Wednesday, July 31, 2019

British and Chinese Contemporary Media

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and China Central Television (CATV) are the two popular media owning millions of audiences in the world. For years, they have been making efforts to adopt new technology, new techniques and new means for developing high standard programmer. However, mainly due to different social structures and different cultural background between China and the I-J, the BBC and CATV also have several differences in governors, funding resources and channel designs. In this essay, the background of the BBC and CATV will be briefly introduced, allowed by an analysis of their similarities and differences.The BBC is the main public service broadcaster in the ASK. It was formed in October 1922 by a group of leading wireless manufacturers (History of the BBC, 2005). Currently, the Corporation comprises 9 1-J-wide Television Channels (See Appendix 1) and 10 1-J-wide Radio Stations. With its vision as to be the most creative, trusted organization in the world, the B BC provides a wide range of distinctive programmer and services for its viewers and listeners (Purpose and Values, 2005). CATV which was established in 1958, is the national TV network of the People'sRepublic of China. Presently, CATV has 16 channels broadcasting various programmer (See Appendix 2). The coverage of CATV-I reaches over 94. 4% of the total population of China, with the number of viewers exceeding 1. 15 billion (Profile CATV, 2005). The corporation has been serving as a window for Chinese people to understand the world better and for the world to get a better understanding of China. As the two authoritative media in the world, the BBC and CATV have made enormous contribution to people's life and cultures. There are some similarities in them.Firstly, tooth of them provide a comprehensive rage of programmer analogously or digitally in order to satisfy the needs of their users. Besides, with the development of modern technology, they are trying to use internet to propagan dist their programmer. Both of them have their own websites containing various contents such as programmer schedules, news, and contact methods. In addition, they also respect their users. Both of them are glad to listen to public comments and regularly consult users in order to improve their work. However, the two media also have some differences.First of all, CATV is run by the central government of the People's Republic of China. On the other hand, the Bib's activities are currently governed by a Royal Charter – a document that shapes the BBC, defining its objectives and functions. It is supported by the Agreement between the BBC and the Government, which sets out how the BBC will meet its general obligations, the services it will provide, and the standards it will meet (Your BBC Your Say, 2005). Whereas CATV serves its political role first, the BBC tends to represent the public interest and be free of political bias.Furthermore, CATV is mainly funded by advertisements, wh ereas the BBC is funded by public subscription in the form of a License fee. CATV viewers do not need to pay for its programmer, but they need to watch a lot of advertisements during programmer. Advertisements during golden time such as the time after the CATV News help CATV generate huge amounts of revenues. According to the latest data, CATV gained 8. 5 billion ARM from advertisements in 2005 (Profile CATV, 2005). The BBC, on the other hand, obtains its revenues mainly from license payers.It received EH,940 million in science fees in the latest audited financial year 2004/2005 (Annual report 2004/05, 2005). The license fee guarantees that a wide range of high quality programs can be made available unrestricted to everyone and helps support production skills, training, and local or minority programmer (Plans, Policies and Reports, 2005). Besides, the absence of commercial pressures allows programmer planners to be in direct contact with the needs and expectations of the general pub lic (Christopher 1999, p. 106).A majority of the BBC users prefer paying license fees rather than itching advertisements, and over 52% of users surveyed held the opinion that the BBC would lose its independence if it relied on advertising or sponsorship (Review of the Bib's Royal Charter: A strong BBC, independent of government, 2005). Because of this distinguishing characteristic, compared with CATV, BBC may care more about license payers when deciding its future, and could be more independent of commercial interests. Although both the BBC and CATV are providing a wide rage of programmer for audiences, they still differ in the TV channel designs.It seems that CATV focuses such on the status of the audiences. For instance, it launches three international channels in four languages for foreigners and oversea Chinese. In contrast, the BBC lays stress on viewers' life cycle. It designs channels according to different age groups: Scabbiest is for children under the six, CAB is for child ren from six to twelve, BBC 3 is for youth from 16 to 34, and News 24 focuses on audiences above 55 (Yang, 2004). The difference in channel designs shows the different strategies in their market segmentations, which may be resulted by different roles they play and efferent users they face.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Ethical Lens Essay

During the Ethical Lens Inventory exercise that I did, I learned that I do not really have a personal preferred ethical lens. I see the gifts and the weaknesses of each lens and I am able to move fluidly among them to adapt the right tools to each situation to assure the best outcome. I am able to use my reasoning skills to determine my duties, as well as the universal rules and the systems that will assure fairness and justice for everyone. I also listen to my intuition to determine the greatest good for each individual, as well as the virtues that will best serve the community. I have either a mature ability to use the right tools in a given situation or a paralyzed belief that everyone has a valid point. Although each of us has preferred lens, some who are ethically mature and able to use the tools of all the lenses, adapting them as appropriate in a given situation, test in the center of the grid. Others who test in the center of the grid actually have underdeveloped ethical skills. Those without skills tend to be paralyzed by their ability to see all sides and are too desperate to please everyone. I personally think I do more of the being desperate to please everyone than the not being able to see all sides of the situation. I was able to get this information from the exercise I did at: http://www. ethicsgame. com/Exec/Eli/EthicalLensResults. aspx? R=1 My Core Values are: Autonomy, Equality, Rationality and Sensibility. I value autonomy and equality equally and I value rationality and sensibility equally. My Classic Values are: Temperance, Prudence, Justice and Fortitude. I am able to manifest all four classic virtues depending on what the circumstances require. My Key Phrase is: â€Å"I make ethical choices for myself and others. † I am able to see myself and others clearly, therefore I do not make assumptions about why people act the way they do or how things should be done. My Definition of Ethical Behavior is: Doing the Right Thing. I tend to hold this high standard for myself but I do not judge others who fall short, so long as their intentions were honorable. My Tools for Analyzing Problems are: Reason, Experience, Authority and Tradition. I am comfortable using all available tools to analyze a problem. These can include critical thinking skills, reference to experts, my own past experience and the traditions of the community. My Gift to the community is balance among all four lenses, because I can see the benefits of each of the lenses and I can use the tools of all of them. The mature expression of this position has no blind spot. I am able to see both the strengths and the weaknesses of each lens and to harmonize the four core values of autonomy, equality, rationality and sensibility. Discernment comes with ethical maturity and provides direction in specific situations. My Risk is: Inaction. I run the risk of seeing everything and deciding nothing if I am not self-aware. As one who sees the legitimacy of everyone’s point of view, I am particularly prone to delay or outright inaction. My Temptation is: Superiority. Believing that my balanced vantage point gives me a superior ability to resolve ethical dilemmas, I may convince myself that I have all the answers and do not need any input from others. My Vice is: Insistence on Agreement. By insisting that everyone validate all points of view as I do before moving forward, I become tyrannical and may actually provoke dissenters into sabotaging the process as the only way they feel they can maintain the integrity of their different viewpoint. My Crisis is: Confusion. Unless I develop the practice of mindfulness and reflection, at some point I will become confused and find that I have lost my moral compass. The downside of being able to see everyone else’s perspective is that I can lose track of my own. My Seeing Clearly is: Listen to my heart; use my head; act with confidence. To see more clearly, I need to first consider the nature of the problem. Then I need to use both my head and my heart to discern which course of action will best manifest interdependence. Once I have assessed the ramifications of the various options, I will need to act with confidence and courage. Although there may be more than one way to resolve a problem, some actually are better than others. I think I could use my personal ethics to determine a course of action by knowing how I feel about the situation along with all the circumstances involving the situation.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Eschatology: The Destiny of the Unsaved Essay

In answering Steve’s comment about the destiny of the unsaved certain definitions need to be dealt with along with reference made available to us and I have just what we need. Steve I understand what you have read and the comment was made from the standpoint of the author â€Å"Clark Pinnock. † However, if you will allow me to answer your questions in defining words such as; â€Å"Hades, Gehenna, Sheol, Eternal punishment, Annihilationism, Universalism, Hell and Apokatastasis. You also asked the difference between Hades and Sheol. Since we are dealing with Sotereology, Eschatology and Ecclesiology it is only fair that we reference the Word of God. Our definitions will come from Elwell Evangelical Dictionary of Theology and some citing from Towns, Theology for Today. In defining Sheol, Elwell (2001, 1099) notes,† A place where men experience rewards, or punishments that will come to them in final judgment and a place whose power cannot withstand the church. † Hades is noted as; â€Å"A grave or the place of bodily decay; a place of punishment for the wicked,† (p. 1099). Gehenna,† according to Elwell (2001, 480), is defined in this manner; â€Å"A place that shares some common ground with Hades/Sheol; however, both good and bad souls after death prior to judgment, while Gehenna is the final and everlasting place of punishment for the wicked following the last judgment. † In answering Steve’s question of the difference, if any, among Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna and the concepts that best corresponds to the traditional understanding of the eternal abode of the Wicked? Sheol and Hades best corresponds to the traditional understanding of the eternal abode of the wicked. Contrary to popular belief hell is explained in the Bible as a final place for the wicked, this will be brought out further in our discussion. As we continue on in our definitions, Elwell (2001, 395 Eternal punishment as; â€Å"One being cast into a lake of fire where the fire never goes out. † (Mark 9:43; cf. Luke 3:17). â€Å"He referred to ‘†hell,’† where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ’† Elwell (2001, 64), further defines Annihilationism as â€Å"expressing the position of those that hold that some, if not all, human souls will cease to exist after death. Our next word is Universalism, Elwell (2001, 1232), defines the word as; â€Å"That doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God. Universalist believes that the efficiency of the Atonement is not limited and therefore extends to all. † Furthermore, Elwell, (p. 548) states Universalist also believe that all will eventually go to heaven. † Elwell, (2001, 547) further defines Hell in a general sense, he notes; â€Å"Hell is used in Scripture to [describe] or refer to a place of future punishment for the wicked. As we have elaborated on the more detrimental states of eschatology there is another state that is quite attractive to the theologian and media evangelist. This state is better known as the Intermediate State, Elwell, (2001, 608 – 609), defines this as; â€Å"The period between death as an individual phenomenon and the final judgment and consummation. If Christian thought held to not final state of affairs for all creation, then perhaps ones final situation could be conceived as being settled at death. Elwell further include the theory of Purgatory; you will not be lost, yet God will be just. At the present time, with much awareness of life as a process or evolution, purgatory has also allowed for speculation about continued development of the soul. As such, it continues to be attractive for some in a greatly modified form. † Lastly, Elwell, (2001, 81), defines the Apokatastasis, he state that; â€Å"Jesus must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through his holy prophets. Further, Elwell states that most evangelicals, while insisting on an eschatological restoration by Christ, deny the corollary assertion of the ultimate salvation of all humans. Now that we have defined the terms necessary, let me give you my understanding of the destiny of the unsaved from a biblical stand point as well. My understanding is that â€Å"Gehenna† or the â€Å"Lake of Fire† is prepared for the Devil and his angels, consequently the â€Å"Wicked,† or â€Å"Unsaved† after the â€Å"Great White Throne Judgment† will be cast into hell where they will spend â€Å"eternal punishment. † (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:12-15). Towns (2008, 795) notes; â€Å"All those who are judged at the Great White Throne are consigned to hell because they have rejected God. Hence], The Great White Throne Judgment will determine the degree of punishment the rejecters will endure, based upon the nature of their evil work. † Furthermore, in my research the most common objection comes from many sources, however the objections used for an our example is that of the Universalist. Elwell (2001, 1232), notes; â€Å"Universalism is that doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God. A Universalist believes that the efficiency of the Atoneme nt is not limited and therefore extends to all. † Furthermore, Elwell, (p. 548) notes, â€Å"Universalist also believe that all will eventually go to heaven. [The Scriptures biases for this belief are as follows]: (1 John 2:2; Philippians 2:10-13; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 11:32; 2 Timothy 2:4). † Now Steve, there are many that may not share my point of view and that’s common in religious society. However, In responding to objections one has to point out that when Christ returns it will be for a â€Å"church without a spot or a wrinkle,† (Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:27). This does not mean that God does not love everyone, it simply means that He will save those who have answered his call to salvation (Holy Bible, John 3:16-21). All of this can be summed up in one word â€Å"Atonement. Elwell notes (2001, 114), â€Å"This truth is repeated, and enlarged upon in the NT, where it is made clear that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and that hell awaits them (Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5). But it is just as clear that God wills to bring salvation and that He has brought it in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. The love of God is the mainspring (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). We are not to think of a loving Son wringing salvation from a just but stern Father. It is the will of the Father that all be saved, and salvation is accomplished – not with a wave of the hand, so to speak – but by what God has done in Christ. In reconciling the idea of hell and eternal punishment one has to understand the offer that Christ made to all mankind, (Holy Bible, John 3:16; Romans 10:9-17; Ephesians 2:1-22). Not only did God make the offer, but he also gave the consequence if one did not except Christ. God does not make our decisions for us; however, He has made a way of escape from sin to eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. What is the impact that my view of hell has on evangelism/missions? The impact that my view has on hell and getting the word out to all that will hear is to know that we all have a decision to make as for as our eternal destination. We can choose heaven or hell the choice is ours as individuals. The impact that I would like to make from this point on is to paint a picture such as explained in Towns, Theology for Today (2008, 802), â€Å"The Millennium will fulfill all the biblical desires that have been expressed towards it (Hebrew 11:10). That which brings joy and fulfillment to life will be included in the kingdom. Those things which produce sorrow or discomfort in life will be excluded from the kingdom of God. †

