How the Theme of Knowledge Helps to Explain Frankenstein...

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly, raises important questions as to how the theme of knowledge helps to explain the story. The main focus of Frankenstein is the power of knowledge and how dangerous it can be. This power is portrayed in the main characters of the novel: Victor Frankenstein and the monster. The theme of knowledge helps to answer the question as to why Victor decides to tell Walton his secret. Both of these characters reveal a passion of discovery and intellect, which Victor has made his past and Walton only his future. Their obsessions of knowledge are mirrored in one another through the journeys they take until their paths cross. Finally, the question of the concluding effect of the conversation between Walton and the creature†¦show more content†¦He is so consumed by keeping his secret safe; his loved ones are murdered as a result. For example, Henry Clervel has his life taken as an outcome of Victor’s betrayal to the creature. Victor’s failure to w arn Henry creates increasing guilt which continues until the death of Elizabeth. He thinks of himself instead of logically warning his wife of the monster’s dangerous threats, â€Å"I shall be with you on your wedding-night.† (176) Right until Victor’s death, science is viewed as the only way of knowledge, as quoted, â€Å"the more fully I entered into the science, the more exclusively I pursued it for its own sake.† (77) This knowledge is ultimately used against him; the monster knows what Victor is capable of and uses his ability of creating life as a threat to make a new creature to acquaint the monster. As Victor contemplates this idea, he is also threatened by the possibility of new life being created, â€Å"†¦ a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth† (174) which dictate his actions in destroying the wife of the creature. Knowledge ultimately consumes Victor. The power of knowledge is portrayed in the monster because of his ability in absorbing intelligence from the environment and applying it to the applicable situations. Victor built the creature as an overgrown, hideous â€Å"baby† with immense physical traits. Victor quotes, â€Å"I had been the author of unalterableShow MoreRelatedApplying Ericksons Theory to Mary Shelley and Her Writing860 Words   |  3 PagesSherry Ginn’s â€Å"Science, Science Fiction, or Autobiography?† effectively uses Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development and the story of Shelly’s life background, to explain how Marry Shelly’s absence of maternal and parental upbringing caused her to implement the philosophies in the novel Frankenstein. Erikson’s theory says that there are eight human steps one will face from infancy to adult hood. The steps will approach as one confronts a conflict. If he/she can overcome the conflict, itRead MoreReview Of Franke nstein By Thomas C. Foster2003 Words   |  9 PagesHow to read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster guides the reader to a better understanding of the Novel as whole and characters as individuals. Frankenstein by Marry Shelly can be easily broken down into pieces with certain chapters of â€Å"how to read literature like a professor† and able to see the real theme of the novel. Frankenstein is a frame story where the author Mary Shelley sets up a main character that sets the scene by telling story and we find another character or charactersRead MoreThe Types Of Knowledge And Knowledge Essay1196 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstand different forms of knowledge as well as the ability to differentiate between the types of knowledge is very vital in day to day life. Different philosophers have discovered different types of knowledge including personal knowledge, procedural knowledge and propositional knowledge. Of the three types, propositional knowledge also known as knowledge of facts is that which many philosophers have really dwelled on. However, it is very important to have knowledge regarding the relationship betweenRead MoreThe Feelings Of Nature And Man1614 Words   |  7 Pages The Feelings of Nature and Man Shelley’s novel Frankenstein really describes Victor Frankenstein’s state of mind as it impacts the thematic movement of the novel, using light, color, speed, temperature, sound and smell. The similarities that are used in Shelley’s novel between Frankenstein’s feelings and the landscapes he describes are striking. Victor Frankenstein, a man with great determination and pride, had a strong desire to prove people wrong that he could create life. Trying to successfullyRead MoreIsolation in Dr. Frankenstein1463 Words   |  6 PagesIsolation Isolation is one the roots of the problems and calamities endured by many characters depicted in the beloved and Dr Frankenstein. We see individuals like Sethe forced into slavery, she was abandoned by her mother, who was killed after a failed attempt to run away. She experienced hard times before being sold to sweet home at a tender age. Fast forward down years later, she started her own family with Halle. We see Sethe turn out to be someone who is obsessed with taking care of herRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 2791 Words   |  12 PagesEvelyn Park Mrs. Dudley AP English August 25, 2014 Frankenstein Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, was born on August 30, 1797 to William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft. Sadly, after giving birth, Mary’s mother died shortly after. Shelley learned many things about her mother through writings her mother left behind. Shelley’s mother was a feminist who encouraged woman to think and act for themselves, eventually writing A Vindication of the Rights of Women. As she grew up, she becameRead More Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Satanic-Promethean Ideals Essay2862 Words   |  12 PagesMary Shelleys Frankenstein and Satanic-Promethean Ideals      Ã‚  Ã‚   Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is a novel in conscious dialogue with canonical classics and contemporary works. It contains references to Coleridge, Wordsworth, and P. B. Shelley, but also to Cervantes and Milton. It is the latters Paradise Lost which informs the themes and structure of the novel more than any other source. Like many of her contemporaries, Mary Shelley draws parallels between Miltons Satan and the Titan PrometheusRead MoreWrite an Essay on the Relationship Between Frankenstein and the Creature, and Compare/Contrast Their Relationship with That Exhibited Between Two Other Characters in One Other Text.2328 Words   |  10 Pagesin two different books. In Mary Shelleys’ Frankenstein the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and The Monster he created will be discussed, by analysing both characters relationship to each other before detailing the effects this relationship had, on the others actions and how it led to their eventual downfall. In Ma tthew Lewis’ The Monk the relationship between Ambrosio and Matilda will be analysed and then compared to the aforementioned relationship in Frankenstein in order to highlight anyRead MoreCause and Impact Analysis on the Main Character’s Suffering in Elizabeth Gilbert’s Novel Eat, Pray, Love7348 Words   |  30 Pagescomponents but also what was more important in the essence of it. It also implied things in the works of literature had to be dug out to find the valuable lesson hidden. The appreciation of literary work was always stand by special attitude such as how to interpret, characterized and evaluate. Literature could not be separated from language because literature was language used at the best. Language was the medium of literature and the only purpose of language communicated something from the

Ramsay Bolton The Invention Bastard Son Of Roose Bolton,...

Ramsay Bolton is the legitimized bastard son of Roose bolton, lord of the dreadfort, and the unidentified wife of a miller. Roose found out that the miller had wed illegally, so he had him hanged and raped his wife. Later on the wife comes to the dreadfort and presents Ramsay to Roose, after almost killing them both, Roose acknowledges Ramsay as his son. Ramsay is raised by his mother during early childhood, but then somehow comes into the care of Roose. In Roose’s care Ramsay gets a proper education where he learns to read and write. Ramsay’s half-brother and the only heir to house Bolton, Domeric suspiciously died of intestinal issues during his teen years, some suspect Ramsay poisoned him, but there is no confirmation. Ramsay’s first†¦show more content†¦Almost every action Ramsay takes is unlawful. The only reason he did not rot in a jail cell was because his father was the warden of the north and a very powerful man. If Ramsay lived in today s society, he would surely be incarcerated Number two, deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal gain. When Ramsay’s lackeys intally begin the torturing of Theon, Ramsay disguises himself as a servant boy. In the middle of the night Ramsay frees Theon and tells him that he is a friend sent by Theon’s sister and is here to rescue him. While trying to escape Theon is recaptured by Ramsay’s men who prepare to rape him as punishment for trying to escape. Ramsys dispatches these men(his own men) with arrows, building more trust between Ramsay and Theon. Ramsay tells Theon that he is leading him to deepwood motte where Theon’s sister resides. After ushering him into a room, Theon realizes that he is back in his torture chamber that he had just escaped. Theon is restrained once again and Ramsay reveals that he is actually an enemy. Number three, impulsivity or failure to plan ahead. Ramsay is very impulsive, never looking far into the future to see what his actions might cause, much to his father s dismay. When a Lord under the boltons refuses to pay taxes and insults the boltons, Ramsay flays the lord alive along with his wife and brother while forcing his son to watch, and puts the corpses on

