Children’s overall development needs Essay

Describe children’s overall development needs. The overall developmental needs of a child are: Physical Development, Intellectual Development, Language Development, Emotional Development and Social Development. These are all needed to make a well rounded child. Factors such as social, economic and environmental factors also affect a child positively or negatively for example a child’s emotional development may suffer due to a death or separation and so they may become angry and so will not be able to focus on school work and so their intellectual development may suffer too. The children’s overall development needs are: 1.The need for strong attachment with positive adults- Love and affection from their parents and carers is vital for their Emotional Development in order to learn to respect and trust others. 2.The need for competence and achievement- Children need a lot of opportunity to explore wide variety of experiences and interest to acquire the success and achievement to build their self esteem. 3.The need for physical activity- Children need to be active and physical exercise through physical activity for healthy muscle development in growing body. 4.The need for positive social interaction- Children need a lot of opportunity to experience positive relationships with peers outside their family such as school as well as with their family members to develop social skills. Younger children will learn through play from which they learn how to cope with others and enjoyment of sharing pleasant time with peers. These positive relationships provide them the comfort, respect, new idea and awareness of feeling. 5.The need for creative expression- Opportunities for creative expression is important to children’s intellectual and language development. Lots of opportunities help children develop the skills of expression to understanding and acceptance of themselves by speaking, writing or art. 6.The need for healthy lifestyle- Children need routine and nutritious diet in order to stay physically healthy and immune to health problems that affect negatively in all area of their developments. Read more:Â  Explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of external factors essay

Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy for a New Weight Loss Drug Essay

1. What is the decision-making process for Metabical? Who is involved? Metabical needs to decide whom to sell and what means to use in order to reach this group successfully. This decision has to be taken by Printup and her marketing team. The target market should be identified; first of all, the segmentation of the market needs to be done in order to analyze which segment of the market would be more attracted by this product. Besides surveyed people, physicians play a very important role. 2. How should Printup think about the segmentation of potential Metabical consumers? Who is the optimal target consumer? Printup should take into consideration the different goals individuals have towards losing weight, since not everyone have the same reason to lose weight, some are moved by the health risk and others just to look good. Furthermore, the willingness and ability to pay for the product should be considered to identify the optimal target market. After the data was studied, the optimal target consumer should be overweight women (25 to 30), ages 35 to 65, who are college educated since this group takes care more about their health and visit the doctor with frequency. 3. How should CSP identify and employ the differential advantages that Metabical offers to position itself in the marketplace? Since Metabical will be proven to have better results than any other product in the market along with less dangerous side effects, it will be easier to be differentiated from its competitors. It needs to be positioned as a quality product, backed up by the FDA. Then it would be perceived as a luxury type of product that will help individuals who struggle to lose weight to feel and look better. For a successful communication strategy, CSP has to focus on the individual and the physician, for the first group, a celebrity spokesperson should be used since they have power over the audience for being known and trusted. Furthermore, the message should highlight the importance of being healthy and having a better life.

A Refreshing Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”

A Refreshing Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† To say that The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a typical romantic ode to the wonders of love, as the title may suggest, is quite far from the truth. To the contrary, this poem enters the straggling mind of J. Alfred Prufrock, a man plagued with irresolution, and because of this irresolution will probably never realistically be in love with a woman. Love Song is a dive into Prufrocks inconsistent thought processes, and the foggy workings of his less-than-optimistic mind. Through bleak imagery, a wavering tone that feels timeless, and carefully connoted diction, T.S. Eliot portrays J. Alfred Prufrock as an uneasy, indecisive, and ultimately scared man. The first few lines of the poem set the scene as to what kind of content Prufrock has to offer. He uses a simile in comparing the evening, spread out against the sky, to a patient etherized upon a table (2-3). Its a fairly unappealing comparison, and it puts an awkward image in the readers mind from the beginning. He goes on to set the scene of a kind of tour through a city-like atmosphere: Let us go, through certain half-deserted streetsof restless nights in one-night cheap hotels and sawdust restaurants (4-7). Again, a bleak image is cast into the mind of the reader, reminiscent of a twisted Gotham City where no one would want to be unless accompanied by someone very dear a someone who Prufrock is not with. He goes on to make another type of etherized comparison later on, which adds to the bleak, uneasy feeling: And I have known the eyes already, known them all- The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase, And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall, Then how should I begin To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways? And how should I presume? This stanza dives into Prufrocks uneasy nature through the use of carefully connoted diction (e.g., pin) that conveys imagery of a bug or animal ready to be dissected. He is describing what happens when he runs into people he may know: they fix [him] in a formulated phrase, and then pin him down, and when he is pinned and wriggling on the wall, he is then forced to interact with them and make a decision about how to go about saying how his day went. To almost everyone else in the world, this type of interaction is a daily occurrence of life, and usually isnt conveyed as a feeling of being pinned down. However, Prufrocks uneasy nature is very similar to that of The Catcher in the Ryes Holden Caulfield, in the fact that he really isnt one for lighthearted social interaction. Instead, every little detail of life, in Prufrocks eyes, is not considered an idle task, but a high-strung, uneasy chain of decisions. Throughout the poem, Prufrock seems to jog around in his mind, and is quite abstract with his thoughts. The result is a wavering, fragmented tone that further suggests Prufrocks indecisiveness and digressive habits. One of the subtle ways that Eliot adds to this wavering tone is the fact that no definite rhyme scheme is used throughout Love Song. For example, one stanza includes mostly rhyming words, ending lines with words such as dare, stair, and hair, and then thin, chin, and pin. But the next couple of lines in the stanza may have no rhyme pattern at all, and the same goes for the next stanza; its totally fragmented. This wavering rhyme scheme cleverly adds to the notion of an indecisive Prufrock. Besides the wavering rhyme scheme, the overall tone suggests that Prufrock is very uneasy and indecisive. Prufrock really does continually ask questions, always questioning things. This may seem normal, but considering the subject matter and the uneasy feeling connoted with them, this mode of thought does not come off as entirely healthy. There are close to 20 stanzas in Love Song, and in almost all of them, Prufrock is questioning something. Whether the subject matter consists of whether he should disturb the universe or not, or how he should deal with people who ask him how his day is, he is constantly questioning everything. He almost mockingly asserts his indecisive manners by saying Do I dare disturb the universe? In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse (45-48). Essentially, he is declaring that he can make a decision now, with only a minute left, but since in one minute there will be no time anyway, hes leaving it at that. This feeling of time passing too rapidly is present throughout the poem. More than a couple of times he says, And indeed there will be time, or a variation of this line, which not only adds to his irresolute manner, but also reiterates the fact that he often trails off and picks up another topic on a whim again, recalling Holden Caulfields digressive tendencies. Prufrock even directly refers to this tendency when he analyzes a womans arm in the lamplight; he says, It is perfume from a dress that makes me so digress? (65-66). He mentions, too, his awareness of the passage of time and of the fact that he is growing old by confirming that he is becoming slightly bald. Ultimately, this realization of mortality makes him afraid: And in short, I was afraid (86). Towards the end of the poem, the tone of Love Song seems to waver more and more, and Prufrock becomes even more of a shaky, uneasy, scared figure. Starting from line 120, he begins to trail off: I grow oldI grow old, filling the readers mind with an image of a man who sits silently, the world passing him by while he ponders questions without answers. The final stanza, solidifies the elusive nature of Prufrocks thoughts: We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown. Through Eliots use of bleak imagery, a wavering tone, and carefully connoted diction, Prufrock is portrayed as a highly uneasy, indecisive, and scared man. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is not a true love song, but instead a plunge into the shades-of-grey world of J. Alfred Prufrock, and ultimately the grave flaws of a fragmented mind.

Treatment of Older People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Treatment of Older People - Essay Example Generally nurses are legally held responsible for their practice and they are also accountable for it. For instance, to practice as a registered nurse lawfully in the United Kingdom, the nurse is bound to hold a up-to-date and valid registration given by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The Health Provision Act demands that standards of practice as well as the code of ethics should be assumed by a professional according to Chitty (2005). The ethical practice of nursing in the UK demands that nurses who have been registered with NMC should practice with respect, honesty and integrity while complying with the NMC code of ethics. Secondly the registered nurse is supposed to report unskilled practice of nursing or any unprofessional conduct by any person to the right person, professional body or relevant agency. Thirdly, the registered nurse works towards saving and enhancing the rights of the patients to privacy, autonomy, respect, dignity as well as to access of information. Th e registered nurse should also adopt responsibility to ensure a professional and therapeutic relationship with patients. Furthermore, the registered nurse advocates for environment that possess an organizational as well as individual support systems. The environment should also have resource important to competence, safe and ethical nursing practice. Nurses sustain principles of equity and fairness which are required by the legal system so as to assist people to get share of health services and resources equal to their needs while promoting social justice. It is illegal for nurses to discriminate while providing nursing care whether on basis of culture, race, social, and ethnicity, marital or religious beliefs among others. The legal system requires that nurses should consider fair allocation of resources which is under control and based on individual needs of those under care as suggested by Brent (2001). Nurses are required by the legal system to put into first consideration the i nterest people under their care. This involves assisting people and groups to gain access to the right healthcare of their choice. It is upon the nurses to advocate for appropriate and ethical care at the community and organizational level. This is achieved through participating in development, implementation and the continuous review of policies as well as procedures which provide quality care for individual. It is according to the legal system, that nurses should uphold health policies as well as decision making procedures that are steady with prevailing information and research. There is the need for nurses to advocate for fairness as well as inclusiveness in allocation of health resources. The legal system also holds it that nurses should be aware of the general health concerns including environmental issues, violation of individual rights, violence, world hunger and homelessness among others. Role of nurses in health policies The role of the nurses in health policies is guided by their expertise as well as their healthcare knowledge on the basis of training, experience and practice. According to the policy it is their responsibility to ensure honesty and ethics in their practice. The nurses have the responsibility of exerting a considerable control over the health care policy, the policy makers as well as congress generally. Following the prevailing shortage of nurses it is upon the

