Principles of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Principles of Management - Essay Example The writer expresses in anguished tone â€Å"Some of you think that seniority means you have power, a certain right to protest ... throw it in the faces of your supervisors every time you don’t want to do something.† He notes that seniors would complain over recognition and points which the juniors earn as deserved yet they occur not to realize that their performances have run the risk of being underrated due to the capacities exhibited by the newcomers who strive harder and are self-motivated to reach the top. Basically, business managers are confronted with the trouble of dealing with seniority once this concern becomes serious as it leads to the lack of cooperation and improper communication within a group. To address this, a manager or supervisor should make it a point to monitor organizational relationships on all levels and figure how employees, junior and senior alike, collectively fare as a team and try to detect if there are members who are left behind, experiencing unjust treatments. As much as possible, submission of reports in reference to daily or weekly accomplishments must be conducted by each worker across-the-board regardless of tenure and position. It would be worthwhile to consider a new policy pertaining to transparency of all acts and accountability for one another so as to discourage any thought or intent toward selfish interest via acts of power tripping caused by the pride of

Two Separate Levels of Governance at a Teaching Hospital Essay Example for Free

Two Separate Levels of Governance at a Teaching Hospital Essay Dr. Darrick Kent (2007) is an assistant professor of family medicine, director of curriculum and head of medical information systems at a teaching hospital with a popular residency training program.   The hospital has two hundred and seventy beds with faculty and residents making approximately five hundred and sixty bedside patient visits every week.   According to Dr. Kent, the organizational size of his hospital – with approximately two hundred and ten people working on different shifts during each month – is substantial enough for him to try out new methods of governance as in charge of the medical information systems.    In other words, he would like to ease the governance of the facility by all means with the use of latest technology. As an example, Dr. Kent has introduced the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to all members of the faculty as well as residents at the hospital.   According to him, it was necessary to introduce the PDA to the residents and faculty members across the facility.   He knew that his â€Å"colleagues† would benefit from the PDA that makes it easier for everybody to communicate across the facility, and is also loaded with trusted references (Kent).   Because of his decision, the facility is currently using its annual budget for electronic medical references from Skyscrape Inc.   These references are the same as the actual books written by some of the world’s best medical authors and sold by top medical publishers (Kent).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout his day at the teaching hospital, Dr. Kent is approached by his colleagues with a variety of questions, not only about medical information systems but also about the medical practice in general.   Especially in times of emergency, Dr. Kent is considered a ready reference for information about drugs as well as diseases.   Despite the PDA in everybody’s palm, Dr. Kent is considered by his colleagues as a superior authority on medical information â€Å"because of the nervousness felt by the new doctors and nurses† at the facility (Kent).   Still excited about the PDA, which was introduced at the facility in 2005, he explained this part of his job with an example:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other day I was presented with a case of myocardial infarction by way of calls received from the emergency room physicians in order to review a patient.   With my PDA in hand, I did not have to go to my office and open up the Griffith’s 5-Minute Clinical Consultant before checking its index.   Instead, I simply typed ‘MYO’ on my PDA and got all the information required to send back to the emergency room physicians in the matter of moments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  At present, Dr. Kent is seriously considering the introduction of nursing informatics at the facility.   According to him, nursing is a scientific discipline with a focus on information or knowledge.   Hence, nursing informatics, too, is focused on the easy access of crucial information to nurses.   Indeed, nursing informatics has the power to embrace all pieces of information that a nurse would require at any time. Whether it is patient data or information about medicines that is required by a nurse at any given time, the help that information technology can provide in accessing required information cannot be discounted.   With Dr. Kent’s decision to install appropriate nursing informatics at the facility, nurses would no longer have to flip through â€Å"book after book† to find needed information at a time of emergency (Kent).   No longer would they have to go searching for doctors either (Kent).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also according to Dr. Kent, everybody is considered a colleague at his facility.   Even the nurses are nowadays enjoying the concept of â€Å"shared governance† in practice (Kent).   Linda Chavez (2007), an acute care nurse at the same facility confirmed Dr. Kent’s report on shared governance for the nurses.   She has worked with the teaching hospital for thirteen years.   Now a teaching nurse (for acute care) at the healthcare facility, Ms. Chavez is thrilled about Dr. Kent’s decision to install nursing informatics which would make her job much easier. She has little part to play in this decision of Dr. Kent or other senior members of the hospital.   Still, she has recently joined a council group at the hospital with nurses and other members of the facility making joint decisions that usually have a dramatic impact on the quality of patient care.   The council group has already been consulted about the introduction of nursing informatics at the facility.   However, â€Å"the final decision rests with Dr. Kent,† Ms. Chavez explained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The council group considers all of its members as equals.   Nevertheless, the seniority of the directors of the facility remains unperturbed.   Moreover, everybody at the facility is not invited to become a member of the group.   â€Å"The final decision about the group members rests on the directors of the facility, and they are allowed to remove anybody from the group at whatever time they will† (Chavez).    The council group that Ms. Chavez joined in late 2006 is responsible for evaluating the status quo, besides recommending changes that the members deem necessary.   Nevertheless, she emphasized that her role in governance is strictly restricted to â€Å"recommendations† (Chavez).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ms. Chavez is grateful that nurses may now join the council group upon invitation at the facility.   The concept was first introduced at the hospital in the year 2005.   Ms. Chavez explained the importance of nurses joining the council group thus:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Back in 2005, some of the nurses in the council group complained about Coumadin, a blood thinner that many of the patients at the facility were administered.   Seeing that changes in blood consistency often put patients at risk of fatal bleeding or clotting, and we had no procedure in place for determining how regularly patients should return to get their blood tested; this issue raised by nurses was an extremely important one.   So, the council decided to Two Separate Levels of Governance at a Teaching Hospital  address it once and for all.   There was extensive research conducted, after which the hospital  issued new guidelines based on the findings of other council members. For Ms. Chavez and the other nurses that are currently a part of the council group, it is invigorating to join hands with the physicians in implementing important changes across the facility.   Even so, directors such as Dr. Kent have â€Å"the upper hand† (Chavez).   Also according to Ms. Chavez, nurses have always taken their limited role in the governance of a healthcare facility for granted. Although the council group is â€Å"a breath of fresh air,† most of the nurses at the facility are not allowed to join it yet (Chavez).   Because the facility where Dr. Kent and Ms. Chavez work â€Å"would always be a teaching hospital,† the directors are considered authority figures and physicians rarely are (Chavez).   All the same, both interviewees remain generally satisfied with their particular levels of governance (Chavez Kent). References Chavez, L. (2007). Personal Interview. Kent, D. (2007). Personal Interview.

The Effects of Secondary Soil Salinization :: Agriculture Agricultural Essays

Introduction: Irrigation has been used as tool by humans for over 8000 years. Irrigation started in the Nile valley where humans attempted to modify the way that the river seasonally flooded their fields in order to make cropland more productive (van Schilfgaarde, 1994). From 1940 to 1989 the amount of land being irrigated around the world has increased at a rate of 2.7% per year. In 1940 there were 95 M ha in irrigation while by 1989 there were over 280 M ha (van Schilfgaarde, 1994). This large increase in land under irrigation occurred at the same time as an exponential jump in human population, and increases in both are greatest in the arid and sub-arid regions of the Earth. Our population has therefore become reliant on irrigation to fend off large scale hunger (Abrol et al., 1988). As rain falls it carries no dissolved salts. Once this water strikes the earth and travels as surface runoff or in ground water it will come into contact with and carry dissolved salts. Any water used for irrigation carries ions in solution and by depositing this water on our fields in the form of irrigation we can effect the concentration of salts in our croplands. If these salts become too concentrated it can lead to salinization. Salinization can reduce yields in it's earliest stages and eventually lead to the destruction of fertility in the soil. Currently the Earth is losing 3 ha of arable land a minute to the effects of salinization (Abrol et al., 1988). Can we stop this loss? Will we be able continue using arid lands to meet our food needs? The Secondary Salinization Process Salinization has a direct effect on both plant growth and the structure of the soil. If the soil is saline a plant will have to expend energy bringing water into it's cells because it is forced to work against osmotic potential. The cation exchange complex (CEC) effects the stability of colloid size particles in the soil. The cation's positive charge will be attracted to the negative charge found on clay particles which make up most of the colloid fraction. Di-valiant cations(Ca, Mg) will allow the colloidal particle to get close enough together that Van Dehr Wahls forces will cause the clays to flocculate, or form stable aggregates. Sodic soils, whose CEC is dominated by mono-valiant sodium cations, will tend to be dispersed and not form stable aggregates.

Women and Veiling in Kashmir

WOMEN AND VEILING Traditionally Kashmiri women have enjoyed more freedom than women in other parts of the world. Particularly peasant women and lower class women used to work side by side with men. It was only upper class Syed families who wore burqas to maintain their elite structure and their foreign origin. The nationalist struggle wanted women to be politically mobilized and women found it a liberating opportunity. Their response was overwhelming to the struggle of 1990s. In Rita Manchanda’s ‘Guns and Burqa: women in Kashmir’s conflict’, according to a Kashmiri scholar in women’s studies, Momin Jan, it was in the 14th century that purdah was imposed on Kashmiri society. In Kashmir there was lack of women’s organization working for gender justice and social reform. The organizations which came up in 1970s and 1980s in Kashmir were imbibed with an Islamic agenda. Many elite women who came into politics were through their involvement in promoting Islamic social reform. As far as veiling of Kashmiri women is considered it started in 14th century with the coming of Afghans. They forced women to put burqa and pushed them inside. This didn’t last long; the lower class women resisted this veiling by demanding freedom. However women did hold to manage their role in the economic activities by working side by side with men. They were politically mobilized with Asiyah Indrabi coming on the scene, the campaign to reveil Kashmiri women started. Even many fundamentalist organizations were determined to veil Kashmiri women. Pamphlets were thrown in the women colleges, warning Kashmiri women to wear burqa and Kashmiri (Hindu) girls to wear a tikka. Posters were pasted on the walls of Mosques in different mohallas asking them to veil their women otherwise they would face dire consequences. But the women resisted this thing. Writing under pseudonym, Sara Bano, in a letter to the editor in the daily Al Safa, ‘questioned the legitimacy of linking wearing of burqa with the struggle for freedom and vowed that she would never wear a burqa even if she was killed’. The women did not accept to wear a burqa. But as the support to azaadi grew so the acceptance to purdah was also given. Many women workers were asked to wear burqa or to denounce their jobs. Women like Nayeema Ahmed Mahjoor, a radio-star and executive producer with Radio Kashmir, were under double pressure, to be veiled and to quit jobs denounced as un-Islamic. Nayeema had colour thrown on her by purdah crusaders. People were blindly following the militants what the militants said would be considered as the voice of Allah. Even the people with the modern outlook and thinking would ask their wives to wear burqa. The veiling became compulsory for the women of Kashmir. The emphasis on the veiling of women showed the assertion of men of the control over their women. According to them veiling was necessary for women as this would save them from the humiliating treatment by the security forces. But instead of giving them a sense of security it made them more vulnerable to the security forces. The militants in order to escape from the security forces used burqa. This developed a belief among the security forces that one in every three burqa clad persons was a militant. This led to the humiliation and sexual harassment of women at the hands of security forces. Due to this thing some of the militant groups declared that women need not wear a burqa. But it was for a short duration. Women organizations like DM or MKM started veiling campaign and asked women not to venture out unveiled. Those who disobey these orders had to face the wrath of these outfits. They had green colour thrown on them and also was there the reports acid being thrown on them. Asiyah denied the reports of acid being thrown on the women. Soon the campaign was withdrawn but not before it forced a backlash. Many of the urban and middle-class women turned away from the movement. Asiyah was not able to bring the urban middle-class support for the movement. But we can’t deny the fact that more women are wearing a burqa now than before the insurgency. But as we saw above, women were participants and not passive sites for reproducing a communal identity. This was most obviously reflected in their resistance to coercive veiling. But it was also discernible in women’s ambivalent negotiations with the ‘other’, in this case the Kashmiri pandit.

