If diplomacy is correctly defined as being distinct from foreign Essay - 1

If diplomacy is correctly defined as being distinct from foreign policy, which diplomatic skills and qualities are essential in any foreign service - Essay Example These two concepts; foreign policy and diplomacy are used interchangeably. However this makes it critical and problematic when used in the sociological concepts and thus makes it quite critical and important to examine the nature of differences in the practice of both, diplomacy and foreign policy in the globalized world today (Constantinou and Hellmann). In the traditional international relations context, the link between diplomacy and foreign policy is seen and an â€Å"objective vs. tool† relationship (Constantinou and Hellmann), whereby diplomacy is considered as representing a â€Å"lesser tool of foreign policy†(James), and a communication and negotiation channel to objectively take up the foreign policy interests. Similarly in the traditional context Foreign policy is viewed as a practice where the main actors responsible for the effective functioning of the system, the bearers of sovereignty of a state or nation try to defend the internal interests of the nation or state in contrast to the external environment. Thus, in this perspective the concept of foreign policy turned out to be an outdated concept in the globalized world where the distinction between home and abroad is quite uncertain (Hill). In today’s globalized world the concept of Diplomacy as practiced in Foreign Service and foreign ministries has changed to a great extent. In the post collectivist era the governments had exerted on economizing ax more compared to their representation overseas and its management. The then need to save the tax revenue was backed by the idea to modernize the foreign services which in turn also meant to minimize the foreign services function. This had been the practice until the anti-collectivist era gained popularity. However after the emergence of Resident Ambassador the assessments of the foreign societies and the information pertaining to them took a new discourse in terms of diplomacy whereby it was communication that proved to be

EXAMINING THE U.K EXPERIENCE OF NATIONALIZATION BETWEEN 1946 AND 1986 Essay

EXAMINING THE U.K EXPERIENCE OF NATIONALIZATION BETWEEN 1946 AND 1986 AND INDICATING WHAT FACTORS IGHT BE CONSIDERED AS RELEVANT WHEN MAKING A DECISION TO NATIO - Essay Example (Cairncross, 1986) The fragmented coal industries were nationalised and so were the railway, steel and telecommunication industries. Utilities were also nationalised by the Labour government. (Tomlinson, 1982; Durbin, 1985) The ideological basis for nationalisation in 1946 U.K. could be summed up in Attlee’s words: â€Å"a mixed economy developing toward socialism.... The doctrines of abundance, of full employment, and of social security require the transfer to public ownership of certain major economic forces and the planned control in the public interest of many other economic activities.† (quoted by Yergin and Stanislaw, 1998 p.27) Tomlinson (n.d.) on the other hand views the ideological basis for nationalisation in the UK as reflective of two different epochs – the 1930s-1940s reflecting the socialist planned economy paradigm, and the 1950s-1970s reflecting a social democratic economic paradigm. Thus, Attlee’s vision of nationalisation in the UK could be categorised under Tomlinson’s 1930s-1940s socialist ideological era. It was held that the fragmented nature of privately owned industries (like the coal industry which then provided about 90 per cent of the UK’s energy needs) were inefficient, had experienced under-investment, and lacked scale. (Hannah, 2004) Nationalisation was thus seen as a medium for pulling together resources and implementation of new technologies on a national scale for the functioning of industries. This, it was envisaged, would result in efficient running of industries culminating in the â€Å"achievement of the national objectives of economic development and growth, full employment, and justice and equality†. (Yergin and Stanislaw, 1998 p. 25; Robson, 1962) Nationalisation was thus also a means for salvaging a non-performing and failing private sector so as to harness resources for economic development. It can be argued that nationalisation became a

Experiment for Cancer Risk Factors

Experiment for Cancer Risk Factors Curiouser and Curiouser The case-control method used to identify risk factors for cancers relies on prior knowledge about the possible link between the cancer and the risk factors. It is a powerful method as the following two cases show. Asbestos In the 1970s, a series of studies identified the risk factor for a rare form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. Case-control studies pinpointed the risk to certain professions: insulation installers, shipyard workers, etc. The statistical analysis pinpointed the risk factor to be exposure to asbestos. Subsequent tort litigation and government oversight precipitated a reduction in occupational exposures to asbestos, reducing the risk of mesothelioma. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic hormone prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s to prevent premature deliveries. In 1971, case-control studies found that women with vaginal and uterine cancer had not been exposed to estrogen directly, but their mothers had been. DES, the carcinogen, did not cause cancers to women treated with the drug, but it caused cancers to their daughter who were exposed to the drug in the womb. *** But what if the exposure responsible for the disease is unknown? A Test for Chemical Carcinogens Normally, a strain of Salmonella, a bacterial genus, cannot grow on galactose. But when exposed to certain chemicals, it could acquire a gene mutation that enables it to grow on galactose. By counting the number of growth-enabled colonies form, one can quantify the mutation rate in any experiment. In the late 1960s, Bruce Ames, a bacteriologist at Berkeley, used this technique to test thousands of chemicals on their capacity to create mutations in Salmonella, and created a catalog of mutagens chemicals that increased the mutation rate. He observed that chemicals that scored as mutagens tended to be carcinogens. Ames didnt know why mutagens could induce cancer. But he had demonstrated a practical way to find carcinogens. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) In the early 1970s, Baruch Blumberg, a biologist in Philadelphia, discovered that a human hepatitis virus can cause chronic inflammation that leads to cancer. In 1966, Blumberg discovered that individuals carrying the Au antigen (a blood antigen present in several Australian aboriginals) often suffered from chronic hepatitis. Upon further analysis, he found out that au was not a blood antigen but a viral protein floating in the blood. Blumbergs lab isolated the virus in the early 1970s, and called the virus hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV infection caused a broad spectrum of diseases, ranging from acute hepatitis, to chronic cirrhosis in the liver, and to hepatocellular cancer. HBV is a live carcinogen capable of being transmitted from one host to another. By 1979, Blumberg and his team had found a vaccine for HBV. The vaccine cannot cure the cancer, but it can reduce the incidence of HBV infection. Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) In 1979, at the Royal Perth Hospital in Australia, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren wanted to investigate the cause of gastritis. Patients with gastritis are   predispose to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Warren believed that gastritis was caused by a yet unknown species of bacteria. But he was ridiculed by mainstream doctors who did not believe any bacteria could live in the stomach. To prove his point, Marshall and Warren set out to culture the bacteria using brushings from patients with ulcers. But no bacteria grew out. Over a busy Easter weekend in 1982, Marshall had forgotten to examine the culture dish for bacteria for a few days. When he remembered and went to examine them, he found bacteria colonies growing out in the dish. Warren and Marshall called it Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). To prove H. Pylori caused gastritis, they inoculated pigs with the bacteria. But the pigs did not get ulcers. In 1984, after failed attempts to infect piglets, Marshall fasted until 10 am and then drank a Petri dish containing cultured H. Pylori, expecting to develop an ulcer. Within a few days, Marshall was violently ill, and diagnosed with gastritis. H. pylori was indisputably the cause of gastritis. By the late 1980s, several epidemiological studies had linked H. pylori-induced gastritis with stomach cancer. Randomized trials run on the western coast of Japan showed that antibiotic treatment reduced gastritis and gastric ulcers, and reduced the incidence of gastric cancer. But the it would not cure the cancer once manifested. A Spiders Web If cancer truly transitioned from a precursor lesion precancer to its full-blown form slowly, and methodically, then perhaps one could intervene by attacking its precancer, thwarting the progression of the cancer at its earlier stages. There are two forms of prevention. In primary prevention, you prevent a disease by attacking its cause. For example, stop smoking for lung cancer, or a vaccine against HBV for liver cancer. In secondary prevention, you prevent a disease by screening for its early presymptomatic stage. Pap smear and mammography (discussed below) are examples of secondary preventions. The Pap Smear Secondary Prevention for Cervical Cancer George Papanicolaou, a Greek physician, arrived in New York in 1913. After a few months selling carpets, he found a research position at Cornell University studying the menstrual cycle of guinea pigs. He found that cells shed by the guinea pig cervix could foretell the stages of the menstrual cycle. By the late 1920s, Papanicolaou had extended his technique to human patients.   In 1928, he reported that uterine cancer could be diagnosed by means of a vaginal smear. But the importance of his work was not recognized. Between 1928 and 1950, Papanicolaou delved into his smears ferociously. He became known for his invention of the Papanicolaou test, commonly known as the Pap smear or Pap test. He knew normal cervix cells change in step-wise fashion in time. Might cancer cells also change in a slow stepwise way from normal to malignant? Could he identify intermediate stages of cancer? A thought occurred to him at a Christmas party in 1950. The real use of the vaginal smear was not to find cancer, but to detect its precursor. In 1952, Papanicolaou convinced the NCI to launch a clinical trial of secondary prevention using his smearing technique. In the cohort of about 150,000, 555 women had invasive cervical cancer, while 557 had preinvasive lesions. Early stage preinvasive lesions were curable by a simple surgery. The women with preinvasive lesions had no symptoms. Had they not been tested, they would never have suspected they would develop cervical cancer. The average age of diagnosis of women with preinvasive lesions was about 20 years younger than women with invasive lesions. The Pap smear would detect cervical cancers at an early stage while it is still curable 20 years before they become invasive, giving women a chance to treat it before it evolves into cancer. Mammograms Secondary Prevention for Breast Cancer In 1913, Albert Salomon, a German surgeon, performed a study on 3,000 mastectomies. He studied the X-rays of the amputated breasts after mastectomies to detect the shadowy outline of cancer. Salomon called his technique mammography. He was able to establish the difference as seen on an X-ray image between cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in the breast. But his studies were interrupted by the Nazis in the mid-1930s. He lived in a concentration camp until 1939 when escaped the camps to Amsterdam and vanished underground. Mammography, as he called his technique, languished in neglect. By mid-1960s, with radical surgery being challenged, mammography re-enter X-ray clinics, championed by radiographers such as Robert Egan. Egans mammograms could now detect tumors as small as a grain of barley. But would screening women to detect such early tumors save lives? HIP Trial In 1963, three men set out to investigate whether screening asymptomatic women using mammography would improve mortality from breast cancer. The three men were Louis Venet, a surgeon; Sam Shapiro, a statistician; and Philip Strax, an internist. They wanted a randomized, prospective trial using mortality as an end point to test mammography. The trial, launched in December 1963, was kept simple. Women enrollees in the New York Health Insurance Plan (HIP) between 40 and 64 years old were divided into two groups. One group was screened with mammography, and the other not. If a tumor was detected by mammography, the women would be treated according to the conventional treatment available at that time. In 1971, the initial findings of the trial were remarkable. 62,000 women participated; about half had been screened by mammography. There had been 31 deaths in the mammography group and 52 deaths in the control group. The percentage reduction in mortality from screening was about 40 percent. Breast Cancer Detection and Demonstration Project The positive results of the HIP trial prompted the American Cancer Society to launch a called the Breast Cancer Detection and Demonstration Project (BCDDP). The project, backed by Mary Lasker and virtually every cancer organization in America, intended to screen 250,000 women in a single year. Problems with the HIP study As the BCDDP forged ahead, people were casting doubts over the HIP study. The study had a potential flaw. They had decided to exclude women with prior breast cancer. So they dropped women who had had cancer from each group. But they may have over-corrected: more patients with prior cancer were dropped from the screened group. Critics now charged that the excess mortality in the control group was due to the fact that it was mistakenly overloaded with patients with prior breast cancer. The Canadian Trial In Canada, researchers launched their own mammography trial in 1980. But there was a flaw with the study: a woman was randomized after her medical history and examination. The allocations that emerged after the nurse interviews were no longer random. Women with abnormal breast were disproportionately assigned to the screened group. That explains why the results of the CNBSS were markedly negative: The breast cancer mortality of women in the screened group was higher than the unscreened group. Malmà ¶ Mammographic Study In 1976, 42,000 women enrolled in the Malmà ¶ Mammographic Study. Half of the cohort was screened yearly, and the two groups have been followed closely ever since. In 1988, the study reported its results. Women older than 55 had benefited from screening, with a reduction in breast cancer mortality by 20 percent. Younger women had no benefit from screening. In 2002, an analysis combining the experience over fifteen years was published in the Lancet. In aggregate, for women aged 55 to 70, mammography screening had resulted in 20 to 30 percent reductions in breast cancer mortality. But for women under 55, the benefit was negligible.

