Saturday, August 31, 2019

The Telephone

The Telephone â€Å"Before the telephone came to Magdaluna, Im Kaleem’s house was bustling at just about any time of day, especially at night, when its windows were brightly lit with three large oil lamps, and the loud voices of the men talking, laughing, and arguing could be heard in the street below—a reassuring, homey sound† Anwar F. Accawi (p. 46). It’s hard to imagine that a single device such as the telephone, albeit a breakthrough in technology, could change not only a person’s day to day life, but an entire village.These men in the village experienced all of the luxuries the village had to offer at no cost, Im Kaleem provided the men with a place to gather for conversation, games, drinks and sexual services. The children used to hang around Ima Kaleem’s courtyard playing games waiting for a call down from some of the men requesting errands in exchange for money.But that all changed once the telephone was installed, most of the men wou ld now sit at Abu Raja’s store, â€Å"they were always looking up from their games and drinks and talk to glance at the phone in the corner, as if expecting it to ring any minute and bring news that would change their lives and deliver them from their aimless existence†. (p. 46) Exposure to the telephone not only affected the men in the village, but it also affected the women, children and their entire way of life.I get very excited to hear about, read about or experience new technology, and I grew up surrounded by a constant emergence of technology, from pagers and cell phones to the home pc. I remember when we bought our first computer, they were just becoming a common household device, my dad came home from the store and asked me to hold the door open while he trucked in these huge boxes, I had never seen my dad so excited about struggling and sweating while moving things in the house.I had no idea what was in those boxes, but I became curious and excited as my dad opened the boxes and removed all the packaging, taking everything out piece by piece. Watching my dad fumble around with the instructions and all the wires in anticipation of something big happening made me super excited and I had no idea what this even was. â€Å"You can do almost anything you can imagine with this thing† he said to me in a very animated voice. To me it just looked like a television sitting on a desk, I started to become bored of watching this spaghetti of wires get connected one at a time at a very agonizing pace.My dad was determined and after what seemed like hours of running back and forth between the wires and the instructions, he looked over at me with a huge smile on his face as he powered the computer on. â€Å"I’m finished† he exclaimed, â€Å"now let’s see with this thing can do† he said. He wasn’t kidding, this was amazing, you could send electronic mail that could be opened by the other person instantly, you cou ld listen to music, instant message, play games with someone from another country, it seemed that there was nothing this device could not do. It was limitless with opportunity and could take you anywhere your imagination would allow.So I am not surprised that when this tiny village, that did not have the simple things in life such as a calendars, clocks or even running water, were so influenced by the arrival of the telephone. This gave the people new hopes and dreams, it gave them an opportunity to experience new things and find out what the outside world was doing and could offer. â€Å"Within a year, only the sick, the old, and the maimed were left in the village. Magdaluna became a skeleton of its former self, desolate and forsaken, like the tombs, a place to get away from†. Anwar F. Accawi(p. 7) The calls eventually came in as expected and people started leaving the village for new opportunities, some went into the army while others went to explore new jobs. All of them left looking for a better life than the one they had in the village. With new technology comes new opportunity, I’m not saying that newer is always better, but it can open you up to things you never thought possible. It can provide you with choices that you never had before. I believe in the end Accawi was happy with the way his life turned out but reminisced of how he loved his life as a young boy in the village.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Economic Growth in Nigeria Essay

The agriculture sector was the focus of intense development interest during the 1990s, with food self-sufficiency the goal. In 1990, agriculture was the subject of a separate three-year development plan involving public and private spending targets concentrating on the family farmer. The program  included price stabilization plans and schemes to revitalize the palm oil, cocoa, and rubber subsectors. The Agricultural Development Projects continued through the decade, but implementation of goals was difficult. The country still imports most of its wheat from the United States. An integrated petrochemical industry was also a priority. Using the output of the nation’s refineries, Nigeria produced benzene, carbon black, and polypropylene. The development of liquid natural gas facilities was expected to lead to the production of methanol, fertilizer, and domestic gas. Nigeria’s refineries operated at less than optimal rates throughout the 1990s. In the manufacturing sector, the government was backing a policy of local sourcing whereby locally produced raw materials were converted into finished products. By 1999, manufacturing accounted for less than 1% of gross domestic product (GDP). By the beginning of the 2000s, the government was more concerned about halting corruption and reigning in the state budget than economic development. Nevertheless, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was created to coordinate economic and social development in the oil-producing region. Nigeria’s foreign debt stood at around $28.5 billion in 2001, a large portion of which was interest and payment arrears. The Obasanjo administration in the early 2000s was supporting private-sector-led, market-oriented economic growth, and had begun economic reform programs. Privatization of state-owned enterprises continued. A Stand-By Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), approved in 2000, lapsed in 2001 as the government’s economic reform program went off track. There were indications a new IMF program for the country would be negotiated in 2003–04. Read more: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Nigeria-ECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT.html#ixzz2HUrqN4ZB

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Leaf lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leaf - Lab Report Example Leaves in plants, are the photosynthetic sites. They absorb the requirements for photosynthesis among them sunlight. Since light is a key requirement for photosynthesis, plant leaves will tend to trap more or maximum sunlight they can access (Collinveaux, 1986). As such, most plants with develop leaf modification depending on their habitat and ecological niche hence broad, narrow and spiky leaves appear to various plants in various habitats. The oak leaves are not any different and so will portray different surface areas and sinus for those in shade and sun. In this experiment, graph paper, Glant press and weighing machine with an accuracy of 0.1g were used. Leaf samples were obtained from the Oak plant with emphasis laid on the relative position of each leaf. Thus 45 leaves were picked from the shade while another 45 from the light. Using the graph, the leaf surface areas were obtained and with the Glant press, polygon was traced on each leaf to determine the sinusoidal surface of each leaf. The procedure was repeated for each leaf and enough data obtained for analysis using computer software for the t-test. From the experimental results, it is established that sun leaves are narrow while shade leaves are wide. However, the sun leaves are thicker than the shade leaves based on the average sinuosity. This, points to the general requirement of light by the two types of leaves. Consequently, the results of this experiment confirm the hypothesis that leaves in the dark will grow larger and thinner to facilitate trapping and absorption of maximum sunlight (Horn,

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

FAST FASHION IN USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FAST FASHION IN USA - Essay Example obber market fashion company’s management and profitability ventures, has largely concentrated on strategies adopted by these business, with her key focus being on price competitiveness. The article mainly focuses on one of the largest fast fashion business line, which is Forever 21, a company that is currently valued at $3 billion in net worth, 477 stores worldwide, and has over 35,000 employees. The feature has also outlined some other fashion companies related to fashion 21, accommodating a similar strategy, or focusing on efficiency and speed in the distribution and supply lines, which has resulted in fashion being available to all individuals in the society as opposed to how they were only previously relatable to fashionistas in urban areas. Fast fashion has been assessed from a number of perspectives, from its growing nature, its influence on the job market and the reason for its boom in the 2000s. Additionally, the review has also covered some of the key issues in contemporary international fashion, considering some of the vital considerations such as infringements and copyright violations, brand placement and competition. Forever 21 has opened a fashion stor e on fifth avenue New York, popularly known for large and luxurious fashion companies and not those that adopt price reduction strategies such as the mentioned party. The assessment of supply chain reduction and new innovations is also an impressive aspect of the article since it not only concentrates on the marketing strategies but also shows how these organizations have managed to achieve economic advantages over their competition both in terms of costs and time. The establishment of warehouses all over the world for instance is one of the key strategies that Forever 21 has adopted to ensure that it reduces the lead time from demand to the supply of these products to their retail stores and other departmental stores selling their products as well. The insights offered by this article are highly

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

A Sustainable Business in Our Changing Landscape Research Paper

A Sustainable Business in Our Changing Landscape - Research Paper Example The organization has introduced various products up till now and is always on the frontline for taking advantage of all the latest technological breakthroughs that happen globally. The strategy of diversification has proven to be successful for the company, and it is evident from its continuously increasing performance. The challenging phase of the organization was when it was sued for doing unethical marketing activities – it was believed that the corporation forced its suppliers to supply the raw materials only to it. Other challenge encountered was the violation of anti-competitive strategy, and it was evident from the company’s tactics of getting monopolistic position in the market. Afterwards, the environment was becoming tougher and more competitive, and, presently, all businesses are facing rapid changes happening in the business environment. Some of the major changes, as highlighted by Witiw (2007), that are happening in the volatile environment of today are the following: global economic recession is happening at a faster pace; the economy of a country is severely impacted by the failures of the organizations, by natural disasters and terrorist attacks; top management needs the employees’ supports to enhance the performance; behaviors of the consumers are changing, and children are observed using computers and other technological gadgets at a very early stage; suppliers of the country are impacted by the production facilities transfer to China and India; natural disasters have been occurring at an increasing rate across the world; and violence is spilling from society to various schools, colleges and workplaces. Therefore, the best way of conducting business activities these days is to use the online tools so that the companies are able to respond to consumers’ demands proactively. The trend of shifting from traditional ways of running the business enterprises to online direct selling to the customers is evident – the strategies adopted by Dell, Nokia, Apple, HP and many other companies are the examples. Therefore, the best tool for Microsoft Corporation is to do e-marketing and develop good and an effective e-marketing plan. A Sustainable Business in a Changing Landscape Introduction Internet has revolutionized the way organizations do business these days and it has eased ample activities for the business. Now, businesses can do every activity with few clicks, and they just need to remain well-informed about the technological advancements that are happening these days. The organizations must design their business objectives and strategies in a way that they take advantage of amenities provided by the internet (Smith & Chaffey, 2005). Likewise, internet has opened diverse range of avenues for businesses to conduct their activities and the best opportunity given to companies is that of e-marketing (Rossi et al., 2007). In order to ensure that businesses are able to survive in such a tough and com petitive environment, they will have to develop strategies that will help them earn the customers’

