Corporate Social Responsibility ( Csr ) - 1370 Words

Business personalities, government officials, and loans are hedging more attention on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The core issue is the appropriate responsibility of business. In as much as firms ought to obey the law, but beyond complete compliance with environmental laws, the question is whether firms have extra social responsibilities to commit part of their resources to environmental preservation voluntarily. This memo provides an exploratory investigation of the link between corporate social responsibility and the benefits accruing to a firm. The paper poses fundamental research questions being: what valuable and rare resource does the corporate gain through corporate social responsibility? How corporates’†¦show more content†¦As such, it can be argued that CSR is the aggregate of the economic, legal and ethical actions coupled with the philanthropic responsibilities expected of a firm by the society.’ Firms perceived to have a strong commitment to CSR tend to have an increased ability to attract and retain their employees (Turban) which reduces turnover and retraining costs. Similarly, it is normal for employees to evaluate the CSR performance of their firm to determine the relationship between their personal values and those of the firm. Peters (40) argues that firms that improve the working environment and labor practices tend to experience increased productivity and curtailed error rates. Periodic controls in the production plants ensure that employees work in conducive environments. Though search practices might be costly, the increased productivity of the workforce and increased quality of the output generate positive cash flows that cover the incurred costs. As such, a firm can benefit from the actions of CSR in terms of worker morale and productivity (Moskowitz) N Ãâ€"ykà ¼ argues a firm regarded as socially responsible similar benefits from the reputation it gains within the business community through increased ability to attract capital and trading partners. However, reputation is hard to quantify making it also hard to determine how much it enhance the value of aShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility And Csr1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial responsibility or also called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)- is the firm’s engagement (voluntarily initiated) in and its compliance (legally mandated) to environmental, social, and governance issues (The Foundation, 2014). Also, is based on stakeholder’s needs being financially sustainable, and CSR can come from both corporate or not-to-profit organizations. CSR has seven categories; Leadership, vision and values; Marketplace activities; Workforce activities; Supply chain activities;Read MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1167 Words   |  5 PagesCorporate Soc ial Responsibility Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept which is also known as corporate citizenship, corporate conscience or in a simple way a responsible business. It is an integrated concept of self-regulatory business model for any organisation. Corporate Social Responsibility has been in practice for more than fifty years now, which has been adopted not only by domestic companies but also by transnational company with voluntary CSR initiativesRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Csr1232 Words   |  5 PagesCorporate social responsibility has become a buzzword within the industry in the last few years. Following the financial market crash investors and stakeholders began looking at corporations to act more socially responsible. The meaning of social responsibility differs across regions. Western countries are the ones who are pushing for corporate social responsibility -thesis-- A broad overview at corporate social responsibility (CSR) looks to corporations to make a change in the society or the environmentRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility1598 Words   |  7 Pages CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined by many groups like, Tata steel, Coca Cola, Reliance, Videocon etc. Although they all stand for similar meanings connecting to taking responsibilities of the society as a business individual, its definition has been getting broader from a established point of view, corporate social responsibility is a type of business instruction included in a business demonstration. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatoryRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesCSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility and it is a concept with many definitions and practices and also a buzzword in the media. In general, corporate social responsibility is the policies and progra ms of business corporations which tend to benefit society while improving a corporation’s public image and profitability at the same time. The meaning of it is implemented in different countries and companies differently. Warren Buffet said that it takes 20 years to build a reputation and onlyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )863 Words   |  4 Pagestechnology in the last century. The term of Corporate Social Responsibility appears more often into public’s concerned and it has become a hot issue in recent years. This essay is going to discuss and provide an overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by debate some key issue in this area. 1.2 What is Corporate Social Responsibility? In 1953, Bowen’s Social Responsibility of the Businessman firstly discusses the idea of corporate social responsibility. He states the relationship between societyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1314 Words   |  6 PagesSocial responsibility has become a primal interest to the humankind for the past two decades. In the earlier days, the firms and organizations concentrated only on the financial part of the business and ignored the ethical, social and moral sectors. But in the recent times, the businesses are getting a grip of the significance of the social, ecological and environmental effects on their success. This has resulted in the emerging interactions between organizations and social segments thus giving riseRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1173 Words   |  5 Pages Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is highly important to Millennials. If a company is lacking a CSR plan, now it a good time to start one. Millennials are looking for ways in making a positive impact on the world and are expecting the same from companies. They are looking for companies that contribute to the betterment of communities and the environment. Millennials put great value in supporting such brands, companies and organizations that share these values. Companies without a CSR in placeRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Csr979 Words   |  4 PagesThe notion of Corporate Social Responsibility is a phenomenon globally known for many years. In spite of the fact that CSR has been neglected for quite a long time, nowadays several authors deal with this issue, as revealed by the development of theories in recent years concerning the topic. In spite of the fact that there has been a huge growth of literature it is still impossible to simply define CSR. Many definitions trying to capture the concept of CSR exist, but their content varies (MattenRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1549 Words   |  7 Pagesgovernments to take responsibility for the problems but also the corporations. One outcome of this is corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR refers to voluntary actions of companies or corporations to contribute to the welfare of society and the health of the environment. Some ways it can be accomplished are through philanthropy, working with NGOs in local communities on humanitarian and/or environmental projects, supporting workers’ unions, and investing in green technologies. CSR is not a new concept

The Effects Of Nuclear Energy On The World Essay - 1670 Words

There are different views concerning the use of nuclear energy around the world, there is also some varying attitudes when it comes to the development in nuclear energy. The nuclear energy proponents tout it as clean energy, since it does not emit the harmful gasses that are associated with fossil fuel. Moreover, the construction of nuclear power stations does not also emit much CO2 such since other sources of energy are used in powering the instruments used. The UAE has embarked on the construction of nuclear energy plant in a close construction with the International atomic agency. This decision was meant to substitute the already existing gas and oil that are being used by the large population percentage. The rate of electricity demand is growing by 9% and the statistics indicate that the country will require 40GWe capacity of electricity by 2020. UAE relies on the available electricity produced via the use of oil and gas to provide portable water, by desalination. By April 2008, the UAE had established a comprehensive policy for nuclear energy that was to be used for evaluation and potential development of a peaceful nuclear power. This policy has been built under consideration of the most exacting standards of transparency, safety and security; hence it makes the UAE a role model in the nuclear power development across the globe. The move to import coal as a substitute for the existing gas and oil was rejected since coal is not friendly to the environment and there areShow MoreRelatedThe Viability of Nuclear Energy Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesThe world as we know today is dependent on energy. The options we have currently enable us to produce energy economically but at a cost to the environment. As fossil fuel source will be diminishing over time, other alternatives will be needed. An alternative that is presently utilized is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is currently the most efficacious energy source. Every time the word ‘nuclear’ is mentioned, the first thought that people have is the devastating effects of nuclear energy. GrantingRead MoreNuclear Energy Pros and Cons783 Words   |  4 PagesNuclear energy Nuclear energy in scientific terms defined as the inhaustible energy derived from the nucleus of an atom by the process of nucleus break up through nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Nuclear fission is a process where the nucleus of an atom splits and releases radioactive materials such as uranium which are used in many ways. Nuclear fusion is a process s when the two atoms of an element get together and large amount of heat is generated. in this way the nucleus releases tremendousRead MoreNuclear Energy is a Dangerous Distraction1172 Words   |  5 Pagesenvironmentalists are concerned with preserving the planet Earth by using different forms of energy resources. The interest of scientists and environmentalists motivate them to wonder about the Nuclear energy as one of the most destructive energy resources of the world. For most, it is compulsory to stress that the attempts to understand the uses of nuclear energy are mainly based on assumptions. The genuine uses of nuclear energy , however, are still not applicable. Firstly, this is due to the high cost requiredRead MoreNuclear Power As A New Form Of Energy947 Words   |  4 Pagesclass will be more accepting to the idea of using nuclear power as a new form of energy. Central Idea: Today, you will learn about the devastating effects our current forms of generating energy causes and how nuclear energy can help fix those effects. Introduction: We live in a world that is crumbling and being destroyed all around us at an increasing rate. Humanity is now on a collision course with the natural environment. Using an alternative energy source can prevent all this, rather than the primitiveRead MoreKnowledge Gained from Destruction Essay1581 Words   |  7 Pagesexperimentation in nuclear technology because of its dangerous capabilities. However, America’s fear of the destruction does not stop it from researching into safe side of nuclear energy. America has learned from the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, fear of nuclear energy, and the affliction of the Three Mile Island Accident. America today has learned from these life-changing incidents by taking political, military, and revisional actions. The science of atomic manipulation, atomic radiation, nuclear fissionRead MoreNuclear Energy Is Defined By The Website1316 Words   |  6 PagesNuclear energy is defined by the website ‘ofnuclearenergy.com’ as the energy within the nucleus of an atom. Atoms are the smallest particles in a material that can be broken down. At the core of each atom there are two types of particles (neutrons and protons) that are held together. Nuclear energy is the energy that holds neutrons and protons together. Nuclear energy canRead MoreNuclear Power : An Alternative Clean Energy1545 Words   |  7 Pagesalternative clean energy to replace part of the burden of fossil fuels production becomes necessary. Nuclear power turns out to be the solution to this problem. Unlike other kinds of clean energy, nuclear energy can produce great amount of electricity and pow er without releasing any greenhouse gas. Although nuclear energy has become the alternate energy option because of its low emission of greenhouse gas and its productive efficiency, it has brought up unanticipated problems such as nuclear terrorism.Read MoreThe Growing Demand for Energy1219 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: The growing demand for energy is one that the supply has never been able to match. This constant search for new and viable energy sources has led to the advent of very unconventional and often controversial sources. One such source is nuclear energy. Since its first commercial introduction in 1960, nuclear energy has grown to become a major player in the energy sector generating 14 percent of the worlds electricity. However, some countries are more dependent on this power source thanRead MoreEssay The Nuclear Power Debate804 Words   |  4 Pages The Nuclear Power Debate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1953, nuclear energy was introduced into America as a cheap and efficient energy source, favoured in place of increasingly scarce fossil fuels which caused air pollution. Its initial use was welcomed by the general public, as it was hoped to lower the price of electricity, and utilise nuclear power for its potential as a resource, not a weapon. However, as people became aware of the long term dangers involved in storing nuclear waste, its use was criticisedRead MoreNuclear Energy : Using Fusion Reactors And Breeder Reactors1410 Words   |  6 PagesStudent Number: 201417008 NUCLEAR ENERGY Introduction Nuclear energy is the energy released in the nucleus of an atom during nuclear fission or fusion, and it also uses the fuel which makes from processed uranium and mined to generate electricity. There are some advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. Firstly, the advantages are considered. It has the low pollution because the amount of greenhouse gases has reduces significantly as a result of the prevalence of nuclear power. It is also have

