Importance of being on time USMC Essay

Being at the appropriate place of duty at the correct time is a very important part of being in the Marine Corps. Being at the right place at the right time for any member of the Armed forces is extremely essential to the defense of the entire United States. Also being at the right place at the right time ensures a steady workplace, and ultimately the reliablity that others have on us. A Marine can not move up in the ranks in the Marine Corps if he or she is constantly late and/or at the wrong place. A Marine who truly wants to succeed in the military must go out of his or her way to get squared away and be on time to his or her place of duty or consequences will be bestowed upon them. This concept goes for any person in any career not just the military. Of course being on time in the Marine Corps is being at your appointed place of duty fifteen minutes prior to the actual time of that was ordered. If some one can not carry out the most simple and most important aspect of being on time as a Marine, he or she will be considered unworthy or unfit to be or become an NCO or even higher in they’re career. Even if a Marine goes above and beyond in in the workplace, in events, is great with physical, and mental, but is not on time and punctual than he or she will never actually succeed in the military. Dependability, accountability, consistency and discipline are all crucially related to being on time. Being early also shows that the individual aims high and has their priorities straight. It is directly related to a Marines appearance, combat readiness, mission effectiveness, and essentially every aspect of military life and responsibilities. Your appreance is the first thing that a leader sees, if you have a bad or no shave, no haircut (for males), tardiness, bad physical appearance, druck or hungover to an extreme. Then automatically you have given off a bad appearance, they dont want to go to you for big things, important things, because you can not even handle the simplest things. If you are unable to complete simple things, then when the time comes how will you even be close to doing something tuely challenging. You may work hard and complete tasks faster than any of your other peers, but if your apprearance is bad, then your leader are not even looking they already have a mindset, a negative mind set. All you have in life is your credablity, once it is gone in one persons eyes, you have to put in way more  effort restoring that, compared to the effort that it would have required to maintain your ablility to be relied on. Failure to be on time not only hinders mission capability and readiness, but also can cost unnecessary life lives in or out of combat. For instance; a Marine is late or does not report at all to his place of duty as ordered. In an extreme case a Marine not being on time to relieve the current Marine on post would cause the combat effectiveness and readiness of this Marine to be greatly reduced. This would be caused by fatigue, or lack of supplies needed. As a result of this Marines combat effectiveness he could be compromised and the security of the area could be over run. This is why being where one needs to be at the correct time will always be one of the most important aspects of being in the military. These things do happen on the battle field, whether it be friendly of enemy. However, This can be avoided by, once again, being on time. This is also why being on time remains and always will be an extreme aspect of military bearing and discipline. If you can not be on time, it is said that you have no discipline. Without discipline there is no way for Marines to efficiently fight and win against the enemy. And if we cannot defeat our enemies then there will no longer be a need for Marines. There is nearly no excuse for being late, or not reporting to your rightful place of duty at the right time. Accountability also goes hand in hand with being on time. Which ranges from being on time for the first formation of the day, being on time to relieve a fellow Marine from his post, or being on time to provide critical reinforcements for a unit that has been weakened and compromised in battle. The were about of a Marine is of extremely important at all times. As people say, how a Marine trains is how a Marine fights. If this term is true someone can only come to the conclusion that if a Marine isn’t on time how can he save and protect the lives of other Marines. He or she can’t be depended upon if they aren’t disciplined enough to be on time every time he is ordered to be. Dependability is the key to discipline and if you cant be on time then you wont be depended on, and you are then useless to others. In other words, in military life there is simply no margin for error regarding  being late or tardiness.

Believe: Positive Psychology and Positive Attitude

One of his most influential essays Self-Reliance. In lamens terms it means, believe in yourself you can accomplish everything. Almost everyone desires to be successful, everyone hopes to live a happy life, but how can we do that. I feel â€Å"believe in yourself† is the most important. â€Å"Believe in yourself† means a positive attitude. When you wake up in the morning, open your eyes, draw the curtain, enjoy the The great writer Emerson once said, â€Å"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string† in first sunlight of the day. And tell yourself â€Å"Have a happy day'.Just as professor Galbraith ays, miou yourself decide whether you are happy today. Be sure you are happy today. â€Å"Then you go to work or study, do it with your full enthusiasm. You should overcome your shyness, your timidity and your tension. Be brave and get courage from your heart, face up to your challenges. Say to yourself, â€Å"I'll try it, and I will try my best. † Remember, no one can obstruct your progress. Believe in yourself, you can do it, you can manage it. Always share and show ideas with others, cooperate with others. I have a friend who is happy everyday. She loves talking and laughing.Her ace and heart are full of sunshine. Her happiness infects everyone around her. Every time I stay with her, I am very happy, Just when I see her bright smile. I admire her, for she loves life so much. Chat with a smile on your face, let people around you know that you are confident and enthusiastic. Yes, you should believe in yourself, you should be confident. I think that true confidence comes from your inner heart. It is stable and will not change with the circumstance. Do what you want to do. Never let your thoughts lay in your diary quietly. That's meaningless. You should put it into practice.Never hesitate, do it with all your passion. I read a story about a salesman, who practices laughing for five minutes in front of the mirror everyday before he goes out. He wants to meet everyone with a smile on his face. He becomes a successful salesman. I was inspired, everyone wants to make friends with those who are happy, optimistic and full of enthusiasm. Success needs your confidence, passion and positive attitude; living a happy life needs your confidence, passion and positive attitude. All this needs you to â€Å"believe in yourself†. So, believe in tomorrow, believe in dream, and believe in yourself!

A marketing plan and analysis for a fictional company

A marketing plan and analysis for a fictional company The Business name is IwishU. IwishU is a new E-business that allows people to send cakes and flowers to around United Kingdom. IwishU will allow to customer place order through company website (www.iwish.com) using computer and internet as well as a website that allows ordering  to occur anywhere in the world. The company was founded by Sanjaya D. Wickramanayake and I will invest my own money and my parents’ money for this business. Success Factor The main feature of company, Customer can make customised cake any way that they would like. Some people might show their fervour for a particular image from camera, others a designed image or customers might have a greeting on their cake. Whatever customer may decide,  customer can print any image on cake.   Vision The company will start with a greatest vision. It is IwishU will offer customers the best gift at the best price and best time. Milestones Make business plan. Rent a Building IwishU will buy web domain before opini ng Business’s website must be completed one month before opening. Business will be opening after business plan completed Search engine marketing will be an ongoing expense after the launch. IwishU will be on advertising to make the IwishU web site popular in first year. IwishU plans to be profitable within the first year of business. Business Logo Product and service The company will make most popular cake flavours such as chocolate, marble, and vanilla. However other flavours available upon request. Cake prices start at  £35 per serving for a basic design and flavour. Price will depend according to the weight and size of the cake. The IwishU will create customised cakes using edible printing system. Customised cake will cost for customer  £ 60 to  £75 due to cost of the icing printing. Our florists receive fresh cut flowers from the whole seller. The flowers will be wrapped and delivered with guaranteed quality. Price of flowers start at  £30 and price will be depend ing on type of flowers and different sizes of arrangements. Company is going to buy flowers from Oasis floral product in Newcastle upon Tyne. IwishU will have a comprehensive website that allows ordering  to occur anywhere. But our delivery facility is available only within the United Kingdom. We are delivering our cakes and flowers using Royal mail Special Delivery or DHL express delivery. Customer can track their order online. IwishU has condition it is Orders should be placed at least two days before desired date. Delivery cost depends on size and weight. If customer sends a using royal mail delivery system cost is starting from  £  £5.70 otherwise customer will choose DHL delivery, service cost is starting from  £ 8.99. All orders will include a greeting card as a free service. Market Analysis Target Audience IwishU will be targeted at obtaining both the local (UK) customers and overseas customers. First target of the IwishU is, grab the north east customers because busi ness will operate in city of Newcastle. According to (Office for National Statistics, 2010) ‘The North East had a population of 2.6 million in mid-2008, an increase of 1.3 per cent since 2003.’ IwishU will focus on people who are using in internet because IwishU is an e-business it required computer with internet connection and basic computer knowledge. According to (Great Britain, National statistics, 2006) 46% percent households with internet access. So it is good market size for business. IwishU plan to promote this business in North east using brochures as direct marketing medium because people want printed brochure to take home and read at their free time, It help to describe our product draw up a list of product information and people expect a genuine company to have printed sales papers otherwise people fear buying an costly products from an unknown online vendor.

