The Aviation Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Aviation Industry - Essay Example As the essay declares an industry for consideration would be the aviation business. The aviation industry is composed of all companies, private or otherwise, that partake in the air transport. This includes both passenger travel and cargo freight. It is a rapidly growing industry and being the fastest means of transport, it is the most preferred by many. The airline industry is demarcated into various sub-sections consisting of commercial passenger transport, private charter firms, cargo freight companies and, more recently, the introduction of emergency flying doctor services. Due to this, the delineation of boundaries for this industry poses a number of challenges to the industry players. As such, rifts may occur among industry players with each firm only associating itself with its niche and generally avoiding interaction with others outside its scope. This paper stresses that the negative impact comes evident when a firm supposedly offers services in a niche not considering its specialization. The other companies in that specialty would view this as territorial infringe. This often puts different industry players at war against each other. Moreover, the establishment of national air space also sets an avenue for differences among countries. Considering these, the delineation of boundaries in the aviation industry curbs affable relations among the industry players and this eventually means limited opportunities for progress and at times, keeping the consumers stuck with services that are not top-notch, hence it hampers competitiveness in the sector. Apart from the above, certain structural factors form the interplay of the industry leaders in an industry. Among these are advancements in technology. Therefore, in the aviation industry, technological dynamism is a critical factor that plays a significant role. The majority, if not al l, of customers or air travel fanatics are only thrilled by the prospect of boarding a

Toyota Strategy Essay Example for Free

Toyota Strategy Essay Seventy four years since its founding, Toyota Motor is almost at the pinnacle of the global auto industry, having overtaken Ford Motor and General Motors in vehicle sales. Toyota was established in 1937 in Japan. Toyota has grown from being a small Japanese carmaker in the 1960s to the biggest carmaker in 2007, outranking General Motors. The founding principles for this success were embodies by the â€Å"Toyota Way† – a respect for learning, truth, trust, team-work, challenge and continuous improvement. First time it introduced its product Corona in the US in 1965. By the 70’s, Toyota was the best-selling import brand in the US. During the 80’s, it started manufacturing vehicles in the US. In 2006, it had globally become the second largest car seller and third largest car sellers in the US having more than fifteen percent market share. It is estimated that by 2008 it is going to be the number one car producer and seller both in the US and across the world. This profound success of Toyota is associated with its most proficient market strategy. The case of Toyota notably proves that how important is market strategy in the life of a company to be a market leader. Toyota Company has so many successes in its production history. Toyota even in Japan and in worldwide is one of most important and successful multinational companies. One of the most important reasons for success of a company is its marketing strategy. In continue I will try to peruse Toyotas success reasons and good planning for achievement in international market around the world. The reasons for achievement of a company in international markets is belong to variety elements such as good production and assembly system, good strategy both in local and international markets, good planning and managing and so on. In practice this innovation means that line workers not only have the right, but are obliged to take the time which is necessary in order to carry out the tasks necessary to ensure the maintenance of the highest quality standards at each stage of production, even while production is taking place. Just-In-Time This system is a method of production programming involves a series of innovation in the production and the preparation of the work more generally in the logistics of production and in the management of the flows and stocks of intermediate and semi-finished goods. These innovations take together constitute a system of production with much reduced stocks, made possible a system of information processing unique and unprecedented in the history of work organization. Supply Chain Management Supply chain or value chain management is composed of the operational or tactical activities and can be defined as ‘managing the entire chain of raw material supply, manufacture, assembly and distribution to the end consumer (Jones 1989 cited in Lowson 2002). Christopher (1998) defines supply chain management as the management of upstream and downstream relationships with the suppliers and customers to deliver superior consumers value at less cost to the supply chain as a whole. Toyota has a great supply chain management. This system helps Toyota to deliver its needed parts to all around the world without any problem in least time, so we can say that this system has great role in success of Toyota corporation. Lean Manufacturing The goal of lean manufacturing is to create a manufacturing environment that is driven by demand and that holds only a small amount of inventory and product at any given time (Bacheldor 2004 cited in Ndahi 2006). Lean Manufacturing is a unified, comprehensive set of philosophies, rules, guidelines, tools, and techniques for improving and optimizing discrete processes. â€Å"Toyota Motor Corporations vehicle production system is a way of making things that is sometimes referred to as a lean manufacturing system or a Just-in-Time (JIT) system, and has come to be well known and studied worldwide. †3 The above reasons are just a summary of simple rules that helps Toyota to build its brand and market share in the world. But the most important reason that Toyota uses it for building its brand as a international brand is marketing strategy. Toyota as a Japanese company could operate good strategy for acting around the world. In continue I will try to write about Toyota’s international marketing strategy that helps Toyota to become today’s Toyota. Toyota International Marketing Strategies As it has from its humble beginnings in 1937, Toyota continues to win success by blending smart business with social, cultural and environmental awareness. Toyota’s marketing material and news releases consistently stress social awareness and responsibility as strongly as profitability to measure corporation’s success. For example, Toyota’s mission statement calls for â€Å"stable long-term growth, while striving for harmony with people, society and the environment,† while their website repeatedly describe their social contributions and efforts to be a â€Å"good corporate citizen† (Toyota website, 2005). This approach is key to Toyota’s global success from a marketing standpoint. Toyota has a special way for promoting its products. In fact Toyota with using its smart business tried to build its brand in so many countries. Unlike many other auto manufacturers, Toyota has gone beyond promoting the product itself in the creation of their brand. By extending manufacturing operations into their target markets, Toyota makes their brand socially and politically more acceptable. Americans can buy Toyotas and still â€Å"buy American. † Europeans can spend their Euros at home. 4 In fact Toyota makes its brand as a local brand in every country and by this work Toyota can find loyal customers. Toyota use one of principles of international marketing to build its brand and increase its market share. This strategy helps Toyota to have a good growth strategy in U. S. and Europe market. But beyond this strategy Toyota uses so many other factors to have successful international markets. Among others, three distinctive competencies of Toyota are remarkable. These distinctive competencies appeal the consumers, build trust with them, and make them satisfied. These competencies are as follows: Popular Economy Car Toyota is best known for ‘popular economy car’. It has successfully branded the concept of ‘popular economy car’, by producing cars matching to the concept. It has garnered its success by selling the concept to the consumer. It has also become profoundly successful in segmenting, targeting, and positioning. As a result, based on the pricing reports generated by over ten million visitors, out of top ten cars, three are Toyotas – Toyota Camry (No. 2), Toyota Corolla (No. 4), and Toyota Avalon (No. 8). (Kelly Blue Book, 2007) It produces eight varieties of cars. Among them, the prices for the four varieties cars range 10,000. 0 US $, three varieties range 15,000. 00 US $, and one variety ranges slightly over 20,000. 00 US $. Cutting-edge Technology Toyota simply did not stop to the concept of ‘popular economy car’. This concept could have easily turned into product maturity and decline. But Toyota continuously engaged in improving technology – design, looks, comfort, fuel efficiency, environmen tal friendliness, and other technical improvements. For example, Toyota Corolla was first introduced in Japan in 1966 and in the US in 1968 as a first generation Toyota Corolla. Since then roughly in every three years it is being developed and marketed in a new model. By 2006, tenth generation of Toyota Corolla was already launched with significant technological improvements. Toyota’s hybrid cars can be taken as another example. It started producing hybrid cars in 1995 however till 1999 Japan was 2 the only market for its hybrid cars. Coming to 2005, it became successful to capture a large chunk of US market. Today, it is selling almost seventy five percent of its hybrid cars alone in the US market. Low Operating Cost Why consumers purchase Toyota? The simple answer is that Toyota’s cars are distinctive with the properties of low operating cost. For example, a survey carried out by Toplin Strategy Group in 2007 has revealed that 73% of Prius owners had bought Toyota Prius because of financial incentive to purchase the vehicle such as lower sticker price or lower operating cost than other choices. (Marketing Green, 2007) Similarly, based on 45% highway driving and 55% city driving with annual 15,000 miles Toyota Prius has been proved to be the most fuel efficient car than any of its competitors such as Honda Civic Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Lexus GS 450. Fuel Economy, 2008). Toyota enjoys much lower labor costs in the United States and benefits from an undervalued yen for cars made in Japan. In the United States, this comes to about $2500 per vehicle. The entry level and middle level market segments are very sensitive to price and vehicle durability. Toyota has been able to translate its cost advantage into vehicles with higher, more attractive content and longer life than General Motors. Toyota is constantly looking for ways to lower costs and improve products. It translates most of the additional profits it earns, over GM, into better product design and additional capacity. At GM, the Executives vote themselves bonuses and the union demands more benefits and featherbedding at the first sign of profits. From the perspective of marketing strategy, Toyota can be taken as a company that has successfully achieved its mission statement, successfully branded its distinctive competencies, and profoundly achieved its organizational objectives.

Holdens Perception of Others in Catcher in the Rye Essay -- Catcher R

Holden's Perception of Others in Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger's novel Catcher in the Rye revolves around Holden's encounters with other people. He divides all people into two different categories, the "phonies" and the authentics. Holden refers to a "phony" as someone who discriminates against others, is a hypocrite, or has manifestations of conformity. A person's age, gender, and occupation, play a key role in how Holden interacts with them. Holden shows a particular liking towards children over adults. He values the innocence and authenticity of children and he tries to protect them from the phoniness and evil of the world. When he goes back to his old school at the end of the novel to give a note to Phoebe, he sees an obscenity on the wall that infuriates him. He says, "Somebody'd written `F*** you' on the wall. It drove me near damn crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it, and then finally some dirty kid would tell them-all cockeyed, about it and maybe even worry about it for a couple of days. I kept wanting to kill whoever'd written it" (201). When Holden's sister Phoebe demands that he tell her one thing that he really likes, Holden's responds saying, "I like Allie...And I like doing what I'm doing right now. Sitting here with you, and talking and thinking about stuff..." (171), showing that he's most content in the simple and innocent world of his childhood. Holden has a respect for women that he views as unnatural. He feels that his sexual desires should be similar to those of his roommate Stradlater and peer, Luce. Holden shows his confusion by saying, "The thing is, most of the time when you're coming close to doing it with a girl, a girl that isn't ... ...c artistry to "phony" artistry, Holden lost respect and his opinion of his brother changed. Holden divides people into the "phony" and authentic groups based on age, gender, and their occupations. The novel revolves around Holden's encounters and interactions with the people, which makes Holden decide subconsciously not to try to escape society through death. But, ultimately he learns that you cannot protect the innocent from the "phonies" of the world. Works Cited If You Really Want to Know: A "Catcher" Casebook.   Ed. Malcolm M. Marsden. Chicago: Scott, Foresman, 1963.   68-73. Crispell, Diane.   "The Holden Syndrome."   American Demographics.   Aug. 2001.   Online.   7 June. 2003.   Available http://www.marketingtools.com/Publications/AD/96_AD/9608_AD/9608AF01.htm Salinger, J.D.   The Catcher in the Rye.   Boston: Little, Brown, 1991.