Jealousy in William Shakespeares Othello Essay -- William Shakespeare

Jealousy in William Shakespeare's Othello In the play Othello, jealousy and envy are prominent themes from the beginning to the end. As the play slowly unfolds it is evident that jealousy is the cause of most of the dramatic actions which take place in the duration of the play. It is described as the "green - eyed monster." "Green" representing the colour of envy, and "monster" shows how destructive and how vicious it can be. This quotation is said by a character named Iago. Iago has a strong manipulative mind. He is the first of all the characters in the play to be attacked by the "green - eyed monster." This is very ironic, Iago is warning Othello to be aware of jealousy, however what Othello does not know is that Iago is the one that is building up the resentment within him. As the play opens we see that Iago is already feeling jealous as he says "That never set a squadron in the field, nor the division of a battle knows" this portrays Iago's bitterness and towards Cassio. The reason for this is, Cassio has just been promoted to lieutenant and Iago thinks that he is the wrong man for the job. Iago thinks that he deserved it more than Cassio. This quotation states that Cassio is not an experienced or practical soldier and should not have the job. However the main character that is affected by the venom of the "green - eyed monster" is the main character in the play, Othello. In Othello's situation, the poison of the jealousy grows slowly as the play proceeds. Unlike Iago whose jealousy fires up as soon as he hears about Cassio's promotion. The jealousy that Othello experiences changes his whole character. Othello has a transformat... ...f the jealousy. In conclusion, it is fair to say that Iago did "enmesh" the characters in his net of jealousy and did so successfully. However, Iago's lies caught up to him, as in the end, Othello knew what he had done, as he "strikes" Iago. He used carefully structured sentences to achieve this. "Ha. I like not that" is a very good example of this. It is clear that Iago is also capable of portraying what he wants in what ever character he pleases to do so in. he uses evidence that is not proper proof and makes it seem as real as reality. And example of this is "the handkerchief." After noticing what jealousy is capable of, it is clear why Iago says that jealousy is a "green - eyed monster." Jealousy did not only acquire dead bodies like Desdemona, but ruined the true love that Desdemona and Othello shared.

Process Writtun Format

MARKING SCHEME FOR WRITING PORTFOLIO (20 MARKS) WRITING PORTFOLIO (20%) PORTFOLIO 1. MARK Entry 1 2 paragraphs with topic sentences in 2 different locations 2. Entry 2 2 paragraphs that have different strategies of introduction 3. Entry 3 i) one(1) paragraph with a number of cohesive devices ii) two(2) paragraphs with different strategies of conclusion. 4. Entry 5 2 marks (1 mark for each introduction strategy) 3 marks (1/2 mark for each cohesive device : at least 2 cohesive devices) (1 mark each for conclusion strategy) Entry 4 5. 2 marks (1 mark for each topic entence) 7 marks (1 mark for each error free Acknowledge the sources of portfolio entry 1-3 using source) the APA format (7 paragraphs from 7 different sources) 6 marks (1 mark for each point) Thorough analysis of an expository essay: i) Introduction strategy ii) Thesis statement iii) Topic sentences iv) Type of supporting detail v) Cohesive devices vi) Concluding strategy TOTAL = 20 MARKS xxv MARKING SCHEME FOR SUMMARY WRITI NG (30 MARKS) (QUIZ 20%) *subject to change Content: 11 marks Documentation: Language: 4 marks 10 marks Paraphrasing: 5 marks __________ 0 marks 1. Content: 11 marks Topic sentence/introduction Supporting details Concluding sentence 2. 1 mark 9 marks (6 details @ 1? points each – ? for the technique, 1 for elaboration) 1 mark Documentation: 4 marks Quotation Paraphrase with proper use of one reporting verb. Reference 3. mentioning 1 mark 1 mark 2 marks Language Band Very Good to Excellent 9 – 10 Highly organized order of relevant points. Effective use of transition words and phrases for a smooth flow of sentences a nd messages are clearly conveyed. Minimal errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation.Fairly Good to Good 7-8 Logical order of relevant points. Adequate use of transition words and phrases for a satisfactory flow of sentences and messages are sufficiently conveyed. Several errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. xxvi Fair to Average 4-6 Loosely organize d with a scattering of relevant points. Inadequate use of transition words and phrases leading to a lack of continuity in sentence f low and relatively distorted message. Frequent errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Very Poor to Poor 1–3 4. Extremely disorganized with disjointed points.An absence of transition words and phrases leading to total disarray in sentence flow, hardly communicating any message. Numerous errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Paraphrasing Band Very Good to Excellent 5 Impressive paraphrasing; very little lifting from original text. Fairly Good to Good 4 A satisfactory attempt at paraphrasing; some lifting from original text. Fair to Average 3 Very little paraphrasing; mainly lifting chunks out of original text. Very Poor to Poor 1–2 Copying word for word from original text. xxvii MARKING SCHEME FOR ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY (50 MARKS) WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 5%) CONTENT: 20 MARKS RHETORICAL STRUCTURE: 10 MARKS LANGUAGE: 20 MARKS CONTENT (2 0 MARKS) PREPARATION AND INTRODUCTION (5 MARKS) Audience 1 mark Purpose 1 mark (to convince/ to persuade/ to urge/ to influence) INTRODUCTION General statement : 1 mark W riter’s Stand : 1 mark Thesis statement : 1 mark (must include 2 pro-arguments & 1 counter argument) BODY PARAGRAPHS (12 MARKS) PRO-ARGUMENT PARAGRAPH 1 (4 marks) Topic Sentence Supporting details 1 mark 3 marks (1 ? mark for each relevant supporting detail) PRO-ARGUMENT PARAGRAPH 2 (4 marks) Topic SentenceSupporting details 1 mark 3 marks (1 ? mark for each relevant supporting detail) COUNTER-ARGUMENT PARAGRAPH (4 marks) Topic Sentence Supporting details 1 mark 3 marks (1 ? mark for each relevant supporting detail) CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH (3 MARKS) Summary/Restatement of ideas Comment Restatement of stand 1 mark 1 mark 1 mark xxviii RHETORICAL STRUCTURE (10 MARKS) This refers to the ability of the writer to persuade his or her stand using ideas, connective words and staying within the topic. Marks in this sect ion are awarded for the following: Unity: This refers to the points made.All statements must be related to the point being made. If there are irrelevant statements in the paragraph, then we say that there is no unity in the paragraph. Coherence: Refers to the arrangement or ordering of sentences and paragraphs (time order, order of importance, cause and effect order, etc. ) Transitions: the signal words that are used to show the link between sentences and ideas (firstly, next, moreover, however. ) MARKS IMPRESSION DESCRIPTORS 9-10 Very good Appropriate linking words are used effectively to link the sentences and ideas. There is very strong unity in the paragraphs.Paragraphs have been ordered to a preconceived pattern of organization. 7- 8 Good Appropriate linking words are used less effectively to link the sentences and ideas. There is a strong unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have been ordered to a reasonable preconceived pattern of organization. 5-6 Average Appropriate linking words are used to link the sentences and ideas but sometimes inadequately. There is some unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have been ordered and some parts of the pattern can be discerned. 3-4 Weak Some appropriate linking words are used to link the sentences and ideas but insufficient.There is hardly unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have been ordered but no pattern can be discerned. xxix 0-2 Poor No appropriate linking words are used to link the sentences and ideas. There is no unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have not been ordered. They are just blocks of writing not related to one another. LANGUAGE (20 MARKS) MARKS IMPRESSION DESCRIPTORS 17-20 Very good Language accurate with very few minor errors. Spelling mostly accurate. Uses appropriate and varied vocabulary. Uses variety of sentence structures to express ideas Presents views effectively. 13-16 GoodLanguage used fairly accurate with some minor errors. Spelling to a large extend accurate, although errors are found. Voc abulary used is varied and appropriate although some may not be appropriate. Variety of sentence structures are used although not perfect. Presents view points quite effectively. 10-12 Average Language used may sometimes be inaccurate. Spelling mistakes do occur but do not affect comprehensibility. Uses some appropriate vocabulary but generally lacking in variety. Uses sentence structures that are simple to express ideas. Attempts to presents views satisfactorily. xxx 5-9Weak A lot of grammatical mistakes in the script. Spelling mistakes are very rampant which makes reading difficult. Poor vocabulary. Sentences structures are mainly simple types. Hardly any attempt to present view points. 0-4 Poor Multiple errors found throughout the script. Meaning is not clear. Vocabulary inappropriate. No attempt to present view points. xxxi ORAL PRESENTATION EVALUATION FORM (50 MARKS) ORAL PRESENTATION 15% ORAL PRESENTATION (GROUP: ___________) Debate topic: _____________________________________ _______________ ___________ Affirmative (Speaker A) Negative (Speaker B)Affirmative/ Negative (Speaker C) Name : ________________ Name : ________________ Name : ____________________ Matric No: ______________ Matric No: _______________ Matric No: __________________ SPEAKER A DELIVERY SPEAKER B SPEAKER C 1 2 3 4 5 Eye contact 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Fluency 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Enthusiasm 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Body Language 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Adherence to time limits 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 SPEAKER A 1 2 3 4 CONTENT 5 SPEAKER B Definition/Explanation of SPEAKER C 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Proposition 1 2 3 4 5 Refutation/Rebuttal 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Supporting evidence 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Language 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Organisation 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Speaker A: ________/50 marks Speaker B: ________/50 marks Speaker C: ________/50 marks xxxii MARKING SCHEME FOR EXEMPLIFICATION & COMPARISON AND CONSTRAST ESSAYS (50 MARKS) (FINAL EXAMINA TION 50%) CONTENT: 20 MARKS RHETORICAL STRUCTURE: 10 MARKS LANGUAGE: 20 MARKS CONTENT (20 MARKS) INTRODUCTION (3 MARKS) Introductory statement: 1 mark Background information: 1 mark Thesis statement: 1 mark (must include 3 main points) BODY PARAGRAPHS (15 MARKS)BODY PARAGRAPH 1 (5 marks) Topic Sentence Supporting details 1 mark 4 marks (Award 2 marks for each relevant supporting detail) *0 mark for off-topic supporting detail/topic sentence BODY PARAGRAPH 2 (5 marks) Topic Sentence Supporting details 1 mark 4 marks (Award 2 marks for each relevant supporting detail) *0 mark for off-topic supporting detail/topic sentence BODY PARAGRAPH 3 (5 marks) Topic Sentence Supporting details 1 mark 4 marks (Award 2 marks for each relevant supporting detail) *0 mark for off-topic supporting detail/topic sentence CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH (2 MARKS) Summary/RestatementComment (Concluding technique) 1 mark 1 mark xxxiii RHETORICAL STRUCTURE (10 MARKS) This refers to the ability of the writer to persuade his or her stand using ideas, connective words and staying within the topic. Marks in this section are awarded for the following: Unity: This refers to the points made. All statements must be related to the point being made. If there are irrelevant statements in the paragraph, then we say that there is no unity in the paragraph. Coherence: Refers to the arrangement or ordering of sentences and paragraphs (time order, order of importance, cause and effect order, etc. Transitions: the signal words that are used to show the link between sentences and ideas (firstly, next, moreover, however. ) MARKS IMPRESSION DESCRIPTORS 9-10 Very good Appropriate linking words are used effectively to link the sentences and ideas. There is very strong unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have been ordered to a preconceived pattern of organization. 7- 8 Good Appropriate linking words are used less effecti vely to link the sentences and ideas. There is a strong unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have be en ordered to a reasonable preconceived pattern of organization. 5-6 AverageAppropriate linking words are used to link the sentences and ideas but sometimes inadequately. There is some unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have been ordered and some parts of the pattern can be discerned. 3-4 W eak Some appropriate linking words are used to link the sentences and ideas but insufficient. There is hardly unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have been ordered but no pattern can be discerned. xxxiv 0-2 Poor No appropriate linking words are used to link the sentences and ideas. There is no unity in the paragraphs. Paragraphs have not been ordered. They are just blocks of writing not related to one another.LANGUAGE (20 MARKS) MARKS IMPRESSION DESCRIPTORS 17-20 Very good Language accurate with very few minor errors. Spelling mostly accurate. Uses appropriate and varied vocabulary. Uses variety of sentence structures to express ideas Presents views effectively. 13-16 Good Language used fairly a ccurate with some minor errors. Spelling to a large extend accurate, although errors are found. Vocabulary used is varied and appropriate although some may not be appropriate. Variety of sentence structures are used although not perfect. Presents view points quite effectively. 10-12 Average Language used may sometimes be inaccurate.Spelling mistakes do occur but do not affect comprehensibility. Uses some appropriate vocabulary but generally lacking in variety. Uses sentence structures that are simple to express ideas. Attempts to presents views satisfactorily. xxxv 5-9 W eak A lot of grammatical mistakes in the script. Spelling mistakes are very rampant which makes readin g difficult. Poor vocabulary. Sentences structures are mainly simple types. Hardly any attempt to present view points. 0-4 Poor Multiple errors found throughout the script. Meaning is not clear. Vocabulary inappropriate. No attempt to present view points. xxxvi

