Quick Review Essays - Harry Potter Universe, Harry Potter, Hogwarts

Quick Review After being brought up by his horrid Aunt and Uncle, Harry is surprised one day when a letter arrives for him. He never gets post, but for some reason, his uncle doesn't want him to have it. The next day more appear, and then more and more, until the huge Hagrid arrives. He tells Harry the terrible story of his parent's death, and the truth about Harry. He is a wizard, and is invited to attend Hogwarts School for wizards. When he gets to school, he soon makes friends, but there is something vaguely amiss at Hogwarts. What is the sinister Snape doing? And why aren't the students allowed into a corridor on the third floor? Is it connected to the missing Dark Lord Voldemort? Review Until his 11th birthday Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary if not very lucky boy. His parents were killed when he was just one year old and since then he has lived with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley. They only took him in because there were no other relatives to take care of the orphan and have never provided him with a loving home. Almost worse then aunt and uncle is Harry's cousin Dudley, their spoiled brat who gets everything he wants from his parents. So Harry considers the cupboard under the stairs where they make him sleep his sanctuary. On his 11th birthday, however, he receives - against all odds and the efforts of the Dursley's - a letter telling him he was admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and has to show up on September 1st at King's Cross station, platform 9 ?, to get on the Hogwarts train. He also receives a list of things he has to bring to the school, things you will certainly not find in just any store. After that was taken care of Harry goes to the station on the appointed day and is faced with yet another problem: how do you get to platform 9 ? when every normal person can see that there is nothing between platforms 9 and 10? Boarding schools have always been a popular setting for juvenile books, and Joanne K. Rowling has given us a new variation of the old theme: a boarding school for wizards and witches. Apart from the usual pranks and rivalries between students Hogwarts is a very special place. Not only are the students and teachers extraordinary, but also the building itself - an old castle with labyrinthine corridors and hidden doors - has secrets you wouldn't come across in the real world. The inhabitants are aware of that and talk about ordinary people in a condescending way, even if they don't believe all of them to be as bad as Harry Potter's family. The reader discovers this extraordinary world along with Harry who is a stranger there himself and has to try and make sense of it. All those remaining young at heart will enjoy this trip into the world of magic where trolls and dragons are as ordinary pets as dogs and cats in the real world. A fun read nobody should feel too grown-up for.

Article Review 3 Example

Article Review 3 Example Article Review 3 – Article Example Uber Infiltration Irks Delaware Cabbies Summary The article gives a summary of the reactions of the Delaware cabbies after the infiltration of the Ubers in the city. According to the article’s author Jeff Offredo, the penetration of the Uber into Delaware transport industry increase competition and that irks the Cab drivers (Offredo 1). That is because the Uber drivers are poaching customers from the densely populated locations such as University of Delaware and Amtrak station. The article highlights that the Uber drivers are not held to the regulatory standards of the Cab operators such as paying a fixed fee and tax of $5,000 and also a six-month inspection. However, DeIDOT Secretary, Jeniffer Cohan, argues that since most citizens trust the operations of the Ubers, the Delaware Department of Transportation should have an agreement with the Uber Company. This will ensure that the regulatory standards that apply to the Cab drivers also become relevant to the Uber drivers.Relat ion to Monopolistic competitionThe issue presented in the article relates to monopolistic competition in various ways and among them is the fact that the Cab and the Uber drivers offer similar services although they are not identical. The Cab and Uber drivers provide transportation services to their customers though the two companies use different types of cars. Moreover, the market has many sellers as in the case of monopolistic competition (Chang 22). According to the article, there are more than 64 licensed cab operators and an unknown number of Uber operators. The two firms compete in the market and also can face more competition from other firms since there is free entry to the market. In conclusion, it is evident that the Cab operators are not happy with the penetration of the Uber drivers. That is because they feel that these people are stealing their businesses. Besides, these Uber drivers are not held by the regulatory standards that attest that a particular driver has a go od record.Chang, W. W. (2012). Monopolistic Competition and Product Diversity: Review and Extension. Journal of Economic Surveys, 26(5), 879-910. Doi:10.1111/j.1467-6419.2011.00682.xOffredo, Jon. Uber Infiltration Irks Delaware Cabbies. USA TODAY. N.P., 2015. Web. 7 May 2015.

Advanced Project and Risk Management Assignment

Advanced Project and Risk Management - Assignment Example In this context, the discussion will provide a comprehensive assessment of the detailed care records, N3 infrastructure, electronic prescription service, picture archiving process and the NHS mail, along with booking services of the organisation. In order to critically explain the major functional areas of the IT program in the NHS, the discussion section covers relevant theoretical ideas and concepts associated with the subject area. Additionally, the section of the assignment also tends to explore different aspects relating to the efficiency of the newly developed IT program in the NHS and provides relevant recommendations for streamlining project management functions of the organisation (Association for Project Management, 2014; The Stationery Office, 2012; ). The case primarily deals with the growth and inception of National Programme for IT in the NHS. The case highlights the growth of the program since its inception in the NHS in the year 2006. It has been comprehended that the program was initiated with the intention to ensure positive reform within the NHS in the form of improvement in performance, improvement in the delivering services to the people and others. The program involved extensive use of IT with the intention to enhance the operational efficacy of the sector to a certain extent. The program is being managed at the national level by the Department of Health of the state (National Audit Office, 2008). According to an in-depth understanding of the National IT programme in the NHS, it has been identified that the project includes a wider scope in terms of increasing operational efficiency of different the NHS healthcare services and activities. According to the observation of the project activities, the IT programme is designed with the aim of reforming the way of using information by the NHS in England (Schwalbe, 2013). The primary aim of the IT programme is to ensure that the service records of the NHS

Abstract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Abstract - Essay Example ng to the authors, combining of new and inexpensive technological methods may increase the availability of more flexible ways for dealing with the common challenges in forensic science. They, therefore, intended to present a method of 3-D laser scanning of chewed gum found at a crime scene into a digital file format. In a bid to justify the aim of their research, they point out that the procedure they used in their research project does not include any form of contact and is nondestructive thus more efficient prior to extracting DNA from the gum. The theme of their research is that their method, which involves generating a digital file, could be used to for dental comparison in the future in case the original chewed gum gets damaged by forensic analysis following 3-D scanning. In their research, they used an automated 3-D laser scanner that ensures a reliable, affordable, and reproducible means for scanning a 3-D object fast and at a possible resolution of 127 microns. They scanned a piece if chewed gum that had air dried for 24 hours by placing it on the tip of a tuberculin syringe needle, and then positioning it on the scanning stage of the laser scanner that is fully robotic. Using precise scan parameters of the laser scanner for a 360 degree scan, they used macro 0.005 inches precision, 125 seconds scan speed, and 0.005 triangle size. This process took less than three minutes given that they set the light in color of the target surface to that of the matte finish, and the smoothing had auto-align of the eight segments on with a setting of 1. After all the procedures involved in the process had produced digital files, they were able to come up with a virtual block that showed the shape and contours of the teeth impressions just like those in the original gum. They then used a Web-based prototyping service called Shapeways to order for clear resin as well as white plastic models of the gum from their digital files. All this took less than 10 minutes, and they

