Islamic Political Thought Essay

The division of spiritual and temporal in Christianity has taken a long time to be enacted into the political theory of the occidental mind. There is a long history of church rule behind today’s secular political thinking. Which recognizes religion as of no significance in the eye of the state. They have taken the sovereignty from God and put it into the hands of the people. In doing so they have declared collective human conscience as their guide and have rejected all sorts of scriptures of divine nature. This is leading these societies to moral ruin. Approval of homosexuality as a legal practice by the legislatures of some western countries is an indication of the moral collapse that awaits them. Although Islam has no division of spirit and mundane but still does not support theocracy or any other form of autocratic rule. It has taken a middle course, which can best be explained by the word â€Å"autonomous†. Giving the absolute power and responsibility of guidance in the hands of God, Islam lets the, Muslims to exercise unlimited sovereignty within the limits of Quran and Sunnah. Introduction This topic seemingly look very simple and the one which can have a straightforward answer. But actually it required a great insight into the historical and the political perspective of Islamic world at large. This proposition can be tackled at a number of levels. One scheme of addressing this question could be to go to the theological injunctions, that is, to argue from Quran and Hadith. The second approach could be of digging into the history and bringing out the relevant examples. There is yet another way of going through this riddle and that is to examine the evolution of political ideology in the world of Islam and comparing it with the political evolution of the other nations or rest of the world. We may adopt any of the above methodology. But in order to get a better view of things and comprehensive answer to this question. We analyze it at all the three above-mentioned levels. This will certainly render us a better understanding of not only this question but also of many other aspects of related political problems confronting the modern Muslim societies. Before beginning with our discussion it is useful that we first determine what sovereignty is? Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary describes sovereignty as: the highest power or fully independent and self-governing. Similarly Webster’s dictionary gives the following meanings to this word: â€Å"supreme leader or the one who exercise authority in a limited sphere†. Quranic Interpretation As for as simplest mind, which goes through the Quranic text, it cannot ignore the fact that the God, that is Allah, is omnipotent, all powerful and all governing. This is the first and the last impression, which Quran leaves on any mind, no matter how naive it may be. Contrary to many doctrines, Quran declares Allah to be the sole authority on every thing that is present not only in this world but the whole of the universe. Many Quranic verses can be quoted in this context. Blessed is the Lord who holds control over all and is Omnipotent. † (Al-mulk) And again: â€Å"Exalted is the One who controls every thing and to Him you shall resurrect. † (Ya-seen) This makes very cleat that every thing lies with Allah. It flows from thence unto His creatures. Same is the case with authority and sovereignty. Allah has send man on this earth as his vicegerent. Allah has given man sovereignty to reign on this world. As Quran says, â€Å"(remember) When your Lord said to angels that indeed I shall appoint a vicegerent on Earth. † (Al-baqarah) Thus, man rules earth on the behalf of his Lord. Therefore he can exercise sovereignty with in certain limits, prescribed by Allah. Once established that sovereignty is a reign were man has been given access. We find out whether men have been given some right to make decisions for themselves or not. Is a ruler selected by Allah and imposed on men or they are encouraged to exercise their sovereign right by some collective means? Now this is an arguable question. Some section may say that a king or some sort of ruler, imposed on the society by one way or the other, has the right to exercise the sovereignty that Allah has bestowed upon men. And we also find such a precedent in the Quran, from the story of Talloot and Jalloot in sura al-baqarah we come to know that kings were imposed on men without their will and consultation, what so ever. One may cite this example from the Holy book to give weight to his argument. But one thing must be kept in minds of the people that it was the practice of Allah for the people of Israel, usually referred to as Banu-Isreal in the Quran. Who were in a stage of evolution that was to culminate at the advent of the last Prophet Muhammad (P.B. U. H)? For us i. e. the ummah of the last prophet, this rule has changed. And the new scheme under which the sovereignty has to be exercised is given in the following verse: â€Å"And they conduct their affairs with mutual consultation. † (Shura) Thus we see that Quran encourages its followers to adopt a scheme of exercising their sovereignty over themselves by a way, which hinges itself over some system of broader consultation. Of the two views, latter is the one, which seems to be accurate and closer to the rationale thinking. From the above discussion, we have reached a conclusion that Quran does recognize the sovereignty of Muslim citizen in an Islamic state and they have to device such a methodology or system, which makes it convenient for them to achieve broader consultation. Quran, similarly, rejects a single person’s claim to sovereignty and authority. Who so ever becomes a ruler of a muslim state must take the views of the society while making decisions? Now the Quran does not let loose Muslims after giving them right to sovereignty. There are a number of responsibilities that the Quran puts on their shoulders. And Quran, in its own brief but effective manner, puts them as: â€Å"Those to whom we give power, must establish the system of prayers and charity and they ask the people to do good and forbid from doing evil. † Guidance from Sunnah Sunnah i. e. Prophet’s life and actions is the biggest source after the Holy (Quran). There fore, we refer our self to this source. As the Quran says, â€Å"Consult Allah and the Prophet in a matter of discord. † At another place it is mentioned: â€Å"Surely there is the best guidance for you in the life of the prophet. † We see that the early part of the Prophet hood of Prophet Muhammad (P.B. U. H) does not give us any clue of the relation of citizens and state. It is only the latter part of his Prophet hood i. e. Medina period, in which he established a city state that we find some form or structure of a government. Now we can have any debate on the question of citizen’s sovereignty in the eye of Islam basing our investigations on this period of Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H)’s life. It has become convenient, for at the very beginning of Medina period there is a record of a political agreement between all the cross-sections of population of Medina. This political document in itself, otherwise, is a very important and valuable document. It gives an insight into the political situation of the Muslims in particular and Medina and it’s surrounding in general. Coming back to the question we are confronted with. We investigate this document to find if it sheds any light on this particular question. The first clause, which defines the parties to the treaty, adequately addresses the sovereignty of the citizens. 1. This is the treaty between the Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H), Aus and Khazraj (the helpers) and Jews of Medina and its surroundings. . Above-mentioned parties would be one group for the defense of Medina. 3. Every body is independent to practice ones religion. 4. Disputes among Jews would be settled according to their laws. It was an unprecedented treaty in respect of its very liberal approach towards communities of other religions. The point, which is very important for our thesis, is that everybody in Medina was treated as an equal party in this treaty. This was going to be the future constitution of that state for the rest of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H). Although the Jews broke this accord and had to pay its price. We do not talk about Jews as is mentioned above that they were left to their own laws. But the Divine laws governed Muslims. Which were revealed to the Prophet (P. B. U. H. ) from time to time. Thus we see that Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) in that state was the sole source of legislation. All the laws came from him. Many people misunderstand this phenomenon and they equate this authority of making laws by the Prophet Muhammad (P. BU. H) (that were revealed) as a precedent for authoritarian government by a single man. No, this approach is essentially flawed and contrary to the practice of the Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H). If we examine his political life and circumstances prevalent at that time more carefully and keenly. Then we get to a conclusion rather different from the misunderstanding that has been indicated above. As we know that Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) was sent to a people who were totally ignorant, had never experienced any form of collective government and, therefore did not have laws and legislations. Further more, Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H)’s, messaged was meant for all times to come. Thus Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) was sent to such a neighborhood where he could construct a model beginning from scratch and having no influence of any previous system whatsoever. Now it was Prophet Muhammad’s (P. B. U. H) job to introduce to them a system of laws and governance based on the divine guidance, and through them he was to demonstrate it to all people for all times to come. Laws were of course revealed and Muslims had and have to obey them as such. But when it comes to governance, we have ample examples to quote; Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) mostly used the method of consultation. And this is what the message is that after the discontinuation of revelation, Muslims have to run their affairs in the light of revealed guidance by mutual consultation. To quote few examples from Prophet Muhammad’s (P. B. U. H) life, in order to support the notion that citizens of an Islamic state do have some rights to exercise sovereignty over themselves, we refer to the following instances from the Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) life: 1. As mentioned previously, in the very beginning of political history of the state of Medina general public i. e. Muslims were made an equal part in the matters of the governance. Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) did not make himself the sole representative of the whole Muslim community. 2. Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) appointed twelve representatives (Naqeebs) among the Ansar to represent them. 3. Before the battle of Badr Prophet Muhammad (P. B. U. H) consulted Muhajreen as well as Ansar. 4. In the battlefield of Badr, the camping place of the army was selected on the advice of Habbad-bin-Munzir. 5. At the time of Uhad , Prophet Muhammad’s (P. B. U. H) own opinion was to fight within the city but the general opinion was to fight outside the city, and that was followed. 6. In the battle of Ahzaab, the strategy of digging a trench for the defense of Medina was again an idea presented by Salman. 7. The method of calling the faithful to the prayer was again a matter sort out by mutual consultation. Hence at end of this chapter we conclude that Prophet Muhammad’s (P. B. U. H) life adequately provides us the evidence that in an Islamic state the power to rule and govern lies with the citizens and not with a single person or family or some creed. Rather it is the right of the people to govern themselves as they please, but of course not violating the Quranic limits set upon them. Those to whom we give power, must establish the system of prayers and charity and they ask the people to do good and forbid from doing evil. † Islamic History and Muslim Scholars We have come out of an academic discussion. Now we shall be analyzing historical events and political realities. As we enter into a new phase of discussion. It will be very useful that we revise and redefine the question we are confronted with. So when we ask this that â€Å"are people sovereign in Islam? † What do we actually mean to imply? What are the other questions, which confront us when we say, â€Å"yes people are sovereign†? Having proved that sole source of power and strength is the Allah Almighty; do we mean to say, that Allah and His angels are physically involved in the governance of a state? Of course not, is the obvious answer. It is the men themselves who shall be arranging for any type of government. After placing theoretically all powers in Allah, when sovereignty is given to citizens it means following things. 1. Any government that is formed will be only due to the consensus of the majority of people. 2. Whenever there is some decision to be made, again it will be referred to people. Whatever a government or the rulers do is accountable to public. 4. As the government or state has functional powers, thus checks and balances on it to safeguard people against any sort of tyranny or exploitation. Now we shall examine different types of governments in Islamic history on the basis of these above points. To begin with, we first analyze first four guided caliphs. Abu Bakr (R. A) was made caliphs and presented him in front of public. His first address is very suitable example. It encompasses almost all the above four points. He said: â€Å"O people! I have been made caliph against my will.