Osim swot analysis Essay

Introduction to the segment of holistic lifestyle products and their need in today’s market Short intro to brand osim and its heritage A short study on what has been osim’s market standing in asia (this will help ease the swot analysis in the essay) Introducing what the essay will be about – will & How osim can survive in the market Starting with strength Asia’s no.1 preferred healthy lifestyle brand Since it already has top of the mind recall and customer trust (and loyalty) behind it, it can position itself in America just as it positions itself in the Asian markets. It can position itself as an Asian holistic brand in the American markets. Given its already numero uno status in asia – osim can increase its sales by changing up its method of advertising (tvc, print and more outdoor) and creating more brand awareness. Weakness & opportunity Luxury brand – expensive turn around and introduce a need to make it seem as a medically beneficial product needed by one and all It’s main weakness is that it is priced as a luxury product which ensures that biggest consumer base of middle class looks at it as a luxury rather than a necessity. To take care of this, osim can price itself competitively and concentrate on its product placements (example, residential areas – lobby’s) it can also try the free product use for a limited period, so people can first hand see the benefits of the product. Given its business model (u.s) osim can also innovate its products to suit the needs of the American consumer. Threats Cheap products which make use of the same technology that osim uses Less priced local products Any competitor who will sell the same array of products at a lower price. Long shelf life of its products (no one will buy a massage chair everyday) threatens the business model itself. Introduce the big question, whether or not you think osim will survive? Answer : yes, it will. Why? Because it places innovation and global market domination as one of its mission statements. A breakaway from the traditional advertising will suit its needs. Expansion of the brand will help with its evolution. OSIM – EXPANSION IS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL Technology ushered in the 21st century and with it came countless innovations and products aimed at our well being. With long working hours and even longer waking hours, the health of the average individual has been on a constant decline. This has resulted in a huge market opportunity for many health-based brands, world over, as people today want the comforts of the gym in their homes. And given the lack of products or brands that cover this field extensively has resulted in certain brands having a monopoly over this segment. But as we know, monopoly is no guarantee for a long shelf life in a constantly changing consumer market, so what do these leading brands do in order to survive and extend their brand life is highly imperative. A brand facing these very questions is OSIM – Asia’s leading health and lifestyle product brand. With monopoly over the health-based product markets in China, Osim rapidly captured markets all over major nations in Asia and established itself as a leading brand in the segment of holistic healthcare. Founded in the year 1980 by Ron Sim, it grew rapidly from its humble beginnings as an electric and household appliances company to a hugely successful health and lifestyle brand as we know it today. The brand underwent a lot of changes initially when founder Ron Sim having discovered the enormous untapped potential of health and lifestyle products in the Asian market, decided to abandon the original electrical and household appliance route of Osim and dove headlong into the health and lifestyle market in Asia. Consumers were very accepting of Osim’s product offerings and the stock of Osim rose very rapidly in this initial period. But as every coin has two sides to it, Osim’s business model is in itself a threat to its survival! With health and lifestyle based products having a long shelf life, people are unwilling to buy Osim’s product offerings repeatedly. An apt example of the same would be the signature massage chairs that they are renowned for, while this product is their no. 1 seller, it also has the longest shelf life, making the time period between a repurchase really long. Other similar weaknesses that threaten the brand’s very survival are market saturation. As other local products flood the market using Osim’s innovative technology, consumers are bound to be swayed by the promise of cheap price and good technology. While these problems are unavoidable and run parallel to the brand’s very nature there is a bigger problem that threatens Osim – limited market reach. As mentioned before, Osim leads brand markets all over Asia, especially in China. Enjoying a top of the mind recall value as being â€Å"Asia’s no.1 health and lifestyle brand†, Osim has all but saturated its own expansion opportunities within the Asian Continent. This fact coupled with the long shelf life of its products and a high price bracket make international expansion the only long term and viable solution for Osim to ensure its survival in the long run. Ironically, Osim recognized this very problem and they had also made a move to correct the very problem in 2005 when they acquired American national level specialty retailer Brookstone such brand is OSIM, asia’s leading health and lifestyle brand. Founded in the year 1980 by Ron Sim, it grew rapidly from its humble beginnings as an electric and household appliances company to a hugely successful health and lifestyle brand as we know it today. The brand underwent a lot of changes initially with Founder Ron Sim having discovered the enormous untapped potential of health and lifestyle products in the Asian market saw a huge reversal in Osim’s sales and revenues as people started buying Osim’s unique health based products. Based on this performance and the market’s reaction to his brand, Ron Osim officially launched brand OSIM in the year 1993. Riding high on its initial success, brand Osim opened up 60 new point of sale product distribution outlets within Asia. Further reaching out it opened up stores across Malaysia and Indonesia too. This aggressive expansion strategy combined with its business model saw brand OSIM garner the top spot in the Asian markets within a short period of time.

Should the Supreme Courts power of judicial review be strictly limited by a constitutional amendment essayEssay Writing Service

Should the Supreme Courts power of judicial review be strictly limited by a constitutional amendment essayEssay Writing Service Should the Supreme Courts power of judicial review be strictly limited by a constitutional amendment? essay Should the Supreme Courts power of judicial review be strictly limited by a constitutional amendment? essayHistorically, the Supreme Court personified one of the three branches of power separated by the US Constitution to maintain the democratic order in the country. In such a context, the elimination of the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review would be apparently the excessive measure, while the strict limitation of this power would raise the question whether the Supreme Court can exercise its power granted by Founding Fathers to the full extent.Therefore, the maintenance of the status quo is the only right decision that can be taken at the moment. This decision is necessary because of several reasons. First, the strict limitation of the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review creates conditions when three branches of power may be misbalanced because of the failure of the Supreme Court to exercise its power of judicial review to the full extent. Second, the limita tions imposed on the Court by the Amendment would weaken the judicial power and hypothetically it may put under a threat the US democracy (Dworkin, 2005). Finally, the limitation of the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review will be similar to the attempt of limiting the power of the US Congress of the legislative initiative.On the other hand, it is possible to argue that the limitation is essential to prevent cases of erroneous or biased decisions taken by the Supreme Court (Levin-Waldman, 2012). In addition, prejudiced decision of the Supreme Court, which has unlimited right to judicial review, may lead to the widening disparities between different groups of the US society.The limitation of the Court’s power of judicial review is like the limitation of the Congress’ right to implement certain bills and acts. This is why the implementation of such Amendment to the US Constitution seems to be unreasonable because legislators, who regulate and determine the lim itation of the judicial power, may set unfair limitations that will be favorable for them or their interest group but not for the US society. In other words, such limitation raises the high risk of the creation of even more unfair conditions for the Supreme Court’s functioning and rulings that are now.

