Discuss the Ways in Which in Chapter 1 of ‘Enduring Love’ Essay

â€Å"The beginning is simple to mark†. This is the opening sentence of Ian McEwan’s novel â€Å"Enduring Love†, and in this first sentence, the reader is unwittingly drawn into the novel. An introduction like this poses the question, the beginning of what? Gaining the readers curiosity and forcing them to read on. The very word â€Å"beginning† allows us an insight into the importance of this event, for the narrator must have analysed it many a time in order to find the moment in which it all began, and so it is obviously significant period of his life. And surely if the beginning is â€Å"simple†, what is to come must be complex. This and the writers delaying tactics, attention to precise detail and a red herring hook the reader and draw them well and truly into the novel. The reader joins â€Å"Joe†, the narrator, as he and his lover â€Å"Clarissa† are enjoying a romantic picnic in the countryside. Bathed in sunlight under a turkey oak, â€Å"partly protected from a strong gusty wind†, the relationship between the two is yet to be divulged, but McEwan’s use of the phrase â€Å"partly protected†, seems to imply that these two people have been protected from such horrors until this moment. Before the cry is heard and the race into the tale begins, a strong picture is painted; the reader can almost taste the air, and feel the â€Å"cool neck† of the 1987 Daumas Gassac as they themselves clutch the corkscrew. This attention to detail is a technique McEwan uses frequently throughout this chapter, to enforce just how important this day was to Joe, how the memory of this day has been replayed over and over in his mind until he is able to reel off the minutiae almost mechanically. The reader is therefore drawn into the story with the morbid curiosity of what is to happen, what the â€Å"pinprick on the time map† of Joe’s’s life is, and how it affects it. When the shout is heard, and Joe’s’ life begins its descent â€Å"away from [our] happiness among the fresh spring grasses by the oak†, the reader is still unaware of what this â€Å"danger† is exactly. However we do know that this is the event that shapes the rest of the novel and is the fundamental moment of the narrative. Whilst Joe runs towards the danger, he hears the shout again, followed by a child’s’ cry, â€Å"enfeebled by the wind†. Now that a child has been involved in this danger, it becomes all the more grave, for nothing provokes more feeling then the possibility of a child perishing. This in itself goads the reader to read on, willing the child to be saved, yet prepared for it to die. Yet we are still unaware as to what this danger is exactly. As our  hero races towards it, we are treated to a rather mathematical description of what is happening around him through the viewpoint of a buzzard, again giving the impression that this is something Joe has been recollecting and scrutinizing since it took place, looking at it from all angles, therefore giving it even more importance. The only clue we are given is the narrator revealing that the event about to take place is a fall, but who’s? While Joe rushes to the scene, so too do others; John Logan, family doctor, wife and two children; Joseph Lacey, captain of his local bowls team, living alone with his wife; Toby Greene, farm labourer with a reliant mother; James Gadd, wife and mentally handicapped child; Jed Perry, twenty eight and living on an inheritance. Harry Gadd, ten years of age. Thanks to these short but informative introductions we now have empathy with all of McEwan’s characters. Someone is to die, but who would we rather it be? Greene? Unspeakable, for that would leave his mother (no doubt a meek and feeble old woman) alone in the world. Logan? What of his widow, children and patients? It is to be one of these characters, and we are reminded this by the mention of the coroners inquest, but who? The automatic assumption is that it is to be the child, and this red herring is another of McEwan’s tactics of hooking the reader into the novel and making it impossible to put down. An important aspect of this first chapter is the way in which the narrator delays in giving us this information. He himself admits to it, to â€Å"holding back†, yet he uses language such as â€Å"fatal†, â€Å"aftermath† and â€Å"catastrophe† to hint to an imminent death of someone. This technique is echoed in the way McEwan lingers on the period of time before the disaster, recounting the day from the very beginning. This causes a build-up of tension, it is almost like when watching a soap opera; the events to come are revealed at the start, and then the story commences from before they take place. This method causes the readers to feel impatient, almost wanting to skip ahead to see what happens, but too engrossed in the story, anxious for, yet dreading the moment in which the shout is heard. Phrases such as â€Å"other outcomes were still possible† again add to the feeling of impending doom; other outcomes were possible, but they did not take place, this collision of men all intent on helping the distressed was futile. It is in these ways that McEwan succeeds in creating suspense that â€Å"demands a kind of physical courage from the reader to continue reading†, by using detail, delay and decoy. The first chapter is no doubt one of the most effective openings of any narrative, making it not only â€Å"unforgettable†, but achieving exactly what McEwan intended it to; the undivided and unconditional attention of the reader.

How Macbeth Lost His Morals Essay

Macbeth is a very controversial character in many ways. Many believe he was an evil man from the beginning. While some believe he became evil over the course of the play. Macbeth’s morals gradually deteriorated throughout the play. Macbeth’s soliloquy’s, conversations, and his actions show how he lost his morals bit by bit in after each murder. In act I, Macbeth was confronted with the thought of killing King Duncan and stealing the throne. His soliloquy (I.7.1-28)is his response to the possible actions he is about to take part in. He basically said he felt bad because as his kinsman and his host he should protect him, not kill him. Also the fact that he was such a good king made him hesitate at the thought of killing him. In his discussion with Lady Macbeth after his soliloquy, Macbeth states, â€Å"We will proceed no further in this business. / He hath honored me of late†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (I.7.31-32) Macbeth was talking about how King Duncan has honored him recently and how he cannot go through with killing him. Then at the end of act I, Lady Macbeth convinces him to go through with the murder. Then after the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth flips out and begins to rant and rave. He said after the murder talking with lady Macbeth, â€Å"To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself.†(II.2.73) This showed his extreme guilt and regret of the crime he just committed. Then, in act III, Macbeth’s soliloquy (III.1.47-72) he stated his fears and hatred of Banquo because he was so good. He then called for two murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. Macbeth needed no motivation for this action other than fear, and he had no hesitation in this decision as with the murder of King Duncan. But after Macbeth knows Banquo is dead, he saw his ghost at his dinner party, taunting him (III.4.40-105). This was a form of his conscience making him feel guilty for what he did. Though his reaction to Banquo’s murder is equally as volatile as King Duncan’s, the build up preceding the murder shows a stark contrast. Before the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth had resisted the thought much longer than with the murder of Banquo, which he had no major moral dilemma’s before hand. It seemed as though it was becoming easier and easier for Macbeth to kill without remorse. Finally, in act IV Macbeth makes a statement that showed his moral deterioration very well. After talking with Lennox about how Macduff had fled to England, Macbeth said in his soliloquy, â€Å"†¦From this moment/ The very firstlings of my heart shall be/ The firstlings of my hand.†(IV.2.146-148) Macbeth said that now the first thing that came to mind would be the first thing he did. The next thing he said was, â€Å"The castle of Macduff I will surprise,/ Seize upon Fife, five to the edge o’ the sword/ His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .(IV.2.150-152) The first thing that came to his mind was to kill Macduff’s family. He had no second thoughts like the first two murders, no last minute guilt trips either, just cold blooded killing. When Macbeth meets Macduff in the battle field he said, â€Å"Of all men else I have avoided thee./ But get thee back, my soul is too much charged/ with blood of thine already.(V.8.4-6) That was a litt le sign of remorse by saying that he has too much of Macduff’s family’s death on his soul, that he doesn’t want another. Macbeth’s moral deterioration throughout the play is very evident if one looks at the moments preceding and following the murders. In the first quell, there was a long build up and many moral objections by Macbeth. Also after the murder, Macbeth was extremely disturbed by what he had just done. Then, before the second killing, there was less of a build up and no moral objections by Macbeth. After the murder of Banquo, Macbeth still felt some guilt, which manifested itself in the hallucination of the ghost. Finally, prior to the third murder, there was no moral dilemma about about killing Macduff’s family. Following the murder, he showed almost no remorse, except for the comment made to Macduff. Macbeth was a good man in the beginning of the play, but his morals deteriorated more with each murder he committed.

