Application of Technology in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Application of Technology in Education - Essay Example However, despite the benefits of education in our daily lives, there have been numerous discussions regarding the real impact of technology such as use of computers, laptops, smartphone and other devices that have replaced the conventional classroom environment, and whether such technological investments in classrooms result in more informed and educated students compared to conventional teaching. Therefore, despite technology having enhanced our abilities and transformed performance in most sectors, continued use of technology in classrooms has resulted in poor quality of education and beats the real essence of education. Quality education has to enhance knowledge and understanding among students. However, the sue of computers requires that students do not synthesize the basics, but only apply already made applications to obtain results, oblivious of the implication the results obtained, or the principle behind such formula used to obtain results. Devine (1999) asserts that a good education will mainly focus on laying the necessary foundation for knowledge and skills in the early stages of education, which would promote the much needed knowledge and understanding among students as the essence of education. Computers deny students to learn the foundation principles of concepts, but will only allow the student to apply an already synthesized principle, which they do not understand. This denies them knowledge. It makes it hard to have other Bill Gates, or Michael Dells who used the basic foundation of principles to come up with great inventions. Technology will in most cases affect student’s ability and participation. The ability and strengths of an individual are well identified when they are involved in creative processes, where ingenuity and creativity have to be applied in any field. Therefore, as Devine (1999) argues students have to learn how to look for materials in order to showcase their abilities in different

State Bank of Patiala Analysis

State Bank of Patiala Analysis State Bank of Patiala is a public sector bank in India with its headquarters at Patiala, a city in the state of Punjab. The bank is an associate of the State Bank Group and offers core banking solutions to its customers. State Bank of Patiala (SBP) was established in 1917 by the king of the then princely state of Patiala. It was then called Patiala State Bank. After independence in 1947, the bank became a subsidiary of the state government of Punjab. In 1960, it became an associate bank of the State Bank Group. With the nationalization of the State Bank Group in 1969, SBOP became a public sector bank. The State Bank of Patiala has identified specialized segments and designed varied products to meet the needs of such segments. The segments are for the purposes are as follow: Personal banking Agriculture rural banking NRI banking SME corporate banking Government banking Internet banking Mobile banking The bank has now added a golden chapter to its history by fully networking all its branches on Core Banking Solutions on 08.08.2005 and become the first fully networked Public Sector Bank in the country. Bank distribute through As far as the distribution channel of products and services of the bank is concerned, I have come to know that state bank of Patiala has mostly indirect channels of distribution of its products and services but direct channels also to some extent. The bank is having various tie ups with many companies for the distribution of its products. If the loan section is taken bank maximum use its indirect channel for the distribution of the products which are as follow:- Scheme for Financing of Commercial Vehicles under Tie-up with:- Ashok Leyland Limited Eicher Motors Limited Force Motors Limited Tata Motors Limited Maruti udhyog ltd. Mahindra motors Scheme for finance of Motor Cycles and Scooters under Tie-up with:- Hero Honda Motors Limited: Scheme for extending facilities to Franchisee outlets in the form of Bank Guarantee/Term Loan. Monte Carlo Cotton County Bank is also under the Tata nano special financing scheme with the Tata motors. Moreover the bank is in the MOU for loan to the students of the Frankfinn Aviation Services Ltd. which will ensure 100 per cent financing of the tuition fee of its students for the one-year courses in aviation crew and hospitality and travel industry. Moreover for the NRI banking bank is having again indirect distribution channel and having various tie ups with: Thomas cook money transfer Wall Street money exchange Western union money transfer SBOP has also various tie ups with foreign banks for the transfer of funds, currency etc  . The SBOP also provides the various services like insurance, mutual funds etc. and for its distribution the bank is having SBI- life, oriental insurance ltd, SBI- mutual funds SBI- card etc. As far as direct channels are concerned bank used the internet banking and mobile banking for its distribution of the products. Why SBOP use indirect channel so Now the next thing arises that why SBOP mostly use the indirect channel. As it is known that there are mainly two channels of marketing which are: Direct Channel A direct distribution channel is where a company sells their products direct to consumers. Indirect Channel The indirect channel is used by companies who do not sell their goods directly to consumers. But the direct channel has one major drawback i.e. characteristically present in conventional retailing which means it doesnt allow any options. Moreover, although direct selling saves channel costs, commission paid to as high as 30-35% of retail price. Also recruiting training motivating and retaining good sale people is difficult and expensive task. For direct selling face-to-face interaction must be capable of producing a significant value addition to the consumer, compared to be purchasing from retail shop. Finally channel becomes fail when circumstances changes. So in order to overcome from all these problems bank mostly uses the indirect channels of distribution. Moreover Suppliers and manufacturers typically use indirect channels because they exist early in the supply chain. Companies choose the indirect channel best suited for their product to obtain the best market share; it also allows them to focus on producing their goods. So in nutshell it would be suggested to bank that the bank should try to use direct channels in more terms because while direct channels were not popular many years ago, the Internet has greatly increased the use of direct channels. Additionally, companies needing to cut costs may use direct channels to avoid middlemen markups on their products. Depending on the industry and product, direct distribution channels have become more prevalent due to the Internet. Like in present scenario everyone use the internet for any sort of information so now the days banks are concentrating more upon direct channels rather to distribute indirectly. SBOP is also doing the same.

insulting :: essays research papers

Luis A.Galindo LÃ ³pez. Has insulting become a habit? Nowadays the use of swear-words has become a normal form of speech among population, and probably even more extensive among teenagers. The reasons why insulting is so widespread in modern society may range substantially amongst the different social groups in which society is stratified. It is clear that nowadays insulting might seem to be more natural than some decades before, but this fact becomes very clear once we take into account the evolution concerned to freedom of speech. This aspect does not mean that insulting is something new in today’s culture; using swear words in our daily speech is as ancient as life itself, but because of the abovementioned freedom of speech, we are used to hearing or reading this part of our vocabulary in any circumstance, whether on television or on radio or on any situation. One of the main means for the use and, consequently, for the learning of these words is television. It is almost impossible not to watch a film or a television program i n which a swear word is not mentioned. It is on television where people learn not only the meaning of swear words but also the situation in which has to, or might, be used. A very different aspect is to try to analyse whether insulting has become a habit in our society or just a mean of showing different emotions before a particular situation. Insulting is not just using words with more or less strength in their meaning, but it also implies a deliberate increase in the tone of the utterance. By intensifying the tone of our speech when we insult means an attempt to let clear the seriousness of our intimidation or threaten. To affirm that insulting has turned out to be a habit in the

“Nature and Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay

Ralph Waldo Emerson, nineteenth century poet and writer, expresses a philosophy of life, based on our inner self and the presence of the soul. Emerson regarded and learned from the great minds of the past. In his writings he says repeatedly that each person should live according to his own thinking. In Nature and Self-Reliance the central theme is do not seek answers outside of yourself. This main idea of Emerson’s philosophy states that a man should learn to express himself. Being yourself will help you to solve the problems of your life. We need to trust ourselves in order to improve our life, like all great men have done. Self-Reliance expresses that the Truth stems from within deep in our soul which is the pillar of our personal power and self-respect. This source of all greatness sets us free form the ego and helps us to transcend through the ideals of love, truth and justice; some people call this â€Å"the moral sense†. The soul cannot be completely defined or described but it is the only thing we can be absolutely sure of, since all other facts are temporary. Being ourselves allows us to obtain many more answers and to understand our unconscious intentions. Humans may exceed their limited ideas by realizing that God does exists and that in Him, we will find the Truth and answers if we open ourselves to Him. Self-Reliance also expresses the need for creative thinking. Society during Emerson’s era resisted reform and scorned the reformer. Emerson saw individualism in direct conflict with society. Although he often criticized society, he stressed more importantly the openness of the individual through the soul. The soul is the creative essence all of creation including art, which is human unity with natural things, which is expressed in Nature. In Nature the soul sees the picture of its own pure essence manifest, seeing beauty, truth, and justice in its laws. Nature in life teaches us understanding and is a practicing tool for the intellect to use in learning how to deal with life’s problems. From Emerson’s transcendental view the natural figures are also symbols of spirituals facts or philosophy. That by interacting with nature, people learn not only what is practical but also what is good; for Emerson nature and the soul are perfectly complementary. Emerson also states that it is good to learn from the books as long as the reader keeps his creativity and way of thinking and that by practical experience we learn quickly and well. Emerson tries to makes us realize that by our own virtues and by calling on our own internal means we can find the answers to many questions, and even answers for the question we have not even shape which will help us to keep the integrity of one’s internal evolution. Emerson believed that when people begin to realize that autonomy and the expression of your thoughts is right for them, then many good changes will happen in society. Emerson’s was one of the leaders in the extended view of progressive learning, but also offers insights into age-old or â€Å"natural method† as better than new technology based on experimentation. In many of his writings he compares the beauty of the nature, and expresses, in the writings of Nature and Self-Reliance that we can find the answers to all challenges.

The Patriot Movie

The Patriot Movie The Patriot movie has been a great movie. All the scenes were incredible and others were devastating. Having to watch this history movie has become one of my favorite movies with the scenes that I have chosen. My first scene I chose was actually a very sad part of the movie. It was when Benjamins 2nd oldest son was shot by one of the British cruel leaders. He was killed because he was trying to free his oldest son Gabriel and was shot instead. After that, Benjamin became upset because the British leader ended up ordering to kill the wounded American’s and burned his house down.He got his sons, the guns and went after them to get his oldest son. They ended up killing all the soldiers and made sure they all died and ended up freeing his son from getting executed. The reaction I got from this part of the movie was very shocking that they would kill a kid and burn down a whole house. It’s also shocking that they were allowed to do all that. What I liked ab out it though was that he went after his son and did not care about what he had to do, he just had to decide it and go after it. The second scene I chose was when Gabriel went to the church and tried to ask for people to join.At the church the pastor asked for him to leave and was trying to make him leave but he wouldn’t. Anne, his future wife ends up helping him and convinces everyone to let him talk and started talking about how everyone is always talking about helping, independence and freedom. That they should act upon what they believe and help. After all that I like that he asked her father if he can write to her while he is at war. My reaction to this was very interesting how she defended him and actually helped him get the people’s attention.How she spoke up to everyone and just what was her opinion and what she thought was right. I just felt it was right and that she used her freedom of speech and spoke up The third scene I have chosen was when Benjamin tricke d the soldiers and took his back by talking to the British commander. Tavington got very angry and found out about 7 soldiers homes and went after Benjamins family. His family ended up noticing and hid, some of the American soldiers showed up and took his family while others fought the rest of the British soldiers.By this time I was really interested in this part and was glad that they ended up hiding. I was shocked most of the movie but this part was another main one. It was shocking when I was expecting them to catch one of his younger sons under the table. The fourth scene would be when Gabriel’s wife goes home after their marriage and shows up to the British soldiers gathering her whole village in a temple. The soldiers locked them in and burned it. Later on Gabriel went and found everything and could not find his wife so he went after Tavington and ended up getting killed by him.I felt so sad when this happened. I was very confident at first, happy that Tavington was get ting killed until he turned around and stabbed Gabriel. A Very disappointing feeling and shocked once more. The last and fifth scene was when they were all fighting against each other. And most of his close soldiers were dieing and when he found Tavington they got into a big fight. Tavington almost killed Benjamin, but Benjamin ended up switching it around. I knew it was going to end in a positive way but at that moment I was just curious of what else could of happened.I didn’t think that Benjamin was going to get out of that death and it shocked me the most. Very shocking movie. My reaction to this whole movie was a lot of twisted feelings. It was a very sad, shocking movie and I couldn’t really predict on what would happen next. It has to be one of my favorite war movies and I’m glad I watched it. I would definitely recommend it to someone who was in a history class to watch it. I’m glad it ended in a good note and was just surprised in all the twisted things it had and was just disappointed on who did not make it to the end. A good movie, with a good end.

