Knowledge Management and Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Knowledge Management and Strategy - Case Study Example In this case the Australians Mango Industry Association Ltd. (AMIA) must look for ways in which they can create, capture, organize and eventually distribute knowledge from one part of the world to another. Consequently, the latter association needs to ensure that they can easily distribute this knowledge and that it is in fact available to other future users. Knowledge transfer mechanisms are quite different from communication mechanisms because they are more complex. AMIA needs to look for ways in which it can accumulate all the relevant knowledge for entering the Chinese market because there knowledge does not exist in just one form. The association's members could play a contributory role. Additionally, certain sub networks exist that could facilitate knowledge transfer. On top of this, it is likely that the tools and tasks prevalent within the association could go a long way in ascertaining that the company is itself one of the most respectable ones in the business. The latter association needs to put in mind that fact that a large portion of knowledge required to export mangoes to China is tacit hence the need to appropriate transfer mechanisms. There are a series of issues th... Argote (2000) states that the major weaknesses that can hinder knowledge transfer mechanisms are the informal networking activities. The following areas can facilitate these; Task forces Teams Managerial efforts Etc Since AMIA is venturing into unknown territory, then these informal networks have not yet been set. They may present problems in the transfer of knowledge. Additionally, the current situation may prove to be sticky in terms of knowledge transfer because of certain knowledge related factors. These factors can impede progress by AMAI owing to the fact that certain forms of knowledge may be too context specific. This means that there may be knowledge that applies only to Australia and cannot be exported to other parts of the world. This eventually makes such efforts futile. In other scenarios, certain forms of knowledge cannot be transferred by AMIA because it is too ambiguous to derive any form of usefulness from it. In order to acquire knowledge, it is important for people to be motivated to acquire it. In other words, the association needs to look for ways in which it can motive people to want to acquire knowledge. (Shaw, 2001) The need for motivation is important in any country or organization owing to the fact that increased knowledge can cause a disruption in the current working routines and also in the type of organizational practices prevalent within those areas. AMIA needs to dedicate considerable amount of resources and time in allowing them to deal with the issues as they are. Another major problem that is facing AMIA is with regard to the social cultural and also the structural distance between the two countries i.e. Australia and China. The latter association will have difficulties in communication because the two countries speak different