Adam Paper 4 Advocate

Adam Paper 4 Advocate Adam Paper 4 Advocate Protect Yourself, Protect Your Rights: Keep a Gun Close By Adam Com 101-201 Persuasive Essay 23 September 2014 Should Americans have the right to own a gun? The second amendment says so! One should be able to practice the second amendment, participate in gun recreation and most importantly protect oneself. America should be able to exercise their constitutional right to own a gun. Laws placing restrictions on firearm ownership and use do not necessarily stop the crime or protect individuals. Turn on the news right now. Americans are inundated with examples every day about innocent citizens that fall victim to a gunshot wound because they were unarmed and not able to defend themselves. Additionally, owning a gun gives Americans the choice to engage in recreational activities such as hunting, target shooting, or gun collecting. Is it fair that a father cannot provide a meal for his family or enjoy a hunting trip with his children? Gun ownership also gives Americans the ability to protect themselves and their precious loved ones from falling victims of heinous crimes. One posse sses a gun for the purpose of self-defense. The right to bear arms is a crucial element of belonging to the United States of America. Putting more guns into the hands of law abiding Americans because the government gives citizens that right, prevents citizens from being victims and gives them the freedom to participate in gun recreational sports or activities of their choice. The United States of America’s second amendment guaranteeing citizen’s rights to legally bear arms, must not be infringed. The second amendment is no different than any of the other protections listed in the bill of rights. Citizens should not need a government issued consent form rather, they should be able to carry a gun as a matter of right. As Thomas Jefferson wrote to his nephew Peter Carr in 1785, â€Å"A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind†¦.† (Ablow). Establishing freedoms was so important to the forefathers, that they were willing to fight and give their lives while preserving those Kanoski 2 constitutional rights. According to Bruce Parker, â€Å"In an apparent violation of the second amendment a growing number of states are on track to end federal gun control once and for all† (Parker). Parker, a graduate of Louisiana State University, has specialized in business and state laws for fifteen years. The state of Kansas felt maintaining the second amendment right to bear arms was so important, that on April 16, 2013, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed SB102 making Kansas the first state to outlaw federal gun control. The bill, titled â€Å"The Second Amendment Protection Act,† declared federal gun regulations â€Å"void and unenforceable in the state,† and it prohibited state and local officials from enforcing any law, order, or treaty of the United States with regard to guns and ammunition† (Parker). Subsequently, states across the country stood by Kanas by advancing their own versions of the Second Amendment Protection Act. According to StandWithKansas, a grassroots website that tracks the push by states to end federal gun control, approximately 30 states introduced versions of the Second Amendment Protection Act in 2013. The model bill listed on the site - which was formulated by the Tenth Amendment Center, a group of lawyers who advocate for protecting all constitutional rights, and subsequently endorsed by Gun Owners of America - prohibits state officials and agencies from enforcing federal gun control regulations (Parker). The 2014 legislative branches of Ohio, Virginia, and Missouri also filed Second Amendment Protection Acts that would ban state implementation of

7 Techniques to Turn Your Business Proposal into a Best Seller

7 Techniques to Turn Your Business Proposal into a Best Seller Summertime is when a lot of people grab a book, plop down in a lawn or beach chair and blissfully enter a vivid world that some novelist created. You may think that the way a novelist weaves the web of story is different from the way you write a business proposal, but maybe you should think again. After all, novelists have to solicit business (convince you to read the whole book), state the problem (present the main story conflict), present a solution (resolve the conflict) and show credibility (create a convincing world). Isn’t that what a proposal does? Here are 7 tips from novelists that will help you write a best-selling proposal: #1: KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS Novelists will often write character studies, making lists of attributes for each main character. They include things like what kind of clothing the character wears, how much they eat, what music they listen to and what they love or hate in their relationships. Most of this detail will not make it into the finished novel, but a deep understanding of each character allows the novelist to write the story in a way that has readers empathizing with these fictional people. So, too, will a successful business proposal show the depth of knowledge you have of the target company, their industry and the challenges they face. Do your homework on the client before sitting down to write the proposal. A good business proposal focuses fully on client needs and wants. It's not about you. #2: REMEMBER WHO THE MAIN CHARACTER IS Have you ever started a novel that focuses on one character, only to find out later that he or she has a bit part in the overall plot? That is a failing on the part of the novelist, who should make it clear right up front who the star of the story is. The equivalent of this mistake is when a proposal starts with an â€Å"About Us† segment that describes your company, the services you offer and the great projects you have completed. Your company is not the main character in this drama- the client is. Your best-selling business proposal focuses on the client, their problem and how you propose to solve it. Your qualifications come later and are supplemental to the main plot of the proposal. #3: HOOK ‘EM FAST â€Å"Start the piece where the trouble starts.† - Adair Lara Novelists are prodded to go straight to the conflict at the heart of the story. This is referred to as In medias res- Latin for â€Å"in the middle of things.† A reader wants to get right to the action with no throat clearing or long set-ups. Your proposal also should waste no time in getting to the action. Capture your reader’s attention by moving quickly to a statement of the client’s problem, and how you propose to solve it. #4: SLOW DOWN AT THE POINT OF GREATEST COMPLEXITY Have you ever read a novel where the author rushed through a scene right at the height of the action? Or worse- did he use the â€Å"old fade to black† routine? What was your reaction? You probably felt cheated and clapped the book shut. The same thing will happen if you use fuzzy language or rush the reader of your business proposal through the â€Å"How We Will Help You Solve Your Problem† section of the document. This is the "action scene" where you slow down and give the reader a lot of detail. Clearly explain exactly how you will help the client. Do not use over worked terms such as value-added, optimize, best practice, or leverage. Avoid industry jargon or acronyms your potential client might not understand. #5: CHOOSE THE RIGHT LANGUAGE â€Å"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. - Mark Twain Language is the tool in a novel that sets scene, portrays emotion, creates mood and brings the story alive in the reader’s mind. Successful proposals contain the right language for the client: specific to their industry, free of jargon, and above all, clear. For help with this step, review our Guide to Clarity in Business Writing. #6: MAKE EVERY WORD MATTER â€Å"Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.† - Elmore Leonard You know you’ve done it- jumped ahead in a novel to get to the good parts, skipping long descriptions, redundant characterizations, etc. Your clients are also good at skimming. They have to be in order to save their time and sanity because so many business documents are long and convoluted. Take a cue from the writers of page-turning novels and make each word of your proposal crucial. Set a quick pace in your narrative, provide headings for ease of reading and leave plenty of white space. #7: FIND A REALLY GOOD EDITOR â€Å"Writing can be like folding a banquet-sized tablecloth; you can do it yourself, but it’s a lot easier when you can find somebody to help.† - Ted Kooser Good novels are the result of collaboration. The successful novelist has received both instruction and critique to hone his writing skills. He also takes advantage of the services of a good editor to make sure the novel is ready for publication. Writing a proposal is often a team effort. Information and data are pulled together from various sources. The proposal goes through several drafts and different people look through the document before it is ready to send off to the client. If you are the sole person writing and reviewing the proposal, be certain to let it sit for 24 hours before you edit it. You're too familiar with the material and format to objectively improve upon it, so let a little time pass so you can view it with fresh eyes. Review ourproposal writing course. This is a practicum course with individual coaching, which guides you through an actual work proposal: Your instructor will review key incremental exercises, guiding you to a perfect final proposal. Learn the planning and writing process required to write a proposal that wins business. Receive coaching on the organization, sequencing, and language of your proposal. And, receive one-on-one live proposal coaching, via WebEx, to ensure all of the proposals you write win business.

Other Organizational Forms for Small Businesses (Busniess Law) Essay

Other Organizational Forms for Small Businesses (Busniess Law) - Essay Example It is the most popular kind of business. The owner of the business enjoys some advantages such as exemption from paying the corporate income tax. Also, he is his own boss, hence, able to keep the business secrets and make take total control of the business.This form of business is cheap and easy to form and dissolve without necessarily going through procedures like the other forms. The fact that the owner keeps all the profit is another highlight and motivation of sole proprietorship. However, this business form has its own shortcomings. For instance the owner is subject to unlimited liability of business debts. There is no separation between the business property and personal property. Therefore, creditors can extend to personal property to pay for their claims. The starting capital for this business can be an obstacle due to lack of source of financing. This can also hinder the expansion of the business due to limited capital. It can also experience management problems especially if the owner is not familiar with such areas. The owner may lose everything in cases where the liabilities are too much to bear. It also lacks continuity because its existence entirely depends on the existence of the owner. In a partnership, two or more people come together and form a business with a view of making profit. Each member is called a partner the members are collectively known as partnership firm. It consists of 2 to 20 people. The members require a partnership deed or agreement which is a document containing all the written agreements. Such agreements include names of the partners, how profit and losses will be shared, banking accounts, date of commencement, rights and duties of the members etc. Advantages of this form of business include the sharing of losses. There is also more available capital to start and expand the business. Responsibilities are shared hence it is not a burden to one person like in

Significance of the Dog in J.M. Coetzee's disgrace Essay

Significance of the Dog in J.M. Coetzee's disgrace - Essay Example This is Coetzee’s first book that deals explicitly with South Africa’s post apartheid scenario, that paints a cheerless picture and comforts no one, no matter to which race or nationality they belong. Coetzee’s primary theme in ‘Disgrace’ revolves around a man who is broken down and reduced to almost nothing, but finally searches and finds a small speck of redemption by way of his acceptance of the realities of life and death. The protagonist in the story is Professor David Lurie and Coetzee’s notion of life with its harsh realities and brutal tyranny being replaced by brutal anarchy are reflected through his protagonist David in South Africa, a place filled with social and political conflicts. Coetzee’s scintillating novel makes use of a metaphorical device such as the use of different animals and in particular dogs to bring out the developments of his characters. Dogs play a stylistic role in this novel as it is portrayed as being a m eans of protection for the Whites. During his childhood, Coetzee’s mother created a great impact on him where dogs were concerned. It is her influence which was a major contributing factor for Coetzee to use dogs as the defining factor in his novel ‘Disgrace’. His mother often reflected on her past life which included the â€Å"walks with the dogs†. ... David is a divorced, middle-aged scholar of Romantic poetry, who during the Mandela Era, became a victim of "the great rationalization". His university was replaced by a Technical University at Cape Town where he teaches lessons in â€Å"Communicative skills† that he finds rather useless and nonsensical. The dignity he has there, is short lived as he is caught having a relationship with one of his poetry students and is dismissed from the university. Coetzee describes him as â€Å"a mad old man sitting among the dogs singing to himself†; a man who invests his last savings into a pickup truck to pursue his work as a dog-undertaker. David further sinks in disgrace when he patronizes a prostitute and buys her gifts, but in the course of this relationship he becomes such a nonentity that she refuses to see him. He imagines her and her friends shuddering when they see him just as  "as one shudders at a cockroach in a washbasin in the middle of the night". David contemplate s asking his doctor to castrate him in the way one neuters a domestic animal. In Coetzee’s story this is the first reference made between human and animal existence. One of Coetzee’s striking techniques is to explore what it is to be human, which is deftly brought out through his characters by placing them in extreme and compelling situations. The protagonist David has to experience and endure physical torment and psychological abasement. He falls deep into disgrace and flees Cape Town to his daughter Lucy’s remote farm. Lucy hears his story and very matter- of- factly tells him, "This is the only life there is. Which we share with animals." This is another one of the comparisons made in this story between humans and