John Donne's poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

John Donne's poetry - Essay Example While John Donnes poetry implements unifying stylistic elements, it also spans a number of diverse genres, including sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires and sermons. With specific reference to the Flea, Sun Rising,the Anniversary, the Indifferent, Song, Batter My Heart, Death be not Proud, and Oh my Black Soul, this essay examines the main themes of Donnes poetry and the predominant stylistic elements he utilizes to convey them. One of the central thematic elements John Donnes poetry explores is that of love. One of Donnes brilliantly clever works in these regards in his poem The Flea. This work advances the theme of love in a number of well structured ways. The prevailing tone of the poem is whimsical, as the narrator implements the metaphorical conceit in drawing a connection between blood in a flea that has bitten himself and his woman of interest and a sense of romantic connection. For instance, Donne states, â€Å"O stay, three lives in one flea spare,/ Where we almost, yea, more than married are† (Donne, 2004). In some regards, its clear the Donne is utilizing a great deal of hyperbole in this comparison, as the connection between the flea and romantic love is slightly humorous; however, characteristic of Donne, the love theme is advanced with great wit. Similar in theme to the Flea is Donnes seminal metaphysical love poem The Sun Rising. In this work one finds many of the stylistic elements that are characteristic of Donnes working, including masterful use of hyperbole and wit. Notably, while Shakespeare, a contemporary of Donnes, structured his love sonnets toward another individual, in The Sun Rising Donne focuses his attention more on the nature of love. The main hyperbolic device utilized in this poem is the narrators envisionment of the sun as a consciously aware entity. In these regards, the speaker calls out to the sun, asking why it

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The politics of mass consumption in postwar America by Lizabeth Cohen, Essay

The politics of mass consumption in postwar America by Lizabeth Cohen, - Essay Example Explain how the consumer economy, society, and culture during the World War II era affected women and African Americans and how consumerism in the wartime years provided opportunities for both of these groups to claim greater social and political power as â€Å"citizen consumers. Soon after the World War II, the American administration had adopted an effectuate strategy to reconstruct their economy by promoting and expanding mass consumption. Those who were at the helm of affairs took prosperity of Americans, as a central point of their plan. In their thoughts, the demand driven economy not only provide an opportunity for effective recovery but rekindled hopes in Americans for becoming part of an egalitarian society and to raise their heads being a true democratic nation. The idea of mass consumption provided American citizens to live in an ideal situation than before with equal footings with the neighbors (Cohen, 64). The above move was not accidental. It co relates with the histor ical era of 60s and 70s. At that time, the diversified segments of society comprised of African American origin, women, adults and the old citizens began to assess themselves within the ambit of identity politics. Here, the people’s affiliation with specific community defined their cultural awareness and motivation for a consolidated action. If we look back to the era of 60s, we find that those market managers, who failed to respond to the market demands in terms of innovative products, soon disappeared. Mr. Haley, Vice President and corporate researcher very rightly pointed out "it is easier to take advantage of market segments in vogue than to attempt to create new ones" (Cohen. 68) With the advent of new innovative deals and the ending of World War II, sizeable American Consumers got to know their rights as an individual consumer which was instrumental in promoting the generalized goods. In his book Cohen introduced mass consumption philosophy into four parts. In Part I, s he elaborately discussed the "Origins of the Postwar Consumers' Republic,† concerning 30s and 40s era, when a concept of citizen consumer was coined that emanates from women and African-Americans. The said categories accept it a way of life. They consider it  to be  a safer and equitable market place. In the second part namely "The Birth of a Consumers' Republic," wherein she specifically discussed the role of Consumers? She hailed the patriotism of American nation since they fulfilled their obligations by promoting consumerism as a safe passage to economic equality and the political independence. Cohen identifies how consumer related policies helped the consumers to underwrite in terms of GI Bill and the tax code, which benefited the white middle class males segment greatly at the cost of discriminating other stakeholders with particular reference to women and the African Americans origin (Cohen, 85). She also discussed in her book the existing gap between the promise and the reality with regard to the rights of Consumer, instrumental to ignite civil rights movement. The increasing demand of blacks for public accommodation, stores, theaters and restaurants against the backdrop of black access to house themselves in public accommodation e.g. downtown stores, movie theaters, and restaurants can not be ignored. Above mentioned sites of consumption, overshadowed by the privatized new commercial avenues that comes to surface in suburban America. In part III entitled "The Landscape of Mass Consumption," Cohen apprised its readers that how the suburban America queued racial and income lines in accordance with the study of New Jersey State. For him suburban shopping malls not inclined to adopt the model of urban downtowns. In the last part of discussion that drives out from â€Å"The Political Culture of Mass Consumption," shows how the market trend and the national politics could effectively be dealt with the issues of reinforcement and simplification to cope with after war trends.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

English - Police Brutality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English - Police Brutality - Essay Example Sometimes this use of force is morally and ethically wrong and turns out to be followed along the lines of misuse of power. This paper is thus a discussion on the insight of how police force and brutality should be countered in certain situations; how the same has its pros as well as cons and how such physical as well as mental intimidation might or might not be suggested as the action to carry out in most cases. The very first occurrence of police force took place in the year 1893 and was reported in the New York Times as a police officer had badly beaten up a civilian man because of some issue. Since officers have the power to use force according to the legal structure of most countries and thus they feel obliged and completely within the line when they carry out actions like dealing too harshly or beating up people if they do not obey the law. However, the question lies in whether or not this should be carried out. In some cases, it seems important to carry out police force and br utality in order to correct a mob or groups of people because there are many those do not understand what doing the right thing means. Many a times, it may so happen that people anger other people and it turns out to be a complete brawl. â€Å"Of course, police officers and civilians are not similarly situated: Officers act with state authority, they are often not permitted to retreat, and they are trained and expected to use force. These differences affect how the concepts of imminence, necessity, and proportionality that comprise the justification standard should be applied to police uses of force and these differences are not incidental. Instead they reveal the deep structure policing. Police officers use force as an authorized form of state coercion, but they do so intense and often emotionally charged interpersonal encounters.† (Harmon, Rachel A.) Even though it is sometimes alright for the police to use force and try to assert their authority in some situations, it is n ot morally alright for them to do so. In some cases around the world there are groups of police that harass people in order to meet their sadistic wishes and achieve a sense of pleasure in doing so. There are many groups of police that try to keep people in check by using some amount of force. The force used is mostly always proportionate to the kind of mischief or nuisance that the civilian has created. In many cases, there are a number of people who disobey rules of traffic, and other public conduct and thus need to be put in their place. There are many people that do such things on purpose and hamper the lives of others in the process. In such cases, the police has a duty to intervene and take corrective measures even if it involves the use of force because here it is necessary to do so. However, there are many times when people do not deserve the kind of force that the police provide to them. This might even happen without people offending the police or having an intention to ca use nuisance. Some police have a habit of overusing or abusing their powers and authority which is not allowed. Most of the times, this even goes unheard because they are let off the hook easily and do not get punished for any miscreant work that they might create. For example, the Davis family faced such an issue when the boys of the family soon reported that the police were harassing them because of their skin color being black. In their neighbourhood,

Friday, July 26, 2019

Conservative Resurgence in the United States in Reagan Era Essay

Conservative Resurgence in the United States in Reagan Era - Essay Example This essay presents one of the best examples of the analysis of the reasons behind the rapid shift in policies of the US government, following the election of the President Reagan. It also aims to critically assess the effectiveness of the new conservative policies, employed by the Reagan administration. Prior to the 1970s, conservatism was not really an issue of much concern and republicans could only ascend to power by choosing a moderate president like Nixon or Eisenhower. However, the rise of conservatism in the 1970s through 1980s was basically a response to many different situations both in this period and in the earlier years of the 1960s. It was generally felt that liberals had exceeded limits and taken things a bit too far. As a consequence there was a general call for a resurgence of conservative policies which subsequently followed. As a result various policies came into play on the social, political and economic fronts. It is certainly imperative to realize the manner in which conservatism resurged in the 1970s and 1980s. Several major events in much of this period actually contributed to the highly conservative climate that was thereby realized. In the United States, the Reagan era was characterized by several cuts in the social programs and major anti-regulation policies that were geared towards most American companies. On the economic front the 1970s had some of the worst recession since the Great Depression and some of these conditions actually recurred in the 1980s . In this regard, there were various calls and campaigns as people sought for the reemergence of the conservative ways of operations in order to address the situations. In the same way, the hard economic times made people to adapt to the more conservative spending habits which subsequently contributed to the conservative resurgence. In a way, the 1970s and 1980s were characterized by several events in the American situation. The rise of conservatism was basically a reaction to the several events of that period which forced the people to turn away from some of the more liberal policies of the time. The economic stagflation that plagued the United States had many effects on the people. The Vietnam War had many political and economic effects on the people as they felt it was basically a loss. In this regard, most people began turning away from the liberal policies of the Democratic Party and turned into republican policies as was realized in the 1981 presidential elections when Reagan w as elected. The Reagan era nevertheless became unpopular on certain grounds due the various policies that put into place address the situation. In foreign policy, the United States sold arms to Iran and used much of the money to support the left wing rebels in Nicaragua. However, this was in violation of the congressional budget authority and the Boland Agreement. This act caused a much drop in the popularity of Reagan despite the many economic reforms the administration had put into place. Earlier on during Carters administration, the Iran hostage crisis was a symbol of the failed presidency of Carter due to the then unpreparedness of the United States in addressing emergency situations. The republican administrations of Nixon and Ford were majorly characterized by conservative policies especially in economic intervention. This was mainly achieved through the use of price and wage controls. However Ford’s decisions of pushing the detente policy with the Soviet Union did not go down well with most conservatives. Following Carter’s election in 1974, different thoughts emerged on the whole subject on conservatism. In a way, the Southern Baptists felt that Carter was too liberal while the mainstream of the Democratic Party felt he was too conservative and was thus incapable of addressing American foreign affairs programs. In any