The case therefore presents a challenge for students of Multi National Essay

The case therefore presents a challenge for students of Multi National Strategy - Essay Example This way a substantial amount of time taken in the drug development process can be saved. (Gonzalez-Benito, 30) The issue that occurs here is that testing drugs in poor countries gives rise to ethical concerns. Then dealing with the pharmaceutical critics becomes both a managerial concern and issue. These critics come up with claims that companies have failed to develop cures and only test drugs in the developing world intended for wealthy nations. (Lou Ann Di Nallo, 2008) In recent years the rising affluence in developing nations has created new incentives for drug makers to produce treatments over here. Also the huge population in developing countries makes a large market for the drug makers. However, according to advocates of social responsibility, the main responsibility for drug makers in the developing countries is to provide to their citizens an access to health care at affordable prices and to fight the neglected diseases prevalent over there. Which means these large companie s need to come up with programs that would at any time put the need for meeting public health care ahead of their profits. These kinds of programs will then eventually lead to improved relations with the host countries and will also promote the growth of market there. Therefore, addressing to the needs of developing counties has become an important part of pharmaceutical companies’ agenda. (Nott, 1996) In developing countries, the issue of getting intellectual property rights for the development of new drugs by pharmaceutical companies becomes an issue. This is because property rights or patents can be a disadvantage for developing countries in two ways. Firstly, these will increase the knowledge gap and secondly the producers of knowledge will have more bargaining power as a result. And most of these producers of knowledge themselves live in developed countries. Giving out patents will put the developing nations in a weak bargaining position when negotiating prices from the monopoly suppliers of drugs. Also, is believed that by awarding such rights to multinational companies, the introduction of new products by the local industries will be delayed and new medicines will become more expensive for a common man in these poor countries to afford. The resulting impression will be that of denying the people an access to the new drugs. (Charles Y.J. Cheah, 2004) Therefore the defense of the intellectual property rights is one of the major managerial issues of pharmaceuticals in developing countries just like the case of Novartis in India These companies argue that these rights would promote innovation and technological development which will eventually lead to social welfare and economic growth in developing countries. Patents provide an incentive to producers for investing in research and development, hence innovation. (Shah, 2010) Therefore, choosing a strategy that gives the company a reputation of being responsible while at the same time lowers the innova tion cost needs to be established. Companies expect reasonable rate of return for their investments on new drugs developed which would at times also mean charging a price that is much higher than what the market can afford to or is willing to pay. This lack of opportunity to make profits can be demotivating and lead to some

How newspaper work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How newspaper work - Essay Example The article by Michael D. Shear and Peter Baker talks of the political hullabaloo around the increase in restrictions revolving the use of firearms in America. While doing so, it also takes into account several of the problems that affect legislation in this regard. This includes the lobbying that is done by many people who are a part of the firearms industry. This article explores the legal aspects of the problem that affects many parts of the United States of America (2013). Another aspect that the article explores is that of the immediate provocation for the government to initiate these proceedings. This is the shooting that took place in Connecticut recently. This took the lives of many young people as a result of the lax laws related to the possession of firearms within America (Aarthun and Candiotti, 2012). These laws have then to be looked into in a more serious and critical way and new methods have to be found out so as to deal with these problems. The article also talks abou t the problems that the government is likely to run into with the companies that manufacture firearms. Such companies would be hit hard due to the problems associated with that of the reduction of the use of firearms (Holland, 2013). This would then lead to problems where lobbying has to be dealt with in a firm manner since lax laws have led to high rates of violence within America. (Warning shot: Gun violence lands US lowest life expectancy among rich nations, 2013). One of the most important

Implementation of an Integral ERP System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Implementation of an Integral ERP System - Essay Example All these tasks have to performed on the real-time basis. Inventory control is one of the key areas, where a lot of companies claims to have saved the lot of money, which otherwise spent on manual inventory. Â  Here, an attempt has been made to understand the ERP solution, being used at Actavis, which is my SCM from the SAP. The system seems to be slightly low performing at the real-time, so a recommendation to adopt PeopleSoft Enterprise available from Oracle has been made. Advantages of the new system have been elaborated. Justification of change and a complete action plan has been prepared. A cost reduction, while using this system has been anticipated, mostly from inventory control. Â  2.0 Introduction: The changes over the past decade have expanded the business of many Fortune 500 and International companies. ERP had made an integral element within these large organizations. The modern ERP system performs "what if" analyzes for various processes, track human resource information, manage warehouses and allow sophisticated analysis and tracking of customer buying habits and preferences. These modern ERP systems are capable to track, monitor and share data across multiple locations (Karl et al, 2001, p. 22). Â  quality pharmaceutical bus... Â  e (About Actavis n.d.) and uses a Supply Chain Management (SCM) package of SAP Germany, to monitor, supply chain management, inventory management and sales records. Although the system is effective it is very low while executing. Actavis, being multinational is advised to adopt an ERP package from Oracle for improving supply chain management, throughout the globe. 3.0 Description of the current situation: At present mySCM from SAP is being used at the local location of the company Actavis. A day-to-day inventory management is being monitored and production is advised accordingly. To achieve a better production, supply, demand management, the following points need to be taken into consideration. Â  Production planning at all locations throughout the globe. Â  Consumption and demand patterns. Â  Supplying the product according to demand from one of the manufacturing location to obtain cost-effectiveness. Â  Distribution and customer services. Â  The current software is not able to deal with all the points as mentioned above, therefore in the current situation, there is a need to improve the supply chain management to achieve better results in sales, production in profits. Â   Â  

The value of HRM to business organization Literature review

The value of HRM to business organization - Literature review Example One of the systems through which businesses always survive when the economy is on the descent is training its workforce. This paper, seeks to evaluate the consequences brought about by training the workforce (Sams 2009, 497). It seeks to analyze if investing in training makes the various businesses make a large profit out of the prevailing economic situations. During economic turbulence, employee training comes at the back seat by several businesses. This is with the aim of reducing the expenses (King 2007, 38). However, some organizations normally continue employing training even under tougher times. Some of the ways through which businesses can go about training during tough times include, reducing the duration, which the training course was to take, and practicing internal training. Technology also comes in handy during such situations as some organizations encourage e learning (Watanabe 2010, 56). If the research carried out in the United Kingdom during the 2008-2009 economic slu mps is anything to go by, then training might just be the perfect antidote for such times. The research found out that those businesses that focused on training managed to get back on their feet soon after the downfall. This is because training prepared the employees and the organization at large to be well prepared for the slump and they found a way of maneuvering through it (Jacobs 2003, 59). Similarly, the general classification of training as a tactic for endurance helped the organizations get back to their feet. Supplementary to that, training had an overall impact of reducing costs. This is because training boosts the attitude of the employees and due to the assurance, they carried out their duties as required and in the process avoiding damages. Studies showed that adequate training enabled the organizations survive in case such downfalls took place in the future (Adegoke 2013, 25). By this, it means that the employees shall become much proficient in whatever they do. This ph enomenon is of great significance mainly because the employees will be able to venture into new methodologies and technologies (Lawson 2002, 96). The new methodologies by all standards shall enable the businesses to register extraordinary profits. Training of employees plays a major role towards increasing the morale of employees. The fact that the employer invests in the employees and the reason that the employer will be after their well-being, makes the staff-members give their best for the company (Wisconsin 2009, 119). Moreover, research has established that training of employees during tough times does make them not to worry about job security. Similarly, the employees become more satisfied and they feel much appreciated and valued by the employers. The overall effect of this will be to increase overall productivity of the business due to increase in the level of commitment (Hawthorne 2007, 92). Research has also established that training employees during economic turbulence he lps in broadening their career network in that, they shall meet other professionals who will inspire their success in their respective fields (Russell 2007, 46). One can achieve this through organization of seminars and attending of various conferences. In addition, the conferences act as information sources because they provide up to date information in the specific field that the employers are pursuing (Buckley 2009, 85). In a similar situation, frequent training enables the

University level Statistics Maths problem Speech or Presentation

University level Statistics Maths problem - Speech or Presentation Example Q1. (vi) The data points outside the range [Q1-1.5*IQR, Q3+1.5*IQR] are termed as outliers. For the dataset this range is [6.5, 82.5]. As there is no data point outside of this range. Hence there are no outliers. Q2 (ii) He should definitely construct two frequency histograms. Only then he will be able to visualize the true picture of the difference in capabilities of the two sexes in solving the mental rotation problems. (a) A histogram of a variable and residual should be drawn. If the histogram of the variables shows rough normality and that of residuals show normality then it is taken as an evidence of normality. (http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/PA765/assumpt.htm) (b) Kolmogorov-Smirnov D test or K-S Lilliefors test, is a test of normality for large samples. This test is available in SPSS under Analyze, Descriptive Statistics, Explore, Plots. Here one needs to check "Normality plots with