Internal & external analyses of Lion Nathan Essay

Internal & external analyses of Lion Nathan - Essay Example This paper attempts to analyze the sustainable competitive advantage of Lion Nathan using SWOT (Strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats) analysis, in which potential improvements may be seen in the identified weaknesses and threats, without overlooking its good points posed as strengths. Lion Nathan can be acknowledged for its strengths in terms of identifying its core purpose in the business, alongside its vision of making itself Australia’s and New Zealand’s leading alcoholic beverage company. This is undertaken with a stronghold on the company’s identity in the wine industry while making known its values of integrity, passion, acing together, and being sociable. These values, particularly the last one, are usually not found in other beverage companies, making Lion Nathan surge up to its sustainability purposes. It may also be emphasized that beverage companies are not that easy to build positive values and carry them out to the wider public due to the very nature of the business, but Lion Nathan is able to identify values that may be appropriately attached to the product. This is suggestive of leading and living clear values alongside demonstrating constructive behaviors with an intent to better engage its stakeholders in the business, a stra tegic task that is proved both effective and workable. This is how the company provides sustainable competitive advantage. The company’s aim of acting with integrity and doing the right thing for the long-term health of its business and the communities in which it operates is indicative of a long-term perspective. These are the strengths of Lion Nathan in terms of sustainable competitive advantage. The company’s involvement is sustained investment in community partnerships, responsible marketing initiatives, education and research initiatives, and reducing its

Analysis of Group Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Group Processes - Essay Example Group Overview This group has been formed for the purposes of attaining a particular objective. The primary directive of the group is to provide Death Star Hospital (DSH) with clear directions on how to achieve a better healthcare service delivery in Death Star Hospital. The group is made up of seven people, all from different hospital departments. Each member has their own responsibilities, and in working together the group is able to meet its targets and obligations (Hogg and Tindale, 2001). The group is tasked with formulating a way through which DSH will increase efficiency in all its departments to ensure a better quality service is delivered to patients. Members of the Group 1. Yoda: Team Manager Yoda is the most learnt member of the group; he is a hospital administrator. His creativity, positive thinking, passion and dedication make him the right man to be at the helm of the group. He easily interacts with people and has a witty sense of humour. We nicknamed him Yoda because o f how he is able to perceive what one wants to say when having difficulty in explaining oneself. Despite being a highly ranked member of the hospital management, he prefers working in the ‘trenches’ with the rest of staff, as he loves his work. 2. Leila: HR Manager When she arrived in Death Star Hospital three years ago, the human resource department was on the verge of being scrapped from the company due to its unproductiveness. Leila single-handedly brought the department back to life, and it is one of the most efficient and productive departments within the hospital. No challenge is too big for this young lady; she is extremely proactive when it comes to finding solutions in case any problem arises. However, her strict attitudes make her come across as aggressive in situations that involve confrontation, and she can be extremely intimidating. 3. C-3PO: Health Science Librarian C-3PO is the Health Science Librarian at DSH and she is held in high regard among her peers in the industry. C-3PO believes in self-drive and is not patient with people who delay her progress. She has excellent people skills. 4. Luke: Chief Resident His high level of expertise makes him a highly experienced doctor within DSH. He is a conservative person and does not talk much during work hours. He does not take personal or professional attacks lightly, and he tends to be very defensive if his department comes under fire. He has gotten himself into trouble with the hospital administrator for putting the needs of his department in front of the hospital’s needs. 5. Darth Vader: Financial Manager His impeccable cost cutting mechanisms are unmatched within the hospital. Darth Vader had climbed the corporate ladder to the manager position within the first four years of joining Death Star Hospital. Sometimes he gets too personal when hospital departments abuse their budget allocations. He is a good team player and a good listener when people give him suggestions and ideas . 6. Landor: System Analyst Landor has been with DSH for around six years now; he is currently the head of the hospital’s IT department. He was instrumental when DSH was switching from a manual system to a computerised one three years ago. He is a good communicator and is able to determine user requirements without fail, and he delivers each and every time even when given short deadlines. 7. R2-D2: Chief Nurse R2-D2 is the head of the nursing department of DSH. Even though she is young, she maintains a high

International Sustainmable Tourism Management Essay

International Sustainmable Tourism Management - Essay Example However, this is not as easy as it sounds when the community is the one to develop tourism and not definite authoritative bodies. Community capital and other relevant resources are the ones that are used thereby bringing many people on board with and without necessary skills. This complicates decision making and entire management of the system. For this endeavour to succeed there is need to have good community organisation and institutional development. Success results into the form of tourism termed as Community Based Tourism (CBT). This paper will highlight various aspects of CBT while trying to evaluate its effectiveness. CBT has been attaining prominence as a formal mode of tourism as time goes by in many nations since its humble beginnings more than four decades ago. Communities back in the villages have been as a result heavily involved in related activities. Tourism in this case has benefited a great deal from this arrangement while the same applies to the communities involved . This has therefore bred mutual dependence where local people have benefited from income generated and tourism from ample knowledge of various attractions (Wangyel 2006). Local people are obligated to provide hospitality and the required cultural interaction to the tourists. Tour operators on the other hand are able to ask for a higher price for the personalised and original service. The local population in this respect is supposed to undergo some training so as to gain knowledge and skills vital in tourism management. Tour companies and authorities are required to offer guidance and marketing strategies necessary to maintain tourism activities. The beauty of this form of relationship between the locals and the tour operators and authorities is that no party has absolute skills or knowledge on tourism. Instead each party has its strengths and capacity to do tourism but it is their collaboration that ensures successful partnership and tourism. Tour companies have the knowledge of ho w to source for tourists while the community has adequate knowledge of tourist attractions. This is a good platform to enhance some level of public-private partnership (PPP). PPP and CBT work towards enhancing community’s welfare by having access to global market while minimising the negative impacts that tourism brings to the society and the environment (Mowforth and Munt 2009). The two also ensure that the community owns tourism processes while people get jobs and management skills. The link between the public and private firms results in either side showcasing its strengths for the benefit of all. It is important to note here that CBT encompasses environmental conservation, social integration and cultural sustainability while increasing the awareness of tourists in regards to the community’s lifestyle. Principles and elements of CBT Before a CBT project is initiated there are a number of issues that have to be looked into for the project not to fail after taking off ; Natural resources The community needs to have a habit of utilising their natural resources in a sustainable manner. Some level of conservation should be evident in the community so as to ensure that tourist attractions remain as they are, if not better. The other element is that the culture of the community has to be unique (McCool and Moisey 2001). Uniqueness here connotes that the local people’

Business Strategic report of Peets Coffee and Tea Research Paper

Business Strategic report of Peets Coffee and Tea - Research Paper Example Peet’s coffee competes with smaller coffeehouses such as Tully’s and Caribou Coffee. For it to gain an upper hand, Peet’s coffee should differentiate its products from those of its competitors. It can achieve this by selling itself to the consumers as a memorable experience. Moreover, it should focus its coffee business to a single distribution channel, for instance, the grocery. As a result, this would enhance the company brand awareness in those areas. The current recession in the US economy could severely affect Peet business since sales revenue based on luxurious coffee brand depends entirely on consumer confidence.Peet coffee focuses on the production of high-quality coffee products. It is known for its introduction of dark roasted Arabica coffee in the US market. The company has one of the finest group of roasters who are considered to have great mastery in their craft after undergoing three of training. Peet runs its roasting activities in a recently opene d facility in California. The facility was developed in a design that conserved energy and had minimal environmental impact.The company has managed to attract and maintain a large group of loyal consumers who call themselves the â€Å"Peetnicks† although the term as evolved to include consumers that adore quality coffee and tea. Peet coffee has a wide variety of signature blends such as French Roast, Espresso Forte, Fair Trade Blend, and Arabian Mocha-Java. Its stores located in most parts of the country offer 2-hour free wireless internet for its customers.

International Sustainmable Tourism Management Essay

International Sustainmable Tourism Management - Essay Example However, this is not as easy as it sounds when the community is the one to develop tourism and not definite authoritative bodies. Community capital and other relevant resources are the ones that are used thereby bringing many people on board with and without necessary skills. This complicates decision making and entire management of the system. For this endeavour to succeed there is need to have good community organisation and institutional development. Success results into the form of tourism termed as Community Based Tourism (CBT). This paper will highlight various aspects of CBT while trying to evaluate its effectiveness. CBT has been attaining prominence as a formal mode of tourism as time goes by in many nations since its humble beginnings more than four decades ago. Communities back in the villages have been as a result heavily involved in related activities. Tourism in this case has benefited a great deal from this arrangement while the same applies to the communities involved . This has therefore bred mutual dependence where local people have benefited from income generated and tourism from ample knowledge of various attractions (Wangyel 2006). Local people are obligated to provide hospitality and the required cultural interaction to the tourists. Tour operators on the other hand are able to ask for a higher price for the personalised and original service. The local population in this respect is supposed to undergo some training so as to gain knowledge and skills vital in tourism management. Tour companies and authorities are required to offer guidance and marketing strategies necessary to maintain tourism activities. The beauty of this form of relationship between the locals and the tour operators and authorities is that no party has absolute skills or knowledge on tourism. Instead each party has its strengths and capacity to do tourism but it is their collaboration that ensures successful partnership and tourism. Tour companies have the knowledge of ho w to source for tourists while the community has adequate knowledge of tourist attractions. This is a good platform to enhance some level of public-private partnership (PPP). PPP and CBT work towards enhancing community’s welfare by having access to global market while minimising the negative impacts that tourism brings to the society and the environment (Mowforth and Munt 2009). The two also ensure that the community owns tourism processes while people get jobs and management skills. The link between the public and private firms results in either side showcasing its strengths for the benefit of all. It is important to note here that CBT encompasses environmental conservation, social integration and cultural sustainability while increasing the awareness of tourists in regards to the community’s lifestyle. Principles and elements of CBT Before a CBT project is initiated there are a number of issues that have to be looked into for the project not to fail after taking off ; Natural resources The community needs to have a habit of utilising their natural resources in a sustainable manner. Some level of conservation should be evident in the community so as to ensure that tourist attractions remain as they are, if not better. The other element is that the culture of the community has to be unique (McCool and Moisey 2001). Uniqueness here connotes that the local people’

