Project Evaluation and Review Technique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project Evaluation and Review Technique - Essay Example PERT analysis first identify the three risk scenarios i.e. Most optimistic that is fewer risks will occur, Most likely which is weighted average of the all the risks and most pessimistic which is the estimation that the many risks will occur during the project life time. PERT than take three risks into account and calculate the single most accurate estimate of risk. The most important advantage of PERT include that PERT allow the project managers to do the detailed planning which is considered as the backbone of the project management. Further once detailed planning is done, it forces management to plan and make commitment and devise plans to follow them. (http://www.zetamuhendislik.com, 2008). Further to this, PERT estimates allow to account for the uncertaintiy into project management however its most important disadvantages incldue the fact that it is time and labor intensive apart from the fact that it is used for usually large and complex projects with huge magnitude requiring extra ordinary resources. PERT is also a techniqu where assumptions made are considered little over ambitious as it lacks the functional ownership of the estimates. The problem with the task estimation is because of the fact that the objectives as in fast changing external

Palazzo Art History Essay Example for Free

Palazzo Art History Essay Context Few windows overlook the inner courtyard (cortile); the colonnaded walls are decorated on all sides by deep niches and blind windows, and the intervening surfaces are spattered by spezzato (broken and blemished plaster) giving life and depth to the surfaces. Function pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana Description terms four exterior faà §ades have flat pilasters against rusticated walls Intent pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana Palazzo del Te or Palazzo Te is a palace in the suburbs of Mantua, Italy. It is a fine example of the mannerist style of architecture, the acknowledged masterpiece of Giulio Romano. The official name, and by far the most common name in Italian, is Palazzo Te, but this may be a relatively recent usage; Vasari calls it the Palazzo del T (pronounced as Te), and English-speaking writers, especially art historians, continue to call it the Palazzo del Te. In Italian this now suggests use for tea-drinking, which may account for the divergence in usage. HideDescription Palazzo del Te is a square building, constructed 1524-1534 for Federico II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua. He decided in 1524 to build a pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana. The site chosen was that of the familys stables at Isola del Te on the fringe of the marshes just outside Mantuas city walls. The architect commissioned was Giulio Romano, a pupil of Raphael. The shell of the palazzo was erected within 18 months. It is basically a square house built around a cloistered courtyard. A formal garden complemented the house. This was enclosed by colonnaded outbuildings terminated by a semi-circular colonnade known as the Esedra. Like the Villa Farnesina in Rome, the suburban location allowed for a mixing of both Palace and Villa architecture. The four exterior faà §ades have flat pilasters against rusticated walls, the fenestration indicating that the piano nobile is on the ground floor with a secondary floor above. The East faà §ade differs from the other three by having Palladian motifs on its pilaster and an open loggia at its centre rather than an arch to the courtyard. The facades are not as symmetrical as they appear, and the spans between the columns are irregular. The centre of the North and South facades are pierced by two-storey arches without portico or pediment, simply a covered way leading to the interior courtyard. Few windows overlook the inner courtyard (cortile); the colonnaded walls are decorated on all sides by deep niches and blind windows, and the intervening surfaces are spattered by spezzato (broken and blemished plaster) giving life and depth to the surfaces. Once the shell of the building was completed, for ten years a team of plasterers, carvers and fresco painters laboured, until barely a surface in any of the loggias or salons remained undecorated. Under Giulio Romanos direction, local decorative painters such as Benedetto Pagni and Rinaldo Mantovano worked extensively on the frescos. These frescoes remain today and are the most remarkable feature of the Palazzo. The subjects range from Olympian banquets in the Sala di Psiche and stylised horses in the Sala dei Cavalli to the most unusual of all — giants and grotesques wreaking havoc, fury and ruin around the walls of the Sala dei Giganti. Mannerisms most famous fresco: Giulio Romanos illusionism invents a dome overhead and dissolves the rooms architecture in the Fall of the Giants. These magnificent rooms, once furnished to complement the ducal court of the Gonzaga family, saw many of the most illustrious figures of their era entertained such as the Emperor Charles V, who, when visiting in 1530, elevated his host Federico II of Gonzaga from Marquess to Duke of Mantua. One of the most evocative parts of the lost era of the palazzo is the Casino della Grotta, a small suite of intimate rooms arranged around a grotto and loggetta (covered balcony) where courtiers once bathed in the small cascade that splashed over the pebbles and shells encrusted in the floor and walls. In 1630 Mantua and the palace were sacked by invading forces, the remaining population fell victim to one of the worst plagues in history. The Palazzo was looted from top to bottom and remained an empty shell: nymphs, god, goddesses and giants remain on the walls of the empty echoing rooms. Part of the Palazzo today houses the Museo Civico del Palazzo Te, endowed by the publisher Arnoldo Mondadori. It contains a collection of Mesopotamian art.

Urban Life During the Second Industrial Revolution Essay -- essays rese

Urban Life During the Second Industrial Revolution The trend towards densely populated urban centers begun in 1800's continued into the 1900's. Man's development of urban centers was a major step away from what seemed to be nature's way of living: on farms and sparsely placed homesteads. Industrial production required hundreds of thousands of workers and, especially in the second industrial revolution, scientists. The urban centers that emerged during this period, such as Paris, London, and Berlin, were quickly changing the ratios of population from rural to urban Berlin's population, for example, went from 66% rural in 1871 to almost 66% urban before the first World War (see "The Second Industrial Revolution"). With the influx of people to urban centers came the increasingly obvious problem of city layouts. The crowded streets which were, in some cases, the same paths as had been "naturally selected" by wandering cows in the past were barely passing for the streets of a quarter million commuters. In 1853, Napoleon III named Georges Haussmann "prefect of the Seine," and put him in charge of redeveloping Paris' woefully inadequate infrastructure (Kagan, The Western Heritage Vol. II, pp. 564-565). This was the first and biggest example of city planning to fulfill industrial needs that existed in Western Europe. Paris' narrow alleys and apparently random placement of intersections were transformed into wide streets and curving turnabouts that freed up congestion and aided in public transportation for the scientists and workers of the time. Man was no longer dependent on the natural layout of cities; form was beginning to follow function. Suburbs, for example, were springing up around major cities. This housing arrangem... ...tion from their peers (Kagan, p. 564). So the natural layout of large urban centers eventually gave way to a structured, logically designed cities near the turn of the century. With the help of industrial products such as steel and concrete, new forms were being used to maximize utility in crowded urban areas. Sanitation reform was underway to combat the natural forces of disease and other health hazards, and science was beginning to find the origins of disease and decay. All these developments show mankind taking a less natural approach to society, and bending nature to its will. Other Sources: Kagan, Ozment, & Turner. The Western Heritage Vol. II. Prentice Hall, 1996 Pacey, Arnold. Technology in World Civilization. MIT Press, 1991 Kranzberg, Arnold and Carroll W. Pursell Jr. Technology in Western Civilization. Oxford University Press, 1967

Languages of Love

Love is something that you give away and it comes right back to you. Good evening everyone! Old or young, rich or poor, we all have a God-given yearning to love and be loved. However, due to the fallen world we live in, a lot of people nowadays would have a hard time at expressing their love to others. As a result, poor relationships are developed. But thankfully, all Is not lost! Have you heard of the â€Å"Five Languages of Love†? They are the means through which we can express or receive love.A proper understanding of these will greatly enhance our relationships. Today, allow me to share the top three love languages in my life. These are Gift-giving, Words of affirmation and Quality time. The first love language I learned, Gift-giving, was introduced by my parents while I was growing up. This, however, does not merely focus on the material value of the gift, but rather, on Its sentimental value to the giver. As much as I enjoy the tangible language of love, I also desire th e intangible ones: Words of affirmation and Quality mime.Some people may say that actions speak louder than words. But I for one believe that words do matter too. That Is the reason why Words of affirmation speaks to my heart as well. As I was brought up In a positive linguistic environment, It's easy for me to speak kind and encouraging words to others. Lastly, my most cherished of all the love languages is Quality time. This involves giving each other an undivided attention while performing any activity, or by simply Ewing at each other's side.What I love most about it is that, it provides a vessel for the memories of love in the years to come. To sum It up, understanding what kind of love language one speaks, Is the key to developing meaningful relationships. Be it with your family, friends, or special someone. Take note that aside from these three, the other two are Acts of service and Physical touch. Now that I know what my primary love languages are, don't you think it's about time you discovered yours?

