Planning and Time Management in ABC, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Planning and Time Management in ABC, Inc - Essay Example Robbins can analyze present use of time, prioritizing activities, using time management systems and techniques. Carl Robins has been a campus recruiter for ABC, Inc. for six months. Given this short span of time, he successfully recruited several new hires in his first recruitment effort. Carl Robbins hired 15 new trainees to work for Monica Carrolls, the Operations Supervisor. He scheduled a new hire orientation to take place June 15, hoping to have all new hires working by July. On May 15, Monica contacted Carl about the training schedule, orientation, manuals, policy booklets, physicals, drug tests, and a host of other issues, which Carl would coordinate for the new hires. Carl assured Monica that everything would be arranged in time. After Memorial Day, Carl was at his office and pulled out his new trainee file to finalize the paperwork needed for the orientation on June 15. While going through the files, Carl became concerned. Some of the new trainees did not have applications completed or their transcripts on file, and none of them had been sent to the clinic for the mandatory drug screen. He then searched the orientation manuals and found only three copies with several pages missing from each. Management is the process of planning, organising, leading and controlling all phases of business operation in order to achieve the objectives of that organisation. Effective management invariably results in business success, while ineffective management often results in business failure. Using the POLC Model of Management, the key components namely planning, organizing, leading and controlling involves the use of different skills. (Burns, 1978) Carl Robbins was assigned to arrange and prepare the orientation for the new hires. In the context of the case, Robbins is the manager for the task. Planning is an intellectually demanding process because it requires deliberate courses of action where decisions are based on purpose, knowledge and the considerable degree of estimates.     

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Example for Free

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay Transcendentalism is the power to be an individual. Thoreau once said â€Å"Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. † In this he meant that the individual didn’t need superfluities in order to happy or be one’s true self. In today’s society, this philosophy is not evident. When looking to the world around him, the individual constantly has things thrust at him telling him what he has to believe in to be liked, and what he has to look like to be accepted, and what he â€Å"needs† to be â€Å"happy†. What the individual truly needs is the ability to be an individual, the ability to be transcendental. Transcendentalism should be applied to aspects of everyday life. The ability to be independent is a driving force in the world. Self-empowerment of the individual is critical in today’s society. â€Å"Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. † (Emerson). Society conspires to make one like the masses and takes away one’s ability to be independent. An individual should not give into things like media to tell them how to live and live life on his own terms. One’s belief in self allows the empowerment of the individual. â€Å"Speak what you think in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you day today. † (Emerson). If one thinks something he should believe in it even if he believes in something different tomorrow. When one is an individual, he does not have to explain himself to society. The individual must be independent in order to be transcendental. â€Å"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. † (Emerson). Society tells individuals who to be, but in order to be individuals they must not give in to societal pressures. They must be unique and have their quirks. Humanity must become a society of individuals to progress forward toward a brighter future. Society inhibits man’s ability to be independent. Society puts man at the mercy of other men. â€Å"Society is a joint-stock company in which every one if its members agree for the better of securing of his bread to each shareholder to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. † (Emerson) One should not allow others to let his fate be at the mercy of others. If one does so, he loses his individual freedom. Society should solely be a mechanism for man. â€Å"But lo! Men have become tools of their tools! † (Thoreau). Society has transformed from being a mere apparatus of the individual to something that the individual â€Å"needs†. One need not be rich in order to be happy. â€Å"Superfluous wealth can but superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Thoreau). The individual is told by society that in order to be happy one must have these luxuries, but truly all one needs is simplicity. Individuals must not cave into society and instead create their own standards to live by. Transcendentalism should be utilized in all aspects of life. Humanity should follow the path of its own creation. â€Å"†¦ if one advances confidently on the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. † (Thoreau). If the individual follows his own path, he will be successful and be able to find success even when surrounded by a sea of gray. Opportunity opposes no one. â€Å"The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s adobe; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring. † (Thoreau). The opportunities of the world come equal for all despite superfluities or situation, so the individual should accept his life and progress from there. Man should look inward for his peace of mind. â€Å"Yet it is certain that the power to produce this delight does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both. † (Emerson). To happy one cannot solely depend on the world around him. The individual must also depend on himself. Equilibrium between nature and man must be found to transform our way of life and look towards a brighter future. If society were to remain as it is now, the future for humanity looks grave. Unless humanity does something to alter its future, society will end up similar to the one in Fahrenheit 451. Humanity will ultimately become a society of ignorance and dependence. To combat this, man must take these transcendentalist theories and apply its aspects to everyday life. If every man and woman did this and pasted it on to their children, society could be transformed into something magnificent and beneficial for both the current generation and the generations to come.

Who Painted the Leon? :: Chaucers The Canterbury Tales Essays

Who Painted the Leon? In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, a reader is introduced to a rather bizarre and heterogeneous group of people leaving for a pilgrimage. The Wife of Bath is the most interesting and lively character of the group. Her "Prologue" and "Tale" provide readers with a moral lesson as well as comic relief. The Wife's "Prologue" serves as an overture to her "Tale", in which she states a very important point regarding the nature of women and their most sacred desires. According to this character, women desire sovereignty, or power, over their men most in the world. This wish seems to be most appropriate for women of the time period in which Chaucer lived. However, women today no longer wish to dominate their men - sovereignty of women over men is not relevant in the twenty-first century. The reason is that women are no longer deprived of power and freedom. According to the Wife of Bath, sovereignty, or power, over their husbands is what women desire most in their lives: Wommen desire to have sovereinetee As wel over hir housbonde as hir love And for to been in maistrye him above (1044-1046). However, which powers exactly is the Wife of Bath talking about? It seems that materialistic power is what Alisoun means - women wish to control their husbands' estates and other economic holdings. In her "Prologue" the Wife of Bath describes her last, fifth, marriage to Janekin. After a huge fight with him, caused by Alisoun's ripping pages out of his book of wicked wives, Janekin grants her the control over the house and the land, what makes her very happy, and she treats her husband with kindness from then on: He yaf me al the bridel in myn hand, To han the governance of hous and land... After that day we hadde nevere debat. God help me so, I was to him as kinde As any wif from Denmark unto Inde...(819-820, 828-830). Therefore, according to the "Wife of Bath's Prologue," economic power over their husbands is what women wished to have. However, later, in her "Tale" the Wife of Bath presents another opinion - women wish to have emotional power over their husbands as well. The fact that the hag is able to decide for herself whether to turn into a beautiful wife or to remain in her present state, manifests her power over the husband. It is up to her whether to make the knight the happiest men on earth or to make him miserable for as long as she lives:

The History of Oppressed Puerto Rico :: Historical Spanish Essays

The History of Oppressed Puerto Rico Jesus Colon, in â€Å"How to Know the Puerto Ricans,† makes a statement that I believe explains and articulates the effect centuries of exploitation has had on Puerto Rico, and on the identity of Puerto Ricans. He writes, â€Å"So when you come to knock at the door of a Puerto Rican home you will be encountered by this feeling in the Puerto Rican-sometimes unconscious in himself-of having been taken for a ride for centuries.†(Santiago, 71) This assertion is appropriate and logical in the sense that Puerto Rico was invaded, ruled, and exploited by the Spaniards from 1508 until July 1898 when the Spanish flag was lowered and the United States began its invasion. With the exclusion of the aristocrats, who were either directly from Spain or criollos , there was complete oppression in Puerto Rico during the time it was a Spanish colony. The history of Puerto Rico under Spanish rule is useful in understanding the formation of Puerto Rican identity and in understanding some of the literature written by Puerto Ricans regarding issues of identity. The numerous historical, economical, social, and political circumstances of Puerto Rico as a colony has affected identity formation of its people. In 1508, Ponce de Leon led the arrival of Spanish into Puerto Rico. Between the years of 1511-1513, Taà ­nos fought against the Spaniards because they were taking away the Taà ­no culture. An outright rebellion with guerrilla warfare occurred in 1511 and then 1513-1514 experienced a lessening of this overt manner of rebellion and a conversion to more evasive and passive forms of resistance (Figueroa, Sept. 22). Among Puerto Ricans, especially the jibaros , there was a great amount of anti-state, anti-Spanish sentiment. However, the plebian peasantry (jibaros) erected a faà §ade that they were following Spanish authorities' orders, although in reality the peasants discounted and discredited the orders of the Spaniards (Figueroa, Sept. 22). By presenting this faà §ade, the authorities falsely believed that the peasantry was not going to cause problems and would be loyal to Spain and its delegates. From 1650 until 100 years later, â€Å"relative isolation from the international economy fostered the growth of an independent, racially mixed peasantry whose contact with the outside world was limited to occasional contraband trade with foreigners.†(Scarano, 4) Despite evidence that it would be unsuccessful, the Spanish government tried to create a plantation labor force from the peasantry. This would

Values

Another thing I value is happiness this is a personal value for me, I believe in being happy as much as you can and to keep a positive mind set, happiness is also a key factor in helping me get through the tough times that I face through-out my life. Motivation is something else I value and this is also a personal value. I always try my hardest to stay motivated and be positive, I value this is because it helps me to keep going and to give all I have in order to receive the best results in whatever I do.Three core values that influence practice are respect, confidentiality, non- judgmental attitude and protection. Maintaining a non-judgmental attitude around the clients is very important. The belief of social care work does not include assigning guilt or innocence. When using a non-judgmental attitude you have to allow the listener to hear and understand exactly what is being said and enable the person to talk freely and comfortably about problems without feeling that he or she is be ing judged. The attitudes involved in being non-judgmental are acceptance, genuineness and empathy.Acceptance is all about representing the person's feelings experiences and values, even if they are different from yours it is important that you do not criticism them because of your own attitudes or beliefs. Genuineness is about showing the person that you accept them and their values by what you say or do. Try to reach a position where your body language reflects what you say. Empathy is the ability to place yourself in another person's shoes and to demonstrate to the person that you truly hear and understand what they are saying and feeling.This is not the same as sympathy which is about feeling sorry for the person. Another value that influences practice is confidentiality you must strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and career. A duty of confidence arises when one person discloses information to another in circumstances where it is reasonabl e to expect that the information will be held in confidence. Confidentiality is a fundamental part of professional practice that protects human rights.It is not acceptable to discuss matters related to the people in their care outside the clinical setting, Discuss a case with colleagues in public where hey may be overheard or leave records unattended where they may be read by unauthorized persons. Miller describes confidentiality as â€Å"The idea of protecting information from misuse† (2005:46) she then suggests information should only be passed on when necessary and the individual must be made aware that information can and will be passed on if necessary.Miller (2005) refers to the organization and not the employee as an individual. She also discusses the strict guidelines of confidential information. Confidential information gathered for one purpose should not be used for another. The consent of the individual should be given at all times other than in exceptional circumst ances this must be made clear to the service user. Another value that influences practice is protection.As a social service worker, you must protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and careers. You must treat each person as an individual, you must respect their dignity, must not discriminate in any way against those in your care, you must treat people kindly and you must act as an advocate for those in your care, helping them to access relevant health and social care information and support.