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/.

Paint Your Wagon

Paint Your Wagon (1969) is a musical movie adaptation of the stage play musical of the same title by Lerner and Lowe. The movie is set in California during the gold-rush era and stars the Lee Marvin as Ben Rumson, Clint Eastwood as â€Å"Pardner† (Julio in the stage play) and Jean Seaberg as Elizabeth. The movie details how a small tent-city (No-Name-City) becomes suddenly populated when Ben (Marvin) discovers gold in the soil. The story is complicated by the arrival of other characters such as the Mormon with two wives – one of which he auctions off (Elizabeth) to Ben.A love triangle forms when Ben leaves to kidnap seven â€Å"French tarts† from a neighboring town and leaves Elizabeth in the care of Pardner. The two eventually fall in love and comes up with a strange arrangement of sorts through Elizabeth’s convincing argument that if a man can have two wives, surely a woman can have two husbands. Everything bodes well until the gold starts to dwindle and in desperation, Ben and the other miners decide to mine under the buildings believing that gold is dropping through the floorboards.This eventually leads to the destruction of the town, the abandonment of the settler’s and Ben’s renewed search for prospective land. The movie offers a (musical and colorful) window into the phenomenon known as the North-American western frontier that occurred as a result of North-America’s newly attained independence and the formation of the United States. The movie, through its comical portrayal of the gold-rush, demonstrated the Laissez-faire or free trade trend of modern American economics.This is demonstrated by the free and unregulated movement of settlers of the town of No-Name-City who are all looking for gold. The economy during this time was one of risk taking and speculation, which accounts for the migrant behavior of settlers and prospectors, risking resources traveling through the great plains of America in search of fortune and lands to reclaim (Effects of the American Frontier). Another aspect of the frontier era that the movie offers a window to is in the area of Politics and social tolerance.The movie offers a glimpse on Frontier politics through the portrayal of how the settlers of No-Name-City keep order. The movie demonstrates how the political system can be individualized, with people and leaders dealing with situations as they are encountered and making the best of the situation (Effects of the American Frontier). Social tolerance in the movie is demonstrated in the way that cultures and races can freely mix in the settlements formed in the movie (e. g. the mixing of Mormons, Americans, French etc. ).This is highly representative how the frontier era was highly racially and culturally tolerant. Lastly the movie also offers a glimpse into the stature of women during the frontier era. This is demonstrated through the character of Elizabeth. Though in the beginning of the movie her charact er was marginalized, even reduced to mere property (through the auctioning) she establishes that women are somewhat equal in status with men when she manages to convince the two male protagonists that she too can also avail of â€Å"privileges† reserved for men in the way that she too can have two husbands.This is reflective of how, during the frontier era women were treated as practically equals since in the wild west, with nature offering constant challenges to the settling population, women were expected to perform roles similar to those of men (Effects of the American Frontier). Work Cited â€Å"Effects of the American Frontier. † Cyberessays. com. 11 December 2008

The matrix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The matrix - Essay Example The directors of the movie ‘The Matrix’ are the two Wachowski siblings; they are Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski. The two brothers were very enthusiastic about the movie even before the making of it. It was a very ambitious project for them. They have portrayed the religious belief and the conception that they possess in well documented manner in the movie. The religious inclination of the siblings came from their mother. Their mother was originally a catholic, so the directors have got some sort of inclination towards the religious beliefs and conceptions. Moreover, their mother was also a Shamanist, i.e. she believed in reaching to an alternate state of mind. She also used to develop an energy that helped her to communicate with the various spirits. Furthermore, she also used to have the power to enter into the benevolent and malevolent spirits of the universe and can highly influence them. These environments of religion and spiritual beliefs have highly influenced s iblings to have a strong inclination towards it. Hence, they were influenced to make the movie. The movie, ‘The Matrix’, has also shown a suffice presence of the religious and spiritual concepts. Moreover, the two siblings had immensely struggled in their early life of childhood. They also believe that they were able to survive in those struggling days only because of the blessings of the God and the holy spirits (Gerrold 1-257). Literally speaking, ‘The Matrix’ is the development of an object that is influenced by the political, cultural and social environment. There are various religions practiced in this world that believe the concept portrayed in the movie, ‘The Matrix’. Moreover, the religious beliefs conveyed in Christianity and Buddhism shows strong similarity in their doctrines to the message that is being portrayed in the movie. Many people in this world believe that the

Gillette€™s Energy Drain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gilletteâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Energy Drain - Essay Example Gillette can also use its goodwill in the market to increase brand saliency. It can also show the bigness of the brand by telling people that it is a part of Gillette Family.. It should inform people that the raw-materials used by Duracell are better than those used by competitors. Using the VRIO framework, the firm can exploit its brand to help with the brand positioning. However, since competition threat is high, due to lack of barriers to entry, more competition is going enter the industry and will threat Duracell’s position in the market. This will further drain the resources. However, looking from the SCP model, the firm cannot change much about the structure, it can improve its own conduct and start acting like a market leader. It can also improve the product’s appeal to make it look better than competing brands of batteries. Duracell can also join hands with one of its competitor to share knowledge and technology to operate in the market as a bigger brand. This would also help the new bigger firm to exploit all the benefits of economies of scale and to lower its costs to compete with the cheaper brands of batteries. It will really helpful in improve the financial statements of the company and to tackle declining stock prices and deteriorating income statement. The company should try not to divest the brand as it would decrease the product line and hence the firm will then have all eggs in one basket. It will be harmful for the company because any volatility in the razor’s division is going to have a bad effect on the overall liquidity position of the firm. Hence, the firm should consider merging with another firm in order to increase market share and reduce the intensity of competition in the

Being A Good Second Language Teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Being A Good Second Language Teacher - Essay Example As for academic studying a foreign language can improve cognitive and critical thinking abilities. Knowledge of a foreign language gives an advantage in every career. Foreign language study provides the ability to gain an understanding of the country's trading partners. Many multinational corporations and nongovernmental organizations need people with foreign language abilities. Learning a language is not just learning about its pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, it is learning to see the world as the other culture sees it. To study a language well, the teacher must have professional skills and have perfect knowledge in language. Also it is important to involve students in studying and to make the subject interesting. For language teacher is obligatory to be a good trainer in speaking and writing and know how to make his lessons easy for understanding and for learning. In order to have good knowledge in language it is necessary to understand all sciences that are connected with language studying. These are all sciences that are called Linguistics sciences and of course Country study. Language learners must acquire a language's components such as its sound system, basic lexicon, and grammatical structure, all of which takes time and practice. Students that study modern languages need great opportunities to speak, listen, read, and write in order to develop communicative fluency, understanding of how the language is constructed, and understanding of culturally-appropriate interactions. The most important and the most interesting branch of Linguistics is Communicative Linguistics. This branch works not only with text but also with its elements and their roles and with their functions. While studying language main practical aims are to speak fluently and to write correctly. It is impossible without learning of sound system (Phonetics). Different groups of languages have different sound systems and very often they differs a much. For example, we can take English language. There are three types of Phonetics: Acoustic Phonetics is the study of the physical properties of sounds, Auditory Phonetics is the study of the way listeners perceive sounds and Articulatory Phonetics. Several different combinations of letters can represent one sound. For example, he, believe, Lee, Caesar, key, amoeba, loudly, machine, people, and sea. Also a great role has different factors that have influence on sounds. For example, duration is very important. Let's take duration of the sound [i] in words sea [si:] and see [si] where it gives the meaning to the word. The ways in which sounds and meanings are related is called Semantics. Lexical semantics is concerned with the meanings of words and the meaning of relationships among words, while phrasal semantics is concerned with the meaning of syntactic units larger than the word. Semantic properties are the components of meanings of words. For example, the semantic property "human" can be found in many words such as parent, doctor, baby, professor, widow, and aunt. Other semantic properties include animate objects, male, female, countable items and non-countable items. Also Semantics contains such parts as homonyms (different words that are pronounced the same, but may or may not be spelled the same (to, two, and too), polysemous

Film analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Film analysis - Essay Example The scenario is perhaps, one of the serious but not so intimate moments that Helen and Glenn have in the entire film, but it can be considered as one that is normal to take place between the two individuals who are inclined to feel something special for each other. The scenario illustrates the common characteristics of men and women that are often portrayed not just in the movie film, but in reality. The society accepts the point that women are more likely to respond to emotions or their feelings compared to men. Men on the other hand, are viewed to be straightforward, and at some point should establish a remarkable characteristic as someone who is firm enough. When Glenn and Helen talked in the park, the gender issue is substantially showcased. Helen is depicted as the one who relies not only on a hunch, but primarily on both of her feeling or emotion and logic. She tries to establish a remarkable point of understanding things, from the innermost part of one’s being prior down to the external point in order to create the achievement of a successful life management. This is a little bit deeper to understand, but what exactly is important to know here is the thought of how woman might essentially expressed herself in order to receive recognition or a moment of consideration. Helen might therefore not too emotional in this scenario, but she illustrates the importance of feeling and emotion in the decision-making process, as integral components for self-expression. She has substantially shown how important it is to completely rely on the innermost part of an individual in order to make things clearer to the outside world. In other word s, Helen remarkably points the idea of how important it is for a woman to substantially elaborate things, or make it much clear or obvious to understand. That is why it is apparent that Helen has uttered more words compared to the minimal lexes expressed by Glenn. One can captivate these

Database Management of Northampton Business School Essay

Database Management of Northampton Business School - Essay Example From the report it is clear that  the organizations have realized that the key to an efficient running of a business operation or any management process is efficient access and storage of information. The electronic Database management system was designed to fulfil two primary needs, storage and access of data in a time efficient manner. The traditional database management was cumbersome and was not centralized.This discussion highlights that  information was limited within departmental boundaries of the organization. It was difficult for one department to access data of another department. Now with the development of computerized databases, data entry and data access, both are performed in a centralized manner.  The data can now be stored in a centralized server and can be accessed by all the departments. As a result, access to information has become faster which gives employees more time to invest in other endeavours. Thus, it can be stated that database management system has increased the productivity of an organization. Incorporation of database management into an organization is a perfect example of restructuring a management with the help of technology.  The database is to be used to monitor students’ activity, their attendance, individual grades, enrolled courses, performance rating and behavioural conduct. The entity relationship structure will further describe the database and how it is linked to the entire organization of a centralized operation.

