A Response on Social Inequality

? A Response on Social Inequality We live in a culturally diverse world. Age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic heritage and race are some of the diverse areas in society that are deemed significant. In spite of all these differences we tend to center ourselves around people who are similar to us; those who share the same biological and physical characteristics, same status and similar lifestyles. Because of this it is our human nature to be ethnocentric towards those who are different from us. This gives rise to discrimination which ultimately leads to social inequality. There are many areas in which people discriminate others. One of the most prominent ones is race; since it is easy to identify. Race is related to the distinct biological characteristics of  a person; skin color, hair color, eye shape, height ect. We can easily differentiate an African American from a white American. Another similar area to race is the ethnicity of a person. Ethnicity is the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition. For example some commonly recognized American ethnic groups include American Indians, Latinos, Chinese, African Americans, European Americans, etc. Discrimination and social inequality on the base of race and ethnicity go hand in hand and is seen all over the world. In the article â€Å"office work and the crack alternative† Philippe Bourgois shows how a group Puerto Rican immigrants in New Harlem face discrimination because of their race. They are deprived of jobs at work places and are stereotyped as lazy and good for nothing. Sex and gender is also another area where social inequality occurs. Gender is the state of being male or female etc. and sex is the category into which humans are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions. We see social inequality on sex and gender in almost all work places where the male usually gets better jobs and a better pay than females and we also see this social inequality in families where the male is the head of the family and holds an authoritative figure. This is mostly due to gender stereotypes. Some common gender stereotypes are that men are stronger, tougher, braver, and more intelligent thus he is given the authoritative role. Women on the other hand are stereotyped as more emotional, sensitive and soft spoken, and nurturing thus she is in charge of taking care of the household duties such as cooking, cleaning, raising the children. In Asian countries it is common to see the male as the â€Å"higher† gender while the woman is seen as lower than them. Caste and class is another area where you see social inequality based on discrimination. Caste is an economic categorization describing the status you are born into. Caste is an ascribed status; you have to stay in your caste from birth on, and it helps determine your job, place and value in society etc. Class is based on economic status; usually upon the income made. While people tend to stay in the class they are brought up in, it is possible to move up or down the class scale therefore it is an achieved status unlike in caste. These categorizations may reflect the attitudes of the people because it shows the importance people place on power and wealth in a society. In India the high castes are the Brahmins’. They inherit exclusive privileges from birth and are socially distinct while lower castes are deprived of their basic rights and are usually discriminated by the higher castes. In our present society we can see that people give more respect to those who are at a higher class than themselves; especially based on how much they earn. Social Inequality is seen in other areas of society too but it is more prevalent within the areas of race and ethnicity, sex and gender, and class and caste. Social inequality can only end if we become less ethnocentric towards those who are different from us and if we accept the social diversity in our world.

