Research on Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Research on Project Management - Essay Example A project is a collection of activity to achieve a particular objective. It involves the directing of many activities towards a particular objective. A project is not a whole time activity. It always has a start date and end date. The duration of the project depends on the size of the project. A project is always guided and lead by a set of instructions and plans. A project always has a deadline within which it has to be completed and handed over to the required authority. The project will consume more than the estimated cost if it is not completed within the deadline. A project is a pooling up of men, money, materials and other resources for the achievement of a specific goal. A project is an effort of a group of people. A project is done in different phases. The different phases of a project are initiating stage, planning stage, executing stage and controlling stage. The initiating stage of the project is where the project idea is generated. A structure has to be given to the gener ated idea before it is being carried foreword. This structure is given in the planning stage. The executing stage of the project is the most crucial stage. It is where all the resources are pooled up properly. This is the stage that requires more cost. In the controlling stage the project is examined and reexamined for any deviations. Corrective measures are taken for controlling the deviations that have occurred. A project is entirely different from business in the sense that the project is for a specified period whereas the business is a continuing process. Therefore, in simple sense project management refers to the managing of all the activities concerned with the successful implementation of the project. Managing a project is a complex task and managing that complex task is the duty of the project management experts. The techniques used for the management of the project differ from the nature of the project. The project management is done by a team of experts comprising the

The Automobile Sector Essay Example for Free

The Automobile Sector Essay The automobiles sector is divided into four segments – two-wheelers (mopeds, scooters, motorcycles, electric two-wheelers), passenger vehicles (passenger cars, utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles), commercial vehicles (light and medium-heavy vehicles), and three wheelers (passenger carriers and good carriers). The industry is one of the key drivers of economic growth of the nation. Since the delicensing of the sector in 1991 and the subsequent opening up of 100 percent FDI through automatic route, Indian automobile sector has come a long way. Today, almost every global auto major has set up facilities in the country. The world standings for the Indian automobile sector, as per the Confederation of Indian Industry, are as follows: * Largest three-wheeler market * Second largest two-wheeler market * Tenth largest passenger car market * Fourth largest tractor market * Fifth largest commercial vehicle market * Fifth largest bus and truck segment The auto sector reported a robust growth rate of 26 percent in the last two years (2010-2012). The BSE AUTO Index outperformed the benchmark Nifty by 79%, 12% and 19% in FY10, FY11 and FY12, respectively. However, the sector has shown a sluggish growth of 12 percent in 2012. The trend is likely to stay with a 10 percent growth outlined for 2013 citing high ownership costs (fuel costs, cost of registration, excise duty, road tax) and slow rural income growth. Solid but cautious growth is expected over the next few years. However, from a long-term perspective, rising incomes, improved affordability and untapped markets present promising opportunities for automobile manufactures in India. According to Macquaire equities research, sale of passenger vehicles is expected to double in the next four years and growth anticipated is higher than the 16 percent achieved in the past 10 years. Two-wheeler vehicle segment is expected to show slow growth of 10 percent CAGR over the period of 2012-2016, suggests the report. The Government recognizes the impact of the sector on the nation’s economy, and consequently, the Automotive Mission Plan 2016 launched by it seeks to grow the industry to a size of US $145bn by 2016 and make it contribute 10 percent to the nation’s GDP. The ICRA analysis of the Indian market projects heavy growth for competitively priced sports-utility-vehicles or SUVs and two wheelers. A number of major global brands like Honda, Suzuki, General Motors and Hyundai have launched their products in the SUV segment of the Indian automobile market. An average of 11. 5% growth in the two-wheelers sales in 2004-2007 has kept a number of global companies interested in this segment as well. The market has been moreover bolstered by a healthy rise in the sales of heavy commercial vehicles, and the presence of a strong auto component industry that now ranks 2nd in the world. One of the best things to happen for the Indian automobile market in the recent years was its telling improvement in the export sector. There was a 56% growth in exports from 2003 to 2004. Although economy cars continue to hold the lions share of the export market, vehicles worth more than USD 1 billion were also exported in 2004, for the first time in history. This increasing demand for Indian cars on the foreign shores has helped the countrys automobile industry in two significant ways. First, it has decidedly contributed to the economic growth of the industry. Secondly, it has helped to improve the image of the Indian manufacturing infrastructure at a global level. This increased confidence has resulted in more and more foreign brands opening manufacturing units in India, directly contributing to economy and employment. With a number of foreign brands joining ranks with the domestic manufacturers, the Indian consumer is now flooded with choice. An average Indian can now select from a wide range of Indian and foreign products. Some of the major Indian players are Maruti Udyog, Tata Motors, Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, Hero Honda and Bajaj. Toyota, GM Honda, Daimler Chrysler, Ford, Volvo and Hyundai Suzuki are the key international players in the Indian Automobile market. However, despite the presence of foreign brands, the domestic companies are still the biggest players. Maruti Udyog and Tata vehicles share the top honors for passenger and commercial vehicles respectively. The Indian automobile industry is now riding high on success, and the bright picture does tend to obscure the problems and challenges that lay on the track of its growth. Poor road conditions, heavy pollution and large scale traffic related accidents are serious impediments in the way of the industrys growth. However, steps are being initiated by the government to address these problems at various levels, and solutions are being worked out at a steady pace. Indian Automobile Industry SWOT Analysis Job opportunities in automobile sector The economy is booming and salaries are zooming. With an increase in purchasing power of people in our country, Indias automobile industry has become one of the fastest-growing in the world right now. With more disposable income and affordable cars like Nano hitting the road, car sales have touched new heights. To capitalise on this opportunity, many foreign companies are expanding their operations in India. It is for this reasons that there are plenty of job openings in automobile industry. For the right candidates, the salary is big. Jobs are available across almost all fields engineering, research and development, finance, human resources, and information technology. According to the Confederation of Indian Industry, auto sector currently employs 787, 7702 people, 58 percent of who are in the passenger car segment. However, there is an increasing demand for skilled professionals in the domain of effective service delivery, spares management and support functions. ITIs and Polytechnics provide 530,000 graduates every year, but there is an urgent need for updating courses to keep up with changing trends in technology, manufacturing, and processes. 2 most popular career options for MBA (at top level) in automobile industry-: Marketing Head: How is BMW different from Toyota? A marketing head is responsible for building the brand of the company. He has to position the companys brand, promote it at both domestic and international level, then see its performance in the market vis-a-vis other competitors. Qualifications: MBA with specialisation in Marketing and minimum work experience of 10 years. Expected Pay: Salaries range from Rs 800,000 rupees to Rs 5 million ($111,000). Some major multinational companies pay as much as 10 million rupees ($224,000). Financial Analyst: A financial analyst plays a key role in preparing the companys business plans, and is involved in the vehicles pricing and suggesting ways to reduce cost of production. He will also evaluate the progress of the product and reports its financial performance. He will also keep a check on the performance of competitors products. Qualifications: Companies typically look for candidates with a post-graduate degree in commerce, or masters in business administration with a major in finance. At least an experience of 15 years is required. Expected Pay: According to a report in Wall Street Journal, the salary of a financial analyst ranges from $67,000 to $156,000. Upcoming trends India is emerging as a strong automotive RD hub with foreign players like Hyundai, Suzuki, General Motors setting up base in India. This move is further enhanced by Government’s support towards setting up centres for development and innovation. Tata Nano’s successful entry in the Indian market has steamed up the opportunities of growth available in alternative segments like electric cars, vehicles run on natural gas, etc. Factors that will drive growth in the sector * Rising incomes among Indian population will lead to increased affordability, increasing domestic demand for vehicles, especially in the small car segment. * Fuel economy and demand for greater fuel efficiency is a major factor that affects consumer purchase decision that will bring leading companies across two-wheeler and four-wheeler segment to focus on delivering performance-oriented products. * Product innovation and market segmentation will channelize growth. Vehicles based on alternative fuels will be an area of interest for both consumers and auto makers. * Focus on establishing India as auto-manufacturing hub is reigning in policy support in form of Government’s technology modernisation fund. * Industry will seek to augment sales by tapping into rural markets, youth, women and luxury segments.

