understending cloud computing Essays - Cloud Computing,

Understanding cloud computing: Cloud computing represents a major change in how we store digital information and run computer applications. Instead of running programs and storing data on an individual desktop computer, everything is hosted in the "cloud" an assemblage of computers and servers accessed via the Internet. Our applications and documents are in the process of moving from the desktop into what experts call the cloud thousands of computers and servers, all linked together and accessible via the Internet. With cloud computing, everything we used to do on our desktop computer is now done over the web; we can access all our programs and documents from any computer that's connected to the Internet. How does cloud computing work and how will it affect the way we work? The software programs we use are stored computer we own. The documents we create are stored on the computer on which they were created. And, although documents can be accessed from other computers on a network, they can't be accessed by computers outside the network. With cloud computing, the software programs we use aren't run from our personal computer, but are rather stored on servers housed elsewhere and accessed via the Internet. If our individual computer crashes, the software is still available for others to use. The same goes for the documents we create; they're stored on a collection of servers accessed via the Internet. Anyone with permission can not only access the documents, but can also edit and collaborate on those documents in real time. The applications and data served by the cloud are available to a broad group of users using different operating system platforms; access is via the Internet. Any authorized user can access these docs and apps from any computer over any Internet connection, using the common web browser. It isn't apparent whether cloud services are based on HTTP, HTML, XML, JavaScript, or other specific technologies; to the user, the technology and infrastructure behind the cloud is invisible. In short, cloud computing enables a shift from the computer to the user, from applications to tasks, and from isolated data to data that can be accessed from anywhere and shared with anyone. The user no longer has to take on the task of data management; he doesn't even have to remember where the data is. All that matters is that the data is in the cloud, and thus immediately available to that user and to other authorized users. Inside the Cloud: How Cloud Computing Works? In cloud computing, a network of computers functions as a single computer to serve data and applications to users over the Internet. The network exists in the "cloud" of IP addresses that we know as the Internet, offers massive computing power and storage capability, and enables wide-scale group collaboration. Simply, the cloud is a collection of computers and servers that are publicly accessible via the Internet. This hardware is typically owned and operated by a third party in one or more data center locations. The machines can run any combination of operating systems; it's the processing power of the machines that matter, not what their desktops look like. Individual users connect to the cloud from their own personal computers or portable devices. To these individual users, the cloud is seen as a single application, device, or document. The hardware in the cloud is invisible .This cloud architecture is deceptively simple, although it does require some intelligent management to con nect all those computers together and assign task processing to multitudes of users. Understanding Cloud Storage One of the primary uses of cloud computing is for offsite data storage. With cloud storage, data is stored on multiple third-party servers, rather than on the dedicated servers used in traditional networked data storage. When storing data, the user sees a virtual server?that is, it appears as if the data is stored in a particular place with a specific name. But that place doesn't exist in reality; it's just a pseudonym used to reference virtual space carved out of the cloud. In reality, the user's data could be stored on any one or more of the computers used to create the cloud. The actual storage location may differ from day to day or even minute

Curricular Models Essay

Curricular Models Essay Curricular Models Essay Purpose Statement: The purpose of this quantitative study is to measure the attitudes of experienced teachers’ willingness to change teaching strategies to achieve better results when comparing veteran teachers and new teachers’ achievement test scores at middle school XYZ. Explain how the data will be prepared for analysis. I will collect my data from teacher using surveys and questionnaires and I will preassign a numeric score or value to each response. Once I collect the data I will use summed scores to compute the overall attitudes of new and experienced teachers. Once I score the data I will use a computer program to analyze the data such as Microsoft excel where graphs and tables will be prepared for analysis. Explain how you will analyze the data. I will analyze my data by going back to my research questions and I will be looking for trends in the data to the attitudes of teachers. I will compare groups of the independent variables or just new teachers or just veteran teachers to answer questions that require inferential statistics in order to draw a conclusion. I will be utilizing measures of central tendency such as the mean, median and mode. Explain how you will report the results. I will report my results in the form of tables, figures in the form of bar charts, and line graphs and third I report the results utilizing detail explanations about the statistical results. These results will provide clarification to written information

The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock.(T.S.Eliot) Essay

The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock.(T.S.Eliot) - Essay Example Through an irregular rhyme scheme, Eliot presents emotional focus and certain sets of descriptions. â€Å"Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains, Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys, Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap†. Eliot tells the troubles of Alfred Prufrock through the city life to the ocean images that represent the way he moves from a normal life surrounded by people, to distance himself from humanity. Alfred sees himself as a second-rate individual after emotionally distancing himself from life and other human beings. He is absorbed in an inferiority complex and isolates himself from life. In addition, he is concerned with ageing in Eliot’s assertion, â€Å"With a bald spot in the middle of my hair — (They will say: â€Å"How his hair is growing thin!†)†. The transitions in the poem are mostly emotional rather than reasonable, as evidenced by the irregular reflections of the narrator. Even so, his enable Eliot to present the frustrations of a middle-aged man who cannot voice opinions, and eventually does not say anything. At times, it is hard to determine whether Prufrock is on his way to act, or whether it is visions running through his mind. This is evident in the line, â€Å"pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas†; the yellow fog that â€Å"rubs its back upon the window panes†; the evening â€Å"spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table.† The stylistic devices and symbolism does not help much in his quest to express himself. His environment does not look friendly at all. Eliot tries to say that there cannot be a meaningful existence in the modern world full of characters who are careless about their surroundings or are too afraid to raise their opinions on matters that affect the society. The poem represents the disappointment and disheartened desires

WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (foundations of the study Term Paper

WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (foundations of the study of human development) - Term Paper Example that have provided a logical manner of inquiry, the humanities which are an avenue of expression of the mind and aesthetic judgement, philosophy as a guiding standard with reason. At the same time, all of them will be assessed in relation as to how nature and nurture relates to the following and alters the conditioning of mind and the human activity. All of these points are the ones that shall be engaged and discussed. At the same time, these will be applied in relation to my experiences. On the other hand, as I explore the intricacies of the matters at hand in these paper, I will be providing commendable counter – arguments that can devalue the assertions made. In this case, I shall make a conflicting condition between nature and nurture to set the issue straight. I shall also provide a synthesis between the clashes that will emerge in this paper. This is important to fully emphasize the historical development and theoretical application of the developed and created notions about human nature in general and a specific sense. There will also be importance in construction assumptions in a logical manner. In this scenario, scientific and biological inquiry plays an important role to see how one acts accordingly to inherent prescriptions. In the development of knowledge in the Western World, scientific queries have been made about evolution of humans and ended proposing that evolution is a natural process (Menand 2002). This has been considered to be true and normalized in the consciousness of the people in the current time. Analytically, one develops accordingly to his or her own innate capacities that allow evolution to take place. Darwin has emphasized that evolution is something that happened to humans all throughout the course of time and of history, which inevitably true in a biological sense (Menand 2002). How is this manifested? The body itself is the one that undergoes development in all aspects possible. In my case, there is a development process that

Inclusive Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Inclusive Education - Essay Example As per the book title is given (Teaching students with special needs in inclusive setting) it is clear that the authors of this book have made their point clear about teaching students irrespective of whether a student is physically handicap, having disabilities, an elder or aged person or a normal student studying in a same school, in a same class with equal consideration to all the students, it also includes ways and methods of teaching all the students simultaneously through which all the students can be comfortable whether it is a student with disabilities or with out disabilities, which makes this book different from the other books which only includes either ways and methods about teaching students simultaneously in one classroom or either only about discussing about Inclusive Education.The book also includes about the Inclusive education i.e. methods of teaching all the students simultaneously and the ways of making them comfortable with everyone. Inclusive means including eve rything mentioned with in a limit or without respect to a limit and according to the book it means including everyone in the classroom from students with and without disabilities to elderly student. Inclusive can be defined as the stated limit or extremes in consideration or account or including a great deal of thing concerned, according to the book Inclusive means including all the students of different age group, with and without disabilities in one school, one classroom.

