Siemens: Cost and Activity-based Costing Objectives

15. 514 Summer 2003 Session 17 Activity-Based Costing Objectives 1. Computation of product costs using ABC 2. Understand the role of judgment: how are cost pools and cost drivers determined? 3. Link cost data to strategic choices Game Plan & Class Pedagogy Case discussion. Reading Assignment CP: Siemens Electric Motor Works Class Preparation Questions Focus your group’s attention on the qualitative questions (1 -6). Attempt to answer questions 7 and 8 before coming to class, but don’t invest excessive time on this task, as we will work through the computational issues together in class. Thinking about the issues and the costing approaches should take precedence over â€Å"getting the right numbers. † 1. What were the competitive conditions facing EMW in the late 1970s? 2. What change in strategy did EMW’s managers undertake in response to these conditions? 3. How did EMW’s new strategy change the way products were manufactured? 4. Describe the 1970s costing system at EMW. 5. Describe the 1980s costing system (PROKASTA) at EMW. 6. How do the two systems differ in their treatment of costs for order processing and special components? 7. Calculate the cost of the five orders in Exhibit 4 under the traditional and PROKASTA cost systems. Hint: first compute the PROKASTA costs of processing an order and handling a special component. 8. Compare traditional and PROKASTA costs for Motor A in Exhibit 4 if 1 unit, 10 units, 20 units, or 100 units are ordered. 9. If you were a manager at EMW, how might you use the new cost system to make better

Erp Helps Productivity at Northern Digital

Case Study 7. 1. : ERP Helps Productivity at Northern Digital Inc. Question: 1. For a small company like NDI, why is an ERP better than SCM applications? Answer: ERP supports internal supply chain within an enterprise, while SCM applications support just certain part of internal supply chain. Therefore, for small companies like NDI, it’s more efficient and effective to implement one system, namely ERP, instead of more SCM systems. Further, ERP software support several functionalities for supply chain management, and small companies like NDI could choose which functionalities they would like to implement, i. e. to support by IT advantages. Also, unlike SCM applications, ERP system of new generation provides new opportunities for enterprises in (near) future: to connect to their business partners, to integrate new functionalities (open ERP), to use Internet capabilities, to integrate with CRM solutions, etc. In practical sense, maintenance/servicing and training for one –ERP- software instead of several –SCMs- is better for NDI in financial and time sense. Finally, kind of industry (high-tech) within NDI operate demands efficient supply chain management, with high turnover of assets and inventory, so as precise and efficient production and inventory planning. Question: 2. Identify the supply chain segments that the ERP supports; be specific. Answer: In the case of NDI enterprise, implemented ERP system would support those activities which produced greatest costs in previous period, putting customer satisfaction at risk and making internal moral decreasing. Also, the ERP supports the segments in NDI as well as its environment. First, ERP optimizes the production processes in NDI; including taking into account the needs of its employees. Second, ERP contributes to better forecasting of demands and, additionally, better processing of their orders. Third, ERP efficiently coordinates upstream activities between NDI and suppliers. In the company, the implementation the ERP results decrease of costs and increase of revenue. In detail, using the ERP software improves the efficiency of NDI. Providing information for the demand forecasts of the products helps to decrease inventory. Therefore, in NDI case, revenue increased from 10 to 20 million with little increase in inventory value. Additionally, managing the processes of the company more efficiently increases order capacity. Result is an increase of revenue due higher ordered quantities. The better planning doubles the turnover of inventory, i. e. NDI’s automated inventory management achieved instead of 2 now 4 turnovers of inventory per year. At the side of the customer, having the opportunity for a better forecast of the demand and increasing the efficiency of the company, results to reduce the order cycle. This ensures the customers better and quicker service connected with reducing lead times and on-time deliveries. Therefore, supported by ERP production control system, NDI reduced its order cycle time for flagships product from 4 months to 4 weeks. This also contributes to improvement of customers relationships. At the side of the suppliers, knowing the demand of customers helps NDI to forecast its own demand for material. ERP allows them to make orders to the suppliers on time and to avoid bottleneck caused by material lack. Additionally, optimization of the processes in the company makes it possible to forecast the need for labour. Implementing ERP decreases the costs in the company and increases its profitability. Additionally, it improves the relationship between the firm and it customers and suppliers. This ensures loyalty in the future relations. Question: 3. Relates this case to Porter’s value chain and to its competitive model (Appendix 1A). Show the ERP contribution. Answer: The Porter’s Competitive Model describes five factors, which endanger the profitability of NDI: The first factor is threat of entry of new competitors. Main barriers for new companies to enter the market are economies of scale, product differentiation, brand identity, cost advantages, etc. Therefore, implementing ERP NDI has increased the overall efficiency of the company. In this way, the production costs fall down. Additionally, it increases order quantities, which decreases production costs per unit. These facts ensure costs advantages compared with other companies in the same industry. Second factor is the bargaining power of suppliers. The fact that the ERP system allows NDI to forecast better its demand contributes to a precise forecast for material. This ensures on-time deliveries. On the other hand, the increase of ordered quantities affects increase in the ordered quantity of materials. This fact ensures lower prices for material. The third point is the bargaining power of customers. The software improves the relationship with the customers. The profits of the buyers are proving after sales information, on-time deliveries. Additionally, the satisfied customers increase their orders. As a result, the revenue of NDI increases. Forth is the threat of substitute products or services. The use of ERP provides NDI with information about sales ensures communication with customers and gives information about their needs. Good relations with customers decrease the probability that customers will prefer substitutes. Fifth, the rivalry among existing forms in the industry endangers the company’s profitability. Producing efficiently ensures the firm a head position in front of its competitors. Delivering on time their orders gives an advantage to NDI. Taking care of the customers’ relationship with help of ERP creates loyalty of the customers. Testing the quality on every production step ensures the customers the high quality products. The Porter’s Value Chain Model is divided into two parts: Primary activities produce goods or services for which customers pay. They begin with the input of materials, through production, sales and marketing, and after sales service. The ERP system provides information to NDI in each of these steps. ERP ensures on time deliveries due to collaboration with vendors; also, it increases the efficiency of using the resources of NDI. Quality control during every process guarantees for high quality. Collaboration on side of the customers provides information for their needs and past orders. Finally, ERP supports the after sales services. Support activities provide support to the NDI’s primary activities. Support activity is for example the procurement. ERP helps collaboration with vendors. Also, ERP presents a standardised system for the whole NDI system, and it supports information flows from the sales department to the accountings department. In supports, also, the human resource management department with detail forecast for the needs of labour. Question: 4. Enter intuitivemfg. com and report on capabilities of the company’s ERP product. Answer: The Intuitive ERP product has a goal to increase the profitability of a company. Intuitive ERP software achieves this goal by (1) improving the productivity and reducing the costs; (2) increasing satisfaction of customers; (3) supporting better decision making; and, finally, (4) improving the overall IT infrastructure. First, the product reduces the needed manual work of the employees. Avoiding this process we reduce the data entry and errors. It delivers visible reports, which summarise the information and provides data for the current situation in the company. In this way, it is ease to indicate problems before it is too late. The software shows bottleneck before they occur. Thus, we could increase the throughput and make more efficient schedules. ERP provides quickly information about future need, which can be provided to suppliers in a minute. The process reduces significantly lead times and avoids bottlenecks. Visualisation of material report and collaboration with vendors improves on time deliveries. We can save cost with better forecast of our demands and providing this information to our suppliers. This information gives us the opportunity to produce just-in-time. Thus, we can reduce our inventory and save costs. The increase of our efficiency increases the order capacity and revenue. Second, the software helps company to satisfy its customers. We easily get information about the history of every customer from the system. Many process connected with providing information to the customers can be automated, which improves communications. ERP allows the company to access information about orders through Internet. Inspection of all processes improves the quality of products, which contributes to satisfaction of customers. The system offers an after sales support to customers. It provide information if the firm can fulfil its orders and calculates the feasible dates to finish the production of the order. Third, ERP provides visualisation of the information of the company. Many indicators, which are needed to monitor the business, are calculated automatically. Thus, critical elements in the firm are presented. The software provides the needed information to make the optimal decisions. Forth, the system combines the information of the company in one central system and standardises the process. In this way, the firm saves money by the efficient use of its recourses. In conclusion, ERP improves the profitability of the company. It contributes to the improvement of the relationship of the customers and allows using the resources more efficiently. Question: 5. Relate this case to business planning and strategy. Answer: Using existing technology, NDI has recognised business planning problems in achieving efficient product/order life cycle, and delivering its products to customer in satisfied way. The demand for NDI products was growing, but existing technology wasn’t able to respond to new environment, i. e. market circumstances. NDI recognised forecasting capabilities -of marketing department- as main cause for recorded missed sales and poor inventory management. Therefore, needed raw materials weren’t in place for demanded products by customer, and customer had to wait too long, starting even to return back shipments. Pressed by higher demands from market, NDI determined growth as main business strategy, and forecasting and planning segments of internal value chain as key support for chosen strategy. In other words, forecasting and planning segments of value chain were assigned as most beneficial parts for IT support towards more effective and efficient production process of growth strategy. Implemented ERP has supported whole NDI production process and its control, along with secondary activities, but stressed capabilities of Material Requirements Planning and Forecasting modules necessary for correct prediction of future demand and, therefore, better raw material supply and inventory management. In general, ERP support NDI’s business data collection and manipulation, i. . data management, and subsequent data mining and optimization of production processes towards greater revenue, i. e. decrease production costs. Finally, defining long-term strategic company goals and strategy, NDI managed to improve its own operation using IT support for right production functions, aligning directly and successfully corporate business strategy with IT strategy. Now, mobilising human reso urces, as the greatest wealth of an organisation, NDI could now plan more radical strategy towards achieving competitive –or lock in- position within own industry cluster.

