Friday, December 27, 2019

Project on Employee Motivation - 12522 Words

CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION Motivation has two meaning: expanding effort toward the accomplishment of an organizational goal, and the managerial process of getting workers to accomplice organizational goal. Motivation is one of the important contributor two performance and productivity. The most basic way to employee is give them a chance to satisfy needs. People tend to strive for satisfaction of need at one level only after satisfaction has been achieved at the previous level. The way a person behaves in a work situation is largely a function of motivation, that is, his desire to fulfill certain needs. Employee’s motivation is one of the most important factor for increasing performance and productivity.†¦show more content†¦In fact, the level of the performance of an employee is a function of his ailities and motivation. The first determines what he can do; the second determines what he will do. Where there is a strong positive motivation, the employee’s output increases; but where it is negative or a weak positive motivation, his performance level is low. One of the key elements in Personal Management is motivation; â€Å"It is the core of management, which shows that every human being earnestly seeks a secure, friendly and supportive relationship which gives him a sense of worth in face-to face groups, which are most important to him. A supervisor should strive to treat individuals with dignity and a recognitions to their personal worth†. Mc Gregor has stated, â€Å"The task of management is to arrange organizational conditions and methods of operation, so that people can achieve their own goals best by directing their own efforts towards organizational objectives†. Successful supervisors will be those who integrate the goal, oriented actions of individual workers will the pursuit of organizational goals. The goals of the individuals and organization can be achieved through stimulating workers towards productive performance, called motivational process. It is a process of arousing action, sustaining the activity in progress and regulating the pattern of drive. Eating food, drinking water and obtaining friends will tend to restore the homeostaticShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Employee s Motivation Group Project Essay2159 Words   |  9 Pages Understanding Employee’s Motivation Group Project Thaiana Rodrigues Ahmet Pala Ning Ding Washington University of Virginia Literature review The concept of employee engagement is the extent to which an organization’s employee are psychologically involved in, connected to, and committed to getting one’s job done. Employee engagement is important for business because it drives performance. High levels of engagement were associated with a host of positive outcomes for individualsRead MoreInnovation as a Motivator Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesMotivation, an important concept in management theory, can be defined as: â€Å"the reasons people do the things that they do† (Zenisek, 2009). A company that effectively motivates its employees will often perform better than one that does not. One motivation technique is innovation time: giving employees the freedom to work on their own projects as a portion of their normal workload. These projects are entirely self-directed, and rely heavily on the employee’s creativity and entrepreneurial spiritRead MoreThe Effect Of Flexible Work Programs On Employee Motivation1145 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effect of Flexible Work Programs on Employee Motivation Overview Since the 1990s, many single parents have entered the workforce and their children are suffering as a result. These working parents are forced to leave their children to raise themselves while they work rigid schedules. Meanwhile, many children are not receiving the guidance and attention they need to flourish in society. This leaves our future in the hands of children without the necessary guidance needed to succeed. RecentlyRead MoreOrganisational Culture and Motivation1496 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction and Rationale Problem Statement Objectives Introductory Literature Review Proposed Methodology Project Plan Sources of Reading INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE As Desson and Clouthier (2010) state, culture is an important factor in both attracting and retaining desirable employees. The extent to which an employee’s needs and expectations are fulfilled will determine the motivation, job satisfaction and performance levels (Mullins, 2005, p. 499) which would be influenced by culture. XY LtdRead MoreHow Leaders Motivate Employees And Organizations831 Words   |  4 Pagesissue(s) or specific problem(s) do you want to address in your Advanced Project, and why is that of interest to you? ===================== I’d like to address the problem of how leaders motivate employees in organizations. This is a general topic which can have a wide range of applicability (and that’s part of its appeal to me). But the problem of employee motivation, and how leaders can stimulate and/or make use of that motivation, is critical to the success of any organization. A leader can haveRead MoreThe Importance Of Teams Within Organizations, And The Importance Of Motivation Within The Workplace Essay1329 Words   |  6 Pagespaper of the course we will discuss the importance of teams within organization, and the importance of motivation within the workplace. These two facets of today’s workplace are incredibly important to an organizations success. In my opinion motivation is the most important area to cultivate in an organization, after all without an organization is only as good as its workforce. If they lack motivation the organization will never see its full potential, since the emp loyees would not be giving 100%. TheRead MoreHca/250 Motivation and Organizational Culture761 Words   |  4 PagesMotivation and Organizational Culture Rebecca Perry HCA/250 08/11/2013 Miss Margaret Gocke Motivation and Organizational Culture The main goal of management and workplace psychology is to get their employees motivated in a positive way and make sure all employees are emotionally and mentally capable of handling the position or assignment they are hired to do. Mangers are leaders and should always set a good example in the workplace no matter what. However, Ayame’s backgroundRead MoreTeam Work and Motivation1718 Words   |  7 PagesTeamwork and Motivation In just a few years WooWoo manufacture has gained much success by becoming one of the world’s top producer of widgets. Recently sales have been high, but a new report was just released that exposed some defects with our product. This defect issue can quickly turn into a serious problem that will increased our costs and delay deliveries to our customers. During these critical times we must find a way to motivate the 50 employees in our sales, assembly, technology, and administrationRead MoreEssay about Nokia Research1242 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent situations in which motivation to work would be an independent variable, moderating variable and dependent variable. Solution - Dependent Variable - A manager observes that motivation to work among the Employees is increased if he increases their working environment, Salary and perks. Independent variable- Performance of employees increased if they are motivated. Moderating Variable- For employees having second source of income/salary, the motivation may or may be a drivingRead MoreMotivation, The, Health, And Wellness Company Essay1602 Words   |  7 Pages2.5 motivational internal - Charlotte Cowie Motivation is the will to work. This comes from the enjoyment of the work itself and/or from the desire to achieve certain goals. There are many ways in which a manager goes about increasing motivation to improve many aspects of the business such as efficiency. My chosen business to study is Nestle. Nestle is the world s leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company. Nestlà © New Zealand is a subsidiary of Nestlà © SA, www.nestle.com. Within the New Zealand

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury - 1325 Words

The book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is about a â€Å"hero† Guy Montag that realizes his world isn’t as it seemed before. The main character, Montag is a firefighter but in Montag’s society firefighters set fires and they burn books that people have banned instead of putting out fires since all their houses are fireproof so there is no need to be a normal firefighter that puts out fire. Clarisse, an almost 17 year old girl , helped Montag to stop and look around. Clarisse seems to represents nature and is a strange and mysterious character that tastes the rain, smells like strawberries and apricots, plays with flowers, and stops to look at the billboards when the whole society is busy moving fast. Her uncle is mentioned a lot whenever Montag talks to Clarisse and the uncle is to be inspiring her to be different. Near the end of chapter one Montag learns from his wife Mildred, that Clarisse had died from a car accident. Montag starts to read the books that he had hidden with Mildred and even takes on the subway. When Montag decides he needs help to change the world he goes to a former professor to form a plan to make a stand in the world. One of themes of Fahrenheit 451 is ignorance vs. knowledge which can be seen from the setting, characters, and plot. The setting in the city is dark and very mechanical. Mildred had tried to kill herself and when Montag went to the hospital to see Mildred after they put her in the cobra like machine that drank all the bad water out of her.Show MoreRelatedFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury719 Words   |  3 PagesThe flash point of paper, or the temperature at which paper will burst in flames, is 451 degrees Fahrenheit. In Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Guy Montag, is a â€Å"fireman† in a futuristic society where he and his coworkers start fires, rather than put them out. Books are banned and burned, along with the owner of the book’s house and sometimes even the owner of the book, upon discovery. Technology has taken over in a sense that social interaction between the average personRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1952 Words   |  8 Pagesis clearly displayed in the plight of Ray Bradbury’s novel about a dystopian American society, Fahrenheit 451, which contains many ideas and bits of content that some people believed should be censored. In fact, one of the reasons that this novel was censored for displaying the dangers of censorship, which is both extremely ironic, and telling as to where this society is going. Thanks to several distributors and oversensitive parents and teachers, Fahrenheit 451 has been banned in many schools overRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury954 Words   |  4 Pages In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the author uses allegory (often misinterpreted by readers) to show the dangers of mass media consumption and the decline of reading traditional media. Many readers draw incorrect conclusions (lessons learned) from the book due to how generally the book applies its theme. Government censorship, though an important topic, is not the intended focus of the novel Fahrenheit 451. Finally, Bradbury’s original message of the book shows the beauty of traditional media andRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1592 Words   |  7 PagesWhen writing the introduction to Fahrenheit 451, author Neil Gaiman stated that â€Å"ideas--written ideas--are special. They are the way we transmit our stories and our thoughts from one generation to the next. If we lose them, we lose our shared history†. Gaiman is absolutely correct; especially because what he is saying heavily applies to books. Books are a critical aspect in shaping humanity as a whole, they create and share a network of creative ideas, history, and overall entertainment; to loseRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury918 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Fahrenheit 451,† written by Ray Bradbury, is a futuristic, dystopian novel based upon a society secluded by technology and ignorance. In this future society, books are outlawed and firemen are presented with the task of burning books that are found in people’s homes. Montag, a fireman, finds himself intrigued with the books, and begins to take them home an d read them. As the story progresses, Montag learns the truth behind why books are outlawed and flees his city to join the last remnants of age-oldRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury847 Words   |  4 PagesSet Knowledge On Fire The book Fahrenheit 451 is a postmodern work by Ray Bradbury first published in 1951. In Bradbury’s story, all books are illegal and are subject to be burned by firemen. Furthermore, the two predominant themes of Fahrenheit 451 are censorship and ignorance. The censorship implemented over the years removes all information from society that is necessary to learn, which accomplishes to prevent people from questioning anything. The ignorance of society has been fostered and theRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1661 Words   |  7 Pages1.) In the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Montag’s view on life reverses. Two characters the influence the main character Guy Montag are the old lady whose house and books were burnt down and Mildred. The old lady was caught preserving books in her home. Firemen including Montag were ordered to burn the books. The old lady refused to leave her books, so she too was burned. She bravely gave an allusion as her last words, â€Å"Play the man,’ she said, ‘Master Ridley.’ Something, somethingRead MoreFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury818 Words   |  4 PagesFAHRENHEIT 451 BY RAY BRADBURY Important People in Montag’s Life In Partical Fulfillment Of English 2 Ms Irina Abramov By Helen Hernandez November 9, 2012 â€Å"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them† -Ray Bradbury. In the past there were events that affected book writers. People will get together to burn books because they thought it was inappropriate or they were against their literature. Montag is a fireman in a futuristic society who would startRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury863 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel, Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury and it took place in the dystopian future. Throughout each novel, we are able to see a major theme, which is censorship. In this essay, I will explain how this theme are explored in the story by using the literary devices. To begin with, in this novel, censorship is not given a straight description, but we can see how the author shows it through many literary elements, such as using the setting, tone and symbolisms even foreshadowing. This novelRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1544 Words   |  7 PagesRay Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, expresses his perspective on life in an interview. His interview contains a common theme: Do what you love, and love what you do (Bradbury). Bradbury sends a message in his interview that people should love life, and live to the fullest because he believes life is a beautiful thing. Although Bradbury no longer can demonstrate his love for life his message still lives in the pages of Fahrenheit 451. The Government of the society in the novel has told their