Greenways Garage Evaluation Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Greenways Garage Evaluation Report - Essay Example The word improvement deals with maximizing opportunities, increasing the production at a lower cost and creating more profit. In doing this kind of endeavor, one thing should be the outmost priority of the business enterprise, and that is to satisfy the needs of the customers because primarily, it is the reason of the existence of the business. "Quality thinking was initially based on users' charters (1991 'Citizens Charter' in the UK, 1992 'Charte des services publics' in France and in 1993 the Users' Charter in Belgium, later followed by a number of other countries). During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Total Quality Management focuses on products that are primarily catered for public consumption. Later on, a variation of quality models (EFQM, ISO) and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) were made available for the benefit of public sector. Recently, new members of the EU have taken quality management aboard (.Bouckaert G,1993)1 In the United States, a number of companies use MBNQA or Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award which is credited for the success of most companies in the aforementioned country along with the Baldrige approach. Furthermore, Vinod Singhal, Professor of Operations Management at Georgia Institute of Technology, reported to an audience of international quality improvement leaders in The Hague, Netherlands on 3 June 2003, it is a change strategy used by growing numbers of businesses around the globe because it works to improve results.2 Here in Europe, variety of measurements are used nowadays to ensure the productive performance of a certain enterprise which is beneficial to managers on how will they implement strategies for a competitive business process.2:2Quality and Quality assurance developments -This part discusses the four Models that are used in Europe, in quality and quality assurance developments One of which is the EFQM Excellence Model or the European Foundation for Quality Management, a non-profit membership foundation s the primary source for organizations in Europe looking to excel in their market and in their business with website available at http://www.efqm.org/3.The other methods include, the Benchmarking, a process that provides accurate measure of performance relative to a Council's peers, and has been shown to provide the motivation for management to seriously consider improvement processes, and ultimately reduce risk in the workplace (http://www.emrc.org.au/risk.asppg=133)4, There are three forms of benchmarking namely : internal, competitive and generic . "Internal benchmarking is deemed as comparisons between units within the institutions. Competitive and generic benchmarking refers to identifying best practices of other organizations. Competitive benchmarking involves comparisons with direct competitors, whereas generic benchmarking involves organisations that are not direct competitors but share similar organisational practices and procedures" (Doerfel and Ruben 2002, 6-7)5. A management system that

