Delegation Nursing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Delegation Nursing - Case Study Example This should not narrow us down only to the environment provided to the patients alone but supervisors have to make sure that there is self moral respect like professional growth and maintenance of competence. With the above highlighted factors in place, good interdisciplinary care in the clinic is guaranteed. It is good to recognize the efforts put in place by Ms. W in trying to help Ms. R to recover from her health problem. â€Å"Thank you for being patriotic to your job.† Richard Lennon in his book entitled, â€Å"Twelve rules of delegation,† says that delegation is a two-way street. That is, it develops you and the people you are working with (Lenon, 2008). It is fine if you delegate duties to your subordinate staff to help you keep track of Ms. R progress. Yes, she is absconding appointments, always late on appointments, sometimes she misses on important test and she does not have her dose as per your instruction. Now that you have known this, it will be wise if you will delegate duties to yours subordinate staff. They will help you in the follow up of the patient. Whereby, this subdivision and sub allocation of power will give you positive results. Referring her to another clinic might not be the solution because she might repeat the same habit again. In return after referral, it might not be the best decision ever on patient optimization. Having a subordinate staff is a true assurance that they are there to help you. Referral of patients might bring out a filling of intimidation among the subordinates. Remember that duty delegation enables employees to be empowered with tasks, which helps production and improves there morale. Further more keep in mind that you are dealing with patients, and some have hopes with you. If you refer them to other clinics, it might make them loose the confidence they had with you and seek services somewhere else. Having

Accounting Standards Essay Example for Free

Accounting Standards Essay INTRODUCTION Accounting Standards are employed to build the application of accounting practice. The actual financial position of the company can not be presented accurately and precisely with adhering to the principles and standards. Due the evolution of time, the concept has changed to suit the needs of the industry and is also continuously to changing to needs. With rapid change and development of wealth, trade and technology, there was a need to account the business transaction due to intricacy involved. Due to the mode of writing and numbers which facilitated the accounting process. It is accountants who helped in the development of economic and commerce by providing valuable services to the community. See more: Satirical essay about drugs HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF ACCOUNTING STANDARD: Pacioli is being considered the father of the Accounting. The first double entry book-keeping was developed around 1200 B.C   in Italy followed by first book on double entry was written by Luca Pacioli in 1494. Due to the advent of Industrial Revolution around 1750, business expanded rapidly which catapulted mass transportation, invention of new products and new markets, development of capital markets and as the result, the role of accountant become inevitable to any industry. As development of trade grows, the need for professional accountants also nurtured in a fast pace. Society of Accountants was established in 1854 in Edinburg which was accorded a royal charter which recognized the profession’s role in the trade and commerce. In U.S, the first such professional society was the American Association of Public Accountants, chartered by the state of New York in 1887. Cost accounting was developed to augment the efficiency in the manufacturing Units. Management Accounting was developed to advise the business to make strategic business decisions. During 20th Century, United States has overtaken the British and become the leading industrial power in the world. The growth of industries like U.S. steel and Standard Oil demanded more classy accounting systems to keep track record of expanding business divisions within these huge business corporations.   As insiders of the industry took advantages by stock manipulations, price fixing and other questionable business practices mainly to derive benefits thereby depriving the interest of gullible investors. All the states of the U.S.A and Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia stipulates through law that an accountant should have specific educational and experience requirements and should passes an qualifying examination and will be granted a title known as Certified Public Accountants. [CPA]. Now, CPA’s have structured in to State and national societies. In United States, American Institute of Certified is the prime body representing accounting profession, which is the contemporary successor organization of the American Association of Public Accountants and the American Accounting Association organized in 1916. In United States , the Financial Accounting Standards Boards [ FASB] , an independent non-governmental organization supported by financial-reporting industry groups , is the nodal institution accountable for establishing accounting standards and rules whereas the International Accounting Standards Boards [ IASB] formulates rules and standards that are recognized and used by many nations. With fast growth of corporate activity, the need for sophisticated accounting methods has increased and accounting has witnessed many improvements in theory and techniques. The ever changing tax laws and regulations is causing change in accounting methods frequently as it is necessary to maintain homogeneous accounts for governmental statutory requirements or public scrutiny. A series of exposures pertaining to accounting firm’s failure to detect or openly challenge irregularities or fraud as in the case of World.com and Enron, when auditing finances of a number of corporations compelled Congress to establish the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in 2002. Securities and Exchange Commission has been allocated power to appoint the above board to register and regulate accountants and firms to act as auditors. It sets standards for auditing and is responsible for reviewing audits and disciplining accountants and accounting firms.   [1] SIGNIFICANCE OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS: Accounting standards are significant as they guarantee improved public accountability and offer effective and efficient functioning of the trade and commerce of a nation. They play a vital role for complete understanding of political, economical and social consequences of allocation and proper utilization of government resources both at the federal and at the State levels. Improper and bad accounting may lead to serious long term consequences .Accounting standards can be misused to offer misleading information of a business. FREE MARKET APPROACH OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS: It refers to a method applied by private sector wherein creation of an economic market in which business is ruled by the laws of supply and demand and not by the unwanted government interference, subsidy or regulation. Under this accounting standard, voluntary disclosure of activity -based cost data which offers a new approach of functional process and provides more alternatives for decision makers. In a real free market, accounting standards would enhance as corporations and accountants vie to offer the best information to shareholders. In a free market, the aspiration for profit is satisfied by long-range, honest, rational behavior thereby innovating, by employing best employees, by offering quality products and by providing accurate information to investors. Business is required to provide accurate information to investors else it would loose its reputation and credibility in the market. The current FASB is so cumbersome and complex that an ordinary lay man finds it difficult to interpret the same. Most companies in U.S.A now started to follow dual reporting. For instance, AMD and Intel release two sets of accounting reports: one as per FASB guidelines which is mandated by the regulation and other based on simple accounting standards that they deem that it being more informative to shareholders. There are certain existing statues which refuse the shareholders to overthrow existing corrupt or incompetent management. For instance, Anti-hostile takeover legislation which was passed in 1968 has made it complex to replace incompetent management .Arcane regulations passed in 1930 limit the capacity of the financial entities such as insurance companies, pension funds and mutual funds that own major shareholding in corporations to participate in the board for decision taking and for joint deliberations. Hence, the opportunity to safeguard the interest is being denied by arcane regulations. If the U.S government is really interested in the healthy stock market, it should exhibit it by deleting, not adding, regulations and building the market truly free. PRIVATE SECTOR REGULATION OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS Stock Exchange Commission [SEC] supports on an independent, private sector standards –setting process mainly through open and deliberate. Though the commission has the statutory authority to frame accounting principles , it has not do so for the last 60 years .Instead it has assigned the onus to the private sector for leadership in establishing and enhancing the accounting standards. It is the private sector standards-setting process, as supervised by the SEC has resulted in existence of a quality accounting standards and strong capital markets in USA as of today. EVOLUTION OF REGULATORY APPROACH: After the end of the First World War in 1919, there was spurt in investment in securities by investors. Around 1920, more than .02 billion large and small shareholders availed the benefits of post-war affluence and ready to avail sudden wealth from stock market and due to boom, more than $ 50 billion worth in new stock was floated during this time. The famous stock market crash in 1929 which was notoriously known as â€Å"Black Friday† resulted in loss of faith by investors on the capital markets. Many investors were turned as pauper over a night. It was observed that if at all economy was to recover, the public’s confidence on capital market required to be refurbished. Congress was forced to find out a solution for this problem and it held many deliberations on the subject and finally passed the â€Å"Securities Act of 1933 â€Å"and the â€Å"Securities Exchange Act† of 1934. The prime goal for the establishment of Securities exchange commission was mainly to enforce the fresh security laws, to build confidence, to provide stability to the market and last but not the least to offer protection to investors. Stock Exchange Commission [SEC] was toothed with mandate to formulate accounting principles and standards. It is to be noted that even though SEC was accorded the power to supervise the accounting practice, SEC is of the opinion that the private sector is having ample resources and ability to build up suitable accounting standards. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants [AICPA] had been in the field since 1887. As a federation of state societies, American Society of Certified Public Accountants was established in 1921 and later merged with the Institute during 1936. Due to persuasion from the SEC, the AICPA appointed the committee on accounting procedure in 1939. Committee on Accounting Procedure [CAP] released about 51 accounting research bulletin between 1939 and 1959. Though, these bulletins were able to solve the problems now and then as they emerged but could not address the issues relating to accounting principles. To resolve the accounting principles issues, AICPA established a new standard setting body in 1959 namely the â€Å"Accounting Principles Board† [APB].The main goal of the APB is to establish appropriate practices, formulate accounting principles and to minimize the discrepancies in practices. Though the APB released about 31 opinions between 1959 and 1973, it was dissolved for absence of productivity. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles [GAAP] are an anthology of conventions, procedures and rules that describe accepted accounting practices. Though it is not accorded as mandatory by any statute, SEC advises that it should be followed in all financial reporting of publicly traded companies. GAAP can thus be explained as a cluster of conventions and objectives that have been developed over time to oversee how financial statements are being prepared and presented. The three nodal authorities’ viz. the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, The Financial Accounting Standards Boards and Exchange Commission offer regulation concerning acceptable accounting practices. The GAAP is founded on four basic assumptions as per the details below: Economic Entity concept- It stresses the business as a separate entity and to segregate income and expenses of business from that of personal. Going concern assumption which assumes that business will carry on for a longer period to validate the methods of capitalization of assets, provision for depreciation and amortization. Monetary unit assumption which fixes US dollar as the monetary unit for accounting purpose Periodicity assumption facilitates recording of business operations and separating into different periods. This is mainly to facilitate for comparison between past and present performance of the business.   FASB’s basic principles are detailed below: Historical Cost Principle- This requires business to account and report on cost of acquisition basis rather than present market value of the assets and liabilities. Financial reports and statements are prepared in accordance with set of rules , procedure and standards for reporting financial information known as the â€Å" Generally Accepted Accounting principles† (GAAP) , as established by the Financial Accounting Standard Board ( FASB). This standard stipulates that a company â€Å"account for all of their assets or economic resources according to their historical cost.† (Horngreen, Stratton Sundem, p.6) Revenue Recognition principle or accrual basis of accounting requires business to record when the revenue is realized or earned and not when the cash is earned. Matching principle – Expenses has to be matched with the revenues where it is possible Full disclosure principle- Business should offer all the significant information relating to the company though it may not affect company’s financial statements. For instance, Tax disputes, lawsuits, takeover information and possible contingent liabilities of the business are to be disclosed by way of footnotes to the financial reporting. INHERENT DISADVANTAGES OF THE FASB Cost –benefit relation ship: It emphasizes that benefit of offering financial information should also be weighted against cost of providing it. Materiality- It refers to the significance of the item reported and it is to be weighed amount reported will have impact on third party’s decision based on the information provided. The Industry Practice Constraint – Conservative approach stresses that it is better to understate the financial statements rather than overstating it. The after effects of Enron, WorldCom, Inc have forced the Congress to enact Sarbanes Oxley Act in 2002.   The other accounting reforms announced is the creation of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board [PCAOB] to supervise the audits of the Public companies. PACOB has been entrusted with wide authority to regulate the auditing profession. PACOB has been toothed with powers like imposing civil penalty and to impose permanent revocation of an auditing firm’s ability to audit public companies. 8, SWITCHING TO PRINCIPLES BASED ACCOUNTING SYSTEM: There is strong suggestion from various quarters that U.S should abandon the current â€Å"rules-based† system in favor of a â€Å"principles-based accounting†. If that happens, the critics are of the view that all the current difficulties being faced by U.S financial reporting would be alleviated or eliminated. Further section 108 of the Sarbanes –Oxley Act of 202 stipulates that SEC to conduct a study on the adoption of a principle based accounting system. [2] CONCLUSION: Globalization offers both impetus and opportunity and it is time to streamline the FASB guidelines in tune with changing scenario.[3] It is to be noted that FASB has recently issued special report on Leases thereby implementing a new approach, is recognition of the need to review existing standards. Hence it is necessary not only to review its leases guidelines but for all current standards. The current FASB is high technical and complex in nature and may not help the investing public to understand the same without the guidance of professionals on the subject. When most of the countries around the globe have switched from complex to simpler guidelines, U.S can also follow them. In setting standards on national or global basis, technical correctness is regarded as less important than the comparability among reporting entities. Globalization in commerce here has become the order of the day and U.S accounting standards must reflect true global interests. Sticking to technically sound accounting standards would not help to develop acceptable, meaningful international standards. FASB should take avail this opportunity to update and even change the standards. The accounting profession and accounting standard setters should unite together in their effort to assure simpler, more beneficial and easy to understand U.S and worldwide accounting standard. BIBILIOGRAPHY Van Riper, R. 1994, Setting Standards for Financial Reporting: FASB and the Struggle for Control of a Critical Process. CT: Quorum Books. Westport. Hartgraves, A. L., Benston, G. J. 2002, â€Å"The Evolving Accounting Standards for Special Purpose Entities and Consolidations†. Accounting Horizons, 16(3), 245+. Barker, Richard, 2004, Reporting Financial Performance. Accounting Horizons 18, no. 2 157+. Bekesford, Dennis R. 1999,Its Time to Simplify Accounting Standards. Journal of Accountancy 187, no. 3: 65. Beresford, Dennis R. 2001,Congress Looks at Accounting for Business Combinations. Accounting Horizons 15, no. 1: 73. Derieux, Samuel A. 2000,Lets Reassess Accounting Standards. Journal of Accountancy 189, no. 5: 82. Dye, Ronald A., and Shyam Sunder. 2001,Why Not Allow FASB and IASB Standards to Compete in the U.S.? Accounting Horizons 15, no. 3: 257. 1992,The Financial Accounting Standards Board. Journal of Accountancy 173, no. 6: 4. Fleming, Peter D. 1991,The Growing Importance of International Accounting Standards; Arthur R. Wyatt, Chairman of the International Accounting Standards Committee Heralds International Harmonization. Journal of Accountancy 172, no. 3 100+. Gornik-Tomaszewski, Sylwia, and Irene N. McCarthy. 2003,Cooperation between FASB and IASB to Achieve Convergence of Accounting Standards. Review of Business 24, no. 2: 52+. Hartgraves, Ai L., and George J. Benston. 2002, The Evolving Accounting Standards for Special Purpose Entities and Consolidations. Accounting Horizons 16, no. 3: 245+. Herrmann, Don, and Ian P.N. Hague. 2006, Convergence: In Search of the Best CPAs Should Understand How U.S. and Foreign Accounting Standards Influence Each Other. Journal of Accountancy 201, no. 1: 69+. Houston, Melvin, and Alan Reinstein. 2001, International Accounting Standards and Their Implications for Accountants and U.S. Financial Statement Users. Review of Business 22, no. 1: 75. Monson, Dennis W. 2001, The Conceptual Framework and Accounting for Leases. Accounting Horizons 15, no. 3: 275. Nobes, Christopher W. 2005,Rules-Based Standards and the Lack of Principles in Accounting. Accounting Horizons 19, no. 1: 25+. Radig, William J., and Brian Louder milk. 1998,Leading the Way to Uniform Accounting Principles. Review of Business 19, no. 3: 22+. Schipper, Katherine. 2003, Principles-Based Accounting Standards. Accounting Horizons 17, no. 1: 61+. Silliman, Benjamin Rue. 2005,Convergence of Accounting Standards: A Comparative Analysis of the U.S. Revised Standard on Share-Based Payment and the International Accounting Standards Boards IFRS 2. Review of Business 26, no. 2: 24+. Wyatt, Arthur R., and Joseph F. Yospe. 1993,Wake-Up Call to American Business: International Accounting Standards Are on the Way. Journal of Accountancy 175, no. 7: 80+. [1] Encyclopedia Article Title: Accounting. Encyclopedia Title: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Publisher: Columbia University Press. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2004. [2] Article Title: Principles-Based Accounting Standards. Contributors: Katherine Schipper author. Journal Title: Accounting Horizons. Volume: 17. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2003. Page Number: 61+. [3] Article Title: Lets Reassess Accounting Standards. Contributors: Samuel A. Derieux author. Journal Title: Journal of Accountancy. Volume: 189. Issue: 5. Publication Year: 2000. Page Number: 82

