Saturday, August 31, 2019

Tobacco Industry: Its Significance in US Economy

The United States is the world†s second largest tobacco grower. Thus, tobacco is an important cash crop and the cigarette manufacturers play a very important role in the U. S economy.(7:2) Approximately 500,000 Americans die every year as a direct result of smoking (1:66). As the U. S. population becomes more health conscious, the number of smokers is decreasing every year. However, the tobacco industry has remained prosperous due to the continuing demand of millions of smokers still present in the U.S.A and other places like Asia, Russia and Eastern Europe.(7:2) The tobacco industry has never before publicly admitted to a direct connection between smoking and lung or heart diseases (7:2). Since 1954, 825 cases have been filed against cigarette companies demanding compensatim. Out of this only 22 have gone for trial, three of which resulted in partial victory.(1:66) Marketing can be defined as the process by which goods and services are sold and purchased. It also includes functions like, advertising, mail-order business, public relations and the like. The main goal of marketing is to acquire, retain and satisfy customers.(2:1) Cigarette companies seem to understand the above mentioned definition perfectly. They carefully follow management's wishes about promotion of cigarettes. Like any other firm, cigarette manufacturers try to supply, design and produce products that will satisfy consumer needs.(4:4) However, critics complain of the effects of marketing tobacco on society. Advertisement of brand names like Marlboro, Lucky Strike etc. are harmful for children since they generally glorifies smoking. Cigarette firms have been criticized for designing and promoting brands that target the special tastes of working persons, African -Americans etc. (4:4). Thus, critics feel that for tobacco no marketing tool that increases profit or marketing share should be used.(4:11) No matter how unhealthy cigarettes are, they still are legal. Therefore, tobacco companies have a right to market their products. After all, we could categorize tobacco marketing as â€Å"Misplaced Marketing†.(4:4) The major tobacco companies of U.S.A were headed for trouble this year. In early 1997, the smallest tobacco company. Liggett Group agreed to a wide-ranging settlement of health-related lawsuit and admitted publicly that tobacco causes cancer, is addictive and is â€Å"marketed† to teens. This admission ended up being a big problem for other's tobacco companies.(6:3) On 27 June 1997, the companies: Philip Morris RJR Nabisco Holdings, B.A.T Industries, Brown & Williamson and Loews Corp. reached an agreement with the attorneys -general of nearly 40 American states. This settlement resulted in the tobacco industry changing its own marketing rules.(5:23) 1.Financial implications of the settlement The above mentioned settlement calls for the tobacco industry to start an annual payment of $10 billion (eventually rising to $15 billion) to compensate states for smoking-related health costs and to pay people who successfully file for damages. The five tobacco companies must also finance anti-smoking medical and educational research, in order to prevent youths from smoking.(5:23) The cigarette companies also have to pay $60 billion in damages as a form of punishment. Besides all this, the industry will face additional penalties if the number of teenage smokers does not decrease by 50% in seven years.(5:25) This settlement, is set to drastically change the marketing program of the tobacco companies. From now on, human or cartoon figures will not appear in cigarette advertisements. That is, the advertisements will have to consist of words only (5:23). Tobacco advertisements are also banned from billboards, stadiums and the Internet. They are also prohibited from advertising in films or in theaters. The settlement also ends the use of all cigarette vending machines (5:24). Tobacco companies cannot use their brand marks on T-shirts, caps and other promotional free gifts (5:25). The agreement would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. In addition, cigarettes would come with tough new warnings such as ‘smoking causes cancer† and ‘smoking can kill you†.(5:24) The above mentioned changes will alter the marketing techniques of tobacco as never before and thus, the tobacco companies have to adapt to a new way of doing business. The tobacco industry has been hit hard by the settlement it signed. But it does not mean the end of this multi-billion dollar business. Let us have a look at some new and upcoming ways in which tobacco is sold. Even if the tobacco industry faces a gloomy business future in U.S.A it can earn a lot by selling more cigarettes in developing countries from the Middle East to South East Asia INTERFERENCE With practically no government interference and millions of smokers, tobacco companies could even earn profits from brands that are dead in USA. They can also expect bigger profits by trying to change local customs. For example: In Japan, the number of women's smokers is on the rise, after tobacco promotions persuaded society not to prohibit women smoking.(3:34) As the numbers of public outlets for cigarettes decrease in the future a mail-order tobacco business could be created and this could be even more profitable. Being good database marketers, the databases of the tobacco industry will act as a communication and distribution channel. RJ Reynolds has already taken a lead in this type of marketing.(3:34) From now on, tobacco companies will have to do most of their advertising in adult magazines. They might even end up opening cigarette only retail stores, as another way to supply smokers. As marketing of tobacco has become more challenging than ever before, it will remain a powerful part of management for the tobacco companies.(5:27) Tobacco firms have always shown enthusiasm in marketing their products. However, they have to face constant criticism of their marketing techniques. Critics feel that tobacco marketing is an example of misplaced marketing. The recently signed agreement between leading cigarette companies and nearly forty American states, will lead to radical change in the marketing field. Besides financial penalties, cigarette companies have also agreed to restrict and reshape their promotional strategies. In the future, tobacco firms will have to come up with new ideas to market cigarettes and probably will have to increase their foreign sales. Basically, cigarette manufacturers have to right to promote and advertise their products so long as they are legal. Thus, clearly tobacco will be marketed, in some form or the other, for years to come.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Effects of Early Marriage Essay

Mark and Jane got married eight years ago. They have two young children. Their initial love and attraction has turned into constant bickering and argument. They now realize how different they are from each other. Every interchange seems to be a battle and is affecting every aspect of their lives. They wonder what happened to the love and affection they felt towards each other at the beginning of their relationship. They have been arguing about money, and how to spend it. Mark thinks his hard work is not appreciated. Jane feels overburdened with taking care of the children, her part-time work and taking care of the most of household duties. They each feel the other is not contributing enough. They do not want to give up on their marriage, and have heard that mediation can be effective in working through the practical problems they face. They hope by learning to appreciate each other’s efforts their love for each other will start to grow again. They have tried individual therapy, marital counseling, and group therapy, without results. The first few years of a marriage are a very intense period of adjustment. It’s very common for the couple to learn differences about each other and encounter extreme bouts of negativity that they never imagined possible. A newly married couple (and any married couple, for that matter) should try anything at their disposal. Sometimes marriage counseling does not work. It does not mean that the marriage is over or that the counseling was insufficient or even that marriage counseling may not work at a future time. Couples need to try different things at different times in order to break the log jam of disillusionment. Marital Mediation or other professional support may help break the impasse. The mediator will explain to Mark and Jane that, just like a new hobby, learning how to be married is a learnable skill. The mediator will teach them conflict resolution skills that they can begin to practice at home. Things can improve at home, and Mark and Jane can continue to work on (and enjoy) their marriage. They might even try counseling again (perhaps with a different therapist), and may find that they are ready to gain insight from it.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Ansoff Matrix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ansoff Matrix - Research Paper Example Prior to the publication of this book, many organisations at that time had little guidance on how to plan and make decisions for the future; many still relied on conventional forms of planning that involved decisions based on an extended budgeting system which in turn is derived on a projected budgetary outcome to some point in the future (Chartered Institute of Management, 2003). Recognizing the needs of business organisations during his time, Ansoff stated that, "a firm needs direction and focus in its search for and creation of new opportunities and the fact that it is to the firm's advantage to see entries with strong synergistic potential" (Ansoff 1965, p. 104 - 105). Furthermore, Levitt (1960) suggested that in order for an organisation to be successful and grow then an organisation would require a "definitive description" of their role within their environment. However, Ansoff have his own share of critics. Ansoff and Henry Mintzberg have differing views on strategy. In particular, Mintzberg's is averse to Ansoff's view on strategy that is built upon planning (Ansoff 1965, p. 1207). Levitt (1960) elaborated that organisations should have some form of "natural extensions" of the firm's products and markets explaining "natural extensions of the firm's product-market position, derived from some core characteristic of the present business." explaining that businesses in one particular industry, for example railroads, could in fact class themselves as in the 'transportation business (Ansoff 1965).' Ansoff (1965, p. 105) proposed that, in fact, this idea was "too broad" and didn't take into account stakeholders or the "investment Community" understanding or relationship of organisations' future product-market direction or "common thread. He further expanded on this, stating that "a relationship between present and future product-markets which would enable outsiders to perceive where the firm is heading, and the inside management to give it guidance." The common thread in fact was based on three factors according to Ansoff. These are the following: Product-market scope-which identifies the industries to which an organisation limits its product/market position; Growth vector-which is the direction or is an indication of the direction that an organisation is moving towards or with respect to its current product, market position; and Competitive advantage-which is an attempt to understand the properties of individual products markets that will allow an organisation to remain or sustain a competitive advantage. It was through this explanation of the growth vector which elaborates the common thread and the prospective direction of an organisation that becomes the foundation and led to the creation of the Ansoff Matrix otherwise known as the market/product matrix (Ansoff 1965). The Ansoff's Matrix Present New Present Market Penetration Product Development New Market Development Diversification Source: Ansoff, 1965 The matrix as proposed by Ansoff attempts to indicate the direction of organisation product/market posture, through four possible product/market combinations: market penetration; product development; market development; and