Group Project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Group Project 2 - Essay Example It is the role of the appropriate staff to take steps to correct a problem and to prevent a recurrence through implementation of the recommendations arising from investigation. Once the incident is detected, it should be assessed, categorized, prioritized, and queued for appropriate action. After that, a research should be conducted about the incident; on what had happened and who has been affected, etc. Incidence response requires taking necessary actions, to resolve the issue, by doing all that is necessary (Reilly, 2003). CERT receives an incident report through the incident handling system via various means of communication such as a phone call, walk-in reports, e-mail, fax and websites among others. The team usually consolidates the reporting channels, especially using the e-mail. The system formally registers the report by linking it to some Alphanumerical reference to enable easy management in the future. The system should be protected against spam and implementing pre-filtering mechanisms. An incident should then be verified and classified according to the information on the report. The incidents vary in severity (very high include DDoS, high include Trojan distribution and normal include spam). An incident should then be assigned to an incident handler. Incident resolution is administered next, towards realizing the desired result. Data is collected from those affected; through the exchange of ideas, some of those that are concrete and practical enough to be implemented are set for the different parties (Reilly,

Federal Transportation Budget Essay Example for Free

Federal Transportation Budget Essay What is the structure of the Federal Transportation Budget? Since 2001, in the Department of Transportation, the government administration worked closely with Congress to develop a reasonable budget plan that would enact a responsible reauthorization of The Department of Transportation’s highway and public transportation. Also, the highway safety programs were included that allows for the states to have more flexibility and raises more money and pinpoints the most important areas that need attention, such as mobility and safety.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The President’s budget for transportation support efforts in developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System which will meet the demands for airspace capacity. This budget also covers funds for intercity passenger rails at a rate that will convince Amtrak to take action in reforms and control the spending. (CBS News, 2007) CBS News reports that â€Å"More funds will now be distributed to pay for highway many safety programs and changes which was recently-enacted by the surface transportation reauthorization law.† Since 2001, The Department of Transportation has aided in stabilizing the airline industry, after the September, 11, 2001 attacks from terrorists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Federal Budget for Transportation was designed to cover the most important issues dealing with transportation issues. The Budget of the United States Government displays a chart that lists the amount of money allotted for transportation. (FY07 Budget, 2007) under the title â€Å"Transportation.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reference Page Transportation Allotments.(2007). Federal Budget 2007. Fiscal Outlook. CBS News. FY07 Budget. GPO Access. (2007). Department of Transportation. Budget of the United   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   States Government: Browse Fiscal Year 2007.

Benefits of Adult Foster Care (AFC)

Benefits of Adult Foster Care (AFC) Types of Community-Based Long Term Care Services Crystal Mullen What did you learn this week that you did not know before or that you found interesting? What outside resources did you use this week? Your submission should be 1 page APA formatted paper, not including your title page. Although I was blessed to grow up in a home with a mom who loved me and provided for all my needs, I knew not all children were as blessed. I remember watching television shows like â€Å"MacGyver† and talk shows like â€Å"Donahue† and â€Å"Oprah† that spoke about foster children who grew up in various homes until their 18th birthday. Then, almost without warning they are dropped out of the foster care system because they are now legally considered an â€Å"adult†. I always thought that once a person turns 18 there is basically no long term assistance for individuals who are unable to care for themselves and I always found that premise to be so cruel because there are adults who need to be cared for. Well, I’m happy to report that for those who need it the most, there is such a thing as Adult Foster Care (AFC). AFC offers physically or mentally impaired, frail senior citizens or simply ailing adults around the clock assistance that they may not receive from their own family members or caregivers. Often these caregivers are overwhelmed and find themselves unable to continue the necessary care for their loved one. In these cases the only alternative would be to admit them into the AFC system (Boehlke, 2013). Many times AFC homes are large homes that are set up to mimic a traditional, mainstream home that could teach these adults life-skills that will help them interact with society the best of their own ability (Boehlke, 2013). AFC is no substitute for a therapeutic residential facility where an adult would receive services like awake night or nursing care support (Fosterparenting.com, 2013). However, the home does provides 24 hour assistance for up to five adults for those who are simply unable to care for themselves. Adults receive their meals, are supported, supervised, and even receive as sistance with their personal care needs while obtaining necessary training in living skills. Licensed providers are paid by the state that has the home, usually on a monthly basis (Fosterparenting.com, 2013). Reviewing the facts with the various types of AFC homes as well as the duration of stay will help a family member or caregiver determine an informed alternative on where he or she can send their loved one to be cared for long term (Boehlke, 2013). If a person were to develop an AFC home, he or she would require vision, a competent staff, a budget, and the capability of meeting all applicable policies and procedures, regulations and laws. These items can be realized by taking the following steps: 1 A person who is interested in developing an AFC home should research the applicable state laws and regulations where the home is to be founded. States govern AFC through their Bureau of Children and Adult Licensing, Social Services Department, Department of Health, or the state’s Department of Human Services. This is because when an AFC home is being set up, the applicable state office that oversees AFC homes needs be identified. The rules and regulations for creating and establishing an AFC home in each state can be found through Internet research (Rappeport, 2013). 2 Interview people who already manage foster homes. AFC homes may be found through the state office that provides licenses for AFC homes. That are quite a few questions that may arise would be appropriate to discuss when planning to create an AFC. One question to consider would be what type of population does this particular home serve? For example, are they mostly developmentally challenged individuals, emotionally challenged individuals or a mixture of both? Another set of questions to consider would be what is the general age range this AFC home serves? If there is a diversity of ages in the home, how do individuals interact with each other despite the age differences? Finally though certainly not exhaustively I would consider asking the question what does the AFC home schedule look like. For example, does the schedule enable those who can to work outside the home? If so, how are residents able to obtain work (Rappeport, 2013)? Answers to questions like these and many others could prepare an individual for opening an AFC home. 3 Contact the state as well as federal government office that offers grants for the establishment of AFC homes. Periodically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides grants and/or loans for the development of AFC homes. As soon as the home has been approved the appropriate government entities will then allocate the proper compensation that will be allocated toward the eligible AFC individuals to manage the home and care for their residents in a licensed AFC facility (Rappeport, 2013). 4 Licensed assistants and staff need to be recruited and implemented to help maintain the facility. What the home will need to run efficiently will be based on the needs of the residents they house. This includes the severity of their disabilities and the number of residents who live in the home. The state’s regulatory office that governs AFC homes will make available a list of the requirements that state holds for the staff in that home. Information for these requirements can be retrieved from the offices website. Generally, most states require that those desiring a job in a foster care home complete a basic course in AFC followed by continued education hours annually. A criminal background check may also be required (Rappeport, 2013). Conclusion I can now see how AFC can benefit more than the adults who live there. First of all, adults who are unable to take care of themselves have a place to go where they can both receive care while also be enabled to live as independently and autonomously as possible. Furthermore, family members and caregivers who become overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for these adults have an option of ensuring care for their loved one while restoring a sense of normalcy within their own home. Finally, though not exhaustively, I can see how AFC can be a viable business option where licensed personnel can be compensated for caring for those who cannot care for themselves. I don’t know if they are adequately paid for their services, but I still see it as a selfless occupation. Therefore, AFCs give hope to adults to live a fulfilling life without being tossed out by the traditional system. They benefit adults, their families, and those who manage the AFC home. References Boehlke, J. (2013). What Is Adult Foster Care? Retrieved December 31, 2013, from eHow.com: http://www.ehow.com/print/about_4578950_what-adult-foster-care.html Fosterparenting.com. (2013). Adult Foster Care. Retrieved 31 December, 2013, from Fosterparenting.com: http://www.fosterparenting.com/foster-care/adult-foster-care.html Rappeport, L. (2013). How to Start an Adult Foster Care Home. Retrieved December 31, 2013, from eHow.com: http://www.ehow.com/print/how_5625539_start-adult-foster-care-home.html

The Yellow Wallpaper and The Chrysanthemums -- Comparative, Allen, St

Restraints are set by parents on their children to aid with the developmental process and help with the maturity level. Restrictions and the ability to control exist in our society and our lives. We encounter restraints daily: job, doors, people, and the most frequently used and arduous become intangible. In the following stories tangible and intangible scenarios are presented. Autonomy, desires, and talents spurned by the husbands in John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums and Charlotte Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The authors share views regarding a similar theme of male domination and imprisonment. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† involves the treatment of a depressed woman who is driven insane in a male imposed detention in her own room. On the other hand, Elisa Allen in the â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† struggles internally to find her place in a fully male dominated society with definite gender roles. The mirror-like situations bring upon a different reaction for both the women in different ways. The importance of symbolism, control from their husbands, and the lack of a healthy marriage will be discussed in this paper in two stories. Elisa Allen and the narrator of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are both trapped in various ways and the sexuality leads to this entrapment. Elisa feels confined and limited; â€Å"the high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world† (226). Trapped inside the house and feels isolated from the world outside. The chrysanthemums symbolize her scope of life where she devotes most of her time with this activity. The chrysanthemums, strong and thriving, portray Elisa’s current physical condition. She treats the chrysanthemums like her children; â€Å"she held the flower po... ...e husbands possess a male ego of power that leads to lack of understanding in their marriages. The wallpaper symbolizes the trapped narrator and the structure of the tradition. Also, Elisa’s chrysanthemums are discarded and the narrator’s feelings are disowned which portrays the rejection of women. Elisa ends up â€Å"crying weakly like an old woman† and settles for wine (233). The narrator’s actions lead to her husband fainting â€Å"but he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time† (447). The narrator is insane and causes faintness in her husband, hoping that she now has an escape. To conclude, John Steinbecks â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and Charloette Perkins â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† show two different outcomes mainly arisen due to being trapped inside an isolated house or a garden and having a limited life under a husband's control.

