The Financial Performance Of Barclays Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2088 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? The following report is aimed at comment the findings of Barclays PLC financial performance analysis. The first section presents an internal and external analysis. The second comments a series of financial ratios. Finally, the last section concludes. Introduction Banks are an important part of the financial system. They channel financial resources from individuals who have surpluses to individuals who lack capital. Banks transfer these assets in the form of loans. Loans are evaluated and classified according to the default probability (risk). In this manner, Banks assure that lenders invest their wealth in trustable projects, that is, economically viable (Arnold, G., 2008). Banks, then, subside the research task from lenders and allow them to get a safe and constant return rates in a determined timeframe and conditions (Valdez, S., 2007). As any business, Banks are aimed at increasing the wealth of the owners. Banks employ accounting systems and economic models to measure their financial performance. Accounting and economic models evaluate: 1) whether the wealth of the owners is augmenting, and 2) at what extent (Atril, P., McLaney, E., 2008). They provide several financial indicators which help business management to control the enterpr ise performance; among them, the financial ratios are widely used. The purpose of this report is to comment the findings discuss how bank (Barclays PLC) overall performance should be evaluated. The first section presents a review of Barclays internal and external performance. The second section evaluates Barclays financial performance. Finally, the last section concludes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Financial Performance Of Barclays Finance Essay" essay for you Create order A review of Barclays internal and external performance Barclays is one of the worldwide leaders in financial services. It was founded in 1690 in the UK. Barclays has operations in 50 countries spanning over Europe, the US, and Africa. Its headquarters are located London, UK and employs 153,800 people worldwide (BARCLAYS, 2009). Barclays retail banking includes personal customers, home finance, local business, consumer lending and financial planning (DATAMONITOR, 2010). Internal performance Barclays capital strength has provided the company with resilience to cope adverse market conditions. For example, the companys liquidity pool increased to pound;127 billion at 31st December 2009 from pound;43 billion in 2008. Hence, cash flows allow the bank to negotiate better selling conditions in their product portfolio (BARCLAYS, 2009). Barclays has kept its lending growth volume regardless global economic situation. The bank has reduced its derivative assets; therefore, its balance sheet size has been reduced (BARCLAYS, 2009). However, Barclays operations are threatened by its weakness in cost management. Its subsidiaries in Western Europe registered detrimental costs in 2009. Thus, the bank may face difficulties in its expansion plans (BARCLAYS, 2009). On the other hand, Barclays mobile banking services have experienced a significant growth due to smart phones popularization. This new service portfolio is likely to reduce workload in banks branches; therefore a sign ificant cost reduction may be achieved during the fiscal year 2010. Even though, internet and credit transaction fraud has also risen. Hence, information security investments may undermine cost management accomplishments (BARCLAYS, 2009). Barclays is pursuing to expand its operation in India and UAE. Even the bank has been present in both countries since 1970s; it does not have a considerable penetration. These markets have attractive conditions to increase the bank market share. Therefore, an expansion strategy for India an UAE is foreseeable (BARCLAYS, 2009). External performance Barclays impairment losses in 2009 affected banks profitability. This effect was present despite balance sheet size reduction. Disposal of these legacy assets is one of the main banks objectives for fiscal year 2010 (BARCLAYS, 2009). UK government legislation regarding Asset Protection is aimed at improving customers trust by clearing up banks balance sheets. However, there is no a complete strategy on this matter. These uncertainties add pressure on financial markets, making difficult banks capitalization. Besides, a more competitive environment will be roomed (BARCLAYS, 2008). Finally, mergers and consolidation in banking industry will make more difficult, for Barclays, to adjust pricing levels and protect their market position. However, Barclays has the resources and skills to tackle challenging business environments (BARCLAYS, 2009). Barclays financial performance ROE ROE ratio presents negative trend in the last three years. The cause of this behaviour was the increase in the operation costs, 25%, plus a drop of 25% in the interest income. The net effect was a drop of drop of 77% in the net income in 2009. In 2008, Barclays acquired Lehman Brothers, thus, the total financial figures of the bank were affected. This buy clarifies the abrupt changes in costs and interest incomes. Positive results of this acquirement may be reflected in one or two years; it can be said that this normal behaviour of acquirements (BARCLAYS, 2008). ROA ROA was also hit by the Lehman Brothers effect; the indicator fell 50% from 2007 to 2009. Total assets were duplicated during 2008 and the net income after taxes was a little bit higher than in 2007. However, in 2009, Barclays made a restructuration in its total assets and was able to reduce them a 44%, that is, total asset were almost the same than in 2007. Unfortunately, net income after taxes also dropped 44%. ROA indicator was, then, almost the same than in 2008. ROA hid the company efforts to align the bank to the pre-acquisition levels (BARCLAYS, 2009). Net Interest Margin Net interest margin improved in 2009. It surpassed 2007 value. Assets are producing more Interest profit than in 2007. This can be interpreted as a positive effect of the Lehman Brothers acquisition, since the asset combination is generation more income. However, the increment in operation costs undermined the net effect of these results (BARCLAYS, 2009). DuPont This indicator clearly shows the Lehman Brothers acquisition effects. The equity multiplier registered a growth during 2008. The net profit margin was almost 300% higher than in 2007. However, the asset utilization went down 518%. The net effect was a low ROE (BARCLAYS, 2008). In 2009, the equity multiplier, and net profit margin felt down 49.48%, and 63.45% respectively; whereas, asset utilization grew 281%. Even though, ROE ratio was the lowest one in the studied period. This erratic behaviour was caused by the total asset amount. Each indicator by itself does not provide enough information regarding how well the company is doing it. For instance, asset utilization seems to be worst than in 2007, therefore, the implication would be that acquisition was a bad deal for the bank. In the case of the Equity multiplier, the conclusion would be the same. But, the net profit margin figure seems more realistic and clearly shows that a growth of 10% in two years justify the buy (BARCLAY S, 2008). The ultimate result is indicating that the new company is expected to have a return in equity of 6.28%. However, this metric does not include dividend amounts; thus, investing in the new Barclays firm may still be attractive. DuPont exercise shows that any indicator does not have all information at glance, thus, they should be used in combination in order to provide relevant and useful information. By decomposing ROE in three different ratios, it is possible to understand the effect of total assets and the operating revenue into the companys investing profile. Besides, it is clear the effect of the increment in the cost of the sales and operations. From the graph, it can be seen that Lehman Brothers firm made a massive sales and their expenses were under control. However, it can be inferred that liquidity may be one of the relevant factors that pushed former owners to sell it. This thesis is aligned to the main causes of the 2007s global financial crisis. Therefore, the acquisition was justified and was a good opportunity to improve the banks financial performance (BARCLAYS, 2009). Net Interest Margin This ratio shows a negative trend. The lowest value was registered in 2008. However, during this year the interest income registered the highest value during the period. In 2009 the interest income dropped 24.18% but asset were reduced almost 50%. Even though, they continued 12.34% above the 2007 value. The net effect was 25.24% below the 2007 mark. It is important to say that 2009 is a good result and shows how the bank is trying to move the new company to the levels in which the former one was operating. It can be inferred that the strategy is to stabilize the bank and then increase the profits. Acquisition was, again, the event that impacted the ratio behaviour (BARCLAYS, 2009). Earning base Earning base is indicating that bank is acquiring more assets which are directly implied with the profit generation, that is, that it is lending more money to customers. It is clear that in 2008, due to acquisition, the bank owned a series of assets which were overloading the cost structure. In 2009, the situation improved since assets were re-structured and their number was reduced. This indicator should not be higher than 50%. The rational is that banks earning assets are loans, thus, bank should ensure they payment of those loans whit its assets. Therefore a healthy ratio level may be around 50% (BARCLAYS, 2009). Operating Efficiency Ratio and Wage ratio The operating efficiency ratio shows that bank is struggling with its operating expenses. In 2007, the ratio was 187%, which means that bank was investing two resource units to produce one. In 2008, this indicator grew almost 2.5 times. However, the bank made a very good effort and reduced the figure 32%. When wage ration is included in the analysis, it presents a drop in 2008, due to redundancy. However, the operation expenses did not diminished; therefore the operation efficiency ratio did not improve. It can be implied that work force is not the biggest expense, as many author claim, but a combination of inefficient process and asset sub-utilization. Unfortunately, annual reports did not provide deep information (BARCLAYS, 2008, 2009). Interest Income / Total Assets and Interest Rate Risk Ratio The first ratio provides information regarding how much interest income is produced by the total assets that bank owns. This indicator shows a growing trend with a little drop in 2008 due to the total assets acquired from Lehman Brothers. Thus, Barclays is improving its asset utilization. Talking about interest risk ratio, this indicator should be ideally around 100% to ensure that all loans are backed up with assets. However, the bank registered values below 10%. On the other hand, this indicator also shows a growing trend, which means that this figure is going to improve in the future. This indicator also supports the 2008 acquisition (BARCLAYS, 2009). Liquidity Risk Ratio Cash is the blood of the business. This ratio is relevant because indicates the capacity of the bank to convert its asset in cash. This indicator showed a negative trend with a peak in 2008. Its value has never been below 90% which indicates that bank has no cash flow issues. However, it highly depends in the asset restructuration. According to the 2009 annual report, asset management is one of the key objectives of the current management board. Thus, liquidity risk ratio will improve during the next years (BARCLAYS, 2008). Capital Risk Ratio Capital risk ratio shows at what extent the bank is prepared to afford its long term compromises. Values on this indicator shows that bank is in a very good position since its long term compromises do not represent a high percentage of its total assets; the lower this indicator the best. However, it shows a growing trend accelerated by the 2008 acquisition. It can be inferred that management team is trying to either improve the bank resource availability, by long-term instruments, or restructuring the acquisition cost. The peak in 2008 can be explained by the heterogeneous asset combination post-acquisition (BARCLAYS, 2008, 2009). Conclusions After analysing Barclays bank ratios, it can be inferred that the acquisition of Lehman Brothers was an organic growth during crisis times. Thus, Barclays took advantage of the economic situation in 2008. Its solid cash figures allowed the bank to reject the bail-out plan from the UKs government. This action increased the customer preference for the bank. After acquisitions, the ratios tend to show bad results. However, this is somehow expected, since new components are added to the operation and a new organization is created. In the case of Barclays, these variations were not significant to the overall company performance. Finally, internal and external performance measurement is a complementary part of the ratio analysis. Ratio analysis is highly dependent on accounting information and the standards to gather that info. Thus, the results may vary if another set of accounting rules is applied. Internal and external performance measurement provides the background information to understand the number, trends and behaviours of the ratio result. Hence, both analyses are complementary rather than exclusive. Ratios provide a standard and normalized way to compare and analyze information, but they are meaningless by themselves. Ratio value is important, but it adds nothing to management process if it is not translated into coherent and relevant series of events which explain the root cause of that percentage. Thus, a good selection of indicator and measurements will guide the company to better results.

