‘George’s Trains’ Working Capital Essay

George’s Train Shop is a family owned business that focuses on the sales and repairs of train toys. George is running a profitable business, but as he is aware of my MBA Managerial Finance class, he has asked for advice on his working capital practices. Although George is currently enjoying the benefits of a profitable business, there are opportunities for him to expand his business ventures. This first starts by dissecting degree of aggressiveness in working capital practices, current capital budgeting practices, and areas where he can improve in both arenas. In addition, careful management of the company’s cash flow will allow George’s Train Shop to explore other business opportunities for growth as well as flourish with increased.Alshubiri investigated the relationship between the aggressive/conservative working capital policies and the impact on profitability and risk. The study indicated a negative relationship between the profitability measure of firms and banks and degree of aggressiveness of working capital investment and financing policies (2011). Aggressive working capital policy is one in which you try to squeeze by with a minimal investment in current assets coupled with an extensive use of short-term credit. Conservative working capital practices are those in which companies assure plenty of cash in the bank, warehouses are full of inventory and payables are all up to date (Bank, n.d.). In an attempt to cut expenses to a minimum, George’s Train Shop owner, George Olieux, manages working capital by keeping few inventory and reordering inventory when only 1 product model is left on shelf (Intelecom, n.d.). According to Bank, as you tighten inventory, your sales and accounts receivable might swoon because you could run short on product. Inventory shortages might result in lower revenue and collections as competitors with well stocked inventories steal your customers (n.d.). Moreover, you risk default and bankruptcy as you adopt more aggressive working capital policies, as tight inventories can lead to shortages and lost sales. Firms with aggressive working capital policies, such as George’s Trains Shop may not be able to generate more returns on assets by following aggressive approaches towards short term assets and liabilities. Capital Budgeting refers to the process in which a  business determines whether projects are worth pursuing (Byrd, 2012); however, because the amount of capital available at any given time for new projects is limited, management needs to use capital budgeting techniques to determine which projects will yield the most return over an applicable period of time (Investopedia, n.d.). When Olieux acquired the business, it was heavily dependent on sales of classic Lionel trains, but when demand dropped, he had to make capital budgeting decision and invest in new product lines (Intelecom, n.d.). George Olieux explored other product opportunities by analysis of trends in the market. Because smaller trains and race cars were gaining popularity, Olieux decided to start selling race cars and smaller train models. The ability to identify which assets are expected to add value to the firm is central to the financial management role (Byrd, 2012). George’s capital budgeting technique included observation of market trends and pursuing assets, such as race cars and small trains, that were trending at the moment. Since George did not use popular methods of capital budgeting, including net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback period, George had to take a conservative route by first exploring the success of just one race car product line. A potential pitfall George uses in current capital budgeting practices is the lack of a sophisticated measure of capital budgeting, such as the net present value. Such methods can measure which projects can add value to the business as well as compare various investments to one another. The Net Present Value method measures the dollar added value the investment will bring to the firm. It is calculated by taking the present value of future cash flows minus the initial investment (Byrd, 2012). George has statements from previous years that document cash flows and bu siness cycle trends. These statements include the timing and magnitude of cash flows, which include increased cash flows in the summer due to tourism, and reduced cash flows during income tax time. Using previous cash flow statements can help anticipate and calculate future cash inflows of a potential investment, such as the purchase of a Race Car or small train line, and can provide George with an accurate picture of the project’s Net Present Value. The lack of a cash cushion is one primary reason small businesses fail; therefore for small businesses, it is important to understand and manage the company’s cash cycle (Byrd, 2012). The cash flow statement records the amounts of cash  and cash equivalents entering and leaving a company, and includes three components by which cash enters and leaves a company: core operations, investing, and financing (Heakal, 2010). The operations section of the Cash Flow statement would include changes made in cash, accounts receivable, depreciation, inventory, and accounts payable (Heakal, 2010). This would include purchases of inventory and the sales of products/services. George keeps inventory levels to a minimum as an attempt to keep cash spending at a minimum, so frequent purchasing and selling of inventory is observed. The investing section of the Cash Flow statement would include George’s investment in acquiring the lease for the building and business, while the financing section includes loans for purchasing the business and interest paid on those loans. A company can use a cash flow statement to predict future cash flow, which helps with matters in budgeting (Heakal, 2012); therefore I recommend that George use the business’ cash flow statement in evaluating capital budgeting projects, such as the addition of Race Car and small train product lines, as well as other potential ventures. Moreover, I recommend George use the statement of cash flow to understand how much cash is generate and how much of that cash stems from core operations, such as the sale of specific product lines or the repair services offered. The management of cash is necessary to start, operate and expand a business. Before George can expand his business, he must prove to potential investors not just the profitability of the business, but the ability to pay short term obligations. By using sophisticated capital budgeting methods, such as the NPV, George can accurately asses the value added from potential investments. Through careful managing of cash flow statements, George has the potential to not just pay off short term obligations, but expand business ventures. Resources Alshubiri, F. (2011). The Effect of Working Capital Practices on Risk Management: Evidence from Jordan. Global Journal of Business Research, 5(1), 39-54. Bank, E. (N.D.). Aggressive vs. Conservative Working Capital. Retrieved on 9/5/2013, From website: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/aggressive-vs-conservative-working-capital-65216.html Byrd, J., Hickman, K., & McPherson, M. (2012). Managerial Finance. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Heakal, R. (2010). What is a Cash Flow Statement? Retrieved on 9/8/2013, from website: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/033104.asp INTELECOM. (Producer). Management of Working Capital Case Study: â€Å"George’s Trains†. [Video File]. Retrieved from the Intelecom Video Library. Investopedia (n.d.). Definition of ‘Capital Budgeting’. Retrieved on 9/6/2013, from website: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalbudgeting.asp Palani, A. A.. & Mohideen, A. (2012). Impact of Aggressive Working Capital Management Policy on Firm’s Profitability. International Journal of Research in Commerce And Management, 3(3), 49-53.

