Methodology of data collection

Introduction This section focuses on various aspects of data collection. It includes methods of data collection, analysis and presentation. Every research project applies a certain research method to achieve its objectives depending on its goals. In this research, the researchers were interested in gathering information about issues related to bullying.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Methodology of data collection specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The researchers interviewed sampled respondents in three different companies; large companies, middle sized and small companies. This was important in ensuring that the data gathered was free from bias. The researchers interviewed the managers of these firms and the employees in order to have views from both sides. This would enhance validity (Crotty 2003, p. 76). The questionnaire were very important in this research because it was the tool through which relevant data was gathered from the research population. Different groups were assigned different roles. The first group of two individuals formulated the questionnaires while the other members formed another group for data collection.During data collection process, members were assigned different roles in different groups. In each group, there would be an indivdual who would be interviewing the respondents, another would be recording the response, while the third person would observe non verbal cues from the respondents that would be useful in data analysis. These groups were asssigned regions where they would colletct data. Hypothesis H0. There is no relatiohsip between poor service delivery and bullying in the organization. Research Model There is one major methods used to gather information in this report. Data was gathered through the questionaire, which was administered physically by the group member the staff of the three different companies. It is attached to this document. The questiona ire sought to capture various attutudes of staff at the three different companies regarding their performance attitude towards bullying. Open ended questions were used because they give respondents more time to figure out their opinions, which would make them volunteer more information related to felings, outlooks and comprehension of the subject (Leedy Ormrod 2005, p. 12).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This would allow a researcher to understand the position of respondents as regards to bullying. Nonetheless, closed-ended questions are compatible with computer analysis package (Creswell 2003, p. 23). The technique is more specific meaning that its answers are consistent in all conditions. Ethical Issues Ethics is an important aspect of any research. Ethics means proper or professional research, which is conducted in the best traditions of the discipline. The research ne eds to observe researcher-respondent relations, which deals with the welfare of the respondent. Honesty, sincerity, justice and responsibility should guide researcher-researcher relationships meaning there should be not criticism. Criticism should not be based on polemic, personal biases or collective interests. Professional ethics means accuracy in data collection, data processing and application of relevant research methods (Hakim 2000, p. 6). In this report, issues related to ethics were addressed by giving relevant notice to the researched. Data Analysis Data obtained would be analyzed with the aid of computer software referred to as SPSS. Since acquired data is quantitative in nature, SPSS analysis would be simple. The major aim of this quantitative report was to ensure reliability, validity and generalization of a problem in its patent prediction of cause and effect. Validity is utilized in establishing whether a study measures what it is projected to measure and to estimate t he truth of the outcomes. The researcher ensured that both internal and external validities were observed in the study. Internal validity was catered for through careful manipulation of the results. List of References Creswell, J 2003, Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches, Sage, Thousand Oaks. Crotty, M 2003, The Foundations of Social Research: meaning and perspective in the research process, Sage, London.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Methodology of data collection specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hakim, C 2000, Research Design: Sucessful Designs for Social and Economic Research, Routledge, New York. Leedy, P Ormrod 2005, Practical Research: Planning and Design, Pearson, Prentice Hall. This report on Methodology of data collection was written and submitted by user Camilo Graves to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Book Cover Design Advice and Inspiration

