The Effects of Short Term and Long Term Stress on Physiological Processes

The Effects of Short Term and Long Term Stress on Physiological processes Stress can have many definitions, the NHS describes it as: stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure (2012) and some may describe it as when our demands outweigh our response. A stressor is anything that is likely to ‘set off’ your stress levels, when a person is feeling overwhelmed or they cannot cope with an event or situation (whether it be physical or psychological). During the 1920’s Walter Cannon began to recognise chain of rapidly occurring reactions in one’s body in response to acute stress.He described this reaction as the fight or flight response which will prepare the body to either fight or flee from a threatening situation (real or imaginary). Cannon discovered that during this response a series of physiological reactions will take place such as heart and respiratory rate will increase to allow for more oxygen to be pumped around the body to prepare the muscles for action. Blood pressure will increase as the blood vessels will constrict to enable to blood to move faster and more smoothly around the body.Pupils will dilate as they allow more light into the eye therefore allowing a boarder view of the situation. Our sympathetic nervous response to stress is our immediate response, this is an uncontrollable reflex to a stressful situation. Our hypothalamus send signals through our nerve cells to our pituitary gland to our adrenal glands, specifically our adrenal medulla. Here, the hormone adrenaline is pumped into the bloodstream causing the many physiological changes in our body. Also, noradrenaline will be release causing the non-essential systems to either shut down or slow down e.g. digestive system and immune system. As the adrenaline is coursing through our body it triggers the release of sugar from our temporary stores supplying energy around the body. Originally founded by Seyle in 1956, general adaptation syndr ome refers to the three stage reaction to stress and our adaptation to dealing and living with it. Stage one is the sympathetic nervous response: an immediate alarm reaction to a stress and our fight/slight response. Stage two is the stage of resistance (adaptation) where a prolong exposure to stress has occurredcausing our body to become adjusted to the stressor and the increased amount of hormones in our body (adrenaline/adrenocorticotropic). As a way of conserving energy and for optimum nutrient absorption a person may feel reduced desire for physical activity. The final stage is the exhaustion stage, as there has been an increased amount of corticosteroids in the body, the immune system will have become much weaker making a person much more susceptible to chronic illness/heart attacks/severe infection as our bodies are much less capable of an immune response.If a person has GAS then there body will be in the process of the parasympathetic nervous response, it differs to the symp athetic response as hypothalamus signals to the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone. This hormone will trigger corticosteroids into the blood from the adrenal cortex which suppresses the immune system and converts glycogen in muscles and the liver into sugar. In 1997, Marmot conducted a study into low job control and the risk of coronary heart disease. It was determined that low job control did increase the risk of heart disease.

Planning Human Resource Essay

Human resource planning has a major role to meet the company objectives in professional and efficient comportment. In this case study planning process is to meet the short term, by having the right people and the right skills of workforce to supply demands of the new contract at the same time to adjust staffing change for long term objectives. As an HR manager main role is to meet business needs through workforce planning. Part of the planning is to investigate and gather information where the company stands now where we want to take it and how to do that. I can employ the Manpower requirement approach for Human resource planning, to analyse the current situation and estimate future needs and implement the new strategy. The manpower requirement approach enables the HR to investigate the quality and the quantity of the existing workforce and analyse the company situation, forecast an adequate number of skilled manpower to satisfy future needs and achieve targets. 1- Analyse the current workforce: to learn about employees profile, expertise, age education, roles and gather information about staff rotation, this data base permit the company to evaluate the core competences and the power of it is human capital, identify surplus or shortage for short term and long term targets and measure it up with the company objectives and capabilities to appraise the current productivity, Moreover to evaluate the corporate strategy alignment with the vision and mission. 2- Forecast future manpower: identify supply and demand. Expect the quantity and characteristics of the manpower in demand for future needs based on projecting employer past trends. Using previous trends of employment of a specific qualifications and expertise employed earlier in the past years by the company to ensure productivity. â€Å"In this approach an attempt is made to forecast future requirements of educated manpower to fulfil a future target of Gross National Product (GNP) or specified targets of industrial production†. (According to Mahapatro, et al. 2010) Predict directions and development in each size of individual sectors of the economy. Use series of data and historical trends to acquire the ratio between the growth of the skills of the workforce and output growth. This method allow to associate experienced manpower and their productivity influencing the economic growth in a specific sector. According to Mahapatro, et al. 2010, â€Å"the fundamental axioms of manpower requirements approach is that there is a definite link between the education and the economic growth and the lack of skilled manpower in required number impedes growth†. Analyse and estimate the requirements of educated manpower to develop and advance, by assessing different factors engagement level, wastage and recession rate. Estimate the level of labour force participants by comparing the participant’s rates and the number of graduates for a specific occupation. The main strengths of this method are estimating and comparing the demand and supply over a period of time in a specific economy and correlate this with the total population level of employment and production. Moreover this approach helps the company to identify future needs for development and training allowing them to categorise. According to Mahapatro, et al. 2010,† this approach assess the skill requirements to achieve any predetermined economic growth, and to gear the expansion of educational system to provide the needed education and training† However there are some flaws in the Manpower Requirements approaches. The first limitation: The Manpower requirement approach, link skilled manpower to a specific occupation task, however it’s limited to be valid since it is not including the price and the cost of formal training and education to produce such educated level required, and it can only be relevant to developing countries, where high proportion of manpower have obtained these skills through informal learning and job experience. According to Mahapatro, et al. 2010, â€Å"in the Indian context, it has been observed that over 30 percent of the manpower do not have the basic minimum qualification. They have reached these levels through on-the-job training and such other informal training in the requisite skills.† The second limitation: This method confirms that there are no replacements for the required skilled manpower; however we cannot expect to find in one country all jobs requiring a specific skill to be executed by manpower having the same category of education. According to Mahapatro, et al. 2010, â€Å"the educated manpower of different types are used in fixed proportions and that there no substitutions possibilities among the various categories of educated manpower†. The future is uncertain, technological and economical factors constantly changing affect the patterns of demands predicted in an earlier stage, since estimated skilled or unskilled labour force is derived from the patterns of services or goods in demand, this approach is relatively unreliable for future for long turn estimates and can produce large errors. According to Mahapatro, et al. 2010, â€Å"Any error in judgment, in this regard, will seriously affect manpower balances at a later date resulting in either excess supply or excess demand†. Flexibility For example the Audit Commission, they have developed different type of employment to meet their business needs. â€Å"†These different contracts help the Audit Commission to cope with all of its changing needs. They also help it to be flexible.† (The Times 100, 2013) The Audit Commission is constantly faced with peaks and troughs in the workload that cannot be met simply by having its employees on full-time contracts. There are situations where they need either more staff or fewer staff. By increasing or reducing staff in these situations the Audit Commission has developed numerical flexibility. (The Times 100, 2013) As we know the organisation had some success stories and some unstable situation, HR planning at this phase after winning a new contract is extremely crucial. We can learn from the Audit Commission and apply flexibility to be able to meet future business needs without raising employment cost and by avoiding downsizing. I can suggest developing and applying flexible working patterns by introducing different type of employment contracts. The internal labour market 350 employees 95% of them have permanent contract consisting the core group of the organization having the skills and knowledge to work in many roles, the abovementioned manpower enable the organisation to run the daily operation having the expertise the knowhow of the company production standards and quality, and they can meet the enquiries in an efficient ways. However the company has recently won a new contract that might implicate needs for recruitment. The existing 95% will remain on permanent contracts and will consist the 75% of the company new structure, as for the new workforce joining the company we can introduce different type of contract to hire them in order to maintain the flexibility of the organisation. They consists the first peripheral and the second peripheral. In the company situation we are examining to hire the first peripheral group that is numerically flexible and the second peripheral group that include employees on short-terms or contractors from agencies, where the organisation needs more staff, that will not by necessary after the production demands of the new contracts are met. As for a construction company that have just signed a new hotel construction project that will end in 5 years, they cannot afford to hire employees on permanent contracts for the new project, as they will have surplus after the hotel is build. In this situation by applying the new working patterns the manufacturing company can meet the new contract needs and ensure that we will not have a manpower surplus after the project is done, it is always easy to increases the number of the workforce but not simple to reduce it. Since the company have liabilities toward their workforce. The cost is extremely high to offer all its employees benefits, health insurance, schooling, bonuses and end of service indemnities. Question 2: As we have discussed before temporary workers play a significant role in current fast pace evolving industries, no matter how skilled or unskilled they are, a certain amount of training is required to make sure they can perform well the assigned tasks. We have to plan the training process and identify the gaps. According to Gomez-Mejia et al, 2012 â€Å"The trainng process consists of three phases: (1) needs assessment, (2) development and conduct of training, and (3) evaluation.† 2.1 Assessment Needs: The type of training should be linked to the organisation goals, in our organisation situation the company needs to meet the new project production needs on time efficiently without compromising the quality. By hiring the new temporary workforce, the company is not looking to develop them or invest in them, as they are only hired to assure the production for a certain period. However we need their contribution to achieve company goals and meet business demand, the required training should enable them to acquire the skills and the knowledge, by identifying a certain type of training that will ensure they are prepared to do the assigned tasks and have the complete knowledge of the company procedures and safety related issue. 2.2 Development and conduct of training We can refer to Aldi’s company case study that was experiencing a rapid expansion and needed to recruit more than 4,000 employees. It is not so easy to involve a large number of employees and engage them to the company objectives, we can examine below how Aldi’s planned to train the new workforce and make them committed to their new roles. They have chosen to provide the on-the-job-training. â€Å"On-the-job training is training that takes place while employees are actually working. It means that skills can be gained while trainees are carrying out their jobs. This benefits both employees and the business. Employees learn in the real work environment and gain experience dealing with the tasks and challenges that they will meet during a normal working day. The business benefits by ensuring that the training is specific to the job. It also does not have to meet the additional costs of providing off-the-job training or losing working time†. (The Times 100, 2013) we can use the same training approach to apply it to our organisation, as we have to be careful about the cost. At the beginning we have to introduce them to the work place they are joining, an induction training should be provided to familiarize the new group joining to the company and colleagues, this orientation ensure their understanding to the company structure and the corporate culture and we can gain their involvement from day one to the organisation objectives and goals. We are examining here the instrumental learning type. On job training approach is applicable in this case study as it is considered cost effective and does not require an expert trainer to be hired from outside the company to teach them specific skills or to provide a certain knowledge. â€Å"OJT also spares the organisation the expense of taking employees out of the work environment for training and usually the cost of hiring outside trainer, because employees generally are capable of doing the training† †. (Gomez-Mejia et al, 2012) At the same it can deliver a clear message about the company expectation while saving time, as senior skilled staff can train new employees divided in groups depending on job requirement and the group can actually learn the required skill while conducting day-to-day activities, it allow them to observe and try. One of benefits for the company will be having skilled employees that will need less supervision to perform tasks in the future, furthermore that will increase the loyalty to the employer and employees relationships, since they will be interacting closely with the senior staff for the training period. In addition they can get guidance and learn new technologies practically rather than theorist, where most of the times theories are not so clear to be applicable. â€Å"The guided on the-job training approach helps build relationships†. (Gomez-Mejia et al, 2012). The informal training or the OJT can enhance relationships between the workforce interacting together to acquire skills and learn better about our organisation, it can be also considered as socializing activity since they can be more open and communicate easily with no barrier, this process will make effective the on-boarding new employees. â€Å"Socialization is not a single event. Rather, socialisation is the iterative process between the new employee and the organisation as the individual develop skills, knowledge, role behaviour, and adjustment to norms and values in response to needs and expectations of organisation. (Jolton et al, 2010). For the employees it helps them to be more motivated and self confident about the job, where they can gain more skills in a practical way. They can get guidance and learn new technologies practically rather than theorist, where most of the times theories are not so clear to be applicable. We have to plan carefully the On-the-Job-Training, to allow immediate benefits and reduce the unproductive breaking-in period of the new joiners. If we leave them to learn through unplanned methods employees may feel anxious unmotivated as they are not confident about their job roles and performance. Since we are aiming for temporary manpower and flexible working patterns this method is considered efficient to make them productive as quickly as possible. In addition the OJT permit to examine at early stage employees basic skills problems, for this scenario we can plan for further training for a certain group, simply it can eliminate skills deficiency. Question 3: 3.1 Benefits of Diversity at the workplace. a. Internal advantages. Emerging economy, constantly changes in lifestyle and social demands stimulate people to move from their native countries to a better place, society are becoming more diverse. One car type cannot fit to one population; diversity in choice can make a difference and appeal to everyone. By recruiting a diverse workforce we won’t be only addressing legislation or avoiding discrimination lawsuits, but we ensure engaging our stakeholders’ demands. Avoiding the stereotype in recruitment is the key success for the company to become an employer of choice. Diversity at the workplace can bring a pool of creativity and new ideas; contribution from people coming from different background can advance work and give the ability to the company to comprehend better our stakeholders’ needs and demands. People having different cultural perspectives and lifestyle can give different ideas about the same subject and convey wider exposure for the company. According to Gomez-Mejia et al, 2012, â€Å"to survive and prosper in an increasingly heterogeneous society, organisations must capitalize on employee diversity as a source of competitive advantage†. Regardless that managing employee diversity is politically correct, diverse workforce enhance better problem solving, in our manufacturing company people tend to work in groups, interacting together can solve occurring problems easier as their life experience is dissimilar and they will approach the arising problems differently. Demographic and Cultural diversity can draw more flexibility to the company culture; sharing different experiences can make the work smoother and enjoyable, since learning is wider and more open. b. External advantages A team of different people sharing life experiences and values can improve our corporate culture to become a multicultural organisation having the experience to understand better international market, this advantage can aid the company to generate more profits and widen our market. Talented people are not limited to one culture, certain age or religion, our aim is to match the right people to the right job, so why to slim our choices since we can recruit from a pool of talents. By offering equal opportunity and overlooking differences we can focus better on having the right skills, Cultural diversity at the workplace can promote competitive advantage over rivals, Moreover respecting individual diversities in recruitment can increase productivity and promote the business image. Diversity at the workplace is the key to stay competitive and to be able to cope to the fast changing economy. â€Å"Given the global nature of business today, organisations have to create very specific and effective recruitment efforts to build a deep reservoir of global as well local talent to staff all their organisational levels. (Jolton et al, 2010) As example we can spot the light to Tesco operating in UK where people from different culture and background lives. â€Å"Tesco recognises that every person is different and will bring unique talents and experiences to a role†. (The Times 100, 2013). According to Tesco; â€Å"Difference can be our strength because talent and diversity are two sides of the same coin. To focus on one while ignoring the other is like trying to run a store with no customers – it just won’t work’†. (The Times 100, 2013). 3.2 Employee Diversity Challenges. However some challenges can draw, if diversity is not correctly managed in our organisation, as we can face negative outcomes in communication and productivity Resistance to change from majority and cultural clashes may occur, people tend not to accept each other easily especially if they consider minority inferior, or not as qualified to compete for a promotion or a career development. Cultural diversity may create a barrier between majority and minorities what can affect teamwork and participation. Communication flow might be distracted; people tend to be more involved in relationships with colleagues having the same culture and background, as they share same point of view and lifestyle, minorities can be left out of the company mainstream. Minorities will start to be unmotivated and not satisfied in the work environment and significant turnover and absenteeism can face the company. Diversity can enhance creativity, however minorities being ignored and less valued, will affect their enthusiasm and involvement in the company goals and achievement, and they won’t be able to perform efficiently and effectively due to the low morale. â€Å"Conversely, the proponents of relativity argue that failure to adapt HR practices to the needs of a diverse population may alienate much of the workforce and reduce their potential contributions†. (Gomez-Mejia et al, 2012) References: 1- Mahapatro,. Bhussan,B., 2010. Human Resource Management. New Delhi: New Age International Limited. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com [Accessed 30 June 2013]. 2- The Times 100 Business Case Studies, 2013. Flexible working patterns An Audit Commission Case Study. The Times 100. Available from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/audit-commission/flexible-working-patterns/conclusion.html#axzz2Z2peExn1 [Accessed 3 July 2013]. 3- Gomez-Mejia,L., Balkin,D., and Cardy,R,. 2012. Managing Human Resources. Seventh Edition. United States of America. Pearson Education, Inc. 4- Jolton,J,. Lundby, K,. 2010. Going Global: Practical Applications and Recommendations for HR and OD Professionals in the Global Workplace. United States of America: Jossey-Bass. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com [Accessed 16 June 2013].

