Something to change in our university Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Something to change in our university - Essay Example In this regard, there is a lot that NYIT is doing well to help international students adapt to education in the United States. For instance, NYIT has made orientation a mandatory program for all students, regardless of whether they are native of foreign students. This program is designed to ensure that the students have a smooth transition to the university. The students get to explore the campus and learn about the valuable resources that are available to them. They are also taught about the activities and general campus life that they should expect to experience while studying at NYIT. The orientation programs give them the opportunity to participate in social events, familiarize themselves with the campus environment, and meet other members of the institution. NYIT is also doing well by working in collaboration with other agencies with the aim of helping international students adapt to education in the United States. One such agency is Education USA. This agency is known for assisting international students learn about the educational opportunities available to them in the United States. NYIT ensures that international students meet with their international student advisors upon arrival at their specific campuses. The advisor is very instrumental in helping the students ensure that they have complied with the admission requirements before they are allowed to report to class. Despite all the above, there are a number of services that have been both difficult and unsatisfactory for me and other students I know. For instance, requiring international students to provide a notarized affidavit of support and bank statement to demonstrate their financial ability is somewhat unfair and an infringement of privacy because I believe that a student applies for admission knowing that the ability to pay fees is not in question. This can be improved by simply requiring one to state who shall be responsible for paying their fees. Also, the

Difference Between Self Esteem and Self Confidence Essay Example for Free

Difference Between Self Esteem and Self Confidence Essay * Difference between self esteem and self confidence Self confidence and self confidence are linked but they are not the same thing. Your self esteem is how much you like yourself, how you see yourself. What we see when we look in the mirror. Self esteem is somewhat passive and isnt something others can observer in you. While, if we look at, self confidence. It is something more active, and describes our abilities and willingness to interact with the world around us. By comparison, we can see how self confidently somebody (or even a group such as a ports team) is acting. Self esteem is the idea about yourself. It is how much you value yourself and how important you think you are. It is the acceptance, respect, trust and belief in you. Self confidence means that you believe in your own abilities. Self confidence is related to self assurance, you are proud of your own abilities. You are positive, take risks and set goals and reachable standards. With self-confidence you have the certainty that you can do it . Self esteem is valuing oneself unconditionally, if you are alive you can have full self- esteem. Go on, you have permission. Self-esteem is valuing yourself as a human being. You are alive, you have the powers of thought, emotion, speech ; movement. You can do things! When you think about the amazing freedom of being alive and being able to think, feel, speak and behave as you want, this is awe inspiring. No matter what you do or who you are you can esteem yourself. Self-confidence is having the confidence that you can do this or that thing. It is about your skills and performance and is conditional. If you are competent at a certain skill, you can be confident that you can do that. Confidence is conditional upon you being good at the said skill. If you are not good at it, there is no use being confident. If you are confident that you can skydive buy youVe never done it before and know nothing about it, that is recipe for disaster. Your confidence will improve naturally as your competence increases. There is another element that you can be confident in that can help you improve your confidence at any skill.

Art Essay -- essays research papers fc

Art Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The body has been used as a sign or symbol in art for centuries. The body was used to symbolize perfection in ancient Greece, and in Egypt, to give a precise image for the God of the After-life. Not to mention their colossal monuments which promote power and glory, and are used to intimidate. However contemporary artists use the body as a symbol which conveys a whole range of different kinds of layered meaning, although the simple symbol of power has not been lost over the centuries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Greek sculptures of the body are a medium between man and the gods, they are an ideal of physical perfection. The female figure of c.650-625 B.C. (fig. 123) and a nude male youth of c.600 B.C. (fig. 124) are perfect examples of the use of symbols to convey meaning. These statues, Kore (maiden) and Kouros (youth) were produced in large numbers, all being virtually the same in outline. Their general names emphasised the need for the statues to remain unidentified and the lack of personal character. Some were placed on graves only to be viewed as representations of the deceased in the broadest sense (completely impersonal). And some were used as offerings, for example: for a favoured person like the victor in an athletic competition.The strange lack of differentiation seems to be part of the character of these figures. They are neither gods nor men, but rather somewhere in between, a symbol...

Jesus Christ Superstar Original Show Research

Smash Hit Musicals of the Past Century: Jesus Christ Superstar Jesus Christ Superstar was a hit long before it became a musical. The musical was a rock opera concept recording produced as an album before it was staged on Broadway. It is based loosely on the Gospels’ story on the last week of Jesus Christ’s life showing the struggles between Judas and Jesus. The story follows Judas who is not please with Jesus’ rise in popularity because Judas believes Jesus is just a man, not a God and that Jesus being a threat to the Roman Empire will bring trouble to Jesus, his followers and to Judas.Judas eventually ends up giving away the location of Jesus on a specific day helping the Roman soldiers find him and go forth to crucify him. The original production of the Broadway show was back in 1971. It was composed by the ever famous Andrew Lloyd Webber and the lyricist was Tim Rice. The show was directed by Tim O’Horgan and choreographed by Tom Stovall. The producer w as Robert Stigwood. The original city for the performance was New York City at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. The original set designer is Robin Wagner and the original costume designer is Randy Barcelo.The four main characters were Mary Magdalene played by Yvonne Elliman, Jesus Christ played by Jeff Fenholt, Judas played by Ben Vereen and King Herod/Merchant/Leper played by Paul Ainsley. The four most well known songs from this musical include â€Å"Superstar†, â€Å"Simon Zealot Poor Jerusalem†, â€Å"Gethsemane† and â€Å"Everything’s Alright†. The show first opened on October 12th, 1971 and closed on July 1, 1973 with a total of 711 performances within that time. The length of the show was approximately an hour and fifty five minutes.The setting of the musical is Jerusalem, house of herod, garden of Gethsemane and many other places during the time Christ was thought to have lived and was preaching the message of God. There were mixed reponses from critics but the loudest were those that though the show went against religious morals and ideas. â€Å"We’ve had some people that feel like it’s in some way sacrilegious because it’s not a traditional robes-and-sandals telling,† was a quote from an executive producer. South Africa went as far as banning the entire show from performing in their country when it first debuted on Broadway.Despite some negative responses, the show went on to be nominated for numerous awards such as the Tony award, the Drama Desk award and the Theatre world award. It won the awards for Most Promising Composer for the Drama Desk award and won the Theatre world award. For the Tony awards it was nominated for best performance by a featured actior in a musical, best original score, best scenic design, best costume design and best lighting design. The film was overall received very well by the public.Perhaps the most interesting thing about the show was the way it was portrayed, th e hippie movement and the Jesus movement being put together in one show. Numerous sections of the musical have Judas in groovy outfits with dancing hippie show girls backing him up in choreography and vocals. The original vocalists and actors for the show are seen as the best so far for Broadway versions. The musical also had a hit movie produced with stunning cinematography, wonderful choreography just as seen in the musical and riveting vocal qualities for each song.The film adaption was released in 1973 and was the eighth highest grossing film of that year. It was shot in Israel and other Middle Eastern locations. Ted Neely (playing Jesus) and Carl Anderson (playing Judas) both were nominated for Golden Globe Awards for their acting in the movie. It is obvious why they were nominated when one watches the film and sees their perfect ability to play their fragile characters in a way that show their musical talent, their power and yet the slight comedy behind each scene.They were tr uly able to show the rising â€Å"celebrity† status of Jesus in a way that somehow still manages to fit in historical information about the betrayal of Judas to Jesus. One may have been worried that the movie might be a slight bit boring in some parts but when I watched it I was not bored at all, in fact I found myself quite captivated by the choreography and the songs. Neely and Anderson kept me very focussed as well because I found their acting quite extraordinary. It is not hard to find yourself singing along to â€Å"Superstar† or â€Å"Poor Jerusalem† or being awestruck by the dance moves done by the mobs.A third film adaption is expected to be released in 2014 set to be directed by Marc Webb. In conclusion, it is quite obvious what made this show such a hit. The elements of small comedy, dance and the storyline made this a musical that was impossible to miss. Whether you loved it or hated it, you had to go see it and tell others about it. The show was able to tell a historical event and turn it into multiple dance and song numbers and even made it fun to watch which the key thing was.It was not the type of musical that would get you on your feet dancing but singing along and being captivated by the characters and their human elements. The relationship between the characters was a big part that played into the success of this show. Not to mention the costume design, that played a huge role as well in setting the stage and idea for the show. It was not a typical show of what Jerusalem looked like but rather a more â€Å"hippie, fun natured† version of it which is what made the audience enjoy it so much.It was not telling biblical stories, it was just a show which made the audience feel like they did not have to have any religious ties or issues with it (even though some chose to anyways) and they could just go and watch it. Perhaps it was the idea that no matter what anyone thought of Jesus, an underlying concept this musical sh owed was Jesus’ celebrity-like identity and what being a celebrity can do to the celebrity themselves and to their lovers and followers (betrayal, confusion, glory, death) and that just might be the real reason why nobody could seem to get this musical out of their mind.

