Racial Inequality Can Be Resolved Using No Violence

Looking at society is it easy to identify many global issues circulating the world in our present day. These issues extend from sexual and racial differences to religious affairs to, finally, larger conflicts such as proceeding wars. The aim of this project is to focus on one global issue that in some way directly influences me and has a somewhat negative impact. Once identifying the issue and analyzing it I am to research on two identities that have, in the past, been faced with the same issue and attempted to solve it. I am to analyze their methods concluding weather they’ve been successful or not. Taking many affairs into consideration I have concluded to one problem that is most closely linked to my everyday life and me. This problem is racial discrimination. It does not affect me directly as I have never lived in a society where my race was discriminated against however I have lived among a diversity of races and have seen the impact it has on my closer friends. Having chosen the topic I wish to explore I have then formulate my problem into a question which states; How can racial equality be increased using non-violent methods? I have chosen to formulate my question like this because I cannot say that I live in an environment that fully discriminates and degrades racial differences however I can say that it is not an environment and society that is completely oblivious to racial differences as in an ideal situation it should be. I have chosen to explore this problem as I grew up in a multi-racial society where racial discrimination was never a factor as race was completely neglected and everyone seemed to be equal. Moving to my current society I have found that it is not the case and the racial majority here seems to be the white and has very limited views on other races. I found that this could be due to the lack of interaction with other races and find it disturbing as I expected people to be more open minded and less primitive on the situation. As I go to an international school I’d expect the racial tolerance to be higher than amongst people who do not however I was surprised to see racial injustice amongst some of my classmates. I have chosen this problem as even though I am among the majority, according to my race, I am still affected by how the minority is mistreated. Seeing as this is also a global problem I have chosen two personalities who have in the past been faced with this problem and attempted in solving it. My first identity is Martin Luther King Jr. as he fought for the civil rights of African Americans using non-violent methods. And my second identity is Nelson Mandela as he fought against the Apartheid in Africa, persisting nonviolent methods to their full extent. I chose Martin Luther King Jr. as one of my personalities as he fought for racial equality for African Americans in the United States, using nonviolent methods, and Mahatma Ghandi as an influence. He fought through campaigns and in organizations, using strictly no violence, in attempt to achieve his goal, civil rights for African Americans, first in the United States then globally. Nelson Mandela is my second choice, as he fought for his goal over many decades, not necessarily without violence, however with determination to achieve it no matter if it began to seem impossible. Both personalities have had a great impact in the world and have become iconic figures of what they fought for, this is the major reason I chose them and not anyone else. They have gained a title with their name and this is what makes them significant and relevant to this problem. Analysis Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th 1929 and lived till April 4th 1968, dying at an early age of 39. He was an activist fighting for civil rights of African Americans living in the US at that time. In 1955 he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was a political and social protest campaign whose aim was to oppose the Montgomery city policy of segregating the racially different in public transportation. Two years later, in 1957, he assisted the foundation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, of which he became the president. The SCLC is a civil rights organization, which was a huge part of the Civil Rights Movement at that time fighting for the civil rights of African Americans. In 1963 a political rally was held in support of the economical and civil rights of African Americans, it was called the March on Washington, in which Martin Luther King held his â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech outlining racial equality and proposing an end to discrimination. King also tried to expand American values ad include the vision of a ‘colour-blind’ society, which according to his terms was a society oblivious to skin colour and race creating equality for everyone. Subsequently to the speech in 1964 Martin Luther King Jr. became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Piece Price for his engagement in the end to racial segregation and discrimination through civil disobedience and in a peaceful manner. After this he resumed his contributions to help end poverty and stop the then occurring Vietnam War. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th 1968 the third Monday of each January is celebrated as a U. S. Federal holiday since 1986. Nelson Mandela is a South African born on July 18th 1918. In 1942 he qualified in law from the University of Witwatersrand and joined the African National Congress only two years later. The National Party supported the apartheid policy of racial segregation and won the 1948 election becoming the ruling party in South Africa. After this time Mandela became more active in participating in politics. In 1952 the ANC organizes the Defiance Campaign, which promoted equality amongst South Africans providing full civil rights. This he followed with the Congress of the People in 1955. This also outlined the importance of equality among South African People provided the basis of the anti-apartheid cause. Simultaneously Mandela and Oliver Tambo (1) commenced and operated a law firm providing free or low-cost legal counsel to many blacks who lacked any professional representation. Like Martin Luther King Jr. Mandela was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings of non-violent resistance, as were the following generations of South African anti-apartheid activists. In 1956 Mandela was arrested for treason and was on trail until 1961 when he was finally freed from criminal charge. In 1960 Mandela argued for the setting up of a military wing within the African National Congress, which in June 1961 was finally agreed to. This is how the Umkhonto we Sizwe was formed. This was nothing mor e than an armed wing of the ANC, which fought against the apartheid government. In 1962 Mandela was once again arrested however this time sentenced to five years imprisonment only to be tried with plotting to overthrow the government by violence the following year. With this he was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. From 1964 till 1982 Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island Prison, just off the coast of Cape Town. Even during his imprisonment Mandela’s reputation grew as the most significant black leader in South Africa and as the symbol of resistance the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. His refusal to compromise his political position over his freedom was constant from which his popularity grew even more vastly. On February 11th 1990 Mandela was released after which he immediately returned to his life’s goals that he had set four decades earlier. He served as the South African president from 1994 till 1999. Conclusion It is evident to conclude that in his short lifetime and even shorter time of being active Martin Luther King Jr. accomplished a lot as he had aimed to. It is unfortunate that his death came so soon as he might have been able to proceed with more changes in the world. Mandela also spent a lot of his life fighting for what he believed in, granted not always peacefully, and however unlike King Mandela did spend 27 years in prison, coming out with even more will power and reason to pursue his goals. Both men deserve the recognition they gained and are good role models and identities for this project. It is evident that King fully succeeded in using non violent methods to pursue his goal however the two identities were placed in two different positions, one with more ‘freedom’ one with less, to fight for the same goal. Yet looking back at the times it is evident that the situation for Mandela seemed to be a lot harder hence resulting in him using violence to a certain extent. Solution Campaign methods have proven to be the most widely used in the past and somehow the most successful however the key to their success is the involvement of the government in the issuing of new policies. In our community there an interracial relationship is not banned neither is the use of any public or private factors between the races. Each and every race is regarded as an equal and there is no policy saying otherwise. Yet the factor of racial discrimination is still present, this is not as extreme as it used to be and was presented in Mandela and King’s case however the racial prejudice stands between the actual members of the community. This prejudice most commonly consists of verbal accusations with some violent occurrences however no major events have been marked. Therefore enforcing a campaign to acquire new laws and policies would be pointless, as this would not change anything. This racial prejudice is mostly expressed in schools amongst younger generations and therefore this is where it should be suppressed. As my solution against this problem I would enrol punishments to students who racially discriminate against others. I would enforce the punishment not to be too mild as this will lead to no future change. In my opinion is a child is racially violated in a classroom or in the presence of a teacher they should be sent out preceding a warning. If this behaviour is repeated the student’s inflicting the crime parents should be called in for consultation. This may seem harsh however racial prejudice has a great impact on one person and completely banishing it should be practiced. On a wider scale to encourage the presence of other races the government should enforce the translation of crucial signs and notices as for the foreigners to understand. On a larger scale not much can be done to punish a verbal offender however violence for racial discrimination should be punished. As I mentioned before this issue is not so serious amongst my community outside school and only action to encourage an interracial community can be encouraged.

Jane Elliott Essay

This was one of the most inspirational and educational documentaries that I have ever personally watched. A third grade teacher, Jane Elliott divides her class by blue and brown eyes to teach about discrimination and how it affects people in our society. People in society are taught many things in their lifetime, but when it is experienced first handedly they have a different perspective about it. When speaking with the class about Brotherhood week and what it meant I was shocked when Jane Elliott asked the class â€Å"If there was anyone that we did not treat like a brother† the classes first instant response was black people. There was no hesitation in answering this question. They even used the word â€Å"Nigger†. This is a prime example of how prominent discrimination was at that time, and it is just as prominent in our society today. African Americans currently score lower than European Americans on vocabulary, reading, and mathematics tests, as well as on tests that claim to measure scholastic aptitude and intelligence. This gap appears before children enter kindergarten, and it persists into adulthood. It has narrowed since 1970, but the typical American black still scores below 75 percent of American whites on most standardized tests. On some tests the typical American black scores below more than 85 percent of whites (Jencks, 1998). African Americans scoring lower on test could possibly be the results of discrimination. Jane Elliott proved this point in her documentary. On both days, children who were designated as inferior took on the look and behavior of genuinely inferior students, performing poorly on tests and other work. I feel that this experiment would be beneficial and should be performed in our school systems to help children experience discrimination, and the feelings of demoralization on a first Page 2 hand basis by using the same method Jane Elliott used by segregating children by eye color. I believe if this experiment was performed in schools today that there would be positive effects, such as improvements in student attitudes, elevated general testing scores, higher standardized test scores and less racial fighting between students. â€Å"A Class Divided† is a documentary that I feel everyone should view no matter what race or ethnicity a person might  be. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is prone to some form of discrimination and prejudice. The United States is such a diverse country, so most Americans are not part of the dominant group; therefore due to being a minority, we undergo a feeling of inferiority. This documentary presents us with a different view on the color of someone’s skin. After viewing this, a person will hopefully be less likely to focus on the differences they have with other people and see people all as equals. This topic was of great interest to me due to the fact that I witness discrimination many times a day. Even I, as a white American woman, who is married to someone of a different nationality, faces discrimination. This documentary will help those who do not face discrimination and prejudice in their everyday life, realize what it is like to be on the other end. I believe that racism, discrimination and prejudice are more explained through sociological theories. This does not make it acceptable, but it gives better understanding. Scapegoat theory, holds that prejudice springs from frustration among people who are themselves disadvantage (Dollard et al., 1939). The culture theory, some prejudice is found in everyone (Macionis, pg 281) This was proven by Bogardus (1925, 1967; Elsner, & McFaul, 1977) with the social distance studies that found that people felt much more social distance from some categories than from others (Macionis, pg 279). The conflict theory, this theory relates Page 3 to today’s society. Shelby Steele (1990) explained that minorities themselves encourage race consciousness in order to win power and privileges. She also stated that this strategy may bring short-term gains, that such thinking often sparks backlash from whites or others who oppose special treatment on the basis of race or ethnicity. I believe that there is a lot of hostility and discrimination in society today between white and blacks due to the conflict theory.