Disaster Management

Disaster management is the actions taken by an organization or a country in response to unexpected events that are adversely affecting the citizens or a group of people. It’s also a body where policies decisions and all-important issues require to respond and correct the effect caused by the natural disaster is carried out. What is of must important in dealing with any kind of disaster management involves health issues and policies how to manage the provision of these health facilities training peoples on how to prevent themselves from being infected by communicable diseases.Handling cases of psychological nature and making sure that information systems dealing with health cases are reading available. The fundamental issue of dealing with water deficiency in urban area is first of all setting up emergency camps where free drinking water are offered to the residence to avoid them drinking contaminated water. Tankers should be requested to carry water to the affected in large qu antities to cut the estates in the affected area. This will enable the citizens to have access to the commodity very quickly and easily. This will also prevent affected people from using contaminated water.This water should be ensures that it is clean and pure from any contamination. The pricing of this commodity should also be educated on ways of using this water purification techniques i. e. one bottle top of this water purifier usually is mixed with 20 liters of water. Another security measure of dealing with this disaster is by setting up emergency camps in the area to deal with any cases relaxed to this problem. It will also be a center point where the residents of the area will seek information on contentious issues whenever any panic on an outbreak of a disease is reported.Government should also be requested to assist in the drilling of boreholes which will enable the tankers have easier access to water as they delivery it to the residents. The boreholes will also help in dea ling with emergency cases in the future. Although these points are easier to explain there are so many challenges faced in implementing them. Mobilizing the government to provide funds for financing the tankers is a fundamental issue, which requires more courage, and more people to press for this issue will help in providing free medical services and information is another bottleneck in dealing with this issue.This might also require a group of people to help convince them to provide these necessary services to the people. The government also needs to be mobilized to provide machines and equipments for drilling the boreholes. They also need to identify land where these boreholes should be constructed. Obtaining institutions to help in providing aid to the affected communities needs the help of the media coverage. This in turn realizes an individual who can satisfy the media to air the incident free of charge.Though this plan is not so hard to implement it is most likely to be faced with funds and voluntary services. This is so because the government might not act swiftly to helping the affected people. Most of the institutions also may lie back to providing free services. Free chemicals for treating water is also an issue which requires the support from the government and media houses in convincing some of the companies manufacturing such items to provide assistance to the affected people.

My passion for helping people and studying with the best to begin a Essay

My passion for helping people and studying with the best to begin a new professional life in Public Relations. Kimberly Warfield - Essay Example For this reason, I believe that Public Relations is one field that I will be most successful at. Since my children have become self sufficient and are getting the hang of things as far as their lives are concerned, I have finally decided to come back to studying for a career path. I know I can bring a change to my life as well as that of my family and for this reason I have decided to take this move. As my father had fallen ill during the 4 years of my education at the undergraduate school, I had to bear a difficult time there. I worked full time and attended school in a part time capacity. I also took care of my younger sibling all this while – which essentially made me into a stronger person. I always wanted to go back to studies but at that time my concentration was bent on completely towards the needs of my family and nothing else. As far as my personality traits are concerned, I have been a community leader f late and have continued to devote myself whole-heartedly to the cause of the Middleburg Community Center and facilitated in raising funds for the underprivileged individuals and families so that they could go to schools. I also work in the capacity of a volunteer for The National Infertility Association and this is my sixth year for RESOLVE. This has basically been made possible due to my own infertility condition that I had to go through before I became a mother of twins. God has His way of rewarding people and I do not feel left out in any way. I am most contented and satisfied and all my enthusiasm is in line with achieving a career path for my own self in the times to come. Since my networking is strong and I can easily connect with different types of people and not to forget the thirst of attaining education more and more, I would request the said authorities to consider my admission in the Georgetown University, Washington DC for the

Roles of a Project Manager Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Roles of a Project Manager - Research Paper Example he processes involved in serving the demands of the client as well as the executive management, while at the same time remaining within the confines of the schedule and the budget. The roles of the project manager include leading the team, bridging the relations between the client and management and pushing for the needs of the client, among others. The checks made to guarantee the success of the project include reviewing the expectations of the client extensively and exploring vital project issues. Within the settings of a clinical research organization, a project refers to a distinctive clinical trial. The project is required to have a specific start and completion date (Roy 57). The team working on the project operates within a setting similar to a matrix reporting ground, towards guaranteeing that the tasks to be completed during the progress of the project are realized and that they are performed in a manner that meets or exceeds the expectations of the customer (Roy 57). The team uses project management systems, during the execution of the managerial role, towards ensuring that the different members work in harmony, so as to realize the goals of the project (Boericke 1). As applied in the CRO settings, project management reefers to the application of skills, knowledge, techniques and tools to the execution of the project, so as to meet or supersede the outcomes anticipated (Roy 58). This paper will explore the roles of a project manager, within a CRO setting, towards demo nstrating that they are the most important link between the client and the team; they are the managers of changes within the project and they also act as the advocate of the client (Shostak 9). In the settings of a Contract Research Organization, the boundaries of project management can be expressed as contained within the following definitions: delighting the customer, offering support to the team in charge of the team and delighting the executive management of the CRO organization

Lewis Carroll's Photographs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Lewis Carroll's Photographs - Research Paper Example Carroll embraced this theme of the child as a shadow of humans in his photographs in order to call attention to how misconceived children were by adults, particularly using the real children that hr met in his life. Lewis Carroll sought to show children as adult shadows, the children’s identity as being shadowed by the adults, as well as the shadows that the children cast (Foulkes 11). Therefore, this paper will seek to show how Lewis Carroll used children in his photographs to show their innocence and the misconceptions that adults have about children. Xie Kitchin (Nickel 5) Lewis Carroll in his photographs exemplified how misconceived children were by undressing them or dressing them through a creation of what he perceived to be his own shadow of being a child (Foulkes 14). Recognized as a leading amateur and child photographer during the Victorian era, Lewis used the photographs he took to displace reality. Because photography in this period was a relatively new phenomenon, Lewis Carroll took it as a means of writing by using light with his most preferred photographic subject being the child as shown in the photographs above. At least sixty percent of all his known photographs were of children. At the time, photography was taken as the only art form that could accurately record reality, which Lewis Carroll took and created a reverse text for the discussion of children, which falsified how real a photograph could be (Foulkes 14). In various photographs, rather than giving the audience his own view of who a child should be, he comes up with the composition an adult would have of a child. The photo of Xie Kitchin has the child dressed in clothing that is foreign to that era and region, while also setting the photograph in a foreign land. In the other photograph of Evelyn Hatch, Lewis Carroll removes all social conventions from her photograph and takes a photo of her in the nude lying on a bed. In yet another photograph, he pictures Alice Liddell in a loo se fitting dress seemingly begging for alms. Lewis exerts an agency on the photography act by rewriting the literal text that the initial image would have created to give rise to a new dialogue about what it means to be a child (Foulkes 15). Therefore, Lewis took photography as a way to write commentary on childhood and the way it was shadowed by adults. While it can be argued that Lewis Carroll used children as objects, this was necessary, especially since the child has for a long time been the centre of study by theorists and scholars as they looked for a definition of the child that was consistent (Foulkes 18). While it is difficult to offer a definitive explanation of what a child is, Lewis sought to provide a lens through which it is possible to distinguish the child in this era as an entity that was completely separate from grown ups. Lewis Carroll used his photography to define the child’s character via shadows that were cast by the children, rather than as shadows of the adults, i.e. what adults thought children were supposed to be. Alice Liddell (Nickel 7) In the photo of Alice Liddell, the viewer sees a young girl who is approximately 7 or 8 years old. Lewis ensures that her entire body can be seen with her tattered and ill-fitting clothes appearing to suggest that she is a beggar (Foulkes 22). However, while

GOVERNMENT 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

GOVERNMENT 1 - Essay Example Ideologies are formed by a person’s innermost beliefs, cultivated by years of thought and shaped by life’s numerous experiences. An ideological debate causes a more emotive response in individuals than does any other. Political ideologies can never die and in politically turbulent times, such as these, are very much alive. The 9-11 attacks, abortion the war in Iraq, the loss of civil liberties, global warming, health care, gay marriage, stem cell research and many other politically motivating subjects have ignited emotional ideological battles. This discussion explains the reasons for and provides examples of the current ideological fervor in the U.S. and will explain the discrepancies of a failed conservative ideology, which has been a major factor in this awakening. The tenets of Liberalism proclaim a strong conviction in democracy and belief that the constitutional authority of the people will limit a powerful, expansive government. Liberal legislative leadership, partly through necessity, has instigated steady governmental growth well beyond where the architects of the constitution and most citizens would favor. The conservative ideology is based upon their interpretation of Christian-based morality. Conservatives are against the government regulating corporations but are very much for legislation that regulates the private conduct of individuals and for advancing their religious agenda regardless of the irreparable damage to civil rights and liberties or the scientific or constitutional evidence that is contrary to their opinion. Abortion, stem cells, teaching evolution and gay marriage are preeminent examples of current ideological debates between Conservatives and Liberals. Those of a conservative ideology are against legalizing abortion. They believe it to be murder and are crusading to save babies’ lives. However,

