India s Independence And Present Day India - 1752 Words

WH Research Paper Rough Draft – Gandhi Truthfully, one becomes speechless and unsure of where to begin when conversing about Bapu. What can be said for a mentor, leader, politician, and human being like Mahatma Gandhi? Words are vulnerable to describe such a god-like figure. His life is his message from which people around the world have inspired their own lives from. He was from a middle class family, an average student in school, shy, nervous, could not muster courage to speak in public, nor was a good writer. Despite these facts, Gandhi went on to become the â€Å"Father of the Nation†. When hearing such things, certain questions would cross the mind such as how did he do all of this? What made people follow him to such an extent that they would stake their own lives for him? Why did people follow him? Such questions intrigues and puts oneself in wonderment of how India’s independence and present-day India’s modern nationalism came to existence. Neverth eless, the dedication, non-violence, and the faith of Satyagra enforced by Gandhi led to the independence of India, hence creating a modern nationalism for present-day India. This outcome came due to two major reasons, patriotism and satyagra. Without the relevance and balance of both of these reasons, India would have never gained the freedom and nationalism it has today. The sole morality of Satyagraha became the path to gaining independence from the British. Satyagra was the greatest weapon that Gandhi used to defeat theShow MoreRelatedGandhi : Gandhi And Influential Religious Political Leaders Of The Twentieth Century1464 Words   |  6 Pagesor Bapu due to his astonishing contributions towards the independence of India, by becoming an amazing freedom fighter who led India as a leader of Nationalism, against British rule. Gandhi was one of such that believed in nonviolence, the unity of people, and bringing spirituality upon Indian politics. He worked incredibly hard to remove the untouchability in the Indian society, upliftment of the backward classes in India, inspired India to practice Hinduism with the use of the Swadeshi Gods, andRead MoreFamily Feud in Anita Desai ´s Clear Light of Day1339 Words   |  6 Pagesfamily members. Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day shows how war, specifically the partition of India, affects a particular family. The partition of Indian in 1947 created the separate countries of India and Pakistan, consequently ripping families apart. The partition, initiated by India’s independence from Britain, attempted to accommodate irreconcilable religious differences between Muslims and Hindus by forming the Islamic Pakistan. In Clear Light of Day, the Das children’s relationship with theirRead MoreStatus of Woman in Indian Society1230 Words   |  5 PagesSTATUS OF WOMEN IN THE PAST TO THE PRESENT Ancient India:- In ancient India, the women enjoyed equal status with men in all fields of life. Works by ancient Indian grammarians such as Patanjali and Katyayana suggest that women were educated in the early Vedic period. Rigvedic verses suggest that the women married at a mature age and were probably free to select their husband. Scriptures such as Rig Veda and Upanishads mention several women sages and seers, notably Gargi and Maitreyi. AccordingRead MoreThe British Rule Of India Essay1119 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction: John Watts founded the British East India Company in the 1600s. Which use to trade unique goods that couldn’t be found in Britain. Some resources included gold/ mahogany/curry/silk/ivory. While the British were in India they made a lot of money exporting these goods. The British never saw India as a place to live more or a place to trade. A lot of British people move to North America instead of India. The British rule lasted a long time nearly 200 years. They found that communicationRead MoreIndia s Relations Between India And Pakistan973 Words   |  4 PagesSince the establishment of individual territories, India and Pakistan have been discreet rivals. This was made known to the rest of the world in the year of 1998, when each country conducted nuclear tests in an effort to deter the other. In May of 1998, India conducted 5 underground nuclear tests near the border of Pakistan. Pakistan retaliated with six tests of their own in response. These actions were highly criticized by the international community as fears of a nuclear confrontation grew. InRead MoreIndian Independence Movement and Gandhi979 Words   |  4 Pagesfor freedom for South Africa; and how Mohatama finally obtained freedom for India. Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in the present state of Gujarat on October 2, 1869. He was educated in law at University College, London. In 1891, after Gandhi was admitted to the British bar, he returned to India and attempted to create a law practice in Bombay, which failed. Two years after his failure, and India firm with interests in South Africa hired him as a legal adviser to work in Read MoreGandhi`s Achivements and Failures Essay961 Words   |  4 Pagesaccomplish for freedom for South Africa; and how Mohatama finally obtained freedom for India. Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in the present state of Gujarat on October 2, 1869. He was educated in law at University College, London. In 1891, after Gandhi was admitted to the British bar, he returned to India and attempted to create a law practice in Bombay, which failed. Two years after his failure, and India firm with interests in South Africa hired him as a legal adviser to work in theirRead MoreEssay on Value Systems and Successful Markets 861 Words   |  4 PagesEconomic success defines a nations success in modern day society. Sure India has had a prosperous past. But as we continue in this post colonial world, the need to prove ourselves has only been higher. It has been over 60 years since we achieved independence and became a republic, we are yet to prove our â€Å"potential† to the world. The world’s parameter to determine our capabilities are high, just as it ought to be to encourage each nation to develop to its fullest ability. Competition generally helpsRead MoreSoutheast Asia And The Middle East And North Africa1426 Words   |  6 Pages(Pew Research Center s Religion Public Life Project, 2012). In fact, Southeast Asia contains the highest number of Muslims in the world, surpassing the Middle East and North Africa. The region is heavily influenced by Islam and European imperialism and it’s shown in the region’s archit ecture and cuisine. Southeast Asia has a monsoon climate, with no marked dry season, waterways that interconnected the region, and tropical rainforests. The region is also midway between India and China. At one pointRead MoreCorruption Of Indi Corruption1511 Words   |  7 PagesCorruption in India Corruption is not a new phenomenon in India. It has been prevalent in society since ancient times. History reveals that it was present even in the Mauryan period. Great scholar Kautilya mentions the pressure of forty types of corruption in his contemporary society. It was practised even in Mughal and Sultanate period. When the East India Company took control of the country, corruption reached new height. Corruption in India has become so common that people now are averse to thinking

The Maturation of Bilbo Baggins Essay - 1382 Words

In the fantasy novel The Hobbit, by J.R. Tolkien there are a lot of obstacles the character Bilbo Baggins has to confront. Throughout the book Bilbo seems to take on different challenges, which allow him to mature faster in a way that the Shire would not allow. In the Shire, Bilbo was just a normal hobbit who minded his own business and was never late for dinner. But after Gandalf and the dwarves came knocking on his door, his whole life seemed to change in an instant and it kept changing in a way that Bilbo had no control over. The farther that Bilbo moved through this journey the more he opened up to the world. At the shire Bilbo could have been considered a child in some ways because, he knew of no evil that existed outside of his world†¦show more content†¦The next metamorphosis was in the troll chapter when Bilbo had to steal from the trolls in order for the group to survive. First off Bilbo has never stolen before or even tired to steal from anyone. But because the tro lls feel Bilbo is a burglar they pressure him to steal from the trolls. Seeing how Bilbo is not skilled at this at all he messes up. He felt he needed to bring something back from the trolls so he tried to pick pocket one of the trolls, unknowingly this troll has a talking wallet. So in the end Bilbo gets caught and ends up getting all the trolls caught. Again Bilbo is trying to prove himself to the dwarves, so by trying to get past the goblins in the coming chapters he gets hurtled into a hole and ends up in a dreary under land with Gollum. Here Bilbo has a riddle competition with Gollum in order to try and win his help with getting out of the wet and damp cave. When Bilbo finally tricked Gollum and found the ring that turned him invisible. He now had to escape; in doing this he ended up following Gollum out to the exit and then jumping over him. No great leap for man, but a leap in the dark. Straight over Gollums head he jumped, seven feet forward and three in the air; indeed, had he known it, he only just missed cracking his skull on the low arch ofShow MoreRelatedA Dog s Head By Jean Dutourd1454 Words   |  6 Pagesdocuments the evolution of a characters’ identity, and how these characters are often changed by their experiences. In the novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, the main character Bilbo embarks on an adventure which expands his identity and knowledge in terms of what form of identity fits him best, either Took or Baggins. In the novel A Dog’s Head by Jean Dutourd, the main character Edmond, who has a body of a human and the head of a dog, goes through a constant struggle of whether to identify withRead More The Unexpected Journey Essay2259 Words   |  10 Pagesbelonged to the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo, the protagonist of the story, lived a simple, happy life and wouldn’t want to chang e a thing. He dreaded anything unexpected; when a wizard named Gandalf came looking for someone to go on an adventure, Bilbo tried all he could to avoid joining. Unfortunately for him he found himself traveling with thirteen dwarfs and a wizard on a quest to take back their stolen treasure from a fierce dragon. Near the beginning of their journey, Bilbo was quite vulnerableRead MoreThe Forest in Folk and Fairy-Tales3104 Words   |  13 Pages‘Myrkvior’ (dark wood) forests through which heroes must proceed with caution. (Page: 1990: 111) These older associations have coloured more recent fantasy, Tolkien deriving his own ‘Mirkwood Forest’ from the Norse name and sending his protagonist Bilbo Baggins to get lost and found in its depths. ‘Mirkwood is not an invention of mine, but a very ancient name, weighted with legendary associations†¦from the beginning weighted with the sense of gloom.’ (Humphrey: 1981: 43) * Into this dangerous literaryRead MoreBilbo Baggins (The Hobbit) and Meggie Folcharts (Inkheart) Journey to Maturity2271 Words   |  10 Pagesthis transformation from leaving their ‘homes’; Bilbo and his hobbit hole in Bags-End, and Meggie and her father, Mo, and her beloved books. Both are attached to their ‘homes’, and feel anxious and lonely without them, Bilbos and Meggies journeys are how, when seperated from their homes, they perservere through their insecurities and doubt and become stronger and more self-reliant by the end of their respected texts. 1. Bilbo Baggins Bilbo Baggins’ hobbit hole is his happy home, where for fiftyRead MoreHobbit Shake Guide6595 Words   |  27 PagesChapter One: An Unexpected Party Summary We are introduced to hobbits and to Bilbo Baggins, a stay-at-home, utterly respectable hobbit with a secret desire for adventure. Bilbo receives a visit from Gandalf the wizard. The next Wednesday Gandalf returns for tea, bringing with him a party of thirteen dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. Despite misgivings on both sides, on Gandalfs recommendation the dwarves hire Bilbo as Burglar on an expedition to the Lonely Mountain, where they plan to recoverRead MoreEffects of love relationship on the academic performance10274 Words   |  42 Pagesfor the help and reminders they have imparted and for the cheers that made him feel happy despite the hectic and stress-full schedules. To Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Gale Hawthorne, Charlie, Sam and Morrie, Legolas of the Woodland Realm, Bilbo Baggins, Thorin, Gandalf, Monkey D. Luffy, Shanks le Roux, and Aragorn Elassar for being an inspiration for him not to give up with all the challenges and to bring out the best that he can be. To his loving parents, Mr. Pedro and Celeste Caliwara,