Religion and Identity Essay

The question often arrived what is religion? There are more than one answer to this depending on one’s culture, identity, ethics and beliefs. Religion can be found in different cultures and throughout the whole period of human history. There is evidence that shows signs of religion such as animal spirits in art and human burials that suggest the belief in life after death. There have been many different answers and definition to what religion is (Van Voorst, 2013). According to Robert E. Van Voorst (2013), religion is â€Å"Pattern of beliefs and practices that expresses and enacts what a community regards as sacred and/or ultimate about life (pg.5). In addition to that, there is the separation of church and state. In America, the right to freedom of religion is very central to the American democracy that it was preserved in the First Amendment to the Constitution along with other rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of press. The country’s founders restrict the separation of church and state. This is due to the prohibition against government regulation or endorsement of religion. According to American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (2012), the standard of separation has been regularly tested. In early America, even after church establishment ended, some state legislators sought to revive the compulsory taxation of citizens to support religious institutions. In this century, public schools were once required to teach the biblical version of the earth’s and humanity’s creation, while the scientific theory of evolution was prohibited. Throughout our history, sectarian advocates have tried to inject religious exercises, such as daily prayer, into the public schools. At times, religious minorities, including members of â€Å"cults,† have been discriminated against because of their beliefs. And today, many citizens in many communities disagree about whether a model of the infant Jesus in the manger, which officially promotes certain religious beliefs over others, should be displayed on the steps of City Hall. The courts must frequently consider where to draw the line that separates church and state ( ¶5). Religion is one of our most critical tradition and constitutional rights and must stand against anything that would challenge the standard of separation, which protects that freedom. Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church was the group that I visited. Though it is not my own religious practice, it qualifies as a religion. Driving up to the church there is a sign that has the name of the church boldly written in LED lights. The welcome message display in red across the board says â€Å"All Are Welcome†. Inside of Reid Temple church they have a Cross as their symbol posted high where all can see. The service was nice with the choir singing praises to God and special prayer request were taken. After the service, I spoke with the Senior Pastor about his church and what exactly do they believe in. I was informed that their slogan is â€Å"Aiming to Please through the 5 E’s. This came from II Corinthians 5:9 which states â€Å"So whether at home or away, we make our aim to please Him. (RSV). The 5 E’s were described to me as â€Å"Evangelism which is sowing the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of all people. Empowerment which is bestowing love and guidance on believers to disciple them in fulfilling their purpose. Education which is knowing the will of God through study and obedience of His Word. Economics which is flowing in financial prosperity according to God’s wealth principles and Expansion which is growing in all ministry areas to reach the growing harvest of souls† ( Washington, L. Personal interview January 13, 2013). The cross is a reminder of their pledge and it also reminds them that Jesus died for their sins and to Him all praise is given. Buddhism also has a symbol such as the Dharmachakra which is the wheel of the law. The eight spokes on the wheel represents the eightfold path. The wheel is one of the most important Buddhist symbols because it symbolizes the teachings of Buddha. According to Thames & Hudson (2004), The wheel’s motion is a metaphor for the rapid spiritual change engendered by the teachings of the Buddha: the Buddha’s first discourse at the Deer Park in Sarnath is known as the â€Å"first turning of the wheel of dharma.† His subsequent discourses at Rajgir and Shravasti are known as the â€Å"second and third turnings of the wheel of dharma.† The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize the Noble Eightfold Path set out by the Buddha in his teachings. The wheel also represents the endless cycle of samsara, or rebirth, which can only be escaped by means of the Buddha’s teachings. And some Buddhists regard the the wheel’s three basic parts as symbols of the â€Å"three trainings† in Buddhist practice: The hub symbolizes moral discipline, which stabilizes the mind. The spokes (usually there are eight) represent wisdom which is applied to defeat ignorance. The rim represents training in concentration, which holds everything else together ( ¶ 2 & 3). In the early days, the Dharmachakra not only symbolizes the teaching of Buddha but also Buddha himself. Today, it appears in the art of every Buddhist culture (para 5). Practicing religion can shape an individual and group identity. Take Buddhism for example that is followed by many Indians. This religion practices the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths teaches that: 1. All life is suffering- this suggests that all beings experience suffering and that it can be ranged from great physical and mental pain to mild emotional unhappiness. Suffering originates from anger and sadness but then happiness is also suffering because it comes and goes. 2. The cause of suffering is desire- This suggests that humans want what they do not have and should not have. Humans’ personal desire for happiness is the cause of the suffering. 3. To end desire is to end suffering -which suggests that putting all craving and personal desires to an end will therefore end the suffering. This breaks the negative karma which leads to the 4th Noble Truth 4. To end desire- one must follow the Noble Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is : 1. The right to understanding which ends the concept of what one think is reality and see reality as it is. 2. The right to intention is where people must want to change before they can actually be change. 3. The right to speech which is speaking the truth at all times. 4. The right to conduct which means no killing, stealing, drinking, intoxicants and being sexual. 5. The right to livelihood which is working and living a life that does not cause others harm. 6. The right to effort which is developing a conscious free from craving. 7. The right to mindfulness which is to be aware and mindful and 8. The right to contemplation which is the deepening of mindfulness that leads to concentration and insight may be obtained (Van Voorst,2013). Practicing the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path teaches and shape the followers of Buddhism. It is a way of life for them which teach them to take time to find out who they are and what they are all about. It is a guideline to ethical and menta l development. Shinto culture is another example of how practicing religion and shape individuals or groups. The people of Japan practices Shinto and is rooted in the people there and their traditions. The Shinto gods that are called kami are sacred spirits. These spirits can take form in things such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Shinto religion believes that when a human dies they become a kami and is given back to their families and ancestral kami. There not a right from wrong in Shinto and their faith is based on being optimistic. The Shinto faith is blended with other beliefs such as that of Buddhism and Daoism. It does not have a founder, written documents, formalized ethics, system of beliefs, scripture or an organized system of theology but with the blend of Buddhism and Daoism, the Japanese culture now have a system of beliefs, written documents, founder, ethics and all that it was lacked before. It is still a central religion of Japan (Carroll, 2012). Shinto grounds are very sacred and behavior must be proper at all times. There are no food or drink allowed and there must be silence or hushed voices. Purity is important in Shinto and there is a certain procedure in washing your hands on mouth. Purity is important in pleasing the kami which brings a happy life. Van Voorst wrote that â€Å"Cleanliness in particular signifies a good character and freedom from bad external influences. In Western societies one hears the proverb â€Å"Cleanliness is next to godliness.† In traditional Japanese society cleanliness—of body, mind, and spirit, both ritual and practical—is godliness. To be in harmony with the kami, one must keep one’s person, home, and business clean† (pg 198). Religion has always been connected with government and politics. The Western world has a history of influence from Catholicism and Protestant rift. It is very similar to the history of some parts of Southern Asia that have been influenced by Islam. The interconnection of both religion and government is to be expected because both are regulating social behavior. During the past century, religion has been less influential. Modern governments have been influenced by Democratic philosophy which put importance of the average man and a sharing of the world’s resources. These ideas continue to shape modern society in different ways. For example, technology has drastically changed the nature of life and work. Traditional religious systems are gradually becoming less important. The trend towards secularism continues but has not been nearly as pronounced in the United States and regular church attendance started to decrease in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. It increased again post World War II period. There is only a small majority of Americans who thinks religion is of any importance in their lives (Federal Funding of Faith-Based Services, 2011). Many people know what religion is until they are asked to define it. Religion is a worldly thing, across many boundaries in human experience and so that makes it a bit hard to define. There are a few different definition of religion and many have different religious experience and understanding of Ultimate Reality. At Reid Temple, I asked the lady sitting next to me if she could tell what Ultimate Reality means. She said to her Ultimate Reality meant a personal relationship with God. In a different culture Ultimate Reality could mean spiritual growth or spiritual path. Not everyone is all about religion though. There are some cultures who prefer that their beliefs not to be subject as a religion but as a faith or teaching. There are some who argue that they are not religious but they are spiritual. References American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. (2012). Church and state. Retrieved from http://www.aclufl.org/take_action/download_resources/info_papers/3.cfm Carroll,B.J. (2012). Shinto basics. Retrieved from http://www.world-religions-professor.com/shinto.html Federal Funding of Faith-Based Services. (2011). Religion and public policy. Retrieved from http://www.newsbatch.com/religion.htm Thames & Hudson. (2004). Reading Buddhist Art: an illustrated guide to Buddhist signs and Symbols. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/wheel.htm Van Voorst, R.E. (2013). World relg. Student edition. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. USA Washington, L.P. (2013). Reid Temple Senior Pastor. Personal Interview January 13, 2013.

Its True Essay examples

Its True Essay examples Its True Essay examples Jenna Lalley Ms. Rieger AMH 2020 20 March 2013 Critical Thinking Essay August 2, 1939 was a day that would change the future of wartime weapons. Along with other scientists, Albert Einstein wrote a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt that stated how Nazi Germany was working on developing pure Uranium-235, which could eventually be used to build an atomic bomb (Bellis.) This was all the information Roosevelt needed before the program of the â€Å"Manhattan Project† was put underway. According to Bellis, over $2 billion dollars were spent over the course of the years that the Manhattan Project was in place. July 16, 1945, scientists carried out the first trial of the bomb in the New Mexico desert of Los Alamos. The president at the time, Truman, was informed that the trial was a success. The use of the atom bomb was seen as a necessary option. The war with Japan was going strong, and there was no sight of a Japanese surrender. The atom bomb was what Truman, and many other American military officials believed would end the war an d bring about a victory for the United States. The only other alternative was an invasion on all of the Japanese islands, which would have resulted in the casualties of many innocent citizens (Atomic). There were many results of the two atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 15, just days after the attack on Nagasaki, the Japanese surrendered (Atomic.) However, the more devastating result was that of the effected citizens. â€Å"The first western scientists, servicemen and journalists to arrive on the scene produced vivid and heartrending reports describing a charred landscape populated by hideously burnt people, coughing up and urinating blood and waiting to die† (Atomic.) I honestly do not think that the dropping of these bombs was justified. The United States has been in many wars before where no use of atomic weapons was necessary. These bombs had more negative effects than positive. Although Japan surrendered, and the war was ended because of the dropping of these bombs, a lot of lives could have been