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

ISMG - Essay Example Big organizations preying on him might decide to give him a deal that he cannot turn down, thus leaving the organization. Subsequently, the organization would lose one of its lead coders. While looking for means of retaining is important, understanding that anything could happen to him, such a tragedy would help them think about this problem soberly. Although he had turned down a number of offers, it does not imply that he would live with IVK forever. One day he could decide to go, or retire. In any case, one day he has to leave. The best way of solving the problem therefore, is looking for individuals talented enough whose efforts when combined could make a substitute. 2. While hiring IT personnel, it is important to put into consideration a number of issues. Skills of the individual are important as IT as a profession requires adequate skills. Talent is yet another important element that managers should look at while determining the kind of people to hire in the IT department. Fina lly, the management needs to consider the experience of an individual while handling different systems or performing certain tasks. 3. Organizations use two different tradeoff methods while locating their IT departments, centralizing them or geographically decentralizing them. While each has its own advantages, it has its own limitations as well. While centralizing enables the monitoring of the operations as well as proper utilization of organizational resources, it has little impact on the depart5ment it is required most. However, it saves the organization additional expenses in maintaining the various branches. On the other hand, decentralization has a greater impact on the areas IT services are required, but increases organizational expenditures. Moreover, there is minimal supervision of the various departments. Chapter 16 1. Different organizations have different ways of drawing their budgets, and their investment plans. The level of expenditure in an organization ion a particu lar department in most cases depends on the size of the organization’s department. For instance, an organization that uses IT extensively could have an extensive expensive expenditure budget on IT, while another could have bigger budget for a different department. An organization should be willing to spend extensively on the particular department generating more income. However, there should be a limit, especially with reference to the organizational budget. While innovation is important to a manufacturing organization, it v could have insignificant impact to a different organization. As such, the ideal ration between the amounts that a firm spends on IT maintenance versus innovation projects depends on the organizational capacity and the importance of the two. 2. The kid’s toolkit approach method, if applied carefully by a manager could help them in avoiding mistakes while determining the best models to apply for their organizations. Although not a certified method, i t makes sense. For instance, by arguing that a manager’s ideas and thoughts were like a toolkit, which they should keep to themselves, it meant that managers, despite having the role of making the most important decisions in an organization, were not always right. Although they perceive their models as being better and superior than others, the geniuses of these is only possible through actual application in an organization

CIS 375 Week 2 Assingment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CIS 375 Week 2 Assingment - Assignment Example The section below provides a comparison between the metaphors used in the two interfaces. Metaphors are a basis for the interaction and communication between the user and the computer. According to Carroll, Mack, & Kellogg (2007), applications utilizing menu driven screen have metaphors such as mouse pointers and cursors to indicate the motion of the mouse on the screen. This metaphor has been replaced all together on the multi-touch screen interface. The mouse driven interfaces are operated by dragging the cursor on the screen and effecting commands by clicking. Underling concepts of the application are presented in form of icons for a user to understand. Both the mouse driven and multi-touch screens use icons to represent underlying application concepts (Carroll et al, 2007). For instance the recycle bin is used to represent deleted items. Mouse driven screen interface uses the desktop metaphor which is a unifying concept that helps users to easily use a computer. The desktop metaphor treats the computer monitor as the user’s interaction point. Here, objects such as documents, files, folders and other accessories are placed. On the other hand the multi-touch screens use the home metaphor where all applications can be accessed by the user. In other applications that use both the mouse driven and multi touch screens both the home screen and the desktop metaphors can be used (Carroll et al, 2007). Multi-touch screens allow moving layered views to allow the user to view content beneath them; the screen also uses swiping as a way of viewing different windows. Additionally, the interface uses the dragging, flicking and swiping objects on the screen. This is common when playing games and performing other basic tasks (Carroll et al, 2007). The mouse driven screen will perform this tasks using the minimizing and maximizing option on the window. This interface also utilizes the dragging metaphor for movement of objects on

Privacy of Information Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Privacy of Information - Assignment Example This is because it is possible for companies and organizations to use this data in an unauthorized manner. The main stakeholders around the privacy of information include the internet users, the websites visited by these internet users and the United States National Security Agency that has the ability to access internet communication from across the globe. In considering the issue of privacy of information in respect to online customer transactions, there are a number of factors that the team needs to consider. One of these is the question as to whether there are currently any legal restrictions that target the issue of privacy of information. This is important as it is essential for the company to ensure that it constantly remains within the legal parameters. Another aspect that the team needs to think about is the question as to what is the current prevailing feeling among customers about the collection of their personal information from the online transactions that they make. This is important as it will help in informing the company’s decision making process. To learn more about the main issues, the best action that the team can engage in is to organize a professional training course whereby the team members can be educated on the latest main issues surrounding the issues of privacy of information and exactly how to tackle them. There are a number of difficulties that surround the maintaining of privacy of information. Some of these include the difficulty facing users in preventing cookies spyware from illegally accessing their information. Companies such as social media sites, email service providers and banks are faced with the risk of having their customer information becoming illegally accessed by hackers (Easttom and Taylor, 10). Some of the possible solutions that can be employed by users to help in better securing their personal information include the

Prospects and Challenges of the rules and regulations of the Saudi Research Paper

Prospects and Challenges of the rules and regulations of the Saudi Capital Market - Research Paper Example Distinguishing characteristics take account of spreading out of the market to a round the clock global trading cycle, pact animalization, and augmentation in the rate of recurrence of contracts, incessant evaluations, and imitative markets. Antagonists argue that neo-liberalism is the functioning of comprehensive capitalism through military or government interference to guard the interests of multinational conglomerates, over and above this free trade also casts influences on wages and social structures. The Saudi Arabia's Securities Exchange Commission1 and the Saudi Arabia's Stock Exchange (Tadawul)2 established by the enactment of the Capital Markets Law with authority to regulate all aspects of the capital market. The Government of Saudi Arabia has been making significant attempts to strengthen its regulatory and institutional infrastructure for capital markets since 2003. The Government of Saudi Arabia prepared and issued the Capital Market Law, which was concretizing in 2003, through the creation of the Supreme Economic Council and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority. These reforms should help galvanize the Saudi Capital market.3 The major objective of this study is to identify the prospect and challenges of the rules and regulations of the Saudi Arabia capital market. The Government of Saudi Arabia has been making significant attempts to strengthen its regulatory and institutional infrastructure for capital markets since 2003. The Government of Saudi Arabia prepared and issued the Capital Market Law, which was concretizing in 2003, through the creation of the Supreme Economic Council and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority. These reforms should help galvanize the Saudi Capital market. 3 Objectives of the Study The major objective of this study is to identify the prospect and challenges of the rules and regulations of the Saudi Arabia capital market. In order to reach this objective, the sub-objectives include: 1. An overview of the Capital Market Law of 2003; 2. An assessment of the contemporary equity market in the country; 3. To conduct a survey of the overall institutional, legal and regulatory framework for capital markets. Problem Statement Due to the number of banking and financial crises in the global capital markets, companies have created series of techniques in order to improve the market performance.4 The capital market of Saudi is not well diversified with such techniques as there exists a specialised securities regulator and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) that regulate the market and in this way restrict companies from many lucrative activities.5 Before enacting the Capital Market Law and other Regulations of Saudi Arabia, the capital market lacked some of the basic features of more advanced markets such as a designated supervisory authority and a stock exchange with well defined functions.6 With booming oil revenues, government bond issuance is likely to diminish, causing a contraction in the supply of government debt.7 'There are no controls on portfolio investment in Saudi Arabian government securitiesas well as there are other major problems with the Sauid Arabia capital markets that I will disc uss in this dissertation. Since the enactment of the Capital Market Law of 2003, the Saudi Arabia Government has tried to promote reform programs in all sectors of capital market and these changes have been rapid. Among these measures has been the establishment of the modern Saudi capital market. The Saudi stock market is the largest in the region; and with the enactment of the Capital Market Law, the way is paved for a full-fledged securities market. There is a lack of transparency in the market, whether it relates to a company's expansion