Analysis of Rio Tinto Mining Company

Analysis of Rio Tinto Mining Company   Industry: Rio Tinto Rio Tinto is a leading global mining company that focuses on finding, mining, processing and marketing the Earths mineral resources [1]. Its mining operation operates globally ranging from Copper assets in America, coal in South Africa to Iron in Australia. Its current revenue in GBP sits at  £27.22bn operating at a net income of  £3.72bn. Year on year Rio Tinto grew net income at 433%. Since January 2016 share prices have risen from  £1700, to  £3600, as the mining sector has exploded. Its no great surprise, with the costs of iron ores rising, the manufacturing sector exploding, and the demand for commodities having gone through the roof. Its main competitors are also mining companies; Anglo American plc, Glencore PLC and BHP to name a few. They have followed similar trends to Rio Tinto and have seen their share prices soar in the most recent months. Table 1.0 shows the comparison in debt and equity between the four companies. 2015 Debt (mil USD) Equity (mil USD) RIO:LSE 23,300 37,349 AAL:LSE 17,967 16,569 GLEN:LSE 48,980 41,254 BLT:LSE 31,170 64,768 In 2016 Rio Tinto has managed to cut its debt to $18,372mil and grew its equity to $39,290mi. 2) By just looking at figure 2.2 we can determine how volatile the RIO share price has been especially since the winter of 2015. It seems every other month (since Nov 15), has either been strongly positive or strongly negative. Before these months, the share price followed a similar trend to that of the FTALLSH with a few exceptions (early 2013). The overall monthly mean return sits at 0.4%, 0.5% lower than the average mean return of FTALLSH. The standard deviation (risk) is also considerably higher at 8.31% (compared to 3.04% FTALLSH). As an investor, I would want my average return to be higher as the risk became higher. In this instance, this is not the case. FTALLSH has a higher return but a much lower risk, and as an investor, this would be my preferred choice. We must take into account that if as an investor we took a long position with RIO at JAN 16, our share value has doubled. Annual mean return data is calculated by: When looking at annual data (October of each year), we can see the mean return has significantly increased on both the FTALLSH and the RIO. The slope of the line through a portfolio is given by the Sharpe ratio (figure 2.4). The risk free interest rate per annum is 1%. FTALLSH has higher annual returns than the risk free interest rate, but RIO has much lower returns. As an investor, you want better returns for higher risk. If the return is less than that of a risk free investment, the investment in RIO is not worth undertaking. 3) Correlation measures the degree in which two markets move in relation with each other. The correlation value ranges from -1 to +1. If the correlation is 0, the markets do not move in relation at all. Both the annual and monthly data has a mediocre correlation against the FTALLSH. This is probably mainly affected by the last 6 months data shown in figure 2.1, with how volatile the RIO market has been. Covariance is also measured by how changes in one market are associated with changes in the other market. It doesnt really give the strength of the relationship between the two markets as well as correlation does. This is why it isnt used to determine the relationship but it is vital in finding the Beta of the portfolio. Expected return = Volatility = Annual, Monthly, Annually, the Beta of the RIO market vs the FTALLSH, is 0.75, to be expected, as the correlation is mediocre, and the mean return is also high. The Beta of the market should be exactly 1. Therefore, the asset is defensive. The expected excess return is linked to its risk. As the market has a Beta of 1, and the Beta of RIO is .75, the RIO beta is 25% less volatile. Monthly, the beta is above 1 and is 44% more volatile. If the market rises or falls by  £1, the RIO return will rise or fall by  £1.44. The Capital Asset Pricing Model allows the investor to identify the best portfolio of risky assets without knowing the expected return on each of securities [3]. The CAPM equation (annual return) implies a positive result. As the annual return suggested by the CAPM is only 8.5%, and the annual return computed for RIO is 1.24%, the market is under-performing, and investors are being under-compensated for bearing the market risk. Monthly return is slightly positive. As the monthly return for RIO is 0.40%, and the monthly CAPM is 0.09%, Rio is outperforming the return suggested by the CAPM. Therefore, investors are being over-compensated for bearing the market-risk. The CAPM also implies that the annual return has a higher risk but worse return, and the monthly return has a lower risk but higher return [6]. Limitations Monthly risk free rate will not be exactly 1% every single month Return on the market. The market return at any given time can be negative. CAPM is a backwards looking model. Anything can happen (environmentally, politically, etc.) that can change the market FTALLSH is a limitation and is not the true market portfolio. Annually Beta = 0.75. If the market rose by 5%, the return would rise by If the market fell by 10% Monthly Beta = 1.44. If the market rose by 5%, the return would rise by If the market fell by 10% The monthly return has higher chance of greater returns, (the Beta is higher), however it also has a higher chance of bigger losses. If the markets rose by 5%, annually the investor would make a 4% return, vs 6.8% return on monthly data. Annual Return This means short selling RIO Tintos shares, and buying excess shares of market x. If the portfolio returns are uncorrelated, this gives a correlation of 0. As we know à Ã‚  = 0, the equation becomes Working out the portfolios Beta 4) CAPM Return = 8.5% To work out the PV of the project the company is considering, the discount factor is needed to be known. Assuming the companys required rate of return is given by the expected return on its equity, i.e. the CAPM return. As the CAPM equation has computed the expected returns, this is therefore the discount rate. The present value is worth more than the initial value of  £554,509.46> £500,000 so its a good deal for the company. This project could be set up for a multitude of reasons, which may affect its markets price in a positive way, such as new jobs for a local area, which in turn will boost the company politically which may also contribute to the success of the company. It is also important to note that even though the present value of the cost of this project is better than the contract being offered, RIO Tinto wont be positive in net return until the 9th year. The NPV is positive as expected, so the benefits outweigh the costs [3]. If the company wanted to just make cash money on  £500,000 they could just invest (risk-free) receiving,  £569,046 in 13 years time. 5) The method of comparables, values a firms cash flows directly, based on other firms (usually in a similar industry), that have similar cash flows or are expected to generate similar cash flows. The Law of One Price states that, If equivalent investment opportunities trade simultaneously in different competitive markets, then they must trade for the same price in both markets [3]. Using the Law of One Price we can use a company to measure (estimate) the valuation of a very similar company. As everyone knows, identical companies do not exist, but companies such as RIO, can have very similar competitors that prices can be judged by. The price/earnings ratio (share price / earnings per share), is the most commonly used ratio to measure the companys valuation. The more comparables there are, the better the reduced influence of any given company, making the overall result more trustworthy. When choosing the correct comparables to match against RIO, they all should have similar growth rates, similar required rate of returns and similar retention of earnings. I have chosen the three other mining companies, (Anglo American plc, Glencore plc, BHP) to compare against RIO. To value a companys current price using multiples: Using three other similar mining companies, to work out an average forward P/E ratio. According to Thomson Banker [9], the average P/E ratio of the three other companies (19.00) is much higher than the actual 10.98 RIO value (+73.04%). The Last Price Close of RIO on the 20/02/2017 was 36.46. The value we calculated is much higher than the actual value. Therefore, we have overvalued the share price, and should be bought. The P/E multiple is high for companies that have higher growth rates. The current P/E ratios are high across the board, with AAL, the only company estimating to grow its P/E next year. All three others are expecting to stop growing, with BHP (BLT), to step back massively. The companies compared above, are all mining companies, having spectacular performance in the markets, but realistically quite different. From figure 1.1, we know the difference in Equity and Debt values are similar, but RIO has much higher earnings per share (2.84), than any of the other three companies. Other than the Forward P/E ratio, RIO has the best values for all the metrics. We know that when we average the other three companies out, that the multiples based analysis will generally undervalue RIO. The differences are due to differences in expected risk, growth rate, etc. Multiples based valuation should ignore major anomalies, (e.g. GLENs 33.12 forward P/E ratio. Using the two other ratios gives an average of 11.98 which is much closer to the actual value of RIO). The set of comparables that were chosen (bar AAL), were not the best choice to match against RIO, as many of the metrics were so far apart. Q6) Arbitrage opportunities occur when a companys price across two markets is different, and will always have a positive Net Present Value. An investor, (who is known to be greedy and want any possible risk free return), will immediately attempt to buy the lower priced share on one market, and sell the same share on the higher priced market, instantly making him/her a no risk return. Everyone will attempt to trade using this method quickly, therefore, the lower priced market will rise and the higher priced market will fall, both eventually ending up at the same price. All markets aim to have an absence of arbitrage to stop any greedy investors from exploiting risk free returns. If equivalent investment opportunities trade simultaneously in different competitive markets, then they must trade for the same price in both markets [3]. If the Law of One Price is being applied correctly, there will be in absence of arbitrage across all markets. Bond Prices and interest rates also need to follow the Law of One Price. If a bond of a certain market gave a higher return than the risk free rate, they both need to follow the Law of One Price. The risk-free interest rate must equal the return from the investment of the risk-free bond. American Depository Receipts are quick and easy ways for investors in the US, to trade with foreign companies [10]. US banks will buy foreign shares and reissue them on US markets. However, each share does not equal the same amount as the original market. US banks will often group shares together, and reissue them separately on their markets. ADRs exist because foreign companies dont want the expense or hassle of listing their stocks on the foreign to them US market [10]. To invest in an ADR, brokers will need to buy foreign shares of said company, on their respective markets. He/she will then deliver these shares to a Custodian bank. Another bank, the Depositary bank issues receipts, on the basis those shares held by Custodian banks. Those receipts can then be traded freely across US markets, with payments, dividends etc., being paid in US dollars. ADRs save money by reducing foreign taxes and administration costs, and also because they give the company exposure. There are many risks involved with ADRs. Like normal market shares, there are political risks, inflationary risks etc. However, with ADRs, there are exchange rate risks. Using Tesco as the example [8], as the exchange rate of USD: GBP continues to improve for the US market, many investors will be looking to buy into British companies as its cheaper for them to do so. As the British and US markets trade at different hours, the closing prices of the Tesco share will be different, but in the normal market, the price of Tesco will be the same across all of the three different exchanges, (the Law of One Price), relative to that of their respective growth rates. Every Tesco ADR share represents 3 normal shares [8]. The current value of Tescos is 189.77p, and the value of its ADR = $7.19 [7]. If we divide the ADR value by 3. Using the current exchange rate of  £1 = $1.25512 [4]  £1.91 is slightly higher than the actual value of Tesco ( £1.90), but this is not taking into consideration the costs of administration, and exchange fees. The above is showing how the Law of One Price is applied across two different markets. Bibliography [1] FT. (2017) Rio Tinto PLC, RIO: LSE summary FT.com. Available at: https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/summary?s=RIO:LSE (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [2] About us (2017) Available at: http://www.riotinto.com/about-us-108.aspx (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [3] Berk, J. and DeMarzo, P. (2013) Corporate finance. 3rd edn. Harlow: Pearson/Education. [4] GBP British pound (no date) Available at: http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?From=GBPTo=USD (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [5] MINING (2011) Market data metal prices and world mining markets. Available at: http://www.mining.com/market-data/ (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [6] Payne, R. (no date) Foundations of Finance. Available at: http://moodle.city.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=22726#section-0 (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [7] Tesco PLC (ADR): OTCMKTS: TSCDY quotes news Google finance (2017) Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/finance?cid=664658 (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [8] Tescoplc (2016) ADR information. Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/investors/shareholder-centre/adr-information/ (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [9] Thomson ONE banker (no date) Available at: http://banker.thomsonib.com (Accessed: 24 February 2017). [10] Staff, I. (2003) American depositary receipt ADR, in Available at: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/adr.asp (Accessed: 24 February 2017).