Black social movements Essay

Race is used by social scientists to refer to distinctions drawn from physical appearance (skin color, eye shape, physiognomy), and ethnicity is used to refer to distinctions based on national origin, language, religion, food, and other cultural markers. â€Å"Race has a quasi-biological status and among psychologists, the use of race terminology is hotly debated In the United States, race is also a socially defined, politically oppressive categorization scheme that individuals must negotiate while creating their identities. † (Frable , 1997, 139) Before the Black Power Phase of the Black Social Movement, blacks displayed a decidedly dualistic worldview. After 1968, a trend toward a black perspective, which is almost as significant as the dualistic frame, becomes apparent. A reactionary, extreme pro white position is seldom advocated: The dualistic, integrationist ethic was perhaps stronger in the past than it is today, although it is probably still the dominant ideology among blacks. Finally, over the past 25+ years, a nationalistic black oriented ideology has become increasingly important in discussions of black affairs. The racial and ethnic identity terms are often used inappropriately in psychology. While black immigrants to the United States may have a racial identity as black, their ethnic identity reflects their country of origin; racial identity is much more likely to be problematic in the United States than ethnic identity. Whether a researcher assesses racial identity, ethnic identity, or some combination may only be clear after reading the Methods section of their report. EVIDENCE OF IDENTITY CHANGE: 1968-PRESENT The Black Social Movement had two phases: (1) the Civil Rights Phase, which lasted from 1954-1967 and (2) the Black Power Phase, which began to take hold from 1965-1967. (See Exhibit 1) 118 or 73% were conducted during the period 1968-1977. Of these, 22 (19%) were Black group oriented, 84 (71%) were personal self-worth related and 12 (10%) applied personal self-worth and Black group oriented measures on the same sample. A significant number of both Black group and personal self-worth studies from this period show blacks with an increased in-group orientation and adequate to above average levels of self-esteem. (Allen et al, pg. 161)The Black Movement has increased the probability that more blacks will superimpose a black orientation upon a greater variety of situations. As a perspective, the extent to which the world view of the mainstream group (Americanism) has been internalized by a Black person is not one of self-rejection as it was in the past. As a result, some 20 years later and as a side product of the mind set change, Hip-hop (music) was created in the mid-seventies as black social movements began to take less noticeable role in the African-American communities and mainstream media, and replaced by electoral politics. â€Å"It has deep sixties cultural and political roots; Gil Scott-Heron and The Last Poets are considered the forebears of rap. But once the institutions that supported radical movements collapsed or turned their attention elsewhere, the seeds of hip- hop were left to germinate in American society at large-fed by its materialism, misogyny and a new, more insidious kind of state violence. † (Ards, 1999, p. 11) This suggests racial motivation impetus more of a political-cultural propensity rather than a psychological trait. All along, even during the racial segregation and Jim Crow, Blacks have consistently had a high sense of personal worth. The Black Movement probably had a less dramatic effect on the personal identity as opposed to the reference group orientation of black people as whole. Blacks have had, and continue to have, a multifaceted reference group orientation that determine behavior depending upon the situation being confronted. BLACK ELITE LIBERAL CONCEPT â€Å"Is this America? Land of the Free and Home of the Brave? † Fannie Lou Hamer’s question still rivets attention, for it is at once radical and conservative, communitarian and individualistic, a plaintive cry and a hardened protest, fiercely American and defiant of America. (Robinson, 1997, p. 179) While not a new paradigm in and of itself (and while certainly reductionist), Cedric J. Robinson, in Black Movement in America, calls for framework forces one to consider social movements. He points out that the very success of black activism during the Civil War would point the way toward future divisions within black political culture. Both free black leaders and the masses of Southern slaves who rebelled against their masters turned a white war into a battle over slavery and racial injustice. (Newman, 1999, 683) Slavery’s destruction, ironically, removed a common focus of protest, and more importantly, enticed certain â€Å"black elites† to accept the â€Å"liberal concept† of changing American political culture by trying to join it and reform it from within. These elite representatives were â€Å"largely irrelevant† in Robinson’s eyes, for the black masses focused on community-building and autonomy (Robinson, 1997, p. 92). The black social movements of the 60’s and 70’s single indicator of common social beliefs may simply be related with other dimensions and intangibles yet to be discovered or even recognized. In brief, due to the impact of during the ten to fifteen year span, black consciousness and awareness had become so pervasive throughout the black population that by the late seventies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  a single item tapping common-fate solidarity was adequate to capture a fully politicized sense of group consciousness. Of course, other changes in the political landscape may also contribute to such a shift. For instance, collective political efficacy among black Americans may have been enhanced by the growing number of black elected officials. † (Bobo & Gilliam 1990) A generation has almost passed since the social activisms of the late 50’s and upheaval turbulent 60s and birth of modern day public black social movement. There are now thousands of black elected and appointed officials throughout the United States. Southern presidents have been elected to the White House since 1976, both of whom received the overwhelming support of the African American electorate. A great deal of literature has been devoted to the position that Black working people and the poor challenged the â€Å"system† by establishing, ad hoc or organized significant black social movements that were rooted simultaneously in a political and social tempest. However, thus knowing that a person has a strong black identity will not inform the listener about the nature of his/her personal identity; however, it gives considerable insight into the person’s value system, political posture, and cultural stance. REFERENCE(S) Deborrah E. S. Frable , 1997, Article Title: Gender, Racial Ethnic, Sexual andClass Identities. Journal Title: Annual Review of Psychology. Volume: 48. Page Number: 139+. Angela Ards, 1999, Organizing the Hip-Hop Generation. Magazine Title: The Nation. Volume: 269. Issue: 4. Publication Date: July 26,1999 Page Number: 11. Cedric J. Robinson, 1997, Black Movements in America. (New York: Routledge,. p. 179, 92 ) Rich Newman, 1999, Black Movements in America. Journal Title: The Historian. Volume: 61. Issue: 3. Publication Page Number: 683. Walter Recharde Allen, Geraldine Kearse Brookins, Margaret Beale Spencer,1985, Beginnings: The Social and Affective Development of Black Children. Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Place of Publication: Hillsdale, NJ. Bobo, Lawrence. 1988 â€Å"Attitudes Toward The Black Political Movement: Trends, Meaning, and Effects on Racial Policy Preferences. † Social Psychology Quarterly 51:287-302. Gilliam, Franklin D. , and Kenny J. Whitby. 1989 . â€Å"Race, Class, and Attitudes Toward Social Welfare Spending: An Ethclass Interpretation. † Social Science Quarterly 70:88-100.

bass essays

bass essays Noting pulsating beats while listening to any song brings one thing to mind, the electric bass. Playing the bass is easy to learn but difficult to master. It takes time, dedication and hard work to master this skill. You must first learn how to hold the bass, also the proper way to play the strings, but then be able to put that with scales, and good timing. After studding bass guitar for years one is then able to go anywhere musically with their instrument. There are many basses and the ways you hold them. For instance, with an upright bass, it needs to be rested on ground and stand while you play, and with an electric bass, one will want to wear a strap while standing and playing. Being right-handed or left-handed determines a lot about how the bass is positioned. The strings are played with your right hand if youre right handed, and vise versa if youre left handed. With a proper technique, one is in the right direction to playing. Most bassist use their thumb, index, middle, and pinky to play the strings, while applying pressure to the strings in between the frets on the neck. Other bassist will use a pick to play, but they dont have as much control. How the strings are played isnt as important as how one places their fingers on the frettboard. When there is a lack of pressure a muted sound is created, so it is important to apply enough pressure. Applying enough pressure in the right place is also necessary, if youre not in between the frets you may get a sound you do not want. Learning the different scales will help one to piece everything together. Not knowing the scales might affect how quickly youre able to play songs, and how good your ability to play with others. If a guitarist is playing in the key of A, you want to stay in that key a stay clear of accidentals. Playing in one key will help you to keep a sound that is pleasing to the ear. Just one wrong note can ruin an entire song,...