Physical Education Essay

Sport is an important part of today’s society and plays a large role in many people’s lives. Now more than ever, sport events dominate headlines and athletes have become national heroes. The question is, does sport merit this kind of interest and attention? From a social standpoint, sport plays a positive role in uniting people from different social backgrounds in support of their favourite team. This can aid people’s understanding and tolerance of each other. However, just as sport unites people so it can divide them, as is often demonstrated by crowd violence at football matches. As far as education is concerned, sport is an important part of every child’s schooling, as it plays a big role in both their physical and mental development. It teaches children how to work as a part of a team and cooperate with others, while at the same time improving physical condition. The only drawback to this is that children who are less able to perform well in sport are likely to feel inadequate in comparison to their more gifted classmates, which may affect their self-confidence. From an economic point of view, sport can be very profitable, as it attracts a lot of sponsorship and advertising. On the one hand this creates revenue for the sporting industry which allows for improvement and expansion. On the other hand large sums of money are often paid to event organisers to promote products such as cigarettes, which are harmful to one’s health. In my opinion, sport should be used as much as possible to encourage people to lead a more healthy and peaceful life instead of being used to promote unhealthy products. We live in jet age. Life has become so easier than ever before. With advancing technologies our lives have become comfortable. But in today’s world under the spell of technology we are ignoring our health. Even kids rather than going out and playing with friends prefer watching television ,playing computer games,or surf the net. Playing Sports keeps us physically fit and mentally alert. It keeps us healthy which is the most important thing of all!! as it is indeed equal to all the wealth in the world,for you may have money but if you have not got health to enjoy it what is its use ? We have variety of sports to choose from like Basketball, Tennis , Football, Cricket, Swimming etc. Besides sports not only helps us to be physically fit but it also teaches us the values of discipline, loyalty , teamwork, hard-work and honesty which helps us to play the bigger game of life! A true sportsman celebrates victory and accepts defeat with a smile. To him winning is not important but giving his 100% is! But in today’s competitive world studies are given more importance. A child doesn’t get enough time to play because of constant pressure of studies and his parents to perform better and better. Hence children ,parents and teachers must understand the importance of sports and give the child enough time to play as we all know very well that â€Å"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! † All work and no play make jack a dull boy. Nowadays many schools have forgotten this precious saying. The school sports should be made compulsory for every child as apart from studying we need recreation time to relax and take a break. many students decide they want to show case their talents at an early age. With the proper guidance and teaching, there are many benefits of sports like education, moral support and responsibility, sense of discipline, cooperation etc. which a student needs to learn to become a perfect man . There has been a latest trend of video games of which children are getting addicted. This is very bad because such activities make the children lazy & inactive as they sit gazing at the computer or television. Physical education and school sport is a crucial Is this essay helpful? Join OPPapers to read more and access more than 470,000 just like it! get better grades part of a well-rounded primary school education. The main goal of physical education for young children is to give them the skills and knowledge necessary to keep their bodies healthy as they age. In order to keep children engaged and motivated, the physical education activities must be fun and highly interactive. However, creating an enriching environment can be challenging for schools and teachers. it is also important to keep the rules of the game in mind to play sincerely. by playing games one also learns to develop his or her behavior towards even unknown people but . there has also been a problem about the availability of grounds so the government must look into this and ensure each school has a ground for its students. Therefore games are utmost necessary in the school curriculum

Acetabular fractures in the elderly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Acetabular fractures in the elderly - Essay Example According to some studies, fractures of acetabulum account for more than 24% of operative fractures n the elderly population (5). Apart from the increase in the elderly population, the rate of acetabular fractures in this segment of population has also increased (5). Historically, acetabular fractures were treated on conservative lines. The management involved prolonged immobilization, casting, traction and pelvic slings. Advances in surgical technique, imaging modalities and our over all understanding of pelvic anatomy have opened ways for better operative management of acetabular fractures. Increased numbers of patients are now candidates to operative treatment owing to reduction in peri- operative morbidity and mortality, along with advances in anesthesia and medical management of multiple co-morbidities. As opposed to historical conservative management that involved prolonged immobilization, operative management provides the platform for early patient mobilization. Despite these advances, treatment of acetabular fractures continues to pose significant challenge to the orthopedic surgeons. This article will review various methods of managing and treating these fractures and their respective outcomes. Fractures of the acetabulum can result from various mechanisms. Majority of fractures involve low to moderate energy injuries and are due to fall from a standing position or short ladder (5 18 23). As the result of a fall, when greater trochanter strikes the ground, the pressure due to the hit drives the femoral head in an antero-medial direction into the anterior column and quadrilateral plate. The displacement of these structures results in medial subluxation of the femoral head which goes beneath the intact weight bearing dome of acetabulum. The weight bearing dome is defined as the superior 10 mm of the acetabulum on axial CT imaging, or the 45 degree roof arc as described by

Small essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Small - Essay Example It also entails maximizing the marginal costs and the marginal revenue perspectives depending on the total profit where it reaches the marginal revenue and costs. Therefore, in this situation, the monopolist can maximize his business profits by choosing his outputs in that the marginal revenues will be equal to the marginal costs. Alternatively, the monopolist can decide to charge high prices since he is not experiencing real competition in the market (Spate, 1983). It is quite common to see many business owners still keeping their businesses open despite the deterioration instead of shutting the business down. The main answer to this is because of the total revenue and the total variable costs (Spate, 1983). Most business owners who are not in a hurry to shut down their business tend to be enjoying the total revenues, which are always greater as compared to the total variable costs. However, the biggest disadvantage of this situation is the fact that the profitability will not last forever. The profits and in this case the total revenues would be diminish with time (Spate,

