Int'l Quality Management System - TQM Project Research Paper

Int'l Quality Management System - TQM Project - Research Paper Example The head office and factory is situated in Arabian Desert, some kilometers away from Dubai International Airport. Its other branches are found in China, Sudan, Bangladesh, Iran and India. The company offers a complete solution with it diversification into tile adhesives and related products in a joint-venture with Laticrete International, Inc. USA, a joint-venture with German-based Kludi to manufacture a range to taps, faucets and accessories for sanitary ware products. RAK ceramics started its operation in Saudi Arabia because of the area’s largest market due to high living standards and a rising economy with brand-conscious people (Ryan,2000). The major shareholder of this company is its founder, Sheikh Saud Alquasimi, who is also the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. i) The company faces tough competition from national and regional players in most of the countries. Some of the competitors are Kajaria Ceramics, H&R Johnson India, Asian Granito India, Nitco Tiles and Somany Ceramics. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a philosophy of an organization in which it focuses on the core activities of the organization and ensures that the customer’s needs are satisfied. The key components of an organization are the quality and the reduction of waste. The organization implements the Total Quality management by starting at the top levels of the organization. This requires that the top management of the organization do not only embrace the concepts of TQM but also ensure satisfaction of the organizations customers (Charantimath,2011). The organization can ensure that the customers receive satisfaction through promoting the customer needs first. It is thus imperative that the organization implement the Total Quality Management for it to achieve its objectives. The implementation of the TQM is very significant in the organization in that after its implementation, the

Reflective Account Essay Example for Free

Reflective Account Essay On an occasion at work I was aware of a staff member communicating very negatively, for example sighing and tutting and general negativity. Supervision was due so it was brought into meeting that last had concerned had noticed a change in the person’s general attitude, I asked if there was a specific reason and was told there was not. Although they agreed that they were being negative. We discussed the workload and it was decided it was not that. It was mentioned by the staff member that they were feeling a little unsure of how to deal with a service user who had dementia and was unpredictable and seemed to have taken a dislike to the staff member . We discussed at length the way forward and I arranged for some training in challenging behaviour and dementia. The staff member realised she could not avoid the service user and that if she had mentioned her concerns sooner the problem would not have escalated. She tried to hide her feelings but they were shown in a different way. I agreed to mentor and support the staff member with the service user helping her to find an appropriate approach, the service user was feeding on the negative behaviour of the staff .In a few weeks the situation was improved undoubtedly and the staff member is more positive and no longer showing any sign of negativity. I recorded everything we had discussed and we both signed it. At the following supervision the staff had been on a training workshop and was awaiting further news of more. She mentioned previously that she felt it was a weakness in her that is why she had tried to cover it up but since our discussion and my ongoing support she would never hesitate to mention any concerns she had in the future. I felt that we needed to improve activity at the Centre; the service users are a mixed group (physically and mentally frail) so I needed to find something they could all do and enjoy. I signed myself onto three one day courses with another staff member. The courses were all different but aimed at dementia sufferers. The first one ‘Bringing stories to Life ‘, I thought was going to be about putting together a Life Story, I could not have been more wrong! The ice-breaker at the beginning of the workshop was letter bingo, it involved walking around so I have adapted this so that my service users are seated, we use sets of the 26 letters of the alphabet and the service user chooses a letter and then gives me a word beginning with that letter before answering a quiz question, which I write down and while they are playing two alike trying to match up. I take the words and make up a little story or poem. The feedback from that activity has been very positive. Also from the workshop which involved using props to tell a story I have been able to do this activity several times? Using the props seems to help the quietest of the service user to join in and the feedback discussion afterwards have become very enjoyable to all. The second workshop was about using pictures (not personal) to story tell. Again this activity has been very successful, there was one or two people who were unsure but has we progressed they too joined in. The picture is given to the service user and they are asked open ended questions about it and everything is validated. Before we start we decide who is going to scribe and afterwards that person will firstly read back what as been said and ask if the service users would like to add anything? When everybody is satisfied the scriber will type the ‘story ‘ up and each service user gets a copy , we keep a copy in a folder for all to look at and we also pin a copy too our notice board . The third workshop was along the same line but using senses to make a story/poem, again we have done this a couple of times. We used a bottle of water some soil in a bag, cotton wool, leaves and bubbles, we pass the items around the room one at a time and ask the service user to say the first word they thought of when looking / touching or smelling the item .one thing we came up against was that the service users said the same thing as the previous person, so we are trying to adapt this activity further. From all three workshops I and my staff member redeveloped our armchair exercise which we do daily. We had heard the service users discuss how they were bored with doing the same exercise week after week and listening to the same music disc. So we put together some more upbeat music and sat and compiled our version of seated exercise ,using the same safe exercise taking advice from one of our other services ‘Ageing Well’ who had spent several weeks showing us seated exercise . Of course before we started any of the new activities we had a meeting with all the staff who were going to be involved. We discussed what we had learnt from each workshop and asked for feedback from the staff, some of them felt unsure about using the props and pictures, so me and the staff member who came with me agreed to lead the first one, we arranged a date and agreed on a theme for it and it was decided we would use props for the first one .I was to lead and the staff member was going to scribe. Before we started we went to each service user and asked them to sign a consent form to allow us to take photographs. This would allow another staff to get a little involved with out feeling to unsure .the discussion /feedback with the service users was great ,they were still talking about how much they had enjoyed themselves when they were going home. They were excited when I told them that there would be photographs to look at the following week. I discussed with the staff the following day how they felt about the activity and was pleased they were all positive. I continued to share taking the lead with the staff member who attended the training with me for several sessions to enable the other staff to be able to learn from us. Although with all the activities there is no right or wrong way. That is why we validate everything that is said. The change in the majority of service users is a pleasure to see, even the quietest person as become much more vocal and willing to join in with most of the activities we do. One person in particular who is hard of hearing and registered blind joins in, when in the past he as chosen not to. He still talks about certain themes we have done the story telling to, for example at Halloween we took the opportunity to do this theme, we used pumpkins and plastic spiders, I passed these things around the room and we used ‘The Monster Mash’ song to do some light movement to music before using props to make up a story relevant to the theme. I asked the service user to describe the spider, for example what he thought it was felt like and he got really into it and even had a photograph taken. Since then I have heard him telling others about ‘the day we let him hold the Tarantula ‘and how he danced to ‘spooky music’. Changing what we do and the way we do it as had a very positive effect all the way round. We still do the other activities for example Bingo, dominoes etc.During our action plan meeting we discuss which service users are in the centre that day and adapt our activity to suit, of course what we plan for the day may change if we ask the service users they may want to do another thing so if we can we will accommodate the majority. Usually the day is spent doing group work but if needed we do offer one to one.

French Revolution :: European Europe History

French Revolution Essay: What were the reasons and results of the French revolution? In 1789 financial times were hard in France. The peasants were upset that the nobles were living lavish lives collecting taxes, while they suffered. The prices on food were rising and the people were starving. The French social system was outdated and consisted of three classes. The first class consisted of the clergy. They paid no taxes and led the best lives. The second estate was the nobles. These were people who held top jobs in the government. The third and largest estate was the peasants. The people paid the most taxes and suffered the most. These people paid for Frances deficit spending. Deficit spending is when the country spends more money than is coming in. Louis XIV left France deeply in debt. Through out the 1700 taxes gradually rose to help repay this debt. By 1789 half its taxes went to paying the interest on this debt. This frustration led to revolt. On August 4th peasants attacked the Bastille. The peasants raided the Bastille but found no arms. This lead to a massive change in the government. The French government, in late August issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man. The Document was modeled in part of the American Declaration of Independence. In it stated that all men are born and remain free. Man also had the right to enjoy natural right or the right to property, security and resistance to oppression. It also said there are no different in man except his virtues and talents. It also granted freedom of religion and called for taxes to be levied according to ones pay. But this was still not enough for some. Working class citizens called sans-culottes pushed the revolution into some more radical action. By 1791 many sans-culottes demanded France become a republic. They also wanted the government to guarantee the government gives them living wages. Wars waged over France between those who supported the republic and those who opposed it.