University of Texas at San Antonio UTSA Admissions Data

University of Texas at San Antonio UTSA Admissions Data Are you interested in attending the University of Texas at San Antonio? They accept more than three-quarters of all applicants. See more about their admissions requirements. About UTSA The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), is a large public university whose main campus occupies 725 acres on the northern edge of San Antonio, Texas. Undergraduates can choose from 63 bachelors degree programs. Popular majors span a wide range of fields in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and profession areas. The university has a diverse student population, and the school wins high marks for the number of degrees it awards to Hispanic students. Established in 1969, UTSA has grown significantly in its short history and the campus has undergone extensive construction, renovation, and expansion in recent years. On the athletic front, the UTSA Roadrunners compete in the NCAA Division I Conference USA. The school fields 17 Division I teams. Will you get in if you apply? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) UTSA Acceptance Rate: 76Â  percentTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 450 / 560SAT Math: 470 / 570SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 20 / 25ACT English: 18 / 24ACT Math: 19 / 25ACT Writing: - / -What these ACT numbers mean Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 28,959Â  (24,724 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 50Â  percent male / 50 percent female82Â  percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $7,700 (in-state); $18,297 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $11,090Other Expenses: $2,582Total Cost: $22,372 (in-state); $32,969 (out-of-state) University of Texas at San Antonio Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 84Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 67Â  percentLoans: 52 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $7,358Loans: $6,044 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Architecture, Biology, Accounting, Business Administration, Communication, Criminal Justice, English, Finance, Health, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Marketing, Political Science, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 71Â  percentTransfer Out Rate: 33 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 13Â  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 35Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Football, Track and Field, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, BasketballWomens Sports: Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Golf, Basketball, Track and Field If You Like the University of Texas - San Antonio, You May Also Like These Schools Texas State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Houston: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBaylor University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSt Marys University: ProfileUniversity of North Texas: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Texas - Dallas: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphTexas Christian University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAngelo State University: ProfileUniversity of Texas - El Paso: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSam Houston State University: ProfileTexas Tech University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of Texas at San Antonio Mission Statement mission statement from utsa.edu/about/ The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development–for Texas, the nation and the world. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Free Essays on Changing America

A Changing America The 1920’s, one of the most important era’s in American history. It carried high prestige because of the fact that the 1920’s changed everything, from the way people thought about themselves to the way people had fun and kept themselves entertained. It was an era that had drastic changes in political attitude, economic attitude, and cultural values. The topics addressed in chapter 12 reflect a changing America in that American values and attitudes all changed due to the new wave thinking brought on by the 1920’s. The first major change in American society was the change that occurred in America’s political attitude. The most major change in political attitude was due to Americans newfound hatred of immigrants. Because the 1920’s instilled a sense of national pride and nationalism many Americans were against immigrants. People did not like immigrants because of the fact that they felt they were un-American and gave America a bad name. Since the 1920’s made people feel important because of new found income and entertainment, it made people believe that any time there was a problem in America it was not because of an American. Therefore a lot of the blame was placed on immigrants. So in order to keep America â€Å"American† the government put heavy restrictions on immigrants. One of these restrictions was the Act of 1921, which limited the amount of immigrants entering the United States from Europe. Then in 1924 the American government decided to lower the amount of European immigrants and exclude all Asian immigrants. Another occurrence in the 1920’s that explains the changing political attitude was Prohibition. Prohibition was a law that was passed through a new Amendment that outlawed the consumption and sale of alcohol. This was yet another attempt by the American government to eliminate all things that they felt brought America down. Even though Prohibition decreased domestic abuse and death it... Free Essays on Changing America Free Essays on Changing America A Changing America The 1920’s, one of the most important era’s in American history. It carried high prestige because of the fact that the 1920’s changed everything, from the way people thought about themselves to the way people had fun and kept themselves entertained. It was an era that had drastic changes in political attitude, economic attitude, and cultural values. The topics addressed in chapter 12 reflect a changing America in that American values and attitudes all changed due to the new wave thinking brought on by the 1920’s. The first major change in American society was the change that occurred in America’s political attitude. The most major change in political attitude was due to Americans newfound hatred of immigrants. Because the 1920’s instilled a sense of national pride and nationalism many Americans were against immigrants. People did not like immigrants because of the fact that they felt they were un-American and gave America a bad name. Since the 1920’s made people feel important because of new found income and entertainment, it made people believe that any time there was a problem in America it was not because of an American. Therefore a lot of the blame was placed on immigrants. So in order to keep America â€Å"American† the government put heavy restrictions on immigrants. One of these restrictions was the Act of 1921, which limited the amount of immigrants entering the United States from Europe. Then in 1924 the American government decided to lower the amount of European immigrants and exclude all Asian immigrants. Another occurrence in the 1920’s that explains the changing political attitude was Prohibition. Prohibition was a law that was passed through a new Amendment that outlawed the consumption and sale of alcohol. This was yet another attempt by the American government to eliminate all things that they felt brought America down. Even though Prohibition decreased domestic abuse and death it...

Capital Punishment Ethics Essay Sample

Capital Punishment Ethics Essay Sample Capital Punishment Ethics Essay Capital punishment comprises of execution of a criminal. It is justifiable under the law to counter social ills that affect human life through depriving the criminal the right to life. Moral philosophy under different scholars gives differing views on this form of punishment. The general views either indicate the moral impermissible nature of the punishment as it deprives human life. The second view justifies the existence of it. Your essay has to outline some of the philosophical views on capital punishment. Capital punishment (CP), a retributive form of justice seeks to provide punishment in the same measure as the wrong done by the offender. Stuart Mill, a proponent of the consequentialism ethics states that utility is the standard measure for judgment. The utility also called ’Greatest Happiness Principle’ brings happiness through minimizing any pain. Therefore, consequentialism punishment looks at the net benefits in the future as the reform of the offender, deterrence of similar offenses and safeguarding society. The ultimate goal of CP should be in promoting social utility. In essence, it does the minutest harm with an aggregate of doing the most good to all concerned. CP is, therefore, permissible as a just mechanism based on the social achievement of the desired happiness. Utilitarian looks at the means to an end and not the end alone. Hence, a death penalty may not necessarily be morally permissible based on retribution as deterrence. They further argue that the level of effectiveness of the deterrence arising from a death sentence is not justifiable. Therefore, CP may not be a legitimate mechanism of punishment as the social utility inherent is not warrantable. Additionally, CP only adds up to inhumanity to humanity. In fact, it never erases murder crimes making death penalty an unfair way of administering justice. The second philosophical view borrows from the deontological theories of ethics. These theories stipulate that an act is either wrong or right relative to judicial guidelines. For example, the virtuous ethics which is an act-based theoretical framework promotes the rule of law going contrary to the common good of the people. Underlying its justification for CP is the disposition of good morals to individuals which positively impact on society. Dispositions are cultivated over time which form habits to do right hence, exposition of desirable character. In a way, it deters any form of delinquent behavior in communities. The proponents of the deontological theories such as Aristotle stipulate that retributivism in itself constitute morality. A punishment is therefore meant to serve the moral good in itself. Essentially, a punishment exists not to justify a crime but as a moral commitment as deserved for the wrongdoing. Under Kant’s work on ‘Groundwork of The Metaphysics of Morals (1785),’ he rejects the consequential idea of the achievement of social utility. Kant asserts that crime merits punishment and guilt are necessary and sufficient for judicial punishment. Moral ethics advocates for the good of all people. A death penalty deprives an individual the will to live. Despite the crime done, the punishment should be outlaid with the same weight which does not necessarily mean death. Life imprisonment is one form that can substitute CP yet serve the same purpose. Conquering with the utilitarianism, the punishment should be administered to correct and maintain social utility. CP is unjust when an innocent life gets involved. Life is irreversible and morality calls for just acts that promote human dignity.

Immigrants and the City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Immigrants and the City - Essay Example United States of America is one of the developed countries in its economic, political, social, and environmental sectors and is amongst the super powers of the world since decades. Fifty-two states in total makes up the U.S. as a federal constitutional nation.  U.S. touches its borders with Canada and Mexico and Washington D.C. is its capital state (United States Bureau of the Census, pp. 640-715, 2004). Due to its gigantic land mass and huge population, United States comes under the world rankings. Diversity dominates the culture of U.S. as people from several races, civilizations and backgrounds reside in it. It is one of the most powerful nations with the strongest and most established economy (Kleniewski, pp. 167-190). U.S. economy comes under handling by the capitalist economical structure and subjects to domination by industrial and service segments. Advanced telecommunication, transportation, and technology govern the success of the financial sector of America. Its economy i s trade based and it is one of the leading importers and exporters of manufactured goods and some fossil fuels. It is also a nuclear power and is rich in resources, which makes it potential of producing electrical energy in gargantuan amounts (Kleniewski, pp. 167-190). Agriculture sector contributes a small part in U.S. total income; however, U.S. cultivates some of the important crops on its land. The value of U.S. dollar plays a critical and significant role in governing the currency value of most of the countries in the world (United States Bureau of the Census, pp. 640-715, 2004). United States is a country with the populace from all around the world. The immigration history dates back to several centuries. According to some schools of thought (Fisher, pp. 6-50, 2007), the earliest immigrants were from several regions of European continent and marked the beginning of influx of people in America from different corners of the world, whereas, few believed that Asians were the initi al migrants (Kleniewski, pp. 167-190). Where numerous people came to America by their own will, many coercively came under bringing as slaves and labors. The migration pattern experienced a fluctuating trend as many historical events had influenced the happening (Fisher, pp. 6-50, 2007). The purposes with which the immigrants migrated to United States were either religious, slavery and to have a wealthy life or future. The early migrations did not involve any kind of immigration policies and visas as people mostly migrated via sea routes. Consequently, United States observed a major escalation in the population growth and cultural diversity as people from different ethnic backgrounds came and settled there. The discrimination factor has always been present when considering the immigration matter. This enormity became noticeable and got official recognition under an act when countless people inhabited the U.S. territory and government came into formation (Kleniewski, pp. 167-190). Ac cording to this Act, white people received higher preference over people of other skin tones such as browns and blacks (Fisher, pp. 6-50, 2007). This practice came under eradication in late twentieth century when legal steps gave equal immigration rights to everyone regardless of their color, race, and religion. The entrance to America

Epistemology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Epistemology - Essay Example First and foremost, this paper also deals with how theories are studied so that people may interpret and understand information, and develop them to form their own research studies. This is known as hermeneutics, and phenomenology would refer to how individuals study the philosophies of the world and what exactly it means to them. For this study, it is important to understand that without these theories, human beings would be lost when it comes to how they understand the world. Knowledge has to come from somewhere and this is illustrated in this paper through the mention of various research methodologies and approaches, dispositions and cognitive theories. As the study declares qualitative and quantitative approaches are two main approaches when it comes to research methodology. At this point it is important to first understand both qualitative and quantitative approaches in order to understand how research studies are brought about, as well as the epistemology and ontology approaches when it comes to research work. In a qualitative study, the researcher is not so interested in obtaining a set of facts, but rather is more interested in gaining insight into a perspective (Johnson, 1984). The philosophy of the qualitative approach is that knowledge and facts are subjective and that problems cannot be fully understood in isolation. In this light, should problems arise, they should be viewed as part of a complex pattern of links and relationships.

