Canada Essay Example

Canada Essay CanadaCanada is the second largest country in the world.The only country larger than Canada is Russia.Even though Canada is more than 3.8 million square miles it is one of the least populated countries in the world.Canada is north of the United States; South west of Greenland. The Atlantic Ocean surrounds the east side of Canada and the Pacific Ocean surrounds the west side ofMost of the west side of Canada are mountainous or high elevation.Central Canada and West Canada is more level than the west side.The climate in Canada varies from region to region, from Arctic temperatures which are below freezing most of the year. The southern part of Canada has mild temperatures 8 months out of a year.Canadians come from all backgrounds and this multi-cultural nature of Canadian society can be seen in the way people of different origins, religions, and traditions continue to celebrate these differences. Long before the Europeans came, the native people marked there year with festivals celebra ting the seasons or religious rituals. Natives of the west coast held ceremonial feasts called polaches, and those of the plains held powwows, or ceremonies of healing.In a more modern way, visitors who go to Brantford, Ontario, in August can take part in six nations native pudent, an Iroquois celebrating of the tribes cultural history. Canada is geographically, the largest democratic country in the world. It is a constant challenge to make the democracy work in a country that is so large and populated with people from such different backgrounds. July 1, 1867 Canada became a nation, and also became a democratic federation. This means that the powers of government are shared between a central and federal government, the governments of the various provinces that make up the nation.Some present an

6 outdated career tipsâ€and why they’ve changed

6 outdated career tips- and why they’ve changed You don’t use the phone, watch TV, or dress the same way your parents did when they were your age- so why would you use career advice that has been around just as long (or even longer)? Some pieces of advice in the career world will truly never change: hard work pays off, and you should never get drunk at a company holiday party. Otherwise, things are negotiable. Let’s look at some infamous career advice that might not be so valid anymore. Keep a low profile on your personal life.Advice: Keep your work life and your personal life totally separate, even on social media.What’s changed: Social media like Facebook has evolved over time to include more than your â€Å"friends† per se. Relatives, acquaintances, former dates†¦all show up in your news feed, so why not add coworkers into the mix? Why not even add your boss, if you get along and find her opera singing/supermarathon running/jewelry crafting hobbies interesting? Social media has blurred social li nes a bit and has helped make relationships a bit more informal. When used well, it’s a way to break the ice and build relationships with people you might otherwise only see at work.However, this one does come with a caveat: if you do friend colleagues and managers on social media, set filters or try to keep things clean. Anything you post that can be seen by coworkers becomes fair game. And definitely don’t complain about work if people from work can see it. If you wouldn’t want to see a screenshot of something you wrote land in your work email inbox, don’t write it.And it’s not just social media- socializing with coworkers and sharing (appropriate) details about your personal lives can help you bond and feel more connected to your workplace. Small talk about your weekend or cute pictures of your boss’s kid are not likely to derail your professional relationship or keep either of you from doing the work that needs to be done. And we all nee d allies at work- someone to talk with when things get stressful or with whom you can grab a non-work-related lunch. Chitchat about work-only things will only go so far. You’re much more likely to have good relationships with your coworkers if you can bond over other things you have in common.Keep a strict work-life division.Advice: Don’t even think about work after you leave. Don’t check email after hours. And when you’re at work, don’t do anything personal or non-work related.What’s changed: It’s true, email has helped create â€Å"work creep† that can lead to stress outside of work hours or leave you feeling cheated on your personal time. But like all balances, it’s important to keep negotiating your work-life balance to make sure it still works for you. If it makes your workday better to spend half an hour at night checking a few emails or lining up your to-do list for the next day, do it. If you need a quick break d uring the afternoon to talk to your partner, take it. Keeping a single mindset for eight straight hours is not only difficult, but it can increase your stress. The most important thing is that you’re not letting personal time at work upset your productive time, and that you’re not letting work squeeze out your personal decompression time and priorities.Never show weakness.Advice: If you’re struggling or you don’t fully understand what’s going on, don’t let anyone know. Fake it, or stall until you can straighten it out on your own. Asking for help is a sign of weakness and incompetence.What’s changed: You know what takes a lot of unnecessary time and energy? Faking it. If you don’t understand what needs to be done, ask your manager or someone involved with the task. You shouldn’t lead with, â€Å"Oh man, I have no clue what to do here†- but it’s perfectly all right to say, â€Å"Just so I’m clear her e, this is what I think the next steps are. Can you confirm?† Or â€Å"Can we walk through this again so I understand?† Your manager would rather have a good outcome on a project than a result where you clearly winged it and got things wrong.If you need help, ask for it. Otherwise you risk not being able to bluff your way through as well as you think you can, and wasting both your time and others’. Invest a little time and honesty up front and make it easier on everyone- not least of all yourself. Think of it as a learning opportunity, not a failure.Don’t challenge the boss.Advice: Never challenge your boss on anything. If you don’t agree, just let it go and wait your turn to be the one in charge. After all, she’s the boss for a reason. Do what you’re told, and publicly agree with the official point of view.What’s changed: The manager/employee dynamic hasn’t necessarily changed, but it’s more culturally acceptable now to disagree- albeit diplomatically and productively. This is not to say that you should openly scoff at a particularly ridiculous idea or laugh in your boss’s face when he asks you if you agree about something. Rather, frame it as a respectful difference in point of view. For example: â€Å"I see what you’re saying, but what if we look at it from this other perspective?