Essay --

The Constitution permits much private religious activity in and about the public schools. Unfortunately, this aspect of constitutional law is not as well-known asui1 it should be. Some say that the Supreme Court has declared the public schools "religion-free zones" or that the law is so murky that school officials cannot know what is legally permissible. The former claim is simply wrong. And as to the latter, while there are some difficult issues, much has been settled. It is also unfortunately true that public school may not be as fully aware of this body of law as they could be. Many of the organizations are actively involved in litigation about religion in the schools. On some of the issues discussed in this essay some of the organizations have urged the courts to reach positions different than they did. Though there are signatories on both sides which have and will press for different constitutional treatments of some of the topics discussed, they all agree that the following is an accurate statement of what the law currently is. â€Å"Students have the right to pray individually or in groups or to discuss their religious views with their peers so long as they are not disruptive. Because the Establishment Clause does not apply to purely private speech, students enjoy the right to read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, pray before tests, and discuss religion with other willing student listeners. In the classroom students have the right to pray quietly except when required to be actively engaged in school activities (e.g., students may not decide to pray just as a teacher calls on them). In informal settings, such as the cafeteria or in the halls, students may pray either audibly or silently, subj... ... the U.S. Constitution First Amendment religious liberty clauses protect private religious expression but prohibit government action to advance, coerce, or endorse religion in the public schools. The religious liberty clauses apply both to the actions of the school district and the employees of the school district. Me personally I’m atheist. Religion doesn’t bother me unless someone is forcing it to me. Being here at Wunsche High School we have a Christian Club, and last year I heard someone was trying to start a LGBT club, and the Christian club said that god didn’t like gays or others of that sexual preference. Everything now and days offends someone based on something they believe in, they are, or how they were raised. Religion is going to be a problem for as long as it is around. Until that day there isn’t much we can do about the problems that will come from it.

Electronic Monitoring In The Workplace: Used in Information Age

With the advent of the Information Age, a problem has developed between employers and employees over the use of electronic monitoring in the workplace. Electronic monitoring is monitoring employees' e-mail, computer files, voice mail, telephone use, as well as the use of video and audio surveillance, computer network monitoring, and keystroke monitoring. To employers, the use of electronic monitoring is a very effective management tool to manage employees† activities. Employers feel that electronic monitoring offers a shield of corporate security, a means of achieving good performance, and is a necessity for global competitiveness. On the other hand, many workers frown upon this level of monitoring. Is eyeing an employee's every move, including in the locker rooms and in the restrooms via video camera, necessary? Is the risk of causing health problems to workers for the sake of meeting numerical figures even considered? Is rating a worker's job performance based on production alone an accurate means of assessing a worker's performance? How about the quality of a worker's performance, isn't it important as well? For the most part, courts favor the employers on the issue of electronic monitoring. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (1996) â€Å"laws to protect employees require only that employees be treated equally. Employers are, therefore, free to do whatever they wish to their employees as long as they do so in a non-discriminatory manner† (p. 1). Employees have limited rights concerning electronic monitoring. â€Å"Union contracts, for example, may limit the employer†s right to monitor. Also, public sector employees may have some minimal rights under the U. S. Constitution, in particular the Fourth Amendment which safeguards against unreasonable search and seizure† (Center for Public Interest Law, 1994, p. 6). The courts seem to weigh the reasonableness of an employee's expectation to privacy against the legitimate business interests of the employer. Corporate security is a concern of many employers. Corporate spying and theft can seriously put a corporation at risk. â€Å"A business victimized by corporate spying will find itself at a strong competitive and strategic disadvantage† (Cozic, 1994, 64). To employers, monitoring e-mail and computer networks are necessary. Computers offer ready points for entry for spies, thieves, disgruntled employees, sociopaths, and bored teens. Once they're in a company's network, they can steal trade secrets, destroy data, sabotage operations, even subvert a particular deal or career† (Behar, 1997, 2). With the possibility of confidential information being retrieved via the computer network or a corporate spy in the corporation sending confidential information by e-mail to a competitor, electronic computer network monitoring is one shield that may offer employers some protection. In addition, employee theft is a reality in many businesses that can drive up business costs. From the employers† point of view, video surveillance monitoring throughout the business facility can help deter much of this theft. Video surveillance would allow a employer to see an employee†s every move inside the facility. If employees are aware of this kind of video surveillance, they would be less inclined to steal or at least be very precautious about stealing. According to the ACLU (1996) â€Å"employers have the right to expect an honest day's work for a day's pay. They have a right to set performance standards and expect those standards to be met (p. 3). † The use of Computer Aided Manufacturing is one means of electronic monitoring that enables employers to visually see the performance of their employees, their advanced equipment, and their manufacturing processes. The use of CAM allows managers to monitor vital areas of the manufacturing processes for necessary improvements. With this method of monitoring, managers are able to evaluate whether an employee needs training or whether an employee is fit for the job they were hired to do. In today†s increased global competition, employers of U. S. companies are concerned about bottom line profits and what needs to be done to be competitive with companies of other nations. Employers regard the monitoring method of Computer Aided Manufacturing as a necessary tool to compete globally. It enables employers to manufacture more efficiently by driving costs down and moving quality levels upward. According to Cozic (1994), â€Å"if U. S. factories are discouraged from moving forward with C. A. M. , then American workers will be the ultimate losers as domestic factories won't be modernized even as overseas factories become increasingly efficient (p. 66). † With the world becoming more of a global economy, employers want to be well positioned to compete. On the flip side of this coin, employees have serious concerns also. By pushing employees to meet higher standards through the use of electronic monitoring, their physical health and mental state can suffers. According to the Center for Public Interest Law (1994) â€Å"People involved in intensive word processing and data entry jobs may be subject to keystroke monitoring. This system tells the manager how many keystrokes per hour each employee is performing. It also may inform employees if they are above or below the standard number of keystrokes expected. Consequently, keystroke monitoring is now linked to health problems including stress disabilities and physical problems like carpal tunnel syndrome†(p. 6). This ailment is a result of repetitive motions of the hands. It is because the human body has a certain tolerance for repetitive and continuous motions that employees believe the use of electronic monitoring to push higher standards should have limits. Also, as far as mental health is concerned, â€Å"Maxine, a customer service representative who quit her job as a result of a serious stress-related illness, described her feelings and those of dozens of hotline callers this way: Monitoring makes you feel like less than a child, less than a human being† (Cozic, 1994, 57). When an employee is stressed mentally by monitoring, undesired working conditions may be created. Paced work, reduced task variety, reduced peer social support, reduced supervisory support, fear of job loss, routine work activities, and lack of control over tasks can produce counterproductive effects to the goal of increasing the efficiency of a given business operation. Many employees also believe the use of electronic monitoring by employers for evaluation purposes isn't a totally accurate account of their performance. â€Å"A major theme of complaints by monitored workers is that trying to meet numerical figures, over which they have no control and no input, sets up a conflict between giving quality service and keeping the time down. Airline reservation agents receive scores on five different statistics per day; the number of calls handled, average time per call, average time between calls, unmanned time, and overall average. Agents are expected to take 150-200 calls per day with a 96 percent success rating. They may be disciplined for any of the following reasons: Calls longer than three and one half minutes, more than 12 minutes per day of unmanned time, or too long between calls. One agent was put on warning for spending a total 23 seconds-over a full eight hour shift between calls† (Cozic, 1994, 59). With customers having varying needs, some employees view this as a narrow approach in evaluating how they service customers. Some customers may require more attention than others based on the nature of the customers' call. In addition, employees believe that by employers putting too much emphasis on them making numerical goals, the quality of their performance can be adversely influenced or overlooked. Employees want things like creativity, initiative, leadership, interpersonal skills, and teammanship to be equally included in the evaluation of their performance. Additionally, employees believe much of the monitoring that goes on by the employers have no relevancy to their job performance. â€Å"Several large railroad companies in St. Louis use a system which records the location and length of time employees spend in any part of the building. Workers flash their ID cards through an electronic sensor in each doorway. A computer monitors how long the employees spend in the restroom, the payphone area, the smoking lounge or at a friend's work station. Sandra, a woman who makes four trips to the bathroom per day, was told by her supervisor that four trips was excessive and that she obviously had a medical problem and needed to see a doctor† (Cozic, 1994, 57). Employees view the amount of time they spend in the restroom to be a very private moment. Many employees feel that if they are performing their jobs well, then why make going to the restroom an issue to begin with. â€Å"Employees certainly have a right to privacy when it comes to dealing with problems of a personal nature, as long as they do so on time set aside by their employers and their performance is not affected† (Fineran, 1991, 64). Employees think that there should be a line drawn between monitoring a worker†s performance and monitoring the worker. Employers also want employees to understand their rights to protect their businesses with means best suitable. The suitable means include electronic monitoring which may at times be at odds with employees' rights to privacy. Cozic (1994) points out that, â€Å"Card keys and other authorization measures used by the Department of Defense for security control access to areas containing classified data rely on personal identifying information and, by their very nature, track employee movements (p. 5). † Employees would like notification from their employers by written, visual, or audible means, which indicates electronic monitoring, practices. According to Cameron (1991) â€Å"the requirement that employers provide written notification of monitoring systems and visual or aural signals of telephone surveillance will provide urgently needed protections from some of the most serious invasions of privacy (p. 56). † Employers realize to run a successful business enterprise takes good employees. They have to be able to recognize good and bad employees by justly assessing both the employees† character and productivity. With the aid of electronic monitoring, employers believe that employees would receive more exposure than they would receive without monitoring. According to Cozic (1994) â€Å"such data received from monitoring may assist the employer in assessing an employee's character, productivity, or loyalty (p. 64). † Employees, in general, want to do a good job. They want to be evaluated according to balanced standards with the use of electronic monitoring as only one measure of consideration. According to Cozic (1994) â€Å"With electronic monitoring, the supervisor is in the machine; watching and counting every minute. This supervisor does not take into account that anyone can have a bad day, a slow start, or a difficult afternoon (p. 58). † Employers and employees both have valid concerns to the issue of electronic monitoring in the workplace. Care must be taken to avoid infringement on employees' rights to privacy and well being while maintaining the employers' rights to benefit from the labor they have hired. Employees must try to understand the security concerns of the employers as well as the employers need to be able to operate their businesses in ways that keep them competitive. On the other hand, employers must seek balanced ways in assessing employees' performances as well as their benefit to the company by not relying too much on electronic monitoring. Perhaps if both parties will keep the concerns of the other in mind, a happy medium can be found where conditions favorable to both employees and employers are established.

