The Mystery Of The Myth - 925 Words

The myth is the belief that some languages just aren’t good enough because they do not fulfill certain criteria. Criteria such as not being able to act as a medium of speech to express new ideas, to speak of science, to speak of high literature, and to be used internationally without having to borrow vocabulary from other languages. English is probably the most infamous case of this myth being false. As we know it English is probably one of the most widely spoken languages. English has the ability to clearly express ones ideas, converse scientific terms, and speak of high literature. However many of English’s vocabulary are borrowed from Latin, French, and many other languages. Under the criteria of those that believe that some languages are not good enough, English is not good enough as a language since it borrows vocabulary from other languages. But this is not true since English is a very prominent language and is very able to express new ideas of all kinds. Another famous example that can be used to debunking this myth would be in the case of Latin. When Latin first arose the Greek’s believed that Latin just wasn’t good enough to be able to express complex thoughts. However as we know today this is terribly false. Latin was one of the most wide spread languages that we know of today. Latin was also at one time a lingua franca. It was used as a common language between speaks of different native languages to express ideas. Not only was Latin used in science,Show MoreRelatedAmerican Myths and Mysteries Essay2813 Words   |  12 Pagesinteresting mysteries that have not been solved and myths passed down from generation to generation. No one knows what caused these myths to come about or why these mysteries were never solved, but they are a very interesting part of American history. From mysteries involving serial killers to myths about mysterious creatures, there is a wide range of the unknown that many people, except for witnesses, have never heard about. Now let’s take a look into some of the most fantastic myths and mysteries in AmericaRead MoreThe Struggle to Gain Equality: A Study of Native American Woman in Literature1678 Words   |  7 PagesRespect Frees Women from Inequality In Woman: Myth and Reality, Simone De Beauvoir describes the myth of the Eternal Feminine which creates inequality between men and women. In The Four Idols, Francis Bacon uses the four idols of the tribe, the cave, the marketplace, and the theater to show how humans understanding and intelligence hinders their knowledge of nature. In The Origin of Civil Society, Jean-Jacques Rousseau concludes that the Social Contract benefits those who are not strongRead MoreMyths And Myths Of Myths856 Words   |  4 Pagesthus spurring a debate on what it is that myths actually mean and what they should teach us. It seems that myths and mythology should create both independent and creative thought while solidifying the culture/s that the myth is designed thus creating both a sense of individuality and community with in the world. When fundamentally broken down mythology is a collection of stories (myths) that usually belong to a specific culture or religious group. Myths then can be broken down in to sets of storiesRead MoreMythology vs Natural World: How mythology helped to explain aspects of the natural world to the ancient Greeks1289 Words   |  6 PagesGreek myths are all that s left of the ancient Greek religion, in which beauty, poetry, and creative activities were a vital part of the tradition. Centuries ago, the Greeks created numerous stories and poems, which are still being shared today, that showed their view of the world that existed not only in the mind of the Greek poets, but in the hearts of the humble and long suffering natives of ancient Greece. From the stories of the Olympians, to heroes greatest adventures and from romantic storiesRead MoreStonehenge And Most Common Myths Of Stonehenge1090 Words   |  5 Pagespyramids, and many other ancients’ structures. Stonehenge is one of the oldest unsolved mysteries in the world. The ancient stone is located in Wiltshire, England. English Heritage organization is the responsible for looking after the monu ments included with the Stonehenge. People always ask how come a monument was built before 3000 B.C. with naked hands. In this paper, the history of Stonehenge and most common myths of Stonehenge will be discussed in brief lines. Then, what the author thinks StonehengeRead MoreChinese and Greek Mythology1564 Words   |  7 Pagesthe universe which ultimately resulted in the establishment of religions, beliefs and most pertinent, creation myths. Mythology provides explanations for the worlds mysteries especially in regards to the creation of Earth, Humans and the environment. This comparative paragraph analyzes the similarities and differences between a Greek myth entitled, The Beginning of Things, and a Chinese myth named, Heaven and Earth and Man, contrasted in the aspects of conflict, solutions, heroic action, and the educationRead MoreChristopher Columbus s Discovery Of The Disoriented Magnetic Compass Off The South Eastern Coast Of United States1030 Words   |  5 Pagesoceani c research articles, I have found that the media overwhelms the general public with dramatic myth stories in such a way that the truth rarely makes it to readers. Scientist have now proven a methane gas hypothesis has been a major contributor to ships and planes losing their density needs. C. Thesis Statement: In understanding the science behind releasing gas from the oceanic floor, finally myths are put to rest. D. Tie to the Audience: History has been lost as people disappeared travelingRead MoreComplex Characters In The Arthurian Legend : Merlin And Taliesin767 Words   |  4 Pagesversion to version, creating confusion about their origin and roles in stories. Merlin, the wondrous and wise magician, and Taliesin, the inspirational historian and all-knowing bard, are some of the most versatile individuals in the stories. The mysteries of Merlin, Taliesin and their significance impact the Arthurian legend and literature. Merlin, also referred to as Merlinus or Myrddin, is a major and essential character in the legends. He is a well known sorcerer, seer and prophet . He isRead MoreThe Importance Of Native American Storytelling1001 Words   |  5 Pagesnever want the younger generation to forget where they come from. In Native American storytelling there were many myths told. The myths are like folk tales they focus on normal people other than gods. In the myths most of the characters are often not named. The Native Americans focused more on the plot of the story and not just the characters themselves. Animals were commonly used in myths because they were thought to be very spiritual. The four direction showed up in the stories literally or symbolicallyRead MoreTrickster-God-Creator1433 Words   |  6 PagesCoyote of Native North American traditions is often depicted as assisting the â€Å"Great Mystery† or â€Å"Great Spirit† in the creating and populating of the world (Leeming). In the Greek myths Hermes is initially a sly infant who captures a tortoise with his untruths and fashions the first lyre from its shell, but eventually transitions to a place amongst the Olympic pantheon as the messenger of the gods. In the Norse myths of the Scandinavian countries, Loki is a mischievous nuisance, nonetheless responsible

Choices With Consequences VsThe Lottery, And Young Goodman...

Talal Almutairi Dr. Gates English 305 5 July 2017 Choices with Consequences In this paper, I shall focus on drawing comparisons and contrasts between â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, and â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In her short story, ‘The Lottery’, Jackson uses a series of specific details and ordinary personages to describe the events leading to an unfair death. These details reveal the dangers of blindly upholding traditions and passing them to the next generations, without knowing much about the origin or the significance of the tradition. Jackson wisely incorporates various elements of fiction into the story in order to bring a create a vivid understanding of the meaning of her story and the message she is trying†¦show more content†¦The devil refers to seeing Goodman Brown’s grandfather whipping a Quaker in the streets and handing Goodman Brown’s father a flaming torch so that he could set fire to an Indian village during King Philip’s War. B y including these references, Hawthorne reminds the reader of the dubious history of Salem Village and the legacy of the Puritans and emphasizes the historical roots of Goodman Brown’s fascination with the devil and the dark side. On the other hand, â€Å"The Lottery† was written in 1948, not long after the end of World War II and The Great Depression. The two events changed the way people in society related with one another, in such a way that people were made to embrace the thinking that every man would be on their own in order to survive. This is shown throughout the story by the citizens not having a problem with the lottery until if affects them directly. Jackson’s story also shows the sense of division and sexism between men and women associated with the 1940s. Women were often fired from their jobs in order to make room for the retuning male soldiers and were expected to return home to stay with the family. This idea of women being forced from one positio n of power to a lower position is shown in the last scene of â€Å"The Lottery† when the â€Å"winner† Tessie Hutchinson is the one who receives the black dot and is stoned to death. She tries to fight for her life but in the end is over powered by society’s rules.