Twilight 9. THEORY

9. THEORY â€Å"Can I ask just one more?† I pleaded as Edward accelerated much too quickly down the quiet street. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to the road. He sighed. â€Å"One,† he agreed. His lips pressed together into a cautious line. â€Å"Well†¦ you said you knew I hadn't gone into the bookstore, and that I had gone south. I was just wondering how you knew that.† He looked away, deliberating. â€Å"I thought we were past all the evasiveness,† I grumbled. He almost smiled. â€Å"Fine, then. I followed your scent.† He looked at the road, giving me time to compose my face. I couldn't think of an acceptable response to that, but I filed it carefully away for future study. I tried to refocus. I wasn't ready to let him be finished, now that he was finally explaining things. â€Å"And then you didn't answer one of my first questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stalled. He looked at me with disapproval. â€Å"Which one?† â€Å"How does it work – the mind-reading thing? Can you read anybody's mind, anywhere? How do you do it? Can the rest of your family†¦ ?† I felt silly, asking for clarification on make-believe. â€Å"That's more than one,† he pointed out. I simply intertwined my fingers and gazed at him, waiting. â€Å"No, it's just me. And I can't hear anyone, anywhere. I have to be fairly close. The more familiar someone's†¦ ‘voice' is, the farther away I can hear them. But still, no more than a few miles.† He paused thoughtfully. â€Å"It's a little like being in a huge hall filled with people, everyone talking at once. It's just a hum – a buzzing of voices in the background. Until I focus on one voice, and then what they're thinking is clear. â€Å"Most of the time I tune it all out – it can be very distracting. And then it's easier to seem normal† – he frowned as he said the word – â€Å"when I'm not accidentally answering someone's thoughts rather than their words.† â€Å"Why do you think you can't hear me?† I asked curiously. He looked at me, his eyes enigmatic. â€Å"I don't know,† he murmured. â€Å"The only guess I have is that maybe your mind doesn't work the same way the rest of theirs do. Like your thoughts are on the AM frequency and I'm only getting FM.† He grinned at me, suddenly amused. â€Å"My mind doesn't work right? I'm a freak?† The words bothered me more than they should – probably because his speculation hit home. I'd always suspected as much, and it embarrassed me to have it confirmed. â€Å"I hear voices in my mind and you're worried that you're the freak,† he laughed. â€Å"Don't worry, it's just a theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face tightened. â€Å"Which brings us back to you.† I sighed. How to begin? â€Å"Aren't we past all the evasions now?† he reminded me softly. I looked away from his face for the first time, trying to find words. I happened to notice the speedometer. â€Å"Holy crow!† I shouted. â€Å"Slow down!† â€Å"What's wrong?† He was startled. But the car didn't decelerate. â€Å"You're going a hundred miles an hour!† I was still shouting. I shot a panicky glance out the window, but it was too dark to see much. The road was only visible in the long patch of bluish brightness from the headlights. The forest along both sides of the road was like a black wall – as hard as a wall of steel if we veered off the road at this speed. â€Å"Relax, Bella.† He rolled his eyes, still not slowing. â€Å"Are you trying to kill us?† I demanded. â€Å"We're not going to crash.† I tried to modulate my voice. â€Å"Why are you in such a hurry?† â€Å"I always drive like this.† He turned to smile crookedly at me. â€Å"Keep your eyes on the road!† â€Å"I've never been in an accident, Bella – I've never even gotten a ticket.† He grinned and tapped his forehead. â€Å"Built-in radar detector.† â€Å"Very funny.† I fumed. â€Å"Charlie's a cop, remember? I was raised to abide by traffic laws. Besides, if you turn us into a Volvo pretzel around a tree trunk, you can probably just walk away.† â€Å"Probably,† he agreed with a short, hard laugh. â€Å"But you can't.† He sighed, and I watched with relief as the needle gradually drifted toward eighty. â€Å"Happy?† â€Å"Almost.† â€Å"I hate driving slow,† he muttered. â€Å"This is slow?† â€Å"Enough commentary on my driving,† he snapped. â€Å"I'm still waiting for your latest theory.† I bit my lip. He looked down at me, his honey eyes unexpectedly gentle. â€Å"I won't laugh,† he promised. â€Å"I'm more afraid that you'll be angry with me.† â€Å"Is it that bad?† â€Å"Pretty much, yeah.† He waited. I was looking down at my hands, so I couldn't see his expression. â€Å"Go ahead.† His voice was calm. â€Å"I don't know how to start,† I admitted. â€Å"Why don't you start at the beginning†¦ you said you didn't come up with this on your own.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"What got you started – a book? A movie?† he probed. â€Å"No – it was Saturday, at the beach.† I risked a glance up at his face. He looked puzzled. â€Å"I ran into an old family friend -Jacob Black,† I continued. â€Å"His dad and Charlie have been friends since I was a baby.† He still looked confused. â€Å"His dad is one of the Quileute elders.† I watched him carefully. His confused expression froze in place. â€Å"We went for a walk -† I edited all my scheming out of the story â€Å"- and he was telling me some old legends – trying to scare me, I think. He told me one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated. â€Å"Go on,† he said. â€Å"About vampires.† I realized I was whispering. I couldn't look at his face now. But I saw his knuckles tighten convulsively on the wheel. â€Å"And you immediately thought of me?† Still calm. â€Å"No. He†¦ mentioned your family.† He was silent, staring at the road. I was worried suddenly, worried about protecting Jacob. â€Å"He just thought it was a silly superstition,† I said quickly. â€Å"He didn't expect me to think anything of it.† It didn't seem like enough; I had to confess. â€Å"It was my fault, I forced him to tell me.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Lauren said something about you – she was trying to provoke me. And an older boy from the tribe said your family didn't come to the reservation, only it sounded like he meant something different. So I got Jacob alone and I tricked it out of him,† I admitted, hanging my head. He startled me by laughing. I glared up at him. He was laughing, but his eyes were fierce, staring ahead. â€Å"Tricked him how?† he asked. â€Å"I tried to flirt – it worked better than I thought it would.† Disbelief colored my tone as I remembered. â€Å"I'd like to have seen that.† He chuckled darkly. â€Å"And you accused me of dazzling people – poor Jacob Black.† I blushed and looked out my window into the night. â€Å"What did you do then?† he asked after a minute. â€Å"I did some research on the Internet.† â€Å"And did that convince you?† His voice sounded barely interested. But his hands were clamped hard onto the steering wheel. â€Å"No. Nothing fit. Most of it was kind of silly. And then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I decided it didn't matter,† I whispered. â€Å"It didn't matter?† His tone made me look up – I had finally broken through his carefully composed mask. His face was incredulous, with just a hint of the anger I'd feared. â€Å"No,† I said softly. â€Å"It doesn't matter to me what you are.† A hard, mocking edge entered his voice. â€Å"You don't care if I'm a monster? If I'm not human!† â€Å"No.† He was silent, staring straight ahead again. His face was bleak and cold. â€Å"You're angry,† I sighed. â€Å"I shouldn't have said anything.† â€Å"No,† he said, but his tone was as hard as his face. â€Å"I'd rather know what you're thinking – even if what you're thinking is insane.† â€Å"So I'm wrong again?† I challenged. â€Å"That's not what I was referring to. ‘It doesn't matter'!† he quoted, gritting his teeth together. â€Å"I'm right?† I gasped. â€Å"Does it matter?† I took a deep breath. â€Å"Not really.† I paused. â€Å"But I am curious.† My voice, at least, was composed. He was suddenly resigned. â€Å"What are you curious about?† â€Å"How old are you?† â€Å"Seventeen,† he answered promptly. â€Å"And how long have you been seventeen?† His lips twitched as he stared at the road. â€Å"A while,† he admitted at last. â€Å"Okay.† I smiled, pleased that he was still being honest with me. He stared down at me with watchful eyes, much as he had before, when he was worried I would go into shock. I smiled wider in encouragement, and he frowned. â€Å"Don't laugh – but how can you come out during the daytime?† He laughed anyway. â€Å"Myth.† â€Å"Burned by the sun?† â€Å"Myth.† â€Å"Sleeping in coffins?† â€Å"Myth.† He hesitated for a moment, and a peculiar tone entered his voice. â€Å"I can't sleep.† It took me a minute to absorb that. â€Å"At all?† â€Å"Never,† he said, his voice nearly inaudible. He turned to look at me with a wistful expression. The golden eyes held mine, and I lost my train of thought. I stared at him until he looked away. â€Å"You haven't asked me the most important question yet.† His voice was hard now, and when he looked at me again his eyes were cold. I blinked, still dazed. â€Å"Which one is that?† â€Å"You aren't concerned about my diet?† he asked sarcastically. â€Å"Oh,† I murmured, â€Å"that.† â€Å"Yes, that.† His voice was bleak. â€Å"Don't you want to know if I drink blood?† I flinched. â€Å"Well, Jacob said something about that.† â€Å"What did Jacob say?† he asked flatly. â€Å"He said you didn't†¦ hunt people. He said your family wasn't supposed to be dangerous because you only hunted animals.† â€Å"He said we weren't dangerous?† His voice was deeply skeptical. â€Å"Not exactly. He said you weren't supposed to be dangerous. But the Quileutes still didn't want you on their land, just in case.† He looked forward, but I couldn't tell if he was watching the road or not. â€Å"So was he right? About not hunting people?† I tried to keep my voice as even as possible. â€Å"The Quileutes have a long memory,† he whispered. I took it as a confirmation. â€Å"Don't let that make you complacent, though,† he warned me. â€Å"They're right to keep their distance from us. We are still dangerous.† â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"We try,† he explained slowly. â€Å"We're usually very good at what we do. Sometimes we make mistakes. Me, for example, allowing myself to be alone with you.† â€Å"This is a mistake?† I heard the sadness in my voice, but I didn't know if he could as well. â€Å"A very dangerous one,† he murmured. We were both silent then. I watched the headlights twist with the curves of the road. They moved too fast; it didn't look real, it looked like a video game. I was aware of the time slipping away so quickly, like the black road beneath us, and I was hideously afraid that I would never have another chance to be with him like this again – openly, the walls between us gone for once. His words hinted at an end, and I recoiled from the idea. I couldn't waste one minute I had with him. â€Å"Tell me more,† I asked desperately, not caring what he said, just so I could hear his voice again. He looked at me quickly, startled by the change in my tone. â€Å"What more do you want to know?† â€Å"Tell me why you hunt animals instead of people,† I suggested, my voice still tinged with desperation. I realized my eyes were wet, and I fought against the grief that was trying to overpower me. â€Å"I don't want to be a monster.† His voice was very low. â€Å"But animals aren't enough?† He paused. â€Å"I can't be sure, of course, but I'd compare it to living on tofu and soy milk; we call ourselves vegetarians, our little inside joke. It doesn't completely satiate the hunger – or rather thirst. But it keens us strong enough to resist. Most of the time.† His tone turned ominous. â€Å"Sometimes it's more difficult than others.† â€Å"Is it very difficult for you now?† I asked. He sighed. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"But you're not hungry now,† I said confidently – stating, not asking. â€Å"Why do you think that?† â€Å"Your eyes. I told you I had a theory. I've noticed that people – men in particular – are crabbier when they're hungry.† He chuckled. â€Å"You are observant, aren't you?† I didn't answer; I just listened to the sound of his laugh, committing it to memory. â€Å"Were you hunting this weekend, with Emmett?† I asked when it was quiet again. â€Å"Yes.† He paused for a second, as if deciding whether or not to say something. â€Å"I didn't want to leave, but it was necessary. It's a bit easier to be around you when I'm not thirsty.† â€Å"Why didn't you want to leave?† â€Å"It makes me†¦ anxious†¦ to be away from you.† His eyes were gentle but intense, and they seemed to be making my bones turn soft. â€Å"I wasn't joking when I asked you to try not to fall in the ocean or get run over last Thursday. I was distracted all weekend, worrying about you. And after what happened tonight, I'm surprised that you did make it through a whole weekend unscathed.† He shook his head, and then seemed to remember something. â€Å"Well, not totally unscathed.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Your hands,† he reminded me. I looked down at my palms, at the almost-healed scrapes across the heels of my hands. His eyes missed nothing. â€Å"I fell,† I sighed. â€Å"That's what I thought.† His lips curved up at the corners. â€Å"I suppose, being you, it could have been much worse – and that possibility tormented me the entire time I was away. It was a very long three days. I really got on Emmett's nerves.† He smiled ruefully at me. â€Å"Three days? Didn't you just get back today?† â€Å"No, we got back Sunday.† â€Å"Then why weren't any of you in school?† I was frustrated, almost angry as I thought of how much disappointment I had suffered because of his absence. â€Å"Well, you asked if the sun hurt me, and it doesn't. But I can't go out in the sunlight – at least, not where anyone can see.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I'll show you sometime,† he promised. I thought about it for a moment. â€Å"You might have called me,† I decided. He was puzzled. â€Å"But I knew you were safe.† â€Å"But I didn't know where you were. I -† I hesitated, dropping my eyes. â€Å"What?† His velvety voice was compelling. â€Å"I didn't like it. Not seeing you. It makes me anxious, too.† I blushed to be saying this out loud. He was quiet. I glanced up, apprehensive, and saw that his expression was pained. â€Å"Ah,† he groaned quietly. â€Å"This is wrong.† I couldn't understand his response. â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"Don't you see, Bella? It's one thing for me to make myself miserable, but a wholly other thing for you to be so involved.† He turned his anguished eyes to the road, his words flowing almost too fast for me to understand. â€Å"I don't want to hear that you feel that way.† His voice was low but urgent. His words cut me. â€Å"It's wrong. It's not safe. I'm dangerous, Bella – please, grasp that.† â€Å"No.† I tried very hard not to look like a sulky child. â€Å"I'm serious,† he growled. â€Å"So am I. I told you, it doesn't matter what you are. It's too late.† His voice whipped out, low and harsh. â€Å"Never say that.† I bit my lip and was glad he couldn't know how much that hurt. I stared out at the road. We must be close now. He was driving much too fast. â€Å"What are you thinking?† he asked, his voice still raw. I just shook my head, not sure if I could speak. I could feel his gaze on my face, but I kept my eyes forward. â€Å"Are you crying?† He sounded appalled. I hadn't realized the moisture in my eyes had brimmed over. I quickly rubbed my hand across my cheek, and sure enough, traitor tears were there, betraying me. â€Å"No,† I said, but my voice cracked. I saw him reach toward me hesitantly with his right hand, but then he stopped and placed it slowly back on the steering wheel. â€Å"I'm sorry.† His voice burned with regret. I knew he wasn't just apologizing for the words that had upset me. The darkness slipped by us in silence. â€Å"Tell me something,† he asked after another minute, and I could hear him struggle to use a lighter tone. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"What were you thinking tonight, just before I came around the corner? I couldn't understand your expression – you didn't look that scared, you looked like you were concentrating very hard on something.† â€Å"I was trying to remember how to incapacitate an attacker – you know, self-defense. I was going to smash his nose into his brain.† I thought of the dark-haired man with a surge of hate. â€Å"You were going to fight them?† This upset him. â€Å"Didn't you think about running?† â€Å"I fall down a lot when I run,† I admitted. â€Å"What about screaming for help?† â€Å"I was getting to that part.† He shook his head. â€Å"You were right – I'm definitely fighting fate trying to keep you alive.† I sighed. We were slowing, passing into the boundaries of Forks. It had taken less than twenty minutes. â€Å"Will I see you tomorrow?† I demanded. â€Å"Yes – I have a paper due, too.† He smiled. â€Å"I'll save you a seat at lunch.† It was silly, after everything we'd been through tonight, how that little promise sent flutters through my stomach, and made me unable to speak. We were in front of Charlie's house. The lights were on, my truck in its place, everything utterly normal. It was like waking from a dream. He stopped the car, but I didn't move. â€Å"Do you promise to be there tomorrow?† â€Å"I promise.† I considered that for a moment, then nodded. I pulled his jacket off, taking one last whiff. â€Å"You can keep it – you don't have a jacket for tomorrow,† he reminded me. I handed it back to him. â€Å"I don't want to have to explain to Charlie.† â€Å"Oh, right.† He grinned. I hesitated, my hand on the door handle, trying to prolong the moment. â€Å"Bella?† he asked in a different tone – serious, but hesitant. â€Å"Yes?† I turned back to him too eagerly. â€Å"Will you promise me something?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, and instantly regretted my unconditional agreement. What if he asked me to stay away from him? I couldn't keep that promise. â€Å"Don't go into the woods alone.† I stared at him in blank confusion. â€Å"Why?† He frowned, and his eyes were tight as he stared past me out the window. â€Å"I'm not always the most dangerous thing out there. Let's leave it at that.† I shuddered slightly at the sudden bleakness in his voice, but I was relieved. This, at least, was an easy promise to honor. â€Å"Whatever you say.† â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow,† he sighed, and I knew he wanted me to leave now. â€Å"Tomorrow, then.† I opened the door unwillingly. â€Å"Bella?† I turned and he was leaning toward me, his pale, glorious face just inches from mine. My heart stopped beating. â€Å"Sleep well,† he said. His breath blew in my face, stunning me. It was the same exquisite scent that clung to his jacket, but in a more concentrated form. I blinked, thoroughly dazed. He leaned away. I was unable to move until my brain had somewhat unscrambled itself. Then I stepped out of the car awkwardly, having to use the frame for support. I thought I heard him chuckle, but the sound was too quiet for me to be certain. He waited till I had stumbled to the front door, and then I heard his engine quietly rev. I turned to watch the silver car disappear around the corner. I realized it was very cold. I reached for the key mechanically, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. Charlie called from the living room. â€Å"Bella?† â€Å"Yeah, Dad, it's me.† I walked in to see him. He was watching a baseball game. â€Å"You're home early.† â€Å"Am I?† I was surprised. â€Å"It's not even eight yet,† he told me. â€Å"Did you girls have fun?† â€Å"Yeah – it was lots of fun.† My head was spinning as I tried to remember all the way back to the girls' night out I had planned. â€Å"They both found dresses.† â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"I'm just tired. I did a lot of walking.† â€Å"Well, maybe you should go lie down.† He sounded concerned. I wondered what my face looked like. â€Å"I'm just going to call Jessica first.† â€Å"Weren't you just with her?† he asked, surprised. â€Å"Yes – but I left my jacket in her car. I want to make sure she brings it tomorrow.† â€Å"Well, give her a chance to get home first.† â€Å"Right,† I agreed. I went to the kitchen and fell, exhausted, into a chair. I was really feeling dizzy now. I wondered if I was going to go into shock after all. Get a grip, I told myself. The phone rang suddenly, startling me. I yanked it off the hook. â€Å"Hello?† I asked breathlessly. â€Å"Bella?† â€Å"Hey, Jess, I was just going to call you.† â€Å"You made it home?† Her voice was relieved†¦ and surprised. â€Å"Yes. I left my jacket in your car – could you bring it to me tomorrow?† â€Å"Sure. But tell me what happened!† she demanded. â€Å"Um, tomorrow – in Trig, okay?† She caught on quickly. â€Å"Oh, is your dad there?† â€Å"Yes, that's right.† â€Å"Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow, then. Bye!† I could hear the impatience in her voice. â€Å"Bye, Jess.† I walked up the stairs slowly, a heavy stupor clouding my mind. I went through the motions of getting ready for bed without paying any attention to what I was doing. It wasn't until I was in the shower – the water too hot, burning my skin – that I realized I was freezing. I shuddered violently for several minutes before the steaming spray could finally relax my rigid muscles. Then I stood in the shower, too tired to move, until the hot water began to run out. I stumbled out, wrapping myself securely in a towel, trying to hold the heat from the water in so the aching shivers wouldn't return. I dressed for bed swiftly and climbed under my quilt, curling into a ball, hugging myself to keep warm. A few small shudders trembled through me. My mind still swirled dizzily, full of images I couldn't understand, and some I fought to repress. Nothing seemed clear at first, but as I fell gradually closer to unconsciousness, a few certainties became evident. About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was part of him – and I didn't know how potent that part might be – that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

