Death of a Salesman versus The Cats Table Essay example

Both works â€Å"The Cats Table† and Death of a Salesman demonstrate that everything is not always as it seems. This idea is presented through the use of setting, point of view and symbols. There is always more to things than what meets the eye and everything is not always as it seems. Setting plays such a large role in initiating the story and setting the feeling, the entire story revolves around setting. Where the story is told from can change the story entirely, someone may over exaggerate, or even under exaggerate what occurs throughout the story. Symbols really help the audience to better understand the story, uprooting deeper meaning or plainly helping get a point across to us, the readers. All of these attributes will help to prove that†¦show more content†¦In Death of a Salesman the story is not told from a narrative point of view, there is no narrator whatsoever. But if a narrative role did occur from Willy Loman the story would have changed completely. Inst ead of Willy appearing to be a tragic hero, he would be taken as a narcissistic fool. WILLY: [with pity and resolve]: â€Å"I’ll see him in the morning; I’ll have a nice talk with him. I’ll get him a job selling. He could be big in no time. My God! Remember how they used to follow him around in high school? When he smiled at one of them their faces lit up. When he walked down the street†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [He loses himself in reminiscences.] (Act 1) Willy is unrealistic and cocky; therefore he cannot provide a true representation of the play. â€Å"The Cats Table† the narrator is a young boy named Michael, who is sneaky and devious. The story is told from his point of view, capturing the reader’s attention because of course the child interprets everything to be captivating and thrilling. [INSERT QUOTE] If the story had been told from an outsider’s point of view, it would not have been so dynamic and interesting. One of many important literary de vices is symbols, which bring deeper meaning to otherwise unimportant items. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, we see very distinct symbols which help us better understand the points Miller is trying to get across. One of the many important symbols

Strategic Planning at BP - 1198 Words

The planning function is where management seeks to design corporate actions that will help the organization meet its strategic objectives. The strategic planning process is usually step-based, in order to ensure that the organization takes a proactive approach to planning, rather than a reactive approach. The strategic planning process begins with setting the corporate mission and objectives as the first step. Most corporations will have a broad vision for the company and a mission that are expressed in statements so that all of the corporations stakeholders will be able to understand these things about the company. BPs stated business model is to create value across the entire hydrocarbon value chain Ã¥ ­Ëœtarting with exploration and ending with the supply of energy and other products fundamental to life (BP.com, 2012). Naturally, BP operates to enhance shareholder wealth as a primary objective. This general process is mirrored at BP. The company uses a structure that emphasizes the different functions exploration, extraction, refining and retailing. The strategic planning process at the highest level of the company seeks to develop and leverage synergies between these different functions. The operating synergies, and the synergies in the marketplace that derive from the use of a consistent name, are key to BPs operating strategy. Each unit within the different functions is designed to earn its own money through whatever means are available. So for example, it is notShow MoreRelatedThe Planning Function at BP1307 Words   |  5 PagesThe planning function consists of a number of different steps, including situational analysis, alternative goals and plans, goal and plan evaluation, goal and plan selection, implementation and monitoring/control. The situation at BP is that the company is working to shake off the effects of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. While that issue rema ins in litigation, the company is continuing onward with its operations, building out its revenues and exploration capacity. The company has remained consistentlyRead MoreOrganizational Planning Paper944 Words   |  4 Pages Organizational Planning Paper Lucionda Garnett MGT/521 April 16, 2014 Mr. W. Eric Hogan Organizational Planning Paper In the last few years, the economic stability in the American society has been at an unprecedented low. Throughout the recession, it has becomeRead MoreThe Planning Function of Management at British Petroleum1241 Words   |  5 PagesBP organization direction Planning function of management British Petroleum (BP) has had their key successes from the various strategies and goals that the organization has which include the companys technology transformation and alignment of objectives to the analysis of its competitors and market conditions. This is what has helped to make BP a successful company. The company believes that the essence of its survival is its ability to gain strategic and competitive advantage which has helpedRead MoreManagement and Company1091 Words   |  5 PagesManagement Imagine you are an executive for BP, and you are preparing a presentation for the board of directors about the organization’s direction. Create a 10- to 15-slide Microsoft  ® PowerPoint  ® presentation, with speaker notes, in which you address the following: †¢ Evaluate the planning function of management as it relates to the organization’s goals and strategies. Use steps in the planning process outlined in the text. †¢ Analyze the influence that legal issues, ethics, and corporate socialRead MoreBP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 905 Words   |  4 PagesCASE STUDY- MINI CASE: BP GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL CASE SUMMARY 1. In a narrative format, summarize the key facts and issues of the case. In the case of the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, we examine the effects of an organization not being prepared for this particular crisis. The world scrutinized the actions, inactions, and the human decisions made by BP that led to a major catastrophic crisis. The organization was not prepared for a crisis of this magnitude. Our text stated that this type of negligenceRead MoreBp : The Spill Of The Gulf Of Mexico921 Words   |  4 Pagesan explosion occurred aboard BP contracted Transocean Ltd Deepwater Horizon oil rig stationed in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven workers were killed instantly. Unfortunately, the BP management did not wake up that morning (or countless mornings before) expecting the event to occur for it took them almost 4 months to clean up the spill. The first month was spent forecasting the rate of the spill and having President Barack Obama tour the site. Only on May 26, 2010 did BP initiate the first form of cleanRead MoreA Report On The Bp Oil Spill Essay751 Words   |  4 PagesBritish Petroleum also known as Anglo Persian Oil Company, and now known as BP. The company has experienced many ups and downs in its past history, but BP became one of the largest energy companies. Over BP history has experienced issues such as environmental damage, hazards that affected its works and issue due to business practices (Thome, Ferrell, Ferrell, 2011). On April 20, 2010 the BP oil spill was the worst in U.S. history. There was a terrible explosion and the sinking to the DeepwaterRead MoreManagement Theory Practice567 Words   |  2 PagesID: A2069927 Planning function management According to Homans (2008)) planning is deciding what to do, how to do it and who is to do it. Steps to be followed: Stating of objectives-the objectives should be clearly stated, precise, stated in quantitative terms, practical, acceptable, workable and achievable Establishing of planning premises Choice of alternative course of action Formulating derivative plans Securing cooperation Conducting follow up. Goals and strategies of Bp Company ToRead MoreImpact Of The On The Oil Industry And Government Agencies1068 Words   |  5 Pagesthe entire Gulf Coast. But out of this calamity changes can come that will reduce the chances of such a tragedy occurring again, not just in deep water drilling but in other high tech, high-risk industries as well.† After, the explosion occurred, the BP crew had made attempts to activate the rig’s blowout preventer, designed to cut off the channel, which was releasing the oil. Instead, the fail-safe mechanism, device malfunctioned as well. With this in mind, a year later the BOP’s forensic analysisRead MoreEthics Reflection Paper1094 Words   |  5 Pagesinvolvement of the government. In this paper, there will be discussions of the social responsibility and role of ethics as it relates to the development of a strategic plan and how the ethical perspective of the author’s perspective has evolved through the studies of the Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program. In business strategic plans, the management team of the company should integrate ethics and by also asking three basic questions, â€Å"What values do we have†, â€Å"What is our purpose†