History ‘biased’

Brave, slaughtering, lord of battle, marched on, noble conqueror, so many dangers, came back to the battle field his victory, praise, wonderful virtues. (b) This Duke after following his enemy's, came back to the battlefield In the middle of the night. At first dawn he took the road to London At length he brought his soldiers safely across the river Thames. From there he went through London. The Londoners gave hostages and gave themselves and all that they owned to William. Finally he won the battle. (c) Yes because it hasn't got much detail in it so it sounds boring and uninteresting.It ounds like no one cared about him and he didn't have any followers because of the poor quality writing. 4) Yes because if they knew everything about him and how kind he was then they would be able to write from the truth and the writers wouldnt just me making up lies to interest people. 5) Because it makes it look as though William is a big strong hero who is bigger than everyone, like a God or a rea lly strong lord rather than a King. 6) I think source E was written by an Englishman because it doesnt include anything good about him. It Just says how things get worse and worse not â€Å"Things were getting worse but this didn't stop William! â€Å"

Notarial law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Notarial law - Essay Example Even if it were agreed that notaries should judge whether document signers comprehend the documents being executed, precisely what does that mean' What is the legal test of whether a signer comprehends a document being executed' One version of a legal standard for a signer to comprehend a document is whether the signer understands both the detailed substance of the terms of the document and the practical and legal consequences of the instrument. If this is the test, the mental competence of the signer would necessarily be implicated, for a signer could not possibly comprehend the full meaning and import of a document if the signer were mentally incapacitated. 5Obviously though, even a competent individual might not comprehend a particular instrument. Further, substantial confusion is caused by the imprecise use of the concepts of "competence" and "comprehension."6 As suggested above, while competence refers to one's ability to understand the nature and consequences of his/her transactions generally, comprehension refers to one's actual understanding of the nature and consequences of the particular transaction.7 Yet, these definitions are regularly substituted for one an other, just as the terms competence and comprehension are in artfully interchanged as though they were synonymous. 8 Now, the entire discussion leads one to the most important moot point of notaries verifying Power of Attorney documents. There can be no doubt that power of attorney is the most powerful document as it entrusts someone with all powers of another to represent him and act completely on his behalf .Therefore , it is necessary that signing of such document is duly notarized and validated as it may be tool of defrauding people This is essentially why it is so vital to ensure that such super powerful documents are notarized and following the reasoning already laid out in this paper , in matters of such importance , the notary public should try and find out if the signor is competent to sign and also has comprehended what he is signing . A possible version of the legal test of document signer comprehension is that the signer appreciates merely the general nature of the document (i.e. the kind of instrument being executed). Not only do the authors not object to the imposition of a duty on notaries consistent with this notion of document signer comprehension, but we endorse it. 9 However, one may safely presume it is the former definition of document comprehension, or a comparable meaning, that the proponents of a duty of notaries to determine document signer comprehension have in mind.10 For example, in his book Notary Public Handbook, Alfred Piombino seems to advocate such a heightened duty for the notary, for he suggests (during his discussion of "competency") that the notary should inquire into the signer's understanding of "the nature of the act to be performed" as well

Saving Money at the Grocery Store Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Saving Money at the Grocery Store - Essay Example Grocery stores have many tricks and traps to make people buy expensive items or increasing the level of their purchases by tempting them. It is very important for people to be able to save money at the grocery store because food items are what tend to cause a great deal of financial loss at the end of each month. This paper aims to discuss the various ways in which a person can save money at a grocery store, as well as the best saves and stores in the east and west coast. Each and every grocery store is designed in a very fashionable manner; this means that the food items are placed very strategically, making it difficult for people not to get tempted by them. For example, the fruit and vegetables that cost the least amount of money would be placed towards the back whereas dinner kits and expensive and exotic food items from other countries would be on display, tempting people into loading them into their shopping carts. Most grocery stores are laden with such traps which people find difficult to decipher and escape from and thus people need to be focused on the food items that they want to purchase. For this, a list must be prepared and adhered to; if a person is able to diligently purchase everything on his list and nothing more, then he will be able to save on a lot more money than expected. ... It is pertinent to understand the location of each and every required item in a grocery store; most people are not aware of where the items lie and thus tend to walk around aisles and shelves picking out whatever they see instead of going towards the back sections where the actual frozen fruits and vegetables lay. The fresh foods always tend to lie towards the back of any grocery store and it is always helpful to have someone assisting in order to make the correct purchases. People should visit a single grocery store and get acquainted to it rather than go to different stores and find different food items. This helps in not only knowing exactly where what lies, but also in helping them resist from making exorbitant purchases because people tend to overlook the fancy items once they begin seeing the same things again and again in the same section. Furthermore, if a person needs to save on some more money, fruits, vegetables and other durable and fresh food items should be bought from local markets and not from grocery stores because the stores tend to charge more in order to cover their overheads. Visiting a grocery store means looking at a lot of food; not only fresh foods but also readymade meals, deserts, cooked items etc. All of this tends to make people hungry and that is why they end up buying more; many researchers state that when people go hungry to grocery stores or supermarkets, they feel like eating more food because of all the food that is around them and available in well packaged containers. Many people might even get hungry while shopping and thus buy items on the spot in order to eat and that is why, in order to save some

Heart attack Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Heart attack - Research Paper Example that reduce or block the flow of the blood to the heart muscles thus not only decreasing the supply of the blood and oxygen to the heart but also making the muscles to exert more pressure or force for the blood flow. The blockage in the artery damage heart muscles so that it is not able to function normally and lead to malfunctioning of heart or heart attack. If the blockage is not removed fast, it could be fatal and may result in the death of the person (Antman, 2011). On the inside linings of the one or more coronary arteries, plaques or atheroma develop over a period of time, which narrow the arteries thus obstructing free flow of the requisite amount of blood to the heart muscles. High cholesterol are main causes of thickening of blood vessels. If not treated timely, the thickening of arteries could block the blood flow to heart. Many times, high blood pressure also becomes key causes of heart attack. ‘Initial treatment requires attention to any precipitating factors, such as hypertension, anemia, congestive heart failure (CHF), tachyarrhythmia and valve disease’ (Opie,p351). The other forms of treatment are medicine and surgery as follow: Angioplasty is first option to clear the blockage in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart. A stent is later used within vessel and prevents its closing up. It is a metallic mesh tube that expands artery walls when it is inserted within it (Pifarre & Scanlon, 2001). Complications in the treatment of heart attack occur when the patient has many diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney problems. These diseases help delay the treatment or complicate it. Acute diabetic patients tend to avoid operations as blood clotting is a delayed process which could cause complicity in heart operations. I chose this topic because heart is one of the vital organs of living beings. It pumps oxygen and blood throughout the body for life sustenance and serves as major indicator of health and wellbeing. It is

Choose two theorists of Consciousness who write from different Essay - 1

Choose two theorists of Consciousness who write from different perspectives; explore and evaluate their respective contributions to the discipline of Psychonautics and Somanautics - Essay Example It should also fully explain the phenomena that are related to consciousness elements (Wilber, 2000). Although it is as old as human existence itself, consciousness has been a major unresolved problem in the world of science (Lancaster, 2004). However, there are some researchers who are willing to tackle this mystery. The term psychonautics is derived from two Greek terminologies: psyche (mind, spirit, soul) and nautes (sailor, navigator). It refers to the methodology used in the explanation and description of the subjective effects of consciousness states that have been altered (Surhone, Tipledon and Marseken, 2010). These alterations of the mind can be caused by many things including the use of mind-altering substances and spiritualism. Psychonautics can also be used to refer to a certain research concept whereby an individual explores human existence and experience by immersing himself into a state of altered consciousness (Eccles, 1994). Psychonautics can also be defined as the methodology sued in the study and exploration of consciousness and altered forms of consciousness. This definition rests with the idea that for one to study consciousness, he has to transform it first. Somanautics, a derivation of the Greek words soma (body) and nautes (Salilor, navigator), is a term used to refer to the exploration of the consciousness of the body. Therefore, the field of psychonautics and somanutics deals with the study and exploration of the body, mind and soul. The person who immerses himself into altered states for research purposes is referred to as a psychonaut (Blom, 2009). Surhone, Tipledon and Marseken (2010) add that the term psychonautics can be applied on a diversity of activities including those in which the altered states are â€Å"induced and utilized for spiritual purposes or the exploration of the human condition† (3). Some of the examples of altered state