The Black Death Of The Bubonic Plague - 1304 Words

The Black Death The Black Death also known as the Bubonic plague was a deadly disease that swept through Europe in the late 1340s to the early 1350s, wiping out over twenty five to forty million people. It is called the Black Death because when victims got sick, they developed massive bulges on their bodies that turned purple and black. The bubonic plague originated in the arid plains of Central Asia, where it then travelled along the Silk Road, reaching Crimea by 1343. From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that would often get on merchant ships. In around 1347, the bubonic plague entered Europe through the cities of Constantinople, Genoa, and most famously the island of Sicily. Infected people came on ships and infected others in the city, the fleas from rats moved on to other animals, like horses and dogs that were often found living alongside humans, spreading that disease even more. And people leaving those cities, carried the disea se with them to other cities in northern Europe through trading routes. By 1349, the plague had reached England and Norway. The plague scared people making them believe it was the end of humanity. The Black Death was a turning point in history because it killed one-third of the western European population, making it one of the most deadly diseases in the world. In the previous years, a large majority of Europe was already suffering, the Great Famine and local food shortages weakened people,Show MoreRelatedThe Black Death And The Bubonic Plague1949 Words   |  8 PagesPursell The Black Death Reassessed What really happened to Europe during Black Death? For years, the accepted version of the event has been that a plague from the East, carried by rodents who were infected by fleas, traveled by trade routes and subsequently infected Europeans. 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This plague outbreak was extremely deadly and killed 30-60% of the European population at the time of the outbreak. The outbreak is commonly believed to have been caused by the bubonic plague, but modern evidence suggests that the Black Death was caused by pneumonic plague, a much more contagious and deadly infection. The Black Death was the second major plague outbreak in history, theRead MoreThe Plague Of Bubonic Plague1714 Words   |  7 Pagescharacteristics. The diffusion, history, and cure are just a couple universal aspects that contribute to the well known, yet unforgiving disease known as the Bubonic Plague. The Bubonic Plague diffused to many people during its time of dominance. To start, the Bubonic Plague is transmitted to other living organisms in a distinct way. The plague bacteria circulates among different populations of certain rodents without causing an excessive amount of rodent die-off (â€Å"Centers for Disease Control andRead MoreQuestions On The Black Death1336 Words   |  6 PagesSTUDIES TERM 4 HISTORY Name: Jemimah Hulme THE BLACK DEATH 1. HOME PAGE Introduction: in a few sentences, summarise What Is the Black Death? (WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHO, HOW, WHY) The Black Death, also known as ‘The Bubonic Plague’ was a devastating pandemic in the 14th century, affecting mainly Europe. It was caused by a deadly bacteria, ‘Yersinia Pestis’ that caused large, pus-filled swellings on the victim’s body. In the space of 5 years, the plague spread rapidly and claimed the lives of 25 million

The Story of Salt Free Essays

The book suggested for this book report is â€Å"The story of salt† written by the author Mark Kurlansky. The book in whole educates people about the significance of a simple element â€Å"salt†. This book is not just for the adults but also for the teenagers and the primary level students. We will write a custom essay sample on The Story of Salt or any similar topic only for you Order Now This book introduces the readers with the common facts that had been off-beat. This book is reviewed on a large scale and recommended by many of its readers. About the author: The author of this book Mark Kurlansky is well-known among the book lovers. He has been awarded with the James Beard Award for Excellence in Food Writing. His many writing includes â€Å"A biography of fish which changed the view. And this is an achievement in itself, if a book writer really changes one’s perspective towards any subject (The Random House Group, 2009). The most common feature in his books is salt. Just for the sake of knowing the facts about salt and how does this substance can really change the contemporary picture of the world, he travelled to many countries in the world. The countries he visited are China, Middle East, and Africa. Mark Kurlansky writing pieces includes, â€Å"The big oyster†, â€Å"The last fish tale†, â€Å"1968 (the year when the world was rocked) and many more† (Random House, INC, 2009). These writing pieces by the author have focused the food and greatly salt. In this paper will discuss his book â€Å"The story of the salt† About the book: This book deals with the ubiquitous and such a simple substance, salt. How salt helped the civilizations to evolve and how it bring change in the economy in the World. Salt is the substance which can make a country become the most powerful. In this book the significance of the salt tells all the facts and secrets has been revealed. Salt is most important to superpowers like America to control the world. This book reveals that how important salt is for the human body. Illustrations: This book contains many vibrant, attention-grabbing and supportive illustrations with text which made it easy for the readers to understand the importance of the simple substance salt. There are illustrations symbolizing the different civilization and the use of the salt in their era. Main Idea: At first when salt was used in the meals with meat and other types of meat (white meat, beef) but its industrial use got raise when salt was discovered as the best preservative. And that’s when the use of the salt became more common. Almost every state’s economy is greatly affected (in raise or loss) by the frozen food because of the new trends of intake of food. America in particular has the industry of frozen food selling on the highest score (Kurlansky, 2006). The question that arises in our minds is that if the salt was not discovered as a preservative, then how it would be the state of the frozen food cultured economies? This shows the evident importance of the salt in the economic affairs of the state. Did you ever thought about when using the table salt? In this book Mark provided records of the first use of salt different countries. For example, China started its production for salt nearly 8000 B. C before. Mark introduces to the foodie culture of China that they sprinkle salt rightly on their food (Kurlansky, 2006). This book also deals with many famous bodies from the history involved in the history of salt. For example, Gandhi was the one who broke the law of Britain regarding salt which damaged their trade of salt. Another example from the book is of Clarence Birdseye. He is the biggest name in the market of frozen foods (Kurlansky, 2006). This book also tells about the phenomenon of colonialism which was greatly affected or being revolutionized by the salt. The salt trade helped those states which had their salt sources on the list. And when war broke out, the colonists had to find their mass of salt in order to track back their colonialism (Kurlansky, 2006). Mark in this book takes us back to the beginning of the time when prior to civilizations, men as a vagrant and rolling stone use to wonder in the world to find the salt masses which was and is necessary for the human bodies. In the search men discovered many other natural resources so titling that salt was the reason behind the discoveries of world’s many important land recourses (Kurlansky, 2006). This book holds record from all the international history as well as political history of different states and how these states gathered their sources on the basis of mass of salts. Salt is called as the key for the explorations era. Salt was used by many countries for different purpose. For example, how the people of Egypt used salt as a preserver for keeping the bodies of their kings and emperors fresh and preserved. Salt was greatly consumed for this reason (Kurlansky, 2006). Ketchup is commonly used with every food, especially in the regions America, Europe and Mexico. A very interesting point to note from the book is that how salt helped making the ketchup. Because Mark was a food writer too, he included ketchup in a very witty style in his book with the right illustrations to go with it. Therefore reading the text from the book it is quite evident that choosing such a topic and to describe it in such a good way really help him deserves the best outcome of the hard work. This book â€Å"The Story of Salt† is the best seller by Mark. Moreover the author’s goal specifically in this book is to educate people about the little facts that are of less importance to them. And he is successful in this regard. How to cite The Story of Salt, Papers

