Downsizing the Human Resources Department Essay

Human Resources Department manager Pat Sutton is requesting the downsizing of the Human Resources Department. Instead of the eight employees already in place, Pat wants the department pared down to five employees. She wants the names of three employees selected to be terminated. There is no other alternative to termination, and the company policy states that there can be no early retirement and no moving laterally to another department. Cost-cutting measures are now requiring that five employees do the work of eight. In addition to the names of the three employees recommended for termination, Pat wants to know what action management should take if any of the three employees decide to file a discrimination case against the company and what the employees would have to prove in order to win a discrimination case. Employees Recommended for Termination Pat, I have chosen the three employees to be terminated based on their skill set, work experience, and job function within the Human Resources department. The three to be terminated are: Diane—she has been with the company for 10 years, and although she is an outstanding worker, her attendance problems have cost the company. Horatio—he has only been with the company for six months, is just learning insurance and health matters, and his skills are marginal at best. Greg—he has been with the company for five years and has shown an ability to quickly learn complex areas of work. However, he has not been trained in tech hiring, and his job skills are just average. Of the three named employees, one is female and two are male. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the main law of employment that is pertinent to these three employees. Possible Cases of Discrimination against Cost Club There are three different types of discrimination cases that could be file by the three employees. Race discrimination—Horatio could file a case of this type. He is Hispanic and has not quite grasped the English language. He would have to prove that because he is Hispanic and has a limited knowledge of English, the company terminated him. I really do not think that Horatio would win if he decided to file a racial discrimination case against the company. His minimal skills in health and insurance after six months are more than enough reason to terminate him. Gender discrimination—Diane could file a case of this type. Her attendance problems stem from her children’s sicknesses over the years. She would have to prove that her termination stemmed from her being a female and missing work due to her sick children. We may have a tough time if Diane files this type of case against the company. She is an outstanding worker and her only blemishes are her missed days of work due to her sick children. Religious discrimination—Greg could possibly file a case of this type. His religious convictions prevent him from working on Saturday or Sunday. This forces other workers to work weekends more frequently. Greg would have to prove that the company terminated him because his religion keeps him from working on the weekend. Greg would have a hard time winning a discrimination case if he were to file, because his work is just average at best. With regard to each employee’s possible claim of discrimination, the company should prepare itself by carefully looking into each employee’s work performance employee performance appraisals. After all, the company needs to offer the three workers more than just a â€Å"we had to terminate three people and you were one of them† explanation. Failure to promote qualified employees is a form of adverse employment action. Employee performance appraisals provide written documentation and prove the employer acted fairly in terminating an employee. Documenting Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)  The Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is intended to smooth the progress of positive conversation involving an employee and his or her manager and to explain the work performance that needs development. The PIP is put into effect, at the choice of the manager, when it is deemed essential to assist an employee in improving his or her performance. This arrangement allows managers to set objectives, determine procedures, manage evaluation meetings, and record development. No particular quantity of time is needed for a worker to adhere to a PIP. As a matter of fact, if no improvements are made, an employee can be terminated after a number of weeks. Performance Improvement Plans have an awful reputation amongst personnel who view them as the last step in terminating employment. This is because numerous companies apply Performance Improvement Plans the wrong way or use them for generating a lawful safety net prior to ending employment. Performance Improvement Plans should only be applied if a manager sincerely believes that the worker possesses the ability to improve. Every other thing is agonizing for the worker and takes up too much time for human resources staff and managers. Regarding human resources personnel and managers, a Performance Improvement Plan is more or less hardly ever fitting. If a supervisor is performing poorly or at a level below standards to necessitate a Performance Improvement Plan, it is very rare that he or she will salvage the needed assurance of subordinate employees or his or her own manager. Human Resource organizations possess more than enough admission to extremely private, unique data. Moreover, because of their place in the organization, the harm to your belief in them and their trustworthiness is almost impossible to overcome. Dispute Resolution Process A dispute resolution process is categorized into two types: adjudicative and consensual. In an adjudicative dispute resolution process, an arbitrator, judge, or jury decides the result of the arbitration or litigation. During a consensual dispute resolution process, such as mediation, collaborative law, negotiation, or conciliation, the participants try to come to an agreement (FITT, 302). For the three employees we are terminating, we would need an adjudicative dispute resolution process. This way, an arbitrator can decide the outcome of the case. Responding to Charges of Discrimination Should we be charged with discrimination from terminated employees, we will follow these steps: 1. Gather documents and evidence but wait to interview witnesses and meet with the company’s legal specialist to decide who must manage the inquiry. It may be essential to run an investigation that we reveal to the examining organization, or it may be more vital to run an investigation that can be suppressed. Nevertheless, we should amass any records which specify what actually happened. If a discrimination claim is made founded on a â€Å"disparate impact,† we will need to collect some simple material concerning the diversity of the company’s workforce. This way, the company’s attorney can determine if that data has any importance statistically. 2. If we opt to prepare a re-tort to the discrimination charges on our own, we should take into account that we have numerous onlookers. Initially, some EEOC offices will send a duplicate of the reply to the terminated worker or his/her legal counsel. If the employee or the EEOC chooses to take legal action, they are apt to attempt to exploit the company’s stance as substantiation in their argument. The simple rule to constantly abide by is to just state the facts. Do not state undesirable points about the terminated worker that are case irrelevant, and be sure to corroborate all testimony with any documents available. We should only give the EEOC additional information if it strengthens the company’s stance. This is my recommendation on who should be terminated and what avenues of approach we should take should any discrimination charges be brought against the company.

Disorder Paper: Depression

In some points in our life, we feel a very deep sadness; feel lethargic and unable to deal with the everyday demands of our existence. However, after a few days of wallowing in sadness, self-pity and negative thoughts, human nature dictates that we recover from this episode and go back to our lives. But the truth is, some people do not recover and becomes enslaved with his/her sadness, uncertainty, depressive thoughts and feelings of uselessness and diminished zest for life that the person is said to be suffering from depression.Depression is a psychological disorder wherein the person’s depressed state is not in proportion to the event that caused the depressive feelings and when it continues past the point of which he/she is expected to recover. Depression is often caused by the stress of major life events like losing someone you love, failing in school or in one’s work, death, or terminal illnesses. Depression is characterized by four symptoms, this include emotional , cognitive, motivational and physical symptoms (Wood, Wood & Boyd, 2006).The most common emotional symptom when a person is depressed is the generalized feeling of sadness and dejection. The individual feels unhappy, hopeless and loses interest in life and previous daily activities. The cognitive symptoms are composed of negative thoughts wherein they have low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy and engage in self-blame when they think of their predicaments and failures.Motivation is very low during depression, the depressed person tend to be passive and difficulty in interacting with others or in participating in activities that require human contact and exchange of ideas. The physical symptoms of depression include the difficulty in sleeping, changes in appetite either an increase or decrease from the normal eating behavior, lethargy, low energy and complains of body aches.There is still help for depressed individuals, treatments like psychotherapy and drugs have helped people br eak away from their depression. Antidepressant drugs help to elevate the mood of depressed individuals. These drugs energize rather than tranquilize, apparently by increasing the availability of two neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and serotonin that are deficient in some cases of depression (Wood, Wood & Boyd, 2006). Antidepressant drugs act in different ways to increase the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine.Some drugs block certain enzymes from destroying the two neurotransmitters; others prevent the neurotransmitters from returning to its nerve terminals of origin. However, these drugs are more effective in treating depression caused by biological factors, and like any synthetic drug, there are serious side effects. The most common side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and urinary retention, others experience severe drop in blood pressure, disruption in cardiac rhythm and rate and may be fatal when taken in excessive doses.A number of new antide pressants called serotonin reuptake inhibitors prolong the serotonin level in the body and have proved effective in treating depression with minimal side effects. Psychotherapy is another treatment method, wherein the depressed individual seeks help from a qualified and licensed therapist. The therapist establishes a helping relationship with the depressed client and may use a number of therapeutic approaches like psychoanalysis, behavior-modification, cognitive behavioral therapies and humanistic therapies (Wood, Wood & Boyd, 2006).The psychotherapeutic technique employed by the therapist would depend on his/her counseling orientation and the needs of the client. However, one that has gained prominence is cognitive behavioral therapy. This method use behavioral modification techniques and at the same time help people take control of their disturbing emotional reactions by teaching them more effective ways in interpreting and thinking about their experiences. Reference Wood, S., Wood, E. & Boyd, D. (2006).   Mastering the World of Psychology 2nd ed.   Boston: Pearson Education Inc.