Philippine Literature In The Spanish Colonial Period Essay

The existing literature of the Philippine ethnic groups at the time of conquest and conversion into Christianity was mainly oral, consisting of epics, legends, songs, riddles, and proverbs. The conquistador, especially its ecclesiastical arm, destroyed whatever written literature he could find, and hence rendered the system of writing inoperable. Among the only native systems of writing that have survived are the syllabaries of the Mindoro Mangyans and the Tagbanua of Palawan. The Spanish colonial strategy was to undermine the native oral tradition by substituting for it the story of the Passion of Christ. Although Christ was by no means war-like or sexually attractive as many of the heroes of the oral epic tradition, the appeal of the Jesus myth inhered in the protagonist’s superior magic: by promising eternal life for everyone, he democratized the power to rise above death. It is to be emphasized, however, that the native tradition survived and even flourished in areas inacc essible to the colonial power. Moreover, the tardiness and the lack of assiduity of the colonial administration in making a public educational system work meant the survival of oral tradition, or what was left of it, among the conquered tribes. The church authorities adopted a policy of spreading the Church doctrines by communicating to the native (pejoratively called Indio) in his own language. Doctrina Christiana (1593), the first book to be printed in the Philippines, was a prayerbook written in Spanish with an accompanying Tagalog translation. It was, however, for the exclusive use of the missionaries who invariably read them aloud to the unlettered Indio catechumens (Medina), who were to rely mainly on their memory. But the task of translating religious instructional materials obliged the Spanish missionaries to take a most practical step, that of employing native speakers as translators. Eventually, the native translator learned to read and write both in Spanish and his native language. (Forms of Literature)This development marked the beginning of Indio literacy and thus spurred the creation of the first written literary native text by the native. These writers, called ladinos because of their fluency in both  Spani sh and Tagalog, published their work, mainly devotional poetry, in the first decade of the 17th century. Among the earliest writers of note were Francisco de San Jose and Francisco Bagongbata (Medina). But by far the most gifted of these native poet-translators was Gaspar Aquino de Belen (Lumbera, p.14). Mahal Na Pasion ni Jesu Christo, a Tagalog poem based on Christ’s passion, was published in 1704. This long poem, original and folksy in its rendition of a humanized, indeed, a nativized Jesus, is a milestone in the history of Philippine letters. Ironically — and perhaps just because of its profound influence on the popular imagination — as artifact it marks the beginning of the end of the old mythological culture and a conversion to the new paradigm introduced by the colonial power. Until the 19th century, the printing presses were owned and managed by the religious orders. Thus, religious themes dominated the culture of the Christianized majority. But the native oral literature, whether secular or mythico-religious continued. Even among the Christianized ethnic groups, the oral tradition persisted in such forms as legends, sayings, wedding songs such as the b alayan and parlor theater such as the duplo. In the 18th century, secular literature from Spain in the form of medieval ballads inspired the native poetic-drama form called the komedya, later to be called moro-moro because these often dealt with the theme of Christians triumphing over Moslems. (Peronality) Jose de la Cruz (1746 – 1829) was the foremost exponent of the komedya during his time. A poet of prodigious output and urbane style, de la Cruz marks a turning point in that his elevated diction distinguishes his work from folk idiom (as for instance, that of Gaspar Aquino de Belen). Yet his appeal to the non-literate was universal. The popularity of the dramatic form, of which he was a master, was due to it being experienced as performance both by the lettered minority and the illiterate but genuinely appreciative majority. Francisco Baltazar (1788 – 1862), popularly called Balagtas, is the acknowledged master of traditional Tagalog poetry. Of peasant origins, he left his hometown in Bigaa, Bulacan for Manila, with a strong determination to improve his lot through education. To support his studies, he worked as a domestic servant in Tondo. He steeped himself in classical studies in schools of prestige in the capital. Great social and political changes in the world worked together to make Balagtas’ career as poet  possible. The industrial revolution had caused a great movement of commerce in the globe, creating wealth and the opportunity for material improvement in the life of the working classes. With these great material changes, social values were transformed, allowing greater social mobility. In short, he was a child of the global bourgeois revolution. Liberal ideas, in time, broke class — and, in the Philippines — even racial barriers (Medina). The word Filipino, which used to refer to a restricted group (i.e., Spaniards born in the Philippines) expanded to include not only the acculturated wealthy Chinese mestizo but also the acculturated Indio (Medina). Balagtas was one of the first Indios to become a Filipino. But the crucial element in Balagtas’ unique genius is that, being caught between two cultures (the native and the colonial/classical), he could switch codes (or was perceived by his compatriot audience to be switching codes), provide insight and information to his oppressed compatriots in the very style and guise of a tradition provided him by a foreign (and oppressive) culture. His narrative poem Florante at Laura written in sublime Tagalog, is about tyranny in Albanya, but it is also perceived to be about tyranny in his Filipino homeland (Lumbera). Despite the foreign influence, however, he remained true to his native traditions. His verse plays were performed to the motley crowd. His poems were sung by the literate for the benefit of the unlettered. The metrical regularity and rhyme performed their age-old mnemonic function, despite and because of the introduction of printing. Printing overtook tradition. The printed page, by itself, became the mnemonic device, the stage set for the development of prose. The first Filipino novel was Ninay, written in Spanish by Pedro Paterno, a Philippine-bornilustrado (Medina p. 93). Following the sentimental style of his first book Sampaguitas (a collection of poems in Spanish), the novel endeavored to highlight the endearingly unique qualities of Filipinos. National Hero Jose Rizal (1861 – 1896) chose the realis tic novel as his medium. Choosing Spanish over Tagalog meant challenging the oppressors on the latter’s own turf. By writing in prose, Rizal also cut his ties with the Balagtas tradition of the figurative indirection which veiled the supposed subversiveness of many writings at that time. Rizal’s two novels, the Noli Me Tangere and its sequel El Filibusterismo, chronicle the life and ultimate death of Ibarra, a Filipino educated abroad, who attempts to reform  his country through education. At the conclusion of the Noli, his efforts end in near-death and exile from his country. In the Filibusterismo, he returns after reinventing himself as Simoun, the wealthy jeweler, and hastens social decay by further corrupting the social fabric till the oppressed react violently to overthrow the system. But the insurrection is foiled and Simoun suffers a violent death. In a sense, Rizal’s novels and patriotic poems were the inevitable conclusion to the campaign for liberal reforms known as the Propaganda Movement, waged by Graciano Lopez Jaena, and M.H. del Pilar. The two novels so vividly portrayed corruption and oppression that despite the lack of any clear advocacy, they served to instill the conviction that there could be no solution to the social ills but a violent one. Following closely on the failed reformist movement, and on Rizal’s novels, was the Philippine revolution headed by Andres Bonifacio (1863 – 1897). His closest aide, the college-bred Emilio Jacinto (1875 – 1899), was the revolutionary organization’s ideologue. Both were admirers of Rizal, and like Rizal, both were writers and social critics profoundly influenced by the liberal ideas of the French enlightenment, about human dignity. Bonifacio’s most important work are his poems, the most well-known being Pag-Ibig Sa Tinubuang Lupa. Jacinto wrote political essays expressed in the language of the folk. Significantly, although either writer could have written in Spanish (Bonifacio, for instance, wrote a Tagalog translation of Rizal’s Ultimo Adios), both chose to communicate to their fellowmen in their own native language. The figure of Rizal dominates Philippine literature until the present day. Liberalism led to education of the native and the ascendancy of Spanish. But Spanish was undermined by the very ideas of liberation that it helped spread, and its decline led to nativism and a renaissance of literature in the native languages. The turn of the century witnessed not only the Philippine revolution but a quieter though no less significant outbreak. The educated women of the period produced significant poetry. Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres Bonifacio, wrote notable Tagalog poetry. Meanwhile, in Vigan of the Ilocano North, Leona Florentino, by her poetry, became the foremost Ilocano writer of her time. Philippine literary production during the American Period in the Philippines was spurred by two significant developments in education and culture. One is the introduction of free public instruction for all children of school age and two, the use of English as medium of instruction in all levels of education in public schools. Free public education made knowledge and information accessible to a greater number of Filipinos. Those who availed of this education through college were able to improve their social status and joined a good number of educated masses who became part of the country’s middle class. The use of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American modes of thought, culture and life ways that would be embedded not only in the literature produced but also in the psyche of the country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be the wellspring of a vibrant Philippine Literature in English. Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of American colonization of the country, could not escape being imitative of American models of writing especially during its period of apprenticeship. The poetry written by early poets manifested studied attempts at versification as in the following poem which is proof of the poet’s rather elementary exercise in the English language: Vacation days at last are here, And we have time for fun so dear, All boys and girls do gladly cheer, This welcomed season of the year. In early June in school we’ll meet; A harder task shall we complete And if we fail we must repeat That self same task without retreat. We simply rest to come again To school where boys and girls obtain The Creator’s gift to men Whose sanguine hopes in us remain. Vacation means a time for play For young and old in night and day My wish for all is to be gay, And evil none lead you astray – Juan F. Salazar Philippines Free Press, May 9, 1909 The poem was anthologized in the first collection of poetry in English, Filipino Poetry, edited by Rodolfo Dato (1909 – 1924). Among the poets featured in this anthology were Proceso Sebastian Maximo Kalaw, Fernando Maramag, Leopoldo Uichanco, Jose Ledesma, Vicente Callao, Santiago Sevilla, Bernardo Garcia, Francisco Africa, Pablo Anzures, Carlos P. Romulo, Francisco Tonogbanua, Juan Pastrana, Maria Agoncillo, Paz Marquez Benitez, Luis Dato and many others. Another anthology, The English German Anthology of Poets edited by Pablo Laslo was published and covered poets published from 1924-1934 among whom were Teofilo D. Agcaoili, Aurelio Alvero, Horacio de la Costa, Amador T. Daguio, Salvador P. Lopez, Angela Manalang Gloria, Trinidad Tarrosa, Abelardo Subido and Jose Garcia Villa, among others. A third pre-war collection of poetry was edited by Carlos Bulosan, Chorus for America: Six Philippine Poets. The six poets in this collection were Jose Garcia Villa, Rafael Zulueta da Cos ta, Rodrigo T. Feria, C.B. Rigor, Cecilio Baroga and Carlos Bulosan. In fiction, the period of apprenticeship in literary writing in English is marked by imitation of the style of storytelling and strict adherence to the craft of the short story as practiced by popular American fictionists. Early short story writers in English were often dubbed as the Andersons or Saroyans or the Hemingways of Philippine letters. Leopoldo Yabes in his study of the Philippine short story in English from 1925 to 1955 points to these models of American fiction exerting profound influence on the early writings of story writers like Francisco Arcellana, A.E. Litiatco, Paz Latorena. . When the University of the Philippines was founded in 1908, an elite group of writers in English began to exert influence among the culturati. The U.P. Writers Club founded in 1926, had stated that one of its aims was to enhance and propagate the â€Å"language of Shakespeare.† In 1925, Paz Marquez Benitez short story, â€Å"Dead Stars† was published and was made the landmark of the maturity of the Filipino writer in English. Soon after Benitez, short story writers began publishing stories no longer imitative of American models. Thus, story writers like Icasiano Calalang, A.E. Litiatco, Arturo Rotor, Lydia Villanueva, Paz Latorena , Manuel Arguilla began publishing stories  manifesting both skilled use of the language and a keen Filipino sensibility. This combination of writing in a borrowed tongue while dwelling on Filipino customs and traditions earmarked the literary output of major Filipino fictionists in English during the American period. Thus, the major novels of the period, such as the Filipino Rebel, by Maximo Kalaw, and His Native Soil by Juan C. Laya, are discourses on cultural identity, nationhood and being Filipino done in the English language. Stories such as â€Å"How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife† by Manuel Arguilla scanned the scenery as well as the folkways of Ilocandia while N.V. M. Gonzales’s novels and stories such as â€Å"Children of the Ash Covered Loam,† present the panorama of Mindoro, in all its customs and traditions while configuring its characters in the human dilemma of nostalgia and poverty. Apart from Arguilla and Gonzales, noted fictionists during the period included Francisco Arcellana, whom Jose Garcia Villa lauded as a â€Å"genius† storyteller, Consorcio Borje, Aida Rivera, Conrado Pedroche, Amador Daguio, Sinai Hamada, Hernando Ocampo, Fernando Maria Guerrero. Jose Garcia Villa himself wrote several short stories but devoted most of his time to poetry. In 1936, when the Philippine Writers League was organized, Filipino writers in English began discussing the value of literature in society. Initiated and led by Salvador P. Lopez, whose essays on Literature and Society provoked debates, the discussion centered on proletarian literature, i.e., engaged or committed literature versus the art for art’s sake literary orientation. But this discussion curiously left out the issue of colonialism and colonial literature and the whole place of literary writing in English under a colonial set-up that was the Philippines then. With Salvador P. Lopez, the essay in English gained the upper hand in day to day discourse on politics and governance. Polemicists who used to write in Spanish like Claro M. Recto, slowly started using English in the discussion of current events even as newspaper dailies moved away from Spanish reporting into English. Among the essayists, Federico Mangahas had an easy facility with the language and the essay as genre. Other noted essayists during the period were Fernando Maramag, Carlos P. Romulo , Conrado Ramirez. On the other hand, the flowering of a vibrant literary tradition due to historical events did not altogether hamper literary production in the native or indigenous languages. In fact, the early period of the 20th century was  remarkable for the significant literary output of all major languages in the various literary genre. (Forms Of lit) It was during the early American period that seditious plays, using the form of the zarsuwela, were mounted. Zarsuwelistas Juan Abad, Aurelio Tolentino ,Juan Matapang Cruz. Juan Crisostomo Sotto mounted the classics like Tanikalang Ginto, Kahapon, Ngay on at Bukas and Hindi Ako Patay, all directed against the American imperialists. Patricio Mariano’s Anak ng Dagat and Severino Reyes’s Walang Sugat are equally remarkable zarsuwelas staged during the period. On the eve of World War II, Wilfredo Maria Guerrero would gain dominance in theatre through his one-act plays which he toured through his â€Å"mobile theatre†. Thus, Wanted a Chaperone and The Forsaken House became very popular in campuses throughout the archipelago. The novel in Tagalog, Iloko, Hiligaynon and Sugbuanon also developed during the period aided largely by the steady publication of weekly magazines like the Liwayway, Bannawag and Bisaya which serialized the novels. Among the early Tagalog novelists of the 20th century were Ishmael Amado, Valeriano Hernandez Peà ±a, Faustino Aguilar, Lope K. Santos and Lazaro Francisco. Ishmael Amado’s Bulalakaw ng Pag-asa published in 1909 was one of the earliest novels that dealt with the theme of American imperialism in the Philippines. The novel, however, was not released from the printing press until 1916, at which time, the author, by his own admission and after having been sent as a pensionado to the U.S., had other ideas apart from those he wrote in the novel. Valeriano Hernandez Peà ±a’s Nena at Neneng narrates the story of two women who happened to be best of friends as they cope with their relationships with the men in their lives. Nena succeeds in her married life while Neneng suffers from a stormy marriage because of her jealous husband. Faustino Aguilar published Pinaglahuan, a love triangle set in the early years of the century when the worker’s movement was being formed. The novel’s hero, Luis Gatbuhay, is a worker in a printery who isimprisoned for a false accusation and loses his love, Danding, to his rival Rojalde, son of a wealthy capitalist. Lope K. Santos, Banaag at Sikat has almost the same theme and motif as the hero of the novel, Delfin, also falls in love with a rich woma n, daughter of a wealthy landlord. The love story of course is set also within the background of development of the worker’s trade union movement  and throughout the novel, Santos engages the readers in lengthy treatises and discourses on socialism and capitalism. Many other Tagalog novelists wrote on variations of the same theme, i.e., the interplay of fate, love and social justice. Among these writers are Inigo Ed Regalado, Roman Reyes, Fausto J. Galauran, Susana de Guzman, Rosario de Guzman-Lingat, Lazaro Francisco, Hilaria Labog, Rosalia Aguinaldo, Amado V. Hernandez. Many of these writers were able to produce three or more novels as Soledad Reyes would bear out in her book which is the result of her dissertation, Ang Nobelang Tagalog (1979). Among the Iloko writers, noted novelists were Leon Pichay, who was also the region’s poet laureate then, Hermogenes Belen, and Mena Pecson Crisologo whose Mining wenno Ayat ti Kararwa is considered to be the Iloko version of a Noli me Tangere. In the Visayas, Magdalena Jalandoni and Ramon Muzones would lead most writers in writing the novels that dwelt on the themes of love, courtship, life in the farmlands, and other social upheavals of the period. Marcel Navarra wrote stories and novels in Su gbuhanon. Poetry in all languages continued to flourish in all regions of the country during the American period. The Tagalogs, hailing Francisco F. Balagtas as the nation’s foremost poet invented the balagtasan in his honor. Thebalagtasan is a debate in verse, a poetical joust done almost spontaneously between protagonists who debate over the pros and cons of an issue. The first balagtasan was held in March 1924 at the Instituto de Mujeres, with Jose Corazon de Jesus and Florentino Collantes as rivals, bubuyog (bee) and paru-paro (butterfly) aiming for the love of kampupot (jasmine). It was during this balagtasan that Jose Corazon de Jesus, known as Huseng Batute, emerged triumphant to become the first king of the Balagtasan. Jose Corazon de Jesus was the finest master of the genre. He was later followed by balagtasistas, Emilio Mar Antonio and Crescenciano Marquez, who also became King of the Balagtasan in their own time. As Huseng Batute, de Jesus also produced the finest poems and lyrics during the period. His debates with Amado V. Hernandez on the political issue of independence from America and nationhood were mostly done in verse and are testament to the vitality of Tagalog poetry during the era. Lope K. Santos, epic poem, Ang Panggingera is also proof of how poets of the period have come to master the language to be able to translate it into effective poetry. The balagtasan would be  echoed as a poetical fiesta and would be duplicated in the Ilocos as thebukanegan, in honor of Pedro Bukaneg, the supposed transcriber of the epic, Biag ni Lam-ang; and theCrissottan, in Pampanga, in honor of the esteemed poet of the Pampango, Juan Crisostomo Sotto. In 1932, Alejandro G. Abadilla , armed with new criticism and an orientation on modernist poetry would taunt traditional Tagalog poetics with the publication of his poem, â€Å"Ako ang Daigdig.† Abadilla’s poetry began the era of modernism in Tagalog poetry, a departure from the traditional rhymed, measured and orally recited poems. Modernist poetry which utilized free or blank verses was intended more for silent reading than oral delivery. Noted poets in Tagalog during the American period were Julian Cruz Balmaceda, Florentino Collantes, Pedro Gatmaitan, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Benigno Ramos, Inigo Ed. Regalado, Ildefonso Santos, Lope K. Santos, Aniceto Silvestre, Emilio Mar. Antonio , Alejandro Abadilla and Teodoro Agoncillo. Like the writers in English who formed themselves into organizations, Tagalog writers also formed the Ilaw at Panitik, and held discussions and workshops on the value of literature in society. Benigno Ramos, was one of the most politicized poets of the period as he aligned himself with the peasants of the Sakdal Movement. Fiction in Tagalog as well as in the other languages of the regions developed alongside the novel. Most fictionists are also novelists. Brigido Batungbakal , Macario Pineda and other writers chose to dwell on the vicissitudes of life in a changing rural landscape. Deogracias Del Rosario on the other hand, chose the city and the emerging social elite as subjects of his stories. He is considered the father of the modern short story in Tagalog Among the more popular fictionists who emerged during the period are two women writers, Liwayway Arceo and Genoveva Edroza Matute, considered forerunners in the use of â€Å"light† fiction, a kind of story telling that uses language through poignant rendition. Genoveva Edroza Matute’s â€Å"Ako’y Isang Tinig† and Liwayway Arceo’s â€Å"Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa† have been used as models of fine writing in Filipino by teachers of composition throughout the school system. Teodoro Agoncillo’s anthology 25 Pinakamahusay na Maiikling Kuwento (1945) included the foremost writers of fiction in the pre-war era. The separate, yet parallel developments of Philippine literature in English and those in Tagalog and other languages of the archipelago during the  American period only prove that literature and writing in whatever language and in whatever climate are able to survive mainly through the active imagination of writers. Apparently, what was lacking during the period was for the writers in the various languages to come together, share experiences and come to a conclusion on the elements that constitute good writing in the Philippines.