Web-Based Training Essay -- Internet Technology Computers Papers

Web-Based Training "Live, interactive training over the Internet is one of the hottest trends in corporate training" (Black, 1998, p.1). This type of training is a step away from the interactive distance learning that is "a two-way interactive full-motion video network that allows participants to see and hear each other from remote locations at real-time speeds" (Comeaux, 1995, p.1). This type of interactive distance learning has been criticized for its technical difficulties and interruptions as a result and its lack of interactivity for several reasons such as the instructor’s limited knowledge of how to utilize the technology for maximum results and the two second wait time before each response that tends to make students feel that their answers must be well-thought out which in turn decreases spontaneity in the learning environment (Comeaux, 1995, p. 3-5). Even so, the Ford Motor Company has had great results with their interactive distance learning network called Fordstar. Each of "Fordâ₠¬â„¢s headquarters trainers and their instruction videos are broadcast through network satellites to 6,000 dealerships in North America. The dealerships are equipped with computers, video monitors, and keypads" (Cohen, 1996, p. 1). Behind their distance learning network is the philosophy that "the key to adult learning is interactivity" and with a keypad, trainees can participate or interact at the rate of every five minutes (Cohen, 1996, p.1). But again, despite some companies successes with interactive distance learning involving video and interactivity of some type such as the keypad, the new trend in interactive distance learning is Web-based training or learning, which is "instruction delivered via a Web browser through the Internet or... ...d training yields maximum returns. Workforce(78)2, 3 pages. Available on Galileo under Periodical Abstracts. Harmon, Stephen W. and Hurmi, Atsuri. (1996, May). A systemic approach to the integration of interactive distance learning into education and training. Journal of Education for Business(71)5, p. 267-271. Available on Galileo under Periodical Abstracts. Hawkins, Donald T. (1998, January). Revisiting web-based training: a correction and an update. Online(22)1, p.55-56. Available on Galileo under Periodical Abstracts. Kursh, Steven. (1998, March). Going the distance with web-based training. Training & Development(52)3, p. 50-53. Available on Galileo under Periodical Abstracts. Uiterwijk, Julie, & Seoane, D., & Mitchell, L., & Welch, J. (1998, November). The virtual classroom. InfoWorld(20)47, 7 pages. Available on Galileo under Periodical Abstracts.

Chemistry by Graham Swift, Snowdrops by Leslie Norris, and finally Essa

Chemistry by Graham Swift, Snowdrops by Leslie Norris, and finally Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit by Sylvia Platt. How do the authors of the anthology deal with the subject of change? In this essay I am comparing three stories together. These stories are ‘Chemistry by Graham Swift’, ‘Snowdrops by Leslie Norris’, and finally ‘Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit by Sylvia Platt.’ I will investigate how the stories are similar and different, and also how they come across to the reader. I will explore the techniques they use and how each author deals with the subject of change. ‘Chemistry’ is about a boy recalling his childhood and that sees an ‘invisible’ bond between himself, his mother, and his grandfather. He uses the boat to symbolise the bond, and when the boat sinks, the bond is broken. We see things as the boy saw it, recall the boy’s thoughts and emotions of how he felt towards his mother’s lover Ralph. ‘Snowdrops’ is from another boy’s memory, where it outlines two different worlds, the adult world, and the child world. The boy is excited by the thought of seeing snowdrops that his teacher Miss Webster was taking them to see. He is excited of seeing the flowers as he believes they are magical. The boy finally sees the flowers and feels depressed because they are not exciting at all. ‘Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit’ is set from the eyes of a girl, who always thought her Uncle Frank was like superman, and has a lovely life until a few incidents ruin it for her. The poor girl is heartbroken as she is blamed for an accident that happened which she had nothing to do with. She finally realises that her Uncle Frank (her Superman) will not always come to her re... ...fying statement ‘Today Miss Webster was going to show them the snowdrops growing in the little three cornered garden outside the school keepers house, where they weren’t allowed to go.’ This makes us think ‘Who is narrating?’ ‘Who are them/they?’ In Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit the poor girl is shown the real images of war, and her own mind would not let her look away ‘I blocked my ears to muffle the sound of the men groaning, but I could not tear my eyes away from the screen.’ In conclusion I believe that the authors are very successful in writing these stories and in my opinion each story is well structured and planned. Each story was very easy to read, quite short but informative. These stories were very interesting to read; the authors give a whole new aspect to â€Å"Short Stories† and have shown me a new way to write short stories.

Interpretations of our Culture and gender Essay

Culture is a representation of many aspects ranging from indigenous practices, eating habits and even clothing, thus culture is expressed all the way through many and various ways, customs, habits and behaviors. Nevertheless culture is also identified through language. Culture and language are so intertwined and in that complexity, culture can neither be separated from language nor can language be separated from culture. The way people choose to use language in various phases of life affiliates them to a one specific culture from the other. In this context, cultures are very different from one another, for instance in some cultures women have no voice in society and there are roles that they are not allowed to play. However, (Embers 2007) note that, â€Å"it must not be forgotten that some people can create a class through stratification or class which may end in discrimination or segregation†. In this case there is class of the poor and another of the rich and through these classes; people develop a culture befitting them. In matters of sex or gender, some ethnic groups are very discriminative towards women and the class of women has been given lesser roles in society than men. Women do not make decisions or are not involved in decision making processes or procedures. However, it has dawned in many cultures that women play vital roles for the survival of many societies. Many rigid cultures that have rendered women voiceless have realized women at many a times make brilliant decisions than expected. So, what have they done? Women have been listened to and many have been given powerful leadership positions in such cultures to make impacting decisions. Currently, in many cultures women are leaders and they have performed. So far so good, there is no major disagreement and the way forward for many cultures is not to use gender or sex as a whip, but to be specific let girls and boys in any cultural setting get equal education, position and or all other favors, then give them equal opportunities. Reference: Ember, C. & Ember, M. (2007). Cultural Anthropology, 12th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Cash Flows and Financial Statements at Sunset Boards

CASH FLOWS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AT SUNSET BOARDS Below are the financial statements that you are asked to prepare. 1. The income statement for each year will look like this: | Income statement| | | 2008| | 2009| | Sales| $247,259| | $301,392| | Cost of goods sold| 126,038| | 159,143| | Selling & administrative| 24,787| | 32,352| | Depreciation| 35,581| | 40,217| | EBIT| $60,853| | $69,680| | Interest| 7,735| | 8,866| | EBT| $53,118| | $60,814| | Taxes| 10,624| | 12,163| | Net income| $42,494| | $48,651| | Dividends| $21,247| | $24,326| | Addition to retained earnings| 21,247| | 24,326| . The balance sheet for each year will be: | Balance sheet as of Dec. 31, 2008| | Cash| $18,187| Â  | Â  | Accounts payable | $32,143| Â  | Accounts receivable| 12,887| Â  | Â  | Notes payable | 14,651| Â  | Inventory| 27,119| Â  | Â  | Current liabilities | $46,794| Â  | Current assets| $58,193| Â  | Â  | Â  | | | Â  | | Â  | Â  | Long-term debt | $79,235| | Net fixed assets| $156,9 75| Â  | Â  | Owners' equity | 89,139| Â  | Total assets| $215,168| Â  | Â  | Total liab. ; equity | $215,168| In the first year, equity is not given. Therefore, we must calculate equity as a plug variable.Since total liabilities ; equity is equal to total assets, equity can be calculated as: Equity = $215,168 – 46,794 – 79,235 Equity = $89,139 | Balance sheet as of Dec. 31, 2009| | Cash| $27,478| Â  | Â  | Accounts payable | $36,404| Â  | Accounts receivable| 16,717| Â  | Â  | Notes payable | 15,997| Â  | Inventory| 37,216| Â  | Â  | Current liabilities | $52,401| Â  | Current assets| $81,411| Â  | Â  | Â  | | | Â  | | Â  | Â  | Long-term debt | $91,195| | Net fixed assets| $191,250| Â  | Â  | Owners' equity | 129,065| Â  | Total assets| $272,661| Â  | Â  | Total liab. & equity | $272,661|The owner’s equity for 2009 is the beginning of year owner’s equity, plus the addition to retained earnings, plus the new equity, so: Equity = $89,139 + 24,326 + 15,600 Equity = $129,065 3. Using the OCF equation: OCF = EBIT + Depreciation – Taxes The OCF for each year is: OCF2008 = $60,853 + 35,581 – 10,624 OCF2008 = $85,180 OCF2009 = $69,680 + 40,217 – 12,163 OCF2009 = $97,734 4. To calculate the cash flow from assets, we need to find the capital spending and change in net working capital. The capital spending for the year was: | Capital spending| | Ending net fixed assets| $191,250| | – Beginning net fixed assets| 156,975| | + Depreciation| 40,217| | Net capital spending| $74,492| And the change in net working capital was: | Change in net working capital| | Ending NWC| $29,010| | – Beginning NWC| 11,399| | Change in NWC| $17,611| So, the cash flow from assets was: | Cash flow from assets| | | Operating cash flow| $97,734| | – Net capital spending| 74,492| | – Change in NWC| 17,611| | Cash flow from assets| $ 5,631| 5. The cash flow to creditors was: | Cash flow to credito rs| Â  | | Interest paid| $8,866 | – Net new borrowing| 11,960 | | Cash flow to creditors| –$3,094| 6. The cash flow to stockholders was: | Cash flow to stockholders| Â  | | Dividends paid| $24,326 | | – Net new equity raised| 15,600 | | Cash flow to stockholders| $8,726| Answers to questions 1. The firm had positive earnings in an accounting sense (NI > 0) and had positive cash flow from operations. The firm invested $17,611 in new net working capital and $74,492 in new fixed assets. The firm gave $5,631 to its stakeholders. It raised $3,094 from bondholders, and paid $8,726 to stockholders. . The expansion plans may be a little risky. The company does have a positive cash flow, but a large portion of the operating cash flow is already going to capital spending. The company has had to raise capital from creditors and stockholders for its current operations. So, the expansion plans may be too aggressive at this time. On the other hand, companies do need capita l to grow. Before investing or loaning the company money, you would want to know where the current capital spending is going, and why the company is spending so much in this area already.

