Leveraging Data, Information, and Knowledge for Competitive Advantage Essay

Leveraging Data, Information, and Knowledge for Competitive Advantage - Essay Example The solution then came out to be the term which is now known as competitive advantage. The term means that internal factor or product strength or critical success factor or the product itself or any service which one specific organization does best when it comes to the others in the same industry. (Hope, 1997) When that edge is maintained over time, not permanently, but for a significant amount of time, and when a noticeable amount of market share is snatched by that particular company, based on that factor that only this company possesses over its competitors, then that is known as the competitive advantage that one firm has in the industry that it belongs to. Companies are always striving to efficiently and effectively utilize the resources that they have and gain a competitive advantage over the rivals that they have, since having one goes a long way in making the company successful and stand out in the market, increasing the goodwill both in the eyes of customers and all other st akeholders associated with the company. As mentioned above, such a competitive advantage is not permanent, thus a company should not release the pressure of competition once a competitive advantage has been gained. Rather, they should continually try to develop themselves to achieve the zenith when it comes to different factors, so that an edge can be maintained over time and with consistency. Management Information Systems (MIS) are not the regular computer systems, since they specialize in providing the user with analysis of all the other information systems that are synchronized with it and which take care of all the operational activities which take place in the organizations. Usually the daily decision making that a manager has to go through is more or less related with the those activities which have a direct effect on the cash flows and liquidity of the company, that is, the operational activities. (Davenport, 2000) And therefore, the MIS systems make use of

Political Theory in International Relations Essay Example for Free

Political Theory in International Relations Essay World politics is a very broad and challenging topic to discuss. Indeed it is so hard to understand the facts about world politics. I suppose that the study of world politics itself requires indepth and thorough research on the topic. When facts are put the way they are, world politics becomes even more complicated. Since politics is the process by which people make decisions, these decisions can vary depending on the environment, culture and the political history and backgrounds. The fact that politics depend on an individual thinking makes the matter more complicated. Different people may have different ideologies has to the organization of politics in their country but all these have to be harmonized so that we have a central government which is organised. (Alan, 1997 pp. 190) Theory is key in understanding world politics because it is the basis with which a particular group will adopt a particular political pattern. Democratic kinds of governments have had this type of system because of theories. A theory is an abstract preposition about an object, person or situation. According to some political systems they is an open system whereby the state supposes that the people will participate in free politics. Theory has seen the division of politics into right wing and left wing politics. Though this theory has been in use for a along time, the use has been used by nation to nation differently. In essence the meaning of right wing politics is the type of political organization which values tradition and capitalism i. e. they regard most social inequality as a result of natural inequalities. The left wing theory of politics values egalitarianism i. e. they try to eradicate social inequality in their systems. Some ideologies tend to combine both left wing and right wing politics coming up with views held by liberals, socialists and conservatives. These are normally referred to as the Christian democracy. (Waltz, 1959 pp. 362) Theorists have come up with several theories to explain the world politics and if we are to understand well these theories we need to know what they use as a gauge. The theorists belief that inorder to look at the actors who interact in politics we must look at the system with which they interact. It’s important to look at the setup of political structures and see the fundamental characteristics which can translate to the world politics. The organisation of the world politics is so much seen in the setup of the domestic politics. Macroeconomic theory thinking theory ought to explain how politics should e like. It is said that nations in a political system are like firms in a domestic economy. Every state has a core purpose of coexistence: to survive despite the odds. If a state is to survive therefore their is need for an organised political system. (Elshtain, 1995. pp 570) The state has to form a structure which is organised and ordered and this is evident from its differentiation and specification of units. The units should be organised in a way that they harmonise each other, theorists explain that their is need for a comprehensive setup of a theory so that the politics of the world will be in harmony. Conclusion The topic of world politics is very important yet very controversial. Today there is no accepted formula or way of rule of the politics. Theory has developed from time immemorial and is very significant in understanding the politics of the world. Variations, however still arise as to whether the stability of the nations contribute to the world politics. Do countries which are termed stable have a stand in politics; do they influence the world politics? Are states like the US of significance to the world politics? And are the developing and the less developed countries of influence to the world politics? All these are questions which are so important in understanding the world politics and if we have to harmonize the meaning of world politics, then we need to stick to the theories which are drawn from several parts of the divide. Reference: Elshtain, J. (1995) International politics and political theory, Cambridge: Polity. Pp. 567-589 Alan, C. (1997) Theory and politics in world politics, Journal vol. 41, pp. 187-216 Waltz, K. (1959) Man, the state and war, New York: Columbia University Press. Pp. 354-367

Catcher in the Rye Essay: Holden - The Thinking Man :: Catcher Rye Essays

Holden: The Thinking Man of The Catcher In The Rye Margaret Atwood defined the â€Å"thinking man† as on who resists, believes survival is a necessity, is isolated and alienated, and who is aware of the elements that make one's psyche and physical being disappear. Atwood's "thinking man" is exhibited in Holden Caulfield through the use of character, plot, and symbolism. The "thinking man" is clearly portrayed through Holden Caulfield's character. One characteristic of Atwood's "thinking man" is that of being isolated and alienated. Holden is a very lonely character. An example that shows this is his direct reference to David Copperfield in the first paragraph of the novel when he says "...and all that David Copperfield kind of crap."(pg.1) When David Copperfield was a child he was alienated from his mother, and was very lonely. This points to the fact that Holden had a very lonely childhood and, like David Copperfield, his innocence as well. Like the "thinking man" Holden was aware of the elements that make one's being disappear. This segment of Holden's character is helped by symbolism. For Holden, it was too late to stop himself from entering adulthood, a kingdom he resisted entering, a kingdom he viewed with disgust. For this reason he wanted to help other children, and save them from "disappearing" over the edge of the rye field too, to preserve their innocence and to save them from the dreaded adulthood. Also, Holden had resisted one of the factors leading towards the loss of his innocence; losing his virginity. He "had quite a few opportunities to lose [his] virginity...[he] came quite close to doing it a couple of times...she keeps telling [him] to stop, and [he] stops." This not only shows that he doesn't want to lose his purity, but that he cares for the girl's innocence too, and does not want her to lose it. Next, "Catcher In The Rye" uses plot to create the "thinking man". Holden Caulfield has a deep struggle within himself. He wants to be positive, and her wants to work with and for the positive, and yet he is continually drawn to the negative aspects of life. In one scene he is at a food stop eating, when two nuns approach him. Even though they didn't ask for money, Holden donates $10 from his fast depleting funds. Nevertheless, he is drawn to the negative aspects of life too.

PSY 301, Introductory Psychology, Fall 2005, Exam 3 B :: UTEXAS Texas Psychology

Form B Name: __________________________ Date: _____________ Introductory Psychology, Fall 2005 (Hawkins) Exam 3 Instructions: Write your name and the date on the top of this exam. Your must turn in this exam along with your answer sheet. On the answer sheet, print your EID, blacken the letters of your EID and provide the other information requested. (Don't forget to put which form of the exam you took!) Remember to blacken your choice for each item on the answer sheet (A, B, C, or D) and completely erase your questions. Good luck! 1. Isaac, a 25-year-old law student, is heterosexual; his brother Chaim, a 21-year-old college senior, is homosexual. The brothers obviously differ in their: A) gender identity. B) sexual role. C) sexual orientation. D) gender type. E) gender schema. 2. Mentally rehearsing one's resentments contributes to ________ perspiration levels and ________ blood pressure levels than mentally rehearsing forgiveness. A) lower; lower B) higher; higher C) lower; higher D) higher; lower 3. State University's psychology department and school of medicine are co-sponsoring a new professional program that applies behavioral and medical knowledge to health and disease. State University will clearly be offering a new degree in: A) medical psychology. B) human engineering. C) behavioral medicine. D) neuropsychology. 4. Rush hour traffic is to upset stomach as ________ is to ________. A) fight; flight B) Type B; Type A C) lymphocyte; macrophage D) hypertension; indigestion E) stressor; stress reaction 5. Research on taste aversion in rats led to the discovery that suppression of the immune system can be influenced by: A) biofeedback. B) Type A behaviors. C) elevated cholesterol levels. D) classical conditioning. E) aerobic exercise. 6. According to the two-factor theory, the two basic components of emotions are ________ and ________. A) facial expressions; cognitive labels B) emotion-arousing events; physical arousal C) physical arousal; overt behavior D) cognitive labels; physical arousal 7. The feel-good, do-good phenomenon refers to the fact that when people feel happy they: A) are more willing to help others. B) perceive the world as a safer place. C) make decisions more effectively. D) experience a more positive self-image. E) report greater satisfaction with their whole lives. 8. British civil service workers in executive positions live longer than those in clerical positions. This best illustrates the value of: A) spontaneous remission. B) perceived control. C) the general adaptation syndrome. D) alternative medicine. 9. The two-factor theory of emotion was proposed by: A) Walter Cannon. B) Robert Zajonc. C) William James. D) Stanley Schachter. E) Richard Lazarus. 10. In response to stress, the adrenal gland releases: A) epinephrine. B) lymphocytes. C) uric acid. D) teratogens. E) acetylcholine. 11. Who suggested that â€Å"we feel sorry because we cry . . . afraid because we tremble†?

Stop Online Piracy Act

ORAL PRESENTATION ASSESSMENT July 2012 Name: Baiza Class: English 1-2 General Topic: Piracy (Intellectual Property Rights) Specific Research Area: â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† ————————————————- ————————————————- Information Report Proposal Analytical Research Question: This report aims to discover the different views on the benefit and harm of Legalizing Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) on the United States Government, Entertainment Industries, High Tech Companies and Internets users.Thesis: To discover how â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† brings benefit and harm to both High Tech Companies and Internet Users. OUTLINE OF REPORT [Note form] 1. WHAT is the issue? Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) * A bill that will allow the United States authorit y to block webpage that distributes on stolen materials * Combat online piracy * Protect the copyrighted material and censorship of the Internet * Prevent sharing or purchasing of copyright products online without authorizes permission from the produces 2. WHY is it of significance? * Protect intellectual property online Stop foreign webpage that sell counterfeit goods and let people stream and download the goods at no charge 3. WHO is involved in the issue? * United States Government * Blocking of webpages that provides link to private sites * Fines users that post copyright materials * Entertainment Business Industries * Losing profit of selling own products * Foreign thieves/Owner of the pirated sites * Stealing copyright materials * Earning revenue by selling copyrighted materials * Internet users * Wont be able to download music, video and etc. without charge * Online Search Engine/ High Tech Companies Will be blocked when other users post a link to pirated site * Generate loss in advertisement profits 4. WHAT started the debate? The debate started when: * Foreign thieves steal and sell American inventions and products and keep the profit to themselves. * The foreign thieves costs the US economy more than $100 billion annually * Result in loss of thousands of jobs. 5. WHAT are the differing opinions on the topic? 5. 1 Enforcing Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) brings benefit to Entertainment Industries. 5. 1. 1 – Increase in economy * American intellectual property industries provide million high-paying jobs . 1. 2 – Protection of intellectual property * Increase in revenue * Reduce/Discourage American cities to purchase from foreign thieves 5. 2 Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) brings harm to High Tech Companies and Internet User. 5. 2. 1 – Shut down of Major Internet Companies * American search engine provides links to pirated sites, which will cost the Internet Service Provided to be shut down. * Freedom of speech is affected 5. 2. 2 â⠂¬â€œ Censorship and Blocked of Webpage * Limited webpage to gather or find information * Difficulty to communicate with other countries Working bibliographyBennett, R. (2011, December 2011). Protecting Americans from Web scams. New York Post. Retrieved from http://www. nypost. com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/protecting_americans_from_web_scams_lvOOEKJEqzpjGIAW43mIXP Carr, D. (2012, January 1). The Danger of an Attack on Piracy Online. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2012/01/02/business/media/the-danger-of-an-attack-on-piracy-online. html? pagewanted=1 Sigal, I & MacKinnon, R (2011, December 14). Online Piracy Laws must preserve Web Freedom. CNN. Retrieved from http://edition. cnn. om/2011/12/14/opinion/sigal-mackinnon-copyright-internet/index. html Smith, L. (2011, December 14). Setting the Record Straight on SOPA. The Hill. Retrieved from http://thehill. com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/199385-setting-the-record-straight-on-sopa The New York Times. Copyrights and Internet Piracy (SOPA and PIPA Legislation. (2012, February 8). Retrieved from http://topics. nytimes. com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/copyrights/index. html? 8qa US House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary. (2012, January 20). Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote onPROTECT IP Act. Retrieved from http://judiciary. house. gov/news/01202012. html? scp=2&sq=lamar%20smith&st=cse ————————————————- Student’s Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Lecturer’s Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Hj/Was/mufy/2012 ———————————————†”- Oral Presentation Proposal Argumentative Research Question: Should â€Å"Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)† be enforced? Thesis: YES, Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) should be enforced. ————————————————- Argument 1: Increase in United States Economy Foreign thieves cost the United States’ economy more than $100 billion annually and result in loss of thousands of jobs * Entertainment industries are not able to sell their own products due to these foreign thieves Argument 2: Protection of Intellectual Property * Hard work is wasted because users can easily download the goods of the entertainment industries online through pirated sites * Blocks and censors’ webpages that provides these pirated sites links and the authorities can take immediate action on theses thieves. Refutation: 5. 1. 1 – Censorship and Blocked of Webpage