Understanding markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Understanding markets - Essay Example Using different methods, Marketing determines the size of the market that is being approached but this has to be a controlled exercise otherwise the effort will be aimless. Marketing is a highly misunderstood word. It is not tactics or methods of getting customers to buy a company’s product or services. That is advertisement or promotions. It is a conscious effort to analyze and understand what is needed and trying to fulfill this need. But above all, Marketing is all about customers. Their behavior and attitude towards buying a product is of paramount importance. Their needs and wants and their likes and dislikes are decisive factors and purchase decisions depend on these issues. It is the understanding of these factors that will develop a marketing strategy. Therefore Marketing is all about understanding the customers and of finding ways and means to for providing product or service as per his requirements. â€Å"Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders†. (AMA). This comprehensively calls for Market segmentation and results in two way satisfaction of both customer and the stakeholder. Markets are heterogeneous and are created by reasons of different values, needs wants, constraints, beliefs and incentives. Customers differ in their values and perceptions and want to purchase things that have value for them. Value is not just the monetary part, but also the usefulness and emotions that with go with it. The need and want play a great role in determining this value. The price actually determines the location from which this purchase will be made. Service and reliability are other important determining factors. Therefore a market segment is a set of customers that have a common approach to above questions and have a common desire to purchase a common set of goods and or services.

EU Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

EU Business - Essay Example Czech Republic companies and their government have been actively chasing foreign investments. All these activities led to several challenges and opportunities along with risks that were posed in Czech Republic. When foreign firms started entering Czech Republic, arious entry modes have been used. In the services sector the most preferred mode of entry was FDI or fully owned units while in the non-services sector joint ventures and licensing was equally popular along with FDI (Knight & Webb, 1997). A number of expatriates are found in Czech Republic which suggests that companies prefer to post their own people. There were apprehensions about the returns so low investment modes were preferred. Bureaucracy and the legal system needed modification. Bribery was rampant in Czech Republic. Tourism is a sector which is globally in boom and has led to high levels of employment as successful macro-economic stability has led to low unemployment figures in Czech Republic. The labor forces in Czech Republic are loyal and industrious and willing to participate with the management. They are also willing to work in teams. The education level is low in Czech Republic as the foreign firms encounter problems in finding personnel with appropriate skills in marketing and management. In 1997 other problems that affected the growth where finding a suitable location for office and warehouse. Even if they did manage to find the premises, the expenses were high and telecommunications and transport was difficult. The locals considered foreign competition as a threat rather than an opportunity for growth. In May 2004, ten new members were accepted in the European Union which had different economic histories and characteristics than the existing 15 members. Czech Republic was one of them with a substantially lower per capita income and lower employment rates (Schadler, 2004).

Global Marketing of Starbucks Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Marketing of Starbucks - Case Study Example With this comes the great responsibility of taming organizations accordingly that is making organizations compatible with the needs of today's markets that come with the immense competition, ever increasing inflation, cognitive dissonance and unforeseen circumstances . Organization must have a recognition of its own, that is it should have a strong organizational culture that has no parallel and it should be able to attract a strong team that is ready to work zealously for it. A lot is put into organizational structure, culture and profile of its prospective employees and customers, for any organization to grow it should have a strong foundation and it should build up on the pre defined foundations that have been laid. Given this, the question is how any organization achieves this position Now it does not sound superficial or very far fetched, many organizations have been there and done that. This exemplifies the core strengths any organization should have to reach that point where they are secure and recognized for some thing. Now organizations are becoming very brand centric, they have realized the importance of positioning themselves for something. How many of you know that what diapers are The Pampers completely over shadowed the real term and branded it. Now consider, Starbucks. Everyone is familiar with Starbucks. ... At Starbucks customers can indulge in reading, doing office work, have meetings, watch television with having coffee. It has become a way of life for Starbucks. Now let us specifically categorize positioning of Starbucks. Before we move forward lets look at some facts regarding Starbucks. Starbucks is operating in around 30 countries at present. Being global brings huge responsibility, this is when a company has to cater to people belonging to different backgrounds and religions, making diversity not an impediment to the growth of the company. Starbucks offers coffee to customers and also brewing machines so they can make coffee as they wish. An average American drinks 3 cups of coffee every day. Brand: Starbucks is positioned as the third place every person would want to be at. By third place I mean, that after home and work, Starbucks is the place to be. How it does that Starbucks has adopted unconventional methods of advertising and promotion. It has adopted societal marketing. Unlike companies such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, Microsoft where the heavy reliance is on the commercial ads on television, billboards and hoardings, Starbucks has adopted a very different marketing strategy. Image: Starbucks charges the customer a premium for the product it offers, but the premium comes more from the service attached to that product. The fact that Starbucks is a very comfortable and seemingly the best place after home and work, where you can relax. You can read newspaper, watch television, some outlets of Starbucks offer WiFi internet, and there are many ways to keep the customer at ease. Attributes: The attribute that distinguish Starbucks from other places and competitors is that: 1) It offers entertainment, serious or solemn environment, or any

Final Exam - Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Exam - Case Analysis - Essay Example It is imperative that these professionals understand that once they incorporate the organization it will be operating under the laws regulating any other business entity and this therefore calls for critical scrutiny of the advantages and disadvantages of such a move. The group is likely to derive a number of benefits from the incorporation that include; Separate Legal Entity: an incorporated organization has a distinct legal personality from its members. In this respect it is can sue and be sued in its individual capacity. This is important to these professionals since they will be provided by a formal legal status. Incorporation will also lead to Limited Liability on the part of the members of the organization (Hopkins, 1417). In this case the professionals will not be personally liable for the debts and obligations of the organization with exception of some circumstances where the directors may incur personal liability. The organization is entitled to perpetual existence and in th is case even if members change, this noble organization will continue to exist unless dissolution is to be executed in line with the Companies Act. Once the members incorporate the organization they will be able to own property in the name of the organization’s name. ... s organization is likely to enjoy is eligibility to be exempted from some federal and state corporate income taxes in addition to other taxes (Hopkins, 21). Other miscellaneous benefits that can be derived from incorporating this group into a nonprofit making organization is possible real and personal property taxes exemptions, cheaper advertising rates, relatively cheaper postal rates and broadcast announcements and advertisements. The professionals also need to look into the demerits of incorporating this organization as a not for profit entity. Among the challenges the organization is likely to encounter are a lot of paper work in various forms. There is the cost of hiring legal officers to help in preparing the incorporation papers, energy and time required for compliance with the legal regulatory guidelines to grow the organization. The team will also have to grapple with restrictions on nonpayment of directors, no lobbying or engagement in political campaigns and when the organ ization is to wind up all the property are to be transferred to another nonprofit making entity (Hopkins, 21). The team of professionals in this case need to analyses and compare the merits and demerits and make an informed decision. This is a team of professionals offering educational services to various people in different social settings. As a nonprofit making organization it would be advisable to incorporate it as educational and literacy society. This will fit the educational and literacy services they offer as professionals in different disciplines in the society. This would be suitable and a viable venture since they have already undertaken field test and proved able with positive client feedback. It is mandatory that for them to incorporate the organization some legal procedure must

Military training and indoctrination of children in palestinian Research Proposal

Military training and indoctrination of children in palestinian refugees camp in Lebanon - Research Proposal Example This has resulted in many underage children being drafted in the war without their wish as they are school going children. It is purported that the children especially of the Palestinian Refugee camps around the Lebanon have undergone military training and also have been indoctrinated and as such are participating in wars when they are very young. This research proposal, aims at exploring how the war has affected the children especially in the Palestinian Refugee camp and how the fact that children are recruited to fight is against the international criminal law. Internally, in the recent past the political violence has been very rampant in Lebanon. In 2007 September a parliamentarian who was very prominent, Antoine Ghanem and six others were killed in a car bomb that was part of a series of political assassination in Beirut and nobody claimed responsibility for the attack1. In another incident in 2007 was the fight between the government troops and the Fatah-al-Islam that was an armed group and they fought in the Nahr-al-Bared refugee camp for more than three months that ended when the army took control of the camp in September, 20072. The war itself around the refugee camp had resulted with more than 300 people including civilians’ dead. This and many other internal wars indicate the volatility of Lebanon as a country and the vulnerability of the country to be on the brink of war. In addition to the political violence there is a great polarization of the Lebanese society that revolves around the political parties that exist in the c ountry. The polarization is mostly divided along the religious and the communal line and it keeps on mounting (Byers 68). The democracy of the country is solely based on the delicate distribution of powers and institutions among the communities in Lebanon. This democracy is mostly very fragile with the cause being the parties keep on shifting their