Meaning Of French Expression Avoir LEsprit DEscalier

Meaning Of French Expression Avoir LEsprit DEscalier â€Å"Avoir l’esprit d’escalier† - or sometimes â€Å"avoir l’esprit de l’escalier† is yet another weird French idiom. Literally, it means to have the wit of the staircase. So it means nothing really!   Synonyms of Avoir lEsprit dEscalier in French and English In English, you sometimes call this â€Å"escalator wit†, or afterwit. It means to make a witty comeback, to answer someone in a witty (and fast) way. Its something the French really admire and are trained to do as part of our national sport: arguing and debating. To say to make a witty comeback, we use the expression â€Å"avoir de la rà ©partie†. So here, we could say â€Å"manquer de rà ©partie†, â€Å"ne pas savoir rà ©pliquer sur le moment†, â€Å"perdre ses moyens†. Example of Escalator Wit in French and English Moi, je manque cruellement de rà ©partie. Quand je me sens attaquà ©e, je perds tous mes moyens, je bredouille... et puis quand je suis rentrà ©e chez moi, je trouve plein de rà ©pliques fantastiques. Jai vraiment lesprit descalier. I desperately lack the ability to make witty comebacks. When I feel threatened, I lose my cool, I stutter... and once Im back home, I find lots of great comebacks. I really have an escalator wit. Origin of the French Idiom â€Å"Avoir l’Esprit d’Escalier† The philosopher Diderot wrote around 1775: â€Å" « ...lhomme sensible comme moi, tout entier ce quon lui objecte, perd la tà ªte et ne se retrouve quau bas de lescalier  ». Which translates  to: â€Å"The sensitive man such as myself, entirely absorbed by things that are being objected to him, loses his mind and recovers it only at the bottom of the stairs†. He meant that if someone opposed him in a conversation, he was so upset by it that he couldn’t concentrate anymore, and that it’s only once he had left, and reached the bottom of the staircase (therefore too late), that he could come up with a good answer.   French stairs Speaking of lescalier, remember French people do not count their stairs the way Americans do.

Essay on Educational Psychology and Learners

Essay on Educational Psychology and Learners Essay on Educational Psychology and Learners Principles of Learning Introduction The following assignment discusses motivation, learning activities, organisation of information, communication and feedback. The theories of psychologists will be referenced to the examples given for motivation and the organisation of information. Theories include those of Abraham Maslow, Jerome Bruner and David Kolb. Motivation Students attend Learning Resources IT training on a voluntary basis, and are therefore highly motivated. These students are intrinsically motivated. Borich & Tombari describe this type of motivation as follows â€Å"intrinsic motivation influences learners to choose a task, get energised about it, and persist until they accomplish it successfully, regardless of whether it brings an immediate reward† (p210). This description closely matches how our learners behave. Our students have recognised that they would benefit from improving their IT skills, have sought out and identified a resource to help them achieve this, and are happy to attend a programme that does not award a certificate. Some students are extrinsically motivated, as there are external factors for responsible for their attendance. An example of this if they are referred by academic staff for additional IT support, or if they are experiencing problems with an assignment involving IT. Social learning theorists such as Albert Bandura believe that observing peers shapes learners’ behaviour and that the social environment can influence personality Zimbardo, McDermott, Jansz & Metaal (p460). This could explain why some students attend because their peers are already competent in using a computer. If friends and family are IT literate then the learner feels they should be too. As more people become adept in using IT, then more people will follow this behaviour. Whatever the motivation factors, when a learner attends a learning programme it is the responsibility of the tutor to maintain their motivation. The learning environment Introduction A tutor’s first consideration is to establish and maintain an effective learning environment. Learners need to feel secure and emotionally safe. As the humanist psychologist Abraham Maslow’s (1962) Hierarchy of Needs shows, physiological and safety needs must be satisfied before a person can progress. These needs can be applied to a computer workshop as discussed in Reece & Walker (p101). To satisfy physiological needs the tutor must ensure that the room is not too hot/cold, the chairs meet health and safety regulations, and learners have adequate breaks. Many students feel insecure and apprehensive about learning IT, to ensure they feel emotionally safe it is important that the tutor show empathy. Computers must be regularly maintained and software properly installed to ensure the learner does not have to struggle with technical difficulties. Learning activities The Humanist psychologists believe behaviour is unique to each individual. We are not all motivated by the same things and we all have different aims and expectations. Borich & Tombari describe the humanist theory as follows: â€Å"It is called humanist because the primary focus is the inner thoughts, feelings, psychological needs, and emotions of the individual learner† (p285). The Humanistic approach should apply choosing teaching methods and planning learning activities. Learning activities must be structured to meet the needs of all learners. This can be a challenge as some learners expect formal instruction and the tutor-led approach, while others want to work independently, requesting help as required. Learners can become frustrated and de-motivated if the workshop is not at an appropriate level and/or the teaching methods and activities inappropriate to their needs. Psychologist Carl Rogers stated that the learner should be placed at the centre of the learning process through active self-discovery. He also stated that â€Å"the job of the teacher, in his view, is to

C With a Line Over It What Does It Mean

C With a Line Over It What Does It Mean SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you gotten a prescription or note from a doctor or nurse with a mysterious symbol that looks like "c" on it? What does a c with a line over it mean? Is this some secret doctor code? We’re here to break it all down for you, and it’s actually simpler than you think! Read this guide to learn all about the meaning behind the c with a line over it medical abbreviation, where the abbreviation comes from, how it’s used, and other important medical abbreviations you should know. What Does a C With a Line Over It Mean? The letter "c" with a line over it is a medical abbreviation often used by doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. The symbol looks like this: c. The c is almost always lower-case. This symbol actually has a very simple meaning. A c with a line over it just means "with". This abbreviation is often used on patient charts and prescriptions, as well as information or notes written by medical professionals. Where Did the C With a Line Over It Abbreviation Come From? Where did the c with a line over it medical abbreviation come from? "With" is a short word, so why don’t doctors just write it out? Doctors and other medical providers use many abbreviations in their work. There are two main reasons for this. First, because doctors and nurses need to do a lot of writing throughout the day (writing prescriptions, filling out patient charts, taking notes, etc.) abbreviations can help them save time, even if the abbreviations are for small words. Second, abbreviations can make notes or instructions more legible and easy to read. Have you ever heard someone joke about how bad doctors’ handwriting is? It’s a common problem that when a doctor or nurse is scribbling instructions or prescription information, some of their words can be difficult to read. This can cause serious issues if it makes it harder to care for the patient or results in the wrong care being given. Using clear abbreviations can reduce instances of illegible handwriting. But how did a c with line over it get chosen as the abbreviation for "with"? The symbol c comes from the Latin word cum. While this word is often used as a slang word in modern English, in Latin cum means "with." Common phrases with this Latin word include graduation honors such as magna cum laude (with great praise) and summa cum laude (with highest praise). That’s where the "c" part comes from, and the line or bar over the top of it was added to differentiate it from the regular alphabet letter. How Is C With a Line Over It Used? Now you know that a c with a line over it means "with," but how is it actually used? Basically, anytime you use the word "with" you can just replace it with the symbol! Here are some examples of ways a doctor or nurse may use this abbreviation. Take medication c water = Take medication with water Recommendation is for surgery c physical therapy to follow = Recommendation is for surgery with physical therapy to follow Refill only c doctor approval = Refill only with doctor approval Symptoms are nausea c vomiting = Symptoms are nausea with vomiting You’ll most likely see the c symbol used on a prescription you receive, in your patient chart, or in notes or instructions given to you by a doctor or nurse. What Are Other Common Medical Abbreviations? Abbreviations are an important and common practice in the medical world. Below is a chart with some other medical abbreviations that are often used. Most of them are related to prescriptions since patients usually see a c with a line over it medical abbreviation on their prescription information. Some of these abbreviations may be written in all caps, some in all lower-case. Either way they mean the same thing; it’s just the personal preference of the person writing the abbreviations. Medical Abbreviation Meaning Ä  (a with a line over it) Before ABX Antibiotics AC Take before meal CC With food PC Take after meal MDD Maximum daily dose that can be taken p (p with a line over it) After PRN As required QD 1 medicine a day QHS At bedtime QOD Every other day s (s with a line over it) Without Conclusion So, what does a c with a line over it mean? A c with line over it medical abbreviation is a common abbreviation used by doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to take the place of the word "with." The symbol c comes from the Latin word for "with," which is cum. Abbreviations are useful in the medical world because they make it faster to write instructions and information, and they can also make those notes easier to read. The c with a line over it symbol can be used any time you’d use the word "with," and you’ll most likely see it on prescription information or your medical chart. Abbreviations are used often in medicine, and you should look up any you don’t know to be sure you understand the information you're given. What's Next? Thinking about getting into healthcare administration, but not sure what kind of qualifications you need? Learn more here with our expert guide to getting a healthcare administration degree.