Analytical Hierarchy Process Essay Example for Free (#2)

Analytical Hierarchy Process Essay The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) provides a structure on decision-making processes where there are a limited numbers of choices but each has a number of attributes. This paper explores the use of AHP for deciding on car purchase. In the context of shopping, it is important to include elements that provide attributes that make consumer decision making easier, comfortable and therefore, lead to a car purchase. As the car market becomes more competitive, there is a greater demand for innovation that provides better customer service and strategic competition in the business management. This paper presents a new methodological extension of the AHP by focusing on two issues. One combines pair wise comparison with a spreadsheet method using a 5-point rating scale. The other applies the group weight to a reciprocal consistency ratio. Three newly formed car models of midsize are used to show how the method allows choice to be prioritized and analyzed statistically. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a structured technique for helping people deal with complex decisions. Rather than prescribing a â€Å"correct† decision, the AHP helps people to determine one. Based on mathematics and human psychology, it was developed by Thomas L. Saaty in the 1970s and has been extensively studied and refined since then. The AHP provides a comprehensive and rational framework for structuring a problem, for representing and quantifying its elements, for relating those elements to overall goals, and for evaluating alternative solutions. It is used throughout the world in a wide variety of decision situations, in fields such as government, business, industry, healthcare, and education. Users of the AHP first decompose their decision problem into a hierarchy of more easily comprehended sub-problems, each of which can be analyzed independently. The elements of the hierarchy can relate to any aspect of the decision problem. Once the hierarchy is built, the decision makers systematically evaluate its various elements, comparing them to one another in pairs. In making the comparisons, the decision makers can use concrete data about the elements, or they can use their judgments about the elements’ relative meaning and importance. It is the essence of the AHP that human judgments, and not just the underlying information, can be used in performing the evaluations. The AHP converts these evaluations to numerical values that can be processed and compared over the entire range of the problem. A numerical weight or priority is derived for each element of the hierarchy, allowing diverse and often incomm-ensurable elements to be compared to one another in a rational and consistent way. This capability distinguishes the AHP from other decision making techniques. In the final step of the process, numerical priorities are derived for each of the decision alternatives. Since these numbers represent the alternatives’ relative ability to achieve the decision goal, they allow a straightforward consideration of the various courses of action. For instance let’s consider cars (an example) which touch the lives of hundreds of millions of people nearly everywhere on this planet on a daily basis. Other than a house, a car is perhaps the largest purchase that we make. With the average cost of a car well over US$ 15,000, choosing just the right one becomes a major decision. Buying a new car is regarded as a decision-making problem and a reflection of customer preference. Someone shops for a new car, he or she want to take a look at finances and options. The possible budget is then a constraint in the decision on which car to buy. Most people shopping for a new car rank safety high among their purchase considerations. Other important attributes include: fuel economy; comfort and convenience features; insurance information; specification and warranties and resale value. Constant changes in customer demands lead manufactures to produce new and improved designs. Automation of manufacturing technologies allows this. Recently the production life cycle has become shorter. For example, General Motors in the USA is leading the industry in developing ground-breaking technologies to improve the driving experience and to meet the changing needs and life styles of modern drivers. They are making efforts to lower the cost of the technology to a level that will make advanced cars an attractive purchase. As the automobile market becomes more competitive, the industry has no choice but to adopt innovation that brings better customer service. Many customers seek advice from car experts or friends when purchasing a car. In many cases, there are times when the price and special features do not match the budget. An appropriate decision-making method for selecting the best car is useful to both customers and producers. An analytic method not only reduces the dealer’s burden, but also may increase sales The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is an intuitively easy method for formulating and analyzing decisions .It was developed to solve a specific class of problems that involves prioritization of potential alternate solutions. This is achieved by evaluation of a set of criteria elements and sub-criteria elements through a series of pair wise comparisons. The AHP model depicted in this paper uses the following decision criteria: exterior, convenience, performance, safety, economic aspect, dealer, and warranty as well as 39 sub-criteria. For the implementation of the AHP, we considered the three midsize passenger car models as alternatives The source for deriving the evaluation criteria candidate was: 1. A telephone interview with dealers who are part of companies that make the models. The manufacturing company with the highest market share considered graceful body styles and smart design of facilities related to safety to be most important. On the other hand, warranty on the car and the dealer’s strategies for marketing are regarded as important customer criteria; 2. The use of personal experiences recorded on an online bulletin board was corrected using the Internet; The AHP model shown consists of three levels. Exterior involves components and factors seen from the outside such as color, length and width, tyres, trunk, wheels, doors and headlamp styles. It includes the following sub-criteria: model, style, length, quality of interior decoration, number of available color types, and instrument cluster. Convenience is related to the design of the equipments for easy operation. It includes: inside width, ease of loading or unloading packages, convenience of operating instruments, modern fittings (such as electronic systems and a burglar alarm), forward visibility and quality of the audio system. Performance is related to the functioning of the car. It includes maximum torque, maximum speed, fuel tank capacity, braking ability, cornering ability, inside noises and traveling comforts. Safety is enhanced by a body designed to protect the drivers and passengers against collisions. The most important safety features are those that reduce the risk of death or serious injury. It includes: airbags, antilock braking system ABS, impact protection systems, trunk safety, seat belts, safety of the body and number of alarm facilities. Airbags provide total chest and face protection. The ABS allows drivers full steering control and shorter stopping distance in adverse situations. The economic aspect refers to the price and cost of a new car, or maintaining the car within budgets, etc. It includes: purchasing prices, fuel consumption per month, insurance costs and installment conditions, resale prices of used cars and optional equipment costs. The dealer criterion refers to personal characteristics and attitudes that lead the customer to make the purchasing decision. This criterion includes: visits or calls needed to persuade the customer to buy, the dealer’s attitude, the dealer’s expertise and belief in the dealer’s promises. The warranty criterion include: the number of service stations, ease of acquiring spare parts, customer satisfaction after services, and the average repair time for minor troubles. We mailed questionnaires to each of two groups. The first group was given a questionnaire that contained a pair wise comparison sheet. The members consisted of 13 managers who were serving in the sales department and who had experience exceeding 10 years (see Appendix A for this questionnaire). Respondents were domain experts who easily recognized their own sales products and have valuable knowledge about the customer requirements and preferences. Twenty-two potential customers with experience over 7 years were in the second group (see Appendix B). They answered about their satisfaction with their current car. A procedure of prioritizing each car model is shown in Table 1 shows the C.R. for each individual, where the circle represents meaningful C.R. Using Expert Choice, we obtained the synthesized priorities of the main criteria and sub-criteria. The reason that the group’s weight is 1/C.R. is to assign higher weights for higher consistent persons. As a result, safety gains are the highest priority in the main criteria. The body safety is especially important. The synthesized priorities and ranks resulted in Table 2 (Case-II). The priorities of the sub-criteria are not proportional to those of the main criteria. This means the decision-makers have different opinions on the importance of the main criteria. By synthesizing the drivers’ rating values with the priorities, we obtain the priorities of the car models and the ranks with respect to the goal and synthesized priorities for each main criterion when the C.R. is bounded by the limit (see Table 3). In Case-I and Case-II, the computational methods used are reasonable when the groups’ consistency is more important than the individual ones. Because the conventional AHP has no choice but to increase the Delphi rounds in order to increase the groups’ consistency, much effort is required to reduce the C.R. If the Delphi rounds are not sufficiently processed, it is unreliable through the inclusion of inconsistent matrices [12]. Using the Spearman rank correlation test [1], accepting H0 means that the ranks are either uncorrelated or negatively correlated. That is, two decision makers exhibit an insignificant level of agreement in ranking for each criterion. Rejecting H0 means that the ranks are positively correlated. As shown in Table 4, we conclude that there are significant effects between groups since the rate of the H0 acceptance is 83% (65/78 Ãâ€"100). This shows that Case-I is the more appropriate method. It rejects greater agreement between groups. Sensitivity analysis allowed us to verify the results of the decision. A sensitivity analysis can be formed to see how sensitive the alternatives are to change with the importance of the criteria. The Expert Choice implementation of AHP provides four graphical sensitivity analysis modes: dynamic, gradient, performance and two-dimensional analysis [4]. Here performance sensitivity analysis is employed. It depicts how well each alternative performs on each criterion by increasing or decreasing the importance of the criteria. In addition to this, each sub-criterion performs on each main criterion by increasing or decreasing the importance of the main criteria. It should be noted that if a criterion is not sensitive, it would be better to eliminate it from the AHP model. In the case of increasing importance of a criterion to the maximum value of 1.0, we assigned the alternative that gained the highest rank to score 5 and the lowest rank to score 1. The value of Model 1 is 25, Model 2 is 21 and Model 3 is 15. In summary, we can conclude Model 1 is the best among the alternatives, although the highest priorities were different in Case-I and Case-II. This paper presents a decision-making method for selecting the best passenger car models through combining the AHP and a spreadsheet model. The C.R. is used as the decision-maker’s weights. As an implementation of the AHP, three car models were prioritized. Through the sensitivity analysis, the fact that Model 1 ranked the highest is consistent with the result of the highest market share. E.H. Forman, T.L. Saaty, M.A. Selly, R. Waldron, Expert Choice, Decision Support Software, McLean, VA, 1983 T.L. Saaty, K. Kearns, Analytical Planning: The Organization of Systems, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1985. Y Wind and T L Saaty, ‘Marketing Applications of Analytic Hierarchy Process,’ Management Science, Vol. 26, No. 7, July 1980 Analytical Hierarchy Process. (2016, Dec 31).