Brian Moore †the Donegal connection Free Essays

Belfast-born Brian Moore left Ireland a young man, and spent more than fifty years In Canada and the US. However, as Martin McKinley found out (belatedly he had strong links with Dongle. The great Brian Moore and the Dongle connection So I mention to Muriel that I’m doing an article about Brian Moore, the writer, and she says, â€Å"His mother was from Dongle, wasn’t she? † It seems that the world has been aware for some time that the man regarded as one of the great Irish novelists had Dongle connections and, even better, Courthouse connections. We will write a custom essay sample on Brian Moore – the Donegal connection or any similar topic only for you Order Now If only I’d known that when I saw him read in a lecture theatre in Queen’s university in Belfast, more than ten years ago. I could have asked him something original, like about the influence of Courthouse on his work. Instead, I asked him if he’d thought about coming back to live in Belfast. I mean, the man lived in Malibu at the time. He died there In January, 1 999, which was a shame for people like myself who waited for his new novel every two years or so. It was hard to believe there would never be another Brian Moore book. But he had a long publishing career. His first novel, ‘The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearse’, from 1955, Is probably still the one he’s best known for. Four others were also made into films – The Luck of Ginger Coffey, ‘Catholics’, ‘Cold Heaven’ and ‘Black Robe’. He won many literary prizes, and was shortlist three times for the Booker Prize. He also worked with Alfred Hitchcock, writing the screenplay for Torn Curtain’, starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews. It’s not really regarded as a classic, but Brian liked to take the credit for a particularly drawn-out – and famous – murder scene. He told Hitchcock he had learned from his father, a actor, that â€Å"people didn’t always die as quickly as they did in movies. † Hitchcock took him at his word. Dentally Lodge The story of Brian Moor’s Dongle connection begins back in another age, 1889, when his mother Eileen McFadden was born outside Courthouse, apparently in the download of Clashes. Her parents were Pat and Grace (nee McGee). She was among the youngest of a large family, and grew up in the family home in Dentally, a little way along the Courthouse to Carrier road. The McFadden were quite a notable family. Linen’s grandfather Edward had a corn mill at Dentally. His brother was FRR Hugh McFadden UP Challenge, who died in 1868. He was the priest who accompanied some of those evicted in Terry. ‘each to Dublin on the first leg of their dinner arranged for them in a Dublin hotel. Linen’s father Pat had two brothers who also became parish priests in the Arapaho diocese – Dean Hugh McFadden, UP Dongle and Vicar General, who died in 1908, and Archdeacon James, UP Challenge, who was known as ‘James of Glenda’. Eileen Moore attended Loretta Convent in Lettermen. She would have been fifteen when her father Pat died in 1905. As was fairly common in those days, she spent some time living with a relative, n her case Dean Hugh McFadden. It seems that he left her some money when he died and she used this to fund her nurse’s training in Belfast. FRR John Silks, the well- known historian and diocesan archivist, recalls his mother Susan (nee McKinley from Boomer in Courthouse) telling of three girls from the parish who went to Belfast and all â€Å"married well†. One of them was Eileen McFadden. In 1915, when she was 25, she married a doctor more than twenty years her senior, James B. Moore, a Bellman man who worked in the Mater Hospital. In the next 12 years she had nine children, with Brian coming in number four on 25th August, 1921. The family lived in no 11 Clifton Street in North Belfast until they were bombed out of the house by the Germans in the Second World War. The house was eventually demolished in 1995, in spite of a campaign to save it because of its associations with Brian Moore. Briar’s father also came from a strong Catholic background, if it was a bit more unusual than most. James Bi’s father, James B. Senior, was a Presbyterian law clerk in Bellman who decided to become a Catholic even before he got married to one, Eleanor O’Hare. Their house was stoned every year on the Twelfth. It seems James B. Enron brought up his family with the zeal of a convert. All in all, it seems hardly surprising that Brian Moore spent a good part of his writing career exploring the whole idea of Catholicism, religion and the question of the afterlife. Holidays in Courthouse Growing up in the ass and ass, Brian spent quite a bit of time on holiday around Dentally and Courthouse. His sister Nun Maguire, who lives in Alular, says he had very fond memories of it. He stayed in Dentally with his mother’s brother Jim Pat and his wife Martha. Patricia Craig writes – â€Å"The farmhouse was called Dentally and stood above a glen; it contained a stone-floored kitchen with huge iron cooking-pot; it was pervaded by the pungent smell of turf-smoke, and not far away was the fifteenth- century Doe Castle, an enticing ruin in those days . † Brian himself wrote – â€Å"l seemed to be in an older Ireland, a place where life was elemental and harsh, yet close to a reality which was timeless and true. I would see a pig slaughtered, its blood running in rivulets in the yard outside the kitchen door. I would see a stallion mount a mare, its hooves scraping at the barrel of her rib-cage †¦ I would be butted by allow-eye d goats, kicked by donkeys when I tried to climb on their backs. I would see people drink tea, not from teacups as in Belfast, but from large china bowls I nth eighteenth-century manner. I would sit by the hob of the kitchen turf fire watching as floury potatoes were doled out to the men coming in from the fields for their noonday dinner . I would see long white clay pipes and plugs of tobacco laid out near Jugs Jim McFadden, a grandson of Linen’s brother Jim Pat, is one of the older McFadden, and has a well-known shop in Strange. He doesn’t really remember Brian at Dentally, but does recall the McFadden getting ready for the Mores’ visits a few times. â€Å"One thing I do remember – Dry Moore smoked cigars. It was a very unusual thing for me to see anybody smoking cigars in those days. † Jim thought that the Mores didn’t really feel at home in Dentally. â€Å"It wasn’t really what they were used to, although the house was a lot better than most of us had at the time. † It may have been the profits from the McFadden cornmeal which helped the family build Dentally well over a hundred years ago. It was regarded as one of the finest houses in the rear, certainly a cut above the ordinary with its sitting room, bedrooms and an outside toilet. Michael McFadden, who lives in the modern Dentally now with his wife Caroline and their children Bobbie (12), Doran (6) and Michael (5), says wedding receptions used to be held in the sitting room. A couple recently returned to mark their golden wedding anniversary by getting their photograph taken in front of the marble fireplace. However, as Brian Moore recalled it in an article in 1980, Courthouse was still a big change from city life – â€Å"Dongle is an extremely wild and rocky-looking place in the west of Ireland. I used to go there when I was a boy, to a farm owned by a poor Irish subsistence farmer. I would move from our middle-class world to an absolutely peasant environment. † Loved the country Jim recalls him going to a farm belonging to an uncle-in-laws brother around Darwinian to help out during the summer. â€Å"l don’t think he liked it very well – I think he said they cut the bread too thick! † But Brian Moor’s sister Nun Maguire says he had very fond memories of Dentally. â€Å"He loved the country. Going there on his holidays as a child gave him a great sense of freedom. We grew up in a four storey house in Belfast, but we had no garden. The freedom in Dongle appealed very much to him. He could wander about in a way that we wouldn’t be allowed to in the city. † Brian Moore left Belfast a young man and traveled around theatres of the Second World War as a civilian working with the British Ministry of War Transport. He lived for eleven years in Canada and became a Canadian citizen. He moved to the United States in 1959, and it was his base for forty years. His writing career began with a series of detective potboilers under various names, which he reckoned sold about 800,000 copies. ‘Judith Hearse’ was his first ‘serious’ novel in 1955. An early ‘review in the summer of that year came in a letter from his mother. She said about some of the more explicit bits – muff certainly left nothing to the imagination, and my advice to you in your next book leave out parts like this. You have a good imagination and could write books anyone could read. † She added, â€Å"l am glad to find you were kind to the Church and clergy. † The book was later banned in the Republic. In 1995 Brian and his wife Jean built a house in Nova Scotia, on the coast. He said at the time – â€Å"It’s beautiful. It looks out on a bay that looks Just like Dongle. It’s very wild He was quite a regular visitor to Ireland over the years, but recognition came fairly late here. This was the man who went into a Dublin bookshop at one point and asked if they’d anything by an Irish novelist Brian Moore. He was told no, but they did have one or two books by a Canadian novelist of the same name. It seems that Brian Moore didn’t re-visit Dongle very often, although he and Jean stayed with Brian Fries and his wife at Mobile on at least one occasion. His brother Seam’s, a doctor in Belfast who also died in recent years, did keep up contact with the Courthouse connection. Michael McFadden says that Briar’s late sister Pebbling, who lived in Manchester, also visited in recent years. Final farewell Briar’s final visit to Dentally came with Jean and his sister Nun, she thinks about twelve or so years ago. They visited Challenge Castle, and then went across to Courthouse and over to Dentally. Brian thought the house was â€Å"spruced up† a lot from how he remembered it. He knocked on the door, but there was no one in. Brian went across the road and spent a while looking over the bridge at the spectacular gorge with its trees and fast-flowing water, as he’d done in his childhood. â€Å"He had ere, very happy times there,† Nun said. Both Brian and Jean loved the west coast, and on one of their tours came across a tiny graveyard in Connector. Brian was surprised to find in this beautiful spot the grave of Bubble Hobnobs, a Belfast Quaker, one-time vice-president of Sin Feint, and a good friend of his father and his uncle Neon O’Neill. Later when Brian and Jean talked of where their ashes would end up, they both wrote their choice separately on a piece of paper. The pieces said the same thing – the Connector graveyard. It seems that Brian Moor’s remains will finally return to the west of Ireland, which he came to know as a boy. How to cite Brian Moore – the Donegal connection, Papers