Flora and Fauna Essays

Flora and Fauna Essays Flora and Fauna Essay Flora and Fauna Essay | Flora and Fauna| | 10/3/2013| | Outline Australia’s unique flora and fauna: Australia has a large variety of unique flora and fauna spread all over the continent, from coast to coast, including in the ocean. More than 80 per cent of the country’s flowering plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia, along with most of its freshwater fish and almost half of its birds. Australia is home to more than 140 species of unique marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats and the Tasmanian devil, which is now found only in Tasmania. There are 55 different species of kangaroos and wallabies, native to Australia. Australia’s marine environment is home to 4000 fish species, 1700 coral species, 50 types of marine mammals and a wide range of seabirds. Most marine species found in southern Australian waters occur nowhere else. Australia has over 1000 species of Wattle and around 2800 species in the Myrtaceae family, (gum trees and eucalypts). Describe the threats to Australia’s flora and fauna: Extinction Since European settlement of Australia began, a little over 200 years ago, 18 species of Australian mammals and about 100 species of native plants have become extinct. Currently about 40 species of mammals and many hundreds of species of plants are threatened with extinction. These figures are among the worst in the world. Extinction is a natural ongoing process. However at the moment the majority of extinctions are caused by humans. We can clearly tell that it is the humans that are doing the damage, because of the unusually fast rate of extinction. The current rate of extinction in Australia is 100 times the background rate (naturally occurring rate of extinction). There are many things that cause extinction, some of these are: * Habitat loss Natural causes (flood, fire, drought) * Introduced species Picture Caption: This image shows the crisis that Australian flora and fauna are presently in. In this image the more red the region is, the more species in region are thought to be endangered and threatened. As we can see the species under the most threat reside around the capital cities and the coastal regions. This is because habitat has been clea red around the capital cities and higher numbers of threatened species. Also over 50% of Australia is uninhabitable so many plants and animals live in coastal areas because they cannot survive in central Australia. : That is also why we might see higher threatened species rates on the coasts of Australia. Habitats under threat: Habitat loss is currently the main cause of species extinction in Australia. The main causes of habitat loss in Australia are; agriculture, clearing for urban living, logging and mining. When an ecosystem has been dramatically changed by human activities, it may no longer be able to provide the food, water and shelter all animals need to survive. Every day there are fewer places left, wildlife can call home. Most native species cannot exist outside a natural ecosystem. Australia is one of the top ten land clearing nations in the world. While clearing rates are starting to decline, we are still clearing more vegetation then we are planting or are able to regrow naturally. This continuous trend threatens Australia’s environment and flora and fauna species. In addition clearing land increases the chances of erosion and sedimentation of waterways and reduces water quality, also dramatically affecting our flora and fauna. Introduced species: One of the greatest threats to Australia’s Flora and Fauna is introduced species. Australia has a large number of introduced mammals and birds. Introduced frog species, have caused extinction of many native species, due to a massive change in the food pyramid. A prime example of an animal that is greatly damaging Australia’s native species is the Cane toad, which was introduced originally to destroy the harmful cane beetle. It is damaging Australia’s native species, because larger animals see cane toads as prey and therefore hunt them. When cane toads are ingested, a poisonous toxin is put into the predator causing rapid heartbeat, excessive salivation, swelling and eventually death. The animals that commonly suffer are native reptiles, snakes and crocodiles. Risk of natural hazards: It isn’t only humans that are causing the irreversible damage to Australia’s native species. A very small threat to our animals is natural causes. These causes include fire, erosion, floods, drought, landslide and cyclones. Many of these things are a very common occurrence in Australia. One of the main natural hazards that Australia faces often is fire. Tens of thousands of animals died in the Victorian bushfire. Not including the many thousands that had to be euthanized afterwards, due to severe burns and dehydration. Most are small, non-flying animals that could not escape the flames. Insect populations took the worst hit. Natural factors usually occur at a slower rate and therefore cause a low extinction rate. Human activities occur at a faster rate and cause higher extinction rates. Human activities are mostly responsible for the present extinction rates. Current policy position: Different governments around Australia have various pieces of legislation that protect Australia’s flora and fauna. The state governments are responsible for the bulk protection and sustainability of flora and fauna, while the federal government has little power over matters relating to flora and fauna. Many rules/laws on these legislations are very similar and have a few small differences to fit each state/ territory’s needs. However all legislations aim to protect all native species from harm, minimise the loss of habitat and to prevent extinction. These types of flora and fauna legislations are in place in all states/ territories around Australia. An example of this type of legislation is the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act from 1988, which was the first Australian legislation to deal with issues relating to flora and fauna. The Flora and Fauna Guarantee act Victoria (1988) is designed to: * Protect species Protect genetic material and habitats, * Prevent extinction and * Allow maximum genetic diversity within the state of Victoria. Future action plan: There are many individuals, groups and governments that are having big impacts on the state of Australia’s flora and fauna. Some of which are positive and some are negative. The majority are positive; however there are more steps that individuals, groups and governments could take to ensure a brighter future for Australian native species. Individuals Wildlife Tourists Wildlife tourism is watching wild animals in their natural habitat. Australia has a large amount of wildlife tourism due to our unique flora and fauna species. These include; kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, dingos, platypuses, wallabies and wombats. Animal tourism in Australia is very beneficial not only for the tourists but also for the animals. When tourists come to Australia, they are educated about the animals, their habitat and how important it is to protect these animals. The tourist’s views and opinions are then changed and they walk away caring more for the animals and plants, as well as the importance of maintaining biodiversity. Secondly a proportion of the revenue raised from tourism goes towards more educational projects as well as conservation projects, which are very beneficial to all animals. Wildlife Tourism has many positives and the Australian wildlife tourism is moving in the right direction, but there are more highly important steps that need to be taken by the Australian tourism industry, to protect flora and fauna. When building accommodation for tourists, animal’s homes and habitats are often knocked down, causing disturbance to animals and leading to increased vulnerability. As explained earlier habitat loss is one of the major causes of extinction and should be minimised as much as possible. Instead accommodation should be constructed away from animal’s habitats, where it does not affect them too much. Secondly stricter rules should be in place to prevent the feeding of animals by tourists. Feeding of wildlife by tourists can have severe consequences for social behavior patterns. Artificial feeding can also result in a complete loss of normal feeding behaviors. When feeding of animals stops some animals are unable to locate their natural food sources. Hunters Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife or feral animals, by humans for food, recreation, or trade. Although hunting is not very common in Australia, it is still having a big impact on Australia’s flora and fauna. Hunting is seen by some as good for the environment as well as flora and fauna, because it keeps feral pests in check and gives native animals a chance. The majority of animals hunted, are feral. These include non-native animals such as rabbits, hares, feral goats, pigs, buffalo, feral donkeys, horses and camels, which have been proven to endanger our native animals. Also the taxes from hunting activities go to the state or federal governments for such purposes such as enhancing wildlife habitat and managing and maintaining national parks. These things are beneficial, however it is quite clear, in the case of hunting the negatives outweigh the positives. The main reason is hunters are only allowed to pursue specific species. Some environmentalists argue that hunting creates an imbalance in the natural elements of the environment. For instance, if an animal that is typically a predator is hunted to lower numbers, their prey will increase in number. Nature has a delicate balance and hunting can have an impact on that natural balance. Opponents to hunting claim that animals have their own ways of population control and humans are not needed to aid that process. Groups WIRES WIRES are the largest wildlife rehabilitation charity in Australia. It is not for profit organisation that provides rescue and rehabilitation for all native Australian fauna. All animal rescuers and carers are volunteers. WIRES mostly respond to individual public reports of sick, injured or orphaned native wildlife. WIRES volunteers will rescue a sick animal, foster it and release it back into the wild. WIRES also educate kids about the importance of native animals and how to act and look after them to ensure they remain happy, healthy and in abundance. After rehabilitation of animals, WIRES releases animals back into the environment. However as we know, animals have a lower chance of survival after being released as they are not adapted to certain ways of living, predators and finding food. They may also be hunted. This is why WIRES needs to develop reserves where the animals can be released and monitored. With no roads and anti-poaching patrols, to ensure the best chance of survival. Green Groups (Australian bush heritage fund) There are many different green groups across Australia, dedicated to protecting Australia’s diverse environment, especially its unique Flora and Fauna. One of these is the Bush Heritage Fund, which is a national, independent, non-profit organisation that’s aim is to preserve Australias biodiversity by protecting the bush. It is Australias most widely supported environmental national organisation. The Australian Bush Heritage Fund has a very simple yet effective scheme of protecting the biodiversity of flora and fauna. They do this through the creation of reserves on private land. The land the fund purchases are private and protected, meaning that no one can hunt/degrade habitat on the land. This means animals can live naturally, without harm. For example, the fund now owns Naree station. This reserve in Naree protects many native and impotant plants and animals. These include: Animals on protected on the Naree property: * Brolga (vulnerable) * Freckled duck (vulnerable) * Little red flying fox * Pied honeyeater (vulnerable) * Spotted harrier (vulnerable) Brown treecreeper (vulnerable) * Kultarr (endangered) The reserve also protects iconic plants such as: * Coolabah tree * Bimblebox * Leopardwood * Beefwood * Supplejack * Belah The things the fund is doing are great and very beneficial for the flora and fauna of Australia. However, the fund could be doing many other things to protect our native flora and fauna. Firstly they should be conducting more research on the flora and fauna of Australia, to ensure they are purchasing the most important pieces of land, where the most vulnerable species are located. Secondly the fund should introduce education schemes for land owners, teaching them how to best manage their land to protect flora and fauna, as they have more land than the fund and therefore bigger impact on the flora and fauna. Zoos Zoos are defined as a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they are bred. However nowadays zoos are much more than that. Many zoos have now set up conservation society’s, such as the Taronga conservation society. There are a number of things zoo’s conservation societies do to help protect animals. This includes educating people about animals to help them make better decisions, breed animal populations that are endangered/ critically endangered, to increase their numbers and give the species a better chance of survival and help sick/ unwell animals to recover with vetinary care. These things are all important, however there is so much more zoos could be doing to ensure the preservation of animals. Firstly when they release animals into the wild, they may become sick or hunted again. Zoos should therefore establish protected reserves where no hunting/ poaching is allowed and all animals especially re-released ones are safe. Secondly zoos should establish anti poaching patrols to make sure a minimal amount of animals are hunted in the first place. Lastly zoos should lobby for better legislation concerning poaching and habitat destruction, as they have a much bigger voice and authority than many other people/groups. Government National parks/ state parks National/State Parks are large areas of public land set aside for native plants, animals and the places in which they live. They also protect places important to Aboriginal people. Because the area in National parks is protected, no habitat is allowed to be cleared as the land is owned by the government. This ensures there is not a loss of habitat leading to vulnerability of certain species of animals and plants. National parks also educate visitors, both adults and children alike, about the importance of Australia’s native flora and fauna and what steps need to be taken to ensure they can survive. The education scheme also teaches about how individuals, even children can have an impact on the native species of Australia. These things are all fantastic and there was nothing to fault about national arks, until recently. Unfortunately within a few months, we will start seeing hunters being allowed to hunt in national parks. This should be stopped as it is a danger to tourists and native animals that live in the national parks. Also this type of activity will disrupt the natural food chain that has developed in national parks. This will also mean tourists w ill be more hesitant to visit national parks due to hunting, leading to less people being educated about Australia’s flora and fauna and smaller amounts of money being raised, to fund vital environmental schemes.