The Professional Writers Company to Solve All Your Paper Crafting Problems

The Professional Writers Company to Solve All Your Paper Crafting Problems You cannot ignore the wave of social networking! Today, people are making use of social networks not only for communication with family and friends but also for propaganda and business. The communications network plays a significant role in the self-realization and self-development of a person. Besides, networking assists people in improving their communication skills, and have the capabilities of solving quite a several problems. In these contemporary times, we have been overloaded with so much information. This info can either have negative or positive impacts on humans. Thanks to social networks; people can comment, like, dislike, dialogue, share pictures, and do so many other things. Still, there are negative consequences of the same. So, at this point, it is inevitable to write a social media essay. Students will be expected to craft such essays since the internet has brought with it very many interesting things. Social networking is among the most popular pastime activities among people of different ages. Besides, there’s so much in store for the future of social networks- this is just the beginning. Of course, you can’t imagine life without social networking. So, as a student, be prepared to handle such a paper. If you’re looking for a skilled professional to assist you with such an assignment, then you no longer need to stress yourself. Our company is the right place for all your assignment crafting needs. Our team of experts handles your paper with the utmost precision and professionalism. Still, make use of our guide on how to write a social media essay step by step to improve your academic writing skills. A Guide on How to Write a Social Media Essay Students are often stuck when their professor assigns them with such a paper. They wonder, â€Å"what is a social media essay?† Besides, they are confused because they have a wide range of topics that they can choose from when crafting such a paper. Still, most scholars are not knowledgeable about how to create such a paper, and they need someone to guide them in the process of writing a social media essay. We have come up with an article that will guide you through this tricky type of paper and offer the most valuable tips and topics you can look into. Besides, it will guide you on how to structure this type of paper. Our professionals have compiled a list of useful and interesting tips that will definitely assist you in creating a killer paper on social media. Guidelines on How to Start a Social Media Essay The first thing you should do to know how to begin a social media essay is to ensure that you look for interesting topic ideas. Your topic is what starts everything. It is the beginning of the whole writing process, and you have to be focused right from the beginning. You need to choose a good topic related to discipline. This is because choosing an unrelated topic will leave you stuck at some point while drafting the paper. Of course, you don’t want to end up with a poor grade because of the wrong topic choice. Make sure that you choose a topic which touches upon serious issues that exist in modern society. Still, this interesting topic must have a high potential for research. Also, note that your chosen topic has to show your attitude towards it. Make sure that you choose a topic which you can gladly express your take on. Several topic ideas include a persuasive paper that could describe the impacts of social networks or discuss cases related to social networks. Additionally, you can craft an argumentative essay that will give your opinion on social networks with a detailed explanation, relevant sources, and an analysis. Besides, you can craft a personal reflection on social networking detailing a personal experience or review from another person’s viewpoint. Also, you could write a speech which is aimed at a specific aspect of social networking. Next, look for as many relevant research sources that you can utilize for your assignment. Once you’re done, outline how you will craft your paper. Note that there is a particular structure of a social media essay. The first part is the introduction, which has a hook sentence to capture the audience, followed by a strong thesis statement. It is followed by the body, which consists of between three to five body paragraphs. Here you mention the facts and support them with statistics, evidence, and sources if applicable. Finally, write your conclusion, which will sum up all the identified facts and make a powerful statement. Additional Tips for Writing a Social Media Essay Make use of these additional tips on how to make a social media essay: Make sure that you brainstorm inspiring and interesting ideas for your paper, for it to become unique and interesting. Plan and schedule to create a good paper. First, understand the question, and make sure to make efficient use of the time available. Do not underestimate the amount of work you have to do in to order to come up with a good paper. Make use of as many research sources as possible. There are very many sources of information that you can get access to in the library, and even online. Go through several sources before determining which ones are the most relevant. Proofread your paper, or let another set of eyes go through it. Your paper is prone to mistakes. Make sure that you go through it severally to ensure that it is correct both grammatically and structurally. Order Now for Professional Assignment Help from a Skilled Writer Are you still finding it hard to understand how to write a good social media essay? You have a great shot at making use of our quality services. Our company intends to save your precious time by offering a helping hand every time you’re stuck with your assignment. A professional writer from our team is ready to assist you no matter how difficult your paper is. What are you waiting for? We are the ultimate solution to your assignment problems. Order now!

Origins and Symbolism of the German National Flag

Origins and Symbolism of the German National Flag These days, when you come across a larger number of German flags, you are probably running into a bunch of soccer fans or walking through an allot settlement. But as many state flags, also the German one has quite an interesting history. Even though the Federal Republic of Germany wasn’t founded until 1949, the countrys flag, bearing the tricolors black, red, and gold, is actually much older than the year 1949. The flag was created as a symbol of hope for a united state, that didn’t even exist at that time. 1848: A Symbol of Revolution The year 1848 was probably one of the most influential years in European history. It brought revolutions and massive change in many areas of daily and political life all over the continent. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, hopes for a united non-authoritarian German state were quickly disappointed as Austria in the South and Prussia in the North achieved practical domination over the patchwork of dozens of smaller kingdoms and realms that were Germany back then. Shaped by the traumatic experience of French occupation, in the following years, the incrementally educated middle classes, especially the younger people, were appalled by the autocratic rule from the outside. After the German revolution in 1848, the National Assembly in Frankfurt declared the constitution of a new, free, and united Germany. The colors of this country, or rather its people, were to be black, red, and gold. Why Black, Red, and Gold? The tricolor dates back to the Prussian resistance against Napoleonic Rule. A squad of voluntary fighters wore black uniforms with red buttons and golden trimmings. Originating there, the colors were soon used as a symbol of freedom and nation. From 1830 onwards, more and more black, red, and gold flags could be found, even though it was mostly illegal to fly them openly as the people were not allowed to defy their respective rulers. With the beginning of the revolution in 1848, the people took to the flag as the emblem of their cause.   Some Prussian cities were practically painted in its colors. Their inhabitants were fully aware of the fact that this would humiliate the government. The idea behind the use of the flag was, that a united Germany should be constituted by the people: One nation, including all of the different realms and territories. But the high hopes of the revolutionaries didn’t last long. The Frankfurt parliament basically dismantled itself in 1850, Austria and Prussia once more took over effective power. The hard-won constitutions were weakened and the flag was once again forbidden. A Short Return in 1918 The later German Empire under Otto von  Bismarck and the emperors, that did unite Germany after all, chose a different tricolor as its national flag (the Prussian colors black, white and red). After World War I, the Weimar Republic emerged from the rubble. The parliament was trying to set up a democratic constitution and found its ideals represented in the old revolutionary flag of 1848. The democratic values this flag stands for could of course not be tolerated by the National Socialists (die Nationalsozialisten) and after they seized the power, the black, red, and gold was again replaced. Two Versions from 1949 But the old tricolor returned in 1949, twice even. As the Federal Republic and the GDR were formed, they reclaimed the black, red, and gold for their emblems. The Federal Republic clung to the traditional version of the flag while the GDR changed theirs in 1959. Their  new variant bore a hammer and a compass within a ring of rye. It was not until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the reunification of Germany in 1990, that the one national flag of a united Germany should finally be the old symbol of the democratic revolution of 1848. Interesting Fact Like in many other countries, burning the German flag or even trying so, is illegal according to  §90 Strafgesetzbuch (StGB) and can be punished with up to three years in prison or a fine. But you might get away with burning the flags of other countries. In the USA though, the burning of flags isnt illegal per se. What do you think? Should burning or damaging flags be illegal?

Preliminary Research Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Preliminary Research Design - Assignment Example However, once a business has been operating for an amount of time, they begin to rely on their customers to help their business continue to strive. Of course, customers are only a small part of the business, but the way that customers are treated will have a direct impact on the way that the business grows. Many businesses understand the relationship of customers to loyalty, but many do not see that it makes much difference in the way they do business. In the old days, there was a phrase that everyone seemed to use: "The customer is always right." But today, this may not be the case for every business. Customer satisfaction will automatically lead to customer loyalty if customers are treated well. Theoretical Framework Most business people understand that the relationship that they build with their customers will either bring them back to the business or make them go to someone else. The most important factor for them to remember is that there is a relationship between customer satis faction and loyalty. The idea of customer satisfaction can be defined in many different ways. ... Some researchers suggest that defining customer satisfaction means that quality of the product is important to customer satisfaction. Although this is one component that points to customer satisfaction, it is not the only one that can be seen in developing this concept. In order to define customer satisfaction, a research must look a several issues that create good customer service. Roethlein and Wicks (2009) suggest that one of those components is quality. Whether it is a product or a service, there are certain elements of quality service that most customers will expect. Customers satisfaction connects to customer loyalty which in turn connects to costumer retention. In each situation, customers are the major part of why a business or service works well and continues to thrive, especially in difficult economic times. According to Dubrovski (as cited in Roethlein and Wicks, 2009), consumer satisfaction is the most important aspect of profit because it is through customer satisfaction that profits are made. In other words, the more satisfied customers are, the more they want to purchase from the company. Kumar, Petersen, and Leone (2010) suggest that when customers are satisfied with a product or service, they will tell other people about it and they will refer them to the business. They devised a formula to decide what customers had the highest value for referrals and applied it to their research. They found that customers who had a high level of referral possibility only needed to have one form of advertising come to them because if they liked the business enough, they would automatically refer people to it. These different theories of how researchers see customer satisfaction makes it difficult to devise a strong independent or dependent variable for what

Dubai Vs. USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dubai Vs. USA - Essay Example Body language forms an important part of the communication process though it does not stand as the only form of communication. Non-verbal communication will incorporate many aspects such as dressing, culture and region. In Dubai, males commonly put on long dresses. This has formed an important part of non-verbal communication often relating to the Muslim culture with other Muslims doing the same in other parts of the world. In America, the dress code is different. Men will less likely be found in such long dresses and if found, the conclusion made is that they could be a Muslim. Women in Dubai which is a male dominated region speak softly. Though significant steps have been made to address the issue and empower the women, the culture they have been brought up in dictated that they should be loyal to their husbands which makes them or puts them in an awkward state. Comparing that with the U.S., one realizes that women in the U.S. are more vocal. They take control of things and spear head changes in their respective places of influence. This has been cultivated by the culture they have brought up in. The two differing cultures have different expectations for each gender with the Arab in Dubai recovering from a purely male dominated one and the U.S. being a fairly equal power population. Therefore, looking at the verbal and non-verbal communication in those places, the change that will likely be noted is lack of confidence in some of the ladies in Dubai while those in the U.S. will take the center stage and deliver the message they wanted. Whereas most people will likely adapt to the American culture and be in a position to maneuver well in communication, study has shown that a business trip to Dubai will be more complicated. Though not a must, one will be in a better position if he can fairly utilize verbal and nonverbal communication. On top of this, he should be in a position to follow and understand the basic pointers in the Arab workplace. The role of