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Methods - Essay Example This implores into the reader’s imagination. For example, she characterizes the puffins with phrases such as â€Å"clownish faces†, â€Å"waddling walk†, â€Å"chubby-dumpling bodies†, and â€Å"fluffy chicks†. This, she describes using a sense of humor to draw the reader (Nijhuis 1). The writer also uses definition in her essay, though not much of it. At the same time, the definition method used is emotional. For example, the statements â€Å"puffins are adorable† and â€Å"seabirds are social creatures† try to spark some emotion in the reader. Therefore, the element of definition plays a significant role in drawing the readers (Nijhuis 2). Also, the writer uses the element of classification in her essay when she talks about some types of birds. For instance, she uses the phrases â€Å"predatory gulls† and â€Å"terns†. By explaining the relationship between the various aspects and the puffins, the writer ensures that th e essay covers everything and that the reader does not get

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

5. Strategic management- evaluation of the article Coursework

5. Strategic management- evaluation of the article - Coursework Example Coordination of individual can be done effectively over several miles; geographic locations are not a limitation. In Miguel’s et al. European Management Journal, (2011), hierarchy is often used as a structure to achieve deployment and success in strategy. The following part of the essay will analyse strategic processes and how they succeed under hierarchy organization. Also of major concern will be the strategies in organizations and how they may be explained and implemented through various strategy theories. In the essay there will also include an evaluation criteria by means of auditing. It will majorly explore on management issues of hierarchical systems. In several areas where many people are involved in accomplishing a specific task, people find a way of coordinating what they are doing in their parts in order to mutually achieve optimum goals. There are various hierarchy theories under strategy management that bring out the most out of activities done. Among the most common theories that explain coordination are the cognitive hierarchy theory, social projection theory and the theory of team explanation. Schelling (1960) showed how decisions made by humans are undeniable hinged on coordinative actions and expectations of other people’s actions. A brief explanation of the hierarchical theories explains how the theories are related to the organization system and how they may be used to influence actions taken for better strategy execution. The cognitive hierarchy theory was proposed first in the years 1945 and 1946. This theory was built to make individuals who have varying reasoning levels to coordinate and move at a higher regulated pace. Team reasoning, on the other hand, is a theory that utilizes the motivation of individuals working on a goal. In the circumstances where individuals are motivated, there is maximized standard effort that raises each individual’s expectations. In such collaboration, decision making is

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Case Study Example The iPad and the kindle reader were created to serve the same purpose which is to aid ion acquiring scholarly materials. However, the iPad has been developed to incorporate many features and tasks. However, the kindle reader stands out as the best gadget to use in terms of education. With its partnership with the marketing giant Amazon, the kindle reader has made shopping for books much easier. The kindle reader has been developed to download all file formats of documents. Additionally, the kindle reader has been developed to suit all handheld and computer gadgets. To its features, there is an inclusion of the outstanding 8GB memory which makes storing of files easier. The kindle reader also has the ability of storing 6000 books which makes it the ultimate gadget to use in accessing books. Texting while driving has been an issue posing increasing negative effects on the transport system across the globe. From the social setting, lives are lost each due to carelessness driving mainly attributed to texting while on the wheel. According to Laudon (2012) the effects of texting on the while has cost the society the lives of many people. The political front has also felt the effects as governments officials are banned from texting while driving. This was evidence that the government is more than willing to curb the mess. It unethical to text while driving knowing the danger you are exposing yourself and others to. This in some cases can be termed as murder. The effects of texting while driving has been severe in the United States like many other nations around the globe. The states around the United States share the same negative sentiments when referring to texting while driving. However, the general population is not well sensitized as people continue with this ignorant trait. Individuals ignore the warnings made by authorities and other concerned parties. Amid the warnings from authorities, two separate

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Opening a big day care center Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Opening a big day care center - Research Paper Example We help them get ready for assimilation in big schools. At ABC, we are dedicated to provide a warm and family environment for children. Even if we are moving to larger scale of setting, we are committed to give the quality individualized care that we have been known for. At ABC, we create a family atmosphere where children are allowed to interact with each other. We follow up progress and development of each child and report it to parents regularly as part of our service to parents. ABC Day Care tries to employ best qualified people who are able to keep up with the needs of the day care center and the children under its care. Hiring is based on competence as shown in academic achievements, prior wok experience, and attitudes. We are an equal-opportunity employer. Our activities ensure that work behaviors are done in an equal manner based on individual merit and fitness of the employee regardless of color, race, sex, religion, age, nationality, or sexual orientation, or disability. We are committed to prevent sexual harassment and to confront it when it occurs. We will respond to concerns, questions and allegations of sexual harassment brought by any member of the Center. This policy is in accordance with Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act 1986. As required by the California State for Licensing, teacher must have at least 18 with 12 postsecondary units in early childhood education and have 6 months experience, or hold a valid CDA and have a 6 months on-the-job training or work experience, or hold a Children’s Center Permit issued by the CA commission for teacher Preparation and Licensing. Once a position is offered to an applicant at the center, he/she must be able to submit several documentations such health screening and safety screening, and a free from criminal investigation record. A certificate of good physical health , a TB TEST and drug test are needed. A new employee will be

Monday, July 22, 2019

State Beer Industry Essay Example for Free

State Beer Industry Essay 1) The United States brewing companies has become more concentrated over the last two decades due to declining beer consumption from direct substitutes such as wine or spirits, also increased advertising has proven a disadvantage for smaller breweries, and also technology of canning and distributing of beer has increased advertising expenditures and most smaller breweries cannot manage to reap economies of scale. 2) A) Risk of entry for the US beer industry includes factors like high entry costs, high advertising costs, brand loyalty, established companies having an absolute cost advantage, and the switching costs of customers. B) Intensity of rivalry between larger companies like Anhesuser-Busch, SAB-Miller, and Molson Coors makes it hard for upcoming breweries to compete on the same level. Also shrinking industry demand at this time can cause failure for new companies looking to get into the industry. ’ C) the bargaining power of buyers in the U. S. beer industry could be a threat as it will lower prices and raise costs D) The bargaining power of suppliers could raise costs causing lower profits for those in the industry E) Close substitutes such as wine and spirits. 3) Implications of evolving competitive structure for profitability and strategy for a smaller mass market firm means that the smaller firms will have to become more competitive in price or follow the most dominant firms in the industry. 4) Yes there are different strategic groups in the industry some of these include marketing, research and development (technology), manufacturing and supply chain. I’m sure the nature of competition varies slightly between groups but they all want the same thing in the end to beat out their competitors.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Trends: The Labour Market In Oman

