Farming on a Whole New Level

Farming on a Whole New Level Although people have worked in agriculture for more than 10,000 years, advances in technology assist with maintaining and protecting land, crops, and animal. The demand to keep food prices affordable encourage those working in the agriculture industry to operate as efficiently as possible (Newman and Ruiz 33-47). Almost all people and companies in this industry have many acres of land they must maintains, and it is not always feasible for farmers to take frequent trips around the property to perform basic tasks such as watering soil in the absence of rain.The number of people – hours required to water soil manually on several thousand acres of land might result in businesses sending thousands of dollars in labor and utility costs. If the irrigation process is automated, sensors detect how much rain has fallen recently, as well as whether the soil is in need of watering. The sensors then send this data to a computer that processes in and decided whe n and how much to water.In addition to keeping the soil moist and reducing maintenance cost, computers also can utilize sensors to analyze the condition of crops in the field and determine whether pest or diseases are affecting the crop. If sensors detect pests and/or diseases, computers send a notification to the appropriate individual to take corrective action. In some cases, according to Brewster, the discovery of pests might trigger a pesticide to discharge in the affected are automatically (Agriculture: Expanding and Growing).Many farmers use technology on a daily basic to regulate soil moisture and to keep their crops pest free. With technology, farming can be much more convenient and efficient. Reference Barton, B. (2012, Feb. ). Computer in Agriculture. Agriculture Today and Tomorrow, pp. 53-86. Brewster, L. (2012, Jan. 3). Agriculture: Expanding and Growing. Retrieved Feb. 9, 2012 Newman, A. D. (2012). The Agricultural Industry Today. New York : Alabama Press. —†”————————————– [ 1 ]. Barton states that many automated home irrigation systems also are programmable and use rain sensors (67-73).

Business Purposes Meetiing Aims and Objectives

The BBC is continuing its focus on delivering the best possible value for for licence fee payers. It means focusing on improving efficiency and generating maximum returns on their assets. By 2013 they will have delivered efficiency savings totalling nearly  £2Billion meeting their 3% annual savings target. They are now two years into their five-year efficiency programme, and by 2013 the work they already done will generate efficiency savings of  £1,453million, which is the equivalent to 73% of their total savings target. They have succeeded in reducing the license fee evasion to just 5.2% of income a 0.1% improvement on last year. BBC Worldwide has achieved a significant increase in profitability this year from  £106million to  £145million by growing its new business areas. This improved performance will benefit the BBC as they will put it into new and original programming. Maximising the impact of the license fee Maximising the returns they make on programmes paid for by the license fee. Their main commercial subsidiary, BBC Worldwide was created to generate the maximum return on programmes paid for the license fee payers. To achieve this they sell BBC programmes, formats and merchandise across the world. Spreading the benefit of the license fee across the whole of the UK The BBC is for all license fee payers across the whole Of the UK. They are committed to growing the whole country's creative industries and production talent. That is why one of the key metrics is the proportion of money they spend on the network televisions outside of London. Keeping costs down where ever possible. They Have made an increase in Scotland, Northern Island and Wales. According to an independent study impact of the BBC as helped create and support over 7,000 jobs in Glasgow, Cardiff and Bristol. They also offer a pension scheme to all their employee's at a rate that is reasonable and affordable to all those who work for them. So all in all the BBC are meeting both their aims and objectives according to my research. They make a profit as well as help support the public and bring the nation together with its music stations and televised programmes. They have to work within their budget given to them by the government and if they underspend then they have to give it back. Their turnover is relatively healthy and they do continue to make a profit each year which is good for all of us in the long run.

C.S. Lewis and His Theology on Jesus Essay -- believe, church, christian

‘What are we to make of Christ?’ There is no question of what we can make of Him, it is entirely a question of what He intends to make of us. You must accept or reject the story,† (Lewis, 8). C.S. Lewis was a man who believed in Jesus, the Trinity, and making it known through his actions and his words that changed Christianity and its theology as a whole. In the beginning of his journey, C.S. Lewis believed that God was one big mystery. Jesus was not in the picture, and God was just some foreign name. Like many of us, we can approach God as an unopened present hidden in a closet. If we take a peek, we will see that it is there. If we do not, we will not know unless we hear about it. There are times when you think about checking it but do not. There are also times you take a peek and forget about it. But sometimes, you check it, open it, and get excited- really, really excited, but we do not know whether or not we should open it. He struggled with Atheism as much as he did Christianity. He chose to stick with what he wanted to know more of- Atheism. Lewis had a lack of belief in the existence of Jesus of God or any of it. One day, everything changed. Lewis wrote in  Surprised by Joy,  "I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere.... God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous,† (37). Unscrupulous, meaning having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair (Webster), his view on God was lacking and skewed. He wanted to continue his young life being an Atheist even in the midst of knowing God had his hand on his life whether he wanted to admit it or not. Our culturd the same importance to the experiences, (BBC). Overall, C.S. Lewis’ beliefs in God were incredibly real, raw, and honest. He inspired others to figure out who God was to them, and who God is to us. He challenged the people around him. Referring C.S. Lewis to culture now and although he has passed quite some time ago, his stories live on for believers and non-believers. Most known for his Chronicles of Narnia series, he has opened up eyes of many people. His theology and heart collide to continue showing God’s name and face wherever you go. Whether you believe or not, you know who C.S. Lewis is. An incredible life lived, and an incredible legacy that lives on. His belief in God and the Trinity, and his powerful message to the world through the power of his words will continue to test believers and non-believers to live a life filled with incredible purpose.

Joint Attention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Joint Attention - Essay Example I started making sounds with my mouth and he raised his head, seeming surprised as he looked at my moving mouth. A while later, I saw a small smile curl on his lips. I kept popping my lips and making sounds, and earned a small chuckle from this beautiful baby. His mother kept cooing and encouraging him, as if to tell him that I was safe to interact with. It only took a short time, but I felt good that our interaction was very positive, making me want to see more of Ethan’s awesome smile. What transpired in the interaction between Ethan and me is known as ‘joint attention’. There have been several studies on the topic of joint attention, and several definitions have been formed in relation to the study design. Naoi, Tsuchiya, Yamamoto, Nakamura (2008) broadly define joint attention as the â€Å"coordinated and shared attention between two individuals directed at an object or event† (p. 595). Naber, et al (2007) refer to joint attention as a â€Å"triadic relation between self, other and object and indicates the earliest behavior of the infant’s awareness of others’ minds† (p. 899). In their view, Naber, et al conclude that manifested early joint attention behaviors are major milestones in child development. Illustrated in simple terms, joint attention does not refer to only one observed behavior but a host of related behaviors such as gaze following; pointing behavior; mutual gazing or joint visual attention; following the dir ection of the pointing of the speaker; showing an object; giving an appropriate response to a mutually gazed at object; etc. It includes another person joining the individual in attending to an object or event observed. Rocha, Schreibman and Stahmer (2007) categorize joint attention into joint attention initiations or joint attention responses. They claim that joint attention responses develop earlier in the individual than the ability to initiate joint attention bids.

FACTORS INFLUENCING CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT include, ILNESSES, Research Paper

FACTORS INFLUENCING CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT include, ILNESSES, ACCIDENTS,INJURIES - Research Paper Example The health professionals have mainly figured out four main factors which are environmental factors, biological factors, early environment as well as experience. Child development process starts from prenatal stage, and so health and nutrition of pregnant women affect the development of the fetus. Proper nutrition, healthy life style like abstinence from smoking or alcohol during pregnancy can reduce the risk of premature birth and infant mortality. The most important phase of a human being is his or her early childhood that should be properly monitored and nurtured for efficient child development. The physical, social and cognitive development during early childhood has strong impact on physical diseases like obesity, heart disease, and also competence in literacy and numeracy. The experiences during early childhood period have lifelong impact on an individual. The focus of this paper is that a nurturing environment where children spend their growing and learning years has a major impact of child development. It is not possible for parents to provide a perfect environment for their children without the assistance of local, national and international agencies. Therefore, government and child care agencies should work in collaboration with families to provide a healthy and nurturing environment for children worldwide. Family is the most important source of experience for children as family members are the ones with whom children spend most of their childhood years, and family members act as mediators between children and the broader environment. An efficient family environment is dependant on social and economic factors. Social factors include education of parents, cultural practices, relations between different family members, and health conditions of family members. Economic factors include employments conditions, wealth and standard of li ving (Siddiqi, et al, 2007, pp.3-5). Child development is also a natural process

Revisiting the role of miscue analysis in effective teaching Article

Revisiting the role of miscue analysis in effective teaching - Article Example Goodman initially came up with a Taxonomy which featured 28 various kinds of miscues (Goodman, 1969). Developed originally for research reasons, its unwieldiness plus a need to enlarge its utilization inspired Carolyn Burke, Yetta Goodman in 1972 to establish a smaller edition made up of 9 questions to be queried about every miscue-which was a straightforward system that they reasoned would become a more manageable and helpful tool especially for teachers and clinics in the school system. Thus the authors were not so much interested in conventional quantitative measures like reading rate or reading accuracy and figured out that their qualitative method gave more fine-grained and appropriate information as compared to other methods of reading assessment. This therefore implies that using Reading Miscue Inventory (RMI)a learner’s incorrect answer ,in comparison to the printed word, may portray a variation in dialect, a shift in intonation, sound similarity, graphic similarity, syntactic acceptability, grammatical similarity, semantic acceptability, self-correction having semant ic acceptability and meaning change. It is clear that McKenna and her colleagues do not understand much about the analysis of miscue. Analysis of miscue continues to be accepted by teachers since it assists them comprehend how their students make sense of the written word. It is widely used in programs for educating teachers as a way of making teachers revalue the process of reading. Miscue also continues to be utilized in research since it gives a depth profile of the process of reading in use. There is no single publication of critique analysis which has proved its invalidity. McKenna and Picard and her colleagues only cite one unfunded study carried out by Goodman over 4 decades ago, which was at the very start of examination of oral

