Pm Tests

Week 2 : Planning the Project: Scope and Responsibilities – Quiz ————————————————- Top of Form Time Remaining:  |   Ã‚  Ã‚  | 1. (TCO A) Projects have specific attributes. Which of the following is not an attribute? (Points : 5)|   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Has a sponsor or customer. Has interdependent tasks. Utilizes various resources. All of the above are project attributes. | 2. (TCO A) Which step of the project life cycle involves identification of a need, problem, or opportunity? (Points : 5)|   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Initiating Planning Performing Closing | 3. TCO B) For a project, the objective is usually defined in terms of which three items? (Points : 5)|   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scope, schedule, and cost Schedule, plan, and controls Plan, scope, and packages Scope, cost and controls | 4. (TCO A) a) If the project scope is increased, what are the l ikely steps that the project manager would take with regards to the other triple constraints? Why? (15 points) b) If the project schedule is relaxed or lengthened, what is the impact on quality? (15 points)  (Points : 30)According to the triple constraints: â€Å"Scope, Time, Cost†.All three of these impact the quality depending on which trade off is affecteda) The longer a project takes to complete, the more it will impact the quality of the project as a whole. b) Being relaxed or expanding the time frame for completion will impact scope and cost. Why? More money and less time to complete the work package deliverables. | 5. (TCO B) You are reaching the end of your graduate school program, and are planning a large party to celebrate your success! You have rented out the local forest preserve as the venue for your party.Applying your project management skills, you want to ensure you have everything planned out and you’ve asked your family and friends to be a part of y our team to hold this party. At your party, you have made it clear to your team what you want to have delivered. After all, it’s your party – you can have whatever you want! Some of the key items you want at your party include: * Graduation announcements * Party invitations * Live entertainment * Games (for adults and for children) * Food * Beverages * Convenience for all (parking, restroom facilities, etc. a) To ensure you have a clear scope for your team, create a 2-level WBS. Don’t forget to include your WBS numbering. (20 points) b) In your WBS, how many work packages have been created? (10 points)  (Points : 30)Level 11. 0 Graduation 1. 1 Graduation announcements 1. 2 Party invitations 1. 3 Live entertainment 1. 4 Games (for adults and for children)Level 22. 0 Food and Services 2. 1 Beverages 2. 2 Rest room facilities 2. 3 Valet Parking  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | | Time Remaining:  |   Ã‚  Ã‚  | Bottom of Form

Comment and Compare the Boscastle and Pakistan Floods Essay

During the 2010 monsoon season (July and August), Pakistan experienced the worst floods recorded in its history. Heavy rainfall caused flash floods in the north and north-western regions of the country. The subsequent run-off created a southward moving mass of water approximately the size of the United Kingdom. The flood waters travelled downstream through Punjab and Sindh until they reached the Arabian Sea. Many of the main tributaries feeding into the Indus River were also flooded, further inundating agricultural lands. In total, some 20 million people were displaced and 50,000 square km were submerged, while standing crops, infrastructure and land were damaged extensively. The extent of the destruction caused by the 2010 floods is hard to comprehend. The floods impacted seventy-eight districts, resulting in the deaths of over 1900 people with at least another 2900 injured. In the areas receiving flood-waters 70% of the roads and bridges were swept away. More than 10,000 schools and 500 hospitals were destroyed or damaged, as were about 1.6 million homes. In a relatively short period of time, millions of Pakistanis who were already having a difficult time making a living before the floods found themselves homeless and unsure of how to survive. The losses were largest for crops with direct damage to 2.1 million hectares of standing Kharif crops (crops that are sown in the rainy season) – mainly cotton, rice, sugarcane and vegetables; one million tonnes of food and seed stocks were lost along with a large number of on-farm water channels and wells. Livestock were decimated during the flash floods in the hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while grazing animals and poultry were also lost in the plains area. In all, approximately 200,000 livestock (including cows, sheep, buffalo, goats and donkeys) were initially confirmed dead, with the total rising somewhat over time. Of immediate concern was the increased risk of outbreaks of contagious diseases due to unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation and personal hygiene, food insecurity,lack of shelter, overcrowding and decreased access to health care. In late August 2010, over 450,000 cases of dysentery and other diseases were reported, and some 3.5 million children were considered at risk of contracting water-borne diseases including diarrhoea and cholera. Three rivers – the Valency, Jordan and Paradise – converge on the small, tourist village of Boscastle on the Cornish coast. The majority of the damage caused by the flash flood on 16th August 2004, 52 years after the catastrophe that was the Lynmouth flood, was attributable to the Valency. In total, an input of 3 million tonnes of water was added to a tiny drainage basin, whose size was just 40 square kilometres. Attention must be paid not just to the total volume of rain but also the intensity with which it fell. 185mm arrived in just five hours, the majority falling in the first two hours. Under such conditions, infiltration was virtually impossible, with the rate of precipitation greatly exceeding the infiltration capacity of any soil type. The soils were already saturated from previous rainfall earlier in the week, encouraging surface run-off to begin even sooner. The three river valleys are very steep and narrow; a broader floodplain would have helped to soak up ex cess water and to reduce energy more effectively through an increased hydraulic radius. The settlement of Boscastle was allowed to develop on a narrow flood plain on the west coast of England, where rainfall is often high. The rainfall of August 2004 hit at the worst time of year, when the settlement population doubled to 2,000 as tourists arrived. Much higher levels of motor vehicle damage were also experienced as a result of this temporary population increase. In addition, shops were carrying greater levels of stock than at other times of the year. Although new flood defences were set to be built in October of that year, work had not yet started. Overall, excellent emergency services and Environment Agency response meant no lives were lost. However, due to the constantly changing nature of the tourist population, it took a long time to clearly establish that there had been no fatalities. Most shops stayed shut for the rest of the season and the bad publicity reduced tourist numbers during the following years, resulting in a negative multiplier effect for the entire lo cal community. In addition, the effect spread beyond Boscastle – other settlements along the river were perceived to be at risk by tourists. Boscastle businesses could claim compensation from their insurance companies (claims for ‘disruption to trading’ in Boscastle amounted to  £15m). However, others businesses elsewhere in Cornwall could not, even though they too may have suffered reduced trade in the following years. This became a cause for concern, with tourism accounting for 30% of Cornwall’s GDP and tourists spending up to  £1 billion throughout the county. Shared amenities such as Boscastle village green were now covered with silt and up-ended cars. There were serious costs for a small community with a seasonal employment problem, due to its over-reliance on summer tourism. There was also irreplaceable loss of historical artefacts; The ‘Witch Museum’ – which was fifty years old and received 50,000 visitors a year – saw some of its unique contents damaged. Infrastructure disruption was another major problem; both bridges in Boscastle were destroyed and sections of r oad swept away. Telephone, water, electricity and gas supplies were all immediately interrupted. People found the value of their homes permanently reduced, now that Boscastle was associated with a serious flood risk. It has been suggested that values were halved. In some instances it took six months before properties were sufficiently repaired for homeowners to permanently return. This was one of the worst problems that flood victims faced: they could not physically return to their homes even when the floodwaters receded. In some cases, the historic character of the houses in Boscastle caused extra problems. Six properties were destroyed outright; most others required between  £15,000 and  £30,000 for repairs. Insurance companies reimbursed most people however some home and car owners did not receive compensation because (a) they lacked appropriate insurance cover or (b) they found that they were not entitled to payment because insurers regarded this unusual event as an ‘Act of God’. It is difficult to compare these two floods, which both caused significant damage, but the scale to which this happened varied tremendously; one occurred in a small, sleepy Cornish village while the other tormented a whole country. The numbers involved also differed; there were thankfully no deaths in the Boscastle flood (one resident suffered a heart attack but that was the extent of the casualties), whereas there were over 1500 people killed in Pakistan with millions more left homeless and in danger of starvation and waterborne diseases. The cost of the clean up for a small village like Boscastle was great enough; that for the already heavily indebted, poverty-stricken Pakistan was impossibly high. The greatest similarity is the physical geography of the land which didn’t allow for adequate drainage of the affected areas. Pakistan is essentially split down the middle with the western side of the country all at least 300m above sea level whereas the eastern half is low lying farmland/floodplains. This meant that the excess surface runoff caused by the high levels of rainfall simply followed the gradient of the land and flooded the lower lying east. Boscastle is in an even worse position as it is sitting at the bottom of a valley so the water came from both sides, converging at the village where the already swollen rivers simultaneously burst their banks. Another similarity was the high levels of rainfall immediately preceeding the floods which meant that the subsequent rainfall was unable to infiltrate the already saturated ground.