Book Cover Design Advice and Inspiration The level of digital media rapidly increases every day, but take a trip to your local bookstore and youll probably notice that print design is still alive and well. Although I love working in both digital and print media, theres something special about being able to hold a beautifully designed printed object in your hands, and some of the best and most unique designs in the field today are found on the covers of books.Designing a great book cover can be a challenge- in order for your design to be effective, it has to creatively represent the material inside while being distinct enough to grab the attention of a viewer and make a significant impact. Because of the complexities of the various different kinds of books, designing book covers can be a valuable exercise to practice your design thinking skills. Here are a few tips to get you on your way to designing stunning covers.Start with a conceptThe best way to get started on a book design is to develop a solid concept that reflects t he overall key message or tone of the book. Thoroughly understanding the content and the goal of the content are critical steps in making a successful cover. In order to do this, its a good idea for you to actually read the content if its available to you or if time allows. Even if you have a fast-approaching deadline or the content is complicated, there are still ways you can gain a true understanding of the content without reading it word-for-word. Read summaries or synopses, character sheets, reviews–basically, any material you can get your hands on in order to really comprehend the book.Next, its time to translate themes and messages of the content into visuals. There are a few different techniques to do this, but my favorite is to develop a mood board- itll help you organize any visual inspiration you get from the content. Go through your content and make a list of adjectives that describe the tone or overall feeling. Some example adjectives might be dark, mysterious, pl ayful, hopeful, serious, noir, classic, scholarly, and funny. Find any recurring objects, settings, motifs, or important scenes and add them to your board. You might find that these words and images start to evoke certain color palettes or typefaces that you can start to explore. The goal of your mood board is to create a visual picture of the content and its meaning which you can draw inspiration from. Generally, covers that are more symbolic tend to be more visually interesting than literal cover designs, so think about how you can represent themes with a subtle visual metaphor that might intrigue a reader. Understanding the tone of your book will help you to create visuals for your cover that are appropriate for the content and that hint at the overall theme. Think of the cover as a sneak peek for the reader- the first chance to draw them into whatever is inside.Stick to your genreKeeping the genre of your book in mind is important- the cover of a mystery novel looks very differe nt from a textbook or childrens book, and it might contain different information with a different hierarchy. Depending on the genre, youll have a different audience to cater to and should design with this audience in mind. For example, a young adult novel cover should appeal to teenagers, so you might use a more youthful design or employ trendier colors and typefaces. For a nonfiction book about politics, the cover you design might feel more formal and academic. Keeping the design applicable to the genre helps readers to quickly understand what kind of book it is and what kind of content theyll find inside.Take a look at other book covers in your genre to see what kinds of techniques they use. This can provide a bit of inspiration, but it can also help you to avoid repeating concepts that have already been done or using common visual clichà ©s which show up frequently within the genre. For example, mystery novels often use doors, long shadows, dead trees, etc.- this doesnt mean tha t you cant use these elements, but your cover will stand out more if you find a way to fit within the genre while still being unique. Try putting a new spin on a clichà © or use unexpected visuals or type treatments.Keep it simpleOne of the biggest mistakes I see with novice book cover designs is trying to do too many things at once. Keep typefaces, colors, and information to a minimum- remember, you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of a reader. This doesnt mean that you have to create a minimal design, but making sure the elements of your cover arent overwhelming together is critical to a professional-looking design.Make sure your layout has a clear hierarchy- this will help a reader navigate through the presented information and understand it easier and faster. Keep all copy as legible and easy-to-read as possible- this is especially important if youre given a lot of copy to put on the cover. Contrasting your type and imagery can help create a pleasant visual balance . For example, if you choose a busy, complicated image as a background, contrast that with a simple typeface so that the two dont compete. Relate the placement of your type with the image so that the design feels intentional and cohesive. The two should work together harmoniously so that the cover feels great and cohesive as a whole.Dont forget productionProduction is another important aspect of book cover design to keep in mind. Make sure you know the specifications of your book cover- this includes things like spine width, bleed, margins and safe areas, and where the barcode will go. Having this information before you start designing will help save time and hassle in the long run.There are a variety of binding and finishing options that can elevate your design and get a passerby to pick it up. Depending on the project budget (and how much control you have in the production process), elements like spot gloss, foil stamping, coatings, and embossing can be options to consider. Howeve r, as a general rule, I would avoid using too many of these options at once- simplicity is key to keep your cover from looking too gimmicky or overwhelming. The production of your book cover should feel as intentional and thought-out as the design itself so that nothing feels like an afterthought or out of place.When deciding on finishing options, I like to stop by bookstores and take notes on what other books are doing- what kind of paper they use, whether the covers are matte or gloss, what elements are embossed, etc. This can help inspire you on where finishing would be best-suited on your design. Be sure to discuss production with your client and/or printer to see what options are feasible for the timeline and budget of the project youre working on.Break the rulesOnce you have the basics of design and layout down, dont hesitate to try something completely unconventional or risky. Some of the most successful book covers take this unorthodox approach in ways that make sense for th eir content. Try altering the orientation of the text, losing the margins, or making the text really big or really small. Use jarring or impactful imagery, die cut holes in the cover, or spread the title over the whole front and back. Breaking the rules doesnt work in every situation, but it can allow you a little more artistic freedom to explore and push the memorability of your cover. Doing something bold with the cover is a great way to prompt a reader to pick up a book.Practice!In my opinion, book cover design is one of the best (and most fun!) ways to practice your overall design skills, especially if youre new to the field. Covers require critical thinking, concepting, sketching, typography, layout, and production- skills that can be applied to many other projects. And unlike other mock projects, its fairly easy to develop a fake brief for a book cover assignment. Try redesigning an existing book, or use a site like Plot Generator to develop fake titles and blurbs. Doing a han dful of fake covers as a personal project can help you to improve your skills and provides great portfolio work when youre just starting out. And, because the projects are your own, youll have more freedom to try new things than you might with a real-life client.Below are three fake book covers I designed for three different genres. Each one uses a different stylistic approach and organizes the information differently.This cover for a made-up thriller uses bold, brushed typography and a subtle textural background of a city. The pop of yellow color conveys a sense of urgency and helps the title stand out over the mysterious background.Just because a book is educational or instructional, doesnt mean it cant be beautifully designed. I designed this cooking guide to be simple, using only blue and white, to create an approachable feel for new chefs. The clean, sparse typography contrasts nicely with the more detailed vintage illustrations which make the book feel classic and timeless.For a romance novel, I went with a minimal approach that uses warm colors and lots of white space. I pulled the simple circles off the edge of the cover to reference a sun setting, and the overlapping circles create a sense of connection and movement.Book cover design can be a difficult and complex process, but keeping these few guidelines in mind will help you to create more successful and meaningful covers.