Concealed Weapons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Concealed Weapons - Essay Example Accordingly, the following arguments will present a case for why gun control and stricter gun laws are required; while at the same time presenting the case for why stricter gun laws will not necessarily improve the situation that has been thus far evidenced throughout society; relating to gun crimes and/or mass shootings. An argument that is used against the ability of an individual to use a bear a concealed weapons has to do with the actual wording of the Second Amendment. As such, the Second Amendment stipultes that guns are allowable as a means of maintining a militia; yet, the fact of the matter is that almost all individuals in society that wish to use the Second Amendment to justify guns and/or concealed weapons are in fact not a member of any state regulated militia. Instead, they are private citizens. This creates a unique problem as these individuals were never intended to own and carry weapons outside the constraints of what the Second Amendment stipulated they should be used for. According to a 1997 study of National Crime Victimization Survey data, "robbery and assault victims who used a gun to resist were less likely to be attacked or to suffer an injury than those who used any other methods of self-protection or those who did not resist at all Firstly, it is necessary to close the background check loopholes in order to keep guns out of dangerous hands. In general, most gun owners buy their guns legally and use them safely, whether for self-defense, hunting, or sport shooting. Yet too often, irresponsible and dangerous individuals have been able to easily get their hands on firearms. We must strengthen our efforts to keep guns from falling into wrong hands. Due to the fact that strict gun control laws have failed to have a positive affect in any of the jurisidictions they have been applied within, the reader is left to assume that creating an even stricter level of

Toy as Visual Stimulator for Early Childhood Research Paper

Toy as Visual Stimulator for Early Childhood - Research Paper Example This was demonstrated by measuring the way infants sucked on pacifiers (they typically sucked harder the better they liked something). However, objects such as balls and basic shapes did not instigate a strong reaction in the infants. Most studies that measure infant response to objects use a similar route, measuring the individual baby’s responses through the use of pacifiers and presenting to the infants a variety of objects, familiar and not familiar (Spitz and Woolf 90). Additional studies with infants can be done to help us better understand this concept of visual perception before six months old. For instance, with the advent of technology, more computerized visuals could be created, with not only patterns and faces, which have been so commonly used, but also moving stimuli. Not many tests have been done to see how young infants actually react to moving stimuli. We have established, through current research, that young babies are able to perceive outlines and do have the ir own ways of understanding when they see familiar items and faces. However, their own particular reactions to moving stimuli have not been measured. Of course, young infants are generally not able to follow items side to side, but items placed directly in front of them on a computer screen can still be used in order to measure their reactions. Many studies have been done like this with older babies and toddlers to measure their responses to sounds and colors, generally done by researchers of children’s television shows, like Nickelodeon, and toy companies wanting to sell successful products. However, it would be interesting to see if certain objects could be used to create a show that might be interesting to very young babies, as it may help them... One recent study included putting a variety of faces and other objects on a screen for three-month-old infants to see. Infants responded to all faces, having a heightened response to familiar faces. This was demonstrated by measuring the way infants sucked on pacifiers. However, objects such as balls and basic shapes did not instigate a strong reaction in the infants. Most studies that measure infant response to objects use a similar route, measuring the individual baby’s responses through the use of pacifiers and presenting to the infants a variety of objects, familiar and not familiar. Additional studies with infants can be done to help us better understand this concept of visual perception before six months old. For instance, with the advent of technology, more computerized visuals could be created, with not only patterns and faces, which have been so commonly used, but also moving stimuli. Not many tests have been done to see how young infants actually react to moving stimuli. Many studies have been done like this with older babies and toddlers to measure their responses to sounds and colors, generally done by researchers of children’s television shows, like Nickelodeon, and toy companies wanting to sell successful products. However, it would be more interesting to see if certain objects could be used to create a show that might be interesting to very young babies, as it may help them perceive and learn at an even earlier age. For most parents, the earlier they can assist their child with learning, the better.

Moral Attitudes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Moral Attitudes - Essay Example It is the customs, religion, family believes which makes a human mind clear and earn the moral values of every thing and leads a life of good morality. If we talk about morality the first thought strikes our mind is about the bad deed like sex, drinking, stealing are not counted in good moral values however on the same end the drinking and sex is done but ethically they are not consider as a good deed doing in excess or in open places. Now this may clear the difference of morality and ethics. Morality is the reckoning of pure mind and heart to groom up the personality or the character of one but the ethics are the certainty to perform any action with respect to the laws and customs of the society one is living in. And to any of the society ethics it is unethical to impose your personal moral values on another, a quote by Jim Lichtman in his book "What Do You Stand For" In the book "Ethics: Theory and Practice", his writer Jacques P. Thiroux specifies different theories of morality like absolutism vs. relativism, freedom vs. determinism, and reward and punishment in different chapters. Absolutism is a philosophical laid value of morals that are counted as independent ruling the laws of the community universally. The reality that shows the human knowledge which is said that human is morally good because the inborn qualities were erected from the society he is born in. However this is totally erroneous according to the theory of relativism. Relativism defines that all the moral impact on the character and personality of the mankind is not due to his inborn knowledge but due to what the person is relating to. Though the relativism clearly denies the absolutism morality as psychologically it may seem so that the moral values ruling the character is in born but practically and through studies it changes with the time and situations or in simple words wi th the experiences gained in life. However, if personally speaking with the truth it is being seen that absolutism is not universal in spite relativism is. Reality is that sex is not morally good but at the same time in some other place sex is counted to be the best thing in life. Ethically doing sex in front of audience is not counted to be a good scene part but in some parts of the world parents themselves give training to their kids how to o it more properly and more enthusiastically. Same may be about the stealing and drinking. For every thing there are some rules and regulations which are to be abide, and those rules may are the ethics of that group but they can't become the absolute moral of any character always. It's a very common example that a person living in a very well known and high standard society where manner and adequate are its peak. Doing things like sex, drinking etc. in audience are counted to be unethical and immoral according to the beliefs of the people around him and even for himself as well. But at a time when his wife is no more in his life, his daughter left him due to a bad boy and run to marry him and his one and only son don't regards him and he further more lost his business, so this down fall in his life does not allow him to see another way then to take out his frustration after drinking much and much that goes out of limits. Now this wasn't something the absolute morality has to do with it but the relativism morality gets in his

Alcatraz Prison Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alcatraz Prison - Research Paper Example Alcatraz is located on Alcatraz Island, which is right outside San Francisco Bay. It earned its name from Juan Manuel de Ayala who named the island La Isla de los Alcatraces, which means island of the pelicans. Since its creation Alcatraz has served as an institution for multiple prisoners such as a military prison and then as a federal prison. The earliest history has the island serving as a prison for those in the Civil War. After serving as a military prison, it was turned over to the federal government in 1933. During this time it housed some of the most dangerous criminals of all time. It was closed in 1963 and now serves as a historical site, which can be toured by the public. In 1847, the United States Army began a topographical survey of the island assessing it’s potential due to the fact it was isolated, small, and had relatively little flora and fauna. The United States Army Corps of Engineers was called in and began construction of a military fortress. Another reaso n that the United States created this as a military prison was due to the fact that it had extremely strong and freezing currents, which would prevent escape of prisoners. It has housed military prisoners not only from the Civil War, but also from the Spanish-American War. It was considered a harsh facility due to the fact of military discipline and corporal punishment. The cellblocks in the island were divided into three levels and each level housed criminals who did a particular crime. There were also perks and privileges that were associated with each level i.e. Reading time, being able to write letters, etc. Unlike traditional prisons today in which inmates spend a majority of time in their cells, the military prisoners were only allowed to return to their cells in order to sleep. During the day, they were on work details in which they would be assigned work details based on their skill level and what was required, not unlike how duties in the military are assigned today. The de cline of the military presence was actually due to public dislike. They felt that the sterility and harshness of the island was an eyesore and wanted it renovated to look more pleasing. Unfortunately, this was also the time where the Great Depression was starting to set in and the military abandoned its investments there as it was closed in 1934 (â€Å"History of Alcatraz Island†). Before the prison could start taking on civilian prisoners, the federal government had to convert it and make sure that the island was reformed so that no prisoner could escape. It would end up costing the federal government around $260,000. The military buildings were renovated and new technology such as thicker windows and better bars were implemented to replace the outdated materials. There was also limited travel allowed and/or near the island. The restriction was only for government owned ships to come near the island. Thick iron gates were placed which kept everything contained and was only a ccessible via keys that the guards had. Electricity was rewired into all of the cells, as unlike the military counterparts, the prisoners, especially the dangerous ones, would be housed there. Prisoners also had access to a library, which contained many different types of literature that a person could read. There were also other amenities such as services and a chaplain that were

Eugne Delacroix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Eugne Delacroix - Research Paper Example He travelled far and wide, incorporating the Oriental culture in his work. He passes down an impressive legacy to his descendants especially the artistic school of the Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists. Eugene de la Croix was contemporary with the Romanticism movement spanning from 1790 to 1850, rose as a reactionary wave against the Age of Reason or Enlightenment. Romantics are characterized by nature, sentimentalism, idealism, imagination, religion, utopia, memory, symbolism, and heroism. All of these attributes are evidenced in Eugà ¨ne de la Croix’s works of art. Romanticism is set apart from other epochs because it asserted the importance of individualism; therefore, romantic writers had the liberty to conform to the ideals of the movement and to detour in a new direction according to their own individual desires. De la Croix himself was described as individualist because despite the heritage of his predecessors like Michaelangelo, he invented himself by his own paintings. Because of Enlightenment’s neglect, Romanticism reasserts nature, feeling, memory, symbolic representation, imagination, myth, and spirituality. One can find all these details in De la Croix a rt work. In Romanticism, nature is lauded as one of the most supreme objects of observation. Feelings and sentimentalism are core aspects of Romanticism since feelings and emotions are the channels through which man expresses thought and creativity. Romantics though that sensory and sensual perceptions also where vital in validating man as a being and not solely the mind as enlightenment intellectuals taught. Memory and imagination are mental transactions which evoke, project, and create images. In memory, anything can happen details can be altered, exaggerated, idealized, and forgotten. Frequently in the romantics’ works, nostalgia and a tender evoking of the past play prominent roles where the romantic’s retrospective vision is viewed in idyllic and