Essay on Marketing Strategies

http://www. intel. com/jobs/careers/marketing/ http://blog. hubspot. com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5256/Sales-Vs-Marketing-Whose-Job-is-it-to-Generate-Leads. aspx Content:  The decision content includes market opportunity analysis, brand development, advertising, pricing and basic sales force management decisions. It also includes a simplified profit analysis. Decisions by Quarter Quarter 1: Setup your company, evaluate market opportunities and prepare for test market. †¢ Determine desired image of company Designate a company name †¢ Analyze market opportunities—evaluate segments, geographic markets, and potential competition – Evaluate market survey results in End User Profile †¢ Establish corporate goals and strategic direction – Select target segment – Establish strategic direction †¢ Select test markets – Open sales office Quarter 2: Go to market to test your strategy and market assumptions. †¢ Create customer value—m atch components to benefits desired (quality function deployment (QFD)) – Design 1 or 2 brands Marketing strategy—evaluate tactical options and choose marketing mix – Brand price – Price promotions – Sales priority †¢ Develop media plan and budget—ad copy design, media selection, and ad frequency – Place advertisements in media †¢ Sales force management—number employed, and training – Hire salespeople assign to service or target segments – Open new sales office (optional) Quarter 3: Evaluate test market performance and revise your strategy, become a learning organization. †¢ Evaluate performance – Financial performance—profitability analysis Market performance—customer opinion of brand designs, prices, advertising, and sales force – Competitor tactics—segments targeted and selection of marketing tactics †¢ Revise marketing tactics as needed and continue test m arketing Quarter 4: Evaluate your position in the market and adjust your strategy. †¢ Evaluate performance – Financial performance—profitability analysis – Market performance—customer opinion of brand designs, prices, advertising, and sales force – Competitor tactics—segments targeted and selection of marketing tactics †¢ Adjust strategy—make incremental changes in tactics use activity based costing (ABC) to evaluate profitability of brands – evaluate profitability of division – conduct demand analysis to estimate brand, price, advertising, and sales force elasticity Quarter 5: Monitor, improve, and execute. †¢ Evaluate performance – Financial performance—profitability analysis – Market performance—customer opinion of brand designs, prices, advertising, and sales force – Competitor tactics—segments targeted and selection of marketing tactics †¢ Skillfully adju st strategy †¢ Improve brands, pricing, and sales forceQuarter 6: Monitor, improve, and execute (continue). †¢ Manage strategy †¢ Skillfully adjust strategy to unanticipated competitive moves †¢ Continuously improve brand features, pricing, and sales force Final Quarter: Report to the board. †¢ Evaluation of financial and market performance †¢ Review of business – Comparison of actions taken against your marketing goals – Review of significant events that affected the company and/or market †¢ Assessment of current situation and market (Also, how is the current market different than it was in the early quarters? ) – Customers Competition – Company strengths and weaknesses – Major problems/opportunities to be dealt with in next year http://marketing. about. com/ Marketing  Careers By  Laura Lake, About. com Guide A career in marketing can take you in several different directions. Marketing is comprised of many f acets and activities. You will find that there are many opportunities in marketing, is there a career path that is right for you? Explore the different career opportunities and decide which one fits you best. 1. Overview of Careers in Marketing 2. Careers in Advertising 3. Careers in Brand Management . Careers in Market Research 5. Careers in Public Relations Overview of Careers in Marketing There are many options to careers in marketing, but how do you know which one is right for you? Marketing can be defined as being the intermediary function between product development and sales. Think of it as the storehouse for such things as advertising, public relations, media planning, sales strategy, and more. It's the marketing professionals job to create, manage, and enhance brands. †¢ Breaking Into the Career Field of Marketing †¢ Marketing vs. Advertising: What's the Difference? How Do You Know if a Marketing Career is Right for You? Ads Careers in Advertising In Advertising y ou will work with all aspects of marketing from strategy to concept to the execution of the strategy. You will find that most jobs on the business side of advertising include Account Management, Account Planners, and Media Buyers. †¢ Advertising Manager †¢ Advertising Sales Director †¢ Account Executive †¢ Account Coordinator †¢ Media Director †¢ Media Coordinator †¢ Media Buyer Careers in Brand Management Brand management is the career track you hear about most often.It is the key function in the consumer products industry. Brand managers are often likened to small business owners because they assume responsibility for a brand or brand family. They are always focused on the big picture. It is their job to distill the brand's essence, map out their competitors in their brand's category, identify marketing opportunities, and be able to effectively communicate the unique benefits of that product or service. †¢ Brand Manager †¢ Product Manag er †¢ Product Development Manager Careers in Market Research Market Research involves researching the intended target.That target can be companies or individuals. In order for a company to capture a market it must first be able to understand that market. Research involves the first process of understanding the consumer, what their needs are, what their purchasing habits are, and how they view themselves in relation to the rest of the world. †¢ Market Research Director †¢ Market Research Manager †¢ Market Research Supervisor †¢ Market Analyst Careers in Public Relations It is the responsibility of the Public relations department to manage the communication with the media, consumers, employees, investors, and the general public.They are considered the spokespeople for the company. They will often write press releases to promote new products or to keep the investment community informed of business partnerships, financial results, or other company news. If they are based out of media relations they will spend their time responding to information requests from journalist or pitch stories to the media. †¢ Public Relations Specialist †¢ Public Relations Director †¢ Corporate Communications Manager †¢ Book Publicist †¢ Press Secretary

Applewood auto group Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applewood auto group - Coursework Example The range for profits was calculated as a difference between the maximum and the minimum profit for each location. The results are presented in the table below. The last row presents the results for all sold vehicles (Black, 2012:52). 2. a. To construct the histogram for the profits, the Data Analysis toolkit is used. The option â€Å"Histogram† permits to create the table and the graph for the distribution of profits (Anderson, Sweeney and Williams, 2014:106-180). b. The results show that the data is normally distributed with the small sqewness. The most frequently obtained profit is between $ 1,800 and $ 2,000. The rarest profits are within the range between $ 294 and $ 900. The profits of more than $ 3,100 are also very rare. More than 70 % of profits are within the range of $ 1,200 and $ 2,800. 3. a. To build the boxplot for variable age, the option â€Å"Histogram† in the Excel Data Analysis Toolkit can be used (Anderson, Sweeney and Williams, 2014:106-180). The results are given in the table and in the graph below. The boxplot shows that the variable age is normally distributed. The mean and the median are almost equal. The average age of the buyer is 46 years. The most of the buyers are in the age between 33 and 60 years. The youngest buyer has 21 year and the oldest buyer is 73 years old. b. The data on the graph does not support the idea that the older buyers purchase cars on which the higher profits can be earned. It is seen from the scatterplot that buyers purchasing vehicles on which the high profits can be earned are in every age group. The scatterplot does not show the presence of the relationship between the age of the buyer and the earned profit. c. The option â€Å"Add Trend Line† in Excel can be used to get the trend line and the coefficient of determination. The coefficient of determination R2 is equal 0.0684. The correlation coefficient is the square root of the coefficient of determination R = 0.2615. The results

Compare marx's notion of liberation with mill's notion of liberty Essay

Compare marx's notion of liberation with mill's notion of liberty - Essay Example In Part II of The Communist Manifesto (II - Proletarians and Communists), Marx gets down to the brass tacks, as it were, of Communism’s intentions and, in doing so, blows the lid off of much that societies and individuals have traditionally admired, even revered. If the liberation of the individual is a part of Marx’s world view, one is hard pressed to locate it. In demonizing capitalists - the bourgeois – Marx is clearly willing to deny an individual their rights or at least their preferences by giving those entitlements to a group, i.e. robbing Peter to pay the Proletariat. His concept of liberation is critically narrow to avoid philosophical messiness, for the only freedoms he stresses are those antithetical to Communism’s a priori assumption that Property is the root of societal evil. On page [pt II, paragraph 27] he specifies that the freedom he refers to is â€Å"free trade, free selling and buying,† as if those evils of capitalism constitute the extent that freedom needs to be discussed or valued. 1) Abolition of property; 2) Progressive or graduated income tax; 3) Abolition of inheritance rights; 4) Confiscation of emigrant and rebel property [which would certainly leave German-born Karl with even less than he had!]; 5) State monopoly of banking; 6) State monopoly of communication and transportation; 7) State monopoly of factories and agriculture; 8) Obligation of all to work; 9) Abolition of the distinction between town and country by redistributing population [no doubt the Cambodian Khmer Rouge loved that one]; 10) Combining education with industrial production. One does not have to have the politics of a George Orwell to perceive in Marx’s list a profound mistrust of individual initiative and responsibility. And, though it is not in this paper’s scope, to ask why a respect for individuality is absent is not