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Project Management Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Management Review - Assignment Example This structure helps in creating a framework and provides guidance in terms of schedule development and control. The process of defining the project consists of five steps 1. Defining the project scope: - A project scope is the end result of the project, i.e. a product or service for the client or customer. The scope clearly explains the measurable and tangible result delivered to the end user. 2. Establishing project priorities: - The second step is to establish the project priorities, which determines the shifts in the comparative importance of criterions connected to cost, time, and performance parameters. This also helps in managing the priorities of project trade-offs and in formulating the parameter requirements. 3. The third step involved in defining a project is to create the Work Breakdown Structure. A work breakdown structure is the hierarchal sketch that categorizes the products and work elements engaged in a project. 4. Integration of Work Breakdown Structure with the Org anization is the fourth step of defining a project. The ability of the firm to discharge its work responsibility towards a project is determined at this stage. This is where WBS and the OBS (Organizational Breakdown structure) are integrated. 5. The final stage of the process is coding the Work Breakdown Structure for the information System. At this stage, a range of essentials of the WBS are identified and defined. Reports on the organizational fundamentals, work package, budget and cost are consolidated at all levels of the organizational structure. Lag and Slack According to Francis and Horine (2003), in a series of linked tasks, lag means the ‘delay’ between the linked tasks; and it is necessary to use lag in a network as it is essential for the smooth progress of tasks (p. 80). The lag can be described as a ‘planned delay’. On the other hand, slack explains the extent of time that a task can be belated without affecting its successor tasks. As Chapman (2006, p. 9.22), Gantt chart is prepared to break a large project into a sequence of smaller tasks in an organized way. This chart describes when each task should start and how long it would take. On the other hand, a network diagram is a tool used for demonstrating how the impacts of a project are related and what the consequences of the impact are. Diagrams summarize a large portion of the project body as it is represented as graphical representation. Backward pass: A backward pass is a device used in the project management. It refers to the estimation of late start dates and late finish dates regarding the section of activities that have not been completed. This is calculated using by referring back through the schedule network from the end date of project segment. The end date may be determined by the client or by the supervisor using the forward pass. A backward pass determines the late start date and late finish dates. Scope statement: The project is on arranging a dinner-danc e concert for a local charity. It is going to take place in a four weeks’ time. This concert is reserved specially for 30 couples and the amount collected at this concert goes directly to the needy segment of the local society. The first step involved in the project is to create work breakdown statement of the project scope. The different elements of the project are to be distinguished at first hand. It is easier to understand the different

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Introduction to Florida History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to Florida History - Essay Example Martin Luther King, under Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) commenced an immense campaign to lend support to local civil rights movements. The objective of Dr. King was twofold: that in addition to ending local desegregation, the media attention given to the city would gather support nationally for the 1964 Civil Rights Act which had then stalled in congress. What happened is that, in 1963, under the leadership of Robert Hayling an advisor to the city’s branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people (NAACP) started the campaign to pressure to end segregation in St. Augustine. They organized demonstrations; sit-ins and pickets against segregated businesses. Perfect opportunity to air their grievance was presented in 1963 as the city was preparing its 400th year anniversary. Municipal officials intended to showcase only â€Å"acceptable† history, of which segregation was deeply inculcated. City leaders left blacks from the celebrati on preparations, jolting the local NAACP chapter to write to President Lyndon Johnson asking him to cancel his planned visit because no blacks were involved, and the city leadership had refused to form a biracial committee. As a result, White supremacists led by Ku Klux Klan (KKK) responded with violence against them. The major confrontation resulted from Haylings opposition to the federal funding to the city’s celebration. The white supremacists were angered, and violence resulted. Gunshots were fired at Dr. Haylings’ home, with armed white ruffians shooting at black neighborhood, which led to the death of one of the armed whites and charge of four blacks for the murder. There was an escalation of the racial disharmony that culminated the arrest and indictment of Haylings by a grand jury which blamed him and other activists for the racial crisis that was being witnessed then. As a result, SCLC decided to conduct seminars to give a workshop on non-violent protest. As a ll this was happening in 1963-1964, national media attention had been turned on St. Augustine. This media attention made old city more vulnerable to racial crisis as both the civil rights and white supremacists turned their guns there. Dr. King personally took charge of the demonstrations in May 1964, arriving together with his assistant Rev. Ralph Abernathy and other civil rights leaders. Their arrival gave momentum to the civil right movement and exploited the media attention that was directed at the city. St. Augustine was turned into a racial battleground. SCLC sent nationwide calls for volunteers to join in the protest. SCLC demonstrations infuriated the whites after they interrupted the lucrative tourist businesses, and, therefore, the scale of violence and unrest increased. These scenes were being televised to a shocked nation. SCLC leadership rejected calls by a grand jury to leave the city, on grounds that SCLC had disrupted the racial harmony. However, they agreed to leave after Florida Governor C. Farris Bryan, had promised to form the biracial committee in 30th June 1964. In addition to the media coverage, this racial unrest was perfectly timed to coincide with the demonstrations that were taking place in other U.S cities. The senate was also debating the motion to end the filibustering by the southerners. At the same time, black right lawyers began winning courtroom battles, with Judge Bryan Simpson ruling severally in favor of civil rights activists, encouraging black lawyers to bring cases against the white supremacists. His decision culminated in the injunctions and orders that brought the community under control. Therefore, Dr. King used the media atten

Monday, August 26, 2019

MIS Usage in Supply Chain Management (SCM) Research Paper

MIS Usage in Supply Chain Management (SCM) - Research Paper Example As the study outlines the use of management of information system in supply chain management of an organization like the police department helps to straighten value chain operations of the organization. Use of management of information system increases the organization’s competence Due to effect of globalization, organizations are experiencing stiff competition from across the globe. In order for such organizations to survive in a global competitive market, there is a dire need for efficiency in the acquisition and distribution of merchandise. From this discussion it is clear that the use of management of information system in the police department assists the department of defense in ensuring that the soldiers have the suppliers they want at the most appropriate time and at the best price. This will ensure the defense force is adequately equipped at all times. Management of information system increases efficiency of the business The organizations are striving for efficiency in their operations. The desire for achieving the best performance has resulted to complication of the processes through which information flows from suppliers to the consumers. Consequently, business managers are developing data bank to assist them in determining their clients and the specific items that those clients would like to purchase. The use of supply chain management in an organization enables supplier improve the market performance by controlling their inventory and at the same time reinforce their interactions with clients. The police depa rtment requires information regarding the type of supplies needed by the soldiers and the time when those suppliers should be delivered. The use of management of information system in supply chain management in the police department is of great significance for increasing performance of the police officers. The management of information system enables the department of defense to control all the data regarding what the department requires and the time when those supplies are needed.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

International Financial Management - Assignment Question Essay - 1

International Financial Management - Assignment Question - Essay Example Each party in the venture is given roles and liabilities upon the occurrence of the foreseen risk (Kumar 2007). Bento, J. P. C., 2009. Economic integration, international trade and the role of foreign direct investment : the case of Portuguese manufacturing. Berlin : Distributed in North America by Transaction Publishers. A rein-voicing center is a department or a subsidiary of a multinational company where all transactions happening inside the firm are centralized and foreign currency liabilities and receivables are netted (Kumar 2007). A merger is a situation where two or more firms come together to form one expanded business. On the other hand, an acquisition is a situation where one firm takes over business operations of another firm and becomes the new owner (Kumar 2007). Bento, J. P. C., 2009. Economic integration, international trade and the role of foreign direct investment : the case of Portuguese manufacturing. Berlin : Distributed in North America by Transaction Publishers. The first advantage of mergers and acquisitions is that it helps a company to expand its market. They also help a company to enjoy the economies of scale and have increased efficiency in their operations (Kumar 2007). Mergers and acquisitions also help a company to reduce on tax and legal implications. A situation where a firm with a high profitability takes over a company with low profitability helps it to reduce the tax liability. In addition to this, a company gains high competitiveness, expands its industry know how and positioning and increases profitability (Kumar 2007). Mergers and acquisitions also have some disadvantages. They suffer from such things like decreased corporate performance and services, lowered industry innovation, decline in equity pricing, decline in investment value, increase in costs to consumers and they suppress competing businesses (Reuvid and Sherlock 2011). Expanding to new

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Treatment of Women in Medea by Euripides (431 BC) Essay

Treatment of Women in Medea by Euripides (431 BC) - Essay Example Aristophanes, the contemporary writer of comedies, included several mocking references to Euripides' plays, including Medea, in his works. (March p32) One of the reasons was that Euripides tended to go against the tide by taking up the cause of groups, which had no voice of their own (women and slaves, for instance). We must remember that Medea itself was a play written about a woman by a man for men. Euripides chose a subject/character-that of Medea-which was well known to the Athenian theatre going public. However, he took some liberties with the story-with the specific horrific detail of Medea murdering her young sons, which is the pivot on which the audience's (lack of) sympathy for Medea rests. According to legend, Medea did not kill the children (March p35). But Euripides constructed his plot in this manner probably for intensifying the dramatic effect, but more likely to point out what a person who had no power to control her own life could do, if pushed to the corner. Tyro is unmarried and pregnant. She leaves her baby to die in the woods. This child-Pelias-was rescued by shepherds. Tyro marries Cretheus, son of Aeolus, and has three children. Later on, when Pelias returns, his mother accepts him back into the family. When Tyro's husband dies, Pelias seizes the throne of Iolcos, although it legitimately belongs to his half-brother, Aeson. When Pelias tries to get the sanction of the oracle for his deed, he is warned of danger from a descendant of Aeolus "with one sandal". Jason, grandson of Aeolus is sent away by Pelias. Jason grows to manhood and returns-he arrives, having swum across the river, losing a sandal in it. He then claims the throne which is rightfully his. Pelias decides to send Jason on a mission to avenge the death of Phrixus. So Jason sets out with his crew in his ship the Argo. They reach Colchis. Here he meets the king's daughter, Medea, and they fall in love. Medea helps Jason with her magical powers, to outwit her father and o btain the Golden Fleece. Medea, while fleeing from Colchis with Jason, does not hesitate to kill her brother, Absyrtus, throwing his limbs one by one into the water, in order to slow down her father, who stops to pick them up. Thus they escape to Greece. But when they reach Iolcos, they find that Pelias has murdered Jason's family. So she plays a trick on Pelias. She butchers an old ram, and boils it with some herbs, bringing forth a young lamb. So Pelias' daughters attempting to make their father young, cut him up and boil him in the pot. This is a trick played by Medea on them to kill Pelias. The people of Iolcos, however, do not want Jason to become king. So Medea and he flee to Corinth. The action of Medea, the play, takes place here, many years later. (Classics Pages)From the background information, it is evident that Medea dabbles in magic-she is a sorceress; she is

Ethnorelativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethnorelativism - Essay Example By taking a step outside of this situation one has to place their culture and region in the same context as other cultures and religions. Ethnocentrism’s goal is to separate the world into two opposing factions for the different religions; that is, us against them. The practice of ethnocentrism in a country such as the United States, individual groups are either friend or foes to the cause; superiority of an individual group. In short, ethnocentrism expounds on social differences and scholars describe it as prejudice broadly conceived. A practical example is the â€Å"handling of international relations, creating conflicts and inhibiting resolution of conflicts†. When two groups are in conflict, each group will view the conflict from a subjective standpoint and view the opposing group as threatening. America being the melting point of cultures should be a neutral place where everyone is able to express their individual cultures. However, this is not usually the case, as some cultures are naturally perceived to be superior to others. As with individuals, every culture has its own unique characteristics that differentiate them from the rest. These differences, nevertheless, are the reason for cultural conflicts that exist in society. Despite ethnocentrism being a negative trait, each individual has the capability to propagate ethnocentrism. Booth states that self-pride, and to a large extent cultural pride, increases the tendency of individuals to assume that their cultures are superior to others (49).

Friday, August 23, 2019

M5A2-Corporate Social Responsability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

M5A2-Corporate Social Responsability - Essay Example I conquer with Hawkins (2006) that the business must appreciate diversity, engage in social initiatives such as philanthropic contributions towards development of the communities and reduce the negative impacts of its operations on the ecological environment. Schwartz (2011) acknowledges that technology plays a critical role in managing business risks, enhancing the reputation of the organization, building employee trust and improving the allocation of resources in the organization. At the same time, communication technologies will enable the organization to establish cordial relations with stakeholders and exploit market opportunities that aim at enhancing the welfare of all stakeholders (Hopkins, 2012). The course has enabled me understand that technology facilitates product innovation thus leading to high quality products that meets the changing needs of consumers and need to conserve the ecological environment through minimization of pollution and wastage of natural resources (Crowther & Aras, 2008). Technology facilitates good governance and safeguard of stakeholder interests especially the suppliers, lenders of capital and the government (Crowther & Aras, 2008). In this case, modern technologies have streamlined the supply chain processes and enabled the companies to easily store and retrieve information that is essential in decision-making. Computer information systems will store information on customer preferences, obligations to suppliers and employee information thus facilitating the fulfillment of the social obligations of the business (Crowther & Aras, 2008). Indeed, I have understood that companies that ignore the social and environmental concerns in their technology will suffer from negative brand image and high employee turnover (Schwartz, 2011). For instance, I agree that technology presents several challenges such as the need to safeguard the health and safety of employees in the production departments and

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Problem of Our Community Essay Example for Free

Problem of Our Community Essay Describe a problem in your community that affects you, how it affects you and what you believe should be done to solve the problem. As I was young child Ulaanbaatar city was beautiful small city. In winter there was enough dick snow to play on it. Just little number of cars had not made a big trouble. Ulaanbaatar city is located between 4 big mountains and initially build only for 400 thousand inhabitants. After several extreme cold and harsh winters, many farmers have lost their belongings such as livestock. Poor and unemployed people started to migrate to the city. Now the city has more than 1 million citizens. The ex-farmers were semi nomadic and they do not give up their living style even they migrated to the city. They live in yurts (â€Å"Ger†, a tent covered with felt). Because of their missing documents and lack of working skills they can not find jobs in city. Of course most of them have not devices which connected to the central heating system and also waste water channels. Mongolians usually burn woods or coals in winter time to heat the gers. But because the new poor immigrants can not buy such things, they burn everything what they can found. For example wastes as old aged tires, chemicals and so on. Nowadays 60 percent of city inhabitants live in ger area using old traditional heating cabins (small box of iron, in which things burned). In winter time, the city is covered by smog. Nobody can breathe freely. Traffic is another issue. As I was a school pupil I had never seen traffic jam. But now I can see the spectacle everyday. Drivers are angry and cars are noisy. Some people sticks two hours just to drive 4-5 km. Most cars are older than 10 years or so called â€Å"second†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"third hand† cars imported from Japan and Korea. Because of its old age and environmental aspects these cars would not allowed being used in developed countries. Now Ulaanbaatar city is one of ugliest city in Asia with its smog, traffic and old cars. I see the problem in regional politics. Herders and citizens in countryside have only livestock and their livings are extremely depends on climate change. Furthermore, in rural villages the local government has no power to pursue own tax policy. Mongolia has a centralized budget system. All taxes paid must be collected in the finance ministry. Then it can be allocated among the provinces. But this way is ineffective and corrupt. Many politicians use this money just for next election campaign. In my opinion people in countryside should have more power to boost their markets in local area. They should have own taxation and local budget expenditure policy. Then they would not escape from their homeland by every negative change. In other side if the Mayor of my city (governor of the capital city) is being assigned by the central government. The Mayor usually works only for the party but not for people who live in the city. I really wish that we have the right to vote our mayor directly from us. Then we can control him better and push to concentrate on daily problems among the city inhabitants. How would this program benefit you and factor into your future plans? (Please limit your answer to 250 words. ) I see this program as greatest opportunity to my life. I hope I can have many friends during this program and I will see a lot of things that I can not see without this chance. First of all I can know learn the American education system American lifestyle. By the way, I will improve my English, which will increase my chance to have a well paid job in Mongolia. Mongolia is one freest country in Asia with its open economy. Bigger companies and universities seek for new employee who can speak in English fluently. In another side, I am very interested in social issues in my country. I think these problems are overall in the world. But how to solve the problems can be done in different way. I can see the American solutions. In Mongolian language there is phrase: â€Å"to see once is better than hearing about it 1000 times†. That means you can hear about one thing many times and get some understanding. But if you see this you can feel it much better. After the program I will be able to share my experiences in USA by different way. I can lead students’ workshops and also write on the university journals. My diploma thesis will be more comparative and living. I can imagine that I join a political party to participate more actively in the society. So this program will give me a range of ideas and knowledge that I can implement in Mongolia. Mongolians say it is better to be rich on knowledge than on money.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Child Trafficking In Nigeria Social Work Essay

