Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Sex violence crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sex violence crime - Essay Example This will affect the way in which criminality is ascribed, the influences of gender creating differences in the way in which the system will treat one gender in compared to another. When someone defies their gender, primarily a woman, and commits a crime that is outside of how her gender is defined, it sets society on a rampage. Even more so, if she does not publicly display enough emotion about a traumatic event in her life she can be condemned for the crime at the center of the event without the evidence supporting this eventuality. 2. Criminality and stereotypes Women have always been seen as the more passive sex, their role within society dominated by their inability to gain the physical strength that men had the capacity to gain. In the nineteenth century, especially, women from the perspectives of the Victorian aesthetics were vulnerable and needed to be taken care of by men. There were two spheres of influence that divided the sexes: men belonged in the public sphere where wom en belonged in the domestic sphere. The passive nature of a woman meant that she was incapable of making adult decisions (Davidson and Laydor 1994). Therefore, as the twentieth century began to emerge and the rise of feminism began to change that point of view, the foundational idea of how women were framed remained based upon the connotation of innocence and demure passivity that had previously been the standard. The way in which men and women interact, even when it concerns violent behaviours, is also framed by social premises that stereotype and define interaction. According to Elder (1991), stereotypes about gender are also bound up in stereotypes about race, thus creating not only a disharmony of gender relations, but of race relations. The pervasive idea of the black male aggressor against the white female victim creates an idea that there is a male archetype that represents violence with a female archetype which represents victim. The concept of the ‘other’ in wh ich inhuman attributes are connoted upon the genders in relationship to their gender can be seen in most societies. Elder (1991) goes on to discuss that in the Australian society there is the same type of connotation upon the Asian male, which puts him within the framework of the ’other’, not understood and dehumanized. Asian men are seen as a threat to the social grouping of white females through drugs and sexuality, a departure from the similar threat seen in the United States and Britain of the black male, although the black male represents a threat more often associated with violence (Elder 1991). Therefore, it can be shown that gender relationships are also complicated by race relationships, the individual parts of the whole complicated by the belief in stereotypes that ’define’ social positions within society. The objectification of men, women, and race all provide for definitions that create foundations for how society will view an event that takes place. Under this scenario, when a man commits a violent crime against a woman, it will be viewed, first on the basis of gender, and then on the basis of race. A white woman who is beaten by a white man will be viewed with slightly less threat than a white woman that is beaten by a black man. Where the stereotypes impact the public view on an event, the way in which it is treated through publicity, trial, and in punishment

Monday, October 28, 2019

Audit Proposal Essay Example for Free

Audit Proposal Essay For more classes visit www.assignmentcloud.com Management at Kudler Fine Foods now wants to see the proposed audit schedules for the systems analyzed by the team in Week Two. †¢ Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word brief that: †¢ Distinguishes between the types of audits that could be used for each process. †¢ Recommends the audit most appropriate for each process. †¢ Explains how the audits will be conducted. †¢ Identifies events that could prevent reliance on auditing through the computer.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Identifying and Planning Resources Needed to Meet Management Goals Essa

Resources are an integral component of any successful organisation and a method of informing demand could be classified using a push or pull system. A push system would create a demand for its resource where as a pull system would create resources as a result of a demand, an example of a push system may be a car manufacturer creating a number of cars to a waiting list, where sales would influence the demand the product and resource needed as opposed to a pull system that would see sales driven by the amount of cars produced. The resource that can be identified in the organisation of this researcher, which is notably a further education learning establishment, can be described as a pull system where the curriculum offer is developed according to the number of learners interested and the demand of the local community. (Bailey P. et al, Procurement Principles and Management) Resources are integral to the performance of the organisation and although can be said to differ from other business areas such a manufacturing company; however the resources can be deemed equally essential. The objectives can be identified as providing a high level of education and service to the surrounding community and stakeholders; this can be achieved by utilising resources to their optimum potential. The resources of an FE college can be identified in the following categories of physical resources, labour resources and facilities. Physical resources are usually classed as materials, certainly in a manufacturing and would be categorised as raw, work in progress (WIP) or finished, however in a learning environment such as a college, physical resources would be classed as the materials needed dependant on the nature of course qualifications, this could inclu... ...the organisation would seek to identify potential disruption to supply, define a possible alternative solution and assess any further costs involved in seeking an alternative. In an organisation such as a college, a ‘Boston grid’ which is a method of determining a risk may be used to compare risk scores when seeking a new supplier or even used when looking to define new curriculum areas. A Boston grid is an analytical tool that can be used to define growth areas, curriculum development and project management. Works Cited Bailey P. et al, Procurement Principles and Management, 2008 Carter RJ. and Kirby SK. Practical Procurement, Cambridge Academic, 2006 Drucker. P. 2003. The Practice of Mangement, Oxford. Evans, D. 1995. Supervisory Management, Cassell, London. Gennard. J. & Judge. G. 2005, Chartered Institute and Development, London

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Fashion Isnt Fur

Fur is not a Fashion Statement. Every year 50 million animals are violently killed for our own selfish needs to look high status in the fashion industry. Most of these helpless animals with Just as much right as us are raised on fur farms in brutal conditions. Death is really their only escape from these dreadful prisons, which is mostly caused by stress, illness and pain. Sometimes animals are caught using a trap mechanisms and can be left there to die for up to 7 days.Animals often tend to chew their own paw of Just to free themselves from death but to only die only a few days later from excessive injury. Just like we do, animals have rights and needs. Who decided that our comfort automatically comes before theirs? There are groups of people who live in the frozen steeps of Siberia or in upper Mongolia who kills eat and wear the coats of animals. These people do it for survival and it is an absolute necessary which has nothing to o with vanity.However, we are lucky enough to live i n a devolved country that has no need to hunt and kill innocent lives. We even have the choice of buying fake fur which has the exact same look and feel to it. Anytime you wear fur you should always think of the extent of pain and torture this harmless creature went through for that fur to be wrongfully wrapped around your skin. In the end it all comes down to you.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Modern Management Techniques Essay

Introduction This report has been prepared to cover a project requirement for Decision Management within the grounds of ‘New Developments in Management’ and in response to the following; â€Å"The past 15 years have seen a series of new developments within management accounting to meet the ever changing needs of the organisation in the light of rapidly changing technologies†. The focus of this report will be on three relatively new developments including JIT (just in time), ABC (Activity Based Costing) and ToC (Theory of Constraints). Each development will be defined and then illustrated, before being examined in context with Toyota Ltd. The illustrations will be in the form of diagrams and if necessary, numerically discussed in reference to Toyota Ltd with an example working. JIT The JIT method was first implemented in the early 1970’s at the time of the industrial revolution within Japanese Firms. The Just In Time method is an inventory based management system with the objective of having the sufficient quantity of finished goods desired by the company at the required time; thus, effectively eliminating or in most cases significantly reducing the need for the costly storage of inventories. JIT also requires a â€Å"continuous commitment to the pursuit of excellence in all phases in manufacturing systems, design and operations† (Collin Drury, Management and Cost Accounting 7th ED pp556). This however, is only effective considering it does not negatively impact on  customer supply. As well as this, JIT is most effective when implemented alongside what is know as Total Quality Management (TQM); whereby a company sets objectives to have zero errors and defects in every department of manufacture. An example of this can be observed with the methods by which Toyota inspects materials before and during the manufacture process; if a single fault is detected within a batch of materials/goods, the whole batch is rejected in order to reduce chances of any errors at a later stage within the manufacturing process. Ironically, occasions whereby hundreds of thousands of Toyota’s Hybrid motor-vehicles were recalled due to potentially fatal errors of the vehicles’ breaking systems, could well have been avoided with a better implemented Total Quality Management. The aim of JIT is to achieve four main objectives, these are; †¢Elimination of Inventories – by receiving supplies needed just at the right time they are needed, the need for inventories is eliminated, thus, lowering cost of holding inventory. For example, instead of Toyota holding large amounts of inventories ready for the production line, they can arrange for delivery of only the relevant and required supplies just in time for the production process. †¢100% Punctual Deliveries – by forming a good relationship with suppliers and agreeing for them to deliver goods on a punctual basis (such as suppliers for raw materials like metal/glass/leather for the production of Toyota products), the elimination of inventories objective can be achieved as well as meeting customer demands just in time. †¢Elimination of Non-Value Added Activities – the time-span or cycle time concerning the manufacturing and subsequent selling of a product includes 5 main stages. The sum of Cycle time consists of process time, inspection time, move time, queue time and storage time. The only value adding activity of the above mentioned is process time. Therefore with the reduction or elimination of the non value adding activities such as inspection time, move time, queue time and storage time, Toyota can and do benefit from the cost reduction this subsequently provides. (The above aim is a paraphrased modification of ‘Elimination of Non-Value Added Activities’ heading in  Ã¢â‚¬ËœManagement and Cost Accounting’ Colin Drury, pp557) †¢Elimination of Defects – The efficiency of this would mean the elimination of those costs that although not accounted for, may occur after production due to faulty materials used for production, for example. In order to eliminate them, Toyota could reject whole batches of materials that have the least fault contained (a stringent policy used by Marks & Spencer’s during supervision of purchased goods). Such demands in high quality can achieve the elimination of defects. Effective JIT kanban system with TQM JIT system Without TQM Normal Stock Holding Procedure Goods replenished after Customer Receives goods just in time therefore Low inventory costs achieved along with customer satisfaction. (Diagram source: modified adaptation from ‘Just in Time in Practice at Toyota’ Steven Spear (2010), pp10.) ABC Activity Based Costing is a development of the early 1970s and 80s as a substitute for absorption based costing. This was because in the 1970s and 80s there had been a drastic on going change to the manufacturing industry due to the effects of the Industrial Revolution; therefore absorption costing was seen as an increasingly insufficient method of costing in terms of the quality of information it provided. In practice, ABC identifies direct and indirect activities, and allocates the costs into ‘cost pools’, each of which have ‘cost drivers’, (cost drivers are any factors that have an effect on the amount of resources to be consumed by a particular activity). Once these cost drivers are identified, it is allocated a calculated rate, which is used in the calculation of the  amount of cost to be charged to that output, depending on usage. The diagram below further explains the process of Activity Based Costing; Application of Cost Driver Rates Identify the major indirect activities in the organisation For each activity, group the budgeted costs together into a ‘cost pool’ For each activity, identify the cause of the costs (cost driver) (Diagram source: AAT Level 4 ‘Managing Performance & Resources’ Janet Brammer Tutorial Textbook pp14.) From this, a few advantages and disadvantages of ABC are made clear; Advantages: †¢As compared with other costing methods such as absorption costing, ABC is more accurate, (for example, it utilizes unit cost rather than the total cost proving more accurate). †¢It is also a much less complicated and is therefore more understandable. †¢Allows for the easy identification of non-value added activities and waste, therefore can help in the elimination of the two. Disadvantages: †¢It is however much more time consuming due to the need to collect more data for calculations. †¢There are also costs that come with the implementation and the maintenance of ABC.   †¢ The advantage of ABC making waste visible and therefore easily identifiable may cause de-motivation as most directors/managers would not want waste to be revealed to their bosses.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Relationship Between TV Violence And Violent Behavior Young People Essay Essay Example