Oligopoly nature of grocery stores in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Oligopoly nature of grocery stores in UK - Essay Example Grocery stores are influenced by several factors for example the existence of LGRs, distribution channels and different planning strategies. Large regional distribution systems are needed for efficiency. However, the small companies do not enjoy sufficient distribution channels as opposed to the big companies. This is due to the fact that large companies normally sophisticated distribution systems to improve their products availability, reduce wastage and collect direct from suppliers. Many of the large companies usually negotiate favorable terms with suppliers for instance the case of Tesco and Asda. Planning strategies usually restricts out of town centre developments of grocery stores therefore restricting development of new larger stores. These also act as barrier to the entry of new firms increasing the costs of developing new stores which again discourages potential new investors. Factors positively influencing grocery stores The success of grocery stores depends on several factors for example market trends in the industry. There are some market trends for example decreasing numbers of specialist stores, increasing share of sales from large stores and few large firms taking an increasing market share. There has been a steep decline in the number of specialist stores.... Apparently, it is clear that sales from convenient stores are growing more quickly than grocery stores however, they only account for a small share of the sales (Sellers, 93). Grocery stores record the highest number of sales and increasingly, a huge percentage of the market is dominated by sales. Grocery stores usually offset the advantages of large stores because of easy consumer access to them for top up shopping. Grocery stores have links with wholesalers who give them the benefits of large buying power as well as access to other facilities and advice. Grocery stores have managed to survive also because of diversification for example distributing newspapers and operating other small businesses beside them like alcohol outlet. Consumers who meet up in a warm social place enjoy satisfaction hence loyalty. Groceries also enjoy low cost of operating businesses. In addition to this, they also receive assistance from family members. The groceries also sell their products at cheap price s. This is because they enjoy a buying power of large continental European groups. They enjoy low labor costs in their operations as well as low cot of buildings in which they operate their businesses. The owners of groceries are also able to adapt well under difficult economic circumstances. Subsequently, one major factor that boosts the groceries is the fact that main competitors tend to move up the market depending on the success of the firm. Reasons for Asda increasing their market shares Asda operates as a large store with wide range of products and relatively low prices. As a large store, it has some particular advantages for example marketing and efficiency Schaffer & August & Earle,

How has America's foreign policy changed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How has America's foreign policy changed - Essay Example That is a foreign policy which determinedly aims towards the isolation of a country’s national and international interests from world events. It is, to a large extent, an unrealistic foreign policy insofar as it ignores the extent to which national interests are ultimately intermingled with both international ones and those of other nations. World War I, according to this interpretation, exposed the extent to which the United States’ foreign policy had oversimplified the extent to which national interests, largely economic ones, were predicated on the well-being and stability of other nations, specifically the European ones. Realization of the aforementioned, therefore, forced the United States, largely out of concern for its own national interests and welfare, to break with its non-interventionist foreign policy and embrace a more interventionist one in which the US engaged in the affairs of other nations for the promotion and protection of its own interests. The United States refusal to sign the Versailles Treaty was consistent with its pre-World War I foreign policy. Quite simply stated, prior to World War I, the United States had pursued a non interventionist foreign policy and had, upon the outbreak and prolongation of the aforementioned event, only temporarily broken with that policy. It broke with it in order to restore stability to Europe and, by association, the United States’ economic interests in the continent. As is evident from Wilson’s Fourteen Points, the United States had assumed that following the conclusion of World War I and the subsequent restoration of stability to Europe, it would be able to revert to its earlier foreign policy strategy. Accordingly, the very last thing that it wanted was another European war. The terms of the Versailles Treaty, however, appeared to threaten just that. Certainly, it should have included

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example 8 References 9 Appendix 10 Introduction NewsCorp can be characterized as a dynamic multinational organization, having been expanded rapidly in countries worldwide; the current performance of the firm is significant – see graph 1 (Appendix). In 2010, the firm continued its growth by developing a series of critical agreements, such as the increase of its ownership in Sky Deutschland to 45%, the development of a joint venture with CME Group inc. and so on (Annual Report, p.17). In 2010, the profits of the firm were estimated to 32,778 millions, increased by 8% compared to 2009 (Annual Report, p.18). Apart from its geographic expansion, the firm’s major characteristic has its ability to enter new industrial sectors. However, it would be stated that its growth has been mostly based on its profits from newspapers. The above view is based on the following fact: in accordance with the case study, the profits from the Australian newspaper, The News – established by the fa ther of Murdoch in 1923 – allowed the expansion of NewsCorp in the global market (p.713 case study); In the above context, the level at which the involvement of NewsCorp in the newspapers sector has offered the firm a competitive advantage in the global market has to be further examined. ... In the context of the Five Forces model of industry competition (Figure 1, Appendix) a firm that aims to compete its rivals is likely to face five different forces, including: the threat of similar (substitute) products/ services, the threat of new firms entering the particular industry, the power of customers to ask for lower prices, the power of suppliers to ask for higher payment of the material/ services provided and the competition from existing rivals (Porter 1998). In the case under examination, the increase of TNC’s competitiveness towards its rivals and the further growth of the firm in the global market were achieved, mostly, through the following strategies: the expansion of the firm in the areas of national and local newspapers – in this way the competition within each market was minimized; for instance, in Australia, the firm established the country’s ‘first national newspaper, the Australian, along with 20 provincial newspapers’ (p.713 case study), a fact that offered to the firm the hegemony in the Australian market; in this way also, the firm achieved to secure an important source of funds for supporting its expansion in the international market; another, important, competitive strategy of the firm has been the acquisition of key competitors in the international market; an indicative example of this type is the acquisition of the News of the World – a British publishing company which was already well developed in the local market. The competitive strategy of NewsCorp should be criticized using the Five Forces model of Porter – to see how the strategic initiatives of Murdoch have been, actually, aligned with the existing academic theories on competitiveness in the context of