Work Within A Relevant Legal And Ethical Frame Essay Example for Free

Work Within A Relevant Legal And Ethical Frame Essay Assessment activity 1 1. Why is it necessary for employees to demonstrate, in all the work they undertake, an understanding of the legal responsibilities and obligations of the work role? It is necessary for employees to demonstrate; in all work they undertake an understanding of the legal responsibilities and obligations of the work role to support quality care. By ensuring that employees understand the legal responsibilities and obligations applicable to the workplace it becomes possible to set standards to which employees must adhere to. Key Performance Indicators should be set and agreed upon with employees so that all workers are aware of the standards expected to be performed. As a result, employees should be able to demonstrate in all work they undertake, an understanding of the legal responsibilities and obligations relevant to the organisation and to their individual work roles. 2. What are some of the areas, in community service organisations, on which legislation, regulations and statutes might impact? Community service organisations and their employees will need to comply with legislation, regulations and statutory requirements relevant to The prevention of discrimination Anti-harassment Privacy (national privacy legislation and principles) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Freedom of information Access and equality Social justice Mandatory notification Work health and safety Early childhood education and care 3. For what reasons are laws, regulations and statutes important? Laws, regulation and statues are important because they provide employees with details information regarding company procedures and how they contribute to legislative compliance. It also promotes a workplace culture in which compliance with legislation is a high priority. It provides staff with  immediate information about changes to legislation and how the changes effect there work. It provides a forum for employees to ask questions about legislation, regulations and statutory requirements and also offers opportunities to discuss legislative requirements and compliance processes. Assessment Activity 2 1. Summarise what you consider duty of care to entail. A duty of care (in Tort Law) is a legal obligation imposed on an individual requiring that they abide to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could harm others. This means that a person acting in a caring role has a legal obligation to act in ways that protect client and that prevent foreseeable harm. It also implies a legal obligation to have thought or regard for those who might be affected by ones acts or omissions. In forefilling duty of care obligations, therefore, community service workers must know what their duty of care entails and must take steps to provide a reasonable standard of care and to ensure that through their work practice harm to others does not occur. 2. Greg worked in an out of school hours care centre. One afternoon he brought in some CDs and put one on for Alice and Amanda to listen to. They were in the gym because Greg was also watching over some older children playing badminton. Alice and Amanda got up and began dancing around energetically. They hopped, skipped, and bounced around with great joy. Suddenly Amanda fell over. The gym floor was slippery and the girls had taken off their shoes but not their tights. Was there a breach of duty of care? Explain. Greg didn’t have a breach of duty as care. Although he provided the girls with music to listen to (not to dance to) he was not supervising them close enough to notice they had got up and began to dance. Although he was watching the game of badminton he should have kept an eye on the girls regularly as they are also under his duty of care. He should have noticed them dancing energetically but all of his focus was on the badminton game. Although he told the girls to listen to the music and did not allow them to dance the girls are under his care and he should have also supervised them  closely. Assessment Activity 3 How can you evaluate your own skills and why should you do so? Anyone can evaluate their own skills by many of the following ways. Asking for positive and negative feedback from co-workers and supervisors to improve and also motivate and strive to improve. Employees must know what is expected from them including their roles, responsibilities, lines of authority and reporting procedures. By asking co-workers, supervisors or boss appropriate questions it allows you to learn more and feel confident without running any risks. Also many resources should be provided in the child care environment to help evaluate your skills. It is important to evaluate your skills so that as an employee your performance is to a high standard for the organisation. It also allows employees to know what is expected and to identify any performance problems. Evaluating your skills helps to keep the employees organised and confident. Assessment Activity 4 1. What information is normally stored in client files and what is it used for? Client data such as case assessments, past history, personal data, family details, medical notes, psychological and therapeutical assessments, recreational and leisure preferences, etc should be recorded in client files. These client files are used for appropriate authorised staff only. This information is only collected when it is directly relevant to the treatment, service or case management being offered. 2. What legislation and regulatory requirements need to be complied with when collecting client information? When collecting client information there are regulatory and legislation requirements that need to be complied. Privacy and confidentiality is dictated by law and must only be discussed within the facility by appropriately authorised staff. When the clients records are recorded each organisation will have their own method of storing client files but there are also a number of Acts, regulations, administrative circulars and resources to health information. These specify that: Agencies can only collect personal information for a lawful purpose that is  directly related to their functions, if collecting the information is necessary for or directly related to that purpose. If an agency asks people for personal information about themselves, it must tell the person or their authorised representative why it is collecting the information, whether it has legal authority to collect the information, how and by whom the information will be used. An agency must take reasonable care to check that personal information is accurate, up to date and complete before using it The agency must do its best to make sure that the information is relevant to the agency’s reason for collecting it, up to date, of high quality, complete and protected from unauthorised access. A person whose information is held by a government or a private agency has a right to expect the agency will hold it securely and will ensure that access to the information is permitted only for legitimate purposes. The individual concerned shall be entitled to have access to their records, under the principles of access dictated by the Freedom of Information Act 1982. An agency must not use personal information for any purpose other than that for which it obtained the information Assessment activity 5 Why is it necessary to seek the agreement of the client prior to providing services? Every client has their rights and it is necessary to be aware of and protect the clients rights. Clients for instance have the right to the following: Deciding whether or not to undergo medical treatment after receiving an explanation of what is involved and any associated risks Be treated with reasonable care and skill, by appropriately qualified personnel Confidentiality of information about medical conditions and treatment Receive courteous and respectful service, with no mental, physical or financial abuse Receive services that respect their dignity and privacy promotes their autonomy. Receive services from a provider who recognises their individuality, is sensitive to and responds to their needs and preferences, including those based on ethnic, spiritual, linguistic, familial and cultural factors Suitable information about the organisation/s providing the services Work with the service provider in developing a plan of service, and to participate in the review and evaluation or revision of their service plan Raise concerns or recommend changes in connection with the community services provided or in connection with policies and decisions  that affect client interests without fear of interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal Be informed of the laws, rules and policies affecting the operation of the service with which they are interacting Confidentiality of records and personal information Assessment activity 6 1. Draw on the text and your own experience to explain the ways in which organisational policies and procedures can assist with the provision of services A policy is a high level, overall plan embracing the general goals and expectations of an institution or organisation. These policies assist with the provision of services as they are a statement that guides behaviour and sets general parameters related to how the business will be conducted and to what is expected of employees. For example – at my work a child developed hand, foot and mouth and we didn’t know the incubation period. We checked the policy and it told us exactly how long, what it will look like when it isn’t contagious and we will need a medical clearance from the doctor. We were able to refer to the policy to advise and inform the parents on this information. Procedures are the documented instructions on how policies should be practically applied. These procedures assist with the provision of services as it involves staff rosters, managing crisis situations, managing workplace programs and timetable management systems, coping with emergencies, conducting team meetings, administrative systems of the workplace including filing and record keeping, and staff security and safety procedures for responding to physical violence. For example, at my work we have the nappy procedures on the wall above the nappy change area. This reminds all workers and especially casuals of our expectations and procedures of changing each child’s nappies. 2. Why is it necessary that employees perform work according to the policies, procedures and protocols of the organisation for which they work? Policies, protocols and procedures include guidelines and practices developed to address legal, ethical and regulatory requirements. Each organisation has written policy and staff need to know how to access and interpret this documentation and why it is necessary to comply with the different policies and procedures. A policy is seen as a guideline rather than a rule and staff  must comply to these for the safety and wellbeing of the children and adults. It is necessary that employees know what is expected of them and must consistently behave in a manner that supports the organisations policies, protocols and procedures. Following these policies, protocols and procedures also ensures a consistent high level of service to all clients. This will contribute to the organisations reputation and credibility. Clients will know what to expect from the service and will be able to interact on the appropriate levels. Assessment activity 7 1. What are some useful questions that might be asked when reviewing and evaluating existing organisational policies, procedures and protocols? Some useful questions that might be asked when reviewing and evaluating existing organisational policies, procedures and protocols include What is the aim and purpose of the policy, procedure or protocol? What is it attempting to address (eg improve safety, make staff aware of required service standards)? How is its current effectiveness measured? How current is the existing policy on which procedures and protocols are based? How relevant are the policies, procedures and protocols to issues being faced by the organisation, its clients, staff and/or organisation? Are there clear and direct links between the policies and operational procedures? Have organisational policies been disseminated to all staff? When policies were first written, what research was carried out and are the findings still available? What current research or best practice information might improve/ change or impact on the policy content and application and on the associated development of procedures and protocols? 2. For what reasons is it necessary to periodically assess and evaluate policies? It is necessary to periodically assess and evaluate policies to determine whether they are being adhered to and whether they continue to be relevant to the organisation and its clients. Where policies are no longer relevant, outdated or not used then they might need revision. Also due to changing conditions it can be necessary to implement new policies and procedures. 3. Why should staff be involved in reviews and contribute to the  development of new policies, procedures and protocols? Employee’s should also contribute and involve themselves to any policies and procedures that they think are necessary. Each of their opinions should be contributed to the development of reviewing policies, procedures and protocols. Each employee’s voice and insight should be heard and respected. Assessment activity 8 1. What information enables employees to work within their position specifications, role responsibilities and scope of practice? The particular job specifications for each employee outlined in broad terms, (enables employees to work within their position specifications, role responsibilities and scope of practise) the employees role, tasks and relationships with others in the organisation. It also outlines the employees responsibilities and obligations, required skilled levels, knowledge requirements, level of authority and decision making expectations. 3. How can you clarify your job role, scope and responsibilities? You must know what your role is and how you are expected to perform alongside the performance standards. You must understand what boundaries apply to your role and others so that you can contribute to the organisation and perform the work you are expected to do according to your position specifications and role responsibilities. Whilst some of the organisations expectations will be outlined in the job specifications or will be clarified as a result of supervisor instructions, the workplace culture will determine the non-written, informal expectations of the workplace. Other expectations will be clarified by managers and supervisors who provide training, information, instructions and support. 3. What should you do if you are in a situation where the necessary actions are beyond your scope of responsibility? Employees must have a clear understanding of the boundaries where they work. Boundaries, levels of authority and responsibilities will vary according to the job type but legal constraints will also impact on what staff can and cannot do. If you are in a situation where the necessary actions are beyond your scope of responsibility it is best to talk to a supervisor or manager as it is not your responsibility to deal with that situation legally with regards to  clients, the organisation and stakeholders. Assessment Activity 9 1. If you do not understand the task instructions you are given, what action should you take? When you do not understand the task instructions given you should seek assistance and clarification of unclear instructions in order to understand and perform tasks correctly. It is also convenient to make notes during any training so you can rely on yourself and not always others to perform these tasks. 2. You are a new graduate, recently been employed in a community centre. You have been asked to develop the next weeks leisure program for the residents in the facility. You have seen previous programs but would like to try out some new ideas. You are not sure if the program you have worked out is suitable, or whether it fits within budgetary constraints. Who would you ask and why? If I were in this situation I would ask my mentor in the facility (often boss) as they are aware of the routines within the place and the past leisure programs which have been successful and which haven’t. This mentor will be able to provide you with information to see if the budgetary constraints are available and correct and they will tell you if it is suitable. They will provide you with information of what will work well and what they think you could change. 3. Why is it important to seek clarification of unclear instructions or of instructions that you do not understand? It is extremely important to seek clarification of unclear instructions or of instructions that are not understood as they can lead to dangerous or costly mistakes. Never make assumptions in a situation that you are even the slightest unaware of as it can result dangerously. Assessment activity 10 1. Explain what is meant by equity and access Community support workers must adopt a non-discriminatory approach to care provision. They must support the principles of equity, access and social justice. This acts to support the rights on the client when delivering services to them. Equity principles acknowledge there are groups of people who have different needs due to the attributes they were born with or have  acquired and which cannot be changed. Equity legislation ensured that no group is disadvantaged (or advantaged) at the cost of another. This also means that people should also have access to quality care suitable to their individual needs. This might entail providing additional assistance to some people to meet requirements. The quality must be high in both equity and access. 