Relationship Between TV Violence And Violent Behavior Young People Essay Essay Example Relationship Between TV Violence And Violent Behavior Young People Essay Essay Relationship Between TV Violence And Violent Behavior Young People Essay Essay The Relationship Between Children s Exposure to Television Violence and Aggressive Behavior Long periods of Television exposure to force can make aggressive behaviour in kids. In many instances kids of different ages are exposed to Television plans that are nt suited for their age groups. Many of these plans contain high volume of force and kids are exposed to them for an inordinate sum of clip without parental supervising. This can be a factor in constructing a hostile behaviour in a kid. Not all Television scheduling is intended for all audiences. More kids are watching plans that are non intended for their ages. There is an surplus of force, sex, and grownup subjects in Television plans. Children are more open to these subjects with a chink of a distant control device. It is really easy for a kid to watch these types of plans because they are easy available at different hours of the twenty-four hours. A parent may believe that during the early hours of the twenty-four hours telecasting plans may be directed toward kids but this may non ever be the instance. Evaluations have been implemented in order for parents to maintain control of the telecasting plans their kids ticker. Plans are identified by evaluations issued by The National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable Television Association, and the Motion Picture Association of America. These evaluations are known as Television Parental Guidelines. These evaluations can place violent scheduling. They appear within the first 15 proceedingss of a Television plan except for intelligence, athleticss, and some overseas telegram channels. The Federal Communications Commission ( 2009 ) states The evaluations are as follows: TV-Y Directed for kids within the ages of two to six TV-Y7 Directed for kids of seven old ages of age and older TV-Y7-FV Directed for the same age group as the old evaluation but with the difference that it may incorporate fantasy force. TV-G Suitable for all ages but non needfully a kids s show. TV-PG Parental counsel is suggested and may non be suited for immature kids. TV-14 Suggests that the show may non be suited for kids under the age of 14. TV-MA Directed specifically for grownup screening and kids under the age of 17 are recommended non to see this plan. Plans like Sesame Street are rated TV-Y and are directed to an audience from the ages of two to six old ages of age. This plan in peculiar Teachs larning accomplishments to kids while it entertains in an appropriate mode. When parents let their kids watch plans with this evaluation, they can experience procure that their kids will non be exposed to any violent, sexual or big subjects. Children watch Television plans for a big period of clip. The Keiser Family Foundation ( 2006 ) stated More than four in 10 ( 43 % ) kids under 2 old ages old watch Television every twenty-four hours and about one in five ( 18 % ) ticker picture or DVDs every twenty-four hours. What this tells us is that most of these kids do nt incur in any outside activities and their chief beginning of amusement comes from telecasting and picture games. Children under the age of 2 ticker telecasting on a day-to-day footing. This is a really early start for kids to acquire accustomed to a telecasting set. The following table represents the sum of hours kids spend watching telecasting, playing picture games and utilizing computing machines. ( Amy B. Jordan, PhDa, James C. Hersey, PhDb, Judith A. McDivitt, PhDc A ; Carrie D. Heitzler, MPHc, 2006 ) . Children between the ages of nine and 10s are at the highest degree of telecasting observation, while kids between the ages of six to 7 old ages are at the lowest degree. This tabular array besides shows that while kids become older, they besides include playing picture games and utilizing computing machines in add-on to watching telecasting. The sum of hours spent in forepart of a screen increases with age. Video games and computing machines besides contain force. The American Academy of Pediatrics ( 2006 ) stated Pediatricians recommend to parents that they limit kids s entire media clip ( with amusement media ) to no more than one to two hours of quality programming per twenty-four hours and to take telecasting sets from kids s sleeping rooms. With this sum of limited Television force, kids will be less prone to being affected by the aggressiveness and ill will shown in these types of plans. Childs who are continuously exposed to TV force at an early age may make a hostile behaviour that will come on into their maturity. Aggressive behaviour in the early childhood old ages has been repeatedly linked to force in ulterior young person and adolescence. ( Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, A ; Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD, 2007 ) The manner to turn to this issue is chiefly with the interaction of the parents. A kid looks up to the parents for counsel and they are the primary beginning of mentoring. Parents need to be involved in the lives of their kids. It is of import that they provide love and fondness, along with communicating and counsel. They need to pass clip with their kids in activities that will advance good behaviour while making a bond. Alternate activities should be fomented to replace the usage of telecasting. Parents need to put the illustration in supplying healthier activities to portion with their kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics ( 2009 ) stated Parents are powerful function theoretical accounts. If you want your kid to read more, that is what you should make. If you would wish him to travel out-of-doorss for some physical activity, invite him to make so as portion of an gratifying household exercising plan. Parents should agitate other activities like athleticss, music, and literature. It is a good thought to advance activities that can be good physically and mentally. There are many types of plans that kids can bask while interacting with other kids of the same age. Parents on a limited budget can look for free activities sponsored by their community. They can subscribe their kids in a reading category at the library or a kids s athleticss squad at their local community centre. The chief focal point on this is to restrict the clip kids will pass watching force on telecasting versus take parting in other activities that are more good to them. Besides, the hours a kid spends watching telecasting and the type of plans they watch should be controlled by the parents. In fact, devices like a V-chip have been created to supervise and barricade the plans kids watch. This device allows parents to barricade programming they do nt desire their kids to watch. This is measured by the evaluation issued by The National Association of Broadcasters, the National Cable Television Association, and the Motion Picture Association of America. Programs with evaluations of MA will be blocked by this appliance. This is a really utile took because it permits parents to schedule in front of clip the plans their childs can watch and will supply them with a sense of alleviation that their kids ca nt watch inappropriate scheduling. The web site for the Federal Communications Commission ( 2009 ) has information sing this V-chip and explains how to utilize this device. The web site for them is http: //www.fcc.gov/ . It is highly of import for a parent to explicate to kids that the force they see on telecasting is non acceptable behaviour and should non be imitated. A parent can inform their kids that the bulk of the force they see on telecasting and the reaction to this force is seen by society as negative behaviour. Parents need to promote a sociable behaviour in their kids at an early age. While force is an issue that affects society, kids should be taught that this is non acceptable behaviour. However, if a kid has already developed an aggressive behaviour other steps should be put into action. Parents may desire to seek the services of a professional such as a school Counselor or a Psychologist, to assist cover with the ill will. In add-on, the engagement of all household members may be helpful in seeking to command this type of behaviour. It is a household issue when there is an aggressive kid in the house because this behaviour could finally impact everyone in that house. Finally, it is really of import to state that non all telecasting scheduling is unacceptable, or that it will impact the behaviour of a kid. Some plans are educational and will agitate acceptable behaviour in kids. Violent Television scheduling will agitate aggressive behaviour in kids and should be avoided. Children need amusement in their lives but parents need to replace telecasting with activities that can excite them physically and mentally. Exposure to telecasting should be reduced to a lower limit and parents need to be more involved in the lives of their kids. After these steps are taken, parents should see betterments on their kids s behaviour.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Successful Supply Chain