Entrepreneurial characteristics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Entrepreneurial characteristics - Essay Example Entrepreneurial characteristics By exploring the characteristics and skills of entrepreneurs, I have a better understanding of what characteristics an entrepreneur should possess. He does not have to be a risk taker but must have confidence in himself and have good leadership qualities. To do this, he/she needs to have a vision, marketing skills, good communication skills, financial skills, good time management skills, administrative skills and also leadership skills. The type of entrepreneur depends on the kind of characteristics, behavior or attributes that he/she possesses. These attributes play a great role in determining the kind of skills possessed by the entrepreneur. For example, a person who is self-confident, persuasive, a good listener, inspirational has the marketing skills required to sell the business and its products. There are various theories that try to explain the personality of individuals or entrepreneurs such as the leadership theories, self-efficiency theory, effectuation theory, behavioral and communication theories among others. The paper will discuss these theories in trying to explain the entrepreneurial characteristics and also the extent to which these characteristics are found within the range of skills that they should possess. The sel f-efficacy theory advanced by Albert Bandura is based on the belief in oneself. Robbins and Judge (2010) interpret self-efficacy as the belief that one has the capability to organize and execute courses of action that are required to achieve specified goals. Individuals have different perceptions of themselves; some high expectations of achieving a certain objective while others do not believe in themselves hence they fear to initiate anything rest they fail. Self-efficacy thus determines how the entrepreneur pursues goals, tasks and challenges (62). A successful entrepreneur should have self-confidence so as to be able to set and achieve goals and also to get other people to believe in what he/she is doing. The self-efficacy theory is also based on experience. Most people observe entrepreneurs starting up businesses and either succeeding or failing. Depending on what one observes, his perception may change. For example, if one has experience of observing someone start up a business and fail, he may fear engaging in such a venture. People with high self-efficacy have the drive and motivation to attain certain goals and continue even if the business is not prospering since they believe they can make it. On the other hand, those with low efficacy do not have the motivation to start a business but Robbins and Judge (2010) argue that this is needed to allow an entrepreneur to learn more about the business before venturing into it. The effectuation theory advanced by Saras Sarasvanthy is based on the belief that there exists a market which an entrepreneur should discover. The entrepreneur in this case has the knowledge, skills, and the resources needed to start a business but the question is, is he/she ready to take risks? An entrepreneur should therefore be able to take risks since he is venturing into a business with an unpredictable future. Instead of calculating the returns from the business undertaking, the individual can venture in any business and shape its destiny (Sarasvanthy, 2008). Contrary to self-efficacy theory, one is not influenced by observing others but takes own initiative into the unknown. The entrepreneur in this case possesses such characteristics as risk taker, creative, good in grasping opportunities, decisive, likes learning by doing, and is a team builder since his work involves building

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Marketing - Essay Example Cervo & Allen (2011 p.67) revealing the client information may not only raise ethical concerns, but also alienates the customers from the business. In attempt to unravel this dilemma, business critics have suggested a number of possible effects that would occur if a firm opts to disclose such information. The case study illustrates the above problem and provides a suggestion on how to handle the problem. Marketing issues at stake The primary marketing issue at stake is the leaking of customer secret information. IFA marketing executives have sought confidential information of customers of ShopSense. The marketing executives of IFA believe that confidential information about consumers of foodstuffs would be useful in developing products for their customers. However, extracting such information from another company such as ShopSense is not easy. A major concern raised against the idea is the detrimental effects that leaking such information may have on the reputation of the company. Es tablishing confidence of the consumers as well as maintaining a consistent customer takes long. The two firms seem to acknowledge this fact. The relationship between the business and the firm hangs on respects to the mutual agreement consented to by both parties (Russo, 2010 p.167). The deal seems lucrative, but poses serious challenges to ShopSense. Arguably, clients of this firm have demonstrated their trust to the firm. In addition, they have maintained trust to the firm by consistently buying their products from the firm. This means that disclosing the information is an attempt to break the bond between the firm and the clients. The nagging question is who should allow the dissemination of the client’s private information. Compare and contrast the advice provided by different critics. A common observation made by the marketing critics is the sensitivity of the information kept by ShopSense. ShopSense values the customers’ information more than IFA. In this sense, i t means that disclosing information about the client would affect their business adversely. Clients of ShopSense seem to confide in the company. However, disclosing such information for financial benefit seems to have a short-term benefit to ShopSense. In business, the benefits derived from any decision dictates the present and the future of the business. The critics have demonstrated their stands concerning the idea. George L Jones for instance argues that the engagement between IFA and ShopSense is valid provided that the clients of ShopSense do not feel the reverberations of the leaked information. Katherine Lemmon argues that the issue in this case is disclosing unintended information to another party. She believes that the consumers are likely to lose the trust they have to the company an aspect that might Influence the overall performance of the ShopSence. In essence, she believes that the decision about disclosing or not disclosing the non intended information would be valid if it would not spark any concerns that would have a negative impacts to the company. Norton and McCallister share the similar information that the scorecard of the ShopSense is the confidence that they have built from their customers. This means that the activity is not only risky, but also attracts ethical concerns. All the critics seem to suggest that the opportunity may not be fruitful at the long run. In all the cases cited, the integrity of the company disclosing this information would

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Strategic Management - Essay Example Operational control is guided by the strategy used by the company and in the example given above, the operations of the company would need to setup the right kind of offices, get the required HR for the various functions of the business in the new market and then manage the day to day running of the business. In essence, while strategy is set to guide the company, operations are set to manage and run a business. While it may be possible and even politically correct to say that a company could work with the idea of bringing continual improvements to itself and thus remove any requirements for operational controls, the reality of the situation may be quite different. Operational controls are required to give the company some guidance in terms of how things are supposed to be done and how they are to be optimized (Welch, 2005). Simply searching for continual improvements may lead the company to be guided in several different directions in terms of operations as each department or even each individual may seek to bring improvements that may only apply to them on a personal basis. Similarly, it would be difficult to say that strategic controls could replace operational controls and the simple reason for that is they both have different realms of operation. Quality may have different implications for different customers since it is essentially an ethereal concept where the measure of quality for one customer may not be the same for another. For example, in the automobile industry, there are certain brands which are known for their quality and their repute as luxury brands. On the other hand, there are companies which work across the spectrum in the automobile market and produce economy as well as luxury cars. However, the perceived quality of the brand which is a luxury brand would likely to be higher than one which is a value brand. At the same time, there are customers who would consider

Materials Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Materials Development - Essay Example the gadget was made from low-cost materials it will keep on spoiling as it is not strong enough to withhold the magnitude of activities that are being performed on it. Therefore, it is important to produce high-cost gadget rather than low-cost as they will have more features; hence, creating a competitive market base. Producing low-cost materials is wasteful as most of the funds will be used in the marketing strategy, which may fail as the product is not eye-catching. I did not buy my argument because it is not practical to make low-cost gadget that keep customers complaining and replacing. It is vital for an organization to make products that are competitive and that fulfil the customer’s needs (Yaeger, Thomas & Peter 118). I was swayed by the other team’s argument because when a gadget is produced with high-cost materials, it maintains customers as they are satisfied with the products as they have the necessary gadgets to use in the daily lives. Additionally, high-cost products mean that the organization will patent their technology, thus, ensuring that no other products are made with the same features; hence, lowering the value of low-cost materials. Moreover, making low-cost products will mean more clean-up, replacement, which decreases customer loyalty towards the products making the low-cost products

Civil Engineering Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Civil Engineering Contract - Essay Example A hard worker and someone who is always striving to improve himself, I want to be of value to the organization I choose to work for and prove that I am an asset worth investing in. Accordingly, I am greatly interested in contractual matters since they form the basis of any commercial or professional partnership. I am also greatly interested in risk management, cost escalation, and conflict resolution. As a civil engineer, I would like to go beyond the developmental parameters of a given project and ensure that the projects I undertake proceed smoothly. I feel passionate about this career and also want to be a part of the decision makers within my organization. Eventually, I hope to be a Senior Contract Manager and believe that a specialization in civil engineering contracts will give me the tools I need to attain this goal. As a Senior Contract Manager, I hope to be able to take a holistic approach to project management and understand the various dynamics at play. I believe that this requires not only technical insight but also a firm understanding and appreciation of contractual matters. My interest in risk management, risk mitigation, and conflict resolution demonstrate my passion in this particular field. This is why I have chosen to be an expert on the contractual negotiations of civil engineering. Loyalty: I am an incredibly loyal person and dedicated employee. When I believe in something, I stick to it. For me, my loyalty to an organization does not waiver and I put the interests of my company at the forefront. I am pleased to report that loyalty is one of my biggest strengths and is something that I take with me wherever I go. People Skills: I have excellent communication and human interaction skills.  

Discussion post Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion post - Essay Example Common symptoms of acute bronchitis include; persistent cough which lasts for about 10 to 20 days which creates clear mucus. While for pneumonia includes; high fever, chest pains, and shortness of breath. The acute bronchitis affects the lower respiratory tract while pneumonia affects the upper respiratory tract (US Department of Health & Human Services, 2011). I agree with Christopher Johnson on the need for the patient to find someone to guide her through some positive lifestyle changes. The signs and symptoms by the patient indicate she is suffering from chronic bronchitis. The recommendations made after diagnosis will help the patient to get well soon and manage the sickness. I also agree the patient needs to be given lessons on antibiotics intake. The patient needs to be encouraged to take the flu and pneumonia vaccines (Cunha, 2014). I agree with Peng Anderson from the patient’s symptoms she has emphysema which is manifested by her history of tobacco use and physical examination (WebMD, 2014). The patient needs to know the severity of the condition and make changes. She needs to control her tobacco use in order to slow the progression of emphysema. I also agree a social worker would be of great help to the patient in locating and utilizing community

Land Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Land Law - Essay Example 'A vendor must be able to prove that he is entitled to the land before he can pass good title to a purchaser. Initially, such proof was provided by the production of the title documents to the land, i.e. the conveyances or leases. The vendor had to be able to show the chain of ownership for the last thirty (now 15 years).And each time the land was sold, all these documents had to be examined under the LRA 2000 a single register entry is substituted for the series of title deeds as proof of titles, and a prospective purchaser need only examine this registry entry.Theodore Rouff had laid down three basic principles of Land Registry. One among them is the mirror principle which states:â€Å" the register of title reflects accurately and completely beyond all arguments the facts that are material to the title†. In simpler terms, it can derive that this principle proposes the fact that the register of the title is the mirror which reflects accurately all the current facts and figur es those are material to the title. However, there are few exceptions to this fact. Other than these exceptions the title is free from all adverse burdens, rights, and qualifications unless they are mentioned in the register. Overriding interest can be described as one of the most an important exceptions to the mirror principle.Overriding interests: Definition: These are defined in s3 (xvi) LRA 1925 as: ‘all the encumbrances, interests, rights and powers not entered on the register, but subject to which registered dispositions are to take effect’... Initially such proof was provided by the production of the title documents to the land, i.e. the conveyances or leases. The vendor had to be able to show the chain of ownership for the last thirty (now 15 years).And each time the land was sold, all these documents had to be examined under the LRA 2000 a single register entry is substituted for the series of title deeds as proof of titles, and a prospective purchaser need only examine this register entry. Theodore Rouff had laid down three basic principles of Land Registry. One among them is the mirror principle which states: " the register of title reflects accurately and completely beyond all arguments the facts that is material to the title" (wikipedia)1. In simpler terms it can derived that this principle proposes the fact that the register of title is the mirror which reflects accurately all the current facts and figures those are material to title. However there are few exceptions to this fact. Other than these exceptions the tile is free from all adverse burdens, rights and qualifications unless they are mentioned in the register. Overriding interest can be described as one of the most important exception to the mirror principle. Overriding interests: Definition: These are defined in s32 (xvi) LRA 1925 as: 'all the encumbrances, interests, rights and powers not entered on the register, but subject to which registered dispositions are to take effect' Meaning: In simpler terms overriding interest can be defined and determined as the interest which override. It is liable on the purchaser to inspect the land and make inquiries as there are few dispositions like overriding