† Set it as a dialogue instead of just publicly rejecting something your boss has said. Like you, your boss has an interest in making sure things get done in the best way possible, so if you have a difference of opinion that could improve an outcome, don’t be afraid to speak up in a respectful and constructive way.Standard politeness rules apply here as well. Loudly contradicting your boss in a meeting with other people is not likely to go over very well. Nobody likes to be shouted down. But presenting an alternative choice, and acknowledging the validity of what was already said, is a much more productive way to disagree without being rude or unprofessional.Never say â€Å"no.†Advice: Especially when you’re just starting out, always say â€Å"yes† when you’re asked to take on new things or responsibilities. If you say â€Å"no,† you’re not a team player.What’s changed: Saying â€Å"yes† to everything is a shortcut to burnout, and employers have become more conscious of cultivating employee morale. There’s only so much you can handle in the work hours you have available. The better way to handle this is through negotiating and prioritizing. Instead of saying â€Å"I just can’t do this right now,† figure out why you can’t, and ask for help prioritizing tasks if this potential new one is important for you to take on.The key to this one is making sure that your rationale for saying no is a legitimate one. If you just don’t feel like doing it, that’s not going to go over well. But if you genuinely don’t have time, or object for specific reasons, you can be honest about those. Lay out the reasons why, and open a dialogue about how this new ask can or should fit in with your existing workload. It’s always better to have a â€Å"here’s why† list of talking points ready to go, so that your boss doesn’t think you’re lazy, or can’t do the work.Don’t be a job hopper.Advice: Don’t jump from job to job. Settle in and build experience at one job for several years. Job hopping makes you look like an unreliable employee.What’s changed: The world, basically. The job scenario where you start right out of school and stay there for 40 years has become, essentially, a unicorn. The average person now will have eight jobs before they turn 30. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees who are 25 to 34 years old typically stay with a job for three years.Job hopping can be a way t o build your skills and maximize your opportunities instead of staying in a role that may not fit your long-term goals. Job hopping can also mean moving to different jobs within the same company if you find other roles that fit better. While switching jobs every year for the next 15 years is not an ideal strategy (that might truly start to send up red flags for potential employers), you shouldn’t let â€Å"well, I just started this other job† discourage you from seriously considering a job opportunity that pays better, or is better aligned with your career goals.Not all advice is true forever. When it comes to your own career, it’s important to think about whether that advice will truly help you, or if it just doesn’t fit with the way the world works anymore.

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 12

Essay Example The first article under focus refers to an article presented by Judith and Rebecca in the form of a discussion that discusses women conditions as well as the feminist movement. The presentation of the article between the two senior editors takes the form a discussion with the parties offering partially contrasting views. The topics discussed relates to connotation of negative or positive trends of the word feminist, women issues as well as the relationship between social media and feminists. The women issues discussed relate to employment discrimination, sexual violence, and caregivers conditions. On the onset Rebecca discusses her position on seeing public modern feminist disclosure in the current days. Through her discussion, it is clear that during the 90’s, individuals feared to present themselves as feminists but that is no more. These days, the trend has changed where even young teenagers wear clothes with writings that support feminism. Much of that credit goes to the i nternet for facilitating these discussions that in the past were hard (Judith and Rebecca 14). The debate is hot among the young throughout the world as they follow links and engage in conversations due to the participatory nature the internet provides. Through the media and entertainment, a number of individuals both female and male have taken the advantage of feminism discussion making it a selling point for their products. There are women working in outstanding positions who remain eager to fight for female empowerment that includes reproductive rights. Life in the U.S indicates a system of ever-tightening constriction that the whole world follows (Judith and Rebecca 16). To Rebecca development of feminism remains too small but is achievable through engagement of influential women within the society. She acknowledges the role of middle-class white women within the society in achieving that objective. In her response, Judith presents a partially contrasting