Mobile Phone and Gadgets Essay

Introduction Background of the Study Academics across the pond are warning of a growing and increasingly serious trend for folks to get addicted to gadgets such as a Blackberry or iPhone. In this case, the definition of â€Å"addiction† seems to have a lower threshold for damaging one’s life than other, more popular roads to ruination. Signs of gadget holism, according to Professor Nada Kakabadse of Northampton University, include waking up at night to check your messages, neglecting friends and family to tinker with a device and anxiety when one is separated from the item of besottment. Says the professor: We are creatures of habit and we can get addicted to quite unusual things. Feel free to explain now how you can give up your chosen telecomm thingies any time you want. The Modernization of our technology was good because it can help us a lot to make our work easy in our daily lives. But too much use of it are not good that is why it goes bad because some of us are use this in a wrong way. And because of this we possibly to be harm. The modern world of technology creates a several attractive gadgets that convince us to use. That is why some of the user turns to be addicted into those gadgets such as cell phone, computer or laptop, tablet, psp, and others. There so many people using those gadgets like adults and also young person. But almost between ten years old to twenty years old are addicted to those gadgets. The estimated number of users in 100% is 50% of that is young user. And worst out of 10 users 6 of them are obsessed. The obesity among gadgets, obesity among children, teens, and adults is growing at a rapid rate globally. Obesity is alarmingly high among individuals that are addicted to gadgets or gizmos. Individuals that are addicted to social networks are seldom unaware about their intake of snacks and sodas. Lack of physical activity is the reason why a number of children from different parts of the world are obese. When was the last time you’ve seen your child run or play outdoor games? In today is times a child’s new playground is his/her room. Children and young adults spend most of their time with smart phones, tablets, gaming consoles or laptops, or are found glued to the TV. Chatting on line with friends and playing games are considered children’s favorite activities. But there are positive and negative effects especially on learning and work as well. According to technology experts gadgets have side effects on users. Users can have eye complications due to blue light and can also become ill due to radiation. Good Effects With this new technology we encounter our loved ones in any corner of the world. Video games can help children practice following directions and problem solving, and refine motor and spatial skills. It helps to broaden the student’s knowledge through research using the technology can be used in research. Listening to music can help youth when performing boring and repetitive tasks. Bad effects Among the youth are restlessness and irritability when not playing on the computer or when they not handling their gadgets. Most of them are giving more time on the computer or video games over family, friends or social activities. It can cause social isolation, aggressive behaviour, violence, confusing reality and fantasy, and poor grades. It can also cause financial trouble Objective It did more research to extend our knowledge on new technologies. And to reduce considerably the youth obsessed with the use of the gadget. Aside from reducing gadget addiction it will also reduce the use of electricity. And to more correctly we use our technology because it is important that our actions to facilitate daily. As well as the communication in our relationship. Instead of playing with our gadgets we can make a healthy lifestyle by doing recreational activities. Help your child find some activity that he likes and a place where he can do it. Scope and Limitation Significance of the Study They conquered all types and categories of people: men, women, children, high society or mid level, educated or not. Our mobile phone alarm is waking us in the morning, our iPod makes traffic wasted time easier, our laptop and wireless mouse are waiting us at the office. Those are already necessities and not long time ago they were gadgets. The industry is growing and manufacturers spend huge time and money to create new, wonderful, amazing products and features that charm us. The consumerism is no longer targeted to branded clothes and fancy shoes, average people can afford them and actually they don’t satisfy our need of new, innovation, progress and glitter as fast as gadgets do. So should we resist temptation? I say no (it might be expensive but doesn’t affect your health and for sure no government in the world will prohibit it). More than 60% of eleven to eighteen year olds surveyed by Cranfield said they were â€Å"very† or â€Å"quite† addicted to the internet, and over 50% were addicted to their mobile phones. Students spend, on average, one to two hours a day on social network sites, the research revealed. 39.3% said that texting damaged the quality of their written English, particularly in terms of spelling. â€Å"Shockingly, a high proportion of teenagers (59.2%) admitted to inserting information straight from the internet into schoolwork, without actually reading or changing it. Almost a third (28.5%) deemed this as acceptable practice despite recognizing that such behavior is considered plagiarism,† said Andrew Kakabadse, professor of international management development at Cranfield. â€Å"Our research shows that technology obsession hinders spelling skills, implicitly encourages plagiarism, and disrupts classroom learning. Despite school policies restricting mobile phone usage, students use the phone frequently, with the majority making calls from the toilets. The mobile phone continues to be a prime channel of social communication during the school day.† The survey found that youngsters start to access the internet between the ages of five and ten, get a mobile phone between the ages of eight and ten, and start accessing social networks between the ages of eleven and thirteen. Chapter II REVIEW OF RELATED CONCEPTS, STUDIES AND SYSTEM An addiction starts as a habit and gradually becomes an integral part of our lives. All gadgets are only our luxury but it is useful, resourceful and helpful. So we are convinced to buy and use this gadget although we all know the ill effects of all this gadget, yet many a time the withdrawal symptoms are so severe that we choose to continue the habit rather than giving it up. We still were using it in a wrong way. Misuse of Gadget What are the warning signs of a gadget addict? John O’Neill, director of addictions services for the Menninger Clinic, identifies these five: 1. You had rather text than talk face-to-face. 2. You cannot leave home without it. You cannot relax without constantly checking for email or messages; a cell phone ear piece becomes a permanent part of your wardrobe. 3. Your family or friends ask you to stop, but you cannot. The Internet becomes a more powerful draw than spending time with family or friends or other favorite activities. 4. You miss important life moments. 5. You cannot stop even after it gets you in trouble, like being in a car accident while talking on the cell phone. â€Å"All these gadgets, the phone and the computer, they expose the inside of your brain in a way that’s bad† by Michel Gondry. Advancement in technology and communication has resulted in numerous gadgets. Every second a new gadget is being introduced in the consumer market. People have come to a point where they cannot live without these gadgets. As a result, gadget addiction has become a serious problem in the world especially among the youth.

Huntsville Project Team Meeting

HUNTSVILLE PROJECT TEAM MEETING As the Huntsville project manager to effectively coordinate and host a progress meeting with team members. There are three things that must be accomplished: meeting objectives; use the minimum amount of time; and participants should leave with a sense of direction and effectiveness in the meeting process. With these criteria in mind, the process of structuring, planning, preparation, and execution of the Project Progress Team Meeting will be a definite success. Predetermine the outcome and purpose of the meeting.Prior to setting the meeting objectives, I have to decide the end results or what I want this meeting to accomplish; whether it’s decision based, to generate ideas, update the status of the project, etc. so that it maximizes the allotted time and all participants can come prepare. Under all the stress of schedules, and time constraints; time is a precious resource during the life of a project and it should be used wisely. Therefore, duri ng the planning stage of this meeting, I owe it to my team members and myself to streamline the meeting in the most effective way to meet and cover all objectives in the least amount of time.In doing so I would prepare the agenda with the following factors in mind: priorities the agenda to determine what absolutely has to be covered; define the end result (what I want the meeting to accomplish); identify who needs to be in attendance and if required consider previously scheduled obligations so that I pick the superb time and date for max participation. With solid objectives, a tight agenda and a commitment to involving the meeting participants in the planning, preparation, and execution of the meeting, it’s a common curtsy to circulate the agenda to participants (team members) to get their feedback and buy-in.This gives them the sense of belonging and lets them know they’re actively contributing to the success of the project. Prior to closing the meeting I think itâ₠¬â„¢s important to reintegrate the highlighted points of the meeting and identify any team member due out so that everyone leaves the meeting on the same accord. Sending out meeting notes to assure objectives were met, would be the icing on the cake.

Phy essays

Cheat Sheet for Intro/Phy essays Chapter 19  ¡V Chemical Bonding I. Why do atoms form bonds? 1. Most stable atoms have a filled valence shell. Most of the time this is 8 electrons. 2. Lewis Symbols  ¡V electron dot notation showing valence electrons. 3. Atoms form bonds by sharing, gaining, or losing electrons to obtain a filled valence shell. 4. The three major types of chemical bonds are Ionic bonds, Convalent bonds, and Metallic bonds. The type of bond formed depends on the Ionization Energy and electronegativity of the atoms involved. 5. Ionization energy (IE) The energy required to remove a valence electron. Metals have low IE and nonmetals have high IE. 6. Electro of Li and F using Dot Notation  ¡V this e. transfer requires energy. It does take a little energy to remove the e. from the Li, but because both are now stable, the result is a net lowering of energy. B. Size of formed Cations and Anions. 1. Metals tend to get smaller, so they lose e. and thus lose an energy level  ¡V cation. 2. Nonmetals te nd to gain e. so they are larger  ¡V anion. There is no increase in protons, so the nucleus does not pull it in smaller. Instead, it swells to make room. When ionic compounds form, ...

To find out how the concentration of sodium thiosulphate affects the rate at which the acid turns cloudy Essays

To find out how the concentration of sodium thiosulphate affects the rate at which the acid turns cloudy Essays To find out how the concentration of sodium thiosulphate affects the rate at which the acid turns cloudy Essay To find out how the concentration of sodium thiosulphate affects the rate at which the acid turns cloudy Essay Variable:* Temperature.* Size of cross.* Colour of cross.* Amount of acid.* Amount of sodium thiosulphate.* Size of beaker.Prediction: By changing the concentration of the thiosulphate but keeping all other variables the same.I think that the more thiosulphate the longer it will take the acid to turn cloudy.If there is more acid to react with little thiosulphate it should take less time to turn cloudy.Experimental plan: I will measure the time it takes for a cross on the tile under the beaker to vanish, with different amounts of sodium hyposulphite being added.I will keep the volume of fluid the same buy adding water, which is neutral, to the mixture.Apparatus:* Tile* Beaker* 2 x measuring tubes* Marker pen* Sodium thiosulphate* Dilute hydrochloric acid* Water* Stop watchMethod:i. Place the beaker on top of the tile. (Look at diagram).ii. Pour out 10ml of hydrochloric acid in to one measuring tube. In the other put an amount of sodium thiosulphate and top it up to 25ml with water.iii . Pour the 2 measuring tubes in to the beaker and start the stopwatch.iv. When you can no longer see the cross below the beaker on the tile, stop the stopwatch, and record the time.v. Do it with different amounts of sodium thiosulphate.vi. Record the results on a table.vii. Produce a graph and this investigation.Results:Amount of acid (ml)Test1Test2Test3AverageMix of sodium thiosulphateWater (ml)thiosulphate109.409.159.259.27025102.262.152.152.16520101.201.101.051.121015100.500.450.550.501510100.400.400.400.40205Results conclusion:As can be seen the graph goes down in a curve. The first result was very high compared with the others. It looks out of place so I think we may have used the wrong concentration of acid in the mix.My results support my prediction as the more thiosulphate there was in the mix the longer it took to turn cloudy.This was because there was less acid per cmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of thiosulphate.GraphShowing the correlation between time taken to turn acid cloudy and the am ount of thiosulphate added.Evaluation:As previously detailed I believe that our first result was very unexpected compared to all the others. As can be seen it took a lot longer to turn cloudy by quite away. This is shown on the graph and it looks odd and out of place against the other results because it is so much different.I do not know why this has happened, it might have been that we used the wrong strength of acid in the mix, or the wrong amounts of each liquid, but these are the only reasons that I can think of without completing the experiment again.I think that our results are fairly accurate except for the first result on are table 25ml of thiosulphate and no water.We undertook each experiment three times and then took the average, so as to try and eliminate some of the smaller inaccuracies and not to have as many mistakes that could have happened by doing only one experiment at each level of mix.The only reason all our results were not dead accurate was because the measurin g and timing equipment we where using was not the best and relied on our eyesight and attention. We could over come some of the inaccuracies by using better and more precise equipment.We could carry out further experiments to extend this investigation by changing the amount of thiosulphate in increments of 1 ml instead of 5 mls, this would make the final results show up any odd results a lot more than they do in my results now, and would also give us a greater range of figures to work with and from.

How to Get Good Grades

How to Get Good Grades 5 Tips for Boosting Your Grades Getting good grades in school isnt something that just happens. It takes persistence, patience and a lot of effort on your part. Going from getting mediocre grades into good grades isnt going to happen overnight. It takes time to get yourself organized and develop the skills you need to succeed. To help you boost your grades, here are a few simple tips you can start implementing today. TIPS FOR USING THE CONTROL PANEL 1. Attendance Isnt Optional You cant expect to learn anything if you arent actually in the classroom to take in the information being taught. Being present in the classroom is crucial to improving your grades. By just listening to what the teacher has to say, you stand a chance of being able to walk away with at least a C. When you take notes and study further about the subject matter at hand, you are going to boost your grade even further. The skipping class will cause you to lose points and make your grade suffer further. 2. Keep Distractions to a Minimum If there is anything around you that could be a distraction and prevent you from learning, you need to get rid of it. Dont play around with your phone, listen to music or sit so far back in the classroom that you cant see or hear what the teacher is talking about. Sit closer to the front of the room to make sure you can hear what the teacher is saying and take accurate notes. Dont allow other classmates who might not be interested in learning to distract you from bettering yourself. 3. Pay Attention to Your Note-Taking Whatever the teacher talks about in class, you can plan on it being on the exam. Because of this, you need to make sure you are taking accurate notes that you can study from before the exam. Most of the time, teachers discuss the things that they feel are the most important. With accurate notes, you should have no problem passing the test. Go over everything the teacher discussed and make sure you know the material inside and out. Make note cards, discuss the material with the teacher or a friend, do whatever it takes to come out ahead and make sure the material is embedded in your brain. 4. Read through Your Textbooks Regardless of how much your teacher might try to fit everything into their class session, it isnt going to happen. They only have so much time to go over all of the material. Because of this, you have to take it upon yourself to go through the textbook provided and do your own research and studying. For many students, the thought of reading through pages upon pages of text can be intimidating and overwhelming. This is where you need to implement techniques like scanning, skimming and spotting keywords. Skimming involves going through and reading just the most important parts of the content. Reading the first sentence of every paragraph can help you pick up what the text is about quickly. Scanning is where you look through the main parts in a book to figure out whether it relates to your given topic. By reading the preface, index, intro and conclusion, you can get a good idea whether the book is going to help you or not. Spotting keywords involve going through and picking out the important phrases or words within the text. Anything highlight in italics or bold tends to be the most significant piece of information in the text. Pay attention for this formatting when reading the text. 5. Compare Your Notes with the Textbooks The key to mastering the material at hand is reading, analyzing and memorizing the materials. Read through your notes, write down any questions you might have and ask your teacher for the answers. You can also search your textbook for answers to your questions. This will help your brain to retain all of the information being taught in class. So, what are the things we should remember in order to get good grades? By going through the tips above, you can begin improving your grades in no time at all. Before you know it, you will have the grades you want and be on your way to a new grade point average. There is also another way to get your A become our customer! Our team of professional writers and 24/7 support cant wait to help you!

Diversity Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diversity Management - Essay Example As argued by scholars, workforce diversity is an issue among people, which focuses mainly on the similarities and differences brought by people in the organization. Therefore, success of organization and workforce diversity are inseparable. Despite the role played by affirmative action policies and equal rights legislations in assisting marginalized groups to access various employment opportunities previously closed to them, the exclusion of such employees from influential work organization circles hinders them from fully benefiting and contributing to the overall objective of the organization. Diversity management programs and policies create an embracing environment for these groups that lacked access to employment, and particularly to jobs that are more lucrative (Thomas, 2004:20). One of the multinational corporations that value diversity is International Business Machines (IBM) and Google. Workforce diversity at IBM has been in existence even before the equal employment opportun ity and affirmative action policies became legal. Implementation of this has seen IBM record a notable positive progress for many years (Young, 2003:43). In support to this argument, the provision of information technology during this time when technology is ever evolving has challenged many and big organizations. Therefore, it is arguable that IBM’s ability to understand and implement workforce diversity is the core factor behind the large market share won by the company over competitors (Young, 2003:21). For instance, the organization employed its first female worker in 1899, long before women suffrage movements in the US. Moreover, the organization also hired a disabled employee in 1914, some 76 years before enactment of the disabilities act in the US (Thomas, 2004:20). Moreover, the organization had black employees nearly two decades even before the Civil Right Act came into play. Currently, IBM administration and design of benefit plans comply with all local, state, and federal laws on equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, as well as accommodating reasonable religious observances. Managers and executives in the company are responsible for ensuring that the working environment is free from harassment and discrimination of all forms. The company also carries out outreach and human resource programs to ensure opportunity and compensation for development and growth. Moreover, it adheres to the amended 1974 Veterans Readjustment Act (Thomas, 2004:20). IBM ranks workforce diversity among the top strategic objectives of the company. The current diversity policies were set rolling by Tom Watson Jr. during his tenure at the company. He sought to lead the company by his personal values and beliefs, acknowledging that an organization has to change all things except the basic beliefs in the corporate world if it seeks to meet and overcome the challenges of the changing business environment. He identified three basic beliefs that remain as the pi llars of the company’s business and diversity management approaches, which include respect for individuals, service to customer, and excellence as a way of life. Today, these values form the three tenets of diversity at IBM: equal employment, affirmative action, and work/life. The most prominent among the three is equal opportunity, which offers access to the harassment-free workplace that provides the tools for eliminating disadvantages and that appreciates the work/ life balance, enabling employees to be productive (Thomas, 2004:20). The current policies of IMB on diversity management were the result of eight tasks forces commissioned by CEO Sam Palmisano to understand the different groups

New Employment Relationship vs. the Manual Investment Approach Essay

New Employment Relationship vs. the Manual Investment Approach - Essay Example The new relationship that was now formed is one that employers give their employees challenging tasks, fixed salaries and opportunities to increase their expertise so that they can be benefit their businesses (Losey, Meisinger, & Ulrich 45). Therefore, this obligates employees to pay the employer with job performance, and this somehow undermines the employee commitment to the organization. This new relationship between employers and employees has changed from the loyal one that existed before globalization and increased competition, to one that based on economic exchanges. The authors urge organizations to uphold the mutual investment relationship so as to gain competitive advantage because workers will be committed to attaining the organizational goals. They argue that many organizations today are focused on achieving high profits and are not considering the welfare of their employees. I believe that organizations should take care of the needs of their employers and offer them job s ecurity. This will be a motivation for the workers to work hard and achieve the goals set by the organization because they are comfortable. Organizations need to invest in their employees because they are the ones who make the organization make profits and if everyone in the organization is catered for it will thrive. Research shows that the human resource department should take the responsibility of catering for the needs of their employees. Motivation of employees is key to success of any organization. Rewarding and giving employees benefits goes a long way in creating commitment to the job and this increases efficiency operations (Losey, Meisinger, & Ulrich 50). Job security and satisfaction are vital for any employee because it makes them comfortable in the job environment and they are able to undertake their duties efficiently (KnowWPC). Employers need to invest in their workers by offering benefits and training to improve their skills, so that efficacy in business operations c an be attained. This mutual investment employment relationship has been supported by other professionals in human resource as they see employee job security and skill advancement as vital in ensuring business success (S.R. de Silva 6). Chapter8: Life after Outsourcing: Lessons Learned and the Role of Human Resources as a Strategic Business Partner (Mirian M. Graddick-Weir) In the recent past, human resource management activities outsourcing has grown tremendously and more in the manufacturing and service industries. Outsourcing is in the payroll, benefits, recruiting and training sections of most organizations. The major reason for companies to outsource is because they have limited internal investment in the area of concern. Outsourcing is done in the light of ensuring business operations go on smoothly without interruptions because of lack of efficient resources to carry out assigned tasks (Losey, Meisinger, & Ulrich 71). However, it is evident that most organizations use outsourc ing to make use of external experts who will see that efficacy in operations is achieved. Emerging and already established organizations are continuously outsourcing various human resource activities from providers outside the business. Outsourcing is beneficial to the organization for various reasons, the

Comparative study Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparative study - Coursework Example The major theme of the play is to portray the heroism of women and to portray how women overcome the bullying of the selfish men. The play is a very serious aspect of the society with a comical touch and also excellent use of language across the whole play. The major theme of the play is to provide a view of how women are able to become self respecting and overcome all the hurdles poised by men. Inside I’m Dancing is a very strong story that revolves around freedom, love, friendship. The movie has portrayed a situation of two young men in wheelchairs and how they need to experience all the above stated emotions. The movie has led to a number of controversies for the immaturity that is portrayed and how the individuals have been shown to be naive and emotionally immature. However it is an excellent film with a great script and excellent performances. After examining and analyzing the film, play and the novel, it is clear that all these three have a common factor. All three revolve around the three major elements of life, i.e. love, friendship and freedom. Each of three have portrayed that every culture and every life around the world need all the three above mentioned elements in life. Irrespective of whether people are from different cultures, irrespective of whether they are normal or have any kinds of health issues and also irrespective of the class that people belong to, every person requires the three major elements in life. The freedom of women and the ability of women to overcome all issues across the worlds is a strength that women need to recognize and work towards gaining their complete freedom. Also the love and friendship among friends and the need to share a common interest is another essential aspect that has been discussed. This study has allowed for a clearer view of the various aspects of life which have been ov erlooked in the daily rush of work and other activities. This comparison is an eye opener to understanding the

Analysis of UK`s income tax provisions relating to antu-avoidance, tax Essay

Analysis of UK`s income tax provisions relating to antu-avoidance, tax planning and tax avoidance - Essay Example The Progressive taxation is said to minimise inequalities in the society as wealthier people has to pay more taxes as compared to less income group thereby offers some aid from the inadequate demand for consumption in capitalist’s economies. As per Keynes, progressive taxation helps to alleviate unemployment. For reaping the greatest benefits, the whole tax system of a nation should follow the progressive taxation system. USA is having highest progressive individual taxes like the federal income tax and death or estate duty .Besides; it is also having a number of regressive taxes like sales taxes levied by the majority of the states and excise duties imposed by the federal government1. A progressive tax system is a system where the average rate of tax increases as income soars. Thus, rich people have to pay heavy taxes whereas poor people have to pay less tax. The ability to pay is the main theme behind the progressive taxation. Thus, rich people are expected to contribute mor e to the national chequer for public spending. The ardent supporters of progressive taxation are of the view that such a tax system is equitable, and that helps to redistribute the income among the society to maintain the equilibrium. Lorenz was the first economist who found that there is a relationship between the cumulative size of income and cumulative size of income receiving components when they are organised in the ascending order of their income as early in 1905. This has been popularly known as the Lorenz curve which is being extensively employed to calculate inequalities of wealth and income in many nations around the world. Lorenz curve is being employed extensively for formulation of public policy. For instance, it can be demonstrated from the scrutiny of Lorenz curve that post-tax income is evenly allocated than that of pre-tax income if the mean rate of taxes soars with the level of income. Moreover, if the tax-income ratio stays constant, inflation does not alter the d istribution of post-tax revenue even if the tax function is altered or shifted every fiscal year. Lorenz curve is also being employed widely to assess poverty2. Progressive tax system also produces fiscal drag impacts and when a nation’s economy is developing rapidly and there are more citizens in work thereby earning salaries and wages and incomes seem to increase faster than prices of commodities thereby pushing citizens into the higher income-tax range and thereby enhancing the aggregate flow of tax income into government exchequers account. This can be explained as a partial automatic stabiliser for the economy as increasing tax receipts is being contributed from citizen’s disposal income. From the table given below, one can understand under the progressive tax system, the less income groups have contributed just ? 263 million by 2460 taxpayers whereas high-income group of just 8 people contributed ? 6,370 million to the UK’s exchequer. â€Å"Regressive Tax System† In the regressive tax system, the higher-income group of a country contributes the lesser share of taxes to the government and whereas poor people of a nation is taxed heavily at higher rates as compared to the higher-income group. Thus, regressive tax system can be said to be just contrary to the progressive t

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Case study - Essay Example In order to remain competitive and keep strong corporate image, Eurobank creates its culture based on a strong corporate philosophy and unique national values and traditions of the home country. The relationships between corporate and national culture can be explained by a strong impact on national traditions and cultural values typical for France. They involve "loyalty and long service, paternalistic values and commitment to labor laws in its redundancy policy" (Baron & Walters 1994). Eurobank adopts the national culture as the core of its ethics and corporate image. Eurobank favors attributes that allow it to define organizational identity from the perspective of organizational actors' experiences (e.g., leadership, governance structure, professional qualities required for climbing the corporate ladder). Top management presents quality service to customers as one of the bank's main defining attributes. This is clear from the presentation of customer service as a mission, a primary goal, a tradition, a constant, a strength, a reason for everything else the bank does, and a distinctive Eurobank trademark (Brake et al 1995). A company's culture is actually an aggregate of subcultures that have developed in response to unique challenges faced, by different groups within the organization (Brake et al 1995). ... The organization provides a broad range of financial services and has an extensive national and international network. It is a highly visible and successful organization that has vied for a superior position among its competitors on many levels. The goals of the organization are pursued in accordance with an underlying ideology, or philosophy, based on beliefs, values and attitudes (Brake et al 1995). This ideology determines the 'culture' of Eurobank and provides a set of principles which govern the overall conduct of the organization's operations, codes of behavior, the management of people and its dealings with other organisations. These sets of principles may be recognized and implemented informally as 'accepted conventions' of the organization or they may be stated formally in writing. It is mission is to "offer a localized service which mirrors the values of local customers yet provides access to a sophisticated banking network is an important strand in the business strategy" ( Baron & Walters 1994). In this sense, Eurobank management has an effect on corporate culture by setting an expected standard. Managers have a high degree of autonomy which allows them to reward employees within their departments. Still, day to day, interpretations of corporate values are left up to the individual employees. They may be somewhat independent in thought, but there also may be a "groupthink" that develops in much the same way as assumptions do. Leadership helps to influence values within the corporate culture but, still, it cannot control them. Aspects of culture bleed into every activity of the organization. For Eurobank, they are often intangible qualities, but they are significant none the less. To be part of the organization's identity, an

Analysis of UK`s income tax provisions relating to antu-avoidance, tax Essay

Analysis of UK`s income tax provisions relating to antu-avoidance, tax planning and tax avoidance - Essay Example The Progressive taxation is said to minimise inequalities in the society as wealthier people has to pay more taxes as compared to less income group thereby offers some aid from the inadequate demand for consumption in capitalist’s economies. As per Keynes, progressive taxation helps to alleviate unemployment. For reaping the greatest benefits, the whole tax system of a nation should follow the progressive taxation system. USA is having highest progressive individual taxes like the federal income tax and death or estate duty .Besides; it is also having a number of regressive taxes like sales taxes levied by the majority of the states and excise duties imposed by the federal government1. A progressive tax system is a system where the average rate of tax increases as income soars. Thus, rich people have to pay heavy taxes whereas poor people have to pay less tax. The ability to pay is the main theme behind the progressive taxation. Thus, rich people are expected to contribute mor e to the national chequer for public spending. The ardent supporters of progressive taxation are of the view that such a tax system is equitable, and that helps to redistribute the income among the society to maintain the equilibrium. Lorenz was the first economist who found that there is a relationship between the cumulative size of income and cumulative size of income receiving components when they are organised in the ascending order of their income as early in 1905. This has been popularly known as the Lorenz curve which is being extensively employed to calculate inequalities of wealth and income in many nations around the world. Lorenz curve is being employed extensively for formulation of public policy. For instance, it can be demonstrated from the scrutiny of Lorenz curve that post-tax income is evenly allocated than that of pre-tax income if the mean rate of taxes soars with the level of income. Moreover, if the tax-income ratio stays constant, inflation does not alter the d istribution of post-tax revenue even if the tax function is altered or shifted every fiscal year. Lorenz curve is also being employed widely to assess poverty2. Progressive tax system also produces fiscal drag impacts and when a nation’s economy is developing rapidly and there are more citizens in work thereby earning salaries and wages and incomes seem to increase faster than prices of commodities thereby pushing citizens into the higher income-tax range and thereby enhancing the aggregate flow of tax income into government exchequers account. This can be explained as a partial automatic stabiliser for the economy as increasing tax receipts is being contributed from citizen’s disposal income. From the table given below, one can understand under the progressive tax system, the less income groups have contributed just ? 263 million by 2460 taxpayers whereas high-income group of just 8 people contributed ? 6,370 million to the UK’s exchequer. â€Å"Regressive Tax System† In the regressive tax system, the higher-income group of a country contributes the lesser share of taxes to the government and whereas poor people of a nation is taxed heavily at higher rates as compared to the higher-income group. Thus, regressive tax system can be said to be just contrary to the progressive t

Do the Pros of Monetary Policy Outweigh the Cons Essay

Do the Pros of Monetary Policy Outweigh the Cons - Essay Example However, as a stabilization policy monetary policy effectiveness as a tool of economic stabilization among other instruments of economic policy varies from one economy to another. This is as a result, of differences in the economic structures, divergence in the degrees of development in money and capital markets that result in varying degrees of economic progress, and the differences in the prevailing economic conditions. Monetary policy use over time has however, brought about controversy based on whether its applicability during periods of economic recession is beneficial or not. The protagonists among the policy makers uphold the use of monetary policy as a means of adjusting the economy to the high levels of inflation. On the contrary, the antagonists do not support the use of monetary policy as a stabilization tool since they believe that the cons due to its use outweigh the pros gained when the government through the central bank applies monetary policy measures in the economy. It is therefore, worthwhile to see the impact of monetary policy on the economy in order to determine whether the use of monetary policy is beneficial or not. Monetary policy effects during economic recession period when the markets are covered with inflation with the rapid increase in price and interest rates could be beneficial has it has a positive impact as a control measure. According to Keith Kuester’s article the recession period that recently unfolded prompted monetary and fiscal stabilization tools use by the policymakers in the United States and abroad as a means of mitigating the drastic economic downturn. Kuester (2011) further on describes how the economists largely depended on the use of monetary policy as a way of stabilizing the economy. This is because monetary policy can be applied in order to reduce the interest rate in periods of economic recession by stimulating private demand. As a result, the contractionary monetary policy lowers the interest rate and subsequently influences government expenditure by lowering it through the decrease of the interest rate to up to close to zero percent as it cannot move to negative percent. On the other hand, the Economist Intelligence Unit (2010) also support the drastic measures by the government to reduce the interest rates of federal funds through the Federal reserve central bank in order to control the upsurge of economic recession from increasing further to extreme levels. Jenkins & Eckert (2000) also asserts that the government through the central bank regulated the interest rate in order to control the money supply thus, reduce the rate of inflation. In addition, the use of monetary policy brings about stabilization of prices in the long run this is because it can control the slowing down of the inflation rate. Kuester (2011) affirms that at lower interest rate due to the monetary policy enforcement in place the private consumption and investment increases as they gain confidence in the sta bility of the economy. This is because the household tend to presume the presence of a stable inflation and as a result, the households tend to save less and increase their demand for consumption goods. In addition, the Economist Intelligence Unit (2010) also affirms that after applying monetary policy on the economy oversees a recovery that continues to gain momentum as the spending of consumers increase significantly from an annualized rate of 1.6% up to 3.6% after a quarter. This is accompanied considerably by an increase in the gross domestic product.

The Oruro Mask Dance Essay Example for Free

The Oruro Mask Dance Essay Culture is usually expressed through different mediums. Values, beliefs, and aspirations of a particular group of people are imbibed in culture. Thus, in order for these cultural traits to be represented in what social scientists call â€Å"the world of cultural relativism†, people express it through rituals, dances, and songs. Generally, these mediums are called â€Å"festivals. † Here in Bolivia, specifically, in Oruro, Santa Cruz, the Oruro Devil Dance is a famous festival. Eight days before the Ash Wednesday, people gather around the town’s plaza to perform a beautiful devil dance or diablada in Spanish (Hamre 1). The devil dance is a commemoration of our ancestors prior to the coming of the Spaniards; a sort of tribute to the dead. The escolas de samba chooses a new theme each year. These themes have one direction: they ought to relive the days of our ancestors. For one, our commemoration of the dead is a symbolic gesture of respect and magnanimity to the dead. Also, we recognize the efforts made by our ancestors in fighting foreigners. Their blood was spilled in the country in order to protect it from invaders. Thus, even with the prohibition of Spanish colonial officials from celebrating this dance, our forefathers danced it in the mountains, far from the contours of civilization. As one may note, diablada survived almost unchanged for many centuries. We, the Bolivians, are also proud of the colorful features of the mask dance. Hundreds of devils in monstrous costumes can be seen in the streets of the town. Some masks are heavy and to an American viewer â€Å"scary. † Other masks have bulging eyes and long hairs, just like the characteristics of the devil in Hollywood movies. I especially like devil masks wearing sparkling breastplates and golden spurs. Some masks are really light, connotative of the â€Å"spiritual origin† of devils. The devil dance is supplemented by a pacifying, rhythmic music from brass bands, pipers, and drummers. The colorful image of the festival as well as its solemn dedication to our ancestors makes it my favorite holiday here in Bolivia. Then the noise in the festival becomes loud and frenzied. Out of the devil dancers comes China Supay (Hamre 1). She is the devil’s wife who performs a seductive dance to attract the Archangel Michael. By the way, this dance was modified by the Spaniards to suit the predominant religion of Bolivia (Roman Catholicism). Then, members of workers’ unions carry small symbols of their union. This is done to show their support for the festival. Dancers in Inca costumes, with headdresses and symbols of the sun and moon on their chests, dance with the dancers dressed as black slaves. These slaves were imported to Bolivia by the Spaniards from West Africa to work in silver mines (operated by the colonial government). Then, family members appear. They are led by matriarchs dressed in yellow. The man of the household appears first (in red dress); then the daughters (in green dress). After which, the families go to the football stadium. Here the next celebrations take place. In the stadium, two plays are conducted (Hamre 1). The first play is about the conquest of Bolivia by the Spanish conquistadores. The second is about the victory of the Archangel Michael against the devil and the Seven Deadly Sins. Michael’s flaming sword is emphasized as the sword of light bound to defeat evil for all eternity. Then, the singing of the song of the Patron Saint of the Miners becomes the next event. They are also expressed in dance using a Quecha hymn. The purpose of the plays is very clear. The plays are a protest to the abuse of Spanish officials and clergy during colonial Bolivia. Although the festival is mixed with Christian tales and concepts, it still adheres to the pre-colonial ceremony of giving gratitude to the dead and the mother earth Pachamama (Hamre 1). The struggle of good and evil are emphasized and made clear through the actions of early Catholic priests pacifying an â€Å"already civilized† nation. Thus, it can be said that the mask festival, specifically the devil dance, is a characterization of our nation’s history. Such history is, of course, characterized by the struggle of good (justice) and evil (injustice by colonizers). The triumph of good signifies the break of our country from the bonds of colonialism, and its entrance to a new hope (the hope that the good will reign in the future). For days, the celebration of the carnival continues. The diablada dancers break into smaller group. Usually, huge bonfires are set to characterize the spiritual and physical unity of the country. Processions are then made and the church becomes a refuge for the homeless. Then, men from different families jointly consume large amounts of Bolivian beer and the very potent chicha (Hamre 1). Chicha is derived from fermented cereals and corn and liquefied in high temperature areas. Usually as the celebration ends, many people sleep in doorways. Others fall (because of drunkenness) sleep in the town’s plaza. The mask festival, most especially the devil dance, is my favorite festival among the festivals in both Bolivia and the United States. One reason is the character of the festival’s message. The redemption of humanity (a Christian concept) from evil is likened to the separation of Bolivia from Spanish rule. This festival presents the history of our country as it both experienced oppression and hope. My next reason has something to do with culture. Among all the festivals celebrated in our country, the mask dance is the most comprehensive; that is, it establishes the full personality of Bolivia. Note that in my description, the mask festival does not focus on one character of a Bolivian; rather it draws from past historical experiences to highlight the full character of a Bolivian. For example, Bolivians are known for being hospitable and diplomatic. This is shown in the mixed dance of the devil dancers with the Incas (a sign of friendship). This festival is really the life and character of my country, Bolivia. Works Cited Devil Dance. (2007). Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. 30 October 2007 from http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-77638/Native-American-arts (accessed). Hamre, Bonnie. (2007). Oruros Devil Dance is unforgettable. 30 October 2007 from http://gosouthamerica. about. com/cs/southamerica/a/Carnaval_3. htm (accessed). Oruro Carnival. (2007). New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. 30 October 2007 from http://www. carnavalexhibit. org/bolivia. php (accessed).

Ecological Models in Psychology: Overview and Application

Ecological Models in Psychology: Overview and Application Ecological models encompass an evolving body of theory and research concerned with the course and conditions that oversee the lifelong course of human development in their actual environment. Following the diagrammatical illustration of Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological theory, is a personal reflection of my childhood as it relates to the five spheres of ecological influence. This is followed by a reflection on the importance of understanding context for training counsellors, ending the paper with an indebt description of what I have learned so far regarding the distinctiveness in the South African context. Bronfenbrenner’s Social Ecological Theory Bronfenbrenner (1979) defines development as the individual’s growing conception of the ecological environment, their relation to it, as well as their evolving capacity to discover, maintain, or amend its properties. According to Bronfenbrenner (1989), development and socialization are subject to five spheres of influence with which a person is in dynamic interface. Microsystem The microsystem comprises the developing persons closest surroundings assembled from three basic factors comprising position, interpersonal relations, and pattern of activities (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Common microsystems evident in my childhood include: living with my unautocratic mother for the first half of my childhood which provided me with a loving childhood environment; living with my authoritarian father for the second half of my childhood which exposed me to various forms of family conflict, negatively impacting my school performance; and the incredibly hostile relationship with my older sibling which impaired my sense of self-worth and confidence. Mesosystem The mesosystem comprise the connections and processes proceeding between microsystems containing the developing person (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Common mesosystems evident in my childhood include: my mother cheering for me at sporting events which enhanced my sense of self-efficacy; the frequent communication between my school teachers and parents during their divorce, which insured we received additional attention and care safeguarding against the impact of their divorce; and my father being a member of the patrolling team in the neighbourhood created a safer environment for me to grow up in. Exosystem The exosystem refers to the communal setting or organisation beyond the person’s immediate experience, both formal and informal, that influence the developing person (Hook, 2009). Common exosystems evident in my childhood include: my father working overseas for many months at a time which caused considerable conflict within the family; deficient municipality services in my hometown which left us without water and electricity on numerous occasions; and the district police and neighbourhood watch working together to increase the responsiveness to crime and violence in my hometown, which made me feel safe and secure in my neighbourhood. Macrosystem The macrosystem encompass the overarching ideology, principles, laws, policies, and customs of a given culture (Keenan, 2002). Common macrosystems evident in my childhood include: my Christian faith which influenced how I relate and respond to the outside world; the ongoing racism in South Africa which made me feel incredibly unwelcome in my own country; and the culture of violence and crime in South Africa which limited my freedom to move around, making me increasingly distrustful of others. Chronosystem The chronosystem explains that probability, personal choice, and context influence members differently over time, and that lives are linked and families constituted by social interdependence (Elder, 1995). Common chronosystems evident in my childhood include: the divorce of my parents which left me feeling vulnerable and isolated; my father remarrying which caused considerable division and hostility among family members; and my mother emigrating to Australia, which left me feeling isolated, and deprived of the emotional support I needed as a child. Importance of Understanding Context for Training Counsellors The effects of Apartheid impacted all South African citizens; however it did so in very dissimilar ways (Bray et al., 2010). Families classified as African experienced the most pernicious effects, seeing that both physical and psychological integrity of family life were undermined through the Apartheid state policies (Bray et al., 2010). As pointed out by Arredondo (1999), people bring to counselling worldviews and connections that are subjected to these types of experiences, which influences the person’s attitude and belief about both self and others. For this reason, South African counsellors need to work in a counselling modality that makes provision for the acknowledgement and appreciation of Black clients’ common history of White oppression, the resentment this generates, the counsellor’s own response to that antipathy, and the impact this has on the counselling relationship (Spangenberg, 2003). Traditional African custom and belief play a significant role in defining psychological problems (Juma, 2011). The corporal complaints, behavioural symptoms, emotional problems, hallucinations and misfortunes reflect the relation with African worldviews on health and well-being (Juma, 2011). The implication of this conclusion is that a Western based counsellor in a therapeutic relationship with a client whose psychological problems are informed by traditional beliefs and practices, might misinterpret the client’s worldviews and unduly struggle to provide a relevant diagnosis and intervention for the client (Juma, 2011). Important considerations in determining what types of treatment might work best in a given situation entails the client’s context and perspective, as it emanates from their cultural heritage, socio-economic status, and racial assemblage (Austin, 2012). Where the Western perspective relies heavily on talking therapy, the African traditional perspective takes the liability of resolving the problem away from the client by performing rituals, which occasionally involves family members, both alive and deceased (Juma, 2011). One therefore cannot ignore the important role of traditional healing when addressing cross-cultural counselling, as this form of support plays a vital role in traditional African life (Bodibe, 1992; Swartz, 1998). In addition, respecting the client’s culture should embrace aspects such as; making or avoiding eye contact, who should sit, stand, or walk first, and how a woman should converse with a man and vice versa (Du Toit, Grobler Schenck, 1998). It is also important for trained counsellors to examine their own worldviews and cultural biases that have the potential to influence the therapeutic environment, either consciously or unconsciously (Du Toit et al., 2001). In the South African context, a major hindrance in the way of effective counselling is the language difference between counsellor and client (Spangenberg, 2003). According to Maiello (1990), words do not have equal value in African cultures as in verbal communication in Western traditions. In addition, a great deal of communication in African tradition is symbolized through singing, dancing, rituals and ceremonies (Maiello, 1990). One of the implications of this is a possible disruption in communication between the counsellor and client, with the result that the establishment of rapport, being the primary step in building a therapeutic relationship, is greatly affected (Juma, 2011). Juma (2011) warns that the lack of proper understanding of the client’s use of language may lead the counsellor to unduly regard some behaviour or experiences as pathological, and to the incorrect diagnosis of their clients’ condition. There is evidence that a person’s cultural background influences every facet of infirmity experience, from linguistic arrangement and content of delusions (Karno Jenkins, 1993) to the inimitable meaning of expressed emotion (Kleinman, 1988). Therefore, it is crucial to regard the cultural background of individuals as well as their exposure to cultural change, in order to develop accurate inferences of pathology and to recognize existing disorders (Westermeyer Janca, 1997). In the traditional African worldview, Ubuntu constitute an intrinsic part of rural African life (Spangenberg, 2003). Broodryk (1996) defined ubuntu as a communal way of life that believe humanity must be run for the sake of all, requiring collaboration, sharing, and liberality. A client rooted in this approach, seeking the services of a Western based counsellor is likely to be disgruntled when such a counsellor focuses on him/her as a target of intervention instead of focussing on the system (Juma, 2011). Bronfenbrenner (1979) argues that to understand human development one needs to examine multi-person systems of interaction that are not limited to a single setting. Consequently, counsellors must recognise the impact on the whole family system when a member suffers from a mental disease. In these circumstances, responsible members are faced with many challenges including: the implications of the emotional and practical support needed for the client; their own complex emotional reactions to the situation; the impact on interpersonal relations; the financial burden placed on family members; and ultimately the stigma and social discrimination experienced in that given cultural context (Jonker Greef, 2009). Distinctiveness of the South African Context Socio-cultural advances in psychology, as demonstrated by the works of Vygotsky and Bakhtin, provides the necessary tools to critically explore the notion that psychological processes such as self-understanding emanate from the social basis of life (Mkhize, 2004). Vygotsky argued that ontogenesis proceed from social, cultural and historical forms of life (Mkhize, 2004). Therefore, higher mental function are arbitrated by cultural tools, namely, the forms of life that is reflected in activities such as plays, hymns, and cultural narratives, which are ultimately internalised to govern our own actions (Mkhise, 2004). By means of internalisation, the developing child learns to apply with respect to himself the same forms of behaviour that others previously performed with deference to him/her (Mkhize, 2004). This will contribute to the distinctiveness seen in the South African context given that internalisation paves a way for the manifestation of personhood from the collective forms of life (Mkhize, 2004). However one needs to consider that what can be said of a given developmental environment today may not necessarily be true of that environment tomorrow (Hook, 2009). Bakhtin noted a dialogical interaction between national languages in the sense that one language may be used at home, a different one in school, and perhaps even another for religious purpose (Mkhize, 2004). Moreover, Bakhtin observed that within a single national language there might subsist a number of social languages, suggestive of the social placement of the speaker (Mkhize, 2004). Furthermore Bakhtin referred to what he called collective voices, pointing to the opinions, points of view and perceptions that reflect the views of our social and cultural community (Mkhize, 2004). For example, a man who considers himself superior to women is most probably ventriloquating the patriarchal views in his society which he has consolidated into the self, apart from expressing his inimitable point of view. The belief that the self emanates from kinship is consistent with the African conceptions of personhood (Mkhize, 2004). Let us consider the saying: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabatu. This expression points to the belief that the selfhood emerges dialogically, through participation in a community of other human beings (Mkhize, 2004). In addition, selfhood in conventional African thought is conceptualised in space and time, where the person is perpetually in the making, never truly a finished product (Mkhize, 2004). It is through participation in the community of others, which in some cultures include rituals of conversion, that one becomes fully human (Mkhize, 2004). The plurality of selves articulated in African belief is expressed differently, depending on the individuals’ cultural heritage (Mkhize, 2004). For example, most traditional South African communities believe over and above the unique individual self, that people are born with a spiritual being representing their ancestors. The spiritual self is thought to be more pronounced in those called to become traditional diviners and healers i.e. izangoma (Mkhize, 2004). Furthermore, it is recognized that both native and Western worldviews can coeval within a single person (Mkhize, 2004). A need to continually shift self perspectives already characterizes the lived experiences of many African people (Mkhize, 2004). For example, an elderly man who works as a sweeper in the mines may be a highly esteemed headman in his rural community. The quality of relationships is maintained in part by reference to and use of cultural norms governing social interaction that have emerged from particular community standards, regulating social interaction that have stemmed from respective community histories (Bray et al., 2010). The isiXhosa word ukuhlonipha, to respect, describe what is considered an essential element of interpersonal relationships, especially between generations, which is widely used by children and adults alike (Bray et al., 2010). Patriarchy and a broadly accepted gendered social division are common aspects of South African communities across the spectrum of wealth, language and tradition, but manifest in rather different ways both across and within different communities (Guma Henda, 2004). There is evidence that patriarchal ideology directly influence behaviour, so much so, that male farm-workers vindicated violence against their partners based on their household headship (Paranzee Smythe 2003; Dawes et al., 2006). With the feminisation of poverty, women find themselves increasingly vulnerable to HIV infection attributable to the intersection of economic and gender power inequalities (Shefer, 2004). Such dynamics play a significant role in South Africa as cultural laws, financial viability, and gender power disparities all intersect to create barriers for women in the negotiation of heterosex (Shefer, 2004). Furthermore, the imperative for women to be involved in sexual relationships for monetary gain have also been demonstrated (Shefer, 2004). Much of this is subject to the cultural construct of male and female sexuality (Shefer, 2004). On another note, Emily Fenichel (2003) has observed that young children are growing up in a greater variety of families than ever before. Newborns enter families through birth, adoption, or fostering; they are conceived through intercourse or assisted reproductive technology; they live in families formed by marriage and remarriage, in cohabiting heterosexual families, in lesbian- and gay-headed families, and in single-parent families. Levels of household income demonstrate a stronger influence on parental residence than race, signifying that the post-apartheid economic landscape wield a stronger influence on family organization than former state policies (Bray et al., 2010). However, Bray et al. (2010) found that African children in low- income households are less likely to reside with one or both parents than coloured children in similar income households, with negligible differences between white and coloured children in households with high income (Bray et al., 2010). It is important to remember that family members have caring responsibilities that extend beyond the care of dependent children and beyond households. Many family members care for aged parents, frail relatives, adult siblings and offspring during times of social and personal emergency and in conditions of chronic illness and disability (Amoateng et al., 2004). Moreover, many children take on parenting roles to fulfil the place of working parents, parents who are ill, and when families are in crisis (Amoateng et al., 2004). On a final note, I believe it is important to acknowledge the contribution that migrants from neighbouring and foreign countries make to the diversity seen in the South Africa context. Throughout this reflective journey I have come to appreciate how each of the five spheres of ecological influence, as captured in Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological theory, have impacted my childhood and consequently development. Upon reflection of the content dealt with in this assignment, the unmistakable importance of understanding the impact of context for training counsellors comes to the light, seeing that a counsellor in a therapeutic relationship with a client whose psychological problems are informed by traditional beliefs and practices, might misinterpret the client’s worldviews and unduly struggle to provide a relevant diagnosis and intervention if they fail to comprehend the client’s unique context. Customer Care Policies: Effectiveness Customer Care Policies: Effectiveness The changes taking place in the world are taking place at a very rapid pace, and inorder to survive and remain fit in the competition it is required by hotel industry to have a good policy that gives quality service and satisfy the needs of the customers. The hotel must identify its commitment to meet the service and satisfying needs of every customer making him feel important and respected. According to Cardiff University (2010) noted that there would be assistance for all the customers in case of any queries against the services provided or services used and the staff employed by the division. Therefore the obligations to meet these are made into different procedures and policies. The main aim of customer care policy in any industry is to handle the grievances of mainly the direct users of service in a timely, reasonable and positive manner. The main aim of this report is to analyse the customer care policy of a particular hotel (RITZ) and its effectiveness. The primary information presented in this report is from the personal visit by the author to the hotel and the secondary resource is taken from various articles and the net source. The RITZ hotel in London established in 1906 by a Swiss hotelier Caesar Ritz. It is a 133 room hotel located in Piccadilly in London. It is a 5 star hotel with many big hoteliers acknowledging it as the worlds greatest hotel .The Ritz hotel was managed by the hotel managed for many years and has been transferred to many hands later on, the latest is David and Fredrick Barclay in 1995 from Trafalgar house for 80 million. The greatest accomplishment by Ritz is being considered as a benchmark through which other hotels were measured (Theritzlondon, 2010). The details of this hotel will be presented at various stages in this report. TYPES OF CUSTOMERS In my personal visit to the Hotel these are the various customers identified frequently visiting the hotel. (1) TOURISTS The tourism industry in U.K is considered to be one of the biggest sectors in U.K.According to Euromonitor (2008) London seems to be major place of tourist attraction and millions of people visiting it round the year. The tourists are those people who move out of their dwelling place to a different location for a more than one or certain number of days but less than a year .The main reason behind this is to do some leisure and recreation activities(Social, cultural etc). RESAON FOR VISIT Hotel Ritz is located on Piccadilly, over the green park and it is in central London. It is evident that central London has much tourist attraction (London eye, Buckingham palace, Big Ben, etc) (Moment of truth).The other reason is the existence of coach and train station nearby (London Victoria) and frequent trains to Gatwick and Heathrow airport. This is the reason to be more preferred by tourists. (2)CORPORATES The term corporate is derived from the word business person referring some in a white collar job. The corporate individuals are particularly top in the rank in hierarchy and work towards the profit maximization in the organization. At certain times it is required by them or the company to conduct certain meetings or a get together with people from different companies and promoting their business. They are needed to be given due importance because they make huge businesses. REASON FOR VISIT Hotel Ritz renders various facilities conference halls, private meeting rooms with high speed broadband (100mb) wireless network, which helps in conducting and executing meetings. The existence of lavish Private and big dining rooms can be suitable for the get together ,in regards to meeting different dignitaries from different countries(Theritzlondon,2010). ARCHITECTURAL VISITORS Architects are those people who play an important role in making a place very attractive and beautiful. These kinds of visitors are always interested in different, unique and rare designs. REASON TO VISIT Hotel Ritz has unique French chateau architecture and Louis XVI furnishings and themes, with the presence of Parisian architectural traditions on the outside. The other reason is the works of great architects like Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis. BIOGRAPHERS These are the people who write on the real life stories of great people in different parts of the world. REASON FOR VISIT Hotel Ritz had housed many famous people like Chalie chaplin,Winston chruchill,King Edward VIII and various other Hollywood actors and celebrities etc(London-traveltrips,2010).This will help biographers to know about certain personal interest of celebrities(For ex. food). TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER CARE POLICIES AND ITS IMPORTANCE The purpose to commence any business to create and attract a customer (Drucker, 1998) The formulation of the customer care policies in most of the industries is done by the management in order to suit the current situation and satisfy the needs of the customers. In the hotel industry it is customers acceptance and like for the policies that leads to gaining more customers and making profits. Therefore the policies made must be focused on retaining the old customers as well as attracting new customers. Given below are certain policies followed in the RITZ hotel to attract customers. Creation of positive business environment:- The creation of this positive environment is possible by making the customer feel good about themselves and the company and this finally leads to spending by the customer. The staffs play an important role in this creation, so they must be trained properly to know the required tools and know-how techniques to make the customers stay a memorable one. (For ex) Provision of Cab facilities at cheap rates for new tourists. The existence of a guide to educate customers about various architecture and antiques. Proper handling of grievance or provide a solution:- In situation like the customer coming out with any problem, in that case the staffs are trained to take the role of a parent and make the customers to reduce their temper and then give solutions that satisfy the customer. Even in the cases of no solution is identified, it is the staffs duty to hear them and respect their point of views. It is also the staffs duty to educate and make aware the limitation to the customers. In general, offering free coffee snacks to customers when they wait in the reception for check in or out. Regular checks on the cleanliness and the working of appliances. (Especially for corporate meetings get together). Measuring customer satisfaction and feedback:- The best ways to measure whether the customers are satisfied or no is by getting feedbacks from them on using the service. The implementation of various systems like informal face to face polls, feedbacks, surveys and questionnaires that will help in giving a chance for training the employees, handling the grievances and problems an adapting to current situations. It is also important to be flexible with the staff as they are key role players in delivering good customer service. (For ex) Getting feedback for every staff response on handling the customer calls and service from customers. This part of the chapter deals with the effectiveness involved in the establishment of the customer care policies in the hospitality industry. EFFECTIVENESS OF CUSTOMER CARE POLICY. The battle for repeat business is critical for long-term success in todays intensely competitive marketplace. Customer service is not just a competitive advantage, but it is a competitive advantage in many industries .Service is the new standards by which the customers judge the performance BAND (2002) CEO Coopers and Lybrand Consulting, Toronto The main reason for every organization in the hospitality industry to structure a customer service policy is to satisfy the customers and to reveal the value given to customer from this industry. These customer service policies are similar to Bundling process as explained by Greneir Kini (1991) providing value added advantage around the satisfaction and service the hotel renders. It is natural that the customers come back to the hotel where they are given a bundle of extra services at considerable cost. Certain explanations reveal that the customer service policy plays a major role in giving suggestions or solutions for the various question rose by customers. But Patsula (2004) articulation in his book of successful business planning stating that the customer service policies also helps in other ways such as developing the companys image, creating a positive business environment and building customer loyalty. But according Tschlol Stavig (2002) most of the businesses dont understand the fact that customer service and its policies are really selling, as it is attracting the customer to make many visits. The main reason behind this is that the managers are reluctant to look at it as a marketing strategy, but as an after sales service. Therefore it is necessary by every staff working in the hotel industry to be aware of the customer policies and consider it as a marketing strategy, as it helps in improving the business and realize the benefits from good customer service. Similar explanation by Bill Gates to Business Journal (2010) that every unhappy customer for the business is a great source of learning for the business. The company will be at risk, when the hotel doesnt focus on the quality and consistency of customer experience they offer. But as per Seybold Marshak (2001)articulations the customer have taken control of the companies destinies and are transforming the hotel industry. Therefore it is the duty of staff to render proper service and different ways presented by Patsula (2004) are:- The staff should reveal their interest in serving people Giving the team pride and confidence to do a go job. Building customer loyalty Make the presence of management felt in case of criticism Handling complaints properly. BIBILIOGRAPHY CARDIFFUNIVERISTY.2010.Customer care policy. [WWW]http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/resid/resources/Customer%20Care%20Policy.pdf(2010)(Accessed on 28th April 2010) THERITZLONDON.2010.About company.[WWW]http://www.theritzlondon.com/about/index.asp(Accessed on 29th April 2010) LONDON-TRAVELTIPS.2010. Celebrities interest in RITZ. [WWW]http://www.london-traveltips.com/the-ritz-hotel.htm(Accessed on 30 th April 2010) EUROMONITOR.2008.Londin visitors.[WWW]http://www.euromonitor.com/top_150_city_destinations_london_leads_the_way(Accessed on 29th April 2010) DRUCKER, P.1998. Customer quotes cited in the book of ZEMKE, R WOODS, J.A. 1998. Best practices in customer service, HRD press, Pg 24 GREINER, D KINNI, T.B. 1999.1001 ways to keep customer keep coming back, Prima publishing, Pg 1 TSCHOHL, J STAVIG, V.2002.Acheveing excellence through customer service, Best sellers publishing, Minnesota, Pg 1-10. PATSULA, P.J.2004. Successful business planning ,A step by step guide for writing a business plan and starting your own business,3rd edition, No 51,Patsula media publishers Bill Gates.2010. Bill Gates on applying the best minds to the biggest problems, Puget sound Business journal, Business review, April 19 2010. SEYBOLD, P.B MARSHAK, R.T . 2001. The Customer revolution, Crown business; 1st edition, Pg 2-10.

FRANKENSTEIN :: essays research papers fc

The origin of Frankenstein is almost as mysterious and exciting as the novel itself. It all began back in the summer of 1816 at the Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Mary Shelley seems not to condemn the act of creation but rather Frankenstein’s lack of willingness to accept the responsibility for his deeds. His creation only becomes a monster at the moment his creator deserts it. Essentially, Frankenstein warns of the careless use of science which is still an important issue. In feminist literary theory, it claims that Frankenstein’s act of creation is not only a sin against God and nature. It is also an act against the â€Å"female principle† which includes natural procreation as one of its central aspects. The monster, the result of male arrogance, is the enemy and destroyer of the eternal female principle. The classification of Frankenstein as a ghost story, Gothic novel or horror novel is not completely accurate. It contains no supernatural apparitions such as ghosts, witches, devils, demons or sorcerers. And other typical gothic elements such as ruined castles, graveyards and charnel houses appear only briefly or in the distance. In the novel, Mary Shelley is silent on how Victor Frankenstein breathes life into his creation. But her story did not just come from her imagination alone. Scientists and physicians of her time were tempted by the boundaries between life and death, constantly experimenting with lower organisms, human anatomical studies, attempting to resuscitate drowning victims, and experiments using electricity to restore life to the recently dead. Another origin of this monster has to do with people’s fascinations with â€Å"nature’s monsters,† the sharp deviations from normal human development. The monster â€Å"Frankenstein† is thought of as a horrible, evil creation. One informant thought of him as frustrated, loud, and uncommunicative. Some others remember aspects from the many different movies such as the monster having â€Å"the mind of a killer and the heart of a kind man.† One informant recalled the monster having a â€Å"soft spot for children† when he helped a little girl kill all the evil monsters in one of the movies. Abandoned by his creator, the monster takes revenge on Victor Frankenstein by killing his younger brother, William. Frankenstein’s silence, in the face of the monster’s murderous actions, exacts a terrible price. His self-imposed isolation from society mirrors the social isolation the monster experiences from all who see him.