Trends: The Labour Market In Oman Introduction This paper presents an analysis of the following within the working context of the author who is working as External Relations Manager for Bank Muscat, in the Banks Head Office in Muscat. Main issues and trends in the labour market in Oman that impact the key competences of the organisation Bank Muscat, Oman An Evaluation of the Strategic approaches to HRM that can improve organisational performance Organisations approaches to HRM toward Talent Management After the analysis and evaluation of the above HRM issues and approaches, this report concludes with some recommendations for improving the performance in Bank Muscat, where the author is working as its External Relations Manager. Issues and Trends in the Labour Market in Oman Labour market issues and trends are driven by labour market structure and labour diversity (Schuler Jackson, 2007). The labour market in Oman is composed of indigenous Omani workers and expatriate workers (Al-Lamki, 2005) who have different national cultures (with different ethnicities) which give rise to labour diversity (Triandis et al, 1994) as well. Like its member countries of the GCC-Gulf Cooperation Council, Omans labour market is tight which always poses recruitment difficulties (Metcalfe, 2007). The GCC Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar) do not have sufficient indigenous skilled work force  [1]  as a result of which the GCC countries had been relying very heavily on imported work force for their economic development. According to the World Tribune report  [2]  , Omans expatriate work force constitutes a majority of 54% of the total work force in the country. As per the recent statistics published by the Ministry of National Economy (2009), Oman, the expatriate population stood at 900,248 against the Omani population of 1,967,180 at mid year 2008. In other words, these statistics indicate that from only a third of the nations population the expatriates occupy a high 54% of the labour market in Oman. In consequence of the above, the Government of Oman has been implementing its Omanisation Policy vigorously since the start of year 2009 (although the Governments Omanisation Policy has been active in the country since 1988 when it was introduced by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said through the Ministry of Civil Services to replace the expatriate work force with local Omani work force) in the private sector. This is due to the fact that the Governments implementation of its Omanisation Policy has been successful so far only in the Omani public sector and not in the private sector as the sector still relies heavily on the expatriate work force (Table 1). Nonetheless the banking sector in Oman is an exception to the poor Omanisation in the private sector (Al-Lamki, 2005). Table 1: Employment of Omanis in the Private Sector  [3]   Currently there are 17 commercial banks, including Bank Muscat, in Oman. Bank Muscat is the largest and leading commercial bank in Oman  [4]  . Bank Muscat has been continuously striving to improve its human resources to enhance its operations as well as to contribute to the further development of national human resources. Currently, Bank Muscat has a very high 92% Omanisation rate which has earned the Bank the prestigious GCC-Level Achievement in Nationalisation of Human Resources in November 2009  [5]  . The Bank also continues to be a heavy investor in information technology to keep itself on top of the competition. Bank Muscat has won for the ninth consecutive year in 2009 the Best Consumer Internet Bank award from the prestigious Global Finance. Service sector organisations are labour intensive and in consequence the human resources represent a substantial portion of the overall operating cost of the service organisation (Massey, 1994). Also human resources cost continues to be one of the most difficult expenses to control in organisations yet it is the critical most factor that affects organisational performance (Pfeffer, 1998). These views apply very well to Bank Muscat also. Being an operator in the services sector where in the customers and the employees engage in direct contact (Schneider et al, 1980), and driven to be more cautious in conducting its daily business due to the current global economic crisis, Bank Muscats major focus of its HRM practice is directed at enhancing customer services through effective customisation of banking products and efficient delivery of quality banking services in a cost-effective way. It would be pertinent here to mention Bank Muscats Mission and its Quality Policy. Bank Muscats Mission Statement Quality Policy Bank Muscats Mission Statement is effectively combined with its Vision Statement which states that, Over one million satisfied customers by 2010 through continuous enhancement of stakeholder value  [6]  . And Bank Muscats Quality Policy Statement states, Our Quality Policy is to achieve and sustain a reputation for quality in the national and international markets by offering products and services that exceed the requirements of our customers. We strive to remain the bank of first choice in all our product and services  [7]  . Accordingly, Bank Muscats strategic emphasis is on building further its sources of competitive advantage which are strong community of satisfied customers and quality offerings of banking products and services. Further the financial services market in Oman (Bank Muscat competes directly with HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Oman International Bank, National Bank of Oman, Bank Dhofar, Bank Saderat Iran, and Bank Sohar) is becoming relatively more competitive than the financials services market in the neigbouring Qatar. Currently Bank Muscat runs 125 branches, operates 362 ATMs and 112 CDMs, and 4,200 PoS terminals throughout Oman. And another 3 more branches are going to be opened soon in the other cities of Oman, namely, Sohar, Salalah, and Sur. Human Resource Investment Bank Muscat considers its investment in its human resources as the most valuable asset which forms the basis for the Banks operations. In as much as the Banks human resources contain highly-skilled and experienced people, it also has newly recruited staffs that are relatively low-skilled as they are fresh University Graduates. Human resource movements are caused by recruitments and exits. Since bulk of Bank Muscats operations occur in the Banks retail branches, from time to time Bank Muscat recruits new Omani staffs in order to meet its human resource requirements, based on its formal recruitment and selection policies, at its new branches. There are no effects on the movements in the Banks human resources due to employee leaving. For instance, the employee turnover rate at the end of 2009 was 0% for the third consecutive time, as there were no exits due to resignation, retirement, or termination. For senior positions at the branches staffs are appointed through internal recruitment job promotions (e.g. Assistant Manager to Branch Manager) and the resultant vacancies are filled through the recruitment of new Omani staffs. Competence and Training and Development In view of the above Bank Muscat requires its new staffs with low-skills (who are currently filling in the first-line staffs mostly in the clerical cadre) to upgrade their skills. Acquisitions of higher level skills by these staffs would help the Bank to provide its quality-integrated services to its customers much more vigorously in the pursuit of its strategic mission and vision through a high quality services strategy and at the same time complying with the Governments Omanisation targets. Accordingly, the present HR competence needs of Bank Muscat are derived from the necessity to up skilling its young Omani staffs within the Banks need to maintain competitive advantage against the ongoing rapid changes in the business environment in Oman. To this end the Bank Muscats HR goals are currently focussed in training and development: To reduce skills shortages in the area of complex tasks To Encourage learning to acquire Bank specific-business knowledge for obtaining higher efficiency as well as to cope with changes To provide opportunities for personal and professional development and career growth To forge long term employment tenure on the basis of competence and skills-advancement (through higher/professional education) for entry-level staffs. Strategic Approaches to HRM for Improving Organisational Performance In todays rapidly changing competitive business environment, human resource management is being increasingly considered as a critical part of the strategic management (Sheehan, 2005; Schuler Jackson, 2007) and in consequence Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) as a field in itself has been increasingly applied since the 80s as part of management practice (Becker Huselid, 2006). According to Tichy et al (1982) the strategic approach to HRM is known as Strategic Human Resource Management. The strategic alignment of HRM with the organisations business strategies would contribute to enhanced organisational performance (ibid). Strategic Human Resource Management is defined by Ulrich (1997, p.89) as, the process of linking HR practices to business strategy. The outcome of the application of strategic human resource management is HR Strategy: the mission, vision, and priorities of the HR function (ibid, p.190). Managers can contribute more in the form of value-addition to the firm through the strategic use of their human resource competencies (Mullins, 2007). A strategic approach to HRM for improving organisational performance would demand the matching of the needs and talents of people with that of the organisations objectives (ibid). In other words, a competency-based HRM system can provide an organisation to sustain as well as develop its peoples competencies for the organisations future success. Four-task Model of HRM Schuler et al (2001, p.115), through their Four-task Model of HRM, assert that a strategic approach to HRM would contribute to the development of an effective HR plan which would help improve organisation performance by carrying out effectively the following four core HR activities: The organisation maintains the right number of people Employees are equipped with the right work knowledge and job skills for rendering efficient and effective performance (competence) Employee relationships and behaviour are consistent with the culture and values of the organisation. Employees are motivated adequately to meet the organisations needs. When these core activities are effectively carried out the resulting changes in the human resources in the form of employee attitudes and behaviours within a right organisational climate should lead the organisations successful performance (Bowen Ostroff, 2004). For instance these four core activities can help an organisation to create cultures that maintain its unique competencies, promote social relationships built on mutual trust, knowledge sharing, and teamwork (Schuler Jackson, 2007). Together these imply that an organisation which develops employees to acquire better work skills, become more knowledgeable, and achieve higher competencies would be able to effectively promote improved organisational performance. High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs) A key approach to SHRM is high performance work practices (Huselid, 1995). HPWPs are considered by researchers to produce positive effects on an organisations financial and business performance (Appelbaum et al, 2000; Schuler Jackson, 2007). When individuals are provided with the right environment and collaborative team work with adequate job discretion it is highly likely that they would produce high individual performances which collectively would lead to accomplishing a successful organisational performance (Becker Huselid, 2006). In order to do this the management of the organisation should use high performance work practices (Huselid, 1995). In other words use of high performance work practices would impact positively on both individual performance and organisational performance. HPWPs include employee empowerment, employee training, and teamwork (ibid) and talent management and staff retention (Huselid et al, 2005). Likewise high performance HR practices that includes a rigorous selection of staffs and robust training and development systems to increase employee ability levels and skills, supported by comprehensive incentive schemes to motivate employees, and empowering employees, have positive impact on employee productivity and organisational performance (Appelbaum et al, 2000). These HPWPs can lead an organisation to the development of skilled employees who actively engage in producing successful behaviours for the organisation which thus form a key source of competitive advantage to generate mutually beneficial outcomes to obtain higher organisational operating performances (Schuler Jackson, 2007). HPWPs lead to the achievement of these favourable organisational operating performances through the improved social structure within the organisation that greatly assist in better communication and higher cooperation among the work force (Appelbaum et al, 2000). Employee empowerment today is considered as part of talent management (Bux Tay, 2010). Hence, these two key HR practices that are in use at Bank Muscat have been discussed: in the next section 2.2.1, namely, employee empowerment; and talent management, including employee empowerment in Bank Muscat have been discussed in section 3 later. Employee Empowerment Only when individuals are empowered and made to get involved they can become an organisations most valued employees as a consequence of which they would become the right people who can offer value creation both for the organisation and its customers (Sarkar, 2009). Mullins (2007, p.702) defines employee empowerment as, allowing employees greater freedom, autonomy and self-control over their work, and responsibility for decision-making. According to Spreitzer (1995), employee empowerment is a motivational factor that embeds: employee competences and consistent behaviour and ability to initiate and regulate actions, which collectively influences operating performances in the organisation. The concept of employee empowerment is about leaders giving up their control in order to get the desired results for the organisation (Gretton, 1995 in Mullins, 2007). This is supported by Spreitzer (1995) who states that leaders can become more effective if only they can give up their power, but retain responsibility, to their staffs and teams. An effective management of employee empowerment is capable of producing a large number of benefits to an organisation from the top level to the bottom level (Mullins, 2007). By empowering its employees an