Organisational structures and cultures

Organisational structures and cultures Introduction Case study: This case study is about Mr Smiths restaurant. Mr Smith is a foreigner who has lived in the UK for many years. His family in Africa operates a chain of restaurants across the continent and he is therefore familiar with this kind of business. At present the Smith Restaurant has a central location in London, close to many attractions and is easily accessible by public transport. His restaurant is a small family business he is the founder, owner and also the Managing Director. Although he has two Assistant Managers and three Supervisors, he has a direct control over management and operational issues such as hiring of staff, marketing, sales promotion, accounting and finance department. The restaurant has fifty employees mostly made up of international students who work part time. These students are attracted by the flexible working conditions that Mr Smith offers. This allows them to work part time during term time and full time during vacation. Recently the restaurant has seen a big increase in its customers due to the popularity of its European and International cuisines. These factors have convinced Mr Smith of the wisdom of opening similar restaurants throughout the UK. Mr Smith is the one who makes all decisions and he has a direct control over management and other operational issues. The current issue at the restaurant is that Mr Smith is reluctant to recruit new staff and to cope with the increased activity in the restaurant he has reduced staff lunch time. Some staff felt that these changes should not have been introduced without their consent. When one employee complained about the situation, he was sacked. The rest of the employees are unhappy but they are afraid to voice their concerns for fear of loosing their jobs. According to Mr Smith, he pays his employees very well and therefore they will be happy with his decisions; his decisions are not for debate; managers should make the decisions and subordinates must obey. He does not believe in consulting staff when he has to make important decisions. As a result, a feeling of helplessness, alienation, and fear have developed amongst staff. The recent changes in employees working conditions have increased the levels of absenteeism and lateness. Mr Smith is now very concerned that if such trends continue, the restaurant may not be able to cope with the increased customer demand. Being one of the longest serving employees, Mr Smith asked me to consider the above issues and advise him in light of the expansion and recent developments of the business. My task is to advise him on the followings within the chain of new restaurants. Organisational structures and cultures; Approaches to management and leadership styles; Motivational theories and their application; Group behaviour, teamwork and technology TASK 1: Organisational structures and cultures within the UK restaurants Organisational structure creates a framework of order and command through which the activities of the organisation can be planned, organised, controlled, and directed towards the goals and objectives of the organisation. The structure defines tasks and responsibilities, roles, relationships and communication. Within the UK, most restaurants have entrepreneurial, functional and geographical structures. Entrepreneurial Structure: This structure is appropriate for small owner managed companies, for examples: a small restaurant, a small-scale industrial unit, or a small proprietary concern. Functional Structure: This is the most commonly used basis for grouping activities according to specialisation that is organising the business according to what each department does. Specialised skills and delegation of authority to managers are needed to look after different functional areas. Geographical structure: Activities are grouped according to location. Different services are provided by geographical boundaries according to particular needs and demands, the convenience of consumers, or for ease of administration. Advantages and disadvantages of organisational structures The UK restaurants may have hierarchical, tall or flat structure Hierarchical structure: Refers to †¢ Authority: the right to exercise powers such as hiring and firing or buying and selling on behalf of the organisation †¢ Responsibility: the allocation of tasks to individuals and groups within the organisation †¢ Accountability: the need for individuals to explain and justify any failure to fulfil their responsibilities to their superiors in the hierarchy Tall and flat hierarchical structures: In the tall structure there are narrower spans of control and more levels of command that is many managerial levels and fewer staff. In the flat structure there are broader spans of control and few levels of command that is few managerial levels and many staff. For example, the McDonalds restaurants all have a flat structure. The manager in each place of business controls the other assistants and employees. He takes all the decisions and he is in charge of the main functions like, R D, marketing, finance and human resources and the other staff do the selling. Advantages of tall and flat structures Organisational cultures Charles Handy defined it as: The way things are done around here Every business is made up of different cultures, and the cultures that are present within the business depend on the management styles and organisational structures that are used. Handys four types of cultures are: Power culture: Best suited for small entrepreneurial organisations and relies on trust, empathy and personal communication for its effectiveness. Role culture: Emphasizes on power and position within the organisation. This type of culture applies when organisations are big and inflexible. Task culture: Job-oriented or project-oriented. This works well in a matrix organisation structure. Person culture: Works around educated individuals. Examples are groups of barristers, architects, doctors or consultants. Looking at Handys four main types of organisation cultures it can be seen that most of the UK restaurants adopt the power culture. Organisational structure and culture of Mr Smiths restaurant After analysing Mr Smiths case study and the latest issues, it is clear that his restaurant is adopting an entrepreneurial and hierarchical structure, and a power culture since it is a family owned business where there is excessive reliance is on the owner-manager; Mr Smith has authority, responsibility and accountability within the organisation. The distribution of tasks, the definition of authority and responsibility, and the relationship between members of the organisation are established on a personal and informal basis. Therefore I am convinced that the management style, organisational structure and culture are influencing employees behaviour within organisation. However, with Mr Smiths plan to expand and develop new restaurants across the UK, there is need for a formal organisational structure and culture, which has to be carefully designed, so as to avoid conflict and encourage the willing participation of staff for effective organisational performance. I believe that Mr Smith business should have a flat structured along functional lines with major areas including, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, and Purchasing Departments. With a flat structure the business will have: †¢ A wide span of control encouraging delegation and motivation through job enrichment. †¢ Lower management overhead costs. †¢ Better communications as horizontal and lateral communication is encouraged. †¢ Real and meaningful promotions. †¢ Closer contact between top management and lower levels Factors that may influence individual behaviour of Mr Smiths employees The individual: The individual is a central feature of organisational behaviour. When the needs of the individual and the demands of the organisation are incompatible, this can result in frustration and conflict. Then it the work of the management to integrate the individual and the organisation and to provide a working environment where individuals needs is satisfied as well as organisation goals are achieved. The group: Group exists in all organisations and are essential to their working and performance. People in groups influence each other in many ways and groups may develop their own hierarchies and leaders. Group pressures can have a major influence over the behaviour and performance of individual members. The organisation: Individual behaviour is affected by patterns of organisation structure, technology, styles of leadership and systems of management through which organisational processors are planned, directed and controlled. Therefore, the focus of attention is on the impact of organisation structure and design, and patterns of management, on the behaviour of people within the organisation. TASK 2: How organisational theory underpins principles and practices of management, how this would impact on the new restaurants? The study of management theory (also termed management thinking) and its application in organisations brings changes in behaviour. It helps to understand the principles underlying the process on management. It helps to understand the interrelationship between management theory, principles and practices of management, and behaviour in organisations. Managers learned about how they should behave. This will influence their attitudes towards management practice. The different approaches to management theory are: Classical approach; scientific management; Bureaucracy; Human relations approach; Systems approach; and Contingency approach. These various approaches underpin the common principles of management that organisations should practice in their business, which mean they are based on views of organisations, their purpose and responsibilities, structure, division of work, hierarchy of management, technical requirements, rules and regulations and behaviour. Fayol 14 Principles of Management: 1. Division of work: Specialisation increases output as employees become more efficient. 2. Authority: Gives managers the right to give orders. 3. Discipline: Employees must conform to respect the rules that govern the organisation and the use of penalties for breaking the rules. 4. Unity of command: Only one superior should give orders to employees. 5. Unity of direction: Organisational activities having the similar objective should be directed by one manager using one plan. 6. Subordination of individual interests to general interest: The organisation interest should dominate employees or group interests. 7. Remuneration: A fair wage for workers and their services. 8. Centralisation: The degree to which subordinates participate in decision-making. 9. Scalar chain: Communications should follow this chain. 10. Order. People and materials should be in the right place at the right time. 11. Equity. Managers should be kind and fair to their subordinates. 12. Stability of tenure. High employee turnover is inefficient. Management should provide orderly personnel planning and ensure that replacements are available to fill vacancies. 13. Initiative. Employees who are allowed to originate and carry out plans will exert high levels of effort. 