The Electronic Cigarette

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Regular cigarette smoking has been on the decline due to many factors including price, health risks, and the fact that most public places no longer allow indoor smoking; making it an inconvenience to step outside and light one up. The convenience, affordability, and health benefits are just a number of reasons the electronic cigarette is rising in popularity. A comparison between e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes show a number of similarities and differences. E-cigarettes offer the same amount of nicotine regular cigarettes do, thus satisfying a smokers nicotine craving that is attributed with cigarette smoking. E-cigarettes just about look, feel, and weigh about as much as a real cigarette, so puffing on one won't feel foreign to the seasoned smoker. Smoking regularly can get pretty expensive and buying the e-cigarette start up kit can be just as expensive too. As a smoker myself, I have noticed a number of differences between cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The taste of a regular cigarette to me is much more satisfying than that of an e-cigarette. E-cigarettes lack the authentic tobacco taste that cigarettes have and this leads to a less pleasing smoking experience. Cigarette smoke is full of harmful toxins, whereas e-cigarettes have about 1,000 times less toxins and there is no smoke, only water vapor. This leads to why most people who aren't ready to fully quit smoking, to start smoking e-cigarettes. Cigarette smoking is also very expensive, whereas e-cigarettes require quite a heavy initial investment at first, around $100 for the start up kit, they pay for themselves in the long run and end up saving you money over time.

Disaster recovery training

It is almost inevitable that at some point, a business or organization will experience a serious calamity that may hinder it from carrying out its normal day to day business operations. Such calamities may include computer malfunctioning, accidents, floods, fires, grievous acts, among others. When disaster strikes, it is important for the organization to have a proper disaster recovery plan that will help the business significantly reduce the losses incurred and recover within a short time frame.For this reason, this organization has set up a talented disaster recovery planning team which will cater for such eventualities. However, even as the expertise of the team cannot be questioned, it is still important for the members to undergo disaster recovery training from a credible third party and be properly certified so as to provide our company with the international best practices and recommendations for the implementation of disaster recovery as well as business continuity. Offering Disaster recovery training to our team will also help prevent our organization from â€Å"reinventing the wheel† (Thejendra, 2008).There are several organizations that provide consultancy and training in Disaster Recovery practices but it is important to choose carefully, those who will train our disaster recovery team so as to achieve the best possible training and exposure. The choice is to a large extent, dependent on their Disaster Recovery certification and relevant experience in this field. Based on these requirements, the following are five possible sources that can adequately train our disaster recovery planning team. They include professional training organizations and academic options. DRI internationalDRI is an acronym for the Disaster Recovery Institute and is a reputable international organization which provides training and certification on disaster recovery and business continuity. The training courses that it offers range from basic to advanced levels and its certification programs are aimed towards helping an organization to maintain its professional level of competence even in the midst of calamity. If contracted, DRI will help our planning team learn how to develop a business continuity management program and come up with proper resilience strategies to overcome disasters in the shortest time frame possible.The training offered by DRI international is quite comprehensive and covers each career level therefore members of our DR planning team can grow and improve their knowledge as they progress up the career ladder (â€Å"DRI International†, 2009). The professional certification is given in five different levels starting from entry level to more advanced levels. The entry level certification training is the Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) which will support our team members who have less than two years experience in this field.The second certification level is the Certified Business Continuity Vendor (CBCV) whi ch is offered to those with more than two years experience and who demonstrate knowledge of the DRI professional practices. Another certification level is the Certified Functional Continuity Professional (CFCP) level which is open for those who demonstrate knowledge, have more than two years working experience and have practical experience in at least three professional practices subject areas.The Certified Business Continuity Professional is offered to those who have practical experience in at least five professional practice subject areas and the Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP) will cater for those who have more than five years working experience and have practical experience in at least seven professional practices subject areas. DRII certification is internationally recognized meaning that our team will get the best possible Disaster Recovery training and apply it to our organization (DRI International, 2009). Business continuity instituteThe Business Continuity i nstitute (BCI) is an internationally recognized organization that offers training on business continuity. It was started in 1994 with the aim of helping its members to get guidance on proper management of business continuity. This institute offers training and certification on business continuity management through a program known as the BCI professional recognition program. This program is aimed at helping organizations to identify any potential threats to their business and achieve resilience so that they can respond effectively and safeguard their business when disaster strikes.Some of the skills imparted by BCI training include business resilience as well as recovery strategies, business continuity plans and strategies for risk management. (Business Continuity Institute, 2009). Training with BCI can be very beneficial to our organization especially due to its international status. The BCI professional recognition program is a benchmark for assessing best practice and has encoura ged the improvement of business enhancing skills. Our disaster recovery planning team can therefore greatly benefit from the high quality training which this institute is capable of providing.BCI certification is based on the Certification standards for Business Continuity Professionals which are internationally recognized standards of disaster recovery and were published in conjunction with DRI international. Thus BCI certification is internationally recognized and its prestigious status will boost our organization’s credibility and portray us a competent enough to carry out business continuity practices consistently and to a very high professional standards (Business Continuity Institute, 2009). International Consortium for Organizational ResilienceThis is another international organization that offers training on disaster recovery and business continuity. It offers professional certifications through several certification programs that have been tailor made to suit each ca reer level. ICOR courses are offered at the ICOR University and include ten disciplines, among them, Business Continuity Management, Risk Management and Insurance, social resilience and crisis management and communication. The CORA Associate certification program is for entry level professionals and is offered even to those with no work experience.The CORS Specialist certification level is given to those with a minimum of three years work experience and who have a certification in one discipline from ICOR University. CORM manager is a more advanced certification level and for those with more than five years work experience and certifications in at least two disciplines from ICOR University. CORP Professional ICOR certification requires more than seven years work experience and certifications in four disciplines from ICOR University.Finally, CORE executive certification program is for those with more than ten years working experience and certifications from six disciplines in ICOR Un iversity. The credentialing program from ICOR is designed to help students to progress as professionals (The ICOR, 2009). The main aim of ICOR is to empower the professionals who are in charge of business continuity planning with skills that will enable them to come up with adequate resilience strategies for their businesses. If our team trains at ICOR, they will have the benefit of interacting with other professionals making their learning more meaningful.ICOR is also recognized worldwide as offering resilience solutions to organizations therefore if we gain corporate membership, our team will be able to access quite a number of benefits. Some of these advantages include interacting with professionals, having unlimited access to the ICOR library so they can read widely on the subject and have unlimited access to a wide variety of resources. As members, they will undergo thorough training and certification at a lower cost. They can attend professional conferences and constantly be u pdated on what is going on in this field.These benefits will be translated to the organization in from of improved business continuity practices as they apply what they have learnt (The ICOR, 2009). Norwich University This is one of the few academic options which offer training in the field of disaster recovery and business continuity. The disaster recovery course which started in December 2008 is offered at the Norwich online school of Graduate studies under the Masters of Science in Business continuity program. Norwich University developed this program so as to increase the level of training in the disaster recovery field.Among the subject areas that it addresses are policies, systems and procedures that will help a company to carry on with its day to day operations even in the face of a disaster that threatens interruption. Being a military college, Norwich University seems like a natural setting for this program since the military is among the first organizations in the United S tates to initiate contingency planning. The MSBC program will help organizations to strengthen information assurance thereby enhancing business continuity (Larkin, 2008).The MSBC program seeks to help businesses adopt business continuity as a best practice, assessing all business aspects from information technology to supply chains. It will help our team learn how to identify weaknesses in the disaster recovery system. The fact that lessons in this program also involve learning directly from experts and analyzing case studies of those who have actually undergone business interruption at this point and this provides more adequate and relevant information which our disaster recovery planning team can then apply to our workplace.Learning from those who have undergone a disaster first hand is more beneficial than just learning theoretically. The program is provided online so our team members can learn from the comfort of their homes or in the office and as they learn, they apply it conc urrently to the workplace. This can be likened to on the job training, only the company is not providing the training directly. Furthermore, Norwich University is able to recruit instructors in diverse working in their different fields worldwide therefore its students benefit from a wide field of knowledge (Larkin, 2008). Boston University Metropolitan CollegeBoston University is another academic option which offers training in the field of disaster recovery and business continuity. The course is offered online in two distinct programs. One is offered as a Graduate Certificate in Risk Management and Organizational Continuity (RMOC) and the other is offered as a Masters of Science in Business Continuity and Emergency Management (MSBCEM). The graduate certificate program has been designed to help businesses come up with the best strategies to cope with the various calamities that may present themselves in the lifetime of the company (Boston University online, n.d). Students in the RMO C program are taught both proactive and reactive aspects of managing a crisis. The program covers preparedness planning, proper development of a business continuity plan among others. Students will also undergo a simulation of an emergency situation at the workplace and this will help them apply the theoretical concepts that they have learned in the duration of their coursework. Members of our planning team will be able to gain useful knowledge in business continuity.They will be able to gain valuable professional credentials. It is also possible for them to further their training by enrolling in the online Master of Science in specialty management which specializes in Business Continuity, Security & Risk Management. This course is offered to build on the graduate certificate RMOC program and students under the RMOC program can simply transfer their credits to MSBCEM program and complete it only by covering the eight core courses (Boston University Online, n. d).