Delaney and Madigan Essay Example for Free

Delaney and Madigan Essay Contrary to what some may believe, surf culture is much deeper and extends beyond a surfboard and some waves. Surfing, along with other sports, provides concrete examples of cultural differences based on variations between regions (Delaney and Madigan 2009: 62). The surf lingo between Australia, Hawaii, and California, for example, are quite different. Local surfers also approach competition differently and have different preferences regarding anything from wave type to the surfboard they like to use. The rise of competitions in places such as Australia and California also sparked the development of surf sub-cultures. Although they are all based upon original Hawaiian surf traditions, these cultures became much more localized and accessible to those who were not from the Polynesian islands, but still wished to partake in the world of surfing and embrace the surfing lifestyle (Goggans and DiFranco 2004: 434). So what, exactly, is the average surfer’s lifestyle and what is surf culture? According to Mike Doyle who was voted as 1964’s and 1965’s Best Surfer in Surfer Magazine, won the Duke Kahanamoku Classic in 1969, and who placed first in Peru at the 1970 World Championships it is about surfing to live and living to surf (California Surf Museum 2010). Doyle’s life is the quintessential surfer’s lifestyle, living as â€Å"†¦a super-athlete with a clear mind and a deep appreciation for nature and the elements†¦ True to his nature, [he has built] a new tree-house to sleep in. When people question, ‘When are you going to grow up? ’ he considers it verification that his perfect lifestyle is still intact† (California Surf Museum†. Surf culture essentially counterbalances the lifestyle of fast-paced business, big cities, and the stresses of everyday life. It has even developed its own category of relaxed fashion, with flip flops and board shorts becoming the iconic surf wardrobe (Lanagan 2002: 284). Consider what is required to be a surfer a board and a few good waves. Compared to the rest of the world, it is extremely minimal; and if one were to make a living as a professional surfer, it is evident that they would not face the same day to day conflicts and sources of anxiety as the average person. Surfers are not known as being wealthy; but with their appreciation for nature as opposed to fancy cars and houses, perhaps it is the simplicity of their lifestyle that enables them to live such peaceful and happy lives. Although living life as a surfer can be quite peaceful, surf culture is still built upon the concept of extreme sports. Extreme sports â€Å"†¦involve pitting oneself against the elements of one’s environment, whether natural or architectural. Their appeal derives from reintroducing and then individually confronting risk, the dangers of personal injury being chiefly mitigated by honing physical skills and mental preparation† (Laviolette 2007: 1). The fact that the surf lifestyle may be virtually stress-free does not negate the risks associated with the sport; and these risks are often the most appealing aspect of surfing. To surf, in theory, is to tame the ocean’s waves with nothing but a surfboard and one’s own body. The idea that the ocean, as vast and powerful as it is, could be ridden upon with a board is very intoxicating. Aside from drowning, there are other risks such as jellyfish or sharks, even though they are relatively rare. Rocky cliffs and coral reefs also present some danger of injury, especially if a surfer is thrown into a reef or cliff by a strong wave. Still, the ability to put oneself into a risky situation and come out unharmed can be extremely thrilling for some, which is why it is not uncommon for advanced surfers to seek out enormous waves near rocky cliffs (Waitt 2008: 81). The mental thrill that one gets when surfing, therefore, far outweighs any risks that they may face by partaking in this sport.

Discuss the use of literary technigues Essay Example for Free

Discuss the use of literary technigues Essay Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a very accomplished book because of Austens clever and successful use of literary techniques. Literary techniques refer to the deliberate construction of language to further the story whether that be to develop character, plot, suspense or to create an enjoyable humorous novel. Jane Austen applies many literary techniques such as point of view, dialogue, letters and irony to tell the story of Pride and Prejudice. Pride and Prejudice is told in third person limited omnipresent point of view but mainly told through Elizabeths consciousness. This point of view is a successful narrative technique because it gives an insight into the characters, mainly Elizabeths thoughts, and also helps to create suspense. This technique also arouses the readers sympathy for Elizabeth because we can see that she is being honest to herself, which is essential if we are to desire her reform. The officers of the-shire were in general a very creditable, gentlemanlike set. And the best of them were of the present party; but Mr Wickham was as far beyond them all in prison, countenance, air, and walk. (pg65) This is Elizabeths opinion of Mr Wickham that is later found out to be completely wrong but the reader can see her sincerity. By using this technique Austen can also control how much the reader knows about event and emotions which helps to create suspense. In the first section of the novel Austen occasionally reports form Darcys consciousness so that the reader is made aware of his growing feeling for Elizabeth and to highlight that Elizabeth was prejudice when she made a wrong judgment against Darcy. Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. In Pride and Prejudice she does not report from Darcys point of view during the period between her two proposals, so that the reader, like Elizabeth, is uncertain whether he is lost forever. The dialogue in Pride and Prejudice is very successful in developing characters and advancing the plot. Austen brings her characters to life by having them reveal themselves or other characters reveal them to the reader through their dialogue, rather than through detailed narrative descriptions. Oh! you are a great deal apt you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in any body. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life. This dialogue reveals Jane as being amiable, good-natured, and always assumes that others are as good-natured as she. In chapter three Darcys dialogue reveals his character to Elizabeth as being too proud. He thinks himself socially inferior to Elizabeth so declines from asking her to dance. This is one instance were the dialogue helps to create Elizabeths wrong judgement of Darcy and thus advancing her prejudice. She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me. (pg13) Darcys sense of social superiority later proves his chief difficulty in admitting his love for Elizabeth. This dialogue also helps to advance the plot as his rudeness creates a negative impression of him in her mind, one that will linger for nearly half of the novel, until the underlying nobility of his character is gradually revealed to her. The dialogue within Pride and Prejudice is a very significant part of the novel as it is a way revealing to the reader the characters and the plot progression. In addition to using dialogue, Austen also successfully uses letters to reveal character and to further the plot. The use of letters also allows Austen to introduce a character before they arrive such as Mr Collins in the letter of chapter 15. The letter is a popular literary convention that Austen weaves very cleverly into her novel. The letter in Chapter 7 from Jane to Elizabeth is an example of how Austen uses this technique successfully. I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. This reveals Jane to be good hearted and none judgmental of her mother even though it was Mrs. Bennet who intentionally sent her out into the rain. Jane did not once say it was Mrs. Bennets fault. The way Jane describes the Bingley sisters as my kind friends also reinforces her warm heart. therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his having been to me. Even though Jane is the one that is unwell she is always looking out for others so she sends the letter to reassure Elizabeth and make sure she does not worry. The letter also demonstrates character relation as Jane sent it to Elizabeth showing that they have a close relationship. This letter also furthers the plot because as a result of this letter Elizabeth decides to visit Jane at Netherfield, which put Darcy and Elizabeth in more frequent and honest contact with each other. Just this one letter proves that the letter convention is a very successful narrative technique. Irony is the tension between literal meaning and implied meaning. Austen is able to present the main themes, criticise some characters and add humour through the use of irony within Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austin establishes her ironic tone in the opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However the opposite is the case. The truth is well fixed into the district, that he is already considered the rightful property of one of their daughters. It now becomes a competition for which mother has the daughter who gets him. Jane Austen treats the characters in Pride and Prejudice with irony. Mr Bennet is a prime example as he himself is a very sarcastic and ironic character. What say you Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection I know, and read great books, and make extracts. (pg9) Mr Bennet is being ironic because he knows that all Mary does is repeat what she reads and doesnt actually understand it so he is really poking fun at Mary. This is also dramatic irony because the reader knows that Mr Bennet is not serious, but Mary takes him seriously. Austen uses irony as the basis for the plot. The whole story is based around an ironic situation. Elizabeth prides herself on her observation of character but dislikes Darcy because she is under the mistaken impression that he disapproves of her. She is also mistaken by liking Wickham because he flatters her pride. In both cases she has judged incorrectly and begins her reform when she is given the truth in Darcy second proposal letter. The humour in Pride and Prejudice comes from this irony and from Austens gentle Satire. She laughs at human folly and social structure. Austin satirises Lady Catherine de Bourgh unmercifully as a member of the autocracy. Jane Austin laughs at how Lady Catherine believes so strongly in the distinction between classes. Lady Catherine believes because she is in a higher class that she can influence whoever she wants but Austen is saying that the superiority in social class does not necessarily mean superiority in ethics, morals and intellect. Verbal and dramatic irony are a very successful literary technique in Pride and Prejudice as they create humour and criticise and develop characters. Jane Austin constructs Pride and Prejudice through the use of four main narrative techniques. Third Person omnipresent point of view mainly through Elizabeths consciousness has the advantages of allowing the reader to sympathise with Elizabeth while being able to give the reader the narrative objectively. Austens use of dialogue allows her to reveal the character without giving a long narrative description. The use of a letter is proved very vital in Pride and Prejudice because plot and character development can be created in a couple of lines. Irony is also an important technique as it is the basic plot and creates the humour of the novel which is a great attraction to the reader.