Descriptive Essy

Descriptive Essay Draft Throughout our lives we meet many people. We impact others by our own actions every day. Sometimes we impact them without even realizing it. And people will impact our lives and our hearts forever. You may Just have a simple conversation with a stranger on a bus, and before you know it, both individuals have a changed perspective on something. Or perhaps youVe known the person your whole life and they have impacted you Just as much or even more. These influential people come into and fall out of our lives so fast, it's often hard to keep track.But it's always good o remember your past, remember who you have met, remember who you know, and remember who is continuing to impact your life even today. These people are the ones that matter. They are who have helped make you who you are now. My dear friend Alex is someone who will always impact my life in so many ways. I have only officially known him for about 3 and half months. We met June 16th of this past summer. We were both working as camp counselors at a summer camp in Harrisonburg, Virginia. There was something about him that drew me in from the start.But for some reason, I was afraid, I thought he wouldn't be the kind of person I ould normally become friends with, so I did not talk to him very much that first week of staff training. Something about him intimidated me, and I could never quite put my finger on it. We finally had our first conversation while sitting by a pool. The day was very hot, but after a quick dunk in the water, the air temperature became cool and pleasant. He came over and asked if he could sit down next to me. I was very intimidated by him and I was never sure why, but of course I couldn't say no!So he sat down and we began talking about small things, until the conversation eventually turned to his tattoos and the meanings behind them. From that day on, we only continued to grow closer and closer. Alex is a very driven individual. He knows himself and he is very c omfortable in his own skin. When a decision comes up in his life that he must make, he always makes the smart choice and always makes the right choice, because he makes it with his heart. He has so many dreams and wishes and continuously strives for more.He always asks questions. And always wonders why or why not? He is an inspiring being, filled with positivity and love for life. He spreads his Joy with his most glorious smile and infectious laugh. And he is the perfect role model who keeps a cool head in any ituation and his responses are filled with high intellect. All of his passions show through every day of his life. He is fully himself at all times. And he has been that way his whole life. Alex is constantly true to himself. And that is something I truly look up to.I aspire to be more like him because of all the qualities he holds, but that by far, being himself at all times, is something I admire the most. It is surprising to think I nave only known him tor a snort while. Bu t even at this early stage of our friendship, he knows me so well. If I am upset from any situation, he can hit the nail on the head every time. He can guess what I'm feeling, tell me why I feel that way, and he can give advice like no one's business. In my life I have always had many passions myself. I have many beliefs and opinions on things too.But I have generally been overshadowed by some of my very outspoken friends while growing up, and also overshadowed by my two older brothers. I was taught to know it was okay to have an opinion even if it is different from others. But I was also taught that if you can't form your opinion into concise words, you will not be able to contribute to the conversation, and therefore your opinion really has no value. It sounds twisted, but that was Just what I knew. I know differently now, but I have never been challenged as much than when I am with Alex.He pushes me to do my best always. He pushes me to make decisions faster and with more strengt h and heart. He pushes me to dream bigger and reach for more. And most importantly, he pushes me to have an opinion on things. He reminds me that it is always valuable, even if it takes a little while to form the words to express it properly. Alex has made me feel comfortable talking about anything. He has made me feel like it is okay to be myself and let people know about it. He challenges me to be a better person every day.And he inspires me with his thirst for the all this world has to offer. He has made a huge impact on my life and on my heart. He is someone that I want to fill my life with. Even with the short time of knowing each other, he has found ways to reach and understand me like no one else has. He has taught me to grow, and to never stop growing. I know he is capable of so many great things. And I cannot wait for the day when his dreams match up with his countless talents and he shares even more of himself with even more hearts in the world.

The true effect of human resource management on an organizational Dissertation

The true effect of human resource management on an organizational performance - Dissertation Example This paper will begin with a brief background study on the topic of human resource management and then a brief overview of McDonald's. This paper will spell out the research problem and thereafter the objectives of the study as well as the research questions. Lastly, this essay will state the significance of the study and the scope that it will cover. The roots of human resource management can be traced back to the industrial revolution whereby companies started engaging in mass production for commercial purposes and therefore, there was an urgent need of hiring more employees to the extent that even children were introduced into the working life at a young age. During this particular time when human resources provided to be a critical part of an organization, there was little known about effective human resource management and this contributed to the widespread violation of employees’ rights since this labor sector had not been fully formalized and regulated. Stewart and Brow n stated that the numerous industrial strikes that characterized this area were necessitated by the widespread violation of employees’ rights that was going on in nearly all of the manufacturing companies. Employees’ plight during this era was denoted by low wages and poor working conditions. The industrial strikes led to the emergence of human resource management whereby the welfare of the employees received more focus from the management of the companies in order to avoid future strikes, which had proved detrimental to the companies that were affected. Factors that marked the emergence of effective human resource management included the abolishment of child labour, development of labor unions, strategic recruitment, and selection of workers. DeGraff (2010) further added that the studies by Fredrick Taylor on lean manufacturing sparked an interest on the actual contribution of the workforce on an organisation’s productivity and this contributed to human resourc es been acknowledge as a significant part in the productivity of an organisation. In the present world, human resource management is a source for organisation’s competitiveness meaning that it directly affects the performance of organisations. 1.3 McDonald’s Corporation According to Warwick (2013), McDonald Corporation is largest public traded hamburger fast food restaurant chain in the world, which serves averagely 60 million customers in over 115 countries across the world on a daily basis. The McDonald brothers originally started the company in 1940 but it was fully acquired by Ray Kroc who joined the company as a franchise agent in 1955. The McDonald’s restaurants offer a wide menu to their customers, which consist of French fries, hamburgers, chicken, cheeseburgers, soft drinks, breakfast items, desserts, milkshakes, fruits, smoothies, wraps, salads, and fish. Presently, the company boosts of total assets worth over $32 billion and total revenue of over $27 billion and a net income of over $ 5 billion in the past financial year. 1.4 Statement of the problem There are numerous studies, which have focused on the impact of human resource management but there is no or very little comprehensive studies that focuses on the relationship between human resource management functions such as selection and training, among others and how

The Impact of Chronic Diseases on Children and Their Families Research Paper

The Impact of Chronic Diseases on Children and Their Families - Research Paper Example incidence; moreover, although not commonly seen among children in Australia, cancer has also become one of the most common causes of death among Australian children (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2006). Other chronic illnesses seen among Australia’s school-age children include cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. Risk factors for this disease are mostly modifiable risks which include childhood obesity, unhealthy, and lack of physical activity (Berk, 2008). These chronic conditions impact on children as well as their families because they take place at a time which is crucial to the child’s development (Slater, et.al., 2010). In some cases, care for these children often lasts a lifetime, as seen in diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Slater, et.al., 2010). For example, Type 1 diabetes calls for lifetime care and multiprofessional medical management; moreover, self-management needs to be emphasized to the child for eventual independ ent management. It is also a costly type of care because of the prolonged nature of the disease and the prolonged treatment needed (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2006). The illness and the treatment process involved can impact negatively on the children and their families, economically, socially, as well as psychologically. As these children are still developing physically and emotionally, their care is different from the care required of chronically ill adults (Wilson, et.al., 2008). Even as the social and economic conditions of the families can also impact on a child’s overall care, it is also a crucial element in the overall outcome of chronic childhood diseases. Moreover, children who have chronic illnesses, along with their families have a high risk of experiencing psychological... This study shall then be concluded based on recommendations which nurses can implement as primary health care givers. Chronic diseases among children are significant health issues because they impact significantly on the quality of lives and on the development of children. In Australia, asthma is considered the most common chronic illness among children 0-14 years of age. In recent years, diabetes has also increased in incidence; moreover, although not commonly seen among children in Australia, cancer has also become one of the most common causes of death among Australian children. Other chronic illnesses seen among Australia’s school-age children include cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. Risk factors for this disease are mostly modifiable risks which include childhood obesity, unhealthy, and lack of physical activity. This paper declares that Chronic diseases among children cause issues in his normal development, issues which mostly relate to delayed developmental processes. Varni, et.al.,describes how children with diabetes, GI conditions, cardiac afflictions, asthma, obesity, ESRD, psychiatric issues, cancer, and cerebral palsy manifested with an impaired health-related quality of life, as compared to healthy children. The study revealed that those with cerebral palsy manifested the most impairment, and those with diabetes presented with the best quality of life. Among parents, they expressed that cardiac afflictions, diabetes, obesity, GI diseases, ESRD, asthma, cancer, and cerebral palsy caused a decreased quality in their lives.