Cross cultural issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cross cultural issues - Essay Example Cultural diversity exists between the United States and Europe. Citizens of the two countries differ in culture, beliefs, faith practices and economic inclination. These differences make business management practices in various parts and organizations different. U.S’s proven management systems and practices may not work appropriately in Europe. For instance, a U.S based Multinational Corporation; the effectiveness of her management control system and practices would evidently differ from one country to another or even from one branch with diverse cultural inclination to another in the same country. Therefore, our study intends to compare cultural inclinations of the two countries; the U.S and Europe and understand the implications of the differences to the expansion of a U.S based organization intending to establish a branch in Europe by purchasing an already existing firm in the same line of production. Global trade has tremendously increased in the recent past. This has probed the multinational corporations or individuals who intend to venture into the international trade to learn about international business. Therefore, it is very important to learn and understand the different cultures of the world before enrolling in doing business in foreign countries. This would reduce the risks involved in business transactions. Understanding other countries’ negotiation tactics, greetings, communication styles, body language, meeting and dress, and social events are keys to have good business relationships with other partner countries. For instance, the United States and Europe are nations that regularly interact in business relations. Although they share similarities, the two countries share a lot of differences. In the United States, the first impression matters a lot and is basic to the success of every business relationship. The Americans appreciate eye contacts and a firm hand shake with business partners (Bowie, n.d, p.1-12). As a matter of

The Airline Organization In Malaysia Commerce Essay

The Airline Organization In Malaysia Commerce Essay This essay reviews and examines the management operations in organizations, using the airline organization in Malaysia; Air Asia as our case study. In assessing or reading this essay, one will definitely come across certain terminologies which are not frequently used and not suitably applicable to our everyday lives, and therefore one may find it difficult to absorb and concur the real point of the essay. Such terminologies may include work organization, management, unemployment, management operations Etc. This concerns a part of the business or organization operations whereby they try to increase or maximize customer satisfaction by using the minimum amount of resources possible, e.g. in the case of an organization like Air Asia, they have being ranked as one of the top low-cost airlines world-wide. Their Low-price compared to other Airlines helps in motivating people to opt for Air Asia over others. Thereby, they increase the customer satisfaction while the try to expend the list amount of resources possible for this to be economically efficient for the organization. 2. Motivation is like an action which triggers or helps in the activation of a kind of behavior which is set for higher standards (goal-oriented behavior). When a manager motivates his/her workers, it is usually in most cases with the aim of achieving a higher set of goals for the organization. This motivation may take place under various circumstances and also in a variety of formalities, which include; Increasing Job satisfaction of the employees This can be achieved through things like increasing the workers salaries, upgrading their working conditions, better benefits and pension allowances and so on and so forth. First of all, a goal is an objective which a person intends to achieve in most cases, within a stipulated amount of time. Goals are set for various purposes. For example, some people set goals and then intend to strive to achieve that it within a stated period of time. The limited acts a form of motivation and pushes them to strive harder in achieving the goal. One of the most notable of the methods of goal settings is the SMART plan. SMART represents; Specific; The goals should be specified for easy rectification. Measurable; They should be quantifiable not uncertain. Attainable; They should be things that can be reached or attained within the stated period of time. Realistic; They should be somewhat as a fantasy or a dream but should be achievable. Time-line; There should be a stipulated period of time within which one should be able to achieve the goal. 3. CONFLICT RESOLUTION Conflict is a state of opposition between persons, ideas or interest. Whenever we want to work with people conflict is inevitable because we all come from different background, culture generation and we all have different believes and value. Each of us brings with us different views on about everything WAYS OF MANAGING CONFLICT 1 Accommodating: This is whereby you allow the other party to certify there consign and neglect your own 2 Collaborating: This means cooperating with the other party to understand there consign and effort to find a mutually satisfying solution. 3. Compromising: Attempting to resolve conflict by identifying solution that is partially satisfactory to both parties both completely satisfactory to neither. 4. Avoiding: Not paying attention to the conflict and not taking any action to resolve it. 5. Forcing: using your formal authority to satisfy your own consign without regard to the other parties consign WAYS OF RESOLVING CONFLICT 1. Arbitration: This is process whereby a third party is involved who has being invited by the conflict parties to propose the solution 2.Seek Mediation : Is a process whereby a third party consults with those involved in a conflict to see if the problem can be presenting in a way which facilitates a resolution, the mediator may simply listen and ask questions 3. Apply authority or force: If mediation, conciliation and arbitration do not work or the parties are not willing to try them, conflict can be resolved in a fashion by one party imposing his solution through authority.