Sarbanes-Oxley and Enron Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sarbanes-Oxley and Enron - Research Paper Example The accounting profession is self-regulated and its practitioners are supposed to follow the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The GAAP framework was created in 1973 by the Financial Accounting Standard Board (FASB). In order for accounting to function properly the practice requires compliance of high ethical standards. Back at the beginning of the 21st century there was an avalanche of accounting scandals with the most notorious one being the Enron case. At the time investor confidence went down a lot as the credibility of the accounting profession came into question. In order to raise investor confidence the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in alliance with the US congress passed a law called the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Enron case and to provide a detail analysis of the different aspects included in the Sarbanes and Oxley Act of 2002. The Enron Corporation is one of the worst cases of corporate corruption Ameri ca has ever seen. The situation was very odd due to the fact that Enron Corporation was regarded as one of most respected companies in the energy industry in the late 1990’s and at the beginning of the 21st century. ... e its collapse the firm was the 7th largest company in the United States with over 21,000 employees on payroll including an international operation that spread across 40 countries (Bbc). On December 2, 2001 Enron Corporation file for bankruptcy which at the time was the biggest bankruptcy in the United States history. The demise of Enron occurred due to a lack of corporate ethics. The unethical behavior started at the executive management level and spread throughout the organization like a virus. An example of how unethical the employees had become is the actions of the energy traders. The traders would intentionally shutdown power grids leaving entire towns without energy with the sole purpose of driving the price of energy up once the energy was turned back on. A lack of ethics and corruption was more evident at the executive management corporate level. The managers of the company were cooking up the accounting numbers of the firm. The corrupt managers colluded with its auditor, Au thor Anderson, so that they would look the other way and not revealed the fact the accounting numbers did not add up. A technique the firm used to hide losses and its debt was designing a complex web of partnership which used off-balance sheet accounting to alter reality. The firm completely mismanaged the pension fund of the employees. Instead of saving the pension money and using a sound diversification strategy the managers decided to use the pension fund to finance the firm’s illicit activities. The fund was depleted and invested solely in Enron common stocks. The managers of Enron prior to the full scandal being revealed decided to sell all their shares of Enron stocks at full market value; a few months later the Enron stocks became junk penny stocks. Insider trading is an illicit

Economic Crime- Collapse of Franklin National Bank Essay

Economic Crime- Collapse of Franklin National Bank - Essay Example The failure of the bank invited changes in the existing banking regulations as well as practice. The failure tempted the banking policymakers to devise new international banking methods. Cooperation was encouraged in the international financial markets so to avoid financial disasters in the future. During the 1970’s and 1960’s, many American banks were internationalized. This included the Franklin national bank also. This bank even acquired an international owner named Michele Sindona (Spero.1999). On October 1974 the US core banking sector was severely shaken by the demise of the 20th largest bank in the country, the Franklin national bank. The failure of the bank was mainly caused by mismanagement as well as fraud. The failure of the bank caused severe after effects in the economy as well as in the social setup of the country. Jail sentences were awarded to many bankers who were associated with the Franklin bank. There was a suicide in Italy. The share holders of the bank lost heavily. But the depositors of the bank were saved by the Federal Reserve form suffering loss. The bank was declared insolvent in October 8 1974. The assets of the bank were taken over by the European American bank. The Federal Reserve was responsible to save the world financial sector from a major disaster. Going back, the bank attained success under the chairmanship of Mr. Arthur. T. Roth. He joined the bank in 1934 and rose to the position of chairman. He remarkably changed the identity of the bank which was established in 1926 through a variety of measures. He changed the small time bank during the great depression times into one of the largest banks in the US history. He invested huge money in the build up process of long island. The capital of the bank when it was opened in 1926 was around $50000. During the downfall period, it had assets worth 4 billion$. Roth introduced credit cards and drive in

Understanding - Active Listening or Maslows Hierarchy of Need Assignment

Understanding - Active Listening or Maslows Hierarchy of Need - Assignment Example Here people want to be treated with loved, affection and feel parts of groups. The next level of needs is the self-esteem and the esteem from others. When all these have been satisfies, a person would now look for self actualization, where he will be seen trying to achieve individual potential like power in the society. Maslow then sys that if we are motivated by the fact that we want to self-actualize, the every other need will just work out. As managers, we need to concentrate on the client centered skill like active listening. This is the skill that will enable a manger to listen carefully to the customer’s needs and react according to the client’s likes or dislikes. In this kind of feeling, a person is guided by the feelings displayed by the client about the kind of service being offered. It therefore requires one to actively react to such feelings in order to meet the client’s

An Outline for the Product - Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therap Essay - 1

An Outline for the Product - Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil - Essay Example I thought that it had a medicinal odour; however, it has a smell of cocoa butter. Good results come when one use it immediately after bathing. I suggest that anyone who would want to have a soft skin and remove any scar should try this product. These are structured activities where users can engage with one another. Social games are digital online games with multiple players usually on social platforms. These games integrate with a social network, which enhances gameplay. The social platforms provide users with an identity and facilitate communication (Fincanon 26).They are usually turn-based enabling the multiple players to take turns, but this is not a strict requirement. Awareness of the actions of other players in games is a key feature of social gaming. It creates a social context increasing interaction with the game. By utilizing a player’s social graph, social games provide an enhanced experience. They are casual with easy access. The leading companies creating social games include Facebook, Zynga Gaming Network, Social Gaming Network and Kongregate. These games have become significant in the advertisement industry. They have become a key component of a developing strategy of advertising called branded entertainment. This advertising strategy involves integrating elements of brand communication into content that consumers search online or purchase for entertainment purposes (Ruggiero 51). Social games can be designed around a brand for advertising purposes. Such games are called advergames. By using these games, the advertisers aim to engage consumers with the particular brand through interactive, entertaining media content. I played one brand based advergame that was not challenging and hence rather unentertaining. I found that my attitude towards the brand the advergame was based on my experience and hence the attitude I developed towards the game. I became slightly more drawn to a competing brand although my purchase preference remained unchanged. I, therefore, believe attitudes toward advergames are directly related to attitudes toward the brand in games with a high thematic connection to the products of the brand.  Ã‚  

Classical Physical Science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Classical Physical Science - Research Paper Example Ionic compounds are soluble in water because water being a polar molecule attracts these charged ions forcing them to leave the lattice. When dissolved or molten state these ions are free to move and can conduct electricity. (Whitten et al 2007). Covalent bonds are formed between non metals. Unlike ionic bonding, covalent bonds between atoms are formed by sharing of electrons. Again, the purpose is to complete outer electron shell. Depending on the number of paired electrons shared by atoms there can be up to three (triple) covalent bonds. But these bonds are not as strong as ionic bonds and most of molecular substances are either gases or liquids at room temperature with low melting or boiling point. If in solid state all molecular substances form a lattice. As atoms in these structures have no charge they cannot conduct electricity even in melted state. The bonds formed by electron sharing may not be very strong but if arranged in a proper order the overall structure can be extremely hard. Diamond and silica are examples of such giant covalent structures. (Whitten et al

An Outline for the Product - Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therap Essay - 1

An Outline for the Product - Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil - Essay Example I thought that it had a medicinal odour; however, it has a smell of cocoa butter. Good results come when one use it immediately after bathing. I suggest that anyone who would want to have a soft skin and remove any scar should try this product. These are structured activities where users can engage with one another. Social games are digital online games with multiple players usually on social platforms. These games integrate with a social network, which enhances gameplay. The social platforms provide users with an identity and facilitate communication (Fincanon 26).They are usually turn-based enabling the multiple players to take turns, but this is not a strict requirement. Awareness of the actions of other players in games is a key feature of social gaming. It creates a social context increasing interaction with the game. By utilizing a player’s social graph, social games provide an enhanced experience. They are casual with easy access. The leading companies creating social games include Facebook, Zynga Gaming Network, Social Gaming Network and Kongregate. These games have become significant in the advertisement industry. They have become a key component of a developing strategy of advertising called branded entertainment. This advertising strategy involves integrating elements of brand communication into content that consumers search online or purchase for entertainment purposes (Ruggiero 51). Social games can be designed around a brand for advertising purposes. Such games are called advergames. By using these games, the advertisers aim to engage consumers with the particular brand through interactive, entertaining media content. I played one brand based advergame that was not challenging and hence rather unentertaining. I found that my attitude towards the brand the advergame was based on my experience and hence the attitude I developed towards the game. I became slightly more drawn to a competing brand although my purchase preference remained unchanged. I, therefore, believe attitudes toward advergames are directly related to attitudes toward the brand in games with a high thematic connection to the products of the brand.  Ã‚  

Division of Labour - Now and then Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Division of Labour - Now and then - Essay Example Its importance is analogous to the various organs, muscles, tendons, veins and cells of the body – that each must play its part and coordinate in order for the entire human body to function and live normally. Adam Smith (2003) explained this by positing how division of labor is the foundation of the wealth of nations. In his book, Wealth of Nations, he underscored this by immediately discussing its merits in the very first chapter of his work, which essentially pointed to the fact that such division of work is the reason for the increase in productiveness of labor and, henceforth, a country’s wealth. Division of Labor in History There are so many explanations that seek to define the roots of division of labor. For example, Karl Marx (2007)in the Capital, stated: The foundation of every division of labor which has attained a certain level of development, and has been brought about by exchange of commodities, is the separation of town from country. One might say that the whole history of society is summed up by this antithesis. (p. 287) Marx’s theory emphasizes a sociological characteristic wherein an economy is portioned into independent firms and industries. Perelman (2000) demonstrated this further by commenting that for Marx, â€Å"the conventional social division of labor concerns the organization within the factory [for instance], where the employer divides the work among the employees,† hence it describes hoe work is actually divided up between different workplaces that are, in turn, coordinated by market relations instead of an authority figure within the workplace. (p. 59) Marx’s theory implies that the phenomenon a little bit later than the antiquity and was only fully realized during the modern period when machinery and capitalism had been invented. Other thinkers posit different opinions. Smith, for instance, was bent on the contrasting idea of division of labor as simply the organization and specialization of work w ithin the workplace. If one is to follow this thinking, then division of labor has existed in the ancient times. As previously mentioned, some semblance to it could be identified in the ancient Egyptian and Indian societies. Perhaps the simplest example that could be provided in this regard is that of the family. Since time immemorial, gender or sexual differences had played key roles in the division of labor within it. In ancient China, for instance, this division is considered as an ideal virtue, crucial in maintaining harmonious family relationship. (Gamble 1963, p. 245) Here, husbands dealt with external matters while the wives managed the affairs within the family. Also, figurines from the Classic Maya island site of Jaina in the Yucatan peninsula suggest division of labor based on gender as well. They showed variety of activities, showing women grinding corn, weaving and using pots while men’s were focused on activities that require strength. (McKillop 2004, p. 123) The family also played an important part in the division of labor outside of the domestic realm. One can turn to the example provided by ancient American metalworking. Bruhns and Stothert (1999) recounted that Peruvian smelters were worked by family groups: Men and adolescents would have supplied the lung power for smelting, while other members of the family could break up the ore for charging furnace and later extract the

Difference and Soccer Essay Example for Free

Difference and Soccer Essay Basketball and Soccer In modern life, most people enjoy amazing sports. Two of most exciting and common sports to participate and appreciate are basketball and soccer. People can not only watch both of them on television, but they can also play them for recreation and health. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the differences and similarities between these two sports. There are three aspects of these two sports: athletes, popularity, and equipment. The most noticeable difference between these two kinds of sports is their requirement of players. In conclusion, soccer and basketball use different equipments for athletes to compete. These are the three basic similarities and differences between basketball and soccer. As we can see, through the comparison above, people love these two kinds of sports because they contain good competitiveness based on fair principles. These two sports motivate people to keep fit and to be stronger. Thereby, basketball and football better annotate the proverb Life lies in the movement.