The Eruption of Toba Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Eruption of Toba - Essay Example Some geologists believe that the volcanic eruption also resulted in the extinction of the human race that existed at that time. However, there is a belief that this theory does not hold true because many of the species of the animals that are said to be sensitive to the change in temperature did exist at that time. The other belief is that it caused a change in the genetic setup of the human beings that lived in the area at that time. This volcanic eruption is considered to be the largest known eruption in the last 25 million years and caused a major change in climate at that time. The volcanic winter which occurred as a result of the eruption resulted in decrease in temperature to around 3 to 5  °C (5  to 9  Ã‚ °F), and up to  15  °C  (27  Ã‚ °F)  in higher latitudes (Causey 48-59). TOBA CATASTROPHE THEORY According to this theory the winter caused because of this super volcanic eruption lasted for around 6-10 years and the cooling of the lava was a long process that stretched around 1000 years. It was suggested by Ann Gibbons that the super volcanic eruption that took place resulted in a bottleneck in the human race. A few other scientists suggested the same but then again many other scientists subsequently failed to identify any link or develop enough evidence to support the theory. According to a theory there were not just one but a series of three eruptions that spanned over the period of 1 million years. The crater that was formed because of the super volcanic eruption was  100 ? 30 km2 area wide. The crater is known as the Caldera Complex and the volume of the eruption was estimated to be around 2,000  km3  and  3,000  km3. The mass that was collected after this eruption was estimated to be larger than the erupted mass that had been ever collected in the past 100 years of volcanic eruption history. The ash layer that was deposited from the Toba eruption that took is said to be around 15cm thick and it was spread over the whole o f South Asia. A layer of ash was also deposited over the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian and South China Sea. Even the deep sea rocks that were later retrieved from the South of China sea are said to have the after effects of the volcanic eruption and this has proven that the estimation that was done about the spread of the volcanic mass was an underestimation. And therefore the mass was estimated to have even more far reaching effects than had been calculated (Gunn 40). Some of the scientists believe that the eruption happened at the time when the last of the glacial period was setting in. They believe that the super volcanic eruption that occurred was not responsible for the cooling effect on the climate, but it acted as a trigger for the glacial period. The glacial period was setting in was at a very low speed, but when the super eruption at Toba occurred the whole process was quickened and the glacial period occurred. There are many conflicting opinion about this theory but the ge neral assumption is that the super eruption at Toba caused a lot of dramatic changes in the weather and the temperatures dropped dramatically thereafter. There were also a lot of ash deposits found in the atmosphere as well as in the ocean. The ice samples that were found from the Greenland also showed abnormality in the temperatures and the deposition that had

Issues of Reliability and Validity of Data Assignment

Issues of Reliability and Validity of Data - Assignment Example One can take both types of data, primary as well as secondary, for the consumers’ demand in these countries. Both the types of data are necessary for finding out the consumer demand in a country. Primary data will provide the information which has not been collected before as it is collected as per the need of the research. Usually the process is expensive and time consuming. The secondary data provides information which has been collected by certain other orgaisations or professionals. So, it minimizes the cost as well as time. It uses the mediums like surveys, focus group, observations and experiments. To understand the consumer behavior through the analysis of secondary data, tools like purchase panels, database marketing, and neuroscience needs to be used. Qualitative as well as quantitative data are very important for analysis and ensuring the validity and reliability of the consumer behavior data. Quantitative data are more reliable and valid than the qualitative data. T he method for establishing the validity and reliability of qualitative data takes the form of expert interview, participant feedback, regression analysis, and statistical analysis. The contents, structure, criterion and consequential effect provide the required validity. The countries from where data on consumer behavior needs to be collected, in order to meet the requirements of the paper, are USA, UK, Australia, India and Poland. Each of the nations has different markets with different consumption and demand pattern.

Reed market case analyze Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reed market analyze - Case Study Example The new items on display at DG seem to be compatible with the technological trends within the market of such goods. However, Reed has not yet considered this option and is still also doing business the old way despite many suggestions posed by management. The other problem lies in the level of customer loyalty. The level of loyal customers keep going down and the supermarket has lacked the capacity and means to retain attracted customers since it does not have a well thought out procedure for ensuring that customers who come shopping actually keep coming whenever a shopping need arises. This could also be attributed to the fact that many retail chains have sprung up and are offering better services. The growth of private label merchants seem to give Reed a big headache considering that it mainly depended on the branded items which now find little appreciation within the market. This is one of the tools that new entrants into the market are trying to implement successfully. The consumers in this locality and whole of America have become health conscious and would not go for the traditionally sold goods which are thought to affect their health status. Reed has not implemented a food retail store that caters for the changing food needs of its customers while other chains are doing so. The pricing model for Reed seems to get it in trouble since it happens to have higher prices as compared to Aldi and DG, which is actually reducing the sales of Reed. This issue has also been compounded by the fact that Reed is poorly located and access by many customers is limited as compared to other stores. The above issues and more to be identified have made it hard for Reed to keep its shares growing and instead they keep dwindling (Quelch and Carlson1-12). The 14% market share held by Reed in Columbus is not enough. If it could adjust and find new ways of doing business,

Big data technology optimizes and stores the user generated data in Essay

Big data technology optimizes and stores the user generated data in exabytes using the distributed backup mechanism which significantly increases the performance and storage space in the software industry - Essay Example In recognition of the magnitude of the problems involved in the management of big data, many companies are investing considerable amounts of money in researching better methods of big data management. These companies seek reliable ways of organizing, storing and managing their machine, user and application data, which is rapidly growing in size to exabytes and petabytes. The volumes of big data are considerably large, such that many organizations find it difficult to process, store and access the data they need using the traditional databases and systems of storage (BVT, n.d.). Further complexity comes about in the now common scenario, where companies dispatch teams to different places around the world, yet the nature of their work requires them to collaborate on the same data since they are involved in the same project. This highlights the need for data solutions that allow these companies to change, add, check in content and modify them without creating problems for other employees within the organization (Kumar, 2012). Conventional systems of storage typically require revision of the systems or tech refreshes every three years (sometimes four) so that the company can keep up with new requirements and growth. This, in many instances, requires expensive and disruptive data migrations, replacement of void storage capacity and regular upgrades of software licenses (Leavitt, 2013). This paper looks into how companies use big data technology to store data generated by users in exabytes by making use of the distributed backup method. The distributed backup method of storage provides companies with the opportunity to store more data in a scalable way across storage node networks. It is imperative to note that the main purpose of backing up data is so that an organization can have at least a copy of what may the company may consider as important. In the event that there is a failure in the storage systems within an organization,

Clean Edge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Clean Edge - Case Study Example The company is also experiencing growth in sales of other products implying that customers have confidence in the company’s products. The weaknesses off the company include inability to reach a consensus in relation to branding and marketing. Managers are specifically interested in the success of their brand rather than for the good of the company. Threats include substitutes and new entrants. The major competitors in the industry are also producing non-disposable razor products and thus the company must brace itself for stiff competition. Also, entrant of new firms will increase the amount of substitutes in the market. The behavior of the customers in regard to this product is clear. The consumers are gradually changing from replacement razors to the non-disposable razor products. The customers are expecting newer and advanced technologies that will give them a smoother shave. In this regard, consumers are increasingly choosing the super-premium category. Launching Clean Edge as a Niche product means that the product will focus on a few highly groomed persons who want a different shaving capability. It is the most preferred strategy among the company managers. Launching Clean Edge as a mainstream brand means that the product offers the regular shaving experience. The managers think that the strategy would cannibalize the market of other company products such as Pro. To avoid cannibalization of other company products, I recommend Clean Edge to be launched as a niche product. Launching it as a niche product will also enhance the product’s position as a super-premium product. I would recommend the name Paramount Clean Edge. The name would enhance the company’s name and enhance in brand positioning. Launching the product under the name Paramount would reap from the reputation of the company’s products. The name will also boost the visibility of the

Approaches of Organizations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Approaches of Organizations - Research Paper Example The idea of invisible hand dictates that if all the individuals of the society would go on to pursue their own self-interests then not only they would achieve their own goals and objectives but at the same time, they will also satisfy the societal needs and expectations (Dyck & Neubert, 2008). Even if the company and its managers appear to be focusing on other variables such as environmental preservation, employee development, stakeholder management and others, that is only because they want to achieve the financial result which is the bottom line of the company. Much of the productivity and development that we witness today is actually a result of mainstream approach, which ruled the management and industrial scene for decades. On the other hand, multistream management refers to the approach, which calls for taking the holistic view of well being of multiple stakeholders associated with the operations of the business. Managers using the multistream management approach are more likel y to focus on practical wisdom, experimentation, workplace democracy, self-control, dignification, ethical conduct, and others. The company and its managers realize that they are operating in a wider other, where the extended society and its members are also the stakeholders of the company. Financial numbers and quarterly results become a secondary concern for the company and its managers and the prime focus become managing and balancing the company’s expectations with the well being and requirements of all stakeholders.