A Rose for Emily Creative Writing Essay Example

A Rose for Emily Creative Writing Essay Example A Rose for Emily Creative Writing Essay A Rose for Emily Creative Writing Essay Essay Topic: Creative This is the point of view of the window in the room where Homer Barron was killed. The window is a witness of Emily? s entire life and it is the one who can describe everything that has happened at the moment Emily puts an end to Homer’s existence. In my opinion, this piece of writing can enrich the text because the reader gets a glimpse of the conversation Emily and Homer have before she kills him and what Tobe’s position in her game is. The long room, with its pink walls, was dark and empty, except for all the new furniture that, little by little, Tobe had sneaked in without the neighbours ever quite noticing. And a fine job he had done. The room had never looked half as lovely. I could hear footsteps slowly coming up the stairs and the soft, almost indistinguishable, sound of voices which by the minute grew louder. Finally, the door opened and the lights were turned on. Yes, two people had been climbing the stairs and now I could see who they were. Miss Emily, who night after night, almost religiously, had come to check on the work Tobe was performing, was accompanied by no one less that Homer Barron. Now the old house would have a master once more. To avoid catching the eye of the curious passer-by, Miss Emily drew the curtains, thus rendering me blind, though only partially, for I could still make out their shapes. Being deprived of my sight, I had no other choice than to rely on my hearing. And that I did. â€Å"Emily, what’s all this? I’m quite sure I told you I’m not the type to marry and settle down,† said Homer, almost mockingly. But Miss Emily had made up her mind and she wouldn’t let him walk away. He would be forever bound to this house in the same way she and everyone who had preceded her had been. At last, their fates would be one and the same. Miss Emily stood in front of him, and in a movement I couldn’t quite make out, but that I imagined –and that since the incident, every time I rehash their conversation I still do picture it like that–, placed one long, white, bony finger on top of his lips and said: â€Å"You are not thinking of leaving me now, are you? Surely not now. That is no longer a possibility. † The next thing I heard was a muted thud, as if some heavy weight had been dropped carelessly on the carpeted floor. I wasn’t completely closed, and thanks to a sudden gust of wind, the curtains which were blinding me moved aside, and in a glimpse of vision, I was able to take in the scene before me: Mr Barron lay on the floor and Miss Emily seemed to be undressing him, ever so gently. Through my covered eyes, I was back to seeing shadows and shapes, but I could see her getting back to her feet and placing his suit on top of the chair and, by the noise, I figure she arranged his shoes somewhere nearby. â€Å"Tobe,† she called aloud. Tobe quietly, opened the door and stepped in. What I never liked about the man was that he had that quality of moving around the house as if ghost-like, and you could never be quite sure where he was. â€Å"Yes, ma’am? † â€Å"Put him on the bed and then leave us for the night. We shall not require your services until morning. † Her quiet, her countenance, was enviable. She had always had that air of cool detachment about herself. The mark of a true lady. Or of a true madwoman. â€Å"Yes, ma’am. † Tobe did as he was ordered and started towards the door. Suddenly, however, he turned around and noted my condition. â€Å"Shall I close the window before I leave, ma’am? † â€Å"If you may. Now go, Tobe. Thank you. † After ruining my only chance to see clearly, Tobe left the room, and turned off the lights. â€Å"Now, my love, we are together at last. Together forever. I could not bare the thought of losing you. When you told me you would be leaving town, I ran to the shops and got hold of the only thing that would keep you here, with me. † Miss Emily went on talking to the corpse of Homer Barron until, exhausted, she fell asleep. Among the many things she revealed to him, she said how she’d poisoned the drink she had given him that night, and how she had convinced him of coming up to the room. Morning came the following day, as it had invariably done every day before that one, and the light that filtered through the curtains showed me my mistress asleep on top of the dead body. She had arranged his arms around her, so she could always feel his embrace. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, and kissed his guest on the lips once, twice, and then left the room. Night after night, she would always return to her lover. Time passed and no one discovered what she had done. My curtains were never again drawn, but I could feel the paint peeling. I could smell the dust covering every surface it could find. I could sense the dreams of a once young lady who had fallen in love die slowly. And yet my mistress never stopped showing up. She died one night, in his arms. I never had the chance to see her, to bid her goodbye, but I am sure that, in the arms of her beloved, she died with a full heart and a smile upon her lips.

The Kushan Empire

The Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire began in the early 1st century as a branch of the Yuezhi, a confederation of ethnically Indo-Europeans nomads who lived in eastern Central Asia. Some scholars connect the Kushans with the Tocharians of the Tarim Basin in China, Caucasian people whose blonde or red-haired mummies have long puzzled observers. Throughout its reign, the Kushan Empire spread control over much of Southern Asia all the way to modern-day Afghanistan and throughout the Indian subcontinent- with it, Zoroastrian, Buhhdism and Hellenistic beliefs also spread as far as China to the east and Persia to the west. Rise of an Empire Around the years A.D. 20 or 30, the Kushans were driven westward by the Xiongnu, a fierce people who likely were the ancestors of the Huns. The Kushans fled to the borderlands of what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, where they established an independent empire in the region known as Bactria. In Bactria, they conquered the Scythians and the local Indo-Greek kingdoms, the last remnants of Alexander the Greats invasion force that had failed to take India. From this central location, the Kushan Empire became a wealthy trading hub between the peoples of Han China, Sassanid Persia and the Roman Empire. Roman gold and Chinese silk changed hands in the Kushan Empire, turning a nice profit for the Kushan middle-men. Given all their contacts with the great empires of the day, it is hardly surprising that the Kushan people developed a culture with significant elements borrowed from many sources. Predominantly Zoroastrian, the Kushans also incorporated Buddhist and Hellenistic beliefs into their own syncretic religious practices. Kushan coins depict deities including Helios and Heracles, Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha, and Ahura Mazda, Mithra and the Zoroastrian fire god  Atar. They also used the Greek alphabet that they altered to suit spoken Kushan. Height of the Empire By the rule of the fifth emperor, Kanishka the Great from 127 to 140 the Kushan Empire had pushed into all of northern India and expanded east again as far as the Tarim Basin- the original homeland of the Kushans. Kanishka ruled from Peshawar (currently Pakistan), but his empire also included the major Silk Road cities of Kashgar, Yarkand, and Khotan in what is now Xinjiang or East Turkestan. Kanishka was a devout Buddhist and has been compared to the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great in that regard. However, evidence suggests that he also worshiped the Persian deity Mithra, who was both a judge and a god of plenty. During his reign, Kanishka built a stupa that Chinese travelers reported as about 600 feet high and covered with jewels. Historians believed that these reports were fabricated until the base of this amazing structure was discovered in Peshawar in 1908. The emperor built this fabulous stupa to house three of the Buddhas bones. References to the stupa have since been discovered among the Buddhist scrolls at Dunhuang, China, as well. In fact, some scholars believe that Kanishkas forays into the Tarim were Chinas first experiences with Buddhism. Decline and Fall After 225 CE, the Kushan Empire crumbled into a western half, which was almost immediately conquered by the Sassanid Empire of Persia, and an eastern half with its capital in Punjab. The eastern Kushan Empire fell at an unknown date, likely between 335 and 350 CE, to the Gupta king, Samudragupta.   Still, the influence of the Kushan Empire helped spread Buddhism across much of Southern and Eastern Asia. Unfortunately, many of the practices, beliefs, art, and texts of the Kushans were destroyed when the empire collapsed and if not for the historical texts of Chinese empires, this history may have been lost forever.

Report on order entry points in the spectrum of supply management Coursework

Report on order entry points in the spectrum of supply management - Coursework Example Review of all the references quoted in my report and eliminated those which obstructed the flow of the report 5. I have also reviewed the relevancy of the case studies and made improvement over them. 6. At the end I would like to say big thanks to Dr. Rob Dekkers who help me and made me to produce such a model report. Table of contents Summary5 Introduction...6 Evolution of the Concept of Order Entry Point ........8 Research Methodology and Scope of the Report ..............................................9 Customer Order Decoupling Points - Concept and the Basics ..10 Customer Order Entry Point as Distinguished From Customer Order Decoupling point 16 Order Entry Point and Its Control Capability for Logistics ......17 O.E.P. and its effects on Supply Chain Management ..........20 Case Study23 Order Entry Point and Engineering Management ..25 Case Study27 Production Management Perspective in Order Entry Point ......28 Case Study29 Logistics Control and Physical Distribution 30 Case Study31 Conclusion ...33 10.0 References ...34 11.0 Glossary ..38 LIST OF FIGURS Figure # Description Page # 1 Order Entry Matrix. 13 2 Manufacturing Process and CODP 15 3 Representation of material Decoupling Point 22 4 Comparison of Material and Information Decoupling points within a Supply Chain 22 5 Changes that can be expected by a firm by implementing the Modular Design 26 SUMMARY: A firm to be successful in the global environment should manage its supply chain in such a way that the problems caused by distance, language, time ones, business practices, tariffs and other impediments to an efficient flow materials are eliminated or minimized to the maximum possible extent. Irrespective of... Report on order entry points in the spectrum of supply management Case studies enlightening the excellence and achievements in various fields of management are also included to make the report more interesting to the reader. Unlike the earlier reports, this one encompasses the relationship of order entry point to different fields of management like supply management, engineering management, production management and logistics and distribution which makes the report unique. A firm to be successful in the global environment should manage its supply chain in such a way that the problems caused by distance, language, time ones, business practices, tariffs and other impediments to an efficient flow materials are eliminated or minimized to the maximum possible extent. Irrespective of the time of placing the order or providing complete details with respect to his expectations, the customer always wants his delivery in the appointed time and date. The delivery date for the final product or service appears to be a strong concrete wall which will never move and every person and process walking towards this wall has to adjust their course of movements such that there is no direct hit against wall. An efficient distribution management has resulted in a higher sales turnover for ‘Timberland’ from $ 293 million in 1992 to $862 million in 1998. Based on the increase in the demand for boots and other products, the company made a reengineering of inventory management and distribution processes. With this reengineering process the company reduced the number of distribution centers to three from the unwieldy state of having thirteen distribution centers spread allover the country.

Business Strategy Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Strategy Questions - Essay Example In many companies and organisations, however, this area of social responsibility is often not identified as a major or separate functional area; instead the responsibility is vested on an individual or managing staff, which frequently performs within the human resources management area. (Anderson, 1989, p. 15) Most companies find it no simple matter to formulate and implement socially responsible actions and programs; however, all companies must become concerned and involved in this area. To operate without major disruptions, a company must at all times be in compliance with legal requirements international, federal, state, and local. It must develop, establish, implement, and police a code of ethical and moral conduct for all members of its organisation. In the area of implementing activities on behalf of CSR, where there is considerably more latitude of operations in how, when, where, and even if the company or division wants to contribute money or other resources to 'worthy causes', the firm must deliberate about and resolve many questions prior to establishing fair and workable guidelines. Gone are the 'showing damn to public' attitudes once held by some companies. With a more active government and populace, company social responsibility in each of the three major areas has continued to gain greater concern and prominence over the past several decades. Social responsibility will continue to take more time, money, consideration, and concern in all future management decisions and actions. Diverse managerial skills, ranging from simple to highly complex, are required in all of these areas of social responsibility. It is the social and moral responsibility of an organisation to consider and recognise the rights or interests of various stakeholders first, not only stockholders and employees but also outsiders affected by the company's actions. Among outsiders include customers, suppliers, governments, unions, competitors, local communities, and the general public whereas stakeholder groups justifiably expect and often demand that the firm satisfy their claims in a responsible manner. In general, stockholders claim appropriate returns on their investment; employees seek broadly defined job satisfactions; customers want what they pay for; suppliers seek dependable buyers; unions seek benefit for their members; local communities want the company to be a responsible citizen; and the general public expects the company's existence to improve the quality of life. To be successful in today's business environment, which is dynamic and complex at the same time, organisations must attempt to incorporate t he interests of these groups when defining their strategy or making business decisions. (Sims, 2003, p. 40) To build an enduring and resilient competitive advantage, an organisation must establish strong relationships with all of its key stakeholders due to the fact that no organisations in today's infrastructure can afford to ignore certain other specialised and highly influential groups which include government agencies that look at organisation compliance with regulatory standards, financial-ratings