Relationship Between Sedentary Lifestyle and Obesity

Relationship Between Sedentary Lifestyle and Obesity Topic: Is the rise in Childhood Obesity a result of a sedentary lifestyle or due to pre-disposing factors? Executive Summary This review examines the relationship that predisposing factors and sedentary lifestyles have on childhood obesity. The authors of the article Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes, state that there is not just one factor that is responsible for the high rates of childhood obesity. The authors conclude that, Many complementary changes have simultaneously increased childrens energy intake and decreased their energy expenditure (Anderson, 2006). Numerous programs and research has been done in efforts to reduce the incidence rates of children with obesity. In order to better control this epidemic we must raise awareness around issues related to childhood obesity. Predisposing factors and sedentary lifestyles play an important role in the rising incidence rates of childhood obesity. However, one cannot attribute this rise solely to either one of these contributing factors. Problem Statement America has always been known for the sedentary lifestyles of its overweight citizens. Despite hundreds of advertised diets and work out programs, America is still leading the nation in the number of people who are obese (Obesity Statistics, 2010). Why would one want to eat healthy when its less expensive to eat unhealthy, and so easy to skip workouts? Technological advances have caused Americans to embrace a lifestyle that nurtures obesity. Children no longer play outside, they now spend hours watching TV and playing video games. Background Daily participation in school physical education among adolescents dropped 14 percentage points over the last 13 years from 42% in 1991 to 28% in 2003.26 In addition, less than one-third (28%) of high school students meet currently recommended levels of physical activity (Contributing Factors , 2009). About a quarter of children in the U.S. are overweight and approximately 1/10 are obese (Akhtar-Danesh, Dehghan, Merchant, 2005). Research done regarding twins reveals that genetic factors can contribute to obesity (Bouchard Loos, 2003). Obesity in adults can lead to major medical issues that can increase morbidity.. Childhood obesity has a strong linkage to adult obesity. (Speiser et. al, 2005) Framework The theoretical approach for this paper was based on the Health Belief Model. The Health Belief Model states that people have to be inspired in order to alter their behaviors (National Cancer Institute , 2005). In order to decrease the number of obese children in America, children must be motivated to change their behaviors. These include behaviors that put them at risk for obesity. They must feel inspired to lose weight by altering their lifestyle and incorporating more physical activity into their daily agenda. So that we can decrease the number of obese children in America, we must recognize the impact of the disease on our children and the future of America. Only then, will we be motivated to change and able to encourage our children to change. Literature Review The Obesity Epidemic and United States Students This article gives important and astronomical facts about the obesity epidemic in the United States. Among high school students, in 2009, after a Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was able to reveal several unhealthy dietary behaviors and a lack of physical activity. It was rather disturbing. The survey revealed that high school students, during the seven days before the survey, indulged in carbonated beverages and ate less fruits and vegetables. During the seven days before the survey, there was also a limited amount of 100% fruit juices drank and/or fruit eaten. Prior to the seven days before the survey, some of the high school students didnt participate in, at least, sixty minutes of physical activity on any given day. Physical education classes were not attended either. The focus, it appeared, was more on watching television and utilizing computers. The CDC offered, what would be assumed by most adults, reasonable solutions. It was suggested that the students be placed in healthier educational environments, receive better health education, and more physical activity programs. Along with what the CDC revealed about the survey, The School Health Policies and Programs Study in 2006 indicated that more students were able to purchase sodas or fruit drinks and less 100% fruit juices. However, nutrition services did offer more vegetables and gave the high school students the option to choose between different fruits. The choice was offered, in some schools, for students to participate in intramural activities or physical activity clubs. (The Obesity Epidemic and United States Students, 2010) Obesity Prevalence among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children United States, 19982008 This article reports the results of a study done regarding the presence of obesity and racial/ethnic disparities in pre-school aged children. The study looked closely at the racial/ethnic differences and early-life risk factors for childhood obesity. During this study, a total of 1343 white, 355 black, and 128 Hispanic mother-child pairs were studied (Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children United States, 19982008, 2009). The major findings were risk factors that started prenatally up to 4 years of age. The results of the study revealed that black and Hispanic children displayed a number of risk factors related to childhood obesity. Some of those risk factors included increased rates of depression and rapid weight gain. It was also presumed that black and Hispanic mothers introduced solid foods to their infants prior to the appropriate months of age. As the children reached two years old, they were introduced to more sugar-sweetened beverages. Fast food appeared to be the first choice of foods. In conclusion, the study did in fact; show significant differences in risk factors for obesity in black and Hispanic children. It was discovered the risk factors for obesity are present prenatally as well as throughout childhood. Facts for Families Obesity in Children and Teens This article was very informative. It opens up with a shocking fact and number; unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year (Obesity in Children and Teens, 2008) I discovered that obesity is more than just a pound or more of extra weight. Based on this article, obesity in children normally begins in early childhood ages. If the child continues to display no change in obesity before or during pre-teen years, then he or she is more than likely to become an obese adult. The article gives several possible causes of obesity relating to instances such as; lack of exercise, family and peer problems, low self esteem, depression or other emotional problems, and overeating or binging (Obesity in Children and Teens, 2008). When dealing with obesity, if the parent(s) and children are not careful, there are a number of consequences including: trouble sleeping, mental, physical, and emotional. The author explains how obesity can be managed and treated in children and adolescents. However, the author also expresses how its easy for the child and/or adolescent to gain the weight back. It is important that old habits of eating and exercising not resurface. The author states, An obese adolescent must therefore learn to eat and enjoy healthy food in moderate amount and to exercise regularly to maintain the desired weight (Obesity in Children and Teens, 2008). Weighing the Risk Factors The writer displayed a picture of a handsome toddler with obvious weight issues. The child appeared to be happy but after reading the article, I discovered that this child is at very high risk of remaining obese through his adolescence years and into adulthood. It is suggested that efforts to prevent childhood obesity should begin far earlier than currently thought-perhaps even before birth (Burton, 2010). Obesity is affecting more minority children than white children. Beginning at infancy and even pregnancy, studies were revealed and proved that minority children are at a higher risk for obesity. The author points out that socioeconomic status may be a possible risk factor. There have been theories provided that state limited access to health care, poverty, and low educational levels are contributing factors for obesity in minority children. The writers suggest, The risk factors stem from behaviors and habits passed from generation to generation or that may be culturally embedded (Burton, 2010) The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity This article summarizes findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics findings on the role of the media in childhood obesity. Data reported from CDC dating back to 1980 indicates that the number of obese children ages 6-11 has increased by twice as much. This data also indicates that the number of adolescent youth has increased by 3 times as much (The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity, 2004) The American Academy of Pediatrics states, The increase on childhood obesity represents an unprecedented burden on childrens health. (The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity, 2004) This article also explains the importance of relevant policy recommendations for change. The following policy recommendations were listed: reduction in commercials for food that are aimed at children, increase education campaigns and encourage healthy eating and more exercise, incorporate more communications regarding healthy eating to television episodes, and encourage interventions that decrease the amount of time children access media, The article states many contributing factors to the increased numbers of overweight children. The article lists these factors as, reduction in physical education classes and after school athletic programs, an increase in the availability of sodas and snacks in public schools, the growth in the number of fast-food outlets across the country, the trend toward super sizing food portions, and the increasing number of highly processed high-calorie and high-fat grocery products. (The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity, 2004). The article lists food advertisements as the number one factor that media contributes to childhood obesity. The article states that the number of TV commercials has increased by 2 times as much in the last 40 years. New Data Analysis Shows Possible Link between Childhood Obesity and Allergies This article expresses a new indicator that may reduce childhood obesity. A study published in an issue of the Journal of Allergy Clinical Immunology states , that obese children and adolescents are at increased risk of having some kind of allergy, especially to a food (New Data Analysis Shows Possible Link between Childhood Obesity and Allergies , 2009) It is said to be some sort of connection between asthma and allergies in obese children and adolescents. This study was supported and led by the NEIS and NHANES. The researchers analyzed data from more than four- thousand children. They looked at and compared allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) or antibody levels to a large panel of indoor, outdoor and food allergens, body weight, and responses to a questionnaire about diagnoses of hay fever, eczema, and allergies. Obesity was defined as being in the 95th percentile of the body mass index for childs age. The researchers found the IgE levels were higher among children who were obese or overweight. Obese children were about 26 percent more likely to have allergies than children of normal weight (New Data Analysis Shows Possible Link between Childhood Obesity and Allergies , 2009). There are more studies expected to take place on this and there will continue to be a need to try and determine how environmental factors affect the epidemic of child and adolescent obesity. Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children United States, 1998-2008 This article gives details of the affects of low-income and minority obese children. There is data presented by the CDCs Pediatric Nutrition Survelliance System (PedNSS). The CDC examined trends and discovered that obesity prevalence among low-income, preschool-aged children increased steadily from 12.4% in 1998 to 14.5% in 2003, but subsequently remained essentially the same, with a 14.6% prevalence in 2008 (Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children United States, 19982008, 2009). It is suggested that there should be strategic planning of an effective intervention that will focus on environments and policies that promote physical activity and a healthy diet for families, child care centers, and communities. There were several additional studies mentioned and all concluding the same necessary strategic planning to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity. Overweight in Early Childhood Increases Chances for Obesity at Age 12 The article is conveying the same message about childhood obesity that many researchers focusing on this epidemic continue to convey. Children who are overweight as toddlers, infants, or preschoolers are more likely to be obese or overweight as an adolescence. However in this article, gives brief descriptions of recent analysis that focus more on frequent intervals of data collected on children from the age of two through the age of twelve years of age. This analysis was also done over an extended period of time. The analysis revealed that overweight children in early childhood increases chances for obesity at age 12. (Overweight in Early Childhood Increases Chances for Obesity at Age 12, 2006) Hypothesis Topic: Is the rise in Childhood Obesity a result of a sedentary lifestyle or due to pre-disposing factors? Research shows that rising number of obese children cannot be attributed solely to sedentary lifestyle or to predisposing factors. The research sites a number of factors that attribute to the childhood obesity epidemic. Careful examination of the lifestyle factors and predisposing factor for obesity of todays youth is essential in finding a way to decrease these rates. Policy Recommendations The following recommendations may be helpful in addressing childhood obesity in the United States: Policies addressing childhood obesity must take into consideration the many different factors that contribute to this epidemic. Policy makers must be aware of the predisposing factors that may contribute to the disease. It is imperative that parents who show risk factors of having obese children receive an intervention while the child is still young. Programs designed to deal with childhood obesity must look at the lifestyle of the child and the parent, genetic factors, and economic status. Healthy foods are often more expensive that unhealthy foods. We must find ways to make healthy foods available and affordable for our children. Careful consideration must be taken in dealing with children who may be obese due to genetic factors. Policy makers must be aware of the affects of the media on obesity. There has to be some control placed on advertisement for unhealthy snacks and meals that are geared towards young children. The media should be encouraged to have more positive roles for characters that do not fit in the ideal weight category. The media can also use celebrities and musicians to positively promote healthy foods and a healthy lifestyle. The most important recommendation is that policy makers are aware that proper planning and implementation of programs nation -wide will be needed to decrease the number s of children with obesity. This will take time. This will also take a joint effort from parents, churches, state and federal governments, and community advocates. We must make this a priority in order to insure the health of our nation in the future. Working citizens should be aware of the possible financial burden that this disease could end up being if we do not address it in the near future. Health care costs are rising on a daily basis. We must ensure that we are financially able to handle this epidemic in the future. If prevention programs are not put in place, todays obese youth will be tomorrows obese adults. These obese adults of the future may possibly give birth to obese children. We must stop this endless cycle and control this epidemic for our children.