Health Impact Assessment for Policy-Making

Health Impact Assessment for Policy-Making 1. Introduction Indeed, a lot of changes happened particularly on how the people deal on health issues. In the past, medical concerns are not the main concern of the society. However, in the 21st century, due to some factors that affect the health of individuals, diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension are the major problems of the population. Because of these, responsibility for health plays a major role in national and international healthcare policy. The government implemented some strategies to address the health concerns of the society. For instance, the governing bodies increased the healthcare budget because of the mushrooming health problems. However, some people argue that prevention is better than cure and they contest that the government must spend more of their financial budget on activities that promote health and prevent illness. Effective preventive healthcare plays an important part in preventing disease and gives the people the best chance for a healthier life (Australian National Preventive Health Agency,2013). It also helps to improve the performance of our public health service. Thus, greater attention should be paid to strategies of promoting health. Health promotion goes beyond health care. It puts health on the agenda of policy makers in all sectors and at all levels, directing them to be aware of the health consequences of their decisions and to accept their responsibilities for health. The responsibility for ensuring the right to health for all lies not only with states and their obligations to their own people, but also with the international community. The case study depicts the responsibility for health in different aspects and it appraises the contemporary issues in healthcare and their impact on national and international healthcare policy. In addition, it also emphasizes the justifications for policy intervention solutions on contemporary issues in the international context. This report may help the individuals and the society on how to face healthcare issues. It will be a great success for the nation if healthcare issues will be addressed. 2. Evaluate the impact the contemporary issue discussed in your case study would have on national and international healthcare policy. As discussed in the case study, the major source of health problem comes from unhealthy lifestyle of individuals such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. How can the society decrease or eliminate these problems? The governing bodies implemented some strategies in order to combat the health concerns of the society. They plan to improve some policies, both in national and international context. For instance, they give emphasis on strategies of health promotion because the costs for preventive programs are much cheaper than activities that help treating the actual health problems. States hold the primary responsibility to fund and ensure all the essential goods and services under the right to health (World Health Organization, 2014). This may include investing enough resources on health promotion. Health promotion strategies include mass campaigns and people awareness programmes. These activities more often than not can be seen in the school or community where the educators impart the significance of maintaining good health. Through health promotion, the people may realize the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and achieve the optimum health and well-being. As a result, the public can be more active by exercising regularly and playing some sports. Furthermore, they can practice good eating habits and stop smoking to prevent illness. Truly, responsibility for health should be a collaborative effort among individuals and the societies in which they live. As an effect, both can benefit from one another. One good example is the government assistance for the public on how to avoid diseases. Both of them can benefit if the people abide the rules by the law makers. If practiced by the populace, the government can save the resources that were not used for medical treatment for instance. The extra funds then can be directed to other projects which can give additional benefits to the people in general. The effects of medical concerns should be carefully considered by the people, especially the policy makers, so they can amend some policies to effectively improve the health status of the public. In the case study, the health problems would have a great impact on international and national healthcare policy. Existing poor health condition may serve as an eye-opener to the community. Because of the untoward effects of unhealthy way of living such as , they take precautions and some steps to practice a healthy lifestyle in order to alleviate them. National and international healthcare policy can be upgraded using the ideas that can be harnessed to this case study. They may execute effective strategies to promote health and prevent from getting sick. For example, unhealthy habits such as cigarette smoking, excessive use of alcohol and other harmful substances should be restricted or banned in the community by implementing strict laws. Although there are existing policy to address these problems, the policy maker may improvise the law. Punishments and fines may be given to individuals who violate the law. For instance, individuals who are caught smoking in non-smoking area will be jailed for a day and they are required to attend a community service for 1 week. On the whole, national and global health governance is essential because states will not accept national and international norms without genuine partnerships, equitable burden sharing and efficient programmes that improve health outcomes. Yet, political, legal and economic challenges impede effective governance. Countries face serious problems of fragmentation, duplication, and even confusion, among the deluge of global health actors and initiatives. Health ministries often lack basic knowledge of, and control over, foreign-supported programmes. The public needs a system of governance that fosters effective collaborative effort and coordinates initiatives to create synergies and avoid destructive competition. 3. Discuss and critically analyse the rationale or justifications for putting into place each of the below listed types of policy intervention solutions globally to address the contemporary health issue highlighted in your chosen case study: 3.1. Education and training As defined by many resources, education is an essential human virtue. Man becomes man through education. He is what education makes him. It has been rightly said that without education, a person is a splendid slave, reasoning savage. Education is necessary for society. Education fashions and models man for society. Man cannot be conceived merely in terms of his biological existence. Education brings into focus the social aspect of man. Education signifies mans supreme position in society. Education is an essential basis of good life. A man becomes a human being in the real sense when he is transformed from primarily an animal being into a human being. In short, education is an essential concomitant of all human societies. Through education, the people can acquire knowledge and wisdom about everything in life. The people can solve problems successfully because they can apply the knowledge they have gained in order to solve their concerns. Meanwhile, training, is the process by which s omeone is taught the skills that are needed for an art, profession, or job. Training is beneficial for the new staff particularly because it makes them proficient and more competent in their area of work. Developing competence has become a crucial issue for establishing a smart workforce that can achieve a competitive success. A major factor or function of Human Resource Management that differentiates it from personnel management is training and development. Training can be defined as a planned process by which people acquire the capabilities and competencies to aid in the overall achievement of the organisations goals and objectives. Training can be seen from the very entrance into the organisation, for example, orientation where the employee is taught the organisations culture. It continues into the probation period, where employees gain sufficient skills for the position held and can also be seen throughout the duration of employment. Thus, training act as a remedy to change with in an organisation. There is a strong link