Hospitaliy human resources Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hospitaliy human resources - Research Paper Example ective employment law deals with the relationship between three parties which are the employers, the employees and their unions (Curtin & Wessel, 2005). Worker unions are groups that have been developed by the employees to represent their needs to their employers, and when necessary fight for their rights if need be. Collective employment law deals with the relationship that exists between these three parties. Individual employment law deals with the various rights that an employee is entitled to at their place of work according the work contract that they have signed with their employer (Budd & Bhave, 2008). These laws are designed to ensure that an employer keeps up their end of the deal as stated in the contract and do not take advantage of the employee in any sort of manner. Some of the more popular individual employment laws include: Contract of employment – This involves the contract that an employee signs at the beginning of their employment, and has to do with the details that are incorporated in the contract (Curtin & Wessel, 2005). An employer is obligated to ensure that they maintain the relationship between them and their employee as stipulated within the contract. For example, if one signs a contract as a hotel manager, they should not be expected to perform any duties that are outside the scope of the duties of that position and thus the employer should not ask that of the employee. Minimum wage – This has to do with the lowest salary that an employer is allowed to pay an employee (Stanford, 2005). It deals with the exploitation of workers through the issuing of wages that is below the value of work  done by an employee and ensures that one is able to get an adequate amount of money that they can survive on. A waiter for an example cannot be paid below a certain wage in relation to the length of their shifts and the number that they take up. Working time – This law involves the length of time that an employee is expected to work (Stanford,

Role of Inventors and Governments in Industrialization Research Paper

Role of Inventors and Governments in Industrialization - Research Paper Example Seeds could be planted at specific depths in proper rows and this was a tremendous improvement in Agriculture. Before the invention farmers would scatter seeds and this was very wasteful as most seeds would not take root. Many other machine inventors would contribute to the mechanization and automation of industrial processes. Discussion Natural resources were utilized to develop machine production processes. Coal and water power were a source of fuel for industrial processes. Construction of buildings, tools, and machines was done using iron ore. Rivers served as means of inland transportation of materials, goods, and people. In addition harbors for merchant ships were established.2 Industrialization began with the textile industry where the invention of the spinning machine spurred immense growth. The water frame which was invented in 1769 by Richard Arkwright ran on waterpower from rapid streams. Samuel Crompton invented the advance spinning mule in 1779 and it ran on water power and it produced stronger, consistent and finer thread than previous spinning machines.3 There was a ready market for cotton worldwide and supply for cotton from the American South. Advances in the textile industry triggered industrial development in various sectors. In transport, the landmark invention was the steam engine in 1765 by James Watt. Water transport exhibited tremendous improvement in England. A network of human-made waterways/canals was established. By 1850, inland channels that spanned 4,200 miles reduced the transport cost for both finished goods and raw materials. English factories were powered by steam-driven machinery towards the end of the eighteenth century. Steam driven locomotives were used to transport iron and various raw materials on land. George Stephenson successfully spearheaded the construction of the railroad in 1821.4 Indeed the invention and subsequent perfection of the locomotive had tremendous effects on industrialization. Manufacturers had a cheap means to transport finished goods and raw materials. Numerous jobs were created for both miners (provided coal for steam engines and iron for the rail tracks) and railroad workers.