Alcohol and tobacco use in pregnancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alcohol and tobacco use in pregnancy - Essay Example A cigarette smoker is prone to withdrawal and nicotine addiction which makes the process of quitting smoking much difficult. Addiction is diagnosed when the smoking victim develops frequent use or compulsive seeking symptoms thus uses the substance without considering its adverse implication to health as well as other unwanted consequences. Alcohol on the other hand does not have addictive components in its ingredients. However, it depends with the mental perception of the person drinking. In this case, alcohol can be addictive in a certain capacity but does not have intense symptoms such as withdrawal. Therefore alcohol may be easy to quit with the right use of the correct mental and physical therapies. Smoking during pregnancy might result to a raise in future heart risk to the child. Mothers who smoke during the pregnancy period reduce the high-density lipoprotein which is also known as cholesterol in the baby’s body system. Cholesterol helps in the protection of the body against heart defects such as stroke and various heart diseases. Tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking have negative implication on the growth of the baby before and after birth. The weight of the baby after delivery is directly proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked during the pregnancy period (Stockman, 2012). The baby of a smoker may have an estimated weight of between 150 and 250 grams. The infants of smokers experience retardation in all gestation stages. Low birth weight of infants who are depicted to prenatal smoking is connected to low rate tissue development and fat-free masses. The use of alcohol by women during pregnancy has negative implications on the growth of the unborn child. ‘Fetal alcohol effects’ is a model used to refer to the aftermath implication of an infant in reaction to the alcohol in its system which is passed on to it by the alcoholic mother. One of the fetal alcohol effects is developmental delay and retarded

Choose a 1-2 paragraph passage from ancient Roman times and write a Essay

Choose a 1-2 paragraph passage from ancient Roman times and write a commentary on it - Essay Example This need to declare publically one’s belief during worship is emphasized in the bible, under the book of Romans 10: 9-10: I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. The first line of the creed offers a description of God as omnipotent and the maker of all that is in the heavens and the earth. This statement is meant to establish God as the creator and the only force behind creation and put an emphasis on his power. It also gives the origin of humanity and supports the Christian belief that God made man from his own image. This means that every human being was created in the likeness of God, and all persons are equal before the eyes of the Lord (Cooper 1). God is all-powerful and has the control of everything that exists in the universe. This is a quite contrast to some pagan beliefs, especially those found on most eastern religions, of two gods of equal strength. This first line exists to refute these claims and establish God as the only Supreme Being, whose power is unparalleled in the universe (Jones 6). And in Jesus Christ, His only son The second line defines Jesus Christ as the embodied son of God (Inyang 2). This is because many religions that were opposed to Christianity disputed the existence of Jesus Christ; leave alone the belief that he was the son of God. Other religions, such as Islam, consider Jesus to have existed as a mere minor prophet or a teacher. This statement therefore refutes this claim and places belief on Jesus Christ as the only son of God (McFall 1). Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary? Jesus Christ, unlike any other human being, was born in a special manner. His birth into the humanly form was considered special because his mother, Mary, was a virgin at the time of his conception. The book of Matthew: 1: 23, in the New Testament, gives the prophecy of the birth of Christ. It states, â€Å"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, ‘God with us’† (New King James Version, Matthew: 1: 23). However, distinction exists between the Christian Catholics and the Protestants about the status of Mary. The Protestants view Mary as the human mother of God as opposed to the Catholics who view Mary as the mother of God (Jones 6). Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried Although there were some historical debates as to the necessity of including the Pontius Pilate in the Apostle’s creed, it was quelled down by his historical significance he played in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Rufinus 38). The reference to the Pontius Pilate also places importance on the necessity of time line. This is because the reference places Jesus at a specific place in that period. It therefore authenticates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Jones 6). He descended into hell This statement is somehow controversial amongst many Christian scholars because it was not present in the roman manuscript and is missing in most protestant manuscripts (Jones 6). The word ‘hell’ in this phrase also does not refer to the hell that is highlighted in the book of revelations, but rather it refers to hades. This phrase refers to the victory of Jesus against death. It shows that Christians need not fear death as Jesus had already won the war for them (Calvin 5). The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right

Review the literature and evidence for or against the effectiveness of Essay

Review the literature and evidence for or against the effectiveness of packaging as an important part of tobacco promotion. With special reference to Australia - Essay Example igarettes or other tobacco products should carry no advertising or promotion, including design features that make products attractive† (Voon, Mitchell, and Liberman, 2012, p. 38). White, Webster, and Wakefield (2008) investigated the impact of introducing the graphic warning labels of health on the adolescents and found that the established and experimental adolescent smokers were more likely to consider quitting smoking. The researchers also found lower intentions of smoking among students that discussed the new labels of warning with one another. The use of stronger warning labels on the packaging of cigarettes in Australia led to an increase in the population of people that reported that the warning had always caught their attention by 29 per cent (Borland, 1997). The packaging of cigarettes has a significant impact on the tendency of people to smoke. According to the results of a survey that was carried out to investigate the transaction times of tobacco in 100 different suburban retail outlets in Perth before and after plain packaging of cigarettes found that the transaction times of most retailers were reduced because of plain packaging, that suggests increased sales of cigarettes (BMJ, 2013). This is why â€Å"[p]ackaging has been used for many years to generate evocative images such as luxury, freedom, glamour, status and masculinity and femininity† (World Heart Federation, n.d., p. 5). Graphic warnings on the packaging of cigarettes in Australia include information on the potential ways of quitting smoking like website addresses and quitline numbers. Use of this strategy has been found to be effective in encouraging the smokers to quit smoking (tobaccofreekids.org, n.d., p. 4). This can be estimated from the fact that after the pictorial labels were introduced with the quitline information on the packaging of cigarettes in Australia in the year 2006, a two-fold increase in the rate of callers of quitline was noticed in comparison to the two preceding

Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Reflection Paper - Essay Example Similar to workers, we, the students, also need to acquire at least minimal self-management skills in our academic activity as it helps a lot to adjust the process of knowledge acquisition for ourselves in a way that would show the most fruitful results. Setting right goals, developing a strategy of their achievement and reasonable and considered time management are inseparable parts of being successful academically, i.e. successful learner. However, successful learners are not those who simply know more that others, they are also students who have more efficient and effective learning strategies that help them access and use acquired knowledge, possess steady motivation and self-monitoring skills (Dembo & Seli). To my thinking, the most successful learners are those who organize and manage their academic activity and time so smoothly that they avoid stress and are never overwhelmed with exhausting homework, they take learning easy and at the same time manage ti achieve favorable res ults. What is also important, academic self-management should enable students to maintain balance between serious learning process and fun campus activity. Gaining control over the factors that might influence learning and academic performance – and there are plenty of them – the student will be able to eliminate unfavorable factors or at least reduce their impact to the very minimum. It is fully understandable that we all are so different and various factors may produce different impact on us and each of two students studying the same major may feel their effect to certain extent. What is extremely stressful for me, might be harmless for someone else. Thus, the primary task is to explore our psyche, inclinations and personal peculiarities in order to learn to regulate, monitor, evaluate and reinforce our life and academic performance in the most efficient way. Willing to

Poster Series Design Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poster Series Design - Research Paper Example Posters are used as a form of communication medium due to their ability to pass massive information on a small sheet space (Poulin, 2012). The work of a poster designer is to transform written information into visual form. In other cases, designers might compelled to using typography only in order to demonstrate uniqueness as well as their skills in poster design art. Unity is the first step towards achieving a poster series. This aspect promotes order in composition thus reducing confusion when faced with a pile of work. In this section, a designer ought to assemble the headlines, photographs as well as the logos to be used in the poster series design. Unity is achieved through the employment of four major principles. This include; proximity, repetition, continuation and underlying colour. Proximity is based on the natural concept of arrangement that perpetuates, â€Å"things that belong to the same group go together in pattern formation.† Proximity helps the designer to group texts, objects or people in order to enhance clarity in the message (Poulin, 2012). When items from the same group for instance interlinked collection of watches are arranged in a close proximity, the viewers’ eyes can shift smoothly form one item to the next. As a result, the items create a visual unity thus communicating a similar message to the viewers. Th e arranging of items in a specific group is essential in poster series design as it draws the attention of viewers. Repetition is another method of creating unity in a poster series design. The viewers’ eyes are lured into following a repeated sequence of shapes, values and colours. In this case, the eyes are able to link the images irrespective of the group arrangement. A designer ought to create a series of repeated patterns in form of shapes at the poster’s background to create a tilling effect. Tilling effect creates a visual structure and interest thus tying together the elements in the foreground (Graphic Design

Evaluation of Banking Competition between 2 countries Essay

Evaluation of Banking Competition between 2 countries - Essay Example This set of statistical methods aids in the instrumentation of a unique symmetric and unbiased estimator to calculate the central moment for a given distribution. For instance, the estimator h can be evaluated as: 1. Both the countries are members of the developed world. Sufficient data is available to carry out the required estimation over an extended period of time. For example, CL, NA, OBS, DEP, etc. were available for Antwerps Beroepskrediet (which is a Belgian cooperative bank) over the years 1998, 2001 and 2004. In the case of Denmark too, similar variety and quantity of critical data were available. 2. The countries are important members of the EU. Both of them share the compact regional economy of the Western Europe. Apart from availability of data, the Belgian and Danish banks are facing several challenges due to expansion of the EU. 3. Both the countries have advanced following the capitalist model of development. The geographical vicinity between them might have caused mutual influence and serious undercurrents in the bilateral relationships. In the sphere of analysis of banking competition, J. A. Bikker and J. W. B. Bos have eloquently remarked, â€Å"In observing trends, we distinguish original causes, subsequent changes in banking behavior and in the structure of financial markets, and final consequences, aware all the while, that this classification may be somewhat arbitrary.† (Bikker, J. A. and Bos, J. W. B., 2008) In this way, country specific banking behaviour can be put in correlation with financial markets which are profoundly influenced by the bond markets and the quantity of national assets. With the lapse of time, apart from qualitative analysis, quantitative methods too have emerged as tools of critical importance in modern financial research (McCrary, S. A., 2010). The Panzar-Rosse revenue test to estimate the competitive circumstances and parameters in the realm of banking depends on certain empirical