Political Nature Of Music Essay Example for Free

Political Nature Of Music Essay Music has influenced man in a lot of ways and it can be evidently seen in the events that have occurred throughout the years. The vastness of musics capability to create influential concepts and ideas ranges from the smallest of intents to the broadest of intentions. Politics is not an exemption to the scope of musical boundaries. Through the years, music has provided various influential impacts to society and to politics. In the United States, music has become a popular method to promote political intentions. Music and Politics Through the years music has evolved and added up different genres from time to time. This aspect of music provides a wider range of impact on different types of music lovers. From punk to hip-hop, jazz up to pop, these different musical styles possess the influential aspects that determine the concept of music and its ability to affect people. There are various artists and bands who blatantly express their political outcries through the use of their music. There have been the bands from the past until present who showcase their protests to political leaders and their actions. To these bands, their capability to influence people most especially the die hard fans makes them believe that they can make an impact or better yet a change to society. This potential of bands to influence and affect the perceptions of people is a powerful tool that displays musics power. Bands and artists that showcase their political views creates a controversial stir due to the fact that not all people have the same political views. Despite all of this, these bands continue to stand on their opinions and still create music to promote their side. There are also those bands and artists who promote politically but does not display their political side. These artists are the ones who advertise people to vote. Due to the greatness of musics influence especially on the youth of today, artists promote political awareness and help these youth to care for the country and vote. There have been various commercials of bands or artists who display their stand to vote. Years ago, artists started to create the thought of â€Å"vote or die†. This shows their strong stand to help people vote. If there are the musical artists who promote their stand to vote, there are also those who oppose the actions of political leaders. For instance, there are several music artists who display their strong stand against President Bushs actions especially of the decision to send the countrys troops to Iraq. Years ago, there became a nationwide controversy regarding the Dixie Chicks opposing President Bush. This has led to different scenarios. This is just one example of music artists expressing their side. Through the years there are the bands like the notable punk artists such as the Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, The Clash and Green Day who have been notorious to utilize controversially political lyrics that bash the administrations. There are so many other bands who make use of their lyrics and catchy sounds to stir up messages that bring forth impact. We already jumped to the present times but the 1960s and 1970s are the decades that have really made expressionistic views through music. From the influential music of the rock bands of that era up to the formulation of the phenomenal rock concert named Woodstock, politics has served as a source of musical â€Å"revolution†. Woodstock, is the whole epitome of music serving as a tool towards political views. It is one of the most phenomenal events of history, a compilation of musical artists who serve for a single and peaceful cause. An expression of peace and a blatant display of care and intent to provide a better resolution to the war during those times, Woodstock became a festival of driven intention to promote peace and somehow express the side of the youth towards the actions of the American government especially pertaining to the Vietnam War then. Jumping back to the present, musics influence stands on different aspects. In the United States, such prominent music icons serve as the most influential artists that can accumulate a larger prospective view. There are those artists who serve for patriotic intentions while there are those who serve for what they think is better for the country. Its hard to count all these artists and specify their political views but the whole point is that the power of music is so great that when people choose to believe in it, their views and principles can be altered by musics life-changing influences. For music lovers and the die hard fans, most of them copy or imitate their favorite artists or bands, and in turn, some of them find it cool to follow their footsteps or even yet their views. Such is the power of music that it can affect political views and principles of people. Music can unite people but it can also segregate people. The genres are the ones which takes care of the segregation part but with the evolution of music today, the genres have become side by side with views and perceptions. All of them serve as the segregating factor. But nonetheless, music still has the power to unite and make people believe in something. Though it is a fact that all people dont possess the similar views, with regards to politics for that matter, there is a magnanimous challenge for music to unite everyone. The socio-economic class of people vary in a lot of ways and music also takes a part on it. As it is widely known, African Americans mostly take the side of Jazz, Hip-Hop and RB due to their history while the Whites take country music, pop, rock and punk. Segregation can also be evidently seen in these types of music which appeal to certain groups of people. All in all, music has served great not only in the United States but also around the world. The contributions of music to the history of the world somehow have created the different impacts on events. Whether be it on the past or today, musics vast power to capture a single persons political point of view is quite underrated. To some it may not look like as a big factor, but to some it also means a lot. Some people love music and that love for music helps them to believe in something. Personally, my political views have been strong from the start. Its not that music has influenced me or something, but seeing my favorite bands and artists taking a stand on what I believe in makes me feel that I am on the right side. Music helped me to become what I am today. It made me realize that someway, somehow I have something to believe in, something to be a fan of, and that I share this feeling with other people around the world. Music is a part of my life. I could not imagine my world without music. Though I know that not all people agree on my views, I still believe that music helps me to believe in something. The poetry of the lyrics, the awesome guitar rifts, the fast pace of the drums or even just the enlightening voice of the artist, these factors are the ones that helps me to create peace of mind and believe in something that has power and influence. Although I may not share the political views of all people, my music helps me take a stand and realize my worth and the worth of the country. Music artists have personally influenced me to vote and take a political stand but on what stand that is, its all up to me. Such is the power of music, it can alter, influence, and unite people.

Waterside Boarding Kennels

Waterside Boarding Kennels Environmental Analysis Business Management 1 Executive Summary This report reflects an environmental analysis of Waterside Kennels.Co To write this report I looked into internal and external environments of the company using the SWOT,PEST and Porters Five Forces tools. This report offers opportunity of improvement and reflections of the threats which may occur within the Waterside Kennels.Co 2 Title An Environmental Analysis of the Waterside Kennels.Co 3 Terms of Reference On Wednesday day 16thSeptember 2009 the Business Management Tutor Ms Karen Abberton requested a report on Environmental Analysis of a Company of Work placement to comply with the requirements of the FETAC level 6 Business Management. I choose Waterside Boarding Kennels where I am doing work experience. This report is to submitted by 15th December 2009. Recommendation were requested. 4 Method of procedure In order to obtain relevant information the following procedures were adopted to acquire the information in the report: * Waterside Kennels Co. * Website research * College handouts 5 Findings 5.1 History of the Company Waterside Kennels is a solo proprietorship founded and owned by Fred Quinn, established 5 years ago in North Co. Dublin on the old N2 road. 5.1.1 Type of work carried by Waterside Boarding Kennels Every pet should have a good home but if you are going to be away for a while because of business or a holiday, your pet still needs the proper care and handling until you come back from an out-of-town business meeting or holiday. The best way to do this is to get in touch with a pet care and boarding business which can help your cat, dog or other pet. When you choose a pet care and boarding business you want the best care for your pet while you are away from home. The goal is to get a pet care and boarding business that feels close to the comforts of your home. Your pet will feel more comfortable in an environment that resembles your home environment and wont experience anxiety if you must leave for a few days. At Waterside Kennels, we specialise in caring. Whether it is providing a happy holiday home for pet, training dogs to be a socially acceptable companions or advanced competition dogs the owners peace of mind and a contented pet is our prime concern. The Waterside Kennels is able to offer this specialized attention because they are equipped very well. When customers leave their dog at the Waterside Kennels it is surrounded by people all day, has its own bed and is taken for walk twice a day and has an eleven acre of grassland fenced in backyard to explore. The Waterside Kennels is a superior alternative to a Kennel because the dog gets attention all day, have plush facilities and have ample opportunities to exercise. 5.1.2 Organization Structure Pet care and boarding services include a wide range of full or part-time employment opportunities for people that want to provide care for animals on a temporary basis. Services such as boarding, grooming, house sitting and training pets are a part of lucrative market especially to people that have experience in pet care and boarding services. Waterside Kennels is a flat company administrated by Fred Quinn The organisational structure of Waterside Kennels is the follow: 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 0020000000000bc02000000000102022253797374656d00003f3f000000000000000001003f3f3f3f3f3f3f3f3f3f3f00040000002d010100040000002d010100030000000000 From the chart above we can see that Waterside Kennels Co is managed by Fred Quinn who at the same time is in control of finances and is in top of all departments. John Lynch is responsible in training the dogs. Kevin Hogan is in charge of caring the dogs and cleaning the kennels. At my request to get work experience placement Fred Quinn positioned me in advertising department , and ask me to do a research what are wants and needs of people with pets on this period of time. Veterinary services for Waterside Kennels provides Veterinary Clinique from Asbourne on request. 5.1.3 Capability Waterside Kennels buildings is zoned perfectly on 11 acres of grassland, and has ability to host more than 60 dogs at the same time. Company provides services, such as grooming, training or doggy day care. Waterside Kennels is open all year round for boarding for dogs, cats and small animals and can also offer a collection and delivery service for you. Company is capable to take in consideration every needs of each individual customer. 5.2 SWOT SWOT is an abbreviation for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SWOT analysis is an important tool for auditing the overall strategic position of a business and its environments. The following SWOT analysis captures key strengths and weaknesses within the Waterside Kennels and describe the opportunity and treats that facing the company. Strengths Ø Strong relationship with the Human Society and local breeders. Ø Ample time to dedicate to the care of the animal Ø Ideal facility Ø High customer loyalty Weaknesses Ø Lack of visibility in the community Ø A limited marketing budget Ø A limited access of Dublin customers Opportunities Ø Growing market with a significant percentage of the market still not aware that the Waterside Boarding Kennels exists Ø Fixed cost that is reduced when spread over multiple animals. Treats Ø A slump in the economy that will reduce peoples discretionary income, thereby, reducing their opportunity to travel Ø New competitors realising the true market potential 5.3 PEST The PEST analysis is a useful tool for understanding the â€Å"Picture† of the environment in which you are operating and the Opportunities and Threats that lie within it. By understanding the environment in which you operate (external to your company) you can take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the threats. The PEST is used to describe a framework for the analysis of a range of macro environmental factors including the Political, Economical, Social and Technological. By using the following PEST method I will look at some of the outside factors which affects Waterside Boarding Kennels. Political * Introduction of water charges levy. This introduction affects the company budget as it will cost 800 euro a month. * Introduction of more strictly regulation such as waste, fire, health and safety make the company to spend more money to be in line with this regulation. Economical * Downturn in the economy affected peoples ability to travel. The company relays on holidaying people. * Interest rates increasing leaving the company to struggle whit the monthly repayments. The company borrowed from the bank 300.000 euro to develop the business. * Increase in unemployment. With no jobs people care for their pets themselves. Social * Life style changes in the last 3-4 years many people moved to live in Dublin. * The customers are 30-60 years. * Increase in unemployment is a big issue for the company Technological * Company is using website for advertising * At all the time supervision by developed technology * Working on project of modifying the locking system on the kennels which will allow to close and open the door automatically in case of Health and Safety (Fire, Flooding) 5.4 Porter 5 Forces Michael Porter has identified five forces that are widely used to assess the structure of any industry. Porter five forces are: Ø Bargaining Power of Suppliers Ø Bargaining Power of Buyers Ø Treats of New Entrants Ø Treats of Substitutes Ø Rivalry among Competitors Together the strength of the five forces determines the profit potential in an industry by influencing the prices, costs and required investments of business. Stronger forces are associated with a more challenging business environment. Scanning Waterside Boarding Kennels I remarked the follows: Ø Power of suppliers for Waterside Boarding Kennels is low. It is easy to switch from one supplier to another. Ø Power of buyers is medium. In boarding business customers like to stay with the same company as they feel their pets are happy. Ø Treats of new entrants is medium. Depends on how much the entrants will invest. Waterside Kennels invested, (for boarding business ) a lot of money and try to have a high standard of services. For five years period the company acquired a good reputation. Customers are loyal to our company. Ø To reduce the treats of substitutes we are staying closely in tune with customers preferences. Ø To look at competitive rivalry whiten boarding industry in Ireland, I did a research and realised there were many boarding businesses. The Waterside Kennels have low rivalry as there no other boarding business in the area. 6 Conclusion Waterside Boarding Kennels Co. is very well placed on N2 road with new ideal facilities. The owner invested a lot of money unexpecting the downturn in economy which affected the company. This company must to do a research on their needs/wants. In my view, boarding business is like any businesses have to have strategies. There is still a lot to be done. At the moment company operates for local customers. It is time to expand coverage. I am optimistic on this company future. Not many people will turn away from their love pets. 7 Recommendations My recommendations Waterside Boarding Kennels are the following: * Review the company strategies. * More advertising * Organise events * Clear signs for directions(location) * Coffee machine for customers * Collecting rain water for cleaning will reduce water charges bill * Employ volunteers who can come with good ideas 8 Bibliography Waterside Boarding Kennels company.