On the Veranda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On the Veranda - Essay Example My reminiscing takes me back to the days when I was a blushing bride and lovingly carried across the veranda of our house and gently lowered down by my tall and handsome husband Jack, who gave me a warm embrace and then took my arm and showed me around the house. He was an engineer in the construction business and had lovingly designed every bit of the house himself, and would often say â€Å"Julie dear, I’ve built this house with you in mind and it is here that I want to live with you forever†. I would smile back and say, â€Å"Of course Jack, that’s what I want too†. Every evening, when Jack returned from work, I would serve him tea and snacks while he rested for a while on a recliner on the veranda, overlooking a beautiful garden. Besides being husband and wife, we were soul-mates to each other and our conversations did not linger on random issues, but on the other hand, we could talk to each other on just about anything we wanted to say. We were frank with each other and laughed a lot at the humor shared between us. We would often sit on the steps of the veranda holding hands and discuss raising a family. We were ecstatic when I became pregnant and Jack doted on me all the more and would teasingly say, â€Å"I can’t wait for the little one to arrive†. Finally, the great day came and we were blessed with a sweet baby girl whom we named Cindy. We now had one more member added, to share space with us on the veranda. Cindy was the joy of our lives and as she grew up, we often played hide and seek with her.

Willow Garage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Willow Garage - Essay Example Among the positive values that other companies should emulate is sharing information as well as not concentrating on monetary gains. This way such companies remain productive and relevant, which in turn increases their consumer base relating to more profits. There is a common clichà © that knowledge is power, and information not shared is useless. This, in my opinion, is the light that guided the Willow Garage in its endeavors. The company availed ROS, which was associated with a library of information and tools that equip other researchers with the necessary software needed to develop robot applications. In addition, ROS also provided visualizers, device drivers, package management and message-passing that facilitated engineers’ understanding of video, 3D data and camera (Tobe, 2011). By availing this information, other robotics researchers are able to build off from the company’s foundation, as opposed to starting their research work afresh (Ashlee, 2014). In so doing, Willow garage emerges as the greater party compared to other companies. This is because it shares its findings with the world. In other words, it is more concerned with the advancement of robotics for the benefit of the world than building its own name. F urthermore, the work of the company is not lost as other researchers carry on with it. Similarly, companies should share their work and findings with others so that in the occurrence of any event leading to shutting down of the company, others can continue their legacy. Most businesses are profit-oriented. Because of this, most of their dealings are quantitative as opposed to qualitative. Such businesses do not care much about quality of their products and services. Moreover, their dealings are often confidential so that their competitors do not get wind of their work. In cases where they avail some of their information, there is always a cost involved. This is contrary to Willow Garage’s

A report on a research topic linked to the BP share price Essay

A report on a research topic linked to the BP share price - Essay Example The reason for this fluctuation is elaborated in the report by considering each year’s share price performance. The raw data available regarding the share price of BP is divided into three parts, considering five years and four years intervals. The data is analysed in order to study the movement of share price during the periods, along with operation of the company. The technical analysis in form of graphical representation of raw data is employed in order to examine movement of shares over the years. The report highlights the main aim of the study, along with three research questions, which describes the aim. Lastly, the report ends with a conclusion and recommendations pertaining to performance of the share price of BP. Before undertaking a research, realizing the research aim is very important so as to define what the researcher desires to find out. However, the research objective describes the process, which will help in achieving the proposed aim. The main aim of the study is to examine performance of the share prices of BP PLC, over the period of 2000-2013. Share price movement is observed in order to draw a conclusion on performance of the company over the years. In order to find answers to the abovementioned research questions, technical analysis has been employed. Technical analysis refers to forecast of financial price movements in the future based on the past data available for a particular stock. The price actions are studied in order to get a clear picture of movement in share prices. The technical analysis helps to determine the share price trend as bullish or bearish and accordingly, future movement of the share is established. It helps to invest money in trade since the analysis provides an idea regarding trend of the market. The movement in share prices is described in form of graphical representation by dividing the raw price data of BP shares into three parts; considering the interval to be 5 - 5 - 4

Willow Garage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Willow Garage - Essay Example Among the positive values that other companies should emulate is sharing information as well as not concentrating on monetary gains. This way such companies remain productive and relevant, which in turn increases their consumer base relating to more profits. There is a common clichà © that knowledge is power, and information not shared is useless. This, in my opinion, is the light that guided the Willow Garage in its endeavors. The company availed ROS, which was associated with a library of information and tools that equip other researchers with the necessary software needed to develop robot applications. In addition, ROS also provided visualizers, device drivers, package management and message-passing that facilitated engineers’ understanding of video, 3D data and camera (Tobe, 2011). By availing this information, other robotics researchers are able to build off from the company’s foundation, as opposed to starting their research work afresh (Ashlee, 2014). In so doing, Willow garage emerges as the greater party compared to other companies. This is because it shares its findings with the world. In other words, it is more concerned with the advancement of robotics for the benefit of the world than building its own name. F urthermore, the work of the company is not lost as other researchers carry on with it. Similarly, companies should share their work and findings with others so that in the occurrence of any event leading to shutting down of the company, others can continue their legacy. Most businesses are profit-oriented. Because of this, most of their dealings are quantitative as opposed to qualitative. Such businesses do not care much about quality of their products and services. Moreover, their dealings are often confidential so that their competitors do not get wind of their work. In cases where they avail some of their information, there is always a cost involved. This is contrary to Willow Garage’s

Leadership in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Leadership in Nursing - Essay Example In this regard, one can found innumerable cases and examples where nurses have been caring and have brought changes in patients’ lives. For this reason, nursing (Peterson’s, 2010) is a respectable and a profession in demand, and will always remain respectable and in demand. At the same time, I believe that nursing though being a profession is an art that involves some personal touches from the individual, as one can acquire nursing-related education from the academic institution but to be a nurse, one should be caring, compassionate, considerate, etc that becomes an art and a self-thing rather than a job. Since my childhood until now, I went through different phases that brought me closer to the families living in my community. Our neighborhood was a tight-knit locality where celebration or even tragedy would become friends and even strangers come together to celebrate or share the moments jointly. In this regard, my decision to go in the nursing profession (Petersonâ⠂¬â„¢s, 2010) was an outcome of a moment of my life when I came across a tragedy, death of a loved one in our community. While recalling my memory, I remember the feelings of compassion and kindness that everybody in the community showed to each other, especially during final days of that loved one. I saw how each individual reduced the pain in a different way as everybody took the death in his or her own perspective. In specific, from that experience, I now relate and interact with patients and their family members as someone from my community that went through the same experience of losing a loved one and that enables me to reduce my anxiety, and at the same time, reduce their pain during taking care of the patients. In other words, nowadays, I put efforts to acquire a different perspective of life in an optimistic manner and employ my knowledge and learning of medical education as my contribution as a nurse. Besides the experiences that influenced me in becoming a registered nurs e, my connection with God has been another notion that has been facilitating me in appreciating people and their relationships, and this relation helps me in taking life as it happens. In this regard, I believe that service is not a thing of everyone and different events of my life and relationship with God has taught me that the major purpose of life is to live for others and very few have really the heart to do that. The learning I have acquired through being a Registered Nurse at the Fresenius Medical Center, as well as at Jefferson Hills Manor have influenced me to perform my best for the betterment of other people both on and off duty. Besides acquisition of Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from California University of Pennsylvania, experiences such as volunteering had been very constructive in making me an ambitious person that now ignites me to do everything in life for the sake of other people. In addition, working as dynamic organizations such as Fresenius Medical Cen ter and Jefferson Hills Manor as a registered nurse and patient care technician, I have been successful in developing calmness, character, and skills to be caring in the