Membrane Permeability

The Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses and Effects of Inhibitory Chemicals on their Action Potentials Aferdita Sabani Biol 2401. C5L Dr. Endley March 20, 2013 Introduction Cell structure and function can be defined in many aspects but one the most important characteristic is that it is enclosed within a cell membrane called a plasma membrane. The plasma membrane is by-layer composed of lipids and embedded proteins. This membrane is semi-permeable due to its hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.At the boundary of every cell the plasma membrane functions as a selective barrier that allows nutrients to be brought in and/or removed from inside the cell. The cells permeability and transport mechanisms allow for this occurrence and it is vital for a functional and healthy cell. Transport through the plasma membrane occurs in two basic ways: passive and active processes. The passive transport process is driven by the concentration or pressure differences between the interior and exterior envi ronment of the cell.According to Kenyan college biology department, â€Å"Simple diffusion is when a small non-polar molecule passes through a lipid bilayer. It is classified as a means of passive transport. In simple diffusion, a hydrophobic molecule can move into the hydrophobic region of the membrane without getting rejected†. Particles diffuse passively through small pores within the plasma membrane and they also move from an environment of high concentration towards an environment with lower concentration. Osmosis is a type of diffusion when it comes to water transport.Both diffusion and osmoses move substances down their concentration gradient. Facilitated diffusion is also passive transport, but does not involve the simple movement through pores and lipid dissolving. In this case a carrier protein in the membrane is introduced to facilitate the transport of substances down their concentration gradient. Active transport is not passive because energy in the form of cellu lar ATP is required to drive the substances across the membrane, therefor the cell must spend some f its energy to get through or move against the concentration gradient. In one type of active transport the substance gets across the membrane by forming a substrate –enzyme complex where the substance is picked up by a carrier protein and are then able to move into cell. This combination is lipid and large so energy is needed to defy opposing forces. According to Pearson/biology, â€Å"Active transport uses energy to move a solute â€Å"uphill† against its gradient, whereas in facilitated diffusion, a solute moves down its concentration gradient and no energy input is required. If an experiment was conducted where the conditions of transfer were manipulated by adding in larger membrane pores, increasing protein carriers, increasing pressure and adding higher levels of ATP for active transport the rates of transfer will increase providing an optimal level of reactions. E xperimental Methods and Materials In conducting this experiment the materials needed were a computer the PhysioEX 8. 0 C D and the Anatomy and Physiology Lab Manual because this was a computer simulated experiment. Activity One: Simple DiffusionTwo beakers were placed next to each other and joined by a membrane holder. Four membranes were used and each possessed a different molecular weight cut off (MWCO) consisting of 20, 50, 100, and 200 MWCO; and were tested using NaCl, Urea, Albumin, and Glucose solutions. First, the 20 MWCO membrane was placed in the membrane holder between the beakers and the first solute studied was NaCl. A 9mM concentrated solution was dispersed into the left beaker and the right beaker was filled with deionized water. This transfer was allowed 60 minutes.At the end of this time lapse the results were recorded (see result section of the report). The 20 MWCO membrane was removed and each beaker was flushed for the next run. A membrane with the 50 MWCO was pla ced between the beakers and the steps performed above were repeated using the 9 mM NaCl solution for 60 min. and then repeated again for the 100 and 200 MWCO, as described by the A & P Lab Manual by Marieb and Mitchell. The next solutions tested were Albumin, Urea, and Glucose. All were placed into the left beaker independently and the tests were run exactly like that for NaCl.Activity Two: Facilitated Diffusion In this experiment the set-up of the two beakers and membrane holder was used again. Only NaCl and Glucose solutes were used and membranes with 500, 700 and 900 glucose carrier proteins The 500 membrane was placed between the beakers and the glucose solution with a concentration of 2. 00mM was delivered to the left beaker. The right beaker was filled with deionized water. The timer was set for 60 minutes. When the time was up the data was recorded and the beakers were flushed to set up for the next run.The same steps were repeated using the 2. 00 mM glucose solution with the 700 and 900 carrier protein membranes, separately for 60 minutes. The last run of this transport mechanism was done by increasing the 2. 00mM to 8. 00mM glucose concentration. This experiment was done the same way as above for each of the 500, 700 and 900 carrier protein membranes for 60 min. respectively. Activity 3: Osmotic Pressure In this experiment pressure readers were added in order measure osmotic pressure change and were placed on top the two beakers.A 20 MWCO membrane was placed between the beakers and a NaCl concentration of 8mM was put into the left beaker. Deionized water was placed into the right beaker. Time was set at 60 minutes. The pressure steps were repeated with the 50, 100 and 200 MWCO membranes Activity 4: Active Transport This experiment resembled the osmosis experiment except that an ATP dispenser was substituted for the pressure meters on top of the beakers. In this experiment it was assumed that the left beaker was the inside of the cell and the right bea ker was the extracellular space.The membrane used had 500 glucose carrier proteins and 500 sodium-potassium pumps. Membrane was placed between the beakers and a NaCl concentration of 9. 00mM was delivered into the left beaker and a KCl concentration of 6mM was dispensed into the right beaker. The ATP was the changing variable in this experiment. 1mM of ATP was dispensed and transfer was observed for 60 min. It was observed when no ATPmM was applied and finally when 3mM ATP was applied. Results Activity 1: Simple Diffusion TABLE 1 Dialysis Results (average diffusion rate in mM/min) Solute| Membrane (MWCO)| 20| 50| 100| 200| NaCl| No diffusion| 0. 0150| 0. 0150| 0. 0150| Urea| No diffusion| No diffusion| 0. 0094| 0. 0094| Albumin| No diffusion| No diffusion| No diffusion| No diffusion | Glucose| No diffusion| No diffusion| No diffusion| 0. 0040| NaCl had no diffusion until the 50 MWCO was introduced and then it had a constant rate through the larger pored membranes. Urea diffused at 1 00 MWCO and up. Albumin had no diffusion through any of the membranes and Glucose diffused only through the 200 MWCO membrane. Activity 2: Facilitated Diffusion TABLE 2Facilitated Diffusion Results (glucose transport rate (mM/min) | Number of glucose carrier proteins| Glucose concentration(m/M)| 500| 700| 900| 2. 00| 0. 0008| 0. 0010| 0. 0012| 8. 00| 0. 0023| 0. 0031| 0. 0038| As the number of glucose carrier proteins increased so did the rate of transfer for both concentrations of glucose. The higher concentration of the 8. 00 m/M had a faster rate than that of the 2. 00 m/M glucose concentration Activity 3: Osmotic Pressure TABLE 3 Membrane (MWCO) | Solute| 20| 50| 100| 200| Na* Cl-| 272| 0| 0| 0| Albumin| 136| 136| 136| 136|Glucose| 136| 136| 136| 0| The osmotic pressure was highest and only occurred with the 20 MWCO membrane. Albumin had a constant pressure of 136 mm Hg with every membrane and Glucose had constant pressure of 136 mm Hg until it was relieved when the 200 MWCO mem brane was introduced. Activity 4: Active Transport Table 4 Run: 1 Solute| ATP| Start Conc. L| Start Conc. R| Pumps| Carriers| Rate| Na*| 1. 00| 9. 00| 0. 00| 500| ——–| 0. 0270| K*| 1. 00| 0. 00| 6. 00| 500| ——| 0. 0180| Glucose| ———| 0. 00| 0. 00| ——-| 500| 0. 0000| Run: 2 Solute| ATP | Start Conc. L| Start Conc.R| Pumps| Carriers| Rate| Na*| 0. 00| 9. 00| 0. 00| 500| ——–| 0. 0000| K*| 0. 00| 0. 00| 6. 00| 500| ——-| 0. 0000| Glucose| ———-| 0. 00| 0. 00| ——–| 500| 0. 0000| Run: 3 Solute| ATP | Start Conc. L| Start Conc. R| Pumps| Carriers| Rate| Na*| 3. 00| 9. 00| 0. 00| 500| —–| 0. 0050| K*| 3. 00| 0. 00| 6. 00| 500| —–| 0. 0033| Glucose| ———| 0. 00| 0. 00| ———| 500| 0. 0000| When 1 ATP was dispensed the Na and K transported at a higher rate than when 3 ATP was dispense d and there was no transport when ATP was absent. Discussion Activity 1: Simple DiffusionUpon observing the results for all of the solutes with the 20 MWCO membrane between the left beaker and the artificial external environment of deionized water in the right beaker no diffusion occurred, because the pores were not large enough for them to pass through. An observation that is important to note is that even the small ions of NaCl did not diffused here, so it is obvious that the other molecules would also not diffuse. At 50 MWCO the pores were just large enough for the dissociated NaCl ions to get through but the threshold stopped there because Urea, Albumin and Glucose molecules in the solute were too large.Observations of the diffusion of the solutes with the 100 MWCO membrane showed that all but albumin and Glucose passed, so urea size was now compatible for the size of this pore. Finally, when the 200 MWCO membrane was introduced everything except Glucose got through because it i s a very large molecule that cannot diffuse simply. It must be facilitated. Activity 2: Facilitated Diffusion In the facilitated diffusion of Glucose the parameters that were introduced were the number of carrier proteins available for transport in the membrane.According to the results, when there was a 2. 00mM concentration of Glucose in the left beaker there was evidence of diffusion based on the measured rate of diffusion in mM/min. As the number of carrier proteins increased by 200 between 500 and 900 the rate between 0 . 0008 to 0. 0012mM/ min also increased by 0. 0002 min into the beaker. When 8. 00mM of Glucose was placed in the left beaker with the same carrier protein membrane criteria of 500, 700, and 800 the rate increased. The rate was actually faster than that of the 2. 00 mM concentration.As the concentration of glucose raised the demand for the protein attachment increased so more carrier proteins got involved, while previously some were just hanging out because there was less glucose to transfer. Activity 3: Osmosis In this experiment the study was based on the transfer of water across a membrane. Osmosis of water tends to balance out concentrations, so it will flow to an area of higher solute concentration. Water flowing to a more concentrated solution will usually increase in volume but in this closed system for the experiment the focus was on the increase of pressure.The solutes were confined to their area by a semi-permeable membrane based on the pores of the membrane and the size of the molecules in the solute. With 8mM of NaCl with a 20 MWCO membrane the pressure reading was 272 mHg because the salt was not able to pass through the membrane, but the water diffused to the salt side so there was pressure causing and unequal balance, but with the membranes of 50, 100 and 200 MWCO there was no pressure because the membrane became permeable to the salt allowing an equilibrium between he beakers, therefore no pressure. In the case of Albumin, t he water diffused building up pressure until there was no more water left to diffuse so pressure remained constant at all MWCOs. The same occurred with Glucose until the membrane was replaced with the 200 MWCO membrane. Glucose was able to diffuse thus resulting in equilibrium in both beakers. Pressure will rise until equilibrium is obtained. Activity 4: Active TransportThe experiment showed that at 1 ATP the reaction took place at very slow rate and not completely. Without ATP the transfer didn’t take place at all. When 3 ATP’s were added transfer took place quickly and almost completely. The more ATP introduced to the cell, the faster and more complete the transport will occur which is very important for the transport of glucose since it is a substrate for the production of more ATP.

