Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Diplomatic Presidential and Cultural Lessons of the...

The Vietnam War was the longest deployment of U.S. forces in hostile action in the history of the American republic. Although there is no formal declaration of war from which to date U.S. entry, President John F. Kennedys decision to send over 2,000 military advisers to South Vietnam in 1961 marked the beginning of twelve years of American military combat. U.S. unit combat began in 1965 (Anderson, 1999). During this time there were many significant lessons that were learned and still affect the way that war’s are fought today. I will discuss the most significant lessons as it relates to diplomatic negotiations, presidential leadership, and cultural/social contexts. I believe that the single most significant lesson that I have learned†¦show more content†¦By February 1967, it had become perfectly clear that the North Vietnamese negotiating position had been reduced to its irreducible minimum. There was no doubt in President Johnson’s mind what it was, because he explicitly stated it in his letter—†direct bilateral talks with representatives of the United States Government provided that we ceased ‘unconditionally’ and permanently our bombing operations against your country and all military actions against it (Draper, 1967). This was a significant event that changed the way the war was fought. The President’s reluctance to allow more time for the four-day Tà ªt (lunar new year) truce was also a significant factor in not agreeing to end the war. President Johnson’s letter of February 8 did not reach Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi until February 10. On February 10, Secretary-General U Thant urged an â€Å"indefinite and unconditional extension† of the truce and renewed his three-point plan, â€Å"starting with an unconditional end to the bombing of North Vietnam,† which, he said, could â€Å"bring about a favorable climate for peaceful talks between the parties.† (Draper, 1967). February 12 was apparently the day ofShow MoreRelatedLessons Learned from the American Experience in Vietnam Essay994 Words   |  4 PagesLessons Learned from the American Experience in Vietnam DeVry University HUMN415: Vietnam and the 20th Century Experience Spring A 2010 Lessons Learned from the American Experience in Vietnam The Vietnam War was a war that seems to have thought the American Military and Government officials a lot about diplomatic negotiations, presidential leadership, and cultural/social contexts. Each American involved most likely has a different story to tell about the War from the ground soldiers allRead MoreDiplomatic Negotiations between America and Vietnam621 Words   |  3 PagesExperience Vietnam The importance of studying history is to understand the lessons learned from the past, so that they are not repeated in the future. In the case of the Vietnam War, there are distinct messages that are taught to everyone. To fully understand them requires looking at diplomatic negotiations, Presidential leadership and cultural / social contexts. Together, these elements will highlight how critical mistakes can be avoided. Diplomatic Negotiations The diplomatic negotiationsRead MoreAnalyzing United States Involvement in Indonesia During the Vietnam War590 Words   |  2 PagesUnited States involvement in Indonesia during the Vietnam War is a virtual case study in lessons learned and mistakes not to make during martial encounters. These errors and the lessons they provided spanned a number of different areas, and include noticeable blunders in social and cultural contexts, presidential leadership, and in diplomatic negotiations. Although the U.S. made a number of mistakes and miscalculations concerning the cultural needs of the South Vietnamese people that the formerRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1224 Words   |  5 Pages Intervention in Vietnam. Second Analysis Paper Student’s Name Institution of Learning Introduction The Vietnamese was very detrimental because several people died. Indeed, the Just War Wage Policies (JWPs) were famous with the Vietnam War of 1961-64. Critically, the JWPs might fail in certain war cases owing to several challenges such as terrorism, lethal weapons, and genocide issues, which render this policy ineffective. Therefore, it is important to re-think whether this policyRead MoreThe Vietnam War During The 20th Century Essay2391 Words   |  10 PagesVietnam War occurred in the 20th century was the longest war in the American history, aimed to stop the spread of the Communism of South East Asian . The United States had involved in the conflict in Vietnam as the global superpower following it triumph over the Axis forces in the Second World War, but left Vietnam with a mortifying lost, with a high level of casualty . The perennial and most grievous war created long-term aftermath and impacts on most perspectives of the American life from militaryRead MoreNational Security Council ( Nsc ), And Department Of Defense4696 Words   |  19 Pagesthrough a display of force According to John Guilmartin in his book A Very Short War: The Mayaguez and the Battle of Koh Tang, priority was given to the first objective, which dictated the obligation of forces to the rescue attempt (1995). Size of the Organization: Directly, there were roughly 1000 personnel involved in the incident. Indirectly, the numbers could extend to include Cambodia and Vietnam, but we examine only the directly involved parties, most notably, the participatingRead MoreEruopean Expansion4283 Words   |  18 Pagessearch for new trade routes, or new developments in technology? Explain your choice. What lessons do you think English colonists learned from their early Jamestown experience? Focus on matters of fulfilling expectations, financial support, leadership skills, and relations with the Indians. What specific developments illustrate that the English living in the plantation colonies tried to apply these lessons? Select any combination of two of the three colonial settlement areas (South, New EnglandRead MoreNational Security Outline Essay40741 Words   |  163 Pages The Laws of War and Neutrality 24 CHAPTER 7: War Crimes and Nuremberg Principle 28 CHAPTER 12: Nuclear Weapons: Deployment, Targeting and Deterrence 33 CHAPTER 13: Arms Control in the Nuclear Age 36 Chapter 14: Measures to Reduce Tensions and Prevent War 41 CHAPTER 16: The Law of the Sea 43 CHAPTER 17: The Constitutional Framework for the Division of Nat’l Security Powers Between Congress, the President and the Court 48 The 1973 War Powers Resolution 49 II. The War Powers Resolution:Read MoreRp-Us Visiting Forces Agreement12890 Words   |  52 PagesAlthough the Philippine Senate voted against U.S. wishes to close American military installations in 1992, bilateral security cooperation resumed following territorial disputes between the Philippines and China in 1994 and the launching of the Global War on Terrorism in 2002. After 2001, the Philippines received one of the most dramatic increases in U.S. foreign aid in Southeast Asia, largely for counterterrorism purposes, including not only military assistance but also health, education, and economicRead MorePolitical Situation in Pakistan14875 Words   |  60 Pagesshould be the relation of the two wings to the center and to one another; whether regions should enjoy autonomy; whether the form of government should be parliamentary or presidential or one combining features of both. The federal and the unitary forms are both compatible with democracy, and the same can be said of the pr esidential and the parliamentary systems. This is all the more reason why the views of the people must be ascertained on issues to which answers cannot be deduced by debates on abstract

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Dna Barcoding Using Coi For Species Identification For...

DNA Barcoding using COI for Species Identification for Conservation Introduction and Literature Review The DNA Barcoding is becoming more popular in the present times due to its accuracy in the identification of different species. It has been approved to be more accurate than other taxonomic methods. The DNA Barcoding employs in the use of Polymerase Chain Reaction to magnify the COI gene. The amplified COI genes of the organisms are sequenced and compared with a known database of the organisms. The DNA Barcoding aids in understanding many characteristics of the species. These characteristics of the species include; trophic interactions, species boundaries, conservation of the biodiversity and functional feature of evolution (Kress et al. 1). Biologists use DNA Barcodes to single out an unknown species by matching a particular genetic marker to a reference genetic database. DNA Barcode can be one or short sequences of the genes taken from the standardized genome (Nagy et al. 2). This paper discusses the use of DNA Barcoding to determine the prohibited parrot trade. The prohibited wildlife trade can affect the existence of a species in a habitat by introducing other species that interfere with the living of the species in that habitat. In most cases, the illegal wildlife trade leads to extinction of particular species in the ecosystem. The molecular markers are fundamental in forensic sample analyses because of their success in analyzing samples that cannot beShow MoreRelatedThe Challenges Of Amphibians867 Words   |  4 Pagesalmost 20.41% species (among the total of 49 species) in Bangladesh has been recognized as threatened (IUCN, 2015), yet an enormous unrecognized diversity is calling for a taxonomic exploration. But there are several challenges for amphibian taxonomists as they have remarkable cryptic diversity phenotypic plasticity as well as many frogs are morphologically similar but can be distinguished by genetic divergences. DNA barcoding could be a quick means to obtain species identification precisely. The