America - Argumentitive Essay :: essays research papers

Argumentative Essay â€Å"That Australia Should Resist American Influence† - Against For over 50 years now, the United States of America have been a source of inspiration for the people of our great nation. We watch their TV shows, listen to their music, eat their food, and this is all before we leave for work in the morning! Like it or not, America has had a positive influence on Australia, and their is no reasonable explanation to support an abandonment of it. Sure, people may choose to argue that Australia is a country that can stand on it’s own two feet and make it’s way up the world’s political, social and economic scale on it’s own, that is a childish fantasy. To resist American influence is in no way possible or even feasible. We have an extremely high import rate from America. Where would we be without our weekly dose of ‘Friends’ or ‘Chicago Hope’? What childhood wouldn’t be complete without memories of Coca-Cola and bubble gum? It is not just the petty things we ferry in that we can thank America for. Where would our small business community be if it weren’t for American franchises such as ‘Dominoes’ and ‘Baskin Robbins’? Where would out large businesses be without the aid of computer technology, which was so kindly invented by Mr. Bill Gates? If we stand back for a moment and take a long hard look at the things we make use of every day, wouldn’t it be fair to say that at least 80% of them have American foundations? To give these up at the drop of a hat, so we can demonstrate our originality is ludicrous. We would have the world laughing in our faces, due to our naivetà ©. It is a nice thought to be completely independent, but the re is no chance of it happening in the near future. But, for arguments sake, let’s just say we did, where would we be? Australia has had moments of brilliance, but on a whole, we are fairly quiet folk. When we have had the pleasure of being the center of attention, it is usually because we have made some fangle-dangle movie that takes the mickey out of ourselves.

Innocence Lost by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay -- Nathaniel Hawthorne Inn

Innocence Lost by Nathaniel Hawthorne My Kinsman, Major Molineux and Young Goodman Brown present Nathaniel Hawthorne’s belief in the universality of sin. These works provide numerous perspectives into the nature of the human condition and the individual’s role within it. Hawthorne fictionalizes a world where communion with man is essential for spiritual satisfaction. The main characters of these stories face moral dilemmas through their pursuit of human communion. Whether the problems are moral, psychological, or both, Hawthorne insists that the individual must come to affirm a tie with the procession of life, must come to achieve some sense of brotherhood of man. In order to commune with mankind, one has to give up a secure, ordered and innocent world. The individual becomes liable to a fearsome array of complex emotions. One feels alienated by a community that forces himself to corruption while his isolation creates an ambiguity. The newly initiated into the rites of man appears no more moral than th ose who he disdains. Hawthorne presents a world where communion with mankind leads to corruption while isolation from humans is an unpardonable sin. Nathaniel Hawthorne presents an interesting predicament in man's search for communion with his fellow man. Coming of age in Hawthorne's time requires an affirmation of sin, communion with sinners and celebration of life through sin. Hawthorne creates this environment by grounding the consequences on earth. To feel the universal throb of brotherhood, one must recognize sin, participate in and celebrate it. Hawthorne affirms, recognizes and revels in the depravity of the human condition. The first fatal step of understanding human nature is a self-conscious probing that ends in confusion. The story of My Kinsmen, Major Molineux presents the youthful character of Robin on his way from the country to the town of Boston. He wishes to succeed within the community, and figures that it will not be difficult because of his connection through Major Molineux, a prominent figure of the community. Hawthorne erodes innocence slowly through the harsh experience of urban realities. Robin’s initial contact with the residents of this community jostles his confidence. He does not yet understand the harshness of adults and happily continues on his way. But Hawthorne underscores the cost of his yearning. Robin has t... ... later. Camus insists Sisyphus is happy or there is no joy or redemption for life on earth. The profundity of Hawthorne is apparent in his notions of the human condition. Nathaniel Hawthorne concludes his discovery of sin in the human condition at the point of universal appeal. The key for Hawthorne’s understanding of the human condition is the recognition of the universality of sin. So take this work for its imperfections, instead of tormenting these ideas with the harsh meter stick of faithless standards. Nathaniel Hawthorne believes that understanding man is understanding its moral condition of imperfection. Works Cited: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Ethan Brand†. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Tales. Ed. James McIntosh. Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton, 1987. 231-244. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineux†. Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994. 1173-1186. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994. 1198-1207. Stubbs, John C. The Pursuit of Form: a study of Hawthorne and the romance. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1970.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown Essay -- Angels and Demons Dan Brown Es

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown Title of the book: Angels and Demons Author: Dan Brown Year original book was published: 2000 Four words to describe the author: Cosmopolitan, Witty, Articulate, Sophisticated Characters in the book: The Hassassin: Strong, Merciless Commander Olivetti: Disciplined, Stubborn The Camerlengo/Janus: Deceitful, Powerful Cardinal Mortati: Fortunate, Patient Robert Langdon: Clever, Cautious Leonardo Vetra: Humanitarian, Loving Victoria Vetra: Gorgeous, Dangerous Maximilian Kohler: Cold, Ruthless Setting of the book: This novel takes place during present times, but has several historical facts dating back several hundred years. The setting takes place from Harvard University in Massachusettes to Rome, Italy where Vatican City is located. The story takes place from underground tunnel systems and secret society dungeons and lairs, to the inside of famous architectual feats such as the Vatican Archives. Was the setting very important or not so important to the events of the story? Yes, the setting was absolutely crucial for this novels plot and storyline. With the entire story devoted to the Catholicism and its root of power, Vatican City had to be the setting for this exciting novel. Without Vatican City and Rome in our story, the most critical details would have been forgotten. Without factual settings and places to help build and construct the thrilling and action packed scenes, the reader would have difficulty following along with this fast pace trek. What is the main conflict in the book? There were three major conflicts in this novel, all of equal importance to the stories plot. With the Anti-Matter device threatening to blow up Vatican City and half of Rome, the Illuminati Hassassin kidnapping cardinals, leaving them for dead on the eve of â€Å"conclave,† and trying to keep everything from the public gives this book mulitiple conflicts. How was this conflict resolved? The conflict is resolved when Robert and Victoria are no longer able to save anymore Cardinals lives, but follow the suspected Hassassin. When they reach him, Victoria is captured and Commander Olivetti is murdered. When Robert follows the Hassassin and frees Victoria, killing the Hassassin in the process, they return to Vatican City and the Camerlengo. With the Camerlengo’s help, they are are able to locate the Anti-Matter device and... ...d eye, has now gone missing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vittoria and Robert travel to the Vatican in an attempt to help find the canister (before it†¦explodes!) and bring all things dark into the illumination, so-to-speak. They get to The Vatican just in the nick of time- it is about to be closed since the papal election is about to start- but they do get in. The horror of it is-should the anti-matter canister explode, the entire upper echelon of the Catholic Church would be wiped out in an instant. Brown’s conjecture here is that so would a lot of the wealth of the Catholic Church, because all those rumored â€Å"treasures of the Vatican† would be vaporized in the fireball. And then, with the deaths of a lot of Catholic Church leaders gathered in Europe, and the erasure of a lot of the Catholic Church’s money, it would he only a matter of hours before the church would all fall apart like a big house of cards, and then, presumably, would all the Protestant and Independent churches all come tum bling down, and Christianity would Be No More. Meanwhile, back at the Rancho-de-Vaticano, helped by the Swiss Guard, Robert and Vittoria do their best to solve the riddles and right the wrongs†¦before it is too late.

Visual Basic for Applications and Staff Members

EX. NO:1 CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 1. PROBLEM STATEMENT: This project deals with the conference management system . As a students or staff members are required to view the details of conference is going to conduct in various colleges or institutions and to attend the conference to gain knowledge from the conferences . Administrator will add the details about the various conferences available to attend for various department students and staff members. User will enter into the system by giving the username and password and selection form will be displayed for the user from that department should be selected and depending up on the department the conference management system will show the details of the conferences in various place using Ms Access and Visual basic 6. 0. 2. OVERALL DESCRIPTION: 1. Login Form: Authenticate the user and administrator. 2. Department Selection Form: This form will give the options for selecting the department to get knowledge about the conference. 3. Conference view Form: This form contains the details about the conferences is conducting by various institutions and we can see the date and time for the conference. 4. Database Form: The details about the conferences going to conduct by various institutions. Administrator can add the details about the conference for the students and also for the staff members. 2. SOFTWARE REQURIEMENTS: 1. Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0 2. Rational Rose 3. Microsoft Access. 2. 2 HARDWARE REQURIMENTS: 1. 128MB RAM 2. Pentium III Processor 3. STRUCTURE OF DATABASE: Create a table â€Å"conf† using Microsoft access with the following attributes: S. NOFIELDTYPESIZE 1. dname varchar 20 2. conferdet varchar 40 3. collname varchar 20 4. date Text 10 5. time Text 05