In terms of child protection critically examine the policy Essay

In terms of child protection critically examine the policy developments that have been introduced to facilitate collaboration of - Essay Example 2006, p.67). On the other hand, Mattessich and Monsey defined collaboration as ‘a mutually beneficial and well-designed relationship entered into by two or more individuals or organizations to achieve common goals’ (Mattessich and Monsey, in Raspa et al. 2000, p.23). Moreover, Hamric et al. (2005) explained that collaboration is ‘a dynamic process which focuses on the sharing of goals, values and commitment’ (Hamric et al. 2005, p.91), while Haussler (2006) highlights the voluntary character of collaboration as an activity developed in the context of social relationships or of commercial partnerships. Current paper is based on collaboration as defined by Hamric et al. (2005) – which emphasizes on the necessity of shared values and commitment – for explaining and evaluating the child protection initiatives in England and Wales, especially regarding the level at which these initiatives have managed to facilitate the collaboration among relevant b odies in England and Wales. 2. ... tive text on which the protection of children in UK is based is the Children and Young Persons Act 1933; the above law is used jointly with the main law on child protection in England and Wales, the Children Act 1989 – as updated through the Children Act 2004. The above law establishes the principle of the parental responsibility (section 3) for the protection of the child but also the right of the Court to intervene and make an Order – if necessary – for ensuring the protection of the child (section 1). Moreover, the power of local authorities to intervene and take measures for the protection of the child is clearly defined (section 47, NSPCC, 2011). In Children Act 2004 (section 10) ‘a duty has been set for agencies to cooperate in order to improve the well being of children’ (Children Act 2004, Surrey community). The above legislative text is followed by two guidance texts (published in 1991), which establish the cooperation among the agencies for increasing the protection provided to children; furthermore, guidelines are given for assessing the needs of children within their families; the first of the above guidelines, under the title ‘Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’ (DCSF 2010 in NSPCC fact sheet, 2010, p.2), is of key importance, setting the framework of the collaboration among agencies operating in the particular sector. Other legislative texts have been published, after the Children Act 2004, aiming to address specific needs of children: for example, the Children and Adoption Act 2006, the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (NSPCC fact sheet, 2010, p.5-7). The key agencies

Benihana of Tokyo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Benihana of Tokyo - Case Study Example However, a market research done by Rocky, the president of this hotel, pointed otherwise. Through this research, Rocky realized that many Americans do not trust meals that are prepared in enclosures that are not visible for the customer. Therefore, he ensured that the meals, especially the streak were prepared from a close proximity to the dining table so that customers would be in a position to watch as their meals are being prepared. This boosted the trust of the customers towards the firm. Unlike other typical restaurants which have 30% of their total space as back of the house, this restaurant has only 22% of the total space left as back of the house (Warner 34). This has increased the space available for the restaurant. Another factor that distinguished this restaurant from others within this locality was the fact that its chefs were all from the parent country, Japan. All of them were young unmarried individuals with high standards of training in hospitality industry. The mannerism of the restaurant, though American in all aspects, had a touch of the Japanese culture, a fact that made it stand out as uniquely cultural. Simply put, the operation of this restaurant is positively unique. The design choices of this restaurant have positive contributions to the general operative efficiencies. The decision to have the cooking area located close to the dining hall is not only meant to please the customers as they watch their meals being prepared, but it also enhances the efficiency. The cooking area is very close to the customers and therefore the process of serving is easier. As the president of this restaurant admits, this has enabled the management to cut down on the operative cost because it would require a relatively lesser labor as compared to a conventional kitchen location in typical hotels (Page 76). The decision to reduce the back space of the hotel has also improved efficiency of

Planning forHousing project- Planning and policy context Essay

Planning forHousing project- Planning and policy context - Essay Example Sustainable development in economics, social and environmental gains, with emphasis on positive improvements to quality of environment. Replacement of old designs with better one. And to provide greater choice of quality homes in accordance to local requirements. Housing is considered a requirement of sustainable development to meet local growth needs, with emphasis on sustainable development plans approved in timely manner. Requirement of quality design, amenity and effect land use for mixed development with aim of pollution reduction and climate change accommodation, high sustainability (social, environmental, economic) to compensate for locational design incompatibility. Support flexible working with residential and commercial uses within same unit. Long term protection of employment use without prospects is unnecessary and should be reviewed in accordance to market signals. The local development framework outlines the standards that should be met upon developing new structures under its jurisdiction. This section of the proposal highlights the important aspects that should be taken into consideration when designing a plan. †¢ Encouraging employment and encouraging mixed use development. Employment space reallocated enhances business premises specification; improves the immediate area; increases employment space take-up; and meets and identified need. Encourages mix dwellings with affordable housing where viable. †¢ Buildings enhance built environment and local place distinctiveness (optimum site arrangement: form, mass, scale, design and impact analysis redrawing surrounds and view, historical surrounding qualities, enhancing boundary between public and private domains, secure by design) Resource efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions through design quality and Sustainable Homes Level 4 Code. Development and land use is designed to reduce car travel and car-free developments On the other hand, London

Benihana of Tokyo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Benihana of Tokyo - Case Study Example However, a market research done by Rocky, the president of this hotel, pointed otherwise. Through this research, Rocky realized that many Americans do not trust meals that are prepared in enclosures that are not visible for the customer. Therefore, he ensured that the meals, especially the streak were prepared from a close proximity to the dining table so that customers would be in a position to watch as their meals are being prepared. This boosted the trust of the customers towards the firm. Unlike other typical restaurants which have 30% of their total space as back of the house, this restaurant has only 22% of the total space left as back of the house (Warner 34). This has increased the space available for the restaurant. Another factor that distinguished this restaurant from others within this locality was the fact that its chefs were all from the parent country, Japan. All of them were young unmarried individuals with high standards of training in hospitality industry. The mannerism of the restaurant, though American in all aspects, had a touch of the Japanese culture, a fact that made it stand out as uniquely cultural. Simply put, the operation of this restaurant is positively unique. The design choices of this restaurant have positive contributions to the general operative efficiencies. The decision to have the cooking area located close to the dining hall is not only meant to please the customers as they watch their meals being prepared, but it also enhances the efficiency. The cooking area is very close to the customers and therefore the process of serving is easier. As the president of this restaurant admits, this has enabled the management to cut down on the operative cost because it would require a relatively lesser labor as compared to a conventional kitchen location in typical hotels (Page 76). The decision to reduce the back space of the hotel has also improved efficiency of

Criminal Justice Experiential Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Criminal Justice Experiential Paper - Essay Example It is interesting because how people react is a good indication of the state of society today; although there are many definitions of deviance such as absolutist, reactivist or normative, suffice it to say at this point that deviance refers to anything that is out of norm. Along this line, it is perhaps proper to first identify the importance of norms to society and in our everyday lives (Clinard & Meier, 2008, p. 8). This is because without norms being discussed it would be difficult to put deviant behavior into a proper context. The social norms therefore are references to expectations people place on everyone regarding what is correct conduct on certain situations or in occasions when people normally gather among themselves. Simply, deviance is anything that is quite different from the accepted social norms; it implies that deviance is a very relative notion or matter of perception. On a deeper level, deviance is something that is not valued or dis-valued (perceived or evaluated i n a negative light). The social gathering which I had chosen to implement my experiment was our school reunion. There were several batches present, those ahead of us and those who studied after us, besides the batch mates to which I belonged. It was a silver jubilee (25th year) since our high school graduation and many of us attended; some went together with their families. Discussion In this section, I will discuss some of the deviant behaviors which I engaged in during our high school reunion. It must be emphasized at this point that at no time did my egregious behavior endangered anyone or put someone even remotely at risk. I may have offended some people's sensibilities but that was almost all about it; it was all intended to elicit reactions. The actions I took and the varied reactions I elicited with them are discussed below. Deviant Behaviors – I intentionally arrive late for the start of the festivities. Although it was agreed by our batch that everyone should endeavo r to arrive early or even on time, the time I got there was already almost an hour late and naturally, my batch mates were not happy with the way things turned out for our batch as I missed an early pictorial for our group. Moreover, I did not apologize or offer some explanation as to why I was that late. My guess was that everyone expected me to at least give an alibi which I think was not necessary. This was because everyone in our batch had been reminded a few times several days before the event to please arrive on time; reminders were sent to each one of us by text messages. It is therefore almost inconceivable for someone to be late; the implication was that the party or occasion was not accorded the importance it deserves. I tried to appear grouchy as well. There was a fund raising activity to coincide with the momentous occasion in which I had promised to buy two tickets as my contribution to the charity works of the school. This is a raffle in which ticket holders are suppos ed to win some prizes but I purposely remarked that the prizes were too cheap considering the price of the tickets being sold. That remark was for the purpose of giving them an impression that I was not too happy with paying for my tickets. At the very least, it was construed by our batch president and others that I tried to sneak out of a firm commitment to buy those two tickets. I also mumbled something about having to pay a hospital bill for a close relative who was rushed to the