Successful Supply Chain The supply of an organization depends on the facilities for economical yet efficient production and distribution. The organization can keep production and distribution costs minimal by carefully selecting the raw materials and the suppliers. Managing the supplier offers velocity, flexibility and, quality at the lowest costs possible. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Successful Supply Chain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main reason of working around reasonable costs is to ensure satisfaction of the customer at all times, especially during the market fluctuations. The main aim of a supply chain is to offer innovative dimensions of remaining competitive in the market by introduction and delivery of dynamic and technologically high quality inventories into the market at sustainable costs and high swiftness. Management of cost also enables the organizations to build a vision or goal by recognizing the per formance break and thus narrowing the gap through utilization of available resources. Successful supply chain means that the consumer is not kept waiting after ordering and this is achievable via proper balancing of resources to meet the demands (Wang et al, 64). According to Wisner (478), the current economical crisis means that these are un-standardized times, which require critical but quick decisions regarding trade especially on money matters. Today there is need for careful management considering that technology is taking over transactions by storm and there is need to convert the physical elements of transactions to virtual ones to enhance trade at the lowest feasible costs. The costs need management because currently there is urgent need for firms to invest in hi-tech information and goods transfer due to low investments rates and poor international transactions. Economic crisis means low investment rates thus the need to invest the available resources smartly. Globalizatio n of the supply chains is becoming crucial because of the reduction on the procurement costs as well as decreases on the risks of international transactions such as purchasing behaviours. The technological impact is forcing businesses to consider outsourcing or venturing into countries that are more productive. For instance, India was a rare consideration to venture into some years back but today their advancement in technological matters makes most transactions easier, faster and cheaper over some of the U.S. and other western countries. Today globalization enables supply-chain firms to bid for the cheaper but best quality options through comparison. Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Competition requires better establishment, new ventures and proper marketing strategies thus the quests for globalization. Globalization means change for growth and that is t he aspiration for every firm (Ayers and Odegaard, 88). Lastly some of the market niche are only attainable globally for instance the vehicle manufacturing industries that require global supplies. Some of the repercussions for this trend involve higher overall costs in comparison to the traditional style of regional or remote supply chains. According to Coyle (7), the exchange rates, tariffs, and space are some of the extra costs incurred during the international transactions. The time factor due to regional differences may affects the transactions beside the climatic conditions. A lot of complexity is usually involved when there are many global suppliers, thus the needs to consider the number to involve. The lowest prices in the global markets may mean more costs if a firm lacks to consider other related factors such as time, quality and quantity. In relation to Lambert (91), companies use various methods for demand forecasting of supply chains, such as graphical, historical or sta tistical. Graphically there are many difficulties involved in modelling outputs, especially when the chains are many but on the other hand, it offers clear picture of the reality and chances for expansion through better analysis of hindrances and catalysts. The daily demand shifts call for complex representations. However, it is possible to model systematic and similar graphs even when they call for demanding efforts. The statistical forecasting are more accurate because of defined data types compared to historical, which mainly entail predictions based on past performances. Majority of the methods nevertheless utilizes supply situations that are a rough estimate as opposed to the current states of affairs, thus lack of exact prediction. Forecasting enables firms to learn the procedures of controlling some of the consumer’s systematic shifts such as weekly changes. The shifts are rather much more complicated when the company fails to carry out the observations. Forecasting enables the management to find the information regarding insufficient supplies, which would otherwise be hard to note thus better trading and accurate timely supplies.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Successful Supply Chain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Close coordination means that the chains are working as a unit, to alloy uniformity especially over performance and dynamism. The managers are able to avoid heterogeneity within the firm by synchronizing activities. The current technological change calls for intelligent systems and personnel who are able to handle the operations, research and system’s theories. In a strategy to minimize costs, they harmonize state times, sequences to avoid waiting costs, and retain customers through timely deliveries, especially for the global markets. Coordinated activities enhance the firm’s ability to deliver solutions of the complex problems through int egration of various aspects from different chain stores. According to Kurtz et al (405), globalization makes the supply chains more complex and, limited but better and more profit oriented. Modulating components enables the manager to design subsystems as modules, which assist in meeting a wide range of business requirements. The production, manufacturing and procurement of components are highly reduced, thus saving resources in material status for future requirements. The joint planning, process integration and coordination reduces the performance cost and offers chances for business expansion to other market niche. There is increase on returns on investments such as assets, improved customer services due to specialization and, reduction on the time required for delivery. Ayers, James B. Odegaard, Mary Ann. â€Å"Retail supply chain management: Series on resource management.† CRC Press, 2007 Coyle, John J., Langley, C. John Bardi, Edward J. â€Å"Supply chain management : a logistics perspective.† Cengage Learning publishers. 2009 Kurtz, David L. MacKenzie, H. F. Snow, Kim. â€Å"Contemporary Marketing.† Cengage Learning publishers. 2009Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lambert, Douglas M. â€Å"Supply chain management: processes, partnerships, performance† Supply Chain Management Inst. 2008 Wang, William Y. C, Heng, Michael, S. H. Chau, Patrick Y. K. â€Å"Supply chain management: issues in the new era of collaboration and competition.† Idea Group Inc (IGI) publishers. 2007 Wisner, Joel D., Tan, Keah-Choon., Leong, Keong. G. â€Å"Principles of Supply Chain Management.† Cengage Learning publishers. 2008

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Book Recommendations for Graduate School in Economics