From Strategy to Business Essay Example for Free

From Strategy to Business Essay Strategy scholars have used the notion of the Business Model to refer to the ‘logic of the firm’ e how it operates and creates value for its stakeholders. On the surface, this notion appears to be similar to that of strategy. We present a conceptual framework to separate and relate the concepts of strategy and business model: a business model, we argue, is a reflection of the firm’s realized strategy. We find that in simple competitive situations there is a one-to-one mapping between strategy and business model, which makes it difficult to separate the two notions. We show that the concepts of strategy and business model differ when there are important contingencies on which a well-designed strategy must be based. Our framework also delivers a clear distinction between strategy and tactics, made possible because strategy and business model are different constructs. Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction The ï ¬ eld of strategy has evolved substantially in the past twenty-ï ¬ ve years. Firms have learned to analyze their competitive environment, deï ¬ ne their position, develop competitive and corporate advantages, and understand better how to sustain advantage in the face of competitive challenges and threats. Different approaches including industrial organization theory, the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and game theory have helped academicians and practitioners understand the dynamics of competition and develop recommendations about how ï ¬ rms should deï ¬ ne their competitive and corporate strategies. But drivers such as globalization, deregulation and technological change (to mention only a few) are profoundly changing the competitive game. Scholars and practitioners agree that the fastest growing ï ¬ rms in this new environment appear to be those that have taken advantage of  these structural changes to innovate in their business models so they can compete ‘differently’. IBM’s Global CEO Studies for 2006 and 2008, for example, show that top management in a broad range of industries are actively seeking guidance on how to innovate in their business models to improve their ability to both create and capture value.1 In addition to the business model innovation drivers noted above, much recent interest has come from two other environmental shifts. Advances in ICT have been a major force behind the recent 0024-6301/$ see front matter.interest in business model innovation. Many e-businesses are based on new business models e Shafer, Smith and Linder ï ¬ nd that eight of the twelve recent business model deï ¬ nitions they present relate to e-business.2 New strategies for the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ in emerging markets have also steered researchers and practitioners towards the systematic study of business models. Academicians working in this area agree that ï ¬ rms need to develop novel business models to be effective in such speciï ¬ c and challenging environments (see work by Thompson and MacMillan, as well as by Yunus et al. in this issue), and socially motivated enterprises constitute a second important source of recent business model innovations. Advances in ICT and the demands of socially motivated enterprises constitute important sources of recent business model innovations. While it has become uncontroversial to argue that managers must have a good understanding of how business models work if their organizations are to thrive, the academic community has only offered early insights on the issue to date, and there is (as yet) no agreement as to the distinctive features of superior business models. We believe this is partly because of a lack of a clear distinction between the notions of strategy, business models and tactics, and the purpose of this article is to contribute to this literature by presenting an integrative framework to distinguish and relate these three concepts. Put succinctly:  Business Model refers to the logic of the ï ¬ rm, the way it operates and how it creates value for its stakeholders; and  Strategy refers to the choice of business model through which the ï ¬ rm will compete in the marketplace; while  Tactics refers to the residual choices open to a ï ¬ rm by virtue of the business model it chooses to employ. To integrate these three concepts, we introduce a generic two-stage competitive process framework, as depicted in Figure 1. In the ï ¬ rst stage, ï ¬ rms choose a ‘logic of value creation and value capture’ (i.e., choose their business model), and in the second, make tactical choices guided by their goals (which, in most cases, entail some form of stakeholder value maximization). Figure 1 thus presents our organizing framework: the object of strategy is the choice of business model, and the business model employed determines the tactics available to the ï ¬ rm to compete against, or cooperate with, other ï ¬ rms in the marketplace. The article is organized as follows. In the next section we deï ¬ ne and discuss the notion of business models and present a tool to represent them, while the following section considers the stage two ‘choice’ in our framework, presenting and discussing the notion of tactics in relation to that of business model. The following section then moves back to examine the ï ¬ rst e strategy e stage, after which we revisit our process framework to integrate the three notions. We discuss the connection between strategy and business model, arguing that both notions can be clearly separated. A detailed example is developed in the following stage, followed by some concluding remarks. Business models Although the expression ‘business model’ has gained in prominence only in the last decade, the term has been part of the business jargon for a long time, its origins going back to the writings of Peter Drucker. Although (as Markides points out) there is no widely accepted deï ¬ nition, Magretta deï ¬ nes business models as ‘stories that explain how enterprises work’, and follows Drucker in deï ¬ ning ‘a good business model’ as the one that provides answers to the following questions: ‘Who is the customer and what does the costumer value?’ and ‘What is the underlying economic logic that explains how we can deliver value to customers at an appropriate cost?’ While not formal, her implicit idea is that a business model is about how an organization earns money by addressing these two fundamental issues e how it identiï ¬ es and creates value for customers, and how it captures some of this value as its proï ¬ t in the process. Amit and Zott’s deï ¬ nition, in contrast, is less broad (as it focuses on e-businesses) but more precise. Reviewing the contributions of several theories including virtual markets, Schumpeterian innovation, value chain analysis, the resource-based view of the ï ¬ rm, dynamic capabilities,  transaction cost economics and strategic networks they point out that each contributes elements to the notion, but that none, by itself, explains business models completely. They analyze a sample of U.S. and European e-business models to highlight the drivers of value creation, and present the following integrative deï ¬ nition: ‘A business model depicts the content, structure, and governance of transactions designed so as to create value through the exploitation of business opportunities.’ The content of a transaction refers to the goods or information exchanged, as well as to resources and capabilities required; the structure refers to the parties that participate, their links, and the way they choose to operate, and governance refers to the way ï ¬â€šows of information, resources and goods are controlled by the relevant parties, the legal form of organization, and the incentives to the participants.5 In this issue, they build on this deï ¬ nition to propose an ‘activity system perspective’ for the design of business models, arguing that activity systems capture the essence of business models and proposing two sets of aspects for designers to consider: design elements (content, structure and governance) that describe the activity system’s architecture, and design themes (novelty, lock-in, complementarities, and efï ¬ ciency) that describe its sources of value creation. The common thread across all of these approximations to the notion of busin ess model is well captured by BadenFuller, MacMillan, Demil and Lecocq in their deï ¬ nition ‘the logic of the ï ¬ rm, the way it operates and how it creates value for its stakeholders’, and we adopt their deï ¬ nition as the starting point for our argument. To make progress toward understanding business models, we ï ¬ nd it helpful to use the analogy of a machine e by which we mean a mechanical device that transmits energy to perform tasks. (Of course, real organizations are different from machines in many important respects, but the comparison is helpful, especially to our thinking in contrasting the notions of strategy and business models.) Any given machine has a particular logic of operation (the way the different components are assembled and relate to one another), and operates in a particular way to create value for its user. To be more concrete, different automobile designs have different speciï ¬ c logics of operation conventional engines operate quite differently from hybrids, and  standard transmissions from automatics and create different value for their ‘stakeholders,’ the drivers. Some may prefer a small car that allows them to navigate congested city streets easily, while others may prefer a large SUV with a powerful engine to enjoy the countryside to the fullest. Automobiles are made of parts wheels, engines, seats, electronics, windshields, and the like. To assess how well a particular automobile works or to create a new one one must consider its components and how they relate to one another, just as, to better understand business models, one needs to understand their component parts and their relationships. (We return to this analogy during the paper: readers will gain more value from it if they understand the design and building of the car as representing strategy; the car itself as the business model; and the driving of the car as the available set of tactics.)

Awareness And Understanding Work Life Balance

Awareness And Understanding Work Life Balance Chapter 1 Introduction Public awareness and understanding of the term ‘work-life balance has grown dramatically in recent years. The high level of interest among employers, consultants, and the media has generated a healthy business in conferences, websites and guides. It is a growth area in academia too, encompassing diverse disciplines including economics, social policy, feminism, sociology, industrial relations, human resource management, health and psychology. The term Work life balance can be defined as â€Å"employment based on emergent new values, which doesnt discriminate against those with caring or other non-work responsibilities, and which provides an opportunity for people to realize their full potential in work and non work domains† (Lewis, 1996). 1.1 Background of the study Todays life environment has put a great demand on employees time to deliver work and non-work responsibilities. This is a central cause of occupational stress and work-life conflict, which has become a costly problem at both the organizational and individual levels. It might take the form of absenteeism, high staff turnover, lost productive value, increased recruitment and selection costs and medical expenses (Arnold, 2005).    According to a recent study by Georgetown University, employee stress from trying to find time for their children correlates with decreased productivity and increased absenteeism. The study found that unplanned absences were costing some businesses nearly $1 million a year (Georgetown University, 2010). In addition to the financial losses associated with this conflict that are clearly documented, the indirect effects of unsympathetic working conditions can include a decrease in motivation, job satisfaction, trust, job commitment, and other important factors that decrease firm profitability (McHugh, 1997). Therefore, despite the fact that many companies neglecting employee needs, conscious HR specialists are trying in many attempts to overcome these problems by introducing new working strategies that satisfy employees and help them to attain certain balance between work and life. Such strategies give the employee greater flexibility upon the time, the place and the style of work. Thes e include part-time work, job sharing, working from home and flexible working time. This flexibility enhances employees ability to adjust the time or submit the work as completed. It can mean compressing 40 hours into four days, starting and ending workdays at different times, or doing some work at home. The reason may be as simple as wanting to better manage a long commute or choosing to arrive at work later so parents can take their children to school. Some companies may offer these options to retain female employees who might consider leaving their jobs after having children. This research emphasizes particularly on flexible working hours (Flexitime) which is one form of flexibility in the working environment. Flexitime is an arrangement where an employee is able to choose when to start and finish work within a specified period of core hours. The reason for this emphasize on flextime is that, it is the most widespread form of workplace flexibility (Erin, 2008) and most previous studies has shown apparent results upon other working strategies and their good influence on work-life balance, but this was not the case with flextime. Another reason for this spur is researcher observations on many cases of flextime where employee missed the control over work-life balance, and that what inspires the idea of this research.   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   1.2 Problem statement Organizations which adopted family-friendly working arrangements, found it beneficial to their business. In a study about the efficiency of the family-friendly working arrangements, it was found that 90 percent of managers experiencing those arrangements considered they were cost effective for organizations (Dex and Smith, 2002). However, the literature on flexible working arrangements covering a wide range of policies, declared that only some of which might be deemed to support a work-life balance. Moreover, while there is a discussion about the business case for flexible polices and the potential problems it may create for employers, the assumption is often that these policies are invariably beneficial for employees. This is also reflected in the recommendations of the National Framework Committee for Work-life balance policies in Ireland (Helen et al, 2009). Some flexible working arrangements may actually exacerbate work-life conflict, for example, flexibility in the timing of work may result in employees being asked to work unsocial hours. Thus, it is very important to consider the effects of such practices as experienced by employees. Indeed there is very little research on the impact of flexible working hour on workers ability to balance work and other demands, despite this being a major rationale for such practices (Helen et al, 2009). As many Bahraini organizations nowadays are moving toward flexibility, it would be a significant effort to conduct a study that assesses the determination of such practice. Especially that International evidence on the incidence of flexible working arrangements is limited and tends to come from national surveys which, because they are not harmonized, may not be directly comparable. Another factor that boosts the need to this study is the difference in the demography, culture and peoples life style between Western countries and Bahrain. While the incidence of flexible working hours (flextime) is important information in itself, the key questions for this research is: Does it facilitate work-life reconciliation and does it help to improve employees productivity? Other sub-questions might also arise such as: Is there a difference between males and females, or those who have children among those who do not regarding work-life balance? Does employee prefer to manage his/her time or like to be committed to a specified timing because he/she may not be able to manage time? On this basis, this research brings together material from diverse sources to provide an overview of recent research, current thinking and future debates on the significance of flextime and work-life balance, especially to evaluate constructive practices for employee in Bahrain. 1.3 objectives of the study The objective of this study is to put emphasis on the importance of work-life balance for Bahraini employees, and to evaluate its effect on both individual and organizational levels. In addition, this study attempts to assess the impact of adopting flextime working option on employees work-life balance and organizations productivity.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   A careful review of research questions led to the development of the following specific research objectives: To explore the existence of a relationship between flextime and work-life balance. To examine the relationship between flextime and productivity. To explore the relationship between work-life balance and productivity. To examine the impact of some demographic variables such as gender, marital status and having children on the work-life balance. 1.4 Significance of the study This significance of this study is its potential contribution to both the theoretical and practical fields. At the theoretical level, the present study is expected to bridge a research gap as most studies focus on either work-life balance or flexible working polices in general. However there is a very little research on the impact of flexible working on work-life balance (Helen et al, 2009). Moreover, it was recommended by some researchers to examine the relationship between specific types of flexible working practices like the flextime and productivity. For the practical contribution, this study is expected to make contribution to Bahraini private and public organizations as it reveals employees preferences on the subject of flexible working time, in addition to exploring the benefits that flextime provides for employers and employees, thus aiding management decision upon adopting such working option. Another feature which grants strength to this study is that the study spots the light on both, the importance of work-life balance and its implications on the organizational and individual levels in the first place, besides exploring the existence of a relationship between flextime and the work-life balance as recommended in previous literatures. 1.5 limitations of the study The greatest limitation to this study is the non-probability sampling technique used; hence the results cannot be generalized on the whole population. Another limitation is that the study was entirely based on self-reported data. Although this is the best way to assess the work-life balance of an employee as it requires some privacy, this method has been criticized that the respondents may give socially desirable answers and bias results (Sackett, Burris, and Callahan 1989). However, anonymity and confidentiality assurance might be the key to make respondents more truthful. Finally, the questionnaire was developed for employees, thus it reflects employees point of views, while it passes over the management respective. Hence it would be a great achievement to combine other research methods such as case studies and focus groups to strength this study. 1.6 organization of study This report is organized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the introduction, significance and limitations of the study. Chapter two provides an extensive literature review and background information on the variables of the study, which are flextime, work-life balance and productivity. The third chapter identifies the research methodology, the sampling technique and the data collection procedure. Chapter four presents the results of data analysis. And the last chapter provides the discussion, a conclusion and recommendations for further studies.