Impact of Training and Development case study of mobilink

Impact of Training and Development case study of mobilink The working title of the study is initially drafted as Impact of Training and Development on Employee Performance and the Organisation Case Study of MOBILINK. In particular, the research will focus on how training and development affects the performance of both employee and the Organisation. Employees are increasingly demanding change, choice, flexibility, and variety in their work; suggesting that with the de-layering of organizations and  empowerment  of individual employees, the future for both the organization and the individual lies not in promotion to successively higher levels of management, but rather in developing the value of the individual as human capital (Seidler, 1996). The value of human capital is enhanced by acquisition of higher performance potential such as new tasks, functions, and KSAPs (knowledge, skills, abilities, personal attributes) (McGregor, 1988). The paper discusses in detail the research proposal of the topic. Training and Development (TD) basically deals with the acquisition of understanding, knowledge, techniques and practice. In this research proposal, the background and problem of the study are presented; the objectives of the study are formulated. Here, vital concepts, questions and assumptions are stated. Finally, the methodology to be used is discussed. Research Problem: The key problem that will be addressed in this study is how TD affects the performance of both employees and the Organisation. The following research questions will be given answer to in the course of the study. Discussion of the Employee Training and Development in MOBILINK. i.e. in what specific ways does TD improve the performance of the staff and organisation. Discussion about other supportive elements or approaches that enhance the Training and development requirements according to the globalisation. Conclude the effects as much as the benefits that the employee can get and the positive return for the business in carrying out of training and development. I will use the case study method that will permit my study to observe, evaluate and formulate its own analysis concerning to the subject of training and development. Purpose of the Study: The purpose of the study is to simply establish the sound answer on the effects of the training and development on employees and the organisation. The research specifically examines the employee training and development program within the  Organisation and their positive return to the business. Moreover the study provides discussions made by other authors regarding employee training and development. The study believes that training has a big relationship on the level of understanding, knowledge, and skill of an employee. In other way, the training also creates a big advantage for the organization in their incorporation that can be admitted as part of the organizational system. In addition, the training can comes in different forms and should not be stick in one training strategy or techniques for there are many reasons that might trigger to its development. Objectives of the Study: The primary objective of this study is to investigate how effective is employee training and development at MOBILINK. In employee training and development literature, human resource is the greatest source of the improvement of a business. Likewise, it is necessary to study the current practices in company training and development that are supposed to contribute to the enhancement of the employees skills and organisational performance.   To address this objective, the researcher will conduct a survey on the new employees perception of their training under Mobilink. Moreover, the survey intended to find out if new employees were satisfied with their jobs in their first four weeks in the company. In addition, management personnel were interviewed to evaluate their views on effective employee training and development program and on employee retention and attrition. Literature Review: Training and development is essential to organizations which seek to gain a competitive advantage through a highly skilled and flexible workforce, and are seen as a major element to high productivity and quality performance. A skilled workforce can increase productivity by producing a higher level of work with greater value. The organisations seek to ensure the availability of reliable workforce to aid in the realisation of its strategic business plan. To achieve this goal, the company should train and development career (Wilson, 2005). It is worth noting that different companies have different approaches to their business.Further, education seems to be the same for the students of the same profession. This has the indication that the ultimate skills and experience enjoyed by the employee reflects their training in a particular organisation (Wilson 2005,p.102).Employee engagement practices are instrumental in promoting employee commitment to the mission and objectives of an organisation. According to the principles of effective human resource management, training and Development of employees is one of the reliable tools of ensuring their satisfaction at the w orkplace (Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2009). This is due to the fact that training eliminates the demoralisation aspects brought by failure to efficiently realise ones expectations at the workplace. In addition, training gives employees an opportunity to achieve their professional career goals while earning a living. All these are important are important in meeting the social and economic responsibilities of both the individual and the organisation.Training and career development serves the important role of strengthening the reputation of an organisation. Reputation remains the best marketing tool for the products and services of any business. On the other side, the reputation of a company is defined by the effectiveness and reliability of its services to the customers (Aidele 2009, p.76). This means that an organisation should have in place a strong workforce to meet its market demands. This calls for engaging in employee training and career development since such is vital tools in promoting innovative solving of problems. Still, providing training and development gives the organisation the competitive advantage of identifying the best talent for its workforce as it eliminates certification qualifications to engage in seeking actual capabilities of its employees. Business leaders are always looking forward for the success of the organization and therefore, they should create a kind of strategy that can undergo the midst of challenges (Meek, 2007). Historically, the training suggests that there are benefits that the training might deliver in the entire organization. One predictable result is the improvement in the level of performance of the people. Another is the minimization of the organizational cost and the capacity of the employees to answer the consumer needs (Shea, 2008). Many people have seen Training and Development as inseparable but according to the report ,Developing the Developers by Megginson Pedler (1991) its been shown that most managers viewed Training Development as different and wanted to keep them as two separate terms. This report made the following definition; Training: The relatively systematic attempt to transfer knowledge or skills from one who knows to one who does not know. Development: Working with individuals or organisation to enable them to cross a threshold which has qualitative significance to them and their life. The importance of employee training and development has long been recognized as a crucial issue for businesses (Ford et al., 1997).There are many elements involve in perusing the training and development in an organization. In organizational view, the active employee involvement and training is considered as one of the strategic concerns of the organizational leaders. Organizations personalized different training and development processes and procedures that can achieve the best result in the businesss sustainability. People, as the key for the organization, are the main target of the training therefore the training among the business leader help them to provide the valid reason in creating the appropriate decision for the entire organization or/and have a great impact on their managerial skills and styles (Johnson, 2001; Farvaque, et al., 2009) Furthermore, the training and development for some business analysts were considered as a partnership or enhancing the employer-employee relationship (2009). Human capital is treated as a key to success for all industries. Human Resource Management practices play a pivotal role to gain profitability and market share that ultimately enhance the organizational performance in long run (Qureshi, 2006). But in the current scenario, enterprises are facing problems in terms of scarcity of brilliant workforce, dramatic rise in Retirements, poaching of key people by competitors, and increasing turnover. As the business environment becomes increasingly competitive, organizations need to focus on improving all areas of their business especially human capital because the performance of the people employed has a major impact on profitability (Lloyds, 2010).It is now commonly accepted that employees create an important source of competitive advantage for firms. As a result, it is important that a firm should adopt best TD practices to make best use of its employees. The above trend has led to increased interest in the impact of HRM on organizational performance, and a number of studies have found a positive relationship (Gelade and Iivery, 2003). Research studies have demonstrated that training has a positive influence on organizational performance. Zwick (2006) stated that increasing the training intensity has a positive and significant effect on establishment of productivity. In the same way Bartel (1991) also demonstrated a direct and positive relationship between productivity and training program. The amount of training is an important antecedent for firms who wish to improve their productivity (Savery and Luks, 2004). But Cunha (2002) found no significance of training on organizational performance. Moreover, effective staff training and professional development can help to produce positive youth outcomes and increase retention of youth workers (Fancsali 2002, Huebner et al. 2003, Astroth et al. 2004, Hartje et al. 2007). There are many models of training and development that have made greater progress into organizational settings, which have began to have a greater impact on instructional design. Specifically, Instructional Systems Design (ISD), Human Performance Technology (HPT), Performance-Based Instructional Design (PBID), and Total Quality Management (TQM), all of which originate from research in the area of organizational development. Role of Theory: Training and Development has been increasingly used in the literature as well as in the Business world as a critical concept redefining the borders between business, society and State. Extensive literature exists on the concept of T D. For the purpose of my research, I will use the theories developed about it. Methodology and Methods: Research Approach: I will get most of my research information through the books, Journals, Internet and newspaper articles. Webster and Watson (2002) states that the major contributions are likely to be in the leading journals. It can also come from some Official documents provided by the clients such as information about their system, IT infrastructure, training facilities and others. Information can also come from official policy manuals, plans and other stuff which is not confidential for the company. Research Context: My case study will be focus on MOBILINK Pakistan, exploring its methodology of Training and Development to streamlining and improving the efficiency of its employee and the organisation. Given below is the brief introduction of Mobilink and Training and Development used in the organization: MOBILINK Introduction: Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. (Orascom Telecom) or (OTH) was established in 1998 and has grown to become a major player in the telecommunication market in the world. OTH is considered among the largest and most broaden network operator in the Middle East, Africa Pakistan. Mobilink GSM (PMCL), a subsidiary of Orascom Telecom, was awarded a license in July, 1992 and started its operations in 1994, and has become the market leader both in terms of growth as well as having the largest customer subscriber base in, Pakistan a base of over 30 million and growing. Mobilink provides the most extensive network coverage footprint across Pakistan through an integrated technology infrastructure in more than 5,000 cities, towns, villages, and countless remote destinations, including International Roaming in 110 countries through 300 partner operators. There are about 5000 employees currently working in Mobilink of which 4500 are working on permanent basis and 500 on temporary basis, with average of more than 800 employees hired every month. Among them approximately 5% are managers and operatives are 40%, rest are either contractual or not directly related to core business. Training and Development in MOBILINK: On contacting personnel in the Mobilink office it was found out that Mobilink mostly trains its employees by On Job Training which means that the employees are trained as they perform their jobs and along with their duties. The manager or supervisor guides them how to perform their jobs and guides them to efficiency in the work. Internees are trained in various departments and then mostly hired by Mobilink itself and their training is basically teaching them the ropes and the basics of everything. On a general basis the training done in Mobilink can be divided into two categories: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Soft skill training à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Technical Training Graham Burke, One of the the President PMCL Mobilink, said Mobilink will provide proper training programmes to its employees in order to make them more aware of their responsibilities Sampling Plan: Sampling involves taking a certain number of people to get them contributed in the research by taking their views about a matter or conduction of interviews about the topic under research. To add to emphasis to the studys purpose to analyse respondents opinion, interviews will be conducted from relevant persons in Mobilink. Data Acquisition Method: Primary data will be collected by adopting a qualitative approach by taking different focus groups, this will provide insight and inform the interview process (Threlfall,199;Gilbert,2008). I will conduct structured interviews from few of the employees in Mobilink. Interviews will be recorded. Observation sheet will be filled by the researcher during the interview whereas some of the modifications will be made if necessary to explore a particular issue irrelevant to Training Development. Project Planning: Time Scales: The part of the research dealing with data collection from secondary sources will take approximately 4-6 weeks. Compiling and analysing of data collected from interviews and observations will take 6-8 weeks approximately. Final research will provide the study hypothesis in 6-12 weeks approximately. Quantitative method can be used for measuring, qualitative tools require a strong reserve of insight and reflection to tease important patterns out of a body of observation (Babble, 2010, pp.51).The size and scope of these was limited to cost, but the study seeks to be representative of the main classifications of members and main geography, although this remains a popular methodology (Stokes and Bergin, 2006). For this purpose by using Sampling which involves taking a certain number of people to get them participated in the research by taking their opinion about a matter or conduction interview about the topic under research. To add to emphasis to the studys purpose to analyse respondents opinion, interviews will be conducted from relevant persons in Mobilink, for this purpose researcher will go to Pakistan in February for getting the require data. Ethical Issues: In order not to interfere with the daily timings of the interviewees, I will arrange timings with the manager of the Mobilink during my visit to Pakistan in February 2011 these Questionnaires will not last for a long period of time , the confidentiality of respondents identity is my foremost responsibility not to disclose it to some one else. Discussion: Provisional work Schedule:

Canberra Bushfires :: essays research papers

Canberra Fires of 2003 The Canberra bushfire began on Saturday 18th January 2003, with reports suggesting that it was started by a Lightning Strike, to the north of Canberra. In the few hours the few hours that proceeded, the fires raged out of control. Another fire close to the one started by the lightning, ended up joining it, creating a massive fire front, roaring towards Canberra. No warning could prepare the people of Canberra for what was happening. They did not have much time to fight the fires. They were instructed by the fire crews to leave their houses and flee. Over 300 homes were lost. One suburb, Duffy, was hardest hit. Just about every house in this one suburb was destroyed or partly burnt by the fires. Damage was reported to be in the hundreds of millions, with many treasured possessions lost, never to be recovered again. This story of survival was heard on the radio station Nova 97.9. A neighbour from Duffy lived near a farm. The man who owned the farm didn’t even try to save his home. He knew that he would never save it, so he went down the road, took his hose and helped his fellow neighbour save their home. That home was saved. However, the man with the farm lost his home. His neighbour said that he saw him the next day sleeping in his tractor with his dog on the side of the road. That is a story of Aussies doing their best to look out for their mates. Canberra was declared a disaster area by the Federal Government. Millions of dollars was donated by the people of Australia to help those people in crisis in Canberra. Millions of Aid Money was also handed out by the Government to those whose homes were destroyed. In one day an entire large are of Canberra was lost. Due to one fire. This fire was also fueled by strong winds of 50 km/h fanning the fire front and propelling it towards Canberra. Due to the fact that Canberra is surrounded entirely by bush and scrub area, the fire had lots of natural fuel to help it along. The entire surrounding area of Canberra is Trees and farms. This would have helped the fire a lot to travel faster than usual. Preliminary observations of the gardens of houses affected by the bushfires highlighted the importance of trees and shrubs that retain dead leaves and other material.