Total reward -Job Satisfaction Literature review

Total reward -Job Satisfaction - Literature review Example Total Rewards pertains to all the tools that an employer has at one’s disposal, which could be used to attract, retain and motivate employees.Total Rewards approach takes into cognizance all the factors and attributes that are the direct outcome of an employment relationship, which are perceived by an employee to be of valueThe objective of the Total Rewards approach is to optimize the rewards offerings facilitated by an organization so as to yield the optimal results for the money spent on configuring and delivering awards This approach may involve an integration of a wide range of programs within an organization, which may not be directly perceived to be rewards by everyone (Fitz-Enz 2009). A wide range of practices that may involve enhancing the employee productivity by making the work hours more flexible, curtailing employee turnover by extending career advancement and training opportunities within an organization, making the management system within an organization more p articipative and interactive to encourage employee participation could be blended with the direct and indirect monetary compensation to yield maximal results from a reward system that is inherently bold and innovative (Fitz-Enz 2009). A Total Rewards approach do takes into consideration that the fact that when it comes to foster a workforce that is committed and motivated, the tangible reward forms and systems are important, but are certainly the be all and end all of a viable reward system (Fitz-Enz 2009). In that context, the question that deserves the attention of researchers is that why the reward approach has suddenly become very important in the contemporary context. One of the reasons for this is that there is a war for talent in the job market out there. Though going with the current economic meltdown and the recessionary trends, the labour market may have softened somewhat, still, employee retention has emerged to be a pivotal issue in many organizations (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark 2007, p. 62). Companies do incur massive expenditure in training and grooming talent and hence attracting and retaining a staff that is experienced and skilled stands to be the top priority for many managers. With the compensation budgets getting more constrained, the competition to attract skilled and experienced employees has tremendously increased (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark 2007, p. 62). To be able to cope up with such budgetary squeezes, managers need to delve on an assortment of tangible and intangible rewards and benefits to hold on to their employees. Then there is an enhancing focus on employee engagement (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark 2007, p. 63). By making the jobs more rewarding and meaningful, the managers can encourage the employees to put in a discretionary effort so as to deliver better results (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark 2007, p. 63). The challenging global environment is pushing the organizations to make the most of the human resources that they have at their disposa l, and hence it has become essential for the managers to directly depend on their employees to perform and act in a way that is in consonance with the organization’s objectives, values and culture (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark 2007, p. 63). The increasing diversity of workforce is one other reason necessitating a Total Rewards approach towards management (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark 2007, p. 64). Globalization has given way to dilution of borders and has augmented the diversity within organizations (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark, p. 64). Besides with women getting an enhanced access to education and career building opportunities, the participation and proportion of women within the workforce has increased (Jensen, Mcmullen & Stark, p. 64). Changes in social attributes and demographic aspects have also contributed to the

Case Analysis of Starbucks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Case Analysis of Starbucks - Research Paper Example The company’s management acted promptly, under the leaderships of the CEO Schultz, to resolve internal weaknesses and to adapt to the changing external market environment to ensure the survival of the organization in this industry. The survival of the company in tough market environment can be associated with the ability of the leader to work together with the company to satisfy all the shareholders of the organization. This essay presents an analysis of the Starbucks Corporation and the basic strategies that the company has deployed to win the coffee market. First, the paper will present the background of the company, covering its environment, the industry and the major players in the coffee industry. Next will be a critical analysis of the company’s strategies and the various emerging market conditions that underpins the organizational performance. This will provide a good ground to provide alternative approaches that Starbucks would have used to support its development strategy. Starbucks is a company that started back in 1987 in Seattle, Washington by Baldwin, Siegel and Bowker. The company started with nine stores in the domestic market, and the main products include whole beans and coffee products. Schultz became the CEO of Starbucks in 1987, after acquiring the company and receiving a majority vote from the company directors. During this stage company ventured in the domestic market and Schultz helped the company to focus on the customer value model. This left Starbucks as a dominant market stakeholder in the marketing strategy. The company opened more stores in US to take advantage of the growing demand of coffee in the domestic market (Buchanan and Simmons 517). The companys vision was to satisfy the customers through unique coffee products that they had not tasted before. The company focused on diversifying its products when after a long debate they introduced the non-fat

Ibsen, An Enemy of the People analytical Assignment

Ibsen, An Enemy of the People analytical - Assignment Example in the playas the author portrays the negative side of small town politics and warns against political leaders who are solely rooted, having only a myopic visions for example Mayor Peter stockmann,when Dr Stockmann discovers the pollution in the Baths ,the Mayor instead doesnt want it publicized, he say that the report must not reach the people as he is threatened that they might questioned his work,( it was his idea to lay the pipes where they are) and may cost him for his improper leadership, an assertion that portrays his political role of bad governance. Bad leadership portrayed by Peter Stockmann made him disrupt Dr Stockmanns meeting and sway people not to give him a chance to read his report about the dangers of the Baths, the Mayor is interested in maintaining his position, while people like Hovstad are supportive as they want to have the report for their own selfish gain. Corruption which is an element of bad leadership is clearly outlined by the author in relation to Peter Stockmann political role in the play,as a political leader who is only interested in achieving his ambitions,Peter Stockmann ,want the medical officer of the Baths,Dr Stockmann to withdraw the report concerning the contamination of the public utility,what is obviously amounting to corrupt deeds.he forces him to write another report from further"investigation" that will resort the matter not as dangerous as imagined. Peter Stockmann, depicted an element of misuse of power when he refuses to implement,the report and the recommendations.Ibsen(1997) wrote that,Dr Stockmann is aware that Peter hates the idea of someone doing any service to the town except for himself ( p. 21) further more Catherine stockmann also doesnt want bad blood between the brothers and suggested that the Doctor should swallow his prides and agree that the Mayor was involved in the finding,she says" couldnt drop a hint that it was he who set you on the scent of this discovery"( Inbsen ,1977,p.21) this was to silence

Marketing Plan for Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Plan for Product - Essay Example highly rated industries for stability and success, the company offers mobile phones with special features to everyone who wants an excellent product. (Kotler and Armstrong 87). Marketing Strategies In general, marketing strategy deals with pricing, selling, and distributing a product. Using a market development strategy for a special mobile phone for aged people, the company will capture a larger share of an existing market for current products through market saturation and market penetration or develop new markets for current products. It is "the combination of choices you make about which tactics you use" ((Kotler and Armstrong 76). Product differentiation will be the main strategy followed by the company. Differentiation will be achieved by unique product image and features, low price and support services proposed fro all customers. The company will follow penetration pricing strategy. Penetration pricing refers to the establishment of price levels low enough to penetrate markets deeply, and to discourage potential competitors from entry. Although prices are set relatively low, expanding markets arc recognized. Pursuit of this policy slows down the recouping of investments and expenses. Which policy to use depends on the total marketing plan and an assessment of cost-revenue market factors (Boone and Kurtz 132). Segmentation Segmentation for a special mobile phone for aged people will be used to understand individual customers in the sports market place and to group them together to form distinct segments which are identifiable, accessible and substantial. In markets, segmentation is often used to make selling more cost effective by prioritizing the companies that require regular face-to-face salespeople and that can be served better by telesales and direct... The researcher states that new product management is one of the most complex and complicated tasks for an entrepreneur today. The proposed product is a special mobile phone for aged people with poor eyesight and deafness. The idea is to create a mobile phone device with big screen and special signals which help old people with poor eyesight and deafness to communicate with relatives and use mobile phone in emergency situations. The main goal of the new business is to get and keep a customer. Also, the product is aimed to achieve competitive advantage and sustainable competitive creating value for consumers, select markets where they can excel and present a moving target to their competitors by continually improving their position. Three of the most important factors are innovation, quality and inventory reduction. Using a market development strategy for a special mobile phone for aged people, the company will capture a larger share of an existing market for current products through m arket saturation and market penetration or develop new markets for current products. Marketing mix will involve telemarketing and direct sales, promotion through medical institutions and mobile stores outside the country. In conclusion, the researcher analyzes differentways of promoting the mobile phone for aged people and discusses the strategies adopted and implemented by the firm including product, price, promotion and distribution issues, that are aimed when advertising features and products to older people.

Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Introduction - Essay Example The easiness and accuracy that these word processors provide promotes its usage as far as my writing is concerned. Double spacing is the most comfortable page setting for me in every stage of writing as it makes the reviewing process more comfortable. Moreover the double spaced text makes the work fuller and thus contributes more towards the writing satisfaction. With regard to the time consumption, the best of my works have taken ample amount of time as they have gradually evolved through successive improvisations. However, I never prefer to waste time by scribbling down in a paper first and then spend unwanted time to digitalize it. But when it comes to the reading and rechecking of the text, it’s always good to work on the hard copy. Of my experience, the creativity part never waits for and understands deadlines. In this regard, writing sometimes happens as an abrupt process but sometimes gets procrastinated. Deliberate efforts to do satisfactory writing would not yield fruitful results in these times when I feel the writer’s block. However, I had been successful in overcoming these hindrances by some or the other means, eventually helping me to meet deadlines. The organization of the text depends on the kind of paper to be written. When an academic or scientific paper is to be written, I ensure to plan it and constitute its components thoroughly before the actual writing process. When creative writing is to be done, the structuring automatically happens along with the writing. However, in both modes of writing, discussion and sharing of ideas helps a lot in the diversification of the paper in different perspectives. The draft checking process for me is the integration of these diverse ideas into the comm on vision of the paper. Whenever I get a chance, I make my friends to read my drafts so that its perfection is understood through the reader’s perspective. The number of drafts however depends on a number of factors