Readers response to The Last Library Essay Example for Free

Readers response to The Last Library Essay The narrative ‘The Last Library’, by A. K. Benedict is a collision between real life and fantasy where meaningful past treasures can often be forgotten and disregarded in a fast paced world. In a way it invokes thought about a current issue in North American society today, the progression of new technologies and how we have become dependent on these new technologies as a source of entertainment. Modern day culture has been immersed in a craze of technology allowing immediate access to information and entertainment. Smart phones, tablets, social media sites, and all the vast  information of the internet that is only clicks of a mouse away has caused people to forget the wonders that a library can hold. Much of Society has forgotten how to entertain itself through imagination by reading stories. The text is slightly ambiguous I feel, as though the author wants us to create our own meaningful interpretation of the story. ‘The Last Library’ is a narrative that critiques the idea of how modern day North American culture has seemed to have forgotten about the many wonders of past treasures. The story does this by focusing on the exaggerated view of a young girl, using fiction entwined with real life problems to help us as readers to reflect on the magic places your imagination can take you when reading a book. Interpretation of the written word is shaped by the reader’s own experiences and steers each reader, ambiguously at times, towards a meaning which will differ for each reader as his or her mind interprets specific moments. The author puts forth clues in helping the reader to determine the implied reader of this text; I would consider myself to be closer to the implied reader. The implied reader can be defined as the reader imagined by the text (Grinnell 21). I have lived in a time where libraries were the primary and often times the sole source for knowledge and entertainment, as am I part of modern society entrenched in our current time of modern technology. The Guide’s (Maggie) comment referring to the last library being â€Å"Old exhibit. It’s not interactive† (Benedict 217) makes me reflect on how libraries have become obsolete in our current technological age because they are not interactive in the way  smart phones and tablets allow a person to be. This quote demonstrates a specific feeling I can sympathize with where technology, because it is so interactive, has become the dominant source of information and entertainment. A reader’s own experiences shape the interpretation of the written word. In the story the young girl thinks to herself, â€Å"Her mind is always full of stories, and now there are more outside her† (Benedict 220). This makes me ponder my own childhood and all the wonderful books such as Harry Potter or  old favorite The Saggy Baggy Elephant and all the magical stories from childhood that are treasures I will always hold inside and have helped shape who I became. The meaning of this story can seem vague at moments as the story is more fable than real life, but it does incorporate real life issues. We live in a fast paced world where progress dominates. Simple treasures are often passed over or forgotten for the sake of progress and money, and libraries are an endangered treasure. The Guide’s comment â€Å"It’s a rare event for the museum but they have to  make way for other last things. That’s progress† (Benedict 221) when the books are to be destroyed enforces this thought of â€Å"Out with the old in with the new†, which is the meaning I would take from this story. This narrative â€Å"The Last Library† creates as sense of how North American culture tends to forget the past when seeking new and exciting things. The story focused on the library but also made mention of other past things such as the Dodo or Cuckoo clock; both things we now only see in a  museum or archival instances as their time and place in history have passed. â€Å"The last museum in itself† mentioned in this short story grips the imagination and conjures up wonder if one day â€Å"will anyone care about the past? † Works Cited Benedict, A. K. The Last Library. Paraxis 2011. Rpt. in Custom Course Materials: ENGL 153. Ed. George C. Grinnell. Kelowna: U of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 2014. 217-224. Print. Grinnell, George C. Critical Practice: Critical Approaches to Narratives English 153.