Methods of Procurement used in Construction - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theMethods of Procurement used in Construction Projects. Answer: Introduction There is a range of methods that consultants, developers subcontractors, and various end users in the construction sector may procure. Above all the approach chosen should be one that meets and exceeds the needs of the final consumer (NaoumEgbu, 2015, p. 7). To decide on the appropriate approach to use, various factors need to be taken into consideration. The process of choice of the approach to be used is not an easy activity since achievements of client need to be in line with the chosen approach as it is vital to improving effective outcome of the final project (NaoumEgbu, 2016, p. 310). Before a given approach is chosen, the risks associated with the type of approach and the extent of the impact should first be evaluated. The choice of the project route to adopt will play a greater role in the overall success of it. This report will provide an intensive discussion of the various approaches used in procuring process in the construction industry their various benefits and limitatio ns. Methods of Procurements General/Traditional Contracting approach General contracting is a type of procurement that involves the contractor accepting to build the design that is presented by the employer (Doloi, 2013, p. 224). It is the most approach used in the construction sector. Under this approach, the contractor is only required to come up with the structure as provided and not under any circumstance develop the design. In some cases, the contractor under this approach may be needed to create specific parts of the construction work to be undertaken which are in most cases temporary. The client in most cases employs the services of various consultants to come up with the design of the structure, which is followed by establishing the tender documentation for the project including drawings for the project, work schedules, and preparation of bills of quantities (NaoumEgbu, 2015, p. 9). The price to be charged by the contractor will be based on the bill of the quantities which are prepared by the employer that quantifies every aspect of the work t o be undertaken. Under this approach, where the bill of quantities as not been established, the contractor can price the project using the drawings of the project(Pinto, Slevin English, 2008, p. 640). In general contracting, the client retains the design consultants during the phase of construction for purposes of preparing and review of insider works and additional design information which may be required. They also become beneficial in the final stage of project inspection. Positive aspects of this approach The method is popular among many contractors and employers. The approach is famous because it has been in operation for a while and many individuals are used to it. Thus, it is familiar to a wide range of individuals who are experienced in using it to carry out construction projects(Doloi, 2013, p. 230). It is a tried and tested method of contracting. The approach also offers a significant sense of price certainty.The cost of the project to be undertaken can be easily estimated which is possible if the designer of the contract takes time and carries out a thorough analysis of the requirements of the project before it starts off. General contracting enables the team undertaking the construction to first and foremost come up with a detailed design of every tool they require in the project and the estimated market cost of the same(NaoumEgbu, 2016, p. 315) as it will enable the group to come up with the projected cost of the construction clearly. This is beneficial in that it ensures the employer sets aside adequate resources to complete the project successfully. It gives the employer greater control over the project execution.This method essentially provides the projector owner autonomy of deciding on how it should be carried out due to the fact that the owner of the project controls all the design team and he is in close contact with every step the team undertakes in the whole process of project construction (Alderman Ivory, 2007, p. 385). Consequently, the owner of the project gets the opportunity to correct any anomaly that may be witnessed as the project is in progress. It enables the employer to appoint an independent administrator.General contracting gives the owner of the project a chance to recruit an independent person to act as the contract administrator and carry out the overall project of overseeing the project implementation process (Lesniak Zima, 2013, p. 315).The project owner should ensure he/she recruits individuals who have deep expertise in project implementation and whose record from the previous assignments can be plausible(Strahorn,Gajendren Brewer, 2015, p. 83). The process is open to accountability due to a competitive selection. The entire process of tendering is open and transparent. All the interested suppliers for the various construction materials are required to make final bids to offer these services, and finally, they are selected in an open and detailed process (Jeelani, Al-DosaryKarthikeyan, 2012, p. 12). Drawbacks The main demerit is that the approach in most cases results to disputes within the various groups involved in implementing the project. The split of work between the various individuals and groups can be a source of conflict. Majorly one group is in charge of design as the other undertakes construction. This comes out clear instances of defects in the final project as it becomes difficult to know exactly where the challenges emanated from (OkunlolaOlugbenga, 2010, p. 20). This will lead to finger pointing as no group is ready to accept the blame The method is unsuitable for Public Institutions. Public body projects work with budgetary constraints. Hence, in cases where the design stage is not fully developed before construction starts-off it results to uncertainty in terms of pricing the cost of the project is usually pre-determined and it is not easy for the body carrying out the work of construction to go for more funding because it takes a rigorous process as it requires legislative approval. The approach is time-consuming. The method consumes time because it is sequential. The period to undertake given projects may take a longer time frame than other procurement methods since the process of construction cannot be started as it depends on the drawing of the project design (Strahorn et al., 2015, p. 85). Nonetheless, the traditional contracting approach is ideal.When the client is undertaking a project wishes to appoint designers and contractors to implement a given project.There needs to be a clear guide between the responsibilities of the owner and supervisor project design and the constructor conducting the activity of implementing the same (ChenChen, 2007, p. 476). This process is vital to avoid the blame game in the case of defects after the construction process is completed.The traditional approach is also best suited in cases where the quality of the project is required to be attained, and the whole project has a spelled program with adequate time for carrying of the implementation process.The traditional approach is also well placed to be utilized than other contracting methods in a case where price certainty of the project construction is wanted before the start of the construction process. Design and Construct Approach. Under this approach, the contractor takes the whole responsibility for all or part of the design as clearly spelled out in the contract of service. Here the contractor is responsible for developing and undertaking the construction process of the structure (ForguesKoskela, 2009, p. 373). The function of the employer under this method is only to provide the requirements of the project to be undertaken. The extent to which the designer is liable should be spelt out in the contract before commencing the construction work (Schroeder Hatton, 2012, p. 406). Nonetheless, the input of the constructor may be limited in cases where the employer provides the designs of the scheme to be carried out. Under this approach, most of the operational risk is placed under the contractor. Advantages of the Design and Construct Approach. It offers a single point responsibility.The approach does away with the blame game experienced between the groups engaged in project formulation and implementation.(ForguesKoskela, 2009, p. 376). This attribute is beneficial since it improves the success of the project as it has ensured faster decision making due to the removal of bureaucracy in the construction process(Knotten, Svalestuen, Hansen Ldre, 2015, p. 120). Moreover, it ensures that the resources are optimally utilized as it involves utilization of a single firm. It enhances certainty in the total sum for carrying out the project and cost benefits.Since the contractor is the single contact person in this method, it offers the chance to integrate both the design and the construction processes while implementing the project (Knotten et al., 2015, p. 126). Consequently, this process will enhance the use of the market knowledge and the purchasing power to benefit the client of the project with competitive price in the acquisition of construction materials. The approach is time-saving.Design and build approach allows the contractors to start operations quicker on the site in comparison to other construction methods. Further, it provides a close-knit of the two processes of project design and construction leading to effective project implementation especially in projects which are government-sponsored which need to utilize their allocated expenditure within budgetary periods (RatnasabapathyRameezdeen, 2010, p. 65).Design and build approach guarantees a maximum price a project is expected to absorb with an apparent savings option plan. Therefore, this can significantly result to constructors devising ways of reducing project time. Above all the approach gives the contractor a chance to contribute to the process of design hence improving the final quality of the project. Negative aspects of this approach Clients experiences difficulties in comparing the bids from various contractors since they will present different designs at different costs. Design and construct approach can be costly in cases where there is a change scope of the initial design. It limits the liability of the design to the standard contracts signed and available, anything beyond that cannot be borne by the designer of the contract (Hackett, Robinson Statham, 2007, p. 57). The approach is best utilized in projects of constructions that are not for prestigious purposes since the building is simple and does not entail much innovation. Construction Management Approach(C M) In this approach, a client appoints a manager to be in charge of the construction.CM approach is defined as a project implementation method where "the client selects design and cost consultants for a fee(Solis-Carcano, Corona-Suarez Garcia-Ibarra, 2015, p. 57). Hence the manager acts and takes orders on project implementation from the client. The contractor cannot give a guarantee on the actual cost to be incurred and the time frame of the project as he takes instructions from the client Advantages of Construction and Management approach. Low construction cost.The cost incurred in the construction of projects using the C M approach is less in comparison to the profit made by the general contractor. The time for construction is reduced because it utilizes fast tracking techniques. The period is also shortened through the overlapping of the design and construction processes (Solis-Carcano et al., 2015, p. 59). Moreover, the approach is also beneficial in that it ensures there are project and client suitability in the final project. The negative aspects of C M approach It is difficult to estimate the final cost of the project prior to completion.Hence, can lead to price uncertainty. Again, CM deters the owner from being in direct control of the design process which may ultimately result in dispute with the agent supervising it (Kristensen, Ldre, SvalestuenLohne, 2015, p. 600). Additionally, CM is time-consuming as it requires close supervision. The client is also under an obligation to provide adequate resources and a detailed brief on the project design. The approach is best suited in contracts that are complex in nature and require a faster completion. Conclusion. In conclusion, it is clear that different projects require different procurement projects for them to be effectively implemented. Nevertheless, all the procurement approaches have their limitations hence every group undertaking a particular approach need to first accurately evaluate their requirements and address the same for the projects to be successful. A comprehensive evaluation will provide the ground for applying the most suited method that will ensure the organization or clients accomplishes the ultimate aims. References Alderman, N. Ivory, C. (2007) Partnering in Major Contracts: Paradox and Metaphor.International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 386-393. Chen, W.T. Chen, T.T. (2007).Critical success factors for construction partnering in Taiwan. International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 25, no. 5, pp.475-84 Doloi, H. (2013). Empirical Analysis of Traditional Contracting and Relationship Agreements for Procuring Partners in Construction Projects. Journal Management In Engineering, Vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 224235. Forgues, D. Koskela, L. (2009). The influence of a collaborative procurement approach using integrated design in construction on project team performance. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business Vol. 2 No. 3, pp.370-385 Hackett, M. Robinson, I., Statham, G. (2007). The Aqua Group Guide to Procurement, Tendering Contract Administration. Revised and updated (3rd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 50-123 Jeelani, S.A.K., Al-Dosary, A.S. Karthikeyan, J. (2012). Empirical evaluation of the performance of construction management at-risk (CM at-Risk) project delivery system with and without agency-CM. International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Vol. 2 no. 2, pp.1-12. Knotten, V., Svalestuen, F., Hansen, G.K. and Ldre, O. (2015). Design management in the building process-a review of current literature. Procedia Economics and Finance, vol. 21, pp.120-127. Kristensen, K., Ldre, O., Svalestuen, F. Lohne, J. (2015).Contract Models and Compensation Formats in the Design Process. In 23rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, pp. 599-608 Lesniak, A. Zima, K. (2013). Design and build procurements in the polish public sector. Journal of Public Procurement, vol. 13, no.3, p.315. Naoum, S. Egbu, C., (2015).A critical review of procurement method research in construction journals.Procedia Economics and Finance, Vol. 21, pp.6-13. Naoum, S.G. Egbu, C. (2016). Modern selection criteria for procurement methods in construction: A state-of-the-art literature review and a survey. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 9 no. 2, pp.309-336. Okunlola, O. Olugbenga, A. (2010).Developing a decision support system for the selection of appropriate procurement method for a building project in Nigeria.Global Journal of Researches in Engineering, pp.18-30. Pinto, J.K., Slevin, D.P. English, B. (2008). Trust in projects: An empirical assessment of owner/contractor relationships. International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 27, no.6, pp.638-48. Ratnasabapathy, S. Rameezdeen, R. (2010).A decision support system for the selection of best procurement system in construction.Built-Environment Sri Lanka, Vol. 7, no.2, pp. 58-98 Schroeder, K. Hatton, M. (2012). Rethinking risk in development projects: from management to resilience. Development in Practice, Vol. 22 no. 3, pp.409-416. Solis-Carcano, R.G., Corona-Suarez, G.A. Garcia-Ibarra, A.J. (2015).The Use of Project Time Management Processes and the Schedule Performance of Construction Projects in Mexico.Journal of Construction Engineering, pp. 55-98 Strahorn, S., Gajendren, T. Brewer, G. (2015). The influence of trust in traditional contracting: investigating the lived experience of stakeholders. Construction Economics and Building, Vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 81-101.

