Unit III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unit III - Essay Example Aside from the willingness and determination of each group to lead the store, language barriers and racial differences are often considered to be the major causes of internal conflicts between the American and Japanese employees. (Sherman, Fefer, & Ah Pak, 1991) Communication problem that exists between the two parties often creates organizational problems that are difficult to solve. Given that most of the Americans are less eager to learn about the Japanese language and vice versa combined with the lack of cultural knowledge about the other race, the Americans and the Japanese employees has divided themselves into two major groups. Since the end of World War II, Japanese had spent a lot of time and effort learning about the cultural differences, business approaches, and technology that are available in other countries in order to rebuild the economic foundation in Japan. (De Mente, 1993: 1) Aside from being aware of the American’s typical straight-forward approach at work, most Japanese are also aware that the Americans require them to maintain an eye contact when they communicate with one another. (Tominaga, 2008) Even though some of the Japanese employees have tried to use the American-style management, not all American-style management had been successful in Japan due to the â€Å"unwritten business principles that are considered to be an integral part of the Japanese culture†. (De Mente, 1993: 2) Most Americans are aware of the typical business practices in Japan such as the need to bow when greeting a Japanese businessman, the need to establish a good rapport with the Japanese workers, and the ritual of exchanging business cards during the first meeting or prior to a business discussion. (Tominaga, 2008) However, very few of the American employees know very little facts and information about the culture behind a

Memo and Email Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Memo and Email - Article Example Although organizations benefit a great deal from the use of email services for correspondences, there has been a growing concern regarding the misuse of email services, which are proving costly to organizations. Evidences across organizations show that emails are increasingly at risk of misuse by malicious employees. The increased misuse of company emails has seen a rise in employers firing their workers now and then. Current estimate shows that more than a quarter of employers have fired their employees for e-mail misuse. For instance, PNC Bank recently fired Norma Yetsko and Heidi Arace for sending offensive jokes on companys email (Morales 3). The Management of PNC Bank claimed that the two of its employees violated the company policy by misusing the company emails by sending offensive jokes, which were not only defamatory, but also landed the company into a lawsuit. MacDonald Dettwiler Company also fired two of its employees, Nicolas Di Vito and Alastair Mathers for sending offen sive emails depicting the sexual gymnastic of a female co-worker who is overweight. The offensive email resulted in a lawsuit in which the offended woman jointly sued the company and the two employees for defamation (Morales 3). These among other incidences shows how misuse of company email can be costly to a company. In both cases, the email misuse by the employees dented the image of the two companies and resulted in a civil liability. The email risks that happened at MacDonald Dettwiler Company and PNC Bank can happen in any company at any time. Therefore, to prevent the occurrence of email misuse by employees, it is critical for the management to create guidelines that define how emails are used in the organization. Creating email guidelines will be of great benefit to the company since it will ensure that the companys staff uses emails professionally thereby protecting the professional image of the

Identify rock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Identify rock - Essay Example The term ‘Eucrite’ has now become obsolete for the igneous rock known as bytownite-gabbro that is formed in the Earth’s crust. It is also a term that was mostly used for the Paleogene rocks found in Scotland. Eucrites are a part of the HED meteorite clan that consists of over a hundred different meteorites. This is because they mainly originate from the surface of an asteroid known as 4 Vesta (Binzel, & Xu, 1993). They are achindritic stony meteorites and are the most distinct of the clan. This type of rock also consists of the basaltic rock found in the same asteroid. The rocks are mostly made of pegeonite, Calcium-poor pyroxene, and lastly the anorthite (Calcium-rich plagioclase). The above composition of the different rocks is what requires that the eucrites be divided into several groups. The first category is the cumulate eucrites. This type of rock is rare and is thought to originate from the interior of the 4 Vesta, from its crust that is, and deep within its solidified magma (Binzel, & Xu, 1993). Polymict eucrites, on the other hand, are regolith breccias. This type of rocks is also very rare and consist of mostly eucrite segments and less that 10% of a type of howardites known as diogenite. The structure is also as coarse as most other rocks made of silica (Binzel, & Xu, 1993). Lastly, there are the most common type of eucrites, which bears almost all the above rocks characteristics, spongy and having alternating rough and smooth segments. They are known as the Non-cumulate

Huella Online Essay Example for Free

Huella Online Essay Introduction Huella Online Travel was an Internet travel portal Founded in 1999 in Kuala Lumpua, Malaysia targeting Greater China and Asian Pacific. It expanded into 10 different markets across Asia, including Hong Kong. Huella online travel sells travel related products and services to customers, on behalf of suppliers, such as airlines, car rentals and hotels. Problem Statement Hong Kong consumers have low interest in buying airline tickets online although internet penetration is quite high. Research Objectives Huella‘s Hong Kong site was launched in 2000. Revenue growth in Hong Kong had been less than expected. Huella market share in Hong Kong to be only 4% compared 9% in Singapore. In this regard, we seek to †¢To get a depth insight into Hong Kong online travel market †¢To find rationale behind low usage of online booking of airline tickets in Hong Kong especially people belonging to the age group of 18-35 †¢Perception of Huella brand and its Hong Kong website Research Design The research will be conducted with the help of survey through the feedback of questionnaires from a sample of 300 people (including both male and female) belonging to the age group of 18 to 35 and will be conducted online. The sample will focus students, business executives and leisure travellers. The respondents used to fill the questionnaire will be based on Random Sampling. DATA ANALYSIS The answers of the questions in the questionnaires will be analyzed on the basis of scale which may vary from question to question and is constructed at the time of preparation of the questionnaires. The results will be shown in terms of percentages and the graphical representation of people’s preferences in terms of percentages and ratios. BUDGET The overall cost may range from $ 2,000 to $ 3,000 approximately. SCHEDULE The Research may take Three months, according to the schedule as follow: ïÆ'ËœOne month for the questionnaires to be filled by respondents. ïÆ'ËœOne Month for the Data Analysis. ïÆ'ËœOne Moth for the preparation of Report.

Strategy Amidst Tactics Essay -- Military Science

World history has given people numerous amounts of lessons to learn from and has shown perfect examples of ideal decision making and terrible decision making. One outstanding detail is the fact that history has displayed that war is inevitable. Rationally, war seems as if it can be avoided, especially because it usually begins over disputes, ranging from territorial ones or over resources. However, war traces back to civilization, and a number of the most intellectual leaders in the world resorted to declaration of war to resolve matters of territorial gain, nationalism, resources, and a variety of other reasons. War therefore has been established as a fragment of life, with countries consistently developing their militaries and weapons. Consequently, a strong, successfully military is ideal with the threat of war always on the horizon. But what makes a military successful? War simply has no rules; there are no limitations on weapons or damage that can be done or how many people are to perish before it is all over, so what does every military need? â€Å"The suprerior fighter does not rely on his powerful punch or quick reflexes. Instead he creates a rhythm of the fight that suits him, advancing and retreating at a pace he sets†¦ He wins not with his fists but by controlling the ring† is a quotation that sheds light on the solution. The solution: strategy. For example, there have been moments in history in which a country should lose because they were outnumbered militarily or in terms of resources, but strategy allowed them to prevail as the victors. The United States is a country that has a successful military, but has also relied on a few consistent strategies during its establishment and development as a nation. Throughout America... ...rnes and John Daniel Hayes. The battle of Port Royal, S.C.: from the journal of John Sanford Barnes, October 8 to November 9, 1861. Kimmett, Larry, and Margaret Regis. U.S. submarines in World War II: an illustrated history. Seattle, Wash.: Navigator Pub., 1996. Mark Parillo, "The Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II," in Reevaluating Major Naval Combatants of World War II (New York, Greenwood Press, 1990), p. 64. Painter, David S. 2009. "The Marshall Plan and oil." Cold War History 9, no. 2: 159-175. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed April 20, 2012). Parillo, Mark P.. The Japanese merchant marine in World War II. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1993. Rickard, J.. "Battle of Port Royal, 7 November 1861." Military History Encyclopedia on the Web. http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_port_royal.html (accessed February 11, 2012).