Monday, December 9, 2019

Marketing Plan for University Of Melbourne †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About the Marketing Plan for the University Of Melbourne? Answer: Introducation University of Melbourne, founded during the year 1853 is essentially a public research university situated in Melbourne, Australia. Essentially, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest one of Victoria. This university is necessarily ranked 33rd in the entire world by the Time Higher Education and ranked 40th in the world by Academic Ranking of World Universities (Unimelb.edu.au 2017). There are essentially 12 colleges situated on the primary campus and delivers academic, sporting as well as cultural programs alongside accommodation for both national as well as international students. This university consists of 11 separate academic entities and is related to many institutes as well as research unit (Unimelb.edu.au 2017). Market Summary Analysis of the university as well as other higher education market in Australia gains revenue of around $31 billion and has an annual rate of growth of approximately 4.5%. However, this education industry also provides employment to around 127638 people in Australia. Again, the University as well as other higher education industry has experienced important assessment along with reform over the past five years. During the year 2012, the Federal Government essentially presented a demand driven financing model for different universities, leading the way for an increase in the enrolment in the domestic students essentially over a specific period (Hazelkorn 2015). Nevertheless, as a consequence of clearing of Commonwealth supported places, public expends on specific universities has increased considerably, generating budgetary pressures for the Federal Government. Transformations to student visa necessities have also led to increase in transnational enrolments along with increase in the domestic enrolments over the last five years. Essentially, the industry revenue is anticipated to expand essentially at an annualised rate of approximately 4.5% over the past five years during the year 2016 to 2017. The industry as well as other higher education industry is not necessarily capital intensive. Again, for every dollar that is invested in capital, an approximated amount of $11.65 is anticipated to be spent on particularly wages during the year 2016 and 2017. Particularly, highly skilled and competent professors, tutors as well as lecturers are required to undertake face to face classes with all the students. In actual fact, universities in Australia intend to draw as well as retain well-qualified employees, and this in turn results in substantial wages presented for academic staff (Armstrong et al. 2014). Predominantly, institutions also engage non-academic staff counting general administrative members, librarians, security personnel as well as caretakers. In addition t o this, participants also incur costs of depreciation through the ownership of campus buildings and accommodations. Moreover, universities also spend money in equipment namely computers, projectors in addition to diverse course-specific tools (Hazelkorn 2015). In addition to this, the university as well as higher education sector in Australia comprises of accredited education providers who are primarily engaged in delivering undergraduate along with post graduate teaching as defines under the Higher Education Support Act of particularly the year 2003. The primary industry products include the bachelors degrees, different undergraduate programs, masters degree, research works, doctoral along with post-doctoral degrees. Furthermore, there are also different industry activities that necessarily are the postgraduate school operation, university operation, different research school operation together with undergraduate school operation. Demand Analysis Analysis of the higher education and the university sector essentially helps in understanding the future demand for higher education. Reports reveal that over the next twenty years, specific demand for essentially higher education helps in experiencing considerable growth may be due to demographic transformations (Cavusgil et al. 2014). Founded on data on current trends on growth, it can be hereby said that Australia intends to attain bachelor attainment target that is well ahead of the deadline of the year 2025. Nevertheless, present trends in employment shows that the overall tertiary demand is expected to increase by around 344000 students by the year 2020 and by 563000 student enrolments by around 2030. Again, 75% of the expected growth in the stage of the bachelor level is expected to be absorbed by particularly the commonwealth, necessarily at a rate of around $10442 for every EFTSL and the cost can also amount to a supplementary amount of $263 million by the financial year 202 0 and reach an amount of $996 million by the financial year 2030. In this connection it can be said that Australia needs to take into account the manner in which it can satisfy the requirements of the additional students, and address the manner in which it is possible to match the training for higher education to the requirements of the workforce of Australia. Apart from this, analysis of the demand also divulges he fact that attention need to be provided for making certain a pipeline of academic member of staff and equipped to meet up the expected gaps in the workforce since the present wave of senior academic start to retire (Connell 2013). Demography Analysis of the demography reflects the fact that overseas students mainly accounts for higher fraction of the global students. There exists imbalance in gender where female students essentially outnumber the total male counterparts since the period 1987 and nowadays the figures outweigh by a significant margin. During the year 2014, specifically the sex ratio for essentially the higher education segment was approximately 80 males for every 100 females. Particularly, this compares to the necessarily 269 males for every 100 females during the period 1970. In actual fact, the numerical imbalance that exists between students that are both male and female broadened during the period 2004 and 2012, however, this has closed slightly over the past two years. Analysis of the family background necessarily is an important determinant of who comes to study in the Australian University. In spite of the modest increase over the past ten years, individuals from necessarily the lower economic strat a remain underrepresented among different superior education students (Stromquist and Monkman 2014). Necessarily, 16.1% of national higher education students have a permanent address in essentially the 25% lowest socioeconomic strata. The augmentation in the overall percentage of students belonging to the socio-economic strata has increased gradually over the course of stage wise implementation of demand driven financing ever since the period of 2010. The overall Indigenous population has also increased substantially from essentially 1.2% during the year 2005 and more swiftly than the growth of percentage of the total Indigenous population in the pertinent age bracket. As per the 2011 census data, approximately 31.2% of students talk in a language that is not English essentially at home. Around 31.2% of the student population speak Mandarin, 3.1% speak Cantonese, 2% speak Arabic and approximately 1.8% speak Vietnamese. In addition to this, the pattern of religious adherence of stude nts in Australia is also very much diverse. Reports reveal that there are only 50.7% Christians as compared to 66.9% for specifically Australia, whilst the percentage having no religion is around 34% as compared to 24% nationwide, 5% of Buddhist as compared to 2.7% nationally, 4.2% Muslims as compared to 2.4% nationally and around 2.5% Hindu compared to 1.4%. However, the percentage of population having no religion is very high and it is seen to be higher particularly among students than the people belonging to the same age and who are non-students (Blanger et al. 2014). In addition to this, it can be observed that the total percentage of students who work while studying decreased from around 65% during the period 2006-2011. Essentially, the occupations that are mostly taken up by students are that of sales assistants, waiters, check out operators, cashiers, bar attendants as well as baristas. Segmentation and target market analysis Basic segments that the university might target include students, faculty members, staff, parents, donors, news media as well as the state legislature. However, the main target area that is the students can be divided into prospective and current students for various programs (undergraduate and graduate) (Harmon 2015). Undertaking an appropriate segmentation structure can be considered to be the future of different universities. The higher educational institutes can necessarily interact with diverse students separately or connect to students through the internet, specific tele-services, personal services as well as print media. In particular, universities can attract and at the same time retain students by using unique value proposition that are presented to the students. The segmentation tactics that can be used include University students grounded on the primary advantages that they are searching for (Hancock and Nuttman 2014). Thus, the segmentation can be based on essentially quality buyer, value buyer and the economy buyer. In this case, a particular student can be considered to be a high or else superior quality buyer iff the student is keen to disburse lot of funds for particular services that are also of superior quality. Again, a value buyer is regarded to be the one who expects to get the service that exactly matches the exact level of price. In addition to this, an economy buyer is the one who is primarily attracted in lessening expenses, eager to receive marginal quality for the correct price and if and only if the students get hold of it opportunely (Sultan and Yin Wong 2013). PEST Analysis Pestle evaluation can be considered to be the most generic analysis for considering the macro condition along with other parameters in the specific industry. The PESTLE analysis of university and that of the higher education segment is as mentioned below: Political factors: The overall political scenario of essentially Australia can be considered to be very challenging as the nation has numerous levels of bureaucracy. In particular, the Australian government is essentially open for allowing the entry of different universities; however the fact is that the government do not want to compromise with the overall quality of education offered by the educational institutes (Kaiser et al. 2014). Therefore, the corporations need to settle all the formalities that are present with the government and at the same time showcase different advantages to the Australian market owing to different new higher educational institutes. Economic Factors: Particularly, the economic condition of the nation Australia can be considered to be very conducive and the entire economy is also witnessed to be growing at a very descent rate. Other than this, different macro economic factors and micro economic factors namely supply-demand as well as employment is also escalating, therefore, the disposable income of all the people of Australia is also increasing (Arends 2014). Therefore, the booming economy also attracts students from different corners of the world who intends to acquire a good job in the nation Australia. Social factors: The social factor can be considered to be an important factor that can be observed by different corporation at the time of entering into foreign market. In actual fact, the social along with the cultural factors essentially shape the entire product development strategy and assists in the process of formulation of international marketing plans (Coates and McCormick 2014). In essence, the demographics along with the psychographics of specifically Australia have the preference to be educated and therefore have the tendency to motivate development of new education learning centres in Australia. Technology: The students essentially in Australia have an inclination towards technology. Therefore, the students are very much attracted towards technologically intensive versions and forms of learning systems. Therefore, the more the technology is used in the education sector, the greater is the number of registration of the overall number of students. Therefore, it is compulsory for different corporations that are investing in different higher education to acquire latest technology (Wilkins and Stephens Balakrishnan 2013). In essence, this can aid in getting ahead of the established as well as well known universities along with other competitors. Legal Factors: As rightly put forward by Hazelkorn (2015) legal issues need to be properly supervised by different corporations that are planning to formulate plans for entering into the foreign market. There are several issues such as registration of different universities, maintaining adherence to different prescribed syllabus for varied courses and many others that need to be supervised by different foreign universities as in case of higher education, same courses cannot be used all over the globe (Olsen 2015). Therefore, the educational courses along with the study materials need to be designed according to the stipulated standards of the nation Australia otherwise serious litigation might perhaps be charged against the specific universities Environmental factors: As correctly mentioned by Olsen (2015), environmental concerns are also not the main concern necessarily in the higher educational segment according to the government standards. However, it is desired by different universities as well as colleges to have green technology instituted in their campuses. As such, this creates huge reputation for the corporation. Essentially, positive image of the brand of the university can help in gaining affection of different students and therefore can attract maximum number of new students. Therefore, based on the PESTLE evaluation it can be hereby inferred that the Australian education industry is necessarily worth investing. In addition to this, the present analysis also reflects different inspiring figures and therefore higher educational industrys capacity need to be properly captured by diverse foreign investors (Johnson et al. 2014). Competitor Analysis The primary competitor of the University of Melbourne is the University of Canberra (UC). This university is essentially a public university that is situated in Bruce, Canberra that is the Australian Capital Territory. This university also delivers undergraduate as well as post graduate courses in six different learning areas that includes Applied Science, Government and Law, Art and design, Education and Information Sciences as well as Engineering along with Health. Like the University of Melbourne, the UC also delivers educational services to both domestic as well as international students. Aim: The aim of the University of Canberra (UC) is to provide quality educational services, on-campus medical facility, fitness centre, gyms, food outlets, cafes, bank, library and book shops. In addition to this, the university also intends to provide multi-faith centre in addition to a wide range of other student support services as well as facilities counting 24*7 computer laboratories, wireless access and many others. Furthermore, UC also intends to offer campus accommodations for all the new as well as international students. Objective: The main objective of University of Canberra (UC) is to provide superior quality educational services at an affordable price to both national as well as international students. SWOT Analysis Strength -The use of hi-tech technologies in the system of education -High growth in the nation Australia and availability of different resources -Affordable education system (Zajda 2013) - Understandability, superior quality, as well as high growth of particularly online education Opportunity -The total number of students enrolling for the colleges are day by day increasing - the number of both national as well as international students are increasing -Brand image of the Australian education system is also strong (Zajda 2013) - online global opportunities (Unimelb.edu.au 2017) Weakness - There is huge barriers to entry in this market for new entrants in this industry - Under financing in different departments as well as programs - light on different cultural, tribal, ethnic assortment -Understaffing at diverse levels -Lack of infrastructure (Framework 2013) Threat -Reduced public financing of higher education -Risk of losing top faculty as well as staff for better opportunities at different other universities -Increased competition from public universities as well as private universities Value and Brand Positioning Analysis Analysis of the value and brand positioning helps in defining competitive frames of reference that is the target market and the nature of competition in the market. In addition to this, brand positioning helps in understanding the points of parity of both category and the competitive along with the points of difference (strength, desirable and exclusive brand relations) (Zajda 2013). Proposed Marketing Aim and Promotional Objectives for 2018 The proposed promotional objectives are: -Inform about the market to the target audience- Present appropriate information regarding the product in a bid to ensure that different clientele desire the product -Increase the overall demand- These can be considered as theschemes thatcan be utilized during particularlyproductlife cycle (PLC) in a bid to augment sales figure of University of Melbourne (Unimelb.edu.au 2017). -Properly differentiate the product of the University of Melbourne - This is in particular significant if there are numerouscompetitorsin the identicalmarket (Coates and McCormick 2014). Marketing Mix Strategies Product: Administration of the educational institute University of Melbourne can provide superior quality educational services and stop compromising on the quality of education. The management of the educational institutes need to provide qualified, trained and innovative teaching services and thereby deliver quality education with devotion as well as dedication (Unimelb.edu.au 2017). Price: the management of the educational institute intends to provide educational services at affordable prices (Arends 2014) Place: The management is necessarily the site where a specific educational institute is instituted. The administration plans to establish institutions at multiple locations in a bid to get more number of students (Coates and McCormick 2014) Promotion: the administration of the university can select media advertisement using newspapers, magazines, television and many others. Media and Budget Allocation for 2018 University of Melbourne Budgeted Statement of Financial Position Amount $000 Financial Assets Cash 250000 Accounts Receivables 125000 Investments 1250000 Investments accounted for equity method 11000 Other financial assets 1200 Total Financial Assets 1637200 Non-Financial Assets Land, Building and Infrastructure 1700000 Plant and Equipment 160000 Investment Property Intangibles 3000 Inventories 2000 Other non-financial assets 30000 Total Non-Financial Assets 1895000 Total assets 3532200 Liabilities Payables Supplies 30000 Other Payables 100000 Total Payables 130000 Financial Liabilities Interest Bearing Liabilities 400000 Other financial liabilities 1000 Total Financial Liabilities 401000 Provisions Employee Benefits 800000 Total Provisions 800000 Total Liabilities 1331000 Equity Total Equity 2100000 University of Melbourne Budgeted Income Statement Income from continuing operations Revenue Australian Government Financial Assistance 650000 Australian Government Grants HELP Government Payments 80000 Student Payments 12000 State and Territory Government Financial Assistance 3500 Fees and charges 220000 Investment Revenue 75000 Consultancy and contracts 60000 Other Revenue 40000 Total Revenue 1140500 Other Income Investment Income 90000 Gains on revaluation 3000 Total Other Income 93000 Income from continuing operations 1233500 Expenses from continuing operations Employees 550000 Services 400000 Depreciation 95000 Write Down and impairment of assets 14000 Borrowing Cost 13000 Losses on disposal of assets 1500 Total Expenses from continuing operations 1073500 Net Results Before Income Tax 160000 Income Tax Expense 0 Net result from continuing operations 160000 Net Result from Discontinued Operations 0 Net Results 160000 University of Melbourne Budgeted Statement of Cash Flow Operating Activities Cash received Australian Government financial assistance 650000 State Government financial assistance 4000 HECS-HELP - student payments 13000 Fees and charges 220000 Consultancy and contract 65000 Interest and other investment earnings 23000 Dividends received 50000 Other receipts 65000 Total cash received 1090000 Cash used Payments to employees and pensioners 546000 Direct investment expenses 0 Borrowing expenses 11000 Payments for services 390000 Total cash used 947000 NET CASH FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 143000 INVESTING ACTIVITIES Cash received Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment 7000 Repayments of loans receivable 600 Transfer from furniture, fitting equipment reserve 0 Proceeds from sale and maturity of investments 850000 Total cash received 857600 Cash used Loans provided 50000 Purchase of property, plant and equipment 140000 Transfer to furniture, fitting equipment reserve 0 Purchase of investments 2000000 Total cash used 2190000 NET CASH FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES -1332400 FINANCING ACTIVITIES Cash received Medium term note Issue 210000 Total cash received 210000 Cash used Repayment of Hedge 12000 Repayments of borrowings 1200 NET CASH FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES 196800 References Arends, R., 2014.Learning to teach. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Armstrong, G., Adam, S., Denize, S. and Kotler, P., 2014.Principles of marketing. Pearson Australia. Blanger, C.H., Bali, S. and Longden, B., 2014. How Canadian universities use social media to brand themselves.Tertiary Education and Management,20(1), pp.14-29. Cavusgil, S.T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J.R., Rammal, H.G. and Rose, E.L., 2014.International business. Pearson Australia. Coates, H. and McCormick, A.C. eds., 2014.Engaging university students: International insights from system-wide studies. Springer. Connell, R., 2013. The neoliberal cascade and education: An essay on the market agenda and its consequences.Critical Studies in Education,54(2), pp.99-112. Framework, A.Q., 2013. Australian qualifications framework.Australian Qualifications Framework Council. Hancock, L. and Nuttman, S., 2014. Engaging higher education institutions in the challenge of sustainability: sustainable transport as a catalyst for action.Journal of cleaner production,62, pp.62-71. Harmon, G., 2015. Australia as an higher education exporter.International Higher Education, (42). Hazelkorn, E., 2015.Rankings and the reshaping of higher education: The battle for world-class excellence. Springer. Hazelkorn, E., 2015.Rankings and the reshaping of higher education: The battle for world-class excellence. Springer. Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M. and Estrada, V., 2014. NMC technology outlook for Australian tertiary education: A Horizon Project regional report.Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Cover image courtesy of Open Universities Australia ISBN, pp.978-0. Kaiser, F., Maassen, P., Meek, L., van Vught, F., de Weert, E. and Goedegebuure, L. eds., 2014.Higher education policy: An international comparative perspective. Elsevier. Olsen, A.J., 2015. E-learning in Asia: Supply and Demand.International Higher Education, (30). Stromquist, N.P. and Monkman, K. eds., 2014.Globalization and education: Integration and contestation across cultures. RL Education. Sultan, P. and Yin Wong, H., 2013. Antecedents and consequences of service quality in a higher education context: a qualitative research approach.Quality Assurance in Education,21(1), pp.70-95. Unimelb.edu.au. 2017.The University of Melbourne, Australia - Australia's best university and one of the world's finest.. [online] Available at: https://www.unimelb.edu.au/ [Accessed 29 May 2017]. Wilkins, S. and Stephens Balakrishnan, M., 2013. Assessing student satisfaction in transnational higher education.International Journal of Educational Management,27(2), pp.143-156. Zajda, J., 2013. Globalisation and neo-liberalism as educational policy in Australia.Neo-liberal Educational Reforms: A Critical Analysis,107, p.164.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Issue of Conserving the Environment in the US