Comparing Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther K

Comparing Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Any one can say that a law is unfair and unjust. However, who is really willing to accept the consequences for going against an unjust law? Is breaking this law really worth the punishment? The government is the one to decide whether a law is reasonable, but what if a member of the public believes that a law is not? Should he rebel against this law? Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. answered yes to this question and believed that one should speak out against an injustice. They both believed that government had many flaws. Even though they shared many beliefs in many of the same subjects concerning Civil Disobedience, they had many different views on how the government should work and how the citizen should be treated by society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Thoreau believed that one should act out against an unjust law by means of peaceful protest. If one is going to openly express his ideas of disagreeing with an unjust law, he must be willing to accept the consequences. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Thoreau demonstrated this acceptance of consequences by going to jail without repercussion. This shows that they truly believed in the eradication of such a law that forces them to do something that they do not want to do. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted was arrested for gathering with others to protest peacefully, which the police claimed was unlawful, because they we...

Comparing A Lost Lady and Like Water for Chocolate :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparing A Lost Lady and Like Water for Chocolate      Ã‚   The worlds about which Willa Cather and Laura Esquivel write hardly seen congruous. Written in different eras, in different styles, and in different cultures, Cather's A Lost Lady and Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate appear, at first glance, to have little in common. Cather's Victorian realism seems totally incompatible with Esquivel's surrealistic imagery, and yet, if we look closely, we can find common threads woven between the two works. Although differences are obvious, subtle similarities exist in setting, conflict, and central characters. The above excerpt is provided to give the student an idea of the focus of this essy.   The complete essay begins below. Imagine, for a moment, Marian Forrester in her kitchen preparing a tray for tea. As she works, her mind wanders to the letter she received in the post today from Frank Ellinger. "It's been too long since Frank has been out from Denver," she thinks as she glances out the window across the meadow, half expecting to see his form approaching. Instead, she sees in the distance an exotic form, a Spanish maiden, and in a cloud of dust a soldier approaches her. Without slowing his gallop, so as not to waste a moment, he leaned over, put his arm around her waist, and lifted her onto the horse in front of him, face to face, and carried her away. The horse, which seemed to be obeying higher orders too, kept galloping as if it already knew their ultimate destination, even though Juan had thrown the reins aside and was passionately kissing and embracing Gertrudis. The movement of the horse combined with the movement of their bodies as they made love for the first time, at a gallop and with a great deal of difficulty. (Esquivel 55-56) An unlikely scene in Mrs. Forrester's Victorian world? The worlds about which Willa Cather and Laura Esquivel write hardly seen congruous. Written in different eras, in different styles, and in different cultures, Cather's A Lost Lady and Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate appear, at first glance, to have little in common. Cather's Victorian realism seems totally incompatible with Esquivel's surrealistic imagery, and yet, if we look closely, we can find common threads woven between the two works. Although differences are obvious, subtle similarities exist in setting, conflict, and central characters. Writing during the Victorian era, Cather chooses as the setting for her novel the prairie states of the United States at the turn of the century.

Hawthorne?s Symbolism In The House Of Seven Gables Essay examples -- e

American Literature reflects life, and the struggles that we face during our existence. The great authors of our time incorporate life’s problems into their literature directly and indirectly. The stories themselves bluntly tell us a story, however, an author also uses symbols to relay to us his message in a more subtle manner. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book The House of Seven Gable’s symbolism is eloquently used to enhance the story being told, by giving us a deeper insight into the author’s intentions in writing the story. The book begins by describing the most obvious symbol of the house itself. The house itself takes on human like characteristics as it is being described by Hawthorne in the opening chapters. The house is described as "breathing through the spiracles of one great chimney"(Hawthorne 7). Hawthorne uses descriptive lines like this to turn the house into a symbol of the lives that have passed through its halls. The house takes on a persona of a living creature that exists and influences the lives of everybody who enters through its doors. (Colacurcio 113) "So much of mankind’s varied experience had passed there - so much had been suffered, and something, too, enjoyed - that the very timbers were oozy, as with the moisture of a heart." (Hawthorne 27). Hawthorne turns the house into a symbol of the collection of all the hearts that were darkened by the house. "It was itself like a great human heart, with a life of its own, and full of rich and somber reminiscences" (Hawthorne 27). Evert Augustus Duyckinck agrees that "The chief perhaps, of the dramatis personae, is the house itself. From its turrets to its kitchen, in every nook and recess without and within, it is alive and vital." (Hawthorne 352) Duyckinck feels that the house is meant to be used as a symbol of an actual character, "Truly it is an actor in the scene"(Hawthorne 352). This turns the house into an interesting, but still depressing place that darkens the book in many ways. Hawthorne means for the house’s gloomy atmosphere to symbolize many things in his book. The house also is used to symbolize a prison that has darkened the lives of its inmates forever. The house is a prison because it prevents its inhabitants form truly enjoying any freedom. The inhabitants try to escape from their incarceration twice. Initially, as Phoebe and C... .... Hawthorne meant to not only entertain with his writings, but also to inform if possible. This explains the extensive use of symbolism in his work. Overall, Hawthorne did not just write a story, he wrote a classic that has stood the test of time. Works Cited Abel, Darrel. The Moral Picturesque: Studies in Hawthorne’s Fiction. Indiana: Purdue UP, 1988. Arac, Jonathan. "The House and the Railroad: Dombey and Son and The House of the Seven Gables." The New England Quarterly volume LI (1978) : 3 - 22. Colacurcio, Michael. "The Sense of an Author: The Familiar Life and Strange Imaginings of Nathaniel Hawthorne." ESQ 103 (1981) : 113. Crowley, Donald. Hawthorne: The Critical Heritage. London: W & J Mackay Co. Ltd., 1970. Erlich, Gloria. Family Themes and Hawthorne’s Fiction: The Tenacious Web. New Jersey: Rutgers UP, 1984. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of Seven Gables: An Authoritative Text Backgrounds and Sources Essays in Criticism. Ed. Seymour Gross. New York: W W Norton & Co.,1967. Kaul, A., ed. Hawthorne: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey : Prentice - Hall Inc., 1966. Rountree, Thomas, ed. Critics on Hawthorne. Florida: U of Miami P, 1972.

Leadership Speech

Eric Chen Speech1 2/21/13 Politician Mitt Romney once said, â€Å"Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses. † All of us want to accomplish something in our lives; we want to be leaders of our own, in order to do that we have to stop making excuses. I looked through the internet and I got information about leaders in our society and I researched one of them. Today I will answer the question â€Å"Who is Michal Jordan? † you will see that he is a leader who has had a tremendous impact on society through his sense of vision, his ability to motivate, and his ability to handle conflict.Stay in tune as we learn about one of the greatest NBA Legends of all time. First of all, Jordan had a sense of vision; some people would give up after being cut from the varsity team but not Jordan. According to his biography, when Michal Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore he started working harder according to him, â€Å"Whenever I was working out and g ot tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it and that usually got me going again† Later on Jordan made the team again and led them to a state champion.He has shown the world that people can do what they envision if they work hard enough. Jordan can do more than work hard to fulfill his visions he can help others achieve their goals too. Second of all, Jordan had the ability to motivate his teammates. In his biography, he would always tell his teammates whenever they were underperforming and urge them to work harder. With Jordan motivating his teammates they worked hard and successfully defended the title for two more seasons.Jordan can also handle conflict. Lastly, Jordan could handle conflict. Jordan had many conflicts throughout his career but because he was a leader he overcame each and every one of them. According to his biography in the 1985-86 season he broke his leg but at the end he came back stronger than ever scoring 43. 7 ppg. His ability to handle conflict allowed him to lead his NBA team to championship after championship. As you can see Jordan can handle conflict.In closing, today I had answer the question â€Å"Who is Michael Jordan† by taking a look his leadership brought on society. I have given examples of her sense of vision, his ability to motivate, and his ability to handle conflict. Perhaps now you will think more about the role you will play as a leader in society. Hopefully you will be inspired by the life of this NBA legend. For as Mitt Romney once said â€Å"Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses. † Leadership Speech Eric Chen Speech1 2/21/13 Politician Mitt Romney once said, â€Å"Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses. † All of us want to accomplish something in our lives; we want to be leaders of our own, in order to do that we have to stop making excuses. I looked through the internet and I got information about leaders in our society and I researched one of them. Today I will answer the question â€Å"Who is Michal Jordan? † you will see that he is a leader who has had a tremendous impact on society through his sense of vision, his ability to motivate, and his ability to handle conflict.Stay in tune as we learn about one of the greatest NBA Legends of all time. First of all, Jordan had a sense of vision; some people would give up after being cut from the varsity team but not Jordan. According to his biography, when Michal Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore he started working harder according to him, â€Å"Whenever I was working out and g ot tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it and that usually got me going again† Later on Jordan made the team again and led them to a state champion.He has shown the world that people can do what they envision if they work hard enough. Jordan can do more than work hard to fulfill his visions he can help others achieve their goals too. Second of all, Jordan had the ability to motivate his teammates. In his biography, he would always tell his teammates whenever they were underperforming and urge them to work harder. With Jordan motivating his teammates they worked hard and successfully defended the title for two more seasons.Jordan can also handle conflict. Lastly, Jordan could handle conflict. Jordan had many conflicts throughout his career but because he was a leader he overcame each and every one of them. According to his biography in the 1985-86 season he broke his leg but at the end he came back stronger than ever scoring 43. 7 ppg. His ability to handle conflict allowed him to lead his NBA team to championship after championship. As you can see Jordan can handle conflict.In closing, today I had answer the question â€Å"Who is Michael Jordan† by taking a look his leadership brought on society. I have given examples of her sense of vision, his ability to motivate, and his ability to handle conflict. Perhaps now you will think more about the role you will play as a leader in society. Hopefully you will be inspired by the life of this NBA legend. For as Mitt Romney once said â€Å"Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses. †