Leadership Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Theories - Research Paper Example The theory was made popular among the common people by Thomas Carlyle, a famous historian in the year 1840 (Forsyth, 2009). Trait Theory of Leadership Trait theory is based on certain characteristics of personality of people which depict them as a natural leader. It has been learnt in accordance with this theory that those who are good leaders will have the right blend of different leadership traits. Furthermore, the theory signifies that there are certain traits in individuals which are best suited for leadership. It has been noted that a few of the traits that are inevitable in leaders include dependability, self- confidence, cooperativeness and influential personality among others. The trait theory was first developed by Francis Galton in the year 1869. This theory depicts that leaders have certain decisive characteristics that facilitate them to attain greater confidence and trust of followers (Manning and Curtis, 2003). Transactional Leadership Theory (Leader-Member Exchange (LM X) Theory) Transactional leadership theory is also termed managerial leadership. A leader with the characteristics of a transactional leader will mainly focus on the performance of the group as well as the overall organization. It has been noted that this theory primarily deals with encouraging and motivating individuals towards the accomplishment of targeted goals. In this type of leadership, the main function of the followers is to obey the instructions and orders of the leaders. This theory was proposed by Bernard Bass in the year 1981 (Bass & Bass, 2009). Furthemore, there is another section of transactional leadership theory which is called leader–member exchange theory. According to this leadership theory, a leader of teams or any organization develops a healthy relationship with their subordinates or team members in order to ascertain maximum positive outcome from them. The theory was developed by the duo of George Graen and Fred Dansereau (Griffin & Morehead, 2009). P art B Great Man Theory of Leadership and Its Use to Influence and Reward for Team and Individuals Since this theory depicts that leaders are born with gifted characteristics, they are capable of influencing an individual or team towards a particular goal. Moreover, a leader following this theory can also reward team members for their good work owing to his/her characteristic of honesty. For example, a leader should not be partial in praising good work of team members. Only the right person should be praised with rewards (Forsyth, 2009). Great Man Theory of Leadership and Its Use to Develop Interpersonal Skills for Building Trust Furthermore, other innate characteristics of leaders i.e. building positive relationship with members will enable them to develop interpersonal skills of the members. Also, it has been noted that good relation will always be accompanied by trust. Thus, this will also develop trust of the members upon the leader. For instance, a leader will need to create a r apport with the team members by getting involved with their personal along with professional issues and solving them (Forsyth, 2009). Trait Theory of Leadership and Its Use to Influence and Reward for Team and Individuals These aspects of the theory will contribute towards influencing teams and individuals for accomplishment of targeted goals. By being influential and cooperative, a leader can motivate his/her followers for ensuring the deliverance of effective

UK renewable resources and policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

UK renewable resources and policy - Essay Example It accelerates the distribution of onshore wind with the magnificent projects in Europe under the construction in Scotland and Wales. Renewable energy emanates from the solar energy especially the sun or other sources. Renewable resources in developed countries subsidize the cost of electricity because if well stored they can be used for an extended period, cheaply. Leading producers of renewable energy, the production of renewable energy in the UK occurs in several ways. Fundamentally, several schemes provide the financial support for renewable. The main reason is that renewable technologies are more expensive to build than conventional ones. Wind power in the UK is strategically located, with some of the favorable conditions such as the existence of high-speed winds. The country has strategic wind farms where UK sources its energy and anticipates expansion in the future. Biomass is from any living thing as well as from materials such as biodegradable waste, food waste, and animal manure. Biomass creates the anaerobic digestion process making a biogas used as electricity and heat generation. It is combustible, therefore, supports thermal power, and heat generation, and can be refined to become methane and injected into the gas grid (Dauncey, 2009). Wind energy is the most harnessed source of power promoted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind energy contributes significantly to the UK’s energy supplement, with an output of 15.5 TWH in 2011, equal to annual electricity demand of 4.7 million homes. The wind turbines are traditionally located onshore while installed offshore. The wind installation varies from large commercial wind farms to smaller developments. It is more convenient to generate power for household or community. A single 2.5MW wind turbine produces enough electricity to meet the requirements of most individual (Garche 2014, p. 138). The hydroelectric power

The Performance Management Quandary Research Paper

The Performance Management Quandary - Research Paper Example Performance Management takes on multiple shapes and sizes in differing organizations and they are indeed different. Additionally, the firms with a high performing culture as expected utilize performance management methodologies and tools to their benefit a case which is not evident with the firms which are lower performers. However, performance management approaches must be appropriate for the firm’s size and business maturity. This is to ensure that the costs which would otherwise add onto the firm’s burden would be reduced drastically. Further, as Millennial enter and continue to dominate the mix of the workforce, organizations should prepare to modify their Performance Management strategy to accommodate the impatient parties. The performance management process and systems should align with the needs/desires of millennial group to make sure they stay to help the firms realize their objectives. Because of the diverse nature of most organizations and the objectives for improved performance by most organizations, one single form of performance management systems would not be appropriate hence from research we have several to be applied in an organization depending on the uniqueness of the organization. The available most frequently used types of management systems will include: - Ranking, Forced distribution, 360 degree feedback, competency based, management by objectives, Graphic Rating scales, Behavioral Anchored Rating Scales and many others. The types of performance management systems as stipulated below are all relevant systems which are geared towards enabling any given organization to bust their performance strategies as appropriate as possible. As a matter of fact, this forms of

Faster Fitness Inc. Case Study Analysis. Essay Example for Free

Faster Fitness Inc. Case Study Analysis. Essay This is bound to be a great breakthrough for faster fitness as a result of the introduction of Body Flex 100 and Body Flex 200. These brands have already commanded interest in many dealers whose orders in the recent trade show have even exceeded our production capability. Faster Fitness Inc. has the opportunity to exploit this new market for these machines that allow users a wide range of motions depending on the exercise performed. Body Flex 200 especially with its unique capabilities should be able to put Faster Fitness in the lead in exercise equipments in future. We have every reason to be sure of making good profits especially because we have a lot of advantages in the production of these machines. First of all, this new technology is patented to Faster Fitness. Patents are an advantage to the company as they protect the technology of the firm from being copied or adopted by other companies. A company that tries to use the technology without permission can be sued (Stim, 2007) under the United States law. This way, we are assured of market for as long as no superior technology overtakes us. The increasing market for home exercising machines in the United States is bound to provide the desired income given the unique capabilities of our machines which are specifically designed for home use. Resources required for the manufacturing of the machines are also available and what needs to be done is to organize for their supplies. Presence of a good workforce is also of great importance to the company. Though not enough at the moment it will work well with the few additions in the painting and finishing. There are challenges in that the production capacity is not adequate to meet the demand currently. The problem may not be solved until after a year due to the resources required upgrading the department. Inventory space is also very limited. The fact that staff needs training before the start of the project may delay production. Other details in this paper include quality control strategy selection, long range forecasts and profit estimates. It analyzes the whole production process for the production of BF100 and BF200 while analyzing profitability and efficiency in production through creating a production schedule. The production schedule helps in organizing the factors of production and ensures that the targets are met (Pinedo, 2005; McKay and Wier, 2004). Designing a production schedule is required in order to organize the production of the machines and also make sure that the customer’s needs are met. A production schedule according to Herrmann (2006) provides a guideline on the daily duties that should be performed so that no detail is left out in the process.   It also guides the employees in the daily duties as it provides for time taken to do each chore. Process and the production schedule. The process involves about seven processes divided into three departments. The machines parts components and other resources will have to pass through the various departments before they can be made into the final product ready for delivery. Production of the machines therefore follows the sequence shown below. The machine parts pass through the machining shop and welding shop for fabrication and welding. These two shops are in the machining and welding departments. They are then taken for finishing and painting before landing in the assembly, testing and packaging departments where they go through the final stage before reaching the consumer. Production of BF100 requires at least eleven hours (a total of 660 minutes) completing while BF200 will take twenty four hours (1440 minutes) due to its complexity and the additional leg press sub assembly. Consider that 300 hours are available for both machining and welding, 450 hours for painting and finishing and 150 hours of Assembly, testing and packaging. The schedule will be made to produce fifteen units of BF100 and fifteen units of BF200.   Out of the three hundred hours available for machining and welding per month, BF100 will take up one twenty hours (120) while B200 will take up 180 hours. Given that there are twelve hours of overtime per week then we can produce four more BF200 machines to make it 19 machines since they are more valuable to the company.