Book Recommendations for Graduate School in Economics Q:Â  If I want to achieve a Ph.D. in economics what steps would you advise me to take and what books and courses would I need to study to gain the knowledge that is absolutely needed to be able to do and understand the research that is needed for a Ph.D. A:Â  Thank you for your question. Its a question that Im frequently asked, so its about time that I created a page that I could point people toward. Its really difficult to give you a general answer, because a lot of it depends on where youd like to get your Ph.D. from. Ph.D programs in economics vary widely in both quality and scope of what is taught. The approach taken by European schools tends to be different than that of Canadian and American schools. The advice in this article will mainly apply to those who are interested in entering a Ph.D. program in the United States or Canada, but much of the advice should also apply to European programs as well. There are four key subject areas that youll need to be very familiar with to succeed in a Ph.D. program in economics. 1. Microeconomics / Economic Theory Even if you plan to study a subject which is closer to Macroeconomics or Econometrics, it is important to have a good grounding in Microeconomic Theory. A lot of work in subjects such as Political Economy and Public Finance are rooted in micro foundations so youll help yourself immensely in these courses if youre already familiar with high level microeconomics. Most schools also require you to take at least two courses in microeconomics, and often these courses are the most difficult youll encounter as a graduate student. Microeconomics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum I would recommend reviewing the book Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach by Hal R. Varian. The newest edition is the sixth one, bu if you can find an older used edition costing less you may want to do that. Advanced Microeconomics Material that Would be Helpful to Know Hal Varian has a more advanced book called simply Microeconomic Analysis. Most economics students are familiar with both books and refer to this book as simply Varian and the Intermediate book as Baby Varian. A lot of the material in here is stuff you wouldnt be expected to know entering a program as its often taught for the first time in Masters and Ph.D. programs. The more you can learn before you enter the Ph.D. program, the better you will do. What Microeconomics Book Youll Use When You Get There From what I can tell, Microeconomic Theory by Mas-Colell, Whinston, and Green is standard in many Ph.D. programs. Its what I used when I took Ph.D. courses in Microeconomics at both Queens University at Kingston and the University of Rochester. Its an absolutely massive book, with hundreds and hundreds of practice questions. The book is quite difficult in parts so youll want to have a good background in microeconomic theory before you tackle this one. 2. Macroeconomics Giving advice on Macroeconomics books is a lot more difficult because Macroeconomics is taught so differently from school to school. Your best bet is to see what books are used in the school that you would like to attend. The books will be completely different depending on whether your school teaches more Keynesian style Macroeconomics or Freshwater Macro which is taught at places like The Five Good Guys which includes the University of Chicago, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, University of Rochester, and University of Pennsylvania. The advice Im going to give is for students who are going to a school that teaches more of a Chicago style approach. Macroeconomics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum I would recommend reviewing the book Advanced Macroeconomics by David Romer. Although it does have the word Advanced in the title, its more suited for high level undergraduate study. It does have some Keynesian material as well. If you understand the material in this book, you should do well as a graduate student in Macroeconomics. Advanced Macroeconomics Material that would be Helpful to Know Instead of learning more Macroeconomics, it would be more helpful to learn more on dynamic optimization. See my section on Math Economics books for more detail. What Macroeconomics Book Youll Use When You Get There When I took Ph.D courses in Macroeconomics a few years ago we didnt really use any textbooks, instead we discussed journal articles. This is the case in most courses at the Ph.D. level. I was fortunate enough to have macroeconomics courses taught by Per Krusell and Jeremy Greenwood and you could spend an entire course or two just studying their work. One book that is used quite often is Recursive Methods in Economic Dynamics by Nancy L. Stokey and Robert E. Lucas Jr. Although the book is almost 15 years old, its still quite useful for understanding the methodology behind many macroeconomics articles. Ive also found Numerical Methods in Economics by Kenneth L. Judd to be quite helpful when youre trying to obtain estimates from a model which does not have a closed-form solution. 3. Econometrics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum Theres quite a few good undergraduate texts on Econometrics out there. When I taught tutorials in undergraduate Econometrics last year, we used Essentials of Econometrics by Damodar N. Gujarati. Its as useful as any other undergraduate text Ive seen on Econometrics. You can usually pick up a good Econometrics text for very little money at a large second-hand book shop. A lot of undergraduate students cant seem to wait to discard their old econometrics materials. Advanced Econometrics Material that would be Helpful to Know Ive found two books rather useful: Econometrics Analysis by William H. Greene and A Course in Econometrics by Arthur S. Goldberger. As in the Microeconomics section, these books cover a lot of material which is introduced for the first time at the graduate level. The more you know going in, though, the better chance youll have of succeeding. What Econometrics Book Youll Use When You Get There Chances are youll encounter the king of all Econometrics books Estimation and Inference in Econometrics by Russell Davidson and James G. MacKinnon. This is a terrific text, because it explains why things work like they do, and does not treat the matter as a black box like many econometrics books do. The book is quite advanced, though the material can be picked up fairly quickly if you have a basic knowledge of geometry. 4. Mathematics Having a good understanding of mathematics is crucial to success in economics. Most undergraduate students, particularly those coming from North America, are often shocked by how mathematical graduate programs in economics are. The math goes beyond basic algebra and calculus, as it tends to be more proofs, such as Let (x_n) be a Cauchy sequence. Show that if (X_n) has a convergent subsequence then the sequence is itself convergent. Ive found that the most successful students in the first year of a Ph.D. program tend to be ones with mathematics backgrounds, not economics ones. That being said, theres no reason why someone with an economics background can not succeed. Mathematical Economics Material You Must Know as a Bare Minimum Youll certainly want to read a good undergraduate Mathematics for Economists type book. The best one that Ive seen happens to be called Mathematics for Economists written by Carl P. Simon and Lawrence Blume. It has a quite diverse set of topics, all of which are useful tools for economic analysis. If youre rusty on basic calculus, make sure you pick up a 1st year undergraduate calculus book. There are hundreds and hundreds of different ones available, so Id suggest looking for one in a second hand shop. You may also want to review a good higher level calculus book such as Multivariable Calculus by James Stewart. You should have at least a basic knowledge of differential equations, but you do not have to be an expert in them by any means. Reviewing the first few chapters of a book such as Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems by William E. Boyce and Richard C. DiPrima would be quite useful. You do not need to have any knowledge of partial differential equations before entering graduate school, as they are generally only used in very specialized models. If youre uncomfortable with proofs, you may want to pick up The Art and Craft of Problem Solving by Paul Zeitz. The material in the book has almost nothing to do with economics, but it will help you greatly when working on proofs. As an added bonus a lot of the problems in the book are surprisingly fun. The more knowledge you have of pure mathematics subjects such as Real Analysis and Topology, the better. I would recommend working on as much of Introduction to Analysis by Maxwell Rosenlicht as you possibly can. The book costs less than $10 US but it is worth its weight in gold. There are other analysis books that are slightly better, but you cannot beat the price. You may also want to look at the Schaums Outlines - Topology and Schaums Outlines - Real Analysis. Theyre also quite inexpensive and have hundreds of useful problems. Complex analysis, while quite an interesting subject, will be of little use to a graduate student in economics, so you need not worry about it. Advanced Mathematical Economics that would be Helpful to Know The more real analysis you know, the better you will do. You may want to see one of the more canonical texts such as The Elements of Real Analysis by Robert G. Bartle. You may also want to look at the book I recommend in the next paragraph. What Advanced Mathematical Economics Book Youll Use When You Get There At the University of Rochester we used a book called A First Course in Optimization Theory by Rangarajan K. Sundaram, though I dont know how widely this is used. If you have a good understanding of real analysis, you will have no trouble with this book, and youll do quite well in the obligatory Mathematical Economics course they have in most Ph.D. programs. You do not need to study up on more esoteric topics such as Game Theory or International Trade before you enter a Ph.D. program, although it never hurts to do so. You are not usually required to have a background in those subject areas when you take a Ph.D. course in them. I will recommend a couple of books I greatly enjoy, as they may convince you to study these subjects. If youre at all interested in Public Choice Theory or Virginia style Political Economy, first you should read my article The Logic of Collective Action. After doing so, you may want to read the book Public Choice II by Dennis C. Mueller. It is very academic in nature, but it is probably the book that has influenced me most as an economist. If the movie A Beautiful Mind didnt make you frightened of the work of John Nash you may be interested in A Course in Game Theory by Martin Osborne and Ariel Rubinstein. It is an absolutely fabulous resource and, unlike most books in economics, its well written. If I havent scared you off completely from studying economics, theres one last thing youll want to look into. Most schools require you to take one or two tests as part of your application requirements. Heres a few resources on those tests: Get familiar with the GRE General and GRE Economics Tests The Graduate Record Examination or GRE General test is one of the application requirements at most North American schools. The GRE General test covers three areas: Verbal, Analytical, and Math. Ive created a page called Test aids for the GRE and GRE Economics that has quite a few useful links on the GRE General Test. The Graduate School Guide also has some useful links on the GRE. I would suggest buying one of the books on taking the GRE. I cant really recommend any one of them as they all seem equally good. It is absolutely vital that you score at least 750 (out of 800) on the math section of the GRE in order to get into a quality Ph.D. program. The analytical section is important as well, but the verbal not as much. A great GRE score will also help you get into schools if you have only a modest academic record. There are a lot fewer online resources for the GRE Economics test. There are a couple of books that have practice questions that you may want to look at. I thought the book The Best Test Preparation for the GRE Economics was quite useful, but its gotten absolutely horrid reviews. You may want to see if you can borrow it before committing to buying it. There is also a book called Practicing to Take the GRE Economics Test but Ive never used it so Im not sure how good it is. It is important to study for the test, as it may cover some material that you did not study as an undergraduate. The test is very heavily Keynesian, so if you did your undergraduate work at a school heavily influenced by the University of Chicago such as the University of Western Ontario, there will be quite a bit of new macroeconomics youll need to learn. Conclusion Economics can be a great field in which to do your Ph.D., but you need to be properly prepared before you enter into a graduate program. I havent even discussed all the great books available in subjects such as Public Finance and Industrial Organization.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Small business enterprise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Small business enterprise - Assignment Example In addition, most small business administration do set the capacity of the company depending on the structures of the enterprise. It includes the number of the employees and the level of revenue generated by the industry (Broom and Longenecker, 2011). However, the company can be small, medium or large business depending on the description that that the ministry in charge in any given country will provide. For example, in the United States, the small business plan is a firm whose gross average for the previous three years is not more than the current total average. In addition, the rating of the company also bases on the value of assets, annual sales as well as the net profit. The medium sized business enterprise includes; Tata Motors and the Texas Accountants firm. The two companies have varying profiles that guide the operations of the companies. In addition, the company profile always acts as a guide to the customers of that particular enterprise (Sen, 2008). Company profile is also a requirement that that the business plans ought to have in order to acquire permission to run the company. It is a small automobile company in India that has consolidated revenues of $ 2,000,000 in 2012-2013. The company is making efforts to increase its yearly income and the number of employees. The Tata motor group has 20,000 employees who are operating under a vision and the mission of the company (Keith and Gubellini, 2014). Tata Motors was put up in 1970; the company management has been trying to increase its annual revenue as well the number of employs it employs. In addition, the company will be in a position to boost its current status to medium business enterprise. The company is also opening various branches to increase its sales volume (Andersson, Miles and Ward, 1996). In addition, the company is also making efforts over different brands in the market in

Friday, October 18, 2019

International Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The investment fund is in a continuous recruitment process, especially in Africa. 1.3 Industry Sector the industry served by the company is financial services. The investment fund is involved in financing and advising of the smaller and less privileged business in the rural parts of Latin America and Africa (Root Capital, 2013c). The objective of the investment fund in to increase rural prosperity and decrease environmental vulnerability within small and medium businesses (Root Capital, 2013b). Offerings The company is involved in increasing its environmental and social impact with the help of three step strategy. These include financing, advising and catalyzing Financing- this involves providing leans to the small and medium business in rural and poor sections of various countries. Presently Root Capital operated in Africa and Latin America. The company is involved in both long term and short term financing of loans. Through lending, a support system is provided to the rural ecosyst em. Advising- the investment fund is involved in providing financial training to prospective clients as well as current clients. The objective of providing management training in finance is to make these clients capable of establishing and maintaining business. The service products in financial advisory include information seminars, diagnostic workshops, and financial training and preparation services for loan application Catalyze- root capital aims to create a financial market in which the underprivileged and vulnerable classes of business are provided with full potential and expertise so they are able to thrive in this competitive market and make a mark for themselves. The catalyze strategy for Root Capital is to innovate and accelerate. 1.4 Main market (Domestic/ International) Root capital is majorly involved in international market. Majority of its operational revenue come from Latin America and Africa. The target clients of Root Capital are small and medium businesses in rural areas. During the early days, majority of the clients were from agricultural background. Later on, the company started providing loans to coffee products and small trading companies. 1.5 B2B/B2C Root Capital falls in business to business category where small and medium businesses from rural parts of Latin America and Africa are its customers. Demographic Profile of the entrepreneur REF DESCRIPTION RESPONSE 2.1 Age, Gender, education, marital status etc. William Fulbright Foote popularly known as Willy Foote is the founder and current Chief Executive Officer of Root Capital. Willy is 43 years old and married to Virginia Foote. His present home address is Greater Boston. Willy completed his bachelors from Yale University in the year 1990. He then went on to pursue his masters in development economics from the London School of Economics 2.2 Prior Work Experience He stated his carrier working with Latin American Corporate Finance (LACF) as a financial analyst. After leaving Wall Street , Willy started working as a business journalist in Mexico. This was the time when he was confronted with the challenges of the small and medium businesses of the rural areas and the disadvantages they were facing. 2.3 Personal interest, special training Willy Foote completed his specialist training at the Aspen Institute in the year 2012. He attended the Henry Crown Fellowship Class. Apart from work, he likes to spend his time with family.