Life and Culture in Japan essays

Life and Culture in Japan essays The life that we live in America is relatively the same across the entire country. We all understand the general idea of our own culture. The average stereotype is that we go to work every day at 9 am, come home at 5 pm, and do it all over again the next day. Now understanding all of this, think about the life of a person that has grown up in a small Japanese village their entire life. Think about how on this small earth there can be so many different and diverse cultures. Imagine someone coming from a small village in Japan and trying to start their adult life in a city such as Tokyo or even an American city such as New York or Chicago. This is a culture that is not only interesting but is so dramatically different than what we are used to that I makes one wonder, what would it be like to live like that? First to understand the aspects of living life in a small village one must first understand Japanese culture and government. Over the past millennia, Japanese culture and government have changed so dramatically. Their government began as a small feudal system where powerful families ruled small areas of land known as Shoens. Then it evolved into a Shogunate system or more of an empire. This empire has lasted for hundreds of years and is still in use today in Japan, even though the emperor has no true power in government. This system of government shaped the culture that we see in Japan today. For example, during the time of Tokugawa shogunate rule in Japan, the Tokugawa family cut off Japan from the rest of the world. This isolation resulted in Japan being behind in many different areas such as technology and information. This greatly hurt the modernity of Japan's culture. This isolation truly lasted till the beginning of the twentieth century when the United States forced Japan to start trading. After this trading, we see the modern Japanese culture that we know today began to form. Japanese culture is an interesting one at th...

The Goddess theory Essay Example

The Goddess theory Essay Example The Goddess theory Essay The Goddess theory Essay One of the most hotly debated topics in archeology today is that of the role of a Goddess figure in early religions and its impact on ancient civilizations.Some critics on this topic tend to believe that defiantly there was a Great Goddess figure in every ancient religion which was the primary deity.While other scholars take a more moderate approach on the matter.The topic of whether or not ancient civilizations were total centered upon a female goddess form is still being closely debated, and is up for close examination. A renewed interest in goddesses comes from the feminist interpretation of establishedreligions. The goddess theory is in part an attempt to find alternatives to a male god. There are many different paths in which one could take in order to fully understand the goddess theory. One such path is to seek goddesses in prehistoric times and in ancient societies, particularly in the Near East andto look for evidence of goddess worship in archaeological remains.This is t he Great Goddess school of thought followers of this belief think that in prehistoric and ancient times, human beings worshipped a Great Goddess of fertility and reproduction. They use as their initial evidence the big-bellied, big-breasted figurines found at a number of prehistoric sites.Another direction is to examine goddess figures in existing religions, and to do a reinterpretation of sacred texts and traditions that gives greater strength to them.Finally the last direction that can be taken in the goddess theory is that of the goddess revival.The Goddess Revival states that established religions are to patriarchal and women must turn away from them to active goddess worship.Believers in the goddess revival also declare that only by devotion to a female deity that women can be full and equal participants in religion and thus an equal member of society. There is a problem with all of the goddess arguments.If a society or

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Discussion - Assignment Example He also introduced the idea of equality by showing the value of each person irrespective of his rank (Zola, 2003). The two artists use the same technique to communicate to the public and present their ideas. Manet used a large canvas, which was past the standard canvases sold during his time. Tucker (1998) indicates that the painting was done on a large canvas, of almost a similar size to those used by historians to document noble events. It was done on a 208 X 264 cm canvas. He may have been passing on information to the public about his might as a painter, or may have been showing the authorities that they are all the same irrespective of status. He painted a stark naked model in a canvas of the same size as those used by the authorities; this could have been a way of telling the authorities that even the stark naked deserve to be in such canvases. During his time, stark naked pictures were not respected and were considered inappropriate. Manet may have been saying that, whatever people think is inappropriate, could be appropriate in some other way; they were all the same. A similar technique is used by Courbet in his Burial at Ornans. In this painting, there is a group of people; the mayor, the priest, and different other people, prominent and not, with their respective outfits. They are depicted with their own personal worries. Within the picture, at the edge of the grave, there is a gravedigger sitting on his knees. He sits on his knees, but is the only one with the head held high. Buchon (1977) notes that, â€Å"he alone commands† (p. 3). This picture shows that even if one is a gravedigger, there is an area where he will outwit the rest. It also shows that even if one is a priest, king, or highly ranked official, when it comes to the time of burial, they will all look up to the gravedigger. The gravedigger, therefore, has a