Important of Tuition

Below is a free essay on â€Å"Importance Of Tuition Reimbursement† from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. Importance of Tuition Reimbursement And Adult Learning Education is an important tool for individuals as well as companies. Tuition reimbursement and extra time for adult learning can benefit both an employee and an organization.Providing tuition reimbursement for employees will promote loyalty, smarter employees who will benefit the company by having employees who are more understanding of profits, inventory, and working with others, as well as create future managerial prospects to better companies as a whole. Loyal employees are a major asset to companies and play a significant role in the success, efficiency, and effectiveness that a company achieves. Loyal employees will go the extra mile to delight customers and are highly motivated in their work. These employees would also resist offers of other jobs and would recomm end their company to potential employees† (Prewitt, 2003). By promoting loyalty, employees are more likely to be on time, stay with the company at least until their education is finished and are likely to continue with the company and be promoted.The more motivation and morale employees have from taking advantage of tuition assistance, the better example they will be for other employees and the more other employees will look up to these motivated employees. Motivated employees get others motivated which can lead to higher self-esteem, which can result in higher productivity of the overall company. The more motivated employees are the more work that gets accomplished.Another benefit from companies providing tuition reimbursement for employees is to better the success of the company and to improve the overall performance of the company. â€Å"While employees are attending school, employers get the advantage of new knowledge and innovative ideas put into practice right in the wo rkplace. Employees, in turn, have the opportunity to apply their education to real business situations. And, their educational pursuits may†¦

Irish Immigrants and Their Struggles

Irish Immigrants and Their Struggles Shelby Stauble ETH/125 3/21/10 Twyler Earl The Irish people left Ireland and immigrated to America to enjoy a better life, get away from the poverty and starvation that they were faced with in Ireland due to the potato famine. They face all kinds of discrimination and were forced to take the worst types of jobs, but they never gave up and kept fighting for their freedom. The Irish were brave, courageous, and hardworking and made it possible for all Irish to live happy and free lives in America. The Irish immigrated to the United States starting in 1820, more came after 1820 due to the potato famine which started in 1845, rotting of the potato crops caused thousands of deaths due to starvation. The Irish were forced to leave their country because they had no money nor did they have any way to eat. Between 1820 and 1880 3. 5 million Irish immigrated to the United States to ease their suffering and in hope of a brighter future. (Immigration,  n. d. ). A lot of the Irish who set out for America in hopes of a better life knew that immigrating to America would not be a completely joyous occasion. The Irish left Ireland to get away from the poverty, disease, and oppression and knew they would never set eyes on Ireland again. The ships the Irish were placed on to come to America were known as coffin ships because of their terrible conditions due to the overcrowding of the ships. Once the Irish arrived to America they were greeted with large men who took the Irish’s bags and forced them to live in tenement houses where they were charged outrageous fees to stay. The Irish were noted as the lowest group of people in America during the 1950’s. (Kinsellas,  1996). The Irish were treated poorly because Americans viewed them as bad influences for neighborhoods; they were forced to live in shacks and could not find jobs because most work places did not want the Irish working at their establishments. According to  Kinsellas  (1996),  the Chicago post wrote â€Å"The Irish fill our prisons, our poor houses†¦ Scratch a convict or a pauper, and the chances are that you tickle the skin of an Irish Catholic. Putting them on a boat and sending them home would end crime in this country. †(para. 4). Although the Irish were put down by Americans they never gave up and continued to press on. They were discriminated against but stuck together which helped them survive in America. The Irish face all types of discrimination; for example, environmental justice issues, meaning they were placed in terrible environments, such as the shacks they lived in and the boats they were brought to America on. They faced redlining, meaning they were denied certain job position and were forced to pay a large amount of money for housing. They double jeopardy because they were Irish and catholic, the Americans saw this as two good reasons to treat the Irish poorly. The Irish faced institutional discrimination they were not given the same jobs and or opportunities that the average American was given because the American people felt as though the Irish were a terrible group of people. The Irish were given the worst jobs America had to offer and only because those jobs were the only ones offered to them. They faced class ceiling discrimination because the Irish were unable to move on to better positions at their place of work. The Irish were given the most terrible jobs and even though the American people thought the Irish were good workers they were still unable to move up in their jobs. I chose the Irish people for both assignments but I feel that I do identify with the Irish culture in many ways. I never have had to deal with the major discrimination they faced and I must thank my ancestors for that because if it were not for all of their courage and strength I would not be able to enjoy the life I have today. I am a very hard worker just like my ancestors were and I am proud to be able to say my ancestors worked hard for me to be able to continue living in America. The Irish were hated by many but eventually gained the respect of the Americans by proving they were hard workers and would never give up on being accepted. The Irish never let the discrimination they face get them down; they stuck together and did what they had to do to survive. It may have been a long road but the Irish were eventually accepted because of their hard work ethics and good attitudes. References Kinsellas. (1996). Irish Immigrants in America during the 19th century. Retrieved from http://www. kinsella. org/history/histira. htm Immigration. (n. d. ). Immigration The Journey To America. Retrieved from http://library. thinkquest. org/20619/Irish. html

F1 Grenades

F1 – fragmentation grenades Introduction World War two plays a major role in our conception of human history, because, unlike the senseless massacre of World War one, it stands for an ideological struggle between Good and Evil. This deadly and bloody war between the allies and the axis alliance lasted for six years. At the end of the war victory was claimed by the allied powers, which were: Britain, France, the U. S, the Soviet Union, China, Canada and Australia. Canada plays an important role to the successful victory of the allied power because of their strong support of combat using f1 -fragmentation grenades. BodyA. First supporting idea (topic sentence): The f1 – fragmentation grenades were very small but that was a great advantage to the user. I. It provided soldier with personal artillery they could carry in their pockets. II. When the grenade was thrown, it was visible to the enemies since it was so petite. III. The grenade was small so it also had to be light w eighted, which meant it could be thrown further than larger grenades. B. Second supporting idea (topic sentence): The f1 grenade was very small but it still was lethal as an artillery shell. I. The grenade held 60 grams of explosion which could do a lot of damage.II. If there were a group of enemy troops attacking together, the grenade could come into play because a gun can’t kill all the enemies at once, unless there was collateral damage but that even couldn’t give a guaranteed kill. III. The grenade can kill an enemy with one explosion is the enemy is in the direct vicinity, of the projectile when it detonates. C. Third supporting idea (topic sentence): The f1 grenade had an excellent design which gave very good advantages to the user. I. The exterior of the grenade was notched which prevented hands from slipping off the grenade when throwing it.II. There is safety ring on the grenade so that the striker lever is not triggered accidently. III. It has a steel exterio r so it can facilitate fragmentation upon detonation. Conclusion The allied power was able to claim victory against the axis alliance because of their Canadian army’s powerful and impressing weapons which named them the premier fighters of the war. The f1- fragmentation grenade should be displayed to the public in the Canadian war museum; so that others can see what strategies did Canadians come up with when it comes to artillery weapons needed for war. .

Answers of qustion the Business process management (BPM) Essay - 1

Answers of qustion the Business process management (BPM) - Essay Example Business Process Management tries to continuously improve business processes through decreasing costs and increasing revenues, thereby creating a competitive advantage over rival competitors (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011). In contrast, Capability Maturity Models refer to process improvement approaches aimed at helping an organization’s software development process. Capability Maturity Models were developed and promoted by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), which is a research and development center that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (â€Å"What is Capability Maturity Model†). A Capability Maturity Model is used to present guidelines on process improvement during a project’s lifetime or with an entire organization. In both organizational development and software engineering, Capability Maturity Models serve as process improvement approaches. Through this, organizations get to assess essential elements, resulting in effective process improvement . Business Process Management governance and Capability Maturity Models allow product developers to achieve great levels of maturity in the software development process. Harmon (2007) points out that there are a number of factors that determine the maturity process of a software product in an enterprise.