Child Trafficking In Nigeria Social Work Essay Human trafficking in Nigeria has been one of the greatest problem in Nigerian history. Human trafficking can be traced to the period colonialism when human beings are been traded for mere commodities to the Europeans, to help them in their plantations in their own country. Due to the abolishment of slave trade in Nigeria by 1885-1950, the act of human trafficking was reduced and some few years later they started child trafficking since the children are more vulnerable. Child trafficking is a form of human trafficking that involves the transportation, harbouring, receiving ,recruitment of children in the purpose of exploitation. The issue of child domestic labour is very complex and problematic. Domestic child labourers are among the most invisible child labourers. The number of children exploited in private households is unknown because of the hidden nature of the work. Many of these children are girls and in many countries domestic service is seen as the only employment option a girl might have. Children exploited in domestic service are paid little or nothing, are malnourished, are very vulnerable to further abuse and exploitation, and do not go to school. However, because child domestic workers are employed within an informal family environment, they cannot be integrated as a professional group within conventional working systems because such integration would presuppose an acceptance of the idea of child domestic labour. At the same time, without legal initiatives, it is difficult to combat child domestic labour. Furthermore, the terms, norms and standards to regulate the employment of children are lack ing because children work in a largely invisible domain outside law and the public sphere and their domestic labour cannot be integrated under normal labour laws. Although the final goal of all laws should be the prevention and elimination of child domestic labour, it is acknowledged right at the outset that this is a long term goal. In the interim, there is a need to accept that children do, and will continue, to work until effective alternatives make it unnecessary for them to work. In the meantime, the best interest of the child principle together with the notion of the child as a rights holder should guide any lawmaking on child domestic work. Law and policy reform can play a powerful constitutive and transformative role in improving and changing the lives of both the girl child and male child domestic worker; however, in envisioning workplace and domestic arrangements it is important to see that sex stereotypes are not reinforced. Just as much as law has the profound power to p revent and regulate domestic labour, it has the power to reinforce it by creating loopholes through which employers can continue to hire child domestic workers. Laws can often spark social change only if they are translated into action. In drafting new laws or revising existing laws, child domestic labour should be seen in the context of historic sex discrimination. There is an apparent tension when laws and policies are blind to the differences between the girl child domestic worker and the male child domestic worker such as the girl childs weak bargaining position and low status, which increases her vulnerability to coercion by her family and employer. Child trafficking in Nigeria is something the government has not really put enough effort to ensure that child trafficking is reduced or eradicated this is due to the lapse (corruption) of the whole government system because most of the child traffickers are top government officials and this makes it very difficult to investigate any problem that has to do with child trafficking. According to a research carried out by United nation children fund (unicef) say the average age of children been trafficked in Nigeria is around 15years but the age varies, especially with girls and also it says 60-80% of girls in the sex trade outside the country are in Italy (over 700 in Italy while Belgium and Holland is experiencing an upsurge in the number of Nigerian girls. On the average About 10 children pass Nigerian borders daily originating from fostering and extended family system. Children that are been trafficked has so many reasons which include domestic help, prostitution these are especially for girls while boys are used as scavengers, car washing, bus conducting, drug peddling and farming. Child trafficking has so many effects on both the child and the country. Trafficking of migrant children has unquestionably affected individual children and their communities in various immediate and long term ways. It sometimes endangers the childrens lives. The obvious impacts of child trafficking often mentioned is on deteriorating their education, physical and mental development. Moreover, the trafficked migrant children are disempowered in many ways. They are in the foreign country with foreign customs and foreign language. They are transported and sold or deceived as bonded labour, treated like property, and work under slavery-like conditions. Whenever they feel depressed, or suffering, or face difficulties, or are tortured, commonly they have no one they can turn to as they tend to live in isolated areas. Even if they have a chance to seek help, they often do not know where to go or what to do or whom to ask because they are illegal migrants and are afraid of police. In some c ircumstances, they may encounter racism from the police, authorities, and general people among whom may be their own employers. A major result of child trafficking can be loss of lives, increasing prevalence of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) including HIV/AIDS, increase in violence and crime rate, increased school drop-out, impaired child development, poor national image and massive deportation of Nigerians especially girls. And also, There are diverse reasons why many Nigerian children are vulnerable to trafficking, including widespread poverty, large family size, rapid urbanization with deteriorating public services, low literacy levels and high school-drop out rates The demand for cheap commercial sex workers in countries of destination strongly contributes to the growth of this phenomenon and the success of this criminal network. Parents with a large family, often overburdened with the care of too many children, are prone to the traffickers deceit in giving away some of their children to city residents or even strangers promising a better life for them. Traffickers exploit the trust of people rooted in a widespread, culturally accepted common practice in West Africa of placement and fostering as part of the extended family safety net. In some instances, desperately poor and uninformed parents willingly co-operate with the traffickers, giving away their children in exchange for a small fee. In the hands of unscrupulous guardians, these children are increasingly trafficked and exploited for money. But All hope is not lost as every problem has a solution. The government can still curb this evil practice in order to save children and the good name of the country. Firstly, government should provide free education in every government owned school in the country from the nursery to the secondary level so that parents will have no excuse of giving out their children to strangers in the pretext of taking them to learn new sill in new environment. Secondly, government should pay workers salaries at the end of each month because they have personal bills to foot; children to cater for and they depend solely on their salaries. Thirdly, the parliamentary arm of the government should make and amend law that all Nigerian families should not have more than 3 children and any found to go against the law would be punished because one of the causes of child trafficking in Nigeria is the inability of parents to cater for so many children. Also, government should make laws for children against child abuse and intimidation which should be strictly adhered to. Last but not the least, government should come to an agreement with leaders of other countries that any Nigerian child suspected to be abused or trafficked should be rescued and the trafficker, punished. In an effort   aimed at battling child trafficking within Nigeria and the sub-region, Nigeria and the government of Benin Republic have signed a memorandum of understanding to co-operate in the   area of prevention of child trafficking as well as the repatriation of offenders to countries of origin for prosecution. Executive Secretary of National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters(NAPTIP), Mrs. Carol Ndaguba disclosed this at a one-day workshop on Anti Child Trafficking Network Project in Nigeria held at the UN House Abuja. According to her, Nigeria and the government of Italy, United Kingdom and Spain also have understandings on joint initiative on modalities for prevention of child trafficking and slavery, adding that the Italian government as well as UNICEF have been providing huge financial and capacity building support to the agency in carrying out its task. On the issue of house-help or domestic servants in the country, NAPTIP Executive Secretary regretted that the phenomenon had been exploited by traffickers to batter, sexually or emotionally traumatize victims, adding that the so called syndrome must now come to an end. She identified the challenges faced by the network project to include   expansion of the network from 22 states to 36, sustaining awareness campaign at the state and community levels, and capacity building of the state working groups. In her remark, Deputy Country Representative of UNICEF, Barbara Reynold said that although the anti-trafficking agency was already doing a lot to put an end to the menace of human trafficking, more needs to be done in the area of conscientisation and increased awareness by   a broader section of society.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Transdisciplinary Play Based Assessment Observation Children And Young People Essay

Transdisciplinary Play Based Assessment Observation Children And Young People Essay Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment Observation Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment [TPBA] is a practical approach to assess children at risk for developmental delays or disabilities, and involves the child, his or her parents, and other educational or diagnostic professionals in an ordinary environment of assessment and intervention. A TPBA framework is planned around the play screening session, and the play conference is based on information obtained from the childs parents in relation to their childs developmental status. During the conference session, guiding principles can provided for observing the thinking, social-emotional development, communication and language abilities, and sensorimotor development of the child. The behavioral validity of TPBA methods, materials, and techniques are Vital to this assessment. Mainly, because the assessment requires planning that include the family, as well as from others who are familiar with the child. This aids the baseline for the assessment, which is now similar to the familys environment and experiences. TPBA provides numerous opportunities for children to intermingle with new and familiar materials. In addition, to capture as many perspectives as possible, a variety of observers is included in the assessment. Furthermore, pre-assessment questions answered by the parents aid the educators and other professionals preparing the setting that will stimulate the childs optimal abilities. The implementation of the assessment usually involves the examiner to use informal assistance, and follows and expands upon the childs lead. In a formal setting, the examiner assists the child as he or she elicits behaviors that were not natural in the earlier phase. Then, the child is then, observed after being introduced to a peer in order to observe the interaction among them. Formal and informal play among the parents and the child, motor play, and snack time, allows for a screening of oral-motor difficulties as well as social and adaptive development. Throughout the observation period, an educator or the diagnostic professional discusses with the parent the observations of the childs behaviors, the professional analysis of behaviors, and the parents view of the childs behavior. The observers also guided their observations by questions that address both measurable and qualitative characteristics of the childs behavior. When the assessment is completed, and the childs observed behavior, accomplishments, transdisciplinary recommendations are developed, and a program-planning meeting is arranged to provide added suggestions for the childs parents. These experiences respected the child, his or her family, and the culture in which the child lives. Emphasis focused on the collected data from the areas of development of the child. As for mentioned, TPBA uses observation to evaluate the development status of a child in systematized play settings. According to Stuhlman et.al (2010), the summary of the benefits for observations of play are as follows: Providing opportunities to assess the behavior of child tha is unable or refuses to perform in a formal testing setting. Reveal characteristics of the parent child relationship that help explain the behavior of the child. Provide explanations of developmental domains, and give diagnostic professionals numerous opportunities to learn effective play strategies from a childs parent. Recommend ways to support parents play strategies that are not effective. Identify coping skills and risk factors that affect the childs diagnosis and hinder their planning program. Then increase the parents and professionals relationships (p.2). These play observations correlate to the normal developmental information acquired in the setting, and provide the opportunity to create a parent to professional partnership. Spur of the moment play behaviors of the parent and child, can add critically important information to an assessment. The setting and procedures of the setting allows the child and his or her parents to establish their weaknesses and strengths as well as their areas of difficulty. In general, the principles for observing and assessing is summarized as the need for practitioners to be clear on the need for and purpose of assessing, ensure the appropriateness for the child. In addition, ensure the process is meaningful, consider the ethical issues, validity the outcomes, use appropriate observational methods for the child and the setting, consider the timing of the observation, ensure there is adequate staffing to free the observer from additional responsibilities if necessary, and be clear on how the outcomes will be disseminated, and to whom. The major disadvantage of this approach is that the assessment cannot easily be dynamic, that is, the team members cannot interact with the child in order to see how quickly the child learns or how the child responds if activities were in different ways and by different persons. This research paper has reviewed the literature on transdisciplinary play based assessment, outlining its basic premises and observation features. The implementation of TPBA observation highlighted the importance of increasing the success of this practice of distinguished roles, independent and team responsibility for professional development, and a learning based and supportive team environment.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Java vs C :: Essays Papers

Java vs C Java vs. C++ papers = Since their inception, computers have played an increasingly important role in today’s society. Advancements in technology have enabled computers to become faster and cheaper. Today, the majority of families own a home computer that is vastly more powerful than giant mainframes of years gone by. Computer hardware has been evolving rapidly with no end in sight, and with all of the advancements in computer hardware come advancements in computer software; gone are the days when FORTRAN and COBOL were the languages of choice. Today, vvv two hot new object oriented programming languages have entered the computer programming arena, Java and C++, this paper will examine the similarities and differences between these new languages. Both Java and C++ are object oriented programming languages, but what does that mean? Object oriented programming (OOP) emphasizes data, instead of algorithms for solving problems. Instead of trying to fit a problem to the procedural a pproach of a language, OOP attempts to fit the language to the problem, in other words, OOP is structured to produce an answer without changing the question. Object oriented programming involves two separate parts, class and objects. Class is a specification that describes a new data form, it is a template that defines how an object will look and behave.(Kaj 1996, 8) An object is that particular data structure constructed using the parameters defined by class.(Prata 1995, 5) The object oriented programming approach to program design is to first design classes that accurately represent those things with which the program deals. A drawing program, for example, might define classes to represent rectangles, lines, circles, brushes, pens, and the like. The class definitions, recall, include a descriptions of permissible options for each class, such as moving a circle or rotating a line.(Prata 1995, 5) The main advantages of OOP, besides being able to create more complex software, and dev elop answers without changing the questions, are numerous. OOP facilitates creating reusable code, which can save a lot of work. Information can be hidden to safeguard data from improper access. Polymorphism lets the programmer create multiple definitions for operators and functions, with the programming context determining which definition is used, also Inheritance lets the programmer derive new classes from older ones. When using OOP, the programmer can focus on representing concepts, instead of concentrating on tasks. (Prata 1995, 6) Java, although in many respects similar to C++, is actually just a more simplified version of the latter.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Matching You with Your Mate :: essays research papers