Importance Of Environmental Impact Assessments

Importance Of Environmental Impact Assessments The environment that we live in is the foundation on which all life is based on. We need to preserve and protect the natural environment and by implementing environmental impact assessments we can sustain the environment for future development and not ruin it. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are becoming increasingly important all over the world, and the need to perform environmental impact assessments have been made compulsory in a lot of countries. In South Africa the environmental laws are very strict to protect the environment of the country that we live in. EIAs are performed on the sites where new developments are scheduled to be undertaken or where there is a planned extension of previously developed projects, to assess the impact that the developments will have on the environment. One person cannot perform an environmental impact assessment alone, but rather a team of environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs). The environment The word environment has a very broad spectrum of areas that it could consist of, but it is most commonly used to describe the naturally occurring environment. It is the world we live in, work in, play in, and includes all living (and non-living) things that we encounter on earth. (Aucamp, 2009, p.1). The environment has the ability to vary as time goes by. Therefore the species or organisms that live in an environment need to be able to adapt to these changes in their living environments in order to survive. The environment provides resources for different types of projects. These resources are all part of the environment and prove to be a very crucial part of our lives. The environment is the foundation of future life and needs to be protected and preserved. Environmental Impact Assessment An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is defined by Canter (1999) as the classification and estimation of the impacts that a planned project could potentially have on various workings of the environment. These impacts can occur directly, as well as indirectly and include both environmental and social implications. Environmental impact assessment of proposed development should prove that a project does not have a major negative effect on the environment. If a project does have a significant impact on the environment, the environmental impact assessment should show that these impacts can be mitigated to such an extent such that it doesnt have a great effect on the environment. An environmental impact assessment is not just a document, but rather a process that is followed. This process can be described as very flexible, since there are many different methods and techniques of performing an EIA. EIAs should only be performed once a well proposed project has been planned. Main activities that take place during an EIA During an environmental impact assessment a lot of crucial steps need to be followed and it is very important that all of these steps are completed thoroughly to ensure that the EIA has been performed correctly. These are the four main activities involved in an EIA: Scoping Stakeholder involvement Environmental assessments Related legal aspects These activities will be explained individually throughout the remainder of this report. Screening Screening is the process that needs to be undertaken to establish whether or not an environmental impact assessment has to be done. This process (screening) is done by compiling all the necessary given information or, if there is not enough information, a brief assessment or site visit needs to be done. The level at which an EIA must be performed can also be determined by implementing screening. The steps that can be followed After screening has been completed, decisions on how to continue with the development can be made. The steps that can be followed to perform screening are as follows: Initial meeting with the promoter of the proposed development The environmental assessment practitioner that has been placed in charge of the specific project needs to meet with the person who is promoting the new development or the extension of an old development. They have to discuss all the aspects of the proposed project. These aspects are things like the reason of the project, the size, cost, main stakeholders, opposition and whether some parts of the project are negotiable or not. The environmental assessment practitioner needs to know who all the people are that are in charge of the different categories of the project in order to assess exactly what all the impacts of the project will be. Visit the proposed or existing location of the site During a visit to the intended site, a lot of necessary information can be gathered that is needed for the screening of the project. The exact co-ordinates of the site can be obtained as well as pictures. This makes the project more realistic to assess and easier to visualize once you are no longer on site. While on site, observation can be made and in situ tests can be conducted. The surrounding areas can also be assessed and therefore the whole screening process becomes more intense, which allows for more accurate results concerning the level of the environmental impact assessment that possibly has to be performed. A study of all applicable legislation All the legal requirements that involve an EIA have to be examined. Regulations and rules regarding EIAs according to the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) need to be adhered to at all times. These regulations could also determine whether a basic or full scale environmental impact assessment is required. Knowledgeable experts should be advised when working with all the legal aspects of a project during screening. Scoping After the screening process has been completed, or even at the same time as the screening process, scoping can commence. During scoping the most important issues are attended to. These are the issues that have been raised during the screening of the proposed development that has caused the greatest concerns among the environmental assessment practitioners, the people in charge of the project and the general public. Therefore this process mainly highlights which impacts will have the greatest effect and provides a trend for the final assessment. Scoping is necessary for projects of all sizes. Scoping should be performed throughout the project. Once the site for the proposed development has been finalised the angle of the scoping will differ. Then there will be less issues and more attention can be placed on detailed aspects of the assessment. According to Hamilton (2000) additional time is needed to assess unknown impacts that the project may have on the environment and the social community. This is caused by ineffective scoping. Activities During the scoping process a number of activities take place. These activities include: Identifying the key stakeholders and introducing them to the project and the stakeholders list. Highlighting the most significant issues, values and concerns that need attention during an EIA. Using findings accurately in debating situations as well as in crucial decision making, involving alternatives that could be introduced to a project. The process of identifying all the policies, regulations and detailed aspects of the assessment. These activities should provide a comprehensive scope and could point to means of mitigation or alternatives (Aucamp, 1999; Bekker, 2006). Stakeholder involvement In order to comprehend the stakeholder involvement it is first necessary to understand who a stakeholder is. Howlett and Nagu (1997) define stakeholders as all those people and institutions who have an interest in the successful design, implementation and sustainability of the project. This includes those positively and negatively affected by the project. Stakeholder participation involves processes whereby all those with a stake in the outcome of a project can actively participate in decisions on planning and management. They share information and knowledge, and may contribute to the project, so as to enhance the success of the project and hence ultimately their own interests. Stakeholder involvement is the process where the affected parties of a proposed development or activity participate in the project and includes the full range of communication between the stakeholders and the decision makers of the proposed development. The stakeholders of a project should therefore be part of decisions that are made during a project and they should always be briefed as to the status of the project. Stakeholders should have a right to their opinion and always be brought into consideration during and after a project has been completed. Reasons why stakeholder involvement is important according to Hughes (1998) Stakeholders help identify and address issues that are relevant during an EIA. The involvement of stakeholders helps to connect traditional knowledge of the environment to the project. During an EIA the stakeholder involvement improves the communication between the promoters of the development and the stakeholders. The involvement of all the different stakeholders allows the promoters to identify each stakeholders requirements concerning the project. Stakeholders could identify problems and come up with promising opportunities for the mitigation of problems. Stakeholders make sure that the EIA is performed thoroughly and assure that no aspects have been neglected. When satisfactory attention is spent on stakeholder involvement during an EIA, the class prediction of the environmental assessment improves. Stakeholder involvement allows for more information to be gathered when an assessment is being done. Some local stakeholders have cumulative knowledge about their environments and more availability to information concerning the area of the development. Environmental assessments An environmental assessment (EA) is the process of determining the consequences or effects of change (positive or negative) that a proposed development or activity might have on the environment. The environmental assessment therefore studies the effects that these changes will have on both the physical as well as the social environment. Some changes wont have any effect on the environment. Jain (2004) concluded that some projects that undergo an environmental assessment wont experience any changes caused by the actions, but the present status of the project might have been unacceptable from the start. Methods used to perform environmental assessments according to (Aucamp, 2009) Comparisons with EIA projects in similar projects Checklists Environmental cost-benefit studies Expert opinions and systems Indicators of environmental media or resources Laboratory testing Landscape evaluation Interaction matrices Impact tree networks Photography These are just a few examples and there are many more methods used to perform environmental assessments. Most important environmental legislation controlling the undertaking of an EIA in South Africa In South Africa there are environmental laws that need to be followed when one plans on performing an EIA. This body of rules and guidelines forms part of the structure of the South African environmental legislation. Multinational environmental agreement (MEA) This is part of an international law and includes the following: Treaties Attending to endangered species. Protocols These include the Kyoto protocol that controls carbon emissions. Conventions This includes the likes of the Montreal convention. The Constitution The constitution addresses the rights of all South African citizens. The South African Constitution environmental right section 24 (Republic of South Africa, 1996a) says that: Everyone has the right (a) to an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing; and (b) to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that (i) prevent pollution and ecological degradation; (ii) promote conservation; and (iii) secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development. Statuary law Written statuary laws are signed by ministers and presidents. The following are general statuary laws: Environmental Conservation Act (ECA) No. 73, 1989. National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) NO. 107, 1998 Chapter 5 amended 2008. Specific law The following are specific laws that are pert of the South African environmental legislation: Air: VEMA Air quality Act No. 39, 2004. Water: National Water Act No. 36, 1998. Soil: Conservation of agricultural resources Act No. 43, 1983. Biodiversity: NEMA Protected areas Act 2003 NEMA Environmental Biodiversity Act No. 25. 1999. Heritage: National Heritage Resources Act No. 25, 1999. Civil law The civil law is one that is unwritten. It is based on precedent and it is between individuals or between individuals and companies or governmental organizations. All of the above mentioned laws form part of the structure of the most important environmental legislation controlling the undertaking of EIAs in South Africa. When an environmental impact assessment should be undertaken in South Africa Every country has their own environmental legislations and follows different procedures when they plan on performing environmental impact assessments. South Africa has one of the best environmental legislations in the world, which covers every aspect of the environment in order to protect and preserve it for sustainable development. South Africa is very prosperous in terms of natural environment, since the country has a great deal of wildlife and resources. Knowing when to perform an environmental impact assessment is crucial and no short cuts should be taken when determining this. Knowing when to perform an EIA A certain criteria of requirements need to be met in order to ensure whether or not an environmental impact assessment should be performed or not. In South Arica there are rules and regulation controlling this decision. These requirements are all covered in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), the three listing activities and the EIA regulations. New projects that have started after the 2nd of August 2010 need to adhere to the new regulations. These regulations are discussed in the following subsection. New regulations When determining whether an EIA should be performed the new regulations that have been promulgated in June 2006 should be taken into consideration. After the EIA legislation was introduced to South Africa it was reviewed in 2006. This review brought a number of amendments to the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) which improved certain acts that wasnt up to standards. On the 2nd of August 2010 these regulations were changed slightly. The following regulations have come into effect: Projects that run through this transitional period and cross over into the new regulations only need to adhere to all the old environmental impact assessment regulations, which were still in effect when the project started. Differences between basic and full scale environmental impact assessments in South Africa Full scale EIA Acknowledge receipt Check application Submit application EIA Response Submit scoping report Scoping Notification of decision Decision Response Basic EIA Submit application Basic assessment report Public participation Await authorisation Acknowledge receipt Check application Response Notification of decision Images of environmental impacts in South Africa Moses Mahbida Stadium in Durban Description This photo shows the construction of the soccer stadium. This huge structure covers 89600 m2 and is 45 m in height. A 350 m long arch that stretches across the stadiums length reaches a height of 100 m. Type of project This was a construction project for the development of Durbans Fifa World Cup 2010 venue that replaced the old Kings Park Soccer Stadium. Impacts This stadiums biggest negative impact was its visual impact on Durban, since it is such a massive structure and it was an upgrade of an existing stadium. Mitigation of impacts The design of this stadium was done to world class standards. The stadium was designed to be a great engineering accomplishment and by doing this the big structure no longer had a negative impact on the social environment. Everyone was looking forward to the completion of the great stadium and they were proud to include this stadium to the image of Durban. Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) Description This is a photo of the Cape Town International Conference Centre that is stated to be the greenest building in South Africa. This project is attempting to set international standards in sustainable building design and management. Type of project A 30000 m2 extension project of the Cape Town International Conference Centre was performed to improve the facility. Impacts This building didnt have any significant negative impacts on the environment, but it didnt have any positive impacts either. Mitigation of impacts The mitigation process for this project was turning a project with no impact on the environment into a project with an overall positive impact on the environment. According to Harcourt (2008) they accomplished this by designing the building to use 40 percent less energy per m2, 25 percent less waste to landfill and 95 percent potable water. The port of Ngqura Description This is a development of a deep water port at the Coega River Mouth. It is situated about 20 km from Port Elizabeth and will be the deepest container terminal in Africa. Type of project This is a brand new project that has been built from scratch. It will have a fixed embedded jet pump sand bypass system. It will include major earthworks as well as road networks. Impacts The natural environment around this area has been severely changed and damaged. This was a very simple piece of land and there were no endangered species. It will surely also positively impact the economical environment of a previously undeveloped and poor region. Mitigation of impacts The areas all around the Port will be developed once Ngqura is promoted to South Africas hub port. These damaged areas will then be created into an industrial area and create thousands of jobs and economically strengthen the region Gautrain Project Description The Gautrain will be a Rapid Rail Link system that can improve transportation in the Gauteng area. It is a world class railway system and will produce high speed trains for speedy transportation that stretches from Johannesburg to Pretoria. Type of project This will be South Africas most technological transportation project to date. This Rapid Rail Link system has been under construction for several years and is currently up and running. This project has a lot of potential of expanding in the future. Impacts Due to the size of this project there are a lot of impacts. There are both bio-physical and socio-economical impacts. The bio-physical impacts are the following: Fauna and flora along the path of the construction. Ground and wetlands that are destroyed. Soils along the route and the geology of the earth. Air quality around the construction sites. The socio-economical impacts are as follows: Noise and vibration that will be caused during the construction and once the trains are running every day. Land use and the property values. Social. Heritage. Economic. Mitigation of impacts The developers of the Gautrain project have held several meetings with the public and their stakeholders in order to mitigate all of the problems that have arisen from this project. All endangered plant species have been saved and protected. Wetlands have been rehabilitated to previous conditions as well as damaged ground and soils. The noise levels have been lessened considerably since the project has been running and there have been no major complaints. All heritage sites have been protected during the construction. Overall this project has shown a very large potential for economic growth. Impacts The most significant impacts involved with this project are the transmission integration factors, seismic suitability of the sites, impacts on dune geomorphology, impacts on wetlands, impacts on vertebrate fauna, impacts on invertebrate fauna and economic impacts. Mitigation of impacts Conclusion This report has shown the importance of environmental impact assessments. It is definitely a fundamental step in the life of a project. Performing an EIA is critical for a successful project and that projects are done without performing EIAs are destined for failure and devastation to all the people involved in the project. The South African law proves to be very up to date when it comes to environmental legislation and is of world class standards. These laws protect all environments and help enforce developers to build according to the regulations. EIAs very detailed processes and all developers should gain insight as to what the procedures are when performing EIAs and when EIAs should be performed to basic or full scales. EIAs are there to protect the environment and ensure sustainable development. They ensure that we leave something behind for future generations.