14. Esprit de corps. Promoting team spirit will build harmony and unity within the organisation. Suggestion: Mr Smith should follow these principles of management. Managers will have to perform these five functions (by H Fayol): Plan and forecast; organise; command; coordinate; and control. The different approaches to management theory Classical approach: †¢ Emphasis on purpose; †¢ Formal structure; †¢ Division of work; †¢ Hierarchy of management; †¢ Technical requirements; †¢ Common principles of organisation. Scientific management and Bureaucracy are the two sub-grouping of the classical approach. Scientific management F .W Taylor (1911): †¢ Scientific selection and training of workers; †¢ Development of a true science for each element of an individuals work; †¢ Co-operation with the employees to ensure work is done as set; †¢ Division of work and responsibility between management and the employees; †¢ Improve production efficiency through work studies, tools, economic incentives. Bureaucracy Max Weber (1947): †¢ Formal hierarchical structure; †¢ Organisation by functional specialty; †¢ Rules and regulation; †¢ Impersonality; †¢ Employment based on technical qualifications. Human relations approach: †¢ Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne Studies (1933) discovered that the informal organisation, social norms, acceptance, and sentiments of the group determined individual work behaviour. †¢ Maslow, McGregor, Herzberg, and many others stressed the importance of social relations in organisations, understanding workers and managers as human beings with social and emotional needs. Systems approach: Organisations are open systems that constantly interact with the external environment: Inputs (resources and information) transformation process outputs (products, services, information) feedback Contingency approach: Contingency theory does not identify or recommend any particular approach to organisation and management. Appropriate management approach depends on situational factors faced by an organisation. Suggestion: After comparing the above managerial approaches I believe that the classical approach will best suit Mr Smith restaurants. The classical approach centres on understanding the purpose of an organisation and then examining its structure. They play emphasis on the planning of work, technical requirements, principal of management and behaviour. Attention is given to the division of work, duties, responsibilities, maintaining specialisation and co-ordination, hierarchy of management and formal organisational relationships. TASK 3: Different leadership styles and their effectiveness Definition: Leadership in an organisation is to lead employees to work in a given direction to achieve its goals and objectives. The three styles of leadership are: Autocratic leadership: All authority is centred on the leader and decisions are enforced by means of rewards and the fear of punishment. Communication is one-way, from the leader to the followers. Advantage: Quick decision-making. Disadvantage: Its effect upon group morale; creates conflict. Democratic leadership: In contrast, democratic takes into account the suggestions of the members and of the leader. It is a human relations approach, in which all members of the group can participate and contribute to improve the quality of the final decision. Advantages: Increased morale and support for better decisions through shared ideas among group members. Disadvantages: Slower decision-making and diluted accountability for decisions. Laissez-faire leadership: The leader exercises very little control over group members. A member is given a goal and mostly left alone to decide how to achieve it. The leader functions mainly as a group member, providing only as much advice and direction as is requested. Advantage: Opportunity for individual development offered to group members. All persons are given the chance to express themselves and to function relatively independently. Disadvantage: Lack of group cohesion and unity toward organisational objectives. Without a leader, the group may have little direction and lack of control. The result can be inefficiency or even worse, chaos. Suggestion: Mr Smith is applying an authoritative leadership in his first restaurant because his business is small. But now that he wants to expand his business he has to adopt a different style of leadership. I would suggest that he has to adopt the democratic leadership within his new restaurant. This is because the democratic style is a human relation approach in which all staff participates and contributes in the decision-making. This will prevent conflict between staff. Different motivational theories and their application Definition: Motivation can be described as the direction and persistence of action. It is concerned with why people choose a particular course of action in preference to others. The purpose of motivational theories is to predict behaviour. The difference theories of motivation are: The hierarchy of needs are shown as a series of steps in the form of a pyramid; it implies a thinning out needs as people progress up the hierarchy. Based on Maslows theory, once the lower-level needs have been satisfied (physiological and safety needs) people advanced up the hierarchy. Therefore to provide motivation for a change in behaviour, the manager must direct attention to the next level of needs (love or social needs) that seek satisfaction. McGregor Theory X Y Theory X assumptions: People inherently dislike work. People must be supervised to do work to achieve objectives. People prefer to be directed. Theory Y assumptions: -People view work as being as natural as play and rest. -People will exercise self-direction and self-control towards achieving objectives they are committed to. -People learn to accept and seek responsibility. Herzbergs Two-factor theory McClelland theory: Need for achievement: Personal responsibility Feedback Moderate risk Need for power: Influence Competitive Need for affiliation: Acceptance and friendship Cooperative Suggestion: Mr Smith does not delegate; does not give employees responsibilities; employees are not considered part of the group; they feel insecure in the employment; they cannot voice their opinions; he imposes his rules and regulations on employees. In addition he has reduced employees lunch-time. Here Mr Smith is using McGregors Theory X; employees are unhappy and de-motivated to work as their lunch-time has been reduced but their wages have not increased. Therefore, since he wants to expand his business throughout UK, I will recommend the Maslows hierarchy of needs theory to Mr Smith. Managers will have to provide motivation for a change in behaviour by satisfying the lower-level needs so that the employees basic salary, safe working conditions (need to stay alive, have food, shelter) and job security, fringe benefits, protection against unemployment, illness are satisfied. This will encourage the willing participation of employees for effective organisational performance. The relationship between motivational theory and the practice of management The purpose of motivational theories is to predict behaviour; and behaviour of people in organisations depends on practices of management. If managers practise Fayols 14 principles of management, then employees at all levels are motivated to work. People generally respond in the manner in which they are treated. Therefore, to control human behaviour a heavy responsibility is placed on managers and the activity of management, where attention must also be given to appropriate systems of motivation, job satisfaction and rewards. Accordingly, Mr Smith must understand how good management practices will motivate staff to work. Managers should plan and forecast, organise, command, coordinate, and control appropriately in an attempt to satisfy employees needs so that they are motivated to work. This will create an organisational climate in which employees can work willingly and effectively to achieve the goals of the organisation. Managers should get the best performance from employees to attract more customers. Managers should apply this policy: The needs, wants and rights of employees to be treated fairly and with dignity. TASK 4: Nature of groups and group behaviour within organisations A group comprises two or more individuals who interact in the collective pursuit of a common goal. They share values and goals, are involved in regular activities together, and identify themselves as members of the group and are identified as such by others. (From lecture notes AJ). Another useful way of defining group is a collection of people who share most, if not all, of the following characteristics: A definable membership; Group consciousness; A sense of shared purpose; Interdependence; Interaction; Ability to act in a unitary manner. Formal groups (official groups): Created to carry out specific tasks set up by the organisation to complete assigned tasks. Formal groups may be divided into two categories: 1. Functional groups: Consist of varying size of work units, with a manager and subordinates who are responsible for a range of duties and functions within the organisation, for example: the finance department, the salaries section and the revenues section. 2. Task groups: Created for the dispatch of specific business or operations, such as a project team, management team or co-ordinating committee. Informal groups (unofficial groups): Created by the individual members for the purpose of sharing a common interest. Importance of informal groups: The spread of information through informal networks the grapevine is often much faster and more influential than through formal groups. There is the potential for conflict between roles held in formal and informal groups particularly in respect of leadership, where the informal leader may not be the same person as the formal leader. Two informal groups: 1. Interest groups: develop around the shared pursuit of a specific goal by certain employees, which may or may not be related to the organisation. 2. Friendship groups: Individuals joining together for various social activities The factors influencing Group Behaviour: Cole (1996) Size of the group Leadership and management style Group cohesiveness Motivation of group members Norms of groups Group/team roles The work environment The group task Factors leading to effective teamwork within the new business Peters and Waterman defines five factors for effective teamwork: 1. The numbers should be small: each member will then represent the interest of his or her department. 2. The team should be of limited duration: Exist only to resolve a particular task. 3. Membership should be voluntary. 4. Communication should be informal and unstructured. 5. It should be action-oriented. The team should finish with a plan for action. The influences that threaten success of teamwork The team does not work around the unreliable people. A smaller group of people does most of the work and a larger group pretends to help. Sometimes team members do not work well together and may work against each other. This may result dysfunctional teams, caused by: Lack of trust is the most common problem afflicting teams; Lack of team cohesiveness Lack of a clearly defined purpose Impact of technology on team functioning Technology: Technologies such as e-mail, mobile phones, blackberry, groupware and computers can improve and in some cases delay team functioning. To be able to function effectively, teams must be kept up-to-date with knowledge as technology changes. Communication: Successful teams communicate successfully by email, mobile phone, phone technologies such as blackberry and 3G data cards and 3GB USB dongles, groupware and personal computers. Change: Successful teams can successfully bring-up change. Teams will become less effective and efficient if they do not respond to changing internal and external factors. In contrast, responsive teams are more effective, efficient and, are able to rise to the challenges of the modern business world. Networks and virtual teams: In the modern connected world, it is easier for teams to communicate and network. It is possible to create virtual teams which never (or rarely) meet in physical locations and use a range of web tools to communicate and collaborate. Global and cross-cultural teams Task 5: Strategies for the restaurants stakeholders needs Employees: †¢ Mr has to adopt HR practices to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve success through people. †¢ Staffing the organisation: Sufficient numbers of the right people in the right place, at the right time, and at the right cost for the organisation. †¢ Reward and recognition: Creating structures that maximise recruitment, retention and motivation; obtaining the best performance from the people available. †¢ Performance improvement throughout the organisation, for individual, team and organisational effectiveness †¢ Managing behaviour ensuring that individuals are encouraged to behave in a way that allows and fosters better working relationships. Customers: Mr Smith and his area managers should monitor the changing requirements and expectations of its customers, and the quality of service they require. Conclusion and recommendations With Mr Smiths plan to expand and develop new restaurants across the UK, there is need for a formal organisational structure and culture, which has to be carefully designed to encourage the willing participation of staff for effective organisational performance. Mr Smith should follow the principles of management managers will have to perform these five functions (by H Fayol); plan and forecast; organise; command; coordinate; and control. The classical approach will suit his business as it plays emphasis on the planning of work, technical requirements, principle of management and behaviour. Alongside he has to adopt the democratic leadership in which all members of the group can participate and contribute to improve the quality of the final decision. Area managers will have to provide motivation for a change in behaviour by satisfying the employees needs through rewards. Reference Websites: 1. http://ezinearticles.com/?id=1269812 2. http://choo.fis.utoronto.ca/FIS/courses/LIS1230/LIS1230sharma/history6.htm (Maslows hierarchy of needs) 3. http://www.hnc-business.co.uk/unit3.html Module Tutor Lecture notes and emails: Dhlamini S., 2009. Organisations and Behaviour (unit 3) H1, HND in Business. London: Guildhall College Bibliography Book: Mullins L J ., 2000. Essentials of Organisational Behaviour. Essex: FT/Prentice Hall