College Admissions Essay: I Shall Break Free :: College Admissions Essays

I Shall Break Free    If words could say all they mean then life would be easy. I try to speak, but nothing ever comes from my mouth. Mind full of thoughts with no way to get them out. Expressions come but do not mean what they say. Each try brings a blundering mess of a jumble of words, no meaning to anyone in what they say. Try and speak only to be ignored by empty space. Each thought whole in my head, not even a fragment in my mouth. No matter what I try, my mind still flows free with no way to express it. Night comes with anticipation of a voice to come from my head. Always try yet words still do not come. Around conversation happens like I dream of, yet I can still utter nothing but silence. Break the silence, with mindless speech no meaning in either's voice. I search deep for my being that brings with it my mind, but I try to no avail. If only my mind would work. How can I make it? Too many tries come up empty. More chances come so I continue to search my soul for the voice that I have long since lost. Once I knew it, and could call for and receive at any time. What was it I did? I do not know, but it has been scared too deep inside me. Must find, for without it I am as good as a mute. Still I talk, but with no meaning.

What is Plagiarism?

Based on the Oxford dictionary plagiarism is the practice of taking someones work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Plagiarism is a crime, just like stealing and fraud. Many universities do not have strong penalties, either a student is expelled or suspended. Plagiarism in the real world is different and you can see up to ten years in prison based on the amount of work is plagiarized. There are four types of Plagiarism. This was stated by Annakay Aitken and I do agrees this her but this is my take on each  Direct plagiarism – not citing some one else workSelf-plagiarism – using a previous assignmentMosaic plagiarism – using some one else work with out quoting the informationAccidental plagiarism – forgetting to give credit where a writer should or not paraphrasing the informationWhy plagiarism is bad?Destroyed Student ReputationThis will cause a student to be expelled or suspended. As a student you do not want this on your record at your college or university.Destroyed Professional ReputationA professional person plagiarism can cost them there career.This may cause you not to be able to get a good job again especially in the public eyes. Politician, writers, journalist have to be very careful when it comes to plagiarism.Legal RepercussionsCoping another person information in a research, publishing or using the information with out cit ation is a crimal offence. Plagiarism can also be considered a felony under certain state and federal laws.For example, if a plagiarist copies and earns more than $2,500 from copyrighted material, he or she may face up to $250,000 in fines and up to ten years in jail. Creutz .C (2010, June 23) How to prevent Plagiarism, Demand Media Inc. (NYSE: DMD) is a leading content and social media company that informs, entertains and connects millions of people every day. Demand Media not only has the highest level of plagiarism detection on the market today, but they have also made a significant investment in new, custom technology that puts their plagiarism detection system well ahead of that used by any other publisher. Creutz. Robert(2011, Jan 27)Seven ways to prevent Plagiarism.ParaphrasingThis is reading the information and writing it you own wordsCitingWhen coping using someone's research information from web sites, books, or articles etc you should refer to the author, website this will allow the reader to know that the information in from that authorReferencingReferencing is citing source that you receive information fromQuotingWhen repeating or coping words or speech either written or spoken by another person it should be quoted.Example â€Å"Most plagiarists, like the drone, have neither taste to select, industry to acquire, nor skill to improve, but impudently pilfer the honey ready prepared, from the hive.† – Walter Colton S ource: FamousQuotesandauthors.comBe informedOne of the most importance way to prevent plagiarism is to information student about what is plagiarism, how to prevent it plagiarism and the penalties plagiarism. Before this topic I was aware of plagiarism but I did not know it was should a serious issues.Do not write blind.When doing a research where you have to quote or use other people information , it is a good idea to make sure all quotes are check before putting in your paper. Do not submit this information with out checking citation and quotes.Use Plagiarism Checkers onlineThere are several plagiarism checkers online, you can use to make sure your work is cited and referenced properly,one of such sites is https://www.aresearchguide.com/plagiarism-checker.htmlReference6 Ways tp Avoid Plagiarism in Research PapersTurnitin, LLC (2017)http://en.writecheck.com/ways-to-avoid-plagiarism/Demand Media Leads Publishing in Plagiarism Detection and Prevention Creutz. Robert (2011, Jan 27)http ://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/52940/Demand-Media-Leads-Publishing-in-Plagiarism-Detection-and-Prevention#.WqI0bujwbIU Plagiarism PunishmentRobert Creutz on Jun 23, 2010 2:37:00 PMhttp://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/52974/Plagiarism-Punishment#.WqEfGXBOmaM 5 Biggest Plagiarism Stories of 2016Jonathan Bailey – January 20, 2016http://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/bid/52974/Plagiarism-Punishment#.WqEfGXBOmaM http://www.ithenticate.com/resources/6-consequences-of-plagiarism Oxford University Press (2018)https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/plagiarism

Consultant’s Skills Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the corporate world, there is always a need to structure the best possible process of production. In this integral approach, a consultant’s skills can be utilized in order to provide a different or better insight about the needs of the company as well as to guide it for a better path of development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A consultant is someone who has gained expertise about a particular field of study, research or work. He provides an advice in order to proceed with a particular action (Wikipedia, 2007). In this aspect, consultants are invited in most company functions to share his thoughts and assumptions about a certain business dilemma. Of course, these assumptions do not always reflect that of an enterprise solution but can also be used for some research and development principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several responsibilities that a consultant needs to accomplish for a company. First, he needs to provide the most effective ways of dealing with a problem to the fullest of his knowledge. Second, he should communicate in the best possible way, probably in layman’s terms, what he thinks is the best approach in getting a resolution for a particular concern. Third, he must have quite a number of credible materials or resources that he can present to support his claims. Of course, there should be minimal questions about his skills since the company has hired him to become a consultant. But in order to gain a wider perspective of his talents, supporting materials must be available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a general classification of consultants, the internal and external ones. The main difference between the two can be identified on the way their skills are used for the company processes. It may be thought that external consultants work as freelancers who may then be regarded as a â€Å"contractor† (Friedl) while the internal counterpart is an in-house consultant engaged in direct company decisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the aspect of contributions, there might be a slight difference between the two categories. Internal consultants are more exposed to company operations which is of great advantage in sending information efficiently and in a faster way. They can utilize the core skills needed for a resolution (Robertson). On the other hand, external consultants may also provide the same quality of logical problem solving but it would probably take longer since he needs to first see the big picture of the problem before coming up with a solution. References Friedl, S. N.D. â€Å"So you want to be a consultant?† Unixwiz. Retrieved January 11, 2008 from http://unixwiz.net/techtips/be-consultant.html. Robertson, S. N.D. Experiences in Growing Internal Consultants with Object-oriented Skills. The Atlantic Systems Guild. Retrieved January 11, 2008 from http://www.systemsguild.com/GuildSite/SQR/internal_Consultants.html. Wikipedia. 2007. Consultant. Wikipedia-The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 11, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant.