Balancing Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Balancing Act - Essay Example The writer also tried to find out how much knowledge should be circulated and also weather all the generated knowledge should be circulated among the employees as the norm or the required assistance. The writer tried to find out the usage of the normal processes which are generally used to generate and circulate the knowledge required by the employees. He tried to establish the importance of the knowledge and the process. The main reason for writing the article was to analyze and assess the importance of knowledge management and the implementation of the same in the organization. For any organization restructuring of business process is very important but how this restructuring would be done, what should be the exact process of doing the restructuring and to what extent the restructuring (which is initiated by the top management) should be done with the knowledge management( which is mainly initiated from the employees) and how both the things can be balanced so that the organization is benefited from both the concepts optimally is the most important objective of the article.Analysis The main objective of the authors was to identify the importance of knowledge which is many times generated at the grass root level and managing the same by analyzing the knowledge which has been generated at the grass root level and choosing the most efficient one and circulating it through the process of the organization and the norm or guidelines which could be used by the other employees of the organization.... cient one and circulating it through the process of the organization and the norm or guidelines which could be used by the other employees of the organization. To an extent the authors met their purpose as they have identified and analyzed the reasons behind the importance of the knowledge management. The authors at first analyzed the processes which are generally used to bring any change within the organization. The authors started their analysis by the concept of reengineering. Reengineering is used to reorganize the business process as per the changes the market situations. Then the authors argued that sticking only to the reengineering process to gain competitive advantage cannot lead the company in the long run as this concept has became very common. The authors argued that to gain competitive advantage the company should concentrate on those activities which can add value to the organization and its products and services. They also cited that if the value is created by converti ng the limitation and the problems into advantages then it would be most beneficial way of bringing change and also gaining competitive advantage. The authors analyzed the various ways in which knowledge can be created and the various situations which could stimulate the process of knowledge creation. The authors also analyzed the different ways and the process by which the knowledge can be filtered and can be used as effective information and the employees can access the same. The authors also used various real life examples to analyze how the knowledge can be managed and can be used by the organization with the help of the formal processes which are laid down by the senior management. Thus to the extent of identifying the importance and the usage of knowledge management and the use of the

Proposal Marketing Plan for Brightware Corporation Research

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Fronters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Common Stocks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Too long to write adding it in a word document Essay

Too long to write adding it in a word document - Essay Example John Sanford, a case the Court had decided 16 years earlier.1 The two cases seem to have little in common. Dred Scott addressed certain controversial issues about race, including that slaves and their descendents could never be U.S. citizens. It had nothing to do with Louisiana or meatpacking, nor at the time of the ruling had the 13th and 14th Amendments yet been proposed, much less adopted. So the circumstances of the two cases seem unconnected.2 But scholars such as Hiroshi Fukurai note that the Slaughterhouse Court was able to connect the two cases â€Å"due to the passage of the 14th Amendment.†3 That Amendment had been adopted in 1868, 11 years after the 1857 Dred Scott ruling and five years before Slaughterhouse, but the Supreme Court had not yet had an opportunity to interpret its meaning. Slaughterhouse presented the first opportunity, and thereby also created a path for the Court to revisit Dred Scott. The result was the Slaughterhouse Court declared Dred Scott to have been overruled five years earlier by the first clause in the 14th Amendment, which â€Å"declared [the negro] to be a citizen of the United States.†4 As summarized by Donald Lively, â€Å"Five years after the [14th] amendment’s adoption, the Supreme Court seized an opportunity [in Slaughterhouse] to pass its own judgment on the extent to which state power and interests had been federalized.†5 In short, although it took several years, the Court in Slaughterhouse finally could return to Dred Scott via the path created by the 14th Amendment and, in so doing, substantially overturned it.6 During the U.S. Senate hearings on John Roberts’s nomination to be Chief Justice, he was asked what the Court should consider before overturning a prior case. Roberts replied that â€Å"it is a jolt to the legal system to overrule a precedent† and listed several cautionary considerations. Nevertheless, he had earlier characterized Dred Scott as

Filipino Values Essay Example for Free

Filipino Values Essay †¢Close Kinship a Filipino considers family as an important social structure that they must love and care. Close family ties results to the family still being intact regardless that the children are old and with families of their own. †¢Respect for Elders the use of â€Å"po† and â€Å"opo† in conversing or addressing older people is a sign of a Filipino’s respect for the elders. Filipinos do not send their elders to nursing homes because they still value the worth and presence of the elders at home. †¢Hospitality – the Filipino community are very warm and hospitable. They even give â€Å"PASALUBONG† (WELCOME GIFTS) AND â€Å"PABAON† (FAREWELL GIFTS) TO GUESTS. AT TIMES, THEY SACRIFICE THEIR OWN COMFORT TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR GUESTS VERY WELL. †¢Strong Faith in God their faith in God keeps them united to overcome all the problems and challenges of life. †¢Flexibility / Adaptability / Resiliency the Filipinos have the trait to laugh at themselves and THEIR MISFORTUNES OR FAILURES. THIS IS A COPING MECHANISM TO BALANCE EMOTIONAL STRESS AND TO BOOST THE CAPACITY TO SURVIVE. THEY CAN SMILE IN MIDST OF PROBLEMS AND HARDSHIPS. THEY CAN STILL CRACK JOKES DESPITE THE STRESSES OF THEIR DAILY LIVES AND DURING CALAMITIES. THEY ARE STRONG AND CHEERFUL PEOPLE. †¢Ingenuity and Creativity they are good inventors. They often improvise and make productive use of available resources. †¢Patience and Self-sacrifice a remarkable quality of a Filipino is his capacity to endure difficulties and hardships. Maybe related to the long suffering they endured during the many colonization in Philippine history. They are patient enough to wait for their turn to be blessed with greener pastures as long as they do what is right and good. †¢Hard work and Industry Filipinos are globally recognized for their excellent performance in any physical and technical tasks. Maybe visible due to the desire for economic security and advancement for one’s self and family. †¢Readiness to Share and Help – they’ re always ready to lend a hand, not only in times of need (CALAMITIES OR DISASTERS) BUT ALSO IN FESTIVE OCCASIONS (â€Å"FIESTAS†, BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGS). THE â€Å"BAYANIHAN† SPIRIT, OR GIVING HELP WITHOUT EXPECTING SOMETHING IN RETURN, OF A FILIPINO IS WIDELY ADMIRED. NEGATIVE VALUES †¢ Fairness and Justice – they always show concern for the well-being of others. They uphold the humanity of all people and regard everyone with respect and empathy. They are keen on interpersonal relationships, their primary source of security and happiness. Fairness Justice – Equality – Social Justice – Development Progress. †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Ningas Kugon† – â€Å"kugon† is a kind of grass that burns easily when dry but extinguished easily as well. Like the cogon grass, Filipinos start things with great enthusiasm but at the first sign of difficulty, the enthusiasm is consumed as fast as it has ignited. †¢Colonial Mentality – Filipinos prefer foreign-made products instead of patronizing Philippine-made ones. This result to higher gains for foreign businessmen than local businessmen. Thus, it motivates Filipino businessmen to improve the quality of their products to make it more competitive against foreign ones. †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Mamaya Na† or â€Å"Bukas Na Lang† Habit a poor habit, a sign of laziness, of leaving for a later time what can be done at the moment or today. Thus resulting to stacked workload to be done and then complain about it. †¢Crab Mentality a troublesome trait evident in a Filipino where when one sees the progress of a comrade, the other becomes resentful rather than happy for the achievement. Rather than to praise, he would highlight everything negative about that person in an effort to bring him down or destroy his reputation. They would focus on other’s own faults rather their own inadequacies. †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Patigasan† most Filipinos find it hard to say â€Å"I’m sorry† or â€Å"pasensya na†. Their precious pride always gets the best of them. †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Kanya kanya† a trait which shows self-centeredness and lack of regard for others. There are Filipinos who give priority to what they and their families could have, rather than what they can do to share their wealth and serve others better. This trait shows poor signs of patriotism, loyalty to community, and concern for the needs of others.