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Risk Tolerance In Financial Decision Making â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Risk Tolerance In Financial Decision Making? Answer: Introducation Several techniques are used in evaluating whether or not to proceed with financial projects or not especially when risks are involved. Some of such techniques are the Net Present Value (NPV) and the Profitability Index (PI). The two techniques mentioned above consider the profitability of a both a single or mutually exclusive projects. Using the NPV technique, a single project can be accepted if the expected NPV is positive and rejected if the NPV is negative. For mutually exclusive projects with positive NPVs, the one with the higher figure should be accepted ( Horngren , et al., 2011, p. 43). When it comes to the Profitability Index, the law states that a proposed project with profitability ratio that is greater than one should be accepted because it would be profitable. The project should be rejected if the profitability ratio is less than one. For mutually exclusive projects, the one with the higher profitability ratio should be invested in. In the case where the profitability ratio and NPV are zero (0), a company should choose to either accept or reject the project because either way the entity's status quo would remain the same (Drury, 2015, p. 99). In the case of the Zircon Company, the net present value should be determined by different situations as listed in the case study, i.e., make a deal with the Argentinean firms, the Argentinean government, or the Alternative strategy after hedging the Peso revenue. The Zircon Company's net present values under different situations are calculated as shown below; Decides to hedge the maximum amount of revenue that it will receive from the project Hedged maximum amount if the government contract is given ARS 5000,000 x 0.12 = $600,000 Note: Initial Cash Outflow is US$ 3, 00,000 = $ 420,000 The formula for calculating the NPV is as below; Where: Ct= net cash inflow during the time t Co= total original outlay costs r =discount rate, and t = number of time periods If the Company receives the contracts from the Argentinean government, the project will generate a total revenue of $600,000 within a period of one year at an 18 % discounting rate. All the other factors remain constant. The NPV is calculated as follows; NPV= (($ 600,000 / (1+0.18)) -$ 300,000 NPV= ($ 600,000 / 1.18) - $ 300,000 NPV=$508,474.58 - $ 300,000 NPV=$ 208,474.58 If Zircon gets into the contract with the Argentinean government, the project will generate $ 208,474.58 as obtained from the NPV above. The NPV if Zircon does not receive the contract i.e. if it gets order from the Argentinean firms. The formula for calculating the NPV is as below; Where: Ct= net cash inflow during the time t Co= total original outlay costs r =discount rate, and t = number of time periods Revenue converted to $: ARS 3000,000 x 0.12= $360,000 However, if the contract is not awarded by the government, an excess amount would be paid to offset the ARS 2,000,000 due to the change in Peso rate. Calculated as below; Offsetting forward sale= ARS 2,000,000 x $0.13 = $260,000 Excess forward sales proceeds= ARS 2,000,000 x $0.12 = $240,000 Loss from forward sales = $260,000- $ 240,000 =$ 20,000. Cash flows- Loss= $ 360,000- $20,000 = $ 340,000 If the Company does not receive the contracts from the Argentinean government, the project will generate a total revenue of ARS $ 3,000,000 within a period of one year at an 18% discounting rate. All the other factors remain constant. The NPV is calculated as follows; NPV= ($340,000 / (1+0.18)) -$300,000 NPV= ($340,000 / 1.18) -$300,000 NPV= $ 288,135.59-$300,000 NPV=$ -11,864.41. If Zircon does not get into the contract with the Argentinean government and chooses to supply its products to the Argentinean firms, the project will generate a negative NPV of 11,864.41. NPV with the Alternative strategy Government contract is awarded Hedged portion: ARS 3,000,000 x $0.12 = $360,000 Unhedged portion: ARS 2,000,000- $0.13 = $260,000 Total= $620,000 The net present value of the zircon company after pursuing the alternative option after hedging the minimum peso revenue is as shown below. The formula for computing NPV: Where: Ct= net cash inflow during the period t Co= total original asset costs r =discount rate, and t = number of time periods The NPV is calculated as below; NPV= ($ 620,000 / (1+0.18)) - $3300, 000 NPV= ($ 620,000 / 1.18) -$300,000 NPV=$525,423.73- $300,000 NPV= $ 225,423.73 Therefore, the alternative strategy, will generate the net present value of $ 225,423.73 if the Company choose to invest in it. Government contract is not awarded NPV = $360,000/ (1.18) - $300,000 NPV=$305,084.75-$300,000 NPV= $ 5,085. Comparison of the three different options (Ratios) Options NPVs Does not get the government contract $ -11,864.41 Gets the government contract $ 208,474.58 Alternative Strategy (Government Contract) $ 225,423.73 Alternative Strategy (No Government Contract) $ 5,085 After considering the three options, i.e., failure to get the government contract, successfully getting the government contract and alternative strategy, the Zircon Company should choose the best option that would yield the maximum profitability. From the comparison table above it is evident that the alternative strategy option would generate the highest net present value based on the ratios above. The option has the highest NPV of $ 225,423.73. Alternatively, if the company successfully enters into the contract with the government, the NPV would be $ 208,474.58. If the company does not get the contract from the government and chooses to sale the technology to the Argentinean firms, the lowest NPV of $ 5,085 would be realized (Drury, 2004, p. 78). The three options should be treated as mutually exclusive events. The most profitable option should be chosen in this case. To maximize its revenue, the Zircon Company should choose the alternative strategy option. Failure to obtain the government contact would yield the least income because it had the lowest NPV (Blocher, et al., 2009, p. 75) As the financial manager of Zircon, describe the uncertainty that surrounds the estimate of future cash flows from the perspective of the US parent. Several factors should be considered before venturing into a foreign market. There are risks and uncertainties involved in creating a market for any product or services in the foreign market. There is the need to conduct a thorough feasibility study of the market before making an entrant. Even after making an entrant it would be difficult to estimate the products' demand level with certainty. In the case of Zircon Company and its entry in the Argentinean market, factors such as economic factors, political factors, technological advancement, and competition will affect future cash flows of the company not only in the foreign market but also for the parent Company (Coleman, 2011, p. 66). Economic Factors The first factor under the economic factors is the demand and supply. Considering that company would also choose to sell its product to the technological firms, the demand, and supply of the Argentinean technology market would play a major role in the success of the product. Considering that similar products already exist in the market already, the company might be forced to lower its prices further to be accepted by the consumers. In such a scenario, the future cash inflows would be lower than expected (Lindgreen Hingley, 2012, p. 33). The second factors are the fluctuating ARS' exchange rate. The future exchange rate for the ARS is anticipated to be unstable. From the information on the ARS' conversion into US dollar, in the beginning, the spot rate of the peso is US$0.14. One year later, the spot rate is expected to decline to US$0.12 although the company hopes that the conversion rate is US$ 0.13 (Shu, et al., 2016, p. 61). The fluctuating exchange rate of the ARS is caused by the forces of demand and supply in the international finance market. For instance, when the value of importing country's currency becomes volatile over a period it would have an impact on the currency of the exporting country. In this case, the ARS is expected to depreciate against the US dollar for a long time. Therefore, certainty assumption should be taken on the expected future cash inflows. However, the assumptions cannot be made with certainty because of anticipated future risks (Arnold, 2014, p. 55). Political factors There are several factors involved in the political factors. First, some laws applied by the importing countries greatly impact the ability of a foreign company to conduct business. For instance, some countries prohibit a foreign company from owning over 49% of the business shares. Others require the firm to form a partnership with the government or local investors to operate. Such laws affect the future cash inflows. The second factor is the taxes. High taxes on foreign companies makes it difficult to make a considerable profit from selling its products and services. High taxes also make foreign companies less competitive in the market as compared to the local companies (Lucarelli, 2011, p. 101). The Third factor is war and political instability. Wars have a major effect on companies operating in foreign countries. Businesses can be extinct overnight in case war erupts. A good example occurred when the revolution broke in Libya. Likewise, political unrest also affects the ability of a company to succeed in a foreign country. Both wars and political unrests plays have a major impact on revenue generation for any company (Crouhy, et al., 2014, p. 89). Investors also shy away from investing in countries facing political unrest. Likewise, decision-makers cannot form a formidable decision on whether or not to proceed with the project without a clear picture of the market. The confidence of the stakeholders is also affected by political unrest and wars. Stakeholders are motivated when the environment always them to give their maximum. Political unrest and wars reduce the ability to generate maximum revenue which adversely affects a company's profitability (KrÃ… ¾anovi?, et al., 2015, p. 112). Advancement of technology The advancement of technology also has a major effect on the demand for products of a company. The Zircon Company should take advantage of technological advancement to differentiate its products from those of the competitors. The products can easily be differentiated to fit the consumers' tastes and preferences. However, without the required technology infrastructure, any company cannot survive in the in the stiff technological industry. To have a competitive edge, a company need to invest in aggressive promotion to maintain or create a market share. Aggressive sales come with an extra cost which directly leads to an increase in the product price. Subsequently, the demand and sales of the product in question would reduce hence affecting the future cash inflows (Leung, et al., 2014, p. 67). Competition Another factor to consider is the level of competition in the target market. The number of real competitors, the degree of competition and existing products in the market, will help the foreign company in planning its