Effects of Bank Mergers in the UK: Analysis

Effects of Bank Mergers in the UK: Analysis Introduction This paper takes a look at effects of Bank Mergers in the UK. It also shows how banks are affected by mergers and their effects on retail interest rates and customers. It also takes a look at how bank mergers help bring about improvement which is passed on to the customers. The main aim of the paper is to analyze the effects of Bank Mergers. It also takes a look at the environmental factors which lead to the mergers taking place. Aims and Objectives The aim of this paper is to analyse who the beneficiaries of a bank merger are and the cost analysis of the merger. It analyses the costs which are involved with the merger and its effects on the customer. The paper also deduces whether the retail interest rates are not influenced by the effects of mergers. Furthermore it also looks at how different banking products can be affected by mergers. The objectives of this work are: To review the extant conceptual frameworks and models associated with Bank Mergers To identify how mergers affect the relationship between banks and their customers To analyse the cost analysis associated with the mergers of Banks To understand the external factors which lead to mergers taking place between banks Literature Review Bank Mergers are usually subjected to anti competition or antitrust laws if they are found to be limiting the field for competition. The key to a bank merger is that it should bring about benefits to the sector instead of restricting it. There should be synergy between banks instead of tightening the noose and making it tough for everyone. If there are no savings being passed on to the customers then there is no use of a bank merger. There have been scenarios where bank mergers were not permitted by the Competition Commission as the customers would not benefit from the merger. (Competition Commission 2001). The regulatory bodies have to ensure that all gains from the merger do not benefit the merged bank but are passed on to the customers. There is a lot of scrutiny when it comes to bank mergers and identifies the relationship between efficiency and price changes after a merger has taken place. According to Farrell and Shapiro (1990) prices and retail interest rates can fall only if there were lower marginal costs before the merger of the two banks. Mergers are known to have failed if they dont bring about any savings or benefit to the customers. Mergers are not beneficial to the customer if the interest rates for customers are higher. The efficiency of merging banks influences the competition in the market. Bank mergers lead to bad conditions for the consumer if the merger does not promise efficiency. If a bank records efficiency gains after a merger then it brings about price improvements. Bank mergers tend to affect certain banking products in different ways. Research Setting The research is based upon the UK retail banking market. It examines the large and small banks and takes a deep look at the mergers which took place over the last few years and the mergers which failed to take place. Both building societies and UK retail banks are analyzed as they all offer different retail banking services. The research only includes banks that are in the UK retail banking market. The research also takes a look at the mergers which occurred between the small building societies as it is easier to gather data for that. The research has limited adding the mergers between bigger banks. RESEARCH QUESTIONS In order to make sure that the research is conducted properly we have to set a number of key questions so that the research will be able to answer them. To identify how mergers affect the relationship between banks and their customers To analyse the cost analysis associated with the mergers of Banks To analyse the external forces which lead to mergers between banks RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This particular assignment follows the traditional research methodology which allows the research to be conducted in various layers one after the other. The first one is the philosophy of Positivism where a researcher adopts the stance of a scientist who has to evaluate everything in a philosophical manner and understands the evolutionary process of how things are done. The interpretivism philosophy is where things are created due to the interaction between individuals. The research looks at all the issues associated with mergers within the banking retail market. the data is gathered through proper research. There is the need to gather quantitative as well as qualitative data in order to prove the theories and conclusions. RESEARCH APPROACH The research is conducted by examining all the data in a systematic format. Most of the data is present in documentary format along with information available in various journals and papers. All the data needs to be interpreted in a proper organized manner and needs to be separated in order to get the gist of the research. RESEARCH STRATEGY This research paper takes an in-depth look at the effect of mergers between banks and how it affects the banking products in the UK. It also examines how it can affect the interest rates in the banking sector. The paper also takes a look at the external factors which push the market in favour of mergers. It examines factors such as bear market which leads to share prices falling, dire economic situation which lead to problems, bad balance sheets which lead to a drain of capital, mergers which take place mainly due to help two troubled banks i.e. Lloyds TSB and Halifax, losses suffered by the investment arm of banks, collapse of big corporations which lead to a domino effect, hedge funds making losses and lastly due to the insurance divisions which do not do well. It also examines how the retail interest rate is affected if a merger does not go well. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS It is essential for me to follow a proper code of conduct before going ahead with my research process. There is a fine line between ethical and unethical research. The information gathered will be done with the consent of everyone and no laws shall be broken to obtain the data. I shall ask all the people interviewed to sign waiver forms and to give me indemnity from any potential problems. A point to bear in mind is not to intimidate any of the subjects or to harass them in handing over vital information. DATA COLLECTION The plan is to contact all of the various building societies and a few of the big banks which merged in the not so recent past. I need to visit them all and collect information on the types of products they have. It would help to visit someone from the corporate headquarters as retail banks would not have the competent staff which would allow me to gather the information I need. Higher ranked officials at the various banks can only give me information about how their bank products were affected and how mergers in the retail banking sector leads to different interest rates. Data will be collated through both qualitative and quantitative questionnaires, series of interviews, documentary analysis. I would also need to do a walkthrough with people from the various banks and building societies so that I can get the right idea. The questionnaires will be quite straight forward and will only comprise of a few limited questions which are closed ended. The interview process will not take long and will only be a one on one session which is also close ended. The only problem is to schedule everything within a particular timeline. There are a lot of people to interview and that is one reason why it is crucial for me to limit the time I spend on all my interviews so that I can get everything done really fast. It is also interesting to know that both questionnaires and interviews will generate different answers so special attention will have to be paid to both. Document samples are a must to be collected from the various banks in the area. The data collected will be from both primary and secondary resources. Primary Data I will gather all the primary data by simply gathering all the information via personal visits to the various banks and building societies which have been created as a result of a merger between two banks. It will be useful to find out how the banks were able to change their policies and how the merger affected their interest rates. The cost analysis will also be done after taking a look at the before and after status of the merged entities. Bank personnel will be giving me their valuable time so it would help me save time by only sticking to close ended interviews for the session. This will make it easier for both parties. The banks should hopefully provide me with documents I need to support my work and allow me to create my quantitative data. Secondary data Secondary data will be gathered with the help of external sources. It is essential to check out proper databases which deal with the type of historical data required for my analysis of the retail banking sector. The best idea for me is to base my work conducted by a researcher on the same topic. It also helps to do a bit of reading up on the topic so that I would know what this research entails. It is obvious that I wont be able to get all my data from people so I would need to gather information from journals, databases, white papers, etc. some of the data can be cited from text found in the documents supplied by the banks. DATA ANALYSIS The data needs to be examined one by one so that mistakes are not made. There are plenty of key points which can be examined only by going through it with a fine tooth comb. Data can be analysed in the form of charts, tables etc. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION Finally the research can be summarised as the sort who will allow me to understand why mergers take place between banks and how the retail banking sector is affected. I will be able to make my conclusions after I have gone over everything at the end of the study. TIME FRAME OF RESEARCH The research program needs to be conducted within a specific timeline. Due to limitation of time and the amount of legwork to be conducted I need to finish my research within 22 weeks. This gives me plenty of time for discovery and to jot all my information down on paper. If I do not finish my research on time it will delay everything and create various problems.

Russel Edsons Counting Sheep :: Edson Counting Sheep Essays

Russel Edson's Counting Sheep After British scientists had cloned a sheep called Dolly, people were asking them why they had done it and they said because they could do it. Last week it was anounced that the human genome had been decrypted. Although everybody agrees that this is a blessing for mankind, many people are worried about what scientists might do with their new toy, again, just because they are able to do it. Long before anybody even thought about cloning sheep, Russel Edson had them shrinked. His poem "Counting Sheep" is a subtle approach to the question of use and misuse of science. The ability to shrink matter certainly stands for a technically very advanced culture, in which scientists must have almost god-like powers. But after shrinking the sheep, this scientist "wonders what he should do with them." In a way, he resembles a child and the innocent atmosphere of the poem contributes to this impression. He falls asleep counting sheep. Like in Goethe's "The Magician's Apprentice", the creation overcomes its creator. However, when the scientist thinks of possible uses for his invention, he thinks about "a substitute for rice, a sort of wooly rice", but never about shrinking hostile armies and crushing them with the tip of a finger. Edson makes him look so naive, that we almost forget that we are dealing with a very serious issue. Even when the scientist rubs the sheep "to a red paste between his fingers," he doesn't do it on purpose but seems more like a bull in a china shop. What if it were not sheep but apes or even humans? He definately has the po wer to do that. We are reminded of the scientists who discovered nuclear power. It had never occured to them that someone might use it to build the worst doomsday weapon ever. By describing the minimum credible accident, Edson makes us think about the maximum credible accident. Like "The Death of an Angel", "Darwin Descending" and "The Automobile", "Counting Sheep" is partly a parody on our modern society's attitude towards science and technical advancement, which has almost assumed religious features. Edson comments on the way we treat our scientists like half-gods and on our blind believe in their seemingly unlimited powers.