Duties of Seamen in a Ships Deck Department free essay sample

Duties of Seamen in Ships Deck Department Officers, Bos’n, Able Seamen and Ordinary Seamen run this department The many and varied duties of the deck department are probably the most important and interesting aboard a merchant ship. Upon those who spend their working hours topside falls a burden that ranges from chipping and scaling paint to the actual navigation of the vessel. Merchant ships differ in size and complement, but the average ship that sails the seven seas today, bringing war material to our armies and those of our allies, generally conforms to a single pattern of manpower.The duties of those men also run true to form, more or less, but as the saying goes among seamen â€Å"different ship, different long splice. † All of which is translated as meaning that different ships and masters have their own way of doing things. Generally, however, they are similar. Starting at the bottom is the Ordinary Seaman (OS) whose duties actually are to assist the able seaman. In reality, however, he is the deck utility man and may be called upon to do any one of many tasks.The ordinary may be called upon to stand a lookout, to scale and chip paint, to paint, handle lines in the mooring of the ship, and to assist in the actual tying up and letting go of the vessel. The ordinary also assists in the handling and operation of all deck gear such as topping, cradling and housing of booms and he may also be asked to aid the carpenter in repair work. It is likely that the ordinary may be allowed to act as helmsman, to read the draft markings or to act as cargo watch in the loading and discharging of cargo. Calling the watch (the awakening of men, including officers, who are slated to go on watch or to so remind them if they are awake) is another of the important duties of the ordinary. He also assists in emergency drills (lifeboat, abandon ship and fire) and keeps the passageways and heads in shipshape condition on the 4 to 8 watch. He may also work aloft or over the side. The Able Seaman (AB), by law, must be able to perform any deck duties aside from the actual navigation of the vessel.In general his duties include the ability to splice wire or fibre line, to work aloft and over the side of the ship, to operate the deck machinery such as the windlass or winches, to paint and mix paint, to know the principles of cargo stowage, to be a good wheelsman and competent lookout, to overhaul and install any running or standing rigging on the ship, and to be able to sew, repair and mend canvas. The AB must be a competent and certified lifeboatman, able to handle a lifeboat under oars or sail. He must know lifeboat equipment and be able to assume the duties of the cox’n or man in charge of the lifeboat. It will also be the duty of the AB to maintain the bridge in a clean and shipshape condition. Next on the way up the deck department ladder is the Bo’sn (Boatswain), senior unlicensed man on the ship. He is the direct contact between the crew and the chief mate and he may be likened to a foreman in any industrial plant. The Bo’s’n must be an experienced seaman and is held responsible for anything and everything in the maintenance, care and protection of deck equipment and deck cargo. He also supervises the securing of the ship for sea and the loading and discharging of cargo.In addition, the Bos’n assists the chief mate in ordering the deck stores. The duties of the ships Carpenter (Chips) are numerous. He is likely to be called upon to perform work which, in many cases, is beyond that which the term carpenter implies ashore. In short, he is both a seaman and a mechanic. In addition to doing temporary or permanent wood construction aboard ship with hand tools, he is responsible for the operation of the anchor windlass, seeing that hatch wedges are driven properly, that the deck cargo is properly lashed and that the hatch battens are in place and secure.The carpenter also repairs blocks, keeps the lifeboat davits in good order, builds temporary or permanent partitions, shores or braces weakened or damaged bulkheads, rigs a collision mat, builds a soft patch in the event of bulging or collision, replaces broken rivets and he will assume command of an emergency crew to repair damage in event of a collision. A Quartermaster is not a fixture on all vessels. On the larger ships, he is primarily a wheelsman and maintains the bridge and its equipment in shipshape order.He is conversant wit h signaling procedure, stands a gangway watch in port (responsible for the safety and security of the ship as well as escorting persons aboard who have business) and he is able to perform the duties of an able seaman (splicing line, reaving a halyard, etc. ). â€Å"Day men,† those who work with the Bo’s’n, are usually picked for outstanding ability. They work from 0800 to 1700 and stand no night watches. Their duties are the maintenance of the ship, which includes operating the anchor windlass, winches and other deck machinery.The Third Mate is the junior deck officer and normally stands the 8 to 12 watch. He is responsible for all life-saving equipment. In addition, the third mate keeps the ship’s log, follows the captain’s orders, and assists in the navigation of the vessel. In port, he will assist or supervise in the loading and discharging of cargo. His place is on the bridge with the captain while docking. The Second Mate, usually the navigation officer, plots courses and takes celestial and terrestrial fixes.In peacetime he is the communications officer but the Naval officer in charge of the armed guard crew is rapidly assuming those duties because many of the messages now received are in secret code. The second mate also handles the after deck when tying up. He stands the 12 to 4 watch. The First or Chief Mate is responsible for the maintenance of the ship and proper stowage of cargo. He handles the fore deck in tying up, is a good navigator, a thorough seaman, possesses the necessary qualities of leadership and will assume command of the vessel in the event of the master’s death or inability to command the ship.He stands the 4 to 8 watch. This brings us to the Captain who is lord and master of all he surveys. Actually his title is â€Å"Master. † He is in charge of everything and everyone aboard ship. He must be as closely acquainted with the steward’s department and the engine department as he is with the bridge and he must know the reason for every job performed aboard his vessel. It should be remembered that the Master is the agent of the company which owns the ship and is not a member of the crew. He represents the company in every operation of the ship under his command.His is the full responsibility of the ship. Although he stands no watches he will always be found, in the event of foul weather or fog, on the weather side of the bridge until the danger is over, even though such foul weather lasts for 24, 48 or even 72 hours at a stretch. In any emergency the captain will be up on the bridge conning his ship, despite the fact that he may have sunk exhausted on his bunk after a long vigil just three hours ago. The captain also may act in the Shipping Commissioner’s capacity in signing off a crew after a coastwise trip.It is required of a master, as well as all his mates, that he have a first aid certificate and be capable of administering, if necessary, to the medical needs of the crew. Any one of the deck officers from the Third Mate up will be in charge of any one of the lifeboats in abandoning ship. When a ship is at sea, the watches are usually four hours on and eight hours off, but the crew may be broken out at any time in the event of an emergency. While in port, watches are usually broken. The crew works from 0800 to 1700 with an hour for chow.The ordinary or able seamen agree among themselves, as a general rule, as to which will stand the gangway watch at night. It is important to remember that although every man in the deck department has specific duties, he must be absolutely familiar with the duties of the men who rank above him. [edit] Deck department [edit] Chief officer/chief mate Main article: Chief mate The chief officer (often called the chief mate in the United States) is the head of the deck department on a merchant vessel, second-in-command after the ships master.The chief mates primary responsibilities are the vessels cargo operations, its stability, and supervising the deck crew. The mate is responsible for the safety and security of the ship, as well as the welfare of the crew on board. Additional duties include maintenance of the ships hull, cargo gears, accommodations, the life saving appliances and the firefighting appliances. The Chief Mate also trains the crew and cadets on various aspects like safety, firefighting, search and rescue, and various other contingencies.On most vessels, the chief officer and first officer (or first mate) are synonymous, but passenger vessels often carry a separate first officer who is junior to the chief officer. [citation needed] [edit] Second officer/second mate Main article: Second mate The second officer (or second mate) of a merchant vessel is usually in charge of navigation and is the next licensed position above third officer and below chief officer. The second mate typically stands the 12-4 navigation watch. That is, the second mate will stand watch from 1200 to 1600 at noon and again from 0000 to 0400 in the night s. The second mate is typically the navigation officer aboard a ship. The navigation officer is responsible for maintaining the charts and navigational equipment on the bridge. The duties also usually entail developing the voyage plans under the direction of the ships master. In the United States system, it takes 360 days of sea service as a licensed Third Officer before one can become a Second Officer. [citation needed] The other duties of this position often depend upon the type of ship worked aboard.He planned to destroy the Earth’s sun, giving him access to a powerful energy source and annihilating the human race in the process. In order to destroy the sun, he needed a massive device buried somewhere in Egypt. But his brothers were loyal to the human race and wouldn’t let him destroy the world. Instead, they sacrificed their lives to protect the key—the only object that would engage the device. Sam (Shia Labeouf) is heading off to college 3000 miles away from his girlfriend MacKayla (Megan Fox), his overprotective and emotional mother, and his anxious father.While packing, he finds a sliver of the energy cube (which was destroyed in the previous film) attached to his sweatshirt. When he touches it, the sliver sends signals into his mind, causing him to see symbols which he later discovers are the lost language of the Primes. These symbols lead him, his girlfriend, his cowardly roommate, and a robot expert to Egypt in search of the key that will engage the sun-destroying device. The Decepticons set out in search of Sam, planning to probe his mind for the symbols and then destroy him. The Autobots come to his rescue, but Optimus Prime, the last member of the Prime family, pays the ultimate sacrifice. With Optimus Prime gone, the fallen can rise again and set forth his plan to destroy the planet. Now both Sam and the Fallen seek the key; not only does it have the power to engage the sun-blasting device, but it can also resurrect Optimus Prime. Review The first Transformers movie was a smashing success, proving to all the sceptics that films about transforming robots could be serious and satisfying.Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen did not fair so well. The actors, particularly Sam’s mother (played by Julie White), took more liberties than their roles allowed, making the opening scenes particularly corny. Julie White acted over the top and embarrassingly silly. The film redeemed itself with mind-blowing action sequences and special effects. There were more robot fight scenes, more destruction of world famous landmarks, and more dynamic and creatively constructed Autobots. For the fight scenes alone, this movie is worth seeing in theatres.