Construction details Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Construction details - Essay Example Prior to theconstructionandidentification, somefactorswereconsidered to be paramountbeing in mindthattheerection of steelbarswasthekeypoints during thedevelopment. The Frame dimensions andthe dimensions of the Slab weremadesurethattheywerecompatible. Thiswasmainly to ensurethattheframe will be placed without any distort, comfortably within theplanned dimensions. The Frame Set-out wasalsoensured to be corresponding with thecorrectplan. Set-out wasmadeusingtheexact Architectural plans. Theaim of thiswas to ensurethatthecorrectandrelevantmeasurementsweretransferred to theactual subfloor(Esin & Cosgun, 2007). The Frames werealso Installed Right Way Up and Right Way Around. Thishoweverwasmadepossible by the availability of Steel Frame Solutions wallframenumberingsystemandthe Wall Framing Layout. During thedetailedfabricationprocess, theframes of thewallwerenumberedforthepurpose of accurateidentification. Thisprocess, however, does not leave behind thejunctionnumbers that are references to thebackwallframinglayout. To ensurethatthewallframewas not installed upside downorwrongwayaround, theterminalnumberswerematched with thewallframinglayout. Thearchitecturalplanwas a constantreferencesourceduring theentireconstructionperiod to makesurethatthestructure is correctand as initiallyplanned(Potvin, 2005). Theconstructionprocedureforthesteelextensionstructurewasfound to be thesame as thatfortimber framing, onlythatthesteelsstandstheadvantage of lightweightand rigidity. Theentireconstructionprocessstarted with strict studying of thecompleteset of Architectural andfabricationplans. Thewallframepositionsweremarked on thefloor with a chalk followingthe Architectural plansclosely. Itwasensuredthattheextensionperimeterwassquare, andthiswasfacilitated by comparingthe diagonals. Theexternalcornerwasmarkedandnoted to be crucial since that is wheretheerection of thesteelbeams would begin. Therelevantframepackswereopened,

Critical Business Issues And Self-Evaluation Essay

Critical Business Issues And Self-Evaluation - Essay Example The global business environment is constantly changing by the day, and these changes impose certain limitations and requirements on the present day organizations; the successful organizations are those that are able to make appropriate adjustments in response to the changes taking place around them. Inability to respond to these changes undermines organizational effectiveness, leading to utter losses and organizational failure accordingly; in this respect, excellent managers are able to make intelligent trade-offs in pursuit of performance and sustainability in the long term. In the current global system, therefore, adaptability or, the capacity to change in the face of increasing pressure in the highly competitive and complex global business environment, is a fundamental precursor to the successful business. As it stands, organizations today are increasingly facing new challenges, and the role of managers has changed drastically from the traditional one since they have to find new w ays of addressing new challenges that beset their organizations today. In this respect, one of the greatest challenges faced by organizations today is the establishment of the right kind of leadership that can yield new innovative approaches to addressing current organizational challenges. Organizational management has to ensure that organizational goals and objectives are met in the most efficient ways possible, even as it strives to steer the organization towards that desired future state, where performance and sustainability are guaranteed. Due to the changing global business environment, particularly as a result to the increased global interconnectedness that has emerged following globalization and technological pressures, organizations have inevitably found it hard to continue operating in their conventional ways. New situations at the workplace have demanded completely new approaches to solution finding and organizations have come under great test as they have been subjected t o rapid changes that have necessitated rapid responses. The highly dynamic and complex business environment today has, therefore, instigated the evolution of the role of managers and leaders today; the changing roles of managers is a function of the new order, which requires that managers adopt new approaches to addressing organizational challenges. Apart from the changing role of managers, the other theme of fundamental importance at the workplace today is teamwork; successful organizations are those that are able to leverage on the pooling of talents, skills, and knowledge of teams to accomplish their organizational objectives. Teams possess greater capabilities as opposed to single individuals working independently because they bring together individuals who are jointly working towards the achievement of common objectives through shared commitment and mutual sense of purpose. Leadership, is a great organizational challenge today, particularly because, organizations seeking to res tate their presence in the global business space need to adopt a new kind of leadership capability that can reframe challenges, interpret options, and provide direction by reforming organizational operations (Powell 2007, p.2). The challenge of leadership, especially in these turbulent times, is becoming real by the day since organizations cannot continue to rely on conventional approaches such as restructuring and reengineering alone.  

Cross cultural management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cross cultural management - Essay Example Studies of the ancient china are useful in the understanding of the leadership models in modern china. Research on Chinese leadership is accredited to a scholar known as Misumi, who was Japanese. According to his research, he categorized Chinese leadership into two major classifications notably the model of performance and the maintenance. Maintenance factor is the step taken towards improvement of the human labour force. An interesting close examination of the leadership style adopted in China reveals that leadership characteristics are spread along the organizations with close similarity. For example, according to Mobley, Wang and Li, the survey conducted on state owned enterprises and the private owned enterprises shows that the managers are more sensitive to the environment, are less authoritarian, and encourage a lot of moral behaviors. In particular, the traditional cultural values have more often shaped the styles of leadership and mode of management in china. According to Bod en, leadership in china originates from various qualities as compared to other nations; leaders are created on the basis of knowledge and attitude. The advantage that the ruler has is that the Chinese are very loyal to their leaders and are always ready to take up the responsibility whenever a need arises. The current leaders in china are more linked to the olden traditional rulers because they share certain traditional similarities. According to Boden (2008), these values are Confucian approach, legalistic approach, naturalistic approach, as well as the strategic approach. The Confucian approach, which is also known as the humanistic leadership requires a leader to have moral character and proper conduct. He is also expected to be a lifelong learner. The legalistic approach demands that a leader undergoes punishment whenever he goes wrong; it articulates for stricter codes of conduct. This leader is also expected to have the skills of attracting skilled and knowledgeable followers, rather than them having to display their skills. In this case, the leader is expected to be wise, and at all times, avoid getting into trouble. The delegated duties should be accompanied by rewards if a worker performs well. China is a unique nation with a different cultural setup compared to other nations in the West; this has led to its unique ways of leadership styles that do not conform so much to those of the Western countries. The methods of leadership practiced in other nations have to be greatly modified if they are to fit the nation of China and the vice versa. Gallo points out that â€Å"in fact many of them will never work well here† (2011, p. 5), meaning in China. There are cultural differences that exist between China and the countries from the west. There is also difference in which expectations are laid between the workers and the leaders. Another contributing factor to these differences in leadership styles are the societal values that do vary; some of the values from other nations that may be seen as good can be perceived differently in China. Challenges of leadership are complicated and harder especially when members of an organization come from different cultural setups from that of their leader. The naturalistic appr

IP1 ECON Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IP1 ECON - Essay Example The price could fall as the A-phone is trying to clear the stock of the current models while developing new models to compete with the promegranate. The curve is likely to move to the left due to a fall in demand. If there is an increase of the price of A-phone due to a flaw found in the promegranate, demand is likely to fall if there are other competitors, but if there is little or no competition, the demand is going to rise (Bernanke and Abel, 2000). The movement is going to move according to the change in demand. If there is a new type of walkie-talkie that has unlimited range, and is basically free, demand for the A-phone is likely to fall. The rate in the fall in demand will depend on how many unique features the A-phone has. There is large number of people interested in the unique features such as cameras, and mp3 players. The price must fall in order to attract buyers even when the walkie-talkie is free, therefore, the curve will shift to the left due to the fall in demand. If it is discovered that there are health concerns when using cell phones, there is will be a drastic fall in the demand and price, since few people w ill be willing to use the phone. In this case, the curve is likely to move to the left due to the fall in demand. If there is a baby boom, there will be an increase in customers and therefore demand is likely to increase, and the price is also going to increase. In this case, the curve is going to shift to the right. If the price of the A-Phone and the Pomegranate both go up, demand is likely to remain the same, however, if the other brands in the market do not raise their prices, the demand may fall. The graph is likely to remain the same if the demand remains the same. If the market price of cell phones goes up, the demand will go down. The supply will outweigh the demand. Therefore there will be excessive supply in the market. If it becomes more expensive to

Cross cultural management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cross cultural management - Essay Example Studies of the ancient china are useful in the understanding of the leadership models in modern china. Research on Chinese leadership is accredited to a scholar known as Misumi, who was Japanese. According to his research, he categorized Chinese leadership into two major classifications notably the model of performance and the maintenance. Maintenance factor is the step taken towards improvement of the human labour force. An interesting close examination of the leadership style adopted in China reveals that leadership characteristics are spread along the organizations with close similarity. For example, according to Mobley, Wang and Li, the survey conducted on state owned enterprises and the private owned enterprises shows that the managers are more sensitive to the environment, are less authoritarian, and encourage a lot of moral behaviors. In particular, the traditional cultural values have more often shaped the styles of leadership and mode of management in china. According to Bod en, leadership in china originates from various qualities as compared to other nations; leaders are created on the basis of knowledge and attitude. The advantage that the ruler has is that the Chinese are very loyal to their leaders and are always ready to take up the responsibility whenever a need arises. The current leaders in china are more linked to the olden traditional rulers because they share certain traditional similarities. According to Boden (2008), these values are Confucian approach, legalistic approach, naturalistic approach, as well as the strategic approach. The Confucian approach, which is also known as the humanistic leadership requires a leader to have moral character and proper conduct. He is also expected to be a lifelong learner. The legalistic approach demands that a leader undergoes punishment whenever he goes wrong; it articulates for stricter codes of conduct. This leader is also expected to have the skills of attracting skilled and knowledgeable followers, rather than them having to display their skills. In this case, the leader is expected to be wise, and at all times, avoid getting into trouble. The delegated duties should be accompanied by rewards if a worker performs well. China is a unique nation with a different cultural setup compared to other nations in the West; this has led to its unique ways of leadership styles that do not conform so much to those of the Western countries. The methods of leadership practiced in other nations have to be greatly modified if they are to fit the nation of China and the vice versa. Gallo points out that â€Å"in fact many of them will never work well here† (2011, p. 5), meaning in China. There are cultural differences that exist between China and the countries from the west. There is also difference in which expectations are laid between the workers and the leaders. Another contributing factor to these differences in leadership styles are the societal values that do vary; some of the values from other nations that may be seen as good can be perceived differently in China. Challenges of leadership are complicated and harder especially when members of an organization come from different cultural setups from that of their leader. The naturalistic appr