2. How can community service workers protect the rights of clients? Community service workers protect the rights of clients by adopting a non-discriminatory approach to care provision. They must not discriminate clients by their age, race, gender, ethnic or cultural background, religion, sexual preference, physical of intellectual disability, medical condition, political beliefs, marital status, family circumstances or responsibilities and economic situation. The protection and preservation of these rights should be integrated into organisational policies and procedures. Clients are entitled to experience a quality of care that respects their unique attributes and caters to their individual needs in a manner that is free from prejudice and harassment. Assessment Activity 11 What actions might a community service worker take if they believe that conflict of interest exists? This might affect them directly or it might involve other staff members. Employees can be exposed to competing value systems and to ideas and expectations that are so dissimilar from their own that they are unsure of how to react and they may also be confronted with situations which comprise a conflict of interest. If a community service worker believe that conflict of interest exists they must contact your boss immediately to stop the situation from escalating. Avoid any informal discussions about it that might influence others on the matter. If you are finding it difficult seek legal advice if you feel it Is impossible to resolve this conflict. Assessment Activity 12 1. What are some of the differences you might come across when interacting with clients, customers, colleagues and workmates in a community service organisation? In a community service organisation you can come across many differences between people, their cultures and their values which can enrich  and enhance all of our lives. Some differences include knowledge, interests, customs, ethnic food, art works, retail products and customs they can incorporate into their lives. It is necessary to accept everyone’s differences and understand and comply with the legislation that has been put into place to support fairness, equity, social justice and non-discriminatory practise regardless of personal values, beliefs, attitudes and culture. This diversity can contribute to everyone’s lives, making it exciting, richer, fuller and a lot more interesting. 2. Explain what the term culture means to you. Culture to me means the quality of a particular group of people who have different behaviour patterns defined by their language, knowledge, experience, religion, beliefs, values, attitudes, music and arts. It is a group of people who have a different way of life to another group of people. These communities and cultures make everyone who they are and extend on the worlds interests. 3. Why is it so important to recognise and understand the difference between people and their cultures? It is important to recognise and understand the difference between people and their cultures because the way we look at situations is coloured by the experience we have had. We view situations through our cultural filters but our view is generally subconscious so we are not aware of the ways in which our perceptions and reactions are influenced. In the community service industry it is necessary to be aware that clients will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and as workers we need to provide services that meet the cultural and preferential needs of clients to refrain from making assumptions, based on their own perceptions, about client’s needs and preferences. They need to understand that the things they consider to be necessary or right might not be considered so by others. When providing these services it is therefore necessary that employees do not make assumptions and they make allowance for the fact that two opposite perceptions can exist. 4. List and briefly describe three strategies that an organisation might follow to ensure that the cultural and diverse needs of a client/ customer are met. To ensure that services are available to all clients regardless of personal values, beliefs, attitudes and culture community services and their employees must: Respect peoples differences and their rights to do things differently.  Imagine your own feelings when others do not respect the values which are vital in your own life. Even if in your culture a certain mode of behaviour is frowned upon it might be acceptable in another country. Respect that different cultures have food requirements due to religious reasons. Provide them with alternative foods when there is a meal they cannot have. Recognise that ethnicity and culture may have an impact on a client’s behaviour. Assist clients to become aware of their own cultural values and let them know we respect that. Allow them to incorporate their beliefs and celebrations to the society, as well as within the organisation. Assessment activity 13 1. Why do you think community service organisations should have policies and expectations regarding professional boundaries, the acceptance of gifts and ethical interactions with clients? Ethics might be defined as philosophical ideals and behaviours that are in agreement with accepted principles for right conduct. These principles, rules and expectations are determined and agreed upon by the society and communities in which people live. I believe there need to be policies and expectations regarding professional boundaries as employees must remember their relationship with their clients are proper and that these boundaries are not crossed. Clients and carers can build strong relationships with one another but the service provided to the clients must remain transparent and professional at all times. Clients can build a strong bond with their carers (more personal than professional) which can put an unaware carer into a vulnerable position. These ethical standards must also be complied with and remain professional. Acceptance of gifts is often not allowed in government organisations due to the appropriateness of the gifts. Clients can also manipulate staff by giving presents. All of these policies are an act to protect workers and their clients from not being taken advantage of and for their own protection. 2. What actions should staff take if they believe that another person is acting unethically or if they are confronted with an ethical dilemma that affects themselves? If you are in this position it is best to report the situation to avoid any further harm. Each employee should be competent to handle potential and actual problems to the level of their responsibility and within the service guidelines and procedures. Where the dispute is outside  the scope of the employee it should be further noticed to an authorised person to handle the matter. The service will have procedures designed to ensure that ethical issues can be resolved fast and efficiently and to ensure a resolution. Disputes should be resolved in a matter which is professional and within the standard requirements of the organisation and any legislative requirements. Assessment Activity 14 1. Why should client-related matters only be discussed within the confines on the facility? Client related matters should only be discussed within the confines of the facility and authorised people within the enterprise. Each organisation has specific guidelines for employees to follow regarding disclosure and confidentiality. Personal and sensitive information about a case or disclosures made by a client to the person overseeing their care should remain confidential unless there is a legal need for this disclosure – self harm. 2. How can staff in community service organisations ensure that client information is protected? Staff in community service organisations can ensure that client information is protected by agreeing to their organisations guidelines and remaining confidential. Staff must be aware that information must only be discussed in ways or places where the discussion can be overheard by unauthorised people. All client information that is collected must be documented, recorded and stored safely within the premises. To ensure all information is appropriately protected, staff can demonstrate effective application of guidelines and legal requirements relating to disclosure and confidentiality. Assessment activity 15 1. How can you encourage clients or their advocates to bring issues or concerns out into the open – to identify and express their concerns? Clients or their advocates might have complaints or grievances that need to be heard and followed up in order for them to not feel this way. To support the clients it will be necessary to help identify the real concerns or issues. Once these have been identified they can be properly expressed. Question the client using open, closed and probing questions. Paraphrase or repeat back to the client the information you receive. This enables you and the client  to agree on the meaning of the concerns. Evaluate any outcomes resulting from your action, and decide, with your client, if further action is required. 2. Why is it necessary to do this? It is necessary to bring these issues or concerns out into the open so there is no disagreement or feeling of concern with these clients or advocates. The community service workers role involves aiding and supporting the client and/or advocate so they can identify and express any concerns they might have. By assisting the client to identify and articulate their concerns, the employee and the organisation are in a position to ensure that client’s needs are met. Assessment activity 16 1. What procedures might be used to refer a client to an advocacy service? The term advocate is often applied in a legal sense to plead the case for a defendant and is another name for legal counsel in some cultures. Often an advocate will act on behalf of disadvantaged or disenfranchised groups whose rights need to be upheld. If you feel that advocacy might benefit a client it is necessary to explain to the client what is involved in the representation by an advocate and why it might be beneficial. Before making a referral the client must be consulted and agree to be represented. If that person is unable to give consent a duly authorised guardian/ family member might be called to give upon consent. Staff can then select suitable advocacy contacts for the client and can offer to contact them on the client’s behalf. The staff member making the referral might offer to attend the introductory meeting in order to support the client and make them feel more comfortable. The client must be fully informed about processes and potential outcomes. 2. Why might this be necessary? It is necessary to go through these procedures to obtain informed consent from an individual client and protect the client’s rights through legal services. If for instance, a client has a physical or intellectual disability that impedes on their communication it affects comprehension you must do everything possible to make sure the client really has given informed consent. Assessment activity 17 Describe the steps that might be followed to aid a client in using the internal complaint management process When dealing with complaints it is necessary to remain calm and not react defensively. Be polite, treat the client and their complaint with respect and demonstrate willingness to negotiate a solution. Document the conversation, store and file it so they are available when needed. Empathise with the client and try to see the issue from their point of view. This doesn’t mean you accept blame but you are willing to assist the client. Give the client a time frame and deliver answers to your questions. Listen carefully to what they tell you Check to ensure that you and the client agree on what the complaint is intended to address. Make sure the clients know that the information they disclose will be respected and that their confidentiality will be remained if appropriate. Ask the client what outcome resolution they are expecting and provide information to the client about the most effective resolution process. If you are unable to handle the complaint or make resolution decisions then it is necessary to escalate to an authorised person who can manage the situation. Follow up on the complaint to ensure that te client has been given sufficient information and is satisfied Assessment activity 18 1. What are some of the signs with financial, physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect? Financial – sudden inability to pay bills, unusual or unexplained withdrawals or transfer of funds between bank accounts, loans made by the client but not repaid by the borrower, coercion to make investments Physical – unexplained accidents or injuries, bruising, burns, bite marks, abrasions, rope burns or fractures. Emotional – signs of fear and anxiety, apathy, resignation, depression, withdrawal and avoidance of eye contact Sexual abuse – psychological and emotional distress symptoms Neglect – malnutrition, malnourishment, dehydration, poor hygiene or skin care, soiled clothing, and in the case of the elderly or people with a disability a lack of aids like dentures, glasses, walking frame or stick. 2. What should community service employees do if they observe such signs? Any  suspected or observed signs of potential harm to a client or a person associated with the client must be taken seriously and reported immediately. Reports should also be made if a person has suspicions or observations that lead to a reasonable belief that a person intends self-harm or suicide. All reports should be clearly indicated and then documented and filed safely in case of any further investigations. All information regarding abuse or neglect should be passed onto the people or authorised bodies to take action to remedy them. Reports could therefore be made, depending on the type of neglect or abuse, to a supervisor, manager, the police or other authorised persons. Assessment activity 19 1. What are some of the cultural differences that might impact on communication processes? Cultural differences such as language used and the forms of language used, religious affiliations, practices and beliefs, spiritual needs, education, work ethics, food choices, preferences and taboos, holiday and religious observances, family customs and holiday celebrations can impact on communication processes. It can affect communication through verbal or written and also the body language gestures and para-language that people use. When communicating with people from other cultures you have to be aware of speaking to fast or slow, using slang words, low or high volume, not listening actively, not asking questions, using inappropriate body language and gestures and/or inappropriate humour. These could become offensive to people from other cultures. 2. What are some of the strategies that might be used to overcome verbal communication difficulties in the workplace? It is necessary to learn about different cultures from which your clients come from and to learn about some of the idiosyncrasies associated with them. Some strategies to help when communicating with people from another culture is to be patient speak clearly but do not shout. Repeat yourself, speak slowly, use signage, gestures, draw diagrams or pictures etc. Use appropriate body language, para-language, gestures and facial expression will also aid the communication process and overcome communication difficulties. 3. Why might a professional interpreter be used? Interpreters are used because they are professionally trained to understand the clients situation and understand both the verbal and non-verbal communication involved. An objective interpreter will ensure that accurate communication occurs while cultural sensitivities and confidentiality are taken into account. In time of crisis or in traumatic or emotionally charged situations, second-language competency can decrease dramatically. Being able to communicate in their first language can make clients feel much more secure and comfortable and qualified interpreters are bound by strict code of ethics, therefore, they practise impartiality and their conduct is professional. 4. How should community service employees recognise and respond to religious diversity? Community service employees should recognise and respond to religious diversity as spiritually it can be an important predictor of the quality of life of individuals receiving these services. Providing for spiritual support and making them allowance for clients to practice their religion is therefore, a responsibility of the organisation. The service needs to determine whether a client embraces some form of spirituality and the ways in which they practice this. Simply asking clients which religion they belong to is not an adequate means or determining spiritual needs. Obtaining a comprehensive history that addresses these issues during the assessment will be necessary. Family and other significant people could also be consulted regarding their perception of the client’s spiritual needs. Clients might have to assist in articulating the things that are important to them personally. Spiritual advice and support for some clients can be very appreciated.