The Transgender Subculture in Malaysia

The Transgender Subculture in Malaysia 1. Introduction According to a privately-sponsored survey conducted in 2001, there were estimated at least 50,000 transgender people in Malaysia. Other than that, the number of transgendered people in Kuala Lumpur alone was estimated to be 50,000 which show 200 individuals in Malaysia is transgender (Wong, 2005). The study of the transgender subculture mentioned here is an explorative inquiry into the existence and the intricacies of the subject. The objectives of this study is to provide an in-depth look into the transgender subculture usually described by the term Pondan or Mak Nyah, which is much commonly used in Malaysia. Beforehand, pondan is actually a derogatory term for shemales and trangenders, whereas the term May Nyah is from the word mak, which means mother in Malay language. Both terms is used to describe a man who wants to act or dress like woman. Due to peoples limited understanding and misconceptions, some slang is publicly used to tease transgender individuals. In fact, it may cause a lot of negative impacts on them such as decreasing their self-esteem and self-efficacy. Likewise, transgender is defined as a state of an individual gender identity not matching their actual sex which they were assigned at birth, and also takes in cross dressers and transsexuals. Cross dressers are hetero males who like to dress as women on occasion whereas transsexuals is people who are born in one gender but identify with the other. The cause of transgender ideals can be both nature and nurture factors. Biologically, the factors includes differences in how the human brain functions, neurochemical pathways, and the endocrine glands. However, the nurture factor does play an important role to active the inert gene of an individual to become transgender. Sociologist strongly believes that there are influences from cultural and environmental of the local community on transgender (Zhou, Hofman, Gooren, Swaab, 1995). Moreover, transgender had been practiced long ago before it was being identified in 19th century which is 1880s in Germany. During 1886, Richard von Krafft-Ebing which is a German doctor began studying the occurrence of gender divergence. At first, transgender was coined gynandry and later he described it as metamorphosis sexualis paranoia in 1902 which mean a homosexual that truly believed him or herself to be the different from his or her assigned sex. Furthermore, Krafft-Ebing believed that homosexuality was a mental illness and delusion (Hunnicutt, 2004). In fact, the first true pioneer that involve in the field of transgender was Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld which is a gay physician that dedicate himself to the studies on the fields of sex and gender. He was the first to coin the most two popular terms to describe transgender which is transvestism and transexualism (Melville, 2004). In addition, transvestite has become kind of archaic expression and one many transgender people take the exception to.  Transgender is the popular expression of the day. The main problem that transgender face in Malaysia is that they are unable to change his or her sex identity in their identification card after they undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS) or gender reassignment therapy (GRT) although SRS and GRT is legal in Malaysia. This occurrence shows that government are still not being recognized nor accepted. In religion aspect, Islam strictly not recognized or accepted transgender because they do not allow males to wear womens clothing and they were normally isolated. There are a significant number of transgender individuals who have been treated unfairly simply because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. (this also check see got link or not) According to a recent survey done by National Center for Transgender Equality, fully 42 percent of gay individuals say they have experienced some form of employment discrimination at some point in their lives. However, transgender workers face even higher rates of workplace discrimination and harassment. An astonishing 90 percent of transgender individuals report experiencing some form of harassment, mistreatment, discrimination on the job, or hiding from who they are to avoid it (Burns, 2003). Moreover, activists have estimated there are at least 50,000 transgender in Malaysia, many of whom face widespread prejudice and often cannot find employment (Eileen, 2011).   According to Wong (2005), a journalist from The Malaysian Bar, reported that transgender in Malaysia is still being heavily discriminated, understated and misjudged. They face many obstacles and challenges since community of Malaysia was mired in a mindset that transgender is abnormal and should somehow be treated. There are still many bias and stereotyped toward transgender in Malaysia. One of the ways to decrease and prevent bias and stereotype is through education and help more people understand about transgender. To arrive at a deeper understanding of the transgender subculture, we would discover their social relationship such as their socialization with family, peers, education and workplace. In this study, we have collected our data using questionnaires and face-to-face interview. 2. Results/ Findings 2.1 Participant 1 She is Fazura, this is the name after she decided to become a transgender. Her original name was Faiz, she was a normal male during her high school period and there is a personal reason that she decided to become a part of the transgender. During the interview, she explained that during the age of fourteen to fifteen, one of the vital reasons that she becomes a transgender is that she was hurt so deeply by one of the female during her high school years, till the point she decided to become part of it. She was from an average family which consists of four siblings, and she had two sisters that passed away far early before she was born. After years, she found out that her mother wishes to have a daughter but sadly all of her sisters were not fortunate enough to stay longer. The issue made him to think deeply and give him the encouragement to move further into the world of transgender. Family members could not accept the fact of her being a transgender, but slowly getting used to it and being comfortable around her. And from the family background of her that we know, she is the only transgender individual in among her family and relatives. Fazura would not feel concern about how other looks at her being a transgender or planning to go overseas where people would be more open-minded on transgender. She intends to stay here with her family and overcome her problems. Furthermore, being a transgender, Fazura is being very specific on her daily diet, and will go for jogging mostly everyday to keep healthy and fit. Also, she starts to consume contraceptive pills after she decided to become a transgender when she was twenty. She has to keep this as a daily routine in order to have a feminine outlook on her body. She is also planning on a plastic surgery if her financial condition can support her to do so, but she claims that she will not undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS) because in the later years, she might wish to become straight as a normal male again. As a minority group of the society, Fazura explained that she will only hang out in place like Sunway Pyramid shopping centre and cafà © only with her group of friends. Most of her friends were transgender and PLU (which means people like us), she felt comfortable around them other than walking alone and face conspicuous sight from the public. Sometimes she might join her friends to have a small picnic gathering in Port Dickson once awhile. And as a transgender, finding a partner is not an issue for her because once in awhile she will meet someone who is similar to her or someone who is interested with her, but keeping a relationship to last long is the difficult part. Fazura mentioned that she had six partners before and were not as faithful as seems. She further explained that in the society of transgender, partners were usually come and goes, they never last long because everyone is seeking for something new and exciting rather than staying with an individual. She sees herself as an open-minded, tolerance and patience person. As a transgender Malay, she prefers to meet a partner that is smart, high moral and can financially support her. It is because they can take her equally in every decision and will not be bias just because she is a transgender. For now, she would not concern about any relationship problem at the moment because she has to focus on her work, she need to support her family and moreover a mother who is falling ill. As a twenty six years old Malay transgender, she now works in the company of Sunway Lagoon as a marketing clerk. She has a stable financial income and a flexible lifestyle, as a transgender it does not have any major negative effect on her career. She is also a part time makeup artist for wedding couple. 2.2 Participant 2 Danny is 28 years old from Malaysia. His behaviors are feminine, fashionable, gentle, and well-mannered. He was raised in Perak and moved to Klang in order to further his study in Pengajian Islam at a local university. He stopped his study after 2 weeks because he felt uncomfortable to continue his study due to his shemale identity which is against his religion (Muslim). Currently, he is working as a makeup artist in an international makeup company in Shah Alam. From his past experiences, Danny explained that he changed himself to shemale because of the external environment he was raised and influenced. During that time, the people around him often said his appearance look like a girl. She also used to play makeup and girl thingy when he was young. This is why he wanted to transform into shemale. But, when he decided to become a shemale, his family members could not accept his decision however, as time passes his family slowly accepts who he is. At the age of 25, he decided to transform himself from shemale to gay by stop consuming hormone pills and stop dressing up like a woman. The reason why he transforms himself is because: Firstly, after his mother passed away, he does not want his brother feel embarrassed about his identity. Secondly, his company does not accept him as a shemale due to any clients which is Muslim religion will refuse or reject his makeup services to them. Besides, Danny is currently in a relationship with his partner. In fact, he actually had a thought of forming his family by adopting children and raise them. His ideal partner type must be a Chinese, handsome, and has stable income. In contrast, he never expects that his love relationship could last longer. Thus, he does not treat his relationship with every partner seriously. Additionally, he keeps his identity in a low profile whenever he goes out with his partner because he does not want to expose his identity to others. In the meantime, he enjoys hanging out with his clique that consists of gay and shemale to shopping and picnic. He takes his career seriously as a professional makeup artist whereby he does not mix his personal things with his job. However, he still had the thought of transforming back to a normal guy when he becomes old. 2.3 Participant 3 Renee James is 66 years old from Chicago, USA. He was married with a woman, and had three children and seven grandchildren. He became transgender in his 40s and came out to his wife about ten years ago. He did not tell his family about his transgender orientation, only his wife knows. This is because he thinks that it would be a burden for them to carry. He believes that most of his family, relatives and friends would accept him, but he does not want to go there. He frequently stays at home. Renees personality is somewhat introverted, quiet and shy. He will try to avoid conflict with others. Besides that, he likes to write, take long walks with his dog and canoe. He usually spends most of his time with his wife and occasionally has lunch with some transgender friends. Additionally, he has been active in the Chicago trans community ever since. He will attend two or three transgender community meetings monthly and visit with family once a week. Renee is financially secured. Currently, he is a free-lance writer and a magazine editor. His magazine career was not being affected because he never came out as transgender in his professional life. He wrote a novel Coming Out Can Be Murder as a trans woman. He had encountered many barriers to success because he is a transgender and the book is about a transsexual woman. Until now, Renee still lives in two different identities, because it is illegal to change the name. He also feels conspicuous when he presents his female persona. Although he knows that he should not be bother with what others think about him, but still, he is. After he proclaims that he is a transgender, he felt a sense of euphoria and relief. However, that does not last very long because reality sets in for most transgender, transgender is a very difficult struggle for acceptance. The most challenging and difficult part that Renee faced is acceptance. This is because many Caucasian and African male-to-female transgender dont look right. For example, they are too big, too broad-shouldered and others. Renee said that, Male-to-female transgenders in Asia have a different experience that we in the US. In some Asian countries-notably Thailand-the difference in size between men and women is not as great as in Caucasian and African gene pools, so more trans women are able to pass as women. From what Ive read, though, they are just as stigmatized as we are here in the US. Hence, it is hard even for kind people to accept them. Within a marriage, acceptance is also very difficult because his wife feels threatened by his identity. She fears he will transition to full time female, become attracted to himself, have an affair with another person, or somehow embarrass the family. At first, it was very difficult for his wife, but at last she supports him and they go on. About five years ago, Renee began taking small doses of estrogen. It doesnt affect his body because he does not take testosterone blockers. Nevertheless, the estrogen seems to soothe some of the mental conflicts he had. The result is that he had a milder disposition which he dont get mad as often, and dont get as mad as he once did. He liked both boy and girl things as a child and still today. He is comfortable in a male presentation, even though much of the time he would prefer to be a woman. He claimed that he has a mans body and a bi-gender mind. 3. Discussion There are interplay of nature and nurture in transgender. Previously mentioned, there are biological effects in transgender. James (2012) stated that transgender is not a decision they make, it is how their brain develops. In the womb, we all start out female, but our bodies and brains evolve and some of us become male. The brain, including the parts that determine gender orientation, continues to develop after birth. What can decide is what to do about that? Some who born in male dont have the same brain chemistry as other males and end up identifying as female or, in some cases, identifying as both male and female. Some decide to hide their identity, but as time goes on it become impossible (James, 2012). Moreover, in our findings, the participants become transgender due to the influence of family, peers, and society. Besides, transgender concerned about their appearance. They will exercise and diet in order to keep their body fit. They also learn how to makeup from magazine, friends and television shows. Additionally, they consumed contraceptive or birth-control pills such as Marvelon, Levora, and Camilla which contains estrogens to decrease male hormone and increase female hormone. According to Cross (2012), men may experience larger breasts, less facial hair and smaller testicles if they consume the pills. Furthermore, they are materialistic and like branded things such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada. The major struggle for transgender is acceptance. Transgender like to seek for acceptance from society. In family viewpoint, transgender was not easily being accepted by their parents and siblings where they will tend to feel embarrass and confuse. As time flies, family would gradually accept them as who they are. Mostly relatives and peers could accept them as transgender. In societal perspective, the communities are still stereotyping transgender yet they are not easily bothered on how the communities look on them. One way or another, they are more concern on familys view than others on them. Likewise, transgender are not being accepted by most of the religion. In terms of relationship partner, our findings illustrated that transgender relationship usually would not last long. Transgender would not take their relationship seriously because their main concern for both sides is to satisfy their own sexual instincts. So, they will easily feel bored with their partner and always seek to change for another. Nonetheless, there is minority who able to marry (heterosexual) and involve in a long-lasting relationship (homosexual). In addition, transgender also hope to have their own family. According to our results, participants are financially secure and stable in their work. They tend to work professionally in their job and are not easily affected by personal matter. However, there are exceptions. Wong (2005) stated that there are approximately 80% of the transgender in Malaysia become commercial sex workers because of discrimination by prospective employers. Wong (2005) also declared that: Many are academically qualified to hold professional positions but are denied the opportunity for employment. Many end up in the sex industry as well as stereotyped professions such as hairdressing and entertainment. One must question how genuinely free the choice of being a sex worker can be if opportunities for other kinds of employment remain limited. One must also understand and acknowledge the way transsexuals have been [socialized] into seeing themselves and the insidious barriers set up by corporations and prospective employers. From our findings, transgender characteristics are open-minded, soft, tolerate, and non-aggressive. They are more introverts whereby they prefer to stay at home often. In addition to that, transgender usually go out with their clique or with someone who is close with them instead of go out alone. However, being a well-mannered citizen does not mean that they are free from the disturbance of the authorities. In one of the annual events, Seksualiti Merdeka, was being held to represent a coalition of Malaysian Non Government Organizations (NGOs) including Malaysian Bar Council, SUARAM, Empower, PT Foundation, United Nations, Amnesty International and individuals. Through the event, it has disclosed the Malaysian government was unwilling to provide equal rights to transgender and therefore transgender faced difficulties in accessing health care, education, housing, employment, and other rights that shared by Malaysian. For example, the transgender community has reported that they are bei ng discriminated on attempting to open bank account and applying passport. Moreover, 70% of the transgender reported that they are being caught by the police raids and have been treated brutally such as striped their clothes in front of others in the police station. (this also see is what link de) Overall, this study could not be generalized due to the lack of participants and the reliability of our resources. This is because our study only involved three participants. In order to generalize the study, we need a wider population. More participants should be recruited from different culture, races, ethnic and nationality. Moreover, this study was conducted in three weeks. The duration was considered short whereby there are limited time and resources for us to collect our data. More time should be provided in order to collect more dependable and valid information as well as to increase the degree of consistency and reliability of the study. Therefore, further research need to be conducted to obtain more significant and reliable results. In a nutshell, the transgender experiences vary across the region. Some area could accept transgender whereby they do not have to endure a lot of rudeness from others. In other areas, people tend to be very conservative and religiously dogmatic, where transgender individuals live secret lives. Yet, everyone deserves to be free from discrimination, violence, harassment and for their sexual orientations as well as their gender identities. Lastly, we should educate our young generation to be knowledgeable and understanding so that they would not easily discriminate, blames, and judges others without knowing the truth. References Burns, C. (2003). The costly business of discrimination: The economic costs of discrimination and the financial benefits of gay and transgender equality in the workplace. Retrieved September 29, 2012, from  http://www.americanprogressaction.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/03/pdf/lgbt_biz_discrimination.pdf Cross, C. (2012). The effect of birth control pills on male. Retrieved from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5634953_effect-birth-control-pills-males.html Ee Lynn, Wong. (2005, February 1). Neither Here Nor There: The Legal Dilemma of the Transsexual Community in Malaysia. Retrieved from The Malaysian Bar Web:  http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/gender_issues/neither_here_nor_there_the_legal_dilemma_of_the_transsexual_community_in_malaysia.html (How about this? All need big letter? The title I mean..) Eileen, Ng. (2011, July 19). Malaysian transsexual loses court bid to officially change gender despite sex-change surgery. The Associated Press. Retrieved from  http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=w7542884 (What mean The Associated Press? Retrieved from The Associated Press: then add?) Hunnicutt, A. (2004). Krafft-Ebing, Richard von (1840-1902). Retrieved from http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/krafft_ebing_r.html James, R. (2012). Coming out can be murder. United States: Windy City Publishers. Melville, R. (2004). Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld. Retrieved from StoneWall Society: http://www.stonewallsociety.com/famouspeople/magnus.htm United Nations Country Team. (2011). Malaysia: The millennium development goals at 2010. Retrieved from http://www.undp.org.my/files/editor_files/files/Malaysia%20MDGs%20report%20clean%200419.pdf Zhou, J.N., Hofman, M. A., Gooren, L.J.G., Swaab, D. F. (1995). A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality. Nature 378: 68-70.