Monday, August 26, 2019

If you agree or disagree that the company is paying too much for their Assignment

If you agree or disagree that the company is paying too much for their CEOs. Is it justify or not justify for the large companies - Assignment Example The hard work is carried out by junior employees or other managers such as the human resource manager, the finance manager and others. They then take the finished work to the CEO for approval which is in the form of a mere signature after every detail of the work being explained to them. They also just make appearances in public as the face behind the success of the company while they truly are not. Most of these CEOs are actually just puppet leaders in the company and especially in those companies where there is a board of directors. The board of directors makes the final decision which the CEO then signs and disseminates to the rest of the staff. This is a clear indication of the lack of work they carry out and hence do not deserve such a large salary. It does not matter whether the company is large or not like the 21st Century Fox. If the company is making too much money to the extent of awarding its CEO such a large salary and on top of it all gets awarded other multiple benefits, then they should distribute some of these profits to the best performing employees as a motivation to the rest. It can also be put into corporate social responsibility to assist the rest of the society. If this decision cannot be made by the CEO himself, to refuse to accept such a large salary, then the CEO is selfish. It is understandable that the CEO has worked hard to reach that position and hence deserves the high pay as a reward for the past efforts but the pay should still not be ridiculously high. There are many people that are suffering in the world and can use a little financial assistance from the corporates. The maximum salary should be an average of $2 million in addition to the other fringe benefits and the extra money be used to provide the assistance to those in need in the society. True CEOs who are true and genuine leaders should take a pay cut otherwise they will be classified with the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Ethical And critical Thinking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical And critical Thinking - Research Paper Example He was of the view that due to more guns being carried around on the streets, there is more danger present. Therefore, atleast certain gun control measures would be needed for security purposes. This point of view was backed up by the death of 32 people shot dead on the Virgina Tech campus on April 16, 2007. (Carpenter) Eventhough this article was structured in a way that adds more authenticity to it by using several direct quotes, it lacks analysis and the evaluation from the writer’s own perspective. She could’ve used facts to prove a view point. One fact could have been that the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 have resulted in the decrease in violent crimes (40 Reasons Guns Should be Banned). The flow of ideas in the article could have been smoother and Amanda Carpenter could have used more facts and statistics to back up her comparisons of Obama with Hillary Clinton. Amanda B. Carpenter has great credibility to her name. A coloumnist for The Washington Times, as well as an author, blogger and commentator, she has vast experience and knowledge about political and cultural issues. Writing for a renowned paper such as Washington Times and with no allegations towards her for being biased, the article can be labelled as credible and authentic. This article, opposes the viewpoint of Obama and talks about why it is a must for all citizens to carry concealed weapons. The author, Benjamin Shapiro, adopts a very sarcastic and manipulative style of writing in his article. He starts off talking about a case in which the 27 year old Alan Senitt was killed in a rape attempt on his female companion. He then moves on to discuss how every individal has the right to protect himself. (Shapiro) Benjamin Shapiro wrote the article in a very interesting and an attention grabbing way. The start of the article talks about violence and death which is a great start for an article to grab the attention of the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Corporate Governance and social responsibilities Essay

Corporate Governance and social responsibilities - Essay Example This began in the 1980s when the company put in place structures to check the sources of its funds and how the funds are spent in a transparent and accountable manner. This paper will discuss the extent to which the Coca Cola Company has incorporated corporate governance principles and social responsibility practices into its operations and how effective these strategies have been in fostering the growth of the company in the highly competitive soft drinks industry. Introduction Corporate governance refers to laws, processes and guidelines that a business is controlled, regulated, and operated in. The directors of Coca Cola have laid out factors that have led to improved corporate governance. The Coca Cola Company has been committed that guide corporations in dealing with that govern corporate governance. Corporate governance has been enforced by the shifting attention to high and risky profiles that have shifted the debate on corporate governance. In many cases the coca cola company has been faced with lawsuits from both the customers and employees over their operation errors. Rubach and Picou (2004, p.24), the role of corporate governance has been linked to the economic and social elements arising from the company activities. The Coca Cola Company has adopted the balance theory that sates that the company must find a balance between its internal activities and the activities of external shareholders. The relevant stakeholders that the coca cola company takes in consideration include shareholders, employees, competitors, suppliers and customers. The most relevant stakeholders that determine corporate governance include the shareholders. The institutional theory states that it is that role of the directors to maximize... The objective of this research is to acquire a better insight of corporate governance principles and social responsibility practices using the Coca Cola Company as an example. The Coca Cola Company has adopted the balance theory that sates that the company must find a balance between its internal activities and the activities of external shareholders. The relevant stakeholders that the coca cola company takes in consideration include shareholders, employees, competitors, suppliers and customers. The most relevant stakeholders that determine corporate governance include the shareholders. The institutional theory states that it is that role of the directors to maximize shareholders value because they are the owners the corporation. Davis asserts that the most important corporate governance policies seek to put an institution on more non financial perspective as opposed to the traditional institutional governance. Traditionally, governance of corporations was based on the sole objective s of profit maximization and cost minimization. Since its foundation, Coca cola has practiced traditional governance in its management but the directors in the 1980s came to realize that an organization of Coca Cola’s caliber could not operate on finances alone but the ways in which the finances are generated and used. The main areas that the directors of the Coca cola company have a focused on include endorsement of corporate governance in the company, parties to corporate governance , Corporate governance guidelines and ownership and structure in order to ensure good corporate governance.

Roots of British Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Roots of British Intelligence - Essay Example Also important to note was the fact that the formation of this Intelligence Branch did not create a service-wide acceptance of the contributions of intelligence to war or peace. During the Boer War, Britain was forced to realize the importance of intelligence, as it failed to incorporate intelligence operations in its strategy and implementation. This forced Britain to focus in on how intelligence could be used during both war and peacetime. 1 A main obstacle to the place of intelligence in the 20th century British army focused on the delineation of the objectives of intelligence operations as well as being able to recognize what kind of person would be required to place those concepts into effect. It is important to remember that the concept of peacetime preparation for field intelligence had not been distinguished clearly at this time, and gathering military intelligence during times of peace was very overt as well as ad hoc in approach. Furthermore, other issues stood out as well. Wartime interactions between intelligence officers and soldiers were often filled with feelings of mistrust, and there was also no solid approach or agreement about training different intelligence corps at this time. The time of the Boer War through the beginning of the First World War demonstrated the makings of a commitment to intelligence as a need, and a desire to train professional intelligence officer corps developed. This commitment an d appreciation, however, were not adequately translated into policy implementation, and the outbreak of war in 1914 found Britain's military intelligence preparations to be woefully inadequate for the issues that would lay ahead. 2 The military was able to recognize from the start that the type of officer to be involved in intelligence would be that of a different caliber. As far as the proper training of these men was concerned, however, it was open to some argument. It was obvious to see that the purpose of instructions and the lessons learned were not used at the turn-of-the-century War office. A good example of this is the fact that the start of the Boer War actually revealed that British military intelligence was extremely disorganized. It was obvious that the military could not predict of prepare for the start of the war, and the Intelligence Division's efforts here were hurt because they did not have enough training or resources, probably resulting from the fact that the army's leadership was also not interested in making the best use of them. However, as the Boer War came to a close, it became clear that British intelligence was evolving into something that was much more organized and useable, although this certainly did not promise for this concept of intelligence to play a large role in military affairs. Another factor that hurt this development of intelligence was the fact that all of the intelligence work made during the war was de-emphasized after the post-war demobilization. The Royal Commission on the War in South Africa, which reviewed all aspects of the origins and conduct of the war, seemed very happy with the prewar focus of the intelligence department as well as its ability to become more organized. As a result, they suggested that there was no necessity for general departmental reform or a more permanent or consequential peacetime intelligence establishment. The ad hoc

Friday, August 23, 2019

Mental Health Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mental Health Promotion - Essay Example CONCEPT OF MENTAL HEALTH There has been various concepts and approaches to mental health. According to the Department of Health, some of the factors that greatly influenced mental health are family traditions, beliefs, and cultural practices. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health, as a state of being physically, mentally and socially fit. Being healthy does not just mean the absence of sickness or physical incapacity. Mental health is therefore a fundamental indicator of the overall health and well being of a person. However, many other sources simply view mental health merely as the absence of disease or illness. This view is supported in the biomedical model of health as mentioned by Seedhouse (2002). On the other hand, Seeker (2005) indicated in his study that to get the best result from caregiver’s intervention approach, there is a need to focus on the diagnosis and interpretations of a disease in pathological terms. There is a big disparity between one who is diagnosed with mental illness in contrast to another condition where there is no medical diagnosis, in terms of access to medical care and health services. Persons diagnosed of mental illness that gets access to healthcare and social services developed some sense of emotional security from the support and should cope better with the challenge. In contrast, a person who is not diagnosed of being mentally ill may not get the needed support and attention from caregivers resulting to negative feelings of being neglected. A more comprehensive definition of mental health was coined by the Health Education Authority (HEA) in 1997. The agency’s definition of mental health put emphasis on the spiritual and emotional ability of the person to endure and recover from painful experiences or sufferings in life. This resilience will enable a mentally healthy person to move on and enjoy life after a suffering some form of pain (Squire 2002, Wagnild & Collins 2009). In 2004, the World Health Organization pronounced an insightful definition of mental health giving emphasis to normal aspects of living. It is a state of well-being in which the individual is conscious of his social ties and can cope up with the day to day stresses of life. A mentally healthy person should therefore be able to work productively and to offer something positive to their community. Such productivity and positive contribution promotes inner satisfaction and greatly reinforces overall health. Nations all over the globe are looking into mental health promotion with renewed interest. Mental health is essentially the condition that dictates the total well-being and productivity of a person. Intervention through health promotion is far more effective in safeguarding mental health than treatments and medicinal therapies at the on stage of a fully diagnosed mental illness. This latter approach is rather expensive and yet less effective as presented in the following research and studies. CONCEPT OF MEN TAL HEALTH PROMOTION Activities that promote the mental health of individuals has a positive effect in preventing and reducing mental illness (Barry & Jenkins 2007) and in the fast recovery of mentally afflicted individuals (Friedli 2009). In 2001, the Department of Health introduced mental health promotion as any action or activity that enhances or supports the mental well-being of a person, family,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Marketing Techniques Essay Example for Free