Distributed Leadership in Educational Setups Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Potential and Problems of Distributed Leadership in an Educational Setting. Answer: Narration on the Distributed Leadership in Educational Set ups Many educational systems perceive the need to lessen the instructional administration load on principals. They have attempted as of late to make more authority limit through a wide assortment of activities, for example, drawing in more instructors in positions of authority, including APs and contracting instructional mentors. Thus I feel there is a lot of difference in what is needed in the educational set ups and thus besides this there can be a proper method of putting in the distributive leadership method. Stage 1: Design Identify and frame a working group to build up your pilots Set clear goals and characterize Design a model including key positions of authority, Set a timetable with objectives for guiding Engage partners all through the framework Stage 2: Pilot and refine Select proficient school pioneers who are eager to build up the pilots Establish systems to assemble and consolidate input and results Gather and share best works on Generate intrigue and reveal a moment wave of pilots Stage 3: Roll out framework wide Define which parts of the model ought to be institutionalized Determine economical subsidizing Create a guide for revealing the model Build framework Rigorously evaluate the quality By concentrating on both results and procedures, the distributed kind of administration has quite many advantages. It progresses the proficient execution of choices, expands the scope of learning and experience that go into school organization and other education set ups, settles on all key regulatory choices noticeable to all, considers everybody responsible for the compelling administration of the school, its helps the organization to get developed, develops the city objectives of tutoring, and may likely build educator maintenance. These advantages propel the nature of school life and accordingly encourage understudy improvement and execution. References Dewey, J. (1975). Moral principles in education. Carbondale, CO: Arcturus BooksEdition. Lambert, L. (2005). Leadership for lasting reform. Educational Leadership, 62(5), 6265. Loeser, J. M. (2008). School leadership. Ebsco Research Starters. MacBeath, J., Oduro, G. K. T., Waterhouse, J. (2004). Distributed leadership in action: A study of current practice in schools. Nottingham: NCSL. Portin, B. (2004). The roles that principals play. Educational Leadership, 61(7), 1418. Timperley, H. (2005). Distributed leadership: Developing theory from practice. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 37, 395420. Ritchie, R., Woods, P. A. (2007). Degrees of distribution: Towards an understanding of variations in the nature of distributed leadership in schools. School Leadership and Management, 27(4), 363381. Woods, P. A., Bennett, N., Harvey, J. A., Wise, C. (2004). Variabilities and dualities in distributed leadership: Findings from a systematic literature review. Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 32(4), 439457.

Rational Choice Theory Latent Trait Theory free essay sample

Similarities and Differences a. Rational Choice Theory Latent Trait Theory History of Criminology In the middle ages people who sullied common models were viewed as sorceresses or mad of an evil spirit. The methods used to ascertain a confession were torture, corporal punishment or execution. By the mid-eighteenth century, social academics began to reason for a more rational method to reprimand. They desired to quell the cruelty in punishment by matching crime and the punishment that came with it. As a result many different scientific experts are involved in the study of criminality. This is why criminology is considered an interdisciplinary field of study. These diverse disciplines include psychology, economics, political science, natural science, biology and the evolution and development of people. Criminology got its start in Europe around 1700s-1800s. What birthed during this time was classical belief of criminality. The founder of classical criminology, Cesare Beccaria, believed that criminals made a rational choice to commit a crime and that the punishment should fit the crime that was committed. We will write a custom essay sample on Rational Choice Theory Latent Trait Theory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This approach was to stave off the amount of torture going on in this time period. It was a way to level the playing field of crime and punishment. Then came positivist criminology with the belief that certain traits within a person can determine criminal behavior—either biosocial or psychological traits. â€Å"Criminology combines social action data with criminal activity to understand motive and determine appropriate consequences. As such, criminology is necessary for the proper development and execution of criminal justice systems. From the case development to long after the verdict, criminologists are responsible for understanding why criminals do what they do. Through this information people will be safer, better understood and justly punished for crimes. The ultimate motive behind criminology though, is the prevention of crime† (Sanders). Rational Choice Theory Rational choice theory is derived from the classical criminology model in that it holds the similar belief that criminals choose criminality cognitively. â€Å"†¦criminals are rational actors who plan their crimes, can be controlled by the fear of punishment, and deserve to be penalized for their misdeeds† (Siegel 2011). According to this theory, these people purposely violate the law after well-planned schemes devised aforetime. They act these crimes out with little regard for the possible punishment they would receive should they get caught. Several factors come into place when choosing to commit their crime. The personal ones consist of making money from the act, pay back against someone they think may have wronged them or someone close to them or just for the shear excitement and arousal they get from it. The joy they get from committing crime can be equated to a drug or alcohol induced high. In situations like this in their mind the reward far outweighs the punishment if caught. To the rational choice theorist, these decisions are cognitive in nature and done out of an impulsive mind; but one that is sound though criminal. â€Å"Rational choice theory and its assumptions about human behavior have been integrated into numerous criminological theories and criminal justice interventions†¦ The rational choice perspective has been applied to a wide range of crimes, including robbery, drug use, vandalism, and white-collar crime. In addition, neuropsychological literature shows that there are neurobiological mechanisms involved in our rational choices† (Wright). Evaluating the Risks of Crime An assessment is made by the criminal before the act of criminality is committed. Some in society have a misconception about criminals—some not all. Those who believe that criminals are just blithely ignorant people who just can’t do anything else, but violate the law are quite ignorant themselves. Rational choice theorists examine the mind or rationale of these criminals by how they prepare. There are checks and balances to every crime as believed by choice theorists. Cerebral criminals cautiously select objects, and their actions is methodical and discerning. For example a burglar is in this case is going to choose something that is not only worth money, but worth his/her time to even contemplate. For them the reward has to outweigh the risk. The risks that do come into play or the measures by which crime has to be weighed against are the likelihood of getting caught and the punishment for this particular crime. Embarrassment by their circle of friends and family or fellow criminals. Their reputation as a thief among those of ill repute. â€Å"People who decide to get involved in crime compare the chances of arrest (based on their past experiences) with the subjective psychic rewards of crime (including the excitement and social status it brings and perceived opportunities for easy gains)† (Siegel 2011). Offense- and Offender-Specific Crime Rational choice theorists view crime in two specific ways. One is offense-specific—this when criminal has a discriminatory response to physiognomies of a certain illegal deed. For example a burglar, in this case, will take into consideration how well the target is lit if at night; are there police nearby on patrol; is there a neighborhood watch or can the neighbors see the target house well; are there any dogs; or is it still occupied. These are just some the risk assessments these cognitive choice criminals make before committing a criminal act. It is very important for them to not get caught. They have already figured in the cost of getting caught by either the cops or the owner being home and possibly armed. The other is offender-specific—this is an offender’s self-evaluation of their abilities, reasons, desires, and qualms before determining to act out criminally. These offenders takes an introspective look to assess varying aspects like do they the necessary skills to even pull off the crime; do they really need the money they could get from this particular crime (does the benefit overshadow the cost); do they have the right tools to successfully commit the crime; will they be able to turn a profit from the items; are they physically fit enough to complete the crime; would they be able to outwit the police in a getaway? Careful examination goes into consideration and evaluation for cognitive choice criminality is executed. Latent Trait Theory Latent trait theorists believe that in some criminals there is an intrinsic predisposition resident either from birth or early in their childhood that possibly is the reason for their criminal or deviant behavior. They further believe this disposition increases the propensity for criminal behavior rather than civil behavior either by some mental deficiency or chemical defect in the brain or maybe even a physical abnormality in the brain. Moreover, they include drug usage, maybe by the parents or a possible injury of sorts. In any case latent trait theorists hold this belief that these traits influence criminality in these individuals. â€Å"regardless of gender or environment, those who maintain one of these suspect traits may be predisposed to crime and in danger of becoming career criminals; those who lack the traits have a much lower risk† (Siegel 2011). Crime and Human Nature Social scientists, James Q. Wilson and Richard Herrnstein, believe that â€Å"all human behavior whether criminal or non-criminal is based upon perceived consequences† (Siegel 2011). This means that people who aren’t necessarily governed by criminality can, if the opportunity presented itself, commit a crime. Conversely, they say that people with a criminal bent don’t always commit crime, especially if the high risk involved. In essence, these choices to commit a crime comes from a latent character trait within these individuals and maybe you and me. People how wouldn’t ordinarily commit a crime might find an opportunity to do so too irresistible to pass up. These latent trait theorists believe that’s when the latent trait takes over cause one to act impulsively at an opportunity. General Theory of Crime According to Hirschi and Gottfredson, the general theory of crime is believed that most criminality is impulsive; and with a lack of self-control (Siegel 2011). Their studies show that people with low self-control have propensity to act out impulsively. It doesn’t necessarily mean they become criminal as much as it means that most criminals operate should an opportunity present itself. Compulsive desire is a major contributor to deviant behavior and criminal acts. They believe that delinquents do not simply commit crime on a whim, but rather choosing to take advantage of an opportunity. They are not necessarily career criminals as much as they are individuals, typically males, with low self-control. It is also believed these tendencies can either be learned or caused by some sort of biology or socialization. Children of parents with the same low character can be greatly influenced into deviant behavior. This doesn’t mean they automatically become criminals, but it can lead to this type of acted out behavior if not dealt with at an early age. Children learn to cope by watching how their parent or authority figure in their lives copes with life. The learned behavior can seemingly be purported by deviant parents who display a deviant or criminal lifestyle in front of their children or maybe the child is born with some sort of mental deficit. â€Å"General theory assumes that self-control is a function of socialization and parenting, but some criminologists maintain it may also have a biological basis† (Siegel 2011). What they learn they repeat. It is also true of the community in which they live have an effect, whether positive or negative, on the formation of their character choices. â€Å"They observed as the self-control is formed by the nurturing method of the parents when juveniles were younger, and emphasized on the roles of parents in childhood by observing as the continuous tendency would be made after the adolescence, once self-control is formed† (Jaejung). At this point it is an intrinsic nature that is passed from one generation to the next. Unless the cycle is broken a member of the either this society or a particular family it will continue. However, the greatest influence or impressions do come from the parents of these deviant persons. These are the people they see and admire or for whom they have disdain—parental or guardian sway has the most control. The community in which they live only stands to compound that sway. â€Å"†¦how juveniles were raised in what kind of environment from the parents, which is, the internal factors have the biggest effect on juvenile delinquencies and the external factors are the additional influences† (Jaejung). Society’s Response to Criminal Behavior – General Deterrence Criminals who choose the commit crimes whether by cognitive means or even by impulsiveness deterrence is a necessary countermeasure against criminal activity. Punishment for criminality is one means to stave off criminal acts or at least deter them entirely. For some criminals knowing the type of punishment for the specific crime they intend to commit is enough of a deterrent for them not to go through with it. Others not so much. The reward itself is just enticing to disregard. â€Å"According to deterrence theory, not only the actual chance of punishment, but also the perception that punishment will be forthcoming, influences criminality† (Siegel 2011). Certainty, severity, and swiftness of Punishment are good preventive measures when threat of capture, sentence, and limitation of freedom and access increases—typically the crime rate will or should drop. Some criminals just won’t commit a crime if they for sure they’re going to be arrested and detained or jailed. I know people whose wives have attempted to provoke them to hit them just so they can call the cops and have the husband arrested to teach them a lesson of sorts. However, the husband didn’t do for fear of knowing that they would be going to jail. All three of these rates of punishment are believed to bring the crime threshold down. However, there are those criminals who just don’t care or are not swayed in the least about the recourse of their actions. They see the world as their pocket to pick. There’s probably no deterrence measure for them. Similarities and Differences Rational choice theorists and latent trait theorists parallel in belief that human behavior is determined by perceived consequences whether criminal or not. Both understand that different people process information in different ways. The information has to make sense before it can be used in any way. Even in the mind of a criminal, the choices, rational or impulsive, have to meet a kind of standard of reason—it has to make sense to them—thought it might not make sense to the rest of the world. Morality to an antisocial individual is based upon how they view their environment to include the people in it as well—and both theorists share this concept. Where they differ is how punishment for committing crime viewed or perceived. Criminals who make rational choices to commit crime don’t see themselves as ever getting caught. This is skewed rational based on how they view the world. This response can also be based on how these individuals may have witnessed others respond in the same circumstances when they were a youth. Seeing a parent or relative display this kind of arrogant behavior can have a lasting impression of how to cope when making such choices. Latent trait theorists believe that criminality is inevitable if given the opportunity exact it because this trait is innate and is governed by impulsiveness. Bottom line is rational choice criminality is always with mens rea whereas latent trait criminality isn’t necessarily with mens rea, but both do have actus reus.