Riordan Manufacturing Service Essay Example for Free

Riordan Manufacturing Service Essay Riordan Manufacturing is a global plastics manufacturer employing 550 people with projected annual earnings of $46 million. The company is wholly owned by Riordan Industries, a Fortune 1000 enterprise with revenues in excess of $1 billion (Riordan Manufacturing, 2013). The plastics that Riordan produced include beverage containers, custom plastic parts, and plastic fans which are made in three different facilities in Albany, Georgia, Pontiac, Michigan, and Hangzhou, China. Their corporate headquarters resides in San Jose, California where they conduct research and development. Riordan’s customers include automotive parts manufacturers, aircraft manufacturers, the Department of Defense, beverage makers and bottlers, and appliance manufacturers. Stakeholders There is always room for improvement and in order to improve Riordan’s existing Human Resources department, they need to update their system. By identifying the key stakeholders, Riordan is able to better improve their HR system. The key stakeholders for Riordan include the following: Dr. Michael Riordan (President and CEO) – Determine and formulate policies and business strategies and provide overall direction of private sector organizations. Plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate managers. Jane McCall (Executive Assistant) – Provides assistance to a senior executive, including board activities, publications, volunteerism and special events planning, to create and maintain favorable public image. Kenneth Collins (SVP – RD) – Directs and coordinates activities of R D and aids Chief Executive Officer in formulating and administering organization policies. Hugh McCauley (Chief Operating Officer) – Directs, administers and coordinates the activities of the organization in support of policies, goals and objectives established by  the chief executive officer and the Board of Directors. Information-Gathering Depending on what information needs to be gathered, more than one type of gathering technique might need to be used to obtain said information. TechRepublic.com lists ten different gathering techniques which include the following: 1. One-on-one interviews – this technique involves sitting down with a client and asking what they need. However, this type of interview needs to be planned ahead of time. Certain aspects of what is required need to be known before asking any questions. 2. Group interviews – Similar to a one-on-one interview, group interviews usually have two or more clients. Since more people are involved in this interview, information can be gathered quicker and more efficiently since the same information most likely won’t be repeated. 3. Facilitated sessions – Much like the ladder, this technique involves five or more people in which you are trying to gather a set of common requirements from the group. 4. Joint application development (JAD) – Much like facilitated sessions, JAD sessions groups stay together until the original objective is complete. 5. Questionnaires – Questionnaires are a great way of gathering information from users who aren’t local. They’re also great for when you need to gather information from hundreds of users when an interview or JAD just won’t work. 6. Prototyping – This type of technique is much more modern in which something is built based on your individual needs. You then present this prototype to someone to gather more information. You’ll be able to gather whether you need to add or remove something as well in addition to what needs to be improved on. 7. Use cases – Use cases are somewhat different in the fact that you tell stories of how something works, usually told by actors. They may be easier but more detailed information will need to be gathered. 8. Following people around – When explaining something is hard to do, following them around and see what they do helps much more. You’ll begin to learn what becomes a habit and how they can improve their duties. It is also helpful to participate in the work to experience what the user is experiencing. 9. Request for proposals (RFPs) – If you are a vendor, you may receive requirements through an RFP. This list of requirements is there for you to compare against your own capabilities to determine how close a match you are to the client’s needs (T. Mochal. 2008). 10. Brainstorming – When an idea is brand new, solutions  needs to be laid out and discussed. This type of technique is best for when uncovering information isn’t really going to work; it’s best to discover new ideas and talk about them in a group. Key Factors Every business needs to closely manage the decisions they make as it can make or break them. By managing their decisions and investments, they will be able to determine if it’s a good time to move forward or focus on what needs to be completed. To ensure that Riordan’s HR department is being updated and improving, meetings need to take place to discuss any issues that might come up. There will be a meeting once a week to discuss whether goals are being met and to see what stages are being worked on. At the end of every month, there will be another meeting to discuss the weekly meetings and see if issues are being resolved. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are at the heart of any system of performance measurement and target-setting. The priority of a KPI is to focus on quantifiable factors that are clearly linked to the drivers of success in your business and your sector (Info Entrepreneurs. 2009). However, just because something can be quantifiable, it doesn’t mean that it is financially beneficial to the business. The stakeholders of Riordan will be interviewed when decisions need to be made. Once the information is gathered, it will be discussed in the meets mentioned above. Solutions will be discussed and based on what was gathered during the interviews, a final choice will be made that is best for Human Resources. To ensure that decisions are being made and information is gathered in a timely manner, there will be due dates. This will help in tracking the progress of any changes that are to be made. One of the many challenges that a business faces is time, and it needs to be managed appropriately if a system is to be improved on and working correctly. Project Scope A project scope pertains to the work necessary to deliver a product (Project Scope. 2014). There are key concepts of a project scope that need to be known and they include the following: Scope planning does not occur after only one planning sessions. The scope baseline consists of the project statement, WBS, and WBS dictionary. A collaborative approach is the most  effective method of scope planning. All stakeholders must understand the scope baseline to minimize scope creep during project execution. Scope planning is an important step as it sets a baseline of deliverables in the analysis phase. It helps lay out a plan for the future and analyze what needs to be done to a current system. It is helpful to collaborate some of the gathering techniques from previous phases to help breakdown requirements needed. Reference Riordan Manufacturing. 2013. Employee Site. Riordan Manufacturing. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Riordan/index.asp Riordan Manufacturing. 2013. Job Descriptions. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Riordan/HR/JobDescriptions.asp T. Mochal. 2008. TechRepublic.com. 10 techniques for gathering requirements. Retrieved from: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-techniques-for-gathering-requirements/ Info Entrepreneurs. 2009. Measure performance and set targets. Retrieved from: http://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/en/guides/measure-performance-and-set-targets/ Project Cope. 2014). Project Scope. Retrieved from: http://www.projectscope.net/