Management of Risk in an Organisation

Management of Risk in an Organisation As the central point of contact, and as the individual with both responsibility and accountability for the successful delivery of a project, it is the job of the project manager to put into place the necessary safeguards for the management of risk; safeguards which will help to uphold the anticipated value of the project. Before all of this, however, a project manager must grasp the notion that projects exist only to promote and benefit an organisation and that, by this logic, the value of a project is defined by the way in which the project accomplishes the business objectives. The value of projects can also be highlighted by the way in which they themselves extract value from opportunity by the carefully managed application of resources.[1] Academics argue that current performance is the best predictor of future performance and that using the trends in data it is possible to forecast risks such as budget variance or scheduling issues at an early stage in any project. Earned Value is one of the most comprehensive trend analysis techniques and is one way in which project managers can monitor a project. Basically, EV requires the manager to monitor the project plan, the actual work completed and the work completed value to check whether the project is on track. The EV trend analysis helps to indicate how much of budget/time should have been spent at any given stage and allows a comparison with actual work done to date. EV is different to the usual budget v actual cost incurred model because it requires the cost of work in progress to be quantified. This allows for a comparison of actual v expected in terms of work completion.[2] Where an organisation has failed to prepare to receive and apply the project deliverables the project manager must take control and formally verify all the information needed to fully understand the project and its expected deliverables. This requires a specific type of input and the project manager must determine the key players within the organisation. It is vital to the success of the project that the project sponsor is known to the project manager, and that the project sponsor takes on the role of ‘champion’ for the project. The project manager must also identify the stakeholders in order that each stakeholder’s precise expectations can be identified and managed. It is advisable for the project manager to establish a project repository: a place where all important documentation can be gathered together – this can be done manually, or can be an online document management system. In any EV system, there is a need for a benefits manager, too – and t his is usually the PS. The benefits manager ensures, through the process of KPI measurement and investment recovery to measure the attainment of the project. A project which attains its projected value is a project which delivers operationally against the business case.[3] In order to ensure that the project sponsor and manager understand the purpose of the project and its linkage to strategy, other projects and operations within the organisation, a project charter, or S.O.W., should be created. The charter formally recognises the existence of the project within the organisation and identifies the sponsor, manager and stakeholders and their respective responsibilities. The project objectives are clearly laid down, as is the scope of the project. In order to ensure the success of any project, the project manager must ensure that the objectives are SMART, and that the objectives are accompanied by a list of specific deliverables as well as any explicit exclusions.[4] The charter must provide a completion date as well as the completion project budget. The project sponsor must sign the charter as this indicates that s/he will provide the necessary funds and support to complete the project.[5] It is then vital for the project manager to identify the core team who will work on the project and to hold a kick-off meeting, at which the project sponsor should be in attendance: this will help demonstrate their support for the project as well as provide them with an opportunity to contextualise the project with regards the mission and strategies of the organisation. It is important for the organisation that the project manager identifies other team commitments that may exist within the core team, and that commitment is obtained from the resource providers.[6] The first stage in managing risk in any project is to ensure that, once the project manager has been appointed, regardless of whether the organisation has prepared itself to receive and apply deliverables, a WBS is undertaken. The WBS allows the project leader to work with the core team to identity the key stages of the project and once identified to task board these stages into a logical sequence. Generally the key stage id entification is undertaken at around level 2, in terms of detail, however, with an EV system the project manager must assign a budget to each work package. It is then essential to chart the dependencies that can be identified and at this stage this is generally done using a logic diagram.[7] The WBS, then, is simply a convenient way to present this work in a graphical manner but it is important to note that the WBS itself does not show dependencies other than at key stages and that it is not time based. It is also a dynamic tool which can be updated depending upon need. It may even be useful to add tasks for the project manager into the WBS since if the project managers’ time is being charged against the project this enables the manager to track their activities against the plan. Under the EV system, the WBS allows the project manager to monitor the earning of each work package against planned value and accord variance to plan, where necessary, in the case of creep.[8] Resources must then be assigned to the project and it is important for the project manager to consider who and what might be needed in order to make the project a success and to meet the value anticipated by the sponsor; the actual availability of staff; the manner in which any deficit in resources may be covered if they are not readily available when required; and whether any unresolved constraints with resources may cause creep.[9] When all of this has been identified and resources assigned the project manager must draw up a project task worksheet and people this. If it is thought to be too early in the project to produce a detailed allocation of tasks, it is equally feasible to allocate responsibilities for key stages and to identify a key stage owner who takes ownership over all the responsibilities of that stage. The benefit of the EV system is that the project manager can report to the PS with more confidence and can generally spot creep early on.[10] It is then the role of the project manager to create a realistic project plan or schedule and the manager must bear the following considerations in mind: the WBS to the task level; the specification of people to tasks; the dependencies between and amongst tasks, successor activities and potential slippage and the completion date for each task (in consultation with individuals).[11] The problem with much of the above is that is requires a great deal of estimation in terms of the duration of each activity and this can make the TPT projection difficult. It is important to build in contingencies to quantify the extent of uncertainty in the estimation process. The major portion of all project costs is frequently the time expended so it is important to schedule full team members at 3.5-4.0 productive working days per week; to include management time, where appropriate, as an additional 10%; avoid splitting tasks between individuals when planning; allow time for cross-functional data transfer and response and include contingencies at all levels of planning. It is possible to take an alternative method when planning estimations, particularly if the project is to take place over more than a couple of months. Rather than prepare estimates on the basis of individuals and seeking advanced agreement of commitments; the plan can be developed on the basis of some resources wo rking full time on the project. This is usually done on the basis of what is known as single person dependencies (SPD) so that each piece of work is given a duration based on how long it will take if one person carries out the work, assigned full-time to the job and with no other commitments. This helps to create a common baseline. So for example, a part of a project with an SPD estimate of 8 days can be completed with: one person full-time; two people at 50% capacity; four people at 35% capacity. In practice, however, the more people who get involved the less effective the capacity becomes, so 2 people will need 55% capacity and 4 people around 35% capacity and so on.[12] In order to deliver the value of any project, it is necessary to go much further than the above, in the planning stages. Thus far we have discussed simply the basics of the planning process, but to try and fully manage risk, a project manager must implement advanced planning techniques. There are two popular methods of indicating and tracking task completions: the Gantt chart and the PERT chart. The PERT method allows for the planning of critical paths and is based on representing project activities by nodes which contain essential information calculated to show the flow of data through its various paths in the logic diagram. The PERT method allows for an indication of the earliest start time and the latest start time, and conversely for such finish times. The advantage of this method is that it shows predecessor and successor activities and allows for the imposing of constraints with the start-to-start or finish-to-finish relationships between activities. Forced delay can be imposed using a lag between the start and finish of predecessor activity and the start or finish of one or more successor activities. The forced start or lead is used to start a successor activity before the predecessor activity is completed.