Interview with an immigrant 4 pages single spaced Essay

Interview with an immigrant 4 pages single spaced - Essay Example Nabeeb: Learning English was really hard, especially considering that I had spoken a different language for 20 years. In Tanzania, I was accustomed to speaking the national language which is Kiswahili, in addition to my local Chagga dialect. It is very rare to find people speaking in English in Tanzania, and in fact, most people perceive English as a foreign language. Considering that I spoke very little English by the time I came to the United States, the language barrier was so much of an issue that most of the time, I did not make sense in my broken English, and people would laugh at me. Interviewer: It must have been really hard to get laughed at. How did you handle it? Nabeeb: At first, it was so humiliating. Imagine having kids as young as 6 years old laughing at you because they speak better English than you. It became so bad that I opted not to talk to people and this made me very lonely and homesick. Interviewer: So how did you overcome the language barrier issue and speakin g of home sickness, how bad was it? Nabeeb: After secluding myself for around two months, I realized that life would not get any easier if I did not take up the responsibility of fighting of the language barrier problem. I, therefore, enrolled at a local grammar school where I took up English lessons, started interacting with people and actually urged them to correct me whenever I spoke bad English. But I must say that for an immigrant, having to distinguish between formal English and American slang is an uphill task. The homesickness? No words can fully describe what it feels like to be in an alien land, away from friends and family, and forced to adapt to new life. I would get so home sick that I would spend my free time trying to find other Tanzanians who help me manage the homesickness. Communicating with my family back in Tanzania via telephone also helped ease the homesickness. However, the international calls were very expensive at the time for a student, meaning that communi cation was very rare. Interviewer: Apart from the language barrier and homesickness, what other challenges have you faced as an immigrant in the United States? Nabeeb: Once I set foot in the United States, everything was totally different. It is like waking up to a new world; the weather, the food, the modes of dressing, the accents, and more so the system of education, all gave me a culture shock. In class especially, I found the teaching methods so strange that I used to be the quietest student in class. I could not dare ask questions or even answer them. It really took me time to get adjusted to the American classroom. In addition, there are too many laws controlling the lives of immigrants that one almost feels suffocated. Obtaining a driving license, getting a work permit, travelling out of the country, getting social security, among many other regulations almost make one feel like a suspect. I must also add that it took me quite a while to get used to eating burgers and pizzas . I used to crave for Tanzanian food so much that I would try the recipes only to end up disappointed because the ingredients I found here are not the same as those used in Tanzania. Anyway, after months of complaining, I finally adjusted and I got used to the food here. Interviewer: But the experiences could not have been all bad. Is there anything positive about being an immigrant in the United States? Nabeeb: Everyone wants to live the American dream. That is what I came chasing for and that is the best decision I ever

Change in the Locus Standi Rules in an Action for Annulment of Research Paper

Change in the Locus Standi Rules in an Action for Annulment of Community Measures - Research Paper Example On the basis of Article 230 EC, individuals and other private parties will always retain the jurisdiction to challenge decisions addressed to them. As far as the claims of Jacques St Malo, Pierre St Michel, and Sainsbury's Supermarkets are concerned they will be subject to the limitation of this principle which is the personal interest principle. Furthermore this "personal interest" will only be held to exist where the annulment of the act can produce legal effects for these applicants.1 Private parties do not have the standing to act in the interest of the law or of the Community in general. Private parties like the ones mentioned above, therefore, can also challenge decisions addressed to other persons, as well as regulations or other general legislative acts. However, they can only do this when they can show that these are of 'direct and individual concern' to them. The Court of Justice has interpreted the concept of 'direct concern' to mean that a direct causality must exist between the act that is challenged and the legal situation of the individual challenging that act.4 A measure will be of direct concern if it affects th e legal position of the defendant/applicant directly and leaves no discretion to the addressees of the measure who are responsible for its implementation. Such an implementation has to be automatic and a result of Community rules without the application of other intermediate rules. For determining individual concern, the case Plaumann v. Commission7was a seminal one and gave judicial review a rather restricted application in the Court of Justice8 where the court defined applicants as individually concerned if the decision or act "'affects them by reason of certain attributes which are peculiar to them or by reason of circumstances in which they are differentiated from all other persons and by virtue of these factors distinguishes them individually (para 107)

Virginia Employment Laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Virginia Employment Laws - Essay Example Hiring professionals or other workers from foreign countries is always an option for management of human resources but t is always within the bounds of government policies and quotas provided by the governments of nations. For instance, the United States government and congress has always been revising its immigrant workers quota numbers from the year 1988 in order to favor employers and industries that need such workers. In the year 1998, the quota number was at 65000, which was further revised upwards to 115000 in the year 1999, and later to 195000 when the government went to the press seeking to revise the quota in order to benefit in this option of hiring of employees from other countries (Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, 2012). Many firms always opt for hiring foreign sourced workers in order to gain competitive advantage. There are many aspects to foreign employee hiring; for instance, some of these employees come cheaper than the domestic based employees in the same industry. Every immigrant program has its advantages and disadvantages. Hiring of foreign professionals, nonetheless, comes with its fair share of issues and challenges. It is not as costless as many people would think it is. This option always raises strategic issues on all levels of management in an organization. Among the issues that managers have to deal with when hiring foreign sourced employees or workers is the fact that the managers have to ensure that these employees have the right visas for the positions they have been sourced to take in the organizations (HG Experts, 2012). The United States of America has seen the number of immigrants into its borders increase as many people from various countries in the world go to America to seek better lives for themselves and for their families (West & Bogumil, 2012). These workers bring a lot to the American economy just like other employees in America. Immigrant workers are hard workers and also boost the purchasing power; which co nsequently leads to a boost to the economy of the country. Over the years immigrants have faced oppressive, exploitative, as well as deprived conditions in the places of work in the United States. Most of them are paid very low wages, and often have very little potential to advance in their jobs; let alone the potential for fulfillment. Additionally, these workers are faced with very hazardous working conditions. As a result of these conditions, therefore, the state of Virginia has come up with state laws to govern the way employees are treated within the state. To begin with, Virginia has the Virginia Payment of Wages laws which employers are required to go by in paying their employees; whether they are citizens or foreigners. Under this wage law, the employers are required to establish regular rates of pay, as well as payment dates (Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, 2012). All employees have to be paid their full wages and salaries as well. However, the employers are not bound by law to pay such benefits as holiday, sick, and vacation payments to their employees. Additionally, the employers are not allowed to make deductions on the employees’ pay in order to make payments like taxes and so on. Secondly, there is the Virginia Minimum Wage Act which applies to all employers who do

Navis SWOT analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Navis SWOT analysis - Essay Example Several forces control the performance of the shipping industry. One of them is the seasonal nature of the business, whereby some times of the year have more goods for transport than other seasons (Boyd, 2007). The industry is also dependent on the weather whereby poor weather conditions may affect the navigation of ships. The strengths of these forces are that they may positively increase the quantity of goods for transport and because of a higher demand, push up the prices. However, they also result in other weaknesses, such that firms are always found unable to foresee an unsustainable rise in demand, which makes it difficult to control the sector during high seasons. Additionally, instead of companies focusing on the provision of new services through innovation, it only considers increasing the size of its fleet, which at times is unsustainable, considering the fact that the industry is sometimes seasonal (Boyd, 2007). Other than the weather, inflicted cause, over the years, the nature of the forces has been dependent on the performance of the economy. Since the recovery from the economic recession, the industry has significantly experienced a positive improvement with the companies sharpening their strategies to gain significant controls of the market share in the industry (PWC, 2011). From the analysis, companies that will be able to use data mining tools to foresee rising demands of services at different times of the year will have a competitive edge over others. Consequently, those who consider implementing innovative solutions to their services are also likely to record a positive performance over those that do not. Navis as a firm tends to have various resources and skills that tend to relish value and quality. The instance implies that the company is capable of giving peculiar services to customers that tend to hold a real return. The firm thus does not only handle products but also handles

Extra Credit Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Extra Credit Assignment - Essay Example That means I have to work with an understaffed team. Also half of the staff does not have relevant job experience. Finally the remaining half of the employees has done the work in a given style for as long as 15 years; adapting to new changes may be a problem. The steps I would take during the first 90 days as manager to address these challenges First I will get the employees to agree that there is need for change. I will gather the employees to evaluate their situation, identify what the problem is and set up procedures to correct the situation. Suggested changes will be announced then implemented through my close supervision. I will make sure I don’t impose the change but rather let the employees to manage the process themselves. To do this I will organize a workshop to help gain common understanding, to chart the way forward by coming up with plans, aims, commitments and actions. I will seek through this event to inspire the staff to make relevant and real objectives. I wil l guide them to make objectives that are easy to attain. Long term objectives shall be divided and be accomplished in stages. I will come up with a guiding team which will comprise of carefully selected supervisors for departments based on their track records.   The team shall compose enough key players such that those who are left do not block any suggested plan of action. They shall be people who command respect because pronouncements of such people are taken seriously. They shall be people with proven leadership capability. These people shall need to have high level of commitment and competence. One of their immediate work shall be to build teams within the areas of their supervision. They shall take advantage of the fact that every human being has a nature of joining a group. The teams they create will have to beware that they are teams that are born to compliment the efforts of each other and not competitors. If they try to compete then we shall have a â€Å"win lose† situation whereby one group can try to outdo the other using methods that make your opponent to go down so that you appear on top. It shall be the work of these team leaders to encourage informal relation among the team members in order to create a good working atmosphere and raise their morale. Each team shall handle related activities hence one plan of action shall be developed for them. This will ensure unity, focused efforts and coordinated strength. The changes to be effected must take into consideration that the time in which to realize the change is short, hence actions that will impact on short term performance will be much welcome. In our discussions, all staff shall need to identify priorities so that each one majors on the major and minors on the minor. This will eliminate incidences where an employee is fully preoccupied by a task that is less important leaving undone the most important. There is all possibility that this can happen because this centre suffers from under staffing.   Ã‚  Ã‚   To ensure smooth operations, I will make sure there is proper discipline by among other things ensuring that those who are appointed to any position of authority are properly disciplined. The juniors shall need to observe rules and regulations that they help develop. Incentives will be used to promote discipline. While identified obstacles shall be removed, achievements as well as progress shall be rewarded. I will work at avoiding constant criticisms because this way they won’