50/50 Movie Review Essay

When we first saw the trailer for the film 50/50 starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogan, we knew this was a must-see. The film’s rough story of a 20-something year old battling with â€Å"stage five back cancer† taught us that life is too short to sweat the small stuff. People go through tragic battles like disease and the possibility of dying when all we do is find ourselves complaining about small, narrow problems in life. Adam demonstrated true optimism and showed the audience that accepting an issue is one of the biggest hurdles, but once it is accepted, anything can be taken on head-first. 0/50 is the story of how life can be taken on as â€Å"glass half empty† or â€Å"glass half full. † Throughout the film, Adam had many disappointments like his long-term girlfriend cheating on him. His mother’s overbearing attitudes were to drive anyone crazy. His father was even battling Alzheimer’s disease. Yet he pushed past all those downfalls and began therapy with talented actress Anna Kendrick (Katherine). At first he thought the idea of therapy wouldn’t help him. As he started opening up, he realized that Katherine was there for him, acting as a good friend and therapist. Even though he was at first reluctant, he realized that there were good people out there in the world that truly care for him and his well being. The night before his major surgery, Adam had a mental breakdown in his car. He realized that he didn’t want to die this young. With the help of Katherine and his best friend Kyle, he got the support that he was looking for. In the scene where he was about to go in to surgery, I was terrified for him. Seeing him cry like that made me realize that I should never take anyone or the simple pleasures of life for granted. Some people do not get the choice to live a full life, and I find myself constantly worrying about small, trivial, and unimportant things. This film was an emotional roller coaster. Although we all could not stop laughing at Kyle (played by Seth Rogan) and Adam’s witty humor, some of us have also never cried that hard in a movie theater. This film taught us that we need to appreciate all the people that are in our lives and appreciate all the sacrifices that they make for us. We need to laugh more. We need to let people know that we appreciate all the things they go out of their way to do for us. We need to realize that life really is beautiful and not all people are selfish as they seem to be. We also need to stop worrying so much. We need to appreciate life’s beauty and all the wonderful things people can offer us. This film was top-notch and would recommend anyone to go see this flick, male or female.