Walkers Crisps Analysis | SWOT and PESTEL

Walkers Crisps Analysis | SWOT and PESTEL Jump to: Marketing Mix Analysis of Walkers | SWOT Analysis of Walkers Crisps | Product Lifecycle of Walkers Crisps | Importance of PESTEL Analysis | PESTEL Analysis of Walkers Crisps Introduction PepsiCo is a world leader in convenient snacks, foods and beverages with revenue of more than $43 billion and over 198,000 employees. PepsiCo took social and environment responsibility and provide hygienic products to their customers. They are committed to delivering sustainable growth and build trust with people. They have unique value because they bring people of different culture and diverse brands in different culture. To understand different culture is the advantage. They are integrated with suppliers, consumer, retail customer and communities. PepsiCo identify needs of customers and put right thing in right market place. Employing over 48,000 people and bringing in over $11 billion of business, Frito-Lay invigorates PepsiCos portfolio of products with plenty of good food and good fun. Frito Lay producing snacks on earth starting with simple, farm grown ingredients. They put their effort to minimize environmental factors and improving their snacks. Frito Lay provide best testy chips with less fats because they used natural ingredients, no using artificial flavor, color, and other ingredients that are associated with hygienic. Walkers Crisps History Henry walker (1880s) was a butcher as professionally. He belonged to a town Midlands near to the Leicester. In 1945 meat was scarce than Henry began cooking slices of potato. In 1954 first flavor crisps were introduced with ingredient cheese and onion. After that Henry Walker convert into crisps brand Walkers. Now Walkers has been introduced different brands in crisps and very famous in consumers who like snacks with different taste. Walkers Crisps are made from a good old British spuds. British land condition and temperature are suitable for potatoes production. Rain and mud are perfect for potatoes growing. Introduction of task In this task identify a type of growth for Walkers and requirement two marketing strategies and justify how Walkers can achieve competitive advantages and long term growth to use these strategies. Market Market refers to the group of consumers or organizations that is interested in the product, has resources to purchase the product, and is permitted by law and other regulations to acquire the product. Marketing Marketing is a management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably. Growth for Walkers Henry Walkers took step in crisps world and introduced different brands in market. Walkers created natural flavors and ingredients like sun seed oil (naturally lower in saturates) and capture potential market. According to survey conducted for marketing magazine by TNS that Walkers is biggest brand in UK. It sales was 505 million. One of the most important elements of growth is how to give leverage to their customer and which type of bond you build with your customers. Companies first step to build strong relation with customers. It is a good year for Walkers Crisps, which made 3rd place out of 100 grocery brands. With a 5.2% growth in brand value now Walkers brand worth 424.5 million pounds and previous figure was 403.6 million pounds. Walkers Crisps Marketing Mix Analysis The 5ps Products Walkers have introduced variety of products and produced new products and can see their products on market Walkers French fries Walkers lite Walkers sensations Walkers square Walkers quavers Walkers max Walkers monster munch Walkers cheese onion Walkers grilled bacon Walkers ham cheese Walkers saltsn shake Walkers success base on these products. Price In UK the price of Walkers Crisps around 30 p to 2.50 pound. In some places or stores their prices vary according to market. We see their price differ in hospitals, health club, and social club as compare to regular market. Place Places where the crisps are sold like stores, mini market, super market, retail stores or public places. Personnel Now over 5,200 employees are working in 15 locations. Only good quality potatoes are selected for making crisps. Every individual are attached with machine that peels the potatoes other in charge of slicing machine, frying, seal of approval, weighting. All work are done under supervision of management and finally loaded on truck. It takes approximately 20 min to full a tuck with crisps. Promotion Promotion is the part of marketing. Walkers promote crisps through media like television; newspapers etc. promotion is the key element of strategy to attract customers. In this era without promotion company can not be succeed because customer did not aware about brand without advertising. Main promotion of crisps is television and internet because its target market is child and young people and those who like salty things. Walkers Crisps SWOT Analysis (S)trengths Own potatoes production Sun seed oil (saturated fat) Natural ingredients. Provide range of taste in crisps Has taken steps to reduce carbon footprint. Biggest brand according to TNS. 3rd place out of 100 grocery brand. Good quality Lower priced products. Strong brands (W)eaknesses Create new product with high expenses People like healthy eating. (O)pportunities Go multinational Update technology Outturn every other company (T)hreats employees could go on strike high competition forcing people life style customer needs government influence potential entrance Walkers Crisps Product Life Cycle Now Walkers Crisps is in its maturity position because it is a biggest UK brand but when product get high position than its sales graph decline after maturity. Marketers develop new products. Walkers went to maturity after competition started its sales decline because competitors had introduced better quality crisps in low price in market. But it was no end of Walkers, it create new flavors and taste and push right button at right time. Marketing strategies for Walkers Walkers can adapt two strategies to achieve their objectives market development market penetration Market development strategies Every one is familiar with the Walkers brand. Walkers has strong brand in UK and captured 100% crisps market. They have proved their sales and good promotion. Walkers have established a very strong, compatible, reliable, qualitative brand. Walkers need to current products in new market because it is strong weakness that they dont focuses on new market. Other hand new market has potential like Asian market. Market penetration Walkers are working in UK, it has established its brand in current market but after maturity product naturally decline because new competitors enter in current market and provide resistance to the current market leader. At this situation R D department innovate new products t achieve competitive advantages. Walkers will try to come up with even more great flavored crisps. Justification for Walkers Intensive growth: Walker should adapt intensive growth to maximize its profit. Market penetration strategy Encourage new customer to buy more through advertising. Attract competitor customers to own products by new taste and style in current products Attract new users to tell them that its for you and essential for you. Market development strategy Expend new market where crisps like but few competitors Have additional distribution channel both including direct or indirect Sell new locations Above mention two strategies market development market penetration must be adapt to achieve long term objectives. Only few companies operating in Europe, Asia, Africa and others. It means that market have potential. Task 2 Introduction of task In this task discuss PESTEL analysis for Walkers. Assess the impact of technological change and globalization for the companys market planning in the next three years. What is a PESTEL analysis? PESTEL is the abbreviation of: P: Political E: Economic S: Sociological T: Technological L: Legal E: Environmental Many are factors that influence in macro environment of any organization. These factors effect on decision of managers of the organizations. For example, change in Tax, new laws, geographic factors, demographic factors (income change, style change, fashion change etc.), change in government policy are the factors that influence on organization. PESTEL analysis help the decision maker to analysis these factors and make solid decision. Example PESTEL Analysis: Political e.g. the pound, international trade, taxation policy Economic e.g. interest rates, exchange rates, national income, inflation, unemployment, Stock Market Social e.g. ageing population, attitudes to work, income distribution Technological e.g. innovation, new product development, rate of technological obsolescence Environmental e.g. global warming, environmental issues Legal e.g. competition law, health and safety, employment law Before making decision, it is necessary to predict micro and macro environment factors. Micro factors influence on the organization internal environment whereas macro factors influence on externally. Organization can not affect on these factors, nor do these factors directly influence on profitability of an organization. But through these factors, organization can minimize weakness and maximize strengths internally because strength and weakness affect organization internally while threats opportunity affects externally. PESTEL analysis is the useful tool to understand the broad picture of the environment in which an organization is operating. This is also tells about risk that are associated with market. Using PESTEL analysis: Internal environment is nor more complex as compare to external environment because to identify competitive change in landscape. So it is needs to undertake PESTEL analysis in regular base and for managers, using PESTEL analysis must be prepared to look all around them. Walkers Crisps PESTEL Analysis Now using PESTEL analysis of Walkers in UK: (P)olitical: These refer to government policy that may be change such as degree of invention in the economy. Identify in which environment you operate including tax policy, employment laws, trade policy, tariff, and political stability. If we analysis UK political system which is stable and perfect. National and international investors invest in UK. Because it is best place where numerous visitors and students are came. Political decision impacts on many areas in business environment. May be tax policy discourage investors and investors can switch off or any other political disability. In UK include face a big problem a recession. Walkers also face this problem. (E)conomics: Economic factors include interest rate, taxation, economic growth, inflation, exchange rates etc. High interest rates affect investor decision because investors borrow from bank to invest in his business but he will pay high amount to the bank. Inflation can affect, labors and employees demand high rates and they will purchase raw material in high cost. High national income growth may boost demand for firms products We are discussing the new market for Walkers to develop their market or launching new product in current market. (S)ociological: Change in social trends can impact on demand. Social factor is important. In UK population has been aging. This factor is caused increase in cost of organization. Staff is spent long time in organization that cause in increase salary and other benefits and retirement employees get benefit in the form of pension. In sociological environment culture values and norms directly affects on organization. Beside this others factor like health, population growth rate, career, security safety, global warming factors influence on organization. some countries very conscious on health issues and Walkers focus on this issue and has implemented clean environment plan. (T)echnological: Technological change impacts on business. New businesses create new products services and replace old technology. Innovation brings improvement in business and business take competitive advantage and capture new market and customers. Before online transition, customer was paid cash but now we can purchase every thing through online. Online shopping, bar coding, and other improvement in technology bring satisfaction both customers organization. Business can expand through new technology and make quick decision financially. It is necessary to Walkers to update new technology but technology change should not cause health and other related issues. (E)nvironmental: If we discuss environment it means we focus all environment factors. Now global warming is the biggest issue. This factor get high important among industries all focus on this issue and trying to minimize this factors. Firms are creating environmental friend products. It is necessary to Walkers to introduce such products which provide protection to the environment. (L)egal: It is related to legal environment in which firms operate. In UK, many legal changes that have been affected firms behavior. UK government has revised wages plan. This change has been impacted on firms cost. This may impact employment, resources, import/export, taxation etc. A Walker is UK Company so change in legal policy may not affect on it. Impact of Technological change: In modern ear technological has got great important. Every day new invention is going and organization updating their technologies. In past FORDISM change create great impact on all world and Fordism concept was is the combination of mass production to produce sustained economic growth and widespread material advancement. During this period, the system of organization of production and consumption has, perhaps, undergone a second transformation. Which when mature promises a second burst of economic growth. Now distance shrink and communication become fast and world become smaller. Internet has got great importance in this era and business are attached with business. E business has got significant importance in developed countries and developing countries are going to E. business. Most of the organizations are adapting produces and models that will helpful in future. Business making strategies for developing their strength and minimize weakness. Conclusion Recommendation: Walkers have very good market in UK, providing their customers good crispy products having twelve brands of snacks and crisps. They have captured forty three percent of UK market; have very good marketing strategy like having a former England football team captain as Walkers brand ambassador. But they have very potential growth opportunities which will need to be availed by having improved marketing strategy and addressing the hidden markets to penetrate in those areas, and also try to attract new customers into market, also the customers of their competitors. Also they need to keep updating on their system and technologies both for information sharing, marketing and product preparation to have improved quality of products and achieve the organizational goals and objectives.