Marketing Techniques Essay The main thing behind marketing in a business is finding the customer’s needs and produce the product/ services to satisfy their needs, this way the customer can choose what they would want included in their product/ service. A business that follows this rule is market-orientated. There is alternatives orientation for businesses, these are; The production concept: This is where the business produces in large quantities and distribute in bulk, this is so the customer/ business get the products cheaper as they will be bulk buying. A business that would do this is Walkers. They make thousands of packets and then sells them to large business such as Tesco, Tesco would be able to buy it for cheaper as they will be buying in a very large amount as they can stock allot of products. However charity shops will sell their products and with the entire surplus they send it off to the charity. An example of this is Oxfam, they will sell their products to the public and with all the surplus is sent off to the project they are currently on. The sales concept: Businesses need to know how to sell their products/ services. If they don’t know how to the business is likely to fail but if a business knows how to sell its goods/ sieves then it is likely to be successful. A type of sales technique is hard selling nor Tesco or Oxfam hard sell but businesses such as Anglian, Everest and Safestyle are usually hard sellers trying to get you to buy double glazing. As you can see some of the sales reps in these businesses have lied about the business just so they can close sales with people on the spot. The marketing Concept: Marketing concept is different to sales and production as it has to take every step with keeping customers in mind as marketing is based around customer’s needs and wishes. An example for this is Tesco they do this with their Tesco Club card every time you shop you swipe your card and the system knows what the customer purchased, so to bring back the customer they will mail you some vouchers which then makes the customer want to come back into the store and shop again. Another business that uses marketing is Curry’s when you purchase something the sales assistant take down your home address so if they have any offers which are similar to what you bought will send you letter informing you about any offers. Marketing definitions: Basic definition of marketing is meeting customer needs and wants profitably. Marketing consists of identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably. Objectives: Private sector The objectives for a private sector business are to maximise profits and expand all over the world. An example for a private sector business is Tesco. They have businesses in the UK and in America called Fresh Easy. In the screen shot you can see Tesco’s objectives. Public sector The objectives for a public sector business are to provide quality service for the public. An example for this is the NHS as they provide health care for everyone. In the screenshot you can see NHS’s objectives. Voluntary sector The voluntary sector businesses objectives are to raise money for good causes. An example of this is Oxfam they aid anyone to donate any goods so they can sell them and send the money they produce from the goods they sell given to the public to projects they are currently on. As you can see this is one of Oxfam’s shops where they sell goods that have been donated by the public. Organisational objective This is a target for the whole business no matter how big it is. A good example of this is Tesco, Tesco’s objective may be to increase market share to 51%. Marketing objective This is how you are going to achieve it e.g. increase Tesco value products Tesco can produce their own products such as Ben Jerry ice-cream they can produce a Tesco value version as some people may not be able to afford  £4 ice-cream so the people can buy the alternative which would help Tesco increase their profits. Link between organisational objectives and marketing objectives Marketing objectives shouldn’t be contradicting a business’s main objective, but should be contributing in achieving that. A business will not succeed if it’s been pulled apart in two different directions. An example of this is if Tesco want to increase their sales by a certain percentage then different functional areas have to contribute to achieve this such as advertising they may advertise products that are on offer or any seasonal products e.g. Christmas, new years or valentines. Tesco’s could also send out more offers with their Club Card meaning more customers may shop in the business. By this way Tesco will be informing a lot more people that they have sales on which might bring more customers into the business. Market leadership This is where a business has the most market share in a given product or service, this could be measured by the amount of goods sold or the value of those goods. If a business wants to become a market leader they need to be 51% or more in sales for it to become a market leader. For example, Tesco is the leading supermarket in the supermarket market place as you can see in this screenshot (January 2012). Charity do no compete with market share as they all have similar aims and objectives but need maximum funds to stay in operation. Some charities will be more valuable then others depending on how much donations they receive. Oxfam is at the top along with cancer research UK, British Heart Foundation and many more. Brand awareness Brand awareness is making people aware of the business and what they do/ sell. Brand awareness is the NHS’s number one objective, they want all of Great Britain’s public to know what they do. Brand awareness may be an individual product or the whole business itself. Tesco may advertise their Tesco club card so people are more aware of the club card you can get when you sign up with them. Perceptions of customers A customer’s perception of a business or a brand often affects their purchasing decision. An example of this is a business might have a lot of brand awareness but their products might not be of the highest quality. This will make the customer not want to come back into the store as they are paying for a cheap quality product. Tesco has a reputation of selling goods a cheap price to everyone, if they start selling their products higher than their competitors then they are likely to lose out on customers and sales which are why they try keep their prices as low as possible. People may also decide to shop at Oxfam for clothes rather than buying clothes from the high street as they know their money goes to good use. Techniques: Growth strategies Businesses grow through their products/ services every time they put a product on the market more and more people will find out about the product. For example Tesco have been using growth strategies as they are expanding with their services, such as Tesco Money, you can now have a credit card with Tesco which people who may don’t normally do not shop at Tesco may have their Tesco credit card. Oxfam use growth strategies through advertising. Every time they advertise someone new will hear about Oxfam and how they are helping to take people out of poverty in third world countries. Survival strategies This is important for all business if they want to keep operating. The reason why Tesco are expanding into different markets is in case one market fails them they have other services which will help them keep out of making a loss for example if Tesco started making cars and sold a few thousand but then was not successful. They are likely to start making a loss but as they are successful in other markets they are unlikely that they would shut down. With Oxfam with all their stores open they can use them stores to survive. Branding Business need to have a strong brand image in order for them to survive. Providing high customer service will increase the brand image. Advertising is also a factor to increase the brand image. Tesco and Oxfam both have a very strong brand image as they are at the top of their tables Tesco is globally a very well known business and Oxfam is also globally well know as they operate in the UK and in third world countries. Relationship marketing Building a relationship with customers is very important for the business as they will think that the business cares about them. Tesco can build relationships with its customers at the tills, the cashier can communicate with the customer building a positive relationship. This is also the same with Oxfam when people buy products from the stores they are building a relationship with the business or if you support Oxfam through direct debit you will receive a welcome pack with updates every month about what the persons many is doing and how they are helping people in poverty.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Assessing The UK Manufacturing Sector