Cognitive Group Therapy for Adult Depression essays

Cognitive Group Therapy for Adult Depression essays One of the most important developments in psychosocial approaches to emotional problems has been the success of cognitive therapy for depression. Evidence for the powerful efficacy of this approach has increased throughout the years, particularly in regard to its long-term outcome. Because it employs a variety of well specified cognitive and behavioral techniques, cognitive therapy for depression is known for its detailed structure of each session with its specific agendas. It is also known for the deliberate and obviously effective therapeutic style or interacting with the clients through a series of well thought out questions. Cognitive therapy with adult depressed clients is usually undertaken in the therapists office. It has most frequently been applied in a one-on-one setting. However, group cognitive therapy has also been shown to successful with many depressed outpatients. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders encounter by therapists. More than 19 million adul t Americans will experience some form of depression each year. Depression has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks, and is a frequent factor in strokes, diabetes, and cancer. Furthermore, depression is the leading cause of disability, and the costs of treatment are an estimated $30 billion a year. Evidence even suggests that by the year 2010, depression will be the second most costly of illnesses worldwide. Research has indicated that cognitive therapy for depression is at least as effective as tricyclic antidepressants. Some studies have even found cognitive therapy to be superior to drug treatment. However, these results cannot always be duplicated. Even though the vast majority of clients recover from depression, they are always vulnerable to future episodes of depression. With this in mind, the urgent need for a therapy that is capable of minimizing and preventing relapse. One that clients can utilize long after the group has ended...

Free Essays on Prejudice and Racism

PREJUDICE&RACISM Until the closing years of the 19th century America preserved most of its official racist animus for blacks and Indians, but in 1882 it added a new category when Chinese were expressly denied entry to the United States, and those already in the country were forbidden the rights and protections of citizenship. In 1907 the exclusion was extended to the Japanese. Beginning in the 1890ies, as the flood of immigrants from the poorer parts of Europe turned into a deluge, racism became more sweeping, more rabid and less focused. Anti-immigrant fraternities were founded and books like Madison Grant ´s Passing of the Great Race ( which argued „ scientifcallyâ€Å" that unrestricted immigration was leading to the dilution and degenaration of the national character) became bestsellers. Early nicknames that were only mildly abusive (likecalling the Germans cabbage heads or Krauts( from their liking of sauerkraut) grew uglier and more barbed ( chink, kike, dago, polack, spic,hebe) Never before nor since have intolerance and prejudice been more visible, fashionable or universal among all levels of American society. In 1907 the Congress established a panel called the Dillingham Commision, that concluded that immigration before 1880 had been no bad thing-the immigrants primarily from nothern Europe were industrious, largely protestant and had assimilated well-while immigration after 1880 had been marked by the entrance into America of uneducated non-protestant masses from southern and eastern Europe. But in fact all evidence points in the opposite direction. It was because America had a base of low wage, adaptable,unskilled labour that it was able to become an industrial powerhouse. For over half a century American business had freely exploited its foreign born workers, and now it was blaming them for being poor and alienated. Also great intolerance and prejudice was shown towards the eastern European Jews, that found themse... Free Essays on Prejudice and Racism Free Essays on Prejudice and Racism PREJUDICE&RACISM Until the closing years of the 19th century America preserved most of its official racist animus for blacks and Indians, but in 1882 it added a new category when Chinese were expressly denied entry to the United States, and those already in the country were forbidden the rights and protections of citizenship. In 1907 the exclusion was extended to the Japanese. Beginning in the 1890ies, as the flood of immigrants from the poorer parts of Europe turned into a deluge, racism became more sweeping, more rabid and less focused. Anti-immigrant fraternities were founded and books like Madison Grant ´s Passing of the Great Race ( which argued „ scientifcallyâ€Å" that unrestricted immigration was leading to the dilution and degenaration of the national character) became bestsellers. Early nicknames that were only mildly abusive (likecalling the Germans cabbage heads or Krauts( from their liking of sauerkraut) grew uglier and more barbed ( chink, kike, dago, polack, spic,hebe) Never before nor since have intolerance and prejudice been more visible, fashionable or universal among all levels of American society. In 1907 the Congress established a panel called the Dillingham Commision, that concluded that immigration before 1880 had been no bad thing-the immigrants primarily from nothern Europe were industrious, largely protestant and had assimilated well-while immigration after 1880 had been marked by the entrance into America of uneducated non-protestant masses from southern and eastern Europe. But in fact all evidence points in the opposite direction. It was because America had a base of low wage, adaptable,unskilled labour that it was able to become an industrial powerhouse. For over half a century American business had freely exploited its foreign born workers, and now it was blaming them for being poor and alienated. Also great intolerance and prejudice was shown towards the eastern European Jews, that found themse...

The Most Popular Macy’s Interview Questions

The Most Popular Macy’s Interview Questions So you have an interview at Macy’s, likely for a retail position. Regardless of exactly what your role would be in the corporation, the rules of interview preparation are fairly standard. The first thing you’ll want to do is ready yourself  to answer the  interview questions that might come your way. Below, we’ve compiled some of the most popular from Macy’s interviews in the past. Prepare answers to as many as possible and practice, practice, practice before the big day. 1. â€Å"Why do you want to work at Macy’s?†If you don’t have an answer to this, you’re sunk. Oh, and your answer definitely can’t be: â€Å"I just really need a job.† Do some research into the company and come up with one or two things you really value or respect. Use this question as an opportunity to show your passion for the job you’re interviewing for, and to show them your commitment to their brand.2. â€Å"Why should we hire you ?†Having thoroughly digested the job posting, you’ll be prepared to explain exactly why you are perfect for this job- and in the very terms they put forth in the listing. You could try and also sell yourself to them as the ideal Macy’s customer, and show that you are already aware of their customers’ needs, making you  an extremely effective potential salesperson.3. â€Å"Describe an ideal customer service interaction.†Really have an answer for this. If you want to work in retail- or do already- chances are you have experience and with a bit of thought can come up with an insightful, honest answer about how you personally view customer service ideals. Remember to emphasize closing your sales, keeping the customer happy, getting the customer to return, going the extra mile, etc.- all the usual things you know to be successful retail strategies.4. â€Å"What is your favorite thing about fashion?†This is your opportunity to show your interview er again that you share interests with the company and would be an asset to their team. Talk about what fashion means to you, then make sure to pivot to how Macy’s is an ideal in this respect.5. â€Å"How would you handle an upset customer?†You might get this question or a more specific version, involving a particular scenario. Have a general answer prepared, but also be ready on your feet in case your interviewer asks how you would handle a specific situation. If you have your ideals and policies firmly in mind, you should be fine.6. â€Å"How would you go about selling me a Macy’s credit card?†You’ve been asked at check-out, probably multiple times. How would you do it? Keep in mind you’ll be required to and you’ll likely be rated on your ability to do so- this is a priority of your potential boss. Put yourself in the customers’ shoes and think what strategy would work best on you!7. â€Å"Why do you want this job?†Thi s question might be another way of asking why you want to work at Macy’s. Or it could be more specific. Why do you want this job?  Go through the posting word for word and have an answer prepared as to why you are a particularly good fit for this particular position. Emphasize how you could be an asset to the company and you can’t go wrong.8. â€Å"Talk about a time you led a team.†If your position involves any leadership, expect this to come up. Have a good anecdote prepared for a successful leadership role you assumed. Explain the outcome, what you learned, and how you plan to do even better in your next opportunity.These questions are based on actual questions Macy’s interviewees have been asked. Remember that any variants on these are fair game, as well as more specific, scenario-based questions you could not necessarily anticipate. Do your homework, ready your spiel, and be prepared for anything. Sell yourself as passionate about what you do (and, of course, about Macy’s as a company), and you’ll do fine.