Deviations of Marxism Free Essays

The problem of a man’s economic and political freedom has been widely discussed by specialists throughout centuries. Chomsky (1987), Bakunin (1934), Rousseau (1960), Humbold (in Botting 1973) have all questioned the issue whether a man can ever be free in the society. The theory of Marxism can be regarded as a synthesis and conclusion of classical political economy, particularly of utopian socialist authors from which Marx borrowed many ideas. We will write a custom essay sample on Deviations of Marxism or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"The teaching of Marx is all-powerful because it is true. It is complete and symmetrical, offering an integrated view of the world, irreconcilable with any superstition, with any reactionism, or with any defense of bourgeois oppression. † (Eastman, Marx 1959, p. xxi). The problem of freeing man from the curse of economic exploitation and political and social enslavement in Marx’s works has been discussed by Highs (2004), Kozyn (1987), Sayer (1991), Suny (1993), and Wood (1997). As the sources argue, according to the opinion of Marx, this problem can be solved, but only after many changes take place in the society. Capitalism is destined to fail and be replaced by socialism which can put an end to contradiction between two social classes- bourgeoisie and the working class. Opposite to the system of capitalism, socialism was going to be based on the principles radically different from the principles of capitalist society, and thus end economic exploitation. According to Marx, people could become free if they were free economically, and thus the end of economic exploitation was going to determine the freedom for people. In â€Å"The Criticism of the Gotha Program† Marx devotes major attention to the analysis of ownership and the problem of workers’ estrangement of the results of their work as the major feature of exploitation: â€Å"Within the cooperative society, based upon the common ownership of the means of production, the producers do not exchange their products; †¦ the labor of the individual becomes, no longer in a roundabout way, but directly, a component part of the total labor. † (Eastman, Marx, 1959, p. 5). According to Marx, the exploitation of workers provided on all levels of production, their estrangement from the results of work all were the reasons of the inevitable changes in the future. The fact that surplus value was obtained by the capitalist was also one of the arguments for the future change in the structure. The class of workers realized that the results of their work were taken by the capitalist even though they were the ones who actually created the value. Therefore, they were eventually destined to struggle for their economic freedom, which would also lead to their social and political freedom. The dialectics argues that contradictions are the driving force of progress. Once contradictions appear in some system, the system will need to undergo many changes and develop until the new level in which the synthesis of new qualities will be finally reached. Therefore, as it was correctly noticed by Marx, the phase of capitalism could not be completely over- it would just develop until its new phase socialism and the most positive features of both systems would be present in the final synthesis of the two systems. People would reach the freedom only after the final stage of evolution, because earlier stages would still contain some features from the earlier system. Marx argues that communist society â€Å"still bears, in every respect, economic, moral and intellectual, the birthmarks of the old society from whose womb it is issuing† (Eastman, Marx, 1959, p. 5). Therefore, it is impossible to conclude that communism entirely frees people from economic exploitation and political and social enslavement. Communism is not a completely new system and has connection with the previous system of capitalism. It interacts with it in some ways but at the same time it has many new features which are beneficial for the working class and liberates people in many aspects of life. In â€Å"The Poverty of Philosophy† Marx argues that eventually, communism is going to give political freedom to people. â€Å"The working class will substitute, in the course of its development, for the old order of civil society, an association which will exclude classes and their antagonism, and there will no longer be political power. † (Eastman, Marx, 1959, p. 2). The author also states that in the new socialistic society, all of the assets will be expropriated from the capitalists and thus they will not be able to obtain the benefits of the surplus value anymore. Therefore, economic exploitation will be finally brought to an end. Another feature of socialism is the equality of people, when they are able to work according to their abilities for themselves and the state they live in. The socialist society is not divided into classes because it regards people equal in all the ways. Marx mentioned that unfortunately, all of the major developments needed to happen not as the result of evolution but as the results of struggles and revolutions because they were the only ways of destruction of the old system. Marx did not deny the role of evolution in the process of freeing people but he had very radical views and thus regarded revolution as the best tool of speeding up the evolution process which was going to lead to the long-waited changes in any case. As the author stated, the final end to capitalism could be put and the new socialist society could be established only with the help of arms. A remarkable feature of Marx’s theory of capitalism development and evolution into socialism is that he does not share the opinions of utopian writers on this issue. Many utopian writers considered that social changes could be originated by the government of the country or by a class of â€Å"educated† capitalists. Marx was completely against these theories because he was confident that the former capitalists and members of government were unable to bring any changes into the country’s social structure. In order to form the new society, the new principles needed to be established and those people who belonged to the rival class of the workers were unable to bring any of the mentioned changes. It is also necessary to investigate the problem of freeing man from the curse of economic exploitation and political and social enslavement in Soviet Union. As the experience of the country shows, application of Marxism theory in Soviet Union completely failed to achieve its goals. As it was mentioned by Geoffrey (1997), Grigor (1993), Khazanov (1992), Lieven (1998), Kon (1993), one of the major mistakes made in Soviet Union was connected with â€Å"Russian exceptionalism†. As Grigor (1993) states, Soviet Union applied the concept of Marxist â€Å"nationless† society in a way completely different from its original meaning. Instead of â€Å"freeing† citizens of the country as Marxism stated, Soviet leaders oppressed all of the nations except Russians. Russia was the major center of all activities going in the country. Soviet Union was a very peculiar structure because it united a large number of nations which were very different in many ways. Some of the nations included in the country were quite close to one another (Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine), while other republics in the Soviet Union structure were very different by their cultures. For example, Eastern republics, like Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan belonged to Muslim countries, and had very different traditions from Russians, but Russian nation forced all of them to act according to the traditions of the dominant nation. This was one of the major reasons of the â€Å"empire’s† failure in the following years. â€Å"Sovietology paid far too little attention for far too long to the non-Russian peoples, to the extrapolitical social environment, and to the particular contexts, contingencies, and conjunctures of the Soviet past. † (Grigor, 1993: 3) According to Marxists, all the nations within the Soviet Union had to be completely alike and without any differences between them. Soviet leaders took the features of the Russian nation as the basic features. Therefore, all other nations had to adapt to the new culture which was not very familiar to them. The â€Å"nationless† society in reality turned out a â€Å"Russian† society with total dominance of the Russian nation in all the ways. All the nations other than Russians were oppressed greatly. They were all considered a step lower in the society ladder due to their origin, and did not have any political freedom. Policy of the country was in many ways channeled to the development of Russia and its cities. The largest sums from the budget were assigned to the development of Russia. While Russia’s economy was booming, particularly the economy of Moscow, all other economies were at a much lower level of development. Besides exceptionalism, there were many other problems with application of Marxist theory in Soviet Union. For example, Soviet leaders did their best to apply the principle according to which every person was required to contribute to the wealth of the country at his best and would get services from the state in the maximum amount. Instead, it was easy to notice that leaders of the communist party got all of the benefits from the state while working people got only the minimum. As Lieven (1998) states, the reality of Soviet Union was very far from giving any freedom to its citizens. During capitalism workers were oppressed greatly and did not have a chance to satisfy all of their needs. The situation did not change much when Soviet leaders brought communism to the country because the oppression remained the same; it just came not from capitalists but from communist leaders. Communist leaders in Vietnam also failed to implement principles of Marxism in the country. Similar to Lenin’s Soviet Union, Ho Chi Minh’s Vietnam failed to liberate people from economic exploitation and did not give them social and political freedom. According to Anh (1995, p. 126), one of the major reasons of communism’s failure in Vietnam is lack of background for it in the country. Marxism required the struggle between classes as the basis of the future revolution. In rural Vietnam, there were no antagonist classes similar to industrial Britain or Russia. The â€Å"liberation† of people in Vietnam could not be solely based on Marx’s principles due to the radical differences between the British society which Marxism based his theory on and the Vietnamese society. There was no working class in Vietnam looking for liberation from capitalist exploitation. The major figure in Vietnamese society was a peasant fighting against the exploitation by foreigners oppressors. â€Å"At the centre of Vietnamese history, stands the peasant, tenacious and heroic defender of the land inherited from the ancestors against the foreign invaders, but recurrently rising up against the masters from within in an endless rebellion. † (Le Vietnam traditionnel. Quelques etapes historiques, 1971, p. 170). Communism in Vietnam was supposed to serve the interests of peasants in their fight against French oppressors. â€Å"The highly destructive system of economic exploitation installed by the colonial regime gave birth to new social forces, while aggravating the situation of the rural masses. † (Institute of Historical Studies, Vietnamese peasantry and rural society in the modern period, 1990, p. 35). Despite the attempts of application of Marx’s theory in Vietnam, it was destined to fail because Vietnam was eventually liberated from oppressors, and any basis for the struggle between antagonist classes disappeared. In conclusion, it is necessary to mark that in its pure version, Marxism provides an answer to the question of how to liberate people from economic, political and social oppression. Liberation of people from economic exploitation comes first and as long as it is achieved, political and social freedom can also be targeted. However, the attempts of the application of Marxism in Soviet Union and Vietnam have showed that people’s freedom cannot be achieved in real life due to fatal mistakes made by communist leaders in the application of Marxism. How to cite Deviations of Marxism, Papers

Intricate Human Relationships Free Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theIntricate Human Relationships. Answer: That day, I paid a visit to my aunt who has been hospitalized for several weeks. After visiting her, I thought of having a snack at the hospital lunchroom. Although crowded, the lunchroom offered a moment of peace for me as I sat having a sip of coffee. The quietness and peace soon started to give strange vibes to me and I was unable to comprehend what it was. To make these strange feelings go away, I reminisced about the days when I would go to my aunts place have limitless fun. Lost deep in my thoughts, I kept staring outside the door of the lunchroom when suddenly my eyes struck the sight of a sturdy looking person. I realized that he might have been staring at me for a long time but I failed to notice, as I was lost in my thoughts. I have to admit that his stare invoked a strange feeling in me; a feeling that I liked. After moments of exchanging looks, I stared away. In the next moment, he was beside me. That moment shook me and for the first time probably, in my 20 years of life , my heart beat faster than it ever did. This went on for couple of days more and I do not know when I got addicted to him. His way of looking at me and making me feel shy without even uttering a word enchanted me. More than anything, his look when he finds me talk to some other boy, gave an impression that he was into deep with me. Things went as far as he started coming to my place, although I had no idea how he knew where I stayed. Later, I guessed he might have stalked me back home. All this seemed like a fantasy coming true for me. To a woman of 20 years, receiving such attention does seem like a fantasy coming true.

