The functions performed by various telecommunications departments

The implementation of a telecommunications project is an intricate process that requires the input of a variety of separate units. When an organization or any institution decides to put in place an Information Technology system, it must follow a systematic procedure that begins with the determination of the fact whether the project is necessary, whether it is economically viable, how it is going to operate and be maintained and finally the interface that must be put in place to assist its users and clients.That is why there are several departments in charge. The Planning Department plays the role of qualitatively analyzing a telecommunications project. After the need for the project has been identified, it is the planning department that deliberates on the best implementation approach. There needs to be linear analysis so that the costs of project implementation can be optimized, and to ensure that the final system put in place serves the function which it was intended to; which is i ncreasing the efficiency of operations.The development department is in charge of the actual project implementation. This is usually a technical department comprised of engineers and information scientists. It is in charge of laying the actual physical infrastructure and all the other support components. The Operations department is involved with making sure that the system already put in place by the development group is functioning optimally at all times.This requires constant maintenance and upgrading to remain in phase with advances in technology. Administrative services ensures that the IT project meets required standards of privacy or any other compatibility issues that are recommended depending on the type and application of the system. This department works in close collaboration with the help desk. The help desk on its part handles any queries which may arise from users of the telecommunications system.

Principle Economics Essay

In your view, what is economics? Economics has been defined as the allocation of scarce resources among many different players.   Simply understood as mere supply and demand, Economics can also be made to apply to more complex systems such as production frontiers and economies of scale.   Put simply, economics can be understood as the study of how different market systems interact with each other in order to provide each with the resources that they desire. The law of diminishing returns is short run analysis. True or false? The law of diminishing returns is a long run analysis.   It basically postulates that for every additional input that is added to the production scale, the resulting output per unit will increase up to a certain point then start to increase.   This is a long run analysis because it factors in the effect of additional units of input vis-à  -vis output on the production scale over a long period of time.   Such effects cannot be tracked in a short term scale and if done would most probably be inaccurate. Demand and Supply are operating forces in the market. How then can the equilibrium achieved? The supply-demand model is one of the fundamental concepts of economics. The price level of a good essentially is determined by the point at which quantity supplied equals quantity demanded. To illustrate, consider the following case in which the supply and demand curves are plotted on the same graph. Supply and Demand On this graph, there is only one price level at which quantity demanded is in balance with the quantity supplied, and that price is the point at which the supply and demand curves cross. The law of supply and demand predicts that the price level will move toward the point that equalizes quantities supplied and demanded. To understand why this must be the equilibrium point, consider the situation in which the price is higher than the price at which the curves cross. In such a case, the quantity supplied would be greater than the quantity demanded and there would be a surplus of the good on the market. Specifically, from the graph we see that if the unit price is $3 (assuming relative pricing in dollars), the quantities supplied and demanded would be: Quantity Supplied = 42 units Quantity Demanded = 26 units Therefore there would be a surplus of 42 – 26 = 16 units. The sellers then would lower their price in order to sell the surplus. Suppose the sellers lowered their prices below the equilibrium point. In this case, the quantity demanded would increase beyond what was supplied, and there would be a shortage. If the price is held at $2, the quantity supplied then would be: Quantity Supplied = 28 units Quantity Demanded = 38 units Therefore, there would be a shortage of 38 – 28 = 10 units. The sellers then would increase their prices to earn more money. The equilibrium point must be the point at which quantity supplied and quantity demanded are in balance, which is where the supply and demand curves cross. From the graph above, one sees that this is at a price of approximately $2.40 and a quantity of 34 units.

Nutrition for Health and Social Care Essay

In this assignment, I will be making realistic recommendations for decreasing negative impacts on the health of one individual. The individual I will be making recommendations for and talking about in more depth is James. As it states in the case study, and James has a BMI above average, therefore, in this assignment, I will clarify in full detail what he could do in order to live a healthier lifestyle and lose some weight as James is 54 years old overweight. In addition, I will also be stating the advantages of acting upon and following the recommendations I have made as well as the disadvantages if he did not follow them and continued with his normal diet. â€Å"Food is essential for life but what we eat is subject to a wide range of influences. Recognising these and taking account of them when planning menus and preparing food can make the difference between and individual eating sufficiently for their needs or not†. James is 54 years old Chief Executive of an international company. He is single with no children, and admits to not paying much attention to his diet. Due to working long hours, he often skips meals, and ends up snacking. He sometimes grabs a takeaway on the way home because he’s not good at cooking, and hardly does food shopping and he lives miles away from the nearest supermarket, and so there’s usually nothing indoors to eat. At 6’1, he weighs 212 pounds and has a BMI of 28. He admits to feeling a little tired, recently. James dietary habits are impacting him negatively because he at an age where he is at risk of contracting some type of serious cardiovascular diseases, for instance problems with his heart or his arteries being clogged with fat because of consuming a lot of unhealthy foods, which could be fatal. James health factors are already beginning to have negative impacts on him because as it states â€Å"he admits to feeling a little tired, recently†. If James does not alter his behaviour towards his health for example taking more care and paying attention to his health, not only will he continue to gain a lot of weight but he will also have a hard time losing the weight as he will have a great amount to lose. I recommend that James goes on a diet and makes lifestyle changes. However prior to beginning his diet, I think it’s highly important that James visits his GP and research about dieting and losing weight the right way rather than doing it the wrong way to see faster results and be at risk of other health problems. After he has done his research, He should start off his diet slowly, for instance he could start by cutting out fizzy drinks and alcohol because they both contain great amounts of calories and fizzy drinks have a lot of sugar which is not good to constantly have, and replacing them with water. Water is extremely beneficial to the body because it refreshes your body and keeps you hydrated, and also drinking the recommended amount of water daily combined with a healthy diet, will contribute in weight loss and a healthier body. James should then begin to make food choice changes and portion control, for example cutting out fatty foods and consuming large portions of food. It states in the case study that he does not pay attention to his diet and because he works long hours, he often skips meals and that he is not good at cooking. James will have to now pay a lot of attention to his diet because it is putting him at risk of serious health problems and the first thing he should do is look on the internet for food recipes. If James does not want to cook at all, he should order his food from shops such as Marks and Spencer’s which have a variety of different healthy meals and also have home delivery so he could have the food delivered to him. Although he works long hours, it is vital that he does not skip any meals during the day, he should prepare a healthy meal at home and pack some to take to work and eat during his break, and he should also incorporate fruits for snacks and a bottle of water to take to work every day. This way he will not have to buy unhealthy take away meals to eat. In addition, James should attempt not to eat heavy meals before bed, he should have a light dinner and if he feels hungry late hours of the night, he should eat fruits and drink water to fill him up. After James has become accustomed to his new diet choices, he should now incorporate exercise to his diet. However it states in the case study that James works long hours which could be problem if he is trying to incorporate some exercise to his new lifestyle. The way to overcome this problem would be for James to have a plan. He should plan out his life for instance what ime he departs for work, what time he’s back home and the amount of hours he has free after work. Due to the fact that James works long hours, I think that he would benefit highly from buying aerobic DVDS and exercising in the comfort of his own home rather than going to the gym after a tiring day at work. He should start off by buying beginners DVD and gradually progressing to the more intense work out. However the DVDs must be suitable for his age and also he should consult his doctor prior to starting the exercising routine. The advantages of these strategies I have implemented above for James is that he will lose weight, he’ll be living a healthier lifestyle, he’ll become accustomed to not eating unhealthy foods and he would have the skills and knowledge about health and how poor diet contributes highly to health problems. The disadvantage would be if James decided not to act upon the recommendation and continued his bad habits of constantly eating take-away, skipping meals during the day and not exercising. The fact that he is 54 and is overweight is highly worrying because he is now at risk of getting diabetes, clogging up his arteries, suffering from a heart attack and other life threatening health problems. If he does not change his diet he is most likely to endure one of the health problems I have just mentioned and in worst cases it could lead to instant death. James lifestyle also has a huge negative effect on his health. This is because he has no wife or kids, whom could’ve helped James more, by for instance having a healthy cooked meal for him when he returns home from work. This way he would not need to always pick up takeaways on his way home as he would have a healthy cooked meal at home. Also the fact that James works long hours has also affected his health, the reason I believe this is because this could be the reason as to why he skips meals due to not having time to eat during work times which is also now making James feels often tired. James health is at risk, the fact that his working hours are so long may also be the reason to why James has not enrolled in gym, as I mentioned above he may feel extremely tired when he returns home from work and does not have the energy to exercise. Also the fact that he often skips meals does not help the situation because he is not receiving enough nutrients to give him energy he requires. I recommend that James starts off by possibly making slight alterations in his working hours and replace them with time for himself. The reasons for this is because James is clearly on a route to becoming obese and he needs to make some time for himself to exercise and better his health. As well as exercising, as I mentioned in the previous paragraphs, he has to change his eating habits as this is the main reason for his weight issues. I believe that a plan would be very beneficial for James to implement in his life because due to the fact that he’s a chief executive of an international company, means that he possibly has a lot of daily responsibilities at work and if he had a plan of what to eat and what time he has free to exercise, he will not become stressed and confused because it will all be written down. In this plan he should write down all the hours he works during the week and the breaks he has in between, he should also implement his new healthy diet in this plan and write the times he eats meals and snacks in between. I believe that after doing this and following through with the plan, he will adjust to the plan and begin to lose some weight and become healthier. Also more importantly James must always carry a packed lunch and fruits to work so he does not skip lunch and after lunch if he begins to get hungry again, he can snack on some fruits instead of buying unhealthy snacks. In conclusion, I believe that the recommendations I have made for James will only be advantages to him. This is because he will begin to lose the weight he has to lose in order to be healthy; his BMI will drop to average weight and also most importantly he will be living a healthier lifestyle and decrease the risk of having serious health problems. In addition, he will begin to have more energy throughout the day to cope with his every day routine without feeling as tired as he did when he did not pay attention to his diet and weight.