Graduation Speech: I Will Miss You All! :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

It's only been two years here, and I have grown to love this school. It's funny because when my dad told me about Tates Creek High School (TC) I begged him not to make me go there. It just didn't sound interesting. I felt like I wouldn't belong and I figured that I wouldn't get along with any of the teachers, but boy was I wrong! I never thought that TC would have changed me, and get my life back on track. First of all, everyone is always complaining about the uniforms, but I love them! All I have to do is throw it on in the morning. I don't even have to make them match or anything. One day I got up a few minutes before school stared, but since I didn't have to pick out my clothes I was still on time. It's so easy, no one is judging you because they have the exact same thing on. Now, to the teachers. What could I do without them? I remember one time during the year I had some family issues. The teachers could see that in my work and in the way I was acting, something was wrong with me. So basically every teacher talked to me to see what was going on and helped me to raise my grades back up. That is why it's so great to have that one on one attention. All the teachers, also make class endurable, and entertaining. They make it more fun to learn and put it in a way that makes me want to learn. They also are always going out of their way for me. I can't think of a time I have asked a teacher to help me with something or go over something and they have said "no I'm busy or "no I can't." It's always "sure, when?" I never would have guesssed that an acronym could change me, but it has. That acronym is C.R.I.S.P. C.R.I.S.P. inspired me to be a better person. Its great having that writeen everywhere and seeing it every day. I actually try to be a citizen, and try to respect and try to show initiative, and well you guys no where I'm going with this. I am just grateful for having something that inspiring 24/7. I never thought that I would say this, but I am happy how strict the school is.

Reflection to Patch Adams Essay

Patch Adams is a very touching, sad yet inspiring story where you can learn a lot of lessons. It is a story about Hunter Adams who committed himself to an asylum for being suicidal. While in the asylum, he discovered his desire to help, understand and connect with people. After leaving the institution, he enrolls into a medical school to be able to accomplish his dream. During his stay in the hospital he helped the patients through humor because he believed that by making them laugh and forget the pain, it will strengthen them but it is prohibited to interact with the patients. It is only allowed when he reach his 3rd year. This became one of the reasons for him to be expelled from school but he never stopped and continue doing what he believe is right. As the story goes on there are many things that hinder him to achieve his dream but the head nurse believes in what he is doing and works along with him. Patch decides to continue his dream while Dean Walcott fights to have him thrown out of school but he always end up being unsuccessful. Patch established a free clinic called Gesundheit together with the help of his friends, Truman and Carin where the medicine is based on love, where in patients helps and treat one another, but the college finds out he was treating patients without a license making his entire career placed in risk. The time came that Patch questioned God if He cares or not. He was devastated after the death of Carin, the woman he loves because of a murder. He complained to God that on the 7th day of God’s creation, he should not rested instead used it for compassion. But God answered back through the butterfly and it brought back his passion he had before, that he is a man of mission to help people. In the movie, Patch has our Lord as his model for compassion. He was able to get victory because of his faith, hope and love. The movie tells us to be like Patch Adams in dealing with other people. We should look at the person beyond all of his imperfections. Patch’s attitude is very humane and his actions are very Christian and it should spread to all of us. We can be doctor to one another by making people smile, helping the needy or teaching other people to do good things. Through doing these, small gestures may cause a big impact to them. We should always remember that our model in being a doctor is none other than our Lord, Jesus Christ. The story tells us that we should have a passionate character. We should use our fears or failures as our key to success. Always believe that failures have seeds of success that will develop in it. Always be motivated so that you can influence other to be motivated too and when there are people who are feeling down we should help and cheer them up. Patch Adams is a movie worth watching, it will satisfy you and will make you learn and realize things. The movie has something to do in our lives, the moral lessons found in the story are applicable. It can make us to be a better person and help us possess characteristics of Patch Adams which are truly admirable and impressive. We should also see problems in a Christ-like manner and always focus on the solution not in the problem. When Patch is treating patients in his clinic, he exhibits great sacramental awareness by simply admitting that we are a community that can help each other. He proclaims that everyone is both a doctor and a patie nt. Patch also nears the meaning of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. He heals people in a beautiful way and we should do the same thing. In essence, even at our lowest medicines in life, truly the best medicine is humor. The philosophy of Hunter Adams is really workable. We can continue improving the doctor-patient relationship. Because of the movie, we are able to open our eyes and mind that there is something wrong with the medical system nowadays. We should change it now and try to do things better and in more humane way. Dr. Patch’s character shows that we should help people with understanding and love no matter what. His character teaches us not to give up on what we believe in. Let us be an inspiration to others. Patch Adam’s character is indeed amazing. He should serve as an inspiration and motivation not only to us but also to the medical community around the world. In our life we should not let fear conquer us. We should be strong enough to be different and exceptional. Do not be afraid to stand on your own faith.