Killing someone without going against the constitution

Patients and Cancer Essays

Patients and Cancer Essays Patients and Cancer Essay Patients and Cancer Essay This paper explores different peer-reviewed articles that attempts to shed some light on the phenomenon of the lived experience of patients with cancer; supporting the fact that individuality is a huge factor in the care of cancer patients. Manu types of cancers exist and patients should be treated as individuals versus as a disease or diagnosis. As oncology nurses we accumulate knowledge on a daily basis that may be revised in practice. Therefore, it becomes our innate duty to visit the literature and gain the understanding and evidence that will help us in improving our practice of nursing. The articles, however, vary in the type of cancer with different treatment modalities and the collection methods but have the commonality of all participants being diagnosed with Cancer. The findings showed that patients have many unmet psychosocial and emotional needs among others but exercise hope when family support is present. These shortcomings or gaps in knowledge can alter how care is received and administered. We as nurses, have a lot of work to do in assisting patients feel more individualized with the diagnosis of Cancer. Each day in practice we meet new patients and see old ones and we may see them smile or get sad or display other emotions but as nurses do not take enough time to find out what our patients face and how they handle their diagnoses of cancer. As nurses we get so wrapped up in our daily tasks. Cancer is an experience that can threaten not only the end of one’s life, but also touch all aspects of the person’s existence, making it significant to them and if it is significant to them then it should also be the same to us. Cancer also imposes so many burdens on patients, families and the society at large. So large that it is labeled the silent killer and will overtake disease as top killer by the end of 2010 (foxnews. com). I chose this topic because I realize the gap in knowledge and communication between what happens to patients between diagnoses, treatment and discharge, up to the time they return for follow -up cycles to the time they may hear that the cancer has either metastasis or have been cured (in remission). Just knowing that your life will change is significant enough. We, as nurses are first line in the patient care area. The Doctor walks in and tells the patient that they have cancer and then walk out and the nurse is faced with the aftermath, the questions and the emotions that follow. The nurse is also the one that administers the chemotherapy and various radiation treatments and again is faced with questions and emotions. At discharge the nurse again becomes the one that is faced with questions and emotions. It may not be possible to answer all the questions and for the ones that we are not sure of, we can refer or ask the doctor to explain but having the knowledge of what it may be like for these cancer patients can help with how we approach these questions and the treatment options. Having this knowledge can help in terms of support, teaching, prevention and alleviation of suffering, enabling us to give more culturally congruent care. Literature Review In Arber et al. s (2008) article on the lived experience of patients with pleural mesothelioma it was found that these patients had many unmet psychosocial and emotional needs and that there was a lack of information provided to patients . A feeling of isolation was also reported. All patients and care givers experienced frustration due to the physical experience (Arber et al. , 2008). It was showed that these patients wanted to tell their stories and wanted people to listen. The methodology was phenomenology which was appropriate for th e study with unstructured interview questions allowing for participants to speak their mind and their experiences. As nurses sometimes we are unsure of what to say for fear of saying the wrong thing. There was also evidence of loss of intimacy with partners. Macmillan Cancer support (2006) states that four out of ten couples where one partner has cancer report sexual problems (Arber et al. , 2008). The study was done only on patients with mesothelioma and was very small making it hard to generalize to other cancer areas. The patients and families were only from a specialist palliative community center assuming that these patients had incurable mesothelioma. Benzein et al. , (2005) studied cancer in palliative care in home care and made hope the center of the study. The findings showed that the participants used hope to live as normally as possible. The meaning of the experience of hope seemed to be a will to live for a while longer (Benzein et al. , 2005). The structural analysis revealed the hope of being cured, a hope of living as normally as possible, a presence of confirmative relationships and reconciliation with life and death. The commonality between this article and Arber et al. , 2008 is that these cancers were incurable, however in this article the study group was a mix of males and females ages 54-83 with a median age of 65. The previous article failed to reveal the ages of the participants, making it difficult to impact practice. The other difference is that the latter was done in the patient’s own homes while the study on patients with mesothelioma was done in a different setting that may influence the outcome. Being surrounded by loved ones in the home setting would allow the patient to feel more human, than being in a hospital setting where they are just another patient and loved ones may not be able to visit at lib, which in the end has a negative impact on recovery. Demir et al. , (2008) in their quest to understand the experience of breast cancer survivors that underwent biopsies used a phenomenological approach to reveal three themes that were evident among participants, namely, the need for information, fear and spiritual needs. The study also suggests that results may be different considering different emotional investments in their breasts, sociocultural factors and age. The study was a very small group of twenty with the interviews being held in an unused room outside the clinic before the patients postoperative visits. Having the interviews on postoperative days may further aggravate feelings of fear that could invalidate the study. When compared to the study done by Perreault et al. , (2005) similarities were evident as participants exhibited fear and uncertainty. This study studied women with breast cancer and examined their experiences. Both studies used the interpretative phenomenological approach to gain insights. What this study included that would help with validity that Demir et al. , (2008) did not include was the staging. The staging of the cancer can have a great impact on the emotions and fear and response to experience. This sample size was only six person who lowered the reliability and generalizability. Lacey, (2005), researched breast cancer and support aides revealed that participants were identified as being too overwhelmed and stressed to make decisions about their care. They trusted their physicians to make the appropriate choices and appreciated and welcomed the support of family members. They also expressed hope. These same sentiments were echoed somewhat in Demir et al. , (2008) and Perreault et al. , (2005). All 3 studies involved breast cancer and the study method was the same and even though the same size and ages may have varied, it may prove to offer some insight as to what these women face adding to the validity. All 3 papers also suggest that more research may be necessary to facilitate the different decision- making and emotional abilities. The definite commonality expressed and assumed mong all these articles so far is the need for information especially at different stages. Molen, (2000) study sought to identify the different information needed for people with cancer. Adequate, appropriate and timely information can be a key element for many people in managing the experience of cancer. Different themes emerged from the research. There w as a deficit in information regarding self-identity, body image, and family, social and work relationships. A cancer diagnoses impacts all areas of an individual’s life, and life management information is equally as important as medical information. Molen, 2000). Cancer was viewed as an intrusion and illness engendered feelings of vulnerability that impacted on their normal coping mechanisms. This research had six participants all with different types of cancer with ages ranging from 45 to 65. The end results showed feelings and questions received on a daily basis but the sample size was so small and the age range was so limited that may lessen the reliability. However, further research may be needed to identify the different ages when information becomes such a deciding factor or the processing of information since all the participants were older. Similarly, information needs proved to be a big part of the equation as evidenced in another research study done by Molen (2005). However the type of information, the amount and to what depth varied considerably between individuals proving that information needs are unlikely to remain static and consequently, will change throughout the cancer experience. The literature highlights the importance of information giving, however; many problems are encountered with its provision. People with cancer frequently express dissatisfaction with the information given to them and experience difficulty in retaining and processing information. The cancer experience invariably begins before the point of diagnoses and information needs clearly change over time. (Molen 2005) Jones et al. , (2006) in researching the lived experience showed similarity with the Molen, (2000) themes that emerged from the different stories including changing concepts of self, the significant of relationships, being different from the past and temporality. These patients were bone marrow transplant candidates who were experiencing a mountain of emotions that they believed were affecting them negatively. From their stories it was clear that all participants underwent many physical and emotional changes. Taking it to a different level Meenaghan et al. , (2010) researched elderly patients and their lived experience and concluded that all participants experienced fear and shock at diagnoses but also experienced hope despite their age. With good support from family and friends participants exhibited hope and revealed that they learned to cope with the diagnoses and its treatments. As expressed in Perreault et al. (2005), the same fear and uncertainty was revealed and the same method of data collection and interview was used. Walker et al. , (2009) attempted to understand the lived experience of cancer patients undergoing photodynamic therapy. Analysis of the data yielded six themes, the impact on day –to- day life, existential meaning, the physical effects of treatment, and the kaleidoscope of emotions, information gap and family burden. This article summarizes all the feelings ex pressed by all the previously reviewed articles. If not all a least one of the articles expressed the same feelings which leads nurses to believe that these are the expected emotions, fears and expressions that can be experienced and that we all should be mindful of the factors that to suffering and the nursing interventions that can be used to address these multiple dimensions of suffering. All these studies used the phenomenological approach which is appropriate and if not the interpretative design the descriptive. Sample sizes and ages vary but the information and end results remained the same or close to the same throughout this literature review.