Deep Ecology Essay -- essays research papers

Deep Ecology/Ecosophy The ideas behind deep ecology have major implications today. They allow people to think more profoundly about the environment and possibly come to a better understanding of their own meaning. People are intensely concerned about the world’s technological adolescence, massive consumerism, and overpopulation. A man named Arne Naess, former head of the philosophy department at the University of Oslo founded an idea that can direct people’s anxiety away from their "shallow" notion of the problem to one that is much "deeper." "Deep ecology goes beyond the limited piecemeal shallow approach to environmental problems and attempts to articulate a comprehensive religious and philosophical worldview." (EE p.145) In its most basic form, deep ecology is a wisdom, an ecosophy, which requires humans to see themselves as part of the bigger picture. Naess, Devall, and Sessions outline basic principles of deep ecology in their writing. Furthermor e, they address the roles that scientific ecology plays as well as the concept of self-realization. Aside from these ideas, ecosabotage needs to be discussed in terms of how it fits with the practice of deep ecology. The basic principles of deep ecology as characterized by the authors mentioned, show us what is supposedly wrong with the world and also give us a framework by which we can make a change. In fact, Naess and Sessions went camping in Death Valley, California in order to gain a different perspective. They condensed fifteen years their thought on the topic of deep ecology in an effort to make it appeal to people from all kinds of backgrounds. They also emphasize that these principles must all be considered together. The first principle states that the value of life, human or non-human, is intrinsic. This means that everything about it is valuable, including individuals, species, populations, habitat, and culture. When considering non-human life, it important to remember that deep ecology likes to include that which can be classified as non-living such as bodies of water and landscapes. Essentially, "the presence of inherent value in a natural object is independent of any awareness, interest, or appreciation of it by a conscious being." (EE p.147)  ... ...sp;Deep ecology makes a good deal of sense. Before learning about this, shallow ecology seemed legitimate. Clearly, the principles behind deep ecology could be far more productive than anything practiced today. Some will argue that complete acceptance of deep ecology is absurd. Completely neglecting our anthropocentric perspective means that we have forgotten where we stand in the whole picture. We have been around a short while in comparison with life of the earth. It could easily go through another dramatic climatic shift and we would be history, and probably succeeded by a new form of life. The point is that humans share something valuable. Of course it is anthropocentric and it is worth saving. The other issue that seems debatable is the current state of economics and the market. These writing by Naess and company are somewhat dated and much has changed since then with the advent of the Internet. Is global village really such a bad thing if we use it properly? Deep ecology wa nts to preserve cultures and independent economies. I do not know which side to join at this point in time. I want to believe in most of what deep ecology holds true, however some issues make me uncertain.

Macbeth Essay

â€Å"As the weird women promised: and I fear, Thou play’dst most foully for’t; yet it was said. It should not stand in thy posterity,/but that myself should be the root and father/Of many Kings.† -Banquo, Act 3, Scene 1 These lines are very important to the story of Macbeth, because it shows that Banquo is finally figuring out that Macbeth may have done something terrible to become king. The witches claimed Macbeth would first be Thane of Cawdor, then Thane of Glamis and finally King. He realizes that as soon as the â€Å"weird women† told Macbeth he would be King, Macbeth may have taken it too far and cheated the prophecies. â€Å"With bare-fac’d power sweep him from my sight/And bid my will avouch it, yet I must not,/For certain friends that are both his and mine,/Whose loves I may not drop, but wail his fall/Whom I myself struck down†¦Ã¢â‚¬  -Macbeth speaking to the Murderers, Act 3, Scene 1 This quote is significant because it shows how Macbeth can have a very dark and malicious disposition. He realizes that Banquo has caught on that he killed the King to fulfill the Witches’ prophecies. He thinks that if he doesn’t get Banquo killed, he will be the one getting killed. Macbeth also knows that if he kills Banquo himself, he will lose his position as King and all of the people who support him. â€Å"Avuant! And quit my sight! Let the earth/hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;/Thou has no speculation in those eyes/Which thou glare with.† -Macbeth to Ghost of Banquo, Act 3, Scene 4 This is the part of the play when you can really tell that Macbeth is starting to go insane. He yells at the ghost of Banquo in front of all of his dinner guests, who don’t see Banquo. â€Å"And quit my sight!† shows that Macbeth is frightened by the sudden sight of his deceased companion. The cause of his hallucination could be because of a heavy weight of regret on his conscience. â€Å"And that well might advise him to a caution to hold what distance his wisdom can provide. Some holy angel,/Fly to the court of England†¦ Under a hand accurs’d!† -Lennox, Act 3, Scene 6

Applied Managerial Dision Making

Applied Managerial Decision Making MGMT600-1301B-03 Phase 3 individual project Rocklyn Kee Colorado Technical University Online Professor Donald Pratl March 11, 2013 There are 500 employees in the sales force of Company W that are spread out over Southeast, Northeast, West, and Central regions. The company has recently incorporated a new software program in and attempt to monitor how many sales are generated by each employee. It is expected that each month each region should sell the same aamount of products.It has been noted that over the last three months however that this expectation has only been reached by half of the employees in each region. Before a decision can be made on possible theories as to why this is, some statistical testing must be done. Company W knows that there are different techniques that can be used to statistically analyze this issue. The one that we will be discussing here will be non-parametic statistics and hypoyhesis testing along with chi-square distribu tion testing of data. Let us begin by first defining these terms for a better understanding. Hypothesis Testing This is a technique that is applied sequentially by businesses in order to obyain concluions in regard to population utilizing information obtained from a sample. This information is gathered so as to enable a decision to be made as to the acceptance or rejection of the hypothesis by the researcher. The researcher makes a decision on two types of hypotheses the null (Ho) and the alternative (H1). The research is actually done on the null hypothesis, as this is the one that trys to reject the hypothesis statement by proving it to be untrue.The researchers testing end result will do one of two things accept or reject the null hypothesis statement. Should the statement be proving to be untrue and rejected, the alternative hypothesis would in turn then be accepted. CTU Online, (2013) * Non-parametric Statistics This is what is known as an assessment to categorically apply info rmation. The informationcan be ordinal or nominal. The researcher will be allocated to classify information that is presented as qualitative for variables that are nominal, while the researcher will be allocated by ordinal variables th categorize the presented information so it can be ranked.There will be no formulated statements from non-parametric analysis in regard to the information that is presented by the researcher. The ANOVA, (analysis of variation) is a commomlly used method of non-parametric. The researcher does an analysis with the ANOVA to see if there is a differentation among groups, and if the mean of them are the same. With a null hypothesis the ANOVA will determine if the information that has been presented has the same means, while with the alternative hypothesis it will determine if the information has defferent means.CTU Online, (2013) There is a one way method and a two way method for an ANOVA analysis that can be used by the researcher. There is only one factor for the researcher to test for equality of the presented information in the one way method, and the two way mwthod allows for distinguishing if there may be another factor. * Chi-Square Distribution Use Two types of information can typically be generarted when variables have no pattern, categorical or numerical. Researchers’ employ using the chi-square distribution in order to unmask the distinctions and to see if they are independent.Categorical variables are specific variables with no fixed numerical value, and numerical type variables are numerical. In this regard there are question asked like, what type of work do you do, or do you own a vehicle? These types of questions are categorical variables because of the answers which would be for example, construction and yes or no, which are different responses from that of other questions like, what is your weight or what is your GPA? , that are numerical variables. These can be continious or discrete, for instance; how many ho mes do you own? This is discrete.What is you height? This is continious. The counting of particular things is where the discrete data comes, and measuring a particular thing is where the continious data comes. CTU Online, (2013) * Using Chi-Square Analysis There can be a fluctuating in the testin using of the chi-square analysis based on the collected information, such as in this case of the representatives that reached the quotas and those who did not. In relation to the null hypothesis the statement would be, the sales representatives using the new sales software were able to meet their sales quotas vs. he sales representative not using the new sales software where not able to meet their quotas. The null in this statement cannot be proven to be true, because there is no proof that the sales representatives that used the new software were the ones to meet their quotas and the ones not using it where the ones who did not. Theory here is that the null hypothesis is false, and the alt ernative hypothesis is accepted. This means that the same amounts of products were not sold by representatives using the new sales software.To develop statements of truth in regard to issues and problems in order to accurately classify is why researchers do hypothesis testing. The researcher has to have a complete understanding of the question or issue in odere to collect, analyize, and interpret data. A researcher has to analyze different theories statistically in order to be useful in educated business decisions making. Voelz, V. , (2006) References: . CTU Online. (2013). Applied Managerial Decision Making www. ctuonline. edu Voelz, V. , (2006). Hypothesis testing www. standford. edu