Leadership Group Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Group Communication - Essay Example gives the leadership style used by the interviewee to handle administrative issues, how easily he can influence other workers to be a team and what actions he takes to be able to control these work effort to realize positive results. Management style provides the employer with the idea on how the interviewee would go about achieving the business set objectives as a vital role of a leader in the organization (London, 1999). Conversely, competency based questions outline the performance abilities of an employee and focus on the past behavior of an individual towards solving related problems. In a nutshell, the employer is able to determine the set skills required to hire a worker when the interview is based on subjects. They are considered to leaders because their exemplary skills that enable them to identify organizational goals and objectives put together plans and sensitize people working under them to achieve goals through the execution of plans. I would pick on a leader who is able to identify what to in relation with the objective of the organization, strategize how and who can carry out the strategy successfully (London, 1999). In relation to the â€Å"Jacinda’s’ United Way video, the strengths good leadership qualities were witnessed right from the time the lady left the street and joined the institution. There is team work and good communication skills by the leadership. The staff was able to be mobilized by their leader; they were able to work in a team for the success of their organization. All the programs were coordinated and worked effectively, this was through good communication from the top leadership to other workers; the leader could be clear and succinctly explained to the other employees everything from organizational goals to specific tasks. Nonprofit leadership faces a lot of challenges when it comes to the management for smooth running of the organization (London, 1999). By trying to put in order administrative documents effectively, their

Deluxe Corporation Essay Example for Free

Deluxe Corporation Essay What should Singh recommend regarding: * Target bond rating * Level of flexibility * Mix of debt and equity * Other Issue As for what should Rajat Singh recommend regarding target bond rating, level of flexibility or reserves, mix of debt and equity and lastly any other issues. So, firstly look into the target bond rating, in our opinion DC needs to position itself to obtain a AAA rating. At AAA grade bond rating shows that AAA bond rating is higher in unused debt capacity so at AAA bonds rating Deluxe company has a lower unused debt capacity. So, that means if the shareholders start to sell, this company may not rebound since it is in a dying industry. The company will be an acquisition target by growing electronic payment companies because of the drops out of the premium ratings. For your information, for the level of flexibility is the amount of debt DC can take on before you lose the investment-grade bond rating. Based on the financial analysis, the B level is where the cost jumps the most. There is a 26% increase in costs from a level BBB rating to a level BB. As for mix of debt and equity, DC is targeting an aggressive share buyback plan. They are increasing their equity in the company by reducing shares. But because of the future of the company, they will also need to take on debt. Based on the financial analysis, they are better off taking on debt. Debt is cheaper for DC. Cost of debt ranges between 5. 47% to 12%, and that does not even include the 38% tax shield. Cost of equity is more expensive, it ranges from 10. 25% to 14. 25%, and there is no tax shield. Cost of debt after the tax change ranges between 3. 39% to 7. 44%. Lastly, for other issue knows today is 12 years after the case, and DC is still in business. CONCLUSION As we know, prior to the 1990s, the  Deluxe  Corporation  (DC), the world’s largest printer of checks as well as a provider of electronic products and services to financial institutions and retail companies, was characterized as a generally stable, family oriented business. This relatively calm situation was unsettled in the 1980s by deregulation of the banking industry and changes in technology. Deluxe is forced to adopt a business model and implement strategic objectives to stay alive. Therefore, based on the all the calculation and explanations, we have finally fulfilled all the statement of problems. As for the foreseen financial requirement for the coming years, which back then was the year after 2001, it shows that DC needs additional financing for working capital, capital asset purchases, possible corporate acquisitions, repayment of short-term debt, interest payments on long-term debt, dividend payments to shareholders and possible stock buybacks depending on the state of the stock they own. Moving on as for the financial flexibility of Deluxe Corporation, it can be concluded that the debt level of DC seems to be not appropriate which is only 5. 71% from the total capital. As what it stated in Ehibit 8, DC could borrow more debt since it cost of debt (Kd) is lower than its cost of equity (Ke). Besides, the minimum WACC is obtained at bond rating AAA (9. 86%) and the same goes the optimum debt level for Deluxe would borrow which is USD 807. 50M again at bond rating AAA. From there, by maintaining bond rating AAA, it can be seen that the minimum interest or total cost that DC need to bear is only USD 83. 81M. In a nutshell, again, it shows that DC can generate its fund in its lowest cost if it maintains AAA bond rating because through that type of bond rating, DC can generate funds by paying minimum cost of capital, quickly reach the breakeven point and can easily gain profit after that. However, this company has to diversify its business in order to stay around in this business world.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Introduction Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are made of two or more fused aromatic rings, where PAHs with two or three rings have low molecular weight and acute toxicity whereas PAHs with high molecular weight (4 or more rings) have shown high carcinogenic potential. These compounds are often products of incomplete combustion reactions where there is a lack of oxygen, there are two types of PAH; natural and anthropogenic which can be found in many different kinds of samples . However, the ratio of natural processes to anthropogenic processes is very low. PAHs can form due to a variety of anthropogenic sources the main one is believed to be atmospheric decomposition, other sources include thermal combustion processes, vehicular emissions and biomass burning [3]. PAHs caused from incomplete combustion reactions reach the sea via the atmosphere and rivers . Due to the causes listed above the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies formed regulations for the detection and monitoring of PAHs in the human environment, with new analytical methods being produced with better sensitivity and selectivity . Overall the EPA has selected sixteen PAHs as priority pollutants [4]. To verify different PAHs in seawater is difficult as the overall solubility of PAHs in water is low, and continues to decrease as molecular weight increases, the low solubility in turn effects the hydrophobic nature (between 3 and 8) and therefore the concentration of PAHs dissolved in seawater is very low . There are a variety of methods used to analyse the PAHs in seawater and other types of water. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is the most widely used analytical technique in analysing PAHs in seawater samples; in this document HPLC will be discussed along with other analytical methods such as Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). This document focuses on data and results from the following papers: â€Å"Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection following micelle-mediated preconcentration† V. Pino et al. â€Å"Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water and Sediment of the Baltic Sea† â€Å"GC-MS Analysis of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Seawater Samples after the North CapeOil Spill† Christopher M. Reddy and James G. Quinn Each paper will be individually introduced and the sample preparation, analytical method and any results significant to the separation will be discussed. The methods will then be compared, giving the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. â€Å"Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection following micelle-mediated preconcentration† V. Pino et al. This paper looked at how non-ionic surfactant polyoxyethylene-10-lauryl ether (POLE) can be used for extraction of PAHs in seawater and compared cloud-point extraction (CPE)-HPLC and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE)-GC-MS. Sample Preparation The sample was prepared by shaking fuel-oil with natural seawater for one hour, and then allowed to settle and