Modernism In And Death Shall Have No Dominion English Literature Essay

Modernism In And Death Shall Have No Dominion English Literature Essay The specific features signified by modernism vary with the user, but most critics agree that it involves a deliberate and radical break with some of the traditional bases both of Western culture and of Western art in the first half of the 20th century. Modernism refers to a cultural movement that strongly revolts against the traditional literary forms and concepts of art, architecture, religion, culture, civilization and literature after the effects of World War I. Modernists believed that art should represent the modern industrialized society, make it new as the American poet Ezra Pound put it, by violating the conventions and rules. Dylan Thomas is considered one of the most important modernist poets of the 20th century. In my essay I will attempt to analyse the modernist techniques in Thomass poem, And Death shall have no dominion. Published in Thomas book 25 poems (1936). Thomass title and refrain is drawn from the verse Romans 6:9 from the bible. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  [2]  Comparing the resurrection of Christ to the resurrection of dying men. Death shall have no claim over man just like death had no claim in Christ. Although this might make the poem look like a Christian religious poem it is not. Thomas was a surrealist and uses elements like imagery, symbolism and the spiritual world to explain death. They shall have stars at elbow and foot. Not only shall the dead men live on, they shall be honored with stars on their elbow and foot. Here Thomas uses symbolism and imagery comparing the dead men with Orion, often referred to as The Hunter, a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the largest, most conspicuous, and most recognizable constellations in the night sky. Signifying, perhaps that the dead men and are now alive in the shape of a natural element, and will be visible from a far just like Orion is visible to the naked eye. But Thomas could also be referring to Greek Mythology. In Greek mythology Orion is killed and the gods raise him to the sky.  [3]  Again Thomas writes that the soul of the dead men shall shine and have an eternal place in the heavens or space. In the last stanza Thomas is being nostalgic about nature in the first five lines. The powerful sounds of sea gulls, the waves breaking and the flowers blowing in the wind. These sounds will not be heard anymore. Thomas then describes how a flower dies because it is no longer able to lift its head because of the heavy raindrops. Thomas then rejects this notion by suggesting that this flower will rise again and break the sun until the sun breaks down. Just like the flower, the dead men will live again through the forces of nature. Thomas comparison of death with nature seems to comfort us/him that death is not the end of life but merely a transit for the beginning of a new life transformed into an element in nature. Although Thomas uses many religious aspects of death he contradicts them with the imagery he uses in the poem. By using imagery Thomas breaks with the conventional familiar way of perceiving death. Thomas does this in several works. Death is a subject he often writes about. In most works Thomas refuses to mourn or accept death. In a way you could argue that by seeing death as a beginning of new life through nature, Thomas was comforting himself with the unity of man and nature.

Tennessee Williams Use of Dramatic Devices To Create Contrast And Conf

Tennessee Williams' Use of Dramatic Devices To Create Contrast And Conflict In "A Streetcar Named Desire" Tennessee Williams uses a number of dramatic devices to highlight the conflicting worlds of the old and new American South. These can be divided into four categories: staging, character and language, and props and costumes. I will be using these categories for reference in this essay. 'A Streetcar Named Desire' is an example of the genre 'realism'. Realism is fiction that is overtly gritty and realistic, showing real people in real situations, and also comments on the state of the world at that time. The play is set shortly after the American Civil War, which was fought over the right to keep slaves; the South wanted to keep slaves on their plantations, working for free, but the North wanted them to work in their factories, for a wage. The North (confederate) won the Civil War and immediately set about industrializing the South. The play is set in New Orleans, one of these newly industrialised areas. In this essay I will examine how Tennessee Williams used these devices to create conflict between the main characters, to provide a social commentary on a changing America, and how these changes affect the main characters of the play. Tennessee Williams stages 'A Streetcar Named Desire' extremely effectively, with much of the play set in the small, confined room of the apartment: Stella: "With only two rooms..." (p.9) This instantly creates and intensifies tension because all the characters are forced to be close together; there is no privacy. When Blanche first enters the play, she is instantly incongruous and out of place: 'she looks like she is dressed for a tea party' (p.3) This contras... ...character; she too is obsessed with the idea of death, and aging. Tennessee Williams even said once: "I am Blanche," which shows he has based her character heavily on himself; they both view men as uncultured brutes, both have an obsession with death. Blanche has this obsession because she had to witness her family, and her old way of life, dying slowly. Now it seems to her like that time in her life was all just a dream of illusion. This is illustrated in the translation of 'Belle Reve', which means literally 'Beautiful Dream'. Blanche losing Belle Reve represents her losing an illusion of life and being brought back down to earth. In conclusion, through careful use of staging, props, costume and language, Tennessee Williams creates a powerful portrait of conflict between the old and new South, between death and desire, and between Blanche and Stanley.

Julius Caesar Essay -- essays papers

Julius Caesar William Shakespeare has written many plays that touched millions of people throughout the centuries. His works are still the most controversial ones favored by many Literature critics because his plays generate spontaneous debates on issues such as friendship, revenge, human ambitions and moralities that lead to dynamic discussion among people. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, friendship vs. duty is one of the major themes that is developed. One's struggle over the choice between friendship and duty is depicted through the main character, Brutus, as he battles himself to choose between his duty to carry out people's will and his own conscious hitting on his faithfulness to his best friend Caesar. Although Brutus himself was skeptical if he made the right decision, he joins the conspiracy that plans for the murder of their leader Julius Caesar. The tragic aspect of the play Julius Caesar is that even though Brutus ‘s motives were immaculate, his fear toward Caesar's ambition, Cassius' persuasion, and his tragic flaw, idealism deluded him to make a tragic mistake of assassinating Caesar. While human ambition is considered an important requirement in achieving one's goal, it often leaves negative impressions to others. People do fear ambitious men because strong desire often leads to selfishness and dictatorship. As Caesar's popularity became more evident, his fellow officers and the nobles were worried that people of Rome might crown Caesar. As early as Act 1 scene one, two tribunes of Rome, Flavius and Marullus show concerns toward a possibility of a new dictatorship in Rome and remind themselves of their duty to protest against such power exercised by one person. Not surprisingly, the rumors of Ca... ...dealism. His tragic flaw, idealism, makes him to make initial decision, arrived at with such difficulty, that Caesar has to die. Brutus is wrong. Yet when we read carefully, the soliloquy in the garden, it becomes obvious that Brutus is deceiving himself. He confesses that he has "no personal cause" to fear Caesar and furthermore, that he has never known of potential of tyranny in Caesar. His honor and nobility were manipulated by Cassius and at the end, he finishes his life tragically by suiciding. The tragedy of Brutus lies here. Not that he attempted to free the republic of Rome from a tyrannous dictator and was killed in the action; but that, with the best of motives, he was responsible for the murder of Caesar.) (Mowant, P. 23 - 25) " Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever lived in the tide of times." (Shakespear, Act 3, scene 1, 256 - 257)