Societys Perception About Weight

The topic of weight is very prevalent among people in today's society. Everywhere we look we find people of all sorts of different weights and appearances. Tall, small, thin, wide, fat and skinny are just a variety of the words we use to describe people. Almost no one is completely happy with their weight. We are constantly looking for ways to better ourselves and improve our physical appearance. It is this paper's purpose to provide information in helping a person feel comfortable with their weight and aid in determining an ideal body weight for you. Topics also include: society's view on weight, the dangers of various weight-related disorders and diseases, and methods of achieving a recommended healthy weight. The goal is that once you have the proper information you will be able to achieve this ideal weight safely and on your own, giving you an ultimate sense of satisfaction. The question that is constantly being asked is just what is the ideal healthy weight? The ideal body weight is different for every individual as healthy ideal weight depends on a person's sex, race, and genetics. To quickly simplify and determine an individual's ideal weight we use a simple chart called the Body Mass Index or BMI for short. This chart determines how much a person should weigh. People can calculate their BMI by dividing their weight in pounds by their height in inches squared and multiplying the resulting number by 704. 5 (Woods 98). A person who weighs 164 pounds and is 68 inches would do the following calculation: 164/4624 x 704. 5 = 25 BMI. A BMI between 18. 5-24. 9 is normal and is called the safe zone (Woods 98). The people in this recommended safe zone are considered to be in the best health. A BMI less than 18. 5 usually means that a person is underweight (Woods 98). Studies indicate that the underweight have an increased risk of death compared to those of normal weight. A BMI of over 30 means obesity, and obese people take a lot of health risks (Woods 98). People with obesity have an increased risk of: high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, the most common form of diabetes, gallbladder disease, arthritis, respiratory problems, and certain types of cancer. As long as you fall into or close to the recommended safe zone you should feel comfortable and happy with your weight the way it is. This paper will now discuss the dangers that society's infatuation with weight can have on a person. It will also provide methods on how a person can change to find a comfortable and healthy weight. Eating disorders are a common and very realistic part of our society. They are seen as the most dangerous health related risks involving weight. Dieting, binge-eating and food obsessions are prevalent among all weight groups. Many people strive to be lighter than their natural weights and exercise excessively and eat sparingly to attain an often-unrealistic weight goal. Societal pressures share blame for producing eating disorders. Some victims of eating disorders feel that others are pressuring them to be thin, making them feel guilty about what they eat (Washington 99). They become isolated from family and friends and turn to food as a release and source of comfort (Washington 99). People with eating disorders excessively exercise and are known to induce vomiting after eating or drinking (Washington 99). Eating disorders target many people in society. The main target group is females, especially in the traditionally masculine cultures. Society places a great deal of emphasis on the physical appearance of a person's body and this alone is enough to drive someone into an eating disorder. An example is the supermodel with the skin and bones look whom you see on television. With this in mind many women might look at their weight and find themselves socially unacceptable. The result can be an eating disorder. Another target group is athletes. For example, in the sport of gymnastics there is pressure on the female athlete to maintain a low weight and petite slim figure. Since gymnastics is judged on how an athlete looks in competition many gymnasts develop an eating disorder as a result of the importance of body image to the sport. Another example of the occurrence of eating disorders is in boxing and wrestling. Sometimes there is pressure on the athlete to have a rapid weight loss in order to compete in a lower weight class where he or she might have a better chance of winning. There are two main eating disorders that effect many people in society. They are anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is a deliberate and obsessive starvation in the pursuit of thinness. It is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, or the disturbance in the way one's bodyweight size and shape is perceived by another individual (Clark 96). Bulimia is described as recurrent episodes of binge eating and a lack of control over one's eating behaviour resulting in purging (Clark 96). Purging can be achieved by using laxatives and/or vomiting. Many of the symptoms of eating disorders are similar; however, each disorder is somewhat different. If someone is anorexic, symptoms might be: an extremely thin person, isolation, loneliness, obsessive preoccupation with food as regards: obtaining it, cooking, and eating, and compulsive exercise (Washington 99). If someone is bulimic, you might expect to see: the use of food as a comforter, laxative abuse, mood swings, constant concern about body image and weight, quick trips to the bathroom after meals, excessive exercise, some isolation, and low self-esteem (Washington 99). Both forms of eating disorders are dangerous to your health and can cause major problems, both now and in the future. Some immediate physical problems include constantly feeling cold, bloodshot eyes with dark circles, finger calluses, dizziness, weakness, moodiness, insomnia, swollen glands, sore throat, or dry skin (Washington 99). Some of the long-term effects include gastrointestinal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, malnutrition, heart attack, permanent damage to internal organs, kidney failure, and death (Washington 99). Family and friends of people affected should be aware of the symptoms and risks associated with disordered eating patterns. It is imperative to avoid becoming a victim to an eating disorder. You will only end up hurting yourself and loved ones around you. Now that the dangers of weight have been discussed an effective method of weight gain and loss will be presented. This information will help you reach a desired ideal weight so you can be happy and take pride in yourself. The topic of weight management is prevalent in today's society and is discussed from two different perspectives. People might think that they are too small or weak and in this case they will want to put on more weight. On the other hand, others might think that they are too big. In this case they will try to reduce their weight. Requirements of caloric intake differ for everyone. These requirements are determined by age, sex, weight and activity level. The simple definition of weight is the balance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure (Berning 96). Your body weight will change when there is a difference between calories taken in and calories burned up. Taking this into account, for the average person to lose weight the caloric intake must be less than caloric expenditure. Put simply, to lose weight you must eat less, exercise more, or a combination of both. For the average person to lose one pound they would have to run about 35 miles or eat 3,500 fewer calories (Berning 96). This is impossible to do in one day. To put this into perspective the following formula is given: 3,500 calories 7 days per week = 500 calories per day. It can than be said that eating 500 calories less per day will result in a weight loss of one pound per week. The same can be said by combining 250 calories less per day and burning 250 calories in exercise. Weight loss is most successful when diet and exercise are combined. The safe weight loss recommendation for the average person is no more than 1-2 pounds per week (Berning 96). By using this method of losing weight a person will decrease their chance of health problems and achieve their ideal weight. This method of weight loss will leave you with a sense of satisfaction and pride in reaching your ideal weight. The same basic theory applies for weight gain. In order to gain weight you need to consume more calories than you expend (Berning 96). Family history plays a major role in the development of a body. For example, people from thin families are less likely to transform their bodies into bulky muscular ones. A person can increase his chance of gaining weight with improved nutrition and appropriate weight training. Muscle is gained through intense training and the consumption of additional calories. For each pound gained as muscle you would need to consume 500-1000 additional calories each day (Berning 96). The key to weight gain is consistency and with a little hard work the average person should be able to get to his/her desired ideal weight. By combining a high calorie diet and a rigid exercise program you will find that your body will produce weight in the form of muscle, making you healthy and giving you your desired physical body image. We all must act together and make it our priority to help change society's perception of body images. This can protect everyone by making others feel comfortable with their weight and prevent them from developing eating disorders. Education is essential. By studying our ideal weight in the BMI chart and keeping an eye on the amount of calories in our diet we can stay healthy and feel good about ourselves. This process is aided through complete reinforcement and support from our family and friends. It doesn't stop there as we all must refrain from prejudicial treatment of fat or thin people and see beyond their weight. It is only then that we can feel comfortable with our weight and develop satisfaction in knowing that we have obtained an ideal healthy lifestyle for ourselves.

Mississippi Online Public and Charter Schools (List)

Mississippi Online Public and Charter Schools (List) Mississippi offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Mississippi. In order to qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they must be funded by the government. Virtual schools listed may be charter schools, state-wide public programs, or private programs that receive government funding. List of Mississippi Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Mississippi Virtual Public School (off-site link) About Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards. Some states also offer their own online public schools. These virtual programs generally operate from a state office or a school district. State-wide public school programs vary. Some online public schools offer a limited number of remedial or advanced courses not available in brick-and-mortar public school campuses. Others offer full online diploma programs. A few states choose to fund â€Å"seats† for students in private online schools. The number of available seats may be limited and students are usually asked to apply through their public school guidance counselor. (See also: 4 Types of Online High Schools). Choosing a Mississippi Online Public School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is regionally accredited and has a track record of success. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny. For more suggestions on evaluating virtual schools see: How to Choose an Online High School.

Living On the Moon essays

Living On the Moon essays You will never know how much you really miss Earth until you actually live on the moon. First of all, you have to get use to the idea of nearly zero gravity, which can take a toll on an weak stomach. Then, one must get accustomed to the whole bathing and bathroom routine, which can also be difficult at times. And finally, nothing beats a warm walk in the park with the chattering of insects and the pleasant whistling of birds. Life... is what you will miss the most when traveling to such a desolate, waterless, desert of nothingness. To say the least, my stay was life changing. Why wouldnt it be? Standing on the lunar surface of the moon, thousands of miles from squirrels, trees, mom, etc., one can take in life and all its beauty and appreciate what we are as humans. One learns to breathe in life like it were his last when standing in the plexiglass dome, looking up at the magnificent heavens from above. No one really knows where the road for exploration will end in this day and age. While living in the lunar colony, one must also realize how easily it is to travel from place to place. On Earth, one could easily drive their car, take a train, or flight. But on the moon, none of those necessities have been developed. You have to live in the same surroundings for however long you plan to stay. Since you would be living under the roof of this magnificent display of technology and architecture, it would be hard to leave it and explore into the almost vacuum-like world of the moon. Restaurants on Earth are the places that spoil us most when trying to accustom oneself to the likes of the cafeteria food. Of course there will be restaurants to pop up on the colony later, but that will be a while. You should probably take this into account if you plan to stay for a long period of time because living on the moon is nothing like living on Earth. It is a feat in itself that we ever made it back to the moon to claim ...