Advantages and Disadvantages of large Sample Size Free Samples

1.In our case being that the population size was sixty nine thousand, a sample size of fifteen thousand represented by over twenty percent covers over one fifth of the population. This sample therefore has a bigger sample size than expected. i.e. 383 bank workers were to make the sample size for this population size (69,000) with confidence level of 95 percent and margin of error of 5 percent. Large sample sizes are therefore associated with advantages and disadvantages. Large sample sizes ensure for the reliability of the sample mean as the estimator of the population parameter. For a sample to fully reflect the correct population mean, larger sample size is always contemplated of. The quantity need to be pinned down. Standard error (Se) of the mean is therefore used to quantify the reflection of population mean. This standard error is essential for all calculated sample means. This is taken as an advantage of the large sample sizes due their wide coverage of the population. Working with large samples is important since it helps in sweeping out the outliers in the sample. Small samples are perceived prone to outliers which may misrepresent the data in the sample. Bigger samples capture greater odds of outliers in the sample. However, in most of the cases, outliers tend to complicate analysis of statistical data but accounting for them help in giving realistic picture and the characteristics of the population. Another advantage of large sample sizes is that they help in obtaining a quality and precise mean. This is so because the mean will have covered many elements of the population. Determination of the mean is important for it help the researchers to do away with the outliers from their data. Outliers in the dataset are important to be dealt with because they totally differ from the mean greatly and may give a deceitful image about the sample or population. Since large sample size is suitable due to its large and wider coverage of the population of study, it is in the same way time consuming and expensive to work with. For instance, sampling 15,000 workers who work in the Belgian bank will require a lot of time and also the expense that will be involved will be high. A lot of time is required since the larger sample size is spread in the manner that the population is spread and thus collecting data from the entire sample will involve much time compared to smaller sample sizes. Due to its wider coverage, the expense that is involved in data collection process is also higher compared to expense that could be incurred in a small sample size. Overrepresentation of population data in a population involves large sample size. Collection of data from this sample size in a well distributive way will require high financial involvement for the success of the process as planned Decision on what sample size to use will depend on the population size i.e. 69,000 bank workers and cost that will be involved in data collection. If the researcher wants to incur low cost in the process, smaller sample size will be preferred. In that case, it will also help in determining how precise we should be with our data. Sampling whole lot of 15,000 Belgian bank workers will mean high cost incurred in the data collection process. Prior information concerning the subject of study will help in determining the sample size for use in the study. This prior information can be considered in deciding whether to reduce the sample size or not. The key elements that will be considered from prior information is the prior mean and variance estimates, this is according to (Moher et al, 1994). Practicality is another factor to be considered when choosing for the sample size. The sample size chosen for use must make sense and practical in real life situation. Margin of error also forms another key factor for it will be relied on in determining how reliable and perfect a sample is. It will be showing the width or interval at which the calculated mean will lie and also help in construction of the confidence interval level. 2.The bank workers who were to be involved in the study were given equal chances of being selected by employing probability sampling methods. The chances will be made in such a way that they are greater than zero; this helps in reducing human biasness that may arise through their judgments thus making the process free and fair for inclusion of all banks and the bank workers in the process (Bacchetti, 2002). Probability sampling method used by the research institutions was stratified sampling method. The research institutions first randomly identified the banks which formed the strata then in the identified banks; they randomly selected the workers for fairness in their selection. Compared to other probability sampling methods like the simple random sampling, stratified sampling method gives more precision of the same sample size. Precision is important in the estimation process of the population parameter, each stratum’s statistic will be calculated and their closeness compared to one another. The process is found to be cost effective as it only involves random selection of different baking institutions and workers over the entire population which makes it half completed because of its precision. It is also flexible in that any number of participants can be selected with ease and efficiency. Also, this process tends to be more effective as it results to accuracy in selection of data since it involves lesser degree of judgment of the researcher. It as well forms easier way of sampling as compared to other sampling methods since it does not involve long and complicated processes. Moreover, probability sampling method does not require any technicality the refore any person can carry it out even non-technical persons. Since it only require random assignment of numbers over the specified strata. This method (stratified probability sampling method) of selecting the sample results to the selection of only specific class of samples. This sampling method is as well time consuming as the researcher is required to follow all due procedure such as first identifying strata and also going down to the strata to do the selection of individuals that will now participate in the process. The process result to monotony as the researcher or the surveyor will be repetitively assigning numbers in order to obtain the required information through this method; this may have further effects such as reducing the efficiency of the surveyor. 3.The chosen sampling method will have influence on the outcome data for use in the analysis. For instance, if the method that was used in sampling the banks was found to be biased, this will affect the results and the conclusions that will be drawn from this sample study (Mann, 2003). So to eradicate such short comings, the researcher is supposed to ensure that they reduce biasness as much as possible to save on the results and their dependability. This can be done through randomization. This ensures that all the possible samples are given equal chances of being selected for the sample of study. This so far is the effective technique that can be applied by the researcher in ensuring for equality of all possible samples when using simple random sampling. To reduce and improve stratified sampling technique, the groups are divided into groups referred to as strata that must be showing relationship that is meaningful in the study. In some cases, responses from the strata may be different from one another in a survey. Stratification is done in response to help in reflecting the population and ensuring that each stratum’s opinion is represented and reflected in the sample. In most of the cases, stratification is done by gender in order to take care of the divergent opinions and have all of them represented. Because each sampling method is concerned with precision in the analysis thereafter, testes methods are supposed to be conducted. This is done with the aim of ensuring that each sampling method chosen for use to satisfy research goals. The level of precision and the cost associated will be important to determine for each potential method. In this case, since standard error will be used, it will help in measuring the level of pre cision whereas the smaller the standard error, the greater the precision of our sample. 4.More often, questionnaires have been widely used in the collection of data from the respondents. In as much it has been preferred method for data collection, it is always associated with some problems (disadvantages). Dishonesty has been a big problem rocking the use of questionnaires in data collection. This arises as a result of the respondents abscond the truth from the researcher when answering the questions. In our case since the questionnaires were sent to the respondents, this may result to lack of clarity of questions for easy understanding by the respondents (Zaza et al, 2000). The matter of dishonesty may be as a result of hiding what they consider private for the fear of disclosure and desirability bias. Though this kind of problem can be dealt with by ensuring them (the respondents) about their privacy and also that their identifications will be hidden. Also, conscientiousness of the responses provided by the respondents can be missed since some of the respondents do not carefully think when responding to the questions. In some cases, they preselect the answers before they go through the whole question to know the requirement of the question. Validity of the data is affected when the respondents try to split the questions and even go further ahead to skip some of the questions thus missing out potential answers. The research institutions involved in this study can collect the most accurate data through structuring simple questions that are easy to read and understand by the respondents. If the questions are not presented to the respondent face-to-face like in this scenario, the respondents may have difficulty with understanding the questions and interpreting them since the researcher is not around to give clarity of what the questions need and offer guidelines. This will lead to a variation in interpretation of the questions thus resulting to different responses which some may not even be meaningful and related in any way with the subject of discussion (Zaza et al, 2000). Skewed results from this can be combated by well structuring the questions and making them easy to read, understand and interpret. Questionnaires should always be made accessible. The choice of which data collection tool to be used should be made by considering the respondents. For instance, people with other forms of physical disability such as visual impairment or hearing impairment, survey should not be used with them to collect data. Problems of this sort are eliminated or dealt with by making appropriate choice of which data collection tool to use. At sometimes, some respondents do have their own hidden agenda and this may lead them to provide biased information. Interest of the participants may steer them towards either the product or services. Questionnaires that only make use of open-ended questions are difficult to analyze by the respondents. Answers obtained through these types of questions are individualized opinions hence they cannot be quantified by the analysts since they vary across all the individual groups. Structuring a questionnaire with many open ended questions will result to more data to be analyzed. So it can be dealt with by reducing the number of open-ended questions and using the closed ended questions instead. Some of the questions remaining unanswered are other problems that are being encountered by the researchers when using questionnaires especially when the questions are optional. This risk can be avoided by making the questionnaires online and terming all the fields required. In the same way, the questions are supposed to be precise and easy to respond to. 5.The dataset that will be used to check for the representativeness of the sample will be obtained from the National Bank of Belgium in conjunction with Employment industry in Belgium. They will be used as the checking point for collected data for study. They will also be used to obtain data that are termed relevant from other sources like from the previous study. Additionally, secondary data provide descriptive information that is used to support the study that is currently being carried out thus helping in the development of the study with facts. Variables used in the study are in most of the cases tested if at all there is a relationship that exist between variables thus helping in building up the model. Secondary data are as well used in data mining where computer technology is used in studying the trend for the previous research by visiting large volumes of data. Among other uses of the secondary data, they are as well used in the identification of relevant sources in order to d o away with plagiarism. Moher, D., Dulberg, C. S., & Wells, G. A. (1994). Statistical power, sample size, and their reporting in randomized controlled trials.  Jama,  272(2), 122-124. Bacchetti, P. (2002). Peer review of statistics in medical research: the other problem.  British Medical Journal,  324(7348), 1271. Mann, C. J. (2003). Observational research methods. Research design II: cohort, cross   sectional, and case-control studies.  Emergency medicine journal,  20(1), 54-60. Zaza, S., Wright-De Agà ¼ero, L. K., Briss, P. A., Truman, B. I., Hopkins, D. P., Hennessy, M. H., ... & Pappaioanou, M. (2000). Data collection instrument and procedure for systematic reviews in the Guide to Community Preventive Services.  American journal of preventive   medicine,  18(1), 44-74.