Literary Elements in the Scarlet Ibis Essay

In â€Å"The Scarlet Ibis,† James Hurst uses the aspect of nature in the settings to reflect when the tone transposes from a sorrowful and regretful tone to a more hopeful and joyous tone. Brother reminisces of a summer that has long since passed, as he sits in the house he was raised in: â€Å"It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead, but autumn had not yet been born, that the ibis lit in the bleeding tree. The flower garden was strained with rotting brown magnolia petals andiron weeds grew rank amid the purple phlox. The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted across the cotton field and through every room of our house, speaking softly the names of our dead. † With this, the author uses the natural scenery of a dying garden in the transition of seasons to set a tone of sadness. He illustrates a garden with rotting flowers, a graveyard’s last flowers blossoming and their smell being carried to where Brother is, reminding him of the dead. Hurst uses the natural elements in the setting to paint a gloomy and dismal setting, he could have expressed what he saw and smelled from his garden in many ways, yet he chose to depict this garden dying. Furthermore, this was done to indicate the tone in this memory, which is one of sadness. Moreover, just as the author uses dying settings to reflect a sorrowful and dreary tone, he also uses beautiful settings to reflect a joyous and hopeful tone. Brother describes his and Doodle’s time shared in Old Women Swamp, a place he refers to as the only beauty he knows: â€Å"I would gather wildflowers, wild violets, honeysuckle, yellow jasmine, snakeflowers, and waterlilies, and with wire grass we’d weave them into necklaces and crowns. We’d bedeck ourselves with our handiwork and loll about thus beautified, beyond the touch of the everyday world. † Furthermore, Old Women Swamp is a place found beautiful to both Doodle and Brother, a place where they go to play and relax. Almost all of the joyous and hopeful times that Doodle and Brother share happen in Old Women Swamp: the first time Doodle stood where they go to lay and tell stories, and where they imagine they will build a house and live in together. The author once again uses the setting to reflect the tone; Hurst uses the abundance of beauty found within Old Women Swamp to show the hope and joy Doddle and Brother sometimes shared. Furthermore, as Brother remembers these times he does so in a joyous and hopeful tone. To them Old women swamp signified beauty and a world of never-ending possibilities. Moreover, all the scenes that take place in Old Women swamp are of happiness and hope, its portrayed as this beautiful place because that’s the way Brother remembers it and that might be because of all the happy moments he shared there with Doodle. Brother remembers all of theses events with a hopeful and joyous tone and all take place in serene, beautiful, and beloved Old Women Swamp. In conclusion, the natural elements of the setting indicate the change in the tone from a sorrowful tone to a joyous tone.

Classroom Scenarios Essay

Mrs. Ross has her fourth grade students move their desks together into groups of 2 to do a group activity. She instructs them to pair with anyone they choose. Teresa raises her hand, â€Å"I don’t want to pair with Megan again because she doesn’t do any of the work. Can I have someone else? † Megan who is soft-spoken just looks down at the floor as the class waits for the teacher’s response. Mrs. Ross asks Teresa and Megan to come with her outside and instructs the class to carry on with the activity. 1. What level of mutual respect exists between students and the teacher in this scenario? How did mutual respect affect the classroom dynamics? How would you improve mutual respect in this classroom? A high level a mutual respect exists between students and the teacher in this scenario. Mrs. Ross had to trust the students at least a little bit in order for her to believe they could handle moving their desks around to do group work. Teresa showed respect for Mrs. Ross by raising her hand to properly voice her concern about her partner. Not only did she raise her hand, but she respected and trusted the teacher enough to feel safe expressing her feelings. Although soft-spoken, Megan could have found some way to negatively reply to what Teresa said. However, I believe she respected Mrs. Ross enough to know she could trust her to act in a fair and kind manner, so Megan waited quietly for her response. Mrs. Ross showed respect for the two girls when she asked them to come with her outside. She didn’t just ignore the issue or thoughtlessly assign another partner for Teresa. Mrs. Ross took the time to acknowledge their thoughts and feelings in private where she could assess the situation better without putting either of the girls on the spot. Finally, Mrs. Ross showed respect for the class when she trusted them to carry on with the activity while she stepped out of the class with Megan and Teresa. The class showed respect for Mrs. Ross by continuing to work while she steps outside the classroom for a moment. Mutual respect affected the whole classroom dynamic in a positive way. There was a feeling of cooperative learning. I am pleased with the high level of mutual respect shown in the classroom and find no need for improvement. 2. How well did the teacher handle herself in the scenario? What student-teacher interactions worked well and what did not work? How would you handle the situation? The teacher handled herself very well in this scenario. She could have chosen to react immediately to Teresa’s comment with disappointment and frustration, but instead she calmly asked the two girls to come with her outside. She even thought of the rest of the class and took the time to instruct them so they weren’t left hanging while she went out with Teresa and Megan. Teresa raised her hand, but did not wait to be called on before calling out to the teacher. It was good that she felt safe enough to express her concerns, but not good that she made Megan feel badly in front of the class. I hope, if I was a teacher given the same situation, that I would be able to handle myself in a similar manner. I would want Teresa to know in front of the class that she is to wait until she’s called on to speak, but discussing the rest of the details in front of the class would only put Megan even more in the spotlight and add to her discomfort. 3. What, if any, communication roadblocks are evident in this classroom? How could you remove the communication roadblocks? How would you communicate with the students to resolve this situation? I could not see any communication roadblocks in this classroom. It appears to me that the teacher communicated well with the students, and the students felt comfortable communicating with the teacher. To resolve this situation, I would remind Teresa specifically, as well as the class in general, to raise their hands and then wait to be called on before speaking. I would also ask my class to pay attention to all the instructions. The instructions Mrs. Ross gave told students they could choose their own partner. There was never a need for Teresa to comment on not wanting to be Megan’s partner as Mrs. Ross had already told students to pick their own partner. 4. What conflicts did you observe in this classroom? What conflict resolution methods could you use to resolve the conflicts in this classroom? Are there any peer mediation methods that you could use in this scenario? The conflict in the classroom was between Teresa and Megan. To resolve the conflict I would bring the two students together and have them work cooperatively on the issue with my guidance. I would want both students to feel free to speak their mind, feel listened to, and feel that they are an important part of the solution. I would want them to understand that they both need to be respectful, listen to each other, and try to understand the others’ point of view. As part of the process I would also expect them to work together to come to an agreement they both feel good about. I would not use peer mediation methods in a fourth grade class. 5. What changes would you make to help this classroom become more of a community? Why would developing this classroom into a community be important? I don’t see any changes I would make, but something I would talk to the class about to make the classroom become more of a community would be respect. I would plan a mini lesson on respect and how we treat others for another day. It would be important to help the class develop into a community because community members care about each other, look out for each other, and help each other when needed. I would want my class to work together cooperatively and build a positive learning environment where everyone would feel valued. Tenth Grade Classroom Scenario The bell has rung and Mr. Dunn’s tenth grade math class has settled into their seats. â€Å"Good morning! Let’s begin by having everyone pass their homework to the front of the class. † Tom walks into class 5 minutes late. Mr. Dunn asks, â€Å"Tom, do you have your homework? † Tom looks down at the floor when he answers, â€Å"No, I didn’t finish it. † Mr. Dunn asks, â€Å"Why not? You knew it was due today, right? † Tom just shrugs. Mr. Dunn asks the rest of the class, â€Å"Who else did not turn in their homework today? † Pamela did not do her homework, but is afraid to raise her hand. Mr. Dunn says, â€Å"Good job, class! I appreciate everyone who worked hard to get their work turned in on time. † Daniel chimes in, â€Å"Which is everyone except Tom! † The class laughs. Tom angrily gets out of his chair and storms out of the room as he says, â€Å"I’m sick of this stupid class. † 1.What level of mutual respect exists between students and the teacher in this scenario? How did mutual respect affect the classroom dynamics? How would you improve mutual respect in this classroom? There exists no mutual respect between the students and the teacher. Mr. Dunn’s only attempt at positive enforcement was telling the class â€Å"good job to those who did turn in their homework†. While this seems like praise to those who complied, those who didn’t are left feeling like failures. By Mr. Dunn singling Tom out and embarrassing him, he created a classroom of disrespect and the other students felt free to tease and laugh at Tom. Tom will now view Mr. Dunn as being indifferent if not an enemy and other students may fear if they do anything wrong they will be chastised and humiliated as well. We can see this playing out in the case of Pamela feeling afraid to admit she didn’t do her homework either. Students will not thrive in an environment where they do not feel comfortable and safe and where they risk public ridicule by their peers for not doing their work. To encourage mutual respect teachers should never single out a student in front of the class, but rather talk with him privately at a later time such as after class or when students are busy working. Before making any decisions about consequences for late work seek to understand the reason the student failed to follow through. Show concern and understanding when they are facing difficulties at home or otherwise. Use encouragement rather than negative words and discuss ways you can help them, such as creating a study plan. Make mutual respect a classroom rule that is enforced by consequences for violation. Never allow students to laugh at or embarrass another classmate or group of classmates. 2. How well did the teacher handle himself or herself in the scenario? What student–teacher interactions worked well and what did not work? How would you handle the situation? The teacher did not handle himself well in this situation. The student-teacher interactions were negative and the students were not willing to admit difficulties or problems to the teacher. None of the interactions described worked well. Tom left class because it was so negative. The teacher should handle this situation by having in place a policy for tardiness. The teacher should not waste time bringing attention to tardy students. Students should know what to do when they enter a classroom even if they are tardy. One way to handle tardiness – especially for older students like these ones is to have a required slip students must fill out when they are tardy explaining the reason. They should then have a place they put slips for the teacher to look at later. There should also be a policy for not having homework completed. If the teacher setup these policies at the beginning of the year he would not need to say anything when a student walks in late, the student would know what to do. The teacher put Tom on the spot by singling him out in front of his classmates, and then showed further disrespect by asking him why he didn’t do his homework. It is unnecessary to ask â€Å"you knew it was due today, right? † This statement doesn’t help the situation and is only demeaning to Tom. Most likely he knew the assignment was due and if he had forgotten he would have remembered as soon as Mr. Dunn asked for them. He should not dwell on something Tom cannot go back and remedy. The appropriate thing would be to talk to Tom privately and ask if he is having trouble remembering his assignments. He should show care and concern by offering to help Tom get organized and devise a way to remind himself to do the work. This teacher did not even take the time to find out why Tom had forgotten his homework. He may have had a very good reason in which case Mr. Dunn should consider allowing Tom to make it up. If Mr. Dunn had handled himself appropriately, Tom would not have been so upset as to get up and leave the classroom. Students should not be left feeling worthless and disrespected. 3. What, if any, communication roadblocks are evident in this classroom? How could you remove the communication roadblocks? How would you communicate with the students to resolve this situation? There were several communications roadblocks in place in this classroom. The biggest problem is that the teacher and students had no respect for each other. As stated before, if a teacher models respect for his students and sets in place policies for behavior and academics, his students have clear expectations and are more likely to respect one another. This saves teachers time having to deal with problems as they arise. After the rest of the class has received necessary instruction and direction, the teacher should talk privately with Tom about tardiness and missing homework. The teacher should take time to listen and allow Tom to maintain his dignity. 4. What conflicts did you observe in this classroom? What conflict resolution methods could you use to resolve the conflicts in this classroom? Are there any peer mediation methods that you could use in this scenario? The main conflicts in this classroom are created by the teacher. The teacher publicly humiliated a student in front of the class because he was late and did not turn in his homework. The teacher also created an environment where it is ok to belittle your classmates. To resolve the conflict the teacher should talk to Tom individually and apologize for the way he handled the situation. Mr. Dunn should let Tom see that teachers make mistakes too and that they should not be exempt from apologizing. He should address Tom’s homework including why Tom didn’t finish it and what plan they can come up with that would help Tom remember in the future. He should then talk with the entire class and admit his mistake, emphasizing the rules of mutual respect. He should remind the class it is inappropriate to make fun of or embarrass a fellow student. There is not any real need for peer mediation with the students if the teacher is more respectful the students will be also. 5. What changes would you make to help this classroom become more of a community? Why would developing this classroom into a community be important? The most effective way to create a community in the classroom is to set the tone the first day of class. Allow the students to get to know each other, have group activities and team work projects. Allow and teach students to respect individual differences and celebrate the multitude of talents and cultural practices among classmates. When students feel like they are part of a group they perform better in school, are supported by their peers to do well and do not miss as much school; learning in this environment can be enjoyable and fulfilling. Students should learn to help and encourage one another. Set specific rules that the whole class can decide on together. Ask students what they think a caring, respectful classroom looks like. Brainstorm class rules with them and have them vote on which ones they feel are the most important. Have the students sign their names to a pledge that they will abide by the rules and work together to make the class a nice place to be. Enforce consequences of violation of these rules with consistency. Never put students down or make them feel incompetent – especially in front of others. Listen to students’ needs and treat them with respect if that is what you expect from them. Emphasize promoting positive behaviors rather than fixing negative ones. Help students learn moral values and develop a good work ethic rather than doing things simply because they are told. Rather than punishing for poor behavior, look for ways to correct problems by discussing consequences and choices.