Wiesels Night Essays - Holocaust Literature, Night, Book Of Exodus

Wiesel's Night Theology 1) How did Wiesel's belief in God change through his camp experiences? In the beginning of the book, Wiesel strongly believed in a god. He believed in a god so strongly that he sought out someone to teach him about his god. He also wanted to teach him how to live by the rules of his god. As the book, progressed Wiesel began to lose faith in his god. Wiesel saw many horrific events, which led him to believe that there is no possibility of a god existing because he would never let these things happen to his people. By the end of the novel, Wiesel had lost all faith in God. 5) Wiesel expresses his anger at God many times during the book but especially on page 65. What do you think about this anger? Is it understandable, appropriate or is it irrational or even blasphemous? I think that Wiesel's anger is completely understandable. If I were enduring such hardships as Wiesel, I might very well become just as angry as he does at the god I believe in. I might even denounce him as Wiesel does. Wiesel has the right to be angry. He feels that he does not deserve to be enduring such hardships. He wants god to help him by stopping the pain and when God does not come to the aid of Wiesel, he denounces him. Emotions probably ran so high and the pain was probably so great that it was very easy to become angry with god. 6) At one point, Wiesel says he does not feel human anymore. What did he mean by this and what things can make a person lose his sense of humanity and dignity? I think when Wiesel says that he does not feel human anymore he means that he is living like an animal. He is caged like an animal. He works like an animal. He also is stripped of all the things that make him human. He is not aloud to stand up for his rights. He can not speak with his own free will. If he does, he will be killed. This compares to someone who beats his or her dog. If you hit the dog long enough and he will flinch anytime, someone raises a hand to the dog. The dog has been stripped of his pride just like Wiesel who has been stripped of his pride. 4) Who was Moshe the Beadle in Wiesel's life? What happened to Moshe and how was he changed? Moshe the Beadle was a poor man who worked in the Hasidic synagogue. He is an exception to the town's rule of not talking or respecting poor people. At the beginning of the story he talks to Wiesel and learns that Wiesel wants to learn the ways of the Zohar. Wiesel agrees to meet with him and discuss life. Soon after they begin there lessons Moshe the Beadle is deported because he is not a native of the town. Several months passed and Moshe the beadle returned. He had changed. His eyes were no longer filled with joy. He wandered from house to house telling the people of the town what had happened to all the foreign Jews. He watched, as the foreign Jews had to dig their own grave and then be shot. He was so astonished by these events that it changes him for good. He was almost insane. Religion

Mother Knows Best essays

Mother Knows Best essays In the novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith, Katie Nolan continually demonstrates strong leadership for her family. Her ambitions include creating a bank to support her family, educating Francie and Neely, and most importantly showing strong leadership. Throughout the novel Katie Nolan adds money to the tin can bank, sacrificing food, status and material goods to provide a portion of land for her family. It takes a lot of perseverance and struggle to fill the can, but she always finds a way. She has a, Fierce desire for survival. Katie is very tough and passes her traits onto her children and teaches them to deal with hardships, but she also strives hard to educate them. The wise Mary Rommely says, The secret lies in reading and writing. Katie follows her instructions and reads with the children everyday to maintain her promise. Despite cruelty and other issues, she manages to find time to spend with them and educate them. She believes that education is the key to a happy and successful life. She did not want them to lead a suffering life as she did. She continues with her teachings and sends Francie and Neely through high school. She also succeeds in having Francie discover, The magic of learning things. This makes Katie stand out, adding to her perseverance, wisdom. Finally and most importantly, Katie is a leader and made out of thin invisible steel. She leads her family out of many troubles at the same time of comforting and standing up for them. Though her family is in desperate need of money she repeatedly refuses charity, unwilling to be brought down to a lower level. She cleans floors overtime to supply her childrens piano lessons. All these things will provide a great foundation for her children to blossom. Without Katie Francie may have never changed. Other important characters that added a lot to the story include Francie, whose coming of ...

Critical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Critical analysis - Essay Example 2. Chiat support his claim about the media blurring our image in various forms. The author says, â€Å"everyone think that advertising is full of lies, but it is not what you think (Chiat 12). The facts presented in advertising are almost always accurate, not because advertising people are sticklers but because their adds are very closely regulated†. The author argues that it is hard to detect the real lies in the adverts since they have been regulated but he support his claim that what is false in advertising is the presentation of situations, values, beliefs, and cultural norms which is forming the basis of the sales message. We tend to substitute our natural thoughts with what the media claims to be and the constant advertisements we meet everywhere in our daily activities influences our perception says the author. To support his claim again, the author points out an example of De Beers diamond advertisements which persuade young men to buy engagement rings for their fiancà ƒ ©s using a two months salary. This advert is provoking and inducing insults for those partners who received low costing rings probably using half a month salary. The author bemoans the adverts that tell the fiancà © what to feel and what is real. 3. The purpose of this essay is to warn us about the perception created by the media while advertising. This essay identifies the underlying truth behind advertisements. The author says that the lies present in the adverts are sometimes errors, often innocent but in most cases they are usually the truth as far as the salesperson is concerned. The author does not criticize the sales agents who come up with these adverts but he is concerned by our take or our interpretation of the ads. For this reason, the author tries to influence our thinking and suggests that we consider various factors while coming across adverts. The author suggests

Stem Cell Research - The NIH, as the Federal government's leading Essay

Stem Cell Research - The NIH, as the Federal government's leading biomedical research organization - Essay Example The NIH has consulted with each of the investigators who have derived these cells. These scientists are working with the NIH and the research community to establish a research infrastructure to ensure the successful handling and the use of these cells in the laboratory". Government funded embryonic stem cells research is allowed in many countries including UK, Japan, France, Australia, and other countries. It was iniially prohibited in ths US by Dickey Amendment to Labor, Health and Human Services & Education Appropriations Act, 1996. Of the 71 blastocysts approved initially, only 22 remained in mid-2006, and many of them were of limited usefulness because of DNA damage. After former president Ronald Reagan died from Alzheimer's during 2004, Nancy Reagan, her entire family except for Michael Reagan, along with 58 senators launched a campaign to relax stem cells research legislation. Consequently, a federal bill passed the house for funding of embryonic stem cells from surplus embryos; however, the bill was vetoed on ethical grounds by President Bush. Stem cells have virtually unlimited applications in treatment and cure of many human diseases and disorders including Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer, paralysis, etc. Stem cells come in two general types: Embryonic stem cells have potential to develop into all 220 types of cells found in human body. Adult stem cells have a limited potential to develop into some variety of cells. While no human trials have started yet for embryonic cells, adult stem cells have now reached human trials stage. While most religious and ethical issues revolve around embryonic stem cells, harvesting adult stem cells does not present any ethical problems but they are difficult to harvest, are severely limited in quantity and have limitations of flexibility. Further, adult stem cells can produce only a few of the 220 different types of cells in the human body. Future Policy Considerations: Liberal Outlook The pro-choice movement firmly believes that since personhood is attained much later during pregnancy, extracting stem cells from few weeks old embryo is not a murder as such. Further, considering the unlimited potential advantages offered by embryonic cell research, even this 'killing' is justified in larger interest of humanity. In vitro fertilization ("test-tube babies") involves the purposeful creation of multiple embryos, knowing and intending that most of them will either die after implantation in the womb or, if not implanted,

Business Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Business Research Methods - Essay Example The research will have an interpretivist approach as the data collected do not address the subject fully and lack some information regarding luxury sells in emerging markets. The aim of the research will be to recognise these and investigate how the brands conduct their business to attract the target market to be brand loyal. Furthermore, this investigation will have an academic value adding to the limitation in material that is currently available around the subject. Key words Luxury Brands Internet E-commerce Emerging Market China Online Selling The Objective and Purpose of the Project The research will be created around the topic of fashion luxury brands and sale of products online. Currently the literature does not sufficiently address the strategy problem, brands deals with when expanding into other regions (such as emerging markets) online. The objective is therefore to gain an understanding of adaptations that the luxury fashion segment does online when enlarging to these coun tries. Therefore, there is a need to obtain first hand information in the form of interviews from luxury brands that are expanding towards emerging markets. That will be the feasibility in the dissertation. ... At first, luxury brands and the Internet do not seem to be a perfect match due to the fact that the internet is a mass communication medium whereas luxury tries to stay within a niche market and does not want to lose its appeal of exclusivity. Recently the internet has deeply changed the anatomy of branding and the overall marketing communications strategy of the fashion industry, from fast moving ones such as M&S and Zara to luxury brands such as Burberry and Hermes (Riley and Lacroix, 2003). Perterson et al argue that the internet is extremely efficient at building a sustainable brand identity and providing a forum giving consumers knowledge about the brand and its products. Additionally it is also necessary to point out that the internet provides a platform to build long lasting relationships with consumers. Traditionally brand management relied upon several media outlets such as TV advertising, print media and product placement on TV and movies. Marketing strategies focused on ma rket research, segmentation and positioning in order to create the perfect marketing mix. (Chaffey, 2000). Riley and Lacroix (2003) focus on the changes that online marketing brought to the marketing strategies of luxury industry. Access to information has become much quicker and consumers have become extremely demanding over the last 2 decades. Luxury brands used to have very stringent control over their brand, with an allure of exclusivity that would not allow â€Å"non-members† to enter. With the advent of internet and consequently, social networks, brand management has essentially changed in order to adapt to the new requirements of online marketing and its operational system. It is essential to any luxury company to