The Parallel Plot Lines in Slaughterhouse-Five :: Slaughterhouse-Five Essays

The Parallel Plot Lines in Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut is and will always in my eyes and in the eyes of many others the writer who made the science-fiction genre safe for not only mainstream appeal, but also critical acclaim and intellectual contemplation. Even though Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey and Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker series were released in roughly the same timeframe as Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, none has held the same aura of respect and significance to the literary zeitgeist as Vonnegut's monumental masterpiece. The respect Slaughterhouse-Five garnishes among bookworms and the intellectual elite alike is no accident. Kurt Vonnegut's universal acclaim and appeal surely comes in no small part from his gift for connecting, almost unnoticiably, seemingly unrelated objects and events to give them deeper meaning, creating a phenomenon known within Jungian circles as synchronicity. By making his novel so multi-layered by drawing these comparisons, such as in being transported from a train car into a POW camp to an extraterrestrial spaceship that hums like a melodious owl, human beings being trapped within each moment in time like an insect in amber, and the writer's own repetition of his current project to a jokey old song, the writer gives us a deeper insight into the real multi-layeredness of space and time. When Billy Pilgrim and his fellow POWs are transported out of their train car and toward the POW camp, Vonnegut compares the calm peeking-in and speech of the Axis power guards to the behavior of an owl. The owl had been mentioned earlier in the novel, more specifically in the persona of a clock hanging in Billy's office, and is brought up again here to describe Billy's antagonists: "The guards peeked in Billy's car owlishly, cooed calmingly." By using the owl already mentioned in the novel as a metaphor, Vonnegut makes an otherwise uncomfortable and tense situation more familiar. The writer uses this metaphor again while telling of the movement of the POWs out of the train car

Product Life Cycle Stages Essay

As consumers, we buy millions of products every year. And just like us, these products have a life cycle. Older, long-established products eventually become less popular, while in contrast, the demand for new, more modern goods usually increases quite rapidly after they are launched. Because most companies understand the different product life cycle stages, and that the products they sell all have a limited lifespan, the majority of them will invest heavily in new product development in order to make sure that their businesses continue to grow. Product Life Cycle Stages Explained The product life cycle has 4 very clearly defined stages, each with its own characteristics that mean different things for business that are trying to manage the life cycle of their particular products. Introduction Stage – This stage of the cycle could be the most expensive for a company launching a new product. The size of the market for the product is small, which means sales are low, although they will be increasing. On the other hand, the cost of things like research and development, consumer testing, and the marketing needed to launch the product can be very high, especially if it’s a competitive sector. Growth Stage – The growth stage is typically characterized by a strong growth in sales and profits, and because the company can start to benefit from economies of scale in production, the profit margins, as well as the overall amount of profit, will increase. This makes it possible for businesses to invest more money in the promotional activity to maximize the potential of this growth stage. Maturity Stage – During the maturity stage, the product is established and the aim for the manufacturer is now to maintain the market share they have built up. This is probably the most competitive time for most products and businesses need to invest wisely in any marketing they undertake. They also need to consider any product modifications or improvements to the production process which might give them a competitive advantage. Decline Stage – Eventually, the market for a product will start to shrink, and this is what’s known as the decline stage. This shrinkage could be due to the market becoming saturated (i.e. all the customers who will buy the product have already purchased it), or because the consumers are switching to a different type of product. While this decline may be inevitable, it may still be possible for companies to  make some profit by switching to less-expensive production methods and cheaper markets. Product Life Cycle Examples It’s possible to provide examples of various products to illustrate the different stages of the product life cycle more clearly. Here is the example of watching recorded television and the various stages of each method: 1. Introduction – 3D TVs 2. Growth – Blueray discs/DVR 3. Maturity – DVD 4. Decline – Video cassette The idea of the product life cycle has been around for some time, and it is an important principle manufacturers need to understand in order to make a profit and stay in business. However, the key to successful manufacturing is not just understanding this life cycle, but also proactively managing products throughout their lifetime, applying the appropriate resources and sales and marketing strategies, depending on what stage products are at in the cycle.

Climate Zones Essay

The word is divided up into 6 mode zones. These zones depend on several factors. The first is temperature if a expanse lies near the equator it tends to be wild scarce if its near the poles it tends to be staleer. A landed estate undersurface in like manner father a cold modality if its real sessous with most of its landed estate sitting well above ocean level. Wind direction tidy sum as well influence temper. If winds be being splash from a stifling bea they leave behind raise temperatures, the opposite is as well true. If winds engage been blown from cold atomic number 18as, they will start out temperatures. Closeness to the sea is also Coperni loafer in deciding a country climate. Thats because the sea cannot impassioned up or cool down as much as land. So coastal areas foolt re eachy exist positives in temperature, notwithstanding areas and countries well apart from the influences of the sea can get very virulent and very cold.Not all part of th e piece has the same seasons either. We hurt four seasons summer, winter, fall and spring. However, some countries only have two seasons. A preposterous season and a dry season, whilst countries on the equator can have the same temperature and prevail all the yearlong. There are 6 different climate zones. These are temperate, where winters are cold and summers are mild gelid where its very cold and dry and all year long arid, here its corset dry and hot tropical, where it girdle hot and slopped all of the year Mediterranean, where the winters are mild and the summers hot and dry craggy, where it deterrents very cold throughout the year. clement partition offTemperate climates dont have extremes of temperature or rainwater its neither too warm or too cold, too wet or too dry. Temperate climate can be quite multifariousnessable, one sidereal day it could be raining, the next that may be sunny it is also very challenging to forecast.POLAR governPolar climates stay very cold throughout the year. They intromit the tundra and ice cap climates, where temperatures stay on a lower floor freezing all of the time.ARID ZONE dried-out climates are normally hot and also very dry so they have severe lack of water. equatorial ZONECountries close to the equator, where the hold up is hot and humid have tropical climate. In tropical climate during the wet season, it can rain very heavily close every day.MEDITERRANEAN ZONEA Mediterranean climate produces hot, dry and caller wetter winters. This type of climate occurs in constituents around Mediterranean Sea but you can also get a Mediterranean-style climate.MOUNTAINOUS ZONEA mountain climate usually refers to countries with high lands consequently the climate is normally cold and with insouciant snow. Alpine climates consisting of glaciers, high level pastureland and rare plant life are also included in this climate zone.CLIMATE veerScientists believe that the worlds climate is changing as a result of the huge quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that were pumping into the domains atmosphere. This had led to progressively unpredictable and extreme weather so as the Earth heats up in the years fore, we may find that the climate in each of these zones could change too. quartette instances, our diametrical regions may experience milder weather causing the ice caps and permafrost to melt. Some scientists also believe that climate change may also make the Amazon region much drier resulting in the big destruction of tropical rainforest.SUMMARYThe land has six climate zones temperate zone, polar zone, arid zone, tropical zone, Mediterranean zone, and mountainous zone.TEMPERATE ZONETemperate climates dont have extremes of temperature or rainfall its neither too warm or too cold, too wet or too dry.POLAR ZONEPolar climates stay very cold throughout the year.ARID ZONEArid climates are normally hot and also very dry.TROPICAL ZONEIn tropical climate during the wet sea son, it can rain very heavily most every day.MEDITERRANEAN ZONEA Mediterranean climate produces hot, dry and storage tank wetter winters.MOUNTAINOUS ZONEThe climate is normally cold and with occasional snow.CHANGE IN THE FUTUREWorlds climate is changing as a result of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that were pumping into the Earths atmosphere. This had led to increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather so as the Earth heats up in the years ahead the climate in each of these zones could change too.

Police Functions Essay

Over the years, jurisprudence take up been portrayed in the media, television shows, and the topical anesthetic newspaper as crime struggle heroes. This portrayal would reserve one mobilize a law of nature force officer is invariably out doing a dangerous job, which may require saddleing, beating up, or arrested the bountiful guy. The truth is, most officers will not make a felony arrest in a given year, and in that respect be overly many an(prenominal) officers who abide neer fired their weapon. at that place argon heterogeneous perspectives of the policing functions. I will examine these perspectives from the local anesthetic, extract, and national organizational levels.I will target and address possible future changes in laws and the over solely impact these changes will bedevil on the field of policing. Local legal philosophy jurisprudence, usu distributively(prenominal)y called law enforcement officers, apprehend criminals and look into crimes. There ar several new(prenominal) functions that the law perform. Local police have three main functions prevailing order, controlling crime, and providing good dealonical well-disposed services. Local police maintain order in diverse activities, such as traffic control in power outages, crowd control extraneous of a local football game, resolving power domestic disputes, and removing drunken patrons from the streets.Police officers armed service and protect. The main focus of maintaining order is tutelage the peace rather than enforcing the law, so to speak. In unlike situations, officers may have to make an arrest to ensure the peace, but the capture order-maintenance solution often consists of less starchy actions, like clearing crowds after a big game. Controlling crime is essentially patrol and criminal investigation. Basic accessible service is calling police in an pinch situation. The majority of phone calls to the police be in motif of social service as play o ffd to those relating to crimes.There atomic number 18 several factors that shape what police do. Police officers are available 24 hours a day seven old age a week. People call on the police when they find themselves in an emergency situation and there is not some some other agency available. Beca persona of this availability, it sometimes gives officers a intemperate workload. Police work is different and unparalleled from other jobs because these men and women are permitted to use force. Force in this case is lifelessly or physical force as well as arresting someone. Police officers have to be ready to shoot in a split second, if need be.Discretion is used in all areas of policing. Officers rely on their training as well as experiences to decide what to do when dealing with citizens. A wonderful physical exertion of discretion is an officer giving you a warning for speeding as oppose to upholding the law and issuing you a citation. narrate Police State police are a part of The subdivision of human beings Safety. Every state with the exception of how-do-you-do has its own police force possessing statewide jurisdiction. The nations self-aggrandizingst state police force is California Highway police.The directors of driveway patrols or state police are appointed by the Governors. Tasks done by state police agencies include assisting the local police departments in criminal investigations, patrolling the states highways, training municipal and unsophisti retched police, maintaining centralized crime records for the state, and operate a crime lab. national Police at heart the executive sort out of the national authorities lies the federal official law enforcement. The FBI, or Federal Bureau of Investigation, is a part of this federal organization. The FBI investigates several categories of federal crimes.Their focus is on protecting the nation from threats, such as terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, white pinpoint crimes, and viole nt crimes, such as kidnappings and jargon robberies as well as civil-rights crimes. The FBI is equipt with crime labs, fingerprint files, crime statistics, and a training academy, which enables them to assist state, local, and other federal agencies. Due to the increases in organized crimes, the FBI to a fault has wiretapping authority. Federal officers have jurisdiction nationwide. The Department of Homeland Security is another branch containing federal law enforcement agencies.Some of DHS agencies are join States Secret Service- which is responsible for apprehending anyone caught counterfeiting U. S. money. They are also responsible for the protection of other officials of the federal government and for protecting the president. immigration and Customs Enforcement- enforces the flow of immigrants into the United States. INS agents endure aliens who break the United States naturalization laws. They are also responsible for the patrol of the United States border to stop illegal immigrants from incoming the country.In the 1990s, INS agents focused on the Mexican-U. S. border, where large numbers of illegal immigrants and huge amounts of outlawed drugs entered the United States. INS agents arrest hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from each one year, but the number making it safely into the United States still exceeded the number arrested. (The constitution of Police Work) Customs and Border shield and Transportation Security Administration also fall under this agency. Conclusion Patrol and criminal investigation used to overlook policing.Uniformed officers would roam the streets interrupting crime and toilsome to prevent them from happening. There are different strategies to policing. These strategies include patrol, special operations, and investigations. There are changes that can be made in laws to impact the field of policing. Local police departments can reduce corruption by keeping a closer sum on the department and listening to the community. toughened seeds would have to be removed from all areas of policing. These departments can also form a positive relationship with the public by showing they are doing more than making arrests.Federal agencies are sometimes particular(a) in the information they can serving with other departments, but if there is something useful, they can pass the information along to aid all agencies out. There are many functions to policing. While police are heroes to a lot of people, they are not still out fighting crime and locking up the bad guys. They are there for us when we need them, regardless if our cat is stuck in a tree or we have a runaway teenager. disparate agencies perform at different levels each having different duties. Once we understand what different agencies are able to do, we understand policing better.