HR planning and recruitment

HR planning and recruitment MFI-B was an NGO micro finance organization that was dealing with community development activities and formation through the advancement of loans to its clients. MFI-B got its funds from different organizations. Its main business strategy was an expansion in the form of its loan portfolio. With this, this organization could increase its borrowing capacity to its clients and ultimately alleviate poverty in the community.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on HR planning and recruitment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The leadership of the organization was very weak and inexperienced in matters to do with financial planning and budgeting. This is because; the community leader overtook leadership role without scanning the situation in which the organization was facing, and took up major financial decisions that could adversely affect the organization. I would term the decision to expand the organization’s lending base as a bad move because of its weak accounting system and lack of internal control systems. Introduction of MFI-B in planning (definition, planning, problems, and solutions): Human resource planning involves activities of the organization. The activities make sure that the organization has a work force with the right number of employees now and in the future. It is a management strategy that ensures that the organization achieves its objectives by employing a wok force that is capable of performing its job well. The problems faced by MFI-B are that the organization has a poor planning system of its employees, compensation management, organization structure, staff motivation, training and development. From the case study, the organization is facing labor shortages and this affects the motivation of its employees. The solutions to the problems the organization is facing regarding human resource planning are; first to create a need of human resource planning as part of its core activiti es. Secondly, the organization has to conduct a demand forecast to know exactly how many staff it needs and if there are any shortages. Thirdly, the organization has to carry out supply forecast analysis to determine whether the organization has to recruit labor force from within or from outside the organization. The final step is to determine whether a gap exist between the demand and supply. An action has to be performed in the case where there is a shortage of labor or excess of labor. If there is a shortage of labor, then the organization has to consider recruitment, training and development, motivating, and improving the work environment to retain the existing employees. If, on the other hand, if supply is more than the demand, the organization has to lay off the excess employees or transfer them to other organizations or departments. Introduction of MFI-B in recruitment (definition, planning, problems, and solutions): Recruitment as a human resource activity involves the activ ities directed towards ensuring that the organization achieves its objectives through finding and engaging the correct people. It deals with the definition of recruitment requirements such as person’s specifications, role profiles and outlines the terms and condition of the work.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It also includes planning of the recruitment process which covers issues such as planning for the number of employees required, the sources for tapping new employees, planning for alternative sources for tapping of employees and plans for the recruitment programs. The recruitment problems that MFI-B organization is facing include the encouragement of external recruitment to internal recruitment. From the case study, it shows that out of the total recruitment done 60% of those employed are from the external market, and only 40% are from the internal so urces. External sourcing is more expensive to the organization than internal sourcing. This is because of the costs incurred such as induction cost, and the time wasted by the new employees to bond with the existing employees and the time wasted by the new employees as they adjust to the new situation of the job. The organization does not conduct any background checks to determine the suitability of the candidate. To curb the recruitment problems identified, the organization has to encourage internal sourcing to save on the organization costs. The organization also has to conduct a background check for all the potential recruits to enable it to know the suitability of the candidate to handle the job. Introduction of MFI-B in deployment functions (definition, planning, problems, and solutions): Deployment is the strategic and systematic process of placing the employees within an organization with the aim of achieving the goals and objectives of the organization. To achieve the advant ages of deployment, employees joining the organization have to be trained on the roles of the jobs. The organization has to ensure that organizational structures are intact, and all the departments clearly outlined for proper deployment of employees. The problems that MFI-B is facing are lack of well outlined organization structures and thus become a challenge when deploying its employees. Another problem is that the employees from other programs who have come to work at MFI-B receive no training or orientation. The other new comers receive only two days on the job training which is not sufficient. The occasional training offered to the staff has to be planned if the organization wants to achieve its goals. The solutions to the problems addressed above are that the organization has to outline clearly defined organization structures with clearly outlined departments and roles required per department. For the organization to ensure that its employees fit well and adjust to the new org anizational settings, the period of training and orientation of new employees has to be adequate. The organization should also budget for the funds and come up with a well-defined training program to achieve its objectives. Training is an important tool for succession planning.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on HR planning and recruitment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

THE ANTITRUST MOVEMENT AMIDST A FRAGMENTED FEDERAL STATE Book Report

THE ANTITRUST MOVEMENT AMIDST A FRAGMENTED FEDERAL STATE Book Report/Review THE ANTITRUST MOVEMENT AMIDST A FRAGMENTED FEDERAL STATE – Book Report/Review Example THE ANTITRUST MOVEMENT AMIDST A FRAGMENTED FEDERAL November 5, The Antitrust Movement amidst a Fragmented Federal Ch. 6 The economic development of a nation highly depends on the business activities within the nation and transactions with other countries or in other words international trade. The article grants me the opportunity to understand the world of business during the early nineteenth century. The article begins by giving me a brief description of how business or rather service providers operated before the issue of merging came into place. Further importance of the article is seen by the critical analysis of the structural defects on the strategies employed by the state to control the business enterprise. I gain vast knowledge by reading through the two main legal traditions employed by the state in the regulation process. The most efficient technique among the two is the right for the state to charter corporations. It ensured that the activities of the enterprise could be c ontrolled.The article in the reading that caught my attention was the information on great merger movement. The author ensures that all the relevant information is well tackled. The origin of the mergers with examples of the companies that were among the first business organization to practice this structure is given. The article gives me an opportunity to understand the step undertaken by the President Roosevelt to protect the people against cases of a monopolistic market. Several analysts and their publications such Kolko are analyzed in the article (The Antitrust Movement amidst a Fragmented Federal State 161). Different questions about techniques used by the authorities to control the situation are analyzed. An important aspect tackled is the answer to the loose end found in the federal policy employed to curb the situation. The formed enterprises prevented competition by ensuring that they controlled the main inputs for production of a certain product thus can easily control en try to that line of business.An important concept in the reading that I can relate to the economics is the aspect of monopoly. It was horrific for the people in America to witness the merger as it would create monopolistic type of market structure. The prices of goods and services are no longer be determined by competition but the producers. It means that the prices can be raised with little influence from the external environment.

