Project Finance (Project Management) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Project Finance (Project Management) - Essay Example â€Å"Project finance is the financing of long-term infrastructure, industrial projects and public services based upon a non-recourse or limited recourse financial structure where project debt and equity used to finance the project are paid back from the cashflow generated by the project† (Project Finance Definition). Simply speaking, project finance is the process of accumulation of money and its investment in some particular project. Usually, there are two types of project finance – equity financing and debt financing. The debts and an interest rate are paid from the cash flows, generated by a project. Generally, project finance can be called as a part of project management. Project finance is usually a long-term process. The reason for it is that the projects financed are long-term as a rule. This process begins from looking for the ways of a project’s financing and ends with paying dividends to stakeholders and investors. . â€Å"It takes a lot more than a good idea to develop a successful manufacturing venture. You need to know where to find the resources, both financial and technological, and you need to find the right people with the right skills to do the job. Knowing where to look for these resources can save you precious time and money, and earn you some valuable partners in the process† (Sudarkasa). Identification and development of a project – any project should be presented to potential investors in some formal way. They should be able to weigh up all the pros and cons for a project. This information is needed to make a final decision whether to invest or not in a project; Determination the feasibility of the project – the main factor for investors is whether a project is able to bring social and economic benefits or not. That is why a vivid plan how to earn money should be drawn and presented to all the stakeholders. These two stages are among the most important in the process of

Political Corruption and Empowerment Essay Example for Free

Political Corruption and Empowerment Essay Participation is dynamic process aimed at involving the masses so that they can formulate their own end goals and work together to realise them. Masses cannot be forced to participate in projects which affect their lives but should be given the opportunity where possible. Empowerment Empowerment is an initiated process that enables the masses to gain power and extend it in such a way that they can use this power to share in changing social, economic and political structures. Empowerment is successful if the participants regard the result of their action as beneficial. Therefore participation is a cornerstone of empowerment. It is a prerequisite for achieving empowerment. Empowerment is one of the consequences of participation, which means that if we want masses to gain power, they must participate. Empowerment is generally seen as a key for good quality of life, increased human dignity, good governance, pro-poor growth, project effectiveness and improved service delivery (Narayan. 2002. 8.). Bureaucracy It means the structure and set of regulations that control the activities of people that work for these organizations. It is characterized by standardized procedure (rule-following), formal division of responsibility, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. Bureaucratic leader are concerned with ensuring workers follow rules and procedures accurately and consistently. The bureaucracy does not create or initiate policy, but it does implement policy decisions. Why mass participation and empowerment are important Empowerment puts people at the centre of the development process; it implies a participatory approach to development focusing on bottom-up approaches rather than top-down bureaucratic methods. Empowerment increases the capabilities of the poor to influence and hold accountable the institutions that provide for them. To this end, empowerment attempts to give power and knowledge to rural communities to assist in creating a better quality of life, so that in the future they will have the skills to rely less on external forces to provide vital services and infrastructure. Mass participation is an essential part of the process of good local governance, and empowerment. To be meaningful, these processes must be seen as fundamental values of Healthy Cities and so must be developed as an integral part of long-term strategic development. Empowerment of mass is associated with cleaner business and government, and better governance. Specifically, the greater their involvement in public life, the lower the level of corruption, even in countries with the same income, civil liberties, education, and legal institutions. Masses Empowerment through inclusion, voice, and accountability can also promote social cohesion and trust, qualities that help reduce corruption, reinforce government and project performance, and provide a conducive environment for reform, with consequential benefits for development effectiveness and economic growth. Finally, empowerment or lack of it can also have positive or negative socio-political effects on the outcomes of countries’ poverty reduction efforts. Why the concept of mass participation has been illusive in the third world There are some serious failures of the international community to contribute meaningfully to empowerment and participatory approaches. If countries are not willing to support countries that need help, then the future is bleak. Aid allocations need to increase if meaningful solutions are to occur. Making the rural poor involved in empowerment and participatory programs is hard to achieve due to their social exclusion. The gap between the poor in rural areas and those who are more wealthy is large and widening Because the rural poor are socially excluded, often development organisations such as the World Bank think of the poor are ignorant and complacent. More often they are not excluded from participating in projects in a meaningful way, due to pre existing biased views that they are not worthy, or indeed, have the skills to participate effectively. (Courtney et all in Godinot and Wodon (ed). 2006. 3). Lack of empowerment amongst rural people leads to their vulnerability and thus most development projects tend to benefit the benefactors rather than the beneficiaries. In light of this sustainable development is not achieved because non-participation of local people means that rural development is not self-sustaining. Therefore, local rural people play an important role in rural development because they understand their situation and problems better than the government, aid agencies and other stakeholders. This highlights the gap between the reality and ideal of empowerment and participatory development where the poor themselves are considered the centre of the process and the most vital players. Rural areas in developing countries experience large problems associated with access to basic amenities and services. Attempts to resolve this situation involve development programs using community empowerment in rural areas of developing nations to ameliorate instances of poverty. The aspirations deep inside the poor can only be brought out by making them the centre of the development process. They have difficulty expressing them due to their exclusion. How mass participation and empowerment are promoted or discouraged by the action of bureaucracy The problem with bureaucracy is that Executives want to control everything; even the simplest administrative decision has to be approved at the top. . One problem is unnecessary delays in outputs (Waterston 1965:259) , for even though there are more than enough officials in the lower administrative ranks, they are not effectively employed in the posts to which they were appointed. Political involvement of officials – when bureaucracy becomes involved in politics, this stimulates corruption. Officials start taking decision and performing actions that will benefit themselves, or groups in which they have an interest. Corruption is out of control. Development funds are siphoned off to hire friends or relatives. In some cases the money simply disappears. The misuse of office by government functionaries is relatively common in areas of public procurement, revenue collection, government appointments and contracts, licensing and permits. In these areas of specialty, graft and venality are readily executed through anyone of the following activities: The civil servant receives from a private contractor a fixed percentage of awarded government contracts; the kickback may be in kind, such as free education for the children in foreign institutions, or in cash, paid directly into bank account. Police or other law enforcement agents use the threat of sanctions to extort bribes in lieu of official fees or taxes. But paying bribes to avoid taxes or fees is equally damaging to society since governments depend on such revenues to provide public goods. The relative absence of revenues from taxes and fees also means less compensation for civil servants, which leads to more corrupt practices. One of the reasons adduced by low- level government employees for demanding bribes is the infrequency of their monthly salary. Government employees in essential services, e.g. law enforcement, electric power supply, telecommunication etc. Customs agents insist on payments above the official rates or side payments before providing requisite services to both importers and exporters. Those unwilling to pay bribes stand the chance of losing their merchandise through forfeiture or theft. Civil servants award large contracts to companies owned by relatives or partners, and in return receive an agreed upon fee or lavish hospitality. Officials responsible for permits and licenses demand extra payment for services ordinarily called for by their office; in cases where expediency is requested, a great deal more is demanded to speed-up the process. Bureaucracies’ themselves create the causes of corruption. Salaries are low, housing is poor, officials lack professional qualification and status, all of which means that officials do not feel motivated to do good work, or to be loyal to the organisation. When a country’s resources are continually misallocated by corrupt government officials bent on maximizing their short-run selfish interests, development is severely hindered through a multitude of social and economic dislocations. The bureaucracy is unresponsive to the needs of the public; there is an atmosphere of official’s indifference and unsympathetic attitude toward the needs of the people. This is caused by the strictly centralised nature of the bureaucracies, the lack of mass participation and consequent lack of contact with the populace. A bureaucracy, crucially, is not only a structure, a mere organigramme with functional relationships and roles. It is a group of people with lives, emotions, aspirations, energy, passion and values. Those that work in them often have strong values, great intentions and good ideas. Most want to do good and not be negative. Somehow, however, good intent can evaporate as the dynamic of the organizational ‘system’ unfolds. Can the positive virtues and potential of public sector bureaucracies and the people working in them be rediscovered? These include fostering fairness, equity, and equality of opportunity, being neutral and transparent. These are important achievements of democracy, yet the focus on efficiency can obscure these intentions. The most effective organizations are those where people feel they can be engaged and where their commitment to the organization lies beyond a contractual relationship and where a deeper emotional bond can be established both to the work itself and the organization. In these situations people feel they are able ’to be our true selves’ and to have a ‘creative presence’ so that working gives the sense of ‘pregnant possibilities’ and where they can develop ‘an intensity that feels and appears effortless’. Here energy and passion can come into alignment. Conclusion /My view The participation of communities in development projects is a major aspect of an empowering approach. Participation works well at the small scale. Community based organisations if trained correctly can manage and supervise locally based construction and maintenance activities very effectively (Meshack. 2004. 61). There is a fine balance between success and failure of participation in that it needs to be locally based with little input from external forces. Governments and donors can in fact undermine contributions made by the community in that they take over projects and locals lose their sense of ownership (Meshack. 2004. 61). Participation in development projects does however need outside stakeholders but the community needs to be the one driving the project, as there are many people who can contribute to a development project. Empowerment involves expanding the capabilities of the poor. Its main process involves putting the community at the centre of the development process. The community becomes empowered due to the fact that they have a certain degree of control over their own resources, they gain a sense of ownership over the service or infrastructure being provided. One of the main concepts involved in creating efficient empowering projects include the access of the community to information, as informed citizens make better development decisions. Accountability in the development process is another crucial aspect of an empowering approach. Increasing the capabilities of the poor specifically refers to local organisational capacity. This is when a community works together to mobilise resources and tackle problems as a group. This is another major process involved in community empowerment.

Creating a Voice in Poetry :: Reports Poetry Poems Literature Essays

Creating a Voice in Poetry Discuss how the poets create voices in their work. Write about Reports and one other poem. The poem 'Reports' focuses on one teachers cynical approach on writing school reports. This didactic poem take full advantage of using the imperative and pragmatics, as well as manipulating graphological features, such as the use of italics to indicate quotations. The poem is also written as a monologue, showing one side of a conversation, allowing the reader to focus on the opinions and character of an individual... in this case the school teacher. Similarly, this method is used in Carol Ann Duffy's poem 'Head of English', taken from 'Standing Female Nude.' The poem 'Head of English' makes good use of written language, creating the tone of a pompous school teacher but also uses punctuation to give the reader an idea about the character portrayed. 'Head of English' shows one characters disdain for another, however the reader is only meant to visualise the seemingly over confident Head of English. Duffy uses a monologue style to allow the reader to engage with the teacher in question and allows the reader to empathise (although not sympathise) with the voice in the poem. The poem opens with the line; "Today we have a poet in the class." On a surface read through this opening line could be intended to enthuse the pupils, however in my opinion this remark shows subtle hints of sarcasm, however unintentional or subconscious these may be. Grammatically the sentence structure suggests that the teacher is to the point, there is no indication of a break between "Today" and "we" although, the reader would expect a teacher to be taking her time and would at least expect to see a comma. As well as this the full stop at the end of the line adds emphasis to the sentence and brings it to an abrupt end, almost definitely a purposeful move on the part of the poet, to suggest to the reader that the character in the poem is abrupt. The hints of sarcasm are then backed up between lines three and five, when the teacher says; " Perhaps we're going to witness verse hot from the press. Who knows." The first sentence suggests that the teacher is testing the poet. On the surface it seems as if she is trying to enthuse the pupils, although the pragmatics suggest that she is testing the poet, almost challenging the poet. Then the second sentence, "Who knows.", backs up the readers thoughts of the teacher. Intriguingly the poet has manipulated the language again by using a full stop to end a sentence that would normally be a question.