Is it really better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all? Some of the couples today make that statement seem to be the ultimate truth and others make it questionable. Some appear to be perfect for each other, and others can cause you to wonder just what it is that they have in common. From a girl’s point of view, there are many different types of boyfriends with various behaviors out there. Some go for the typical shy guy, others for the ticking time bomb, the twenty-four seven frisky friend, the little puppy its way, or even the searched for soul mate. Just to think that the next guy you meet may turn out to be just the opposite of what you’re looking for creates a risk that no girl can seem to refuse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The guy sitting next to you in your summer English class appears to be your typical shy guy because he never has much to say. Imagine yourself a month from now dating him and picture how he’d be as a boyfriend. Now you’re not only spending time in the classroom, but you’re also devoting and sharing everything you have with him. You find yourself waiting for the moment for him to come out of his shell, but it just never seems to come. This proves that the shy guy never really changes much over a period of time, relationship or not. There will always be an awkward moment of silence with him that may cause things in the relationship to become a little unsteady. For example, when you both attend your company’s annual picnic, he comes off as being an unsociable date that seems to be attached to your hip because he never makes the effort to converse in your conversation nor his own. For some people a shy guy isn’t so bad, but for those who are looking for a long-lasting relationship, it’s not recommended.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Moving up a step or two from the shy guy brings you to the ticking time bomb that some girls just can’t seem to get enough of. These are the guys that make it hard for you to take them out because it’s unpredictable when that bomb that you’re holding hands with will go off. Fortunately for these guys, some girls will put up with the edginess that these easily irritated guys seem to possess.

Ernest Hemingway and Hollywood Essay example -- Biography Biographies

Hemingway and Hollywood "I try, when I'm writing a screenplay from somebody's original work, to be as faithful to it as I can be, within the limitations of a screenplay and remembering that the novel medium and the screen medium are entirely different" -Screenwriter, Casey Robinson, (Laurence 12). Hollywood attempted twice, but it still could not produce a film adaptation of A Farewell to Arms that Hemingway considered to do literary justice to his classic novel. The first effort was in 1932 when Paramount producer Frank Borzage used ridiculous publicity stunts to lure audiences, such as sending letters to women stamped REJECTED BY CENSORS. They read: Dear Madam: War-time! Suppose you were alone in a dark, drab, Swiss hotel room! In a few weeks you were to become a mother-and the man you loved was miles away-on the shell-torn Italian front. You write letter after letter to him-twenty one of them-and they are all returned stamped REJECTED BY CENSOR: This is just one of the dramatic situations in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, which comes to the _____ Theater on ___ (date). As you read in the novel, you'll see A Farewell to Arms on the screen! (Laurence 42-3). This was just one of the many shameless ploys Hollywood used over the years to exploit the celebrity status of the revered author; however "the effectiveness of such a publicity piece depended on the recipient's not having read the book-else they would recognize that no such situation exists in the novel" (43). Studios knew what they had to do get the ratings they sought; it was gratifying for the public "to believe that going to a movie was as good as reading a book" (43). By the time devoted Hemingway readers saw the film ... ... Arms he once said "(they did not ) also get the right to my sanction of the picture version" (Laurence 44). Despite the sum of money he made, Hemingway suggested "that the best way for a writer to deal with Hollywood was to meet the producers at the California state line: 'You throw them your book, they throw you the money. Then you jump into your car and drive like hell back the way you came" (Oliver "A Hemingway Retrospective") Works Cited: Laurence, Frank. Hemingway and the Movies. Jackson: University Press, 1981. Oliver, Charles ed. A Moving Picture Feast: The Filmgoers Hemingway. New York: Praeger 1989. Oliver, Charles. "A Hemingway Retrospective: Hemingway and Hollywood." http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/books/1999/hemingway/stories/hollywood/ http://mason-west.com/Hemingway/films.php: Films based on the works of Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway and Hollywood Essay example -- Biography Biographies Hemingway and Hollywood "I try, when I'm writing a screenplay from somebody's original work, to be as faithful to it as I can be, within the limitations of a screenplay and remembering that the novel medium and the screen medium are entirely different" -Screenwriter, Casey Robinson, (Laurence 12). Hollywood attempted twice, but it still could not produce a film adaptation of A Farewell to Arms that Hemingway considered to do literary justice to his classic novel. The first effort was in 1932 when Paramount producer Frank Borzage used ridiculous publicity stunts to lure audiences, such as sending letters to women stamped REJECTED BY CENSORS. They read: Dear Madam: War-time! Suppose you were alone in a dark, drab, Swiss hotel room! In a few weeks you were to become a mother-and the man you loved was miles away-on the shell-torn Italian front. You write letter after letter to him-twenty one of them-and they are all returned stamped REJECTED BY CENSOR: This is just one of the dramatic situations in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, which comes to the _____ Theater on ___ (date). As you read in the novel, you'll see A Farewell to Arms on the screen! (Laurence 42-3). This was just one of the many shameless ploys Hollywood used over the years to exploit the celebrity status of the revered author; however "the effectiveness of such a publicity piece depended on the recipient's not having read the book-else they would recognize that no such situation exists in the novel" (43). Studios knew what they had to do get the ratings they sought; it was gratifying for the public "to believe that going to a movie was as good as reading a book" (43). By the time devoted Hemingway readers saw the film ... ... Arms he once said "(they did not ) also get the right to my sanction of the picture version" (Laurence 44). Despite the sum of money he made, Hemingway suggested "that the best way for a writer to deal with Hollywood was to meet the producers at the California state line: 'You throw them your book, they throw you the money. Then you jump into your car and drive like hell back the way you came" (Oliver "A Hemingway Retrospective") Works Cited: Laurence, Frank. Hemingway and the Movies. Jackson: University Press, 1981. Oliver, Charles ed. A Moving Picture Feast: The Filmgoers Hemingway. New York: Praeger 1989. Oliver, Charles. "A Hemingway Retrospective: Hemingway and Hollywood." http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/books/1999/hemingway/stories/hollywood/ http://mason-west.com/Hemingway/films.php: Films based on the works of Ernest Hemingway.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Rekj

Additionally, if the slower receipt of payments impacts the organization's ability to quickly pay its own operational expenses then you might also see an increase in the accounts payable liability account. Conversely, on the Income Statement, one would expect to see an increase in the patient revenue account since the deal was that the NCO had longer to pay in trade for a HIGHER reimbursement rate. Also, on the Income Statement as the receivables account increases then you would also see an increase in the Provision for Doubtful Accounts.How might negotiating an NCO contract affect financial statements? The accounts that will be impacted on the Balance Sheet (which was the nature Of my question) are as follows. How does the Provision for Doubtful Accounts work? Posted by ROBERT ADAMS atlas 16, 2015, 8:09 PM If a hospital such as FCC renegotiated an NCO contract that allowed the NCO to take longer to pay in exchange for a higher reimbursement rate, this would increase patient revenue on the Income Statement because the NCO is paying at a higher rate.However, since the NCO has longer to pay then the Patient Accounts Receivable (A/R) on the Balance Sheet would also increase. As this A/R account increases, the amount booked as Provision for Doubtful Accounts would also increase since this expense is often simply a percentage of the A/R account. OR a more real world response: In the case of FCC, they treat the Provision of Doubtful Accounts as an expense account. This is an account that is used to ‘book† the projected losses associated with carrying a receivables account on the Balance Sheet for patient revenue.You might ask why an organization would need to do this. Well anytime you have a receivables account there is some likelihood that some of that account will go uncollected. Generally, an organization can use historical data to project what percentage of a receivable account might not be collected. Regarding this assignment, FCC renegotiated a prim ary managed care contract which allowed the NCO longer to pay in exchange for a higher reimbursement rate. The impact of the NCO having longer to pay means that the receivables account would grow.If FCC applies its historical percentage for uncorrectable to a growing receivables account then the Provision for Doubtful Accounts would naturally increase as well. How does purchasing extra inventory change financial statements? As FCC purchases inventory it is placed on the Balance Sheet as an asset. It is VERY important for you all to understand that the supplies expense will not increase on the Income Statement UNTIL the supplies are actually used by FCC. For instance, if FCC purchased $1 of extra inventory this loud be listed as an asset on the Balance Sheet.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Project Estimating Techniques Essay