Tourist Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Tourist Industry - Assignment Example Manipulation and Cooperation Twisting and distorting facts to make them appear more attractive. Coercion The applications of direct threats or force upon resisters. Effective Incentive Scheme Staff is unhappy with the arrangement of incentive scheme and tension is running high between the local management and the sales staff. Staff at Euro is also in competition with one another as the greatest amount of time saved per month by an individual globally, is rewarded with a cash payment. DIRECTIONS: Euro Travel in such a case should setup its own incentive scheme, which can produce effective results by keeping the following results in consideration. Communicate goals Communicate what you are doing and why is crucial to success. Everyone needs to know what the goals are and what are the rewards for achieving those goals. Know your objectives There is no point implementing an incentive scheme just because everyone else is. Establish what aspect of your business you are trying to improve, be it product knowledge, absenteeism rates, customer satisfaction or retention rates Convince the board If you have got the objectives right, know what you want to do, why and how, then winning the board over should not be too hard. Consult with staff As such schemes are all about staff participation, it makes sense to get them involved at the beginning. Find out what would motivate them to work harder or please more customers. Maintain momentum Management needs to keep banging the drum and alerting employees to any results, new targets or rewards. It needs to become part of the company culture. Make it pertinent This ties into ensuring the rewards are appropriate. Different departments or locations will probably have different objectives, so you need to...Staff at Euro is also in competition with one another as the greatest amount of time saved per month by an individual globally, is rewarded with a cash payment. There is no point implementing an incentive scheme just because everyone else is. Establish what aspect of your business you are trying to improve, be it product knowledge, absenteeism rates, customer satisfaction or retention rates Staff feels that their needs at work are not being met and that there is too much "clock watching" by themselves and managers. They are dissatisfied not just by the incentive scheme but also by poor management. Due to war against Iraq the hotels from Paris to Rome to Berlin have seen a drop in reservations and anticipate a greater slowdown, in peak tourism season. This is due to fears of global terrorism and economic gloom in many parts of the world. The drop in visitors is all the more damaging because the world's big spenders, the Americans and Japanese, top the list of those staying home. There has been an angry reaction in the South West to an independent report, which has suggested the possible introduction of a tourism tax. Malcolm Bell, the chief executive of South West Tourism, has described the proposal as "barking mad". Many businesses said such a tax would be costly to administer and would stop people visiting the area on holiday. The cases

Internation marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Internation marketing - Essay Example ologetic about its population, but with the era of consumerism dictating the trade talks this very population has become an important tool of economic progress for the country. The international community has also taken note of the burgeoning number of millionaires in India and the increase in purchasing power of an average Indian. The demand for cars has also seen a proportionate upsurge in the country. Now that the company has launched the much awaited people’s car, it is time to have a realistic assessment of the market potential and how best to tap this potential. 1. The Nano is sure to generate lot of interest, because now a small car is not considered a luxury; instead it is now being considered a necessity. To tap this ‘need’ a number of domestic and international car manufacturers have started making elaborate plans and marketing strategies. Some of the key challenges that Tata could face in its endeavour are; i. Increasing alliances of multinational car manufacturers with domestic Indian companies. In one of the latest developments, Toyota has sealed a strategic alliance with Indias Kirloskar Group to tap the potential of the huge small car market in the country1. This initiative is bound to prove quite competitive, for the simple reason that, Toyota has entered into the alliance well after the formal launch of Nano. That means, Toyota would have taken into account many factors which prove to be detrimental for the health of such a venture. Toyota’s research and development facility in Japan is busy on this car now a days. Though it is a new venture and it may take couple of years before we actually see the outcome, but considering the Japanese prowess in innovation and feature packaging, we must plan out our strategies accordingly. ii. In the international market, Tata’s will have a tough competition on hand from reputed brands like GM, BMW, Ford etc. These companies may not be able to match up the price tag offered by Tata’s but, they can

Wagner Dodge Retreats in Mann Gulch Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wagner Dodge Retreats in Mann Gulch - Case Study Example Interaction between team members and the team leader plays an important role in assessing existing situations, understanding the need of the time and effective resolution of existing problems. The case study of Wagner Dodge provides interesting insights into these aspects of leadership and how certain situations test the leadership abilities of an individual. Background Wagner Dodge headed a fire fighters team of 15 into Mann Gulch, a remote place in Montana to control a huge fire that had broken out in the prairies region. Dodge was an experienced fire fighter and he was responsible for putting out the prairie fire. The team was flown to the area and parachutes were used to drop them down to the fire affected region. However, on landing in Mann Gulch, the team realized that the fire was more aggressive than they had initially thought. The flames were catching on at great speed and there was no escape route since the radio with one of the team members had broken on landing and the ma p was lost too. Left with no possibilities of surviving the fire, Wagner lit a fire and let the area burn out before he landed himself in the middle of this fire circle to protect himself from the prairie fire. He signaled him men to follow him but only one of them joined him in the circle of fire. The rest of the team members did not trust his decision and felt that it was crazy to go into the fire circle started by Wagner. Thus, 13 members out of the 15 perished in the prairie fire (Useem, 1998). Wagner Dodge – decision making and leadership The Mann Gulch fire incident raises a number of pertinent questions relating to the team behavior and understanding existing between Wagner Dodge and his team members. Why did they choose not to follow him and how could the team be unaware of the ground realities? The first question strongly raises doubts over the capabilities of Wagner Dodge as a leader and the lack of trust existing between the chief and his team members. His order to his team to stick to the burned area were met with disbelief and anger from most of the team members and each of them decided to escape the fire in their own ways. The results were tragic and there was nothing much that Dodge could do at the moment to convince them his ways. A review of the situation reveals that though Dodge was a good and experienced firefighter, he had very limited success in achieving the trust and confidence of his team members. He failed to articulate his thoughts and plans in an effective manner to the team members. His inability lay in the fact that he did not communicate emergency plans and guidelines that the team members could follow in such situations. The crew was fairly inexperienced or they would have realized the potential escape route offered by Dodge. If Dodge had explained some possibilities and means of surviving such emergencies earlier, probably all 15 could have been saved from the prairie fires (Useem, 1998). Wagner Dodge also failed to comm unicate the effectiveness of the burnt patch of ground to his team members at the critical hour. This could be associated with lack of time to explain the details to the team members and the inability of the team to grasp in times of the pending crisis.

What is cross cultural marketing?