The Enlightenment of Handsome Lake Essay Example for Free

The Enlightenment of Handsome Lake Essay During the mid eighteen century a change in thinking accumulated. This new way of thinking is called Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a time of insightfulness, finding a meaning and way to understand the universe. There were many Enlightenment speakers who wanted to share bright new ideas to the people. Such as Handsome Lake whom in â€Å"How America Was Discovered† had a vision regarding a change for his people. Handsome Lake enlightenment was a new approach for the traditional religion of his people. According to Handsome Lake his people way of life was perishing. The family togetherness had become a distant memory. The willingness to help a fellowman was null and void at this time. Due to the white man’s many gifts including poison (alcohol), and also the witches was corrupting them. Several new teachings were needed for the Iroquois people. First they had to know how the evil came about in order to correct it and move forward. Secondly, they had to understand how they were living was not of God (religion tradition). Third they had to realize life that they once new were no more; they had to adapt to the evolving universe. He enlightens with a story of a young minister seeking the face of God. In his wavering the young man found the devil according to Handsome Lake. The devil tells the man of a place where it was plentiful. Where he would become a rich man and have position of power. This proposal was very enticing for a young man wanting to do God’s will.. After the corruption had taken over, Handsome had a vision come to him with direction and defined the sin that his people had to repent of. ) Their previous way of life was virtuous, no evil habits or appetites for evil. At this point Handsome Lake visions and teaching included the talk of witchcraft, in love magic, in abortion and in drunkenness. These sinful acts gave concern for the people of Iroquois salvation. () Handsome knew the world was moving fast and leaving his people to destruction. The new teaching was called Gai’wiio and is believed to be practice today. The attempt to open the people mind to allow them to understand what was happening to them as a people.