Public Meeting Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Meeting Assignment - Essay Example Those in attendance would be the Township council members who would pave way for the meeting, and also members of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association. Members of public would be encouraged to join in the meeting to help come up with suggestions and issues that surround the town and what could be done to make it better. The cleanup would act as a way for all community members to be involved in collecting litter that has riddled the watershed streams and assist in keeping the water sources clean (EWT 1). In a bid to increase and also improve community relations, this exercise might set the bar for all members to come together to keep their community clean for future generations that were to come. Public discussion may have been done through the council’s website (EWT 1), which encourages feedback through the different channels that are available. These means of communication is seen as an improvement from the past which might have included a lot of public discussion or debate. Technological advances have assisted some of the states and their councils in carrying out their duties and tasks to the public. The public is more involved in the running and deliberation of issues that affect their daily lives. This is unlike in the past where a council that consists of members who might be after their own interests decides what happens, when it happens, and how it happens in the community. People have become more aware of their rights as a result of this, and people can form groups that aid in protecting their rights and freedoms. Politics in this local level of government may work toward protecting the rights of their citizens through the policies they put in place. (EWT 1). However, not much is done since the public may not always be involved in the growth and development process of the community. The technological phase that has gripped the whole world is getting into the political arena. This works toward creating a front in which young people are involved in the running of their community business. Social media and other forms of media are used to reach the public to alert them of the various activities that may be undertaken, which may require their involvement. This involvement forces the political field to listen to some of the proposals and issues that are raised by the public, and act on these issues. This entire front works to show of the democratic advancement the nation has taken in addressing some of the problems faced. Naturally in the past, it would be next to impossible to engage one on one w ith a political figure who was still in office. The measures in place work to promote a relationship between the political head and the people being governed. Issues can be heard and hearings created to cater to the situations that arise. A measure of devotion is also created once political figures see the response of the public (EWT 1). This acts as a show of trust the public may have placed on their leaders, and failure to respond on their part may mean that they are failing in their duties and responsibilities. In conclusion, the

Should Abortion Be A Woman Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Should Abortion Be A Woman Decision - Essay Example Only the individual can disseminate the information and make their own decision based on what they believe to be right but everyone should know both sides on equal terms so as to make the decision that is right for them. This paper will first present the ‘right-to-life’ then follow with the ‘pro-choice’ argument. The right to choose is the foundation upon which this country was built. Those who are pro-abortion trumpet this slogan while proclaiming a woman’s ‘God given right’ to make her own choices without government interference. This simple ideology is embraced by some but the arguments are flawed when the realities of abortion are examined. Studies have shown that most women are coerced into committing this murderous act of a living human and that there is no such thing as safe abortions as many are led to believe. Pro-abortion proponents generally espouse that the rights of a non-living tissue that feels no pain are non-existent. This discussion exposes these untruths that have been reported and are widely perceived as facts. It also explains the framers’ intent for the legal and moral direction of American society when they drafted the Constitution, the document that defines the laws of the nation. There is little freedom of choice for women who are experiencing an unwanted pregnancy. The women themselves usually wish to bring their baby to full term. Other powerful influences in her life such as husbands/boyfriends, parents and friends are generally the forces that exact pressures on her to terminate the pregnancy. â€Å"Eight out of 10 women surveyed after abortion said they would have given birth if they’d had support and encouragement from family and friends† (Reardon, 2002). It’s the abortion that, in many cases, is unwanted by the woman, not the baby. Most often, the father of the child, not wishing to accept responsibility, may beg or even

The Value of the Internet to our Knowledge and Thinking Essay

The Value of the Internet to our Knowledge and Thinking - Essay Example The internet is a broad and intricate network of interlinked computers. The exponential growth of this huge, artificial information system has been a significant factor that motivates research scientists to adopt a new angle on how they view the human brain. According to Carr, the brain is highly adaptable since it can imagine the mechanics of using a new technology even before the technology exists (Carr 129). Apparently, the human brain and the internet have a lot of similarities. For starters, they both are highly non-random interconnected network that enhance the communication between distant elements. Such a similarity may seem remarkable given the huge disparity between the two. One possibility provided by scientists is that fact that both the internet and human brain have evolved to meet the general fitness measure. Both the human brain and the internet are highly effective in processing information and can rapidly adapt. The human brain is more like a muscle. The more one exercises it the stronger, flexible and versatile it becomes. The internet can be likened to a weight training machines for the brain while books are analogous to free weights. Each avenue has its merits, but when used efficiently one works the brain harder. Weight machines are more directive as they persuade a person to think that he or she has worked harder though with minimal effort. The same case applies to the internet, it usually shows us what we think we know and while misinforming us at the same time.

Summary of fixed income securities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Summary of fixed income securities - Essay Example Debt securities have two essential components namely interest and principle. Fixed income securities which fall in the category of debt includes bonds, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities and bank loans. Preferred stock obligations can be defined as the stock in which the investors gain ownership interests in an organization. Fixed dividends are paid to the stock holders out of the profits which are earned by the company. Preferred stock holders are different from the common stock holders as they do not have voting rights. Preferred stock holders only can realize fixed dividends at periodical intervals. However, preference stock holders are given more priority when it comes to payment of dividends as compared to common stock holders. If a company becomes bankrupt, the obligations to preference stock holders are cleared off first. Considering such aspects associated with preferred stock, they are termed as form of equity having characteristic features which are similar to bonds (Barnhill Jr and Maxwell 347). Treasury bonds- They are also referred to as government bonds as the federal government of a nation issues such bonds. The government is expected not to default the payments associated with such bonds. Hence, the risks associated with such bonds are perceived to be low. However, since the price of such bonds may fall if the rate of interest rises, they are not completely riskless. Corporate bonds- Such bonds are issued by business organizations. Unlike government bonds, corporate bonds are exposed to high default risks. If the issuing company does not earn adequate profits or is suffering huge losses, it may not be able to make timely payments to the bondholders. The default risks which are associated with the bonds may range on the basis of the characteristics of the company and the terms of the bond. Such default risks are

Foundations of Criminal Law-resit journal article analysis Coursework

Foundations of Criminal Law-resit journal article analysis - Coursework Example The house of Lords held that allowing the appeal, that the word reckless, in S.1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971 was not intended by parliament to change the law in respect of the mens rea, required for the offence of recklessly causing damage to property, thus foresight of consequences remained a necessary ingredient of recklessness in the context of S.1 offence. Such a construction which made no allowance for the defendant’s youth or mental capacity when assessing the obviousness of the risk of the property was a misinterpretation of S.1; was offensive in principle, and was apt to cause injustice and offend against a jury’s sense of fairness. Thus, the need to correct the misinterpretation was compelling.1 The very high threshold of departing from a previous decision of the House of Lords had been satisfied. In order to convict an offence under S.1 of the 1971 Act, it must be proved that a person acted Crim.L.R.370 recklessly to: (a) a situation when he was familiar w ith the danger that it existed or could exist; (b) an outcome when he is mindful of the danger that it will happen, and it is in the factors known to him, nonsensical to take the danger. But if a defendant, due to his age and personal characteristics, genuinely did not appreciate or foresee the risk involved in the actions, then he could not be regarded as culpable so as to be guilty of an offence under S.1. 1Cath Crosby, â€Å"Recklessness – the Continuing Search for a Definition† The Journal of Criminal Law (2008) 313 -334 Accordingly in the instant case, the judge’s directions, which were based on a previous decision of the House of Lords, now departed from, were incorrect, and the conviction of the defendants would be quashed. The House of Lords departed from an earlier ruling i.e. R.vs Caldwell (James) {1982} A.C 341(HL). This ruling provided an objective definition of â€Å"recklessness†. Lord Diplock held that a person would be reckless under the C riminal Damage Act 1971 if: (1) He does a demonstration which truth be told makes a plain hazard that property could be crushed or harmed; (2) whenever he does an enactment that he either has not given any thought for the conceivability of there being any such hazard or he has distinguished that there was some hazard included, and has none the less gone ahead to do it. Lord Diplock’s assertion postulates that, the very definition of â€Å"recklessness,† is conceived on an objective criterion or test, which ultimately was/is based upon the ordinary prudent individual’s state of mind. In R vs. G, the main point of departure at least according to Lord Bingham of Cornhill, was the â€Å"state of mind† of the individual found culpable to have committed a criminal act.2 According to Lord Bingham, â€Å"The most clearly at fault state of brain is doubtlessly an aim to create the harmful effect. However, knowing negligence of a prized and unsatisfactory danger o f bringing on a harmful effect or a purposeful shutting of the personality to such hazard could be promptly embraced as at fault moreover. It is unmistakably accountable to take a clear and critical danger of creating damage to a different one. Anyhow, it is not plainly reprehensible to do something including a danger of damage to a different if†¦ â€Å"One really does not recognize the danger. Quite an impressive individual may reasonably be blamed