Global Experience at Work Event

The Catcher in the Rye Quotes

'The Catcher in the Rye' Quotes J.D. Salinger’s use of informal language in The Catcher in the Rye is part of the novel’s enduring popularity. But the writing style wasn’t chosen simply to make it accessible; Salinger mimics the patterns and rhythm of a story being told orally, giving readers the almost subliminal sense that they’re listening to Holden Caulfield instead of reading a book. The result is a powerful sense of the character despite his obvious unreliability and tendency to lie, and the ability to pull almost any quote from the novel and find plenty of meaning and symbolism. â€Å"‛Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake,’ he said. ‛That’s a deer shooting hat.Like hell it is.’ I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. ‛This is a people shooting hat,’ I said. ‛I shoot people in this hat.’† Holden’s red hunting cap is ridiculous, and there is plenty of evidence that he’s aware of that fact, aware that walking around an urban setting wearing a bright red hunting cap is weird. On a surface level- surface because it’s the obvious reason for the cap that Holden himself admits to- the cap symbolizes Holden’s independent spirit, his determination to not be like everyone else. This quote demonstrates Holden’s own perception of the hat as a disruptive tool, a layer of protective armor that allows him to attack the people he meets, if only in his mind. Holden’s misanthropy grows steadily throughout the novel as people he admires disappoint him and those he despises confirm his suspicions, and the red hunting cap symbolizes his willingness to shoot those people, or attack them and insult them. â€Å"The trouble was, that kind of junk is sort of fascinating to watch, even if you don’t want it to be.† As Holden observes the perverts at the hotel, he feels conflicted. He admits to being fascinated, but he’s also clearly disapproving. His sense of helplessness is part of his emotional collapse- Holden doesn’t want to grow up, but his body is outside his control, which is terrifying to him. â€Å"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move ... Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you.† Unlike the ducks, which disturb Holden due to their regular disappearance, he finds comfort in the museum he takes Phoebe to, reveling in its static nature. No matter how long he stays away, the exhibits and the experience remain the same. This is comforting to Holden, who is terrified of change and who feels wholly unprepared to grow up and accept his mortality- and his responsibility. â€Å"The part that got me was, there was a lady sitting next to me that cried all through the goddam picture. The phonier it got, the more she cried. Youd have thought she did it because she was kindhearted as hell, but I was sitting right next to her, and she wasnt. She had this little kid with her that was bored as hell and had to go to the bathroom, but she wouldnt take him. She kept telling him to sit still and behave himself. She was about as kindhearted as a goddam wolf.† There are many quotes about the phonies that Holden meets and his low opinion of them, but this quote in the middle of the story expresses Holden’s true problem with it. It’s not so much that people put on airs and pretend to be something they’re not, it’s that they care about the wrong things. For Holden, what offends him here is that the woman is becoming emotional about the fake people on the screen while ignoring her unhappy child. To Holden, it should always be the other way around. This gets to the core of Holden’s war against time and maturity. As people get older, he sees them consistently ignoring what he thinks is important in favor of things he considers less so. He worries that by giving in and growing up he will forget Allie and start caring about fake things like the movies instead. â€Å"I walked all around the whole damn lake – I damn near fell in once, in fact – but I didnt see a single duck. I thought maybe if there were any around, they might be asleep or something near the edge of the water, near the grass and all. Thats how I nearly fell in. But I couldnt find any.† Holden’s obsession with death and mortality drives the entire story, as it’s heavily implied that his emotional troubles and difficulties in school began when his brother Allie died a few years before the story opens. Holden is terrified that nothing lasts, that everything- including himself- will die and disappear like his brother did. The ducks symbolize this fear, as they are a feature of his past, a fond memory that is suddenly gone, leaving no trace. At the same time, the ducks are also a sign of hope for Holden. They represent a comforting constant, because Holden knows that when the weather warms up again the ducks will return. This adds a faint note of hope that is amplified by the revelation at the end of the novel that Holden is telling his story from a place of safety and calm, implying that for Holden the ducks have finally returned. â€Å"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobodys around- nobody big, I mean- except me. And Im standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff- I mean if theyre running and they dont look where theyre going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. Thats all Id do all day. Id just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know its crazy, but thats the only thing Id really like to be. I know its crazy.† This quote not only gives the novel its title, it explains Holden’s fundamental issue in a beautiful, poetic way. Holden sees maturity as inherently bad- growing up leads to corruption and phoniness, and finally death. Everything Holden has observed in his life has told him that his brother Allie and his sister Phoebe are perfect in their childhood innocence, but will become like all of Holden’s despised schoolmates, teachers, and other adults in due time. He wishes to stop that passage of time and freeze everyone at a more innocent point in their lives. Crucially, Holden sees himself as all alone in this endeavor- the only person willing to attempt this feat, or qualified to do so. The fact that the song Holden’s mis-remembers- Coming Through the Rye- is actually about people sneaking into the fields to have illicit sexual encounters makes Holden’s immaturity obvious. It’s also another example of something Holden believes to be pure and innocent being corrupted and ruined by adult sensibilities, even if he’s not aware of the fact in the story.

Sikhism in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sikhism in America - Research Paper Example The second type is the Ramgarhia Sikhs, which are mainly composed of the Punjabi community. The last type of Sikhs is the Rajput and they are mainly followers of the Sikh religion belonging to the Rajput ethnic group. In this religion, men fill all the ceremonial roles, with women given inferior priority when it comes to taking part in any religious matters. In recent years, the United States has witnessed a large number of non-Punjabi convert to Sikhism (Mann, Numrich & Williams, 2008). Most Sikhs, in the United States, reside in the east and west coasts with additional populations found in Detroit, Chicago and Austin (Mann, Numrich & Williams, 2008). Due to their weakness for culture and traditions, the Sikhs were initially concentrated in the agricultural Yuba city, California, but modernization has seen things change as they gain more education and move to more metropolitan destinations. The city of Queens has been the most preferred last stop for immigrants from India and Canada. The foundation of Virginia has played the role of uniting a large number of Sikh faithful in the United States (Mann, Numrich & Williams, 2008). The Sikhs insist on wearing a long beard and a turban, which restricts their potential involvement in being involved in more serious economic activities, in America. In the early times, the served in the American army during the first and second world wars, but in recent years, the long beard and turban has had a great influence on their recruitment.Only a few Sikhs with unique skills have been allowed to join the army. An example is Simranpreet Lamba who has been exempted to wear a beard and turban due to his knowledge of Punjabi and Hindi. The September 11 bombing ignited non-Sikh discrimination across the whole of the United States. Any individual who wears a beard and turban is targeted and they are physically attacked. This is a mistake that most people make, Sikhs

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity Essay

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity - Essay Example allows for a constructive relationship between Psychology and Christian Theology, and its peaceful co-existence in the living the life God has meant us flawed humans to live. The interaction of Psychology and Theology is inevitable because of their mutual interest in understanding human nature and healing its brokenness. There have been times when their principles complemented each other, and other times when there were animosities. Integration reflects God’s desire to reconcile humanity and the larger created realm to Him (p. 81). Thinking Christians can raise metaphysical questions that harmonize with their faith, that supports and strengthens it instead of undermining it when they are introduced to well-considered and clearly articulated world and life-views. Such questioning has implications for an integrative paradigm. The book discusses various models in describing the relationships of Psychology and Christianity, ranging from the extreme Enemies paradigm which polarizes the â€Å"Secular Combatants† (psychology) and the â€Å"Christian Combatants† (Christianity), and proposes fierce loyalty to one discipline while rejecting the other. Other models like the Spies, Colonialists and Neutral Parties have tendencies to vacillate between the two disciplines. The fully integrative paradigm is the Allies. It sees the value of both camps of Christianity and Psychology, that taken together will give a fuller and more accurate picture of the truth. It is a truth that God has revealed in both the bible and in practical life. It is such a credible truth because it comes from the One who reigns supreme over both disciplines. It proposes that in seeking truth, we must study both books of God’s word (the bible, Christianity) and God’s work (the world, people, Psychology). Comprehensive study of both books will allow mutual interaction of principles which may bring us to understand that all truths is God’s truth. In the event that there are

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 12

Marketing - Essay Example Along with glamour and excitement, event planning requires hard work and dynamism. Even this marketing type requires creativity, professionalism and distinction and differs to some extent from marketing of conventional products. XYZ Company, that is analyzed in this essay has been asked to handle the launch of a new brand of PDAs later this year. This essay focuses on highlighting the marketing plan for the events and evaluates and analyzes the marketing mix for the launch. Traditionally event marketing was associated with sponsoring a sports event or an industry conference. The concept of event marketing has undergone change in the recent years. Event marketing is known by other names like experiential marketing, brand experience marketing or live marketing. The purpose of event marketing are also described in the essay and may differ across products or industries but the ultimate goal is to add value to any live event. Importance of event marketing is analyzed. The right event can open the prospects’ mind to the marketing message. For a well known brand event marketing becomes easy as any kind of advertisement is appropriate. Promoting brands for the youth through competitions or concerts is a popular approach to brand marketing. These help to increase the sales and popularity of the manufacturers. The objective of event marketing is that consumers must have a positive approach to the product and the brand. The launch of the product was also designed in the essay to raise the profile of the XYZ company.