Definition and Examples of Metanoia

Definition and Examples of Metanoia Metanoia is a  rhetorical term for the act of self-correction in speech or writing. Also known as  correctio or the figure of afterthought. Metanoia may involve amplifying or retracting, strengthening or weakening a prior statement. The effect of  metanoia, says Robert A. Harris, is  to provide emphasis (by fussing over a term and redefining it), clarity (by providing the improved definition), and a sense of spontaneity (the reader is thinking along with the writer as the writer revises a passage) (Writing with Clarity and Style, 2003). EtymologyFrom the Greek, change ones mind, repent Examples and Observations Kreuz Market is the ultimate barbecue restaurant- no, scratch that- barbecue experience in Central Texas (and therefore the world).You might have heard a pin fall- a pin! a feather- as he described the cruelties  inflicted on muffin boys  by their masters . . ..(Charles Dickens,  Nicholas Nickleby, 1839)To Put It a Better Way . . .  [W]ithout that association, that sense of membership in something- or to put that a better way, without a sense of belonging and participation in a group effort, the employee loses focus on what were trying to accomplish.(Unnamed president of a media company quoted in The Servant Leader, by James A. Autry. Prima Publishing, 2001)Let Me Correct That . . .Shortly after I came to Washington I was told in a way that showed me it was no loosely thought out- let me correct that statement. I was told in a serious way that Mr. Finletter- or rather, I was told by Mr. Finletter that he had serious question as to the loyalty of Dr. Oppenheimer.(David Tressel Griggs, witness at physicist J. Robert Oppenheimers hearing before the Atomic Energy Commissions Personnel Security Board, May 1954. In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer: The Security Clearance Hearing, ed. by Richard Polenberg. Cornell University Press, 2002) Or More Properly Speaking . . .The meal, when beaten up, is used for thickening broths, and rolled up into bolsters about a foot long and two inches in diameter, and then wrapped in plantain leaves, and tied round with tie-tie and boiled, or more properly speaking steamed, for a lot of the rolls are arranged in a brass skillet. . . . [T]he whole affair is poised on the three cooking-stones over a wood fire, and left there until the contents are done, or more properly speaking, until the lady in charge of it has delusions on the point, and the bottom rolls are a trifle burnt or the whole insufficiently cooked.(Mary H. Kingsley, Travels in West Africa, 1897)For my own part, cried Peregrine, with great eagerness, I appeal to Miss Sophys decision. But why do I say appeal? Though I am conscious of having committed no offence, I am ready to submit to any penance, let it be ever so rigorous, that my fair enslaver herself shall impose, provided it will entitle me to her favour and forgivenes s at last.(Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, 1751) The Persuasive Value of Metanoia- Metanoia can have mild persuasive value. The speaker may utter a less controversial claim, then revise it to make it stronger. This brings the reader along more gently than announcing the stronger claim on its own. Or conversely the stronger claim may be offered first but then reduced to something less ambitious that seems easy to accept by comparison. . . .Metanoia can create an impression of scrupulousness, as the speaker starts to say one thing but then feels obliged to take the initiative in correcting it. (It also can suggest overscrupulousness, as when the speaker fusses too much.)(Ward Farnsworth, Farnworths Classical English Rhetoric. David R. Godine, 2011)-  Metanoia can serve a variety  of rhetorical ends. Stopping to correct oneself disrupts the flow of discourse, drawing attention to and emphasizing the revision.  Or, in a move similar to  paralipsis, retracting a statement allows the speaker to introduce an idea or claim and then avoid responsibility for having done so.  Sometimes strengthening an  initially mild or uncontroversial statement (or qualifying an initially strong one) can persuade an audience by making the speaker seem more reasonable.(Bryan A. Garner,  Garners Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press, 2016) Finding the Right Word[I]t seemed to me that there was a safe and unassailable foundation for our claim to interfere on behalf of British subjects, and that was the right which every State possesses to protect its subjects in another State from wrong. That was a right which we possessed in an unusual degree in South Africa owing to the peculiar position of the country- a country where there were two races side by side, both of them determined in their opinions, with a history of their own, and jealous of their independence. Perhaps independence is not the right word to use. I mean, rather, jealous of the equality of their rights.(John Wodehouse, Earl of Kimberly, Address in Answer to the Queens Speech, Oct. 17, 1899)I Should Say . . .I rather was minded to make known to you that I- or, I should rather say, we, and Mr. Crawley pointed to his wifeshall not accept your plainness of speech as betokening aught beyond a conceived idea in furtherance of which you have thought it expedient t o make certain inquiries.I dont quite follow you, said the major.(Anthony Trollope, The Last Chronicle of Barset, 1874) Pronunciation: met-a-NOY-ah

Quality Theory and Practice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Theory and Practice - Research Paper Example This standard must be a standard that best suits that particular organization. Quality Control component is also very much important to ensure the quality standards within a company. In this component we review the quality of all factors involved in production. Six Sigma and Total Quality Management (TQM) are famous performance appraisal method that used globally today. This component is also very important for maintaining quality. Quality assurance is a way of preventing mistakes or defects in manufactured products. In this component, we also try to avoid problems while delivering goods or service to customer. This component is also very important for maintaining quality. Quality improvement team used to get feedback of all processes of the company. They then send recommendations for improvements in the implementation of standards. Six Sigma is a famous performance appraisal method used globally. Total Quality Management is an important area of study. It has got so much importance so that it is being taught in universities to students of management sciences. One sentence explains Total Quality Management, â€Å"Right thing, at right place, in right time†. This management approach originated in 1950s and become popular in the 1980s. Management Commitment, Employee Empowerment, Fact Based Decision Making, Continuous Improvement and Customer Focus are some principles of the total quality management (www.newagepublishers.com). There are plenty of quality management standards in the world but some quality management standards have got immense importance in the last decade. Among the leading standardization organizations is International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Quality Management System (QMS) of International Organization for Standardization is widely used all over the world. There are other quality management standards like, VDA, AVSQ, EAQF, QS-9000, TS 16949, European Quality-Award,

Seven Steps to Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seven Steps to Health - Essay Example ve and maintaining a healthy weight; following cancer screening guidelines; and visiting a healthcare professional, upon noticing changes in the normal state of health. Most people disregard these steps because of ignorance and inadequate financial resources. Ignorance makes some sidestep health-related matters, thinking that they are too healthy or too young to fall ill. It is the same ignorance that deludes many into thinking that one should only consider these steps when sick. Financial constraints may make accessing healthcare professionals, following cancer screening guidelines and accessing good diet a mere mirage. To promote better health practices, it is important that measures are set in place to have the media airing more health-related content. Given that this will be restricted to a matter of volition when it comes to privately owned media houses, the government can craft, pass and implement policies that will enhance the publicizing of the health-related content. This move will be necessary since the media (both electronic and print) media play pivotal and dominant roles in creating health awareness. It is also imperative that all the gains provided for in the 2010 Healthcare Reforms Act are safeguarded. Only this way, will the less privileged or low income earners be able to access healthcare professionals and follow cancer screening guidelines, irrespective of financial

Summary of journals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary of journals - Essay Example The author asserts that apart from the traditional use, there are a number of additional health benefits that have been proven by research. The flowers of the plant can improve benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms whereas fruits can assist in lipid abnormalities and hangovers prevention. Some researchers have also suggested its role as a diuretic. Improved glycemic control is achieved if plants products are consumed along with oral hypoglycemic agents. Regarding the rising incidence of cancer, the author claims that Prickly pears can prevent carcinogenesis of certain origins. Like all medication, the use of this plant is also associated with a number of adverse effects. These are in the form of gastric disturbances and dermatitis like rash on the skin if plant products are applied topically. The dermatological manifestations of this dermatitis are similar to the rash of scabies which is primarily found on fingers, wrists, buttocks and genital area. Overall, the author has attempted to convince the readers about the potential benefits of the plant and to avoid bias; he has put forward a number of both beneficial and detrimental aspects of the plant before the readers, leaving it up to the readers to decide about the pros and cons themselves. The survival of plants on various regions of the earth is largely dependent upon the ranges of temperatures that persist in those areas. Interestingly, different parts of plants have varying sensitivities to the surrounding temperatures. Freezing temperatures can lead to disruption of cell structure due to ice crystal formation while exceedingly high temperatures may cause cell membrane disruption and denaturation of proteins. Gradual increase or decrease in ambient day/night temperatures can provide a plant the opportunity to adjust to new temperature ranges by developing tolerance due to the formation of certain cryoprotectants and proteins. This study focuses on Opuntia ficus-indica species and

Enron Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Enron - Research Paper Example The FERC required all energy merchants which operated under competitive market regimes to adhere to specific rules of operation. The rules prohibited conspiracy, manipulation, and the presentation of misleading or fake information (Public Citizen). Market manipulation as defined by the FERC included; giving of false information to transmission suppliers, wash trades, manufacture of false congestion, and conspiracy between merchants which are planned to artificially influence prices, circumstances or supply. SEC and CEOs The SEC requires CEOs of public utilities to give a certification of the truthfulness of financial reports they give. The Sec prescribes penalties of falsification of information of 10 years and 20 years for knowing and willful violations respectively. The provision may however prove to be difficult to impose since it is hard to determine if information was certified reckless or negligently as opposed to knowingly (Bumgardner). In addition a CEO making a required fina ncial restatement could be required to forfeit bonuses or profits attained from the sale of sale of company stock. The provision is however watered down by the lack of a proper definition of required and misconduct. The new law makes it possible to ban SEC violators from running public utilities even though the provision existed in earlier legislation. Stock Options The notion of stock options involves the granting of options which is dated earlier than the company granting date. The backdating of stock options makes the stock of value to the holder. Before Enron and the passage of the Sarbanes Oxley Act, companies were required to report the issue of these options to the Securities and Regulatory Commission in a maximum period of two months. This led to companies grant their options at their highs while dating it at their lows thus giving false information to investors (Kaldec). The enforcement of the Sarbanes Oxley Act now makes it harder for falsification of information since the companies are required to submit their option grants to the SEC in a maximum period of two days. Response to SOX The SOX regulations apply to all companies whose stocks trading in the US. Many executives of foreign companies have come out strongly to voice their dissatisfaction over the SOX Act while lobbying for exemption. Critics of the SOX have lambasted the SEC for punishing foreign corporations in countries which did not experience Enron type scandals (Byrnes 3-4). It also has to be observed that corporations in Asia and Europe are less likely to experience such scandals as management does not hinge so much on stock price as in the US. The Act has been criticized roundly for its potential ambiguities which would make its implementation in the various jurisdictions around the world to be cumbersome and expensive. Critics have also argued that the Act presents some uncertainties in its implementation since it may conflict with domestic legislation in foreign jurisdictions leadin g to increases in litigation costs (Lucci 8). RIAC While foreign corporations have criticized the SOX Act, the RIAC has been rather accommodating. The RIAC has acknowledged that the SOX has certain inherent ambiguities and potential difficulties in enforcement in the international arena. The RIAC has however asserted that SOX presents a very good standard on which governments the world over may come to

Films and the American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Films and the American History - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that the United States of America under the presidency of George Bush had a major role in the Gulf War. In the movie, we see that Major Archie Gates and Chief Elgin cannot believe what the inhabitants go, though. They find out that the government incited the citizens to fight the rule of Saddam Hussein with a promise to support them. They later find out that the government did not give them the support they promised. The United States government is highly involved in the business in the Middle East. The new evidence of nonsupport from the government makes them think deeply about their role in the fight.As the discussion stresses the movie shows the weakness of the American president because the directors show the affair between Bill and Monica. The relationship is a depiction of real life events that occur in the real-time events. Historically, the United States and Britain fought each other during the American Revolution. On the other hand, during the Wor ld War, the nations were strong allies and the United States protects Britain. In addition to the World War, the two nations were strong allies during the Cold War and Gulf War. There are moments historically when the only superpower country to give United States support in the Iraq war was Britain.  The relationship the two countries are strong, and both leaders work towards a general goal. The wives of both leaders also have a strong relationship showing that there is a special kind of relationship.