Starbucks Recruitment and Selection Process

Starbucks Recruitment and Selection Process Starbucks is a speciality coffee house which originated in Seattle. Today the organisation has over 15,000 outlets worldwide. It sells a range of hot and cold drinks, food items and accessories. Its philosophy is to create an experience for the customer and a human connection. With the introduction of the Starbucks Card purchasing drinks, food etc. from the outlets has now been made a lot easier. Customers can top up their cards and use them as a method of payment. Starbucks products are also available from supermarkets. Some of the range includes packets of coffee, coffee makers, gift sets etc. Starbucks is constantly innovating its offer to keep up to date with competition from McDonalds, Cafe Nero, Costa Coffee etc. You are required to answer the following questions making reference to Starbucks. Task 1 – Recruitment, Selection and Retention A Barista at Starbucks must have a number of personal characteristics and skills which will enable them to carry out their role. These skills and characteristics are likely to include friendliness, attention to detail, a commitment to providing customer service and an ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Pilbeam and Coridge indicate that successful resourcing is as much to do with good organisational fit as it is to do with HRM best practice, and therefore the first stage of recruitment should be to undertake a role or person specification in order to establish the skills and attributes necessary for the role. Phillips and Gully suggest that successful recruitment, selection and retention should also be aligned to the strategic objectives of the firm and therefore care and consideration should be given to the most suitable recruitment and selection methods in order to ensure they will attract the best potential candidates and also that the entire process will result in long t erm employee retention. Bratton and Gold state that recruitment is the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organisation. Selection is the process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons more likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements. Accordingly, Torrington et al observe that there are a number of alternative recruitment and selection strategies including interview, assessment centre, and psychological testing. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and therefore it is not uncommon for multiple approaches to be used in combination depending on the seniority of the role in question. However, before recruitment and selection can commence it is necessary to determine a suitable specification for the role. Thus the suggested specification for a Barista at Starbucks is given below:- Figure 1: Personal Specification Template for a Barista at Starbucks (Source, Author) Requirement Essential or Desirable? Qualifications / Education / Training: No essential qualifications required, food safety or food hygiene would be desirable Desirable Experience: Customer service, food handling, retail Essential Knowledge: Some retail knowledge would be desirable, along with a knowledge of various coffees Desirable Skills Competencies: attention to detail; ability to work in a high pressure environment, customer-centric Essential Personal Attributes: open friendly, keen to provide an exceptional customer experience Essential Other: Prepared to go the extra mile to offer exceptional service and use own initiative when necessary in order to promote the brand and concept Desirable The specification is not exhaustive and further attributes may be considered such as an ability to communicate in more than one language, especially if the location of the outlet is such that overseas tourists regularly visit (eg parts of London).   The most cost-effective form of recruitment and selection process for Baristas would be CV and subsequent interview as managers in Starbucks at a local level have a clear idea of their local customer demographic and demand and thus potential applications who submit a CV can be easily screened for desirable and essential skills and attributes. The manager can then interview potential applications before making a decision on selection. An interview has further benefits as it allows the manager to identify the personal attributes and characteristics of the application in order to assess how the application would fit within the existing team, as much of the Starbucks ethos and working model requires a high level of teamwork. Potential questions which might be asked at interview for the Barista would include asking the application to describe their retail experiences to date and getting them to explain how these experiences have relevance at Starbucks. This would test for depth of experience and also organisational fit in terms of focus on the customer experience. Other technical questions might relate to Food safety and handling in order to ensure that the application understands the critical importance of this when delivering an exceptional customer experience. From a regulatory perspective the manager conducting the interview must be sure not to inadvertently discriminate against any potential applications during any stage of the recruitment and selection process. Therefore all applications must be asked identical questions and none should relate to issues of gender, age, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. In short, Starbucks is proud of its heritage as an equal opportunities employer. During the recruitment process potential applications must be offered full opportunity to ask their own questions in order to ensure that they fully appreciate the nature of the role which they may be committing to. Task 2 – Building Winning Teams One of the foremost scholars of team building, Meredith Belbin, identified that in order to function effectively an organisational team requires members with different skills and attributes. In her research she identified that there are nine alternative team roles as she described them (see Appendix for full details). Belbin observed that the most effective teams possessed at least 5 and ideally 7 of the roles, and that an individual member within a team was capable of fulfilling more than one role, but rarely more than two. Tuckman established that when people are first brought together in a team they experience various stages of team development, popularly referred to as forming, norming, storming and performing. This concept is reflected in Figure 2 overleaf. In short, the theory holds that as employee are brought together in a group they experience an evolutionary process whereby they come to understand and appreciate one anothers skills and strengths and then utilise these compl ementary skills for the best advantage of the team as a whole. History has shown that Tuckmans theory has almost universal application, however, when used in combination with Belbins theory it becomes even more powerful as it becomes possible to identify in advance whether or not a group I likely to succeed based on the unique skills and attributes of each team member. For example, if there are too many plants within a group then it is likely that the group will be highly creative but the ideas will rarely be translated into action. Similarly, too many co-ordinations is likely to result in arguments as the co-ordinator role is known to be quite stubborn and even manipulative. When applying these theories and concepts to teams at Starbucks it can be observed that different skills are required for different parts of the operation. Holistic observation of a team working at Starbucks demonstrates the power of team working. Each person has a defined role which they focus upon in order to ensure maximum efficiency and quality of output. For example in any Starbucks outlet one person focuses on taking orders and payments, another one or two (depending on the size of the outlet) focus on making the orders and a further team members is constantly ensuring that the outlet is clean and tidy and well stocked. It can be suggested that this requires a high level of group communication and co-ordination and also a high level of trust as those baristas making the coffee must take on trust the orders given to them by their colleagues. Similarly because two Baristas can work on the same order simultaneously there must be complete understanding and uniformity to the order p roduction process such that they can interchange their roles at any point. Under Tuckmans model it is clear that a team in Starbucks is at the very least in the norming stage of the model and most probably at the performing stage. The concept of team work within organisations has gained increasing prominence in recent years and with good reason as highly effective teams are more efficient and productive. Furthermore, Armstrong identifies the benefits of empowering team members within a role so that they feel more engaged with the organisation and therefore more committed to delivering the best possible experience for the customer or client. At Starbucks one means of achieving this would be to ensure that every team member is fully cross-functional and that they are given stretch performance targets which require them to work as a team. Full cross-functionality means that each team member has an appreciation for other roles and therefore they tend to be more considerate of outcomes. Moreover, a cross -functional team which has accountability for its own results will typically find more effective means of delivering a service in order to reach targets.  Armstrong also discusses how increased responsibility and accountability increase engagement which in turn increases motivation. Some HRM scholars regard the relationship between engagement and motivation as symbiotic, but there is little doubt that engagement and motivation are strong indicators of a high performance team that is committed to exceed expectation and delivering exceptional service. Furthermore, research by Saunders demonstrates that highly engaged teams have lower levels of staff churn. This point is useful as it is closely correlated to the previously discussed matter of recruitment and retention, and thus if the right people are brought into the organisation and they are motivated to stay because they feel the business (for whatever reason) is a good fit for them, then there is reduced churn, increased engagement and greater productivity. In summation, engaged team members are more profitable for the business and thus it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship. Task 3 – Leadership Motivation There is a vast amount of literature and research which embraces the topic of leadership; furthermore, leadership theories have experienced a considerable amount of transition over time as societal perceptions of leadership have changed. Leadership has been defined by Mcquire and Molbherg as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Theories of leadership range for discussions as to the traits of leaders their styles of leadership and transactional and transformational theories of leadership. One of the most popular theories used to explain leadership style is the Managerial Grid as developed by Blake and Mouton and shown in figure 3 below:- As can be seen in the figure, the Managerial Grid examines the prevailing managerial technique of leaders within an organisation in order to identify their preferred style. In ideal circumstances Blake and Mouton believe that a manager and leader should adopt a team style which is participative and empowering and allows the employees of the organisation to make their own decisions within the remit of the organisations objectives. It can be suggested that the concepts of the Managerial Grid share some parallels with the discussions as to transformational and transactional leadership whereby Burns argues that in the longer term transformation leadership is far more effective because it empowers employees to deliver the best possible performance as they have accountability for their own daily working lives. It is evident that there are close linkages between leadership and motivation insofar as good leaders motivate their employees and team members to succeed through a combination of techniques such as engagement, empowerment and delegation of power. Armstrong and Cheese et al believe that the use of these techniques in conjunction with other factors such as employee voice ensure that individual employees align their personal aims and objectives with those of the organisation and therefore voluntarily strive to ensure that the service provided by the organisation is a success. It should also be acknowledge that several scholars perceive there is a difference between a manager and a leader within an organisation. The distinction is subtle and relates to the fact that managers generally focus on day to day operational tasks and leaders tend to occupy a more strategic role. However the distinction is certainly not clear cut and considerable debate still centres on this division of roles. Furthermore a leader can also be a manager by dint of their role within the organisation, and thus leadership tends to be regarded as a personality trait as opposed to an organisational position. In short, a leader tends to be more effective at motivating and inspiring employees because of their ability to engage them and encourage them to strive for enhanced performance. In times of change and development, and also in times of difficult circumstances such as recession, leadership and talent management skills are highly valued. In application to Starbucks it should be observed that in times of recession when consumers tend to cut back on luxuries such as coffee from coffee shops, Starbucks must strive to offer improved service to customers in order to retain them. The managers (and ideally leaders) of Starbucks must also continually strive to motivate Baristas to deliver exceptional service even when customers become more demanding. This concept is closely correlated with that change management and goal setting whereby engaging Baristas with the process can ensure that they feel empowered to respond to the challenge and that they have responsibility for it. At a local level this may mean running small promotions which would suit the customer demographic in order to attract and retain more customers. Furthermore, if Starbucks wish to retain their emplo yees it is prudent to continue to invest in training and development in order to ensure that they are highly skilled and capable of responding rapidly to changes in customer demand. This might include job exchanges with Baristas from other retail outlets in order to share best practice, or creating a forum where Baristas can put forward their suggestions for improvement. Although these are relatively small steps they can help individual Baristas to progress within Starbucks and this ensures that Starbucks generates a reputation as an employer of choice which fosters home grown talent and treats employees with fairness and respect.  Research into the prevailing management style at Starbucks reveals that they have a relatively flat hierarchy which ensures that it is easy to disseminate information widely and effectively within the organisation. Starbucks has a clear mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time and this is fully evidenced in their training policies and ethos. The structure and leadership style of Starbucks also ensures that the business can be responsive to customer needs because the baristas are in direct contact with customers every single day and also have the necessary mechanisms to ensure that they can provide valid and timely feedback to their managers in order to improve the customer experience. Task 4 – Work and Development Needs and Performance Management Armstrong defines performance management as a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in order to achieve high levels of organisational performance. As such, it establishes shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure that it is achieved. It is important to observe that from a HRM perspective performance management is not solely concerned with disciplinary procedures, but rather it is concerned with ensuring that each and every employee has the necessary support to achieve their objectives and potential. Thus, performance management is often closely correlated with learning and development as in order to achieve to their maximum potential employees must continue to expand their skills and to develop their capabilities. Furthermore, scholars such as Benson et al have observed a link between training and development and employee retention, which as previously identified, helps to ensure increased engagement and reduced employee churn. However in order to monitor and improve employee performance it is first necessary to set suitable objectives and targets and to apply metrics and benchmarks to these objectives and targets in order to objectively assess employee performance and development. At Starbucks there are two core elements which form the basis of employee performance; these are technical capability that is to say the ability to consistently produce a high quality cup of coffee, and secondly the ability to interact with other stakeholders including team colleagues and customers. The former can be objectively assessed by observation against agreed performance metrics such as speed of production and consistency of taste. This has benefit to individual employees and Starbucks as a whole because it ensures consistency of service and product quality across the network of franchises meaning that the reputation of Starbucks is maintained and also that Baristas are employable across a range of franchises that they ma y be prepared to travel to, thus increasing their value to the company. The second performance metric to assess is more intangible and pertains to perceived service level and customer and colleague interaction. In terms of colleague interaction this can be assessed through a variety of measures such as 360 degree feedback, line manager observation and self-reflection during a performance review. Research has shown that generally speaking individual employees are reasonably self-aware of their skills and capabilities and it is rare that a performance review highlights anything that the employee was not at least already aware of at some level. However the benefit of performance review is that it can demonstrate to individual employees specific areas where they could improve or would benefit from training to enhance their skills set. For example a food safety certificate to help ensure that an individual franchise was fully compliant with legislation, or perhaps rudimentary book-keeping skills to help ensure that the cash is managed accurately in each store . In terms of assessing Barista performance when interacting with customers this can be achieved through feedback forms and customer incentives. For example it is becoming increasingly common that receipts from retailers encourage customers to provide feedback about their service online. This has the dual benefit of helping the organisation to become more engaged with customers and response more rapidly to customer feedback. It can also be used to gather individual barista feedback if specific questions in the feedback questionnaire relate to performance and service such as speed and friendliness and helpfulness of the Barista. The information gathered from feedback surveys can be fed back to each barista in regular performance reviews in order to help them identify areas of development and subsequently improve performance. As noted at the outset of this section, performance management techniques should not be designed with the sole intention of discipline employees, although it is alm ost inevitable that at some stage a form of discipline may be required for certain employee. However, best practice makes it clear that regular performance reviews can help to forestall any such issues as if they are held regularly and reasonably frequently it should be possible to forestall any problems before they become issues of concern. Finally it is necessary to consider how Starbucks applies principles of delegation in order to motivate Baristas. As discussed previously in this review, Starbucks encourages team working and the creation of stretch targets to help Baristas develop and to take responsibility for their own areas of production. This approach is closely linked to effective performance management because empowering Baristas to set and achieve their own targets helps to motivate them to achieve as they feel in control of their targets and daily responsibilities. Targets can be used to monitor and evaluate Barista performance and at each performance review they can be revised as necessary in order to help the Barista improve. For example in the early days of a baristas employment this could be to improve the speed of production and to obtain a certain customer service rating. In due course this could progress to internal training courses in advanced customer service management and customer experience. This holistic process also helps Baristas to appreciate that they are valued and therefore this leads to them becoming more engaged and motivated and delivering improved performance. References Armstrong, M. (2009) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (11th Edition) – Kogan Page, London  Beardwell, J. Claydon, T. (2007) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach (5th Edition) – Pearson Education, London  Belbin, R.M. (2010) Management teams: why they succeed or fail. 3rd ed. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.  Benson, G. S., Finegold, D., Mohrman, S. A. (2004) You paid for the skills, now keep them: Tuition-reimbursement and voluntary turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 47(3): 315–331.  Blake, R.; Mouton, J. (1985). The Managerial Grid III: The Key to Leadership Excellence. Houston: Gulf Publishing Co.  Bloisi, W. 2007. Management and organisational behaviour. 2nd ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.  Boddy, D (2008) Management: An Introduction (4th Edition) – Prentice Hall, London  Bratton, J. Gold (2007). Work and organizational behaviour. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.  Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper and Row Publishers Inc..  Cheese, P., Thomas, R.J. and Craig, E. (2008) The talent powered organization: strategies for globalization, talent management and high performance. London: Kogan Page.  Foti, R.J., Hauenstein, N.M.A. (2007). Pattern and variable approaches in leadership emergence and effectiveness. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 347-355.  Govaerts, Natalie, et al. (2010) Influence of learning and working climate on the retention of talented employees, Journal of Workplace Learning 23:1.  Harrison R (2009) Learning and Development, London, CIPD  Hoque, K Noon, M (2004) Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice in Britain in Work, Employment Society vol.18 no.3 pp.481-506  Huczynski A, Buchanan D (2003) Organisational Behaviour: An Introductory Text – Pearson Higher Education, London  Mcquire, D., Molbherg J. K., (2011) Human Resource Development Theory Practice London: Sage.  Murphy, N. (2009) Talent managements role in a time of recession. IRS Employment Review. No 927, 13 August. 5pp.  Phillips and Gully (2009) Strategic Staffing Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, pp12-35  Pilbeam, S. Corbridge, M. (2010) People Resourcing: Contemporary HRM in practice. 4th ed. London: Prentice Hall International. Ch 2  Saunders, M.N.K., (2011) Trust and strategic change: an organisational justice perspective in R Searle and D Skinner (eds) Trust and Human Resource Management. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.  Starbucks (2012) Search and Apply [online] available at http://careers.starbucks.co.uk/job-search-and-apply retrieved 3rd Feb 2012  Starbucks (2012) Mission Statement [online] available at http://starbucks.co.uk/about-us/company-information/mission-statement retrieved 3rd Feb 2012  Torrington, D. Hall, L. Taylor S (2007) Human Resource Management (7th Edition) – Prentice Hall, London  Zaccaro, S. J., Gulick, L.M.V. Khare, V.P. (2008). Personality and leadership. In C. J. Hoyt, G. R. Goethals D. R. Forsyth (Eds.), Leadership at the crossroads (Vol 1) (pp. 13-29). Westport, CT: Praege