Writing for the web - Emphasis

Writing for the web Writing for the web A website is a quick, easy and relatively cheap way to reach thousands of potential clients. Rich web content is what keeps those prospective clients coming back for more. Most people (75 per cent*) say that content quality is the most important factor governing whether they revisit a website (*Forrester Research). Yet content readability is one of the most obvious and most overlooked aspects of website accessibility. No matter how good the design of your site, and no matter how many users it gets, both are irrelevant if visitors cant or wont follow the content. Of course, websites for large organisations may have several different authors. So its easier to slip up on content readability: personal writing styles vary and can lead to confusing inconsistency. There may also be a mad dash to fill pages as soon as they are designed without enough thought given to subject matter, layout, punctuation, grammar and, most importantly, your site visitor. Good writing is not merely intuitive. Here are ten top tips on how to improve your site and ensure your content is king. 1. Start with the reader in mind. Ask yourself why theyre going to be visiting a page and what their likely thought process would be. Also, ask what things they wouldnt be interested in. 2. Use plain English. Imagine a typical customer. What terms would they use? Imagine that you are speaking to them when you write. Read the content out loud if it helps often its the process of writing that causes the problem. 3. Use the active voice, rather than the passive. So rather than saying an area is being redeveloped, say, we are redeveloping it. 4. Structure your sentences logically, by putting the what before the why. So dont write: If the company makes these changes now, it will immediately improve the service. Instead, write: The company will immediately improve the service if it makes these changes now. 5. Avoid over-long sentences. The best way to do this is to limit yourself to one idea per sentence. (This makes content much easier to write too.) 6. Use punctuation helpfully and accurately. Punctuation may seem like a small thing, but it can make a world of difference. For example, a local authority website recently left the apostrophe out of the following sentence: Residents refuse to go in the bins. The resulting meaning was probably not what the author intended. 7. Be direct. Use the word you whenever you can, and address the site visitor directly, as one person. (For example, You can find more information here.) 8. Talk. If various colleagues provide written information for your website, set up a meeting and decide on a style guide to ensure consistency. For example: use the same subheads and titles; if you use specific abbreviations make sure you all work to the same format. Discuss work in progress as a team so as not to repeat content unnecessarily. 9. Proofread. Inaccuracies can easily be missed. Be sure to print out and proofread the content, as mistakes are much harder to spot on screen. 10. Links. Links can be extremely helpful if directing the site visitor to relevant information. But be careful not to splatter your web pages with links for the sake of it. This can alienate the site visitor from the content they actually require. You dont want to send them hurtling into the www ether when they could be reading your site.

Free Essays on The Scream

The Scream Through the fog of the cold autumn night we drove, searching for some area of sanctuary for our little ritual. Eric’s truck was cold and I could feel the heat from the tip of my cigarette warming my nose. â€Å"I know!† Eric said abruptly, â€Å"Holy Family Cemetery!† and he jerked his truck into the left-turn lane. As we meandered down Waverly Road I said, â€Å"We’re pathetic, you know. Lying to our girlfriends is not only futile but when they catch us it’s going to cause a bigger fight than if we had just told them we wanted to get high tonight.† With a sigh he says, â€Å"I know, but would you rather go to the movies tonight or fight with Jen?† I just silently nodded, not even caring if he saw me give in. The tires crackled over the gravel road leading up the hill to the old cemetery. Holy Family Cemetery is safely perched on top of a hill and surrounded by trees; it’s totally invisible from the road and very dark. The dense and dreary fog aided our disappearance and we felt secure that we had found a safe spot to puff the pipe. We drove slowly through the narrow roads of the necropolis and made our way to a nice central location. As the truck slowed to a stop Eric said, â€Å"We’ll have to suffer the cold. I don’t want Julie smelling weed in my truck tomorrow.† I said, â€Å"You know, they are probably getting high in my bathroom right now.† â€Å"Just get out, man.† â€Å"Alright, alright, I already loaded the pipe, spark it up.† I said and handed him my skull and bones pipe behind my back as I got out of the truck. We moved down to the rear and Eric lowered the tailgate to sit on. The cold metal unmercifully penetrated the denim on my derriere and made me sit up straight in surprise. After a moment I settled down and the heat from my hindquarters drove back the cold from the car. I took the pipe from Eric and again I felt the warmth on my nose. This time it was more intense and the fire felt as though it woul... Free Essays on The Scream Free Essays on The Scream The Scream Through the fog of the cold autumn night we drove, searching for some area of sanctuary for our little ritual. Eric’s truck was cold and I could feel the heat from the tip of my cigarette warming my nose. â€Å"I know!† Eric said abruptly, â€Å"Holy Family Cemetery!† and he jerked his truck into the left-turn lane. As we meandered down Waverly Road I said, â€Å"We’re pathetic, you know. Lying to our girlfriends is not only futile but when they catch us it’s going to cause a bigger fight than if we had just told them we wanted to get high tonight.† With a sigh he says, â€Å"I know, but would you rather go to the movies tonight or fight with Jen?† I just silently nodded, not even caring if he saw me give in. The tires crackled over the gravel road leading up the hill to the old cemetery. Holy Family Cemetery is safely perched on top of a hill and surrounded by trees; it’s totally invisible from the road and very dark. The dense and dreary fog aided our disappearance and we felt secure that we had found a safe spot to puff the pipe. We drove slowly through the narrow roads of the necropolis and made our way to a nice central location. As the truck slowed to a stop Eric said, â€Å"We’ll have to suffer the cold. I don’t want Julie smelling weed in my truck tomorrow.† I said, â€Å"You know, they are probably getting high in my bathroom right now.† â€Å"Just get out, man.† â€Å"Alright, alright, I already loaded the pipe, spark it up.† I said and handed him my skull and bones pipe behind my back as I got out of the truck. We moved down to the rear and Eric lowered the tailgate to sit on. The cold metal unmercifully penetrated the denim on my derriere and made me sit up straight in surprise. After a moment I settled down and the heat from my hindquarters drove back the cold from the car. I took the pipe from Eric and again I felt the warmth on my nose. This time it was more intense and the fire felt as though it woul...

Crusades Effects on the Middle East

Crusades Effects on the Middle East Between 1095 and 1291, Christians from western Europe launched a series of eight major invasions against the Middle East. These attacks, called the Crusades, were aimed at liberating the Holy Land and Jerusalem from Muslim rule. The Crusades were sparked by religious fervor in Europe, by exhortations from various Popes, and by the need to rid Europe of excess warriors left over from regional wars. What effect did these attacks, which came from out of the blue from the perspective of Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land, have on the Middle East? Short-Term Effects In an immediate sense, the Crusades had a terrible effect on some of the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants of the Middle East. During the First Crusade, for example, adherents of the two religions joined together to defend the cities of Antioch (1097 CE) and Jerusalem (1099) from European Crusaders who laid siege to them. In both cases, the Christians sacked the cities and massacred the Muslim and Jewish defenders alike. It must have been horrifying to see armed bands of religious zealots approaching to attack a city or castle. However, as bloody as the battles could be, on the whole, the people of the Middle East considered the Crusades more of an irritant than an existential threat. A Global Trade Power During the Middle Ages, the Islamic world was a global center of trade, culture, and learning. Arab Muslim traders dominated the rich trade in spices, silk, porcelain, and jewels that flowed between China, the area that is now Indonesia, India,​ and points west. Muslim scholars had preserved and translated the great works of science and medicine from classical Greece and Rome, combined that with insights from the ancient thinkers of India and China, and went on to invent or improve subjects like algebra and astronomy, and medical innovations such as the hypodermic needle. Europe, on the other hand, was a war-torn region of small, feuding principalities, mired in superstition and illiteracy. One of the primary reasons that Pope Urban II initiated the First Crusade (1096–1099), in fact, was to distract the Christian rulers and nobles of Europe from fighting one another by creating a common enemy for them- the Muslims who controlled the Holy Land. Europes Christians would launch seven additional crusades over the next two hundred years, but none was as successful as the First Crusade. One effect of the Crusades was the creation of a new hero for the Islamic world: Saladin, the Kurdish sultan of Syria and Egypt, who in 1187 freed Jerusalem from the Christians but refused to massacre them as they had done to the citys Muslim and Jewish citizens ninety years previously. On the whole, the Crusades had little immediate effect on the Middle East, in terms of territorial losses or psychological impact. By the 1200s, people in the region were much more concerned about a new threat: the quickly-expanding Mongol Empire, which would bring down the Umayyad Caliphate, sack Baghdad, and push toward Egypt. Had the Mamluks not defeated the Mongols in the Battle of Ayn Jalut (1260), the entire Muslim world might have fallen. Effects on Europe In the centuries that followed, it was actually Europe that was most changed by the Crusades. The Crusaders brought back exotic new spices and fabrics, fueling European demand for products from Asia. They also brought back new ideas- medical knowledge, scientific ideas, and more enlightened attitudes about people of other religious backgrounds. These changes among the nobility and soldiers of the Christian world helped to spark the Renaissance and eventually set Europe, the backwater of the Old World, on a course toward global conquest. Long-Term Effects of the Crusades on the Middle East Eventually, it was Europes rebirth and expansion that finally created a Crusader effect in the Middle East. As Europe asserted itself during the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries, it forced the Islamic world into a secondary position, sparking envy and reactionary conservatism in some sectors of the formerly more progressive Middle East. Today, the Crusades constitute a major grievance for some people in the Middle East, when they consider relations with Europe and the West. That attitude is not unreasonable- after all, European Christians launched two hundred years-worth of unprovoked attacks on the Middle East out of religious zealotry and blood-lust. 21st Century Crusade In 2001, United States President George W. Bush reopened the almost thousand-year-old wound in the days following the 9/11 Attacks. On Sunday, September 16, 2001, President Bush said, this crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take a while. The reaction in the Middle East and, interestingly, also in Europe was sharp and immediate: Commentators in both regions decried Bushs use of that term  and vowed that the terrorist attacks and the USs reaction could not turn into a new clash of civilizations like the medieval Crusades. In an odd way, however, the American reaction to 9/11 did echo the Crusades. The Bush administration decided to launch the Iraq War, despite the fact that Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. Just as the first several crusades had done, this unprovoked attack killed thousands of innocents in the Middle East  and perpetuated the cycle of mistrust that had developed between the Muslim and Christian worlds since Pope Urban urged the European knights to liberate the Holy Land from the Saracens. Sources and Further Reading Claster, Jill N. Sacred Violence: The European Crusades to the Middle East, 1095-1396. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009.Kà ¶hler, Michael. Alliances and Treaties between Frankish and Muslim Rulers in the Middle East: Cross-Cultural Diplomacy in the Period of the Crusades. Trans. Holt, Peter M. Leiden: Brill, 2013.  Holt, Peter M. The Age of the Crusades: The Near East from the Eleventh Century to 1517. London: Routledge, 2014.