Governments and Businesses use Economic Models

Question: Discuss about the Governments and Businesses use Economic Models. Answer: Introduction: Economic models are an indispensable part of economic decision making in the modern world. Governments and businesses use economic models in making decisions about production and performance. Essentially, economic models are simplified frameworks used in describing the operation of a business or the economy as a whole (Zenghelis, 2014). Today, they are used in making simulations on how the economy would respond following variations in certain variables. In addition, they are useful in making forecasts about future conditions. Furthermore, they are essential in examining the impact of transformative change on the entire economy. Most importantly, they are useful in making decisions on matters pertaining to production and trade. In this regard, it is noteworthy that economic models are useful economic instruments and their predictions should be implemented by governments to achieve efficiency. To begin with, economic models are imperative as they help governments in making production decisions within the economy. Precisely, the Production Possibility Frontier model acts as a useful tool in the determination of the various combinations of two products that can be produced within a country efficiently (Beggs, 2011). More specifically, this model helps economic agents to determine all the maximum output possibilities of two goods that can be produced efficiently given the available set of resources. Hence, it helps the government to decide on the mix of commodities that can be produced in the country without being wasteful. Moreover, it allows agents to achieve Pareto efficiency by producing within the nations PPF curve. In this regard, businesses and the government strive to ensure that production occurs within their PPF since any production below the curve results in inefficient use of resources. The Production Possibility Frontier Apart from helping in production decisions, economic models may be used in determining the economys absolute advantage. Particularly, the absolute advantage of a country is important as it helps in deciding which commodities should be produced in the economy (Khan, n.d.). Essentially, the absolute advantage arises when a country can produce more and better quality goods than its rivals. Thus, agents can use this concept to determine goods that can be produced within the nation a lower cost per unit than the cost at which its trading partners can produce the same product (Beggs, 2014). Afterward, using this knowledge, they can decide to specialize in the production of this product. Consequently, specializing in the production of a commodity that the country has an absolute advantage allows the country to export more of the product and reap greater proceeds and profits. In turn, this benefits the nations economy. In addition, these models play a significant role in helping the government to make decisions about international trade. Typically, the government utilizes the concept of comparative advantage to determine the products that the country can sell in the international market. Characteristically, a state has a comparative advantage if it can manufacture a given commodity at a lower opportunity cost than others (Comparative Advantage, n.d.). By using this model, government agents can distinguish the commodities which can be produced at a lower relative marginal cost compared to its trading partners. In effect, the country can specialize in the production of the commodity that it has a comparative advantage and export the product to the international community. Consequently, this allows the country to benefit more from trading in the product. Illustration of comparative and absolute advantage Country 1 Country 2 Wheat 200 50 Television 100 50 In this case, country 1 has an absolute advantage in the manufacturing of both goods. However, it has a comparative advantage in the production of wheat only. Specifically, this is because the opportunity cost associated with the manufacture of wheat is one unit of television. Contrariwise, if it were to specialize in producing TV, it will have to give up 2 units of wheat for every one unit of TV manufactured. All in all, all things considered, economic models play a significant role in the modern economy. As illustrated, these models help businesses and the government in making decisions about production and international trade. For this reasons, their predictions should be not be ignored. Instead, governments should strive to understand and implement them to achieve economic efficiency in the country. The price elasticity of demand of a product plays a significant role in the modern economy. Often, consumers make purchasing and consumption decisions based on the price of the product. Thus, the willingness of a consumer to purchase a product after its price changes depends on the need of the consumer for that product (Khan, n.d.). For this reason, essential goods and services have a relatively inelastic demand while luxury products have a relatively elastic demand (Russo et al., 2013). Notably, food products are essential and necessary commodities. Thus, even when the price of food changes by a large proportion, the demand for the product changes only by a small percentage. Profoundly, a majority of food commodities have a relatively inelastic demand. According to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) database (2017), Barley has an own-price elasticity of -0.47 in Australia. Predominantly, the magnitude of the responsiveness of buyers to changes in the price of the product is 0.47 units. Thus, an increase in the price of barley by one unit results in a drop in its demand by 0.47 units (FAPRI, 2017). In this case, it is rational to conclude that barley has a relatively inelastic demand. PED for Long Grain Rice Notably, rice is an essential product in most households. For this reason, changes in the price of the product results in a small shift in in its demand. According to the FAPRI (2017), the magnitude of change in demand following fluctuations in the price of rice is only 0.01. That is to say, an increase in the price of rice by unit results in a 0.01 change in its demand (FAPRI, 2017). Thus, one can deduce from this data that rice has an almost unitary elastic demand in the United States. Just like other food products, corn is a primary commodity in a majority of households in China. In this regard, the FAPRI (2017) reports that the PED for corn has a magnitude of 0.06 units. Hence, a unit change in the price of corn results in a change in its demand by 0.06 units only. In this regard, the commodity has a relatively inelastic demand. References Beggs, J. (2014). Absolute and Comparative Advantage. ThoughtCo.com. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/absolute-and-comparative-advantage-1146792. Beggs, J. (2014). The Production Possibilities Frontier. ThoughtCo.com. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-production-possibilities-frontier-1147851. Comparative Advantage. Library of Economics and Liberty. Retrieved from https://www.econlib.org/library/Topics/Details/comparativeadvantage.html. FAPRI - Elasticity Database (2017). Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. Retrieved from https://www.fapri.iastate.edu/tools/elasticity.aspx. Khan, S. Comparative Advantage and Absolute Advantage. Khan Academy. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/microeconomics/choices-opp-cost-tutorial/gains-from-trade-tutorial/v/comparative-advantage-and-absolute-advantage. Khan, S. Price elasticity of demand. Khan Academy. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/microeconomics/elasticity-tutorial/price-elasticity-tutorial/v/price-elasticity-of-demand Russo, C., Green, R., Howitt, R. (2013). Estimation of Supply and Demand Elasticities of California Commodities. Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics University of California, Davis. Retrieved from https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/files/pdf/DemandSupplyElasticityMajorCACrops.pdf. Zenghelis, D. (2014). What do economic models tell us? The London School of Economic and Political Science. Retrieved from https://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/news/why-economic-models-tell-us-so-little-about-the-future-2/.

Recording, Analyzing and Using Human Resource Information

Data collection within organization is vital especially in supporting Human Resource Management Systems. Data management is the science of collecting, analyzing, and properly storing data in line with the laws and regulations controlling data monitoring. Thus, this analytical treatise attempts to explain concept of data management especially on the facets of data collection, storage and accessibility in the department of Human Resources Management (HR).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Recording, Analyzing and Using Human Resource Information specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Scientifically, the process involves modeling unified data to provide accurate and single view of activities within the HR such as training, recruitment, compensation, performance, and employment management. For instance, ‘oracle leverage optimal workflow circles’ in multinational companies ensure easy and accurate accessibility of stored records within the shortest time possible. However, the major reasons for collecting HR data are to meet stringent legal requirements such as personal details of workers, number of workers, salaries, hours of service, and medical condition. Often, companies are obliged to give accurate details to governmental departments whenever there is a need. Besides, data stored in the HR server is essential for protection of company against claims in court of law. Since details of each employee are kept intact, proper documentation would paint a clear picture for every complaint registered. [1] The two types of data collected by HR department include the Operational Information Data and Tactical Information Data. Under Operational Information Data, HR management team should be conscious of it arrangement and storage medium. This data exist in the form of HR profile records and includes organization dependent and personal information of the employees such as sex, name, address, citize nship, marital status, seniority data, salary grade, minority status, employment history, retirement, experience, and education level. Besides, the records collected may be inclusive of special preferences by employees. In addition, the data captures skill inventory for each worker. In some cases, it contains information surrounding test scores, work experience, preferences, interests, and proficiencies or special skills. Besides, government reporting and compliance data avail information as indicated by laws that facilitate monitoring and observing compliance within regulations. These government initiated regulations aim at reducing costs and improving productivity. For instance, job analysis system provides data on guideline compliancy, safety measures, and relevancy of skills for every department in an organization. Generally, data contained in the Operational Information System include information on position control, placement, and application, performance management informatio n, and compliance to government standards information. [2]Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Tactical HRIS provides support information to managers on decision making process such as design and job analysis, development and training, and compensation plans for employees. Generally, Tactical HRIS data capture information on recruitment, design and job analysis, benefit and compensation, and development and employee training systems. Information on compensation and benefit records is vital in designing a comprehensive compensation program and fast tracking retirements and replacements. In decision making, properly collected and scientifically analyzed data provide accurate and reliable decision variables necessary in determining resource allocations for training, expansion, and structuralism to keep a competitive edge. Among the most reliable methods of data storage in HR, management include the electronic data storage and traditional filing. Electronic data storage devises are effective in terms of space and time. Under this medium, data irrespective of its magnitude can be stored in digital and analogue formats. After the desired data is encoded, the non-volatile computer storage system captures all details permanently and allows for editing. In the contemporary global arena, technology has made it possible to create backup systems that ensure safety of information. On the other hand, traditional system of filing records provides an alternative especially for small scale use. Under this system, data storage is organized alphabetically in cabinets and a reference sticker placed besides each record. This method is easy to monitor and safe especially when records are few. The United Kingdom has policies and regulations on data collection, storage and accessibility. For instance, the ‘Acas Code of Practice’: Discipline and gr ievances at work provide guidelines on training courses which equip HR professionals with proper management policies and monitoring records. In addition, the Regulation of Inventory Powers Act of 2000 cover limits placed for organizations for monitoring records in private and public networks. Reflectively, it empowers employees to benefits from organization’s carelessness with personal information. Also, the Data Protection Act of 1998 contains a code of conduct monitoring employer’s compliance. Specifically, part one of the act cover selection and recruitment rules. Moreover, part two is consistent in defining limits and ways of keeping employment records secured. Part three and four deal with observations made at work and confidentiality of medical records respectively. A breach of the above policies attracts hefty fines and penalties as defined in the law. Stated in the code, information obtained or stored via the monitoring system should be used within the purpose of collection and must be secured. However, employers may breach this especially where there is proof of crime detection or prevention.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Recording, Analyzing and Using Human Resource Information specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a company of 200 employees, records analysis concentrates on the Absence Data Bank. This record is generated electronically and it records absence, time of reporting, details of each employee upon clocking in the thumb screen located at the entrance. On Monday, two employees are absent with permission, however, another employee is also absent without formal explanation. Among the present employees, there are four arrive late for work. In the afternoon shift, six employees are out on official duty. The above data can be presented in the pie chart below. From the above data, it is apparent that performance rate is slightly above 95%. Besides the Absence Re cord indicating three employees as absent, the computerized system captures the percentage of those who arrive late at 2%. This data captures general data as recorder in the system. Therefore, further analysis should give clear statistics and foster creation of monitoring framework for marking the absence list and defining instrumental aggregates of valid comparison. Specifically, the scope of this analysis provides finer details of each employee as generated over a five day period. Therefore, information obtained is vital for determining performance of each employee and managing payroll especially for late arrivals and absentees with no formal notification. Conclusively, HR Management is dependent on relevant data collection, proper record storage, and practical application in policy formulation and decision science. Reflectively, these actions must be in line with policies instituted by the government. Data on employees can be used in operation and tactical functions in an organiz ation. Generally, data collection and management as a science should embrace systematic approach and in-depth analysis to understand labor management and factors surrounding its functionality. Bibliography Brown, C., Arianne, H. Policy and practice in European human resource management: the Price Waterhouse Canfield survey. Rutledge, Alabama, 1994. Martin, J. Key Concepts in Human Resource Management. SAGE Publications Ltd, Alabama, 2010.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Taylor, S. People resourcing. CIPD Publishing, New York, 2005. Footnotes Martin, J. Key Concepts in Human Resource Management. SAGE Publications Ltd, Alabama, 2010. Brown, C., Arianne, H. Policy and practice in European human resource management: the Price Waterhouse Canfield survey. Rutledge, Alabama, 1994. This report on Recording, Analyzing and Using Human Resource Information was written and submitted by user Kash F. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