Role of The Supply Chain Planning Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Role of The Supply Chain Planning. Answer: Introduction Supply chain management is defined as the process of interconnection of different organizations that relate with one another through the help of upstream and downstream linkages between the different processes that will help in producing value to the customers in the form of products and services. The proper role of supply chain planning and control has to be analyzed in the competitive business environment. The role of the Supply Chain Planning and control has to b analyzed as this will help in gaining proper competitive advantage as well. Supply chain management is a holistic approach that helps in managing across the boundaries of the company and in the large companies there can be hundred strands of linked operations that are passing through operation. These are the strands that are commonly referred to as Supply Chain. The main objective of the supply chain management is to satisfy the end customers and each of the operations in the supply chain management has to properly satisfy the customers. Objectives of Supply Chain There are different requirements of the supply chain management that includes proper meeting of the requirements of the end customers. There are five operations performance objectives that are as follows: Firstly, the quality has to be properly maintained when it reaches the customers as this is quality performance function of each and every operation in the chain. The different kinds of error in each and every stage of the supply chain have the ability to multiply the effect on the service that is provided to the end customers (Beske and Seuring 2014). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the suppliers to perform better as this will help in achieving high supply chain management and satisfy the end customers as well. Secondly, the speed is another objective in the supply chain management wherein the customers are required to be served first and meet the requirements of the customer as well (Brindley 2017). Thirdly, the flexibility is essential in the supply chain planning and control as this will help in providing ability to cope up with different disturbances and changes. This is also termed as agility in the supply chain management. The supply chains that are agile in nature are flexible sufficiently as this copes up with changes either in the form of nature of customer demands or according to operation capabilities within the operation (Brandenburg eta l. 2014). Lastly, the cost is essential objective of the supply chain management wherein it includes cost of finding appropriate suppliers, monitoring proper performance of the suppliers and holding inventories as well (Christopher 2017). Supply chain Planning and control system A proper planning and control system is required and is essential in nature for different companies that include JIT and MRP systems. In different businesses, there are different requirements of supply chain management that has to be followed as this will help in providing right kind of services to the customers (Monczka et al. 2015). JIT is a pull system that helps in providing good quality products to the customers and this will help in achieving cost effective production as well. JIT is an ideal system for the industry that deals with food and beverages. JIT helps in reducing the waste of the lead time that takes place in warehouses; it helps in increasing the flexibility in the entire process and provides proper quality products to the customers as well (Wisner, Tan and Leong 2014). Furthermore, there is an appropriate system of structure for the downstream supply chain activities that helps in moving the product to the end customers. In different companies, raw materials need to be properly supplied by extractor in exact amounts to manufacturer. This is the duty of the manufacturers to produce different kind of innovative products and moves to the distributor who are the ones to deliver it to the retailer (Seuring 2013). The supply chain planning and control can be explained with the help of a diagram: Proper selection of supplier The companies need to appropriately choose the suppliers that should properly involve trading off attributes that are alternative in nature (Ellram and Cooper 2014). The demand management is defined as the proper identification of the orders of the customers as well as making forecasting sales that are accurate in nature. The different companies need to response to the orders of the customers that is efficient and effective in nature. Supply chain management helps in boosting the customer service as the customers expect that the orders should be delivered to them in the right time at the right place. Proper supply chain planning and control helps in decreasing the cost of purchasing as well as the cost of production. Supply Chain Management helps in improving the financial condition of the companies as well (Stadtler 2015). Supply chain management helps in increasing the leverage of profit and decreases the fixed assets as well. SCM helps in improving the standard of life as well as it is the foundation of the economic growth as companies require proper and developed supply chain infrastructure that has vast retailed system. These kind of supply chain management helps in exchanging the goods and services between businesses and consumers at a low cost and this is quick in nature as well. Importance of Supply Chain Planning and Control in Companies In todays world, the climate of the business world is changing drastically and it has become more competitive in nature as well (Ahi and Searcy 2013). The different businesses have to properly develop the core competencies as this will help in distinguishing themselves from other competitors in the market. In order to create a proper competitive advantage, it is essential in nature for the companies to divert the resources and focus on their tasks that can be best performed by them. The supply chain management has allowed the companies in the competitive world to rethink the entire operation as well as restructure it properly as this will help them in focusing on the core competencies as well as outsource the processes that are not included within the competencies of the company. Supply Chain Management helps the companies in setting up their own competencies in the competitive world and this will not have any impact on the positioning in the market as well. SCM has properly allowed business to acquire both productivity and competitive advantage and there are different strategies that have been applied for reducing the cost as well as improving the services provided to the customers. The advantage that is related to productivity helps in providing lower profile of cost as well as value advantage as this provides proper product offering as well as competitive offerings. With the help of maximizing the added value, more innovation is added to the product as well as the entire process. With proper usage of the supply chain management, it helps in improving the product life cycle and this changes the norms of traditional offerings as well. With the proper implementation of Supply Chain Management Planning and Control, accepted offerings by the industry to the dif ferent customers would be variety of different products that are catered to market segments as well as preferences of the customers. Conclusion Therefore, it can be inferred that proper planning and control system is essential for different kinds of business organizations as this helps in increasing the competitive advantage and maximize the profitability along with level of inventory. Supply Chain Management is a dynamic system that helps in integration of each process effectively as this helps in fulfilling the objectives of the organization and drives the organization in reaching perfect performance in the future. Furthermore, MRP and JIT are the different systems that can be used by the different companies in order to run the business smoothly without any kind of interruption in the whole system. Therefore, these are the systems that can control as well as plan different stages in the process of manufacturing and this makes proper adjustments wherein it is required by the companies. The Supply Chain Management Planning and Control helps in reducing the distribution costs, helps in reducing lead time consumptions as well as reach high quality in the production. References Ahi, P. and Searcy, C., 2013. A comparative literature analysis of definitions for green and sustainable supply chain management.Journal of Cleaner Production,52, pp.329-341. Beske, P. and Seuring, S., 2014. Putting sustainability into supply chain management.Supply Chain Management: an international journal,19(3), pp.322-331. Brandenburg, M., Govindan, K., Sarkis, J. and Seuring, S., 2014. Quantitative models for sustainable supply chain management: Developments and directions.European Journal of Operational Research,233(2), pp.299-312. Brindley, C. ed., 2017.Supply chain risk. Taylor Francis. Christopher, M., 2016.Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Ellram, L.M. and Cooper, M.C., 2014. Supply chain management: It's all about the journey, not the destination.Journal of Supply Chain Management,50(1), pp.8-20. Monczka, R.M., Handfield, R.B., Giunipero, L.C. and Patterson, J.L., 2015.Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Seuring, S., 2013. A review of modeling approaches for sustainable supply chain management.Decision support systems,54(4), pp.1513-1520. Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Wisner, J.D., Tan, K.C. and Leong, G.K., 2014.Principles of supply chain management: A balanced approach. Cengage Learning.

The Success International Company

Introduction The Success International Company has managed to expand its business given that the aim of every business operation is to increase productivity. However, the expansion of its business operation has necessitated an increase in labor.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Success International Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, the company has been characterized by work overlap that tends to create a challenge while handling a proper communication channel between various departments of the company, as well as between the workers and the customers. This stems from the fact that the company has an obligation of keeping a wide range of information pertaining to its customers, business trends, as well as its profit margin. Using paper work to convey such information is ineffective since it is vulnerable to errors that normally emanate from handwriting, lack of privacy, and lack of a syste m that helps to evaluate the letters, invoices, or purchases orders that need urgent attention (Rahman 13). Therefore, a balance that bridges the communication gap amongst members of various disciplines and between the company and its customers must be sought in order to avert this discrepancy. Because of this, it was expected that adopting automation system would facilitate company’s operations and communication channels. But the question of how to adopt automation system surfaced due to the logistics involved in it. This report primarily concentrates on evaluating the major shortcomings that emanate from paperwork. It then provides a recommendation of adopting automation system from paperwork to supply answers as to what extent the automation system has on improving the company’s operations and communication channels. It does so by carrying out interviews with the staff, as well as analyzing relevant articles in a bid to evaluate the factors that facilitate a success ful transition from paperwork to the automated system. Findings And Conclusion Research Methods on Elements of Problems in Task Functions Errors in the Success International Company were attributed to a number of factors. While some errors emanated from the work practices, others emanated from relationship between the workers, as well as relationship between the workers and the customers. Informational and grammatical errors are prevalent in the working environment due to lack of a system that helps to avert the situation.Advertising Looking for report on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For case in point, grammatical mistakes emanating from poor handwriting, such as popper instead of paper, have led to writing incorrect invoices. The informational errors, such as wrong placements of decimal points while placing the cost of the products, have resulted to a discrepancy in the operation system. Additionall y, the Success International Company lacked a clear idea that could create awareness of environmental damage caused by business practices and processes. An ethnographic study aimed at evaluating the causes of errors in paperwork found out that informational and grammatical errors were common in the Success International Company. The findings, according to the study, reveal that one in every five invoices was characterized by spelling mistakes, leading to incorrect delivery; one in every five job rotations was characterized by poor allocation of staff, leading to work overlap; and one out of five processed bills was characterized by incorrect billing. Mikeln (879) points out the efficacy of replacing the paperwork with automated system. His article plays a critical role in highlighting the shortcomings associated with the use of paperwork, especially in small companies. And in a bid to promote the use of automated systems in various companies, this article was used to facilitate adop tion of automated systems, as it provides analyses of problems while using paperwork systems. More so, it provides guidelines on how to adopt an automated system easily at a minimum cost, taking into account the conservation of environment. Hence, this article, together with other articles and books, formed the center stage of analyzing the causes of errors in the Success International Company.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Success International Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Analysis of Causes of Errors in the Task Functions Before coming up with a proposed plan for addressing this problem, it was vital to carry out an investigation of the problem in order address it in a comprehensive manner. The investigation of this problem involved assessing the validity of having a good workflow, assessing the validity of reducing ambiguous terms while handling business transactions, and assessing the rati onale behind protecting information. The procedure and data collection method used entailed content analysis, which helped in defining the extent to which paperwork contribute to ineffectiveness while carrying out business operations. This was followed by determining the evidence that demonstrated the challenges of adopting an automated system. These ideas were organized, and they formed the basis for coming up with the questionnaire that was used in the case study. Through these methods, the researcher was able to identify the main causes of errors: Lack of sharing honest information: By using paper work, the high workload in the Success International Company resulted to barriers to a point where some workers were not sure of the day or night shifts they had attended within a particular week. In such a case, retrieving evidence became so strenuous that the management tended to believe on the allegations of the worker in question; Lack of interpersonal relation: this emanated from lack of an effective decision support system that could guide the workflow process. The decision support mechanism, in this case, helps to prompt and give an alert where the workers are not complying with professional terms used in invoices or suppliers accounts (Luster 78-81). Lack of highlighting the company’s mission: this is evidenced by the fact that the company was not in a position of prioritizing on the letters that required immediate attention. Highlighting the mission helps in coming up with a criteria of handling letters despite their bulkiness. Recommendation Using an Automated System Software To avert these discrepancies, the president of the Success International Company is required to adopt an automated system that would facilitate effectiveness on the following areas: Increased savings on material cost as it facilitates reduction of delivery cost that results from inappropriate product descriptions; Reduces costs that are associated with diverse steps of pap erwork inventory; Increase financial productivity due to elimination of billing errors and work overlap; Ensures adequate supply of commodity at all times due to increased accuracy of product descriptions (Luster 97-104). Building a Better Dialogue Honesty is a decision support necessary for every leader when he/she intends to break news to members of an organization. Therefore, the president of the Success International Company should exercise effective communication skills in a manner that takes into account the attainment of a smooth transition of operation from paperwork to adoption of automated systems. Decision support is a prerequisite for adopting the automated system, as this would facilitate cost effective measures. In turn, this creates comfort among the members of the staff, as it facilitates establishment of an environment in which personal differences from diverse backgrounds are clearly analyzed. Using a Checklist Adapting to the new changes calls for arrangements th at need to be properly defined since the rate at which change is implemented can result to either negative or positive morale of the staff members. The president of the Success International Company should provide an avenue for a transition that takes into account the management of workload with respect to the company’s mission.Advertising Looking for report on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The projection of cost can be achieved through a management cost and control system, as shown in Table A below. Additionally, the president should collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including the environmental regulatory authority, as they facilitate awareness on environmental damage caused by business practices and processes overtime (Johnson 194). Works Cited Johnson, Jeremiah. â€Å"Transforming Sustainability Strategy into Action: the Chemical Industry.† Ecological Economics : the Journal of the International Society for Ecological Economics. 61.1 (2007): 194. Print. Luster, Stephen. Paperless Material Inspection and Receiving Report: a Strategy to Streamline Acquisition and Reduce Paperwork. Ft. Belvoir: Defense Technical Information Center, 1991. Mikeln, Peter. â€Å"Analysis of Information Flows for the Needs of Factory of Future.† Proceedings of International Conference on Organization and Information Systems. (1989): 874-884. Print. Rahman, Hakikur. Inform ation and Communication Technologies for Economic and Regional Developments. Hershey: Idea Group Pub, 2007. Print. This report on The Success International Company was written and submitted by user Cypher to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Legal aspects of purchasing Essays