How cultures use food Essay

1. Outline the way different cultures use the value food? Out of the many different cultures present throughout the world, all value food in most similar ways. Most similarities can be struck between the availability of foods within their regions, specifically enviromental and seasonal ripening in the spring period. Food has become plentiful in Western civilisations over the past few decades, , due to the advances in agriculture allowing maximum growth and larger yields in the shortest amount of time (Chemgeneration 2011). This has also introduced interest into controversial genetically modified foods and the use of hybrid varieties of plants that have more desirable qualities. An example of this is Maize and certain potatoes that secrete a pesticide from the plant to ward of pests and insects, thus removing the need to use pesticides and chemicals (Chemgeneration 2011). Dr Rosalie McCauley (Development Office Department of Agriculture and Food WA, p1), obtained results that genetically modified foods haves been more increasingly used as th e use of farmland increases exponentially at over 6% per year, seeing some 170.3 million hectares of GM foods being grown. In western society, there are a significant percentage of people either being overweight or obese, even Australia that has a population of approx 22 million (Australian Bureau of Statistics p1), with over 60% is considered over weight (ABS 2012, Australian Bureau of Statistics). Most overweight or obese individuals have and unhealthy relationship with food and it was theorised by Dr Carole Hungerford (Good Health in 21st Century) it can be considered ‘an addiction’. There is speculation as to why western society has such an addiction foods such as bread and milk, as we are the only species that drinks milk after weaning, especially that of another animal. Clinical studies and Medical Publications released by Dr J.L. Fortuna (PUBMED, 2010, p1) found clinical similarities for binge eating to that of drug dependences seeing a similar release of serotonin as with other drug dependencies. Though obesity is a prevalent condition around the world, numerous countries do not have the same obesity rates as western culture, some of this is likely to result in the way food is perceived by other cultures. Comparatively, in some cultures around the world, it is part of their culture to abstain from food for a short period of time. A more popularly known fasti ng is the Islamic undertaking of Ramadan where they fast during day light hours (Huda, 2009). Though in western cultures, people have a dislike to feel hungry, and can feel like they have fasted if they miss morning tea during a busy day at work. Numerous cultures throughout history have also used food as offering to their gods or deities to pray for health, or future harvests rain. Egyptian Pharaohs would be entombed with vast pots of food and spices to be used on their journey to the heavens. Some traditional practices continue even today such as the Korean Charye used to honour families ancestors, where special foods are prepared to during the Chuesoerk Ceremonies. The Chuesoerk (Korea.net, 2010) is a three day holiday to celebrate the good harvest received during the spring of that year. These cultural and religious uses for food are worldwide, and often not too distant from Christian practices of thanksgiving celebrated during the Christmas period. In conclusion, all cultures, no matter how distant or unique, have significant celebrations, events or relationships with a large role involving the use or lack of foods. The use of food to bring together communities and families is not dissimilar in almost all countries and demographics on earth; however the individuals use or overuse is not always healthy. References: 1. The Chemical Generation 2001, Viewed 14 January 2014 2. The Chemical Generation 2001, Viewed 14 January 2014 3. Dr Rosalie McCauley, Department of Agriculture and Food, WA, viewed 10 January 2014 4. ABS (2012) Australian health survey: First results, 2011–12. ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Viewed 14 January 2014 5. Aust Government, National Health and Medical Research Council. Viewed 10 January 2014 6. Hungerford, Dr Carole, 2008, Good health in the 21st century, Revised Edition, Scribe, Victoria. 7. Fortuna, J. Department of Health Science, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, viewed 10 January 2014 8. Huda, About.com, 2009. Viewed 15 January 2014 9. Korea.net, 2010, viewed 11 January 2014 2. What general concepts guide the present western diet? The current concepts of the western diet are based in the influence of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins and minerals (Whitney and Rolfes, 2013). Although we have come a long way with the introduction of multiculturalism some decades ago, for many western diet is still based around the proteins consisting of meats, predominantly red meat and chicken, carbohydrates with starchy root vegetables. This is often referred to as the ‘meat and three veg’ diet and the previous generations would have grown up with this as their diet staples as they where the majority of foods available for purchase or even grown themselves. With exception to the last 200 years, mankind has been involved in the seasonal use of foods and their diets where restricted by what was available at those times. Today there are vast changes in the way foods are produced to permit year round availability and the creation of food products that have previously been unavailable. Researchers at Bates Collage (Lewiston, ME, USA, 2013) believe that in the last 150 years since the invention of stones mills, the refining process of grain to create white flour, is now a consistent staple within the western diet. It was noted that this is a considerable source of carbohydrates and the cultures that had not encountered this food type previously began to show Heart Disease, Type 2 diabetes and stroke. These are all ailments that had been previously unseen in those areas. Additionally, the belief of receiving good value for money has become one of the most influential concepts and reasoning behind the purchase of processed food in recent times. The perception to receive the best meal, to be filling, quickly and well priced has seen the fast food chain market turn into a billion dollar industry (B.A. Swinburne, 2004). Anna Hodgekiss (U.S. daily Mail editor) explains that the over indulgence of these highly fatty foods have been  linked to short life spans and arrays of health problems. Even with the warnings and proven heath problems that arise, some families can become dependent on foods that are considered â€Å"value for money†. In conclusion, the general concepts to achieve the main food groups are relevant and understood but poorly enacted. The ease and availability of cheap fast food and highly refined products, that arrive ready to eat, are becoming preferential over the more time consuming cooking of foods from the local supermarket. References: 1. Whitney, E and Rolfes, S. Understanding Nutrition 13th Edition, 2013, Wadsworth USA 2. BATES Collage 2014, 2 Andrews Road Lewiston, ME 04240. Viewed 14 January 2014 3. Online book extract B.A. Swinburne, Public Health Nutrition, Chap 7, pp132 (p10). Viewed 14 January 2014 4. Hodgekiss, Anna, U.S. Daily Mail, viewed 14 January 2014 3. Discuss the comparative issues between man and nature? Nature is the world surrounding us, and it is the term we use to describe anything that happens which is out of our control. Such as natural disasters like cyclones, floods and drought. So considering this nature can not only be seen as a friend, but also as an enemy. Man desires to control nature by synthetic, mechanic and industrial plans. Synthetic and Natural medicines desire the same outcomes, of long life and good heath, but the methods to achieve it could not be any more different. Whether it is derived by numerous chemical processes or used in the original form it is found, nature made and manmade are vastly different especially when it comes to health and healing. Some cultures rely almost completely on nature to provide their basic needs such as water, food, shelter and even medicine. Though considered bland and not in line with the â€Å"perfect diet† (Health Schools Australia notes), the health benefits and improved health conditions are  achieved without the use of synthetic medicine, where as Western Diet, requires supplement by manmade medicines. This reliance on the local flora and fauna to provide all essentials and life improving aspects is not a new belief and is understood worldwide, but has been partially replaced by Western perception of that health can only be achieved by Pharmaceutical (Crigger NJ). The perception that health and food are separate and not interrelated because ‘man’ has created medicines that are better than those extracted from the ‘nature’ like Tibetans and non western cultures. In contrast, Western society has adopted that the scientific basis behind the synthetic production of therapeutic medicines is the only medical way to treat disease and illness. Today, it appears the practice of non synthetic medicinal applications is mostly centric to non western cultures. The â€Å"Perfect Diet’’ is deemed as a one shoe fits all remedy for the correct eating and dietary requirements for modern people. Where if we look at the diets of other cultures, such as the Hunza diet or Mediterranean Diet, where the majority of the population has a life expectancy significantly higher than that of the Western counterparts may have something to do with the foods that differ to that of the â€Å"Perfect Western Diet†(Diet Choices, 2014 and Trichopoula, A). One key reason is believed to be the Hunza population in the Himalayas consume more than 200% (Dainca Collins, 2011) of the B17 (also known as Amygdalan) than their western counter parts. This is likely due to the Hunza eating the seeds of all fruits, which is something that is often discarded within western society. Christina Larner (Body and Soul) has identified that Apricot se eds contain the largest concentrations of B17, and has been used a cancer treatment in modern times. However the same seeds are alleged to have caused Cyanidic acid when consumed to excessive quantities, but cases of cyanide toxicity are rare (Christina Larner). In conclusion, man created medicines for health and longevity are proven to be available in the natural world around us. Public perception provides the strongest reasons why man made pharmaceuticals are the main stream choice for western society, where as the isolated communities use the world around them to treat their ailments. 1.Whitney, E and Rolfes, S. Understanding Nutrition 13th Edition, 2013, Wadsworth USA 2.Crigger, N.J. 2009, PUBMED, US National Library of Medicine, viewed 14 January 2014 3.Diet Choices, 2014, Diet Choices, Las Vegas NV, USA, viewed 15 January 2014 < http://dietchoices.com/diet-plans/hunza-diet/> 4.Trichopoula, A. 2000, PUBMED, US National Library of Medicine, viewed 14 January 2014 5.Dainca Collins, 2011, UNDERGROUND HEALTH REPORTER, viewed 15 January 2014 6.Larner, Christina, Body and Soul, viewed 15 January 2014 4) Diversity of foods has been a benefit to the human race? Australia’s culinary heritage has expanded greatly over the last 100 years with numerous population demographics immigrating to Australia. We have observed cultural and culinary delights flood our markets, restaurants and kitchens with sights, smells and aromas from around the world. Many years ago these would have been deemed exotic and bizarre, but are now considered almost staple additions to the average household pantry. Fifty years ago, within our Grandmothers pantry, our available food selections were significantly limited in spices and rare/exotic foods that are now considered normal place. Meat and three veg meals of starchy root vegetables and heavy protein meats where the staple of the diet during those times. It is argued (Potatoes SA) that these staples popularity on Australian kitchen tables where due to the European based settlers focusing on farming practices for this produce over the last 100 years. Pliner and Hoden (cit. Evaluation of food choice behaviours, p 20) stated it was more to do with the neophobic attitude towards foreign foods due to the â€Å"unfamiliarity of foods† that limited the adventurous mindset to the evolving culinary scene. In either case, only since World War 2 did the appearance of multicultural foods and diets start to intermix. One of the most popular entries into our diets is the highly regarded Mediterranean diet consisting of uncooked fresh whole vegetables, whole grains and some fish and seafood but minimal meat. That compared to the past diets of root based vegetables that where often boiled or baked, and argued to lose most of its natural vitamins and minerals during the cooking process, especially seen with water soluble vitamins (Better Health Channel). The high use of tomatoes within the Mediterranean diet, which contain large amounts of the antioxidant lycopene and that is believed to have anti-tumour properties to relieve cancers  particularly in the prostate and multiple-myeloma (Tonia Reinhard, p44-45). Additionally, the vibrant coloured vegetables that contain high amounts of VIT A and C such as Capsicums, Spinach, green leafy vegetables. VIT A is required for vision, the immune system and as an antioxidant. Dr Carole Hungerford (Good health in 21st century, p160) identifies that night blindness is a symptom of VIT A deficiency. Even the fats used are considered healthier with the Olives and olive oil as the principle source of fat. Tonia Reinhard states that Olive oil contains the richest source of mono unsaturated fatty acids, being 77% mono-unsaturated and 14% saturated, this is attributed as to why it helps to prevent cardiovascular disease. In conclusion, the diversity of foods that have spread across the world is bring ing the many health benefits to many. As the world continues to expand and new ideas and foods are embraced, soon the healing and healthy properties of those unique diets will improve the health and well being across the globe. 1.Potatoes South Australia, 2013, Elder House, Adelaide, SA, viewed 15 January 2014 2.Online Thesis – Roininen, Katariina, 2001, Evaluation of food choice behaviour: Development and Validation of health and taste attitude scales, visited 15 January 2014 3.Better Health Channel, July 2013, Victorian Government, viewed 15 January 2014 4.Hungerford, Dr Carole, 2008, Good health in the 21st century, Revised Edition, Scribe, Victoria. 5.Reinhard, Tonia, (2010), SUPERFOODS The Healthiest Foods on the Planet, Cove Press, NSW 5) The future of nutrition In the past and even in some places still today, nutrition has not play a conscious role in conventional medicine, as the focus has and always seems to be about treating disease not the cause. Nutrition based medicine has been labelled with a stigma as ‘alternative’ or new age and not given the same attention as the newest drug on the market. Recently have we begun to see some changes within the health care system which offers clients a  natural alternative to pharmaceuticals. This has began a movement known as Integrative Medicine (OSHER, 2012), where the approach is about taking the best from conventional and alternative medicine and combining them. This combination of practices is reinforcing the tenants of prevention rather than cure, which follows the old adage that â€Å"an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure†. We are already seeing this revolutionary ideal take off with the emergence of integrative clinics now established in some major citi es, and where patients even seek further information from their GP on what additional alternative treatments are available for their ailments (Mike Adams, 2005). This wider social consciousness towards natural alternatives is perhaps due to the increased marketing of nutritional supplements within media (Mike Adams, 2005). These messages are making people more curious about their health and what they can do to improve it. In addition, we are seeing nutritional products such as ‘Inner Health Plus’ a pro-biotic supplement, is sometimes prescribed to patients following a course of antibiotics. This behaviour by GP’s is demonstrating a small but important step to the medical and health organisations towards the evolution of nutritional medicine. The popularity of supplements and their advertised health benefits has propelled the sale of many nutritional products, especially Omega 3 supplements derived from fish oil or krill oil (Lisa Schofield, 2013). Omega 3 that is naturally occurring within deep ocean fish species has been proven to be beneficial for arthritis suffers, for heart health, and general wellbeing (Whitney, 2013, pg 161.). Dr Hungerford (Hungerford, 2008) tells us that until recent times, animals who do not manufacture their own omega 3 would have had to eat plants which contain omega 3’s for protection against the cold and other health benefits. However, as we domesticated animals, kept them warm in barns, and fed them the food we grew; the animals did not require as much omega 3 in order to survive. This man made change is a potential reason is why fish still remains one of the best sources of omega 3, as the majority of fish that we consume are wild. (Hungerford, 2008 pg. 6-7). In summary, the stigma of nutritional based medicine is slowly being lifted as media, mainstream medicine and health care practitioners inculcate these practices into their professions. Today, more than ever, people have access to the information and products that can be utilised to improve their health, wellbeing and  diets. As the message becomes clearer and better understood, it is likely that the stigma will be removed completely and nutritionists will be given the same renowned as the doctors and medical professionals that share the same vision for long and healthy life for all. 1.Osher Centre for Integrative Medicine, University of California, 2012, CA, USA, viewed 17 Jan 2014 2.Adams, Mike, 24 July 2005, Natural News, viewed 17 Jan 2014 3.Hungerford, Dr Carole, 2008, Good health in the 21st century, Revised Edition, Scribe, Victoria 4.Schofield, Lisa, 09 Sep 2013, Nutraceuticals World, viewed 17 January 2014 5.Whitney, E and Rolfes, S. Understanding Nutrition 13th Edition, 2013, Wadsworth USA Bibliography ABS (2012) Australian health survey: First results, 2011–12. ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Viewed 14 January 2014 Adams, Mike, 24 July 2005, Natural News, viewed 17 Jan 2014 Aust Government, National Health and Medical Research Council. Viewed 10 January 2014 B.A. Swinburne, Public Health Nutrition, Chap 7, pp132 (p10). Viewed 14 January 2014 BATES Collage 2014, 2 Andrews Road Lewiston, ME 04240. Viewed 14 January 2014 Better Health Channel, July 2013, Victorian Government, viewed 15 January 2014 Collins, Dainca, 2011, UNDERGROUND HEALTH REPORTER, viewed 15 January 2014 Crigger, N.J. 2009, PUBMED, US National Library of Medicine, viewed 14 January 2014 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19671650 Diet Choices, 2014, Diet Choices, Las Vegas NV, USA, viewed 15 January 2014 < http://dietchoices.com/diet-plans/hunza-diet/> Dr Rosalie McCauley, Department of Agriculture and Food, WA, viewed 10 January 2014 Fortuna, J. Department of Health Science, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, viewed 10 January 2014 Hodgekiss, Anna, U.S. Daily Mail, viewed 14 January 2014 Huda, About.com, 2009. Viewed 15 January 2014 Hungerford, Dr Carole, 2008, Good health in the 21st century, Revised Edition, Scribe, Victoria Korea.net, 2010, viewed 11 January 2014 http://www.korea.net/Government/Current-Affairs/Others?affairId=168 Larner, Christina, Body and Soul, viewed 15 January 2014 Osher Centre for Integrative Medicine, University of California, 2012, CA, USA, viewed 17 Jan 2014 Potatoes South Australia, 2013, Elder House, Adelaide, SA, viewed 15 January 2014 Reinhard, Tonia, (2010), SUPERFOODS The Healthiest Foods on the Planet, Cove Press, NSW Roininen, Katariina, 2001, Evaluation of food choice behaviour: Development and Validation of health and taste attitude scales, visited 15 January 2014 Schofield, Lisa, 09 Sep 2013, Nutraceuticals World, viewed 17 January 2014 The Chemical Generation 2001, Viewed 14 January 2014 The Chemical Generation 2001, Viewed 14 January 2014 Trichopoula, A. 2000, PUBMED, US National Library of Medicine, viewed 14 January 2014 Whitney, E and Rolfes, S. Understanding Nutrition 13th Edition, 2013, Wadsworth USA