The Characteristics Of Design And Build

The Characteristics Of Design And Build The construction projects involve many activities. A construction project can refer to any building activity that includes building, repair, erection, demolition, maintenance, land clearing, earth moving, excavating, trenching, digging, boring, drilling, blasting, concreting, installation etc. (Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act, 1996). All these activities require large number of goods and services. Large number of transactions is needed to be set up to support the project. The goods and services are procured. They should be procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs in terms of quality, quantity, time and location (Weeley 2010). The construction sector is very important to the economy. In most of the countries it accounts for approximately 8-10 percent of gross domestic product GDP. In India it accounts for 8 percent of GDP currently. The main sectors in construction industry in India are Infrastructure, housing and commercial developments. In 2014 the second phase of infrastructure development will be started. This will give additional boost to the construction industry. Due to large number of projects the significance of procurement will be very important. If a construction project is procured appropriately then only the project is completed in time with desirable quality and within estimated cost. There are numerous procurement methods around the world. The main procurement methods used in construction are Design and Build, Management Contracting, Construction Management, Build Operate Transfer, Public Private Partnerships, Strategic Partnership, Joint ventures etc. In developed economies procurement methods such as Design and Build, Construction Management and Management Contracting are used effectively. This is due to the maturity of the industry. In India mainly traditional procurement methods are used. This is due to the nature of the Industry. The construction industry in India is large and scattered. It consists large number of small firms. As there are large number of local firms, people are reluctant to change. The professionals also prefer to operate within their silos. Due to this they do not get out of the comfort zones and use traditional methods. Currently the trend is changing particularly in infrastructure projects and large projects due to the numbers of projec ts, the size of projects and the capital involved in the projects. Mainly the upcoming procurement methods are Build Operate and Transfer and Public Private Partnerships. But these are restricted to only a few numbers of projects. Still large numbers of Projects are carried out in a traditional manner. The main barriers to take up new procurement methods are, large population (1.2 billion approximately) large inclusive demand, large demand spread across the country, large number of small projects, traditional outlook of construction professionals, segregated industry, large number of small firms, large unskilled work force. The other barriers include large number of regional languages, excess availability of skilled professionals in one part of the country and scarcity in the other parts, no standard terms of contracts, different legislation in different states, local suppliers, monopoly of manufactures in a region. In order to find out why the new procurement methods cannot be implemented, main issues should be checked namely, economic issues, management issues, technical issues, legal issues and cultural issues, in India. These issues are inter-linked, interdependent up to a certain level. Careful observations will let us know what are the challenges in order to implement new pro curement methods and will also let us know why it is difficult to implement new procurement methods. The main question that needs to be answered is why it is difficult to implement new procurement methods because implementing new procurement methods other than traditional methods will benefit the industry and will make it easier to operate, deliver quality goods, enhance the standards, and complete the projects on time and within budgets. 1.2 Research Aim The aim of the research is to identify the barriers, difficulties and gaps that restrict the implementation of new procurement methods in India. 1.3 Research Objectives The research objectives will include the following 1) Identifying the barriers which act as hindrances for implementation of new procurement methods in the Indian construction industry. 2) To investigate the issues, namely economic issues, technical issues, management issues, legal issues and cultural issues, to find out the factors which affect the implementation of new procurement methods in India. 3) To investigate procurement methods such as Design and Build, Management Contracting and Construction Management and relate it to the traditional Indian procurement method to understand the challenges of the implementation of new procurement methods in India. 1.4 Scope of Study This study of identification of barriers and gaps that restrict the implementation of new procurement methods is confined to the Indian construction industry. The data is collected from secondary sources. The main sources were U.N views on India, U.K Trade and Investment and other secondary data. This study looks only into the gaps and barriers. It outlines various gaps and barriers which are already present in the Indian construction industry which in turn affects the implementation of new procurement methods. This study restricts itself to Identification of gaps and barriers and only derives the gaps and barriers from the nature and character of the Indian construction Industry. As moving more forward into detail of everything was not possible. It investigates mainly into economic issues, management issues, technical issues, legal issues and cultural issues and finds the gaps which prevent the implementation of new procurement methods. In the Indian construction industry more traditional methods of procurement are used, whereas in developed economies various new methods of procurement are used. This study will also mainly look into procurement methods such as Design and Build, Management Contracting and Construction Management and compare it with the traditional Indian procurement method to find the barriers and gaps. 1.5 Structure of Dissertation Chapter 1) This chapter gives an introduction to the topic and gives the idea about how the study will be carried out. It gives an idea of a fast developing Indian construction Industry and the need to adapt new procurement methods. It states the research aim, objectives and scope of study and also discusses the structure of the dissertation Chapter 2) This chapter reviews the literature associated with the study. It looks into new procurement methods, types of projects in India, Indian construction industry and important factors affecting the construction industry in India. Chapter 3) This chapter describes the research methodology adapted within the scope of the dissertation. Secondary data, unstructured talks with the experts and academicians were employed to address the objectives. Chapter 4) This chapter characterizes India. It describes the nature and the character of the Indian construction industry. It gives an insight into the Indian construction Industry and its approaches. Chapter 5) This chapter looks at the barriers and the gaps that restrict implementation of new procurement methods in India. It looks at the present construction Industry in India and its characterization and identifies the barriers and gaps that restrict implementation of new procurement methods in India. Chapter 6) This chapter presents the conclusions and direction for further research in this area. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Procurement Methods Introduction Around the world various procurement methods are used. These methods are developed through the years as per the various upcoming new projects. The selection of the most appropriate procurement method is critical for both the client and other project participants as it is an important factor that contributes to the overall clients satisfaction and project success. This selection will be dependent upon a number of factors such as cost, time and quality which are widely considered as being the most fundamental criteria for clients seeking to achieve their end product at the highest quality, at the lowest cost and in the shortest time (Hackett et al. 2007). The type of procurement method adopted mainly depends upon the type of project, type of ownership, nature of construction industry in that particular country and the maturity of the industry. The selection of the procurement path is much more than simply establishing a contractual relationship (Newcombe 1992), inspite of the continuing search for maximum value for money. In the developed economies such as USA, UK, Australia, Sweden etc. procurement methods such as Design and Build, Management Contracting and Construction Management are used from a long time. This is because the construction industry is developed, the projects are needed to be delivered that way and the clients demand the delivery of projects in that particular manner. In this dissertation the study is limited to procurement methods such as Design and Build, Management Contracting and Construction Management. 2.1 Design and Build Design-build is a method to deliver a project in which the design and construction services are contracted by a single entity known as the design-builder or design-build contractor. Design-build relies on a single point of responsibility contract and is used to minimize risks for the project owner and to reduce the delivery schedule by overlapping the design phase and construction phase of a project. Design and Build with its single point responsibility carries the clearest contractual remedies for the clients because the DB contractor will be responsible for all of the work on the project, regardless of the nature of the fault (John Murdoch and Will Hughes 2007). The traditional approach for construction projects consists of the appointment of a designer and the appointment of a contractor differently. The design-build procurement route changes the traditional sequence of work. It answers the clients wishes for a single-point of responsibility in an attempt to reduce risks and overall costs. Today it is commonly used in many countries and forms of contracts are widely available. The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) takes the position that design-build can be led by a contractor, a designer, a developer or a joint venture, as long as a the design-build entity holds a single contract for both design and construction. The main contractor takes responsibility for both design and construction and will use either in-house designers or employ consultants to carry out the design. Most of the construction work will be carried out by specialist or sub-contractors. The contractor tenders against a client brief and will often follow an initial concept design prepared by consultants appointed to advise the client. The design will be developed by the contractor and the works will be completed, usually for a fixed price. Tendering is more expensive so it carries more risk for the contractor than the traditional approach. This is because the contractor has to develop an outline design and a detailed price. Tender lists will probably be shorter than for traditional contracts. The Design-Build approach gives the client a single point of contact. However, the client commits to the cost of construction, as well as the cost of design, much earlier than with the traditional approach. Changes made by the client during design can be expensive, because they affect the whole of the Design-Build contract, rather than just the design team costs. This strategy is a low-risk option for clients who wish to minimize their exposure to the risks of overspend delays or design failure. However, the exposure to risk will increase where the design phase is rushed, where unreasonable time targets are set or where the tender documents are not fully completed. Owner Client Architect Engineers Quantity Surveyors Design and Build Contractor Consultants Subcontractors Figure 1 Design and Build Process 2.1.1 Characteristics of Design and Build It provides single point of responsibility so that in event of a failure the contractor is solely responsible. There is no ambiguity between the designer and the contractor. The clients interests are safeguarded in this respect. When the client adopts Design and Build method he knows his total financial commitment early in a project. The client has direct contact with the contractor. This improves the lines of communication and enables the contractor to respond and adapt to the clients needs more promptly. In Design and Build contractor is responsible for design, planning and control. This gives him a better control over the activities and can concurrently carry out the activities which are not generally possible using traditional procurement methods. The contractor can purchase, obtain planning permission and arrange his finance simultaneously which helps him to give a better deal to the client. He can also benefit himself and the client by making use of proprietary modular designs which reduces design time and time required for approval. The contractor can start the work as soon as the approvals are obtained and sufficient information regarding the site operations is available. The design does not need to be finalized before some, at least, of the work may be commenced. The Design and Build proposals ensure economical tenders and alternate design concepts which can benefit the client. The nature of Design and Build procurement system promotes the creation of integrated design and construction team. In some countries using Design and Build system relaxes the architects code of practice, which encourages them to become full partners in design and build firms. The closer involvement of architects leads to more aesthetically pleasing buildings and leads to designs which have a greater appreciation. Design and Build promotes integration and improves communication between designer and contractor, which encourages prompt decisions. The prompt response in achieved even in the event of material and labor shortages. In the Design and Build system design costs are built into the package the costs involved are also less. In Design and Build the nature of the contract tends to reduce changes and variations from the original design and disruption of the works is less likely to occur. By using Design and Build method time and cost savings are achieved, which benefits the client. The total project completion period is also reduced. Design and Build reduces the employers financing charges, inflation has less effect and the building is operational sooner which commercially produces an early return on the capital invested. The Design and Build method facilitates novation of design with the consultants to the contractor which provides advantages to the client. If the design is novated the client has the advantage of knowing that his needs and intentions are met for tendering purposes by referring to the drawings and specifications. It is advantageous to the contractor as he is provided with more detailed information on which he can quote his tender. The contractor also has less design work to carry out before tendering so his tendering cost is also less. The contractor accepts responsibility for risk of building failure due to inadequate design and his increased responsibility is reflected in his tender which helps the client. The advantage of Design and Build is that the contractor has some control over the design and is able to introduce components, materials and systems which are beneficial and which he knows are more economical to construct. 2.1.2 Critique of Design and Build Design and Build is not suitable for complex projects. The traditional method of construction procurement dissociates the designers from the contractors interests, design-build does not. The contractor decides on the design issues as well as issues related to cost, profits and time exigencies, which may be the matter of concern in some situations. Difficulties can be experienced by clients in preparing an adequate and sufficiently comprehensive brief. The client is required to commit to a concept design at an early stage and often before the detailed designs is completed. There is no separate bid for design and construction, bids may be difficult to compare as each design will be different, this will vary the project programme between the bidders and prices for the project will be different for each different design. There is no design overview unless separate consultants are appointed. And there is no one appointed from clients side to manage the works or act as clients agent. Few firms offer the Design and Build service so there is less real competition. If client changes the scope of the project, this can be expensive. The design liability is limited by the standard contracts available. Design-build does not make use of competitive bidding where prospective builders bid on the same design. In Design and Build the criteria to select contractor is subjective and difficult to evaluate and to justify later. 2.2 Management Contracting In management contracting the clients appoints the designers and a management contractor separately and pays the contractor a fee for managing the construction works. Payment to the management contractor is done on the basis of cost of the works packages plus agreed fees. The main benefits of management contracting are the time required for design and construction is shorter. There is an early involvement of managing contractor during design phase, in which his expertise can be used. The management contractor has the responsibility to manage the project. The sub-contractors are appointed by the management contractor, thus reducing the day to day administrative responsibilities of the client. The management contractor has major role in directing the project. The lines of communications are improved. As there is a direct relation between the management contractor and the client changes and variations can be done in a project. The main advantage is that the project is completed in time as the management contractor manages the works. Because of this the client gets possession quickly and the return on investment starts. The client normally appoints the management contractor to take an active role in the project at an early stage and the client can benefit from the contractors expertise. The overall design is the responsibility of the clients consultants, but the management contractor is normally responsible for defining packages of work and then for managing the carrying out of those work packages through separate trades or works contracts. The management contractor can sometimes not be employed to undertake the work but is employed to manage the process. All the work is subcontracted to works contractors who are directly employed by the management contractor. The client usually needs to be given the opportunity to approve the terms and conditions of the trades or works contracts before the packages are subcontracted. The management contract will usually include both a pre-construction phase and the construction phase. The management contractor is responsible for the administration and operation of the works contractors. However, the management contractor is not liable for the consequences of any default by a works contractor so long as the management contractor has complied with the particular requirements of the management contract. Architect Owner Client Engineer Quantity Surveyor Subcontractors Works Contractors Management Contractor Figure 2 Management Contracting Process. 2.2.1 Characteristics of Management Contracting Clients and contractors adapt this system once they gain experience, which suggests that it has merits. It is generally recognized that its adoption requires mutual trust. The management contractor is appointed much earlier. He is able to become a member of design team and contribute his expertise and mainly his management expertise. Management Contracting is an effective method for the client retaining control of the design whilst drawing on the experience of a construction specialist as part of the Professional Team. The Management Contractor is paid a fee for its services as well as enters into contract with the client for work packages, generally separate works contractors are appointed to carry out work packages under the management contractor. This type of arrangement tends to be used on complex projects where early input from a construction specialist is required. The management contractor finds it easier to identify with clients need and interest and integration of team becomes possible and practical. Decisions regarding appointment of subcontractors are made jointly by designers and management contractor thus making use of wider experience. Specialists contractors and subcontractors compete at second stage ensuring economical tenders which benefits the client. Lines of communication are shorter between management contractor and client than with the traditional procurement method. The client has direct control over the management contractor, who is the main contractor, so that the project is completed in a better way and in shorter time. The total project completion period is reduced by parallel working. A reduced project completion period produces a corresponding reduction in financing charges and interm payments to the contractors. Inflation has less effect. The client takes the delivery of the building more quickly and obtains returns on his investment more quickly. The main functions of the management contractor may include acting as principal contractor, cost planning and cost control, consenting for works contracts, coordinating and managing works contracts, coordinating commissioning, collating pre construction information and construction phase plan, monitoring key performances and managing the site. 2.2.2 Critique of Management Contracting The client is usually given an approximate estimate of the final project cost by the management contractor early in the project life but the client does not know the final project cost until the last sub contract is entered into. On other projects he is given a guaranteed maximum cost. The architect may have less time to develop the design because he is under greater pressure from the client and contractor. The design may suffer as a result. Specialist contractors frequently prefer to be in contract with the client rather than with the management contractor because interim payments are usually made more promptly when paid direct. The client should provide a good design brief as the design will not be completed until the client has committed significant resources to the project. The strategy relies on quality committed team or it may just become a mere reporting system in some cases. It reduces resistance to works contractors claims where such demands are passed on to the client by the management contractor. Management contracting is not suitable for inexperienced clients. It is less suitable for clients wanting to pass the complete risk to the contractors. Specialist contractors frequently prefer to be in contract with client rather than the management contractor appointed by the client because interim payments are usually made promptly when paid directly. 2.3 Construction Management In construction management the client appoints a construction manager for a fee to manage, programme and coordinate the design and construction activities. The client does not allocate risk and responsibility to a single main contractor. Construction work is carried out by trade contractors through direct contracts with the client for various packages. The client takes the risk. The construction manager supervises the construction process and coordinates the design team. The construction manager has no contractual links with the design team and contractors. He only provides professional expertise without assuming financial risks. On appointment the construction manager takes over any preliminary scheduling and costing information and draw up detail programme accordingly. In this method the client should have administrative or project management staff with the ability to assess the recommendation of construction manager and take actions. Adapting construction management reduces the time required for the project. This occurs because the contract strategy, construction and design can overlap. A construction manager should have a good track record in cost forecasting and cost management, as the time can be reduced but the price certainty is not achieved unless the design and construction have advanced to the extent that all the work packages have been let. This method puts so much emphasis on the role of client, if the client is experienced, with the help of construction manager he can control the project effectively. The clients continue to use construction management to their advantage, for example, the cultivation of direct, long-term relationships with trade contractors helps to secure many of the benefits more often associated with partnering. Furthermore, by employing a construction manager who is able to focus on the interests of the project, rather than on its own risk management, the client can be confident that its project objectives will be shared by the rest of the team. Construction management is distinguished by the influence of the clients and construction managers management and leadership skills on the success of the project. By adapting construction management method the client can have greater influence over the project and can have more flexibility over the contractor selection and so on. Owner Client Architect Engineer Quantity Surveyor Construction Manager Contractors Subcontractors Figure 3 Construction Management Process. 2.3.1 Characteristics of Construction Management Construction management offers relative time saving potential for overall project duration due to overlapping of various activities. The roles, risks and relationships are clear for all the participants during most of the situations. In some situations changes in design can be accommodated later than some other strategies, without paying a premium. In construction management method the client has direct contracts with the contractors and pays them directly. This helps the contractors as they are paid promptly and there is evidence that this results in lower prices because of improved cash flow certainty. The client has direct involvement in the project as compared to most of the traditional methods. As the client is directly involved he is enabled to make prompt decisions which can be implemented without delay. This also makes possible a prompt response by the client to unforeseen site problems and also makes possible a prompt response by the contractor to changes required by the client. In this type the construction manager acts as an agent of the contractor. This benefits the contractor in managing the works. This also excludes the client for keeping his own staff for overlooking the issues which are looked by the construction manager. The central role of the construction manager is managing the project and providing administrative support to the employer. In this there is no single point of responsibility related to the delivery of the project. 2.3.2 Critique of Construction Management In construction management price certainty is not achieved until the last works packages have been let. Budgeting primarily depends heavily on design team estimates. The client should be pro-active and must provide a quality design brief to the design team in order to complete the design. The strategy relies upon the client selecting a good quality and committed team. In construction management the client has to manage and administer many contracts as there is no single contractor, all the works contracts are directly between the works contractors and the client. The client has to manage coordinate with the design team appropriately or else there increased likelihood of design change. There is a high degree of client ownership of risks associated with design including impacts of late or incomplete and uncoordinated design. In construction management the client has exposure to performance risk and exposure to consequential loss associated with trade contractor default. In construction management method there is increased administration role for the client. Construction manager owes duty of care liability only. The client is at the center of management and requires decision making capabilities. The client has to rely on management capability of construction manager. 2.4 Indian Construction Industry and Economy Indian economy has been growing from last two decades at an unprecedented rate. This is mainly because of industrialization and service sector growth. The main reason for Indias growth is its huge internal demand. In recent years particularly after the global recession in 2008 the Indian economy has shown signs of slowing down. In 2011-12 due to the current global economic scenario India found itself in the heart of managing growth and stabilizing prices. The Indian economy is grown by 6.9 per cent in 2011-12, after having grown at the rate of 8.4 per cent in each of the two preceding years. This indicates a slowdown compared not just to the previous two years but 2003 to 2011 (except 2008-09). At the same time, sight must not be lost of the fact that, by any cross country comparison, India remains among the front-runners. The Gross Domestic Product (nominal) of India is $ 1.848 trillion. The Gross Domestic Product (Purchasing power parity) of India is $ 4.457 trillion. The annual expenditure budget of India is Rs.1490925.29 Crores. Over the years, more than half of the expenditure budget is spent on civil engineering, construction and related activities. The construction industry sets in motion the process of economical growth in the country, investment in this sector contributes 6.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The construction industry in India is large and scattered. Today in India there is a massive demand in housing and infrastructure. The construction industry is the second largest industry of the country after agriculture. It makes a significant contribution to the national economy and provides employment to large number of people. The use of various new technologies and deployment of project management strategies have started to gain importance. In its path of advancement, the industry has to overcome a number of challenges. However, the industry is still faced with some major challenges, including hous