Trifles Case Essay Example for Free

Trifles Case Essay Having to play a certain character’s role in any story or play we should know how to act and especially how to put ourselves in the situation where the character we play is into. We should know how to put ourselves in the position of the character we are playing. We can only play a great role for our character if only we will be able to picture out what is happening in our character and if we can only know what the character is suffering, feeling and all about the character we are playing. Also, a great factor for us to have a great performance in playing a certain character’s role is a great motivation towards the play. As an actor or actress we should be able to know how to motivate ourselves in different situations that the character is undergoing. We should have a great background of the character itself and the situations that the character will be encountering along the play. Different actors and actresses have different ways of motivating their selves depending upon the situation that their character is facing. They motivate their selves depending upon the feelings of the character they are playing. If the character they are playing needs to happy then they should be happily motivated in order to perform well and on the other hand if the character they are playing needs to be sad then they should be sad. Also they should know what struggles their character is facing and they should reflect this to the play by their acting ability. As to the play â€Å"TRIFLES†, the character of Mr. Hale is being played as he was being investigated or interrogated at the start of the play (Maillakais). As a character being interrogated then the one who plays his role must know how to act as a person under interrogation. Being under an interrogation then you should know how does it feel to be interrogated and how to act as one. Being under interrogation then you should know how to answer all the questions being asked by the one who investigates you. Also, you should know how to react as a person being interrogated. You should know how to show people the way you are being nervous under interrogation and how you manage to tell the interrogator what you know about the crime. On the other hand, the Sheriff, Henry Peters, have been motivated as a character that knows how to interrogate a certain suspect or any witnesses relevant to the crime (Maillakais). With regards to the character being played by the actor we can see that the Sheriff really wants to solve the crime and being the Sheriff in the place he shows that he should be respected by the people of the place and so he must be the one assigned and reliable to solve the crime. He as the one interrogating all the possible people who could be relevant to the crime and at the same time he was the one in charge to ensure that the place should be clear and in order as it was before and after the crime had happened. But let us evaluate the two of the more important characters in the play, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. Mrs. Hale is the wife of Mr. Henry Hale (Maillakais). She was the one who goes with Mrs. Peters upstairs to get something for Mrs. Wright. As they were upstairs they were talking about the battle of sexes. They also talk about how such crime had happened. Her instincts of being both a wife and as a lady have brought them to a more serious talk about the crime that had happened. Being a role player to such character the actress should be motivated as she knows how it feels to be a wife and hoe does it feel as a lady and how to act as both personas. Being a lady, the actress who plays the role of Mrs. Hale must be someone who have a great knowledge regarding the attitude of a woman and how they look forward to their duties as a woman. The actress should be motivated in a way that she knows how to value her role as woman and as a lady and on the other hand she knows her role as a citizen. Based from the characteristics of Mrs. Hale in the play, the actress should adapt her quality as being a woman who is strict in her gender and knows how to value herself. Mrs. Hale is a woman who has a very strong personality so the actress should motivate herself as being a woman who has a strong personality. Being an actress who will play the role of Mrs. Hale it should be clear to the actress that she has to be at the position of Mrs. Hale. She should know what Mrs. Hale feels as a woman regarding the topic about the idea of the crime which the suspect is a lady. The actress can use some self-made programs like thinking that the situation had happened in her real life before or maybe thinking the same situation that may be close to what had happened in the play. Being able to do such action can help the actress play the role of Mrs. Hale in a more prolific manner and still makes it easier for her to act. As an actress she had to device such plans or ideas where she can easily put herself in the position of the character she has to play. An example of such idea is what actresses usually do to make it easier for them to portray such roles. Actresses rehearse their selves as if they have personally suffered the same situations that the character had gone. They internalize the scene and try their best to put their selves in the mood of the character. As to Mrs. Peters, her characteristics as a character in the play are almost the same as to Mrs. Hale (Maillakais). She is a woman who has a very respect with regards to the dignity and role of a woman in the society they live. She thinks that women have different roles compared to men and that men do not have the right to do what a woman is doing because there are things that only women can do. She is also very bias and very protective when it comes to women’s rights. As to what the writer wants it to be, she have shown in the play the inequality of sexes and with regards to this idea only actresses who have the same point of view as the writer can portray a good acting to the characters in the play. In order to portray Mrs. Peters’ character the actress should motivate herself as a woman who seeks an unbalance treatment between men and women in the society. She has to be a feminist who wants women to be above men in different aspects. She must show in the play that she wants changes that will be an advantage to women. The actress must be very-well motivated to play a character that has a bias opinion upon the battle of sexes. The actress should also think the same as the how Mrs. Peters thinks. The actress should also be a feminist who will protect her fellow women even if it means to trick even your own husband. In the end of the story, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters have found out what had really happened through the clues they find in the house of the Wrights. They have found several clues such as the dead bird and preserved fruits that may lead to their conclusion. That clues may be enough to tell them what had really happened and what brought them to these clues are their instincts of being women. The story shows that no man can ever figure out what had really happened because men do not have the ability to read what is in women’s mind. At the beginning of the story, the two ladies did not judge Mrs. Wright as how the men in the story think. They used casual talking with a bit of curiosity of what the things around them symbolize; while the men looked for clues to prove the guilt of Mrs. Wright for murdering her husband. And also the men in the play overlooked what they call small things such as knotting, worrying over preserved fruits, and household keeping. As what the story implies, the actor or actress that should portray a certain role must understand well how the character requires (Answers.com). They must show how the view of men regarding the case differs from the view of the women. The men should act as if they make conclusion hastily without understanding why the thing happened, while the women should act as if they were depending on feelings and instinct (Talley). Citations: Talley, Chinyelu. â€Å"Facts and Reason Matters.† Making Judgments: the Women vs the Men. 8 June, 1999. http://vccslitonline.vccs.edu/Trifles/women-men.htm Maillakais, Mikes. â€Å"A Woman’s Place: Literary Background for Glaspell’s Trifles†. 30 July, 1996. http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/glaspell.htm#Literary%20Background Answers.com. â€Å"trifles†. 2007. http://www.ans

Grandparent raising their grandchildren and the social implication Essay Example for Free

Grandparent raising their grandchildren and the social implication Essay In American society, grandparent have been involved in the issues of raising their grandchildren in situation where the parent are not available, unwilling or not able to give sufficient care for their children. In other instances grandparent participate in taking care of their grandchildren even if the situation of parent are willing to care for their children. This is due to traditional cultures giving grandparent clear and direct duty for taking care and nurturing of their grandchildren. Traditionally, relationship between grandchildren and grandparent has been a special one but the current trend and growth of grandparent raising and taking care of grandparent has raise questions. In the past three decades, growth of the grandparent has gone beyond the perceived traditional role to social problem attracting researcher to study social implication of their role (Geen Rob, 2004). A part from the traditional role of grandparent caring for their grandchildren being sentimental, this role in many instances has change to absolute caring and maintaining them. Their relationship has been special but the current trend means grandparent are taking responsibility of raising a second family. In the normal circumstances, children are expected to raised under intact family assume to having presence of both parent living in a favorable conditions. Traditionally, children would visit their grandparent in a situation where they are not living together over the weekends and sent back to their parent after the weekend. This trend has changed as the luxury of sending children to their parent of the weekend has changed to taking absolute care since the parent are unavailable, not able or not in position to take care of their children (Geen Rob, 2004). Grandparents staying with their grandchildren are expected to take responsibility of raising and maintaining them. This result to social implication as the grandparent get to this role due prevailing circumstance other than something planned. Parenting role requires commitment or devotion as well as employment of financial resources. Roles of taking care of the grandchildren give grandparents massive responsibilities which may translate to emotional straining. The raise in number of families under absolute care of grandparent has increase to a questionable level which is beyond the traditional role. Study on the grandparent raising their grandchildren is important since it may evaluate the cause of the current trends, social implication to the grandparent and grandchildren, measures and solution to be taken. This paper investigates the tread and growth of the grandparent raising their grandchildren, its implication and solution to this problem and the help which can be advanced to this form of parenting (Edwards Daire 2006). Culturally, nobody plan to raise a second taking all responsibilities which goes with this role. This means that grandparent taking fulltime responsibility of maintaining a grandchild cause to major change in the life of the grandparent (Edwards Daire 2006). Demands which come with the role of parenting for the second time leads to unplanned struggles resulting to financial, emotional, physical, social and legal challenge not experienced the time when these grandparent were raising their own children. Most of grandparent are always in their old age, â€Å"The census of 1997 indicates that 33% of grandparent caregivers are under the age of 50, 48% are between the ages of 50 and 64, and 19% are over the age of 65† (National Resources Centre for Respite and Crisis Care Services 1998 para. 2). This means that engaging grandparent in raising of their grandchildren results trying to balance between struggling to manage their old age and caring for their grandchildren. Various studies have indicated that there is an increase in the case of grandparent raising their grandchildren. According to Casper and Bryson 2008, United States Bureau of the Census categorizes studies on this subject on five type grandparent maintained families i. e. â€Å"†¦both grandparents, some parents present; both grandparents, no parents present; grandmother only, some parents present; grandmother only, no parents present; and grandfather only present† (Casper and Bryson 2008 para. 1). This categorization is important as it helps to analyze implication since different states leads to different implications. Statistics from U. S. Census Bureau indicates that in 1970 3. 2 percent or 2. 2 million children in United States lived under care of grandparents. Overtime, the proportion of the grandchildren maintained by grandparent has resulted to a drastic increase. 1997 census on this subject indicated that there was an increase from 3. 2 percent in 1970 to 5. 5 percent or from 2. 2 million to 3. 9 million. This represents a 76 percent increase over period of 27 years. According to these statistical this increase was experienced in all in the above mentioned types of the grandparent care. The most notable was 118 percent increase of grandchildren with only mothers under grandparent with grandchildren living with their fathers increased by 217 percent. This change was more notable in 1980s but this further increased in 1990 indicating the greatest increase of children maintained by grandparents. According to Hammond 2002, statistics by American Association of retired Persons on 2000 census indicates that 2. 4 million grandparents are fully in charge of maintaining and solely taking care of their grandchildren. This was a 30 percent of the increase in the in 10 years.