organisation can improve both the individual ability and the organisational ability to perform successfully (ibid). Further, employee empowerment can be used as a successful organisational tool to raise employee productivity and profits (ibid). Likewise, empowerment facilitates employees to become innovative and render good performance since conflicts can be greatly avoided and more cooperation can be obtained (Spreitzer, 1995). Appelbaum et al (2000) suggest that empowerment enables greater utilisation of employee knowledge, abilities, and skills which in turn makes them cooperate more in the form of teamwork (Spreitzer, 1995). In many organisations HR role is restricted to routine tasks like hiring and firing, implementing the decisions made by others on pay and benefits (Frost et al, 2002). However, if the HR managers are empowered, then they would be engaged in much deeper aspects of recruitment, selection, and retention, employee training and development and focus strongly on workplace diversity which can contribute to increasing their competence and encourage them to empower their staffs in order to enhance the business and financial performance (ibid). Approaches to Talent Management It would be useful to understand the meaning behind two key words: Talent and Talent Management. CIPD of the UK provides two critical definitions on Talent and Talent Management as follows  [8]  : Talent Talent consists of those individuals who can make a difference to organisational performance, either through their immediate contribution or in the longer-term by demonstrating the highest levels of potential. Talent Management Talent management is the systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement/ retention and deployment of those individuals who are of particular value to an organisation, either in view of their high potential for the future or because they are fulfilling business/operation-critical roles. As discussed earlier, Bank Muscat operates in the services sector and by nature is a labour intensive Company whose main objective of running its banking operations is to provide high-quality customer services in banking and finance. And in this pursuit the role of the Banks people is critical in adding value not only to the customer services they render but also add value to Bank Muscat, thus eventually adding value to the Banks stakeholders. In view of the above and given the diversity of the work force of Bank Muscat, talent management at the Bank would have implications for recruitment and selection of competent staffs and staff retention. Further in terms of succession planning the Bank also has a need to mentor/coach future leaders/managers for Bank Muscat. Figure 1 illustrates the Talent Management framework at Bank Muscat which has been reproduced from the talent management framework supported by the Government of Australia for managing skill shortages  [9]  . Accordingly the following HR activities will be discussed here: Staff Recruitment and Selection Strategic Human Resource Development Mentoring Staff Retention. In addition to the above employee empowerment in Bank Muscat has been discussed as part of the Companys talent management practice under the heading Strategic Human Resource Development. Figure 1: Talent Management Framework The major recruitment and selection objective of Bank Muscat is to attract and retain and thus have the right people with core competencies to enable the Bank to continue to maintain its competitive advantage as a the countrys leading bank in terms of profits, net assets, and up to date IT infrastructure. According to Pollitt (2004, p.24) the following are the core competencies expected from the workers by organisations world wide. These are: Well developed leadership skills, The ability to shift attitudes and behaviors, The capacity to exert effective influence and work through others, The talent for successful partnership working and, most importantly, having the potential to adapt quickly to internal and external change, and To get that change owned and embedded in an organization. Given the low level availability of talent with the above core competencies recruiting right people now is much harder for organisations (ibid). This is particularly true in the case of Bank Muscat which requires people with the above skills and consequential difficulties in finding and recruiting such talent within the tight labour market in Oman. Main (2008) asserts that retaining highly skilled staff is a better option than recruiting new talent as recruiting would not only be an expensive option but also would be time-consuming in the present economic conditions, which applies to Bank Muscat as well though staff recruitment and selection process cannot be ignored. Staff Recruitment and Selection As mentioned earlier the labour market in Oman is differentiated in terms of the composition of the workforce (indigenous workers and expatriate workers). Further Oman has a tight labour market (like its other GCC member nations) which makes recruitment and staffing of employees extremely difficult due to the domestic shortage of skilled people on the one hand and the available young work force lack work experience and the required job skills. In the current economic downturn more and more employers are driven by the need to attract and retain workers with high skills and competencies to improve their organisational performances (Lunau, 2009). Many firms in Oman are experiencing low business and Bank Muscat is no exception which is indicated by a 21% drop in its annual profits for 2010 at OR73.7 million (about USD191.4 million)  [10]  . Nonetheless, aided by its human resource planning the Bank is on the look out for new workers to meet its staffing requirements for succession planning as well as its ongoing retail branch expansions. Without clear job descriptions any recruitment and selection process would be a failure (Frost et al, 2005). For example, the recruitment and selection process in some of the Omani public sector undertakings were criticised by the State Audit institution of Oman. The key to Bank Muscats recruitment and selection process is the use of clear job descriptions for recruiting the right people. Further since competence is considered as the critical element of Bank Muscats HR practices, priority is given to internal recruitment through promotions which actually helps the team members to work with maximum initiatives, increased expectations, and higher motivation. Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD) Incorporating the core competencies of human resources and relating them for improving organisational performance is the purpose of strategic human resource development (Bratton Gold, 2007). When strategic human resource development is aligned the corporate strategies of the organisation it can lead to the creation of organisation-specific knowledge and skills (Garavan et al, 2007) which will also help build the core competencies of human resources. An effective recruitment and selection process should complement and support the training and development process (Boxall Purcell, 2003 in Bratton Gold, 2007). Accordingly, Bank Muscats recruitment and selection process is complemented by its training and development process which primarily focuses on building strong customer relationships. Training for Skill and Competence Development at Bank Muscat For this purpose, the Bank has been operating successfully its own Management Development Centre since year 2005 as part of its SHRD. Each training programme at the Centre is driven by the HR Departments training needs assessment exercise. This internal training and development Centre handles the training of the low-skilled employees on one end and high-skill positions on the other end. Training is imparted by training consultants from Dubai, London, and Australia who are supported by 3 full-time professional trainers of the Centre. The Centres training emphasis is based on self learning and Job-integrated learning. And the taught instructions along with the workshop learning programmes are delivered by the trainers who interact freely on a dialogue-basis rather than on a monologue-basis, encourage the trainees to participate more actively in the training and development process. The newly recruited low-skilled employees undergo a short and vigorous training to skill them for their current jobs. Likewise, mid-level skilled employees are trained on a regular basis to develop their current skills to high skills. In other words, both these skill groups receive training for advancing their careers within Bank Muscat. As for junior executive positions customised training programmes are provided at the Banks cost through the College of Banking and Financial Studies (CBFS), Muscat. These training programmes are revised from time to time to keep them up to date in terms of relevance to meet Bank Muscats HR needs. To ensure this the Banks HR Director and the College engage in the course revisions. Additionally, for senior executive positions Bank Muscat provides fully funded educational support for the MBA programmes from the UK. However, it is left to the choice of the individual staffs to pursue the MBA programmes. Nonetheless, employees from all the three skill-level categories receive full career guidance from the Management Development Centres Career Counsellor. Performance Appraisals in Bank Muscat Staff progress and promotion are based on formal performance appraisals in Bank Muscat. Performance appraisals are carried out mainly by the branch managers and within the Banks Head Office they are carried out by the departmental managers (e.g. Manager SME Department). Informational inputs to the branch and the departmental managers for these performance appraisals come through the 360 degree feedback process (including customer complaints). Employees of Bank Muscat are expected to have knowledge and understanding of the banking products. Therefore, performance of employees in the Bank is measured on the basis of their sales performances in the branches i.e. sale of the banking products (housing and auto loans, special savings accounts, fixed deposit schemes, Bank Muscat Credit Cards, etc). Once the performance appraisal process is completed the concerned managers and their staffs meet to discuss poor performance issues and commendations. This dialogue is facilitated by the open communication (which is continuously kept alive due to the employee empowerment practice in Bank Muscat). To the knowledge of this author the follow-up to poor performances resulted in the issues being solved rather than the same employee being found fault with, in terms of poor performance, again. Accordingly, none of the Banks employees has ever been reprimanded or were subject to any disciplinary actions by the Banks superiors. Employee Empowerment in Bank Muscat As discussed under section 2.2.1 earlier, employee empowerment is part of the talent management practice in Bank Muscat. Employee empowerment in Bank Muscat is carried out through: A simple 15 minutes briefing before the opening hours of the Bank on each first day of the week (which in Oman is Sunday for the Banks only) by the heads of the divisions/Branch Managers with their respective staffs. Direct communications in the form of intra-mail to the staffs from their bosses. Introduction of team-based work groups across SME Banking, Housing Loan, and Auto Loans that are linked with group bonus schemes for the team members. Active encouragement by departmental managers to engage their team members in planning and decision making relating to customer service issues and issues relating to operations. Above all the HR Executives directly report to the Banks CEO. By empowering its employees through delegation their productivity (faster processing of customer services) Bank Muscat has been able to keep its profitability up even in the current recessionary time. Mentoring A key strategy in the talent management is to put together the employees and their mentors to transfer the mentors skills, experience, and work behaviours to up-skill employee competencies in order obtain higher-levels of organisational performance (Murray, 2001). The purpose of mentoring process is to transfer professional, technical, and generic skills to people who will continue working in the organisation (ibid). In other words the mentoring process would help employees to stay with the organisation and thus ensure not only in retaining their talent but also help the organisation in its succession planning (ibid; Main, 2008). For example, banking companies stand to benefit from the mentoring process in the form of decreasing time needed to master customer service skills (Murray, 2001, p.36). Bank Muscats major objective is to capture key organisational knowledge from its senior leaders who are approaching their retirement and ensure knowledge-sharing among all its staffs. Based on the outline provided by Murray (2001, p.36) the other objectives of Bank Muscats mentoring process are: To improve retention by making our experienced and skilled people feel more valued To improve results-profit or other-with people who are more competent, confident, experienced, and motivated To ensure representation of diverse groups at all levels of the organization To enable our people to learn to work with others with different education, ages, cultures, physical abilities, etc. To improve communication across functional and divisional lines. Bank Muscat applies this to its staffs at all levels i.e. from new workers to newly promoted Managers. In particular the following details the formal mentoring process at Bank Muscat: Each newly promoted Manager will be paired with a mentor. New young recruits and those who are in their early career stages are paired with senior staff members for ensuring their training and retention. Senior members of the staff are to identify leadership and managerial talent and coach them to excel in their present and future work. Special rewards are given to managers whose mentoring leads to staff retention (over a 5-year minimum period). During the last 3 years the top management carried out 4 promotions among assistant branch managers and 3 promotions among branch supervisors among the branches in the Muscat area. Staff Retention The noted management consultancy company, McKinsey Company recommends the creation of Employee Value Proposition (EVP) as a strong means to retain talent in organisations (Brannick, 2001). Four elements make up the EVP (ibid, p.30): Great Company Company and its people care mutually for each other. Employees have pride in working for the company. Great Job Employees feel that their work is highly valued and their talents and achievements are duly recognised by their company. Great Leaders People who provide