Absurdity in Beckett’s Endgame

Bucket's â€Å"Endgame† explores an existence in an era when the importance of being Is Incessantly challenged by man's newfound recognition of the universes absurdity and lack of observable meaning, Written In 1957, the context of the world at the time of this works creation sheds much insight on its themes. In a time of continuous social and technological change scientific observations began yielding a more accurate picture of causality for the world and its phenomena; and the concept of god became ever less relevant. The recent world wars had left ruins in not only cities, but in the concepts driving the nature of man.With the Implicit destruction of deities and sets of traditional rules to govern man's behavior, humanity found Itself at a need to define a different purpose to Its existence. Enter existentialism: A belief in existence despite any discernible meaning, existence for its own sake; heralding with it an implied freedom of choice in both perception and action. As with the then contemporary world view, the characters in Bucket's â€Å"Endgame† are left to survive in the wake of a crumbled world. Free to devise their own world view, the characters respond by developing life affirming routines – mistreating that creation persists even In destruction.Destruction, It would seem does not eliminate an object or Idea, but only redefines its form, beginning its existence anew. Rather ironically, the play begins with Cool repeating the world â€Å"finished†. Consequently, this theme of beginnings and endings as interrelated, cyclical, mutually necessary, and conclusively futile comes to prevail over the course of the play. As with the classic case of the chicken and the egg, the cyclical pattern of creation and destruction is eternal In Its supposed nature.However, to the AOL of Inciting drama or motivation, a story must begin with destruction; a motif with which â€Å"Endgame† is rife. The very setting of the play Immedia tely evokes a sense of catastrophe and destruction. The lifeless â€Å"bare interior (Endgame, 50) is coupled with the â€Å"nothing† or â€Å"zero† (Endgame, 51) reported outside by Cool to Imply at the decay of a once lively outside world; while the imagery of the stage as a skull (with the two windows acting as eyes and the characters as the thoughts) denote the destruction within.During this unmentioned catastrophe, the characters saw the end f their entire world and way of life; thus being forced to redefine their views and behaviors. The destruction of their past worlds leads the characters to abandon their old ideals and ways of life. The bastardly He doesn't exist. † exclaimed Ham when his prayer went unanswered; showing that even god had died in the wake of Ham's personal disaster. However, these new circumstances work to effectively create a new world for the characters to inhabit – a world as senseless as the last.Whether It Is the story about the tailor, which coupled the end of a period of walling he beginning of the world, Ham and Clove's killing the flea from which they believe humanity may have been reborn (Endgame, 591 or the numerous references to Christ, whose death (and subsequent rebirth) – destructive and creative motifs in Bucket's â€Å"Endgame† are presented in tandem. Interestingly, the cyclical nature of life and death renders itself generally nonsensical and pointless.Surely, if all is to end to be reborn anew then a personally crafted purpose will ultimately remain as to exemplify this notion of a circular existence, with many motifs of rebirth such as Cool always returning. In their awareness of death (their own destruction), Bucket's characters foster eternally static routines that they hope will distract them from their imminent demise. They go through the â€Å"†¦ This farce, day after day† (Endgame, 54), as Nell puts it, because there is nothing else to do but delay the ine vitable while they wait.To that end, Becket makes use of repetitive language to denote the futility and repetitiveness of the cyclical nature of life. The play systematically notes upon and enunciates the characters minutest movements, and repeats their most casual interests: from Ham's insistence on remaining at the center of the room (Endgame, 57); to how many pauses Ham takes in his speech; to how Nell repeats herself to Nag, as in the case of â€Å"April afternoon† (Endgame, 56) . â€Å"Let's my dream. A world where all would be silent and still, and each thing in its last place, under the last dust. † (Endgame, 66) says Cool, expressing a desire for order.Yet Cloves constant tidying seems to have no end in sight; especially if he were to direct his efforts to the destruction outside. This tidy end of which Cool dreams would only yield disappointment as he would have no cleaning duty to occupy him and upon achieving it, his life would again become meaningless. In s uch a way, Cloves vision provides meaning to his trudge, which would otherwise dissipate upon achieving his goal. This focus on repetitive actions that delay the inevitable prohibits the discernment of meaning from these same actions, since there is never a final culmination to assess.Still, even the one example of a final product, is by no means fulfilling. â€Å"Look at the world and look – at my TROUSERS. † (Endgame, 56) Says the tailor in Knell's story, as if to belittle the bounty of the world (tongue in cheek, of ours) in the face the quality of his pants. In this case, as in the case of the characters death delaying routine, no amount of postponement will have made the end result worthy. As such, the play essentially stresses a â€Å"damned if you do, and damned if you don't† scenario by showing how any action will eventually be absolved in futility.The theme of futility ties into the very initial metaphor for ends in beginnings: As Cool mutters â€Å"Fi nished, it's finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished. Grain upon grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there's a heap, a little heap, the impossible heap. (Endgame, 50), he effectively questions when individual grains live up to the concept of a â€Å"heap. † From this perspective, the heap is an â€Å"impossible† notion, as any single grain is not in itself a heap, and a â€Å"heap† is Just an accumulation of single grains.This view resurfaces yet again, when Ham considers how individual moments make up a life (Endgame, 70). In this instance the analogy maintains that it is an â€Å"impossible† life, consisting not of a life that can be scrutinized as a goal achieved (or not), but of discrete moments that define it (before death terminates it indefinitely). Thus, any creation of meaning incurred during one's life, is presented as ultimately pointless – and only leading to its own destruction with the passing of its believers.Whil e Ham and Cool are in the â€Å"endgame† of their ancient lives, with death lurking around the corner, they are also stuck in a perpetual loop that never allows the to achieve closure. Ham claims he wants to be â€Å"finished,† but admits that he â€Å"hesitate[s]† to do so (Endgame, 51). â€Å"We're not beginning to†¦ To†¦ Mean something? â€Å", Ham wonders, only to be ridiculed by Cool in response him deeply aware of its lack of purpose. Since any ending is also a beginning, there is never any finality, and conclusive meaning is impossible.Besides, any meaning derived would be as shallow as the meaning left behind; while only persisting as long as its belabored. The very expression of Ham's question exemplifies this very struggle; where he delays and repeats words as he attempts to finish the sentence – only to have it become a meaningless gesture in the eyes of Cool. Cool, though aware of the world's absurdity must still subscribe to routi ne. He adheres to the daily procedures of tending to Ham and thus makes it the purpose of his life.Just as death wont arrive to conclude their lives, neither Ham nor Cool can escape existence in catheters presence. Such is the case with Clove's frequent failed attempts to leave the room and Ham's insistence on squashing the flea that might herald with it the human race; the characters appear to fear the destruction of their current realm of existence in favor of another for fear of the new world being worse still. It is consequently implied that the characters loathe the thought of reincarnation into this world; particularly being personally resurrected after death only to face life again.Thus they make an effort to kill all potential propagators of meaningless life such as the â€Å"procreators† that they seek to kill (Endgame, 73), or the incident with the flea the flea: â€Å"But humanity might start from there all over again! Catch him, for the love of God! † (Endg ame, 59) screams Ham, in chase of the flea. In exploring the cyclical nature of destruction and creation, â€Å"Endgame† notes on the futility inherent to the process. The cyclical nature of destruction and creation is rendered meaningless by the very definition of its continuity.Seeing the meaning seep from their previous existence, the characters come to realism that any new purpose will be as unfailing and mortal as the last. In the process of finding purpose in an existence doomed to meaningless, the characters come to occupy their time with senseless repetition that they both despise, and require. In true existentialist fashion, they deem all actions pointless, but are unwilling to stop making them while they still can. This play goes to show that meaning is what you make of it, and that there are no winners at the end of this absurd game called life.

European Commission´s actions against The Coca Cola Company Essay

* 1 Introduction The Coca Cola Company (TCCC) is an American corporation and manufacturer especially known for its soft drinks like Coca Cola or Fanta. It sells over 3500 products, is available in over 200 countries and has revenues of nearly 50 billion us-dollars (Coca Cola Company, 2011). After Coca Cola was accused by the European commission (EC) to have abused its market power, Coca Cola gave in and set up commitments to prove that it does not abuse its power. They promised no exclusivity arrangements, no target or growth rebates, no  use of its stronger brands to sell other less strong brands and finally a 20 percent free space in their coolers for other products and brands. These commitments were accepted by the EC. This essay explains why the EC is concerned about the abuse of market power and analyzes the commitments stated by the coca cola company in its economic terms and how they affect the market competition. Finally it will evaluate if the EC was correct in accepting these commitments. Background to the Case The EC tries to establish a free competitive market and a fair competition between businesses in setting up competition policies like state aid, merger control rules and antitrust also known as the European competition law (Report European Comission, 2010). It does so to ensure the maximization of social welfare which will be further explained in section 2. In September 2004, the EC started to proceed against the Coca Cola Company relying on their antitrust regulation. In October, 2004 Coca Cola was sent a â€Å"preliminary assessment† which stated the EC ´s concerns about their abuse of market power. One month later Coca Cola submitted commitments in response to these Claims (European Comission, 2006). The four commitments are as followed: 1. Coca cola promised that at all time their customers are free to buy or sell carbonated soft drinks from any supplier of their choice and therefore no more exclusivity arrangements; 2. No target or growth rates are allowed. Coca Cola no longer offers rebates that reward in purely purchasing the same amount or more of Coca Cola products than in the past. Hence it is easier for customers to purchase from other suppliers; 3. Coca Cola is not allowed to use its strong brand to push other products which are not that popular goods; 4. If Coca Cola provides free coolers to retailers, the retailers are allowed to use 20 per cent of its space for other brands and goods. If Coca Cola should break these commitments the EC could demand a fine of ten per cent of Coca Cola ´s total worldwide turnover (European Comission, 2006). Loss of Welfare due to Market Power But why is the EC actually concerned about the abuse of market power, the ability of a firm to charge a price above marginal cost and earn a positive profit (Perloff, 2012), of big firms like TCCC? The main answer to this question is that the EC tries to ensure social welfare and to maximize it. But before answering this question social welfare needs to be elucidated. Social welfare itself is difficult to measure. One way to measure it is to define it as the sum of the consumer and producer surplus. Perloff describes the consumer surplus as: â€Å"The monetary difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for the quantity of the good purchased and what the good actually costs† (Perloff, 2012). In other words the consumer surplus is used to measure and compare consumer welfare, the benefit of a certain product a person gets consuming that product less the money he or she paid for the good. In contrast the producer surplus is described by Perloff as followed: â€Å"The d ifference between the amount for which a good sells and the minimum amount necessary for the seller to be willing to produce the good† (Perloff, 2012). It is the gain of trade and thus equal to the profit from trade minus the profit from not trading. The EC tries to maximize the social welfare. This is only possible in a competitive market because in such a market environment the price equals the marginal costs (Perloff, 2012) which results in an equilibrium price, an economic term for a balance between the wants of producers and consumers and no loss of welfare. However, the converse argument is that in a non-competitive market social welfare is not maximized. The biggest counterpart to a free competitive market is a monopolistic market. Although TCCC is not a real monopoly it has big market power and can therefore be compared to a monopoly. The loss of social welfare, the deadweight loss, which occurs if a monopoly (or a company with a big market power) arises, is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Deadweight Loss of Monopoly 1 (Barnett, 2007) Figure 1 shows that at the competitive equilibrium the price (Pc) is lower than the monopoly price (Pm) and the quantity (Qc) is bigger than the quantity (Qm) which the monopoly supplies. Hence a deadweight loss arises. This deadweight loss develops only due to missing competition. This scenario could appear due to an abuse of market power. By definition, market power is  the ability to charge a price above marginal cost and therefore earn a positive profit (Perloff, 2012). Compared to a competitive market the demand curve is not horizontal but downwards sloping. This means that although the quantity decreases if a monopoly raises its price there are still buyers for the product. In a competitive market this is not true because the demand curve is horizontal and only the slightest increase in price will result in zero demand. As we can see in Figure 1: The monopoly is able to set its price not at the equilibrium (the intersection of marginal cost and the market price) but at a poin t at which it maximizes its own profit (a point where the price is higher than marginal costs). This results in a welfare loss for the consumers which the EC tries to prevent. Furthermore the market power is related to the shape of the demand curve and tells a monopoly how much it can raise its price above the competitive equilibrium (the interception with the marginal cost) at the profit maximizing quantity. The more elastic the demand curve becomes, graphically this would means a nearly flat curve, the more sales are lost even if the price is only slightly increased. Conversely, if the demand curve is a steep curve (not very elastic) it would lose fewer sales by the same increase of price (Perloff, 2012). However a firm with a big market power or a monopoly benefit from large economies of scale. They can produce their products cheaper than any number of other firms together and for this reason not challengeable (Perloff, 2012). Economic Effect of the Commitments on Market Competition Concerned of the big market power TCCC had, the EC decided to intervene and requested Coca Cola to come up with solutions to allow the free competition to grow. Coca Cola then set up four commitments which were accepted by the EC. Although all four head to the same economic effect of lowering entry barriers for competitors and accordingly make consumers more aware of substitutes for Coca Cola products, all four are described separately. The first commitment assured that TCCC would not accept any exclusivity arrangements. It allows customers of Coca Cola to sell any soft drinks from any supplier next to Coca Cola. This means more suppliers which results in more products similar to Coca Cola ´s products, substitutes. Although these  substitutes existed also before the commitment it is now much easier for consumers to be aware of these and accordingly buy these. The economic effect of more substitutes was already explained in section 2: The market power is related to the demand curv e. The flatter the demand curve is the more elastic it is and therefore a small increase in price leads to a big loss in sales. If we now take the substitutes into account the demand curve of TCCC becomes more elastic because consumers can choose between products of different suppliers. Hence Coca Cola cannot set its price per unit as high as before. In other words the demand curve gets closer to a competitive demand curve and if TCCC sets its prices too high consumers will buy a substitute. In addition as prices of Coca Cola ´s products gets lower it becomes easier for other firms to enter the market. The second commitment prevented Coca Cola to set up target or growth rates. Hence Coca Cola was not able to reward customers for purchasing the same amount or more of Coca Cola products than in the past. Again this makes it easier for customers to buy from other soft drink suppliers or a less amount of Coca Cola products plus different products. Economically this has the same effect as the first commitment and concentrates the overall effect: The demand curve becomes even more elastic and the market becomes more competitive. The third commitment states that TCCC is not allowed to use the strongest brands to sell less popular brands. Again consumer can choose more easily between different suppliers and the competition in the market is further increased. Next to this economic effect it is now harder for Coca Cola to sell its less popular products and weakens its market power and brings TCCC even closer to sell at the competitive equilibrium. Secondary to the economic effect of the more elastic demand curve the decrease of entry barriers and the gain of substitutes increase the supply of the market. As more suppliers enter the market, supply increases which lowers the price of products in the market. The last commitment allows retailers to use 20 percent of the space in the Coca Cola coolers although they were provided by TCCC for free. Therefore Retailers who want to benefit of a free cooler are not forced to use it only for Coca Cola products anymore. This makes it easy for consumers to be aware of substitutes of Coca Cola ´s products as well as comparing prices. All in all the four commitments are heading to decrease TCCC ´s market power and to increase the competition in the market. They do so allowing substitutes gain  more attention by customers which results in a more elastic demand curve for Coca Cola. The more elastic it becomes the more competition increases in the market. Moreover the market ´s supply increases and prices decrease. Conclusion Finally it can be said that firms with too much market power can reduce the social welfare. In order to protect this social welfare the EC accepted the four commitments. The closer analysis of the four commitments and their economic effect on the market shows that due to lower entry barriers the market ´s supply is increased and more substitutes are easier available for consumers. In addition, Coca Cola ´s demand decreases and it cannot benefit from its economies of scales as it could before. Furthermore, it cannot set its price as high as it could before. Although Coca Cola does not lose all of its market power and is still one of the biggest companies and soft drink suppliers worldwide its market power is reduced by the EC ´s actions and this results in an increase of market competition and a reduction of Coca Cola ´s market power. If it was actually maximized to its fullest cannot be said because the information of actual demand or marginal cost curves is always limited, nor are the theoretical assumptions of a market environment given in real life. Nevertheless, the social welfare was definitely increased by the EC and therefore it was right to accept the four commitments. References Barnett, T. (31. October 2007). Maximizing Welfare through technological Innovation. From www.justice.gov: http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/speeches/227291.htm Coca Cola Company, C. C. (31. December 2011). Anuual Report of Exchange. Von www.sec.gov: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/21344/000002134412000007/a2011123110-k.htm Comission, E. (2006). Competition in Practice – Coca Cola. European Comission, E. (2006). Coca Cola. Perloff. (2012). Microeconomics. England: Pearson. Report European Comission, C. (2010). Report on competition policy . Brussels.