401(k) Plans :: Finance Financial Money Retirement Essays

401(k) Plans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many economic issues facing the nation today. While some are extremely important in determining how the economy is balanced, others are not. Although this is true, that does not necessarily make these lesser important issues obsolete. Take, for example, the recent issue of corporate leaders matching contributors to the 401(k) plan with company stock, instead of with cash. Though this is a relatively National issue, it still greatly affects a large number of people in foreign areas as well as you and me. Because of this effect on such a large number of people, it is necessary that this issue be discussed, as will happen within the next few paragraphs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the way that a 401(k) stock matching plan is set up; timing is everything. In a basic 401(k) plan employees put forth a set amount of dollars (usually pre-determined personally by the employee) before taxes are withheld This portion of the employee's paycheck is put toward his or her retirement. What some companies prefer to do in order to make the 401(k) plan more attractive for employees, is to match each employee's investment in the plan by a certain percent. Here is where the problem comes in. Though some companies match contributors either with cash or with a direct credit to the plan, other companies match with corporate stock. According to Richard Sasanow, a former assistant of public communications at Ernst and Young, "many experts consider this to be one of the riskiest investments for a 401 (k)-but may be worth it if you think your company has a great future." (Sasanow, 45) A recent survey shows that 18 percent of all companies made their matching contributions this way. Now for small, fast-growing businesses this would not seem as much of a risk since these companies' stock are generally on the increase. But for some large corporations, this is a great risk for employees since a lot of their retirement money is now based on how well the company does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some say that because contribution matching is now based on how well the company does, then employees will strive to do a more efficient job in order to increase the overall stock price of the company, which, in turn, will increase the amount of retirement they will receive. Now the problem of timing comes in again. Mr. Jim Davenport, a Staff Writer for The State Newspaper uses a good example: "An imaginary worker for an oil company was looking forward to retiring at the end of the week. His 401(k) is fat and has been getting fatter thanks to company stock.

Socio Economic Study

Economic Benefits As part of the agricultural sector, the banana industry also ensures that It contributes to the protection of the environment through the observance of globally accepted practices and abiding by Philippines laws. Furthermore, the industry also makes positive Impact on the cultural political aspects through: Enameled contact with the Influence Insurgency; Improved peace and order situation; Effective local governance; Integration of Indigenous people (e. G. Bugaboo, Nabob, Muslim) Into mainstream society: and Better understanding of cultures.The Banana industry impact on the economy includes: Provision of employment (minimum wages, Job security); Development of related industries (transport, food, consumer goods, entertainment); Increased income opportunity (cash crop, I. E. Corn, rice, firewood gathering vs.. Employment); Prompts improved infrastructure support from government and private organizations; Increased tax collection for local government. In terms of soci al impact, the industry helps provide: Basic needs through the availability of food, housing, clothing, and employment; Education increased number of students;Health care availability of institutional care; Migration back to family instead of having to look for livelihood elsewhere; Equal opportunity for women and indigenous people; and Fewer occurrences of domestic and Juvenile related crime and conflicts. The Philippine banana industry Is the 5th largest export Industry In the country and the indulges in Mindanao. In terms of local tax contribution, the Industry remitted about Phi Million worth of local taxes In 2008, Including Business Tax, Real property tax, Residence Certificates of Employees, withholding tax of employees, withholding tax at source, and Income.Socio Economic Study By EX_Donald As part of the agricultural sector, the banana industry also ensures that it contributes Furthermore, the industry also makes positive impact on the cultural political Minimized contact w ith the influence insurgency; Integration of indigenous people (e. G. Bugaboo, Nabob, Muslim) into mainstream society; and Better understanding of cultures. The Philippine banana industry is the 5th largest export industry in the country and the indigents in Mindanao. In terms of local tax contribution, the industry remitted about Phi Million worth of local taxes in 2008, including Business Tax, Real

On mona lisa smile

The film which is about a young and an idealist teacher who want to change something. The film which involves the reflections of feminism and functionalism. In this essay I analyze these reflections. Firstly,according to the functionalism,everyone in society has a role and everyone play their role contribute to the smooth functioning of society. Children learn and internalize the norms and expectations which are accepted in a society. In this wise,they adopt sex roles. So,gender roles are compatible with sex.Because there are innate differences. N the movie,the girls who study at the college take courses not only physics and art history but also speech and marriage. Because they will graduate in a few years and they will find a good husband and then they will be housewife. They will have responsibilities such as providing comfort a man and care of children. Because gender roles are innate. Gender roles are learned and internalized with the help of agencies such as family,educational institutions. There are these agencies in this movie.Furthermore,functional approach suggest that gender differences contribute to social stability and integration. Namely,the women should concentrate on domestic and family responsibilities while men work outside the home. There are expressive roles for women and instrumental roles for men. The females should provide care and security of children and offer them emotional support. Men,on the other hand,are the breadwinner in the family. For example,in this movie,the girls are given courses about the importance of expressive roles.But there is a unequal division of labor within the Emily. Functionalism believes that this state is necessary for the maintenance of social stability. There are examples of giving importance of this necessity in the movie. Divorce is seen a bad state by people in that society and the mother don't accept her daughter who want to back home. Functionalists emphasize the importance of moral consensus which exis t when most people in a society share the same values and it is important to maintain order for them. In the movie,there is a order and balance in the society.Because there are rules,arrangements,traditions and values which interlink the people. In this way,the moral consensus exist in a society. For instance,there are traditional competitions which are about marriage having a baby in college. Secondly,feminist approaches reject the idea that gender inequality IA natural. Feminism is based on women's freedom. The women should not be representative of their gender roles which are given them in innate. Instead,they should live by their own definition. In the movie,the teacher is defender of feminism.Her opinion is that her students should be more free when they take their own decisions. She provide that the students discuss on the subject in the class. In the way,their ideas will occur and they will not copy other people's opinion. Also,feminist approach emphasizes that there must be equal opportunity between women and men. For example,the range of education. The teacher encourage the student in studying law. To sum up,it is possible to see that the reflections of functionalism and feminism in the movie. Essay on Mona Lisa smile By kickball