age overnight, until phase separation. The aqueous layer was removed and mixed with POLE until a final solution of 1% (w/v) was reached in the surfactant. Following this 3.0 ml of aliquots in the presence of the 1% surfactant solution dissolved in artificial seawater were administered to CPE. In order to test the reliability of the method used for preconcentration and separation of PAHs, the PAHs were analysed from spiked and un-spiked seawater samples. The method was evaluated by using LLE and GC-MS, overall determination was processed using the mass values which related to the molecular ions of the different PAHs . Analysis Once the two phases had been separated, 25 ÃŽ ¼l of the surfactant-rich phase was injected into the system. The HPLC method used in this instance to determine and separate the PAHs consisted of gradient elution with a fluorescence detector. The mobile phase was a mixture of acetonitrile and water with a linear gradient from 55 to 100% acetonitrile for 30 minutes and 100% acetonitrile for 10 minutes. The column used for the analysis was a reversed phase C18 column (Table 1) with a ÃŽ ¼Bondapak C18 guard column. Table 1: Vydac 201TP54 Reversed Phase C18Column Column length x internal diameter / mm 250 x 4.6 Particle size / ÃŽ ¼m 5 Pore size / Ã… 300 A flow rate of 1 ml / minute was used to elute the compounds. Results Each PAH gave an acceptable retention time with a relative standard deviation between 0.64 and 0.83%. The seawater contaminated with fuel-oil were analysed by both CPE-HPLC and LLE-GC-MS (Table 3). As can be seen the PAHs with fewer aromatic rings have similar results with both techniques where as the PAHs with more aromatic rings are different this could be due to the lower sensitivity in GC-MS. â€Å"Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water and Sediment of the Baltic Sea† G.Witt During the years 1992 to 1994, 15 PAHs were analysed in seawater from the Baltic Sea during the different seasons. The method used is based on HPLC with fluorescence detection. Sample Preparation 156 seawater samples were collected from various depths, surface water (2-15m), bottom water (below the halocline) and surface micro layer (0-0.2 cm). The PAHs from the samples were separated and extracted via a HPLC column; three fractions were obtained using 9 ml pentane, 9 ml pentane/10% dichloromethane and 9 ml acetone as the eluents. The PAHs were contained into the second fraction and was evaporated down to 500 ÃŽ ¼l. Analysis The HPLC column used to separate the sample in to fractions was a MERCK LiChrospher Si 100-5 (Table 4) Table 4: MERCK LiChrospher Si 100-5 Column length x internal diameter / mm 250 x 4 Particle size / ÃŽ ¼l 5 Pore diameter / Ã… 60 Matrix Silica gel The column used in the analysis of the PAHs was a GROM PAH using gradient elution (Table 5). Table 5: GROM PAH Column length x internal diameter / mm 250 x 4 Eluents A) Water B) CAN Flow rate / ml min-1 1 Temperature /  °C 20 A fluorescence detector was used, along with a wavelength programme for optimal detection of all PAHs (Table 6). From the 16 PAHs listed as priority pollutants, acenaphthylene was the only one not detected as it does not show fluorescence activity. Results It was seen that there were a greater amount of lower molecular weight PAHs varying in concentration from 1 to 4.5 ng/L-1 in relation to higher molecular weight PAHs which remained below ng/L-1. The concentration of PAHs in different seasons was also compared, it was seen that autumn had the highest concentration this maybe because of low microbial degradation and photo-oxidation during the season; and summer had the lowest. During the winter months, the temperature of seawater is low which inhibits the microbial degradation of the PAHs. In spring the plankton are in abundance and thus cause a large amount of loose matter to be produced which may transfer the PAHs to the sea floor. This was mostly true for two/three ring PAHs, four to six rings however have a higher persistence to microbial degradation. The amount of PAHs in the surface micro layer was 2-13 times higher than that of the water below; this can be due to the atmospheric input . â€Å"GC-MS Analysis of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Seawater Samples after the North CapeOil Spill† Christopher M. Reddy and James G. Quinn [6] GC-MS was used to measure PAHs in seawater samples after the North Cape oil spill. Sample Preparation The samples were spiked with internal standards which consisted of the following: 10 to 25 ÃŽ ¼g docosane and 2 ÃŽ ¼g each of naphthalene-d8, biphenyl-d10, acenaphthene-d10, anthracene-d10 and perylene-d12. After the samples were spiked they were shaken and extracted once with 100 ml methylene chloride and twice more with 100 ml of hexane. The organic extracts were then combined and rotary-evaporated to 1 ml while being solvent-exchanged into hexane. Following this the hexane extract was chromatographed and the first fraction (obtained by eluting with 20 ml of a 70/30 mixture of hexane/methylene chloride) containing the aromatic hydrocarbons was rotary-evaporated to a small volume (100 ÃŽ ¼l) and spiked with an external recovery standard (1.2 ÃŽ ¼g o-terphenyl in isooctane), and injected into the GC-MS detector. Analysis The PAHs were first extracted with methylene chloride and hexane and then fractionated via HPLC using silica gel. The analysis was done using a Hewlett-Packard 5890 Series II GC with a Hewlett-Packard 5971 mass selective detector. After the sample was injected, the compounds were separated using a 30m JW Scientific DB-XLB fused silica-capillary column (Table 7). Table 7:JW Scientific DB-XLB fused silica-capillary column Column length x internal diameter / mm 30,000 x 0.25 Film thickness / ÃŽ ¼m 0.25 Temperature limit /  °C 340-360 According to the website [7] this column has low polarity and is excellent for PAHs. The oven was set at 70 °C for 1.5 minutes, then ramped to 320 °C at 10 °C per minute, and then held for a further 10 minutes. The detector was run in selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode for ions that have an m/z of 50 to 550, PAHs usually range between 128 and 234 m/z. Results A total of 54 seawater samples were collected and analysed were collected between day 4 and day 132 after the North Cape oil spill, results from a week after the oil spill showed that there were high concentration of PAHs, with the total sum coming too 115 ÃŽ ¼g L-1, these are some of the highest values for a marine oil spill. The relative percentage deviations for duplicate samples for total PAHs came to The use of other GC detectors such as GC flame ionisation detector which is widely used may not be suitable for the detection of PAHs as often lower limits of detection are needed, which is why GC-MS would be used. Comparison of analytical methods The most popular technique for the separation and determination of PAHs is HPLC however; a disadvantage of this is that gradient elution must be used opposed to isocratic elution due to the samples complexity. Other factors include that HPLC is expensive, and that it requires large amounts of solvent especially when gradient elution is used. The paper by V. Pino et al. and the paper by G. Witt both used HPLC reversed phase column with a fluorescence detector, however Pino et al. used a surfactant with a low retention time (POLE) which allowed for the determination of PAHs which were more polar. In Figure 2 the compounds eluted between ~7 and 40 minutes using the above method; whereas the method used by Witt produced a chromatogram (Figure 3) which shows the products eluted between ~7 and 23 minutes. The difference in retention times shows that the method used by Witt was more useful. However, the samples of seawater used for analysis by each paper were from different sources, Pino et al. does not state where the seawater samples were taken, while Witt took the sample from the Baltic Sea. Pino et al. only extracted 14 PAHs but Witt extracted all 16 PAHs listed by the EPA. From the data listed in Tables 2 and 6 it can be seen that there are comparable results such as Phenanthrene which eluted in 13.9 minutes for Pino et al. and 12.2 minutes for Witt, the emission wavelengths measured were identical at 370 nm and that the excitation wavelength only differed by 2 nm between Pino (248 nm) and Witt (246 nm). Overall, the HPLC methods used by both papers shows that it is a reliable method for determining PAHs in seawater, a fluorescence detector was used as the filters select the excitation and emission wavelengths and it reduces the complexity of the chromatogram which provides orthogonal information. Even though HPLC seems the most popular technique GC-MS is being used to analyse the PAHs after they have been separated by HPLC. This change could be because GC is faster than HPLC and that with a mass spectrometer (MS) detector it is possible to combine detection, quantification and identification. GC-MS is especially good for complex mixtures such as seawater where several analytes have similar retention times.