Human Cloning - Up to the Individual :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Human Cloning - Up to the Individual To consider the cloning of another human being forces me to question the very concepts of right and wrong that make us all human. Until the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be successfully cloned, it was thought that the ability to clone an adult human was impossible or would only be possible somewhere in the distant future! But that has all changed with the birth of Dolly and the explosion of advances in the field of Embryology and genetic screening. These advances are leading the way forward for the cloning of an adult human, which brings up many new ethical and complicated questions that I feel must be addressed by the scientific community and the public, before these advances can reach there full potential. As with any scientific or technological advance, it brings around questions that I feel must be answered: Do the pros out weight the advantages, and more importantly; is it right? Will Human Cloning become a brave new step in fighting disease and improving the quality of life, or will it lead to dehumanisation and a new genetic underclass? People say and strongly believe that biologists are cloning human embryos only to see how far they can push the scientific barriers. However not all things are corrupt, I believe, as do the leaders of Great Britain, that it is possible that the reasons behind Human Cloning, Embryology and genetic screening may be legitimate. Cloning could help improve the life of future generations. Although I still prefer the idea of these scientists spending all this money and their effort on finding a cure for a disease that has or will affect many of us in one way or another: cancer! I still keep an open mind about this subject as most of the embryologists and biologist's claim that they are doing this as they feel that they have a duty to the improvement of our society, or even perhaps a moral obligation. To this end the techniques have been offered to society as an option for the improvement of humanity. The human race is in the early stages of defining human cloning and what it means. The huma n race is defining it as a science as opposed to an art or religion, specifically a kind of science that is called Biotechnology. Biotechnology is the study into the design and manufacture of the human body.

Customers expect Essay

Customers expect their problems and enquiries to be dealt with rapidly. Most customers get frustrated if their problems or enquires aren’t dealt with quickly. It is ideal for a business to set targets in dealing with customer problems in the least amount of time as possible, so that customers are satisfied with the service provided.  When customers call in with problems and enquiries, they expect to receive clear and good communication from the business. It is the business’s duty to provide clear communication, whether it is telephone calls, letters or face to face communication. Any faults in communicating with the customer can lead to a customer’s opinion of the business being lowered; this can result in a bad reputation for the business, if word is passed on. Providing after sales service is probably what all customers expect a business to give. If the goods or service that has been purchased isn’t at reasonable quality, then customers will be very angry towards the business. That anger can be stopped if the business offers a full refund or an exchange for the goods or services purchased.  Why the business uses the Customer Service methods & Evaluation on how to improve Richer Sounds use management commitment, so that colleagues from high level of management also understand that customers are their top priority in the business. This method makes sure that no matter what level of management you are at, your customers will always be a top priority. This is a really good and effective method; it shows that the level of customer service Richer Sounds offers is high, because they have chosen that customers are their top priority. They use recruiting and training the right people, because they want people with good attitude, because if people who have bad attitude are recruited then it may lead to a downfall in the business. A colleague must be able to control his/her temper if customers started arguing. Richer Sounds give an induction training course to all their colleagues, so that problems like these don’t occur and so that they keep on increasing the level of customer service provided, to satisfy their customers.  They use their mystery shopper scheme, because this allows the business to know exactly what level of customer service the business is providing, it allows them to know where the business is going wrong and where they need improving. Conclusion My conclusion is that Richer Sounds is a stable company, who have good relations with all their stakeholders, as they understand the importance of them. The working arrangements is flexible for all colleagues as all colleagues benefit from a 20 day paid holiday and more if they have worked for more than six years with Richer Sounds. Employee’s rights are taken into account very seriously in Richer Sounds, but they are also suspected to take responsibility for their actions as well as it is mentioned in employee responsibilities. Richer Sounds have two main procedures which they use when dealing with disputes, one is the grievance procedure and the other is disciplinary procedure, the procedure they use depends upon how serious the dispute is. The recruitment process in Richer Sounds is simple and a fair way of recruiting. It is fair because everyone who applies has to go through the same recruitment process; no one is exceptional even if the person has been introduced by a family relative or a friend, who works for Richer Sounds. Training in Richer Sounds is done using four different training programmes; each one is at a higher level than the one before it. This means that if colleagues complete the 4 training programmes, then they will be at management level and will have the opportunity to apply for a role in management only if there is a vacancy for a management role. Providing great customer service is Richer Sounds top priority, which all the colleagues agree with. Customers are the stakeholders that provide the business with its output, which is money and profits. The level of customer service that Richer Sounds provide is high, because colleagues are trained continuously on how to deliver excellent customer service. They are trained continuously because customers’ expectations are always changing so the business will need to retrain their colleagues in how to satisfy their customers’ expectations. Bibliography www.richersounds.com