Assessing The UK Manufacturing Sector UK manufacturing sector is a diverse sector that is based upon various industries, activities and technologies. There are some developed industries in UK like drinks and food, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and automotive and electronics industries. Furthermore some new industries are also developing in UK like biotechnology, low carbon, digital and advanced materials and nano technology. Overall UK manufacturing sector now becomes a balanced sector that is putting its contribution in the development of UK. UK manufacturing sector is at number three in UK economy in terms of UK GDP, after services and retail sector. In 2009 this sector has generated  £ 140 billion of gross value added that is around 11 percent of UK economy. 2.6 million, individuals are working in manufacturing sector that is around 8 percent of total labour force of UK (BIS, 2010). In the current report I have provided an in depth analysis of UK manufacturing sector and its contribution in the economic development of UK. For the analytical purpose I have used different tools like PESTLE and SWOT analysis that highlighted the need of strong manufacturing sector for the economic development of a country and I also have provided the information of some weak sectors of manufacturing due to some lack of skills and other aspects that cause for decline in manufacturing industry in some years for example UKs Textile industry etc .Moreover I have provided some valuable information related with the contribution of UK manufacturing sector in terms of providing jobs, foreign exchange and gross value added. Introduction: Two conflicting views were always there in the minds of peoples in relation to UK manufacturing industry. Individuals were perceiving from the last two decades that the new age will be for service industry so there should not be any need to worry about manufacturing sector and factories. Second point of view was that real jobs were created by the factories and manufacturing sector so with out manufacturing sector workers cannot get jobs and it will create economic problems for British citizens. In 2003, UK manufacturing industry was contributed 16 percent to GDP and 13 percent British citizens were employed there. It also representing continuous decline of manufacturing sector but until 2003 this sector has contributed 83 percent of exports (Ferguson, 2004). But after the recent recession this sector of economy is experiencing boom. Defining manufacturing of UK : UK manufacturing sector is a diverse sector that is based upon various industries, activities and technologies. This sector is coming at number three in UK economy in terms of UK GDP, after services and retail sector. In 2009 this sector has generated  £ 140 billion of gross value added that is around 11 percent of UK economy. 2.6 million, individuals are working in manufacturing sector that is around 8 percent of total labour force of UK (BIS, 2010). According to SIC code system of 2007 for industry statistics, manufacturing sector is made up of following industries Beverage, tobacco and food products Textile products Wood products Paper and Pulp products Printing and publishing Petroleum, Nuclear and Coke Man made fibres and Chemicals Plastic and Rubber products Non Metallic and Mineral products Metals and Fabricated metal products Machinery and Equipment Optical and Electrical equipment Transport equipment Other manufacturing Literature Review There is a long history of UK manufacturing industry and this industry has always produce good results of UK and contributed for the UK economy. As discussed above that manufacturing industry is composed upon different industries like beverage, tobacco and food products, textile products, wood products, paper and pulp products, printing and publishing, petroleum, nuclear and coke, man made fibres and chemicals, plastic and rubber products, non metallic and mineral products, metals and fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment, optical and electrical equipment, transport equipment and other manufacturing (BIS, 2010). We can say that there are different sub parts of UK manufacturing industry but at the same time these industries are dependent upon each others because lot of time finished product of one industry will becomes the raw material for another industry e.g. metal industry produces metal sheets but it will becomes the raw material for automobile and transport industry. Capabilities and strengths of UK manufacturing industry: UK manufacturing industry has different strengths and capabilities and due to this once UK was considered as the leader of industrialization. Some of the capabilities and strengths of UK manufacturing industries are provided below Changed circumstances of manufacturing industry of UK: Current globalisation has changed everything and it has impact on manufacturing industry as well. The manufacturing of the current time period is based upon technological innovation, knowledge, investment in intangibles and investment in skills. As a result of current manufacturing industry in the world consumers are able to get better quality and sophisticated products that helps to satisfy customers (ABPI, 2010) UK got specialization in highly technical manufacturing industries e.g. pharmaceuticals and aerospace as compared to the emerging markets e.g. Brazil, Chine, India and Russia that have specialization in lowest technical industries like textile. Once a country gain specialization in a particular industry then that country can hold that specialization or competitive advantage for a long period of time normally until that time when new technological change came. After an in depth analysis I came to know that UK have strong position in the industries such as organic chemistry, medical technology and pharmaceuticals while it has weak position in electronics, information technology and optics or nano technology (Arthur, 2009) Innovative capabilities of UK manufacturing industry: Innovation is exploration of new idea successfully. Innovation can be linked with establishment of new concepts, products, technologies, new designs, business models management practices or organisational structure. The scope of innovation is much broader as research and development. Innovation is linked with the establishment of latest technologies, processes that can increase the efficiency and by diffusing new concepts. The result of UK Innovative Survey of 2009 has showed that more than 70 percent of UK manufacturing firms are innovative especially most of electronic and optical industry firms are highly innovative (ONS, 2010) Moreover the maximum research and developmental activities across UK are being financed by the business and especially by manufacturing industry. In 2008 UK business sector has spent  £ 16 billion on R D and out of that  £ 16 billion,  £ 12 billion are financed by manufacturing sector (Swann, 2000) Skills capability of UK manufacturing sector: Skills are helpful to improve the performance and productivity of the employees. If the firm has skilled labour force than that firm can respond flexibly and innovatively for enhancing competition, establishing and applying new concepts that ends up in efficient processes, better products, better organisational structures and better business processes. In the recent times workers want to improve their skills levels so they are getting formal education for it due to this reason now labour force are more educated. In other words skilled work force can be a back bone of any organization, In 1994 from the total work force that has joined manufacturing industry only 9.7 percent were holding a degree but in 2009 this figure has improved and now 17.1 percent of the workers have degree. The workers who are interested to join service sectors, research and development and marketing and sales field they always hold degree and in 2009, 31.7 percent of these worker hold degree. As workers who are interested in services and other profession prefer to hold degree this factor has effect those workers as well who want to join manufacturing sector to get degree before starting their career (Technology Strategy Board, 2008) Capabilities of UK manufacturing firms to export : There is no specific criterion to check that if a country is involved effectively in global value but at least one tool which can give some sort of information is the percentage of companies that are selling into offshore markets. It is no doubt that there are some manufacturing companies in UK who are really doing well in this industry e.g. car manufacturing in UK (Vauxhall ,Astra) etc which is in the peek at this time but on the other hand there are some industries who are badly declining like Textile and Clothing industry of UK. This is the 9th biggest sector of UK manufacturing. In 1997 this industry had a great boom, in 1999 5.1 billion of goods were exported but after that the total output starts decline gradually each year due to different factors like higher exchange rates, shortage of skilled labour etc . Normally the firms that are involved into exporting business they are big, productive, having technical know how and always remain involved into research and development. These are some of the features of those firms that involve in the export but it is not essential that all the firms that have these features they involved in exports. Harris and Li (2010) have stated that majority of the manufacturing firms involved in export business as compared to service firms. It means that good have more tradability as compared to services. Chemical firms, medical instrumentation and metal firms are providing higher level of foreign exchange to UK economy as compared to other components of UK manufacturing industry. As discussed earlier that the firms which are involved into exporting business they always involved into research and development as well as always come up with innovate ideas. Research and development and innovative activities help firm to generate higher revenues and profitability. Moreover it will result in getting higher foreign exchange for the country. UK manufacturing firms were facing problems from the last few years due to recession but now this industry is doing well due to tax relief that is offered by the government to UK manufacturing firms. Moreover the managers that are linked with the UK manufacturing industry they know they strengths (changing nature of UK manufacturing, innovative capabilities in UK manufacturing, skills capacity of UK manufacturing and capabilities of UK manufacturing to export) and with the help of this they can improve their condition as soon as possible Competitive Analysis There are different methods to analyse the performance of different business units, business sectors and different economies of the world. One of these analytical tools is PESTLE analysis that is representing by political, economical, social, technological, legal and environmental factors (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008). With the help of PESTLE analysis I am able to analyse the current situation of UK manufacturing industry. PESTLE ANALYLSIS Political factors: Factors that has an impact on political situation or different political decisions that can bring any sort of changes for the individuals that are living in a country can be covered under political factors. Most of the times when there is a political stability in a country then it has positive impact on the citizens of that country and political stability bring about positive changes for the citizens and every field of life. Vital factors that are linked with the political factors are support of government to governmental institutions, restriction upon net migration and security control within the country. Due to the recent recession in UK, manufacturing industry was facing different problems. For the elimination of these hurdles for UK manufacturing industry the current government has launched different schemes to give some incentives to the manufacturing industry e.g. Lord Mandelson in 2009 has explained that the government want to give tax relief to all entrepreneurs who want to make investment in the manufacturing sector of UK (Peter, 2009). Moreover Labour MP Richard Caborn explains that the government want to start  £ 1 billion National Investment Corporation for the development of manufacturing sector of UK (Rae, 2009). In this way the sound political leadership can support the different sectors of the economy so that these economical sectors will perform well in future Economic factors : Economic factors are the factors that are linked with economic conditions of a country. Major economic factors are growth rate, inflation rate, interest rate, unemployment rates and per capita incomes of the citizens. There are different economic factors that are linked with the growth of manufacturing industry of UK. One of the main factors is the higher salary and wage rates in UK as compared to other countries and due to this reason most of the companies have shifted their plant into different other countries of the world where the labour cost is less. In this way employers are trying to decrease the cost of production and increasing profit margin. The best example is Vauxhall that has its car making plant in Luton but it was close down in 2003 and it is only involved in manufacturing of different vans of Vauxhall and the production of cars facility is transferred to Ellesmere Port. In 2006 Vauxhall has created trouble to its parent company General Motors due to improving efficiency and in 2009 General Motors has decided to sell off Vauxhall and Opel to Magna (David, Zeleny and Vlasic, 2009) Second major economic factor is tax liabilities of the firm. UK government is now keen to give some tax incentives to the manufacturing firms that are operating in UK to improve their performance (Peter, 2009) Social factors : Social factors are those factors that are linked with that specific society in which the peoples live and common social factors are norms, traditions, habits and values of the peoples that are lived in a particular society. Social factors that are related with the manufacturing industry of UK are taste of the peoples to work with a particular industry. As explained earlier that from the last two decades British peoples have a perception that the coming age is of services industry and British peoples prefer to improve their skills for service industry as compared to manufacturing industry but manufacturing industry is the backbone of the economic prosperity of a country due to this reason now more peoples are coming toward manufacturing industry (Ferguson, 2004) Technological factors : Technological factors are linked with the use of latest technology and technological advancement in a particular country. The companies which are using latest technology their productivity is higher as compared to the companies that are not using modern methods of production and latest technology UK manufacturing industry has the benefit of getting latest technology and uses it in their manufacturing units because UK has the long history of research and development and innovation that is the key factor for technological advancement. Moreover UK has the basic infrastructure available for the technological advancement as well as they has skilled labours (BIS, 2010). All these factors are considered as vital for the technological advancement and once that infrastructure is available within the country business sector can get benefit from it whenever and