Coping With The Effects Of Rural Poverty Sociology Essay

Coping With The Effects Of Rural Poverty Sociology Essay Transformations in agriculture, natural resource management, exploited tourism, and absentee ranch ownership have changed the face of many rural communities. Several of these changes and other factors have led many rural communities to experience serious declines in their economies during the past decades. These changes have been exacerbated by recent economic hardships further depleting the economy and resources of rural communities. Thus, the precursors and consequences of poverty for families in these communities deserve attention. While Wilson (1987) brought the demographic changes related to urban poverty to light, larger explanations of rural poverty have been less of a research focus. Families living in rural communities are sometimes expected to be buffered by the effects of poverty by maintaining strong family and community connections. However, many of the changes related to family structures and community involvement that often lead to negative outcomes have also become ch aracteristics of rural living (MacTavish Salamon, 2003). In studying rural families in poverty, I propose two theoretical perspectives, symbolic interaction theory and social exchange theory that can help guide research and illuminate some of the issues related to families in poverty in such communities. Symbolic Interaction Theory Symbols are used by humans, according to their contexts, to describe the meaning behind physical objects and occurrences. Socialization is considered the propellant of symbols in society. Individuals comprehend situations through symbols and perceived roles of self and others. Human behaviors actualize through the process of perceiving symbols and roles (White Kline, 2002; Blumer, 1967; Mead). Thus, symbolic interaction theory emphasizes how people perceive themselves within and outside the family environment. Several assumptions are captured in this theory, including that people live in a symbolic world, people learn about selves through interactions with others, individuals have minds and can analyze the self, and people learn their roles within society from the society (White Kline, 2002). Thus, images and symbols are found throughout the ecological system, including how the individual perceives, family interactions, and community interactions found within a rural community. Sym bols about rural living are also carried throughout the broader macro system and expectations of the larger society. Symbolic interaction sheds light on rural families coping in poverty on two important fronts. First, understanding the symbols, meaning, and interactions related to poor families in the community can bring awareness to communities and hopefully allow for more social mobility among their residents. Second, understanding the symbols, meanings, and interactions within the family can help families sense of cohesion and ability to cope (Kaplan Hennon, 1990; Turner). Stigmatized symbols related to poverty are often made explicit as a person conducts their daily life. For example, using food stamps at the grocery store especially in a small community is in full view. A family in poverty cannot hide this in private life; there is typically not a front about this (Goffman, 1963). Poor youth in schools will confront meanings about the clothes they wear (name brand or not) and what it means to stand in line for a free or reduced lunch. Students from families who may be struggling to make ends meet may need to stay in after school programs which may also hold a negative connotation with other school youth (McLoyd et al. 2009; Pogash, 2008). These negative connections to symbols may follow families and youth throughout a lifetime in rural communities. For example, a parent may have a poor interaction with the youths school, not knowing how to navigate its systems. The school may then come to expect a childs poor actions and soon a youth may experience t his in the grocery store and throughout the community. These interactions may then be tied to a family name. This addresses one of the several mechanisms through which stratification in a community is maintained by legitimatizing certain stereotypes (source). These are beliefs that are widely accepted and taken for granted, for instance the meaning behind a family name. Furthermore, there may be symbolic people in the community who maintain power and perhaps perpetuate poverty within a community (Bourdieu, 1986). A person may be in charge of a manufacturing company and the workers must buy all manufactured owned products by shopping at the manufacturing grocery store. Then everything goes back into the system where a small group of people or one family retains power. For example, plantation owners gave low wage jobs to keep poor in their place and limited their education which equaled low literacy rates for workers. Thus, people in poverty cannot move upward. This has often also hap pen through racism in the US. Thus, it would be important to understand who has the symbolic power in a community and it may be important to trace this back further than expected in order to clearly understand the history of a region and how certain families have maintained power or even remained poor (Duncan, 1996). A lack of distrust of certain families can occur and arbitrary power can be carried over into the state of contemporary communities. Hence, people forget to see the political nature of their problems and poverty gets seen as a personal problem as highlighted through Mills (1956) concept on the sociological imagination. Finally, the researcher may meet with families to understand how symbols within their one family unit are carried out. This has been used as a helpful therapy tool for families in conflict. Many poor families experience extreme stress related to a lack of resources and so understanding the role strain within families and different meanings attributed to certain actions would also be important for families in poverty (Kaplan Hennon, 1990; Turner; Seccombe, 2006). Thus, regarding research questions, the researcher may pose several inquiries related to the symbolic power in the community and the symbolism related to being poor in the community. The researcher would ask about the certain families that have power in the community. What does it mean to live in a certain area of town? What actions are socially approved in the community? When do you feel like your family is not receiving social approval? How is social status distributed in the community? Also, family members would be asked how they view their specific situation within their family. What burdens do they experience because of their role in the family? What is the meaning behind certain conflicts in their family? Social Exchange Theory Social exchange theory can help researchers consider why families stay in their communities when there may be other alternatives out of poverty if they moved. Social exchange theory describes the characteristics and motivations for humans social behaviors by a system of perceived rewards and costs. Social exchange theory arose out of utilitarian ideas, emphasizing how people are motivated to act in relationships by maximizing their perceived rewards and minimizing their perceived costs. A reward is anything perceived as a benefit to an individual, family, or relational unit; costs are anything perceived as a reward forgone. Social exchange theory asserts that people rationally calculate while assessing decisions based on the profit ratio of costs and rewards (White Kline, 2002). Theorist such as Homans (1961) believed in generalized rewards that most people would adhere to he suggested social approval as the main generalized reward and motivator for humans. Other theorists have pro posed generalized rewards such as love, personal attraction, instrumental services, respect, and power (Blau, 1964), status, services, goods, information, and money (Foa Foa, 1980), autonomy, predictability, security, agreement, and equality of resources (Nye, 1979). Thus, a researcher would assume that a family would rationally calculate about why they decide to stay in a rural environment in poverty when there may be other alternatives. The researcher would want to understand how families situations may apply to the described rewards or costs above. The other alternatives for families must also be understood. The value and meaning of living in a rural community must be elucidated; thus, ideas related to symbolic interaction would also be employed to enhance understanding. On one hand, families choice to live in a rural environment may have higher benefits compared to the costs of living in an urban environment. We must understand what the costs mean to families. The benefits and costs may relate to rural living sentiments (Elder Conger, 2000). Rural families may view a huge cost associated with moving and starting over in a new community. A benefit for staying would be familiarity, perhaps a connection to the land, and social supports in the c ommunity (Elder Conger, 2000). However, a cost of living in the rural environment may be unsteady work and lack of job opportunities. We might also want to consider why poor young adults would choose to stay in the rural community versus leaving the rural community. The researcher would want to understand the costs and benefits of things associated with leaving and going. What are the social stigmas associated with staying or leaving? What job opportunities, educational attainment, marriage choices, and lifestyle choices exist relative to leaving or staying? We would also want to clearly understand the comparison levels of alternatives for the families in poverty. If they see limited job opportunities in new areas, the comparison level is low and they will not be motivated to move. This may be the case for young adults as well, if they view the comparison level of alternatives as low they will likely stay where they are. However, if the comparison level of alternatives is high, the y will likely move and change their situation (White Kline, 2002). Homans (1961) also thought people gravitate toward social equals as people can gain more social approval this way, what he labeled the cost of inferiority. This may help explain why certain parts of a town remain more poverty stricken as people with similar social and human capital gravitate toward one another. It might also be important to understand how this has worked out in community life in a rural environment. The researchers may also want to understand these choices at a larger macro level. In this view, parents, schools, and government make investments in the human and social capital of families and children (Haveman Wolfe, 1994; Strauss). Thus, the researcher may meet with community leaders to understand how they are investing in poor families and youth to understand their cost to benefit ratio. Do they see investments in the social mobility of families as reaping long term benefits that outweigh the social problems related to poverty? Regarding specific research questions, we would want to ask specifically what the advantages of staying in the rural community are. What are the costs of leaving and what are the costs of staying? We would want to clearly understand the meaning of the costs and rewards through in depth qualitative interviews. What does rural living mean to them? These would be similar questions also relevant to the symbolic interaction questions. What symbols are associated with moving and how does this lead to views related to costs or rewards? Why do families live in certain areas of the community? What are the cost and benefits to community leaders of helping poor families with social mobility? Related to the two theoretical perspectives, the types of data the researcher collects would also be important. Associated to symbolic interaction we would want to do in depth observations in the community trying to understand the different symbols related to statuses and families in the community. This would require observations at several institutions; the researchers would meet with people from all different power statuses within the community. We would hopefully gain access to the private life of several families where perhaps less filtering is done (Goffman, 1963). We may ask many clarifying questions related to the symbols and reflect on our own biases about these symbols. We would want to look for places within the community and related to different families where these symbols matched or had discrepancies. Related to social exchange theory, we would likely gain the most information from the in-depth interviews with families and young adults understanding the exact costs and b enefits these families associate with their lives. Our work with symbolic interaction theory would most likely enhance our understanding of the benefits and rewards related to these families as they reflect on why they stay or go. Data should also be collected on community leaders regarding their views of the costs and benefits related to assisting poor families in their community. Limitations The suggested theories may lead the researcher to many interesting questions and data collection efforts, however, the suggested theories also pose several limitations. Social exchange theory for instance is a bit behaviorist, implying all human interaction is a response to a benefit/cost ratio. Researchers must account for the symbols related to rewards and costs as rewards may be unseen and not understood by others. A closed system of understanding rewards may be found in several communities (Acock). Clearly defining rewards and costs would be an important first step before asserting research entirely from a social exchange theorists view point. Clearly, this is an area where symbolic interaction could enhance social exchange theory. Furthermore, asserting that humans always act rationally may be an overstatement. Social exchange theory may also not account for individuals of younger ages who have not fully developed their ability to calculate rationally. Social exchange theory also asserts that individuals are motivated by their own self-interests, some theorists have allowed for people to act in the best interest of their families but clearly understanding the mechanisms of how an individuals desires transform into the familys self-interest may pose a hardship in research (White Kline, 2002). Understanding these explicit processes is an area for future research. Additionally, decisions based on the profit/cost ratio may be made sub-consciously and bringing this subconscious information into the forefront of research may also pose challenges. However, it is important to examine the cost and rewards associated with why people choose to stay in or leave rural communities as these reasons are critical for the econ omic vitality and in understanding how to encourage others to move or stay within their community. Understanding these motivations for young adults and youth who will be the face of rural communities in the future is especially important. Understanding the exchanges for families in poverty is also important to ascertain mechanisms that may help their social mobility. Symbolic interaction may also pose limitations in this study. Symbolic interaction does not deal very well with how people handle emotions (White Kline, 2002). When looking at coping in poverty, emotions certainly play a large role in how families deal with their situation. Furthermore, this type of research is hard to generalize to other communities or cultures as the symbols used are likely only highly relevant to the community being researched. Symbolic interaction also emphasizes the importance of meaning to individuals how the individual views others, is viewed by others, and behaves related to meaning. As this research is specifically studying families, it may be hard to keep the unit of analysis as a family group. Symbolic interaction tends to view the family as a collection of individuals. This may or may not pose issues with the research depending on the unit of analysis of interest.

Abortion :: essays research papers

The word abortion by definition means, naturally or especially induced expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently, according to the American Century Dictionary. This is one subject that, when mentioned, completely polarizes individuals. Abortion poses a moral, social and medical dilemma that faces many individuals to create a emotional and sometimes violent atmosphere. There are many points of view toward abortion but the only two fine distinctions are "pro-choice" and "pro-life". A person that is pro-choice would feel that the decision to abort a pregnancy is that of the mothers and that the state has no right to interfere. A person that is pro-life would say that from the moment of conception, the fetus is alive. This life imposes on us a moral obligation to preserve it and that abortion is tantamount to murder (Kolner 5)This is important because part of our society would have to carry the guilt of terminating a human life. This would be severe and almost unbelievable for a society as educated as ours to make this big of a mistake. How could the country that leads in individual rights be so ignorant? We are America where everyone is created equal and deserves a chance to pursue happiness. What if this fetus is not a human life, is this a question that we can really answer? These are questions that haunt our nations soul.Early in our nations history they had no means of measuring or telling if a fetus was alive in the womb. The colonies inherited English Common Law and operated under it until well into the 19th century. Abortion was illegal according to English Common Law. Abortion prior to quickening (feeling life) was a misdemeanor. Abortion after quickening was a felony. This type of punishment was inherited from earlier ecclesiastic laws. In the early 1800s it was discovered that human life did not begin when she "felt life," but rather at fertilization. As a direct result of this, the British Parliament in 1869 passed the "Offenses Against the Persons Act," eliminating misdemeanor charge and dropping the felony punishment back to fertilization. One by one, across the middle years of the 19th century, every then present state passed its own law against abortion. By 1860, 85% of the population lived in states that had prohibited abortion with new laws. These laws, preceding and following the British example, moved the felony punishment from quickening back to conception.