Ethography Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethography - Coursework Example IÄŸsÄ ±z illustrates the impact of society on religion through political and geographic factors. The discussion follows the â€Å"meseumization† of heritage, in the form of religion following geographical distribution and history of the society in concept. The Greece and Turkey Orthodox-Islam change is documents as the basis of discussion in the paper (1). Kapchan discusses the incorporation of linguistics in preservation of Religious history. The paper considers the detailing of religion in history, and its role in determining the â€Å"literacy† and the comprehension of society, with respect to the economy and the impact culture and religion has on society (66). Mahmood uses the chapter to explore the concept of Islamic nationalism in the context of politics and social trends. He uses the text to assess the subject of ethics and their origin, addressing the basis of the behavior and acceptability, via the definition of acts that are positive and ethical (121). Society is defined by a choice of acceptable behaviors, relations, agreements, and beliefs. The theme that is prevalent in the five articles is Islamic Religion and Ethics; Islam as a religion and how its principles have affected the community pegged on origin, and traditions. The adherence to pillars of Islam is subjected to analysis following the integration of changes associated with politics, inter-cultural interaction, and individual preferences. Although individuals have ideas of what they deem acceptable, society (incorporating religion) judgment calls of behavior, and norms and values are established with a strong foundation in the past. The existence of factions in religion, such as Sufism in Islam, follows a discord in the principles of ethics, norms, and values. Failure to come to a common ground between society and religion results in the region of conflict from

Films and the American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Films and the American History - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that the United States of America under the presidency of George Bush had a major role in the Gulf War. In the movie, we see that Major Archie Gates and Chief Elgin cannot believe what the inhabitants go, though. They find out that the government incited the citizens to fight the rule of Saddam Hussein with a promise to support them. They later find out that the government did not give them the support they promised. The United States government is highly involved in the business in the Middle East. The new evidence of nonsupport from the government makes them think deeply about their role in the fight.As the discussion stresses the movie shows the weakness of the American president because the directors show the affair between Bill and Monica. The relationship is a depiction of real life events that occur in the real-time events. Historically, the United States and Britain fought each other during the American Revolution. On the other hand, during the Wor ld War, the nations were strong allies and the United States protects Britain. In addition to the World War, the two nations were strong allies during the Cold War and Gulf War. There are moments historically when the only superpower country to give United States support in the Iraq war was Britain.  The relationship the two countries are strong, and both leaders work towards a general goal. The wives of both leaders also have a strong relationship showing that there is a special kind of relationship.

Peter Matthiessen Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peter Matthiessen - Research Proposal Example (Commire, pp. 27-28) Other than fiction, he has proved to be a master with his nonfiction writings. For instance, the 1975 shootout of FBI and Native Americans were examined in the year 1983 by Matthiessen in his book, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. (McKay, pp. 28-30) However, Peter Matthiessen acquired a more natural place for himself in midst of other novelists through his travel writing that renounced him as a complete advocate of natural world. (Bonetti, pp. 35-37) In the year 1978, endangered creatures and spiritual development was lyrically analyzed by him through his book, In the Snow Leopard that provided him with the National Book Award. (Howard, pp. 56-58) In the year 1991, his African Silences explained his trekking experiences in African and Antarctica regions, which was followed by his another book, End of the Earth in the year 2003 that recounted the same experiences. In addition, the protection of majestic cranes and ecosystem of the earth was encouraged by his book, the Birds of Heaven in the year 2001. Until now, the paper has briefly discussed some of his renowned books that have recognized him as a living legend. (Kibler, pp. 92-93) Peter Matthiessen has also completed documentaries on different films, one of which is Blue Wate r, White Death that was a film related to the natural world, one of his favorite themes. (Nicholas, pp. 17-18) One of the major characteristics of Peter Matthiessen is his scrupulous and thorough approach to the topics that are considered during his writings. American Indian issues and natural history are some of his frequently focused topics since fifty years. Now, the paper will discuss his personal life and career, which will be followed by a brief conclusion. On May 22, 1927, an American naturalist and living legend was born in New York City that was named Peter Matthiessen by his parents. Peter Matthiessen is credited for more than twenty non-fictional and fictional books, and has been one of the

Opinion Essay on Inventions Essay Example for Free

Opinion Essay on Inventions Essay A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source. [6] LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting. Appearing as practical electronic components in 1962,[7] early LEDs emitted low-intensity red light, but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared wavelengths, with very high brightness. When a light-emitting diode is switched on, electrons are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy band gap of the semiconductor. A LED is often small in area (less than 1 mm2), and integrated optical components may be used to shape its radiation pattern. 8] LEDs present many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved physical robustness, smaller size, and faster switching. However, LEDs powerful enough for room lighting are relatively expensive and require more precise current and heat management than compact fluorescent lamp sources of comparable output. Light-emitting diodes are used in applications as diverse as aviation lighting, digital microscopes, automotive lighting, advertising, general lighting, and traffic signals. LEDs have allowed new text, video displays, and sensors to be developed, while their high switching rates are also useful in advanced communications technology. Infrared LEDs are also used in the remote control units of many commercial products including televisions, DVD players and other domestic appliances. LEDs are also used in seven-segment display.