whichever way they want Legal factors: Legal factors are related with making new legislature by the government for the country whenever it is required by government. Legal system of UK is considered as one of the best legal system of the world. Government always introduced new laws whenever any field of life need it for their ease UK government always make those laws that are helpful for the economic growth of the country. The best example is in 2009 when UK was in recession and the manufacturing sector was not able to perform well at that time the government has made amendment in the law related with the tax liability of the corporate sector especially for the improvement of manufacturing industry of UK and due to this now the manufacturing industry is experiencing mini boom. That is how legal factors can be used to enhance the productivity of a particular sector of economy (Peter, 2009) Environmental factors : Individuals are very much concerned about the environmental factors because now they have realized that industrial waste is a main cause of pollution and that can damage and destroy the environment. Due to this reason individuals always criticise whenever they find any that a particular business unit is not dispose off industrial waste properly. Moreover there are laws and regulations of different government departments that are binding on business units and whenever any business unit is not following these rules and regulations they find penalties. Furthermore most of the manufacturing companies are trying to complete all their environmental liabilities because with out it they cannot survive in the long term. But most of the times manufacturing companies are following all their responsibilities because the management of these companies know that it is their corporate social responsibility and by performing corporate social responsibility these firms can create softer image that will be helpful to them in long term (Short, Keasey, Wright and Hull, 1999) With the help of PESTLE analysis I have explained most of the potential factors that have their impact on UK manufacturing industry and now it is the duty of the top management of these UK manufacturing companies to work in line with these factors for improving their performance In addition to the PESTLE analysis, SWOT analysis is also another important analytical tool. SWOT is representing internal strengths and weakness of the firm as well as external opportunities and threats that the firm is facing in a particular time period. Now I am conducting SWOT analysis for UK manufacturing industry SWOT Analysis Strengths: The strength that the UK manufacturing industry has is that most of the educational and non educational institutions always involve in research and development activities and manufacturing industry can get benefit from this research Deloitte (2009) UK is an industrialized country and proper infrastructure is available there in the form of skilled labour, availability of inputs and technological advancement. All these factors are pre-requisites for manufacturing boom (Gil and Haskel, 2008) Manufacturing sector is still providing job opportunities to at least 8 percent of UK labour force. Overall 2.6 million peoples are linked with UK manufacturing industry (BIS, 2010) Contribution of manufacturing industry towards UK GDP in 2009 was  £ 140 billion which is third largest contribution after services and retail sector contribution in UK economy (BIS, 2010) UK manufacturing sector has the ability to produce the products and export them to the international market. Even though in 2003 UK manufacturing sector were able to generate 83 percent of the total UK exports (Ferguson, 2004). This much higher exports in 2003 is the evidence that the manufacturing industry of UK can generate higher amount of foreign exchange Weaknesses Labour cost is pretty much higher in UK as compared to other counties and due to this lot of factories are transferring from UK to other counties where the labour cost is comparatively low (Neely, 2009) Maximum job opportunities are created by services sector due to this reason most of the individuals are getting professional education or training that is required by services sector (Hall and Jones, 2004). Due to this reason best and productive employees are not coming towards manufacturing sector. Moreover the jobs are very hard in manufacturing sector as compared to services sector so work force prefer to join services sector as compared to manufacturing sector Any potential investor has to make higher amount of investment for setting up a manufacturing unit in UK because of strong local currency (pound sterling). Most of the times when investors want to invest their funds they are investing in other countries where the exchange rate is less as compared to pound sterling. The utility expenses in UK is higher as well as cost of living and this is one of the potential weakness due to which investors are hesitate to invest in the UK manufacturing sector. Moreover higher utility expenses will increases the cost of production for the manufacturing concerns (Girma and Gorg, 2002) There are different sort of taxes that the general public has to pay whenever they are purchasing anything. Moreover income taxes and corporate taxes are also relatively higher in UK that also discourages potential investors to invest in UK. Opportunities Tax relief that is announced by the tax department for the UK manufacturing firms is an opportunity for existing manufacturing firms as well as for the potential investors who are finding a good place for setting up their manufacturing unit (Peter, 2009) Government is starting to give some relief to the potential investors who want to start any manufacturing unit in UK. Government has started National Investment Corporation of  £ 1 Billion for the development of manufacturing sector of UK (Rae, 2009) Geographic location of UK makes it one of the ideal locations to set up a manufacturing unit here. Access through UK for American markets is easier so any one who want to set up a manufacturing unit he prefer UK Easy availability of raw material, right infrastructure, secured location and skilled labour force make UK a best location to set up a plant by any investor. Most of the investors are making investment in UK manufacturing sector to get all such advantages Threats Threat to UK manufacturing industry is the emerging market like China, India and Brazil which have now improved their local industries and are giving tough time to different developed economies of the world (PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2006) Another threat to the UK manufacturing industry is the low wage rate in different countries as compared to UK due to this reason most of the plants and factories are transferring from UK to other countries where the wage rate is less (Neely, 2009) Transfer of one manufacturing plant from UK is a loss but this loss of manufacturing plant has an impact on other production units as well because some time different other manufacturing units are producing raw material for a big manufacturing unit. In this case transfer of one manufacturing unit has higher level of impact on other manufacturing units as well. Critical Analysis In the current section I am providing different information related with UK manufacturing sector. Furthermore in the current section I am providing details of different charts and figures that are provided in the appendix 1. Figure 1 is related with the proportion of various industries to total manufacturing gross value added (gross inputs gross outputs) and employment date related with 2009. This graph is helpful for the users who want to get the information regarding the proportion of each and every industry and its contribution to the total manufacturing gross value added. Moreover this graph is providing information related with the job creation for the UK workforce by the UK manufacturing sector. Overall contribution of manufacturing sector in 2009 is that this sector has generated  £ 140 billion of gross value added that is around 11 percent of UK economy. 2.6 million, individuals are working in manufacturing sector that is around 8 percent of total labour force of UK (Department of Business Innovation and Skill, 2010). With the help of figure 2 we can get the information related with total manufacturing employment and structure by occupation from 1994 to 2009. According to this graph one point is clear that in 1994 UK manufacturing sector was provided employment to 4.7 million peoples but in 2009 manufacturing sector is providing employment opportunities to only 2.7 million workers. With the help of this graph one point is clear that production, support and trades were employing more workers in 1994 as compared to 2009 but all the other sectors like logistics and distribution, marketing and sales, support and professional, R D and production professional have provided more jobs to the employees in 2009 as compared to 1994. Figure 3 is providing information related with manufacturing employment in selected developed countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States) from 1990 to 2009. After analysing this figure one point is clear that in all these countries manufacturing sector is now providing less jobs as compared to before. But still now maximum employees are employed in US manufacturing sector and figure is around 15 million. After US, the manufacturing sector of Japan has created around 11 million jobs. Germany is at third place and German manufacturing sector has provided jobs to around 8 million peoples. Next is Italy and around 5 million peoples are linked with the manufacturing sector of Italy. France is next to Italy and its manufacturing sector has provided jobs to around 3 million peoples. As discussed before that UK manufacturing sector is providing jobs to 2.7 million employees. Canada is at the end of this list by providing jobs to only 2 million Canadian peoples. Figure 4 is providing information related with productivity performance of UK manufacturing sector from 1991 to 2009. This figure shows that overall employees that are linked with manufacturing sector has increases and UK manufacturing sector is contributing its best in the economic development of UK Figure 5 is related with the total exports of UK manufacturing goods to other countries. The proportion of every industry along with the amount of export is given in the figure 5. With the help of this graph it is clear that every sub sector of UK manufacturing industry is contributing something in the total exports of UK for earning precious foreign exchange. Above mentioned information is vital because it is representing the contribution of UK manufacturing industry in the economic growth. With the help of this information one point is clear that UK manufacturing sector is contributing it part into different ways e.g. this sector is providing jobs to the UK workforce, this sector is the third largest sector of UK in terms of GDP and this sector is helpful to UK government to earn precious foreign exchange by selling manufacturing goods to the different other counties of world. Conclusion and Recommendations Current report is helpful in explaining the contribution of UK manufacturing industry in the economic development of UK. UK manufacturing sector is at number three in UK economy in terms of UK GDP, after services and retail sector. In 2009 this sector has generated  £ 140 billion of gross value added that is around 11 percent of UK economy. 2.6 million, individuals are working in manufacturing sector that is around 8 percent of total labour force of UK (BIS, 2010). Moreover this sector is helpful to UK government to earn precious foreign exchange by selling manufacturing goods to the different other counties of world. In the current report I have provided PESTLE and SWOT analysis of UK manufacturing industry that is helpful to analyse the political, economical, social, technological, legal and environmental factors of UK manufacturing industry as well as SWOT analysis was focused on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that UK manufacturing industry is facing in the current time. Moreover I have provided some figures and tables that have provided a comparison of UK manufacturing industry in past to the current state. All these analysis are helpful to get an in depth information about UK manufacturing industry. Based upon my analysis at the end I want to give some suggestion that will be helpful for further improving the UK manufacturing industry. Suggestion are provided as follows UK government should give some sort of tax relief to the existing manufacturing units as well as tax holiday should be announced for the potential investors that are interested to set a manufacturing plant in UK UK government should give some sort of incentives to the existing manufacturing units as well as potential investors by the way of supplying cheap utilities so that more peoples will come to manufacturing sector UK government and manufacturing units should invest higher resources on the research and developmental activities so that UK manufacturing firms are able to produce those products that have better features. In this way UK manufacturing industry will able to give tough time to the emerging economies like China, India and Brazil and their manufacturing units UK government should take different steps to reduce the higher labour cost that is currently being paid by the manufacturing units in UK. This higher labour cost is one of the main factors for which the firms are not establishing their manufacturing units in UK. Emerging markets are giving tough time to other developed countries of the world because labour cost in these countries is low. For getting the benefit of cheap labour some of the manufacturing firms are transferring from UK to these emerging markets (China, India and Brazil) In addition to this UK government should try to reduce the foreign exchange rate of pound sterling with other currencies. Investors have to invest more if they want to start their business in UK because of higher value of pound sterling as compared to other currencies. Higher value of pound sterling is also a vital factor for decreases level of investment in UK manufacturing sector If the UK government is able to follow the above mentioned suggestion then definitely UK manufacturing industry will able to get more attraction from the world and it will contribute more as compared to its current contribution. References : ABPI (2010), Did you know: Facts and figures about the pharmaceutical industry in the UK Arthur D Little (2009), Quantitative modelling of industrial biotechnology and renewable chemicals Final report for BERR, http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file51252.pdf BIS (2010) Economics Paper No. 2 Life Sciences in the UK Economic analysis and evidence for Life sciences 2010: Delivering the Blueprint BIS (2010), Economics Paper No. 4 Supporting Economic Analysis for Skills for Growth: The National Skills Strategy David, S., Zeleny, J. and Vlasic, B. (2009), G.M. to Seek Bankruptcy and a New Start: A Risky Bet to Save an Icon of American Capitalism, New York Times, 31/05/2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/business/01auto.html. Retrieved 19 March 2011 Deloitte (2009), Innovation that Matters: How Innovation is Currently Supported in an Ageing Society Ferguson, N. (2004), Empire, The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power Gil, V. and Haskel, J. (2008), Intangible Investment in the UK Ma