Free Essays on Wal-Mart Tire And Lube Observation Evaluation

I chose to observe and evaluate a Wal-Mart Tire and Lube customer service representative. On February 16, 2002, I went to the Wal-Mart store in Upstate New York to change both of the tires on the front of my car. At around 4:45 PM, I walked up to the Tire and Lube department counter inside of the store. A customer service representative, Linda, proceeded to assist me with my purchase. While my order was being worked on, I observed Linda while at work. I was able to observe Linda, while she was taking care of about six customers. For this observation report, I chose to evaluate this worker on the following criteria: Politeness - how polite she is with customers and her coworkers? Interest - does her job seem to be interesting or boring to her, and her reaction to performing tasks for her job? Speediness - her pace of performing tasks for her job. Knowledge - how knowledgeable she is about her area of work? Cleanliness - how clean she is dressed and how clean her workspace is? Organization - how organized her desk and her papers are? Personality - how well she interacts with customers and coworkers? Interaction with coworkers - how well she interacts and works with her coworkers? Efficiency - how efficient she is with performing tasks for her job? Laziness - if she is lazy or not while at work (if yes, then how lazy?). Most customers that were assisted by Linda had smiles on their faces; they also smiled while talking with her. All customers seemed very satisfied with her help and had all of their questions answered. While taking orders, Linda was very polite with customers and listened well to what the customers had to say. She appeared very interested in her job and helping people find, order, and buy what they needed. Despite taking her time helping customers, Linda worked in a very proficient pace and did not take any breaks or deep breaths in between the orders. She also seemed to be very knowledgeable and experienced in this lin... Free Essays on Wal-Mart Tire And Lube Observation Evaluation Free Essays on Wal-Mart Tire And Lube Observation Evaluation I chose to observe and evaluate a Wal-Mart Tire and Lube customer service representative. On February 16, 2002, I went to the Wal-Mart store in Upstate New York to change both of the tires on the front of my car. At around 4:45 PM, I walked up to the Tire and Lube department counter inside of the store. A customer service representative, Linda, proceeded to assist me with my purchase. While my order was being worked on, I observed Linda while at work. I was able to observe Linda, while she was taking care of about six customers. For this observation report, I chose to evaluate this worker on the following criteria: Politeness - how polite she is with customers and her coworkers? Interest - does her job seem to be interesting or boring to her, and her reaction to performing tasks for her job? Speediness - her pace of performing tasks for her job. Knowledge - how knowledgeable she is about her area of work? Cleanliness - how clean she is dressed and how clean her workspace is? Organization - how organized her desk and her papers are? Personality - how well she interacts with customers and coworkers? Interaction with coworkers - how well she interacts and works with her coworkers? Efficiency - how efficient she is with performing tasks for her job? Laziness - if she is lazy or not while at work (if yes, then how lazy?). Most customers that were assisted by Linda had smiles on their faces; they also smiled while talking with her. All customers seemed very satisfied with her help and had all of their questions answered. While taking orders, Linda was very polite with customers and listened well to what the customers had to say. She appeared very interested in her job and helping people find, order, and buy what they needed. Despite taking her time helping customers, Linda worked in a very proficient pace and did not take any breaks or deep breaths in between the orders. She also seemed to be very knowledgeable and experienced in this lin...

Family Photograph Appreciation - Richard Chlafen essays

Family Photograph Appreciation - Richard Chlafen essays In the article, Family Photograph Appreciation, Richard Chalfen discusses a teenage view of the relation between family snapshots and home videos. He first explains the value of personal photos using an example of natural or humanly coerced disasters and the mourning of visual traces of the past, or in other words, photographs. Family photographs are a very important aspect of peoples lives and without them we may never remember our past. By looking at snapshots, slides, home movies, etc, we stimulate our memory of important dates and events. He asks many questions about memory and video verses photography which will be discussed with teens he has interviewed. Chalfen has structured an exploratory project that asked a small sample of thirty teenagers, living in the Cambridge/Boston areas of Massachusetts to evaluate the relative merits of using still photography and/or videography as a preferred medium of family photography. (Richard Chalfen) He conducted the interviews with two teens at a time while having a meal in a small restaurant. He was interested in their opinions on comparing photography and videography, which came out to be very interesting. The teens explained to him about the effects of video tapes and how they were a way of being there all over again. Some of them felt it was more realistic than flipping through a picture album. Here we will introduce a few more of the theories made by teens during their interviews. Videotapes seem to supply the viewer with more information and makes it easy to remember. You get sound and movement to enhance the overall effect which brings you to see the whole experience. In many interviews the teens did not feel that videos were the best way to go. By looking at photographs it set off a whole lot of memories, not just what happened play by play like a home video. By looking at photographs you can use your imagina...

A.T. Kearney Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A.T. Kearney - Case Study Example Kearney’s market reach to expand and overwhelming competition with the scale of services and expertise that the merger resulted to? If so, how? II. Summary of the facts A.T. Kearney was acquired by EDS (Electronic Data Systems). It is expected that with the merger of A.T. Kearney and EDS, clients could take advantage of a much broader range of services. In essence, it is expected that both companies could become a a â€Å"one-stop shop,† capable of servicing every client requirement. Both companies are expected to complement each other’s weaknesses and achieve a synergy that could be used as a leverage in the market. The combined capability of the two companies will enable them to offer end to end services in addition to the benefit of a larger market reach. Before the merger, A.T. Kearney was well known The firm was well known for its ability to deliver value and results throughout the management process, from strategy development to business and market analysis to operations, process, and technology transformation. This mix of strategy and operations, combined with a focus on implementation, had differentiated A. T Kearney from its competitors and driven the firm’s outstanding results for over a decade. A.T. ... Incidentally, the core business of A.T. Kearney is EDS waterloo. For years, EDS had been struggling to establish its MCS (Management Consultancy Service). EDS â€Å" Despite the ability to combine expertise and intellectual capital with the delivery capability of EDS, MCS was having difficulties getting off the ground† (pg. 5). Despite its size and capitalization, it registered a loss of $23 milllion in 1994. EDS just lacked the expertise to pursue MCS capability as an IT firm and lacked a clear positioning in the marketplace as a formidable â€Å"consulting† practitioner. This weakness in MCS prompted EDS to acquire A.T. Kearney for $600 million. III. Analysis Management consulting industry is a profitable industry. In 1994. It registered $40 worth of services of which $18 billion of these revenue were services related information technology (i.e., IT planning, IT strategy, strategic procurement of hardware and software solutions). Management consultancy industry was e xpected to grow faster than its other segment at an annual rate of up to 15 percent. Fred Steingraber suggested that total fees for the management consulting industry would double by the year 2000. The main reason for the tremendous growth in this sector can be attributed to the following reasons; Technology has been integrated into business strategy. Technology investments will increase. Corporations are embracing the philosophy of restructuring and reengineering. Senior management is becoming technology-literate as, across all industries, major corporations increasingly view themselves as â€Å"technology-oriented companies.† Senior management expresses satisfaction with return on technology investment, even in the absence of precise measurements. Given this data about this trend management

The Oral Shift in Learning of Nursing Students Research Paper

The Oral Shift in Learning of Nursing Students - Research Paper Example The expected data for analysis is qualitative in nature justifies the methodology of research selected by the authors’. The philosophic underpinnings of research have been aptly discussed by the authors as they state that appropriate clinical experience is necessary for professional growth and development. Transfer of information in the form of oral shift report (OSR) has been identified as an important juncture wherein vital information pertinent to quality and continuity of patient care is exchanged (Skaalvik et al, 2010). The authors’ therefore, stress upon the fact that OSR can exert significant influence on learners’ (NSS) knowledge as their innate curiosity can be satisfied by sharing experiences with knowledgeable and well informed senior nurses’. ... Purpose The purpose of this study has been explicitly defined by the authors’ as an endeavor to ascertain the influences during OSR which could impact the learning experiences of NSs by direct observation in clinical settings where this practice is routine. They identified three nursing homes (NHS) within Norway where NSs usually are sent during the third year of their training to get firsthand experience under the guidance of nursing supervisors’. They carefully selected 12 participants and an equal number of nursing supervisor’s as participants’ in this study. The projected significance to the field of nursing has been described by the authors’ as reinforcement of theoretical knowledge by tackling real-life scenarios in consultation with experienced staff. Method The qualitative design of this study in the form of direct observation followed by semi-structured interviews’ was based upon the validity of such methods as evidenced through cite d literature by the authors’. The selected three nursing homes (NH) had identical staff-patient ratios and catered to identical patient-care scenarios. The number of participants’ in the study was however quite low (12, with 1 dropping out), which could have influenced the results of this study. Larger participation is essential to draw pertinent inferences. However, as the first author was the lone direct observer and semi-structured interviews were held at the end of this period, the study was capable of providing an indicative illustration of the effects and influence of OSRs on the participants’ gain in knowledge.