John Dickinson essays

John Dickinson essays Born in Talbot County, MD., November 8, 1732, John Dickinson had a big effect on the way American History happened. He was born into a relatively wealthy family, his father being first judge to the Court of Pleas in Delaware. He got his education at the Temple in London, studying law. That was the most prestigious education that a student could hope for. John was very lucky as a young man being born into a rich family and getting the best education he could hope for. He was much better off then some of the people he would work for in later years. Not as many people have heard of John Dickinson as they have of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin and that is due to his steadfast opposition to the Americas becoming independent. Dickinson tried to mollify the language and actions of the congress because he was opposed to the separation from Great Britain. He also did not vote for or sign the Declaration of Independence. John Dickinson had a nickname, Penman of the Revolution, he was called this because he wrote many things about the revolution and how he felt about it. Some of the things that he wrote were Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer, this was a series of essays published by Benjamin Franklin in 1768. These essays were also translated into French and published in Paris. John Dickinson had a big affect on the American Revolution and should be more remembered but, because he opposed the Declaration of Independence the history books dont care about him. ...

President Obama says he'd talk on GOP's terms if they raise debt Essay

President Obama says he'd talk on GOP's terms if they raise debt ceiling, fund government - Essay Example However, the Republicans, led by the speaker of the congress are against this position held by Obama’s administration. To him, what Obama is trying to do, is to force his point of view to the republicans, as a condition of engaging into talks with them (Acosta, Tom and Deirdre, 4). Mitt Romney disagrees with this method that Republican congress men are employing for purposes of preventing the implementation of Obama care (Pham, 2). Romney denotes that there are other methods of getting rid of the Obama care health plan, and this includes delaying its implementation for almost over one year (Pham, 1). According to Mitt Romney, this health care policy will ruin the American economy, and therefore it is necessary to prevent it. Romney further denotes that methods such as educating the population against this policy are also an effective method of preventing the implementation of President Obama policies on health. He gave an example of the 21 hour speech of Senator Cruz, in which he strongly criticized the Obama health care plan. To him, this plan would ruin the American economy, and state. Other methods that Romney proposes include working hard in the campaigns for purposes of ensuring that the republicans gain the control of the congress and the senate. By doing this, they will be able to prevent bills that would work against their interests. The reasons as to why the republicans are not right in forcing a government shutdown, is that the economy of the nation might go into a recession. There is a possibility that the country’s stock market might fail, and over 800,000 federal employees might lose their work (Pham, 3). Romney therefore urges his fellow Republicans to desist from using such draconian measures in forcing the government of president Obama from implementing his health care reforms. This is because such measures are not patriotic, and there effect will be felt through the collapse of the country’s economy. Lately, for purposes of ending the stalemate, the republicans agreed for a temporary measure of funding the federal government initiatives. This measure is attached with a condition that the government won’t attempt to fund any additional policies, other than what was in the budget. The temporary offer would last for six weeks, when both the government and the republicans negotiate on the way forward in regard to implementing Obama care, and reducing the country’s debts. President Clinton also opposes this move by the Republican congress men. According to Clinton, the Republican wants the government of America to fail by denying it money to fund its activities. This is not what the founders of nation advocated for, during the creation of the federation. He further denotes that the proposals by the Republican congress is draconian, and is meant to erase the gains made by President Obama in taking the country out of recession. This move by the Republican congress men will lead to an increase i n unemployment, and to higher standards of living, therefore President Obama is right to refuse negotiating with these congress men based on their demands. According to Clinton, the rate of unemployment has decreased, and the country is nearly reducing its deficit. On this basis, the action by the Republican to cause the shutdown of the government is unwise, and therefore uncalled for. One of the methods that I would suggest in ending this stalemate is for the President and the Republicans to

Ecology paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ecology paper - Essay Example The focus of study in the article was to understand how invasive species, pathogens and disease vector affect human health and determine appropriate measures to reduce disease emergence. The study depicts that invasive species and infectious diseases have become prevalent and widespread because of the increased connectivity in human population. The connectivity in the current world has attributed to the disease outbreak. The new developed trade routes in the previously disconnected countries increase human interactions. Crowl et al., (2008) demonstrated that the enhanced transport systems such as airplanes have increased spread of pathogens. The invasive species has become the second contributing aspect to extinction and endangerment of species in the United States after the increased human population and related activities. The United States government spends almost 120 billion dollars to cater for the non-native species in the country (Crowl et al., 2008). The evidence used to support contrasting point of view was the explanation of the spread of the avian-dispersed H5N1 avian influenza disease worldwide. In-depth and integrated network of research platform was es sential in full understanding of the spread and impacts of the invasion species. The point of view that I most agreed with was the fact that modern technology such as airplanes contributes to the increasing spread of pathogens and invasive species. Most disease in the world emerges from a single area and spread to the entire world. The point became convincing because of the evidence given involving the spread of avian-dispersed H5N1 avian influenza disease. Other points of view in the article such as cause of non-native species extinction became less convincing because of lack of material evidence. Crowl, T. A., Crist T.O, Parmenter, R. R., Belovsky, G., & Lugo, A. E. (2008). The spread of invasive species and infectious disease as drivers of ecosystem change.

Starbuck Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Starbuck Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Starbuck Corporation is an international coffee company with its headquarter in Seattle, Washington. Currently, the company has over 20,000 stores in more than 60 countries global wide. However, a majority of its stores are located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and the large part of Asia among other parts of the world. The company offers the wide range of food services ranging from beverages (hot and cold), pastries, whole bean coffee, full-leaf tea and micro-ground instant coffee among others. Other stores also provide take away food like sandwiches and items like tumblers and mugs among others. Other than meals, Starbuck offers beers and wines although this restricted to stores located in favorite locations. The company growth has some negative business ethics implications on its own workers and even those in other companies. Such include illegal outsourcing, poor salary schemes and even negative environmental and soci al impact on the neighboring community. Despite the challenges faced by Starbuck, the company has adopted some of the best business or corporation to enable it to realize its goals and objectives. For instance, the company has a good number of stores in low economical countries to target the low earners who cannot afford services from more advanced coffee and fast food companies. The company also initiates numerous community projects to boost its relations with the locals, and this has positive impacts on its general income. Starbuck is well known for leasing with both national and international organizations as away from attracting more customers, hence increased income. The company involves the locals in major decision making and this makes them feel appreciated. For instance, the company asks the locals about their opinions with regard to environmental and social impacts before major constructions are conducted. The locals’ opinions are incorporated in the environmental ma nagement plan to help mitigate the negative impacts of such new projects.