between training and learning, both foster a permanent change in behaviour according to the behaviourist approach and thereby lead the movement toward a learning organisation.. Both education and training are essential in order to address the contemporary issue stressed in the case study. By educating the public, the people can become aware of what is happening around them. Furthermore, they can improve their way of living because of the wisdom and knowledge they have as part of the learning process. Through education, they can help promote health and prevent diseases. Stressing out the importance of preventing illness, for instance, can help the individuals achieve a quality of life. By making them aware of the cons of unhealthy habits, they can avoid being sick. For example, the person who is aware that eating foods high in cholesterol can make the person at risk for stroke or any cardiovascular diseases may stop taking such unhealthy foods. Training, on the other hand, is helpful to an individual in carrying out successfully a task. One example is by providing training to healthcare workers. Resources should be provided to maintain a high quality of trai ning. Training can be hard if it is poorly funded because they usually require aids in order to demonstrate procedures. Another good example is in a healthcare community center, where a program can be conducted once a month. Before the healthcare workers perform their task, they are trained on how to deal the people with different personalities and how to deal the community as a whole. They give health teachings such as obesity. As mentioned in the case study, obesity is one the leading cause of forming other debilitating diseases, such as diabetes, cardiac diseases, and hypertension and thus, obesity should be avoided. By imparting information, like proper diet and exercise, this health problem can be prevented. 3.2.Tax benefits and payments to caregivers Tax benefit rule is a judicially created doctrine seeking to repair some of the inflexibility inherent in the annual accounting system. According to this rule, if any loss or expense deducted in the previous year is recovered by the tax payer, the recovery must be included in the current years gross income to the extent that it was previously deducted. The tax benefit rule ensures that if a taxpayer takes a deduction attributable to a specific event, and the amount is recovered in a subsequent year, income tax consequences of the later event depend in some degree on the prior related tax treatment. Tax benefits are indeed a great help to individuals who needs healthcare assistance. Nowadays, with the rising cost of medical supplies and procedures, tax benefits that will reduce the cost of health care expenses for example, is a great help especially to those people who are in dire need of financial assistance. From the tax, the government can successfully implement and carry out projects that can contribute to individual’s welfare. They may effectively plan and perform heath preventive programs because of the individual’s tax contribution and collaboration of the people. Meanwhile, payments to caregivers are important. Since the healthcare workers are the front liners in providing care for the people who need assistance, they should be given sufficient incomes. Giving them a salary which help them survive from day to day living and help them save for their future use help them provide a quality care for people who needs their help. Instead of working double shifts to earn more money for their needs, they may only work a single shift. Their extra time can be allotted for their family and for themselves to rest. Because of this, they can be relieved from stress and enjoy their day offs. This can yield a good result because a well-rested individual can give and provide a quality care for their patients. 3.3. Respite care As defined by the Ministry of Health (2014), respite service should provide a safe, enjoyable environment with staff able to support the disabled person to participate in their community. Respite care is generally short-term and intermittent, available in community settings and in rest homes, and part of the support network available to a person and their carers. This is very important since individuals who provide care experience stress. This may be in the form of emotional, financial or physical burden. With stress, an individual who provides care can cause negligence or abuse to the patient. To avoid this, they should also have a break or a day off. During their break or day off, somebody would temporarily relieve them of their duty. This is a great help to the care givers, since they can reduce or eliminate the stress that builds inside them. And with this, as they return to duty fully recharged, they can provide and maintain a quality care for their patients. 3.4. Business regulations combining work and care giving Each year, there are increasing number of people who needs assistance and care to maintain their well-being. Because of this plight, the demand for care givers is also escalating. Thus, a lot of health care centers are being made, either public or private, to accommodate the increasing number of individuals who need assistance. Nowadays, rest homes are common in some countries and there should be regulations that must be maintained in order to provide a quality care and assistance for the patients. A good example is, providing the right number of staff to the number patients available in the care homes. There should be enough staff to attend the needs of the patients in order to render a good quality care, like assisting a disabled person to transfer to a chair. Big patients need two or more staff to accomplish the task such as showering them and doing cares in order to avoid injuries to patients and also to caregivers. For health and social care staff to work together, they must be able to share information about a person’s assessments, treatment and care. One of the most important legal right one have as a caregiver is about his employment. The unpredictable nature of caregiving, and the time that it takes to provide care, often make it difficult to continue working on a normal schedule. In fact, the Department of Labor’s latest investigation found that employee complaints with respect to balancing career and family often occur because an employer refuses to reinstate an employee after an extended leave. Generally, these complaints can be resolved fairly easily, although to date, 16 legal actions have been taken against employers for violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). All in all, in order to attend the needs of the patient, business regulations should be fair and just to the employees and consumers. 4. Conclusion This paper makes the claim that a key activity required to promote healthy policy-making at the local level is health impact assessment. Highly participatory local health impact assessment can be used to identify negative health impacts that call for policy responses, and to identify and encourage practices and policies that promote health. Socially responsible decision-making for improved equity-in-health is stimulated by community-level health impact assessment because it is a practical tool to help communities come to grips with local conditions that need changing if better health for all is to be realized. Even with the advancement of knowledge on medicines, society still faces the burden on health related issues. Health issues should be attended immediately due to the fact that not only the individual who suffers the sting of the disease but there love ones are also affected. Health prevention strategies should be promoted and initiated in every community. Aside from the fact th at it is more cost-effective than curing the actual diseases, it can also benefit the public by practicing healthy lifestyle. Health promotion is indeed significant in order to achieve the optimum of health and well-being. Health issues can affect everyone, it can cause physical, emotional and financial burden. It is a miserable situation in which everyone involved to the individual especially the family members is being pulled in. Health issues then affects the economy of a nation. And if not properly attended, it may cripple the nation’s wealth. In addition, through collaborative effort of the individual and society, the health issues can be minimized or avoided through effective implementation of health promotion strategies, community projects and programmes by the government, community and the individuals.