History of Malaysia Airlines

History of Malaysia Airlines Basically, Malaysia Airlines was established from a joint initiative and venture of Imperial Airways and the Ocean Steamship Company of Liverpool, the Straits Steamship of Singapore. This collaboration had piloted to a proposal towards the government of the Colonial Straits Settlement (CSS) to operate an air services between Penang and Singapore as these states are very well-known during that very era. On 12 October 1937, the agreement had result the incorporation of Malayan Airways Limited (MAL) which is also the pioneer company for airlines industry in Malaysia during that particular time. Moreover, MAL had been brought to the skies with its initial commercial flight as the national airline of Malaya on April 1947. Equipped by a well-defined and vibrant team of visionaries, MAL had successfully become a major player in international airlines industry in less than a decade. In addition, after the formation of Malaysia back in the year of 1963, the airline company had altered its name to Malaysian Airlines Limited (MAL) and directly became the first national carrier of the country. Just within 2 decades, MAL had consistently grew from a single aircraft company into a company with more than 2,400 employees and engaged the then newest 6 F27s, Comet IV jet aircraft , 2 Pioneers, 8 DCs and so forth. However, the whole aviation platform in the industry had changed with the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in the year of 1965. With this unfavorable situation, MAL became a bi-national airline and was further renamed as Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). Furthermore, a new business mission was introduced and the airline developed significantly with new routes to Perth, Taipei, Rome and London. Moreover, in 1973, the partners went separate ways and this had directly led to the formation of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) which served the country till today. Nowadays , Malaysia Airlines flies almost 50,000 passengers daily and cover more than 95 destinations, cover across six continents while operating from its primary hub at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Kuala Lumpur. On top of that, Malaysia Airlines holds an excellence record of service as the company has prouldy received more than 120 for the past 10 years since its establishment. Specifically, the most notable recognitions is the Worlds Best Cabin Crew by Skytrax UK consecutively from 2001 until 2004, Number one for Economy Class Onboard Excellence 2006 and 5-star Airline in 2005 and 2006 as well. This credit will only applied to the other three airlines in the world and Malaysia Airlines was also ranked second among 88 contenders in Aviation Weeks Top Performing Companies, which measures the financial viability of an airline. Type of Business of Organization Initially, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) have it own humble beginning since its incorporation until today. MAS have been well- perceived as the services company due to its nature core of business. Loads of achievements have been experienced by MAS due to its outstanding and remarkable services in the airline Industry. From a small private-owned company since its establishment, MAS had consistently growth to become one of the multinational companies in Airline Industry. This had shown that the services provided to its prospects had been well-accepted and recognized. Moreover, MAS is a public listed company that listed on the stock exchange of Bursa Malaysia under the name Malaysian Airline System Berhad. With the well projected business mission and goals, MAS had owned numbers of subsidiaries namely such as MASkargo, MAS Aerospace Engineering, MAS Academy Sdn. Bhd., MAS Golden Holidays Sdn. Bhd., FlyFirefly Sdn. Bhd., and newly created company MASwings. Malaysia Airlines business environment Basically, MAS is operated on the service-based entity that accommodates its customers with the excellence flying experiences. The services provided are always being reviewed from time to time as to stay relevant to the requirement from the customers. Moreover, the target market for MAS are consists of all the customers from the high-end till the low. This approach had been executed with the introduction of sales promotion via media and the establishment of subsidiaries within its business. Therefore, all customers can enjoy the five star services at the low price whenever they fly with MAS. On top of that, the main competitors for MAS are consisting of low-cost carrier such as Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airlines and so forth. Therefore, due to the high numbers of competitors, MAS has continuously introduced its turnaround plan and its marketing strategy as to stay competitive in the Industry. Hence, with the well projected plan and initiatives, MAS has shown a great reputati on and successfully captured the market in South East Asia countries. Company Mission and Objectives Malaysia Airlines Mission To champion the meaning of fly code (Malaysian Hospitality, MH) and provide air travel and transport service that rank among the best in terms of safety, comfort and punctuality. To generate sustainable value for its stakeholders and offer the highest quality of care and services to its customers. To continuously explore innovative ways of doing business and stay relevance to its core and inspiring motto; Go Beyond Expectation. To provide a growth-oriented workplace that recognizes the interests, rights and ideas of its employees as well providing a corporate environment that encourages high integrity and ethical standards; and ensures compliance with all regulations and laws. Malaysia Airlines Objectives The primary objectives of the company were to furnish the people of Malaysia with a proficient and profitable air transport system which would enhance the placing of the country in the world. Moreover, as the Malaysia flag carrier, Malaysia Airlines had played a vital role in contributing to the economic and social integration of the country as a whole. Malaysia Airlines will consistently commit to its planning as to maximize market penetration with a reasonable number of aircraft type and fleet resources. Business Strategies and Success factors

Autobiography Essay -- Louis MacNeice Poems Poetry Essays

Autobiography The title autobiography is ironic. This poem works on deception. It's simple but deliberate deceptive as some emotions are quite dark. The poem characterises the illness and death of Louis MacNeice's mother. The poem starts off quite happy, the use of colour is important in this poem, as green suggests spring and happiness. Yellow suggests sunlight, youth and pleasant. Black suggests horrific and ghastly images and dark also suggests horrific and frightening images. The rhyming couplets give us a sense of ease in his childhood but the refrain "Come back early or never come" introduces us to loss and abandonment. MacNeice gives his mother happy colours like yellow, showing that he loved her, but he gives his father no colour at all showing that he doesn't ...

Brian Montgomery

What skills do you believe manages should possess? A: Leadership, organizational and interaction skills, good communication. Planning Q: Why do you think Managers need to plan? A: You need to have agreed plans and goals; I?s how you measure yourselves and the business against planned targets Q: There are different kinds of Plans including, Mission statements, vision, marketing operational. What type of plans do you use in your business? A: In my division we use all of those, the company has our mission statement and vision, which we live but the operational plans are the day to day business for us.Q: How often do you refer to each of the plans? A: It really depends on the plan and situation but I would say at least weekly. Q: Do you discuss the plans with you your teams and why? A: Yes we discuss these in all of our meetings at different levels. Staff, supervisor and management meetings. Q: How effective do you think these plans are? A: There is always room for improvement, but at th is time they are good. They are achievable and relevant to the core business. Our plans have to be somewhat flexible due to the changing environment we work in. Q: What benefits do you think you get from each of those plans?A: The team get a sense of achievement, moving forward, setting new goals. We achieve then move the goals forward. It's great for the team to see the plan coming to fruition. Organizing Q: Why do you think businesses need to have organizational structures? A: Accountability and growth. Q: There are different kinds of Organizational structures in the workplace, Formal/informal, functional, and divisional and matrix. Which one or combination Of these is used in your business? A: would say Divisional due to the multiple sites. Q: What benefits do you think you get from those structures you use?A: loud say time is the biggest benefit. When you find something that works well at one site you can adapt that to fit another site. With not having to come up with a complete new system then have time to focus on other issues. Q: Do you see any drawbacks to any of the structures you use? A: Having too many sites sometimes mean you spread yourself a little thin. That's when you have to look at staff and co-leaders. Leadership Q: Why do you think leadership is important in business? A: Overall accountability, but part of that is ensuring that the whole team work together to achieve the desired outcome.Q: There are several types of adhering, Autocratic, Democratic Laissez-fairer, situational etc. Which of these do you use in your organization? A: Democratic for me, having said that there are occasions when time constants mean a directive needs to be the way to move forward quickly. Q:How would you describe your leadership style? A: Adaptable depending on the climate at the time and proactive. Q: What benefits do you think you get from this style? A: Success, great time management and good interactions with staff. This means we meet timeliness. Q:DO you see any drawbacks to this style?A: Sometimes if you don't stay focused on delivery, things can get interpreted Rooney. You really have to make sure you invest time on learning so everyone understands their part in the overall plan. Control Q: What does controlling mean for you? A: Guidelines are put in place sows have a structured approach. Q: What control systems are used in your business? A: Mainly Kepi's (Key Performance Indicators) Q: Why are controlling systems important in your business? A: So we can achieve and show that we have achieved. Q: What control functions that you use monitor your planning functions?A: The Kepi's are what shows how we are progressing against our plan and working towards our targets. With no Kepi's where are we really. 1 . The Planning Function of Management 1. 1 . A There are a variety of reasons that managers plan although to me the first reason would be to set the direction and priorities of the company or sector of the company. You want to ensure tha t everyone in the team is working towards a similar goal and understands what that goal is. 1 . 2. A Vision Statement: Describes what a company would like to achieve, their aspirations to be the leader or best at what they do.Mission Statement: This is really the overall aim of the company, it tells prospective customers who the company are and what they stand for. Strategic plans: these are the long term plans the company has to grow. The overall direction it wants to take to achieve its desired goals. Marketing plans: This is the companies plan outlining how they plan to achieve the strategic goal they set. Here they need to look at what they deliver how well and what gives them the competitive edge over others out there. How they show that information to prospective clients. Contingency plan: This is the ‘what if plan.As we all know â€Å"If anything can go wrong, it will. † Murphy's law With that in mind we need to put plans in place for possible events that were to originally planned for (the contingency plan). Operational plans: This is a short term plan often set at a lower level in the company to ensure the team or section of the company have a clear understanding of what they need to do in the short term to ensure the company as a whole is achieving its higher level plans. 1 . 2. B The company I studied has a variety of plans, they have a vision (what they want to be), Mission (Why they exist), Values(what is important to them).They also have a strategic plan looking at the goals of increasing contracts and turnover by a percentage each year for the next five years. They have a marketing plan, for how they plan to sell the business to prospective clients. All these plans are driven from their National Office. Then there is the operational planning side of things, this is how they plan their work week to week to ensure they carry out the work the client wants within the timeshare set. 1. 3. From what observed I think overall the company st udied has some good plans at each level.My study was more focused on the operational plans and at interview and at first look it appears that the plans are sound and have some clear expectations of how things would be done in order to achieve the goals. Looking closer showed that there were some things that could possibly be done to make it more effective 1 . 3. B I was able to see the operational plans and how these were looked at from week to week. They have various focuses form current week to next and then longer focus into months ahead. I was shown the targets for completions of set work and the actual percentages achieved week on week against the plans.They have set themselves some high goals for the year and are close to achieving. I did notice from discussions that where they appear to fail is due to not cooking at the contingency side of things fully. A lot of the day to day jobs are dependent on weather or plant access and often there is no plan for what they will do if th ey cannot do that. This means that the overall focus then becomes more reactive than proactive. 2. The Organizing Function of Management 2. 1 . A Businesses need to have organizational structures in order to allow them to function effectively.This is because the structure defines the roles and tasks undertaken by staff. â€Å"An idea can only become a reality once it is broken down into organized, actionable elements. † Scott Belles 2. 2. The main kinds Of organizational structures are: Formal: Generally roles and responsibilities are set out in writing and staff generally don't venture outside their job description. Informal: Is how people work together in practice, day to day interactions. This structure generally develops alongside a formal structure. Divisional: Is where an organization is split into a number of separate units.These can be grouped according to product, market, geographical location or a mix of these. Each division is self-managed. Functional: Is where sta ff are grouped according to the function or role they perform Matrix: Is where staff are grouped by both function and product, often this structure is used for project work. 2. B The company I studied had a combination Of the Structures discussed. The company as a whole have a formal structure with an organizational chart to show the positions, with each position having a formal job description.But alongside that the staff have developed good communication and day to day talking to ensure the jobs are completed which is really the informal addition. The company has certainly got a divisional side to mainly based on location, and there is somewhat of a functional split at the location I looked at where hey have a roofing team with team leader, a handyman team with team leader, an industrial cleaning team with team leader and a commercial cleaning team with team leader. 2. 3. A The impression I was left with is that the mix of organizational structures works very well in this company. There appear to be a good balance between the formal and informal. The functional structure impressed me in that each of the individual teams had a clear understanding of their roles and took pride in achieving and meeting their targets. 2. 3. B During my visit I was able to see the organizational chart and some of the position descriptions. Away the team members within the office and how they interacted with the team leaders to get tasks achieved. 3. The Leadership Function of Management 3. 1 . A Leadership is important because without it a business will fail to function to its full potential. Leadership is the capacity to transform vision into reality. † Warren G. Bennie 3. 2. A To me the business I studied relies heavily on the democratic style of leadership, with a little delegating added to the mix. Democratic: There were a lot of notes from meetings with the manager and her supervisors and team leaders, where you could see issues discussed and he thoughts of the team wit h the decision made and agreed as the way to move forward. I noted from the tone used by the manager at interview and the dealings I saw with staff that she asked for their thoughts and input to assist in the decision making process.Delegating: I could often see actions for tasks or monitoring being assigned to the supervisor and team leaders. 3. 2. B Compared to the democratic style the autocratic does not look for a collaborative approach. Generally it is a more solely directive or authoritarian approach. Whereas the democratic style assists staff in feeling that they are a ajar part of the process and engaging them the autocratic would not be the way to get the best from a team. The team with the autocratic leader often feel less loyal, have less commitment and in the end, less satisfaction from the job as those with a democratic leader.Having said this a few of the staff I came across liked the go to work and be told what to do and how, although it was a minority. Although not i deal in my view there are occasions where autocratic works, this is usually in situations where an emergency has occurred and a decision needs to be made sooner rather than waiting to see if a consensus can be reached. . 3. A I believe that the leadership in the business I studied was adequate. There seemed to be systems in place and all those I spoke to or observed seemed to be aware of their part in achieving.