Meeting Stakeholder Quality Needs Essay

Reflective Statement In this module I have had to think about how this company functions in a lot more detail than I have ever done before. It is easy to take for granted some of the work that is done on the quality side of the business. It was interesting to look at and audit my department and discuss with my manager areas where I believe we can improve. The skills I have been taught have given me a new view on the processes I complete and I am now considering alterations and improvements which I did not do before. The module has led me to question why things are done the way they are done, and if there is a better, more efficient way. Finally the concept of stakeholders, whilst not new, has been made more relevant. I am more aware of what I do and how it affects others within Allen Gears. I am more aware of how the company is viewed within the community and the importance that of the community as a stakeholder in the business. 1.1 Determine organisational stakeholders and their expectations Stakeholders can be categorised as any party that has a share or an interest in an undertaking. This could mean literal ownership and shares in a business or an actual interest in a business succeeding as its success is in some way tied to your own. This therefore includes customers, suppliers, employees and the local community. When considering Allen Gears, as an employee I would be considered a stakeholder. The Management team of Directors are stakeholders not only through being employed but not as owners. As a company that pays taxes the government are a stakeholder and as an employee of nearly 200 people the surrounding area would be considered a stakeholder. Another way of determining stakeholders is to identify those who are directly impacted by the project and those who may be indirectly affected. Examples of directly impacted stakeholders are the project team members or a customer who the project is being done f or. Those indirectly affected may include an adjacent organization or members of the local community. Directly affected stakeholders will usually have greater influence and impact of a project than those indirectly affected. Every stakeholder has their own needs and requirements. Each of their requirements will not be the same and may divert along different tangents. For example within Allen gears a concept to produce fewer gearboxes but at higher margin for more profits may sit well with government and shareholders, but if it comes at the cost of jobs and less revenue for suppliers then this would not be in their interests. It is therefore difficult to please all stakeholders at all times as their requirements may be at odds with each other, but awareness of your stakeholders and their expectations can help when you are making decisions that directly or indirectly impact on your stakeholders. 1.2 Discuss methods of meeting stakeholder expectations or requirements Stakeholders can b e defined as all entities that are impacted through a business running its operations and conducting other activities related to its existence. The impact can be direct in the case of the business’s customers and suppliers or indirect in the case of the communities in which the business chooses to place its locations. Businesses must consider the needs and expectations of its stakeholders, though it need not consider them to be of equal importance. Certain stakeholders such as owners and investors are more important than others. Once the business has identified its stakeholders and their importance to the business, it can begin to plan based on their needs and expectations. Each stakeholder has concerns that it expects to be met by the business. For example, the business’s owners expect it to be profitable and to distribute that profit to them while local and federal government agencies expect it to obey the law and pay its taxes on time. The importance of each stakeholder to the business determines the degree to which the business attempts to accommodate the stakeholder in the course of planning its actions. [ (Li, 2013) ] If identifying the stakeholders is the first step then the second step is to plan how you intend to communicate with them. If there is a two way method of communicating not only can you inform the stakeholders that you are meeting their expectations, more importantly they can inform you when you aren’t. These can be as easy as a brief conversation or a detailed as a monthly meeting with the chamber of Commerce. Within Allen Gears I attend several weekly meeting where stakeholder requirements are not only expressed but tracked to make sure we meet pre agreed targets and delivery dates. Any information gathered from communication needs to be disseminated throughout the company. This is so that all aspects of the company are aware of the stakeholder expectations. Once the relevant information is received it can be acted upon and the results can be reported to the stake holder. Within sales our key stakeholders are typically customers. We communicate via meeting, ov er the phone or by e-mail. Typically any requirements that are technical are e-mailed and upon receipt someone in our department is tasked with resolving any questions or requirements. The results are then feedback to the customer. 1.3 Identify methods of communicating stakeholders’ requirements with team members Communication Methods The method to communicate within Allen Gears should be based on: * The type of information to be distributed * The audience requirements * The timeline for a required response [ (Abudi, 2009-2013) ] Within Allen Gears the sales team all sit within speaking distance of one another so it is quite easy to express any immediate stakeholder requirements or issues. For formal clarifications or where a response needs to be documented e-mails are usually the preferred method. These are easy to store and handy to reference in complicated situations or where a large amount of information needs to be given. In sales we also regularly visit our customers who are our primary stakeholders. As we operate around the globe a cheaper alternative to this is conference calls. Any relevant information from these calls or meeting can then be fed back to team members via visit reports or one-to-one sessions. We also operate a database which holds all the latest information gathered or sent to our stakeholders. This is accessible by all members of the sales team. 1.4 Explain processes for updating information on stakeholder requirements Stakeholder requirements will change rarely stay fixed. Dependant on the nature of the stakeholder they can change due to your actions or their situation. Within sales our primary stakeholder is the customer. Part of our sales role is to review the status and satisfaction of the customer. Feedback may indicate that we need to change your approach to stakeholders. Within Allen Gears another key stakeholder is the projects management team. We regularly discuss how to improve and if we can prove a better quality of work. If an improvement is found it is implemented through team meetings and process change. There are a number of implications o f not responding quickly to a change in stakeholder requirements, including wasted resources, broken relationships, and damage to the organisation’s reputation. At Allen Gears one of the tools we employ to update stakeholder requirements is a tender database. This holds the latest information received from our stakeholders and is sorted by each tender or project. Against each entry is a section that records any necessary action to be taken with respect to the latest information received. This tool allows us to maintain a record of the latest information and encourages dialogue with our stakeholders to make sure we are meeting their expectations. 2.1 Discuss the meaning of quality to an organisation When discussing the meaning of quality to an organization it is important to define meaning of quality. For Allen Gears quality could be described as meeting the needs and expectations of our customers. What must also be considered is the cost of achieving that quality. The â€Å"cost of quality† isn’t the price of creating a quality product or service. It’s the cost of not creating a quality product or service. A useful tool to help recognise failures and re-work is the Cost of Quality (CoQ) Model. In this, every activity is classified either as Core Work, Failure, Appraisal or Prevention. The Cost of Quality is the sum of Failure, Appraisal and Prevention costs. This is a relevant way of thinking about waste and failure. Core Work| All work carried out directly for the benefit of a customer, done right the first time. These are real, value-adding activities. Customers would happily pay you good money to do these, on their behalf.| Examples: Delivering service to a customer, manufacturing a product, issuing an invoice, processing an order| Failure| Any activities associated with producing errors, or services that are not right the first time, or dealing with work that was not done right the first time. None of this is â€Å"good†.| Examples: Handling complaints, paying compensation for problem, dealing with queries, responding to help-desk calls, correcting errors, solving problems, repeating previously done work| Appraisal| Any activities carried out to check if work has been done right the first time. Some of these activities are â€Å"good†, if they lead to prevention activities that improve core work.| Examples (good): Audits that lead to improvement, staff performance appra isals Examples (bad): checking somebody else’s work, authorising, counter-signing, QC checks| Prevention| Any activities carried out to ensure other activities can be carried out right the first time. These are â€Å"good† things to do.| Examples: Training, coaching, developing standard operating procedures, identifying customers’ requirements, briefing staff on plans and requirements, developing error-proofed systems, establishing policies| The theory behind the Cost of Quality (CoQ) Model is that, the more time that is spent on Prevention activities, the less time will need to be spent on Appraisal and dealing with Failures. Prevention activities build quality in. Both Appraisal and Failure are â€Å"after the event†, and therefore are too late and add cost. (Seath, 2006) Examples within Allen Gears include: * The reworking of a manufactured item. * The retesting of an assembly. * The rebuilding of a tool. * The correction of a tendered document. In short, any cost that would not have been expended if quality were perfect contributes to the cost of quality. (Campanella, 1999) To reduce the cost of quality a business needs to employ a process that can be reviewed, maintained and assessed so that quality is not only always achieved but is done so in the most efficient manner. 2.2 Identify and apply organisational quality policies and procedures ISO 9001 (OE and Services) ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised standard for the quality management of businesses. It applies to the processes that create and control the products and services an organisation supplies, and prescribes systematic control of activities to ensure that the needs and expectations of customers are met. ISO 9001 is designed and intended to apply to virtually any product or service, made by any process anywhere in the world [ (ISOQAR Limited , 2013) ] There are 6 mandatory procedures required by the ISO 9001 standard. * Control of Documents * Control of Records * Internal audit * Control of non-conformance * Corrective action * Preventive action Within Allen Gears we adhere to all these procedures as standard. Documents are required to have an issue number. Records are controlled and stored by the quality department. Departments are internally audited every six months. As Allen Gears manufactures many parts any non conformance is highlighted and corrective and preventative action is taken as standard. This also happens in all areas of the business but this tends to occur more in manufacture due to the unique and complex nature of our products. ISO 14001 (OE and Services) ISO 14001 is an international standard that specifies a process for controlling and improving a company’s environmental performance. ISO 14001 consists of: * General requirements * Environmental policy * Planning * Implementation and operation * Checking and corrective action * Management review This means you: Identify elements of your business that impact on the environment and gain access to the relevant environmental legislation. Produce objectives for improvement and a management program to achieve them, with regular reviews for continual improvement. Primarily within Allen Gears this relates to the environmental consequences from the manufacture of our products. Allen Gears uses hazardous substances that must be controlled and managed in a safe and an environmental friendly way. Also within our office there is a recycling policy that is part of the overall environmental policy. [ (ISOQAR Limited , 2013) ] ISO 18001 (OE and Services) BS OHSAS 18001 is intended to help businesses control occupational Health and Safety risks. It was developed in response to a widespread demand for a recognised standard of certification, and actually works well with the ISO 14001 standard. It is a framework that allows a business to consistently identify and control its Health and Safety risks, reduce the potential for accidents and legal issues, and improve overall performance. (ISOQAR Limited , 2013) Within Allen Gears this standard requires the completion of risk assessments and risk control.This is especially important within a company that operates heavy machinery, which Allen Gears does. We also required to report all incidents and check for corrective and/or preventative action. 2.3 Determine how to encourage staff to contribute ideas to improve quality At Allen Gears due to the specialised nature of our gearboxes everything that we do is centred on providing a quality, bespoke product. To that end the ideas and practices of promoting quality are ingrained into the company structure. We are consistently looking at improving and checking that processes are as efficient as possible. We have several methods which we use to encourage staff to suggest ideas to improve quality. Allen Gears runs a suggestion box which looks for quality improvements and process improvements. This is reviewed weekly and there is a monthly cash prize for the best idea which promotes staff participation. Staff are appraised and performance is discussed. Key performance indicators are agreed and these relate to quality as well as productivity. The appraisals are a two-way dialogue therefore staff have a chance to highlight areas of concern and methods to improve quality. Staff are encouraged to participate, give their thoughts and are made to feel that it is a safe environment to make suggestions. Around the business there are information screens which give all member of the company the latest information on how we are performing as a company against agreed targets. This shows the parts of the business that are on target and the parts that are not. This helps the business to focus on the areas that need the most attention. Given the importance of quality, you can never have too many ways to encourage improvements. Using a â€Å"negative focus† is one of those methods. The rea lity is that when members of staff make errors or mistakes, someone has to do extra work to make up for the issues at hand. Typically this is at an extra cost or within a short time frame than the original work. When you link poor quality to extra work, you challenge employees to face reality for themselves and others. Mistakes and errors have a negative impact. The way to reverse this situation is to reduce or eliminate them and by highlighting the issues employees are motivated to think of solutions. 