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Relationship Between Food And Art English Language Essay

Relationship Between Food And Art English Language Essay This essay will examine the relationship between food and art by asking if food can be thought as an artwork, and if so, the commonalities it shares with other art pieces. To discuss the feasibility of the aforementioned relationship, this essay will use a particular example, through which different theories will be analysed. However, it is important to put forth this essays hypothesis, which agrees that food can be thought as an art piece, a concept which will be discussed later on. Our example concerns the figure of the Catalan cook Ferran Adrià  , who had the best restaurant in the world, El Bulli, for five years, with the added accolade of three Michelin stars until 2011, when it closed. The reason why this case has been chosen has to do with the fact that Ferran Adrià   has been compared as an artist and his dishes as unique artworks by different experts in gastronomy. FOOD AS AN ARTWORK In order to analyse if this connection is feasible, it is important to discuss the notion of food and its role in the society, an aspect that can be easily linked to the idea of artwork. Different authors have discussed the social function of food in the society. For instance, J. Hegarty(2001) says that one of the principal differences between animals and humans is the fact that we cook our aliments, which causes cultural differences among humans. Moreover, he also argues that cooking is something that humans learn and, therefore, it is not an innate characteristic but an idea that can be related to the dichotomy between nature and culture, discussed by different classic anthropologists, such as Claude Là ©vi-Strauss. Since food is one of the aspects that differentiate humans from animals and the notion that cooking is an acquired skill, it does belong to the culture. This is enough to conclude that food has an impact in the society. However, there are other reasons why, such as tho se discussed by O. Castillo and E. Gonzà ¡lez(2007), who purport that during the process of eating, human beings are also looking for other social elements, as establishing new friendships or partnerships. All these ideas discussed by these scholars can be applied in different societies and in specific social contexts, which will help to understand the importance of food within it. For instance, in the case of the birthday of a family member, all the family will meet up and have a meal together, normally lunch or dinner. In this case, the idea of meeting up to eat is used as an excuse to gather together all the family. This is only a particular social context that can be used to exemplify this connection between food and its role in the society as a process that goes beyond the simple fact of eating. So far it can be seen that food has a function in the society, which is a considerable aspect in order to link it with an artwork. As this module has shown throughout the term is that art pieces have social meaning and they structure a part of the society. One example could be the Bark Paintings, a type of Australian Aboriginal art, which are a re-representation of the landscape. Mainly, these form a representation of the external memory recalling clues of the ancestral intention, which is encoded in the landscape, linking emotional ties with the land and the presence of the ancestors in it. Another example could be the basketry by the Yekuana, which is used to structure the society in a particular way; as Guss says, Basketry therefore becomes a significant indicator in the general growth and competence of an individual, used to chart not only practical knowledge but also status and identity(2006:380). Whit both examples it has been shown how art also has a role in the society influe ncing different aspects of such. In the case of El Bulli, this idea that food goes beyond the simple fact of eating is also represented mainly attributed to two reasons. Firstly it can be thought that because of the high prices (minimum 400à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬/person) the people that decided to go there expected something more than just the food. Secondly, the fact that the waiting list was minimum two years it is another element that shows that the costumers looked for something else than just food but all the experience that goes with it. Some scholars have argued that food cannot be considered art because of its inherent and basic function: consumption. Before discussing this question, it is important to talk about the concept of aesthetic reactions, which in the words of Hegarty(2001), it is related to the idea of beauty, and specifically in the case of gastronomy: This translates into menu balance and harmony in such areas as colour, temperature, taste and texture which in some cases can be dictated by the aesthetic demands of the raw materials which are used to create a gastronomic work(2001:12) From this quote it can be said that if a specific dish has the characteristics mentioned, then it would be thought as beautiful and therefore as art. This idea of aesthetic reactions is also discussed by Tefler, who says that the aesthetic qualities can be characterised as non-neutral, non-instrumental, having certain intensity and often accompanied by judgements for which the judgers claim a kind of objectivity(2002:11). In other words, for Tefler an object has an aesthetic reaction if it is appreciated for its own characteristics, it can impress the viewer and it is not influenced by a personal criterion. In El Bullis case of study the idea of aesthetic reactions is useful because it is one of the characteristics associated with art. Aside from the different opinions of it, it can be said that the notion of aesthetic reactions is mainly related with the idea of beauty, and also to the different characteristics given by Tefler. Regarding this example, it can be seen that some of the dishes do not look as food at first sight but they can be thought as a portrait or as an artistic photograph  [1]  . Moreover, if the Hegarty point of view is taken into account, the harmony of Ferran Adrià  s dishes can be related to the idea of beauty and then to the concept of aesthetic reactions, which is a key concept for the art pieces. However, some scholars believe that food cannot be thought as art because of its function, such as M.L.Quinet(1981), who has the argument that the function of art is to provide an object for aesthetic contemplations and, on the other hand, the foods function is its consumption, which causes that these two concepts cannot be associated. However, she also states that in some cases food can be considered art as long as it has an aesthetic function and it is not expected to be eaten. This idea is relevant to demonstrate that what makes this discussion so complex is the main function of the food. But even if the purposes between them are different, it does not have to be the only criterion to conclude that food is not art. The Quinets idea is helpful because it introduces a key difference between the arts function, an idea discussed later on. Finally, it is relevant to discuss Teflers idea that not all objects with aesthetic reactions can be considered artwork, because they do not share the characteristics of what constitutes an art piece, a point I will endeavour to explore next. An artwork is by Tefler a man-made thing, even if the human involvement need consist of no more than putting a natural object in a gallery and giving it a title(2002:12). She differentiates between artwork which can be seen in a classificative or evaluative manner. In general terms, an artwork in the classificative sense has to do with how the object is regarded and if it is intended for an aesthetic consideration. On the other hand, an artwork in the evaluative way deals with the idea if the object deserves the merit of being considered as such. This difference in the meaning of an artwork is useful in terms of knowing that the concept of art cannot be thought as a static one with only one meaning. In regard to food this categorisation is also useful, because as Tefler says, food can be thought as art in the classifying way of artwork, since for many cooks and costumers some meals are intended to be considered in an aesthetic consideration, in other words, to be savoured, appraised, thought about, discussed(2002:14). So, the main point of those meals is not to provide nourishment but to have a further experience. This idea of food as an artwork in a classifying sense can be highly related with Ferran Adrià  s work, which requires a lot of thought and analysis before cooking it, and its aim is to provide an unforgettable experience to the customer, which goes beyond the simple fact of eating. In relation to this classification of artworks it is also important to mention the difference between art and craft, which is argued by various scholars. Quinet, who thinks that food cannot be considered art in general terms, concludes that The culinary arts, one might claim, are indeed arts, but only when we use the term art in the sense of mere craft; and this is not the way in which the term is used in aesthetics(1981:159). The difference between art and craft is also analysed by Tefler, who says that it lies in the degree of creativity, so something is considered art if it is an original creation and when the object is a result of carrying out instructions then it is contemplated as craft. The relationship between this classification and food is significant, because depending on the level of creativity in the process of cooking, food could be thought as art or not. Even if in general terms a receipt is being followed when cooking, in the case of El Bulli, the creativity applied i n their dishes is enormous, because there is a long process of analysis behind with the goal to create new imaginative dishes. One example of such could be the dish called Peach paper  [2]  , which is presented as a letter or also the liquid olives  [3]  , which is the result of a complex molecular technique created by Ferran Adrià   named spherification. Hence, the food cooked in El Bulli can be considered an art according to the amount of creativity. In relation to this difference between art and craft it is also advantageous to mention the classification between fine and useful arts, argued by Hegarty. The useful arts are those that are utilitarian, such as the design of a building or furniture. However, fine arts are defined by seeking to relate, to communicate and commune between people in that, the artist assumes an audience when he/she for example, writes a poem or paints a picture(2001:8). Food can be related to this last idea of fine art, as well as theatre, music or dance(Anson,2006), an idea that can also be known as minor art. CONCLUSION This essay has discussed the idea that food can be considered as art by using a specific case of study, El Bulli. Different arguments have been put forth to demonstrate the existence of this connection between art and food, such as its social role in the society as well as other artworks. Concerning the case of study of this essay, it can be said that El Bullis dishes can be related to the idea of artwork. One reason is their aesthetic reactions, meaning that they are associated with the concept of beauty, causing the difficulty to differentiate some of them from portraits. Another reason is because their function goes beyond the idea of nourishment, since they are expected to provide a further experience. Furthermore, they have a high degree of creativity, which makes it possible to correlate them with the idea of art and differentiate them from the notion of craft. appendix http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=879PoG=G Picture 1.1: Soup of pink grapefruit with tarragon and praline salted with black sesame (2003) http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=987PoG=G Picture 1.2: Blooming cucumbers in vinegar with mustard seeds and tarragon (2004) http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=920PoG=G Picture 1.3: 2m of Parmesan spaghetti (2003) http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=1207PoG=G Picture 1.4: Tree passion fruit (2005) Picture 1.5:http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=973PoG=G Ties of beet with vinegar powder (2004) http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=1098PoG=G Picture 1.6: Paper of peach Tramontana (2005) http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=1095PoG=G Picture 1.7: Spherical green olives- I (2005) Liquid olives http://www.elbulli.com/catalogo/commons/generar_img.php?id=1085PoG=G Picture 1.8: Bicolour wafers of carrot and beet (2004)