Needs Assessment of Public Sector Organisation

Needs Assessment of Public Sector Organisation Table of Contents Page 1. Introduction. 1 2. The needs assessment to be carried out. 1 3. The Context. 1 4. Why a needs assessment would be useful. 1 5. The Needs Assessment Plan. 1 a. Process Outline. 1 b. Data Collection. 2 c. Data Analysis. 2 6. Plan for Evaluation. 3 7. Ethical considerations. 3 Bibliography. 3 Appendices. 3 1.Introduction. A needs assessment is a systematic approach used to identify the gaps in the current position, the factors that affect the performance and the changes needed to get it to the desired position. To achieve this there needs to be a clear and thorough understanding of the people who will be involved with the system or product, the activities involved and the goal of the system. The people who are involved or the stakeholders may have differing needs and this along with any unforeseen requirements or gaps should be captured in the assessment. There are three phases to the needs assessment process, the first phase is to make a plan, second phase is to gather and analyse data, and third phase is identify solutions and report back. 2.The needs assessment to be carried out. To develop a suitable IT system to capture, track and trace all stages and aspects of projects, from proposal to completion. With clear indications of where and how these link into the strategic and workplans and ability to provide a clear audit trails of all stages, documents, sign offs and authorisations relating to the proposal. 3.The Context. This is for a public sector organisation with over 50% of its budget being spent on projects. The projects mainly consists of research work which are outsourced using tendering processes. The current process is very disjointed, with different software being used depending on the stage, department and personnel preferences. There appears to be incomplete document audit trails. The current system has been in operation for a long number of years. The system needs to be able to provide information to various stakeholders about the current state of play of the project. Relevant information needs to be captured from multiple sources including the financial system. The system needs to comply with statutory regulations, corporate governance, public sector and EU guidelines and directives, and have suitable constraints to protect confidentiality and commercially sensitive information. 4.Why a needs assessment would be useful. There appears to be gaps in the processing of information and possible lack of guidance on the steps or next steps to be followed. A needs assessment would collect information about the stakeholders, target group or groups. It would establish what needs are being met, resources that currently exist and determine what needs are not being met. Following analysis of this information a proposed system plan will be furnished within the agreed timeframe. 5.The Needs Assessment Plan. a.Process Outline. The first step is to study and become familiar with the agreed terms of reference as set out by management. This will define the objective, scope, and limitations of the needs assessment. It will establish the lead person and contacts within the organisation, the resource requirements, expected costs and time frame for completion. This along with familiarisation of the mission statement, strategic plan, organisation chart, workflow chart and infrastructure of the organisation will help develop an understanding or concept of the organisations needs. Assessing the capabilities of the current system and gaining a clear understanding of the future needs of the system requires a comprehensive analysis. This analysis will be both qualitative and quantitative. This data gathering process will consisting of workshops, focus groups, interviews, and system observation. These methods will be used to produce information to analyse options and design the best possible system given the available resources. The organisation is relatively small and is divided into six departments headed up by a Senior Manager. A stratified random sampling method will be used to focus on identifying stakeholder needs, and involve all stakeholder groups and get the views of all the right people. a.Data Collection. Workshop. Initially a workshop will be held with the objective of getting senior managers to articulate a vision of the ideal system. This exercise will be a half-day facilitated by a consultant. It will attempt to succinctly define the scope of the system, the long-term functionality that the system is expected to have, and the major issues that the existing or new system must address. Security requirements, risk assessments, online approval processes and reporting requirements will be identified. Focus Group. Following on from the workshop a focus group consisting of at least two section managers, two project managers and two clerical / administrative staff from each department will be convened. It is expected that this will take a half day but may require a full day. The focus group will be led by a trained facilitator. This group is selected to provide a representative group of users of the system. It will provide an opportunity to identify, difficulties, gaps, expectations and establish what is working with the current system and what they feel is needed to meet the objectives identified in the workshop. Whether the difficulties experienced are due to obsolete technology or ineffective policies and procedures. The focus group will also provide an opportunity for this group identify missing or needed functions. Interviews. A number of stakeholders will be interviewed as part of the process to gain further insight public sector tendering and procurement processes and thresholds. Board approval processes along with relevant EU guidelines and directives. These will be semi structured interviews with stakeholders who may not have direct or regular contact with the system such as the Audit committee chairman, Comptroller and Auditor Generals officer, IT and Finance Managers. System observation. In order to gain further insight into the context, tasks, goals and to fill in the gaps it may be necessary to observe directly how specific tasks are preformed currently. It will involve selecting random proposed projects and following all stages from start to finish taking samples and examples of reports produced, authorisation requirements, technology used, time taken for specific tasks, and difficulties encountered. This step may require the use of video and photography. c.Data Analysis The data will be analysed using a grounded theory approach. This will incorporate both the qualitative (e.g. themes, patterns, quotes, pictures, descriptions etc.) and quantitative data (e.g. number of projects, number of people involved in projects, budgets, time taken to perform tasks, number of software packages etc.) . The data will be extracted in a systematic way to develop a conceptual model of the system required. This will be an iterative process. The data extracted from the workshops will be transcribed first, read, coded using an axial coding system. This is a two-step hierarchically process that will divide the data into major categories and subcategories. This will identify the critical objectives, work flows, interactions and communications. This will form the basis for guiding the focus groups and interviews. Following further analysis of these in a similar fashion the data will be assimilated. Essential Use cases will be compiled to capture what the new system is expected to do. 6.Plan for evaluation. Once needs and requirements have been established the results from the data analysis will be presented in a report and charts summarizing the findings and an outline of a conceptual model of the system. Initially a low fidelity prototype will be produced. This will allow the stakeholders to evaluate the product and allow for redesign. It is expected that this will be an iterative process until a suitable product is. 7.Ethical Issues It is important that the rights and dignity of participant in the assessment are protected. Participant are to be fully informed about the assessment being conducted and the purpose of the assessment. It is important to encourage staff to participate in this assessment but they must do so willingly. All participants should be encouraged to speak freely without fear of being penalised. They may withdraw at any time or refuse to participate in any part. The confidentiality of all participants will be protected and they will not be identified in any reports or published documents. Bibliography. Cairns, P. Cox, A.L. (ed). (2008). Research methods for human-computer interaction. Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University Press. [Accessed online 20/1/2017] Preece, J., Rogers, Y., Sharp, H. 2016. Interaction design: beyond human-computer Interaction. 4th ed. Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd.

danger world :: essays research papers

I cannot significantly improve on the assertion that it simply is proper for us, as intelligent members of the universe, to try to look after our fellow creatures, and evil for us to do otherwise. -- Colin Tudge, 1992 Last Animals at the Zoo Endangerment is everyone's problem. This Expedition presents an ample cross-section of the conservation challenges we are facing. However, trying to understand how the natural world operates is never an easy task. The effort to do so has been compared to watching a celestial chess game, played by the gods. We are allowed to watch games in progress, but the gods haven't given us the rule book. All we can do is try to make sense of the play by following the fate of individual pieces and working out the rules from there. For example, experience suggests that a species that was formerly widespread, but is now limited to a few individuals living in isolated pockets, is very probably in crisis. Unless something radical is done, in all likelihood this species will shortly disappear. But what, exactly, do we need to do? Tremendous efforts have been mounted to stabilize declining populations of species believed to be in imminent danger of extinction. In some cases, intervention and careful management have brought species back from the brink of extinction (see Bald Eagle, and American Bison). In other cases, despite enormous investments of time, money, and expertise, the species remain perched on a razor's edge (see California Condor). I cannot significantly improve on the assertion that it simply is proper for us, as intelligent members of the universe, to try to look after our fellow creatures, and evil for us to do otherwise. -- Colin Tudge, 1992 Last Animals at the Zoo Endangerment is everyone's problem. This Expedition presents an ample cross-section of the conservation challenges we are facing. However, trying to understand how the natural world operates is never an easy task. The effort to do so has been compared to watching a celestial chess game, played by the gods. We are allowed to watch games in progress, but the gods haven't given us the rule book. All we can do is try to make sense of the play by following the fate of individual pieces and working out the rules from there. For example, experience suggests that a species that was formerly widespread, but is now limited to a few individuals living in isolated pockets, is very probably in crisis.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 12