Lenovo’s Promotional Information Essay Essay Example

Lenovo’s Promotional Information Essay Essay Example Lenovo’s Promotional Information Essay Essay Lenovo’s Promotional Information Essay Essay To make a trade name is a hard and expensive undertaking but to construct a trade name with world-wide influence is even more hard and is frequently associated with immense hazards. Research shows that merely 25 % of new products/brands generate more than $ 7. 5 million in gross revenues in their first few old ages and even fewer are able to bring forth adequate gross to maintain them on market for long. Lenovo continues to construct trade name consciousness through aggressive selling and new merchandise publicities. Lenovo uses this promotional mix to strategically perforate new markets worldwide every bit good as to prolong its place as a planetary leader and to go on growing over the long term. Investing in trade name consciousness through Lenovo’s recent â€Å"For Those Who Do† promotional run has proven fruitful. assisting the company set up a bridgehead in the U. S. market among the top five Personal computer sellers. Lenovo is puting sharply in new merchandises s uch as Ultrabooks and all-in-one Personal computers. leting it to quickly accommodate to alterations in the market place and to systematically run into the ever-changing demands of its client base. Promotion and IMCPromotion is an of import and built-in portion of selling procedure. To be successful. a manufacturer must non merely offer a good merchandise at a sensible monetary value but besides inform possible clients about the merchandise and where they can purchase it. The overall scope of tactics available to a manufacturer is known as the ‘promotional mix’ and comprises of advertisement. gross revenues publicity. promotion. sponsorship. direct selling. cyberspace selling and personal merchandising. In add-on to these cardinal promotional tools. its selling squad besides relies on other techniques. such as exhibitions and merchandise arrangement in films. vocals or picture games. which have gained in popularity in recent old ages. The promotional mix used by Lenovo is aligned with the determinations made with respect to merchandise. pricing and distribution and different promotional methods that handle different parts of the occupation. Determining to intermix these together is a scheme determination that should be kept consistent to pass on its bene?ts to a mark market. Lenovo’s uses a assortment of techniques to efficaciously pass on its merchandises to its mark market. Their publicities come in the signifier of vouchers. instant nest eggs. and on-line discounts. Lenovo is informing. persuading and reminding clients of their merchandises and educating them in make up ones minding on their available picks. Lenovo continues to construct consumer involvement which helps construct favourable feelings of the company and its merchandises. Subject and Positioning Statement The positioning subject of Lenovo is â€Å"We are for those who do. † Lenovo’s mission is to convey low-cost advanced merchandises for its clients. Lenovo’s vision clearly states â€Å"We are now one company with one end: To construct the best. most advanced merchandises in the universe. To utilize first economic systems to set new and better engineering in the custodies of more people. by introducing on cost the same manner we innovate on engineering. To concentrate our energy and our committedness on the success and trust of our clients. † Though a batch has changed in the recent old ages. nevertheless. Lenovo has ever remained true to its mission statement. Promotion BlendLenovo is increasing its trade name consciousness by runing. including societal media. design. branded content. retail experience. event and strategic battle and partnerships. The company sponsored the one-year HopSotch independent music fest. and was a tech spouse with â€Å"Transformers 3† and even showed up at Fashion Week in New York with interior decorator partnerships and the Lenovo Lounge. In the U. S. . the run kicked off with a 60-second Television topographic point that laid out their â€Å"do† subject. while smaller. subsequent runs focused on particulars such as its rapid boot engineering. In one advertizement. Lenovo throws a Personal computer out of an aeroplane and it must â€Å"save itself† by booting up rapidly and deploying a parachute. SalespersonIn today’s fast paced universe. where the electronic and print media are holding immense influence on everybody’s life. a merchandise or service can non last without proper publicity. Personal merchandising is an highly of import portion of this promotional mix. Gross saless are divided into three chief undertakings: order-getting. order-taking and back uping. Depending upon the state of affairs a salesman can execute all these responsibilities. A good sales representative should be knowing about the merchandises and its competitory environment. In manystate of affairss salesman can besides reply inquiries about what publicity should be directed toward the concluding consumer. Lenovo’s salespeople handle most of the of import communicating with jobbers and retail merchants. Additionally. Lenovo uses sale publicities non merely to concentrate on best net income potency but besides to give itself a competitory advantage in the market. A good client servi ce non merely builds trade name trueness but besides acts as a publicity because frequently satisfied clients portion their experience with their friends and household. Therefore. constructing a long term relationship and trust with its client base is really of import portion of merchandise merchandising. Gross saless Promotions for Channel Members/Customers/Employees Promotions are of import portion for any selling run. as it straight influences clients. In order to be effectual a publicity should be able to carry. inform and remind its client base of the benefits of its marketed merchandise. Lenovo utilizations publicities to actuate employees to supply better client service or accomplish higher gross revenues. Lenovo has a particular birthday wagess plan and each employee is emailed on the 1st twenty-four hours of the month prior to their birthday thanking them for their part to the success of the concern and inquiring them to log onto Lenovo’s branded website utilizing their alone user name and watchword to order their gift online. Recently. Lenovo besides shared a $ 3 million fillip that they received of increasing success with its junior-level employees. Lenovo awarded CEVA Logistics. one of the world’s taking supply concatenation companies its Innovation and Operations Excellence award for the 2nd twelvemonth in a row in North America. This award recognized CEVA’s attempts around cargo consolidating and optimising transit ensuing in significant cost nest eggs. Lenovo besides has twelvemonth about on-line publicities available for its clients. Push and Pull StrategyLenovo distributes with push scheme that involves selling into channel mediators like big retail merchants. jobbers and it is besides reliant on personal merchandising and trade publicities. Its promotional attempts like personal merchandising. advertisement and gross revenues publicity helps sell the whole selling mix to its channel members. Lenovo besides distributes utilizing a pull scheme which relies on client demands that pulls the merchandise through thechannel. Lenovo’s uses both push and draw scheme in combination to advance its merchandises to big concern clients every bit good as to single concluding consumers. Lenovo’s extremely aggressive publicity to concluding consumers utilizing vouchers or samples. physiques consumer involvement and assist them accomplish higher gross revenues of their merchandises. Its enlightening and synergistic web site includes client reappraisals and picture presentations that help clients construct favourabl e feelings of the company and its merchandises. Recent Positive PromotionLenovo continues to stand out in the Personal computer market and its merchandises has achieved highest acknowledgment among both its equals and clients. Recently Lenovo received 16 awards and awards foregrounding its trade name invention. design and versatility in the Personal computer industry at Top Industry Awards at 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. Additionally. Lenovo relies extensively on fund-raising to come in into new markets and market new merchandises. Eedoo Technology. the picture bet oning unit that is associated with Lenovo Group has raised 10s of 1000000s of dollars. Their gaming merchandise. Ebox comes with 30 games built in and a set-top camera that can observe a player’s motions. harmonizing to the article. With this joint venture with a Chinese company. Lenovo non merely hope to tap into Eedoo bing web within China but besides hope that by including the games in the system they can cut down on the rampant buccaneering t hat is prevailing in the picture game concern in China. Synergistic MediaIn order to be successful in towards extremely competitory environment latest selling tendencies and methods of communications are cardinal to successful publicity schemes. Recently. Lenovo implemented a YouTube scheme. they created a competition called ‘Seize The Night. ’ inquiring 15 finalists to make an alternate stoping to the undermentioned picture with the victor determined by most positions. One of the contestants. Joshua. organized and filmed a monolithic rhythm drive in London utilizing a Lenovo laptop. Having 100s of bicyclers. the picture has rapidly taken off. traveling viral and distributing the Lenovo trade name for free. This run has been really successful to Lenovo as it gained 100s and 1000s of YouTube positions and followings without making any selling on its ain. In add-on. it is relativelycheap and additions a much higher return on investing. Their YouTube run was highly successful and has now become a must read instance for all concern people. Here is the nexus to the picture: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. youtube. com/watch? annotation_id=annotation_119513 A ; feature=iv A ; src_vid=xGtBPlPqIFQ A ; v=OoXr6sQlaRk and the reacting picture by the contestant Joshua is following: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=xGtBPlPqIFQ A ; feature=player_embedded # ! MentionsLenovo Reveals ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Shakes Up Ultrabook Market Lenovo Reveals ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Shakes Up Ultrabook Market hypertext transfer protocol: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=KdZNUxPiwMs hypertext transfer protocol: //wraltechwire. com/business/tech_wire/news/story/11335630/ hypertext transfer protocol: //www. cevalogistics. com/en-AU/aboutus/newsmedia/mediareleases/Pages/release_19_july_2012. aspx hypertext transfer protocol: //www. partnerinfo. lenovo. com/partners/br/pt/entitled/LENOVO % 20COOKBOOK_V1. 5_FINAL. pdf hypertext transfer protocol: //news. lenovo. com/article_display. cfm? article_id=1557 hypertext transfer protocol: //www. businesswire. com/news/home/20120113005747/en/Lenovo-Receives-Top-Industry-Awards-2012-International hypertext transfer protocol: //www. lenovo. com/social_responsibility/us/en/Lenovo_CSR_Fast_Facts. pdf

Zero and Its Synonyms

Zero and Its Synonyms Zero and Its Synonyms Zero and Its Synonyms By Mark Nichol The word zero has a small but distinctive set of synonyms, which are listed in this post. Zero is the word for the symbol 0, representing the absence of magnitude or quantity and the value between positive and negative numbers. The word also represents the lowest point or the starting point for measurement or, as in the phrase â€Å"ground zero,† a point of impact or origin. In addition, it refers to absence or impartiality, or to the lowest possible score on a test, and as slang it describes a worthless person or one with little or no discernible charm or personality. The word ultimately derives, like many arithmetical and scientific terms, from Arabic, in this case sifr, which means â€Å"zero† or â€Å"empty† and is also the source of the synonym cipher. Meanwhile, cipher itself, while also occasionally expressing the numerical symbol, describes a nonentity, with the connotation that a person so identified has no influence or no distinguishing characteristics, as in a reference to someone mysteriously vague. This sense of mystery extends to the sense for cipher of a method of encoding information, or a coded message itself. A cipher may also be a combination of letters used symbolically, similar to a monogram. Aught and naught, discussed in more detail in this post, are also synonyms of zero (as is nought, a variant of the latter word), but briefly, aught is employed usually when referring to the first decade of a century (in which the tens place of any given year is represented by a zero) or to a zero used in decimal measurement. Naught, however, is used in the sense of â€Å"nothing.† Nothing itself, as might be guessed, literally means â€Å"no thing† and stems from Old English. In addition to pertaining to a lack of quantity, nothing alludes to nonexistence and is used, like zero, to suggest that someone is worthless. However, it also, in plural form, refers to playful remarks, especially, as part of â€Å"sweet nothings,† in a romantic context. It is also employed, though rarely, as an adjective or adverb. Nil, a contraction of the Latin word nihil (the root of nihilism, the word for a philosophy of renunciation of traditional ideas or morals), is ultimately from nihilum, literally â€Å"not (even) a trifle,† and generally alludes to a comparison, such as a sports score or to the distinction, or lack thereof, between two like objects, or to (a lack of) probability; one’s chances of achieving an impossible result, for example, are said to be nil. Zilch and zip, both of obscure origin, are slang synonyms for zero. The letter o and the word oh are also, because of the resemblance of the letter to the symbol for zero, used informally in speech and rarely in writing to refer to the symbol, as is â€Å"goose egg,† from the similarity in shape between that object and the symbol. (On a related note, the use of love to indicate a zero score in tennis is said to originate in the phrase l’oeuf, French for â€Å"the egg,† though this etymology is disputed.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?Expanded and Extended20 Ways to Cry