Hr Portfolio Essay

1.0 Research SynopsisIn the catamenia era people atomic number 18 considered the approximately fundamental asset to an boldness. In instantlys highly competitive economy, placing the serious people in the regenerate side of meat at the right snip is very(prenominal) critical for the mastery of any presidential term. craft abbreviation is the proveation for every physical exercise conclusion made in an musical arrangement. man resource maestros and consultants mapping product line verbal explanations and duty analyses as basic building blocks for legion(predicate) an(prenominal) homosexual resource functions, including recruitment and hiring, surgical action military ratings, and net ranges (Levine, Sistrunk, McNutt, & Gael, 1988). billet interpretations and soulfulnessal credit line analyses argon essential to logical argumentes. They help to ensure that the sic people argon employ for the handicraft (Brannick, Levine, & Morgeson, 2007). Theref ore, it is important to see to it that business concern translations and s ensure analyses argon through and through with(p) properly and argon thorough because the accuracy of these tools bequeath in turn affect the character of more HR functions (Fleishman & Mumford, 1991).Because melodic phrase definitions and hypothesise analyses are so important to HR functions, evaluating the calibre of these two tools and how surface they fit in concert is important. occupation descriptions are meant to be essential from communication channel summary data (Brannick et al., 2007). It is as closely vital an HR animal trainer focussinges on aligning HR activities with the organizations strategic goals as an organizational twist is substantial through with(predicate) the HR intend handle by the identification of put d avers to be staffed to funding implementation of the organizations strategy. This field of battle illustrates the importance of shell outing an accurat e line of merchandise abridgment, the importance of it and a theorize description, the kinship in the midst of the two, and how it affects every last(predicate) new(prenominal)wise HR functions in an organization.2.0 short letter summary consort to (Dessler, G. 2009) romp synopsis is the plow of identifying the ancestrys, responsibilities and scene of a billet and the intimacy, skills and abilities involve to manage them. It is a systematic exploration study. It is the procedure through which the duties of these baffles and the characteristics of the people who should be hired for them are determined. The learning collected through the seam compendium attend to is utilize to support the full range of HR activities. It involves determining the relative importance of the duties, responsibilities, physical, randy skills and so on for a given argument which then determine what the blood demands and the preconditions an employee must(prenominal) hurl t o carry through a put-on productively. This is then utilise for developing commercial enterprise descriptions and business specialations.2.1 Importance of origin abstract jibe to (Dessler, G. 2009) an organization grammatical construction is developed through the HR proviso process by the identification of baffles to be staffed to support implementation of the organizations strategy. From this plan, the companionship, skills and attitudes that employees go forth require to enable the organization to achieve its objectives washbasin be identified. cable analyses are essential to HR because they are the instrument for the maturation of tot ally(a) HR functions (Bowen, 2003 Brannick et al., 2007).A labor abstract send away reply as the basis for many HR functions. These HR functions include line descriptions, billet classifications, blood line valuation, effect appraisal and upbringing, and theorise specifications (Ash, 1988 Ash & Levine, 1980 Brannick et al., 2007 Levine et al., 1988). The details dupeed though a chew over abbreviation beneathtake an important usance in autocratic the popput of a contrast. The main function of this whole process is to create and construct a perfect fit between the employee and the farm out. business concern digest likewise helps in the decision making of requital, perks and incentives for a detail blood position. It in any case helps in evaluating the surgical process and discipline needs of existing employees. This process is the basis of achieving organizational goals and objectives.2.2 Steps in stemma abridgmentAccording to (Dessler, G. 2009) the blood line synopsis process involves 6 move Step 1 Decide how youll use the acquaintance, since this posture out determine the data you collect and how you collect them. Some data exhibition techniques such as oppugning the employee and admiting what the line of work entails, are good for writing chisel descriptions a nd selecting employees for the caper.Step 2 Review pertinent background information such as organization maps, process charts and put-on descriptions. government charts show the organization wide fragment of stool, how the job in question relates to other jobs, and where the job fits in the overall organization. The chart should show the title of individually position and, by means of interconnecting lines, who reports to whom and with whom the job incumbent communicates. A process chart provides a much luxuriant picture of the acidify hunt. In its simplest form a process chart raft show the flow of inputs to and outputs from the job you are analyzing. Step 3 Select translator positions.There whitethorn be too many akin(predicate) jobs to analyze them all. In such a case use a representative sample. Step 4 Actually analyze the job, by collecting data on job activities, required employee ways, functional conditions, and clement traits and abilities un reducea ble to perform the job. Step 5 Verify the job compendium information with the springer do the job and with his or her immediate supervisor. This will help sustain that the information is factually correct and complete. This examine stinkpot similarly help create the employees acceptance of the job analysis data and conclusions, by giving that person a chance to surveil and substitute your description of job activities. Step 6 Develop job description and job specification. These are two tangible products of the job analysis.2.3 Components of affair abbreviation production line compend cable Analysis business enterprise comment and Job SpecificationJob comment and Job SpecificationRecruitment, selection and knowledgeablenessRecruitment, selection and inductionJob evaluation wage and salary decisions (remuneration)Job evaluation wage and salary decisions (remuneration) dressing and tuition indispens skillsTraining and development requirementsHRP and career developme ntHRP and career development surgical procedure perspicacity and reviewPerformance assessment and reviewJob function, naming of all duties and wellnessy complianceJob design, assignment of all duties and legal compliance(Dessler, G. 2009)2.4 Uses of Job Analysis Information(Dessler, G. 2009) states that these are the uses of job analysis information. * Recruitment and selection Job analysis provides information to the highest degree what the job entails and what characteristics are required to carry out these activities. such job specification and job description information is used to decide on the sort of people to recruit, hire, to guide audience questions and choose suitable tests to select the opera hat person for the job.* Induction When a spic-and-span person joins an organization he will need to be conscious of its history, true operations, policies and procedures to be followed, leave requests, pay matters, health and safety etc. A job description will provide t he infallible information for the HR heed to design induction programs tailored for the need of all(prenominal) new employee.* Job design and productivity, job satisfaction and legal compliance Job analysis and careful consideration of the management in which the projections to be performed are pose into jobs can provide challenging and congenial jobs for employees enchantment improving efficiency and productivity. victimization the information ga in that locationd on carrying out ideals and human requirements to influence the design of job assists compliance with law in similitude to employment.* Performance assessment and review Job analysis information enables exertion samples to be conventional and agreed. When clear carrying into action standards are set, rewards may be more advantageously linked to the proceeding and training provided to specifically address any discrepancies in performance. Performance review compares employees actual performance with perfor mance standards established using job analysis data.* Remuneration Job analysis is also essential for estimating the value of each job and bewitch remuneration for it. This is so because sum up remuneration usually depends on the jobs required skill and culture take aims, safety hazards, degree of responsibility and so on all factors that are established though job analysis.* Training and cultivation Job analysis is also used for designing training and development programs because the analysis and resulting job description show the skills and knowledge and on that pointfore training and development that is required. If performance standards are non macrocosm met, and this is build to be due to the employees deficiency of skill or knowledge, programs can be designed to lift performance to the required level.* Human preference Planning and biography culture The organizational structure provided by the HR plan reveals the scope for employee cause within an organizat ion. Employee development can be provided to ensure that skills, knowledge, qualifications and attitudes required for the future situation are gained in preparation for promotional material or transfer. This contri exceptes to human resource prep in general and to succession planning in feature.3.0 Job commentaryAccording to (Dessler, G. 2009) a job description describes the job in terms of the tasks to be performed, equipment used, conditions on a lower floor which the work is to be carried out and the standard to which tasks are to be performed. It is a compose statement of what the job-holder actually does, how he or she does it, and under what conditions the job is performed. This information is in turn used to write a job specification thats refers the knowledge, abilities and skills needed to perform the job satisfactorily.3.1 Components of a Job DescriptionThere is no standard format for a job description, unless according to (Dessler, G. 2009) just about descripti ons contain shares on* Job identification This contains several fictitious characters of information including the job title, the job code etc.* Job summary This describes the general record of the job, proclivitying just its major functions or activities.* Relationships, responsibilities and duties This section presents a detailed list of the jobs actual responsibilities and duties and the alliance the employee shares with subordinates, superiors and those below him/ her.* Authority of incumbent This section defines the limits of the job-holders authority, including decision making authority, calculate supervision of other personnel and computeary limits.* Standards of performance This states the standards the employee is expected to achieve in each of the job descriptions main duties and responsibilities.* playing conditions The job description section will also list the general functional conditions mired on the job. These might include factors such as noise leve l, hazardous conditions etc.* Job specifications This describes the type of person that would be crush suited to the job, and the skills, knowledge, attitudes, sense and qualifications they would need to do the job. 3.2 The Uses of a Job DescriptionThe uses of a job description are essentially similar to those of a job analysis. just these are a few native areas in which a job description is used for* Performance management It can be used to set mensural performance goals based on tasks, duties and responsibilities verbalise in the job description, and then train employees to achieve these goals efficaciously.* Training and employee development A job description can be used to decide on attainable job promotions as incentives for workers to improve their performance and career development activities.* Compensation Job descriptions can be helpful in developing a standardized compensation for each position.* Recognition and rewards Job descriptions can be used as a servi ce line for performance and as a tool to encourage employee performance.* Discipline A job description can be used to illustrate that an employee isnt adequately performing his/her duties and responsibilities. (Massad, 2005)3.3 Relationship between Job Analysis and Job DescriptionA job description is a general overview of what the job analysis found. According to Brannick et al. (2007), a functional job analysis can be used to generate the task and duties statements. Any work-oriented job analysis allows the psychoanalyst to discern the most important duties and tasks out of the job analysis to put into a job description. The job analysis allows raters to wander things like the goals of the job as well as the duties and tasks. When developing the job description, only the most important and most shit of these duties, tasks, and goals are selected, allowing it to be an abbreviated meter reading of what is found in the job analysis.4.0 Job Analysis discourse4.1 Job Analysis syst emsAccording to the ( centering Study Guide, 2008) , the most common land methods of Job Analysis * Observation mode A job analyst observes an employee and records all his performed and non-performed task, ful change and un-fulfilled responsibilities and duties, methods, ways and skills used by him or her to perform various duties and his or her mental or emotional powerfulness to handle challenges and risks. This percenticular method includes tierce techniques prepare observation, Work Methods Analysis and searing Incident Technique. The first method includes direct observation and recording of behavior of an employee in different situations. The second involves the study of time and motion and is specially used for assembly-line or factory workers. The third one is almost identifying the work behaviors that result in performance.* Interview Method In this method, an employee is referenceed so that he or she comes up with their own working styles, problems faced by them, use of circumstance skills and techniques while performing their job and insecurities and fears virtually their careers. This method helps interviewer know what exactly an employee entails slightly his or her own job and responsibilities involved in it. It involves analysis of job by employee himself. In social club to generate respectable and true feedback or collect literal data, questions asked during the interview should be carefully decided. And to avoid errors, it is always good to interview more than one individual to get a pool of responses. Then it can be generalized and used for the whole group.