Tidwell talks about the issue of global warming, which has been termed in the academic circles as the global commons. The United States, just like other countries in the world, is being faced with the issue of conserving the environment in order to resolve the issue of global warming. In the United States, the water bodies are polluted each day, dust and gases are in the air, and the surrounding is full of waste products. This has an effect to the environment, which threatens the world security.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Issue of Conserving the Environment in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Environmental degradation is a global common because pollution in one country would probably affect the health of individuals in other countries. As the president was meeting other heads of states from all over the world, the issue of conserving the environment in the US was still a matter of concern, just in the same way as states have continuously failed to come up with a single policy to address the problems affecting the environment. Based on this issue, Tadwell advises Americans to neglect the policies that urge them to protect the environment at the individual level. This is because real pollution is caused by companies, which are never given regulatory policies to guide their production. For real environmental conservation, Tadwell advises that citizens should stop giving in to the tricks of the government and lobby the parliament to come up with laws that would lead to real environmental conservation. In this regard, environmentalists should employ the techniques utilized by the civil groups in 1960s, such as demonstration, to lobby politicians to design environmentally friendly laws. In the United States, there are quite a number of green gestures, but little political action. This means that various groups are willing to conserve the environment, but there is no political good will. He observes that the former president, George W. Bush, encouraged individuals to take the initiative of conserving the environment, but pollution rates have never changed. The country needs to come up with strong policies that would ensure the problem of global warming is resolved. The consequences of global warming are stern because some parts of the world might be extinct. For instance, some Irelands such as the Eastern Shores may join others, which will bring about conflicts. Hurricane, which is related to global warming, will bring about untold suffering. Therefore, it is upon Americans to come up with strategies that would prevent all these. The main solution to the problem of global warming is agitating for sustainable development. This means that today’s production should take into consideration the future generation. In this case, production should be friendly to the environment to prevent global warming.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see i f we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The future generation would have nothing to produce in case the rate at which the environment is being destroyed persists. Tadwell advises that the only way to ensure sustainability is through formulation of laws. He compares global warming to segregation. Segregation was a policy that had oppressed and subjugated many people in the United States. It was easy to end the policy through the designing of the appropriate law. Therefore, laws should be designed at both national and international level. The government of the United States should come with strong laws to punish those who destroy the environment. Similarly, the US should facilitate the crafting of the international environmental law. The only solution to pollution is the designing of laws. This essay on The Issue of Conserving the Environment in the US was written and submitted by user Sadie Guthrie to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Anthrax Threat to America essays

Anthrax Threat to America essays It is August 1 at the A.I.M. building in Palm Beach, Florida. 1000 people are in line to receive protective antibiotics, to be tested for exposure to anthrax - all this after a man, who would later die, was admitted to a local hospital for possible anthrax exposure. Anthrax is a disease caused by bacteria found in livestock. A breakout in Iraq once killed a million sheep. Today at least 17 nations are believed to have biological weapons programs that include weapons grade Anthrax. Research on anthrax use as a biological weapon began 80 years ago. (Thomas) Despite the large possibility of anthrax, there has not been a confirmed case of inhalation anthrax in the United States since 1978. This is why the cases of anthrax that have shown up in recent weeks have come as such a shock and have been met with paranoia. Despite the long-standing history of Anthrax, for a period it had been forgotten about. Since the beginning of anthrax use as a biological weapon in 1920s, the United States has lost track of which nations have weaponized anthrax. This is one of the major causes for concern. It is known that Iraq one of the United States enemies has produced and weaponized anthrax, (Thomas) but their could be countless other nations and terrorist groups that could obtain it. Another problem involving anthrax is its deadliness. In 1979, the accidental release of anthrax in the former Soviet Union resulted in 79 cases of the anthrax and 68 deaths, demonstrating the lethal potential of anthrax. Anthrax also puts a strain on the economy. At an average cost of $262 per person infected an the fact that if there is a major release of anthrax 88 out of every 100 people would not survive the ensuing sickness despite antibiotics. (Thomas) Some scientists say that a solution to the anthrax threat would be vac cination, but the total vaccination of all of America would be costly and ineffective. The vaccinations only last f ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The History and Domestication of Cassava

The History and Domestication of Cassava Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also known as manioc, tapioca, yuca, and mandioca, is a domesticated species of tuber, a root crop originally domesticated perhaps as long ago as 8,000–10,000 years ago, in southern Brazil and eastern Bolivia along the southwestern border of the Amazon basin. Cassava is today a primary calorie source in tropical regions around the world, and the sixth most important crop plant worldwide. Fast Facts: Cassava Domestication Cassava, commonly called manioc or tapioca, is a domesticated species of tuber, and the sixth most important food crop in the world.  It was domesticated in the southwestern Amazon of Brazil and Bolivia some 8,000-10,000 years ago.  Domesticate improvements include traits which must have been added by means of clonal propagation.  Burned tubers of manioc were discovered at the classic Maya site of Ceren, dated to 600 CE.   Cassava Progenitors The progenitor of cassava (M. esculenta ssp. flabellifolia) exists today and is adapted to forest and savanna ecotones. The process of domestication improved the size and production level of its tubers, and increased the photosynthesis rate and seed functionality, by using repeated cycles of clonal propagation- wild manioc cannot be reproduced by stem cuttings. Archaeological macro-botanical evidence of cassava in the little-investigated Amazon basin has not been identified, partly because root crops do not preserve well. Identification of the Amazon as the point of origin was based on genetic studies of cultivated cassava and all various possible progenitors, and the Amazonian M. esculenta ssp. flabellifolia was determined to be the wild form of todays cassava plant. Amazon Evidence: The Teotonio Site The oldest archaeological evidence for manioc domestication is from starches and pollen grains from sites outside the Amazon.  In 2018, archaeologist Jennifer Watling and colleagues reported the presence of manioc phytoliths attached to stone tools at the southwestern Amazon Teotonio site in Brazil very near the Bolivian border. The phytoliths were found in a level of dark earth (terra preta) dated to 6,000 calendar years ago (cal BP), 3,500 years older than any terra preta anywhere else in the Amazon to date. The manioc at Teotonio was found alongside domesticated squash (Cucurbita sp), beans (Phaseolus), and guava (Psidium), indicating that the inhabitants were early horticulturalists in what is becoming recognized as an Amazonian center of domestication. Cassava Species Around the World Cassava (Manihot esculenta), root and ground for dinner.   Rodrigo Ruiz Ciancia / Moment / Getty Images Cassava starches have been identified in north-central Colombia by approximately 7,500 years ago, and in Panama at Aguadulce Shelter, about 6,900 years ago. Pollen grains from cultivated cassava have been found in archaeological sites in Belize and Mexicos Gulf coast by 5,800–4,500 bp, and in Puerto Rico between 3,300 and 2,900 years ago. Thus, scholars can safely say that the domestication in the Amazon had to happen before 7,500 years ago. There are numerous cassava and manioc species in the world today, and researchers still struggle with their differentiation, but recent research supports the notion that they are all descended from a single domestication event in the Amazon basin. Domestic manioc has larger and more roots and increased tannin content in the leaves. Traditionally, manioc is grown in the field-and-fallow cycles of slash and burn agriculture, where its flowers are pollinated by insects and its seeds dispersed by ants. Manioc and the Maya The Pompeii of North America, Joya de Ceren, was buried in a volcanic eruption in August 595 CE. Ed Nellis Members of the Maya civilization cultivated the root crop and it may have been a staple in some parts of the Maya world. Manioc pollen has been discovered in the Maya region by the late Archaic period, and most of the Maya groups studied in the 20th century were found to cultivate manioc in their fields. The excavations at Ceren, a classic period Maya village that was destroyed (and preserved) by a volcanic eruption, identified manioc plants within the kitchen gardens. Manioc planting beds were discovered some 550 feet (170 meters) away from the village. The manioc beds at Ceren date to approximately 600 CE. They consist of ridged fields, with the tubers planted on the top of the ridges and water allowed to drain and flow through the wales between the ridges (called calles). Archaeologists discovered five manioc tubers in the field which had been missed during harvesting. Stalks of manioc bushes had been cut into 3–5 foot (1–1.5 meter) lengths and buried horizontally in the beds shortly before the eruption: these represent preparation for the next crop. The eruption occurred in August of 595 CE, burying the field in nearly 10 ft (3 m) of volcanic ash. Sources Brown, Cecil H., et al. The Paleobiolinguistics of Domesticated Manioc (Manihot esculenta). Ethnobiology Letters 4 (2013): 61–70. Print.Clement, Charles R., et al. The Domestication of Amazonia before European Conquest. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282.1812 (2015): 20150813. Print.De Matos Viegas, Susana. Pleasures That Differentiate: Transformational Bodies among the Tupinamb of Olivenà §a (Atlantic Coast, Brazil). Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 18.3 (2012): 536–53. Print.Fraser, James, et al. Crop Diversity on Anthropogenic Dark Earths in Central Amazonia. Human Ecology 39.4 (2011): 395–406. Print.Isendahl, Christian. The Domestication and Early Spread of Manioc ( Manihot Esculenta Crantz): A Brief Synthesis. Latin American Antiquity 22.4 (2011): 452–68. Print.Kawa, Nicholas C., Christopher McCarty, and Charles R. Clement. Manioc Varietal Diversity, Social Networks, and Distribution Constraints in Rural Amazoni a. Current Anthropology 54.6 (2013): 764–70. Print. Sheets, Payson, et al. Manioc Cultivation at Ceren, El Salvador: Occasional Kitchen Garden Plant or Staple Crop? Ancient Mesoamerica 22.01 (2011): 1–11. Print.Watling, Jennifer, et al. Direct Archaeological Evidence for Southwestern Amazonia as an Early Plant Domestication and Food Production Centre. PLOS ONE 13.7 (2018): e0199868. Print.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Exploration of regional variations in guanxi among Chinese managers Thesis