THE ART OF DELEGATION Essay -- essays research papers

There is a limit to the amount of work that you can do on your own. There is only so much value that you can deliver to your company or organization without the help of other people. If you are successful in your career, at some stage the demands on you will become greater than you are able to cope with on your own. When this happens, you are forced to rely on the help of others, you are forced to delegate. Delegation is a process by which a manager examines the various responsibilities and tasks at hand, and rather than assuming and completing those tasks and responsibilities on his or her own, that manager decides to assign the work to other employees. Effective managers must be willing to entrust a task, power or responsibility to another person. Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as having said, "The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it." Delegation is a skill that incorporates analysis, planning, awareness and self-confidence. It requires a manager that is able to incorporate the four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Planning involves formulating a systematic process for delegating tasks to other employees. Organizing involves arranging the resources your employees may need in order to accomplish the delegated task. Leading involves the guiding, leading, and overseeing of employees in order to achieve the task. Controlling involves verifying that the employee’s performance matches the action plan. Delegation involves passing responsibility for completion of work to other people. The ideal position to reach as a manager is one where your staff carries out all the routine activities of your organization. This leaves time for planning, thinking, and improving the efficiency of what you are doing as a manager. Ultimately, delegation involves getting the help you need, when you need it by the staff member most qualified to assist with the task at hand. In the Arkansas Governor’s office, where I currently work, delegation is a colossal part of each work day. The Governor cannot possibly address all the problems and issues relating to the state of Arkansas personally; therefore, he has a chief of staff who is responsible for the proper delegation of tasks to other staff members. The chief ... ...gradually. Each task delegated should have enough complexity to stretch that member of staff - but only a little. When you delegate a job, it does not have to be done as well as you could do it (given time), but only as well as necessary: never judge the outcome by what you expect you would do (it is difficult to be objective about that), but rather by fitness for purpose. You want to delegate as much as possible to develop your staff to be as good as you are now. Tasks in which you have experience are the easiest for you to explain to others and so to train them to take over. You thus use your experience to ensure that the task is done well, rather than to actually perform the task yourself. In this way you gain time for your other duties and someone else becomes as good as your once were (increasing the strength of the group). By delegating, a manager exhibits trust in his or her employees by giving other people's ideas a chance. A subordinate's decision doesn't have to be exac tly what yours might have been. So welcome and reward ingenuity. Reference Roosevelt, Theodore. Leadership Quotes. Retrieved October 6, 2004 from http://www.pittencrieff-glen.com/leadership_quotes.htm