Robert Frost Poetry Research Paper Example

Robert Frost Poetry Research Paper Example Robert Frost Poetry Paper Robert Frost Poetry Paper Essay Topic: The Poetry of Robert Frost Robert Frost Poetry Emotional Barriers We all deal with our emotions in different ways. Some of us shout them out and some of us bottle them In. Whatever you choose to do is okay, as long as it helps you. Robert Frost chooses to touch on different ways of how he might react In an emotional situation in his three poems: Mending Wall, The Road Not Taken, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Each poem deals with his emotions whether It Is the barrier walls that he keeps between himself and other, the decisions he has to make or the how he chooses to deal with all of these problems. When I read these here poems, it forced me to think about my own emotions and what I would do in each of these situations. We have things that we dont want others to see. Secrets that we dont want to share, misfortunes and wrongdoings that we are too ashamed to speak about. These are only a few of the many reasons that we all keep emotional walls or barriers up. They are there for our protection, or so we think. We believe that by keeping people away, they can not hurt us. This is true, but when we push them away, what are we missing? Robert Frost contemplates this exact issue in his poem Mending Wall. The speaker in this poem doesnt know for ere whether of not he wants to keep this wall up between himself and his neighbor. Ã'ËœBefore I built a wall Id ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offense. He Is worried about what he will miss by keeping the wall up, yet he continues to help his neighbor rebuild It. We all have times Like this In our lives. In a perfect world we would Like to keep our walls down and let everyone In, but we cant, because we are still to scared to be able to trust each other. Emotionally, it is much easier to live and not get hurt by keeping people at a certain distance. You can stop them from coming to close. If you let them past your wall, youre letting teem Into your mina. Youre telling teem all your secrets. Telling them about your past. Youre inviting them in. This is wonderful at first, but it leaves you wide open and vulnerable. Unfortunately, this is the way I have chosen to see it. I have been hurt too many times for me to want to let anyone else in. This is not a good way to live your life, but its the only way that seems to keep me safe. Its kind of like climbing a ladder to reach a prize. The higher you climb, the closer to the prize, but you also have a much egger chance of falling. The less you climb the less chance of getting hurt. I have climbed this ladder one too many times, and each of them I have fallen off right when I reach the top. This is why I have chosen to keep my wall up; Im Just tired of falling. Making this decision wasnt easy. In fact, it is almost never easy to make an important decision. You are always stuck wondering what would have happened if you gone the other way. In Robert Frosts poem The Road Not Taken, he wonders at the difference it would have made in his life had he chosen to go down the other path. This poem is hemolytic for every important (and even the not so important) decisions you have had to make. How do you know if you have made the right decision? Is there even a right decision to make? Is each path of the same importance to your life and you Just had to choose one? Will one make you fail? While the other one make you succeed? These are all questions that Frost has brought up in The Road Not Taken. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both We have all wanted to walk down both paths, see what lies ahead, but we know that it is impossible to do so. You can never go back and change your cession. The thing that Frost has learned and that we need to remember is that there are no wrong decisions. Each path holds the same weight in how your life will turn out. In The Road Not Taken, he has decided that either path or decision is Just as good as the other: Then took the other, Just as fair, Ana navels perhaps ten netter claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same. You may choose to go down one road, thinking that it is the right road, but years later you could find out that it was probably bad to make that decision. Or you could happen to make the wrong decision and find out that it has helped you in the end. I made a choice like this in tenth grade. I chose not to take the suggested math classes in order to take a few more photography and art classes. Everyone, except my parents l, believed that this was a bad decision. You need math, you dont need art. Thats what everyone said to me. They all thought I was crazy and that I was sending my life down the drain, but in fact, my decision to go ahead and take those extra art classes has probably saved the rest of my life. By taking those classes in tenth grade I was able to get the kills and credit I needed to be accepted into the Minnesota Center for Arts Education (or Arts High as we like to call it). For my senior year, I was able to go to a school that was primarily focused around the arts. Not only did my decision affect my what highlights I went to, it also effected what college I got into. From the reputation the Arts High has, I was able to get into IRIS. Who knows whether or not I could have gotten in without all the experience I had gained through the simple decision on whether or not to take a math class? As Frost says Oh, I kept the first for another day! so did l. I ended up taking those math classes that I had missed, at the Arts High. But we know that you cant ever go back, that the decision will always be different. In my case the decision was different, it was better, because at the Arts High they teach math that is geared around the arts. When you make an important decision, whether or not things go the way you wanted them to, the consequences can often leave you feeling depressed or confused. We all have ways that we take care of our problems, and one option is to get away from a an tank I Nils Is ten way Tanat Rooter Frost has chosen to deal with his problems in his mom Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. When Frost says that he is stopping Between the woods and frozen lake, The darkest evening of the year, we get the picture that whatever problems he was dealing with he was not happy about them. Frost is obviously bothered by something important. My little horse must think it queer, To stop without a farmhouse near, shows that he feels the need to go somewhere empty, somewhere alone. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. When he says But I have promises to keep, he has hoses either not to admit his problems to anyone else, or maybe he cant even admit them to himself. He admits that he has a lot more thinking to do and that he has not come to a conclusion when he states twice And miles to go before I sleep. He is speaking figuratively here that until he figures out what to do, he will not be able to get any rest. Frost probably does not actually mean sleep when he says rest, but maybe just rest in general like giving his mind a break. Many people have a very hard time thinking about anything else when they are dealing with an important issue and this is where Frost has chosen to end his poem. I do not agree with most people when they say that Robert Frost was writing about suicide with this poem. He wrote this poem to express his feelings of the need to get away for awhile, to think. This is exactly what I choose to do when I have issues and problems I need to think about. Suicide is definitely not something I have thought about when I want to be alone for awhile. I Just need to be away from distractions. Unfortunately, living in the dorms has taken away my privilege to do that. At home, I have always had the advantage of having my own room. No matter what happened, I had the option to go to my room, shut the door, and get way from everything. Now I am not so lucky. When I have had a bad day, gotten in an argument or lust even want to De alone, I nave to worry auto my roommate being there. This makes it really hard for me to deal with any problems that I might have. Dealing with your emotions is a difficult thing. Each of us has our own ways in which we choose to do so. In his three poems Mending Wall, The Road Not Taken, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost has Just started to touch on how he might react in different situations. I have thought about and compared what I might do and what he might do. In many ways