Monday, August 19, 2019

Financial Markets and the Risks They Run :: Financial Markets Institutions Finances Essays

Financial Markets and the Risks They Run Outline the differences between a broker and a dealer (or marketmaker) in financial markets, including discussions of how they are remunerated and what risks they run. A financial market consists of diverse financial assets traded between buyers and sellers. In addition to enabling exchange of previously issued financial assets, financial markets make possible the borrowing and lending by facilitating the sale by newly issued financial assets. Examples of financial markets include the New York Stock Exchange (which is involved in the resale of previously issued stock shares), the U.S. government bond market (which is involved in the resale of previously issued bonds), and the U.S. Treasury bills auction (sales of newly issued T-bills). A financial institution is an organization whose primary source of profits is through financial asset transactions. Examples of such financial institutions include discount brokers, banks, insurance companies, and complex multi-function financial institutions such as Merrill Lynch. Financial institutions participate in financial markets by creating and/or exchange of financial assets. In the financial market there are four institutions that carry out in this type of trade. One of which is a broker which is a commissioned agent of a buyer/seller who facilitates trade by locating a seller/buyer to complete the desired transaction. A broker does not take a position in the assets he or she trades; there is no maintaining of inventories in these assets on behalf of the broker. The commissions they charge to the users of their services determine the profits of brokers. Examples of brokers include real estate brokers and stockbrokers. Dealers, like brokers, facilitate trade by matching buyers with sellers of assets; they do not engage in asset transformation. Unlike brokers, however, a dealer can and does "take positions" (i.e., maintain inventories) in the assets he or she trades that permit the dealer to sell out of inventory rather than always having to locate sellers to match every offer to buy. Also, unlike brokers, dealers do not receive sales commissions.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Sight Of Science :: essays research papers

The Sight of Science It is a truth universally acknowledged that he whose mind is ahead of his time and above that of his peers may not be understood by his fellow people and be subject to critisizm and persecution. Galilei Galileo, Francis Bacon, and Rene Descartes were among the first to break away from the conventional views of their times to find a place for science in a society and propose the way it should be practiced. All three authors agree on some points but differe markedly on others. Bacon insists on the importa nce of experimentation and relative uselessness of senses and experience, while Decartes thinks them imporatnt for understanding of nature. Galileo stresses the need for separation of science and religion, while Descartes deems the correctness of the method of scientific thought to be most important. Yet all three writers agree that natural science should be freed of the grip of theology and human ethics, what sets them apart from previous generations of scientists and thinkers. In his Discoveries, Bacon goes at great length to discuss the influence the prescientfic mode of thinking has had on generations of scientists, and tries to Descartes asserts that the mathematical method of examining the relationship between objects and expressing them in concise formulas, applied to the entire realm of knowledge, permits him to exercise his own reason to the best of his ability. Since nothing in philosophy is certain, it is evident that he must discover his own philosophical principles. Galileo's views on science and religion, as seen from his Letter to the Grand Dutchess Christina are very radical for his times. He suggests that physical sciences must be separated from theological studies because the goals of the two disicplines are totally different: theology is concerned with salvation of the soul, while the sciences are concerned with understanding of nature. He believes that the clergy apply faith where ther is none involved -- one cannot undersand nature just by quoting the Scripture because the nature, a fruit of God's infinite wisdom., defies the simple explanation men's feeble minds attempt to find in the Bible. To truly understand nature, one has apply the little of the reason that God has given to him and look "between the li nes" for the true meaning of the Bible. There are a number interpretations one can find because the Bible is often general and simplistic; Galileo suggests that the best way to find the true meaning is to disprove the false conclusions by finding contradicions in nature, as determined by accurate experiments rather than fervent meditation. It is a job of scientists to examine nature and it is

Buy Essays Online: Flaws of Society and Man Revealed in Odyssey

Flaws of Society and Man Revealed in Odyssey  Ã‚        Ã‚   Society is formed around morals, but society is ruined by the flaws of the citizens.   Man has come a long way since the time of Homer, yet there are still many blemishes prominent in man, which binds man to society and society to man.   Homer uses Odyssey to address and analyze these flaws of society and man such as man's distrusting spirit, man's survival based on others' misfortune, and man's nature to gain unworthy assistance through pity.   These vices are universal, and no one, not even the immortals, may eliminate them.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the main flaws with man is their distrusting spirit.   Even Odysseus himself, is distrustful of others when others have not yet proven their trust.   Since Calypso has not yet proven her trust to Odysseus, Odysseus does not feel that he should trust her even when her intentions are pure.   Because of his distrust, when Calypso was meant to send Odysseus on his way, he made Calypso take an oath and says, "I will never, notwithstanding what you say, set foot upon a raft till you consent, goddess, to swear a solemn oath that you are not meaning to plot me further woe"(48).   Even with Calypso just being a messenger of the gods, Odysseus still will not put his trust in her.   In order to allow himself to depend on Calypso, he must be assured by the gods that Calypso means no harm.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Along with people having to prove their trust, Odysseus takes away the trust he sets in others and the gods when he is doubtful of himself.   Once Odysseus experiences self-doubt, then he undergoes a mental process in which no one may be trusted.   This can be overcome once a god makes Odysseus believe in himself again.   One of the most prominent ... ...s of mankind.   It is then reasonable to conclude that the immortals themselves have imperfections as well, for if they were perfect then wouldn't they make the mortals perfect too?   If perverted man is dependent on the corrupt gods, then how could society ever be a utopia? Works Cited and Consulted Crane, Gregory , Calypso: Backgrounds and Conventions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988. Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988. Homer (Translated by Robert Fagles. Preface by Bernard Knox). The Odyssey. New York: Viking Penguin, div. of Penguin Books, Ltd. 1996. Rengakos, Antonios. Homertext und die Hellenistichen Dichter. Hermes. Einzelschriften, Heft 64. Stuttgart, F. Steiner, 1993. Van der Valk, Marchinus. Textual Criticism of the Odyssey. Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1949.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Animal Farm: a Story Based on Communism

The novel â€Å"Animal Farm† is a story based on communism, and revolves around the Russian revolution and the Soviet Union, showing this by the animal’s feelings, emotions and actions of communism eventually becoming corrupt. The novel is written by George Orwell and is told by a narrator in third person, and shows how communism operates and reflects upon the characters. The main characters in Animal Farm would make a list of: Napoleon (the big fat pig), Old Major (the boar), Snowball (Napoleon’s best friend, the white pig), Squealer (Napoleon’s side kick, the pig), boxer (the horse) and Benjamin (the donkey) as the rest being pigs and sheep etc.Napoleon would be the perfect specimen for being the key character to reveal George Orwell’s important warning or theme, which is that power, corrupts. Old major, gathers the animals of the Manor Farm for a meeting in the big barn. He tells them of a dream he has had in which all animals live together with no human beings to oppress or control them. He tells the animals that they must work toward such a paradise, and teaches them a song called â€Å"Beasts of England,† in which his dream vision is lyrically described. The animals greet Major’s vision with great enthusiasm.When he dies only three nights after the meeting, three younger pigs, Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer, formulate his key principles into a philosophy called Animalism. Belatedly one night, the animals manage to overpower the farmer Mr. Jones in a battle, virtually forcing him to leave. They rename the property Animal Farm from Manor Farm and dedicate themselves to achieving Major’s dream. The carthorse Boxer devotes himself to the cause with particular fanaticism, committing his great strength to the success of the farm and adopting as a delicate maxim the support â€Å"I will work harder. Originally, Animal Farm prospers. Snowball is ever so determine to teach the animals to read, and Napoleon is the head of a group of youthful puppies to educate them in the ethics of Animalism. When Mr Jones shows unannounced to fight back for his farm, the animals defeat him once again, in what comes to be known as the Battle of the Cowshed, and take the farmer’s abandoned gun as a token of their victory. As time leads on, nevertheless, Napoleon and Snowball gradually hedge over the future of the farm, and they commence to find it hard with each other for power and influence amid the farm.Snowball concocts a scheme to build an electricity-generating windmill, except Napoleon firmly opposes the plan. When the meeting aroused for the vote on whether to take up the task, Snowball astounds everyone one with his speech. Even though Napoleon gives only a brief rejoin, he suddenly made a strange noise, and nine attack dogs, the puppies that Napoleon had confiscated in order to â€Å"educate†, rupture into the barn and hound Snowball from the farm. Napoleon ends up assuming leade rship of Animal Farm while declaring to that will be the end for any meeting.From there on, he asserts, the pigs alone will make the decisions now onwards for the good of everyone. Napoleon ends up shifting his mind about the windmill and especially Boxer, and of course with all the animals going along with it, to devote their efforts to completing it. The windmill ended up falling down from a storm. The human farmers in the area thought that the animals made the walls too thin, due to the end result. Napoleon claims that Snowball came back to sabotage the windmill.He stages a great wash out during which animals who allegedly participates in Snowball’s great plan. In other words any animal who opposes Napoleon’s uncontested leadership, convene direct death at the teeth of the attack dogs. With his leadership not answered (Boxer has taken up a second maxim, Napoleon always being correct. Napoleon begins growing his powers, rewriting history to make Snowball a villain. N apoleon begins to act more like a human being, sleeping in a bed, drinking whisky, and engaging in trade farmers.The initial Animalist principles exactly forbade such activities, but Squealer, Napoleon’s propagandist, justifies the actions to the others, whilst convincing that Napoleon is a handy leader and makes everything better for everyone, despite the fact that the common animals are cold, hungry, and pushed too far. A neighboring farmer called Mr Frederick scams some timber and then attacks the farm and dynamites the windmill, in saying that the repair was expensive.After the demolition of the windmill, a slanting battle, when boxer cops major wounds. The animals rout the farmers, but Boxer’s injuries weakened him. When he falls whilst working on the windmill. All of a sudden, Boxer is nowhere to be found. According to Squealer, Boxer is in peace after being taken to the hospital, admiring the Rebellion with Boxers very last breath. In realism, Napoleon has sold his most loyal and long suffering worker to a glue maker in order to earn money for whisky.As time passes on the farm, the pigs become and eventually act like human beings likewise, walking upright, carrying whips, and wearing clothes. In the long run, the seven principles of Animalism, known as the Seven Commandments and decorated on the side of the barn, ends up being reduced to a single principle reading, â€Å"all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others†. Napoleon entertains a human farmer named Mr. Pilkington at a dinner and declares his intent to ally himself with the human farmers against the laboring classes of both the human and animal communities.Eventually Animal Farm is returned to the name being Manor Farm, claiming that Manor Farm is correct. Looking through the farmhouse window, the common animals can no longer figure for who are the pigs or the human beings. Animal Farm is mainly famous in the West as a stinging critique of the history and rheto ric of the Russian Revolution. Retelling the story of the emergence and development of Soviet communism in the form of an animal fable.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Mukcrakers 5.02