Markeing Managment Essay Example

Markeing Managment Essay Example Markeing Managment Paper Markeing Managment Paper Marketing Management Knowledge and Skills Tenth Edition J. Paul Peter University of Wisconsin-Madison James H. Donnelly, Jr. / University of Kentucky Me Graw Hill McGraw-Hill Irwin Contents SECTION 1 ESSENTIALS OF MARKETING MANAGEMENT 1 Processing of Research Data 3 7 Preparation of the Research Report 38 Limitations of the Research Process 38 Marketing Information Systems Conclusion 41 40 PART A INTRODUCTION 3 Chapter 3 Consumer Behavior 42 Chapter 1 Strategic Planning and the Marketing Management Process 4 The Marketing Concept 4 What Is Marketing? What Is Strategic Planning? Social Influences on Consumer Decision Making 43 Culture and Subculture 43 Social Class 44 Reference Groups and Families 6 45 6 Strategic Planning and Marketing Management The Strategic Planning Process 7 The Complete Strategic Plan 16 Marketing Influences on Consumer Decision Making 45 Product Influences 45 Price Influences 45 Promotion Influences 46 Place Influences 46 20 The Marketing Management Process 16 Situation Analysis 16 * Marketing Planning 19 Implementation and Control of the Marketing Plan Marketing Information Systems and Marketing Research 21 Situational Influences on Consumer Decision Making 47 Psychological Influences on Consumer Decision Making 47 Product Knowledge 47 Product Involvement 48 The Strategic Plan, The Marketing Plan, and Other Functional Area Plans 21 Marketings Role in Cross-Functional Strategic Planning 21 Consumer Decision Making Need Recognition 49 Alternative Search 50 Alternative Evaluation 51 Purchase Decision 51 Postpurchase Evaluation 52 48 Conclusion 22 Appendix Portfolio Models 25 PART B MARKETING INFORMATION, RESEARCH, AND UNDERSTANDING THE TARGET MARKET 29 Chapter 2 Marketing Research: Process and Systems for Decision Making 30 The Role of Marketing Research 30 The Marketing Research Process 31 Purpose of the Research 31 Plan of the Research 32 Performance of the Research 37 xii Conclusion 54 Chapter 4 Business, Government, and Institutional Buying 55 Categories of Organizational Buyers Producers 55 Intermediaries 56 Government Agencies 56 Other Institutions 56 55 The Organizational Buying Process 56 Purchase-Type Influences on Organizational Buying 57 Straight Rebuy 57 Contents Modified Rebuy 57 New Task Purchase 5 7 xiii Structural Influences on Organizational Buying Purchasing Roles 58 Organization-Specific Factors 59 Purchasing Policies and Procedures 59 58 Chapter 7 New Product Planning and Development 98 New Product Strategy 99 New Product Planning and Development Process 101 Behavioral Influences on Organizational Buying Personal Motivations Role Perceptions 60 60 60 Stages in the Organizational Buying Process Organizational Need 63 Vendor Analysis 63 Purchase Activities 63 Postpurchase Evaluation 63 62 Idea Generation 101 Idea Screening 103 Project Planning 104 Product Development 105 Test Marketing 105 Commercialization 106 The Importance of Time 106 Some Important New Product Decisions Quality Level 107 Product Features 108 Product Design 108 Product Safety 109 107 Conclusion 65 Chapter 5 Market Segmentation 66 Delineate the Firms Current Situation 66 Determine Consumer Needs and Wants 67 Divide Markets on Relevant Dimensions 67 A Priori versus Post Hoc Segmentation 68 Relevance of Segmentation Dimensions 68 Bases for Segmentation 69 Causes of New Product Failure Needfor Research 109 109 Conclusion 111 Develop Product Positioning 75 Decide Segmentation Strategy 76 Design Marketing Mix Strategy 77 Conclusion 78 Chapter 8 Integrated Marketing Communications Strategic Goals of Marketing Communication Create Awareness 112 Build Positive Images 112 Identify Prospects 112 Build Channel Relationships Retain Customers 113 112 112 PARTC THE MARKETING MIX 79 Chapter 6 Product and Brand Strategy Basic Issues in Product Management Product Definition 80 Product Classification 81 Product Quality and Value 82 Product Mix and Product Line 83 Branding and Brand Equity 84 Packaging 88 113 The Promotion Mix 113 Integrated Marketing Communications 114 Advertising: Planning and Strategy 116 80 80 Objectives ofAdvertising 116 Advertising Decisions 16 The Expenditure Question 117 The Allocation Question 120 Sales Promotion 124 Product Life Cycle The Product Audit 90 93 Push versus Pull Marketing 124 Trade Sales Promotions 125 Consumer Promotions 126 What Sales Promotion Can and Cant Do 126 Product Adoption and Diffusion 93 95 Deletions 93 Product Improvement Organizing for Product Management Conclusion 97 95 Public Relations 128 Direct Marketing 128 Conclusion 129 Appendix Major Federal Agencies Inv olved in Control of Advertising 131 xiv Contents Chapter 9 Personal Selling, Relationship Building, and Sales Management 132 Importance of Personal Selling 132 The Sales Process 133 Objectives of the Sales Force 133 The Sales Relationship-Building Process 134 People Who Support the Sales Force 140 Managing the Sales and Relationship-Building Process 141 The Sales Management Task 141 Controlling the Sales Force 142 Motivating and Compensating Performance 146 Conclusion 146 Estimate Costs and Other Price Limitations 170 Analyze Profit Potential 171 Set Initial Price Structure 171 Change Price as Needed 172 Conclusion 172 PARTD MARKETING IN SPECIAL FIELDS 173 Chapter 12 The Marketing of Services 174 Important Characteristics of Services 176 Intangibility 176 Inseparability 177 Perishability and Fluctuating Demand 178 Client Relationship 178 Customer Effort 179 Uniformity 180 Providing Quality Services 180 Customer Satisfaction Measurement 182 The Importance of Internal Marketing 182 Overcoming the Obstacles in Service Marketing Limited View of Marketing 184 Limited Competition 184 Noncreative Management 185 No Obsolescence 185 The Service Challenge 186 Banking 186 Health Care 186 Insurance 187 Travel 187 Implications for Service Marketers 188 Conclusion 189 Chapter 10 Distribution Strategy 148 The Need for Marketing Intermediaries 148 Classification of Marketing Intermediaries and Functions 148 Channels of Distribution 150 Selecting Channels of Distribution 151 Specific Considerations 151 Managing a Channel of Distribution 154 Relationship Marketing in Channels 154 Vertical Marketing Systems 154 Wholesaling 157 Store and Nonstore Retailing 15 8 Store Retailing 158 Nonstore Retailing 159 Conclusion 162 184 Chapter 11 Pricing Strategy 63 Demand Influences on Pricing Decisions 163 Demographic Factors 163 Psychological Factors 163 Price Elasticity 164 Supply Influences on Pricing Decisions 165 Pricing Objectives 165 Cost Considerations in Pricing 165 Product Considerations in Pricing 167 Environmental Influences on Pricing Decisions Competition 168 Government Regulations 168 A General Pricing Model 169 Set Pricing Objectives 169 Evaluate Product-Price Relationships 