Mobile Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mobile - Assignment Example l use of IP in IP tunneling is forwarding of IP multicast traffic from one area of intranet to another area of intranet, across the portion of intranet that does not support multicast forwarding or routing . After IP-in-IP interfaces are created and added as an IP routing interface, you must configure the tunnel endpoints. In other words it is used to make a tunnel between the two routers. (1)The route is discovered through initiation of route discovery and broadcast of request and this is followed by accumulation of address of the devices between the source and destination. A flow id option is used to transfer packets on a hop to hop basis. Route Reply is used for confirmation. (iii). Route error packet is sent back to host and Route discovery is setup again through broadcast of route request. In case of route error, the hop in error is removed from the host’s route cache; an end to end and hop by hop acknowledgement can be adopted to avoid further loss in communication Hidden terminal is a phenomenon where the nodes are in non line of sight contact and are connected through an Access point .Its implications can be in form of packet loss, collision between them, decrease in overall throughput. It also results in difficulty in transmission at Data link layer where MAC is operational CSMA/CA stands for Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance and it monitors the activity before transmission and if channel is found busy, it delays sending packet to destination until vacant. In CSMA/CA as soon as the packet is received, the channel is checked for availability, if the channel is clear, node is sent to destination, otherwise, packet is kept in waiting for a duration that is termed as back off factor. As soon as vacant slot is traced, the packet is sent along the destination. When two devices try accessing the channel simultaneously, a set of rules are used for this purpose to determine the devices activities. CSMA/CA uses Broadcast technique to inform

Past and Present Politics and Development Research Paper

Past and Present Politics and Development - Research Paper Example In his tour, he learnt that the natives were always hostile to the new people who purportedly brought in new blood into the political organization and development practices of the natives. In the early years, missionaries played a predominant role in changing the political and organizational scenario of the places where they went. The traveling of missionaries to places that had not developed economically marked the beginning of civilization and modernization in most undeveloped or underdeveloped societies. It was only after the insurgence of missionaries that native undeveloped societies began to embrace peace, governance, professionalism such as teaching, soldiers, doctors and bureaucrats all of whom contributed to the common good of the societies. Diamond (1999) believed that the first step to the true development of the society was through the practice of agriculture on commercial basis. Given that the ancient people and not so long ago the undeveloped states had no regular econo mic specialization and land was subdivided among group members and subgroups, the political organization was considered egalitarian. ... d since Eurasia which was blessed with local/indigenous domestic able grain cereals and animals that facilitated traction animals like the donkeys and bulls. This encouraged the development of commercial large scale agriculture which enabled economic growth and also stratified societies such that there emerged social classes. Reasons for Lack of Single or Complex \political Organizations Although Diamond argued that states â€Å"expand and develop based on their level of agricultural practice and that this happens in a virtuous circle† (1999, p. 266), there have been occurrences that counter his argument which in Diamond’s view was assumed and therefore needs to be added to the theory of why states develop and expand. Therefore, it implies that, instead of states eventually growing to large and more complex organizations, there is either unequal growth of societies into becoming on single large complex organization or eventual stagnation of states. This lack of large an d more complex organizations are attributed to internal factors within the States themselves; a fact Diamond does not incorporate in his theory. The first reason is based on the fact that political organizations are slowly, but steadily emerging that is not necessarily egalitarian in nature. In other words the states themselves are greedy and are often unwilling to distribute public funds that are supposed to facilitate growth of complex organizations. Secondly, given the divergent states interests, it is hard or perhaps impossible for the world to attain a single world or complex organization that Diamond proposes (Diamond 1999, p. 290). In the face of democracy and human rights, political organizations and by far autonomy is slowly revolving into a new era of leadership and political authority. In the

Mind the Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mind the Gap - Essay Example Table of contents Abstract 1. Introduction 2. ‘The Small and Medium- sized Enterprises’ 3. Financial crisis on SMEs’ capital structure 4. Sovereign debt crisis which affects the bank’s credit standards, credit margin, and funding conditions 5. Regulatory changes on policies that deal with bank lending activities 6. â€Å"The Federation of small Businesses† 7. Recommendation 1) Introduction â€Å"The Small and Medium- sized Enterprises† abbreviated as SMEs is defined by the European Commission as â€Å"an enterprise employing not more than 250 employees; having an annual turnover of not more than â‚ ¬50m and balance sheet assets of â‚ ¬43m; and that has less than 25 per cent of its capital.† However, SMEs are defined using three concepts and they include small, local, and single. They are small in nature when considering the number of employees, capital and assets, and turnover. They are also owned by a single owner who could only be the sole employee. SMEs are also local in nature because their markets are usually based on local areas or places of residence (Fielden, 2003). In the European Union, Small and Medium- sized Enterprises faces a number of issues in term of financing. These issues include effects of financial crisis on SMEs’ capital structure; the sovereign debt crisis impacts on bank’s credit standards, credit margin, and funding conditions; and the effects caused by comprehensive regulatory changes on policies dealing with bank lending activities. However, â€Å"The Federation of small Businesses† abbreviated as FSB, has come to rescue these SMEs by representing them in the issues for financial market (Ministry of defence, 2013). Its functions revolve around practices dealing with financial lending â€Å"of the small and medium-sized Enterprises.† 2) â€Å"The Small and Medium- sized Enterprises† The SMEs have been recognized as the key contributors of the econo my in the European Union, due to the way they have changed the union into a market oriented economy. Currently, statistics shows that 96% of the registered firms are recognized â€Å"as small and medium sized firms,† with SMEs accounting for approximately 82%. These small businesses actively contribute to 25% of the annual Global Domestic Product of the European Union (Villa, 2011). Despite their great contribution, SMEs are faced with financial crisis, cause by various factors hence affecting the capital structure. The financial sector within the European Union is characterized by a system based bank where SOCBs or state owned commercial banks play an important role. SOCBs provide 78 % of the overall loans in the economy, with half of its credits being channeled into SOEs. This, therefore, makes it difficult â€Å"for the small and medium size enterprises† to access bank loans. 3) Financial crisis on SMEs’ capital structure However, there are a number of factor s which leads to financial crisis that affects the SMEs capital structure. The first one is firm growth. It is suggested that firm’s growth is relatively negative to its capital structure. A SMEs’ information asymmetry may demand an extra premium for it to raise external funds, despite the true

Hosting a Picnic for Employees Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hosting a Picnic for Employees - Assignment Example Give the guard your name and ID as part of the village security measures. By Bus: Take the 1230 bus that exits at Road 29. Get off at the Exit 29 bus stop. There is a taxi terminal at the bus stop. Take a cab using the directions for by car to reach my residence. Your name will be left with the security team. You will be required to leave your ID at the gate as well for security purposes. Ill leave your names with the security team of the village so please confirm your attendance before the end of the week with my secretary. You won't be allowed entry into the village if your name is not on the list. Thank you for the outstanding work that everyone did this year. I have been told by our Accounting staff that the bonus checks will be ready to be distributed by Mr. Burns during the program that will be held during the picnic. On behalf of Mr. Burns and our company, I would like to offer you all our sincerest thanks and appreciation. Congratulations to all of you on a job well done. You all performed beyond our expectations!