Customer Service Training Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Customer Service Training - Assignment Example he paper will identify ways through which deficiencies would be eliminated by justifying the use of needs assessment of the company’s given employee training program. Undoubtedly, training can play a vital role for the success of an organization. Organizations (associated with customer service specifically) hold various training sessions as it is one of the appropriate techniques to meet the goals and objectives and to attain efficient production. Training session for new employees helps them to settle in the fresh new environment and get used to with the company’s policies. Furthermore, these training sessions also helps the new employees regarding the better use of technology and IT (Handy, 2008). Since customer service is a very delicate and important aspect for any business, therefore, it should be noted that the new employees must learn ways through which they can perform better. Also, it can create a steadfast team of their own that has the tendency to overcome issues and fulfill the customer requirements under every circumstance (Marquardt, 2000). The best way to hold a training session for the new employees is through needs assessment technique. There is an avid need to identify the loopholes or the actual training needs that are required by the company, and should be prioritized. For example in the present case of training new employees, there is an obvious need to address them the basic rules and policies of the company regarding customer services and how it stands out in the market. Furthermore, there are numerous tasks and functions that cannot be done without proper training or guidance, for example, the use of technology / IT in the company, etc. This approach would result in paramount returns by investing time and training on the employees by correctly identifying the basic needs, issues in customer service, and other work related queries, while it also helps inappropriately appointing the right employee at the right place (Evenson,

Video Business Case Report Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Video Business Report - Case Study Example The company should look at improving the liquidity position. It can be done thorough reducing the operating cost. It can improve the valuation of the company by increasing the revenue of the company. acQuire can improve the profitability by reducing the operating cost and overhead. This will improve the production efficient of the company. It can decrease the debt equity ratio by in increasing the profitability. It will increase the cash position ultimately and lead to increase of liquidity position of the firm. The company can increase the current ratio by reducing the operating cost. It will ensure that the production efficiency of the company improves. This will have a direct impact on the profitability also. The board now wants to develop a sustainable strategy so that it can avid the repeat of the global financial crisis in 2008. For this the company should increase the core equity capital and lower its debt ratio. With more debt ratio the company will be in obligation to pay of f their dues else it can go bankrupt. The company tries to lower its prices of the products and reinvest its profits back to the company instead of giving dividends to the shareholders. It will help the company in maintaining liquidity position so that they don’t have to face cash crunch when credit in the market dries up. Introduction acQuire Technology Solutions is an Australian-based company which develops and delivers Geoscientific Information Management System (GIMS) called â€Å"acQuire†. acQuire Technology solutions is facing many issues in its operation. The profitability of the company is decreasing from fiscal year 2012 to 2013. The forecasted profit of the company is also decreasing. The main reason for decrease in profitability is the increase in operating expenses. Hence the company is not being able to maintain its cost down. The current ratio of the company is increasing which shows that the company’s liquidity position is improving. Share price o f the company has decreased from 2012 to 2013. This is because the net profit of the company is decreasing. The share profit of the company is also decreasing. There has been huge decrease in share profit from $ 792,551 to $ 319769. It is also predicted that the share profit of the company is also decreasing. The liquidity position of the firm is improving while the debt ratio of the company is decreasing. The company is using its cash balance to pay off its current liabilities. Foreign exchange gain of the company for the financial year 2013 was $ 26, 151 as compared to $ 93,960 for the financial year 2012. It indicates sufficient drop in profit for the company. Again it has been projected that the company will not earn any foreign exchange gains or losses. Discussion Decision Criteria acQuire Technologies Solution is facing a number of problem. The share of price of the company is decreasing because of loss of profitability. The current asset ratio of the company is increasing fro m 1.12 to 1.26. The company should look at improving the current ratio. Debt ratio of the company has decreased from 1.74 to 1.09. The ideal value of this debt ratio is 0.5. This shows that the company has high debt ratio. The company should look at decreasing the debt ratio. The profitability position of the company is decreasing. The net profit margin of the company has decreased from 11.3 % in FY 2012 to 4.8% in FY 2103. Again it is estimated that the ratio will further decrease by 2.9% in FY

Comparasion & Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparasion & Contract - Essay Example Ventura approaches the life changer concept from an eight year old point of view. In this way, he brings out the theme of a life changing aspect from a Childs point of view. This shows a period of heroic struggle which produced political ideals and many historical events that have added essence to literature as an art work. The author opens up a whole new world that awaits discovery, a place where experience and magic is captured in words and expressions. Shape changer is therefore an expression of art in different ways and forms. It is not only a beautiful aspect or prospect of life but also a truth that reflects important qualities in the world. It is important to note the very essence of human beings and races can be reflected in challenges and life’s lessons. This is clearly seen in the quote â€Å"Thank you mama. You taught me how compatible it is to play it safe, but the lesson wasn’t in cruelty of the loss; it was in the dignity of the risk† (Ventura, Part 1.pg.2). This quote clearly shows the lessons and impact of the same that has never lost its essence and beauty. However, the burden of pain and cruelty cannot be ignored. The life the Americans were used to was a life full of storms, struggle, cruelty, risks and a country that was terrorized by or with racism, impunity and hypocrisy. Therefore, Ventura’s shape changing roots or stem is derived from an unstable and cruel aspect that attracted injustice, loss and sadness. However, these events also helped to change the young generation’s character and life’s. This is clearly brought out from the quote â€Å"How many children have sat like I did, with one of their parents taken† (Ventura, Part 1,pg.3) Additionally, the quote â€Å" you share my pride at how hard we are to kill† (Ventura, Part 1, pg3) clearly shows how the experiences have changed their lives. It is important to note that in every high culture literary genre