Managerial Finance and Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managerial Finance and Accounting - Essay Example For this purpose, necessary policy changes have to be taken after considering the following points: Parties of interest: The FA statements are prepared for providing external information to the major stakeholders of the organization while MA system is designed to provide information to the management internally. Management of Money: FA reports only the monetary aspects of the organization while MA takes interest even in the non-monetary aspects like technical innovations, money value changes etc. for deciding on actions like replacing an asset or affecting an insurance policy strategically. Reporting periods: FA is reported periodically on a quarterly basis. However, MA may require data on a shorter interval basis say a week, fortnight etc so that decisions based on these factors could be taken up on a speedy manner. Nature & Precision: FA reporting is slow but more precise in nature that it serves the principle of objectivity. MA though requires objective information inscribes certain subjective information which gives room for arbitrariness given the short duration. Legality: FA reporting is compulsory but MA systems may or may not be installed by the organization legally. However, it is being observed that for any organization to be successful on a large scale basis, implementing MA systems would always prove to be beneficial. In short, if FA provides information about the movement of the business in the past, MA provides the way in which the business has to plan its future moves. In this process, a management accountant plays a vital role that he performs the following functions: Having understood about the basic guidelines of MA, Hadika plc, to maintain its market share even in the present global crisis will have to give a re-look to its present pricing policy which has to be arrived at after taking into consideration, the following cost classifications: Marginal Cost: The aggregate of

Internet & interactive media-consumer website analysis and evaluation Research Paper

Internet & interactive media-consumer website analysis and evaluation project about Sephora - Research Paper Example Sales associates and make-up artists undergo intensive training so that they can be well prepared to answer customers’ questions and give them advice ranging from skin types, and application techniques. The company not only serves women who are frequent users of the beauty products, but also men. This paper examines the Sephora’s digital marketing strategy and its website which is located at http://www.sephora.com/. 2. Unique market positioning The company was launched in the 1960s and unlike other business entities which use the commission-based model, Sephora relies on the self-service model. Under this model, customers go around the store, and are able to feel, touch and try the available offerings. Its founder, Dominique Mondonnaud transformed the existing model by grouping products by qualities such as perfume notes and scents rather than by brand. By 1984, Dominique had opened more than 8 perfume shops, but in 1993 he sold all the stores to Louis Vuitton. Followin g the acquisition of Sephora, LVMH expanded its operations in many European countries as well as in the North America. Under the LVMH group, Sephora continues to expand the existing product lines and its current offerings include accessories, skin care, hair care, and make-up products. The company is renowned for its revolutionary products such as the anti-wrinkle cream StriVectin-SD. On its website, Sephora is highly recognized for providing the customers with an interactive shopping environment, and an unparalleled assortment of prestige products. Its products are most popular with those aged between 15 and 70 years old, and currently, the company operates in 24 countries. In North America, the company has established around 280 stores and mini-stores and has 11,000 products and 250 brands. Such a wide offerings ensures consumers needs and wants are adequately satisfied. 2.1 Products The company offers more than 200 brands and over 13,000 products and is considered a one-stop shop for all personal care needs. The company boasts of highly esteemed brands and trendy products and each of the brand features unique colors and packaging. In each of the stores, customers can receive innovative services from the Sephora professionals and it is this element that sets the company apart from its direct competitors. Maintaining high perceived quality products enables the company to charge premium prices. The prices of the available products and services are differentiated and this variation helps the company to serve a wider segment. Some of the products are highly priced while others are lowly priced to fit into the middle to upper range. The prices of course are higher than at other stores, and this price level is justified by the high quality services offered. 2.2 Communication and differentiation The company differentiates itself on three principles: freedom, experience and guarantee. In this regard, customers are guaranteed of quality services and they can s return product they are not satisfied

Save the Environment! Essay Example for Free

Save the Environment! Essay â€Å"TREE PLANTATON† – most commonly used word. These words don’t only mean arising love for nature suddenly only on 5th June (World Environment Day) just like every Indian experiences patriotism on 15th August or 26th January†. Sometimes while attending such â€Å"TREE PLANTATION† events we may feel like saving nature and plant many plants that fine day. But, what about those plants after the event gets over? We forget about those planted plants soon after the event is over. Weather those plants will grow to trees or not is no more our concern, That does not at all mean tree plantation in real sense. Now a days we may easily find an under construction sight surrounding us. But have you seen an under construction tree? Any client may easily give an order to any builder that he wants this building to be completed in 2 or 3 years. But have you heard anyone saying or ordering other person about growing a 20 or 25 feet high tree in 2 years!! The answer is NO. Then why not to take care of those trees which are being cut in greed of constructing high tech roads? And this is our event. Let us think about â€Å"Tree preservation along with tree plantation†. Saving a tree certainly gives a feeling of saving life. Recently, you may have heard that in USA word’s longest tower is going to be constructed in just 2 years. But I don’t think it is shocking news because they have high technology and man power and it is possible for them to construct such a tower. Now, if any would say that I can grow world’s tallest free in just 2 years then it would be a shocking news, because constructing building is in hands of homo sapiens but growing trees is in hands of mother nature and we know that nobody can win against nature. Media should also try to create awareness about preserving trees along with growing.† Every person cries â€Å"plant trees†. But very few cry†preserve trees†. In such an atmosphere where signs of global warming are clearly visible, we should take care regarding preserving the present nature. It is true that efforts are made to grow more trees but do you think that you are going to live a life to see that tree growing so it. Tall NO Our projects include an eco-friendly development which comprises of earning money along with favoring our mother nature. The trees which are cut at construction sights are brought to own projects and then we plant them and experience a great relief of preserving a life. Thus we proudly say that we run eco-friendly projects! Generally the man of 21st centaury constructs concrete forests by destroying the forests of nature which are grown not constructed Thus, this thought gave us an idea of presenting own project to people as well as nature!!