[13] The Gantt chart allows the project manager to take all of the information derived from the above steps and display it so that the core team can understand it! The chart allows the project manager to show a listing of key stages of the project, their duration and the key stage owner. The Gantt chart also allows the project manager to build in float time, the limit of which is the limit of the work if the schedule is not to be threatened and possibly extend the project. Any critical activities will have zero float. Dependency links can also be shown on the Gantt chart as should milestones, project meetings and project reviews. The total float which the project manager can calculate from the analysis of the PERT diagram etc. provides the Gantt chart a range of capabilities as a decision-processing tool. It allows the project manager to decide when a piece of work should start or whether it can be broken up into smaller sections. As the project manager knows the float time available they are able to take a decision as to the feasibility of delaying the start slightly or delaying as late as possible. The real value of this is that it allows the project manager to establish ‘what if’ scenarios. High risk areas can be identified easily and can be examined for the impact of any serious slippage. This allows the project manager to make the necessary contingency plans. The logic of such processes allow the project manager to enter into neutral dialogue when organisational, market or political pressure for a ‘pushback’ receives a negative response from the project sponsor. At this planning stage it is also necessary to estimate the cost of each activity and this usually includes people’s time, overheads and materials used. This provides the project manager with a total project cost which becomes the project operating budget (plus an allowance for contingencies). To be effective, the budget has to be time-phrased for each level of the project plan with accurate estimates of costs. In practice, the project manager will achieve this through the WBS. To manage risk, it is vital that any operating budget contains a contingency to cover unknowns: this is nominally a 10% variance. Once the budget has been established it is the job of the project manager to undertake const control which requires the manager to pay constant attention to the cost consciousness of all those involved in the project; company standards and the change control system. Cost control usually focuses on the value of the work completed (ACWP) at any time and compares it to the actua l cost of the work in terms of the originally predicted costs in the operating budget (BCWS/BCWP).[14] It is vital that the project manager accepts that not everything will go to plan so it is prudent to ensure that due consideration is given to an assessment of all possible risks to the project and the necessary contingencies that may be required. Risk can be defined as a function of three variables: an event that could disturb the project, the probability that such an event will happen and the impact of such an event happening. When a risk becomes a reality it is known as an issue. Once the risks have been assessed the project manager must constantly monitor risk to ensure that when it arises it is controlled. Controlling risks means that the successful project manager should be able to allocate responsibility for action; monitor and report actions and monitor valid risks for change. This is continuous phase throughout the PLC, and because it involves a significant amount of analysis should be documented through a risk status log. This should be reviewed at intervals (generally mont hly) and risks must be reviewed and updated. Using the Gantt chart and the WBS ensures that if things do start to go wrong it is possible to undertake an impact analysis of the consequences of issues arising, and provides the project manager with the necessary information to take informed decisions regarding the action needed to mitigate slippage. [15] The project manager should also ensure that they undertake a certain amount of communication planning. Poor communication can hinder the progress of projects and can result in unnecessary risks. The project manager must work out the number of communication channels, especially in large projects, for example with 7 core members in a team there are 21 channels. The project plan should, therefore, detail who needs information; why they need it; what information they need; when they need it; the way it should presented; and when the core team should meet to discuss project status etc. Routine status reports can take the form of simple memo.[16] Another very important part of managing risk is having an effective change control process. Scope creep can drive a project schedule and budget over an approved baseline and so it is important for project managers to have the appropriate mindset when dealing with the possibility of change. The most basic change control process ought to include: the submission of change requests to the project manager via a change request form; the logging of change request; an assessment by the core team of the impact of the change – when this has been done the impact of the change is then discussed with the individual who requested the change, as often, when the impact is known the request is withdrawn. If the change request is not withdrawn, the proposed change is discussed with the PS and the customer, and is either approved or disapproved and the requester is notified, as are stakeholders. The change is then incorporated into the project plan and the deliverables.[17] This then is the basic methodology which allows project managers to deliver value through all stages of a project life cycle, and to carry out the project in accordance with both the objectives and strategies laid down by the organisation[18]. The success of the project manager is directly measured through the perceived results in each dimension of the project, and in order to achieve this attainment, the project manager needs to achieve these results with and through others.[19] Bibliography Augustine, N. Managing Projects and Programs. Boston. Harvard. 1989 Cleland. D, King, W. Systems Analysis and Project Management. New York. McGraw-Hill. 1983 Cleland, D., Ireland L. Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2002. Collins, J. Good to Great. New York. Harper Collins. 2001 Cook, C.R, Just Enough Project Management. McGraw Hill. New York. 2005 Frame, Davidson. Managing Projects in Organizations. San Fransisco. Jossey-Bass. 2002 Goodpasture, J.C., Managing Projects for Value. Vienna. VA. 2002 Harvard Business Review. Project Management: A Harvard Business Review Paperback. Boston. HBSP. 1991 Haughey, Duncan. What is Earned Value? Project Smart. 2007 Katzenbach, J., Smith, Douglas. The Discipline of Teams. New York. Wiley Sons. 200 Kerzner, H. Project Management: A Systems Approach to planning, scheduling and controlling. New York. Wiley Sons. 2001 Leech, D. Turner B.T. Project Management for Profit. Chicester. Ellis Horwood. 1990 Lewis, J. Project Leadership. New York. Mc-Graw Hill. 2003 Lewis, J. Project Planning, Scheduling and Control. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2001 Project Management Institute Standards Committee. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge/ 2001, p205 Smith, Steve (ed.). Make Things Happen: Readymade Tools for Project Management. London. Kogan Page Limited. 1997 1 Footnotes [1] Goodpasture, J.C., Managing Projects for Value. Vienna. VA. 2002 [2] Haughey, Duncan. What is Earned Value. Project Smart. 2007 [3] Goodpasture, J.C., Managing Projects for Value. Vienna. VA. 2002 [4] Cook, C.R, Just Enough Project Management. McGraw Hill. New York. 2005 [5] Project Management Institute Standards Committee. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge/ 2001, p205 [6] Augustine, N. Managing Projects and Programs. Boston. Harvard. 1989 [7] Cleland, D., Ireland L. Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2002. [8] Cleland. D, King, W. Systems Analysis and Project Management. New York. McGraw-Hill. 1983 [9] Harvard Business Review. Project Management: A Harvard Business Review Paperback. Boston. HBSP. 1991 [10] Frame, Davidson. Managing Projects in Organizations. San Fransisco. Jossey-Bass. 2002 [11] Smith, Steve (ed.). Make Things Happen: Readymade Tools for Project Management. London. Kogan Page Limited. 1997 [12] Katzenbach, J., Smith, Douglas. The Discipline of Teams. New York. Wiley Sons. 2001 [13] Lewis, J. Project Planning, Scheduling and Control. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2001 [14] Lewis, J. Project Planning, Scheduling and Control. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2001 [15] Kerzner, H. Project Management: A Systems Approach to planning, scheduling and controlling. New York. Wiley Sons. 2001 [16] Lewis, J. Project Leadership. New York. Mc-Graw Hill. 2003 [17] Lewis, J. Project Planning, Scheduling and Control. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2001 [18] Leech, D. Turner B.T. Project Management for Profit. Chicester. Ellis Horwood. 1990 [19] Collins, J. Good to Great. New York. Harper Collins. 2001