Of Plymouth Plantation Essay

â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† is a manuscript of Bradford’s history starting in 1620. The first book was copied into the church records and preserved, but unfortunately the second part was presumably lost. The manuscripts were found in the residence of the Bishop of London and were published together for the first time in 1856. There seems to be immeasurable history in these books. William Bradford, the author of â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† gives a narrative of the voyage to Cape Cod. In the beginning of chapter 9, Bradford starts with a story of a young sailor whom had cursed and slighted the pilgrims for their weakness and constant sickness. However, that same sailor died from an unstated disease, giving the pilgrims peace as they no longer had persecution from any sailor. Bradford also mentions that young John Howland had fallen into the sea. Howland was under the water for a long time and as he held on to a topsail halyard, a rope that hangs overboard, he was pulled down to a deep level while the ship moved at a steady pace. After he was rescued Howland was sick for a long time, but survived in spite of his experience. As the Pilgrims finally reach Cape Code, Bradford explains the problems of the voyage which were part of the reason they had not made it all the way to Jamestown. The Pilgrims were elated to see land however they were also troubled because they had arrived during winter. Not only were land  conditions poor for farming at this time, but the ground was also hard. The few provisions they brought had been mostly for the journey, and not necessarily for the winter. Yet, due to the condition of the ship, the general consensus was to stay at Cape Cod. The Pilgrims arrived at Cape Cod aboard the Mayflower on November 11th, 1620. When they arrived, sixteen men, lead by Miles Standish, went on an exploration hoping to find a nearby river. In the process, they stumbled upon a small group of natives. However, the natives ran away when they caught sight of the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims followed the natives and consequently came across a former village where they took some of the provisions that were left there. They also came upon two more dwellings where they found some seeds, which they were thankful for. On December 6th, the Pilgrims set out in a shallop to explore further. As they were approaching land, they spotted a group of ten to twelve natives. The day was coming to an end, so the Pilgrims set up a barricade in case of attack. The next morning they set out to find the natives. They came upon the group of natives and saw that they were cleaning a fish. As the sun set, the Pilgrims set up another barricade for protection. As they were going to sleep they could hear wolves in the night, and they fired off their muskets to scare the wolves away. At day break, the Pilgrims found themselves under attack by the natives, which caused them to retreat from the area. However, the winter weather had gotten bad, and they had to spend some time on an island before heading back to the ship. On Monday, they were able to return to the ship. The party subsequently anchored in Plymouth where they began to build the colony’s first house. When reading these two chapters of Bradford’s manuscript, one would begin to appreciate the value of history. America’s possession of the first accounts, from Bradford’s perspective, of the Mayflower’s voyage to Plymouth is invaluable. In _American Historical Review_ David Read said, â€Å"William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation could easily be categorized as yet another largely unread, dry-as-toast document from the days before things got really interesting in this country (p512).† Any reader would realize the piece of history which makes this logic absurd, nevertheless understanding that it is dry and very difficult to read. Bradford seems to ramble on about significant details; however this is a manuscript and not a professionally written book. One of the best-known sections of Bradford’s manuscript is chapter nine, which details the arrival to Cape Cod. The Pilgrims are struck by what they perceive as a desolate wilderness, utterly hostile and without comforts. Bradford emphasizes the tribulation they endured in sailing to this new land, and in his writings, Bradford wants the reader to understand that things did not get any better. Continuing in chapter ten, readers can see Indians being more problematic and viewed as a hostile force of nature to be reckoned with, ready to destroy the Pilgrims. In conclusion, the point of these chapters in â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† is to emphasize the struggles, hardships, and privations suffered by the Pilgrims in an attempt to show that they had been chosen for success by divine Providence. As David Partenheimer said in _Explicator_, â€Å"In any case, it is a remarkable moment in American literature when the New World is typologically conceptualized as the Promised Land for a chosen people despite a landscape of hell (p121).† Works Cited Bradford, William. â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation.† _The Norton Anthology of American Literature_. 7th ed. Vol. A. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007. 105-120. Print. Partenheimer, David. â€Å"Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation: 1620-1647.† _Explicator_ 56.3 (1998): 121. _Academic Search Elite_. Web. 17 Oct. 2014 Read, David. â€Å"William Bradford’s Books: Of Plymouth Plantation And The Printed Word (Book).† _American Historical Review_ 109.2 (2004): 512-513. _Academic Search Elite_. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.