Catholic Rosary Practical And Pious Religion Essay Example

Catholic Rosary Practical And Pious Religion Essay Example Catholic Rosary Practical And Pious Religion Essay Catholic Rosary Practical And Pious Religion Essay Introduction Throughout history legion devices have been created and used for the intent of numbering. Within the field of mathematics the abacus and its beads was of great importance because of its ability to keep a numerical run. Religions have since adapted this method to points more applicable to the religion due to the repeat of supplications. For illustration within Islam, beads are used to number the 90 nine names of Allah, and Buddhists besides use beads to declaim 1,000s of mantras.[ 1 ]However, beads are a simply a compliment to the ritual it is used in. A spiritual religious order within Christianity have non merely used beads to number but termed the object the same name as the ritual pattern it is used in. General Description Within the Christian religion, Catholics use a prayer beads as a agency of devotedness to Mary, who is known as the Mother of Jesus.[ 2 ]The word prayer beads can be used within two contexts: a physical set of beads and the rite of devotedness. The beads are used as a method to track the supplications completed during the pattern. The rosary when mentioning to the stuff object is a twine composed of five sets of 10 beads, each separated by one big bead severally.[ 3 ]The twine is held together with a round image, which is similar to that of a necklace. The image has two big and three smaller beads along with a pendent attached[ 4 ]( Appendix A ) . Rosaries come in all forms and sizes, in assorted colorss and can be made from anything from wood to plastic. The term prayer beads, when referred to in the context of the ritual, consists of the repeat of three chief supplications along with the statement of beliefs in the beginning.[ 5 ]This pattern can be completed by anyone, at any clip , irrespective of whether in a group or praying by one s ego. The rosary can be viewed as a non-discriminatory pattern wherein people from all religion s can partake in it. It can besides be said in any location, but sooner in a Catholic topographic point of worship, the church. Technical Description The descriptions mentioned above are but an lineation for what the physical prayer beads is, every bit good as the Catholic pattern of the prayer beads. Further inside informations will now be given in order to develop a better apprehension of the rosary as exemplified within both of its contexts. In footings of the physical object, the pendent attached to the beads is better known as a rood, a term Catholics usage typifying an article in the signifier of a cross picturing Jesus decease[ 6 ]. In add-on the round image is one of Mary, it joins the five sets of 10 beads to the separated five other beads and rood. This image embodies the fact that the rosary as devotedness, was foremost offered to Mary. The traditional stuff used to fabricate prayer beadss is olive wood, which is said to hold been the wood of the cross that Jesus was hung on.[ 7 ]However, due to modern versions prayer beadss are now are made from assorted stuffs. The Catholic pattern of the rosary Begins with the mark of the cross. This symbolic usage is one that commences every rite within the Catholic religion.[ 8 ]The action happening is merely utilizing one s custodies to touch the brow, so the bosom, and each shoulder, left to compensate severally in order to do a cross. After finishing this action, practicians complete a set of preliminary supplications get downing with the Catholic supplication titled the Apostle s Creed ( Appendix B ) . The words contained within this supplication express the religion of the practician and the chief system of beliefs for Catholics.[ 9 ]This would so take to the praying of the Our Father ( Appendix B ) , followed by three Hail Mary s ( Appendix B ) and stoping with a Glory Be to the Father ( Appendix B ) . This would tag the stoping of the preliminary part and lead to a speculation which changed depending on the twenty-four hours the prayer beads was said. After this begins another Our Father, but this clip with 10 Hail Mary s, followed by yet another Glory Be to the Father. This sequence of supplications get downing with the speculation and stoping with the Glory Be to the Father is referred to as one decennary.[ 10 ]There are a sum of five decennaries within one prayer beads, but four different versions of the prayer beads. As antecedently mentioned, the speculations of the rosary alteration depending on the twenty-four hours of the hebdomad it is said. There are four different versions referred to by Catholics as enigmas, including: Joyful ( Monday and Saturday ) , Sorrowful ( Tuesday and Friday ) , Glorious ( Wednesday and Sunday ) and Luminous ( Thursday )[ 11 ]( Appendix B ) . Each enigma has five speculations on specific events refering to the subject. Each of these five speculations is reflected on while praying the prayer beads. Location within the Religion Within Catholicism, the prayer beads is considered to be a symbolic point every bit good as an informal pattern. The first visual aspect of the physical set of beads is early within the faith and can be seen in assorted images picturing early practicians. The ritual itself is viewed as secondary agencies of devotedness ( primary being sacraments and Holy Eucharist ) that can be completed at one s ain will.[ 12 ]Though the act of praying the prayer beads is non formal in the sense that it is non a demand, it serves as a brooding method of supplication for those seeking a deeper religious religion. Historical Information and ties to Doctrines The praying of the rosary hints its beginnings to the Book of Psalms contained within the Bible. Catholics refer to Psalms as vocals of congratulations to God.[ 13 ]During the early yearss of the Catholicism, many lay people wanted to partake in the praying of the Psalms but could non perpetrate all 150 to memory, therefore a replacement was created. There is grounds in the early 16th century of a book titled the Chiropsalterium, which instructed practicians to utilize their custodies as a mnemotechnic device when praying.[ 14 ]This besides integrated 150 repeats of the Our Fathers as permutations for the Psalms. The Our Father is said to be the most perfect of all supplications, since it was composed for our demands by our Lord himself as stated by John S. Johnson.[ 15 ]He goes on farther to province that within the Gospel of Matthew in the Catholic Bible, Jesus declares that this is the method in which 1 should pray to God.[ 16 ]Catholics today take these words with a few changes and see it the Lord s Prayer. These 150 repeats were subsequently divided into three sets of 50, a fact certifying to the prayer beads s adaptability.[ 17 ]During this clip, the popularity of the celebrated supplication, the Hail Mary grew, and was added as an option to some of the many Our Father s owing to its simpleness. The initial diction of the Hail Mary comes from the Gospel of Luke when Mary is foremost greeted by the angel Gabriel along with the recognizing Elizabeth gives to her cousin Mary.[ 18 ]The remainder of the text was contributed to assorted other leaders within the religion to make the supplication that is normally used today. With the bulk of the rosary as repeats of the Hail Mary, it was so associated with devotedness to Mary. This is where the term rosary comes from. The Latin word rosarium, intending rose garden was apparent in early images of Mary.[ 19 ]The word prayer beads merely stemmed from at that place. The add-on of the Glory Be to the Father occurred over clip by assorted leaders a s the ritual grew in credence throughout the religion. This supplication is shorter than the other two but is filled with congratulations and worship type phrases. Deep roots are found refering to the subject of the Holy Trinity, denoting the look of how three individuals exist in one God.[ 20 ] As Catholicism grew in Numberss, so did the demand for speculations refering to Jesus life. It was out of convenience that each of the three sets of 50 was so farther cut down to groups of 10, with each enigma holding five of import events associating to a several subject.[ 21 ]It is St. Dominic, who during the 15th century, is attributed to the initiation of what is now referred to as the Rosary. Harmonizing to tradition, Mary is said to hold appeared to him and told him to distribute the word contained within the Psalter.[ 22 ]This so formalized to the three enigmas with five decennaries in each. In 2002, the 4th enigma was added by the Pope finishing what is now known as the Catholic Rosary.[ 23 ] Analysis Praying by manus distinguished the Catholic prayer beads from other signifiers of popular devotedness. Even with the absence of the twine of beads, one s 10 fingers could easy function as a counter and reminder that when chew overing the whole organic structure and head should be focused on the enigmas. The kernel behind repeat is to ingrain the message behind the words into one s head in order to do application easier. Though the pattern of the rosary appears insistent by nature, it is of import to look at the large image. The rite is said to be a method of supplication offered to Mary. Why so are the enigmas refering to the life of Jesus? One might reply that the Christianity is rooted in Jesus, therefore all component must associate to him. Mary is viewed as a agency to Jesus and her importance within the prayer beads has decreased significantly since its initial development.[ 24 ] Another issue to be raised is the fact that the Catholic Church prides itself on its traditions. The roots of the Rosary relate to The 150 Psalms contained within the Bible, yet the modern rosary appears to hold no relation to that whatsoever. The reply to this can merely be attributed to the fact that the prayer beads is an informal pattern and has adapted through clip.[ 25 ]The enigmas of the rosary drama a larger function when compared to the Psalms. Decision Though the history of beads serves as a utile method of numeration, Catholicism has adapted its public-service corporation into a pattern and object that provide far greater service to practicians within the religion. The rosary as discussed earlier plays a critical function in methods of devotedness to both Jesus and Mary. The physical beads of the rosary service as a practical counter during supplications. The existent usage of praying the prayer beads is completed in order to construct a stronger relationship with God or to be pious. Appendix Ahttp: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Rosary.svg/424px-Rosary.svg.png Beginning: Microsoft ClipArt Appendix B Apostle s Creed I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Creator of Eden and Earth: And in Jesus Christ, his merely begotten Son, our Godhead: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate ; was crucified, dead and inhumed: He descended into snake pit: The 3rd twenty-four hours he rose once more from the dead: He ascended into Eden, and sits at the right manus of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead: I believe in the Holy Spirit: I believe in the holy Catholic Church: the Communion of saints, the forgiveness of wickednesss: The Resurrection of the organic structure: And the life everlasting. Amons. Our Father Our Father, Who art in Eden Hallowed be Thy Name ; Thy land semen, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Eden. Give us this twenty-four hours our day-to-day staff of life, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us ; and take us non into enticement, but present us from immorality. Amons. Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with thee. Blessed art 1000 among adult females, and blessed is the fruit of thy uterus, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us evildoers, now and at the hr of our decease. Amons. Glory Be to the Father Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and of all time shall be, universe without terminal. Amons. Mysteries of the Rosary The Five Joyful Mysteries The Lady day The Trial The Birth of Our Lord The Presentation of Our Lord The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple The Five Sorrowful Mysteries The Agony in the Garden The Scourging at the Pillar The Crowning with Thorns The Carrying of the Cross The Crucifixion The Five Glorious Mysteries The Resurrection The Ascension The Coming of the Holy Spirit The Premise of our Blessed Mother into Heaven The Coronation of our Blessed Mother The Five Luminous MysteriesA The Baptism in the Jordan The Wedding at Cana The Proclamation of the Kingdom The August 6 The Institution of the Holy sacrament

The History of WWI Hospital Ship, the HMHS Britannic

The History of WWI Hospital Ship, the HMHS Britannic In the early 20th century an intense competition existed between British and German shipping companies which saw them battle to build larger and faster ocean liners for use in the Atlantic. The key players including Cunard and White Star from Britain and HAPAG and Norddeutscher Lloyd from Germany. By 1907, White Star had given up the pursuit of the speed title, known as the Blue Riband, to Cunard and began focusing on constructing larger and more luxurious ships. Led by J. Bruce Ismay, White Star approached William J. Pirrie, head of Harland Wolff, and ordered three massive liners which were dubbed the Olympic-class. These were designed by Thomas Andrews and Alexander Carlisle and incorporated the latest technologies. The first two ships of the class, RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic, were laid down in 1908 and 1909 respectively and were built in neighboring shipways in Belfast, Ireland. Following the completion of Olympic and launching of Titanic in 1911, work began on the third vessel, Britannic. This ship was laid down on November 30, 1911. As work moved forward in Belfast, the first two ships proved star-crossed. While Olympic was involved in a collision with the destroyer HMS Hawke in 1911, Titanic, foolishly dubbed unsinkable, sank with a loss of 1,517 on April 15, 1912. Titanics sinking led to dramatic changes in Britannics design and to Olympic returning to the yard for alterations. Design Powered by twenty-nine coal-fired boilers driving three propellers, Britannic possessed a similar profile to its earlier sisters and mounted four large funnels. Three of these were functional, while the fourth was a dummy which served to provide extra ventilation to the ship. Britannic was intended to carry around 3,200 crew and passengers in three different classes. For first class, luxurious accommodations were available along with lavish public spaces. While the second class spaces were quite good, Britannics third class was considered more comfortable than its two predecessors. Assessing the Titanic disaster, it was decided to give Britannic a double hull along with its engine and boiler spaces. This widened the ship by two feet and necessitated the installation of a larger 18,000-horsepower turbine engine in order to maintain its service speed of twenty-one knots. In addition, six of Britannics fifteen watertight bulkheads were raised to B deck to aid in containing flooding if the hull was breached. As a lack of lifeboats had famously contributed to the high loss of life aboard Titanic, Britannic was fitted with additional lifeboats and massive sets of davits. These special davits were capable of reaching lifeboats on both sides of the ship to ensure that all could be launched even if it developed a severe list. Though an effective design, some were blocked from reaching the opposite side of the ship due to the funnels. War Arrives Launched on February 26, 1914, Britannic began fitting out for service in the Atlantic. In August 1914, with work progressing, World War I began in Europe. Due to the need to produce ships for the war effort, materials were diverted from civilian projects. As a result, work on Britannic slowed. By May 1915, the same month as the loss of Lusitania, the new liner began testing its engines. With the war stagnating on the Western Front, the Allied leadership began looking to expand the conflict to the Mediterranean. Efforts to this end began in April 1915, when British troops opened the Gallipoli Campaign at the Dardanelles. To support the campaign, the Royal Navy began requisitioning liners, such as RMS Mauritania and RMS Aquitania, for use as troopships in June. Hospital Ship As casualties at Gallipoli began to mount, the Royal Navy recognized the need to convert several liners to hospital ships. These could act as medical facilities near the battlefield and could transport the more severely wounded back to Britain. In August 1915, Aquitania was converted with its troop transport duties passing to Olympic. On November 15, Britannic was requisitioned to serve as a hospital ship. As suitable facilities were constructed on board, the ship was repainted white with a green stripe and large red crosses. Commissioned at Liverpool on December 12, command of the vessel was given to Captain Charles A. Bartlett. As a hospital ship, Britannic possessed 2,034 berths and 1,035 cots for casualties. To aid the wounded, a medical staff of 52 officers, 101 nurses, and 336 orderlies was embarked. This was supported by a ships crew of 675. Departing Liverpool on December 23, Britannic coaled at Naples, Italy before reaching its new base at Mudros, Lemnos. There around 3,300 casualties were brought on board. Departing, Britannic made port at Southampton on January 9, 1916. After conducting two more voyages to the Mediterranean, Britannic returned to Belfast and was released from war service on June 6. Shortly thereafter, Harland Wolff began converting the ship back into a passenger liner. This was halted in August when the Admiralty recalled Britannic and dispatched it back to Mudros. Carrying members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, it arrived on October 3. The Loss of the Britannic Returning to Southampton on October 11, Britannic soon departed for another run to Mudros. This fifth voyage saw it return to Britain with around 3,000 wounded. Sailing on November 12 with no passengers, Britannic reached Naples after a five-day run. Briefly detained in Naples due to bad weather, Bartlett took Britannic to sea on the 19th. Entering the Kea Channel on November 21, Britannic was rocked by a large explosion at 8:12 AM which struck the starboard side. It is believed that this was caused by a mine laid by U-73. As the ship began to sink by the bow, Bartlett initiated damage control procedures. Though Britannic had been designed to survive taking heavy damage, the failure of some watertight doors to close due to damage and malfunction ultimately doomed the vessel. This was aided by the fact that many of the lower deck portholes were open in an effort to ventilate the hospital wards. In an effort to save the ship, Bartlett turned to starboard in the hope of beaching Britannic on Kea, approximately three miles away. Seeing that the ship would not make it, he ordered abandon ship at 8:35 AM. As the crew and medical staff took to the lifeboats, they were aided by local fishermen and, later, the arrival of several British warships. Rolling on its starboard side, Britannic slipped beneath the waves. Due to the shallowness of the water, its bow hit the bottom while the stern was still exposed. Bending with the weight of the ship, the bow crumpled and the ship vanished at 9:07 AM. Despite taking similar damage as Titanic, Britannic only managed to remain afloat for fifty-five minutes, approximately one-third the time of its older sister. Conversely, losses from the sinking of Britannic numbered only thirty while 1,036 were rescued. One of those rescued was nurse Violet Jessop. A stewardess before the war, she survived the Olympic-Hawke collision as well as the sinking of Titanic. HMHS Britannic at a Glance Nation:  Great BritainType:  Hospital ShipShipyard:  Harland Wolff (Belfast, Northern Ireland)Laid Down:  November 30, 1911Launched:  February 26, 1914Fate:  Sunk by mine on November 21, 1916 HMHS Britannic  Specifications Displacement:  53,000 tonsLength:  882 ft., 9 in.Beam:  94 ft.Draft:  34 ft. 7 in.Speed:  23 knotsComplement:  675 men Sources WebTitanic: HMHS BritannicHMHS BritannicLost Liners: HMHS Britannic