Reflective Writing on Marketing Essay Example for Free

Reflective Writing on Marketing Essay During your time at university you will spend a lot of your time thinking – thinking about what people have said, your reading, your own thinking and how your thinking has changed. The thinking process involves two aspects: reflective thinking and critical thinking. Rather than being two separate processes they are closely connected. (Brookfield 1987) Reflective thinking Reflection is a form of personal response to experiences, situations, events or new information. It is a ‘processing’ phase where thinking and learning take place. There is neither a right nor wrong way of reflective thinking; there are just questions to explore. The reflective thinking process starts with you. Before you can begin to assess the words and ideas of others, you need to pause and identify and examine your own thoughts. This involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding. Reflective thinking demands that you recognise that you bring valuable knowledge to every experience. It helps you therefore to recognise and clarify the important connections between what you already know and what you are learning. It is a way of helping you to become an active, aware and critical learner. What is Reflective writing? Reflective writing is: * Your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information * Your response to thoughts and feelings * A way of thinking to explore your learning * An opportunity to gain self-knowledge * A way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning * A chance to develop and reinforce writing skills * A way of making meaning out of what you study Reflective writing is not: * Just conveying information, instruction or argument * Pure description, though there may be descriptive elements * Straightforward decision or judgement (e.g. about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad) * Simple problem-solving * A summary of unit notes * A standard university essay Why you are asked to do this type of assignment * To make connections The idea behind reflective writing is that what you learn at university builds on your prior knowledge, whether it is formal (education) or informal (gained through experience). Reflective writing helps you develop and clarify the connections between what you already know and what you are learning, between theory and practice and between what you are doing and how and why you do it. * To examine your learning processes Reflective writing encourages you to consider and comment on your learning experiences – not only WHAT you’ve learned, but HOW you did so. * To clarify what you are learning Reflecting helps you to clarify what you have studied, integrate new knowledge with previous knowledge, and identify the questions you have and what you have yet to learn. * To reflect on mistakes and successes Reflecting on mistakes can help you avoid repeating them. At the same time, reflecting on your discoveries helps identify successful principles to use again. * To become an active and aware learner * To become a reflective practitioner once you graduate and begin your professional life How to write reflectively What to discuss * Your perceptions of the course and the content. * Experiences, ideas and observations you have had, and how they relate to the course or topic. * What you found confusing, inspiring, difficult, interesting and why. * Questions you have and conclusions you have drawn. * How you solved a problem, reached a conclusion, found an answer or reached a point of understanding. * Possibilities, speculations, hypotheses or solutions. * Alternative interpretations or different perspectives on what you have read or done in your course. * How new ideas challenge what you already know. * What you need to explore next in terms of thoughts and actions. * Comparisons and connections between what you are learning and: * Your prior knowledge and experience; * Your prior assumptions and preconceptions; * What you know from other courses, units or disciplines. Writing style As it concerns your thoughts, reflective writing is mostly subjective. Therefore, in addition to being reflective and logical, you can be personal, hypothetical, critical and creative. You can comment based on your experience, rather than limiting yourself to academic evidence. * Reflective writing is an activity that includes description (what, when, who) and analysis (how, why, what if). It is an explorative tool often resulting in more questions than answers. * Use full sentences and complete paragraphs. * You can usually use personal pronouns like ‘I’, ‘my’ or ‘we’. * Keep colloquial language to a minimum (e.g. stuff, guys) * A reflective task may allow you to use different modes of writing and language: * Descriptive (outlining how something is or how something was done) * Explanatory (explaining why or how it is like that) * Expressive (I think, I feel, I believe) Tips for your reflective writing process 1. Think of interaction, event or episode you experienced that can be connected to the topic. 2. Describe what happened. 3. What was your role? 4. What feelings and perceptions surround the experience? 5. How would you explain the situation to someone else? 6. What might this experience mean in the context of your course? 7. What other perspectives, theories or concepts could be applied to the situation? References Brookfield, S 1987, Developing critical thinkers: challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting, Open University Press, Milton Keynes. Acknowledgement: The preceding material was adapted from The Learning Centre, The University of NSW. Used by permission. Additional notes: Steps for writing a reflective paper: 1.Start your self-reflection paper with an introductory paragraph. This introduction should help set the stage for the reader and should contain the main point of the paper. This would be a good paragraph in which to include information about how the subject and the material impacted your life, whether it reinforced your current views or caused you to change your way of thinking. 2.Write a paragraph or two about the impact the lecturer, classroom/tutorial discussions or the textbook material had on you during the course. Describe emotions you felt you felt or changes you experienced in your personal life due to the topic or the subject. If your opinions on different subjects changed due to these factors be sure to provide your previous opinion and explain why you changed your stance. If your opinions did not change, explain why. 3.Describe a moment during the class that was the most eye-opening for you. One example would be if during a lecture/tutorial the lecturer/tutor used a specific story or analogy to help explain the material that made the lesson really clear for you. Reflect on how you felt when you finally understood the lesson and how that lesson might have impacted the way you think. 4.Write a paragraph explaining how the information from the subject has impacted the way you will think, act and feel in the future long after the semester is over. You may want to include how this subject has changed how you approach other subjects in your degree or life in general. 5.Give feedback in your paper and share your opinions and ideas about how the subject can be improved. Share what you liked about the subject and what material helped you learn the most. Finish the paper by writing a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the paper. This is just one way of structuring reflective writing. Whichever approach to reflection you use try to bear in mind the following key points: * Reflection is an exploration and an explanation of events – not just a description of them. * Genuinely reflective writing often involves ‘revealing’ anxieties, errors and weaknesses, as well as strengths and successes. This is fine (in fact it’s often essential), as long as you show some understanding of possible causes, and explain how you plan to improve. * It is normally necessary to select just the most significant parts of the event or idea on which you are reflecting. If you try to tell ‘the whole story’ you will likely use up your words on description rather than interpretation. * It is often useful to ‘reflect forward’ to the future as well as ‘reflecting back’ on the past. Vocabulary aid (adapted from University of Portsmouth, Dept for Curriculum and Quality Enhancem ent) The following are just a few suggestions for words and phrases that might be useful in reflective writing. Obviously, using these words and phrases will not in itself make you a good reflective writer. 1.Description There is no suggestion of specific vocabulary for any descriptive elements of your reflective writing because the range of possible events, ideas or objects on which you may be reflecting on is so great. However, if you are describing an idea, for example a theory or model, it is usually best to use the present tense e.g. ‘Buyer behaviour theory recognises†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (not ‘recognised’). Events, of course, are nearly always described in the past tense. 