Universalist Approach To Strategic Human Resource Management Business Essay

Universalist Approach To Strategic Human Resource Management Business Essay Your role and background is that of a Human Resource Management generalist consultant who has been called in to provide observations and suggestions to the current situation. You are an HRM generalist who has been asked to sit in on the meeting with John of PF. The CEO will ask for your opinions about how the organisation can move forward and overcome the current issues that it is experiencing. This is based on two critical forms of fit. Firstly, external fit and secondly internal fit. The external fit has to do with the HR strategy that fits with the demands of business Strategy. It is also referred to as vertical integration, the internal fit which is also referred to as horizontal integration suggests that all HR policies and activities fit together so that they make a coherent whole, are mutually reinforcing and are applied consistently. The strength of this model is that it provides a simple framework to show how selection, appraisal, development and reward can be mutually geared to produce the required of employee performance. Resource based approach This approach in concerned with the relationships between internal resources of which Human resources are one, strategy and the firm performance. It focuses on the Promotion of sustained competitive advantage through the development of human capital rather than merely aligning human resources to current strategic goals. The universalistic perspective posits the best of HR practices, implying that business strategies and HRM policies are mutually independent in determining business performance. The contingency perspective emphasizes the fit between business strategy and HRM policies and strategies, implying that business strategies are followed by HRM policies in determining business performance. The configurationally perspective posits a simultaneous internal and external fit between a firms external environment, business strategy and HR strategy, implying that business strategies and HRM policies interact, according to organisational context in determining business performance. Recruitment and selection Using the three recruitment methods of advertising in the national press, advertising in the technical press, and the internet, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each. National press When considering a press adverting campaign there are two main venues to think about; newspapers and magazines. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. The magazine ads look better but the quality and the workmanship that goes into producing a magazine ad make it expensive. The readership of a magazine, on the other hand, is much easier to target, and is comes with the type of magazine you choose; a car magazine, sports or fashion magazine. On the flip side, magazine ads are viewed more times than newspaper ads and can double the exposure of the readership. the newspaper ad is much quicker and cheaper. Newspapers vary in circulation and with that they vary drastically in price. From the national press advertising campaign in newspapers, advertising in newspapers still holds a charm. Newspapers give credibility to the ads unlike radio advertising that is heard while doing something else, newspaper reading is done when a person has leisure time and his attention is not diverted. Local press advertising has benefits when dealing with a local supplier. Internet Advertising is the branch of marketing that deals with communicating to customers about products, brands, services and companies. The Internet, as a global communications medium, provides advertisers with unique and often cost-effective ways of reaching advertising audiences. As with all media, however, advertising on the Internet has unique advantages and disadvantages. Advertising on the Internet is almost a necessity for modern businesses, especially those that do business outside of their local community. Consumers use the Internet for more than simply entertainment or information, as they do with radio, television, magazines and newspapers. Consumers use the Internet to assist them in nearly every aspect of life, creating countless opportunities to place relevant, targeted ad messages. The Internets vast reach can allow advertisers to reach significantly more people than traditional advertising media at a fraction of the cost. Internet advertising is ideal for businesses with a national or international target market and large-scale distribution capabilities. As a rule, the more people your business serves, the most cost-efficient internet advertising can be. Internet advertising can also be more targeted than some traditional media, ensuring that your messages are seen by the most relevant audiences. One disadvantage of advertising on the Inter net is that your marketing materials are automatically available for anyone in the world to copy, regardless of the legal ramifications. Logos, images and trademarks can be copied and used for commercial purposes, or even to slander or mock your company. This is not the case with television and magazine advertising, wherein images must be replicated rather than simply copied electronically. Another disadvantage is the fact that the Internet-advertising gold rush has begun to introduce ad clutter to the Web. Web users are so inundated with banner ads and spam email that they have begun to ignore internet advertising just as much as ads on traditional media. Technical press There are many trades, technical and professional magazines read by customers, suppliers and businesses in your sector. If your business sells to other businesses, advertisements in these publications can be a powerful way of gaining sales, product enquiries, higher profile, trade partnerships and even potential investors. Editorials are generally perceived by readers to be independent and impartial and are therefore seen as more trustworthy than advertisements. Editorial support or endorsement helps lend your business credibility with the reader. A proactive PR strategy can increase your chances of gaining favorable editorial content. The technical press can also be used for recruitment and to source suppliers. Trade magazines provide a variety of ways to advertise: Classified advertising particularly for recruitment and gaining suppliers. Display and semi-display display advertisements are bigger and more sophisticated, often appear on editorial pages or in special supplements, and can use pictures and other design devices. Advertisement features theyre laid out like editorial pages but feature you and your business or product. You pay for them, and you may also be given advertisement space. Your suppliers might advertise as well and offset the cost. Loose inserts that you supply yourself to the magazine publisher for them to insert into the magazine. Advantages and Disadvantages of performance related pay Performance related pay is the idea of Fredrick Taylor who comprised his theory of scientific management. It is a bonus salary increase awarded in line with an employees achievement over a range of criteria. These criteria depend on each job. Awards are decided based on appraisal results. They must link achievements to pay. Advantages Rewards employees with highest productivity It is argued this system motivates staff It enables firms to recruit highly qualified staff who like the idea of being to earn a bonus Encourages employees whose performance is not u to scratch to leave company on a voluntary basis Easy to identify companies aims and objectives Disadvantages Only those who perform well get paid High flyers find it attractive possible to give employees no pay rise at all Inflation means pay will be cut and this coupled with; the indignity of being judged and found wanting, would make it that employees see a job elsewhere. Employees can be de-motivated if the goals set are too hard to achieve. Disgruntled employees Performance related pay cannot be determined unless there is a measuring system in place to assess output. It also provides a limiting factor to the use and extension of incentive pay in instances where work is difficult to measure. Where output cannot be measured, the sensible solution seems not to pay any bonus. However, because some jobs are difficult to measure, doesnt mean that good performance shouldnt be rewarded.. Learning and Training The essential purpose of training is to develop that knowledge and those skills and aptitudes which contribute to the welfare of the company and its employees. Further, all training programmes aim at making the employees more effective and productive in their present job and increasing their potential for higher level jobs. For effective transfer of training to occur, two conditions must be met; The trainee must be able to take the material learnt in the training process and apply it to the job context in which they work. The use of the learnt material must be maintained overtime on the job. Benefits of Good Training Programme It increases performance on the job, if applied. It help employee to raise current skill levels and correct any deficiency that have in doing their job efficiently. It enables present employees to acquire more and greater skill, thus increasing their versatility for transfers and their qualifications for promotions. If employees are properly trained, accidents, soiled work, and damage to machines and equipment are reduced. Training helps employees to adjust to new methods and processes that are introduced from time to time. Good training reduces dissatisfaction and absenteeism because it helps both new and experienced employees to use to the full, their individual capacities. It improves the quality of output which will benefit the company in the long run. Training improves the promotional prospect. Evaluation The HR Manager has o critically assess the training after the training exercise to determine if there is any change in their knowledge, skills, attitudes and ability. It is important to understand which skills; attitude and ability existed before therefore it is recommended that a measure of performance be undertaken before the training program begins. Transfer/behaviour This address the question, to what extent did the participant job behaviour change as a result of the training? Are the participants using their newly acquired skills and knowledge in their work environment? Is their change in behaviour and new knowledge sustained, are they using them effectively overtime. Is the trainee able to transfer the new skills to another person? Result Results answer the question, how is the training impacting on the organization overall. Is There a reduction in cost, increase in sales, are there more persons being attracted to company, improvement in production levels, less customer complaints or reduction in incidents? Performance appraisal This system is designed to measure the actual job performance of an employee. It provides feedback about the success about previous trainees and discloses the need for additional training. It helps to determine rewards or sanctions eg, of reward are pay increases based on his/her performance, promotion, commendation, demotion, warning or termination. It also gives the employee a clear understanding where he stands in relation to the organisation performance expectation. Performance Management System Performance appraisal is a method of evaluating a workers performance to ascertain how well he/she is meeting up with performance standards and targets and communicating it to the worker in order to set up a plan of improvement. Performance is the degree of accomplishment of the tasks that make up an employees job. An individuals performance is a combination of: Effort-physical and mental energy put in a work Ability-personal characteristics used doing a job Role perception-an understanding of direction and requirements of a job Performance evaluation on individual and group is usually based on: Standards set at the planning stage Performance targets set for individual or groups Accountability-the rate at which an employee understands and takes responsibility for his actions Competencies-the skills, experience, knowledge that a worker exhibits in a job Uses of performance appraisal Performance appraisal information can be used for: Promotions Firings/layoffs Merit pay increases Individual and organisational training and development Suggesting changes in behaviour, attitudes, skills or knowledge Selection procedures, and Human resource planning Performance Appraisal Methods Performance appraisal methods include: Goal setting, or management by objectives (MBO) Work standards approach Essay appraisal Critical incident appraisal Graphic rating scale Checklist Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) Ranking methods 1. Goal setting or management by objectives. Management by objective consists of the following steps: Establishing a clear objectives for the work to be done by an employee Developing an action plan indicating how these objectives are to be achieved Allowing the employee to implement the action plan Measuring objective achievement Taking corrective action when needed Establishing new objectives for the future 2. Work standards approach. This method of appraisal involves setting a standard or an expected level of output and then comparing each employees level to the standard. Performance standards include: Quantity Quality Time Cost Dependability Accuracy Attendance, etc. 3. Essay appraisal In this method the appraiser prepares a written statement (narrative) describing a workers strengths and weaknesses, and past performance. A typical essay appraisal question might be Describe this employees performance, including quality and quantity of work, job knowledge, and ability to get along with other employees. 4. Critical incident appraisal In this method the appraiser keeps a written record of incidents that illustrate both satisfactory and unsatisfactory behaviors of the employee. The appraiser then uses these incidents as a basis for evaluating the employees performance. 5. Graphic rating scale This method requires the appraiser to indicate on a scale where the employee rates on factors such as quantity of work, dependability, job knowledge, and cooperativeness. Graphical ratings include both numerical ranges and written descriptions. Ex. On quantity of work (1) the worker does not meet minimum requirement (2) Does just enough to get byà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(5) has a superior work production record. 6. Checklist In this method the appraiser answers with a yes or no to a series of questions about the behaviour of the employee being rated. The checklist can have varying weight assigned to each question. 7. Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) This method of appraisal determines an employees level of performance based on whether or not certain specifically job behaviors are present. BARS consist of scale value and anchors. Scale values define specific categories of performance such as: Excellent, good, average, poor, etc. Anchors are statements which indicate the level of performance on the scale opposite that particular anchor. 8. Ranking methods In this method of appraisal, the performance of an employee is ranked relative to the performance of others. Ranking methods include: Alternation ranking Paired comparison ranking, and Forced distribution Alternation ranking-the appraiser lists the names of employees to be rated on the left side of a sheet of paper. The rater chooses the most valuable employee on the list, crosses that name off the left-hand list, and puts at the top of the column on the right-hand side of the paper. The rater repeats the process for all names on the left hand side of the paper. Paired comparison ranking: suppose a rater is to evaluate six employees. The names of these individuals are listed on the left side of a sheet of paper. The rater then compares the first employee with the second employee on a chosen performance criterion, such as quantity of work; he then makes a mark on the first employees name if he produced more. He then compares the first employee with the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth employees on the same performance criterion. Forced distribution-In this method, the appraiser places a certain percentage of employees at various performance levels. It assumes performance in a group of employees is distributed according to a normal curve. Thus, the rater could place 60% of employees as meeting expectation; 20% as exceeding expectation, and 20% as not meeting expectations. Model of Attendance Your company wont suffer much from the occasional employee day off or sick day, but patterns of absences can create havoc in your work place. With several employees out of the office, production slows, or other employees may have to pick up the slack causing the quality of their work to suffer. While you cant prevent every absence, you can take steps to decrease the number of overall absences. Create an Attendance Policy Some employees may show up late or take several days off because they do not understand the companys stance on absences. You need a clear-cut attendance policy so every employee knows what you expect of him. Include reasons for acceptable absences, what you consider unacceptable and any disciplinary action or reduction in pay the employee may face after abusing holiday or sick days. Make sure every employee receives a copy of this policy. Have your supervisors monitor their employees and enforce the policy. Improve Morale If your office staff suffers from general low morale, employees will start to dread coming to work. This can increase absences throughout the staff. Spend time each week on boosting morale. Make sure every employee has regularly scheduled breaks throughout the day. Offer group lunches, prizes for completing projects or other incentives. Creating a positive environment that incorporates hard work with down time helps boost morale. Reduce Stress An employee can feel stressed in the workplace, especially if she has a large workload. High levels of stress can lead to avoidance, or even cause an illness. Both of which can lead to frequent absences. Make sure every employee has an even workload and can complete tasks given to them. Create teams to complete projects, rather than assigning one employee to the entire task. Reducing workloads and placing the right people with the right jobs will reduce stress levels in the office. Steers and Rhodes developed a model on absenteeism which according to Harrison and Martocchio, 1998 was deemed to be very influential and frequently cited in literatures about absenteeism within organizations. The model states that the capability of employees or workers to attend work is primarily dictated by how motivated as well as their ability to attend and perform their duties. These variables, ability and motivation have been thought to interact in a manner that an individual supposed ability to be present at work usually moderates his/her enthusiasm to attend work-what has been known as attendance relationship(Steers and Susan, 1978).The two further argued that personal characteristics or attributes which include sex(gender), tenure, family size, education, in addition to that, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, the ability to attend which encompass sickness, family responsibilities, accidents as well as transport problems, pressure to attend that include attendance reward system/incentives/bonuses, work group norms all either in isolation or in combination influence absenteeism of employees. It is worth to note that these were addition to their initial model developed in 1978 which only identified job satisfaction as the only specific significant factor affecting attendance motivation. From the diagram, attendance motivation is influenced by organizational practices, culture of absenteeism, attitude, values and goals of employees. Employees who are fully satisfied with their jobs do have strong loyalty to the organization and proud of it hence will desire to actively engage in activities to better the organization, and this is done by being present at work. REFERNCES Retrieved August 12, 2011, from World Wide Web http://smallbusiness.chron.com/things-improve-employee-work-attendance-19070.html Retrieved August 3, 2011, from World Wide Web (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Retrieved August 3, 2011, from, from World Wide Web http://www.businessballs.com/trainingprogramevaluation.htm Retrieved August 12, 2011, from, from World Wide Web http://managementhelp.org/training/basics/reasons-for-training.htm Daft, R. and Marcic, D. (2007). Management, The New Workplace. Ohio. USA: Thomson Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (1996). Principles of Marketing. New Jersey: Prentice hall.