2.4 Conduct a quality audit and make recommendations for improvement One of the most important objectives of an internal quality audit is measuring the effectiveness of an organization’s quality management system. For this to happen, executive management must first meet its overriding responsibility of establishing and maintaining a system regarding quality policy, goals, resources, processes and effective performance–including monitoring and measuring the system’s effectiveness and efficiency. For example below is a portion the sales process for enquiries that is to be audited. Audits are conducted to verify whether processes are conducted in accordance with documented processes, BS EN ISO 9001, customer requirements, and legislation and for aerospace processes, subject to AS9100. Compliance against Rolls-Royce and customer specifications may also be audited. Audits shall be used to determine the effectiveness of the quality system and the results fed back to top The ultimate aim of the audit process is to identify weaknesses within the Allen Gears processes – as continuously improving these will prevent quality and delivery issues. Scheduled internal audits of compliance with company procedures and BS EN ISO 9001, AS9100 checklist covering all teams having an influence on the quality of the product or the environment. Unscheduled audits of any area, function or activity as deemed necessary. In instances of non-conformance to procedures, BS EN ISO 9001 or AS9100 an ‘Audit Failure Entry’ (Corrective Action Request) shall be raised for each clause or procedure contravened. Each Corrective Action Request will be given a unique number via the IBS system. The Auditor shall discuss non-conformities with the Manager and agree a mutually acceptable rectification plan and close out date. This shall be recorded on the GD233-2. Should t he auditor have difficulties in obtaining a commitment to rectify a non-compliance, then the Director or MD shall be consulted. It is the process owner’s responsibility to close down non-conformances with their area. A table listing the questions and corrective actions based on the Sales report can be seen below: Question| Y/N| Examples /documentation| Issues?| Corrective action/Recommendations for improvement| Have all members of the sales team got access to the standard practices and process?| Yes| On the desktop of every computer or laptop is a shortcut to Allen Gears Standard Procedures. Members of staff are made aware of this and part of the training is to go through this in detail| No issues| No corrective action required| Are all staff aware of the standard practices and processes for their job role?| Yes| From discussions all members of the sales team are aware of the standard practices. These practices require that documentation and databases are filled in. The staff completing these tasks is an example of their awareness| No Issues| No corrective action required| Are tenders highlighted as highly likely or unlikely?| Yes| Within the tender database there is a section for highlighting the likely hood. Part of the tendering process is to complete this.| On a few tenders this part of t he tender database has been left empty leaving it unclear whether the tender is likely or not.| A regular review of the database to make sure all aspects are fully completed and filled in.| Are the tender database and tender files kept updated| Partially| The tender database was reviewed and there were examples of recent correspondence with customers.| The tender database has a section that records actions and the date they are due to be completed by and there is evidence that this part of the database has not been updated for some tenders. A print out of files that have not been updated is issued but not acted upon| A regular review of the database to make sure all aspects are fully completed and filled in. Meetings to unsure that the information is up to date| Are customers contacted regularly for information?| Yes| Important e-mails are forwarded to management and are also recorded in the database. Phones and correspondence is recorded in the database. Weekly meetings are held to discuss ke y projects. This meetings are recorded in Outlook| No Issues| No corrective action required| Are bid no bid reviews completed?| Partially| Bid no bid reviews are recorded in outlook as a weekly Monday meeting.| If an enquiry comes in that requires immediate attention,(or needs resolution before the next Monday) there is no structure for impromptu bid no bid reviews| An alternative method of reviewing short term proposals and projects should be formulated.| Are Specification reviews completed?| Partially| There is evidence of specification reviews taking place for highly likely projects only| If a project that was not likely becomes likely it may not have been reviewed to a sufficient level and this will not be recorded.| Within the tender database there should be a section to record that a review has taken place. A tick box would suffice. It is not necessary to review all projects.| Are tender documents produced in accordance with the sales process?| Yes| There is evidence within th e tender files of General Arrangement drawings, tenders and datasheets. They are stored correctly and completed to the required standard.| No Issues| No corrective action required| Are tenders turned down and closed down in accordance with the sales process?| Partially| There is evidence of tenders that are dead, but they have not been closed out to a sufficient level| The major issue is that reports that are run will include incorrect data| The database and tender files need to be checked more regularly to ensure that data held is accurate| Is all order documentation completed correctly and within the minimum timescale?| Yes| There is evidence in the tender files of all the documentation in accordance with Allen Gears procedures being completed and examples and notes from the necessary pre order meetings. This shows that orders are completed to the required standard| No Issues| No corrective action required| 3.1 Discuss the concept of, and need for, continuous improvement A culture of continuous improvement is necessary to enhance productivity and free up the capacity that will provide manufacturers a stable foundation to pursue innovation and growth. (The National Institute of Standards and Technology , 2011 ) For a business it means that you are constantly and consistently improving your competitive position by improving efficiency, quality, innovation, or any other attribute that is vital to the system or process within the business. If you do not continuously improve any number of bad outcomes can occur. Customers stop buying, profitability declines and morale decreases. The plan–do–check–act cycle (Figure 1) is a four–step model for carrying out change. Just as a circle has no end, the PDCA cycle should be repeated again and again for continuous improvement. Figure 1: Plan-do-check-act cycle When to Use Plan–Do–Check–Act: * As a model for continuous improvement. * When starting a new improvement project. * When developing a new or improved design of a process, product or service. * When defining a repetitive work process. * When planning data collection and analysis in order to verify and prioritize problems or root causes. * When implementing any change. [ (American Society for Quality, 2004) ] Within Allen Gears we use the plan-do-check-act cycle. Typically on a quarterly basis we brainstorm and produce evaluation matrices based on areas where we believe we can bring about change and improvement. Recently we investigated reducing the total time spent in productivity meetings. As they involve several members of management and take 30-45 minutes, any time saved would be seen as a quantifiable improvement. Following the evaluation process we began the trialling of a new method for displaying productivity figures for our weekly meeting. This was a small scale test to see if time was saved. After a month there was agreement that this method made it easier to analyse where productivity was falling and where staff were not being utilised efficiently. This meant the meetings where shorter. This display method is now used in several other areas of the business to display their productivity figures on a monthly and quarterly basis. 3.2 Assess work activities and identify areas for improvement In my roles as a Sales Engineer my key deliverables and work activities are to: * Produce proposals in response to client’s enquiries. * Manage the interfaces of Engineering, procurement, Commercial and Tendering inputs to ensure all proposals are commercially and technically robust. * Manage and agree prioritisations of Engineering, procurement, Commercial and Tendering to ensure clients required dates are adhered too. * Communicate with customers throughout proposal preparation, post submission and ongoing, in order to develop long term customer relationships. * Undertake customer visits in support of the sales strategy. Producing proposals is an important part of informing the customer how the gearbox Allen Gears intends to produce is aligned with what they have requested. Currently there are parts of the proposal that are standardised. Whilst it would not be possible to standardise the whole proposal there are steps that could be taken to reduce the overall time to complete a proposal with standardisation. The management of the process by which parts of the business provide input for proposals is also not effici ent. Whilst communication is good it could be improved. The information received varies between members of staff and there is not a set process which details what should be received and the timescales. If this was implemented the process could be benchmarked and we would have a clearer understanding of the issues that cause delays when completing proposals. Customer communication is an important part of any business and at Allen Gears one of my key activities is to receive and act on any feedback from customers with regards to the proposals we are sending. Allen Gears currently has a very good method of collating this information and we use it as a benchmarking tool to review if we are meeting customer expectations. Whilst the tool is very effective there is always room for improvement. The tool should be reviewed for effectiveness. There is some data that is not captured within the system and on review some data that is captured but not relevant. By reviewing the tool Allen Gears can continually assess it for effectiveness and make sure it is always providing the most useful information. 3.3 Encourage staff to contribute ideas for continual improvement In these current times of austerity any competitive advantage must be realised as securing orders and making profit become increasingly difficult. By recognising the current climate and highlighting the situation within Allen Gears it is possible to get employees to suggest methods and processes which can cut costs and help the company win business. Allen Gears has tried to encourage its employees to look at processes that they are completing regularly and consider improvements. If you concentrate on nurturing the process, the results will come as a natural consequence. Everyone has processes and every process can be improved. Unintended variation in our processes leads to undesirable variation in the outcomes of our processes. If you discuss the process with process stakeholders they will be able to suggest ideas for process improvement. Another option is to provide incentives for employees who innovate. By creating a culture within Allen Gears where creative thinking and innovation is rewarded rather than frowned upon will help to constantly generate new ways that employees can function better individually and as teams, as well as improving the way the company operates as a whole. Throughout Allen Gears mangers should look for problems that need to be solved within the organisation. There is no such thing as a perfect company. A company that thinks it has nothing to improve on will certainly improve nothing. If Allen Gears or any company proactively looks for areas where your company could improve, it will give you targets to focus the energies of your employees on. Another idea is to promote the idea concept of experimentation. An organisation that is truly committed to continuous improvement is filled with people who are comfortable with learning from what doesn’t work. An organisation where people are afraid of consequences will never be successful at continuous improvement. At Allen Gears we have a research and development team where a large portion of what they produce is experimental. Bibliography Abudi, G. (2009-2013). Abudi Consulinting group. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from GinaAbudi.com: http://www.ginaabudi.com/methods-for-distributing-information-on-projects/ Ad Esse Consulting Ltd. (2008). Managing your Stakeholders. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from ad esse: http://www.ad-esse.com/resources/documents/Articles/managing_stakeholders.pdf American Society for Quality. (2004). Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle . Retrieved March 2013, from American Society for Quality: http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/project-planning-tools/overview/pdca-cycle.html Campanella, J. (1999). Principles of Quality Costs: Principles, Implementation, and Use, Third Edition,. ASQ Quality Press. ISOQAR Limited . (2013). ISO 9001 (QMS). Retrieved from ISOQAR – Part of the Alcumus Group: http://www.alcumusgroup.com/isoqar/standards/iso9001-quality/ Li, A. (2013). How Do the Needs & Expectations of Stakeholders Influence a Program’s Plan? Retrieved March 6, 2013, from Demand Media: http://smallbu siness.chron.com/needs-expectations-stakeholders-influence-programs-plan-36119.html The National Institute of Standards and Technology . (2011 , April 10). U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved from The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): http://www.nist.gov/mep/ngs-continuous-improvement.cfm Seath, I. J. (2006, October 19). Cost of Quality – the forgotten tool? Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://www.performance-measurement.net/news-detail.asp?nID=222