Wounds Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wounds - Coursework Example On the other hand silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene) increases wound healing time as compared to honey which reduces healing process. However, silvadene has not shown any evidence in inhibition of wound infection effectively but works by inhibiting the growth of bacteria from scattering to surrounding skin or to the blood and causing blood infection.(Kaufman, 2008) Besides that, pain is not uncommon and is felt by patients from time to time and clear fluid known as aseptic exudate may also form on the wound surfaces. In this scenario, the nurse will have to uphold the patients’ use of honey for wound healing this can be attributed to the fact that honey has lesser side effects as compared to silvadene, moreover, silvadene being an antibiotic, any misuse of this drug will lead to bacterial resistance. With that in mind it will not be prudent to reinstate the use of the drug after it was stopped prematurely since this will be increasing the possibilities of bacterial resistance occurring. Lastly, the use of silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene) possess much worse side effects as compared to honey which is the reason for upholding continued use of honey as an

The seductive play of power in Richard III Essay

The seductive play of power in Richard III - Essay Example The Middle Ages in England was characterized by power politics. Buckingham is as seduced by power as Richard is. In fact even before Richard explicitly reveals his intention of seizing the crown, Buckingham is seen hatching plots so cunningly, that Richard is delightfully tempted to say: "My other self, my counsel's consistory,/My oracle, my prophet! My dear cousin,/ I, like a child, will go by thy direction./ Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind." It is interesting to note that the women characters are not fleshed out in the play and are only allowed declamations. This is reasoned by Miner and Irene G. Dash who refers to the women in the play as "ciphers" or "nonpersons" because they are widows and their sole source of power and of social identity-their husbands-is gone. However, it is Richard's play. No other role matters much. He is a grand parodist - of himself, of stage conventions and of other characters. That is the secret of his outrageous charm. His great power over the audience and the other figures in his drama is a compound of terror and charm. Richard's zest, his antic glee in his own diabolism, is infectious. The sadomasochistic seduction of Lady Anne by Richard is by far the most fascinating episode in the play. She is seduced by the power of his rhetoric and his forceful emotional argument when he bares his chest and hands her his sword asking her to either kill him or take him up: "for I did kill King Henry-/But 'twas thy beauty that provoked me./ Nay, now dispatch; 'twas I that stabb'd young Edward-/But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on." (Act I scene ii) Harold F. Brooks calls this Richard's "breathtaking impudence". Another instance where Richard seduces through the power of his language is in Act IV, scene iv. In order to consolidate his power, he falsely swears to Queen Elizabeth that he is in love with her daughter, and to gain credibility he wishes upon himself a curse that should take effect if his vow proves false: "God and fortune, bar me happy hours!/ Day, yield me not thy light, nor, night, thy rest!" His most triumphant parody occurs in Act III scene vii when he dupes the citizens of London into petitioning him to be their king. By imitating a holy man and appearing reluctant to accept the crown, Richard succeeds in getting the power he craves: "Would you enforce me to a world of care/ Well, call them again. I am not made of stone,/ But penetrable to your. kind entreats,/ Albeit against my conscience and my soul." Shakespeare's greatest originality in Richard III which redeems what some critics call an otherwise cumbersome and overwritten drama, is the hero-villain's startlingly intimate relationship with the audience. From the first line of the play, Richard woos the audience through the seductive power of his soliloquy: "Now is the winter of our discontent/ Made glorious summer by this sun of York;" Enthralled, the audience is on unnervingly confidential terms with him. They are unable to resist Richard's outrageous charm, making Machiavels out of them all. They are entertained by the suffering of others. Richard co-opts them as fellow-torturers, making them share guilty pleasures with the added frisson

The influences of price elasticity of demand(Microeconomics) Essay

The influences of price elasticity of demand(Microeconomics) - Essay Example These are usually elastic goods. Price elasticity of demand influences total revenue. When there is increase in price, more revenue is generated on every item that is sold along with the fact that there are fewer items sold. When the aim is to increase total revenue, we must decide which effect is larger. In case of inelastic demand, the increased price affects the total revenue significantly which become directly proportional to increase in price; whereas, in case of elastic demand, the factor that influences total revenue is the lower quantity which makes the revenue inversely proportional to increase in price. Mainly, there are three factors that contribute to demand elasticity (Investopedia, 2010). These are explained below along with a description of how these factors influence consumers to purchase goods: The thumb rule is that: the more is the availability of product substitutes, the more elastic is the demand. Increase in price of elastic goods will influence their demand and the consumer will start looking for other options to replace the product he was using. For example, if the price of tetra pack milk goes up by $1.25, the consumer will start buying fresh milk. Thus, the demand of tetra pack milk decreases. But the industry itself is inelastic, that is if the price of milk as a whole goes up, the consumer will not stop buying milk as it is a necessity. â€Å"Thus, while a product within an industry is elastic due to the availability of substitutes, the industry itself tends to be inelastic† (Investopedia, 2010). This factor deals with the amount of income that is available for a person to spend on goods. If price of an elastic good goes up and the income remains the same, the person will have less to spend on that good than what he had to spend before price increased. For example, the quantity of tetra packs he bought

The Circle of Memory in My Papa's Waltz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Circle of Memory in My Papa's Waltz - Essay Example Readers now begin to wonder, does the waltz dance ignites a painful memory for the speaker or happy memory? Does the waltz dance bring out the father’s clumsiness and a moment of fun with the speaker, or does it bring out issues of alcoholism and child abuse? Therefore, waltz becomes the center of the themes that it portrays while at the same time, becoming the center of controversy. One way, that depicts the use of waltz to complicate the father-son relationship, is through the argument that the speaker remembers his father's bouts of drunken behavior and how they affected him as a child. Another side of argument views that the waltz depicts the love between the father and son, since the former, despite his heavy drinking after a day’s hard work, got time to spend and dance with his son. However, in the first argument, the speaker remembers how his father slapped him around due to his inebriated state, also, that he became violent after drinking too much. Memory plays a vital role in the poem as the speaker is a grown man who remembers his childhood experiences. The subjective lens of memory reveals that the speaker perceives his father's â€Å"waltz† differently now than he did as a child. The speaker also expresses how he felt confused by his father's behavior as a child. As a child, the speaker views his father's violence as actually being a display of emotion and affection. He explains how his childhood perception of his father allowed him to confuse his father's violence with dancing. The waltz symbolizes how the speaker views his father's behavior differently as an adult as he acknowledges how his father had a strange, troubling way of expressing his love and affection. The circle of memory is inseparable from the speaker's view of the waltz as a strange, tenuous bond he had with his father. This represents confusion, not only to the reader, but also to the speaker. Since the poem is a memory of when he was young, the waltz seems to represent something different from when the speaker was young. As stated earlier, the use of waltz in the poem is purposely used to complicate the relationship between the father and the speaker. This also implies that the speaker is also confused by the meaning of the dance. His view about the dance then seems to have changed now that he is fully grown. However still, confusion lingers on his memories. The waltz reveals that the speaker's memory of his father changes over time, and hence that the â€Å"beat† of his father's fist is part of the beat of the speaker's memory. The father's movements reveal that he is intoxicated as he is moving around the room aimlessly. Similarly, the speaker's memory wanders in aimless circles in his attempt to decipher the full meaning of his father's behavior. The speaker's endeavor to find certainty regarding his father's waltz reveals his desire for objectivity. The following lines reveal that he desires to be as objective about his view o f his father in the same way that death is objective about life: â€Å"The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy† (Roethke & Snodgrass 1-4). The speaker realizes that finding objectivity is an arduous task as his father's ambiguous display of emotion leaves him confused. He comes to terms with how his perception of his father lacks the necessary objectivity of factual truth. The poem illustrates

Management of ankle fracture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management of ankle fracture - Essay Example According to most epidemiologists, ankle fractures have quite an extensive occurrence and the groups at high risk include adults, especially the elderly. For instance, Egol et al (2013) imply that that broken ankles have an incidence of approximately 174 cases per 100 000 adults yearly. While Parekh, Patel and Parekh (2012) assert that, the new occurrences could amount to approximately 187 fractures per 100,000 individuals every year. Nevertheless, the approximations seem to be much closer. Generally, according to Egol et al (2013) the correct treatment and categorization normally provides a decisive significance for clinical outcome. Since the mid-1900s, the rate of ankle fractures occurrences has significantly augmented in most of the industrialized states, most probably due to the growth in the number of individuals who get involved in athletics as well as the size of the aging population. Further, Parekh, Patel and Parekh (2012) indicate that the malleolar fractures (a type ankle fracture) has a vast prevalence, whereby the percentage for unimalleolar ranges from 60% to 70%. On the other hand, other fractures like bimalleolar fractures occur at a rate of 15% to 20% while the occurrence of trimalleolar fractures range at 7% to 12%. The overall rate of occurrence of the fractures especially between the genders, according to Maxey and Magnusson (2012), has a similarity. Despite this, the rate of occurrences is much higher in men especially when they are at a younger age. While higher rates of the fractures occurrence in women happens between the age group of the 50 to 70 years. Additionally, a heightened BMI and smoking have been associated with an augmented likelihood of the occurrence of broken ankle. In contrast to the radius’ fractures and other ankle fractures widespread among postmenopausal and premenopausal females, the density of the bone has not complete ly shown evidently as a key risk

Sales and marketing in communication industry Essay

Sales and marketing in communication industry - Essay Example This has resulted from immense marketing by marketers who have worked tirelessly in search for new markets, which has revolutionized African continent hence increasing its mobile usage to a rate of 65% annually that is double the global average. Economists argue that, for a product to reach the market there must be sales people since for them to exist there must be the need to market a product and finally make a sale. Therefore, scholars describe marketing as the activities undertaken to generate leads that plays a major role in bringing in a sale. Where else the act of turning a prospect to a buyer and thereafter a repeat customer can describe selling. The intense cross-border marketing done in some countries in Asian continent reveal, mobile wholesalers in China and India have greatly influenced mobile exporters and importers from other countries through international trade. With the increasing demand for mobile phones, distributors are working tirelessly to meet the rising demand and in the process maintain the will to ensure international and domestic trade continues well. Wholesalers on the other hand are ensuring enough stock in their depots as a sign of rising need for these communication tools (Naresh, 2011:32). At the same time, sales and marketing is essential in ensuring availability of products and concrete information about the market. Moreover, no any movement of commodities could occur if it were not for both overseas and local marketing. Intensive marketing together with sales has helped China gain great deals of profit in handset sales and revenue obtained from such trade. Online marketing through Internet has increased demand raising revenues levied from internet users. International sales and marketing plans, as well as strategies set by mobile phone manufacturers and distributors all over the world, more than half a billion mobile phones were sold worldwide in 2009. In fact, analysts expect the number to double within a period of not more th an five years. Sales relates to marketing in a way that is very simple to understand yet very complicated in explaining. Exporters and importers in UK, France, and Germany expressed great need for faster internet enabled mobile phones. How did they come up with such a radical need? Experts have painted an ideal picture to describe the relationship between sales and marketing. It functions in an extremely miner percentage of potential customers willing and ready to buy a product. It also functions in merely those who would possibly buy at a future date as well as those others who are mildly interested in buying. For those expressing will or wish to buy at a future date, a company must assemble and assign sales representatives to create a friendly and informative follow up where this might be in form of a mail or voice broadcast. In order to reap maximum benefits through marketing and selling, investors must express will to take broad marketing measures. They might take the form of or ganizing inter-business marketing conferences, road shows, and advertising on televisions or over the radio (Naresh, 2011:43). This is evident in countries like Japan where mobile service providers have partnered with banking firms to provide mobile banking services hence this has seen the Japan claim the most vast share of mobile banking and money transfers. For them to realize this, the information technology marketers must have worked hard