Sample Business Plan Essay Example for Free

Sample Business Plan Essay Executive Summary Business Description Business Success Consulting is a new business located in North Creek, British Columbia, specializing in consulting services for small and medium sized businesses. Primary services will include market feasibility studies, business plans, operational reviews, re-engineering, strategic planning, seminars and workshops. Our mission is to provide our clients with business services that help them become more successful and to become a leader in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. To keep our overhead costs low, Business Success Consulting will be located in the home of Mark B. Assets. The home is equipped with a computer, fax machine and photocopier. Ownership and Management Business Success Consulting is a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. As the business expands the firm may develop strategic alliances with other companies. Mark B. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant and a member of the Institute of Management Consultants of British Columbia. He has a commerce degree from the University of Brigham and a Masters in Business from the University of South Seymour. Mark B. Assets has been a consultant for 15 years with Smith and Smith specializing in small and medium sized businesses. Business Success Consulting will initially only have one employee, Mark B. Assets. Additional staff support will be obtained on a subcontract basis. Secretarial service will be contracted out as required to TempServ company in North Creek. Key Initiatives and Objectives Business Success Consulting is currently in the process of obtaining a bank loan for $30,000 to finance the start up of the business. Our key objective during the first 12 months of operation is to develop a profitable consulting business. To do this, a strong client base will be developed through networking with local business leaders and business associations, affiliating with small business loan divisions of the local banks, and holding seminars and workshops. During the first four months of operations eight small business seminars and four small business workshops will be developed. Marketing Opportunities Due to high overhead costs Smith and Smith recently restructured to focus more on large corporate and government clients. This meant the elimination of their small business division. Large consulting firms such as Smith and Smith typically target larger businesses and government contracts; thus creating an opportunity for smaller consulting firms such as Business Success Consulting to provide small and medium sized businesses with affordable consulting services. There are currently no other firms that specialize in this type of consulting located within the region. Mark B. Assets left Smith and Smith to continue to provide small and medium sized businesses with much needed affordable consulting services. Competitive Advantages The key competitive advantages of Business Success Consulting are the small business experience and expertise of Mark B. Assets as well as the businesss relatively low overhead costs compared to competitive consulting firms. Mark B. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant with extensive consulting experience for small and medium sized businesses. Overhead costs are comparatively low because Business Success Consulting will be based at the home of Mark B. Assets and labour costs will be low as there are no other full time employees. Marketing Strategy Our target markets will be small and medium sized new and existing businesses in the surrounding region. Business Success will market its services by placing an ad in the yellow pages, listing with all local business and industry associations, developing a brochure to be distributed to lending institutions and clients, becoming an active member of a number of business and consulting associations, networking with the local business community, and developing workshops and seminars for small businesses. Our seminars and workshops will be used to promote our other consulting services. Attendees will be able to pick up our corporate brochure and ask any questions regarding the services we provide. The corporate brochure will outline Business Success Consultings services and fee structure. The brochure will also highlight the past experience and level of expertise of Mark B. Assets. The brochures will be distributed at our workshops and seminars, to lending instituutions, associations, key business leaders, and to potential clients. Business Success Consulting will not do much advertising except for placing an ad in the local yellow pages. Within the next three years, Business Success Consulting may develop an Internet site highlighting key services, level of expertise and fee structure. Mark B. Assets will join local business associations to maintain contacts in the business community as well as to stay well informed about the business issues that are important to local businesses. Summary of Financial Projections The revenue of Business Success Consulting are projected to increase from $121,770 in 1998 to $181,170 by 2000. Revenues will see strong growth of 22% annually as the business grows and expands. The Cost of Sales are 55% including total wages (including subcontractors) at 45% and goods and materials at 10%. The Net Income is projected to increase from $12,330 in 1998 to $17,279 in 2000. Corporate profits will be taxed at the corporate rate of 22.8% while Mark B. Assets wages of $40,000 per year will be taxed at prevailing personal tax rates. Confidentiality and Recognition of Risks Confidentiality Clause The information included in this business plan is strictly confidential and is supplied on the understanding that it will not be disclosed to third parties without the written consent of Mark B. Assets. Recognition of Risk The business plan represents our best estimate of the future of Business Success Consulting. It should be recognized that not all of major risks can be predicted or avoided and few business plans are free of errors of omission or commission. Therefore, investors should be aware that this business has inherent risks that should be evaluated prior to any investment. Business Overview Business History Business Success is a management consulting business that is scheduled to begin operations on March 1, 1997. Business Success will be a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. Mark B. Assets left the large consulting firm of Smith and Smith to specialize in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. Large consulting firms such as Smith and Smith typically target larger businesses and government contracts creating an opportunity for Business Success to provide small and medium sized businesses with affordable consulting services. Vision and Mission Statement Our mission is to become a leader in small business consulting by providing our clients with business services that help them become more successful. Objectives Our primary objectives over the next year are to: 1. Obtain a bank loan of $30,000 to cover the start up costs and initial operating costs for Business Success Consulting. 2. Generate one new client contract a month by networking with key industry leaders and local lending institutions, conducting seminars and workshops for small and medium sized businesses, and joining key business and industry associations. 3. Generate a net profit of $12,000 in the first year by developing a strong client base and keeping overhead costs to a minimum. 4. Develop and conduct eight business seminars  and four business workshops that meet the needs of the local business community. Ownership Business Success is a sole proprietorship, owned by Mark B. Assets. As the business expands, strategic alliances may be formed with other companies. Location and Facilities To keep our overhead costs low, Business Success Consulting will be located in the home of Mark B. Assets. The home, located at 1875 Wilson Street in North Creek, is equipped with a computer, fax machine and photocopier. Secretarial service will be contracted out as required to TempServ company in North Creek. Where possible, all meetings and presentations will be held at the clients location. If this is not feasible, the company has arranged to rent the boardroom of a local law firm as required. Presentation equipment such as overhead projectors and liquid crystal display (LCD) units will be rented from North Creek Community College. Any sub-contractors hired for specific projects will not work in our office but will work from their own offices. This will greatly reduce our overhead costs allowing us to price our services competitively. As Business Success Consulting grows, consideration will be given to acquiring office space. Products and Services Description of Products and Services The primary types of services we will provide include market feasibility studies, business plans, reengineering strategies, organizational reviews, strategic planning, seminars and workshops. Our services include the development of: 1. Market Feasibility Studies We develop market feasibility studies for businesses that want to market new products or technologies. Some of these companies are looking for government funding to commercialize the technology or product. Our market feasibility studies include a full assessment of potential markets, competitive analysis, and the financial viability of commercializing the product. 2. Business Plans We will develop full business plans for start up and existing businesses requiring financing, introducing new products, entering new markets, and  restructuring. 3. Other Services Our other services will include operational revviews, strategic planning, and development of corporate re- engineering strategies. 4. Seminars and Workshops We will offer seminars to small and medium sized businesses. The seminars will focus on key management issues for small and medium sized operators such as market analysis, product commercialization, how to write a business plan, marketing strategies, customer service etc. Attendance will vary but should average 20 to 30 people each. The workshops will be developed to help small and medium sized businesses write business plans. This service is currently unavailable in the area. Workshops will be held in the evenings and on weekends making it easier for busy operators to attend. Key Features of the Products and Services Business Success Consulting will specialize in small and medium sized firms. While other consulting firms in the region offer small and medium sized businesses consulting services, none specialize in this area. With todays unpredictable political and economic environments, it is increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs to successfully start new businesses and for existing small and medium sized businesses to remain profitable. Our services will differ from our competitors in that Business Success Consulting will offer creative, innovative, and effective solutions to business problems. Too many consulting firms try to develop standard models to solve key business problems. Business Success realizes that business problems have a variety of solutions; what may be right for one business would not necessarily meet the needs of another business. Production of Products and Services Initially subcontractors will be hired as needed to work on specific projects. Subcontractors will be hired based on their area of expertise and experience. Due to office space limitations, sub contractors will work out of their own offices and will be linked directly to our office via e-mail and the Internet. Within the next three years, full time consulting and administrative staff will be hired. While all reports will be produced and  edited by Mark B. Assets, the physical reports will be formatted, printed and bound by TempServ, a local secretarial agency in North Creek. Should the company take on any other full time employees, consideration will be given to leasing office space in the North Creek area. Future Products and Services We will continually expand our services based on industry trends and changing client needs. We will also get feedback from clients and seminar attendees on what is needed for future seminars and workshops. Comparative Advantages in Production Our comparative advantages in production are our low overhead and labour costs. Business Success does not have to pay for under utilized staff or facilities. We also have an advantage in that we can pick the most qualified sub- contractors for each project. The sub-contractors will be picked based on their expertise. This allows us to draw from a larger labour pool and skill set. Subcontractors will be hired as needed which means that during down times our firm is not over staffed. Industry Overview Market Research To fully understand the market we are targeting we talked to local business leaders, the Small Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the local economic development office, and all small business lending departments at the local banks. In addition, we read local newspaper and journal articles, and collected industry statistics from Statistics Canada. Size of the Industry There are 500 consulting businesses in British Columbia; there are 34 consulting firms in the North Creek area alone. While there is some overlap in the types of services provided, most firms have developed their own market niches. Firms tend to become well known and recognized for their skills in a specific area such as organizational re-engineering, marketing, training, employee benefits, government program evaluation, or in a specific industry such as forestry, hospitality, health care, information technology,  or communications. Key Product Segments Consulting is a very diverse industry. There are hundreds of different services that consultants provide to all industries and industry sectors. Key Market Segments Key market segments vary by consulting specialty. The key markets for consulting services are corporations, municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments, crown corporations, and institutions such as hospitals and educational facilities. The total size of these markets is unknown because they are continually changing and there are no provincial or federal tracking mechanisms in place to accurately determine how much these market segments spend on consulting services annually. Purchase Process and Buying Criteria The buying process for consulting services varies by type of client and by type of service. Businesses find and chose consulting firms using several methods. 1. Referral Businesses find consultants through their lending institutions, business or industry associations, friends or colleagues, and the yellow pages. Businesses contact these consulting firms to obtain proposals and price quotes for the required services. A consulting firm is chosen based on the needs of the client such as price, quality of proposal, as well as the reputation, past experience and level of expertise of the consulting firm. 2. Request for Proposal Government and other businesses requiring consulting services sometimes distribute a Request for Proposals to a number of consulting firms that they would like to bid on a specific project. These consulting firms submit proposals for the projects they wish to bid on outlining the sccope of the work, the methodology, a work plan and price quote. These proposals are evaluated based on a predetermined set of criteria developed by the client. The proposal evaluation criteria varies by project and client but usually includes price, quality of proposal, and the reputation, past experience and level of expertise of the consulting firm. 3. Open Bidding System (OBS) The OBS is an opening bidding system for government contracts. Anyone can access this service and submit a proposal  for any contract they feel qualified to bid on. Business plan services are usually purchased by start up businesses or by small and medium sized businesses requiring financing, commercializing a new product, or entering new markets. These businesses seek business planning assistance from their lending institutions, industry and business associations, or directly from consulting firms. Description of Industry Participants Consulting firms are divided into large firms with more than 100 employees, medium sized firms with 20 to 100 employees and small firms with less than 20 employees. The majority (66%) of consultants in Canada are employed at large firms, 6% and medium sized firms and 28% at small firms according to a recent Industry Canada report. The large consulting firms are usually U.S. based firms and include Andersen Consulting, Coopers Lybrand, Deloitte Touche, Ernst Young, KPMG, and Price Waterhouse. Small firms typically have less than 10 employees. Key Industry Trends The consulting industry is growing for two key reasons. One is that demand for consulting services is increasing as companies downsize and contract out work that was historically done in-house. Corporate downsizing has also resulted in many managers being laid off. It is difficult for many of these people to find similar employment and as a result, many of these managers start their own businesses. Approximately 10% become consultants, many providing consulting services to the firms they just left. Those who start other types of businesses may require specialized consulting services to improve their chances of success. Therefore corporate downsizing has resulted in an increase both in the supply of, and demand for, consulting services. The number of business starts in North Creek has risen 10% annually over the last several years. Approximately 100 new businesses with be started in the area in 1997. This trend is projected to continue for at least another 5 years. Industry Outlook With the continued economic and political uncertainty in this province, the demand for consulting services will grow as many companies are reluctant to hire additional employees. More and more work will be contracted out to outside consultants as companies maintain tight control over labour costs. This trend is also true in the government sector which is under increasing pressure to reduce costs by reducing their employment levels. While the number of business starts has increased so have the number of bankruptcies. Approximately seven out of 10 new businesses will fail within the first two years of operation, primarily due to poor management. Some people who start new businesses lack basic business skills. The demand for small business training and assistance will grow as these entrepreneurs seek the assistance they require in order to reduce their risk of business failure. Marketing Strategy Target Markets Our target markets will be small and medium sized new and existing businesses in the surrounding region. We will also submit proposals in response to any Request for Proposals we receive as well as for any relevant provincial and federal government contracts. Description of Key Competitors There are a total of 34 consulting firms in North Creek, British Columbia. Only 14 of these consulting firms offer services similar to Business Success Consulting. The other 20 consulting firms in the region specialize in other areas of consulting such as employee benefits, training, marketing, information technology, health care or forestry. There are four large consulting firms (more than 30 employees) that offer consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. However, these large firms cannot cost effectively service this market due to high overhead and labour costs. Small and medium sized businesses usually cannot afford the high hourly fees charged by these firms. Business from this target market does not represent a significant portion of the revenues generated by these four large firms which all specialize in other areas of consulting. There are 10 smaller consulting firms (less than five employees) that offer consultiing services similar to Business Success Consulting. However, none of these firms  specializes in consulting to small and medium sized businesses. All 10 firms offer a wide range of consulting services. The majority (70%) of these firms are operated by people who have been laid off from large firms and who have limited consulting experience and qualifications. Analysis of Competitive Position Business Success Consulting will be the only consulting firm in the region specializing in providing consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. Business Success Consulting has a competitive advantage in this area due to the excellent consulting experience of Mark B. Assets. Mr. Assets is a Certified Management Consultant with 15 years consulting experience, including 10 years focussing on small business consulting. However, as a new business, it may take time to establish a strong client base and develop a reputation as a small business specialist. Mr. Assets already has an excellent reputation in this area and Smith and Smith, his former employer, will redirect any of this type of business to Mr. Assets new firm. Pricing Strategy Business Success Consulting services will be priced competitively with other small consulting firms. Typically the fees charged by small firms are much lower than those charged by the large firms due to lower overhead costs. Our fees will be based on several factors including the time and resources needed to complete a project, overhead costs, and the fees charged by other competitive consulting firms. Our hourly rates average $90.00 per hour compared to $180.00 per hour for the large consulting firms. Our hourly fees will remain the same for all projects. However, total project costs will vary depending on the time needed to complete the project as well as the direct expenses incurred as part of the project.

Sequence Analysis East Of Eden Film Studies Essay

Sequence Analysis East Of Eden Film Studies Essay Elia Kazans film East of Eden attempts to explore the relationship between father and son, Adam and Cal. Cal is desperately seeking love from his father, but he just turns away from Cal and leaves him upset. Conflicts arise between the two and this tears them further apart from each other. In the sequence, Kazan applied non-diegetic elements and various visual techniques to show the tension between Adam and Cal. Apart from that, Kazan also applied different mise-en-scene arrangements like lighting and blocking to reflect the emotions of each character and to illustrate Cal feels distant from his father and bring up the problems caused by the generation gap. With the use of all these film techniques, Kazans film has also demonstrated an understanding of the classical Hollywood style at that time. Kazan has used non-diegetic music to create suspicion in the film, and particular camera angles to reflect the bond Cal and Adam. Within the clip, it can be seen that aggressive music is used when Cal is telling Aron that their mother is still alive. The director used music as a way to illustrate the conflicts between the brothers, which are significant to the film narration. Burt suggested that this is the climactic scene in the film, and the music has successfully filled the explosive potential of the story plot (1994, p.185). Non-diegetic music has been extensively used in different parts of the film, and the repetitive use of music helps illustrate the emotions of the characters to the audience. In the clip, complex harmonies and thudding chordal figure are used to bring out the explosive nature of the climax scene (Burt, 1994, p.186). With the use of background music and lightings in the clip, the director has been able to bring suspense to the audience, and it becomes a clue to what will happen next. At the same time, non-diegetic music has been used for the entire sequence of Sunrise (1927). Due to the silent nature of this film, the emotions of the characters cannot be brought out through the tones of dialogues. In that case, storytelling has to rely on the use of orchestral music. Also, the director applied a canted framing, which means a slope is formed within the frame (Bordwell and Thompson, 2010, p.490). Kazan used this technique to capture the scene when Cal left heartbroken after being rejected by his father. A similar slanted camera angle has been used at the beginning of the film when Cal is trying to confront his father about his mothers death. It can be seen that when the tension between Cal and Adam arises, the director used a canted frame to capture the scene, as a leitmotif to show the distrust between the two throughout the film. The slope could be seen a metaphor of their relationship, indicating that their relationship is unstable. Mise-en-scene arrangements are also evident in the clip. Kazan has put different components into different scenes and he arranged them in a meaningful way. In terms of blocking, it can be seen that Cal often stands further away from other characters and the camera. For instance, in the scene when Cal tries to explain how he got the money to Adam, they stand at diagonal corners, with Adam standing closer to the camera. In an interview, Kazan explained that Cinemascope was used to put Cal at the corner of the frame so that he would look tinier than other characters (Young, 2001, p.203). This technique is used throughout the film in order to show that he is powerless in front of his father. Similar settings can also be seen when Cals brother is confronting with him, a medium shot of Aron standing in front of Cal. After that, it switches to a long-shot, and we could only see the shades of the two characters. Burt suggested that the light settings have made their appearances barely recogn isable (1994, p.188). The darkness has created a feeling of fear in the film, and the staging of the scene has also shown Cals emotional changes, from frustration to anger. As mentioned, the director often put Cal at the corner as he was portraying him as a kid (Young, 2001, p.203). However, when Cal is confronting his brother, he stands on the bench under the tree, indicating a regain of power. At that point, it demonstrates a mental change in Cal, as he is trying to act maturely. The sequence has also illustrated the dominant features of the classical Hollywood film style. According to King, classical style is analysed in two aspects, film narrative and editing techniques (2002, p.4). A typical Hollywood film usually shows how the main character finds a solution to his problem (Bordwell, 1986, p.18). In terms of narrative, East of Eden presents the story in a linear timeline, with Cal struggling to maintain a healthy relationship with his father. It can be seen that the sequence leads audience to the climax of the story plot, as Cal faces an obstacle when he is attempting to resolve his own issues, thus he expresses his long hidden jealousy towards his brother, indicating a breaking change in the relationships between each character. Therefore, the sequence fulfils the struggles for problem solving part of the Hollywood film plot, as suggested by Bordwell (1986, p.18). In the clip, it can also be seen that the director applied continuity editing. This editing method involves point-of-view shot and shot/reverse-shot, which has been used since the 1910s (Bordwell, Straiger, Thompson, 1985, p.194). An example of the point-of-view shot is that after a medium shot that shows Adam asking Cal how he got his money, Cal looks at Abra, and a medium shot of her is shown. The camera is placed at Cals visual direction, and it shows that Cal is getting courage from Abra. Meanwhile, throughout the movie, shot/reverse-shot is often used during conversations between characters. This gives a clear view of each character, and it allows audience to see their facial expressions clearly, which is an important element of a melodrama. Maltby suggested that James Dean in East of Eden was a method performance that combines psychoanalysis and melodrama, which constructs realism and showing expressive emotions at the same time (1995, p.263). Compared with Sunrise, James Dean has a more natural performance. Because of the film nature, actors in Sunrise have to exa ggerate their expressions to illustrate the whole story. In conclusion, that sequence in the film East of Eden has brought the story plot to the climax point, with the use of various visual techniques and scene arrangements. Non-diegetic music and canted frame can be found in the sequence, which are used to build up the tension between Cal and other characters. In addition, Kazan has used staging and lighting subtly to reflect the feelings of each character. Classical Hollywood styles like continuity editing and exaggerated acting can also be seen in the sequence, which are the main features of the Hollywood films at that time. The techniques that are used in the sequence can also be found in other parts of the movie, and this shows that they are essential in constructing the whole structure of the film.