Analyzing an Aspect of Nursing Care Based on a Provided Profile of a Essay

Analyzing an Aspect of Nursing Care Based on a Provided Profile of a Patient - Essay Example Although, the patient has multiple system involvement, given the recent history of myocardial infarction and resulting LVF, heart failure is likely to be the leading cause of hospital readmission in this case. LVF, when coexisting with COPD, makes pharmacological treatment challenging (Padeletti, Jelic and LeJemtel, 2008). This disease is likely to impact and overshadow the management and prognosis of all other associated conditions. Limitation of functional capacity due to LVF is a serious hindrance for the patient to seek treatment for other associated conditions and participate in a rehabilitation program for stroke, peripheral vascular disease and COPD. Acute decompensation of LVF can occur because of treatment non-compliance, infection or poor nutritional status and can be fatal. Thus, nurses play an important role in preventing acute decompensation and rehospitalisation. Heart failure patients generally have a poor prognosis and a reduced quality of life (Gould, 2002). However, because of advances in treatment and dedicated heart failure programs, the prognosis of the condition has improved with the 6 month mortality rate declining from 26% in 1995 to 14% in 2005(Mehta, et al., 2009). Concurrently, hospitalization rates are increasing. An elderly patient with multiple comorbidities, multiple medications and reduced quality of life is the typical profile of a patient with heart failure. In this patient, MI, LVF, COPD, peripheral vascular disease as well as duodenal ulcer have common risk factors of age, smoking and atherosclerosis. Pathophysiology of left ventricular failure Left ventricular failure may be defined as the inability of left side of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body. Coronary artery disease leading to myocardial infarction is the most common cause of left sided heart failure (NICE, 2010, Gould 2002). MI impairs myocardial contraction and hence, reduces its efficiency to pump blood. Severity of the infarcti on is proportional to the severity of LVF. Other common causes of left ventricular failure include hypertension, cardiomyopathy and valvular heart disease. Positive history of smoking, peripheral vascular disease and age, point towards atherosclerosis and resulting MI as the cause of LVF in this patient. COPD also causes heart failure which is mainly right sided. However, it can also precipitate LVF (Paudel, et al., 2008). LVF, in turn, can cause right heart failure by increasing pulmonary vascular resistance (pulmonary hypertension). Signs and symptoms As the ability of the left ventricle to pump blood in the forward direction is impaired, symptoms result from pulmonary vascular congestion and inadequate cardiac output. Pulmonary congestion affects gas exchange in the alveoli and causes dyspnea, orthopnoea, cough, dizziness, confusion, syncope, fatigue, and decreased functional capacity and exercise tolerance (Buckler, 2009). New York Heart Association (NYHA) grading is a useful to ol for grading the severity of LVF that should be used. Physical examination reveals tachypnea, gallop rhythm and features of pulmonary oedema, such as crepitations over lung fields, predominantly at the base. Respiratory distress and production of pink frothy sputum is present in decompensated cases,

How can we describe this art peace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How can we describe this art peace - Essay Example Notwithstanding challenges to be able to put it in art form for instance this powerful representation. This piece clearly shows the expertise of an artist and the way that it is painted. During industrial revolution, between 18th century and 19th century, growth in art had gone a notch higher by 19th century. Technology has made it easier to the creativity part of Modern art. Various artists, sculptors, writers and various performers as a group and others that have also pursued it individually through ideas have used different approach to come up with the latest in the field of art making. In as much as art began back in 1850 when art styles had been defined and redefined, artists who through audacity tirelessly worked to realize each new style through tried to come up with a visual language which was original and did represent the time. This piece of art portrays the stylistic diversity of art that has been embraced by this particular artist. The picture clearly shows a female human head which partly gives a view of the interior that’s under the skin, with an arts mind in play. This piece is creative on the size of the eye vividly portrays the wider view by which individual can portray their imagination into a reality. The size of the eye reflects the scope through which a good aim is maintained. This also stresses the feeling the artist had in mind well portrayed in art piece. The tilt of the head, gestures a thinking look by the piece. Various artists have carried abstraction to greater heights through radical and cheap ways of composition with addition of the color, this clearly exposes fundamental principles that are that gauge the appearances. Such were portrayed by painters such as Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) Abstract ideas and visual representation of an art has proved beyond doubt that art has revolved over time. The imagination put in art piece clearly shows the intention of the artist for best results to be realized.

How the fashion process has changed in contemporary society Essay

How the fashion process has changed in contemporary society - Essay Example On the other hand, fashion was introduced in the eleventh century to Middle East from Asia and Far East. Europe experienced changes in fashion in the fourteenth century. Fashions vary according to social class, age, generation, geography, occupation, personality and time. In addiction, fashion covers nearly every aspect in lives of people including the clothes and jewelry, household items and vehicles. A person who is fashion conscious and follows it lavishly is referred to as fashionista or a fashion victim. Fashion can be promising and enthralling. It can make some people addicted to some specific designs as well as emulate appearance and lifestyle of celebrity idols. This is because most people are influenced by suggestive messages and images of what happiness and success looks projected by magazine models. Fashion has changed over time since the time of our ancestors. According to Jones (4), German Professors and historians believe that clothes were first worn forty thousand (40,000) years ago; the evidence is based on the lice that existed in the time that could survive only on fabric. The ancestors of humankind (cave dwellers) wore animal hides to protect themselves from cold and wore loin clothes during the warmer seasons in their time. Chinese created silk from the silkworms’ moth cocoons thousand of years ago while Eli Whitney invented cotton in 1972. Both cotton and silk are used to make fashionable styles of clothes. Europe witnessed a great time of change in thought and social change normally refereed to as Age of Enlightenment in the 1700s. The manufacturing machines made people to leave their long time farming activity to work in factories to produce clothing. The breakthroughs in 1700s and 1800s created room for mass production of clothes and changes in the fashion i ndustry. Some of the break through that brought changes in the fashion industry include the invention of flying shuttle by