Mcdonald Fast Food Marketing Essay

Mcdonald Fast Food Marketing Essay McDonald Corporation is among the largest chain of fast food restaurants in the United Kingdom. It primarily sells French fires, chicken, hamburgers, soft drinks and breakfast. This paper draws on the view that McDonalds fast food continue to remain competitive in the fast food market niche by virtue of strategic management which sees it improving the taste of sandwiches as well as introducing a menu lost that is new for its customers. To understand the success of McDonald over the years, it is important to note the strategic management of the fast food corporation in the UK. Part of the strategic drive of McDonalds to increase its competitive edge has been to overhaul the system of food preparation and as evidenced in its recent food preparation system dubbed Made For You, McDonald developed a mutual relationship with its customers since fresher as well as hotter food are delivered to customers; an aspect that leads to more consumption of McDonalds food (Stuart et al, 2007). The ove rall point in the strategic thinking and management of McDonalds rests on the enhanced flexibility on its customer service, business model, reaching and analyzing the strategic edge in light of competitive advantage and business level strategies. This paper seeks to analyze the wider environment in which McDonalds operates competition within the fast food industry, strategic focus, and how to address challenges that occur within the industry. Introduction McDonalds Fast Food Company is among the largest food service retail corporation. Known for its hot and fresh fries, hamburgers, burgers and soft drinks, McDonalds operates about 30,000 restaurants in over 199 countries. In the UK, a majority of the McDonalds operates on the franchise basis. The strategic focus and organizational management has positioned McDonalds to compete effectively in an already competitive industry and thus edge a competitive base in the industrial environment and enjoy a market niche for its business. Customers visit its outlet on the daily basis because of the ability of McDonalds to create a companys image that enhances people to get accustomed to the culture of fats food (McDonalds Corporation, 2010). As such, there is an apt customer base which McDonalds uses as a market entry strategy. Together with advertising companies that leaves the brand image in the consumers mind, McDonalds continue not only to penetrate the market but also expand their market siz e. As a result, there are a number of strategies that McDonald builds on to remain competitive in the industry and achieve t business and organizational objective. McDonalds Company Overview As one of the largest fast food corporation in the UK that concentrates on burgers, French fries, soft foods and breakfast, McDonalds has in the most recent introduced salads, snack wraps, fruits and carrot sticks. McDonald is a business that dates back in 1940. It was an idea that grew and became operational as the two brothers Mac McDonald and Dick opened a restaurant in the United States (Walsh, 2009) .The first McDonalds operated on the principle of modern fast food restaurant which later spread across Europe. The present McDonald is as a result of the successful expansion of the McDonald into a host of fast food markets. The company has become the symbol of globalization and it prominence in the UK is based on the concept of consumer responsibility as well as corporate ethics (McDonalds Corporation, 2010). Essentially, McDonald serves approximately one million customers every day. Business Environment and Analysis of McDonalds The environment in which McDonalds operates is very competitive that managers have been forced to adopt a strategic framework upon which they exercise their ability to identify, cultivate as well as exploit the core competencies that ensures that there is business and market growth. Thompson (2005) asserts that in order to arrive at this strategic threshold, McDonalds as a corporation has been the focus of the strategic policy formulation. In addition, Brown (2002) points out that there is no way in which the organization can exist in the vacuum. In this sense, McDonalds operate within a competitive environment and the foundation of its strategic management rests on its ability to analyze its competitor in the fast food industry. As a result, this not only enables McDonalds to realize its strengths and weakness but also help it to formulate a position on which it identifies the opportunities that are present for the organizations well as the threats it can face from its wider industr ial environment. This strategic analysis best positions McDonalds in its market niche and is thus a strategy that reflects the best march for McDonalds strategic management. The competencies exhibited by McDonalds form yet another aspect of its overall strategic management. Parsa (2002) contends that as one of the largest food chain companies in the UK, it defines its success from its strengths and opportunities. This is the distinctive competitive strategy that enhances the corporations competitive advantage in the market. A case in point is the financial opportunities, market leadership, image of the company to the market as well as the relationship between the company and its customer forms the strengths as well as opportunities than McDonald has achieved on its wider strategic management plan. To achieve an enhanced and more profitable market niche, McDonalds creates a successful image in the customers minds and draws from it mission and vision statement to introduce to widespread customers a culture of fast food. This is evidenced by the fundamental concept that it serves over one million customers in UK per day and continues to add on its menu a new list of fast food items prepared. Furthermore, customer care relations, delivery speed as well as high hygienic conditions make the basic strengths on which McDonalds expands on. Cole (2003) articulates that McDonald has created a corporate symbol that is reinforced by the advertisement campaigns in the UK. Accordingly, it builds on this pedestal to foundationally establish a brand image that has remained in the minds of millions of people living in the UK. As such, the brand image positions McDonalds an edge higher than its major competitor in the food chain industries and its marketing strategies successfully addresses impo rtant business operations factors such as internal resources and the core competencies in relation to the external environment in which it operates (Kendrick, 2008). Moreover, business analysts have maintained that the product value of McDonalds has contributed to the strategic focus of its operations. With regard to this, customers are aware of what to expect from the McDonalds restaurants whenever they visit the McDonalds. This gives emphasis on the fact that human resource draws their satisfaction from satisfying their customers and keeps the employees ready to adopt the innovative strategy of the company where they introduce newer products in the market in a bid to remain on edge with the newer tastes and trends of its customers and market size. The diversity of McDonalds into other related business forms the framework on which economists regard the McDonalds as the successful corporate group within the fast food industry (Enz, 2009). Competitive Environment within the Operations of McDonalds Every fast food restaurant operating whether as an organization or individual business is aimed at creating a new wave in the performance; all aimed towards implementing and sustaining the brand quality and the innovation of the business plan. Many fast food restaurants in the UK continue to analyze the external as well as internal business opportunities and therefore develop marketing plans that see them with a major market shares. These make food chain industry a very competitive industry in the UK. According to Hetrick et al (2006), McDonalds appreciates that competition for market place is stiff and has tasked its management to constantly communicate, compare their services with those of other fast food restaurants and finally improve on their service delivery and incorporate the developments of technology such as the internet to basically motivate their clients and improve on the overall center performance. In addition, many fast food organizations undoubtedly enhance their food production which makes it futile to use the product quality alone as the marketing strategy. As this may create a scenario where you are rated average, McDonalds has gone a notch higher in edging its competitive advantage by modifying every marketing and business strategy to suit its vision statement. As such, Heath and Palacher (2008) argues that bearing in mind the already available resources is one point towards success but making use of all the primary competencies has enabled McDonalds to sustain its place in the competitive market. Accordingly, as the chief executive officer of McDonalds said, the world has extensively changed and so have the customers. This calls for a dire need for any business organization to change in light with the customers change (Walsh, 2009). McDonalds Competitive Position within the Food Chain Industry McDonalds has achieved the title of the leading and largest fast food restaurant in the UK from its overall strategic management concept of sustainable competitive market. With emphasis, this strategic policy has been behind the McDonalds ability to make it difficult for other food chain industries to penetrate its stronghold marketplace. Hill and Jones (2007) explain that McDonalds competitive position is attributed to its dynamic customer care relations, brand imaging, cost structure as well as its patent. With regard to this, the organizational as well as the managerial process has centered on sharing coordination and integration to formulate policies that drives the McDonalds on the pedestal of success. Believing in the customer and product value, McDonalds has created a situation where every employee strives to work for the common goal. Similarly, McDonald, through its strategic management has demonstrated its strength in being able to learn and execute changes according to the needs of the markets. From this conceptualization, it has commanded a competitive position by being flexible to change within the milieu of technological developments and customer trends (Stuart et al, 2007). As such, Kendrick (2008) further postulates that a case in point for McDonalds success and market position falls on the paradigm of its long time organizational culture of concentrating on its advantage such as organizational behaviors as well as expertise to achieve success in every aspect of its objective. In the past, McDonald paid little attention on the concept of competitive advantage and thus even though it opened many outlets across Britain, its revenue did not change to the better. The structural, technological and financial assets are the excellent market position of McDonalds. It therefore follows that McDonalds not only identifies but also implements these assets in the right direction in a bid to improve the services of the company in the market. Bordering the advantage on the vision which guides the company, McDonalds draws its strengths to achieve the competitive position by being committed to the sustainability of its vision. For example, bearing in mind that a brand or product revolves around the companys vision, McDonalds works in lieu with this concept and thus attributes its competitive advantage on its faithfulness to the mission, vision and goals as well as objectives of the organization (Thompson, 2005).In light of this, McDonalds operates on the guideline of serving those people who have little or no time to cook an therefore provides a solution of a proper restaurant. In this case, the vision provides not only quality products but also quick ser vice and desirable satisfaction among its customers. The sustainable competitive advantage has undoubtedly meant well for the McDonalds and implementing these strategies is based on incorporating the best value strategies which make McDonalds unique and hard to be emulated by its competitors. It is evident that competitive advantages has helped and continue to help McDonalds to realize a great investment through an integrated, intelligent and dynamic human resources as well as strategic management (brown, 2003). As a result, McDonald caters for the situation where risk attitudes change and entirely vary the environmental uncertainty and volatility. This based on the product, price, promotion and place has provided a good starting point for the competitive position of McDonalds. Towards implementing the marketing function, the management of McDonalds constantly employs elements of marketing mix to appropriate plan on how to achieve the popularity in the market place (Enz, 2009). McDonalds Marketing Strategy McDonalds is known for its market entry on which it introduces people to the culture of fast food through the employment of emotive and highly persuasive advertisement campaigns. As Hetrick et al (2006) point out, McDonalds uses well structured advertisement campaigns to create a corporate system that penetrates the market as well as expands it. With regard to this, Parsa (2002) notes that McDonalds have put in place strategies that deal with the growing number of fast food customers in the UK. Towards achieving this, McDonalds emphasizes on customer care, speed in the delivery and high hygienic conditions around the McDonald premises. Connected with the concept of market entry strategy, McDonalds equally builds on its brand image; a factor that identifies it as an independent company. Accordingly, the company has taken into account business environment to achieve a competitive edge based on the service delivery, product and price. In addition, McDonalds have used the diversity strategy in its operations. Hill and Jones (2007) contends that McDonalds uses this strategy to venture into other business; a factor that has helped the company to keep in touch with the market trends a mid the rising completion in the food chain industry. Towards this, McDonalds emphasis on health food, introduction of new items such as salads on the menu, changed the overall appearance of the stores among adopting newer strategies. In light of this, McDonalds is able to achieve a competitive position in the marketing environment that is getting more competitive by day s a result of entry of new players in the industry. Heath and Palacher (2008) further assert that a lot of innovations where McDonalds produces new products demonstrate another strategy in use for the McDonalds to catch up with the latest market development. As a result, it is able to respond to the ever changing tastes and concerns of customers. For instance, McDonalds continues to develop new recipes as part of it strategic formulation to cater for the health issues and concerns of the customers in UK. McDonalds continue with the franchising model and employs over 60000 employees in approximately 1200 restaurants. The success behind all theses is typical of the effective marketing strategies that lead to the creation of high demand for fast food (Cole, 2003). The aim of successful marketing rests on making superfluous sales. Understanding the customer as well as the product that fits them has definitely formed the foundation of McDonalds marketing strategy. As opposed to other fast food restaurant whose entry in the market somehow takes the customer for granted and ends at providing quick service, McDonalds exploits the underlying concept of marketing which draws on the notion that customer satisfaction is the primary business priority. Comparatively, many fast food restaurants in the UK are motivated in making profit and although they provide quality services, they miss out on putting their customers satisfaction on the fist priority. McDonalds has created business strategies that aim at fulfilling the creation of customer satisfaction. Fundamentally, McDonalds has invested in understanding the needs of a group or groups of customers in what is called market segmentation (Brown, 2002).As such, McDonalds defines these band of customers in terms of demography such as their age, region and gender such that each band of customers have a successfully and specifically tailored products as well as a marketing mix. Future Developments in the Fast Industry It is important to note that following the market trends of fats food industry, outsourcing of employees may not be effective. It is clear that everything in the present business community outsources but McDonalds should be ready to take care when outsourcing because in future, outsourcing is going to cease in its value following the whole sale idea of outsourcing competencies of the fast food chain store (Hetrick et al, 2006). Towards cushioning the effect of this, McDonald can outsource other business operations but not its core competencies. As such, it will keep abreast with the fact that the benefits of outsourcing which includes knowledge of market offshore, supplier relations and expansion of business operation. In so doing McDonalds will have put in place an order facility to cushion itself against competition, business failure and reduced profit margin. In addition, the question of increased competition will be a future development due to the extensive entry in the fast food industry. As such, McDonalds will have to face an array of market risks as well as other business setbacks. However, what will make it strong and continue to enjoy the status of a leading fast food company is the constant formulation and implementation of strategic policies based on its knowledge of the customer needs. In other words, the taste, preferences and satisfactions of the customer should be their constant priority to face this challenging scenario (Parsa, 2002).With the future market function taking a consumer oriented approach, the marketing decisions are care going to be affected by the careful identification of the needs of the customers. As such McDonalds will need to devise marketing strategies that meet the customers needs as well as a business distribution system that bring the brands closer to the needs of the customer. Recommendation for McDonalds Future Strategy McDonalds should in future design a business plan that addresses the social changes spearheaded by the government and consumer groups which border encouraging a balanced diet and thus prepare types of foods that on the nutrition of the customer as well as their healthy lifestyles. Essentially, it can also develop a joint venture with other organizations such as the supermarkets in that some of its food is sold in the supermarkets. This comes with the marketing database which will help it to more accurately reach out to specific target groups of consumers. The customer identification could be on the basis of modeling and shoppers profiles; a factor which will enhance the prevention of band switching. In addition, McDonalds should focus on the corporate social responsibility and edge closer to those organizations with a value impact on the society (Enz, 2009). Similarly, McDonalds should realize that promotion of its products is not merely an advertising function. It should come up with both advertising campaigns and promotional strategy that is defined by the nature of the market, the size of the market and the tastes as well as preferences of the customers. In so doing, McDonalds should design on the promotional mix that address the element of price, product and market in the way the customer will feel obliged to consume the product. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is evident that the strategic management plan of McDonalds has positioned it as the largest fast food corporation in the UK. This means that its business model is evidently different form other fast food chains. . Part of the strategic drive of McDonalds to increase its competitive edge has been to overhaul the system of food preparation and as evidenced in its recent food preparation system dubbed Made For You McDonalds developed a mutual relationship with its customers since fresher as well as hotter food was delivered to customers; an aspect that led to more consumption of McDonalds food. The overall point in the strategic thinking and management of McDonalds rests on the enhanced flexibility on its customer service, business model and analyzing the strategic edge in light of competitive advantage, business level strategies among others.

Traffic Signal/Road Marking Detection and Processing :: Driving Traffic Signals Argumentative Essays

Traffic Signal/Road Marking Detection and Processing Humans have visual cues that they naturally use to perceive their motion through the environment. There are numerous human factors that are associated with being able to navigate a vehicle safely while adhering to signal lights, signs and other traffic road markings. There needs to be vast improvement in the way that information is presented to drivers for many reasons. One example is that the placing of the sun during a particular part of the day prohibits one from distinguishing whether a traffic light is green or red. The elderly have difficulties reading certain signs or differentiating among the color of signal lights, even with their glasses on. Most everyone has less visual acuity at night and certain road markings or traffic lights are harder to perceive. Color blind people canÕt always tell the difference between a red light and a green light, and they may also have a hard time seeing brake lights, blinkers, etc. All of the situations mentioned above can lead to serious fatal accidents. Extensive research in this area has been conducted for many years and is still going on today. Driving is a complex task which involves a variety of interactive parallel and serial processes that depend on various visual functions. Vision plays a vital role in safe, proficient driving even though there are other sensory and motor systems that are used in driving. It has been estimated that 90% of the information used in driving is visual and that visual information alone might be sufficient for safe driving (Fox, 1997). Beyond these general statements, it has been difficult to determine what specific visual skills are used for driving that are important. Safe and efficient driving is Òa matter of perceptual-motor sensitivity to perceptual laws of locomotion in a spatiotemporal fieldÓ (Fox, 1997). Specifically, the driver must be aware of two fields: (1) the field of safe travel and (2) the minimum stopping zone. The field of safe travel refers to a field surrounded by actual and potential obstacles to locomotion. The minimum stopping zone refers to a field that is determined by variables like speed, visual/road conditions, etc. Car crashes occur when another car or stationary object is not perceived accurately. In order to guide a vehicle, the driver must (1) abstract important sensory information from the environment, (2) process this information accordingly to complete visuospatial tasks and (3) act accordingly to achieve task goals.