Describing one of the framers of the Constitution Essay

Describing one of the framers of the Constitution - Essay Example George Washington belonged to Virginia and was a soldier in the very beginning. He played an active role in the revolutionary war of America when he served as the Commander in Chief. He was of the belief that his people wanted a separate state which would not have any interference from the British authorities. He realized this when he left army and started farming in the mid 60s. After he came back he had the vision of a new state created for his people and he played a great role in pushing out the British soldiers from the territory of United States. He led a great campaign for the revival of important cities such as Newyork with the help of the army he had organized. It is believed that Washington had to suffer losses at many battlers after finally getting victorious because of the help received from the forces of France. It was in 1783 that the United States of America got independence because of the achievement of George Washington in the American Revolution. It was because of th e important role of George Washington that America was able to receive independence. Recognizing the sacrifices and struggle of George Washington he was also pronounced the first President of America in 1792 by the Congress. It was because of his prestige that all the states of the United States of America followed the new Constitution without any opposition. The struggle of Washington is still remembered and praised all over the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Aspects of sustainable transport mode. ( buses in scotland ) Thesis Proposal

Aspects of sustainable transport mode. ( buses in scotland ) - Thesis Proposal Example In this context, the study’s aims and objectives can be described as follows: a) What is the evidence that more use of the bus is more sustainable? B) What load factors are needed for bus to have less CO2 per passenger kilometre than the car, so buses generally achieve these? c) Which cities have made most (and least) progress in making the bus network an alternative to car use? Why? d) Does better bus provision get drivers out of cars or does bus attract people who would otherwise be car passengers? e) What are the changes to bus provision that make bus attractive enough to attract a proportion of car drivers – speed, comfort, personal security and so on, f) Are the existing schemes – in regard to the improvement of the bus network (Scotland) in terms of sustainability – satisfactory? It should be noted that the study focuses on the examination of the aspects of buses as sustainable means of transport especially in Scotland; the study’s mains and o bjectives will be addressed using the relevant literature as well as figures released by governmental and non-governmental organizations in Scotland; material will be also retrieved through relevant authorities worldwide – in order to make a comparative analysis of the measures developed in Scotland towards the increase of sustainability of buses. The views of passengers and people working in the bus network in Scotland will be also employed in order to explore all aspects of the study’s aims and objectives – as described above. Bus is an essential means of transport in Scotland; because of its importance for the local social and financial needs but also for the environment, the Scottish government has developed a framework of rules regulating the bus operation and use across the country. An indicative example is the bus network scheme developed by the city of

The Evolution of Automobiles from fossile fuels to hybrid and electric Research Paper

The Evolution of Automobiles from fossile fuels to hybrid and electric - Research Paper Example (Bruno 499-534) However, the car that many researchers agree began the move from using horse and buggies can be attributed to Karl Friedrich Benz, who invented the first true automobile with his innovative gasoline powered internal combustion engine between 1885 and 1886. His German patent for this three wheeled, four-cycle automobile was, DRP no. 37435. (Bruno 499-534) Between 1885 and 1903, there were several successful designs marketed in the United States, one of these was first Oldsmobile, the Curved Dash produced between 1900 and 1904. (GM) Henry Ford is among the most well-known of the automobile innovators with his launching of the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and subsequent use of the process including standardized parts and mass production of the Model T. From this point on automobiles became more efficient and widely used. The modern fossil fuel powered car is more fuel-efficient in many areas then many of the older cars that were produced; however, this is not by much. â₠¬Å"According to Ford, the Model T – which began mass-production in 1913 – averaged a fairly healthy 25 miles to the gallon. Nonetheless, by 1923, the year the study begins, the average fuel efficiency of the entire US fleet was 14 mpg.† (Mulcahy 1) According to the article, fuel efficiency has only improved an average of three miles per gallon. This means that unless we switch over to electric or hybrid vehicles we could see serious problems with the planets ecosystem. â€Å"Many of the environmental problems our country faces today result from our fossil fuel dependence. These impacts include global warming, air quality deterioration, oil spills, and acid rain.† (Clean Energy 2) Even though electric cars were used from almost the beginning, they have not been in widespread use until recently. With an increasing awareness of the world around us has come the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels. New technology using hydrogen fuel cells allow a much better , cleaner approach to the question regarding our environment around us. Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be used to power nearly every end-use energy needed. (Hydrogen Fuel Cells) In 2007, General Motors (GM) unveiled a hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered version of its Chevrolet Volt concept, a family of electric cars that get a portion of their energy from being plugged into the electrical grid. (Bullis) Currently in the United States, there are several various hybrids and electric vehicles available for purchase, some of these are very small and some are transport trucks. Because too much use of fossil fuels can be bad for the environment the change to hybrid fuels and electric vehicles will be a good thing for the world. Beginning in 2009 several new cars became available. â€Å"Though a few electric cars and plug-in hybrids are currently available on the market, several new models including the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, and Mitsubishi i MiEV are scheduled to hit the s treets in the near future. Toyota, creator of the popular Prius hybrid, has thus far declined to deliver a fully electric car.† (Timeline: History of the Car) We should see improvements in hybrid and electric cars over the next several decades and will likely see greater use until the fossil fuel cars are eventually no longer used. Works

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Aspects of sustainable transport mode. ( buses in scotland ) Thesis Proposal

Aspects of sustainable transport mode. ( buses in scotland ) - Thesis Proposal Example In this context, the study’s aims and objectives can be described as follows: a) What is the evidence that more use of the bus is more sustainable? B) What load factors are needed for bus to have less CO2 per passenger kilometre than the car, so buses generally achieve these? c) Which cities have made most (and least) progress in making the bus network an alternative to car use? Why? d) Does better bus provision get drivers out of cars or does bus attract people who would otherwise be car passengers? e) What are the changes to bus provision that make bus attractive enough to attract a proportion of car drivers – speed, comfort, personal security and so on, f) Are the existing schemes – in regard to the improvement of the bus network (Scotland) in terms of sustainability – satisfactory? It should be noted that the study focuses on the examination of the aspects of buses as sustainable means of transport especially in Scotland; the study’s mains and o bjectives will be addressed using the relevant literature as well as figures released by governmental and non-governmental organizations in Scotland; material will be also retrieved through relevant authorities worldwide – in order to make a comparative analysis of the measures developed in Scotland towards the increase of sustainability of buses. The views of passengers and people working in the bus network in Scotland will be also employed in order to explore all aspects of the study’s aims and objectives – as described above. Bus is an essential means of transport in Scotland; because of its importance for the local social and financial needs but also for the environment, the Scottish government has developed a framework of rules regulating the bus operation and use across the country. An indicative example is the bus network scheme developed by the city of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Definition of family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Definition of family - Essay Example It is sad that many have taken these aspects for granted and neglected their family members or lose family attachment. This paper aims at explaining the concept of family while shedding light on my experience. Nuclear Family The above photo depicts clearly what a family unit is comprised of the father, mother and their children. Essentially there are two types of families; nuclear and extended families where the former is comprised of just the parents and their children while the latter is comprised of the former together with grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws (Corbett 2004). An extended family is clearly depicted by the following two pictures where grandparents and their children take a photo shoot together. Extended Family (Grandparents, their children and grandchildren) Extended Family (Grandparents, their children, their children’s spouses and grandchildren) It is the duty of family members to offer assistance to those who depend on them. There should be mutual respect for all members such that one cannot intentionally do anything that can hurt another family member. People in doing this should also appreciate that there are many people in the world today who do not have anyone to count on in good and bad times. I have had numerous occasions where I needed a shoulder to cry on and as much as I have friends by my side, family consolation works best. In other occasions like my graduation and birthdays, I always feel whole when my family members are there to celebrate with me. There is this connection that goes beyond love that I have with my brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents and other people of the extended family. I am personally always ready to protect this bond no matter what the circumstances as difficult times also dawn on us that threaten to weaken it. Communication from my experience is quite crucial in maintaining strong family ties. Families for centuries have engaged in reunions and my fam ily is not an exception. In these reunions that happen once a year in my grandparents’ home or one of our uncles’, we tend to strengthen the bond we have. We usually engage in many fun activities like games and all that for the sake of all to interact and share previous year’s experiences. This form of interaction has also ensured that people keep in touch throughout the year and those who are able to visit one another, they can do so. I am mostly fascinated by the sharing of personal experiences for the past year i.e. since the last reunion. This is done in the evening under the moonlight in the backyard with everyone present while uncles prepare barbecues. At this time we mostly share funny moments where we laugh almost all night long. This happens on Saturday night and the following morning all depart to wait for another fascinating time together as one big happy family. There are certain fundamentals that are followed in all the family units within the exten ded family so as to ensure harmony of the bigger family. One is the appreciation by all children that their parents are the core in their families (Corbett 2004). They should be accorded maximum respect and admiration by all the children regardless of their status, financial or otherwise. They are the people who the children