Presidency Research Paper: Washington

Presidency Research Paper: Washington Spencer Douglas   In America, we have a very structured and systematic government. This government has multiple layers that are intertwined and connected. The greatest of these layers are the three branches of government: the judicial, the legislative, and the executive. The most prominent of these three, in the eyes of the people, is the executive branch, or in others words the president. In our country, a long line of succession of leaders have been the heads of country running it as they see fit. Like any succession, the presidential succession is no different in the fact that it has to have a beginning. This, is where George Washington, our first president comes. George set the stage for what a president was for the people, for the government, and to the rest of the world. George Washington literally set the physically definition of what a president is for others to follow in his name, or against his name. Through his life choices as a young general, as president, and time stepping down from his p residency, George Washington has earned himself the distinction of being a good president. Georges ambition started at his roots, which was the military. After his fathers passing, George found solace and new guidance in the form of his brother Lawrence. From Lawrence, Washington learned trigonometry and surveying and cultivated a taste for ethics, novels, music, and the theater.[1] Lawrence having served under the military, inspired George to join. Later on in life after Lawrence dies, George steps up to fill the shoes and start his military role. Washington, after having his own tastes of battle, began to have his own preferences of politics. The largest question in politics in Washingtons time was whether or not to support British rule. Washington had two disputes with English officers who viewed their regular-army commissions as superior to that of the Virginia militia commander. These disputes may mark the beginning of Washingtons resentment of British attitudes toward the colonies.1 Once well known, he was appointed to County Justice of the Peace of the county of Fai rfax. Here he enjoyed the ripeness of the American Interests of exploring options and freedom. This increase this resentment for the British even more. Once tensions raised themselves high enough, Washington was elected commander of armed forces, refusing acceptance of pay. After fights of the revolution took their course, it was time for the government to reframe itself to survive, thus begetting the constitution. This lead to Washington becoming our first president. His unanimous election as the first president of the United States was certain before the Constitution was even adopted and, again, he accepted with reluctance.1 Washingtons presidency is rooted with fundamental federalist structure to strengthen our government. Washington helped to establish the capitol of what would be Washington D.C. President Washington decided to strengthen that of the area around him and the position he was in. While the Constitution calls for the creation of executive departments, it only explained that the heads of executive departments were unelected officials who had to answer to the president. Washington defined how these roles would function.[2] Washington set up his own cabinet of advisors to aid him. Unlike many presidents seen as figure heads, Washington the general, never died even after becoming president. Washington personally fought against the Whiskey Rebellion showing the power of the federal government, and emphasizing his role as commander and chief. Washington also established crucial legislature such as but not limited to: The judiciary act, the naturalization act, the bank act, and the salve trade ac t. Washington overall was a very strong presence that both people and the government around him supported. Legacy is something that Washington purely defines, as so much of our world is based on the beginning which was Washington. Washington established his successions place of residence, and their form of advisory council. He supported religious freedom and set up the organization of the Supreme Court. Washingtons main footstep in history was his balanced calculating standard for himself. He considered his power as given by the people and not for his own will to meander with. He always placed restrictions on himself, emphasizing his place as a president, not a dictator or a president. Sadly, much of Washingtons role model-esk moments are not really emphasized today, but his legacy is still established and appreciated by those who know the history. The last bit of information left to Washingtons legacy is the fact that in his farewell address he warned his successors of the presence of political parties. Washingtons Farewell Address, which warned against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, encouraged a focus on education and morality, cautioned against sectionalism within the nation, and admonished against entangling foreign alliances, has continued to have influence over American culture and political debates long past when it was first published.2 In conclusion, considering the facts that were aligned in Washingtons times, Washington in every sense of the word, was a good president. He established federal strength, became the peoples unanimous vote twice, and demonstrated what it means to be a well-constructed president and leader. The unique message that set aside Washington form his successors is that he always saw himself as a servant leader and even went out of the way to set up protections for the people against himself. Washington led America to victory over the British. Washington led to America to structure after the articles fell under and no one knew how to take the constitution. Washington, in more poetic terms, was by the people and for the people, using his well-known judgment to discern the best possible choice of action for all. Work Cited Page http://www.history.org/almanack/people/bios/biowash2.cfm http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-first-president/ten-facts-about-washingtons-presidency/ [1] http://www.history.org/almanack/people/bios/biowash2.cfm [2] http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-first-president/ten-facts-about-washingtons-presidency/

Can Evolution Fit into Christianity? Essay -- Religion Creationism Sci

Can Evolution Fit into Christianity? Thesis: Evolution versus Christianity has long been a topic of debate inside and outside the scientific community. Christianity believes that God created the world, the universe and everything in them. It believes that God takes an ever-present, active part in this world. Evolution states that over long periods of time the world changed. Bit by bit, change by change, the world was created and life began. As a scientist and a Christian, I will look at whether or not it is possible to fit evolution into my religion. Can these two controversial subjects be meshed or is the difference between them too great? What is Christianity? The Christian religion believes that God created the earth and the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ, God's son. A person must ask Jesus to come into his or her heart to live and forgive all of their sins. The main concern throughout this paper deals with the first statement in this paragraph, how the earth began. In Genesis 1:1 it states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."1 Then it continues on to tell how he created it. Christians believe that God is ever present in this world. He is always here, watching what happens and responding when someone asks. Christians also believe that God is all knowing and therefore he has foreseen how a person's life will go and what decisions he or she will make. What is Evolution? As a person begins to study the topic of evolution, it becomes apparent that everyone has their own perception as to what evolution is. Some people talk of evolution as if it were Darwinism or natural selection. Others think it is the primordial soup and the big bang. Some people simply compare an ape ... ... 4Johnson, E. Phillip, Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1997. 3Moran, Laurence. (January 22, 1993) What is Evolution? Retrieved October 30, 2003 from, http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-definition.html 10 National Academy of Sciences (2001) Science and Creationism [Electronic version]. Retrieved October 29, 2003 from, http://bob.nap.edu/html/creationism/conclusion.html 6Redelings, Benjamin. Evolution and Christianity [Electronic version]. Retrieved October 29, 2003 from, http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~bredelin/Topics/Evolution/ 12Weiner, Jonathan, The Beak of the Finch, Vintage Books, New York, 1994. 8Woodward, Thomas, Doubts about Darwin, A History of Intelligent Design. Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2003. 11Wright, Richard T., Biology Through the Eyes of Faith. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco, 2003. Can Evolution Fit into Christianity? Essay -- Religion Creationism Sci Can Evolution Fit into Christianity? Thesis: Evolution versus Christianity has long been a topic of debate inside and outside the scientific community. Christianity believes that God created the world, the universe and everything in them. It believes that God takes an ever-present, active part in this world. Evolution states that over long periods of time the world changed. Bit by bit, change by change, the world was created and life began. As a scientist and a Christian, I will look at whether or not it is possible to fit evolution into my religion. Can these two controversial subjects be meshed or is the difference between them too great? What is Christianity? The Christian religion believes that God created the earth and the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ, God's son. A person must ask Jesus to come into his or her heart to live and forgive all of their sins. The main concern throughout this paper deals with the first statement in this paragraph, how the earth began. In Genesis 1:1 it states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."1 Then it continues on to tell how he created it. Christians believe that God is ever present in this world. He is always here, watching what happens and responding when someone asks. Christians also believe that God is all knowing and therefore he has foreseen how a person's life will go and what decisions he or she will make. What is Evolution? As a person begins to study the topic of evolution, it becomes apparent that everyone has their own perception as to what evolution is. Some people talk of evolution as if it were Darwinism or natural selection. Others think it is the primordial soup and the big bang. Some people simply compare an ape ... ... 4Johnson, E. Phillip, Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1997. 3Moran, Laurence. (January 22, 1993) What is Evolution? Retrieved October 30, 2003 from, http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-definition.html 10 National Academy of Sciences (2001) Science and Creationism [Electronic version]. Retrieved October 29, 2003 from, http://bob.nap.edu/html/creationism/conclusion.html 6Redelings, Benjamin. Evolution and Christianity [Electronic version]. Retrieved October 29, 2003 from, http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~bredelin/Topics/Evolution/ 12Weiner, Jonathan, The Beak of the Finch, Vintage Books, New York, 1994. 8Woodward, Thomas, Doubts about Darwin, A History of Intelligent Design. Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2003. 11Wright, Richard T., Biology Through the Eyes of Faith. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco, 2003.