Labor market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Labor market - Essay Example Comparatively, the poor performance of the US economy to inflation displays a high fight against recession, which results in an increase in unemployment levels. This paper will review why the labor market is doing unfavorably, due to poor fiscal policy. Since the 1930s, the growth of the government was accompanied by an enlargement of government spending. In those years, government spending made up about 3.3% of the national GDP. By 1944, the figure rose to about 44% before it fell to 11.6% in 1948. In 1883, it stood at 24%, and it was lower  than this figure  at 21%  in  1999 (Conte and Karr). This policy area entails fiscal policy, which entails the president’s proposal of a budget, which is split into different areas, including health, defense, transport and health services, among others. The main source of the funds allocated to the budget process is the tax collected from citizens, which approximated 48% of the federal revenues of the economy in 1999. Local govern ment authorities collect their revenues from property taxes (Conte and Karr). During the 1930s, the US government was getting out of the Great Depression. Therefore, it began to employing the fiscal policy to pursue social policies or in supporting its affairs, and to promote economic stability and growth (Popper). During the 1930s, people lacked enough income to purchase all the outputs from the economy, which resulted to the reduction of prices and bankruptcy of companies. With the increase in the number of companies suffering from bankruptcy, more and more people lost employment, which lead to further failure of companies (Conte and Karr). During the 1960s, the government rechanneled funds into government spending programs, which pushed consumption beyond what could be produced by the economy. Soon, prices and wages increased in an acute manner ending with a situation of inflation. However, the government did not control the increasing inflation. Therefore, during the 1970s, the economy suffered from an acute rise in the prices of food and those of oil resources. As a result, the government resolved to contain the high inflation, through raising taxes and through the reduction of national spending. The strategies employed to contain inflation failed to be effective with inflation and unemployment rising to uncontrolled levels, which led to a situation referred as stagflation in which deficits characterized the US economy (Popper). During the 1980s, these deficits increased despite President Reagan’s use of programs that aimed at increase national spending and cutting tax levels. As of 1986, the deficit had escalated to USD 221,000 million, which was about 22 % percent of the total spending of the economy. The high deficits made the conception of tax policies or increased spending unthinkable policy strategies. Starting with the 1980s, reducing the deficit was the key outlook of the economy’s fiscal policy. The years that followed were characte rized by the expansion of technology and trade with stimulation of economic growth appearing unnecessary. By 1998, the economy had changed to reflect a surplus, which led to fears that it would undergo major budget challenges (Conte and Karr). Despite the fact that the budget process was a very important process, the function of managing the American economy became very important. In general, it shifted from the outlook of fiscal policy towards monetary policy. For this role, the Federal Reserve System played a key role,

Plea Bargaining Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plea Bargaining Assignment - Essay Example Arreola declined to do either of the two options given to him explaining the Pomona police officers gave a false accusation. He was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting Hamilton as well as interfering with Pomona officers’ work by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. During his trial, the jury acquainted Arreola after establishing that he was not guilty. He was awarded $260,000 in damages and the LAPD offered to reinstate him. Arreola’s case fits charge bargaining, where the prosecutors trade off serious offenses with lower crimes for a plea. Arreola was given the option to plead guilty for a lesser offense, but decline the plea. According to Rubin, â€Å"Arreola refused to consider a guilty plea in exchange for a lenient sentence† (Para 10). In the, case, Arreola emerged the beneficiary because he was acquainted and awarded $260,000 after he was found not guilty of the offense by the jury. Moreover, he never pleaded guilty for a lesser charge as was initially decided by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Rubin, Joel. â€Å"LAPD officer awarded $260,000 over arrest by Pomona police.† Los Angels Time January 24, 2014:A4. Accessed April 18, 2014

The Law of the Sea applied to the Mar case Research Paper - 1

The Law of the Sea applied to the Mar case - Research Paper Example rgument that the vessels were in their territorial waters when the incident occurred, Italy on the other hand argues the vessels were in the high seas. There is therefore a deadlock on how international law should be applied in this case. It is worth noting the fact that the two countries are parties to the United Nations Convention to the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This law is found to codify much on modern international law that is presumed to cover most of the aspects that create a dispute between the two countries. This convention is therefore of use when determining the aspects like that of which country should have jurisdiction over this case. For example, article 111 of the convention gives a mention of all the conditions under which it is prudent for a given country to stop a vessel from another country while on the high seas (Chaturvedi). According to this jurisdiction, India may be found to possess jurisdiction over the case but the argument is that the two marines enjoy what is called functional immunity. There is therefore a likelihood of a conflict between Marà ² Case and the convention. The facts Of the case are that on the specified date the ship carrying the Italians and was on its way to Djibouti from Singapore was approached by a vessel off the coast of Kerala India. This ship was flying an Italian flag and had in it six Italian marines and according to the Italian government, these men wearing the Italian uniform are mandated with the task of protecting vessels with the Italian flag from any form of Pirate attacks while at sea. With this spirit, it is noted that the Italian vessels demanded for identification of the vessels, which was approaching them (Anand p.g. 250). In addition, they demanded that it leaves its path. The Italians further argument is that they fired at the approaching vessels as an intimidation tactic and they claim to have made the shots in water. This means that the shots were not directed to anyone specific and that no one

Impact of collaborative learning Research Paper

Impact of collaborative learning - Research Paper Example I have examined the impact of collaborative learning on students by use of simple regression analysis. The results indicate that collaborative learning had a positive effect on the performance of students. The study shows the proportion of collaborative learning to performance. The study also highlights areas of further study. Although the traditional classroom learning has it advantages, it is very imperative for a school to adopt collaborative learning as this will develop the students academically and socially (Inaja & Eraywoke, 2010, p.46). Introduction Collaborative learning is a scenario where individuals engage in learning mutually through taking part in discussions. It involves individuals learning together and taking advantages of each other skills, experience and resources. Collaborative learning is also a tutoring technique in which learners at different performance stages learn together in small groups toward a universal objective. On the other hand, traditional classroom is the process of learning where teachers give knowledge by use of lectures. The students are passive in the classrooms, but they write the ideas down. The exchange of ideas in the discussion groups not only increase exchange of ideas, but also promote critical and creative thinking. Most of the research studies conducted have been concentrated on the primary and secondary levels. There is convincing proof that supportive groups attain at elevated levels of thinking and maintain information longer than students who labor as individuals. The mutual erudition provides learners with a chance to connect in argument, take accountability for their own knowledge, and hence become decisive thinkers. Collaborative learning is founded on the suggestion that knowledge is more proactive through social action where learners actively engage in the learning modules and learning materials. Learners will absorb knowledge more easily through connecting with each other in the group discussion. Collab orative learning will give learners an opportunity to get exposed to dissimilar and varied environment. Learners will communicate, present and support thoughts, and exchange principles that they feel need engagements (Wei-Fan & Chung-Pei, 2011, p.57). The system incorporates social interaction in studies and makes learning more enjoyable and easy to comprehend. The method takes place when students are dynamically occupied in an area where studying takes place through clear or inherent attempts. The method involves a cognitive process by which teachers act as facilitators and students as recipients of knowledge. Collaborative learning method involves the use of networks, virtual classrooms, periodic group tests, and the use of dialogue. Collaborative learning has been tested and analyzed through tools that are designed to offer students a grasp of the learning experience. Furthermore, the method ensures that students and teachers engage each other in the learning process and undertak e constructive dialogue in class. Although, the method does not

Project Managment - Team work Evaluation Assignment - 1

Project Managment - Team work Evaluation - Assignment Example The group members came up with a substantial project process model that covered every sector of the project. Responsibilities were shared among members of the group to ease management and accomplish the goal of the project. Each stage was critically reviewed and parts that had problems were discussed by all members until an amicable solution was found. This model is important because it facilitates proper communication among different departments in the project (Kivipelto & Yliruka, 2012, p. 3). In addition, individuals are able to work with the allocated budget as resources are not wasted. It also helps to solve problems that are encountered as the project goes on so the project does not come to a standstill. This means that the project is likely to be completed in the stipulated time frame. Team members are motivated to work towards accomplishing the goal of the project since there are clear guidelines to be followed. The model provides a good system for conflict mangers thus the project is not swayed in the wrong direction. It is therefore very important to evaluate a team process model before starting the main

African history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

African history - Essay Example of how a powerful leader might approach changing ideologies within his own homeland in order to both reach the common people as well as the important figures at court. To understand how this came to be, a brief summary of Sundiata’s story is necessary. Born into a Muslim household to a deformed woman who seemed to have passed the idea of deformity onto her son, Sundiata’s beginnings were humble enough for a born prince. He is described as lazy, glutinous, seldom spoke and was unable to walk on his own. Nevertheless, his father provided him with a powerful griot in the belief that he would someday be king. Through a desire to help his mother stop crying, he was able to begin walking. To keep him safe from his elder half-brother, who had already sent his half-sister and griot away to the enemy king Suomaoro of Sosso, Sundiata and his mother fled to far-away lands where Sundiata learned how to hunt, fight and gained in wisdom. When he learned Suomaoro had overtaken his homeland of Mari, Sundiata returned, gathering fighters along the way. Through several battles involving aspects of both religions, Sundiata finally prevails over Suomaor o and founds an empire of his own. Elements of the traditional African religions can be seen traced throughout the book. Even before he is born, it was the voice of the soothsayers that led Sundiata’s father to marry his buffalo-woman mother, saying that one day he would make a great king. It is again the soothsayers of the old religions that have already prepared a great iron bar against that day when Sundiata would call for it in order to help him gain his feet. â€Å"The master of the forges, Farakourou, was the son of the old Nounfari, and he was a soothsayer like his father. In his workshops there was an enormous iron bar wrought by his father Nounfari. Everybody wondered what this bar was destined to be used for.† Witches are called to destroy him, but cannot because he is good of heart. His sister is also a

Project Managment - Team work Evaluation Assignment - 1

Project Managment - Team work Evaluation - Assignment Example The group members came up with a substantial project process model that covered every sector of the project. Responsibilities were shared among members of the group to ease management and accomplish the goal of the project. Each stage was critically reviewed and parts that had problems were discussed by all members until an amicable solution was found. This model is important because it facilitates proper communication among different departments in the project (Kivipelto & Yliruka, 2012, p. 3). In addition, individuals are able to work with the allocated budget as resources are not wasted. It also helps to solve problems that are encountered as the project goes on so the project does not come to a standstill. This means that the project is likely to be completed in the stipulated time frame. Team members are motivated to work towards accomplishing the goal of the project since there are clear guidelines to be followed. The model provides a good system for conflict mangers thus the project is not swayed in the wrong direction. It is therefore very important to evaluate a team process model before starting the main