ULTRAVIOLET RAYS DNA FACTORS THAT Essay Example For Students

ULTRAVIOLET RAYS DNA FACTORS THAT Essay BIOLOGY RESEARCH PAPERULTRAVIOLET RAYS DNA FACTORS THATINFLUENCE SKIN CANCER BY PATRICE WILLIAMSBSC1005 LIFE IN ITS BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTPROFESSOR MOOREJuly 30, 2001 Ultraviolet Rays DNA Factors thatInfluence Skin Cancer Cancer, its a disease that has claim the lives of millions, its a disease that so far has no known cure, and its a disease that has many different forms. Cancer is defined as a malignant form of tumors, which are tissue masses that arise through mutations in the genes that govern cell growth and division (Starr, 1999, p. 213). Skin cancer is just one of the many forms of cancer that effects us and is the most common cancer in the U.S. Like so many others, I would assume that the major cause of skin cancer was the ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, there are other factors involved. Our DNA plays a major role in how cancer affects us, it has a major role in genetics too, therefore, environmental and heredity both are factors that assume roles in the effects of cancer. In order to understand these two factors, they must be defined and explained. If they both have major effects on the way skin cancer affects an individual, than what are some preventive measures that we need to know about each. We will write a custom essay on ULTRAVIOLET RAYS DNA FACTORS THAT specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now First, skin cancer and our skin structure must be defined and explained. It is a form of cancer, which is a mutation in the genes that affect cell growth and division. Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant cells are found in the outer layer of the skin (HYPERLINK http://www.azumc.com http://www.azumc.com). One form of skin cancer is melanoma, is the rarest but the most virulent of the skin cancers. It is responsible for 75% of all deaths from cancer. It is a cancer that arises in the melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives our skin, hair, and eyes their color and that allows us to tan (Schofield Robinson, 2000, p. 1). Melanocytes are located throughout the body, in the retina of the eye and in the linings of the mouth, nose, anus, rectum, vagina, and spinal cord, (Schofield Robinson, 2000, p. 6). However, majority of them are located in the skin. The purpose of these cells are to make melanin to protect our skin cells from the suns ultra violet rays (UV rays). The melanocyte cells are found between the dermis (the second layer of skin) and the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin). Normally every ten cells found within the epidermis and dermis are melanocytes the others are cells called keratinocytes. Melanin is made inside the melanocytes then is transferred along the cells long arms (dendrites) to nearby keratinocytes in the epidermis. Melanoma arises when there is an uncontrollable increase in the reproduction of melanocyte cells. Although, skin cancer mostly develops just below the skins surface, where an existing mole is located, it can get into the blood vessels and lymphatic channels in the dermis and travel throughout the body. Basically, cancer develops when there is an abnormal growth or reproduction in cells. One of the factors of that can cause skin cancer in humans is Ultraviolet light (UV). Ultraviolet (UV) light is essential for life because it is used by plants to generate their energy (and in turn, of course, people and animals generate much of their energy from plants.) (Schofield Robinson, 2000, p. 21). However, that same UV rays from the sun causes the damage to the melanocyte cells, which brings the onsite of melanoma. UVA, UVB, and UVC are three kinds of ultraviolet lights.

Essay on Week 1 Assignment

Essay on Week 1 Assignment Essay on Week 1 Assignment EMG4412 August 29, 2014 Captain Honor’s behavior does not fully fit my schema of an effective leader. After researching more information about the incident, I believe that Captain Honors thought that he was providing comedy and laughter to an otherwise rigid environment. He showed a weakness in his leadership by acting in this manner. I believe that he used poor judgment by showing the video. I don’t believe that he realized the perception that he was portraying to his crew. I am sure that he was trying to use this video as a means to express his point about allowing gay people into the military, but going about it this way was a childish way to do it. He had great influence on the men on his ship. How did he know that one of the men on his crew wasn’t gay or that they had gay friends or family? What kind of perception of him would they then have? He was their leader and should be leading by example. Good leaders take into account the perceptions of all of their employees and how they perceive the world through their social perceptions. Captain Honors also displayed a stereotype of gay people. His statement was that ALL gay people acted in the way he portrayed them in the video. He also believed that no one would be offended by the foul language and sexual displays. I watched the video and although I found it humorous, I would have been totally embarrassed to watch it with people I work with, especially if they had been in it. According to news reports, he had a good rapport with his crew and they backed him 100 percent and acknowledged it online. This shows how influential he was to his crew. He should have thought about the repercussions that would follow from doing this and the perception of how his employees would look at him in the future as well as his commanders’ perceptions of him. Captain Honors made a bad choice and when the video surfaced, lost his job and then his credibility with the Navy. References: BUMILLER, E. (2011, January 4). The New York Times. Retrieved from Aircraft Carrier Captain Is Removed Over His Role in Coarse Videos: nytimes.com/2011/01/05/us/05military.html?_r=0 Kinicki, A., & Fugate, M. (2012). Organizational Behavior, Key Concepts, Skills and Best Practices. New York: McGraw-Hill. YouTube Video. (2011, January 4). Retrieved from Captain Owen P. Honors Jr. ( The Greatest Comedy Sketch Ever) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU8Yp2h_RVs EMG4412 Professor Curtis Curry August 30, 2014 According to the chapter opening case, qualities that are inherent to high-level executives such as Mark Zuckerberg are in line with the Big Five Personality Dimensions, including extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. In the second sentence of the case, Zuckerberg’s father described him as â€Å"strong-minded† and â€Å"persistent† (Kinicki & Fugate, 2012). Throughout my life, my parents labeled me as â€Å"strong-willed† and â€Å"stubborn†. I always had an â€Å"I can do that† attitude. I disliked the idea that someone would tell me I couldn’t do something. When comparing myself to the portrayal of Zuckerberg in the case story, I find many similarities such as being socially awkward or disinterested. It is not that I am either, I just have

Whipscorpions Look Scary But Cant Really Hurt You

Whipscorpions Look Scary But Can't Really Hurt You Whipscorpions look fiercely threatening, by some accounts. In truth, they may be the scariest looking creatures that cant actually do you much harm. They resemble scorpions, with enormous pincers and long, whip-like tails, but they lack venom glands entirely. Whipscorpions are also known as vinegaroons. What Whipscorpions Look Like Whipscorpions do look similar to scorpions but arent true scorpions at all. They are arachnids, related to both spiders and scorpions, but they belong to their own taxonomic order, the Uropygi. Whipscorpions share the same elongated and flattened body shape as scorpions and possess oversized pincers for catching prey. But unlike a true scorpion, a whipscorpion does not sting, nor does it produce venom. Its long, slender tail is likely just a sensory structure, enabling it to detect vibrations or odors. Although smaller than most true scorpions, whipscorpions can be impressively big, reaching a maximum body length of 8 cm. Add another 7 cm of tail to that, and youve got a big bug (though not an actual bug). Most whipscorpions inhabit the tropics. In the U.S., the largest species is Mastigoproctus giganteus, sometimes known as the mule killer. How Whipscorpions Are Classified Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum –  ArthropodaClass –  ArachnidaOrder - Uropygi What Whipscorpions Eat Whipscorpions are nocturnal hunters that feed on insects and other small animals. The first pair of a whipscorpions legs are modified into long feelers, used for locating prey. Once a potential meal is identified, the whipscorpion grabs the prey with its pincers and crushes and tears its victim with powerful chelicerae. The Life Cycle of Whipscorpions For a creature with such a frightening appearance, the whipscorpion has a remarkably tender love life. The male caresses his potential mate with his front legs before presenting her with his spermatophore. After fertilization occurs, the female retreats to her burrow, guarding her eggs as they develop in a mucous sac. When the young hatch, they climb onto their mothers back, holding fast with special suckers. Once they molt for the first time, they leave their mother and she dies. Special Behaviors of Whipscorpions While they cant sting, whipscorpions can and will defend themselves when threatened. Special glands at the base of its tail enable the whipscorpion to produce and spray a defensive fluid. Usually, a combination of acetic acid and octanoic acid, the whipscorpions defensive spray gives off a distinctive vinegar-like smell. This unique odor is why the whipscorpion also goes by the nickname vinegaroon.  Be forewarned. If you encounter a vinegaroon, it can hit you with its defensive acid from a distance of a half meter or more. Other Types of Whipscorpions The order Uropygi isnt the only group of organisms known as whipscorpions. Among the arachnids are three other orders that share this common name, briefly described here. Micro Whipscorpions (Order Palpigradi): These tiny arachnids live in caves and under rocks, and we dont yet know much about their natural history. Micro whipscorpions are pale in color, and their tails are covered with setae that function as sensory organs. Scientists believe micro whipscorpions prey on other microarthropods, or perhaps on their eggs. About 80 species are described worldwide, although many more likely exist, still undiscovered.Short-tailed Whipscorpions (Order Schizomida): The short-tailed whipscorpions  are small arachnids, measuring less than 1 cm long. Their tails are (predictably) short. In males, the tail is knobbed so the mating female can hold onto it during mating. Short-tailed whipscorpions often have modified hind legs for jumping, and look superficially similar to grasshoppers in that regard. They prey on other small arthropods, hunting at night, despite poor eyesight. Like their larger cousins, short-tailed whipscorpions spray acid in defense but lack v enom glands. Tailless Whipscorpions (Order Amblypygi): Tailless whipscorpions are just that, and the name of their order, Amblypygi, literally means blunt rump. The largest specimens reach 5.5 cm in length and look somewhat similar to the larger vinegaroons. Tailless whipscorpions have strikingly long legs and spiny pedipalps, and they can run sideways at startling speeds. These features make them the stuff of nightmares to the easily spooked among us, but like the other whipscorpion groups, tailless whipscorpions are benign. That is, unless youre a smallish arthropod, in which case you may find yourself impaled and crushed to death by the tailless whipscorpions powerful pedipalps. Sources: Bugs Rule! An Introduction to the World of Insects, by Whitney Cranshaw and Richard RedakBorror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonSpecies  , Bugguide.net. Accessed online March 10, 2017.Mastigoproctus giganteus  - Giant Vinegaroon