Critically analyse and evaluate current developments Essay Example for Free

Critically analyse and evaluate current developments Essay In the 1980s and 1990s the cruise industry saw the emergence of a new market, which was younger people with considerable income but no families. The term DINKYs was given to these couples which meant Double Income No Kids Yet These couples were excellent to target as they had plenty of disposable income and they do not have any children to worry about, being able to go on holiday, when they like and where they like, spending their quality time together and not having to worry about the price. In 1990s 15% of the passengers who cruised with PO and Princess Cruises were from the UK and researches showed that there is still an active UK market. In 1998, the UK cruise market was expanding dramatically. Companies which had operated in the traditional holiday market were adding cruising to their portfolio and greatly increased their supply of cruise holidays for the UK market. Although cruising is loved by many travellers, there is still a staggering 98% of the population who have not taken a cruise, reasons identified by Dickinson and Vladimir (1997) cited in Cartwright and Baird (1999) revealed five main reasons why people do not cruise which consist it being too expensive, the exclusivity, family commitments, claustrophobia and sea sickness. Disabled consumers The disabled consumer group have become more interested in the cruising industry, many cruise liners did not offer ships which catered to disabled people. Now with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, where all places who offer service have to make reasonable adjustments the cruise liners had no choice but to build disability-friendly rooms for their travelling disabled passengers. Not saying that they did not have these rooms before, but some cruise liners did not offer this service for the disabled consumer group, and it was against the law. There should be no problems for disabled people finding a cruise liner suitable for them as all cruise liners now offer fully disabled facilities within the ships to cater to the disabled consumer group. Family Cruising In the 1990s a major development which was companies targeting families with children was put in place, by providing facilities not only for the adults but also for the children to enjoy, now in 2005, almost every cruise line offers family cruises. If a cruise liner does not offer a family cruise they are missing out on making lots of money. Although there are still some cruises which specifically do not allow children, reason being because these cruises are for the older / retired people who do not wish for screaming, noisy, crying children and babies when they are trying to relax. Being a kid is all about having fun. Coincidentally, so is vacation. But kids and parents rarely agree on what is fun. To parents, fancy dinners, late night shows and reading by the pool are fun. Kids have more fun playing games, doing scavenger hunts, and going down waterslides. The good news is that all of these activities occur on a cruise, making a cruise the vacation of choice for todays families. Under the supervision of the youth staff, kids can play video games, eat pizza and play in a ball pit, while parents relax and have a fabulous five course meal. It is a parents and kids dream come true! (familycruise. com [online] 2005) The quote above was taken from www. familycruise. com an internet site which specifically caters for family cruises. Helping families to plan holidays which will keep both parents and kids happy on their holiday. Parents love to go on cruises so they have to be able to find a ship which caters for the family, letting the children have a good time on the cruise and also for the parents to relax and not have to worry about looking after their kids and think about what they are doing and are able to do on-board. The cruise industry has continued to grow rapidly since the introduction of family cruises. This might be due to parents now being able to have their dream holiday, a cruise, and not have to worry about their children as they can go too and have fully trained sitters to look after their kids and keep them occupied all day long. Price Cheap prices are what the lower-end consumers are looking for. A good price with an average cruise holiday, they cannot expect more than that as they are not paying a high price for a luxury cruising holiday. Although the cruise industry is very expensive, there are still many consumers who like to go on cruises. This could be due to status, as only the wealthier people can afford to go on these high-class cruises. In 1999, it was possible to obtain a seven day cruise from the UK for i 399 per person, which then was cheap compared to the top end cruises which were around i 2000 per person. Now in 2005, cruises prices start from i 599+ per person. This is rather expensive as the average family spends around that price for a holiday a year, not per person. Cheaper cruising prices should be being introduced and this would be an excellent idea as many lower-end consumers want to experience a good cruise but unfortunately do not have the funds. If cruise liners offered cheaper cruises with good experiences not only the wealthy passengers can go but so can the lower-end customers. Incentives Cruises in America often have many deals which include, prices starting from $399, book before Jan and receive an extra nights stay, children under 16 cruise for free and many more. This is a good way to make more sales and allow people to pick their company to another one. As there are many incentives available which is what the consumers are looking for as they are paying a high price for their cruising holidays. Receive our special Early-Booking discount and free hotel stay. (cruise. gr [online] 2005) The quote above is very popular within the cruise industry, this is the type of incentive the consumer wants to see to help motivate them to purchasing the holiday. Consumers today are very greedy and like value for money, if they are buying on the internet they will always look for sites which offer them incentives towards their holidays, or when buying in travel agent they will try to get some freebies towards their holidays.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

On Identity, Amin Maalouf

On Identity, Amin Maalouf To Be and Not To Be. In this book, Amin Maalouf, discusses one of the most vital notions of the self; identity, in an analysis of historical and contemporary contexts aiming to reveal the misconceptions and abuses of this mode of recognition. Whether national, religious, ethnical or other, identity has been the prominent element and more than often the instigator of serious upheavals in the world. He examines how we have come to define ourselves and how certain modes of identification can be dangerous. Every time identity is determined on the basis of a single form of affiliation, danger arises, since this often leads to fanaticism, whose various shades appeared throughout history and continues to exist in time. He attributes this to an ill understanding of identity and an unnecessary paranoid attempt of its preservation. The two main themes of this work, religion and globalization, are corollary treated. The author provides a clarification of how these two affect and form one another. He addresses the matter of religion, by trying to deduce how it came to emerge as the focal proponent of identity in present times via a chain of questions, attempting to understand its significant universal reemergence. He proposes some answers, attributing this phenomenon to the descent of Communism and Marxism, for instance, and how this is a reaction to their emphasis on secularism. The author opposes the primacy of any kind of religious affiliation and calls upon a new element of association. He advocates the separation of church and identity, and affirms that this type of identifying affiliation ought to be replaced with a more humanistic one. He does not take a stance against religion per se, for he personally, as he explains, does not oppose religious affiliations and recognizes the perpetual significance of their nature. But as mentioned earlier he condemns the distraught tendency of shrinking identity down to one form of association. This regression of identity generates what he calls killer identities. I believe there exists another, similar form of regression, which he did not mention, one which I would call guilt identities .This is common among members of historically or currently exploited groups, who have developed a tendency to abuse such associations. Some Palestinians still do apply and obtain scholarships that were only assigned to their nationals at various higher educational institutions, for instance, when in fact they can afford to pay for the whole student body. Another example of this would be the Jews redundant reference to the Holocaust. This abuse and manipulation of history, I find to be highly despicable and disrespectful, for the only Jews that have all the right to refer to it I think are the ones who survived it. Similarly some African Americans use slavery or racism to justify their personal failure, which is absurd for while racial discrimination can definitely be the case in some instances, major inequalities that exist and persist are because of class and lack of opportunity. Then the author turns to the issue of globalization, describing the power of its disseminating nature. In this discussion, he explains that the reason for the reemergence of religion lies in its power to gratify two of the most basic human yearnings, the need of belonging and that of spirituality. At the same time, he argues that because of this religion is being ascribed as the antidote to globalization. The author presents a very sound analysis of religions ascent. However, his condemnation of the primacy of its affiliations appears simply irrational, for religion, like everything else, has its extremities, varying from fanaticism to apathy. It is these that tarnish its name, and it is these that should be condemned. Although I do acknowledge Maaloufs position and his attempt to reach a much more profound and comprehensive link of association, such as humanity, I still do find it rather idealistic, almost utopian. For even though it is the only common trait across the globe, humanity has seldom succeeded in uniting nations history is a vigilant witness of that. In spite of its significance, people have never treated humanity with high regards. I cannot conceive of a reason that would inspire them to acknowledge it now. I do agree that this human notion Maalouf proposes would be an ultimate global bliss, yet I do not think that the world is ready for it, given the state of chaos it is in now due to political systems, materialistic notions or simply apathy. This is precisely why I think that religion, when taken for what it really is, as opposed to a set of dogmatic customized interpretations, would serve as an absolute unifier, which ever religion it might well be I am no fanatic myself to state that my faith is the true one. We do not have to all ascribe to the same one (while that would be ideal, I am seeking to be reasonable). I know what faith is able to do to ones perception of life, and I do not think seeing the world through ones religion of choice turns a person into an extremist. Religion, when taken for what it really is, is the b elief in being a part or pertaining to something bigger than ones self, a system of tolerance and preservation of the most basic rights and dignity. It can only gratify the human in you and not the opposite. We are all in need of that kind of touch to our souls, otherwise our lives would be like frameless pictures, dull and fragile. In addressing the tangible battle between identity and globalization, the book demonstrates how this clash has constantly been disregarded as a normal reaction to change and hence not in fact been taken seriously. It advocates that we as individuals ought to take this with real concern, since we are to the most part, subconsciously engaged in it. Knowing who we are and where we stand is something we have come to take as evident, a conception that is shaken often times when an incident occurs, significantly altering things and putting us on sides we did not know existed. It is this very specific state of consciousness that this essay is aiming to stir. The author explains that ones heritage can be divided into two types, vertical and horizontal, and affirms that our horizontal heritages have more affect on us than we realize. That is to say, when considered objectively, one actually has more commonalities with his contemporaries than with his ancestors. This point is worth contemplati ng deeply, I believe, since we do, by convention or denial, tend to primarily, if not exclusively, identify ourselves by our vertical heritages. This notion of heritage incorporates the true essence of identity for people tend to often times presume that identity is something fixed that you get at birth and anything past that would be treated as treason. In fact, it is the actual opposite of that: identity is a constant state of evolution. The vertical heritage is what is bestowed upon us at birth and then everything else one encounters in his life will build up ones horizontal heritage. These levels should be recognized and understood so one could have a solid and healthy perception of himself for as Maalouf stated; it is necessary at this point in time to draw attention to the gulf that exists between what we are and what we think we are (Maalouf p.86) In their judgment of globalization, people should not forget that like any other medium, it is inherently neutral and holds the potentiality of both good and bad in it. Any medium is in a state of neutrality until used, and hence any condemnations of globalization would not only be groundless but ridiculous as well. The author attempts to demonstrate the potential good that globalization can bring; he believes that such a phenomenon can help create a universal identity. He explains this by asserting that the only primary feature of identity that should be grasped is humanity and that this is the only type of affiliation that would never shrivel the concept since it is what we all have in common, regardless of our differences. Hence, I believe, the paranoid notion that by accepting this undeniable bond, people will risk becoming less of the individuals that they are is absurd. This specific type of union is not exclusive in nature and therefore cannot possibly cause any sort of loss. This globaphobia, I believe, stems from basic human insecurities, for fear of the unknown instigates fear of the other, and fear of a universal identity is in reality a cling to existence. People will always try to distinguish themselves in order to prove their presence. When a group of different people meet, they usually identify themselves by nationalities , and when a group of the same nationalities meet, identification becomes on a regional basis and when those of the same region meet, it boils down to areas and neighborhoods. These sub-levels of identity go even deeper, since every individual is unique and will continue to defend that singularity whenever a presumed threat is perceived. Hence, although the human universal identity that Maalouf is advocating might seem to be too unrealistic a demand from the world at present, it seems to be the more objective approach to any chance of peace, for nothing is more certain and real than humanity in its true form. Everything else is in the realm of terms and actions where intentions and motives rule, giving the international arena a complex and slippery base. Humanity, on the other hand, is the only part of us that is irrefutable for one cannot merely pretend to be a human being! (One could argue that history has produced examples of certain exceptions to that, such as seemingly inhumane tyrants practicing brutal depravity on the human race, but these are of no significance to my argument). This human connection, that Maalouf advocates, I believe is indeed the deepest of connections, whose depth emanates from the fact that it shatters all trivial ties and is subtly effortless. It is an ability we all possess inherently by virtue of birth. And I believe that the reality of this was so adequately presented in this book. On Identity has undeniably enhanced my understanding of what identity really is, and has acquainted me with a couple of new theories as well, all while bringing into my consideration certain elements that I so plainly regarded as evident, I would definitely recommend it ,it was a pleasure to read.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Dress Codes in Schools Essay -- essays research papers