A review of Risk Assessment Methodologies Essay

A review of Risk Assessment Methodologies - Essay Example Furthermore, a risk-management process will help you prioritize these issues should you lack the resources necessary to address them all immediately. 1. Establish the risk assessment team. The team is formed to collect, analyze and report the assessments to the management. It is important that all aspects of the activity work flow be represented on the team, including human resources, administrative processes, automated systems, and physical security. The reason is to plan things before hand so that it becomes easy to go by. The team members on the other hand will have to attend and participate in the meetings, they will have to take the responsibility of achieving goals and objectives. The team members will also have to work hard for effective teamwork and communications, share responsibility for all team decisions and share knowledge and expertise with the team. The team members would themselves have to provide leadership where appropriate and last but not the least, will have to participate in training sessions where required. 2. Set the scope of the project. ... should identify at the outset the objective of the assessment project, department, or functional area to be assessed, the responsibilities of the members of the team, the personnel to be interviewed, the standards to be used, documentation to be reviewed, and operations to be observed. When the scope of a project is discussed, the output is in terms of time and cost. Scope is important because experience team members would know how changes in scope cause an issue. As the things proceed scopes do change, as the team members are not aware of the actual outcomes of things. 3. Identify assets covered by the assessment. Assets may include, but are not limited to, personnel, hardware, software, data (including classification of sensitivity and criticality), facilities, and current controls that safeguard those assets. It is key to identify all assets associated with the assessment project determined in the scope. 4. Categorize potential losses. Identify the losses that could result from any type of damage to an asset. Losses may result from physical damage, denial of service, modification, unauthorized access, or disclosure. Losses may be intangible, such as the loss of the organizations' credibility. It is only after knowing these losses can the team think of threats that may occur. More than one individual gathers the potential loss or anything concerning this. Everyone can give his or her own comments. The more different possibilities are taken out, the more prepared a team becomes incase of an event. 5. Identify threats and vulnerabilities. A threat is an event, process, activity, or action that exploits a vulnerability to attack an asset. Include natural threats, accidental threats, human accidental threats, and human malicious threats. These could include power

The Kite Tunner Essay Example for Free

The Kite Tunner Essay In The Kite Runner, even though Hassan remains loyal, forgiving, and good natured, he is still the character who suffers the most. Hassan is a character who is discriminated against from the start of the book, till the very end. He is a part of a poor ethnic group called Hazaras whom are considered victims in the Afghan society. Amir and Hassan are half brothers, but because Hassan was a Hazara, he grew up in a hut as a servant working for his own father. Hassan understands his inferiority and accepts it, which causes other people to take advantage of him by betraying him. For example, even though Hassan always stood up for Amir, Amir left Hassan to get raped. Hassan was too scared to stand up for his best friend and believed that Hassan is sacrificing himself for Amir. Not only was the rape an attack physically, but it is also an attack on the victim’s emotions and dignity. In the Kite Runner, Hassan suffers the most pain both physically and mentally by living his life being betrayed, discriminated and losing his family. To start off, Hassan is a poor ethnic Hazara, he is considered inferior to the Afghan society, and therefore is discriminated throughout the whole novel. For example, Hassan and Amir both have the same rich father, but because Hassan was illegitimate and was a Hazara, he grew up as a servant in his father’s hut. With this in mind, Hassan is discriminated by everyone even his own family even the ones who Hassam didn’t even know was his family. Discrimination is so significant in his life that he has accepted the fact that he was born to be hated for his appearance. Hassan’s biological father Baba lies to Hassan and doesn’t even tell him that he is his real father. Despite the fact that Hassan gets discriminated upon, he still remains loyal and forgiving. Another example would be when the Taliban wanted Baba’s house and when they found out that Hassan and his wife were kuvubg u but alone, they wouldn’t listen to him when he tried to explain that Rahim Khan was the owner and they were waiting his return. The Taliban of course shot Hassan and his wife leaving Sohrab alone. The Taliban who show Hassan and his Wife were dismissed from their trial because they said it was self defence. They were dismissed because they have no proof that the Hazaras attacked the Taliban because no one would stand up for Hazaras. With this in mind, Hassan has died In addition, despite the fact that everyone knows that Hassan is good natured, he still is betrayed many times in the story mostly by his best friend Amir. In detail, Amir treats Hassan unfairly even thought he knows that Hassan will be good about it. For example, Amir left Hassan to get raped by Assef in the alley Hassan taught him incorrect meaning of words. Even after Amir betrays Amir, Hassan continues to serve him. and abandoning him even though Hassan saved him countless amounts of time. Amir only does this because When Assef asked Amir why he’s friends with a Hazara, Amir said that he’s his servant and nothing more. Amir didn’t know that Hassan was his half brother, which leads Amir to take advantage of Hassan. Rape is one of the events in the story that happens to Hassan that makes him suffer the most. In this story, rape is not just physically violent, but it is also an attack on the victim’s emotions and dignity. The fact that Hassan didn’t resist just proves his role in society and how he accepts punishment that is given upon him. The rape proves that he doesn’t care about his own suffering Lastly, Hassan suffers by losing the people who were once family to him. Hassan suffers because his half brother Amir is the reason why Hassan and Ali left the house. In fact, Hassan has it tougher than Amir from the beginning. Not only did he lose his mother, his mother rejected him at birth. Sanaubar had taken one glance at the baby in Alis arms, seen the cleft lip, and barked a bitter laughter. [ ]. She had refused to even hold Hassan, and just five days later she was gone. (29). This event has left Hassan motherless ever since birth. He is separated from his beloved Amir and Baba whom he spent his whole life with. Another example would be when his mother left and rejected him at birth.

Can Religion Make You Happy? Essay -- Happiness Essays

â€Å"If Religion Makes People Happy, Why Are So Many Dropping Out?† -- Louis Tay and David G. Meyers. Throughout history, religion has helped form the basic fabric of society. From an early age, religion provided the answers to any unexplainable natural phenomena. The question of why the world worked in a particular way was easily answered with â€Å"because [name of deity] made it that way.† Religion was everywhere; everyone had their own ideas about how the world worked and what their role was in the universe. Each likeminded group held that their religious beliefs were the root cause of their happiness and general satisfaction with life. Centuries of religious dominance eventually gave birth to a widespread idea that strong religious beliefs are essential to living a happy and fulfilling life. Even today, in a society dominated by scientific advances, religion finds a niche in catering to people’s spiritual needs. Indeed, despite the societal changes that have occurred in modern times, religion has remained largely unchanged since its early days. The belief t hat religion factors heavily into one’s life satisfaction and happiness has also remained much the same, despite today’s complex and ever-changing society. The problem lies where religion is viewed as a major way to achieve happiness, and this perspective can lead to blind acceptance of religion solely on the basis of its supposed universal benefits. Basically, a new way of looking at religion is needed: seeing it not as the end-all happiness tool, but as a small factor in a complex web of happiness and well-being. Traditionally, organized religion in the Western world encouraged a melancholy outlook on life. Today, however, religion represents an image of happi... ...tz, Hans-Georg; Lewis, Christopher Alan. â€Å"The Relationship Between Religion and Happiness Among German Students.† Pastoral Psychology. 51.4 (2003): 273-281. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 19 June 2015. Madigan, Timothy J. â€Å"Godless Happiness.† Free Inquiry Summer 1998: 32+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 19 June 2015. Moeller, Philip. â€Å"Religion Makes People Happier--But Why?† Chicago Tribune. N.p., 13 Apr. 2012. Web. 15 June 2015. Myers, David G. â€Å"Who’s Happy? Who’s Not?† Christianity Today. 23 Nov. 1992: 23+. Gale Power Search. Web. 19 June 2015. Schumaker, John F. â€Å"Can Religion Make You Happy?† Free Inquiry Summer 1998: 28+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 19 June 2015. Stearns, Peter N. â€Å"The History of Happiness. (Cover Story).† Harvard Business Review 90.1/2 (2012): 104-109. Business Source Complete. Web. 6 June 2015.

Victorian Beliefs :: Free Essays Online

Victorian Beliefs If I am asked whether I would choose to be descended from the poor animal of low intelligence and stooping gait who grins and chatters as we pass, or from a man endowed with great ability and a splendid position who should use these gifts to discredit and crush humble seekers after truth, I hesitate what answer to make. Thomas Henry Huxley, 1860 (Cruse 94) As related by Amy Cruse in The Victorians and Their Reading, these words by Thomas Henry Huxley served as a witty retort to the degrading comments of Darwin's foes. When examined closely, however, Huxley's statement can be recognized as a question of paramount importance-- a question that defines the core of the Victorian world. Neatly engraved between the lines of Huxley's reply lies the issue of belief. Huxley's belief in the pursuit of "truth" is evident, as is his belief regarding those who would hinder such a "humble" pursuit. Less evident, but nonetheless present, are the echoes of other important Victorian principles. As exemplified by Huxley's mention of apes, Darwin's belief in The Origin of Species was a vitally important aspect of Victorian thought. Traditional concerns, most notably religious conservatism, were inextricably linked to the revolutionary ideals of Victorian science. Interestingly, the dueling beliefs in science and religion were not necessarily diametrically opposed. Instead, both the pursuits of science and religion challenged Victorians to examine their beliefs regarding the natural world, God, and the meaning of their own humanity. â€Å"I see no good reason why the views given in this volume should shock the religious feelings of [anyone],† claimed Charles Darwin in reference to The Origin of Species(Hart 1). Despite Darwin’s protestations of theological benignity, however, many Victorians were indeed shocked by the idea of evolution. Cardinal Manning, speaking for the Roman Catholic populous of England, for instance, â€Å"denounced†¦[Darwin’s theory of evolution as] a brutal philosophy—to wit, there is no God, and the ape is our Adam†(Cruse 95). Similarly, Bishop Wilberforce, at an 1860 meeting of the British Association, ridiculed T. H. Huxley about his ancestry (94). In open contempt of The Origin of Species, Wilberforce asked Huxley, â€Å"whether it [was] through his grandfather or his grandmother that he claimed descent from ‘a venerable ape’?†(94). The ideas contained within the covers of The Origin of Species clearly challenged the beliefs of many Victorian Christians. Contrary to the protestations of Cardinal Manning and Bishop Wilberforce, however, Darwin viewed the theory of evolution as theologically sound.