Apple Background of Company

Apple background of company — Presentation Transcript 1. Background of companyApple Inc. , formerly Apple Computer, Inc. , is a multinational corporation that creates consumer electronics, computer software, and commercial servers. Apple was established in Cupertino, California on April 1, 1976 and incorporated January 3, 1977. The company's best-known hardware products include Macintosh computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. For reasons as various as its philosophy of comprehensive aesthetic design to its distinctive advertising campaigns, Apple has established a unique reputation in the consumer electronics industry.This includes a customer base that is devoted to the company and its brand, particularly in the United States. Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008 and in the world in 2008, 2009, and 2010. 2. Comparing a Steve Jobs presentation is nearly impossible. He’s in a league all his own. In my opinion, Apple chi ef executive Steve Jobs is the most charismatic pitchman in business today. His presentations are brilliant demonstrations of visual storytelling that motivate customers, employees, investors, and the entire computer industry.Before Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple, he was an electronics hacker. 3. Objective of the company To obtain stellar products and services within tight timeframe, at a cost that represent the best possible value to our customers and shareholders. 4. Current mission statementApple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings. . Comment†¦Apple Computer, Inc. is the mission statement is good because they committed to bring out the quality product of persona l computer through their customers needed. Apple always upgrade through with innovative, contemporary and modern technology product. The apple mission statement show that they have an own way in strategy to make a more profit and growth through their business in the future. 6. Proposed mission statementThe Apple Computer, Inc. ission statement is to bringing the greatest personal computing realization to the all kind of people around the world with their own life style. Apple came out with the variety kind of product through its innovation hardware, software, and Internet offerings. The market strategies evolved should be economical, efficient, durable, and flexible and allow the Apple to respond rapidly to both market and customer needs. And, we will keep on top of today's and tomorrow’s technology, no matter how fast it moves, to ensure our Customers always have the best tools available to them.