Welcome Introduction

Welcome/loincloth Thanks My name is Saw. I'm one of the students here. I think I don't really look like a student. But I am one. I would like to welcome you here this morning. And I would like to say â€Å"Thank very much† for coming. We know all of you are very busy, so we really appreciate you making the time for us. I thank all of my classmates as well because they gave me the chance to give the easy speech, I think, † Welcome & Introduction†. I expected it to be easy but in reality it is not. I practiced a lot to give this speech in front of you but the practice didn't work.I feel nervous. But I have to speak for the full time, three minutes. How long has gone already? Time up? K, no problem! I have more to say. I really like my school, Zee Cabin Maya. I think it is very suitable for youths who are in the gutter, Eke me. â€Å"why? Why? † I think you would like to ask me ‘Why? † You know that word Is not strange for us. Our teachers use It a lot in our class. Many, many times she asks me. I'm sorry I have no chance to answer it now but my friends are waiting to answer your question. The important thing is you need to listen carefully.If you don't see the point of what they are talking about, you can raise your hand up and ask â€Å"Can you repeat that please†. K? K? No, No I'm joking. You can hear a lot of speeches from all students. We got 21 students here, 21 speeches about everything this morning. I don't know all what they going to talk to you. In the middle we mix with some nice songs. And then we are going to feed with special foods for your breakfast, we ordered from Hotel Zee Cabin. I'm Joking again. K, Thank you everyone. I really appreciate you coming and celebrating our School opening ceremony together with us. Thank you

Essay about 1001fall2014syllabus 1 3

Essay about 1001fall2014syllabus 1 3 Essay about 1001fall2014syllabus 1 3 Sociology 1001 Section 01 (Discussion Sections 01D-10D) Introduction to Sociology Fall, 2014 Dr. Davita Silfen Glasberg Office: Room 403 AUST (Dean’s Office Suite) Phone: 486-2713 Office Hours: Mon., 1-2pm; Wed., 9-10am; and by appointment â€Å"The truth is out there.† (Muldur Fox, X-Files) â€Å"Truth is not always easily discernible- and even when it is, the prism, depending on which side of the river you reside on, may create a wholly different illusion.† (Alex Kotlowitz, 1998) â€Å"Once the fig leaf has fallen, we might as well look at what it has been hiding. For it is by exploring the things we dare not say to each other that we can best get to know one another.† (Ellis Cose, 1997) COURSE GOALS FOR GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS SOC 1001 fulfills a requirement of General Education Content Area Two: Social Sciences. Its goals are to help students: 1. Acquire awareness of the era and society. This course provides a systematic overview of the contemporary social institutions that influence everybody's everyday life, providing students with a greater appreciation of the forces that shape their social world. American society is also examined in historical and comparative perspective, further increasing students' awareness of the distinctive and university features of our society. This also contributes to the next point: 2. Acquire consciousness of the diversity of human culture and experience. The comparative and historical approach to the institutions and roles of contemporary American society makes students aware of society variability, and also explains systematically what accounts for the variability among societies. Both #1 and #2 contribute to: 3. Acquire critical judgment. Logical and perceptive reasoning requires an awareness and understanding of one's assumptions and premises. In the social realm, this entails an ability to appreciate the distinctiveness of one's roles and experiences, take their effects into account, and consider one's social arrangements that one has not directly encountered. COURSE REQUIREMENTS You will be required to take two one-hour exams and a two-hour final exam (each worth 25% of your course grade). You are required to complete the plagiarism module on HuskyCT by noon, September 13. You may retake it once if you are not satisfied with your score. You must do this module for this course even if you’ve done it before for another course. This module will be worth 5% of your course grade. You will also be required to post a total of 5 out of 15 possible weekly entries of at least 2 full paragraphs in your assignment file on HuskyCT summarizing the article (indicated on the syllabus; please note: these articles can be found on HuskyCT in the Library Resources file) and using at least one sociological concept from that week’s assigned chapter to analyze it. One paragraph should be a summary of what is going on in the article (do not just say â€Å"the article talked about the following topics;† tell us what the author said about those topics- i.e., what did you learn?); the other paragraph should identify, define, and apply a sociological concept from that chapter by showing exactly how the article illustrated the concept you identify. If the concept appears in the title of the article you will have to be very careful to say more than â€Å"the author talked about this concept;† you must show how the concept is illustrated by the article. You may ch oose any 5 of the 15 assigned readings to complete this assignment. Each will be worth up to 20 points, for a possible combined total of 100 points. In weeks that list two articles, you may do both for credit for 2 assignments, or choose 1 for credit for 1 assignment (or none, if you choose not to use either of them for one of your 5 required submissions). Your responses must be submitted on HuskyCT in the appropriate folder indicated on your HuskyCT by noon on the Friday of the week the reading is assigned on the syllabus, unless otherwise noted on the

Analytic and Sequential Learning

Analytic and Sequential Learning An analytic person likes to learn things step-by-step, or sequentially. Sound familiar? If so, look over these characteristics to find out if these traits hit home, as well. Then you may want to capitalize on the study recommendations and improve your study skills. Are You a Sequential Learner? An analytic or sequential learner may be more likely to respond to a problem with logic first, instead of emotion.If youre a sequential learner, you may feel the need to understand each part of an algebra equation.You may be good with time management, and you probably get to school on time.You tend to remember names.Your notes may be divided and labeled. You categorize things a lot.You plan ahead. Problems You may get hung up on details when reading. You have to understand something before you move on.You might get frustrated easily with people who dont understand things as quickly as you do. Analytic Style Study Tips Do you become frustrated when people assert opinions as facts? People who are very analytic learners might. Analytic learners like facts and they like learning things in sequential steps. They are also fortunate because many of their preferred methods are used in traditional teaching. Teachers also enjoy giving tests that favor analytic learners, like true and false or multiple choice exams. Since your learning style is compatible with traditional teaching styles and you enjoy order, your biggest problem is getting frustrated. An analytic learner may benefit from the following: Ask for clear rules. You need clarity. Without rules, you might feel lost.Dont get frustrated by opinions. Some students may offer opinions in class, especially the holistic learners who want to make comparisons! It is just their way of understanding, so dont let it bother you.Dont worry about not finishing a task. You may not want to move on to a new task if something (like a lack of supplies) interferes with your work. Try not to get hung up. Sometimes its okay to move on and re-visit a project later.Dont worry if things dont seem logical. We dont make the rules sometimes. If you come across a rule that doesnt make sense, dont let it bother you to distraction.Group your information. Analytic learners are good at categorizing information. Go ahead and place your information into categories. It will help you recall the information when you need it.Sit in the front of the class, to avoid distractions. If youre annoyed by rowdy or talkative students in the back of the class, try to sit where you wont notice them. Dont worry about big concepts right away - give yourself time. If youre reading a book or chapter and you dont seem to be getting the message, give it time. You may need to know all the details first, and then put them together.Take things step-by-step, but dont get hung up. If youre doing a math problem with an equation, dont get hung up if you dont understand a certain step. Take a leap of faith!Ask for a specific goal. Analytic learners may feel the need to understand the specific goal before they can get into a project. Go ahead and ask for clear goals if you need them. You may want to check out the characteristics of a global learner.You can also discover the characteristics of students who learn best by seeing, hearing, or experiencing.