Personal Reflection on the Loss of my Aunt

I have been very lucky in that I have not suffered the loss of an immediate family member or significant other; however, I have suffered the loss of a family member that was incredibly important to me during my childhood and with whom I was particularly close: my aunt. In this paper, I discuss this loss and my own process of grief.I present this process more-or-less chronologically, bringing up relevant theories of loss along the way. When I was young, my family lived a short distance away from my aunt and her family. Her son, my cousin, was about the same age as me, and we spent a lot of time together.During the summers, I was at their house every day, and we took extended vacations together every summer. During the school year, weekends were spent at her house, and it was often she who picked me up from school. Because we spent so much time together, we developed quite a close relationship. Later on, my family moved, but I called my aunt at least once a week, and I spent as much ti me as possible with her. In addition to being my godmother, she easily became my confidant, someone who I could talk to about anything, and I loved being able to spend time with her.The bad news about her diagnosis with cancer (a rare form of leukaemia) came when I was 13. The entire family rallied behind her. When she tried a macrobiotic diet, we all joined her. When doctors suggested a bone marrow transplant, everyone who was eligible got tested to see if they were a match. When she needed frequent blood transfusions, we all got our blood tested to see if our blood would be better for her than the supply in the blood bank. Throughout this whole process, the thought that my aunt could die never crossed my mind.I never even considered it as a possibility: even when she lost all her hair from chemotherapy, even when she lost too much weight, even when she was incredibly pale from anaemia. It is quite possible that my uncle, her primary caregiver, suffered from anticipatory grief, or grief suffered in anticipation of death. Mallon (2008) remarked that this type of grief can be experienced by the person who is dying as well as their family. When I moved away from home, I still talked to my aunt frequently. Every time I talked to her, she sounded in such good health.The last time I talked to her, she was being very active and had taken up playing tennis. I called her for her birthday, but she wasn’t home, so I left her a message on her answering machine wishing her happy birthday and saying that I would call her back. My life was very hectic at that time, and I didn’t get a chance to call her for a couple of days. Three days after her birthday, my mom called me and told me that my aunt was in the hospital with internal bleeding. She told me that it was serious and that I should try to come home to see my aunt. I got off the phone and bought a plane ticket for the next day.I called my mom back to tell her when I would arrive, and as I was talking to h er, she received the news that my aunt had died. I was in complete shock. I could not understand how this could have happened. I was on the phone with my mom, and I couldn’t say anything. One of my first reactions was feeling guilt. I felt so guilty for thinking that all my little stresses were so important that I couldn’t take five minutes to call my aunt and wish her a happy birthday. I wondered if my aunt knew how much I loved her and how much she meant to me. My mom stayed on the phone with me as long as she could, but she had other phone calls to make.I was geographically distanced from my family, and all I wanted to do was be with people who had known my aunt, who understood what a wonderful person she was, and who knew how much she meant to me. I called some friends, and they came over to keep me company. I am very grateful that they were there for me, but at the time, all I could think about was how much I wanted to be with my family. The next day, I flew to my aunt’s home town for the funeral. The whole extended family was there as were about a hundred of the people who knew her well. Because she was cremated, there was no visitation.While I respect this decision for cremation, I would have very much appreciated the chance to see my aunt one last time. At the church, in place of the coffin, there was a framed picture of my aunt in front of the urn carrying her ashes. The service was very personalized. Even if I had not considered the fact that my aunt might die, she and my uncle had put a lot of thought into her memorial service. They had chosen music that had meaning for them, including the song they first danced to at their wedding. This personalized service falls in line with a characteristic of modern-day Western memorials cited by Valentine (2006).The author mentions qualitative research that has shown that these memorials are â€Å"often creative and highly idiosynchratic [sic], reflecting the tastes and the emotions of the family involved† (Bradbury, 2001, p. 221; cited in Valentine, 2006). During the service, I noticed a lot of different grieving styles. Some, like myself, cried a lot. Others, like my grandmother, made a concerted effort not to cry (or at least not to let anyone see them cry). My grandmother actually wore sunglasses in the church so that no one could see her tears. At the time, I wondered why she did not want anyone to witness her sorrow.After all losing a child (even one who is grown up) must be one of the greatest losses one could experience. Immediately after the service, there was a reception at the church. All of my aunt’s friends and colleagues from her work came and introduced themselves to the family and spoke about how wonderful a person my aunt was. At the time, I found this ritual to be a bit strange. I wanted to go back to her house and be with my family. Looking back on this experience, however, I see that these people wanted us to know how influential a pe rson my aunt was outside of the context in which we best knew her.They also wanted to be there to support us in our time of sorrow. Now, I am very appreciative of their kind thoughts. When we returned to my aunt’s house, I noticed a huge collection of butterflies flying around her front porch. This was such an odd occurrence that I now always associate butterflies with my aunt. Whenever I see a butterfly, I think of my aunt and imagine that she is watching over me. This association came later in the grieving process and is an example of what has been termed continuing bonds. At the house, someone had laid out plates and plates of food.There was even more food (including seven hams) in the refrigerator and freezer. At the time, the last thing any of us could think about was eating, and I thought how bizarre it is that when someone dies, friends and neighbours rush over with casseroles and hams. After reflecting upon this experience, it seems that this is their way of showing t hey care. While they cannot really do anything to ease our suffering, they can at least ensure that the family has all of their material needs so that they can focus their attention on the grieving process.The family gathered around albums of photos. We told stories about my aunt. This reminiscing meant a lot to me. At last, I had a chance to talk to people who knew my aunt. We told stories about all of the great summer vacations, about all of the times my aunt caught us kids doing things we weren’t supposed to be doing, about all of her volunteer work, about all of the kids she had mentored, about what she was like as a young girl, about how she met my uncle, and about how she and my mom became best friends. All of these stories were very therapeutic for me.They gave me further knowledge about my aunt and solidified my conception of her as being a defining influence on my life. Although I wasn’t quite ready to accept the fact that she was gone, I was beginning to real ize that she would never really be gone because her existence had marked me as a person. How I lived my life was a reflection of her. Without her, I would not be who I am now. The way in which I look at this is another example of a continuing bond, though this one is more intangible than the butterflies mentioned above.Now that I am fully able to embrace this idea, I feel that I have moved through the grieving process, at least for the primary loss of my aunt. I still have not, however, fully dealt with the secondary loss. After my aunt’s death, my uncle (my godfather) distanced himself from our family. Perhaps we remind him too much of his wife. Perhaps he feels that he has no connection to us without her as she was our blood relative. I, however, will always consider him to be part of my family, and I am a bit angry that he doesn’t want to continue having a relationship with me.Valentine (2006) remarks that bereavement has been traditionally marginalized and that the primary goal of grief counselling has been the severing of ties and attachments with the deceased. This is the type of thought that underlies many of the different â€Å"stages of grief† theories. One example of a â€Å"stages of grief theory† is that of Kubler-Ross. Kubler-Ross (1997) developed a five-stage model for the grief process: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Another example is Parkes’s three phases of grief, modelled on the four-phase model of Bowlby.Each of these theories seems to conceive of grief as a linear process: there are stages that an individual must pass through on the way to accepting, or adjusting to, their loss. For me at least, these theories do not describe my own experience of dealing with grief. For example, I never passed through the denial, anger, and bargaining phases of Kubler-Ross’s model. One model that resonates well with my own experiences is Bowlby’s four stages of grief (1980). In an ear lier work, Bowlby outlined his theory of attachment, whereby individuals develop emotional bonds with others.Death disrupts this attachment bond, and the bereaved then passes through four phases: numbness and disbelief, yearning and searching, disorganization and despair, and reorganization (Bowbly, 1980). In my experience, I had definitely developed an attachment bond with my aunt. When my mom first told me that my aunt had died, I was in disbelief. I began to pass through the second stage immediately after the funeral. At first I was not able to sit still, I simultaneously wanted to be in my aunt’s home with my family and to walk in the woods around her house alone.All of the reminiscing my family did gave me an outlet for my preoccupations with thoughts of my aunt. Once I returned home, her death really hit me (stage three). I was once again geographically distanced from my family, and I was beginning to realize that I would never have the chance to talk to my aunt again, to ask for advice, and to go for walks on the beach. Eventually, I was able to get to stage four through the acknowledgment of continuing bonds. Klass, Silverman, and Nickman (1996) presented the idea of continuing bonds.This model contrasts traditional notions of bereavement in that it does not emphasize completely detaching oneself from the deceased. By creating continuing bonds, the bereaved can continue to have a sort of relationship with their loved one after death. For me, I have developed two continuing bonds with my aunt. The first is whenever I see a butterfly, I think of my aunt and imagine her looking out for me. These moments allow me to reflect, at least briefly, on the course of my life and question whether I am holding to the ethical and moral principles she instilled in me.The second continuing bond is related to the first. I acknowledge the fact that part of who I am is a result of her influence. I know the kind of person she was, and I turned to her so many times f or advice, that I can still hear her voice inside my head and I know what she would say to me. Both of these continuing bonds illustrate Klass, Silverman, and Nickman’s (1996) concept of continuing bonds as active relationships, as opposed to static memories. In conclusion, grieving is a complex process that every individual will experience differently.An individual’s process will be determined by their relationship with the deceased, the support of family and friends, cultural and societal factors, and how they are able to re-interpret their relationship with the deceased. Scholars from many different fields have developed different models for the grieving process. For me, the model that fit the best was Bowlby’s attachment theory and four phases of grief. Continuing bonds, as described by Klass, Silverman, and Nickman, was essential for me to move through the grieving process.ReferencesBowlby, J. (1980). Loss: Sadness & Depression. London: Hogarth Press. Hooym an, N. R. & Kramer, B. J. (2006).Living through Loss: Interventions across the Life Span. New York: Columbia University Press. Klass, D. , Silverman, P. R. , & Nickman, S. Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief. London: Taylor & Francis. Kubler-Ross, E. (1997).On Death and Dying. New York: Scribner. Mallon, B. (2008).Dying, Death and Grief. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Valentine, C. (2006).Academic constructions of bereavement. Mortality, 1 (11), 57-78.

Descriptive on Crashing While Cycling

Acquainted with the night I have been acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain-and back in rain I have out walked the furthest city light I have looked down the saddest city lane I have passes by the watchman on his beat And dropped my eyes unwilling to explain Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost I slowly emerge from my slumber to the escalating sound of my alarm clock. The door creaks as I turn with the flashlight around the corner. I navigate my way to the front door and slowly close it behind me. I put on my skin -tight cycling kit and start to push my bike to the gate.I look up and am acquainted with the still dark night sky staring at me†¦ The air is still misty and a slight breeze hits to signal the storm ahead. I clip in and slowly start to free wheel down the gradual hill. I meet up with the group and we greet one another. We are all advised of what the different non verbal gestures imply and to be vigilant on the road at all times, and then we set off in groups. As we cycle through the suburbs, we turn our heads from side to side looking down the deserted roads, trying not to attract attention.Our pupils are still exposed to the pitch black of the night and are getting bigger and bigger trying to absorb as much light as possible to see the way forward. We stride forward two abreast. Our lungs are scorched with the ever growing cold of the air, piercing them grasping at every gasp of air. Lights are now starting to appear around us, signalling that the city is slowly waking up. The sky is still dark and we have switched on our bicycle lights to illuminate our way. Now, for miles ahead we can see the blinking of red lights in the distance speeding past us.I meet up with the main road and start to wipe the sweat from my brow and adjust my glasses. The air is chilly and I see the watchman on his beat wrapped in a blanket trying desperately to keep warm. We near our first climb of the morning cycle. I lock my legs and a low gear for t he optimum power necessary to tackle this overwhelming sight in front of me. As I descend down the ever so steep hill, I gain momentum with every rotation of my wheel and crouch down to gain more speed. I pull my legs up to lessen the drag and gain even more peed. The bike starts to become unstable and, with the slightest movement the bike starts to sway to a great degree I hold on with great force in a desperate attempt not to lose control. I am about to hit the trough of the slope and loosen my posture when I hit a pot hole. As I career through the air like a missile locked onto a target, I make contact with the smooth, yet abrasive tar. I quickly try and unclip to balance myself but it is no use I have no platform to do so and just prepare for the worst.As I hit the deck, my tyres are the first to go with a huge pop. I now have no control over what is coming next. The rims buckle and warped from the immense pressure and I am going down. I try to put my hand in front of me to brea k the fall but it isn’t well thought out and, with a huge thud, my arm simply folds into itself and scraps across the floor at lightening speed. My shorts are quickly getting shredded, and soon my thigh will be too. Everyone is trying to dodge me and another cyclist in his effort to avoid me came to a halt colliding into a barrier.The only thing going through my head at the time is that my bike is now no more than a mangled piece of scrap metal. My bruised and battered body lies helplessly on the asphalt caged under my bicycle. My leg is in agony which is exacerbated by the bike lying on it. I scream for help hoping that I will be heard. I hear from a distance the screeching of tyres and the unclipping of cleats. The team is soon racing towards me and I can hear them shouting in the distance. I slowly drift off looking up to the stars†¦