Martial Law and Batch 81 essays

Martial Law and Batch '81 essays Martial Law was a time of hardship for most of our people. Maybe I could say that I was lucky not to have grown up in that era. After hearing all the stories that have been related to me by my parents and relatives when I was young, I became afraid of that time. Imagine, curfews? Military haircuts? Those were the stuff nightmares are made of. When I grew up though, I was exposed to the more gruesome details of Ferdinand Marcos rule. The unexplained disappearances and salvages became evident to me. It was really a terrifying time to be politically active, especially if you were against the regime. Although I learned that Marcos could have been the best leader our country has had, all his achievements were negated because of his tyranny and despotism. If I were alive in that time, I would have been agreeable to Marcos dictatorship if only he had practiced a more benevolent type of rule. He was a great ruler, and he did our country a whole lot of good. There was almost no cri me and he established the Philippines as the top exporter of rice in the world. Its too bad that he had to become power-hungry and steal from the country like he did. As a result of his martial law era, the Filipinos have become inherently afraid of the possibility of another declaration of military rule. It has created a fear in changing our constitution even if it is in dire need of revision. In the film Batch 81, I saw the horrors of martial law, albeit inconspicuous and obscured, portrayed graphically in front of my eyes. The film was about fraternities, and the ordeals that neophytes go through to be a part of this group. In the film, the fraternity was shown by the director to portray martial law in all its brutality and savagery. The neophytes were we, the citizens of the country. It showed the authority and rule that the fraternity has over the neophytes, like martial law had over the people. The frater ...

Christ-Centered Therapy Essays

Christ-Centered Therapy Essays Christ-Centered Therapy Paper Christ-Centered Therapy Paper There are four essentials for the crisis intervention to be effective. Firstly, it is important that the person must be screened for behavioral, emotional and psychological problems. Secondly, the minister should make sure that documentation on any history and events that led to the crisis or what might be a potential crisis. Thirdly, ensure that the minister learns about the causes, consequences, resources and appropriate responses to a crisis or the potential crisis the person may be facing (Rowan, 1997). Fourthly, the crisis intervention plan must be individualized, set for the person’s needs and if possible; consulting another qualified medical or Christian mental health professional is perhaps, a necessity (Wulff, p. 48). ~How does a church look at ministering people on a continued basis? Within the church, I believe that the following fundamental areas must be present for a full-orbed care ministry especially that when crisis comes, events that trigger crisis or trauma inducing effects on a person do not fall on certain seasons or will they signal their upcoming presence(Anderson et al, 2000, p. 355). Hence, a church must provide a holistic approach towards such an attainment. It may include what may look like Care ministries provide a ready response when personal stress is overwhelming that adheres to a Christ-centered slant (Anderson, 1995). Setting up a crisis intervention center equipped with treatment plans and procedures for every form or type of physical and mental trauma-related sicknesses or disorders takes not only wide and established knowledge of the health care or spiritual ministry involved. It basically takes into consideration a clear call from God that such an undertaking is His direction not only for the church in general, but specifically for one who should take the leadership role on a long-term basis. The call and the subsequent preparation and/or training start with the spiritual unction that enables the minister and the Christian counselor/therapist to see the needs and plight of those suffering trauma or crisis-induced anxiety and corresponding illnesses that bother the client. Then there are the other items to consider such as logistics and other means of support when clients can ill-afford the costs of health care. Constant corporate prayer is an important area that must be in place all year round. Accompanying these detailed needs is the fact that mistakes will/should be anticipated knowing that clients are individual persons with unique personalities and difficulties. However, the rewards are plenteous and the church will be edified and developed when members are given the opportunity to serve and exercise their respective giftings. It is recommended here however, that the model utilized and presented here should be submitted for further testing and development; criticisms should be considered towards the improvement of a better crisis intervention plan. Reference: 1. Anderson, Neil T. , Terry E. Zuehlke, Julianne S. Zuehlke. 2000. Christ-Centered Therapy. Zondervan Publishing House. 2. Anderson, Neill. 1995. Helping others find freedom in Christ. Ventura, Calif. : Regal. 3. Bisson, Jonathan, Mark Brayne, Frank M. Ochberg, George Everly Jr. July 2007. Early Psychological intervention following traumatic events. American Journal of Psychiatry 164:1016-1019.

Democratic Capitalism and Individual Liberty 201 Essay

Democratic Capitalism and Individual Liberty 201 - Essay Example Thomas Paine in Common Sense argued North America was a â€Å"natural manufactory† where laying out money to build a navy was paramount because it would protect commerce (Paine 36). Thus, free trade and individualism go hand in hand with each other but when businesses are not allowed to fail, the result is socialism. When Alexis de Tocqueville toured the U. S. in the 1830s he was impressed with Americans’ industriousness. However, de Tocqueville also saw problems of having slaves as part of a southern workforce. The white Ohioan, as de Tocqueville put it, â€Å"is obliged to exist by his own exertions† while the â€Å"Kentuckian scorns . . . labour [and] lives in an idle independence† (Casper & Davies 117). As the nation grew, laws, such as the abolition of slavery in 1865 and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in 1892, promoted individualism and fair play in business. The recent government bailout did not promote individualism and goes directly against Smith’s idea that when regulations are â€Å"completely taken away, the obvious and simple system of natural liberty establishes itself of its own accord† (Burton & Dworkin 145). Allowing business to fail is the natural order of supply and demand. When businesses are not allowed to fail, but propped up with a supply of government money, the system is no longer individualistic but

Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Abortion - Essay Example serious problems, such as when the birth of a child can result in the death of his/her mother or the child was conceived through rape and its birth will have an extremely negative role on the rest of the woman’s life. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the supporters of abortion point out rather strong factors in favor of abortion, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is primarily about human life that is recognized as priceless by all. The high incidence of abortions as the most simple solution to the problem has led to the fact that partly a childs life has lost its meaning and significance as a gift of God or a gift of nature (depending on how one perceives the birth). This problem did not exist until 1912 because before 1912, there were no laws against abortion (London). Despite the adoption of various laws on abortion, the problem is that abortion is still being applied even in cases when the birth of a child shall not be a threat to the physical or ment al health of the mother and is justified from a practical point of view (too early pregnancy, physical complexity, condemned by the parents, etc.). Given all this, one can confidently assert that abortion is an extremely negative phenomenon and its evaluation should be primarily negative. Justification for abortion is only possible in some cases, namely, if the birth of a child will lead to the death of the mother or cause deep psychological trauma that can lead in tragic consequences in the woman’s life. As noted above, the proponents of abortion can point out many arguments in favor of their position. In particular, one of the first argument can appeal to the fact that nature itself provides the means for a natural abortion. Natural abortion can occur as a result of the inability of a woman to bear a child, her poor health, bad heredity, etc. Thus, even nature suggests the possibility of miscarriage. For this reason, one cannot blame the doctors that they offer women the opportunity to

Sai.m Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Sai.m - Essay Example h crises; moreover, the fact that the effects of recession on markets that are based on Islamic banking has been limited proves the effectiveness of Islamic banking scheme towards its western rival. Current study focuses on the examination of the solutions that Islamic banking can offer regarding the limitation of losses caused because of the credit crunch. In order to understand the potential solutions of Islamic banking against the credit crunch it would be necessary to refer primarily to the characteristics and the framework of Islamic banking as an alternative scheme of banking compared to the traditional (western) banking system. In accordance with Iqbal et al. (1987, p.29) ‘the central requirement of an Islamic financial system is the replacement of the rate of interest with the rate of return on real activities as a mechanism for allocating financial resources’. On the other hand, Saeed (1996) notes that ‘the investment activities of the Islamic bank would be based on the two legal concepts of Mudaraba and Musharaka, alternatively known as profit and loss sharing (PLS)’ (Saeed, 1996, p.51); in other words, the existing principles and mechanisms of Islamic banking can be used in order to control the pressure of the global market – which is based on the western banking system; in this case, an appr opriate customization of the rules of Islamic banking system would be required in order to suit to the needs and the potentials of customers worldwide (Scharf, 1983, p.18).On the other hand, Islamic banking system has an important weakness: the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework; this means that in case of failure the allocation of risk among the persons that participated in a specific investment initiative may not easy; furthermore, the recovery of damages would also face difficulties (Ledgerwood, 1999, p.56). The above problem is examined in the study of Venardos (2005); in the specific study it is noted that ‘an appropriate regulatory

Entrepreneurship the purist most challenging application of the art and science of business. Essay Example for Free