Modern British politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern British politics - Essay Example The focus group is then asked questions to which it is to discuss and then to provide answers to the questions. More often than not these opinions are used simply to reassure the government, but more recently they have been used to form the new policies in areas that would have been otherwise neglected by the government. Those influencing the focus groups are usually influenced by their age, gender, and social class. Often times, these factors are represented in the focus groups that are found in the general areas of Britain. Individuals of different age groups are commonly looking for different things; the biggest division in the current economic situation is the fear of those ready to retire, and the fear of those that are just entering the job market. Therefore, focus groups have been influenced by these issues. Gender politics also comes into play, as many women are becoming more and more involved in politics and investing their voices in their political needs. Women are becoming more active in politics and the roles of political change. Some of this can be seen in the new laws revolving around divorce that have awarded women more monetary compensation, as in White vs. White. Women, because of their active status, are now winning around 50% of the assets in a marriage. Social class has always been an issue to consider as well, because social class has influenced the general needs of the various classes in Britain. The wealth of an individual can affect how he or she decides to vote, or what he or she decides to stand for. People who are in poverty will be more concerned about finding the various supports that they need, such as unemployment for those that have been recently laid off in the hard economic times. As far as age is concerned, older people tend to vote in the Labour part (around 60%) and younger individuals tend to vote for the Tories (around 65%). This can be seen from recent pollings. Since these age classes have distinct

The Dell's Theory of Conflict Prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Dell's Theory of Conflict Prevention - Essay Example There is likewise the need to integrating the use of communication in global supply chains to determine its impact in the prevention of war through citing Kwame Anthony Appiah’s â€Å"Making Conversation†. In addition, one aims to determine how world supply chain gets people of the world engaged with each other into an activity with the projected positive outcome on a global realm, again with reference to Appiah’s â€Å"Making Conversation† and his concept of â€Å"cosmopolitanism†. Finally, one would delve into an evaluation of religions aspects through identifying how two countries, like India and the USA for instance, with different religions, but involved into the same business, can contribute to the world’s stability. In this regard, one would ultimately aim to prove that Friedman’s Dell Theory is a valid theoretical contention that confirms that countries which are participants of a global supply chain would be hesitant to go int o war for economic gains. One strongly agrees with Friedman’s Dell Theory that â€Å"no two countries that are part of a major global supply chain, like Dell’s, will ever fight a war against each other as long as they are both part of the same global supply chain† (Friedman 125). The discussion of the global supply chain illumined one’s understanding that global organizations, such as McDonald’s or Dell, form stronger alliances through a structured communication process that effectively delivers the customers’ demands. This communication process was already identified by Appiah when he cited Voltaire and averred that there is this expressed understanding â€Å"of the obligation to understand those with whom we share the planet, linking that need explicitly with our global economic interdependence" (Appiah 59). Through the global supply chain that contains clear and explicit communication process and patterns from the sources of materials an d supplies up to the point where products are delivered to the doorsteps of consumers, more countries benefit economically and therefore, these countries would do everything within their powers to disrupt the continuous global supply chain flow. As evidenced by the concept of cosmopolitanism, explicitly that which was disclosed as â€Å""Cosmopolitans . . . regard all the peoples of the earth as so many branches of a single family, and the universe as a state, of which they, with innumerable other rational beings, are citizens, promoting together under the general laws of nature the perfection of the whole, while each in his own fashion is busy about his own well-being† (Appiah 59) prove that the global supply chain validly and credibly acknowledges the universality of a global organization’s mission and goals. The more people are aware that being part of the global supply chain is beneficial for the local economy and as part of a global process, the more that economic gains are highlighted to outweigh geopolitical pursuits. One supports the statement that the global supply chain is an instrumental technique for global diplomacy â€Å"to the extent that countries tied their economies and futures to global integration and trade, (and thereby) it would act as a restraint on going to war with neighbors† (Friedman 125).

Digital Learning Environment Essay Example for Free

Digital Learning Environment Essay In the statement â€Å"Recently, there were two recent cover stories in Time Magazine: Their conclusion was that children today are different. In fact, based on what we now know from the neurosciences and psychological sciences, what we’re now beginning to understand is that children today are FUNDAMENTALLY different than we are in the way they think, in the way they access, absorb, interpret, process and use information, and in the way they view, interact, and communicate in the modern world because of their experiences with digital technologies. If this is the case, it holds profound implications for all of us personally and professionally.† I truly believe it’s true. I feel that we are surrounded by digital devices that were not there when I was young. There is new technology that comes out every day and eventually I believe that will be on only way of life in everything we do. I do feel that today’s learners have a different way of learning than we did in the past. I feel there are so many different factors that have changed how today children learns, thinking, etc. I believe the main factor is all the new technology that comes out daily. I feel that technology has been taken for granted for many different ways especially in the learning environment. For example, when I was in high school I had to go to the library to check out books to complete a research paper but in today’s world students just type what they are looking for on the computer and the web provides the answer. I feel it has taken away the experience of how to research something. People can learn so much more when they actually have to do the leg work on researching than just sitting on the couch and typing up the question and the computer does the work. I believe that it can show some laziness on the student’s part because it is others that have done the work and not them. The whole digital world has taken away a person’s creativity, personality (their own work), etc. I feel that having hands on and thinking skills expands their thought process and creative process where they utilizing their own thoughts and not anyone else’s. I feel at times that I would utilize the physical act of learning something instead of them researching on computers websites, etc. I also would have them use their own thoughts and try to learn to have an open mind to take in suggestions from other people. I will ensure that I give them the opportunity to learn from their own experiences with the help and guidance from myself and other adults. I feel this will get to use their own knowledge in cases where they don’t have the digital resources due to batteries going dead or don’t have the access.