Factors Of Selecting A Destination Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Factors Of Selecting A Destination - Coursework Example Issues concerning the safety of tourists are as engrossing as they are profound. Most studies that examine the relationship between tourism, terrorism and political stability likewise yield issues that arise due to war and crime. The inquiry remains, notwithstanding, whether these studies shed sufficient light on the current understanding of how global tourism survives in political violence or terrorism. Without any doubt, â€Å"even its active and valuable economic impact does not shield global tourism from the vile force of terrorism† (Buhalis et al., 2006, p.33). While many natural or human-caused events can altogether effect the growth of tourism, security issues, and political turmoil scare potential tourists. The relationship between tourism and terrorism involves many aspects: possible interventions to curb security risks, effects of terrorism on tourism demand, and motives of targeting certain tourists. The trepidation of unexpected terrorist activities is not new, but rather the attention it has commanded traces back to ten years ago. In recent events, â€Å"the 1991 Persian Gulf War and other related global worldwide terrorism refocused consideration on the subject† (Sà ¶nmez, 1998, p.1). On various occasions, terrorist assaults have been experienced in other parts of the world. These violence activities have pushed the tourism and travel industry to come up with travel paradigm shifts hence making tourism security a fundamental consideration for all tourists. Vital inquiries remain: how do places characterized political difficulties handle the negative image? How does the tourism industry at large deal with the emergence of political turmoil? By what method would governments use to curb terrorism and political instability? Subsequently, this paper endeavors to discuss factors to be considered by tourists while selecting a destination. Politics is a major risk

Titler Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Titler Article - Essay Example The data was pulled from multiple sources as a means of providing a general cross jurisdictional approach to the research question. Furthermore, due to the fact that individual statistics have been tracked by both patient records stored at a local and private level as well as those which were stored and analyzed by governmental structure assisted the researchers in putting together a well balanced approach to answering the research question. Due to the fact that the researchers have gone to such painstaking efforts to gather the data from such a wide array of sources and institutions, it is the belief to his analyst that the information obtained will more than meet the individual needs specified by the research question. Although this author is aware of additional databases that could be used, for purposes of this research question, it is this author’s belief that the best and most reliable datasets and databases were employed. One of the weaknesses that this author noted was the reliance on the 843 bed academic medical center in the Mid-West which was used to draw inference on the overall incidence of nursing outcomes with reference to hip related injuries. Although this is a useful dataset, the fact that it is regionally specific calls into question whether the information that it might provide would somehow be determinate of the region and not indicative of the overall/wider population model that the authors are trying to draw inference upon (Shever et al 2007). One of the biggest facilitators is the fact that the study is being performed in tandem with the National Institute of Nursing Research. In this way, the combined resources and expertise of the larger entity will necessarily help the researcher to meet the metrics and milestones as a function of the fact that this work is beholden to a larger whole. Likewise, the largest single barrier is perhaps the fact that too much data is being analyzed in order to attempt to gain a perspective on the

How to be a good student Essay Example for Free

How to be a good student Essay To become a good student, you need to get motivated! Motivation can come from seeing the situation of many poor children around the world who are not lucky enough to get a proper education. This is a good thing to keep in mind when you find yourself not wanting to attend class or study at home. Another reason to get motivated to study is that you will enjoy a better quality of life as an educated person. You can go to educational websites, like this one, and surf them with interest. You must not force yourself to study, as this will make learning a chore and you will not feel like even opening your books. You will have many academically good students in your courses. Try becoming friends with them (or encourage your current friends to be better students), and youll be immersed in an academic environment which will help you feel motivated! Above all, you need confidence! For that, we need to feel that we are working for ourselves and not for others! Good luck! Chapter 2 Concentration On Studies Concentration follows eagerness. This section provides you with the basics of Concentration and also provides you with advice as to how to get aroused with concentration. You need to pay attention in a class. Dont start chatting with your peers/friends when the teacher turns their back to you. Even better; dont associate with distracting people. You should realize that the people in your class play an important role in how everybody progresses. However, if you are a good student you will do better and achieve your goals. Your friends will be there for you at that time, if they are trustful and of a good reputation. At home, study and do your homework in a place that doesnt make you sleep. It is advisable to have a dedicated study table or desk. Dont do your study work on the bed or in front of the TV, radio, stereo, etc. That would be pointless because you are meant to be thinking about your studies.

