but in term of the pollutants involved it varies significantly to rural runoff. Urban stormwater which is the urban runoff differs to agricultural runoff because it can pick up many more types of pollutants such as heavy metals, oils and other vehicle related emissions, sewage, household waste and like rur al runoff it also can pick up fertilizers from gardens. This urban stormwater can be considerably worse in terms of the impacts on aquatic organisms than agricultural runoff because of types of pollutant that are involved. It is also important to remember that because agricultural pollution is diffuse or non-point source pollution as previously mentioned this makes the treatment or control or agricultural runoff much more difficult than the control or treatment of point sources of pollution such as urban sewage leaks.

Book Review Of The Name Of The Rose: The Name Of The Truth Essay

Imagine a medieval Benedictine monastery, with cellarers, herbalists, gardeners, librarians, young novices. One after the other, half a dozen monks are found murdered in the most bizarre ways, and the reader very quickly finds out that the monastery, supposedly a place of piety and tranquility is the place of sin and corruption. William of Baskerville, a learned Franciscan who is sent to solve the mystery finds himself involved in the frightening events inside the abbey. This is the story of "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco. It is the year 1327 when William of Baskerville and his young scribe (Adso of Melk, who narrates the story many years later) arrive at the monastery. The monastery contains the greatest library of Christianity. The monks live "by books and for books" (351), however, only the librarian and his assistant are allowed to enter the stacks in the labyrinth of the library. The reason is that there are thousands of books by pagan, Jewish, Arab authors, and the librarian has the sovereign power to decide whose mind is mature enough to view these "heresies" (340). Naturally, the forbidden library, like heaven, becomes the place that all the monks crave for. Strange intrigues develop among the monks, and suddenly turn to murder. A gifted young illuminator, Adelmo, is killed; the next morning a second monk is found dead, plunged head first into a barrel of pigs' blood. Surprisingly enough, toward the end of the book it turns ou...

martin luther :: essays research papers

One of the world's best known advocates of non-violent social change strategies, Martin Luther King, Jr., synthesized ideas drawn from many different cultural traditions. Born in Atlanta on January 15, 1929, King's roots were in the African-American Baptist church. He was the grandson of the Rev. A. D. Williams, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist church and a founder of Atlanta's NAACP chapter, and the son of Martin Luther King, Sr., who succeeded Williams as Ebenezer's pastor and also became a civil rights leader. Although, from an early age, King resented religious emotionalism and questioned literal interpretations of scripture, he nevertheless greatly admired black social gospel proponents such as his father who saw the church as a instrument for improving the lives of African Americans. Morehouse College president Benjamin Mays and other proponents of Christian social activism influenced King's decision after his junior year at Morehouse to become a minister and thereby serve society. His continued skepticism, however, shaped his subsequent theological studies at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, and at Boston University, where he received a doctorate in systematic theology in 1955. Rejecting offers for academic positions, King decided while completing his Ph. D. requirements to return to the South and accepted the pastorate of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. On December 5, 1955, five days after Montgomery civil rights activist Rosa Parks refused to obey the city's rules mandating segregation on buses, black residents launched a bus boycott and elected King as president of the newly-formed Montgomery Improvement Association. As the boycott continued during 1956, King gained national prominence as a result of his exceptional oratorical skills and personal courage. His house was bombed and he was convicted along with other boycott leaders on charges of conspiring to interfere with the bus company's operations. Despite these attempts to suppress the movement, Montgomery bus were desegregated in December, 1956, after the United States Supreme Court declared Alabama's segregation laws unconstitutional. In 1957, seeking to build upon the success of the Montgomery boycott movement, King and other southern black ministers founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). As SCLC's president, King emphasized the goal of black voting rights when he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial during the 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom. During 1958, he published his first book, Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. The following year, he toured India, increased his understanding of Gandhian non-violent strategies.