The Importance of Censorship Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The Importance of Censorship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Censorship affects our society in many different ways, it affects the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the books we read, and many other aspects of our everyday lives. Even though many might argue that censorship doesn't really have a place in a society that emphases freedom of speech and the freedom to express oneself, but censorship is an essential and needed part of our growing society, it's needed in the television industry, the Internet, and the music industry. Censorship helps to make our world a better place because it creates a better environment for us to live in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Censorship is an important and essential part of television. Without the presence of censorship television would be unsuitable for our younger viewers because censorship helps to filter out the appearances of nudity, real life violence, the use of profanity and other obscene gestures during the youth viewing hours. However, during the prime time viewing hours it?s a different story. The method the television stations use is a mere waste of time and money because a little symbol in the corner of the screen is not going to prevent a child from watching the program. The only way this method can work is if the parents/guardian is there to change the channel but let?s be realistic, how many parents/guardians actuarially have the time to monitor everything there children watch. So most children do end up viewing these programs anyway, and whether we like it o...

paintball :: essays research papers

Paintball Misrepresented Sport When you here about paintball in the news, it's always a story of someone losing an eye or committing a crime. Is this what paintball is about? Definitely not! Lets first start off by saying, that accusing the sport of paintball, for criminals vandalizing property with paintball markers (They are actually classified as markers, not guns, because they mark people, like in a game of tag), is like blaming the sport of baseball, for people that fight or injure people with bats. It's like accusing football for encouraging people to fight. Of course though, football is never blamed for that. Some people also would like to say that paintball is too dangerous, and people get injured way too often because it's unsafe to play. The fact is, those people couldn't be more wrong. Paintball requires a mask to be worn on all public fields. Neck protectors and vests are also optional if you feel like it. Most people would probably be surprised to learn that players and referees take extra care to make sure that all the players are safe in a game. National averages even show that paintball has a lower injury rate than bowling and golf! So how did those kids in the news loose an eye? Simple, they didn't wear the right protection and were probably playing on their own field, without refs and proper marker testing. Playing paintball without masks is the equivalent of playing tackle football with pads and helmets, which means someone could get hurt. Is football ever criticized for severe injuries? Almost never. So why should paintball be any different? So, before you decide to criticize paintball, first go to you local field (here in Utah, you can go to Paintball Planet or Army Navy Surplus) and try a game. Then create your opinion. Most people who go actually find it very fun. It gets your adrenaline pumping and has a frantic (but fun) feel to it. It also has some value. Playing the game a lot develops excellent hand-eye-coordination, teaches teamwork, trust, and careful planning.

“Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris Essay

Write an essay (900-1200 words) in which you analyse and comment on David Sedaris’ essay â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day†. Part of your essay must focus on the writer’s tone and on the attitude to learning foreign languages that is explored in the text. Text â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day†, an essay by David Sedaris, 2005. The essay â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day† is an essay about a guy learning a foreign language, written by David Sedaris. The main character(David) moved from New York to France, to learn the language. As he first moved to France, he was excited. He would not mind talking to people and having a conversation with them on French, but that changed after he had his first class. The writer’s tone is calm. He does not seem as a guy who has any injustice towards anyone, basically he seems like a decent guy. But as he turns up at his first class, his appearance changes and so does his reflections. He does certainly not like his teacher. He mentions; â€Å"The teacher killed some time accusing the Yugoslavian girl of masterminding a program of genocide, and I jotted frantic notes in the margins of my pad.† The sentence â€Å"The teacher killed some time accusing the Yugoslavian girl† says something about his thoughts about her. By saying that she was killing some time of accusing a girl of something, he shows a negative side about her. He does not mention any good-related thing about her at all. He definitely dislikes his teacher, and he comments her ways of teaching, in his own mind. He explains how ignorant she is. He mentions that she accidentally poked a girl in the eye with a pen, but according to the teacher, it was the girls own fault. David, the writer does not want to be humiliated by her. As she â€Å"kills† time humiliating the other students. David wants to prepare himself for the worst case scenario, so that he might get the opportunity to not be humiliated and stepped on, in front of his new class-mates, and especially his new teacher. Ex; â€Å"I took to spending four hours a night on my homework, putting in even more time whenever we were assigned an essay. I suppose I could have gotten by with less, but I was determined to create some sort of identity for myself: David the hard worker.† He wanted to create a new identity for himself. He mentions the â€Å"hard worker†.

Business Letter to the Editor for Western Herald Essay

Overview: With the previous unit, we explored personal writing suitable for academic audiences by reading scholarship from monographic texts and academic journals. For this unit, we’ll shift our emphasis to public writing that is also suitable for academic audiences. While we’ll plan to read academic scholarship, we’ll also explore different genres for which academic texts are suitable, including editorial publications. More specifically, we’ll look at opinions and letters to the editor published by the Western Herald. As we plan to work specifically with the letter to the editor genre, we’ll pay close attention to how argumentation styles, uses of evidence, and consultation of sources differs when writing a scholarly autobiographical academic essay. To prepare for the composition of editorials, we’ll read sample letters to the editors, and arguments pertaining to cultural diversity. The Task Your task will be to compose a letter to the editor that is suitable for publication in Western Herald. For this letter, you will select an issue that you are passionate about on Western’s Campus or the surrounding Kalamazoo area. Your letter should respond to the following questions: What specific issue matters most to me right now? Why should this issue matter to readers of Western Herald? To complete this assignment, you’ll first want to become familiar with the  editorial requirements for submitting letters to Western Herald. These requirements can be found on http://www.westernherald.com/letter-to-the-editor/ Next, you’ll want to read a few letters to the editor published by Western Herlad to get a sense of the stylistics conventions and argumentation strategies authors used to compose these editorials. Finally, you’ll consult course texts that discuss multiculturalism and diversity. You’ll also plan to locate, evaluate, and consult additional editorials and academic essays that address issues of linguistic diversity. In essence, you’ll need to reference sufficient and appropriate evidence necessary for persuading readers of your argument.