What is cross cultural marketing? INTRODUCTION: CROSS CULTURAL MARKETING: Cross cultural marketing is a marketing done with two or more different cultures i.e. it is done internationally on a personal level, which means when planning marketing campaigns and media cultural differences are taken into consideration, understanding the need for maintaining the balance between Globalization and Localization and last but not the least Implementation of the strategies that are required to respect the differences while unifying of brand messages are taken into consideration. Cross Cultural Marketing is a research that takes place across the cultural groups or nations. Due to Globalization and International marketing, Cross Cultural Marketing has become very important. The nature of the Research is also becoming highly diverse. According to International view, to determine the degrees of adaption, competitive advantage and attractiveness of the markets the information of marked is used. GREET HOFSTEDE THEORY: Greet Hofstedes Cultural Theory has described National Cultures. This research was firstly conducted between 64 countries to identify the national culture differences across subsidiaries of multinational firms (IBM). There were many other research conducted such as: elites of 19 countries, studies of students of 23 countries, up-market consumers of 15 countries and commercial airline pilots in 23 countries. All the above studies together identified four cultural dimensions and the fifth one was added later on. The nature of all the managerial skills depends specifically on their culture. It is not necessary that a management philosophy or technique is going to be same as another. Culture is said to be a conflict source rather than synergy and cultural difference can be disastrous and often nuisance at its best level. There are Five Cultural Dimensions in Hofstede Cultural Dimensions, they are: Power Distance Index(PDI) Individualism(IDV) Masculinity(MAS) Uncertainty Avoidance Index(UAI) Long Term Orientation(LTO) 1) Power Distance Index: It is an extent to which the members who are less powerful in the organisation think that the distributions of the power amongst them are unequal. It defines inequality but it is defined from below and not from above (more vs. less). It says that the level of inequality in society is advised by the followers as much as by the leaders. The power on Inequality are of course includes in the extremely facts of any society. The awareness of societal inequality is there in anybody having some International experience, but some of them are more unequal than others. 2) Individualism: Individualism is a degree in which ‘Individualism is on one side vs. the opposite side ‘collectivism; on the individualistic side individual are collected into groups and we can find the societies in which the co operation between the individuals are loose, everyone is for himself/herself and his/her family. On the other hand Collectivism, we can find the societies in which Individuals are in groups but having great co operation amongst them, these families include grandparents, uncles and aunties, which protect them in exchanging unquestioning loyalties. This dimension is addressed to all the societies of the world and is extremely fundamental. 3) Masculinity: Masculinity has femininity on its opposite side (Masculinity vs. Femininity). Another fundamental issue on any society in the world is the distribution of roles between the genders of the society. According to IBM studies, the value of mens differing more than the value of womans in the society. The value of mens from one country to another containing the dimensions are assertive, competitive and maximal to the value of the women on one side to modest, caring and similar to the value of womens on the other hand. The assertive pole is said to be ‘Masculine. There is a gap between the mens value and womens value in masculine countries as they are competitive and assertive. 4) Uncertainty Avoidance Index: The societies of Uncertainity and ambiguity are tolerated by the ‘Uncertainty avoidance index. It refers to the search of truth by mans. It refers till what extent a culture program is comfortable or uncomfortable to its member in a situation which is unstructured such as surprising, novel and unusual. In the countries avoiding uncertainty peoples are emotional and inner nervous energy motivate them a lot. Countries avoiding uncertainty minimises such situation by applying strict rules and laws, safety and security measures and the opposite countries accepting uncertainty have few rules and are relativist on religious and philosophical level, and avoid their environment to accept emotion. 5) Long term orientation: It has Short term orientation on its opposite side, in this dimention the students of 23 countries were taken into consideration and a study was been done by way of questionnaire framed by Chinese scholar. It was not on the basis of truth. In Long term orientation the values are on the basis of frugality steadfastness and in short term orientation there was traditional respect, fulfilling social obligations. The techniques of Confucius found both the negative and positive v alues of the dimensions. This dimention is also applied on the country without a Confucian heritage. Those who are engaged in International Business, Sometimes it is amazing to know how different peoples behave in other cultures. We Human tend to have a feeling that all the peoples are same, but it is not like that. Therefore if somebody goes to some other country to make decisions and is going to make decisions same like he used to take in his own country, then it is sure that he is going to take some very bad decisions. Hofstedes research gives us some knowledge about other cultures so that if we are going to some other country, we should be more effective   interacting with peoples in that country. If the information of Hofstedes research is applied properly than it should reduce the level of anxiety, concern and frustration. Most importantly this theory will give an Understanding edge which results to more successful results. Apart from all this there are several drawbacks of applying Hofstedes Theory they are: Firstly the individuals of a country are not related to the averages of that country. Even if this model of theory is said to be correct when it is applied to a general population, one has to be aware that all the regions or even individual will not fit in the mould. It can be used as a reference guide to understand the cultural difference of different countries, but not as a law, as it is known that there are always some exceptions to any rule. Secondly, what is the accuracy of the data? The data is collected by the form of Questionnaires and it has its own limitations. In some cultures the content of the questions asked are more important than the context of the questions asked. If the group oriented cultures are taken into considerations than the individual might can answer as if it is addressed to the group in which he or she is. And Thirdly Are the data that has been collected is up to date? As there are many internal and external factors by which the culture of the country change over times. TROMPENAARS THEORY OF CULTURAL DIMENSIONS: Trompenaars theory was invented by a Dutch author named ‘FONS TROMPENAARS. This model was invented to explain the national cultural differences in the organisation and to show that it is a major challenge for international managers to manage this differences in this incongruous world. Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner took ten years to   gather data. Over 15000 managers in 28 countries were sent the questionnaire and 500 usable response was received per country. This helped them to differentiate national cultures. They introduced seven cultural dimensions, they are: Universalism vs. Pluralism Individualism vs. Communitarisnism Specific vs. defuse Affectivity vs. Neutrality Inner direct and outer direct Achieved status vs. Ascribed status Sequential time vs. synchronic time 1) Universalism vs. Particularism: This is based on the question â€Å"Rules are more important or relationships†? A culture assigns the degree of importance either to personal relations or to the law. In universalism peoples think that values, standards and general rules are based on the needs of friends and other relationships and in Particularism friendships and other relations are the terms people think as culture and the rules are on the basis of how peoples are related to each other. 2) Individualism vs. Communitarianism: It is based on the question that â€Å"functions that are done by us are on the basis of groups or Individuals†? This means that the peoples are functioning more as individually or in community. In Individualism, Individual are placed in front of community by the peoples and people think that if the individual is happy or fulfilled then they are happy and fulfilled and they themselves take care of their own. In Communitarianism community is placed in front of Individual, hense it is the responsibility of the individual to act in such a way that serve the society. 3) Specific vs. defuse: It is based on a question that â€Å"how far we get involved†? It shows that the responsibility is assigned specifically or accepted defusely. The elements are analysed individually first and then put together in Specific culture and accordingly the lives of the peoples are divided. People concentrates on hard facts, contracts and standards and in Defuse culture all individual elements are related to each other. The Individual elements are given less importance than the relationships between the elements. 4) Affectivity vs. Neutrality: is based on â€Å"Are we displaying our emotions†? In Affectivity people dont feels to hide their feelings, they prefer to show their emotions and on the other side peoples dont posses to show their feelings and they controls their emotions. 5) Inner direct and outer direct: It is based on â€Å"Are we controlling our environment or we are working with it†? This is a degree in which Individual beleaves that they can control the environment or environment is controlling them. In Inner Direct culture peoples believe that Human can control nature if he/she makes an effort to do that even if it is complex. In Outer direct culture peoples believe to live in Harmony with nature as they have an organic view of nature. 6) Achieved status vs. Ascribed status: It is a degree in which Individuals have to prove themselves to achieve status or it is automatically achieved. Peoples in Achieved status culture believe that they have to accomplish something to get their status and in Ascribed Status culture, peoples believe that they have their status from their birth, gender, wealth or age. 7) Sequential time vs. synchronic time: It is a degree with Individual think in one at a time vs. Individual thinking several things at a time. In a sequential culture people think that time is sequential and the do one thing at a time and in Synchronic culture peoples believe that time is flexible and do several things at a time. (http://www.provenmodels.com/580/seven-dimensions-of-culture/charles-hampden-turnerfons-trompenaars/) COMPARISION OF GREET HOFSTEDE THEORY AND TROMPENAARS THEORY OF CULTURAL DIMENSIONS: Of the seven dimensions of Trompenaars Theory two dimentions of Hofstede Theory are closely reflected. Firstly Trompenaars Communitarianism vs. Individualism value orientation seems to be closely identical to the Individualism value orientation of Hofstede theory and secondly Trompenaars Achieved status vs. Ascribed status appears to be linked with Hofstedes Power Distance Index, If one accepts that Nature has done compromise with Status and not achievement than it shows that it has more willingness to accept power distance. This does not completely matches as Hofstedes power index in not dealing only on how according of status is been done but also how power distance is accorded within the society which is not at all covered by Trompenaars Theory. Trompenaars other dimentions such as Affectivityvs. Neutrality which says that feelings are expressed openly can be compared with Hofstedes Masculinity dimension as it focuses highly on some effects of value dimensions as Trompenaars dimension is not a value aspects but behavioural aspect in itself. The Universalism vs. Particularism which does not trust relationships and is preferring roles can determine meaning as a part of Hofstedes Uncertainty Avoidance Index on one hand and Individualism on the other hand. The Specific vs. defuse dimention of Trompenaars Theory cannot be compared to Hopsteades Theory as there are no links between them. CLASSIFICATION OF THE COUNTRIES ACCORDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CONSISTANCY: According to an examination that was done and several countries of the world were taking into consideration, It explains that according to both Hofstedes and Trompenaars Theory   the countries like Japan and India are relatively weaker, while UK, USA and Denmark are relatively Egocentric. There are several other countries such as Greece, Spain and Maxico which are more Egostical according to Trompenaars than Hofstedes theory and the differences cannot be explained wholly. According to Hodgetts and Luthans(2000) they feels that the differences can be due to differ in time frames of both the studies which indicates that change of culture has taken place. On the other hand it indicates that Hofstedes theory is becoming out-dated. Let us take an example of Mexico, its consolidation into Global Economy may be moving away from communitarian value. Cultures does not remains same, they changes as time changes. It is not like todays characterization would be same as it was in 1960s or 70s. The interesting point to note is that the countries such as Hungary and Russia are relatively egoistic despite of their communist past. Trompenaars also extended his research by examine the different cultures according to their nationalities, for this he introduced a new dimension: equality vs. hierarchy, in Hierarchy culture the leader has full authority and is having the best knowledge, this dimension is related with Power Distance dimension of Hofstedes theory. There are some more similarities in both the theories such as: UK and North America are relatively egoistic according to   Trompenaars theory and are relatively low according to the power distance dimension of Hofstedes theory. The countries such as Spain and France are said to be less egalitarian and high in power distance dimension on Hofstedes theory. According to Trompenaars German Culture is hierarchical, but Hofstede says that Germany is relatively low according to power distance. These were some of the countries classified by both the theories according to their respective consistency. (www1.ximb.ac.in//Hofstede%20and%20Trompenaars%20compared) TROMPENAARS DIMENTIONS IN INDIA: Indians believe that they are controlled by the environment, so they strongly accept this point, They are concerned how application of ideas and practices should be done. People in India believe that they are a part of a group, as it is a multicultural country; Indians have respect for their religion and are strongly into family values and traditions. Indians displays their affection neutrally, but they shows assertiveness which is allowed to them. They are always non-violent that is what is thought to them from starting. The size of both Public and Private Spaces are same. The people of India Takes care of their Public spaces as entry to their Public spaces can make entries to their private spaces. Most of the Indians are value ascriptions as they believe in their caste system. Their status title depends on their professional titles, their degrees and age. Friendship is given more importance.