Operation management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Operation management - Assignment Example Outputs are also unique to every business in terms of the type of product or service being offered. A company without a quality OM strategy can risk being topped by more able competitors. This report looks to Starbucks on Lincoln-High Street, a service company with very high demand and need to be efficient. Analysis looks to understand performance objectives, demand fluctuations, quality perceptions from customer groups and suggestions on how Starbucks can improve. Source: Drawpack. (2014). External and internal effects on the performance objectives. [online] Available at: http://www.drawpack.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=6326 (accessed 20 November 2014). For Starbucks, speed is the most key objective to be sure the business gains customer loyalty and meets with satisfying important paying customers. The Lincoln-High Street Starbucks is a very busy organisation. During observation, research saw that Starbucks serviced about 20 customers every thirty minutes. This cafe had an unstructured queue system with no clear markers or barriers set up that showed customers where they were expected to stand whilst wait for service. Physical barriers and signs in a structured system better control flow and create efficiency (Adan, Boxma and Resing 2001). This created a situation where customers were forming lines in various places and customers seemed unsure about their place in line. On several times, customers deferred their place in line to other customers, not sure about who was actually there first. Having a waiting line system with clear markers, signs and barriers is important as it creates environment of certainty and efficiency. Models for waiting lines directly affect customer feelings about service quality and costs of getting serviced. Tam (2004) says that customers have better views of services when perceived service quality is higher than the costs they have to pay to obtain the

Stress Management in the RN Role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stress Management in the RN Role - Essay Example According to Taylor and Barling (2004), career stress or simply burnout is a threat to the well-being of health workers. Career strain has been defined by Farrington (1997) as bleeding oneself for the benefit of others. Symptoms of burnout are evident on these individuals' emotional, cognitive and physical facets (Taylor & Barling, 2004). These symptoms described by Farrington (1997) include: lower level of energy, pessimism, feelings of helplessness, depersonalization, lowered self-esteem and even cynicism. Mental health nursing has been closely connected in dealing with burnout and stress on the nursing field (Taylor & Barling, 2004). Rees & Smith, in their 1991 article, has provided a documentation of the stress order of National Health Service professionals in the United Kingdom. It shows that community mental health nurses (CMHN) occupied the top place alongside speech therapist followed by general nurses and mental health nurses who are ward-based both in the third position. Another survey by Nolan (1995) on mental health nurses used the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in measuring caseness. Caseness is a name pertaining to the probability of acquiring a psychiatric disorder. The GHQ created by David Goldberg is available in 4 different versions with varying number of items-12, 28, 30, and 60 item Likert-type (with 4 choices) scale. Since the GHQ is a screening measure to identify trivial psychiatric problems, the questionnaire items aim to know the general health of the respondents over the recent weeks. It can be used with the general public but mostly used with health care professionals. Higher scores in the questionnaire imply psychological distress of the individual (General Health Questionnaire, n.d.). The GHQ was also used by Brown et al (1994) and Fagin et al (1995) to measure the psychological distress of health workers. Results indicated that CMHN have the highest psychological distress among the nursing sample. Ward nurses were also seen to have high levels of depersonalization. This was backed up with the researchers by the explanation that ward nurses have lower levels of empathy towards their patients. Stress in psychiatric nurses has been identified with their interaction to mentally ill patients (Melchior et al 1996). Different sources of stress include the patients tended to by the nurses, the co-nurses and doctors they are working with, the facilities in the hospital and the work itself (Taylor & Barling, 2004). Specifically, the researchers cited examples of stressful activities by CMHN nurses. Usually, they are stressed when in contact with the nerve-racking conditions of the work place-long waiting lines of patients, suicidal patients who can be very emotionally stressful, violent patients and hazardous work areas in different communities (Taylor & Barling, 2004). Some of these conditions were also true for ward-based nurses. The literature has wide accounts of different nursing fields as having specific types of stressors (Farrington 1995; Leiter & Harvie 1996; Mcleod 1997; Wheeler 1998a). Stress indicators in general have been identified in the literature. These include dealing with different types of patients (Haynes, LaCroix, & Lippin, 1987), doing the same work over and over again (Haynes et al., 1987; Karasek, 1979), the educational attainment of the individual needed in the job

Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories Essay Example for Free

Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories Essay Culture : the learned behavior of members of a given social group. Cultural studies: Focus use of media to create forms of culture that structure everyday life. Political economy theories: Focus on social elites use of economic power to exploit media institutions. 2 There are microscopic interpretive theories that focus on how individuals and social groups use media to create and foster forms of culture that structure everyday life. These theories are referred to as cultural studies theories. There are macroscopic structural theories that focus on how social elites use their economic power to gain ontrol over and 3 Cultural Theory: Theories openly espousing certain values and using these values to evaluate and criticize the status quo providing alternate ways of interpreting the social role of mass media. Those who develop critical theories seek to initiate social change that will implement their values. Political economy theories are inherently critical but some cultural studies 4 Critical theories often provides complex explanations for this tendency of media to consistently do so. E. g: some critical theorists identify constraints on media practitioners that limit their ability to challenge established authority. They charge that few incentives exist to encourage media professionals to overcome these constraints and that media 5 Critical theory often analyzes specific social institutions, probing the extent to which valued objects are sought and achieved. Mass Media and the mass culture have been linked to a variety of social problems, they are criticized for aggravating or preventing problems from being identified or addressed. A common theme in critical theories of media is that content production is so constrained 6 Consider for example, the last time you read news about members of a social ovement that strongly challenged the status quo? Why were the college students who protested against the Communist Chinese government in Tiananmen Square heroes of democracy and those in American anti-war hippies and radicals? Stories about movements imply problems with 7 controntation. Movement leaders demand coverage ot their complaints and they stage demonstrations designed to draw public attention to their concerns. Elites seek to minimize coverage or to exercise spin control so that the coverage favors their position. How do Journalists handle this? How should they handle it? Existing research indicates that this coverage almost always degenerates movements and supports elites. 8 Critical theory: Strengths: 1. Is politically based, actionoriented. 2. Uses theory and research to plan change in the real world. 3. Asks big, important questions about media control and ownership. 9 Weaknesses: 3. When subjected to scientific verification, often employs innovative but controversial research methods. 0 Rise of Cultural Theories in Europe: Despite its long life in American Social Science, the Limited Effects Paradigm never enjoyed great popularity in europe. European social research has instead been characterized by what U. S. Observers regard as grand social theories. Grand Social Theory: Highly ambitious, 1 1 In Europe, the development of grand social theory remained a central concern in the social s ciences and humanities. Mass society theory gave way to a succession of alternate ideas. Some were limited to specific nations and others spread across many countries. Some of the most widely accepted have been based on the writings of Karl Marx. Marxist theory influenced even the theories that were created in reaction against it. Marxist ideas formed a foundation or touch stone for most postworld War II european social theory and research. 12 Cold War politics colored much of the U. S. Response to it. Ironically, in the 1970s and 1980s, at the very time that Marxist failed as a practical guide for politics and economics in Eastern Europe, grand social theories based on Marxist thought were gaining increasing acceptance in Western Europe. 3 MARXIST THEORY: Marxist Theory: Theory arguing that the hierarchical class system is at the root of all social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the proletariat. Karl Marx developed this theory in the latter part of the nineteenth century during one of the most volatile periods of social change in Europe. In some respects, his theory is yet another version ot mass society theory- but witn several ve ry important alterations and additions. 14 He identified industrialization and urbanization as problems but argued that these changes were not inherently bad. Instead, he blamed ruthless robber baron capitalists for exacerbating social problems because they maximized personal profits by exploiting workers. Marx argued that the hierarchical class system was the root of ll social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the workers or proletariat. He believed that elites dominated society primarily through their direct control over the means of production (i. e. , labor, factories, land) which he referred to as the base of society. 15 But elites also maintained themselves in power through their control over culture, or the superstructure of society. He saw culture as something that elites freely manipulated to mislead average people and encourage them to act against their own interest. He used the term ideology to refer to these forms of culture. To him, ideology operated much like a drug. Those who were under its influence fail to see how they are being exploited. In worst cases, they are so deceived, that they actually 16 undermine their own interests and do things that increase the power of elites while making their own lives even worse. Marx concluded that the only hope for social change was a revolution in which the masses seized control of the base the means of production. Control over the superstructure -over ideology would naturally follow. He saw little possibility that reforms in the super structure could ead to social evolution, or if it could, that -that transformation would be very slow in coming. Elites would never willingly surrender POWER. Power must be taken from them. Little purpose would be served by making minor changes in ideology 17 without first dominating the means of production. Neomarxist Theory: Contemporary incarnation of Marxist theory focusing attention on the super structure. The importance that Neomarxists attach to the super structure has created a fundamental division within Marxism. Many neomaxists assume that useful change can begin with peaceful, ideological reform rather than violent revolution in which he working class seizes control of the means of production. 18 Some neomarxists have developed critiques that call for radically transforming the superstructure while others call for modest reforms. Tensions have arisen among scholars who base their work on Marxs ideas over the value of the work being done by 19 the various neomarxist schools. Textual Analysis and Literary Criticism: Modern european cultural studies theories have a second, very different source a tradition of humanist criticism of religious and literary texts that is referred to hermeneutics. Hermeneutics: the interpretation f texts to identify their actual or real meaning. 20 -humanists who worked to identify and preserve what came to be known as the literary canon a body of the great literature. The literary canon was part of what was referred to as high culture, a set of cultural artifacts including music, art, literature, and poetry that humanists Judged to have the highest value. 1 the level of culture to enable even more people to become humane and civilized. Over the years, many different methods for analyzing written texts have emerged from hermeneutics. They share a common purpose: to criticize old and new cultural ractices so that those most deserving of attention can be identified and explained and the less deserving can be dismissed. This task can be compared with that of movie critics who tell us which films are good or bad and assist us in appreciating or avoiding them. The primary difference is that movie critics are typically not committed to promoting higher 22 cultural values; they only want to explain which movies we are likely to find entertaining. THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL One early prominent school of neo-marxist theory developed during the 1930s at the University of Frankfurt and became known as the Frankfurt School. 3 Two of the most prominent individuals associated with the school were Max Horkheimer, its long time head, and Theodor Adorno, a prolific and cogent theorist. Horheimer and Adorno were openly skeptical that high culture could or should be communicated through mass media. Adorno argued that radio broadcasts or records couldnt begin to adequately reproduce the sound of a live symphony orchestra. He ridiculed the reproduction of great art in 24 magazines or the reprinting of great novels in condensed, serialized form. He claimed that mass media reproductions of high culture were inferior and diverted eople from seeking out (and paying for) the real thing if bad substitutes for high culture were readily available, he believed too many people would settle for them and fail to support better forms of culture. The Frankfurt School has been criticized along with other forms of traditional humanism for being too elitist and paternalistic. By rejecting the possibility of using media to disseminate 25 high culture, most ot the population was ettectively denied access to it Many ot the schools criticisms of media paralleled those of mass society theory and had the same limitations. The Frankfurt School eventually had a direct impact on American social research because the rise of the Nazis forced its Jewish members into exile. 26 During the period of exile, however, Frankfurt School Theorists remained prodductive. They devoted considerable effort, for example, to the critical analysis of Nazi culture and the way it undermined and perverted high culture. In their view, Nazism grounded on a phony, artificially constructed folk culture that had been cynically created and manipulated by Hitler and his propagandists. 27 Nazism helped them envision the Germany they longed to see a unified, proud ation with a long history of achievement and a glorious future. As they rose to power, the Nazis replaced high culture with their pseudofolk culture and discredited important forms of high culture, especially those created by Jews. 8 DEVELOPMENT OF NEOMARXIST THEORY IN BRITAIN: Dunng the 1960s and 1970s , two important schools of neomarxist theory emerged in Great Britain. British Cultural studies and political economy theory. British cultural studies combines neomarxist theory with ideas and research methods derived from diverse sources including literary criticism, linguistics, anthropology, and history. This theory has attempted to trace historic elite domination over culture, to criticize the 29 social consequence of this domination and to demonstrate how it continues to be exercised over specific minority groups or subcultures. British cultural studies criticizes and contrasts elite notions of culture, including high culture, with popular, every day forms practiced by minorities. The superiority of all forms of elite culture including high culture is challenged and compared with useful, valuable forms of popular culture. Hermeneutic attention is shifted from the study of elite cultural rtifacts to the study of minority grouped Lived culture. 30 Graham Murdock(1989) traced the rise of British cultural studies during the 1950s and 1960s. Most important theorists came from the lower social classes that were the focus of the movies. The British cultural studies critique of high culture and ideology was an explicit rejection of what its proponents saw as alien forms of culture imposed on minorities. They defended indigenous forms of popular culture as legitimate expressions of minority groups/ A dominant early theorist was Raymond Williams, a literary scholar who achieved 31 Notoriety with his reappraisals of cultural development in England. Williams ideas were viewd with suspicion and skepticism by many of his colleagues at Cambridge University. Toward the end of 1960s and into the 1970s, Williams turned his attention to mass media. He was more broadly concerned with issues of cultural change and development as well as elite domination ot culture. 3 repackaged as popular, mass media content. If there were to be genuine progress, he felt, it would have to come through significant reform of social institutions. The first important school of cultural studies theorists was formed at the University of Birmingham, during the 1960s and was led by Stuart Hall. Hall (1982) was especially influential in directing several analyses of mass media that directly challenge limited effects notions and in introducing innovative alternatives. Building on ideas developed by Jurgen Habermas(1971 , 1989) and Williams, Hall argued that mass media liberal -democracies can be best understood as a pluralistic public forum in which various forces struggle to shape popular notions about social reality. Pluralistic Public Forum: In critical theory, the idea that media provide a place where the power of dominant lite can be challenged. British Cultural Studies: Strengths: 1 . Asserts value of popular culture 2. Empowers Common Man 34 3. Empowers minorities and values their culture. 4. Stresses cultural pluralism and egalitarianism. Weaknesses: 1. Is too political; call to action is to subjective 2. Typically lacks scientific verification; is based on subjective observation. 3. When subjected to scientific verification, often employs innovative but controversial research methods. 35 Unlike traditional Marxists, Hall did not argue that elites can maintain complete control over this forum. In his view, elites dont need that power to advance their interests. The culture expressed in this forum is not a mere superficial reflection of the superstructure but is instead a dynamic creation of opposing groups.

Parents are Teachers. :: essays research papers

Many people think that those who are the best teachers in their life are parents. However, I disagree with that statement. I will give reasons for my point of view. In my opinion, there are many factors that bring us up. First of them are parents, who are the great authority for whole our life. Certainly, this is the parent`s contribution to teach us the rules and main lines of conduct. Thanks to them and the contact, which they try to make between themselves and their child, we know how to be good people. However, there is something that allows us to become aquinted with different situations and the world faster and also more painful. What I mean is life. In my opinion, a person learns the most from their own mistake. The parents give us only the bases for our later development. The life, in turn, teaches us how to behave and react on different situations, which not always are nice and full of positive stress. It helps us to get to known to many situations. During our, sometimes very complicated life we acquire some knowledge, which we are not able to get from books and the Internet. From time to time, it is very hard to accept the situations and troubles, with which we have to cope. But, we can be sure - from our experience - that there will be always time to rest and reconsider our life's decision one more time and then we will have a chance to change something. Furthermore, I claim that the nice method to learn and understand more is to have close friends and try to talk to them about the situations, which are not easy neither for us nor for them. It can give us the opportunity for clearer thinking about the world and all circumstances that meet us. Parents are Teachers. :: essays research papers Many people think that those who are the best teachers in their life are parents. However, I disagree with that statement. I will give reasons for my point of view. In my opinion, there are many factors that bring us up. First of them are parents, who are the great authority for whole our life. Certainly, this is the parent`s contribution to teach us the rules and main lines of conduct. Thanks to them and the contact, which they try to make between themselves and their child, we know how to be good people. However, there is something that allows us to become aquinted with different situations and the world faster and also more painful. What I mean is life. In my opinion, a person learns the most from their own mistake. The parents give us only the bases for our later development. The life, in turn, teaches us how to behave and react on different situations, which not always are nice and full of positive stress. It helps us to get to known to many situations. During our, sometimes very complicated life we acquire some knowledge, which we are not able to get from books and the Internet. From time to time, it is very hard to accept the situations and troubles, with which we have to cope. But, we can be sure - from our experience - that there will be always time to rest and reconsider our life's decision one more time and then we will have a chance to change something. Furthermore, I claim that the nice method to learn and understand more is to have close friends and try to talk to them about the situations, which are not easy neither for us nor for them. It can give us the opportunity for clearer thinking about the world and all circumstances that meet us.

A Synopsis of the Documentary Live Nude Girls Unite Essay

Live Nude Girls Unite The film â€Å"Live Nude Girls Unite† is a documentary recorded by the exotic dancers themselves that takes their audience on their journey as they try to unionize their jobs. The dancers were fed up with the treatment and minimal pay they were receiving for their performances. They were not assigned a lawyer but had a negotiator that helped them with their bargaining agreement. These exotic dancers were not disrespected by their costumer’s but also by their employees. Dancers were not allowed sick days and sometimes lost their jobs because of their inability to find another look-a-like dancer to fill their slot. I think the unionization of the sex workers was a viable idea. These dancers deserve the same benefits many other employees receive such as sick pay, health insurance, and respect from their management. Because sex workers are usually stereotyped as sluts, society believes their work should not include benefits. Since they had many people against their request to form a union, it took them many months of negotiating to receive minimal benefits, but it was the start of a new revolution for other sex workers across the country. As word began to spread about the newly formed union in San Francisco, the formation of unions began to spread all over. Numerous exotic dancers now receive benefits through their employers and are getting the fair treatment they deserve. They are protected from unlawful dismal from their jobs and racial discrimination when it comes to who works certain shifts. If the sex workers had no taken a stance to improve their working system many would still be treated unfair.