Alexander the Great from Macedonia Essay Example for Free

Alexander the Great from Macedonia Essay The cuisine of th Middle East has the same similarities as that of the Greeks for many reasons. According to history, Alexander the Great from Macedonia which is also known as Greece of todays world came to the Middle East in the 300 BC. This brought about many Greco influences into the lives of the Middle East people. Moreover, during the Roman Empire, the Greeks brought sweets and fruits to th region. As a matter of fact, there has been a continued trade of spices between the two regions that it has become a the spice center of the world. At the same time, the religion of the Middle east has a dominant role to play in their food traditions. Christianity in particular came from the Greek tradition. In Israel, the cuisine is considered to be international because of the diverse immigrants in the country. These immigrants range from countries like Greece to Turkey to Spain and to North Africa which influenced the way Israelites cook and prepare their food. At the same time, the North African cuisine such as that of Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia share similarities with most the Arabic tradition because of the Islamic conquest that happened in the 7th century. Most of their cuisines are influenced by the Arabs and the aboriginal peoples of the the region which are called Berbers. In addition, Egypt has large influence geographically. It is situated in North Africa which carries with it an Arabic tradition and culture. North Africa has always been considered Middle Eastern and Mediterranean in nature because of its geographical location. 4. Four of the most famous food in West Africa are Yassa, Sauce Canny, Diebou Dien, and Yam. The Yassa is made out of chicken or lamb with a citrus or a lime in it as a flavoring. It could also be made with fish or vegetables. The saucy Canny is made out of onions, garlics, and shallots which is mainly used as an accompaniment to may of West Africas dishes. The Deibou Dien is composed of fresh and dried fish with onions and tomatoes. It also has as many vegetables as possible such as an eggplant, a manioc, turnips, white radish, cabbage, and carrots. In East Africa, the common foods are Niker Kebboh and Alecha. Niter Kebboh is made up of butter with spices like ginger, garlic, and cinnamon. Alecha on one hand is a stew made of chicken or beef or other kinds of meat. It is accompanied with bread. It is usually dipped into the spicy dishes and once its already soaked up the it is lifted into the mouth. 5.

Introduction to Chemical Kinetics

Introduction to Chemical Kinetics Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Chemical kinetics Chemical kinetics is the branch of chemistry that deals with the rates or velocity, at which a chemical reaction occurs and also the factors affecting the rates. The word â€Å"kinetic† means the movement or change; here it refers to the velocity of a reaction, which is the change in the concentration of a reactant or a product with time. Kinetic investigation of a reaction is usually carried out with two main objectives in mind. Analysis of the sequence of elementary reactions leading to the overall reaction. i.e. To arrive at the plausible reaction mechanism. Determination of absolute rate of the reaction. There are several reasons for studying the kinetics of a reaction. At the outset, there is an essential curiosity about â€Å"why some reactions are fast and some are slow?† Some phenomena, like photosynthesis, hydrocarbon combustion and nuclear reactions, take place on a time scale as short as pico seconds to micro seconds. Other processes like the setting and hardening of cement and the transformation of graphite to diamond, take longer period of time to complete. Practically, a good understanding of reaction rates is useful, in waste water treatment, in pollution control, in drug design and in food processing. Chemists working in industry give more importance to speed up the rate of a reaction and also to increase the productivity. Chemical kinetics is a tool to understand fundamental aspects of reaction pathways, a subject that continues evolution with ongoing research. The knowledge rate of reaction has many practical applications. The kinetic study provides the valuable information about the rate and mechanism of chemical reaction, which helps out in running a chemical reaction successfully by selecting optimum reaction conditions. Generally, reactions are represented by following equation Reactants →Products This equation indicates that as the reaction proceeds, reactants are consumed and products are formed. Consequently, the progress of the reaction can be followed by monitoring the change in the concentration of reactants (decrease) or products (increase). The kinetic investigation also helps us to study the factors which have an effect on the rate of reaction like temperature, pressure, substrate concentration, oxidant concentration, dielectric constant, ionic strength and catalyst concentration. For example, kinetic study helps in optimizing reaction conditions for industrial processes, in understanding the complex dynamics of the environmental problems, in understanding the very complicated bio-chemical reactions that are the basis of life. Generally, reactions involving organic reactants have several plausible pathways. Kinetic analysis of atmospheric reactions helps us to understand chemical transformations of pollutants released in the atmosphere. At a more fundamental level, we want to understand what happens to the molecules in a chemical reaction. By understanding this concept we can develop the theories, which can be used to predict the outcome and rate of reactions. We presume that in order to react, the colliding molecules must possess a total kinetic energy equal to or greater than the activation energy (Ea). The activation energy is the minimum energy required to start a chemical reaction. When molecules collide, they form an activated complex (also called the transition state or quasi equilibrium state), formed as a result of the collision of reactant molecules before they form the product. A +B → AB†¡ → C + D Where AB†¡ denotes an activated complex formed by the collision between A and B. If the products are more stable than the reactants, then the reaction occurs with a release of heat; i.e., the reaction is exothermic. Conversely, if the products are less stable than the reactants, then the reaction occurs with the absorption of heat from the surroundings; i.e., the reaction is endothermic. The plots of potential energy of the reacting system versus the progress of the reaction qualitatively show the potential energy changes as reactants are converted in to products. The Arrhenius Equation The Arrhenius equation explains dependence of the rate constant of a reaction on temperature: k = Ae-Ea/RT (1) Where, Ea →activation energy of the reaction (in kJ/mol), R→ Universal gas constant (8.314 J/K/ mol), T → absolute temperature A → frequency factor which represents frequency of collision. It can be treated as a constant for a given reacting system over a reasonably wide temperature range. Equation (1) shows that the rate constant is directly proportional to frequency factor (A) and, therefore, to the collision frequency. Further, due to the negative sign on exponent Ea/RT, the rate constant decreases with increasing activation energy and increases with increasing temperature. This equation can be simplified by taking the natural logarithm on both sides, ln k = ln AeEa/RT (2) (3) Rearrangement of equation (3) leads to the following linear equation, (4) Therefore, a plot of ln k versus 1/T gives a straight line with a slope m and intercept c. The slope m is equal to Ea/RT and the intercept c is equal to ln A. One of the important uses of chemical kinetics is to provide the information which is required to propose the plausible mechanism of a reaction. The order of a reaction can be used to interpret the reaction on molecular level. The reaction mechanism is predicted in the way in which molecular bonds break and atoms rearrange during the reaction by considering the order of a reaction with respect to different reactive species. Almost all the information regarding reaction mechanism comes by implication of indirect evidence. It is the responsibility of chemists to plan the proper experimental method to generate most conclusive truths or evidences for the reaction. The main steps in any kinetic study are; (1) measurement of rate constant and reaction order (2) establishment of relationships between the rate and reaction mixture composition (3) identification of intermediates and products and (4) interpretation of the collected data to arrive at plausible reaction mechanism. If Chemistry is producing new substances out of old substances (i.e., chemical reactions), then there are two basic questions that must be answered: Is the reaction feasible? This is the subject of chemical thermodynamics. If the reaction is feasible then how fast? This is the subject of chemical kinetics. Kinetic studies constitute an important source of mechanistic information on the reaction, this is well demonstrated with respect to unsaturated acids in both aqueous [[1][2]] and non-aqueous media [[3]]. 1.1.1 The main importance of kinetic investigations are Product and intermediate identification. Determination of concentration of all reactant species present in the reaction. Deciding the method may be used to determine the rate. The kinetic analysis. Determination of the mechanism. 1.1.2 Applications of kinetics The chemist uses kinetics to plan new and better ways of achieving desired chemical reactions. This may involve in increasing the yield of desired products or discovering a better catalyst. The mathematical models, which are used by chemists and chemical engineer to predict chemical kinetics, provide information to understand and describe chemical processes such as ozone depletion, waste water treatment, decaying of food and vegetables, microorganism growth, and the chemistry of biological systems. The mathematical models can also be applied in the design and fabrication of chemical reactors for optimization to get good yield, better separation of products, and to eliminate environmentally hazardous by-products. Kinetics has an ample of applications in the field of medicine. Chemical kinetics plays an important role in the administration of drugs, in addition to respiration and metabolism mechanisms. For example, the mechanisms for the controlled/sustained release of drugs are based on the half-life period of the substances used and sometimes the pH of the body as well. Half life period and pH have an effect on the way in which dosages are determined and prescribed. The reaction rates and the conditions in which the reactions occur are vital for determining certain aspects of environmental protection. For example, the depletion of ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is best understood through an analysis of catalyzed chemical reactions. 1.1.3 Kinetic Methods in chemical analysis For catalyzed reactions the rate of reaction depends on the catalyst concentrations and hence, a kinetic–catalytic method of analysis of the catalytic species becomes available. Thus, a method of analysis can be developed down to the ppm level in several cases [[4]-,[5][6]]. The development of kinetic methods is an inseparable part of modern analytical chemistry. Great demands are placed on the precision, sensitivity, rapidity and possible automation of analytical methods. This necessitates progress in the physico-chemical methods, employing the most varied chemical, physico-chemical and physical properties of substances for their analysis. As reactions from the basis of most analytical methods, it is unimaginable that the dynamic character of chemical reactions would remain unused for analytical purposes. As has been shown recently, kinetic methods often provide the solution to the analytical problems more effectively than is possible using equilibrium methods [[7]]. Certainly, the most widespread use of kinetic methods is in biochemical and clinical laboratories, where analysis is based on kinetics than on thermodynamics. 1.2 Electron transfer reactions Electron transfer reactions play a key role in physico-chemical and biological processes. Because of the ubiquity of electron transfer processes, the study of electron transfer reactions, perhaps more so than that of any other area of chemistry is characterized by a strong interplay of theory and experiment [[8]]. The significance of electron transfer reaction in transition metal chemistry and in physical-organic chemistry is well documented [[9][10]]. Prof. R. A. Marcus received Nobel Prize in the year 1992 for the discovery of â€Å"Electron Transfer Reactions† and Prof. Ahmed Zewail received Nobel Prize in the year 1999 for the discovery of â€Å"Femtochemistry† and 2001 Nobel prize to Prof. William Knowles, Prof. K. Barry Sharpless and Prof. Royji Noyori for their work on â€Å"Chirally Catalyzed Hydrogenation Reactions† and Nobel Prize for the year 2005 to Prof. Robert Grubbs, Richard Schrock, and Yves Chauvin on their contribution to â€Å"Metathesis Catalyst Technology† put emphasis on the importance of reaction kinetics. The research work of Henry Taube [[11]] in redox systems explicitely demonstrated the transport of electron from reductant species to oxidant species. This discovery indeed added many essential features in the syntheses of metal complexes and organo-metallic compounds. An oxidation reaction is always accompanied by a reduction reaction, such reactions are called redox reactions [[12]]. Therefore, redox reaction needs at least two reactants, one capable of gaining electrons (oxidant) and the other capable of losing electrons (reductant), i.e., a reductant by losing electrons, gets oxidized and an oxidant by gaining the electrons gets reduced. Redox reactions are the basis for various biochemical transformations and chemistry of cells, biosynthesis, and regulation [[13]]. Electron transfer reactions may take place through outer or inner sphere mechanisms. References [1]. R. Stewart, Oxidation in Organic Chemistry, in K.B. Wiberg (Ed.), Part A., Academic Press, New York, 1965. [2]. D. G. Lee, E. J. Lee and K. C. Brown, Phase Transfer Catalysis, New Chemistry, Catalysts and Applications, ACS Symposium Series No. 326, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 1987. [3].J. F. Perez-Benito and D. G. Lee, Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of unsaturated carboxylic acids by methyl tributyl ammonium permanganate in methylene chloride solutions, J. Org. Chem., Vol. 52, 1987, pp.3239-3243. [4] . S. M. Tuwar, S. T. Nandibewoor and J. R. Raju, Analysis of Palladium (II) by a kinetic method and Mercury (I) by volumetry. Indian J. Chem., Vol.29A, 1990, pp. 825-826. [5].S.T.Nandibewoor and V. A. Morab, Chromium(iii)-catalyzed oxidation of antimony(iii) by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(iii) and analysis of chromium(iii) in microamounts by a kinetic method,J. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans., 1995, pp.483-488. [6]. P. L. Timmanagoudar, G. A. Hiremath and S. T. Nandibewoor, Osmium(viii) catalyzed oxidation of antimony(iii) by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(iii) and analysis of osmium(viii) in micro amount by a kinetic method, Indian J. Chem.,Vol. 35A, 1996,pp.1084-1090. [7]. G. Svehla, â€Å"Kinetic Methods in Chemical Analysis Application of Computers in Analytical Chemistry†, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, New York, Vol. 18, 1983, pp. 19. [8] . J. J. Zuckerman, â€Å"Inorganic Reactions and Methods†, VCH Publishers, Florida, Vol. 15, 1986, pp.1-22. [9] . Sir. G. Wilkinson, â€Å"Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry†, Pergamon Press, Vol. 1, 1987, pp.327-332. [10] . R. A. Sheldon and J. K. Kochi, â€Å"Metal Catalyzed Oxidation of Organic Compounds†, Academic Press, New York, 1981, pp. 387-407. [11]. H. Taube, Electron Transfer Reactions of Metal Complexes in Solution†, Academic Press, New York, 1967. [12] . H. J. Price and H. Taube, Reduction of ÃŽ ±-carbonylcarboxylic acid complexes of pentaamminecobalt (III) by chromous, vanadous, and hexaammineruthenium(II) ions, Inorg. Chem., Vol. 7 (1), 1968, pp. 1–9. [13]. J. H. Espenson, Inner-Sphere Reduction of an Azidocobalt(III) Complex by Vanadium(II). Kinetics of Formation and Decomposition of the Metastable Monoazidovanadium (III) Ion, J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol.89 (5), 1967,pp. 1276–1278.