Exploration of regional variations in guanxi among Chinese managers - Thesis Example Guanxi networks are of great importance in business and financial transactions, and hence the relevance of guanxi to management and understanding of business in China is extreme. According to Ramasamy and Goh (2006, p.130) â€Å"guanxi is the lifeblood of Chinese business communities, and frequently acts as a lubricant of business activities†. Guanxi is also considered as being â€Å"a channel of knowledge transfer† and two specific aspects of guanxi are related with such a channel - â€Å"trust and communication† (Ramasamy and Goh, 2006, p.130). Guanxi has also been related to the human resources management of firms that operate across China. Law and Jones (2009, p.313) revealed that various aspects of guanxi need to be clearly understood by HR managers in both Chinese and foreign firms. Guanxi has been related to other parts of business activity in China. In a study by Lee and Humphreys (2007), guanxi was found to be a critical factor affecting a firm’s supply chain management: in aspects of strategic purchasing, outsourcing, and supplier development (Lee and Humphreys, 2007, p.45). Though guanxi influences the development of various business activities in China, a differentiation has been identified â€Å"in the way guanxi is utilised in state-owned and foreign-invested enterprises† (Wood, Whiteley and Zhang, 2002, p.263). The study by Wood et al. (2002) found that guanxi is considered to be an important criterion but it seems to be more appreciated in state-owned enterprises rather than enterprises based on foreign capital. The above view is in accordance with that of Liu and Roos (2006, p.432) who noted that â€Å"the guanxi-driven paradigm remains a crucial factor in planning and managing effective working relationships when the Chinese partner i s one officially classified as â€Å"restricted†. In other words, guanxi influences the business activities in China – affecting also the decisions of Chinese managers – but this influence seems to be

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

American Flag Desecration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Flag Desecration - Essay Example George Washington said "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing we are separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty" ("History of the Flag," 2007). Other nations often take the red as the blood of those who risked their life for the nation's freedom, and white as purity for the ideal freedom they fought for. The Congress in 1977 was credited for speaking of the flag's symbols as "the star is a symbol for heaven and a divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; and the stripe is symbolic of the rays light emanating from the sun"("The United States Flag," 2006.) This is how much Americans value their symbols of nationalities. However, through freedom of speech and expression towards presidential governance, some use the flag to extend their disagreement; such as burning, ripping or any indecent display that could attract the administration's attention to listen to their stipulations (Foppian, 2007). The massive public burning of flag during the Vietnam conflict on 1968 alarmed the Congress that was forced to come up with the first federal flag protection of general applicability. However, due to the Supreme Court's refusal to review the statute, it took a couple of decades that only the lower courts were the ones that upheld its constitutionality (Luckley, 2003) According to John Luckley's (2003) study of Flag Protection, up until now, the Congress finds difficulty in fully enforcing the federal law of flag desecration. To fully constitute the statute is to suppress the freedom of speech, but it may appear also as if the constitution is tolerating the desecration of the American flag (Luckley 2003:4). The 108th Congress Report of the House of Representatives (Library of Congress, 2007) cites that flag desecration is protected under the First Amendment as expressive conduct. The only stated law from the same source is that "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." The ineffectivity of this law is due to the conflict of freedom of speech which the Supreme Court favors more and is the inclined stance taken mainly by the State (Luckley, 2003). Federal Law of Flag Desecration about Burning The United States Flag Code outlines flag etiquette. The Federal law states that "when American flag has worn out due to regular use and no longer fit for display, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner" ("Cracking the Flag-Burning," 2005). The specified term allows the burning of the flag in order to discharge the worn-out flag in respectful conduct. Its implication is that any manner and intent of the flag burning act aside from the mentioned tolerable act is punishable. As accounted for by the Library of Congress, House Joint Resolution 4 gives Congress authority to legislate the federal law even though not precisely recognized by the State (Luckley, 2003). The United States Veterans of Affairs stated that "there is no penalty for failure to comply with the Flag Code, and that it is not widely enforced." This insinuates that to emphasize or enforce the flag code of conduct would conflict with the First Amendment's right of freedom of sp

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Theories and Values System Essay Example for Free

Theories and Values System Essay The objective of the theory is to guide us to make decisions and judgments about actions in certain situations, i. e to try to determine what we and other people ought to do. We not only act as an agent, but also as witness, adviser, teacher, judge, and critic in morality. (we= agent moral). Social Morality Theory The words ethics (ethos) and moral (more which mean customs, habit, courtesy, character, etc. , are connected with regulations and standards followed by society. It is proper we use social morality theory (or traditional/conventional morality) to explain the concept of ethics in a society. Member of a society normally observe a system of moral standards with general ethical principles related to moral norms. According to M. G. Velasquez (1992), these moral standards have many functions in society. 1) The moral standards system in the society identifies situations so that each person wards off self-interest to strengthen a system of behavior that brigs benefit to self as well as to other people. With proper moral standards, members of the society will co-operate and help each other so that there is freedom and justice. When members of the society internalize all the moral standards and live by them, a system of behaviors that ensures the interests of all emerges. 2) Secondly, moral standards serve to resolve conflict in the society by giving justifications that are acceptable to the public as bases for action. This theory is a theory which attempts to relate moral standards, regulation of society, and the countries or universal law with ethical concepts. Stress the individual’s responsibility to follow orders from an authoritative body. This means that to strengthen the system of moral standards, the atmosphere of society becomes rather bureaucratic. Also pays special attention to the interest and benefits of society, not the interest of individual. However, a society that is closely controlled by regulations, particularly regulations that restrict the freedom of members of the society will result in a dogmatic and authoritative.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Bronx Tale Cologero :: Robert Di Nero Bronx Tale Essays

A Bronx Tale  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cologero "A Bronx Tale" is a film directed by Robert Di Nero about a boy named Cologero (an Italian white male) and his life as he grows up in a town occupied by the mob. Colegero had two strong adult influences in his life.   They were his father, Lorenzo, and a mob leader named Sonny.   In the film there were a three scenes that especially demonstrated the influence Sonny and Lorenzo had on Cologero. An example of Lorenzo's influence on his son takes place in front of their apartment in which Cologero is a witness to a crime Sonny committed.   An example of   Sonny's influence on Cologero is when Sonny demeans Mickey Mantle in front of him. This then causes Cologero to have negative feelings about Mickey Mantle someone he has idolized his whole life.   Another scene that shows Sonny's influence on Cologero is when Cologero takes Sonny's advice to go out with a black woman from his school, even though his father doesn't agree with inter-racial relationships.   This spec ific event perhaps shows that Sonny had more of an impact on Cologero than Lorenzo did. Early in Cologero's childhood, around the age of ten years, he witnessed the shooting of a man over a parking space by Sonny (a powerful mob leader who Cologero admired).Cologero's father, Lorenzo wanted nothing to do with Sonny or the mob.   As a result, when the police detectives questioned Cologero about the murder, Lorenzo insisted his son knew nothing of it.This led Cologero to believe that his father didn't want him to tell the truth.   The detectives took Cologero outside to point out the murderer and Cologero denied that any of them were at the scene of the crime.Sonny then befriended Cologero and gave him the nickname "C".This shows that Cologero's father influenced him to lie to the police because Lorenzo led his son to believe he didn't want him to tell the truth and Cologero did not.One day while Sonny was talking with "C", who was still approaching adolescence , he said something that affected "C" and perhaps hurt his feelings in a major way.  Ã‚   Sonny explained to Cologero that his baseball hero, Mickey Mantle, didn't care about him or anyone else.   Sonny told "C" that Mickey Mantle made over 200, 000 dollars a year and would never pay his rent or do anything for him.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Philippine Labor Force Essay

Just from taking a look of the stark reality of Philippine Society today, any one would say that it would be a no – brainer to answer the question of possible change. Change, in the Philippines? They say. Impossible. Yet in spite of the dim reality we are in do I gain the audacity to say that the Philippines is not a hopeless case, I believe it is not, for the simple the reason that if I believe that nothing can be done to change our country, then that is how it will be. if I believe that there is still hope, that something can be done, then I can be a precursor of change, and hence, something can be done. Anyway, we have nothing else to lose, and everything to gain, and as such we should put ourselves in that perspective. I think the reason the Philippines is the way it is today is because somehow, someway, we, us Filipinos, somehow caused all of this to happen to us. Of course no individual would dare intentionally wish upon themselves poverty, what I mean is, as a collective, as a people, as an entire race that had spanned generations and generations of culture, we have somehow allowed our society – which could have flourished into a rich nation – to deteriorate, very, very nearly to the point of no return. We have allowed ourselves to blindly steer into the direction of poverty when we were heading into the direction cities such as Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong are in now. Many actually do believe we are at that point of no return already. But if everyone thought that we cannot change, then how then will change be possible? If we collectively keep denying that we are responsible for this Philippine mess we have collectively gotten ourselves into, then change becomes impossible. If we accept entirely that we are – at some level – all at cause of how things are now honestly, graciously; until we accept responsibility for the whole of our reality shall we gain the power to change part of it. So therefor, I shall accept that I am also responsible for all this mess. As a youth with certain ideologies, this is one thing I can do, accept that I have contributed to what is. I am responsible for the deterioration of my country, of its rich culture, of it’s society. I have allowed crime, poverty, corruption to flourish. So therefor shall I become an igniter of change. I shall bring people to the awareness that change is still possible. If ALL of us would accept everything as a part of their creation shall we be able to change everything. As Jose Rizal had wisely said,† Ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng kinabukasan,† never has that quote made perfect sense until now. Imagine if everyone thought like that. Progress would come about to our country fairly quickly, wouldn’t you think? My duty as a student may not be as grandiose as those who go out of their way to change lives, build villages, and adopt babies from those in need. My duty is simple, yet absolutely vital. My duty is bring everything I have said above to as much people as I possibly can. Awareness is start of wisdom, as the saying goes, and in juxtaposition, collective awareness is an absolutely powerful igniter of change. If we all want it enough, it happens. I wise person once told me, that the people are the true movers of change, never the government officials. Government officials follow the people. This has been perfectly demonstrated across history; from Greek governance through public opinion, to the breaking down of the Berlin Wall, to the Chinese revolutions which shifted 1920’s Communist China which started through student visions of a better China, to our very own EDSA revolutions, our own 1986 revolution. Change comes in numbers. True change is a collective effort, People Power at its most powerful. As such I cannot stress any further the importance to instill the ideas in others a sense of hope and optimism for the future. From awareness, comes action. Ideas beget action, and so does my actions as a student after imparting the ideas of hope to others. I would probably, as a student – architect, physically help In projects that aim to provide housing for underprivileged folk in scales similar to Gawad Kalinga, and maybe soon, hopefully, provide them that with my own resources. I would probably also, bring about new innovative and convenient design solutions for the impoverished, such as the recent mind-blowingly innovative creation of the coca-cola light bottle, wherin a steady stream of light is made available in low cost housing from just installing a 1. L bottle into rooftops. Some other creation that would greatly benefit the mass population is something I would like to create. Probably also, I would like to teach others who want to get into the construction industry tricks and tips and gaining skillsets required for masonry and carpentry. I want to help people learn how to catch fish with a fishing rod, instead of giving them the fish. I think they would greatly benefit from that. This has made me see the possibility of what we can do to improve Philippine Society. Call me crazy but might it be possible that we were given this framework of poverty that we may find the power within ourselves to change it? Could you entertain the possibility that we were born into this country, this context of poverty, that we might change it ourselves? Singapore has done it. The US has done it. China is doing it. Why can’t we? We have nothing else to lose, and everything to gain, and as such we should put ourselves in that perspective, and watch reality change before our eyes.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Characteristics of a Good Boss vs. a Bad Boss