Muscle Milk Essay

Father and son; Mike and Greg Pickett, Founded Cytosport Inc. in 1988. The product with good taste targets bodybuilders and athletes. Muscle Milk is not only designed with athletes or body builders in mind, but can be beneficiary to a wide range of individuals seeking to be stronger, healthier, leaner, livelier or bigger. CytoSport just obtained its NSF Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Sport Registration, showing credibility that it does not contain any substances on the banned list recognized by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the National Football League, Major League Baseball, etc. (Bloomberg Business Week, 2008). Unlike other companies, Cytosport condemns the use of performance enhancing drugs, and through its efforts with IOC, NFL, and NCAA, will never include chemicals like steroids amongst their ingredients (article Base 2010). CytoSport, one of the company’s best selling products, Muscle Milk, is designed to provide nutrients that will naturally build up bodily tissue. Muscle Milk has several extension brand, including powder products, pre-blends products and power bars. Muscle Milk RTD (Ready to Drink) which comes in five delicious flavors : Chocolate shake, Vanilla creme shake, Strawberry and creme, Banana creme shake, Chocolate malt. Every bottle contains 25g of premium proteins for sustained energy including, Calcium and Sodium Caseinate, and Milk Protein Isolate (Cytosport 2010). The 14 oz. serving of Muscle Milk is gluten and lactose free and contains precisely 25 grams of protein to sustain energy, carbohydrates and functional fats for energy metabolism, and all essential amino acids in 20 vitamins and minerals. Combining science with performance Muscle Milk allows for rapid muscle growth, high energy, and increased metabolism of fat. The creators of Muscle Milk listen to the needs of their consumers and offer a variety of options for their product, such as Muscle Milk Light, their low calorie blend, or Muscle Milk Naturals which omits the use of artificial sweeteners (all business 2008). Competitive review, Muscle Milk is currently the leader in RTD protein shakes (Bloomberg Business week 2008). However there is a quickly rising competitor named Isopure, although at the moment it has not yet had as much sales as people who have been in the market for a while they have a formula which provides them with 100% all isolated natural protein (All Business 2008). In All business week article explains the distribution review, the product can be found at stores such as GNC, 7 Eleven, Costco, Vitamin Shoppe, and Fitness First Gyms. It is also available in several popular online sites such as bodybuilding. com, prosource. net, keysupplements. com and several others. Partnered with Pepsi Beverages Co. to distribute the RTD line of Muscle Milk and Muscle Milk Light in its territories in the US and Canada. The strengths of the company are since, Established in 1998 Cytosport has valuable sales experience in performance enhancing market. Our brand name is very well liked and recognized by bodybuilders and partners alike and is already being marketed via sports teams such as the Yahoo cycling team and the Under Armour Football Combines. There are over $200 million in sales within the last accounting period (Article base 2010). It has the financial resources to study the market trends; thereby, plan for the future, train sales personnel and to effectively market the brand. There are several weakness of our product, Brand recognition, even though Cytosport is an established and renown by the gym population, the general public still doesn’t know of their products. Some people may experience diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nausea after the consumption of Muscle Milk (Livestrong 2010). Some of the opportunities of our product; we are currently proud to be supporting 24 colleges by improving over 125 athletic programs. We do this by providing our Muscle Milk line of products to assist in their strength training (livestrong 2010). In March, CytoSport introduced Muscle Milk Protein H2O in GNC stores and Costco, two of their biggest partners. The Protein H20 comes in a variety of fruit flavors including Grape, Grapefruit, Orange and Raspberry. The product contains 60 calories and is sugar-free. In today’s gym obsessed world, Cytosport is utilizing this is an opportunity to promote muscle milk, thus increase its market share, whilst creating value for the customers. Unfortunately there are several threats, Nestle USA is currently suing Muscle Milk saying that they do not have any actual milk in their product and that is â€Å"eceptively misdescriptive† (All Business 2008). A third party medical group may come out with research indicating that this type of product is unhealthy (all Business 2008). There are also over fifty other competitors in this Market including CNP professional Proslam, Strength Systems USA Muscle Blast, and AllMax Nutrition ISOFLEX. Pepsi Co might start their own line of product if they see this as a good revenue line That can also be a threat. Future FDA regulations on the product may cause us to cease operations. SO Strategy, we use strengths to take advantage of opportunities Use of their efficient R&D team to develop new products quickly to respond to new distribution channels demands. We also use of experience and knowledge to create and address the specific needs of new segments of the market. Ex. Female athletes and children. WO Strategy, overcoming weaknesses by taking advantage of opportunities. Gaining brand recognition through the partnership with Pepsi Beverage Co. also improving their logistics specifically their product distribution. ST Strategy, use of strengths to avoid threats. Using the experience and product knowledge to successfully compete with any new competition entering the market. These are the TOWS analysis building strategies. Brand Positioning strategy, We currently have a benefits positioning strategy. Our product gives consumers a better way to quickly recuperate after a tough workout. For example, while working out, drinking muscle milk helps promote nutrients in your body to gain energy. Another benefit for the consumers are since we target mainly body builders, They have to maintain a healthy diet to stay in good shape, muscle milk have all the proteins and vitamins for the body needs, and consumers can replace their meal by drinking muscle milk. Product Branding strategy, Muscle Milk is a co-brand product with Cytosport. Both companies work together to make this product the best for our consumers. Line Extensions, we have already made several changes to the formula to create a variety of RTD protein shakes such as Muscle Milk light and diet Muscle Milk. For the pricing strategy, we reviewed the category performance and competitive items using Safeway SmartTraks, risk reports and the bump chart to show the price sensitivity for Muscle Milk and the competitive items. We then provided Safeway with an in depth data analysis which included a price market survey for all nine Safeway divisions versus the competi- tion for the entire category to allow them to evaluate and consider a strategy change for sports nutrition in their stores on a national basis. Our strategy was to move Muscle Milk from a high-low promotional program to an everyday low cost program. In order to do this, we needed to approach CytoSport to present our findings and see if they would be interested in providing funding based on our analysis that at a lower retail price, they would see an increase in product move- ment. This process also involved providing Safeway with projections to show them that the increased unit and dollar sales at a reduced retail price would increase their overall adjusted gross margins. With the VP of Sales at CytoSport we successfully developed and presented a plan to Safeway where CytoSport would provide the incremental funding and Safeway would reduce their margins in order to bring Muscle Milk’s retail price down. The Distribution strategy, we will reduce the cost of production, transportation and other costs associated in the process by creating a partnership with Pepsi. On the Marketing communication strategy, we used Shaq as an advertisement and created a limited edition bottle. Goal of this strategy: Muscle Milk is not only a good source for protein for your workouts, it can now make you feel like Shaquille O’Neal. We plan on using this strategy in the future with other athletes such as Brandon Roy, Ryan Hall, and etc. (Promo Magazine 2009). Since college sports are very popular we started creating limited-edition bottles themed after some of the most famous college football teams such as Georgia Tech, University of Miami, UCLA and etc. For example in UCLA wee created a bottle just for the theme of their football team using the colors of their school which are gold and blue. The 7,500 bottles produced are expected to be on shelves in November (Promo Magazines 2009). Creating value, We plan on improving our website so that we have a premium buyers page where you can get your product shipped faster the more you buy. Our partnership with Pepsi Co. makes this possible. These preferred will also be receiving special offers, such as if they pay their account balances within 15 days they get a 2% discount. Value proposition, Cytosport will provide quality product to its customers at low prices, Establish good customer relationship and loyalty, In turn maintain and/or increase the market share, and satisfying consumer needs with superior quality products, efficacy and reliability. Reference Quiton. B. (2009). Muscle Milk Energizer with Shaq. Promo Magazine, retrieved from http://promomagazine. com/news/muscle-milk-energizes-shaq-0114/ Odell. P. (2010). Muscle milk Debut college Theme bottles. Promo Magazine, retrieved from http://promomagazine. com/news/muscle-milk-debuts-bottles-0928/ All Business (2008). Retrieved from http://www. allbusiness. com/marketing-advertising/marketing-techniques/12590370-1. html Bloomberg Business Week (2008). Retrieved from http://investing. businessweek. com/research/stocks/private/snapshot. asp? privcapId=6925027 Livestrong (2010). Retrieved from http://www. livestrong. com/article/123243-side-effects-muscle-milk/ CytoSport (2010). Retrieved from http://www. cytosport. com/.