Effective People, Communication and Information Essay

Legoland is a group of Lego themed adventure parks that offer an assortment of Lego themed attraction, mainly targeted at young children and families. Legoland is based in many different places in the world. At the moment there are four main Legoland parks. Legoland Billund in Denmark, Legoland Deutschland in Germany, Legoland Windsor in England and Legoland California in America. They also employ for a number of jobs including, catering, admissions, rides and attractions, security, finance, nursing etc. These jobs are normally seasonal as Legoland is only open in the summer and some holidays. This job can be part time or full time during the working season. In this section of the assignment I will describe Legoland’s rigorous recruitment process. They start the process in December during which time they send out invitations to previous staff and to local advertising to attract attention. They send invites to previous staff as they may want to work again and the company can save money on training new staff. While advertising is going on, all applications are shortlisted to the few that employers think have more potential. In January and early February, the successful candidates are then called for interviews. In Mid-February and March staff training starts so new employees are taught how to use the equipment properly and get to know the safety rules. Training is done during this time of year so staff are fully trained before Legoland opens to families. From april to august the recruitment is ongoing with staff turnover. This is because when some staff start, they may not like the job and decide to leave so Legoland need to be prepared to replace those that leave. Legoland also try to attend as many careers fairs as possible where feasible. This depends on staff availability. When Legoland staff arrive at these fairs, they set-up recruitment stands and models. They also provide job descriptions, applications and employment advice that relates to qualifications and experience that specific departments look at. Legoland attracts potential employees in many different ways: * Website to attract national and international employees. * Local newspaper to attract local audiences. * Careers Fairs held in schools and colleges to attract younger members. * Job centres. * Word of mouth. This section of the assignment is mainly about how Legoland attract potential employees. In order to find the right people they have to support their brand image to find a quality employee. The selection techniques are very strict as managers have to be very professional in choosing the right employees. Their advertising is focused and emphasises their culture and personal qualities. Their relationships with local employment bodies and educational establishments are very close so as to give everyone a chance to work there. You can apply by undergoing a screening interview on the phone or in person. This is good as Legoland employers can see aswell as get to know possible future employees. You can also apply online for any available jobs. By doing this and having overseas agents and employment organisations Legoland have internationalism. Legoland try to ensure that staff turnover is kept as low as possible by doing many different things. They try to get as many past workers as possible to save money on training which keeps the turnover low as less money is spent and less people are expected to leave as they have previously worked there. Appraisals are held to keep track of employee’s targets and the way they are working. Departments can get certain goals and targets to help achieve certain things. Legoland staff are given rewards and awards to help keep up their good work so there is less chance of them leaving the job as they may enjoy it more and decide to stay on further. Legoland look closely at NVQ’s and cross-reference them with other assessment schemes

Misguided Ink

Tattoos today are becoming very popular within the younger generation. Despite this creative trend of self expression, society still places judgment upon inked individuals. What ever happened to, don't Judge a book by its cover? Unfortunately, people fail to the person who really Lies behind the Ink. Having tattoo's can lead to a lot of misjudgment. Especially In the workplace.An employer might misjudge a potential employee with tattoos for a criminal, without a second thought. Even though it may be true that most prisoners have tattoos, it's not right to put everyone with a tattoo in that category. Even a prisoner with a tattoo could be falsely accused. Also, an employer might consider tattoos as a sign of less Intelligence. Since when does art become a sign of a weak mind? Being creative helps open closed minds. What's on a person's skin should not determine there abilities to work.Eventually, with the growing trend of tattoos, employers are going to have to reconsider there tattoo policies. One day this younger generation will be doing the hiring, it will become rare to not have tattoos. Regardless, there Is still a human being behind the Ink. Toffees make a statement groups, religion, and even memories. Tattoos are transforming into an art form rather than a lowly form according to some perspectives. As humans we have the gift of free will, who has the right to tell us what we can and cannot put on our bodies?Whether we use the gift of free will for good or bad we should not be Judged, since we all have a story to tell whether we express it through a tattoo or on a piece of paper. Tattoo's are a creative way of expressing inner feelings to the world, and can help with self esteem issues ND give someone a boost of confidence. To look down upon someone with tattoo's without knowing the full story behind the ink is like throwing away a flower. It takes a brave individual to express themselves to the world with a permanent line of ink.To be careless about what others may think of there bodied art is rather spontaneous. Judging a person with a tattoo is similar to Judging a child for coloring outside the lines. Coloring outside the lines can give someone the sense of freedom and self. What is even more misjudged is the creator behind the ink. Tattoo artist can be misjudged as well. The effort, thought, and talent that goes into the creating process of the tattoo can be challenging and time consuming.The creative process needs necessary machinery, a body with an idea, an experienced hobby rather than a real profession. Some would fail to realize tattoo artist have earned art degrees, while spending years building a portfolio of beautiful masterpieces of Art is everywhere, without it life would be a blank boring canvas. Some people may themselves as a canvas to splash color on. A tattoo is a way of expressing a feeling or image. Everyone has feelings, there is no need to place Judgment on someone who is tot afraid to express there inner bein g.A piece of art is a unique form of identity, we all want to be noticed, and have different ways of showing it. Its not right to Judge another as one is perfect. Color your own walls and leave no room for Judgment. There is more than what meets the eye, not everything that is seen is as bad as it seems. A open mind can set a soul free. It's not good to let the world define an individual based on there appearance. Don't let the world define beauty. True beauty and strength comes from within the soul, and Ink is only skin deep. Tattoos bleed out character.

Answer these questions on Judiasm Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Answer these questions on Judiasm - Assignment Example The religion also includes a practice of meditation especially the letters that make the word God (YHWH). The history of Judaism religious texts is the Torah and Jews worship in Synagogues. Jewish relationship with God is a covenant and Jews must keep God’s laws. Some holy days according to Judaism include Hanukkah, Purim, Sukkot, Passover, Shavuot and Sabbath (Atkinson 56). Men’s circumcision is central to Judaism beliefs. Some Judaism rites include the child birth rites whereby male child is given a name after circumcision while wedding ceremonies entail the breaking of a plate in symbolism of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. In addition, Judaism requires the Jews to pray three times a day (Wood 67). The rise of Synagogue system was precipitated by the destruction of the original worship center that was the Temple in Jerusalem. King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem as an Ark of the Covenant. In 586 BC, it was destroyed by Babylonians, but later built o n smaller scale by Herod in the 1st century. Subsequently, Herod’s temple was destroyed in 70 AD by Romans. The remains of the Herod’s Temple are the western retaining wall that acts as important place for prayer, gathering and pilgrimage (Wood 78). The rise of Synagogue system started during the 6th Century BC during Babylonian exile since Jews could assemble in quorums of about ten men and pray. Several Synagogues were set in Jerusalem in order to cater for ex-slaves and freedmen and Apostle Paul used Synagogues to teach Christianity to the Jews. Synagogues were built on a raised place near the neighboring houses and acted as both social institutions and religious institutions during Jesus time. In this regard, Synagogues act as place of prayers and study of Jewish teachings (Wood 113). Conservative orthodox and reformed Jewish traditions have certain clear distinctions. Conservative Jewish tradition is also referred as Masorti Judaism and conserves the traditional e lements of Judaism while allowing for rabbinical development. According to its origin, the European movements seemed too radical thus there was a need to protect ancient Jewish traditions while appreciating modern change (Atkinson 45). It traces it origins in Germany, but it spread highly in the United States. It regards Israel as the only birthplace of Jewish people and their final destiny and asserts that Hebrew is irreplaceable language of Jewish people. Accordingly, Conservative Jewish traditions are devoted to Klal Yisrael that aims at worldwide Jewish unity and study of Torah. In addition, Conservative Judaism views Jewish life as governed by Halakhah (Jewish Law) since it is the expression of the will of God. It provides participation of both Men and Women in Synagogue prayers and all aspects of Jewish life. Though its accepts change such a cessation of Temple sacrifices, it entails a careful study before acceptance of the change (Wood 98). On the other hand, Orthodox Jewish traditions entails the traditional Jewish practices and beliefs. Orthodox Jewish ignored the Reform movements by retaining the traditional Jewish practices. For instance, Orthodox Synagogues have separate sitting places for men and women (Wise 20). A quorum of ten is necessary before commencement of service and all services are conducted only by male rabbis and in Hebrew language. Orthodox households maintain the traditional laws on diet and rules strictly prohibit any manual labour on

Retirement Awareness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Retirement Awareness - Essay Example Early health problems often result in an early exodus from the professional arena. Larry: I decided to retire early in 2003. I had formed a consulting service named Benyshek and Hough Consulting Services Inc. The services provided by our firm are management of dataset and develop into readily-accessible form to be used by cattle production forms, commercial producers, breeders, feedlots, and packing plants. We provide the expertise in EPDs, ultrasound and all areas of animal breeding and genetics. The consultation service needed full time work in the firm and I considered early retirement from the office. Larry: I did not receive any training especially on retirement but I have gathered some information from my old colleagues who talked about it generally. The topic is of common interest to all employees and therefore I got lots of information and awareness on it. I understood the importance of retirement planning and saving money for retirement. I was aware of pension scheme of the university and started saving for the future. Larry: Yes. I am very much comfortable. I enjoyed my life while working as University Professor where I had the opportunity to write numerous Articles and made countless presentations on my subject and received international recognition. I am still working on my own and have no financial problems. Larry: Yes, although I have retired as a university professor but I am still working as private consultant. I am fully enjoying my time with my colleagues and family. Retirement relieves you from the hectic routines of professional life. At the same time it gave me an opportunity to spend some time with my family and kids for which I have longed all my life. This is certainly a relaxing experience with no liabilities and work pressure. All I do is have a nice time and look after my private business which is going pretty well for me. Larry: I am regular visitor of Church and participate in social activities of

Frank Lloyd Wright Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Frank Lloyd Wright - Essay Example Wright was also a proficient educator who advocated for the respect of humanity and the natural environment. His works have remained unique for many years and in 1991 he was crowned the greatest American architect of all times. Wright spent over seventy years creating designs that changed the art and architectural arena of the 20th century. Till his death in 1959, Wright devoted all his energy in improving and developing his career and this made him gain recognition in the American architectural history. Wright is remembered for his great contribution to the development of ‘prairie school’ of architecture which he became the principal practitioner in 1900. Prairie school gained wide recognition for its radical approach to the construction of modern homes. This brought a total change in the America’s architectural field and the entire construction fraternity (Alofsin 49). Wright -designed apartments exhibited low roof over continuous widow bands that turned corner which were unique from the tradition convectional boxlike structures. His works for business and church are among the most remarkable structures in architectural history that have remained incomparable up to date. For instance, In 1994 Wright erected the Larkin Company administration block which was well ventilated, had metal desk, fireproof and well condition. Soon after its completion, he erected yet another unique structure at the Unitarian church of Oak Park which was later registered as a historic l andmark. LaFontaine and Wright (50) argues that during his seventy years in the architectural career, Wright created over one thousand designs which included recreation complexes, commercial buildings, religious houses and museums among others. In fact, Wright redefined our concept of space, providing all people with an opportunity to live in fresh environment integrated in the natural world.

Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Immigration - Essay Example Basing a reflection on Rhodes, the powerful Greek monument made after Greece defeated Cyprus, Emma wants to make a comparison of how the American nation attains its strength. Other than Greece that relied on war and strength to conquer its neighbors, she portrays American as a peaceful and friendly nation that welcomes immigrants who are suffering from all sorts of atrocities around the world (Lazarus 23). Relating American’s statute to the ancient Greek’s Colossus f Rhodes signifies that other than focusing on military superiority, freedom, enlightenment as well as compassion are evidenced across the American nation. The concept of â€Å"America as the land of opportunity,† is portrayed in the author’s message and the Statute of Liberty in New York Harbor where the poem is engraved. Rather than using a man and weapons of war, the statute is represented by a woman with a torch signifying change from the norm within societies. It is very direct that the wor ds of the poem serve in promising immigrants to America peace and opportunity. It is however important to note that although the promises in the poem were met by majority of immigrants, some failed to realize the promises but rather faced challenges upon migration to America. Debates over whether America is a land of opportunity as the words in the poem indicate has lived since the 19th century until today. These debates continuously focus on the American people weighing the benefits of migration in the country. It is however important to note that despite some immigrants failing to meet the promises provided in the poem some lived to the dream and to them America became a land of opportunities and the same has continued for their generations. The largest number of immigrants within a period of around forty years reached over twenty million between 18980-1920. The immigrants increased the American population by significant numbers

Film Analysis and it's Applications Coursework

Film Analysis and it's Applications - Coursework Example Belfort divorces his loyal wife, begins using both drugs and prostitutes and is a fraudster. He commits a number of crimes as he operates his company aggressively often flaunting some existing laws that govern the operation of stock brokerage firms. The film provides an effective criticism of the society by proving the claim that â€Å"power corrupts† as the main character becomes increasingly powerful. The fact that the film is an adaption of a real life story makes it effective in representing the lives of some of the wealthiest people in the first world. Wall Street, for example, is a representation of America’s financial hub. The 0.7-mile street produces hundreds of millionaires on a yearly basis. The film provides the society with a view to the operations of the stockbrokers. This way, the film shows how the individuals generate their wealth. The film provides a systematic and equally effective criticism of the society thereby influencing the cultural values. From the rise and fall of Belfort in the film, the audience understands the importance of humility, respect, ethical business operations and obedience to the

Discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Discussion 2 - Essay Example Such claims are useful in the development of evaluation and management services. A second section of the website is the evaluation and management services guide. It contains updated information as per the date of December 2010. This part provides educational information appertaining the processes of evaluation and management. The section is resourceful in the sense that it provides specific information regarding such processes as medical record documentation, coding considerations, guidelines for management services as contained in the details of 1997, and specific details on billing. The information is also important in the manner in which it provides specific updates as occurred in the year 1995 and 2010. The use of this information on the website can enrich the service offered in time of patient encounter through systematic and procedural methodologies. The site also features tutorial materials for the clients with information on signing into some of the products offered. Deciding on the correct form of E&M code is a task that is dependent on matching the features and the needs. The websites provides a range of services that are tailored to specific tasks. It helps in decision making through the clarification and simplification of information in an orderly and systematic

Google Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Google - Essay Example Ideas such as Google books and Adsense had humble beginnings turning into the most amazing inventions ever (Bry, 2011). Third, the company believes in continuous innovation rather than immediate perfection. The company has been observed to test their models often until they reach perfection. Fourth, Google looks for innovative ideas all over. The ideas come from users, advertisers, partners and employees. This explains why the company’s comes up with exciting ideas aimed at improving our daily lives. Fifth, there is effective communication and sharing of knowledge at Google. All employees are fully aware of the decisions that are made. Through discussion, there is exchange of ideas which results to innovative outcomes. For instance, Google talk as invented from a conversation between two employees. Sixth, the company takes that have turned to be million dollar ventures (Shaughnessy, 2013). Additionally, the company has a diverse work force that has contributed immensely to its innovative capabilities. Seventh, the company acts as a platform for creativity thus enabling innovation from all over the world. Lastly, the company supports all innovation by providing the relevant insight, data and resource to ensure success. Shaughnessy, H. (2013, July 3). Who Has The Winning Innovation Model, Google, Apple, or Samsung? Retrieved from

Worldview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Worldview - Essay Example To be a Baptist, to me, means that a person can be â€Å"different† from the others yet still be part of the same collective. This is a beautiful and inclusive message, and that is why I would describe my worldview as diverse and inclusive. The core beliefs of Baptism include that there is only one God, who manifests Himself in three persons: the Father (God in Heaven), the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Moreover, there is belief in the birth of Jesus Christ from a virgin mother, Mary. Jesus Christ performed many miracles during his lifetime, including raising the dead, and then died, was buried, and finally resurrected. Also, we believe that human beings are in need of salvation, without which they are doomed; this salvation is provided to us by the very death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It is the grace of God, due to which He has given us humans the unearned favor of eternal salvation by sending his Son to earth and dying on a cross for our sins. Baptists a lso believe that the world will end, and Jesus would return to us and the dead will be raised and everyone be judged by Him. Finally, we believe that the Message of God needs to be spread throughout the world, so that more people can be brought within the fold and experience the Grace of God. I know that my beliefs are true, because the Bible speaks out to me. I have personally experienced the grace and miracles of Jesus Christ in my life. When a very close cousin of mine was diagnosed with cancer, and it was clear that the cancer had spread throughout her body, the doctors told her that there was no treatment available for her, and the best all of us could do was to keep her comfortable at home. I turned to Jesus Christ in my time of need and He spoke out to me and answered my prayers through a miracle: my cousin not only survived, but her cancer is in complete remission. My worldview is accurate because it is clear by looking around that God exists, also, He is just and kind and i t was told in the Bible many years ago. What is more, the Bible is a direct account of what God wanted people to do, and its message is still true today. Even after 2,000 years, we can still derive our morality from the Bible and that is clear proof of its Divine Origins. It is very clear when one observes these facts that my worldview is accurate and believable. Part 2 Just like Baptists, Catholics are a denomination of Christians who believe in the unity of the God and the Holy Trinity. There are many more similarities between the two groups. The Catholics also believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Like the Baptists, the Catholics believe in the miracles of Jesus Christ, including healing the leper and raising Lazarus; his crucifixion and subsequent death; his burial; and his resurrection after three days. Moreover, they also believe in the infinite Mercy and Grace of God, which God showed by sending his only son to die for humans for their salvation. There are many similar ities in the ethics of the two groups as well; there is an emphasis on moral uprightness in both the groups, but, both believe, that there is no salvation for us except through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us. There are, however, many differences between the two, I will mention two big differences here. Firstly, there is no central authority for Baptists. Unlike the Catholics who have the papacy, whereby a group of priests elect a Pope, the Bishop of Rome, who is the considered to be a successor of Saint Peter, the Baptists do not have a central authority that ensures that beliefs are kept identical throughout the various Churches of the denomination. For Catholics, the pope gets to decide the policies

Progressive Movement Era Essay Example for Free

Progressive Movement Era Essay Progressive Movement is defined as an effort to cure and prevent many of the ills of American society after significant industrial growth took place in the end of the 19th century. This movement promoted the idea that all people are equally capable of improving ills of society. Progressivism strongly rejected Social Darwinism. Moreover, the Movement strongly opposed corruption in all its displays and supported trends to make the country defend worker’s rights. Progressivisms tended to protect ordinary citizens, though it rejected the church stressing that it shouldn’t be the driving force for changes. Speaking about beliefs of Progressive Movement it is necessary to underline that its leaders promoted urban-industrial society. Moreover, they believed in human abilities to make our society better by improving living conditions. Further, they believed in necessity to intervene in social, political and economic affairs of the country. Speaking about views of trusts, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 appeared to be effective federal measure aiming at limiting the power of companies to control the highest percentage of the market share. In other words, Progressivism promoted the idea of intervention into all spheres of government. Progressive leaders argued that effective means should be implemented to deal with the ills produced by trusts. They referred to trust-busting and regulatory approaches. In foreign policy Progressive leaders practiced more imperialistic and active approach in contrast to the Founding Fathers. For example, Roosevelt claimed that global imperialism was the best policy, whereas Wilson sent American troops for inevitable death to make the world ‘safer for democracy’. In conclusion it is necessary to admit that the sites used for writing the paper are very effective at enhancing my understanding of Progressive Movement as they offer detailed overview of beliefs, motivations, foreign and domestic policies, trust and anti-trust views, etc. Moreover, they offer different perspectives on the matter of interest. References Ideas and Movements: The Progressive Movement of 19th Century. (2002). Retrieved February 27, 2008, from http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1061.html Progressive Era. (2004). Retrieved February 27, 2008, from http://www.eagleton.rutgers.edu/e-gov/e-politicalarchive-Progressive.htm