We live in a society that offers a diverse and broad range of job opportunities, though finding suitable employment can be difficult in today's economy. For some, that means putting up with a bad boss or a good boss. The most notable distinction between the two types of bosses is whether they trust you to do your job . A boss are generally defined as someone who directly supervises the work activities of others. The perception of whether a boss is considered good or bad depends on the outlook of the employee being supervised. Bosses come in all flavors and styles. Most bosses are easy to work with and will do their best to create an enjoyable working environment for everyone. Flexibility, honesty understanding, listening, open for the input of your employees and taking full responsibility are the most important qualities you need to be a good boss. A good boss provides good work direction, has a hands-off approach, and is available when needed. Usual a good boss is one that becomes the mentor of their employees. A good boss is as much as team player as a leader. Good bosses always understand and encourage focused side-projects. .A good manager promotes on merit and ability. A bad manager promotes his friends based on their ability not to show him or her up. As a result, employees tend to be happier, more at ease, and more likely to be more productive. Bad bosses are not pleasing to be around. No one likes an individual who criticizes, belittles and disrespects people. On the other hand, a bad boss micromanages the work of employees, hangs over their shoulders, and often criticizes their work in front of others. A bad boss fails to give recognition for the little things his employee does. Another quality of a bad boss is inability to communicate. Usually, a bad boss does not listen to what is being said or does not care about what is being said. A bad manager promotes his friends based on their ability not to show him or her up. The boss whose self-interest always comes first or whose chief drive is to constantly curry favor with senior managers at higher levels in the organization without sharing credit with his/her staff or employees. The boss, who demands that a task be completed on an unrealistically small budget, or with an unrealistically close deadline, then goes ballistic when those impossible demands cannot be met.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Chemistry and Element Jokes and Puns

Chemistry and Element Jokes and Puns You dont hear a lot of jokes, puns, or riddles in physics and biology, but chemistry is full of them. Here is a collection of reader-submitted chemistry jokes and puns. Some of them are groaners, but some are quite funny. Two guys walk into a restaurant. One guy says I would like some H2O. The other guy says I would like some H2O too (H2O2). The waiter delivers the drinks and the second guy dies after imbibing his. (H2O is water, while H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide.) I told a chemistry joke... There was no reaction.Why are helium, curium, and barium the three main medical elements? If you cant curium or helium, you barium!Are you  hydrogen? Why? Because I cant live without you.Are you 11 protons? Cause you are sodium fine.What did the chemist say to motivate his team? We ARGON to BARIUM.What dont you understand about copper? It makes perfect CENTS!A good way to remember gold is Au gimme that gold.What do you do with a dead scientist? You barium. Thats if you cant helium or curium.A wrestler holding down an opponent may have a NEON him.Two chemists walk into a bar, the first says I will have some H2O and the second one says I will have some H2O too and the second one dies! Hahaha (get it... H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide and you cant drink it or you will die)What happened to the chemist in the cave - Berkelium (bear kill him)Hey want to hear a joke about potassium?... KYou must be ethidium bromide, because Im tangled in your double helix.Are you made out of beryllium, ununtrium, and titanium ? Cause youre a BeUTi ( beauty) Do particles with multiple helium isotopes have mass? Only the Catholic ones!Are you feeling under the weather today? Because you look like youre Na fine.Sooo I was gonna tell you a joke about sodium and hydrogen......but NaH.So an atom walks into a bar with a gun and the bartender says Who are you and what do you want? to which the atom replies The names Bond, Ionic Bond, and I want an electron taken, not shared.What do you do to dead elements? You barium.I was looking for sodium on the periodic table, but then it told me it was not available!  (Na)What do you say when: oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, sodium and phosphorous walk into a bar? OH SNaP!Knock Knock, Whos There? Beryl.  Beryl who?  Beryl and LiumAre you made of fluorine, iodine, and neon? Because youre so fine! F is fluorine, I is iodine, and Ne is the element symbol for neon.What did the chemist do when he cut his leg? He put his neon (knee on) a table to bandage it up.Chemistry jokes are sodium funny! Hah... say it out loud. sodium sodium sodium sodium sodium sodium sodium sodium BATMAN!Argon walks into a bar. Bar man says, We dont serve noble gases. Argon doesnt react. (Noble gases are unreactive.)I am a superhero Fe Iron Male man Therefore I am iron man.What is the elements favorite carnival ride? The Ferrous Wheel, of course!Forget hydrogen youre my number one element.When someone I dont like asks me to hang out I tell them sodium hydrogen. (NaH)Did you hear Oxygen and Potassium went on a date? Yeah, it went OK. (O is the symbol for oxygen, while K is the symbol for potassium.)Did you hear that Oxygen and Magnesium hooked up last night? OMgAre you a mixture of Fluoride, Iodine, and Nitrogen cause you are fine.You wanna hear a joke about potassium?.......K ?  You wanna hear a joke about sodium?.......Na You wanna hear a joke about silicon?........Si  You wanna hear a joke about nitrogen and oxygen?.......NO You wanna hear a joke about tungsten?........WTeacher: Do you know your elements? Student: y eah, maybe... Teacher: isotope so. Are you made of copper and tellurium Because youre pretty CuTe!Q: Why does helium laugh so much? A: Because it goes HeHe (Which is actually a pretty poor joke because helium is monatomic.)Chemist 1: do you have any sodium bromate? Chemist 2: NaBrOWhat does a metal miner write home in a letter to his girlfriend? I am zincing of you all the time!What does Uranium, Nickel, Cobalt, and Radon spell? UNiCoRn!Guys, stop it with the puns. Weve all sulfured enough.My jokes are kinda boron.. but a lot of the good ones argon. Id pay a nickel to hear another joke. These are comedy gold.I was going to tell a periodic table joke but all them argon.They were standing in their yards. Pop the Cd In neighbor!Come on guys, these chemistry jokes are getting a bit boron.Q: What did the chemist say when he found two isotopes of Helium? A: HeHeWhat do you say when someone takes your gold watch? Au come back with my watch!What did the elements say to hydrogen? What a loner!Billy was a chemists son but now h e is no more. What he thought was H2O was H2SO4! Q: What did one ion say to another? A: Ive got my ion you.My dog died so I had to barium.Protons have mass? I didnt know they were Catholic?Youre so boron Im going to go find a krypton to barium in.A neutron went to buy a drink. He asked the employee how much it is. Employee: For you, no charge! Proton 1: Hey, that man just got a free drink! Proton 2: Are you sure? Proton 1: Im positive!Obama is giving his speech. Joe Wilson says: U Li!!This joke is sodium good. (You have to hear it to get it.)How did the boss speak to the very lazy employee? Fermium, of course!What do you get when you mix helium with steel? flying carsA teacher asks their class what the molecular formula for water is. A student replies HijklmnO. The teacher says no youre wrong. Then the student says didnt you say the formula was H to OAll the elements are sitting at the dinner table and neon says Helium dont eat too much! Youre gonna get fat! Helium says No Im not, Im the second lightest here!First person: Do I hav e a joke on sodium Answer: Na What element did the dinosaurs say killed them? ArgonJoke: what does the chemist tell his friends when he goes into an eatery? When I go into a restaurant, iodine.What is uranium fluorine oxygen? Answer: UFOWe should just find all the bad chemistry jokes and just barium.Teacher: Whats the molecular formula of water? Student: HIJKLMNO Teacher: No, thats wrong. Student: But didnt you say water is H to O?Carbon was saying to oxygen hey did you hear about the new phone company O2? And then oxygen said yeah they named it after me. HAHAHAHAHelium walks into a store and asks for his nickel but the manager said, Your brother? Get it? They are both on the periodic table!1st Person: Do you like Iron man, coz I do! 2nd Person: No, he just a big Fe Male!What is a house cats favorite chemical compound? MoUSeI would tell you a good element joke, but they ARGON!!!What do you call iron blowing in the breeze? FebreezeSilicon jokes: Q: Is silicon the same in Spanish? | A: SiQ.Why do chems call Heliu m, Curium and Barium, phenetical elements? A. coz if you cant Helium or Curium, YOU BARIUM Person 1: Does anyone know any good jokes about sodium? Person 2: Na  Anyone know any sodium, bromine, or Oxygen jokes? Na BrOChemistry jokes are sodium funny. Hahahahahaahaha  Argon walks into a bar, the bartender says We dont serve nobles gasses here. Argon doesnt react.Lets head on down to the cemetery and get our Krypton.Ii would say a good chem joke but all the good ones ARGONDid you hear? Oxygen and magnesium got together OMg!!Why did the scientist want carbon, Arsenic, and Hydrogen? It makes CAsHSo some helium walks into the bar and says lets Barium!!! everyone screamed. why are you screaming? Asked helium  Cause you want to bury um!!A man walks into a bar and asks for H2O then a 2nd man comes in and asks for H2O too. The second man died. (The 2nd man asked for H2O2, which is liquid poison.)A neutron walks into a bar and says How much for a beer? The barman says For you NO CHARGE  Q: If H2O is the formula for ice, what is the formula for ice? A: H2O cubed.These element jokes are so dead, we should barium. Hydrogen and Oxygen walk into a bar and see Gold... they say Au, get outta the bar!Q: What did the copper say to the steel-er? A: CesiumWhat does a good doctor do for his patients? HeliumWhats the best formula for breakfast? Barium, Cobalt, and Nitrogen (BaCoN)What did the bar-tender say when Oxygen, Hydrogen, Sulfur, Sodium, and Phosphorus walked into his bar? OH SNaP!What song starts with Oxygen Hydrogen Sodium Sodium? Oh Na Na, whats my name.A proton and a neutron are walking down the street. The proton says, Wait, I dropped an electron help me look for it. The neutron says Are you sure? The proton replies Im positive.So one guy says to another Wanna hear a potassium joke? KWhat did two scientists do when their test subject died? BariumWhat animal do you get when you take out the T, A and I in the word Potassium. Possum.If Fe is Iron, then does that mean that a Female is Iron Man?Sodium Bromate Joke: Want some sodium bromate? Na BrO!I would tell you a chemistry joke but all the go od ones Argon! Want me to tell a potassium joke? K.... Will you accept a sodium joke? Na, im fineI dont want to tell jokes in class because I might get NO REACTIONWhat do tomb robbers do to pyramids? -Radium What did the king say to the guard when the prisoner escaped? -Cesium!Susan was in chemistry. Susan is no more, for what she thought was H2O was H2SO4How did Arsenals become a strong club in English premier league? Because they are bronzed with Arsenic.What will happen if you get into water and cant zwim? Zinc!What sharp object do you get when you combine potassium, nickel, and iron? KNiFeCarbon! - The happy Frenchmans opinion after buying his new automobile.When my wealthy old aunt passed away I got all the antimony!Whats the name of the element that comes after nine? TinWhats the first thing a teenager does after school? Radon food in the fridgeWhat did the cowboy do with his horse? Rhodium Where did he do it? Holmium on the RangeWhat do you do with a dead chemist? Barium. (Explanation: bury em, bury them sounds like barium) Zinc Element Joke: Where do you put dirty dishes? In the zinc.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Why Britain Attempted to Tax the American Colonies