Popularity of Fast Food Production Essay Example for Free

Popularity of Fast Food Production Essay Introduction The popularity of fast food production today is a direct result of busy families. In today’s society both husband and wife usually obtain full-time careers. These careers take up much of the family’s time and energy. Children of these families are usually very active in many extracurricular activities such as, Boy Scouts, football, baseball, and basketball. With all of the practice, games, and outings, these activities consume a great amount of the family’s time. In this fast paced life people find it more and more convenient to grab some food on the way home than to prepare a full meal for their family. Families find it more convenient to have someone else do the cooking and cleaning than to take more time away from each other and do it themselves. Single people find it easier to pick-up some fast food than cook a big meal for one person. It is also a result of the most obvious, people these days are just lazier than people in our past were. A person who forgot their lunch at home is more likely to choose fast food over a restaurant because of the cost difference. They could go to a fast foodrestaurant for fewer tk. than they could go to a restaurant where they would spend for one meal. Actually, it is the result of time and convenience and sometimes it is a result of the low cost. Popularity of Fast Food The growing popularity of fast food has brought about ruthless competition in the fast food industry. Fast food chains are constantly trying to please growing consumer demand by selling more food at lower prices. In order to do so, these fast food giants continuously incorporate new â€Å"efficient† business practices which provide better services to customers resulting in bigger sales and larger profit margins. In most cases, these practices are obvious. For instance, precooked hamburger patties, computer systems, and drive-throughs were each introduced to minimize production time in turn allowing for increased sales. Nevertheless, less obvious business practices have also been implemented which most consumers fail to recognize. All together, increased fast food popularity has led to the adoption ofbusiness practices involving the careless treatment of modern day farm animals. * First of all, fast food is prepared from unhealthy meat. Most animals raised as food for fast foodrestaurants come from â€Å"factory farms. † At each of these factory farms millions of animals live torturous lives. Fast food companies choose to purchase from these farms because they minimize all production costs and provide cheaply. * Fast Food Growth- Comparison * History Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. The term fast food was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam–Webster in 1951. Outlets may be stands or kiosks, which may provide no shelter or seating,[1] or fast food restaurants (also known as quick service restaurants). Franchise operations which are part of restaurant chains have standardized foodstuffs shipped to each restaurant from central locations. he concept of ready-cooked food for sale is closely connected with urban development. In Ancient Rome cities had street stands that sold bread, sausages and wine. Pre-modern Europe. In the cities of Roman antiquity, much of the urban population living in insulae, multi-storey apartment blocks, depended on food vendors for much of their meals. In the mornings, bread soaked in wine was eaten as a quick snack and cooked vegetables and stews later in the day at a popina, a simple type of eating establishment. In the Middle Ages, large towns and major urban areas such as London and Paris supported numerous vendors that sold dishes such as pies, pasties, flans, waffles, wafers, pancakes and cooked meats. As in Roman cities during antiquity, many of these establishments catered to those who did not have means to cook their own food, particularly single households. Unlike richer town dwellers, many often could not afford housing with kitchen facilities and thus relied on fast food. Travellers, as well, such as pilgrims en route to a holy site, were among the customers. United Kingdom In areas which had access to coastal or tidal waters, fast food would frequently include local shellfish or seafood, such as oysters or, as in London, eels. Often this seafood would be cooked directly on the quay or close by. The development of trawler fishing in the mid nineteenth century would lead to the development of a British favourite fish and chips, and the first shop in 1860. A blue plaque at Oldhams Tommyfield Market marks the origin of the fish and chip shop and fast food industries in Britain. After World War II, turkey has been used more frequently in fast food. As well as its native cuisine, the UK has adopted fast food from other cultures, such as pizza, Chinese noodles, kebab, and curry. More recently healthier alternatives to conventional fast food have also emerged. United States. As automobiles became popular and more affordable following the First World War, drive-in restaurants were introduced. The American company White Castle, founded by Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, is generally credited with opening the second fast food outlet and first hamburger chain, selling hamburgers for five cents each. Walter Anderson had built the first White Castle restaurant in Wichita in 1916, introducing the limited menu, high volume, low cost, high speed hamburger restaurant. Among its innovations, the company allowed customers to see the food being prepared. White Castle was successful from its inception and spawned numerous competitors. Franchising was introduced in 1921 by AW Root Beer, which franchised its distinctive syrup. Howard Johnsons first franchised the restaurant concept in the mid-1930s, formally standardizing menus, signage and advertising. The United States has the largest fast food industry in the world, and American fast food restaurants are located in over 100 countries. Approximately 2 million U. S. workers are employed in the areas of food preparation and food servicing including fast food in the USA. FAST FOOD INDUSTRY IN BANGLADESH Fast food culture was started in the early nineties. In Bangladesh it has mainly geared towards the younger end of the market and the employees of the corporate sector. The fast food culture in Bangladesh has taken the country by storm. The first fast food shop started its business in the Bailey road of Dhaka. After that, a number of fast food shops started to grow exponentially in different places of the Dhaka city. Local entrepreneurs are leaders in pioneering the fast food industry of Bangladesh. New brands i. e. Swiss, Helvetia etc. are to name of some Bangladeshi fast food shops formed in franchising system. In early 2000, Bangladesh experienced the entry of the first international brand of fast food franchise in the country. Pizza Hut and KFC entered into Bangladeshi market having franchise with Transom Foods Limited (TFL). Both Pizza Hut and KFC are subsidiaries of the world’s largest restaurant company Yum! Restaurants International. TFL has opened three Pizza Huts and three KFC outlets in Bangladesh in a span of five years. Pizza Hut opened its flagship restaurant in 2003 at Dhaka. Following its grand success in Dhaka, the Chittagong outlet was opened in 2005. The third Pizza Hut restaurant was launched in Dhaka in 2008. Meanwhile, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) perceived as high-quality fast food in a popular array of complete meals to enrich the consumer’s everyday life. TFL successfully launched the flagship KFC in 2006 and gained attention of the people with its taste, high standard of hygiene, cleanliness, interior attractiveness, affordable pricing etc. Following its enormous success in Dhaka, the second and third outlets were opened in 2008. - Globalization In 2006, the global fast food market grew by 4. 8% and reached a value of 102. 4 billion and a volume of 80. 3 billion transactions. In India alone the fast food industry is growing by 41% a year. McDonalds is located in 126 countries and on 6 continents and operates over 31,000 restaurants worldwide. [20] On January 31, 1990 McDonald’s opened a restaurant in Moscow, and broke opening day records for customers served. The Moscow restaurant is the busiest in the world. The largest McDonald’s in the world is located in Orlando, Florida,USA[21] There are numerous other fast food restaurants located all over the world. Burger King has more than 11,100 restaurants in more than 65 countries. [22] KFC is located in 25 countries. [23] Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with approximately 39,129 restaurants in 90 countries as of May 2009,[24] the first non-US location opening in December 1984 in Bahrain. [25] Pizza Hut is located in 97 countries, with 100 locations in China. [26] Taco Bell has 278 restaurants located in 14 countries besides the United States. [27] Current Market Size Economists at the National Restaurant Association estimated total foodservice sales for 2011 at ? 313 billion, representing a 5 percent increase over 2010. That means consumers spent an average of ? 855 million per day on food away from home. According to the National Restaurant Associations Foodservice Industry Forecast, fast food comprised the largest segment of this market, capturing 47. 8 percent of the Takas spent. The report attributes this success to fast foods ability to meet consumers desire for value and convenience. It was further estimated that at least 64 percent of all fast food purchases were consumed off-premises. According to Technomic, Inc. , a food industry consulting firm, almost half of consumer food Takas are spent on meals prepared away from home. In addition, food expenditures rise significantly as income increases according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey Data. Industry Trends This significant trend of consumers purchasing prepared meals is so pervasive that the foodservice industry has coined a new term to describe it: home-meal replacement. Many businesses are shifting their focus to meet the growing demands of consumers: * Most supermarkets now include a deli, bakery, and a prepared-foods section. Also, many offer fast-food service. * Boston Market has continued to expand its product lines and market share. * Famous chefs, such as Wolfgang Puck, are offering high-end prepared meals in upscale supermarkets. * Fast-food chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell have formed alliances to offer multiple product lines under one roof. There are also several economic and cultural trends that have contributed to this growing demand: * Increasing number of women in the workforce * Increasing number of woman-owned businesses * Growing number of higher-income households * Americans working longer hours * Decreasing amount of leisure time * Premium placed on convenience * Trend toward purchasing personal services (i.e. , personal-trainers, house-cleaning services, home shopping services). According to Foodservice Solutions, a hospitality consulting firm: Home-meal replacement is not a luxury today its a necessity. People dont want to take the time to cook; they have too many other things to do. People want high-quality prepackaged foods to make life easier. | Entrepreneur Magazine selected Personal Chef Services as one of the top service businesses to start today: Convenience-craving consumers are always looking for a way to do things better, faster and cheaper. Often, that means turning to a specialty-services entrepreneur who knows how to get the job done right. Those with culinary competence can likely find a hungry clientele among the ranks of Americas busy working families. | Growth Potential of the Market Based on the National Restaurant Associations Foodservice Industry Forecast, the percentage of food Takas spent away from home has grown from 25 percent in 1955 to 50 percent today. More importantly, the proportion of the food budget spent on meals away from home increases significantly as income increases. Households with incomes of ? 70,000 spent 81 percent more per capita (? 1,278 per person) on food away from home than the average income-reporting household (? 705 per person) according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also contributing to the potential growth in the market is the rise in affluent households documented by the Current Population Survey from the Bureau of the Census. From 1990 to 1994 the number of households earning ? 50,000 to ? 74,999 increased by 16. 4 percent; households earning ? 75,000 to ? 99,999 increased 36. 1 percent; and households earning ? 100,000 or more increased by 61. 1 percent in the same period. Affluent Households Gaining Ground Change in Number of Households| | Household Income| Increase (Decrease) in Number of Households| Percent Change| Less than ? 35,000| (1,638,000)| -3. 0%| ?35,000 to ? 49,999| (331,000)| -2. 0%| ?50,000 to ? 74,999| 2,310,000| +16. 4%| ?75,000 to ? 99,000| 1,841,000| +36. 1%| ?100,000 or more| 2,496,000| +61. 1%| Total| 4,479,000| +5. 0%| Source: Bureau of the Census A personal chef service is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the increasing demand for fast food, growing health concerns, and the rise in high-income households. Affluent working couples want fast food, but they want it upscale, healthy, and convenient. The founders of Truly Unique Personal Chef Service report that their business has grown 10 to 15 percent every year since opening in 1992. Many of their clients said they were getting bored with going out to restaurants and wanted something different. Customer Profile Creative Cuisines target customer will be families with two working, professional parents who are too busy to cook every night but are fed up with takeout and restaurant food. Their specific demographics are as follows: Household Income: Over ? 100,000 Age: 35 to 55 Education: College degree and/or advanced degree Marital Status: Married couples or high income single Job: Professional status (one or both partners) Children: Preferably ages 7 to 18 Homeowners: Preferably Location: Live in neighborhoods with high concentration of affluent families Customer Benefits Here are just a few of the benefits to customers if they hire Creative Cuisine: * 6 hours per week more free time (1 hour per day cooking/acquiring meal plus 1 hour per week grocery shopping) * Very convenient. * Meals customized to personal tastes * More variety * Health and nutrition benefits * Less stress * Client feels pampered * It makes life easier * Dont have to cook * Less grocery shopping * Minimal kitchen clean-up * Peace of mind The Competition There are a handful of other personal chef services in the metropolitan area; however, since this is still a new business concept, there remains a large untapped market. Most competition for home-meal replacement exists from neighborhood restaurants, upscale fast-food outlets and supermarket prepared meals. Following is a competitive analysis of the various meal replacement alternatives: Fast Food Industry in 2012 at a Glance It is no secret: Americans love fast food. And its not just us! The Golden Arches have spread across the globe, and emerging markets are one of the fastest growing areas in the industry. But the fast food industry is not without its challenges, especially in the United States. From rising food costs, economic recession and changing perceptions about health, many fast food franchises have been feeling some heat. But rather than flee from this challenge, the fast food industry has been adopting new practices and offering new products. Modern society is on the go, and there is plenty of demand for a quick bite at all times of the day. Fast food franchising opportunities exist in the â€Å"traditional† spaces like burgers and pizza, but are also sprouting up in healthy and unique ways as well. The Industry The fast food industry, also known as Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), has been serving up tasty morsels for as long as people have lived in cities. The modern system of fast food franchising is believed to have started in the mid 1930’s when Howard Johnson franchised his second location to a friend as a means to expand operations during the Great Depression. And oh how it has grown! As cars became commonplace, the drive-thru concept brought explosive growth to the idea of food-on-the go. â€Å"Fast Food† was added to the Merrion-Webster dictionary in 1951 and U. S. fast food companies are now franchised in over 100 countries. In the U. S. alone there are over 200,000 restaurant locations! Revenue has grown from $6 billion in 1970 to $160 billion last year, an 8. 