Tasks on Management Skills

Tasks on Management Skills Task 1 Identify and evaluate the importance of the personal and professional skills, outlined above, for a successful manager, which enable the manager to meet organizational and own goals (1.1a) The changing role of management: Mary Parker the mother of modern management ,defined management as the art of getting things done through people . At one time, that meant that managers were called bosses, and their job was to tell people what to do and watch over them to be sure they did it . bosses tended to reprimand those who didnt do things correctly and generally acted stern and bossy. Many managers still behave that way. Perhaps you have witnessed such managers yelling at employees at fast-food restaurants or shop floors. Today management is changing from that kind of behavior. Managers are being educated to guide, train, support, motivate, and coach employees rather than to boss them around. Modern managers in progressive companies emphasize teamwork and cooperation rather than discipline and order giving. Managers in some high-tech and progressive firms of all kinds dress more casually, are more friendly, and generally treat employees as partners rather than unruly workers. In general, therefore, management is experiencing a revolution. Managers in the future are much more likely to be working in teams, thisll appraise them below them as well as those above, and theyll be assuming completely new roles in the firm. The following table summarizes the managers different roles. Planning Setting organizational goals Developing strategies to reach those goals . Determining resources needed. Setting standards. Directing Leading, guiding, and motivating employees to work effectively to accomplish organizational goals and objectives. Giving assignments Explaining routines Clarifying policies Providing feedback on performance. Organizing: Allocating resources, assigning tasks, and establishing procedures for accomplishing goals. Preparing a structure (organization chart) showing lines of authority and responsibility. Recruiting, selecting, training, and developing employees.. Placing employees where theyll be most effective. Controlling Measuring results against corporate objectives. Monitoring performance relative to standards. Taking corrective action. Some modern managers perform all of these tasks with the full cooperation and participation of workers. Empowering employees means allowing them to participate more fully in decision making. Tasks and skills at different levels of management: Anyone who has ever played a sport such as basketball, football, or soccer knows theres a tremendous difference between being an excellent player and excellent coach (manager). Often a good player will volunteer to coach the neighborhood team and be disaster as a manager. The same thing happens in business. Few people are trained to be managers. Rather, the process of becoming a manger is similar to the sports example. A person learns how to be a skilled accountant or salesperson or production line worker, and then- because of his or her skill- is selected to be a manger. The tendency is for such managers to become deeply involved in showing others how to do things, helping them, supervising them, and generally being very active in the operating task. The further up the managerial ladder a person moves, the less such skills are required. Instead, the need is for people who are visionaries, good planners, organizers, coordinators, communicators, morale builders, and motivators. Managers must have three skills: Technical skills: involve the ability to perform tasks of a specific department such as selling (marketing) or bookkeeping. Human relation skills: include leadership, motivation, coaching, communication, morale building, training and development, help and supportiveness, and delegating. Conceptual skills: refer to mangers ability to picture the organization as a whole and the relationship of various parts to perform tasks such as planning, organizing, controlling, system development, problem analysis, decision making, coordinating, and delegating. The first line managers need to be skilled in all three areas. Most of their time is spent on technical and human relation tasks (assisting operating personnel, giving direction, and so forth). First line managers spend little time on conceptual tasks. Top managers, on the other hand need to use few technical skills. Instead, almost all of their time is devoted to human relations and conceptual tasks. One whos competent at one level of management may not be competent at higher levels and vise versa. The skills needed are different at different levels. The most difficult task for most managers to learn is delegating. Whats delegating? Delegating is assigning authority and accountability to others while retaining the responsibility for results. Managers are usually selected from those who are skilled at doing what the people they manage are doing. As we noted earlier; most progressive managers of the 21 st century will be team leaders. They will set specific goals in corporation with a team of workers, set up feedback and communication procedures (control procedure) , and minimize the tendency to continually look over the teams shoulder to make sure its doing things the managers way . Employees will be given freedom (empowered) to decide the hows and whens of completion of specific tasks as long as the goals are accomplished on time. Decision-making is choosing among two or more alternatives. It sounds easier than it is in practice. In fact , decision making is the heart of all the Management functions. We have six Ds of decision making, which are: Define the problem Describe and collect needed information Develop alternatives Decide which ethical alternative is best Do whats indicated ( implement solution)) Determine whether the decision was a good one and follow up. Managers often have computer terminals at their desks so they can get internal records and external data of all kinds. But again no data in the world can replace a manager who is creative and make brilliant decisions. Decision-making is more art than a science. Its the one skill most needed by managers and leaders in that all the other functions depend on it. Task 2 Provide a range of practical methods suitable for developing or improving the skills discussed in 1.1b Learning managerial skills: We have explored the broad categories of skills needed by various levels of management. Now lets be know more about specific skills needed to be a good manager. a) Verbal skills: The bulk of a managers duty will involve communicating with others. a communicate his idea to others. To prepare for such tasks, he should take oral communication courses. At least half of communication is skilled listening. A good manager mixes with other managers, workers, clients, stockholders, and others outside the firm . he or she listens to recommendations and complaints and acts on them. Active listening requires the asking of questions and feeding back what youve heard to let others know he is truly interested in what they say. b) Writing skills: Managers must also be able to write clearly and precisely. Much of what he want others to do must be communicated through memos, report, policies, and letters. Organizations every where is complaining about many graduates in ability to write clearly (which will affect our future managers). So if from now on, a future manager, develop good writing skills, he will be miles ahead of his competition. That means he must practice writing, it helps to write anything like, diary, letters, notes and so on. With practice he will develop the ability to write easily- just like he speaks. Also with this shill he will be more ready for his career in management. c) Computer skills: The office of the future will be an office full of computers and related technology. Memos, charts, letters, and most of other communication efforts will involve the computer. When a manger is practicing writing, practice on a word processor. The truly efficient manager of the future will be able to effectively use and take advantage of the continuing developments in technology. d) Human relations skills: A manger works with people and that means that good managers know how to get along with people, motivate them, and inspire them. People skills are learned by working with people. good leaders begin early by assuming leadership positions is sports, community groups, and so on. A manager must be aware of how others react with him. If he cause negative feelings or reactions, he has to learn why? He doesnt be afraid to make mistakes and upset others. That is how he could learn. But also he has to learn how to work with others . What is managing diversity? Is building systems and a culture that unite different people in common pursuit without undermining their diversity. Research has shown that heterogeneous (mixed) groups are more productive than homogenous (similar) groups in the work place .men and women, young and old, and all other mixes of people can learn not only to work together but also to work together with more success. In the future, mangers must learn how to deal effectively with people from different cultures. Managers will also be asked to work in foreign countries. The more skilled he can become in other languages and in working with diverse cultural groups, he will be an effective manager. e) Time management skills: One of the most important skills for new mangers to learn how to budget their time effectively. There are many demands on managers time that they need to learn to control telephone interruption, visits from colleagues, questions from subordinates, meetings scheduled by higher management, and such. . This could be by setting priorities, delegating work, choosing activities that produce the mot results and dealing with interruption. f) Technical skills: To rise through the ranks of accounting, marketing, finance, production or, any other functional area , the manager should be proficient in that area. About 60 percent of top mangers have taken courses beyond their bachelors degree. The most common areas of technical expertise among top managers are accounting and finance together. Marketing came in second. Slightly more than half of the top 1000 chief executive officers in the country has a graduate degree. As an example of the skills needed by managers to carry out their work successfully, Ill apply it on my organization and how they are trying to develop these skills from now .They believe that we are the future managers and professors, so we have to learn and apply these skills from now on . I work as a teacher assistant in MIU ( Misr International University). We use to have to attend workshops to improve and develop our ( assistants) skills. These work shops were mainly discussing the following topics : Lesson planning Class management Time management Presentation skills Look at these , these are skills needed from us to have as future professors in MIU.We have to learn how to control a class, how to deal with trouble makers, how to finish what we plan for in the time required..etc. They kept telling us that we are the managers of the class . They resembled the class as an entire organization and Im the leader, manager, controller and evaluator . also they train us to parctice talking in English all the time , to be able to handle all the class teaching in English. Also we have to have excellent computer skills. All of these skills is better off to be learned from now , to apply it in our future careers. This is a simple article from the internet disscussing what should managers do to develop their career. What is expected of me? How well am I doing? Sales Manager: You need to learn how to do relationship selling. Sales Associates response: What exactly does that mean? Executive to manager: You need to be more of a leader and less of a traditional manager. Managers response: What exactly does that mean? The world of work is changing so fast, its difficult to communicate changing expectations quickly and clearly. This is especially true in areas such as sales skills, project management skills and leadership skills. The changes expected in these areas arent easy to observe and measure and, up to now, most companies didnt attempt it. But with competition heating up and hierarchies melting down, the focus on performance and career development has become more intense. For this reason, competencies have become a new tool in the workplace. Competencies are clearly spelled out expectations for a certain role (a leader) or a job (sales associate). They go far beyond a job description to create a template for ideal performance. This tool can then be used for things such as hiring, day-to-day coaching, training and development and performance reviews. Once individuals know what the expected competencies are, the next question is, How am I doing on them now? Many organizations put the competencies into a format that can be used as a feedback instrument. Then they use it to gather 360 degree feedback. This refers to getting feedback from people all around you; your boss, your peers and your employees. Gathering feedback from other colleagues has many advantages. In addition to his or her managers feedback, it also reveals what peers and employees think. It is more comprehensive and less prone to individual bias, since there are multiple perspectives. For example, a manager, who may have thought that his boss was just being picky about his communication skills, will begin to take it seriously when everyone around him is also suggesting that he needs improvement in that area. But there are pitfalls to avoid when setting up competencies and a feedback system like this. If it isnt done well, the damage control will overshadow any good that may have come from it. Here are some things to consider:  · Create a participatory process, where representatives help to establish the competencies and how they will be used. If this process is done to them, rather than by giving them some control, there will be more resistance during implementation.  · Make the competencies as specific to the job as possible. The more generic they are the less effective they will be. In addition, it is key to word the competencies in behavioral language, so everyone knows what the competency means. For example, instead of Effective sales skills, include some behaviors, such as, Builds trust through accountability, honesty and follow-though, or Looks for additional ways to help clients solve their business problem before, during and after the sale, or Makes realistic commitments for themselves and the team, and does what it takes to keep those commitments.  · Use the feedback for coaching and development rather than a for a performance review or to weed out ineffective managers. Although it can eventually be folded into the performance review process, it creates less defensiveness if people have a chance to work on their skill gaps before they are evaluated on them. It isnt fair to surprise employees with a performance review on expectations they havent seen before.  · No matter how open the culture is, people are reluctant to be honest unless they can give feedback anonymously. Later, if managers are genuinely willing to discuss their feedback openly, individuals will come forward with their personal feedback and advice. Initially, each manager should collect data from a minimum of three or more peers and three or more employees so that confidentiality is preserved.  · Time and trouble can be avoided by using an experienced third party to guide the group and to independently gather and tabulate the feedback for each manager. When we help organizations with this process, we find that people are more willing to be honest when they know that a neutral party is doing the tabulation and individual feedback reports.  · Give the data and any summary report back to the manager, not to their boss. Hold managers accountable for creating an action plan that they will co-develop with their manager. The plan should include how they plan to leverage their top strengths and how they plan to improve their weaker areas. The plan should also include how the boss can help with that development.  · An overall report on the organizations strengths and development needs can be used to determine what the training priorities are, what should be included in a core curriculum and where training dollars should be spent.  · An independent third party can provide help to a manager who is struggling with his/her feedback and what to do about it. If they are unfavorably surprised by what their peers or employees think, they will probably appreciate guidance in how to approach their colleagues for more clarity.  · Managers should meet with their manager at least once a year to go over their action plan and discuss progress. The best career development happens on the job, so its important that manager play an active role by coaching their employee, giving them new and challenging assignments that will play to their strengths and develop weaker areas. Companies are realizing that more sophisticated performance management has a bottom -line pay off and individuals are demanding more coaching and development on the job. Systems like these can be a win/win for everyone. Outcome 2 Personal Skills Audit Task 3 Provide evidence of the various personal skills audits carried out as an aid to understanding where you stand with regards to achieving the objective of becoming a more effective manager. These to include the obligatory analyses of the personal learning style and skills audit. Choose from the strengths and weaknesses these reveal, samples that will affect the development of the 4 skills from outcome 1 (1.2a). SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT Good Time Management is an essential quality for anyone who needs to work efficiently and effectively in an everyday working environment. It is essential if you are to achieve the organizations objectives and indeed the individuals personal objectives. There are many techniques which, when combined, give an individual (or team) the skills required to time manage the task effectively. In a nutshell, time management is all about making the most efficient and effective use of your time. Some examples of these skills and techniques are as follows: a. Planning and Organization b. Prioritizing c. Delegating d. Review and Monitoring PLANNING AND ORGANISATION Information/Anticipation: Successful planning requires accurate information from which decisions are eventually made. This accurate information is crucial if these decisions are to be well judged and implemented successfully. An element of anticipation is also a bonus if you are able to best guess a possible arising which may influence your decision. Flexibility: The planning must also be flexible as not all plans are set in concrete Circumstances change and the overall plan must remain flexible and capable of change as the situation determines. Sufficient time spent planning can greatly reduce the overall time taken to complete an activity and should always consider all factors which may have an influence on the tasks final outcome. By giving the objective the correct amount of time in the planning phase, and by factoring in any events which could (if not considered) destroy or devalue the overall outcome of the task. Goal Setting: By ensuring clear goals are set from the outset, and by keeping a constant review of the tasks progress, a successful outcome should ensue when coupled with other skills and techniques in successful time management. Planning should be considered not just in the short term for each single objective but also include daily, weekly and long term planning. PRIORTISING As suggested, planning alone will not necessarily ensure successful objectives are met. Allocated time must also be prioritized in a manner that focuses on the goals set during the planning phase. Many people often spend their day in a frenzy of activity but because they are prioritizing their time correctly, they achieve a lot less output. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS REQUIRED TO MANAGE EFFECTIVELY ATTRIBUTES OF A MANAGER To manage effectively, an individual requires many skills and various personal qualities to enable the successful completion of his, or her, objectives. The skills and qualities combine to shape the management style of the individual and the style can directly affect the final outcome of the task completion. These attributes could be broken into four main headings as follows: Proficiency Technical Competence Social and Human skills Conceptual Ability Within each of the above headings there are many sub groups which all combine to give the individual manager his unique style of management which can, or may not be, particularly effective. SPECIFIC COMPETENCES Communication: Managing well requires sound communication skills above all else. No manager can relay their planning and intentions without this basic skill. It is vital that communication, by whatever means, relays the information to the staff and that more importantly, the information is understood and deliverable. Two way communication is essential, everyone will have some part to play in the exchange of information and the communication process. Planning: Sound planning ensures the objectives are met and met within the framework of the organizations structure. Effective planning at the outset will ensure there is a realistic chance of completion in line with the goals set. Knowledge and Information gathering: Planning without the necessary information will very often prove unsuccessful. It is vital that the information is gathered and the plan drawn up based on this information. Accurate information is essential if the plan is to prove a success. Problem solving/decision making: As with any plan there are nearly always options and many ways to skin a cat This will involve decision making and problem solving which the manager can make more effectively if the correct information is in place and the correct people in the team consulted. Time prioritizing: Good time management is vital, without it the manager will become less and less effective as his or her time will be spent less and less productively. The art of successful time management is one which all successful managers must master. Training and Development: The workforce can only be as good as they training they receive and the same applies to management. Personal development and training aimed at improving managerial technique should always be encouraged. Review and Monitor: As with all managed tasks, the monitoring and review of the progress and outcome is essential if lessons are to be learned and improved techniques are to be developed. The process on review should encourage an exchange of information of all those personnel involved and sound two-way communication is essential. Goal Setting: The planning and information gathering stage will provide sufficient knowledge for a manager to set some targets and goals. If this information is accurate and the manager skilled in making judgment, a realistic goal can be set with achievable outcomes in the time given. Interpersonal Skills: The ability of the manager to relate to his staff is vital. It is this communication and personal skill which will persuade the staff member to perform for his manager, that feeling of inclusion and a belonging which the manager relays to his staff member. The successful manager needs to be caring, companionate, and where possible remain calm under a crisis. Listening skills are also essential as are negotiating skills. A good team player normally combines most of these interpersonal skills and uses them to good effect in everyday management. 3. PERSONAL SKILLS AUDIT AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN TABLE 1:- PERSONAL SKILLS AUDIT Skills Examples and evidence Score 1 5 (5 highest) Communication and Literacy skills Good use of written English gained from producing engineering assignments and written formal management reports during my seven years in the Aeronautical Research and Development. department at Bae Systems. Oral presentation skills adequate and improving. Many chances to practice them in seminars and presentations. Prefer making individual presentations to group presentations as then I am more in control of the structure and flow etc. In future I intend practicing any presentation that I have to give in front of a small audience of friends a few times in order to check that it has good content, structure and timing. I am also developing communication skills in a work context. Clear communication between myself and my sub contractors and boss is important. Also, am developing good interpersonal and communication skills in my contact with colleagues at work as well as in my dealings with customers. 4 Group Interpersonal Skills Working with others I have plenty of experience of working as part of a team and being an effective member of a group. This began with sport at school and continued throughout my 27 years in the armed forces where teamwork is essential and vital in certain situations. My current employment offers frequent opportunity to take part in group work as part of the weekly team planning and reporting meetings. I always try to make a positive contribution as my final decision on the outcome of the discussions will decide if the objectives are met, or not. At work, I play the lead role in decision making but consult all my team members on a democratic basis.. This ensures all the team members have a valued input and builds a healthy team ethos. I think that I am quite good at welcoming new employees and helping people to fit in and adjust to the pattern of work. I want to improve my leadership skills further through courses targeted in this area and by continuing to plan and organize team events and expeditions. 4 Organization Personal Skills Independent Learning and Working I am self-motivated as long as the task is interesting and holds my attention. The freedom to make decisions free from senior managers input helps greatly and means I can plan and schedule the work as I choose. Although I feel my Time Management is quite strong, I aim to improve my time management strategies regarding the meeting of programme deadlines for the customer. I currently hold three levels of Sports coaching award and coach Tennis at several different locations. This requires commitment and dedication as the lessons are not always charged for. I have had a number of jobs in the past two years and have been lucky in that I have had to take the responsibility and act on my own initiative in each of the roles. 3 Research Problem Solving Skills I try to view problems as challenges rather than major obstacles. I think that I am systematic and logical when it comes to thinking about problems and their solution. I have developed these skills both as an individual and as part of working in groups where the group task which we are set is frequently of a problem-solving nature, have also gained a good grasp of the processes which one needs to go through to solve problems i.e. problem definition, generating alternative solutions, selection of most appropriate response and the eventual implementation of a carefully-considered solution. 4 ICT Skills I started developing computer skills when I entered into the Research and Development department 9 years ago. I have since carried out the European Computer Driving Licence and work regularly with all MS Office products. I also use MS Project for my planning and scheduling of works but am without formal training on this software. I would like to spend some time on a placement course to improve my skills on this product. I am confident using e-mail and use it on a daily basis both to communicate with my clients, customers and sub-contractors. I also use email a great deal at home to keep in touch with my friends and family. I use the internet for research as well as online banking and booking holidays, reservations, flowers and shopping etc. 4 Application of Numerical Techniques Good basic grounding in maths skills including graphs/charts GCSE grade A and BTEC mechanical engineering. I have good skills at mental arithmetic which is vital for fast track quotations for the customer during unforeseen work and additional items not scheduled. 4 Outcome 3 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Task 4 Provide a personal development plan- see format supplied by Edexcel showing how you intend to use the knowledge from outcomes 1 and 2 to further enhance or develop the skills you need to improve your managerial effectiveness. This to include a statement of objectives (SMART) and a SWOT analysis.(1.3a) DELEGATION Another important technique of successful time management is the ability to delegate work effectively. Delegation, used wisely, is an essential tool of the successful manager. It can free valuable time to enable the manager to target his or her time more effectively and thereby increasing the chances of a successful outcome. Delegation should be applied using the S.M.A.R.T. principles and not over ambitious. Where: S à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Specific M à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Measurable A à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Achievable R à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Realistic T à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Time The delegation should achieve the desired results through a clear, concise brief which should match the authority and responsibility of the individual and should be used consistently and through the management/staff chain as required. Another positive outcome of successful delegation include improved flexibility within the team, upskilling, increase in morale and motivation, reduced sick leave and a improved team environment where team members feel more informed and inclusive. Task 5 Provide evidence of the monitoring and feedback undertaken where relevant and any adjustments made to the plan so that