Leading and Developing a Work Team

UNIT 9 LEADING AND DEVELOPING A WORK TEAM Distinguish between management and leadership and assess the implications of each on effective team performance. Managers depend on their people. They cannot do without their wholehearted commitment and support. But gaining that support, motivating and engaging them and ensuring that they know what they are expected to do and how to do it is down to managers and it is a difficult task.This book How to Manage People of Michael Armstrong 2008 is designed to make it easier by going into the main actions that managers have to carry out to get things done through people, namely: managing effectively overall, leading, motivating, team building, delegating, interviewing, managing performance, developing and rewarding people, managing change and handling people problems. As a manager you are there to get things done through people. You are engaged in a purposeful activity involving others.But you are concerned with defining ends as well as gaining th em. You decide what to do and then ensure that it gets done with the help of the members of your team. You deal with programs, processes, events and eventualities. All this is done through the exercise of leadership. People are the most important resource available to you as a manager. It is through this resource that other resources are managed. However, you are ultimately accountable for the management of all resources, including your own.When dealing with immediate issues, anticipating problems, responding to demands or even a crisis, and developing new ways of doing things, you are personally involved. You manage yourself as well as other people. You cannot delegate everything. You frequently have to rely on your own resources to get things done. These resources include skill, know-how, competencies, time, and reserves of resilience and determination. You will get support, advice and assistance from your own staff and specialists, including human resources, but in the last analy sis you are on your own.It is important to examine particular aspects of managing people, such as leadership, organizing and motivation including teamwork. There is a need to exercise your people management responsibilities effectively. It starts with an overall look at the criteria for managerial effectiveness. This is followed by a review of the attributes of effective managers. The rest of the chapter deals with a number of the key aspects of management. As a manager and a leader you will be judged not only on the results you have achieved but the level of competence you have attained and applied in getting those results.Competence is about knowledge and skills – what people need to know and be able to do to carry out their work well. You will also be judged on how you do your work – how you behave in using your knowledge and skills. These are often described as ‘behavioral competencies’ and can be defined as those aspects of behavior that lead to effec tive performance. They refer to the personal characteristics that people bring to their work roles in such areas as leadership, team working, flexibility and communication.As a manager of people your role is to ensure that the members of your team give of their best to achieve a desired result. In other words you are a leader – you set the direction and ensure that people follow you. It is necessary to distinguish between management and leadership: Management is concerned with achieving results by obtaining, deploying, using and controlling all the resources required, namely people, money, facilities, plant and equipment, information and knowledge.Leadership focuses on the most important resource, people. It is the process of developing and communicating a vision for the future, motivating people and gaining their engagement. The distinction is important. Management is mainly about the provision, utilization and control of resources. But where people are involved it is imposs ible to deliver results without providing effective leadership.Describe the processes of team formation, and evaluate strategies for encouraging team formation and development One of your most important roles as a manager is to act as a team builder – developing and making the best use of the capacity of your team so that its members jointly deliver superior levels of performance. Team building takes place when you clarify the team’s purpose and goals, ensure that its members work well together, strengthen the team’s collective skills, enhance commitment and confidence, remove externally imposed obstacles and create opportunities for team members to develop their skills and competencies.A team is a group of people with complementary skills who work together to achieve a common purpose. Their team leader sets the direction, provides guidance and support, coordinates the team’s activities, ensures that each team member plays his or her part, promotes the le arning and development of team members, consults with the team on issues affecting its work and, in conjunction with team members, monitors and reviews team performance.However, some organizations have developed the concept of self-managing teams which are largely autonomous, responsible to a considerable degree for planning and scheduling work, problem solving, developing their own key performance indicators and setting and monitoring team performance and quality standards. The role of their team leaders is primarily to act as coordinators and facilitators; their style is expected to be more supportive and facilitative than directive.An effective team is likely to be one in which its purpose is clear and its members feel the task is important, both to them and to the organization. The structure, leadership and methods of operation are relevant to the requirements of the task. Team members will be highly engaged in the work they do together and committed to the whole group task. The y will have been grouped together in a way that means they are related to one another through the requirements of task performance and task interdependence.The team will use discretionary effort – going the extra mile – to ensure that its work gets done. The main features of well-functioning teams as described by Douglas McGregor (1960) are that the atmosphere tends to be informal, comfortable and relaxed; team members listen to each other; most decisions are reached by consensus; when action is taken, clear assignments are made and accepted, and team leaders do not dominate their teams – the issue is not who controls but how to get the work done.The performance of teams should be assessed in terms of their output and results and the quality of team processes that have contributed to those results. Output criteria include the achievement of team goals, customer satisfaction and the quantity and quality of work. Process measures comprise participation, collaborat ion and collective effort, conflict resolution, joint decision making, planning and goal setting, interpersonal relations, interdependence and adaptability and flexibility.How you and your team apply these criteria will be related to the following factors that affect team performance: the clarity of the team’s goals in terms of expectations and priorities; how work is allocated to the team; how the team is working its processes in terms of cohesion, ability to handle internal conflict and pressure, relationships with other teams; the extent to which the team is capable of managing itself – setting goals and priorities, monitoring performance; the quality of leadership – even self-managed teams need a sense of direction which they cannot necessarily generate by themselves; the level and range of skills possessed by individual team members; the extent to which team members work flexibly, taking advantage of the multi-skilling capabilities of its members; the syste ms and resources support available to the team.Good support to your team-building efforts will be provided if you conduct regular team performance review meetings to assess feedback and control information on their joint achievements against objectives and to discuss any issues concerning team work. The agenda for such meetings could be as follows: general feedback review of the progress of the team as a whole and problems encountered by the team which have caused difficulties or hampered progress, and helps and hindrances to the operation of the team. Work reviews of how well the team has functioned. The group problem solving, including an analysis of reasons for any shortfalls or other problems and agreement of what needs to be done to solve them and prevent their re-occurrence.Update objectives – review of new requirements, opportunities or threats and the amendment of objectives as required. Evaluate the stages of development of their work group as a team and select and e mploy strategies to improve and develop team working. One of your most important, if not the most important, responsibilities as a manager is to ensure that the members of your team achieve high levels of performance. You have to ensure that they understand what you expect from them, that you and they work together to review performance against those expectations and that you jointly agree what needs to be done to develop knowledge and skills and, here necessary, improve performance. Your organization may well have a performance management system which provides guidance on how this should be done but ultimately it is up to the manager. You are the person on the spot. Performance management systems only work if managers want them to work and are capable of making them work. You have to believe that your time is well spent in the process of managing performance as described in the first part of this chapter. You need to know about performance planning (agreeing what has to be done), m anaging performance throughout the year and conducting formal performance reviews as covered in the next three parts.You should have no problems in appreciating the importance of the first two activities. It is the third activity – performance reviews – managers often find hard to accept as necessary and even more difficult to do well. The process of managing performance is based on two simple propositions. First, people are most likely to perform well when they know and understand what is expected of them and have taken part in defining these expectations. In other words, if you know where you are going you are more likely to get there. Second, the ability to meet these expectations depends on the levels of knowledge, skill, competency and motivation of individuals and the leadership and support they receive from their managers.As a manager or team leader you need skilled, knowledgeable and competent people in your department or team. You may appoint able people from within and outside the organization but most of them will still have a lot to learn about their jobs. And to improve your team members’ performance you must not only ensure that they learn the basic skills they need but also that they develop those skills to enable them to perform even better when faced with new demands and challenges. Most learning happens at the place of work, although it can be supplemented by such activities as e-learning (the delivery of learning opportunities and support via computer, networked and web-based technology) and formal ‘off-the-job’ training courses.It is your job to ensure that favorable conditions for learning ‘on the job’ exist generally in your area as well as taking steps to help individuals develop. To do this job well you need to know about: the conditions that enable effective learning to take place; the importance of ‘self-managed learning’, i. e. individuals taking control of their own learnin g; the contribution of formal learning; the advantages and disadvantages of informal learning and development approaches; how you can contribute to promoting learning and development in your department or team; the use of such learning and development aids as coaching, mentoring, learning contracts and personal development plans; how to instruct people in specific tasks should the need arise. Set standards and targets and review performance.Managing performance is about getting people into action so that they achieve planned and agreed results. It focuses on what has to be done, how it should be done and what is to be achieved. But it is equally concerned with developing people – helping them to learn – and providing them with the support they need to do well, now and in the future. The framework for performance management is provided by the performance agreement, which is the outcome of performance planning. The agreement provides the basis for managing performance th roughout the year and for guiding improvement and development activities. It is used as a reference point when reviewing performance and the achievement of improvement and development plans.You should treat your responsibility for managing performance as an integral part of the continuing process of management. This is based on a philosophy which emphasizes: the achievement of sustained improvements in performance; the continuous development of skills and capabilities; that the organization is a ‘learning organization’ in the sense that it is constantly developing and applying the learning gained from experience and the analysis of the factors that have produced high levels of performance. You should therefore be ready, willing and able to monitor performance and define and meet development and improvement needs as they arise. As far as practicable, learning and work should be integrated.This means that encouragement should be given to your team members to learn from th e successes, challenges and problems inherent in their day-to-day work. You should carry out the process of monitoring performance by reference to agreed objectives and to work, development and improvement plans. You have to decide how tightly you monitor on the basis of your understanding of the capacity of individuals to do the work. Identify own leadership style and skills, and assess own effectiveness in leading and developing the team and its performance. Self-managed learning style involves encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their own learning needs.The aim is to encourage ‘discretionary learning’, which happens when individuals actively seek to acquire the knowledge and skills required to perform well. It is based on processes of recording achievement and action planning, which involves individuals reviewing what they have learned, what they have achieved, what their goals are, how they are going to achieve those goals and what new learning they n eed to acquire. The learning program can be ‘self-paced’ in the sense that learners can decide for themselves, up to a point, the rate at which they work and are encouraged to measure their own progress and adjust the program accordingly. Self-directed learning is based on the principle that people learn and retain more if they find things out for themselves.But they still need to be given guidance on what to look for and help in finding it. Learners have to be encouraged to define, with whatever help they may require, what they need to know to perform their job effectively. They need to be provided with guidance on where they can get the material or information that will help them to learn and how to make good use of it. Personal development plans as described later in this chapter can provide a framework for this process. People also need support from their manager and the organization, with the provision of coaching, mentoring and learning facilities, including e-lea rning. The leadership style I would apply is the combination of a Transformational and Transactional Leader.As a leader I can be both arouse emotions of my followers which motivates them to act beyond the framework of what may be described as exchange relations at the same time be aware of the link between the effort and reward. I can be proactive and form new expectation and be responsive from the basic orientation in dealing with present issues. Transformational leaders are distinguished by their capacity to inspire and provide individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation and idealized influence to their followers while transactional leaders rely on standard forms of inducement, reward, punishment and sanction to control followers. Leaders create learning opportunities for their followers and stimulate followers to solve problems at the same time they can motivate followers by setting goals and promising rewards for desired performance.A trait that a leader should posses s good visioning, rhetorical and management skills, to develop strong emotional bonds with followers and depends on the leader’s power to reinforce subordinates for their successful completion of the bargain. Lastly, leaders motivate followers to work for goals that go beyond self-interest.REFERENCES: http://www. ehow. com/how_5485211_evaluate-team- performance. html#ixzz1sqUbPZyH accessed on July 18, 2012 How to Manage People. Michael Armstrong 2008 accessed on July 24, 2012 How to Evaluate Team Performance | eHow. com accessed on August 3, 2012 http://www. ehow. com/how_5485211_evaluate-team-performance. html#ixzz1sqUbPZyH accessed on August 10, 2012