The Mexican Revolution: An Overview Essay -- Essays Papers

The Mexican Revolution: An Overview Throughout its history Mexico has had many revolutions. The most famous perhaps is the Mexican Revolution from 1910-1920. The people of Mexico were getting tired of the dictator rule of President Porfino Diaz. People of all classes were fighting in the revolution. The middle and upper classes were dissatisfied with the President’s ways. The lower and working class people had many factors such as poor working conditions, inflation, inferior housing, low wages, and deficient social services. Within the classes everyone was fighting; men, women, and children all contributed to the fight for freedom from Diaz (Baxman 2). This revolution proved to be the rise and fall of many leaders. In the beginning of his reign, Diaz was almost ideal and had great intentions for Mexico. He created a more stable government and got rid of crime. The quality of life was improved. The government was made stronger by dispatching governors to the various areas of Mexico. The army was also made stronger by professionializing it. The police force readily enforced Diaz’s laws. Diaz also relied on a group of aristocrats as advisors. As Mexico grew, structurally and economically, foreign films invested in the area. The money from the films helped Diaz to build highways, railroads, telegraph lines, oil fields, and rejuvenate the mining industry. New industries were also created and in fifty years Mexico had transformed itself from a third world country to the ideal model of a developing country (Summary 3-4). Although these things helped to build up Mexico, they also were the factors in the destruction of Diaz. The people in power became wealthy but the rest of the population remained impoverishe... ...r lifestyle (Baxman 2-3). Everyone in Mexico was affected by The Mexican Revolution. Whether they were fighting for their freedom or wanted to escape the chaos, they were affected by the rise and fall of power. It also affected some people in the United States as Mexican immigrants came into the U.S. People fought for their freedom and after many years of fighting were able to achieve that. Sources: Author Unknown. Summary of the Mexican Revolution. [Online] http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/9980/PAPER.HTML,year unknown. (Accessed 3/12/99). Baxman, Cindy. History of the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920. [Online] http://ac.acusd.edu/History/projects/border/page03.html, 1998. (Accessed 3/12/99). Consul General. The Mexican Revolution. [Online] http://www.mexconnect.com/MEX/austin/revolution.html, 1996. (Accessed 3/12/99).

Gluttony in Doctor Faustus Essay -- Doctor Faustus Essays

Gluttony in Doctor Faustus    Doctor Faustus is a scholar who questions all knowledge and finds it lacking.   Because none of his learning will allow him to transcend his mortal condition, he rejects God and forms a pact with Lucifer all the while pursuing the arts of black magic.   Of course, this is one more propaganda piece of Western Christianity attempting to argue that knowledge is dangerous and confining instead of rewarding and liberating.   It also suggests a Protestant parallel in its representation that one who believes in everything ends up believing in nothing.   However, if we cast aside its use as a socio-economic, ideological tool of manipulation, we can explore its character, action and themes without suffering too much offense as open-minded scholars.   In a play of five acts, twenty scenes and more than 70 pages of typed text, Gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins, consumes a mere 13 lines.   While such economy of space and expression is atypical of Gluttony, it is not typical of Marlowe who surfeits our senses with images of gluttonous, swollen, and surfeited allusions.   In fact, Faustus appears to be a fathead because his head has become swollen in self-conceit due to his attempt to understand more than it is within the power of humans to know.   According to Marlowe (23-24), "Till swoll'n with cunning, of a self-conceit,/His waxen wings did mount above his reach/And melting, heavens conspired his overthrow!/For falling to a devlish exercise/And glutted now with learning's golden gifts/He surfeits upon cursed necromancy/Nothing so sweet as magic is to him/Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss-/And this the man that in his study sits." Gluttony, personified, only has two dialogue exchanges with Faus... ...demption. WORKS   CITED Fitzhenry, R. I.   Barnes & Noble Book of Quotations.   New York, Barnes & Noble Books, 1986. Marlowe, C.   Doctor Faustus.   Barnet, S. (ed.) New York, Signet Classics, 1969. The student may wish to begin the essay with several of the following quotes: Puritanism - the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.  H. L. Mencken Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it.  George Bernard Shaw Men prefer to believe that they are degenerated angels, rather than elevated apes.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   W. Winwood Roade As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague interests.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Charles Darwin God is dead.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   F. Neitzsche When a man is freed of religion, he has a better chance to live a normal and wholesome life.   Sigmund Freud   (Barnes & Noble Book of Quotations, 310-312)