Social Issues Essay -- essays research papers

Is Mcdonaldization Inevitable? George Ritzer’s, Mcdonaldization of Society, is a critical analysis of the impact on social structural change on human interaction and identity. According to Ritzer, Mcdonaldization â€Å"is the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as rest of the world† (Ritzer, 1). Ritzer focuses on four foundations of Mcdonaldization: efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. These are the commandments of any rationalized corporation. However, they are not carried out from the point of view of the consumer. Efficiency, for example, may entail the placing of great inconveniences upon a consumer for the sake of efficient management. Calculability may involve hiding certain information from the consumer. Predictability and control may involve a company's ability to predict and control consumer behavior, not the consumer's ability to predict what kin d of product or control what kind of service he gets. Ritzer calls such breakdowns "the irrationality of rationalization." Ritzer points out the irrationality of rationality, as all of the supposed benefits of Mcdonaldized systems backfire: waiting in long lines, suspect quality, little or no customer service, little or no customer service, the illusion of large quantities for low prices, and severely limited selection of choice. Throughout Mcdonaldization of Society, Ritzer describes Mcdonaldization as largely negative and often destructive. While Mcdonaldization is rapidly taking over American society and spreading to the rest of the globe, it is not something unjustly imposed on the American people. The consumerist culture of America has groomed the public to seek efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. These principles grow in importance and value in contemporary America. Even when given the choice to avoid a Mcdonaldized establishment or product, peopl e will flock to it. I agree with Ritzer’s analysis of a Mcdonaldized society, but I feel that Ritzer has failed to provide any real solutions to the Mcdonaldization process. I will support Ritzer’s analysis of the Mcdonaldization process, but also show that it is inevitable and essential in the American society to have a rationalized system. Ritzer stresses that â€Å"Mcdonaldization† does not just refer to robotlike assemb... ...ety, companies are looking to maximize profits and managers are looking to maximize sales. Employers want efficiency and predictability from their workers. They want to be able to control their employees. With so much of the day spent at work and commuting, the only way people can get everything done everyday is to rely on time saving methods. With increasing productivity and development comes an increasingly rationalized system. Regardless of who benefits or to what extent, the universal result is homogenization. Rationalized systems have a pronounced tendency to squash individual tastes, niche markets, small-scale enterprise and personalized customer service. Differences are leveled, wrinkles smoothed, knots cut off -- convenience at the expense of character. An overwhelming sameness develops, along with a decrease in responsiveness. The system that seeks to mimic a machine becomes a machine, incapable of making exceptions or taking risks. I believe that the greatest loss is th at most people know of no other society than the rationalized society and therefore cannot even hope to deviate from it. For good or for bad, our social destiny is to live in such prepackaged settings.