Seperate Peace Summary Essay examples -- essays research papers

A Separate Peace Gene Forrester is a quiet, intellectual student at Devon School in New Hampshire. During the Summer Session of 1942, he becomes close friends with his daredevil roommate Finny, who has a talent for getting away with mischief through his sincere, disarming charisma. Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual. Gene envies Finny's astonishing athletic abilities, and he begins to suspect that Finny envies his superior academic achievements and has been taking steps to distract him from his studies. His suspicions turn to hatred, but he makes sure to maintain an appearance of friendship so Finny will not suspect him. Gene realizes he was grievously mistaken about the existence of any rivalry between them one day when Finny expresses a sincere desire to see Gene succeed. He goes to the tree to jump with Finny while he is still in a state of shock from the force of his realization, and when Finny gets out to the edge of the branch, Gene shakes it, causing Finny to fall to the bank and shatter his leg. The doctor tells Gene that Finny's athletic days are over. Gene goes in to see Finny and begins to confess what he has done, but the doctor interrupts him and Finny is sent home before Gene gets another chance. The Summer Session ends, and Gene goes home for a brief vacation. On his way back to the school from his home in the South, Gene stops by Finny's house a... Seperate Peace Summary Essay examples -- essays research papers A Separate Peace Gene Forrester is a quiet, intellectual student at Devon School in New Hampshire. During the Summer Session of 1942, he becomes close friends with his daredevil roommate Finny, who has a talent for getting away with mischief through his sincere, disarming charisma. Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual. Gene envies Finny's astonishing athletic abilities, and he begins to suspect that Finny envies his superior academic achievements and has been taking steps to distract him from his studies. His suspicions turn to hatred, but he makes sure to maintain an appearance of friendship so Finny will not suspect him. Gene realizes he was grievously mistaken about the existence of any rivalry between them one day when Finny expresses a sincere desire to see Gene succeed. He goes to the tree to jump with Finny while he is still in a state of shock from the force of his realization, and when Finny gets out to the edge of the branch, Gene shakes it, causing Finny to fall to the bank and shatter his leg. The doctor tells Gene that Finny's athletic days are over. Gene goes in to see Finny and begins to confess what he has done, but the doctor interrupts him and Finny is sent home before Gene gets another chance. The Summer Session ends, and Gene goes home for a brief vacation. On his way back to the school from his home in the South, Gene stops by Finny's house a...

Dancing Queen :: essays research papers

As I stand in my starting pose, after the judges have called the name of my dance group, and we have walked out to onto the stage. I can hear the people in the audience applauding and talking. I can hear my heart beating. I can also feel it. I feel like it's about to jump right out of my chest I am so nervous. I have been here once before but never for this age group and we have never been this group. We are the junior tap lines we are one of the best in Arkansas. As the music starts I forget everything and everybody around me .I can no longer see the people watching my every move I can no longer see the judges facial expressions or try to read there lips. All I can hear is the music I am dancing to, all I can see are the bright lights shinning down on me, the blur of people, and my feet moving, dancing like they've never danced before. Before I know it the dance is over and the music has stopped, and I can see, and hear the people clapping and screaming .I am no longer scared. I could do it again and again. I love it. It gives me a rush that I can only get from a huge roller coaster. As I walk off the stage I am greeted by a hug from my dance instructor and the rest of my dance group we are all so happy .At the end the awards are giving out we get second place we are all so happy we have made it to the top ten now for the high point spots we wait for our division it comes slowly but it comes. Impatiently we wait number ten is called soon number seven we hope they will call our names number two is called it still isn't us one spot is left to go and if we don't make this one we are not going to nationals it isn't called we are al disappointed. After we get back to magnolia we hear the taps of the judges talking and telling us their opinions we work on what needs to be worked on and improve in time for up coming events we are to perform at.

The Morally Good and Bad in Othello Essays -- Othello essays

The Morally Good and Bad in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s drama Othello is one concentrated contest between the forces of the morally good and the morally bad. Let us analyze this contest in detail in this essay.    Standing out like a dark silhouette on a white background is the sinister character and master of deception in the drama – the general’s ancient. Morton W. Bloomfield and Robert C. Elliott   in Great Plays: Sophocles to Brecht highlight the dominant evil force in the play, Iago:    For critics, the chief problem in the play is the character of Iago. The debate usually centers around whether he had sufficient motives for his cruel actions or whether, on the other hand, he is an example of â€Å"motiveless malignity.† The question cannot be resolved here, nor is it necessary to try to resolve it. Iago, whether because of his disappointment at not having been given Cassio’s position, or because of his belief that Othello had cuckolded him, or because of his love of evil for its own sake, is nevertheless a man who has rejected all ties of morality and idealism. (39)    Totaling the lies which the ancient tells to everyone about him would require considerable effort and time. In Shakespeare’s Four Giants Blanche Coles comments on the lack of veracity in Iago’s speech:    The story that Iago tells Roderigo about the promotion of Cassio over him is not true, although it has been accepted by many discriminating scholars. Careless reading alone can account for this misapprehension, careless reading which for the moment dulls their alertness to one of the most essential requirements of Shakespearean character analysis. That requirement is that the reader must never accept, or must always be re... ...is final passion. From the stern general who had, as his first line, the cold â€Å"’Tis better as it is† (1.2.6), he has traversed a pilgrimage of known and feeling sorrow. And, it must be repeated, it will depend upon the beholder whether one judges or rejoices in the transfiguration of loving not wisely but too well. (66)       WORKS CITED    Bloomfield, Morton W. and Robert C. Elliott, ed. Great Plays: Sophocles to Brecht. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965.    Coles, Blanche. Shakespeare’s Four Giants. Rindge, New Hampshire: Richard Smith Publisher, 1957.    Jorgensen, Paul A. William Shakespeare: The Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1985.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.   

Thesis Statement Renting vs Buying

Renting now can make things become a bit easier later. Saving money is what every American wants to do. Buying a home can not only hurt someone financially but it can put them in a bind that can have them paying a bill for the rest of their life. The economy is on a rollercoaster right now so making the decision to buy a home can be a tad bit tricky. Buying a home is not a one time transaction because once you have the home you continue to pay bills such as mortgage fees and cosmetics. Thinking about the money that you may have to come out of is a good enough reason on why you would want to save up money to take care of some of the fees that will occur when making the decision to buy a home. If you own your home, you can claim your property taxes on your tax return. You can also get a tax credit if you make certain renovations to your home to make it more energy efficient – like energy efficient appliances and windows. This one is pretty minor, but assuming you have a fixed rate mortgage, your payment should stay the same. This provides a nice protection against inflation. Renters on the other hand, will watch their monthly payments rise as inflation rises. One of the things my boyfriend and I are most excited about is the ability to customize our house. Apartment living is full of rules and restrictions of what you can and can’t do. I am excited to have the freedom to paint the walls, landscape, and install a new faucet – if I would like. Renting can put some of these things in someone else’s hands to where you can save the money that is extra from your monthly payment. Renters don't have to pay for anything that breaks down in their apt. Homeowners have to pay for repairs themselves. When renting an apartment you will never have to worry about fixing the toilet, sink, or plumbing because all of those things are paid by the landlord. Skipping these fees leaves more money in your piggy bank expanding your options for your home when you come to that decision. Making the decision to rent now and buy later can also give you enough time to wait on the economy to get stronger which can make buying a home a much smoother process. Rent now and buy later is the best technique right now. If you are still on the fence about whether to buy or rent, use the rent ratio. The rent ratio is when you take the purchase price of a house and divide it by the yearly cost of renting a home. According to the New York Times article, â€Å"the number 20 provides a useful rule of thumb. When you do the math, you discover that a ratio above 20 means you should at least consider renting, especially if you may move again in the next five years or so. When the ratio is well below 20, the case for buying becomes a lot stronger. Also, make sure to factor in other costs associated with owning a home such as homeowner association fees, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and maintenance costs. Also, know your personal situation. If you’ve got debt up to your eyeballs or you’ve just gone through a big life change such as marriage, a newborn, divorce, or a death in the family, taking on the responsibility of owning a home might not be in your best interest. Which one do you think is the better financial decision? Do you think that there are cases when renting is a better decision than home ownership?