Legal aspects of purchasing Essays Legal aspects of purchasing Essay Legal aspects of purchasing Essay Deer what conditions might purchasers be personally liable for contracts they enter into? If you misrepresent your authority by: Making a false statement concerning authority with intent to deceive, or when misrepresentation has the natural and probable consequence of deception. Carrying out a detrimental act without authority, even though believing they have such authority. Performing an act that is itself illegal, even on authority from the employer. Deliberately performing an act that results In damage to anyone and acting outside the scope of their authority, even though the act Is performed with the purpose of enduring the employer a valuable service. Is an oral contract legally enforceable? Under what conditions? There are 6 conditions for an oral contract to be legally enforceable; the major ones are offer, acceptance and consideration. The other three minor ones are intent to have an agreement, capability issue (e. G. Under aged) and it has to be a legal act. Ender these conditions an oral contract is legally enforceable. What authority does a supply manager have to make decisions that are binding on the principal? What responsibility do purchasing agents have for the consequences of their decisions? The same authority that a purchasing manager would have; a Job offer letter, Job description, employment agreement, specific instructions for example on what sort of materials you are entitled to buy or supply, company policies or procedures that details the job responsibility and levels of authority and common business practices. The responsibilities of a purchasing agent are to perform his or her assigned duties to the fullest extent of their ability In a loyal, honest and careful manner. A purchasing officer may become accountable to the employer when damage occurs because of his or her negligence. The employer need to be informed consistently about detailed actions taken to accomplish those functions, and also what sort of results those actions have produced. Commercial documents should be kept organized and detailed for the employers and employees protection, as well as to conform to stipulated regulatory and legal requirements. It is important for the buyer to be clear with whoever he deals with to know that he is representing on behalf of a company to avoid personal liability so that they are able to hold the principal responsible for any action that needs to be taken.

Caecilians, the Snake-Like Amphibians

Caecilians, the Snake-Like Amphibians Caecilians are an obscure family of slender-bodied, limbless amphibians that- at first glance- resemble snakes, eels and even earthworms. Their closest cousins, however, are better-known amphibians like frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. Like all amphibians, caecilians  have primitive lungs that enable them to take in oxygen from the surrounding air, but crucially, these vertebrates also need to absorb additional oxygen through their moist skin. (Two species of caecilians lack lungs entirely, and thus are completely dependent on osmotic respiration.) Some species of caecilians are aquatic and have slender fins running along their backs that enable them to move through water efficiently. Other species are primarily terrestrial and spend much of their time burrowing underground and hunting for insects, worms and other invertebrates using their acute sense of smell. (Since caecilians need to stay moist to stay alive, they not only look but also behave much like earthworms, rarely showing their face to the world unless theyve been uprooted by a spade or a careless foot). Because they mostly live underground, modern caecilians have little use for a sense of sight, and many species have partially or entirely lost their vision. The skulls of these amphibians are pointed and consist of strong, fused bones- adaptations that enable caecilians to bore through mud and soil without doing any damage to themselves. Due to the ring-like folds, or annuli, that encircle their bodies, some caecilians have a very earthworm-like appearance, further confusing people who dont even know that caecilians exist in the first place! Oddly enough, caecilians are the only family of amphibians to reproduce via internal insemination. The male caecilian inserts a penis-like organ into the cloaca of the female and keeps it there for two or three hours. Most caecilians are viviparousthe females give birth to live young, rather than eggsbut one egg-laying species feeds its young by allowing the newborn hatchlings to harvest the outer layer of the mothers skin, which is well-stocked with fat and nutrients and replaces itself every three days. Caecilians are found primarily in the wet tropical regions of South America, Southeast Asia, and Central America. They are most widespread in South America, where they are especially populous in the dense jungles of eastern Brazil and northern Argentina. Caecilian Classification Animalia Chordata Amphibian Caecilian Caecilians are divided into three groups:  beaked caecilians, fish caecilians, and common caecilians. There are about 200 caecilian species overall; some undoubtedly have yet to be identified, lurking in the interiors of impenetrable rain forests. Because they are small and easily degraded after death, caecilians are not well represented in the fossil record and consequently not much is known about the caecilians of the Mesozoic or Cenozoic eras. The earliest known fossil caecilian is Eocaecilia, a primitive vertebrate that lived during the Jurassic  period and (like many early snakes) was equipped with tiny, vestigial limbs.

Polishing a Written Agreement Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10750 words

Polishing a Written Agreement - Thesis Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter One Description of the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter Two Literature Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chapter Three The Proposed Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Chapter Four The Intervention Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Chapter Five Data Collection Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Chapter Six Summary of Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Chapter One Description of the Problem Statement of the Purpose In presenting the purpose of the project, it is important to lay down the premises at the outset. As stated in the abstract, the thesis is about the Keyholder Agreement. It is a bilateral written covenant although there are actually three parties, GE Security, Inc., the key-holder and the Organization to where the key-holder belongs. Owing to concerns about the perception that the Keyholder Agreement has become lengthy or complicated or both after a considerable period of time, it is advisable to review this written contract. Apparently, the purpose of this project is to therefore see if there is a need to either (a) simplify and make clearer the Keyholder Agreement especially to the key-holders, (b) or shorten the Keyholder Agreement,...(Daly, David T. Five Ways to Make a Contract More Understandable: A Lesson from the Mackinac Bridge. Plain Language.[internet]). It is thus pragmatic to use the language and content structure which are best understood by the executing parties without sacrificing the substance of the instrument. In the present case, the subject is the so-called Keyholder Agreement which has to be studied and analyzed in order to arrive at the suggestion of whether or not to revise, modify or amend it. In presenting the purpose of the project, it is important to lay down the premises at the outset. As stated in the abstract, the thesis is about the Keyholder Agreement. It is a bilateral written covenant although there are actually three parties, GE Security, Inc., the key-holder and the Organization to where the key-holder belongs. Owing to concerns about the perception that the Keyholder Agreement has become lengthy or complicated or both after a considerable period of time, it is advisable to review this written contract. Apparently, the purpose of this project is to therefore see if there is a need to either (a) simplify and make clearer the Keyholder Agreement especially to the key-holders, (b) or shorten the Keyholder Agreement, (c) or simplify the Keyholder Agreement, make it clearer and shorten it. At this point, it is pertinent to stress that the subject contract, coming from GE Security, Inc., is on

Interpretation of Alexander Pope's Work An Essay of Man

Interpretation of Alexander Pope's Work An of Man - Essay Example He explains that man should have a sense of inner equilibrium, between how he views himself with respect to his surroundings. With this, man has to understand his purpose, as well as the universal order in which he is a part of. Only after understanding his purpose and the universal order around him can a man be truly contented. As Pope explains: The man was made perfect, based on the intended purpose that God created him for. Moreover, God gave man sufficient knowledge, based on the purpose that he was made for, and in relation to the surroundings that he will live in. The author cautions that man should not overshoot his intended purpose. The man was made to be a man and was made perfectly for his intended purpose, with respect to the universal order, of which man is a part of. Therefore, any desire to deviate from man's intended purpose consequently inverts or subverts the universal order that exists: As Pope explains, aspiring to be like the Gods or like the Angels is deemed as a rebellion against the universal order that man should respect. Implicit in this argument is the possibility that man might go astray, away from his intended purpose, should he desire to become more than what he was created for. Effects such as pride, tyranny, and corruption might signal the downfall of the man if he desires to become more than what he was created for. The stress  that the author puts on the importance of understanding man's intended purpose suggests that it is not immediately easy for a man to know his purpose and stature with respect to the universal order. Man, therefore, has to go through a journey of questioning and self-discovery, to understand his true character and purpose. He must understand each positive attribute of his character, to know why he was given such. Moreover, he must also understand each negative attribute of his character, not only to know why he was given such negative attributes, but also for him to overcome it. Pope explains his point further, through the following excerpt.  Ã‚  