Entrepreneurship the purist most challenging application of the art and science of business. Essay Corporate America repeatedly cites the ‘lack of entrepreneurial skills’ as the single biggest deficiency in MBAs – something that we fix in this course. Entrepreneurial skills and knowledge are mandatory for creating your own venture (for-profit or non-profit) , creating a new business unit within an existing enterprise, creating a new product or service offering and  launching it, or for just being a much more inventive and creative desk jockey in a lumbering, bureaucratic human cesspit of non-productive activity. The conception and start-up stage of a new organization is a critical stage of the company’s life-cycle. It is the time for the venture to pull itself together and get up and running in time for ‘opening day’. It is an extremely busy time in the venture’s life, requiring a thorough understanding, application, and execution of your MBA concepts skills. In this capstone course we examine the idea of entrepreneurship, its symbiotic existence with Corporate America, the origin of new (company) concepts, setting up the new legal entity, raising funding from outside investors or donors, developing and writing a comprehensive business plan, and pitching your concept to a panel of seasoned investors or potential donors. Some key topics include: (1) demographics for small businesses, (2) conceiving and understanding a sound ‘business model’, (3) financial forecasting and modeling for new start-ups, (4) cash flow management in start-ups, (5) term sheets, (6) the venture capital business, (7) multiple funding rounds, (8) start-up company valuations, (9) liquidation preferences, (10) leveraging strategic alliances, (11) the role of the Board of Directors, (12) restricted stock, stock options, and 83(b) elections, and (13) creating and leveragor) presentation that will be delivered to a panel of professional investor/donors at the conclusion of the course. CAP5802 will be delivered as a combination of lecture and discussion. The instructor demands active participation from the class members. COURSE OUTLINE Important note: The detailed descriptions of all assignments along with all exercises are found on the (new) Moodle course site. Session 1: Monday, 26 August 2013 Introduction and Orientation How the course will be conducted Classification of businesses Small business demographics What is entrepreneurship and why should you be highly interested in this subject? Major assignments and due dates †¢ Concept Description Abstract – Due on 23 September 2013 †¢ Business Plan Outline – Due on 7 October 2013 †¢ Interview with Entrepreneur Write-Up – Due on 14 October 2013 †¢ Prospectus – Due on WEDNESDAY by NOON, 4 December 2013 †¢ Final Business Plan – Due on MONDAY, 9 December (in class) 2013 †¢ Live PowerPoint Presentation – 9 December 2013 [No class on Monday, 2 September – Labor Day] Session 2: Monday, 9 September 2013 The Entrepreneurial Mind and Process Entrepreneurial Resilience during Challenging Times How Entrepreneurs Craft Strategies That Work Apple’s Core Case Study Iggy’s Bread of the World Case Study Session 3: Monday, 16 September 2013 Recognizing and Screening the Opportunity Background Note: Note on Business Analysis for the Entrepreneur ZOOTS: The Cleaner Cleaner Case Study Session 4: Monday, 23 September 2013 The Business Plan HBR Article: How to Write a Great Business Plan Business Plan for Room for Dessert Case Study Your Concept Description – Abstract Due Session 5: Monday, 30 September 2013 The Founder and the Team – HR Matters NanoGene Technologies, Inc. Case Study Session 6: Monday, 7 October 2013 Legal Matters the Start-Up Ecosystem Background Note: Legal Matters and Entrepreneurship †¢ Corporate law firms †¢ Intellectual property (IP) law firms The Start-Up Ecosystem †¢ Certified public accountants (CPAs) †¢ The Board of Directors †¢ The Advisory Board †¢ Key business partners Smartix(A): Dancing with Elephants Case Study Smartix(B): The Last Dance Smartix(C): Rethinking the Negotiations Smartix(D): Reflections from the Other Side of the Table Business Plan Outline Due Tonight Session 7: Monday, 14 October 2013 Financing the Venture PunchTab Inc. Case Study Interview with Entrepreneur – Write-Ups Due Fall Break is 15 – 18 October 2013. Session 8: Monday, 21 October 2013 Capitalization of the Start-Up, Part 1 Session 9: Monday, 28 October 2013 Capitalization of the Start-Up, Part 2 Session 10: Monday, 4 November 2013 Capitalization of the Start-Up, Part 3 Session 11: Monday, 11 November 2013 Growing the Business What Entrepreneurs Get Wrong Facebook Case Study Gordon Biersch Case Study Gordon Biersch – New Challenges and Opportunities Case Study Session 12: Monday, 18 November 2013 Investment Decision Making Walnut Venture Associates (A): RBS Group Investment Memorandum Walnut Venture Associates (B): RBS Due Diligence – Customers Walnut Venture Associates (C): RBS Due Diligence – Market Size Walnut Venture Associates (D): RBS Deal Terms Thanksgiving Week break is 25 – 29 November 2013. No class on 25 November. Session 13: Monday, 2 December 2013 Documentary (movie): â€Å"Start-Up.com† Session 14: Monday, 9 December 2013 Final Presentations COMMENTS ON CAP5802 – ENTREPRENEURSHIP IMPORTANT: YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN HARD COPY IN CLASS ON THE SPECIFIED DUE DATE. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE MARKED DOWN—SEE GRADING POLICY BELOW. Your workload in this course will be ‘above average.’ That we meet only one time per week for three hours implies that you will have a week’s worth of homework to do in between class meetings – unlike the homework load that you would receive in a course that meets multiple times per week. Specifically, †¢ I expect you to attend all of our classes. †¢ I expect you to arrive on time and remain in class until we are finished with the session. †¢ I expect you to arrive with your material fully prepared – this requirement is critical. †¢ I expect you to participate actively and effectively in class. †¢ I expect you to demand of yourself and your fellow class members complete fidelity to high personal ethical standards. †¢ I expect you to keep your cellular telephone out of our classroom – or with you, but powered off. †¢ I do not expect you to ever leave the classroom to accept or return a telephone call. †¢ I expect all team work and responsibilities to be evenly distributed among the team members. †¢ I expect all individual-specified exercises to be completed by you independently with no assistance received from anyone else. CAP5802 GRADES There is no final exam in CAP5802. Instead, we have the final presentations from each start-up concept. Four factors play into your grade computation in CAP5802: (1) your homework scores – watch those tricky computational problems, (2) your write-up of your interview with an entrepreneur, (3) your completed business plan – which should be sufficiently tantalizing to cause the general partners of Kleiner Perkins Caulfield (who successfully funded Genentech, Amazon, and Google, among others) to salivate, and (4) a stunning live presentation during our final class meeting – which should convince even the most risk averse grandmother to allocate a chunk of her retirement stash to fund your promising venture. (1) CLASS PARTICIPATION We have 23 articles/case studies that we use to supply some of the vital content to this course. I expect you to give every one of them a thorough read and analysis. I encourage you to discuss them with your team members. I will call on you in class – whether or not you raise your hand – and ask you to answer questions or to explain concepts/situations in the assigned readings. I will score your response on a three-point scale as follows: 3: brilliant 2: adequate 1: needs improvement (2) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS Your home work assignments are due in class in hard copy on the specified due date. I will penalize you for late homework assignments. That is how the real business world works. If you are going to be out of town, always complete and turn in your assignment EARLY. When you are LATE with your homework assignments, you lose points in the computation of your final grade. No appeals allowed. The point value for each homework question is noted in (*) next to the question. You will find all of the homework assignments on the course site. (3) INTERVIEW WITH ENTREPRENEUR Each team will find an authentic entrepreneur – someone who has started their own business/organization and currently is running the business or non-profit organization. The business/organization can be anything ranging from an ice cream truck to a non-profit social service organization that provides outplacement services to displaced investment bankers. I will provide you with the list of questions for the interview. You only need to find the willing entrepreneur (they generally love to talk about their businesses) and complete the interview – then write it up. (4) COMPLETED BUSINESS PLAN FOR YOUR VENTURE Each team will compose a comprehensive, professional-quality business plan for their business concept. There are two important milestones/due dates for the business plan assignment: (1) the brief plan outline due date, (2) the completed plan due date – the last class meeting. (5) CORPORATE OVERVIEW PRESENTATION OF YOUR VENTURE Your team will present your ‘corporate overview/launch plan’ during our final class meeting. You will be graded on the originality, content, and delivery of your concept. We expect to have a judging panel present – comprising demanding, unreasonable investor-types – to critique your concepts CAP5802 GRADE COMPUTATION There are five sources of points that are used in your final course grade computation: (1) Class participation points – as noted above. I will tally up your points, and normalize your grand total over 50 possible points. (2) Homework Assignment points – as noted with each HW assignment question. I will add up your total homework points, divide this total by the total possible homework points, and arrive at a final percentage score for your homework. (3) 50 points for your entrepreneur interview write-up (4) 100 possible points for your business plan, distributed as follows: Quality of idea = 10 pts Compelling market opportunity = 10 pts Organization of plan = 10 pts Clarity of plan = 10 pts Financial analysis = 10 pts Marketing plan = 10 pts Sales and distribution plan = 10 pts Competitive analysis = 10 pts Sales/revenue forecast = 10 pts Surviving CAP5802 = 10 pts (5) 100 possible points for you final presentation, distributed as follows: Originality and cleverness of the presentation = 20 pts Running within the allotted time = 20 pts Richness of content = 20 pts Presentation delivery = 40 pts Note that your presentation scores will be a compilation of our guest judges’ scoring. History indicates that the judges are rather severe scorers. I will assign final course grades based on your final total point tally: Total possible participation score (%): 50 points Total possible homework (%): 100 points Total possible interview with entrepreneur: 50 points Total possible written business plan: 100 points Total possible live presentation: 100 points A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

The Epic Poem - Beowulf Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essay

     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beowulf is an epic poem. Why? Because (1) it is a long narrative work that relates the adventures of a great hero and (2) it reflects the values of the Anglo-Saxon society in which it was written prior to 1000AD. This Old English poem in unrhymed, four-beat alliterative style narrates, through the course of about 3200 verses, the bold killing of two monsters, Grendel and his Mother, and a fire-dragon, as well as numerous other brave deeds in lesser detail, by Beowulf, â€Å"the strongest of men alive in that day, mighty and noble,† â€Å"the good Geat.†Ã‚   Roberta Frank in â€Å"The Beowulf Poet’s Sense of History† sees the hero as â€Å"the synthesis of religious and heroic idealism† (Frank 59). Professor Tolkien in Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics states: â€Å"But in the centre we have an heroic figure of enlarged proportions† (Tolkien 38). â€Å"That crafty sailor† led his warriors â€Å"on the waves† to Hrothgar’s Danish kingdom where the first two adventures took place (â€Å"Herot, the bright ring-hall, is purged.†), earning the hero the greatest respect of the king (â€Å"You have by your deeds, achieved fame forever.†) and queen and people. More than â€Å"fifty winters† later the third great feat occurred in the Geat homeland where Beowulf was reigning as king. This adventure of armed combat against a fire dragon resulted not only in the dragon’s death but also in that of the Scandinavian hero. Numerous other adventures of the hero are presented in lesser detail: â€Å"With my sword I slew nine sea monsters,†Ã‚   â€Å"he had survived many battles,† â€Å"he avenged Heardred’s death,† â€Å"He deprived King Onela of life,† â€Å"I repaid Hygelac †¦ with my bright sword,† â€Å"I was the killer of Daghrefin,† etc. The poem rightfully claims that Beowulf â€Å"performed the most famous de... ...the ten who deserted their chief, said, â€Å"At the ale-bench he often gave you †¦ helmets and armor.†    From the above it’s obvious that abundant evidence amply demonstrates that Beowulf truly reflects the first millenial Anglo-Saxon culture in the poem’s lengthy narration of the adventures of a great hero.    BIBLIOGRAPHY Clark, George. Beowulf. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Cramp, Rosemary. â€Å"Beowulf   and Archaeology.† In TheBeowulf Poet, edited byDonald K. fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Frank, Roberta. â€Å"The Beowulf Poet’s Sense of History.† In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Tolkien, J.R.R.. â€Å"Beowulf :The Monsters and the Critics.† In TheBeowulf Poet, edited byDonald K. fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.