Womens Repression in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Essay

Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour is a great story that conveys an important message about life and how difficult it can be for women, particularly in previous centuries. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when this story was written, women were quite often mistreated and had to live restricted lives that lacked opportunity. Generally, women weren?t liberated during the 19th century. Traditionally, women did all the hard work in the house and had no opportunities to make their own living or pursue their own personal dreams. Kate Chopin does an outstanding job of portraying a woman living in these times. The Story of an Hour is a good depiction of the unspoken repression that women faced in the past. Kate Chopin's major theme of the repression of women is expressed by use of internal conflict, foreshadowing, symbolism, and dramatic irony. Internal conflict is a key constituent of ?The Story of an Hour? because it is the basic premise of the theme. The internal conflict that Mrs. Louise Mallard faces throughout the story helps the reader gain a gradual understanding of the true... Women's Repression in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Essay Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour is a great story that conveys an important message about life and how difficult it can be for women, particularly in previous centuries. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when this story was written, women were quite often mistreated and had to live restricted lives that lacked opportunity. Generally, women weren?t liberated during the 19th century. Traditionally, women did all the hard work in the house and had no opportunities to make their own living or pursue their own personal dreams. Kate Chopin does an outstanding job of portraying a woman living in these times. The Story of an Hour is a good depiction of the unspoken repression that women faced in the past. Kate Chopin's major theme of the repression of women is expressed by use of internal conflict, foreshadowing, symbolism, and dramatic irony. Internal conflict is a key constituent of ?The Story of an Hour? because it is the basic premise of the theme. The internal conflict that Mrs. Louise Mallard faces throughout the story helps the reader gain a gradual understanding of the true...

The Limits of Language in Heart of Darkness Essay -- Literary Analysis

The Limits of Language in Heart of Darkness From the very beginning of Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad traps us in a complex play of language, where eloquence is little more than a tool to obscure horrific moral shortcomings. Hazy, absurd descriptions, frame narratives, and a surreal sense of Saussurean structural linguistics create distance from an ever-elusive center, to show that language is incapable of adequately or directly revealing truth. Understanding instead occurs in the margins and along the edges of the narrative; the meaning of a story â€Å"is not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze† (105). The title of the novel is itself misleading, because Conrad purposely leads us around understanding rather than directly to its heart, always hinting at something that, it seems, cannot be expressed. En route to â€Å"the biggest...most blank† space on the map of his youth, Marlow muses: â€Å"My isolation amongst all these men with whom I had no point of contact, the oily and languid sea, the uniform sombreness of the coast, seemed to keep me away from the truth of things, within the toil of a mournful and senseless delusion† (108, 114). He repeats words until they are nothing but sounds, polysyllabic mouthfuls devoid of real meaning: â€Å"palpable,† â€Å"inestimable,† â€Å"inscrutable,† â€Å"impenetrable.† Thick layers of images accumulate until all senses are enshrouded in mist, darkness, and distance. And yet, even in the face of the Unknowable, there is still an adamantly declared sense of understanding, however elusive or inadequat e it may be. Marlow recalls that his experience in the Congo, for example, â€Å"seemed somehow to throw a kind of light on everything about me — and into ... ...ose of the earth,† according to the Saussurean linguistic theory that Conrad seems to support. â€Å"There was nothing either above or below him,† Marlow observes, â€Å"and I knew it... I †¦ did not know whether I stood on the ground or floated in the air.† In his essay, â€Å"The Failure of the Imagination,† James Guetti writes that in Heart of Darkness, language has meaning â€Å"in terms of the exterior of experience — the coast of a wilderness, the surface of a river, a man's appearance and his voice — and the meaning can exist as a reality so long as one remains ignorant, deliberately or otherwise, of all that lies beyond these exteriors, of what language cannot penetrate. For with the intimation that there is something beyond verbal, and indeed, intellectual capacities, comes the realization that language is fiction† (SOURCE). Perhaps this is the ultimate horror.

Boosting Chicagos Economy through the Chicago First Procurement Ordina

In an effort to strengthen the economy of Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced the â€Å"Chicago first† procurement ordinance, to the city council. The ordinance was presented to the council on Jan 18, 2012. The ordinance is being co-sponsored by 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett. (www.mayorsandcities.com)Therefore looking at this from the beginning what is Procurement. Procurement is a contract agreement in which a buyer agrees to acquire goods or services from a seller in exchange for consideration for future business contracts. An ordinance is a law typically at the city level. The â€Å"Chicago First† ordinance will create a public-private partnership between the city of Chicago and local businesses. The ordinance will not do this through direct funding to a particular business, but to serve as helping with development of business in the local community. â€Å"City Hall should not be a barrier to Chicago’s local businesses’ growth and ability to succeed in this economy. When Chicago companies get business in Chicago – they stay in Chicago, and so do the jobs they provide,† said Mayor Emanuel. (chicagotribune.com) The â€Å"Chicago First† ordinance will provide local manufacturing and service industry benefits on contracts. (mayorsandcities.com) The new law will do this by giving local companies an edge over out-of-town organizations when there are similar bids. (http://www.mayorsandcities.com) "If everything else is equal, it is in the best interests of Chicago taxpayers to award a contract to a local company that has chosen to run it business here, employ Chicagoans and contribute tax revenue to the city.† Said Emanuel (chicagotribune.com) In other words the new law will help business and taxpayers of the city. The reason behind the Mayor... ... do this is through giving business more of an incentive to be here. Doing this will create jobs, which in turn will create more revenue for the city. The ordinance has support from the business community and will probably receive support from the public. This is a good decision by the Mayor to pursue, because the ordinance will help reinvest in Chicago and its citizens. The legislation promises to be transparent when or if implementation of this law occurs. Works Cited http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/18/4197091/chicagoland-chamber-applauds-mayor.html http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-18/business/chi-emanuel-backs-chicagofirst-bidding-preference-for-local-companies-20120118_1_bidding-preference-chicago-awards-contracts) http://www.mayorsandcities.com/usa-canada/new-policies-would-reward-local-businesses-for-operating-and-providing-jobs-in-chicago

Chicken Run Essay

The implications if a major customers had gone into is level, it will affect the company cash flow because every payment received the company may have to use it to cover its operating expenses apart from getting profit. Accumulated debtors will show the collection department performance. Low cash flow will affect many areas in an organization. The company may have to make another loan to run it business. Other than that it may have problem to run the business if the cash flow is low. For example, if the company unable to pay the suppliers on time. The supplier may stop to supply product to the company. If the suppliers really stop supplying product, the company may face problem to produce product. This will directly affect the company sales because its fail to produce product to its customers. If the company do not work hard to reduce this important area they may be looking at legal remedies, or even write off debts and that means spending money to get money. The other implication is that, the company will have a very unhealthy debtor’s aging. Where it is supposed to be a guidelines to the company. For example when a debtor reach it limit, the company should be alerted to chase payment based on the debtors aging. But in this case, Encik Selamat has been giving authority to the marketing department to continue supply products to Cold Gold Sdn Bhd because of the closed relationship. Indirectly, it shows that Encik Selamat does not performing his duty rationally. Which effect his image as a manager. He is supposed to show his leadership by having a very good judgement. For example to stop supply products to Cold Gold Sdn Bhd until they settle their debts. Refer to the case Chicken Run; i) How would you assess the financial health of the company? I would assess the financial health of the company based on the gross profit of the company. The higher the gross profit the healthier it is. Of course we have to consider the operating expenses of the company but operating expenses are still under the company control and discretion before we can get the net profit. Other than that, I would assess the financial health of the company by obtaining a history of your company’s financial statements. Five years’ worth is usually a good base. Next, convert the financial statements to common size. Common size financial statements are simply a company’s financials expressed in the form of percentages rather than dollars. A common size format readily identifies trends and growth patterns. Additionally, since industry benchmark data is often produced in this format, it makes it easier to compare the results with the competition. Industry benchmark information can be obtained from a commercial vendor, accountant, or depending upon the industry, from trade associations. Next, financial ratios are calculated. There are a number of ratios to choose from. Some of the more common measure liquidity, debt coverage, leverage, and operating and profit performance. Their relevance is dependent upon your company, its operating characteristics and the industry. Bankers and accountants can be especially useful in identifying the more pertinent ratios. The information gathered thus far is analyzed and compiled on a trended, composite and industry basis. The results of this analysis, when performed  regularly, help you to monitor and recognize the vital statistics necessary for the success and growth of your business. The benefits of this assessment include: Competitive Advantages & Disadvantages An industry assessment enables you to identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses and acquire valuable information on the competition. Budgeting & Forecasting Studying trends and growth patterns is a very effective preliminary step in preparing internal budgets and forecasts. Strategic Planning Recognizing specific performance measurements (company and industry) will help to set goals and objectives for the future (e.g., increasing sales, gross profit margins, and net income). Acquisition Opportunities Knowledge of key performance measurements assists in the evaluation of a proposed sale, merger or acquisition. Focus Greater awareness of the interrelationship of the financial statements and a complete understanding of financial operations allows you to focus on the areas important to the growth and success of your business. ii) What would you suggest as appropriate course of actions? As an appropriate course of actions, I would suggest the directors to refer the â€Å"Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance 2012† as a guidelines to take action against Encik Selamat which involves in unethical activities such as conflict of interest and lack of integrity. Other than that, the internal control of the company should be revised. For example the debtor collection procedures. It has to follow proper standard operating procedures such as when invoices issue to a customers, the payment terms must follow the credit period. Any payment overdue must be chase every month. If it reach the 120 days amount overdue, warning letter should be  issue to the debtors, then stop supplying product to the debtors until payment made. Besides that, Internal Audit must be done regularly. This is to audit the operation run based on the standard operating procedures. Any discrepancy found must be rectify immediately to avoid any unwanted issue to happen. For example, Ms Choy has discovered that the credit limit of Cold Gold Sdn Bhd, one of its major customers had gone into its level and yet the marketing department continued to supply products to the company. If the company do internal audit regularly, this issue may not happen because the internal auditor will detect the problem while it is still under early stage. Other than that, this will avoid Encik Selamat from making unethical activities due to his awareness from the internal auditor. Monthly meeting also can help in this case. Where, Encik Selamat required to report the company performance monthly. In this case, the company should have monthly credit meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to make sure all debtors are monitored closely. Any amount hanging in the debtors aging should have remarks or the status should have been identified. For example, if the debts is not paid within the 30 days period, it should state the reason why? At least we know that chasing of debts run actively by the collection department. If the debtors do not pay according to their credit period, the management at least can give suggestion and acknowledge about that issue.