Nike Promotion Essay Example for Free

Nike Promotion Essay Another important factor in economy is the maturing market in athletic shoes. There is also a growing adverse demographic change in the marketplace brought about by the sweatshop expose that Nike has not overcome yet. Effects to Nikes growth are also affected not only by domestic economy but also by the international economy. The continued weak Euro and Asian recession could potentially hurt Nikes international sales and growth. Nikes extreme sports product line is seen as inferior quality compared to competitors and is hurting sales and brand image. CUSTOMERS In 1998, Americans spent $38 billion to buy over 1. 1 billion pairs of shoes. Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association revealed that athletic footwear makes up almost 35% of all footwear purchases. The existing domestic industry focus is on casual and comfortable shoes. Demand is up for the brown shoe casual footwear with a comfortable and rugged design. This is because of the increasing number of workplaces allowing casual dress codes. Multinational customers account for a large part of Nikes sales. In 1995, Nikes international operations accounted for 36. 6 of its total revenues. The company believes that demands from international markets will increase in future. Nike must cater to a large portion of the new generation that demands the latest trends and styles. Nike should take into account the changing US demographics due to the rising proportion of Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans. These groups have different preferences that Nike should be able to satisfy. Nike should i dentify the next generation of loyal customers and provide for their needs. COMPETITION Competition is very fierce due to the number of companies competing for sales. Lots of money goes to marketing and promotions using various channels to reach the young demographic group of consumers who spend the most money on Nikes products. Growth is slowing down in the athletic footwear industry. But new markets are emerging with high growth rates. These markets include extreme sports market and the corporate merchandise market. Nikes global market share was an impressive 30. 4% in 1998. The closest competitor, Adidas, held 15. 5% of the market share while Reebok held 11. 2%. The remaining competitors, including Fila, Timberland, Asics, Converse, and New Balance, among others, each hold approximately 3-5% of the remaining market share. MARKETING ASPECTS OBJECTIVES Nikebiz. com stated that Nikes mission statement is â€Å"Through the adoption of business practices Nike is committed to securing intergenerational quality of life, restoring environment and increasing value for our customers, shareholders and business partners. † Nike shows passion for their company, products, and athletes. They are determined to provide consumers with comfort and assurance. They also find ways to innovate and create. They adhere to their five brand principles namely: inspire, innovate, focus, connect, and care. Another Nikes objective is â€Å"to be the worlds leading sports and Fitness Company. Nikes mission statement is similar to a vision statement and is potentially a weakness. The mission identifies the sports and fitness industry business they are in, it does not specify as to what products and services they provide. The mission statement does not mention distribution channels and customers. However, it portrays managements beliefs and the desire to be number one and remain in the leading position in sports and fitness shoe and apparel industry. STRATEGIES Corporate Strategies. The past two decades saw a change in economy from â€Å"standardized† to flexible†. Having a strict corporate organization used to be the rule, now it is common to have a flexible organization that uses subcontracting. The main reason Nike succeeded in competing in the footwear industry for a long time is because they remain flexible in an unpredictable market by subcontracting overseas in countries with low labor-cost. Another reason for Nikes strength in competition is their product differentiation. Aside from athletic shoes, Nikes product line now offers a broad range of clothing, equipment and accessories. TACTICS Nikes distinctive tactics are found in the area of marketing, specifically in consumer brand awareness and brand power. Nikes catch phrases like, Just Do It, and symbols like the Nike Swoosh, are reminders of the Nike empire. This tactic is effective because it could not be easily replicated and it offers value or benefit to consumers. Nike is becoming a part of American and world culture, the brand power becomes more difficult to replicate. The trademark and a slogan serves as the companys fingerprints. Nike is able to capitalize the unique identity due because of its financial strength. Nike reaches millions of consumers through large-scale marketing campaigns. The public benefits from the strength of Nikes image when they make a purchase. Consumers often associate Nike image with quality products. By associating star athletes and motivational slogans like, Just Do It, consumers identify their purchases with the prospect of achieving greatness. This image they create forms a tactic that competing companies can not easily duplicate by simply improving their products. PRODUCT Nike sells a huge variety of products, including shoes for running, basketball, cross training, Women and children. All of which are currently its top-selling product categories. Nike also sells shoes for outdoor activities such as tennis, golf, soccer, baseball, football, bicycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, aquatic activities, auto racing and other athletic and recreational uses. Nike began selling active sports apparel in 1979 as well as athletic bags and accessory items. The company sells a line of performance equipment under the Nike brand name, such as sport balls, timepieces, eyewear, skates, bats and other equipment. They also sell a line of dress and casual footwear and accessories for men, women and children under the brand name Cole Haan. The company markets headwear under the brand name Sports Specialties, through Nike Team Sports, Inc. They also sell small amounts of various plastic products to other manufacturers through Nike IHM, Inc. Bauer Nike Hockey Inc. manufactures and distributes ice skates, skate blades, in-roller skates, protective gear, hockey sticks and hockey jerseys and accessories under the Bauer and Nike brand names Pricing Strategies Nike uses vertical integration in pricing wherein they own participants at differing channel levels or engage in more than one channel level operations. This is also an attempt to control costs and influence pricing practices. PLACE Distribution channels and policy. Should additional channels be added, why? Nike sells its product to about 20,000 retail accounts in the U. S. and in approximately 110 countries around the world. Nike sells its products in international markets through independent distributors, licensees and subsidiaries. Independent distributors has little or no pressure for local adaptation because the 4Ps of marketing are managed by distributors. PROMOTION Nike has been one of the top retail industries for quite along time. This is because they sell quality products, customer loyalty, but most of all, its great marketing techniques. Nike has a number of famous athletes to create a great deal of attention to their products. Nike has signed the top athletes in many different sports such as the Brazilian Soccer Team (especially Ronaldino, Renaldo, and Roberto Carlos), Lebron James and Jermane ONeal for basketball, Lance Armstrong for cycling, and Tiger Woods for Golf. Sponsoring of events is another great promotional technique for Nike. It brings attention Nikes products. Web sites are a great promotional tool as they cover these events. Such events include Hoop It Up and The Golden West Invitational. Nike also personalizes websites. They make the websites exclusively for a sport such as nikebasketball. om , nikefootball. com , and nikegolf. com Marketing strategy: Nikes marketing strategy is an important component of the companys success. Nike is positioned as a premium-brand, selling well-designed and expensive products. Nike lures customers with a marketing strategy centering around a brand image which is attained by distinctive logo and the advertising slogan: Just do it. [35] Nike promotes its produc ts by sponsorship agreements with celebrity athletes, professional teams and college athletic teams. However, Nikes marketing mix contains many elements besides promotion. These are summarised below. Advertising From 1972 to 1982, Nike relied almost exclusively on print advertising in highly vertical publications including Track and Field News. Most of the early advertising was focused on a new shoe release, essentially outlining the benefits of the running, basketball or tennis shoe. In 1976, the company hired its first outside ad agency, John Brown and Partners, who created what many consider Nikes first brand advertising in 1977. A print ad with the tagline There is no finish line featured a lone runner on a rural road and became an instant classic. The success of this simple ad inspired Nike to create a poster version that launched the companys poster business. In 1982, Nike aired its first national television ads, created by newly formed ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, during the New York Marathon. This would mark the beginning of a remarkably successful partnership between Nike and W+K that remains intact today. The Cannes Advertising Festival has named Nike its advertiser of the year on two separate occasions, the first and only company to receive that honor twice (1994, 2003). 36] Nike also has earned the Emmy Award for best commercial twice since the award was first created in the 1990s. The first was for The Morning After, a satirical look at what a runner might face on the morning of January 1, 2000 if every dire prediction about Y2K came to fruition. [37] The second Emmy for advertising earned by Nike was for a 2002 spot called Move, which featured a series of famous and everyday athletes in a stream of athletic pursuits. [38 ] In addition to garnering awards, Nike advertising has generated its fair share of Controversy. RANDOM: The short version of this is: Nike makes itself pop up everywhere, so that its well known. It associates with people that most of its consumers want to emulate (such as michael jordan, in the 1990s) and creates products that will appeal to as wide of an audience as possible while using those celebrities its consumers want as bait (eg, michael jordan and the Air Jordan shoe line). This is just the marketing side: The business as a whole creates fast, easy assembly methods that allow it to use cheap labor in southeast asia and elsewhere to get cheap products (around 10 dollars) and sell them at extremely high prices (about 150 dollars). With nike, most of what youre buying is image. Nike, Inc. is a marketer of sports apparel and athletic shoes. The American manufacturer, through its marketing strategy which rests on a favourable brand image, has evolved into a large multinational enterprise In keeping with the brand image is its association with the distinctive logo and its advertising slogan, Just do it. In order to maintain and sustain this image, the company makes huge investments in advertising and brand promotion. Its promotional activities include agreements for product sponsorship with professional athletic teams, celebrity athletes, and numerous college athletic teams. Nike is involved in the production of goods for a wide variety of sports, competing with every sports fashion brand in existence. Because of the absence of any single brand that rivals the products of Nike, the company has no direct competitors, with the exception of German company Adidas. This has helped popularize the brand worldwide in all areas of sport and sports fashion. When Nike first began as Blue Ribbon Sports they only sold one product (running shoes) and because of this they had to make the target audience large. However, because of the wide-range of products that Nike sells they now have different target-audiences for each product. For young people, Nike sponsors popular athletes that their customers want to emulate.

Creation or Evolution? :: social issues

Creation or Evolution? How was the earth created? This is a question that has puzzled humans for ages. There are two main theories that explain how the earth was formed. These are the theories of evolution and creation. The creation theory is divided into various groups. The most accepted creation theory is the one of the biblical creationists. Biblical creation and evolution are very different, and both have indicators as to their authenticity. In evolution life is seen as having resulted by natural processes only. The theory suggests that in the past there were extended intervals of stability which ended with a mass extinction and the sudden appearance of a new species. This process occured without the intervention of supernatural forces or dieties. Nearly all modern scientists who are not Evangelical Christians believe in evolution. Biblical creationists are also called literal creationists, because they interpret the two Genesis accounts of creation in the Bible literally and believe that the Bible is without error. They believe that the "day" mentioned in Genesis 1 signifies a normal 24 hour day. According to this creation the universe was established in six days. Biblical creationists interpret most sedimentary rocks as products of Noah's flood. The majority believes that the earth is under 10,000 years of age. Some believe 4004 BC was the year of creation. The person who proposed the methods by which natural processes cause the evolution of the species was Charles Darwin. He used natural selection to explain how evolution worked. Darwin's old teacher said evolution would "brutalize" us as human beings and sink us "into a lower grade of degradation" than any time in recorded history. He was partially correct. The fact that many people think they evolved from monkeys has made morale in the world lower. However, to say that it has been the cause for the decline of society is ridiculous. Yes, war and crime has been higher in this century than in any other, but it is ceartainly not because of the theory of evolution. A theory can not start a war or commit a crime. People can. How can you prove creation or evolution? You can not prove them scientifically. The only one you could prove is creation, because of the Bible. If you believe that the Bible is without error, then you must believe that God created everything. Creation is much harder to support scientifically.

Educating Rita Notes

Into the World examines how various texts represent stages of growing up and maturation. transitional phase, marked by new challenges, opportunities and relationships described as a ‘rite of passage’, a time of change and adaption from one world of experience into another. offers knowledge, understanding and insight as well as more arduous and difficult consequences. Worlds encountered are varied as well as the unique and individual ways that people cope with the pressures of moving out ‘into the world’.When responding to texts, students are to demonstrate the different pathways (worlds and ways of coping) that are available. Educating Rita – Willy Russell explores notions of personal growth and self awareness through the transformation and process of change that occurs in Frank and Rita. the playwright describes the play as â€Å"a love story†, although the relationship that unfolds between Rita and Frank is also a story about â€Å"literatur e, language and education†. n educative relationship between teaching and learning is examined through the transition from ignorance to knowledge and enlightenment. an educational context is used to explore the development of skills, attitudes, values and outlook that takes place in Frank and Rita. Frank and Rita’s interaction as teacher and student triggers a re-evaluation of self and their relationship with their world. The bond they form generates the emotional impetus (force) needed to undergo fundamental (so basic as to be hard to alter, resolve, or overcome) change. his is represented through Rita and Frank’s juxtaposition of class, background, social expectations and values. in the introduction of the play, Russell explains that he aimed to achieve this in a way that â€Å"engaged† an audience and â€Å"was relevant to those who considered themselves uneducated, those whose daily language is not the language of the university or the theatre. † the play explores fundamental notions of education including the motivations and dreams that inspire teacher and student alike.Educating Rita has proved to be highly successful because Bildungsroman elements of self-realisation, allow it to â€Å"transcend barriers of language, class and race† and strike an empathetic chord with audiences. the genre of Bildungsroman has an educative focus that looks at the inter-relationship of man and society. the focus is the extended journey of personal development that the protagonist undergoes. the tone is typically personal, reflective and highly subjective. erceptions of self and social identity are examined and as such the characterisation is psychologically complex and morally ambiguous (unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made). changes that occur are often motivated by a desire for self-improvement or self-fulfillment and can result in a greater self-knowledge. these features are clearly seen by the altered outlooks both Rita and frank exhibit by the end of their time together. STRUCTURE: fifteen scene, ‘two-hander’ script with only two characters. each scene depicts one of rita’s visits, charting the growing relationship between teacher and pupil. Educating Rita Notes Into the World examines how various texts represent stages of growing up and maturation. transitional phase, marked by new challenges, opportunities and relationships described as a ‘rite of passage’, a time of change and adaption from one world of experience into another. offers knowledge, understanding and insight as well as more arduous and difficult consequences. Worlds encountered are varied as well as the unique and individual ways that people cope with the pressures of moving out ‘into the world’.When responding to texts, students are to demonstrate the different pathways (worlds and ways of coping) that are available. Educating Rita – Willy Russell explores notions of personal growth and self awareness through the transformation and process of change that occurs in Frank and Rita. the playwright describes the play as â€Å"a love story†, although the relationship that unfolds between Rita and Frank is also a story about â€Å"literatur e, language and education†. n educative relationship between teaching and learning is examined through the transition from ignorance to knowledge and enlightenment. an educational context is used to explore the development of skills, attitudes, values and outlook that takes place in Frank and Rita. Frank and Rita’s interaction as teacher and student triggers a re-evaluation of self and their relationship with their world. The bond they form generates the emotional impetus (force) needed to undergo fundamental (so basic as to be hard to alter, resolve, or overcome) change. his is represented through Rita and Frank’s juxtaposition of class, background, social expectations and values. in the introduction of the play, Russell explains that he aimed to achieve this in a way that â€Å"engaged† an audience and â€Å"was relevant to those who considered themselves uneducated, those whose daily language is not the language of the university or the theatre. † the play explores fundamental notions of education including the motivations and dreams that inspire teacher and student alike.Educating Rita has proved to be highly successful because Bildungsroman elements of self-realisation, allow it to â€Å"transcend barriers of language, class and race† and strike an empathetic chord with audiences. the genre of Bildungsroman has an educative focus that looks at the inter-relationship of man and society. the focus is the extended journey of personal development that the protagonist undergoes. the tone is typically personal, reflective and highly subjective. erceptions of self and social identity are examined and as such the characterisation is psychologically complex and morally ambiguous (unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made). changes that occur are often motivated by a desire for self-improvement or self-fulfillment and can result in a greater self-knowledge. these features are clearly seen by the altered outlooks both Rita and frank exhibit by the end of their time together. STRUCTURE: fifteen scene, ‘two-hander’ script with only two characters. each scene depicts one of rita’s visits, charting the growing relationship between teacher and pupil.