Work Plan for Interior Designer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Work Plan for Interior Designer - Assignment Example Interior designers work usually runs in a well laid out sequence. The designer starts by determining the client’s requirements, tastes and preferences before undertaking the project. At this point, they have to consider the number of the building users and hence making enough interior space for them to move comfortably making sure that the taste of client does not hinder motion within the building. After the initial considerations, the interior designer has to make the preliminary sketches of the design plans. These plans will enable them to identify the material they need for the projects such as lighting, furnishes, furniture, tiles, carpets, and decorations. After the preliminary designing, the interior designer has to make a preparation of the final plans usually by the use of the appropriate computer software and present the same to the client. In a case the client is not satisfied by the expected appearance, the interior designer has to make the corrections and adjustments to suit the client's needs. After the designing process, the interior designer has to make an estimate of the cost of the project and create a realistic timeline for the implementation of the same. They then have to oversee the project implementation to ensure that everything goes along with the plan. It is also imperative that they carry out a post-project survey to make sure that the final product satisfies the client. Interior designing is multifaceted and the designer has to work closely with other professionals within the construction industry such as structural engineers, architects, and builders. It is therefore imperative that they are able to read blueprints. It is also compulsory for interior designers to be adequately knowledgeable of building codes as well as inspection regulations.

Sales and marketing in communication industry Essay

Sales and marketing in communication industry - Essay Example This has resulted from immense marketing by marketers who have worked tirelessly in search for new markets, which has revolutionized African continent hence increasing its mobile usage to a rate of 65% annually that is double the global average. Economists argue that, for a product to reach the market there must be sales people since for them to exist there must be the need to market a product and finally make a sale. Therefore, scholars describe marketing as the activities undertaken to generate leads that plays a major role in bringing in a sale. Where else the act of turning a prospect to a buyer and thereafter a repeat customer can describe selling. The intense cross-border marketing done in some countries in Asian continent reveal, mobile wholesalers in China and India have greatly influenced mobile exporters and importers from other countries through international trade. With the increasing demand for mobile phones, distributors are working tirelessly to meet the rising demand and in the process maintain the will to ensure international and domestic trade continues well. Wholesalers on the other hand are ensuring enough stock in their depots as a sign of rising need for these communication tools (Naresh, 2011:32). At the same time, sales and marketing is essential in ensuring availability of products and concrete information about the market. Moreover, no any movement of commodities could occur if it were not for both overseas and local marketing. Intensive marketing together with sales has helped China gain great deals of profit in handset sales and revenue obtained from such trade. Online marketing through Internet has increased demand raising revenues levied from internet users. International sales and marketing plans, as well as strategies set by mobile phone manufacturers and distributors all over the world, more than half a billion mobile phones were sold worldwide in 2009. In fact, analysts expect the number to double within a period of not more th an five years. Sales relates to marketing in a way that is very simple to understand yet very complicated in explaining. Exporters and importers in UK, France, and Germany expressed great need for faster internet enabled mobile phones. How did they come up with such a radical need? Experts have painted an ideal picture to describe the relationship between sales and marketing. It functions in an extremely miner percentage of potential customers willing and ready to buy a product. It also functions in merely those who would possibly buy at a future date as well as those others who are mildly interested in buying. For those expressing will or wish to buy at a future date, a company must assemble and assign sales representatives to create a friendly and informative follow up where this might be in form of a mail or voice broadcast. In order to reap maximum benefits through marketing and selling, investors must express will to take broad marketing measures. They might take the form of or ganizing inter-business marketing conferences, road shows, and advertising on televisions or over the radio (Naresh, 2011:43). This is evident in countries like Japan where mobile service providers have partnered with banking firms to provide mobile banking services hence this has seen the Japan claim the most vast share of mobile banking and money transfers. For them to realize this, the information technology marketers must have worked hard

The Second Vatican Council Essay Example for Free

The Second Vatican Council Essay The Second Vatican Council began in 1962 and ended in 1965. For the first year Pope John XXIII opened the council, he unfortunately died in 1963. Pope Paul VI then took over and closed the council in 1965. â€Å"A combined total of 2,865 bishops and prelates attended the council, which issued sixteen formal documents† (John and Hardon, 2000). The second Vatican promulgated some of the most important documents present in the Catholic religion. They also changed the way the Laity were involved in the church. A Lay apostle is someone who has committed to God (through baptism and confirmation) and strives to deliver the divine message of salvation to others throughout the world. â€Å"The need for the apostolate is shown by the manifest action of the Holy Spirit moving laymen today to a deeper and deeper awareness of their responsibility and urging them on everywhere to the service of Christ and the Church. † (Jackson, 2010). Therefore the statement suggests that the Holy Spirit is the one to give us a deeper understanding of what we as Catholics must do to become a good lay apostle, and that our responsibilities are within the church and our beliefs in Christ. Nazzaro (2010) states â€Å"A Lay apostle walks closely with Jesus throughout each day†¦ We serve Jesus through service to others. † In order to become a good lay apostle we must be close to the Lord daily whether saying prayers or attending church, and in order to serve him we must spread the word of God to everyone that would be interested in following Christ. The Second Vatican Council made the dogmatic constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium). This was a set of rules in which Catholic must abide by. The constitution of the church states that everyone is part of the church and therefore everyone has a responsibility for its growth and the spread of the kingdom of God throughout the world. Due to this responsibility the council recognised the need for the role of the laity to cease from being passive and instead become active. The role is stated by Paul VI (1964) â€Å"they may make Christ known to others† The Vatican II council was one of the most significant events to have happened in the Catholic Church. This was because the council made many changes, its purpose was to bring the church up to date by opening it to dialogue with the modern world in terms of other Christian traditions, other faiths, the cultural, the political and the technical milieu in which we all live. (Doyle, 2006. Bishop Butler, 1967). The church felt that they were ‘behind times’ therefore their goal was to modernise themselves so that they kept up with its people. This meant that the church allowed the freedom of speech to all catholic people. The council wanted a wider input from the community therefore they allowed the laity to have an active role in the church. Other changes included allowing women on the sanctuary, before the second Vatican only males could be alter servers. Churches were not encouraged to study the bible, but rather the catechism, however nowadays churches can study both. Catholics had little to do with Protestants and they weren’t allowed to enter protestant churches, this has also been changed. For most Catholics, the biggest changes the Council made was â€Å"the priest and altar turned toward the people and the Liturgy of the Word and the Canon of the Mass in the vernacular† (McInerny, 2001). This implies that the mass is now read in a language the people understood. Before the Vatican II, mass was read in Latin, which the Laity saw unsuitable as they did not follow or understand the ceremonies attended. The Laity played little part within the church before the second Vatican council was formed. The laity attended mass to listen to the word of God, which was delivered and preached by the clergy. However the insight of Vatican II now means that, â€Å"the laity have a full and active role to play both in the church and in the world. † (Kinast, 1979:384). This implies that the people of the church not only have to take part within the church but they must do their own duty outside of the church. This means getting involved within church events such as fundraising or helping out with the offerings within the sermons. The council felt there was many reasons for changing the role of the laity. One important reason was to enable the Church to adapt with current changes of the modern world. A quote from Pope John XXIII as on his deathbed (24 May 1963) (cited in Bishop Butler, 1967) was â€Å"Those who have lived as long as I have were enabled to compare different cultures and traditions, and know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize the opportunity and to look far ahead. He recognised that the Church was at an important stage and that in order to seize opportunities and bring others into the faith, there needed to be a role for the laity. Bishop Butler (1967) supported this in stating; â€Å"Catholics were not meant to be museum keepers, but rather gardeners whose responsibility it was to prepare a beautiful harvest for a glorious future†. In other words, the laity are there to serve the Lord in as many ways possible, it would be an opportunity wasted if God’s children (the laity) were not sent out to spread the message. Lay Christians are dedicated to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit as aforementioned. They are called to be heralds of faith and through them the Church can become the salt of the earth. This is why the council felt it was important to change the role of the laity as they realised the Holy Spirit acted through them. There have been many developments within the church since the Vatican II. This includes the involvement of other helpers within the church. The Lay people due to the changes were able to do a lot more within the church services. These include readings and Eucharistic ministers. They also have female alter servers, which before the Vatican II would never have been allowed. Some felt that the Vatican II did little for the Church today; â€Å"Although the Second Vatican Council had enormous impact, it cannot be isolated from prior and parallel liturgical, theological, biblical, and social developments† (Mcbrien, 1997), however I disagree. Without the Vatican II’s introduction of the Constitution on the Church, the role of the Laity would not have been transformed to the state that we know today. Because of the Vatican II, the church today has many different roles for people. These include Church Church cleaners, flower arrangers, prayer groups, liturgy groups, pilgrimage groups (including taking the sick to Lourdes), bereavement care centres, parish teams, school chaplains and many more. In creating these jobs not only decreases the work load for the Clergy but it allows the community to get involved within the church and spreads the word of God. There are many developments that may happen in the future. Some have already been discussed but still have yet to be decided. One thing that may develop in the future is the decision on birth control. Although the Catholic Church has still banned contraception there may be good reason for the introduction of it for example the discussion of the prevention of HIV. Another development that could be changed is the marriage of priests. There will always be a place in the church for a celibate priesthood, but there should also be a place for a married priesthood in the church, stated by Daly (2011) (cited in McDonald, 2011). The statement provides challenges to the Catholic religion and that one-day the ban may be shifted. Another issue is that Homosexual marriage may occur in the future. Many religions including Christianity are still against this decision however, todays society is beginning to accept it and thus the Church may also come to the same agreement. A final development for the future would be female ministers. Although there has been much dispute about this topic, the church may alter its decision and adapt to the ever-changing society. Now that there is the Laity, the church must do its duty and continue to listen to the requests and suggestions made by the Laity. The church and the Laity can be said to be a family or a community and without the Laity or the Clergy present, the Catholic religion may not survive. Therefore the second Vatican’s decision on apostolate of Laity was very important as they help the survival of the religion and the message to be spread throughout the world.