Managing Oil Wealth: An Exploration Of Lessons Emerging Oil Nations Can Learn From Norway And Uk

Abstract Several oil producing and exporting countries have fallen under the pitfalls of the resource curse phenomena and the â€Å"Dutch disease’. Research studies have explored extensively in this area with most studies taking the view that resource rich countries experience slow economic growth compared to resource poor countries. Contrary to what should constitute common sense, countries that are endowed with abundant natural resources experience unbalanced economic growth compared to countries with fewer resources Against this popular view, this proposal seeks to demonstrate how emerging economies in Africa can escape the resource curse. In particular, the proposal seeks to demonstrate how oil wealth management policies of Norway and UK can assist emerging oil nations like Ghana and Uganda to manage their natural resources. The paper identifies important literature sources which will be reviewed and outlines the methodological framework that will be used. The paper also identifies some of the limitations to its research approach and highlights ways in which reliability, validity and research limitations are to be addressed. Introduction The impact of natural resources on economic and social development of a nation has been a controversial discussion for decades. Whilst oil exploration is associated with wealth creation and economic development, the nexus between oil, conflict and democratic failures is widely documented in literature (Basedau & Lay 2009). Despite evidence that oil exploration can act as a catalyst for development, many of the resource-rich countries have not benefited from oil production but have instead experienced great poverty and unstable living conditions, a phenomenon known as the ‘resource curse’. Nigeria and Angola are prime examples of the resource curse. Despite being the largest oil producers in Africa and despite generating higher revenues from oil booms, Angola and Nigeria still remain amongst the poorest countries in the world. The natural endowment in both of these nations has not been positively correlated with economic growth and social progress (Andre 2010). In Angola, for instance, majority of its population still live in extreme poverty, living on less than $2 per day (Hammond 2011). Similarly in Nigeria, despite having explored substantial oil for 50 years, oil production has not translated to substantial socioeconomic development and poverty rate remain extremely high with majority of the population living on less than US$1 per day (Muller 2010). In fact, the current poverty rate of 50% in Nigeria far exceeds that before the oil boom (35%) (Mahler 2010). Further, oil exploration in Nigeria has led to chronic internal instability and violent conflicts (Muller 2010). Recently, Uganda discovered commercially viable oil deposits in the Albertine Graben region which will see the country joining the club of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (Bainomugisha et al. 2006). The discovery of oil in Uganda has raised hopes that the country will generate substantial growth from the oil revenues and escape the fangs of biting poverty. Similarly, in December 2010, Ghana joined the ranks of oil exporting countries. Just last year, the average oil production in Ghana was reported at 68,000bbl per day (Kapela 2012). This production is expected to continue over the next 20 years. Problem statement With the emerging countries such as Uganda and Ghana positioning themselves to join the club of oil producing and exporting countries (OPEC), it remains unclear whether the pitfalls that have faced may of the resource-rich countries in Africa will similarly affect these economies. How can the emerging economies leverage their oil wealth to become economic stars without succumbing to the pitfalls of the ‘resource curse’(Bainomugisha et al. 2006). Whilst the availability of commercially viable oil resources may present these economies with an opportunity to boost their growth and reduce the biting fangs of poverty; the nexus between oil exploration and conflict and governance issues is widely documented. Can Ghana and Uganda find a way out of the resource curseHow would these economies address issues of governance, accountability and transparency which have seen resources in many of the oil producing nations in Africa becoming a curse instead of a blessingThese are some of the questions that linger in the minds of many people especially considering that countries like Angola, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea have not been able to escape the resource curse (Bainomugisha et al. 2006) Research aims/ objectives: The specific objectives of this study will be as follows: To explore the potential challenges new oil nations such as Ghana and Uganda might face in oil and gas wealth management To critically examine and evaluate the oil wealth management policies of Norway and UK. To study the differences and similarities of the petroleum policies of Norway and UK. Literature review A number of research studies have explored extensively in the area of resource curse. Before examining some of these studies, it is worthwhile to first consider the resource curse thesis and explain what is meant by the popular ‘Dutch disease’. As such the literature will first begin with a description of the resource curse phenomena and the so called ‘Dutch disease’. This shall be followed by an analysis of transparency and accountability, good governance, revenue management and fiscal policies which have enabled Norwegian government to limit the ‘dutch disease effects and to build a competent national oil industry. Resource curse and the Dutch disease The two terms ‘resource curse’ and the ‘Dutch disease’ are somewhat related. Both presumably arise from resource riches but take on different forms. On the one hand, resource curse refers to a phenomenon in which countries that are rich in natural resources tend to experience slow growth despite their abundant and rich resources. Contrary to what should constitute common sense, countries that are endowed with abundant natural resources experience unbalanced economic growth compared to countries with fewer resources (Cotet & Tsui 2009). On the other hand, the Dutch disease is a term used by scholars to describe a phenomenon in which exports of the resource result in a rapid contraction in the non-resource traded goods sector (Larsen 2004). In essence, the ‘Dutch disease’ describes a situation where in export of natural resources bring about appreciation in real exchange rate which make exportation of non-natural resource commodities difficult (Andre 2010). This has been particularly the case in Angola where oil exploration has led to the reallocation of productive factors and an appreciation in real exchange rate. As a result, most of the sectors have either declined or stagnated with exception of the oil sector. A large volume of literature have explored on the resource curse phenomenon, often linking the extraction of natural resources to conflicts, corruption, civil war and economic decline. For example, studies by Humphreys (2005), Ross (2006) and Fearon (2005) have found natural resources as providing both finance and motive for armed conflict. Auty (2001) also points out that resource rich countries have since the 1960s underperformed in terms of economic growth, often being outperformed by the resource-poor countries by a considerable margin. Similar findings have been reported by Sachs & Warner (2001), Gylfason et al. (1999) and Leite & Weidmann (1999). Recently, a study by Neumayer (2004) which explored on the relationship between natural resource abundance and economic growth, with growth measured in terms of ‘genuine income’ (GDP less the depreciation of natural capital), produced the same results. Studies by Ross (2006), Fearson (2005) and Humphreys (2005) have similarly provided evidence supporting the resource curse thesis. Indeed a large number of authors have shown that the resource curse thesis is a demonstrable empirical fact. This thesis has become a popular view and is even encountered in the popular press. Scholars have widely acknowledged this view as a fact. Rather than critically exploring this causal relationship further to determine other variables that may be shaping this relationship, most of the scholars have instead researched the various ways through which the decline in growth is manifest (Cotet & Tsui 2009). As such, there exist relatively fewer studies that dispute the resource curse hypothesis. Against the popular view, this proposal argues that nothing is inherently cursed about oil and that oil exploration does not have to take a grim picture as has been the case in the past. The UK and Norway have responsibly managed their oil exploration activities and bore sustainable, fully integrated economies and stable welfare societies (Bainomugisha et al. 2006). Similarly, it is possible for Uganda and Ghana to avoid the so-called resource curse and to translate their oil discovery into sustainable gains. Transparency and accountability Corruption is without doubt a huge problem that has continued to hinder growth and development in resource rich countries. It is central in explaining the resource curse phenomena. Two prominent contributions by Mehlum et al. (2006) and Robinson et al. (2006) point out to corruption as key issue, in the form of rent seeking and patronage. However, there is an emerging consensus that transparency and accountability can help curb corruption and other dysfunctions of resource-rich developing countries (Kolstad & Wiig 2008). A number of initiatives have been undertaken to improve transparency and accountability in resource rich countries. For example, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has been developed to increase transparency in revenues generated from extractive industries such as oil and minerals (Kolstad & Wiig 2008). Other initiatives include the Transparency obligation initiative of the EU, and The IMF Guide on Resource Revenue Transparency. The proposal, however, does not seek to elaborate on these initiatives in detail as it is beyond the scope of study. Whilst there is strong empirical evidence pointing to the relationship between transparency and less corruption, it should be recognized that transparency on its own is not sufficient to address the resource curse. The effect of transparency on corruption is in fact conditional on education (Kolstad & Wiig 2008). At an individual country level, it is difficult to illustrate the conditional effect of transparency. However, if we a draw comparison between countries such Angola and Liberia, it becomes easier. Both countries have become more transparent following the end of the civil wars. Despite being transparent, the level of corruption has only been reduced in Liberia, as measured by the Kaufmann control of corruption index (Kolstad & Wiig 2008). Angola, on the other hand, has not seen any significant improvements. Furthermore, transparency may not necessarily address issues of corruption and may instead further exacerbate this problem. For example, whilst transparency makes it possible to identify corrupt officials, it can as well make it easier to identify relevant officials that may be bribed. That is, it reveals to potential bribers persons who can be contacted in order to acquire an unfair advantage. The identification effect may thus dominate the detection effect thereby further exacerbating problems of corruption. Whilst transparency is one of the ways through which countries can avoid the resource curse, at present, there exist no systematic studies exploring the relative impact of transparency in comparison to other feasible policies (Kolstad & Wiig 2008). Whether transparency is more appropriate to other policy alternatives thus remains an issue for further research. Good governance The issue of transparency and accountability is closely tied with good governance. Recent studies exploring the resource curse phenomena have stressed the importance of having in place good governance to ensure transformation of resource rents into favourable development outcomes. In particular, two prominent contributions see good governance as key to avoiding the resource curse. According to Mehlum et al (2006), resource rents tend to draw skilled workforce out of productive activities and into rent-seeking. As such, the key to addressing this problem is to increase attractiveness of the productive sector by having in place good institutions. Sharing a somewhat similar view, Robinson et al. (2006) argues that patronage is the main cause of resource curse. Hence, they suggest that the key to avoiding it is putting in place institutions that will limit the government’s ability to distribute public sector positions to political supporters. Revenue management Democracy is yet another issue of great importance. Studies by Ross (2001) and Aslasken (2007) have shown that oil hinders democracy. These authors have attributed this hindrance to the rentier effect. Since governments have control over substantial revenues from oil booms, they can hinder democracy through patronage, that is, by providing its supporters with certain advantages such as public sector positions. In order to address the resource curse, there is need for proper management and optimal use of revenues. Natural resources are exhaustible in nature and as such may be rendered obsolete. Measurements of permanent income thus have to take account of these characteristics. Spending must be based on present value of expected revenues, having taken into consideration uncertainty of the prices and the time of resource depletion (Kolstad & Wiig 2008). In other words, revenues ought to be saved and properly managed to ensure a permanent stream of income. Fiscal policies Fiscal policies also have an important role to play in addressing the problem of resource curse and the â€Å"Dutch disease† which can be minimized through decoupling of fiscal policy from revenue fluctuations. This is made possible through containment of fiscal spending, inflation and containment of nominal exchange rate appreciation (Coutinho 2011). Norway is a prime example of a country that has benefited from its fiscal policies. To avoid overspending its oil revenues, Norway adopted fiscal guidelines in 2001. Norway’s fiscal guidelines include a rule that ensures that the central government’s non-oil structural deficit is within 4% of the expected real return on Petroleum Fund assets (Coutinho 2011). This conservative approach which the Norwegian government has taken has enabled it to counter the uncertainty of its oil wealth. As pointed out by Jafarov & Moriyama (2005), Norwegian’s oil revenue policy has enabled the country to limit the Dutch disease effects by protecting the non-resource sectors from the impact of fluctuations in petroleum prices. Whilst the Norwegian oil policy could be regarded as a prime example of a successful policy framework, Humphrey & Sandbu (2007) have pointed out that the institutional restrictions imposed by Norway’s fund on policy makers are weak and may not be effective in environments with weak institutional framework. Nonetheless, the Norwegian oil policy has enabled the country to