Western Union

Western Union was founded in 1851 and started its history as a telegraph and wire services company. In 2006, Western Union discontinued its telegraph service and focused exclusively on money transfers (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Jorge Ochoa, Vice President of Finance and Raul Duany, Director of Corporate Communication joined The Western Union Company (WU) in November 2008. The primary customers for money transfers were immigrants that were seeking better opportunities in richer countries away from their home.When immigrants leave their home countries, they often leave behind family members who depend on them for financial support. This is most true in the case of poorer countries. Government regulators scrutinized the operations and fee-charging practices of money transfer businesses. Western Union is a leader in global money transfer, providing people with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send money around the world. The Western Union brand is globally recognized.Their services are available through a network of over 375,000 agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories (Western, 2009). Their consumer-to-consumer money transfer service enables people to send money around the world in minutes. Their consumer-to-business service provides consumers with flexible and convenient options for making one-time or recurring bill payments. Western Union believes that the brand strength, size, and reach of their global network, along with the convenience and reliability to their consumers have been essential in the growth of the business.As they continue to meet the needs of their consumers for fast, reliable, and convenient money transfer services, they are also working to enhance their services and provide their consumers with access to an expanding portfolio of payment and other financial services. The federal law known as the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) obligates federally insured banks and depository institutions to help meet the needs of commun ities in which they operate (Pearce, & Robinson, 2011). In March 2007, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke stated, â€Å"the CRA reaffirmed the long-standing principle that financial institutions must serve the convenience and needs of the communities in which they are charted† (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Western Union serves many of the financial needs of immigrant populations, as a bank might, with a major presence in poor and racially diverse neighborhoods. Western Union is now being held up to the same standards as banks because they are both financial institutions. Western Union’s customers are mostly urban and poor.The typical user of its remittance service is a low-wage immigrant worker who lives in Urban America, makes $15,600 annually and sends home $293 a month, almost 30% of his or her net monthly income (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Heavy charges in the money transfer industry places economic burden on low-income immigrant families in the United States and in their communities of origin while creating and increased reputation risk for Western Union (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). Western Union has been facing numerous lawsuits, mainly because of their lack of social responsibility.This has affected the company’s image and could potentially increase the risk that Western Union faces in the competitive market. Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility is generally perceived as a positive business ideology in the 21st century, despite some challenges. A significant expansion of basic business ethics, CSR establishes guidelines for ethical and socially responsible behavior. It addresses how companies that want to satisfy government and societal requirements should treat key stakeholder groups, including customers, suppliers, employees and the community (Mal Warwick Associates, 2008).Pros: One of the elements of CSR is that it causes companies such as Western Union to reason beyond basic ethics to consider the benefit s of active involvement in communities. In the article â€Å"The 7 Principles of Business Integrity,† business strategist Robert Moment argues that 21st-century companies must prove themselves to customers to build long-term relationships (Moment, 2004). Western Union involves itself in the community by giving back. Insinuates Western Union to the local markets in which they operate.Cons: The main reason any company would object to participating in CSR is the associated costs. With CSR, companies have to pay for environmental programs, more employee training and efficient waste management programs. Proponents of CSR agree that any expenses to businesses are ultimately covered by stronger relationships with key customers. However, David Vogel indicates in his Forbes article â€Å"CSR Doesn't Pay† that investment in CSR programs may not necessary result in measurable financial results (Vogel, 2008).* Corporate Citizenship. Western Union’s global corporate citizens hip is their commitment to enrich the lives of global citizens by expanding economic opportunity. Through initiatives like the Western Union Our World, Our Family program, they are able to put their values into action (Western Union, 2011). Western Union corporate citizenship efforts focus on three primary areas: 1. Supporting Cultural Inclusion: Western Union recognizes the importance of helping individuals and families build strong communities, in which all members can contribute their distinctive talents and feel at home. . Creating Pathways to Opportunity: Western Union help diverse individuals and communities around the world realize their tremendous potential with scholarships supporting financial literacy, entrepreneurship, job training, and other skills necessary on the journey to a better life. 3. Fostering Hope in the Developing World: Western Union support economic development and opportunities with infrastructure development, community centers and access to technology (W estern Union, 2011).Western Union’s Current Strategy. Currently, Western Union is using the free cash flow that is generated to repurchase stock and acquire rival money transfer firms in order to expand. Along with the repurchasing of stocks and acquisitions, WU has donated millions of dollars to charitable organizations and other countries. Their current strategy is concentric diversification because they are acquiring firms that are related to them in terms of products and markets. They have pursued growth of their brand through international expansion and the growth in the worldwide immigration population was also driving growth in the money transfer business.Although there is a higher risk associated with diversification, according to Pearce & Robinson (2011), the distinctive competencies of the diversifying firm are likely to facilitate a smooth expansion. Globalization There are about seven factors that make global strategic planning complex. These factors are economic factors, political factors, geographic factors, labor factors, tax factors, capital source factors, and business factors (Pearce and Robinson, 2011). When you look at the economic factors of a country, you need to look at the GNP for the country, and the foreign exchange rate.You also need to consider the size of the market and the markets potential rate of growth. As far as the political factors are concerned, you have to determine whether the country is stable, as well as, the type of political structure in the country. It is also important to understand how foreign business is perceived in the country by the government, consumers and competitors. The geographic factors that you should be concerned with is the availability of raw materials, utilities, and the proximity to export markets.Other globalization challenges you need to be aware of are the labor factors – whether you will have the necessary skills available in the people in the country, tax factors – whether there are any tax breaks for foreign investors or if there is a huge tax rate for the country, capital source factors – banking systems available in the country, and business factors – current industry information for competitors and competitive situation. Diversification There are also challenges inherent to diversification.Companies often decide to diversify so that they can acquire a new company that will potentially balance the strengths and weaknesses of the two businesses (Pearce and Robinson, 2011). Companies use diversification as a grand strategy in order to increase stock value, increase growth rate, better use of investment funds, improve stability of the company, acquire needed resources quickly, and tax savings, and increase efficiency and profitability.Trends in the Financial Services Industry. Current trends in the financial services industry is the use of a focus strategy. Focus strategy, involves concentrating on a particular customer, product line, g eographical area, channel of distribution, stage in the production process, or market niche. The underlying premise of the focus strategy is that the firm is better able to serve its limited segment than competitors serving a broader range of customers. Firms using a focus strategy simply apply a cost-leader or differentiation strategy to a segment of the larger market.Firms may be able to differentiate themselves based on meeting customer needs through differentiation or through low costs and competitive pricing for specialty goods. This strategy is often appropriate for small, aggressive businesses that do not have the ability or resources to engage in a nation-wide marketing effort. Such a strategy may also be appropriate if the target market is too small to support a large-scale operation. Many firms start small and expand into a national organization. The trend in the financial services industry is that consumers are working outside of their home countries.Many of these consume rs have families back in their home country that they periodically send money to in order to help them pay their bills. Western Union has a niche with this trend because they provide a means of easily getting the money to their family without having to have a checking account or if they have credit problems and owes the money elsewhere. Western Union guarantees that the money will be secure and delivered to the correct person. Internal Environment Financial Information In 2008, Western Union’s market share grew and delivered record levels of revenue and cash flow.Revenue was $5. 3 billion; $1. 25 billion was generated in cash flow from operations and WU handled $67 billion in cross-border consumer-to-consumer remittances. They also delivered an operating income margin of 26% for the year. Western Union and its consumers are feeling the impact of the global economic recession. They have confidence in their strategy. Their plan is to focus on what they can control and influence . They have a brand that is recognized around the world. Their business generates significant cash flow.They have created a business model that consistently delivers strong margins. They have built a distribution channel that is second to none and their global team is focused on a short list of priorities to drive growth. They provide vital services to consumers in more than 200 countries and territories. These services not only make a tremendous difference in the individual lives of their customers, but the volume of remittances sent through Western Union helps drive many national economies, paving the way for long-term growth.They also have the advantage of a globally recognized brand and unmatched worldwide distribution. Western Union plans to continue investing in their brand even in these tough times. Their brand represents speed, trust and reliability to their consumers worldwide. WU has launched a comprehensive new global brand initiative that embodies an ambitious and forwar d-looking vision for the company. Their vision is of optimism for their customers, company, agents and, employees. This vision shows their commitment to help people who are on the move, pursuing their dreams.At a time when there is so much pessimism in the world, it is believed that this Western Union message will serve as a source of positive energy in the marketplace, which should ultimately translate into mind share and market share for the company. They will increase their technology spend to further develop tools that allow them to perform deeper analysis on their customers. Western Union is sharpening their focus and directing investments to meet market share opportunities. They have demonstrated that their global team working together has helped them gain market share in 2008.These employees were using Western Union’s four key strategies—strategies that will continue to drive their business forward: * Accelerate profitable growth in the global cash money transfe r business * Expand and globalize the consumer-to-business payments business * Innovate new products and services for target customers * Improve profitability by leveraging scale, reducing costs and effectively using capital During 2009, Western Union will increase investment in technology and systems.They want to update their systems in order to move traditional and new services from virtually anywhere in the world, with exceptional speed. Western Union has a proven business model with significant financial strength. Alternatives and Recommendations Strategic Alternatives In order to publicize their commitments to social responsibility, Western Union should consistently re-evaluate their operations and look for areas of improvement. They can also look at what other companies in the industry are doing to be socially responsible and implement such procedures to their company.Because of the challenges inherent in globalization and diversification, it is important for Western Union to perform due diligence when entering foreign markets. One of the challenges when globalizing may be the exchange rate in different countries. Western Union may have to charge different fees depending on where they are and who their competition is. Recommended Strategy We believe that the company should stick with what they know and continue to repurchase shares and acquisitions. Repurchasing shares can generate a higher EPS and help use up excess cash.It can also increase the ROE and raise demand for the stock on the open market. Their current strategy seems to be working for them and as long as they continue to re-evaluate their operations and remain socially responsible, their strategy will be a success. The bottom line is that Western Union wants to pursue mergers in order to make money for the company and for shareholders.ReferencePearce, J. A, & Robinson, B. R. (2011). Strategic Management- Formulation, Implementation, and Control. (12ed) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Mal War wick Associates, Initials. (2008). The Five Dimensions of CSR. Retrieved from http://www. malwarwick. com/ Moment, R. (2004). The 7 Principles of Business Integrity . Retrieved from http://www. webpronews. com/the-principles-of-business-integrity-2004-07 Vogel, D. (2008). CSR Doesn't Pay. Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/2008/10/16/csr-doesnt-pay-lead-corprespons08-cx_dv_1016vogel. html Western Union. (2011). Corporate Citizenship. Retrieved from http://corporate. westernunion. com/corporate_responsibility. html