Impact of Public Smoking Ban

Impact of Public Smoking Ban For decades, Malaysia has severe problems with cigarette-smoking issues (Mackay 1996). Currently, smoking has been recognized as the major drug killer in Malaysia, bringing with its huge human and economic costs. As a result, afflictions caused by cigarette smoking have taken the lives of around 3,500 Malaysian citizens in each year (Facts About Tobacco Smoking 2008). There are 3 types of smokers, namely social smokers, casual smokers and chain smokers. The Malaysian government enforces laws to reduce smoking rates so that Malaysian citizens can enjoy healthy lifestyles. Cigarette smoking accounts for a massive 25% of all deaths in Malaysia, with smoking-related deaths making up of three out of five of the top causes of death in Malaysia (Mackay 1996). In addition, a research shows that the percentages of lung cancer incidents have been increased at a rate of 17% a year (Smoking Statistics 2002). According to the result of a survey on cigarette smoking rates in Malaysia, there were 3.6 million smokers in the year 2000. Nevertheless, the number is expected to rise dramatically by 2025. It was also found that about 49% of Malaysian males smoked cigarettes in the year 2000 while the number will be expected to reduce by 30% by the year 2025. By 2025, it is estimated that 4% of all Malaysian women who smoke cigarettes are those of 15 years of age and above. The research also shows that most of the smokers start smoking in their youth. Therefore, it is clear that the smoking rates are the highest among the younger generations (Prostar n.d.). 1.3 Aim of research The aim of this research is to identify the different types of smokers and evaluate the effectiveness of law implementation on cigarette smoking by the Malaysian government in order to reduce smoking rates and possibly to ban smoking in Malaysia for the benefit of Malaysians health. 1.4 Methodology A survey was conducted to collect the data about the different types of smokers namely social smokers, casual smokers, chain smokers and the opinions of smokers towards cigarette smoking with a questionnaire. A sample of 20 participants between 11 and 50 years old was taken for this survey. 2.0 Types of Smokers 2.1 Social Smokers Social smokers are defined as people who smoke mainly or only in social settings and in the presence of others (New Straits Times 1997). Social smokers are also known as occasional smokers (Morley et.al 2006). In addition, social smokers are much more likely to have relatives or friends who smoke than those who have never smoked. Figure 1 above indicates that 27% of smokers are social smokers. 2.2 Casual Smokers Casual smokers are defined as people who smoke on many but not all days and also smokers who know how to control on their smoking, going from smoking daily to only smoking occasionally (New Straits Times 1997). Based on the research, it was found that only 9% of smokers are casual smokers (Figure 1). Therefore, the problem with casual smokers is that they do not think that they are addicted. They think that they can switch their desire to smoke on and off and that they have a full control over whether or not they want to smoke (Turner 2008). 2.3 Chain Smokers Chain smokers are also known as addicted smokers who smoke in a chain of cigarettes, one after another. Chain smoking is the practice of lighting a new cigarette immediately after one is finished, sometimes using the previous cigarette to light the next one. It is a sign of addiction and gives the smokers a constant source of nicotine that allows smokers to feel a sense of calmness (Windale n.d.). Based on the survey, 64% of the smokers are chain smokers which contribute the largest number of smokers in this survey (Figure 1). 3.0 Advantages of cigarette smoking 3.1 Economical Contribution The tobacco industry has contributed to the countrys major economy in terms of employment (be it in manufacturing, agricultural and health sectors), earnings, exports and taxes (The Economics of Tobacco Policy n.d.). It was shown that RM1.8 million in indirect taxes and RM683 million in corporate taxes had contributed into Malaysian government revenue. Based on a research, it was indicated that 7.8% of the Malaysian governments income tax revenue was contributed by indirect taxes from the tobacco industry while approximately 3% of the Malaysian governments income tax revenue was derived from corporate taxes within the tobacco industry. 3.2 Mental Relief 3.2.1 Stress Relief Based on the relief survey conducted in figure 2, 38% of the smokers consume tobacco to relieve their stress. Therefore, cigarette smoking is one of the stress management tools for those who suffer from work-related stress as well as family-related stress. A cigarette contains over 4000 different chemicals which could cause cancer (Healey 2001). The poisonous and addictive drug in tobacco which is nicotine could reduce smokers stress levels and it could increase heart rates up to 21 beats per minute and also stimulates the nervous system to make the smokers feel a sense of relief or relaxation (Healey 2001). Besides, smoking creates a numerous conditions that could help the smokers with anxiety and depression (Smoking and mental health 2007). 3.2.2 Memory improvement It is found that nicotine in cigarettes may improve memory and prevent Alzheimers and Parkinsons diseases. Other than that, it is proven that nicotine can help in improving learning ability and memory problems associated with hypothyroidism. In addition, Victorian doctors also recommended smoking as a means of sharpening the wits and boosting concentration (Derbyshire 2008). Based on the survey conducted, 43% of the smokers feel that smoking cigarettes can help them to improve their memory (Figure 2). 4.0 Disadvantages of cigarette smoking 4.1 Health effects 4.1.1 Lung cancer In Malaysia, lung cancer is now an increasingly significant cause of death. It is classified as the most common cancer caused by cigarette smoking in Malaysia. Based on the 2003 National Cancer Registry of Malaysia report, lung cancer accounts for 13.8% and 3.8% of all cancers in males and females respectively. To be more precise, Malaysia has faced 1,758 cases of Malaysians who are diagnosed with lung cancer annually in 2003(Acting against lung cancer 2006). 4.2 Environmental effects According to Tobacco Control, the research shows that cigarette smoke usually produces more air pollution as compared to the diesel car exhaust. From the scientific research, it shows that a cigarette contains over 4000 different chemicals including many toxic substances (Healey 2001). Therefore, the cigarette can create air pollution, the cigarette buds are also a major blow to the environment hygiene (Impact of Butt Littering n.d.). In addition, cigarette smoke also causes potential fire hazards if the lighting cigarette is not put out immediately (Slovenian Young Minds n.d.). In addition, about 3,000 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults each year are caused by the exposure of tobacco smoke from smokers. Also, an increased risk of lower respiratory tract infections is recorded in infants and young children whose parents smoke in their presence. 5.0 Actions taken by the government 5.1 Legislation 5.1.1 The Control of Tobacco Products Regulation 1993 The Malaysian government has tried to curb smoking among Malaysians by implementing the Control of Tobacco Products Regulation in 1993. This regulation was enforced in 1993 under the Food Act 1993, which all direct advertising and sponsorship are prohibited as well as the requirement of fixed health warnings, and also ceiling levels of tar (20mg) and nicotine (1.5mg) are displayed(Tobacco Unit Malaysia 2003). Besides, smoking restrictions are applied at public places and specific places such as air-conditioned places. Those places are normally set as no smoking zones while tobacco sales to any person under the age of 18 years old is strictly prohibited. This regulation is also amended to strengthen the restriction towards the total ban of tobacco-related promotions, the requirements of more effective health warnings, and the limitation to the availability of cigarettes, and the lowering of tar and nicotine levels in order to extend the existing non smoking zone. 5.1.2 Tobacco Control Act This act will be replacing The Control of Tobacco Products Regulation 1993 to be the prominent comprehensive legislation for tobacco control in Malaysia. The function of this act is to fit in all relevant provisions and country obligations stated in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (Tobacco Unit Malaysia 2003). 5.2 Augmentation in taxation of cigarettes According to the Maybank Investment Bank Berhad, raising taxes on tobacco is one of the most effective ways of reducing the amount of people who smoke. Therefore, the Malaysian Government has taken steps to increase the tobacco taxes by at least 11 per cent in 2009 in order to discourage smoking among Malaysians and cuts its budget (Malaysia may raise tobacco taxes n.d.). ÂÂ  Meanwhile, the Malaysian government also tends to raise cigarettes price by 40% (World Health Organization 2008). Albeit the decision of the Malaysian government has diminished demand of smokers but government revenues need were not affected. 5.3 Restriction on advertisements and other promotions The advertisements and promotions of smoking or tobacco products should be restricted in Malaysia. In Malaysia, some restrictions have been implemented for the descriptive labeling of cigarettes, such as lights, ultra lights, low tar or mild on their packaging. Besides that, cigarette manufacturers are forbidden from promoting cigarettes (Government puts the squeeze on cigarette makers 2008). Therefore, to argue against the cigarette advertisements, the Malaysian government has intervened to introduce anti-smoking campaign to promote the dangers of smoking by placing advertisements during prime time warning. Based on statistics, it was indicated that among 4 million smokers, 1,000 smokers died due to tobacco-related diseases every year. In this case, the Malaysian government had implemented all kinds of legislation to reduce the percentages of death from tobacco-related diseases. 5.3.1 Packaging and labeling ÂÂ  http://www.smoke-free.ca/warnings/warningsimages/malaysia/Malays4.jpg ÂÂ  http://www.smoke-free.ca/warnings/warningsimages/malaysia/Malays12.jpg Diagram 1: Samples of health warning on cigarette packages The Malaysian government has amended the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004 on World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), May 31 to urge tobacco manufacturers to display health warnings on cigarette packages. The health warnings such as lung cancer, mouth diseases, heart diseases and unhealthy infants graphics should be displayed on cigarette packages to warn smokers of the consequences of smoking (Health Ministrys tobacco rules get thumbs-up 2008). In addition, all packages are required to include pictorial warnings that could cover 40% of the front of the packages and 60% of the back of the package (Government puts the squeeze on cigarette makers 2008). 6.0 Conclusion More effective actions should be taken by the Malaysian government to ban smoking in public areas such as hospitals, clinics, public lifts, toilets, air-conditioned restaurants, public transport, government premises, educational institutions, petrol stations, internet cafes and shopping complexes. Heavy fines could be an alternative to punish those who smoke in public areas. Besides, the Malaysian government could include the reinforcement of rules and regulations on smokers who continue to smoke. Even though tobacco contributes significant tax revenues to Malaysian government, we should also be aware of the increasing costs on health care to curb health problems derived from smoking. We cannot totally ban smokers from smoking cigarettes, our government should play a leading role to educate all generations about the negative effects of smoking. Incentives and taxes should be imposed to curb health problems such as heart diseases and lung cancer. Therefore, the Malaysian government sh ould enforce tougher laws on tobacco smoking in order to have healthier Malaysian.

Americas Advantages in the Revolution Essay -- essays papers

America's Advantages in the Revolution In the second half of the eighteenth century, the British were faced with rebelling colonies. Finally realizing that they had to fight to keep their colonial possessions, the British sent troops to America. Once the battles began in America, the British were not impressed with the colonial military, but the weak militias soon proved to be effective. With foreign aid from France, American devotion, and the lack of British vigor, the Americans soon discovered the open doors of independence. In my opinion, the American advantages and the British disadvantages proved to be the downfall of the English in the American Revolution. Even though the British army was larger, the American army proved to have talented fighters. The Continental Army and the state militias were essentially the two military organizations of the Americans. Throughout the war, the Americans employed only 231,771 men, which meant that the American forces rarely numbered over 20,000. Compared to the British, the American army was small, but their military tactics and skills were excellent. From a distance of 200 yards, an American rifleman could easily kill a British soldier. Many men observed that the British plainly fired in the general direction of the Americans, while the Americans aimed for the heads of the British. Also, the Americans had many more competent and talented leaders. George Washington and Benedict Arnold were two of the most brilliant Ame...

Visual Culture :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Symbols and images have a more than significant impact on one?s views of the world. Since childhood, a person?s brain uses representation of images into meanings to make sense of their world. These images then go on to being either the truth or falsehood and base a person?s views of the world for the rest of their life. All this can be explained through the idea of representation of everyday cultural mediums; such as advertisements and the television.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Representation is the way a person interprets symbols and images of a culture and the way these images explain why the world is the way it is. These symbols and images are seen in everyday cultural mediums so nobody is exempt from representation; even under strict exclusion from society. An example would be of a person brought up on Fifth Avenue who believes that the best clothes are made by the likes of Armani compared to a vagabond who believes that the best clothes are the ones that last him through the night.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nearly every form of visual media a person comes into contact with is a photograph, which is undisputable evidence of an event. There is the myth of photographic truth, which means that photographs are subjective, yet can be manipulated and taken in different contexts. Take the photographs taken by Nazi?s during the holocaust. The photographs denote that Nazis killed millions of people, but the photographs may also take on many connotative meanings. Connotative meanings are views people hold on images based on their cultures and past experiences. One may have the connotative view that the images are horrendous while another might find justification within the actions of the Nazis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Of the two connotative meanings mentioned with the Nazi pictures they each hold different ideologies; ideas that form a culture. The ideas of ideology are usually taken in as the views of most of the population of a given culture, therefore ideologies define cultures. An American ideology is the belief in independent freedom while a communist ideology is communal sharing. How are these ideologies passed on in a culture? They start off in schools and places that people gather. Malls are filled with advertisements. There are ads that symbolize skinny brunettes wearing Chanel as the perfect woman, which is what most men and women tend to take as truth. Then there are ads to enlist people into the army, which give a message of a strong country run by individuals.