Parenthood the Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Parenthood the Movie - Essay Example One of the most fundamental themes of the movie Parenthood is that people become more responsible in their duties towards their spouses as well as children with the passage of time. Gil has a very loving relationship with his wife Karen. Gil has grown up under the supervision of his workaholic father. Due to the limited control such a person can exercise upon his children, the children assume immense tendency to become spoiled. Realizing this and not willing to grow up his children the way his father did his siblings and him, Gil does not want to be workaholic. He wants to find time for his children to give them the best upbringing that he can. Gil and Karen have three children. Kaven is their eldest child. He has an emotional problem due to which, he is considered in need of a therapy. Having gained an in-sight into the problems with his children, Gil takes all the blame for the problems of his children and becomes doubtful of the extent to which he has been successful in playing th e role of a responsible father. Gil is not sure whether he can provide his and Karen’s forth child that is yet not born with a happy lifestyle since he is financially not in a position to have another child. Helen and Garry are ex-husband and wife. Helen is a bank manager while Garry is a dentist. Garry has left Helen for some reason and is not concerned about his teenager children that he has had with Helen. Helen and Garry parent two children. The elder of the two is Julie who is 16 years old and the younger one is Garry who is 13 years old. The father and the son have the same name, i.e. Garry. One of the most touching and emotional scenes in the movie is the one in which Helen tells Garry that she knows his father better than Garry does, so she would suggest him not to shift with him. The son Garry has just entered the age of puberty and is exploring the world of sex in numerous ways. He is addicted to porn. He is disturbed mentally and generally remains quiet and uninvol ved in the social activities. Julie cultivates a hidden sexual affair with Tod who happens to be her drag-racer boyfriend. Julie is just in her high school and has had sex several times with Tod. Garry, on the other hand, carries around sexually explicit videos in a bag. Helen’s ex-husband Garry leaves Helen for another woman whom he marries and has a son with her. The encounter between Helen and her children is the worst among all parent-children encounters in the movie. At one occasion, Helen catches Garry masturbating. Despite knowing that it was masturbation, she comforts herself by thinking of it as drug abuse. In an attempt to console her son, Helen asks Tod to convince Garry that his obsession with the girls is quite normal and predictable of a boy who has just entered the teenage. Tod is able to achieve this. In the beginning, Helen did not consider Tod suitable for her daughter. Finding that Tod has managed to make Garry happy, Helens starts to cultivate a sense of r espect and admiration for Toad in her heart. Near the end of the movie, Julie and Tod get married. Julie becomes pregnant. The love marriage is caught in fumed arguments and fights analyzing which, the audience can tell that the marriage is difficult to last. However, Helen admires Tod so much that

Leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - Term Paper Example A real leader is capable of doing different tasks guided by his vision and reason coming from the historical experience. To make it plain, â€Å"leadership is the result of a complex set of interactions among the leader, the followers and the situation† (Cited in Byrne 20). Thus, a leader follows the most optimal way to succeed paying much tribute to his environment and the focal goals in mind. There are no leadership perspectives without goal-setting and planning elaborated by a leader. On the other hand, it is vital to touch upon the types of leadership and the notion of an effective military leadership. The question is that the efficiency in the way a military leader follows comprises a global perspective along with the national ideals. There should be a detailed understanding of what the nation longs for and why such a problem stays unsolved. Byrne identifies effective military leadership as â€Å"the ability to inspire others to willingly participate in the achievement o f a shared vision set out by the leader and to assist them throughout that transformational journey† (25). Hence, these solitary traits seem to be apparent in Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. First of all, he was a leader able to make a significant change against the Muslim perspective. By establishing the National Assembly in Turkey, he gained support of the Turkish majority in turning Turkey into a secular nation-state (Polelle 44). It was one of the first steps toward modernization throughout Turkey. Second, Ataturk broke the ice of the misconception in a larger Turkish society. He was successful in his leadership skills due to the fact that he possessed all types of transformational leadership evident in his â€Å"vision, courage, rhetorical skills, determination and integrity† (Byrne 25). This is why every single step he did toward progress in providing reforms was more than just a breakthrough. It gave grounds for further modernization and constructive development of Turkey . Secularization and improvement in education were the two main goals of Ataturk’s mission. The thing is that the reforms were aimed at the following prospects, namely: secular governance, the replacement of Arabic script with Roman characters, monogamy, creating an industrial infrastructure, opening three western-mode state universities, establishment of a civil code in accordance with the European norms and standards (Reisman 7). These reforms were hard to implement without keeping a strict eye on their execution. Today, there is hardly a national leader to complete all these reforms within a short span of time. To say more, Ataturk believed that a republican idealism would become a new civic religion for Turks (Hanioglu 182). His intellectual capacity made him believe in that Turkey may reach the new heights in its overall development once the religious views on governance came in place. The moral side of the question was at stake. Mustafa Kemal was aware of that and could wait for some time to make Turks share the idea of republican idealism versus solely religious construct. Here, his rhetoric and courage complement his vision at the outset and ability to integrate toward new dimensions of national development of Turks. This is why he managed to create a new nation of Turkey based on the most progressive principles of civilian life. The authority of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is too significant for every Turk, as he dared to transform â€Å"

Twelve Angry Men Essay Example for Free

Twelve Angry Men Essay Twelve Angry Men depicts different types of leadership, communication, and group dynamics. The film revolves around the jurisdiction of a homicide trial with a jury that almost unanimously votes the defendant guilty, with only one opposing voter. This man, Juror #8, presents his decision through ideas of reasonable doubt that spiral into a majority vote of not-guilty. So, how does a group of twelve men completely shift their point of view from guilty to not-guilty? The power of effective leadership and communication. Juror #8 was able to effectively communicate with the men to think of other scenarios that prove the defendant not-guilty through democratic styled leadership. He did not necessarily think the defendant was not guilty. However, he was not positive the boy was guilty and did not want to make a decision without 100% confidence. Therefore, he communicated his view by encouraging the jury to examine the facts in a new light and opening a discussion amongst the jurors. The re-analyzation of the facts arose new questions about the verity of the facts, allowing some, and eventually all, of the jurors to question their original declaration of guilty. Lack of leadership and communication from the majority are also factors in the change of decision. The group of 11 men did not have a solid leader to hold together their original verdict. In the beginning, juror #1 was the apparent leader of the group. He stated the jury procedures and inquired each man’s vote. When opposition from juror #8 arose, he attempted to get the group to dismiss the idea. Eventually, he loses interest in caring and steps back as the leader. A disinterest by other jurors was also seen when some were playing games. It was also evident that some jurors only went with the majority based on hidden agendas such as wanting the trial to be over or personal opinions of people such as prejudices. In addition, Juror #3 is the prime opposer to the questions presented by juror #8. He is vocal about his confidence in his decision towards the defendant. However, his leadership style was of an autocratic nature, which worked to his disadvantage. People are more likely to follow a kind leader than someone who belittles and frightens. Therefore, Juror #8 had effective communication to win over the quiet jurors who were first too intimidated to question the majority. He dominated the discussion and lead with powerful points that left the jurors thinking. He created an open discussion. This lead to jurors asking valid questions on the verity of the facts presented. Turning points came when a witness’ testimony was questioned due to their poor vision proved through glasses marks on her nose, the angel of the man’s wound from the stab, presenting a knife that was claimed to be one of a kind, and the actual time it wold take for the witness to see what happened after they heard the scream. The film also shows how leadership thrives with the addition of followers. Without followers one cannot be declared a leader. If juror #8 stated and expressed reasons for his view and no others followed, the decision would have been in the majority’s favor and juror #8 would have just been a man with an opinion. Instead, he was able to first convince juror #9, which immediately gave his opinion credibility. Once juror #9 switched sides, it was evident that everyone else re-examined their opinion and started to formulate valid questions. Juror #9 was able to break the hold of group think, allowing others to actually voice their thoughts. This especially pertains to the quiet jurors who were originally too intimidated to question the majority. These jurors were now actually able to think for themselves and were open to communicate juror #8’s points of reasonable doubt. Twelve Angry Men is also an interesting depiction of group dynamics. In a group, decision-making can be hindered due to majority process. When a majority is present, it is easy for others to join in. This was displayed in the beginning of the film. There were a couple to quickly charge the defendant as guilty and others followed, although some appeared hesitant. They only made a decision once they saw the other opinions. This is a common problem in a group setting. It is too much effort to be the odd man out. Therefore, the quieter and more timid people conform to the majority for an easy solution. Juror #8 intelligently realized this group dynamic and intelligently focused his attention to the quiet members. He asked that another vote be taken by secret ballots. This is an effective way of voting that allowed for better communication, allowing the quieter jurors to submit their vote in private. This proved effective when the vote switched from 11-1 to 10-2. This lead to an open discussion amongst many in the group, drawing valuable ideas and opinions that they might not have offered otherwise. Juror #8 created a setting for group discussion where everyone started to work together as a team to determine the verdict of the case. As a team, the jury unanimously shifted their vote to not-guilty; an excellent demonstration on the power of effective communication and leadership.