Expanding your business to China Essay

There are many advantages to expanding your business to China. Not only is China considered one of the largest economies in the world, it also has a vast emerging market that is still growing (Startup Overseas). Although China has embraced many Western Business ethics and practices, there are still numerous cross-cultural differences that can make it difficult to succeed without sufficient research and knowledge of the culture. Examples of these cross cultural differences include the Chinese’ attitude toward work and workplace, the labor laws, and how Chinese businesses collaborate with other organizations. More differences include how we market and sell a product, and how pricing differs between our two countries. Perhaps the most important differences are those of ethical positions, such as child labor and sexism. A Chinese worker’s attitude toward the job and the workplace depends on what position they have in an organization. China is considered a collectivist society, which means the majority of people within the society act in the interests of the group and not necessarily themselves (Geert Hofstede, 2010). The United States is considered an individualistic society and emphasizes the importance of the individual. This also applies to the way these countries do business. A collectivist business may have a team of workers contributing to satisfy all the customers, whereas an individualistic business may have several individual representatives who each have their own client list. Another difference in the workplace is how large an organization’s Power Distance is. Power distance is the acceptance that all individuals in the society are not equal (Geert Hofstede, 2010). China has a very large power distance, which means its’ workers accept the fact that there is a hierarchy within the organization, and they know their place within that organization. They expect power within the business to be distributed unequally. The United States has a lower Power Distance acceptance, which means that workers don’t accept that power is distributed unequally within the organization, and they expect to be treated as equals to even the people in the highest positions of the business. The Chinese also accept that decision making comes from the top, whereas in the U.S., everyone wants their suggestion and opinion to be heard, and they do not always accept decisions that are made within the organization. The  differences between Chinese and U.S. labor laws are subtle, but still worth mentioning. In China, a normal working week is 44 hours, with a maximum of 48 hours (only 4 hours of overtime is allotted). In the U.S., a normal working week is 40 hours, with overtime paid on any hours worked over that 40. Maternity leave is up to 3 months paid in China. In the U.S., Maternity leave is up to 12 months unpaid (at the company’s discretion). Surprisingly, women in China make 80.5% of what men in the same position make, whereas in the U.S., women only make 70% of what men make in the same position (Guo). In China, businesses tend to put an emphasis on personal relationships between business partners. An initial business meeting will consist of getting to know the personality and lifestyles of the one you are entering into a relationship with (Graf). Chinese business owners will want a loyal friendship when considering associations. This system of social networks and influential relationships that facilitate business and other dealings is called guanxi (Mah, 2012). In the United States, owners of a business as well as the workers within that organization strive to keep their personal and professional lives different. Though some partners end up being friends, and many workers build friendships outside of the workplace, it is not the intention at the start of a business relationship. Gift giving is also a large cultural difference. In the United States, if a gift is given at the start of a business meeting, or the start of an association, it can be seen as bribery or a way to make businesses feel obligated in working together. Chinese organizations are much more accepting of gifts although certain etiquettes must be followed in order for the gift to be given in good faith (Culture Crossing Guide). For example, gifts must be nicely wrapped and may not be opened right away unless prompted to do so. Also, do not give any gifts such as clocks, flowers, or cutting instruments as it is considered disrespectful. Negotiation style is a major difference between the United States and China. In China, social context, personal relations, and non-verbal behavior are very important in negotiation. There are usually many people from the  company who attend the meeting to discuss any topics that need negotiation. Americans value legal contracts and documents over personal relationships, and do not put as much stock in body language. American businesses usually only send one or two people do the negotiating on behalf of the entire company. For the purposes of this paper, let us assume that an American Company has seen great success with its toy product. This company is looking to expand its business to China. There is usually a demand for toys in any country and in China, 17.1% (roughly 223 million) of the nation’s population is under 14 years old (Central Intelligence Agency). Research also shows that the total retail sales of toys in China have increased by 14.2% since 2010 (HKTDC Research, 2014). The Design of this toy would have to be carefully rethought, particularly if it is a doll or Barbie type toy. The doll would have to be remanufactured to suit the needs of the children in China. Skin Color, Clothing, and accessories would all need to be redesigned. For example, although most girl-intended American Dolls wear pink, pink is considered a gender-neutral color in China. The color white is also associated with death and mourning, so any â€Å"wedding dress† dolls would need to be recolored to the traditional Chinese color of red (KaiWen, 2010). The clothing of the doll would probably have to become more modest. In looking at Chinese dolls, most are dressed in Geisha style robes. The United States dolls tend to show more â€Å"skin.† The packaging of the doll would also have to be translated to Chinese. The company would also need to avoid any symbolism that might offend Chinese parents or even the government, such as any American paraphernalia, like the flag, or anything with a religious context, like a cross. Imagine the price of this toy is $5.00. The value of a $1.00 is equal to 117.78 ( ¥). That would mean that the exchange rate on the toy would be $588.90. But with the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) factor, we know that China’s market exchange rate is .6 (World Bank, International Comparison Program Database, 2014). This means that China would actually pay 60% of what the United States would pay for the toy. The price of the toy would be  353.34  ¥. This price could be adjusted depending on competition in the Chinese market. The American company would also need to increase the price based on exporting costs. A sale price, or discounted price, in China is also different from what a sale price would be considered in the United States. In the U.S., if a product is on sale, the advertisement might say â€Å"10% off.† In China, they advertise the percentage of the price that you would pay for, in this example â€Å"90%† (Tyson, 2014). Good times for sales would be around National Chinese Holidays, such as the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), May Day, or the Mid-Autumn Festival. Several sales channels can be used to promote a product in China. Traditional avenues include major shopping centers, specialty stores, and franchise chains. There is also the internet platform and many sites such as Amazon or Baby.tmall.com. One of the best ways to break into the toy market in China is to have the toy include educational or technological aspects. This would help broaden the available channels of the toys to include museums, zoos, and electronic stores. This is very different from the United States, who tends to promote and market to the different genders. Most American toys are either for girls or for boys; there aren’t very many gender-neutral toys. Just like in the United States, China has import and trade regulations. Some of these regulations include import inspection (Regulations for the Administration of Inspection of Toy Imports and Exports), attention to the potential danger of toys, China Compulsory Certification (CCC), and standards such as plush toy fillings should be even and of an appropriate softness with no hard objects inside. It is also worth noting the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China, where four levels of standards are stipulated: national standards, industry standards, local standards, and enterprise standards. This company will have to adhere to all of these standard and regulations in order to export the toys from the United States to China. Another option for the company would be to open a factory in China, or use a preexisting Chinese toy factory to manufacture the toys and sell / distribute locally. In order to reach the more rural  areas of China, this company might consider making a deal with a Chinese company that already distributes to those small towns and rural areas. If this company does decide to open a factory in China, or utilize a preexisting factory, it will have to deal with ethical issues such as child labor, and sexism. Child labor has been a widely controversial issue for many years. The PRC Law on the Protection of Minors was first passed in 1991, and the newly revised Minors Protection Law entered the force in 2007. Many International rights documents have also been implemented by the UN (Library of Congress). Although the child labor conditions have been described as â€Å"improved† in China, there are actually no statistics or documentation to back it up. We still hear reports of Child Labor issues existing in China. As a company looking to do business in China, it is important to set certain standards within the organization that do not support and do penalize child labor. Although women in China make a higher percentage of what men make (80.5%) than what women in American make compared to men (70%), there is still a lot of sexism in the society and the culture of Chinese businesses. For example, women must always greet men first, and it is not acceptable for women to look men in the eye. Women are not allowed in higher or executive positions within the organization. Women are still expected to meet a nice man, get married, have children, and take care of the household. Not to mention the fact that having a son is extremely preferable to having a daughter in most Chinese families. While this behavior would be considered abhorrent (mostly) in Western cultures, foreign businesses may actually benefit from China’s oversight in regards to women. Foreign businesses may hire the talented women for executive positions that Chinese businesses have ignored or cast aside (Harris, 2010). While there are many differences between the Chinese culture and ethics from those of the United States, expanding a business in China can be mutually beneficial and successful. There is a balance between Chinese and American societies and laws that must be found, or all parties may be unhappy. Before growing your business to a foreign country, much research and planning must be done. Or, as the Chinese proverb says, â€Å"if a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.† Works Cited Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The World Factbook: China. Retrieved from Central Intelligence Agency: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html Culture Crossing Guide. (n.d.). China. Retrieved from Culture Crossing Guide: http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=43 Geert Hofstede, G. J. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill USA. Retrieved from The Hofstede Centre. Graf, R. (n.d.). 10 Major Cultural Differences Between China and the United States. Retrieved from Hubpages: http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Major-Cultural-Differences—China-and-the-UnitedStates Guo, B. (n.d.). China’s Labor Standards: Myths and Realities. Retrieved from academia.edu: http://www.academia.edu/165449/China_s_Labor_Standards_Myths_and_Realities Harris, D. (2010, 12 16). Sexism in Cina. A Good Thing for Foreign Business? Retrieved from China Law Blog: http://www.chinalawblog.com/2010/12/sexism_china_style_a_good_thing_for_foreign_busine ss.html HKTDC Research. (2014, 09 18). China’s Toy Market. Retrieved from HKTDC Research: http://chinatrade-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/China-Consumer-Market/China-s-toymarket/ccm/en/1/1X000000/1X002MRF.htm KaiWen. (2010, 11 09). Ask the Chinese Girl. Retrieved from Blogspot: http://ask-a-chineseguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/colors-in-chinese-culture.html Library of Congress. (n.d.). Children’s Rights: China. Retrieved from Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/child-rights/china.php Mah, R. (2012, 11 23). Cultural Differences Between America and China. Retrieved from World-Class Business Etiquette: http://www.etiquetteoutreach.com/blog_new-york-etiquetteguide/bid/92662/Cultural-Differences-Between-America-and-China Startup Overseas. (n.d.). Expanding a Business in China. Retrieved from Startup Overseas: http://www.startupoverseas.co.uk/expanding-a-business-in-china# Tyson, K.