1. Define the term â€Å"Muckraker. † Be sure to include the name of the person who created it -Muckrakers were American journalists and novelists of the 20th century who exposed corruption in government and businesses. The term was created by Theodore Roosevelt. 2. Naturalism was a literary movement of the late 19th century that was an extension of Realism. What was the main focus of the Naturalistic writer? -The main focus of the Naturalistic writer was the fringes society, the criminal, the fallen, and the down-and-out 3.American Realists believed that humanity's freedom of choice was limited by the power of outside forces. How would this view differ from the perspective of the Romantic writer (think of someone like Emerson)? -Romantic writers believed that all people were encouraged torward self-development, and that everyone is valued as individuals from birth. They also believed in expressing themselves in ways that they chose, like art, and all kinds of expression. 4. I n  your  opinion, based on what you have read, why would post Civil War, newly industrialized America be attracted to the Realistic movement? It was an age of reform. There was so sugar coating things. The south was destroyed, newly frees blacks were in poverty, and the economy was bad. Change was happening but everything wasn’t lollipops and daises. 5. What is meant by the term â€Å"local color†? -Local color is also called regional literature. It is fictional literature about a certain region, which means the characters; the way they talk and live would all be they way things are in that specific region.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Leadership Value

Leadership has been a common term and everyone has his or her own understanding of its meaning. Most of the time we understood leadership on one’s strong character combined with charisma. But this understanding is faulty as leadership is not a sole function of individual charisma or talent but a collective activity. Gilbert Fairnholm defines leadership as an interactive function of a leader and several followers jointly engaged† (p. 8) which means that there is a collective effort in terms of value and trust enough to prove each one’s confidence in participating in collective activity. Value on the other hand derived its roots from French and English word courage or valor. In business world, value means worth thus according to Kim S. Cameron, â€Å"value creation is the objective of every enterprise, every worker, and every leader and all employees are judged by their ability to create value† (p. 4). Leadership value therefore could mean a collected courageous undertakings being inspired by the leader’s own courage or the worth of having a leader in a collective effort. The leadership Principles Joseph A. Heim pointed out five principles of leadership that should be implemented in order to have a â€Å"successful management of people and technology† (p. 161). The first principle, the people understands the vision. Heim explained that when people understands the vision or the larger task of an enterprise, and are given the right information, the resources, and the responsibility, they will do the right thing (p. 161). The second principle is empowerment of individual. Heim noted that empowered people—and of course with a good leadership–empowered groups will have not only the ability but also the desire to participate in the decision process. Heim explained that the level of involvement will enable and encourage the individual to make decision rather than adopt a passive or reactive attitude, waiting to be told what to do. The third principle is a comprehensive and effective communications network. Heim emphasized that this network should distribute knowledge and information widely; embracing the openness and trust that allow the individual to feel empowered to affect the real problems. The fourth is integrated enterprise, it is the result of â€Å"democratization and dissemination of information through the network† (p. 161) in all directions irrespective of organizational position. The result of these first four principles, which is distributed decision-making, is the fifth principle. Heim pointed out that â€Å"information freely shared with empowered people who are motivated to make decisions will naturally distribute the decision making process through the entire organization. Leadership and Values According to Jeswal Salacuse, â€Å"Leadership express a complex and at the same time flexible concept† (p. 19). Salacuse noted that the English word â€Å"leader† is derived from the old English laedan which means to show the way, to be ahead of   moving a group of people willing toward and objective. It therefore implies the existence of followers. Like leadership, everyone may have already basic idea of what values are. Dran, Gila M. Von, and Jennifer Cargill point out that Values â€Å"are broad general beliefs about the way people should behave, or about some end state they should attain† (p. 121). They explained that people form their values in the same way in which they develop their personality, thus values are conclusive beliefs individual develop gradually about what is true or right or good about their world. They pointed out â€Å"values come from the early conditioning, experience, and significant events in one’s life† (p. 121) and are the criteria for selecting actions, goals, and methods. Leadership Traits Pieter John Diederik Drenth, Henk Thiery, and Charles Johanes Wolff, pointed out that leadership traits â€Å"is founded on the assumption that leaders poses certain personal qualities, such as courage, intelligence, strength of character, vision, or charisma, which followers do not possess† (p. 326) But this assumption waned because according to Drent, Thiery, and Wolff, â€Å"it has proved impossible to find a single set of characteristic that enables a clear and reliable distinction to be drawn between†¦ leaders and followers† (p. 326). But recent study admits that certain characteristics are only important in certain circumstances such as in athletic or sports. Drent, Thiery and Wolff pointed out the studies conducted in 1981 by Bass which concludes that â€Å"Leadership as such is not a property of an individual’s personality, but there are nonetheless certain fixed personal characteristic that seem to play part in the exercise of leadership† (p. 326). Leadership Skill Like leadership and values, skill is a familiar term. Skill is the ability to do something well. Robert Eugene Lefton and Victor Buzzota identified four basic leadership skills that a leader needs. First, The sizing-up skills or the ability to observe what do in work situations as objectively as you can; Second, Communication skills or the ability to find out what others think and for getting your own ideas across, Third, Motivational skills or the ability to create an environment in which people do what they are capable of because they have a compelling reason to do so, and fourth, Adaptive skills or the ability to relate to people as a unique individual. Advance leadership skills Advance leadership skills according to William Christ, are â€Å"blends of knowledge, skill, and attitude and require greater levels of behavioral flexibility and adaptability† (p. 29). Below are some of the advance leadership scales that Christ delineated. (1) Manage and resolve conflicts effectively, (2) Develop messages that influence attitudes, beliefs, and actions, (3) Ability to demonstrate credibility and ability to manage multiple communications effectively, (4) Creative management skills, and (5) interpersonal skills. Leadership Behavior Leadership behavior according Manuel London is the result of perceiving situations, relating situational perceptions to accumulated knowledge, and then using scripts to guide the production of situationally appropriate behavior.   Studies on leadership behavior shows that exemplary leaders always balanced high task orientation and high person orientation, according to Gary Monroe Crow, Joseph Mathews, and Lloyed Mc Cleary, task orientation focused such behaviors as planning, monitoring and coordinating, while person-orientation focused on such behavior as informing of decisions and praising their accomplishment (p. 11). Assessing Leadership and measuring its Effect Assessing leadership according to Daniel Goleman , Rechard Boyatzis, and Annie Mckee can be done through a series of interviews   and observations by a professional executive coach. Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee point out that a â€Å"typical process include conversations about the leaders career and life history, discussion of current managerial and leadership challenges, and discussion of the organizational-level issues as well as including things such as climate, politics, and system† (p. 228). Novick, Morrow, and Mays discussed measuring leadership effect.   According to them, one question that a leader should ask is, ‘How am I doing as a leader?’   They suggested that by using psychological assessment instruments can help measure leadership effect or effectiveness.   This instrument that help assess one’s self and appreciate the contribution of others is available in many forms. Work Cited Cameron, Kim S. Competing Values Leadership: Creating Value in Organization. Christ, William. Leadership in Times of Change: A Handbook for Communication and Media Administrators (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1998) Crow, Gary Monroe, et.al. Leadership: A Relevant and Realistic Role for Principals. (Eye on Education, Inc., 1996). Drenth, Pieter Johan Drederick, et.al., Organizational Psychology. (Psychology Press, 1998). Fairnholm, Gilbert W. Leadership and Culture of Trust. (Praeger/Greenwood, 1994). Heim, Joseph. Manufacturing Systems: Foundations of World Class Practice. (National Academies, 1992). Goleman Daniel, et.al. Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead. (Harvard Business School Press, 2004). Lefton, Robert Eugene and Buzzota, Victor. Leadership Through People Skills. (McGraw-Hill Professional, 2004). London, Manuel. How People Evaluate Others in Organization. (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001). Novick, Lloyd, et.al. Public Health Administration: Principles for Population Based Management. (Jones and Bartlett, 2007) Salacuse, Jeswal W. Leading Leaders: How to Manage Smart, Talented, Rich, and Powerful People. (AMARCOM Div. American Management Association, 2006).          Â