Why Britain Attempted to Tax the American Colonies The attempts by Britain to tax its North American colonists in the late 1700s led to arguments, war, the expulsion of British rule and the creation of a new nation. The origins of these attempts lay, however, not in a rapacious government, but in the aftermath of the Seven Years War. Britain was attempting to both balance its finances and control the newly acquired parts of its empire, through asserting sovereignty. These actions were complicated by British prejudice against the Americans. The Need for Defense During the Seven Years War, Britain won a string of major victories and expelled France from North America, as well as parts of Africa, India, and the West Indies. New France, the name of France’s North American holdings, was now British, but a newly conquered population could cause problems. Few people in Britain were naà ¯ve enough to believe that these former French colonists would suddenly and wholeheartedly embrace British rule with no danger of rebellion, and Britain believed troops would be needed to preserve order. In addition, the war had revealed that the existing colonies needed defense against Britain’s enemies, and Britain believed that defense would be best provided by a fully trained regular army, not just colonial militias. To this end, the post-war government of Britain, with a major lead taken by King George III, decided to permanently station units of the British army in America. Keeping this army, however, would require money. The Need for Taxation The Seven Years War had seen Britain spend prodigious amounts, both on its own army and on subsidies for its allies. The British national debt had doubled in that short time, and extra taxes had been levied in Britain to cover it. The last one, the Cider Tax, had proved highly unpopular and many people were agitating to have it removed. Britain was also running short of credit with banks. Under huge pressure to curb spending, the British king and government believed that any further attempts to tax the homeland would fail. They thus seized upon other sources of income, one of which was taxing the American colonists in order to pay for the army protecting them. The American colonies appeared to the British government to be heavily undertaxed. Before the war, the most that colonists had directly contributed to British income was through customs revenue, but this barely covered the cost of collecting it. During the war, huge sums of British currency had flooded into the colonies, and many not killed in the war, or in conflicts with natives, had done rather well. It appeared to the British government that a few new taxes to pay for their garrison should be easily absorbed. Indeed, they had to be absorbed, because there simply didn’t seem to be any other way of paying for the army. Few in Britain expected the colonists to have protection and not pay for it themselves. Unchallenged Assumptions British minds first turned to the idea of taxing the colonists in 1763. Unfortunately for King George III and his government, their attempt to transform the colonies politically and economically into a safe, stable and revenue-producing- or at least revenue-balancing- part of their new empire would flounder, because the British failed to understand either the post-war nature of the Americas, the experience of war for the colonists, or how they would respond to tax demands. The colonies had been founded under crown/government authority, in the name of the monarch, and there had never been any exploration of what this really meant, and what power the crown had in America. While the colonies had become almost self-governing, many in Britain assumed that because the colonies largely followed British law, that the British state had rights over the Americans. No one in the British government appears to have asked if colonial troops could have garrisoned America, or if Britain should ask the colonists for financial aid instead of voting in taxes above their heads. This was partly the case because the British government thought it was learning a lesson from the French-Indian War: that the colonial government would only work with Britain if they could see a profit, and that colonial soldiers were unreliable and undisciplined because they operated under rules different from those of the British army. In fact, these prejudices were based on British interpretations of the early part of the war, where cooperation between the politically poor British commanders and the colonial governments had been tense, if not hostile. The Issue of Sovereignty Britain responded to these new, but false, assumptions about the colonies by trying to expand British control and sovereignty over America, and these demands contributed another aspect to the British desire to levy taxes. In Britain, it was felt that the colonists were outside the responsibilities which every Briton had to bear and that the colonies were too far removed from the core of British experience to be left alone. By extending the duties of the average Briton to the United States- including the duty to pay taxes- the whole unit would be better off. The British believed sovereignty was the sole cause of order in politics and society, that to deny sovereignty, to reduce or split it, was to invite anarchy and bloodshed. To view the colonies as separate from British sovereignty was, to contemporaries, to imagine a Britain dividing itself into rival units, which might lead to warfare between them. Britons dealing with the colonies frequently acted out of fear of reducing the crown’s powers when faced with the choice of levying taxes or acknowledging limits. Some British politicians did point out that levying taxes on the unrepresented colonies was against the rights of every Briton, but there weren’t enough to overturn the new tax legislation. Indeed, even when protests began in the Americans, many in Parliament ignored them. This was partly because of the sovereignty issue and partly because of contempt for the colonists based on the French-Indian War experience. It was also partly due to prejudice, as some politicians believed the colonists were subordinate to the British motherland. The British government was not immune to snobbery. The Sugar Act The first post-war attempt to change the financial relationship between Britain and the colonies was the American Duties Act of 1764, commonly known as the Sugar Act for its treatment of molasses. This was voted in by a large majority of British MPs, and had three main effects: there were laws to make customs collection more efficient; to add new charges on consumables in the United States, partly to push the colonists into buying imports from within the British empire; and to change existing costs, in particular, the importing costs of molasses. The duty on molasses from the French West Indies actually went down, and an across the board 3 pence a ton was instituted. Political division in America stopped most complaints about this act, which started among affected merchants and spread to their allies in assemblies, without having any major effect. However, even at this early stage- as the majority seemed slightly confused as to how laws affecting the rich and the merchants could affect them- colonists heatedly pointed out that this tax was being levied without any expansion of the right to vote in the British parliament. The Stamp Tax In February 1765, after only minor complaints from the colonists, the British government imposed the Stamp Tax. For British readers, it was just a slight increase in the process of balancing expenses and regulating the colonies. There was some opposition in the British parliament, including from Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Barrà ©, whose off the cuff speech made him a star in the colonies and gave them a rallying cry as the â€Å"Sons of Liberty,† but not enough to overcome the government vote. The Stamp Tax was a charge applied on every piece of paper used in the legal system and in the media. Every newspaper, every bill or court paper, had to be stamped, and this was charged for, as were dice and playing cards. The aim was to start small and allow the charge to grow as the colonies grew, and was initially set at two-thirds of the British stamp tax. The tax would be important, not just for the income, but also for the precedent it would set: Britain would start with a small tax, and maybe one day levy enough to pay for the colonies’ whole defense. The money raised was to be kept in the colonies and spent there. America Reacts George Grenville’s Stamp Tax was designed to be subtle, but things didnt play out exactly as he had expected. The opposition was initially confused but consolidated around the five Resolutions given by Patrick Henry in the Virginia House of Burgesses, which were reprinted and popularized by newspapers. A mob gathered in Boston and used violence to coerce the man responsible for the Stamp Tax’s application to resign. Brutal violence spread, and soon there were very few people in the colonies willing or able to enforce the law. When it came into effect in November it was effectively dead, and the American politicians responded to this anger by denouncing taxation without representation and looking for peaceful ways to persuade Britain to scrap the tax while remaining loyal. Boycotts of British goods went into effect as well. Britain Seeks a Solution Grenville lost his position as developments in America were reported to Britain, and his successor, the Duke of Cumberland, decided to enforce British sovereignty by force. However, he suffered a heart attack before he could order this, and his successor resolved to find a way to repeal the Stamp Tax but keep sovereignty intact. The government followed a twofold tactic: to verbally (not physically or militarily) assert sovereignty, and then cite the economic effects of the boycott to repeal the tax. The ensuing debate made it quite clear that British Members of Parliament felt the King of Britain had sovereign power over the colonies, had the right to pass laws affecting them, including taxes, and that this sovereignty did not give the Americans a right to representation. These beliefs underpinned the Declaration Act. British leaders then agreed, somewhat expediently, that the Stamp Tax was damaging trade and they repealed it in a second act. People in Britain and America celebrated. Consequences The result of British taxation was the development of a new voice and consciousness among the American colonies. This had been emerging during the French-Indian War, but now issues of representation, taxation, and liberty began to take center stage. There were fears that Britain intended to enslave them. On Britain’s part, they now had an empire in America which was proving expensive to run and difficult to control. These challenges would eventually lead to the Revolutionary War.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Business Ethics Managing Performance in an Ethical Company Term Paper

Business Ethics Managing Performance in an Ethical Company - Term Paper Example It may also take time and energy on behalf of management to implement an ethical culture. Most severely, they say, it can cost uncompromising damage to Performance Management in an organization (Aguilar). This paper discusses how performance is managed within an ethical company, what Performance Management means for a company and when integrated with Business Ethics, how it can improve business efficiency. It will discuss the challenges companies face while ensuring that their employees behave ethically, with special emphasis on the role of Directors and managers in cultivating that culture. Finally, the paper will discuss how performance is measured in relation to the business and its ethics. First off, we need to define what Performance Management means and what does it insinuate when applied in an organization. Performance Management refers to a system of processes whereby organizations engages its employees as either a team or individually in order to enhance over all organizatio nal performance and achievement of company goals and objectives (U.S. Office of Personnel Management). Companies around the world are trying to incorporate Performance Management in their organizational culture, but they still find it difficult to understand what it truly means and how to achieve it. Employee performance management involves managers to establish employee expectations and standards. They plan work and frequently monitor performance. They develop a culture of learning and development and give ample freedom to employees to show their abilities. Furthermore, they rate employee performance and provide summarized reports to higher management, prompting management to reward good performance. In addition, where managers are assessing employee performances, they are to incorporate business ethics in the culture and measure organizational effectiveness in an ethical enterprise. They need to take steps to ensure that people in their organization are behaving ethically without compromising on performance. There are many different strategies managers’ may apply to make sure that their employees are not underperforming and remain efficient. They may tackle a situation differently and adapt according to the calls of the circumstances. However, the best tactics managers have used historically to ensure performance is the Performance Appraisal. Initially, performance appraisal was only a tool to evaluate current productivity levels among employees. Studies have shown that this has gradually shifted to note an increase in productivity levels, as different factors motivate different employees. This is a huge role on the part of managers and Directors to conduct an ethical performance appraisal, as this does not only instigate worker efficiency but improves the overall organizational performance. In theory, this is a simple correlation, that is, a fair performance appraisal leading to a motivated staff leading to an efficient and ethical organization. Howe ver, it is not that easy in practice. Francis Aguilar, a Professor at Harvard University stress on the importance of ethical behaviour as a must for contemporary organizations. He points out that, employees as well as the customers are aware of, and expect companies to engage in ethical business practices. The Professor indicates that Corporate Ethics does not only motivate employee behaviour but alleviates the position and repute of the  organization in the customer's view. Ethics scandals such as Johnson &

Thursday, October 31, 2019

International Arbitration Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Arbitration - Dissertation Example The Second Chapter deals with the research methodology adopted in this work. A doctrinal approach was followed in this research work. The Third chapter provides a Literature Review. In this chapter, many case studies were included to examine the effectiveness of investment arbitration. Moreover, scholarly reports and extant literature on the topic were scrutinised. The Fourth Chapter deals with a discussion of the findings and the fifth chapter deals with conclusions. Ambiguity in the interpretation of the treaty provisions, lack of expertise in ministries in case of developing countries, bias on the part of the arbitrator are some of the reasons identified for the lack of success of investment arbitration. Shortcomings with International Investment Arbitration Chapter 1 – Introduction Investment treaty arbitration is significantly different from other types of arbitration. In investment arbitration, the arbitrator is empowered to make decisions that are final. This type of ar bitration brings to the fore a number of issues relating to impartiality and independence. In the other types of arbitration, the final decision is taken by the court.1 As is well known, the courts enjoy independence from private and state power. Such independence is promoted by providing judges with a secure tenure, precluding outside remuneration and the adoption of an objective procedure of assigning cases. These factors are conspicuous by their absence in investment arbitration. As a consequence, it is not uncommon for these arbitral awards to be influenced by inappropriate factors. 2 These safeguards do not find a place in investment treaty arbitration. A class of inappropriate influences is that related to the career and financial interests of arbitrators. These arbitrators do not have secure tenure and engage in remunerative activities that are external to their role as adjudicators. 3 The independence and impartiality of the investment arbitral process is crucially dependent on the existence of openness. In the absence of transparency, it become difficult if not impossible to confirm the integrity and fairness of the decision making process. 4 Arbitrations related to investment treaties emerge from bilateral and multilateral treaties formed between countries to promote foreign investment. In general, such treaties incorporate provisions for settling disputes between a private foreign investor and the host nation by arbitration, under public international law. 5 Contemporary international arbitration is widely believed to have commenced with the Jay Treaty of 1974. This treaty was entered into by the US and Great Britain. Private international arbitration had not developed during that epoch and there was a predominance of international arbitral commissions.6 Subsequently there was an increase in instances of private international commercial arbitration. However, this system of arbitration has not yet developed to any significant extent. Wider acceptance of this method of dispute resolution could render it more transparent. Such arbitration views confidentiality as a significant feature of the dispute resolution. Accordingly, if the parties are in favour of keeping their dispute resolution confidential, then they have to incorporate relevant clauses in their arbitration contract. 7 Another method of ensuring confidentiality is to make a reference in