Aflac

Table of Contents I. Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 II. Company History†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3-4 III. Company Financials†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 IV. Internal Factors & External Industry Analysis. 6-11 V. House of Quality & DMAIC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11-19 VI. Tree Diagram & PDPC†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 19-22 VII. Flowchart & Check Sheet†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦22-26 VIII. Consultants Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 26 IX. Works Cited†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 27 ? I. Executive Summary AFLAC, incorporated offers all different types of insurance including life, health, and accident insurance as being their top sellers. The insurance industry can often be a competitive one. There are many insurance companies, in the past few years, that have been greatly effected by the current recession in the United States. Some insurance companies needed government intervention to help them through this. AFLAC, just like other big companies out there, have gone through many problems. Building the House of Quality and using Deming’s five points will help this company succeed and train their employees better. Using flow charts, check sheets, and tree diagrams will show the employees the right way to do their work and can continuously improve at their work. Consultants will be overall most satisfied with these types of practices. II. Company History Aflac, also known as American Family Life Assurance Company, was founded in Columbus, Georgia in the year 1955. It was discovered by brothers John, Paul, and William Amos to sell life, health, and accident insurance (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † Competition was very fierce back then and the little company did poorly. In the 1940s and 1950s, there were many cases of polio scares and had spawned insurance coverage written specifically for this disease. It was then that Aflac decided to sell cancer insurance (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † In the year 1958, they introduced the world’s first cancer insurance policy. This wound up being a big hit for this company and had written over a million dollars in premiums and had expanded over state lines. This company grew very quickly. It grew very quickly in the decade of the 1960s. They developed a selling approach that was much clustered. This approach worked as employees were willing to make payroll deduction for premiums (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † By the year 1971, this company was booming in over 42 states. In the 1970s, John Amos then decided to expand his company outside the United States. This started by Amos visiting the World Fair in Osaka and he then decided to market this idea to the Japanese (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † The Japanese healthcare plan left them exposed to considerable expense from cancer treatments. After four years, the company finally got approved to sell health insurance overseas to the Japanese (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † It was basically approved because after research, it would have not threatened existing markets and the Amos’s found notable backers in the insurance and medical industries. Aflac became one of the first insurance companies to enter the Japanese market, and it had an eight year monopoly with the Japanese (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † Aflac has sought to supplement its cancer insurance by introducing new products and improving old ones to encourage the policyholders to add on or trade up (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † The company boosted its name recognition in the United States from two percent to fifty six percent primarily through advertising, including the slots throughout the 1998 Winter Olympic Games and NASCAR races (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). Accident and disability premiums surpassed cancer premiums in the United States for the first time in the company’s history in the year 2000. The popular Aflac duck made its first appearance on television in the year 2001 for a commercial for accident insurance (â€Å"Aflac Incorporated History). † III. Company Financials With every company, the financial po rtion of the company will vary from year to year. AFLAC, which is one of the most trusted insurance companies and has the most popular commercials, has been doing very well over the years as an insurance company. This company has annual sales presently at over eighteen million dollars (â€Å"Aflac Financial Reports†). Ten million dollars of the eighteen million dollars in revenues were solely from the sales of the employees that worked for this company. This company is a publicly traded company located on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Over the years, this stock price has gone up and up every single year. It is now priced at fifty five dollars per share, which shows how successful this company has been over the years. Below, is a chart that shows Aflac’s stock price from June of 2009 to April of 2010 (Business Source Complete). It shows that in June of 2009, it was price at thirty three dollars per share. It had a significant setback right before September where it dropped under thirty dollars per share (Aflac’s Financial Reports. )† It has since resurged in the past ten months to be up to fifty five dollars per share. It shows that Aflac has not been affected by the recession, which is ongoing in the United States. IV. Internal Factors & External Industry Analysis The insurance industry is a very competitive industry. AFLAC’s main concern is the customer service problems and that the agents are not trained enough to help out the various customers the company deals with. AFLAC specializes in accident and health insurance mostly, with the option of life insurance as well (Business Wire). The industry as a whole is very successful. The most popular aspect that most people will recognize about this company is their memorable commercials featuring the AFLAC duck (Price 1). The duck’s familiar quack and voiceover by Gilbert Godfrey immediately shows that it provides worker’s compensation to its employees (Price 1). There are definitely way more strengths than weaknesses in this particular company. The strengths of this advertisement are its catchiness and cleverness of the advertisements design rather than its theme. The main theme of the advertisement should have gone in a more interesting way of the necessity of the worker’s compensation as part of one’s health insurance package (Price 1). However, the nature of the duck in AFLAC’s commercials makes the surface theme of the duck recognizable and that’s why AFLAC’s commercials with the duck are so popular and has been a big reason why AFLAC has been a solid company over the years. Moreover, in the strengths of this company, it also has to do with the sole person that the customer is dealing with (Wiki wealth). The main strength of this company is the agents that are hired to work with the various customers. If a customer has a great representative, it has come apparent that they would recommend the company to all their friends and family. Personally, having a good representative will keep the customer more calm and know that their insurance claims will be paid in a more efficient time period. In addition, having an agent that can answer all of the customer’s questions and concerns is a big thing as well. If the agent is intelligent enough to answer all of the inquiries the customer may have, the customer will overall have a great experience and would feel that dealing with a company like this would be overall a great experience for that individual. Many believe that the insurance industry can be a profitable one. The industry in itself can be a very successful one, but also can be risky at times. As many might already know, insurance involves pooling different funds from many uninsured entities in order to pay for relatively uncommon, but severely devastating losses which can occur to these entities (â€Å"Industry Handbook). In the United States, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 was put into legislation. It stated that banks, brokerages, and insurance firms can come together to offer the customers a range of services (â€Å"Industry Handbook. )† In the insurance industry, this had led to an outrage of â€Å"Merger and Acquisition† activity. In addition, a majority o f liability insurance companies underwritten in the United States has been through big firms, which has been scooping up all different insurance industries (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). Insurance can also have some positive and negative effects on society and the economy as well. These are effects that are important and have to be monitored closely (â€Å"Insurance†). One negative about it is that it can increase fraudulent acts by individuals (â€Å"Insurance†). People will try to use insurance companies to try to get money out of them even if nothing extraordinary happens when they need money. On the other hand, it can help many families and individuals prepare for catastrophes and the effects of this on households and societies (â€Å"Insurance†). As one can see, the risk of insurance companies is that there can be access to fraud by individuals trying to exploit these companies for money. On the other end, this is a great way just in case a catastrophe happens in a family such as a deadly car accident, untimely death, or anything of that circumstance. Other factors need to be considered as well when talking about the internal and external aspects of this industry. Demographics is an important factor that needs to be considered. It can affect the sales for insurance, particularly the life insurance aspect (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). As people become older, they tend to rely more on life insurance products for their retirement. In more recent years, the insurance industry has made great headway in offering investments and savings type insurance products for their benefit (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). The Global Insurance Industry is also an important factor when it comes to insurance companies. The industry has to deal with the many fluctuations of the interest rates established. Global insurance premiums grew by 3. 4% to reach 4. 3 trillion dollars (â€Å"Reuters†). Insurance companies do invest in much of the collected premiums, so the income generated through these premiums is highly dependent on these interest rates (â€Å"Reuters†). For the first time in the past three decades, premium income has declined in inflation adjusted terms, with non life premiums falling by 0. 8% and life premiums falling near 3. 5% (â€Å"Reuters†). It has become apparent that this industry (insurance) is exposed to the global economic turndown on the assets side by the decline in return on investments and on the liabilities side by a rise in insurance claims (â€Å"Insurance†). It shows that AIG, a similar insurance company just likes AFLAC, was bailed out in September of 2008 and has had an enormous effect on AFLAC’s business and the insurance industry as a whole. The recession and the financial crisis that has gone on throughout the United States the past few years have shown that the insurance industry is sufficiently capitalized (â€Å"Insurance†). The vast majority of the insurance companies have had enough capital to survive, with only a few insurance companies asking the government for help. AFLAC was one of the companies that did not to have the government intervene into their company. The Five Forces Model, which originated from Michael E. Porter’s book, â€Å"Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors,† has become a frequently used tool for analyzing a company industry structure and corporate strategy (â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces Analysis†). These five aspects include Threat of New Entrants, Power of Suppliers, Power of Buyers, Availability of Substitutes, and Competitive Rivalry. First, the threat of new entrants is the first aspect in Porter’s Five Forces Model. In explaining this, it most nearly means that the easier it is for new companies to enter the industry, the more cutthroat the competition will be (â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces Analysis†). Barriers to entry can limit the threat of new entrants. When it comes to the insurance industry, it is not like any type of person or entrepreneur cannot come along and start an insurance company. The threat of new entrants lies within the insurance industry itself. AFLAC has been fearful in the past of being squeezed out by the big players (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). Another threat for AFLAC may be the other financial services companies entering the market (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). This might cause a direct threat to AFLAC and often hurt them in the long run. If a bank or investment company offered insurance products, it would directly hurt the success of AFLAC. The second aspect of this model is the Power of Suppliers. This most nearly means how much pressure suppliers can place on a business (â€Å"Porters Five Forces Analysis†). In the insurance industry, there can be an immense amount of pressure. The suppliers of capital might not pose a big threat initially, but the threat of suppliers luring away human capital does pose a big threat (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). In AFLAC’s case, they do not want suppliers luring away their human capital because they would lose a lot of business. Also, if this had happened, government intervention might have to happen if they were not doing well financially. For example, if a talented insurance agent is working for a smaller insurance company, there is a legitimate chance that they will be enticed away from the smaller company moving to a larger one. In AFLAC’s case, there have been a few individuals that have gone from smaller insurance companies to the more, popular large ones to move into a particular market that they are comfortable in. The power of suppliers has a huge effect on AFLAC and needs to be monitored closely. The third aspect of this model is the Power of Buyers. This is just the opposite of the Power of Suppliers. In this case, this most nearly means how much pressure customers place on a business (â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces Analysis†). The customer can hold substantial power when it comes to insurance companies such as AFLAC. A regular individual does not pose a threat to AFLAC when it comes to the power of customers. But, what do pose a threat to AFLAC, is the large corporate clients that have more bargaining power than AFLAC (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). Just like airlines and pharmaceutical companies pay lots of money in premiums every year and insurance companies try hard to get high corporate clients (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). AFLAC tries this approach so they can get more for their dollar and be successful in different ways of the insurance industry. The fourth aspect of this model is the availability of substitutes. If someone who uses AFLAC as an insurance possibility and the cost of switching is low, this could cause a potential serious threat to AFLAC (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). This aspect is a pretty straightforward one as there are various substitutes in the insurance industry. Most large insurance companies, such as AFLAC being one of them, offer similar services. Whether it be automobile, life, home, and health insurance, chances are that the competitors can offer similar services. Companies focusing on niche areas usually have a competitive advantage, but this advantage depends on the size and whether there are barriers of entry available (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). AFLAC is one of these companies that do focus on the niche areas of the industry and have the competitive advantage. It seems that they are going to be fine when it comes to other companies offering substitutes. The fifth and final aspect of this model is the competitive rivalry. This is the most important part of the model. This describes the intensity of the various companies in the insurance industry (â€Å"Porter’s Five Forces Analysis†). It is becoming a very highly competitive industry. The difference between one insurance company and another is not all that different (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). As a result, it seems that insurance has become a commodity, which means an area in which the insurance company with a low cost structure, greater efficiency, and good customer service will beat out the competitors (â€Å"Industry Handbook†). AFLAC has the historical characteristics of having a low cost structure and good efficiency, but the