Commercialisation of Sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Commercialisation of Sport - Essay Example From the local levels, individuals are competitively seeking to attain professional status to gain from the lucrative industry, whereas others are striving to build competitive teams to benefit from the lucrative sport industry as well. The gains attained, or profits generated are dependent on the situation of the team, the better teams are relatively poised to benefit most from lucrative deals (Howe, 2004: 49). This is based on the assumption that these better teams attract bigger audiences as opposed to dismally performing teams. This accords the team’s sponsors a bigger market to appeal to and helps in creating a global image which is not easy to achieve in the ever competitive corporate world. Besides, the teams themselves have slowly revolutionalised their settings as they also want to be seen as global brands. Sports commercialization has paved way for multiple challenges, mostly legal challenges as these new trends have to ascribe to set rules and regulations. This is e xplained by the multiple legal cases bordering on sports that have found their way to courts especially the European Court of Justice. This study implores on the process of sports commercialization, it also examines and represents the role government play in the sport business. Role and Development of Sports Historically, sports had been viewed as a social activity whose ownership mainly lay under private companies or mutual associations (NEBRASKA, BAHLS, & PETERSON, 1978). The ownerships would oversee progress and participate in awarding competitive athletes for their role in delivering a sporting†product†. In doing so, they participated in creating a competitive platform for sports that was governed differently from the normal approaches adopted in running of businesses (Whannel, 2008:240). Sports associations or clubs did not seek to profit maximize and did not affiliate themselves with the â€Å"entertainment business†, this is irrespective of their roles as e ntertainers through different sporting competitions. The main focus of these clubs and associations was to achieve success on the sporting field, irrespective of the professional game they participated in. For the better part of the century sporting took this compassionate business approach. Despite many of the sporting clubs having huge financial burdens the stakes at the time were still low and this ensured that the sporting activities took on a rather predictable course (Maguire et al, 2002:126). However, this situation was not to persist for long as wide spread changes in the past two decades distorted this sporting setting, and the benign sporting culture. The new situation came along with worrying trends which since the turn of the millennium have brought forth questions on the very role of professional sports, especially in Europe (Fort, 2004). These concerns were echoed by the current UEFA chief, Michel Plattini, who feared that current sporting trends were first contributin g to the erosion of the fundamental purposes of sports. Sports, he said, has always been a strong catalyst for social and cultural integration, he feared that emphasis on the economic aspect of sports would inevitably lead to extinction of these two crucial elements of sport (Hudson, 2012:2). Further, extinction of the social and cultural role of sporting would upset the relationship that exists between sport and society. Concerns

Practical and Written Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Practical and Written Assessment - Assignment Example As far as the profitability of the company was concerned, it has been quite impressive in past decade in the automotive industry, as the growth and profit margin of the company in Figure 1 reveals. Figure 1: Growth of Profit and Margin of Porsche Source: (Moffett, 2005) The strategy that Porsche followed for both Cayenne and Boxster was a combination of outsourcing, licensing and in sourcing to influence the investment of the shareholder. Due to this strategy of the company, they enjoyed high return on the invested capital (ROIC), as the increasing sales of the product line shows in Figure 2. Figure 2: Augmenting Sales of Various Product lines of Porsche Source: (Moffett, 2005) During the fall and summer of 2005, two significant announcements were made by Porsche, which changed the directions. The first announcement was that Panamera would be manufactured by the company through company’s own funds and in their own factories. The second decision was that Porsche invested around 3 billion in Volkswagen AG at an interest rate of 20 percent, which was an underperforming automaker of Germany then (Eiteman, Stonehill and Moffett, 2010). In this section of the study, the focus of discussion would be on the strategic decisions that the company has made which augmented its ROIC. ROIC signifies the efficiency of the company in allocating the capital, such that it can get profitable returns on investments. The return assures how well the company is utilising its funds for generating returns. The ROIC can be calculated by subtracting dividends from net income and dividing it by the total capital. All the product line of Porsche, especially Cayenne had a high operating margin as can be seen in Figure 2, in comparison to any other European automobile company. As it has been discussed that Porsche incorporated pioneering strategies and business decisions embedded with technology and capital for Cayenne and Boxster, which was evident from the sales figures. Porsche Boxs ter was manufactured in Finland by Valmet. So the company skilfully utilised other’s money to manufacture and sell its products. It was working through licensed manufacturing agreement trough which Valmet utilised its own tools and factories for manufacturing Boxster. This decreased the capital requirements of Porsche, which the company utilised to support its own business (Moffett, 2005) Porsche invested around $3 billion in Volkswagen AG, which was though the worst performing company in the industry, but prospects of the company to excel in future were immense, which is why Porsche entered into a strategic alliance with Volkswagen. Due to this reason, it was responsible for approximately 30 percent of automotive manufacturing of Porsche and also assembling. Porsche co-manufactured Cayenne with Volkswagen. The chassis of Cayenne was assembled by Volkswagen on the same assembly line of Volkswagen Touareg. This again reduced the capital requirement of Porsche and allowed the c ompany to focus its capital towards the development of the company. The above strategic decision of the company resulted in the augmenting ROIC of Porsche (Eiteman, Stonehill and Moffett, 2010). Answer 2 The section question of this case is regarding Veselina Dinova’s point of view regarding the attitude of the company towards creating value towards shareholders. Vesi was in dilemma whether Porsche’

Prospect Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Prospect Theory - Essay Example ranked based on the level of preference to the consumer despite the notion that utility derived from goods cannot be measured (Kahneman and Amos 265). The sum spent on a good or service is used to measure the utility since a rational consumer is bound to spend more on a good if the resulting marginal utility is less than that of another preferred good. Notably, the marginal utility of a specified good is related to its price. The two theories are dependent on different principles. The expected utility theory is based on the expectations, asset integration, and risk aversion. The expectation can be defined as the anticipated utility of an outcome that depends on the price of an item or service. Asset integration results to the measurement of the utility through the prospect of a consumers assets (Kahneman and Amos 266). Utility from one asset alone should exceed the utility of the other assets. Risk aversion shows the level of risk that a consumer is willing to undertake for a defined item. It is equal to the concavity of the utility function. On the other hand, prospect theory is based on principles such as the measurement of gains and losses. The principles lead to a two-way process that involves the editing and evaluation of a consumers defined situation. During the editing stage, a consumer uses a personal reference point to make adjustments on wealth based on the choice being made. As a result, consumers tend to be reluctant to adjustments known as gain and prefer losses to make their final decision. During the evaluation phase, the consumer will tend to prefer likely events and defer the likely events. Utility is the computed value of evaluation that is based on respective probabilities sand the potential outcomes (Kahneman and Amos 266). Decision makers in the utility theory are consistent and ordered. They can also rank their choices based on their current situations and attractiveness of each alternative. Preferences cannot be the nature of the choice

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Management - Essay Example Job experiences can help the managers understand the demands and challenges that might be faced for every job position; the awareness of such aspects directs the individual towards effective management. Question 2 The following approaches have been recommended for the proposed employee development program: Job Rotation: Job rotation is an effective employee development approach to make the individual aware of the whole process and business operations that take place in the workplace (Job Rotations). The assignment of the individual at different positions will facilitate the acquisition of experience for different tasks and will make the individual value the relevance of each job position. Temporary Promotion: Another recommendation is to promote the capable employees for a certain period of time to provide them the valuable experience of being a manager. This also helps the top management to analyze their performance as a manager and their adapted strategies to handle critical situat ions. References Basic Skills for Project Managers, McGraw Hills, 2000, Print. â€Å"Job Rotations†, Individual Learning Strategies, n.d. Web. 22 April 2011.