Motivational Theories and Factors Essay

According to DuBrin, â€Å"†¦motivation is an energizing force that stimulates arousal, direction, and persistence of behavior† (2004, p. 121). It is the force inside the individual and process which allows us to get others to put forth effort. There are many motivational theories that can be used to motivate others (DuBrin, 2004). In the workplace, managers may need to find ways to motivate their employees. Three ways a manager might motivate their employees are: Setting goals, using operant conditioning to change behaviors, and using monetary incentives. These may all be used to motivate employees (DuBrin, 2004). Goals are what motivate us and others to strive to achieve accomplishments either set by ourselves or others. Goals create a self-dissatisfaction within us which gives us an incentive to reduce this dissatisfaction by achieving our goal. By setting goals, employees can improve performance and increase productivity (DuBrin, 2004). Another way to motivate employees is to use operant conditioning as used by B. F. Skinner. By providing rewards and punishments for behaviors, an employer can motivate employees to modify behaviors by providing consequences. An employee can use an incentive for positive behaviors such as increasing sales and receiving a commission or promotion. For negative behaviors such as not meeting goals set, an employer might demote the employee or even take away commissions or the promise of a promotion (DuBrin, 2004). Monetary rewards can be used to motivate an employee to improve performance and production. By offering commission or a raise, an employee will be motivated to achieve. By setting clear expectations, an employee can strive to attain or exceed expectations, knowing what they will be eligible to receive the incentive. (DuBrin, 2004). I believe that the three ways of motivating others, can also help me motivate myself. By setting personal goals for myself, I can motivate myself to accomplish those goals. After achieving the original goals, I will set higher goals to challenge me. Monetary or recognition rewards will also motivate me to be more productive. When given a choice between being rewarded or punished for behaviors, I will always avoid the negative behavior and opt for achieving rewards (DuBrin, 2004). Vroom’s Expectancy theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory are two popular motivational theories. The Expectancy theory and Hierarchy of Needs theory have similar and contrasting ways of motivation. The Expectancy theory focuses on personal choices that an individual must make when faced with the possibility of working hard to achieve rewards and are affected by individual perceptions. Expectancy is how a person perceives the subject probability that one thing will lead to another. How a person’s perception of expectancy for effort will lead to performance and how performance will lead to reward probabilities (valance) increase, so does a person’s motivation force increase. (Scholl, 2002). The Hierarchy of Needs theory is based on satisfying our innate physiological needs first (food, shelter, water), then safety (job security, earning an income), then moving up the hierarchy ladder to satisfy our need for growth (love and belongingness needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. Maslow states that until our basic needs are met first, we cannot move up the hierarchy ladder (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2011). The two theories are similar because they both have forces that drive our motivation. However, Maslow generalizes about our motivation whereas Vroom shows that ‘the same people are motivated by different things at different times and that different people are motivated by different things at the same time’ (Motivation Types, 2009). Vroom does not attempt to explain a person’s motivation like Maslow. Instead, he explains how people arrive at decisions to achieve the end they value. Both can be motivated by needs and self-esteem (Scholl, 2002). While financial incentives can be a good motivational tool, it can also have drawbacks. By offering monetary, promotions, or employee benefits to employees, it can increase an employee’s performance and production. However, the drawbacks to this are: a decrease in teamwork and inequitable rewards. If a person is working toward a goal to receive a monetary reward, he will most likely be less of a team player due to competition with coworkers. If monetary rewards go by income, a person who makes less will receive less monetary rewards than someone who receives a higher salary. An example of this is profit sharing (Ehow Money, 2012). Sometimes it may be better to have monetary rewards given as a team effort or equitable financial rewards for the same job performance.

Energy from Peanut and Pea

Energy from Peanut and Pea Shawn lam 28/10/2011 Hypothesis I think that the peanut will release more Energy, as it is has more oil which will generate more energy. While the pea does not have as much oil as the peanut, so the pea will make less energy. Variables Independent variable: Pea, Peanut Dependent variable: Temperature Controlled variable: Beaker volume, Bunsen burner Equipment Beaker, water, Bunsen burner, pea, peanut, thermometer, toothpick (holding food), heat tile, grabber Procedure 1. First get equipment 2. Setup equipment 3.Put water in beaker, then grab with a grabber 4. Burn peanut/ pea with toothpick 5. Put the food under beaker 6. Record Temperature Result Table 1: Looking at the first table, the amount of water added to the beaker was 20ml. There were 4 trials for each food, except for the pea. Type of Food| Heat ( °C)| | Trial| Average| | 1| 2| 3| 4| | Peanut| 20| 35| 50| 59| 41| Pea| 8. 5| 5| 31|   | 14. 83333| Discussion This Experiment wasn’t really successful, as there weren’t 4 trials for the pea. Also some Peanuts/Pea were much bigger than other, next time I will try to choose the sizes more carefully next time.The peanut had a large range of temperature, this tells us either the thermometer is broken or the test was not conducted well. Maybe, the Pea could be changed with another food, as it frequently run out of energy in the middle of a test. Which caused the problem of recording its temprature. Next time maybe there should be better lighter, so that there wouldn’t be a problem with burning the food. There could be less people disturbing experiment, so that more results could be recorded. For example, when people talk, the sound wave blows out the fire. All of this results that the informaion, wasn’t really accurate. ConclusionAs you could see the peanuts average Temperature was higher then the pea, as the pea has less oil then the peanut. The amount of oil on the Peanut is far greater, as resulting m ore energy released from the peanut. While on the other hand, the Pea has less oil which was shown as there was less energy. This shows that the Peanut have at least 3 times more energy then the Pea. Further study Does more oil cause more energy released? â€Å"YES† it does. More oil will help to relese more energy, this is shown as today, many cars rely on oil to run. Bibliography http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Peanut#Peanut_oil http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Pea

Stateless Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stateless Nation - Essay Example this research will be, â€Å"The past, present, and future prospects of the Kurds and Kurdistan.† The Kurds have lived in the hilly regions of Turkey and Iran for more than two thousand years. However, this typical group of people with an Indo-European background has never secured a home or national status (West 1). The Kurds, in the 1990s, the Turkish state evicted the Kurds. This stood as a resettlement rather than just an eviction, and the Kurds had to move out of their urban and rural entities that they initially had (Jongerden 4). The following disciplines will assist in researching about the Kurds on this topic: politics, historical, and behavioral. The Kurds have a rich history and this study will highlight their past struggles and illuminate reasons behind their statelessness. Many nations are also involved in the statelessness of Kurdistan. Researching on this aspect will elucidate the political factors intertwined with the Kurdistan (West). Finally, looking into the behavioral aspects of the Kurdistan will present the life these peoples life and impact of their statelessness on their information seeking behavior (Meho and Haas). Meho, Lokman I., and Stephanie W. Haas. â€Å"Information-Seeking Behavior and Use of Social Science Faculty Studying Stateless Nations: A Case Study.† Library & Information Science Research 23.1 (2001):

Criminal Justice Corrections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Justice Corrections - Essay Example There are a wide variety of sentencing options available to judges today that range from community service to the death penalty. The type of crime, severity of the crime, the philosophy of the court, and the law all impact the sentence that a criminal will receive when convicted of a criminal act. There are a wide range of options that a judge has when considering the sentence that a criminal deserves. Minor crimes, such as shoplifting or prostitution, are often handled by sentencing the offender to a fine or probation. Probation dates back several centuries and has evolved from an informal monitoring procedure to a highly evolved system procedure (County of Suffolk NY, n.d.). Probation is the suspension of a sentence in favor of community monitoring, where the offender has the opportunity for rehabilitation. In addition, the offender may be sentenced to house arrest in which the convicted criminal is restricted in mobility and is only allowed in their home or at their place of employment. This gives the courts a high degree of accountability and restriction, while keeping the criminal off the streets and away from the public. Both probation and house arrest can be effective alternative sentences for first time offenders or petty criminals who have hope of rehabilitation. Typically, when we think of sentencing for a criminal act, we think of it in terms of incarceration. For more severe crimes such as felonies or crimes of violence, the risk to society of re-offending makes incarceration an effective tool. Criminals may be jailed at a local, state, or federal facility depending upon the nature of the crime and the jurisdiction. Incarceration rates have risen sharply in recent years from 150 per 100,000 in 1980 to 500 per 100,000 in 2005 (After sharp increases, 2007). The increased rates of incarceration have come not only as a result of an increase in criminal activity, but also from conservative attitudes that believe in a get tough policy on crime (Mears et al., 2007). On the more severe end of sentencing is the death penalty. This sentence is reserved for the most heinous and vicious crimes and serves to demonstrate society's condemnation of certain criminal acts. The criminal, the crime, and the court will come together to determine an appropriat e sentence. The sentence handed down in a court is often the result of the philosophy of the court, and especially of the residing judge. Sentencing can be viewed as either restorative or retributive. Retributive sentencing seeks to punish the offender without compassion or hope of rehabilitation. Advocates of retributive sentencing believe that stiff sentences act as a deterrent, and when a criminal is deterred there is no need for rehabilitation. They see sentencing as a punishment. In contrast, restorative sentencing seeks to repair the harm done by the crime and reintegrate the criminal into the community. The sentence may consist of restitution, drug treatment, or community service. Advocates contend that "the one who did the harm gains stronger skills and community connections, the opportunity to develop empathy, and the knowledge that they have corrected their mistake" (Ball, 2003, p.51). While retributive sentencing is based on the concept of 'an eye for an eye', "restorative justice fin ds pain/punishment often counterproductive for both victim and offender" (Mosak, 2006, p.3). These are the issues that face the criminal judge when determining