Australian Aborigines and Their Complex Kinship Essay

Aborigines have a complex system in relation to their social and marriage laws, based on the grouping of people within their society. To understand the complexities of their social organization, consider it this way: divide it first into three main parts. The first part is the physical structuring of society in terms of numbers – family, horde and tribe. Second, the religious structuring based on beliefs and customs, totems and marriage laws. (Kinship, 2005) These beliefs divide people into sections and subsections, totemic groups and clans. Third, there is also a kinship system that gives a social structuring. The social structuring and kinship system can become very difficult to understand for non-Aboriginal people, but is a natural part of life for Aborigines, and its details vary from tribe to tribe. There are three main aspects of Aboriginal social structure. The first aspect is the geographical structuring of the society. A tribe of around 500 people is made up of bands of about ten to twenty people each. (Australian, 2012) They join together for day to day hunting and food gathering activities. Each band of people can be called a horde. Within each horde are a number of families. The second part is the religious and totemic structuring of the society. On a religious level the society in much of Australia is divided into two moieties. Within each moiety are significant animals, plants, or places, which are of a highly religious nature. Each person, as well as belonging to one or the other moiety, is also connected to one or more of these subjects, called totems. The third part of their social structuring is the relationships between people, otherwise the kinship system. The kinship system allows each person in Aboriginal society to be named in relation to one another. When Aborigines acknowledge an outsider into their group, they have to name that person in relation to themselves, to allow that person to fit into their society, because they need to have in their own minds the kinship relation of that person to themselves, and that person must have a defined social position. The value of a kinship system is that it structures people’s relationships, responsibilities and manners towards each other. This in turn defines such matters as, who they will have look after children if a parent dies, who can marry whom, who is accountable for another person’s debts and who will care for the sick, weak and old. The kinship system allows individual naming for up to 70 connection terms in some tribes. (Australian, 2012) It is the system where brothers of one’s father are also called, in one sense, father. Cousins may be called brother or sister. A person knows who their real mother and father are, but under kinship laws, they may have similar family obligations to their aunts and uncles, the same as they would to their mother and father, and this is shared. These groups are further described as tribes. In Australia, tribes are really language groups, made up of people sharing the same language, customs, and general laws. The people of a tribe share a common bond and in their own language, their word for man is often the word used for the name of the tribe. For example, in Arnhem Land, people are called Yolgnu because Yolgnu name for man. People from another tribe are outsiders, because a tribe is like a small country with its own language, some tribal groups also use the term nation to describe themselves, such as the Larrakeyah tribe around Darwin calling itself the Larrakeyah Nation. (Kinship, 2005) Tribes were generally not a war- making group and people generally use their moiety or clan name to describe themselves individually, rather than their tribal name. There were an estimated 500 Aboriginal tribes in Australia at the time of European settlement. Out of all of those tribes about 400 of them are still together. (Australian, 2012) Throughout Australia the moiety system divides all the members of a tribe into two groups. These two groups are based on a connection with certain animals, plants, or other pieces of their environment. (Kinship, 2005) When a person is born into one or the other group it does not change throughout their life. A person belonging to one moiety has to marry a person of the opposite moiety. This is called an exogamous system, meaning that marriage has to be external to the group. The clan is an important unit in Aboriginal society, having its own name, territory and is the land-owning unit. A clan is a group of about forty to fifty people with a common territory and totems and having their own group name. (Kinship, 2005) It consists of groups of extended families. Usually, men born into the clan remain in the clan territory. Not all members of a clan live on the clan territory. The sisters and daughters of one clan go to live on their husbands’ clan territory. A horde is an economic group that consists of a number of families who band together for hunting and food gathering activities. (Kinship, 2005) A horde is not a distinct group in the minds of Aborigines. Different members of these groups may be contained within the horde. At the main camp, the horde separates into family groups who each have their own camp fire and cook and eat separately. A family group can be quite large, consisting of a man and his wives, the children from each wife, and sometimes his parents or in-laws. A man often has from two to four wives, ranging from one to more than ten. Today, most men have just one wife. Aboriginal custom all over Australia bans a person from talking directly to their mother in law. This rule applies to both men and women talking to their mother in law. (Kinship, 2005) To allow this rule to work, communication took place by using a third person. When food was divided and shared around campfires, a mother in law had a small fire of her own separate to her son in law or daughter in law and their spouse. Her own daughter or son would chat and bring over some of the meat, or perhaps a grandchild would sit with her and act as messenger between herself and her daughter or son’s partner. This is completely different from my own society. A man having more than one wife is frowned upon, we do not need to name a person to welcome them into our lives and we can certainly speak with our mother in laws. Our society is not as strict as that of the Aboriginal when referring to our kinship. Our kinship does not affect behaviors in my own life. I do not need to hunt, garden or eat with other people. References â€Å"Australian Aborigine†. Encyclop? dia Britannica. Encyclop? dia Britannica Online. Encyclop? dia Britannica Inc. , 2012. Web. 11 Jun. 2012 . â€Å"Kinship and Skin Names†. Central Land Council. Central Land Council Inc. ,2005 http://www. clc. org. au/articles/info/aboriginal-kinship.

Improving Student Behavior With Behavior Contracts

Improving Student Behavior With Behavior Contracts Behavior contracts that describe appropriate replacement behavior consequences and rewards can really help students succeed, eliminate problem behavior and build a positive relationship with the students teachers. Contracts can eliminate the never-ending battle of wits that begins when a student engages the teacher and the teacher gets hooked. Contracts can focus the student and teacher on the good behavior rather than on the problems. A behavior contract can be a positive intervention to avoid the need to write a Behavior Intervention Plan. If a childs behavior merits a check in the Special Considerations section of the IEP, federal law requires that you conduct a Functional Behavioral Analysis and write a Behavior Intervention Plan.  If another intervention can prevent the behavior from getting out of control, you can avoid a lot of work as well as possibly needing to call an additional IEP team meeting. What Is a Behavior Contract? A behavior contract is an agreement between a student, their parent and the teacher. It spells out the expected behavior, the unacceptable behavior, the benefits (or rewards) for improving behavior and the consequence for failing to improve behavior. This contract should be worked out with the parent and the child and is most effective if the parent reinforces the appropriate behavior, rather than the teacher. Accountability is an important part of the success of a behavior contract. The components: Participants: Parent, Teacher, and Student. If both parents participate in the conference, more power to them! It is clearly an indication that they will support your effort. If you are in a middle school and other teachers besides the special educator will be enforcing the plan, they all need to sign off on the contract. Finally, the student should be consulted, especially about the rewards. What is a fitting reward for proving that they can improve their school behavior?The Behavior: Describing the behavior negatively (stop hitting, stop speaking out of turn, stop swearing) will focus on the behavior that you want to extinguish. You need to be sure that you are describing the replacement behavior, the behavior you want to see in its place. You want to be rewarding the student for the behavior that you want to see, rather than punishing the behavior you do not want to see. Research has proven conclusively that punishment doesnt work: it makes a behavior disappear temporarily, but th e minute the punisher leaves, the behavior will reappear. It is important that the replacement behavior serves the same function as the behavior you with to eliminate. Raising your hand doesnt replace calling out if the function of calling out is to get attention from peers. You need to find a behavior that will also provide appropriate attention. Data collection: How will you record when wanted or unwanted behavior has occurred? You may have a student self-monitoring protocol, or even a teacher checklist or teacher record sheet. Often it can be as simple as a three by five-inch note card taped to the desk, where the teacher can place a star or a check for appropriate behavior.The Reward: You need to be sure that you establish both the reward and the threshold for getting the reward. How many inappropriate behaviors are allowed and yet the student can still earn the reward? How long does the student need to exhibit the behavior before the student earns the reward? What if the student backslides? Does he or she still get to keep credit for the success that preceded it?Consequences: If the behavior you are targeting is problematic and can potentially inhibit the success not only of the student in question, but for the whole class, it needs to have consequences. The consequences also need to kick in when a certain threshold is me t. In most cases, the success of exhibiting the replacement behavior, along with the praise and positive emphasis that should accompany the success, it shouldnt need to be instituted. Still, if a behavior disrupts the classroom and puts other children at risk, the consequence needs to be one that returns peace to the classroom and makes the other children safe. It may be to remove the child from the room, or move the child to the quiet corner. Signatures: Get everyones signature. Make a big deal about it, and be sure that you keep a copy of the contract handy, so you can refer to it when you want to either motivate or redirect the student. Instituting Your Contract Be sure that everything is in place before you begin the contract. How will the parents be informed and how often? Daily? Weekly? How will parents be informed of a bad day? How will you know for sure that the report has been seen? What is the consequence if the reporting form is not returned? A call to Mom? Celebrate Success! Be sure to let the student know when you are pleased when they are having success with their contract. I find that often the first few days are very successful, and it usually takes a few days before the there is any backsliding. Success feeds success. So be sure to let your student how happy you are when they do succeed.