The dress code, an essential tool for preventing people from offending others both intentionally and unintentionally. School, a place of education. Education of necessary subjects for becoming a good citizen. Not education of outfits that show more than they hide. No matter what people say, school is NOT a fashion show. Freedom of Expression, a true right that’s true meaning is being demolished. The school must have control over the dress code and enforce it. If the school couldn’t control what people wear, just think what there control over the people would be! I intend to tell you why I believe this in more detail. Beer slogans and other offensive and truly inappropriate clothing must not be worn to school. It is argued that people see it enough on TV, in magazines etc, but think about...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Shaping the 21st Century Government Revolution

Bill Clinton says that the government must shape a 21st century revolution. He carried on in his last state of the union address making all kinds of proposals ranging from healthcare, fighting crime and education to name a few. He says they must focus on the middle class, proposing a 350 billion dollar tax cut. But exactly how does he propose this shaping take place, and how will it effect our economy? I would like to focus on what he proposed for education. He says the government spends $15 billion a year in our schools. He proposes schools that show progress get rewarded for it. The way to do that is to bring in the best trained teachers, and by having more after school programs to help kids in problem areas. Also he says they need to make schools more up to date, by connecting all classrooms to the Internet. In 1994 only 3% of the classrooms had access now 90% of schools have at least one internet connection. Clinton wants to make the American dream affordable for everyone. By making pell grants larger, having more affordable student loans, hope scholarships, and education IRA's. It would make it more possible for people to go to college and get the education needed to get a good job and further themselves. Clinton says high school graduates that go on to college is up 10% from 1993. He proposed a $30 billion college opportunity tax cut. which means a tax deduction for up to $10,000 in college tuition costs. That would mean more people would be able to afford to go on to collegeNow all these things sound great right? But will it all be possible, and how will all these things affect our economy as we know it? Will it have a huge impact, and if so will it be good or bad? I do not think following though on these proposals will have a bad effect on the economy. If anything I think it will just strengthen the economy. If more people got a better education and were able to afford to go to college to make themselves even better. They would be more likely to find a better job or start a business of their own. If all those things took place then communities would grow stronger and cities would have more businesses which would make more and more jobs. And that would help to bring the poverty level down. There would be less people on welfare and it would probably cut the crime rate also. Now another issue that clinton brought up was health care. He had all kinds of ideas on how to spend money on healthcare but is it really worth it? In 1997 the children's health insurance program was passed. So far there are approximately 2 million children enrolled the goal there is 5 million. Also there are over 40 million Americans that don't have any insurance at all. A large portion of those are people between the ages of 55 and 65. Clinton says Medicare needs to be strengthened and modernized. In his budget he dedicates $400 billion to Medicare that will keep it solvent past 2025. Is all this government spending necessary? I don't think it is. They should make it a requirement for companies to have medical insurance for their employees. Then that would save them a lot of money that can go on other things. One more thing I would like to touch on is a proposal Clinton made on childcare. He says parents spend a quarter of their earnings on childcare. He says that the childcare tax credit should be up to $2,400 for people that make under $30,000 a year. He says that last year alone the government provided childcare for 2 million children. Now I am glad he says all these things about childcare but the simple fact is this, there are so many people that can't work because they can't afford childcare. And the only way they can get help to pay for it is if they are on welfare. Now to me that doesn't sound like the government is trying to help the average American move up or better themselves in that aspect that they try to help the people that really need it. Now taking that and putting it all together, it would make our country all together stronger if the government put money where it really needs to go instead of putting it in their own pockets. Which in all reality in the stretch of things we all know that's where it will end up.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Beebo Brinker

The society in which the Beebo Brinker series found its home during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s was an inhospitable one. While homosexuality was nothing new in the world at large, it had almost completely been repressed, especially in a Western cultured world that was not only steeped in Christian tradition, but also notably patriarchal.A masculine woman was called a tomboy, and she was expected to curb her tomboyish attitudes in time for marriage and child-rearing. Societal expectations consigned her to petticoats, which in the sixties had been downgraded to dresses and stockings.However, the desires of the woman to dress as comfortably as a man and perform the roles that were traditionally given to men were repressed during that time. While the desires of the woman to have more freedom were repressed, any homosexual tendency was crushed violently. While the violence of lesbian repression might not have been overtly performed, all the women (lesbian or not) were a ware of the intense pressure put on anyone who held those feelings or performed those actions.Ann Bannon describes her own wretched experience during that time and the suicidal feelings that necessarily accompanied the tendency toward lesbianism in the 1960’s. She writes that while being in a gay bar in the evenings, she would have extreme fair of it being raided and of herself being taken to jail. She continues: â€Å"I had been extremely low profile, very proper, very Victorian wife†¦ I thought, ‘Well, that would do it. I’d have to go jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. ’ As easy as it might be if you were a young woman in today’s generation to think that was exaggerating, it wasn’t.It was terrifying† (Lootens, 1983, p. 12). The fear that society inspired in the lives of lesbians drove them to underground haunts and secret lifestyles that marginalized their existence in American society. This marginalization drove lesbians to the citi es where people were much less concerned with the business of others as compared with small towns. In the Beebo Brinker chronicles, the big city referenced is Greenwich Village, and the life that Beebo leads after she finds the courage to â€Å"come out† to her gay roommate is possible only in that city.She uses the facilities that the relative anonymity of the city grants to lesbians—gay and lesbian bars and apartment life, and this facilitates the unleashing of her hidden desire for other women. The promiscuity that is possible even to heterosexuals under the blanket of city life is also granted to Beebo, and she becomes a butch character playing the role of the male in many short lesbian affairs. This butch/femme role is highlighted in the novels written by Ann Bannon, and Beebo falls staunchly into the butch role.She is described as being one who sits at the bar and lights up a cigarette, holding out the match to another woman expecting her to blow it out. This ove rpoweringly masculine role goes beyond the level of mere self-discovery into an assuredly male persona. Beebo (and others like her) are shown to have performed the search that many lesbian women must do, and have found and realized her deepest desire to act in that domineering manner toward women. In fact, this emphasizes the desire that these women have to for the feminine body—not to be feminine but to command the sexual love of the feminine woman.This concept of the butch/femme role is, however, a stereotypical one, as many homosexual women find elements of both types within their characters and personalities. This fact highlights the stereotypes that have been propagated concerning lesbianism. Beebo Brinker does serve to facilitate some stereotypes that were cast concerning lesbians. The butch/femme stereotype is one of the major ones upheld in the series. The re-release of the books highlights this stereotype, as Beebo is portrayed as a beautiful yet muscular and dominee ring woman even on the cover.The cartoon-like nature of the picture (which enables the caricature) further serves the purpose of the stereotype. Yet, the book also depicts the nature of the woman who was confined to living a closeted lifestyle. The fears, frustrations and anxieties Bannon depicts transcends the stereotypical evil and satanic creatures that homosexuals were taken for in that society. It depicted them as human beings who suffered on account of the feelings they had, and the feelings that society had toward them.In this way, the novels attacked some of the negative stereotypes that society had of lesbians. The literary form of the novels falls into the category of popular fiction. These have been compared to the Harlequin and Mills & Boon romances that many consider trite and sentimental. However, the feelings and problems dealt with (however tersely) in Bannon’s books were never as tidy as those in novels expressing heterosexual love. The characters in Bannon b ooks were often forced to relinquish the loves that they desired and return to the oppression of traditional life.Even in the Beebo Brinker tales (where lesbianism was more embraced by the title character), lesbians were never able to rid themselves of a social stigma that would oppress them regardless of their success in finding happiness in love. These complexities of life are revealed in the Beebo Brinker novels, and this allows them to transcend the level of the trash novel and to become a historical artifact. Works Cited Bannon, Ann. Beebo Brinker. San Francisco: Cleis Press, 2001. Lootens, Tricia. â€Å"Ann Bannon: A Writer of Lost Lesbian Fiction Finds Herself and Her Public. † Off Our Backs. Vol. 13, Iss. 11, 1983.