Understanding the 4 Writing Styles How to Identify and Use Them

Understanding the 4 Writing Styles How to Identify and Use Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A piece’s writing style can help you figure out what kind of writing it is, what its purpose is, and how the author’s voice is unique.With so many different types of writing, you may think it’s difficult to figure out the specific writing style of a piece or you'll need to search through a long list of writing styles. However, there are actually just four main types of writing styles, and together they cover practically all the writing you see, from textbooks to novels, to billboards and more. Whether you’re studying writing styles for class or trying to develop your own writing style and looking for information, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we explain the four styles of writing, provide examples for each one, go over the one thing you need to know to identify writing style, and give tips to help you develop your own unique style of writing. The 4 Types of Writing There are four main different styles of writing. We discuss each of them below, list where you’re likely to see them, and include an example so you can see for yourself what each of the writing styles looks like. Narrative Writers who use the narrative style are telling a story with a plot and characters. It’s the most common writing style for fiction, although nonfiction can also be narrative writing as long as its focus is on characters, what they do, and what happens to them. Common Places You’d See Narrative Writing Novels Biography or autobiography Poetry Short stories Journals or diaries Example â€Å"We had luncheon in the dining-room, darkened too against the heat, and drank down nervous gayety with the cold ale. ‘What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon?’ cried Daisy, ‘and the day after that, and the next thirty years?’ ‘Don’t be morbid,’ Jordan said. ‘Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.’ ‘But it’s so hot,’ insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears, ‘and everything’s so confused. Let’s all go to town!’ -The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald You can quickly tell that this passage from the novel The Great Gatsby is an example of narrative writing because it has the two key traits: characters and a plot. The group is discussing eating and drinking while trying to decide what to do for the rest of the day. As in this example, narrative writing often has extended dialogue scenes since the dialogue is used to move the plot along and give readers greater insight into the characters. Expository Writers use the expository style when they are trying to explain a concept. Expository writing is fact-based and doesn’t include the author’s opinions or background. It’s basically giving facts from the writer to the reader. Common Places You’d See Expository Writing Newspaper articles Academic journals Business memos Manuals for electronics Textbooks Recipes How-to books and articles Example â€Å"The 1995/1996 reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) into Yellowstone National Park after a 70 year absence has allowed for studies of tri-trophic cascades involving wolves, elk (Cervus elaphus), and plant species such as aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwoods (Populus spp.), and willows (Salix spp.). To investigate the status of this cascade, in September of 2010 we repeated an earlier survey of aspen and measured browsing and heights of young aspen in 97 stands along four streams in the Lamar River catchment of the park’s northern winter range. We found that browsing on the five tallest young aspen in each stand decreased from 100% of all measured leaders in 1998 to means of 25% in the uplands and 20% in riparian areas by 2010. Correspondingly, aspen recruitment (i.e., growth of seedlings/sprouts above the browse level of ungulates) increased as browsing decreased over time in these same stands.† -†Trophic cascades in Yellowstone: The first 15 years after wolf reintroduction† by William J. Ripple and Robert L. Beschta This abstract from an academic journal article is clearly expository because it only focuses on facts. The authors aren’t giving their opinion of wolves of Yellowstone, they’re not telling a story about the wolves, and the only descriptions are number of trees, streams, etc. so readers can understand the study better. Because expository writing is focused on facts, without any unnecessary details or stories, the writing can sometimes feel dense and dry to read. Descriptive Descriptive writing is, as you may guess, when the author describes something. The writer could be describing a place, person, or an object, but descriptive writing will always include lots of details so the reader can get a clear and complete idea of what is being written about. Common Places You’d See Descriptive Writing Journals or diaries Poetry Fiction passages that describe something Example â€Å"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or eat: it was a hobbit hole and that means comfort. It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted...† - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien This is the opening passage of the novel The Hobbit. While The Hobbit is primarily an example of narrative writing, since it explores the adventures of the hobbit and his companions, this scene is definitely descriptive. There is no plot or action going on in this passage; the point is to explain to readers exactly what the hobbit’s home looks like so they can get a clear picture of it while they read. There are lots of details, including the color of the door and exactly where the doorknob is placed. You won’t often find long pieces of writing that are purely descriptive writing, since they’d be pretty boring to read (nothing would happen in them), instead many pieces of writing, including The Hobbit, will primarily be one of the other writing styles with some descriptive writing passages scattered throughout. Persuasive When you’re trying to persuade the reader to think a certain way or do a certain thing, you’ll use persuasive writing to try to convince them.Your end goal could be to get the reader to purchase something you’re selling, give you a job, give an acquaintance of yours a job, or simply agree with your opinion on a topic. Common Places You’d See Persuasive Writing Advertisements Cover letters Opinion articles/letters to the editor Letters of recommendation Reviews of books/movies/restaurants etc. Letter to a politician Example â€Å"What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’ - â€Å"This was their finest hour† by Winston Churchill In this excerpt from his famous â€Å"Their finest hour† speech, Prime Minister Winston Churchill is clearing trying to convince his audience to see his viewpoint, and he lays out the actions he thinks they should take. In this case, Churchill is speaking to the House of Commons (knowing many other British people would also hear the speech), and he’s trying to prepare the British for the coming war and convince them how important it is to fight. He emphasizes how important the fight will be (â€Å"Upon this battle depends the survival of the Christian civilization.† and clearly spells out what he thinks his audience should do (â€Å"Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Common Writing Styles to Know Each of the four main types of writing styles has multiple subsets of styles within it. Here are nine of the most common and important types of writing you’ll see. Narrative Writing Character Voice Character voice is a common writing style in novels. Instead of having an unknown narrator, the audience knows who is telling the story. This first-person narrator can help the reader relate more both to the narrator and the storyline since knowing who is telling a story can help the reader feel more connected to it. Sometimes the narrator is completely truthful in telling what happens, while other times they are an unreliable narrator and will mislead or outright lie to readers to make themselves look better. To Kill a Mockingbird (Scout is the narrator) and The Hunger Games (Katniss is the narrator) are two examples of this writing style. Stream-of-Consciousness This writing style attempts to emulate the thought process of the character. Instead of only writing about what the character says or does, stream-of-consciousness will include all or most of the characters thoughts, even if they jump from one topic to another randomly or include incomplete thoughts. For example, rather than writing â€Å"I decided to take a walk to the ice cream shop,† an author using the stream-of-consciousness writing style could write, â€Å"It’s pretty hot out, and I feel like I should eat something, but I’m not really that hungry. I wonder if we have leftovers of the burgers Mom made last night? Is Mom staying late at work tonight? I can’t remember if she said. Ice cream would be a good choice, and not too filling. I can’t drive there though because my car is still in for repairs. Why is the repair shop taking so long? I should have listened when David said to check for reviews online before choosing a place. I should text David later to see how he is. He’ll think I’m mad at him if I don’t. I guess I’ll just have to walk to the shop.† James Joyce and William Faulkner are two of the most well-known writers to have regularly used the stream-of-consciousness writing style. Epistolary Epistolary writing uses a series of documents, such as letters, diary entries, newspaper articles, or even text messages to tell a story. They don’t have a narrator, there’s just whoever purportedly gathered the documents together. This writing style can provide different points of view because a different person can be the author of each document. Well-known examples of epistolary writing include the novels Dracula (written as a series of letters, newspaper articles, and diary entries) and Frankenstein (written as a series of letters). Expository Writing Academic You’ll find this style in textbooks or academic journal articles. It’ll focus on teaching a topic or discussing an experiment,be heavy on facts, and include any sources it cited to get the information. Academic writing often assumes some previous knowledge of the topic and is more focused on providing information than being entertaining, which can make it difficult to read and understand at times. Business Business writing refers to the writing done in a workplace. It can include reports, memos, and press releases. Business writing typically has a formal tone and standard formatting rules.Because employees are presumably very busy at work, business writing is very concise and to the point, without any additional flourishes intended to make the writing more interesting. Journalism You’ll see this writing style most commonly in newspaper articles. It focuses on giving the facts in a concise, clear, and easy-to-understand way. Journalists often try to balance covering all the key facts, keeping their articles brief, and making the audience interested in the story. Technical This writing style is used to give information to people in a specific field, such as an explanation of a new computer programming system to people who work in software, a description of how to install pipes within a house for plumbers, or a guide to new gene modifications for microbiologists. Technical writing is highly specialized for a certain occupational field. It assumes a high level of knowledge on the topic, and it focuses on sharing large amounts of information with the reader. If you’re not in that field, technical writing can be nearly impossible to understand because of the jargon and references to topics and facts you likely don’t know. Descriptive Writing Poetry Poetry is one of the most challenging styles of writing to define since it can come in many forms.In general, poems use rhythmic language and careful word choice to express an idea.A poem can be an example of descriptive writing or narrative writing, depending on whether it’s describing something or telling a story.Poetry doesn’t need to rhyme, and it often won’t follow standard grammatical or structural rules. Line breaks can, and often do, occur in the middle of sentences. Persuasive Writing Copywriting Copywriting is writing that is done for advertising or marketing purposes. It’s attempting to get the reader to buy whatever the writer is trying to sell. Examples of copywriting include catalogs, billboards, ads in newspapers or magazines, and social media ads. In an attempt to get the reader to spend their money, copywriters may use techniques such as descriptive language (â€Å"This vanilla was harvested from the lush and exotic island of Madagascar"), exciting language (Stop what you’re doing and learn about this new product that will transform your life!†) and exaggeration (â€Å"This is the best cup of coffee you will ever taste!†). Opinion People write opinion pieces for the purpose of stating their beliefs on a certain topic and to try to get readers to agree with them. You can see opinion pieces in newspaper opinion sections, certain blog posts, and some social media posts. The quality of opinion writing can vary widely. Some papers or sites will only publish opinion pieces if all the facts in them can be backed up by evidence, but other opinion pieces, especially those that are self-published online, don't go through any fact-checking process and can include inaccuracies and misinformation. What If You’re Unsure of a Work’s Writing Style? If you’re reading a piece of writing and are unsure of its main writing style, how can you figure which style it is?The best method is to think about what the purpose or main idea of the writing is. Each of the four main writing styles has a specific purpose: Descriptive: to describe things Expository: to give facts Narrative: to tell a story Persuasive: to convince the reader of something Here’s an example of a passage with a somewhat ambiguous writing style: â€Å"I walked down alone Sunday after church To the place where John has been cutting trees To see for myself about the birch He said I could have to brush my peas. The sun in the new-cut narrow gap Was hot enough for the first of May, And stifling hot with the odor of sap From stumps still bleeding their life away. The frogs that were peeping a thousand shrill Wherever the ground was low and wet, The minute they heard my step went still To watch me and see what I came to get. Birch boughs enough piled everywhere!- All fresh and sound from the recent axe. Time someone came with cart and pair And got them off the wild flower’s backs.† - Pea Brush by Robert Frost It can be tricky to determine the writing style of many poems since poetry is so varied and can fit many styles. For this poem, you might at first think it has a narrative writing style, since it begins with a narrator mentioning a walk he took after church. Character + plot = narrative writing style, right? Before you decide, you need to read the entire passage. Once you do, it’ll become clear that there really isn’t much narrative. There’s a narrator, and he’s taking a walk to get a birch from another man, but that’s about all we have for character development and plot. We don’t know anything about the narrator or his friend’s personality, what’s going to happen next, what his motivations are, etc. The poem doesn’t devote any space to that, instead, the majority of the lines are spent describing the scene. The narrator mentions the heat, scent of sap, the sound of frogs, what the ground is like, etc. It’s clear that, since the majority of the piece is dedicated to describing the scene, this is an example of descriptive writing. How Can You Develop Your Own Writing Style? A distinctive writing style is one of the hallmarks of a good writer, but how can you develop your own? Below are four tips to follow. Read Many Different Styles of Writing If you don’t read lots of different kinds of writing, you won’t be able to write in those styles, so before you try to get your own writing style, read different writing styles than what you’re used to.This doesn’t mean that, if you mostly read novels, you suddenly need to shift to reading computer manuals. Instead, you can try to read novels that use unreliable narrators, stream-of-consciousness writing, etc. The more you read, the more writing styles you’ll be exposed to, and the easier it’ll be able to combine some of those into your own writing style. Consider Combining Multiple Types of Writing Styles There’s no rule that you can only use one style for a piece of writing. In fact, many longer works will include multiple styles. A novel may be primarily narrative, but it can also contain highly descriptive passages as well as expository parts when the author wants the readers to understand a new concept. However, make sure you don’t jump around too much. A paper or book that goes from dense academic text to impassioned plea for a cause to a story about your childhood and back again will confuse readers and make it difficult for them to understand the point you’re trying to make. Find a Balance Between Comfort and Boundary-Pushing You should write in a style that feels natural to you, since that will be what comes most easily and what feels most authentic to the reader. An academic who never ventures outside the city trying to write a book from the perspective of a weathered, unschooled cowboy may end up with writing that seems fake and forced. A great way to change up your writing and see where it can be improved is to rewrite certain parts in a new writing style.If you’ve been writing a novel with narrative voice, change a few scenes to stream-of-consciousness, then think about how it felt to be using that style and if you think it improved your writing or gave you any new ideas. If you’re worried that some writing you did is dull and lacking depth, add in a few passages that are purely descriptive and see if they help bring the writing to life. You don’t always need to do this, and you don’t need to keep the new additions in what you wrote, but trying new things will help you get a better idea of what you want your own style to be like. The best way to develop your own writing style is to expose yourself to numerous types of writing, both through reading and writing. As you come into contact with more writing styles and try them out for yourself, you’ll naturally begin to develop a writing style that you feel comfortable with. Summary: The 4 Different Styles of Writing There are four main writing styles, and each has a different purpose: Descriptive: to describe things Expository: to give facts Narrative: to tell a story Persuasive: to convince the reader of something If you’re struggling to figure out the writing style of a piece, ask yourself what its purpose is and why the author wants you to read it. To develop your own writing style, you should: Read widely Consider mixing styles Balance writing what you know and trying new things What's Next? Literary devices are also an important part of understanding writing styles. Learn the 24 literary devices you must know by reading our guide on literary devices. Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. Are you readingThe Great Gatsby for class or even just for fun?Then you'll definitely want to check out our expert guides on the biggest themes in this classic book, from love and relationships to money and materialism.