6% annualized rate. Fast food franchises focus on high volume, low cost and high speed product. Frequently food is preheated or precooked and served to-go, though many locations also offer seating for on-site consumption. For stands, kiosks or sit-down locations, food is standardized and shipped from central locations. Consumers enjoy being able to get a familiar meal in each location, and menus and marketing are the same in every location. What’s Been Going Wrong? There have been challenges for the fast food industry in recent years that have been pressuring profit margins. The industry as a whole has proven robust enough to withstand these challenges, though some players have done better than others. Over the last decade there has been increased focus on the quality of food served in fast food restaurants. Typically highly processed and industrial in preparation, much of the food is high in fat and has been shown to increase body mass index (BMI) and cause weight gain. Popular books such as Fast Food Nation and documentaries like Super Size Me have increased public awareness of the negative health consequences of fast food. Fast food companies have responded by adopting healthier choices and have had some measure of success, but the shadow of bad press still hangs over the industry. Rising commodity prices have also significantly crunched many fast food franchises. With food and beverage inputs making up approximately 33% of costs, higher prices for livestock, corn, wheat and more have seriously shrunk margins over the past decade. In such a fiercely competitive space it is impossible to force a price increase on customers, so profit margins are often south of 10%. The recent economic recession did lower commodity prices, but the recession brought on its own complications, and now prices for commodity inputs are on the rise again. Fast food had been thought to be largely recession proof, and indeed the industry did not suffer nearly as much as other discretionary spending sectors. In fact, there was some increase in consumer visits as people choose cheaper fast food options over fast casual or traditional restaurant choices. But overall, the recession hurt spending, and consumers overall purchased less with each trip. Fast food franchises fared reasonably well but still felt some pain. Market saturation is also a relevant issue in the fast food industry today, at least in the U. S. There is a McDonald franchise is in almost every town, and it usually sits in a row with several competitors. With so many competitors which offer similar products there are fewer customers per location. Increasingly fast food restaurants are also losing market share to fast casual, a relative newcomer in the restaurant space. Where do we Go from Here? Busy citizens still need quick meal options, and fast food restaurants are fighting these challenges with gusto. Now offering healthy choices to battle the stigma of unhealthy food, some quick service restaurants now focus on fresh or organic products. From franchises focused solely on salads or healthy wraps to the lower calorie options offered at traditional burger franchises such as Wendy’s or McDonald’s, consumers are able to make better choices†¦if they want! Fast food franchises are also focusing on expanding into new product lines, such as the coffee initiative in the McCafe. Intended to offer competition to Startbucks, McDonalds is luring customers back into their stores, hoping they will purchase food as well. Many franchises have been exploring other meal times such as breakfast and the mid-afternoon snack for growth opportunities and to increase real estate utilization. The industry is most effectively battling saturation within the United States by creating a much more diverse range of offerings. Sure, there is a McDonalds in every town, but there are very few crepe franchises†¦yet! From new cultural cuisines to fresh takes on a traditional story, there are many moretypes of quick service restaurants than ever before. The fast food industry is still a large and diverse industry with plenty of opportunity. As one would hope, challenge is being answered with innovation, and fast food franchises are responding with new offerings, pricing and strategies to lure consumers back in. Non-traditional fast food franchises are springing up and gaining traction, and more creativity will always be welcome! Consumers are now on the look-out for new ways to eat fast and healthy. And as the industry continues to evolve and the economy strengthens, fast food franchise profitability will continue to grow. Porter’s five forces industry analysis for Krispy Kreme Saturday, January 29th, 2011 at 9:00 am. What is Porter’s Five Forces? Well I doubt there is any need to explain one of the most famous strategic tools around but just in case, it is a tool to analyse the external industry to find the root causes of profitability. Again seeing an example is useful and below is a five forces analysis of Krispy Kreme. Rivalry among existing competitors (High +++) * High concentration of rivals e. g. Starbucks and local chains * Static market growth * High fixed costs * Perishable products (food and drink) A large number of competitors in the industry are all competing for the same customers. Coffee chains (e. g. Costa, Starbucks) are all competing to be number one in the market and have similar corporate goals. While product differentiation is limited, there is fierce differentiation by product range, brand and store ambience (e. g. seating). There are zero switching costs for customers, which promotes price wars. Market growth is static, which promotes fierce fighting for market share, and there is saturation of competition due to the limited number of prime locations available for outlets. Smaller chains have to pay a premium for prime sites or settle for less desirable locations. Threat of new entrants (Medium +) * Large capital requirements required to build chain of stores * Favourable locations are already occupied * Economies of scale in distribution and raw ingredients (lower per unit costs due to the experience curve) * Product and brand differentiation Capital requirements for individual stores are low, however new entrants wishing to compete on a like basis with national store networks, distribution channels, brand equity development and advertising, face large capital requirements to gain market share. This is reflected in the large number of individual outlets compared with the small number of large, proven top specialty eateries. The UK commercial property market is landlord-driven and controlled; premium locations in the UK are scarce and command high prices with most of the favourable locations within town centres, airports and train stations already being occupied by existing competitors. Threat of substitutes (Medium +) * Large choice of alternatives with similar products e. g. energy drinks, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, chocolate * No switching costs. Although a consumer can choose from multiple substitutes (e. g. desserts, pastries or drinks), speciality eateries compete based on convenience and opportunity. Most people buy from speciality eateries when travelling, shopping or meeting people. This is evidenced by the location of the eateries, which is concentrated around high footfall locations such as train stations, business districts and shopping centres. For a consumer this becomes a competitive choice rather than a substitute choice (e. g. do I buy a coffee from Starbucks or Costa). Other substitutes come from full menu eateries such as restaurants and fast-food outlets with a smaller threat from supermarkets. Bargaining power of suppliers (Low) * Vertically integrated businesses with only commoditised raw ingredients * Large number of suppliers to choose from and low switching costs Bargaining power of buyers (Low) * Buyers are fragmented and numerous * Although there are no switching costs for the buyer the food and drink market is part of the fabric of society Conclusions and Recommendations. Fast food consumers of Bangladesh, especially the university students, considered brand reputation as the most important factor when choosing fast foods followed by nearness and accessibility, similarity in taste, cost and quality relationship, discount and taste, clean and hygiene, salesmanship and decoration, fat and cholesterol, and self-service. The recent upset in the fast food industry of Bangladesh was created by the discovery of unethical practices conducted by several fast food businesses resulted in consumers putting their trusts on renowned fast food brands only. Thereby it is seen that the fast food houses with reputed brand name and recognition i. e. KFC, BFC, Pizza Hut, Coopers etc. are carrying out their businesses in a usual manner even in the toughest time of the industry. The majority of the fast food brands that passed with flying colors during the mobile courts inspection for quality maintenance were able to either establish or revitalize their brand reputation. Eventually as suggested by the research findings, the university students will select such fast food brands that have brand reputation. Besides the brand reputation, the other important factors were nearness and accessibility, similar taste of fast food, cost and quality relationship, discount and taste. In case of nearness or proximity and accessibility factor, consumers prefer to go to the fast food outlets that are close from their own home or study institutions. It is seen that the fast food shops in Bangladesh has already considering the factors by establishing their outlets near big corporate houses and private universities. Especially, in Dhaka city this practice is seen in Bailey road where majority of fast food shops are located. Near Bailey road, there are 3 girls’ school and collages, and 3 boys’ school and 2 collages in walking distance. Almost similar situation prevails in Gulshan, Banani area of the city where KFC and Pizza Hut outlets are situated near 3 private universities. It is understandable from the situation that the students studying at these institutions consider these nearby fast food outlets whenever they decide to consume fast foods. There is an opportunity here however, for new fast food shops to compete with the existing fast food outlets. Since establishing a new outlet in an already competitive business space is expensive and difficult, the new fast food businesses can introduce mobile fast food outlets. Through mobile fast food outlets, new fast food businesses can deliver their fast foods that are already cooked fresh in their shops, but kept hot and delivered to the students instantly with their own choice of accompanying taste enhancers i. e. tomato sauce, cheese etc. These mobile fast food outlets could be on top of a mini-truck, van etc. The similar taste of the fast food factor refers to the fact that no matter which fast food outlet a particular fast food item is bought from, the taste should be similar. For example, if a chicken burger is bought from an outlet of KFC, the taste would be similar to any other chicken burger bought from any other KFC outlet. The taste could differ from other fast food shops as the different business use taste as differentiating factor in case of food items. But the businesses have to keep in mind that too much difference in taste of similar fast food items makes the consumers confused. The cost and quality relationship is also an important factor considered by the consumers of fast food. If the cost of a fast food item is high, it is usually considered to be carrying high quality and vice versa. So, the businesses of fast food products have to be careful in setting the prices of the fast food items. The pricing should be such as it offers the right amount to value to the consumers in a competitive price that at the same time ensures adequate profit margins for the fast food businesses. Finally in terms of discount and taste factor, the consumers consider the availability of discounts in fast food outlets. Usually these discounts are offered as group discounts i. e. arranging a party or social gathering at a reduced price package etc. Consumers consider this option when choosing fast food products. They might not immediately use this factor but it puts the fast food shop in their consideration set for later use. This study recommends that the fast food producers or distributors at Dhaka city should focus more on the brand reputation, nearness or proximity and accessibility, cost, quality, discount, and similarity in taste factors. If they are able to fulfill these needs, university students of Bangladesh will be induced to buy and consume fast food whenever they are out of their houses. However, there is an ample scope to conduct further study on the preference factors used by the office-goers, housewives, and visitors in buying fast food to determine if there are any more common or unique factors prevailing among these different groups that might be important in making decisions regarding the choice of fast food items in Bangladesh. Abstract. Fast food industry is a high growing sector of Bangladesh. It is concerned with the tastes and habits of the people. The food-taking habit especially in fast food segment has been changing very fast over last decade among the people of Dhaka the capital city of Bangladesh. The reasons could be attributed by the increase of awareness, growth of education, development of information technology, and expansion of television channels and print media in Bangladesh. Hence, this paper aims at identifying the preference factors of fast food consumers living in Dhaka city. This study was conducted among the university students who usually eat fast food at their leisure time. To conduct the study, a total of 250 respondents were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analyzing the data. Multivariate analysis technique like factor analysis was performed to identify the preference factors of the fast food student-consumers of Bangladesh. Multiple regressions were run to identify the relationship between the factors identified and the overall preference of the consumers. Results show that the consumers give most importance on brand reputation of the food item followed by nearness to receive and accessibility, similarity of taste with previous experience, cost and quality of the food, discount and taste, cleanliness and hygiene, salesmanship and decoration, fat and cholesterol level, and self-service factors. This study suggests that the brand reputation, nearness and accessibility, similarity in taste, and cost and quality relationship should be emphasized to improve the attraction of the university students towards the fast food items in Bangladesh.