2.Interpretation | | {aspect(s){elements(s){experience(s){issue(s)Idea(s)| Was (were)| For me, the [most]| {meaningful{significant{important{relevant{useful| | | | | learning| {arose from†¦{happened when†¦{resulted from†¦| Previously,}At the time,}At first}Initially,}Subsequently,}Later,}| I| {thought (did not think)†¦{felt (did not feel)†¦{knew (did not know)†¦{noticed (did not notice)†¦{questioned (did not question)†¦{realised (did not realise)†¦| | [Alternatively,][Equally,]| This| {might be{is perhaps{could be{is probably| {because of†¦{due to†¦{explained by†¦{related to†¦| | This| {is similar to†¦{is unlike†¦| because| | [Un]like†¦| this| {reveals†¦{demonstrates†¦| 3.Outcome Having| {read†¦{experienced†¦{applied†¦{discussed†¦{analysed†¦{learned†¦| I now| {feel†¦{think†¦{realise†¦{wonder†¦{question†¦{know†¦| | [Additionally,]}[Furthermore,]}[Most importantly,]}| I have learned that†¦| | I have significantly} slightly}However, I have not [sufficiently]}| {developed{improved| {my skills in†¦{my understanding of†¦{my knowledge of†¦{my ability to†¦| | | This means that†¦This makes me feel†¦| | | This knowledge {isThis understanding {could beThis skill {will be| {essential{important{useful| {to me as a learner [because†¦]{to me as a practitioner [because†¦]| | Because I| {did not†¦{have not yet†¦{am not yet certain about†¦{am not yet confident about†¦{do not yet know†¦{do not yet understand†¦| I will now need to†¦| | | As a next step, I need to†¦| | | More on Reflection What is reflection? A simple definition of reflection can be ‘consciously thinking about and analysing what you are doing and what you have done; thinking about what and how you have learnt. There is a lot of theory behind reflection that can be very complex. Most of the theory relates to seeing reflection as part of the cycle of learning (Figure 1). Initially students focus on knowledge, comprehension and application of subject matter. These three levels of learning are the easiest especially if the application is in a limited context e.g. worded problems from a text book. For higher levels of learning (application of knowledge in real world problems) you must be able to analyse, synthesise and evaluate as shown in Table 1. Reflection is a key part of moving into these higher levels of learning. Figure 1. Leaning cycle and examples of each phase Table 1 Six levels of learning Increasing Difficulty| Process| Explanation| | Knowledge| Recognition and recall of information and facts describing events| | Comprehension| Interprets, translates or summarises given information demonstrating understanding of events| | Application| Uses information in a situation different from original learning context -| | Analysis| Separates wholes into parts until relationships are clear – breaks down experiences| | Synthesis| Combines elements to form new entity from the original one draws on experience and other evidence to suggest new insights| | Evaluation| Involves acts of decision making, or judging based on criteria or rationale makes judgements about| Why reflect what are the benefits to the student? Learning is both an active and a reflective process. If you look at the learning cycle in Figure 1 you can see that reflection or thinking about what you have done and how and why you did it, form an integral part of learning. Because learning is often subconscious, we don’t realise that we have gained new knowledge or understanding until we stop to contemplate a particular activity. Reflection then, is a way for critical analysis, problem solving, synthesis of opposing ideas, evaluation, identifying patterns and creating meaning. Reflection will help you reach the higher levels of learning. Most students are focused on the lower levels of learning. â€Å"What do I have to know and demonstrate to pass the exam?† This is a very short-sighted approach to your time at university. You will not be able to remember all the facts and knowledge you have learnt in subjects unless you can fully understand, analyse and evaluate them. As you progress through your degree you will continually need information and knowledge from other subjects and this knowledge will build on previous knowledge. You must be able to attain the higher levels of learning in order to be successful in your degree and later in your professional life. Your learning and the need to learn will not stop with the end of your university degree. Most aspects of learning are common to all disciplines but sometimes there are different emphasises on certain learning skills. For example, generally speaking at university more emphasis is placed on the understanding of the methodology and the processes of problem solving. In this context, reflection will help you to detach yourself from the facts and put them into a larger context. Higher level courses at university as a business student bring a closer interaction between academic work and practical experience. Reflective practice here is critical in providing opportunities to identify areas for improvement and evaluation of the overall outcome including your decision making processes. Reflection can help bridge the gap between theory and practice and will enable you to understand your own thinking and learning. Another benefit is that it encourages you to look beyond your academic accomplishment and recognise the depth and range of other transferable skills. University is more than learning about facts and figures, it is a life experience. You will not learn everything that you need in your professional life at university. Your learning will be life long, so take some time to think about what skills you bring with you to university and what you learn along the way. How do I ‘reflect’? Reflection does not mean that you sit in the lotus position, humming meditative chants. Reflection can be active and need not take away from your ‘study time’. It is an important tool that can be used in all your university and professional work. Opportunities for reflection should occur before, during and after activities. That way you can take note of your learning starting point, assess your progress through the project and critically evaluate your learning at the end of the activity. Look critically at what you have done, what you’re team did and what the outcomes were. You need to ask yourself the why, how and what type of questions. Introducing Reflection Reflection is an important part of your learning whether you do it consciously or not. But what exactly is it? An excellent description of reflection can be found in the Harry Potter novel ‘ The Goblet of Fire’. In the paragraph below Dumbledore, the chief wizard and head teacher, is talking to Harry about having excess thoughts! ‘Harry stared at the stone basin. The contents had returned to their original, silvery white state, swirling and rippling beneath his gaze. â€Å"What is it?† Harry asked shakily. â€Å"This? It is called a Pensieve,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind.† â€Å"Err,† said Harry who couldn’t truthfully say that he had ever felt anything of the sort. â€Å"At these times† said Dumbledore, indicating the stone basin, â€Å"I use the Penseive. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one’s mind, pours them into a basin, and examines them at one’s leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form.’ (Rowling 2000) During the semester and in your reflective writing we are asking you to think about the process you have been through, how these events affected your behaviour, to think about what you have learnt, and to evaluate your performance. By writing these things down it will give you the opportunity to clarify your thoughts and to spot the patterns and links. Reflective writing examples As an example, look at the following two critiques – one is a better example than the other! [King (2002) Development of Student Skills In Reflective Writing, p 16, http://www.csd.uwa.edu.au/iced2002/publication/Terry_King.pdf ] 1.I woke up late because my alarm didn’t ring. My own fault, but there you are. By the time I had finished my breakfast (my usual bowl of cornflakes, and a cup of black coffee with three sugars), I had missed my bus (that’s the number 9a, picked up at the bus stop outside Halfords), which had left on time (just for a change).So I got to University, and by the time I had found the right room, I was over 30 minutes late for the OOPR2 Exam. Unfortunately, the invigilator wouldn’t let me take the exam because it was â€Å"against University regulations†. Didn’t he realise how important it was for me to pass that exam? My overall grade depends on it, and now I stand to have a resit in September when I wanted to have my holiday in Ibiza.| 2.I was over 30 minutes late for my exam, which meant I was not allowed to sit it. This will have repercussions on my degree mark, and on my holiday plans. This is the first time I have actually missed an exam, but not t he first time I’ve actually been late to exams and important interviews. I have learned that:†¢ I need to improve my time-keeping for critical events†¢ The University has strict rules governing late arrivals at exams†¢ I need to be better preparedThe reasons that I arrived late were:†¢ My alarm clock didn’t ring because I forgot to reset its time after daylight saving on Saturday night (although I had reset all the other clocks in the house).†¢ I totally rely on the alarm clock ringing I have no back-up system†¢ I rely on my bus – a break down or it leaving early would also cause me to be late†¢ I did not know in which room the exam was; if I had, I would still have been a few minutes late, but at least I could have sat the exam.In order to improve the situation for next year, I plan to:†¢ Have a process to check all the clocks in the house when the clocks are due to change†¢ Make sure I have a back-up alarm system ( using my digital watch) for all days when it’s important to get up early†¢ On exam day, aim to catch the earlier bus †¦ its only 20 minutes earlier.†¢ Possibly consider missing breakfast, and buying a sandwich on the way from the bus to the exam room. I do believe that a good breakfast is important though!†¢ Make sure I know the correct room well in advance of the exam, by checking each room number when I first get the timetable.I suspect I need to reflect more on my priorities – this degree is really very important to me.|