The Bell Jar essays

The Bell Jar essays In the novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, the novel is set in America in the 1950s. The settings in the novel are often used as backdrops where Sylvia develops her critics. The protagonist Esther Greenwood ¡s experience in different places serves as critics of the idea that each place represents. The settings of the novel include metropolitan New York, suburban Boston and mental institutions. The novel began with Esther ¡s visit to New York after she had won her scholarship. Sylvia Plath used New York as a background where she develops her criticism for the American ideals of a metropolis. It ¡s here in New York that Esther develops the sense of detachment and inadequacy with the society and her peers. The chic metropolitan New York lifestyle was suppose to dazzle a small town girl like Esther, however its superficiality not only fail to impress her, it was loath upon. Esther has an enviable academic success, a New York way of lifestyle was what people expected Esther to live through and expected her to marvel and enjoy. Sylvia Plath ¡s tone of the narratives on the environment of New York are often critical. These show Esther never truly enjoy her stay in New York, Sylvia Plath ¡s descriptions often conveys a sense of dry and choking:  ¡Ã‚ ¡Kfake country wet freshness ¡K ¡  ¡Ã‚ ¡Kdry, cindery dust blew into my eyes ¡K ¡  ¡Ã‚ ¡Kfizzled to nothing outside the slick marble ¡K.of Madison Ave ¡ She never enjoyed the company of her peers.  ¡Girls like that makes me sick. ¡ None of them except Doreen, have any insights or distinctive character. To her, they were drowning in decadence and boredom. However, she seemed to be the only one who is feeling this way. Because all other girls believe that was the way it should be and Doreen was able to live an exciting life. Sylvia Plath also used New York as a symbol of career expectation for woman. It ¡s here Esther lost faith in society and was greatly disappointed...

Internatioanal Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Internatioanal Business Report - Essay Example Corruption follows FDI but these are issues that have to be taken in the stride. Labour laws too are stringent in India although reforms could make the work environment more congenial. India offers absolute and comparative advantage in this sector and the risks are low. Cultural differences do exist between the two nations but since most international chains in India are US-based and have achieved success, there is likelihood of Coffee & Bytes also succeeding in its venture. A multinational Corporation based in the US – (Coffee & Bytes) – is looking for overseas expansion. It has presence in a few developing nations such as the UK and Italy and is now seeking to open up in India. C&B specializes in different varieties of aromatic coffee and has budget snacks to go with it. It is based on the fast food concept like Cafà © Coffee Day chains but operations are on a much lower scale. However their interest in India has arisen because of the growing consumerism in the country in the past decade. Global retailers are interested in India because of its geographic advantages, its versatile demographics and a growing economy with a stable government (Article Base, 2009). The prospects for food chains in India is high because unlike the developed countries where fast food is seen as functional, in India, the idea of eating out is still aspirational (Mitra, 2009). Eating out in India is still a family activity and family entertainment. The demand for fast food in India is growing as more nuclear families have come up and look for fast readymade food (Kulkarni & Lassar, 2009). However, the local government has been trying to promote healthy eating and hence the multinational chains have been alerted. In view of the prospects and the challenges in the food chains in India, C&B needs to study the international business environment which is influenced by the micro and macro policies

Employability skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employability skills - Assignment Example Working in the sales department with a team dealing with customer support is certainly a huge task that comes with huge responsibilities. Setting up personal responsibilities in this area is somehow similar to updating job description to increase tasks and responsibilities, which are congruent with the overall objective of the organization. One needs to ask him/herself the following questions before setting responsibilities; what have I done? What do I need to do in order to progress myself? Finally, how do I execute it? These three questions are important in ensuring that your personal responsibilities meet both personal and interests of the organization. My first personal responsibility as a customer support personnel involves satisfying the expectations of the client. The second responsibility involves coordinating with individual users of our service to assess their needs. The third responsibility involves providing adequate information to the clients all the time. The fourth res ponsibility involves developing effective rapport with other service colleagues. The fifth responsibility involves ensuring that you are up to date with current service delivery methods and procedures to increase customer satisfaction. Performance targets unlike personal responsibilities, which makes use job description, go beyond the tasks and duties stated in the job description. Armstrong, (2009; p6) elucidates that when an idea of high quality job performance crosses your mind then one starts to think about expected job outcomes. Everyone at the work is always expected to meet his or her job objectives and thus the need for personal performance targets. For instance, customer support staffs need to ask themselves the following question in order to effectively set personal performance goals. How am I expected to act with the customers and support center colleagues? What are the mandatory organization values? Finally what procedures, methods and process should I employ? My perform ance targets based on my experience in working as a customer support personnel include but not limited to the following: Responding to at least 90% of all the incoming enquiries either through main or telephone; Attending to at least 99% of all complaints from customers promptly; Enhancing my customer service and interpersonal skills within 3 months. Contact at least 60% of new customers to find out about satisfaction of the services. Contact at least 70% of the clients who received a repair to find out if they were satisfied by the services. Evaluating personal effectiveness against defined objectives is an important undertaking for every employee considering that it demonstrates areas where an individual employee effectively succeeded and where he/she requires improvements (Keller, 2010; p196). Self-assessment is applied in a wide range of professional settings including customer support services and therefore it is a noble idea for customer support personnel to undertake self-ass essment to establish their effectiveness to meet customer care challenges and above all their competence in relation to customer service skills. An evaluation of my personal effectiveness against personal objectives played a significant role in knowing my level of performance with respect to competency in customer service skills. One of the biggest challenges that most employers face is how to motivate their employees to attain their full potential at work. It is