Management of Pt.Asuransi Jiwasraya

INTI College Indonesia| Organization and Management| PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya| | Jessica Khou, Afifa Jindan, Jocelyn Halim| 3/8/2013| Mr. Jonny Wiguna Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 34, Jakarta Pusat 10120, Indonesia 8 March 2013 Dear Mr. Jonny Wiguna, Presented to the commissary of this organization, this is a managerial report for the period of 2012-2013. As requested in a meeting conducted on February 2013, this is a report of the managerial status of this organization as observed during the present year.This report consists of matters regarding the management theory used to conduct the business, the environment surrounding the organization and inside the organization itself, defining the structure of the organization's employees as well as their determined tasks as well as the regulation of activities in the organization. Also discussed in this report are the management strategies currently applied by the organization and what is observed to be motivating for the employees in the organizati on.Following all the observed and described matter, this report also includes several suggestions that, as the writer of this report believe, will be beneficial in terms of the optimization of performance of human capital and allocation of resources. ______________________ (Claire Afifa Halim) 8 March 2013 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The report provides an analysis of the management of the PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya. It addresses the issues related to the current management system and provides an information of how the company is in relation to its environment.The report also consists of recommendation regarding the improvement of the current management system in order for the company to reach its current goal. Analysis is completed by observing the activities and achievements of the company in the latest years of its business. To find out the general management form of the company, identification of the theory that most resembles the current management system is conducted. As a result of the obs ervations, it can be summarized that the company has an overall supporting environment for its business.The model of management used closely resembles Max Weber’s management theory and therefore the company’s structure and jobs are clearly defined and allows the company to be developing in its professionalism. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya has also applied good motivational   methods that allow it to create good relationships between the employees of the company. However, as observed by the writer of this report, the growth of the company is not at its maximum potential.Several factors that is found to be holding the company back are the lack of promotional effort, loss of flexibility (initiative) and personal motivation of the employees due to the current management system used, inability to utilize technology effectively, limitation of growth space because of the limitation of target market and the fact that the company has not yet responded to one of the major insurance need of Indonesian. Recommendations made for the company thus include: 1. To create a syariah based insurance service for the Muslim majority of Indonesians 2.Focus more on each individual employee to develop the quality of workforce 3. Use technology in its effort to market the product 4. Increase the budget allocated for promotion and increase the frequency of promotion such as through the use of billboard, magazines and online advertisements 5. Become more globalized to reach their long-term organizational goal of being recognized globally TABLE OF CONTENT 0. 1 Introductions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 0. Company Backgrounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 0. 3 Management Theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 0. 4 Company Environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 0. 5 Organizational Structures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 0. 6 Motivation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 0. 7 Strategic Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ . 8 Conclusion and Recommendation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 0. 9 List of References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 0. 1   INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Authorization This report is made in order to give further feedback for the company called PT. Asuransi JIwasraya. 1. 2 Limitations Because we don’t have a chance to visi t 1. 3 Scope of Report This report will cover several detail points, such as management theory that been use by PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya, the company’s environment, it’s also show the organization structure inside PT. Asuransi JIwasraya with their job description, and we also going to explain about the motivation inside the company, and the strategic management process that have been use by the company, we also included our recommendation to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of company management system. 0. 2   COMPANY’S   BACKGROUND Pt. Asuransi Jiwasraya is a life insurance company that has been established since the year 1859. The motto of the company is â€Å"secure your life†.PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya's vision is to â€Å"become a trusted and preferred company to provide a solution for insurance needs and financial planning. â€Å"(http://www. jiwasraya. co. id/static. php? cat_id=1&id=8&lang=id) It focuses on providing life insurance for customer and helping customer make financial plans in accordance to the developing environment where making financial decisions become more challenging. The company is owned by the governments and is a trustworthy company that has been a preferred insurance provider by several big companies.Although it is already big itself, the company faces competition and is trying to become one of the five top insurance company in Indonesia and even tackles competition from the global market. To do this the company focus es on improving the effectiveness and the efficiency of the work by improving the quality of workforce, technology and by trying to reach segments that have not yet been reached previously. New products are always developed in order to meet the ever-changing needs of customers. PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya develops its professionalism in the business and has currently won several awards including a Superbrand award for the category of Consumer's Favorite Brand. Other than that it has also won a World Finance Award for the second time in the year of 2011. In all its business efforts, the organization builds good relationship with both the employees and the society in general through social activities. The company's subdisiaries include: PT. Stannia Binekajasa and Koperasi Karyawan Jiwasraya. 0. 3   MANAGEMENT THEORYThe management theory that have been used by PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya, as observed, can be identified as   Max Weber's theory of management. The management theory of Max Weber is made in the early year of 1900, this management theory are based on the theory of authority structures and relations is based on an ideal type of organization Weber called a (bureaucracy). The bureaucracy that Weber have make should have a division of labor, authority hierarchy, formal selection, formal rules and regulations, impersonality, and career orientation. The goal of weber making his scientific management theory is to make the work activities can be done in the large group. PT. Asuransi jiwasraya is a quite large group. Thus, it uses Weber management theory because allows this company running their business more effectively and more efficiently. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya encourage workers   to work according to the procedure that the company has made, as evidently shown in the clear roles of several department that are specified in its website. The company has made a structure of work for individual departments so as to increase efficacy and efficiency and reduce redundan t effort on issues.Each worker can focus on the task assigned specially to them, so that the workers can work well to satisfy the customers' needs and wants. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya can be said to have a division of labor as tasks are spread out among the workers. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya also have a formal selection in selecting people to work in their company, they selected the people based on their technical qualifications. This is because PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya want their workers to be professionals in their scope of work and have the integrity and competence in all the work especially in the field of insurance and financial planning.PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya also have   formal rules and regulation, they have the   standard operating procedure that is clear to all the unit of work, all the workers also have to provisions a minimum level of health of the company (RBC), and all the workers have to listen to the customers, identify, meet and even exceed the customers’ needs as well as anticipating the customers' needs in the future. The workers are also expected to adjust according to the customer’s expectations. PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya also have career orientations where managers are career professionals not owners of units that they manage, sot   in this company the managers make sure that the workers work well to satisfy the customers' needs and wants but the managers is not the owners of what they manage. In PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya the owners are the shareholders. So because of that PT Asuransi Jiwasraya are using the management theory’s of Max Weber because PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya has fulfilled the bureaucracy of Max Weber. The Max Weber's theory is favorable to the company because it allows the company to focus its effort on its clear formal goals.Government's company are also prone to be said as full of corruption, collusion and nepotism; Max Weber's theory of management as a model used by PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya can reduce the chance o f the issues as employees are appointed based on their performance and competence instead of their favorability among the workers. 0. 4   COMPANY’S ENVIRONMENT Environment are divided into two:   micro and macro. According to businessdictionary. com, micro environment is defined as â€Å"factors or elements in an organization's immediate area of operations that affect its performance and decision-making freedom† (http://www. usinessdictionary. com/definition/microenvironment. html) micro enviroment consist of   customers, suppliers, competitors, and pressure groups. 1. Customer. PT . Asuransi Jiwasraya is customer’s oriented there for customer’s are of   significantly   high  importance  to the company. Thus, all the products develop by Jiwasraya is base on specific segmentation of its customer’s the products that are available until now are tailored to meet the needs of these groups of customers: a. Averse investor (example product: JS Plan Dollar) b.Adult with children (example product: Dana Multiproteksi Plus c. People in general (example: Asuransi Kecelakaan Diri) d. Organizations(example porduct: Asuransi Kesehatan) e. Old people (example porduct: Jaminan Hari Tua f. Students (example porduct:JS Prestasi) g. Workers (example porduct: Dana Fleksibel) 2. Suppliers. Managers   must ensure that the daily requirement (supplies) that is needed by the company are sets in the lowest price, and the manager have to ensure that the suppliers delivers the needed inputs right on time.So the managers of PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya have to make sure that all the things that the company needs to keep the company running has been fulfilled by the suppliers, because suppliers not only have to cover up the equipment for the company, also provide the financial and labor inputs, so to keep the performance of PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya , the managers of PT. Asuransi jiwasraya   have to choose   the suppliers wisely, because supplie rs is one of the important things to keep the performance of the company. 3. Competitors.In all types of organizations, profit or non-profit have competitors, and managers cannot afford to ignore the competitors. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya   also have many competitors, and they can’t change that, but they can avoid the competitors by giving better performance to the customers. Competitors can be a positive influence or a negative influence. A healthy competition encourages businesses to pursue the fulfillment of the needs of customers, thus increasing the quality of product and satisfy customers better.But if company is unable to keep up with the competition in the market by   utilizing all resources, then it may become a bad influence resulting in the fall of the organization as a whole. Example of PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya’s competitors include: PT. Asuransi Jiwa Manulife, PT. Prudential Life Assurance and PT. Asuransi Jiwa Sinarmas. 4. Pressure groups are groups of â⠂¬Å"Non-profit and usually voluntary organization whose members have a common cause for which they seek to influence political or corporate decision makers to achieve a declared objective.The managers must recognize the   special interest groups that attempt to influence the actions of organization. However, it does not seem that the company has any pressure group. The second environment is macro environment. According to businessdictionary. com Macro environment is define as â€Å"The major external and uncontrollable factors that influence an organization's decision making, and affect its performance and strategies† (www. businessdictionary. com/definition/macro-environment. html#ixzz2NSE44Kgp) macro environment consist of: 1. Economic conditions. http://www. worldbank. rg/en/country/indonesia/overview Indonesia continues to make a significant economic growth, in July 2012 the baseline outlooks for Indonesia is 6% and increase to 6,3% on the year of 2013, and because of t hat the country gross national income is rise from $2. 200 in the year of 2000 to $ 3. 200 in the year of 2009. So it also make a good impact for the financial management of PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya. 3. Political conditions http://asean. fta. govt. nz/indonesia-political-situation/ http://directaction. org. au/issue35/currents_undermining_indonesian_political_stability http://www. orbes. com/2009/07/17/indonesia-jakarta-economy-hotels-opinions-contributors-yudhoyono. html Indonesia has a quite stable political condition. Legal rules are established and internal conflicts have currently subsided. Indonesia has also improved in terms of its democracy as the dictatorship of Suharto was ended. Despite different political issues such as corruption and legal reformation, Indonesia was able to tackle difficulties in politics such as the bombing that happened last year. Due to this stability in political environment, companies in Indonesia including PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya enjoy predictable inf luence of law on their business. In other words, any loss derived from legal system fluctuation can be eliminated. The major political flaw of corruption in Indonesia however, does affect the business in a negative way, as it creates a negative perception of any government-related organization in the mind of its citizens. 4. Sociocultural conditions. Every customers have a changing attitudes and response. So managers must adapt their practices to changing expectation of the society, as this value, custom change so managers must also change. PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya is offering a program to make the customers feel secure in every aspect of their life, So the managers' job is to make a new innovation to make the customer more satisfy and feel more secure. So PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya can meet the changing expectations of the customers. In Indonesia, majority of the society is Muslim. This means that there is a need for the company to understand that services, especially a monetary service s uch as insurance has a differentiated regulations to the people of Indonesia, aside of the government regulation. The company should respond to this by giving an appropriately related service. . Technological conditions. The ever increasing complexity and power of technology also affects the organization. All companies in the current era have to be able to take advantage of technology development. This is because it can increase the value of work done. As a part of a society where technology is growing rapidly, PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya has adapted to the technology and utilizes some beneficial technology to help its processes. In the process of communication, for example, PT. Jiwasraya have always tried to apply the latest in communications technology complements the speed and accuracy of service.The technology is called the JL-Indo and V-SAT. Through Indo JL-policy printing process can be done at the branch where the policy issued, while the V-SAT is a communications technology that connects the entire office PT. Jiwasraya both Head Office, Regional Office or Branch Office into a single unit (on line). PT. Jiwasraya use this technology to support for having effective communication environment. Other than that, the company has also taken advantage of the limitless possibility of internet such as through the creation of website and the establishment of e-procurement system. . 