Examining The Life Of Influential Leaders History Essay

Examining The Life Of Influential Leaders History Essay What is meant by leadership? Leadership has been described as an influence relationship between leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes (Lim Daft, 2004, p.6). Good leaders are made not born. They grow through their experiences in their life. Therefore, to examine what makes a leader, this essay is going to discover three different people with their name as a legacy of leadership. Great Modern Leader Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia for 22 years. He was the longest serving Prime Minister in Malaysia and also Asia who held the position from 1981 to 2003.  He had a humble beginning of his life. He experienced through World War II when the Japanese invaded Malaya and the return of Britain after the war. These are among other incidents over the course of his youth which has shaped him to become a Prime Minister that came from a modest social background first in the country. What really made Tun Mahathir a leader? Tun Mahathir is known as a man full of ideas and visionary who predicted Malaysia to become a developed country by the year 2020. In such a way, he is a man with a high openness to experience personality. During his tenure as prime minister, he came up with many policies such as Look East Policy and the concept of Sogo Sosha. He developed Malaysia into a modernize nation with these ideas. Moreover, one of the highest buildings in the world which is the Petronas Twin Towers was also his idea. Thus, he has been granted the name of Father of Modernisation. Another profound personality of Tun Mahathirs is his high conscientiousness. He was always an achievement oriented person. This was obvious even when he was young where he obtained excellent results for the Cambridge School Certificate, and later in the medical degree. As prime minister, he wanted to make Malaysia internationally recognize, so he embarked on various large scale national projects such as the production of the first national car, Proton Saga. He was so achievement driven, he ensured that all his endeavours worked out. According to Fiedlers contingency model, Tun Mahathir is a task-oriented leader. If he were given the questionnaire based on the least preferred co-worker (LPC) scale, he would be more uses negative concepts to describe other people and places greater value on task activities than on people. For example, he described his former protà ©gà © Anwar Ibrahim as an impatient man to grab power (Loh, 2009). Malaysia fluctuated between highly favourable and highly unfavourable times when Tun Mahathir still tenure as prime minister. Leader of the  Civil Rights Movement Mahatma Gandhi was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of  India during the Indian independence movement. He had known as a simple man who wore the traditional Indian  dhoti  and shawl. Gandhi swore to speak the  truth  and propose others to follow. Therefore, he influenced many people included important leaders and political movements. Gandhi helped free the people of India from British rule through non-violent resistance, and got his name known as the Father of the Nation in India. The most dominant trait of Gandhi was his emotional stability personality. In his whole life, he was put into prison for many times both South Africa and India. However, no matter how many times he was imprisoned, his passion for India to independence from British never died. He was jailed for total of 2338 days. He could give up from his goal. But, he was decided to take the pain and worked hard without any complain. Main objective of Gandhi is to seek independence for India. During his early years in South Africa, he protested unjust laws such as discriminatory law. When he returned to India later, he began to organize many other non-violent protests such as the freedom of press (Fischer, 1954). Gandhi was a conscientious person. He was very persistent in ensuring that peoples rights and the laws to be fair. Based on the study of Hersey and Blanchards Situational Theory, Gandhi has taken a directly standpoint which was the Telling style. When he led the mass civil disobedience on salt tax, he knew the consequences of his actions. Yet, his followers were felt insecure because they did not know what would be the results from the Salt March. Therefore, he had to explain to his followers how it works since they had low readiness in how civil disobedience works. Then, he made the first step by selling off a pinch of salt he had made (Fischer, 1954). In the preparation of a strike by the labourers in Kheda, Gandhi put forward four conditions to ensure the success of the strike. In his autobiography, Gandhi wrote that he told them never to resort to violence, never to molest blacklegs, never depend upon alms, and to remain firm, no matter how long the strike continued (Gandhi, 2005, p. 392). This incident shows that even the need for a strike or protest, violence is not the behaviour of Gandhi. Hence, he was a role model of the ethical leader. One of the factors that led to the success of Gandhi was that he had the opportunity to be exposed to gain new experiences and knowledge. He began to read religious books when he studied law in London. He had personally experienced discriminatory criteria that, as a coloured man, he did not get the luxury to sit in the first class coach of a train in South Africa. This is one of the incidents that made Gandhi to be a better person and it led to the beginning of his pursuit of fairness in the law (Gandhi, 2005). Legacy of Courage Leader John Fitzgerald  Kennedy was the  35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until  his assassination  in 1963. He was the commander of military service during World War II in the South Pacific. After he came back from the war, he desires to turn into political. As President of the United States, Kennedy was the only president has won the Pulitzer Prize. Kennedy had a strong emotional stability personality which was evident during the Cuban Missile crisis in 1962. It was the time that the Soviet missiles under construction in Cuba. Next step of Kennedy was crucial because it may lead to nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the United States. Anyhow, Kennedy did not make any invasion of Cuba such as drastic measures but he spent more diplomatic stance with them. Reflective insights I realized that all leaders no matter what of their race and religion are distinctive in their identity. Their degree of dominance in personality is differentiating them from others. In addition, it seems that the dominant personality will always stand out such as Mahathirs openness to experience and even Gandhis emotional stability. Next, the simplicity of contingency theories is difficult to explain all the variables because in each theory are always shortage in certain areas. It cannot fully explain the effectiveness of leadership in the ideal situation. On the other hand, comparing the personal qualities of purely rational versus ethical leaders is one of the problems. Conclusion Leadership is not easy to achieve. Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, Mahatma Gandhi and Bill Clinton are all great leaders. So, what makes a leader? For me, leader means an individual with ability to solve problems at first and requires a lot of patience and special characteristics.

What Is a City?