The effect of the phenomenon of separation of ownership and control Essay

The effect of the phenomenon of separation of ownership and control for modern corporations - Essay Example Corporate Governance Share-holder activism in 1990s stimulated interest on corporate governance. In fact, it became a household name in the United States when a California based company â€Å"California Public Employees Retirement System† (CalPERS) questioned the listed companies in which it had invested the funds of its members, for their practice of buying back their shares at higher prices. This literally resulted in reduction the value of shares held by CalPERS. Contemporary companies all over the world including the U.K. followed suit to safeguard the interests of their widely dispersed shareholders. What started as a means of funds mobilization by an entrepreneur for engaging in large scale activities and to achieving large scale economies, soon became handy for the entrepreneur to exploit the small and widely dispersed investors.1 In the 19th century, even the privately owned large companies who had accumulated wealth overtime had to resort to procurement of funds from the capital market as they had outgrown themselves. Agency theory that explains separation of ownership from control was first discussed by Adolf A Beale and Gardiner C Means2. One can still go backwards to the times Adam Smith who in his â€Å"The Wealth of Nations† 3 has said that company directors would not care for shareholders’ money as their own and this is the problem with agency theory as observed by Letza, Sun and Kirkbride.4 Fame and Jensen 5 argue that separation of decision making (control) and risk-bearing (ownership) become viable because of the need for specialization of management and risk bearing besides the need for controlling agency problems. They cite the nature of an organization as a nexus of contracts both written and oral among the owners of factors of production and customers which are the internal â€Å"rules of the game†. The rights of owners of each factor of production and customers are specified and their performances evaluated. Th ese factors of production are rather stake-holders in the organization. The authors assert survival of a form of an organization depends on its ability to sell their output required by their customers at the lowest price while at the same time fully recovering costs. There are two types of organizations wherein risk-bearing (ownership) and decision (control) functions are separated and wherein the two functions are combined in the same agents. In the contractual nature of organizational forms, the residual claimants are the residual risk bearers having claim over the net cash flows after meeting the contracted payments to the factors of production from out of stochastic inflows of resources. Thus, residual risk is known by the â€Å"difference between stochastic inflows of resources and promised payments to agents.†6 These residual claimants are the ones who bear the most uncertainty and it is considered worthwhile as it reduces costs of monitoring contracts with the rest of the agents. This contributes to the survival value of the organizations as distinct entities. It is mandatory to produce outputs at lesser costs so as to ensure increased net cash flows to safeguard the residual claimants’ interests. Restriction on residual claims differs from each form of organization. For example, large corporations where common stocks are in use have the least restricted residual claims. That is, the shareholders have no role to play in the organizations. Because of this, risk sharing is unrestricted for the