The Battle of the Wilderness - American Civil War

The Battle of the Wilderness - American Civil War The Battle of the Wilderness was fought May 5-7, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). In March 1864, President Abraham Lincoln promoted Ulysses S. Grant to lieutenant general and gave him command of all Union armies. Grant elected to turn over operational control of the western armies to Major General William T. Sherman and shifted his headquarters east to travel with Major General George G. Meades Army of the Potomac. For the coming campaign, Grant planned to attack General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia from three directions. First, Meade was to cross the Rapidan River east of the Confederate position at Orange Court House, before swinging west to engage the enemy. To the south, Major General Benjamin Butler was to advance up the Peninsula from Fort Monroe and threaten Richmond, while to the west Major General Franz Sigel laid waste to the resources of the Shenandoah Valley. Badly outnumbered, Lee was forced to assume a defensive position. Unsure of Grants intentions, he had placed Lieutenant General Richard Ewells Second Corps and Lieutenant General A.P. Hills Third Corps in earthworks along the Rapidan. Lieutenant General James Longstreets First Corps was positioned to the rear at Gordonsville from which it could reinforce the Rapidan line or shift south to cover Richmond. Union Commanders Lieutenant General Ulysses S. GrantMajor General George G. Meadeapprox. 102,000 men Confederate Commanders General Robert E. Leeapprox. 61,000 men Grant Meade Move Out In the pre-dawn hours of May 4, Union forces began departing their camps near Culpeper Court House and marching south. Divided into two wings, the Federal advance saw Major General Winfield S. Hancocks II Corps cross the Rapidan at Elys Ford before reaching camps near Chancellorsville around noon. To the west, Major General Gouverneur K. Warrens V Corps crossed over pontoon bridges at Germanna Ford, followed by Major General John Sedgwicks VI Corps. Marching five miles south, Warrens men reached Wilderness Tavern at the intersection of the Orange Turnpike and Germanna Plank Road before halting (Map). While Sedgwicks men occupied the road back to the ford, Grant and Meade established their headquarters near the tavern. Not believing that Lee could reach the area until late on May 5, Grant intended to use the next day to advance west, consolidate his forces, and bring up Major General Ambrose Burnsides IX Corps. As Union troops rested, they were forced to spend the night in the Wilderness of Spotsylvania, a vast area of thick, second-growth forest that negated the Union advantage in manpower and artillery. Their situation was further imperiled by a lack of cavalry patrols on the roads leading towards Lee. Lee Reacts Alerted to the Union movements, Lee quickly ordered Ewell and Hill to begin moving east to meet the threat. Orders were also issued for Longstreet to rejoin the army. As a result, Ewells men camped that night at Robertsons Tavern on the Orange Turnpike, only three miles from Warrens unsuspecting corps. Moving along the Orange plank road, Hills men made similar progress. It was Lees hope that he could pin Grant in place with Ewell and Hill to allow Longstreet to strike at the Union left flank. A daring scheme, it required him to hold Grants army with fewer than 40,000 men to buy time for Longstreet to arrive. The Fighting Begins Early on May 5, Warren spotted Ewells approach up the Orange Turnpike. Instructed to engage by Grant, Warren began moving west. Reaching the edge of a clearing known as Saunders Field, Ewells men began digging in as Warren deployed the divisions of Brigadier Generals Charles Griffin and James Wadsworth on the far side. Studying the field, Warren found that Ewells line extended beyond his own and that any attack would see his men enfiladed. As a result, Warren asked Meade to postpone any attack until Sedgwick came up on his flank. This was refused and the assault moved forward. Surging across Saunders Field, Union troops quickly saw their right shattered by Confederate flanking fire. While Union forces had some success south of the turnpike, it could not be exploited and the assault was thrown back. Bitter fighting continued to rage in Saunders Field as Wadsworths men attacked through the thick forest south of the field. In confused fighting, they fared little better. By 3:00 PM, when Sedgwicks men arrived at the north, the fighting had quieted. The arrival of VI Corps renewed the battle as Sedgwicks men unsuccessfully attempted to overrun Ewells lines in the woods above the field (Map). Hill Holds To the south, Meade had been alerted to Hills approach and directed three brigades under Brigadier General George Getty to cover the intersection of the Brock Road and Orange Plank Road. Reaching the crossroads, Getty was able to fend off Hill. As Hill prepared to assault Getty in earnest, Lee established his headquarters a mile to the rear at the Widow Tapp Farm. Around 4:00 PM, Getty was ordered to attack Hill. Aided by Hancock, whose men were just arriving, Union forces increased pressure on Hill forcing Lee to commit his reserves to the fight. Brutal fighting raged in the thickets until nightfall. Longstreet to the Rescue With Hills corps on the point of collapse, Grant sought to focus Union efforts for the next day on the Orange Plank Road. To do so, Hancock and Getty would renew their attack while Wadsworth shifted south to strike Hills left. Burnsides corps was ordered to enter the gap between the turnpike and plank road to threaten the enemy rear. Lacking additional reserves, Lee hoped to have Longstreet in place to support Hill by dawn. As the sun began to rise, the First Corps was not in sight. Around 5:00 AM, the massive Union assault began. Punching up the Orange Plank Road, Union forces overwhelmed Hills men driving them back to the Widow Tapp Farm. As the Confederate resistance was about to break, the lead elements of Longstreets corps arrived on the scene. Quickly counterattacking, they struck Union forces with immediate results. Having become disorganized during their advance, the Union troops were forced back. As the day progressed series of Confederate counterattacks, including a flanking attack utilizing an unfinished railroad grade, forced Hancock back to the Brock Road where his men entrenched. In the course of the fighting, Longstreet was severely wounded by friend fire and taken from the field. Late in the day, Lee conducted an assault on Hancocks Brock Road line but was unable to break through. On Ewells front, Brigadier General John B. Gordon found that Sedgwicks right flank was unprotected. Through the day he advocated for a flank attack but was rebuffed. Towards nightfall, Ewell relented and the attack moved forward. Pushing through the thick brush, it shattered Sedgwicks right forcing it back the Germanna Plank Road. Darkness prevented the attack from being exploited further (Map). Aftermath of the Battle During the night a brushfire broke out between the two armies, burning many of the wounded and creating a surreal landscape of death and destruction. Feeling that no additional advantage could be had by continuing the battle, Grant elected to move around Lees right flank towards Spotsylvania Court House where the fighting would continue on May 8. Union losses in the battle totaled around 17,666, while Lees were approximately 11,000. Accustomed to retreating after bloody battles, the Union soldiers cheered and sang when they turned south upon leaving the battlefield. Selected Sources CWSAC Battle Summary: WildernessHistory of War: Battle of the WildernessFredericksburg Spotsylvania National Military Park

Animal Welfare and Advice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Animal Welfare and Advice - Research Paper Example Moreover, the Animal Welfare Act (1996) states that to purchase an animal, one must be over sixteen years old. Animal health officers, the police and Local councils have the authority of enforcing this Act. The law may ban anyone who is cruel to an animal or does not cater to its welfare needs from owning animals. He or she could also face a fine of up to twenty thousand dollars and/or sent to jail for up to 6 months (Directgov.uk, Para 1-3). As Freeman points out in the Animal Sheltering magazine article titled ‘Help Comes for Neglected Pets, One Step at a Time’, it is not hard for one to detect outright cruelty on animals including a dog set on fire, puppies bagged and thrown in the river or a cat shot with arrows. However, there are other less obvious forms of neglect such as tying up a dog all day on a three-foot chain with no food and water among others, a type of neglect that often stems from ignorance. All forms of neglect deny the animals of their rights and one should not ignore them. Anyone can take steps against animal neglect and cruelty. Perino maintains that when one finds an abandoned, he or she becomes responsible for the safety and welfare of that animal – providing shelter, food and clean water immediately. One should view the animal more closely for possible injuries and in case it has injuries, he should take it to a veterinarian immediately or to the pet to the Animal Emergency Cli nic. PETA.org documents that if one spot an abused or neglected animal, he/she should first, find out the agency that investigates and enforces the anti-cruelty laws in his/her town, county or state. This may be either a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to  Animals or a taxpayer-funded animal control/shelter or local humane society.

Leadership Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership Bachelor - Essay Example However, should there be any lapses, which is the one to be blamed If there are irregularities, which are those people responsible Or which brain should conceptualize the plan in order to achieve success How can the people inside the team with different tasks and interests be guided with regards to their movement and execution of plans In these cases, it all boils down to one individual-The Leader. We all know that a team is composed of many individuals, but how important is the leader in unifying these individuals and to achieve the needed success of an endeavor or certain project Leader is defined as the one organizes or is in charge of the group or something that leads or guides others (allwords.com 1). In layman's term he is the one who is in charge of the team, the standard bearer per se. How vital is the performance of the leader in order to obtain the desired output Up to what extent does the leader takes over especially if he or she leads the team. These are only some of the questions that are in need to be answered in order for us to know the importance of a leader on a certain team. It is a common connotation that when the word team is used, it has something to do with sports. Perhaps, let us also take a look in this field. In almost all of the team sport, there are leaders in and off the playing court. A coach perhaps can be considered as leader as he is the one who creates and induces his system with regards to the performance of his players in each and every game. The quarterback in American football, point guard in basketball, libero in volleyball and stopper in football. All do have different designations but has the same impact and importance in the team. They lead the team in scoring and in defense. It is also said that they can make or unmake the team, so what's with these leaders that the whole team depends on them It is said that an organization regardless of its nature whether it is a business, political party, alliance et cetera is a form of team. They all have leaders. In most cases, the leaders are the ones whom they look up to whether they are into the peak of the success or into the bitterness of defeat. A team is defined as a group of people working on a common goal, with different task and interdependent with each other. This means that a certain team cannot succeed by an effort of an individual but rather an effort of different individuals with a common goal; they are united with a driving force. However, their efforts will almost be next to inutile, if no one will act to be the head or the leader of that team. Primarily, the main concern of the team leader is to ensure that the team's plan in order to succeed is properly executed. Tam leader must also know the strengths and weaknesses of each and every individual member in order to ensure that the manpower that is delegated to perform specific task can deliver the goods. The leader must also be a good follower like the old saying with regards to the leaders. They should always follow the rules that the team has prescribed for its members. With all these facts laid, it always boils down to one question. How important is leadership to a team Does it have an impact to a team considering a team is comprised of many individuals Sometimes leadership in team particularly in organization is