Show, Dont Ask

Show, Dont Ask Dont ask an editor what you can write for him. Writers arent just about putting words together. They are about bringing fresh material to the table. Writers are a dime a dozen. New ideas are a dime a dozen. Writers who can write and produce fresh ideas hit the sweet spot. Dont ask questions like: 1) What can I write for you? 2) Is this the sort of thing you publish? 3) What are your guidelines? 4) Are you accepting submissions? Were talking ANY sort of writing whether you pitch magazines, apply for copywriting gigs, write nonfiction, or create novels. Your job as a writer is to make an editors work easy, not add to their pile. Come to them with solutions, not more work, and yes, answering inquisitive emails is work when you multiply it times a hundred each and every day. At the risk of being repetitious, the golden rule for any writer attempting to earn money is this: Dont make work for an editor (or agent or publisher). Approach the editor/agent/publisher with a proposal that makes them eager. . . makes them feel like you are more than worth their time. Make a proposal strong. State what you can do for the other party and demonstrate how you can do it. Of course, a pitch for a freelance story is different from one for a novel, and nonfiction requires the book to be outlined with sample chapters while fiction must be polished to the hilt. But the recipient must open this package and marvel at how print-close it is. But the goal of any proposal/pitch/query is to show the person on the other end that: 1) You know how to write, 2) You have a fresh idea, 3) Your work fits THEIR goals of reaching readers, and 4) You are capable of following through. You might be a fantastic writer, but if you cannot pitch it properly and show how much value you can add, nobody will ever learn how great you are. And to ask someone to help you figure it out, not appreciating how full their plate already is, is like putting in your query, Youre not interested in buying my work, are you? Trust me. The answer will always be no.

Questionnaire Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Questionnaire - Coursework Example The American population, unlike their president, is against the use of violence in resolving the ISIS situation. This standpoint is different to their previous positions on using violence to resolve the Iraqi situations, under the rule of Saddam Hussein. In the historical context, Americans were supportive of the violence during Saddam Hussein’s era (UConn Today, 2011). Since then, the American people have been against the use of violence in Iraq. In support of the public opinion, President Obama has ruled sending combat troops. However, other alternatives such as the use of airstrikes are being considered. According to the hypothesis, Americans who have supported the use of violence in addressing the Iraqi situation, in the past, are likely to support its use in the current situation. The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center are the catalyst in the decision to use violence in resolving Iraqi conflicts (Outsidethebeltway.com, 2014). Americans, who are pro-violence in the ISIS situation, seek to retaliate against all forms of terrorists. The Republican portion of the American population supports the use of military action against the ISIS establishment. The Independent and Democrats portion, on the other hand, do not favor the use of military action. The Republicans, according to a research conducted by Gallup, are â€Å"worried† about Iraq. The study found out that 52% of Republicans, 39% of Independents and 34% of Democrats are in favor of using military action in Iraq (Gallup 2014). Now the Democrats enjoy a majority in the decision-making in the U.S. For this reason, President Obama is more likely to lean towards not sending combat troops to address the ISIS situation. However, as stated earlier they have opted to use other means in preventing Islamic militants from spreading their influence to other states. The Gallup survey presents a true representation of the attitude of Americans towards foreign intervention;

Understanding Human Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Understanding Human Behaviour - Assignment Example y ponders over the areas on which the service users need to work on in order to avoid misdiagnoses and also focuses on the ways that should be adopted by psychiatrists in order to understand the disability and mental health of the individuals. Also it discusses the problems that are faced by the health departments in the introduction of certain programmes because of the criticism of the service users. In this research essay I would focus on the notion that the massive power of the psychiatrists in the process of the diagnosis is something that has implications on the patients and this is something that should be given more importance. For the purpose of my research I have used many literature reviews. Psychiatric diagnosis refers to the process whereby the psychiatrist (or psychologist) is responsible for the identification and the labelling of a particular disease. One of the main purposes of this diagnosis is to help people and guide them through the entire treatment procedure. Lately, it has been felt that the diagnosis has had many different implications on the individuals concerned. According to Reich (1981) psychiatric diagnosis is a very important process because it can have varied effects on the patients. While some may be happy with the results of the diagnosis, others might not feel the same way. One implication of the procedure of the diagnosis is that the people who are diagnosed may have to suffer from unintended implications. For instance, the perceptions of the others might change towards the patient if he/she is labelled with a mental disorder. People may not want to interact with such patients. Reich (1981) argues that the main reason for this behaviour is the re sult of the institutionalized attitudes of the people and the society as a whole towards people who suffer from mental disorders and learning disabilities. The above mentioned effects may occur due to the attitudes of the people and the society to the mental people. There are, however,

Participate in a Research Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Participate in a Research Study - Essay Example Many of the questions were asking about current situations as well as one that the participant remembered from their past. The strengths of this study were that it only took about 15 minutes and it was done online. This way, the study could be random and they could take as many participants as possible. Because it was online, they were able to take people from all over the world. They also provided links to therapists that could help if the participants had any challenges with their feelings after the study as well as the email of one of the researchers. The only weakness of the study I felt was that the sections were too long in some situations. There were several times that I felt like I just wanted to stop instead of going all the way through to the end. In the initial page of the study, the researchers gave information about any ethical considerations. The study had been approved by their ethical committee and they said participants could leave a study blank if it made them feel uncomfortable. They also gave links to counselors because they said that it could be that one would feel some anxiety or distress in answering some of the questions. They said that the survey was voluntary and that the participant had the right to withdraw participation at any time.

The role of UK government increasing the competition in the mortgage Dissertation

The role of UK government increasing the competition in the mortgage markets to stimulate the British housing marketing and even - Dissertation Example The UK too experienced housing bubble burst as a reported 37,749 homeowners in the UK lost their homes to the bank between March and June 2008 (Seeking Alpha, 2008). The crisis deepened as banks cut off mortgage lending. Banks and building societies are expected to pay about ?130bn of the emergency borrowing they availed from the Bank of England and the Treasury (Bown, 2011). Rationale for research Traditionally, in most economies, people preferred to remain tenants throughout their life. Changes in lifestyles, education and temptations by the cheap lending rates introduced the concept of becoming house owners. Businessmen in earlier days would tend to invest any extra funds into their business rather than invest in housing (Lawson, 2011). The idea was that this would grow and bring in more prosperity and ready cash to be used for personal purposes than invest in dwelling which one never disposes off. Liquidity preference theory states that the more liquid an asset, the more attracti ve it is an asset as it can be traded easily (Wyatt, 2011). Properties, even in a buoyant market take several weeks to be traded and in a recessionary economy, it may take years. It is less attractive an as investment and the transaction costs are also higher because of the stamp duty and legal fees. Motivation for the study The motivation for the study has arisen from this concept – why did people become interested to invest their savings in dwellings which may appreciate over time but can be of no use to the person who has made the investment? It would also be interesting to evaluate the role that the UK government has played in boosting housing and mortgage of housing in expectation that this would contribute to the growth of the UK economy. Research Aims and Objectives With the objective to determine that competition in the UK mortgage sector did not yield the expected returns and was in fact responsible for the housing bubble, the objectives of the study are: To evaluate the measures that the government took in boosting the housing sector To list the incentives that the government provided to enhance competition in the mortgage market To evaluate the impact of the cheap lending rates in the housing market on the UK economy Literature Review While traditionally building societies were responsible for financing house owners, the concept changed in the 1980s. The business model of the building societies was very simple but as demand intensified, there were queues for mortgages which prompted government intervention (CML, 2004). Competition in the mortgage sector intensified as centralized lenders such as housing corporations entered the market. The UK property bubble was inevitable as the valuations were stretched and lending criteria loosened (Lynn, 2007). Unsecured bad debts and mortgage arrears continued to rise as owners could not keep up payments. The government made attempts in different ways to boost investments in housing. Government intervent ion in housing finance has always existed in every economy through the creation of special circuits for funding flows (Diamond & Lea, 2000). The idea was that investments in dwellings would enhance the banking and the financial sector which would support the growth of the economy. However, political and market forces have been responsible for eroding the reasons for creating the circuits.