Air Transport Management and Operations Dissertation

Air Transport Management and Operations - Dissertation Example Airline industry profitability leans towards the elusive, and a need exists for rapid restructuring to retain the competitive advantage. Operational management of air transport operations now confronts new challenges because competition, increased fuel prices, security threats, recessionary and inflationary pressures, requirements for integrating well in the global transport system and employee union expectations present substantial pressures to deliver service excellence economically without compromising on safety or security. This dissertation presents a discussion about air transport management and operations in the new age. Declaration I certify that, except where cited in the text, this work is the result of research carried out by the author of this study. _____________________________________________ Name and Signature of Author January 2011 This write - up is for a dissertation on Air Transport Management and Operations. ... table accidents by phase of flight 21 Figure 6: Worldwide reportable accidents by occurrence category 21 Figure 7: Worldwide fatal accidents by occurrence category 22 Figure 8: Worldwide fatal accidents by operator region 22 Figure 9: Worldwide jet and turboprop fatal accident rate by type of service 23 Figure 10: Primary causal factor categories for accidents 24 Figure 11: Impact of relational coordination on airline performance 25 Figure 12: Percentage of employees represented by unions at major US airlines 26 Figure 13: Labour conflict at the major US airlines: number of strikes and arbitrations, mediations and releases since 1985 27 Figure 14: Average months required to reach contract agreement at major airlines 28 (This page intentionally left blank) Chapter 1 – Introduction In the present day and age, the most complex transportation systems and the most complex manufactured systems in the world support commercial aviation (Barnhart, 2007, Pp. 1 – 2). The worldâ₠¬â„¢s airlines and air cargo movers are the largest players in national and global air transportation systems, with the aerospace industry providing the planes and aerospace systems that make things happen (Wensveen, 2007, Chapters 1 and 4). Although the military aviation sector presents substantial statistics, general aviation is by far the largest segment of aviation based on the number of aircraft, the number of pilots and the number of airports and communities served (Wensveen, 2007, Pp. 111 – 112). According to Wensveen (2007, Pp. 112), in the year 2007 general aviation presented an industry worth US$ 40 billion, which generated more than US$100 billion in annually. This discussion focuses on the management aspects of air transport operations, with an emphasis on general management, human resource

First-hand experience of developing a market entry and a product Assignment

First-hand experience of developing a market entry and a product launch strategy for an international market - Assignment Example Launching a new effective pharmaceutical drug will take much time due to a long process of clinical trials. Moreover, for any Mexican company it will be difficult to enter the competition with other Latin American and North American pharmaceutical companies on equal positions. So it is possible to concentrate on cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals, the sectors of pharmaceuticals, which have not been universally recognized yet but are extremely promising. Cosmeceuticals incorporates cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and produces cosmetic products (lotions, creams) with biologically active ingredients, such as anti-oxidants, peptides, enzymes, that can be medically beneficial to humans. There also exist pharmaceutical technology companies, which have special subdivisions specializing in cosmeceuticals. Nutraceuticals is a blend of nutrition and pharmaceutical implying products which give certain therapeutic effect and can potentially aid in diseases treatment or prevention (Kalra 1). Such pr oducts as dietary supplements and functional food are usually referred to nutraceuticals. In Latin America the market of â€Å"healthy ingredients† is developed on the retailer levels. Plants, leaves, roots, seeds are popular among locals as they are perceived as ethnic and natural. Local home-made oils, powders, and extracts from these valuable plants are also demanded due to their easy access and low price (Lajolo 2). The products that would be optimal to launch can be dietary supplements received from local Latin American plants, such as asai, guava, camu-camu and others, which are not recognized in the world but are well-known to the regional consumers (Lajolo 3). All these plants are not examined thoroughly but even preliminary research suggests that they have huge potential. Certain subdivision of pharmaceutical company can arrange scientific research and manufacture of these products. Among the variety of dietary supplements I would advise to dwell on

Sociological Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Sociological Philosophy - Essay Example Plato suggests powers exercised by a ruler are governed by customary and community rules. Decisions are made by the minds of the rulers and their delegates. Humans have some innate knowledge of what is important and good in human life and because of this, we should not be constrained by laws and rules but by what our minds tell us what is right and just in the circumstances. The laws do not expressly provide on how to deal with this specific situation and judgment must then be made on moral principles. Permanent laws are incompatible with changing demographics and technology. Laws must change at the same pace with the rest of society to maintain society's current perspective of justice and righteousness, but time delays in passing laws precludes this. Still now, the public waits for tougher dog laws to be passed on pit bulls and others alike. Even worse, there is no guarantee administration will be efficient. Here, Plato argues, rules fail to meet the differences of time and there is a need for rulers to exercise discretion as it encourages efficiency. Where rules fail to take into account of specific, exceptional cases, Aristotle claims, equity should apply. Judges should correct errors of the law, rising from oversight by the lawmakers, given there are rules to be corrected in the first place. This is therefore, an argument to being ruled by laws. He favours rule by democracy where government by a collective of good men is better than being ruled by an absolute king. Decisions ought to be made by a democratically-elected assembly. Unlike Plato's idea of 'permanence', offices and positions will be rotated; enforcing the idea that everyone is equal and everyone should both rule and be ruled. The practice of using legal precepts to decide disputes was criticized by American Legal Realists as either redundant or pernicious. Disputes, it is said, should be decided justly. Where legal precepts dictate the same outcome as that of justice, and then legal precepts are redundant--acting justly will achieve the same results as following the precept. Where legal precepts recommend a different result than that recommended by justice then following the rules are pernicious. The result is, in the words of Jerome Frank, "injustice is according to law." (Frank, 1936) Most people are of a similar opinion when confronted with what appears to be the "unjust" application of a rule to a particular situation. One assumption underlying this objection is that, because they are formulated before a dispute arises, legal precepts cannot take into account the specific facts of a dispute that may argue in favour of a different "just" result than that recommended by the legal precept. Only after the fact can we know enough about the actual dispute to do real justice between the parties. As Frank argued, The judge, at his best is an arbitrator, a "sound man" who strives to do justice to the parties by exercising a wise discretion with reference to the peculiar circumstances of the case. He does not merely "find" or invent some generalized rule which he "applies" to the facts presented to him. He does "equity" in the sense in which Aristotle--when thinking most clearly--described it. "It is equity," he wrote in his Rhetoric, "to

The Rogerian Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Rogerian - Research Paper Example After completing the essay, I have acquired a balanced perspective regarding the two positions. The only difficulty I found in the writing of the assignment is reconciling the two views and giving a balanced position without being biased. This was only possible after considering the weaknesses and strengths of the each side. This was difficult because initially, I had my bias. In this assignment, I have enjoyed acting like a judge in trying to take a position that ensures justice to the disputing sides. I also enjoyed the additional knowledge I got from the advocates of both sides. I have also enjoyed learning about the topic because I have an interest in children rights. As I already said, I have an interest in children rights. We have never discussed his topic in another course. However, the topic concerns me as a scholar and as an advocate of children’s rights. No, you are, however, welcome to request any suggestions for improvements. THE ESSAY Terminating Parental Rights T erminating parental rights is a legal action that involves taking away parental right that a person has towards a child or children. In some cases, only one parent may have his or her rights terminated if there is sufficient ground for such an end. Sometimes, the real parents of the child are denied this right, and the child is put under the care of a foster parents. A person whose parental rights have been terminated has no responsibility over a child. Moreover, they do not owe disciplinary actions to that child, or any other form of child support. The termination of parental rights renders the parents or the parent affected to be strangers to the child, and they are not allowed to contact such a child (Dane County Juvenile Court 3). A parent is the best person who can look out for their children naturally and without complains. In fact, courts are extremely reluctant to terminate parental right until they have enough bases to do that because of this natural right. However, it is i nevitable to terminate the rights of a parent to his or her child if it has been proved that he or she is overly abusive to the child. In some cases, a child is better off under the care of different people such as relatives or foster parents (Barone, Weitz and Witt 396). Regardless of the justifications in favour of such an action, this experience can be psychologically damaging to both parties. This is because children and parents have a biological bond that cannot be replaced by placing children under the care of different people. Terminating of parental rights is an activity that has recently escalated in the United States. The act is justified because it has been considered to help vulnerable children hope for quality lives. Terminating parental rights is an activity that takes place voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary termination takes place when both parents agree to give up their parental right. This is, for instance, for the sake of adoption. If parents cannot meet the needs of a child and they want the child to be adopted, it is required that they terminate their parental rights in order to give the foster parents full rights and responsibilities over the child (Genty 5). Involuntary termination, however, happens when a parent has subjected the child to some unacceptable conditions such as sexual abuse and child labor (Schmidt 19). It is, however, challenging to separate a child from their parents. Terminating par