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Impact of Corruption in Nigeria

Impact of Corruption in Nigeria CORRUPTION AND ITS IMPACT ON INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (NIGERIA AS A CASE STUDY) (FEBRUARY 2014) Abstract Corruption is no news in the world today. We can see corruption in our daily lives, let alone in our businesses and the way economies as a whole deal with corruption every day. That is why discussing corruption and seeking ways on how to deal with it in International business is inevitable. I chose Nigeria as a case study for obvious reasons; I am Nigerian and unarguably Nigeria is the Giant of Africa vast in its natural resources but unfortunately Nigeria is still battling with corruption which is crumbling our already poor nation and taken a toll on our International Business relations pushing potential business and development further away. This paper seeks to attempt to show why corruption is predominant in developing countries, its impact on International Business in developing economies and possible recommendations. I will first start by giving you a brief picture into Nigeria’s biggest export and make an attempt to analyze corruption itself. Introduction International Business is all commercial transaction between two or more countries and the goal of the private business is to make profits while the government is motivated by profit or political reasons (Daniels, Radebaugh, and Sullivan 2007). Business has become more global, trading has become easier with different regional trading blocs. This only encourages companies and economies to engage in International Business to boost its economy. Several economic theories show how countries’ competitiveness with other and Nigeria certainly has an Absolute Advantage in the Oil sector. Nigeria is a country with diverse and enormous mineral resources like crude oil, coal, zinc, semi-precious stone and gold to name but a few. Nigeria exports petroleum, petroleum products, cocoa and rubber. Nigeria is also rich with great human resources hence a great destination for business. The sudden growth of Oil in the 1970s led Nigeria to the abandonment of its strong agricultural and light manufacturing bases in favor of an unhealthy dependence on crude oil. Oil and gas exports account for more than 95% of export earnings and over 80% of federal government revenue. However, the success story in the sector has lead it thus far making Nigeria, the United States largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, supplying 8% of U.S. oil imports which is half of Nigerias daily oil production .The country is also the fifth-largest exporter of oil to the United States. Nigeria is a member of the functional Commodity Agreements in the world; Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and its current crude oil production averages over 1 million barrels per day with oil reserves are estimated to be 36 billion barrels; natural gas reserves are over 100 trillion cubic feet. (Source 21 Feb 2012: http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/index.php/2012-10-29-11-05-46/economy) Table 1.1 Nigeria Economic Overview 2014 Nigeria Economy Overview Region Sub-Saharan Africa Income Category Lower middle income Population 168,833,776 GNI Per Capita (US$) 1,430 City covered Lagos Doing Business 2014 Rank Doing Business 2013 Rank Change in Rank 147 138 -9 Doing Business 2014 DTF(% points) Doing Business 2013 DTF(% points) Improvement in DTF(% points) 46.62 46.33 0.29 (Source 21 Feb 2014: http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nigeria/ ) Corruption â€Å"The world is a chain, one link to another† Maltese Proverb, and with the rapid pace of globalization and the increase in the volume of International trade and investment , coupled with ongoing corporate scandals, has escalated the importance of issues relating to Corruption, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Politics (Rodriguez et al, 2006). As foreign firms expanded into, and new firms were born within, developing and transition economies governments, managers and scholars grew more aware of the magnitude of corruption and the need to understand and address it. Corruption has been described by several authors using very fancy words but keeping it simple; it is a wrongful act that affects the well-being of the society. Corruption abuses power for private gain and it affects everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a leadership position. It can be manifested through bribery, illegal gratuity, extortion, conflicts of interest, kickback, and corporate espionage and through commissions/fees (Source 21 Feb 2014: http://www.sfo.gov.uk/briberycorruption/briberycorruption.aspx) In public offices several ardent writers relate corruption with the continuous malicious use for self-financial gain but this is not exclusively the case because corruption also exists in both (small and large) private enterprises and their gains arise because of embezzlement, conflicts of interest, abuse of power, exploitation, bribery and fraud. (Sikka, 2008). Corruption in Developing Countries Unfortunately, it is not news to our ears that Nigeria is headed to being completely destroyed by corruption if continuous effort to curb it is not pursued vigorously. Well, I’m of the opinion the root cause of the present Nigerian corruption problem is the overarching crude oil economy and politics over the years. Transparency International is has efficiently made available a Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. The scale of 0 100, in the CPI is a s follows; 0 indicating that a country is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 indicating it is perceived as very clean. Please note the countries perceived as very clean and where those countries originate from compared to those perceived as highly corrupt further stressing my view that developing countries are highly corrupt due to the economic conditions thus affecting business. (Source 21 Feb 2014: http//www.transparency.org). Copy of CPI2013_GLOBAL_WithDataSourceScores.xls Nigeria is at 144, alarming! looking past tables in the Transparency International website in 2004, Nigeria was at 90. The last country on the list is an African one, Somalia. This goes without saying. If you look at the economic situation in Somalia, it is obvious. The poorer the nation the higher the corruption. But how can there be a balance? A nation needs Foreign Direct Investment to boost its economy. The Porter Diamond Theory (Daniels et al 2007) which naturally should help boost a nation may not work in a developing country like Nigeria, according to this theory companies’ development of international competitive product depends on their success in their home country, this theory is not feasible in most developing economies, these countries need foreign investors to set companies to harness the demands of the nation but with corruption as one of the factors affecting International Business, how will be nation grow strong enough to combat it? Sadly, Nigeria has no excuse for its failure so far, at present the problem of corruption issues has been saddled in into the laps of three government bodies: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), with little or no success considering Nigeria is still falling below the world’s Confidence Interval year on year, so how can International Business be seamless? You can also find current shocking details about bribery/corruption in Nigeria on bribenigeria.com. Won’t a corporation or nation rather deal with another continent with a lower corruption issue than invest or trade with a nation who is known for corruption? If I were to answer, my answer will be no. I believe that developed countries in the world have a better advantage over the fight against corruption because developed countries do not face the several challenges that developed countries face, so third world countries or developing countries like Nigeria, still have a long way to go. Multinational Corporation’s interest in fighting Corruption in International Business It has been argued that governments and host communities  may be interested in eradicating poverty, promoting education, health care and  human rights, but corporations may not necessarily share such goals. They are  essentially ‘private’ organisation and are required by law to prioritise the welfare of  the shareholders (capital) above other stakeholders (Sikka, 2008). Corporations’ today  should to conduct their operations responsibly with accountability to wider  society and legitimise their social power corporations may acknowledge some social  responsibilities, but they most often times can’t buck the systemic requirement to increase profits  and dividends to the benefit of capital. Businesses and organizations are set up to create wealth, and so far it is a very highly  effective tool for doing so. No limitations, whether legal, ethical or moral limit  are set to what or whom corporations can exploit to create wealth for themselves and their  owners. According to Sikka (2008), ‘such practices seems to be part  of the ‘enterprise culture’ that persuades many to believe that ‘bending the rules’ for  personal gain is a sign of business acumen’ (pg. 270). Competitive  advantages is considered to be an entrepreneurial skill, especially when competitive  business environment link profit and market shares with meeting global business  target. We see that the use of bribery and inducement to secure competitive advantages is primarily a  matter of executive discretion rather than any legal or moral compulsion. It has been  argued that this discretion may be used to enrich directors since their remuneration  is influenced by the level of profits and return to capital. Markets therefore exert  pressure on companies to generate ever increasing profits and returns as capitalism  does not provide any guide to upper limits of accumulation (Sikka, 2010). Companies  can generate additional returns for finance capital, not only through competitive  advantages on products and services, but also through bribery and other  inducements to secure government contracts which are the big and guaranteed revenue even though payments are delayed .In an attempt to satisfy the corporate  goal unfortunately everybody else is put at risk. Generally, the codes of business conduct include statements rejecting the payment or  acceptance of bribes, collusion, pressure or illegitimate favour, either directly or  through third parties whether public officers or private individuals but are often not respected. Y their involvement in corrupt practices and other anti-social practices cannot therefore be  reconciled with their business codes of conduct (Sikka, 2008, 2010; Otusanya, 2012). Environmental turbulence and threats to their reputation are managed by publishing corporate social responsibility (CSR) statements and code of conduct that promise ethical behaviour, improvement of economic and social infrastructure and quality of life of all stakeholders (Phillips, 2003; Sikka, 2010). Looking at it critically even if one organization restrains itself, the superior profits of competitors and business environment exert pressure to explore ways of matching or exceeding that,  thus the tendency to increase profits through corrupt practices as a means of gaining competitive advantages remains embedded within the corporate enterprise culture. In the end, it is a â€Å"means† to an â€Å"end† or â€Å"we all want to make money† some would say. Impact of Corruption in the International Business world Without a doubt corrupt activity hinders development, contributes to the depletion of the public purse and distorts markets, furthering hindering local and Foreign Direct Investment. The growth of a nation depends on the redistribution of its wealth since the middle class and poor benefit is much greater than the affluent, who loss out of the re-distributional process. Countries suffering from corruption cannot implement sound re-distributional policies and are not expected to take benefit from sustainable economic development despite engaging upon economic growth from time to time for some reason or the other. No country or company would like to engage in business with falling economies. Another pitfall is it becomes a way of life. Corruption is like a way of life in Nigeria, from the secretary that sits at the office expecting to receive a â€Å"gift† before passing the cheque for signature to our leaders who can only award contracts by our wonderful saying â€Å" if you help me, I go help you† ( *pidgin English which means if you scratch my back, I scratch yours). There are other things to consider, for instance the level of poverty. Nigerians do not know any way out. Word on the street, is you have to be smart, so you can survive. And survival here is relative. The danger of this is that is rubs off on the nation as a whole. Our image and reputation is constantly taunted. Business people need to find out if they need to cut corners before making an investment in Nigeria and need to know the â€Å"Man at the top† before the contract is awarded It ridicule’s the concept of open and fair competition; hence the continual decline of the economy. *â€Å"Pidgin English† is the low class English spoken on the streets in Nigeria† Summary International Business as stated earlier involves all commercial transactions, private and governmental, sales, investment, transportation that takes place between two or more countries for developing countries to find a way to curb corruption to its minimum; it must first start from the sectors and the leadership. Not forgetting that the various modes of entry ranging from Imports and Exports, Tourism Transportation, Licensing and Franchising, Turnkey Operations, Management Contracts, Direct and Foreign investments need to be rid of corruption (Daniel et al 2007). In the case of Nigeria, it makes sense that any effort to eradicate corruption in must start with the oil sector, because of its all-encompassing effects on other sectors of the economy and move immediately to harnessing other natural resources, focus on production of resources that the economy has demand for thus providing job opportunities for several people. Secondly, the law enforcement would need to sanitize its own department because it is a pity that in developing countries they are the most corrupt. I’m not confident of the efficacy of the sanctions and restitution imposed and how is it been effective handled, however if sanctions from those found guilty of corruption can also be re enforced. Finally, as also noted earlier, unfortunately it has become a way of life. The biggest step will be sensitization. The media and institutions of learning will have to collaborate to ensure these morals are instilled. A full blast media campaign on the effects, combined with tutorials in classes will surely make an impact. The earlier an individual realizes that it is not a norm, the better. People should not accept or give bribe and not cut corners the better for the whole society. Corruption can be tackled, it may take forever but with collaboration and eyes on the bigger picture; when purely looking at it from a business perspective, it is indeed wiser to build a good reputation that bring a lifelong investment than engage in activities that will only provide solutions for short term needs. References/Bibliography Daniels, Radebaugh and Sullivan (2007) ‘International Business Environments and Operations’, 11th Edition. Olatunde Julius Otusanya, Sarah Lauwo, Gbadegesin Babatunde Adeyeye (2012)  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A Critical Examination of the Multinational Companies’ Anti-Corruption Policy  in Nigeria† (Accountancy and Public Interest 2012). (Online journal 9th Feb 2014: http://visar.csustan.edu/aaba/Otusanya2012.pdf) Otusanya, O. J. (2011b) ‘Corruption as an Obstacle for Development in Developing  Countries: A Review of Literature’, Journal of Money Laundering Control, 14 (4):  387-422. Phillips, R. (2003) Stakeholder Theory and Organisational Ethics, San Francisco:  Berrett Koehler. Rodriguez et al (2006) ‘Three Lenses on the Multinational Enterprise: Politics,  Corruption, and Corporate Social Responsibility’, Rensselaer Working Papers in  Economics, No. 0608 New York. Sam Ejike Okoye. How to tackle corruption Effectively in Nigeria:  http://www.gamji.com/article4000/NEWS4930.htm (9 Feb 2014) Sikka, P. (2008a) ‘Enterprise Culture and Accountancy Firms: The New Master of  Universe’, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 21(2): 268-295. Sikka, P. (2010) ‘Smoke and Mirrors: Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax  Avoidance’, Being Paper Presented at Essex Accounting Centre, Essex Business  School, University of Essex, UK http://www.essex.ac.uk/ebs/research/working_papers/WP2010-5%20PS%20CSR%20and%20Tax%20Avoidance%20Revised%20April%202010.pdf. (9 Feb 2014) Udelove (2010) ‘Why Nigeria Is Referred to as the Giant of Africa’. StudyMode.com: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Why-Nigeria-Is-Referred-To-As-449209.htm (21 Feb.2014) Yima Sen ‘Political Economy of Corruption in Nigeria’:  http://www.gamji.com/article9000/NEWS9136.htm(9 Feb 2014) Web. 9 Feb 2014 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/nigeria/energy.htm> Web. 21st Feb .2014 http://www.transparency.org > Web .21 Feb.2014 http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/index.php/2012-10-29-11-05-46/economy> Web. 21 Feb 2014 http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nigeria/> Web. 21 Feb 2014 http://www.sfo.gov.uk/briberycorruption/briberycorruption.aspx>

Essay --

Virginity has always been a controversial subject in the battle for women’s rights. Since early on in history virginity has been representative of a women’s worth or usefulness. A woman who was not a virgin was impure and unworthy of marriage. This premise had carried on today and is present across the modern world. An analysis of virginity and marriage using the feminist theory demonstrates that the importance of virginity is merely a tool used by men to further oppress women. A Virginity test can be performed in several ways; although the test is controversial it is still preformed across the world. To start the belief is that the hymen can only be broken (stretched) through sexual intercourse and that every girl has one; both these statements are false. It is possible and also common that a woman is not born without a hymen. In addition the hymen can be stretched in a multitude of daily activities such as sports or simple accidents. This test performed only on girls is sexist and is promoted in patriarchal society. It promotes acceptance of the idea that male premarital sex is alright but for female it is a grave sin. This widens the gender gap between male and females. The issue of virginity is deep seeded into religious views. Most major religions have some doctrine on abstaining from sexual intercourse until marriage. In the bible common passages describe that men â€Å"shall (Leviticus 21:13-14) shall take a wife in her virginity., or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry.† Similar passages can be found in the Quran and Torah, all describing equal abstinence for men and women. These beliefs aren’t detrimental to any human being for they do not discriminate. But this belief has been al... ...y piece of information. A woman should not be embarrassed chastised or criticized because of her virginity. It is respectable for those women who decide to abstain until marriage but it should be her choice and only hers. I respect ones religious belief that it is only right to have sex after marriage. It is the flawed nature that contorts these beliefs to focus on women that is wrong. It is in these patriarchal societies that unethical behaviour is performed in abundance, in most cases at the sake of women. Although we must ensure the rights of women here in Canada and North America are respected, it is in these societies that activists are most needed. It takes true bravery to stand up in a country, where you can be killed, beaten, or abused for your beliefs. In a country where a woman’s voice is not important, these women stand strong in the face of adversity.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Typical Detective Genre Portrayed in Sherlock Holmes Literature Es

The Typical Detective Genre Portrayed in Sherlock Holmes' Literature The late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a phenomenally successful writer, not only in the Victorian era but is still popular today; his Sherlock Homes stories were perhaps his most successful, in which he combines realistic situations of murders and scandals with the improbable situation of such a successful detective. Victorian London was an exceptionally dangerous place to live. Prostitution, opium dens and murders were inescapable. A women's role within the household was very much dependent on her class and her husband, purely due to the fact was that herr husband was the breadwinner. They were to stay at home; sex was supposedly purely for reproduction. London's police force was around but famously was rather ineffective with solving crimes. This is one of the reasons Holmes was extremely popular; almost a fantasy world where a character with such an inquisitive mind could solve the most challenging misdemeanours. Conan Doyle sets his stories in the heart of England, London. Perhaps this is because the busy bustling town is ideal for such a character, London Is the most important place in England, and therefore surely Holmes must be the most important detective? Conan's Doyle's stories are all in some way alike; they all have a villain, or somebody who is believed to break society's rules. This helps the audience to gain interest in how the villain will survive with Holmes on their case, how they will be punished in the context of the story. Neville St Claire in 'The man with the twisted lip' was found guilty of dressing as a tramp, to deceive people to give him money. Maybe he did this for greed; he obviously was not in favour of ga... ...chievous scheme; "I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind." No reader would have predicted this was the reason for the beating of this stick. This is the type of fascinating unpredictable actions, which make detective stories almost addictive until the end and appealing to the reader. Conan Doyle made sure that all questions during the story are answered and no queries left hanging. This is alluring to all readers as the endings are moral and all dilemmas are resolved. Detective story's have become one of the most popular genre, authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle manage to make even the most straightforward storylines interesting and appealing to all readers simply because of false trails, red herrings and the way information is with held to the reader.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Computing project using Microsoft Access Essay