The 2000 Election :: essays research papers

The 2000 election started with many candidates. Of course there was the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, but there where also many third party candidates with ballot status. Their was a Constitution Party, Liberation Party, Natural Law Party, Prohibition Party, Reform Party and many others. The purpose of all these third parties was to influence the major parties on issues they may be ignoring or forgetting. These third parties usually focus their entire campaign on one issue. Usually a major party will take an idea from these small parties and the small parties have achieved their goal. There is usually one smaller party that will advance from the primaries and become a real candidate in the presidential election.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The primaries are used in over half of the state’s to choose the national party conventions. Each candidate who enters the election lists a slate of delegates who have promised to support the candidate at the convention. Party members show their choice for the presidential nomination by voting for the slate of delegates committed two that candidate. Primaries that select about two-thirds of the delegates are held the first six months of presidential election years† (Robert Agranoff, â€Å"Primary Elections†)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the democratic primaries you need 2,170 delegates to win and 434 delegates left to be allocated. Bradley had 425 and Gore had 30,470. In the Republican Party primaries you need 1,034 delegates to win and at 542 the left to be allocated. Bush had 1,288, Keyes had 2, McCain had 233 and 1 was uncommitted. Once the primaries were over we knew it was all about Al Gore and George W. Bush, with Ralph Nader running independently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In the 1940’s about 85 percent of U.S voters reported a loyalty to one of the 2 major parties. Today only about half the voters described themselves as democrats all or republicans. Also, many people vote for candidates of more than one party. These changes show that many citizens vote on the basis of candidates and issues rather than for a party†. (Robert Agranoff â€Å"Election Campaign†)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many issues that go into running for president. The most important is the voter turnout. The way to get a voter turnout in your favor is to have good campaigns, good platforms, and do well in the debates. In the debates many issues came up and showed where the candidate stand on certain issues. One very important issue while running is campaign financing.

My Dad and the Flat Earth :: Personal Narrative Profile

My Dad and the Flat Earth Today my father tells us the earth is flat. He sits us down, the five of us, sits us down on the couch in the living room and tells us the earth is flat. It's not like he says, "Boys. The earth is flat," and then walks away. It's not like that at all. What he does is he takes the time to explain it to us. Even gives us visual aids. His hands become the earth. With his hands out before us he shows us the exact shape of the earth. It's not flat, really, but saucer shaped. Almost bowl shaped. He shows us with his hands. His fingers bend up slightly and his thumbs bend in towards each other, so that his hands make a kind of bowl. "Where do we live?" my oldest brother Sam asks. "Here," says my father. "in the bowl." "Really?" "Yeah," he says, with total confidence. "Look." He starts pulling his slightly cupped hands upward towards the ceiling, slowly. He doesn't say anything as he performs this move. He wants us to watch it for a while. He doesn't look at his hands, he looks at us. Our reaction. We don't react. "This is how the earth moves," he says. "it travels constantly upwards." "Upward?" says Len, my other older brother. "Yes. Upward." "Towards what?" It's me asking this time. I figure it's my turn to speak. My father looks at me for a moment and I think he's angry. I'm sorry I asked the question. Then this weird smile comes across his face and I'm not sorry anymore. Now I'm nervous. About my father. The thought occurs to me that my father has lost his mind and that this strange half-smile is the half-smile of a madman. "That's a very good question, Rand." "It is?" "A very good question. It shows you're using your mind." "Losing my mind? Why?" "Using," she says. "Oh. Using." "The earth travels upwards but it's not important where." "It isn't?" I was confused. He had just said that it was a good question, now he seemed to be saying it wasn't. "No," he answers. "What is important is what the earth moves in relation to.

Compare how poets portray relationships in ‘Praise Song For My Mother’ and ‘Ghazal’ Essay

Both ‘praise song for my mother’ and ‘ghazal’ use language devices to portray relationships. They use imagery, metaphors and structure to do so. They bother portray in different ways. ‘praise song for my mother’ portrays relationships as happy and fun whereas ‘ghazal’ portrays them as unpredictable and ever changing. In ‘ghazal’, Khalvati writes a different comparison to love in each stanza. ‘If yours is the iron fist in the velvet glove/if I rise in the east you die in the west’. The fact that Khalvati has done this shows that love is never the same. It also shows that it is constantly changing and can never be predicted. It could also show that the woman’s love for the man is constant the mans love for the woman is unreliable and is constantly changing. On the other hand, in ‘praise song for my mother’ each stanza seems the convey the same thing about love, that it is happy and constant. ‘you were sunrise to me rise and warm and streaming’. The word ‘sunrise’ means that the personas lover was what lit up their day and helped them see clearly. It could also mean that their love was constant and never failed as the sun rises every morning in a continuous pattern. The word ‘warm’ has also been used and this could suggest that they are always nice to each other and never argue. Heat can also be linked to the colour red and this in turn can be linked to love, therefore the persona is indirectly expressing their love for this person without facing it head on. In ‘praise song for my mother’ Nichols has used imagery to portray the relationship. ‘you were the fishes red gill to me’. Nichols has used the word ‘gill’ to show that the persona needed the other person. A fish wouldn’t be able to survive without its gills and this shows that the persona might as well be dead without the other person. Everyone would be able to relate to this as everyone has suffered heartbreak. This would help to keep the interested and mean that they can empathise with the reader. The  word ‘red’ has also been used and love is a connotation of the colour red. On the other hand red can be linked to death and this links back to the persona saying that they are dead without the other person. Similarly in ‘ghazal’ Khalvati has also used imagery to show the relationship. ‘when the arrow flies, the heart is pierced, tattoo me’. The use of the word ‘tattoo’ is the persona saying that their love for the other person is eternal and they never want it to end. Tattoos cannot be changed once they are on your skin and Khalvati’s use of the word could mean that they don’t want the other person to change as she thinks they are perfect as they are. Khalvati’s comparison to an arrow means that her love for the other person was sudden and unexpected. She didn’t know it was coming until it struck her. In conclusion I think that both these poems use mostly the same language devices, but where Nichols portrays relationships as a good thing, Khalvati seems to portray them as a bad thing.

Investments Worksheet Essay

Answer the following questions in at least 50 words each: What are the main differences between a 401K and a Roth IRA? One of the main differences between a 401K and an Roth IRA is that a 401k is offered by your employer, while the Roth IRA is something an individual seeks and funds on their own. With a 401K your employer contributes or matches what you are putting into your 401K. How would you explain the difference between a stock, a bond, and a mutual fund? A stock is like owning a piece of a company, you are investing your money into something that is your that can make you more money. A bond is like loaning money to a bank or the government and when they pay you back, they pay you back with interest. A mutual fund is like investing in something with a group of people. Everyone owns a piece of it and benefits from it if it grows. What are the risks and rewards of investing? For investors, risk comes in many forms. There’s the risk of a downturn in stock prices. There’s the risk that inflation will erode an asset’s purchasing power. There’s the risk of political instability affecting international markets, but without risk there is no rewards. Sometimes you have to take a higher risk to get a better reward. They say depending on age should be how much you should be willing to risk.

Why is it important to develop relationships in infant and toddler care?