built a competent national oil industry which has been well-managed up to date (Ryggvik 2010). UK and Norway as oil and gas countries. The UK and Norway are prime examples of countries which have successfully managed their natural resource wealth. In particular Norway, which is currently the second largest export of oil across the world, shows no symptoms of a resource abundance curse. However, one factor that may be pointed out that differentiates the experience of Norway from the other oil producing countries is the timing of natural resource discovery. Unlike many other OPEC countries, the discovery of oil occurred at a time when Norway was already a developed country (Mehboob 2012). Nonetheless, the Norwegian government has successfully managed its natural resources, escaping the resource curse which has afflicted many of the OPEC countries. In fact, Norway was ranked as number one in the democracy index by a recent UK economic intelligence report. This decision was based on a number of criteria including transparency, accountability, election freedom and fairness, influence of foreign powers and ability to implement policies (Campbell 2012). Voluminous research has also shown that good policies and good governance have been central to the success of Norwegian oil sector. From this lengthy literature survey, two observations can be made. First, whilst there is strong evidence pointing to the association between natural resource abundance and adverse outcomes on the economy, the evidence is by no means conclusive. The second observation is that there are no adequate accounts for the role of social forces or political environments in shaping development outcomes. Research has tended to take a reductionist approach, explaining development performance solely in terms of the size and a country’s endowment of the natural resources. Although a consensus is emerging that the relationship between a country’s resource wealth and development outcomes may be shaped by certain political and social variables; scholars have tended to ignore these variables and instead taken the view that resource rich countries experience slow growth compared to resource poor countries. Contrary to this view, this proposal demonstrates how emerging economies in Africa can escape the resource curse which has afflicted many of the petro-countries. Whilst there is strong evidence linking the ‘resource curse theorem’ with poor development outcomes in many of the resource rich countries in Africa, emerging economies such as Uganda and Ghana can avoid this phenomena by ensuring good governance, transparency and accountability, effective revenue management and implementing fiscal policies that would help build competent national oil industries. The UK and Norway are prime examples of countries that have successfully managed their oil wealth. Emerging economies can learn from these two countries. Research questions This research study seeks to address the following research questions: How can new and emerging oil nations ensure realization of oil and gas policies to avoid the resource curse How can the oil wealth management policies of Norway and UK assist emerging oil nations like Ghana and Uganda Research methodology Research strategy/Approach Whether one is familiar with a dissertation topic or not, it is important to have in a place a research strategy that will help the researcher to collect the necessary data for analysis. In this regard, a research strategy is a methodological approach that is taken by the researcher to investigate a particular research issue. As defined by Saunders et al. (2009), it is a general plan that guides the researcher in investigating a particular research issue. In a similar vein, Bryman (2008) defines research strategy as â€Å"a general orientation to the conduct of research† (pp698). Saunders et al. (2009) further states that a particular strategy has to be selected based on research objectives and questions, extent of existing knowledge about the topic under study, time and availability of resources, and the philosophical underpinnings of the researcher ( Saunders et al. 2009, p.600). Based on this criterion, different research strategies may be employed by the researcher. Whilst there are various research strategies, Saunders et al (2009) and Yin (2003) acknowledge that a large overlap exists among these strategies. As such, of great importance would be to select the most advantageous strategy. Among the most commonly used research strategies are survey, experiment, case study, ethnography, grounded theory, cross sectional studies and participative inquiry among others. The proposed dissertation seeks to employ a case study research strategy. While examining the overall emerging economies in Africa, the study will devote particular focus to Uganda and Ghana as the case studies. Rationale for selecting case study research approach According to Robson (2002), a case study research strategy refers to a research strategy that involves an observed investigation of a particular phenomenon within a real life context (Robson 2002: p.178). Case study is considered ideal for the proposed dissertation as it allows the researcher to focus on the specific context, and for in-depth investigation of the issue at hand. Further, Case study research has been preferred over other research strategies as the research questions take the form of ‘how’. This research study has been developed to answer to the research questions: 1. how can new and emerging oil nations ensure realization of oil and gas policies to avoid the resource curse2. How can the oil wealth management policies of Norway and UK assist emerging oil nations like Ghana and Uganda? It is evident that the research questions predominantly consist of ‘how’ type of research questions, hence suited for a case study research. Chetty (1996) also points out that case study research is important as it leads to the observation of new insights that would otherwise not have emerged with other research strategies such as surveys. The qualitative case study will explore the oil and gas management policies and theories in Norway and UK, and examine how emerging nations, particularly Uganda and Ghana, can learn from these countries which have built competent oil sectors. The case study strategy is expected to capture the complexity surrounding management of oil wealth in these emerging economies. Qualitative method A number of scholars have differentiated between qualitative and quantitative research. One of the key issues that have been used to draw distinction between the two is the nature of data. With quantitative research method, the data is hard, objective and standardized. But with qualitative method, the data is rich and deep (Corbetta 2003). Bickman et al. (1998) and Maxwell (1998) have further added interactivity as one of the features of qualitative research. The nature of data needed for the proposed dissertation is rich and deep. The richness of the information is necessary in order to identify the current management practices employed by Norway and the UK in the management of their oil wealth which will then be reflected in designing an applicable management model for emerging countries such as Uganda and Ghana. Data collection The research question: ‘how can new and emerging oil nations ensure realization of oil and gas policies to avoid the resource curse?’ requires an extensive amount of investigation. As such in-depth interviewing is deemed more appropriate for this study. Interviews will be used as the primary source of collecting data. Interviews will be conduct with key informants in Norway and the UK who will shed a light on the policies governing the management of oil and provide an explanation as to how these economies have been able to escape the resource curse phenomena and the ‘Dutch disease’. The interviewees will comprise of key informants in the oil industry such as the local leaders and policy practitioners, international and national diplomats, and policy drivers in transnational agencies, consultants and experts in the oil industry. A total of 30 respondents will be interviewed. Further, a desk study will be conduct to supplement the primary data. This will involve collecting secondary qualitative data which will be derived from previous research studies. Both documentary and on-line material related to the research topic will be reviewed. The secondary qualitative data will be obtained from archival documents, official government publications, policy papers, statistical data and several other publications including books and academic journals. Peer reviewed journals will include the European Economic Review, Journal of Peace Research, Cyprus Economic Policy Review, Journal of Conflict Resolution, The Economic Journal, and Journal of Development Economics among others. This secondary information will supplement the primary data collected and improve accuracy and validity of the research findings. Data analysis The data obtained from in-depth interviews is rich in detail, contextually laden and subjective. Such data must be reworked or reduced to represent major themes that describe the phenomenon under study. As such, thematic analysis has been chosen as the main approach to analyzing the qualitative data in the proposed in dissertation. As defined by Saunders et al. (2009), thematic analysis refers to quantitative content analysis that involves the identification of patterns and themes within data. Thematic analysis is particularly common with qualitative research. It involves identification of a number of emerging themes which reflect the textual data. Whilst it may sound easy, thematic analysis require the researcher to be familiar with their data in order to provide insightful analysis. Data familiarization is thus key to thematic analysis. Limitations of qualitative research Whilst positive that research objectives of this research can be achieved, there certain challenges that may be encountered with the methodological approach. As pointed out by Bryman (2004), qualitative findings tend to rely much on researchers often unsystematic views on what is important and significant, and research findings may be influenced by the researcher’s biases. Moreover, the findings obtained from a qualitative case study may not be generalizable given the set of few respondents. The scope of qualitative research is often limited to single cases and as such, it becomes difficult to generalize the findings. Also, respondents may choose to provide false information which may affect the accuracy of the findings. Despite these criticisms, qualitative research has been chosen as the research approach in the present study. Generalizability, validity and reliability The researcher will avoid the bias associated with qualitative research by deliberately seeking data from various sources including official government documents, policy papers and other relevant secondary sources. This secondary information will be used to supplement the findings obtained from the primary interviews. Ethical considerations A number of ethical issues may arise with interviews with key informants. Given the secrecy of information of this nature, some participants may not be at liberty to reveal certain sensitive information. However, the researcher assured the participant about confidentiality of their information. Another ethical concern relates to the issue of utilizing secondary sources without the author’s permission. To address this concern, the researcher is going to acknowledge the contributions made by the original authors of the secondary sources in the proposed dissertation. Conclusion Clearly, we have seen that many resource rich countries especially the African countries such as Nigeria and Angola have suffered from ‘resource curse’ and the ‘Dutch disease’. Despite being the largest oil producers, these resource rich countries still remain at amongst the poorest in the world. Their natural endowment has not been positively correlated with economic growth and social progress. We’ve also seen a close and strong link between ‘resource curse’ and corruption, bad governance, lack of accountability and transparency, poor revenue management and poor fiscal policies. On a lighter note, we’ve seen some of the resource rich countries which have been able to escape the ‘resource curse’ and ‘Dutch disease’. We’ve seen that the UK and Norway have successfully managed their natural resources. This is explained by the fact that they have pursued good policies in some areas and have enjoyed the advantages of having resource rent. However, we’ve noted that unlike many other OPEC countries, the discovery of oil occurred at a time when Norway was already a developed country. This perhaps point to the differentiated experience in the management of oil wealth between Norway and other oil producing countries. Nonetheless, we argue that the emerging economies such as Ghana and Uganda can learn from Norway and the UK, and leverage their oil wealth in order to emerge as economic stars without succumbing to pitfalls of the resource curse. Clearly, this research is of paramount importance and would contribute significantly to the management of natural resources. Resource requirement To successfully execute this dissertation, the researcher intends to use a variety of secondary sources. In particular, articles and academic journals would inform this analysis. The internet, online-library and computers would aid in the data collection and analysis. There is a plethora of literature on management of oil wealth. The dissertation will thus be based on a critical review of published literature such as journals, articles, and textbooks. In addition, the researcher intends to review press releases, government documents and annual work plans such as the 2012 Work Plan of Environmental Management in the Oil and Gas Sector. This would ensure that the dissertation is consistent, professional and of the highest quality. Given the great deal of research conducted on this topic, the researcher is positive the dissertation will be successfully accomplished without much cost or future hindrance. Further, frantic efforts and time would be devoted towards analyzing the published literature and augmenting it with the primary data collected. Timetable/ Gantt chart Activity September October November December January weeks 12341234123412341234 A review of prior studies and any relevant literature draft of the literature review research design and strategy Design of interview questions Communication with key informants and scheduling of interviews Interviews with key informants Data collection Data analysis (Thematic analysis) composition of the draft of the project submit to tutor for the revision final check of the data and accuracy of the written project final submission Reference Andre, G., 2010. The management of the Angolan oil revenues: are there any chances to change course of the ‘resource curse’University of Dundee Aslaksen, S., 2007. Oil, democracy and country fixed effects. Mimeo, Department of Economics, Trondheim: Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Auty, R. M., 2001. ‘The Political Economy of Resource-Driven Growth’. European Economic Review, 45 (4-6): 839-846. 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