(I.e. Manager) this settlement will resentment amongst the workers at the receiving end both sometimes this is the only way to resolve conflict and save time. 4. Organizational structure depicts how jobs and official endeavors are formally broken down, grouped and carried out cord natively. Here are the types of organization structures; Simple Structure This is more commonly associated with smaller business such as the sole proprietorship and others like that. This is because; it is more functional when applied in an organizational setting with few workers. It is fast and flexible and also relatively cheaply applicable. Its major demerit involves the fact that it is relatively unsuccessful with other organizations with a larger workforce. Bureaucracy It is mainly characterized by a strong standardization technique such as highly formalized rules, strong hierarchal system and chain of command. The Matrix Structure This is departmentalized into 2; functional and product. The most outstanding and easily recognized structural feature of the matrix is that it breaks the unity-of-command concept. How people are managed Directing making decisions embodying decision in instruction and serving as the leader of the enterprise Organizing establishing structures and system through which activities are arranged Planning out ling the policy, objectives and resultant things to be accomplished. Time management is the process of monitoring, analysing and revising, you plan unit it work, effectively planning as a skill that takes time to acquire. Prepare tomorrow s schedule before you get to the office in morning Coordinating this is important stage consists of interacting the various part of work .it involves coordinating the various job, roles and responsibilities of yourself and others staff. 5. The Internet, especially that of the 21st Century is super-fast, has a very high flexibility and can be used for the efficient conduction of all kinds of transactions that goes on between suppliers, consumers and even multinational companies. These characteristics of the internet enable it to bring heavy positive returns to these organizations. For example, things like purchase orders, transportation of goods notifications, requisition letters Etc. which were initially sent and received through post-mail can now be accessed online via electronic mail through the internet. A customer-oriented organization, favors and elevates the customer above other things, it believes that the customer is always right. A production-oriented organization focuses mainly on production as their primary driving force and that is their top priority. 6. LEADERSHIP Leadership is the power to influence a meeting towards the success of destination. MANAGEMENT Management is the functions of authority underlying in assigned formal rate to receive compliance from organizational members. People should be managed using a type of management method known as Management by consensus. Consensus as we all know has to do with mutual agreement involving everyone therefore, management by consensus is a type of management whereby everyones opinion is taken in for consideration and then a decision is taken based on everybodys consensus. This helps in giving people a feeling of importance and also gives them a role to play. TYPES OF LEADERSHIP Autocratic leadership Bureaucratic leadership Democratic leadership Cultural leadership Strategic leadership Situational leadership Participative leadership TYPES OF MANAGEMENT Management by information system Management by organizational development Management by exception Management by walking around Management by performance Management by consensus Management by decision models COMPARE AND CONTRAST VARIOUS TYPES OF MANAGEMENT AND VARIOUS STYLES OF LEADERSHIP -THAT TRANSLATES INTO THE WAYS PEOPLE ARE MANAGED. Widening their network looking for mutual benefit or helping others selflessly. An appraisal system using performance indicators and objectives as the basis of appraisal. Information control keeping people informed about issues which affect them. Possessing good negotiating skills aiming for win/win outcomes Resources control allocated on the basis of business priority. Job seniority giving clear instruction for tasks . Having and ability to get people to communicate by offering confidential support Giving personal praise on the basis of good performance Involving others welcoming and utilising others ideas Managing access to people on the basis of need and business priority . Rewards and punishment using fairly and transparently based on an objective criteria. 7 Group entails any number of persons who interrelate with one another, who are mentally conscious of one another and recognize themselves as a group (Mullins, L.J. 2005). While teams denote groups that have familiar objective and identify that their individual achievement is hanged on the others. A group consists of all kinds of persons. The way individuals interact and interrelate shapes their success. The manners in which persons behave in groups differ. Some individuals are helpful and supportive, others are more worried about getting the task done, and yet others can initiate friction or dissonance inside the team. Managing a project team has various parts. One of the most vital is organizing and setting up that project team. If one makes the right decisions when organizing his/her project team, he/she will be steps away from achieving the group project. Make a list of the tasks that required to be completed to make the project a achievement. If you arent certain exactly what wants to be done to complete the task, now is the moment to go to your manager and get that explained. Step 2 Place a timeline for your task. If you have not been given a cut-off date, then you will require to put one, cum any erstwhile landmark inside the task. You will also want to set timelines for the responsibilities inside the mission, making certain that you are finishing the tasks in chronological command. Step 3 Locate the inputs that you want to make your task occur. Ensure that you will have entrance to any apparatus you want to compose your task an actuality. You have to converse this as soon as achievable with administration so you will have all that you want by the moment the task is ready to commence. Step 4 Generate a catalogue of responsibilities that you will want to fill inside your group. For example, you may want two sales persons and a marketing supervisor to produce your team. Again, each of the responsibilities, catalogue the tasks that this individual will be working on during the task. Step 5 Decide who in your business will labour best on your mission team given the responsibilities that you want to fill and the tasks that must be completed. Get the best individuals on board with you, keeping in mind who works well together when your team form. Step 6 Converse the arrangement amid your project team as soon as feasible. This is the last step in institute of a flourishing project team. Ensure each individual recognizes what they will do independently and what the team is trying to achieve as a whole.