Production Planning And Control System Commerce Essay

Production Planning And Control System Commerce Essay Businesses can be of different types. Some industries focus on providing the customers with different types of services. Some others concentrate on selling of products. Majority of ventures are in the business of manufacturing something or the other. To start with, you would need some basic raw materials to which you would add some value to make something else. Simply put, this is production. Therefore, we can say that production is a business process in which a raw material is converted into finished or semi-finished products, in the process adding value to the of utility of products. This production procedure is measured by calculating the difference between the value of what goes into the production and the value of what is produced in the end. The things which go into the making of things are called the inputs and what is produced in the end is called the outputs. Say for example, if you want to manufacture dresses you will need cloth, labor, and machines at the primary level. These are all inputs. The end product, that is the dress, is the output. What is meant by production? Production can be described as a process of manufacturing or producing goods for trading purpose. It is a method that uses the intangible inputs like creativity, ideas, knowledge, research and perception in action. With the help of these intangible inputs, the tangible inputs like the raw materials are converted into finished products and made ready to be sold in the market. Production Function In mathematics, a function determines the relation between a set of inputs and the set of outputs. Similarly production function is that kind of a function through which assumed specification is made by the industry or a firm about the output in relation to all the input which went into the project. Production function serves to cater to the customer needs and demands in a cost effective way. Therefore planning and carrying out the production function in an efficient way is of prime importance to obtain this objective. Production Management Managing anything has to include proper planning at the initial level. The same thing is applicable in case of production management. You start with planning about how the production procedure will take place. Then you organize it according to your needs or requirements only after which you can execute the plan, direct and control the production activities. Hence, we can say that production management is the managing process which deals with the conversion of raw materials to the finished products that too in an economical way. Production management is guided by 6 Ms- a) money, b) men, c) materials, d) machines, e) methods and f) markets. If the same concept is applied to the management of services then the subsequent management activities are termed as operation management. Definitions of Production Management Here are some common and widely accepted definitions of production management: Production management deals with decision-making related to production processes so that the resulting goods or service is produced according to specification, in amount and by the schedule demand and at minimum cost. Elwood Spencer Buffa Production management,  also called  operations management, deals with planning and control of industrial processes to ensure that they move smoothly at the required levelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.In manufacturing operations, production management includes responsibility for product and process design, planning and control issues involving capacity and quality, and organization and supervision of the workforce. -Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Hence, we can easily say that, production management is the conversion of production inputs into outputs which when distributed in the market will cater to meet the demands of consumers. History of Production and Operation Management Industrial Revolution For over two and half centuries, production and operation management has been regarded as one of the important factors responsible for the economic growth and development of any country. With the outbreak of the industrial revolution in England in the mid 1700s a havoc change was observed in the industrial sectors. The changes began to be observed when the stream engine was invented by James Watt in 1764. It largely replaced the man power in the factories. In the year 1776 Adam Smith published his revolutionary book, The Wealth of Nations, where he talked about the specialization of labors in manufacturing and the economic benefits it avails to an industry. Therefore, the factories of the late 18th century experienced not only the use of the power by the newly invented machines but also new means of planning and controlling a factory production. About the same time the concept of division of labors came into being. Rapidly the industrial revolution spread from England to the other parts of Europe and also to America. Further development was observed as an American named Eli Whitney came up with the concepts of interchangeable parts and cost accounting. Early 1800s saw the advent of electricity and gasoline engines which enhanced the industrial revolution to a great extent. During the post civil war period an increased rate of production capacity was recorded which on the other hand led to growth of the capital. A massive production explosion followed in the newly developed U.S. market. Scientific Management- The concepts of scientific management, work study and time study was introduced by Frederick Taylor. He talked of the shop system as well which brought the skill, strength and learning ability of the workers into question. The shop system was the first to initiate the idea of the incentive pay. Specification of materials, methods of work and routing systems were used to organize the shop. It was the Ford Motor Company who embodied the major facets like interchangeable parts, low manufacturing cost, mass production, and standardized designs of the product of scientific management in 1920s. The scientific management was popularized by Henry Ford, who used it in his firms. These approaches helped him in maximizing the production at the plant. Operational Research System- During the Second World War enormous resources were installed. Military operational research squads were formed to deal with the complications of the deployment. P.M. Blacker is regarded as one of the main contributors in the field of operational research application in the Second World War. The operational system brought to the fore front the positive aspects of the system which helped the operational manager to control the complexities of production. Service Revolution- The publication of the Hawthorne studies in the 1930s revealed that human factors are influencing the production process to a great extent. The study report said that the ambiences, sociological and psychological conditions of the worker are affecting the production. It was the behavioralists who talked about these factors which made the industrialists change the way of treating the factory workers. The idea of the labors responding positively to the attention thus paid to them came to be acknowledged as the Hawthorne effect. The change in the thought process and the introduction of this new philosophy had a tremendous impact on the production planning and control system of the factories. Studies showed that the due to the increased use of machineries work became monotonous to the workers which affected the rate of production. In order to resolve this problem the workers were conferred a greater role in the planning procedure of the whole production so that they c an find interest in their work. Computer Revolution- It was the 1930s which witnessed the advent of the computer age. There was an explosive growth in the communication technology. Gathering information became very easy as everyone had an effortless access to it. Advancement in the software technology made the people aware about the usage of e-mails. More and more plants took initiation in starting E- Business. A special computerized system known as the Material Requirement Planning was developed which proved to be very useful in managing the business. Where we stand now? Today the whole production or operational management wholly stands on the demands and needs of the customers and providing them with quality products. This is because the competition level in the market is very high and in order to build and maintain the image and reputation of a company, customer satisfaction is the absolutely necessary. Other factors which are influencing the operational management these days are the advancement of the technologies, competition in the world wide market, cost challenges etc. Why Production and Operation Management is required? Any firm or industry needs production management. To achieve all its objectives- Every firm or industry possesses certain objectives behind the projects they undertake. Production management enables the firm to fulfill all its objectives in time and at the same time fulfill the demands of the customer. To gain reputation as well as to build up a good image in the market- One of the main objectives of production management is to satisfy the consumers. Production management helps in achieving this goal. Aids other functional fields- Production management aids the functional field of the industry or firm. Other functional sphere includes finance, personnel and marketing. It will be easier for the marketing department to sell good quality goods which in turn helps the financial department to gain more finances due to the increase of the sale of the products. This will also enable the company to acquire loans for expanding the firm. Proper management of the production will also help the personnel sector to handle the human resources properly and increase the efficiency of the resource. Aids in promoting new products- Production management controls the research and development section of the firm. It enables to study the market and needs of the customer depending on which they can introduce newly manufactured goods in the market. Helps in coping up with the competition level in the market- Same products may be produced by other companies as well. Production management helps the firm to cope up with the competition level in the market by keeping the quality, price, quantity of the products as per needs of the consumers. Produce the goods in a cost effective way- Cost of production can be checked and reduced to a great extent through proper management of production. It tries to minimize the input keeping the output to the optimum level. Maximize the use of resources- Production management assists in maximization of the use of resources like machines, human resources etc. Helps the firm to grow- Production management helps the company to expand itself which in turn enables the firm to yield greater profit. Production management is important to the consumers because- Improves the standard of living of the people The research work that the production department carries out reveals the demands and needs of the consumers which the industries cater to fulfill. This increases as well as improves the standard of lining of the people as they get to use good and new products. Enhances the economy- Production management helps to produce goods in a cost effective way. This leads to the proper economic growth of the country. Decreases the problem of unemployment- Unemployment is a major problem of our country. The activities of the production department of any firm open up many job prospects for the people. Quality of the products increases- As mentioned earlier production management controls the research and development sector of a firm. These researches help to provide the customers with the better quality of the product. Provides the customers with low cost products- Production management facilitate the customers with low cost products so that the majority of the population can avail that product for use. What is a system? System as we understand comprises of various sects which works together as a unit. All the processes are interdependent and function as a whole. The system operates with a distinct intention to fulfill the predetermined objectives. Massive systems are often a compilation of various sub-systems. Production System In a broader sense production system is the framework which supports all kinds of production activities that may take place within an organization. The process of manufacturing involves the conversion of inputs into outputs. A suitable designing of production system makes sure