One of the most important factors to the success of a project is how well the project is estimated, as well as how overall costs are managed during the execution phase by the project manager. Project costs and estimates are vital to the success of any organization to remain competitive in the market. Cost estimating for organizations rely heavily on resources that can sometimes be difficult to obtain. Forecasting and utilizing historical return costs are just a couple of ways that organizations rely on estimating. Experienced planners are often a sought trade within the market; this paper will discuss some often used project cost estimating techniques. Types of Estimating The first type of estimating is analogous. This type of estimating utilizes estimates from a previous project that is similar, and uses them to build estimates for the new project. While this type of estimating is beneficial to the planning process, caution must be used to ensure that estimates carried over from the previous project are fair and reasonable. Parametric estimation takes historical data inputs, makes calculated assumptions based on market and statistical data, and then formulates the estimate. This type of estimating is useful as it does use historical data, coupled with statistical data; however, assumptions made by the planner can be skewed and lead to inaccurate estimates in my opinion. The next type of estimating is bottom-up. Bottom-up estimating utilizes information from individual estimates through the Work Break Down structure. This type of estimating is one of the most common types of estimating because it uses estimates from the floor tasks. These floor tasks are estimated by subject matter experts with years of experience, and can be very beneficial to ensuring that not only the estimate is accurate, but the scope of the task is correct. Another type of estimating is three-point estimating. Three-point estimating takes a look at the best, worst, and most realistic scenario to cost estimating the project. These three options obviously come with a  premium on cost, time, or quality. Dependent on what the project objective is will more than likely determine what route to take in this process. From my work experience with project planning, cost estimating can be a very difficult task. Most organizations have a method or process in how to cost estimate. Some utilize checklists, while others may standard operating procedures as part of an organizational policy. Regardless of what tools are available to a project team during the cost estimating process, knowing the overall goals and objectives of the project are keys to estimating a successful project. The burden of cost estimating is not normally the responsibility of one individual; it often lies within the project team. Multiple estimators from various skills are part of the process, and all types of estimating as discussed earlier are part of the process. Tools that my organization utilizes are bid specification review meetings that go over the material, labor, and rates that apply to the work being conducted during the project. In addition, an independent government estimate (IGE) is utilized to ensure that estimates are filled out thoroughly, and reviewed against the contractor’s estimates upon receipt. There are many other processes that can be used; however, these are the most commonly one’s used within government estimating. Conclusion Cost estimating is a very important part of the project planning process as it often dictates the duration of the project, and how much work can be accomplished during the project against the budget given for the project. Estimates of time and cost together allow the manager to develop a time-phased budget, which is imperative for project control (Larson & Gray, 2014, p. 131). While there are many different ways that estimates are created, there is no sure fire way in stating that one is better than the other. While some may think that historical data is a more accurate way, there is not telling that the estimate and return costs from a previous project were fair and reasonable. If the previous project cost was overestimated, then the current project would continue to be overestimated; therefore not proving to be a cost benefit to the organization. Cost estimating drives the project plan, and organizations need to ensure they utilize all the tools and resources they have available to them to make the  project a success. Reference Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2014). Project Management: The Managerial Process (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Percentage, Money Management

By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of budget planning and banking. Students will have knowledge of words associated with banking and budgets including interest, percent, and budget Students will of a working knowledge of percentages and how to use this knowledge as it applies to banking, interests, loans and budgeting. Students will be able to develop a monthly budget given a particular income. Students will be able to calculate the interest on a purchase.Knowledge: The student can calculate total cost on an item given various tax rates. 2. Comprehension: Given two different costs on a particular item, with different tax rates, the student will be able to determine the best deal. 3. Application: The student will articulate the use of this knowledge in their daily life. 4. Analytical Thought: Students will begin to understand how this knowledge can assist them with problem solving regarding income and expenditures. 5. Synthetic Thought: Studen ts will be able to explain how to budget monthly to assure that all costs are covered.6. Evaluation: The students will understand the need to budget and shop around for financial security. Standards: Math – The student uses calculations for percentage correctly Material: 1. Calculator 2. Paper for the purpose of budget work Anticipatory Set: The teacher will ask the students about their knowledge of budgeting. They will discuss the importance of budgeting. Students will be asked to identify examples of when percentages can be useful into their everyday life. Input: 1. The teacher will allow for brief discussion on the examples calculated in class2. The teacher will allow time for discussion about other uses for percentages 3. The teacher will review the vocabulary related to the concepts 4. The teacher will allow class time to work additional problems related to percentages and money management. Modeling: 1. The teacher will construct examples for the students to complete in class. Prior to completing the problems, the teacher will review the vocabulary and the methodology for calculating percentages. The teacher will complete a problem related to the assignment. 2.When the students have completed the in class assignment, teacher will complete another larger and slightly more complex problem using the percentage concepts, perhaps related to credit use, as an example to looking forward to use of percentage. Check for Understanding The teacher will engage the class in discussion regarding money management and percentages to verify that students comprehend. 1. Memory: Can the student recall the meaning of the associated vocabulary words. 2. Translation: The students will be able to link the percentage concept to the real world3. Interpretation: Students can explain the use of percentage in different situations. 4. Extrapolation: Students will be able to come up with other uses for percentage calculations 5. Application: Students can complete assignments sh owing skills of methodology 6. Analysis: Students will be able to use percentage skill to make decisions on purchases. 7. Synthesis: Students can understand the use of percentages in their day to day life and understand values. 8. Evaluation: Students will complete assignments adequately.Checking through activities 1. The teacher will monitor the progress students make as they work through the problems. Teacher will answer questions and re explain concepts and methodology as needed. 2. Teacher will have a second opportunity to assess progress during discussion Guided Practice 1. Imagery of money management story regarding the purchase of a particular item in two different states at differing tax rates 2. Discussion for purpose of elaboration and comprehension 3. Vocabulary words related to money management and percentageIndependent Practice Students will be given home assignment to complete a more elaborate project related to money management Closure 1. Teacher will be able to demon strate through each activity, that students have a working knowledge and understanding of percentages. 2. The lesson will introduce the concept of money management and fiscal responsibly Adoptions for Learning Disabilities The teacher may choose to assign the classroom task as a group assignment to allow learning disabled students peer support.Students with perceptual disabilities can be given the task in a tangible puzzle assignment where percentages of the whole are experienced in a tangible way. For example Extensions for Gifted Students may choose to move ahead to more complex assignments involving credit card interest rates as appropriate Possible Connections to Other Subjects This lesson can be used in conjunction with any life skills class in which students are learning to plan for future financial responsibility. The vocabulary can be incorporated into 8th grade English vocabulary units.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Strategy in Global Context