Class Presentations On Crucial Conversations Philosophy Essay

Class Presentations On Crucial Conversations Philosophy Essay Consider our class presentations on Crucial Conversations. Please identify and define the key elements of a crucial conversation. What makes these conversations difficult for people and what can you do to enhance your ability to have an effective crucial conversation? On that note, what makes for an effective conversation? A crucial conversation is a discussion between two or more people where stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. When we face crucial conversations, we can do one of three things: We can avoid them, we can face them and handle them poorly, or we can face them and handle them well. Ironically, the more crucial the conversation, the less likely we are to handle it well. We often hold things inside by going silent until we can take it no longer-and then we drop a bomb. In short, we move between silence and violence-we either dont handle the conversation, or dont handle it well. We may not become physically violent, but we do attack others ideas and feelings. When we fail a crucial conversation, every aspect of our lives can be affected-from our careers, to our communities, to our relationships, to our personal health. When a conversation turns crucial, we either miss or misinterpret the early warning signs. The sooner we notice were not in dialogue, the quicker we can get back to dialogue and the lower the cost. As you pull out of the content of a conversation and learn to look for the conditions of dialogue, pay attention to early warning signs. Learn to look for when a conversation becomes crucial. A large part of this is watching your actions and emotions, as well as the actions and emotions of the other person. Paying attention to both the content of the discussion and how people are acting and feeling is no easy task. But its an essential part of dialogue. As long as your intent is pure and you learn how to make it safe for others, you can talk to almost anyone about almost anything. The key is to make the other person feel safe. To do this, there are two things the person needs to know: First, they need to know that you care about their best interests and goals. This is called mutual purpose. Second, they need to know that you care about them. This is called mutual respect. When people believe both of these things, they relax and can absorb what youre saying; they feel safe. The instant they dont believe them, safety breaks down and silence or violence follows. To restore safety in the face of silence or violence, you must restore mutual purpose and respect. When we become upset, our most common reaction is to defend ourselves and place the blame on someone else. As convenient as it is to blame others for pushing our buttons and causing us to become upset, its not exactly true. The key to how we feel lies in the stories we tell. These stories consist of our guess as to why people do what they do. As we become emotional, our story seems to be What is the worst and most hurtful way I can take this? This negative spin escalates our emotions and causes us to do the worst when it matters the most. To break away from your volatile emotions, you must rethink the conclusions you drew and the judgments you made. That requires you to tell the rest of the story. N ew stories create new feelings and support new and healthier actions. Better still, new stories often encourage you to return to dialogue. You have to know how to speak without offending and how to be persuasive without being abrasive. The five skills help us do just that to confidently state our opinions and humbly and sincerely invite others to do the same. The five skills that help us share our tough messages are called STATE: Share your facts Tell your story Ask for others paths Talk tentatively Encourage testing As we see others moving to silence or violence-sharing mostly stories or very little at all-it helps us stay in dialogue if we can encourage them to share their entire Path to Action, or the explanation of how emotions, thoughts, and experiences lead to our actions. We have to find a way to move others back to their facts. We typically join them at the end of their Path to Action. They show us their feelings and share their stories, but we may not know what they actually observed. We know what they think, but we dont know what we or others may have done. When others go to silence or violence, actively explore their path. Exploring helps others move away from harsh feelings and knee-jerk reactions and toward the root causes of those feelings and reactions. It also helps curb our own defensive response. Rather than ask, Whats the worst and most personal way I can take this? (leading to defensiveness), we should ask, Why would a reasonable, rational, and decent person think or feel this way? (leading to curiosity). Its hard to feel defensive and curious at the same time. Finally, it takes us to the only place where the feelings can be resolved: The source (the facts and story behind the emotions). If you dont take action, all crucial conversation is for nothing and will eventually lead to disappointment and hard feelings. Always agree on when and how follow-up will occur. It could be a simple e-mail confirming action by a certain date. It could be a full report in a team meeting. It could be just one report upon completion, or it could be progress checks along the way. Regardless of the method or frequency, follow-up is critical in creating action. There is no accountability if there is not an opportunity to account for action. Document your work: Effective teams and healthy relationships are supported by records of the important decisions made after difficult dialogues, and the assignments agreed upon. Good teams revisit these documents to follow up on both the decisions and the commitments. When someone fails to keep a commitment, candidly and directly discuss the issue with him or her. Please respond to FOUR of the questions below: 3. Consider mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). What are the advantages of mediation relative to other forms of dispute resolution such as courts and arbitration? What are the key attributes of an effective mediator? In Prosando, the mediator attempted to move the parties from a rights-based approach to an interests-based approach. What does this mean? How did he do this? Why did he do this? (Be sure to use the  Prosando video as an example to support your points as well as other course info). Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party (the mediator) assists the parties in resolving their dispute by facilitating negotiation. The mediator has no authority to impose a settlement, and the parties are under no obligation to reach agreement. Mediation proceedings are generally private and confidential. Benefits of successful mediation vary, depending on the parties needs and interests. The following are some common advantages of mediation: Parties are directly engaged in negotiating the settlement: Parties in mediation have the opportunity to directly air their views and positions, in the presence of their adversaries. The process can thus provide a catharsis for the parties that can engender a willingness to resolve the differences between them. Moreover, since parties are heard in the presence of neutral authority figures, the parties often feel that they have had their day in court. In the entertainment industry, there are lots of egos at stake. Clients that have suffered may want an opportunity to tell their story, and clear up any misrepresentations that are exploited to the public. Parties enhance the possibility of continuing their business relationship after resolving the dispute: Litigation process can be very stressful, time consuming, costly and often personally painful. At the end of litigation, the parties are often unable to continue or restart a relationship. In contrast, mediation disputes can be resolved in a manner that saves a business or personal relationship that; ultimately, the parties would prefer to preserve. Many relationships in the entertainment industry are of a collaborative nature, and it is pretty common for the parties in dispute to have had some success in prior artistic collaborations. If the creative parties are able to overcome the hurdle of the dispute through mediation, there is the potential that the parties can continue producing successful artistic endeavors. Creative Thinking and Problem Solving. Litigation can never resolve both parties issues in a way that is simultaneously favorable to both parties. In a mediation, all parties involved can brainstorm together to find solutions that address most, if not all, of the issues that are presented in the mediation. As stated earlier, people in the entertainment industry are creative by nature, and are known to think outside of the box. Mediation should be the least foreign process to anyone involved in any aspect of the entertainment industry. Mediation saves money through reduced legal costs and staff time: By resolving disputes earlier in mediation rather than later in litigation, parties can save tremendous sums in attorneys fees, court costs and other related expenses. Mediation Helps in Complicated Cases: When the facts and/or legal issues are particularly complicated, it can be difficult to sort them out through direct negotiations, or during trial. By contrast, mediation provides an opportunity to break down the facts and issues into smaller components, thereby enabling the parties to separate the matters that they agree upon, and those that they do not yet agree upon. The mediator can be indispensable to this process by separating, organizing, simplifying and addressing relevant issues. Mediator is an important role in Mediation. In the Prosando case, the mediators goal is to help the parties settle their difference in a manner that meets their needs and is preferable to the litigation alternative. An experienced mediator can serve as a sounding board, help identify and frame the relevant interests and issues of the parties, help the parties test their case and quantify the risk/reward of pursuing the matter, and, if asked, provide a helpful and objective analysis of the merits to each of the parties, foster and even suggest creative solutions, and identify and assist in solving impediments to settlement. This is often accomplished by meeting with the parties separately in private caucuses, as well as in a group, so that all participants can speak with total candor during the mediation process. The mediator can also provide the persistence that is often necessary to help parties reach a resolution. To obtain interests, determine priorities and develop trust, the med iator in Prosando case used various questioning techniques. Since parties may be reluctant to disclose information that weakens their own insistence on positions, the mediator must dig for information and will typically start such inquiry with open-ended questions. Important open-ended questions used by mediator were: What do I need to know to understand this matter? Narrower or focused clarification questioning will come later during the mediation. As part to bring out hidden concerns and interests, mediator carefully listens to responses and pursues critically important follow-up questions. Follow-up is particularly important when the speaker reveals a goal or interest without specifying the reasons. Follow questions assure the revelation of the speakers priorities rather than ones the mediator might assume or gather. For example, after Prosandos president said We have to move quickly, the mediator asked, Why is time so important? The mediator builds trust and assures the particip ants that he accurately understands the concerns and interests by using the active listening techniques. Active listening empathetically acknowledges what a party has said by reflecting back the essence of the statement with understanding but without evaluation. Active listening assures speakers that they have been understood, an important component of trust. Another effective technique that the mediator in the Prosando case uses was reframing. When mediators believe a partys interest or priority would be totally unacceptable to the opponent and couldnt form the basis of an agreement, he might try to reframe the interest into acceptable terms that could become part of a settlement. 4.   Based on Professor  Cialdinis six approaches to influence and persuasion, please identify and describe 3 of those and how and why they should work. How you can apply them in your work life? Reciprocity As humans, we generally aim to return favors, pay back debts, and treat others as they treat us. According to the idea of reciprocity, this can lead us to feel obliged to offer concessions or discounts to others if they have offered them to us. This is because were uncomfortable with feeling indebted to them. For example, if a colleague helps you when youre busy with a project, you might feel obliged to support her ideas for improving team processes. You might decide to buy more from a supplier if they have offered you an aggressive discount. Or, you might give money to a charity fundraiser who has given you a flower in the street. One of the reasons reciprocation can be used so effectively as a device for gaining anothers compliance is its power. The rule possessed awesome strength, often producing a yes response to a request that except for an existing feeling of indebtedness would have surely been refused. Liking People prefer to say yes to those they know and like, Cialdini says. Physical attractiveness, similarity, and familiarity are three levers that can be employed to increase this liking factor. When looks are not a significant issue, we like people that are similar to us, whether its similar opinions, personality traits, background, or life-style. So, smart persuaders dress like their targets, claim to have (or actually develop) similar backgrounds, lifestyles, attitudes, and beliefs. Scarcity When we are convinced that an opportunity or thing is limited in its availability, we are more easily persuaded to want it, and to take the actions necessary to get it. This principle says that things are more attractive when their availability is limited, or when we stand to lose the opportunity to acquire them on favorable terms. For instance, we might buy something immediately if were told that its the last one, or that a special offer will soon expire. Moreover, a sudden increase in scarcity is more persuasive that constant scarcity, and, if the sudden increase is due to demand for the item from others, it is more persuasive still. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Identify and explain when contingent contracts or contingent provisions in a contract, might be useful to get a deal done. Referring to the article: Betting on the future: The virtues of contingent contracts: Harvard Business Review, Sep/Oct99, Vol. 77 Issue 5, p155-160, identify the benefits and issues to be aware of when considering contingent provisions or contracts. When contingent contracts or contingent provisions in a contract is useful to get a deal done: Bypassing Biases: Contingent contracts offer a different approach to solving the bias problem. By enabling each side to bet on its bias, the contracts remove the biases as sources of contention and ultimately have the effect of canceling them out altogether. Consider, for example, one of the most common biases affecting negotiators: overconfidence. Companies, like individuals, tend to have an irrational degree of confidence in their own abilities and, as a result, they tend to overestimate the likelihood of achieving positive outcomes. In a contingent contract, each side translates its overconfident assumptions into a wager on the future. The outcome of the wager tends to fall between the two extreme positions, creating a rational result without requiring either party to sacrifice its firmly held bias. Another bias common in negotiations is egocentrism, which occurs when negotiators hold self-serving perceptions about the fairness of their position. Here, too, contingent contracts can defuse the tension and create a rational outcome. Contingent contracts counter biases by, in essence, indulging them. They establish two contrasting future scenarios, each reflecting one partys biases. Because each side anticipates that its scenario will be the one that plays out, each has a strong incentive to accept the contract. In effect, contingent contracts allow negotiators to be flexible without feeling that theyve compromised. Diagnosing Deceit: What makes information asymmetry so discomforting to companies is that it raises the possibility of deceit. Indeed, the fear of deceit can be a major impediment to all sorts of business agreements. Contingent contracts are a powerful means of uncovering deceit and neutralizing its consequences. Reduce Risk: Using a contingent contract to share risk often has an important additional benefit: it creates enormous goodwill. On the one hand, the contract provides a safety net, limiting each companys losses should an agreement go unexpectedly awry. On the other hand, it reduces the possibility of one company earning a windfall at the others expense. A contingent contract thus tends to enhance the trust between the parties, setting the stage for mutually beneficial negotiations in the future. Companies can also use contingent contracts to reduce the risk their customers assume when they purchase a new and untested product. Motivation: Another the benefits offered by contingent contracts is that they motivate parties to perform at or above contractually specified levels. Thats the driving force behind the use of contingent contracts in all kinds of compensation arrangements, from sales commissions to stock options. Sports teams and entertainment companies routinely use contingent contracts to motivate athletes and artists, particularly those who have shown a lack of motivation in the past. Contingent contracts are useful not just for motivating individuals, they can also motivate companies. While we believe that contingent contracts are valuable in many kinds of business negotiations, theyre not right in every situation. Managers should keep three points in mind: First, contingent contracts require continuing interaction between the parties. After all, the final outcome of the contract will not be determined until sometime after the initial agreement is signed. Therefore, negotiators need to consider the nature of their future relationship with the other party. If the parties are seeking a spot transaction, or if theres outright ill will between the two, they should probably not enter into a contingent contract. Second, negotiators need to think about the enforceability of a contract. Under a contingent contract, it is probable that one or more of the parties will not receive its full value up front. In some cases, the deferred value may represent a significant portion of the overall value. What if the loser of the bet refuses to pay up? What should the winner do? There are many ways to solve such issues-placing money in escrow, for instance. Our main message is, dont bet if you cant collect. Third, contingent contracts require transparency. The future event the parties bet on must be one that both sides can observe and measure and that neither side can covertly manipulate. Vague bets set the stage for different interpretations later. The terms of the bet should be clearly delineated in the contract. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider the article The Chinese Negotiation Harvard Business Review, Oct. 2003, Vol. 81 Issue 10, p. 82-91. Based on that article, identify and describe 3 concepts you should be aware of in order to negotiate effectively in China. The first concept in Chinese Negotiaitons is Guanxi (Personal Connections): In fact, personal connections doesnt do justice to the fundamental, and complex, concept of guanxi. While Americans put a premium on networking, information, and institutions, the Chinese place a premium on individuals social capital within their group of friends, relatives, and close associates. Though the role of guanxi is fading a bit against the backdrop of population mobility and the Wetsernization of some Chinese business practices, it remains an important social force. More often than not, the person with the best guanxi wins. Heres an example of how guanxi works. Upon learning that China Post Savings Bureau planned to modernize its computer network, C.T Teng, the general manager of Honeywell-Bulls Greater China Region, asked his Beijing sales director and the China Post executive were old university friends, they has guanxi. That connection enabled Teng to invite the China Post executive to a partners forum at Honeywell-Bull headquarters in Boston. He also invited the CEO of Taiwans Institute of Information Industry to the event. Over the course of the meeting, Teng proposed a banking system using Honeywell-Bull hardware and Taiwan Institute software to China Posts CEO, and the deal was accepted. Good Guanxi also depends on a strict system of reciprocity, or what the Chinese call hui bao. This does not mean immediate, American-style reciprocity: I made a concession, and I expect one in return at the table that day. In China, theres no hurry; agrarian rhythms run long. Favors are almost always remembered and returned, though not right away. This long-term reciprocity is a cornerstone of enduring personal relationships. Ignoring reciprocity in China is not just bad manners; its immoral. If someone is labeled wang en fuyi (one who forgets favors and fails on righteousness and loyalty), it poisons the well for all future business. The second concept we should be aware of is Zhongjian Ren (The Intermediary): Business deals for Americans in China dont have a chance without the zhongjian ren, the intermediary. In the US, we tend to trust others until or unless were given reason not to. In China, suspicion and distrust characterize all meetings with strangers. In business, trust cant be earned because business relationships cant even be formed without it. Instead, trust must be transmitted via guanxi. That is, a trusted business associate of yours must pass you along to his trusted business associates. In China, the crucial first step in this phase of negotiation, called nontask sounding, is finding the personal links to your target organizations or executive. Those links can be hometown, family, school or previous business ties. Whats crucial is that the links be based on personal experience. For example, you call your former classmate and ask him to set up a dinner meeting with his friend. Expensive meals at nice places are key. If things go well, his friend accepts the role of zhongjian ren and in turn sets up a meeting with your potential client or business partner, whom he knows quite well. A talented Chinese go-between in indispensable even after the initial meeting takes place. Consider what happens during a typical Sino-Western negotiation session. Rather than just saying no outright, Chinese businesspeople are more likely to change the subject, turn silent, ask another question, or respond by using ambiguous and vaguely positive expressions with subtle negative implications, such as hai bu cuo (seems not wrong), hai hao (seems fairly all right), and hai xing or hai key i (appears fairly passable). Only a native Chinese speaker can read and explain the moods, intonation, facial expressions and body language Chinese negotiators exhibit during a formal negotiation session. Frequently, only the zhongjian ren can determine whats going on. When an impatient Westerner asks what the Chinese think of a proposal, the respondents will invariably offer to kan kan or yanjiu yanjiu, which means, Let us take a look or Let us study it even if they think the proposal stinks. This is where the zhongjian ren can step in because he is an interpreter not so much or words as of cultures. Often, the two parties can say frankly to the intermediary what they cannot say to each other. In China, the intermediary not the negotiator first brings up the business issue to be discussed. And the intermediary often settles differences. Indeed, we have seen more than one zhongjian ren successfully deal with divisive disagreements. The following is one such case: A VP of a New York-based software company went to Beijing to negotiate a distribution contract with a Chinese research institute. Having attended meetings arranged by the intermediary a former senior executive with the institute the VP was pleased with the progress during the first two days. But on the third day, the two sides became embroiled in a fruitless debate over intellectual property rights. Feeling they were losing face, the Chinese ended the meeting. That night, the VP and the China country manager met with the intermediary. The following day, the intermediary called the head of the institute and worked his magic. In the end, both sides agreed that the intellectual property rights were to be jointly owned, and the contract was signed. Another important concept in Chinese Negotiation is Jiejan (Thrift): Chinas long history of economic and political instability has taught its people to sae their money, a practice known as jiejan. According to market research firm Euromonitor International, mainland Chinese save nearly four times as much of their household income as Americans do. The focus on savings results, in business negotiation, in a lot of bargaining over price usually though haggling. Chinese negotiators will pad their offers with more room to maneuver than most Americans are used to, and they will make concessions on price with great reluctance and only after lengthy discussions. In fact, we have often seen Americans laugh at the Chinese base price or get angry at unreasonable Chinese counteroffers. To make matters worse, the Chinese are adept at using silence as a negotiation tactic. This leaves Americans in the awkward position of negotiating by asking questions, directly or through the intermediary. In defending price positions, the Chinese use patience and silence as formidable weapons against American impatience and volubility. Westerners should not be put off by aggressive first offers by the Chinese; they expect both sides to make concessions eventually, particularly on prices.