What Is a City? What properties characterizes a ‘city? The definition of the term â€Å"city† is some what ambiguous. Our modern definition merely describes the physical characteristics of a city. However, I believe the definition has passed many ordeals to evolve into the current state as I will explain the few more popular explanations for â€Å"What is a city?† Firstly, a city has the property of proximity where there are educational institutions, entertainment, medical facilities, friends and family etc with a good infrastructure system. Businesses enterprises will often situate themselves in a centralized hub where they have access to labour forces while being close to markets therefore it makes â€Å"daily commuting between residences and workplaces† (Filion Bunting, 2006, pg.5) possible. Mumford, on the other hand describes a city as a â€Å"geographic plexus, an economic organization, an institutional process, a theatre of social action, and an aesthetic symbol of collective unity† (Mumford, 2007, pg.87) by focussing on the social needs rather than physical structure. This means that art, politics, education, commerce only serves to make the â€Å"drama more richly significant, as a stage-set, well-designed, intensifies and underlines the gestures of the actors and the action of the play† (Mumford, 2007, pg.87). Contrasting Mumfords concept with Wirths, one observes a more focused perspective on urbanism and its effect on our quality of life. Wirth defines a city â€Å"as a relatively large, dense, and permanent settlement of socially heterogeneous individuals† (Wirth, 2007, pg.90). His argument is that the greater the number of individuals participating in a interaction process, the greater the potential differentiation is between them. These variations segregate individuals according to color, race, ethnic, social status and preferences. Although we are physically close, our social contacts are distant, which results in the declining significance of the family; the disappearance of the neighborhood and the undermining of the traditional basis of social solidarity. After much consultation from scholars, the question: â€Å"What is a City?† is still difficult to answer. On basic observation, a city can simply be a workplace as suggested by Filion Bunting. However I believe a city is a much more complex combination of hierarchies, both the physically and the socially, as Mumford and Wirth stated. A city is the organized interconnection between the site and structure and its people. Such as, the city needs a water system, different variety of jobs to offer its people, a governing system but these systems cannot operate without the people its accommodating, which is how it all connects and flows like a stage with its actors just like in Mumfords ‘theatre. The city is a mere constitution of the people who reside in it. It is only a city, as long as its residence will give the name and credibility in the social and physical hierarchy. Work Cited Bunting, Trudi. â€Å"Canadian Cities in Transition†, Third Edition. Canada: Oxford, 2006. Mumford, Lewis â€Å"What is a City?† In The City Reader, Fourth Edition, eds. R. Legates and F. Stout, 85-89. London: Routledge, 2007. Wirth, Louis â€Å"Urbanism as a Way of Life.† In The City Reader, Fourth Edition, eds. R. Legates and F. Stout, 90-97. London: Routledge, 2007.

Rhetorical Analysis of Crash the movie Essay -- essays research papers

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something." -Graham from the Motion Picture Crash (2005) This quote refers to the diversity in Los Angeles and how people put up personal barriers and are hesitant to trust others. Crash is a movie that really gets people to look at their own prejudices and to the roots of their morality by showing the hidden racism and prejudices that are very present in our society and even in ourselves today. If this movie were to be summarized in one sentence, one may say that no matter who you are, everybody holds preconceptions and stereotypes against other people. For example, in this movie, an upper-class white woman sees two black men so she clings to her husband, showing she is scared of them. Even though this woman had no idea who they were, she still jumped to a conclusion that they were going to harm her because of the color of their skin. This movie takes place in Los Angeles and is about racial conflicts within a group of people which occur in a series of events. Since there are a wide variety of characters in this movie, it can be confusing to the viewer. In the plot, Graham is an African-American detective whose younger brother is a criminal. His mother cares more about his brother than Graham and she wants Graham to bring his brother back home, which in turn hurts Graham. Graham?s partner Ria is a Hispanic woman who comes to find that her and Graham?s ethnicities conflict when she had sex with him. Rick is the Los Angeles district attorney who is also op... ...cause of the conflict, as the shop owner continues the conflict with a number of stereotypes and racist remarks regarding Farhad?s race. We crash constantly. We crash into the cultures and lives of those that surround us in our society. We judge because we do not know or unwilling to understand the differences that surround us. The director wants the audience to make an unfair judgment on Officer Ryan because of he inappropriately searches Christine, however, as the movie progresses our judgments crashes as we begin to identify with Officer Ryan. When Graham states ?We are always behind metal and glass,? it is not the metal and glass we are behind, but the fear of understanding and trusting someone that is different from us. This fear is where our preconceived notions and racist habits come from. It is the fear of trusting that in which can cause us to crash.

Comparison of Scales of Justice and Gattaca :: Contemporary Society Literature Essays

Comparison of Scales of Justice and Gattaca The texts â€Å"Scales Of Justice† and â€Å"Gattaca† are two texts which allow the reader to witness a variety of interpretations and explore the relevant issues that are visible within contemporary society. Such issues as corruption within the police force, racism, sexual harassment, discrimination and manipulation of power are shown to give different interpretations of issues which plague today’s society and potentially our future. â€Å"Scales Of Justice† shows the corruption in the police force. It is a fictitious portrayal of organised crime and human weaknesses in an unstated Australian location. It is about the possible abuses of power in the police force and is a study of power and its potential to corrupt. The drama is concerned with organised crime both petty and at a high level, involving those in senior positions of responsibility. Scales of Justice shows where corruption begins and allows us to see the many examples of the fine line our police must tread. The first act, â€Å"The Job† raises many issues. The issue of abuse of power and corruption is also shown with the politics of law enforcement. It shows the extent to which the Australian system of criminal justice conforms to our liberal democratic views of fairness, openness, accountability and efficiency. The discrepancy between the police image and police practice is shown by the act police put on in certain situations. Another issue is the paperwork load carried by the police officers and the effects that this has on their attitudes towards their work. The attitudes of male and female members of the police force towards alleged victims of rape is another issue which Scales OF justice rises in its portrayal of a corrupt police force. Act One of Scales Of Justice is a study of the limits of integrity. It shows the naivety of a policeman in which his ideas bring him into conflict with his colleagues. In Scales of Justice power and the abuse of it is shown mainly through corruption within the police force. It shows us that along with power there can be negative and positive effects on people lifestyles. In Scales of Justice it is shown that there is a certain hierarchy and those in higher positions often dominate and control those in positions that are below them. A classic example of this is Sergeant O’Rourke and Probationary Constable Webber. O’Rourke is basically a bully in his position.

Big Fish Film Study Creative Assignment

Creative Writing Assignment 1. At the end of the film Will reconciles with his dying father. Write the eulogy that Will delivers at his father's funeral. Consider what Will would say about what kind of father Ed was, what kind of man he was, what lessons he taught, or the type of man Will strives to be. Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things we can go through, so much more is it is a parent. No words can express what I am feeling right now and I’m sure that in time I will be able to accept the facts.My father was one of those creative and story telling types. His creative sorties were the truth in our house. I used to love listening to the invogorating sroties he would tell me every night before bed. He would tell me that everything he said he did was true and not to let anyone tell me otherwise. As I grew older, I slowly drifted apart from him, not caring about the nonsense he called his life. I soon learned that the most important thing that i had was my fami ly, weather we included him in it or not he would always be my dad.Though he may never have said it out loud but I believe he told these stories to be remembered. I am the person i am today because of eveything his legends taught me. As most of you may know my father always had something to say. I remember when we were little and my father was gone on business quite often, at that point in time is when we got totally separated that we could barely carry on a conversation as friends let alone family. About 3 months ago when my father got very ill and my wife and i came to stay with my parents we grew much closer again.He told me stories i had heard many times befoare and ones i had not yet heard. I discovered that the purpose of these legends is to be passed on throughout the generations, to be remembered adn to teach us a little something about life and ourselves. He showed strength until the end and still had some enlightening words for us. I promise that I will continue what my fa ther has started, and i will tell adventerous stories whenever i can. I know I’ll be filling huge shoes but I think I can do it.Let’s just remember everything that my father shared with us. And let’s be happy that he has finally in a better place. Critical Responses 1. â€Å"You are a big fish in a small pond, but this here is the ocean† –old Edward Bloom I believe that in this quote the fish represents Sandra, Ed’s wife. When Edward is in Spectre and he sees a naked woman where Jenny sees a fish. I also think that the fish is not real but a metaphor; it is whatever you want the most, and at the time Edward was looking for Sandra. 2. â€Å"And that was the lesson I learned that day†¦ he day my son was born. Sometimes the only way to catch an uncatchable woman, is to offer her a wedding ring. † –Edward Bloom In this text the fish represents Sandra as well because everyone says that the fish is uncatchable, which is true bec ause it isn’t real. Sandra was the uncatchable fish at one point because at first Edward didn’t know who she was and when he finally found her and she was engaged. When Edward offered Sandra a wedding ring that is where we see him actually catching the fish because she is now catchable.

Qualities of a Good Manager

A manager is defines as a person who controls an organization or part of an organization. Today, big companies are searching high and low for a person who is qualified to be a good manager. A normal manager only takes the responsibility of leading and guiding his employees on a daily basis. However, a good manager ventures into opportunities and bring the best in others.In my opinion, a good manager should be implemented with a few certain qualities. First of all, a manager should have the quality of intelligence. He or she must prepare themselves with every aspect of knowledge about their work field. This is to overcome the problems that he might face in the future.A company has rules and regulations that the employees have to follow. A good manager should have the quality of obedience. This is because a good manager is an example towards others. He or she must understand that as he leads by example, his employees are likely to follow him. For instance, if a manager always submits h is paper works late than his employees will also do the same. This can cause lack of productivity for the company.The next quality a good manager should have is integrity either towards themselves or others. A good manager should avoid unethical behavior such as bribery, stealing company’s money or even selling confidential information about the company towards the opponent company. A wise man once said that a manager is like the base of a tower, if the base is broken, the tower will topple down. A good manager should be honest and trustworthy so that the employees can work together to bring the best in their work.A good manager should also have the quality of caring. A good manager views himself as part of the team and treats his employees with respect. This proves that a good manager should concern about his employees’ lives, inside and outside the workplace but that does not mean, the manager should be bustle into the employees’ personal business.Last but not least, a good manager should oppose the quality of hard-working. A bad manager occasionally stalling to send his worksheets, does not give full commitment in his work and prefer easy tasks assigned to him. Thomas Edison once said that â€Å"There is no substitute for hard work†. This proves that a good manager should implements hard works in his work in order to produce outstanding results.In conclusion, a good manager should incorporate with these qualities to perform well in their job. Although nowadays, it seems hard to keep up with these ethics demands but sometimes a person should take big risk to achieve big success.