External Analysis of My Company & PEST Analysis Research Paper

External Analysis of My Company & PEST Analysis - Research Paper Example Economic Factors People’s level of income to choose from cheaper substitutes, prices of raw material Social Factors Taste and demand for chocolates in a particular region Technological factors Introduction of new processes and methods of production The company’s environmental analysis can be undertaken by the help of PEST analysis. Since Hershey operates globally, it is important to emphasize that the local factors affecting the company differ in various regions. However, there are general environmental factors which include political factors. These factors can affect the operations of the company as, for instance, the government of the region where Hershey operates amends its policy relating to export and import strategy or may introduce any other changes ultimately affecting the operations of the company. On the other hand, laws, such as labor or consumer goods laws, in any region can also affect the company. To better illustrate the aforesaid with example, it has to be noted that today Hershey has developed its presence in Canada and Mexico due to NAFTA (Smith 132). Economic factors like any changes in the economy, such as prices of sugar, harvest of cocoa etc., can affect the company as well (Smith 132). The standard of living and the income of the people in the region will also affect the company’s sales; it means that people in less developed countries may consume less chocolate than they used to do before economic changes. Social factors, such as people’s taste (for instance, higher demand for dark chocolate over white chocolate), will affect company’s target in some particular market. Finally, technological factors, such as advancements in technological process and new ways of chocolate manufacturing, can also affect the company (â€Å"Annual Report† 4, 7). Industry Analysis FORCES INTENSITY Threats of new entrants Low Bargaining power of suppliers High Bargaining power of customers Low Pressure from substitute products High Rivalry High Nowadays the chocolate industry seems to be stagnant with insufficient number of powerful players entering the market because of the large capital requirements and strict regulations; however, the existing major players have captured their markets well. There is severe competition among existing giants. High dependency on the suppliers for cocoa beans, which are mostly found in Africa (70%), makes the position of a supplier within the industry stronger. On the other hand, the customers are usually dealt with via retail chains, which doesn’t give them an opportunity to take a strong enough position to control prices (â€Å"Annual Report† 5). Competitor Analysis The competition within the industry is highly intense. In order to win a market share the competitors try to independently expand their markets. In addition to the direct competition from within, the industry has to face indirect competition from outside. Snack foods, cereal, ice cream manufacturers are quite successful in grabbing the same market as well. Some of the competitors of Hershey are Mars, Nestle, General Mills, Hain Celestial Group, and Kraft etc. (Michman and Mazze 205). Market Analysis GLOBAL MARKER SHARE OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES Company Market share Cadbury and Kraft 14.8% Mars 14.6% Nestle 7.8% Hershey 4.6% Ferrero 4.5% Others 4.9% (â€Å"

Modern Slavery and 4-1-9 Fraud Schemes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Slavery and 4-1-9 Fraud Schemes - Essay Example Some of these are a) slaves are available at cheap rate which ranges from USD 80 to USD 5000 or even more based on the quality of slaves b) bonded labors c) Forced prostitution d) Forced Marriage / Child Marriage e) Forced beggary (Symons, 2012). The major victims of slave trade are poor and downtrodden people of the society. Most of them are from destabilized states at the hands of war, natural calamities, poverty and those who suffered at the hands of civil unrest / civil wars. Q: Why is the scam letters referred to as â€Å"4-1-9† schemes?   The scam is referred to as â€Å"4-1-9† due to application of given modalities by the scammers. In addition, the article that deals with fraud as per Nigerian law and criminal code is numbered as 419 due to which, the Nigerian frauds are termed as 4-1-9 schemes (Dillon, 2008): a) Sending letters / faxes or emails to the victims by the impersonators posing themselves as representatives of foreign government agencies. b) Fake age ncies offered victims millions of dollars to deposit in their personal accounts by way of â€Å"over invoice contracts†. c) Encouraged victims to travel to the destined places to complete the transactions. d) Scammers asked victims to provide blank letterhead of their company that enumerates phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses to correspond. e) Scammers send number of fake official documents which look as good as authenticated. By way of this technique, the company convinced victims to pay off the upfront fees/charges in advance. f) The documents that relates to â€Å"419† schemes include: a) goods / services b) real estate business c) availability of crude oil at a dam cheap rate besides facilitation of conversion of currency. Q: What is the likely profile of a typical 4-1-9 victim?   The successful fraudulent cases so far unearthed relate to upfront fees / charges that were transferred to scammers. The modus operandi is that the applicant company / indiv idual receives letter by mail from a Nigerian citizen claiming himself a top notch of the Nigerian Government. In the mentioned letter, the so-called Nigerian high official informs the company that in order to have a contract, the individual or the company has to deposit upfront fees/charges that ranges from USD 10 to 60 million as a precondition of the Nigerian Government. The source of information about the victims is a) Trade bodies b) Commercial Attaches c) Trade directories etc. They focus on a number of traders / companies of the targeted countries and send them emails, faxes and emails impersonating themselves as the high ups of the concerned ministry of the Nigerian Government in general and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in specific to strike a deal (â€Å"What is the ‘419’ Scam?†). The scammers invited victims to travel to the said country to materialize the transaction without going through the cumbersome procedure of seeking visa. By brib ing the airport officials, they ensure entrance of victims in their country. Since the entrance in the mentioned country without having a valid visa is a serious offence, therefore the scammers use it against the victim to cow him down for the release of proposed funds. Apart from said tactic they do not mind in applying other harmful tactics if need arises.  

Grand Met case, on horizontal integration Essay

Grand Met case, on horizontal integration - Essay Example So it is becoming more important for the business managers to redefine the strategies based on the situations in the market and direct the company to attain great success. GrandMet integrated horizontally and also diversified their business by merging with several companies that are either related or not related to the business. That was done in order to acquire the strategic resources that were important for the smooth operation of GrandMet. In this study the strategic choices of Max Joseph and his team would be analysed from the inception of GrandMet, so that the approaches applied for making the strategic decisions can be understood. Apart from this the reasons for choosing the strategies would also be evaluated and scrutinised so that the feasibility of the strategies can be discussed and decisions can be taken regarding the capabilities of Max Joseph and his decision making abilities. External Environment and Internal Strategic Capabilities In order to make strategic choices in the increasingly competitive environment, the firms have analysed the threats and opportunities according to the strategic management process. An analysis of the economic environment which includes the direction and the characteristics of the economy in which the firm is operating or competing has to be analysed. As far as the macro environmental aspects are concerned, GrandMet engaged themselves into the business of fast moving consumer durables (FMCG), which customers required everyday and the rate of repurchase in such cases are also high. So it can be said the choosing the FMCG market was due to the huge potential in this sector (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2012, p. 13-15). However, the fact remains that the FMCG market is dominated by few major players, who are considered to the best brands and they have also got well established distribution channels or supply chain, corporate system, are financially stable and have a sustainable position both economically and strategically. These features of the major players, such as Pepsi Co., or Bread Inc., in the FMCG industry were a major threat for GrandMet. Moreover, the FMCG market is extremely competitive and the customers have various choices, substitute products, and complementary products, which also gives the customers high bargaining power. This also leads to the increase in competitiveness and reduction of the profit margin of the companies or marketers. Customers are also afraid or reluctant to change or try out new products, which are an aspect of psychology or consumer behaviour, so it is also difficult to make the customers switch to a different brand. Only when the company can make sure, as to how the preferences or the taste of the customers’ changes and how it can be changed, the objective of offering new products or services would be successful (Bamford, and West, 2010, p. XVI). The market share of GrandMet was high and the sales figures of the company were higher among the global operati ons in the industry. In the year 1991, the sales of the company were around $14.771 billion, while the asset value was $17.648 billion. There were around 13.8 million employees in the company. On the basis of the sales report of 1991, GrandMet was in the 5th position among the British companies and 78th among the large corporations in the world. Apart from this, the CEO of the company Max Joseph