Police ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Police ethics - Essay Example The enormous powers enjoyed by these detectives must be tamed through some strict checks on their ethical conduct in exercising these powers at right spot and the correct manner. While having such powers in most cases is a legal necessity but justified and dignified application of these powers is often an ethical issue. In United States there are several documents at national level like Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, its Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers which are meant to enforce these ethical guidelines. However there is a lack of education and implementation in this connection. The tools and trick that are used in an investigation also provides a ground for ethical arguments and concerns. For example the use of sex and friendship in undercover investigations are very common tools for the police detectives but their ethical issues are lease bothered at higher level in the department. However, police ethical misconduct in using these undercover investigat ion tools is highly probable.

The role of UK government increasing the competition in the mortgage Dissertation

The role of UK government increasing the competition in the mortgage markets to stimulate the British housing marketing and even - Dissertation Example The UK too experienced housing bubble burst as a reported 37,749 homeowners in the UK lost their homes to the bank between March and June 2008 (Seeking Alpha, 2008). The crisis deepened as banks cut off mortgage lending. Banks and building societies are expected to pay about ?130bn of the emergency borrowing they availed from the Bank of England and the Treasury (Bown, 2011). Rationale for research Traditionally, in most economies, people preferred to remain tenants throughout their life. Changes in lifestyles, education and temptations by the cheap lending rates introduced the concept of becoming house owners. Businessmen in earlier days would tend to invest any extra funds into their business rather than invest in housing (Lawson, 2011). The idea was that this would grow and bring in more prosperity and ready cash to be used for personal purposes than invest in dwelling which one never disposes off. Liquidity preference theory states that the more liquid an asset, the more attracti ve it is an asset as it can be traded easily (Wyatt, 2011). Properties, even in a buoyant market take several weeks to be traded and in a recessionary economy, it may take years. It is less attractive an as investment and the transaction costs are also higher because of the stamp duty and legal fees. Motivation for the study The motivation for the study has arisen from this concept – why did people become interested to invest their savings in dwellings which may appreciate over time but can be of no use to the person who has made the investment? It would also be interesting to evaluate the role that the UK government has played in boosting housing and mortgage of housing in expectation that this would contribute to the growth of the UK economy. Research Aims and Objectives With the objective to determine that competition in the UK mortgage sector did not yield the expected returns and was in fact responsible for the housing bubble, the objectives of the study are: To evaluate the measures that the government took in boosting the housing sector To list the incentives that the government provided to enhance competition in the mortgage market To evaluate the impact of the cheap lending rates in the housing market on the UK economy Literature Review While traditionally building societies were responsible for financing house owners, the concept changed in the 1980s. The business model of the building societies was very simple but as demand intensified, there were queues for mortgages which prompted government intervention (CML, 2004). Competition in the mortgage sector intensified as centralized lenders such as housing corporations entered the market. The UK property bubble was inevitable as the valuations were stretched and lending criteria loosened (Lynn, 2007). Unsecured bad debts and mortgage arrears continued to rise as owners could not keep up payments. The government made attempts in different ways to boost investments in housing. Government intervent ion in housing finance has always existed in every economy through the creation of special circuits for funding flows (Diamond & Lea, 2000). The idea was that investments in dwellings would enhance the banking and the financial sector which would support the growth of the economy. However, political and market forces have been responsible for eroding the reasons for creating the circuits.

Ethical Issues of Barclays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ethical Issues of Barclays - Essay Example The research has provided valuable insights in respect of how the firm can improve its relationship with customers and investors so that ethical norms can be met more effectively. In June 2012 Barclays Bank’s rate-fixing scandal had mottled its reputation in a horrendous manner. The bank was fined  £ 290 million pounds for altering LIBOR. The investigation into the matter had revealed that the bank indulged in LIBOR manipulation to earn fraudulent profits and to make the bank activities secure against risks arising out of the financial crisis. The LIBOR is considered as one of the most vital information in respect of benchmark rates and it crucially impacts financial trading contracts across the globe. In the light of such events, Bob Diamond, the former chief executive of the bank had submitted his resignation. Subsequently, Anthony Jenkins was chosen as the chief executive officer (CEO). The bank was involved in a number of scandals such as the fraudulent selling of PPI (Payment Protection Insurance) and interest rate rigging which tarnished its reputation and had seriously affected consumers who had shifted to other banks. Almost 12 million holders of current bank account had switched to other banks as the credit rating and overall reputation of the bank declined. Public relations in respect of financial services institutions are essentially about communicating important and accurate information to the stakeholders. PR executives are required to maintain the trust of consumers and shareholders so that their investments remain with the financial institutions.

Mark Mathabane’s Kaffir Boy Essay Example for Free

Mark Mathabane’s Kaffir Boy Essay Racial Discrimination, has already been a long term phenomenon, in existent in almost all societies in different eras and civilization. The idea of discrimination is inevitable. Considering that such discrimination creates social structure as regards what is expected of everybody in a society and what is due to them. However, sometimes this social structure is abused, beyond its limit. People who belong to a higher status quo would definitely do whatever it takes to keep it. To illustrate, colonizers who had way better technology, combat powers and knowledge as compared to areas being colonized, would come to these new conquests are superiors. They would then take the locals as slaves and ravish on the wealth that they have to offer. In their own place, these locals become discriminated and unwanted. In return, locals would do whatever it takes to associate themselves with the colonizers, by looking like them, being friends with them, working for them, or marrying people of their kind. And it always seems that it is the right thing to do. When the British came to South Africa, this is exactly what happened. Mark Mathabane’s Kaffir Boy, tells a real story of a man who chose to fight a different battle to combat discrimination and inequality. While most of his relatives act as freedom fighters, he came to America to educate himself and to excel in a sport he loves. His success has given so much inspiration. His story as depicted in his book will take us with him as he reveals the horrors of his past. Mark Mathabane lived in a country, wherein racial divide, for most of its early years seemed to be the only thing that defines them. South Africa, a country nestled in the continent of Africa, was once invaded by white colonizers too. And they have proven that they came there to stay. In a country such as South Africa, a nation so unique as compared to other nations in the African continent. South Africa can be considered as diverse in a special way, because it is the only African country that has Caucasians as locals. Originally dominated by black Americans, South Africa is now a melting pot of two cultures. Analysis It had never occurred to me that though the two were different as night and day, as separate as east and -west, they had everything to do with each other; that one could not be without the other (94) This statement from Johannes best explains the struggles of Mathabane. In summary it explains how the two dominant races in South Africa has tried to isolate each group against each other, by means of creating physical division such as creating boundaries and naming certain places as black or white territory. Whites are in a way regarded more superior because they are more literate as well. The government also used formal means to strengthen the divide by creating laws such as prohibiting mix marriages, and creating policies in the education system that seems to favor a specific race. Overall, it was almost the generally accepted norm, to- categorize, discriminate. Kaffir Boy, is a tale about Mark Mathabane’s life growing up in South Africa, just outside of Johannesburg. Mark Mathabane lives in the town of Alexandra during industrial colonialism period with his parents, five sisters and a brother. He talks about how he experienced brutality and starvation from the Peri Urban, an Apartheid police group in South Africa. Growing up very poor, he dreamt of having a better life for him and his family. He often questioned the prejudices happening around him and has decided to take the course of his destiny in his own hands. As a young boy, he struggled with his identity. He wonders which religion he should practice, which country or class he should belong. There is so much craving for autonomy that at a young age he began resenting his parents religious and tribal heritage and eventually decided to leave Africa. Believing that religion, specifically Christianity was used wrongfully by different groups and races, he eventually rejected it. He believes that government used it to claim that God had given whites the divine right to rule over blacks; the black churches misused it by demanding money from Africans who were already destitute; and black churches further misused it by resigning themselves to the idea that this was their lot in life, Gods will for black men and women (36). Mathabane also recalled how apartheid made use of tribalism as form of torture against Africans. He believes that his father, allowed himself to be controlled by superstitions, Relatively mature for his age, he reiterates his independence by doing what he pleases with his life. For Mathabane, the Christian God is bias in favor of the whites and is oblivious to the Africans pain. Although he recognizes its legitimacy as sign of respect for her mothers faith, he still rejects it the way he rejects tribalism and African superstition. For him, submitting to any specific belief or religion is synonymous with compromising his free will. In page 208 of the book he further on states African superstition and tribal culture were not for him. His scorn for his father lay in the fact that his father clung to values which had outlived their usefulness, values which discriminated against him while he attempted to function within the white mans world (208). â€Å"What Mathabane did accept, though it took some trial and error, was his mothers understanding that education would lead him to a better life. Learning English, he decided, was the crucial key to unlocking the doors of the white world (193). The books that white people read led to the power they had over black people (254). Mathabane eventually decided that literacy was a necessary element in the liberation struggle. How can the illiterate function, he wondered, in a world ruled by signs (201) Books had taught him about places where he could be free to think and feel the way I want, instead of the way apartheid wants (254). He then realizes that he needs to make important decisions in order to make his dreams come true. Thinking that South Africa has nothing much to offer, at least for a poor black African boy like him, he decided to try his luck with American Universities. As he begins to plot his future, his tennis abilities begin to progress faster and better. Being an avid fan of Arthur Ashe, he takes his wins and losses as if his own. The achievements of his â€Å"idol† encourages him to do better every single day. From black state competitions, he started joining the more prestigious white state competitions. His participation in white state competitions led to his banning from joining black state competitions. At this point, he feels as if his progress in his craft takes him away from the things he loved the most. Luckily, Mark later on leaves for the United States as a university scholar, through the help of a famous American tennis player and other white donors. Conclusion Deep within me,I knew that I could never really leave South Africa or Alexandra. I was Alexandra, I was South Africa (348). This goes to show that despite of all the successes, the author looks back in his roots. At first, his move out of Africa was just his way of â€Å"escaping† the endless circle of failed dreams and lack of opportunities. But his absence in his country makes him reaffirm his identity, and gives him the opportunity, to finally appreciate what his past has to offer for his present and for his future. This book tells a very dark story filled with pain, sadness and loneliness on most of its chapters, but it also provides a strong foundation for the readers to further understand the plight of the narrator. The journey he took was not only of hope, but rather, a journey of rediscovery. How can the illiterate function, he wondered, in a world ruled by signs (201)? The books had taught him and transported him to places where he could be free to think and feel the way I want, instead of the way apartheid wants (254). Why burn the only thing that taught one to believe in the future, to fight for ones right to live in freedom and dignity? (285). Here reaffirms his conclusion as we experiences Soweto riots, which was triggered by resentment over the governments ruling that African education system be taught it Afrikaans instead of English. Upon witnessing the library burn down he inquired for enlightenment from one of his peers, who mentioned that the burning is for the destruction of all the traces of white oppression in the Bantu Education system. The struggles in his youth, leads him to think that literacy is the key to success. by learning English, he will be given better opportunities, the same as the whites. According to the author, literacy has given the whites so much edge and power over the black Africans. Having an education will somehow even out the playing field. Literacy for Mathabane is so important, that for him this will eventually lead them to be liberated from all their struggles. In the end, we really have no control over our government, over the people around us, and over norms and traditions we grew up with. But we do have full control over our perspective, our feelings and destiny. And this is precisely what Mathabane did. He took charge of his own future. This book inspires me to examine the choices I have made as a young person, at the same time, it makes me wonder whether the previous steps I have taken in life will take me closer to my aspirations or take me farther. But then, it makes me think deeper not just about my ambitions, but what I really want to contribute to my society in the end. This book serves as a wake up call. In a society wherein we are given so much opportunity, it seems as if we are left with no excuses not to excel. Reference: Mark Mathabane, 1998, Kaffir Boy, Simon Schuster Adult Publishing Group