Stereotype of Politicians Breaking Promises Essay -- Politics Politica

The Promise Trap 28 September 1999 A common complaint about politicians--so common it's a stereotype--is that they break their promises. Audiences hear one thing, the politician seems to do another, and then the complaining begins. This scenario could be the result of miscommunication on the part of the politician or misinterpretation on the part of the audience. But the reality is more complex. Politicians do make promises, although they rarely use the word as the verb and themselves as the subject of the sentence. And audiences do hear promises being made and have a right to expect action if the concept of a promise still creates a bond, or a contract, between the one who promises and the one promised. Listen carefully, and you will hear the politicians running for the various presidential nominations making promises. Often, they will sound/read something like this promise from a recent speech by Steve Forbes: "Under my plan, that money is your money. If you die prematurely, you can leave it to your spouse, to your children, to your grandchildren - tax-free and untouched by the politicians. That's the moral thing to do, and that's the promise of a Forbes Administration." Here Forbes is talking about a plan to create more wealth for retirement. As the quote clearly states, this money would pass from generation to generation tax free. The pronoun "that" at the beginning of the first independent clause of the third sentence refers to the situation of the money passing on tax free--so this passing is the "moral" thing to do. The second "that" in the second independent clause is a tricky because it could refer to the same situation as the first clause, or it could refer a general moral situation that Forbes hopes t... ...ow going in that, in most cases, they cannot deliver specific promises. Yet they promise anyway in roundabout ways meant to create the contract in the minds of the audience while leaving an out when the "unhappy" outcome happens. Austin is clear about what he thinks of situations such as these. As he says: "'I promise' entails 'I ought'...to say 'I promise' but not to perform the act is parallel to saying both 'it is' and 'it is not.' Just as the purpose of assertion is defeated by an internal contradiction, the purpose of a contract is defeated if we say 'I promise and I ought not'" (51). Black is white. Night is day. Welcome to doublespeak. Works Cited Austin, J. L. How to Do Things With Words. Urmson, J. O. and Marina Sbisa, eds. Harvard UP, Cambridge, MA: 1975. DiClerico, Robert E. The American President. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: 1995.

The Scarlet Letter Essay examples -- essays research papers

Hester Prynne: The Ultimate Feminist Heroine   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s American classic The Scarlet Letter the main character Hester Prynne is portrayed as the preeminent feminist heroine through the portraiture of her crime and punishment. In this novel, a Puritanical society in New England condemns Hester Prynne to wear a highly embossed depiction of the letter â€Å"A† on her breast as punishment for an act of adultery. How Hester handles the consequences of her castigation is what brings about the heroic feministic qualities of the main character. Three aspects that corroborate Hester Prynne’s qualities are: 1. Admitting her sin openly to fellow man and God, 2. Putting up with the taunting and social exile of her punishment, and 3. Aspiring above her torment to give love to her daughter Pearl and Pearl’s father, Reverend Dimmesdale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hester Prynne openly admits her sin to fellow man and God. From the first few pages of the book, we are confronted with the fact that Hester has mothered a child without being legally betrothed in marriage. When the townspeople notice that Hester has broken one of God’s laws, she is forced to stand in the middle of the town square upon a scaffold for a period of three hours, all for the purpose of public humiliation. Since adultery is one of the highest crimes that a mortal can commit in a Puritanical society, a tribunal quickly forms to decide that fate of the young malefactor. All the while, it could have been possible for Hester to abandon the baby to save herself from public torment and possibly the penalty of death. Nonetheless, Hester faces up to the reality of her acts and takes direct responsibility for them. To go even further, she does not even reveal the father of her illegitimate child for fear that he may suffer a fate worse than her own, which would most certainly be death. At the end of the period of time that she had to serve upon the scaffold, a crowd decides her punishment which was to wear the depiction of â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† on her breast.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hester Prynne must put up with the taunting and social exile of her punishment from the second after she was condemned. The townspeople would consider her as an untouchable heathen who only only aired negative, evil energy. Children would be afraid of both Hester and Pearl as they c... ... At the beginning of the novel when Hester is standing on the scaffolding, she does not reveal the secret that Dimmesdale desperately wants her to keep; the secret of his wrongful fathering of Pearl. Hester puts herself through much more stress than she needs to by not revealing this secret over a seven long years, but her love for Dimmesdale is the only strong evidence that keeps her from revealing it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It has been thoroughly justified that in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is portrayed as the ultimate feminist heroine through the delineation of her crime and punishment. How Hester handles the consequences of her chastisement is what brings about the heroic feministic qualities of Hester as the main character. The viewpoints that corroborate Hester Prynne’s qualities are: 1. Admitting her sin openly to fellow man and God, 2. Putting up with the taunting and extreme social exile of her punishment, and 3. Aspiring above her torment to give love, care and support to her daughter Pearl and Pearl’s illegitimate father, Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester Prynne is the absolute epitome of a feminist heroine in all of American literature.

Project Report on Performance Appraisal Essay

It is not constituted by individual sounds but by their accurately measure the performance of its members and use it objectively to optimize them as vital resources. The performance of an employee is his resultant behavior on task which can be bserved and evaluated. It refers to the contribution made by an individual in the accomplishment of organizational objectives. Performance can be measured by combining quantity, quality, time and cost. People do not learn unless they are given feedback on the results of their actions. For learning to take place, feedback should be provided regularly and it should register both successes and failures. It should also follow soon after the relevant action or actions. Performance appraisal system provides management an opportunity to recall as well as give feedback to people. This feedback is pertaining the performance of the worker. This helps them to correct their mistakes and acquire new skills. Performance appraisal (PA) refers to all those procedures that are used to evaluate the personality, the performance and the potential of its group members. Evaluation is different from Judgment. The former is concerned with performance and the latter is concerned with the individual. While evaluation deals with achievement of goals, a Judgment has an undercurrent of personal attack and is likely to evoke resistance. Performance appraisal could be informal or formal. Informal performance appraisal is a continuous process of feeding back information o the subordinates about how well they are doing their work in the organization. The informal appraisal is conducted on a day-today basis. For example, the manager spontaneously mentions that a particular piece of work was well performed or poorly performed. It is due to the close connection between the behavior and the feedback on it, the informal appraisal quickly encourages desirable performance and discourages undesirable performance before it becomes permanently ingrained. Therefore, informal appraisal should not be perceived merely as a casual occurrence but as an important activity and an integral part of the organization’s culture. The formal performance appraisal occurs usually annually on formal basis and involves appraise and appraiser in finding answers to the following questions: 1 . What performance level has to be achieved during the period? 2. Has it been achieved? 3. What has been the shortfall and constraints? 4. What are we going to do now? 5. How will we know that we have done it? 6. What kind of feedback can be expected? 7. What assistance can be expected to improve performance? 8. What rewards and opportunities are likely to follow from the performance appraisal? When the employees have this type of information, they are aware of the following pecifications:- 2. What assistance is available? 3. What can they expect when the required level of performance is achieved? This increases employee acceptance of the appraisal process and results in the trust that the employee has in the organization. An environment that affords an opportunity for further growth while minimizing stressful situations certainly enhances appraisal acceptance. Establishing this type of environment goes far beyond the performance appraisal process. Every aspect of managing people and their work relates to the improvement of their quality of work life. Performance appraisal is an integral part of trusting, healthy and happy work environment that goes a long way in promoting the same. Performance appraisal has been used for the following three purposes: Remedial Maintenance Development A performance appraisal needs to cover all these three purposes with the same focus. If any purpose predominates, the system becomes out of balance. For instance, if remedial purpose is foremost, then the performance appraisal may become a disciplinary tool, a form of a charge sheet and a tool of power instead of instrument of evaluation.