Examine the development and implementation of corporate strategy in a Essay

Examine the development and implementation of corporate strategy in a regulated and competitive environment - Essay Example Its YouTube services were completely blocked in China besides other services such as Picasa, blogger etc were altered to suit the regulatory environment of the country. (LaFRANIERE, 2010) Though China has emerged as one of the leading economies with the world due to its openness of trade however, it still is a central economy. The resources are virtually under the control of government and due to ideological foundations of the country, Chinese government maintains strong control over internet, media and other channels of communication. The regulatory environment of the country therefore, sometimes, compels even firms like Google to comply with its regulations in order to operate in the region. Google has also been subject to the anti-trust laws because of its monopoly over the search engine market. EU and US governments are vigorously perusing this issue to decide the fate of Google in its primary segment of the market i.e. search engine services. This paper will discuss the developm ent and implementation of corporate strategy which Google has adapted in regulated environment of China. It will also detailed out the linkages between the competition as well as regulation while at the same time discussing the same within the perspective of Porter analysis (five forces), Sun Tzu principles, organizational structure, industry segmentation structure, competition and value chain analysis. Competitive and Regulatory Environment of Google in China Google initially started as a search engine service offering internet searching services to the users without charging them anything. Initially, it competed against the search engine services of Yahoo Inc however, due to its superior design and technology; it soon surpassed all other search engine services and became the leading service provider in the world. Over the period of time, Google has diversified itself and started to offer other services like Google Maps, online video sharing service with the name of YouTube, social networking services with the name of Orkut besides offering other paid and free services. Google’s competitive strategy has remained focused on the growth achieved through constant acquisition of new and promising businesses. Over the period of time, Google has not only grew organically but it has also been able to make some strategic acquisitions which added variety to its services besides offering it an opportunity to compete on many fronts. Google is now also planning to launch its own operating system for PCs whereas its operating system for touch screen mobile phones and tablet PCs has already hit the market. In this segment of the market, Google is facing competition from Apple as well as Microsoft with both the companies having their own operating system for mobile platforms. Despite such diversification, Google still remains the most dominating player in the search engine services and has developed a virtual monopoly over this market. Google’s primary market w as US at the start of its services however, due to expansion of its services across the globe and very nature of internet services, Google has been subjected to different regulatory environments. In a competitive environment where competition is multi-faceted, it is critical for Google to comply with the regulatory requirements while at the same time, ensuring that it remains competitive against its major competitors. (Crofts, 2009) Since external environment affects an

Online environments require and encourage a different way of working Essay

Online environments require and encourage a different way of working and studying. Critically discuss whether you agree with this statement, supporting your a - Essay Example The proliferation and sophistication of the Internet makes it possible to establish online learning and instruction domains that can be accessed by learners belonging to various age groups, irrespective of their gender. Thus the Internet has evolved into a pedagogical tool, through which education can be imparted to learners. Online learning constitutes a education that is challenging, in comparison to conventional classroom learning. This type of education requires the use of computers as the delivery vehicle. Consequently, students who are desirous of learning online must possess the skills to operate computers and they must be familiar with computer technologies2. The significant characteristic of this computerized learning medium is interactivity. This characteristic enables the users of computers to modify, change and manipulate the on screen objects. The software programmes are designed to allow such manipulations by the users. Computers that are connected to the internet provide users with an opportunity to communicate with other users across the world. Moreover, the developers and researchers of computer – based education are chiefly concerned with three major aspects involved in interactivity. First, support provided for online learning courses. Secondly, the opportunity of interaction with the content and learning material available online and lastly, the ability of the learners to access, manipulate, synthesise and communicate content information3. The other factors of concern include interaction with instructors, the ability of participants to communicate with tutors and receive their comments and observations, and interaction with other online learners. All these factors promote the development of an active learning community. The traditional classrooms have a well established teacher – student relationship. The students feel the presence of the teacher and there will be a face – to – face

Reward Principles and Performance Management in Organisations Assignment

Reward Principles and Performance Management in Organisations - Assignment Example The researcher states that the primary objective of performance management is to develop capacity in terms of both abilities and required skills for employees to achieve the set targets in an organization. Further, it enables individuals within an organization to discover their full potential, which enhances excellent performance in their tasks within an organization. In addition, it aims at enabling non-performers within an organization to do what is required. Communication is also an important component in this area where management aims at ensuring proper and organized communication within an organization. Also, reward strategies should also be considered to ensure that the performing employees are rewarded in the right way in order to motivate them. Performance management implementation in organizations faces a myriad of challenges. They can be either internal or external; hence, it is the role of management to ensure that all these challenges are handled with immediate effect. F irstly, the process experiences integration issues within the organization. Communication and cooperation must be enhanced in all the departments that are involved in this system. In most cases, the culture that has been adopted by the employees within an organization always has an impact in these areas. This is because they are people involved in departments, which are expected to enhance the efficiency of the system in an organization. All systems within an organization must be harmonized to ensure the success and reliability of this system. This also comes in hand with design challenges within the system. In some organization, some of the tools, which are designed for the system, do not address immediate needs of an organization in this area. The heads of the departments involved are supposed to seek consultation from experts in the field of ICT and interact with colleagues from other organizations who have implemented a similar strategy within their organization and it has been successful.

Advice How to Learn English Verbs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advice How to Learn English Verbs - Assignment Example Based on self-assessment my own observations, this aim was particularly successful.   Students also demonstrated gradual and appreciable improvement in their understanding of and the proper use of various noun types.   They particularly enjoyed working together in groups for identifying and agreeing on noun types and learned from each other.   There were some setbacks with sentence structures as some students tended to have more difficulties with sentence structures than others did.   Identification of abstract nouns was also more difficult for some students than others.   Aside from these two areas, the group as a whole demonstrated marked progress throughout the session. Some students tend to have difficulties with sentence structures and double consonants more so than other students.     Ã‚  Similarly, identifying abstract nouns tend to be problematic for some students.   In other to improve these aspects of the session next time, I will ensure that those students encountering these particular problems identify these areas as a part of their personal goals.   By individualizing these problems, the students struggling with abstract nouns, double consonants and/or sentence structures can practice those areas independently while other students can move on.   Improving these areas independently can be dealt with either in class while other groups engage in other activities that do not require constant supervision or as a part of the homework assignment.   The observer/assessor provided positive feedback as contained in the application form.   However, she also noted that I missed an opportunity to capitalize on extending the spelling segment in that I could develop other areas of skills for life such as more dialogue in terms of use of standard English in different contexts.   Looking back, I can see where this approach would have been entirely appropriate during the class discussion on American and English spelling.   In my opinion, any opportunity to develop language should be embraced since some students in the class are bilingual.   I will, therefore, incorporate this approach.

Leadership Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership - Case Study Example Question 1 Dominant Leadership Styles That Ben and Phil Demonstrated Among the two leadership styles revealed by Ben Samuels and Phil Jones, the style adopted by the Phil reflects more dominant nature during his tenure as plant manager in Consolidated Products. Contrarily, the leadership style adopted by Ben can be identified to be soft. Indeed, it can be identified that both the leaders depicted radically different leadership approaches. It can be ascertained from the case that Ben had decided to pick a soft approach towards the employees. He believed that â€Å"if you treat people right, they will do a good job for you without supervision or pushing†. Ben used to treat the employees in the organization as partners. He can be identified to be very much cautious about his employees’ health and problems. Owing to his deep concern for the employees in the organization, he had set-up fitness centers. In addition, Ben also undertook social activities sponsored by the plants such as company picnics and holiday parties for his employees several times a year. Ben believed that treating employees properly and correctly would increase their loyalty towards organization. He used to spend a lot of time with his employees discussing about their health, families and problems faced by the employees along with trying to resolve their problems. Even in the slack times encountered by the organization, he avoided employee lay-offs. Ben believed that it is often very difficult to find and replace skilled and talented workers. However, it is worth mentioning that his benevolent behavior does not make him a good leader. His leadership style strongly revealed empathic, compassionate, respectful and humble characteristics. Thus, it can be identified that Ben has adopted supportive leadership style. Although he revealed his care and respect for the employees in the organization and has been greatly liked by the employees but the productivity of the organization during hi s tenure was badly suffering. Moreover, he did not set any objectives or standards for his supervisors which can be attributed to the dismal performance of organization. Consequently, the company’s turnover was found to be the lowest among it’s five other plants. It can be stated that in the present day organizational purview, benevolent leadership approach hardly enables to derive long-term sustainability of the organization as it is apparent that without proper set goals and objectives employees find it quite difficult to drive home the advantage (Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters, 2013). Subsequently, it is observed that Phil started trimming the number of activities starting from removal of fitness centre from the plant, stopping funding for picnic and parties and human relation training programs for the supervisors. Phil Believed that â€Å"if employees don’t want to do the work, get rid of them and find somebody else who does†. He also establis hed demanding goals and objectives and strict employee performance appraisal was also conducted in order to measure the productivity of each employees. He also went for employee layoff in order to ensure stable production within the plant. He demonstrated committed, passionate, accountable, and enthusiastic along with optimistic characteristics. Correspondingly, leadership style revealed by Phil can be firmly correlated with directive leadership st