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Example for Free

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Netflixs main issue is they face increased market competition from new  entrants into their industry. In addition, Netflix suffers poor relationships with suppliers, which interferes with their ability to meet market demands leading to increased costs and the need to increase prices. This affects Netflixs ability to increase market share, and maintaining core values, resulting in declining subscribership, and declining margins. ANALYSIS COMPANY ORIGINS. Thorough analysis of Netflix begins with a discussion of the companies origins. Netflix was founded by Reed Hasting (CEO) and Marc Randolph in 1997 in Scotts Valley, California, with main headquarters now located in Los Gatos, California. The original business model was as an internet TV company providing online streaming and DVD/Blu Ray rentals shipped direct to a subscribers home. This subscription and selling service implemented in 1999, and in 2000 launched their personalized movie recommendation service CineMatch (Funding Universe, 2014). Shortly thereafter Netflix executed their IPO in 2002 with approximately 600,000 members in the US and by 2005 membership rises to 4.2 million. Perhaps most important is Netflix introduces video streaming in 2007, and later in 2008, partners with consumer electronics companies to incorporate Netflix video streaming on consumer electronic devices. Further growth is achieved in 2010 when Netflix launches internationally in Canada, Latin America, and Caribbean (Netflix Media Center, 2014). THE BLUNDER YEAR. Mid-July 2011 Netflix announces Qwikster, which was an attempt to separate online video streaming services and DVD rentals, resulting in an immediate 60% devaluation of Netflix stock and eventually to a low of $62.37 by December of that year. Ultimately, on October 10, 2011 the Qwikster proposal is scrapped by Netflix. However, the damage was already done because on July 13th their stock price was at an all time high of $304.79, and eventually bottomed out at $55.19 on December 31 of that year (Thompson, 2012). RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Once the disaster of 2011 passed, Netflix rebounded by expanding into the Latin America and Caribbean markets. Later in 2012,  Netflix expands its international market further by becoming available in Europe that included the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Nordic countries. In addition, Netflix wins its first Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. Furthermore, in 2013, Netflix expands to the Netherlands, and debuts original programming that earns Netflix 31 primetime Emmy nominations including outstanding drama series, comedy series, and documentary or nonfiction special for _House of Cards_, _Orange is the New Black_, and _The Square_ respectively. More importantly, _House of Cards_ wins three Primetime Emmy Awards making Netflix the first internet TV network nominated, and winning, a primetime Emmy award. Furthermore, in 2014, Netflix launches in 6 new countries in Europe that included Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Again, Netflix wins 7 creative Emmy Aw ards for _House of Cards_ and _Orange is the New Black_. Moreover, Netflix now has over 50 million global subscribers (Netflix Media Center, 2014). FINANCIAL STRENGTH. Netflixs performance has been solid, although they underperformed in the third quarter of this year, 2014, perhaps due to over forecasting which Netflix does often, creating the perception to investors and analysts that the company has underperformed (Seward, 2014). Their numbers remain strong and stock is currently valued $379.01per share (Yahoo Finance, 10/30/14). Moreover, Netflix had $4.3B in Revenues in 2013 and revenue is projected to $4.7B by year end 2014, and current ratio is 1.42 demonstrating the moderate ability to cover current liabilities, See Appendix A, Financial Sheets, Tables 1 through 6 on pages 15 through 20, for additional details of Netflixs strong financial performance. Generally speaking, all key financial statistics are trending upwards over the past five fiscal years (Market Watch, 2014). Furthermore, as of the third quarter of this year, Netflix has 53.1 million subscribers worldwide and that is forecast to climb to 57 million subscribers at year end 2014 ( Netflix Letter to Shareholders, 2014). FIVE FORCES MODEL OF COMPETITION. See Figure 1 in Appendix B, Netflix-Porters Five Forces Model, page 21, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following forces. _COMPETITION AND RIVALRIES ._ Competition and rival threats remain high. Netflixs rival, for content and subscribers, is now Time Warner, who owns Home Box Office (HBO) and possesses a large subscriber base as well as original content. However, when competition involves subscribers, Amazon Prime Instant Video is becoming a direct competitor. Soon, Amazon will air original programming thus becoming a competitor for content as well (Casteele, 2014). In addition, Hulu, Apple TV, Google TV, Google owned YouTube, and CBS All Access has, or will have, original content available in the near future. Although Amazon does not have the number of subscribers that Netflix has, approximately 5 million versus 50 million plus for Netflix, both have the edge against traditional networks by using customer data instead of market research and Nielsen data for developing original content (Kleinman, 2013). Furthermore, competitors would include cable and satellite TV companies such as DirectTV, Comcast xfinity, and the movie theate rs. _SUBSTITUTES_. The threat of substitutes remains high. Products viewed as close substitutes include Hulu Plus which may also be considered a rival in some respects but exist more as a complementary product to Netflix and focuses on current run and older TV shows targeted at a younger market. Moreover, Hulu provides fewer movies compared to Netflix and forces subscribers to view commercials when streaming content. Another substitute would include Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) available only through a year subscription through Amazon Prime, a free two-day shipping service, and provides an extensive movie and TV library (Shanklin, W, 2014). Furthermore, Vudu is Wal-Marts offering of on-line streaming and similar to what one finds on YouTube or iTunes but providing more full length feature films (Prindle, D., 2014). Other substitutes include Google Play, RedBox Instant, and Microsofts Xbox video streaming (Shanklin, W, 2014). These substitutes are unlikely to threaten the market in excess, and Netf lixs threats remain with APIV. _NEW ENTRANTS._ The threat of new entrants is strong. In addition, there exists a strong likelihood of suppliers offering content on their own  website because of low barriers to enter the video streaming market. The TV market is increasingly moving to the on-demand online streaming model. The recent entry of Time Warners HBO, and CBS into the on-line streaming realm is a testament to new entrants. More Web based enterprises will shift or add on-line streaming content because the barriers are already low for these enterprises (Lever Estienne, 2014). In addition net neutrality rulings leave open the window of opportunity for new companies to enter the market (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS._ Bargaining power of suppliers is high. Moreover, suppliers can withhold content and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can intentionally without quality service to Websites using large portions of bandwidth. Until a net-neutrality regulation is in place, this will remain a major issue for companies providing on-line streaming content such as Netflix (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF CONSUMERS._ Bargaining power of consumers is high because on-line video streaming is highly price elastic and consumers will migrate to the perceived better value. Therefore, there is great sensitivity to price and content. Consumers will gravitate to the best suppliers of content and a bargain price without much loyalty. Netflixs slower subscriber growth in the third quarter of this year was attributed to price increase that the company undertook recently (Sikka, 2014). In addition, the industry must contend with the distribution and use of illegal downloads and the lack of established enforcement of pirating content. Content is king and consumers demand content, and original content is even better. SWOT ANALYSIS. See Figure 2 in Appendix C, page 22, Netflix SWOT Analysis, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following described strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. _STRENGTHS._ Netflix will invest a total $3 billion (US) by years end in program content to provide content and meet the diverse tastes of its more than 36 million U.S. and 14 million international online subscribers. In addition, Netflix will spend $600 million (US) on marketing and $400 million  (US) on technology upgrades. (Netflix ups ante, 2014). Moreover, Netflix possesses brand recognition and the word Netflix even becoming a verb among Internet users. Furthermore, the Netflix App has created greater accessibility and enabled subscribers to stream media on nearly all Internet enabled devices. Perhaps most important of all is Netflixs original content of award winning programs such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Hemlock Grove enhancing international growth. In addition, Netflix has signed a number of interconnection agreements with Internet Service Provider (ISPs) to ensure faster Internet speeds for subscribers (Sikka, 2014). More importantly, Netflix has positive financial ratios although profit margins remain low internationally, and continues to demonstrate outstanding stock market growth. _WEAKNESS._ One Netflixs largest weakness is their cost of content relating to the mass of licensing packages and the in-house original content production company Netflix is accumulating a large amount of debt and profit margins are low relative to the international market. Furthermore, the DVD and Bluray domestic subscriber market is declining, from 7.0 million paid subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2013 to 5.9 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2014 (Letter to Shareholders,.2014). Moreover, Netflix has had a history of subscriber revolt when raising subscription prices and their recent $1 increase was not having any significant impact on subscriptions, however may impact subscriptions nonetheless (Steel, 2014). The last attempt to raise monthly subscription prices left current subscribers upset and Netflix stock tumbling. In addition, Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily internet traffic (Sikka, 2014). Therefore, with net neutrality laws being struck down, Netflix will either need to assume more debt, which they will spend $1 billion (US) or the next 15 months, or cut content, which they will do the complete opposite. Perhaps most importantly, both Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) and Google owned YouTube have announced their own original content productions becoming a direct competitor to Netflix. _OPPORTUNITIES._ Netflixs greatest opportunity lies in International Expansion and their ability to create original content will enhance  international growth. In addition, the international opportunities will depend on Netflixs superior software apps and service created from their own global technology investment, process knowledge, data acquired from related markets, and their globally recognized brand (Netflix Long term View, 2014). Moreover, Netflixs original in-house programming should take full advantage of the many entertainment related smart devices with Internet capability. Households that have a TV or other device connected to the Internet, as of 2013, stood at 49% up from 24% in 2010 and is undoubtedly higher in 2014 (Sikka, 2014). There exist an opening for Internet TV and Netflixs exclusive in-house content will allow the company to take full advantage of that demand. _THREATS._ Because Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily Internet traffic, ISPs have lobbied to require major website traffic contributors pay for the infrastructure needed to support this heavy volume of traffic (Sikka, 2014).. Until net neutrality is resolved one way or another, this will remain a top threat for Netflix. Furthermore, competition such as Amazon Prime Internet Video (APIV), and Googles YouTube are implementing their own original content and are direct competitors to Netflix. Moreover the expense of licensing and renewing license agreements remain a threat to Netflixs ability to increase margins. However, in-house production of original content benefits the company by generating a word-of-mouth advertising and elevating the company into an Emmy award winning content producer. In addition, there exists the threat of brand loyalty as subscribers are price conscious and sensitive to price increases. ALTERNATIVES Possible alternatives range from doing nothing to focusing completely on the international market. If Netflix does nothing and continues their physical delivery of DVDs and Bluray discs will continue to cost more over time because of the need for maintain even a minimum of distribution centers for delivery to subscribers. Another alternative may be to simply pay the premium price required to acquire more and more content through expensive licensing agreements. This alternative as a stand-alone strategy and may not  provide the competitive advantage needed to attract the number of subscribers needed for desired growth. A third alternative could be to combine the purchasing of content and licensing with original content programming to attract domestic subscribers and increasing international market penetration in the video streaming market. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation made by the author is a combination of the reducing and phasing out the physical DVD delivery model combined with the purchasing of content and licensing, and using original content programming to attract domestic subscribers, and increasing international market penetration. IMPLEMENTATION Internet television is replacing linear television, at the same time that apps are replacing network channels. Thus creating the proliferation of viewing screens for streaming content. In addition, Technology is improving and more available than ever before making this technology less expensive. Furthermore, streaming is the leading source for Ultra HD 4k video, and TV everywhere provides an economic transition for existing networks. Hence, new entrants into the Internet streaming realm, including Netflix, are innovating rapidly and driving improvements (Letter to Shareholders, 2014). See Appendix D Graph 1, Netflix Market Share Bubble Graph on page 24 for a graphic representation of Netflixs market share compared to APIV and Hulu. Netflix should phase out of the physical DVD via mail service market and that will help reduce operating costs. Meanwhile, focus on Internet streaming of content, and producing original content will expand viewership and subscribers, both domestically and internationally, as well as help limit supplier control. This will help contribute to increased margins leading to increased revenue and stockholder confidence. Netflix is in a growth strategy in the international market where investment needs are high. Therefore, margins will be lower than desired expectations, and growth potential in the international market remains very high. Therefore, Netflix  should remain on this strategy. References Casteele, J. (February 24, 2014), Netflix vs HBO: Is the Rivalry as Intense as it Seems? The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/24/is-the-netflixhbo-rivalry-as-intense-as-it-seems.aspx France-Presse, A. (April 25, 2014). Netflix announces content agreements with several cable companies, RawStory.com. Retrieved from: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/netflix-announces-content-agreements-with-several-cable-companies/ Funding Universe (2014). Netflix, Inc. History, _International Directory of Company Histories_, Vol. 58. St. James Press, 2004. Retrieved from: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/netflix-inc-history/ Kleinman, A. (March 3, 2013). Netflix vs. Amazon Could Be The Cool New Rivalry, Huffington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/netflix-vs-amazon_n_2811454.html Kline, D. (July 26, 2014). Amazon Prime Continues to Grow Despite Price Bump, The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/26/amazon-prime-continues-to-grow-despite-price-bump.aspx Letter to Shareholders, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/NFLX/3556910032x0x786677/6974d8e9-5cb3-4009-97b1-9d4a5953a6a5/Q3_14_Letter_to_shareholders.pdf Lever, R., and Estienne, S. (October 19, 2014). Weve Hit a Watershed Moment For Streaming TV, Business Insider. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-with-new-entrants-streaming-tv-sees-waters hed-moment-2014-10 Market Watch (2014). Netflix Key Statistics, MarketWatch.com. Retrieved from: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/nflx/profile Netflix Long term View, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://ir.netflix.com/long-term-view.cfm Netflix Media Center (2014). Netflix, A brief history of the company that revolutionized watching of movies and TV shows. Retrieved from: https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/loginPageSalesNetWorksAction.do?contentGroupId=10477 Netflix ups ante in streaming. (2014, Oct 27). _Investors Business Daily_ Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/1615897570?accountid=6579 Perez, S. (April 30, 2014). Hulu, Now With 6 Million Subscribers, Will Make Some TV Episodes Free On Mobile, TechCrunch.com. Retrieved from: http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/30/hulu-now-with-6-million-subscribers-will-make-some-tv-episodes-free-on-mobile/Prindle, D. (May 13, 2014). Best Media Streaming, Digital Trends.com Website. Retrieved from: Serviceshttp://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-media-streaming-services/ Selyukh, A. (May 15, 2014). Amid protests, U.S. FCC proposes new net neutrality rules, Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/us-usa-internet-neutrality-idUSBREA4C0SF20140515 Seward, J., (October 16, 2014). Analysts Believe Netflix Is Victim Of High Expectations, Benzinga Retrieved from: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/14/10/4929716/analysts-believe-netflix-is-victim-of-high-expectations?utm_campaign=partner_feedutm_s ource=marketwatch.comutm_medium=partner_feedutm_content=analyst_ratings_page Shanklin, W (August 21, 2014). Netflix alternatives: These 7 services are the closest youll get, Geek.com Website. Retrieved from: http://www.geek.com/news/netflix-alternatives-these-7-services-are-the-closest-youll-get-1472327/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Analyzing the must-know business trends affecting Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why deals with Internet service providers are helping Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix has long been demanding net neutrality laws, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix doesnt consider HBOs streaming service a threat, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Steel, E. (July 21, 2014). Netflix, Growing, Envisions Expansion Abroad, _The New York Times._ Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/business/media/netflix-says-it-topped-50-million-subscribers.html?_r=0 Thompson, A. A. (2012). Netflix in 2012: Can It Recover from Its Strategy Missteps, _Business Strategy Game._ Retrieved from: https://www.bsg-online.com/users/CorporateLobby.html Yahoo Finance (October 30, 2014). Netflix, Inc (NTFLX), Yahoo Finance Website. Retrieved from: https://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NFLX