Needs of the employees of Melbourne Aquarium

Needs of the employees of Melbourne Aquarium Executive summary The management of human labor is crucial to any organization. Lack of good management has lead to a lot of loss due to sabotage, strikes, go-slows and low quality of services due to employee de-motivation. This paper is a case study for the needs of the employees of Melbourne Aquarium, measured against what the aquarium requires of its staff.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Needs of the employees of Melbourne Aquarium specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To carry out the study, three main methodologies were used. The first step was touring the aquarium and making eye observations. This was important as it gave the research team first hand information about the aquarium. The other second hand information was got from an interview on one of the staff. Though it was hard to get an interviewee, the research team eventually got a security guard to interview. The interviewee sought anonymity. The above infor mation was compared with the materials available from online sources and materials. From these, the research team came out with some findings. The areas covered in this paper include the needs of the Melbourne Aquarium: education, experience, flexibility as well as personality as well as those of the employees; security, contract needs among others. The research team recommended arrangement of seminars where the employees could be informed of the employers requirements and separate seminars where the Melbourne Aquarium management could be informed of the needs of the staff. Increment of the staff was also recommended. Introduction As the name suggests, the aquarium is located in Melbourne along the southern ocean. It borders Yarra River and Flinders Street.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The aquarium is one of the biggest in Australia and attracts thousands of to urists annually to it. The aquarium that is owed by the MFS Living Leisure Group was renovated in 2004 which lead to increase in the labor need of the aquarium. The needs of an employer Education The first basic need of an employer in the tourism industry is relevance education. Academic excellence in most cases is a proof of the ability of an employee to perform in the required levels of professionalism. It is in this line that the company is thought to have placed its advertisement for personnel including academic qualifications as one of the primary requirements. In a recent advert, Melbourne Aquarium announced the post of a financial controller of its system accounts records. In the announcement, the Melbourne Aquarium stated that a person with a master’s degree in finance management and an international certification in the same discipline would have an added advantage in the selection of the qualified candidates (Mylne, Llewellyn, Crittall, 2011, p23). This case is com mon in all the departments of Melbourne Aquarium. Other departments include human resource management, tour guidance, the crowd control, lifesaving, and strategic managers. However, qualifications in each department vary. For example, a good certificate in life saving skills can earn the favor of the human resource team in Melbourne Aquarium. Experience Apart from academic qualifications, Melbourne Aquarium gives preference to an employee who has an experience and exposure to the field of work.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Needs of the employees of Melbourne Aquarium specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This makes the recruitment and the training to be easier less costly and also less time consuming. Thus, an application in any position needs to have the required experience in the various departments of the aquarium (Torrington, Hall, Taylor, 2008, p31). In the strategic management, the firm requires a minimum of fi ve years experience. This is the department that ranks highest in the organizations and controls all other department. Thus, the company need not make any mistake in the kind of personnel that are recruited in the department. In other departments, the minimum requirement is three year of experience while the crowd management requires four years (Torrington, Hall, Taylor, 2008, p31). However, the firm gives attachment and internship to graduates from high education institutions. These persons are put under the supervision and control of highly trained and experienced staff so that the quality of work is not compromised. Flexibility of language, culture and religion The thousands of tourist who trickle into the banks of Melbourne Aquarium daily are drawn from various points of the world. These customers are also drawn from a variety of traditions, and religions and use different languages in their countries. Melbourne Aquarium thus prefers personal who is flexible to deal with all thi s kind of customers. In Australia, Australian English is the national language. While most of the staff is drawn from the country one of the qualification is the ability to converse in different languages (Mylne, Llewellyn, Crittall, 2011, p23). In the last two decades, Melbourne Aquarium has increased the percentage of international labor considerably. One of the main reasons of this move was to make sure that the personnel are fluent with as many languages as possible. In their advertisements, the firm quotes conversancy with other languages as a requirement.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though not mentioned, these languages are those that are commonly used including British English, French, Chinese, German and Arabic languages (Mylne, Llewellyn, Crittall, 2011, p23). The needs of an employee While it is easy to know the requirements of an employer though the advertisement that they make, the needs of an employee may be harder to be known. In this regard, I carried out an interview with an employee in the Melbourne Aquarium so as to measure the situation (Page, 2009, p147). Contract of work An employment contract in Melbourne Aquarium is composed by an offer by the prospect employee and an acceptance or a counter offer by the Melbourne Aquarium. This is valid in labor contracts; a labor contract involves an offer and acceptance where the parties are employer and employee. According to our source –a security guard at the Melbourne Aquarium- who sought anonymity, the staffs that do have a contract in the tourism sector are oppressed by their employers. Even tho ugh these cases are few in Melbourne Aquarium the victims cry foul of not being treated as equals in the firm as other employees (Bohlander, Snell, 2009, p12). Conducive environment The motivation of any worker is first drawn from the environment that is sounding the work place. This case applies across the industries including the tourism industry. Conducive environment includes terms that are favorable to the employer, the intercalation between the employees, freedom of interaction and converging, the provision of basic necessities and also the recognition of an employee as a person. After several visits to Melbourne Aquarium I noted that the population ratio between the employees and the tourists who visit the aquarium is so small that the staff at times is not able to control the crowds. This was drawn from an observation during a visit the research team paid during a peak season. The case is especially so during the peak periods. It was my view that their low delivery at such t imes may be blamed without regard to the situation on the ground. Cases of customer bearing the burden when they are overloaded are not uncommon in tourism companies (Egger, McClymont, 2004, p56). Payment rate The employment contracts include the payments tat each person receives. The employees of the tourism industry cry foe due to the major variances in their terms of payments. The knowledge that one is working at the same level yet he or she is being remunerated better that you is so de-motivating. According to our source, the staff at Melbourne Aquarium has been demanding for this right which is yet to be met satisfactorily. The more experienced and connected staff is more remunerated than those with less experience. The motivation of staff is affected when the knowledge of such comes to their attention (Weaver, Lawton, 2010, p80). Safety and confidentiality The mind of person operates in a way that when it is unsure of the security of the surrounding, it responds by reducing th e productivity of other body organs. Thus the employees of any industry need to ensured of their safety. This especially goes to the life sabers. They need to be ensured that there are no sharp objects and other things that may harm them in their duty off saving other lives. However, even the other personnel need to be sure of their security. (Woodside, 2007, p90). Apart from the safety from physical danger, the staff also needs to be ensured that the information about their relationship with the 3mployer is kept confidential. This means that while giving the tourists who visit the aquarium details about the staff, personal data should not be revealed. Instead, the management should give general data (Ashworth, Bain, Smitz, 2004, p128). Conclusion The understanding of the requirements of both the employer and employee is a basic requirement in the study of human resource management. The above mentioned issues are so intense and need to be rectified to improve the relationship betwee n Melbourne Aquarium and its staff. This analysis leads to the conclusion that, each of the parties has to be well informed before entering into a contract so that the decision made may not be regrettable. The employer should be aware that the employees require security and good working conditions while the employees should realize that service delivery is the top requirement of Melbourne Aquarium. Recommendations As we have seen through the paper, there the requirements of Melbourne Aquarium and those of its employees are different. Therefore it is recommendable that both the employees and the strategic managers be educated more on the rights of each other. Thus education seminars should be held differently and also is consistent. Any new employee or a member of the directing board should be given the information that is required without bias. In rectifying some of the cases, it is recommended that the ratio of the staff and the tourist population be increased. This should be done by recruiting of new staff. This will in response create a better environment to the employees. In their part, the employees should not be contented by their levels of experience and expertise. Addition of education skills and other tourism based education is a necessity tat can increase employer satisfaction. This two are just but examples of areas that need rectification. References Ashworth, S., Bain, C., Smitz, P., 2004. Lonely Planet Australia. Australia: Sage. Bohlander, G., Snell, S., 2009. Managing Human Resources. New Jersey: John Willey sons Inc. Egger, S., McClymont, D., 2004. Melbourne. Melbourne: ICI. Mylne, L., Llewellyn, M., Crittall, R., 2011. Frommers Australia. Australia: Frommer. Page, S., 2009. Tourism Management: Managing for Change. London: Sage. Torrington, D., Hall, L., Taylor, S., 2008. Human Resource Management. Australia: Cengage Brain. Weaver, D., Lawton, L., 2010. Tourism Management. Australia: ICI. Woodside, A., 2007. Tourism management: analysis, beha vior and strategy. New York: Cengage Brain.

Top 15 upcoming jobs to look out for this fall

Top 15 upcoming jobs to look out for this fall The summer is almost over, and it’s time to start thinking about packing away the swimsuit and pulling the business-wear back out of the closet. If you don’t already have a job lined up for this coming fall- or are thinking that it might be time for a career change- you don’t have to worry that nothing’s out there. Quite a few industries are thriving, and looking to hire this fall. Here are 15 of them. 1. HealthcarePeople are always going to get sick or injured- that’s just a fact of life. The upside of this unfortunate reality is that the healthcare industry will always need people to help treat the constant inflow of patients. Registered nurses are currently needed more than any other healthcare professionals, but there are also plenty of openings for licensed vocational and practical nurses, as well as physical therapists. For those who have nursing degrees, the job market is pretty rich at the moment.2. SalesYou don’t need a degree to go into sales, just a strong drive to serve customers and the ability to make whatever you’re selling desirable. If you have a knack for convincing consumers that they simply cannot live without Apple’s latest iPhone, you’re in luck, because telecommunication sales is particularly hot right now. The best positions offer both an hourly wage and commissions.3. ManagementSalespeople and other business associates need some guidance to do their jobs. That’s where management comes in. Of course, management is not only needed in the retail sector. Medical managers, health services managers, and marketing managers are also very much in demand at the moment.4. Office and administrative support workIt’s a good time to be in administration. New positions for office and administrative support workers are opening at a break-neck pace, especially in big cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Customer service representatives, executive secretaries, offic e-worker supervisors, and executive administrative assistants are in high demand to keep business rolling smoothly. Monster.com recently added more than 388,000 listings for admin professionals, so it’s a great time to be one.5. AccountingAccounting may not be the most exciting profession in the world, but these cagy number crunchers are needed in a number of industries this fall. One reason for the high number of accounting positions is the abundance of new companies that started up in the wake of the economic collapse a decade ago. Those relatively new companies are still on the lookout for help in their accounting departments, and brand new companies are kicking into gear all the time, which means that accounting jobs should be abundant for some time.6. Personal financial servicesAlthough we’re a decade removed from the financial collapse, the economy is still working its way onto its feet and people are still very much in need of advice regarding the most sensible way to handle their money in the current climate. Financial planners help people at all economic levels to manage their money. They help the rich stay rich and the less fortunate to keep their heads above water, and they are very necessary these days.7. ConsultingThe rise in new businesses has also increased the demand for consultants. They’re the people who offer sage advice for running businesses as efficiently as possible. They offer suggestions on making the most of personnel, managing clients effectively, and other key moves.8. Call centersAnother industry on the rise is the call center business. More and more, customer service is being handled over the phone. Call center workers both help customers with problems and handle sales. Initially, this kind of work tended to get outsourced, but public outcry has resulted in call centers opening up in the United States. Those with traditional sales and customer service experience may decide to put their skills to use at one of these new domestic call centers. The jobs are definitely out there.9. TransportationThe popularity of online sales is one reason that call center work is thriving these days. The online retail industry has also created a high demand for the delivery people who transport the products purchased through Amazon, Fresh Direct, and other online companies. That means truckers and other drivers should have a fairly easy time getting work these days. Those who are interested in transporting people instead of goods may find work for companies such as Lyft and Uber.10. Computer supportThe twenty-first century’s decisive move to an online environment means that all manner of computer-related industries continue to enjoy boon times. Like call center work, computer support work used to be outsourced to high degree, but this is also changing. IT is coming home again.11. SoftwareOur reliance on the Internet also means that the demand for new software developments is constant without any sign of decline in the near future. With new computing systems, devices, apps, and gadgets popping up on a seemingly daily basis, those who can develop new software for such technologies are vital.12. Food preparation and serviceWhile industries such as transportation, accounting, and personal financial services are on the rise because of specific contemporary factors, the strength of the food industry is pretty constant. However, certain areas of the industry are certainly in a growth phase this fall, such as supervisors and servers. The fast food industry may be less mighty than it once was, but food preparers and servers are still very much needed at McDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, and Wendy’s. Cooks are needed too.13. Repair and maintenanceHere’s another old-fashioned industry that also continues to deliver the jobs. Those who are great with their hands and have a knack for installing appliances and performing automotive maintenance or general repairs will find a ver y welcoming job market. Supervisors for mechanics, installers, and repair people are also necessary in today’s market.14. EngineeringOne of the greatest crises facing the United States at the moment is its crumbling infrastructure. Roads, bridges, dams, and airports are in dire condition, creating safety hazards that could turn tragic without serious work. Civil engineers are responsible for redesigning our infrastructure, and the demand for them is definitely on the rise. However, engineers do not just rebuild the physical structures on which we drive. Biomedical engineers work on our bodies, and the rising healthcare industry has opened a great need for them as well.15. ConstructionEngineers are not alone in reviving our infrastructure. Once they have redesigned our roads and buildings, construction workers are then needed to do the physical labor. The explosion in real estate that has seen new apartment buildings and condominiums spring up all over our nation’s citi es has made way for a lot of construction opportunities too. Supervisors and workers who extract old materials before new construction can begin are also benefitting from the construction boom that is making this fall a hot time for the job market.