169 Chapter 13 Global Marketing 190 The Competitive Advantage of Nations 191 Organizing for Global Marketing 192 Problems with Entering Foreign Markets 192 Organizing the Multinational Company 195 Programming for Global Marketing 197 Global Marketing Research 197 Global Product Strategy 200 Global Distribution Strategy 200 Global Pricing Strategy 201 Global Advertising and Sales Promotion Strategy 201 Entry and Growth Strategies for Global Marketing 202 Conclusion 205 168 Contents xv SECTION 2 ANALYZING MARKETING PROBLEMS AND CASES 207 A Case Analysis Framework 208 1. Analyze and Record the Current Situation 209 2. Analyze and Record Problems and Their Core Elements 213 3. Formulate, Evaluate, and Record Alternative Courses ofAction 214 4. Select and Record the Chosen Alternative and Implementation Details 215 Pitfalls to Avoid in Case Analysis 215 Communicating Case Analyses 218 The Written Report 218 The Oral Presentation 220 Conclusion 220 Exercise 7 238 Pricing Issues on the Internet 238 Exercise 8 238 Selecting the Internet as a Distribution Channel 238 Exercise 9 239 Internet Advertising 239 Exercise 10 239 The Adaptation of Services to the Internet 239 Exercise 11 240 Marketing Communications Techniques in the Internet Age 240 INTERNET SOURCES OF MARKETING INFORMATION 241 Charles Heath: Eastern Kentucky University Corporate Web Sites 242 Search Engines and Directories 242 Government Sites 243 Business Publications 243 Newspapers 244 National Papers 244 Large City Papers 244 International Papers 245 Regional Papers 245 General Business Sites 245 Internet Marketing Reference Sites 246 Compilation Sites 246 SECTION 3 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FOR MARKETING DECISIONS 221 Financial Analysis 222 Break-Even Analysis 222 Net Present Value Analysis 224 Ratio Analysis 226 Conclusion 230 SECTION 4 INTERNET EXERCISES AND SOURCES OF MARKETING INFORMATION 231 PART A INTERNET EXERCISES 233 Charles Heath: Eastern Kentucky University Exercise 1 234 Corporate Web Sites 234 Exercise 2 234 Online versus Offline Retail Experiences 234 Exercise 3 235 Consumer Decision-Making Process 235 Exercise 4 236 Discovering Product Assortments Online 236 Exercise 5 236 Brand Equity on the Internet 236 Exercise 6 237 The Impact of Communities on Marketing 237 5 MARKETING MANAGEMENT CASES 247 MARKET OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS 249 Case! McDonalds Corporation 250 I Paul Peter and Ashish Gokhale: University of Wisconsin-Madison Case 2 Southwest Airlines 2008 257 Andrew C. Inkpen: Thunderbird School of Global Management xvi Contents Case 3 South Delaware Coors, Inc. CASE GROUPC 271 PROMOTION STRATEGY 373 James E. Nelson and Eric J. Karson: University of Colorado Case 4 Ruths Chris: The High Stakes of International Expansion 280 Allen H. Kupetz and lion Alon: University of Western Ontario Case 5 Coach Inc. : Is Its Advantage in Luxury Handbags Sustainable? 287 John E. Gamble: University of South Alabama Case 6 Panera Bread Company Case 12 The Obama Campaign Strategy 74 Dan Tolhurst and Mark Vandenbosch: University of Western Ontario Case 13 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative 383 Douglas B. Holt: Oxford University Case 14 Red Bull 400 302 Arthur A. Thompson: University of Alabama Richard R. Johnson, Jordan Mitchell, Paul W. Farris, and Ervin Shames: University of Virginia Case IS Hips Feel Good- Doves Campaign for Real Beauty 414 David Wesley: Northeastern University CASE GROUP B PRODUCT STRATEGY Case 7 Starbucks- Early 2008 319 320 J. Paul Peter: University of Wisconsin-Madison Case 8 Your Home is a Good Place, Inc. CASE GROUP D DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY 429 25 Case 16 IKEAs Global Strategy: Furnishing the World 430 . Paul Kolesa Kevin Coulson and Zane Swanson: University of Western Ontario Case 9 easyCar. com 332 Case 17 Pets. com Inc. : Rise and Decline of a Pet Supply Retailer 438 Omar Merlo: University of Western Ontario Case 18 The Challenges Facing eBay in 2008: Time for a Change in Strategy? 453 Louis Marino: University of Alabama Patrick Kreiser: Ohio University John J. Lawrence: University of Idaho Luis Solis: University of Idaho Instituto de Empresa Case 10 The Launch of the Sony PlayStation 3 David Wesley and Gloria Barczak: Northeastern University Case 11 Snacks to Go 41 356 JoAnn K. Linrud: Central Michigan University Contents xvii Case 19 SECTION 6 STRATEGIC MARKETING CASES 587 Case 1 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in 20 08: Managements Initiatives to Transform the Company and Curtail Wal-Mart Bashing 479 Arthur A. Thompson: University of Alabama Yum! Brands, Pizza Hut, and KFC 589 Jeffrey A. Krug: Appalachian State University CASE GROUP E PRICING STRATEGY 519 Case 20 Case 2 Caterpillar, Inc. 603 Schwinn Bicycles 520 J. Paul Peter: University of Wisconsin-Madison Sara L. Pitterle and J. Paul Peter: University of Wisconsin-Madison Case 21 Terra Bite Lounge: Pay What You Want Cafe^ 523 Remi Trudell: University of Western Ontario Case3 EMR Innovations 615 Kay M. Palan: Iowa State University Case 4 Case 22 Cowgirl Chocolates 527 Harley-Davidson, Inc. - Motorcycle Division 626 J. Paul Peter: University of Wisconsin-Madison John J. Lawrence, Linda J. Morris, and Joseph J. Geiger: University of Idaho Case 23 Case 5 Clearwater Technologies7 540 Susan F. Sieloff and Raymond M. Kinnunen: Northeastern University PepsiCos Diversification Strategy in 2008 639 John E. Gamble: University of South Alabama Case 6 CASE GROUP F Social and Ethical Issues in Marketing Management 545 Case 24 E. J. Gallo Winery (2007) Expresso Espresso 656 Calvin M. Bacon, Jr. : University of South Alabama 546 Case? Respironics, Incorporated: Take a Deep Breath 678 Janet L. Rovenpor: Manhattan College Armand Gilinsky, Jr. : Sonoma State University Marion Armstrong, Taylor Green, and A. J. Strickland III: University of Alabama Case 25 Abercrombie Fitch: An Upscale Sporting Goods Retailer Becomes a Leader in Trendy Apparel 563 Janet Rovenpor: Manhattan College CaseS Research In Motion- Entering a New Era 700 Sofy Carayannopoulos: Wilfrid Laurier University xviii Contents Case 9 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in 2005: Are the Glory Days Over? 723 Arthur A. Thompson, Jr. : University of Alabama Amit J. Shah: Frostburg State University Case 10 Table of Contents 786 Introduction 786 Situational Analysis 786 Marketing Planning 786 Implementation and Control of the Marketing Plan Summary 790 Appendix- Financial Analysis 790 References 793 788 Dell Inc. in 2008: Can It Overtake Hewlett-Packard as the Worldwide Leader in Personal Computers? 748 Arthur A. Thompson, Jr. : University of Alabama John E. Gamble: University of South Alabama Conclusion 793 Notes 795 Index 802 SECTION 7 Developing Marketing Plans 783 A Marketing Plan Framework Title Page 785 Executive Summary 785 784