Penfolds Grange Brand Prism

It was released in 1951 and kept it position for more than 50 years. But in 2009, Pinfold's launched a special bottle, it was considered as a wrong action of it because that reduced the value of Grange. That is the reason our marketing plan is revitalization Grange, which will be launched in 2014. Before making a detail MIMIC plan, I will create the brand identity for Pinfold's Grange relying on the brand identity prism of Seafarer (2008). ‘Brand identity prism' is a diagrammatically analysis to identify one brand which is presented by a hexagonal prism.It illustrates that brand identify has six facets which are Physique, Personality, Culture, Relationship, Reflection and Self-image. Fanfold Grange is a vintage wine which is recognizable with a strong, distinctive, individual style record for cellaring performance. It is seen as an authentic voice of Australian fine wine and the strength of Pinfold's winemaking culture and heritage. A brand has physique, according Keller, combi nes of either salient objective features (brand awareness) or emerging ones. Physique is not only backbone of brand but also its tangible added value.It may include product features, brand attributes and benefits. Simply, brand physique are basic things relying on it, customer can recognize and aware of the brand. The Pinfold's Grange displays unique character and style and reflects the essence of Pinfold's winemaking philosophy and provenance. It utilizes fully-ripe, intensely-favored and textured Shirrs grapes. It has an interesting history, an unbroken line of production since the very first vintage, consistent quality in each vintage, worldwide claim, longevity and limited production.Pinfold's Grange is still loyal with the dark color, the design is quite simple and original but elegant with the sign of Pinfold's which is the red Pinfold's signature. Two main colors are white and red of the label which is not only for Grange but also or all lines of Pinfold's and the early Grang e label looked like a postage stamp – an attractive one. Although Pinfold's is famous with many kinds of wine lines, Grange is still Australia's most famous red wine regarded as Australia icon which most people have heard of or at least in passing. It was released in 1951 and kept it position for more than 50 years.This is a wonderfully opulent and a magic vintage. The Grange style is the original and most powerful expression of Pinfold's multinational, multi- district, blending philosophy. Pinfold's are the masters at understanding the power f an iconic sub-brand delivering a positive halo over the full brand range. Every year when the new vintage is released it becomes a media event of significant proportions. Pinfold's Grange once again graced the prestigious Top 100 list of the US magazine ‘Wine Spectator', having already been named in their Millennium edition as one of the ‘Top 100 wines' of the 20th century.Granges have won 111 gold medals in shows, 63 silve rs and 33 bronzes, 26 trophies and six championship awards, maybe seven or eight now. There are three Jimmy Watson trophies, in 1964, 1966 and 1968. All of these things make Grange's reputation that every people can recall about it whenever they heard about it and it will be long lasting over the years. A brand has a personality. Personality is about what kind of person Grange would be if it were human including character and attitude. The human personality traits that are relevant for Pinfold's Grange which are sophisticated, classic, elegant and reliable.Pinfold's Grange is truly a unique brand from the first day it was released until now. A brand is a culture which takes a holistic view of the organization, its origins and the value it stands for. Every brand should have its own culture which is not only a concrete representation but also a means of communication and it is no doubt that Pinfold's Grange really did it. Grange is the product of Australian culture regarded as the pr ide of Australian about one of the most famous wine in the world.If Frenchman is proud of their Champagne, to Australians, that is Grange-the Australia's icon. Grange is not Just a symbol of luxury red wine in Australia, it is Australian image in the international wine market. Pinfold's and Grange in particular is always representative of Australia now and in the future. Limited production and Just lease in a period of time also make the culture of Grange. The Grange fruit is from particular area, here is the grapes from Grange vineyard at Magical, South Australia. This is also a factor that makes Grange become special and have its own culture.Because Pinfold's Grange is known as a luxury red wine line, the cultural facet is more meaningful in differentiating its brand which refers to its fundamental ideals and to its sets of values. A brand is a relationship: the strength of the relationship between the brand and customer. The Wall Street Journal has even published a DOD Jones Gran ge Index; the accompanying text was, ‘Wine lovers remember their first Grange the way they remember their first kiss! ‘. Pinfold's' advertisements carry the slogan â€Å"To those who do things for love not money' and it's also adapted to Grange.The relationship between Pinfold's Grange and its customers are trust, consistent, dependability and exclusiveness. This is reflected by the loyalty of customers to their favorite wine brand. Grange was first released in 1951, but until now it is still the most famous wine and attract amount of number wine lovers who are willing wait for its new line ear by year despite the price rises and supply tensions, even promote this brand among others. It means that Fanfold Grange has built the trust and strong consistent in its customers' mind by its quality and reputation themselves.Although Grange was launched in the market for more than five decades, it still has strong sales. The relationship between Pinfold's Grange and its customer s is also stronger because Pinfold's always envelop its users with the image they want to signal to their social surroundings. A brand is a customer reflection. When mentioning about brand reflection, it is about he customer should be reflected as he or she wishes to be seen as a result of using a brand. Pinfold's Grange is the sort of wine language for people who have deep pockets need to hear.Target segment of Pinfold's is the customers who fall in medium and high disposable income, general from business background, have an average age of 35 plus, and are very loyal to a brand and aware of the wines in the market. In addition, these customers demand high quality wines with taste and texture. That is the reason why prestige, discerning and high social status are the thoughts of others to Grange lovers when they drink this wine. In addition, person who drinks Pinfold's wine seems to be successful and looks like enjoying her/his successful life.A brand speaks to our self-image. Diffe rent from reflection which is how others see the brand's users, self-image is the feeling of users themselves when they use the brand. Pinfold's lovers in general and Grange in particular, feel confident and sophisticated when they drink this wine due to they are enjoying one of the most luxury and the highest quality in the world. Moreover, they feel special because we all know that with its luxurious and high-cost wine label, Pinfold's Grange would push their grandmothers over for.And â€Å"it's clearly cemented itself as a gift worthy of someone who's Just been elected premier of Australia's most populous state†. A customer might see himself fabulous and capable of drinking Pinfold's Grange. Customers wish to display themselves that they are a part of community in which people have social approval, they are elegant, sophisticated and successful when they choose Pinfold's Grange. In conclusion, this brand identity prism is a helpful tool in positioning Pinfold's Grange in t he wine market at the current time which help our group come up with a MIMIC plan for the release event of Grange in next October.

Ad-Comm Group “Whitebook”: Cross-Marketing Platform for Luxury Brands in Japan Essay