customer service is still â€Å"Up in the air. † In the long run, I believe we may see more consolidation in the insurance industry. Other companies may prefer to take over or merge with smaller companies, but AFLAC’s approach is to advertise and market with the AFLAC duck and so far it has been a success over the years these commercials have aired. V. Product or Service for Improvement (House of Quality, DMAIC) There is not one company out there in the world that cannot improve. Even if you are considered a â€Å"perfect company,† there will always be room for some type of improvement on a product or service. In AFLAC’s case, they have been a successful company, but at the same time, they have many concerns within their organization. Within AFLAC, there are multiple changes that could be made to their product or service. The most important thing to fix in their system is that it seems that the company does not pay the customers claims in an efficient amount of time. This can mean a certain wide of things, but more importantly needs to be fixed before this company loses more and more customers. Paying the claims on certain individuals and families have been delayed for as long as two years, which seems to be an unreasonable amount of time. Moreover in this, it seems the customer service is lackluster and needs to be improved as well. Building an improvement plan so this company can get better reviews and even improve financially is important. I believe the first aspect of this is to build what is called a House of Quality. The House of Quality is â€Å"A set of matrices used to relate the voice of the customer to technical features and production planning and control requirements (Evans, 294). The House of Quality relates the attributes of the customer to the technical features. This requires six basic steps needed to be successful. When it comes to AFLAC, building a House of Quality will be reliable in their organization. The first step of this model is to identify the customer attributes. The manager must apply Quality Functional Deployment, which is used to ensure custo mer requirements throughout the product or improvement design process (Evans, 293). It is vastly important to use the notion of â€Å"The voice of the Customer† so it is not misinterpreted by any type of designers or engineers. For AFLAC,I have developed three customer attributes that AFLAC deals with. The first one is the basic attribute, which also can be called the â€Å"Must haves†(â€Å"AFLAC Attributes†). These are expected by the various customers. The second attribute is the â€Å"Linear Satisfiers† (â€Å"AFLAC Attributes†). If this company uses this attribute more effectively, this will increase the customer satisfaction, which at some points, is lacking. The third customer attribute is the â€Å"Energizers† (â€Å"AFLAC Attributes†). This means that it is not expected or required, but creates high customer satisfaction when present and can make the difference in choices for the consumer. For AFLAC, the different type of customers might include single individuals, families, working unions, and government officials (Evans, 295). Therefore, there are many classes that need to be considered. The second step of this model is to identify the technical features that are necessary to meet the requirements of customers (Evans, 295). These technical features expressed the language of the designer and engineer. These are the people that form the basis for design and service activities in an organization. In AFLAC, these must be measurable to track the positive or negative results and the output will be compared to the goals of AFLAC. The roof of the House of Quality (Evans 297) shows the interrelationships between any pair of technical features. These technical features can include the premiums, fees, allocated income, less claims, and less operating expenses. They are classified into either a very strong relationship, strong relationship, and a weak relationship (Evans, 296). The third step of this model is to relate the customer attributes to the technical features. The customer attributes is applied to using Quality Functional Deployment. The customer attributes is to have a better â€Å"experience† than they have had in the past with AFLAC. As set up on the House of Quality chart, the customer attributes are listed down the left hand column with the technical features listed across the top (Evans, 296). Using a relationship matrix is the most effective way to show this. AFLAC’s customer attributes must show whether the final technical features adequately address the customer attributes. These technical features can affect several of the customer attributes. â€Å"The lack of a strong relationship between a customer attribute and any of the technical feature suggests that the attributes are not being addressed and that the final service will have difficulty meeting customer needs (Evans, 296). If the technical feature does not match customer attribute, then the designer might have missed something important. † For instance, in AFLAC the â€Å"Voice of the Customer,† all input is appreciated with expert experience, customer surveys or overviews, or any type of controlled experiments (Evans 296). AFLAC should implement customer surveys and overviews to see what the customers have to say about their experience. Within many companies, especially restaurant establishments, they give out survey cards and rate the service of the waiter and restaurant staff. AFLAC should implement this and read over these surveys so at each AFLAC branch, they can see what they are excelling in and what they are struggling in. This would be beneficial to the company as a whole and to the customers as well. The next step of the House of Quality is evaluating the competitive products or services. This evaluation helps highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the problem. In AFLAC’s instance, the strengths of this company is that they have a strong financial strength within the company, the coverage it provides, the portability, the cost, and the direct payment (Hartman 1). The weaknesses include delays on paying customer’s claims, poor customer service, and more concerned about processes than progresses (Hartman 1). This step enables the designers to seek the opportunities for improvement. This links Quality Functional Deployment to a company’s strategic vision and allows priorities to be set in the design process (Evans, 297). † Some customer attributes become key selling points and help establish promotional strategies. The next step is the evaluation of the technical features of competitive aspects and development of targets. This step is usually accomplished through internal testing and translated into measurable results (Evans, 297). With AFLA C, these evaluations are compared with the competitive evaluation of customer attributes to find inconsistencies. The inconsistencies with AFLAC is their customer service. Targets for each technical feature are set on the basis of customer importance ratings and the existing products strengths and weaknesses (Evans, 298). The final step in building the House of Quality is selecting the technical features to be deployed in the remainder of the process. This means â€Å"identifying the characteristics that have strong relationships to customer needs, have poor competitive performance, or are strong selling points (Evans, 297). † The cost and direct payments with AFLAC are the proper actions and controls to maintain the voice of the customer. Also, on the negative side, the poor customer service and the delay of paying customer claims are critical as well and do need the attention. The House of Quality shows the six steps and how they are to be evaluated in sequential order. They will either be a very strong relationship, strong relationship, or weak relationship. We have to focus to make sure AFLAC improves its processes. It is important AFLAC improves as a company as a whole or could face the financial crisis as AIG did in September of 2008. They need to improve on what they have been criticized for in the past. Using a six sigma approach would be beneficial to their improvement plan. This is an approach to measuring product and service quality (Evans, 93). â€Å"The late Bill Smith, a reliability engineer at Motorola, is credited with originating the concept during the mid 1980s and selling it to Motorola’s CEO, Robert Galvin (Evans, 94). † He wanted to improve product and service quality in his organization and wanted to achieve six sigma capability by 1992. The key concepts of this was think, focus, emphasize, ensure, provide, Create highly qualified improvement experts, and set stretch objectives for improvement (Evans, 94). Today, Six sigma is used as a quality framework and in service organizations. As part of the improvement plan, AFLAC needs to implement a six sigma approach called DMAIC methodology. â€Å"This is a standard problem solving approach used in Six Sigma (Evans, 264). The DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. AFLAC can use this methodology to help solve their problem of not dealing with the insurance claims in an efficient amount of time and the customer service that goes along with it. It is explained that the six sigma project selected is dealing with the insurance claims in a sufficient amount of time without any delays. Therefore, the first step is to define the process that needs to be solved or needs â€Å"help. † The problem must be described in operational terms. As an example for AFLAC, this company has history of poor customer service and not paying the claims in time. Therefore, this six sigma project is to improve customer service reliability. Along with this problem, shows that the various insurance agents that are employed with AFLAC seem to not be motivated enough to satisfy the customer. In most organizations including this one, the main job is to satisfy the customer and make sure he or she got the experience with the company and is walking away happy with the customer service. This drills down to a more specific process which is called project scoping (Evans, 264). The customers must be identified that have the most impact on this negative performance, errors or the customer complaints. This phase also needs to address project management issues. In a more timely effort, these AFLAC agents may need some motivation whether it be more of an incentive or extensive training practices to make sure every customer walks out happy. The next phase is the measuring phase. This phase main focus is on how to measure the internal practices of the problems (Evans, 265). It does require an understanding of relationships between process performance and the value of the customer. In AFLAC, every customer is important. Once this is understood, collecting good data, observation, and careful listening should be implemented (Evans, 265). With AFLAC, the high managers and CEO should be doing this type of aspect of this cycle. They should be doing the observation part of every AFLAC branch. Hiring a team of auditors would most likely be the smartest idea. The careful listening part should be by the various AFLAC agents. The auditors and CEO should be giving the individual feedback and the agents should listen on how they can improve their working practices. The third phase is the analyze phase. A huge flaw that happens in problem solving teams and approaches is a lack of emphasis on the analysis portion (Evans, 266). A lot of the time, companies just want to jump into a solution and miss the step of understanding how serious the problem is and identifying where it is coming from. This phase focuses on why defects and errors occur in the organization. The AFLAC auditors need to conduct experiments to be one hundred percent sure that the scope of the problem is accurate. These experiments generally consist of formulating some type of hypothesis and then collecting data and analyzing it (Evans, 266). AFLAC needs to implement a statistical thinking tool. This tool is a philosophy of learning and action based on three principles. These principles include all work occurring in a system of interconnected processes, variation exists in all processes, and understanding and reducing variations are keys to success (Evans, 323). Analyzing statistical thinking in AFLAC would be an immense of help regarding not paying the claims in a timely manner. Variation must exist in this process and AFLAC does not have variation in this type of process. This is why statistics is an important part of the Six Sigma training. Also, what also needs to be analyzed in AFLAC is to see if their also is a computer problem regarding the claims not going through their system. AFLAC pays all their claims online and doing a computer simulation of all computers in the offices would scope out if there is a possible problem with the computer. Once the cause is determined, the analyst, auditors, and teams needs to generate ideas for removing or resolving the problem and improve the performance measures (Evans, 266). One of the difficulties in this section of the DMAIC phase is the natural instinct to prejudge ideas before thoroughly evaluating them in full detail. â€Å"Effective problem solvers must learn to defer judgment and develop the ability to generate a large number of ideas at this stage of the process, whether they are practical ideas or not (Evans, 266). AFLAC needs to improve their customer service and paying their claims in a timely fashion. One idea that needs to be implemented is to have an online website to file the claims to AFLAC. This would be a big convenience to all AFLAC’s clients. On the website, it should also have a spot where you can track the status of your claim. This would save AFLAC lots of money and it would cause less hassle on the customer service line of all the customers asking if their claim has been paid or not. Switching it to online would be more efficient, save money and also would be easier to keep track of every claim. It is way more efficient being on the computer and being well organized than searching through a person’s file looking for it. Implementing the websites to file claims will make the turnover be lower of the amount of complaints regarding the customer service, but there still needs to be improvements. As for the poor customer service, their needs to be extensive training for the many insurance agents that are employed with AFLAC. It has become apparent that these agents were not trained fully on the job when they were originally hired. Implementing a plan where training must exist upon hiring an agent and it should be done every two years to ensure quality in these individuals. The final phase of DMAIC is the control phase. This focuses on how to maintain the improvements AFLAC has implemented. This means putting tools in place to ensure the key variables remain within the maximum acceptable ranges under the modified process (Evans, 266-267). Controlling these plans are vastly important. AFLAC should hire an individual outside of the organization to solely work and monitor the website where claims are filed and to see the status of the claims that are filed. The company will be paying the individual, but in the end, it will save them money and turnover will have gone down significantly. The individual will control these websites and make sure there are no downturns or technical difficulties in the operation of this website. As for the training process improvement, the individual will be trained by top management on an individual basis once every two years. This might seem to be a lot of training by retraining them every two years. Technology changes from year to year and different programs will most likely be established in the near future and it is very important that the agents learn the new development in technology to help them do their jobs on the computer. Training the individual might seem like a hassle to the co-worker, but in the end they will become a more positive individual because they will know that they are doing their job in the most efficient and successful way possible. VI. Identify Management Planning Tools (Tree Diagram, Process Decision Program Chart) Planning is one of the basic functions of every manager out there. The complexity of the business environment today means that planning is not always the easiest thing to do (Evans, 302). However, many different types of tools have been developed by several Japanese companies over the last half century as part of their planning processes (Evans, 302). These tools can be used to address problems typically faced by managers in an everyday role. There are all different types of management tools that can be used to show the improvement in a chart or just explaining it in words. These help the manager understand what exactly needs to be done to improve the process it is struggling or needs â€Å"help† in. With AFLAC, showing these different management tools to management and the lower level employees will help them understand what AFLAC is trying to do as a company and is finding many ways to improve themselves in the