Oceanic Bank International PLC Training Methods and Practice

Oceanic Bank International PLC Training Methods and Practice INTRODUCTION The importance of training in the human resource management efforts of any organisation cannot be overemphasised. That is why training is key to the survival of every human resource strategy of any given organisation. Employee training is becoming a necessity to every organization nowadays as training enables them to carryout roles and responsibilities efficiently and also learn new things, which will prepare them to take up higher responsibilities in the future (Karthikeyan, Karthi Graf 2010). Human relations management training, broadly conceived, is a popular means by which numerous public organizations seek to enhance productivity. Public managers consume prodigious quantities of management training and should be seriously concerned with the effectiveness and success of such intake (Gerald, 1989). Traditionally, training and development was not seen as actively that could help, organizations create value and successfully deal with competitive challenges (Oludairo, 2006). According to Cascio (2003), many organizations both small and large shy away from training their employed because they think that by improving the skills of their workforce, their employees will be more marketable to competitors. And where there are well training programmes, there are poorly implemented, like too much fine wine, may actually impede rather than invigorate a robust organizational health (Gerald, 1989). Operational definitions of key concepts The Concept of Training Trainings focus has broadened in the past few years (Bernadin, 2003). Training used to focus mostly on teaching technical skills, such as training assemblers to solder wires or teachers to device lesson plans. However, technical training like that is no longer sufficient (Oludairo, 2006). In recent time, organization has had to adapt to rapid technological changes, provide quality goods and services, and increase revenue to stay competitive. Improving quality required remedial education training. Similarly, employees today need skills in team building, decision making, and communication as well as technological and computer skills (Oludairo, 2006). According to Fajana (2002), training is the process that involves developing skills and learning concepts, rules or attitudes in order to increase effectiveness on a particular job. Casco (2003) sees training consisting of planned programme designed to improve performance at the individual, group and/or organizational level. Ubeku (1975) in his own contribution, defines management training as the process of developing managers knowledge, skills and attitude through instruction, demonstration, practice, and planned experience to meet the present and future needs of the business. This management training is the same as development or management development. Development refers to the process of teaching managers and professional employees that knowledge, skills needed for present and future task accomplishment. Considering the above definitions, one can conclude that training and development involve the systematic and continuous developing skills, learning concepts, attitudes and knowledge needed by employees to perform effectively and efficiently at work. Oceanic Bank International PLC Oceanic Bank International Plc is regarded as one of banks that brought new revolution in the banking sector to Africa. Incorporated in on March 26, 1990, the bank commenced business on June 12, 1990. The bank has been growing from strength to strength since then. Its shares were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on June 25, 2004, having achieved a public liability company status. The bank is second to none in excellent deliveries and world class banking technologies in Africa. According to the banks website, the bank has a strong presence in asset management, commercial banking, health management, insurance, investment banking, pensions, registrar services, savings loans and trustee services, as well as over 370 business offices spread across Nigeria, Cameroun, the Gambia and Sà £o Tomà © Prà ­ncipe, Oceanic Bank is one of the most recognized financial services brands in West Africa. The rational for choosing Oceanic Bank for this essay is hinged on the fact that the author is an insider who has been working with the bank for years and have undergone series of training within the bank. Currently on the banks study leave, the author has unfettered access to the training methods and practices of the organisation and is able to specifically assess and examined the banks training methods and practices as demanded by the question at hand. Brief review of literature Various scholars and researchers have contributed to training especially in the banking sector. Among them is Richards (1997) who posits that during a management trainee programme, the real objective is to focus on the individual manager and not the position in the company. Richard contributed to training needs analysis, vis-a-vis; about core competencies, job profiling and identification of competencies gaps-either against core competencies for individuals or against job profiles for generic roles. Another important work that focuses on training in the banking industry is that of Niki Glaveli and Stella Kufidu (2005). The authors jointly analyzed the changes that took place in the Greek banking industry in three good years. The author also looks at the impact of the changes on the role of employees training and development for strategic implementation and success, using four case studies to investigate the effect of the environmental changes on these particular banks and the role of their training and development strategies in adjusting themselves to the changing industry environment (Glaveli Kufidu 2005). In a more related work to this study, Rainaye (2004) empirically examined the training policy in two commercial banks. The banks are the State Bank of India and Jammu Kashmir Bank Limited. The aim was to study some kind of training styles including Managements attitude towards training, training inputs, quality of training programmes and transfer of training to the job. The study found out that the training scenario is to a large extent satisfactory. The study also evaluates the opinions of the employees of two cadres of both banks and in particular that it can be made fully effective only when the training needs assessment and transfer of training to the job are considerably improved, besides bringing in finer improvements in other dimensions (Rainaye 2004). Badhu and Saxena (1999), in their work titled Role of Training in Developing Human Resources proved that an organization should have well-defined training policy as well as training manual and training should be made an ongoing process. The duo also proved that the executive development programmes have been found to be useful in improving the productivity, efficiency and effectiveness of managers. In their research, Karthikeyan, Karthi Graf evaluated the effectiveness of training in six banks and how training contributes for growth of the banks. The study which carefully focussed on three public sector banks and three private sector banks has core objectives of analyzing the effectiveness of Training in selected banks in Tiruchirappalli District, South India and also to find the association between effectiveness of training and growth and result of banks. Assessing Training Needs Organisations spend over $200 billion annually on employee training and development (Wexley and Latham, 1991). They rely upon this training to help develop employee skills that are critical for success in todays fast-changing, competitive environment (Guthrie and Schwoerer, 1994). There training programs are a dubious investment, however, unless they are based upon a sound training needs assessment TNA (Goldstein, 1993). According to Burton and Thakur (2003), a good training program should identify: (i) the specific skill areas that are to be strengthened as a result of the training; and (ii) the resources that is available to support the training. They posit that an effective training process must begin with a thorough need analysis to clearly identify the learning to be achieved, and it must end with an objective training program evaluation. A comprehensive training needs assessment provides information on organization needs- the organizational units in need of training; task needs- the knowledge and skills trainees must acquire for effective job performance; and person needs-the individuals in need of specific types of training (Wexley and Latham, 1991 Guthrie and Schwoerer, 1994). As shown in the figure below, the first step of training process is the assessing of training needs and providing answers to the following questions: (i)Who needs the training?(ii) Exactly what do they need to know or be able to do? (iii)What do they already know or are now able to do? (Burton and Thakur,2003). The other steps deal with identification of training objective which should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound, implementation of training program, evaluation, and adjustment if necessary. Assess training needs Who need to be trained? What do they need to know? What do they already know? Set training objectives (specific, measurable etc.) Plan training evaluation Did trainees like the training? Can they meet the training objectives? Do they perform better on the job? Develop training program: content, location, methods, trainers, duration Conduct Training Evaluate Training Modify training program based on evaluation Training methods and practices at Oceanic Bank International PLC Oceanic bank places great importance on its training and thats why the bank is known as a workplace where staff can really learn and work at the same time. Training at oceanic bank intl plc has been an important task or function to be completed by the human resources department. Whichever level an employee enters the organization; it is mandatory for such new employee to go through series of training both on- the- job and off- the- job. The Oceanic Leadership Academy The oceanic Leadership Academy is the training school for the bank. It is the first port of call for every new staff of the bank. The new staff members resume rigorous academic studies in the Academy for five weeks where their success is chiefly determined by written and oral examinations. The Academy goes a long way to determine whether a new staff will be retained in the bank or sent packing as staff who failed the short course will be asked to leave the employment of the bank. The Academy has very reach curriculum and work modules, most of which are packaged to deliver the peculiar nature and businesses of the bank. The Oceanic Academy, being the learning arm of the bank is run by the Human Resource department. According to the Banks websites, the department is responsible for all capacity building and training interventions aimed at developing the skills and capabilities of employees, thus improving their competencies on the job, their overall productivity and the competitiveness of Oceanic Bank Group. Induction courses After the graduating from the Academy, the induction processes of the bank follows. Induction training is conducted to newly employed staffs of oceanic bank within the branches of the bank. The programme is intended to improve the financial literacy of participants whilst strengthening their knowledge and competencies. This is carried out both on-the -job and off- the-job which enables the new entry level officers to understand the business and development of skills needed to carry out their job functions required by the organisations standard and practise. A one-week induction course for experienced new hires and a three-day induction course are available to certain grade levels. In addition, desk-to-desk induction is structured specifically for senior management staff. Off-the-job training in Oceanic Bank This is a training programme outside the organization which is encouraged by the bank. The bank usually sponsors and support their staffs for specialised training in various fields especially in the area of the modern day technology, credit and mortgage. Staffs are been sent on training in different training programmes such as (core banking application) finacle training in Indian and other European countries. Such staffs have come back more enlighten and are able to pass done such knowledge to subordinate and co- workers. On-the-job training in Oceanic bank Oceanic bank make most use of on-the-job training by assigning a trainer to the newly employee to put such employee through by learning the practical aspect of the job on-the-job. Job rotation is also an important training method employed by the bank where staff members are been moved from different department to gain more experience and familiarise themselves with all areas of banking, from marketing, credit, operations and application of core banking software. Oceanic bank staff members gain a lot through job rotation as given employees opportunity to work in different department of the bank is helpful. This initiative also helps staff members to move round different department which enable them bring in new ideas to other departments to enhance employee performance. Job rotation of staff also reduces boredom on the job because of diverse task to be carried out by employees. This also enables the staff to understand all the core aspect of banking as well as working with different people and senior managers across the business. Knowledge sharing section: This is a training programme designed by oceanic bank to be conducted by each branch on weekly basis. It is anchored by designated staff of the bank on a rotation basis. The aim is to bridge learning gaps on the operations of the bank. This is done specifically to update each staff of the bank on operations of the bank, the position of the bank, introduction of new products as well as knowledge outside the banking operations Short courses in Oceanic bank The bank periodically organizes Open Courses which cover diverse areas of development including Leadership, Communication, Health and Wellness, Credit Skills, Marketing Skills and Soft Skills. Mostly the bank sends mails to staffs to indicate there interest whenever the organisation organises open courses for staff The bank encourages the staff to register and monitors their progress for professional courses. In line with this the Oceanic Academy partners with various organisations like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) in the area of Continuous Professional Development Programmes. They also encourage personal development of each staffs by allowing staffs to go on study leave for further studies, and opportunity the writer of this essay is currently enjoying. E- learning: This is the bank internet training facilities provided to the employees of the bank for training purpose. There are various materials on this site which employees can read and download to enable them broaden their knowledge on the core banking subjects as well as non-banking related areas of study. Effectiveness of Oceanic Bank Training programmes The oceanic bank training scheme is by far one of the best in the banking sector as attested to by staff of other banks. The programme is well structured in such a way that it makes it easy for every member of staff to undergo it without any stress. This is desirable as it makes the staff to love and appreciate their work. This in turn encourages efficiency and increased productivity. Because staff had gone through certain training processes, they are confident in doing their job and they build up work ego and pride in delivering stated task. Shortcomings of the Oceanic Bank Training programmes While it is good to have a formal training school for staff training like the Oceanic bank leadership academy, it is somewhat unfair to based performance of new staff on classroom examinations, worstill, that those who failed the examination are shown the way out of the employment. This is hinged on the commonly known assertion that examination is never the best way of testing human knowledge. A very good staff that has sound practical knowledge of the banking system might be unable to successfully pass written examination for one reason or the other. For this reason, the mode of determining whoever successfully passed through the academy is put to question. Another shortcoming observed from the Oceanic Bank Training programmes is the management of the delivery of the on-the-job training. More often than not in the department where this author work, the pressure of work and overwhelming customer demands and queries do not allow room for teaching someone else on the job. The implication is that most new staff spend longer than usual in learning new skills while working. Often, those doing the training may have no experience in training, no time to do it, and no desire to participate in it. Under such conditions, learners essentially are on their own, and training likely will not be effective. Another problem is that on-the-job training can disrupt the flow of regular work. Unfortunately, on-the-job training can amount to no training at all in some circumstances, especially if trainers simply abandon the trainees to learn the job alone. Also bad habits or incorrect information from supervisor or manager can be transferred to the trainees. Conclusions and Recommendations for Improvement Owing to the complex nature of jobs in the banking sector, the importance of employee training has increased. In a rapidly changing society, employee training is not only an activity that is desirable but also an activity that an organization must commit resources to, if it is to maintain a viable and knowledgeable workforce Karthikeyan ,Karthi Graf (2010) Because of the enormous advantages of training to an organisation, the amount spent should be seen as an investment rather as a cost to the organisation. Training has been a very formidable part of every organisation. In fact it is a prerequisite for effective employees performance and growth on their jobs. Logically speaking, the higher the quality of training an employee receives, the higher the quality of productivity and vice versa. It must be stressed therefore, that training and development improve quality, customer satisfaction, morale, profitability, business expansion and development i.e. overall organizational productivity. Hence, it gives organizations competitive advantage. This essay recommends an informal approach to accessing staff performance in the training school, vis-avis, the Oceanic Bank Leadership Academy. In this way, emphasis should be laid on assessing the delivery of practical tasks assigned to the new staff rather than just asking them to write written examinations. Also, new staff should not be laid off for failing the written examinations in the academy. It is also recommended that on-the-job training should be more formalise such that pressure and workload would be reduced from the shoulder of the trainer. Such trainer, as a matter of fact, should be allowed concentrate more on the trainee rather than the customers during the period of the induction. It is also advisory that Oceanic bank introduces a kind of personality development programmes such as role play, group discussion and business games. By this, the senior, management and other lower staff can build synergy and the superior and subordinate relationship can be strengthened for the overall productivity of the bank. In General, the Human Resources department should enhance their training programmes in line with latest demands in the banking sector, especially in this age of online bank and sophisticated fraud. This is because every organization that want to survive in this very dynamic world of banking needs to have well-trained and experienced people to perform the activities that have to be done.