Useful German Expressions to Organize Your Writing

Useful German Expressions to Organize Your Writing If you feel that your German writing assignments sound choppy or stilted, try incorporating some of the following expressions to make your writing flow better. These are all variations of common phrases that we often include in our native language - often without even thinking about it. Listing and Ordering Facts and Ideas First of all, first - zunchst, erstens.Secondly, thirdly... - zweitens, drittens...besides - außerdem.then - dann.incidentally - à ¼brigens.further - darà ¼ber hinaus.above all - vor allem.lastly, finally - letztendlich, schließlich. Introducing and Stating Examples For example - zum Beispiel (abbreviated as z.B.) An example, as in I would like to give an example - ich mà ¶chte ein Beispiel anfà ¼hren.Referring to point/example†¦ - dabei sei auf Punkt/Beispiel†¦ hingewiesennamely - und zwar.    To Clarify a Point In other words - Mit anderen Worten, anders ausgedrà ¼ckt.This signifies particularly... - Dies gilt besonders fà ¼r...This means - Dies bedeutet. Writing a Summary or Conclusion In a nutshell - Im Großen und Ganzen.In a word - Kurz und gut.In conclusion - zum Schluss.To conclude, one can say that†¦ - Zusammenfassend lsst sich sagen, dass...

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Research - Essay Example I believe that Paradise Foods should discontinue its promotion of LaTreat and instead get behind the concept of Sweet Dream. Barbara Mayer has her own self-interest at heart when she says that LaTreat should be the sole focus of the company’s strategic efforts. LaTreat has now been established in the market for a few years, but the product’s growth rate is slowing down. For Paradise Foods to retain a stake in the frozen desserts market, a new product needs to recapture some of the customers who were once loyal to LaTreat but have since grown tired of it. In addition, there has been increased competition in the market, and this has had an adverse effect on the sales of the product. The frozen desserts market has expanded significantly since LaTreat first entered the market, and in fact the market has since outgrown the product. This can be evidenced by the fact that revenues for the product did not grow at all in 1986 and 1987. My recommendation to you is that neither La Treat nor Sweet Dream is discarded, but rather both products are promoted together. While this may seem like cannibalizing, in fact both products can work in tandem to pick up customers who fall through the cracks. From the BehaviorScan data, I have managed to break down the customers of LaTreat into four main categories: Loyalists, Trial Users, Accelerators, and Switch-on-Deal customers. Currently, LaTreat is only picking up customers of the latter two categories. Many of the current customers of LaTreat do not feel any long-term loyalty towards the brand or only make purchases when promotions are on offer. For any product to grow long term, these are not the types of customers who will help contribute to this success. This is, however, where Sweet Dream comes in and fills a gap. Loyalists and Trial Users are extremely hard to pick up through using an already existing product because the â€Å"wow† factor has gone. However, Sweet Dream is a brand new product to the market an d is likely to experience a â€Å"honeymoon† period during the first few months after release. The customers who remain loyal to one brand for a sustained period of time are highly sought after, so everything should be done to not only attract them, but keep them as loyal customers. The initial data that I have gathered around Sweet Dream suggest that the product has the potential to be a hit. The data show that Sweet Dream received a three market share in Midland and Pittsfield after only six months. The trial rate was 15 percent, while the repurchase rate was 45%. These figures are all astounding, and even if the product could not sustain these numbers over the long term, it would still capture a significant portion of the market share. To sum up, my recommendation to you is that the committee reconsiders Sweet Dream, except this time in conjunction with LaTreat. While there would have to be competition from an outsiders’ point of view, the two products could be mark eted to different sections of the market. The competition between the two products would be minimal at best; this would be to try and build up the brand image of Paradise Foods rather than result in the promotion of one product line. I would even be willing to work with Barbara Mayer to

Human Resource Management Autonomy, Data Collection, and Job Research Paper

Human Resource Management Autonomy, Data Collection, and Job Descriptions - Research Paper Example n of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as defined in Self-Determination Theory, has been identified as an important predictor of individuals’ optimal functioning in various life domains.’ (Broeck, Vansteenkiste, Witte, Soenens & Lens, 2010) Thus autonomy yields a positive attitude towards life and work resulting in improved performance and low employee turnover in an organization. According to the latest issue of TIME magazine, the CEO of Apple Tim Cook sets the example of giving autonomy to his team thus motivating them to be more responsible and productive ‘Cook knows that his commitment to excellence is inseparable from the incredible ensemble at Apple.’ (Gore 2012) The collection of job analysis information is done through questionnaires, interviews and observation. These three traditional methods provide detailed information for the job analysis and generate data used to produce the required job description and job specification. The information gathered through questionnaires gives an overview to the job requirements’ thus matching it to the employee’s ability. The interview process gives detailed in-depth information helpful in the formation of job description. The observation method provides chances of any required amendments in the job description based on the personalized analysis of the employee and his ability to perform his tasks. ‘It is important to analyze specific issues for job analysis information.’ (Condrey 2010) In order to understand the specific issues, the methods are also used in combination with each other in order to provide a better platform for structuring the job description for the employees . Broeck, A., Vansteenkiste, M., Witte, H., Soenens, B., & Lens, W., (2010). Capturing autonomy, competence, and relatedness at work: Construction and initial validation of the work-related basic need satisfaction scale. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 83,

Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Public Relations - Essay Example The essay "Public Relations" deals with how a product’s perception can influence its sale and growth. Regardless of the quality, product perception (Alan Louis Hospital and the Pedophile book) can determine whether the product is deemed valuable or invaluable by the general public. Therefore, there is need to brand a product successfully in order to attract new customers and ensure the loyalty of existing customers. According to Barnett, the Alan Louis Hospital case study provides an ideal opportunity for comprehensive analysis. The hospital, though not well known, has a variety of strengths, which include its high ranking position in patient care when compared to the other more established hospitals in the region, its better customer care service due to its lesser size, allowing for better patient care and treatment, highly qualified personnel, up to date medical facilities and equipment, good patient relations and good brand image. However, the hospital is plagued by a few weaknesses, such as its poor market penetration and brand recognition. Despite its quality services and positive patient reviews, the hospital is not well known, which has led to lower patient entry levels. The hospital’s major competition is the other mainstream hospitals in the region, which has better brand recognition. It is quite easy to remedy these situations if the hospital can be able to utilize its opportuni ties, which include social media, advertisements, regional health care expos, billboards and broadcast media.

Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article Example yzed the effects that the U.S economy which is on the verge of and perhaps already in outright recession will have in the general performance of the world economies but particularly to countries with which it trades with heavily such as the economies of Canada, Mexico, Caribbean among others. A U.S recession in 2008 will have a negative effect on real GDP growth of the rest of the world. This will be especially so, in Mexico and Canada. In other countries which would otherwise be threatened by a U.S recession, measures including easing of monetary and fiscal policy would cushion them from the effects, however it is still yet early to undertake any of the macroeconomic measures as a recession in the U.S is still just a prospect. Some countries, such as Australia, china and Sweden have already taken steps to curb any possibility of inflation, they have tightened their monetary policies. However, other countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom have eased their monetary policies in response to their weakening economic growth. Most countries and currencies such as the Euro and the Yen have appreciated against the dollar. Whereas these economies to some extent are being affected by the financial turbulence in United States, with the euro zone economies already showing a slow growth, the appreciation of their currencies against the dollar impedes any chances of inflation. With Japan’s weakening exports to the United States couple with a decrease demand dampens any possibilities of an upsurge in GDP growth. China’s economy continues to grow at an increasing rate, however with a high growth rate comes the problem of inflation, therefore the authorities are being faced with the problem of inflation, and this is necessitating them to tighten their policies both monetary and fiscal. To do this, the best option is to appreciate their currency against the dollar and stimulate domestic demand, however their authorities are not willing to employ this measure. Real

Discuss issues in accounting measurement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Discuss issues in accounting measurement - Essay Example izations in making their financial statements among other things, they are viewed as problematic because most of them have to be derived (Neely, 2007, pg. 98). An analysis done with regards to the International accounting Standard Board shows that the use of fair measurement base in financial accounting is likely to increase. The increase of using the fair value as a measurement best will help in the transformation of the way assets including intangible assets and liabilities are measured. Financial accounting measurements are recorded at historical or adjusted cost to the market values through adjusting entries. Management accounting uses measurements to help in calculating the number of labour hours needed or the cost of materials used to produce goods and services. When determining management accounting measurements accountants use special cost allocation methods such as standard costing, job process costing or Activity-based costing. There is no specific method that is used by accountants as the measurements depend on the entity and how they conduct their business. Therefore, accountants determine the best accounting measurement method by identifying and reviewing each production procedure and breaking down the procedures into allocation drivers. Measurement accounting is a continuous or never ending process make it relevant in accounting for its users because each day there are new standards that are set by the ISAFB and FASB. Additionally, it is an evolutionary process because different bodies use different practices in the world for their external financial reporting. By so doing, they use different approaches to measurements in that, different jurisdictions have developed their financial reporting requirements that are influenced by the differences in the uses made for financial reporting information found in regulation and business environments. Measurement accounts evolve even within one jurisdiction because different approaches are adopted by

Root Cause of the Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Root Cause of the Problem - Essay Example However, serve category retailers raises a range of problems for Clearwater. Firstly, Clearwater is a well-reputed brand and supplying the category retailers its products without additional marketing leaves no difference between an ordinary brand and Clearwater. Its identity gets merged into the identity of category retailers unless additional money and effort is vested in advertising and marketing of its products. Secondly, in order to make money by supplying its products to the category retailers, not only does Clearwater need to customize the quality and features of its products to the needs of the category retailers, but it also needs to change and modify its supply system in a number of ways in order to accommodate the needs of efficiency and quantity along with quality of the category retailers. Thirdly, Clearwater is not used to such a supply system and it needs to make significant changes in its business practices in order to be successful with and get used to the changes. La ck of experience in this regard thus surfaces as another challenge. The growing popularity of the category retailers and the simultaneous decreasing profitability of Clearwater’s business is the problem. Category retailers are just as important, if not more, as the target audience or consumers for a manufacturer. They can both make and break a business. In order to solve the problem, Clearwater needs to make a cost vs benefit analysis of the two approaches. The first approach is to continue selling its products through traditional department stores. In this case, Clearwater should estimate how much loss has been incurred in terms of lost profitability in the recent years and estimate further losses into the future on its basis. The second approach is to estimate the cost of modifying business practices, customizing to address the needs of the category retailers, and the cost of continued marketing and weigh it against the estimated  profitability achieved by selling its products through the category retailers. Clearwater should go with whichever approach proves more economical and profitable.

Discuss issues in accounting measurement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Discuss issues in accounting measurement - Essay Example izations in making their financial statements among other things, they are viewed as problematic because most of them have to be derived (Neely, 2007, pg. 98). An analysis done with regards to the International accounting Standard Board shows that the use of fair measurement base in financial accounting is likely to increase. The increase of using the fair value as a measurement best will help in the transformation of the way assets including intangible assets and liabilities are measured. Financial accounting measurements are recorded at historical or adjusted cost to the market values through adjusting entries. Management accounting uses measurements to help in calculating the number of labour hours needed or the cost of materials used to produce goods and services. When determining management accounting measurements accountants use special cost allocation methods such as standard costing, job process costing or Activity-based costing. There is no specific method that is used by accountants as the measurements depend on the entity and how they conduct their business. Therefore, accountants determine the best accounting measurement method by identifying and reviewing each production procedure and breaking down the procedures into allocation drivers. Measurement accounting is a continuous or never ending process make it relevant in accounting for its users because each day there are new standards that are set by the ISAFB and FASB. Additionally, it is an evolutionary process because different bodies use different practices in the world for their external financial reporting. By so doing, they use different approaches to measurements in that, different jurisdictions have developed their financial reporting requirements that are influenced by the differences in the uses made for financial reporting information found in regulation and business environments. Measurement accounts evolve even within one jurisdiction because different approaches are adopted by

Misdemeanors and The Courts Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Misdemeanors and The Courts - Case Study Example Unfortunately, they were not planning on a local policeman being on the campus that night. They were caught and cited for vandalism of school property. Now this type of crime is punishable by up to no more than one year in jail and Henry had a court date last week at the Silverton district court. He checked in at the magistrate court office and pled not guilty to his charge in front of the judge. Because vandalism is a misdemeanor offense and his first offense, he was not required to have a jury trial. He had a court trial and was found guilty. The judge felt she had substantial evidence to find Henry guilty as charged. However, he did not feel there was sufficient competent evidence and decided to take the case a step further and appeal this decision made by the judge. He filed an official appeal with the appellate department of the superior court of the State of California. Henry hired an attorney to file a brief to the court on his behalf. Once the brief had been filed it was give n to a panel of justices for review and an oral argument was scheduled. During this oral argument the panel of justices asked Henry’s attorney questions about the night he was cited, evidence of innocence, etc†¦After hearing the argument and reviewing the briefs they submitted a written statement to the court claiming they believed Henry was guilty. He has now been found guilty by a trial judge and the mid-level court.

Old Orleans Essay Example for Free

Old Orleans Essay Who do you believe is the most to blame for Blanches fate at the end of A Streetcar Named Desire? How far do you think Blanche qualifies as a tragic heroine during the course of the play? There are many connecting themes that lead to Blanches long-anticipated downfall. These themes I will discuss in my essay. She is under the influence of fate, her own sexual the desire for money. Major themes explored are death, fate and madness. Ironically the title incorporates the word desire, as we know this as an underlying theme in the novel. The fact that Williams saw an actual streetcar in Old Orleans gives the impression that Williams play is close to own heart; we know that his sister could be viewed as a representation of Blanche in the play. She too had casual, frequent encounters much like Blanche has in the play. She was a nymphomaniac who was finally lobotomised and sent to an asylum. It is clear that A Streetcar Named Desire is personal to the Playwright. Blanche has annoying obsessive behaviour and it is clear that the Writer portrays Blanche as a person who would be clearly hell to live with. Blanche is first introduced in the play as being moth like; immediately she is compared in her smartness to the shabby, rundown street ironically named, Elysian Fields: She is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice Her appearance is grand and starkly contrasted to the grubby settings. We also learn that Blanche is snobbish. Eunice is forced to speak: . Defensively, noticing Blanches look. Blanche is unhappy in Old Orleans and she shows that she does not want to be associated with the standard of living, this she shows by her facial expressions and her posture whilst she sits in her chair. We also know she is a secret drinker: I rarely touch the stuff . . . Blanches drinking habit could be seen as a way of suppressing her guilt and anaesthetising her pain. Blanche has many weaknesses and drinking is one of these. She is self-destructive and these weaknesses are largely to blame for own her mental deterioration. Blanche talks to herself, which is considered to be strange: [Faintly to herself] Ive got to keep a hold of myself! This is the first clue we get to Blanches declining mental state. We see this as a slightly wild that she talks to herself. Blanche allows as she has done in the past, her sexual desires dominate her life. She is self-destructive although that does not mean that the audience does not have sympathy for her. Stella is aware of Blanches need of flattery; it is suggested that Stella knows Blanche too well. She says to Stanley early on: Tell her she looks pretty. . . Stella is acutely conscious of Blanches need of flattery, and Stella quietly tries to please Blanche by telling Stanley to be nice. Blanche also has obsessive behaviour, which the audience can see as very annoying: I havent bathed or powered my nose, and yet you are seeing me here. She sings in the bath and cleans all day long, Blanche pesters both Stanley and Stella, but Stanley has more of a short fuse. His tolerance quickly runs out. Blanche is always living in the past. This becomes highly evident when she is idly reminiscing about one of ex-boyfriends: Yes I ran into Sheep Huntleigh I ran into him on Biscayne Boulevard, on Christmas Eve, about dusk. Tennessee Williams characters are always trying to capture their former golden moment. Blanche is not living in present reality; she cannot bear the infringement of ugly reality into her wonderful make-believe world of the past. . Blanche to some extent is trapped in this rundown street with only her sisters support, which later in the play we know is lost. We feel sympathy towards Blanche at this point because it is clear that at this instance she is quite senseless. Blanche has a constant need to be flattered. She ceaselessly fishes for compliments from Stanley, Mitch and Stella: Stella you havent said one thing about my appearance. Blanche has a fixation in her head that her looks are everything to her; she is very self-absorbed: Do you know I havent put on one ounce since you left Belle Reve. She boasts about the fact she is still beautiful; she is scared, however that people only see her for her looks as she never wants to look anything less than her best: I will not be seen in this light . . . Blanche does not like looking plain or aged because it makes her feel insignificant and unwanted; she likes to have the constant assurance of someone telling her she looks nice so she can feel good: I need kindness right now Blanches growing madness becomes evident at the beginning of the play: I cant be alone. Because as you must have noticed Im not very well . . . Later on in the play the audience sees Blanches character unfold. We see that she is highly manipulative and flirts with men to get them to do what she wants, although it does not work with Stanley as we see early on: [She smiles at him radiantly] Do you think it possible that I was once considered to be attractive?. . . This quotation is showing that Blanche is treading dangerously in flirting with her sisters husband. We have a great deal of insight into Blanches sexual background. We know from her past that she was very promiscuous and she indulged into one-night stands at the Hotel Flamingo, back in Laurel. Blanche does this in order to feel needed because she wants to be noticed: You have got to be seductive . . . put on soft colours and glow make a little temporary magic and glow We feel sympathy that Blanche has to sleep with men but this is very seedy behaviour and very much a personal weakness that Blanche cannot change. Her promiscuity leads her to the acknowledgement that her life is nothing in the hotel she tries to get away from her past but it keeps catching up with her. Stanley and Mitch remind her of this. Blanche again in her critical speech about magic stresses the importance of appearance: I dont know how much longer I can turn the trick. You have to be soft and attractive, and Im fading now. Mitch is taken in by Blanches manipulation. The relationship between Blanche and Mitch could be seen as an escape route into reality, as it is what Blanche: needs a house of her own and a permanent relationship to settle down in. Blanche lies to Mitch about her own age and Stellas: I call her little in spite of the fact she is somewhat older than I.

Love :: essays research papers fc

Love is the answer to the heart. Without love there would only be hate in the world. We as people need to learn to respect ourself and others. Not only that but also learn to love one another as God loves us. My heart aches each and everyday to be with the one I love. But there is a wall that blocks us. This walls stops us from being Lovers. I continue to love anyway because that is what I have in my heart. I refuse to be like the brother beside me, hating and dying with a cold heart. When I die I you to know I died loving another with open arms. I love to love there is nothing greater than giving love and receiving it back. I will always love because this the right thing to do. Why hate because it takes to much to do. Love freely and love will be given back to thee. Hate greatly and you will live a hateful life. I am getting fustrated with this program cause it is really beginning to get on my nerves, but i'm still smiling and loving this world. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition that affects the prostate gland in men. The prostate is a gland found between the bladder (where urine is stored) and the urethra (the tube urine passes through). As men age, the prostate gland slowly grows bigger (or enlarges). As the prostate gets bigger, it may press on the urethra and cause the flow of urine to be slower and less forceful. The word "benign" means the enlargement isn't caused by cancer or infection. The word "hyperplasia" means enlarged. What are the symptoms of BPH? Most symptoms of BPH start gradually. One symptom is the need to get up more often at night to urinate. Another symptom is the need to empty the bladder often during the day. Other symptoms include difficulty in starting the urine flow or dribbling after urination ends. The size and strength of the urine stream may decrease. These symptoms can be caused by other things besides BPH. They may be signs of more serious diseases, such as a bladder infection or bladder cancer. Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms, so he or she can decide which tests to use to find the possible cause. How will my doctor know if I have BPH?