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Reflective Cycle by Gibbs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Reflective Cycle by Gibbs - Essay Example Scott and Ely (2008) suggest that the purpose of reflection in nursing practice is to develop awareness of how and what can be learned from new experiences. One of the models of reflection will provide the framework for this essay. There are several models of reflection but the reflective model I have chosen is Gibbs Reflective Cycle (Gibbs 1988), with which I am familiar and I find it to be the most clear and concise than the other choices. The Gibbs Reflective Cycle (Gibbs 1988) will be applied throughout the essay to facilitate analytic thought and to assist in evaluating and relating theory to practice where possible. I have chosen to reflect on violence and aggression towards nurses in relation to patients with mental health and alcohol dependence issues. I will attempt to explore the elements that trigger violence and aggression. Besides, I will also dwell on the strategies that nurses may adopt in response to violence and aggression. This reflection will also include literature search and its detailed discussion. According to Jasper (2003), the Gibbs Reflective Cycle consists of the following stages: description, feelings, evaluat ion, analysis, conclusion and an action plan (Gibbs 1988). Therefore, I will begin with the first stage of Gibbs (1988) Reflective Cycle which necessitates a description of events. A pseudonym will be used to maintain anonymity and confidentiality as laid out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) in their standards of conduct for nursing students. The event occurred whilst I was undertaking a practice placement in the Accident and Emergency Department, where there was a high turnover of emergency patients. Miss March was a 42 years old patient, and suffering from depression and alcohol dependence and was prescribed medication for her depression. She was admitted to the department following an incident at home in which she had taken too many of her prescription drugs whilst under the influence of alcohol. I had not met or had any interaction with Miss March as I had been assigned to another area of the department for the morning. Miss March had already been stabilised in the resuscitation room and was just arriving in the area I was wo rking in. I noted that she was confused and she appeared to be drowsy. My mentor told me that Miss March, while being moved, had an episode of urinary incontinence and asked if I would wash and change the patient. My mentor also asked to me to deal with this without delay as during assessment there were small areas of red, chafed skin found around Miss March’s vaginal area. Therefore, her skin integrity was already compromised. Before going ahead, I took a few minutes to read Miss March’s nursing notes and found a history of verbal challenging behaviour but no indication of any physical violence. Having collected the necessary equipment I made my way to Miss March’s cubicle to assist her in washing and changing. Miss March was sitting on the edge of the bed and I explained the reason for my visit. I continued to talk to her as I positioned everything to assist her but she did not respond in any way. Just as I lifted the wet sheet from the top of the bed to put i t in the clear bag I had brought with me, Miss March yelled abuses at me then raised her arm to hit me. I attempted to reassure her