marketing and promotional strategies. Where aggressive competition exists, a new company will have to incur more cost to win over consumers compared to when the level of competition is low. The degree of competition directly impacts the amount of revenue and profitability of any company (Kamiya, et al., 2007, p. 58). As the financial manager for Zircon, explain how you propose to take account of risk in evaluating whether to proceed with this project. Several exposure and risk factors should be taken into account when deciding no whether or not to proceed with the project. The transaction exposure is the first risk for the Company's decision to invest in the Argentinean market. Transaction exposure is defined as those risks faced by those companies involved in the international trade. It arises from the fluctuating currency exchange rates after a company has engaged in financial commitment. Transaction exposures can result in adverse losses for companies. The exposure can be managed by hedging both the upside and downside risks. The strategy is aimed at reducing revenue variability and eliminating the impacts of risks associated with exchange rates by using the forward contracts (Lind, et al., 2013, p. 80). The economic exposure should also be considered. This type of exposure arises from the un-anticipated fluctuation of a currency value which affects an entity's future cash flows. Economic exposure has a substantial influence an entity's market value. The exposure has a long-term effect making it so impossible to be hedged easily because it is time-consuming and costly. In the case of Zircon, the exposure arises from the unexpected fluctuation of the exchange rates in the Argentinean market which affects the contract value during the execution (Newton, 2013, p. 77). Apart from hedging both sides of the risks, the following strategies can be applied as well in managing the exposure risks; Risk Shifting: The strategy is meant to eliminate any risk exposures. The company would make all its transactions in the home (US$) currency to avoid the transaction exposure. However, the transaction exposure must be met by either the government or the firms. Either way, the currency risk arising from the transaction would affect the final price of the agreement. Sharing the Currency risk: The strategy is meant to reduce the impact of transaction exposure on one party. Thus Zircon and the government should agree to a written document to split any arising transaction cost between themselves. Lagging and Leading: The strategy assists in reducing the transactional losses and gains. If the foreign currency under an existing contract appreciates after denomination, a company can pay off its liabilities earlier and take the receivables later. Conversely, when the foreign currency depreciates after denomination, then the receivables are taken, and liabilities are met later (Rejda McNamara, 2013, p. 61). Considering that the both the currencies, i.e., the US dollar and the ARS are likely to depreciate in the future, the Pricing policy should be used. For instance, the International Fisher Effect (IFE) Theory is applied in establishing a nation's nominal by considering the inflation and interest rates. Nominal is recognized by deducting the inflation rate from the normal interest rate. The nominal interest rate should be adjusted by the changes in the expected inflation rate if the real interest rate remains constant over time. When applying the IFE theory, first, the fisher's effect should be used to calculate the expected rate of inflation for the respective country. Second, Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) theory is used in estimating the variation in the anticipated inflation will influence the exchange rate (Rejda McNamara, 2013, p. 73). Considering inconsistency of the real interest and nominal interest, the Fisher theory is affected by the error. Zircon Company should rely on the market share and the expected profit margin by choosing the price likely to maximize the profits. Diversification of the operations would assist in minimizing the effect of exchange rate risks on the future cash flows. Diversifying activities ensure that the risk associated with exchange rate exposure is reduced symmetrically. Diversification of the operations would generate a natural hedge technique that maintains a steady cash flow of the dollar even if the exchange rate fluctuates. Moreover, with flexible operations, the company will have the ability to choose favourable currency movement paths to ensure that the profit is maximised. Flexibility also ensures that the unfavourable movement of currencies is minimized. The strategy would lead to increased protection as well as adding option value. To assess Zircon's exchange rate and economic exposure's the regression analysis should be used in analyzing the historical exchange rate and cash flows data's (Beullens Janssens, 2014, p. 78) The third kind of the exposure is contingent. Zircon is exposed to contingent risk when negotiating or bidding for contract or projects in the foreign markets. Contingent exposure arises from the economic exchange and transaction risks before getting the contract with the government. The translation exposure would also affect the company when it comes to translating the financial reports, arising from the contract transaction into the consolidated report, at the parent company. While the translation exposure does not affect cash flows directly, it influences the reporting of the assets, liabilities, earnings and the stock price obtained from the foreign market (Kamiya, et al., 2007, p. 90). The translation exposure can be managed by conducting hedge on the balance sheet. The hedge will help in iron the differences on the balance sheet arising from the net assets and liabilities as a result of the movement of the exchange rate. Therefore, the company should establish an appropriate amount to balance the assets and liabilities. Foreign exchange can also be used to hedge existing derivatives arising from the exposure (Kamiya, et al., 2007, p. 91). Operational Risk Management The Operational Risk Management refers to activities that involve risk evaluation which is addressed in a cycle. The activities within the cycle comprise of risk assessment, decision-making and implementing the risk control mechanisms. In most cases, risk management entails failed internal systems or processes, external events, and human errors (Newton, 2013, p. 102). The management of financial risks comprises of four steps; Context establishment Risk assessment: identification, analysis, and evaluation Risk treatment Risk monitoring and reviewing The ORM model is acceptable due to the numerous benefits associated with it. For instance, business is likely to reduce its operational loss, detect and rectify unlawful operation, reduce the auditing and compliance costs, and reduce the exposures likely to generate risks in the future. According to the net present value technique, the contract is justified, and the company should proceed with investing in the contract with the government. The decision is based on the positive NPV to would be realized. However, being a financial investment other forms of risks are likely to arise. For instance, if the Argentinean government changes its law and regulations governing its business relationship with foreign companies, operations of the Zircon Company would be affected. Likewise, the operations might be tempered with if the Parent Company in the U.S. changes its opinion on the contract (Newton, 2013, p. 105). Standard deviation or variance technique is used in assessing the financial risk. In foreign currency exchange, companies have interested the rate of change that exists between different currencies. Greater currency/ financial risk occur when the variance or standard deviation is high. To determine the outcome on returns and distribution of returns associated with financial risks, the Value at Risk (VaR) is used. Using the VaR technique, the probable amount that is likely be lost from an investment over time is determined and used for mitigation purposes. From the anticipated loss, the Zircon should insure itself from the financial risks listed above. The insurer will have the best opportunity to effectively evaluate the risks associated with the proposed investment. The insurance option will also provide safety measures to the company. However, seeking the services of the insurer to increase operating cost for the company reducing its earnings (Rejda McNamara, 2013, p. 111). Conclusion The Zircon Company have already obtained substantial financial information showing the project is viable from the positive financial outcome posted by the NPV. However, the company should also evaluate and analyze the operational and financial exposures and risks associated with the project. A detailed risk analysis will provide the company with adequate information on whether or not to proceed with the project. References Horngren , C. T., Datar, S. M. Rajan, M. V., 2011. Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Arnold, G., 2014. Corporate financial management. 1 ed. New Jersey: Pearson Higher Ed. Beullens, P. Janssens, G. K., 2014. Adapting inventory models for handling various payment structures using net present value equivalence analysis. International Journal of Production Economics, Volume 157, pp. 190-200. Blocher, E., Stout , D. Cokins, G., 2009. Cost Management: A Strategic Emphasis. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Coleman, T. S., 2011. A Practical Guide to Risk Management. New York: Research Foundation of CFA Institute. Crouhy, M., Galai, D. Mark, R., 2014. he Essentials of Risk Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Drury, C., 2004. Management and cost accounting. Singapore: seng les press . Drury, C., 2015. Management and Cost Accounting, New York: Cengage Learning EMEA. Kamiya, S., Shi, P., Schmit, J. Rosenberg, M., 2007. Risk Management Terms. University of Wisconsin-Madison: Actuarial Science, Risk Management and Insurance Department. KrÃ… ¾anovi?, D., Kolonja, B. Stevanovi?, D., 2015. Maximizing the net present value by applying an optimal cut-off grade for long-term planning of the copper open pits. Acta Montanistica Slovaca, 20(1), pp. pp.49-61. Leung, B., Springborn, M. R., Turner, J. A. Brockerhoff, E. G., 2014. Pathway?level risk analysis: the net present value of an invasive species policy in the US. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 12(5), pp. 273-279. Lindgreen, A. Hingley, M. K., 2012. Value in business and industrial marketing: Past, present, and future. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(1), pp. 207-214. Lind, R. C. et al., 2013. Discounting for time and risk in energy policy, New York: Routledge. Lucarelli, C., 2011. Risk Tolerance in Financial Decision Making. Washington: Palgrave Macmillan Studies . Newton, P., 2013. Managing Project Risk. New Jersey: Bookboon.com. Rejda, G. E. McNamara, M., 2013. Principles of Risk Management and Insurance. Paris: Pearson Series. Shu, S. B., Zeithammer, R. Payne, J. W., 2016. Consumer Preferences for Annuity Attributes: Beyond Net Present Value. Journal of Marketing Research, 53(2), pp. 240-262.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