Analysing The Theories Of Social Behavior Sociology Essay

Analysing The Theories Of Social Behavior Sociology Essay The Green Mile movie was fundamentally made to show the harm that human beings inflicted on other members of their species, some degree of corruption and high levels of crime in the society that called for large number of executions in Green Mile. Seemingly, there was little or no regard for morality and obedience to social norms governing the society. Greem Mile was a term reffering to death row in Louisiana State Penintiary, where prisoners were held as they waited for their execution. The movie illustrates the true nature of death penalty, showing how cruel and barbaric it was (Darabont). The symbolic nature of the film portrays a care-free type of society, whereby Eduards adopted mouse represents freedom. The mouse could come and go away without any restrictions. He was never trapped and he seemed to fully enjoy life as clearly seen through his daily circus activities. This clearly shows the level of freedom enjoyed by members of this society, without cultural or social barriers. This is evidently so due to high levels of crime comitted. Too many executions were carried out in Green Mile (Darabont). This is a clear presentation of Durkheims theory of functionalism perspective which embraces crime as a normal and functional practice in any society. According to this theory, crime is normal because in every society, there exists some level of crime. It is equally functional as it serves to reinforce social norms, provide the raw material for social change and provide a kind of safety valve for social discontent, where people could simply disobey the law, rather than se eking to change it (Anderson and Kaspersen 158). In Green Mile, everyone was seeking to harm the other. The society lacked compassion and had no respect for humanity. There was no social order and stability but only a collective will to maintain order through executions. This is a society where killing was the order of the day The parents of a girls believed to have been killed by Coffey had a venom in their minds against him. Percy and Maniacal prison inmate Sam Rockwell sought nothing more than perverse destruction. Even the prison guards had one sole purpose, to kill (Darabont). This is in line with Durkheims theory, who insists that crime is both functional and inevitable in any society (Anderson and Kaspersen 28). Corruption was evident in this society. It was revealed that Percy was a nephew to the governors wife, and his powerful political connections got him hired as a prison guard. He had no regard for work ethics. He derived pleasure from frightening, humiliating and hurting other people, contrary to what was expected of him as a prison guard (Darabont). His deviance began with the society as explained by Durkheims theory of functionalist perspective. The societys collective sentiments seem to be too weak to prevent any deviance from the law as clearly seen through corrupt acquisition of his job using political connections. This shows that there was neither constant reaffirming of shared values nor was there passing of the same values from one generation to another, a critical situation responsible for the collapse of this society. People such as Percy and the Governors wife do not seem to follow any collective society conscience. They are naturally selfish by all means and only preffer t o satisfy their own interests regardless of who is hurt in the process. Even law and primary socialization of the family does not seem to stop them (Anderson and Kaspersen 258). Coffeys magic healing power could be said to represent perfect power of God which was at work. Even though the society was going through a period of social strain and dramatic change, religion could playe a key role in bringing back the shared norms and values of the society thus restoring social order as well as helping the society to distigush the good in those around us and resist evil (Anderson and Kaspersen 541). Conclusion This paper has discussed Emile Durkheims theory of Functionalist Perspective with special emphasis on events witnessed in the movie Green Mile. From issues discussed, the movie seems to have targeted the corrupt leaders and unjust systems of justice that contributed to selfishness as people undermined social expectations that call for respect of rights and needs of others and preffered to look after their own interests regardless of who was hurt in the process. This is evidently seen in unjust execution of Coffey who is believed to have been innocent. People in this society only seem to obey their natural state of greed and selfishness, a condition that has accelerated erossion of society values and led to total disregard for order and harmony. This is anomie which is very dangerous and harmful to all as seen through charcters like Percy and Maniacal prison inmate Sam Rockwell whose main desire was to destroy and kill. The power of collective conscience, social norms and values in th is society have been weakened through external shocks. However, through education and religion, society values and collective conscienceness could be restored to bring back the shared norms, values and social order. social systems could be highly valuable in working to maintain equilibrium and to return to it after such external shocks that have disturbed balance among members of this society. Strong emphasis put on socialization of members of the society into basic values and norms of the society could help the society to reach a consensus. A society should be viewed as totally united with all parts of institutions working in oneness and quasiamatic fashion toward achieving overall social equilibrium.