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication DeShawn R. Swanson SOC/110 March 16, 2010 Professor Yvonne Moore Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication is very important, especially in small groups. In small groups, people use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as a way to help the group run smoother. This paper will explain how people communicate, what challenges may arise in communicating between both genders, what challenges may come when communicating with people from other cultures, and how might we be able to communicate more effectively in diverse environments. People communicate in different ways. Verbal communication is one way for us to communicate with one another face to face. Sound, words, speaking, and language are just some of the key components of verbal communication. When we are born, many of us have vocal cords that produce sound. As we get older and grow, we begin to learn how to make these sounds into words. Some words may sound like natural sounds, but other words come from expressions of emotion, such as laughter or crying. Nonverbal communication is another way for us to communicate with one another. A large portion of our communication is nonverbal. Every day, we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors that may include postures, facial expression, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. One way we communicate nonverbally is through facial expression. Facial expressions are responsible for a big proportion of nonverbal communication. Even though nonverbal communication and behavior can be different between cultures, facial expressions for being happy, sad, angry, and fearful are similar throughout the world. Another way to communicate is by using gestures. An important way to communicate without words is the use of diverse movements and signals. Hand-waving, pointing, and using fingers to show number amounts are some of the gestures used in nonverbal communication. Other gestures are uninformed and related to culture. Posture and movement can also convey a great deal on information. Since the 1970’s, there have been a huge amount of research done on body language. Over-interpretation of defensive postures, arm crossing, and leg-crossing are the focus of the popular media. While these nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and attitudes, research suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive that previously believed. There are many differences between verbal and nonverbal communication. For instance, verbal communication includes rate, volume, pitch as well as articulation and pronunciation, while nonverbal communication deals with important but unspoken signals that individuals exhibit. Some of these signals and gestures can be how we carry ourselves, appearance, how we listen to one another, eye contact, hand gestures and expressions on our face when someone makes a comment. References This is a hanging indent. To keep the hanging indent format, simply delete this line of text using the backspace key, and replace the information with your reference entry. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication How do we communicate as humans today? Today we have smart phones, computers, Pads, and other such devices can we even answer the question, how do people communicate? If you surveyed the American people they would likely answer the question with the previous answers. As humans we all know the first type of communication which Is verbal or vocal but the second type of communication Is non-verbal or non-vocal. We could plead that non-verbal Is all of the emails and messages we send on those smart devices but that is where society gets confused about what is the difference.First we have to understand the basic, what is communication? Communication is a transfer of meaning from one person or group to another. It focuses on the nature of meaning and ways to maintain the integrity of meaning through the process of dissemination and reception of the message. † (Unknown, n. D. ) Communication is not Just how well you give a message but also how well you can receive a message. A great e xample is the activity telephone. It is where you have a group of people in a row and you try to pass a message down the line to see If to can make it through the line.If down correctly the message should be sent and received correctly to where It Is the same message from start to finish. If you have ever done this activity In a group setting It more than never makes It to the end with the same message. Where along the line does our communication breakdown in the process. I think first humans need to understand the difference between verbal and non-verbal communication, the two types of communication we see daily. Verbal communication is vocal category, the spoken language. This is where you are directly talking with someone vocally.Most communication done by humans is verbal communication, it is done by phone, testing, Keep, etc. Examples of verbal communication include but not limited to meetings, lectures, team building, ND playing on sports teams. What is non-verbal communicatio n and why is it more important than verbal communication? Do you know that research shows that It takes about four minutes to make a first Impression? According to studies by UCLA professor Albert Memorable â€Å"Body language accounts for 58% of a first Impression; 38% comes from tone of voice; 7% comes from our actual words† (Memorable A. Non-verbal communication is aspects of communication that do not involve verbal, like gestures or facial expressions. If you are standing with a person having a conversation and your verbal and non-verbal communication cues are not congruent, hey are going to look at your non-verbal over what you are vocally saying. Think has this happened to you before. An example is when you are in a group discussing a group assignment and you are saying you are fine with the part you