What is art Essay Example For Students

What is art ? Essay Without knowing first what art is, we will not be able to tell what good is art. Having studied several different definitions of art, I am most satisfied with Tolstoys definition of art from his essay What is Art? (pckt pg.21). According to Tolstoy, art is a form of communication, a vehicle which the artist can use to communicate his feelings and emotion; it is a means of intercourse between man and man (pckt pg. 23). Tolstoys definition of art is hardly based on the beauty of the work, rather he focuses on the communicative qualities of the work namely, infectiousness, clarity and sincerity. Thus, any piece of work displaying all the three conditions in any varying degree, is considered a work of art. The quality of a work of art is determined by the degree to which it is sincere, clear and infectious. Using Tolstoys given definition of art my essay attempts to discuss what art is good for, mainly with respect to ethics. We will write a custom essay on What is art ? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now My stand on art is that it can be both for good and for bad when it comes to the question of ethics. For example, literature as art can act in both ways, which way it goes depends on both the writer and reader. Literature, since its inception has always been a form of communication, and good literature be it the prose of Trollope, poems of Blake, the plays of Shakespeare or even political propaganda has always had the sincerity of its creator. Throughout history, literature has been able to bring a social, or moral message to the people. And good literature has always been infectious, at times even igniting reform and revolution. Without a doubt, literature brings to the reader or audience a circumstance we are unable to experience in real life and thus raise moral or social concerns. From Swifts satirical Gullivers Travels which poked fun at the social mores of his time, to the fiction of Dickens whose plea for reform did not go unheard and pushed a program for reformation into acti on. Yet literature with its power to move masses can also go bad, for instance, the misinterpretation of Marxist theories led to the regime of suffering and terror we know as Communism. Art, as Tolstoy has described, is infectious, sincere and clear, qualities that make it extremely accessible to the masses, and given its infectious nature, art as a form of expression and communication can fuel changes or destroy whole societies. The experience of art is more easily degraded (book pg.199) says Murdoch in her essay The Sovereignty of Good. Murdoch substantiates Tolstoys claim that art is communicative when she describes it as a human product that is easily comprehended or degraded. Murdochs main argument is that moral ethics and virtues are in fact connected to Beauty in Art, or in Nature.(book pg. 198) Her argument is based on two assumptions; namely, that humans are all selfish and that there is no external reason for human life. In view of her assumptions, it follows that whatever makes us less selfish or more objective is virtuous. And beauty be it in Nature or Art, has the ability to make us indulge in self-forgetful pleasure (book pg. 198) thus making us less selfish and more objective. Beauty in Art is more edifying (book pg.199) since it is a human product; and even more so when we are talking about representational art like literature or paintings. (book pg.199) She claims art to be concerned with mor ality, and that it presents to us what we would be too timid or selfish to discover on our own. Good art is a demonstration of the difficulty of being objective and is a place in which the nature of morality can be seen. (book pg.200) In other words, art is where the artist sheds his individualistic veil of perception and creates a work where others can share in his objectivity. This is an act of virtue. In appreciating art, we become less selfish and can see the reality of the world presented. I agree very much that objectivity is introduced to the spectator, and I can think of no more fitting example than when Dickens

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Free Essays on Email At The Office

Email at the Office Electronic mail, known to everyone as email, is â€Å"the technology of sending and receiving electronic messages over phone lines by computer†(Marty Foley). Any person, who has access to the Internet has email. An estimated twenty to sixty million people have Internet access, and the numbers drastically increase yearly. It is the fastest growing way of communication of this day. As more people begin using email, as well as companies who are becoming technologically inclined, they are beginning to discover the great advantages of it. But, with these advantages also come a few drawbacks. Many companies are beginning to use this as their main form of communication with other companies, but some seem to forget that email is an electronic letter, and they do not realize the need for etiquette. Kaitlin Duck Sherwood best explains the qualities email possesses; â€Å"email is cheaper and faster than a letter, less intrusive than a phone call, less hassle than a FAX.† She also makes a good point that with the use of email, there is no longer a time zone and location issue when trying to notify someone. She believes that email has great capabilities because of its speed and broadcasting ability. Also, because email has such a fast turnaround time, it is much more conversational than the average letter. Though, because of the fast turnaround time compared to a letter, email tends to be sloppier. This has to do with the fact that people are able to respond so quickly and ask questions on anything that seems confusing. The sloppiness of email can be very acceptable in some businesses, but not at all in others. It really depends on the type of organization, its atmosphere, and especially to whom you are writing the email. It is acceptable to write unprofessionally to another coworker, if you are asking them when they want to meet up for lunch, but if you are writing to your boss about a business related to... Free Essays on Email At The Office Free Essays on Email At The Office Email at the Office Electronic mail, known to everyone as email, is â€Å"the technology of sending and receiving electronic messages over phone lines by computer†(Marty Foley). Any person, who has access to the Internet has email. An estimated twenty to sixty million people have Internet access, and the numbers drastically increase yearly. It is the fastest growing way of communication of this day. As more people begin using email, as well as companies who are becoming technologically inclined, they are beginning to discover the great advantages of it. But, with these advantages also come a few drawbacks. Many companies are beginning to use this as their main form of communication with other companies, but some seem to forget that email is an electronic letter, and they do not realize the need for etiquette. Kaitlin Duck Sherwood best explains the qualities email possesses; â€Å"email is cheaper and faster than a letter, less intrusive than a phone call, less hassle than a FAX.† She also makes a good point that with the use of email, there is no longer a time zone and location issue when trying to notify someone. She believes that email has great capabilities because of its speed and broadcasting ability. Also, because email has such a fast turnaround time, it is much more conversational than the average letter. Though, because of the fast turnaround time compared to a letter, email tends to be sloppier. This has to do with the fact that people are able to respond so quickly and ask questions on anything that seems confusing. The sloppiness of email can be very acceptable in some businesses, but not at all in others. It really depends on the type of organization, its atmosphere, and especially to whom you are writing the email. It is acceptable to write unprofessionally to another coworker, if you are asking them when they want to meet up for lunch, but if you are writing to your boss about a business related to...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Free Essays on Book Report On The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People

Book Report on â€Å"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People† by Stephen R. Covey Part One: Paradigms and Principles Covey, the author of this book, began studying something called the Pylamon Effect, which studies expectancy theory and self-fulfilling prophecies. He read books as far back as 200 years and realized that as far as history goes, there is a pattern of humans solving their smaller problems, yet leaving the large problems to fester. The â€Å"Character Ethic† shows the principles needed by people to live life and be successful and happy. World War 1 changed the character ethic into the Personality ethic, which dealt with positive mental attitude. This allowed people to view the world and their surroundings differently and make themselves happy. He explains greatness, of which he found two kinds, primary and secondary. Primary is more of a long-term attitude, while secondary is short term. He defines a paradigm as an explanation of something else, and a paradigm shift as when someone views something differently then they would have before, kind of like an epiphany. Covey states that people are not able to change their bad habits immediately, that people only move forward in life step by step, not drastically. The Seven Habits 1. Be Proactive Realize that your problems are your problems, and not blame others. Take action to make right what will help you. It is much better to be a proactive person and take action rather than a reactive person who merely flows and reacts with what the environment throws at him. How a person responds to the experiences in their life is often more important than the experience itself. Covey also talks about the Circle of Concern and the Circle of Influence within the Circle of Concern. The Circle of Concern is the things in life that concern us and the circle of influence within the circle of concern is the things we have control over. 2. Begin with the end in mind Lo... Free Essays on Book Report On The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People Free Essays on Book Report On The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People Book Report on â€Å"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People† by Stephen R. Covey Part One: Paradigms and Principles Covey, the author of this book, began studying something called the Pylamon Effect, which studies expectancy theory and self-fulfilling prophecies. He read books as far back as 200 years and realized that as far as history goes, there is a pattern of humans solving their smaller problems, yet leaving the large problems to fester. The â€Å"Character Ethic† shows the principles needed by people to live life and be successful and happy. World War 1 changed the character ethic into the Personality ethic, which dealt with positive mental attitude. This allowed people to view the world and their surroundings differently and make themselves happy. He explains greatness, of which he found two kinds, primary and secondary. Primary is more of a long-term attitude, while secondary is short term. He defines a paradigm as an explanation of something else, and a paradigm shift as when someone views something differently then they would have before, kind of like an epiphany. Covey states that people are not able to change their bad habits immediately, that people only move forward in life step by step, not drastically. The Seven Habits 1. Be Proactive Realize that your problems are your problems, and not blame others. Take action to make right what will help you. It is much better to be a proactive person and take action rather than a reactive person who merely flows and reacts with what the environment throws at him. How a person responds to the experiences in their life is often more important than the experience itself. Covey also talks about the Circle of Concern and the Circle of Influence within the Circle of Concern. The Circle of Concern is the things in life that concern us and the circle of influence within the circle of concern is the things we have control over. 2. Begin with the end in mind Lo...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Coursework- law paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