Impact of Mass Media on Individuals, Society, and Culture Essay

Impact of Mass Media on Individuals, Society, and Culture Mass media, over the years, has had a profound effect on American society, on its culture, and on the individuals exposed to the media. Mass media is a form of socialization, having a long-term effect on each member of American society. While mass media targets the individual in short-term intervals, the overall influence on them has been established as the consumer moves from one impressionable age category to another. The long or short- term effects of mass media are separate and distinct when its role in America is evaluated. Mass media effects people differently because of varied amounts of exposure and formats. Mass media has a socialization function in American society, in the culture, and on individuals. Mass media has played a role of socialization in our society over the years: Socialization is a long-term process that every human being undergoes as he or she becomes a functioning member of society. Socialization refers to the internalizing of all of the lessons from many sources concerning ways of behaving that are approved or expected by society, as individuals mature through every stage in the life cycle (DeFleur and Dennis, 582). Mass media educates its customers on how to think and to act, as they are conditioned to what the media portrays as suitable responses and behavior to experiences in American life. This long- term process is established over the years as media influences the impressionable age groups, as they are gradually exposed to distinct messages of mass media. These distinct age consumer groups are targeted by mass media, and while the effects of mass media are short-term, the subtle impression is long-term. The effect on American s... ...mmunity and friends have become more concerned of their own pursuits of happiness and security. Most people perceive mass media as quite negative, cynical, and unimportant for everyday life’s survival. The media reveals the degradation of society, our government, our politicians, and our celebrities. American culture is now filled with images of drugs, violence, and sex. Works Cited Anderson, Charles. Personal Interview. 3 November 1996. DeFleur, Melvin L. and Everette E. Dennis. Understanding Mass Communication. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. Denger, Stuart. Personal Interview. 3 November 1996. Hummon, David. Geographical Reviews: Commonplaces: Community Ideology and Identity in American Culture. Geographical Review. July 1991: 363-365. Swidler, Ann. â€Å"Inequality and American Culture† American Behavioral Scientist March 1992: 606- 629. Impact of Mass Media on Individuals, Society, and Culture Essay Impact of Mass Media on Individuals, Society, and Culture Mass media, over the years, has had a profound effect on American society, on its culture, and on the individuals exposed to the media. Mass media is a form of socialization, having a long-term effect on each member of American society. While mass media targets the individual in short-term intervals, the overall influence on them has been established as the consumer moves from one impressionable age category to another. The long or short- term effects of mass media are separate and distinct when its role in America is evaluated. Mass media effects people differently because of varied amounts of exposure and formats. Mass media has a socialization function in American society, in the culture, and on individuals. Mass media has played a role of socialization in our society over the years: Socialization is a long-term process that every human being undergoes as he or she becomes a functioning member of society. Socialization refers to the internalizing of all of the lessons from many sources concerning ways of behaving that are approved or expected by society, as individuals mature through every stage in the life cycle (DeFleur and Dennis, 582). Mass media educates its customers on how to think and to act, as they are conditioned to what the media portrays as suitable responses and behavior to experiences in American life. This long- term process is established over the years as media influences the impressionable age groups, as they are gradually exposed to distinct messages of mass media. These distinct age consumer groups are targeted by mass media, and while the effects of mass media are short-term, the subtle impression is long-term. The effect on American s... ...mmunity and friends have become more concerned of their own pursuits of happiness and security. Most people perceive mass media as quite negative, cynical, and unimportant for everyday life’s survival. The media reveals the degradation of society, our government, our politicians, and our celebrities. American culture is now filled with images of drugs, violence, and sex. Works Cited Anderson, Charles. Personal Interview. 3 November 1996. DeFleur, Melvin L. and Everette E. Dennis. Understanding Mass Communication. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. Denger, Stuart. Personal Interview. 3 November 1996. Hummon, David. Geographical Reviews: Commonplaces: Community Ideology and Identity in American Culture. Geographical Review. July 1991: 363-365. Swidler, Ann. â€Å"Inequality and American Culture† American Behavioral Scientist March 1992: 606- 629.

Empirical Research Essay -- science

Empirical Research Empirical research is defined by the context of two separate types of study. Both methods are of value to the researcher in his/her quest for better understanding of the test subjects. However, correlational and experimental studies each has its own set of qualifications which allow for differences in subject and matter. Scientifically, some of these are useful, though others could be viewed as problematic. Correlational research is the process of studying the relationship between two variables. The examiner does not manipulate a relational study. Findings can either be positive, negative, or unrelated. Though scientific in the final statistical manner; the researcher uses his senses to observe and ultimately determine into which category a study falls. A positive correlation shows increases in both variables. Alternately, negative correlation looks at the increase in one variable, and the relation to the decrease in the other variable. There has to be an association between the two, or the result is unrelational. The scientific element to a correlational study is a measurable expression of degree defined as the correlational coefficient. It is a practical technique that gives a representation to the study. Numbers correspond with the level of correlation from a negative one demonstrating a perfect negative correlation, to positive one, showing a precise positive correlation. A zero on this graph would indicate no relation, or an unrelational cor...

The Maltese Falcon :: essays research papers fc

Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco: A Unique Setting in the Changing World of Early 20th Century Detective Fiction The Pacific coast port city of San Francisco, California provides a distinctively mysterious backdrop in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. Unlike many other detective stories that are anchored in well-known metropolises such as Los Angeles or New York City, Hammett opted to place the events of his text in the lesser-known, yet similarly exotic cultural confines of San Francisco. Hammett used his own intricate knowledge of the San Francisco Bay Area - coupled with details collected during a stint as a detective for the now defunct Pinkerton Agency - to craft a distinctive brand of detective fiction that thrived on such an original setting (Paul 93). By examining the setting of 1920’s San Francisco in The Maltese Falcon, it becomes apparent that one of Hammett’s literary strengths was his exceptional ability to intertwine non-fictional places with a fictional plot and characters in order to produce a logical and exceedingly believable detective mystery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dashiell Hammett called the San Francisco area home from 1920 until 1936. For a portion of those fourteen years, he shared an apartment on Eddy Street with his first wife Josephine Dolan. This apartment was located very near the San Francisco Public Library on Larkin Street where in 1921 Hammett first conceived the idea of his writing detective fiction. San Francisco historian and author Don Freeman explains: In the library he would read the magazines and the books and one day after reading several detective yarns he said, ‘I can do that.’ The truth is, he could. And he did. He wrote for Black Mask, a pulp detective magazine, and then as his skills increased he began to write novels. It was in this library that Dashiell Hammett saw his future. (79) Hammett contributed stories to Black Mask for ten years until The Maltese Falcon gained public and literary acclaim. Many of the stories that Hammett penned for Black Mask were set in San Francisco, as the city provided him with a unique atmosphere in which to observe and record different cultures, norms, and fads. In the 1920’s, San Francisco was thought of as an exotic melting pot of culture that was rivaled only by its eastern cultural counterpart of New York City. Therefore, it is no surprise that Hammett used San Francisco as the setting of The Maltese Falcon to further illustrate the exotic and striking nature of the plot and characters within the text (Dumenil 211).

Blood and Thunder: Indians and Manifest Destiny

Perhaps the most striking part of Blood and Thunder is the famed and fabled Kit Carson himself. He begins the book as a duty-driven youth who is able to kill anyone or anything without a sense of remorse, likely because of his experiences with the harshness of life as a child. However, once he begins to have a family—a real family, one he raises and takes care of and looks after—he begins to shift. Carson begins to balk at some killings, even going so far as to decry the killing of indian warriors at Carleton’s order. Whether it was the need to take care of his family or the need to find peace in the face of his increasingly failing healthy, Carson provides a look at the changes a man can undergo over the course of his life. He starts as one man, filled with certain ideals and desires, and over the course of his life, his goals and priorities shift. His sense of duty that was instilled in him from his childhood days fails him in his older age, leading him to increasingly attempt to leave behind the front lines and seek solace at home. This shift in character seems odd when the book is merely skimmed; however, the book structures Carson’s life in a way that provides clear understanding of the changes. This was not an abrupt shift, nor was it a conscious one. This change, rather, came as a result of the overall human need to adjust, to shift with the changes that life presented. This change makes Carson truly feel like a â€Å"real person,† someone who isn’t merely a character from a book. It makes Carson human, and thus served to catch my attention. The second part of Blood and Thunder that caught my attention was the conflict between the American mentality and the mentality of the Native Americans who already lived in the area. As is noted throughout the book, the Native Americans could not understand the point behind many of the â€Å"white† traditions that men like Carleton tried to impress upon them. The â€Å"white† ways had no resonance with the Native Americans because everything differed between them. The concept of â€Å"ownership† of the land meant nothing to the Native Americans because they saw themselves as stewards, caretakers of the land. The concept of Christianity meant nothing to Native Americans because they came from a rich, diverse, usually polytheistic religion that held nothing that mixed with Christianity. The concept of a single spokesperson for an entire race of Native Americans (i. e. for the entire people [Navajo, Ute, Kiowa, etc. ]) broke the tradition of having spokespeople from many tribes forming a council for the people. This imposition of mentalities on Native Americans caused at least some of the breakdown in communication; however, there were some aspects that the Native Americans chose to learn and accept in order to deal with the white men. Showing their ability for change, the Navajos elect Barboncito, at the end of the book in the epilogue, to serve as their spokesperson to Gen. Sherman. This collaboration between the Navajo need for the separate tribes and the white men’s need for a single person to deal with led to the eloquent plea to Sherman that ended with the Navajo returning to their home lands.