Ethnography of Food Pantry Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethnography of Food Pantry - Personal Statement Example It was the 24th of March, and we had an appointment with one of the leading food pantry in our locality. We wanted to observe and research about a number of things which were going on there. Charles mumbled a total of twenty minutes as a given allowance, as he sensed that I was still in bed. In about fifteen minutes, I had already arrived at Angel’s coffee shop where we were all supposed to meet before we officially left for the appointment which was in the next two hours. You could tell from the anxiety on people’s faces that nobody wanted to be late. After a short meeting headed by our group supervisor, Ernest, we headed one of our school vans and in about ten minutes, we had our van parked in front of â€Å"St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry† where we were meant to visit. I loved the color on the billboard; blue my favorite color ever since I was a toddler. I have spent over fifteen years in America, and I have been seeing this building as long as I can remember, but I have never taken my time to find out what really happens at the food pantry organization and how it works. I had a very mutual and exciting feeling as I walked in the organization. An exciting sensation kept tickling down my spine every time the thought of being a volunteer rang in my mind. My eyes fell on a number of benches and on them were several goods. This confirmed my happy feeling. There was a man who later introduced himself to us as Bob, who couldn’t keep his eyes off us. Surprisingly, he was the one who was waiting for us. As we approached, his firm stare turned into a soothing smile which made people’s hearts to feel at ease whenever we were with him. We introduced ourselves and immediately embarked on what we had come to do in the food pantry. It was a good experience seeing so many people young and old working together for the good of all in the working area. An equal amount of different foods were being in plastic bags. At the end of the line, there was a big heap of already packed foods waiting for the clients to come and pick them up. The different types of foods included pasta, tomato sauce, canned corn, vegetables, Mac-and-cheese and chocolates. There was no trace of protein in the packages. As we made our way into different rooms of the pantry foods, we came into the store room where there was a bid heap of donated food. He said that they had stayed there for long, and nobody wanted them. This was really surprising. We were then taken to a room with different sizes of fridges and in it was meat, both white and red. He requested two of us to remain behind so that they could pack the chicken in the polythene bags as it is done when packing food for the food pantry clients. Kevin and Alex volunteered to remain and do the tedious assignment. Kevin later confessed how frozen his hands felt when he was handling the meat. On the further corner was another fridge full of red meat and bread. They had been donated by different donors including organization and had come with different packages. Bob wanted them to have a similar type of package and requested three of us to work on it. I thought this was the place. The group supervisor, Ernest, Charles and I found ourselves working together. We were putting two packs of meat in every plastic bag. It seemed to be very easy to be a volunteer. I must confess that it was a little bit cold but what I was

Macbeth - Monologue script as Fleance Assignment

Macbeth - Monologue script as Fleance - Assignment Example sh that your beloved husband, my father has passed away.Sorrow weighs upon my heart like an anchor, and it drowns me to the depths of this ocean of hopeless hopes. The events that led to this horrendous moment in my life are still hard for my tongue to speak of them because Im still shocked by the death of my father. As dad and I dismounted from our horses, we lit a torch due to the night being pitch black with an atmosphere of tragedy looming above our heads.Almost like a premonition, my father said:†It will rain tonight† (3:3:16).These three men murdered Father, and I could do nothing to save him.By the abundance of grace from the heavens, I escaped by a whisker. However, the image of father’s life was slowly leaving his body was painted on the walls of my head.I then remembered what he told me concerning the prediction the witches portended on father’s descendants.It became as clear as the blue in the sky that Macbeth played a significant role in the demise of my beloved father.It was further enhanced after I saw the identity of one of the murderers as father held them off while I escaped.Anguish and rage descended upon me and his last words, etched in my memory would become my spear of vengeance that would destroy Macbeth and his infernal reign over the land. It might be highly possible that while father was being killed, Macbeth would make an appearance in front of people, and this would be his perfect alibi.While he did this, he could have his minions kill father, and if this did not succeed, he might have resolved to frame father for the murder of Duncan, which would justify his execution. Oh mother I have heard the â€Å"Foul whisperings† of â€Å" unnatural deeds†(5:1:61) for the gossips are abroad in the eating halls of the Thanes, the market places, and the kitchens, with rumours that Macbeth and his Lady are â€Å"in blood stepped in so far â€Å" (3:4:136-137). The rumor was that Lady Macbeth was the principal orchestrator to King Duncan’s death

Grand Met case, on horizontal integration Essay

Grand Met case, on horizontal integration - Essay Example So it is becoming more important for the business managers to redefine the strategies based on the situations in the market and direct the company to attain great success. GrandMet integrated horizontally and also diversified their business by merging with several companies that are either related or not related to the business. That was done in order to acquire the strategic resources that were important for the smooth operation of GrandMet. In this study the strategic choices of Max Joseph and his team would be analysed from the inception of GrandMet, so that the approaches applied for making the strategic decisions can be understood. Apart from this the reasons for choosing the strategies would also be evaluated and scrutinised so that the feasibility of the strategies can be discussed and decisions can be taken regarding the capabilities of Max Joseph and his decision making abilities. External Environment and Internal Strategic Capabilities In order to make strategic choices in the increasingly competitive environment, the firms have analysed the threats and opportunities according to the strategic management process. An analysis of the economic environment which includes the direction and the characteristics of the economy in which the firm is operating or competing has to be analysed. As far as the macro environmental aspects are concerned, GrandMet engaged themselves into the business of fast moving consumer durables (FMCG), which customers required everyday and the rate of repurchase in such cases are also high. So it can be said the choosing the FMCG market was due to the huge potential in this sector (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2012, p. 13-15). However, the fact remains that the FMCG market is dominated by few major players, who are considered to the best brands and they have also got well established distribution channels or supply chain, corporate system, are financially stable and have a sustainable position both economically and strategically. These features of the major players, such as Pepsi Co., or Bread Inc., in the FMCG industry were a major threat for GrandMet. Moreover, the FMCG market is extremely competitive and the customers have various choices, substitute products, and complementary products, which also gives the customers high bargaining power. This also leads to the increase in competitiveness and reduction of the profit margin of the companies or marketers. Customers are also afraid or reluctant to change or try out new products, which are an aspect of psychology or consumer behaviour, so it is also difficult to make the customers switch to a different brand. Only when the company can make sure, as to how the preferences or the taste of the customers’ changes and how it can be changed, the objective of offering new products or services would be successful (Bamford, and West, 2010, p. XVI). The market share of GrandMet was high and the sales figures of the company were higher among the global operati ons in the industry. In the year 1991, the sales of the company were around $14.771 billion, while the asset value was $17.648 billion. There were around 13.8 million employees in the company. On the basis of the sales report of 1991, GrandMet was in the 5th position among the British companies and 78th among the large corporations in the world. Apart from this, the CEO of the company Max Joseph

Macbeth - Monologue script as Fleance Assignment

Macbeth - Monologue script as Fleance - Assignment Example sh that your beloved husband, my father has passed away.Sorrow weighs upon my heart like an anchor, and it drowns me to the depths of this ocean of hopeless hopes. The events that led to this horrendous moment in my life are still hard for my tongue to speak of them because Im still shocked by the death of my father. As dad and I dismounted from our horses, we lit a torch due to the night being pitch black with an atmosphere of tragedy looming above our heads.Almost like a premonition, my father said:†It will rain tonight† (3:3:16).These three men murdered Father, and I could do nothing to save him.By the abundance of grace from the heavens, I escaped by a whisker. However, the image of father’s life was slowly leaving his body was painted on the walls of my head.I then remembered what he told me concerning the prediction the witches portended on father’s descendants.It became as clear as the blue in the sky that Macbeth played a significant role in the demise of my beloved father.It was further enhanced after I saw the identity of one of the murderers as father held them off while I escaped.Anguish and rage descended upon me and his last words, etched in my memory would become my spear of vengeance that would destroy Macbeth and his infernal reign over the land. It might be highly possible that while father was being killed, Macbeth would make an appearance in front of people, and this would be his perfect alibi.While he did this, he could have his minions kill father, and if this did not succeed, he might have resolved to frame father for the murder of Duncan, which would justify his execution. Oh mother I have heard the â€Å"Foul whisperings† of â€Å" unnatural deeds†(5:1:61) for the gossips are abroad in the eating halls of the Thanes, the market places, and the kitchens, with rumours that Macbeth and his Lady are â€Å"in blood stepped in so far â€Å" (3:4:136-137). The rumor was that Lady Macbeth was the principal orchestrator to King Duncan’s death