- law paper - Coursework Example 3 The Italian judgment however is not automatically enforceable in English Court. Its registration is dependent on the English court being satisfied that particular conditions have been met. 4 The procedure for the registration of foreign judgments is that the judgment or certified copy, together with a translation into English of the original judgment if it is in a foreign language, is lodged with the High Court of Justice in England, together with an affidavit in support of the application for the judgment to be registered. 5 Accordingly, the litigant wishing to enforce the judgment must: 1. Issue new proceedings in England, for recognition of the foreign judgment in England; 2. Serve those proceedings upon the defendant either within the jurisdiction or outside the jurisdiction; 3. Rebut the availability of any defences said to be available to the Defendant, if any are raised. 4. Obtain Summary Judgment, on the basis of the foreign judgment. 5. Enforce the English judgment obtaine d by way of Summary Judgment against the assets of the Defendant either in the UK or in Europe. In the absence of either of these steps, a foreign judgment has no force or effect in England. There can be recognition without enforcement, but never enforcement without recognition. 6 The application is made without notice (ex-parte) by lodging papers with the Master's Secretary's Department. The conditions of the applicable Act must be complied with. 7 The Applicable Acts are as follows: 1).European Judgments - Judgments of foreign States signatories to the Judgments Regulation 2000 (which replaced the Brussels Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters of 1968 for all EU countries save for Denmark) and the Lugano Convention which applies to EFTA countries; (2) Judgments of Commonwealth States and States with which the UK has a bilateral Treaty; and (3) Judgments from courts of foreign States with which there is no treaty. 8 There are th ree statutory schemes providing for the enforcement of foreign judgments in England and Wales. They are: 1. The Administration of Justice Act 1920; 2. The Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1933; and 3. The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (incorporating into English Law, as appropriate, the provisions of the Brussels & Lugano Conventions and Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 ("the Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulation†). 9 The above statutory schemes and enforcement at common law are not mutually exclusive. 10 The Brussels Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, ("the Brussels Convention") was agreed on 27 September 1968 by the (then) six Member States of the European Economic Community. It sought to avoid parallel legal proceedings within the Community, to simplify the recognition and enforcement of judgments and to strengthen the legal protection afforded to citizens of the Member States. It include d detailed rules dealing with the circumstances under which the courts in the Member States might exercise jurisdiction and rules addressing specific civil and commercial legal areas including contract, tort and maintenance. It was amended

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Film analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Film analysis - Essay Example The film was also novel in terms of starring women in its 130 speaking roles including the animals like horses or dogs shown in the film. This all-female film earned the director the title of â€Å"women’s director†. The film ‘The Women’ received a volley of criticism and it is quite evident for an all-female film that it would be subjected to feminist interpretation. The absence of men completely denies the fact or dejection of the concept pertaining to â€Å"the female as an object of gaze†. A consistent mark of heterosexuality and that of bleak mark of lesbianism is noticed in the film through the character of Nancy Blake. Heterosexuality in the pre-war era among the high class societies is a predominant theme of the film. The film ‘The Women’ is circular in nature and the final scene of the film shows the predicament and fulfils the beginning discourse of the film. The final scene of the movie is not only the concluding scene but it is also a sumptuous scene indeed. Divorce was a social taboo at that point of time when the film was made. Naturally, Cukor knew it well that his audience amid this oestrogen stimulating movie would love to watch Mary rushing out from the party to finally succumb to the waiting arms of Stephen, her infidel husband. Mary learns about her foolishness and a close shot with a narrow frame gets focused on the facial expression of Mary. Norma Shearer excellently portrays the expression most apt for this scene and the play of light and shadow with the to and fro fine agile movement of the camera enables to capture a tight-lipped close shot of Shearer’s expression specially her eyes that captivated a sense of longing, desire to fall back on the arms of the beloved and pinning to replenish all that she has lost becomes evident when Mary is shown rushing out of the party hall almost in the vein of a bullet from the gun through the movement and language of camera. The background score, building a climactic appeal

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Psychological Disorders Essay Schizophrenia is a mental illness that is chronic and severe. It can be a disabling illness that affects men and women with the same ratio or frequency. This term is from a Greek word that means having a â€Å"split mind†. Though this usage in medical terms is not accurate. The Western perception of this illness is their belief that the term is equal to a disorder of split personality. They have been found to be very distinct mental disorders. People afflicted with schizophrenia do not manifest split personalities. Schizophrenia is an illness hat affects the mind and is characterized by the disability of perceptions and manifestations of reality. Schizophrenia has five classifications. The first is the paranoid type where hallucinations and delusions are present but there is absence of disorganized behavior, thought disorder and active flattening. The disorganized type of schizophrenia occurs when active flattening and thought disorder are both present. Catatonic schizophrenia occurs when there is evidence of psychomotor disturbances. There is the presence of psychotic symptoms in the undifferentiated type but there is also absence of criteria for the other types of schizophrenia. The residual type is wherein all the symptoms of the mental disorder is present at low level of intensity. Signs and symptoms for people with schizophrenia suffer from delusions and false faith in their personal convictions despite the presentation of evidence disproving the matter. This symptom is not explained by a persons cultural background and orientation. Those afflicted also suffer from hallucinatory perceptions that can manifest when there is a lack of external diversion. The most common type of hallucination is the hearing of voices and other sounds. There is also the manifestation of disorganized attitude, behavior and thoughts. Speech is also incoherent and disorganized. The person suffering from this type of mental disorder display catatonic behavior wherein the persons body may become rigid and unresponsive. The causes of schizophrenia are unknown. There are a lot of factors that are said to be involved with the formation of this illness. There is an interaction between genetics, biology, psychology and the environment that leads to the mental disorder. Medical science does not have a full understanding of all the causes and other concerns related to the mental disorder. Recent research and medical studies is slowly but surely shows improvement and progress that would help define the causes of schizophrenia and their explanation. An increase in the dopaminergic activity that is inside the mesolimbic pathway of the brain is a constant and significant finding (Bentall 2005). Data gathered from a PET study shows suggestions that the lesser frequency the frontal lobes are activated during a task that involves a working memory there is a greater increase in the abnormality of dopamine activity in the striatum that is though to be related to deficits in neurocognition in schizophrenia. While the credibility of the diagnosis has introduced many difficulties in the measurement of the relative effect of genes and the factor of environment, more and more evidence have suggested that environmental and genetic factors can combine and create a reaction that would lead to the mental disorder of schizophrenia. Suggestions have also been made regarding the diagnosis of schizophrenia had an important genetic composition but that is influenced by the stressors or factors relating to the environment. The concept of a vulnerability that can be inherited from by some people can be destroyed by psychological, biological and environmental stressors. This is known as the stress-diathesis model. The idea that psychological, biological and social factors is more significant is called the biopsychosocial model in analyzing the causes of schizophrenia (Goldner, Hsu 2002). The approximate degree and frequency of hereditary causes in schizophrenia has a tendency to vary because of the difficulty in the separation of the effects of the environment and genetics. Twin studies have both suggested that there is a high rate of cases involving schizophrenia caused by genetic factors. It is possible that schizophrenia is a mental condition that is complicated in hereditary nature with many genes likely interacting to increase the risk of schizophrenia or the separate parts that can also occur that will lead to its diagnosis. Studies in genetics have implied that genes that increase the risk for the development of schizophrenia are not specific and may also increase the risk of development of other psychotic disorders. A breakthrough in recent research also suggested that very rare copies or omissions of small DNA sequences within the genes that are known as copy number variants were also related to the increased rate of risk for the development of schizophrenia (Noll 2006). It has also been thought that factors that cause schizophrenia can combine in the early development of the human brain during pregnancy. This would later increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. One finding that raised a great amount of curiosity is that people who were diagnosed with the mental illness is said to have been more possibly born in spring or winter in those living in the northern hemisphere of the planet. There is current evidence that exposure to infections during the prenatal stage can increase the risk of the development of schizophrenia in the age of maturity. This finding provides additional proof that linked the utero-developmental pathology with the risk of developing the mental disorder. Social conditions also help the increased risk of schizophrenia. People who are living in a highly urbanized environment have been found out to be exposed to great risk of being afflicted with the mental disorder. Poverty, poor living conditions and social status has also been found to contribute to the risk factor. Migration of people that is related to social problems like racial discrimination, unemployment and people coming from broken families also become factors of developing schizophrenia. There has been an implication made regarding the risk factor of childhood abuse and trauma that can cause schizophrenia later on in life. Lack of support and family dysfunctions also increase the risk but not directly connected to parenting. Substance use have also been found to increase the risk of schizophrenia but the relationship of this link is found to be complex. There has been some difficulty in distinguishing a clear relationship of substance use and the mental disorder. There is also solid evidence that the usage of certain illegal substances can start the onset or relapse of the mental illness in some people. These people who were diagnosed with schizophrenia use these substances to overcome negative emotions that comes with the intake of anti-psychotic medication and the mental condition itself. Negative feelings of paranoia and anhedonia were considered to be primary characteristics. The ingestion of amphetamines can trigger the brain to release dopamine that would increase dopamine activity. It is this excessive increase in activity that it is known to be partially responsible for the manifestation of psychotic symptoms of the mental disorder. This is partially supported by the idea that amphetamines can worsen the symptoms present in schizophrenia. This type of mental disorder can be triggered by heavy usage of stimulants and hallucinogens. One study has suggested the that the use of cannabis contributes to the occurrence of psychosis though some researchers suspect that the use of this substance was only a small part of the many factors of schizophrenia (Green 2002). There is also a number of psychological reasons that have been implicated in the development and sustainability of schizophrenia. A number of cognitive biases have been named in those that have been diagnosed and those that are at risk especially when there is the application of stress or in a state of confusion overly increased attention to potential threats, arriving at conclusions and impaired reasoning. There is also the manifestation of difficulty in differentiating from inner speech mechanism to one coming from an external entity and difficulty in retaining concentration. Case Studies: Anxiety Tom is an engineer, he is happily married, and he is the father of three bright, healthy children. By all appearances, his life is stable and satisfying. Tom, however, suffers from continual worry that he has a difficult time turning off. His anxiety may center on anything from his perceived health problems (he has recently been to his doctor for a physical, but no health issues were discovered) to money and job responsibilities. At times his anxiety peaks to the point that it interferes with his ability to function on the job. Physical symptoms include muscle tension, headaches, and hot flashes that often accompany Tom’s anxiety. Tom often feels nauseated, and he becomes easily fatigued. When he feels anxious, Tom has difficulty concentrating, he becomes irritable, and he has difficulty falling asleep at night. All of these symptoms have been present for the last 6 months. Tom has tried to talk himself out of his anxiety, but this has not worked for him. Toms wife is supportive, but she does not know what to do for her husband (Hauser, 2005). Neural circuitry involving the amygdala and hippocampus is thought to underlie anxiety. When confronted with unpleasant and potentially harmful stimuli such as foul odors or tastes, PET-scans show increased bloodflow in the amygdala. Possible mechanism is malfunction in the parabrachial nucleus, a structure in the brain, that among other functions, coordinates signals from the amygdala with input concerning balance. The amygdala is involved in the emotion of fear. Biochemical factors come into play. Low levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that reduces overactivity in the central nervous system, contributes to anxiety. A number of anxiolytics achieve their effect by modulating the GABA receptors.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Discrimination Against Those with AIDS :: Discrimination AIDS