Sunday, October 27, 2019

BT Company: Business Analysis Report and SWOT

BT Company: Business Analysis Report and SWOT Part 1: Understanding the business 1. Suggest the income streams and costs that may be appropriate to an organisation in your sector. The main income streams for the telecommunication industry is the revenue achieved through the usage of their services. Originally those services were limited to the provision of telephone communication using landlines. Today, the communication industry has expanded the number of services that it provides into mobile, VoIP, internet and other communication. The majority of the revenue can come from any one of those different services. For example, in 2005 BT had 75% of its revenue coming from their traditional services, but in 2006 this number decreased to 68%. Instead the company received an increased amount of revenue from it’s â€Å"New Wave† services, such as networked IT services, broadband, mobility etc. The mobile telecommunications provider such as Vodafone gets the most of its revenue from the tariffs that it charges its customers for using their mobile phones. However, the mobile telecommunication has also expanded into the provision of other services such as messaging and data and information provision. The largest cost for any communication company is the maintenance of the business. This cost can consist of staff costs, contractor wages, operational costs etc. Main contributor will depend on the company. For example, BT identifies ‘other operational costs’ as its main contributor to the overall cost of maintaining the business, representing 35%. The ‘other operating costs’ include the cost of supporting the network IT services, maintenance and support of the networks, costs of accommodation and marketing and general overheads (BT, 2007, p. 34). 2. What measures of performance are applicable to the industry? The majority of the industry has a few fundamental performance measures. The prime measure is the satisfaction of their customers. This is not surprising considering the competitiveness of the industry, the ease with which customers can change providers and the fact that the companies’ profits are based on the volume of customers. The other measures can include the satisfaction of the company’s employees. The industry that is so customer focused tries to provide them with as much human contact as possible (as long as it is profitable). Therefore the industry employs a large volume of employees. Satisfied employs are more likely to make sure that the customers are happy with the service that they are getting, allowing the companies to stay competitive. For example, BT has four performance measures regarding the satisfaction of their employees: employee engagement index, diversity, HS: loss time injury rate and HS: sickness and absence rate. Other performance measures can include: the satisfaction of the suppliers; investment in the community; protection of the environment; digital inclusion and sustaining integrity. In order to measure those performance measures, the company engages a number of internal indices. Some of those indices are much easier to measure, for examples the number of complaints that the company receives, the others are more difficult, such as measuring the integrity of the employees. The majority of the companies employ surveys in order to measure the more difficult quantifiable factors. 3. Construct a Value Chain for a company within the industry. The value chain has been developed by Michael Porter in 1985. The method divides the organization into the activities that is performs and them links them to the company’s competitive position. Porter (1985) argued that only by separating the organization into its activities and findings the right links will the managers be able to achieve a competitive advantage. The value chain method distinguishes between primary and support activities. Combined, they should lead to a margin, which is equal to the cost of the product subtracted from the price that it is sold to the customer. Model 1 depicts the value chain. Primary activities in the business are concerned directly with the creation, production and delivery of service and are grouped into inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service. The Support activities are there to help the primary activities and they are divided into main areas of support activities: procurement, technology development (including RD), human resource management, and infrastructure (systems for planning, finance, quality, information management etc.). The support activities are directly linked to the primary activities, and if those links are produced well, then the company will become more efficient and competitive in the market. The value chain model can be applied to the telecommunication industry. The inbound logistics are the goods and services that the company receives from its suppliers. In the world of telecommunication, this can be the phones (that might be manufactures in China), the cables, the sim cards etc. The ‘operations’ in the original method meant manufacturing of the product. Since telecommunication is already dealing with a finished product, it is the provision of this product that can be named their ‘operation’. For example, provision of the reception, the IT platform that connects people etc. The outbound logistics is the finished product being delivered to the customer. In this case this can be the phone set, the website of the company where the customer can buy their own product etc. Every telecommunication company has their marketing and sales team, that offer services and make customers aware (through advertising) of their services. In the competitive industr y such as telecommunication, the firms pay a lot of attention to the right kind of marketing and promotion. If a company releases a new product, the other companies are likely to follow. Therefore the first ‘inventor’ has to capture as much market as possible. Furthermore, due to the competitiveness of the industry, the companies are under pressure to provide the customers with as much as possible, in order to keep them, as finding a new customer is always much more expensive then keeping the old one. The last section of the primary activities is the ‘service’. Service is something that the company provides after the customer has the product. In the telecommunications this means installation of the product into the customers home, helping the customer with every day questions, replacing the product if is gets broken etc. Under the support activities the first factor is ‘procurement’. The procurement department in the telecommunications industry are people who buy all of the inbound logistics into the company. This department will be in charge of agreeing the best deal with the suppliers of the product and making sure that the product is of high quality. Technology development is an extremely important element in the telecommunications industry, which allows them to gain a competitive advantage. The technology development in this method can also include customer relationship management activities, and not be limited purely to the innovation. Human resource management is a vital part in this method as those people are responsible to the satisfaction of the employees, which can be achieved through remuneration, training and development, bonuses and other HR strategies. The above mentioned would be the base for the value chain. However, it should be noted that the majority of the companies in the telecommunications industry are multi-national corporations. They provide a large number of products to their customers world wide. Furthermore, the components of their services may come from a wide range of suppliers, for example the plastic for the phone will come from Russia, the phone will be constructed in China and painted in India. Due to their size, the majority of the companies have already established the most productive and available route of producing, maintaining and providing the service. Therefore, the value chain would be a lot more complicated with both the primary and support activities. Furthermore, the margin may also come from a wide range of sources, such as mergers and acquisition, investment in stock markets etc. 4. Construct a Value System for the industry. The value system was also introduced by M. Porter (1985). It represents the link between the value chains of different ‘market customers’. For example, it will link the value chain of the suppliers to the value chain of the company to the value chain of the channel and then to the value chain of the customer. The supplier value chain for the telecommunications industry can include the suppliers of the physical products, such as phones and sim cards from the supplier value chain; provision of the telephone connection and services in the company value chain; services provided by the third party distributors (such as Yahoo!) in the channel chain and a wide range of customers buying the products (for example businesses, individuals and other telecommunication companies). 5. What are the environmental factors that may influence the industry? Most of the large organizations today are environmentally friendly, and have special strategies to maintain this position. For example, BT is one of the largest consumers of electricity in the UK (BT, 2007, p. 3). In order to reduce the damage to the environment, the company has adopted the majority of the environmentally-friendly electricity sources, such as wind generation, solar and hydroelectric energy generation. The telecommunications industry face a number of environmental risks that can damage their profitability. For example, global warming increases the number of storms and floods that are occurring around the world. In turn, this damages the telecommunications’ infrastructure and can cost the industry billions of pounds. Moreover, by damaging the environment, the costs of the primary products can increase (e.g. electricity). Since the telecommunications industry relies on a wide range of products outside of their own services, an increase in the cost of primary prod ucts, such as electricity, is likely to have a negative effect on their profits. Part 2: Evaluating Company Resources 1. How well is the present strategy working? â€Å"Group Strategys principal role is to help the BT Group maximize long term value for shareholders. This involves ensuring that the BT Group can sustain competitiveness in all its markets† (BT, 2007, Group Strategy). The financial results for the 2006 showed that the company has strengthened its position in the market. It had increased its revenue by 6% to  £19,514m, provided its customers with both the income and investment growth, by increasing the share price by 8% and dividend pay out by 14% in one year (BT Annual report, 2007, p. 2). Since their share price has gone up over the year, it can be argued that the company’s strategy has worked. Furthermore, BT has also subdivided their strategy aim into a number of objectives, namely: â€Å"to pursue profitable growth in new wave markets to maximise the return from our traditional business to transform our networks, systems and services for the twenty-first century to create long-term partnerships with our customers† (BT, 2007, Annual Report, p. 4). The â€Å"new wave† activities (networked IT services, broadband and mobility) growth has been overachieved by 50% by the company in 2006 (BT, 2007, Annual Report, p. 4). The company has also asked all of their existing customer to swap to the subscription-based packages. They have achieved 67% customer base being swapped to the subscription, which has also overachieved their target. The transfer of all of the services onto the 21C (twenty-first century IP technology) has not been completed yet. Finally, BT has achieved an increase of 3% in their customer satisfaction table, which also brought them closer to their long term goal. Therefore it can be argued that BT’s strategy has been successful. 2. What are their resource strengths and weaknesses? BT’s resource strength is their brand and strong reputation, that is recognized world wide. Their strong brand allows them to form stronger relationships with their customers (stakeholders, customers, suppliers, employees). BT’s reputation of reliability, consistency and effectiveness allows them to keep their customers and increase their customer base. Furthermore, BT provides a wide range of services that are in line with the latest technology, such as IP phone calls and are often a market leader in the industry. BT had a large number of weaknesses a few years ago: it was loosing the DSL market share to every competitor in the market, it had a shrinking market share in the fixed line services and sometimes it was not up to speed with the innovative technology. However, the new market strategy has proved very beneficial to the company. The company was the first in the IDSL provision in the UK market in 2006; its market share is growing and it is transferring most of its services onto the 21C technology (BT, 2007, Annual Report). Although introduction of 21C will be beneficial to BT in the future, it can have a negative impact on the profits in the short run. Furthermore, does BT think far enough? There are a wide range of external risks that BT group faces. From the social aspect, they can be divided into: supply chain working conditions and outsourcing. The ‘supply chain working conditions’ risks arises from the wide range of services that BT buys from across the world. The company is committed to following the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Labour Organisation rules. The main risk of breaching those rules is that the company may be faced with a large number of law suits and loose its reputation. In turn, reputation is one of the most valuable assets of the company, as it has a positive correlation with the number of customers that sign up and stay with BT. The group deals with this risk by asking all of the suppliers to fill in the ‘Risk assessment questionnaire’, which it then examines and decides if it should deal with the named supplier (BT, 2007, Human Rights and Suppliers). BT has outsourced a number of operations such as human resource contracts, pensions, recruitment and training, as well as finance, accounting and payroll (BT, 2007, Outsourcing). The risk arises when the company tries to get the cheapest service and ends up making a very expensive mistake. For example, the BT can loose control of the quality of the service that the outsourced functions provide; or the outsourced departments may make a financial mistake, that will lead to wrong internal decisions within a company. 3. What are the external opportunities and threats facing them? There are also a number of factors that can be quite threatening to BT. The change in the environment, where natural catastrophes can destroy BT’s infrastructure, have already been discussed. The collapse of the stock market can also have a negative effect on the company, as BT invests some of its money in the stock market. Furthermore, an innovative product, such as WoIP being introduced by another major competitor, will strongly harm BT’s profits (since all of the phone calls can be free, without relying on the internet). The economic and political decisions can also affect the profitability of the company. For example, if the interest rates rise sharply in the UK, the disposable income of the customers will decrease. In turn, the customers may reduce their usage of the BT’s services or swap to cheaper providers. Moreover, since BT has global presence, large looses in one of the countries may put a lot of pressure on the rest of the Group to ‘bail outâ₠¬â„¢ the damaged company, which can negatively affect the profits. As has been mentioned above, there is also an issue of reputation. Loss of reputation due to the external factors can strongly affect company’s profitability. Furthermore, mobile phone providers also represent a threat, since they undercut the prices and the majority of the customers find mobiles an effective way to communicate. However, there are also a wide range of opportunities available to BT externally. For example, the technology progress has been very rapid over the last few years, which means that BT can take advantage of this to gain extra customers. The IP voice communication will also allow BT to gain more customers worldwide, as there will not be legal barriers of the contract. More and more people are getting to know how to use the internet. Since BT is moving towards making their phone calls through the internet rather then fixed lines, this means that BT will have an opportunity to deal with a larger customer base. Finally, BT has a good reputation, capitalization and brand that it can use to expand into a wide range of those products. 4. How strong is their competitive position? BT’s competitive position can be seen from two perspectives: in the UK and worldwide. In the UK, BT has a very strong competitive position, since it is the largest communication provider in the country (BT, 2007, Annual Report, p. 7). Worldwide the situation is a bit different (see Table 2). Table 2: BT’s competitive position worldwide BT T Pvt1 VZ Industry Market Cap: 47.23B 232.84B N/A 105.08B 6.51B Employ ­ees: 104,400 302,000 143,251 N/A 12.52K Qtrly Rev Growth (yoy): 5.00% 23.10% N/A 31.80% 3.80% Revenue (ttm): 38.76B 63.06B 5.62B1 88.14B 4.02B Gross Margin (ttm): 84.08% 56.99% N/A 60.33% 65.54% EBITDA (ttm): 11.00B 22.88B N/A 29.53B 1.67B Oper Margins (ttm): 13.31% 16.87% N/A 16.13% 15.46% Net Income (ttm): 5.38B 7.36B 304.40M1 5.48B 402.77M EPS (ttm): 6.35 1.887 N/A 2.12 1.55 P/E (ttm): 8.98 19.76 N/A 17.03 15.1 PEG (5 yr expected): 2.17 1.51 N/A 3.08 1.64 P/S (ttm): 1.24 3.67 N/A 1.21 1.61 Source: Yahoo! Finance Where: T= AT&T Inc Pvt1 = Cable and Wireless plc VZ = Verizon Communication Inc Industry = Telecom Services – Foreign As can be seen, BT has a small capitalization value compared to its closest direct competitors in the telecommunication market. However, its value is still nearly 7 times the size of the average market capitalization of the industry. The revenue growth has also been poor compared to the largest competitors, and hardy exceeds the industry average. However, despite the low capitalization, the net income of BT is very close to that of the other companies, which indicates that the company is efficient. 5. What is your assessment of the culture within the company? Will it be supportive to change or not? BT has a strong set of values within the company. Those values build the culture of the company. Furthermore, judging from the amount of information that is available of their website, it can be assumed that BT is very good at informing all of its employees of any changes that are taking place in the organization. The employees rarely welcome change or restructuring, however over the years it has been shown that good and frequent communication with the employees will allow the company to implement the changes much more easily. Therefore, the BT’s employees are likely to be supportive of the changes that BT makes. Part 3: Strategy and Competitive Advantage 1. Review the generic strategies. Which would be suitable cost advantage, differentiation or focusing on a niche market? Given the 3 generic strategies: cost advantage, differentiation or focusing on a niche market, BT is more likely to go for differentiation. This opinion is based on the existing strategy that the BT is adopting. BT provides a wide range of services. It could go for a niche market if it will have an opportunity to keep the rest of the products. For example, at the moment it’s transferring most of its services onto 21C platform. This will allow BT customers to use internet for communication. Although most of the large telecommunications companies have not done that, there are a number of companies that have already dominated this market e.g. Skype. BT could also go the cost advantage, as the telecommunication industry is becoming more and more price competitive. However, as with any industry, price wars can not last forever. Considering that BT used to be a state monopoly and therefore has an advantage of the largest customer base, it has decided to provide quality to the customers rather then quantity. Furthermore, since BT is launching the large transferal of its technology onto the 21C base, it is unlikely to go for a cost advantage this year. Instead, it will provide its customers with high quality innovative products, that will be cheap once they launch (internet communication is free). This leaves differentiation. As has been discussed above, BT has chosen a number of strategies that will differentiate it from its competitors, such as the 21C platform, direct and clear communication with the customers, emphasis on the good treatment of its employees and innovative products. 2. Looking into the future, how may the company seek to achieve cost competitiveness? Achieving cost competitiveness is the aim of every company in the world. Cost competitiveness can be achieved through economies of scale and scope, as well as synergies. BT is a very large company and therefore has a stronger negotiation power with its suppliers. The suppliers might be willing to provide BT with lower prices for their products, since BT is likely to order large volumes of products. Economically, as the company gets bigger, the cost of production of one more unit of a good or service decreases (marginal cost). Therefore, as BT expands it will be able to decrease the cost of the production. However, the economic theory also states that this decrease in marginal cost will eventually reach a point where the company will enter the diseconomies of scale (the marginal cost will start to increase). In order to avoid that, BT has expanded globally, rather then just within the UK. BT can also reduce costs through the economies of scope – the production of a wider range of goods. The marginal costs will decrease because certain fixed costs will be shared between the products. For example, the IP platform that BT is using will not only be used to generate revenue from the phone calls, but will also be used for the provision of video messaging services. Later on, if BT decides to bring out another product, it will be able to use this IT platform without the need of building a new one. BT can achieve synergies between its businesses. BT operates 4 separate businesses: BT retail, BT wholesale, BT Global services and Openreach. There are a large number of synergies between all of those companies, for example HR, finance and accounting services. Furthermore, if BT decides to acquire another company in the future, it is likely to use the existing synergies to create even more synergies with the new company in the future. Furthermore, there are a large number of other cost cutting exercises that the company can do in the future to achieve cost competitiveness, such as restructuring, selling some parts of its business that are no longer useful to it and increasing efficiency internally. 3. Suggest ways that information technology and information systems can be used to exploit external opportunities and defend against threats facing the company? Information technology (IT) is strongly linked to the information systems (IS) in telecommunication industry. BT is successfully using both to capture new opportunities in the market, as has been discussed previously. However, as the whole industry is moving towards VoIP, BT could use its existing information systems to move a step further – provide WoIP services. VoIP requires internet in order to use free voice calls, while WoIP allows a customer to use free voice calls without internet. In turn, by using the IT and IS BT can capture a larger share of the market not only in the UK but also worldwide. Furthermore, BT has enough capitalization and IT in order to compete with the mobile phone providers. It can expand to provide those services. Efficient IT and IS will allow BT to connect people cheaply around the world, where the customers will not need to worry where they are resident. BT is very much aware of the external threats that it faces. IT and IS will not be able to defend BT from the environmental risks. However, some of the social risks can be eliminated. For example, the outsourced functions of finance and accounting can be checked electronically first, by setting up an appropriate IT system. The work can then be send to Britain for checking. Furthermore, although BT can not control the stock markets, it can certainly install a number of IT systems that will allow it to prevent a large loss of money, for example by using Technical Analysis systems. By making sure that all of BT’s IT and IS systems work efficiently, the company will reduce the risk of losing its reputation. 4. Analyse the current core competencies of the company. The current core competencies of the company is professionalism, integrity, straightforwardness and team work. All of those competencies are built into their core values. Furthermore, by achieving those competencies as a business the company will be able to achieve its overall aim – bring value to the shareholders. Competencies are often measures on the internal scale of the company, which makes it difficult to analyze for the outsider. However, the companies achievements and the strategy for the future work reflect those competencies. It is in the interest of the company to retain professionalism and integrity towards the customers and employees, if it want to keep both groups. Straightforwardness is a good differentiator of the company, as this allows better communication with the customer, and therefore contribute towards building a loyal customer base. The team work, in turn, will allow the company to achieve its performance targets. 5. Apply a SWOT matrix to the analysis carried out in Activity 2 to gain an understanding of how the strengths and weaknesses of the company may be considered, together with the opportunities and threats that exist, to determine a set of strategic options for the company. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths (O)pportunities Stable and increasing share price Strong financial results Strong brand Good reputation Worldwide Reach Market leader in the UK Large customer base Increasing number of customers that will use the IP platform Further expansion into the world market Use of capital to expand into ‘products of the future’ (W)eaknesses (T)hreats Lack of innovative products Sometimes overprices products which leads to loss of the market share (DSL) Weak global market presence Supply chain working conditions Outsourcing Loss of reputation Environment Stock market crash Recession Mobile phone users BT is the largest fixed-line provider of communication in the UK. Since BT used to be a state monopoly it has a very large number of customers. However, since its privatization, despite a strong competition not only from the new fixed-line providers by also from the mobile phone providers, BT still has a very strong market presence in the UK. This indicates that BT has built a certain customer loyalty, which can be added to its strengths. As the communication market matures, new technology and opportunities are entering the industry. The most recent innovation, that remains a threat to the most fixed-line providers is the building of the IP platforms. The IP platforms allows the customers to speak to each other for free by using their internet. BT has been extremely proactive and has built the platform. Since the majority of its customers are still using fixed lines for communication, in order to the customers to start using the new products, BT should communicate the instruction on how to use the products very clearly. Furthermore, it should also inform the customers of the new products available. Strategically, BT should be able to connect the majority of its customers, since it will be cheaper to them to use the platform. The next move would be to make sure that all of the ‘voices of the customer’ are heard, as with any new systems there will be a number a faults. BT should then implement all of the changes that it has decided on. Since the price of the communication will decrease, the BT will be able to make higher revenue through an increasing number of customers that will start using the service and through the sale of other goods and services that it provides through the new platform. Therefore, BT should start making a good marketing plan of how to sell their new products. The number of customers available to BT is likely to increase over time, as more people are connecting to the internet. This is a great opportunity for BT to increase its world market share. Considering that BT is not the first company to implement this, a large number of customers have already been captured. The BT can use