Religion as a Gothic Element in American Romanticism Essay -- Romantici

Religion as a Gothic Element in American Romanticism American Romanticism can be strongly defined through its use of Gothic elements. Webster’s defines gothic as "of or relating to a style of fiction characterized by the use of desolate or remote settings and macabre, mysterious, or violent incidents" (529). Pre-American Romantic writers, such as Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards, do not tend towards the gothic in their writings of religion and religious elements. Although God is mysterious to both writers, they maintain certain characteristics and aspects expected of them and their religion. They keep their texts true to their beliefs. However, Mary Rowlandson begins a transition phase for the writers of this period. She begins to view God and religion in a darker and /more mysterious manner. By the time James Fenimore Cooper is writing, he blurs religion between two different religions. The Christian and the Indian God becomes mixed, along with their heaven. Whereas the earlier writers tend to understand and accept their Go d, the writers in the American Romantic period re-create their God adding a gothic twist to their religion and beliefs. Anne Bradstreet believes if she lives her life the way God meant her to live it, things will work out fine for her. She writes, "About 16, the Lord laid His hand sore upon me and smote me with the smallpox. When I was in my affliction, I besought the Lord and confessed my pride and vanity, and He was entreated of me and again restored me" (145). Bradstreet has a traditional view about God. She believes if she lives her life as a good person, she will be rewarded for it. If she lives her life full of pride and vanity, then she will pay the consequences. The good and just are rewarded ... ...us. Cora and Uncas end up together. There is the traditional romantic ending of riding off into the sunset, but into a Heaven which accepts both Indians and whites equally, adding elements of the gothic. Works Cited Bradstreet, Anne. "To My Dear Children." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton & Company, 1999. 144-147. Cooper, James Fenimore. The Last of the Mohicans. New York: Viking Penguin Inc, 1986. Edwards, Jonathan. "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton & Company, 1999. 200-211. "Gothic." Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. 1991 ed. Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton & Company, 1999. 148-164.

Transitioning a Child To Daycare Essay -- Child Development

When a parent leaves their child off at a daycare, they often wonder why their child who was happy and content before they arrived cries and screams when their parent leaves to go to work. This is a very hard transition for infants, which is why it's our job as infant toddler teachers to make the transition as comfortable and relaxing as possible. The reason children feel this way when their parents leave is because they are in what Piaget calls the sensorimotor stage, and are in the beginning of object permanence meaning that an infant realizes something is their even though they cannot see it. This is very important because, before an infant can experience object permanence often refereed to as separation anxiety, they only think about what is in their view at the time, therefore they think about the present rather than the future. The infant feels like the parent left them with a stranger, and they are not coming back. As a teacher you can help decrease this by communicating with the parents, and allowing the infant to get used to the environment, and asking parents not to s...

Essay examples --

College Road Trip, a 2008 film directed by Roger Kumble and distributed by Walt Disney Studios, is based on Melanie Porter (Raven-Symonà ©), a college-bound student, and her father, Chicago police chief James Porter (Martin Lawrence), who cannot bear to let his daughter leave home. Melanie is ready to enter a new stage in her life. James, though, would rather she stay close to home by attending Northwestern University. Despite this, Melanie is offered an interview with her college of choice, Georgetown University, and plans immediately pack her bags. Melanie has no way to get to Georgetown until her friends invite her to join them on their college road trip. Her overprotective father insists on escorting her on their own trip instead. Throughout their trip, Melanie struggles to get along with her rigid father. She is sad that James is not interested in what she wants in life. After experiencing some car trouble, the family hitches a ride on a tour bus to James’ mother’ s house. On that ride, James finally listens to Melanie about her future goals. Later, Melanie runs into her friends, who invite her to spend the night in a sorority. Of course, James does not trust Melanie enough to be on her own, so he sneaks into the sorority and hides under the girls’ beds. There, he learns that Melanie is starting to trust him and feel that he understands her. The next morning, he is found in the sorority and is put in a local prison. Melanie is extremely upset at James and his inability to trust her. He finally realizes that she wants to be independent and free to make her own choices. The two agree to find any way they can to get a flight to Georgetown. They end up sky diving onto campus and making it just in time for her interview. After gettin... ...more flexible and open to change. Change within the family can be beneficial, for life is constantly changing outside the home. Making these adjustments will help the family become more balanced; it will improve the relationships between family members as each person learns to communicate effectively. Finally, the family members should continue to show appreciation, affection, and commitment to one another. If the family members spend time together, they should make sure it is enjoyable. Although the Porter family is going through a big change with Melanie leaving for college, it should continue to show support in times of stress and help with problems. The family will eventually be able to work out its differences reasonably. Family members will be able to trust each other, acknowledge each other’s independence, and encourage each other to follow their own dreams.