Letter of Recommendation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Letter of Recommendation - Essay Example She has a solid knowledge base of the types of the appropriate injections for patients. She is a very skillful employee and during her time here at the hospital she had the opportunity to learn about patients from diverse backgrounds and who had a wide variety of illnesses. These health issues ranged from physical injuries, emergency health situations, and timely patient care provision. In my professional opinion, she would excel in any hospitals’ emergency department as she is tireless in providing quality support to doctors. She also excels at all tasks given to her throughout her shift. While working with us she showed superior problem-solving skills and an outstanding critical thinking ability which was evident in the way she managed various situations that she encountered in the hospital. Her ability to make quick and wise decisions in carrying out her functions even under high-stress environments is unsurpassed. She is diligent in giving medications and referrals to patients, and she worked around the x-ray duties remarkably. She is a hardworking lady and did exemplary work with the patients. She always took her time to take the vital signs readings of all the patients whenever they came to the doctor’s room. Her interest in monitoring the blood pressure and pulse of the patients, as well as their temperature showed that she took the required steps in diagnosing patients. She was always eager to find out what various readings of vitals meant and it took her very little time to manage to recognize a hypertension patient. This lady is an avid learner and a team player, keen on ways to improve herself to better suit both the patient’s and hospital needs. She is very dependable in her work, having impeccable case notes that are always up to date. She holds herself highly in matters regarding ethics and integrity. Her daily routine involved her interacting with patients,

How to Become a Successful Political Leader

How to Become a Successful Political Leader What is the strategy for becoming a successful political leader? Heba Ziad Before becoming a political leader, ask yourself why do you want to be a politician, set your goals and projects, and study the aspects of yours energy to achieve these goals and projects. A politician’s duties outweigh the rights as a citizen, so have your thought about your duties? A politician is responsible for their party, homeland and themself, responsible to raise the level of  their county and to address its issues. Responsible for the selection of parliamentary assemblies and to exercise their natural rights in their way. Political actions are a subject to man to exercise it. So did you study your facilities to ensure your success? It’s not enough for people to consider you a politician, you have to ensure your answer to people that wonder; what concerns you as a politician? What are your hopes? Where are your efforts? Where is your opinion and your voice? Where is your approach to serve your country and your nation? What is your curriculum? If you wish to be a successful politician, there is no success without ambitions. Aspiration not selfishness, to preach for motivation, adopt a vast of hopes and look into the future with determination, confidence and reassurance is not enough to spend your life as a member of a party or a minister, why don’t you become the party leader or the head of the ministry? A successful politician should not be tempted or condoles the situation your country is at, you must have the ambition to work on expanding the fellowship of your country, to increase its resources, upgrade it, and accept the ultimate position between countries in the world. Ambition is the key factor in the life of every successful politician, self ambitious, general ambition for the good of the country, the good of the world and the good of humanity. The life of politics is all about sacrifices, and a successful politician is satisfied with sacrificing everything for the sake of a principle, a party or a home. The life of politics and governance deprive politicians from corporate memberships, free businesses from the fields of the economy, from life comfort, convenience and peace of mind. Deprived of security, tranquility and safety, from taking care of their wife, children and siblings, from practicing their right to take care of their health and temper, from feeding their spirit with streams of science and literature. A successful politician is willing to sacrifies all these luxuries for the sake of their success as a respectable politician. The notion that politics is all about lying, flattery and hypocrisy is a weak sentiment, not one of the characteristics of a successful politician. Politics is frankness and sincerity, and not vice versa. A successful politician is an honest politician who can speak boldly of their opinion even if it cost him carrying the colors of harm, injustice and suffering. Political positivity is successful positivity. A politician by the name â€Å"Nuri Said† says: â€Å"Political negativity is easy, it is in the capacity of every man to practice, however, political positivity is the touchstone of every successful politician† It’s not enough to say no. A successful politician ought to say after what they want. It’s not enough to carry the pick of demolition, they should work on the building and construction, it is not enough to repeal, oppose and criticize, but they should take the initiative to lay the foundations to build something else in exchange. There is no place in the ship of successful policy for what we can call ship mice; if it sinks, they flee. A successful captain is one who is responsible for the ship and delivers it to safety, overcoming what intercepted it from waves, winds and hurricanes. They ensure the safety of the passengers, steers the ship towards safety and does everything they can in order to ensure its path with all their voltage, experience and intelligence. Therefore, if the ship sinks, they are the last one to leave it, and they might drown with it. The sense of responsibility and bearing it is necessary and a great thin in the life of both the ship, and the nations and empires, hence in order to succeed you must learn to carry responsibility. If a politician has espoused a principle, they ought to speak boldly of it,  are  they an oppositionist or a supporter? Which parties do they oppose and which do they support? They should not favor where there is struggle, nor deceive where there is combat, they should not evade or run away, nor bury their head in the sand. Ergo, a successful politician is a brave politician. A politician must read a lot. They should be enlightened in everything in literature, theirtory, philosophy, nature, poetry, the biographies of the great and the theirtory of art and music. Culture is like vitamins for the politician, it is their spine; it is a qualification in their conversations and speeches, and a reference in their researches. An ignorant politician, no matter how smart, brilliant, popular or patriotic they are, are not up to success as long as their sleeve is lacking the main element of success, that is culture. Do you want to be a successful political leader? Here’s what you have to do: Have a positive mindset, and direct yourself to solutions, actions and people; enthusiasm brings success. Embrace change; it is impossible for change not to occur. Followers tend to resist change, a successful leader must embrace change and seize the opportunity offered by it. Courage; â€Å"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions† Douglas MacArthur â€Å"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer† George S. Patton Take risks; the greatest venture is to never take risks. Successful leaders resolve to win or try again. Listening; successful leaders listen and learn. Your potential followers know what they, so just listen to them. Communicate; successful leaders lean towards open communications, they use their minds, say what they feel and speak from the heart. Delegation and empowerment; leaders involve other people with their responsibility. They do not tell people what to do, but set and example for others to follow them. A successful leader encourages other people to develop, challenges them to take over new responsibilities, encourages them to succeed and supports them if they fail. A good leader understands that mistakes are only lessons on the path towards success that is beneficial. Understand others, yourself and your situation. Good leaders understand the importance of an open-loving mind for knowledge; the permanent pursuit of knowledge brings more understanding. Commitment; commitment is the catalyst that makes qualities of a good leadership a reality. To rededicate yourself to commit every day to commit is the foundation of becoming a successful leader. Start small, and then lead a group or a committee. Do everything necessary for the success of ttheir group or committee. Repeat such acts again until they become normal. Respect the attributes of leadership and the influence of those who wish to reach leadership.

Pel?: Edson Arantes do Nascimento :: essays research papers fc

Pelà © was born on October 23, 1940. He was born in the small Brazilian town of Trà ªs Coracones (Tres Coratsoin, translated it means ‘Three Hearts’) in the state of Sà £o Paulo. His birth name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. His father was Dondinho, another excellent soccer player. His birth name Joà £o Ramos do Nascimento. Pelà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s father had been a great soccer player before Pelà © was born. Pelà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s father had to retire prematurely. During a game, he was slide tackled and sustained serious career-ending injury to the knee. Instead of playing the sport he loved, he had to resort to scrubbing floors to support his family. As a result, Pelà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s mother was greatly opposed to Pelà © playing soccer. However, after Pelà © was born, the family moved to Bauru, another city in Sà £o Paulo. He played soccer in the field behind his house. He used Coca-Cola cans to mark the sidelines and goalposts. The ball was made of rags and socks. His father gave him valuable tips during these sessions. After a while, as he played more and more, Pelà © was starting to master the sport. While these sessions were going on, Pelà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s career was off to a running start. He played for the local youth team, Bauru AC. His coach was a man named Waldemar de Brito. He had been another great player in Brazilian soccer history. Brito taught Pelà © the bicycle kick. That is a trick that Pelà © would use very many times to score many goals. When the ball was in the air, he would turn his back, then jump into the air horizontally, then kick the ball. Pelà © played for Bauru AC until 1956. He was fifteen years old. He left home to play for Santos FC in the city of Sà £o Paulo. He ended up playing for Santos for most of his career. Santos was the most successful and widely recognized team worldwide. When he was seventeen, in 1958, he was selected to play in the World Cup for Brazil. He played for the Brazilian national team, in competitions and exhibitions, from 1958 until 1974. In Sweden in World Cup 1958, he scored six goals. These included a hat trick in the semi finals, and two in the final. Brazil easily took the Cup home. Pelà © had his quietest years in 1959, 1960, and 1961. In 1962, Brazil won their second World Cup in a row. Santos won a club championship under the guidance the best soccer player ever, Pelà ©.

My Media Life :: Essays Papers

My Media Life When I was growing up I was always taught that television was a privilege – one that could be taken away if I neglected other important things in my life. Some of my earliest memories of my mother’s control on my television watching consist of a small basket in which we would â€Å"deposit† our TV slips each time we watched a program or a movie. Each week she would give my brother, my sister, and I slips of paper with a certain amount of â€Å"time† available for us to watch TV written on them. We had to be careful not to use them all up in the first couple days of the week or else we wouldn’t be able to watch anything else all week. I can’t remember exactly how much time she would give us, but I remember it varying depending on the season (she gave us more time in the summer) and our age (as we got older, the more time we were allowed). My mother’s ingenious idea to establish this system upon us not only controlled how much TV we watched, but also taught us some very early lessons on time management. My mother wasn’t all that strict though with this system. For example, if we were watching a program with the whole family, such as the newest episode of Home Improvement, Full House, or Rescue 911, she would let us watch for free. If we were watching educational programs then she would let us watch for free. If we were watching a family video on a Friday night, she let us watch for free. And of course, Saturday-morning cartoons were obviously free. As we got older, my mom kind of just let this system fall out of practice. We were outside enough, climbing in the pine trees in our backyard, riding bikes all over the neighborhood, or swimming in our 4.5-foot above-ground pool. She wasn’t worried about us not getting proper exercise outdoors. Television was simply a way to pass the rainy days and afternoons when it was too hot to be outside. When trying to recall some of the television programs that were a part of my childhood, I can think of many.