Green Living: What Is It?

Green Living: What Is It? The earth, as we know it is deteriorating in ways more than one. In order to set it right and restore the balance of events, we need to take an initiate and change our lifestyles to support the planets health. There are many ways by which you can also start to live greenly. The actual meaning of green living is to live in a way that is favorable to the planet and does not harm, or use up any of its resources excessively. It shows that you care for your planet, and are willing to make an initiative to set things right. If one person starts to live in greenly, others will see the effort he is making and eventually start to follow his example. Because the condition of the planet is worsening day by day, it is important that we take an initiative right now rather than repent it later. The world is deteriorating at a rapid rate, and it is all because of us. Many people dont give enough care to what they do, and these results in a rapid use up of the planets resources. For instance, we often do not give enough care to the electricity consumption of our house. There are many ways by which you can start green living too. However, in order to actually make an impact, we people need to realize the damages that we are doing and we all need to make a collective effort towards the betterment of this planet. One person can make a difference, but one person can set an example for others to follow. Some of the tips that we can follow in order to live greenly are mentioned below. The first thing that you need to do is to limit your energy consumption. There are many ways by which you can do that. Try to avoid excessive usage of your desktop computer, because a desktop computer uses up lots of energy that could otherwise be saved. For instance, you could just start to use a laptop, and if you dont have one, it is certainly wise that you buy one for yourself so that you can limit your energy consumption. Now, as mentioned, one person cant do anything or make an impact on the planet at all. However, imagine if every person in an area started to effectively use their energy and started to limit their consumption, then what would happen? Ill tell you, the planet would slowly start to heal itself because a load would be lessened and slowly the resources that are used in generating electricity would be lessened and this could be highly beneficial because at present we use large amounts of coal and other thermal resources to facilitate our stay on this planet. However, the rapid consumption of these resources, which are non renewable would want day result in the death of one of these crucial resources. For instance, if coal becomes extinct, then a lot of activity on this planet would cease to exist and we would just be searching for alternatives that might not be found so easily. However, if we start to use non renewable energy in our homes and start to take care of our planet, we could definitely make a small impact which might enlarge and the whole world might just join the go green movement. Article#2 Green Living- Time to go green: Summary Green living is the changing of your life style to set it according to the ways of the planet. By that, I mean that we need to make our stay more favorable in this planet so that we do not harm it in any way. There are many ways to initiate green living. In order to make your life a bit better and a bit greener, you need to take certain steps so that you do not harm the resources of this planet. The first step that you can include if you wish to start green living is efficient energy consumption. Many people dont realize that they waste large amounts of energy in various unnecessary things that could otherwise be saved. Electrical energy is made by the use of thermal resources and there are very few plants that make use of non renewable resources. Hence, the more energy you waste, the more thermal resources would be used up of the planet. If all these resources get used up, this could be very harmful for the planet in a variety of ways. At present, we are rapidly using the planets resources to facilitate and make our lives better. But, if we cut down on them, we could certainly make living on this planet a bit better and much greener. You can practice a variety of small things that could certainly save you a lot of energy which could otherwise reduce the load on the planet. If you have a car that runs on diesel or petrol, it would be wise to convert it to CNG, which uses compressed natural gas that is not harmful in any way to the planet. What happen when you use petrol or diesel is that carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are released in to the atmosphere, which harms the planets atmosphere as well as the ozone layer of the planet. We need to take care of the planet, because we have certainly used it in a very harmful way. Other things that we can do and change if we want to live greener life are that we can cut down on our energy consumption. Some of the largest amounts of energy are consumed when people leave the lights of their homes on and do not bother to turn them off. The lights just keep on using energy even though they are not being used in any way. Therefore, it is always wise and highly recommended that you shut off the lights before leaving any room so that you can save on energy. A go green movement has been initiated by the people, and it is gaining a lot of popularity as more and more people are changing their lives and living methods so that their stay on this planet becomes favorable for them as well as for the planet. You need to take care of the planet, because if we dont then there is no one else who will. We need to practice just a few things which would certainly not restrict our lives in any possible manner, but would certainly allow the planet to heal itself and become a better place for everyone to live in. Start green living, and support the planet, because it never gives up on you. Article#3 Time to Start Green Living! Summary: Our planet is slowly dying, and if we dont do anything about it soon enough, it would eventually begin to deteriorate and everything would be used. The world would become a barren place without any resources. We need to cater to the needs of our planet, and we need to change our life styles so that it becomes beneficial to the planet. We need to become much more eco friendly, so that no harm is dealt to the planet by our existence. At the moment, we are certainly not doing anything like that and in order for us to be able to know whats right and whats wrong for the planet, we really need to open our eyes and look around. Global warming is rapidly become an increasing phenomena, the glaciers are melting at a very fast rate. Do you think this is happening on its own accord? If you do, then you need to revise your thinking. The instigators of global warming are just us. We have driven the planet to the extent that it has begun to harm itself. Every day, we use up large amounts of the resources of the planet to facilitate our lives, but do we realize who is going to replenish those resources? No, we dont. All we are intent on is making life easy for ourselves. However, the time has now come for us to make a move and change our lives so that we do not pose a threat, or become a source of harm to the planet. We need to analyze and see that whatever we are doing is according the needs of the planet or not. If it isnt, then we need to change and start green living so that the planet begins to replenish its resources and becomes the beautiful place it once was. Floods, earth quakes and all natural disasters are instigated because of us if you actually look at it in a wider sense, and all we think is that the planet is hurting us. It is not in any way trying to harm us, but these are just signs of things to come if we dont take care of our beloved planet. Many people have now begun to realize the message that is being conveyed and have begun green living so that they could be free of the guild of destroying the planet. You can start green living as well, and by following some simple guidelines, you could certainly be on your way in helping the planet. It is futile to think that one person can do nothing, but you should try and set an example for others to follow. Try being a source of inspiration to others so that they also being to adopt green living as well. Simple steps such as turning off the lights or electricity when not in use could go a long way in helping the planet, and it highly recommended that we now start to utilize our energy efficiently because it is high time that we begin to listen to the pleas of the planet and try to make life better for ourselves before things get out of hand and it all becomes too late.

Marine Corps :: essays research papers

The following was a submitted report for a U.S. History research paper assignment We fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea. First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine. Our flag's unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun. We have fought in every clime and place, where we could take a gun. In the snow of far off northern lands and in sunny tropic scenes, You will find us always on the job, The United States Marines. Here's health to you and to our Corps which we are proud to serve. In many a strife we've fought for life and never lost our nerve. If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven's scenes, they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines." The Marine hymn is eternally etched in the mind's and soul of every recruit and officer who have served in the United States Marine Corps. Every Marine has gone through boot camp, each sacrificing blood, sweat, and tears. One thing that has never deteriorated in their years of existence is the fact that they have yet to lose a war they have put effort in. Is this exceptional record due to their extensive training? Is it because of their aggressive nature and mindset? What is to follow may shed some light on these questions and perhaps give some type of insight on how the Marine Corps was so prevailing and what conflicts had they had conquered. 1775, November 10th. This date is memorized and celebrated by every United States Marine as something of excellence, a date of honor. This date is non other than the "birthdate" of the Marine Corps. It was on this date that the Continental Congress passed a resolution to create two operational battalions of American Marines. These men would ultimately be headed by Captain Samuel Nicholas, of the United States Naval department. It was in Philadelphia that the first Marines were grouped and trained for their inaugural mission. The three hundred M arines that had been recruited, were placed aboard eight transport ships, all destined for the beaches of New Providence (the Bahamas). Upon their landing on March 3rd, 1776, they fought up the beach, sweeping through a barrage of bullets, and took command of two small stone forts and a number of military storage complexes.

Value of Suffering in Markandayas Nectar in a Sieve Essay -- Nectar S

Value of Suffering in Markandaya's Nectar in a Sieve  Ã‚   Kamala Markandaya's Nectar in a Sieve portrays its positive woman characters as ideal sufferers and nurturers. "[T]he cause of her suffering springs mainly from poverty and natural calamity. The women are from the rural sections of society. They are the daughters of the soil and have inherited age-old traditions which they do not question. Their courage lies in meek or at times cheerful way [sic] of facing poverty or calamity" [Meena Shirdwadkar, Image of Woman in the Indo-Anglian Novel (New Delhi: Sterling, 1979), 49]. Rukmani, the main character, and her daughter Ira display suffering hroughout the novel. Rukmani works hard and is devoted to her gentle husband. She endures blow after blow from life: poverty, famine, the divorce of her barren daughter, the deaths of her sons, her daughter's prostitution, and finally her husband's death. When she finds te emotional cener of her life, her relationship with her husband, threatened by the discovery that he fathered another woman's sons, she neither strikes out at him nor crumbles: Disbelief first; disillusionment; anger, reproach, pain. To find out, after so many years, in such a cruel way. ... He had known her not once but twice; he had gone back to give her a second son. And between, how many times, I thought, bleak of spirit, while her husband in his impotence and I in my innocence did nothing. . . .At last I made an effort and roused myself... "It is as you say a long time ago," I said wearily. "That she is evil and powerful I know myself. Let it rest." She accepts the blow and moves on in life. In addition, when her son Raja is murdered, even her thoughts do not express rebellion. She moves from nu... ...osites of Kunthi. Their goodness originates in their acceptance of suffering, whereas Kunthi's evil originates in her refusal to sacrifice herself for others. As ideal images, Markandaya's heroines correlate with Shirwadkar's conception of how early Indo-Anglian novels portray women as Sita-like characters. By fulfilling cultural values, however, Rukmani and Ira find in their way of lifenot only suffering but also a sureness and inner peace. Shirwadkar claims that women in later novels lose even the satisfaction of this fulfillment, because they find themselves trapped between the traditional and modern requirements for women. Earlier images of calm, enduring women change to new ones, of frustrated women caught between the Sita-Savitri figure and the modern, Westernised woman. Works Cited: Markandaya, Kamala. Nectar In A Sieve. New York: Signet Fiction, 1995.