Discrimination has grown over the years to be a major problem around the world. There are many different issues that discrimination addresses. One of the main issues that it evaluates is HIV/AIDS. Many people who are infected with the disease are discriminated against for something that they cannot control after they are diagnosed. More specifically, insurance companies and employers are one of the big factors in discrimination of these people in the work place. It is very important to them because they need the money in order to live and they need to coverage in order to stay healthy. Many people go through this battle of live with companies in order to survive, like Devin a middle aged man. These are very important issues that needs to be evaluated closely at and also their needs to be a solution for this problem in the world today. The Issue Do insurance companies and employers discriminate against people after they are informed that a person has HIV/AIDS? This is an important question at issue because many people and their loved ones are affected with terminal diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. Also, it is important because they are treated with disrespectful and it is not how any human being should be treated or cared for. They are regular looking and acting humans that happen to be infected with this horrific disease and that is the sole reason that they are being discriminated against. The public is unaware that they will not get the disease by touching the victim or using the same products or utensils as them. The only way that they could catch the disease from anyone is if they have sexual relations with them or if the share needles by taking drugs with someone who is infected with the virus. â€Å"Two decades after HIV first appeared an estimated 30 million people worldwide have contracted the virus; 11.7 million people have dies of AIDS† (Frankowski xi). This deadly virus has continually and rapidly spread to all different people. Around the world this virus is a major problem and is affecting more women and children then ever before. Although when this disease first appeared it was male dominated, but they have passed it on to the women and in which case they pass on to their children when they are in the womb.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Aib Problem Solution

Aib Homework Wk3 Problem 1 The following data were obtained from a project to create a new portable electronic. Activity Duration Predecessors A 5 Days — B 6 Days — C 8 Days — D 4 Days A, B E 3 Days C F 5 Days D G 5 Days E, F H 9 Days D I 12 Days G Step 1: Construct a network diagram for the project. Step 2: Answer the following questions: (15 points total) a) What is the Scheduled Completion of the Project? (2 points) 32 -> CORRECT b) What is the Critical Path of the Project? (3 points) B,D,F,G,I -> CORRECT 2,4,6,7,9 c) What is the ES for Activity D? (2 points) 6 -> Correct ) What is the LS for Activity G? (2 points) 15 e) What is the EF for Activity B? (2 points) 6 -> Correct f) What is the LF for Activity H? (2 points) 32 -> Correct g) What is the float for Activity I? (2 points) 0 Problem 2 The following data were obtained from a project to build a pressure vessel: Activity Duration Predecessors A 6 weeks — B 6 weeks — C 5 weeks B D 4 weeks A, C E 5 weeks B F 7 weeks D, E, G G 4 weeks B H 8 weeks F I 5 weeks G J 3 week I Step 1: Construct a network diagram for the project. Step 2: Answer the following questions: (15 points total) ) Calculate the scheduled completion time. (3 points) 30 b) Identify the critical path (4 points) B,C,D,F,H c) What is the slack time (float) for activity A? (2 points) 5 d) What is the slack time (float) for activity D? (2 points) 0 e) What is the slack time (float) for activity E? (2 points)4 f) What is the slack time (float) for activity G? (2 points) 5 Problem 3 The following data were obtained from a project to design a new software package: Activity Duration Predecessors A 5 Days — B 8 Days — C 6 Days A D 4 Days C, B E 5 Days A F 4 Days D, E, G G 4 Days B, C H 3 Day G Step 1: Construct a network diagram for the project. Step 2: Answer the following questions: (15 points total) e) Calculate the scheduled completion time. (3 points) 19 f) Identify the critical path(s) (4 points) A,C,D,G,F g) What is the slack time (float) for activity B? (2 points) 3 h) What is the slack time (float) for activity D? (2 points) 0 e) What is the slack time (float) for activity E? (2 points) 5 f) What is the slack time (float) for activity G? (2 points) 0 Problem 4 The following data were obtained from an in-house MIS project: Activity Duration Predecessors A 5 Days — B 8 Days — C 5 Days A D 4 Days B E 5 Days B F 3 Day C, D G 7 Days C, D H 6 Days E, F, G I 9 Days E, F Step 1: Construct a network diagram for the project. Step 2: Answer the following questions: (15 points total) a) Calculate the scheduled completion time. (3 points) 25 b) Identify the critical path (4 points) B,D,G,H c) What is the slack time (float) for activity A? (2 points) 2 d) What is the slack time (float) for activity D? (2 points) 0 e) What is the slack time (float) for activity E? (2 points) 3 f) What is the slack time (float) for activity F? (2 points) 1

Sunday, November 10, 2019

A Study on the Barriers of Women in IT and Banking in the UK, And Their Perceptions on Glass Ceiling

The following is an exploratory research based on the issue of women facing barriers to promotion and growth in the information technology and the banking sectors of the UK economy. The research highlights the various issues faced by women managers and employees in these segments and how the concept of discrimination still exist despite anti discriminatory laws for the workplace.Moreover the concept of the glass ceiling is also observed, as to how it limits the growth of women in the information technology, banking and financial sectors in the region of United Kingdom. While the research is comprehensive in nature, it is limited in terms of its results only to the United Kingdom.Literature Review â€Å"While, statistically, figures show an increase in women's representation in the Science, Engineering and Technology domain, academic research is yet to explore in greater depth both the reasons for women's continuing under-representation at senior levels and their work experiences.â⠂¬  (Wilson-Kovacs, Ryan & Haslam, 2006) Equality between women and men in the workplace is a hot topic all around the world.However UK has been facing issues operating to glass ceiling and women’s barriers in the workplace more than their counterparts in America. Glass ceiling is the term used to describe a scenario where equally qualified and participating men are seen to be promoted and receiving a higher salary and benefits than their female counter parts at the same position.The glass ceiling is based on the attitude bias of the community and the people employed in the workplace that creates barriers for women and minority groups to achieve positions of leadership.â€Å"In August 2006 Forbes reported that 70% of women and 57% of men believe an invisible barrier — a glass ceiling — prevents women from getting ahead in business, according to a study of 1,200 executives in eight countries, including the U.S., Australia, Austria and the Philippines were the f indings of a study conducted by Accenture.† (‘Women Still Face Glass Ceiling’, 2008)With the changing times and melding cultures, women of all ethnicities and diverse regions that are present in the UK are seeking positions of employment in professional services. This combined with the fact that they have gained extensive education in specializing fields has enabled them to enter the labor market as highly skilled professionals.However despite the investment in their careers the women are not able to achieve positions that their counterparts are achieving in a specific time frame along with the same qualifications and experience. Specific to the legal, financial and baking related firms, the transition of a female employee into a partner is sex biases, undertaken mostly under pressure or durance on part of the board.The females as a result are also plagued by problems pertaining to maintaining a falsified image and living up to expectation of the men. â€Å"the p resence of a self-managed career advancement process necessitating a proactive approach to demonstrating individual contribution; and the need to ‘fit’ a prevailing model of success within the firm which is a masculine model and is more problematic for women.† (Kumra, & Vinnicombe, 2008)Aside from this the discrepancies for jobs and the barriers into employment in the UK are more prominent for ethnic women as compared to the white women. This is mostly because of the fact that the employers have a higher degree of discrimination for the way the ethnic women dress in the workplace.Moreover while asking an applicant about their plans for establishing a life, getting married and having children are considered discriminatory by the British Law, these questions are still persistently an repeatedly been asked off black, and Asian women seeking employment in the UK.â€Å"Research by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has revealed that Pakistani and Bangladeshi wom en aged under 35 are between three and four times more likely to be unemployed than their white counterparts, while black Caribbean females are twice as likely to be out of work.† (‘Ethnic minority women face employment barriers’, 2005)