Summary essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary - Essay Example And this â€Å"ocular centrism† is approached in different levels of philosophical thinking, hence the birth of Cartesian, Baconian, and Baroque systems of vision; albeit the focus of Jay’s discourse is the comparison and contrast of the first and last school of thought. The Cartesian model, also known as Cartesian Perspectivalism centers itself in the â€Å"harmonious and scientific† approach in defining a vision. This hegemonic perspective reduces the interpretation of â€Å"representations† which are embedded in the mind of the beholder. Representations being symbols and symbols entrenched in images arranged accordingly to mathematical grid orders. It is like discovering and understanding the world in a strictly empirical direction of math and sciences. The spectator then is assumed a blank slate that looks at a spectacle devoid of any context, whether social, cultural, or religious. The meaning then is dependent upon who beholds what, depending on his â€Å"discovery† on the world. This then creates contention between the artist who produced the perspective and the assumed beholder of that same perspective. Baconian school of thought, on the other hand, offered an alternative visual model during the 17th century Dutch occupation but is not necessarily an independent system of vision but a product of the criticisms encountered by the previous visual model. If the aforementioned ideology is specific about seeing the world in consonance with science, the Baconian argument on the other hand inclines itself to the social and humanistic approach of understanding and viewing the world. Hence, it enables the depiction of a story or the substantive narrative content in a single spectacle. It explores the narrative and descriptive articulation of the world being presented to the beholder. The last visual argument posited by Martin is the Baroque system of vision where it drastically

No need for topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

No need for topic - Assignment Example This will make the currency appreciate because there are more local currency than foreign currency especially if there is no trade surplus. It will now take more local currency to buy the same amount of foreign money making foreign exchange rate to appreciate. Inflation meant that it now takes more money to buy certain goods and services. It also meant more money circulating in a given economy. Being such, it will take more money to buy same amount of foreign currency making the exchange rate to appreciate. Tax breaks given to business to encourage capital expenditures meant businesses will be buying more equipment. If the equipment is bought locally, foreign exchange will depreciate because there will be less need for it. If such equipment will be bought abroad through imports, then foreign exchange rate will appreciate. Good stock market performance will encourage more investment and more demand for the local currency. This will make the foreign exchange rate to depreciate while the dollar to appreciate. This is because foreign money would need more dollars to be able to invest in the stock market. Government intervention in the capital market will make foreign exchange rate to appreciate and the dollar to depreciate. This is typically done to make the imports competitive by making it cheaper. To make this happen, central banks will put more dollars in the system to depreciate the dollar. Monetary growth or the strengthening of economy through high exports will make the local currency to appreciate. It is because there are more foreign money coming in through trade. It has the effect of converting local currency into greater value through export or trade. Increase in GNP and real economic growth will make the local currency stronger. It will be able to buy more goods. It will have the effect of depreciating foreign exchange rate because of its stronger purchasing power. Forward premiums is a situation of trading

Was Ford Ethically Right in Its Decision to Design Improvements and Th Assignment

Was Ford Ethically Right in Its Decision to Design Improvements and Thereby Risk the Lives of Its Consumers - Assignment Example Ford was ethically wrong in its decision to forego the improvements and thereby risk the lives of its consumers. In any case, it certainly appears that Ford was rushing against time to capture the market and overcome its competitors in the compact car industry. On ethical and moral judgments, a decision informed by material benefits at the expense of human lives is certainly wrong and misguided. Worse still, the cost-benefit analysis conducted by Ford amounted to involving its consumers in a deal of which they were totally oblivious. For such a decision to qualify on ethical grounds, the automaker would have made public its decisions on the faults of the vehicle and the subsequent cost-benefit analysis so as to inform the potential buyers of Pinto. In such a case, the company would be exonerated from the faults that came as a consequence of the defect in the vehicle. Moral conduct regards human lives as totally absolute and should never be quantified with other material products.Huma n beings are generally risk-averse and would not really partake into evitable instances where their lives are put to risk. The passing on of the $11 to the customers comes after the maintenance has been made and the vehicle is devoid of the risk. In this case, the rationality of the customer does not, therefore, come in. their decision to buy the car is therefore pegged upon another thing like cost and taste but not a risk. It is therefore certainly much different from the case of the airbags which are optional and the consumer has to make a decision.

Without positive freedom, it is impossible to lead a valuable life. Do Essay

Without positive freedom, it is impossible to lead a valuable life. Do you agree - Essay Example Therefore, it is true that valuable life might not be achieved in absence of positive freedom, people need to choose the course of their life and destiny without restrictions, freedom is essential also where individual potential is harnessed for the benefit of the whole society although in the process of enjoying this freedom care should be taken to make sure that other peoples liberty is not violated. In the process of enjoying positive freedom equity in opportunity must be regulated or observed, state may intervene to enforce equity and root out other social evils due to positive freedom (Raz, 1988). In a nutshell, complete absence of positive freedom leads to bad and impossible valuable life because every individual wants to operate in an environment which they feel free not intimidating surroundings, this will increase their productivity that in return improve the living condition and life at large for the whole society. A society that feels able to function without interruption although certain aspects must be observed as mentioned above (MacCallum, 1967). Positive freedom acts as an inner driving force in individuals. This equates and augers well autonomy. At the same time, autonomy many a time equates with several aspects that include individuality, integrity, and freedom of the will, responsibility, and critical reflection. In the same way, factors like self-knowledge, independence, freedom from compulsion, lack of external causation and self assertion play vital roles in perpetuating positive freedom. Different people have got varied notions about the steps that others should take to shape their lives. This is because individuals get involved in activities that portray absence of good morals. It has forced researchers to attempt to identify standing reasons that lie behind dissimilar nature of crimes that individuals commit. Even for all their attempts, the researchers are not able to impose their findings about criminology and its associated

Assignment Week Two Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment Week Two - Term Paper Example arch is being carried out in different parts of the world, thus no one can claim that he is not a learner or he knows everything on any specific topic. Yes, one who evolved any principle theory on any subject and the theory is recognized scientifically worldwide, he can only claim to be the owner of that particular idea until and unless his idea / theory is challenged , changed, rejected or improved. If this is done that once again that individuals becomes a learner on the topic. The next idea that I liked a lot is the idea of five disciplines discussed in the â€Å"Training Guide† because I had been involved in training people and had been imparting training on various topics frequently. Since, personal mastery involves a huge exposure on the topic therefore, it helps out the trainer to share his knowledge and experience, and also enables him to reply each and every question satisfactorily quoting examples from what he practically dealt with. While involving participants in two way talks, we ultimately share a lot of knowledge and personal experience of each other and thereby understand counter productivity. The shared vision certainly brings a lot of new ideas for every one especially for the leader and enables him to satisfy his topic of lecture more satisfactorily. I similarly do agree with the third discipline ‘Mental Model’. During all trainings, I myself frequently adapted this discipline and obtained a lot of new ideas to make the topic of lecture more satisfying and more useful. Every participant, who had some experience on the topic and could share his own mental model, was also making contribution that added to the knowledge base. This is important discipline and I always used it extensively. Team learning and system thinking are also deeply experienced in all training sessions. I always have taken opportunity of team learning by making two separate teams of equal participants and thereafter presenting ideas of each team to summaries the topic

Lego Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lego - Case Study Example This has been a silent trait of this firm. The well maintained relationship and the support close all the inevitable people, like consumers, customers, business partners and all stakeholders was successfully extended to a more advance level during this year. Looking at LEGO's dedication, it will not be an understatement that this work and their motives will always mark their presence in the coming years. In 2007, the LEGO Group has covered the four years period out of its seven-year strategy. This was a very affective move with the motive, which is kind of acquired so far, that is to bring a complete change to the entire market and business scenario while developing LEGO as the best brand exhibiting their commitment towards creative building and playing the key role in providing effective learning techniques through play. As per their strategy, various aspects like processing, procedures, structure and relations to stakeholders will undergo a primary change during the years 2004-10 (Annual Report, 2007). The prime objectives for all the stakeholder groups were well defined by the group in the year 2006 (Annual Report, 2007). These have been further intensely developed in the year 2007. The rigorous balanced approach to different stakeholder groups will certainly provide a significant platform for the future operations of this group. The strategic move is divided into different stages, where every stage is targeting on some specific motives. The very initial stage was acquired in the year 2004-05 by enabling the Group to step out of the financial crisis situations due to the number of years of poor financial results as a result of unprofitable growth (Annual Report, 2007). Year 2003 for LEGO Group The cut-throat competition in the toy market brought a considerable loss of market share in most markets, due to the competitors, novel product trends and private labels by the retailers. The US market noticed around 35 percent drop in market share as compared to the previous year, where as Asian markets noticed a fall of around 28 percent (Annual Report, 2003). The year 2003 was very disappointing for the group. The net sales fell by around 26 percent from DKK 11.4 billion in 2002 to DKK 8.4 billion, where as the play material sales declined by 29 percent to DKK 7.2 billion and thus resulting in a pre-tax loss on earnings of DKK 1.4 billion, which showed a drop of DKK 2 billion as compared with the previous year (Annual Report, 2003). The retardation shows the failure of the growth strategy resulting in a considerable loss of the market shares. Finally by the end of the year 2003, the group decided to change its business