Analysing Of The Riba Work Stages

Analysing Of The Riba Work Stages On each of the initial work stages of a project the architect is involved in many ways and uses many skills. Before the architect begins any work they must be appointed under the RIBA concise conditions agreement or SW 99. The following is a brief outline of what an architect does in a RIBA standard agreement between architect and client. The first two RIBA work stages come under term ‘Preparation’ in the ‘RIBA, Outline Plan of Work 2007’. The first stage is stage A, ‘Appraisal’; this mainly involves establishing the needs of the client. Three main tasks are carried out. Throughout the initial stages of the project constant communication between the architect and client takes place. Firstly, the architect must carry out studies to determine the feasibility of the Client’s requirements. The architect may also review the alternative design and construction approaches and the cost implications of each with the client. At this stage the arch itect may also provide information for reports on the cost implications. During stage B (Design Brief) the initial ‘Statement of Requirements’ is developed into the ‘Design Brief’. Although this is the responsibility of the client the architect often contributes to its development additionally. Stages C, D and E come under the heading ‘Design’. This begins with Stage C (Concept), where the architect would usually be required to prepare outline proposals for things, such as, the building structure and building services. The architects also develop concept designs for project. Throughout this stage the architect will be leasing with other members of the team, such as, engineers, quantity surveyors and planning supervisors. This communication helps the architect to provide the client with information on approximate construction costs and cost planning which must then be assessed by the client in the stage report. Stage D (Design Development) invol ves the completion of the project brief and the further development of the concept designs. At this stage a cost estimate, or information for a cost estimate, must be provided and the architect will be working closely with statutory planning authorities, for instance, local planning departments. The architect must also prepare a detailed planning application, including drawings and an ‘Access and Design Statement’. At the end of stage D the architect must obtain signed approval by the client of a stage D report (this is broadly outlined in Task 3). The Shirebrook Academy has just seen the completion of this stage and has now been submitted to planning. b) Involvement by the architectural technologist in the science and technology of the building, rather than the creative and artistic side, is the main difference between the work of the architect and the architectural technologist. Many of the tasks undertaken overlap with the work of the architect and a strong collabora tion exists. For example, when working on stages C and D both architect and architectural technologist may work together on developing the project brief and design programme, each contributing specific skills to the project. The architectural technologist may contribute by evaluating and advising upon environmental strategies and material specification, while the architect may work on spatial relationships and movement path diagrams.

Criminal Justice relating to Media Research Paper - 1

Criminal Justice relating to Media - Research Paper Example Nowadays, media has been the source of violence in the society as media consumption has been continuously rising for the past decade. Media has been a part the human civilization since time immemorial. Hence, society’s dependence on media has been significantly flourished throughout the decade. One particular source of news and entertainment is largely attributed to television programs and the internet. The type of programming contained in news reports, soap operas, family sitcoms, even children’s programs have demonstrated a level of media violence that needs immediate attention especially by the parents or guardians of the kids. This is so true when it comes to children’s cartoon channels. Most of the time, their parents or guardians fail to monitor what they watch on the television. Cartoon programs were created to entertain young children, but research has shown that a significant value of media violence is attributable to cartoons. On the other hand, the int ernet has also played a substantial role in the proliferation of media violence as seen in computer games which most of the young kids are fond of. This study shall focus on the violence content that is being shown in children’s programming, while mixing it with the element of humor. â€Å"This helps create that illusion that violence is fun and largely without any negative consequences. The unpunished violence perpetrated by attractive heroes provides the best description for encouraging imitation of violent scripts and adoption of pro-violence beliefs and attitudes† (Gentile 2003). Violence has been used as a key factor to make the audience glued to the television. With the presence of humor and combined with violence, the audience’s attention will be fixed watching the program from beginning to end as a form of entertainment. â€Å"The recent studies have

Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Stem Cell Research - Essay Example Religious groups, specifically those against abortion and Pro-life activists are strongly against this procedure because of its moral implications like the lessening of giving value to the beginnings of life. Their stand is that getting cells from the embryo is similar to abortion. The issue was so pervasive that government supported embryonic stem cell research was banned by Pres. Bush in 2001. Private funding was however not banned and support for embryonic stem cell research from private companies continued. Scientists on the other hand, defend their motivations for doing research on human embryos as not merely a means to destroy life but to understand human functioning and development from the earliest form of human life which is the embryo (Jones). The ultimate aim of scientists in involving themselves in Stem Cell Research aside from knowing the essentials of human development is to find ways on how to improve human health. Embryonic stem cells may be the most controversial but there are still other sources of stem cells like cord blood, hair follicles, and baby teeth among others. There are two classifications of Stem cells namely; the embryonic stem cells and the adult stem cells. Various fields have recognized the effects of Stem Cell Research in their areas. One such field is the dental field. Tooth regeneration has been a bright prospect because of stem cells. The dental practice is not only instrumental to stem cell research as far as the teeth being sources of stem cells, but the dental field is also set to benefit from studies pertaining to the ability of stem cells to promote growth of teeth or to repair teeth. Regenerative Dentistry is an approach in... Scientists on the other hand, defend their motivations for doing research on human embryos as not merely a means to destroy life but to understand human functioning and development from the earliest form of human life which is the embryo (Jones). The ultimate aim of scientists in involving themselves in Stem Cell Research aside from knowing the essentials of human development is to find ways on how to improve human health. Embryonic stem cells may be the most controversial but there are still other sources of stem cells like cord blood, hair follicles, and baby teeth among others. There are two classifications of Stem cells namely; the embryonic stem cells and the adult stem cells. Various fields have recognized the effects of Stem Cell Research in their areas. One such field is the dental field. Tooth regeneration has been a bright prospect because of stem cells. The dental practice is not only instrumental to stem cell research as far as the teeth being sources of stem cells, but the dental field is also set to benefit from studies pertaining to the ability of stem cells to promote growth of teeth or to repair teeth. Regenerative Dentistry is an approach in dentistry that has emerged because of the findings in Stem Cell Research. Regenerative Dentistry deals with the gaining of knowledge in the genetic control of significant processes of teeth formation in the embryo with the purpose of recreating tooth development in the mouth of an adult (How to grow a tooth).

Neuroscience Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Neuroscience - Research Paper Example Hence more research is warranted in the field of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of depression. The article is about a study by Ming-li et al (2011) in which the researchers examined the efficacy and also the safety of sleep electroencephalogram modulated repetitive rTMS (SEM-rTMS group) for the purpose of treatment of depression. This was a randomized controlled trial in which 164 patients were divided randomly into 3 groups. The patients recruited were those with a diagnosis of depression defined clinically. Psychoactive medication was stopped 7 days prior to the trial. The 3 groups were sleep electroencephalogram modulated repetitive rTMS group, the conventional rTMS group and the sham rTMS group. Patients in each of the assigned groups were treated with the assigned treatment for 30 minutes every day for 10 days. 24-item Hamilton rating scale for depression was used for evaluation of response to treatment and clinical outcome. The results of the study show ed that in the SEM-rTMS group, 21 cases showed significant clinical improvement according to the scale when compared to 6 in the C-rTMS group and only 2 in the sham-rTMS group.

O2 Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

O2 - Dissertation Example 59-71). The historical evidences reveal the fact that O2 is not a very old brand; rather it initiated its operations during the decade of 80s, and was a subsidiary of a joint venture of two leading organizations. However, O2 came to existence in the early years of twenty first century as an outcome of splitting of the joint venture of two organizations (European Telecom, 2003, pp. 18-20). Although a Spanish company acquired and took over O2 and expanded the operations to European telecommunication market as well, O2 retained its origins (headquarter) in UK only. O2 did not only expand its business to other parts of Europe but also focused on extending its functional units within the industry and entered into the financial service industry (Sherwood, 2011). From the analysis of the marketing tactics of O2, it has come to observation that they have changed their slogans from time to time, which they consider it as revitalizing the brand in front of their customers (Telefonica UK Limite d, 2011). On the other hand, the major competitor of O2 that is Everything Everywhere, which comes under consideration as the giant and number one telecommunication brand of UK mull over the fact that they have their marketing as their key positive aspects and the reason of their position in the UK market. Moreover, Everything Everywhere works with a vision â€Å"to give the UK the best network and best service so that our customers trust us with their digital lives† (Everything Everywhere, 2012). However, O2 believes that if they bring further enhancements and progressions in their marketing strategies, it would provide strong basis for them to fight and compete against their main competitor (Huet, Tcheng and Galliot, 2010, pp. 152-153). The sales of the products or services of a company play a major role in deciding the success or the failure of the organization, which means that the sales of the organization is dependent upon how the company market its products and service s. It has even come to notice that O2 has not come under extensive research on the perspective of marketing that can provide the company with recommendations and proposals to improve their ways of alluring the people and convincing them to switch over to O2 telecommunications. The only information about the marketing strategies available is via published news (Telefonica UK Limited, 2011). The following research report intends to have a comprehensive study and analysis about the marketing strategies that O2 is currently using for attracting the customers in general. Based on these strategies, the thesis report would incorporate a wide range of marketing plans and policies that O2 can exercise so that they can gain the maximum share of the market and become the leading company within the telecommunication industry. The recommendations would also be a guideline for other telecommunication companies whether in UK or anywhere else in the world that they can employ in order to gain compe titive edge over others present

Madonna and Child with Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine Essay