Foreign Policy Judiciary Politics Essay

1. Although the power of the national government increased during the early republic, these developments often face serious opposition. Compare the motives and effectiveness of those who opposed the growing power of the national government in TWO of the following: Whiskey Rebellion, 1794 Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, 1798-1799 Hartford Convention, 1814-1815 2. To what extent did the Jeffersonian Republican’s of economic boycott in the years 1807 – 1812 affect the new nation? 3. To what extent was the early United States foreign policy a primarily defensive reaction to actual or perceived threats from Europe? Evaluate with regard to United States foreign policy on TWO major issues during the period from 1789 – 1815. 4. Analyze the contributions of TWO of the following in helping establishing a stable government after the adoption of the Constitution John Adams Thomas Jefferson George Washington 5. Explain the influence of TWO of the following on the U.S. decision to go to war in 1812. Embargo policies of Jefferson and Madison British impressment of American seamen Settlers’ conflicts with Native Americans Expansionist goals of the war hawks 6. Compare and contrast the political and economic views of the Hamiltonian Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans. When, why and how did the differences between the two parties blur? 7. Evaluate the relative importance of domestic and foreign affairs in shaping American politics in the 1790s. 8. â€Å"Since the treaty of Ghent addressed none of the issues for which the United States had fought, the War of 1812 has no positive consequences for the American nation. Assess the validity of this statement 9. To what extent was the Election of l800 aptly named the Revolution of l800? Respond with reference to 2 of the following areas Economics

Writing tips for nurses, Nursing Standard - Emphasis

Writing tips for nurses, Nursing Standard Writing tips for nurses, Nursing Standard Being a capable wordsmith may not be what you signed up for. But clinical nurses are spending more and more of their working day on writing tasks. Rob Ashton of Emphasis gives six tips on how nurses can become better writers. A well-presented document, a clear and succinct email, a precise and persuasive report all go a long way to ensure nursing maintains professional standards. This makes sense, as good writing skills equal good communication a prerequisite for effective nursing. Just as nursing requires dedication and practice, so too do effective writing techniques within the clinical setting. One Identify your target audience. To write effectively, you have to understand the needs of the people you are writing for. Think of the variety of audiences you have to communicate with as a practitioner such as patients, other nursing professionals, physicians. Then think about how you communicate differently to each. If its a report for a healthcare organisation, find out the ethos of that organisation. If its for a nursing manager, do they need to be informed or persuaded or both? Two Overcome the fear of the blank page. Break through writers block by: establishing the purpose of your writing and what you hope to achieve using mind maps or spider-grams to get ideas flowing creating a defined timeframe with deadlines and milestones writing in incremental bursts if youre faced with a lengthy document Focusing on your readers needs but (crucially) forgetting about their possible judgements of the work. If youre really stuck, set an alarm for five minutes hence, then tell yourself you only need to write until it goes off. After all, how bad can five minutes be? What youll probably find is that you speed up as the time starts to run out, giving you the energy to burst through the block. But if that doesnt happen, stop at five minutes, give yourself a ten minute break, then set the alarm for another five-minute session. Two or three short sessions like this are usually enough to cure the block. These apply to most writing tasks, including proposals for improvement projects, reports, patient records, staff references, memos and even emails. Three Keep going until you have a complete working draft. Forget about perfection for now. Organise the relevant information on separate piece of paper (such as with a mind map see above), then write. Only when youve finished should you revise and edit. Even the greatest writers work from a rough, first draft. Make sure you plan first though, as a stream of consciousness can be very difficult to disentangle once youve written it. To help with the final edit, ask yourself if youve addressed all your pertinent issues, especially problems, action and results. Four Dont dress it up. Florid language and great swathes of rhetoric wont impress a busy board member, nursing manager or worried patient who wants to read only the salient facts. Time is of the essence in a clinical workplace, so clear, direct communication is key. Present your message clearly from the start in a straightforward style that will keep your audience interested. Five Dont be lax in your report writing. Computerised report templates may have made the task easier but they are no replacement for courtesy and good grammar. Never make shortcuts in punctuation and spelling, and make sure the facts are correct. Get someone else to look over the document if youre unsure of its accuracy. Six Be honest. If you dont understand the subject matter, the chances are those reading it wont either. Dont mask your lack of understanding with unnecessary jargon. If youre working collaboratively on a report or proposal, for example ask for help. With written communication now so much a part of clinical nursing, these tips and a little practice should give you the confidence to handle any writing task. A little time spent perfecting the process now will leave you more time for other pressing responsibilities in the future. Rob Ashton is Chief Executive of Emphasis, the specialist business-writing trainers.

Working (Entirely) from Home

Working (Entirely) from Home You might want to make the switch to freelancing entirely from home if you’re, for example, disabled like me, or you’re reclusive and prefer life behind the keyboard. Here’s how you can run your freelance writing business from home: Choose the right jobs. Some jobs (like travel writing) can’t do without travel: Skip those. Other times editors may make an exception if you explain your situation. Freelance career boards like Problogger and Writers’ Job Board are rich sources for jobs. Cold pitching magazines and blogs is another. Also consider working remotely as a copywriter or editor; look at classifieds like Gumtree, Indeed, Linked-In and Freelancer. Avoid the mills and scams. Many work from home writing jobs online are outright scams or content mills with terrible rates. Things like make money now and 2,000 words at $5 total should set off alarm bells. Scammers like these are rife on sites like Freelancer and best avoided. Real work is found Set your schedule. Plan for work not to interfere with your home life, and the other way around. People will assume you have more free time, so make it clear to everyone when you will be working. It’s hard not to ‘take your work home ’, so know when to switch off, too. Plan your calendar with scheduling software like Thunderbird, EasyAppointments or OpenLava Your house is your office. Dedicate at least one room to work as your office. Minimally include filing cabinets, a bookshelf, desk, comfortable chair, and clear lighting. Think ergonomically; everything comfortably within reach. Decide if you will see clients or interviewees in your home and keep the office neat. Consider the background when you’re interviewing via webcam, including noise. A plain color wall-back with little audio disturbances like wind or electronic hum is ideal. (See Hope’s office background here.) Business expenses change. As a from-home freelancer, your business expenses change. Your rent (or mortgage) pays for your office, and you’ll spend less on items like travel expenses and client dinners but more on utilities and phone plans. Keep track, most importantly for your filing tax returns but also to maintain awareness of where your money is going so you can make informed choices. Privacy and safety. Be sure that people won’t show up at your house unannounced. Never share your address or images of your house and family online. Rent a post box for business correspondence. Stalkers can happen. Consider basic security like a panic button or set your laptop up as a security camera for little to no cost with iSpy or Rear View Mirror. Interviewing remotely. You can conduct most interviews remotely ((whether interviewing someone for a story or being interviewed yourself), via secure email like ProtonMail, phone, webcam or VoIP (like Skype, Appear.in or ooVoo). Ask your source which is best for them, and be flexible for the one who wants to interview you. Double-check technology with a test-run and buy a decent headset and speakers. Logitech, AKG and Sennheiser are good brands. Record and file interviews with permission using software like MP3 Skype Recorder, Automatic Call Recorder (for Android) or Audacity for PC. Working online. Project management tools and cloud services instantly connect you and those you work with. You can upload documents, send messages and upload schedules across the board, and it’s great for keeping track of interviewees and co-workers. basecamp.com/ taskworld.com/ dropbox.com/ Making the switch to a home base? It’s really not as hard as you might think: all it takes is a couple of changes to your routine, and then, of course, a â€Å"do not disturb† sign for the office.

Practical Risk Management with in Information Technology Project Research Paper

Practical Risk Management with in Information Technology Project Management - Research Paper Example In order to control and manage risk, method and techniques are defined briefly in this article. The definition of Project Management as per the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide is â€Å"a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result and the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.†(Monoharan & Mansor, 2012). There are nine sub categories in project management out of which four are considered as the most important areas. The remaining four is assisting area and one is a general area. These areas are divided as: Scope management: management of work in order to complete the project. Time management: management of time needed to accomplish task on time. Cost management: management of budget regarding cost effective project. Quality management: All the requirements are satisfied and implied. Human resource management: management of employers for their effectiven ess. Communications management: gathering information regarding project. Risk management: recognizing and answering to risks. Procurement management: outsourcing goods and services. Integration management: interlinks all project knowledge areas instantaneously. In order to lead a fruitful project, the Project managers need to shine in each of these nine areas. 2 The Project Management Process Project managers manages the project in a systematic way or method, however, various project management techniques are available that can be used. Likewise, activities that are included in the PMBOK for the definition of the project are â€Å"components of work performed during the course of a project† (Vida, 2012). The primary activities of the project management process are mentioned in the book called as Whitten & Bentley’s Systems Analysis and Design Methods. The book demonstrated negotiation of the scope, identification of tasks, estimation of durations of the tasks, specific ation of dependencies, managing the efforts of the team, resource assignment, controlling the project progress, monitoring the project progress and lastly, assessment of the project results and experience. Scope negotiation is a critical part of any project that needs management. Likewise, the scope of the project is associated with the working that is required to deliver the product or end result with the requirements of the customer. Project failure occurs due to creeping of the scope that transpires in case of some addition of features and functions regardless of the factor that impacts the end result of the project. Moreover, failure of the projects also occurs due to ambiguous or confusing requirements of the customer. If the scope of the project is not clearly defined, there is a high percentage that the outcome of the project will not satisfy project stakeholders as well as the customers. 3 The Importance of Project Risk Management Information Technology Project Management is a methodology or set of technique that is implemented for identification, analysis and countering risks throughout the project lifecycle and supporting every aspect of meeting the requirements and objectives of the project (Schwalbe, 2010). Moreover, Oracle White Paper pressures over the significance of project risk management and states that, â€Å"Projects are becoming increasingly more complex and costly,