Cruise holidays (written for Punyabhumi Ltd)

If your kids or grandchildren have been raving about the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow at sea, then maybe it’s time you discovered the allure of the ocean for yourself! We’re not talking about meeting pirates or find gold doubloons on sunken ships, but luxuriating in the sheer bliss of sailing on a cruise liner. Whether you’re a stressed-out professional who hardly gets to see their partner on weekdays, a single person looking for romance and adventure, or a parent who’s longing for some family time with your children and spouse, there’s something about cruises that appeals to everyone! A cruise vacation is a wonderfully unique opportunity to experience the romance of the sea as well as the appeal of exotic destinations, and is a charming way to spend a few days of quality time with your partner. Most cruises pack so much into a couple of days—luxurious cabins, lazy walks on the deck, gourmet meals, entertainment shows, live bands, swimming pools complete with Jacuzzis, shopping and sight-seeing at exquisite ports—that the cruise is the perfect quick fix to chase your blues away, and have you walking on air for weeks to come! The two most popular cruise destinations from Chennai are Phuket and Colombo, both managed by the SuperStar Libra operators. The Libra is a state-of-the-art ocean liner, touted as a world-class luxury floating resort where the service is warm and the accommodations elegant. The ship offers you all the facilities you would expect from a five-star resort: mouth-watering menus at every meal, internet access, medical care, shopping and even conference and meeting rooms for those workaholics who want to catch up with business as they relax! The liner has a breathtaking ten decks, with over seven hundred luxury cabins. It can accommodate over one thousand and four hundred passengers on a single cruise. There are rooms ranging from the aristocratic executive suites (Rs 21,999/- per night per passenger) to the ocean-view staterooms (ranging from Rs 7,200 to Rs 11,000 per night per passenger, depending on the kind of view available from each cabin) with a choice of cabins with portholes, so you can gaze at the dazzlingly-clear night sky as you drift off contentedly into sleep at night! ). The Libra also features several restaurants on board, each offering you a tastefully organized dining experience. Check out Coconut Willy’s, the poolside restaurant where you can lounge in your swimsuit and sample the delightful menu, or the Pool Bar, which is exclusively for drinks and enticing cocktails. For a more formal dining experience, visit the Saffron, which features traditional Indian vegetarian meals, including Jain cuisine; there is also the enchanting Four Seasons restaurant for those who prefer continental meals. If you’re taking the kids along, chances are you won’t be able to tear them away from the aptly-named Lickety Splits, the ice-cream bar straight out of a child’s version of paradise! And where do we even begin to describe the various entertainment rooms? There’s The Bollywood, which is the karaoke lounge; the Galaxy of the Stars, a cocktail lounge with a live band; the discotheque, Boomer’s; Video Planet, for those compulsive gamers who periodically feel the need to blast the stuffing out of animated villains, and much, much more! The Libra cruise to Phuket gives you three days and four nights of memorable sailing. This is a typical â€Å"high sea† cruise, meaning that it’s the closest thing to heaven for those who want nothing more than to bask in the enchantment that three continuous days of open water can give you! Phuket also offers you the delight of turquoise waters and exploration in its rustic villages. The Libra Chennai-Colombo cruise is for three days and two nights, which includes one complete day of the high sea experience. Indian Holiday Pvt Ltd organizes cruises for you, and online bookings are available at www. indianholiday. com. To book a cruise on the Libra, go to www. indianholiday. com/star-cruise-packages/star-cruise-libra. Indian Holiday organizes cruises from their Mumbai office only. To plan your cruise with a Chennai operator, contact Travel Air Madras, featured below. If you want a wider choice of destinations, check out the cruises that operate from Mumbai. As Ms Gupta from Travel Air Madras tells us, Mumbai is the most flourishing point of departure for cruises to ever-popular destinations such as Mauritius and Lakshadweep. The four-night Cochin/Goa cruise is an excellent option, which takes you from historical forts to ravishing beaches in the space of three days! This cruise operates between December and February, so plan your trip accordingly. February is the best time, neither harshly cold nor uncomfortably warm, and there is very little chance of stormy weather. The Lakshadweep/Goa cruise for four nights has two shore stops, Kadmat and Goa. Kadmat is an island paradise, just eight kilometres long and half a kilometre wide! If you’re the adventurous type, you can indulge in water sports like scuba-diving, parasailing, snorkeling and kayaking at Kadmat’s gorgeous lagoons, or if you’d prefer, just lie back and drink in the vivid blue of the ocean from one of the memorable glass-bottomed tourist boats! (Swimming skills are mandatory for all water sports, and children under fourteen years cannot participate in diving. The water at Kadmat is crystal clear, and you can gaze at the vibrant marine life up to a depth of an amazing fifty metres. This cruise operates four times a month between October and April every year. Travel Air Madras is a tour operator which plans your cruise right from booking your air tickets to Mumbai and finding you a cruise holiday to suit your tastes and requirements. Rates begin at approximately Rs 500 0/- per night per person (excluding taxes). The one- and two-night cruises on the Libra feature Goa as the most popular destination, while three-night cruises take you to Kadmat in Lakshadweep and bring you back. Rates are inclusive of three meals a day, access to the onboard swimming pool, Jacuzzi and gym, and live entertainment shows in exquisite lounge areas on the ship, which has a professional live band if you want to add to the music of the waves! Air Travel Madras also offers special seasonal discounts; for example, the Valentine’s Day discount is for cruises booked up to March 1st, and gives you an attractive 50% off on your partner’s fare. To avail of this offer, you need to complete your cruise by April 14th. Call 2852-3095 or 2852-1623, or email Usha at u. [email  protected] com for more details. If you want a less touristy cruise, you could also consider a river cruise to the enigmatic Sundarbans. Two luxury river launches, the M. V. Chitrarekha and the M. V. Madhukar, make weekly two-day trips which take you into the heart of the mangrove forests to observe the enchanting wildlife and drift along the