Image Is Everything Essay -- Character Analysis,The Buchanan, Gatsby

Have we come to a point in time where image is everything? Where it depends on what one wears to show that they belong to a certain class or to prove how much money they have. People are wearing name brand clothing, driving expensive cars and living in mansions just so they can show off their money. Could they do the same for less? Sure they could, but then no one would see them as high class people if they dressed like commoners, drove cheaper vehicles and lived in regular houses. This has been the case for centuries. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's work â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, characters are suffering from this very thing. The Buchanan's and Gatsby are the higher class people who flaunt their money, while the Wilson's are of a lower class and function the same way for less. Dress is an important feature of all human societies. In addition to providing protection and warmth, dress serves many other purposes. Most of them having to do with communicating our identity to others. According to fashion expert Kadence Buchanan, â€Å"But human clothes have over the years evolved into a symbol itself.† (1). What we wear shows who we are. In chapter 7 of Fitzgerald's novel, Daisy tells Gatsby, â€Å"You always look so cool... You resemble the advertisement of the man,' she went on innocently, 'You know the advertisement of the man-† (94-95). Back in the 1920's there was a man on posters who was clean cut, good looking and sharply dressed. Known as the Arrow Collar Man. This is who Daisy was referring Gatsby to. Resemblance between the Arrow Collar Man and Gatsby is strengthened by Nick Carraway's descriptions of Gatsby: â€Å"His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face and his short hair looked as though it were trimmed everyd... ...suit for his wedding (30), and he sees a bright new future out West in the form of Tom's coupe. Both Wilson and Gatsby are indifferent to commodities per se, but they make the mistake of seeking material possessions rather than themselves as the best means for attracting and keeping their women. Having money and wealth is not all its cracked up to be. One shouldn't have to buy fancy cars and name brand clothing and seek other things to make them happy when they are bored with what they have. You can take the regular person wearing regular clothes and driving a used car and he can do the same thing as the rich person driving the Jaguar and wearing Armani suits. Its not the luxury items that make a person, but the person that makes themselves. A person who knows what they want and how to get it and who works for it is far more valuable than any Armani suit.

Differences Between Associate Degree Nurse and Baccalaureate Degree Nurse Essay

There are several benefits of having a baccalaureate-degree (BSN) over the associate’s degree (ADN). In this essay, I will discuss how effective communication can be further developed when obtaining the BSN. Next, I will talk about how a BSN can create a more highly qualified nursing workforce. Lastly, it will be explained that getting a BSN will create better career and higher education opportunities. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION â€Å"Communication is central to human interaction. Without it, people cannot relate to those around them, make their needs and concerns known or make sense of what is happening to them. One of the most basic goals for nursing staff is that their patients and clients and those who care for them experience effective communication†, (Wallis, 2011, p. 35). Effective communication can be further developed by obtaining a BSN and can ultimately lead you to be a better nurse, leader, and professional. Being a nurse of any level, you are communicating important information regarding the patient. If your report is not thorough, you may miss vital pieces of information pertaining to your patients care. It will build a more trusting relationship between your patients, co-workers and supervisors. HIGHLY QUALIFIED NURSING WORKFORCE BSN level nurses will provide a better program than the ADN level nurses with their increase level of critical thinking and using evidence based practice. â€Å"The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, believes that education has a significant impact on the knowledge and competencies of the nurse clinician, as it does for all healthcare providers† (Fact Sheet, 2012, p. 1). The BSN increases knowledge in psychology, science, sociology, and management. The BSN applies the knowledge that they have learned. With the increase of knowledge in management, they will be able to prioritize and organize the workload of the patients. With the increase of science they will have a better understanding of how the body works and use critical care assessments of the patient with evidence based practice. This will improve patient safety and the care of the patient. The BSN nurses will be more educated in the differences in patient’s culture and way of thinking due to their increase in psychology and sociology. BSN level will have better outcomes for the patient thus leading to lower mortality rates. â€Å"In the October 2012 issue of Medical Care, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that surgical patients in Magnet hospitals had 14% lower odds of inpatient death within 30 days, and 12% lower odds of failure-to-rescue compared with patients cared for in non-Magnet hospitals. The study authors conclude that these better outcomes were attributed in large part to investments in highly qualified and educated nurses, including a higher proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses† (Fact Sheet, 2012, p. 1). As an example of a patient care situation, two men came into the ER with gunshot wounds, one to the leg and the other to the abdomen. The ADN nurse went straight to the man with the abdomen gunshot, not noticing the man with a gunshot wound to the leg was not breathing. The bullet had hit his popliteal artery; therefore he had lost too much blood to survive. The nurse should have done her quick assessment correctly as evidence based practice has shown. This goes to show that using critical care thinking and evidence based theory not only end in better outcomes but also can saves patients lives. HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES A BSN degree is essential if you want to move to a leadership or management role. Leadership skills are essential when you are a charge nurse, on a committee or in administration. A BSN education will provide you with confidence to excel in these settings. â€Å"The nation’s Magnet hospitals, which are recognized for nursing excellence and superior patient outcomes, have moved to require all nurse managers and nurse leaders to hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing by 2013. Settings applying for Magnet designation must also show what plans are in place to achieve the IOM recommendation of having an 80% baccalaureate prepared RN workforce by 2020† (Fact Sheet, 2012, p. 3). One more advantage of baccalaureate-degree program is that it is a bridge for master’s degree level. CONCLUSION BSN level nurses will provide a better program than the ADN level nurses. Critical thinking, communication, and leading are imperative to the nursing career. â€Å"Professionalism, ethical decision making, accountability, critical thinking, and effective communication are emphasized. This is achieved through the application of liberal arts constructs, science, health and nursing theories, and the values of the Christian faith within the scope of nursing knowledge and evidence-based practice† (Philosophy, p. 1). Education is the key for success and better outcome of patients.

Eating disorders and healthy eating Essay

Men make up 10 to 15 percent of the population with anorexia and bulimia, but are the least likely to seek help due to the gender stereotypes surrounding the disorders. a. Almost half of people in the United States personally know someone with an eating disorder, that half of the people in the class room know someone that has an eating disorder. b. Packing lunch , choosing restaurants wisely and keeping nutritious snacks on hand are just a few of the ways you can still manage to eat something and stay healthy at the same time. c. I would like to tell you more about healthy eating and what eating disorders and the effects are , how you can find out if some one you know has them and recognizing the symptoms d. What are the three types of eating disorders A. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa and over eating Anorexia is a pathological fear of gaining weight leading to bad eating patterns, malnutrition, and u sually excessive weight loss and refusal to maintain a healthy weight. 1. When the person sees them self in the mirror they see extremely fat person, and to everyone else extremely skiny Bulimia is repeated binge eating followed by behaviors followed by purging to avoid weight gain 2. Taking laxative is also one the behaviors that people will take on to be able to lose the weight and be skinny Over eating is constantly eating without boundaries and past the appropriate amour of food or eating past the point of fullness 3. Some reasons are Boredom , anxiety and stress or even to please someone. B. Effects of eating disorders Treatments of eating disorders 1. Weight loss, fatigue, fainting, thin hair and nails Dehydration, menstrual irregularly, heart problems, took damge The worst one of all death Some therapy to talk about why the eating disorders is present and help the patient though it. 1. Most of the times eating disorders are issues that have gone untreated; and a way for people to feel like they have control over their lives. Medication that increases hunger for some and suppresses hunger for others