Home Inspection Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Home Inspection Case Study - Assignment Example This created a market opportunity to the sellers and filling it one had to do it in a manner that the consumers’ needs, preferences and wants are attended to their satisfaction. Furthermore Lack of professionalism was a problem to the industry because no one viewed any of the inspections firms to being very qualified or professional as argued Ramesh (59). With this the market opportunity availed itself to Doug for him to fill the gap thus come with a solution to the problem through his services and product. Additionally there was the need to deliver on any promise made to prospective customers. These two aspired to attain their mission and objective of their business in that they would offer the best services to the consumers both at a professional level and technical approach to the satisfaction of their customers. They also wanted their business to accomplish the needs and want of the customers that coming up with a brand name that the buyers associate with easy and simple to identify with. Doug and Mary wished that their consumers would have a good perception on their service where professionalism and trustworthy is an essential matter that is always put into consideration to appoint of them doing research on how other inspection firms do their work and Doug enrolling for an 8 week course on home inspection to acquire skills thus make him professional ascertain to the industry thus boasting professionalism problem in the business. There are two targeted audience in this case study, first the primary audience who are the real estate agents who will actual need the service as first hand customers due the functional and emotional need they have for the services. The functional need is the purpose of the service in this case is what Doug and Mary has to offer them in terms of services which must be tangible and visible while the emotional need is the intangibles need, where the customers can actually trust and

Managing Change and Innovation in Health Care Essay

Managing Change and Innovation in Health Care - Essay Example It has not been an easy process since the health care unlike other sectors is sensitive since it deals with the pertinent information about clients. However, with adequate planning, implementation and intervention, electronic record keeping has been a success in the health sector. In bid of this insight, this paper will present a summary of managing change and innovation in Health care as pertains to electronic record keeping. Three academic concepts will be highlighted within the discussion; foundation of planning, motivating employees, and understanding individual behavior. This will be aimed at affirming the thesis statement that asses the success and failure of electronic record keeping in the health care sector (Hayrinen, Saranto, and Nykanen, 2008). ... This has led to the adoption of the Health Information Accountability Act (HIPAA) that sets rules and standards to ensure that only authorized individuals access the patient’s information. In bid to encourage hospitals to implement electronic record keeping, the United States has posed an ultimatum of up to 2014 where all health care facilities will be expected to have implemented and electronic record keeping system. This will accrue benefits from Medicaid and Medicare while those that will have not have implemented will bear sanctions and penalties from the government. This is aimed at networking the health care system and thus increasing the efficiency of the health care system (Hayrinen, Saranto, and Nykanen, 2008). The greatest benefit of electronic record keeping in heath care organization is associated with swift access to health information. Once the information of the patient is entered into a networked computer, its access is faster compared to manual record keeping. This is consequently increases the speed with which the patients are attended to and reduces delay in the provision of care to the patients. This further enhances the continuity of care for the patient attributed to the fact that the information of the patient’s previous information is easily accessible. Consequently, upon referral of the patient, it is possible to convey the relevant information of the patient to the next care provider. Also this information is essential as it acts as a reference point in assessing the progress of the patient since the baseline data can still be accessed. This method of record keeping not only aids the health care organization but also helps the patient since they can confirm appointments from their homes and do not have to travel to the

Money Is The Biggest Motivator Commerce Essay

Money Is The Biggest Motivator Commerce Essay Money is the biggest motivator of people at the workplace. Most people are motivated by money. According to Alison Griffiths, journalist of Metro Canada, survey showed that 53 percent of Baby Boomers in Canada did want to earn more money while 32 percent of them did plan to open a own business after retirement to earn more money too. Besides that, Reuters (2012) also stated that 31.4 percent of Americans aged from 65 to 69 were still working in year 2010, compared to year 1990 with a lower percentage which is 21 percent. These showed that Baby Boomers value money as an important motivation factor. For example, A Generation X employee tells a Boomer manager that he had been working too hard and request for taking an off for family vacation. Instead of saying thanks, the Boomer replies, I work to get ahead, to get a promotion, not for a vacation. The Boomer manager then gave the employee a bonus, rather than a vacation (Hammill, G., 2005). In contrast, Generation X seek a work-life bal ance where they will take less money if they are given opportunity to work lesser hours and have time off to spend with family or take a vacation. For them, money act as an incentive or reward but it does not add value to the job. Whilst, Boomers are attracted to position and even more money rather than placing value on vacation time or flex time. According to Mcshane (2010), Generation X and Generation Y employees expect a more egalitarian workplace. For them, money is an important factor but it is not a standalone. A study by Accenture consulting firm found that 50% of middle managers were interested in new job that provide benefits such as more time off rather than more pay (Williams, R., 2010) Thus, money is very important to employees for number of reasons. I firmly believe that money is the major and biggest motivator at the workplace. Some of the motivation theory model also explains the importance of money as a major motivator factor such as Maslows Needs Hierarchy Theory, E RG Theory, Equity Theory and etc. 2.0 Content Maslows needs hierarchy theory According to Maslow, the most basic needs on the needs hierarchy had to be satisfied before the next level of needs emerge (Mcshane, 2010). Maslow stated that individual needs are arranged in a hierarchy from the lower level to the higher level of needs. It classified individual needs into 5 levels which is physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, esteem needs and self-actualization. Money which is a basic needs for survival, as stated by Maslow, it is very important as money can get shelter, food, clothing, water and other necessaries of life to satisfy individual basic physical needs such as physiological and security needs. As a matter of fact, worker is motivated to work in the organization to receive economic rewards to meet his basic needs. Whilst, the organization helps an individual to satisfy their basic needs by providing good salaries, benefits and good working condition. Besides that, the most general theoretical explanation for moneys importance is the fac t that it is useful for obtaining many other things that we want and wish for because of its symbolic value (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). Thus, money or pay did satisfy individual drives and needs. Company and organization such as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Tesco, Kelloggs, Siemens motivates its workers by providing these basic needs wherever they create job (McShane, 2010). Furthermore, money or pay is frequently used as a standard used for comparison for social status and personal accomplishment (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). In addition, money or pay can help an individual to acquire a higher level on Maslows motivational needs hierarchy, including social esteem and self-actualization (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). For instance, money can carve the path towards social recognition, making it possible for early retirement, a good education for ones children as well as free time for enjoyment. For example, a manager motivate his worker by raises his worke rs pay because the worker had done a good job. The worker felt he was respected and rewarded as well as more security and was highly pleased with this recognition (Davis, K. and Newstrom, J. W., 2002). Hence, money or pay did affect ones self-esteem as well as self-respect. ERG Theory In ERG theory, needs affect an individuals behavior as described by Maslow. Alderfers ERG theory reorganizes Maslows five groups into three which is existence, relatedness, and growth (McShane, 2010). Existence needs are the same as physiological and safety needs as Maslow. Relatedness needs are the same as belongingness needs as Maslow. Growth needs are the same as self-esteem and self-actualization needs. Unlike Maslow, which only explained how people progress up the hierarchy, ERG theory also describes how people regress down the hierarchy when fail to fulfills a higher needs (McShane, 2010). In another word, Alderfer suggested that more than one needs may be operative at the same time. Likewise, assume that a nurse who is seeking a promotion because the promotion will raise her pay. This promotion will promote her to a head nurse position would help meeting the nurses needs for growth as well. After a prolonged wait, she learned that she was dropped from further consideration. Sh e becomes frustrated, disappointed, and concerned about her future. Her supervisor and her co-workers talk with her assuring her that other opportunities will occur and her value to other co-workers is immeasurable. After few days of feeling frustrated, she redirected her need for the promotion to the relatedness category and seems to enjoy her work and her colleagues. Furthermore, Alderfer also suggested that the failure to satisfy relatedness or growth needs will cause renewed interest in existence needs. For instance, this might increase the desire for more money or for better working condition. Likewise, money or pay which is the factor of existence needs. It drives people to go to work for survival. Individual at the existence level who is given the opportunity to earn additional $100 will be more motivated compare to someone earning $100,000 per year. This can be explained with McClellands theory which low achiever view monetary reward as an end in itself while high achiever v iew monetary reward as symbol of success or achievement and feedback about job performance. In contrast, the importance of money or pay is indeed a strong motivator. It ensures an individual primary needs to be met as well as providing security and personal growth and development as the worker is assign to perform more responsibility on the job. Other than achievement, money can be use to buy affiliation and power. For example, people can use money to buy their way into expensive clubs as well as giving them the capacity to influence others such as through political contributions. Furthermore, money or pay is classified as a hygiene factors in Frederick Herzbergs motivator-hygiene theory. Herzberg suggested that manager first must improve the hygienic conditions of work before trying to increase motivation. Negative hygienic conditions distract employees because they are necessary for building a foundation on which to maintain a reasonable level of motivation in employees. Therefore , the role of money or pay must not be ignored. Expectancy Theory According to Victor Vrooms Expectancy theory, the theory stated that work effort is directed toward behaviors that people believe will lead to desired outcomes. That is, people are motivated to achieve the goals with the highest expected payoff. For example, a person may be a high-performing employee because he believes that this will lead to a merit increase in pay. This means that an employee must want more pay or money which is valence, must believe that effort will be successful in producing desired performance which is expectancy, and must trust that the monetary reward will follow better performance which is instrumentality. Most employees do respond to money as a reward. For instance, a person may prefer a 10 percent merit increase rather than transfer to a new department. Thus, money often has high valence. Likewise, pay or money also plays a larger role in applicants job choices. That is, a level of pay must be met before an individual will even consider accepting a job offe r. Company that offer starting salary or pay below the market range will not even being considered by the applicant. In another word, money can attract employee as well as retaining the employee such as offering high salaries and increased variable pay. Equity Theory In equity theory, the equity principle infers that people should be paid in proportion to their contribution. The theory posits that individuals evaluate the fairness of their pay by comparing their own ratio of inputs and outcomes to the input and output of other person such as close coworkers, workers in other companies, or the employees past work history. In addition, the theory predicts that an individual who perceives his raise to be inequitable is likely to change his behavior in several ways like expressing dissatisfaction to his supervisor, working harder to get a bigger raise next year, working less to bring her inputs in line with his perceived outcomes, or even quit the job in disgust. Hence, money or pay level clearly becomes important as an outcomes perceived by the employees in exchange for their services. For instance, it will affect employee behaviors if it is cut. As such, employees are on high alert and sensitive for every time employers make pay changes. It reflect s differences in how the employees are regarded or value by the employer. In another word, employees react strongly to changes in pay. An example of employee reaction to underpayment inequity occurred in a manufacturing plant that the company cut 15 percent pay of all employees because some important contracts were canceled. The affected employees reacted by doubling their normal theft rate by stealing tools and supplies from the company. Turnover rate also increased from 5 percent to 23 percent. In particular, underreward seems to produce motivational tension with negative consequences. Hence, pay was a symbolic scorecard to employee that they are overreward, equity or underreward. 3.0 Recommendation Based on the above theory and facts, in emphasizing the importance of money as the biggest motivator, we are not saying that money is the only important motivator but money play a key role in motivating people especially among the low achiever. Indeed, it is clear that many other factors such as interesting work, participation in decision making, flexible working hour and etc are also important motivator to many people. However, in order for money to be the biggest motivator, pay or money has to be used in a way that would produce motivation such as incentives or bonuses that boost the morale of the workers by performing better performances. This is simply because money acts as a mechanism for rewarding and modifying behavior in industry. It is an extrinsic reward that encourages people to work harder, more energetically as well as motivate the employee to achieve higher level of performance. Furthermore, the effectiveness of money as a motivator depends on variety of individual and situational factors. Each individual has different perception, preferences, expectancy, and self-concept toward money. Thus, manager has to talk to their employees to understand and find out which needs or preferences a particular employee is seeking. 4.0 Conclusion In conclusion, we strongly believe that money is indeed the biggest motivator in the workplace. Based on the points and statements above, we can clearly see that money is indeed the important factor that motivates people at the workplace. Money is regarded as a very high reward for the individuals that have worked hard for it. It is also regarded as the highest form of reward for employees. The higher the pay grade, the higher the recognition they receive from their employers as well as from the working mates. Finally, we conclude that money is indeed the most important factor that motivates individuals at the work place. (2001 words) 5.0 References McShane, S.L. and Glinow, M.A.V. (2010) Organizational Behavior. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Luthans, F. (2008). Organizational Behavior. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnely, J.Jr. and Konopaske, R. (2003) Organizational Behavior Structure Processes. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Newstorm, J.W. and Davis, K. (2002) Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior At Work. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M. and Donnely, J.Jr. (1997) Organizations Behavior Structure Processes. 9th ed. United States of America: McGraw Hill. Edward, J. (2011) Organizational Behavior: Intergrating Individuals, Groups, and Organizations. 4th ed. Milton Park: Taylor Francis Group. Banerjee, M. (1995) Organizational Behavior. 3th ed. Madras: Allied Publishers Limited. Aswathappa K (2005) Human Resource and Personnel Management: Text and Cases. 4th ed. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Raju, R.S. and Parthasarathy, A. (2009) Management. 2nd ed. New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited. The Times 100 (2012) Motivational Theory In Practice At Tesco [Online]. Retrieved from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/taylors-motivational-theory.html#axzz2ChPkuekgl [Accessed 12 November 2012 ]. The Times 100 (2012) Motivating Through Total Reward [Online]. Retrieved from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/royal-bank-of-scotland/motivating-through-total-reward/what-is-motivation.html#axzz2Ch7FZfye [Accessed 12 November 2012]. Griffiths, A. (2012) The Boom In Canadian Baby Boomer Small Business [Online]. Retrieved from: http://metronews.ca/voices/alison-on-money/404772/the-boom-in-canadian-baby-boomer-small-businesses/ [Accessed 12 November 2012]. Hammill, G. (2005) Mixing and Managing Four Generations Of Employees [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm [Accessed 12 November 2012].