the coordination of the different procedures which undergoes in the production. There is no hard and fast rule that only a single pattern of production system is to be followed universally and have to be applied to all kinds of productions. It differs from one project to another. Definition The methods which include all functions required to collect the inputs, process or reprocess the inputs and produce the saleable outputs. Ray Wild defines production or operation system as a configuration of resources combined for the provision of goods and services. Production system has three main components namely- inputs, conversion process and outputs. Inputs comprise of machines, man-power, capital, raw materials, drawings, paper works. Conversion process includes all kinds of processes and procedures which can be mechanical or manual or chemical. These operations are responsible for converting all the inputs into the desired outputs. This stage of production system also has some supporting operations like obtaining of raw materials, storing, production planning, product designing etc. Outputs comprise of the end products which the firm will provide it to the customers like services, finished goods etc. Production management.png A Systematic Diagram of Production System Types of Production System In general there are two types of production system. They are- Continuous Production- It is a process which is used to produce products without any hindrance in a continuous way. This type of production system is void of any interruption. Continuous production is often referred to as continuous flow process or continuous process. It is so named because the raw materials which go into making of the product are continuously moving and at the same time are exposed to chemicals or heat or cold as required in the making of the product. By continuous we mean running twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, with rare shutdown of the working force which can be quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Goods are manufactured on a massive scale in a continuous production. They are not produced depending on the customers orders. This system of production requires huge investment in machineries. This type of production system is found in oil refineries, power stations etc. Characteristics of Continuous Production Production is continuous. Large scale production of goods takes place. Does not depend on the customers orders. Standardized products are produced. Quality of the goods is predetermined. Types of Continuous Production System Mass production flows-Here same kind of product is manufactured to fulfill the demand of the market. This system needs good planning for material, process, maintenance of machines and instruction to operators. Process production flows- The distinction between mass and process production is the kind of product a firm produces. Mass production manufactures the same products and is produced in a large scale. If the demand ceases, the machineries are used for manufacturing products of similar nature after slight modification. In process production, the plant and equipment is designed for a specific product. Hence if the demand falls for the product or ceases, the firm cannot be used for manufacturing other products. Intermittent Production System Unlike continuous production system intermittent production system as the name suggests is such a system where goods are produced on the basis on customers orders. Usually the goods are produced in a small scale. The production flow is not constant. Various types of products of various sizes are produced in this type of system. The system is very plastic. Ex- Production found in automobile plants, electric goods plants. Characteristics of Intermittent Production System Production is not continuous. Halts are made frequently. Various kinds of goods are produced. Machines used for general purpose is used. Production depends on the order of the clients. The level of production is usually small. Types of intermittent production system Project Production Flows- Here a firm accepts a single complex contract or order. The project has a deadline within which the contract has to be finished that too within an approximate calculated cost. Project production flows include projects like building a high rise, constructing a dam or an airport. Resource requirements are high at the beginning of the project but ultimately ceases as the project nears its end. Job Production Flows- Items are manufactured only on the basis of specifications made by the customers. The cost is determined at the time of signing the project. Highly skilled labors are required in job production flows. Ex- Services the tailoring shops, repairing stores provide. Batch Production Flows- The production schedule is decided before commencing on the project. It depends on the estimate of consumers demands or upon the specific customers orders. The manufacturing process of the product is divided into a number of batches sequentially. Each batch is to be completed first to start with the next. A detailed production planning is required in batch production flows. Ex. Manufacturing of drugs. Factors Influencing Production Process Supplies The production or manufacturing process largely depends on the supplies of raw materials. If the supply of materials is hampered due to problems like transportation or bad weather, the fixed target cannot be achieved within the promised time. On the contrary if there is a smooth supply of materials then the flow of production will be normal and the production schedule can be easily followed. Power Supply- For running any plant, supply of incessant power is required. Even if the power supply is gets disrupted temporarily can have a great impact on the production process. Machineries and Equipments- A sudden shut down of any of the machineries of the equipments used in the production of product can lead to minimization of the production rate. Continual operations of the equipments are necessary in order to improve the efficiency of the machines. Man Power- The labors directly associated with the manufacturing process can influence the production in many ways. For example, sick leaves and vacations taken by key workers have a negative impact on manufacturing. Capacity of the plant is also influences the production procedure of a firm. The larger the firm, the larger will be the production, all the other factors remaining constant. Flexibility- The production process should be elastic in order to adapt to the changes that take place during the production process. Product Design Designing a product by a firm includes a strategic procedure of planning to create a new product to be sold to the customers. The product design is one of the most crucial and sensitive aspect for an organization. Success or failure of the sale of the product depends on a number of factors which ultimately decides the reputation and image of the company in the market. So during the designing period of the product there are a number of things which need to be paid heeded to. Everything is analyzed while designing a product right from what the general public likes to the cost and the process which undergoes in making the product. Production Planning and Control (PPC) The main aim of any manufacturing plant is to produce the products. Therefore the production is the core of the entire business operations. It is the driving force to which all the other functions of the plant depend. Once the industrialist has taken the decision about the product design, the next step he takes is planning the production and chalk out the controlling process. This is very much important for the economical aspect of the project. PPC is absolutely necessary for the small scale industries. A question may arise that why controlling of the manufacturing process is required. Well production planning without production control is like a school without the Headmaster. Planed decisions when put to action can go wrong, but checking the damage due to the mishap is production control. Objectives of Production Planning and Control a) To determine the ability of all producing sectors b) To plan the manufacturing activities in a systematic order depending on the sales demand of the market c) To endorse the fullest utilization of the firm d) To train labors for effective performance e) To ensure means of finding out the manufacturing needs and requirements so that the materials needed for the production can be attained at right time in the right quality as well as quantity f) To maintain coordination between the various sectors of the production process. Stages of Production Planning and Control The following tree will show you what the stages of PPC are PPC.png Production Planning and Control Process Production Planning It is a practice of foreseeing the stages of production process before commencing on a distinct project and also to judge the efficiency level of all those stages through which the maximum profit of the industry can be brought about at the scheduled time. It enables the entrepreneur to estimate the quantity of raw materials, money and labors to be needed for the production. Routing It helps in determining the course and progression of the production activities of a plant. The machines which will be required for the operations and the executives to be engaged for the work are determined in the routing stage. The main intention of routing is arrange the production procedure in a cost effective manner. It also makes sure that the decided sequential arrangement is followed firmly. The discussion about the quality and estimation of the cost of the product to be produced is also done in the routing stage. Scheduling Scheduling means determining the approximate time to be taken by each production activity and also all the operations taken together. It highly differs from one job to the other. Time is the main factor which is worked upon at this stage of production planning. Loading Here the schedule planned in the previous step is put into practice. Loading therefore decides who will be given the responsibility to do the work at hand. It helps in judging the existing work load and also to predict how early the remaining work can be finished. Production Control As mentioned earlier every production process must be controlled to keep the process running smoothly and fulfill the production of the products within the specified time. The production control department can perform effectively only when the financial manager, personnel manager, work manager and purchase manager works together in case of small scale industry. Dispatching To start a production process an authorization is required which is done in this stage. From the movement of materials to the different work stations, keeping a track of the cost occurred in each operation of the production, inspection of the activities are all looked after in the dispatching stage of the production control. This step is very significant because it converts the production plan into action. Follow Up Follow up, also regarded as reporting, is that stage of production control where the follies of the production plan or in the schedule structure of the operations are recorded. The main objective behind the follow up stage is to make sure all the decided plans and programs are been followed. It finds out whether there is any deviation from the production plan or not. And if there is any, immediate action is taken to resolve the fault and finish the production within the scheduled time. Inspection This stage is concerned about checking the quality of the finished goods because it is the most vital factor as the image, the name and the reputation of the company in the market depends on it Corrective Measures Corrective measures involve all those activities which are done to rectify the faults which may have occurred in the routing, scheduling, loading scheduling or in any of the stages of the production planning or control system. Decisions regarding the inclusion of more labors, transfer of personnel to other work stations, training of the employees are also taken in the corrective stage. Conclusion From the above discussion one thing can be easily understood that without efficient planning and control no business company can fulfill its objective of earning a profit. Production planning and control becomes very much crucial for the small scale industries because they frequently face the challenge of producing goods at a very low cost. Production planning not only aids the companies to determine the convenient production procedure they need to follow but also reveals the risk factors which they are likely to face during the manufacturing process.