Assignment Week Two Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment Week Two - Term Paper Example arch is being carried out in different parts of the world, thus no one can claim that he is not a learner or he knows everything on any specific topic. Yes, one who evolved any principle theory on any subject and the theory is recognized scientifically worldwide, he can only claim to be the owner of that particular idea until and unless his idea / theory is challenged , changed, rejected or improved. If this is done that once again that individuals becomes a learner on the topic. The next idea that I liked a lot is the idea of five disciplines discussed in the â€Å"Training Guide† because I had been involved in training people and had been imparting training on various topics frequently. Since, personal mastery involves a huge exposure on the topic therefore, it helps out the trainer to share his knowledge and experience, and also enables him to reply each and every question satisfactorily quoting examples from what he practically dealt with. While involving participants in two way talks, we ultimately share a lot of knowledge and personal experience of each other and thereby understand counter productivity. The shared vision certainly brings a lot of new ideas for every one especially for the leader and enables him to satisfy his topic of lecture more satisfactorily. I similarly do agree with the third discipline ‘Mental Model’. During all trainings, I myself frequently adapted this discipline and obtained a lot of new ideas to make the topic of lecture more satisfying and more useful. Every participant, who had some experience on the topic and could share his own mental model, was also making contribution that added to the knowledge base. This is important discipline and I always used it extensively. Team learning and system thinking are also deeply experienced in all training sessions. I always have taken opportunity of team learning by making two separate teams of equal participants and thereafter presenting ideas of each team to summaries the topic

Marriage and European Dowry Custom Essay Example for Free

Marriage and European Dowry Custom Essay Lobolo or Lobola (Mahadi in Sesotho; sometimes translated as bride price) is a traditional Southern African custom whereby the man pays the family of his fiancee for her hand in marriage (Compare with the European dowry custom where the woman brings assets[citation needed]). The custom is aimed at bringing the two families together, fostering mutual respect, and indicating that the man is capable of supporting his wife financially and emotionally. Traditionally the lobola payment was in cattle as cattle were the primary source of wealth in African society. However, most modern urban couples have switched to using cash. The process of lobola negotiations can be long and complex, and involves many members from both the brides and the grooms extended families. Often, to dispel any tensions between the families, a bottle of brandy is placed on the table. This is usually not drunk; it is simply a gesture to welcome the guest family and make everyone feel more relaxed (it is known as mvulamlomo, which is Xhosa for mouth opener). Lobola may have some unintended negative effects. It may have created a financial barrier for some young men looking to take a bride. It is common for a couple that are emotionally ready to commit to each other to stay unmarried if they do not have the financial resources to satisfy the impeding traditional ritual. For those who do have the financial means, the issue can be Lobolas opportunity cost. Young men who are in the wealth-creation stage of life may feel that their future is better secured if they invest their money elsewhere to receive significant financial returns. Lobola is seen by some as an extravagance that has little relevance in a society where young Africans are trying to lift themselves out of inherited poverty. However, the tradition is adhered to as strongly as ever, and in families where tradition and intention override greed, lobola can be a great way of showing commitment between families, not just between the bride and groom. Many traditional marriages utilise a cash-based lobola; this can be then followed by a European-style wedding ceremony, where the lobola funds are used to pay for expenses. In this way, any outlaid costs are returned to the payer in another form, preserving tradition, honour and finances.

Cadbury Company An Analysis of Financial Statements

Cadbury Company An Analysis of Financial Statements This analysis is to examine the performance of Cadbury in 2007 and 2008 from their financial statements which are shown below. There is a significant improvement in Cadburys confection revenues which increased 15% to  £5.4bn. Cadbury increased their price in their selling in 2008 for balancing the rise of their input cost and besides increased the price of their product, Cadbury also sleek their cost base, by decreasing in sales, to save their cost from labours, raw materials, and electricity, also Cadbury reduced their general and administration cost and in central overhead. Because of this movement, from the table of income statement and balance sheet, there is a significant change in their operating margin which is 278 million pounds in 2007 and it increased to 388 million pounds in 2008. There is also a big increase in discontinued operation from 2007 to 2008, which Cadbury made profit 258 million pounds in 2007 but loss 4 million pounds in 2008, this was happened because in 2008, Cadbury got a transaction cost of separation of the Americas Beverages business, in this year, Cadbury completed the demerger of its American Beverages business and sell the Australia Beverages business. From the table data that we had from Cadbury website, here are calculations to know about performance of Cadbury that each calculation has its own purpose. Mainly ratios have three important functions which are: From ratios, it is easier for us to make a conclusion than from a financial statement itself, because sometimes financial statement is very complex, and it is hard for us to draw a conclusion from that. Ratios provide a good benchmark that makes us easier to compare from one company to another. Here are some ratios about performance of Cadbury which all calculation is in million pounds. From this ratio, we compare 3 years financial statements and the ratios are: Profitability Efficiency Investment ratios PROFITABILITY Return on ordinary shareholders funds (ROSF) In 2007 Average shareholders fund = (3696+4173):2 = 3934.5 ROSF = (407 : 3934.5) x 100 = 10.344% In 2008 Average shareholders fund = (4173+3534):2= 3853.5 ROSF = (366 : 3853.5 ) x 100 = 9.5% Return on Capital employed (ROCE) In 2007 Average total assets less current liabilities = ( 6855 + 6724 ) : 2 = 6789.5 ROCE = (278 : 6789.5) x 100 = 4.095% In 2008 Average total assets less current liabilities = (6724 + 5507) : 2 = 6115.5 ROCE = (388 : 6115.5) x 100 = 6.345% Operating Profit Margin In 2007 Operating profit = 278 Operating profit margin = 278 : 4699 x 100 = 5.92% In 2008 Operating profit = 388 Operating profit margin = 388 : 5384 x 100 = 7.21% Gross Profit Margin In 2007 Gross profit margin = (2195 : 4669) x 100 = 47.01% In 2008 Gross profit margin = (2514 : 5384) x 100 = 46.69% EFFICIENCY Inventory days In 2007 Ratio = (821 : 2504) x 365 = 119.67 days (120 days) In 2008 Ratio = (767 : 2870) x 365 = 97.54 days (98 days) Total asset turnover In 2007 2006 = Fixed assets + current asset = 7815 + 2396 + 22 = 10233 2007 = Fixed assets + current asset = 8667 + 2600 + 71 = 11338 Average = (10233 + 11338) : 2 = 10785.5 Ratio = 4699 : 10785.5 = 0.448 In 2008 2007 = Fixed assets + current asset = 8667 + 2600 + 71 = 11338 2008 = Fixed assets + current asset = 5990 + 2635 + 270 = 8895 Average = (11338 + 8895) : 2 = 10116.5 Ratio = 5384 : 10116.5 = 0.532 Net asset turnover In 2007 Average total assets less current liabilities = ( 6855 + 6724 ) : 2 = 6789.5 Ratio = 4699 : 6789.5 = 0.688 In 2008 Average total assets less current liabilities = (6724 + 5507) : 2 = 6115.5 Ratio = 5384 : 6115.5 = 0.88 INVESTMENT RATIOS Dividend cover In 2007 Profit available for dividend = 149 + 258 = 407 Ratio = 407 : 311 = 1.31 In 2008 Profit available for dividend = 370 + (-4) = 366 Ratio = (366 : 295) = 1.24 Dividend Payment Ratio In 2007 Profit available for dividend = 149 + 258 = 407 Ratio = (311 : 407) x 100% = 76% In 2008 Profit available for dividend = 370 + (-4) = 366 Ratio = (295 : 366) x 100% = 81% Summary Based on calculation above, we can summarise a few things. There is a relation between profitability and efficiency, which is ROCE = operating profit margin x asset turnover In 2007 ( 278 : 6789.5 ) = ( 278 : 4699 ) x ( 4699 : 6789.5 ) In 2008 ( 388 : 6115.5 ) = ( 388 : 5384 ) x ( 5384 : 6115.5 ) It means that to improve ROCE, Cadbury has to improve their operating margins, from this Cadbury has increased their sales (increase their price of their product and reduce their cost), this method is effective, that we can see from their turn over which had increased from 4.7 billion pounds to 5.4 billion pounds in 2008. Return on ordinary shareholders funds (ROSF) ROSF means to compares the profit that available for shareholders with their investment in business. ROSF uses average investment in the business, from the calculation of ROSF, we can see that the profit for shareholders had decreased from 2007 to 2008 which was 10.344% in 2007 and 9.5% in 2008, this was happened because in 2008 there was loss because discontinued operation which has explained from above. Gross Profit Margin and Operating Profit Margin Gross profit margin calculates about the difference between cost of manufacturing and the selling price, from that we have calculated on above, there is a slightly decrease from 2007 to 2008 which was 47.01% in 2007 and it was decreased to 46.69%. for operating margin, it calculates about operating profit that Cadbury received in every 100 pounds of sales, in Cadburys financial statement, we can see that there is an increase from 5.92 in 2007 to 7.21 in 2008, which means that in 2007 Cadbury received 5.92% as operating profit and 94.08% going in cost, and also in 2008. Inventory days From this calculation, it calculated about planning how much inventory level that can cover for the sales, it means to calculate how many days that left before you run out your inventory and there will be nothing for your customers to buy. from the calculation, we can see that there was a decrease from 2007 to 2008 in inventory days, which was 120 days in 2007 and 98 days in 2008, it means that Cadbury in 2007 Cadbury had 120 days left to cover their selling so in that time if Cadbury did not produce their product, then they had 120 days to cover before they run out, and it had decreased in 2008 to 98 days. Total asset turnover and Net asset turnover Total asset turnover of Cadbury PLC in 2007 and 2008 were 0.448 and 0.532, whereas their net asset turnover in 2007 and 2008 were 0.688 and 0.88. Total asset turnover is based on total assets while net asset turnover is based on total assets less current liabilities. According to data in 2008, it showed that Cadbury got  £ 0.532 for every  £ 1 of their assets and got  £ 0.88 for every  £ 1 of their net assets. This situation indicated that Cadbury had loss  £ 0.468 per  £ 1 of their assets and had loss  £ 0.12 per  £ 1 of their net assets. Dividend cover and Dividend payment ratio Both of those ratios have same purpose which is to know how much money that the shareholders received from the profit of the company. In 2007, the dividend cover and dividend payment ratio were 1.31 and 76% while the dividend cover and dividend payment ratio in 2008 were 1.24 and 81%. It expressed that Cadbury got some profit which is  £ 1.31 per  £ 1 that Cadbury paid out as dividend in 2007 and they got  £ 1.24 in 2008. Those percentages expressed the amount of profit that is allocated to pay the shareholders as dividend, so 76% and 81% of their profit has been paid out as dividend. The Analysis of Financial Statements of Cadbury Competitor Cadbury has several competitors in confectionary business which are Nestle, Mars, etc. In this case, we would like to compare Cadbury with Nestle because Nestle is the largest food and beverage company in the world. Nestle also produces chocolate, gum, and candy same as Cadbury. The tables of financial statements of Nestle are shown below. According to table that is shown above, we can analyze the financial statements of Nestle. There are several ratios that we can calculate which are: Profitability Return on ordinary shareholders funds (ROSF) In 2007 = 20.79% In 2008 = 37.92% Return on capital employed (ROCE) In 2007 = 20.08% In 2008 = 34.58% Operating profit margin In 2007 = 13.42% In 2008 = 20.91% Gross profit margin In 2007 = 58.13% In 2008 = 56.93% Efficiency Inventory days In 2007 = 75.14 days In 2008 = 72.03 days Total assets turnover In 2007 = 0.98 In 2008 = 1.09 Net assets turnover In 2007 = 1.50 In 2008 = 1.65 Efficiency Acid test ratio In 2007 = 0.61 In 2008 = 0.71 Investment ratios Dividend cover In 2007 = 2.49 times In 2008 = 3.72 times In 2008, turnover of Cadbury and Nestle were  £ 5,384 millions and  £ 55,174.6988 millions, whereas the net profit of Cadbury and Nestle were  £366 millions and  £ 9,563.75502 millions. From those data, we can compare both of their performance in 2008. Cadbury = = 0.068 = 6.8% Nestle = = 0.173 = 17.3% Based on those results, it looks Nestle has a better performance than Cadbury. Nestle has a lot of variety of products that they have sold and Nestle company is also has wider market than Cadbury. The categories of Nestle products are baby foods, breakfast cereals, chocolate and confectionery, beverages, bottled water, dairy products, ice cream, prepared foods, foodservice, and pet care. (ANSWERS.COM http://www.answers.com/topic/nestl-sa). That reason is the one of many reasons that is causing Nestle performance is better than Cadbury. However, if we observe in one category such as chocolate and confectionary, Cadbury has a good market rather than Nestle. Cadbury is the second largest candy factory in the world after Mars and the second largest gum factory in the world after Wrigley.