Best Buy Marketing Essay

Best Buy Inc. has been performing business and providing customers with products and services in the United States for over forty-three years. From what started as an idea and a small music shop in St. Paul, Minnesota, Best Buy Inc. now operates over 1,500 â€Å"big box† retail stores around the U. S. They have constantly grown to become the largest specialty electronics retailer in the entire world. With ventures expanding into other countries such as China, Mexico, United Kingdom, and many others, Best Buy has plans to develop stores, distribution, and networks throughout the world to better serve its customers as we become more dependent on our gadgets and technology in our everyday lives. While being the largest specialty electronics retailer in the entire world, Best Buy is not just about the products and services it sells. While our customers are the most important aspect of our business, Best Buy is focused on developing and helping its employees grow as professionals in the workplace and better their lives as a whole. Their mentality is that if our employees are empowered, engaged, knowledgeable, and able to go above and beyond their normal expectations, customer satisfaction and loyalty will be built. Strong lasting relationships amongst our employees and customers will drive our profitability and growth as a company. Mission Statement â€Å"Our formula is simple: we’re a growth company focused on better solving the unmet needs of our customers-and we rely on our employees to solve those puzzles. Thanks for stopping. † Core Values †¢ Unleash the power of our people Show respect, humility, and integrity †¢ Learn from challenge and change †¢ Have fun while being the best Core Philosophies †¢ Invite each employee to contribute their unique ideas and experiences in service of customers †¢ Treat customers uniquely and honor their differences – as segments and individuals †¢ Meet customers’ unique needs, end-to-end Company History Over the last forty-three years, Best Buy has grown from a single facing store to now boasting over 1,500 stores nationwide. Best Buy was originally started as a small audio-video and car stereo shop in St.  Paul, Minnesota, by a man named Richard Schulze. At the time, the small retail store was named the Sound of Music. In 1967, the Sound of Music obtained exclusive rights to Kencraft Hi-Fi and Bergo Company; which were the first of many acquisitions the company would make moving forward. With its immediate success, a second and third store was opened near the University of Minnesota and in downtown Minneapolis, respectively. In its first year of operation, the Sound of Music ended with gross sales totaling over $173,000. In 1969, the Sound of Music was introduced as a publicly traded company for the first time. In addition, three more stores are opened in and around the Twin Cities Area. A year later in 1970, they posted earnings and revenue which hit the $1 million dollar mark for the first time in the companies short history. In 1974, instead of operating out of each individual store, the Sound of Music opened their first headquarters located in Bloomington, Minnesota. They hired leadership staff and managers to help implement larger scale management direction and decisions. By years’ end of 1978, there were nine stores running in Minnesota. In 1981, a natural disaster shook up the small retail chain which seemed to be devastating, but little did they know it would provide insight into a new operating model that would lay the tracks for Best Buy moving forward. A tornado hit the Roseville, Minnesota store and the Sound of Music responded with a â€Å"Tornado Sale† which introduced low prices in a â€Å"no frills† retail environment that would be carried over to all surrounding stores. As a result of its success, stores averaged over $350 in sales per square foot versus the then industry average of $150 – $200 per square foot. Thus the beginning of Best Buy. In 1983, the Sound of Music’s board of directors approved the new corporate name, Best Buy C. , Inc, Shortly after; Best Buy opened its first superstore in Burnsville, Minnesota. From that point on, growth for Best Buy was inevitable. With its initial public offering on the NASDAQ, it earned over $8 million dollars in 1985. In 1986 the public stock offering raised over $33. 6 million dollars. This helped fund a 12 store expansion in Minnesota and surrounding states, Iowa and Wisconsin. Best Buy now operated in 21 â€Å"big box† retail stores with the â€Å"grab and go† store format and non-commissioned sales. In 1989, the Best Buy logo was changed to what it is today, the familiar angled yellow price tag with Best Buy in bold black letters. In 1993 Best Buy was deemed the nation’s second-largest consumer electronics retailer and was a staple and the epitome of retail prowess. In 1995 Best Buy broke into Fortune magazine’s annual ranking of America’s 500 largest corporations, listed as number 373. Best Buy also mandated and implemented a Standard Operating Platform (SOP), which was developed to support and manage every aspect of business within stores around the nation. Today, SOP is still around, but it has evolved as customer demands, employee needs, and the environment have impacted the way Best Buy store operate in their day to day operations. In 1999, Best Buy partnered with software giant Microsoft to cross-promote products going forward. Even today we see relevance of this as Windows 7 was recently promoted throughout Best Buy stores and commercials in order to drive business for both companies. They also were acclaimed by Fortune Magazine for being one of the top performing stocks since 1990. Since 1995, Best Buy has been ranked in Fortune’s top 500 largest corporations. In 2000 Best Buy launched BestBuy. com and entered the online retailing business to compete with many others who were entering into the cyber store front space. They have continued to grow through customer base and acquirement of many brands listed below. †¢ Magnolia Hi-Fi †¢ Future Shop †¢ Geek Squad †¢ Audio Visions †¢ Pacific Sales †¢ Jiangsu Five Star Appliances †¢ Carphone Warehouse Since 2001, Best Buy has also made strides to compete in the global market place making international acquisitions and efforts to expand into the United Kingdom, Canada, China, and Mexico. In 2001 Best Buy moved north to acquire FutureShop, a large Canadian electronics retailer chain, thus paving the way for eight Best Buy stores to open in the greater Toronto area in following years. In 2003, Best Buy also made efforts in the global market by opening its first global sourcing office in Shanghai, China, and later in 2006 they acquired Pacific Sales and a large portion of Jiangsu Five Star Appliance stores located throughout China. Finally, after two years of planning, research and development, Best Buy finally opened its first retail store in Shanghai bringing the low cost, warehouse style shopping experience to a very different market. Recently, in 2008 Best Buy acquired one of the largest cell phone distributors, Carphone Warehouse, in order to gain competitive advantage in the cellular device market. They also have begun to introduce Best Buy stores across and around the European countries as well as opening the first Best Buy Retail store just north of Mexico City.