Dell SWOT Analysis and Dell Porters Five Forces Analysis

Dell SWOT Analysis and Dell Porters Five Forces Analysis The intensity of Dells competitiveness and captivation can be effectively determined using Porters five forces analysis. This analysis was developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard University during 1979. Porters five forces can be used to develop strategies to reach the objective and to sustain in the market. Rivalry among competitors is high for Dell. Its major rivals are Apple Computer, Compaq, IBM, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Silicon Graphics and Micron Electronics. Price war always exists between the competitors. There is low differentiation and high concentration in the market. Due more competition the profitability is low. Dell tackles its rivals by lowering the prices of its products, improving quality, improved features for customization of its products by the users, wide range of varieties and offers, quicker manufacturing and shipment, extending service and increasing advertising. Potential threat of new entrants The threat of new entrant is moderate for Dell. Dell has a powerful branding strategy, so brand name will be a enter barrier for new entrants. There is no legal or government barrier for this sector. The capital investment is low for new entrants and decreasing profitability indicated that Dell has potential treat for new entrant. Threat of substitutes Dell has low threat of substitutes since there is always a demand for technology products in the society. The only threat for Dell is apple computers, however high cost and lack of software support prevent people from switching to Apples products. Dell provides products for lower cost at great quality which makes to sustain the treat for substitutes. Bargaining power of Consumers The bargaining power of buyer is high for Dell. The consumers are highly price sensitive. Reliability and customer services become the most important factors for Dell. The products from Dell are always priced at a low cost. Quality and reliability of the products from Dell is always outstanding. Dell also provides a world class customer service. Bargaining power of the supplier The bargaining power of supplier is high for Dell. As Dell follows Just-in time manufacturing it has large number for supplier for various products. Dells two dominant suppliers Microsoft and Intel which are monopolised, these two supply major inputs for Dells products. The Switching cost of supplier is also high for Dell. SWOT Analysis of Dell SWOT Analysis is a strategic method which highlights and used to evaluate the Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats of a company. The SWOT analysis for Dell is evaluated below Strengths: Dell has a strong branding and positioning strategy. Dell tries to constantly update its product and services with latest technology. Many of the Dells strength evolved from its direct model. The low price, lean operation, direct marketing model, product Customization by user, product diversification, reliable support, excellent customer service and efficient utilization of e-commerce are major strengths of Dell. Weakness: Dells weakness lies within its strategy, due to its Just-in time manufacturing it has to completely depend on its suppliers. Dell lacks in attracting the student community, so it loses the advantage of utilising the education market. Dell does not have any proprietary technology like Apple. The technology used by Dell is shared by its major competitors. Opportunities: With well established e-commerce model Dell is able to reach any niche market in any part of the world and sell its products directly to the customer. Dell tends to diversify and extends its products constantly which create lot of opportunities. Dell also makes partnership with its suppliers which further enhance its inventory and product diversification. Threats: The bargaining power of suppliers and buyers are so high for Dell. The major competitors give tough fight for Dell in the market. The technology advances in a quick pace which make the products obsolete is a quick span of time. Branding and low-cost strategy should be intensified to sustain. Challenges faced by Dells E-Marketing The e-marketing of Dell faces a huge challenge. The E-Marketing has a major disadvantage when compared to traditional marketing, such as, the inability of the user to touch, see and try the product before they purchase. However Dell has some offers to the buyer like One year free service and videos which explains features of the products. E-Marketing strategy should be able to overcome this drawback. The number of online shoppers is increasing day by day. Due to global reach and effective communication, e-commerce and e-marketing becoming more popular. The first major challenge is to reach and attract the user to the Dell website through effective e-marketing, for this e-marketer need to attract online users to view what offer they have for the user. When the number people view the offer is more, there is possibility to increase sales. The advertisements must my creative and attractive to seek the attention of the user. The next big challenge is to make the website user to buy the product, as just the user visits to the website is just the first step; it does not count to the profitability of the company. Dell has to make sure those products and offers are really convincing to the user. The user should be notified and updated regarding the offers, products and services constantly. The online users usually have a short attention span so Dell e-marketing should not overload the user with lot of information about the product. The sales pitch should be short and attractive. Cluttered and too much information will make the customer to feel hard. Straight to the point approach is to be followed to tackle this challenge. The technology and trend are evolving in a rapid pace, so Dells e-marketers should be aware and keep up with latest technology and trend. Dell has a strong brand; to make the effective e-marketing more effective branding strategy should be adequately managed. In E-Market Dell faces a strong competition from its major rivals, to sustain in the market Dell has to effectively advertise its low cost, offers, product differentiation and unique features. The content in advertisement should be creative and accurate. The e-marketing communication must also to be made more effective to reach the target customers. Above all this the e-marketing system should be managed well, perfectly updated and with proper marketing promotions.

No Child Left Behind Essay example -- Education Teaching Learning Essa

No Child Left Behind As students in a Structure & Philosophy class, one of the main components has been to introduce and familiarize us with the No Child Left Behind Act. President Bush passed this legislation on January 8, 2002. The NCLB Act was designed to ensure each and every student the right to a fair education, to give parents more options in their child’s education, and to guarantee all teachers are highly qualified. By highly qualified, the act means teachers must have at least a bachelor’s degree, have full state certification or licensure, and have demonstrated competence in their subject areas (US Dept. of Education). â€Å"Making the Grade,† which was published in the Salt Lake Tribune in September of this year, is an article arguing the negative sides of the No Child Left Behind Act. Through this article, a majority of the discussion regarded the budgeting involved with NCLB. This article calls No Child Left Behind a â€Å"one-size-fits-all formula for improving education in America† (Making the Grade). According to President Bush, the NCLB Act is â€Å"’the cornerstone’ of his administration† (Salt Lake Tribune). Like with any legislation, however, come both positive and negative sides. As argued in â€Å"Making the Grade,† the No Child Left Behind Act seeks to reduce gaps in testing areas that have allowed kids to advance without having high-quality skills in subjects such as math and reading. By discovering what kids are slipping through the gaps in testing, it will be easier for schools to aid these students and make sure they are not left behind. Other main goals of this act include to find teachers who are not well educated in the subjects they are currently teaching, and to locate those schools who fail t... ... Act highly overweigh the few negative sides of the act, such as the supposed lack of funding as pointed out in â€Å"Making the Grade.† With time and patience, I feel everyone will see the benefits of this act and will be supportive of a brighter future of education in the US. Works Cited: â€Å"Making the Grade.† Salt Lake Tribune. 14 Sept. 2003. 30 Oct. 2003. http://web.lexisnexis.com/universe/document?_m=e639f774e6d2737990eb1dcaeec86e34&_docnum=92&wchp=dGLbVlbzSkVA&_md5=66c0907fb6980f1de15959b46cf292a4 US Department of Education. Choices for Parents. 8 November 2003. http://www.ed.gov/nclb/choice/index.html?src=ov US Department of Education. No Child Left Behind. 8 November 2003. http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml US Department of Education. No Child Left Behind. 8 November 2003. http://www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/ayp/testing.html

Breast Cancer Treatment Essay -- essays research papers fc

Breast Cancer Treatment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only lung cancer kills more women each year in the United States than breast cancer does. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that over 184,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in women in 1996 (ACS Breast). Although these statistics are alarming, there are a number of treatment options available for those that are diagnosed with breast cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The best way to treat any disease is to prevent it. Since little is known about breast cancer, there are no established rules for prevention. The ACS recommends that women age twenty and older perform monthly breast self-exams, and it also suggests clinical examinations every three years (ACS Breast). Mammography is also a wonderful tool for detecting tumors; however, there is conflicting data on when and how often women should have mammograms. What is known is that mammography is the best way to determine if a palpable lump is actually cancerous or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Treatment methods for breast cancer can be lumped in two major categories; local or systemic. Local treatments are used to destroy or control the cancer cells in a specific area of the body. Surgery and radiation therapy are considered local treatments. Systemic treatments are used to destroy or control cancer cells anywhere in the body. Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy are considered systemic treatments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. Although there are many different types of breast cancer surgery, they all fit into a few basic categories. An operation that aims to remove most or all of the breast is called a mastectomy. If at all possible, doctors shy away from mastectomies due to the side effects which include loss of strength in the closest arm, swelling of the arm, and limitation of shoulder movement. If a mastectomy must be performed, the physician will often suggest post surgical reconstruction of the breast (Kushner 37).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another type of breast cancer surgery is called breast-sparing surgery. This category would include lumpectomies and segmental mastectomies. In this situation, doctors remove only the tumor and make an attempt at sparing the rest of the breast tissue. These procedures are often followed by radiation therapy to destroy any canc... ...nbsp;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contrary to the negative press commonly attributed to breast cancer, there are viable treatment options for those diagnosed with this terrible affliction. The push for increased research in breast cancer is even coming from the White House. President Bill Clinton mentioned his support for increased funding for research and prevention in his recent State of the Union Address, and he urged insurance companies to pay for more mammograms. Hopefully, with the support from the White House, new treatments can be found for breast cancer, and maybe with a little luck we will have a cure by the turn of the century. Works Cited American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer. Document 004070. American Cancer Society. For Women Facing Breast Cancer. 1995. Kushner, Rose. If You've Thought About Breast Cancer. Kensington, MD: Rose Kushner Breast   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cancer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advisory Center, 1994. LaTour, Kathy. The Breast Cancer Companion. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1993. National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. What You Need to Know About Breast   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cancer. Revised August 1995.

Stress in Athletics Essay examples -- Sports Athletics Athletes Teams

Stress in Athletics In the Journal article by Mark H. Anshel, entitled Qualitative Validation of a Model For Coping With Acute Stress In Sports. Explains how stress affects athletes, and how they can go about to deal with the problem, or cope with the problem. The author breaks this down into four categories. First, they want to perceive a stimulus or experiencing an event, secondly, appraising that event as stressful, thirdly, using either approach or avoidance coping strategies each consisting of either cognitive or behavioral strategies, and finally enacting post-coping activity that consists of either remaining on task, reappraising the stressful situation, examining the effectiveness of the coping strategy, or disengaging from further sport participation. Stress itself is a widely studied characteristic; it is defined as an interaction between an individual and the surrounding environment. Most research on stress is just new, but has been a topic for the last 20 years. But most new studies on stress have to deal more with the coping process. â€Å"Coping is the person’s conscious attempt at reducing or managing the demands of a stressful event or expanding the person’s resources to deal with the event (Anshel, 2001).† Previous research by Gottlieb (1997) explained â€Å"how coping strategies related to acute forms of stress differ from chronic stress, and that many contexts of chronic stress do not end themselves to an event-centered strategy of measuring coping (pg...