* Questionnaire Method Another commonly used job analysis method is getting the questionnaires filled from employees, their superiors and managers. further, this method also suffers from personal biasness. A great care should be takes while framing questions for different grades of employees. In order to get the true job-related info, management should effectively communicate it to the staff that data hoard will be used for their own good. It is very important to ensure them that it wont be used against them in anyway. If it is not do properly, it will be a sheer wastage of time, money and human resources.Below is the constructed questionnaire prepared for look for requirement.4.2 Job Analysis QuestionnaireThe purpose of a creating a job analysis questionnaire is to gather information about a position in an organization, its duties, responsibilities, experience, qualifications etc. required for the vacant position. The responses collect accurately represent the way the position currently functions. This, then leads to the development of a job description. Name ____________________________Job ennoble __________________________Company _________________________Location __________________________Department ________________________Job status __________________________Hours worked _________ AM to _________ PM account to ________________________* Can you brief me about yourself?* numeral of organizations you worked for forward and position/s held? * How long have a bun in the oven you been working as an HR manager in the present organization? * What is the field you alter in within the HR department? * Number of employees and the levels you directly supervise at present? * Number of employees and the levels you are indirectly responsible for in the organizations? * What do you appreciate your strengths and weaknesses* What is your job role as a HR Manager?* Are in that respect any activities you perform that do not come within your job specification? If yes, explain.* What records and reports you prepare as a part of your job?* Do you have exemption to make decisions related toRecruitment health and SafetySelectionIndustrial RelationsPerformance Evaluation separateTraining* Explain the uttermost of freedom you have in these areas.* Can you specify the disclose responsibilities as an HR manager in this organization?* Can yo u brief me about the day to day tasks and duties allocated as an HR manager? * According to your point of view, what do you conceive of are the most important skills that you need to possess in performing your job more practically, professionally and efficiently? * Describe the personality of an effective HR manager to suit the current era.* What work experience and qualifications are required for an HR manager?* What is the minimum training / qualifications requirement for this job? Basic school education bachelor-at-armss peak High School DiplomaMasters Degree College/ associates DegreeDoctorate Degree * What is your perception about how this job fits in with the other jobs in the organization?* shortly explain the establishment of the company and the working environment in your department.* Have you done any tangible changes or specific improvements you have implemented to enhance the quality of HR functions in your company? If so, what?* Is there any particular HR performan ce that you desire to implement scarcely have not been able to do for a certain reason?* What are the somewhat of the challenges you face as an HR manager? How do you overcome some of these challenges?* What type of relationship have you built with the employees of the organization?* Do you deal with Trade Unions?* If so, what is the extent of pressure from them and how do you deal with them?* In comparison to other competing companies how do you think your company compares in terms of salary and rewards? * Do you experience any try?Not at allSomewhatVery High * If your tenor level is high, how do you handle the pains and pressure you face from the employees?* What are the jobs physical demands?* What are the health and safety conditions?* Apart from your salary what benefits and opport building blockies do you receive as an HR manager?* What is your personal view about the training programs implemented and conducted in your company and what is your tribute for improvement if any?* What are your goals or plans to develop your department?* What is the experience and advice you can share for those following HR management? * What is the most enjoyable part of your work? Which HR activities are most delightful to perform? * What are your personal goals?(Refer vermiform appendix for the completed questionnaire)5.0 Developing a Job DescriptionAccording to the details collected through the interview conducted and information gathered through the developed questionnaire, this is the prepared job description for the position of pass of sort out Capabilities at Brandix.Position Title transfer of conclave CapabilitiesDepartment merged HRWorking Hours 8.30am to 5.30pmReports to Chief Peoples Officer (CPO) earnings 200,000 250,000Position StatementThe Head of Group Capabilities is responsible for directing and evaluating the implementation of all the activities that come under the Learning and Development function, liaising with business partners for learni ng solutions, accord business problems in order to provide appropriate training solutions and leading, coaching and mentoring his/ her police squad to perform the companys annual goals. mainstay Accountabilities* Formulating Leaning and Development strategies and policies * Sourcing for strategic alliance for solutions* Formulating Training and Development plans based on Training Need Analysis Other Responsibilities* Training Need Analysis to be done through discussion with strategic business organisation Unit leaders (chief operating officer, sr. Director, HR Heads, Head of Departments) * Address knowledge gaps through the performance and preparing the employees for leadership roles and the organization for growth * Prepare monthly dashboards (includes training man days, training programs delivered, training budget utilization, dropouts etc.) * Prepare employee engagement dashboards (includes number of engagements of the CEO and senior management with executives) The candidate hired has the authority to make decisions regarding recruitment, selection and prise the performance for the employees in his/ her department. He/ she will be directly accountable for the squad of four under them and indirectly accountable for the executive cadre (which includes entry level executives to the board of directors) and assisting the staff category of employees which consists of 2,000 associates. magnetic core Competencies* Leadership skills* Good Communication and negotiation skills* Strategic idea* Critical Thinking* Approachable and friendly* Good decision maker* Ability to work under pressure* Ability to motivate team members* Integrity* Ability to work with teams* act* Good listener* AdaptableJob Specification* Professional HR qualifications* A relevant bachelor degree or higher qualification* At least 8 years managerial experience in HR management6.0 ReflectionsAs a student following the Bachelor of Business at Australian College of Business and Technology (AC BT) it is part of our course structure that we take Human choice Management as a subject. In this unit it is an absolute requirement for us to conduct a job analysis interview and prepare a job description as an assignment. As a attainable HR professional to be in the future, I took this as a challenge to develop a comprehensive HR related assignment to help me in the future. The first was to conduct a job interview analysis. There are many methods to conduct one, through observation, interviews, questionnaires etc. However due to time limitations, my main focus was on the interview and questionnaire method. The first task I had to do was prepare a list of questions that I was acquittance to ask the HR manager I was going to interview. The task proved to be instead challenging as I had neer prepared a questionnaire of this nature before. Choosing the right questions to gather the relevant data was the most difficult. However with the help and guidance from my reader I was able to design a decent questionnaire.It consisted of a few dual choice questions but mostly candid ended questions. It was time consuming and at times frustrating but was a great learning opportunity nonetheless. I then made an appointment with the Head of Group Capabilities at Brandix Lanka, through a contact I have, for a job analysis interview. I was nervous at first, having never interviewed someone before but she was very pleasant and put me at ease immediately. She was also very pleasing and answered all my questions to detail and further gave me brain wave to the general HR practices and procedures at Brandix Lanka. initially when I had to start on this assignment I wasnt fully aware of the importance of a Job Analysis. I was confused. However after a detailed discussion with the Head of Group Capabilities and being given full insight into how giving a role Job Analysis plays into the role of all other activities in her organization, I am now enlightened. This also gave me the opportunity to understand the job analysis process. After gathering the data from the job analysis interview my next task was to prepare a job description.This wasnt as difficult to prepare as I thought it would be, as I had gathered the relevant data obligatory for it through the interview. Having being briefed about the tasks, duties, and matters concerning their Corporate HR department, this provided me with a better understanding to structure the job description well. I took the answers I was given as well and was able to compile a meet job description. It took a few hours but in the end the result was satisfactory. A Job description and job analysis are used every day in organizations, and while research provides guidelines for what should be included in each of these and how each should be constructed (Brannick et al., 2007 Cascio, 1998), this is not necessarily what is done in practice. This study found that a typical job description for Brandix contains the components recommended by Dessler, G. (2009). Those components include Title, location, summary, duties and tasks, etc. Through the interview conducted I could come to the conclusion that there werent significant differences between the job description and the job analysis.I found that the HR professional in accusation of conducting the job analysis was thorough in including everything about the job in the job description. There were no gaps to be seen. This indicates that the HR department allows no gaps for mistakes and runs their practices effectively and efficiently. The findings of this research are important because job analyses and job descriptions play such an important role in HR functions. They serve as the foundation for activities such as performance evaluation, recruitment and hiring, and salary determinations (Levine et al., 1988). It is important to get a better understanding of what influences the job analysis process and look at where differences are in the job descriptions a nd job analyses On completion of this assignment I realized it has helped me achieve a professional knowledge on the major role Job Analysis plays in all HR functions in an organization including, HR planning, Job description, job specification, employee recruitment, employee selection, performance appraisal, HR development, training and development, rewards and remuneration etc.moreover I think it has better my cogency to communicate more effectively than before which is part of the learning outcome of this study, and be a professional in doing so, and it has improved my ability to generate ideas. I think this experience, interviewing a person in an dictatorial position, has made me more confident in my communication skills and my understanding about the general HR practices in an organization. In last(a) my reflection I would say that this study has shown me that job analysis in an organization is the primary task that sets a baseline enabling HR professionals to manage other j ob related activities effectively.The study also demonstrates the need for careful consideration on part of aligning the job description with the job analysis. The information collected by conducting job analysis plays an important role in controlling the output of the particular job which ultimately leads to the overall success of an organization. Employees are key to the success of an organization. hence hiring the right person with the right skills, knowledge and attitude is vital. This can only be done through developing a suitable job description through conducting a thorough, accurate and effective job analysis.7.0 References* Bowen, C. C. (2003). A case study of job analysis. diary of Psychological Practice, 8, 46-55.* Brannick, M. T., Levine, E. L., & Morgeson, F. P. (2007). Job and Work Analysis Methods, Research and Applications for Human choice Management. Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publication. * Ash, R. A. (1988). Job analysis in the world of work. In S. Gael (Ed.), The Job Analysis Handbook for Business, perseverance and Government, I, 3-13 * Ash, R. A., & Levine, E. L. (1980). A framework for evaluating job analysis methods. Personnel, 57, 59 * Levine, E. L., Sistrunk, F., McNutt, K. J., & Gael, S. (1988). Exemplary job analysis systems in selected organizations A description of process and outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 3, 3-21. * Dessler, G. (n.d.). Human Resource Management (12th Ed.). Globaledition, 142-175. * HR-Guide.com. (1999). Job Analysis Overview. Retrieved 05 01, 2013, from HR-Guide.com http//www.job-analysis.net/G000.htm * Stone, R.J. (2010). Managing human resources 3rd. edn. John Wiley & sons Australia Ltd. * Jones, R. (2011). Managing Human Resource Systems (2nd Ed.).Pearson * Levine, E. L., Sistrunk, F., McNutt, K. J., & Gael, S. (1988). Exemplary job analysis systems in selected organizations A description of process and outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 3, 3-21. * Fleishman, E. A., & Mumford, M. D. ( 1991). Evaluating classification of job behavior a construct validation of the ability requirements scales. Personnel Psychology, 44, 523-575. * Cascio, W. F. (1998). Applied Psychology in Human Resource Management, 5th edition. learner Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.* HR-Powerhouse.com. (2005). Job Description Uses of Job Description. Retrieved 05 01, 2013 from http//www.entrepreneur.com/article/78506 * Managementstudyguide.com. (2008). Job Analysis Methods. Retrieved 11 01, 2013 from http//www.managementstudyguide.com/job-analysis-methods.htm * www.brandix.com