A Person Who Inspire Me the Most

Songsnumber-onesinglesAndre Hill September 30, 2010 3rd period The person that inspires me most is my mom. The reason I say this is because she’s a strong black woman and she stands independently facing all odds. She inspires me to be the best I can be and to always give my all in whatever I’m doing. Whenever I need something, all I have to do is ask and I know if it’s possible, she’ll provide it. It’s always been like that with her and not with just me, but all of my brothers. I think the reason we may act uncivilized when dealing with authority is because we know we have a mother who’ll bail us out 9 times out of 10.If I didn’t have her, I would probably be a drop out because I wouldn’t have anyone in my ear telling me to get my grades up. My mom tells me what to do and she means just that. She has her flaws like every human does but they aren’t easy to spot in her. We’re not rich or close to it but from everythi ng I have you wouldn’t be able to tell. I never go without anything I need or in a lot of cases, anything I want. I know she would give me her last dollar. For example†¦if my mom and I both wanted a candy bar and she only had two dollars on her, without a doubt she would buy it for me.She thinks of others before herself a lot and that could cause people to try to run over you but not with my mom. My mom is very smart and she pushes education to the max in my household. When I bring home bad grades I know it hurts her just as much as it hurts me, maybe a lot more actually. I always use manners and that’s because she tells me that education and respect will take me far in life. And that it would make people respect me. I want to be an R&B singer when I grow up and my mom tells me I can be anything I want to be.I don’t know if she really believes that or if she’s just saying it because it sounds good, but I know that that’s the kind of motivation I need. If I don’t have any support from anyone else, I know I’ll have some from her. I can count on my mom for anything. If I was to fall from a plane I’m willing to bet any amount of money my mother would be there to catch me, not letting a strand of my hair touch the ground. I’m not Andre Hill September 30, 2010 3rd period saying that she’s a body builder or anything like that. I’m just trying to explain the love she has for me in words.Her love makes me want to be like her and to treat my kids in the future the way my mom treats me. I want to be able to give that type of love to everyone. If the world had that type of love there would be no tears falling or violence. I try to make the right decisions to satisfy my mom and myself. I don’t want to put her thru anything that would cause her to hurt. . I mean she’s wonderful and I wouldn’t trade her for anything or anyone in the world. I love my mom to death and she ins pires me more than any celebrity or person in the past could ever do. Andre Hill

Daughter Chromosome

Daughter Chromosome Definition: A daughter chromosome is a chromosome that results from the separation of sister chromatids during cell division. Daughter chromosomes originate from a single stranded chromosome that replicates during the synthesis phase (S phase) of the cell cycle. The duplicated chromosome becomes a double-stranded chromosome and each strand is called a chromatid. Paired chromatids are held together at a region of the chromosome called the centromere. The paired chromatids or sister chromatids eventually separate and become known as daughter chromosomes. At the end of mitosis, daughter chromosomes are properly distributed between two daughter cells. Daughter Chromosome: Mitosis Prior to the start of mitosis, a dividing cell goes through a period of growth called interphase in which it increases in mass and synthesizes DNA and organelles. Chromosomes are replicated and sister chromatids are formed. Prophase - sister chromatids begin migrating to the center of the cell. Metaphase - sister chromatids align along the metaphase plate. Anaphase - spindle fibers separate sister chromatids by pulling them centromere first toward opposite ends of the cell. Once separated, each chromatid becomes known as a daughter chromosome. Telophase - daughter chromosomes are separated into distinct new nuclei. After cytokinesis, two distinct daughter cells are formed from a single cell. Daughter chromosomes are equally distributed between the two daughter cells. Daughter Chromosome: Meiosis Daughter chromosome development in meiosis is similar to mitosis. In meiosis however, the cell divides twice producing four daughter cells. Sister chromatids do not separate to form daughter chromosomes until the second time through anaphase or in anaphase II. The cells produced in meiosis contain half the number of chromosomes as the original cell. Sex cells are produced in this manner. These cells are haploid and upon fertilization are united to form a diploid cell.