The Gunpowder Plot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Gunpowder Plot - Essay Example The failed plot to assassinate James I and the ruling Protestant elite tainted English Catholics with claims of treason for centuries thereafter. In this paper I describe the infamous Gunpowder plot before discussing its resolution and the implications for English Catholics before their emancipation. The year 1603 marked the end of an era where Catholics were in a transitional phase between rulers and had the opportunity to fundamentally alter their subjugate role within society. After nearly 45 long years as Queen of England, Elizabeth I was nearing death. It was assumed that her successor would be James VI of Scotland. Had this have been the scenario, Catholics would have been able to celebrate increased freedom as James VI was more lenient towards catholicism (Smith 1998). This was pleasing to the English Catholics as this could have marked an end to their suffering. They had suffered severe persecution since 1570, when the Pope had excommunicated Elizabeth, releasing her subjects from their allegiance to her. Additionally, The Spanish Armada of 1588 continued to make matters worse. To the Tudor State, it was held that each and every follower of Catholicism were potential traitors (Adams, 2005). They were forbidden to hear Mass, forced instead to attend Anglican services, with steep fines for those recusants who persistently refused (Smith 1998). Since James was more warmly disposed to Catholicism than the dying Queen Elizabeth. His wife, Queen Anne of Denmark, was a Catholic, and James himself was making vocal about his empathy with the plight of the Catholics. Moreover, historians contend that the early signs were encouraging to catholics as he ended their political dissatisfaction. In fact, he immediately ended recusancy fines and awarded important posts to the Earl of Northumberland and Henry Howard, another Catholic sympathizer (Questier, 2006). Catholics began to openly practice their beliefs as they became increasingly optimistic about their future in England (Smith 1998). While some individuals indicate that Catholics should have never felt any sense of security, others indicate that the Catholics were well on their way to emancipation. In his attempts to accommodate different religious demands, James was dissatisfied at their growing allegiance. This is because of his religious devotion to his own beliefs. Moreover, the uncovering of the 2 plots in 1603 created obstacles to James’ capacity to further empathize with the Catholic followers. The situation deteriorated further at the Hampton Court Conference of January 1604 where James I was explicit in his show of hostility against the Catholics in order to satisfy the Puritans, whose demands he could not wholly satisfy. Furthermore, in the following month he publicly denounced Catholicism. This was followed by every priests and Jesuits had being expelled as well as the resurgence of recusancy fines. The taste of freedom coupled with the abrupt 180 created an aura of despe ration that hit home with some of the most devout followers. Specifically, Robert Catesby was a devout Catholic whose father had been imprisoned for harboring a priest. Moreover, he had had to leave university without a degree, to avoid taking the Protestant Oath of Supremacy. Yet he possessed immense personal magnetism, crucial in recruiting and leading his small band of conspirators. James’ discontent is arguably because of the fact that the Catholic followers were so devout to the pope. He assumably didn’t want to have his constituents loyal to another leader. This perhaps caused him to be more cruel to the followers. Moreover, many sources indicate that there were fears of the pope attempting to take over. This is why kings did not want to allow this religion to proliferate within their borders. As kings

Electronic medical record implementation in correctional facilities Assignment

Electronic medical record implementation in correctional facilities - Assignment Example A carefully designed and well managed continuous monitoring program may effectively transform an otherwise static electronic medical records technology. Monitoring also helps in determining emerging risks and barriers during the implementation process. This offers fundamental information to the relevant change managers and the corrective facility officials to identify risks, take mitigations actions, and make credible decisions with regard to the operation of the electronic medical records. While implementing electronic health records in correctional facilities, two main methods will be employed to monitor the change process. These are the issue log monitoring and surveys. Issue log monitoring One approach to monitor the implementation of electronic health record is to employ the issue log or to make an extra log for concerns. Concerns in the case of electronic health records refer to the matters that are not directly actionable or solvable. Taking that the staff and the implementing teal are meticulous in reporting record keeping and information technology related matters, the frequency and severity of issues may signal an emerging problems. This is especially so when sudden increases in a certain concern are observed in a single area. If the management or the change facilitator compares the issues arising or issues log with the risk register that identifies risks associated with electronic records change, certain aspects in the issues log will stand out and may be construed as increasing risks potential. This calls for a contingency plan to be instituted to deal with the problem that may arise (Schwalbe, 2006). Surveys Surveys in form of questions to monitor fundamental elements of electronic health records offer a structured manner to monitoring organizational change risks. In this manner; the change implementation team makes a assessment premeditated to draw out feedback from the organization and the staff on their perception of the project. Survey also hel ps to identify the organizational change factors that may contribute to the success or failure of the implementation effort. By carrying out surveys and assessment at various intervals and comparing results from assessment to assessment, the implementing team can swiftly establish areas that necessitate more consideration and intercession. While making and conducting an assessment, it is essential to represent extra time and cost to the electronic records technology, various benefits needs to be considered. One benefit is that gathering time and cost information forces regular and system review of the project as it is perceived by the impacted employees and patients. As the analysis is employed from time to time, it can be enhanced and reused (Schwalbe, 2006). Additionally, the analysis can speedily gather feedback from a large part of the organization, enhancing the visibility of the electronic records implementation project and minimizing unexpected or unwarranted reactions. The r elationship between the organization’s related processes, systems, and personal or professional roles and their affect on EHR The provision of electronic health records in correctional facilities is an increasingly involving exercise. Complexities arise due to the complexities of correctional facility services and systems, as well as the various processes and relationships. Electronic health r

Are either Machiavellis or Erasmus Styles of Leadership Relevant to Essay

Are either Machiavellis or Erasmus Styles of Leadership Relevant to Todays World of the Early 21st Century - Essay Example By contrast, a feared leader would have suitable reason and excuse for their actions, for instance killing people. On the contrary, Erasmus insists that a true prince should always think of his moral obligations to the people under his leadership. In supporting this viewpoint, Erasmus states that a good prince allows and does everything that would bring peace to his country in realizing that war would lead to misfortunes (Spielvogel 353). In my own opinion, I consider these opposing viewpoints as relevant to today’s world of the early 21st century. Machiavelli notes that the belief of honesty as the best policy remains as naive. Thus, the natural selfishness of people would be a more realistic starting point for politics. He maintains that a loved leader would persist in doing what should be done would not maintain his power but rather undermine it. Therefore, a leader must be prepared to act immorally when necessary in order to maintain his power. He goes on further to say th at, a new leader would always be forced to act treacherously, inhumanly, and ruthlessly and disregard the precepts of religion. In this regard, a new leader must be prepared to vary his conduct to suit changing circumstances and winds of fortune that would constrain his power. It would be worth to note that a leader should be capable of becoming immoral when necessary but should as well not deviate from the right conduct if possible, as remarked by Machiavelli (Donskis 74-89). Machiavelli’s theories make his politics modern as they incorporate aspects of interdependence, diversity, and political participation. He pictured the ways of world politics in which the most reliable and hard-hitting leaders would survive through warfare. He constantly opposed the monist tradition in Western rationalism, pluralism, and dualism. The shift from the individualism of liberalism to republicanism emphasized in the western political philosophies. The theory of republicanism recognizes the si gnificance of tolerance, private goals, as well as the instrumental value of society.        Ã‚  

Ocean biology 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ocean biology 1 - Essay Example The aim of his theory was to discuss the concept openly. Therefore, Wegener did not present the theory as a proven fact. There are some objects, which can float in saltwater but not in fresh water. Whether an object will sink or float, entirely depends on the relative density of the fluid itself. In universe, everything is made of molecules. Density can be described through the concept of molecules. There are some objects that are packed densely and some other objects are packed loosely. This concept is called density. Now the objects that are made of tightly packed molecules will sink in low density liquid. The opposite will happen for the objects, which are made up of loosely packed molecules. I have done an experiment in my home with an egg. I have observed that egg placed in the fresh water sink immediately but it floated in saltwater. I have done another experiment with metallic spoon. In this experiment, also spoon floated in the salt water but sank in tap water. The next experiment was on metallic pen. The result of this experiment also gave the same result. Metallic pen floated in salt water but sink in the fresh water. Throughout the world, water and wind, usually erode about 20 billion tones of rock debris and dirt from the continents and deposit into the seafloor. In average, there is 1300 feet of sediment in beneath the sea. Many processes accelerate this continuous adding of salt and other chemicals into the seas and oceans. Most common chemicals are sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) which are dissolved in the water easily. These chemicals are the basic constituents of salt that is sodium chloride. According to research, ocean restrains around 1370 million cubic kilometers of water and around 14700 trillion tons of sodium. Every year around 457 million tones of sodium dump into the ocean through river transportation, land surface erosion etc. Sometimes in some specific area Volcanic dust also dumps some amount of sodium into the water. Erosion of