A Jury of Our Fears

In the abundance of crimes in today’s society, the people put their fate on the hands of a selected group of people, who are expected to give justice onto whatever crime has been committed.These groups of people can be considered the most crucial part of the criminal justice system of the nation: the decision-making body known as the jury. But lately, instead of bringing justice to the deserving ones, these juries have been feared to come up with faulty decisions and unreliable judgments.The criminal justice system has been put to question, all thanks to the incompetence of these juries who doesn’t pay much attention on their jobs. These juries are so confident that they can give the right decision by merely looking at the people in question, and not by thorough analysis and investigations.In Rothwax’s essay regarding these juries, he stated that â€Å"the rhetoric that idealizes the jury and the reality of its operation are in conflict.† This means that t he juries aren’t performing the way they are supposed to perform, and this jeopardizes the judiciary system of the nation. Initially, the definition of what a jury is should be properly established.According to Rothwax, a jury is 12-man team composed of able-bodied, fair-minded people who mediates between the government and the defendant or the accused individual. In their hands lies the power on how the case will be decided, and usually, what they decided on becomes the conclusion for the case.But lately, many lawyers and judges pointed out that these trials by jury are often decided out of randomness, and is somewhat far from what should be a highly-judicial practice of deciding on what will happen to the accused. Instead of deeply analyzing these cases, the jury often acquits those who are obviously guilty defendants because of irrelevant matters.They are also unable to reach a verdict in cases which seemed to be very overwhelming, thus proving their incompetence in what t hey do. Instead of arriving to well-thought of decisions, they often rely on hints or trends, like bodily gestures of the defendant, as well as their physical looks and age.One solution being suggested was on removing the decision making body which is the jury. But this is seen impossible because of the fact that the nation has relied on the jury system of bringing justice, that’s why Rothwax proposes several tweaks in the current judicial system of today. These may be a major change or a minor adjustment, but hopefully, these things could solve the current problems being faced by the judicial system today.One solution could be sharing the Jury duty. This does not limit the legitimate jury choices, since trials are often hindered because of jury who doesn’t show up in actual court hearings. With an increased number of choices, the faster the cases could be processed. This opens the possibility for having other people act as jury, like doctors, clergymen, professionals, and so much more.Handpicking a jury for the case shouldn’t also be allowed. This is because defendants who have a large chance of getting convicted can choose some gullible jurors who could cloud up the decision making for the case. In our nations system for selecting the jury, the task is often left with the defense side. This opens the possibility for having jurors which are poor evaluators of facts, thus jeopardizing the way the case will be decided.Another would be about abolishing the Unanimous verdict being given by the jury. This is to rule out the possibility of having the decision revoke just because of a single vote.The sense of voting about what will be the decision will be lost, as it will still be stopped by a stray vote, which could mean that the person who had another may have not properly review the case or evidences. Surely, there are reasons or instances that these jury takes into consideration about the decision. But with say a 11-1 vote, the single vote m ay be a negligible number in deciding.Foolish technicalities should also be removed when coming with the right decision by means of a jury. This could just hinder the proceedings of the case, or totally overturn the result of the case.This is because of the fact that some technicalities which are clearly irrelevant to the case could be used to delay the processing of a case, thus giving those guilty of their crimes plenty of times to hide possible evidences that could lead to solving the case. All over the country, some courts have shown signs that people sometimes turn to foolish technicalities to delay the proceedings of the case to think of a way for him not to get convicted.

Ou are expected to select a company in one of the selected sectors Essay

Ou are expected to select a company in one of the selected sectors defined by the International Standard Industrial Classifica - Essay Example The company appeared on the public listings of Dubai Financial Market in 2005 under ARMX trade shares. Currently, Aramex Inc. employs more than twelve thousand workers across sixty countries with strong world-wide network (Aramex Inc, 2011). Service delivery enterprises are normally anchored on key assumption that management, information and communication technology are important aspects and ingredients which are very crucial for success to be realized. However, all employees are required to embrace the use of information technology since it forms crucial part of a qualified member within any supply chain. This ensures efficient monitoring and delivery of intended goods and services to consumers (Kotler and Keller, 2007). Service deliveries ensure that all members of the society are reached with the intended product or services at the right time. Such companies usually operate on a designed conceptual model taking into account economic, social and political forces that determine reso urce allocation and management within companies from every region. The leadership structure is another important aspect of the supply chain (Mentzer et al, 2001). Critical Analysis of Operations Transformation Process for Products/Services Supply chain of Aramex Inc can be described as the core of the company’s organization’s operational efficiency. ... Aramex Inc. combines use of technology in delivering internationally standardized services that avails comprehensive solutions to requirements within supply chain and logistics. The company enjoys the services of its largest logistics and transportation networks in the world hence providing cost-effective services within the supply chain (Aramex Inc, 2011). Aramex Inc. Partner with Zubair Corporation (Z-Corp) headquartered in Oman for the purposes of offering businesses with integrated services such as warehousing and distribution through every means including sea, air and ground transportation. Z-Corp also offers such services as freight forwarding and customs brokerage to wide range of industries such as telecommunications, military and Information Technology related companies. Aramex Inc. also acquired Berco Express (Pty) Ltd to assist in logistics and transportation issues within South Africa and other regions. The company has significant share of South Africa’s freight an d logistics market and has over fifteen operating branches within South Africa (Aramex Inc, 2011). Aramex’s transportation network covers wide region from Middle-East to United Kingdom through to Caribbean countries. Such land networks are utilized by trucks fitted with Modern GPS-tracking system and also advanced technology involving scheduled services and strategic locations for their various terminal offices (Aramex Inc, 2011). This creates a cost-effective service preferred by most companies as compared to shipping services. The company is involved in receiving shipments from defined points taking charge of all clearance procedures to the delivery points of the products. Aramex Inc is capable of providing different modes of transportation depending on customer requirements. Such means

Consumer Protection Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Consumer Protection Law - Essay Example Imputing liability upon a Seller purely on the basis of goods not conforming to the exact description of the good offered for sale may not be applicable unless and until it can be proved that the buyer relied upon such a description in arriving at a decision to purchase the product. The description of the good is to be taken into account when determining whether the goods are of a satisfactory quality. In the case of Varley v Whipp3, it was held that in every case where the buyer has not had the opportunity to see the goods before purchase, the goods will be deemed to have been bought by description. The old pot ornament would, therefore, have been expected to conform to its description and photograph as laid out in the advertisement, which states â€Å"old pot ornament, in good condition for its age.† But the goods received by Chris show the ornament not conforming to the description. The question of goods sold which did not match their description arose in the case of Beale v Taylor4 where the defendant had advertised his car as a 1961 Herald convertible, however, the actual car comprised two parts welded together and only one of these parts came from the 1961 model rather than the entire car. As a result, the car that was delivered to the buyer was held to not conform to its description and the Court allowed the plaintiff to secure damages. The question of description also arose in the case of Andrews v Hopkinson5 where the dealer’s description of the item in question as a â€Å"good little bus, I would stake my life on it† was held to be a contractual term because it formed a part of the description that was set out in the advertisement for the goods. Similarly, in the case of Couchman v Hill6, a statement made about the heifer sold was that it was â€Å"unserved† and the Court held that every item in the description which forms a component part of the identity of the object sold is a condition for which the seller can be held li able.

International Event Management in Year 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International Event Management in Year 3 - Essay Example This paper intends to examine the environmental strategies in organizing an international event. Essentially, the organisers should consider the components of products used in the event. It is imperative to deliver products with improved environmental profile. This will reduce the environmental impact to the ecosystem components and its functions (Jones, 14). These products should delight the consumers without any tradeoffs in performance. Another strategy should reflect on improving the environmental profile of operations. It is vital for the overall environmental performance of supply chain and logistics of finished products to be improved such to attain the global environmental sustainability standards. For instance, suppliers should be encouraged to use non-pollutant packing materials. Additionally, local contractors should be encouraged to supply the products such that, the product miles or distance can be reduced (Bhe, 12). It is vital to consider and implement low –emission strategy intended to have transport and mobility means emit less toxic materials to the environment. The transport and logistics strategy should ensure local contractors should embrace carbon free transport means such as electric cars. This will reduce emission of gases and other materials to the environment. Further, more, the materials used during the events should uphold the principles of reuse and recycling (Yeoman, 13). It is noteworthy that, this strategy should encourage use of public transport to and from the event to reduce the number of private cars used consequently reduction of emission of smoke and gases to the environment. Water and energy efficiency is a fundamental strategy that will see effective utilisation of water and energy (Zineldin, 14). Inclusion sustainability is a management competence intended from incorporation of liable

Reflective writing an essay about my coarse Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective writing an about my coarse - Essay Example The four days course was organized for the importance of the condition and the need for such knowledge imparted on all of us. In all the sessions, I felt that the content was directed at my experience and fulfillment. Throughout the course, from registration through the day to day activities and group discussions, I felt fulfilled. This was further assured by the commitment of the instructors, Graham Rena and Anwar Mohammad who seemed to read my mind. Graham, for instance, had a sense of humor that made each session memorable and an activity to look forward to. I could always feel comfortable and rather relaxed when the tutor was in session. The mastery of the content and how well he articulated it to the care I have experienced first-hand made it look real and enjoyable. Anwar, on the other hand, provided me with a different perspective of the care. The content mastery had a way of challenging my thoughts making every point a new insight. These quality tutors made the course not only enjoyable but also educative and easily applied in my case at home and in the future. Basing on the new knowledge I obtained from this course, and my experience in the group work activities, I am now happy to indicate several things. First, I now know the importance of insulin as a remedy for increased blood sugar. This has been well explained to make each instance I am administering insulin to the patient a new experience. I can now explain to the patient the importance of the drug and why adherence is so important. Secondly, I have gained a deeper insight into the relationship that exists between diabetes and other common health conditions such as obesity and hypertension. This also contributes to my knowledge and practice in that in the future, a patient with these conditions may be subjected to blood glucose test as part of comprehensive management. When working in a healthcare setting in the current world, I have always held as

Climate Change in the Context of Kuehne + Nagel Inc Coursework

Climate Change in the Context of Kuehne + Nagel Inc - Coursework Example From this paper it is clear that the trends in climatic changes are worsening with the increase in the occurrence of the unpredictable extreme events. Hence, the activities of Kuehne + Nagel Inc. are extremely affected by the negative change. Alongside, the adverse impacts trails of opportunities exist to market the firm due to its stability, and this increases the client bases. With the practical implementation of the recommendations, Kuehne + Nagel Inc. will overcome the inevitable catastrophes presented by the weather condition.   Ã‚  This essay discusses that  the current climate trends depict a long-term increasing inclination of the average temperature of the air. Precipitation is also in a dynamic pattern. However, it varies in a complicated manner. Climatologists predict that the trends will significantly pick up the pace in the future. A severely damaging concern caused by an elevation of temperature rates is the continually rising levels of the sea. From the year 1860, the level has increased by 0.2 meters as affirmed by satellite information. Scientists project that the temperature at the end of the 21st-century ranges between 1.0 to 3.7 degrees Celsius.  Additionally, the alteration in the conditions of climate may result in changes in duration, intensity, frequency, timing and spatial coverage of climate and weather extremes. These in turn can modify future climatic situations.