A Sample Back to School Night Agenda

A Sample Back to School Night Agenda Back to School Night is your opportunity to make a strong, positive first impression on your new students parents. Time is short, but theres a lot of information to cover so its important to make a schedule of Back to School Night activities and follow it as closely as possible. That way, you can feel confident that you will address all of the most important points, while the parents will get all of their questions answered in a friendly and orderly manner. Sample Back to School Night Schedule Use the following sample schedule of Back to School Night activities as a road-map of key points you might want to cover during your own presentation. Distribute (or display via presentation) the evenings agenda so that parents know what to expect.Briefly introduce yourself, including your educational background, teaching experience, interests, and a few friendly pieces of personal information.Give an overview of the scope and sequence of the curriculum you will be covering with the students over the course of the school year. Show textbooks and give a thumbnail sketch of what the students will know by the end of the year.Describe a typical day in your classroom as exhibited through the daily schedule. Be sure to mention which days of the week are for special activities such as physical education class or visiting the library.Mention a few important dates in the school calendar, perhaps the major vacation dates, field trips, assemblies, carnivals, etc.Review the classroom and school rules and procedures. Consider asking the parents to sign a slip that indicates their agreement to the classroom rules and corresponding consequences.T ell the parents about opportunities to volunteer in the classroom. Be specific about what you need and what various jobs entail. Let them know where the volunteer sign-up sheet is located. Allow a few minutes for the parents to ask you questions in a whole group setting. Only take time to answer questions that apply to all or most of the students. Child-specific questions should be addressed in a different format.Distribute your contact information, how you prefer to be contacted, and how the parents can expect to hear from you on a weekly or monthly basis (class newsletter, for example). Introduce the Room Parent, if applicable.Let the parents meander around the classroom for a few minutes, exploring bulletin boards and learning centers. You can even conduct a quick scavenger hunt for a fun way for parents  to explore the classroom.  And remember to encourage them to leave a little note for their children.Smile, thank everyone for coming, and relax. You did it!

Corporate finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate finance - Research Paper Example Here in this paper a critical analysis will be done on whether the financial markets are efficient or not. Different theories will be discussed for further analysis. Additionally future probabilities of global financial crisis will also be discussed. It will be done on a step by step basis. According to the theory of Eugene Fama, markets efficiencies are totally dependent upon information. The hypothesis has mainly three versions. Those versions are Strong, Semi Strong and Weak. Strong form of EMH comments that prices reflect all available public information and also hidden information. Semi strong of EMH states that prices reveal only existing and changing publicly available information. Weak version of EMH tells that prices of traded assets show only publicly available information (Quiry, Fur, Salvi, Dallochio and Vernimmen, 2011). The efficient market hypothesis considers that every investor take all present information in the same manner. This consideration faces lots of oppositions, as stock valuation have some difficulties with this assumption. It is often being noticed that some investors are interested in undervalued stocks and some investors are interested towards growth potentials. It shows that there are huge differences between the ways of thinking of two i nvestors. It is clearly against the theoretical foundations of EMH theory (Ferran and Ho, 2014). It also indicates that with the help of this model ascertaining the worth of stock is impossible under efficient market. As far the efficient market hypothesis, no investor is ever able to gain greater profitability in compared to others, through the equal amount of already invested funds. It further clarifies that equal ownership of information means investors can only achieve same returns. But this assumption is also not true in different cases as there are very wide ranges of returns. It

Construction Safety Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Construction Safety - Coursework Example OSHA guidelines in many states act as mere guidelines and not the law as construction accidents increase as time goes by. This has caused many states e.g. Massachusetts and Connecticut to have in place stricter guidelines that highly follow OSHA rules or supersede them. Furthermore, these states ensure that the OSHA rules are followed to the letter e.g. the 10 hr-OSHA training (Ireland, 2006). As it has been seen trenching is an area that requires huge attention as fatalities and injuries are alarmingly high. Trenching has many regulations as to safety of the workers but they are hardly followed by construction firms. The case of Robert Harrell in Texas and Martin Samaniego in California are a clear proof of how neglected OSHA guidelines are. Investigations to these cases revealed that little had been done to protect these excavators from caving in or collapsing of the trenches they were working in. These are just but two fatality cases in two dozens reported yearly in the United States. Of importance to note is that more than 1000 cases of collapsed trenches are reported annually with non-fatal injuries (Ireland, 2006). The biggest issue that concerns safety in trench-related constructions is lack of enforcement of laid down regulations or guidelines. It is sad to note that in 2004 inspections in such sites by OSHA officials proved this fact. Around 90 percent of the inspected trench sites had no protective systems in place exposing the workers to immense danger of fatalities or injuries in case of cave-ins or collapse (Ireland, 2006). The remedial action that has been in force for quite a long time is the fining system. This shows that this system has faults or loopholes that are being taken advantage of by the contractors. For this reason some firms e.g. Morrilton and Koontz Electric Co. are known to disregard OSHA rules and enforce stiffer ones in their constructions (Ireland, 2006). Although sloping,