Women in Business

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Course: HRMG 5000 Managing Human Resources Term: Summer, 2011 Paper #1: Women in Business Student: Daphne Westerlaken – van Westen Contact information: daphne. van. [email  protected] com University: Webster University Leiden Instructor: Arthur De La Loza -2Abstract There is a direct correlation between corporate finance performance and women in leadership roles. The number of female college graduates and overall percentage of females in the workforce is increasing. Therefore the pipeline of women has greatly increased and companies have to capitalize on this to ensure these companies are going to retain, attract and develop this pool of talent. An equal balance of qualified men and women can only be achievd when top management focus on what women want in their company, work-life balance, talent management and equal compensation. Therefore the performance of top management should be judged partly on their ability to groom and promote female talent. -3Introduction The numbers of female college graduates and overall percentage of females in the workforce is increasing. In order to ensure that companies continue to appeal to the best and the brightest men and women, companies need to promote the fact that there is equal access to opportunity for both genders. Catalyst, the leading nonprofit organization working globally with business to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business, has found that there is a direct correlation between corporate finance performance and women in leadership roles. Studies show a more equal balance of qualified men and women drives innovation, engagement and business success. This research paper will focus on the involvement of Human Resource Management to increase the number of women in leadership roles. What Women Want The majority of the women and especially Generation Y (born 1978 – 1994) are concerned about the impact of their life-work balance (e. g. family, child care) decision will have on their careers. BPW (Business and Professional Women’s) Foundation did research on this topic and found out that the most important employer characteristics for women are: 1. Opportunity for employees to self-manage 2. Emphasis on meeting goals, as opposed to how, when or where people do the work 3. Availability of and focus on career advancement opportunities Furthermore BPW found out that women are disconnected with employers when: -41. Employees judge each other based on the number of hours worked and not results produced 2. Employees at the top have more freedom than employees at the bottom. The overall percentage of females in the workforce is increasing and the Generation Y women are the workforce for tomorrow. Because of this, women will ensure the long term business successes. Therefore corporations have to retain, attract and develop women by fulfilling their needs by a multipronged approach: 1. Organizational level: Examine and adjust the prevailing mind-set of inputs over outputs. An environment that rewards a person’s presence is not conducive for encouraging people to apply tools that might improve their performance. 2. Management level: Managers need to be coached in and held accountable for the ways in which their practices enable or limit the effectiveness of their direct reports. 3. Individual level: Each individual should be encourages to identify where and when they work best. Quotas & Regulation Currently women occupy is just 12% of the seats on the boards of large European companies. The European Union warns that if listed European businesses have not made significant progress in raising that percentage by next year March, the European Union will consider mandating that they do through measures such as boardroom measures gender-quotas of the kind already in place in France, Spain and Norway. The proportion of women occupy the seats on the board of the listed France’s companies is expected to hit 20% next year, up from 7% two years ago. The pool of qualified women is finite and therefore the pressure is to prevent that pool from drying up. One of the reasons that -5qualified women are not in that pool, is because there are not visible to companies. Therefore companies and also women need to take actions like: 1. Develop and introduce mentoring programs (pairing senior women with company chairmen as mentors) 2. Build up systematically contacts (networking inside and outside the company) 3. Women have to inform company bosses of the progress in their developments 4. Chief executives have to promote women to their executive committees Regulatory back-up, like quotas, are required, because some men over 60 think that suitable females don’t exist because they have never had women as their peers, and they think women can’t take the pressure involved in serving on a board. Furthermore, these quotas forces companies to develop strategies and programs to retain, attract and develop high qualified women, who can enter the boardroom. But there is also a down side of quotas. Companies have to avoid pushing too low qualified women into boardrooms only to meet these quotas. This will harm the qualified women more than the quotas will help. Work – life Balance With women now making up almost half of the labor force in the Unit States and Europe, they are increasingly juggling work with care giving responsibilities at home. The solution for this dilemma is work flexibility and scheduling. There are several solutions and possibilities to increase the work-life balance: 1. Employees working at home. This can be achieved by teleworking. Telework means that employees work via electronic, telecommunications and Internet means. -62. Compressed work week. A compressed work week is a work week in which a full week’s work is accomplished in fewer than five 8-hour days. Example: four 10hour days. 3. Flextime: Scheduling arrangement in which employees work a set number of hours a day but vary starting and ending times. 4. Job-sharing: Scheduling arrangement in which 2 employees perform the work of one full-time job. Researches have shown that the approach of work flexibility and schedule not only help a company’s business success, it leads to increased employee productivity and retains and attracts the best employees. Equal Compensation The US labor statics for 2009 shows that women’s median full-time earning is 78. 7% of what men earn. The level of education doesn’t make any differences. The reasons for wage differences are complicated. Part of it has to do with many traditionally male-dominated professions, paying better than female-dominated professions. Part of it has to do that women choose to spend more time with family care than with their careers. But that is not whole story. A study showed that when all things are equal (other than gender), women faculty members get paid less their mail colleagues. Women earn on average 6. 9% less than men in similar situations, when the long careers of male faculty members, the relative productivity of faculty member and where male and female faculty members tend to work are taken in account. Why the difference? 1. 2. Sexism and discrimination Women don’t negotiate better salaries for themselves 7There’s not a lot women can do about sexist employers, but salary negotiations are under their control. These negotiations can be a stumbling block, because women are not well trained to negotiate assertively on their own behalf. But if they do, they may be penalized, particularly if the other negotiator is male. A study observed that men were more inclined to work with nicer and less de manding women who accepted their compensation offers without comment than they were with women who attempted to negotiate for higher compensation. Both women were equaled competent for the job. So that’s the double bind for women: if they don’t ask for a higher salary, they likely won’t receive one, but if they do, they may not be hired or promoted. Talent Management Catalyst, a nonprofit women’s research group, mentioned that only 11 chief executives of Fortune 500 companies are women, down from a peak of 15 in 2010. The McKinsey study showed that 37% of lower-level and middle management are female, while just 26% of vice presidents and other senior manager are women at Fortune 500 companies. McKinsey researchers found that female ambition declines at middle age. About 64% of women ages 45 to 54 old expressed a desire to advance professionally, compared with 78% of the men in the same age range. The comparable figures were 92% and 98% respectively, for women and men aged 23 to 34. The decrease of the desire to advance professionally of middle aged women is caused by their experience of not well fitted Talent Management Systems. Corporations can improve the odds for building diversity in the top management by increasing the number of women who make it from middle management to the vice presidential level. There are several opportunities, which companies can implement: -81. Companies need to spend more time coaching women and offering more leadership training and rotation through various management roles. 2. Companies should watch the women at the middle management level systematically and putting these women in programs that would help them to develop and get the next (promotion) hurdle. 3. Companies should be actively grooming women, making sure they have mentors and actively promoting their careers. 4. The performance of top management should be judged partly on their ability to groom and promote female talent. Conclusion & Recommendations Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between corporate financial performance and having a mix of women and men in senior leadership roles. Statistics show that the number of female college graduates and overall percentage of females in the workforce is increasing. Therefore the pipeline of women has greatly increased and companies have to capitalize on this to ensure these companies are going to retain, attract and develop this pool of talent. To capitalize the women talents, companies need to change their (masculine) corporate culture. In the majority of the companies, female employees don’t have same access to opportunities as their male colleagues. To increase the corporate financial performance, companies need to improve their corporate culture and the equal access to opportunities for both female and male employees. -9Every business and company is different and therefore companies need to found out what the needs are from their (future) female employees. In general, the most important employer characteristics for women are: 1. 2. 3. Opportunity for employees to self manage Emphasis on meeting goals, as opposed to how, when or where people do the work Availability of and focus on career advancement opportunities The work-life balance becomes more important for both female and male employees; due to that the number of women participates in the workforce is increasing. There are several solutions and possibilities which companies can implement to increase the work-life balance: 1. 2. 3. 4. Employees working at home (teleworking) Compressed work week Flextime Job-sharing Besides attract and retain female employees, development of these qualified women is important, because they will ensure the mix of women and men in senior leadership roles. Therefore it is recommended that companies improve their talent management with: 1. Coaching women, offering leadership training and rotations through various management roles 2. Watch the women at middle management level systematically and putting these women in programs that would help them to develop and get the next promotion hurdle . Actively grooming women, making sure that they have mentors and actively promoting their careers – 10 Without equal compensation, women will leave the company or are not interested to start their career with a company. Therefore is important that companies need to make sure that both women and men are equal compensated for the work they do. The final recommendation is more means of putting p ressure on companies. A regulatory back-up, like quotas, forces companies to develop strategies and programs to retain, attract and develop high qualified women, who can enter the boardroom. Unfortunately there is also a down-side of quotas. Companies have to avoid pushing too low qualified women into boardrooms only to meet these quotas. This will harm the qualified women undeserved. An equal balance of qualified men and women can only be achieved when top management focus on what women want in their company, work-life balance, talent management and equal compensation. Therefore the performance of top management should be judged partly on their ability to groom and promote female talent. – 11 References Mathis, Robert L and Jackson, John H (2011). Human Resource Management. South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning Jolis, Anne (2011, May 19). What Women Want. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2011, from http://www. WSJ. com SHRM Online staff (2011, April 26). What Gen Y Women Want: Autonomy and Self-Direction. Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://www. shrm. org Boulton, Leyla (2011, May 10). UK headhunter pledge new focus on gender. Financial Times. Retrieved May 19, 2011, from http://www. ft. com Manzano-Diaz, Sara (2011, May 20). Helping Women Advance in the Workplace. Council on Women and Girls. Retrieved May 25, 2011, from http://www. whitehouse. gov/administration/eop/cwg Peggy (2011, April 12). Equal Pay Day: Why don’t women just ask for more? Retrieved May 25, 2011, from http://www. scientopia. org/blogs/everydaybiology/ Lublin, Joann S, (2011, April 4). Coaching Urged for Women. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from http://www. WSJ. com Prime, Jeanine and Moss-Racusin, Corinne A (2009). Engaging men in gender initiatives: What Change Agents Need To Know. Catalyst Zahidi, Saadia and Ibarra, Herminia (2010). The Corporate Gender Gap Report 2010. World Economic Forum Women in Business Women are becoming more involved in the business world by having well established careers and businesses that are performing very well all over the world. Their businesses are growing and contributing significantly to the economies of their countries. They have been able to develop careers and businesses in areas that were initially regarded as the domain of men. As they enter this environment, they have developed new styles of carrying out business and come up with ways that are different from those that were being used by men in the past. There are various reasons that have inspired the women to start their own businesses and join the male dominated territory. Some of these reasons are derived from the needs that these women have. Financial security and the need to achieve something in their lives are some of these reasons that have inspired the women to come up with various businesses. Other reasons include seeking independence and flexibility to allow then to determine how they want to work and when they want to work. One of the major challenges that women face as they carry out their business is the ability to balance their work and their family. The women face this challenge as they are not able to separate the business side of things and the family side. However, there are various steps that these women can carry out to ensure that they strike a balance between their business work and their family roles. Some of the steps include coming up with a schedule of events and time that can help the women manage their time. They can also talk to their families and make them understand the importance of the jobs and how much it means to them. Their families can then be in a position to respect the business and value it. Developing a work cycle that fits the family life cycle can also help the women to create more opportunities and chances of spending time with their families without affecting the performance of the business. 1. 0 Introduction Women in the recent past have become more involved in business with many of them starting up their own businesses. The rate of women starting their own businesses is increasing with the rate being twice that of the national average. Some of these women have more than a hundred employees in their businesses (Ericksen & Young, 1999). They have been going forward in their ventures and succeeding. These women have been able to prove that the world of business is not only a man’s world. They have gone and succeeded in areas that are considered male territory in business such as real estate, moving, restaurant business among others. The women have also maintained their characteristics and experiences of being mothers, daughters and wives as they carry on business. This paper discusses the experiences of women in business including the entrepreneurs and how they balance their work and family. 