One of the administrative tasks in a hospital is to keep a record of loans to patients of equipment such as wheelchairs and crutches. The patients borrowing the equipment may still be in hospital or they may have been discharged. Records have to be kept of what equipment has been borrowed, by whom and when, and also if any equipment is not available because it is being repaired. You have been asked to create a computer application to replace the present manual one to record the necessary details to enable greater control to be kept and so cut down on loss and wastage. Design For this project, I am going to use Microsoft Access. The table below shows my design tasks list for the hospital patient and equipment database. Task Number Object Task Description 1 Patient Table Design the Patient table and the properties of its attributes 2 Equipment Table Design the Equipment table and the properties of its attributes 3 Equipment Status Table Design the Equpstat table for the Equipment Form Drop-down box 4 Patient Titles Table Design the Titles table for the Patient Form Drop-down box 6 Equipment Report. Design a Report to show current equipment status 7 Equipment Return Letter Design a report, in the style of a letter, which is sent to patients who have overdue equipment. 8 Patient Entry Form Design a form to provide a â€Å"front end† for the patient entry table 9 Equipment Booking Form Design a form to book equipment out to patients 10 Main Menu Form Design a form which can execute the other forms and records 11 Autoexec Macro Design a Macro that executes automatically on database open and opens the main menu 12 Security Implement some kind of security into the database. Design of Equipment Loaning System There are several types of equipment, ranging from wheelchairs to neck collars, and each type of equipment is available in different sizes, there are also several of each type and size of equipment. When deciding how to input and store the equipment into my database, I decided that their was two potential paths that I could follow: to place the equipment into my database with one record for each type and size of equipment, and having a â€Å"number in stock† field to represent multiples of equipment types with the same size. The second way of representing the data would be to let each individual piece of equipment have its own record. I elected to take the second route, although it would take more space, it would mean that if an item was damaged in someway, a note of the problem could be made in a â€Å"notes† field in the items record. The second problem I discovered was coming up with a way of having a code for each individual piece of equipment. Again, I found two main ways of doing this: An auto number system, or a system which would allow a user to determine what the equipment is just by looking at the code. I felt that the second way would be a better way of doing this, so I devised a system that fulfils this requirement (shown below). Item Codes Code Explanation WC Wheelchair CR Crutch EC Elbow Crutch NC Neck Collar -J Junior Size -S Small Size -M Medium Size -L Large Size -A Adult Size To get the individual items code, you simply add a number onto the end of the code. E. g. Junior Wheelchair number 1 would be WC-J1. Using this system, new pieces of equipment can be added with ease, whereas with an auto number system, it would mess up the order of the numbers. Equipment Booking Form Design Security This database holds confidential information about patients, and should therefore be kept secure from illegitimate access, both physically and electronically. As stated in the data protection act, it would be the hospitals responsibility to keep the data secure. I have employed a basic password protection system into the database, with only one user, as I feel that a multi user password system with different levels of access for each user would be inappropriate in this instance because the only users would be the desk staff, and occasionally the administrator for backup purposes. To provide security on an electronic level, I would recommend making sure there is an appropriate firewall system installed if the terminal the database is running on is connected to any network external to the hospital. I would also recommend a weekly backup to a removable media, kept in a fireproof safe, with back copies kept for as long as possible, in case the system is infected with an undetected Trojan. On a physical level, I would recommend that rooms where terminals have access to the database are kept locked. Implementation Task Number Object Screen Dumps from Access 1. Design View of Patient Form 13 Patient Form Data View of Patient Form 14 Main Menu Form Design View of Main Menu Form 15 Main Menu Form Data View of Main Menu Form 16 Main Menu Form Show Visual Basic Code used 17 Autoexec Macro Screen Dump of Autoexec Macro Patient Table Equipment Table Equipment Status Table Patient Titles Table Entity Relationship Diagram Equipment Report Customer Letter Report Equipment Form Patient Form Main Menu Form Main Menu (Vb Code) For the main menu, I decided to incorporate a clock, as it provides a purpose (to tell the time), and also looks good on the form. Equipment Form (Vb Code) For the equipment booking form, I used two visual basic sub forms; the first sets the return date and the out date when the â€Å"loan out† button is pressed, and the second sets the return date and the out date to zero when the combo box which controls the status of the item is changed. I used this last bit of code because it saves the user having to delete the date manually when the equipment is returned from loan, but it has the downside of having to set the status before pressing the â€Å"loan out† button, otherwise it undoes this action.