Poppy was lying there on the white velvet lining, eyes shut. She looked very pale and strangely beautiful-but was she dead? â€Å"Wake up,† James said. He put his hand on hers.Phillip had the feeling that he was calling with hismind as well as his voice. There was an agonizingly long minute while nothing happened. James put his other hand under Poppy's neck, lifting her just slightly. â€Å"Poppy, it's time. Wake up. Wake up.† Poppy's eyelashes fluttered. Something jarred violently in Phillip. He wanted togive a yell of victory and pound the grass. He alsowanted to run way. Finally he just collapsed by thegraveside, his knees giving out altogether. â€Å"Come on, Poppy. Get up. We have to go.† James was speaking in a gentle, insistent voice, as if he weretalking to someone coming out of anesthesia. Which was exactly how Poppy looked. As Philwatched with fascination and awe and dread, sheblinked and rolled her head a little, then opened her eyes. She shut them again almost immediately, butJames went on talking to her, and the next time she opened them they stayed open. Then, with James urging her gently, she sat up. â€Å"Poppy, â€Å"Phil said. An involuntary outburst. His chest was swelling, burning. Poppy looked up, then squinted and turned immediately from the beam of the flashlight. She lookedannoyed. â€Å"Come on,† James said, helping her out of theopen half of the casket. It wasn't hard; Poppy was small. With James holding her arm, she stood on theclosed half of the casket, and Phil reached into the hole and pulled her up. Then, with somethinglike a convulsion,hehugged her. When he pulled back, she blinked at him. A slightfrown puckered her forehead. She licked her indexfinger and drew the wet finger across his cheek. â€Å"You're filthy,† she said. She could talk. She didn't have red eyes and achalky face. She was really alive. Weak with relief, Phil hugged her again. â€Å"Oh, God,Poppy, you're okay. You're okay.† He barely noticed that she wasn't hugging himback. James scrambled out of the hole. â€Å"How do you feel, Poppy?† he said. Not a politeness. A quiet, probing question. Poppy looked at him, and then at Phillip. â€Å"I feel†¦fine.† â€Å"That's good,† James said, still watching her as ifshe were a six-hundred-pound schizophrenic gorilla. â€Å"I feel†¦hungry,† Poppy said, in the same pleasant, musical voice she'd used before. Phil blinked. â€Å"Why don't you come over here, Phil?† James said, making a gesture behind him. Phil was beginning to feel very uneasy. Poppy was†¦ could she besmellinghim? Not loud, wet sniffs, but the delicate little sniffs of a cat. She was nosingaround his shoulder. â€Å"Phil, I think you should come around over here,† James said, with more emphasis. But what happenednext happened too quickly for Phil even to startmoving. Delicate hands clenched like steel around his biceps. Poppy smiled at him with very sharp teeth, thendarted like a striking cobra for his throat. I'm going to die, Phil thought with a curious calm. He couldn't fight her. But her first strike missed. Thesharp teeth grazed his throat like two burning pokers. â€Å"No, you don't,† James said. He looped an arm around Poppy's waist, lifting her off Phil. Poppy gave a disappointed wail. As Phil struggled to his feet, she watched him the way a cat watchesan interesting insect. Never taking her eyes off him,not even when James spoke to her. â€Å"That's your brother, Phil. Your twin brother. Remember?† Poppy just stared at Phil with hugely dilated pupils.Phil realized that she looked not only pale and beautiful but dazed and starving. â€Å"My brother? One of our kind?† Poppy said,soundingpuzzled. Her nostrils quivered and her lipsparted. â€Å"He doesn't smell like it.† â€Å"No, he's,not one of our kind, but he's not forbiting, either. You're going to have to wait just a littlewhile to feed.† To Phillip, he said, â€Å"Let's get this hole filled in, fast.† Phillip couldn't move at first. Poppywas stillwatching him in that dreamy but intense way. Shestood there in the darkness in her best white dress, supple as a lily, with her hair fallingaround her face.And she looked at him with the eyes of a jaguar. She wasn't human anymore. She was somethingother.She'd said it herself, she and James were ofone kind and Phil was something different. She belonged to the Night World now. Oh, God, maybe we should just have let her die,Phil thought, and picked up a shovel with loose and trembling hands. James had already gotten the lid back on the vault. Phil shoveled dirt on it withoutlooking at where it landed. His head wobbled as ifhis neck were a pipe cleaner. â€Å"Don't be anidiot,† avoice said, and hard fingersclosed on Phil's wrist briefly. Through a blur, Philsaw James. â€Å"She's not better off dead. She's just confused rightnow. This istemporary,all right?† The words were brusque, but Phil felt a tiny surgeof comfort. Maybe James was right. Life was good,in whatever form. And Poppy had chosen this. Still, she'd changed, and only time would tellhow much. One thing-Phil had made the mistake of thinkingthat vampires were like humans. He'd gotten so comfortable with James that he'd almost forgotten theirdifferences. He wouldn't make that mistake again. Poppy felt wonderful-in almost every way. She felt secret and strong. She felt poetic and full of possibility. She felt as if she'd sloughed off her oldbody like a snake shedding its skin, to reveal a fresh new body underneath. And she knew, without being quite sure how sheknew, that she didn't have cancer. It was gone, the terrible thing that had been running wild inside her. Her new body had killed it andabsorbed it somehow. Or maybe it was just that every cell that made up Poppy North, every molecule,had changed. However It was, she felt vibrant and healthy. Notjust better than she had before she'd gotten the cancer, but better than she could remember feeling inher life. She was strangely aware of her own body,and her muscles and joints all seemed to be workingin a way that was sweet and almost magical. The only problem was that she was hungry. It wastaking all her willpower not to pounce on the blondguy in the hole.Phillip.Her brother. Sheknewhe was her brother, but he was alsohuman and she could sense therichstuff, lush with life, that was coursing through his veins. The electrifying fluid she needed to survive. So jump him, part of her mind whispered. Poppyfrowned and tried to wiggle away from the thought.She felt something in her mouth nudging her lowerlip, and she poked her thumb at it instinctively. It was a tooth. A delicate curving tooth. Both hercanine teeth were long and pointed and verysensitive. How weird. She rubbed at the new teeth gently,then cautiously explored them with her tongue. Shepressed them against her lip. After a moment they shrank to normal size. If shethought about humans full of blood like berries, theygrew again. Hey, look what I can dot But she didn't bother the two grimy boys whowere filling in the hole. She glanced around and triedto distract herself instead. Strange-it didn't really seem to be either day ornight.-Maybe there was an eclipse. It was too dim tobe daytime, but far too bright for nighttime. Shecould see the leaves on the maple trees and the graySpanish moss hanging from the oak trees. Tiny moths were fluttering around the moss, and she could seetheir pale wings. When she looked at the sky, she got a shock. There was something floating there, a giant round thing thatblazed with silvery light. Poppy thought of spaceships,of alien worlds, before she realized the truth. It was themoon.Just an ordinary full moon. Andthe reason it looked so big and throbbing with lightwas that she had night vision. That was why shecould see the moths, too. All her senses were keen. Delicious smells waftedby her, the smells of small burrowing animals andfluttering dainty birds. On the wind came a tantalizing hint of rabbit. And she couldhearthings. Once she whipped herhead around as a dog barked right beside her. Then she realized that it was far away, outside the cemetery. It only sounded close. I'll bet I can run fast, too, she thought. Her legsfelt tingly. She wanted to go running out into thelovely, gloriously-scented night, to be one with it.She waspartof it now. James,she said. And the strange thing was that shesaid it without saying it out loud. It was somethingshe knew how to do without thinking. James looked up from his shoveling.Hang on,hesaid the same way.We're almost done, kiddo. Then you'll teach me to hunt? He nodded, just slightly. His hair was falling overhis forehead and he looked adorably grubby. Poppyfelt as if she'd never really seen him before-because now she was seeing him with new senses. Jameswasn't just silky brown hair and enigmatic gray eyesand a lithe-muscled body. He was the smell of winterrain and the sound of his predator's heartbeat andthe silvery aura of power she could feel around him. She could sense his mind, lean and tiger-tough but somehow gentle and almost wistful at the same time. We're hunting partners now,she told him eagerly,and he smiled an acknowledgment. But underneath she felt that he was worried. He was either sad or anxious about something, something he was keeping from her. She couldn't think about it. She didn't feel hungryanymore †¦she felt strange. As if she was having trouble getting enough air. James and Phillip were shaking out the tarps, unrolling strips of fresh sod to cover the grave. Hergrave. Funny she hadn't really thought about thatbefore. She'd been lying in a grave-she ought tofeel repulsed or scared. She didn't. She didn't remember being in there atall-didn't remember anything from the time she'dfallen asleep in her bedroom until she'd woken upwith James calling her. Except a dream †¦ â€Å"Okay,† James said. He was folding up a tarp. â€Å"We can go. How're you feeling?† â€Å"Ummm. . a little weird. I can't get a deepbreath.† â€Å"Neither can I,† Phil said. He was breathing hardand wiping his forehead. â€Å"I didn't know grave digging was such hard work.† James gave Poppy a searching look. â€Å"Do you thinkyou can make it back to my apartment?† â€Å"Hmm? I guess.† Poppy didn't actually know whathe was talking about. Make it how? And why shouldgoing to his apartment help her to breathe? â€Å"I've got a couple of safe donors there in the building,† James said. â€Å"I don't really want you out on thestreets, and I think you'll make it there okay.† Poppy didn't ask what he meant. She was having trouble thinking clearly. James wanted her to hide in the backseat of hiscar. Poppy refused. She needed to sit up front and tofeel the night air on her face. â€Å"Okay,† James said at last. â€Å"But at least sort ofcover your face with your arm. I'll drive on backroads. Youcan'tbe seen, Poppy.† There didn't seem to be anyone on the streets tosee her. The air whipping her cheeks was cool andgood, but it didn't help her breathing. No matter howshe tried, she couldn't seem to get a proper breath. I'm hyperventilating, she thought. Her heart wasracing, her lips and tongue felt parchment-dry. And still she had the feeling of being air-starved. What'shappening to me? Then the pain started. Agonizing seizures in her muscles-like the crampsshe used to get when she went out for track in juniorhigh. Vaguely, through the pain, she rememberedsomething the P.E. teacher had said.†Thecrampscome when your muscles don't get enough blood. A charley horseis a clump of muscles starving to death.† Oh, ithurt.It hurt.She couldn't even call to James for help, now; all she could do was hang on to thecar door and try to breathe. She was whooping andwheezing, but it wasn't any good. Cramps everywhere-and now she was so dizzythat she saw the world through sparkling lights. She. was dying. Something hadgone terriblywrong. She felt as if she were underwater, tryingdesperately to claw her way to oxygen-only therewas nooxygen. And then she saw the way. Or smelled it, actually. Thecar was stopped at a redlight. Poppy's head and shoulders were out the windowby now-and suddenly she caught a whiff of life. Life.What she needed. She didn't think, she simplyacted. With one motion she threw the car door open and plunged out. She heard Phil's shout behind her and James'sshout in her head. She ignored both of them. Nothing mattered except stopping the pain. She grabbed for the man on the sidewalk the waya drowning swimmer grabs at a rescuer. Instinctively. He was tall and strong for a human. He was wearinga dark sweatsuit and a bomber jacket. His face wasstubbly and his skin wasn't exactly clean, but thatwasn't important. She wasn't interested in the con tainer, only in the lovely sticky red stuff inside. This time her strike was perfectly accurate. Herwonderful teeth extended like claws and stabbed intothe man's throat. Puncturing him like one of thoseold-fashioned bottle openers. He struggled a little and then went limp. And then she was drinking, her throat drenched in copper-sweetness. Sheer animal hunger took over as she tapped his veins. The liquid filling her mouthwas wild and raw and primal and every swallow gaveher new life. She drank and drank, and felt the pain disappear.In its place was a euphoric lightness.When she paused to breathe, she could feel her lungs swell withcool, blessed air. She bent to drink again, to suck, lap, tipple. Theman had a clear bubbling stream inside him, and shewanted it all. That was when James pulled her head back. He spoke both aloud and in her mind and his voicewas collected but intense. â€Å"Poppy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.It was my fault. I shouldn't have made you wait solong. But you've had enough now. You can stop.† Oh†¦confusion. Poppy was peripherally aware of Phillip, her brother Phillip, looking on in horror. James said shecouldstop, but that didn't mean she had to. She didn'twantto. The man wasn't fightingat all now. He seemed to be unconscious. She bent down again. James pulled her back upalmost roughly. â€Å"Listen,† he said. His eyes were level, but his voicewas hard. â€Å"This is the time you can choose, Poppy.Do youreallywant to kill?† The words shocked her back to awareness. To kill†¦that was the way to get power, she knew. Bloodwas power and life and energy and food and drink.If she drained this man like squeezing an orange, shewould have the power of his very essence. Whoknew what she might be able to do then? But†¦he was a man, not an orange. A humanbeing. She'd been one of those once. Slowly, reluctantly, she lifted herself off the man.James let out a long breath. He patted her shoulderand sat down on the sidewalk as if too tired to stand up right then. Phil was slumped against the wall of the nearestbuilding. He was appalled, and Poppy could feel it. She couldeven pick up words he was thinking-words likeghastly andamoral.A whole sentence that went something like†Is it worth it to save her life if she's lost her soul?† James jerked around to look at him, and Poppy couldfeel the silver flare of his anger. â€Å"You just don't get it,do you?† he said savagely. â€Å"She could have attackedyou anytime, but she didn't, even though she wasdying. You don't know what the bloodlust feels like.It's not like being thirsty-it's like suffocating. Your cells start to die from oxygen starvation, because your own blood can't carry oxygen to them. It's the worst painthere is, but she didn't go after you to make it stop.† Phillip looked staggered. He stared at Poppy, thenheld out a hand uncertainly. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. â€Å"Forget it,† James said shortly. He turned his backon Phil and examined the man. Poppy could feel himextend his mind. â€Å"I'm telling him to forget this,† hesaid to Poppy. â€Å"All he needs is some rest, and he might as well do that right here. See, the woundsare already healing.† Poppy saw, but she couldn't feel happy. She knewPhil still disapproved of her. Not just for somethingshe'd done, but for what shewas. What's happened to me?she asked James, throwingherself into his arms. Have I turned into something awful? He held her fiercely.You're just different. Not awful. Phil's a jerk. She wanted to laugh at that. But she could feel atremor of sadness behind his protective love. It wasthe same anxious sadness she'd sensed in him earlier.James didn't like being a predator, and now he'dmade Poppy one, too. Their plan had succeeded brilliantly-and Poppy would never be the old PoppyNorth again. And although she could hear his thoughts, itwasn't exactly like the total immersion when they'dexchanged blood. They might not ever have that togetherness again. â€Å"There wasn't any other choice,† Poppy. saidstoutly, and she said it aloud. â€Å"We did what we hadto do. Now we have to make the best of it.† You're a bravegirl.Did I ever tell you that? No. And if you did, I don't mind hearing it again. But they drove to James's apartment building in silence, with Phil's depression weighing heavily inthe backseat. â€Å"Look, you can take the car back to your house,† James said as he unloaded the equipment and Poppy's clothes into his carport. â€Å"I don't want to bringPoppy anywhere near there, and I don't want toleave her alone.† Phil glanced up at the dark two-story building asif something had just struck him. Then he cleared histhroat. Poppy knew why-James's apartment was anotorious place, and she'd never been allowed to visitit at night. Apparently Phil still had some brotherlyconcern for his vampire sister. â€Å"You, uh, can't justtake her to your parents' house?† â€Å"How many times do I have to explain? No, I can'ttake her to my parents, because my parents don't knowshe's a vampire. Right at the moment she's an illegalvampire, a renegade, which means she's got to be kept a secret until I can straighten things out–somehow.': â€Å"How-† Phil stopped and shook his head. â€Å"Okay.Not tonight. We'll talk about it later.† â€Å"No, ‘we' won't,† James said harshly. â€Å"You're nota part of this anymore. It's up to Poppy and me. All you need to do is go back and live your normal lifeand keep your mouth shut.† Phil started to say something else, then caughthimself. He took the keys from James. Then he looked at Poppy. â€Å"I'm glad you're alive. I love you,† he said. Poppy knew that he wanted to-hug her, but something kept both of them back. There was an emptiness in Poppy's chest. â€Å"Bye, Phil,† she said, and he got in the car and left.