My Ride on the Bus Essay

The final paper topic that I decided on was the observation of American culture from a 5 mile bus ride. On 20th July, on a Friday, I rode the Foothill 482 bus towards Puente Hills Mall, a bus ride of about 10 miles. It was around 4.30 p.m. when I took the bus and I arrived around 45 minutes later, having passed through many landmarks and stops. From the ride, I observed a whole lot of events that made me conclude a few things about the modern American culture. The five conclusions that I made about America from this bus ride are: the distinct modes of transportations for citizens of different social classes, the continuing rise of the automobile industry, the increase in consumption of fast foods; especially among the middle-classed, the ever-going strong influence of Christianity in religious American society, and lastly the tendency of modern Americans to use foreign cars. Firstly, I would like to go into the different modes of transportations that modern America use according to their social classes. From the ride, I observed out of all the passengers who rode the bus along the 10 mile journey, there was not even one single white person who came on the bus. The only white person there was the driver, and the passengers all were either of Hispanic or Asian descent. I quote this from an online article: â€Å"But U.S. transportation systems have not been marching toward racial integration—quite the opposite. According to the research of Mark Garrett and Brian Taylor, minorities accounted for 21 percent of bus riders in 1977. By 1995, that number had jumped to 69 percent.† (http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/07/race-class-and-stigma-riding-bus-america/2510/). Now it may be easy for me to say: â€Å"Oh! White people of America don’t ride the bus, only minorities do.† But on more careful scrutiny of the passengers, of the type of clothes they wear to the places they were coming from when they boarded the bus, I realized that most of them (I’m not trying to be judgmental here, just from my observations) were of the working, middle class. There was not a single suit-wearing, briefcase-toting professional. So it is a safe conclusion for me to make that professionals and people of the upper-middle to upper classes don’t prefer to ride the bus. An evidence of this would be that when we passed through a very high-classed gated community on Golden Springs Drive at Diamond Bar, we did not even stop once along the one or two-mile stretch of road. This shows that buses are not really a main form of transport for the residents there. Another evidence was that when we passed through the Gateway Corporate Centre, a long stretch of private companies and government offices, we stopped only once, and the parking lots were full of cars even though th ey can accommodate many cars. So from my observations of the passengers and this report I quote: â€Å"Fewer than 40 percent (of Hispanics and Blacks) have middle-class levels of wealth and this proportion has not changed since 1996. Nearly 75 percent of White households have middle-class or higher levels of wealth.† (http://www.c3.ucla.edu/newsstand/national/wealth-gap-widens-between-whites-and-hispanics/), the reason why there were less Caucasians compared to Hispanics on the bus was that both races dominate different levels of the social class, thus the very little integration between the passengers of the bus, a middle-class dominated form of transport. The second point about modern American culture is the continued rising of the automobile industry and its related businesses. Between the early 1900’s to the early 1940’s, automobiles were a form of luxury and not anybody can afford them. Add to that the Great Depression and World War II, not many people were thinking of spending their money on cars and just stuck to buses and trains. â€Å"In 1900 only 4,192 passenger cars (and no trucks or buses) were built in the United States.† (http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/MarinaStasenko.shtml). However, during the rise of the consumer culture during the 50’s and the 60’s, people start to spend on things that they don’t necessarily need but to satisfy their material needs. So more people start to spend their money on cars and less people use public transports. â€Å"†¦ The United States still constitutes by far the largest vehicle population in the world; with 239.8 million cars†¦Wardâ €™s reports that there are 1.3 people for every car in the U.S†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/08/23/car-population_n_934291.html). An evidence of the increase of cars on the roads is that during the bus ride, we stopped a lot of times at traffic lights, which is one of the main forms of traffic control of automobiles on the road, so a lot of stops mean that there are a lot of cars to handle. Another solid evidence of the high numbers of automobiles on the roads is that I saw the very busy and congested S. Californian 60 freeway, especially since it was around 5 and everybody was trying to get home. With the increase of cars on the roads, there was also an increase in automobile-related businesses like car washes, gas stations, motels etc. Along the way, gas stations like Esso, Shell, and Chevron etc. dominated the roads with one being less than a quarter mile away from each other. When the bus moves further along the route, you’ll see another gas company of the same brands again, also not even 2 miles apart. The high number of gas stations available indicates the constant need for gas for automobile and there is also increased competition between the gas companies to get the most profits. There were also a lot of small car washes by the side of the road, and even at the mall, there was a Sears Auto Centre which sold car parts and accessories, even though Sears are most well-known for selling household appliances and clothes. Same is to be said for restaurants that have drive-throughs. It seems that they too wanted a share of the profit of the expanding automobile industry. A third conclusion I made from the bus ride is the increase in consumption of fast food in America, especially among the middle-classed. What started from a semi-successful burger joint by a pair of brothers, a visionary named Ray A. Kroc bought out the business and it is now a multi-billion dollar industry. McDonalds now owns about 450 branches in California alone, not counting the ones in other States and the whole w orld! During the ride, I would observe that fast food joints, not only McDonalds, but a whole lot of others like In & Out, Wendy’s, KFC etc.; were located on only some parts of town and not others. Their locations were nearest to neighbourhoods of middle-class stature. There were not a McDonalds in sight for the whole long stretch of the rich Golden Springs Dr. area. Their locations were also very near to each other, where all the fast food joints were grouped together on a half-mile radius. This means that somehow, even with the whole lot of competition going on with the other restaurants, each of the restaurants was doing well at their locations. So it would be safe to assume that a big target market for these fast food joints are the middle-classed because they were located so near to those neighbourhoods.

Brett Ashley and the novel The Sun Also Rises

I must admit that my views of Brett Ashley have now changed upon reading the article by Lorie Watkins Fulton.   I think that it is very easy to blame her and her manipulative and destructive tendencies for the evil that works itself into the novel The Sun Also Rises.   That is the overriding conclusion not only of the narrator Jake Barnes, but also of nearly all of the critics of the work to date.   That creates a rather compelling point of view for us.   However, I now find it hard to place all of the blame on her character and am beginning to wonder if she is, in fact, maligned. Fulton makes a great case right away by reminding us of the completely paradoxical nature of Hemingway’s narrative.   If we are to believe that is true of the whole story, then it becomes hard to see Ashley only in one light.   How are we to believe that everyone else in the book is multi-layered but poor Ashley?   Why should we trust Barnes about this one aspect and observation of his when he proves not trustworthy about the others?   Finally, and most convincingly, it is hard to blame Ashley when we read of Jake Barnes’ obviously flawed personal observations and biases that he brings to the table: his words about the flower girl down on the street own up to the fact that he sees her as a manipulator just like all of her sex are.This outlandish assignment of character flaw with gender should have provided a useful lens through which we could begin to see Ashley in a much more favorable light.   It shows the power of literary critics in influencing us to one point of view, just as effectively as Jake Barnes did.Langston Hughes’ main theme and main concern is the loneliness and struggle of the black man, the Negro.   This poem is crafted well to show us this theme in a different and unexpected light.   Rather than explaining the struggles the Negro faces, and cataloging all of the well known facts of race in America, Hughes compares it to othe r elements that tell the same story metaphorically.   It is as if Hughes has decided that anyone reading The Weary Blues is already familiar with the issues and basic facts and is ready for a new way of seeing the history through one person but for all people.   His poem takes on color to demonstrate his concern.The title seems obvious: it must be about the type of song the old man is singing.   Surely it is, but it’s more than that.   The poem puts the color blue right up there at the top for us to see the sadness and tiredness that Negros feel.   Hughes then goes on to tell us the plight of the black man through use of the artist’s palette.   We see ‘pale’ on line 5, ebony on line 9, ivory on line 9, black on line 15, and of course ‘blues’ 7 different times.   Why all the color?   Hughes’ theme is the tired condition of the black’s struggle, the overwhelming and consuming aspect of it.   His use of colors spea ks loudly.   Blues, of course, represents the all present sadness of the people.   That is clear.   That is easy.   But look at the other things going on, too.   Pale light is a diminished opportunity.   The black man is not allowed the full brightness of spectrum, the American dream.It is in sharp contrast to that enjoyed by the white race.   Hughes says this by not just saying that the black man is playing a piano down there on the avenue.   That wouldn’t be enough.   What he says is that he had his â€Å"ebony hands on each ivory key† (9).   That contrast of ebony and ivory, black and white, says it all.   Everything we hear from the black man, the mourning of the blues, is a discussion and revelation of his everlasting struggle as a black man in a white world.The story of Mrs. Turpin in Revelation is one of those stories that really gets into me and make me want to take part.   I want to get right in and grab Mrs. Turpin by the shoulders wit h my reactions!   She may be the biggest hypocrite I have ever read about.   What makes her that way the most to me is that she is constantly referring to her position as given by Jesus himself.   O’Connor writes that Mrs. Turpin was made a better class by Jesus’ decision, and that Jesus is perfectly aware that there are many worse classes of people.She refers to this blessing over and over while reminding herself what a good type of woman she is, what a god fearing woman she is, when the reader wants to just grab her and wake her up from this delusion.   I see the opportunities for grace everywhere for Mrs. Turpin.   Where she sees so many faults in other people, she could have talked with them instead of to them.   She could have offered to really help them and not in a self-serving manner like when she helped Claude to a chair by announcing just how much they deserved one over the others who had been there first.   I really thought that she might reall y experience the grace instead of just an opportunity for it when she got home and started thinking about the wart hogs.   It seemed like she really got it for once.But then she sees those black folk and gets right back on her horse, and she has them make her feel better about the way she is! She knew that if she raised doubts about herself they would make her feel superior again, by lifting her up, and by making themselves look stupid to her!   Sadly this is one of the ways that I see this work as Southern, too.   It keeps returning to basic themes of race and religion over and over.   It is a story of defining class and making sure everyone knows their place accordingly.   This is a hallmark of Southern type stories.