Elements of Childhood in Platos Lysis :: essays research papers

Childhood in the Ancient world was viewed in somewhat of a different light then in the post Greco-Roman world of Europe circa the Medieval age. For this very reason the attitude, language, and style of the writings that are found from the Ancient world must be considered in the context of their time period. Classical Greek writers like Plato comprised extensive works detailing their own teachings through plays or epic poems. Plato commonly would write plays in which his teacher, the famous philosopher Socrates, would commence in extensive dialogue and debate with several other characters. As a student of Socrates, Plato viewed his teacher as a great man who’s teachings were worthy of documentation and most of the present-day knowledge of Socrates’ works are through the writings of Plato. In addition to the philosophical merits of these works, they are also of great importance because they provide the reader with a first-hand look at the attitudes of the Ancient Greeks towards such things as the ancient idea of Childhood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Lysis,† written by Plato in approximately 380 BCE (the exact year is unknown) is an in depth look, through the teachings of Socrates, at the nature of friendship, desire, usefulness and personal identity. This work is relevant to our course about childhood because the characters in the dialogue that Socrates is speaking with are youths. Socrates reveals through his teachings many of the ancient attitudes towards different aspects of â€Å"childhood.† It is quite apparent that this outlook on children more closely resembles the later ideas of the Renaissance, rather than those found in Medieval history. Due to the obsession with knowledge and learning found in both the Classical and Renaissance eras, those who partook in the learning, the youth of society, held a much higher standing in society than the children of the plague-ridden society of the 14th and early 15th century. This specific work by Plato is particularly interesting and relevant because in the text Socrates talks about childhood in great extent and he seems to have a great appreciation for the young men in Greek society. Socrates also employs a much different style of teaching than that is found in later Judeo-Christian society of Europe. Plato describes this method with great admiration as he writes, â€Å"Socrates maintains his character of a 'know nothing;' but the boys have already learned the lesson which he is unable to teach them, and they are free from the conceit of knowledge.

Dehydration Effect On Human Tissue :: essays research papers

The human body consists of massive amounts of different tissues and oranges, all doing different things. It’s inevitable that these tissues need a large amount of energy to maintain health and to stay productive. When the body encounters a famine, it reacts to the lack of food by many different starvation endorse tactics. When the body enters into a lack of water, there is very little it can do but stop the production of urine and sweat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The human body consists a mass of eighty percent water plus or minus five percent. Water is in many forms of nature. There are three forms of water as the forms of water, ice and heated vapor in the air. Water also known as H2 O acts as a major component in plasma, liver function, and the aid of the lymphatic system of the human body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the body does not eat, many things go into affect to help you stay alive during a famine. They are: your hormones; blood sugar decreases to make you tired while conserving energy and your metabolism process decreases to make your retain fat from the food you do eat. It will take about three weeks to die from starvation when not consuming food. The average person should consume around 1800 calories a day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the human body goes with out water the whole system will start to shutdown. Without water the liver will stop filtering blood and cause kidney’s to fail. Also cell activities will stop because the water acts as a transition stage for nutrients going in and out of the cell. After the water is gone, cells can not survive for more then three days.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cell during a lack of water goes in to a state of â€Å"suspended animation† which is when all cell processes slow down. The mitochondria slow down and reduce the production of energy forming materials. In plant cells the chloroplast stops responding to light and the energy of the cell then slows down and goes dominant. Dehydration Effect On Human Tissue :: essays research papers The human body consists of massive amounts of different tissues and oranges, all doing different things. It’s inevitable that these tissues need a large amount of energy to maintain health and to stay productive. When the body encounters a famine, it reacts to the lack of food by many different starvation endorse tactics. When the body enters into a lack of water, there is very little it can do but stop the production of urine and sweat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The human body consists a mass of eighty percent water plus or minus five percent. Water is in many forms of nature. There are three forms of water as the forms of water, ice and heated vapor in the air. Water also known as H2 O acts as a major component in plasma, liver function, and the aid of the lymphatic system of the human body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the body does not eat, many things go into affect to help you stay alive during a famine. They are: your hormones; blood sugar decreases to make you tired while conserving energy and your metabolism process decreases to make your retain fat from the food you do eat. It will take about three weeks to die from starvation when not consuming food. The average person should consume around 1800 calories a day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the human body goes with out water the whole system will start to shutdown. Without water the liver will stop filtering blood and cause kidney’s to fail. Also cell activities will stop because the water acts as a transition stage for nutrients going in and out of the cell. After the water is gone, cells can not survive for more then three days.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cell during a lack of water goes in to a state of â€Å"suspended animation† which is when all cell processes slow down. The mitochondria slow down and reduce the production of energy forming materials. In plant cells the chloroplast stops responding to light and the energy of the cell then slows down and goes dominant.