The Fall of Rome: Political and Economic Corruption

Roman Empire kneeled to the power of political and cone mimic corruption, foreign invasions, along with natural disasters and diseases. The Roman Empire was assumed to be a sturdy empire, however, Rome expel oriented much corruption, both politically and economically. Rome had a total of 19 e emperors from 235285 CE ( Document A ). Thirteen of the nineteen emperors either were, or were assumed to have been, assassinated. A pattern Of assassination in royalty alludes to the FAA CT that people were unhappy with their rulers.Along with that, a constant change of emperors ma ekes it hard for anything to get done, because as the new emperor takes over priorities often change. The Roman economic and justice system was very much in favor of the wealthy: â€Å"†¦ A [wee Itty lawbreaker]†¦ Is not punished for his injustice, while a poor man.. Undergoes I gal penalty. † ( Document E ). This injustice caused for the poor people to reject their own home, the peep eel became less willing to fight to keep their empire thriving.Rome, though viewed as this large, strong, and unbreakable empire, this was not the case. Negligence lead to the abandonment of the customary armor and parade grog undo drills. The Roman soldiers fought without armor because the armor became too heavy, f or the men never wore them.. Michael Grant states that, â€Å"There can be little doubt that the wee nesses of the late Roman army was largely due to the eventual failure† ( Document B ). The lack of trained soldiers resulted in many issues, as illustrated in Document C Rome was open to many different invaders.Rome lacks the natural borders some ancient civilizations such as G rice possessed. Due to the lack of borders The Hunks easily overthrew the Roman people. Sins e â€Å"The Hunks exceed any definition of savagery† ( Document D) he untrained, lazy, and unprotected Roman soldiers had no chance of victory. Natural disasters and plagues caused for a quick drop of Roman population; † Fifty thousand persons had lost their lives in the flood [in the city Of Alexandria all en]†¦ ( Document With so many lives lost the amount of people to help protect the country fell greatly. This lack of people make it even easier for the already brutally superior Hunks to ova retorts the â€Å"almighty' Rome. If Rome had not been affected by such strong disasters and disease more soldiers would have been able to contribute to fighting the Hunks. Rome could have lasted for a longer period Of time if not for the political and economic corruption.The empire may still be striving today if the Roman soldiers would have remained diligent, still practicing their marches. Growing accustomed to their armor so t hey could actually wear it in combat. If it weren't for the lack of natural borders in the large MME ire the Hunks may not have been able to inundate the land. Another document that would be into resting to read would be about how the Hung warriors felt whi le invading and conquering this foreign land.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

News Media use and political Communication - you have to analyse a Essay

News Media use and political Communication - you have to analyse a paper that I am attaching - Essay Example The study aims to prove the importance of studying mediation in the study of the relationship between media and polities. A wide variety of literature ranging from Holbert & Stephenson 2003, Lazarsfeld, Berelsen & Gaudet 1948, McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod 2002 are mentioned to show how intra-media mediation is overlooked in the traditional study of political communication and media. The writer finds the importance of his study in the fact that other studies in the same field have not taken intra-media mediation into consideration. The previous studies largely overlooked the fact that the relationships among various forms of media may enable media to function as mediators of each other. In fact, the study is an extension of the O-S-O-R model of media as the basis for the media-related political communication. However, this new work presents an O-S-S-R framework which allows one set of stimuli to influence another set of stimuli, thus taking the intra-media mediation into consideration. The benefit of this framework is that it can be expanded to include the multiple stages of variables located in between the two sets of stimuli and after the latter stimuli. The study is based on the assumption that the best predictor of a given type of media use at a later time is its use at a previous time. So, the research has its hypotheses to show the cumulative nature of media use. The first two hypotheses can be summarized as follows: Television/newspaper use at former time positively influences television/newspaper use at later time. Now taking into consideration the fact that the use of one form of media can lead to the use of other forms of media too, the third and fourth hypotheses take birth: television use at a former time positively influences newspaper use at a later time, and newspaper use at a former time positively influences television use at a later time. Another point of consideration is the fact that at the heart of presidential election campaign, increased kn owledge will be available through media about endorsement. So, the fifth and sixth hypotheses are: television news at a later time influences candidate endorsement knowledge, and newspaper use at a later time positively influences candidate endorsement knowledge. Now, to show the intra-media relationships, a combination of hypothesis are used: television news at a later time serves as a mediator in the relationship between television use at a former time and candidate endorsement knowledge, and newspaper use at a later time serves as a mediator in the relationship between newspaper use at a former time and candidate endorsement knowledge. In addition, television news at a later time serves as a mediator in the relationship between newspaper use at a former time and candidate endorsement knowledge, and newspaper use at a later time serves as a mediator in the relationship between television use at a former time and candidate endorsement knowledge. As a part of the study, the informat ion was collected in two phases. The first phase (the former time) was from July 21 to August 13, 2000 and the second phase (the later time) was from October 18 to October 31, 2000. The first phase was before the Gore-Bush debate of October 17 and the second phase was after Gore-Bush debate, or at the heart of the election campaign. The questions asked were related to the audience’

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Operational Analysis and Effectiveness (essay 2) Essay

Operational Analysis and Effectiveness ( 2) - Essay Example How an operations manager handles these challenges is manifested through a combination of the following four competitive priorities: cost, quality, time and flexibility. The optimal goal of any operations manager is to achieve low-cost operations in terms of cost. With regards to quality the objective is to develop high-performance designs and to manufacture quality products consistently. The operations manager’s time priority seeks rapid new product development, and on-time and reliable delivery of products. Finally, the priority of flexibility is to achieve mass customization albeit with flexible production volume capacity to profitably meet the changing consumer demands. In meeting the challenges facing operations management today, we find that the two key drivers are the role of information and of information technology within the firm and externally to it with the organizations that it has relationships with. Vonderembse and Tracey (1999) argue that more communication and interactions with suppliers, customers, and other functional areas within the firm are needed to ensure that capabilities, both internal and external, are employed in w ays that enhance overall performance. In this report we shall address the issue of how an operations manager should go about optimizing the operations and production of a manufacturing plant in the situation where the plant has too many suppliers which is causing major problems in terms of delivery levels; quality of products and raw materials; production scheduling and eventually to customer satisfaction. This problem is best resolved using the supply chain management concept found in operations management. With the advent of modern technology, manufacturing processes have become so sophisticated that a single quality characteristic cannot reflect the true product quality (Pana, Panb & Lee 2009). Management is responsible for developing, organizing, and

Monday, October 7, 2019

Motivation and how management can use it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivation and how management can use it - Essay Example The late Marvin Bower, who transformed McKinsey & Co. into one of the best management consulting firms in the world, said that the "ability to inspire and require workers to be their best is the greatest resource of any business, and that the rewards for doing so include growth for the business itself, and growth in competitive position, size, and profits" (Edersheim, 2004, p. 65). Much literature about theories of motivation and work relate to the subject of inspiring employees to be their best (Gagne and Deci, 2005; Ambrose and Kulik, 1999). This paper explores how managers can use theories of motivating employees to make the workplace better, more profitable, and efficient. A manager's job is to get things done through their employees, so knowing how to motivate employees is always a challenge that has never been easy and is not getting any easier. Many changes driven by worldwide social and economic forces are happening in the workplace and in the workers themselves. The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s and the globalization of businesses are transforming corporations - public and private, large and small - in a radical way (Stiglitz, 2002). Global competition and the rise of democracy are pressuring companies to be more competitive, agile, and lean, changing the nature of organizational structures and the relationships between managers and workers (Micklethwait & Wooldridge, 2000). Another change agent is the progress of information and communications technology, especially the Internet and mobile computing, which has altered the nature of communication within the organization and the quality of the workforce. Workers are more educated and knowledgeable, able to gain quick access to information and perform knowledge-based tasks in an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration (Heerwagen, Kelly, & Kampshroer, 2005). As the workplace structure and the workers themselves change, management faces the problem posed by Gerstner (2002) after a successful ten-year effort to bring IBM Corporation out of a crisis: How do you pull the levers of motivation to change the attitudes, behavior, and thinking of a population Of course, different people are motivated by different things. Some by money. Some by advancement. Some by recognition. For some, the most effective motivation is fear - or anger. For others, that doesn't (sic) work; it's learning, or the opportunity to make an impact, to see their efforts produce concrete results. Most people can be roused by the threat of extinction. And most can be inspired by a compelling vision of the future. Over the past ten years, I've pulled most of those levers (p. 203). Effectively changing the attitudes, behavior, and thinking of workers demands that a manager knows what levers of motivation to pull in the first place. Theories, Concepts, and Practices Much research has been done to identify empirically-proven theories and methods that managers can use to motivate their