0   Ã‚  COMPANY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES Managers and their job descriptions: Board of Comissioner: 1. Djonny Wiguna 2. M. Sapta Murti 3. Sumiyati 4. Sumyana Sukandar Comissioners are the government’s officials that are in charge of the company as a whole. Comissioners make company regulations and decides on policies regarding external factors of the company such as lands and environments. Comissioners also train and employs people for the managerial positions in the company. (http://www. mrsc. org/subjects/governance/responsibilities. aspx) Board of Directors: . President Director : Hendrisman Rahim The president director have a job to leading the implementation of the management company for the interests and objectives of the company, the president director also have to be the coordinator of all the other members of the Board of Directors in carrying out the duties and authority of the Board of Directors are set out in the Articles of Association, the president director have the responsibility to oversee the Secretariat Division and the Division of Internal Control Unit. 2. Director of Coverage: Hendrisman RahimThe director of coverage have a job to setting the culture of the company, director of coverage also have a job to developing strategy and direction for the company, director of coverage also have a job leading the executive/senior management of the company (including firing and hiring) . 3. Directors of Marketing: De Yong Adrian The marketing director is responsible for the entire operation of company’s marketing department, the director of ma rketing have the responsibility to make the company is known by the customer’s, the directors of marketing also supervises and coaches the company's marketing team. 4.Directors of Finance: Hary Prasetyo Finance Director has overall control and responsibility for all financial aspects of company strategy and is expected to analyse figures and implement recommendations based on these findings with the most profitable outcomes, the financial management often managing and leading a team through difficult periods including month end, year end and annual budgeting, a Finance Director would have excellent communication skills with all levels of staff, often having to work with various departments to help them plan and manage their own budgets. Division Heads: 1. Division Head of Secretariat: SumarsonoSecretariat is defined as the administrative department of governmental organization(http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/secretariat). The administrative department is usually r esponsible for daily accounting, organizational agenda and of messages from and to the organization. A secretary as a part of the secretariat is also responsible to assist directors. 2. Division Head of Internal Control Unit: Erry Syafruddin This division’s work is to make sure that all the units in the company work in accordance with the predetermined objectives and evaluating work quality of people working in the organization.They also check documents that are related to observed issues filed by the directors as well as preparing appropriate letters of response 3. Division Head of Finance Accounting and Collection: Danang Suryono Finance division head’s task is to solve issues related to finance. The department of finance makes financial policies for the sake of the company and report any error to directors. Finance division head creates the budget plan of the company and forsee any financial chance or problem that the company may face. 4.Division Head of Investment: Syahmirwan This division makes policies and plans on what assets the company should invest on or sell in order to keep the company’s financial attributes strong. The division monitor allthe assets owned by the company and calculate investment risks for the company. 5. Division Head of Human Resources:   Udhi Prasetyanto Deals with the planning and organizing of human capital of the company. Resolves any problems between the workers of the company and file the profiles of individual employees.Is also responsible to consult the workers in relation to their work and any complaints about the company, thus making them in charge to file complaints to the different departments in the company. The division manages the placing of new employees and making sure that new employees are able to do their expected work. Training and internship are also the fields that   human resource department are responsible for. 6. Division Head of General and Fixtures:   Kompyang Wibisana The div ision head of general and fixture have a job to construct the annual work programe for PT .Asuransi Jiwasraya for the year, the head of general and fixtures also have responsibilities to implement administrative affairs public relations and cooperation with other parties, the head of general and fixtures also have to do the storage, distribution and maintenance of equipment items. 7. Actuarial Division Head: Iswardi Division that computes the risk and probability of death, marriage and birth and help insurance company determine their rate based on the statistical observation result.The division makes sure PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya obtain profit from the determined rate of service. 8. Head of Division of Underwriting Retail ; Corporate:   Umi Ratih Underwriting retail is the one who have responsibilities for providing effectiveness and efficient management of all underwriting department, this includes overseeing that the underwriting of all loan types offered by HomeStreet Bank, occur s in a timely manner and in accordance with company and investor guidelines. . Head of Division of Agency Retail ; Corporate: G. Agung Nugraha Susanta The head of agency retail have to be responsible to development as per retail standards and ensuring adherence to timelines, Division of agency retail is a people who is responsible for selling the product of PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya that only in the form of retail and also have to manage all the management of agency retail in PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya. 10.Division Head of Retail ; Corporate Selling:   Fitriansyah The head of retail and corporate selling have a job to watch and coordinate all the governments and staff division of retail and   corporate sales according to the span of control, head of retail also have to coordinate and be responsible for the creation of command updates in accordance with the development of market industry insurance matters relating to strategy (Pattern) Retail and corporate sales. 11.Head of Marketing Di vision:   Leonard Tambunan   Ã‚   The job of the marketing division is to manage product, price, distribution and promotional strategy for the company. This means that the division plans on what products to be made, where it will be marketed, and the price of the product and how to create better company image while meeting the needs of the costumers through the value of the product. 12. Division Head of Information Technology:   Ari Faizal Aliaini The division head of information have a job to oversee the development, implementation, and use of technology throughout the firm.The division head of information technology also have the responsibility to range the information systems and telecommunications activities, including determining user requirements, recommending practical solutions, and leading firm-wide efforts to improve the effective use of technology, the division head of technology also have responsibilities to provide expertise and support during system upgrade, inst allation, conversion, and file maintenance. 13.Division Head of Pension Fund Financial Institution: Lusiana The division manages the fund specified for the pension fund for the employees that retires from the company due to age, health or disability factors. It ensures that retired employees are given their rights so that they may gain benefit as they have been beneficial to the company during their year of services. In this way, the company continues to make employees feel that they are appreciated. In general, Division Heads are responsible of supervising management staffs properly.They are expected to be in charge of interpreting regularizations into policies that the division should follow in their activities. Division Heads are also in charge of making necessary changes and proposing plans regarding their divisions in a way that will help the division to develop. One of the jobs of a division head is to be a leader for the people who work in the division. Therefore, a division head should be able to aid the workers, oversee and evaluate their work and give proper feedback to the workers. Other than that they are responsible to create a good relationship between the division and customers in general. http://www. bestsamplejobdescription. com/director-job-description-2/division-director-job-descriptio/) Regional Managers: 1. James Tomasoa Jakarta I Regional Manager 2. Saripudin Bandung Regional Manager 3. I Nyoman Surata Semarang Regional Manager 4. Eddy Susanto Surabaya Regional Manager 5. Libertus Ompusunggu Makassar Regional Manager 6. Bachruddin Manado Regional Manager 7. Novi Rahmi Palembang Regional Manager 8. Sulik Harsono Malang Regional Manager 9. Jumino Balikpapan Regional Manager 10. Karmanto Pekanbaru Regional Manager 11. Dafras Jakarta II Regional Manager 12. Dwi Laksito Pontianak Regional Manager 3. Rotua Pasaribu Medan Regional Manager 14. Adi Susanto Denpasar Regional Manager 15. M. Idris Cirebon Regional Manager 16. M. Arifin Yogyakarta Reg ional Manager 17. Supardi Sudiro Jakarta III Regional Manager Regional managers are responsible for driving sales in the area of their responsibility through good leadership, customer-relationship and strategies. In businesses where the product is in the form of goods, they are responsible for merchandising of the business, but as PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya is a service company, regional managers are not expected to be responsible for merchandising.Regional managers must be able to communicate the company’s goals to each individual stores in its region. They also have to monitor that all activities are done in accordance with the regulations of the company and that all conduct meets the expectancy of the corporation. (http://www. paper-source. com/jobs/Regional-Manager-Job-Description. pdf) 6. 0   COMPANY MOTIVATION Every company must have a goal that needs to be achieved, to do that every company have to be capable of using all of resources that the company has including human resource. Human resources are very important on every step that the company has made.The success of the company   is depends on its performance. The performance of the workers inside the company depends on: personality and ability, task difficulty, resource availability, working conditions and chance or luck. But besides that, another important factor that contributes to performance is the motivation given by the company to its workers is given by the company. One of motivation that is given by PT. Asuransi Jiwasrayal is   by   providing the compensation monetary. Compensation monetary is a motivation that is given by the company by   giving the   employees a reward in the form of money.And   the result is, PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya has successfully gaining the performance of the workers. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya also can motivate the employees by making many events that can allows relation of employees to grow. So by making many events between the employees it can gaining t he sense of belonging of the customers. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya have a program called â€Å"management performance system†   the goal from making this performance management system is to measure the performance of the workers work, and   the result is that the employees on PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya not yet giving the best of their performance. The desire for the employee’s to achieve the goal of the company are still small, because of that reason PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya is motivating employees by giving a job enlargement to the employees. By giving the job enlargement it can make the employees to dedicate more effort into their jobs, So it can make the employees feel that they have to achieve more   than what the company has expected, so it make a good motivation for the employees, and also give a good impact for the company performance because the employees will act in the company's favor. . 0 Company’s strategic management process 1. Identifying the companyâ⠂¬â„¢s current mission, goals and strategies: Company’s mission: Provide certainty, security and convenience through the use of competitive and innovative solution to customers in need of insurance and financial planning. The company’s current goal is to be one of the top five biggest insurance company and to in long term becomes a globally known insurance company. 2. Identifying external factors: Opportunity and threat:The opportunity that arises for companies in insurance service providing business for the year of 2013 is the trend of increasing number of people purchasing insurance online. The threat faced by the companies is the fact that insurance company often mis-sell their product. This means that an insurance company might have sold their product to people who really does not need the product. Another threat faced by the company is people’s negative attitude towards insurance company, as claiming any compensation is assumed as a complicated process. 3.I dentifying internal factors: Company’s strength: 1. The company has been established for a long time, so it has a strong fundation 2. It is a well-structured company and jobs are defined clearly for everyone in the company allowing them to focus on their individual task, thus developing professionalism 3. Strong relationships between the company’s employees 4. Has won awards that may increase its credibility in the eyes of potential market including a â€Å"Best Life Insurance† award 5. Has established connection with other trusted companies 6. PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya has gained its customer’s loyalty as proven by its award in 2005: â€Å"Indonesian Customer Loyalty Award† Company’s weaknesses: 1. The company’s background theory, the Max Weber theory of management results in the loss of flexibility. 2. The company is very oriented towards satisfying a limited group of people which is Indonesian people that everything is established in a strong Indonesian culture. 3. The lack of promotional effort 4. The company has yet to utilize technology in its benefit to its maximum potential Formulating strategiesThese are the strategies used by PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya: The current strategy applied is new product development, improvement of the quality of human resources and investment on information technology. 1. New product development. The company continues to create new products that serve the needs of the customers better. For example, in the year of 2012, the company created 5 traditional products and 2 â€Å"unit-linked† products which are claimed to be more flexible as the customer can take fund out and invest more fund after 6 months of the first investment. http://www. jiwasraya. co. id/detailberita. php? id=486&lang=id) 2. PT. Asuransi Jiwasraya tries to penetrate market of different segment. The company continues to grow but as the target of increase is not reached, the company expands its area of srvice by targeting new market segment which is of the younger group of people. The insurance company produces new roduct that brings benefit especially to students. (http://keuangan. kontan. co. id/news/kinerja-jiwasraya-meleset-dari-target) 3. Improvement of quality of human resources . Utilization of technology in the organization for example the establishment of the e-procurement (online purchasing of insurance) by the company (http://systemloverz. wordpress. com/2012/12/14/penerapan-e-procurement-untuk-mewujudkan-good-corporate-governance-di-bumn/) 5. Increasing the number of agents in the organization 6. Establishing and maintaining beneficial relationship with other companies 7. Gain positive reputation through different charitable actions The company has a good strategic management process.The flaw to the strategy is that the company is very focused on its goal of reaching more premium and of creating better quality products that the company seem to neglect the fact that promotion is an important part in business. The company needs to increase its budget on advertising and its frequency of advertising. They need to establish ways for target market to find out about them rather than letting the target market find them by chance. This is also true as some people makes their choices based on the fact that the company