Companies and the Customers Who Hate Them Essay

How can customer dissatisfaction lead to higher profits for the company? Companies have found out that ill-informed customers can be beneficial for them in terms of profits. Some companies have abused their customers intentionally, however others unwittingly exploited and took advantage of them. The Slippery slope: There are two major ways in which companies make profits by misleading their customers: * Offering the customers a broad variety of services or products, which can be very confusing, especially when there is lack of transparency. Moreover, if even the information is complete for the customers, the companies can take advantages of consumers’ difficulties in predicting their needs. * Using fees and penalties for offsetting costs and discouraging undesirable customer behavior. These hostile strategies are common from banking and hotel industries to video stores and car rentals. Here particularly 3 industries will be discussed in details: cell phone industry, retail- banking industry and health club industry. Cell phone industry: When a customer signs up for a service plan, he chooses a certain pricing option with different ranges of minutes. These plans can have various restrictions and allowances. However, these varied plans are not a result of customer-centric strategy. They are rather ways to take advantage of customer’s unawareness of which plan to choose, in the result of which customers can be penalized either for using too much time or for not using enough. However, such strategies cannot always guarantee profits for the company. They can increase the dissatisfaction among customers, the proof of which can be thousands of complaints that the U. S. Federal Communications Commission gets annually. These complaints should be worrisome to companies because customers can switch toward a transparent and friendly alternative. Retail-banking industry: Another sphere in which the company-centric strategy is used is retail-banking industry. For signing up in the checking accounts people are offered dozens of alternatives. If the customers cannot precisely predict their needs, they can have losses. Here are some examples of situations when the banks take advantage over the customers’ ignorance * The customers receive less interest when the consumers’ balances are above the minimum of the balance bucket and if the alances fall below the minimum level, they have to pay some penalties. * Banks usually debit the consumers’ checks in the order of size, rather than in a chronological order, for the rest of the checks to bounce and to cause multiple overdrafts, consequently penalties. The company-centric strategy of banks led to the customers’ dissatisfaction and it became so pervasive that New York congresswoman Carolyn Maloney reintroduced the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act to forbid banks charging overdraft protection fees, unless the customers explicitly are informed about the service. Health club industry: Health clubs tempt customers to sign long-term contracts, knowing that they will rarely visit the club. They realize that all their customers will not completely use the facility and therefore sell more memberships than they have the floor space to accommodate. Moreover, an investigation conducted by the New York City Council concluded that 41% of clubs didn’t explain their fees in writing, 81% didn’t give potential members a contract to read at home and 96% didn’t inform customers of all the ways they could legally cancel a contract. In New Jersey a lot of complaints have brought litigation against almost two dozen health clubs that provided fraudulent contracts. Health clubs require to spend more time to attract new customers because their existing ones try to find a way out. Moreover they even encourage ways to retain customers with reward points for members who work out regularly. The warning signs: According to the research most of the executives are acknowledging the negative effects of the functions described above but they mention that those actions do not represent an intentional strategy. The executives know that because of these negative practices the companies slid down the slippery slope and have difficulties for purchasing on the way back up thus becoming vulnerable for the competitors. For avoiding this practice the executives should ask themselves the questions mentioned bellow. * Are our most profitable customers those who have reasons to be dissatisfied with us? * Do we have rules we want customers to break because doing so generates profits? Do we make it difficult for customers to understand or abide by our rules, and do we actually help customers break them? * Do we depend on contracts to prevent customers from defecting? Climbing back into favor: Effective CEOs are able to recognize the opportunities and eliminate the negative effects which make the company vulnerable. The company centric strategies can cause loss of the target market and profitability in a long-term period, thus many companies prefer being economically sustainable.