The Bay :: The Hudson’s Bay Company

INTRODUCTION The Hudson’s Bay Company is the oldest incorporated merchandising company in the world. The Bay has remained in business in North America after its incorporation on May 2, 1670 by the Royal Charter. The official title of the company is, â€Å"The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson’s Bay†. This title is usually shortened to â€Å"Hudson’s Bay Company† or, just â€Å"the Bay. I was attracted to the Hudson’s Bay Company because firstly, I am frequently shop at the Bay. As a result of this, I would like to show the pride and respect I have for this successful company and its great history. Secondly, I have easy access to the information required to complete this independent study. Lastly, as I am not an expert when it comes to the operations of the company, this independent study will enable me to achieve a deeper understanding of management, and how it affects me. I utilized a number of resources in order to create this report. The resources are: Hudson’s Bay Company Annual Repoorts of 1996, 1997, 1998, Employee Training handbook, the Internet, and magazines. I combined these resources to produce a very informative report on the Hudson’s Bayu Company. In addition to this, the resources I used gave me a chance to cover many aspects and areas of this corporation. The topics covered in this report are: Company Profile, Human Resources, Customer Services, Organization, and Community Involvement. I included these types of information to give you, the reader, a deep interpretation of the Hudson’s Bay Company. To understand how the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) became the corporation it is today, a brief history is needed to gain some background knowledge. In the Bay’s first century of existence, it created forts on the Hudson Bay and traded furs to the Native Peoples. In the Bay’s second century, competition from the North West Company was acknowledged and responded to. This total time period of 200 years assisted in the discovery of Canada. In 1821, the two competitors merged under the name of Hudson’s Bay. In the twentieth century, HBC began to concentrate on retailing which is it’s primary activity today. Between 1913 and 1968, HBC made downtown department stores in the major cities of western Canada. As time rolled along, the Bay moved into eastern Canada and the suburbs of major Canadian cities.

Manfold Toy Essay

Question 1 – Do you see the selection of Directors at Manfold Toy’s as entirely suitable to an ethical standing? Why? Many relevant corporate governance issues arise regarding the composition of Manfold Toy’s board of directors. With respect to the main purpose of a board of directors, we need to reflect on whether the elected directors were the best possible representatives of stockholders interests. Additionally, we should analyze to what extent were the elected directors eager to accomplish their responsibilities/duties. To begin the analysis, we should study the process of director’s election to the Company’s board. Taking into account that 68% of Manfold Toy stake belonged to Joseph Wan, founder and chairman of the company, he held enough majority to decide on the board composition. The remaining stake was insufficient to refuse Joseph choices. Thus, Joseph choices could not be refused by the other shareholders, even if they believed there could be better representatives of their interests on the board. According to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a global association of investment professionals, â€Å"Board members owe a duty to make decisions based on what ultimately is best for the long-term interests of shareholders. In order to do this effectively, board members need a combination of three things: independence, experience and resources†. Manfold Toy’s board was composed by three INEDs (Independent Non-Executive Directors). These directors should comply with the rules of independence towards the company, so that they are able to effectively perform their duty: ensure that the interest of the shareholders are preserved in executives’ acts. However, if they are dependent in any way to the Company, their decisions and acts will have external undesirable influences. Fred Wong Sau-lim, one of the Company’s Independent Non-Executive Directors since 2001, and Chairman of the Audit Committee, was the Director of On Yee Exports since 2000. On Yee Export s had exclusive rights to distribute Manfold Toy’s products in Australia & New Zealand, which accounted for 17,8% of Manfold Toy’s sales. According to the independence rules for INEDs (HKEx), Fred could not be a Manfold Toy’s director due to its business relationship with the company. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) state that independence is key to ensure a director behaves fairly and with integrity. Due to its close  relationship with Joseph, Fred was aware of major operational actions that two senior executives were told to take in order to improve the financial statements for the audit. As Chairman of the Audit committee, Fred did not accomplish his role of monitoring the internal governance of the company. Fred should have ensured that the information present on the company’s accounts was accurate and reliable (HKEx), making him fail its INED responsibility of advocating shareholders’ interest (Rosenstein and Wyatt, 1990; Byrd and Hickman, 1992). Fred also violated the fundamental principles of the â€Å"Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants†. He was not honest, has he did not disclosed the relevant financial information of the Company. With its position in On Yee Exports, he carried conflict of interest, which disallows him to be objective in its functions. Moreover, he disclosed confidential information  acquired as a result of his professional position in On Yee Exports to Manfold Toy’s Chairman, violating the principle of confidentiality. Fred was uncorrectly elected, not in the eyes of Joseph, to both of his positions on the board. He was not independent to the company, and thus should have never become part of the Audit Committee. There are other directors violating the independence rules and compromising the effective accomplishment of its duties. For instance, Maggie Mok Su-yee, the Chairman of Big Capital, was performing a millionaire consulting work on Manfold Toy for Mitchell & Meyer, the possible future buyer of the first. Furthermore, Sherona Leung Ka-yi, an Independent Non-Executive Director since 2003, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and Member of the Audit Committee was the President of charity organization We Care. Joseph was the biggest contributor to its charity organization. This business relationship between Sherona and Joseph violates the independence guidelines as well. Sherona would have incentives to behave in a way that would please Joseph, so that he continues to â€Å"feed† her charity organization. To conclude Non-Executive Directors should be independent to pursue their functions and responsibilities correctly. However, they entailed familiar or business  relations with Manfold Toy and rules for independence were not respected. Due to the violation of ethical standings in the selection of INEDs , they are not complying with its main duty, the defense of shareholders’ interests. Thus, the selection of Directors at Manfold Toy’s is not suitable to the ethical standings.