Madonna and Child with Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine - Essay Example We should therefore be highly inspired by such saints who influence artists and stimulate them to produce works of such high caliber. The legendary saints also influence the poetic and aesthetic abilities of human beings. There are a lot of sinful creatures in this world, many Christians believe that if the holy virgins, as presented in these works would appeal to the lord at his throne then everything will be fine. This is because they believe that these works of art are not just manmade pieces of art, they are in fact a peak into the heavenly figures. That’s why a lot of Christians find pleasure in producing and observing religious art. Many people did not know Saint Catherine of Alexandria until the crusaders used her name. They believed that she had helped in the Eastern Church and hence her name started being venerated. She was considered to be an epitome of wisdom and knowledge. To add to all of it, she had been of royal blood. Obviously, all these claims about her have been questioned but nevertheless her place in Art remains unquestioned and unopposed. A lot of scholarly Christians place her next to Mary Magdalene. Different ornaments that she wears symbolize different things. For example, the book indicates her learning, the crown represents her superiority, and sword represents her martyrdom. This picture has been praised globally. In this picture, Catherine is shown with a virgin and a child. She has an elegant and a dignified persona and she is wearing a princess dress. This picture is a very beautiful Madonna picture. In it, Saint Catherine is said to be representing a beautiful daughter of an artist. She is sitting at the ground, while the virgin is seated on a chair with a baby in her arms. Virgin and the child are sitting in a fenced-off area of a courtyard being surrounded by four very beautiful saints. Also, this picture symbolizes that Saint is being depicted as a beautiful woman rather than as a knowledgeable or scholarly one. She is in Uffizi. Because of her learned nature she is very often also shown accompanying Saint Jerome and other doctors of the church. Her other frequent companions include Saint Barbara and Mary Magdalene. The presence of St. Barbara in the picture is also a very symbolic one. While young, she was secluded and so she gave in to prayer and meditation. She is shown close to the virgin. Her personality is a reminder of God’s presence. This beautiful picture by Raphael is also kept in the National Galley and has gained acclaim. It shows saints to her knees, her right arm is folded around her breast while she has kept the left one on the wheel. She is looking at one spot in the sky with an expression of joy and relief on her face. The background also shows a delightful landscape. According to Passavant: "It is one of those works which nothing can describe; neither words, nor a painted copy, nor engravings, for the fire in it appears living, and is entirely beyond imitation" (Saints in Art Chapter VI The Virgin Patronesses and the Great Virgins of the Latin Church n.d.) In my opinion, these portraits cannot be classified as sins because they represent a close bond between the Christ and the saints. These pictures reflect love, devotion and care. These pictures should be treated with dignity. These pictures are also a source of information for us. By looking at them we get to know the true value of our ancestors and the much revered saints we hear of. These

Neuroscience Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Neuroscience - Research Paper Example Hence more research is warranted in the field of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of depression. The article is about a study by Ming-li et al (2011) in which the researchers examined the efficacy and also the safety of sleep electroencephalogram modulated repetitive rTMS (SEM-rTMS group) for the purpose of treatment of depression. This was a randomized controlled trial in which 164 patients were divided randomly into 3 groups. The patients recruited were those with a diagnosis of depression defined clinically. Psychoactive medication was stopped 7 days prior to the trial. The 3 groups were sleep electroencephalogram modulated repetitive rTMS group, the conventional rTMS group and the sham rTMS group. Patients in each of the assigned groups were treated with the assigned treatment for 30 minutes every day for 10 days. 24-item Hamilton rating scale for depression was used for evaluation of response to treatment and clinical outcome. The results of the study show ed that in the SEM-rTMS group, 21 cases showed significant clinical improvement according to the scale when compared to 6 in the C-rTMS group and only 2 in the sham-rTMS group.

Madonna and Child with Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine Essay

Madonna and Child with Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine - Essay Example We should therefore be highly inspired by such saints who influence artists and stimulate them to produce works of such high caliber. The legendary saints also influence the poetic and aesthetic abilities of human beings. There are a lot of sinful creatures in this world, many Christians believe that if the holy virgins, as presented in these works would appeal to the lord at his throne then everything will be fine. This is because they believe that these works of art are not just manmade pieces of art, they are in fact a peak into the heavenly figures. That’s why a lot of Christians find pleasure in producing and observing religious art. Many people did not know Saint Catherine of Alexandria until the crusaders used her name. They believed that she had helped in the Eastern Church and hence her name started being venerated. She was considered to be an epitome of wisdom and knowledge. To add to all of it, she had been of royal blood. Obviously, all these claims about her have been questioned but nevertheless her place in Art remains unquestioned and unopposed. A lot of scholarly Christians place her next to Mary Magdalene. Different ornaments that she wears symbolize different things. For example, the book indicates her learning, the crown represents her superiority, and sword represents her martyrdom. This picture has been praised globally. In this picture, Catherine is shown with a virgin and a child. She has an elegant and a dignified persona and she is wearing a princess dress. This picture is a very beautiful Madonna picture. In it, Saint Catherine is said to be representing a beautiful daughter of an artist. She is sitting at the ground, while the virgin is seated on a chair with a baby in her arms. Virgin and the child are sitting in a fenced-off area of a courtyard being surrounded by four very beautiful saints. Also, this picture symbolizes that Saint is being depicted as a beautiful woman rather than as a knowledgeable or scholarly one. She is in Uffizi. Because of her learned nature she is very often also shown accompanying Saint Jerome and other doctors of the church. Her other frequent companions include Saint Barbara and Mary Magdalene. The presence of St. Barbara in the picture is also a very symbolic one. While young, she was secluded and so she gave in to prayer and meditation. She is shown close to the virgin. Her personality is a reminder of God’s presence. This beautiful picture by Raphael is also kept in the National Galley and has gained acclaim. It shows saints to her knees, her right arm is folded around her breast while she has kept the left one on the wheel. She is looking at one spot in the sky with an expression of joy and relief on her face. The background also shows a delightful landscape. According to Passavant: "It is one of those works which nothing can describe; neither words, nor a painted copy, nor engravings, for the fire in it appears living, and is entirely beyond imitation" (Saints in Art Chapter VI The Virgin Patronesses and the Great Virgins of the Latin Church n.d.) In my opinion, these portraits cannot be classified as sins because they represent a close bond between the Christ and the saints. These pictures reflect love, devotion and care. These pictures should be treated with dignity. These pictures are also a source of information for us. By looking at them we get to know the true value of our ancestors and the much revered saints we hear of. These

The Cretaceous Period Essay Example for Free

The Cretaceous Period Essay In the Cretaceous Period started when the Jurassic period ended, which was exactly 144 million years ago and was also longer than any other period, reaching to approximately 65 million years. The Cretaceous period also marks the end of the Dinosaurs, who were destroyed by the meteorite that struck the earth 65 million years ago. In the Cretaceous Period there was a newly discovered bird or glider called, The Microraptor Gui or also known as The Dinosaur with Four Wings, which was believed to show how birds evolved from a group of small dinosaurs called dromaeosaurs. The Microraptor gui was discovered in the Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning, China. The Microraptor Gui is 77 cm in length and has four wings. What’s different about this species is that it has a wing on each of its hind limbs. On January 23 in the issue of the journal Nature, Xu Xing, a paleontologist at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, China, says that in the the species was an early ancestor of birds that most likely used its feathered limbs, along with its long feather-fringed tail, to soar from tree to tree. The dominant life in the Cretaceous Period was the dinosaurs they also branched out in to previously less-dominant species like horned dinosaurs. There were also insects, birds, and even mammals although they were the smallest animal life at the time period. The early Cretaceous Period is where plant life, also known as Angiosperms, first began to blossom, this caused a growth in insects populations. The climate was the coldest for the Mesozoic times as glaciers appeared at the poles. Due to the steady increase of CO2 levels the cooler weather was gone and a warming period replaced it.