2. Women in Business In the past, men have been involved in business establishing rules and structures to be followed in organizations. However more women are getting involved and becoming part of the business world in one way or another. They have been able to enter this male dominated environment and they have been changing the way things are done and making positive contributions to the development of businesses and org anizations. They have introduced new methods and styles of doing things that are very different from the methods were being followed by the men. Most of these women have formed their own businesses which they have developed from their own unique ideas and talents that they possess. In the United States alone, there are more than ten million businesses that have been started by women. These businesses have employed over 13 million people (Gunelius, The Importance of Women-Owned Business Certification, n. d). In 2008, such businesses were able to impact the national and local economies greatly and significantly generating sales of over $1. 9 trillion (Gunelius, n. d). Women have been inspired to work hard in their businesses pushing them to great heights and reaching new levels. These women are persistent and they leave undeniable marks on the economy they impact. Most of these women have made plans and they continue to make plans for the future of their businesses with about 37% of them planning to leave their businesses in the hands of their daughters (Gunelius, Statistics About Women Business Ownders from Center for Women’s Business Research, n. d). This will help ensure that such businesses owned by women will be here to stay. 2. 1 Reasons for Joining Business. There are various factors that make the women to join the world of entrepreneurship and leave their current employment levels. Other women who are merely stay at homes have been driven to start their own businesses. These women have been inspired to start their own business that range in all sorts of industries. Other women have been inspired to start businesses that they are able to operate from home. Some of the women use their professional skills and competencies to start their own businesses while others use their hobbies and talents as the foundation and acquire the skills that are needed. Majority of these women when starting these businesses do not have any business knowledge or background but due to their passion and ambition they are able to succeed. (a) Financial Security There are various reasons that make women get involved in business with some starting their own businesses. Most of these women usually state economic necessity as one of the reasons that they start their own businesses. They start this business as they look for a source of income to make ends meet. The income they get is used to sustain their family and provide for the needs of their family. Financial security is the major driving force for most women who join business starting their own businesses (Lake, Conway, & Whitney, 2005). (b) Flexibility and Independence Most of these women are mothers and they like to work using their own schedules so that they are able to spend more time with their children and family. They then choose the option of starting their own businesses that will allow them to be flexible and juggle their personal lives with their work. Having their own business allows them to freedom and independence to decide when to work and where to work from (Lake, Conway, & Whitney, 2005). Most of the women entrepreneurs choose to work from their homes and just create an office in one of the rooms in their houses. (c) Corporate Glass Ceiling Some women experience a situation where they are not able to proceed further in their careers. Corporate glass ceiling is a situation where certain careers in business cannot exceed a particular level in growth. In that career there are simply no other levels that can be achieved above the current level. Women who experience such a situation end up starting their own businesses that give them more options in their careers and more fulfillments. The women are driven by this inspiration and they become their own boss (DeYoung, n. d). (d) Solving a Problem Some women entrepreneurial spirit is started off by the need to solve a particular problem that they experience and others in the society as well. They then develop a solution to the problem and then make money out of it as they help solve the problem effectively. Some of these women include Julie Clark. She came across a problem of lack of educational videos for small children and from then started to make them for her babies. She later founded a company by name The Baby Einstein that was involved in production of educational videos for young children (DeYoung, n. d). (e) Personal Achievement Some women are driven to start their own business by the desire to achieve some goals or achievements professionally (Lake, Conway, & Whitney, 2005). For most of the women who are driven by this desire, tangibles are not part of their quest. They are driven by perseverance and the desire to achieve something on their won with their own knowledge and abilities and operate a business. From the business they start they are able to achieve and make a significant impact in their lives, their families and the people around them. 2. 2 Challenges Faced In Business Entrepreneurs face several challenges when they are starting off and as the businesses grow. Women however face more challenges and obstacles as they carryout their own business (Gunelius, Challenges Facing Women in Business, n. d). These challenges although they are many they are not able to deter them from carrying out their businesses and becoming successful. They have been able to overcome these challenges and continue growing their businesses. One of these challenges is the lack of equal opportunity in the business environment. (a) Gender Discrimination The business environment has for a very long time been male dominated. It has drawn very clear lines on gender, and these lines have extended in all business areas. There are very few businesses that have been regarded to be for women. Most women when they start of their businesses in areas that were not regarded for them, they face a lot of gender related discrimination (Gunelius, Challenges Facing Women in Business, n. ). This mostly happens to women who are of a different race or color than the men. Studies have shown that more women who are of African American origin are discriminated in the business environment (Lake, Conway, & Whitney, 2005). (b) Family Pressure Some of the women who start of their own businesses they are overwhelmed by the activities that are involved in their bus inesses and they are not able to maintain a balance between their businesses and their families. This is one of the challenges that face women all over the world who are also mothers and have families to take care of. The balance between the business and the family life becomes hard to achieve and in most cases their family life suffers. The family pressures then take a toll on their relationships and their roles as mothers (Gunelius, Challenges Facing Women in Business, n. d). (c) Unequal Opportunities One other challenge that faces many women, who start of their own businesses especially in an area that is highly dominated by men, is the lack of opportunities that are equal (Gunelius, Challenges Facing Women in Business, n. d). They face these challenges as they carry out their daily business activities and seek funds for their businesses. These challenges interfere with their businesses and they are not able to move and grow as expected. Studies have shown that most women do not receive equal opportunities in the business environment especially in financial institutions with over 67% of them reporting difficulties when accessing funds (â€Å"Women Entreprenuers,† n. d). 3. 0 Work/Family Balance As women become more involved in the business environment developing their businesses, they are constantly faced with the challenge of managing their time properly between their business and their family. They are constantly seeking ways to manage and balance these two important sides of their life. Entrepreneurship on its own enables the women to manage their time and develop schedules that suit their life and their families as well (Women entrepreneurs, n. d). They are able to attend to family matters and other family activities and still be able to carryout their businesses. The flexibility and independence allows to allocate more time when need be to the family in various stages of her life and make up for any time lost with her family. 0% of most of the working women are driven to start their own businesses in order to enjoy this flexibility and independence (Business Women and Challenges of Work, Family, n. d). Even though the women entrepreneurs have the freedom to be flexible and spend time with their families some are not able to balance the two. There are various steps that women can follow to ensure that they are able to balance their lives and manage their time properly be tween their work and their life and hence create a balance. 3. 1 Developing a Mindset and Keeping Perspective. The women who have difficulty managing their time properly and balancing their family life and work should be able to keep a proper perspective and mindset. They should stay focused in their relationships in their family as they are valuable aspects of their life. The relationships should be maintained at all times and decisions made should be able to maintain them. These relationships are very important as they are the sources of happiness and they influence how the work is done and the quality that is maintained (Ericksen & Young, 1999). The perspective and mind set taken should put this relationships first and the business second. Businesses and work should be seen as ways of supporting the relationships. This mindset when grounded can help in the decision making process and ensure that the decision s that are made focus on maintaining these relationships above all else. Work should also be treated with respect and the family should also be advised to respect the business time and value it. The women should show the families the importance of the work and what it means to them. They should also strive to do everything they can to make the work succeed. When they treat the work with a lot of respect and value the families are also able to see this and they in turn develop the same respect and value in that business (Isidro, 2010). 3. 2 Developing a Schedule A schedule can be made that can help the women to manage the time effectively. The schedule when followed can help the women to allocate enough time for the family and the business and avoid conflicts. Regular working hours can be established and maintained and any unexpected occurrence of events can be handled carefully and time compensated appropriately (Isidro, 2010). The schedule can also include frequent time breaks for the women to spend some time with the children during those breaks. The breaks can be used as a way of relaxing and spending time with the family and giving them undivided attention at this time. A schedule can also be made for the family vacations and weekends. Some women find it difficult to work when their families are at home during the summer and other holidays. Therefore a schedule can be made to include the time the family should take vacations and holidays together. The family can be involved in the making of the schedule to ensure that they are able to understand the importance of the vacation and the impact it has on the business (Business Women and Challenges of Work, Family, n. d). They will be able to offer their support and allow the women to work undisturbed and respect the working hours. 3. 3 Outsourcing and Delegating Women should not see themselves as super heroes and tend to take on all the activities of the business on their own. They can allocate some of the activities and tasks to some of the employees they can trust and then handle the more complex tasks. They can also outsource some of the work from other businesses to be able to save on time to spend with their families. They can stick to accomplishing only what they need to do on their own to ensure that the business remains productive. The faster they do their work the more time they have with their families. Getting a personal assistant when the business activities increase can allow them to spend more time with their families and still be able to make the businesses successful. Through networking the women can be able to identify other businesses that can be able to handle some of the activities of their business and outsource it to them (Lake, Conway, & Whitney, 2005). 3. 4 Being Fit and Healthy A woman managing her own business should strive to keep herself healthy and fit to ensure that she is able to carry out the business and the family as well. She should stay healthy and take good care of herself in a way that she is able to take care of her family. If she is able to take care of herself then she will be more likely to be in a position to take care of her family. When working she should only take up jobs that do not strain her mentally and physically. Once she feels that she is almost burning out she should relax and take a break. Prioritizing her activities and tasks should help her deal with only what is important. She should also learn to say no in certain circumstances and avoid feeling guilty when she says no. She should just strive to do her best and deal with her life one day at a time. She can also join support groups that can help her deal with some of the issues in her business. Such support groups can be identified through networks both in the community and online (Isidro, 2010). . 5 Match the Life Cycle and the Business Cycle Women entrepreneurs can seek to match the work cycle with that of the family in order to spend more time with them. They should not be in a hurry to accomplish so much in their business and forget their families (Gunelius, Challenges Facing Women in Business, n. d). They should instead work hard where they ca n and use the slow road since it will still get them there. They should also be gentle with themselves and come up with ways that will allow them to spend time with their families. The women can for example wake up early enough and perform some of the work that is needed urgently in order to ensure that they are able to spend some time with their family during breakfast. They can also use the weekend to recover some of the time that is lost during the week as they also take a break. Another way to ensure that she is able to spend more time with the children is to work late at night when the children are asleep and it is quiet since they are able to concentrate more and accomplish more tasks then. During the day they can then spend the time with their children and play with them. The women can also avoid answering phone calls when they are spending time with their families or replying to email. When they are with their families they can switch off their mobile phones to avoid interrupting the time they are spending with their families (Isidro, 2010). 3. 6 Family’s Commitment The family should be made to understand the importance of the business and how it is operated. Making them understand will ensure that they are supportive and committed to ensure that it is successful. It is important to teach them and let them know how the business is doing, whether the money is tight and when it is doing well. They can help and come up with ideas that can be used to improve and make it better and offer moral support when things are not going well (â€Å"Women entrepreneurs,† n. d). The women should also consider the needs of their families and support them when they need the support (Isidro, 2010). Some of the needs of the family can be handled at a later time while others need urgent attention. Women should be able to identify some of the needs that are urgent and handle them immediately. Several minutes can be used to solve a problem and avoid severe consequences. The several minutes can also portray concern to the family and the issue at hand. This is importantly helpful as it helps strengthen the family relationships. Constant communication with the family should help the women identify issues that are affecting the family and the needs that they are going through. 4. 0 Conclusion Women are becoming more involved in the business environment and performing very well. They have opened up their own businesses out of ideas they have developed. From these ideas they have been able to generate a lot of money for the national economies and contributed significantly to the society. Their businesses are driven by the need to help and the desires and passion of these women. Despite the challenges the women have faced that are unique to the business environment, they have been able to overcome them through perseverance and a lot of hard work. The women who have made it are able to inspire and motivate the other women to come up and develop their own businesses and succeed. They have also become role models in their society and all over the world through their achievements and successes.