Psychological Testing Essay Example for Free

Psychological Testing Essay Individual intelligence tests are of two types; Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test and Wechsler tests. They tests individuals intelligence in arithmetic, vocabulary, comprehension, verbal amongst other disciplines. Individual tests are mostly used in education placement, clinical assessment and to measure an individuals skills in the event a wide a large of individuals are being examined (Roid, 2003). Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test is used in testing children that are intellectually deficient in order to place them in the special education programmes. These tests are taken individually. Individual tests are characterized by several advantages; they make it possible for the examiner to interact with the examinee establishing a rapport in which the interaction can be observed and assessed. They also provide information on why some methods and tactics used to measure intelligence fail. Individual tests also make it possible for the examiner to assess a variety of abilities in examinees as it is not restricted. Individual tests provide a better way of assessing children are emotionally disturbed (Roid, 2003). These tests make it possible for assessments to be made on examinees that are in any physical or emotional condition such as tired, sick or anxious. Group intelligence tests involve assessing a series of many different problems in a mass of examinees. They are commonly used in schools and the military. They could be aptitude tests, scholastic assessment tests or tests of cognitive abilities. They are characterised by pen and paper, usually are time limited, involve almost nil examiner to examinee interaction are have multiple choices making them easy to score. They are normally used in school and job placements, and in the study of certain norms or phenomena in a population (Santrock, 2008). Group tests have the advantage of simplifying examiners role as they are quick and easy to administer. It is also possible to administer them on simultaneously to large numbers of examinees. Scoring in group tests is more objective as compared to individual tests. Group tests are often non-verbal (Santrock, 2008). Group tests give data that is more reliable as they make it possible for large numbers to be studied which provide good representative of the entire population, the resulting data and conclusion is therefore more reliable as it is more representative of the population than if the norms were being studied in an individual as is with individual tests. 7. The advantages and disadvantages of projective versus objective personality assessment methods Projective personality assessment method is a test that involves use of open-ended questions to examine the person being tested. Projective tests involve questions that are unstructured hence give the person being examined more freedom to respond in the appropriate way as compared to objective tests. These tests normally require the examinee to respond to stimuli that is ambiguous (Hilsenroth Segal, 2004). It is based on the fact that people respond to stimuli that are ambiguous in ways that bring to light their feelings, desires and needs. The advantage of this method is that makes it possible for the psychologist to study and examine unconscious aspects of subject’s personality. These tests are not transparent hence create no opportunity for subjects to lie or fake their personality traits. The weakness of projective tests is that the collected information is not as reliable and viable as is needed. This is based on the fact that the psychologists that use the method assume that the subjects can not lie about their personality. Analysing data collected by this method can be time consuming and tiring as it needs the psychologist to go through it by himself. New technology such as computer scoring which is fast can not be used in this method (Hilsenroth Segal, 2004). Objective personality assessment method involves the use of questions and items that are standardized, specific and clear in testing individuals under study. These tests are characterized by limited choice of the examinees responses. Most of the questions are designed such that they require yes or no, and true or false responses. Objective testing has several advantages. Objective methods fast to carry out. This is attributed to the fact that the answers required are directive and do not need the respondents to think or expand on the answers giving unnecessary details that waste time (Hilsenroth Segal, 2004). This enables the data to be collected and analysed within a short time availing results within the required time. This method is also more economical as compared to the projective testing method. This because the questions are easy to prepare and the fact that all they need is yes or no responses implies that they do not require a lot of space. This saves on the cost of printing the questionnaire as less pages are required. The questions are also easy to answer making the researcher to collect the needed data very fast hence does not spend a lot of time in the field which saves money that would have been used on upkeep and transport. Objective test methods also make it possible for technology to be used such as computer scoring which is faster, less tiring and more efficient as compared to projective tests that require the researcher to go through the responses by himself in order to come up with the results ( Hilsenroth Segal, 2004). . Like any other method, objective assessment methods also have disadvantages. These methods usually involve questions that are transparent which makes the individuals under study to know what the psychologists want to study in them. This makes them lie or forge answers. In the event the individual carrying out the test does not include lie scales which provide information to the researcher on the likelihood of the subject lying then wrong data is collected. This tests also characterized by collection of biased data as it provides opportunity for the subject to respond not the way things are but the way they wish things were. (Hilsenroth Segal, 2004). The structure of the questions does not allow the subjects to add more information on their yes or no, true or false answers. This could cause the psychologist to miss out o9n vital information. 3. Some of the misconceptions concerning the differences between aptitude and achievement tests. Achievement tests are the common tests that are usually given out in classrooms and educational assessments. They are used to test what an individual can do or what they know. They are usually administered after some activity to test if individuals have grasped whatever was being taught. Examples are classroom quizzes, continuous assessment tests, driving tests, final examinations amongst others. Achievement tests in school are used to determine whether students understand what has been taught, which classes to place them, they are also used to rate schools and predict an individuals success in certain disciplines in future if they are doing well. Aptitude tests usually are carried out to assess the mental abilities of individuals. These tests based on the concept that innate mental abilities of individuals can be measured. Aptitude tests are usually carried out to test student’s mental ability as they are believed to give a picture of how the student can perform academically. It is believed that those who pass the test qualify academically for what course they are applying for. Examples of aptitude test include SATs. Aptitude tests have been referred to as quality measurement on ones mental ability. However, critics of the concept argue that innate abilities can not be measured hence the test just like any other test is used to measure what an individual has been able to achieve by the time the test is being carried out. The results of this test hence demonstrate the individuals’ achievement in the subjects that were being tested on. This is true in spite of what the subject the questions are testing on. As such, aptitude tests are very much the same as achievement tests. The difference between the two tests however is in the assumption about individuals that take the two tests. With aptitude test, there is a misconception that there is equal opportunity to learn for everyone taking the test. It also is assumed that the interest of individuals taking aptitude test in learning is equal and also in demonstrating the learnt ability on the test. With achievement test it is assumed that the tests usually are based on instructions of a course or on some training that is not necessarily available to all the individuals taking the test. The misconception concerning the difference between the two tests therefore lies in the assumption that there is equal opportunity for passing in aptitude tests while achievement tests can only be passed by those who have access to the course or training instructions. 6. Information is presumably gathered by the typical projective technique Projective techniques are methods of assessing personality traits of individuals that use questions that are unstructured and not specific. The questions used in this technique are not transparent implying that the individuals being studied can not identify what the researcher or a psychologist is looking from them (Lilienfeld, Wood Garb, 2001). Usually projective technique is used to study response of subjects to questions or situations that are ambiguous. It is perceived that the fact that these situations are not known to the subjects will enable them to respond appropriately without having to lie or change their personality. It is believed that individuals respond to ambiguous situations and questions in an honest way. Their response to these situations that they do not clearly understand brings out their true personality as it there is no opportunity for lie or personality to be altered or changed. Psychologists who use the method to collect information on personality argue that human beings always respond to ambiguous stimuli in a way that brings out their personal needs, wants, wishes and desires (Lilienfeld, Wood Garb, 2001). This technique is believed to make it possible for psychologists to assess the unconscious aspect of the individuals being studied character. As such, it provides no room for personality faking. Human beings are believed to have no control over the unconscious part of their psychology. The unconscious aspect of our psychology is believed to be what really defines us in terms of character. Psychologists argue that humans thought, actions hence character originate from their unconscious aspect of psychology. The fact that this technique enables the psychologist to study the subjects unconscious aspect of personality has therefore been used in gathering personality information. This technique unlike the others makes it possible for individuals being studied to consciously give information that is biased and accurate. The notion that individuals are not restricted in responding to ambiguous has made this method to be used for collecting data on personality. 4. The reasons which dictate that an organization, whether industrial or governmental, to use valid selection procedures for hiring workers. There are several reasons as to why organizations use valid selection procedures for hiring employees. These procedures are useful in the several processes that involve hiring. In selection of employees to hire, the assessment tools that are used in valid selection procedures enable organizations to identify the best individuals for the job as they are able to identify the individuals character traits that are required of the specific job. An assessment tool that is well properly developed will guide the recruitment team in selecting successful and suitable individuals for the particular occupation and position they are recruiting for. Valid selection procedures also eliminate cases of unfairness from arising making the whole process efficient and professional (Weiner Graham, 2003). Valid selection procedures for hiring are important in job placement. They enable organizations management to assign employees to the right job responsibilities and levels. Assessment helps provide information that enables organizations to make the right decisions assigning of responsibilities which increase performance hence productivity of the organization. Valid assessment procedures are important in training and development of employees. The assessment enables an organization to determine which employee needs what training. The organization is able to know if its employees have mastered training procedures and materials that are vital for operation and running of the organization (Weiner Graham, 2003). Assessments carried out enable the organization to design or make changes in training programmes so that the most needed ones are given priority. Assessment procedures also enable individual employees to identify their weaknesses hence can embark on self-development. This has positive results as it enables it to have employees that are skilful and well trained hence increasing productivity. Assessment procedures also play a great role in promotion or demotion of employees. The procedures enable the organizations management to identify employees that have been improving in their performance and skills. Those who possess managerial characteristics or even higher capabilities are identified hence promoted to greater positions that have more responsibilities (Weiner Graham, 2003). On the other hand, those who seem to making no progress or have decreasing performance are demoted as ant serious organization would not want to have employee especially those holding positions of great responsibility that are not performing. Valid assessment procedures provide a professional and fair way of carrying out promotions and demotions ensuring that the right employees are assigned to the right positions and responsibilities. Assessment procedures are also significant in career guidance and exploitation. These assessments help individuals make not only educational but career choices as well. The assessments make individuals identify the subjects they are good in hence accordingly choose careers that they will be successful in without have to strain their mental capability. The assessments procedures also enable organizations to carry out evaluation of programs. The organization is able to identify programs that benefit employees and those that do not so that it can stop wasting resources on irrelevant programs. Word Count: 2280. References Hilsenroth, M Segal, D. (2004). Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment: Personality assessment / editors. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons. Lilienfeld, S. O. , Wood, J. N. , Garb, H. N. (2001). The scientific status of projective techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 1, 27-66. Roid, G. H. (2003). Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales 5th Edition: Examiners Manual. Riverside Publishing, Itaska, Illinois. Santrock, J. (2008). A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development (4th Ed. )Concept of Intelligence. New York: McGraw-Hill. Weiner, I. Graham, J. (2003). Handbook of Psychology: Assessment psychology. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.