Friday, November 8, 2019

Illustrated Man essays

Illustrated Man essays Brad a man full of tattoos covering his whole body from his back to his arms. He got these illustrated tattoos from a tattoo artist which he plans to kill when he ever sees or finds her again. He claims that this old witch has gone back in the future since she could travel back and forth in time. Now these illustrations that he is left with which, when watched, these illustrations move, and each tell a story. As I sat there watching the forbidden illustrations come to life, one after another. The first story upon the illustrated man was the Veldt. This story was all about the Hadley family. The family who had purchased a house. This house did everything for them except they didnt get any sleep in this luxurious house which carried them floor by floor by air flow. This family which included two children Wendy and Peter who replaced their parents room with a room they called the Veldt. This room was absolutely extraordinary because the Veldt made the thoughts of whoever was in it come to life. Peter and Wendy loved this room since this room gave them anything they wanted. The children soon learnt of their parents plan to destroy the Veldt, they quickly informed the Veldt and had the lions of Africa eat them. The other story on Brads back was the Other Foot. This story is about the Martians who live on the planet Mars. These Martians are furious with the earth people who did not bother to care about them. The Martians who are all black hated the humans because they had no concern with the Martians. All of the sudden the human ( a white man) visit the Martians to get help since their planet is in war and famine but the Martians refused to help because when the Martians needed help there was no human being from earth who volunteered to help. The human goes back home with no help from the Martians. These are some of the many stories told on Brads back. These illustrations are incredible and full of ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Its Not About School Prayer Essays - Prayer, Religion And Children

It's Not About School Prayer Essays - Prayer, Religion And Children It's Not About School Prayer The question of school prayer has been moved from one of the storage rooms way beyond the wings to somewhere prominently on stage, if not front stage and center. The most important thing about the discussion of a school prayer amendment is not school prayer as such. People of eminently good sense and religious conviction can disagree about whether there should be prayer in public schools and, if so, what kind of prayer and who should be in charge of it. Those decisions should be made by thousands of communities and local school boards across the country. That is called democracy. An amendment is needed not to mandate or even to encourage school prayer but to restore to the people their right and responsibility to deliberate and decide a question that bears upon the kind of education they want for their children. Parents who are serious about the moral and religious formation of their children should have no illusions that adding a prayer at the beginning of the school day will achieve that goal. Public policy should help such parents send their children to schools that share their educational goals. This means school vouchers, education tax credits, flexible charter schools, or other instruments that can enable parents to exercise real choice in education. That, however, does not obviate the need for a school prayer amendment, which might better be called an educational democracy amendment. Quite apart from the merits or demerits of prayer in public schools, an amendment is needed for three reasons. First, it is a necessary check upon the overreach of the imperial judiciary. The school prayer decisions of the early 1960s were a particularly blatant instance of judicial activism. The Constitution neither mandates nor prohibits prayer in the schools. What the Constitution says about school prayer is absolutely nothing. For almost two centuries nobody thought that school prayer was a constitutional question. It was up to local communities and their school boards. (Some scholars claim that a fairly small percentage of public schools actually had such prayer.) That is the way it should be again. Those who claim that the American people are not capable of deciding the question in a civil and mutually respectful manner reveal an unseemly contempt for the democratic process. Our point, however, is that what the Constitution does not say is unconstitutional is not unconstitution al. The Constitution does not say that prayer in the public schools is unconstitutional, therefore it is not unconstitutional. One may argue that school prayer is unfair, divisive, mischievous, or just plain dumb. But it is not unconstitutional, and apparently it will take an amendment to make that clear. The second reason for an amendment is that it will challenge the judicial advancement of the pernicious ideology of the naked public square, of American public life denuded of religion and religiously grounded values. Whatever else one may think of the school prayer decisions of the 1960s, they sent a powerful message that ours is a secular society, and that a secular society is one in which religion must be expunged from any sphere that is designated as public. Combine that with the notion that public is a synonym for governmental and the conclusion is inescapable that religion must retreat wherever government advances-and government advances almost everywhere. This has been the unhappy pattern of more than thirty years. An amendment can check that pattern and perhaps, in due course, reverse it. The third reason for an amendment, closely connected to the first two, is that the incoherence of church-state jurisprudence over the last three decades is tied up with the school prayer decisions. Many, if not most, of the justices of the Supreme Court in the last decade have at one time or another publicly admitted that the Court has gotten itself into a brier patch of confusion and self-contradiction when it comes to the religion clause of the First Amendment. In our view, the Court's decisions have created a situation in which the no establishment provision of the religion clause has increasingly undercut the free exercise provision, even though the free exercise of religion is manifestly the purpose of the religion clause. Former Chief Justice Warren Burger has observed

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Discuss a qualitative methodology in relation to answering a chosen Essay

Discuss a qualitative methodology in relation to answering a chosen research question - Essay Example In physiotherapy, such situation can be shared experience in aspects such as chronic disease or back pains among patients. This paper’s account is to discuss phenomenology as a qualitative research methodology in relation to the research question above. Having established the research question as stated above, the essay will begin with a discussion of the key characteristics of the phenomenology methodology also including its epistemological and ontological assumptions and other general characteristics. The latter includes the phenomenological steps of bracketing, intuiting, analysing, and describing, all which help in defining the exact meaning of phenomenology. The essay concludes with an explanation of data collection methods and the analysis utilised by this methodology. Like all other research methodology, there must be elements of a method that defines the research validity. Phenomenology achieves such validity of results through structuring the focus of the research into in-depth narrative to gather a cumulative essence of a condition or experience (Dill, 2014). In this regard, the first method of a phenomenology is to identify the phenomenon and define any shared experiences. What exact condition is under consideration? For instance, the challenges faced by disabled persons who have lost the ability to involve themselves in social life. Their limitations include the inability to participate in sports or family affairs. As exampled in this phenomenon, the challenges experienced by the patient can be formed within seconds and can be enhanced further into a more concrete condition such as Asperger syndrome. Once the shared experiences are identified, the second step of phenomenology is bracketing and researcher’s bias identification. Bracketing is the process of identifying any predetermined beliefs or opinions that a

Friday, November 1, 2019

The Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake Epicenter Coursework

The Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake Epicenter - Coursework Example There were 227,898 estimated casualties (confirmed death toll=184,167) caused by the tsunami. In Indonesia alone, there were 130,736 people confirmed dead. In Tanzania, on the other hand, there was only 10 confirmed death report caused by the tsunami incident. Yes, there was more than one tsunami that occurred in the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake. The first two successions of waves produced by the tsunami had 30 minutes gap. Afterward, the third wave occurred an hour and a half later. The third wave was the most powerful among the tsunami waves. During the earthquake, the seabed abruptly rises in the vertical direction by several meters. Eventually, massive volumes of water are displaced resulting in a tsunami that damaged or struck the affected areas. There are two visible signs before the tsunami strikes in some places. First, the earthquake itself is the most obvious warning sign for the tsunami to occur. And second, when the sea recedes from the coastline like what happened around the Indian Ocean, it is already a sign that what may follow next is a fatal tsunami. 26. Why was the damage and life loss greater in Sri Lanka than in Bangladesh? Assume that a) the countries are the same distance from the epicenter, and b) both countries have low-lying coastal land). FYI, the effects in Africa (Somalia, for example) were greater than in Bangladesh. The reason why Sri Lanka has greater damage or death toll in contrast to Bangladesh is that of the nature of the earthquake in relation to the rupture zone. In fact, the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake proceeded more slowly in the direction towards the northern rupture zone. In the process, it gradually decreases the energy produced by the water displacement.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

In what ways did the Puritans influence America in economics ,politics Essay

In what ways did the Puritans influence America in economics ,politics ,and religion - Essay Example Their principle tended to be Presbyterian and Calvinistic. The puritan’s finest writings were both devotional and polemic treatments of theology. Their big mission was to have the freedom of worship just like as one chooses (Digital History 1 and New Advent 1). The New England puritans played a more crucial role in shaping America more than other group. They contributed a lot to the country’s (America) moral sensibility, sense of mission and its (America’s) work ethic. Some Americans (estimated to be eight million Americans) today can trace their ancestry roots back to the 15,000 to 20,000 puritans who drifted from the New England between the years 1629 and 1640. The puritans gave way to the birth of the next wave in Christian denominations. They brought major reforms to the America colonies and purified the Anglican Church (in the America) which led to the birth of the Baptists and Congregationalist in America (Digital History 1). The puritans immigrated to America in search of religious freedom as they were escaping the religious torment they were facing in their former countries and their idea was not to establish a church that was more like the church of England (they did not like the mode of religion in the England hence, the religion did not satisfy them nor did it favor them). The puritan’s mission was to set up a religion that will make the America a role model for other states to follow (Brewer, Jaques, Jones and King 1). American basic principle remains that of church separation form the state, this principle was largely influenced by the puritans hence the root of the practice (church separation from the state) was developed from the puritan’s idea of having a religious freedom (this made the religion to have a deep influence in the American life). This separation had a large impact as it protected the Americans from supporting a religion that was established and governed by the government (TCI 1). When they

Monday, October 28, 2019

he cost associated with running Essay Example for Free

he cost associated with running Essay Candidates should be limited on the amount of money they can spend during a campaign. The cost associated with running for public office is expensive, especially in the case of large national scale elections, but also in smaller local ones. The money factor discourages regular middle class individuals from running for office, often leaving the ballot seriously one sided. If spending limits were placed on campaigns, our government could represent the views and issues of the majority of Americans, rather than only those of the wealthy. Further, if candidates are given a spending limit, they are less likely to take money from supporters who will benefit or profit from a particular view. Candidates then are more likely to make choices based on the good of the community, state, or country, rather than what will bring in the most money. Although mandatory voting could produce both positive and negative outcomes, voting should be a requirement of all Americans. On one hand, forcing people who do not support any of the candidates on the ballot might lead to careless voting. Those citizens who have no knowledge of the people who are running or no interest in voting at all will most likely cast their votes simply to uphold the law. On the other hand however, if all people are required to vote, and they do so in an educated manner, the government could represent all people of our country, rather than only those who choose to vote. Additionally, if Americans are forced to vote, candidates will spend less money campaigning. The months leading up to election become a time of voicing views rather than persuading people to vote in the first place. The decreased spending will, once again, ease the chances of a candidate taking a particular stance on an issue due to the influence of those who donate to their campaign. Texas should not hold partisan elections whereby candidates run as a member of a given political party. In these elections, voters are more likely to vote based upon the party that they support in substitution to the views held by the candidate. In a state that is populated by a majority of Republicans such as Texas, a partisan election would limit the amount of Democratic candidates elected to office, resulting in a severely unbalanced government. Suddenly every public office would be held by a Republican. The only real race in a partisan election would be which Republican to vote for. Furthermore, a non partisan election calls attention to the views of the candidate on an individual level, rather than on the views of the political party to which they belong. Those who do not join parties, or who take a stance that is not supported by any party, are more likely to run for office in a non partisan election. These non partisan elections make holding an office more accessible to a wide variety of candidates, instead of only people who share similar views of Republicans or Democrats.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Capital Punishment Essay -- essays research papers fc