Importance Bookkeeping Essay

In business, there are many factors that must be considered in order to ensure that they business is on the right track, specifically in financial matters. One of these is the aspect of bookkeeping. This paper discusses the importance of bookkeeping and will discuss laws that govern accounting aspects. Importance of Bookkeeping Bookkeeping is one of the most important aspects in financial management. It is the process of recording the financial transactions made by the company and considered as the first basic step of accounting context. Bookkeeping is important because it will definitely help you in terms of monitoring how the company is going daily, weekly and monthly. It is essential since it will help the company organize the financial transaction records which include the receipts, checks, canceled, cash disbursements and sales. The bookkeeping approach makes sure that the financial aspects are organized and balanced and enables the company to know where their money and other financial matters are going. Having this kind of bookkeeping is noted to be one of the vital keys for having successful business. A lost receipt is equivalent to lost deduction which may result for more money to be paid out in taxes. Having good bookkeeping can help the business save more financially. In addition, having organized, accurate and balanced bookkeeping records also allows the company to gain more trusts from different investors and lenders in the long ran since they will be able to see complete financial data before providing you with your needs. In addition, bookkeeping records is also important to manage the financial status of the entire business and to keep track of what is happening to the company financially. Governing Laws in Accounting In order to know that accountants are doing their jobs accurately and organized with correct information, different authorities has been able to formulate and establish accounting laws which should be followed by different companies and industries. Most accounting laws aims on restoring faith from different stakeholders. Accounting laws varies on different nations and each of the government tries to impose laws to serve as a standard model for different companies in making their accounting statements. One of the laws or policies in accounting is the international accounting standards. Being able to know the significance of financial accounting and reporting, scholars have standardized financial accounting and established the International Accounting Standards committee (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2002). The IASC known today as International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) has been able to establish the International Financial reporting Standards. The IFRS has been applied in the global contexts and Europe, US and other countries try to follow the new standardized and harmonized accounting policies. IFRS policies and laws are generated to apply to general objective of the financial statements and other financial reporting of different industries. This governing laws permits different business entities to report their financial accounting and statements with more disclosure. The purpose of these governing laws is to create fair value for all involved stakeholders in the financial statements. Reference Price Water House Coopers (2008). Online available at https://www. pwc. com/gx/eng/about/svcs/corporatereporting/IFRSforSMEs. pdf Retrieved on December 12, 2008

My Library Card to the Rest of the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

My Library Card to the Rest of the World - Essay Example It always seemed laborious and too time-consuming. Books were there only to decorate empty shelves and take up room in our lockers. This changed when on an ordinary Friday my fourth-grade teacher booked a trip to our local library. There I touched upon the tip of the world of books and learned the words above that have been embedded in my memory for this long. It was just like any other Friday, on a beautiful spring day. After lunch, the entire class was to gather all of their belongings and walk down to the local library with our teacher leading the way. Of course being kids and out in the open we joked and wrestled each other most of the way trying fruitlessly to stay clear of the teacher’s stern gaze. After a short 20 minute walk, we walked into the library, a small, brown and brick, single level building tucked away on a street corner surrounded by lots of trees. We were greeted by a gentle looking, elderly librarian. She ushered us all inside and led us to a quiet corner where we had to be seated on low, colorful benches and chairs designed for younger kids. Although we had to go down to our school library many times, it was the first time that I was actually sitting inside this one. It was serenely quiet with only a few other people scattered about here and there browsing through the shelves. Beautiful tall, green plants graced practically every corner, giving the library a more earthy and natural feel. The building itself was quite unimpressive but there was just something about that library that really struck me and pulled me inside. To this day I can’t pinpoint the exact thing. I guess it was a combination of many subtleties; the soft hum of the photocopy machine, the swish of the plants as stragglers brushed against them, the smell of old and new books mingled together on the tall, wooden shelves, and the yielding softness of the carpet beneath my dirty sneakers. The place held me down and rendered my brain quiet and peaceful. The librar ian after having seated our class, stood tall and graceful next to our teacher who was sitting awkwardly in the front on a small stool in hopes of keeping an eye on all of us. She proceeded to explain the basics of library conduct and the process of applying for a library card. We were all given small forms and instructed on how to fill them out properly. Pencils scratched the rough, wooden tables as we excitedly filled in our names and perfectly memorized phone numbers and addresses. It was the first time for all of us to be receiving our library cards. I felt strangely grown up being in possession of a small, laminated card with my name scribbled across its front. I pocketed it right away afraid to get any pencil marks on it already. The librarian along with our teacher started giving us a tour of the library. It was small but cozy with the check out desk dividing it right down the middle, separating the adult and the young kids' section. We were mostly led around our own section, with the librarian pointing every so often at a set of encyclopedia volumes, the new arrivals, or the newspaper collection.  Ã‚  

Shia Political Islam and Its Sunni Counterpart Essay

Shia Political Islam and Its Sunni Counterpart - Essay Example On the one hand, throughout the history writers of Shia and Sunni revealed different approaches to reading Quran and understanding what exactly a good society is. Even though both sects agree on three fundamental Islamic principles (monotheism, Day of Judgement, and parenthood), they use these prerequisites differently in explaining ordinary events that appeared after Mohammed’s life (Ameli and Malaei 32). As Ja’fari explains the term ‘Shi’a’, the essence of it refers to â€Å"followers, party, group, associates, partisans, or in rather looser sense, ‘supporters’† (6). In this situation, the word ‘mawla’ the Shia understand as leader and patron. Hence, the Shia believe that Imam Ali is a successor of Muhammed they should worship as an authority (Ameli and Malaei 23). On the contrary, the definition of ‘Sunna’ refers to nobility and high moral qualities (Ja’fari 9). For them, ‘mawla’ is a friend, or the nearest kin (Ja’fari 23). Thus, they think Muslims had selected the leader after Muhammed, Abu-Bakr, among themselves, which underlines his equal status with other Muslims. This preposition leads to higher level of tolerance and acknowledgement. For example, Sunni commentators of religious texts tend to include the wives of Prophet while referring to his relatives. In fact, this different attention to the details signalizes of different degree of patriarchy within families.In this situation, such generally unequal understanding of the balance of power should lead to contradiction between two branches.

Internal analysis on Toll Singapore Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internal analysis on Toll Singapore - Case Study Example Supply chain management (SCM) is a developed discipline viewed as the management of a system of interlinked businesses working together in the core goals of providing essential services and products to target clientele or markets within the service provision base and precincts of the participating business entities. Various scholars have had their contributions on the concepts of SCM. There are some dissonances and concurrences when it comes to defining what SCM really. Perhaps one of the lucid definitions is offered by Harland (1996) who views SCM as a form of management that covers all transportation and storage of raw material, refined goods, and inventory in process from points of departure or origin up to the points of need (consumption). The track of transported goods from the point of origin up to the point of consumption constitutes what has been termed as the supply chain in business management and logistics science. Further perspectives on SCM stem from the view of the discipline as pertaining to the entirety of the aspects planning and overseeing of all activities entailed in procuring, conversion and management of all the logistical activity. Also crucial to this view is the inclusion of aspects coordination and alliance within the network players which may be the suppliers, the middlemen and even third party services renders as well as clients. Contemporary SCM is ... ion of aspects coordination and alliance within the network players which may be the suppliers, the middlemen and even third party services renders as well as clients. The core of SCM holds the integration of services and products supply as well as demand regulation in the SCM networks. Toll Singapore and Contemporary Supply Chain Management Contemporary SCM is undergoing significant transformation and modification under the influence of various sweeping phenomena in the forms of globalisation and technological leaps. Scholars around the discipline are factoring in the importance of various dynamics that have been largely less considered in earlier conceptualisations on SCM. The SCM discipline has had remarkable contributions from the works of Coyle, Langley and Gibson among others. Although the scholars have brought the supply chain element to the fore of the contemporary concepts on SCM, the scholars have underscored the role that information technology is playing and will continue to play in contemporary and future SCM domains. Coyle, Langley, Gibson, Novack, Bardi (2008), contend that, "A supply chain perspective germane for appropriate deciphering and application of the feasible SCM tenets will tap in the essence and merits of information technology as well as the rate of change and a closer recognition of logistics with all its associative dimensions". Toll group strength lies in the integration of operational expertise and assets in strategic thrust aimed at championing supply chain effectiveness in providing optimum SCM services to the target clientele pool. The Toll group Model The Toll group model can be explored in tandem with Michael Porter Value Chain conceptual framework. The value Chain framework of Michael Porter is an ensemble of useful conceptual

Food Safety Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Food Safety Management - Case Study Example The first one was to focus on the causative agents and determine the preventive measures of food poisoning. Secondly, the report is supposed to contain the characteristics of food poisoning and foodborne infections. Therefore, this investigation will help determine the primary cause of the incident among the guests. The hotel provides catering services in a number of occasions that include weddings, conferences and other meetings. One of the primary concerns is to ensure that the clients are provided with quality and safe food. However, there are a number of issues in the hotel industry like food poisoning and contamination and the hotel has to ensure that it curbs them. Food contamination may occur when harmful microorganisms are introduced to the foods. It is brought about by handling of the foods poorly as Lawrence, Dobmeier, Bechtel, & Holstege (2007) points out. Most significantly, food contamination can emanate from pathogens or chemicals introduced to the foods during the preparation process or storage. Moreover, handling of food with dirty hands is the leading way globally through which microorganisms get into food. In this case, some bacteria like E. coli can be transferred to food. In addition, there is cross-contamination between food and unclean kitchen tools. Further, fresh fruits can be contaminated by washing them with dirty water containing faecal matter from animals. Food poisoning can cause illness and to some extent death when not contained in time. Mostly, growth of bacteria in food when cooked or poor handling worsens the situation. To reduce  food poisoning  occurrences, a number of conditions have to be met. It is important to understand that food contains bacteria naturally and microorganisms are likely to grow if they are within a conducive environment (Hennekinne, De Buyser, & Dragacci, 2012). Therefore, be the food handlers’ must be responsible to ensure that they do not provide a conducive environment for

Technology acceptance model (TAM) Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Technology acceptance model (TAM) - Article Example The paper tells that the idea of the technology acceptance model emerged in mid 70’s, when many researchers started paying attention to factors and issues that give explanation or forecast the acceptance of a variety of technologies. Basically, the TAM is referred as one of the descriptive theories having most influenced the models and ideas of human behavior. In addition, the technology acceptance model was exclusively built with the key objective of recognizing the factors and aspects involved in technology acceptance generally; secondly, to look at a wide variety of technology usage behaviors; and lastly, to offer an economical hypothetical descriptive model. Additionally, its roots reach to social psychology and based on the reasoned action model of Fishbein and Ajzen. According to the reasoned action model (RAM), the intention to generate a behavior depends on two fundamental factors: approach toward behavior and individual characteristics. In this scenario, individual ch aracteristics refer to the causes dues to which certain behaviors are produced or not and establish the connection between the final and a predictable outcome, while the approach toward behavior is referred as the optimistic or pessimistic value on which the behavior of individual associates is produced. The TAM is a modified or updated version of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to the area of IS. The technology acceptance model represents that the apparent worth and perceived ease of use determining an individual's aim to make use of a system with a goal to serve as an intermediary of actual system usage. In this scenario, the perceived worth is as well seen as being straight influenced through perceived easiness of usage. On the other hand, researchers have shortened the technology acceptance model by eliminating the attitude constructs originated in TRA from the present arrangements. In this scenario, the efforts to expand the technology acceptance model can normally take 1 o f 3 forms: by initiating issues from connected models, by initiating extra or substitute belief aspects, and by investigating the background and moderators of apparent value and apparent simplicity of practice. In view of the fact that both the TAM and TRA are composed of powerful behavioral

Presidential nomination Essay Example for Free

Presidential nomination Essay My first reaction to this paper was that I wanted to know more. The fact that Fremont rose to national prominence even though his mother was not married to his father seems unusual for the time period and as though it offers hope to others who come from single-parent families. I also liked that he was kicked out of finishing school and went on to explore the West and run for President of the United States. Though he did not win, it again shows that the American dream—that anyone can grow up to be leader of the free world—was alive and well. The explorations that Fremont conducted added greatly to the growth of the nation and I find it intriguing that he was a Southerner who opposed slavery and ran against Lincoln for the presidential nomination. It makes it interesting to contemplate how the country might have been changed if Fremont had defeat Lincoln to become the Republican nominee for president. I wonder if having a Southerner in the White House might have prevent the South from seceding. This was an interesting look at the way one man can help to change the course of history and helped give a better view on how the people alive during the westward expansion and the Civil War were all intertwined.