The Hospital Window Essays - James Dickey, Elevator, Wick Burns

The Hospital Window Essays - James Dickey, Elevator, Wick Burns The Hospital Window The death of a loved one can put unimaginable stress on the loved ones of the deceased. This stress can make one's life chaotic and unpleasant for long periods of time if the mourners do not underezd the death. James Dickey, who believes, "poetry is the center of the creative wheel," wrote the poem, "The Hospital Window". The relationship between mourners and death becomes apparent in this "simple 54-line poem . . . about a parent's dying as a transformative experience, and the possibility that love conquers fear." The poem takes place on a city street adjacent to a large hospital. In "The Hospital Window", Dickey uses images which represent life and death to demonstrate that the death of a loved one can make one enter a surrealistic state, in which everyday occurrences appear to be heavenly; however, if one can overcome the death by underezding it, he can then return to a peaceful life. In the beginning of the poem, the images which distinguish life and death show that the speaker perceives normal events as spiritual after leaving his father's hospital room. Dickey's persona enters this state when he is on the hospital elevator. As the elevator brings him down to ground level, he remembers his father lying in his room above "in a blue light."(3) According to Gertrude Jobes, the color blue represents heaven and God. Therefore, its shining down on the speaker's father represents God's presence with his father. For any other observer, the light is obviously "shed by a tinted window,"(4) but the speaker's state of mind leads him to believe that the light shines from heaven. Once outside, the speaker turns to face the hospital. As he turns, he sees that "[each] window possesses the sun / As though it burned there on a wick."(13) To Jobes, the sun represents life. A candle wick burns for only a certain period of time, and then dies out. Therefore, the speaker believes that the reflection of the sun in the windows is actually his father's life. When the speaker reaches out to the sun, and "[waves], like a man catching fire,"(15) he tries to grab his father's life back. At that moment, the glare from the sun reflects in a certain way, making "all the deep-dyed windowpanes flash."(16) This flash, in the speaker's mind, is God reaching out for the father's soul. Also, the flash mocks the speaker's attempts at grabbing his father's life from the grips of death. Furthermore, the speaker visualizes God's presence by "all the white rooms / [turning] the color of Heaven."(18) To the speaker, the heavenly white color of the rooms represents purity and innocence, as described in Jobes, while others see merely white rooms. As the speaker studies the windows, he sees that all reflect "flames"(21), or the candles of the living still burning. It is then he realizes that his father's window is different. It reflects "the bright, erased blankness of nothing."(23) The flickering light visible in all of the other rooms is not visible in his father's room because he is dead. Once the speaker realizes his father is dead, he can start to overcome the death. In the middle of the poem, images representing life and death show how the speaker overcomes his father's death. After experiencing the madness of death, the speaker transitions from not believing in the death to realizing that his father is leaving him. First, the speaker realizes that his father's body remains in his room "[in] the shape of his death still living"(25). Death still living represents the father's dead body, with the soul still alive within. This thought causes a madness within the speaker because he realizes that his father's soul, oreverything he was, may remain within the corpse forever. Eventually, his father's soul "lifts [its] arms out of stillness at last"(31), causing the speaker to realize that his father's soul is leaving the body. The speaker "[turns] as blue as a soul / As the moment when I was born"(33-34) from the realization that his father will live on with him forever. This realization holds true because his father gave him life, so therefore his father will live on in his life. Additionally, the speaker

Understanding consumer behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Understanding consumer behavior - Assignment Example The service provided by concerned hotel is the most crucial factor for retaining customers’ loyalty and increase overall visits. For the success of the service industry, it is essential to offer the products and/or services according to the needs of the customers. Moreover, in order to face the increased completion in the hotel industry, it is necessary to examine the pattern of consumer behavior (Rani 52-61). Behavior of an individual is influenced by a number of factors including culture, social group, family members and other factors. A proper identification of the factors that are likely to influence the behavior of the customers enables the marketers to develop appropriate strategy for the development of the hotel business. The main aim of the hotel industry is to fulfill the needs of the customers and the studying consumer behavior facilitates the development of best products as well as offering unique services. Another factor that is most crucial and is likely to affect the buying decision is the prices of the products. The buying decision of the customers is linked with the price factor. Therefore, for this purpose of examining consumer behavior, it is likely to identify the preferable price of services offered. In addition to this, analyzing consumer behavior enables the marketers to identify the most suitable promotion method that has the potential to attract the potential custo mers as well as retain the existing ones (Rani 52-61). Consumers’ needs, motivation and values. Motivation is one of the important factors that are likely to influence consumer behavior, which in turn affects the purchase decision. Motivation enables an individual to undertake certain measure that has the potential to satisfy the needs and wants. In the context of consumer behavior, analyzing the motivation factors of the individuals is likely to be beneficial in attaining competitive advantage as compared to other hotels operating in the area. For

Managing Conflict in the Workplace Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing Conflict in the Workplace - Term Paper Example This paper offers a brief overview of a conflict I have observed in my workplace and how it impacted the work environment. A script on how to give feedback to employees when conflicts arise is also outlined in this paper, as well as ways I would enlist HRs help in managing this situation. Two of the nurse in my workplace were once involved in a conflict. It happened that one of the nurses had forwarded an email consisting of pornographic material and the recipient of the email found it inappropriate. The recipient of the email responded through confronting the sender and this turned into a heated argument. The recipient felt embarrassed and felt insulted. What followed is the two nurses could not even engage in a decent conversation as a result of the argument. Teamwork is highly valued in my workplace and hence the two nurses at one point had to work together. Their engagement was low as communication was limited between them solely as a result of the argument they had. As a nurse manager, it was my obligation to give feedback to the sender of the email in regard to the unacceptable behavior in the workplace. The steps involved in giving feedback as outlined by Manion (2011) include "Stating your positive intention, sharing your observation, including impact of an action, asking the intent, adding empathy, and indicating what needs to change" (p. 340) respectively .A script of the conversation I would have with the sender of the email would be as follows: Positive intention: You are one of the top performers in this department and your contribution is highly valued. This department highly relies on you to be a role model for our newly employed nurses. My observation: Yesterday you sent a pornographic email to your colleague and she felt embarrassing hence she confronted you for an explanation. I am sure you two are finding it difficult to engage in your activities as a team. Needed change: