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Employee Motivation in the Workplace - 1413 Words

When running a business, one would have to hire employees who perform well and product and or quality is of the same caliber. The key to an employee performance is motivation. The expression, you can lead a horse to water but you cannot force it to drink water, can be seen within the human race. The purpose of this paper is to discuss motivation in the workplace. To have a successful company, employee must be motivated enough to work and get the job done. One way have success in the workplace is to define the morale and motivate employees. The human resource department or the manager are typically the personnel to identify the employees needs by either observing the generation, the psychological contract, or the main theories that were postulated by Victor Vroom (Vrooms expectancy theory), Abraham Maslow (hierarchy of needs), Frederick Herzberg (theory of motivation), Douglas McGregor (theory X and Y). By motivating and maintaining morale, the company will sustain the the expec ted companys results. Motivation is defined as the drive or energy that compels people to act, with energy and persistence, toward some goal (Berman,etc.,2013). Though motivation can be determined by various theories, there are many studies being conducted to better understand motivation. The ultimate goal of moivation is to establish a workable environment for employees, where they are comfortable, feel respected, and the sense of being part of the bigger picture. Motivation isShow MoreRelatedEmployee Motivation in the Workplace1504 Words   |  6 Pagesarticles by John Honore (2009), James Lindner (1998), and an article by Fred Herrera (2002). All three articles discussed the topic of employee motivation in the workplace. The authors examined several motivational theories and put forward their ideas on the concepts and application of motivational techniques. The authors’ work provides insight into the psychology of motivation and the different factors and theories that affect it. My conclusion is in line with the authors’, motivated employees are neededRead MoreEmployee Motivation in the Workplace Essay871 Words   |  4 PagesEmployee motivation in the workplace The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But thats easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand humanRead MoreCorrelation Between Employee Attitude And Workplace Motivation1840 Words   |  8 PagesPsychologist Fredrick Herzberg developed the Two-Factor theory in 1959 to determine the correlation between employee attitude and workplace motivation. Herzberg challenged the assumptions of his time, which suggested that workers were motivated by money and other tangible benefits. He sought to research what factors made workers feel satisfied and which made them feel dissatisfied in the workplace. He conducted a survey that included over 200 engineers and accountants from various companies in existenceRead MoreThe Effect Of Motivation On The Workplace759 Words   |  4 PagesThe topic in the workplace that I have chosen to discuss is that of motivation in the workplace. Problems of mot ivation can cause performance issues, which cost businesses thousands of dollars each year (Nordmeyer). Low motivation delays employees from completing their work and causes many mistakes made within the workplace (Nordmeyer). The definition of motivation is the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, as well as persistence of effort, towards attaining a goal (RobbinsRead MoreThe Relationship Between Motivation And Performance Of Workers Essay1320 Words   |  6 Pages Abstract Motivation derived from Latin word† Movere†, it is the drive which motivates to perform better. There is a link between motivation and performance. It is already resulted from previous studies that the motivated employees give more positive outcomes. To further investigate the relation among motivation and performance of workers. The research statement is designed to evaluate the relationship between motivation and employee’s performance. To evaluate the relationship, the quantitative researchRead MoreWhy Is Motivation So Imperative? Essay1314 Words   |  6 Pagesmotivate people, motivation must be balanced throughout the workplace (Forbes). Keeping employees motivated is a crucial element in order to retain the best employees in the company. Why is motivation so imperative in the workplace? There are numerous reasons why companies should have a motivated workforce. Motivated employees will not only work quicker, but they will also use creativity to help the organization save millions of dollars by implementing new ideas. For many years, motivation has been studiedRead MoreHow Motivate And Retain Your Fellow Employee1392 Words   |  6 Pagesopinions and constructive criticism in our workplaces. The people who undergo various situations is the employees, it can be from being treated unlikely oppose to others, or congratulating an employee on the successful progress at work. In this research paper we will express the many different ways on how to motivate and retain your fellow employee’s. Motivation play’s an important part towards an employee, if they are approached with appreciation at their workplace this will encourage the worker’s desireRead MoreThe Impact Of Motivation On The Workplace861 Words   |  4 PagesOnce I would like to start off explaining what motivation in the workplace. Motivation is an employee s intrinsic enthusiasm about and drive to accomplish activities related to work. Motivation is that internal drive that causes an individual to decide to take action. The five job related factors that can hinder motivation in the workplace are (1) Inadequate Job Skills, (2) Opportunity for Advancement, (3) Overwork, (4) Respect from Co-worker, and (5) Job security. Inadequate Job Skills- In theRead MoreEssay Function of a Manager1381 Words   |  6 Pagesmanaging work, planning, and motivating. Motivation is clearly a way to enhance the performance of employees and boost the morale of the company. When morale decreases for any reason, productivity usually tumbles right along with it. Employee absenteeism, accidents, turnover and dissatisfaction increase, all of which can greatly harm the stability of the company. Without a managers concern and action to attack the causes of decreasing morale, the motivation and activity levels of the employees mayRead MoreMotivation : Motivation And Motivation1341 Words   |  6 PagesMotivation Motivation is, according to the text, â€Å"A set of energetic forces that originate within and outside an employee that initiates work-related effort and determines its direction, intensity and persistence.† (Colquitt) When one hears the word â€Å"motivation†, one automatically thinks of an individual’s reasoning behind a certain task or performance. In terms of job motivation, it is what pushes or encourages a person to not only perform the work tasks, but to also be successful in the position

The Vaccine Controversy Free Essays

The vaccine controversy is the dispute over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, and /or safety of vaccinations. The medical and scientific evidence is that the benefits of preventing suffering and death from infectious diseases outweigh rare adverse effects of immunization. Since vaccination began in the late 18th century, opponents have claimed that vaccines do not work, that they are or may be dangerous, that individuals should rely on personal hygiene instead, or that mandatory vaccinations violate individual rights or religious principles. We will write a custom essay sample on The Vaccine Controversy or any similar topic only for you Order Now And since then, successful campaigns against vaccinations have resulted in unnecessary injuries and mass death. Vaccines may cause side effects, and the success of immunization programs depend on public confidence for their safety. Concerns about immunization safety often follow a pattern: some investigators suggest that a medical condition in an adverse effect of vaccination; a premature announcement is made of the alleged side effect; the initial study is not reproduced by other groups; and finally, it takes several years to regain public confidence in the vaccine. In this paper I will be explaining several areas of the vaccine controversy: 1. The history of vaccinations and effectiveness 2. Why some parents are against immunizations 3. What are the findings Vaccination became widespread in the United Kingdom in the early 1800’s. Before that, religious arguments against inoculation (the placement of something that will grow or reproduce) were advanced. In a 1772 a sermon entitled â€Å"The Dangerous and Sinful Practice of Inoculation†, the English theologian Rev. Edmund Massey argued that diseases are sent by God to punish sin and that any attempt to prevent small pox via inoculation is a â€Å"diabolical operation†. Some anti – vaccinationists still base their stance against vaccination with reference to their religious beliefs. Public policy and successive Vaccination Acts first encouraged vaccination and then made it mandatory for all infants in 1853, with the highest penalty for refusal being a prison sentence. This was a significant change in the relationship between the British state and its citizens causing public backlash. After an 1867 law extended the requirement age to fourteen years, its opponents focused concern on infringement of individual freedom, and eventually a law in 1898 allowed for objection to vaccination. In the United States, President Thomas Jefferson took a close interest in vaccination, alongside Dr. Waterhouse, chief physician at Boston. Jefferson encouraged the development of ways to transport vaccine material through the Southern states, which included measures to avoid damage by heat, a leading cause of ineffective batches. Smallpox outbreaks were contained by a latter half of the 19th century, a development widely attributed to vaccination of a large portion of the population. Vaccinations rates after this decline in smallpox cases, and the disease again became epidemic in late 19th century. At this point in the 19th century, anti-vaccination activity increased in the U. S. Mass vaccination helped eradicate smallpox, which once killed as many as one in every seventh child in Europe. Vaccination has almost eradicated polio. As a more modest example, incidence of invasive disease with Haemophilus influenzae, a major cause of bacterial meningitis, and other serious disease in children has decreased by over 99% in the U. S. since the introduction of a vaccine in 1988. Fully vaccinating all U. S. children born in a given year from birth to adolescence saves an estimated 14 million infections. Some vaccine critics claim that there have never been any benefits to public health from vaccination. They argue that all the reduction of communicable diseases which were rampant in conditions where overcrowding, poor sanitation, almost non-existent hygiene, and a yearly period of very restricted diet existed are reduced because of changes in conditions excepting vaccination. Other critics argue that immunity given by vaccines is only temporarily and requires boosters, whereas those who survive the disease become permanently immune. Lack of complete vaccine coverage increases the risk of disease for the entire population, including those who have been vaccinated, because it reduces herd immunity. For example, measles targets children between the ages of 9 and 12 months, and the short window between the disappearance of maternal antibody (before which the vaccine often fails to seroconvert) and natural infection means that vaccinated children frequently are still vulnerable. Herd immunity lessens this vulnerability, if all the children are vaccinated. Increasing herd immunity during an outbreak or threatened outbreak is the most widely accepted justification for mass vaccination. Mass vaccination also helps to increase coverage rapidly, thus obtaining herd immunity, when a new vaccine is introduced. Commonly used vaccines are a cost – effective and preventive way of promoting good health, compared to the cost of treatment of acute or chronic diseases. In the U. S. during the year 2001, routine childhood immunizations against seven diseases were estimated to save over $40 billion per year, overall social costs including $10 billion in direct health costs, and the societal benefit – cost ratio for these vaccinations was estimated to be $16. 5 billion. In several countries reductions in the use of some vaccines was followed by increases in the diseases morbidity and morality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continued high levels of vaccine coverage are necessary to prevent resurgence of disease which had been eliminated. Few deny the vast improvements vaccination has made to the public health. They are more concerned with the safety of vaccines. All vaccines may cause side effects, and immunization safety is a huge concern. Controversies in this area revolve around the question of whether the risks of perceived adverse effects following immunization outweigh the benefit of preventing adverse effects of common diseases. There is scientific evidence that in rare cases immunizations can cause adverse effects, such as oral polio vaccine causing paralysis however, current scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis of causation for more common disorders such as autism. Although the hypotheses that vaccines cause autism are biologically implausible, it would be hard to study scientifically whether autism is less common in children who do not follow recommended vaccination schedules, because an experiment based on withholding vaccines from children would be unethical. Another concern of parents regarding the safety of vaccines is the thought that vaccine overload will weaken a child’s immune system and can lead to adverse side effects. Although scientific evidence does not support and even contradicts this idea, many parent especially parents of autistic children, firmly believe that vaccine overload causes autism. However, the idea of vaccine overload does not stand for several reasons. First of all, vaccines do not overwhelm the immune system. In fact, scientists believe that the immune system can respond to thousands of viruses simultaneously. Also, despite the number of increase in the number of vaccines over recent decades, improvements in vaccine design have reduced the immunologic load from vaccines, such that the number of immunological components in the fourteen vaccines administered in the U. S. to children is less than 10% of what it was in the seven vaccines given in 1980. Vaccines constitutes only a tiny fraction of the pathogens naturally encountered by a child in a typical year and common childhood conditions such as fevers and middle ear infections pose a much greater challenge to the immune system than vaccines do. Second, studies have shown that vaccinations, and even multiple concurrent vaccinations, do not weaken the immune system, or compromise overall immunity. Other safety concerns about vaccines have been published on the Internet, in informal meetings, in books, and at symposia. These include hypotheses that vaccination can cause sudden infant death syndrome, epileptic seizures, allergies, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, as well as hypotheses that vaccination can transmit bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Hepatitis C, and HIV. These hypotheses have all been investigated with the conclusions that currently used vaccines meet high safety standards, and that the criticism of vaccine safety in the popular press are not justified. Finally, there is no evidence of an immune-system role in autism. The lack of evidence supporting the vaccine overload hypotheses, combined with these findings directly contradicting it, have led to the conclusion that currently recommended vaccines programs do not overload or weaken the immune systems and are a greater benefit than a risk to children. I am a mother of 2 healthy boys, as a parent I have made the choice to have my children vaccinated against all diseases except H1N1. I did not have my children vaccinated against H1N1 for personal reasons. However, from the time of both of their births they have been vaccinated with all the immunizations as directed by their doctor and I have never had any issues with their health. I am a true believer that the benefits of immunizations out weigh the risks. The research I found while writing this paper backs up and supports everything I have ever believed about immunizations since the birth of my first child fifteen years ago. I would recommend to all new parents to vaccinate their children. Of course I do understand that there are side effects of immunizations shots, the most common one I have dealt with my children is a mild fever and maybe mild bruising in the area of the injection however, I would much rather deal with a mild fever for a day than the thought of my child catching a deadly disease. References Adams, M (2003). Health Library The Immunization Controversy: Should Your Child Be Immunized? http://www.healthlibrary.epnet.com Salive, ME (1997). Healing Arts Children’s Vaccines: Research on Risks for Children from Vaccine http://www.healing-arts.org/children/vaccines Gervais, Roger (2007). Natural Life Magazine Understanding the Vaccine Controversy http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/naturalparenting/vaccines Center for Disease Control and Prevention Possible Side Effects from Vaccines http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects How to cite The Vaccine Controversy, Papers

Zero Tolerance Essay Research Paper Zero ToleranceTo free essay sample

Zero Tolerance Essay, Research Paper Zero Tolerance To the best of my cognition on the topic the nothing tolerance regulation is a really good regulation, because there is no room for mistake on the portion of the condemnable justness systemand there is no room for a deceptive alibi. So the nothing tolerance policy is good. For illustration, say a individual pulls a fire dismay merely to acquire out of a category. The principal would suspend the pupil for 3 to 5 yearss and he/she would make 5 to 15 hour. of Fire Prevention School for that offense, but now what if that individual is a really good prevaricator, they could misdirect the principal non to suspend them by possibly naming it an accident. Now, the chief negotiations to the fire section and gets him out of the Fire Prevention School. So what sort of illustration is that puting? It says, a good prevaricator can acquire away with anything. We will write a custom essay sample on Zero Tolerance Essay Research Paper Zero ToleranceTo or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So in that instance, Zero tolerance is really good. It sets an illustration, but on the other manus, the individual who pulled the dismay by mistake gets suspended and 5-15 hour of school. But there are ever inocent peopleaffected by every jurisprudence but still it does protect agenst misleading and decietful people. In my eyes the penalty fits the offense, no affair if the offense was a error. Another illustration could possible be made. For illustration if you hit a kid on a motorcycle, allow s state he swerves torward you and you could nt halt and the kid dies. Then you are charged with Involentary Manslaughter so some inocent people ever get hurt. But now lets say the auto hit the kid on intent so if the zero tolerance policy was non in consequence he could claim it to be an accident and likely acquire off but since the zero tolerance policyis at that place, he will function clip no affair what. But yet I besides think even zero tolerance is excessively easy, the US. should convey back Capital Punishment because it makes you believe before you commit a offense. In other states, if you steal, they cut off your manus and that truly direct a message to all the felons that We are non traveling to take it any longer. So the nothing tolerance policy is really good measure in the condemnable justness war torward their major end, which in my head is capital penalty.

Starbucks Culture Essay Example For Students

Starbucks Culture Essay Starbucks: Culture It is not so often that a coffee house gets to tell so much about culture. Think about a Russian coffee house that can tell foreigners about our lifestyle and our character, about things that are important to us in business and in personal relations, in gastronomical tastes and political affairs†¦ I would not dare to name one. Yet when I think of American culture, I marvel at how interestingly it is reflected in Starbucks, the most famous and the largest coffee and coffee house chain in the world. It all started in 1971. Two teachers and a writer (Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel and Gordon Bowker if you care for names) started the Starbucks company, which was at first not even a coffee house, but a high quality store of coffee beans and equipment. As far as roasting the beans was one of the companies primary occupations, it is very likely that the famous Starbucks roast, now proudly displayed in many coffee houses, was developed in those remote days. Although the Starbucks roast itself deserves applause for the intense, rich flavor it brings out in coffee, it is not the roasting technique that paved the company’s way to greatness. We will write a custom essay on Starbucks Culture specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now It is the coffee houses with their unmistakable atmosphere and high-quality drinks that led Starbucks to success. Today there are more than 16  000 of them all over the world. They may be condemned for Americanizing the world or may be hailed for bringing a piece of genuine American culture to other countries and finally giving it a more elaborate image than the greasy genetically modified McDonald’s burger. Everything about Starbucks seems to be astonishingly American. Even the name of the company originates in the very core of American culture. It comes from the book, which is claimed to be the second best-seller after the Bible, Melville’s Moby Dick. It is said that originally the founders wanted to name the company Pequod, in honor of the ship from the novel. However, it was a big question whether anyone would want to drink coffee from Pee-quod, so they ended up with the name of Ahab’s first mate Starbuck, which also reminded of a turn-of-the century mining camp Starbo, thus adding a tinge of history. The name, once pronounced, immediately awakes the image of the famous green-white logo. Originally it was not at all green, but brown and the siren (yes, the lady is a siren, moreover, a twin-tailed one) was way more graphic, that is, she had breasts. Can a woman on the logo, be it even the siren herself, have breasts in a country that was partly found by puritans? Certainly not! In the battle with the American idea of what is proper the visitor from Greek mythology lost not only her breasts, but also her navel. The logo has happened to reflect more than the high moral standards of American citizens. Its story also happened to unite the American love for parody and their court-oriented mentality. In 2000, San Francisco cartoonist Kieron Dwyer was sued by Starbucks for copyright and trademark infringement after creating a parody of its siren logo and putting it on the cover of one of his comics; later placing it on coffee mugs, T-shirts, and stickers that he sold on his website and at comic book conventions. In a similar case, a New York store selling stickers and T-shirts using the Starbucks logo with the words fuck off was sued by the company in 1999. The most interesting illegal usage of the logo, however, is that by the Christian community. The parodies of Starbucks are not limited to the logo. .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 , .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .postImageUrl , .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 , .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:hover , .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:visited , .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:active { border:0!important; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:active , .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66 .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6ba3636e6f513facd79ec3a20a08ca66:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How to setup Multilink EssayThere is a very interesting satire on the everywhereness of Starbucks in The Onion, the online parody newspaper, which is called â€Å"New Starbucks Opens In Rest Room Of Existing Starbucks†. All jokes aside, Starbucks is one of the most global-issue-conscious coffee houses in the world. It supports Fair trade, buys coffee at prices that are higher than the average market prices. It produces cups from recycled paper and tries to work out a technology to make those cups recyclable (as of now, the plastic that is added to keep the form of the cups makes them impossible to recycle). Starbucks conducts charity programs and helps in fundraising. Nevertheless, Starbucks remains a constant target for criticism. Many people are against its monopolistic marketing strategies. Many find that the charity and Fair trade programs are superficial and exist only to create a positive image. Some even accuse Starbucks of being involved with Israeli military. Just like the policy of the Unites States, the policy of Starbucks is widely disputed. With all the weight of cultural significance that I’ve mposed on Starbucks, one shouldn’t forget about the simple everyday role that Starbucks plays in American life. You can hardly find an American who has never been to Starbucks. Most of them either hang out there regularly or drop in every now and then to grab a paper cup of the season’s specialty. The bright walls, the little tables standing closely together, the extremely comfortable armchairs, the relaxing music, people with laptops and books – everythin g contributes to the atmosphere of an intellectual lounge, of the desired freedom of spirit, thought and body. Starbucks shares the rhythm of the Americans. In the morning it is all about noise and hurry, in the afternoon it is very businesslike, while in the evening it is cosy and loud. Being a coffee house, Starbucks may also be considered a journal of American life. Most trends that are typically American find their reflection either in the products of Starbucks or in the company policy. Starbucks carries American culture around the world, but unlike many other stereotypically American things, it does indeed play an important role in the everyday life of American people.

Unexpected Situation Essays

Unexpected Situation Essays Unexpected Situation Essay Unexpected Situation Essay (It has a lot of grammar mistakes) Except for the rain thats been crashing for hours and the house-shuddering wind that howls through the darkness outside, its an ordinary evening at my house. Then comes a knock on the door. Im not expecting anyone. I look through the peephole, but the condensation from the wet night air has fogged it to uselessness. So I simply open the door and find a familiar man, I cant recognize his face. I notice the fire that made the sky goes red, the air feels smoky and thick. Ive always thought the preternatural is all in my head until I see this punch of people with decomposing skin lurching and teetering around the street. My heart beats against my chest and it feels like its going to break through, stomach pains, and constant shaking. All noises seem amplified, and my brain Just freaks out; I cant believe whats going on out there. I feel like the whole world is swirling, find it very hard to catch a breath, and I get a very dry mouth. The man steps in and close the door as I start crying, he hold me and make me lay on the sofa and bring me water. Are you okay? He asks me, Dont worry it was a panic attack I replied Whats going on out there? . Recognize his tattoos when he starts cleaning himself; the shark on the side of his head I chose which stands for survival; we had a car accident and hardly survived at the age of 18, and the rose on the back of his hand. How did my high school best friend become so handsome in 10 years? Tall black hair and full of tattoos; I can barely see his skin. I look out of a window carefully, waiting for him to explain this calamity. I see cadavers thrown on the pavement and abominable creatures fevering the bodies, enjoying the taste of human meat, and finding the blood fountains entertaining. I bet it smells like sludge and rotting flesh outside the house. What is the purpose behind spreading an epidemic and create zombies? The sight is blood-curdling. I start crying again and Ronnie tries to calm me down, he says in a confident voice The zombie apocalypse is starting. The sun disappears as the sky gets darker. Do you have enough food and water? Seems like we will stick here for days until the military handle the situation.

Using Beowulf in the Secondary Education Classroom Research Paper

Using Beowulf in the Secondary Education Classroom - Research Paper Example During the Anglo Saxon era story telling was an integral part of their daily life. Storytelling had a huge significance to the societies them. Storytelling was done for entertainment, to teach, and as a pastime. As a result of their storytelling culture, they are able to keep certain aspects of social conducts in check. The resulting situation is one in which people were able to know the social standards of conduct that is expected of them by the society. It was also used as a way of passing of culture from generation to generation. The stories that were traditionally told in the Anglo Saxon societies had a number of cultural messages that were passed to the audience (Zimmerman 125). As a result of this nature, they were able to give cultural details to people, enabling the continuity of the society’s cultural values. This is the reason as to why storytelling is commonly referred to as one of the most effective means through which societies in the Anglo Saxon era made sure tha t they preserved their culture from one generation to another. Traditionally the Anglo Saxon culture was always passed from one generation to another through oral literature. This made oral literature an important part of the lives of the people during the Anglo Saxon era. The thing about oral literature that is closely dependent on language. Understanding of a community’s linguistic history will enable someone to understand their oral literature. The English language has undergone some changes between the time of Anglo Saxon and the modern British society (Davison, Jon, Caroline Daly, and John Moss 99). This kind of understanding will help someone in getting the most from Anglo Saxon epic poems such as Beowulf. This will also enhance their use in literal and linguistic arts education. The poem depicts the warrior culture of Europe during the period of Anglo Saxon. This is in many ways of high historical

Starbucks External and Internal Environment Essay

Starbucks External and Internal Environment - Essay Example Business of Starbucks is complemented by three operating segments such as International division, United States division and Global Consumer Products division. The study has selected UK in order to analyze critical success factor and resource capability of Starbucks. Impact of external environment on business policy of Starbucks will be measured by using PESTLE and Porter’s Five Force analysis. SWOT, value chain analysis and VRIO framework will be used to understand internal strength of Starbucks. Critical success factor (CSF) analysis will be important part of the study. Starbucks Corporation was established by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl in the year 1971. In the initial years Starbucks operated business with single store located in Pike Place Market of Seattle. The company is headquartered at Seattle, Washington, U.S. Distribution network of the company is complemented by 6700 owned stores and 4080 licensed stores in USA. Starbucks has established their presence in more than sixty countries with the help of 20,000 stores. The company offers hot drinks, food items, various coffee drinks and other retail merchandise. As of 2011, market capitalization of the company is US$37.84 billion while sales revenue was more than US$ 13 billion. The company is facing competitions from various big players such as Dunkin' Brands, Nestle, McDonalds, and Wendy's International, Inc. Strategic Group map for Coffee industry can be explained in the following manner: (Source: Brown, 2011) Task A (1) Analysis of Starbucks External Environment Macro Environme nt Analysis PESTLE will be used to analyze macro environment condition of UK. Political UK is one of the most influential countries in the world and plays crucial role on deciding business policy in North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Government in the country has taken stern steps such as 24% budget cut for department of media, sports and culture in order to reduce overall financial deficit in the country. Government in the country has planned to reduce corporate tax by 22% within next two years and raise income tax bar ?8,200 to ?9,205. Economic Economic recession has contracted GDP growth by 0.2% while industry growth rate of the country has slumped to 0.8% last year. Economists forecasted unemployment of UK will touch 8.4% by the end of 2012 and more than 2.5 million people will get unemployed within next one year Social Budget deficit of Government has created challenge for people of the country to maintain standard living style while "managed migration" police government has f urther deteriorated the situation. Working age population in the country is growing at a rate of 7.7% for last two years. Technology Retailers are using latest technologies such as RFID, ERP and

See reqiurmence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

See reqiurmence - Essay Example Before embarking upon the discussion a brief look into the background would be helpful. The famous Silk Road paved the way for the Chinese goods that mainly consisted, silk, printed paper, gun powder and compass. Not only those are goods but ground breaking inventions that held the Chinese head high at the global arena (Whitfield, 2004). The communist government was established in China in 1949 and China entered a prolonged phase of social and economic restructuring till 1977 (MacKerras & Yorke, 1991, p.81). This phase is characterized by meager economic exchange. (Bell, Khor & Khochar, 1993). The reflection of globalization is almost everywhere, however for simplicity only four variables are considered in this paper; agriculture, Industry, International trade and foreign direct investment. Again a coin has two faces so as globalization. The paper analyses the impact of globalization on the Chinese economy. It means that the all or none policy while judging the impact of globalizatio n on Chinese economy would be faulty and far from the actual reality. Statistical overview The following table summarizes the growth rates of the agriculture, industry and trade pre and post reform period. This gives a brief picture regarding the impact of globalization in terms of figures on the Chinese economy: table 1: Annual growth rates of China's economy 1970-2010 (%)    pre-reform 1970-78 Reform period    1970-78 1979-84 1985-95 1996-00 2001-05 2006-10 GDP 4.9 8.8 9.7 8.2 9.9 11.1 Agriculture 2.7 7.1 4 3.4 4.3 4.5 Industry 6.8 8.2 12.8 9.6 11.4 11.9 Service n.a. 11.6 9.7 8.3 10.1 11.9 Foreign Trade 20.5 14.3 15.2 9.8 25.3 13.8 Import    12.7 13.4 9.5 24.9 14.2 Export    15.9 17.2 10.1 25.7 13.5 Population 1.8 1.4 1.37 0.91 0.63 0.5 Per capita GDP 3.1 7.4 8.3 7.2 9 10.6 (Huang, Wang and Qiu, 2012, p.5) The financial crisis of 2008 accounts for the lower annual growth rates of foreign trade, imports and exports for the period 2006-2010, but China managed to be consisten t in terms of GDP rate and the domestic sectors. Agriculture The initial impact of globalization on Chinese agriculture might be summarized as the transformation from collectivization to individual household responsibility. Improved form of agricultural procedures was introduced with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, machineries were welcomed and that brought a huge growth in agricultural output and in rural income. However this success was short lived and by mid 80’s rural economic growth had achieved its ceiling. By the end of the decade and the beginning of the next one stagnation and a step ahead degeneration became the trademark of Chinese rural area. As agriculture is the prime profession of the rural people it also serves as a dummy for the agricultural sector that was subject to the same problem. To raise agricultural production, deforestation took place at an unprecedented level and impacted the environment. Soon the rural household felt the brunt of rising price of machinery, fertilizers and pesticides and resorted to their initial way of farming that gave rise to pseudo unemployment. Apart from that, globalization exposed the farmers to market price fluctuations. Along with

Society and Physical Appearance

Society and Physical Appearance Nowadays people feel a responsibility to fit into todays society. People want to look as better as possible due to the outside influences one has. In the online article written by Jane Shure readers are able to realize how the surroundings have a great effect on choices that we make. This article points out three major categories on which tries to explain in more detail the troubles with body images. Readers are able to see how cultural background plays an important role on peoples body image. Couple of factors that influences notoriously on todays society is the media and advertising companies. These two change peoples perspectives in having an idea on what we should look like, being that just of myth that is not a reality. Many people tend to follow this ideal look due to the reason that media is exposing visual and audio messages every day, which is unrealistic. Some may even get to the point of having health issues becoming bulimic or anorexic due to the reason that they want to fit into those role models that the media exposes. Readers are also able to see that peers and family could affect positively or negatively in the way one feels. Most of the time peoples body image is negatively affected due to the fact the parents neglect to provide confidence for child wasnt sufficient enough for them to feel positive themselves and create that confidence on how they look and how they think people look at them. Peers also play an important role on peoples body imagines. As a one is growing up, peers tend to criticize by the outside appearance because of you physical appearance. For example, kids tend to be shorter, fatter, and skinnier than others are. Due to the many studies that have been done from a psychological perspective, body image could be explained through the social cultural perspective. Sociocultural perspective refers to behavior one follows due to the surroundings the individual has from how they act and how they look at things from their point view. This varies because we all come from different background and we each have different beliefs that make us act different from one another depending the situation we are in. One can clearly see how this sociocultural perspective strongly relates to the article written by Jane Shure in that it explains the influences that affects ones behavior. An example would be that body image is greatly influenced by family and peers (Shure, 2009). This is important because through this readers can realize that growing up as a child family and peers have a great influence in the way we act and behave to others. This is an example of sociocultual perspective because family and peers are an outside influencers that due to the interaction that people have day by day, they influence greatly in the choices and ideas one has (Wade, 2008). Another example of the article that relates the sociocultural perspective is the way media influences society in what they should look like. An example would be how the fashion industry does a great job in influencing what we should buy in order to fit in (Sadaba, 1997). This is important because through this one can see how the media manipulates ones actions and preferences as to what we should and should not like. According to the sociocultural perspective this example relates strongly to this perspective in that people dont chose what they really want, they rather follow the crowd by listening to what society is advising them to acquire (Wade 2008). Lastly, another example that could help us understand better, how the sociocultural perspective relates to the article would be the challenge individuals could face in changing the idea of what our body should look like. Because our surroundings have great influences in how we see and look at ourselves, it is very difficult in changing the idea that media, family, and peers have influence us in believing what the ideal image should be (Sadaba, 1997). This is essential in that because one has been influenced since childhood; it would be difficult to change the way you see yourself and others. Through this one can see the sociocultural perspective in that the cause of how we fell physically living in our body is due to the fact that the body image that has been established through our surroundings (Wade, 2008). In conclusion, studying the issue on physical appearance from a sociocultural perspective would help in solving this problem in helping individuals look at themselves more positively. On example in how studying this issue from this perspective would help others would be in that they can realize that they do not have to follow the unrealistic model ideal look that they media portraits that we should look like. This would help in changing the individuals body image that one should look like in loving themselves and loving other how they are and not judge them by their physical appearance. Another example that studying this issue from this perspective can help in solving this problem would be that one should surround ourselves with family and peers that can positively can help us in increasing our confidence. This would be very important because individuals would surround themselves by people who would love and not judge them by their physical appearance. References Sadaba, Stanley W. Applied Social Psychology. (1997). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Shure, Jane, PHD (2009). How Body Image Impacts Self-Esteem. Submitted on Feb. 19, 2009 from http://www.selfgrowth.com Wade, C. Tavris, C. (2008). Invitation to Psychology (4th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

A Good Man Is Hard To Find Essay -- English Literature

A Good Man Is Hard To Find The story "A Good Man is Hard To Find" begins with a family planning to take a vacation to Florida. The grandmother who does not want to take the vacation in Florida is persuading the family. She has read about a crazed killer by the name of the Misfit, who is on the run, heading for Florida. The mambas of her family ignore the grandmother. On the day of the trip, ironically, the grandmother is dressed in her Sunday best. She is decked in white gloves and navy blue dress with matching hat. She is the first one in the car and ready to go. O'Connor is getting the reader to visualize the Southern culture. The grandmother's purpose of dressing this way is to be recognized as a lady, in case someone saw her dead on the highway. This tells me the grandmother's thoughts of death are shallow. Later in the story, the Misfit says, "There never was a body that gave the undertaker a tip." (qtd, in DiYanni 202) The grandmother's readiness for death is an indication that she does not want to go where there is a prisoner on the loose. However, her read...

My personal experience Essay

This story is from my personal experience where I was involved directly with the central character in this story. This story is about a little girl who had lot of aspirations in life and wanted to make a mark in this world. Though the name doesn’t matter but for the matter of convenience, let us call her Mary. Mary’s only fault, if it was, was getting born to parents who could only afford her education by skipping one meal in a day. Mary was above average and hence scored well in her kindergarten levels. The problem started when she was promoted to 1st standard where the level of difficulty increased for her. Her parents who could not read or write were of little help. In the daily grind of earning, when they could hardly afford the meals and her education, getting a tutor for her was a distant dream. This made the little bud sink as she always wanted to be the best and was ready to work hard as well but the conditions at home and school prevented her from unlocking her potential. On one side while her parents had their own rut to handle, her school teacher was not any considerate. She would hardly teach in the class and yet expect her students to perform the best. Well, her prestige was at stake. Any weak student in the class was a pain for her and she wanted to devise ways and means to expel the student who was not able to score. The first trimester results were declared and as expected Mary flunked in most of the subjects. She was not the worst but she was not above average any more. Mary’s teacher was infuriated with the results of the class, which was not as she wanted. She felt a necessity to teach last 10 rankers a lesson. What else could be better method than to physically torture the tiny tender kids, so that they never forget the lesson the learned teacher was trying to hammer on them. In no time, last 10 rankers were asked to stand outside in the sun which was blazing at the peak summer noon. No prizes for guessing that our Mary was also asked to stand in the scorching heat. The summer sun was too harsh for the slender frame of Mary who could not sustain and passed out on the ground. She was immediately rushed in the shade and nursed. This incidence further aggravated teacher’s indignation. It was difficult for her to believe that kids of Mary’s age can not sustain such punishments. She considered Mary to be faking the whole situation. Teacher remembered the incidence and sought to vindicate it at the right opportunity. It did not take much time for the right opportunity to come in. The Semester exams were going on. Mary was trying her best to prepare for the difficult subjects. Her parents had asked me to take few classes for her as a favor. I agreed and started coaching Mary on the subjects. She was having good grasping power and unique ability to apply the knowledge as soon as acquired. Hence, my effort was quite less in teaching her and the output was beyond my expectation. I started liking to teach her. Mary was working very hard to make up the grades. She was doing well in her exams, she used to tell me. On the day of her last exam, Mary was quietly writing her paper. The paper was easy for her as she was well prepared. The teacher, as vindictive she was, was watching for a slight error from Mary so that she could throw her out of the exam hall. To Mary’s misfortune, the moment arrived. A quick gust of wind flew Mary’s question paper to her fellow students’ desk. As Mary went on to pick her question paper, she was confronted & slapped hard by her teacher who left no stone un-turned in proving that she was cheating. Mary cried, cried and cried but it all went on deaf ears. Fortunately, for Mary, the principal of the school was passing by. She stopped and asked the reason for the commotion. Thankfully, the principal believed Mary and allowed her to complete her exams. This was the last straw for the class teacher to consider Mary her sworn enemy. To rub salt on her wounds, Mary’s result was just excellent in the semester exams. She had topped, though over all she was 3rd ranker but still there were six months to go and Mary hoped that she would be able to regain her original position. And then the fateful day arrived. It was one week, since the school opened and Mary was quite excited to learn the subjects further. She was quick to answer the questions asked in the class and was doing very well. Finally, on that day, the teacher got into an ego clash and asked Mary to explain something which was way beyond Mary’s scope of learning. The teacher, infuriated, threw the duster with full force towards Mary which unfortunately hit Mary directly at her temple. Immediate brain hemorrhage followed resulting in on-the-spot loss of a life which was definitely not meant to be going this way. The teacher was tried in the court but she was released due to lack of evidence and on the ground of accidental but not intended hit. Life is going on usual for me or anyone else in the world, but definitely its’ no more a fair world for me!

High Tech Materials and Designs

High Tech Materials and Designs The industrial revolution ushered in an era of technology growth that has over the years changed according to human needs. Every period in time has had unique problems that people have used technology to solve. All fields that help the optimum functioning and survival of humanity on the planet have been undergoing technological evolutions that in many ways have made life better on earth. Medicine, education, construction, and communication have all been positively affected by technology[1].Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on High Tech Materials and Designs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The 21st century has is facing serious challenges like no other time in the course of human development. However, the challenges that the world is facing right now come at the backdrop of increased pollution and environmental degradation, global terror, economic crises and humanity crises like war. One of the most dominant problems the world is facing now is environmental degradation and pollution. It is estimated that most world’s natural forests and a good number of animal species would have disappeared by the year 2050 if no action is taken. There is also the problems of increased cost of living, poverty and the threat of global economic collapse. These challenges have necessitated the need for development of designs using new materials that aim to conserve the environment, reduce costs for companies and governments while at the same time improving the standards of living for the planet’s eight billion people. Innovation therefore has become an unavoidable goal and objective in the pursuit of materials that whose design can help address the challenges highlighted above[2]. Current product development dynamics operate in a rapidly changing technological environment. Emphasis has been laid on product complexity or simplicity as well as life cycle. Innovative material concepts are growing rapidly in response to the challenges facing the humanity and to fulfill the new design opportunities that have been created. Material selection also takes into account the durability and reliability aspects that various product designs need. Some aspects including the environment, tenacity of the material, safety, and cost saving aspects, guide designers. The designs with the new improved materials aim at providing maximum benefits to the end users, promote sustainability as well as reducing dependence on the irreplaceable natural resources. Some of these materials are nano-structured materials, smart materials as well as spin off materials mainly used in the aerospace industry and renewable materials that are expected to provide an alternative to materials of fossil origin. This paper will focus on products that have been manufactured out of designs that are made from new materials. The industries that the high tech designed materials fall include aerospace, motor vehicle, building, and con struction.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It’s important to note that the designs discussed here focus on the specific elements of products from the aerospace, auto and building and construction industries. It’s also important to note that the designs are specifically made from new materials or materials that have been modified to serve as new materials. Aerospace and aviation One of the industries that use some of the most advanced technologies today is the aerospace industry. These needs are mainly motivated by the challenges that the consumers are facing in the, market the need include building new aircraft for defense, climate and weather monitoring and space exploration. There is also the need to produce environmental friendly materials that will be used in the manufacture of equipment that produces minimal pollution. Innovation in the industry has l ed to the adoption of high tech ways that improve the current materials besides producing completely new ones. Materials commonly used in the aviation sector include refractory metals, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, and rhenium[3]. There are also ceramic materials as well as electronic chemicals and functional materials. These materials have been developed over time. They have undergone transformation and converted to new materials that the aviation industry uses with numerous advantages that address the 21st challenges. The new materials have been able to offer aviation equipment extended life with super alloys of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium. In addition, aviation industries have produced new materials and technology using yttrium-stabilized zirconium that has led to efficient fuel consumption for both commercial and aircraft. Though space exploration started in the 1960’s a lot is still to be achieved and space exploration has acquired new importance especially as human beings look up to new places to exploit minerals and dump toxic wastes like nuclear. The discovery of ceramics and its use in outer space travels have proved to be a vital development in aviation and aerospace industry with new materials helping in heat insulation especially on the international space station. Additionally, Boeing the world’s leading plane manufacturer recently unveiled a passenger plane made exclusively out of carbon materials that they believe will make the aircraft lighter and efficient in fuel consumption.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on High Tech Materials and Designs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Auto Industry Making lightweight vehicles is a concept that manufacturers of motor vehicles have pursued since the discovery of the motor vehicle. Like in the aerospace industry, lightweight vehicles are efficient in their consumption of fuels, a concern that 21st century environme ntalists and business people share[4]. Changes for instance to the Fuel Economy in the US has forced automakers to research on new materials to design new light weight vehicles whose consumption of fuels is significantly reduced. Experts estimate that vehicles whose weight is reduced by 10% will have their consumption of fuels reduced by 3-7%. Additionally, lightweight vehicles manufactured with lightweight materials have sustained greenhouse gas emissions reductions over the lifecycle of the vehicle. Furthermore, lightweight vehicles have lower noise levels compared to old models. The materials used in the production of lightweight vehicles have been modified over time. Regular steel has been the main material in vehicle production for a long time. However, other materials like high-strength steel, aluminium, and composites have increasingly found use in lightweight vehicle manufacturing especially the 21st century. In the 21st century, magnesium and composites have found greater u se in vehicle manufacturing in the pursuit of lightweight vehicles. Nowadays composites especially carbon fibres make up 50% of the total vehicle volumes. The current vehicle designs involving composites are for cosmetic purposes. Nevertheless, like in the aerospace industry, car-manufacturing companies like BMW and Daimler have started joint ventures aimed at increasing the use of composite materials in structural construction of cars[5]. Already the new MBW Megacity relies heavily on carbon fibres components for structural elements. According to BMW and Daimler, the new partnership on new vehicle manufacturing materials aims to introduce carbon fibre vehicles into the market to address the challenges presented by the existing models. Additionally, industry players are emphasizing on the development of multilateral designs that will help in the production of optimal lightweight vehicle designs.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Construction industry Sustainability is the most talked about and widely held notion that guides human endeavors in the world today. Furthermore, sustainability has environmental, social, and economic dimensions that affect all human life aspects on the planet. The construction industry besides the ones discussed above bears the greatest responsibility in environmental degradation[6]. The choice of materials used in the industry determines the effects the environment bears and if they are friendly or not. The idea behind improving materials used in the construction industry is to improve the efficiency of buildings and improving their capability in recycling and reusability. Many of the buildings that have come up in the past have been refurbished or decommissioned. Construction engineers tend to consider these building a great source of reusable materials that can be salvaged through harvesting. Salvaged materials have become part of the designs of buildings in the 21st century. Th e use of salvaged materials according to environmentalists is one of the most effective ways of conserving natural resources that have widespread economic benefits. Architects and construction engineers are nowadays emphasizing the designing of buildings that facilitate this phenomenon, which provides responsible environmental building designs in the industry. Building designs and construction is now focused on deconstruction rather than demolition. Salvaged material have become so important in the industry that its expected that if the trend catches up with many mainstream building firms, the planet will be saved of millions of hectares of forests by the year 2050. Many buildings have been designed using salvaged materials especially in Canada where forest conservation has given impetus. In the city of Vancouver for instance, the Vancouver Materials Testing Lab and the C.K. Choi and Liu Centre buildings serve to demonstrate the success that is designing buildings with salvaged mate rials. The materials used in the lab were salvaged from demolished warehouse buildings in the city. The main aim of this project was to demonstrate that salvaged materials could be used to achieve multiple environmental. Custom components of the building are made from fabricated materials salvaged from the demolished buildings. Additionally, glazing material used in the building is made from salvaged glass. In this particular project, it’s estimated that the savings that have been made through the use of salvaged materials amount to over $50, 000. That is the monetary side of the savings. When environmental benefits are incorporated, the advantages are even more. However, there needs to be more involvement of technology in the new material designs for benefits to be widely felt. Conclusion There are numerous designs of products and other works that have been achieved by the use of materials specifically adapted to 21st century problems. The above three industries’ prod ucts form some of the needy areas where new designs with new materials are needed. The challenges that face people in this century show little signs of abating despite the technological progress made. Designs using new materials will form one of the most basic approaches to alleviating these challenges. When combined with other cost cutting factors, the new designs using new materials will go along way in helping the long-term environmental sustainability of the planet as well as economic growth. References Ashley, S. Shedding pounds on a magnesium diet. Automotive Engineering International. (2010). pp. 34-36. Brooke, L. A Featherweight Future. Automotive Engineering International. (2009). pp. 24-26. Ichikawa, K. Functionally graded materials in the 21st century: a workshop on trends and Forecasts, Springer. (2002). 56-60. Inns, T. Designing for the 21st Century: Interdisciplinary Methods and Findings:Nd Volume 2 – P 181 Trilling, B. Et al. 21st Century Skills: Learning for L ife in Our Times: Volume 1. (2009). Pp 150-187. Footnotes Ichikawa, K. Functionally graded materials in the 21st century: a workshop on trends and Forecasts, Springer. (2002). pp. 56-60. Trilling, B. Et al. 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times: Volume 1. (2009). Pp 150-187. Inns, T. Designing for the 21st Century: Interdisciplinary Methods and Findings: Volume 2 – P 181 Ashley, S. Shedding pounds on a magnesium diet. Automotive Engineering International. (2010), pp. 34-36. Brooke, L. A Featherweight Future. Automotive Engineering International. (2009). pp. 24-26. Ichikawa, K. Functionally graded materials in the 21st century: a workshop on trends and Forecasts, Springer. (2002). 56-60.

Essay on Business Communication Skills

Essay on Business Communication Skills Essay on Business Communication Skills Ethical business communication skills allow managers to effectively communicate with internal and external staff on a personal basis. Organizational communication skills are used with internal and external stakeholders for the purpose of coordination of leadership and staff behaviors. Managers use leadership skills to utilize key external concepts such as stories, metaphors and strategic dialog to establish supportive relationships with colleagues. It seems that more and more emphasis are being placed on corporate relationships and less on authority. This relational focus has been accompanied by a growing interest in the phenomenon of trust which is considered as an important component of the social structure. Exchanging thoughts and nonverbal communication by sharing information, providing feedback and maintaining social relationships are the steps that has to be taken to develop and nurture such an environment. Today's emerging ethnic consumers represent the largest which is the most overlooked market in America. According to the 2000 U. S. Census, by 2050, people of color will represent 55 percent of the population. Ethnic Americans have economic clout and their spending power has grown tremendously doubled in the past decade and is now almost $3 trillion. There has been a fair amount of research describing the portrayal of racial minorities in advertising. For some time advertisers have attempted to communicate the look and feel of their messages in accordance with the makeup of their targeted audience. For example African Americans have been shown to display a more positive attitude toward the advertisement and the product itself when black models are portrayed. In general (non-ethnic) audiences have shown to react positively to the increased incidence of African Americans in advertisements. By the same token, studies have shown that the white audience reaction to black characters range from neutral to negative, depending on elements of their demographic profiles. The lack of effective communication can make or break a company, a product, or a diversity initiative. Currently I am working for an organization that is more the 95% Indian; I find their very heavy accent is a daily challenge for me. By now I am use to being the minority (being

Fashion Marketing -Marks and Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fashion Marketing -Marks and Spencer - Essay Example The essay "Fashion Marketing - Marks and Spencer" concerns the fashion marketing. The company started by Amancio Ortega at the Northern part of Spain continually enjoyed growth in the Spanish market through strategic prepositions. Initially, the chain served the needs of the local consumer in the young feminine segment. Within the last ten years, the company grew proportionately to increased revenues and consumer loyalty through the modernized approaches that it employed. The company preserves the strengths of analyzing the customer targets in the market as serving the entire fashion market poses more threats than opportunities. The company defines that the youthful female consumer depicts a standardized behavior throughout the geographical segments. Zara depicts that the consumer buying decision model affects all businesses alike. The company analyzes fashion needs through the online research surveys and establishes on the fashion trends that depict a favorable rate of return on inv estment. Through a communicative channel that tends to link the company to the consumer, Zara advertises on the release of the garments that target to suit perceived consumer needs. The company runs a solely owned ultramodern factory that designs and makes garments in accordance to the anticipated consumer needs. Zara communicates actual date of releasing the new makes to the customer, and through an effective delivery chain, the company avails the garments to the more than 1500 outlets in 70 countries of the world economy. ... The Limited Collection brand was introduced in the late 2004; it was not being considered that it could significantly remain helpful to create such a unique differentiation. But it remained pretty successful and customers showed a very high adoptability towards the brand. However it has its same placement and the concept oriented approach which keenly values the notion of cost and brand consciousness. Serving segment is cost conscious group, target population is high class and upper middle class whereas positioning of the products is as a high quality and distinguished fashioned products. The Limited Collection brand offers a wide range of women’s, men’s and kid’s wear. The best feature of the brand is that the offerings are replaced each week from the outlet. In this way, it has a vast choice and unique variety because of rapid replacement of display items from the stores. The section of Limited Collection is not offered at every outlet which is a step towards a specification orientation (Marketingweek.co.uk, 2004). Competitors’ Analysis for Marks and Spencer Competitors’ analysis is really worth when designing a lucrative marketing strategy. The competitors of Marks and Spencer in fashion industry include a wide range of potential competitors. The competitors may include elite class fashion designers to middle class fashion wears. It is important to study the characteristics of the competitors. The realistic competitors of M&S are those who present their products to the population of upper middle class and higher classes of the society. Specifically the competitors of M&S may include Alde, Centra, Levi’s and ASDA. Although some of these companies

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

International Management - Essay Example The key opinion/position or argument of the author is that it is essential for EU to take advantage of the potential opportunities of the Southeast Asian region if they are to maintain their global trading power. Therefore EU has to strengthen its linkages with the region to counter the regionalism taking place. He argues that those firms placed within the Southeast Asian region in the form of Multinational operations, International Joint ventures and other forms of FDI, stands to gain favourably from the opportunities emerging from the regionalization process taking place in this part of the world economy. It is him opinion that by taking advantage of the simultaneous drives of these nations to attract FDI ventures that target outward bound export activities, EU firms can capitalize on these trends of regionalism. Southeast Asian region is growing at an average rate of 7.2% compared to 2.4% of EU and these growth markets offer high potential. The techno industrial capabilities of the countries in the region have developed to match those of the EU countries. Countries such as Australia and USA are benefiting form the regionalism taking place through its linkages to the region in terms of APEC and will benefit from the overlapping member relationships of APEC and ASEAN. Those EU firms that have achieved the â€Å"insider† status by locating themselves within the region has benefited by being able to compete effectively not only in the host country market but in export activities to all other nations in the region, compared to outsider firms in EU as well as other nations in pacific rim and USA. If EU firms are to take advantage of the impact of regionalism, by countering negativities and maximising opportunities, they can do so by locating themselves within the region, especially the Sub Regional Economic Zones which operate on interlinked business relationships. Although

The Impact of Logistics and Supply Chain Integration on Maritime Research Proposal

The Impact of Logistics and Supply Chain Integration on Maritime Transportation - Research Proposal Example The oceanic containers make sure liveliness of consignments and several ports are bestowed to this expertise and as a result, strengthen their position as a key hub center. There have been a number of convergences of â€Å"Maritime Transportation† with Maritime Logistics, and which can be attributed to the objective integration of the modes of transport obsessed by the packaging and the growing needs of the end-users, which demands the use of logistics concepts (Edgerton, 2013, p. 25). To study and evaluate the contemporary technologies of integrated cargo transportation by sea and land, in combination with the port, maritime and ground transportation technologies, new communication and information technologies, shipment forwarding as well as warehousing techniques. These will be done according to the flows of commodities and shipment itinerary abiding with the basic principles of logistics of timeliness, security and competence, and keeping harmony with national and international maritime law. Demand for uninterrupted freight and â€Å"transportation† methods for the upcoming concept of â€Å"supply chain† and logistics integration is increasingly rapidly (Edgerton, 2013, p. 25). The unending problems of congestion faced by road transport and the limitation of the rail transport networks have resulted in a development of more effective integrated transporting solution. Supply chain integration stands for an assuring but complicated tool, which is still growing as a weapon in the global industry place. To maintain this maturation procedure, more supply chain research is required to expose the critical barriers of the integration procedure. â€Å"Maritime transportation† industry is a vital industry whose significance is being increasingly recognised in the global trading practices (Edgerton, 2013, p. 25). Carbone and DeMartino

Web 2.0 Learning Essay Example for Free

Web 2.0 Learning Essay The original wiki, The Portland Pattern Repository (Portland pattern repository, n. d) was created by Full Name Cunningham in 1995 (c2. com/cgi. wiki? WikiHistory – reference properly – if there is no author use the title of the page The definition of a wiki is a webpage or set of webpages that can be easily edited by anyone who is allowed access (Edersbach et al. ,2006 ). The overriding goal of a wiki is to become a shared repository of knowledge with the knowledge base growing over time (Godwin-Jones, 2003). Chawner and Lewis (2004) noted that a wiki is an example of â€Å"social software†, â€Å"a type of software that makes it easy for groups of people to work in a virtual environment†. However, Viegas , Wattenberg and Dave (2004) indicate that wikis are vulnerable to malicious edits or â€Å"vandalism,† which can be a problem at may levels. However, Cych (2006) argues that acts of vandalism and mistakes are rectified quite quickly by the self-moderation processes at work (a couple of sentences expanding on this issue is needed here – if I were you I’d try and refer to something which discusses the accuracy of wikipedia against the encyclopeadia britannica). As an alternative to the global editing of wiki’s, restricting access to registered users only is often used for professional, work group wikis. One of the great features of a wiki is its capacity to be able easily editable. A wiki has the capacity to be able to be edited collaboratively rather the information presented in wikis have the option to be edited or added utilizing a very rudimentary mark-up computer code that would use a internet explorer or browser. Broken down, one page within a wiki is referred by many as a wiki page as compared to the entire set of wiki pages is called a wiki when taken into consideration (Cunningham Leuf 2001). Thus, it can be generalized that a wiki is a collection of information where contributors can contribute collectively and users can access freely information. This has been proven as one of the most accessible or effective web 2. 0 applications in providing accessible and affordable information to students and researchers. One characteristic of a wiki that has made it so popular in sharing and communicating information to students is its ease of usability. Students need not have a degree in computer science or web applications but rather just the passion of sharing intuition and a little bit of patience in order to learn the scripts involved in the programming. They are free and without any need for registration so that users need not have the need to register or pay any amount (Aigrain 2003). It also offers real-time editing and creation so it provides the opportunity for students, researchers and faculty with much needed time as they acquire, research, and provide information within the educational institution. To summarize, unlike blogs, Wikis tend to be more structured and flexible,and, while blogs can be highly personal, wikis are intensely collaborative (Godwin-Jones, 2003). Wikipedia Wikipedia is full blown example of a Wiki. Wikipedia is the pet-project of Wikimedia Foundation which is a non-profit organization that aims to provide encyclopaedia-type information to internet users. Wikipedia has then turned out to become almost a household name, with more than 8,000,000 online articles that is accessible in the internet and is presented in more than 250 languages (it is noteworthy that almost 2,000,000 of those articles are made in English). These articles are peer-developed, rather they are developed and continually improved by researchers, users and experts of a particular field in order to provide the most accurate and up to date information on a given topic/subject (Hinchcliffe, 2006). Currently, Wikipedia holds just below 610 million words which are approximately 15 times more than what Encyclopaedia Britannica holds in these books (Godwin-Jones, 2003). Because of its nature of being able to be written collaboratively by practically anyone that has something to contribute in the page, its fame and usefulness as a resource for information has steadily increased even from the start of its creation. Currently Wikipedia is within the top ten websites around the world that is being visited daily by users worldwide (Chawner Lewis, 2004). The name â€Å"Wikipedia† that was developed by Wikimedia is a combination of two words – Wiki which points to an online collaborative effort in creating an article or text and Encyclopedia (Godwin-Jones, 2003). But fame is without its critics. Because of Wikipedia’s astronomical rise and open nature, other people critical about these aspects have begun to look closer on wikipedia’s accuracy, precision with respect to how it is able to present information and reliability for users and researchers alike. Wikipedia has been constantly hounded with comments pertaining to high vulnerability of being vandalized and used for spreading wrong information that can be used as reference. However, because of its huge support from users, contributors and sub-programs have begun to address these problems (Chawner Lewis, 2004). In addition to this, there were studies conducted that focused on these two aspects of wikipedia and they showed that in general, Wikipedia’s instances of vandalism is rather short-lived and is as accurate as any other encyclopaedia, online or hard bound. Because of this it has won such prestigious awards as the Time Person of the year that focused on how Web 2. 0 technologies has furthered and practically galvanized online collaboration and collective effort throughout the world in order to produce scholarly articles for free.

The Role Of Religion In International Relations

The Role Of Religion In International Relations In this book, it is informed that how vital is religion in international relations. The resurgence of religion seen as the driving force behind the clash of civilizations. According to Pavlos Hatzopoulos and Fabio Petito, religion remains as a threat to international relations own existence. In other words, politics with reference of religion became a threat to security, order and civility. PART I INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY AND RELIGION Resurgence of religion and cultural pluralism in international relations challenged the Western culture of modernity and the institutions of international society. This resurgence is part of the larger crisis of modernity. It reflects a deeper and more widespread disillusionment with a modernity that reduces the world to what can be perceived and controlledthrough reason, science, technology and bureaucratic rationality , and leaves out considerations of the religious, the spiritual, or the sacred. And also, the global resurgence of religion is the failure of the modernizing, secular state to produce both democracy and development in the Third World. Moreover, the global resurgence of religion can be seen as a revolt against the West in developing countries.  [1]   People always want to belong to different faith communities or to none. Now, there is a growing evidence in international relations to what different kind of religious perspectives may have offer to the world. The rejection of the study of religion is more stronger in international relations than in most other social sciences. The common ethical principles among the main world religions on war, peace, the just war, pacifism, human rights and peace building are identified by the scholars in international relations, Christian Ethics, and Religious Studies. These social ethics are also examined by various nongovernmental organizations such as the World Conference on Religion and Peace (Amman, Jordon, 1999) and the Parliament of the Worlds Religions.  [2]   Deep pluralism focuses the approach called virtue-ethics. It focuses on virtues, practisesand community rather than the individual or or a cosmopolitan community of humankind as a whole. The necessary dinstinction between theology(faith) and reason and leaded this question, which is superior faith or reason? A virtue-ethics approach shows how humanitarian practises can help to build up communuties in their faith as well as empower them as part of development. It maybe the case that two should go together if there is to be lasting political stability, democracy and development.  [3]   Theological and religious thinking causes debates about the role of the culture on the international politics. The presumed unity of ethics and politics mostly disappered along with it . The concequences of extinction , and the changes in theoretical perspective entailed other political models or view points . A community is not merely an artificial set of arrangemets between people. An it certainly cannot be a moral community. Humans create the state out of their own self interest means that the state can exist only so long as it appeals to peoples sinful needs rather than to any capacity for virtue tahat e denies most possess in any case. And also people obey law because it is in their self interest to do so, not because they believe it is the morally correct thing to do so. For him does not consider political activity to be natural to people nor does he believe that people engage in politics for y reason except promoting their own self interest. The article analyzes several specif ic theological views on multiculturalism in world politics, including religious pluralism, apologetics and syncretism.  [4]  Each of these perspectives challenge the exclusivist views of religion. Theological pluralism has many similarities with liberalism, yet analyses more deeply and ultimately challenge liberalisms Enlightenment presuppositions. On the other hand, apologetics is a dialogical processes which are designed to overcome the problems associated with alterity apologetics is a dialogical processes which are designed to overcome the problems associated with alterity. Syncretist religious ethics points to the contingency and multiplicity of identity. Taking these approaches seriously may well resonate with the aspects of the English School.  [5]   It shouldnt be ignored that traditional preoccupation with the problem of power in assessing the value of theological ethics. Stressing power similarities and differences, and differences including whether religious practices reinforce or challenge dominant economic and political structures of power is a contribution to the study of religion. PART II WAR, SECURITY, AND RELIGION Often the political resurgence of religious communities is accompanied by violent clashes in and between nations among others. We can give as examples; the bloody conflicts in Algeria, Bosnia, East Timor, Kashmir, Nigeria, Palestine and Sri Lanka. Primordialists argue that differences in religious traditions should be viewed the most important variable to explain violent interactions in and between nations. The resurgence of religion represents a big challenge to the existing status quo. Primordialists argue that differences in religious traditions should be viewed the most important variable to explain violent interactions in and between nations.  [6]  Instrumentalists think that conflicts may be aggravated by divergent religious creeds but they insist that the yare rarely if ever caused by them. According to them, the correlation between violent clashes and resurgence of religion is not surprising but it is necessary.  [7]  By contrast, moderate constructivists argue that a cts of violence requiers legitimization and religion and religious leaders provide such legitimization.  [8]   There is three theorethical perspectives on the impact of faith on political conflict: primordialism, instrumentalism, and moderate constructivism. In this view, cultural similarities and dissimilarities produce converging and diverging state interests. Most religious conflicts in international politics are asymmetric. States which have similar religious traditions and cosmologies will want to form alliances against whom they share little cultural and religious ideas. Violence will be largely confines to interactions that take place between civilizations. Under the conditions of scarcity and value pluralism, conflicts among groups are a universal feature of social life. They can not be avoidedbut must be taken as a result of human nature.  [9]  The sources of conflicts are usually very complex. Religious factors sometimes play a subordinate role as a source of conflicts. There is four determinants of elites strategic choices. The first one is; the degree of mobilization depends on the nature of conflict. The second one is; the degree of mobilization depends on the self-sacrificing attitudes of the groups members. The more commited the more to invest time and resources, the more practicable will be. The other determinant is; the degree of mobilization depends on the relationship between the conflict parties. And lastly, the degree of societal support depends on the public justification for the use of violence. Also there is two conditions for a successful implementation of the dialogue strategy. First, there is a dilemma between the different religious communuties. Before they resist against the violence, they have to be sure about the other communuties do the same. If this does not happen,peace would become the stupid according to conservative scholars. Secondly, all great religious communuties are more or less entangled in violent political clashes. The sources of conflicts are usually very complex. Religious factors sometimes play a subordinate role as a source of conflicts. Since the end of the Cold War, conflicts and wars are less because of political or ideological systems. And also they are not much caused by economic motives or territorial and because of gaining power. The motivations of conflicts are increasingly related to culture and identity. Or in other words, conflicts cause by ethnic or clash of civilizations. The resurgence of religion represents a big challenge to the existing status quo. And also they are not much caused by economic motives or territorial and because of gaining power. Most religious conflicts in international politics are asymmetric. Often secular states are attacked by religious groups. A threat from a religious group known for using terrorist methods. And this situation generally seen as a direct threat to sovereignty of the state. A religious attack on a secular state can be seen as one of the three main ways in which religion can be addressed within the realm of security politics  [10]  : A religious group is considered to be a threat to the survival of the state. Faith is seen as threatened by whoever or whatever nonreligious actor or process (the state, technology, industrialism, modernism, etc.). Faith is seen as threatened by another religious discourse or actor. Especially securitization on behalf of secularization against fundamentalism justifies many violations of democracy and civil liberties around the world. From a secular platform, religion as such can be depicted as a threat to political culture. On this issue international relations theory is not neutral observer as it pretends to be. It is implicated by its own secularist self perception.  [11]   PART III POLITICIZING RELIGION: TOWARD A NEW GLOBAL ETHOS? Inclusivism strives for a religious identitiy that exceed the locus of the sovereign state and the time frame of the present; it alternatively rests on a future fulfillment. Inclusivist religion can help to diminish the obstacles to a needed and desirable reconciliation of science, reason and sprituality.  [12]  Religion can bring clarity and charity to debates about a range of grievances regarding past abuses. Humane global govarnance can only ocur as the outcome of human struggle and to past efforts to overcome colonialism, slavery. The cultural division between East and West was historically neat and rigid. Between Christian and Islamic spirituality we can see familiar themes, but also a kind of sea change. In the Islamic context, intellectual spirituality is not a compact movement and it subscribe to a unified doctrine. Desecularization becomes a very important dimension of the intellectual and historical context. In this context, religion becomes an increasingly important factor in transnational and international relations. Because of the significance of religion in political arena, the Islamic resurgence in twentieth century viewed as the rise of political Islam. As a consequence, while the resurgence involves many dimensions, its political impacts received more attention. Political Islam have many types of movements. There have been movements advocating internal legal reform, the transformation of social institutions through legislation as well as social persuasion, revolutionary change of the political regime or political system. The resurgence of political Islam represents a big challenge to the existing status quo. And also it means that it is a challenge to political systems institutions and their moral and intellectual foundations.  [13]   The context of international relations has been experiencing significant transformations. Many older slogans, paradigms and ideologies that had shaped conceptual frameworks have been discredited or replaced. The collapse of Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War encouraged many to look for and identify new global threats, new enemies and conflicts. For some, political Islam became the next threat and global terrorism. But the realities of Muslim politics reflect a more complex and dynamic reality. The resurgence of religion and ethnicity has been global. Relations between Islam and the West show a process of conflict and change. Islamic jihads and Western clash of civilizations face new realities. Islamically inspired schools, medical clinics,hospitals, social services and financial institutions increased. Islamic parties demonstrated their ability to participate within the system and provide a political alternative to the regimes.Ä ±slamic activists served in cabinets became prime ministers and presidents.  [14]  The terrorism of 11 September highlighted the importance of the struggle within the Muslim world between the violent jihadist vision and the visions of pluralism and dialogue.  [15]  

Problems Mao faced with GLF and GPR :: Chinese China History

Problems Mao faced with GLF and GPR Qtn: What the problems did Mao face in trying to implement his policies in China? [12m] The policies meant in the question are the economic policy, Great leap Forward and the social policy, Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution. Mao undertook these policies in 1958 to 1960 and 1966 to 1976 respectively. Mao faced problems in both policies he undertook. However both policies shared two similar problems - uncareful planning and political problem. In implementing both policies, Mao realised that he now had to face the problem of his uncareful planning that resulted in further unexpected problems. In the Great Leap Forward, for example, his uncareful planning cause the cash crops in the field to rot while farmers were sent to work on the construction of infrastructure facilities. In the proletariat revolution, such a problem gave rise to unintended extremism of the Red Guards and violence in the society. The emphasis for highest regard for the proletariats and a cult of personality of Mao that developed soon caused Red Guards, who were Mao loyals, to commit acts of violence and social disarray. In this revolution, the theme was "Reds are better than experts". The Red Guards soon went around destroying anything associated with tradition or foreign, criticised teachers, intellects and politicians. Another shared problem is the problem of political enemies he faced. This was the biggest problem he faced because these were people who introduced policies that continually reversed his reforms. In this way, Mao's reforms faced huge obstacles for it to succeed the way Mao wanted it to be. This is because, at the same time there were policies that aimed to reverse these reforms. These political enemies were the Rightists who included Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi. Further problems for the implementation of Great Leap Forward can be classified as unintended and intended. An unintended problem was the natural disaster, a famine, which loomed China in 9159 to 1961. This disrupted Mao's reforms because people were starving and the Great leap Forward was not succeeding was not succeeding. An intended problem was the stop of aid from the Soviet Union in its provision of finance and industrial material, namely steel, to China. It was not that Mao literally intended for such a problem to arise. Rather, it was a problem that could have prevented if Mao maintained important diplomatic ties with communism ally, Soviet Union.

Network Based Grading System

Such systems do not relate expectations, outcomes and performance. As each students desires to desire a good score for each assignment , exam, project and/or report, the whole Network Based Grading System Network Based Grading System is vital in this generation, specially to teachers and students. This is a seem that could Nag network based grading system system ay sis as MGM Gilligan as pantheon Nagoya Lola an as MGM student at as MGM guru.Dahl mass anabolism zeugma Eng MGM grades Eng student gambit nag sang system gay intoning network based grading system. Gambit nag computer pawed gaming tong system. 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NC' Skip to main content Skip to navigation Resources How To About INCUBI Accesses Sign in to INCUBI MAC US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Top of Form Search terminates database Search Limits Advanced Journal list Help Bottom of Form Journal List v. 23(7308); 2001 Gag 11 MIMIC 120936 BMW. 2001 Gag 11; 323(7308): 334-336. MIMIC: MIMIC 120936 A new system for grading recommendations in evidence based guidelines Robin Harbor, information manager and Juliet Miller, director for the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network Grading Review Group Author information Article notes Copyright and License information This article has been cited by other articles in MAC.The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) develops evidence based clinical guidelines for the NASH in Scotland. The key elements of the methodology are (a) that guidelines are developed by multidisciplinary groups; (b) they are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence; and (c) recommendations are explicitly linked to the supporting evidence and graded according to the strength of that evidence. Until recently, the System or grading guideline recommendations was based on the work of the IIS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (formerly the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research). 1,2 However, experience over more than five years of guideline developm ent led to a growing awareness of this systemic weaknesses. Firstly, the grading system was designed largely for application to questions of effectiveness, where randomized controlled trials are accepted as the most robust study design with the least risk of bias in the results.However, in many areas of medical practice randomized trials may to be practical or ethical to undertake; and for many questions other types of study design may provide the best evidence. Secondly, guideline development groups often fail to take adequate account of the methodological quail ¶y' of individual studies and the overall picture presented by a body of evidence rather than individual studies or they fail to apply sufficient judgment to the overall strength of the evidence base and its applicant ability to the target population of the guideline.Thirdly, guideline users are often not clear about the implications of the grading system. They misinterpret the grade of recommendation as relating to its i mportance, rather than to the strength of the supporting evidence, and may therefore fail to give due weight to low grade recommendations.Summary points A revised system of determining levels of evidence and grades of recommendation for evidence based clinical guidelines has been developed Levels of evidence are based on study design and the methodological quality of individual studies All studies related to a specific question are summarized in an evidence table Guideline developers must make a considered judgment bout the generalizations, applicability, consistency, and clinical impact of the evidence to create a clear link between the evidence and recommendation Grades of recommendation are based on the strength of supporting evidence, taking into account its overall level and the considered judgment of the guideline developers In 1 998, SIGN undertook to review and, where appropriate, to refine the system for evaluating guideline evidence and grading recommendations. The review had three main objectives.Firstly, the group aimed to develop a system that would maintain the link between the trench of the available evidence and the grade of the recommendation, while allowing recommendations to be based on the best available evidence and be weighted accordingly. Secondly, it planned to ensure that the grading system incorporated formal assessment of the methodological quality, quantity, consistency, and applicability of the evidence base. Thirdly, the group hoped to present the grading system in a clear and unambiguous way that would allow guideline developers and users to understand the link between the strength of the evidence and the grade of recommendation. Go to: MethodsThe review group decided that a more explicit and structured approach (figure) to the process of developing recommendations was required to address the weaknesses identified in the existing grading system. The four key stages in the process identified by the group are shown in the box. The strength of the evidence provided by an individual study depends on the ability of the study design to minimize the possibility of bias and to maximize attribution. The hierarchy of study types adopted by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research is widely accepted as reliable in this regard and is even in box boxier. 1 Box 1 Hierarchy of study types The strength of evidence provided by a study is also influenced by how well the study was designed and carried out.Failure to give due attention to key aspects of study methods increases the risk of bias or confounding and thus reduces the stud's reliability. 3 The critical appraisal of the evidence base undertaken for SIGN guidelines therefore focuses on those aspects of study design which research has shown to have a significant influence on the validity of the results and conclusions. These key questions differ between hypes of studies, and the use of checklists is recommended to ensure that all relevant aspects are considered a nd that a consistent approach is used in the methodological assessment of the evidence. We carried out an extensive search to identify existing checklists. These were then reviewed in order to identify a validated model on which SIGN checklists could be based.The checklists developed by the New South Wales Department of Health were selected because of the rigorous development and validation procedures they had undergone. 4 These checklists were further evaluated and adapted y the grading review group in order to meet SIGN's requirements for a balance between methodological rigor and practicality of use. New checklists were developed for systematic reviews, randomized trials, and cohort and case control studies, and these were tested with a number of SIGN development groups to ensure that the wording was clear and the checklists produced consistent results. As a result of these tests, some of the wording of the checklists was amended to improve clarity. A supplementary checklist cove rs issues specific to the evaluation of diagnostic tests.This was eased on the New South Wales checklist,4 adapted with reference to the work of the Cochrane Methods Working Group on Systematic Review of Screening and Diagnostic Tests and Caruthers et al. 5,6 The checklists use written responses to the individual questions, with users then assigning studies an overall rating according to specified criteria (see box boxer). The full set of checklists and detailed notes on their use are available from SIGN. 7 Box 2 Key stages in developing recommendations Synthesis of the evidence The next step is to extract the relevant data from each study that was rated as avian a low or moderate risk of bias and to compile a summary of the individual studies and the overall direction of the evidence.A single, well conducted, systematic review or a very large randomized trial with clear outcomes could support a recommendation independently. Smaller, less well conducted studies require a body of evi dence displaying a degree of consistency to support a recommendation. In these circumstances an evidence table presenting summaries of all the relevant studies should be compiled. Considered judgment Having completed a rigorous and objective synthesis of the evidence base, he guideline development group must then make what is essentially a subjective judgment on the recommendations-?one that can validly be made on the basis of this evidence. This requires the exercise of judgment based on clinical experience as well as knowledge of the evidence and the methods used to generate it.Although it is not practical to lay out â€Å"rules† for exercising judgment, guideline development groups are asked to consider the evidence in terms of quantity, quality, and consistency; applicability; generalizations; and clinical impact. Increasing the role of subjective judgment in this way risks he reintroduction of bias into the process. It must be emphasized that this is not the judgment of an individual but of a carefully composed multidisciplinary group. An additional safeguard is the requirement for the guideline development group to present clearly the evidence on which the recommendation is based, making the link between evidence and recommendation explicit and explaining how they interpreted that evidence.Grading system The revised grading system (box (box)BE) is intended to strike an appropriate balance between incorporating the complexity Of type and laity of the evidence and maintaining clarity for guideline users. The key changes from the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research system are that the study type and quality rating are combined in the evidence level; the grading of recommendations extrapolated from the available evidence is clarified; and the grades of recommendation are extended from three to four categories, effectively by splitting the previous grade B which was seen as covering too broad a range of evidence type and quality.