The significance of this quote

Nomi’s mother is never really developed within ‘A Complicated Kindness’ but is evidenced through Nomi’s reflections on her past life, a life that took her mother and sister from her.Nomi’s mother was excommunicated from the community in which she and her family lived. Quote 1 provides insight into how the plot will unfold by way of short sharp snippets of what, why, where and how things happen in Nomi’s life and her struggle to deal with the fate bestowed upon her.The significance of this quote to the plot of the narrative is clear because it illustrates how Nomi would prefer to believe her mother was travelling which in reality cannot be so, for how can she be travelling without a passport. Such inference assumes that she is wandering aimlessly or maybe even dead – as dead as the ghost she appears to be in Nomi’s life.Only the â€Å"ID information† and a â€Å"black-and-white photo† are in the passport which again connotes a feeling of futility; we know Nomi’s mother existed or exists because the passport is provided in testimony of her being but that is all that is left of her existence other than memories for Nomi.The fact that the passport has no stamps or evidence of use helps to illustrate the life her mother lived; a life confined to one location, which was one of oppression and governed by rules. The photo provides confirmation for Nomi and readers that her mother, although living within the small community of Manitoba and possessing a passport never used, was hopeful of a better life, a life of travel and experience but a life that would never eventuate.The passport and its contents not only serve to carry forward the plot of Nomi’s story but also to provide evidence of her mother’s existence, the hope and dreams she desired and the stark reality that she was in fact now only a ghost in Nomi’s memories and reflections.He (Sheridan) said it gave him the cree ps because that was where his mom had killed herself years ago? When it happened, years ago, Sheridan’s mom went nuts. Trudie had told me and Tash that she thought Sheridan’s dad should have left town to save his mom the pain of having to pretend he was dead. She’d really loved him. They’d had a lot of fun together when he wasn’t drunk (36-37).East Village Manitoba is a place filled with pretence, double standards, and secrecy. This quote is pertinent in that it reflects the irony evident in the lives of Manitoba’s community.We are told by way of a disjointed memory reflected upon by Nomi of how people living in Manitoba, more specifically in this case Sheridan and his family, live a lie. Sheridan’s father was a drunk but drank in secrecy in fear of being excommunicated from the town; his wife therefore rather than admit the truth pretended he was dead. Living a life of deceit caused Sheridan’s mother to go insane and commit su icide.The irony of being unhappy but shamming happiness is evident throughout the novel but this quote presages the futility and despair of living that lie. Both Sheridan’s mother and father achieved nothing from their pretence except pain and downfall, which in turn led to Sheridan’s plight of having to cope with his life without either parent.Nomi’s reference to her mother telling her and her sister Tash that they were once happy and in love serves to add more sentiment to the fact; the fact that living in a town full of oppression and rigidity in turn causes people to live a life of lies that has no ending other than misery.Through use of this quote and Nomi’s reflection we realize that living in fear of excommunication, people of Manitoba are forced to secrete what they do, but in doing so they are excommunicating themselves from their families, each other and most importantly themselves.   

New York: City Information Essay

It is located on the Atlantic Coast on the United States of America. It was first settled in 1625, known as New Amsterdam by the Dutch. It is known as the city that never sleeps. New York City is probably one of the most interesting cities in the world. It has something to offer to everybody. From the moment you land in New York City there is a realization that you have landed in a different world. New York City is home to virtually every nationality on earth. With each culture represented in New York City by individuals alone the many opportunities to visit miniature versions of the cultures is apparent in areas known as Little Italy, Chinatown and Harlem. However culture is not the only reason to visit New York City. There are hundreds of reasons to visit a city known as The Big Apple. There are twenty-four major attractions from going to the Bronx Zoo to riding a ferry to the first immigration terminal, Ellis Island. Over twelve million immigrants passed through the gates of Ellis Island while entering the United States. These immigrants left his or her homes due to religious and politically oppression. Some journeyed to America simply for the Great American Dream. Ellis Island is located in the upper bay off the coast of New Jersey. It is shadowed by one of the greatest statutes in America, the Statue of Liberty. Originally it was 3.3 acres but has grown to 27.5 acres. Throughout history, Ellis Island has served itself as one of the most famous immigration ports. It officially closed in November 1954. If you prefer the more recreationally side of New York City then Central Park is the most visited and famous. Being known as one of the urban wonders of the world, Central Park is a vast, green oasis in the middle of skyscrapers and miles of pavement. Twenty years after the approval for the man made park, Central Park became a place for all to enjoy as a get away from the frenzied New York City lifestyle. The sky is the limit when it comes to Central Park activities. Every New York native knows the beauty and haven that is offered while sitting on a park bench, tossing a ball with friends or pets, jogging, cycling, or just relaxing. However the millions of visitors each year that descend onto Central Park also know of the benefits of the Central Park Zoo, the Hans Christian Anderson and Alice in Wonderland sculptures, the Carousel, the Bridle path for those who love to ride their  horse, and many more. Besides the hundreds of activities within Central Park since 1908 it has been th e background scene for more than two hundred feature films. An Affair to Remember, Baby Boom, Little Nicky and Breakfast at Tiffany’s just to name a few. Anyone can fulfill almost all his or her needs from high culture to wilderness inside the city limits, but if you are determined to see the surrounding areas, here are a few ideas for day trips out of the city. There are some good beaches near New York and it’s possible to get to them for a day trip. Coney Island is the nearest; you can get there by the subway. One of the most respected Universities in the U.S. and also one of the prettiest, Princeton University is north of New York City. Its location is very picturesque and even produced its own style of landscape painting, the Hudson River school. The town of Cold Spring is a small riverside community with small restaurants and antique shops with a dramatic view across the river. It’s especially attractive during fall foliage season. As you can see New York offers something for everybody.