Critical analysis of the report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical analysis of the report - Case Study Example 2. The research conducted (and what type of study) An ergonomic study was conducted by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on the rangers of Yellow Stone Park. Several tests were used such as the Rhythmic Test, Tremor Test, and the Vibroactile Test, to determine the reason why the rangers are experiencing musculoskeletal disorders and to find a way to prevent this kind of disorder. The first test used was the Rhythmic test. This test is used to determine the reaction time and coordination on the right and left hands. The rhythmic tests required the participants to tap a circular pad (4–inch diameter) in time with a steady metronome beat (1.0 Hertz [Hz] slow test, 2.5 Hz fast test), either alternating palm side of hand to back of hand (supination/pronation) or tapping with the index finger. At the end of the test administration a numerical coordination index is calculated, which can be compared to the normal coordination index (CI) range provided with the test battery documentation (NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Report, Yellow Stone Park, 2001). With this data, the reaction time and hand coordination of the rangers can be easily compared to the normal reaction time index. The difference will determine the effect of the vibrations experienced while riding a snowmobile on hand coordination. The second test used was the Tremor Test. This test used the Tremor 3.0 software for data analysis. The data collected were: (1) Tremor intensity, often called amplitude or vibration power, calculated as the root–mean–square (RMS), measured in meters per second per second (m/s2) of acceleration in the 0.9 to 15 Hz band during the 8–second test; (2) Center frequency, which is the average frequency of acceleration in the test band, so that 50% of the energy that drives the tremor is produced at frequencies above the center frequency and 50% is produced below; (3) Tremor Index, calculated for each hand from five parameters (e. g., tremor intensity, center frequency, standard deviation of the center frequency, harmonic index, and standard deviation of the harmonic index.); and (4) Combined index for both hands (NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Report, Yellow Stone Park, 2001). This test measures the vibrations experienced by the rangers in riding the snowmobiles and the intensity of the vibration that will likely cause the musculoskeletal disorder. The third test used is the Vibroactile Sensitivity test. This test was selected to determine the effect of the hand–arm vibration produced by snowmobiles on vibration perception thresholds. The test device used was the Bruel & Kj?r Model 96–27 Vibrometry System. This fully automated system produces a mechanical stimulus (sinusoidal vibration) at a chosen frequency to the pulp of a finger tip; the participant indicates perception of the vibration by means of a hand–held button similar to that used in a hearing test. The software was configured to test vibration at four frequencies: 31.5 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, and 500 Hz. Participants placed their right arm on an ascending armrest with the palm lying open on a circular pad, allowing the fingers to hang freely above the vibrating post. The test finger was then placed on the vibrating post with the finger slightly curved and resting lightly on the post. Participants controlled the intensity of vibration with the hand–held button, tracking back and forth between levels of stimulus perception and

Transformative Learning Essay Example for Free

Transformative Learning Essay Transformative learning is defined as â€Å"a process of getting beyond gaining factual knowledge alone to instead become changed by what one learns in some meaningful way.†(Wikipedia).     Michael Tsao, Kasuyo Takahashi, Jamal Olusesi, and Shikha Jain of the University of Georgia, defined transformative learning as, â€Å"learning to purposively question one’s own assumptions, beliefs, feelings, and perspectives in order to grow or mature personally and intellectually (Wikipedia). Transformative learning was introduced by Jack Mezirow in 1978 as an adult education but over the years, Susan Imel noted that it has evolved into a comprehensive and complex description of how learners construe, validate, and reformulate the meaning of their experience. † (Imel as cited by Mark Smith). According to Carrie Paechster, transformative learning does not only focus upon the transmission of existing knowledge but also acknowledges the importance of new knowledge being produced with in workplace communities.† (p8) He noted that â€Å"a role for a theory of instruction as well as the focus on the social processes, relationships, and resources that are needed to support learning.†(p. 68).   Paechter emphasized that â€Å"instruction in this sense involves ensuring that the goals of learning are clear and people are encouraged thinking beyond the immediate circumstances.† (p.68).   Thus, transformative learning has become an important option for individuals to have, and to experience as this could enhance one’s potentiality and the ability to cope with the increasing pressures of the day to day circumstances.   It is quite common that there are circumstances that sometimes difficult to handle especially when encounter engine trouble along the way with no one else to help.   This often poses problem not only in matters of schedule but in physical safety as well. International Association for Continuing Education and Training, Juanita S Stein and Shanan Farmer stated that transformative learning â€Å"opens door to substantial learning experiences that can be cultivated in a life long scope of practice† (p. 199).   They pointed further that transformative learning provides a perspective and can be associated with strategies that will cultivate an approach to reflective practice, cope with change, and create solutions that will be indigenous to the participants† (p.   199). Design and Implementation Since there are not many resources for an established design and implementation of transformative learning in the university context, here is a practical design and implementation of transformative learning in the university context. The university will adopt a non formal yet practical education in basic and practical know-how which offers basic knowledge and skills in the following fields of experience: Car engine trouble shooting, plumbing and basic life saving technique. This course is designed to equip and empower students to handle unexpected problem by them particularly in a situation where help is not possible. This course is a two months program which classes are to be held every afternoon on Saturdays. The concept of this program was derived from an information relates by Fordham University at an international conference in Williamsburg USA in 1967, about a growing â€Å"world educational crises† Non formal Practical education will offer practical education which aim not only theoretically well feed but also practically well rounded. This short-term program has to be adopted by the university as an arm of the university in helping out-of-school youth and adults.   This will be offered free of tuition fee except of miscellaneous expenses.   All applicants of this program must present requirements such as birth certificate, residence certificate, endorsement of the local community officials and good moral character from previous school attended for out-of-school youth.   Those who can complete the program will be given certificates of compliance which he can use in applying for a job and for any purpose it may serve him or her. The classes will be held every Saturday afternoon within the duration of four months during regular classes, and two months during summer classes in which classes are held during Saturdays and Sundays. Critical Discussion of the Design and Outcome Non-formal education is a two-month course designed to provide students a new perspective, a new experience that will help them ‘cope with change and create solutions that will be indigenous to the participants.’ In this course, the experience that the students get will help them realize that they have potentials and they could explore based on this new experience. As they ponder upon their lives, they will come to know themselves in terms of their potentials.   As Jack Mezerow defines transformative learning, â€Å"it is the process by which we transform our taken-for-granted frames of reference† (as cited in Eric Digest).   That is, perspective mindset, habits, and mind to make them more inclusive, discriminating, open, emotionally capable of change, and reflective so that they generate beliefs and opinions that will prove more time or justified to guide actions. By participating in the non-formal practical education, as Nancy Franz stated, â€Å"the goal of transformative learning theory is the empowerment through critical reflection for a more participating learning society; the participants are expected to become socially involved particularly if anyone is need of help.   This non-formal practical education is designed to equip and empower participants with practical know-how.    It means that the participants develop a new meaning or perspective of their experience from a new context derived from triggering events and through conversation with others to assess and justify their own assumptions. Thus, transformative learning has become important thing for every adult individual to have and to experience as this could enhance one’s potentiality. Reflection Most of the students who have undergone non-formal practical education are quite confident and has developed a sense of self-worth knowing that they are not only professional who are experts in office or business related matters.   Confident that in a sense, they knew that within them are the technical skills they have developed out of their new experience. The knowledge that they got from this experience have transformed their minds from a helpless-need help individuals at particular circumstances to-do-it myself attitude.   The transformation of their mindset has enable them to face and to cope up with day to day real life challenges with a sense of pride that they could handle even the worst case scenario. Most of all, the program give the students a hope and an opportunity to gain skills which they can use in order to survive in this world.    Work Cited Franz, Nancy 2007. Adult Education: Theories Informing Cooperative Extension’s Transformation.   Journal of Extention. http://www.joe.org/200/February/a1.shtml. Stein, J Farmer, S. 2004.   Connotative Learning: The Trainer’s Guide to Learning Theories and Their Practical Application to Training and Design. International Association for Continuing Education and Training.   USA: Kendall Hunt    Paechter, Carrie 2001.   Knowledge, Power Learning.   London: Sage Publication    Smith, Mark 2007.   Infed. http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-nonfor.htm ‘Transformative Learning in Adulthood.’ ERIC Digest no. 200. http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/adulthood.htm