SWOT Analysis of Performance Analysis of Primark

SWOT Analysis of Performance Analysis of Primark PowerPoint Presentation and Written Assessment Executive Summary This report provides information to potential investors using ratio analysis to examine profitability, liquidity, efficiency, the gearing of Primark Ltd for 2015. The report will pay much attention to earning power, liquidity, credit management, debt management, inventory management, and capital structure of Primark by comparing it with three other competitors: Next Plc, TJX UK and House of Fraser. The report highlight on major strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of Primark within the Fashion retail business to aid potential to make a better-informed decision to invest in Primark. The report analyses the financial situation of Primark with its competitors and provides a recommendation for improvement. Primark recorded a significant increase of 7.57% of Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). 2015 saw an increase of 3.76% in turnover. Business and Financial Situation Primark is a subsidiary of the Association of British Food (ABF) Group. The company was incorporated in 1969 in Ireland trading with the name Pennys. Primark is headquartered in Dublin. Primark has grown over the years to carve a niche for itself to be a major high street clothing retailer with an appearance of over 238 branches in UK, Ireland and Europe. Primark offers inventive, trendy clothes at value-for-money prices. Like several fashion retail companies, Primark does not manufacture its products itself. The firm works with suppliers to produce to its requirement. The firm relies on low cost, economies of scale and efficient distribution strategies to sustain its competitive market position. Turnover of Primark between the financial years 2015 and 2014 increased from 2,786,250,000 to 2,890,892,000 which indicates an increase of 3.76% of the 2014 turnover. Primark recorded an 80.47% Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) for 2015 which is 7.57% increase of 2014 ROCE. Profitability of Primark for the year under review did not see much improvement. Primark gained a feeble 0.74% and 0.40% for gross profit margin and operating profit margin respectively. The net profit margin, on the other hand, saw a partly 0.35% in net margin. Overall, profitability grew under 1% for the year under review. There could be many factors causing this partly less than 1% increase in profitability. Competition, increase in operating expenses, the general economy, etc. The Liquidity ratios analyse Primarks ability to meet its short-term obligations as and when they fall due. In general, the ratio assesses how easy it is for Primark to convert its assets into cash. The acceptable range of current ratio is between 0.5 and 2.0. Current ratio and quick ratio saw a partly increase of 0.09 and 0.02 respectively which indicates Primark is operating outside the acceptable range of current ratio. In reality, the current and acid test ratios do not indicate Primark is risky for investors, but Primark operates in an industry where cash is the standard Primarks activity ratios show how it has been effective in utilising its assets to generate income, how long it takes to collect cash from its sales and also make payment for its purchases. Primarks inventory turnover times saw a drop of 1 stock turnover times in 2015 which translated into an increase in the number of inventory turnover period by 8days. This means Primark now require 8 more days to sell off its inventory. Primark has a favourable creditors collection period which allows them ample time to sell off inventory then make payment to suppliers. A 0.10 drop in accounts payable turnover translates into 12 days reduction in creditors collection periods in 2015 which is still favourable to Primark. This indicates Primark mostly buy its inventory on credit. Receivables turnover has reduced from 127 times in 2014 to 50.41 times in 2015. This reduction in receivables turnover translates into an increase of 4 days from 2.87 days in 2014 to 7.24 days in 2015. The increases of 0.05 in asset turnover in 2015 translated into an increase of 3.76% in sales in 2015. Primark is not a highly geared company, this show that the operation of the company is financed through equity. There is a slight decline on the dependence on outside sources of funding from 8.80% to 8%. This is good news for Primark. This indicates that for every  £1 of capital employed 8% is debt and the rest of capital employed financed through equity. The debt to equity ratio of Primark is very high debt-to-equity ratio. There is a slight reduction in the debt-to-equity ratio from 4.62:1 in 2014 to 3.83:1 in 2015. The debt-to-equity ratio indicates that the proportion of Primarks assets financed by creditors are 4.62 and 3.83 times more in 2015 and 2014 respectively than the proportion of assets financed through Primarks equity. The ratio also indicates that, for every  £4.62 total liabilities in 2015 and every  £3.83 of total liabilities in 2014, equity can pay  £1 of it. The acceptable debt-to-equity ratio for most companies is 1.5 2. Primarks high debt-to-equity ratio is as a result of purchasing most of its inventory on credit. The high debt-to-equity ratio does not necessarily mean Primark is risky for investors. Primark is able to generate enough cash because it sells for cash and has also got a favourable creditors collection period of 203 days. Evaluation of Primark with Peers Profitability Primark and Next Plc managed less than 1% increase in gross margin for the year 2015. Next saw a little over one 1% increase in gross margin whilst House of Fraser recorded a decrease of 0.25% in gross margin for 2015. The gross margin of the four firms shows stability in gross margin. Operating margin saw an increase between 0.4% and 1.33% for Primark, Next Plc and TJX UK with only House of Fraser achieving -1.36% in operating margin. House of Fraser with its 58.72% gross margin could manage only 2.64% as operating margin. This is very bad. The picture shows House of Fraser is practising the premium pricing strategy where businesses set cost higher than their competitors as result records low sales. The operating profit margin of Next Plc is almost twice as much of Primarks operating margin. Primark also recorded operating margin little below twice the operating margin of TJX UK whilst TJX UK recorded operating margin little over twice that of House of Fraser. Primark on profitabili ty is doing well looking at the intense competition within the clothing retail industry. Liquidity Liquidity for Primark, Next Plc and TJX UK saw a slight increase in House of Fraser recording a decrease in current ratio. The slight increase in currency ratio means Primark earned 10p, Next Plc earned 6p, and TJX UK earned 28p more of current assets to pay short-term obligations. House of Fraser on the other hand lost 5p of current assets to pay short-term liabilities. The quick ratio is an indication that Primark, TJX UK and House of Fraser have inventory as the larger portion of current assets. Lenders and creditors are very much interested in this ratio as it helps them determine whether Primark, Next Plc, TJX UK and House of Fraser would be able to meet its future obligations. Primark has the least current and quick ratios of 0.37 and 0.05 respectively to  £1 of current liabilities. Efficiency The efficiency with which Primark, Next Plc and House of Fraser use to turn its inventory into sale has reduced. Primark, Next Plc and House of Fraser all had a reduction in their stock turnover times for 2015 with only TJX UK having a slight increase in their stock turnover times which reduced their stock turnover periods by 1.02 days. The decrease in stock turnover for Primark, Next Plc and House of Fraser is insignificant at stock turnover ratio but that is not the same at the stock turnover periods level. The decrease in stock turnover led to an increase of 8 days in stock turnover periods for Primark and Next Plc with House of Fraser having 3.8 days increase in stock turnover periods. All other things being equal, a higher stock turnover and lower stock turnover periods are better. The receivables turnover and receivables turnover periods indicates House of Fraser performed a little better than Primark, Next Plc and TJX UK. The ratios indicate Primark and Next Plc have relaxed credit policies for which debtor are taking advantage of it or they are having problems collecting from customers. All else equal, higher receivables turnover with lower receivables turnover period is better. The 203 days accounts payable days of Primark shows Primark takes more than 6 months to pay creditors, House of Fraser takes more than 2 years to pay its creditors with its 733.67 accounts payable days. The account payable days of Primark and House of Fraser is an indication that they are paying creditors slowly which is good for Primark and House of Fraser on the other hand, its an indication of worsening financial conditions. Creditors would be comfortable with 28.97 days and 36.37 days account payable days of Next Plc and TJX UK respectively. Analysis of the current business environment affecting UK clothing Retail Industry The environments that affect the UK clothing industry can be categorised into Macro and microenvironment. The macro environments consist of factors that affect all organisations across industries. These factors would be analysed using the Porters Five Forces Analysis. According to Grant 2005, the varying degrees of the factors within the business environment (industry) would determine the pressure, competition level and the profit it will make. The five sources analysed by Michael Porter are competition from new entrants, Competition from established rivals, competition from substitutes, bargaining power of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers. Markets that are profitable keep on attracting new entrants and the clothing retail market is no exception. With a minimum capital requirement of the clothing retail market, its