delta created by the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. Both ships inclu de upper observation decks. The gourmet Bengali meals alone are worth the experience! Entertainment includes on-board dancing. The best time to take this river cruise is between September and March, when you also get the chance to see rare migratory birds. So leave your copy of Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide at home on your bookshelf, and witness the charms of the famed diving dolphins for yourself. You can even catch a glimpse of the Bengal tigers sunbathing on the banks! This cruise is operated by the government’s tourism department, and departs from Kolkata (just a couple of hours from Chennai by air). A two-day trip costs Rs 2500/- per passenger during the tourist season, and off-season rates are Rs 1175/- per passenger. You can book your ticket at the Bengal Tourism office located at 2, Brabourne Road, Kolkata. Call 033-2225-4565/8183/4723-25 or email [email  protected] net. Vivada Cruises has also introduced Sundarbans cruises from January 2007 with the luxury cruiser Paramahamsa, featuring three decks and over thirty elegant cabins, as well as restaurants, a gymnasium, and a library with internet connectivity. The package is priced at Rs 20,000 per passenger for the Luxury class, and Rs 15,000 per passenger for the Comfort class. For a fascinating voyage through a near-pristine land, book yourself on the Paramahamsa! With its contemporary interiors and tranquil ambience, the cruiser is also the perfect venue for business conferences and wedding receptions. Call 033-2463-1990/1/2/3 or email [email  protected] com or [email  protected] com. With Star Cruises, the world’s third largest cruise company, now operating in India, we now have local access to a special experience from our own ports which equal international standards of quality and luxury. A cruise is a wonderful experience at any time, but you may want to consider one to commemorate a special occasion such as your twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. For those who want to nudge their parents into rediscovering romance during a second honeymoon, a cruise holiday package is also a gift that your parents are sure to cherish forever! So if you’ve been thinking of stealing your spouse away from the routines of everyday life, or if you want to remember an unforgettable occasion in an exceptional way, consider treating yourself to this holiday experience like no other! Article 2: Fort St George (written for Ritz magazine) History in Our Own Backyard! Date: 20 February, 1640 A. D. Place: A small, nondescript fishing village on the Coromandel coast A small band of British soldiers land for the first time on the East Coast of India. Realizing quickly that they will need to work fast if they are to claim this territory before the French do, they set to work creating a garrison. They are hard-pressed for land, but a local farmer called Madrasan offers them the use of his banana grove. The Raja of Chandragiri, the last of the great rulers of the Vijayanagar empire, accedes to their request. Two months later, their military base is established and christened Fort St George. And thus, the city of Madras is born. They say that old buildings are silent, watchful observers of history. From the beginnings of the British Raj, this familiar fort has witnessed the evolution of one of India’s largest cities. Fort St George in Chennai has the somewhat dubious distinction of being the first fort that the British built in India. More importantly, however, the fort made the small settlement of Madraspatnam a flourishing port, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that had this fort not been built, Madras would not have developed into a city. Built a mere forty-four years after the East India trading company arrived in India in 1600 A. D. , Fort St George helped the British establish a stronghold on the east coast, and remains one of the most famous landmarks of the city. The fort was named after St George, the patron saint of England. The British used the fort as their main settlement in India until 1774, when they declared Calcutta as the seat of their administration. The fort not only helped the British establish a settlement in the small South Indian fishing village, but also to create a stronghold from which to defend themselves against the forces of the neighbouring kingdoms. Arcot and Srirangapatnam were not far away, and the French had taken Pondicherry. Had the British not built the fort, it may have proved difficult for them to establish their power in the south. Consequently, they invested much effort in fortifying the area. The fort is surrounded by walls that are over six metres high, as well as a formidable-looking moat. Although it’s tempting to think that vicious crocodiles once swam in the waters of the moat to terrorize the enemy, legend has it that the moat was created not so much to defend the fort as to keep inquisitive â€Å"natives† away from it. The British called the fort area their ‘White Town,’ as opposed to the ‘Black Town’ outside its walls, where the â€Å"coloured† people lived. Despite its name, the fort is not â€Å"really† a fort, but more a collection of buildings made by the British in the Neoclassical style, many of which were remodeled in subsequent times. Within a couple of decades after the fort was founded, St Mary’s Church also came to be erected within the fort area. The church, the oldest British one in India, is often described as the Westminster Abbey of the East. According to popular opinion, St Mary’s is also the oldest British church outside Europe. The church also found itself being used as a military dormitory for three brief years, when the French seized it from the British from 1746 to 1749. Don’t forget to take a peek into the visitor’s book when you visit—it still has comments dating back over a hundred years! Opposite the church are Clive House and Wellesley House, named after the respective governors who lived in them (Wellesley later went on to become the Duke of Wellington, and defeated Napoleon at Waterloo). Robert Clive was married in St Mary’s Church, as was Elihu Yale, the founder of Yale University. Yale, who was Governor of the city and is said to have made his fortune in India, had a 46-metre teak flagpole erected, from which it is believed that the Union Jack was unfurled for the first time in India. The pole was actually the mast of a ship that was wrecked in the seventeenth century. It still stands today, bearing, of course, a different flag! The original teak, however, was replaced with metal in 1994. This flagpole is the oldest in the country. Although the government has its Secretariat in the offices of Clive House, much of it is also a grand museum. The Fort Museum is open from 10 a. m. to 5 p. . on all days except Fridays, and includes ten galleries with relics from the British and French empires. The