The marketing strategies of louis vuitton Research Paper

The marketing strategies of louis vuitton - Research Paper Example In addition, the motivation of its employees can be considered a marketing strategy of this company because of the fact that these employees provide such great services to the customers that the latter are encouraged to return to the Vuitton stores (Christensen et al 38). The management at Louis Vuitton has created a relaxed environment and it is a fact that most of the time, the managers are indistinguishable from the other employees because they do not simply give orders to their subordinates, but they also accept feedback from them and are ready to get alternatives to their decisions. This helps to show that although they have managers, the employee teams at Louis Vuitton are obviously in their later stages of development and are very comfortable outside their predefined roles, displaying high levels of motivation. The management has come to the realization that any attempt to put any verbal barriers between themselves and their employees ensures that employees have the freedom to interact with the customers so that they can efficiently serve them. The marketing of the Louis Vuitton products is not only being done at a local level, its marketing campaigns are also conducted at a regional, national, and international level. This has been found to be the best way to ensure that these products reach a wider audience than they would normally have if marketing were done at only the local level. The professionalism of the marketing staff at Louis Vuitton has enabled it to compete against other organizations effectively attempting to market similar products and in fact, it has developed an edge over them in the market. Louis Vuitton always aims at being the best in the marketing of its products so that the relatively low level of its competitors in the marketing business has worked towards showing that this company has the top quality of work that is done within it. The marketing of the Louis Vuitton products tends to be done using all the media available, both vis ual and print, to ensure that a much wider audience is reached than anticipated (Wang and Lin 401). This has worked towards guaranteeing the success of this company’s product within the market for a long time since the marketing strategy adopted has been one that retains the attention of its audience. One of the best means through which the Louis Vuitton products are marketed is online since there are billions of users of the internet who are often a ready audience. Because the internet is a leading tool in marketing, this is where most companies and other institutions go to when they need to acquire products for the use of their clients, and Louis Vuitton has not been left out of this marketing strategy. Marketing online has ensured that the clients of this company stay up to date with the current product so that they are able to get the best out of it. One of the marketing strategies that have been adopted by Louis Vuitton has been the use of customer relationship marketing

Analysis of Strategic management and the position of Dialog Axiata PLC Research Paper

Analysis of Strategic management and the position of Dialog Axiata PLC - Sri Lanka - Research Paper Example Moreover the recruiting team of the company is always in the hunt for a pool of talented human resources that would help the company in setting new benchmarks (Dialog, 2011). The company reflects a huge financial growth during the first quarter of the 2011 period compared to that of the 2010 period which showed a huge growth by around 64 percent. Further in regards to the market for mobile phones and other telecommunication services the company reflects a growth by around 10 percent in a comparison drawn between the first quarter of the 2011 and 2010 period. However in close connection to the above facts the operating costs of the company along with other domestic and international installation charges grew in the first quarter of the 2011 period in sharp contrast to the 2010 period. (Dialog-a, 2011). Thus the paper in this connection focuses to understand the strategic moves taken by the company in restoring its competitive position while tending to reduce the current operational co st. Critical Analysis of the Strategic Position of Dialog Axiata PLC In the process of critically analyzing the strategic position of the business organization firstly the parameters upon which the company becomes able to sustain its leadership in the market is analyzed. The company must have a definite mission based on which it sets the strategies to successfully satisfy the same. Further the company must set some definite goals and objectives which must be adequately based on the mission statement of the company. Strategic business units of the company must be identified that would help in meeting the stated objectives. Moreover the hierarchal or the organizational structure of the concern must be evaluated in terms of the division of the total responsibility among employees thereby enhancing on the accountability parameters. Finally the company management is also required to set adequate monitoring systems to rightly monitor the activities taken to pursue the stated goals and the reby to set effective remedies to help reduce such gaps (Schein, 2010, p.74). In regards to the above discussion the vision, mission and value structure of the company would be analyzed. The company shares the organizational vision of being the leader in the Sri Lankan communication market through the innovation rendered in the field of communication technology. This strategy focused by the company would help in enriching the social image of the concern. Working on the above vision the company thereby focuses to set the organizational mission of helping to render potential activities in the sphere of sustaining better relationships with the customers. Further the company also desires its business processes to be highly flexible in meeting the changing demands of the market. This sets the organizational culture of the company which increases the parameters of accountability both in the internal and external sphere and also encourages the growth of team activities in the concern (Dial og-b, 2011). The above strategic analysis of the company

Report on Data Management Essay Example for Free

Report on Data Management Essay Introduction HR data would need to be stored by all organisations due to either legal requirements or internal purposes. This report will uncover types of data and methods of storing them. The last segment of the report will cover legislations that affect HR data as ‘there is a substantial and complex amount of EU and UK legislation that has an impact upon the retention of personnel and other related records’(Retention of HR records, 2013) Why Collect HR Data HR data can be collected for various reasons in an organisation. There are two reasons listed below: Productivity: appraisals records are collected so  that managers can assess the productivity of their staff and team. It can also be useful for employees to know their potential within the team and can use it for their career progression. Legal Compliance: Payroll data would be important for the HM Revenue and Customs to calculate taxes whereas health and safety records can help the company to improve their environment and allow them to be compliant with the Health and Safety Act. Also certain data can be used as evidence in any legal proceedings that the company may have to face. Types of HR Data and how it supports HR ‘Monitoring records enables personnel to amend or reformulate policies and procedures.’(Personnel data and record keeping, 2011) Below are 2 types of data that HR collects:  Recruitment and Selection- records on staff turnover and vacancies can be important for HR as it informs them when and for which team to recruit for and also allows them to see the trend in each team depending on its staff turnover. This would also include appraisal records which would inform them if an employee or team needs training. Absence Data-the absence reports, complied from the absence data gives HR an indication of which department is suffering most from high absentees and allows them to rethink the working patterns. It also helps them to calculate the cost of absenteeism to the organisation. Data Storage and its Benefits Data can be stored in several methods. However, below are 2 key methods which can be used along with their benefits. 1. Manual / Paper based- keeping records on paper in a filing cabinet Files cannot be destroyed with any virus Information can be accessed without any password restrictions Members do not need to be PC literate to find data 2. Computerised filing More than one user can access the information at the same time Large volumes of data can be stored and accessed easily  Data can be used to compile reports and identify trends with the latest programmes on computer Most companies prefer their records to be stored electronically as it is efficient and easily accessible. However, there are  certain companies which use both methods as certain records do not need to be stored for a longer period of time, hence can be filed away in cabinets. Essential UK legislations relating to recording, storing and accessing HR data There are several legislations that affect the retention of HR data. Below are two such legislations. Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) DPA applies to most HR records, whether held in paper or on computer. DPA controls how personal information of living individuals is used by organisations, businesses or the government. It came into force on March 2000. There are 8 data protection principles the data controller needs to comply to in order to handle data correctly: 1. ‘adequate, relevant and not excessive 2. fairly and lawfully processed 3. processed for limited purposes 4. accurate 5. not kept for longer than is necessary 6. processed in line with your rights 7. secure 8. not transferred outside EU without adequate protection’ (Employment Law FAQ, 2013) Every company that processes personal information must be registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), unless they are exempt. The ICO, which is UK’s independent supervisory authority, ensures that the DPA as well as other data protection/retention legislations are followed by organisations and it can prosecute them for not doing so. Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) The FOI came into force on January 2005. It gives the public a right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, however there are few exceptions to these right as not all personal records can be obtained by public, such records can be requested under the DPA. Government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces are few of the public authorities. Conclusion This report explains that recording and storing data is very important. Every  company has a different method and reason of storing data; however, handling data correctly is important for all. There are several legislations that can affect the data retention and not complying with these legislations can have an adverse effect on the company’s reputation. Reference List CIPD, 2013.Retention of HR Records.[online] Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets [Accessed 13 June 2014] ACAS, 2011. Personnel data and record keeping.[online] Available at: www.acas.org.uk [Accessed 12 June 2014] CIPD 2013. DP04: What is data protection and what are the eight data protection principles?.[online] Available at: www.cipd.co.uk [Accessed 17 June 2014] Activity 2 Analysing Absence Data in Examinations Team Introduction The report includes findings and analysis of different reasons of absence within an Examinations Team from May-December in 2013. The final segment of the report concludes the analysis along with recommendations to overcome the core reasons of absence. Absence Level in Examinations Team There are two apparent findings from the graph (data in appendix 1), the high levels of absence from May-June due to stress and from October- December due to viral problems: May-June: due to peak season of exams, the examinations team is required to do ample preparations from planning, supervising and marking exams to attending board meetings. This therefore, becomes very stressful for the team as ‘the most common cause of stress†¦is workload’ (Barometer of HR Trends and Prospects, 2013) and as each person is only trained in their individual role there are issues of ‘presenteeism’. October-December: during this season many people fall sick due to bad weather. However, the outbreak of the Norovirus in 2013 could also be the reason for the viral problems to increase. Also, due to Christmas parties in December it further causes the virus to spread from contaminated food. Conclusion The study indicates that stress and viral issues were two implications the examinations team suffered from in 2013.Stress is a common issue in several workplaces as mentioned in the Absence Management report by CIPD and it can be costly. To overcome the issue, two possible recommendations are: Stress- 1. Hire temporary staff during busy period 2. Train team members to share workload and prevent presenteeism, where employees feel forced to come into work. Viral Problems- 1. Give free flu vaccination to employees 2. Communicate awareness regarding the virus Appendix 1: Number of Employees Absent by Reasons in 2013 (a) Musculoskeletal- back, neck and other muscle pain (b) Ear, Nose, Dental pain and skin disorder Reference List BPP. (2013).Appendix 1 of Number of Employees Absent by Reasons in 2013. London: BPP CIPD, 2013.barometer of HR trends and prospects 2013.[online] Available at: www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/survey-reports[Accessed 18June 2014]