got but your body language is saying the opposite.We also have to remember that non-verbal communication is how we receive information. Non-verbal communication can help wi th your communication but first let's look at some key Issues when it comes to non- verbal communication. Some of these Issues are body language, space, hands/arms, feet, expressiveness, and handshakes. The mall Issue we as humans have Is with our body language, we give clusters of signals and postures. For example crossed arms can indicate anger or being cold. A major obstacle with body language is that one that is the peace symbol.The other issues are Just simple things like body language that show anxiety, stress, confidence, attitude, and dominant. Now with the knowledge of non-verbal communication how can that knowledge help you with communication with others? When you are communicating with others you need to focus on the above issues and work on those in the positive way. To work on you on-verbal communication you can do the following use a mirror, videotape yourself, release stress by scrunching your toes (something new I learned), and mirror the person with whom you are spe aking (the more you are like them, the more you will connect).Practice makes you better at anything but no one is perfect so you need to work on communication for the rest of your life. Everyone has room to improve, even the best speakers in the world. When taking a look at my own personal listening inventory it was interesting to see what I do well and some of the things that I need work on as an active listener. Completing the assignment open my eyes to behaviors that I would never see as behaviors of active listeners. First let's start with the items that I need to work own.I rated myself low in the areas of; I do not always concentrate on a speaker's main ideas rather than specific details. I can improve in this area by taking notes during the speaking arrangements. This will help me keep the main ideas together with the more details that go with the main ideas. Those fine details is what is going to help you do projects or learn new ideas. Everything we do as humans we have tha t area that we are in between, some days you do it and mom days you might not.The areas in listening that I said that fall into that category include; I am sometimes uncomfortable asking questions when I do not understand, I avoid tuning out speakers when I disagree with their message, I avoid tuning out message that are too complex, and I try to understand other person's point of view when it is different from mine. When it comes these areas I need to Just do them more constantly when I am listening during speaking engagements. These are the areas are why I perceive myself as a good listener in the classroom, but I could still improve on my listening skills. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Verbal and Nonverbal Communication DeShawn R. Swanson SOC/110 March 16, 2010 Professor Yvonne Moore Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Communication is very important, especially in small groups. In small groups, people use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as a way to help the group run smoother. This paper will explain how people communicate, what challenges may arise in communicating between both genders, what challenges may come when communicating with people from other cultures, and how might we be able to communicate more effectively in diverse environments. People communicate in different ways. Verbal communication is one way for us to communicate with one another face to face. Sound, words, speaking, and language are just some of the key components of verbal communication. When we are born, many of us have vocal cords that produce sound. As we get older and grow, we begin to learn how to make these sounds into words. Some words may sound like natural sounds, but other words come from expressions of emotion, such as laughter or crying. Nonverbal communication is another way for us to communicate with one another. A large portion of our communication is nonverbal. Every day, we respond to thousands of nonverbal cues and behaviors that may include postures, facial expression, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. One way we communicate nonverbally is through facial expression. Facial expressions are responsible for a big proportion of nonverbal communication. Even though nonverbal communication and behavior can be different between cultures, facial expressions for being happy, sad, angry, and fearful are similar throughout the world. Another way to communicate is by using gestures. An important way to communicate without words is the use of diverse movements and signals. Hand-waving, pointing, and using fingers to show number amounts are some of the gestures used in nonverbal communication. Other gestures are uninformed and related to culture. Posture and movement can also convey a great deal on information. Since the 1970’s, there have been a huge amount of research done on body language. Over-interpretation of defensive postures, arm crossing, and leg-crossing are the focus of the popular media. While these nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and attitudes, research suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive that previously believed. There are many differences between verbal and nonverbal communication. For instance, verbal communication includes rate, volume, pitch as well as articulation and pronunciation, while nonverbal communication deals with important but unspoken signals that individuals exhibit. Some of these signals and gestures can be how we carry ourselves, appearance, how we listen to one another, eye contact, hand gestures and expressions on our face when someone makes a comment. References This is a hanging indent. To keep the hanging indent format, simply delete this line of text using the backspace key, and replace the information with your reference entry.