magnificent banqueting hall on the first floor has portraits of the earliest governors, and there are many remnants of the British era, including palanquins, coins, weapons, paintings and manuscripts. You can also see as large, imposing statue of Lord Cornwallis, as well as documents hand-written by Cornwallis and Clive. The statue depicts a sad scene: Tipu Sultan’s two young sons being handed over to the British because their father was unable to pay the large sum of money demanded by Cornwallis. Tipu Sultan’s cannons can be seen outside the museum. Both Aurangzeb and Hyder Ali also attacked the fort several times in the eighteenth century, but it was so well-fortified that they could not break its defences. The pentagon-shaped gun ramparts slope down to the moat, and were once connected to five drawbridges that led to the fort. These bridges have since been replaced by roads. From the first landing of the British to the tsunami, the fort has witnessed almost four centuries of Chennai’s history. Will it still be there in another four hundred years’ time, its walls as impassive and unchanged? One can only wonder! Article 3: Barry Burn Lodge, South Africa (written for a travel website) Barry Burn Lodge is situated in the gorgeous Lowveld area, a small, serene world of timeless beauty. Enjoy sunsets of unrivalled beauty. Fresh breezes greet each warm tropical day. In this tranquil spot, the altitude and the sun create the perfect tropical climate to vacation in! Some of Africa's most memorable sights will delight you here. The estate is a stone’s throw away from the must-see Kruger National Park. The accommodation includes a stylish open-plan dining room and kitchen, fully operational for your culinary needs, and with the added convenience of a fridge, stove, microwave and dishwasher. Barry Burn Lodge also offers laundry services with a washing machine and tumble dryer. Relax at the well-furnished lounge and bar, equipped with a fireplace which creates a wonderfully cozy ambience on chilly evenings. The lounge opens out on to a beautiful sundeck with braai facilities, which is a magnificent setting in which to absorb the serene beauty of your surroundings, or to unwind after a hard day’s vacationing! Upstairs, discover the joys of a loft room with TV and M-Net (DSTV dish is available, but you need to carry your own decoder. The loft leads on to a charming balcony from which to enjoy a sundowner, with a fantastic panoramic view of the expansive, lush green fairways of the Golf Estate. The accommodation at Barry Burn Lodge includes 4 bedrooms, all with bathrooms en-suite, containing 2 double bedrooms with Queen size beds, as well as 2 bedrooms with 2 single beds in each. Bed linen and bath towels are available for your necessities. Please carry your own swimming towels. There are several delightful activities to enjoy in and around Barry Burn Lodge. Enjoy the facilities of a championship golf course, with its picturesque fairways, water obstacles, and vibrant bird life. Other sporting activities offered include tennis and squash arranged by the club. Barry Burn Lodge also invites you to revel in splendid and awe-inspiring scenic drives to historic places. Just a few of these historic places which can inspire and delight you are the Mac-Mac Falls, Graskop, Sodwana Caves, Pilgrim's Rest, God's Window, and Blyde River Canyon. The estate also shares a border with the remarkable Lake Longmere, where you can unwind as you indulge in fishing, boating, or even mountain biking. Visit Greenway Woods Resort and Conference Centre, eat out at Oliver's Restaurant, or treat yourself to Casterbridge Farm, a homecraft, antique, museum and entertainment centre. Also very enjoyable is the Barnyard Theatre, 3 km towards White River town, where live shows are presented on most weekends – don’t miss it! The Riverside Mall/Casino, only a 20-minute drive from the Estate, is also worth a visit.

IT Strategy and Network Design Proposal Essay

The GFK School of Motoring was established in 1960. Since then, the school has grown steadily and now has a several offices in the London area. However, the Organization is expanding and a new branch is to be built that will link with the existing network and also utilise the latest technologies such as simulators, the internet and the World Wide Web. Furthermore, improvement is needed in the communications and sharing of information between offices spread around the London. The Director wants to take advantage of the Internet to change the way the company operates. The new branch will allow prospective clients to browse the website and make an initial registration. Interview and the checking of documents can then be arranged on-line. Once a client has been registered any payments due can also be made on-line via any of the various credit and debit cards. Flexibility in the provision of services to clients also requires that once registered, a client can take a driving lesson at any of the centres. Hence an integrated and up-to-date database system is to be implemented. The Director of the organization feels that too many mistakes are being made with the current system and that the success of the organization will be short-lived if he does not do something to overcome the situation. He knows that a good IT strategy and network design could help in part to solve the problem and has approached our team to help create a new branch and implement an efficient and reliable information system to support the running of the organization as a whole. 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF GFK OPERATIONS. Each office has a manager (who tends to be a senior instructor), Several senior instructors, instructors and administrate staffs. The staff hierarchy is as follows: – Manager – Senior instructors – Instructors – Office personnel. The manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the office. Clients must first register on-line or at an office and this requires that they complete an application form, which records their personal details. Before the first lesson, a client is requested to attend an interview with an instructor to assess the needs of the client and to ensure that the client holds a valid provisional driving license. A client is free to ask for a particular instructor or to request that an instructor be changed at any stage throughout the process of learning to drive. After a successful interview, the first lesson is booked. A client may request individual lessons or book a block of lessons for reduced fee. An individual lesson is for one or two hours which begins and ends either at the client’s home or at the office. A lesson is with a particular instructor in a particular car at a given time. Lessons can start as early as 6a.m. and as late as 8p.m. After each lesson, the instructor records the progress made by the client and notes the mileage used during the lesson. The Organization has a pool of cars, which are adopted for the purpose of teaching. Each instructor is allocated to a particular car. As well as teaching, the instructors are free to use the cars for personal  use. The cars are inspected at regular intervals for faults. Once ready, a client will be given a test date by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure that the client is best prepared for all parts of the test. The instructor is not the responsible for testing the client and is not in the car during the test but should be available to drop off and pick up the client before and after the test at the testing centre. If a client fails to pass, the instructor must record the reasons for the failure. 