Characteristics of Public Administration

Principles of do of import boldness 1. 0 Introduction. This term discusses how set forth linguistic rules of earthly concern organization been applied to positively maintain each of the avocation fields fosterage, transfer of cultivationation, advantageouslyness c atomic number 18, lodge maturement, police enforcement, and environ psychogenic policy. Also, the article hypothesizes what would be devolve of the aforementioned serve in the absence of a semi familiar establishment arrangement. The means by which earth administration obtains its goals and the responsibilities vested on it atomic number 18 solely qualified on t get alongical rules and pisss utilized to practice them.In rewrite for the national administrators to achieve the unb kiboshing targets they must attach to a aim of orchestrated instruments or regulations by the giving medication of the day so that they chance on overt deviate from the initial intended objectives. The exoteric bea plays crucial roles in ensuring that the popular domain is hygienic tended to and that their individual rights be respected. The administrators of benevolentkind policies argon readyors who ar as well g everywherened by dint of and by dint of and forefa there established organization principles, to fancy that they dont compromise none of spanking aspects of ordinary requirements.Policies employ by the governing to cosmos administrators as devices though which the evidence-supported domain is ale to chance on divulge to the people. Principles codify value transcription that is intrinsic aloney part of brasss, mixer, political and legal atomic number 18na. Through codified exoteric policies governors adhere to the governing principles, upon which the responsibilities ascribed to the semi universal presidential term argon succinctly met. 2. 0 Defining usual constitution. national Administration is the development, implementation and pos tulate of branches of judicature policy linked to prosecute the globe good by enhancing courteous society and fond justice.In the past maintain-supported administration was synonymous to disposal trouble, however, with increase vigor in participation of clandestine vault of heaven into overt matters some non authoritiesal organizationS committed to serve the human race realise joined the populace sector. earthly concern administration has incremented credibility over metre owing to change in formation and guidance process. Moreover, due to the sensitivity of the activities carried come forward by Public administrators and the participation of hidden sector change in quality of the services offered by the authorities became inevit fitted.The humankind servants attain cogniseledge and sk carsicks of executing duties in a curriculum by and with prepargon policy analysts who ar good founded with the basis development on how to consider the unrestricted resources. Through public servants, interests of the prevalent public argon served in a okay cost-effective manner the public servants ar mandated to oversee each enforced natural process on daily. Gener onlyy, public administration gears its efforts towards intelligence public entities and how they interrelate with separates and the immediate world.Organizations that piss chthonian public administration are organized and managed to realize deliberately structured goals in the near future. Through public policy programs the judicature responds to the take and interests of the realm done satisfying them with the avail competent resources . 3. 0 Principles of Public Administration. Public administration is a complex process, it involves social, economical, legal and political matters al interwoven together. Due to the complexity of its nature, attention and regulation of the public sector becomes a hurdle.In orderliness for the public administration to be well regulat ed and governed bracket laws had to be employ to cover in tot in only(a)y spheres and aspects of the sector. A unifying common law to govern public sector has been a actually controversial issue in the U. S, this could be accrued to the governors reluctance to be circumscribe by statutes which could tether the added advantages associated with the public sector. With sentence however, due to emerge of democratic tendencies elements that take up good management and political science endure been embraced.Political evolution has led to accord on the call principles that spate be implemented to look into that the services delivered to the public by the presidency are excellent. The key identify principles are- 3. 1. Reliability and predictability This principle declares that in order for the presidency initiative in form of services or practice to be deemed as satis accompanimentory it must be authoritative by be consisted and accurate in see the capability postulate for which it was intended for.The government programs should be predict subject a circumstanceor that gouge only be bring seat the bacon done consisted effort whereby the government agencies in suppose on of the programs dont fluctuate in executing their duties in a valuateonomic manner. On the uniform none the programs implemented by the government to serve the indigences of public should carry legal foregone conclusion or judicial security. 3. 2. Openness and transparentness The government serves the society done tax levies and separate(a) customs exerted on them done added costs.In return, the government is supposed to govern the obtained resources, intent and allocate them to various public programs in order to satisfy the public demand wagerer. The public is aware that the government derives its monetary resource from their resources, so it becomes increasingly important for the public to k today hoe the government tis apply their resources to sponsor public programs. In order for the public to trust the government of the day, the government avails all the unavoid competent details concerning the programs so that the government doesnt appear to have creepy motives . 3. Accountability The government sponsored programs are usually account adapted for all activities and procedures carried forth in their programs which are geared towards public satisfaction. Accountability, per se is whereby the government justifies the actions it pursues in its purpose to serve the public and at the alike conviction taking indebtedness for the actions it pursues in achieving its objectives whether they have positive or nix implications. 3. 4.Efficiency and potency Efficiency is a principle utilize by the government sponsored programs to go through that all the resources at the disposal of the government are utilized with forth wastage of time, increased write off or effort wastage. When the government embraces dexterity in its procedures it becomes effectual in meeting public ineluctably with discover wasting time or effort or expense. Public administration i atomic piles and doctrine principles have compound better transaction in public sector creating union amongst the m whatever areas that hold to be administered properly in order to serve the public better.In the U. S the government has been able to embrace the key principles indispensable for ensuing that all the programs that serve public interest run coherently and are able to meet the desired involve of the public. Each sector served by the government becomes effective in meeting the social needs by embracing the principles of public administration. 4. 0 Positive principles in governance that sharpen competence in study sector The administration of primary and substitute public education in the coupled States is conducted primarily by state governments in conjunction with local anesthetic anesthetic school districts .All states with the expulsion of Hawaii employ the structure of local school districts as the direct administrators of public primary and secondary education . The logical implication of education to the U. S populace was manifest by inclusion in all 50 state constitutions of a cla function. . This cla utilisation mandated the government of the day to pursue the responsibility of offering quality education by ensuring that the education programs are properly managed through school districts. In the U.S State pursuit in public education has big(p) significantly during the twentieth century for exemplify there has been assentingal programs implemented in the education sector such as. Com instalerized educational activity programs, right vocational training, all inclusive education for the physically challenged and umteen more(prenominal). Americans ingest education as a key element of civic engagement in a democratic society and as the basis for skill training necessary for gainful employment in a rapidl y changing economy.Over time the government bodies in charge of education have become competent through function for all the processes and procedures they carry out. Each subdivision of the U. S education sector carries out inquiry on how to improve public governance and gives the recommendations to the state in order for it to assimilate them in its operations. The general public has continuously made demands on amelioration of educational sector a fact that has made the U.S government to step up its expertness in delivering public education through integrations of, vocational education, improving plan and facilities, and increasing teacher preparedness through specialized training programs. The principle of transparency has been embraced in the educational realm by allowing the public to have access to government reports concerning educational matters. The enfolding of the general public in school governance through educational boards has facilitateed a great deal in enh ancing the educational program power in meeting the needs of the citizens as well. 5. Positive principles in governance that provoke competence in Transport sector. The government tag intos that its well aware of the online operations on the high alleystead, railroads, at ports and airports at all the times through a systematic regulatory mechanism of the disco biscuit sector in order to climb capability through better management and operations. Some key sectors same the airport, pee system ship canal are prone to fall upon by the terrorists hence the government utilizes non-intrusive, voluntary sensors, computers and communications in order to extinguish the necessary training and facts that could be utilize to deduce security threat.On the road sector the government employs the principles of efficiency to invoke effectiveness through gathering and processing system use and condition nurture, forecasting conditions that pull up stakes stymy travel, optimizing tr ade signal and do meter timing base on actual conditions so that vehicle sugar and delay are minimized, identifying and responding quickly to accidents and other ensuants before queues can build, and coordinating duty operations with other operators, including support to commercialized and transit buy the farm managers for streamlined routing just about incidents/closures or for oversize trucks and hazardous cargoes.In addition to system management purposes, the data can overly be utilise for performance measurement, planning, and traveler breeding. The government has increased efficiency of the transport sector by enhancing better user services by providing vital information such as en-route information and route guidance, and travel services. The information availed to the travelers, shippers and fleet operators function them to obtain instant information for planning routes and selecting modes before and during trips Through the merchandise police, the government is able to make roads safe for commuters, with immediate nonification of collisions, road and lane closures, and other conditions that might invasion high look, transit or fleet operations. The over speeding road users, rumards and the people violating traffic rules are taken under the custody of traffic police to ensure that they dont cause damage to other road users.Incase of a fall through nap road users get informed on alternative routes and travel options . The government has in addition made the transport sector reliable for users and the travelers who seek fun by providing information on travel destinations and accommodations, such as gas stations, lodging, attractions, and restaurants. The general public is able to benefit massively by available efficiency implemented by the public sector through road foot development and liftd transport facilities.The transport sector is able to account for losings experienced through the transport sector the government has implemen ted technologies real-time traffic, road, live on and other system conditions . The equipments use to recruit smooth geological period of traffic and incident detection include detector loops, unappealing circuit TV, vehicle probes, and other sensors .The management of transport sector ensures that there are centers in place that are used to process incoming traffic information and helps the sector to respond promptly to any occurring incidences, by alerting the general public and also taking measures to ensure the occurring incidences dont stop the general flow of transport and communication. Computerized traffic signal systems, wild leek meters, rail grade crossing and other traffic interpret systems have been implemented to help the transport sector manage the system of commuting. 6. Positive principles in governance that enhance competence in familiarity Development sector. The government is actively convolute in confederation based programmes through agencies that hel p the community by fortify the wellness, safety, self-reliance and economic vitality of individuals and families. The public administrations hap out to the community through partnerships to provide service and material backing. From the train of federal to the state level there are programs implemented to reach out to low-income and vulnerable people who are underlying to the development of thriving communities .A program to leave for curse victims called Crime Victims Advocacy is reaches out to the community to cater for the needs of abuse victims the program serves the community through the following methodologies by foremost providing advocacy services to the affected victims of criminal offense, this they do by ask services and resources the program also administers nones for community programs lending with crime victims assists communities in planning and implementing services for crime victims and Advising local and state government agencies of practices, policies, and priorities which impact crime victims.Victims of crime who feel that they have not been accorded justice or that their rights have been trodden on forward their grievances to the community advocacy to labour for them. Developmental Disabilities Council is a council which fights for the rights and well existence of the disabled vulnerable community it caters for their educational and physical needs and ensuring that they are well treated in their homes.This community based program is funded and managed by the federal state and trickles down to the other sectors of economy through community ramifications. The principles of public administration employed to ensure that the community is well served by the federal state include efficiency through management agencies which scrutinize all the programs under community development to ensure that they execute the duties and tasks vested on them. This way the program becomes effective in meeting the needs of the community.Accountability is attained through auditing and generation of reports that are available for public and secluded viewing. transparency in community development is attained through community members involvement the agencies survive and integrate their views with the desires of the potential communities that await their support. Programs worry Work Firsts participation Jobs. , and other work programs help the general populace to gain access to employment and get financially giveed to support the poor families.The unripened people who have vocational training are able to get jobs through such arrangements to minimize their reliance on welfare programs statistics indicate that more than a quarter of Americans are without assets living payroll check to paycheck without savings or investments in equity like a home or small business . The community development programs target this kind of populace so that they can train them and empower them through employments in order to break the vicious cycl e of poverty and help them acquire financial stability.Through community development initiative asset building is initiated and it provides ground-breaking ways to improve local economies and the lives of the vulnerable citizens who are not able to cater for their primary needs. Community development programs offers start-up support and forfeit consultation for asset building activities in local communities. Through the principles of transparency, and accountability cash in hand are disseminated to the needy populace and a follow up program to ensure tat the funds provided are put into proper use ensues.The Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) seeks to develop executable communities by promoting integrated approaches that provide correctly housing, a suitable living environment, and thunder economic opportunities for low and moderate income persons. The community development programs initiated by the government are able to trickle down to the judge citizens thro ugh partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including for-profit and non-profit organizations Community Mobilization program is in effect used to deter the young nation from use or abuse of medicate substances.The (CM). Community Mobilization provides visions to various community members participating in creating and sustaining healthy, safe, economically possible communities, supererogatory from alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs . Violence and involvement in illegal activities is combated through informative programs which give the youths an alternative to violent activities. CM achieves its mission through collaboration, cooperation, communication, commitment, and competency in dealing with diverse range of populace. . 0 Positive principles in governance that enhance competence in Law Enforcement sector. modern practices are employed by this sector to reach out to the public strategies are employed by the federal government in respect to coordin ation and pitching of law enforcement and public safety . The government is able to ensure defense and security for the citizens at the same time ensuring that the citizens adhere to the rules and regulations of the state.Through bodies like Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, drug Enforcement Administration, National Institute of Justice, Secret Service, Immigrations custom and Enforcement the government is able to administer to all legal needs of the U. S citizens. The public administration clay endeavors to ensure that justice is accorded to all irrespective of their age and social standing. Moreover, the justice system is accountable for all the legal decisions made and tries to be efficient by ensuring that the rights of the citizens are followed whether they commit crime or not.For accountability purposes the law enforcement body ensures that all reports are well unploughed and can be verifiable through established facts. Efficiency is created by use of qualified and dedicated personnel in the field of law enforcement . Through advanced technology the police are able to prevent crime, take law offenders under their custody and ensure that justice is accorded to the pique parties. Transparency comes in when lawyers are pertain in the cases of offenders and offended, the citizens get to hear and know facts before a verdict is passed on them.Crime prevention, policing and community safety. 8. 0 Positive principles in governance that enhance competence in Health Care sector. Through the joined States Department of Health and Human run (HHS), a U. S cabinet subdivision the which pursues the government goal of protecting the Americans health at the same time offering essential human services. The cabinet department was created by president Jimmy Cater in the category 1979. urrently, the department is administered and regulated by the unify States Secretary of Health and Human run, is trusty for addressing matters concerning pub lic health as pass by the Secretary or by the Assistant Secretary of Health in addition to his primary mission of administering the fit out Corps. Under HHS are so many branches which have specific tasks allocated to them to enhance specialism in offering good health care to the general public. the human health service deeds through its main branches to meet the needs of the U.S citizens for instance Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a part of HHS which is mainly relate with kid welfare, through the families the office is able to reach out to the children and ensure that their health is well tended to and that issues like immunization are offered to children to reduce mortality rate. Agency for healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is an office in the health care fraternity which establishes facts through research and fact finding. The center enhance knowledge on particular affection and seeks to find out the best be restored for diseases which are still pu zzle to the aesculapian fraternity.It whole kit in conjunction with Centers for sickness Control and Prevention. Integrity is employed when conducting research the office does not implement cruel methods in establishing effectiveness of s drug when they invent it, animal testing is thoroughly avoided and for ant respondents who are used to sample on a new introduced drunk there is usually a scripted consent and they get compensation for it. HHS has col its branches both in federal and state level in order to reach out to the masses in the U. S populace and provide efficient services.The principle of accountability which cuts across all the publicly administered departments is employed in public medical examination examination services, the services provided meet the required standards and the medical fraternity takes responsibility for any defile they whitethorn cause to public The core group Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) caters for the vulnerabl e population which offers from mental damage and are ineffective to do their duties normally, under public administration the needs of the mentally ill is catered for.Moreover, drug abusers who need to be rehabilitated back to normality, are also tended here the right professional are used to reach out to all the dire cases of mental illness and through them effective health service is offered. 9. 0 Positive principles in governance that enhance competence in Environmental form _or_ system of government The federal government has set up environmental policies which basically deal with statute law the Clean Air comport, the Clean urine Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).The stated acts enable the government to actively participate in environmental saving to ensure that the environment doe not get deteriorated rather its conserved and well tended for the benefits of future generations. Currently the government works in consensus with the industrial sector to e nsure that there is less emission into the air, this is an efficient way of ensuring that there is no more remission of green house gases into the glory as it has dire repercussions on the environment.Through the government budget funds have been allocated to help in the research effort carried out by the research institute on how to reduce emissions into the atmosphere, measures that would ensure that the environment does not get polluted. The government too has used the principle of accountability whereby it admits the errors of the past of not controlling the pollution rates and now it endeavors to offer excellent solutions to the escalating pollution of water air and the atmosphere through industrial activities.Due to the increased public awareness of the ill impacts of air pollution the government works in consensus with the general public through enlightening projects which helps the public to realize the dangers of environmental pollution in order for them to take caution. 1 0. 0 hypothetic suppositions on what would excrete in absence of Public administration. If the governance and control of the government was replaced by some other body or was obliterated all together a portion of things would come to a sudden holt. To begin with the U.S citizens would be forced to pay extra specie for all the services provided for free by the government, such services include, free medications and free access to education, consequently a lot of people who are classified as low and middle class get out lack basic necessities like medication and education which the state offers to them for free . On the other hand, the issue of insecurity allow for go way out of control because the private sector does not have enough machinery like the public administration, more over crime rates allowing go up since mechanisms to counter crimes entrust have been altered .There volition be increased mortality rate since child health exit not be well catered for, some of th e people who cannot move over medications for themselves may die out of cronical diseases and this may lead to low life expectancy. A lot of young people leave languish aimlessly with no jobs or means to support them and they may end up taking drugs because they allow be idle and frustrated a fact that may force them to acquire insalubrious habits. Unfortunately there bequeath be no Medicare for free and such youths will be most likely unable to acquire medications for them and they will.The transport sector will be all messed up, there will be no control mechanisms or means to nub the offenders, hence road accidents will increase and deaths attri howevered to accidents will increase. The mechanisms to check and report on incidences that may hamper road and other transport systems will not be in use therefore the transport sector will lack focus and eventually get wise and affect the U. S economy so badly . In nutshell, without the public administration every body would suffer s one way or the other all the U.S citizens depend on the public administration, it will be impossible to lead a normal life without the public services well manned under public administration. II. Conclusion. Public administration is the back bone of all the states provided services to the U. S citizens (Canadians, French, British-UK, Russia, any soil in the world), the administration could never work well unless it was under regulations and it operated using policies which act as guidelines on how services are delivered.If the aspect of principles and guidelines is overlooked in ensuring delivery of services, the public sector could never be able to meet the needs of the general citizens. Through the established principles which act as blue print on the directions of the government goals, the government is not only able to manage the public services but it is also able to set goals and achieve them. This is the beauty, magic and efficiency of Public Administration.