During their first years of life it is crucial that infants develop confidence, self-esteem and a feeling of security and trust in the people who care for them. These factors give them a secure base for all of their subsequent social and emotional development. Babies who develop this â€Å"emotional security† are then more likely to become toddlers who have the confidence to â€Å"walk alone. † Alicia Lieberman discusses this concept of â€Å"walking alone† in her book, The Emotional Life of the Toddler.In order to become independent learners, confident to explore the world around them and try new things, toddlers must first of all develop a sense of trust. This sense of trust builds when the infant has developed secure attachments with caregivers, and feels reassured, valued, respected and truly cared for. Obviously a child whose emotional needs are not being met through the development of secure and positive relationships with caregivers, will focus more on get ting those needs met than on exploring and learning.Research on what helps children be successful at school, carried out by Heart Start through the â€Å"Zero to Three† organization, emphasises the need for children to be curious in order to learn. The research identified seven characteristics of successful learners, and among them, curiosity. Infants and toddlers have a natural, healthy curiosity, a trait that should be encouraged in a safe way by their caregivers, as it is vital for their confidence, self-esteem and learning. Those children who do not develop secure attachments to their caregivers will be less likely to show this lively curiosity in their world.Helen Raikes has described in her 1996 article, A Secure Base for Babies: Applying Attachment Theory Concepts to the Infant Care Setting, how babies that had developed secure attachments were more likely to explore their surroundings, join in with play and interact with the adults in the setting. These infants know t hat they can look back and â€Å"return to base† if need be. It was the British psychiatrist, John Bowlby who identified four stages of attachment of the child to the mother or the primary caregiver.He noted that during the third stage, (between the approximate ages of 7 and 24 months), infants often develop a strong attachment to the primary caregiver and may develop â€Å"separation anxiety† if that caregiver is replaced by someone else. Continuity of the caregiver, the development of a consistent, caring relationship with one person, is therefore very important for infants at this stage, as they may experience much trauma if a change of caregiver takes place at this time. However, the first characteristic of successful children, identified by the Heart Start research, was that of confidence.Children’s feelings of competence and confidence develop as a result of secure, positive relationships with their caregivers. Also, the confidence that comes from having a clear sense of their own identity means that children are more likely to develop empathy and respect for others and feel relaxed and secure in the company of other adults. Confident children who can interact successfully with their peer group will more easily develop the social skills needed for their future success. Of course, co-operative interaction with others, either children or adults, will help further their learning too.But perhaps the most pressing need for the development of relationships in infant and toddler care arises through consideration of those children who come from an unstable home environment, where their emotional needs have not been met by their parents. The social and emotional growth of these children will be furthered hindered and delayed if they are then not given any opportunity to develop a continuous, positive relationship with a primary caregiver, assigned from the time of the child’s enrolment up until he or she reaches the age of three or eve n five.How can primary and continuous care be implemented in order to develop a relationship with a child? It is the responsibility of the primary caregiver to respond appropriately to the infant or toddler to ensure that their emotional needs are met. An â€Å"appropriate† response is one that makes the child feel respected, valued and cared for. Just as all relationships take time to develop, so must primary caregivers take time to really get to know the children, become aware of their personality and temperament, their likes and dislikes and body language cues.This is the first and foremost response that will help to build a relationship and ensure children’s emotional needs are met. In order to get to know children, it is important to become sensitive to the cues and messages they send out – both verbal and non-verbal. In turn, caregivers should be vigilant about their own body language cues as well as the words they use because when children become aware of negative feedback, (both verbal and non-verbal), from their caregivers it can greatly affect their self-esteem.The caregiver should aim to give positive responses to the child, using open and friendly body language, eye contact, smiles, nodding etc. Of course, this does not mean that the caregiver must always say â€Å"yes† to a child’s demands, if those demands are unreasonable or unsafe, and assertive behavior management strategies should be applied whenever they are necessary. Along with ensuring the quality of responses and care given by the primary caregiver, continuity of care can be implemented in three ways: †¢ Children can be placed in mixed age groups. This means that the children under 2.9 years of age can be cared for in the same room, as long as the requirement ratio is adhered to for the youngest child in the group. †¢ Children can be placed in groups of the same age. This ensures that when the children are ready, they and their caregivers will move to the next environment. †¢ Children can be placed in groups of the same age, and will stay in the same room. This means that the children remain in a setting that is familiar to them, while the learning materials and resources of the room change in accordance with their developmental progress.However, the concept of primary and continuous care must take into account the fact that a major amount of the childcare day is spent doing routine care giving activities, such as toileting, hand washing, eating, etc. Since these routine activities take up so much time, the development of a relationship with the child must be prioritised during these times. In their book, The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers, Dombro, Colker and Trister-Dodge emphasise that this job of building a relationship with a child should be the focus of the caregiver’s work.Although learning activities should be included as part of a quality curriculum for a child, in practice they only for m a small part of the child’s day – the majority of that day being spent doing routine activities. Therefore the â€Å"curriculum† for a child does not only consist of learning activities. If relationship building is to be given the emphasis it deserves then the daily routines need to be considered as â€Å"curriculum† too, since the majority of daily adult-child interaction takes place during these daily routines.Routine activities can be made enjoyable and fun with lots of opportunities for learning built in; the caregiver can interact with the child in a friendly and positive way during these times, showing the child that s/he is valued and respected. If caregivers are aware of the importance of building positive relationships with the children in their care then they will have no doubts whatsoever that they must work in accordance with the maxim, â€Å"relationship is curriculum†. References Dombro, A.L. , Colker, L. J. & Trister-Dodge, D. (199 9). The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers. Washington DC: Teaching Strategies. Lieberman, A. (1993). The Emotional Life of the Toddler. New York: Free Press. Raikes, H. (1996) â€Å"A Secure Base for Babies: Applying Attachment Theory Concepts to the Infant Care Setting,† in Young Children, 51 (5), 59-67. Zero to Three (1992). Heart start: The emotional foundations of school readiness. Washington DC: Zero to Three. http://www. zerotothree. org

Historical Fiction Narrative

Historical Fiction Narrative My name is Elizabeth, I’m 15 and I’m moving to the West with my family. We are going there for something called the Homestead Act. The Homestead Act is when you get 160 acres of land for free for 5 years. During the 5 years, you must grow crops. But my father is going to the West for mining gold. It’s May 8th, 1861. Tomorrow my family and I leave for the West. We are going by railroad. It will be my first time going on the railroad.I’m so excited yet nervous. I heard that it’s a Transcontinental Railroad. That means that it’s a railroad that spans the continent. May 9th, 1861 Man: â€Å"So what are you on this train for? † Me: â€Å"Moving to the West. My family is getting a big house with 160 acres of land for free and my dads going to be a miner. † Man: â€Å"Oh, the Homestead Act! † Me: â€Å"Yeah. What are you here for? † Man: â€Å"Gold mining of course! I wanna strike gold and be come rich! Me: â€Å"Well, I have to go now so good luck and safe traveling. † Man: â€Å"Good luck and safe trip to you too! † 24 hours later My family and I are now in the West. The train ride was actually not that bad. But now we’re going to our house. Momma and poppa say it’s a big house. My older brother, Frank whose 19, might either stay with momma and I or go mining with poppa and my little sister, Sally whose 5, is staying with momma and I. I’m so excited that we’re here.It’s beautiful here. The fields, the land, everything! Now we’re at the house. It’s beautiful. And it’s really big and the land is beautiful. It’s like living a dream: fields of blue grass, beautiful blue skies, white puffy clouds. At night, I plan on laying outside in the fields and just watching the starts twinkle like little diamonds. I’m so happy to be here and I’m really excited to be spending the next 5 years and to start a new life in the West with my family.

Self-mutilation is Self-healing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self-mutilation is Self-healing - Essay Example This is an attempt at summarizing Max Malikow's article in Education Digest. His is a challenging theme anent self-cutting by students in schools. Not too many psychologists have dared tread this highly sensitive area of research and immense human importance. About two million students in The United States schools deeply cut their skin from a part of their body. How really painful this has to be. They do not think, fear or bother about this resulting pain when they go for cutting.Cutting behavior is an off shoot of intensity. 'Silent clamoring around of human feelings and their gathering momentum over a period of time from within' leads to acts of self-cutting, self-harm and giving pain to one's own self. This is like the sudden bursting of an erstwhile apparently sleeping volcano. The gathering momentum is released. The damage is also done. The road to normalcy is also seen more clearly after this volcanic outburst! The damage is physical. Relief is emotional. The question of return to normal life relates to social context. Indeed, "Cutters are determined to hide the self-abusive behaviors and are adept at doing so. They fear discovery and being thought of as being crazy. Parents often deny this behavior".This attitude of denial and fearfulness needs to be curbed. Do not cut cutters. Prevention of cutting behavior is essential. Removing its causes is essential. Teachers in schools and parents of cutters must know that cutters need not be treated as having suicidal tendencies. They are merely neurotic. They fear social humiliation. They must not be ignored and put aside. More creative and thoughtful consideration of their behavior is required. Their feelings must be given a fulsome opportunity for fuller expression. 'Rejection' is the most fearful proposition to cutters. They need attention without being to overt about this. Three major reasons are extended for cutting behavior. These are distraction, dissociation and symbolism. They are distracted towards self-injury for they fear what they feel. Their numbness of physical sensations and emotions occur due to pressure and intensity of feelings. This creates in them disassociation and de-personalization. This leads to self-injury. The experience of pain reassures cutters they are alive and human. Depersonalization can be stopped by self-injury. After self-injury, flowing of blood is an outward expression of an inner release of undesirable emotion. Blood and physical pain appear as a symbolism for release of intensity, tension and fear. This tendency of cutting must be treated through a teacher who can render valuable support to a self-injuring student. The treatment includes behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and medication. The last technique of medication must not be resorted to as far as possible. Public condemnation of cutters must never be there. For B. F. Skinner, they must be given sympathetic hearing. Exclusive assignments must be given to them. They must never be ignored. Patience and perseverance of a teacher will pay here. Personal Opinion and Analysis A sympathetic approach to cutting behavior and a positive way of looking at this phenomenon must be appreciated. It is only through this attitude that several other challenges to this world can also be properly looked into. Wide spread practice of self-injury among schooling going children, specially adolescents, is a very serious issue for educationists and others. A positive outlook and considerate stance is necessary for treating and preventing this apparently negative happening among students.

Catering as a Stand-Alone Business Research Proposal

Catering as a Stand-Alone Business - Research Proposal Example In starting up a business, there is always the need to get to carry out a very comprehensive research on the various industries. Indeed, it is the research that may help in coming up with the best choice from the array of options that may be at stake. Once on settles on a specific industry, they still have to dig deep on the various tricks and crucial steps to making it in the industry. After an analysis of the available avenues for the choice of business, this is an already established, though small, catering company. In carrying out the research, the analysis of the trends in the industry will be taken into consideration. This will come in terms of the positioning of the company within the market, its key rivals and the possible areas that seem of great threat to the company. This will also help in the formulation of the best strategies by the company so that it may raise its market share. The chosen business is in the catering industry. Catering: as a process, is defined as the provision of beverages and foodstuffs for events. As a business, it deals with the provision of food services from and at various locations (Jacob 2013, 7). Unlike hotels, catering services are mobile; hence, the advantage over hotels in the food industry. The catering process comes in many forms (The Mirror 2011, 9). For the mobile catering, the food is mainly served from vehicles, trucks or carts that are designed for serving food. Catering comes in a full range of events, such as; business meetings, exhibitions, conferences, weddings, special events and other social occasions. The caterers, as well as their staff, form a very crucial part of the foodservice industry. The services provided are dependent on the event. These include; cooking and delivery of food to s remote location, cooking, food delivery, and service, or a full range of the service.  