Economy :: essays research papers

Economics and Location There are several factors that influence the growth and distribution of a particular regions primary industries. These primary industries, are necessary for an economy to grow. Without a primary industry, which could also be called natural resources, secondary, tertiary and quaternary industries would struggle in a country (excluding Japan etc.). These factors also affect where people live. If you were at a warm place, near the coast, it is a lot more populated, than interior America. This population, affects your labor and markets. With a good geography, cash crops may be able to grow in the region developing a farm industry. There are several factors that affect a region’s natural resources. These factors are landscape features, temperature and precipitation. Landscape features affect the economy. Some landscape features that range all over the United States are tundra and mountains. If you were describe the Arctic Coastal Plain, you would have to mention the permafrost. In t he Pacific ranges and coastal lowlands, the soil is rich and fertile. The soil in a region determine if you’re able to grow cash crops or nothing. The temperature of a region affects the economy. In a place that is warm and humid, certain crops, will be able to grow in that region. The temperature can also affect the settlement patterns of people. Larger populations tend to settle in a place with a high temperature. To get an precise picture of an area’s climate, two temperatures are required. These are the average temperatures of the months January and July. There are three factors that affect the this result. The closer you are to the equator, usually the warmer it is. This is because the sun rays are more concentrated and direct the closer you are to the equator. The more direct the sun’s rays are, the greater heating ability. During the winter, oceans maintain much more heat than land, and release this heat slowly. Land near an ocean, is warmer than land not ne ar an ocean because the ocean retains the heat. When the sun shines, the heat bounces off, but can’t reach the atmosphere. The heat in the air comes from the warm surface, so air closer to the ground is usually warmer. As altitude increases, air temperature decreases. This decline in air temperature is known as the lapse rate. Precipitation can also affect the economy. In a place that is humid, certain crops, will be able to grow in that region.