Stocking the Online Community :: Internet Web Cyberspace Essays

Stocking the Online Community I must have a net worth of one million dollars by the time I'm forty. Sounds like a plan to me. Retirement, living the good life. My plan would be to go to school full?time, quit the job, and move into the country. (Not necessarily in that order) The Ad's I see have to be working for someone. The internet and stock trading were meant for each other. More and more people are getting on the band wagon so get on early. "But these hot High?tech stocks and you can't miss," followed by, "The next five winning I.P.O.'s free, just log onto www...." Sure there is some risk involved but people are making a ton of money and I want my share. Show me where to buy. I have some cash put aside I can risk it, I'm young. I can go online find a couple reputable communities, put out the feelers and take the plunge. The help will be free, I'll just give them my email address and they can send me junk mail. It's not hard to delete it. I will have to do some research to find someone to purchase stocks thro ugh that does not charge too much. In addition, I'll need a source for researching which stocks to buy. One or two emergent stocks, buy and sell at the right time and I'm on my way to early retirement. The operation I buy the stocks from will need to have a low price for trades and a low starting balance. It must be quick and easy to trade stocks and I will need quick confirmation to know how much money I've made. Not through the web but in a magazine article I found a rating of six online trading companies they are Scottrade, E?Trade, Suretrade, Smith Barney, Charles Schwab and DLJ Direct. The two most important things to me are the cost of a trade and the amount and quality of access to research. Scottrade has the lowest trade price of $5.95 and Smith Barney with the highest at $24.95. The research is especially good with Smith Barney and Charles Schwab slightly below in quality is Suretrade. Another thing I learned is that most of these companies require a minimum balance to start, E?Trade wants $1000 while Smith Barney starts with $2000. While Suretrade requires no minimum and Scottrade requires only $200. Stocking the Online Community :: Internet Web Cyberspace Essays Stocking the Online Community I must have a net worth of one million dollars by the time I'm forty. Sounds like a plan to me. Retirement, living the good life. My plan would be to go to school full?time, quit the job, and move into the country. (Not necessarily in that order) The Ad's I see have to be working for someone. The internet and stock trading were meant for each other. More and more people are getting on the band wagon so get on early. "But these hot High?tech stocks and you can't miss," followed by, "The next five winning I.P.O.'s free, just log onto www...." Sure there is some risk involved but people are making a ton of money and I want my share. Show me where to buy. I have some cash put aside I can risk it, I'm young. I can go online find a couple reputable communities, put out the feelers and take the plunge. The help will be free, I'll just give them my email address and they can send me junk mail. It's not hard to delete it. I will have to do some research to find someone to purchase stocks thro ugh that does not charge too much. In addition, I'll need a source for researching which stocks to buy. One or two emergent stocks, buy and sell at the right time and I'm on my way to early retirement. The operation I buy the stocks from will need to have a low price for trades and a low starting balance. It must be quick and easy to trade stocks and I will need quick confirmation to know how much money I've made. Not through the web but in a magazine article I found a rating of six online trading companies they are Scottrade, E?Trade, Suretrade, Smith Barney, Charles Schwab and DLJ Direct. The two most important things to me are the cost of a trade and the amount and quality of access to research. Scottrade has the lowest trade price of $5.95 and Smith Barney with the highest at $24.95. The research is especially good with Smith Barney and Charles Schwab slightly below in quality is Suretrade. Another thing I learned is that most of these companies require a minimum balance to start, E?Trade wants $1000 while Smith Barney starts with $2000. While Suretrade requires no minimum and Scottrade requires only $200.

How Many Miles to Babylon?