American Culture and Childhood

American Culture and Childhood Introduction Action figures, dolls and cartoons are an ubiquitous part of the childhood of most people within the U.S., with various individuals owning/ watching some variation of these aspects of popular culture in one form or another. Based on various studies of childhood development children actually looked up to and tried to emulate the attitudes and characteristics of the cartoons they saw on television.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on American Culture and Childhood specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When examining past and current trends in cartoons, action figures and dolls a rather strange phenomenon was noticed wherein over the years since the 1980s action figures and cartoon heroes took on greater degrees of musculature and size resulting in almost freakishly large heroes as compared to their counterparts prior to the 1980s. Even dolls for girls took on greater degrees of overtly sexual characteristics with e mphasis being placed on looks, sexuality and fashion. Behavioral Development While most individuals merely categorized this as a changing trend which was a direct result of the shifting nature of popular culture it must be noted that such changes had a distinct impact on the mannerisms, attitudes and manner in which children believed they should act and mature into. Studies examining the resulting developmental characteristics of children who grew up prior to the overly muscular and sexual trend of the 1980s showed nearly opposite developmental beliefs compared to children who grew up during and after the 1980s trend. It was noted that male children who grew up during and after the trend developed the notion that being overly muscular was normal and a state to develop into. It was a notion that was completely at odds with the idea of children who grew up prior to the trend who believed an average non-muscular physique was normal and what should be attained. This particular differenc e was also noted in female children who believed that the overtly sexual style and concentration on appearance, fashion and sexuality was what they needed to become in order to be considered normal as compared to the popular notions among children prior to the 1980s which showcased a vastly different and more conservative view on what was considered normal. Cultural Impact What must be understood is that the resulting cultural impact of the change in the depiction of toys and cartoon heroes into either overly muscular or overly sexual characters was noted as being one of the reasons behind the prevalence of various individual behavioral characteristics today such as the belief that looking muscular will make a person popular, that overly sexualized clothing is normal and that violence is a regular aspect of life. While it may be true that such characteristics do not define a majority of the population it is still prevalent in large percentages with various studies confirming that on e of the reasons behind their prevalence is their connection to the trend mentioned throughout this paper that began in the 1980s and continues to this day.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gender Roles Another aspect to take into consideration were the various methods in which gender roles were established at the time of the trend. It was noted that while various cartoons and toys for young girls did place an emphasis on sexuality with toys today possessing even greater levels than they did before, they also placed emphasis on various aspects related to female independence and the importance for girls to become independent from relying on men. Cartoons and action figures geared towards young boys on the other hand gave a more traditional version of gender roles wherein women were often portrayed as needing saving and being dependent on men resulting in the development of the early onset idea that women are inherently in need of and are dependent on the help of a man. These differing portrayals could be considered one of the reasons behind the apparent split in attitudes between men and women characterized during the early 1990s to the present wherein differing ideas existed between perceived responsibilities and gender roles as noted by various studies examining behavioral and thought characteristics of adolescents at the time.

Words About Feeling and Suffering

Words About Feeling and Suffering Words About Feeling and Suffering Words About Feeling and Suffering By Mark Nichol English has adopted a rich store of words about feeling and suffering from the classical languages. The Greek pathos, for example, has come down to us intact to mean, in English, an evocation of pity or compassion, but that’s just for starters. Pathology (the word literally means â€Å"the study of feeling or suffering†) is the branch of medical science concerned with investigating the nature of disease. It also refers to deviation in not only physical and mental health but also, by extension, environmental and social ills. A class of terms referring to specific physical and mental ailments uses the root -pathy: They include allopathy, the name for the conventional treatment of disease, often with pharmaceuticals that counter or alleviate symptoms, and its complement homeopathy, which refers to treatment by natural substances. Words like arthropathy (joint disease) and cardiopathy (heart disease) identify ailments of specific organs or body systems, while noun and adjectival forms of the names of the mental disorders psychopathy and sociopathy (referring to behavior marked by antisocial behavior), have transcended the medical milieu to be used loosely in popular culture. Phytopathology, or plant pathology, meanwhile, is the study of plant diseases. These ailments, and those affecting animals as well, are generally caused by pathogens (there’s that root word again, followed by another common root, which stems from the Greek term meaning â€Å"to be born†). Forms of other -path terms besides psychopath and sociopath are also used outside of the medical realm: Sympathy, the sensitivity to others’ feelings, and empathy, the action of, or the capacity for, vicarious experience of others’ feelings; sympathetic and empathetic are the adjectival forms. Then there’s apathy, meaning â€Å"the lack of feeling,† and antipathy, which means â€Å"aversion.† Each has a corollary adjectival form, though antipathetic is less commonly used than apathetic. Speaking of -pathetic, that’s a word in its own right, with several distinct meanings: It can mean â€Å"sad,† â€Å"laughable,† â€Å"inadequate,† or, less often, â€Å"able to arouse compassion or contempt.† Note, too, related terms derived from -pati, the Latin equivalent of -path: Compatible is essentially a synonym of sympathy. Meanwhile, passion (â€Å"suffering†) and both forms of patient the noun referring to someone under medical care or treatment and the adjective for the quality of forbearance stem from this root. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyTelling a Good Poem from a Bad One50 Synonyms for "Song"

Pro Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pro Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example Recognition of gay marriage will pave the way to truly equal and accepting society where all people share the same freedoms and get the opportunity to love, be loved and create a family regardless of their sexual orientation. All arguments against gay marriage are ideological in their nature and they can be easily disapproved. According to Kellard, gay marriage does not threaten the institution of tradition marriage because not all traditional marriages are based on love. Many couples decide to marry in order to get money, social benefits or the access to healthcare. The rate of divorces in the USA tends to climb high and, obviously, it is not an indicator of a solid traditional marriage. Despite common beliefs that gay marriages are harmful for children, they serve as a better alternative to families where children have only one loving parent. Conservative religious beliefs does not apply to those who do not share them so it is not fare to take away freedom of love and religion from those who are granted to have it constitutionally (Kellard). Overall, there is no reason to think about gay marriage is something harmful and threatening; it is just a union of people who want to live together as a family. Objections to same-sex marriages are usually expressed by extremely conservative people who reinterpret information and even lie in order to present the issue in negative light and persuade Americans that they will ruin everything by supporting gay marriage. For instance, Dana Loesch, who is a well-recognized columnist, often writes about lawsuits filed by gay couples against certain organization in different states. In her articles gay couples sue with people who deny taking photos of their wedding, baking a wedding cake or renting a pavilion for their marriage (cited in Lampo). However, according to Lampo, all these cases have nothing to

International Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

International Human Resources Management - Essay Example Foreign Trade has received great impetus due to these factors and companies looking towards expanding their organisations are employing norms and policies to facilitate proper monitoring and maintenance of their employees. Due to growth in commerce and management, strategy planning and execution has become an integral part of organisation. Due to this, International Human Resources Management has come to the forefront. International Human Resources Management seeks to lay down common rules, solutions to problems and personnel management systems to help this new phase of global expansion transform into a success story and to help organisations adapt and procure better results. Working in a country that one is not familiar with, is a great challenge in itself. More so, when it involves the establishment of a branch office of your company or deals with the successful initiation of an extension of your company, in a scenario completely different from the one you are familiar with. Heading these operations that delve into international horizons and expansion plans of your company build up more responsibility that needs to be fulfilled, on your part. Therefore, a great amount of thought-processing and execution must go down into such plans, before embarking on a conclusion. Vancouver Communications is an established organisation with its headquarters in Canada. It is involved in the production and sale of office communication equipment. Mike Ansell, the CEO of the company for the last 15 years had come up with the proposal to expand the operations of the company. This led to the establishment of the company in Wolverhampton. The work procedures and functioning of the office has been similar to the Canadian office. Furthering the expansion plan, the CEO has come up with the proposal to set up an office in Turkey, for which Helen Reeves, the Deputy Head of Marketing shall head the operation. At this stage, how should the company proceed with its expansion plans Should it follow the same old conventional method of work, even in its subsidiary as suggested by Mike Ansell How should Helen Reeves evaluate and formulate an action plan for successful functioning of the subsidiary under her in Turkey These are some of the questions that need to be answered befor e a headlong jump into the setting up and organisation of the new subsidiary. Evaluation of Mike's Proposal Introduction: Mike's proposal needs evaluation and assessment, since the plus and minus points of the same need to be identified and worked upon. Here are the various facets of evaluation, that could either accentuate or diminish the quality of Mike's proposal. Turkey is one of the favorable fast-growing sites for international expansion of business, trade and commerce. Transfer of technology, the extent of involvement of the local resources, the net currency profit, etc. are some of the factors that are looked into, before the green signal

The mpact of organizational structure on the performance and Essay

The mpact of organizational structure on the performance and profitability (Managing Across the Organization ) - Essay Example The paper includes analyzes of Good Sport’s corporate culture and organizational structure, influence of politics, power and leadership style on its performance. The recommendations are made for change management and conflict resolution. Good Sport is a sport organization aiming to reduce alcohol and drug consumption and promote healthy life style for wide target audience. The aims of Good Sport are: †highlight club's important role in the community; help clubs serve and sell alcohol with the law; reduce alcohol-related problems increase club viability; provide free ongoing education and support†. These aims and strategies have a great impact on structure and culture of the organization, its ethical and social values. Good Sport, similar to other organizations, is built out of basic units overlaid with units of executive structure. The size of units is determined by the limitations of effective leadership. In turn, these limitations depend on the complexity of both purpose and technology, the difficulty of communication, the extent to which communication is needed, and the complexity of existing interpersonal relations. Thus spans of managerial responsibility are established. Good Sport has a narrow span of managerial responsibility.

How Customer Service is provoded in business Essay Example for Free

How Customer Service is provoded in business Essay Costumer service is the ability of an organisation to recognise and consistently meet the costumers needs. Costumer service generally involves service teamwork and service partnerships so they can meet customer expectations and produce costumer satisfaction. Costumers contact an organisation when they need something, the main reasons are: * To complain * To request/ order a service/product * To obtain information * To ask for advice * To enquire about an order * To change an order or request * To report a problem to return and exchange goods * To ask for assistance or help The organisation I have chosen to study for this is the National Maritime Museum which consists of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, Queens House and National Maritime Museum. Together these constitute one museum working to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people. A customer is anyone who has the right to ask or expect a service as part of a job role; this means there are two types of customers internal and external. Internal customers are all the colleagues who need assistance to fulfil their obligations to their own customers; these include the supervisors, staff, staff teams and managers. External customers are those who contact or visit the organisation because of what it provides or supplys as it is something they need. There are a wide range of external customers but only a few can apply to each business, some businesses have a wider range of external costumers compared to other businesses, such as a supermarket will have a wider range of external customers as it will sell a wide range of goods whereas a youth club or nursery will have a smaller rage of external customers as its only aimed at a certain age group. The National Maritime Museum has a wide range of customers and provides everyone access to its historical buildings and unique collectors; as a result the customers have a wide range of needs so they provide products and services to fit their needs. On any average day the museum staffs have to deal with * People wishing to research their family history in our archives * Ship model-makers wanting advice on details of a ship * Film companies wanting to use our buildings as a location for an advert or television drama * Domestic tourists wanting a fun day out * Foreign tourists wanting to experience British history * School and college groups wanting to investigate the Museum to help with their studies. The Museum has 7 main categories of customers which have their own special needs and interests and they are the following 1. Individuals Casual Visitors Special Interest Visitors Individual Researchers 2. Families Parents along with Young Children 3. Groups Mixed age groups Special Interest and Education 4. People from different cultures with different languages Foreign and Domestic Tourists People from Diverse Ethnic and Religious Communities 5. People with special needs Blind and Visually Impaired Deaf and Hearing Impaired Learning Difficulties Physical, Emotional or Mental Health Needs 6. Virtual users who access the Museum via our website People who access the museum via the website 7. Internal customers Members of Staff who Support the Work of Others The main three types of customers the National Maritime Museum focuses on are families, disabled visitors and groups. Families are an important target audience for the museum as it is a free family-friendly place to visit; it focuses of the key needs and expectations of family audiences which are: its free the price of tickets can be a barrier for many families, especially with the costs of travel and lunches its fun and educational with lots to see and touch, like the All Hands interactive childrens gallery theres lots to do such as special activity workshops, storytelling and treasure trails its easy to get to only 20 minutes from central London, with good transport links The Museum also has family-friendly events which bring the Museum galleries to life including practical activities for 2-to-6-year-olds (weekly); trails revealing the secrets of their vast collection of objects; action-packed art and science workshops, and actors performances for all ages. Their family-friendly facilities include areas for changing and feeding babies, clean and accessible toilets, cafe and picnic areas and online activities in the E-Library and on the website. The Museum aims to increase the number of families who visit the National Maritime Museum by expanding programs of events, activities and special exhibitions for families, especially during weekends and holidays. All this makes the Museum more appealing to families. Along with individuals the Museum has also built up experience in providing for different type of groups who each have a different set of needs. Foreign language students The Museum provides souvenir guides and essential visitor information on their website in different languages. This service targets both foreign tourists and domestic visitors with English as a second language. They also have non-Eurocentric displays and events which inform customers of the history of people and cultures from all over the world. Large Groups For large groups coach parking is easily attainable, there are special discounts given to access the charging exhibitions, pre booked tickets make it easier for large groups to book easily and guided tours and talks are especially available for larger groups. Special Interest Groups At the museum there are enquiry and research facilities accessible via the library, there are archives and online sources at hand and also special curator talks and tours for all the groups that have a special interest. Corporate and Private Hire Groups There is event planning and support available for Corporate and Private Hire groups including venue hire and catering for those who want to use the museum for private hires and corporate reasons. Educational Groups The museum provides curriculum recourses and educational talks along with support with visit planning and booking. They also have a lunchroom and cloakroom especially suited for school/ educational groups. Lastly the National Maritime Museum also focuses on developing access for all their visitors and users which includes those who are disabled. It continuously tries to exceed and improve the museums facilities to meet the basic requirements of those who are physically disabled, deaf and blind. They believe good, inclusive customer service is about understanding everybodys special needs. For visitors with disabilities, the Museum has a range of access facilities as part of its customer service. o Installing new lifts and ramps o The Road Train service o Providing detailed information for disabled visitors o Providing alternative ways to access the Museum o Maintaining a policy of welcoming assistance dog They have added lifts to improve physical access around the Museum site. Members of staff are always at hand to help. The new lifts and ramps that have been installed provide flat or wheelchair access to all levels and galleries. Visitors may also borrow manual wheelchairs from admission areas. Special bookings for those who are disabled are also available by calling the bookings unit who will make any special arrangements. There is also information available online such as the availability of disabled car-parking, mobility buses and the access facilities on all their sites. It is also important that the customer information also describes areas that are not accessible such as parts of the historic buildings of the Royal Observatory. This avoids frustration and disappointment on the day. Touch Sessions for Visually Impaired Visitors are also available. They have a number of alternative methods to accessing the Museum and its collections. For blind and visually-impaired visitors they provide: o Braille Guides o Raised drawing o Magnifying glasses o Large-print guides o Tactile maps o touch packs They also run a program of pre-booked touch talks and tours by Museum staff and guest speakers. The National Maritime Museum also has a sign-interpreted talk for deaf and hearing-impaired visitors. They have installed perimeter loops in the galleries, admission areas, information desks and key audio installations. They also run a program of pre-booked British Sign Language sign-interpreted talks and events. Customer service is important to the National Maritime Museum because without customers there would not be a business. Excellent customer service results in: * higher visitor numbers and greater customer diversity Visits to the sites are increasing each year provides a public service for groups of people who dont traditionally visit or use cultural or heritage organizations like museums Has an outreach community newsletter which has news and events for communities under-represented among the visitors * increased sales The Museum generates increased income through shops, cafes and charging for special exhibitions It also supplies hiring venues for corporate events and weddings and sales from the Picture Library. * increasing public image The Museum has to compete with other organizations for peoples leisure, by providing excellent customer service it increases public image they do this using their website and leaflets * survival in terms of competition Good customer service can give the Museum an edge over other tourist attractions or leisure facilities, as they compete for customers leisure time and money. * satisfied customers and greater job satisfaction for staff As well as asking for feedback from customers and monitoring visit numbers the Museum pays a market research company to conduct surveys, the customers are asked to rate their experiences and satisfaction levels, this helps knowing the customers needs and satisfying them. The staff also takes pride in being part of an organization which delivers high levels of customer service Job satisfaction is increased by positive feedback from the customers * repeat business and customer loyalty Museum donation box Analysis of feedback and visitor surveys indicates that 94% of visitors would recommend the Museum to their friends. Excellent customer service results in strong customer loyalty and increased visitor numbers especially repeat visits. The National Maritime Museum believes that to enjoy and learn from a museums collections, visitors must first feel welcome, secure and comfortable in their environment. Crucial factors include friendly staff to greet and help, clear signage, queuing systems, gallery plans and well-maintained washrooms and cloakrooms. Improvements to these areas can significantly increase word of mouth recommendations, repeat visits and time and money spent by visitors as competition for the publics time and attention is intense.