Education Essay Essay

Education? is? not? only? conditioning,? but? conditioning? for? the? future? and? conditioning? for? the? mind.? Somewhere? along? the? way? the? strive? to? learn? has? been? lost? on? education.? Its? hard? to? determine? where? this? all? went? wrong.? Like? many? in? the? past,? those? who? have? the? drive? to? learn,? earn? an? education.? Drive? and? determination? can? not? be? taught? in? a? classroom.? Some? of? the? most? important? subjects? that? should? be? taught? in? class,? are? not.? The? purpose? of? education? is? to? condition? youth? for? the? challenges? they? face? in? the? future.? Students?  are? trained? not? educated.? I? have? never? had? to? overcome? a? language? barrier.? I? have? never? had? to? overcome? a? racial? barrier? either.? As? long? as? I? can? remember? learning? has? been? a? part? of? my? life.? Not? just? learning,? but? education.? The? struggles? Richard? Rodriguez? and? Fredrick? Douglass? went? through? do? not? apply? to? me.? Rodriguez? and? Douglass? were? both? lucky? enough? to? discover? education,? where? as? education? found? me.? Fredrick? Douglass? once? said,? â€Å"Without? struggle? there? is? no? progress. †? This? quote? really? sums? up? Douglass? and? his? message.? Douglass? went? through? his? fair? share? of? struggles? and? became? a? better? man? because? of? it.? If? what? I? face? now? in? my? life? is? a? struggle,? how? much? can? I? really? progress At? least? I’ll? always? have? education? to? take? advantage? of.? All? Americans? are? given? the? right? of? an? education.? Depending? on? the? person,? this? right? can? either? be? used? or? ignored.? A? large? part? in? why? so? many? immigrants? travel? to? the? US,? is? because? it? offers? free? public? education.? Because? of? taxes? no? child? has? to? pay? to? learn.? There? are? also? no? restrictions? on? who?  has? the? right? to? an? education? in? the? United? States.? Yet? education? is? not? appreciated? by? most? like? it? should.? Learning? is? a? power.? Not? a? power? that? all? people? have? but? the? ones? that? do? have? it? need? to? use? it,? completely? use? it.? Fredrick? Douglass? realized? how? powerful? the? ability? to? learn? could? be.? So? did? Maya? Angelou.? Neither? of? them? would? have? lived? the? lifes? they? did? without? the? power? of? learning.? To? make? mistakes? and? learn? from? them? so? they? don’t? recur.? Read.? Comprehend.? Write.? Read.? Comprehend.? Write.? And? repeat.? I? create?  sentences? so? I? can? reap? the? benefits.? Until? a? student? becomes? proficient? in? reading,? comprehending,? and? writing? that? student? won’t? be? successful? in? the? educational? system.? The? goal? isn’t? to? learn.? Education? used? to? be? about? learning.? Different? people? learn? in? different? ways.? Education? is? interesting? to? some? but? boring? to? others.? For? one? to? be? educated,? they? first? have? to? learn.? The? ability? to? learn? is? not? a? strength? all? people? are? born? with.? It? is? an? important? skill? most? people? develop? throughout? their? life.? Frederick? Douglass? was?  not? taught? as? a? child.? Douglass? did? not? go? to? school,? but? the? fact? that? he? is? educated? can? not? be? argued.? Based? off? that? fact? alone,? it? is? proven? that? one? does? not? need? to? be? schooled? to? be? educated.? Douglass? was? determined? to? learn.? He? was? steadfast? in? educating? himself? to? have? a? brighter? future.? Being? a? slave? in? the? 19th? century,? a? bright? future? does? not? exist.? Through? his? determination,? Douglass? shows? how? the? importance? of? an? education? is. Education? does? not? always? occur? in? the? classroom.? It? can? be? found? almost? anywhere.? Frederick? Douglass? mentions? in? his? narrative? Learning? to? Read? that? the? little? boys? who? taught? him? how? to? read? will? be? free? at? twenty? one? years? old? men,? whereas? Douglass? just? wishes? to? be? free? more? than? anything.? Learning? does? not? only? occur? in? the? classroom.? It? happens? in? many? everyday? experiences.? Sometimes? the? only? way? to? learn? something? is? to? do? it? personally.? Maya? Angelou? once? said:? â€Å"Words? mean? more? than? what? is? set? on? paper.? It? takes? the? human? voice? to? infuse? them? with? a? deeper? meaning. †? Just? because? a? student? reads? from? a? book? does? not? guarentee? they? will? receive? the? full? effect? of? the? writing.? Words? need? to? be? said,? plays? need? to? be? acted,? speeches? need? to? be? read.? Most? american? scholars? today? dredd? the? idea? of? reading.? High? schoolers? all? across? the? country? will? try? to? find? anyway? to? get? around? actually? having? to? read.? For? education? to? be? successful? in? teaching? a? student? a? lesson,? the? attitude? of? the? student? must? be? appropriate.? Students? who? don’t? want? to? learn? won’t,? it’s? really? that? simple.? Students? need? to? be? taught? how? to? learn.?   

Post Graduate Essay

In addition, the study group had encouraged her to illustrate her tentative answers with numerical illustrations using case data. Prior Knowledge Kim understood from the background readings assigned for her accounting course that Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) defined liabilities as â€Å"Probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of a particular entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future as a result of past transactions or events. † Kim also knew under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that liabilities were recognized on the balance sheet when â€Å"It is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will result from the settlement of a present obligation and the amount at which the settlement will take place can be measured reliably. † Further, Kim understood from her readings that there was a special set of accounting rules covering contingent liability recognition and disclosure. Under GAAP, a contingency is an existing condition involving uncertainty as to possible gain or loss.

A Company That Has Had a Lawsuit in the Last 10 Years Research Paper

A Company That Has Had a Lawsuit in the Last 10 Years - Research Paper Example The paper chronologically accounts for the case how it started, got to be developed and concluded in a court of law. In the determination of the ruling, this paper has considered that basics that were used by the court of law to determine this case. In relation to this, the paper also gives accounts of the changes that has characterized the company following the law suit, the agencies charged with giving certificate of operation for drug companies as well as the recommendation to the companies in similar products based on the suit. Mylan Company is one of the world’s biggest and leading generics and pharmaceutical companies. The company’s products are available in almost over 150 countries worldwide; Germany, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Zech Republic, Denmark, Finland, and France are among the countries where the company operates. In its production, the company relies on contemporary production mechanisms where drugs safety and hygienic processes are observed. Throug h this, the company is producing reliable pharmaceutical products for consumers (Ceder, 2011). The company employs about 18,000 employees in all the branches all over the world. Given the company’s growth and service to the consumers, it has realized tremendous success in the industry. In this regard, it supplies most of the pharmaceutical drugs including the antiretroviral for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients (Ceder, 2011). The company was started in 1961 and became a publicly traded company in 1973 (Ceder, 2011). In 2002, the company was involved in a legal issue with the one of its client who sustained a back pain while changing the tires of the vehicle and was administered a painkiller fentanyl. Fentanyl is an addictive narcotic that affects the nervous system. After two days, the patient died and the postmortem results indicated that a lethal dose of the drug, Fentanyl was found in his blood stream, this was in 2002. The family filed a lawsuit against Mylan of manufacturin g lethal products since the physiological effects of the drugs contradicted the recommendation given in the package. The plaintiff lawyer argued that a defect in the drug and the only thing that has not been ascertained is the type of defect that was in the drug. During the period of the suit, Mylan maintained that the products were not defective and that they complied with the food and drugs administration that inspects quality of the drugs (Sobel, 2012). Discuss the legal theories used by the plaintiff to recover in this lawsuit. How the lawsuit was resolved, and why you agree with the decision in the case. The plaintiff asserted during their argument that there was defect in the drug and that is the company’s responsibility to identify such mistakes and to address any defect before releasing the drugs into the market. Specifically, they asserted that the defect was occasioned by negligence of the company workers during manufacturing. That the company has the duty of care t o its customers and should ensure that their products in the market are suitable for use by the customers (Mickey, 2004). The plaintiff accused the company of not observing professional due diligence in drug manufacturing and that this was not followed, defective drugs found their way into the market and resulted in to the death of their own. The defective in the drug was in its physiological departure where it affected the functionality of the nervous system. In the decision that was reached by the court over the case is that the company was liable for the death and they had to compensate the family appropriately for contributing into the death of the family’s bread winner. The court found that the company

Methods and Design Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Methods and Design Paper - Essay Example In particular, continuing from the relationships identified earlier in respect to the proposed research in measuring service quality dimensions; this paper identifies the methods and design structures that could be most fruitfully deployed in bringing about the clarity in relationships between various constructs and variables so as to meet the research intent. The target object of the proposed research is to evaluate service quality performance versus customer expectations of the same. The earlier paper on relationships had identified the primary constructs as: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, tangibles, and business success in relation to services' quality. It is posited here that answers to the proposed research questions, will enable special event firms to ascertain if there is a positive relationship between their business successes and the service quality they proffer. This analysis can also help identify the negative gaps in service quality from expected levels as well as determine as to which SERVQUAL dimensions are critical in determining the level of success this type of company will experience in the marketplace. However prior to that it is important that it is examined how similar constructs have been examined in comparable research on service quality. ... The results of the study are used to strategize as to what communication action may increase awareness and loyalty in existing and potential buyers. This also lays bare the key attributes clients use as a measure of quality and satisfaction when consuming professional services. Botschen et al (1996) have used a very interesting technique for identifying the problems which the consumers might encounter in service encounters. The technique is called Sequence-oriented problem identification (SOPI).SOPI involves blue printing the sequence of steps that make up a service encounter, and asking customers to provide evaluations for each step they may experience in the service encounter process. In part, SOPI is a strategic tool that combines and extends blueprinting of services with the critical incident technique. The SOPI technique is illustrated with comparisons of findings from the research method with findings from the critical incident method in an empirical study of customers' evaluat ions of the augmented and core services in adult education courses of an Austrian enterprise. The SOPI results provide very specific information about problems experienced by customers that was not included in the critical incident method. Nick &Tyas (1997) had done interesting research in probing service quality perceptions of consumers. They maintain that definite noteworthy events encourse service dispensations are events in real space but affect service perceptions randomly. Whereas generalized views about service establishment are exaggerated views of the reality expressed in general terms by a group of individuals. They believe that both noteworthy events