Supply chain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supply chain - Case Study Example He realized that both manufacturers and retailers were dealing with thinner margins due to market conditions. He wanted to cut costs out of the distribution channel without compromising service. The new approach towards logistics that Brando envisioned involved rather than sending products to the distributors according to their internal planning process, the company would analyze the distributor’s shipment data and send only what is needed at the stores. The solution proposed that the company take full control of its supply chain by becoming responsible for determining the quantities and delivery schedules. Brando believed that this new system would help everyone reduce inventory levels. â€Å"Each day each distributor would provide us data on what Barilla product it had shipped out of its warehouse to retailers during the previous day, as well as the current stock level for each Barilla SKU† (Hammond). Replenishing orders would be made by the company based on that data . The new proposed system was called just-in-time-distribution (JITD). The new JITD system met with resistance to change from the employees of the company. The sales and marketing department felt that the system would interfere with their job duties. Their responsibilities would be diminished if the new program was put into action. A conflict that the JITD imposed was that it would flatten the sales of the company. The company would not be able to adjust their shipments to changes in selling patterns or increased promotions. Implementation of the JITD system imposed the creation of a sophisticated relationship with suppliers that the company might not be ready to handle. The company would run the risk of giving up shelf space to the competition. The new system was susceptible to stockouts. The firm would not be able to run promotions that give incentives to the customers to purchase more. The new JITD system might be visualized by the distributors as a hassle due to the fact that the system