1.4. AIMS OF THE PROJECT. 1. To design and implement a network solution for the new Barking branch . 2. To redesign or upgrade the company’s existing network system. 3. To connect GFK to the Internet and provide full internet service. 4. To design a desktop and its delivery to all GFK’s client computers. 5. To address security and back-up issues. 6. To design a network monitoring policy to maintain and/or improve performance in the future. This particular aspect of the group work is investigated in detail by Student number: 0212251 in Part B. 1.5 BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED NETWORK SYSTEM. The design of the Local Area Network for the new branch and its communication  with the rest of the GFK network will be approached in view of satisfying two fundamental business functions: – Information sharing: refers to having users access the same data files, exchange information via email, or use the internet. – Resource sharing: refers to one computer sharing a hardware device (e.g., printer) or software package with other computers on the network to save costs. The main benefit of information sharing is improved decision making, which is one of the goals of the GFK School of Motoring. Any application, e.g. a web browser, on the GFK LAN will have the following functions: 1. data storage 2. data access logic 3. application or business logic 4. presentation logic Based on these functions we will be implementing client/server network architecture at the new branch. We will be using 3-tier client/server architecture to spread the load between the clients (microcomputers) and the servers (more powerful microcomputers). This is illustrated in the diagram below: (FitzGerald & Dennis, page 46, top). In this case, the software on the client computer is responsible for presentation logic, an application server is responsible for the application  logic and a separate database server is responsible for the data access logic and data storage [1, page 45]. Since the main advantage of a client/server architecture is also its weak point i.e. enabling software and hardware from different vendors to be used together, we will recommend a middleware software such as CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture). It will perform two vital functions: 1. It enables a standard way of communication by translating between software from different vendors 2. It manages the message transfer from clients to servers (and vice versa) so that clients need not know the specific server that contains the application’s data. The application software on the client sends all messages to the middleware, which forwards them to the correct server. The application software on the client is therefore protected from any changes in the physical network. If the network layout changes (e.g., a new server is added), only the middleware must be updated [1, page 44]. By choosing this architecture for the new branch, we have achieved two things: 1. Better load balancing between the servers on the network 2. Scalability. In the future, if due to business demands the system needs to be extended, this can be easily done by adding one or more servers. 1.6 REQUIREMENTS ACQUISITION. In order to obtain valuable information about the GFK School of Motoring, the group decided to send out questionnaires to members of the organization who uses the old system regularly and have a good knowledge of it. We decided on questionnaires because we believe that the users, being under no pressure as they answer questions about the existing system, will provide a reliable feedback. 1.6.1 QUESTIONNAIRE 1. User: Mr A. Patel. Position: Instructor. Time at Company: 3 years. Branch: Stratford Branch. 1. Question: How often do you use the system? Answer: Daily. As many as 20 times a day, when at work. 2. Question: Are you comfortable using the company network? Answer: Sort of. 3. Question: What do you normally use the system for? Answer: Browsing the internet, enquiring about client information, entering client details, sending and receiving emails etc. 4. Question: Which of these tasks do you found most daunting and why? Answer: No doubt, it is obtaining information about clients. The process is very slow and frustrating especially during peak hours. For some reasons the system is sluggish and it slows down the business. 5. Question: From question 4, do you sometimes have to abort the task? Answer: No, because a client details got to be entered. It’s frustrating, but you wait until it’s done before moving on. As a result we tend to record client details at the whenever the system tend to be responsive. This might be a couple of days later. 6. Question: Which of these tasks do you find easiest to do and why? Answer: No doubt, surfing the internet, sending emails, registering clients on-line. 7. Question: Have you had experiences of viruses causing disruption on the system and how? Answer: Certainly on many occasions. I can remember on one occasion a few of my clients and me couldn’t use our computers because it was totally corrupted and my section had to be closed down while the techie people sorted it out. We lost most of the files on our computers. 8. Question: From question 7, on how many occasions did this happen? Answer: I’ve experienced it about 6 or 7 times. 9. Question: What advice were you given about using the systems in terms of avoiding virus infection? Answer: The normal stuff. Don’t open email you don’t the source, log-off the system before you close for the day, etc. But despite taking these measures, we still have the problem. 10. Question: Do you normally back-up your files yourself and how often? Answer: Yeah, files are supposed to be backed up on cd-roms at the end of every working day but not everybody does it. 11. Question: Do you case of lost customer files and how often? Answer: Yeah, we do. I know a few of my mate who do. We just try to re-acquire it from the customer without the knowledge of management. Someone has been reprimanded for it in the past. Sometimes, it’s the fault of the  system. As I said earlier, it can be frustratingly slow. 12. Question: If you can change the system, what will you change and why? Answer: Definitely, it will be the enquiry procedure. Anything that makes the process faster will do.