Qualitative Research Methods in Organisations

Qualitative Research Methods in Organisations Provide a justification for qualitative research in organisations Qualitative research is a field of inquiry in its own right. It crosscuts disciplines, fields and subject matters. A complex, interconnected family of terms, concepts, and assumptions surround the term qualitative research. These include the traditions associated with foundationalism, positivism, postfoundationalism, postpositivism, poststructuralism, and the many qualitative research perspectives, and/or methods connected to cultural and interpretive studies. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000:2) qualitative researchers can access fascinating data by observing mundane settings or by finding everyday features in extraordinary settings. (Silverman, 2007:37) This essay provides a justification for the use of qualitative research methods in organisations. In the past, qualitative research methods have always been sidelined and quantitative research methods have been preferred for undertaking organisational research. One of the reasons for this is that qualitative research is always influenced by the researchers personal disposition. According to Creswell, Qualitative Research is a form of interpretive inquiry in which researchers make an interpretation of what they see, hear, and understand. Their interpretations cannot be separated from their own backgrounds, history, contexts, and prior understandings. (Creswell, 2009:176) Another reason for this is given by Silverman when he says that Policy makers and managers have been pushed away from ethnographic research because it takes a relatively long time to complete and appears to use unrepresentative samples. Even though some ethnographers are able to produce powerful arguments about what c an be read from a single, well researched, case, others muddy the waters by political posturing and by suggesting that they want no truck with conventional scientific standards. (Silverman, 2007:86) The pull of quantitative research for organisations is that it tends to define its research problems in a way that makes immediate sense to practitioners and administrators. (Silverman, 2007:86) More recently many organisations have started recognising the merits of using qualitative research methods to undertake research in the organisation. Qualitative research methods enable a thorough scrutiny of the researched topic which is not possible in quantitative research. Even within qualitative research, the researcher is provided with a vast range of options and opportunities for exploring diverse issues within the area of organisational research. What are the different methods used to adopt qualitative research? The most commonly known and most used method of qualitative research is ethnography which had its origins in social anthropology, with particular reference to the study of the culture of social groups and societies. The culture of a social group is made up of these complex networks of meaning and the key task of ethnography is to develop an interpretation and understanding of culture. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) Ethnography can be described as a longitudinal research method that is often associated with participant observation, but can also draw on other research approaches such as contextual and historic analysis of secondary data published by or on the group being studied. The ethnographic approach to developing an in-depth understanding of peoples behaviour makes it well suited to studying organisations. (Marshan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) But It bends reality considerably to imply that ethnography is today the main method of qualitative research and that observational material is the main data source. This is hardly surprising given the plethora of materials that invite our attention. These extend beyond what we can observe with our own eyes to what we can hear and see on recordings, what we can read in paper documents and electronically download on the internet, to what we can derive by asking questions in interviews or by providing various stimuli to focus groups. (Silverman, 2007:37) Grounded theory research, discourse analysis, deconstruction, content analysis, narrative method, action research (Humphreys, 2006), participatory enquiry, participant observation (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000), autoethnography, interviewing are just a few of the current approaches to qualitative data collection and analysis. All these methods are appropriately used in different forms of organisational research. I will be looking at autoethnography, grounded theory research, critical discourse analysis and the narrative approach towards qualitative research and will study the use of these methods in conducting organisational research. Autoethnography Ethnographers have started undertaking the observation of participation where they reflect on and critically engage with their own participation within the ethnographic frame thus giving birth to autoethnography. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005:467) Karra and Philips have defined autoethnography as, the generation of theoretically relevant descriptions of a group to which one belongs based on a structured analysis of ones experiences and the experiences of others from ones groupIt is an attempt to produce sense from ones experience of a group that can be set down in a text and shared with interested others. It does not mean that the researcher studies only himself or herself, but that the researcher is an insider who can draw upon personal experience, cultural competence, and linguistic resources to frame and shape research in a way that an outsider cannot. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:547) Autoethnography has been very efficiently used by Karra and Phillips, in their article about internatio nal management researchers conducting studies in their own cultural context. They say that, autoethnography provides a methodological frame for understanding and managing their research. Even more importantly, it acts to sensitize the researcher to the importance of carefully managing the complex dynamics of this form of cross-cultural research including questions of authorial voice, role conflict, and power. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:543) Autoethnographic approaches have four important strengths- ease of access, reduced resource requirements, ease of establishing trust and rapport, and reduced problems with translation- but at the same time pose three important challenges- lack of critical distance, role conflict, and the limits of serendipity. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:541) The strengths of this mode of research are considerable and despite all the criticisms this method of qualitative research has acquired it can be used very successfully in organisational research where the need is to draw upon personal experiences. One of the uses of autoethnography is to allow another persons world of experience to inspire critical reflection on your own. (Ellis and Bochner, 1996:22) Experience is given a lot of importance in organisations and autoethnography enables the researcher and the organisation to use this experience in a positive manner and in a way which can be very beneficial to the organisation and its employees. Grounded Theory Grounded theory, developed by Glaser and Strauss, is a kind of theory generated from the data collected. The methodology refers to a style of conducting qualitative data analysis whose aim is to discover what kinds of concepts and hypotheses are relevant to the area one wishes to understand. Grounded theory, therefore, provides new insights into the understanding of social processes emerging from the context in which they occur, without forcing and adjusting the data to previous theoretical frameworks. (Cassell and Symon, 2004:242) Grounded theory is a method that is more appropriate for some questions than others. It is most suited to efforts to understand the process by which actors construct meaning out of intersubjective experience. Grounded theory should be used in a way that is logically consistent with key assumptions about social reality and how the reality is known. It is less appropriate to use grounded theory when you seek to make knowledge claims about an objective realit y, and more appropriate to do so when you want to make knowledge claims about how individuals interpret reality. (Suddaby, 2006:634) While the grounded theory approach appeared at a time when methods discourse was decidedly modernist, forty years of development reflect he paradigmatic plurality of current qualitative research. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) The application of grounded theory in organisational research has been gaining popularity in recent times. This is because organisational psychology has been marked by a trend of moving from an individualistic point of view towards a more collective view. Grounded theory has been applied in studies focusing on organisational culture, organisational growth, change and innovation, team work and company survival to name a few. Grounded theory produces descriptions of organisational reality which elicit positive discussions around important themes in the organisation among the employees and, thus, form a basis for positive organisational development trends. (Cassell and Symon, 2004) Critical Discourse Analysis According to Cunliffe, Discourse analysis is a term covering a number of approaches to research that analyze language use. These approaches range from a focus on language itself, to a broader examination of the relationship between language use, social action and social theory. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:81) Discourse analysis provides a theoretical and methodological framework for exploring the social production of organizational and interorganizational phenomena. (Phillips, Sewell and Jaynes, 2008:1) As a methodology, critical discourse analysis allows for the use of different kinds of methods in specific research projects. However, this kind of research in particular demands the ability to make sense of the linkages between specific textual characteristics and particular discourses on the one hand, and between the discourses and the relevant socio-cultural practices and historical developments on the other. This means that research of this type generally tends to favour in-depth scrut iny of and reflection on specific texts. (Marschan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) Discourse analysis has become an increasingly popular method for examining the linguistic elements in the construction of social phenomena. It has been increasingly adopted by organization and management scholars interested in the social construction of specific organizational ideas or practices. (Varra, Kleymann and Seristo, 2004:3) There are three important problems facing researchers wishing to adopt a critical discourse perspective in their work. First, like ethnography, discourse analysis results in quite lengthy analyses that are often a poor fit with the requirements of journal editors. Second, discourse analysis often involves major data-management issues because of the volume of data that is often available. Finally, as this is a fairly new are of activity, there are few standard models available to follow. Developing innovative data analysis techniques for each study thus remains a final challenge facing researchers. (Phillips, Sewell and Jaynes, 2008) Narrative Approach According to Oswick, Narratives are an inevitable and unavoidable aspect of social life and, as such, are integral to the processes of managing and organizing. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:141) Although the narrative approach is one with many merits which are being acknowledged by researchers, it is still a field in the making and is not very commonly used. Researchers new to this field will find a rich but diffuse tradition, multiple methodologies in various stages of development, and plenty of opportunities for exploring new ideas, methods and questions. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005:651) A recognition that discourse is the principle means by which organization members create a coherent social reality that frames their sense of who they are has led to an increased interest in narrative approaches in organization studies. A narrative approach explicitly recognizes that, in organizations, language is the primary medium of social control and power, and that the analysis of linguistic practices is key to an understanding of how existing social and power relations are reproduced or transformed. (Humphreys and Brown, 2007) In the article, An Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility at Credit Line: A Narrative Approach by Humphreys and Brown (2008), the authors adopted a narrative approach to the analysis of organizational processes in a bank, Credit Line, in order to explore how individuals in a financial institution dealt with relatively novel issues of corporate social responsibility. The authors used narratives to successfully draw attention to the plurivocity of orga nisational life. Use of qualitative research methods to undertake organisational research in a public sector organisation Public sector organisations are those organisations which are managed by the government. The main aim of these organisations is not to make a profit but to provide a service to the people under the government. Some example of public sector organisations are airports, public hospitals, railway stations, government run schools and colleges. Governments nowadays are looking to privatize most of the public sector organisations in order to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. Thus most of the above given examples have now been partially or completely privatised in most countries. Public sector organisations are common grounds for research amongst qualitative researchers. This could be due to the fact that public sector organisations are more easily accessible than the private sector organisations. Many public sector organisations have also started coming up with their own research and development department which undertakes the organisational research. In my opinion participant observation and interviewing together make an ideal combination to undertake organisational research within a public sector organisation or for that matter any organisation. The shortcomings of participant observations are covered by interviewing and vice versa. Thus, the two methods complement each other perfectly. Participant Observation The methodology of participant observation is appropriate for studies of almost every aspect of human existence. Through participant observation, it is possible to describe what goes on, who or what is involved, when and where things happen, how they occur, and why at least from the standpoint of participants things happen as they do in particular situations. (Jorgensen, 1989) Participant observation is one of the most popular ways of conducting fieldwork in an organisation. This is because through observation of the participants going through their daily routine researchers pick up information which they might not have access to in a more formal setting, an example of which is interviews. Participant observation can be of two types. In the first, the identity of the researcher is known to all and the researcher has a choice of forming relationships with the participants or to stand back and eavesdrop. This form of participant observation is ethically correct but the researchers pe rsonal disposition and identity may influence the participants behaviour and this may have an effect on the research material gathered. The second type of participant observation is covert participant observation where the identity of the researcher is hidden. This form of participant observation raises many ethical questions and is just another form of deception. Thus, covert participant observation should be avoided. The researchers ability to build relationships and develop rapport with subjects is crucial in participant observation. The danger here is that the researcher may feel so embedded and sympathetic to the group being studied that interpreting events objectively becomes difficult. Another demerit of participant observation is the time-consuming and open-ended nature of this kind of research which means it often doesnt get done. In a cost-conscious research climate in which specific and often short-term, definitive objectives are required to secure funding, sustained part icipation is a risky strategy. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) Interviews The qualitative interview can be seen as a conversation with a purpose, where the interviewers aim is to obtain knowledge about the respondents world. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:118) The goal of any qualitative research interview is to see the research topic from the perspective of the interviewee and to understand how and why they came to have this particular perspective. (Cassell and Symon, 2004) Interviewing is the most popular method of conducting organisational research. The method has three important advantages. Firstly, interviewers allow the researcher to discover new relationships or situations not previously conceived. Secondly, interview based research may be optimal when there is a small population of possible respondents as interviewers offer an opportunity to acquire a richness of information from each respondent. Finally, interviews may allow researchers to develop a deeper rapport with informants which is necessary to gain honest and accurate responses and to add insights that lay the groundwork for larger or follow-up studies. (Marschan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) But the interviewing method also suffers from three disadvantages. Firstly, developing an interview guide, carrying out interviews and analysing their transcripts, are all highly time-consuming activities for the researchers. Secondly, qualitative interviews are also tiring to carry out as they involve considerable concentration from the interviewer. Thus, no more than three interviews, each of the duration of one hour, should be carried out in a day. Finally, interviews are also time-consuming for the interviewees and this may cause problems in recruiting participants in some organizations and occupations. The latest trends in interviewing have come some distance from structured questions; we have reached the point of the interview as negotiated text. Researchers are not invisible neutral entities; they are a part of the interaction we seek to study. Interviewers are increasingly seen as active participants in an interaction with respondents, and interviewers are seen as negotiated accomplishments of both interviewers and respondents that are shaped by the contexts and situations in which they take place. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005) Depending on the type of organisational research which the public sector organisation needs to carry out and its goals and aims, either participant observation or interviewing or a combination of both the methods can be used appropriately in acquiring the required research material. Conclusion Thus, I conclude by saying that qualitative research methods have formed a niche for themselves in organisational research. The importance of organisational research is growing day by day and qualitative research methods are now an important part of organisational research. Although many forms of qualitative research make the use of figures and numbers to support a point of discussion, thus incorporating a characteristic of quantitative research methods, they also provide an in depth analysis on the topic of research and use one or more of the methodologies of qualitative research which include participant observation, interviewing, autoethnography, use of secondary data, grounded theory, ethnography, discourse analysis, narratives and rhetorical analysis. In this essay I introduced qualitative research and outlined its increasing importance in organisational research. I followed this up by describing approaches to qualitative research specifically concentrating on autoethnography, grounded theory, critical discourse analysis and the narrative approach, and critically analysing their use in organisational research. Finally, I concentrated on public sector organisations and why I think that participant observation and interviews are the best methods of qualitative research to undertake organisational research in public sector organisations. In doing this I feel that I have justified the use of qualitative research in organisations. References Cassell, C. Symon, G. (2004) Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. London: Sage Creswell, J.W. (2009) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (Third Edition) Thousand Oaks: Sage Denzin, N.K. Lincoln, Y.S. (2000) Handbook of Qualitative Research (Second Edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage Denzin, N.K. Lincoln, Y.S. (2005) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (Third Edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage Ellis, C. and Bochner, A.P. (1996) Composing Ethnography: Alternative Forms of Qualitative Writing. Walnut Creek: Altamira Humphreys, M. (2006) Teaching qualitative research methods: Im beginning to see the light. Qualitative Research in Organisations and Management: An International Journal Vol. 1(3) 173-188 Humphreys, M. and Brown A.D. (2008) An Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility at Credit Line: A Narrative Approach. Journal of Business Ethics Vol. 80 403-418 Jorgensen, D.L. (1989) Participant Observation: A Methodology for Human Studies London: Sage Karra, N. Phillips, N. (2008) Researching Back Home: International Management Research as Autoethnography. Organizational Research Methods Vol. 11(3) 541-561 Marschan-Piekkari, R. and Welch, C. (2004) Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for International Business. Cheltenham:Edward Elgar Phillips, N., Sewell, G., and Jaynes S., (2008) Applying Critical Discourse Analysis in Strategic Management Research. Organizational Research Methods 1-30 Silverman, D (2007) A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap Book about Qualitative Research. London: Sage Suddaby, R (2006) From the Editors: What Grounded Theory is Not. Academy of Management Journal Vol. 49(4) 633-642 Thorpe, R. Holt, R. (2008) The Sage Dictionary of Qualitative Management Research. London: Sage Varaa, E., Kleymann, B., Seristo, H. (2004) Strategies as discursive constructions: The case of the airline alliances. Journal of Management Studies Vol. 41(1) 1-35