Essays on Heroes in Cyrano De Bergerac :: Cyrano Bergerac

Cyrano De Bergerac – Heroes Every generation has its own heroes that display, what they believe to be, ideal characteristics. While each is different in their own way, many of these role models share similar qualities. Most tend to have courage, strength, compassion, or another respected trait, but this is not necessarily why they win the adoration of their followers. Cyrano De Bergerac is a perfect example of how many protagonists win our allegiance because his sensibilities will not be denied, because he lives life to the hilt, and because he is a victim of his surroundings. If there was ever a figure who would not be denied his sensibilities, it is Cyrano. When lovers admit, "I'd die for you," it is usually only a figure of speech. Cyrano actually crossed over enemy lines every day simply to mail love letters. He also confessed to her, "My mother made it clear that she didn't find me pleasant to look at. I had no sister. Later, I dreaded the thought of seeing mockery in the eyes of a mistress. Thanks to you I've at least had a woman's friendship, a gracious presence to soften the harsh loneliness of my life. " When Cyrano admits, "My heart always timidly hides its self behind my mind," the reader can instantly relate to this dilemma but it is the fact that Cyrano is able to overcome it that makes him a hero. Not on ly is Cyrano filled with emotion, but he also goes out of his way to live life to the fullest. Cyrano's introduction to the reader definitely leaves a lasting impression. Not only does he banish an actor from the theater for performing poorly, but he proceeds to recite poetry while dueling with another member of the audience. Every moment of Cyrano's life is filled with action like this. When he was informed that one hundred men were going to kill his friend, Lignià ©re, he was thrilled with the idea of fighting all these men at once, and, of course, he succeeded. How could anyone not love this man who takes Carpe Diem to its most extreme form? Also, Cyrano is a victim of his surroundings. This may be the one characteristic that completely wins over the reader. Cyrano's most obvious flaw is his grotesque nose, but this would not be so awful if the people around him didn't care.

The Jamaican Early Childhood Curriculum Education Essay

The Jamaican Early Childhood Curriculum was late crafted. The course of study is built on the rule that kids learn best when content from assorted subjects along with accomplishments from the developmental spheres are integrated in line with the kids ‘s holistic position and experience of the universe. These rules are larning through drama, sequenced acquisition, single acquisition, the practicians ‘ multiple functions, inclusion of all scholars, integrated course of study and the spheres of development, the acquisition environment, appraisal in early childhood, affecting parents and community ( Davies, 2008 ) . While the course of study address assorted aims that need to be met in furthering Early Childhood acquisition and outlines the needed instructions, there are challenges to the execution of the course of study. Broadly talking, these factors are normally internal and external. These factors cut down the effectivity of the course of study and weaken the opportunity of effectual acquisition at the Early Childhood Level. The factors occur as challenges when there is a mismatch between the state of affairs that the course of study was designed to aim and the world. This difference causes the existent acquisition result to divert from the intended acquisition result. The course of study is usually assume that the pupil is runing at a peculiar degree, the pupils parent and environmental background offer a certain degree of support, and the instructor operates at a certain degree. The existent job occurs when the course of study does non provide for â€Å" the bulk instance † of pupil s. Internal factors normally include instructors, pupils, school substructure and resources. Teachers are the driving force of implementing the course of study efficaciously. A instructor ‘s creativeness, capablenesss and making enables him/her to reassign the content of the course of study in a meaningful manner that will link with the diverseness of scholars. Harmonizing to Jalongo and Isenberg ( 2012 ) a instructor ‘s cognition of the kids and the content of the course of study will enable him/her the ability to supply for the kids ‘s strengths and failing, their involvement and to develop the cognition, accomplishments, values, and temperaments they will necessitate to go productive members of the society. Hence the instructor ‘s function in developing the course of study is to determine what kids should larn and how they should larn it. In making so the instructor ‘s methodological analysis is indispensable in brining the course of study alive. Jalongo and Isenberg ( 2012 ) postulate that the instructor schemes and program for acquisition is the yarn that weaves the course of study. This they say is what of learning and the how of instruction. It ‘s hence, imperative that instructors plan for the pupils larning so as to provide for the diverse acquisition manners in their schoolroom. The methodological analysiss that the instructor employs should suit the pupil ‘s ability to derive cognition and develop the necessary accomplishments. Teachers should therefore choose content that are developmentally appropriate to accomplish required learning result. On the other manus a instructor should besides be competent and get acute penetrations on the capablenesss that kids posses in order to provide for holistic development. If this is non achieved so the execution of the course of study would hold fails to provide for the kids demands and development. The cardinal ingredient for any course of study is ever the scholar ( Jalongo and Isenberg, 2012 ) . They posit that a course of study should concentrate on what a kid know and can make and what a kid should cognize and can make. Hence the content of the course of study should take into history the demands, involvement, age and phase of development and the societal and cultural context if the kid. The kid as the scholar possesses the ultimate success of the course of study. This takes into history the abilities, accomplishments, background cognition and exposure /experience that the kid get before come ining the acquisition environment. Harmonizing to Puckett and Diffily ( 2004 ) being cognizant of the differences in kids ‘s development, strengths and challenges will let course of study contrivers and instructors to be after efficaciously in order to run into each kid ‘s developmental demands. Jalongo and Isenberg ( 2012 ) stated that a course of study should see the foll owers, Child development and acquisition, Child needs, abilities and involvement and Social and cultural context in which kids live. The considerations of these will enable the instructors to execute efficaciously within the instruction and acquisition environment. The school substructures and resources play a critical function in the bringing of the school ‘s course of study. External factors normally include parents, place and community. This is another driving force in the execution of the course of study. The importance of parental engagement is cardinal in the success of academic accomplishment. This sets the foundation of the learning attitude that kids carry to the acquisition environment. Support from parents increases the academic accomplishment in ulterior old ages. Burke ( 2010 ) concurred kids whose parents are actively involved in their instruction at an early age aids the nurturing of a kid ‘s instruction and overall development and is one of the nucleus indexs of ulterior accomplishment. It is through this engagement that kids understand and appreciate the importance of a solid instruction. The engagement of parents can interrupt or construct the execution of any course of study. Parents are incognizant of the powerful consequence that have on what and how the content of a course of study is designed and implemented. I strongly believe that parents are the first line of support for all kids. They are the primary beginning of socialisation and set the foundation for formal acquisition to take topographic point. The place is the initial environment for optimum nurturing and it ideally creates a sense of belonging. Admiting that meaningful parental engagement is need it ‘s non a â€Å" one-size fits all † . We have to take into consideration the socio economic position of these parents every bit good as their educational background. The background of these parents particularly in urban environments allows for restriction on the input they can offer to the execution of the course of study. Hence, few or no engagement occurs and the inability to keep instructors accountable for hapless course of study execution is hapless. Burke ( 2010 ) provinces that when parents are involved in the educational procedure of their kids and, as such, they will be able to include or add extra information a nd penetration from their ain personal experiences to instructors in order to back up their kid ‘s acquisition and development. The community is seen as the secondary beginning of socialisation.