â€Å"How many miles to Babylon? † Alec Moore – Narrator Frederick Moore – Father to Alec Mrs. Moore – Mother to Alec Jerry Crowe – Friend to Alec Mrs. Crowe – Mother to Jerry Major Glendinning – Commending Officer to Jerry and Alec in the army. General Points –  § Main Theme: Love vs. Hatred  § Reflects different stages of Narrator Development – There’s a continuous stream of consciousness, no chapters  § Ireland  § France  § Love – of country – passionless love of duty – of power and wealth – narcisstic love (love of self) Theme and Issues:Setting the Scene –  § Alec Narrates his tale of a loveless child, leaving him emotionless and scarred cruel mother, manipulative and hateful  § He was always goaded by his â€Å"beautiful mother†  § Mrs. Moore’s beauty contrasted to her vindictive personality. She’s swift and dismissive (passionless)  § Home with no affefction â€Å"The dining room in the daytime was unwelcoming† Relationship with his mother –  § Described through an experience when he seen his mother feeding the swans, thinking she was another woman for a split second, and felt love for her.This shows us that he doesn’t know his mother that well, mistaking her for another person but also that he only feels love for her when she is perceived as someone else. Compared to Christy’s love with his mother in â€Å"My left foot† – he has a continuous plutonic love for her.  § Mrs. Moore’s human relationships are meaning less and without power.  § She feels she is not capable of love as they are never aloud the freedom to experience it themselves.  § She has been taught only the proper etiquette of the wealthy at the experience of wealthy needs.The mother is jealous of Alec’s father and their relationship.  § She is again jealous of Alec’s developing relationships, such with Jerry, but also is worried what other people may think of a higher class boy, being friends with a lower class boy. Therefore, she wants to destroy it.  § She removes Alec from school, just so she won’t be left alone in the day. This is also a way for her to get to her husband, showing him that her and Alec also have a relationship, although it is fake. Relationship with Father – Alec feels real affection for his father, shown in his willingly attitude to spend time with him by the fire. He loves him within the bounds of duty and sensitivity.  § He leaves his father with loosing his only love in the family, when joining the army â€Å"heart rendering† when he leaves.  § They don’t display their love or intensity of feelings for one another, but it is evident e. g. when he accepts money as a â€Å"gesture of love†  § His golden watch is given to Alec – Metaphorically represented as the beating of his heart. I t will – â€Å"protect him from danger†Image of Women as hateful figures –  § The mother sees Alec’s decision to join the army as a personal triumph. She doesn’t have worries about the probable loss of her son’s life at war, but instead begins to enjoy the sympathy of her peers that she will receive from having her son at war.  § Jerry and Alec ridicule their â€Å"hypocritical mothers† as a display of grief as they go to war  § Alec makes fun of his mother for her intensity towards him, showing us that he doesn’t take her seriously. War as an image of hatred –  § The topic of war, adds a sense of horror The combination depicts a metaphorical journey for these characters from a debased nation of love in Alec to the trenches.  § The trenches are described as a physical representation of humankind without the power of love. It depicts the true meaning of evil and hate in contrast to love. Major Glendinning â€⠀œ  § He never shows remorse – he shows precision and dispassion by the murder of â€Å"Gloucester’s Regiment†  § This illustrates the breakdown of the inherent moral code in humanity  § When Alec requests leave for Jerry he shows compassion Paradoxical Aspect – to Jerry Crowe’s character.Contrary to loving nature Jerry Crowe –  § He abides by his sense of filial duty (wanting to find his father)  § His character brings out the true Alec Moore, makes him find himself.  § The reunion of Jerry and Alec at the finality of the novel is moving  § When Jerry is found, he is put into a detention camp, and declares he loves his country than his King. It is love that is the death of Jerry Crowe.  § When Alec pulls the trigger, it is none of murder, but saving his friend from a brutal death.  § After the death of Jerry, Alec finds no love in his life. He withdraws from life after his death.Cultural Context : – the world in whi ch the novel is set  § Set in Ireland and focuses on the political conflict around the time of the nationalist movement and the First World War.  § Also conflicts between the upper and lower class in Ireland (classification)  § Alec Moore draws the reader into the story of his life by focusing on the rituals of his parents’ lives, his early childhood, education and his friendship with Jerry Crowe – all the ways that he sees his own life.  § The main way we see the cultural differences in Jerry and Alec is through their language and colloquialisms. Alec’s wealth is illustrated through his life setting – â€Å".. a high curtained window in which I could see as I went up the reflection of walls, the pictures, the polished banisters, the three altered heads, the crossed pikes, and a pair of beautifully chased silver swords† Alec’s Experience in childhood –  § His portrayal of his early childhood is harrowing. Mrs. Moore’s try to destroy the natural instincts of childhood are evident from her refusal to allow Alec to go to school, her interference in his friendship with Jerry and her dismissal of his piano teacher. Her interference is the source of Alec’s shyness and isolation.  § His relationship is distorted as his mother uses him as a means of avoiding direct contact with her husband – who neglects the important aspects of his development as he is a moral coward who has been bullied by his wife.  § Alec is used like a pawn by his mother to undermines her husband’s authority: â€Å" You never speak without authority.. you never sound as if you knew what you were talking about. You have always been an ineffective man† pg. 30 Mrs. Moore as an image of upper class – We are shown this through Alec’s narrative that she is a cruel and peevish mother  § Her maternal instincts are over-shadowed by her selfishness  § Her physical beauty is juxtaposed with he r deformed nature.  § Johnston uses her to reflect the negative aspect of upper class society.  § Her desire to be regarded as a woman of culture and breeding is illustrated by her refined eating and drinking, her piano playing and her dress code. Mr. Moore as a Father figure –  § He has more of a relationship with Alec then the mother, shown by his scepticism about Jerry and Alec’s friendship. The Father is weak, his example of adult behaviour is confusing for his children.  § He can not be considered as a role model for Alec because of his flaws. The Friendship of Alec and Jerry –  § Alec’s childhood salvation comes from Jerry Crowe, he would have been very lonely without him, and wouldn’t have experienced his rejuvenation of childhood without him  § Ironically, Jerry’s childhood was one of a bad experience, similar to Alec’s – may have been what makes their friendship so solid. It is Jerry’s boisterous cha racter that carries Alec through his awful home life  § His humour and attitude, allows Alec to manifest a reasonable perspective about his own future and society  § Their conversations are subtle reflections of the time in which they live â€Å"The German’s are going to fix all those eejits in Europe, The British are going to fix the Germans, and we†¦we are going to fix the British†  § The strength of their friendship survives the corrosion of class consciousness  § Proven by Alec’s constant support of Jerry, especially in the army.Alec’s Education –  § He lacks the encouragement needed from his parents, particularly from his mother to spur him to academic success.  § His mother is a crucial part in teaching him the piano, since dismissing Mr. Cave, although she does not keep her promise.  § She deprives him from going away to school as she cannot bear being left alone with his father. The Irish Nationalist Cause –  § J erry’s recruitment to the army, is only for him to learn how to handle ammunition for the nationalist cause in Ireland, not for the desire to protect the English. The illustrates the nature of Irish society in the early part of the twentieth century where a small number of nationalists wanted to recreate a culture which was severly curtailed since the penal period.  § The paralleling of the nationalist movement in Ireland with the First World War illustrates two examples of the degeneration of society in violence. Portrayal of Women –  § It is unflattering and prejudicial  § The author illustrates the lack of maternal nurturing which indicates the dysfunctional nature of society. Mrs Moore and Mrs Crowe deprive their sons of love, care and happiness – making decisions that are contrary to the moral well being of their sons.  § They both represent each end of society and class, yet both have the same role as mothers. Portrayal of Men –  § A portr ayal of disconcert  § Alec’s introduction is apathetic and amoral who rejects the solace of religion  § Alec and Jerry are most admirable in their childhood, and they earn the readers respect through their loyalty to one another. The ambiguous ending of the novel suspends their credibility as full rounded characters and infers their symbolic function in the story.  § The other men are not symbolic as heroic figures (Major Glendinning, Jerry’s father, Mr. Moore) Instead, they are portrayed as ineffectual men enwrapped by their social position or as hard hearted, condescending automations. Setting of the Novel –  § The setting is varied, begins with Alec’s detention in France, and reverts to his childhood in Co.Wicklow – moves between Dublin, Belfast, England and France.  § With each change of setting, the reader is brought deeper into the impending doom with awaits Alec and Jerry.  § The move from Ireland to France also propels the prota gonist from the domestic, political disharmony of his own country into the European fray so that the scale of the violence and cruelty of Alec’s early experiences is magnified beyond himself to thousands of other people. How Many Miles To Babylon The same cannot be said for How Many Miles to Babylon, which ends in a pessimistic and gloomy scene. Alec Moore is awaiting execution, as the novel comes full circle. He is given â€Å"a pen and paper† because he is an â€Å"officer and a gentleman†. He has nothing to do but wait. Alec refused to kill Jerry by firing squad, so in a sense, he asserted his own humanity in the face of war. However, this noble act is detrimental, as this act of compassion tragically costs him his life.Johnston’s outlook is in keeping with the sombre vision of the whole novel – dark, pessimistic and undeniably tragic. The central characters and key relationships within a text are extremely important to our understanding of the general vision and viewpoint. They allow us to see how the actions of another person can have a positive or negative impact on the life of the protagonist. The relationship between Alec and his mother Alicia in How Many Miles to Babylon is characterised b y a lack of communication and affection.Alicia uses Alec as an extension of her own ego. He is not appreciated as an individual with individual needs and desires. She only cares that he conforms to her expectations. There is no real warmth to their relationship – which is cold and stifling. As well as restricting Alec’s relationship with Jerry Crowe, Alicia overpowers his relationship with Frederick. Alec cannot do anything without the consideration of his mother.Their relationship is presented in a negative light and Johnston, in a sense, caricatures Alicia to reflect the dark and negative aspects of the upper class. Alicia has a desire to be regarded as a woman of culture and intelligence, which is evident through her piano playing and refined eating rituals, but her actions are a departure from normal maternal practices. Alec feels unloved and unappreciated. The mother-son relationship is so important in How Many Miles to Babylon because not only does it portray a d ark outlook on life, but is also a catalyst for the main plot.The general vision and viewpoint of a text expresses the author’s or director’s optimistic or pessimistic outlook on life. It also enables us to establish a greater understanding of the characters and allows us to empathise with them. The outlook can be either bright or dark, or indeed a combination of brightness and darkness and as we become more aware of this outlook as the plot develops, we can more effectively understand the situation of the protagonist within the narrative. How Many Miles to Babylon? â€Å"How many miles to Babylon? † Alec Moore – Narrator Frederick Moore – Father to Alec Mrs. Moore – Mother to Alec Jerry Crowe – Friend to Alec Mrs. Crowe – Mother to Jerry Major Glendinning – Commending Officer to Jerry and Alec in the army. General Points –  § Main Theme: Love vs. Hatred  § Reflects different stages of Narrator Development – There’s a continuous stream of consciousness, no chapters  § Ireland  § France  § Love – of country – passionless love of duty – of power and wealth – narcisstic love (love of self) Theme and Issues:Setting the Scene –  § Alec Narrates his tale of a loveless child, leaving him emotionless and scarred cruel mother, manipulative and hateful  § He was always goaded by his â€Å"beautiful mother†  § Mrs. Moore’s beauty contrasted to her vindictive personality. She’s swift and dismissive (passionless)  § Home with no affefction â€Å"The dining room in the daytime was unwelcoming† Relationship with his mother –  § Described through an experience when he seen his mother feeding the swans, thinking she was another woman for a split second, and felt love for her.This shows us that he doesn’t know his mother that well, mistaking her for another person but also that he only feels love for her when she is perceived as someone else. Compared to Christy’s love with his mother in â€Å"My left foot† – he has a continuous plutonic love for her.  § Mrs. Moore’s human relationships are meaning less and without power.  § She feels she is not capable of love as they are never aloud the freedom to experience it themselves.  § She has been taught only the proper etiquette of the wealthy at the experience of wealthy needs.The mother is jealous of Alec’s father and their relationship.  § She is again jealous of Alec’s developing relationships, such with Jerry, but also is worried what other people may think of a higher class boy, being friends with a lower class boy. Therefore, she wants to destroy it.  § She removes Alec from school, just so she won’t be left alone in the day. This is also a way for her to get to her husband, showing him that her and Alec also have a relationship, although it is fake. Relationship with Father – Alec feels real affection for his father, shown in his willingly attitude to spend time with him by the fire. He loves him within the bounds of duty and sensitivity.  § He leaves his father with loosing his only love in the family, when joining the army â€Å"heart rendering† when he leaves.  § They don’t display their love or intensity of feelings for one another, but it is evident e. g. when he accepts money as a â€Å"gesture of love†  § His golden watch is given to Alec – Metaphorically represented as the beating of his heart. I t will – â€Å"protect him from danger†Image of Women as hateful figures –  § The mother sees Alec’s decision to join the army as a personal triumph. She doesn’t have worries about the probable loss of her son’s life at war, but instead begins to enjoy the sympathy of her peers that she will receive from having her son at war.  § Jerry and Alec ridicule their â€Å"hypocritical mothers† as a display of grief as they go to war  § Alec makes fun of his mother for her intensity towards him, showing us that he doesn’t take her seriously. War as an image of hatred –  § The topic of war, adds a sense of horror The combination depicts a metaphorical journey for these characters from a debased nation of love in Alec to the trenches.  § The trenches are described as a physical representation of humankind without the power of love. It depicts the true meaning of evil and hate in contrast to love. Major Glendinning â€⠀œ  § He never shows remorse – he shows precision and dispassion by the murder of â€Å"Gloucester’s Regiment†  § This illustrates the breakdown of the inherent moral code in humanity  § When Alec requests leave for Jerry he shows compassion Paradoxical Aspect – to Jerry Crowe’s character.Contrary to loving nature Jerry Crowe –  § He abides by his sense of filial duty (wanting to find his father)  § His character brings out the true Alec Moore, makes him find himself.  § The reunion of Jerry and Alec at the finality of the novel is moving  § When Jerry is found, he is put into a detention camp, and declares he loves his country than his King. It is love that is the death of Jerry Crowe.  § When Alec pulls the trigger, it is none of murder, but saving his friend from a brutal death.  § After the death of Jerry, Alec finds no love in his life. He withdraws from life after his death.Cultural Context : – the world in whi ch the novel is set  § Set in Ireland and focuses on the political conflict around the time of the nationalist movement and the First World War.  § Also conflicts between the upper and lower class in Ireland (classification)  § Alec Moore draws the reader into the story of his life by focusing on the rituals of his parents’ lives, his early childhood, education and his friendship with Jerry Crowe – all the ways that he sees his own life.  § The main way we see the cultural differences in Jerry and Alec is through their language and colloquialisms. Alec’s wealth is illustrated through his life setting – â€Å".. a high curtained window in which I could see as I went up the reflection of walls, the pictures, the polished banisters, the three altered heads, the crossed pikes, and a pair of beautifully chased silver swords† Alec’s Experience in childhood –  § His portrayal of his early childhood is harrowing. Mrs. Moore’s try to destroy the natural instincts of childhood are evident from her refusal to allow Alec to go to school, her interference in his friendship with Jerry and her dismissal of his piano teacher. Her interference is the source of Alec’s shyness and isolation.  § His relationship is distorted as his mother uses him as a means of avoiding direct contact with her husband – who neglects the important aspects of his development as he is a moral coward who has been bullied by his wife.  § Alec is used like a pawn by his mother to undermines her husband’s authority: â€Å" You never speak without authority.. you never sound as if you knew what you were talking about. You have always been an ineffective man† pg. 30 Mrs. Moore as an image of upper class – We are shown this through Alec’s narrative that she is a cruel and peevish mother  § Her maternal instincts are over-shadowed by her selfishness  § Her physical beauty is juxtaposed with he r deformed nature.  § Johnston uses her to reflect the negative aspect of upper class society.  § Her desire to be regarded as a woman of culture and breeding is illustrated by her refined eating and drinking, her piano playing and her dress code. Mr. Moore as a Father figure –  § He has more of a relationship with Alec then the mother, shown by his scepticism about Jerry and Alec’s friendship. The Father is weak, his example of adult behaviour is confusing for his children.  § He can not be considered as a role model for Alec because of his flaws. The Friendship of Alec and Jerry –  § Alec’s childhood salvation comes from Jerry Crowe, he would have been very lonely without him, and wouldn’t have experienced his rejuvenation of childhood without him  § Ironically, Jerry’s childhood was one of a bad experience, similar to Alec’s – may have been what makes their friendship so solid. It is Jerry’s boisterous cha racter that carries Alec through his awful home life  § His humour and attitude, allows Alec to manifest a reasonable perspective about his own future and society  § Their conversations are subtle reflections of the time in which they live â€Å"The German’s are going to fix all those eejits in Europe, The British are going to fix the Germans, and we†¦we are going to fix the British†  § The strength of their friendship survives the corrosion of class consciousness  § Proven by Alec’s constant support of Jerry, especially in the army.Alec’s Education –  § He lacks the encouragement needed from his parents, particularly from his mother to spur him to academic success.  § His mother is a crucial part in teaching him the piano, since dismissing Mr. Cave, although she does not keep her promise.  § She deprives him from going away to school as she cannot bear being left alone with his father. The Irish Nationalist Cause –  § J erry’s recruitment to the army, is only for him to learn how to handle ammunition for the nationalist cause in Ireland, not for the desire to protect the English. The illustrates the nature of Irish society in the early part of the twentieth century where a small number of nationalists wanted to recreate a culture which was severly curtailed since the penal period.  § The paralleling of the nationalist movement in Ireland with the First World War illustrates two examples of the degeneration of society in violence. Portrayal of Women –  § It is unflattering and prejudicial  § The author illustrates the lack of maternal nurturing which indicates the dysfunctional nature of society. Mrs Moore and Mrs Crowe deprive their sons of love, care and happiness – making decisions that are contrary to the moral well being of their sons.  § They both represent each end of society and class, yet both have the same role as mothers. Portrayal of Men –  § A portr ayal of disconcert  § Alec’s introduction is apathetic and amoral who rejects the solace of religion  § Alec and Jerry are most admirable in their childhood, and they earn the readers respect through their loyalty to one another. The ambiguous ending of the novel suspends their credibility as full rounded characters and infers their symbolic function in the story.  § The other men are not symbolic as heroic figures (Major Glendinning, Jerry’s father, Mr. Moore) Instead, they are portrayed as ineffectual men enwrapped by their social position or as hard hearted, condescending automations. Setting of the Novel –  § The setting is varied, begins with Alec’s detention in France, and reverts to his childhood in Co.Wicklow – moves between Dublin, Belfast, England and France.  § With each change of setting, the reader is brought deeper into the impending doom with awaits Alec and Jerry.  § The move from Ireland to France also propels the prota gonist from the domestic, political disharmony of his own country into the European fray so that the scale of the violence and cruelty of Alec’s early experiences is magnified beyond himself to thousands of other people.