1. What is a Whitebook? What role(s) does it play in the Marketing strategy of Ad-comm’s client companies? Answers 15 lines maximum. Whitebook is a cross marketing platform, a magazine that is published in Japan every 4 months and which displays nine luxury brands in nine diverse types of product. The magazine is customized for each luxury sponsors. The Whitebook plays an important role in terms of marketing strategy as it is a brand ambassador and CRM tool. As the Whitebook is mainly distributed through sponsors, the Whitebook targets a prequalified small group of costumers but right ones, right at the beginning. Being displayed in the magazine can be seen a recognition of being a top luxury brand and be therefore an award. The Magazine creates a strong relationship between the brands and the costumers, as the costumers feel privileged to receive special attention from the brand. Moreover the Whitebook organizes event as well, which gathers customers and one brand. Those events gives the opportunity for luxury brands to create a personal relationship (â€Å"face-to-face† relationship) with its customers, by telling its heritage and answering questions. 2. Take the perspective of the general manager of Porsche Japan. See more: Old Age Problem essay How would you assess the cost effectiveness or ROI of investing 20 million Yen a year to sponsor Whitbook? Would you be willing to be a sponsor? Why or why not? Answer by using a break-even analysis, and by calculating the expected customer lifetime value (i. e. today’s expected value of a customer’s purchases over the course of his/her life as a Porsche customer). 1 to 2 pages. a. You must know what a break-even analysis is: this is when your return/revenue covers your investment – in other words: how many cars to sell to repay for the investment in Whitebook? b. Customer Lifetime value: refer to the last class definition – expected value of a customer over the course of his/her life as a customer = selling price of a Porsche x number of Porsches purchased in a lifetime. Be creative by using the data of the case and common sense. There is no magic formula. I will take your assumptions into consideration. c. Then the cost effectiveness can be assessed by comparing to competitive offerings Porsche sales increased by 4. 55 ( 3000/658= 4. 55 – p. 8) in 6 years. For a luxury brand, democratization of the product also means loss of prestige and exclusivity. Whitebook is a way to keep the luxury image of the brand by creating a special relationship with the best costumers. 20 million Yen represents 2. 4% of the total marketing budget (p. 8). Assuming that an average price of Porsche is 75 000$ USD , in 6 years they have sold for 175 650 000$ (75 000 x 2320) . 20 million Yen is equal to 214 241. 04$ USD which corresponds to 1 285 446. 24$ USD in 6 years. In terms of break-even analysis and still assuming the average price of 75 000 $, they need to sell 3 cars (2. 86) (214 241. 04 / 75 000) per year to repay their investment in Whitebook. However, the case mentions that â€Å"10% of the VIP customers own 8-9 Porsches† (p. 8), therefore we can assume that Porsche company sells at least 3 cars per year and therefore sponsoring Whitebook is profitable. In terms of Costumer Lifetime value, we shall still assume the average price of 75 000$ USD per car and the number of Porsches purchased in a lifetime of 8. 5 (â€Å"8-9 Porsches† own over lifetime – p. 8). The Costumer Lifetime Value is therefore equal to 637 500 (75 000 x 8.5). Finally, in terms of cost effectiveness, if we look at exhibit 9, we see that the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of Whitebook is best advantageous compared to other selected print media in Japan. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is relatively low (5 000 000 Yen) compared to the number of pages and the location. Let’s take 25ans’. The MSRP is 4 200 000 Yen for 2 pages on the back cover; compared to 800 000Yen more for Whitebook (therefore 1. 19 more expensive (5 000 000 / 4 200 000 = 1. 19) ) for 3 times more pages inside the magazine for Whitebook. It is then clear that Whitebook is more profitable compared to less expensive magazines in terms of cost effectiveness. Moreover 25ans’ targets women’s luxury, however Porsche and fast cars are commonly known to be of mainly great interest for men. Concerning Esquire, the MSRP is 3 200 000 Yen of 2 pages on the back cover, Whitebook is 1 800 000 more (therefore 1. 5626 more expensive (5 000 000 / 32 000 000)) for 3 times more pages inside the magazine. Thus, Whitebook magazine is more profitable than Esquire. Moreover Esquire targets Men’s fashion/lifestyle only, however purchasing a Porsche can also involve women (Porsche Cayenne for example). Concerning Nikkei Business, the MSRP is 5 680 000 Yen of 2 pages on the back cover which target business customers. Compare to Whitebook, Nikkei Business is 1. 136 more expensive than Whitebook for less pages. Moreover the Nikkei Business target only business Concerning Asahi Newspaper, the MSRP is 22 500 000 Yen for full page. Compare toe Whitebook, Asahi Newspaper is 4. 5 more expensive. Moreover, Asahi Newspaper targets general public, however Porsche wants to keep the luxury prestige and exclusive image of the brand by investing in a magazine, the target readers doesn’t therefore correspond to the main aim of Porsche. In conclusion, Whitebook is the best investment in terms of cost effectiveness compared to competitive offerings. 3. Put yourself in the shoes of Andreas Dannenberg. Whitebook exploits opportunities (and leverages strength, addresses weaknesses, and counter threats) in the luxury market and advertising industry, and it helps Ad-comm stay ahead of potential capability improvements by Japanese and multinational competitors. What is Whitebook to you? What role(s) does it play in the marketing strategy of Ad-comm itself? Answer by using a SWOT analysis (for Ad-comm) to understand internal and external strategic position. 1 to 2 pages. In terms of Strengths: * Whitebook enables to be independent from Japanese Players * Doesn’t have to be subcontracted by Japanese agencies * Target the right costumers. * Plays a role of CRM tool * Create privilege relationships between the brands and the costumers * Maintain the luxury and exclusive image of the sponsors * Create events to build a face to face relationship and build a trust relationship in the long run with VIP costumers -> the brand tells stories and heritage to the customer and the Japanese consumption, customers are choosing a brand mainly because of its heritage, recommendations of experts and experiences of family and friends. * Plays a role of brand ambassador * Enable luxury companies to display the corporate portfolio * Enable luxury brands to make their cash flows easier. In terms of Weaknesses: * Limited to Japanese market * Limited to the Japanese market * Implementation on international market requires global corporate decision In terms of Opportunities: * Cross-marketing platform * Select prequalified targeted and top-tier customer * Create a unique virtual experience for privilege guests as well trough its website and entry key * Track behaviors of target customers * The website tracks behaviors of target customers * Create events which can be an opportunity to launch a new product to a right target costumer * Enable luxury companies to get new costumers. * Work as a CRM tool In terms of Threats: * No competitors at the moment because is very selective and the nurture the relationship with the brand. * However, competitors can come in the market, target also luxury clientele with more luxury brands or more subcategories * New competitors can come and create other type of cross-marketing platform like a privilege club which enables the brands to meet * New competitors can come an create the same magazine suited for the global market or USA market which number of customers are greater. 4. What would you do with the expansion opportunities described at the end of the case (pp. 10-13)? Would you pursue: (a) increasing the number of sponsors I the current Whitebook? (b) replicating the current Whitebook in overseas market; or (c) developing an alternative Whitebook focused on the new â€Å"edgy† brand market? Why? Answer with Pros and Cons in 1 to 2 pages. (a) Increasing the number of sponsors I the current Whitebook Pros: * Increase flexibility when planning events * Increase quantity of events (number of events) * Increase quality of events, as more VIP customers and sponsor companies are available * Increase the use of CRM tool * Make the relationship between brand and consumer more visible Cons: * Additional cost could offset the fixed costs of production * Losing credibility * Losing trust with the brands * Losing luxury appeal because luxury is based on scarcity and exclusivity (b) Replicating the current Whitebook in overseas market (the best option because:) Pros: * Minimize additional effort and attention required to Whitebook * Provide learning opportunity for the account managers. * Can introduce new categories in the book * Multinational sponsor already present in the Japanese version can be included in the overseas version * Already implemented in US, Singapore Cons: * There’s a small budget required by sponsors * The decisions so fare are regional and not on corporate level * Changing the marketing strategy at a global level will be uncontrollable for Whitebook unless they change the whole corporate structure, which possible (c) Developing an alternative Whitebook focused on the new â€Å"edgy† brand market Pros: * Maintain most loyal costumers * Help to acquire innovative customers. * Guarantee of 50 000 targeted customers * Involves high-margin brand segments * Developing new relationships with new companies Cons: * Should redirect the target customers on young customers * Being part of a community takes out their own personality and uniqueness * Because edgy brands target young customers and customers prefer interactive marketing tools so edgy brand prefer to invest their marketing budget and events or promotions rather that printing marketing * Change the value of luxury image of the book * Because luxury is based on exclusivity and scarcity, including edgy brands will damage this luxury image.

Fin USD

Morgan is one of the world's leading global investment banks, with the client from corporations, governments, states, municipalities, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, banks and iinvestors sector around the world. It is also well known for providing Securities Services, Asset Management, Commercial Banking, Private Banking and treasury services.These different financial services are offered to their customers maintaining an ethical standard as well as having employee commitment in the workplace. It is such kind of financial service provided that is committed to optimize efficiency, mitigate risk and enhance revenue with is valued assets. Despite of being such a reputed company for such a long time the in May 2012 they incurred loss of 2billion USD in the first quarter. Besides these, they are also assuming that this loss with increase by another $1 billion in the second quarter. After incurring the loss their share piece falls by 7% a day.They fall down from Credit Rating (AA-). They lose the market and customer's satisfaction. Few institutes are investigating on such loss in the financial market. The U. S. Security Exchange Commission is having a preliminary investigation into JPMorgan's accounting practices and public disclosures about the trading loss. Besides these the U. K. ‘s Financial Services Authority examined the role London employees played in the loss. In the end, one of the executive of the bank claimed that the loss was originated from he firm's Chief Investment Office (CIO).The Wall Street Journal reports a trader at J. P. Morgan known in the market as the ‘London Whale' made large bets on credit derivatives. Iksil used a little-known index of 125 firms – CDX IG 9, which iincluded the Campbell Soup Company and Walt Disney. They based their estimates on the trades and price movements of credit default swaps – complex instruments used as a type of insurance against companies defaulting they witnessed as w ell as their understanding of the size and structure of the markets. J. P. Morgan says his unit is meant to ‘hedge structural risks'.The failed hedge likely involved a bet on the flattening of a credit derivative curve, part of the CDX family of investment grade credit indices, said two sources with knowledge of the industry, but not directly involved in the matter. JPMorgan was then caught by sharp moves at the long end of the bet, [it] said. The CDX index gives traders exposure to credit risk across a range of assets, and gets its value from a basket of individual credit derivatives. In essence, JPMorgan made a series of bets which turned out very, very adly. proprietary trading†, using their own cash to take bets on financial markets. The 2007-09 financial crisis originated in the deterioration of traditional home mortgage lending, as opposed to banks' short-term trading of exotic financial instruments for profit. Proprietary trading has a bad image because it's so ea sily likened to gambling. The JPMorgan trading losses come at a difficult time for the international banking system as it faces up to risks linked to the Eurozone debt crisis and international economic uncertainty. J.P. Morgan lost the money by betting its own capital†albeit while â€Å"hedging† risks† much of the discussion since the news has been on the â€Å"Volcker rule,† which bans banks from trading for themselves rather than their clients. JP Morgan started buying share for their own rather than their clients. So when the rule is announced then they fall in big trouble. This is also led them to incur the huge loss. In a conference call disclosing the problem on Thursday, Dimon said the $2 billion in losses could rise by a further $1 billion.However a 2 billion dollar loss for JP Morgan is nothing compared to their total exposure of over 70 trillion dollars. Overall, the 9 largest U. S. banks have a total of more than 200 trillion dollars of exposure to derivatives. That is approximately 3 times the size of the entire global economy. So let's not make too much out of this 2 billion dollar loss by JP Morgan. This is Just a preview of coming attractions. Soon enough the real problems with derivatives will begin, and when that happens it will shake the entire global financial system to the core.

Comparison in graduation in engineering Assignment

Comparison in graduation in engineering - Assignment Example The five countries have not developed to the point of First World countries. There are very many challenges in the economy that may affect the number of graduates being released into the market. Many engineering institutions are well equipped thus may not enroll many students. In order to reduce the deficit of engineers, these countries must put more resources in engineering colleges. As the economies of these countries grow, there will be the need for many more engineers. The shortage of engineers in these countries can be attributed to the imbalance in the intake of engineers to various local colleges and the level of economic growth. The five countries rely on developed countries’ institutions of higher learning when further trainings are required. A majority of engineers who want to further their studies must go abroad in order to acquire the skills they need. The five countries take postgraduate students to countries such as Japan, US, UK and Germany, among other countries (Orpwood et al., 2013). Although there have been a shortage in the number of engineers, these countries are now putting more resources to ensure that they enroll more graduates in order to satisfy the local