Benefits of Value Chain Analysis

Benefits of Value Chain Analysis Introduction In this assignment Im going to show that an organisation can add value with its success and how the concept of a Value Chain can be used to assess where organisations add value and develop future strategy. According to Wright (2004), Value Chain is a traditional manner of departmentalising stages of the business process. The value chain highlights the importance of the operational manager being involved in all aspects of the process, from suppliers right trough the customer. With the value chain approach functional boundaries are ignored and in many organisations its now accepted that the operations manager has to control the whole process from buying in goods and services to the final stage of satisfying the customer. Marketing, accounting, human resources are not showing up in the value chain, but the operational manager has to be interesting and to be involved in these internal functions of the organisation as well. (Wright and Race 2004) Information technology is changing the way companies operates. According to Porter (1985), cost leadership and product differentiation can be pursued simultaneously only under rare conditions. If organisations are to achieve competitive advantage by delivering value to customers, managers need to understand which activities the undertake are especially important in creating that value and which are not (Johnson et all 2008) . The value chain concept is important to understand this describing the categories of activities within and around an organisation, which together create a product or service. The concept was developed by Michael Porter with his book competitive advantage 1985 where the idea of value chain is based on the processe view of organisations, the idea of seeing a manufacturing or service organisation as system, made up of subsystems each with inputs, transformation process and outputs which involve the acquisition and consumption of resources (money, equipment, labour, land, buildings, management and administration). The primary value chain activities are: Logistics/ Inbound:the distribution of manufacturing after the raw materials are received and warehoused. Operations: the transformation process of inputs into services and finish products. Logistics/ Outbound: The warehousing and distribution of the finished goods. Marketing and sales: Placing the product on the market generating sales reaching the right people interested to buy it Service: The tool used to offer the product on the market and the service offered after the product is sold (customer service) This Primary Activities are supported by: The infrastructure of the firm: organisational structure, control system, company culture etc. Human resource management: employee recruiting, hiring, training, development and compensation. Technology development: technologies to support the value chain activity Procurement: purchasing input such as materials, supplies, and equipments. (http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/) The firms margin or profit then depends on its effectiveness in performing these activities efficiently, so that the amount that the customer is willing to pay for the products exceeds the cost of the activities in the value chain. It is in these activities that a firm has the opportunity to generate superior value. A competitive advantage may be achieved by reconfiguring the value chain to provide lower cost or better differentiation. (http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/) External efficiency is measured by customer satisfaction and by market share. To achieve customer satisfaction the company requires, and is depends on, the timely received goods and its services to specification by external suppliers. Is very important to have a good communication, and teamwork between suppliers at one end, and the customer at the other end of the value chain. (Wright and Race 2004) Cost advantage and Value Chain A firm maybe create a cost advantage either by reducing the cost of individual value chain activities, or by reconfiguring the value chain. Once the value chain is defined, a cost analysis can be performed by assessing the costs of the value chain activities. The cost obtained from the accounting report may need to be modified in order to allocate them properly to the value creating activity. Porter identified 10 cost drivers realting to the value chain activities: Economies of scale Learning Capacity utilisation Linkages among activities Interrelationships among business units Degree of vertical integration Timing of market entry Firms policy of cost or differentiation Geographic location Institutional factors (regulation, union activity, taxes etc.) A firm develops a cost advantage by controlling these drivers better than do the competition. A cost advantage also can be pursued by reconfiguring the value chain. Reconfiguration means structural changes such a new production process, new distribution channels, or a different sales approach. For example FedEx structurally redefined express freight service by acquiring its own planes and implementing a hub and spoke system. (http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/) Differentiation and Value Chain A differentiation advantage can arise from any part of the value chain. For example procurements of inputs that are unique and widely available for competitors can create differentiation, as can distributor channels that offers high service levels. A differentiation advantage may be achieved by changing individual value chan activities to increase uniqueness in the final product, or by reconfiguring the value chain. Porter identified several drivers of uniqueness: Policies and decision Linkages among activities Timing Location Interrelationships Learning Integration Scale (eg better service as a result of large scale) Institutional factors Most of these also serve a cost drivers. There are several ways which a firm can reconfigure its value chain in order to create uniqueness. (http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/) Technologies and the Value Chain The changes in technologies can impact the competitive advantage changing and making possible new configuration of value chain. Many technologies are used in both primary value activities and support activities: Inbound Logistic Technologies Transportation Material handling Material storage Communication Testing Information systems Operations Technologies Process Materials Machine tools Material handling Packaging Maintenance Testing Building design operation Information systems Outbound Logistics Technologies Transportation Material handling Packaging Communications Information systems Service Technologies Testing Communications Information systems In order to compare value chain activities and how can be added value to a company, I chosen few international hotel chain: Hilton Worldwide Is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For over 90 years Hilton has been offering business and leisure travellers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. Company dedicated for the tradition of providing exceptional guest experience across its global brands distributed over a total of more than 3400 hotels in 79 countries. The company manages the world-class guest reward program called Hilton HonoursÂÂ ®, innovative technologies to enhance the guest experience. http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/aboutus/index.htm Marriott international Marriotts brands are leading in customer satisfaction and owner and franchisee preferences. Exceptional amenities. Attentive guest guest care. In-depth local knowledge set industy standards around the world. Marriott International has become the worlds leading lodging company, not only through its deiverse portfolio of global brands, but also by training and engaging the best employees (300.000) to delivery the best service. http://www.marriottdevelopment.com/ As we can see, two very big hospitality company operating worldwide are constantly trying to add value. In the service industry and especially in the hotel industry, the value is added and created from the people inputs of time, knowledge, equipments and systems to serve the hotel guests and customers. Customers in these companies can be also employees from the same organisation. The more value is created, the more people will be ready to pay the price for the service or product and the more they will keep on buying from the same company. Value chain analysis To understand and find out where we can create value we need to use a Value Chain Analysis. The first step for the analysis is the Activity Analysis: Where all the activities to serve the customer and to deliver the service are analysed. In this step of activities analysis we are going to collect as much information as we can from all the people involved within the organisation such us guest, employees, suppliers, business partners, travel agents and tour operators. This stage will also involve the way to recruit people with the right skills that will deliver the best service. How to keep the team motivated and informed about the performance. In the case of these featured company the KPI system (Key Performance Indicator) has been introduced to control the standard of performance that will help to get feedback from the guest to enhance the guest engagement. To conduct the Value Chain Analysis are needed up to three years of annual repors to understand and analyse how the costing of the activities are changing and whether they are in unison with the competitive strategi of the firm. To gain knowledge about the core competence of the company, we can have a look at the company and competitor websites and SWOT analysis of both companies can be done to understand the key strengths and weaknesses of the company and how different are the firms from the direct competitor. (http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/value-chain-analysis.php) Value analysis After few activities are identified we list the Value Factors which is the kind of service that the customer value in the way the activity is conducted. If we analyse a telephone order, the customer will value a quick answer to his/her call, a good an polite manner, efficient taking of order details with fast and knowledgeable answering of questions and a quick resolution to any problems that arise during the order. Delivering a professional service, the customer will like the correct solution based on the good options and up to date alternatives. This analysis will give us what needs to be done or changed to provide a great value for each Value factor. Evaluate changes and Plan for Action With the Value Analysis, we will generate so many ideas for increasing the value that we are going to deliver to customers Value Chain in the Hotel Industry The primary activities in the Hotel industry: Starting from the Inbound Logistics where we have all the contracts with supplier that are delivering the food and beverage, providing laundry service and other services; Back of the house storage and distribution within the hotels departments and inventory control and stock requisitions. The Operations are represented from all the procedures and processes that, with the support from all the advanced equipments and tools, will produce goods and service to offer on the market. Outbound Logistics in the hotel can be the way the services and final products are offered and distributed to the different outlets and different guests. Marketing and Sales: all the activities that are trying to get customers and people interested in the hotel for rooms, conferences, restaurants but also the promotion of the hotel with advertise and pricing considering the competitors Service in the hotel industry is crucial for its succes. The quality of service is created with a certain number of employees in proportion with the hotel capability and with the respective training. A good service will enhance the products value and will be crucial for the guest that will have to chose in which of the many hotels to stay. An example can be made between the company Hilton and Marriott where both can offer the same guest room, the same equipment in the room, same facilities with different price; probably the price for Hilton is more competitive but the service offered will be not at the same level as a Marriott hotel. The same room at the Marriott hotel with a nice presentation of the hotel services from the reception staff will probably an added value and the travellers will be more likely to go back where a better service is offered if the price is not much higher (value for money). Support activities in the Hotel industry The Procurement in the hotel can be the facilities offered to guest, the building, and the equipment that will support all the operations to make easy and smoothly the service. Technology Development is very important within the hospitality as it is a modern industry in constantly growth where new technologies are needed to save time and work smarter. The Propriety Management System is the most important to take into consideration which is the software to manage all the operations and share all the information with all the hotel departments in real time. The innovation and the technology are developing the hotel industry. The Firm Infrastructure is represented from the management team with the long term planning, the quality management , public affairs, finance and accounting. A good example for these two organisations can be the reservation system. If we got feedback from the customers not happy with the website for the difficulties to make the reservations or we know that both the company are occurring the same problem, therefore we know that if we want to add value for one of the company, we are going to find the solution to make easier the reservation system for the guests. Porter, M. E. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, 1985, New York: Free Press Wright N. Race P. The Management of service Operations, second edition 2004, Thomson Johnson G. et all Exploring corporate strategy, eight edition, 2008, FT Prentice Hall Porter, M. E. The competitive advantage of nations,1990, New York: Free Press. http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/ http://www.marriottdevelopment.com/ http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/aboutus/index.htm http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/value-chain-analysis.php The Value Chain and its components: The value chain is a systematic approach to examining the development of competitive advantage. It was created by M. E. Porter is his book, Competitive Advantage(1980). The chain consist of a series of activities that create and build value. The organisation is split into primary activities and support activities. Primary Activities: Here goods are received from a companys suppliers. Stored until they are needed on the production/ assembly line. These goods are moved around the organisation. Operations: This is where goods are manufactured or assembled. Individual operations could include room service in a hotel, packing of books/videos/games by an online retailer, or the final tune for a new cars engine. Outbound Logistic: The goods are now finished, and they need to be sent along the supply chain to wholesalers, retailers or the final customer.