The Battle of Passchendaele - World War I

The Battle of Passchendaele - World War I The Battle of Passchendaele was fought July 31 to November 6, 1917, during World War I (1914-1918). Meeting at Chantilly, France, in November 1916, Allied leaders discussed plans for the upcoming year. Having fought bloody battles earlier that year at Verdun and the Somme, they decided to attack on multiple fronts in 1917 with the goal of overwhelming the Central Powers. Though British Prime Minister David Lloyd George advocated for shifting the main effort to the Italian Front, he was overruled as the French commander-in-chief, General Robert Nivelle, desired to launch an offensive in Aisne. Amid the discussions, the commander of the British Expeditionary Force, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, pushed for an attack in Flanders. Talks continued into the winter and it was ultimately decided that the main Allied thrust would come in Aisne with the British conducting a supporting operation at Arras. Still eager to attack in Flanders, Haig secured Nivelles agreement that, should Aisne Offensive fail, he would be permitted to move forward in Belgium. Beginning in mid-April, Nivelles offensive proved a costly failure and was abandoned in early May. Allied Commanders Field Marshal Douglas HaigGeneral Hubert GoughGeneral Sir Herbert Plumer German Commander General Friedrich Bertram Sixt von Armin Haigs Plan With the French defeat and subsequent mutiny of their army, the onus for carrying the fight to the Germans in 1917 passed to the British. Moving forward with planning an offensive in Flanders, Haig sought to wear down the German army, which he believed was reaching a breaking point, and retake the Belgian ports that were supporting Germanys campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare. Planning to launch the offensive from the Ypres Salient, which had seen heavy fighting in 1914 and 1915, Haig intended to push across the Gheluvelt Plateau, take the village of Passchendaele, and then break through to open country. To pave the way for the Flanders offensive, Haig ordered General Herbert Plumer to capture Messines Ridge. Attacking on June 7, Plumers men won a stunning victory and carried the heights and some of the territory beyond. Seeking to capitalize on this success, Plumer advocated for immediately launching the main offensive, but Haig refused and delayed until July 31. On July 18, British artillery began a massive preliminary bombardment. Expending over 4.25 million shells, the bombardment alerted the German Fourth Armys commander, General Friedrich Bertram Sixt von Armin, that an attack was imminent. The British Attack At 3:50 AM on July 31, Allied forces began advancing behind a creeping barrage. The focus of the offensive was General Sir Hubert Goughs Fifth Army, which was supported to the south by Plumers Second Army and to the north by General Francois Anthoines French First Army. Attacking on an eleven-mile front, Allied forces had the most success in the north where the French and Goughs XIV Corps moved forward around 2,500-3,000 yards. To the south, attempts to drive east on the Menin Road were met with heavy resistance and gains were limited. A Grinding Battle Though Haigs men were penetrating the German defenses, they were quickly hampered by heavy rains which descended on the region. Turning the scarred landscape to mud, the situation was worsened as the preliminary bombardment had destroyed much of the areas drainage systems. As a result, the British were unable to press forward in force until August 16. Opening the Battle of Langemarck, British forces captured the village and surrounding area, but additional gains were small and casualties were high. To the south, II Corps continued to push on the Menin Road with minor success. Unhappy with Goughs progress, Haig switched the focus of the offensive south to Plumers Second Army and the southern part of Passchendaele Ridge. Opening the Battle of Menin Road on September 20, Plumer employed a series of limited attacks with the intention making small advances, consolidating, and then pushing forward again. In this grinding fashion, Plumers men were able to take the southern part of the ridge after the Battles of Polygon Wood (September 26) and Broodseinde (October 4). In the latter engagement, British forces captured 5,000 Germans, which led Haig to conclude that enemy resistance was faltering. Shifting the emphasis north, Haig directed Gough to strike at Poelcappelle on October 9. Attacking, Allied troops gained little ground, but suffered badly. Despite this, Haig ordered an assault on Passchendaele three days later. Slowed by mud and rain, the advance was turned back. Moving the Canadian Corps to the front, Haig began new attacks on Passchendaele on October 26. Conducting three operations, the Canadians finally secured the village on November 6 and cleared the high ground to the north four days later. Aftermath of the Battle Having taken Passchendaele, Haig elected to halt the offensive. Any further thoughts of pushing on were eliminated by the need to shift troops to Italy to aid in stemming the Austrian advance after their victory at the Battle of Caporetto. Having gained key ground around Ypres, Haig was able to claim success. Casualty numbers for the Battle of Passchendaele (also known as Third Ypres) are disputed. In the fighting British casualties may have ranged from 200,000 to 448,614, while Germany losses are computed at 260,400 to 400,000. A controversial topic, the Battle of Passchendaele has come to represent the bloody, attrition warfare that developed on the Western Front. In the years after the war, Haig was severely criticized by David Lloyd George and others for the small territorial gains that were made in exchange for massive troop losses. Conversely, the offensive relieved pressure on the French, whose army was being struck by mutinies, and inflicted large, irreplaceable losses on the German Army. Though Allied casualties were high, new American troops were beginning to arrive which would augment British and French forces. Though resources were limited due to the crisis in Italy, the British renewed operations on November 20 when they opened the Battle of Cambrai.

About That Mysterious Astronomical Clock in Prague

About That Mysterious Astronomical Clock in Prague Tick tock, whats the oldest clock? The idea of decorating buildings with a timepiece goes back a long way, says Dr. Jià ¸Ãƒ ­ (Jiri) Podolskà ½, from Charles University in Prague. The square, lion-flanked tower in Padua, Italy was built in 1344. The original Strasbourg clock, with angels, hour glasses, and crowing roosters, was built in 1354. But, if youre looking for a highly ornamental, astronomical clock with its original workings intact, Dr. Podolskà ½ says this: Go to Prague. Prague: Home to the Astronomical Clock Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, is a crazy quilt of architectural styles. Gothic cathedrals soar over Romanesque churches. Art Nouveau facades nestle alongside Cubist buildings. And, in every part of the city are clock towers. The oldest and most celebrated clock is on the side wall of the Old Town Hall in Old Town Square. With glittering hands and a complex series of filigreed wheels, this ornamental timepiece doesnt merely mark the hours of a 24-hour day. Symbols of the zodiac tell the course of the heavens. When the bell tolls, windows fly open and mechanical apostles, skeletons, and sinners begin a ritualistic dance of destiny. The irony of the Prague Astronomical Clock is that for all its mastery at keeping time, it is nearly impossible to place in time. Chronology of the Prague Clock Dr. Podolskà ½ believes the original clock tower in Prague was built in about 1410. The original tower was no doubt modeled after  ecclesiastical bell towers that were sweeping the continents architecture. The complexity of gears would have been very high-technology back in the early 15th century.   It was a simple, unadorned structure back then, and the clock showed only astronomical data. Later, in 1490, the tower facade was decorated with flamboyant Gothic sculptures and a golden astronomical dial. Then, in the 1600s, came the mechanical figure of Death, leering and tolling the great bell. The mid-1800s brought still more additions- wooden carvings of the twelve apostles and a calendar disk with astrological signs. Todays clock is thought to be the only one on earth to keep sidereal time in addition to our regular time- thats the difference between a sidereal and lunar month. Stories About Pragues Clock Everything in Prague has a story, and so it is with the Old Town clock. Natives claim that when the mechanical figures were created, town officials had the clockmaker blinded so that he would never duplicate his masterpiece. In vengeance, the blind man climbed the tower and stopped his creation. The clock remained silent for more than fifty years. Centuries later, during dreary decades of communist domination, the legend of the blinded clockmaker became a metaphor for thwarted creativity. At least thats the way the story goes. When Clocks Become Architecture Why do we turn timepieces into architectural monuments? Perhaps, as Dr. Podolskà ½ suggests, builders of early clock towers wanted to show their respect for the heavenly order. Or, perhaps the idea runs even deeper. Was there ever an era when humans didnt build great structures to mark the passage of time? Just look at the ancient Stonehenge in Great Britain. Now thats an old clock! Source: Prague Astronomical Clock  © J.Podolsky, 30 Dec 1997, at http://utf.mff.cuni.cz/mac/Relativity/orloj.htm [accessed November 23, 2003]

Careless Driving Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Careless Driving - Research Paper Example The law in Texas for careless driving has the authority to impose heavy fines, sentenced to jail for 6 months or suspend the driving license for about two years. These laws should be strict enough so that drivers are cautious while driving, but despite these laws, the control can be invisibly seen. ‘Further, until he or she has produced to the appropriate licensing authority a certificate of competency or both a certificate of competency and a certificate of fitness, he or she shall not be entitled to a license’ (Butler 177). It is true that the best way to reduce the life taking accidents is to impose strict laws for those drivers who violate their duty of care. The common reasons why drivers drive carelessly are over speeding, disobeying traffic rules or drunk driving. If the drivers would understand the legal consequences of getting involved in such a conviction, they would drive safely for the rest of their lives. Because of the high number of cases coming to courts involving motor vehicle collisions or accidents of people, there is more awareness about the likely punishments to the driver. These cases are usually shown on news channels or newspapers and thus can act as awareness for many others. The law has enough power to control these actions and reduce the life taking accidents. Despite these laws being regulated in Texas and a number of traffic police officers catching careless drivers and imposing fines on them, there are many accidents taking place every year as a result of careless driving, why?

Letter of Recommendation for a Professor at my school Essay

Letter of Recommendation for a Professor at my school - Essay Example Dr. Everett Shock is also such an engaging teacher that he/she is able to present challenging problems that made us look forward to solve the same and how it is applied in the real world setting. Dr. Everett Shock love for knowledge is contagious. His/her enthusiasm about the subject matter rubbed on us that made everybody look forward for the next class. His/her method of teaching does not only elucidate, but also encourage the students to excel thus attracting the best and brightest people to be better. Dr. Everett Shock is an authority on the subject evident with his many publications in scientific journals. But despite of his academic stature, he/she is very generous to accommodate students in his/her research that allows us to grow in ways that classroom experiences cannot afford. This was evident with my interaction with Dr. Shock’s Geo-Pig lab group in these past two years which was my first undergraduate lab research experience. The experience took me to an adventure in Yellowstone National Park for two summers with Dr. Shock and his research group and work side by side in the field learning about natural systems. The experience was priceless because it did only help me build a resume, but also enable me to have lasting friendship with very interesting people in the labs. This experience was not just exclusive to me, but also with many budding students who wanted to have first-hand experience in the labs which Dr. Shocks also enthusiastically accommodate to satisfy our eagerness to learn more. Such is the kind of teacher that Dr. Everett Shock is. Dr. Shock does not only encourage us to learn about theoretical concepts but also the experimental aspects of the science and its application to the real world. For example, I have always used thermodynamic parameters printed in the back of chemistry textbooks for calculating the free energy changes or the combustion energies of chemical reactions without giving much