Strategy in Global Context January 29 2010 Submitted To: Mr. Nirmaalya B Biswas Submitted By: Jaskaran Singh Apoorva Veeksha Rai Robin Gupta ` ? Table of Contents Executive Summary3 Introduction4 External Environment5 Internal Assessment6 Organizational Purpose8 Strategy Analysis and Choice9 Current Strategy11 Conclusion11 Bibliography12 Annexure-113 EFE Matrix13 Annexure-214 Per capita income14 Annexure-315 IFE Matrix15 Annexure-416 The Internal – External (IE) Matrix16 Annexure-517 The Grand Strategy Matrix17 Annexure-618 QSPM18 ? Executive Summary McDonald’s is a signature restaurant chain serving 58 million customers each day all over the world through its 31000 restaurants in 119 countries. This report views the various internal and external factors affecting the McDonald’s prior to that the report gives a brief introduction about McDonald’s, its evolution and the way it entered the Indian market. Evaluation of the response McDonald’s is giving to the internal and external factors has been calculated through the Internal Factor Evaluation matrix and External Factor Evaluation matrix. We have used the I/E matrix and the Grand strategy matrix to formulate strategies. We formulated two possible strategies i. i. expansion in the market and product development. The strategies that we formulated using the above stated matrices have been evaluated by using the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix to know which strategy is more viable. Furthermore, the report provides an insight into the organizational purpose of the McDonald’s. Current strategies and recommendations include the analysis of the strategies that McDonald’s is using to hold and maintain its competitive advantage. Introduction McDonald’s is the largest burger fast food chain which has its operations in 119 countries. It serves around 58 million customers every day through its more than 31,000 restaurants (McDonald's, 2009). McDonald’s was started by two brothers Dick and Mac McDonald’s in the year 1940. Ray Kroc became the first franchisee as he opened a restaurant in Chicago. Restaurant became so popular among the masses that in just four years the number of McDonald’s restaurants reached 100. QSCV i. e. Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value became the motto of the company and the execution of the same is one of the primary reasons why McDonald’s is what it is today. In 1961, Ray Kroc payed $2. 7 million to Dick and Mac McDonald’s and acquired all the rights reserved of McDonald’s. McDonald’s was growing at such a fast speed that in 1963, 500th restaurant was opened. In 1965, McDonald’s went public and in 1967 first restaurant across the borders of USA was opened in Canada and since then McDonald’s has never looked back. Presently McDonald’s has its restaurants in 119 countries of the world (McDonald's History, 2009). McDonald’s got the approval to enter in the Indian market in the year 1991 itself but it took 5 years to study the market, needs of the people, adjust the menu according to the culture and to build a strong supply chain. McDonald’s finally entered India in 1996 as it opened its first restaurant in New Delhi. McDonald’s is a joint venture in India, which was signed in April 1995 and is managed and owned by Mr. Amit Jatia (MD of Hardcastle Restaurants private Ltd. who heads the operations in South and West India and by Connaught Plaza restaurants Private Ltd. which looks after the operations in North and East India. There are 158 restaurants in the whole country today (About McDonald's, 2009). McDonald’s has always believed in thinking global and acting local. Before entering into the Indian market McDonald’s made to changes in its menu as in Indi a beef and pork items cannot be offered because of the religious sentiments of the people so they had to be eliminated from the menu. Thus, making India the first country where McDonald’s does not serve beef and pork in its burgers. External Environment External factors are the factors which do not exist within the realm of business itself and on which business has no control at all. We have used the EFE Matrix to conduct an external strategic – management audit (Annexure-1 shows the EFE matrix). The total weighted score of McDonald’s is 3. 04 this shows that it is performing with regards to the external factors in a very good manner. According to Technopark report in 2009 the food industry in India stood at $13 billion and estimates say that by the end of 2011 the fast food industry alone will grow to $6. 3 billion (Economic Times, 2010). The Technopark report also says that within the organized food service which is growing at a furious pace of 20% per annum the quick service restaurants are the fastest growing. This forms a huge opportunity for McDonald’s and it is determined to grab that opportunity with both the hands as it is planning to open 180-190 more restaurants in the country by the year 2015 (Financial Express, 2009). McDonald’s is determined to expand its market share in the industry which is growing at a fast pace. The other reasons which are triggering this expansion are the high youth population in the country and rise in urbanization and per capita income. These reasons develop the new opportunities for McDonald’s. Population living in the urban areas has also increased to 28% in 2004 and is expected to be increase by another 12% by year 2025 (Indian Demographic Scenario,2025, 2009). In urban areas the number of dual income households is increasing. Thus females, like their husbands, spend time away from home which has marked the way the females use to mange family meals. People have started opting for food away from home. Per capita income in India is also increasing very rapidly and moreover according to the World Resource Institute report ‘Structure of poverty in India’ which was published in the 2004 around 53% of the household income in India is spent on food, beverages and around Rs. 35000 crores is spent on eating out annually (Annexure-2 shows the rise in per capita income). Thus, the fast food industry has good prospects ahead. Other key external factor that forms an opportunity for the fast food industry as a whole and also for McDonald’s is the fact that 30% of the population of the country is the youth which is in the age group of 10-24 years of age who are generally inclined towards the fast foods (Youth in India, 2009). Rising consciousness about the health forms one of the greatest threats for the fast food industry. The trend has been changing towards the organic foods and the quick service restaurants will have to adapt themselves to sustain their market share. McDonald’s has slowly started to adapt to this change by introducing salads. For the foreign fast food chains like McDonald’s, KFC etc. nationalism remains a constant threat for example when in 2005 USA denied a diplomatic visa to the Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, various protests were launched by the BJP party activists against the American MNC’s. Low barriers to entry in the fast food industry is also a potential threat for the players in the market because if the barriers are low and the growth opportunities of the industry are high, new players will be willing to enter into the market and thus increasing the competition. Internal Assessment Internal factors are the factors which exist within the realm of business itself and on which business exercise certain amount of control. We have used the IFE Matrix to conduct an internal strategic – management audit (Annexure-3 shows the IFE matrix). The total weighted score of McDonald’s is 3. 14, which means that it is performing with regards to these factors in an exceedingly well manner. McDonald’s is a well known and a recognized brand across the globe. This familiarity of the brand among the masses forms one of the biggest strengths for McDonald’s. Efficient supply chain is one of the other key strengths for McDonald’s. In India 50,000 crores of food produced gets destroyed because of lack of proper infrastructural facilities of transportation and storage. McDonald’s had set up an efficient supply chain by investing 450 crores in supply chain management even before opening its first restaurant in India to implement its Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value principle (About McDonald's, 2009). For any business, employees form the greatest asset and it is even truer in case of McDonald’s. The proficient work force that McDonald’s has is one of the key reasons why it is one of the key players in the market today. The ability to provide the order within one minute is one such manifestation of this proficiency. The efficiency of the employees is also increased because of the various training programmes they go through which help them in performing their tasks quickly and in a better way but also enhances their capabilities which help them rise in their careers. Around 40% of the employees in middle management of McDonald’s in India are the ones who had joined as crew members. Business environment is very dynamic no business can afford to remain static; it has to work continuously towards innovation. Nearly 80% of McDonald’s restaurants in India give certain percentage of their profits for research and development activities. This is another important strength for McDonald’s. McDonald’s has its operations in 119 countries; one of the key reasons for the McDonald’s is the ability to make itself a part of the community. In India also McDonald’s has been a part of various social welfare activities like – raising funds for charity on World’s Children Day, helping in setting up pulse polio to eliminate polio. McDonald’s strategy revolved around customization of the menu to suit the Indian palate. (About McDoanld's, 2009) One of the key weaknesses that McDonald’s has is that it faces a high attrition ratio as high as 83%, which means that company has to invest money for training of new employees again and again. (Business Standard, 2009) McDonald’s often faces protests from environmentalists for promoting practices harmful to the environment through the disposal of tons of packaging material and through the effects of cattle ranching. Another internal weakness for McDonald’s is that is yet to capitalize on the trend towards organic food. Even though it has reacted to the changing preferences of the consumers by introducing salads in the menu but it is still to make the most of the opportunity. Organizational Purpose Clearly defined organizational purpose is very important for an organization as it describes the basis for its existence. It works as a directing force on the basis of which every decision is taken. The organizational purpose can be known with the help of three elements which are: 1. Vision . Mission 3. Objective McDonald’s vision is to be the world’s best quick service restaurant experience. ([email  protected]'s, 2010) Being the best means offering excellent quality, service, cleanliness and value, so that it makes each customer in every restaurant smile. It has been the execution of the motto of QSC and V i. e. Quality, Service, Value and Cleanliness that has made McDonaldâ₠¬â„¢s a success story. It strategizes to attain best value by providing top quality products at reasonable prices. McDonald's mission is to be its customers' favorite place and way to eat. To fulfill this McDonald’s has been using the concentration strategy where in it is trying for greater market penetration by attaining high level of efficiency in servicing its customers with a limited product line. Delivery of QSC and V on one hand keeps the customers satisfied and on the other hand also maintains the competitive edge over the competitors. The delivery of QSC and V is accomplished by taking care of every minute detail whether it is the unique cold chain network which makes sure that the customers get fresh products at low cost or the supply chain management which makes sure that customers are offered good quality products. About McDoanld's, 2009) Moreover to keep the customers satisfied McDonald’s continuously updates its menu. Strategy Analysis and Choice In the IFE matrix the total weighted score came out to be 3. 14 and in the EFE matrix the total weighted score was 3. 04. This means that McDonald’s is responding to the internal and external factors in a good way. We have used I/E matrix to come out with a strategy for McDonald’s on the basis of its score in the IFE and EFE matrix (Annexure-4 shows the I/E matrix). The basis f I/E matrix are the total weighted score of the IFE matrix which is represented on X axis and the weighted score of EFE matrix is represented on Y axis. The I/E matrix is divided in three regions which have strategy implication. Quadrants I, II and IV are the regions of grow and build. Firms which position in Quadrant III, V and VII can be managed with hold and maintain strategy where as the organizations positioned in Quadrant VI, VIII and IX can be managed with harvest and divest strategy. McDonald’s is placed in the I/E matrix it comes in the Quadrant-I because of its score in the IFE and EFE matrix which is 3. 4 and 3. 04 respectively. The business organizations which are positioned in Quadrant I can be best managed through grow and build strategy. The Grand Strategy Matrix is ano ther widely used tool for formulating strategies. A firm can be positioned in the four quadrants on the basis of market growth and competitive position that it holds in the market. When we placed McDonald’s in the Grand Strategy Matrix it was positioned in Quadrant I mainly because of its high market share of 18% in the highly fragmented quick service restaurant and also because of rapid growth of the quick service restaurant industry itself. Financial Express, 2009)Thus, McDonald’s is in a strong strategic position (Annexure-5 shows the Grand strategy matrix). For the firms in Quadrant I market penetration, market development and product development are appropriate strategies. By using the Grand strategy matrix and Internal/External matrix we have come up with two strategies which are expansion in the market i. e. opening more restaurants in the country and the other strategies is product development which is developing the new products and continuously updating the m enu in order to pull more customers. Need for product development arises specially because of the rising health consciousness among the people particularly in the educated class. To identify which strategy is more feasible we have used the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix popularly known as QSPM. QSPM is a strategic management tool to evaluate which of the possible strategies is better for the business organization. In QSPM weights and attractive scores are given to each factor according to the amount of effect it can have on each strategy and then the product of weight and attractive score is calculated. The product for whichever strategy is greater is selected. We used two strategies expansion in the market and product development, the total attractive score for expansion in the market is 3. 37 and for product development is 2. 60. Thus, opening more restaurants is a more viable strategy than product development. Currently McDonald’s has 157 restaurants all over India, majority of these are in the metropolitan cities or in larger cities like Chandigarh, Kanpur, Jaipur so it has very less or limited presence in smaller cities. So, McDonald’s should target these cities as they form a large potential market for it. With the per capita income on rise, high youth population in the country and increasing urbanization the smaller cities can prove promising markets for McDonald’s. If we look at the current plans of McDonald’s it becomes clear that they have spotted this opportunity as they are planning to open 180 restaurants by the year 2015 majority of these restaurants will be opened in smaller cities. Retail initiatives are being taken up by petroleum companies like Bharat Petroleum Corporation. Financial Express, 2009) McDonald’s can capitalize on this trend and can set up more outlets near the petrol stations on the highways and can thus increase its presence. Current Strategy McDonald’s is currently focusing on expanding its base in the Indian market. By the year 2015 McDonald’s is planning to start around 180 more restaurants, majority of which will be opened in T ier II cities where McDonald’s has very limited presence. (financialexpress, 2009) So, McDonald’s is trying to penetrate very deep into the Indian market. McDonald’s is also trying to come up with new products so as to satisfy its customers. Nearly 80% of McDonald’s restaurants in India give certain percentage of their profits for research and development activities which helps McDonald’s in coming up with new products and efficient service. When McDonald’s entered the Indian market it had to re-engineer its menu and since then it has included several products especially for the Indian customers as McDonald’s believes in thinking global but acting local. McDonald’s should continue with its strategy of expanding its base into the Indian market as still there are lot of untapped regional markets in the country especially in the Eastern India where it has less presence as compared to the other parts of the country. McDonald’s should also concentrate on the smaller cities as large amount of population (nearly 177 million people) lives in smaller cities. So there is a huge market potential for McDonald’s in Tier II and III cities. (Population in small cities, 2010) Conclusion The Indian Quick Service Restaurant industry is growing at a very fast pace. Per capita income, urbanization and youth population is also increasing in India. So India is a very potential and attractive market for the quick service restaurants. McDonald’s should make the most of the opportunity and should penetrate deep into the market by increasing the number of restaurants in India. It should concentrate on increasing its base in the smaller cities which can form potential markets for McDonald’s. References About McDonald's. (2009). Retrieved 2009, from mcdonaldsindia. com: http://www. mcdonaldsindia. com/aboutus. html Brief history of McDonald's. (2009). Retrieved December 22, 2009, from mcspotlight. org: http://www. mcspotlight. org/company/company_history. html Business Standard. (2009). Retrieved January 2010, from business-standard. com: http://www. business-standard. com/india/storypage. php? autono=290494. Economic Times. (2010). Retrieved January 2010, from economictimes. indiatimes. com: http://economictimes. indiatimes. com/News/articlelist/1715249553. cms Financial Express. (2009). Retrieved 2009, from financialexpress. com: http://www. financialexpress. com/news/mcdonalds-india-to-open-180190-more-restaurants-by-2015/466279/ Financial Express. 2009, June). Retrieved January 2010, from financialexpress. com: http://www. financialexpress. com/news/mcdonalds-to-invest-rs-400-cr-in-india/321481/ Financial Express. (2009). Retrieved January 2010, from financialexpress. com: http://www. financialexpress. com/news/bpcl-plans-to-grow-in-retail-initiative/101536/ financialexpress. (2009). Retrieved 2009, from financialexpress. com: 3. http://www. financialexpress. com/news/mcdonalds-india-to-open-180190-more-restaurants-by-2015/466279/ McDonald's. (2009). Retrieved January 2010, from aboutmcdonalds. com: http://aboutmcdonalds. om/mcd/our_company. html McDonald's History. (2009). Retrieved January 2010, from aboutmcdonalds. com: http://aboutmcdonalds. com/mcd/our_company/mcd_history. html Population in small cities. (2010). Retrieved January 2010, from infochangeindia. org: infochangeindia. org/†¦ India/Cityscapes/Slumdogs-and-small-towns. html [email  protected]'s. (2010). Retrieved 2010, from mcdonaldsindia. com: http://www. mcdonaldsindia. com/workat. html Youth in India. (2009). Retrieved 2010, from www. popcouncil. org: http://www. popcouncil. org/projects/TA_IndiaYouthSituationNeeds. html Annexure-1 EFE Matrix S. No. Key External FactorsWeightageRankWeighted Score 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. Opportunities Increasing urbanization High youth population Rise in per capita income Indian quick service industry expected to be around $6. 3 billion High proportion of household income spent on food and beverages. Threats Rising health consciousness Anti American sentiments Low barriers for entry 0. 10 0. 15 0. 10 0. 15 0. 10 0. 10 0. 10 0. 20 1. 00 4 3 3 4 3 4 2 2 0. 40 0. 45 0. 30 0. 60 0. 30 0. 40 0. 20 0. 40 3. 04 Annexure-2 Per capita income Annexure-3 IFE Matrix S. No. Key Internal FactorsWeightageRankWeighted Score 1. . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 1. 2. 3. 4. Strengths High brand awareness Efficient supply chain Community involvement Efficient workforce World class training programmes Investment in research and development Quality of food Customization of menu Weaknesses High employee turnover Less variety Environmental issues Yet to capitalize on trend towards organic food 0. 10 0. 10 0. 05 0. 10 0. 09 0. 10 0. 10 0. 08 0. 10 0. 08 0. 05 0. 05 1. 0 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 3 2 3 2 1 0. 40 0. 40 0. 15 0. 30 0. 36 0. 40 0. 30 0. 24 0. 20 0. 24 0. 10 0. 05 3. 14 Annexure-4 The Internal – External (IE) Matrix McDonald’s Strong(3. 0 – 4. ) Average (2. 0 – 2. 99)Weak (1. 0 – 1. 99) High (3. 0 – 4. 0) Medium (2. 0 – 2. 99) Low (1. 0 – 1. 99) Annexure-5 The Grand Strategy Matrix Annexure-6 QSPM Expansion in the marketProduct Development Key FactorsWeightAS TAS ASTAS Opportunities Increasing urbanization0. 1040. 4010. 10 High youth population0. 1540. 6010. 15 Rise in per capita income0. 10—- Indian quick service industry expected to be around $6. 3 billion by 20110. 1530. 4520. 30 High proportion of household income spent on food and beverages0. 1030. 3020. 20 Threats Rising health consciousness0. 1020. 2040. 40 Anti-American sentiments0. 0—- Low barriers to entry0. 20—- 1. 00 Strengths High brand awareness0. 1020. 2010. 10 Efficient supply chain0. 1030. 3020. 20 Community involvement0. 05—- Efficient workforce0. 1030. 3020. 20 World class training programmes0. 0920. 1810. 09 Investment in research and development0. 10—- Quality of food0. 1020. 2030. 30 Customization of menu0. 0820. 1640. 32 Weaknesses High employee turnover0. 10—- Less variety0. 0810. 0830. 24 Environmental issues0. 05—- Yet to capitalize on the trend towards organic food0. 05—- 1. 00 Total Attractive Score 3. 37 2. 60