Theory of Competitive Advantage Value Chain Analysis

Theory of Competitive Advantage Value Chain Analysis The initial theory regarding relative advantages was related to comparative advantages of regions or nations. It included land, location, labor, natural resources and local population size. But it is not true always as rise of some the most advanced industrial nations have proved that the above factors have less influence in their course of development. For example, Japan had disadvantage regarding availability of raw materials, abundant space and even access to other lands. But still the Japanese companies have prospered and rose to be among the best in the world. Again Japan also has disadvantage in terms of population size available. But that could not stop Japan from being a leader in business. Also economic hardship can really fuel growth in a nation. It has been seen both in case if both Japan and Germany. Both these nations were under severe economic trouble after World War II, but still they grew to be industry major countries in the world. The reason for such behavior of nations or organizations in particular can be understood from The theory of competitive advantage which says that there are other critical factors that determine the industry leadership. As per Michael Porter, the renowned Harvard business school professor sustainable industrial growth is hardly dependent on the above inherited factors. But it depends on groups of interconnected firms, suppliers, related industries, and institutions that arise in certain locations and termed them as clusters. These clusters are geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular field. They grow on locations where enough resources and competences amass and reach a critical threshold, giving it a key position in a given economic branch of activity, with a decisive sustainable competitive advantage over others places, or even a world supremacy in that field. Porter says clusters can influence competition in three ways: They can increase the productivity of the companies in the cluster. They can drive innovation in the field. They can stimulate new businesses in the field. The competitive advantage of any industry or organization is determined by five forces of Porter. These five forces help the managers to focus on competitive forces that prevail in the industry and the possible threats to their organizations. Diagrammatic view of Porters five forces These are: Existing competitive rivalry among organizations in industry: The more that companies compete against one another for customers, ex- by lowering the prices of their products or by increasing advertising the lower is the level of industry profits. So this is a threat to the companies. Hence in order to sustain the companies may come up with new strategies and innovations in their technologies as well as business processes. Thus competition fuels growth in the industry as well as leads to innovations. Threat of new market entrants: The easier it is for companies to enter the industry, because for ex- barriers to entry, such as brand loyalty are low, more the likely it is for industry prices and hence the industry profits to be low. In the wake of such a situation the companies might go for further innovations or even differentiations in their products or businesses. Thus it helps in the evolution process of the companies. Bargaining power of buyers: It depends on the size of the customers. The bargaining powers of the customers come if they are large in size. So they can bargain to drive down the price of that output. As a result the industry producers might encounter low profits. So the bargaining power of buyers also decides the competitive advantage of the industry. Power of suppliers: The suppliers also have important role in deciding the competitive advantage of firms. If there are only few large suppliers of an important input, then suppliers can drive up the price of that input and expensive inputs result in lower profits for profits for companies in an industry. Threat of substitute products (including technology change): Often the output of one industry is a substitute for the output of another industry. Ex- plastic may be substitute for steel in some industry. When this type of substitutes exists in the industry companies cannot demand very high prices for it or customers will switch to the substitute and this constraint keeps their profits low. Again the above all factors lead the managers to take decisions in four business level strategies to gain competitive advantage. These are: Low cost strategy: It is the strategy where the company focuses all its energies to lower its costs in all the departments. As a result it can sell its products in lower costs than its rivals. Here though the companies are selling the products at low prices but since the production costs are low the company still makes profits. Ex- BIC competes Gillette with this strategy in razor blade industry. Focused low cost strategy: In such a strategy managers focus to serve only a segment of overall market and tries to be lowest cost organization in that segment. Differentiation strategy: It is the strategy where organizations products can be distinguished from the products of other organizations on factors like product design, quality, service, or after sales service. Here the process of differentiation may be unique and expensive. Coca cola, PepsiCo, PG practice such strategies. Focused differentiation strategy: it is the strategy that tries to serve only one segment of the overall market and aims to be the most differentiated organization serving that segment. For ex, BMW focuses on this strategy. The theory of competitive advantage can be also easily extended to the position of various nations. Here four factors have taken into consideration to nalayze the competitive position of the nations. Germany and Japan are most apt examples of such a competitive advantage. These are discussed as follows: Four factors for competitive advantage: The strategy, structure and rivalry of firms: As there is high competition among the firms, this competitive environment leads the firms to work harder for increase in productivity and innovation. The Japanese companies are cooperative at certain levels but they are also fiercely competitive. Thus it is the strategy and structure and rivalry of the firms that gives rise to excellence to the firms in terms of efficiency. Demand conditions: If the firms face challenging and demanding customers then they constantly face pressure to improve their competiveness by innovative products, high quality etc. Related supporting industry: A company prospers when supporting companies are located in the same area. Presence of supporting companies in the vicinity gives the firm added advantage in terms of gaining technological support and expertise. Factor conditions: Specialized factors of production are skilled labor, capital and infrastructure. Non-key factors or general use factors, such as unskilled labor and raw materials, can be obtained by any company and, hence, do not generate sustained competitive advantage. However, specialized factors involve heavy, sustained investment. They are more difficult to duplicate. This creates a competitive advantage, because if other firms cannot easily duplicate these factors, they are valuable. VALUE CHAIN Value Chain is a model that helps to analyze specific activities through which firms can create value and competitive advantage. A value chain is a chain of activities for a firm operating in a specific industry. The business unit is the appropriate level for construction of a value chain, not the divisional level or corporate level. Products pass through all activities of the chain in order, and at each activity the product gains some value. The chain of activities gives the products more added value than the sum of the independent activitys value. It is important not to mix the concept of the value chain with the costs occurring throughout the activities. A diamond cutter, as a profession, can be used to illustrate the difference of cost and the value chain. The cutting activity may have a low cost, but the activity adds much of the value to the end product, since a rough diamond is significantly less valuable than a cut diamond.Value Chain framework model Value Chain Model of Porter THE ACTIVITIES OF THE VALUE CHAIN Primary activities (line functions) Inbound Logistics. Includes receiving, storing, inventory control, transportation planning. Operations. Includes machining, packaging, assembly, equipment maintenance, testing and all other value-creating activities that transform the inputs into the final product. Outbound Logistics. The activities required to get the finished product at the customers: warehousing, order fulfillment, transportation, distribution management. Marketing and Sales. The activities associated with getting buyers to purchase the product, including: channel selection, advertising, promotion, selling, pricing, retail management, etc. Service. The activities that maintain and enhance the products value, including: customer support, repair services, installation, training, spare parts management, upgrading, etc. Support activities (Staff functions, overhead) Procurement. Procurement of raw materials, servicing, spare parts, buildings, machines, etc. Technology Development. Includes technology development to support the value chain activities. Such as: Research and Development, Process automation, design, redesign. Human Resource Management. The activities associated with recruiting, development (education), retention and compensation of employees and managers. Firm Infrastructure. Includes general management, planning management, legal, finance, accounting, public affairs, quality management, etc. A COST ADVANTAGE BASED ON THE VALUE CHAIN A firm may create a cost advantage: by reducing the cost of individual value chain activities, or by reconfiguring the value chain. Note that a cost advantage can be created by reducing the costs of the primary activities, but also by reducing the costs of the support activities. Recently there have been many companies that achieved a cost advantage by the clever use of Information Technology. Once the value chain has been defined, a cost analysis can be performed by assigning costs to the value chain activities. Porter identified 10 cost drivers related to value chain activities: Economies of scale. Learning. Capacity utilization. Linkages among activities. Interrelationships among business units. Degree of vertical integration. Timing of market entry. Firms policy of cost or differentiation. Geographic location. Institutional factors (regulation, union activity, taxes, etc.). A firm develops a cost advantage by controlling these drivers better than its competitors do. A cost advantage also can be pursued by Reconfiguring the value chain. Reconfiguration means structural changes such as: a new production process, new distribution channels, or a different sales approach. DIFFERENTIATION AND VALUE CHAIN A differentiation advantage can arise from any part of the value chain. For example, procurement of inputs that are unique and not widely available to competitors can create differentiation, as can distribution channels that offer high service levels. Differentiation stems from uniqueness. A differentiation advantage may be achieved either by changing individual value chain activities to increase uniqueness in the final product or by reconfiguring the value chain. Porter identified several drivers of uniqueness: Policies and decisions Linkages among activities Timing Location Interrelationships Learning Integration Scale (e.g. better service as a result of large scale) Institutional factors Many of these also serve as cost drivers. Differentiation often results in greater costs, resulting in tradeoffs between cost and differentiation. There are several ways in which a firm can reconfigure its value chain in order to create uniqueness. It can forward integrate in order to perform functions that once were performed by its customers. It can backward integrate in order to have more control over its inputs. It may implement new process technologies or utilize new distribution channels. Ultimately, the firm may need to be creative in order to develop a novel value chain configuration that increases product differentiation. TECHNOLOGY AND VALUE CHAIN Because technology is employed to some degree in every value creating activity, changes in technology can impact competitive advantage by incrementally changing the activities themselves or by making possible new configurations of the value chain. Various technologies are used in both primary value activities and support activities: Inbound Logistics Technologies Transportation Material handling Material storage Communications Testing Information systems Operations Technologies Process Materials Machine tools Material handling Packaging Maintenance Testing Building design operation Information systems Outbound Logistics Technologies Transportation Material handling Packaging Communications Information systems Marketing Sales Technologies Media Audio/video Communications Information systems Service Technologies Testing Communications Information systems Note that many of these technologies are used across the value chain. For example, information systems are seen in every activity. Similar technologies are used in support activities. In addition, technologies related to training, computer-aided design, and software development frequently are employed in support activities. To the extent that these technologies affect cost drivers or uniqueness, they can lead to a competitive advantage. LINKAGES BETWEEN VALUE CHAIN ACTIVITIES Value chain activities are not isolated from one another. Rather, one value chain activity often affects the cost or performance of other ones. Linkages may exist between primary activities and also between primary and support activities. Consider the case in which the design of a product is changed in order to reduce manufacturing costs. Suppose that inadvertently the new product design results in increased service costs; the cost reduction could be less than anticipated and even worse, there could be a net cost increase. Sometimes however, the firm may be able to reduce cost in one activity and consequently enjoy a cost reduction in another, such as when a design change simultaneously reduces manufacturing costs and improves reliability so that the service costs also are reduced. Through such improvements the firm has the potential to develop a competitive advantage. ANALYZING BUSINESS UNIT INTERRELATIONSHIPS Interrelationships among business units form the basis for a horizontal strategy. Such business unit interrelationships can be identified by a value chain analysis. Tangible interrelationships offer direct opportunities to create a synergy among business units. For example, if multiple business units require a particular raw material, the procurement of that material can be shared among the business units. This sharing of the procurement activity can result in cost reduction. Such interrelationships may exist simultaneously in multiple value chain activities. Unfortunately, attempts to achieve synergy from the interrelationships among different business units often fall short of expectations due to unanticipated drawbacks. The cost of coordination, the cost of reduced flexibility, and organizational practicalities should be analyzed when devising a strategy to reap the benefits of the synergies. OUTSOURCING VALUE CHAIN ACTIVITIES A firm may specialize in one or more value chain activities and outsource the rest. The extent to which a firm performs upstream and downstream activities is described by its degree of vertical integration. A thorough value chain analysis can illuminate the business system to facilitate outsourcing decisions. To decide which activities to outsource, managers must understand the firms strengths and weaknesses in each activity, both in terms of cost and ability to differentiate. Managers may consider the following when selecting activities to outsource: Whether the activity can be performed cheaper or better by suppliers. Whether the activity is one of the firms core competencies from which stems a cost advantage or product differentiation? The risk of performing the activity in-house. If the activity relies on fast-changing technology or the product is sold in a rapidly-changing market, it may be advantageous to outsource the activity in order to maintain flexibility and avoid the risk of investing in specialized assets. Whether the outsourcing of an activity can result in business process improvements such as reduced lead time, higher flexibility, reduced inventory, etc. Thus we can see that every aspect of an organization can be rightly explained in light of value chain analysis to judge the competitive position of the organization. Normally, the Value Chain of a company is connected to other Value Chains and is part of a larger Value Chain. Hence, developing a competitive advantage depends on how efficiently we can analyze and manage the entire Value Chain.