Strategic ability of Hong Leong Bank

Strategic ability of Hong Leong Bank Hong Leong Bank Berhad was found by Ji Chiew. The bank starts operations in 1905 in Kuching, Sarawak. In 1 January 1982, the Head Office relocated from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur. The consolidation of banking institution to meet the requirement of Bank Negara Malaysia marks another milestone for Hong Leong Bank Berhad. Hong Leong Bank Berhad was listed on Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange on 17 October 1994. The market capitalization as of recent days is RM 470 million, according to bank website. Hong Leong Bank has diversified the businesses into financial services, manufacturing, and property and infrastructure development. The services available are personal financial services such as credit cards, investment, loan, deposits, insurance, priority banking, personal banking and Hong Leong Club Rewards for customer loyalty (Hong Leong Bank, 2009). Industry Analysis 2.1 Why Porters 5 models Porters model determines the competitiveness of an organization using the five different forces and shows how the forces are related. To develop business strategies effectively, organizations must understand and act in response to those forces. (Porter, 1985) (Fornell and Wernerfelt, 1987) Rivalry Among Existing Competitors There are 37 banks, which are recognized and licensed to operate in Malaysia and more financial institution are opening soon. The trend of increment of the number of banks within the industry is fast and there are great challenges for HLB to create and maintain a good market share. Other banks are seems to be more aggressive to get and retain customers. This force is not in favor of Hong Leong Bank. (BNM, 2009) Threat of Substitute Products and Services Even though there are many financial institutions available, some unique facilities can only be obtained from the bank only. American Express facilities, co-branded products (e.g. MTV), higher interest rate, club rewards, junior/senior savings, overdraft are the few products which only available to this bank. Thus this force is in favor to the bank. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) (BNM, 2009) Bargaining Power of Buyers Having the whole range of financial players apart from the retail banks, it is evident that customers can move within the 40 operators and can also decide to switch to the other non-banking institutions. Their choice can even extend to the insurance companies, depending on the nature of the product. For instance if a customer is looking for a small amount of loan, he/she can even get the said product from organizations like AEON, etc. The close location of various banks is also giving customer a very high bargaining power too. For instance in a location of Puchong Jaya, along the street of Jalan Kenari it is easy to find at least 9 banks within 100 meters Maybank, Public Bank, Eon Bank, CIMB Bank, HSBC, Alliance Bank, Bank Simpanan Nasional, UOB. With this concentration the bargaining of customers always goes high before customers start looking on a differentiated service. For the said bank, this is absolutely a negative favor since the potential customers can shift easily to differ ent point. (BNM, 2009) Bargaining Power of Suppliers The core business of the Hong Leong Bank is product and services which mainly focuses on safety of monetary management. The suppliers provide some tangibles like checkbooks, lockers, private banking, priority banking. The impact of these in HLB is not much significant since they are not really like the raw material. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) Threat of New Entrants The Bank Negara Malaysia has set a minimum capital requirement of RM5 billion for a bank to be registered. The conditions set for registering a bank are not difficult to obtain, hence entry barriers become low. Thus more foreign owned financial firms are keen to open their business in Malaysia. Certainly these institutions will pose threat on existing banking business as theyll have unique products and services. This force is not in favor of Hong Leong Bank. . (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) From the above analysis of HLB 5 forces analysis, the diagram below will provide a summary of the banks overall industry analysis. Threat of New Entrants (-) Threat of Substitute Products and Services (+) Bargaining Power of Buyers (-) Rivalry among existing competitors (-) Bargaining Power of Buyers (+) 2.2 Limitations of the Porters Model Porters 5 force analysis talks about the external forces applicable to the outside of business. Todays business is much more vast and robust requiring dynamic approaches which should be an integration of different approaches rather than depends on a single analysis. Internal factor analysis requires much analysis as external. Designing, visioning and learning approaches should be considered when an industry analysis is done. Proters 5 forces are lack of these factors. (Porter, 1985) (Gronroos, 1997) Strategic Capability Analysis 3.1 Stakeholders Stakeholder Analysis identifies important groups of people or individuals that can have an influence on the Project. These Stakeholders can have their own objectives and views, which may differ and conflict with other Stakeholders. A Stakeholder Analysis is required to identify all the parties who are directly or indirectly affected by the enterprises operations. This includes not only the traditional shareholders, but also some new groups that the insights of sustainable development tell us must be consulted in decisions that affect them. (Roberts, Varki, and Brodie, 2003) (Fombrun and Shanley, 1990) In an organization, internal stakeholder is the employees or people who work inside the organization. External stakeholders exist outside the organization but have a direct interest in what it does (e.g. shareholders, governments, customers) etc. (Roberts, Varki, and Brodie, 2003) 3.2 SWOT Analysis 3.2.1 Why SWOT Analysis? SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors. (Spreng and Chiou, 2002) In SWOT, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors and opportunities and threats are external factors. 3.2.2 Hong Leong Bank SWOT Analysis Strength Hong Leong Bank Berhad (HLB) principal activity is providing consumer-banking services including credit cards, investment, mortgage, deposits, insurance and priority banking. Other activities include business banking, trade financing, working capital facilities, treasury, foreign exchange, money market operations, capital market securities trading, investment, and takaful business. It has been recognized as one of the most profitable bank in Malaysia. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) It has 186 branches, 17 business centers with talented and motivated employees throughout Malaysia making it one of the most widened banking sectors in Malaysia. Their first award year 2004, an acknowledgement for their active participation in spurring the growth of the SMEs in the country. This award certainly spur Hong Leongs strength to bring more value added financial services to customers and the SMI community and to help them face the extremely challenging and competitive business environment both locally and globally. Launched in October 2005; the Hong Leong Mobile Credit Card is the first of its kind, allowing customers who are provided with a six-digit personal identification number (PIN) to pay for goods and services using mobile phones via short messaging service (SMS). This offering is the result of Hong Leong Bank tie-up with technology provider Mobile Money International Sdn. Bhd. This unique method of payment, known as Mobile Money is speedy, convenient and cost effective. Using only the mobile phone for approval of transactions and payments, there is no longer a need for the physical plastic card, merchant terminals or Internet terminals. Payment requests are delivered via SMS. There is no need for card members to be present at the point of sales or at the merchant outlets. Payments can therefore be made from wherever card members are, at whichever place where there are mobile phone signals. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) In 2007, Hong Leong Bank bagged the Asian Bankers Best e-Banking Project 2007 with its Internet banking offering, Hong Leong Online. The award recognizes the best emerging technology practices and benchmarks in Asia Pacific banks. Apart from the Asian Banker award, Hong Leong has also been ranked as the third most popular Malaysian online banking site. Online banking transactions helped the bank save about RM24mil from March to October 2007 as each online transaction cost about 20% compared with about RM3.50 for every over-the-counter transaction. Weakness In line with its strong customer service culture, the HLB continues to maintain its superior delivery standards which have been behind against international ISO standards. HLB is yet attained bank-wide ISO 9001:2000 certifications for customer service at the front office of its branches and bank-wide loan delivery service. This is a major drawback for the HLB to have a better customer base. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) As to compete in the industry of banking, interest rate is a major challenge as customer will choose for a higher interest rate for savings account and for the lowest interest rate for the loans that the customers are seeking for their financial assistances and better service for the customer. Hong Leong Bank needs to change according to the environment as to compete and remain as the market leader. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) As Hong Leong Bank has moved ahead to the Electronic banking or transaction there is greater risk or security threats circulated to the users of online banking or transaction. There are non technical threats such as phising whereby it is the act of tricking someone into giving them confidential information or tricking them into doing something that they normally wouldnt do. The common applications of this approach is to send fake emails (email spoofing) to a victim purporting to come from a legitimate source and requesting information (such as the bank account number and the password) or directing the victim to a fake internet website where this information can be captured. Opportunities The bank may recruit young and talented staffs and provide them proper training to create a talent base as well as provide job to those who are in need. This may also reduces the unemployment rates in Malaysia. This talent base is able to adopt with internal formation and usually stay with the bank until the end. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) As the banking industry grows and provides opportunities for the local customers indirectly it also given an opportunity to the foreigners who stays in Malaysia. They tend to use banking services more frequently to have different types of account. This additional customer base will bring more money inside the bank and of course banks will gain profit from various types of transactions. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) Bringing the bank closer to the consumer could be the vital opportunity. Providing a payment gateway where ATM card could be used as like a credit card for everyday usages. Since these customers will use won money, bank may encourage them to save more to get more benefits. Establishing more ATM and branches and electronic features (e.g Western Union money transfer) will definitely bring more customers in. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) Threats Ease of distributing credit card could be a disturbing role the bank is playing. While credit card repayments are depends fully on customer payment, if it is not paid, bank has to go long way. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) The bank is not really in forefront position to introduce new products and service as market demand changes. It if often seen that the bank introduces the products in different name when the service is already available in the market by other bank. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) 3.2.3 Limitations of SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis usually very subjective. It simply looks at the negative factors first in order to turn them into positive factors. So it is advisable to use SWOT as guide and not as prescription. (Spreng and Chiou, 2002) Strategic Choices 4.1 Generic Strategy 4.1.1 Why Porters Generic Strategy Generic strategies are widely used today even though it was invented in 1980s. Three options are available for organizations to adopt to achieve sustainability which are cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Each of the three options are considered in two aspects of the competitive environment: (i) Competitive advantage talks about the prices (high or low) of the products, (ii) Competitive scope talks about the market size (narrow or broad). (Porter, 1985) (Chen, 1999) (Sanzo et al, 2003) Overall Cost Leadership The low cost products are the product leader in the market. It may also included the time required to built and delivery the products to customers. As it is mentioned earlier, using online banking, it would help the bank as well as customers to save more. Developing and maintaining online business is not low-priced itself. Yet it could provide vital thumbs-up to banks generic strategy. If more customers opt for online transactions, bank wouldnt have to spent time on serving customer physically thus itll requires less resources (e.g. less branch, less employees). These less resources will push ahead the bank with extra finance to improve other services. (Harris and Goode, 2004) (Sanzo et al, 2003) Differentiation Differentiated goods and services are designed to satisfy the customers with the lowest price/cost available for similar kind of products. HLB Flexi FD is a fixed deposit product which gives higher interest rate to the customer. Thus the bank will be in risk of loosing money. So it has to bring and retain much customer to cover the loss. The loss must be cover to be competitive. Since banking industry changes rapidly, HLB will have to customize the products and services over times to hold ensure customer satisfaction. (Dannenberg and Kellner, 1998) (Jones, Mothersbaugh, and Beatty, 2000) Focus In focus an organization can afford neither a wide scope cost leadership nor does a wide scope differentiation strategy, Here an organization focus effort and resources on a narrow segment of a market. Competitive advantage is generated specifically for the niche. A company has two options to choose: use either a cost focus or a differentiation focus. Taken example of HLB structured investments. Invested amounts are 3rd-party transactions and bank itself doesnt provide any guarantee of returns of money to the customer. In this segment, HLB is a low profile character. Even though bank is charging some commission on the investments, customers who are willing to invest are to do so at own risk. (Jarvelin and Lehtinen, 1996) (Evans and Beltramini, 1987) 4.2 Strategic Directions 4.2.1 Why Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff Growth matrix is a strategic direction tool that helps businesses decides their strategies for growth. Ansoffs product/market growth matrix discuss about the strategies on which the business deliver new or current products in new or current markets. Overall output of Ansoff product/market matrix is sets of strategies that set the direction for the business growth. (Auh et al, 2007) (Sanzo et al, 2003) These are described below: Market penetration Market penetration is a general name of selling current products into current markets. The bank continuously introduces loan and credit products to customers to leap ahead. Since the banks most incomes come from loan and credit facility, reshape of current products will ensure market growth and increase of usages by existing customers. Market penetration for HLB will be focused on the central markets that it is very familiar with, competitors are known, customer needs are defined and returns are potential. (Gustafsson, Johnson, and Roos, 2005) (Agrawal, 2001) http://strategyiseverywhere.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/ansoff_matrix.png Market development Market development tells about the distribution of current products in new market. With its existing banking facilities, the bank introduces private banking for the customers who loves personal banking. For everyday needs of banking, investment, loan, protection a dedicated personal banker is always there to serve the individual customer to fill their needs. These personal banking is nothing different than existing policies; focus goes to its loyal customers which puts big amount inside the bank. (Dannenberg and Kellner, 1998) (Filotto, Tanzi, and Saita, 1997) Product development Product development is the name given to a growth strategy where a business aims to introduce new products into existing markets. Saving multiplier plans is recently introduced by the bank. Hong Leong Savings Multiplier Plan is a unique investment tool that utilizes the powerful concept of Dollar-Cost-Averaging and offers a customized solution to tackle the distinct financial challenges throughout different life stages be it to secure a comfortable retirement or to ensure a steady flow of pension-like funds or for putting aside adequate funds even for childrens education. Islamic banking is another example of product development. (Metawa and Almossawi, 1998) (Haron, Ahmad and Planisek, 1994). Diversification Diversification is the growth strategy where new products are to be delivered in new market. This strategy is more risky for business growth as often business takes longer time to survive in a new market. HLB recently spread their business in Vietnam. Since Vietnamese culture differs from Malaysia, the bank has to adopt the culture as well as compete with well established Vietnamese banks. (Shankar, Smith, and Rangaswamy, 2003) (Evans and Beltramini, 1987) 4.3 Method for Pursuing Strategic Direction Forward Looking Policy Monetary policy management needs a forward-looking policy due to the time gap between policy actions and their intended effects on output and inflation. HLB built a macro model which would determine the impact of policy actions. Understanding the microeconomic factors are important too determine the inter-linkage of monetary policy mechanism. (Fornell and Wernerfelt, 1987) Deepening of Financial Markets New financial products are traded in the Money/Bonds market by the introduction of Hong Leong Banks Debt Capital Markets Structured Finance (DCM/Structured Finance) unit within Wholesale Banking provides innovative tailor-made solutions to financial institutions, corporate, agencies and high net-worth individuals through comprehensive offerings in the debt capital markets. (Dannenberg and Kellner, 1998) Strong Foreign Currency Reserve Foreign exchange reserves form part of the national assets and these needs to be deployed rationally keeping in mind the principles of safety, liquidity, and return. The reserves, which are currently deployed by the HLBs in-house reserve management treasury dealers, are in short-term high quality bank deposits. (Naser, Jamal, and Al-Khatib, 1999) Reliable and Secured Payment Systems To reduce the settlement time significantly and increase cost effectiveness the bank plans to establish an electronic clearinghouse to do almost every transactions online with tighten security and handy usability. Opening an account, apply for credit cards are already in place. The bank further steps in mobile banking for dedicated user. Recently the bank introduces e-broker services (HLeBroking). HLeBroking allows the flexibility of placing orders either through a phone call to our trading hub or via the internet. Professional dealers centralized in the hub are always on hand to execute transactions and monitor shares investment portfolio. (Shankar, Smith, and Rangaswamy, 2003) (Harris and Goode, 2004) 4.4 Implication and Evaluation of Analysis During this analysis it was assumed that strategies are reasonably orderly and knowable and, in turn, that evidence can help to evaluate theories that claim to explain these strategic positions. Data and information often founded confusing and imperfect. It seems almost certain that no single study can validate or invalidate a theory. Besides, there is a good chance that a large number of studies will not generate consistent results. (Agrawal, 2001) The methodology were used in analysis is not about developing a foolproof system; it is at least partly an art. There is no mechanical system that will escape judgment, sense, and intelligence. But this does not eliminate the need for techniques and standards. Product delivery approaches, geography, demography does plays role in strategic position which were missing in the analysis done. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) The strategic planning process adopted by HLB was participative, consultative and result oriented. But the takes time to achieve results. While some important factors the bank missed out during strategic choices, individual departments must do their respective environmental scans through a SWOT analysis whereby they identified their internal strengths and weaknesses as well as the external opportunities and threats. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) Business trends changes randomly. Todays product may not be available tomorrow. Thus no strategic plan could be exactly fit into business strategy. However, HLB could consider a more diversified strategy which would be more beneficial to determine strategic stand. Justification of a Strategy As the strategic position and strategic choices are different from the matrix analysis, a better strategic growth model is optimal solution. 5.1 McKinsey Growth Pyramid McKinsey growth pyramid is an upgraded version of Ansoff Matrix with broader discussing of important strategic factors. With every possible action there are certain alternatives (e.g. acquisition, joint ventures, alliances etc) with risk measurement from low to high. Existing products to existing customers This is considered lowest risk options go on businesses with current asset and current customer. But itll not be much beneficial for bank in long terms. Existing products to new customers Introduce existing products to new customer which may help them meet their daily financial needs so that they dont look for other financial choices. Consumers always look for much return while bank always looks for low give-away. New customers can be a turning point for any bank. Demographical (e.g. adult, children, senior) products would be vital products to attract new customers. (Harris and Goode, 2004) New products and services Over time, new products must be channeled into banking business. Broader distribution if Islamic banking could be a important factor. It is seen that many nom-Muslims adopted for Islamic banking. Since there is trend of Islamic banking growth, the bank should not take the risk to risk the potential customers due to lack of proper preparation. Some of the products may be delivered to existing customers. Risk may incur if the products doesnt appeal the customers. (El-Bdour and Erol, 1989) (Gerrad and Cunningham, 1997) New delivery approaches Todays consumer seek more convenient service provider. Banks are not exempted indeed. Many banks had adopted special facilities for different customers. Priority banking could be one solution. In priority banking everyone is unique and therefore has very specific financial needs. Thats why bank will offer a comprehensive range of privileges for convenience. Setting up special services only for young generation can be another important product delivery approaches. Dedicated services will invite more young generation to adopt the services. However, it could cost the bank some extra amount and if the products are not selling well, bank will face loss of resources. (Yoon, Guffey, and Kijewski, 1993) (Mols, 2001) http://www.filecluster.com/screenshots/61893.gif New geographies Geographical expansion is one of the most powerful options for growth but also one of the most difficult. The bank already went global opening branches in Singapore and Vietnam. This strategy is proven fine for well reputed bank (e.g. Citibank) but it has to be cautious in business. Geographical movement may bring new customers with solid financial needs but the bank has narrow down the scope of services due to high risk. (Sanzo et al, 2003) New industry structure The bank may re-assert the liquidity franchise and continue to address the yield challenge. While economics of the business have changed, unlike other countries, pricing and credit spreads did not adjust in tandem in the Malaysia. The quality of strategic asset-liability management, liquidity and capital management differentiates. Re-asserting core businesses with efficiency, unit cost management, operating leverage, dynamic pricing as well as customer value or returns on each customer relationship. Cross-selling and customer service are key success factors. (Agrawal, 2001) New competitive arenas Using competitive arena, business may transfer their resources and knowledge to new industry using vertical integration. This may pose immense risk to bank itself. Bank may loose it all investment. Despite the risk, this will help the bank grows rapidly and spread their products throw many distribution channels. (Gronroos, 1997) Conclusion The pre- and post-crisis strategic postures are a tale of worldwide economic fall down. The postures are characterized by the scaling up of the business, refining value propositions in each business, responding to competition and price war, building new capabilities and strengthening the risk and IT infrastructure as the bank sought to incrementally improve our market share and positioning. (Hong Leong Bank, 2009) (Gustafsson, Johnson, and Roos, 2005) The era ahead is more opportunistic in nature, with a rapidly changing eco-system and higher regulatory and prudential requirements. The shadow of the state on the sector globally is more pronounced. (Auh et al, 2007) Overall, the banks competitive strategy has to pivot on a competitive delivery, consisting of quality people, knowledge base and result oriented capability, market intelligence and local community embedment, entrepreneurialism and how it organize itself to scale and build new names. 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