Scm at Cathay Pacific

â€Å"AVIATION SPARE PART SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT OPTIMISATION AT CATHAY PASIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED† CASE STUDY GLOBAL LOGISTIC COURSE ASSIGNMENT Prof. Hiroshi Hoshino Umurbek Osorkhan 2EC12056R QBS 10th 5 November 2012 1 Company Overview Cathay Pacific Airways is an airline company founded on September 24th, 1946 by Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow. Starting with a very limited schedule service, the company grew larger through multiple product innovations, technological investments such as the computerized reservation system and successful acquisitions.In 1986, Cathay Pacific went public and further expanded in Europe, North America, and China. The company employed over 25000 people worldwide, serviced over 43 destinations throughout Asia, Europe and North America, and carried more than 16. 7 million passengers in 2006. 1. Why is good supply chain management of spare parts so critical for an airline? Supply chain management has become one of the crucial competitive advantage in today`s organizations. Finding opportunities in supply chain can make companies unique and different from competition.Today more and more companies are trying to manage their supply chain in an effective and efficient manner in order to provide better services at lower cost. Unlike other industries, the aviation industry known as highly regulated1 industry and the aviation spare parts 2 are very complex3, large amounts of money are invested in spare parts inventory and this has increased over the years. Because of these large amounts of money involved, there is great interest in cost savings, and even savings of a few percents only constitute large cost savings in absolute terms.This case study shows us how Cathay Pacific Airways successfully manage their supply chain in an optimal manner, despite some circumstances. According to the case study there were several points that good supply chain management of spare parts so critical for commercial airline operators. We can briefly des cribe them as stringent industry regulations, turnaround time and lead time, large number and expensive parts. Firstly, managing supply chain in aviation industry was so complex and challenging for all operators, andCathay Pacific is no exception as reflected in the huge inventory carrying costs of US$350 million as of December 2005. In addition, dead and inactive stock made up 20% of Cathay Pacific’s annual supply chain expenses of US$250 million. Moreover, substantial resources are consumed with over 100 personnel in the inventory management department overseeing over 230,000 line items of aviation spare parts and over 600 supplier relationships. As I mentioned earlier aviation spare parts themselves were very complex and expensive.For instance in a single airplane there are over 1 million parts and components and the average cost of engine was $12 million. Another critical issue for the supply chain management in aviation industry was the tight regulation of the aviation i ndustry, which is regulated by international and local authorities such as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Department of the Government of the Hong Kong (CAD). Airlines operators have to comply with different statutory regulations.For instance, they have to complete the deferrable repairs within the stipulated timeframe, suppliers of aeroplane spare parts are required to possess special legal certifications and formal protocols, as well as issues of reliability and safety. 1 Because of safety issues the Aviation industry was regulated by international and local authorities such as FAA, EASA or some local regulatory bodies. 2 Spare parts are defined as components, assemblies, and equipment that are completely interchangeable with like items installed or in use, which are used, or can be used, to replace items removed during maintenance and overhaul. Joseph D. Patton, 1984) 3 There were over 1,000,000 part s in a single airplane. 2 Initially safety issues are crucial for all operators and supplier. It`s true that strict rules and tight regulations are necessary-they protect consumers, customer safety, environment and other things. However sometimes it causes some burdens on businesses. It always increases the cost of operations. Also turnaround time for repairs was highly critical and cost for flight delay was extremely huge. Customers might be upset or even shift to other airlines if delays caused them lose the connecting flights.Thus, the cost of aircraft delays was crucial element in engineering. Bargaining power of supplier, difficulty to forecast demand and harsh competitions were other important issues in aviation industry. As a result of tight aviation regulations airline companies, as a customer, were constrained in supplier selection. Spare parts solely supplied by only single dominated supplier as called OEM (original equipment supplier). The limited choice and high concentr ation of OEM`s limited airline operators` negotiation power.According to the M. Porter`s five force analysis aviation industry has low entrance barrier and it cause very intensive competition between airlines operators. A few decades ago flying with airline was very expensive for ordinary people but today everyone can benefit from this because airline ticket prices have constantly and significantly fallen. Finally, demand forecasting was very difficult. The forecast for spare parts is made based on maintenance information, scheduled maintenance plans and past usage patterns.Even so, the usage pattern of spare parts remained highly unpredictable because of the irregular behavior and the high level of demand variability of airplane spare parts for aircraft maintenance repair parts, which make the demand forecasting very challenging and tough to deal with. 2. Explain the financial impact of having higher inventory level of spare parts. It`s obvious successful supply chain management is focuses in an inventory and inventory control management.A common perception and experience is that supply chain management leads to cost savings, largely through minimizing inventory holding costs. As I mentioned before certain risks (delaying aircraft can lead huge cost) airline operators was needed to hold certain level of spare parts that could satisfy all possible demand of its aircraft. However, this was both financially and operationally impossible. Thus, managing balance between most effective inventory levels to hold onto relative to the responding service level is very important.According to the case study spare parts constituted a significant expense (total inventory value was $350 million in BS) in Cathay Pacific`s financial statement. Followings are several financial drawbacks of having higher inventory level of spare parts. ? It could increase the carrying inventory cost. High inventory increases the warehousing cost (facility, handling, etc. ), the investment cost (b orrowing and opportunity, etc. ) and holding cost (insurance, tax, obsolescence, etc. ) directly linked to the increase of inventory. It could also increase the labor cost.High inventory level conducts to inventory discrepancies, so lots of counting and recounting, tracking and tracing costs associated. It had negative impact on cash flow. More buy spare parts, components and assembles or any goods mean more consume cash only holding inventory. Moreover, holding high inventory levels always hide process inefficacies where inventory is made to cover malfunctions such as breakdowns, quality issue, long die exchange time even risks of mistakes. ? ? ? 3 3. How do you evaluate Cathay Pacific's logistics management?I was very impressed and fascinated with Cathay Pacific’s logistics management. Despite of existing challenges such as heavy regulations, dependence on OEM`s, large numbers and complexity of spare parts and supplier relations and so on Cathay Pacific was successfully man age their supply chain and made themselves different other airlines. As a result she has become a leading airline company in the world. Cathay Pacific handles all procurement and inventory management in-house whilst third party logistics service providers are employed for repair and logistics management.Through following successful procurement, inventory management, repair management, and logistics management Cathay Pacific could optimize their supply chain management of spare parts operation. ? Despite large scale of operations with thousands of suppliers and distributors cross functional teams at Cathay Pacific helped in gaining leverage on purchasing by applying a systematic process of reducing the cost of spare parts purchased from different vendors. The procurement process gave an edge to Cathay Pacific in monitoring, evaluating and managing relationships with suppliers to ensure operational effectiveness.With its implementation, the airline was able to leverage purchasing powe r across different divisions and negotiate favorable prices with the suppliers. Strategic sourcing also focused to consolidate the supplier’s database and chose the preferred ones. Through the finding following options Cathay Pacific successfully was handled the shortage. – Express Shipping: This situation happens when aircraft is grounded and could not take off due to the nonavailability of certain part. The system at Cathay Pacific generates an urgent AOG (Aircraft on Ground) order request and the parts are expressed shipped for same day delivery.The express shipping situation clearly shows the shortcomings of current purchasing practices and inventory management of Cathay Pacific. – Borrowing: The other method Cathay Pacific uses is of borrowing form other Airlines. Borrowing seems to be a good idea however Cathay Pacific cannot depend on this method as it cannot ensure the availability of parts as the parts required might not be available with other airline. Also borrowing might even be not possible as different airlines uses different aircraft models. Again it will be costly option for Cathay Pacific because other airline might charge a premium. Airline Technical Pool: The third option Cathay Pacific has for meeting shortage is by pool loan, Cathay Pacific has signed a contract with International technical pool which maintain network of 100 Airlines. With this use of this network Cathay Pacific can share spare parts when in need without a surcharge. Collaborating through this network is a good option for Cathay Pacific, however still it cannot ensure the availability of required parts. Cathay Pacific cannot rely completely on this option. Also it might me time consuming and costly to ship the part form different regions.Being part of this network Cathay Pacific also need to share their inventory with other Airlines which could create instability in their own system. – Internal Borrowing: The final option Cathay Pacific has is o f internal procurement, whenever a part is needed Cathay Pacific can borrow it form their Aircraft. This solution might make the part available in short term but it does not necessary solve the actual problem as they will still be requiring the part in future. Similar to the other options Cathay Pacific cannot rely on this option because it does not ensure the part availability when needed.In addition improving and introducing Ultramain information system, which enables Cathay Pacific`s technical log process and support the maintenance management afterwards was clearly helped to optimize their supply chain management of spare parts. Another successful supply chain optimization at Cathay Pacific was implementation of Aerochange system Development of a collaborated supply chain system to expand the sharing and exchange of information (Spare parts availability and suppliers list) with different airlines gave an advantage to Cathay Pacific to select a supplier from the huge database.Aft er its launch in 2000, technological advancement in Aeroxhange made this system capable of doing numerous tasks which helped the airlines to be more effective in their procurement. ? ? ? 4 ? E. g. : In 2001, Aeroxchange launched its e-procurement platform to integrate the partners for quote management and also it incorporated the service order management in 2005. Finally, Cathay Pacific was successfully outsourced to third-party logistics (3PL) companies to transport their parts to various repair houses across the globe.This outsourcing approach allowed Cathay Pacific to save costs and hence reduce financial risks. Assets required establish distribution centers and networks normally need a huge amount of money that encompasses financial risks and hence by outsourcing, this risk can be spread to 3PL partners. Also the perform of repair and logistics management activities Cathay Pacific pays millions of dollars. However outsourcing these activities will result in saving the capital wh ich can be spent on further expansion of the airline. . Any suggestion for the company to reduce the inventory cost while maintaining safe operation of aircrafts? Although Cathay pacific invested a lot of time and money to improve their procurement, there are still many rooms for the advancement in their processes. The history of Cathay pacific says that they have always tried to lock the deals with the airlines and individual suppliers to enhance their procurement process.On the other hand, one point that should have been taken into account was establishing strategic alliances with the suppliers or manufacturers (Boeing and Airbus) for the procurement activities. (According to the case study Cathay Pacific ) An alliance where manufacturers should focus on the materials management and help Cathay pacific to focus on core business activities. The integrated alliance with Boeing and airbus services will help to achieve greater transparency and efficiency in the resource operations.The se services are acquired by most of the big players in the market like Delta airlines and Singapore airlines where they succeeded in generating good revenues by focusing on their core activities. The other alternative for improvement is to reward the suppliers to suggest the cost saving ideas. This will help the airline to develop a sense of competition among suppliers for developing a sustainable and cost effective model for procurement which will eventually result in increasing the productivity of the fleet.Despite the Cathay Pacific`s efforts to manage their spare parts inventory in an optimal manner, they still encountered several circumstances. Dealing with spare part shortage they have offered express shipping. Definitely express shipping is a very costly option for Cathay Pacific and should be avoided by keeping the AOG parts in inventory. Finally outsourcing whole engineering division can be another suggestion to improve inventory cost. By this it could save enormous costs a nd risks. 5

Individual report of Digital Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Individual report of Digital Marketing - Essay Example However, the industry has seen a demand upsurge in recent years for outbound holiday travel packages, especially as the pound has strengthened. In spite of the revenue contractions in the industry for the year 2011-2012, the sector is expected to post a 0.6% compound annual growth through 2015-2016. The strongest focus has been on online travel sales, which accounted for over 50% of total travel sales in 2013 (euromonitor.com, 2014: p1). Indeed, customers are increasingly turning to the internet for information on travel destinations in order to make informed decisions. Thus, a digital marketing strategy will be essential for tour and travel operators going forward. The UK political environment is relatively stable, which has a positive impact on potential clients. Border policy and resultant entry fees is also a factor affecting the UK travel sectors with shorter 3-month group visas at reduced costs being a positive factor for the sector (ibisworld.co.uk, 2015: p1). In addition, the UK government and governments in countries that are favoured by UK travel tourists, such as Australia and South Africa, are implementing environmental policies that may impact on the travel sector. Finally, terrorist threats on UK citizens may also portend a specific risk for the industry. The global financial and economic crises affected countries like the UK significantly, which has resulted in reduced travel by UK consumers due to purchasing power pressures and uncertainty about employment (ibisworld.co.uk, 2015: p1). However, the strengthening pound in relation to other major world currencies has increased the spending power of outbound travel clients from the UK. Declining inflation in the UK and the wider EU region has also meant that costs for travelling in the UK have reduced. Increasing concerns about sustainability in the travels and tours industry, especially in