Current Trends in Technology Essay Example for Free

Current Trends in Technology Essay School is no longer limited to simple reading, writing and arithmetic. The use of technology has expanded the prospect for education, giving us never-ending possibilities. Therefore, technology deserves significant school attention in order for students to possess technological survival skills. The positive effects of how it can be used in the classroom to enable learning for teachers and students will be explored as well as the need to ensure job stability in the future. What lesson ideas can teachers do using technology? Assign a digital presentation. Students can express themselves more clearly using technology. Technology can be used extensively for language arts. Student reports no longer have to be limited to a written report. Students now are able to have access to unlimited books online. Therefore, teachers are only limited by the student’s ability to access a computer. Web quest is also a tool used for literature exploration. Teachers are able to use media clips to show in class. Videos are available online that help many teachers provide a visual aid to the lesson that they are teaching. Power point presentations enhance instruction in the language arts classroom by storing daily objectives in a PowerPoint presentation and begin each class session by sharing the daily objectives. Creating PowerPoint presentations for essential notes and providing students the slides using the handout option will prevent students from focusing on simply copying the notes from the board or overhead. They will listen to teacher comments and make meaningful notes in the spaces provided. The amount of information on each slide should be limited to one or two important bullets. Students should be encouraged to use PowerPoint presentations when they are required to present to the class. Their self-expression and creativity can be explored with the program’s design options. Reading strategies can be done with the use of technology. During reading teachers can help students activate prior knowledge and generate predictions in order to comprehend text. Teachers can do this when they introduce a reading lesson or topic. Using a multi-media approach, the teacher shows pictures, slides, or clips that is similar to the story concept. Real life connections can also be made with the help of these visuals, as well as helping them create mental images. Students can be asked to make predictions on what they think the story is about. Their answers and responses can be recorded and played back to them after the story is over. This stimulates their interest in the current reading lesson. They will be keener to paying attention and listening. They will be eager to hear their responses played back to them to see if their predictions were correct. Internet provides access to public domains. It also gives students the freedom to read some of the greatest written books and materials. Using websites provides students with a greater knowledge of historical and social foundations in which many pieces of literature rest upon. Printouts of short stories found on line can be distributed to the class. They can be required to read the text and highlight the story concepts such as setting, characters and etc. Teachers and students can also set up a blog that is viewed by their class only. This allows the students to express their ideas and thoughts with the teacher and vice versa. Students can share ideas with classmates and also read one another’s post. This helps tighten the bond between teacher and student and bring classmates closer together. They will all have something in common that they are a part of. There are a number of strategies that can be used in the teaching of reading for students. If a teacher is uncertain how they can integrate technology into their reading instruction, there are many websites that gives lesson plans and ideas. Technology also can be used with writing. Teachers are able to have advance writing instruction with the help of technology. Projectors can be used for students to see the writing process modeled by their teachers. This gives students a chance to see how the procedure works from rough drafting to final revisions. There is a lot of software available that help kids make their story come alive. Programs are available that read their story back to them. How awesome is that? Kids can hear what their writing sounds like and this offers a chance for them to critique it even farther. Microsoft Word is a poplar application program that is used widely in education. This program allows and helps students recognize grammatical and spelling errors. This provides students with guidance on writing a correct composition. It also guides students as well as help them overcome and accomplish the task of terminology difficulty. They are provided with a vast selection of terms. Websites are available that demonstrate proper organization and correct format for writing. It helps with the building and organization of thoughts for a paper. These websites serve as a learning tool. They assist teacher and students in recognizing rational and well thought-out writing ideas. Researching these web sites inspire students with many writing ideas they may have been blocked from. Not to mention, the expansion of the writing curriculum for students with disabilities have greatly been expanded. These students are now able to use voice and touch screen programs as a way to express their ideas. This method is much more effective than the use of paper and pencil. These programs assist these students in developing language skills as well as writing skills. The internet allows for the publishing of student’s work. This procedure makes the idea of an audience more real to them. It can motivate students to become authors and possibly encourage a future in the writing field. There are many websites that offer contests for student’s writing. Teachers should take time to find challenges for their students and inspire them to write for profit. There are many schools that don’t have the privilege of having available reference books. Many publishers have made their reference books available online. Another way to get students to write is student produced newspapers. This is a great practice for their writing skills. It also allows them to be creative, productive and organized. Technology can be used as a written language convention. Students reinforce their grammar skills with online games and activities. This is a way students can have fun with dry material. Oral language can be improved with the use of technology. PowerPoint presentations allow students to organize their speeches and make the audience follow along with the presenter and the teacher to assess a student’s performance. Project based learning can greatly be increased with the use of technology. This is a way students can use technology in proportion to real life situations. Students are able to make decisions in small groups based upon their design, problem solving, resolutions, and analytical measures. This allows students the freedom to be n charge and have full control over their own project. They will be digging deep into those critical thinking skills in order for their project to run smoothly. It gives them more creative independence. This serves as a hands-on learning experience in order for students to answer and relate to the main ideas and standards of the subject area. These encounters are related to e veryday life. Students will be able to take what they’ve learned and apply it in their own life. Students are also able to get involved with projects which connect classes together around the world. The internet provides structure and resources for students to do research on an international level. The use of technology broadens student’s horizons, their goals and beliefs. They can actually connect to another part of the world. They can learn cultural information about places they’ve only heard about. It gives them a chance to explore what’s out there in the world from inside their classroom. What better way for a child to learn about new things than being in a school environment? This is safer for our kids. It takes down the risk of them exploring outside of school on their own. A lot of children don’t know what’s out there because they’ve never been exposed to new surroundings. Children tend to stray away more so out of being curious. Why not fulfill that curiosity by exploring it in class? Project based learning allows children to feed their curiosity by allowing them to choose and have control over what they want to learn. What about drugs, sex and weapons? These are all subjects that kids can explore using technology as a guide. They can research the most harmful drugs in the United States and compared it to the harmful drugs in another country. Teenage pregnancy rate and STD’s can be compared or examined around the world. Weapons that are used to kill children and or our soldiers can be brought to the student’s attention. These subjects are also crucial one’s that need to be discussed with our youth. Students can present their information and their results to the class. They can also come up with a way they feel these problems can be solved or minimized. There might be a student who’s considering having sex, once they research and see the effects of sex up close and personal (i. e. regnancy and STD’s) maybe their mind will be changed. Another one might be interested or all ready taking drugs. They will gain knowledge about what drugs really do to your body. Guns are growing more and more poplar. Students can see first hand the consequences of these weapons. The innocent lives that is lost due to carelessness. As a result of the use of technology, project based learning can be upgraded trem endously and provide a whole new level of learning experiences, which will be beneficial to the student in the long run. Technology can be used to provide visual learning. Digital storytelling challenges students to take their written ideas and translate them into a visual medium. They could write a script then produce a video. Teachers can create rubrics for assessing students, writing and speaking. Teachers can use projectors in the classroom to show photographs, videos or slides. These visual aids keep students engage in the instruction they are receiving. A teacher can integrate a video to go along with the lesson they are teaching. A student can only get so much from a lecture. Most people are visual learners. A video can reemphasize the information that the teacher is trying to convey. That allows those students who weren’t able to grasp the understanding or the concept of the lesson an alternative measure. Teachers can also use technology as visual aids by printing out statistical information for students to see. They can make printouts of graphs and charts to reiterate a particular subject. There are many websites available that provide many resources and tips teachers can use to create hands-on visual aids in their classroom. This will be a great way to allow students to work together as a team. It will decrease isolation among students. They all can work in teams to research a project on the internet. Teachers can also ask students to use the internet to come up with an audio visual project they can share with the class. Students have fun and learn more when they can see what they are learning. Point blank students will be excited and eager when they are able to participate and contribute to their own learning. Shouldn’t they be able to donate and feed their own minds? Technology as visual aids is a way they can connect their interest to learning. Another visual aid that the teacher can use is handouts. Handouts are a way to reinforce the instruction that is given. It gives students a general overview of the material as well as identifying the key points. This will cut down on confusion and students will be clearer on the focus points. Visual aids, especially audio visual help many students that have different learning styles. This strategy brings mode of students who don’t have the so called, â€Å"norm† learning style. In history this can be used for students to see some of the places they are iscussing. Students can view pictures and artifacts through the web that will really make the lesson come alive for them. They will be like, â€Å"Wow this really happened! † or â€Å"Wow this really did exist! † There are many websites that provide simulations for certain subject areas for students. Science is a subject where there is no limit to what students can explore and research with the help of the i nternet. Students can look up all types of animals and insects. This will be much more fun than just reading about them in their textbooks. They can even print out certain information they have found, with teacher approval of course. Visual aids are an awesome way to turn a classroom into an adventurous experience instead of a place. Teachers can benefit tremendously from the use of technology. Technology can help boost the relationship between students and teacher. It affects the way teachers instruct and give a lesson. Technology is a level where students and teachers can relate and identify on. Teachers can use computer tools to reorganize record keeping and clerical tasks, in order to free up time for instruction or professional development. Teachers are able to keep track of grades, behavior and other classroom information with the use of a computer. This information can be saved and always be available for the teacher to pull up at the demand of a parent. This cuts out paper work that can often be misplaced. Teachers can input their lesson plans and goals on the handout for parents to have a record as well. Therefore isolation will be decreased by using e-mail and the Internet to communicate with colleagues, parents, and the outside world. What grown up doesn’t have an e-mail? E-mail is a great way for parents to communicate with teachers effectively when face to face is not possible. Teachers are so busy; often they don’t have the time to call each individual parent. Simple questions and information can be exchanged through e-mail. This mode also help out working parents who can’t often answer a phone call when their busy. A click in their e-mail and this problem can be eliminated. Professional development activities can be increased by taking distance education courses, accessing educational research, and accessing classroom materials such as lesson plans. Teachers will be able to take courses that their principal may suggest through the use of the internet. They can also take classes that can help further their education online. Also, teachers will not have to leave their classroom when they are looking for additional activities for their students. They can search the internet for educational ideas that will help productivity in their classroom. Teachers can find video clips and other materials that will go hand in hand with their lesson plans. These can serve as great visual aids and teaching tools when giving instruction. If a student poses a question that the teacher may be unclear of the answer, they can look it up together. There are a wide variety of tools that are available to help teachers transform their classroom into a more exciting place for learning. Smart boards are growing more and more poplar. These non traditional boards are a way for teachers to transmit information from their computer screen to the class. Their also software available that help teachers set up websites for their class. Teachers can create websites that are designated specifically to the concept they are teaching, for the purpose of helping their students. This eliminates those web sites teachers are not comfortable with their students exploring. The teaching of technology to our kids will help secure them a successful career in the future. In a demanding economy, technology skills are required to stay ahead. Jobs are being lost everyday. Why not ensure our children a spot in the years to come? Technology is used even in the simplest profession. Students not only need to learn the skills that are evident in the workforce today, but also be ready and prepared for the technology changes that will happen in the future.