Personal Development Report Essay

This personal development report reflects upon my learning experiences and outcomes during my first year at Nottingham Trent University. It aims to document the ways in which I have developed and areas for further consideration as part of a continual learning process. The report will be structured around 5 main areas as shown below 1. Placing learning on BABM within the wider context of lifelong learning 2. Taking personal responsibility for career planning 3. Taking personal responsibility for the learning process 4. Valuing the importance of developing personal effectiveness 5. Demonstrating an enquiring mind I have also looked at how all this learning at university relates and fits within a wider context of lifelong learning. Conclusions and recommendations for what I am going to do to improve in the months from May 2001 to 2002 are based on the areas I have mentioned in the above. I will do this in the form of a Personal Development Plan using the smart objectives as follows: (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Related to overall life-long goals and set over a Time period). I have made conclusions of the development plans, which have concentrated both on Core Transferable skills and also some softer skills. Introduction 1.My Learning At University Within A Wider Context Of Lifelong Learning 1.1 The concept of lifelong learning The concept of lifelong learning is as relevant now as it has ever been, with the traditional job for life being replaced by shorter periods of work for different firms requiring essentially the same skills and qualities in employees. Therefore the ability for these skills to be transferable is very important. To develop these skills therefore is extremely important with many employers putting greater emphasis upon these core skills and less emphasis upon specific skills. These skills can be used in many different situations and circumstances to allow the employee to perform to the best of their ability. â€Å"The concept of work is continuously changing. An individual not only has several jobs in a lifetime but may also have several careers. Therefore everybody needs continuous updating of skills and competence throughout their working life† ERT report, 1989 The following skills are widely considered to be Core Transferable Skills  · Organisational Skills  ·Ã‚  Interpersonal/ Social Skills  · Analytic and Problem Solving Skills  · Teamwork  · Creativity  · Self Motivation  · Initiative and Leadership 1.2The learning curve It is these skills that have been particularly important to develop whilst at university and it is the experience of university both academically and socially that has provided the ideal environment for these skills to be developed. The combination of leaving home and adapting to a completely different environment both educationally and socially has meant that the learning curve especially in the first semester was very steep. To live away from home for the first time without any contacts in an unknown city is a life changing experience and forces oneself to adapt and mature quickly after leaving the security of the family home. Being entirely responsible for yourself is also a new experience requiring maturity and forward thinking as well as planning to enable yourself to function. The way in which these skills have been developed forms the backbone for lifelong learning, one which employers recognize and actively seek in graduates. 1.3Lifelong learning defined The concept of lifelong learning is complex and is not easily defined resulting in no unilateral definition, however its importance is widely agreed. â€Å"The Development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetime and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances and environment† Longworth, 1996 p22 â€Å"The need for a learning society to convert and compete is not just urgent, it is a matter of economic life and death. It is a matter of social success or disaster. It is a matter of survival† Cann in Bradshaw, 1995 The development of these skills both as part of the BA Business Management Degree and the wider University experience is key to becoming an attractive employee This is particularly so as years two and three of the Degree are â€Å"in company† so the development of these skills and the pace at which these must be  developed is crucial. This report will aim to reflect upon my first year experienc e and where appropriate utilize activities, questionnaires and assignments in an attempt to build a personal development review and action plan for the proceeding 12 months in the form of a personal development plan. 2.Taking Personal Responsibility For The Learning Process The biggest contribution to taking responsibility for the learning process was the decision to further my learning at university. This decision has allowed myself the opportunity to further my learning both academically and socially in ways that I would be unable to had I not made the decision to attend university. Also the decision to accept my place on the BABM course was another way in which I have demonstrated my personal responsibility for learning. The course is intense for each of the three years, more so than most undergraduate courses and the decision to accept a place on this course rather than other courses where workload and intensity were less was important. The course aims to enrich individuals with far greater experience both academically and in terms of transferable skills therefore by choosing BABM I feel I have made the best possible choice to continue my learning in the most relevant way providing me with higher levels of transferable skills than other graduates may have. 2.1 Taking responsibility for myself To be able to take responsibility for the learning process I have had to take responsibility for myself and become more accountable to myself in terms of making myself work harder and setting aside time in which to work. .University work is very different to that I have encountered before in terms of deadlines are much longer, scope for research is much larger, less specific titles to assignments etc etc so being accountable for myself is very important. 2.2 Time management Because the work is very different to that experienced before I have had to manage my time in a much more responsible manner to enable me to fulfill my potential, progress, and attain the best possible marks for myself. Examples of where I have managed my time effectively are physically difficult to produce as the BABM timetable is extremely varied from week to week so to produce a timetable where work and free time could  be planned in advance was very difficult to do. Undoubtedly time management and grades are very much linked and my grades for semester 1 and those received thus far for semester 2 have been good and I feel this has been partly due to my good time management skills. My peer assessment feedback included 5 of 6 people stating that I was well organized and three out of 6 stating that I was disciplined. This is included in appendix 1. 2.3Taking responsibility for learning The DLBM debate where our topic was â€Å"interviews are the most unreliable method of selection† required ourselves to complete a large amount of research. Our group split into two and four with the latter researching that I was a part of. The grade we received for this was high 70% and showed the level of research the group had done and is typical of myself being keen to take responsibility for learning. Development of interpersonal skills I am a member of The Herefordshire Golf Club where in 2000 I was captain. In this role I was required to talk to people of different ages and backgrounds and I feel this role has allowed my interpersonal skills to develop and I have learned a lot from this position as it provides a different scenario from academic studies. This role also developed my leadership skills as well as my organizational skills. 3.Value The Importance Of Developing Personal Effectiveness As part of the Developing Learning for Business and Management module the group completed two sessions on personal effectiveness including â€Å"ËÅ"assertiveness’ and â€Å"ËÅ"effective communication/ active listening’ These sessions have allowed my awareness to the importance of assertiveness and communication skills to be greatly improved and have highlighted ways in which I can improve on these skills. My level of skills prior to the sessions was of a good level and I believe I have the basic fundamentals to allow myself to develop communication and assertiveness naturally. However my increased awareness brought about by the sessions has allowed myself to take a more proactive approach to developing personal effectiveness. 3.1Demonstrated active listening/ effective communication An example of where I have demonstrated both active listening/effective communication whilst  being assertive was in a role-play with Vanessa Knowles DLBM lecturer as part of a tutorial session. Vanessa played the part of the under performing employee and I played the part of the employer. Vanessa used several different behaviour characteristics in attempt to alter my opinions and decisions. I feel that I learnt a lot by this, the importance of clear communication and active listening whilst not letting some-ones behaviour alter my decisions. 3.2Development of self confidence The session also increased my confidence especially as the role-play was conducted in front of an audience and made me more willing to be assertive rather than passive which is a tendency I will sometimes withdraw to. In the peer assessment feedback session this was something people felt was maybe a weakness of myself. Ben Gasson for example said â€Å"You should be more confident and forceful, often what you have to say is just as valid if not more so than other people, just say what you think sometimes† This analysis is very true of myself and to be more assertive I must first become more confident within myself. 3.3Development of leadership skills In the Belbin peer assessment it was also said that I was sometimes fearful of conflict. This I agree is true sometimes when maybe I am unsure of all the facts or am not in a position to speak confidently, I sometimes let others dominate me when really their ideas are no better than my own. However I feel that the example as mentioned above (role-play) demonstrated my ability not to be fearful of conflict. I am not a person to cause conflict within a group but at the same time I would not say i am fearful of conflict and can be assertive when necessary. One area for development are my leadership skills. Although I feel that I have become much more confident this year and this has enabled me to take a more active or leadership role in certain situations. However I feel that I still have a long way to go to enable myself to be a natural leader and to do so would be a great achievement. To improve this area of personal effectiveness is a definite priority for the next 12 months. My job at Marks & Spencer’s requires me to work on the customer service desk listening to customer’s complaints and dealing with their problems. This role requires me to have good active listening skills and not be fearful of conflict whilst maintaining good customer service. This shows that my personal effectiveness and assertiveness can when necessary be very prominent. 3.4Ability to effectively communicate My ability to effectively communicate has been demonstrated in many ways this year, presentations, debates, meetings, interviews etc. My peer assessment said that my presentation skills are good and I can speak in confidently at a good pace. This was highlighted in the DLBM debate where it was mentioned in the group mark sheet as well as the business simulation feedback sheets. 4.Work With Others To Achieve Goals The ability to work with others to achieve goals is another very important transferable skill that employers seek. The Belbin team role questionnaire included in appendix __ and states that predominantly I am a team worker co-coordinator. This opinion is held by both myself and my peer group showing that I view myself and my group views me as a team worker. 4.1Working with others in practice My ability to work with others to achieve goals, I believe is one of my biggest strengths. Much of the work on BABM is team orientated as this will be the case when in the workplace in years 2 and 3. Examples of this have included the business simulation module where I feel I made a good contribution to the team. Other examples have included the DLBM debate, the organizational behaviour presentation as well as the smaller group assignments we have be set. 4.2My role within groups The experience I have gained working in groups this year has developed many of my skills far more than a normal undergraduate course may have done. My skill within groups is one of analysis and reflection of what others have said and making rational and coherent arguments from debate. This ability has proved to be very useful this year however I feel than within group work I need to take a more pro active role  stimulating debate and discussion. As was stated in my peer assessment feedback I sometimes need to â€Å"relax, say what I think, and be more confident† and this is an area I need to work on in the next 12 months 4.3Teamwork outside the classroom During 2000 I have played golf for The Herefordshire Golf Club where much of the competition is in team format. Very different to university teamwork where communication is key, playing golf requires analysis of the situation and choosing the best course of action in a short time consulting your partner to achieve the best possible result. Again I feel I have learnt a lot from this sporting experience as often I am under pressure to make team decisions quickly at university and although in an entirely different situation the process is the same. 5.Demonstrate An Enquiring Mind An enquiring mind and to be interested in your work is essential to being successful, without this I feel would result in lack of motivation and a significant reduction in output. My educational background shows how my enquiring mind is diverse and heavily influenced the â€Å"ËÅ"A’ level subjects I chose. I tried to choose subjects I was genuinely interested in and felt that I would be most motivated to work hard on. This at the time didn’t include business studies but my work experience at Marks & Spencer’s has led me to become interested in business. I wanted to know why decisions were taken at head office, what influenced them and how they took those decisions. My father works in business and as I have always been interested in his work and find it interesting. 5.1Examples of enquiring mind At university it is particularly important to have an enquiring mind as many of the subjects are only covered very briefly in the actual lectures therefore requiring me to be interested in them and to have an enquiring mind to allow myself to get a good knowledge of each subject. This is very different to â€Å"ËÅ"A’ levels and I feel that I have improved greatly in this area since attending University. However I also feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement particularly in subjects that I find difficult and those that are maybe less interesting to myself. I should try to complete all the recommended reading rather than completing only that which I find interesting. I found the organizational behaviour module to be particularly interesting and read a lot of the textbook despite the fact that the essay I had to write was only a small proportion of the book. For the DLBM debate I was part of the â€Å"research team† as I enjoy finding information that can be used to form an argument. I enjoy reading national papers and try to do so as often as I can as I am interested in the wider scope of global business. My enquiring mind sometimes get the better of me and I find myself reading about completely irrelevant topics to that I am meant to be studying for and wasting time but I believe this reflects my enquiring mind For the information systems/ information technology module we could either build a website of produce a leaflet. Despite the fact I had never produced a website before I chose to do this as I enjoy using computers and felt that although this would be more difficult it would be more beneficial to myself in the long run. 6.Take a Personal Responsibility For Career Planning Taking responsibility for career planning is very important, and the BABM course demands that students do this much earlier than other students on other undergraduate schemes. Because of this career planning is very important specifically with regards to years two and three of the course to enable me to make the maximum of my interview and company opportunities. The first step in career planning for myself was my work experience at Marks & Spencer’s that motivated me to choose the BABM course. Choosing to be on the BABM course itself also was of great importance to my future career with the uniqueness of the course enabling me to gain more experience earlier. 6.1Interview skills development Whilst on the BABM course I have had to take responsibility for my future career and have demonstrated this in a number of ways. Firstly interview technique was important to develop and the practice interview as part of the DLBM module gave good feedback as to my style and competencies. The feedback I got (see appendix 3) was generally good with areas to improve on including becoming more focused upon the process I went through when giving examples rather than the example itself. Also I tended to undersell myself when given the chance to impress but apart  from this the feedback was generally good 6.2C.V and application form enhancement My C.V and application form was also another area that required me to take personal responsibility. I read articles on the Internet and books from the library on how to write a C.V as well as attending lectures on C.V’s. I got feedback from my dad who takes part in selection processes as part of his job as well as Vanessa Knowles the DLBM lecturer. The feedback I got was very good highlighting areas that needed to be improved 6.3Increasing personal awareness of placements For the pre selection week I researched each company individually, sent off for their annual reports, looked at their web sites and read the national press to gain any knowledge I could before I attended the sessions. This gave me an insight not only into the companies that I was researching but also the industries they operated in. It also allowed me to view the types of placements offered to students such as myself and has increased my knowledge of the type of placement I am looking to secure. 7.Conclusions I feel that in the last 12 months I had developed tremendously as a person and feel that I have become much more confident, outgoing and assertive. My transferable skill base has improved greatly due to my experience on BABM and at university generally. I feel that my value as a person to an organization has increased greatly and I feel confident that the skills I have learnt this year will continue to be used long into the future not only just during the period â€Å"in company†. However I realize that my skills can and will be improved enormously by the experience I will gain whilst in company and that lifelong learning is a valid and very important concept. My personal development plan outlines areas I intend to improve over the next two years and contains ways in which I intend to monitor evaluate and measure myself and my development. I have tried as far as possible to make my targets Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant and Timescaleable to enable myself to develop myself in the most effective manner. The personal development plan will allow myself to continually review my progress and will hopefully prove a useful tool in the next two years whilst on the BABM course