A Case Study Of Standard Chartered Bank

A Case Study Of Standard Chartered Bank This chapter provides an introduction of the study with the main areas presented including the importance of communication in an organisation, branding, intranet, the problem statement, purpose, research questions, limitations and assumptions that will govern the study. Background of the Study Communication is an organisational asset which has a big impact on the success of the business. Communication serves a number of important functions in an organisation such as sharing and clarifying goals, identifying how goals are to be achieved, exerting control, motivating others, developing a sense of community and commitment, sharing information and creating common understanding. It is estimated that employees spend about four fifth of their working life communicating (Ferreira, 2006). Communication in the organisation is central to the success of the business and must be taken into consideration in a quest to increase organisational competitive advantage. According to a study conducted in the U.S. by Watson Wyatt, a human resources consulting firm, companies that communicate more effectively with their employees have a lower turnover rate (on average 33.3 percent) than those that communicate less effectively (average 51.6 percent) (Ewing, 2007). Du Plessis and Boshoff (2008, p.3) defined internal communication as the communication between people working together to achieve individual or collective organisational goals. Internal communication, also referred to as organisational communication, is the process of communication between the people within the organisation (Scheffer Crystal, 2008). Internal communication process is used to maintain good relationships, describe tasks, give instructions and communicate the goals and philosophy of the organisation (Ferreira, 2006). Effective internal communication is a major contributor to the success of change initiatives in organisations. In particular, at the individual level, appropriate in ternal communication helps employees to understand both the need for change, and the personal effects of the proposed change (Goodman Truss, 2004). The study of internal communication is arguably one of the fastest growing areas within the field of communication, with a 25-30 percent growth rate in the past five years. In fact, studies indicate that organisations are pointing to effective internal communication as an influential factor in business success (Cees, Berens, Dijkastra, 2005; Holtz, 2006). Internal communication is defined as the formal and informal communication taking place internally at all levels of an organisation (Kalla, 2005, p.304). Research on internal communication is cross disciplinary, and the number of available definitions reflects this fact. Internal communication can be termed as internal marketing, organisational communication, employee relations (Quirke, 2000), management communication, internal media, cross-departmental communication (Greenbaum, Clampitt, Willihnganz, 1988), business or corporate communication (Kitchen, 1997), strategic communication (Argenti, 2007) or integrated internal communic ations (Kalla, 2005). Welch and Jackson (2007) view internal communication from a stakeholder approach and define it as the strategic management of interactions and relationships between stakeholders at all levels within organisations (p. 183). Literature spanning the last 10 years suggests that good internal communication management is one of the pivotal steps towards successful and productive communication within an organisation (Holtz, 2006; Karian Box, 2006; Cees et al., 2005; Quirke, 2000a; Tourish Hargie, 2000a). Welch and Jackson (2007) state that; internal communication management includes participation in communication, its direction and the content of communication (p.184). However, participation and direction of communication is strongly influenced by the hierarchical structure of the organisation where issues of status, power, rank and prerequisites often cloud the form and content of upward communication (Silburyte, 2004, p.192). Today, organisations are adopting flatter more dynamic structures which have more inclusive participation from all levels of the organisation (Silburyte, 2004) as well as varied content including new developments, organisational achievements, appraisal discussions and employee roles, noted previously in Welch and Jacksons four dimensions of internal communication (see Table 2.1). Similarly, Quirke (2000a) also suggests that internal communication can be shared across different organisational departments and likens it to a jigsaw where each section is responsible for a piece of the internal communication puzzle (i.e. the core departments within an organization). This metaphor suggests that internal communication is more than the realm of corporate communication and is involved in all areas of the organisation. Branding In the modern global competitive environment, corporate branding has become an important source of sustainable competitive advantage and a central element of corporate strategy (Balmer Gray, 2003). It includes core values cherished by a company, its corporate culture, identity, business model, people and it can be described as -the visual, verbal and behavioral expression of corporate identity and business model (CicvariĆ¡, 2006). The corporate branding strategy determines the manner in which a company will fulfill its mission and vision, and realize value for its stakeholders (Jarventie-Thesleff et al, 2011). It is most often expressed through the so-called brand promise which the company has to live and maintain in everyday business, to all stakeholders (Aaker, 2004). In delivering the value and brand promise, as well as in the application of each branding strategy, a strategic part is played by the companys employees (from top management to those on lower-level positions, who co-operate daily with different stakeholders. The employees role becomes clear when considered in conjunction with the corporate branding strategy framework, which is not only the products and services it sells, but it also represents what the company does and actually is, (i.e. a functionally and emotionally rounded unity). Due to intensive technological changes, the life cycle of products and services has a declining tendency, so corporate branding becomes the cornerstone for building and maintaining relations with stakeholders. One the other hand, the corporate reputation definition; describing reputation-as a set of relatively long-term impressions, attitudes and emotions of individuals or groups in respect of an organization, established through experience or partially credible indirect information, in the context of personal and social expectations, which impacts intentions or behavior of individuals or groups in connection with that specific organization (Vlastelica BakiĆ¡, 2012), helps to grasp the significance of employees in the establishment of beliefs and attitudes of the companys other stakeholders. The value of corporate branding and reputation yields benefits for the company which increases its financial performances and market value on the long run. This represents valuable reso urces which competitors cannot copy or imitate. Aside from reputation, being the organizations intangible capital, another precious resource that is unique and attributable to one company only involves its employees, their knowledge, abilities and skills. Kotler Wong, Saunders and Armstrong (2005) define a brand as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of these, that identifies the maker or seller of a product or service and seeks to differentiate them from those of competitors. The brand is more or less the essence of an organization that informs the customers choice to interact with one brand over another. It is therefore clear that by focusing more efforts on branding, organisations can attempt to differentiate themselves more in the minds of customers and potential customers by increasing the value propositions associated with their brands and create a strong brand image and presence in the market thus giving them a stronger competitive advantage. Fernandez (2004) defines a corporate brand as the institutions image, reputation, financial assets, performance and people. Thus, the corporate brand of an organisation tells us what to expect from the organisation as a whole the set of values, promises, standards and characteristics of an organisation as embodied in the brand. It is thus the totality of the organisation and what it represents and what it hopes to achieve through provision of goods and services in the ordinary course of business. A brand can thus be said to constitute the collection of associations in the mind of a customer connected to the brand e.g. quality, friendliness, added value, superior service among others and such are what can greatly differentiate between similar products and services. The value of these associations, their uniqueness and relevance are an indication of the power of the brand. The underlying brand promise is what many organizations are looking to further underscore and highlight in their increased branding efforts to retain existing customers and attract more customers. One key element of effective employer branding is internal branding. Internal branding is only effective when internal audiences are reached with the message of the organizations values, through effective communicational efforts and when top management also exemplifies the same. Employees cannot be expected to show what they do not know. The service sector particularly has woken up to the fundamental importance of engaging employee commitment in delivering customer satisfaction and loyalty. The service sector does not provide tangible products/output that customers can take away with them and experience on their own; their experience with an organizations brand is through interacting with the organizations staff. There has been a shift in the branding world as explained by Vargo and Lusch (2004) to a new orientation known as service branding which is more balanced in its outlook. It considers both brand identity (internal) and brand image (external); highlighting the importance of st aff in the service encounter. The banking sector is one area where service branding is very vital. Customers experience of the brand begins the moment they walk through the doors of the banking hall and in their dealing and experience with the banks employees. Thus, the way they are treated while in the banking halls, response to their queries, promises made and fulfillment of the same all contribute to their perception of the brand and indeed affect their loyalty to the brand. Hence, there is a need to have employees that fully understand the brand in order to deliver more superior and unique brand experience to the customers in line with the organizations mission and vision. Overview of the Banking Industry in Kenya The banking industry in Kenya is governed by the Companies Act, the Banking Act, the Central Bank of Kenya Act and the various prudential guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The banking sector was liberalized in 1995 and exchange controls lifted. The CBK, which falls under the Minister for Finance, is responsible for formulating and implementing monetary policy and fostering the liquidity, solvency and proper functioning of the financial system. As at December, 2012 there were forty six banking and non-banking institutions, fifteen micro finance institutions and one hundred and nine foreign exchange bureaus. The banks have come together under the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), which serves as a lobby for the banking sectors interests (CBK, 2013). The KBA serves as a forum to address issues affecting members (KBA, 2012). Over the period between years 2006 to 2012, the banking sector in Kenya continued to grow in assets, deposits, profitability and products offering. The growth was mainly underpinned by; first; an industry wide branch network expansion strategy both in Kenya and in the East African community region. Second; automation of a large number of services and a move towards emphasis on the complex customer needs rather than traditional off-the shelf banking products (KBA, 2012). Players in this sector experienced increased competition over the period between years 2006 to 2012 resulting from increased innovations among the players and new entrants into the market. Key players in the early stages of the operation of the Industry were; Kenya Commercial Bank(k) Ltd. (KCB), Barclays Bank of (K) Ltd., (BBK), Standard Chartered Bank (K) Ltd.(SCB), National Industrial Credit Bank (NIC), National Bank of Kenya (K) Ltd. (NBK) a nd Co-operative Bank of Kenya (Co-op bank) ( KBA, 2012). Background on Standard Chartered Bank Ltd Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited was established in 1911 with the first branch opened in Mombasa Treasury Square. More than 100 years later, Standard Chartered Bank is one of the leading Banks in Kenya, with an excellent franchise. It has a total of 33 branches spread across the country, 90 automated teller machines (ATMs) and 1,698 employees. Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited has local shareholding of about 26%, comprising about 32,000 shareholders and it is a public quoted company on the Nairobi Securities Exchange since 1989. The bank offers a variety of local and foreign currency accounts, both deposit and loan, to its customers. It has a diversified portfolio cutting across select sectors that include business services, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, transport and communication, real estate, agriculture, energy and water. Further underpinning its importance, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited hosts the regional Shared Service Centre supporting the banks t echnology operations in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana and South Africa on a real time basis (Accessed from www. standardchartered.com/en/about-us). Statement of the Problem Despite its importance, few organisations devote enough time and resources to ensure that effective communication systems and processes are in place (Ferreira, 2006). Sanchez (1999) reported in the study conducted by Watson Wyatt Worldwide in cooperation with IABC Research Foundation that only 40 percent of 913 organisations which participated in the study, mainly from the manufacturing industry had formal communication strategies. Knowledge is important, not only between organisations, but also within the organisation. About 90 percent of the knowledge in any organization is embedded and synthesized in peoples heads (Smith, 2001). The transfer of knowledge is thus important in ensuring that organisational members learn from one another and also create new knowledge. Communication performance within organisations has been considered an understudied area and therefore poorly understood (Pandey Garnett, 2006) yet it is deemed a central component of effective business operations (Hargi e, Dickson, Tourish, 2004, p.5). Hargie et al., (2004) state that a lack of effective communication can contribute to a range of problems including at one end of the continuum, job dissatisfaction and stress, through to damaging strikes, operating losses, bankruptcies, production line injuries, shipwrecks, plane crashes and, at the other extreme, mass slaughter in the field of battle (p.5). Asif and Sargeant (2000) undertook a study of two major United Kingdom clearing banks to explore a range of internal communication issues. Literature specifically referring to the banking industry and internal communication is scarce; however, studies have been undertaken within the last few years that suggest there is growing recognition of the importance of internal communication within this sector (Moorcroft, 2006; Wadman, 2006; Sablosky, 2005; Lennon, 2003; Asif Sargeant, 2000). According to Bierly, Kessler Christensen (2000, p.596) success does not necessarily go to the firms that know the most, but to the firms that can make the best use of what they know. Hence, for knowledge to give competitive advantage, it must be effectively transferred within the organisation (Murray Peyrefitte, 2007; Watson Hewett, 2006). Communication plays a vital role in the knowledge transfer process within the organisation (Du Plessis Boshoff, 2008). One way of managing the knowledge-transfer process is to select appropriate communication media for the property or type of knowledge to be transferred (Murray Peyrefitte, 2007). Information about the employees preferred communication methods and technologies is important in ensuring positive and effective communication (Du Plessis Boshoff, 2008; Ferreira, 2006). Research suggests that intranets should be considered a mosaic of top-down and bottom-up communication with distributed ownership (Dasgupta, 2001). A study carried out by Papasolomou and Vrontis (2006a) on the UK retail bank industry concluded that the problems linked to the branding of intangible offerings can be overcome through an emphasis on the effective implementation of Internal Marketing (IM). The study found out that since employees play a valuable role in the delivery and strengthening of corporate service brands UK retail banks have placed greater emphasis on IM in order to deliver the brands promise. A blanket approach throughout the organisation, regarding regulations on intranet usage, may not be appropriate as different business units will have different requirements. Rather a collaborative and facilitative managerial style would acknowledge diversity and individual contributions (Dasgupta, 2001), thereby allowing individual units and teams to control their own information. Studies show that the versatility and multifaceted nature of intranets has seen an increase in research that is largely multidisciplinary (Lehmuskallio, 2006); however, research into the measurement of intranet effectiveness and perceptions of the employees towards the medium is still in its infancy and is seen as a fundamental shortcoming (Jacoby Luqi, 2007). This study will therefore focus on establishing the effectiveness of intranets to communicate brand message to its internal publics within SCB limited. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study therefore is to establish the effectiveness of intranets to communicate the brand message to its internal publics within SCB limited in an effort to find out if banks are taking the time, effort and resources to sell the brand to their internal audiences and what strategies have been employed to achieve this. Objectives of the Study This study will be guided by the following objectives: To establish whether SCB Kenya limited has adopted internal communication strategies within its organization to communicate the brand message. To find out the effectiveness of intranets in communicating the brand message among internal publics within SCB Kenya limited. To find out how employees in SCB Kenya limited integrate the organizations brand values through internal communication. Research Questions This study will undertake to answer the following questions How has SCB Kenya limited adopted internal communication strategies within its organization to communicate the brand message? What is the effectiveness of intranets in communicating the brand message among internal publics within SCB Kenya limited? How do employees in SCB Kenya limited integrate the organizations brand values through internal communication? Justification of the Study Despite its importance to corporate communications, rigorous corporate communication research about the use intranets in developing nations is limited. Effective internal communication methods and media for knowledge transfer in the service industry are important for organizations to excel. Internal communication processes are therefore used to maintain good relationships, describe tasks, give instructions and communicate the goals and philosophy of the organisation. Effective internal communication is a major contributor to the success of change initiatives in organisations. In particular, at the individual level, appropriate internal communication helps employees to understand both the need for change, and the personal effects of the proposed change. This study will act as a benchmark to influence banks to adopt excellent internal communication strategies in order to better position their employees to deliver a more superior brand experience to the customers of the bank. Significance of the Study This study will add more knowledge in terms of academic contribution and knowledge which is limited in the area of internal communication within the Kenyan banking sector. This study will act as a platform through which the policy-makers within the banking sector can formulate policies to better enhance effective internal communication. The study will be able to provide recommendations and guidance on the effective internal communication strategies that can be put in place within the banking sector. Scope of the Study This study will be an overview of the internal banking environment in the Kenyan banking sector and will seek to undertake a case study of SCB Kenya limited. The subjects of the study will be the Public relations (PR)/marketing managers/Branch managers of the 20 branches in Nairobi and the customer service managers. Assumptions of the Study The assumptions that underlie this study are that: The selected institution for the study will have some form of internal communication strategy in place used to inculcate brand knowledge among their employees. The data required for this study will be available and that the researcher will receive maximum cooperation from the expected respondents to allow for a smooth, successful and timely completion of the study. Limitations of the Study Unexpected negative response from respondents due to the fact that they might be unwilling to give out sensitive personal information. This will be mitigated through counter-checking on organizational information manuals as well as service charters. Lack of local scholarly literature on the topic as relates to banks and internal branding means that the some of the methods, concepts and models used in this study are foreign and will be adopted to suit the local experience. Definition of Terms Brand Stern (2006, p.217) argues that the word brand can be classified as both an entity and a process, depending on whether it is used as a noun or as a verb. When expressed as a noun, it is connected to a person, place, or thing; as a verb, it refers to the process of making a product meaningful (i.e., the naming or positioning of a product). Dual-function brand concepts such as brand identity and brand reputation (both used as nouns) show the flexibility of this concept. The words branding and branded, on the other hand, are used as verbs to indicate how a brands meaning changes over time. Stern further comments that in the physical world, a brand is a name or mark associated to a product while it in the minds of people refers to a mental representation or perception of a psychological meaning. This study will adopt this definition in consideration to the fact that this holistic definition reflects the fact that the brand is expressed in numerous ways, not only through marketing. Brand commitment: Burmann and Zeplin (2005, p.284) define employee brand commitment as the extent of psychological attachment of employees to the brand, which influences their willingness to exert extra effort towards reaching the brand goals. It is the degree to which employees identify and are involved with their service brand, are willing to exert additional efforts (extra touch) to achieve the goals of the brand and are interested in remaining with the organisation. Corporate communication: Steyn and Puth (2000, p.5) define corporate communication as managed communication on behalf of the organisation, aiming to increase organisational effectiveness by creating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders. Internal branding: According Drake, Gulman, and Roberts (2005) and Thomson, de Chernatony, Arganbright and Khan (1999), internal branding is the practice of selling and promoting the brand to the internal audiences of an organisation, i.e. its employees in order to be instrumental in influencing employees attitudes and shaping their behaviours to be aligned with a brand, by creating employees understanding of brand values and engaging them in living brand-reality. Internal customers: This is the concept of customer-service provider relationships inside the organisation; employees providing a service to other employees or departments in the organisation as opposed to providing a service to clients external to the organisation. Services should be provided to fellow employees and departments with the same commitment to customer satisfaction as for external clients (Gronroos, 2000, p.307; Landman, 2005, p.7). Internal communication: Du Plessis and Boshoff (2008, p.3) defined internal communication as The communication between people working together to achieve individual or collective organisational goals. Internal communication, also referred to as organisational communication, is the process of communication between the people within the organisation (Scheffer Crystal, 2008). Intra-organisational communication: Intra-organisational communication is the channels and systems of communication within the organisation. It entails the continuous design of interaction between all members of an organisation forming an all-inclusive device that joins people and structures within that organisation. Intra-organisational communication forms part of internal communication. Internal communication includes many configurations and disciplines of communication, for example interpersonal communication, intrapersonal communication, intra-organisational communication and management communication (Van der Walt in Verwey; Du Plessis, Barker, 2006, p.264; Landman 2005, p.7). Service marketing: Gronrooss (2000, p.7) perspective on service marketing describes it as an organisation taking the view that an enhanced offering is required to support the customers value-generating processes and that the core solution of a physical product, service or combination of services and goods, is not sufficient to differentiate the offering from those of competitors. Landman (2005, p.8) defines service marketing as an approach to an organizations market that recognizes that the external customer becomes an active part of its processes, and that an organisation in its totality and in all its facets determines the quality of service delivered to the customer. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction This chapter presents the review of related literature. According to Chandran (2004), the aim of literature is to provide the researcher with knowledge and understanding of the conceptual and analytical framework in their field of study. This chapter examines, analyzes and adds to the knowledge advanced by various scholars in regard to the effectiveness of intranets to communicate the brand message to its internal publics within Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya. It highlights various works in relation to the study. It looks into current literature on theory and practice in relation to internal communication strategies adopted by banks to its internal publics. Internal Corporate Communication Internal communication within an organisation is dependent on a number of factors including the type of industry; the structure of the organisation; organisational culture and managerial style (Kitchen, 1997; Quirke, 2000). Holtz (2006) noted that, in the past, company communication, typically in the form of publications, consisted of the four Bs: birthdays, babies, brides and bowling scores. In marked contrast, today, the function of internal communication includes the transmission of organisational goals, activities, new developments, achievements and personal contributions as well as strategic visionary messages (Welch Jackson, 2007). Welch and Jackson (2007) suggest the function of internal communications has four dimensions: (1) internal line management, (2) internal team peer communication, (3) internal project peer communication and (4) internal corporate communication (as illustrated in Table 2.1 on page 18). Table 2.1 Internal communication matrix Dimension Level Direction Participants Content Internal line management communication Line managers/ supervisors Predominantly two-way Line managers-employees Employees roles Personal impact e.g. appraisal discussions, team briefings Internal team peer communication Team colleagues Two way Employee-employee Team information, e.g. team task discussions Internal project peer communication Project group colleagues Two way Employee-employee Project information e.g. project issues Internal corporate communication Strategic managers/top management Predominantly one-way Strategic managers-all employees Organizational/corporate issues e.g. goals, objectives, new developments, activities and achievementsSource: (Welch Jackson, 2007, p.185) These four dimensions emphasize that the content of internal communication has moved from the four Bs into all areas of the organisation including strategic goals and personal development. In addition to the content, the four dimensions also highlight the two-way relationship between employees and managers at all levels of the organisation and the importance of internal communication to organisational success (Tourish, Wilson, 2002; Zetterquist Quirke, 2007) with effective internal communication leading to improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, increased levels of innovation, higher quality of services and products and reduced costs (Argenti, 2007). A 2002 study of internal communication in 100 leading blue-chip companies found that 38 percent of internal communication teams were governed by the human resources department (Quirke, 2003). Four years later a 2006 online survey of internal communications conducted by Melcrum, an internal communication research and training organisation, alternatively proposed that of the 1,149 respondents from different industries and locations, 44 percent state internal communication is the governance of the corporate communications department (Dewhurst, 2007). Kalla (2005) suggests that suggests that there are four domains of integrated internal communication; business, management, corporate and organisational. Business communication addresses the communication skills of all employees, management communication focuses on the development of the managers communication skills and capabilities, corporate communication focuses on the formal corporate communication function, and organisational communication addresses more philosophically and theoretically oriented issues Management Communication Business Communication Corporate Communication Internal Communication Organiz