easy for new companies to enter and as a result of the eventual profits across the industry decrease. The only way that Primark and other big firms can secure their market is to take advantage of their economies of scale. Establish more outlets to enable them to sell at a cheaper price to induce sales. By this, new entrants would not be able to compete. Customers have got over thousand and one substitutes to choose from within the clothing retail market. There are many well-established competitors and well-branded substitutes within the clothing retail market for customers to make a choice but the ultimate goal of the customer is to pay less for better quality. Primark should offer the best quality at an affordable price that customers would be able to pay. The clothing industry is fragmented with the intense rivalry between retail companies. Next Plc, JTX UK and House of Fraser are all rivals to Primark but Primark has got some loyal customers who are satisfied with Primarks brand. Primark should protect its brand as customers are interested in the brand they associated themselves with. Any negative reputation will affect Primarks image which competitors would take advantage of. The saturation of the clothing retail market has led to a highly competitive environment where customers have many brands to choose from. Buyers power is high as they have lots of alternatives to choose from. For Primark to defuse this power, it must offer lower prices, varieties of unique designs, high quality, quality customer service and solid brand image that customers would not be able to reject. With the aim of attracting every potential buyer, suppliers of Primark would have lower supplier power the firm tries to satisfy the needs of its customers with variety. Primark source its products from cheap economies and suppliers have to supply based on agreed standards and designs. SWOT Analysis of Primark The SWOT Analysis provides strategic analysis of Primarks business operations which would provide a competitive advantage over its competitors. This analysis shows the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of Primark within the clothing retail market. Strengths The business model of Primark is based on high sales volumes and lower retail margins with minimal advertising which enable it to offer low prices to customers. Primark takes advantage of bulk buying which help it to enjoy economies of scale to enables it to keep cost down. Primark has an extensive range of products including childrenswear, menswear, lingerie, accessories and footwear. Primark has got strong presence across UK and Europe with over 280 stores and also known in Ireland as Penneys. Primark employs about 50000 people around the world Weakness Primark has outsourced its manufacturing line and this may lead to inconsistencies in quality. The slow economic growth of UK and EU has held the group profit back. The online retail channel is the fasters retail market in the UK and Primark has no presence for the online market. Opportunities Clothing is an essential product for everyone especially the youth population and that there is a constant demand for clothing. Primark should extend its presence to the USA, Africa, Middle East, China and India. One of the fastest growing segments of Primark is sportswear. Threats Primark has got no presence in emerging markets like Africa and its sales are dependent on the health of the UK and EU economy so any shock to the economy would be a disaster. There is an intense competition between online retailers and physical retailers and Primark is no exception. Businesses like Primark with operations in Europe are griped with fear as the government approach to Brexit saga would affect their operations in EU market. Share Valuation of Primark Primarks shares could be currently valued at  £6.98 per share. Looking at the performance of Primark with its peers the stock price of Primark could be sold at a premium. I would recommend a  £10 price per share for Primarks stock in the IPO. Conclusion Primark rub shoulders with the big brands within the industry in terms of sales and have the potential for IPO. The corporate governance of Primark must be strengthening so that directors and officers would not take advantage of weak corporate government structure. With the worsening performance of the British pounds against the Euro and the US dollar, a critical assessment of the UK governments Brexit policies and the impact that Brexit would have on the UK economy and its relationship with the rest of Europe must be done. For now, I would recommend suspension of Primarks IPO, to enable it to conduct a critical analysis of the Brexit Policies of the UK government and the impact it would have on businesses. Forecast With the financial year 2014 to 2015, Primarks turnover increased by 3.76% we still presume that Primark would be able to achieve 3.5% increase in sales revenue. The weakening value of the British pounds as a result of Brexit will hit Primark because it sources its product in the US dollar. This would increase the cost of sales, operating cost and interest payable of Primark. The 3.5% expected increase in sales revenue and 3% increase in the cost of sale would result in an increase of 5.52% in gross profit. In all, it is estimated that Primark would be able to achieve about 2.53% increase in Profit after Tax for the year 2016. Factors That May Impact Primarks Share Valuation Investors must carefully evaluate the information they obtain about an organisation to help develop current and future expectation value. The value of Primark would be determined by both internal factors, which are under the control of the management of Primark. Key factor that would influence the value of Primark are; Profitability The ability of Primark to generate a profit would attract investors to invest their resources into the company. Investors want to see appreciable returns on their investments and Primark has the prospect and ability to generate profit to multiply shareholders wealth. Growth For all other things being equal, companies with a strong demonstration of growth trends attracts potential investors and commands higher multiples. As Primark expand its presence in Europe, US, India and other emerging markets, it will create an opportunity for higher sales and profitability for which investors would be attracted to. Risk Investor wants to protect their investment by avoiding high-risk companies for less risk once. Investors would use any of the following to evaluate Primark as a high risk or less Risk Company. Market analysis the clothing retail market is open and there are no barriers to entry, Primark should put enough strategies in place so that the activities of new entrants would not affect it. Management Primark needs people with vast knowledge and experience on its management to implement its policies and strategies and set effective succession plan. Internal control investors would want to see the review and audit Primarks financial statements. Financial situation investor would want to see Primark with the strong balance sheet to prove its financial position, capital structure this will help them determine if Primark would be able to meet its financial obligations. Corporate Governance Recommendation Its a legal requirement of all companies seeking to get listed on the LSE to have a suitable corporate governance system impaled. Corporate governance is special machinery for regulating risk in organisations activities by preventing corporate disasters, scandals, and consequential losses and damages to investors, society and staff. To this end, Primark must have a suitable corporate governance policy in placed. We would recommend Primark to adopt the corporate governance structure below. Annual General Meeting That is the highest decision-making body where directors would render accounts of their stewardship to shareholders and shareholders would have the opportunity to evaluate the report of directors to give them the opportunity to continue their stewardship or vote them out. Board of Directors Primark should have a board where each member has the appropriate set of experience, independence, skills and knowledge to manage Primark. Audit Committee there must be audit committee who will report to the board. Members of the audit committee should comprise of only members of Primarks board whose responsibility would be to identify matters that needs action is taken or improvements and make recommendations with the processes to be taken. The audit committee has the duty to review internal controls, the integrity of financial statements and internal audit. Management Board Primark should have a strong and well-experienced management board that would be responsible for the implementation of policy direction and strategies set by the board and the day-to-day running of the business. Internal Audit there should be an internal audit unit that would provide an independent assurance that Primarks risk management, internal control system and governance are operating effectively. External Auditor as part of the requirements to list on the London stock Exchange, Primark needs to appoint an independent external auditor who will provide an independent opinion whether management has fairly presented the information provided in Primarks financial statements. Annual Report management of Primark should provide an annual report and get it approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting. Benefits of Corporate Governance Good corporate governance ensures corporate success and economic growth. Strong corporate governance maintains investors confidence, as a result of which, company can raise capital efficiently and effectively. It lowers the cost of capital. There is a positive impact on the share price. It provides proper inducement to the owners as well as managers to achive objectives that are in interests of the shareholders and the organisation. Good corporate governance also minimises wasteges, corruption, risk and mismanagement. 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