Compare and Contrast the Culture of Cahokia to the Anasazi Nation Apush Frq Essay

Anasazi and Cahokia Nation The political, economic, and social aspects of the lives of the Cahokia and Anasazi nations before the European exploration differed greatly, but there are some resemblances. They each have a separate cultures and traditions; separate ways they live their lives. Cahokia was the largest Native American settlement North of Mexico ever established before 1492, where they practiced mound-building and human sacrifice. The Anasazi are the ancestors of the modern day Pueblo people, who lived in cliff dwellings in the deserts of current day New Mexico. The political structure and type of governing within these two nations is unalike. The Cahokians had a ranked society, with upper and lower classes. The elite class controlled the workers of the lower class. Civic and religious leaders governed them. These leaders lived in wooden houses atop the flattened peaks of pyramids, and literally looked down on the people they ruled. The Anasazi were unbiased, without well-defined class limitations. They were divided into clans, and governed by the clan elders. The Cahokians and Anasazians may have cultural similarities, but their political structure is not one. The Cahokians had more economic advantages than the Anasazi, but both nations managed to thrive. Cahokia was a city of fifteen thousand people, and they were a rich city. Much of their prosperity was due to their frequent trading; they were the center of a trading network linked to a third of the continent. However, both the Cahokians and Anasazians were very resourceful. They both hunted and forged their own tools. The Cahokian’s were made of bones, while the Anasazi’s were made of wood or stone. Obviously, both nations were a creative breed. The Cahokians weaved baskets, usually from cornhusks, and most likely used them to transport food. Anasazi people made pottery, and used them to transport water. Cultivated crops and water were both readily available to the Cahokians, but not to the Anasazi. The location of both tribes led to economic differences. Social structure was more important to, and enforced by, Cahokia than the Anasazi. The Cahokians had the more important citizens separated from the  lower classes, but the Anasazi all lived together and were equal. The people of Cahokia lived in houses, and the Anasazi lived in pueblo communities. These pueblo communities were located on cliff sides, and made of clay. But even though their living situations were different, both cultures were friendly and close-knit. The Anasazi were all equal, but the Cahokians brought each other gifts and traded frequently. The social traditions of these two groups of people lack resemblance in the way they live, but as a community and forming lasting relationships, they share that characteristic. The political aspects of Cahokia and the Anasazi were at an extreme opposition. The economic situations were dissimilar, location is partly to blame, but both nations conquered obstacles and managed to blossom. Their social structure also differed, but the groups of people upheld strong relationships and friendships with the other members of the community. Although the Anasazi and Cahokia nations were considerably different, some similarities are acknowledged.

Differences in Business Practices in Islamic Countries Compared to the United States Essay

The purpose of this paper is to give professionals working in Islamic countries a better understanding of the business system in those countries. The Islamic world may be complex as its 1.3 billion people, but there is one rule is straightforward for all Westerners and should never be broken if you want to do business in this area. â€Å"One thing you do not bring up is the Palestinian-Israeli situation.† Advised Samuel L. Hayes III, an expert on Islamic finance and an emeritus professor of investment banking at Harvard Business School. (Lagace, 2002) Business people, particularly Westerners who work in this region of the world or do business with an Islamic business person, need to understand the extent to which religion and Islamic law are intertwined at all levels of society, including commerce, to greater and lesser degrees depending on the country. â€Å"This law is seen as deriving from direct, divine command.† Said Vogel. â€Å"This is important to grasp.† (Lagace, 2002) Keywords: Koran, Islamic Law, Islamic World When doing business within an Islamic country you must understand the basic tenets of the Islamic religion as it relates to commerce. Knowing this you will have an easier time abroad. Contracts should be fair to all parties. A partnership is preferred over hierarchical claims. (Lagace, 2002) Any type of speculation is prohibited. There is no gambling. â€Å"For instance, if you invested in an Islamic mutual fund, among those industries which would be barred from representation as funds would be the gambling industry. But gambling also relates to futures to currency hedging; so it’s a major situation that you have to be aware of† (Lagace, 2002) this is also found in the Qur’an. â€Å"O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, sacrificing to stones, and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. Eschew such abomination, that you may prosper† (Qur’an 5:90). Interest is prohibited. â€Å"Those who devour usury will not stand†¦.Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury†¦. Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Qur’an 2:275-6). â€Å"O you who believe! Devour not usury, doubled and multiplied. But fear Allah, that you may really prosper† (Qur’an 3:130) this isn’t always practiced, but it is the theory. Compassion is required when a business is in trouble. â€Å"Those who devour usury cannot stand†¦. That is because they say, trade is only like usury; yet Allah has allowed trade and forbidden usury†¦. Allah does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper, and Allah does not love any ungrateful sinner. Oh you who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah and relinquish what remains due from usury, if you are believers. If the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time until it is easy for him to repay. But if you remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if you only knew.† Qur’an 2:275-280 In conclusion, there are basic rules when dealing in an Islamic country that must be followed. Never mention the Palestinian-Israeli situation. Speak English when making deals; this is a status for them to speak English. Send a woman to do a man’s job. Appreciate the intertwining of religion and Islamic law. Show compassion for a business in trouble. (Coady, 2013) These basic principles that the Islamic countries follow are not the bias principles that we here in the States follow. We are taught to make a profit and anything much less is a failure in the business world. We must understand to do business with other countries, especially Islamic countries where religion and business go hand and hand we sometimes have to forget our ways and be flexible. When in Rome, do as the Romans.

Discuss the significance of the ghost in Act 1 Essay

â€Å"It harrows me with fear and wonder. † Horatio’s expressive words on first encountering the ghost in Hamlet are reflective of the concerns that were preeminent in the minds of the Elizabethans of Shakespeare’s time with regards the supernatural. The influence of the people’s rampant belief in ghosts, witches and superstitious ideas is evident on the pages of such Shakespearean works as Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar and Richard III. This idea of ghosts triggered a sense of fear, and instigated thought on matters such as death and the afterlife. The appearance of King Hamlet’s ghost is thus not only typical of the era in which the play was supposedly written, as well as typical of other Shakespearean works, but brings to mind issues which are still widely debated today. Act 1 begins with a change of guards at the Elsinore castle, an active scene which has been interpreted by some to set off the tension in the play. The guards on duty, Marcellus and Barnardo, attempt to convince Horatio of an ‘apparition’, a ‘dreaded sight’ which they had twice previously seen. Horatio, however, is filled with disbelief, proclaiming, â€Å"Tush, tush, ’twill not appear. † The repetition of the word ‘tush’ in this alliterative statement draws our attention to his doubts of the ghost’s appearance, and thus makes it even more dramatic when the ghost suddenly appears. The setting of the first scene on the castle battlements past midnight, and the manner in which the ghost’s previous appearances are described by the guards, employing such adjectives as ‘dreaded’ and references to heaven and the â€Å"star†¦ where now it burns† all come together to create a fearful scene. These all pave the way for the appearance of the ghost, and further dramatic description of it and its actions. The way the ghost moves and acts, seen in the use of sibilance in â€Å"See, it stalks away†, and in the stage directions, â€Å"It spreads his arms† can be described as frightening and haunting. Horatio says of the ghost, â€Å"†¦ it started like a guilty thing/ Upon a fearful summons† This simile implies that the ghost is still facing judgement, and this introduces the idea of purgatory. It is believed by Catholics that when a person dies, they either go to heaven, hell or are in judgement in purgatory. The ghost further hints this idea to Hamlet when he says, â€Å"Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature/ Are burnt and purged away. † This further connotes the idea that Hamlet’s father is Catholic whereas Hamlet, a student at Wittenberg, the same university attended by Martin Luther the religious Reformist and founder of Protestantism, is Protestant. This idea of religious differences can be linked to the era in which Shakespeare was writing, in that the Church of England had broken away from the Catholic Church under King Henry in the 16th century and there was thus consciousness of differing denominations among Catholics and Anglicans in England. It is also very dramatic that the ghost does not speak to the guards, and indeed it speaks to no other person but Hamlet. Although Horatio, the scholar, bids it to speak to him with the continuous repetition of ‘Speak to me’, the ghost does not speak till it has met Hamlet and led him away from the others. The delay between when the guards see the ghost in the first scene and when the ghost actually speaks to Hamlet in Scene Four creates suspense and heightens the tension in the play. The appearance and words of the ghost confirms the speculation by the guards and Horatio that â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. † This is reminiscent of where Horatio earlier points out, making use of alliteration, that â€Å"this bodes some strange eruption to our state. † There is a lot of war imagery used in this Act, including â€Å"†¦ assail your ears/ That are so fortified†¦ † and â€Å"martial stalk†. The Danes are worried that war will be waged on them by Fortinbras of Norway, and thus the reason for people working to make weapons day and night, and guards watching the palace all night long. The ghost only seems to buffer these thoughts, appearing in â€Å"warlike form† and wearing the same armour which King Hamlet had on when he â€Å"combated† Norway. However, the ghost’s calling of Hamlet aside is significant as it proves that he has appeared for a more private reason than those concerning the wars of Denmark.