J.D. Irving Limited (JDI) Business Analysis

J.D. Irving Limited (JDI) Business Analysis J.D. Irving Limited (JDI) is a 128 year old organization, based out of New Brunswick, Canada. This organization have over 15,000 employees with business units in Transportation, Shipbuilding Industrial Marine, Forest and Forestry Products, Retail, Industrial Equipment, Construction Services and Building Materials, and Consumer Products. Their value principles include uncompromising quality, committed service to consumers; focus on continuous improvement and innovation, positive influence to communities and ensuring a sustainable environment. Family values ensure strong-hold of current business lines, and the management is averse to spinning-off or divesting non-contributing business units, due to outdated corporate philosophy. Horizontal diversification allowed JDI to use their resources efficiently, and create economies of scale and scope. Vertical diversification runs parallel with the historical company strategy to scale up to a business, from inception to launch including retailing of the product, and its supporting infrastructure. Even though there are many pointers across the organization that suggest a restructuring is to be done on the current organizational structure, their current strategies have ensured a constant level of success over the years and the presence of multiple business lines, have ensured that no one business line goes out of business, with the introduction of the cross-selling concept. We feel that J.D. Irving has passed the better-off test, but not with flying colors. As a part of our recommendation, we believe that a few non-core business lines would need to be divested, and they would need to focus on streamlining and reducing costs, with increased efficiencies across business lines, with the possibility of looking into emerging markets to either off-shore or outsource parts of their businesses, which would in-turn reduce costs and increase profit share. Company Analysis: J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) is a diverse family owned company with operations in Canada and the United States. For over 125 years, their focus has been on providing quality service and products to customers in Americas and Europe. Although its roots are in forestry and farming, JDI is nowadays diverse group of companies, including that continues to make such forest products as paper, pulp, lumber, and corrugated material for packaging. JDI has expanded in transportation, shipbuilding, industrial services, construction, retail and food processing. In addition, the company owns Brunswick News nearly monopoly in regional media. With a focus on creating an aligned and engaged workforce across various industries, JDI offers both internal and external competency-based development, tailored to individual needs. Their way of doing business includes effective communications, fairness, dynamic leadership, healthy corporate culture and work/family policies. The use of Lean and Six-Sigma methodo logies combined with a strong focus on team and employee engagement is what drives their culture of Finding a Better Way, Every Day!.  [i]  This report closely examines the JDI Groups corporate strategy / rationale and identifies the main issues faced by JDI with appropriate recommendations from our analysis. The Irving Family Values: As a family stronghold, the Irvings have amassed a large fortune, and rank 212 on Forbes 2010 billionaire list  [ii]  . They have managed to keep together a group of 250 privately-owned companies, worth over $7.1 Billion, intact, with plans to restructure to cater to the ambitions of a new generation of Irving owner-managers. Irving Oil, was founded by K.C. Irving, and has been run separate of the rest of the group for decades. (Management Hierarchy- Exhibit 1) When James Durgavel Irving started and K.C. Irving developed the company, they faced very few competitors, and preferred to be their own customer, a philosophy still intimately followed by the current generation of owners. K.C. Irving was a master of vertical integration. The ideology of forming a company, to become a supporting pillar for their core businesses was instilled in the early 1900s, and is still a major component of their success to this day. K.C Irvings three sons, James (J.K.) handled the Forestry business, Arthur handled the Oil business, and Jack handled the Construction unit. This generation never strayed away from the resource-based, core industries that have generated the Irvings billions.  [iii]  The Irvings were are core capitalists by nature; they rarely buy and sell, prefer to build from scratch and usually keep what theyve built. Their corporate culture revolved around efficiency and speed, in terms of decision-making, another aspect which entailed managin g the empire within the family and not going public. Corporate Rationale: Across the years, the Irving business has diversified and integrated, resulting in the current mix of seven industries: Forestry Forest Products, Transportation, Shipbuilding Industrial Marine, Retail Distribution, Industrial Equipment, Construction Services Building Materials, Specialty Printing, and Consumer Products (Exhibit 2). Irving Oil, being out of scope of this report, has also affected synergies and development of particular JDI transport and logistics businesses. Various factors have contributed to JDIs current business processes. An insufficiently developed business environment and infrastructure, in the early 1900s, in East Canada, resulted in the need to create missing value chain elements. Control over the entire value chain, in addition, allowed JDI to sustain high quality of their products, deal with insufficient and/or expensive distribution processes. Horizontal diversification, on other hand, allowed JDI to use their resources efficiently, and create economies of scale and scope. Initially, JDIs competition in New Brunswick should have been fragmented and irrelevant, allowing the company to gain competitive advantage, across their business portfolio. The company diversified into industries such as Transport, to support their core businesses. For a family business, diversification gives an opportunity to hedge risk, associated with commodities and concentration mainly in a single geographic region (Canada and Northern parts of the US) . (JDI business structure Exhibit 23) Vertical Integration: J.D. Irving has multiple business units which associate to and piggy-back on each other. This runs parallel with the historical company strategy to scale up to a business, from inception to launch including retailing of the product, and its supporting infrastructure. The company assumed ownership of a business from end-to-end. From our analysis, we can infer that for the Forest Business line, The Forest Management formed the core which branched out into Pulp and Lumber. Pulp meshed with Corrugating Mediums, Tissue and Paper which in turn corresponded to retail companies such as Chandler (Packaging), Irving Tissue and Plasticraft respectively. It is likely, that Irving paper is used to print Brunswick News magazines. The Lumber division corresponded to Shamrock Truss, Kent and Kent Homes (having its own correlations with Gulf Operators Atlantic Wallboard). Parallel to this was the Shipbuilding vertical with sub units of Marine Construction (with correlations to Harbour Development an d Heavy Equipment), Ship yards (with correlations to Kent Line and JDI Logistics), Atlantic Towing and Facilities, Technical and MSPV Services arms. To support distribution of the respective lines, a Transportation Logistics vertical comprised of Midland, RST Industries (correlating to Universal Truck Trailers), and Sunbury and NB Railways (supporting the lumber industries). The only department holistically shared across the board, according to our research, is a common Information Technology Department.  [iv]   Horizontal Diversification: Unrelated Diversification: JDI owns businesses starting from forestry and ending with retail of consumer goods, French-fries, railways and port services. While they all make the Irving Group, operating environment and coordination of individual businesses might be relatively autonomous. Some businesses, such as personal care products, are little related to any of Irvings core branches. JDIs unique geographic location and ability to acquire large capital over time helped the company to be significantly superior to its competitors, and gave advantage to make long-term, capital intensive investments. Irvings also to large extent control the general business environment in New Brunswick, employing one in 12 workers  [v]  and owning most of regional media presence in diverse businesses helps to increase their influence. Few other factors give advantage to their chosen diversification plan: JDI family business culture, and strong capabilities of its members to build and strengthen businesses. Related Diversification: Despite the initial diverse categories, almost all of JDIs businesses are grouped under four main categories forestry, oil, shipbuilding, and transport, which connect with each other. This allows JDI to be better off, by making wood a multi-purpose asset; allowing them to employ synergies of resources. For instance, pulp and lumber businesses use the same resource from JDI forestry operations. Similarly corrugating medium, tissue and paper businesses all use inputs from JDIs pulp business, while Kent, Kent Homes, and Shamrock Truss all use lumber. Additionally, JDI has strong brand and company reputation to extend it to other businesses. Cross-selling (one-stop-shop):// BrandLooking at JDIs corporate structure, the company tends to fully own its businesses. Probably, this has developed historically with an insufficient institutional context. Nowadays, taking into account, that JDI owns entire value chains, being a private company, they have a full control over information and resource allocation amongst their businesses. Over the years, JDI has strategically placed itself as an important business empire in Canada. But this has come at a cost. They have been constantly rebuked and pulled to court due to environmental concerns, caused by costly mistakes, but their holistic corporate outlook towards the environment and social responsibility have negated the effects of these pitfalls.Recommendations: Over the years, JDI has strategically placed itself as an important business empire in Canada. The companys businesses are well integrated and diversified, giving JDI opportunity to solve challenges, which came across in different times, and eventually presence in many strategically important industries in New Brunswick (Exhibit 4). Due to lack of financial information, we cannot pointedly suggest divestures or spin-offs of any business lines. However, we feel that JDI should be less diverse and control its current portfolio to suit todays business needs. The name has diluted over time, for example, with the acquisition of a diaper company. JDI as a corporate parent can add workable value to its businesses by investing into sustainable expertise. The corporate concept of not selling businesses might lead to sustained losses over time. With the state of the current global economy and with the prices of oil being drastically low as compared to a few years ago, running end-to-end businesses in Forestry, Shipping and Transportation makes little sense, especially when many of the processes can be outsourced or off-shored, to emerging markets, where low costs of labor and raw materials, would substantially increase profit margins. Our recommendation would be to retain the core oil and ship-building businesses, with some core aspects of logistics and consumer products and equipment manufacturing to be moved to less costly markets, so as to increase overall gross margins. They would need to divest non-core businesses, which were aimed at short-term profits and look to create a sustainable company. For J.D. Irving, philosophies and policies should be formulated in a way that they can be strategically changed with time and environment. Over the years, JDI has strategically placed itself as an important business empire in Canada. But this has come at a cost. They have been constantly rebuked and pulled to court due to environmental concerns, caused by costly mistakes, but their holistic corporate outlook towards the environment and social responsibility have negated the effects of these pitfalls. Due to lack of financial information, we cannot pointedly suggest divestures or spin-offs of any business lines. However, we feel that JDI should be less diverse and control its current portfolio to suit todays business needs. The name has diluted over time. JDI as a corporate parent can add workable value to its businesses by investing into sustainable expertise. The corporate concept of not selling businesses might lead to sustained losses over time. With the state of the current global economy and with the prices of oil being drastically low as compared to a few years ago, running end-to-end businesses in Forestry, Oil, Shipping and Transportation makes little sense, especially when many of the core processes can be outsourced or off-shored, to emerging markets, where prices of labor and raw materials, would substantially increase profit margins. The management has made some efforts into moving into international markets, but they have diluted their core businesses by moving into potato production and diaper companies. Our recommendation would be to retain the core oil and ship-building businesses, with some core aspects of logistics and consumer products and equipment manufacturing to be moved to less costly markets, so as to increase overall ROI. They would need to divest non-core businesses, which were aimed at short-term profits and look to create a sustainable company and to not restrict themselves with a policy of corporate philosophy. Philosophies and policies should be formulated in a way that they can be strategically changed with time and environment. Irving Corporate Scope J.D. Irving key strengths S1: Business Diversification S2: Long term focus, fast and concentrated decision making process S3: Overall control of business environment in New Brunswick S4: Patent family capital and financial capacity S5: Economies of scope and scale S6: Strong corporate culture J.D. Irving key weaknesses W1: Difference in business profitability in vertical value chains W2: Family dynamics potential conflict amongst 4th generation members W3: Unclear boundaries between family and business interests Key opportunities O1: Divesting non-performing assets and offshoring labor intensive processes to emerging markets O2: High barriers to entry many JDI industries O3: Proximity to major economies like the US and Europe S1, S4, S5, S6, Q1, Q3 JDI business diversification and financial strength allows the company to capitalize on close proximity to main developed markets, while gives an opportunity to offshore businesses to emerging markets Create synergy between low cost manufacturing and operations, and established access to profitable markets W2, W3, Q2 Various aspects of family relations and interests might negatively affect JDI development   Use the companys strengths, such as low competition, to overcome family related inefficiencies Key threats T1: Volatility and cyclic performance in global wood, paper and faming industries T2: Declining revenues in shipping industry T3: Increasing operating costs and overheads T4: Increasing competition in transport industry S2, S3, T1, T2, T4 JDI business diversification and low competition in the regional market can help the company to deal with higher risks, volatility and declining revenues in a short term Maintain business portfolio, which allows to avoid cyclical downturns in particular industries W1, T3 Less attractive value chain parts can harm JDI long term profitability Evaluate profitability of all business processes and outsource those, which do not add value to the company Source: JDI analysis, IBIB World industry reports for paper, oil, and transport industries