Communication Research and Advertising Essay

1 MAIN ISSUE Content analysis of different creative concepts and their characteristics applied in eight selected advertisements found in two publications – weekly magazines – Drum and You of July 11, 2013. 1.1Main issue criteria Creative concepts applied in the advertisement will play a meaningful role whether the campaign succeeds or not. Pictures, text and captions are but some of the few items that are used to structure the advertisement. In other instances, advertisers use unique payoff lines which enable them to be a cut above the rest. 1.1.1Nature of research The research approach is both qualitative and quantitative. The use of narrative data on the study prompted the adoption of qualitative approach. The quantitative approach came as a result of a data that was counted and numerically measured. 1.1.2Time dimension The nature of the research is cross-sectional. The study is conducted through the use of July 11, 2013 editions of Drum and You. Both are weekly magazines. Therefore research findings are limited to the abovementioned period. 1.1.3Action Exploratory and descriptive studies are used to determine characteristics of creative concepts used in selected advertisements for the research project. see more:pta meeting narrative report 1.1.4Issue The issue at hand is to look at creative concepts used by various advertisers from the selected advertisements published in the July 11, 2013 editions of Drum and You. 1.1.5Method A content analysis of two publications – Drum and You – and promotional messages carried through the use eight selected advertisements. 2RESEARCH CRITERIA Every study conducted has to meet research criteria. It had to be relevant, researchable, cost-effective and should not violate acceptable ethical standards. 2.1Relevance Drum and You form part of the print media which remain vital component of mass communication. Advertisers also used these platforms to reach out to the target market. As a result of that, the research issue is relevant and meets the criteria for communication research. 2.2Researchability Every newspaper and magazine carries various advertisements. Advertisers pay for the space booked in the publication. The study will therefore be easily conducted due to the growing number of businesses that used these platforms to promote their goods and services. Every advertisement has atleast a creative concept. 2.3Feasibility Drum and You have been readily available. There were other daily and weekly newspapers to choose from. The same goes about magazines; there were weekly and monthly magazines which were available at a reasonable cost. One has chosen these two publications as they were already in the collection. They form part of researcher’s regular weekly and monthly read. Decision to choose the two publications was somehow influence by the content they offer. The other one carries women issues while the next one is for soccer enthusiasts. 2.4Ethical acceptability Advertisements used will be acknowledged in the ‘sources consulted’ section. The same will apply about publications that carried them, Drum and You. 3EXTENT Two publications have been chosen to conduct the research; they are July 11, 2013 editions of Drum and You – both are weekly magazines. The study analyses creative concepts applied in the advertisements. 3.1Brief background of the publications It is imperative to know about the publications used for the study. In this research we use popular weekly publications. 3.1.1Drum Drum is a family magazine mainly aimed at black readers and contains market news, entertainment and feature articles. It was established in 1951 as â€Å"African Drum† by former test cricketer and author Bob Crisp and Jim Bailey. In 2005 Drum was described as the first black lifestyle magazine in Africa. Drum’s heyday in the 1950s fell between the Defiance Campaign and the tragedy at Sharpeville. This was the decade of potential Black emergence, the decade when the Freedom Charter was written. The aim was to promote an equal society. The Nationalist government responded with apartheid crackdowns and treason trials. Drum was a â€Å"record of naivety, optimism, frustration, defiance, courage, dancing, drink, jazz, gangsters, exile and death†. The magazine described the world of the urban Black; the culture, the colour, dreams, ambitions, hopes and struggles. The backbone of the magazine was crime, investigative reporting, sex (especially if across the colour line) and sport. This was fleshed out by imaginative photography. The formula worked and made for compulsive reading. Each issue of Drum was read by up to nine people, passed from hand to hand on the streets, in the clubs or on the trains. It became a symbol of Black urban life. About 240000 copies were distributed each month across Africa. This was more than any other African magazine. 3.1.2You You is a South African family magazine which is aimed at demographically diverse South African English-speaking readers of different ethnicities with coverage on current events and â€Å"interesting people†. It has two sister magazines: Huisgenoot (aimed at White and Coloured Afrikaans-speaking readers) and Drum. The You magazine was launched in 1987 by Nasionale Pers, which later became Media24. You is published in Cape Town. The publication covers human interest articles, celebrity news, both local and international current affairs. 3.2Geographical boundary The study will be conducted in Bloemfontein, Free State. The researcher is based in the Free State capital hence the reason for the study to be conducted in the area. 3.3Nature of the time dimension This is a cross-sectional study which will be conducted through the use of Drum and You – July 11, 2013 editions. Drum has variety of advertisements targeting general society, from body lotions to luxury vehicles. You on the other hand had advertisements such as education, men’s health promotions and cellphones. The study will be conducted between July and September 2013. 3.3.1Motivation for choice of time Both copies of Drum and You have been purchased a few weeks after one has registered for the course – Communication Research (COM3706). Advertisements which met basic requirements for the assignment were readily available. This is the main reason why the choice of time is relevant to pursue the study. 4POPULATION According to Van Rensburg (2010:150) a population can be defined as the entire group of persons or set of objects and events the researcher wants to study. 4.1Target population According to Du Plooy, GM (2009:109) target population is the actual population to which the study is used to generalise results. The population for the study has to be all the newspapers and magazines from which various advertisements were reviewed before a final decision was taken by the researcher. Eventually two publications – Drum and You – were identified. Four advertisements have been selected from each publication. Both copies have carried many other advertisements but the assignment’s requirement is to select just four of them from a copy. The researcher has gone through weekly and weekend newspapers. They included Sowetan, Daily Sun, The Citizen, The New Age, Mail & Guardian, City Press and Sunday Times. On the other hand magazines included KickOff, Move, Real, Soul, True Love, Drum and You. 4.2Accessible population In this regard, the accessible population is the publications from which the sample will be drawn for the study. Drum and You are conveniently available for the researcher to identify advertisements that will be analysed for research purposes. 4.3Population characteristics Advertisements comprise various creative concepts to make sense of the meaning and messages conveyed to the target market. Therefore various population parameters have been used to achieve advertisers’ goal with the published promotion. In the study, we have seen how pictures, punchy headlines, well-designed texts, among others, were used to draft different creative concepts. Below is the list of four population characteristics that one reported about in the research findings. âÅ"“ Colour codes applied âÅ"“ Headline âÅ"“ Photographs âÅ"“ Body copy âÅ"“ Text visuals 4.4Units of analysis The smallest units that were analysed for the study, among others, include well-designed texts to differentiate certain products from that of their competitors. Pictures of the advertised products were also attached. In Drum, DSTV, Rajah, Playtex and Edgars advertisements have been identified for the research. On the other hand, in You the researcher has identified advertisements of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Samsung, Dermalex and Regal Pet Health. Various eye-catchers have been applied in the advertisements used for the study. Subheadings were punchy, but we cannot confirm if they were indeed factual. Headlines and pictures seemed to complement each other. So far, headings that promised customers benefit appeared to work the best. One has analysed pictures and graphics used, slogans, text applied, including headlines used in the advertisement. The abovementioned elements form a backbone in making sense of creative concepts. 5ASSUMPTIONS Lingerie designers use young, beautiful ladies in their promotional campaigns to drive the message home that their underwears will make them look stunning and energetic. Advertisers use slogans to catch the attention of consumers and thus ensuring that they easily recall their products. And more importantly, they were able to differentiate them from those of their competitors. Amplification creative concept becomes a must when advertisers promote expensive goods such as cars. Brand names are repeated more than once in the advertisements and this is done through the use of well-designed texts, logos and pictures. 5.1Sub issues Do lingerie designers use young and gorgeous ladies to promote their wears? Do advertisers use slogans to get the attention of consumers in order to ensure that they recall their products and not confuse them with those of their competitors? Is an amplification creative concept a must when advertisers promote expensive goods such as cars? Do brand names get repeated more than once in the advertisements through the use of well-designed texts, logos and pictures? 6GOAL and OBJECTIVES The study seeks to investigate practical issues which are creative concepts used in advertisements. 6.1Nature of the goal The nature of the research is applied goal. The researcher has investigated how creative concepts can be more effective in the advertisements. The study is more practical as one had to cut advertisements from both Drum and You magazines before they could be converted into soft version via the use of a scanner. 6.2Relationship of goal to the main issue By its own nature applied communication research is descriptive and explorative. This is also the case with the study the researcher is persuading. The explanatory objective is as a result of practical exercises to be conducted throughout the course of the study. The descriptive objective is as a result of determining how creative concepts will be applied in the selected advertisements from Drum and You. 7RESEARCH QUESTIONS Does the use of young models in lingerie effective to attractive customers and connect them with the benefits of the advertised underwears? Can advertisement deliver the good message to the intended audience even if the slogan was not applied to the optimum use? Why is it so vital to use amplification creative concept over others when promoting expensive goods such as vehicle? What is the role played by headlines, pictures and copy text in conveying the advertisement message? 8THEORETICAL APPROACH The theory that is applicable for the study will be explained through both connotative and denotative. Some of the creative concepts used are attached to literal meaning while others are figurative. For instance, some beauty products claimed that they will enhance the skin of young ladies and they will appear more attractive than ever before after using their lotions. The use of young models offered the literal meaning as one could easily associate with what was seen on the photo accompanying the advertisement. Pond’s and Johnson’s African Nurture are case in point in this regard. Figurative meaning, for example, can be seen in the Toyota Etios advertisement. The words such as, ‘Take your smile for a test drive’. It was a figurative expression that one will be happy to drive the car and the testimony of that can be found in the test drive. 8.1What each creative concept mean Pink is the feminine colour. The Pond’s and Johnson’s African Nurture advertisements made use of the colour as they promote women’s beauty products. The happy looking ladies, who have been used as the faces of these products, somehow, were a sign of the benefit that comes with their use. The promise of benefit was one of the fundamental creative concepts. The ladies were used as a proof to the claim that was made by the advertisers that their products will do wonders for the users. Another colour that was used by the advertisers was yellow. The denotative meaning of the colour was happiness. The Toyota Etios advertisement promised users some excitement as they will be smiling. The yellow colour was used extensively in the background of the advertisement. The same colour yellow was used heavily in yet another Johnson’s African Nurture advertisement. We have seen a group of young gorgeous ladies, mostly dressed in yellow dresses, overjoyed after using the beauty-enhancing product. A factual approach was applied that one can hammer on was in the SuperSport advertisement of HD-PVR Decoder. Action pictures of footballers such Orlando Pirates striker Benni McCarthy and Chelsea forward Fernando Torres have been used to back up the story. Over and above watching high definition pictures on television, viewers will have the benefit of watching best football matches in Europe – the live coverage of Barclays Premier League, Spanish La Liga, German’s Bundesliga, South Africa’s Premier Soccer League and the UEFA Champions League matches. Slogans on the other hand form a vital component. The advertisements of Peugeot, Toyota and Pond’s were among those that have used this creative concept to back up their brands. A detailed explanation of the new Toyota Etios summed up the use of amplification creative concept in the advertisement. Users were informed in not so many words about the benefits of the car and which features have been installed. Both the Johnson’s African Nurture advertisements were loaded with the appeal creative concept. They were specifically targeted at African women. The SuperSport advertisement provokes curiosity while it also had the slogan on, â€Å"World of champions†. They urge readers and â€Å"welcome them to the next level†. It was a metaphor used to urge readers to use HD PVR Decoder for better and quality television pictures. The Scorpion Legal Protection advertisement urged the consumers to take action by enlisting their legal services from as little as R39. Clients were also provided with an sms number for further clarity. A classic example of the use of brand name in the advertisement was visible in the Peugeot promotion. It was repeated with words and pictorially with the logo emblazoned. 9RESEARCH DESIGN The research design is both qualitative and quantitative. 9.1Qualitative design The design is relevant as the study will identify and examine various creative concepts used on eight selected advertisements. Effectively this also serves to examine elements that distinguished various advertised products from those of their competitors. Creative concepts remain fundamental muscle of each advertisement. The critical aspect in this regard is the fact that the design is all about analysing content from, among others, pictures, texts, messages used from selected advertisements for the purpose of the study. The study will go further to analyse data by comparing findings from all identified advertisements. The researcher will look at the similarities and differences spotted on the selected advertisements. The comparative analysis comes as a result of explanations of similarities and differences found in eight selected advertisements which prompt the study. This, after having realised how various advertisers use creative concepts in getting messages across. 9.2Quantitative design The researcher will count the number of creative concepts applied in each an every single advertisement selected. The figures will be presented on the tally sheet. The tally sheet will show in detail which advertisement that has used many creative concepts compared to others. However, we cannot make a claim directly that there was a common and obvious creative concept appearing most often or less often in any advertisement. 9.3Inductive reasoning This was applicable as the researcher has interpreted the collected data for the study. For example, the use of certain colours such pink and purpose would best be aligned with femininity. This was the reason why Playtex has resorted to these colours for their advertisement. 9.4Deductive reasoning The researcher looks on how general assumptions related to the advertisement messages are applied. For instance, creative concepts remain the lifeblood of each an every advertisement. 9.5Methods and techniques to collect qualitative data The researcher will read and look intently on how advertisements are crafted. How the graphics, pictures, headline texts and words, among others, are put together in building creative concepts and eventually producing the advertisements. We get to understand the meaning even though connotative and denotative messages are delivered to draw the attention of the readers. One had to understand the style and language used and its relevance to the advertisement. The researcher looks on how certain colour codes are applied to ensure certain advertisements live to the theme of the promoters. 9.6Methods and techniques to collect quantitative data Content analyses of various advertisements as well as inferential statistics of the number of creative concepts used were fundamental in this regard. As outlined earlier, the outcomes to this fact had been presented in the tally sheet as appeared in the data analysis section. 10CONCLUSIONS 11SELF-ASSESSMENT AND REFLECTIONS Learnt Skills Shortcomings Outcomes SOURCES CONSULTED Barker, R & Angelopulo, G. 2009. Integrated Organisational Communication. Cape Town: Juta. Du Plooy, T. 2001. Communication research. Only study guide for COM306D. Pretoria: University of South Africa. Du Plooy, GM. 2009. Communication research: Techniques, methods and applications. Cape Town: Juta. Fourie, PJ (ed). 2009. Media Studies Volume 3: Media content and media audiences. Cape Town: Juta. Johnson’s African Nurture advertisement. 2012a. Real, August: 2. Johnson’s African Nurture advertisement. 2012b. Real, August: 47. Koekemoer, L (ed). 2005. Marketing Communications. Cape Town: Juta. Peugeot advertisement. 2012. KickOff, August: 5. Pond’s advertisement. 2012. Real, August: 51. Reid, J & Van Heerden, M (eds). 2009. Media studies: media content and media audiences. Only study guide for COM303A. Pretoria: University of South Africa. Scorpion Legal Protection advertisement. 2012. KickOff, August: 22. SuperSport advertisement. 2012. KickOff, August: 83. Toyota advertisement. 2012. Real, August: 111. University of South Africa. 2012. Department of Communication Science. CMNALLE. Important guidelines and Information regarding your studies: University of South Africa. University of South Africa. 2012. Department of Communication Science. Communication Research. Tutorial Letter 101/2012: Semesters 1 and 2: University of South Africa. University of South Africa. 2012. Department of Communication Science. Communication Research. Tutorial Letter 102/2012: Semesters 1 and 2: University of South Africa. University of South Africa. 2012. Department of Communication Science. Communication Research. Tutorial Letter 103/2012: Semesters 1 and 2: University of South Africa. Van Rensburg, GH. 2010. Research in the social sciences. Only study guide for RSC2601. Pretoria: University of South Africa. Vaseline advertisement. 2012. KickOff, August: 17. SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION The researcher has learnt about effective techniques of how to collect research data, analyse and interpret for both the research proposal and the final study. One has also been able to identify and solve research problems. Important skills earned from the study were to understand how advertisements can use more than one creative concept to convey the message to the users. The concepts used completed each other and pointed out to different angles of the final output. It goes without saying that one has managed and was able to interpret print advertisements accurately. To get to understand subproblems and underlying assumptions in the research study and how to formulate relevant research questions. In addition to that, the researcher is now able to craft relevant research designs that are appropriate for investigating the main research problem. A notable shortcoming of the study was that it could not address all the problems identified as the advertisements were already been printed. But could only make certain inputs. Due to the changes in the market, researchers were prompted to always come with the ways and ideas of overcoming these challenges and gauging the emotions of consumers.