Retail Analysis Mcdonalds

Table of Contents Executive Summary3 Introduction5 Explain about the retail store6 Explain why you have chosen this retail store7 Explain about your scenario as a mystery shopper and what you did at the outlet8 Describe the retail store’s customer service with your knowledge of Pet Peeves and 14 factors of company culture. 10 Suggest some solutions to improve the retail store’s customer service14 Conclusion15 Executive Summary Acting as a â€Å"mystery shopperâ€Å" we have evaluated one of the McDonalds’ retail shops. We have chosen a McDonalds retail shop by reason of its obvious success.McDonalds has got a yearly profit of approximately 5. 5 billion USD by trading with fast-food. Our evaluation shows us there is one certain reason of its success: Constancy! Customers know what they get at McDonalds, wherever they are in the world and apparently they appreciate this constancy. Nonetheless there are some obvious Pet Peeves, which are related to the three level s of factors of a company culture. Level one describes what you obviously feel, see and hear. Level 2 is about the communication between employee and customer. Level three contains factors that are not obvious but ake us like McDonalds subconsciously, is very tough to find in our outlet. Regarding these Pet peeves and the factors of company culture we come up with three different suggestions to improve the retail store’s customer service. 1. The company can become more ecological, by producing less rubbish. Especially in order to enhance its reputation. 2. Friendlier and politer staff 3. Achieving a nicer environment in its outlets Regarding its success it seems quite unnecessary to make some changes, but in order to keep the company’s customer service competitive little changes are recommendable.Introduction McDonalds. The company is already one of the most successful companies in the world and still growing. The main product the company sells is fast-food. How is thi s possible? How can a company, that is selling fast food, be this successful? What is the secret of its success? We threw ourselves into one of its outlets and experienced the secrets and services of McDonalds. In our following assignment we will explain about our scenario as a mystery shopper, we will describe and debate the retail store’s customer service, considering the factors of company culture.Finally we will suggest some solutions to improve the retail store’s customer service and make a conclusion of our results. Explain about the retail store â€Å"McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 33,500 local restaurants worldwide and 1,7million employees, serving nearly 68 million people in 119 countries each day. † (McDonalds) So far, McDonald's in China employs more than 1000 restaurants, the 2013 restaurant number is expected to reach 2000. The company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDona ld in San Bernardino, California. Wikipedia, 2012) McDonalds’ total profit of the year 2011 was approximately 5,5billion USD (finanzen. net). Explain why you have chosen this retail store McDonalds is one of the most popular fast-food chain companies in the world. You’ll find McDonalds in every little city, in every crowded Shopping Mall. It surely is a very famous and successful company (Llopis, 2011) And this makes it interesting. How can a company that â€Å"just† trades with fast-food be this successful? How can you achieve a yearly profit of 5,5billion USD by trading with Burgers?Apparently McDonalds has got a successful marketing and sales concept, which makes the company very interesting to write an assignment about, considering the roots of its success, debating about its ways to make me purchase again, although it obviously has got some â€Å"Pet peeves†. Explain about your scenario as a mystery shopper and what you did at the outlet It is Sunday afternoon, 4 o’clock when I enter the McDonalds restaurant. It’s not a typical dinner time; consequently the restaurant is not crowded. Nevertheless most of the many tables are covered, and there is a small line n front of the area, where you place the order. On the first view the restaurant seems very clean and you notice a strong smell of food and loud background music. As soon as I enter the outlet, i notice a various number of employees. 4 employees take the order, another 4 employees collect the order together, and approximately 3 employees are responsible of clearing up tables. Additionally there is a bunch of employees cooking and preparing the food, and a couple of employees cleaning the sanitary fittings. It is impossible to give an exact number of employees, but there is definitely a huge amount of workers.Furthermore the employees wear a uniform. The greeting is short and not remarkable friendly, the employee makes the impression that he is pushing me to or der as soon and as fast as possible. You find a big, easy watching menu board behind the back of the Seller, which makes it easy to find a suitable product. Consequently the employee won’t ask questions to find a suitable product, he or she only asks for an upgrade for bigger fries and beverages. Anyway I have to order on my own initiative. Finally I pay for my dish, without getting a student discount and find myself in another line, waiting for the food.After I have got my food I start looking for a table, which I find at the very end of the restaurant. It’s a nice place in front of a big window. Later I’ll figure out that the chairs are quite uncomfortable, but the first impression is good though. While having a suit I notice that my table is still dirty, so I have to wipe down the table by myself. Unfortunately my burger has become cold, which is an opportunity to ask an employee for an exchange. The employee surprisingly shows me a lot of understanding and e xchanges the burger immediately. The new burger is surely satisfying.There is one remarkable point I must mention. The taste of the food is exactly the same taste as all the other times I had been at McDonalds; it doesn’t matter in which country or in which city. At the same time I notice that the interior is also pretty much the same. After we finished our food we found ourselves in front of a big bunch of waste, although we have just eaten two burgers and two medium-sized fries. Finally we left, without clearing up the table. Leaving the outlet is not commented by the staff. In summary it can be said, that the restaurant: †¢ Is basically clean Has got the same interior everywhere †¢ Strong smell of food †¢ Noisy †¢ Employees wear uniforms †¢ Seats are not very comfortable Describe the retail store’s customer service with your knowledge of Pet Peeves and 14 factors of company culture. At first I’d like to mention some so called â€Å"P et Peeves†, that are obviously disturbing and noticeable as soon as you enter the McDonalds outlet: †¢ Tense and noisy environment †¢ Disturbing sounds coming from the kitchen †¢ Unfriendly/ impolite employees that seem very impatient while you are ordering After we ordered and picked up our food we noticed some further â€Å"Pet Peeves†: Left tables are not cleared up and wiped down by employees(dirty tables †¢ Cold food †¢ Uncomfortable seats †¢ One dish creates a big amount of rubbish Considering the factors of company culture in order to evaluate the performance of this particular outlet, I? d like to difference the company culture into three levels (Tobias Amely, 2009) This three level model is invented by Edgar Schein. The information below are based on the Internet page Wikipedia. org. At the first and most cursory level of Schein's model is organizational attributes that can be seen, felt and heard by the uninitiated observer â€⠀œ collectively known as artifacts.Included are the facilities, offices, furnishings, visible awards and recognition, the way that its members dress, how each person visibly interacts with each other and with organizational outsiders, and even company slogans, mission statements and other operational creeds. The next level deals with the professed culture of an organization's members – the values. Shared values are individuals’ preferences regarding certain aspects of the organization’s culture (e. g. loyalty, customer service). At this level, local and personal values are widely expressed within the organization.Basic beliefs and assumptions include individuals' impressions about the trustworthiness and supportiveness of an organization, and are often deeply ingrained within the organization’s culture. Organizational behavior at this level usually can be studied by interviewing the organization's membership and using questionnaires to gather attitudes ab out organizational membership. At the third and deepest level, the organization's tacit assumptions are found. These are the elements of culture that are unseen and not cognitively identified in everyday interactions between organizational members.Additionally, these are the elements of culture which are often taboo to discuss inside the organization. Many of these ‘unspoken rules' exist without the conscious knowledge of the membership. Those with sufficient experience to understand this deepest level of organizational culture usually become acclimatized to its attributes over time, thus reinforcing the invisibility of their existence. Surveys and casual interviews with organizational members cannot draw out these attributes—rather much more in-depth means is required to first identify then understand organizational culture at this level.Notably, culture at this level is the underlying and driving element often missed by organizational behaviorists. (Wikipedia, 2012) R elated to level one, the â€Å"obvious† level which determines what you hear, see and feel: †¢ McDonalds has got the same interior in every restaurant †¢ the staff is wearing the same uniforms †¢ it always smells in the same way †¢ you have got the same products all over the world †¢ menu board format is the same and easy to understand †¢ you can see the McDonalds â€Å"M† symbol everywhere in the outlet †¢ Loud music in the background †¢ Rather young people and kids †¢ People eat alone without feeling awkward All parts of the McDonalds â€Å"sales areas† are constant all over the world. People know what they get and they appreciate it. They consider McDonalds as a clean, trustworthy fast-food restaurant. The second level is about the communication between employee and customer. †¢ Less communication; the communication is restricted to the order process †¢ In case of a complaint about food, the employee exch anges the product instantly †¢ Not remarkable polite, no advices †¢ The leaving is not commented The third level, which contains factors that are not obvious but make us like McDonalds subconsciously, is very tough to find in our outlet.Some factors might be: †¢ The speed of taking the order and getting the food †¢ The noises which make us hurry up(we are not supposed to feel comfortable and stay for a long time †¢ constancy The secret of McDonalds’ success is clearly the constancy. Wherever you are, you’ll find the same food, the same service. Humans apparently like and need constancy as a factor of safety and subconsciously McDonalds gives us this feeling. Suggest some solutions to improve the retail store’s customer service Shortly after entering the restaurant I noticed a various amount of Pet Peeves. Consequently our suggestions are based on at the beginning ofQuestion 4 mentioned Pet Peeves. At this point we have to make clear that it is hard to improve an outlet of a company, which is one of the most successful companies in the world. As a result solutions have to be considered as a subjective suggestion. Our first suggestion is based on an environmental aspect. In times of global warming and increasing pollution it is important to provide ecological products. One part of it is avoiding a lot of rubbish. As mentioned McDonalds is producing a lot of rubbish, so one improvement might be less production of waste, which is also recommendable for the company’s reputation.Another improvement can be trainings of employees to assure polite and patient staff, because this is definitely a negative aspect of our observations. Finally we can highly recommend to get rid of all these annoying sounds coming out of the kitchen. This can lead to a more relaxing environment, which is even recommendable for a fast-food chain company. Conclusion At the beginning of our assignment, we asked the question why a company that is selling fast-food can be this successful, although they are just selling fast-food. The explanation for its success is short and easy: constancy!Wherever you are in the world, McDonalds provides you the well-known and expected food. This constancy makes us purchase subconsciously. By examining a McDonald’s outlet as a â€Å"mystery shopper† we noticed a lot of pet peeves, which mostly lead to a tense feeling. But, at this point I have to make clear that these factors are not very obvious. We got used to them and accept them by keeping on purchasing at McDonalds Nevertheless there are some points which can be improved. 1. The company can become more ecological, by producing less rubbish.Especially in order to enhance its reputation. 2. Friendlier and politer staff 3. Achieving a nicer environment in its outlets If McDonalds can achieve these goals they will most likely stay as successful as they are. Customers don’t go to McDonalds because of its customer ser vice, but McDonalds should be aware of the fact that customers also might not come because of the customer service. Consequently little changes and improvements in customer service can be useful and should be considered in the near future. Bibliography Wikipedia. (2012, 08 24). Retrieved from http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/McDonald%27s Wikipedia. (2012). Von wikipedia. org: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Organizational_culture abgerufen finanzen. net. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. finanzen. net/bilanz_guv/McDonalds Llopis, G. (2011, 12 9). Forbes. Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/sites/glennllopis/2011/09/12/the-most-successful-companies-embrace-the-promise-of-their-culture/ McDonalds. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. aboutmcdonalds. com: http://www. aboutmcdonalds. com/mcd/our_company. html Tobias Amely, T. K. (2009). BWL fur Dummies. Weinheim: Wiley.