Business process modling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business process modling - Essay Example This report will detail the business process modeling exercise involved in invoicing as pertains to the SAP system. Based on the SAP system, the invoice modeling process has ten key stages. It starts with the reception of the invoice followed by confirmation of receipt. The confirmation phase revolves around making an official request for verification to the relevant authorities. Once confirmation has been received, the invoice is sorted and then reviewed for compliance. The next stage entails validating the vendors who sent the invoice. Validation is necessary to ensure that payment is not made to fraudulent vendors and the business does not lose money in the process. After this, the invoice is validated, the due payment is processed, and the invoice is archived for future reference. Archiving the invoice is vital for purposes of recordkeeping. The body of this report will be based on two concepts: governance structure and business process modeling. This will be followed by a conclusion that comprehensively summarizes the main points discussed in the report and the potential implications on the subject of study. The first group meeting was convened on 2nd May 2015 at around 2:30 pm. The venue of the meeting was on the fourth floor of the library at GP. Despite the delays, the team went ahead to start on the assignment as per the discussions. The main agenda of the meeting was on business process modelling. The members worked hard enough for the success of the group. Every team member took the assigned duty with enthusiasm. The assigned roles to the members were covered elaborately. The tasks carried out by the group extended as discussed. First, the governing structure, covered by Sammie Wa’ahero, entailed the process of the architecture of the SSP and the modelling conventions. The process architecture, as described by Sammie, is where the direct invoice process precisely positioned. The

French Politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

French Politics - Research Paper Example Sarko represents UMP (Union pour un mouvement populaire). He is neo-liberal, authoritarian, pro-American and pro-Israeli. Except for Socialist Francois Mittereand's 14 years reign, France has been ruled by right wing forces since 1958 when Charles de Gaulle ushered in the new Republican regime. Paving the way for the electoral victory of the 52-year old leader of the French Right were the simultaneous decomposition of the French Left and Sarkozy's successful unification of the three streams of the Right - neoliberal, national and fascist. When Sarkozy became "Monsieur le President de la Republique," the 23rd French chief of state, the sixth since the new Constitution of 1958 that initiated the Fifth Republic of France, his true intentions for promised new directions were still ambiguous. Upon the election of Nicolas Sarkozy there was a strong current in the media - both in France and internationally - claiming that "things had changed". Sarkozy, it was said, was the man who would cut back the "gluttonous" French state, "modernising" the economy by curbing the power of the unions and replacing the France of the 35-hour-week with a new more "flexible" culture that valued "hard work". French workers had to prepare for Sarkozy's onslaught. As we have seen with November's rail strikes, university occupations and rioting in the suburbs, resistance to Sarkozy is deep-rooted. Some activists have used the catch-cry "Sarko-facho" ("Sarkozy-fascist"); portrayed him as nothing but a lickspittle of George Bush; or, as the Iranian media now have it, a Mossad agent. Yet most of the French President's pronouncements seem to be in tune with the anti-working class, conservative and authoritarian political tradition of General de Gaulle. On the other hand, Sarkozy's underlining of great national objectives means distancing France from the spirit of liberal free trade. The French Left accuses Sarkozy of being authoritarian and of unstable character. The Left's electoral campaign early this year aimed at trying to rouse his ire and demonstrate his incapacity of leading la douce France. The crude reality is that while the French Left claims a monopoly on morality, the political Right dominates this largely conservative, extremely traditional nation. We only have to think back to spring 2006 when the previous UMP [Gaullist] government attempted to introduce the CPE law to undermine young workers' job stability, or 2005 when it backed the EU Constitution. The continuity in the history of the French right is examined in some detail in the latest issue of the Ni Patrie ni Frontires journal*, which devotes some 62 pages to assessing the character of so-called "Sarkozyism". Sarkozy has taken on great personal power, setting great store by his own image and casting himself as somewhat of a national saviour, in the mould of de Gaulle or a Napoleon. The assertion that Sarkozy represents an

Market Entry Stratagies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Entry Stratagies - Research Paper Example The article selected for market choice strategies denotes how in the past years China struggled and to set its entry into the international markets. The articles refer to it as zou chuqu, which means â€Å"go global†. It highlights how Chinese companies have ventured into the international market in various capacities and categories. The countries companies found a competitive edge with regards to getting business contracts, and the articles notes of the Sony and sum sang setting up a state whereby some of their subsequent products would be coming from China. Meanwhile, the article on market Expansion Strategies, highlights on the impacts of the prevailing or business environment in the foreign country. The article asserts that companies with international business experience are most likely to have less sensitivity to the discouraging effect of unpredictable policy environments with regards to investment. The two articles relate to one another by recognizing the essence of the international market as the sole center of the market growth and expansion. The article by Market Choice Strategies explains and elaborates how the Chinese have geared itself for the international market. The Chinese firms like ZTE (telecoms sections) are equally fighting for major just like companies. The article indicates that China has derived a mechanism and strategy for contesting new markets and playing to their maximum strengths. The article on Market Expansion Strategies equally highlights on regards of lenient international or foreign policies to conquer new investment destinations. The article notes that global expansion mainly in an outlined stages model has an inherent process that is well rooted in uncertainty reduction that is well undertaken through the accumulation of pertinent types of knowledge and entailed experience. Having experience in any particular country gives very vital information re garding its

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

Network Management System - Essay Example Moreover, a network administrator is responsible for managing and organizing the essentials that comprise this high-level analysis. In other words, network management is the process of sorting out problems and performance throughout servers, applications and networks (Zyrion, Inc., 2011). In addition, in many scenarios, it engages a solitary network advisor checking network operations by using an archaic protocol analyzer. However, in other scenarios, network management engages high-end computers, a distributed database, and auto polling of network devices producing synchronized graphical representations of network topology transformations and traffic analysis. Additionally, network management systems differ from company to company. For instance, they vary from free open source tools like Open-NMS systems to the preparatory HP Open-View systems. In addition, they can be enormously complicated, influential and refined. Thus, it is essential for an organization to select the right syst em for any task, just like a Cessna that we would select in place of a 747 to take us from Miami to the Bahamas; however we can select 747 to depart from New York to Los Angeles. Moreover, selection of a network management system does not only depend on price and user preference, however but it also depends on system functionality.

Communication in Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Communication in Economics - Essay Example Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize winning economist argues that the move to raise the minimum wage would not lead to job loss because big companies like McDonalds cannot replace workers by machines nor move these jobs overseas. However, the implications may not be the same for small companies. According to the U.S Department of Labor, raising the minimum wage can be beneficial to the economy, for instance, it would reduce employee turnover and increase consumer purchasing power. Increasing the minimum wage may be beneficial to those who receive it even though this might have little impact on the U.S economy. Therefore, it is prudent to review critically the move by L.A to increase the minimum wage from a socio-political dimension rather than an economical point of view. It is high time that the electorate figure out the motive of many elected officers as that of garnering votes rather than boosting the

Procter & Gamble in Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procter & Gamble in Japan - Essay Example 1. Proctor & Gamble during the 1970’s and 1980’s utilized a centralized marketing approach in which the US headquarters had full control of the marketing initiatives both in the United States and abroad. The company felt that this strategy was more effective because it provided a simple method that could be transferred elsewhere which provided savings and helped the company achieved benefits associated with economies of scale. The reality of this strategy in Japan was that the company was not doing poorly in this international market. The company by 1985 after being established in Japan for 13 years was losing nearly $40 million a year (Hill, 2007). Along with the obvious monetary losses the disadvantages of the centralized marketing strategy in Japan was that the company was not able to fully meet the consumer needs. The culture of Japan and the consumer taste were much different than in the United States. The strategy was inflexible and did not provide room for the ne cessary changes based on market research and consumer trends. Â  2. After years of struggling in the Japanese market with various products after 1990, the company decided a new approach. It created products based on the specific cultural profile Japan. A product that was introducing utilizing this new decentralized marketing approach was Joy detergent. The country-specific research showed that the Japanese people were changing their cooking habits towards the higher volume of fried foods which meant that the people needed a product that was more powerful cleaning up grease dishes. The company also considered other key stakeholders in its design in the process in order to ensure success. The packaging of the product was tailored made to ensure supermarkets and other stores could maximize its shelf space. The strategy provided many benefits for the company, but there were some drawbacks.

7s McKinsey model Essay Example for Free

7s McKinsey model Essay Strategy is a plan developed by a firm to achieve sustained competitive advantage and successfully compete in the market. What does a well-aligned strategy mean in 7s McKinsey model? In general, a sound strategy is the one that’s clearly articulated, is long-term, helps to achieve competitive advantage and is reinforced by strong vision, mission and values. But it’s hard to tell if such strategy is well-aligned with other elements when analyzed alone. See more: Is the Importance of being earnest a satirical play essay So the key in 7s model is not to look at your company to find the great strategy, structure, systems and etc. but to look if its aligned with other elements. For example, short-term strategy is usually a poor choice for a company but if its aligned with other 6 elements, then it may provide strong results. Structure represents the way business divisions and units are organized and includes the information of who is accountable to whom. In other words, structure is the organizational chart of the firm. It is also one of the most visible and easy to change elements of the framework. Systems are the processes and procedures of the company, which reveal business’ daily activities and how decisions are made. Systems are the area of the firm that determines how business is done and it should be the main focus for managers during organizational change. Skills are the abilities that firm’s employees perform very well. They also include capabilities and competences. During organizational change, the question often arises of what skills the company will really need to reinforce its new strategy or new structure. Staff element is concerned with what type and how many employees an organization will need and how they will be recruited, trained, motivated and rewarded. Style represents the way the company is managed by top-level managers, how they interact, what actions do they take and their symbolic value. In other words, it is the management style of company’s leaders. Shared Values are at the core of McKinsey 7s model. They are the norms and standards that guide employee behavior and company actions and thus, are the foundation of every organization.