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Mystery Shopping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Mystery Shopping - Essay Example However to evaluate the service from a customer point of view is the critical factor that most organizations are faced with. There are different types of research methods and techniques to evaluate customer service and mystery shopping and it can be regarded as the significant tool used by modern businesses to measure the quality of the service or to collect particular information about product or service. It is a highly detailed shopping program and it will help managers to make sure that the particular brand experience is protected or not. Therefore managers have identified that effective service delivery will direct particular organization on profitable growth and lead to sustainable gains in the market. Moment of truth is a main element in a customer delivery process and managers will concentrate in depth of different moment of truth that get only one chance to make a good first impression about a particular product or a service. There are important features in service delivery process - the roles of product; place; process and physical atmosphere, and then there each element of the service delivery process is recognized as a significant factor in customer service experience. Further it evaluates whether the brand promise is delivered along with meeting customer expectations. Thus mystery shopping considered as a main management tool to measure the customer perspective and performance of the current products and service which is mainly affecting to customer loyalty and the satisfaction (Schmidt, 2007).When the marketing mix - price, product, place, promotion and by extension people, process and physical evidence - is considered against the current level of market concentration rati os there are a lot of opportunities in the market. For instance the existing brand loyalties might curtail the degree of freedom enjoyed by each seller. In such situations mystery marketing efforts don't help much. This development has a very significant impact on the organization's marketing goals too. 1.1. Purpose of the study or research aims To establish correlations and regressions, if any, among and between the above mentioned variables such as the mystery shopping programs and customer satisfaction as determined by organizational environment: cleanliness, speed of service, store appearance, grooming, friendly environment and greeting and so on . To identify and emphasize the existence, if any, of such mystery shopping programs related initiatives and policies and customer satisfaction, thus focusing attention on an otherwise often neglected aspect of customer satisfaction related compulsions. To delineate the existing correlations between mystery shopping programs and customer satisfaction against the backdrop of an ever growing complexity and diversity in theoretical and conceptual spheres of the modern business environment. To arrive at particular as against broader conclusions on the strategic importance of mystery shopping programs in the organization's own operational environment within the defined limits. 1.1. Hypothesis or thesis statementThe hypothesis or thesis statement of this paper rests on the testing of the primacy and the immediacy of a broader cross section of theoretical and

Numerical integral Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Numerical integral - Research Paper Example Before Cavalieri introduced the system of indivisibles, Archimedes had also been working on the same thing. Archimedes had developed a method of calculating areas and volumes, but he was not willing to reveal his method. Elroy states that â€Å"Cavalieri developed a rational system of the so-called indivisibles and attempted to establish the validity of this approach† (63). Without the formalism of the integral itself, Cavalieri derived a number of basic theorems of integral calculus from his principles. Cavalieri’s method of calculation is accurate for parallelograms and plane figures lying between two parallel lines (Elroy 63). In 1639, Cavalieri obtained the power rule for integration of a polynomial, although the rule had been discovered three years before by Gilles de Roberval and Pierre de Fermat. A method for representing areas, lines, and volumes by indivisibles of a lower dimension than the continuous whole that is made by them, was thus developed by Cavalieri. Sriraman points out that â€Å"in his theory, Cavalieri stated that if two solids have the same height, then their volumes will be proportional to the areas of their bases† (7). The integration of f(X) =Xn was worked out through this method. According to Wolfram Research, Inc, an integral is a mathematical item that can be defined as an area or an abstraction of an area (â€Å"Integral† Wolfram.com). Integration on the other hand is â€Å"the process of computing or obtaining an integral† (â€Å"Integration†). Integrals have been used in a number of ways namely: 1. In calculation of volume, area, mass and length: Integration is basically applied in Physics and Mathematics. With integration, it is possible to describe the curved area of a plane in terms of functions, and area and perimeter, in terms of integrals. Integration is also used to calculate the mass of an