I.T. System for a Newsagents

As in went into the first newsagents they said that they had no Information technology Equipment such as computers in their shop so I went into the next newsagent and explained to them I was in year 10 and was in the middle of doing a GCSE Coursework and was to update a system. I then said to them I would like to help them and update their system, they said they would be more than happy if I would do that for them because they did not know how much profit they were making or even loss. I then went into an off-licence that was near to where I lived on Cranbrook road. I told them what I was doing and explained that I was doing an Information technology Project, I then asked them if they would let me update their system so it would save them time and money on their business. They said, † yes ok, as it would help me as well†. Now that I had one choice I had then started to make my way to the Gants hill library, they said that their system was already up to date but said thank you for the offer. I still had 2 offers but unfortunately had to choose. I decided by thinking of who would have the most benefit of the system and I thought in the end that a newsagent would not really need a system as much as an off licence, as an off-license has a lot more stock and is much bigger than newsagents, I also thought it would be more challenging than a newsagents and hope to find out the profit/loss made by my clients and also hope they benefit from me. This was my final decision. Description of Problem: An off-licence called Cranbrook Food & wines situated on Cranbrook road sells stock of food, drinks and sweets and other grocery items. The problem is that my client knows if he is making a profit or loss but he doesn't know how to work it out on a P.C. As for the last5 years he has been doing it manually and Manual systems cannot keep up and they are much slower than P.C.'s. So he has I asked me to help him using the information he provides me with such as Income and Expenditure. They have a system but were not using it for Microsoft Excel, they told me they have hardly any idea how to use Microsoft Excel, and said they used their computer only to write letters on Microsoft Word and use the Internet for e-mail. Now it is up to me to show them how to work Microsoft Excel and update their system by making profit and loss account and a cash flow showing them their rates of profit so they now how much profit they will make when they see there closing balance. I will also be using formulas and teaching them to use Microsoft Excel and will also help them by showing them some strategies which will help them run their business better. One of their incomes is selling the stock and Expenditure is buying the stock. These will go into their profit and loss account using the figures that they supply me with and there will also be more such as, Electricity bill, Gas bill, Water bill etc for Expenditure, and Photocopier etc for Income. I will use formulas to total each of them up and use formulas to find out the closing balance. I will set-up a cash flow for them, as it is very easy to use, as they are new users. I will also put in formulas so if they wished to change anything such as change the price of the photocopier it will also change all the incomes and outcomes as well as the closing balance. To find a bit more about my client, I asked some questions so I could know how much knowledge he had about computers. 1) How long have you run a business? A) I have run a business for 5 years now. 2) What do you do in your business? A) In my business I have to stand behind the counter-serving people for about 11 1/2 Monday-Saturday, I also have to send my wife or sister to the cash and carry to buy our stock then I have to set-up all the stock and label the price on all the stock. 3) Do you use you system for any record of your business or financial work? A) No, I only use the computer for my e-mail and to write letters to people. 4) Have you employed any staff? A) No, my family and me run our business. 5) What do you now anything about computers, do you have any knowledge? A) Yes I know how to work on the Microsoft word processor and the Internet. 6) Would any of your business partners have trouble using the computer, and are they all familiar with Microsoft excel? A) My business partners are my family and they have no knowledge of Excel but as soon as I learn I will be able to teach them it won't be a problem. General Specification: My client has a very good knowledge of Personal computers but does not have a good knowledge when it comes to Microsoft excel. I had checked his computer and I could see he has windows 2000 and this is good, as it is the latest out. As he has very little knowledge of Microsoft Excel I will have to make this system very easy to use and I will also be installing a help wizard, which he does not have so if I'm not there he can rely on the help wizard to help him. The system I will input will also be flexible and quick so he won't waste any time. I am very sure that the software I will install will be fully compatible with my client Computer as I checked all the system files in their CPU. I have to also install Microsoft excels on his computer as his computer only came with Microsoft word, works, money and autoroute. My targets are benefit both of us, me by being successful and getting a good grade and my client, by helping his business by making it easier for him and much more efficient . When my system is finished it will be time saving, which will allow my client to either do personal things or expand on his business more. So my targets are to help my client have a better and more efficient business. By creating spreadsheets, which will show him the profit, he is making and will allow him to see what to decrease on, e.g. if Electricity bills are à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 then he will know to turn of light and save electricity. This will also save a lot of his time. The new system I will be installing must be able to automatically change the corrections as my client is unfamiliar with excel. It must also be very easy to use, and must have a help wizard to guide my client. The information that he would want to store, would need to be stored in an organised way-I could do this by using tables to present the information in a more clearer way to my client I.e. A spread sheet. The system would also have to be user friendly as I was saying before and needs to be able to follow simple instructions so that everyone could use it easily and effectively. Specific Specification: After I had discussed some things with my client, we had both decided to include: * Profit and Loss- To show if he is making enough profit or not. * Formula's- so if he changed one of the outcomes e.g. water bill is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 the total outcome will also change which will save quite a lot of time. * Validation checks- to check a computer to carry out when data is input. * Security- to make sure no one can tamper with the information, which is inputed with the exception of my client, and people who he wishes to share his password with. * The system is easy to use- to make sure my client can use the system with no trouble so he can change information and input it easily and so he can understand the system. We has also acknowledged that my client does not know much about spread sheets so he would like me to make it an easy system. The information I am going to use should be put under suitable heading; I have made some up for my client; – Stock – Photocopier – Selling Price – Retail price – Expenses The system must allow the information to be organised into certain orders e.g. the Stock could be put in numbers and the quantity sold could be put into alphabets. The system must also be able to save the information. As my client is going to need to store a lot of information on his system it will need to be stored efficiently. The new system must also be able to perform accurately so the system will need to be able to do many important calculations by using formulas if needed. The system must perform rapidly- the system must be able to calculate all the different prices when the quantity sold is changed. This will prevent my Client of having to waste time and tired of it. My client has not just started his business in fact he has been running it for 10 years now. He has also asked me to put a password on all the systems as it will save him from his files being deleted or being viewed by any other person which he doesn't want to no. Design of Solution: I have now got to choose which software my client would want to use; and which is most suitable for this assignment, we can choose any of the following choices: – Data base package (Microsoft Access & Microsoft Pinpoint) – Word Processing package (Microsoft Word & Microsoft Word perfect) – Microsoft Desktop Publishing (DTP)(Microsoft Publisher & Adobe PageMaker) – Presentational package (Microsoft PowerPoint) – Spreadsheet Packages (Microsoft Excel & Lotus 1-2-3) – Graphics Package (Corel draw & Microsoft paint) – Computer aided design (CAD) (Auto CAD) After thinking about the problem, I decided we could definitely not use all of this software so I have narrowed it down by choosing to use Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. I did not choose The Data base packaging as my client had no access to it as he did not have the software installed on his computer, but this did not matter as Microsoft access is one of the programs we could do without. We did not use the Presentational or Graphics Project as this is a GCSE project and we will not need a lot of presentation in our work. We also did not use it as the presentational package is not very confidential and all the information I will be storing for my client will have to be confidential so no one can change it without him knowing. These are also the same reasons why we did not use Microsoft Desktop Publishing. I chose the word processor as it can be used in letters, essays, projects, CV's etc. In my list I wrote Projects and as I'm doing one right now I thought it would be a good idea to use word. I also chose word as there is a very big advantage to it, it can be edited if mistakes have been made and can also be formatted in many ways such as, Letters can be Bolded, made Italic, and underlined. The word processor also gives you the advantage of making a word art, as you can see I have used this a number of times, and you can also choose between a ranges of clipart. I will mainly use this program to write out my GCSE coursework project and say what how and when I did to help my clients business. Microsoft excel is a spreadsheet made up of a grid into where numbers are entered. The program it self is used for mathematic calculations, statistical and financial calculations. I mainly chose it for the financial calculations as I am going to help my clients business. Even though my client does not have access to Microsoft excel, instead he has Microsoft works spreadsheet, I fell that Excel is better so I have a disk, which has Excel on it, and I will be happy to install it for him. I will use excel to put all of the Income and expenditure (PROFIT & LOSS) into a table, this will show how Much profits my client gets and how much of it he spends. FIELD NAME DATA TYPE REQUIRED DATA ENTRY REASON Opening Balance The opening balance of cash flow Formula No Opening balance is brought over from the closing balance at the end of the month the number is produced by formula so you do not need to type it manually Revenue This is the sales that the company receives when selling their products Number Yes This is a figure and changes from month to month so it needs to be typed in manually Overheads The utilities in this are the Electricity, gas and water bills. Another overhead is the raw materials, this is when they buy the products that they are selling Number Yes This also varies from month to month so it will need to be typed in Manually. Total Overheads Formula No The Total Overheads are brought from the overheads so at the end of the month if the overheads were changed the total overheads would also change automatically. Systems Flowchart: . RESOURCES: I have now installed the help wizard on his computer, which should be able to help him, whenever I am not there to assist him. I have also installed Microsoft excel. I am now going to show you the hardware and software I am going or not going to use. Hardware: The hardware that I am using to create this system are Intel powered Pentium machines which have PII 266 systems, containing 2 GB of hard Drive, 32 Megs of RAM and a 8 Meg Video Card. The server that windows use is NT. My client Pc is very different it is a Gateway PC, Intel inside Pentium 3 PC with Windows 98. It contains 32 Megs of RAM, 20 GB of Hard drive, DVD and 20 Meg video drives. Software: The software packages that I am going to use are Word Processing, Desktop Publishing and Spreadsheet. A Word Processor can be used to write letters, reports, essays, projects, memos, curriculum vitae, theses and basically any form of written work. When text is entered at the keyboard, the characters and words are displayed on the screen and held in the computer's memory. This work can be saved to hard drive or disk and can also be printed out. The advantage of using a Word Processor is that the text can be changed or edited onscreen and reprinted if mistakes are made. I will be mainly using Word Processor to do my project, which is listed above. A Desktop Publishing Program allows users to look at the page of he document as a whole and design the layout by marking areas for text and graphics. Text can be typed directly into the Desktop Publisher package or it can be imported from a word processing package. The text can be arranged in columns with large titles or headlines heading the columns. Images can be imported from graphics packages, scanned or taken from clipart. I will mainly be using this program to do my user documentation. A Spreadsheet is a computer program which is designed to display and process numbers. It is made up of a grid to which numbers are entered. The program contains many mathematical, statistical and financial calculations, which can be applied to the numbers. Many Spreadsheets can also show the numbers in the form of graphs. I will be using this program to show my profit and loss and cash flow for my client. The software packages I am not going to use are Presentation, Database and Graphic packages. A Presentation Package allows users to prepare and give presentation to using the computer. The information being presented is made into a set of slides. Each slide can contain text, clipart, graphics, video, sound and animation. A salesman might use the program to demonstrate a new product; a teacher, to give a lesson or lecture; a pupil might use the software to prepare a talk or a school assembly. A Database is a collection of related data items, which are linked and structures so that the data can be accessed in a number of ways. A simple database consists of only one set of data. This is called a flat file. An example of a flat file is pinpoint or Microsoft works. A relational database is more complex. Relational Databases are very powerful as they allow the data to be accessed in many different ways. An example of a relational database is Microsoft Access. I am now going to show you the advantages and disadvantages of a manual system (File base system) and see which one I chose and why? ADVANTAGES: * Do not have to waste electricity when using CPU * The financial cost for a file base system is not around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000 where as it does to buy computer * If the electricity goes out you wont have to worry about your business, as you would have it all on paper. * The computer may crash and you could loose all your data if not saved. DISADVANTAGES: * Computer saves time as writing takes to long * It is easier to work out profits more easily * If you need to change something, the computer will adjust the changes to everything else it affects automatically * If you make a mistake the computer would detect it and notify you by underlining it or correct it automatically. * You can produce graphs and charts by using the Popular Microsoft Excel whereas you would have to spend time calculating and drawing it if you had no computer * You can store up to hundreds of pages on one simple disk. The above argument tells you that you would benefit more from having a P.C Computer system than you would with a manual system. I will go with the results of this argument and use a computer to do my project. I am going to use a spreadsheet over a database because for this particular coursework, a spreadsheet is more appropriate than a database. This is because the information I will be inputting is not relational or linked e.g. Library books are linked in some way therefore it maybe put into a database. A spreadsheet is also good for financial use as it is good with mathematical equations this is another reason why I am using it instead of Database. Data Collection, Data Capture and Input: The data that my client wishes me to put into his system are; sales from stock; sales from photocopier; electricity bill; Gas bill and buying stock, other than that my client does not mind what information I input. The information will be given to me by my client which he will get from his Bills and from his invoices that he holds which has a record of his shops sales records and how much he spends to buy the stock. Input Devices: The input devices are will be using are as follows: Keyboard: The most common way of entering data into a computer is through the keyboard. Modern Keyboards often have a support at the front of the keyboard as a rest for the typist's wrist's and some manufacturers have designed keyboards with a more curved key layout in an attempt to make typing faster and more comfortable, even though this maybe, the keyboard is very slow even for today's typing experts. Mouse: The pointer on the screen is called the mouse; you may move the pointer by the user moving the mouse, which will move the pointer. Under the mouse is a ball, which rolls as the mouse is moved. When the screen pointer is over an icon or a menu selection the mouse can be double-clicked to activate the program. This is a standard device like the keyboard. The Input devices I will not be using are; Scanners: Scanners enable both pictures and text to be input to a computer. Scanning text in order to recognise the words and letters requires special software. The most common type of scanner is the flatbed but smaller and cheaper hand-held scanners, which are rolled over the document/picture, are also available. Although the scanner is available to me I have no need to use it. Touch screen: A touch screen is when there are beams of infrared light just in front of the glass on the computer monitors. When a user touches the screen or glass with their finger, the infrared light recognises it and co-ordinates the points. The computer can detect the position of the finger and respond accordingly. I am not using touch-screen because it is not available to me. Processing: Validation and Verification: I will need to have some validation checks as a mistake may happen and this prevents this, a mistake that could happen and is very likely to is writing in the number with text rather than numerical symbols, that is eight instead of 8. The range checks are very liable to read editing with time as the company grows. So they too should be easy to modify. However it is important not to over use the validation only but to only have the item in suitable areas, as people find going error messages very annoying. Verification is the checking of a mistake manually. It involves either printing of your work to look at it or looking at it on the monitor screen, another way is double-checking your work twice or you may make a mistake such as writing the instead of the or in figures such as 394 instead of 934. There are certain types of validation; they are Picture check, Character count, Range check, Presence check and file lookup. Presence check means the cell or field cannot be empty, if there is nothing inside the cell or field it will read error. Character count would make sure there is only a limited amount of characters that can be typed into a cell. Range check, checks the range of numbers that is typed. E.g. the number can be equal to, less than, greater than or between parameters, picture check, checks that the data entered in this field is as expected, i.e. TTTNNTTT (where T=text and N=number) so it would be something like this, GFD77GGG. Finally File Lookup, V PATEL, here the persons code (first three characters) and the subject code, (last three characters) can be checked by opening separate files and ensuring the codes do exist in a valid list. Output Format: Output Devices: The output devices I am going to use are: Monitor: The computer monitor screen or VDU is the most common output device. The most common size of monitor screens are 15 inches, others are 17 and 19 inch, which are much bigger. Computer monitors are similar in many ways to the television. They use a device called cathode ray tubes which contains an electron gun at the back the tube which fires electrons at phosphor dots coating the inside of the screen. Laser Printers: Laser printers work on the same principle as photocopiers. The toner, which is powered in, is transferred to the paper where it is fused by the action of heat and pressure. Lasers are very quiet printers and give high quality print. Laser Printers can print 8-10 pages per minute, which is much faster than other printers. The output devices I will not be using are; Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD's): Liquid Crystal Displays utilise tiny crystals which, when a charge is applied across them, polarise the light passing through them. Used in combination with special filters, this means that light will not pass through when an electrical charge is applied. LCD's are also used in watches and calculators. Thin Film Transistor Screen: A more advanced type of display, giving a full colour and high quality output, is the TFT active matrix screen. Each pixel on the screen is controlled by its own transistor. This provides a higher resolution and more contrast. I am now going to show you how my cash flow works and also show you part of a cash flow. As you can see in he highlighted section is the revenue, the formula I had inputted in the total revenue cell=SUM (B4:B5) pending on which total I wanted. By inputting the formula, certain changes vary; such as now if you change the â€Å"sales from stock in shop† it will automatically change the total revenue, and is also the same if you change the â€Å"sales from photocopier† it will automatically change the total revenue. For example if you higher your price of the photocopier you will make more money, so my client will need to change the figures in the photocopier section. For instance if he changes it from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300.00 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½400.00 the total revenue will automatically change to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.400.00 that would not happen if the total were typed in manually. As you can see, there is a formula to work out the total revenue; it does this by adding the cells B4 and B5 together. I have several formulas and different formulas are used for different things. For instance if I wanted to know the total revenue I would use a formula which looked something like this; =SUM (C3:C4), and then it would give me the total of the two cells. This is the same for total expenditure, but if I wanted to know the net cash flow I would have to minus the total revenue from the total expenditure, it would look something like this; =SUM (C5-C6), then it will give me the total amount left over. The formulas used in the spreadsheet above are as follows: =SUM (B4: B5) This formula adds up the total revenue for the particular month, it does this by adding up all the revenues. This formula varies throughout each month, as business may be better or lower. =SUM (B9: B11) This formula adds up his total expenditure or expenses for the particular month. The expenses vary throughout each month. =SUM (B6-B12) This formula shows the net cash flow by subtracting the total revenue from the Expenditure resulting in the profit/loss. =SUM (B16-B17) This formula works out the closing balance by subtracting the Opening balance from Net cash flow resulting in the closing balance. Introduction: Now that I have finished creating a system I have to test it, to see if there are any problems. Strategy: There are to different ways I could test my system. Test1- I could test it with the current figures. Check if the formula works and see if the validation is accurate. Test2- I could test it with last year's figures, and see if the totals agree. I will then again see if the validation checks are accurate. I have chosen to do test 1 and I will do this by doing it in a Test plan & results table. The results able will consist of three columns the first is â€Å"Test† for what I'm going to test e.g. If the Validation works. The second is â€Å"Prediction† e.g. if I put the validation check in Cell C4 that 9>500, it would print error if there was more than 500. The last column is the â€Å"Results†. It is where you put in he results of your test and to see if your predictions are correct.