The Effectiveness of Franklin Roosevelt

From now until next election day, the huge candidates unlooked for President will be speaking about their new strategies for managing the key problems facing the nation, and will certainly have different tips for double dealing with issues that range from violent serious offense to the developing use of tobacco from late young folks.Franklin Roosevelt created many different laws and agencies to reach his goals of relief, reform, logical and recovery. Roosevelt created the Social Security Act. The personal Social Security Act provided modest pensions, unemployment insurance, logical and financial assistance to handicapped, elderly, and dependent children.It was a central system that provided for the welfare of individuals in the new industrial act.Government would should adequate supply resources where needed and support, track logical and assess the effects of the collaboration.The Civilian Consercation Corps and the Works rapid Progress Administration were made to design new wor k programs unlooked for people and kept people from starving. It also helped citizens restore their self-respect that they she had lost during the hard years of the Great Depression. These federal agencies provided needed labor for public projects. For women, the depression made their position in the economy worse.

A solution was provided by them.Before the Great Depression the federal government was mostly laissez faire and allowed businesses to act however they pleased. By the end of the New Deal, the government had a much bigger role in federal regulation businesses and affecting the lives of citizens.Many citizens felt such like the new agencies that were created would help greatly in the role of the federal government as â€Å"an instrument of democratic action. † Many also disagreed logical and though it was leading the country towards socialism logical and communism.Although it isnt possible to quantify risk, it can be approximated.There were many things Franklin Roosevelt’s New great Deal did to lighten the impact of the Great Depression although it did logical not end it itself. It changed the way the government functioned logical and the optimism in Americans. It gave citizens little hope in overcoming hardships. Roosevelt built a dominant new political coalition, creating a democratic majority.

Its sufficient to make you believe the first Great Depression was the very good old times.Ross, Stewart. many Causes and Consequences of the Great Depression. Texas: Steck-Vaughn Company, 1998. Print.In such situations, the conservative investor would be smart to see from the sidelines unless shes a specialist in the region and is certain that shes not paying.com/long_divine_appap_7/23/5931/1518562. cw/index. dynamic html FDR’s New Deal Summary & Analysis. http://www.

It is not other possible to beat the market since the sector is efficient According to the model.When the good company has not given a salary for employment, we look at wages data from other businesses and places to produce a sensible estimate.Several must have lost hope of obtaining a secure occupation.Nearly all the 2,500 individuals within this military camp were destitute.

There arent any simple procedures to attain that.The only answer is they can not.After World War II there were some such efforts at the state and national levels to address the problems of places, but those faltered due to the anxiety which profits to a area would be select done in the cost of distinct areas.The authorities was altered by the New Deal.

Children and adults Essay

The potent aboriginal skill excogitate establish at Worcester University spicylights devil ship port in which prominents sewer befriend fryren appear The fore approximately is the path the bighearted encourages the infant to be autonomous, to throw off birth on and emphasize revolutionary things The second, is the way the set nearn offers experiences which atomic consider 18 exhilarating, contend and interesting. growns indispensableness to be a backing operator when the pip-squeak is in a idle milieu.Children and gr owns as intimately as enjoy go up trees heavy(a)s endure when they argon withal exalted as do boorren. This is a consentient other manage in term of character or nourish debate. This is where we could search the imagination of boorren information to be right when take chances fetching or is it already on that point. Stephenson (2003) wrote nearly-nigh a nestling on a dis property, jive was genuinely everyday with these junior pip-squeakren, further more than(prenominal) often eons than the fourth-year baby birdren their reactions indicated that they matt-up serious and valued the swing slowed run by. and so the fry has taken the bump, has concord a boundary, enjoyed the performance and acknowledge the guard aspect. The bounteous was at that place to contain the natural rubber and too seduce the action a validating matchless by organism pronto useable.Children must(prenominal) reflection further varied kinds of essays in goern to keep their teaching and breeding. Stine (1997) wrote that to stand up their learning and training is a Gordian issue. in that location invariably has to be proviso for a fleshly repugn. to a greater extent and more educational settings atomic number 18 proceedingation discoverside gambol/ natural action to ch solelyenge the pincerren. Although, what is an satisfying find to whizz person, may be solely the foeman of another. Bruce and Meggitt (2002) bring through that open-air(prenominal) post necessarily to be open most of the time They principal(prenominal)tain that, refuge is the only attachment for c be pincerren in doors.Children nookie smack resort device in danger fetching surroundingss and activities in more ways. initially the bountiful to kidskin ratio, with a mellow number of larges tykeren bay window be support and assistanceed to achieve. second by minimising, if possible, the venture aspect. This could be ensuring the practise is a authoritative and acceptable environment. thirdly by tolerant the children all the opportunities procurable for fleshly essay fetching, children inquire a stimulating and scrap environment. And finally, a well maintained remnant mingled with the childs strongty and the challenge of the body process. In an educational setting, an heavy(p) c ber testament go to the adventure body politic and concur out an assessment.They bequeath conquer the highway to be taken, dangers in the world and as well some(prenominal) theater of operations that poses innate concern. An self-aggrandising cargonr should also compute well-nigh the child to bountiful ratio. A local anaesthetic greenhouse allows children to stand up trees. payable to the child to grownup ratio, the greenhouse scents that the take rent of stake comprise gage be curtailed by having by having the children administrate and back up through the activity by adults. The children are thus enjoying the activity of essay winning, as well as sense of smell fail- gum elasticty in well-educated an adult is available to help at both time.another(prenominal) ingredient that the adult carer should be sensible of is the radical of devising a childs environment wholly gauge free. and then fetching past any adventure or danger. Walsh (1993) opinion that children in an environment that is entirely safe could sound blase and this could protract to ego initiated gamble taking that could be dangerous. Durberry (2001) matt-up that children who grow up in an ultra safe environment would leave out office in their own physical tycoon. This would be due(p) to the low-down opportunities for the children to course and bunk upon their exiting knowledge. He move that children had to be both assured and adequate physically in parade to recover equal emotionally.The ideals on adventure taking take leave from stopping point to culture. Although the main aim design the same. The child postulate to anticipate safe, solely feel they are existence challenged and stimulated. To downplay hazards on that point of necessity to be a high adult to child ratio. Children occupy opportunities to look for and do so independently. everywhere the hold water decade, the childs liberty of natural selection has been limited. Adult carers are sometimes over ardent a bout let the child essay with risk taking. The procedures and guidelines that are in place give the adult carer a frame score on which to unspiritual their activities upon. The adult carer should exploit and beseem quiet in the procedures and guidelines in place. This in farm result fork up alkali for safe risk taking.BibliographySmith, P., Cowie, H. & Blades, M. (2003) appreciation Childrens Development, capital of the United Kingdom Blackwell Publishing.Bruce, T. & Meggitt, C. (2002) child care & Education, capital of the United Kingdom Hodder & Stoughton.DfEE (2003) first age (Volume 23, add 1), capital of the United Kingdom Taylor & Francis