Capital Punishment Murder, a common occurrence in American society, is thought of as a horrible, reprehensible atrocity. Why then, is it thought of differently when the state government arranges and executes a human being, the very definition of premeditated murder? Capital punishment has been reviewed and studied for many years, exposing several inequities and weaknesses, showing the need for the death penalty to be abolished. Upon examination, one finds capital punishment to be economically weak and deficient. A common misconception of the death penalty is that the cost to execute a convicted criminal is cheaper than to place a convict in prison for life without parole. Due to the United States judicial system, the process of appeals, which is inevitable with cases involving death as the sentence, incurs an extreme cost and is very time consuming. The cost of a capital trial and execution can be two to six times greater than the amount of money needed to house and feed a prisoner for life. "Studies show incarceration costs roughly $20,000 per inmate per year ($800,000 if a person lives 40 years in prison). Research also shows a death-penalty ease costs roughly $2 million per execution," (Kaplan 2). Capital punishment is extremely expensive and depletes state governments of money that could be used for a wide range of programs that are beneficial. As Belolyn Wiliams-Harold, an author for the jour nal Black Enterprise, writes that county governments are typically responsible for the costs of prosecution and the costs of the criminal trial, including attorney's fees, and salaries for the members of the courtroom. All this money is spent at the expense of the corrections department and crime prevention programs, which are already is strapped for cash (Williams-Harlod 1). These "financial constraints," such as capital punishment, do not promote a healthy, commercial society, but actually cost and harm the public. As well as being economically unsound, the death penalty is socially biased. A class system appears to be present in the United States of America this day in age, and the lower classes seem to almost be discriminated against by the higher classes. This is also true of capital punishment. Ed Bishop of the St. Louis Journalism Review , writes on how these members of a lower class can not escape the death penalty. At the height of the... ...l punishment as a just and morally sound method of justice. After all, "An eye for an eye" seemed to be a rationale that many embraced as fair. Now there is an era of closer examination of what is truly just and morally ethical, as well as economically sound. A consequence needs to be fair, humane, and effective. Does capital punishment meet these criteria? There are compelling reasons to change the system we have blindly acclaimed. Hopefully we are in the process of implementing a new way of dealing with an age-old dilemma. Works Cited Bishop, Ed. St. Louis Journalism Review, "Anti-death Penalty Stance." V29, March 1999. http://source.unco.edu/. Cummings, Ryan. The Economist, "Most Advanced Countries Have Abolished Capital Punishment." V351, May 15, 1999. http://source.unco.edu/. Kaplan, David A. Newsweek, "Capital Punishment." V129, June 16, 1997. http://source.unco.edu/. Kile, David. The Christian Century, "Death Penalty Doubts." V116, Feb. 24, 1999. http://source.unco.edu/. Williams-Harold, Belolyn. Black Enterprise, "Facts and Figures: a costly matter of life or death." V29, Sept. 1998. http://source.unco.edu/.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Everything Comes to Him Who Waits Essay

If there would be someone impatient would ask for my words of wisdom, these are the words I would say: everything is possible if you believe, if you pray for it, if you work for it and if you really mean it, then why think negative and act too impatient? For all things are possible if just God really permits it. Faith without work is dead, the bible says. There’s simple Filipino story and everybody in this room might have heard it. The story of Juan Tamad. This guy craves for something and didn’t move to have it though the guava was within his reach. He just waited and waited for it to fall into his hands. Well, expecting something from nothing is impossible. I mean to wait is to work. How could you sit back and relax when you have the wish in your heart? There’s a saying, â€Å"do your best and let God do the rest.† Most Filipinos are just expecting to receive something from their dead faith. Dead faith means, having faith without work. Resulting, disappointments and sometimes unbelief. When a person hoped for something and was disappointed, it’s more likely that he would forget God’s reasons in giving him his disappointment. If the thing you hope for is really for you, it will come at the right time. You just have to wait. If it didn’t, it wasn’t for you. God has his reasons for doing so and we knew that it’s always for the best.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Eharmony Case Study Essay

In the new world of making a name for yourself, one of the most important characteristics of human culture has begun to be lost. Love, relationships, marriage, etc. have all begun to be swallowed by the notion that in order to be successful in this world, your full attention, time, and money must be put into your career. Before the 20th century, life was simple and universal. Men â€Å"brought home the bacon† while women stayed at home washing dishes, cleaning the house, raising children, and cooking meals. Most married a stayed married. Divorce was highly frowned upon and therefore never happened. However in the turn of the century, the age of technology and equal rights activists have brought a large change in the way our society is run today. Nearly half of all marriages now end in divorce and very few last more than four years. Not all of this is due to the selfishness and desire to stray from monogamy as most would think. Much of it has to do with the fact that people are so consumed with being all they can be and not putting in the time required to have that special connection with another human. Harmony was created to provide a way for members of society to easily meet potential significant others and â€Å"date† over the internet while not sacrificing time in their workplace. The initial response of the public was wary. People felt embarrassed that they had to use technology to find that special someone rather than go out and do it on their own. However, soon the site began to catch on. eHarmony’s marketing technique focused on finding marriage rather than relationships and advertised other users who had great success with the site. The success stories proved that eHarmony was the top site for finding long-term, committed relationships and marriages. Other sites, such as Match and Yahoo Personal, established themselves as successful dating sites however both lacked the number of successful marriages. To compete with eHarmony, Match introduced Chemistry, which mimicked eHarmony and was focused on producing marriages. Also in response to the growth of eHarmony, Yahoo Personal introduced a Premier option which also was focused on being more personal in the hope to produce more marriages. Now the central problem for eHarmony has begun. eHarmony established itself as the leading matchmaking company but with competitors threatening to take market share, the company needed to find a way to preserve its reputation and remain the top matchmaking website for long term relationships. Industry Environment Beginning with Internal Rivalry, eHarmony faced a lot of competition within the industry. The most notable competition rested in pricing. There were hundreds of dating sites on the web pertaining to many different types of people. Some were broad and inviting for everyone, others specific to only a certain demographic whether it be race, religion, and/or even marital status. Along with these dating sites, were social networking sites but these proved to not generate much competition. Some sites had membership fees while others were free. The free sites were generally not as well run and were not successful in creating long standing relationships. However the fact that they were free forced membership sites such as Match and eHarmony to bring down the price of their subscription fees. With hundreds of matchmaking sites on the web, one would think that it would be an easy industry to enter. However, each year approximately 850 different sites attempted to join the industry and quickly failed or failed to ever gain a profit. eHarmony, Match, and Yahoo Personal had made names for themselves and it was going to be very difficult to gain market share without a lot of capital, advertising, and marketing. Going along with new entrants, there were also very few substitutes in the industry. Harmony established itself as the leading long-term Matchmaker and only Yahoo Personal and Match had the resources to compete. Within eHarmony, supplier power was relatively low. The company grew to only 230 employees and half of which worked in customer service. The studies and surveys done by the company were simple and only involved researching couples. Therefore supplier costs were low and substitutes were readily available. On the flip side, Buyer power became very high for eHarmony. Harmony offered a service to ameliorate dating and have a better chance at finding that â€Å"special someone†. Consumers saw confidence in that by joining eHarmony they would quickly and easily find someone they could marry. Strategy in the Environment eHarmony’s strategy worked out very well for its targeted customers. The matchmaking industry is very difficult to cover because there are so many different cliques within it. How do you create a site that satisfies the wants and needs of every individual looking for love? You can’t. Sexuality, race, religion, personality, monogamy, long term, short term, family, age, and appearance are just a fraction of the characteristics needed to be considered for an online dating site. eHarmony focused its strategy on what it felt would be the largest group of buyers without taking on every single characteristic that would go into a relationship. Heterosexuals looking for a long-term relationship leading to marriage are the buyers eHarmony is looking for. The personality profile and guided communication were the backbone of eHarmony and were relied on most to matching singles together. Harmony felt that these tests and strategy would only apply to this demographic so many applicants to the site were denied for various reasons such as homosexuality, being married, and having more than three divorces. Many felt that eHarmony was discriminating against these certain people however with all the research eHarmony had done, the same amount of research would need to be completed for all other demographics and could potentially harm the idea that eHarmony was a site to find marriage not a site to find an affair. However, new competitors, like Chemistry, used this to their advantage by advertising eHarmony’s rejections and saying that they were 100% accepting. eHarmony had no response to this but instead should continue to defend its position as the leading matchmaking company for long-term relationships. As long as it stays on top, it can retain its customer loyalty and therefore prevent Chemistry from gaining much market share. eHarmony will also likely expand into new countries to drive costumer growth and if it does so quickly it can gain popularity before its competitors who will likely do the same thing.