Hilton Hhonors Worldwide Rewards

Hilton HHonors Worldwide: Loyalty Wars: (Due Week 9, Oct. 29-Nov. 2) ? Compare the Hilton HHonors reward programme with other reward programmes you know about or have researched. Be sure to discuss the differences, how they value guests and their offerings. ? Does the value of the Hilton program justify its’ cost. Explain in terms of the value of a customer. ? What is Starwood trying to do and how should Jeff Diskin respond? The Hilton HHonors Worldwide reward programme can be compared with several other loyalty or recognition programs offered by leading hotel chains of the world.Similar programs are being offered by many airlines, department stores, car rentals, video and book retailing, credit cards, movie theaters and several other international entities in the service industry. The first one that can be considered in this regard is the Priority Club Rewards offered by IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group). The IHG group comprises of Intercontinental Hotel and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotel and Resorts, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. (Ref: https://secure. priorityclub. com/hotels/). The program is offered across 4,500 properties operated worldwide by the group.The program is open to everyone free of cost. It allows the members to earn points not only by staying in any of the member hotels but also by earning Priority Club points when purchasing goods and services with any of their partners or earn miles with their partner airlines. The partners are specially customized in accordance with prevalent tastes and popularity in different parts of the world and include leading brand names in airline industry, fashion retailers, vacation and tour operators, mobile and telecom services, car rentals, home and furnishings, electronics, computers, etc.The choice of partners is vast as compared to Hiltons’ rewards program. In many territories local co-branded credit cards are also offered which entitle mem bers to earn points on each and every spent. For the stay at the hotels, members can earn 2000 points for every stay outside the hotels outside North America, Mexico and Carribean in Intercontinental Hotel and Resorts while for all other geographical locations and all other hotel chains included in the group, the members earn 10 Priority Club points for each US $ 1 spent.The program has distinct features comprising of points that never expire and no blackout dates for Rewards Night, thus allowing the members to stay anytime. Unlike the Hiltons reward program, members can also use a combination of points and cash for their stay. Furthermore, members can redeem their points for flights with no blackout dates on over 400 airlines across the world ranging from North America, Europe, Middle-East, Central to Southern and Far-east Asia. However, unlike the Hiltons reward program, double-dipping is not allowed.But as an added incentive to members, free lounge access at several airports is a lso offered to the members thus enhancing members travel convenience. Similar to the Hilton reward program, the points in IHG Priority program can also be redeemed for several other items besides free nights at the participating hotels. Yet again, the choice offered by IHG is vast as compared to Hilton. The points can be redeemed for hotel stay, airlines travel, tour packages, adventure sports and merchandise from leading retails and entertainment providers.In addition, gift cards from several brands are available. A very appealing feature is an option of donating points for charitable ventures in keeping with IHG philosophy that ‘rewarding others may be the best reward of all’. (Ref: http://www. priorityclub. com/rewards/us/en/redeem/catalog/charitable-donations). The IHG program lays special emphasis upon member satisfaction and recognition. Hence , the members have several value-added services offered for free. A separate toll-free reservations line is offered. They are offered priority check in and check out services.Their individual preferences are stored in the system (Personalized room-preferences profile) offered at every stay without asking e. g. smoking or non-smoking rooms, bed-type, etc. Requests for late check-outs are given preference and in certain locations, extra benefits like airport pick-up services, free internet, free newspapers, etc. are offered. Extra level of service is also offered to members for room upgrades, complaint resolution, customer service feed-back services, etc. Just like the Hiltons’ reward program, the IHG Priority program also has different plan levels based upon ‘qualifying points’ and ‘qualified nights’.Accordingly, 3 tiers termed as ‘Club’, ‘Gold Elite’ and ‘Platinum Elite’ are offered. (Ref: http://www. priorityclub. com/hotels/us/en/global/support/about_priorityclublevelsef:) Bonus earnings for Gold Elite are 10% and those for Plati num Elite 50% over the base points earned. Moreover, the Elite members are offered extra benefits and advantages like complimentary upgrades and guaranteed room availability. In this respect, it appears to be more attractive to customers than Hiltons’ reward Silver and Gold VIP status.Over and above the stated benefits, multiple promotions are offered at different times promising extra points, free room upgrades, etc. to attract more and more customers. Another popular loyalty program is Fairmont President's Club that allows access to a host of exclusive benefits and privileges. Besides the standards being offered by the loyalty programs of almost all big hotel groups, Fairmont goes a step ahead by offering members services like concierge reservation, complimentary use of health clubs, golf-clubs and even use of BMWs at select locations. Ref: https://www. fairmont. com/fpc/benefits/). Another impressive and acclaimed loyalty program, not by a hotel group but an airline, is th e one offered by Etihad Airways. Though relatively new in the competitive airline industry, the Etihad Guest program has introduced several new initiatives for the frequent travelers generating big business for the airline and proving to be a significant factor in the phenomenal success of Etihad. Very aptly, it has been awarded 2012 Freddie Awards.Etihad Guest was recognized for the Best Redemption Ability, Best Elite Program and Best Loyalty Credit Card among all airlines in the Middle East, Asia and Oceania. (Ref:http://www. etihadairways. com/sites/Etihad/global/en/aboutetihad/mediacenter/newslisting/newsdetails). The program was also runner up in the four remaining categories: Best Promotion for Earning, Best Promotion for Redemption, Best Customer Service and Program of the Year.Hence, it can be concluded that the member retention and brand loyalty competition is fierce and offering innovative and extensive services to customers is imperative to lure more and more individual a nd corporate clients. It seems quite obvious that the value of Hilton reward program does justify its cost. As per the belief of Hilton Hotels that regard frequent guest programs as the lodging industry’s most important marketing tool, serving to direct promotional and customer service efforts at the heavy user. (Ref: Case Study by John Deighton and Stowe Shoemaker).Loyalty programs have been at the core of how hotels attract and retain their best customers for over a decade. However, they can only be as cost-effective as multiple competitors in the market let them be. This study reveals that the previous year had been successful for Hilton. Revenues had been in the region of $158 per night per guest, and occupancy had exceeded break-even. Also Hilton HHonors rewards program was not established as a profit center but was required to break even each year and to measure its effectiveness through a complex set of program metrics.The program is run by a small team of 30 employees . A research by Hilton revealed that guests identified by their HHonors or airline membership numbers occupied 22. 5 percent of all the rooms occupied in the Hilton Hotels and Hilton International network in a year. More importantly for Hilton , activation, retention, and member spend per visit all have improved. Augmenting the financial gains is the valuable database the HHonors rewards program provides to Hilton. These are the most critical and demanding customers who provide vital feedback and valuable suggestions.The program staff can establish individual contact with these members through mail or in person and not only obtain valuable feedback but earn lifelong loyalty. Plenty of focus groups and quantative research can be carried out further enhancing means to develop brand loyalty through personal profiling and personal recognition techniques. The phrase attributed to Diskin interestingly sums it up i-e ‘ People care about organizations that care about them. (Ref: same case study).In addition, the program also offers opportunities to target other customer segments. Furthermore, the program is also being used as a tool that can help the travel manager with compliance to their overall travel policy by offering special incentives to stay at Hilton rather than at a competitor due to personal choice of the travelers. The Hilton program proves to be even more effective by developing additional services for returning customers at check-ins and by appointing guest relations managers to offer special personalized services to loyalty members.All these factors contribute to make this program valuable in expanding and retaining clients and thus justify the associated costs. Starwood is introducing a new aggressive frequent-guest program that it hopes will help attract more business travelers to its Westin Hotels Resorts, Sheraton Hotels Resorts, The Luxury Collection, Four Points, Caesar’s, and Starwood’s new W brand hotels, representing more th an 550 participating properties worldwide. The program is expected to raise the stakes in the loyalty-program fierce competition amongst big hotel chains especially since Starwood plans to run it by a

Paper on Education: A Gift or Not

The term education can mean many things. An education is the collective knowledge a person has, but what does an education mean? Although an education can be paid for, no one can physically give you an education, so it is not a gift. There are societal situations where an education is a necessity, but not many globally. Education is a tool to be utilized differently in every part of the world. Knowledge is power, but some knowledge is more powerful depending on your region. If you are part a primitive tribe in New Guinea, a person that is considered to be educated may be illiterate. Whereas in America, an illiterate person would have trouble functioning at all in society. Education is a tool that is to be developed by a combination of motivation, preparation, support, and society. An education can be offered to someone, but the pupil can only take from it what is put in. A gift is something that can be given to someone regardless of the effort put forth by the individual, therefore an education is not a gift. Although an education cannot be given to someone, and it is not a gift, there are things that can be given to you that contribute to your education. Perhaps the greatest thing that can be provided is support. When a parent or teacher rewards a child for learning, it makes a connection in the child's mind that an education will pay off. When an educated and successful family strongly support a child's education, that child will have a better chance to obtain an education. The child will see that education and success coincide. A person that is to be educated has to be given many opportunities to learn new things. Some of these opportunities are as simple as letting your four-year-old watch â€Å"Sesame Street† or letting your six-year-old make a sandwich. There are cases, however, when parents are not able to promote their children's education. If the parents are poor and uneducated, then a child will most likely be unmotivated towards school. The child might realize that his parents are managing to pull through, and think that he will be able to survive without an education as well. This will withhold the child from opportunities that an education would provide. Allowing that certain educational gifts are given to a person, they can acquire the motivation it takes to receive an education. Once you have made the decision to attain an education, certain virtues must be possessed. You must be motivated by something, weather it be money, power, or just the desire to learn. It is motivation that drives you to learn new things and to expand your horizons. You must prepare for an education. For everything that you want to know, there is something else you need to know first. Before you can be proficient on a piano you must know music, and before you can be proficient on a computer you must learn to use a keyboard and a mouse. Even though these skills may seem intuitive to some, someone from a different social culture may not have been introduced to these ideas at all. You must also have certain resources provided. To learn in an institution, often times you need money, books, and other materials that, sadly enough, cannot always be secured. This situation exemplifies the problems that one can face when an education is desired but outside scarcities disallow. There are some circumstances where special educational aspects are a necessity in a certain region, but education is not global. In most developed countries a lawyer would be considered an educated person, but if a lawyer was sent to a more primitive society he would be lost. A farmer educated in cultivation in Nebraska could nourish himself indefinitely, but take away his farm and he has nothing but the knowledge of farming. There are certain things that a person must know in order to have the power to survive in a chosen society. These things change with regards to the society at hand. In more developed places it is pertinent that you know how to read. Without this skill a person will remained severely uninformed, disconnected, and uneducated. The ability to read is the stepping stone to self-education. A literate person with motivation and knowledge of construction can become successful with very little institutionalized education. This skill, as it applies to American social culture, is the most important attribute of an education. Without the ability to read, a person would have to either settle for an extremely unskilled job, grow their own food, or resort to thievery. In a accomplished society such as this, not many people find the need to do these things. Instead people achieve an education, learn a trade or a profession, and earn money to prosper. However, in some societies it is perfectly normal not to be able to read, and a person will manage to survive on other skills such as hunting. Regardless of where you are or what you do, education is an asset. It is a tool that you add to every day, and that no one can take from you. Once you have truly learned something, it will be with you forever, and you will be able to put that information into use whenever it applies. Your education is something you truly own. It cannot be taken away in a bet, by a bankruptcy, and it cannot be stolen. Once you are educated in a particular field, you have job security. If you are a programmer, and your company goes under, you will be able to find another position as a programmer. When you are educated you make more money and have the better jobs, because it shows that you are dedicated to learning. You will not age as fast as someone with a labor intensive job, and chances are you will not have a career ending injury on the job. It is education that gives you options, keeps you connected to the world, and keeps you informed. Although an uneducated person has the resources to inform themselves, they rarely have the ability or motivation it takes to utilize these resources. An education can be achieved by anyone who has the motivation, support, and resources it takes too receive an education according to their perception. This education is a made up of support, motivation, and the necessity to survive. This education cannot be taken. This education means survival and success.