Database Implementation Plan for Riordan Manufacturing

Database Implementation Plan for Riordan Manufacturing Riordan Manufacturing has asked our firm, LTB and Associates, to develop a web-based plan to be used as a Business-to-Business web site in order to purchase materials from their vendors. We have examined Riordan’s products and business systems, interviewed Riordan’s employees, and have determined the best course of action to implement the plan. Riordan Manufacturing is a plastics manufacturer based in several locations across the world. With three plants based in the continental US, which are located in Albany, Georgia; Pontiac Michigan; and in San Jose, California, which is the company headquarters. A fourth plant is located in Hangzhou, China will not be part of the plan as they purchase materials locally. This where we explain how the database will be set up. Refer to the ERD, Sequence diagram, Use Case diagram, and Class Diagram that follow [pic] [pic] The following paragraphs will describe the considerations that Riordan Manufacturing will need to make in implementing the database plan.Database Management System and Data Where ever it is possible to for our firm to do so, LTB and Associates will make a recommendation on the choice to make. In order to implement the database properly, these recommendations should be implemented in order to offer the tightest amount of security that will be possible. Type of Online Processing Riordan Manufacturing will need to decide between real-time asynchronous processing and batch processing. Real-time asynchronous processing is applicable when the processing must be performed immediately or when the results must eventually be communicated back to an on-line user. One of the problems with real-time processing is that real-time timers and events are required; they are expensive as the computer resources that are used to raise, maintain and check events. Another problem with timer or even processes is that they create locking problems as they may contend with on-line processes for resources and for access the same data. Batch solutions are ideal for processing that is not real-time event based. Batch processes are data-centric and can efficiently process large volumes of data off-line without affecting the company’s on-line system. Batch processing will allow business function to execute on a periodic or recurring basis; or it can operate over data that matches a given criteria. After studying Riordan Manufacturing’s Inventory and Supply Chain processes, the recommendation is for the company to go with batch processing for replenishment of raw materials for the operations. With daily reporting of the materials used at the end of each manufacturing run as the current method of inventory control, batch processing will work well. While real-time processing works well for online shopping, it is not the best approach to take for this application. Access Privileges Normally it is not considered a good security risk to grant access to individuals/companies who are located outside of the normal company network and/or firewall. But in order to provide a better integration of the database between Riordan Manufacturing and vendors/suppliers it is necessary to allow limited access. Riordan shall determine the types of privileges to grant to vendors. These privileges include (a) view, (b) insert, (c) update, and (d) delete (logical deletion only). Riordan shall also determine the type of data vendor should be able to access. The data should only relate to the materials that have been used in the daily manufacturing run; materials that have been previously placed on order; and the estimated projections of materials needed for the upcoming week. This will allow both Riordan Manufacturing and the suppliers to determine the present and short-term inventory needs. Bandwidth High speed access of the Internet has decreased in cost in recent years and the increased utility and the increased ease of use versus the cost of acquiring and maintaining the access has become more financially feasible. LTB and Associates recommend that Riordan acquire the appropriate bandwidth that will allow for the effective flow of information and which will support concurrent access of the company database. Security With the ever-growing threats that are present in the web-based global economy, there is an increased awareness of security. This includes both corporate and political terrorism as well as the knowledgeable lone user bent on mischief. LTB and Associates recommend that the administration plan should ensure that there are methods of data security implemented as information travels over the internet. An effective firewall should be implemented to deny access to unauthorized people. Data should be encrypted. Whenever possible, a Virtual Private Network be established between Riordan Manufacturing and the larger and more critical suppliers Database Administration Plan To ensure the productivity, continuity, and performance of the database for Riordan, proper maintenance, database backup, and change management procedures must be developed and implemented. The database must be backed up regularly in case the system needs to be restored due to data corruption or the loss of the data center due to natural or man-made disasters. Database backups are also critical for testing upgrades, fixes, and enhancements that will need to be migrated into production. Periodic maintenance is also a key to database performance and continuity. Applying operating system patches and security updates to the servers that house the databases help keep the software updated and the servers performing efficiently. Consistent re-indexing of the database can help keep performance high as the database grows in size. Another very important part of administering a database is change management. Database upgrades, fixes, and enhancements must be tested and implemented in a manner that minimizes potential errors, disruption to users, and preserves an audit trail for troubleshooting and compliance issues. Database Backup Plan In order to minimize potential data loss and downtime, the database will be backed up each night and stored in a secure location on the network. Storing the backups on the network will help facilitate transferring the backup to the disaster recovery site. Once the backup is created and stored on the network, a copy will be encrypted and transmitted to the disaster recovery ite. The backup can then be easily restored at the disaster recovery site as needed, or used in a development environment for testing upgrades, fixes, and enhancements. Database administrators will also have the ability to create backups as needed for testing or emergency purposes. Database backups will be restored to the disaster recovery database at least bi-monthly to verify that the backups are generating correctly and that the disaster recovery-restore process is working as it should. Maintenance Plan Once a month, the database servers will undergo scheduled maintenance. Operating system patches, security updates, and database application patches will be applied to the hardware housing the database in order to ensure the system is kept up to date. Database hardware will also undergo diagnostic checks to ensure everything is working properly. At this time the database will also be re-indexed to preserve performance as the database grows. The patches, security updates, and database application patches will be applied to the development servers one week prior to implementation on the production server. Applying the maintenance related patches to the development system a week prior to implementation in the production system will allow time to monitor the development systems for any issues resulting from the patches and ensure the patches are safe to install into production. For emergency maintenance issues such as hardware failures or power outages, the disaster recovery database will be restored from the latest production backup and work should be closely coordinated with the server team to ensure proper procedures are followed. Change Management The backbone to any administration plan is change management. Maintenance, database backups, upgrades, and other events must be carefully tested, planned, and executed to minimize potential consequences including data corruption and downtime, and changes must be closely tracked to preserve the integrity of the database, maintain a log of changes for troubleshooting potential issues, and ensure proper testing and compliance controls are met. The database team will use Microsoft’s Visual Source Safe (VSS) as the main tool for version control. Patches, fix scripts, and any other code that applies to the databases will be stored in VSS and roper code check in and check out procedures will be followed to ensure the proper code changes are migrated to the database. Only database administrators will have the ability to migrate changes to the databases. Developers can check out and modify code, but cannot implement any changes in the databases. All changes will be properly tested in a development database and signed off on by the appropriate par ties. A network of IT and business â€Å"approvers† will be established for each business area (for example: accounting, procurement, sales, etc. ) and will be responsible for signing off on changes that affect their particular areas. There will be at least one main approver and one backup approver that are subject matter experts for their respective business areas so that all areas utilizing the database will have a representative. Approvers will be the preferred testers, but other users may test changes as long as the approvers review the test results prior to signing off on the test. Signoff for changes will be obtained via email using a template that details the change to be made, a tracking number for the change, and the location in VSS where the change is stored, so that the database administrators will be able to pull the change directly from VSS for implementation. Database administrators will not proceed with migration of a change until all appropriate approvers have responded in the affirmative. Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) While preparing a disaster recovery plan (DRP), it is essential to think about the hardware, software and data that will be used to allow for an organization to continue operations in the event of a natural disaster or a disaster caused by human hands. In considering the idea of protection of the database, this plan will not only help preserve the company’s investment but also secure the customers faith in Riordan. Some companies spend some 25% of their information technology budget on disaster recovery plans. LTB and Associates recommends the implementation of a DRP. The cost of implantation and the subsequent maintenance versus the cost of a data loss is negligible in the impact it would have. The first step in drafting a disaster recovery plan is conducting a thorough risk analysis of the database systems. Make a list all the possible threats to system operation and evaluate the likelihood of their occurrence. The threats can include electronic-based; such as virus attacks or data deletions, deliberate or accidental; and natural disasters, such as fire, flood, storm or earthquake. Once the threats have been identified and ranked in likelihood of occurrence; what can be done to minimize or limit the impact from these disasters. The more preventative actions we can establish in the beginning the better. It is better to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach in determining and documenting the DRP. The recovery procedure will be written in a detailed plan defining the roles and responsibilities of the IT staff. Defining how to compensate for the loss of various aspects of the network (databases, servers, communications links, etc. ) and specify who will arrange for these repairs and how the data recovery process will occur. Communication Plan During a disaster situation, all parts of the communication plan should be cleared with a central location. All information should be reviewed by management before being released. LTB and Associates recommend that the following steps be implemented. 1. Communication methods need to be established in advance. (Wireless or satellite telephone systems, email address, etc†¦) 2. Develop templates for press releases, and include the skill sets of key employees, customer information, supplier information. Include maps of locations that may be difficult to communicate in. Develop logs that can be used to track incoming and outgoing communications. 3. Make sure that these processes are easy to understand. 4. Develop a contingency plan should the computer network where data is stored is damaged. Use text files and several copies in different storage devices and store this information in a remote server or on removable media which is then stored offsite. 5. Determine what is to be considered as privileged/proprietary information; establish which levels of management and the key personnel to have access to the information; and the approvals for accessing the information 6. Develop a set of detailed documents and instructions that can be shared with employees. . Establish a set of technology based tools. 8. Develop a detailed training plan; be sure to include all key personnel, top management and support personnel that can interface with customer and/or suppliers. 9. Develop relationships with News Service agencies. 10. Establish and train employees as observers to watch for individuals with microphones and notepads; make sure they are aware of the proper channels of communications. 11. D o plan periodic mock scenarios and drills of disasters in order to review the DRP. LTB and Associates recommends that the follow items be purchased, maintained, implemented, and stringently adhered to at every Riordan Manufacturing plant in the continental USA. †¢ Prevention Plan †¢ An electronic manual. †¢ A printed hardcopy manual. †¢ Data and Software Backups †¢ Daily backups, local to each plant and stored offsite. †¢ Weekly backup, to be performed system-wide by the Atlanta, Georgia plant and stored offsite. †¢ Storage area networks. †¢ Surge Protectors and Power Supply Fault Switches. †¢ Anti Virus, Firewall and Security Software. †¢ Fire Prevention and Detection Smoke detectors and fire alarm systems. †¢ Fire extinguishers. †¢ Review and update insurance policies for all facilities and equipment. Disaster Recovery Process. In the event of a disaster occurring at any Riordan Manufacturing plant the following steps should be taken to restore the operation of the system to normal operation. The steps c an apply to any and all sites. 1. Contact the proper level of management and notify pertinent personnel a. Determine if the equipment is functional and has suffered no damage. b. Repair or replace the equipment as needed per the situation. 2. Retrieve the latest weekly backup from the Atlanta, Georgia server and/or facility. (Note – if the Atlanta plant is the affected plant, retrieve the last weekly back up from the offsite storage facility) 3. Restore the database to the server. Perform a system check for proper operation. 4. Retrieve the latest daily backup from the offsite storage facility. 5. Restore the database to the server. Perform a system check for proper operation. 6. Retrieve and key in any pertinent data that was recorded on hardcopy sources from the affected plant and double check accuracy with personnel if possible.