Challenges Faced by Amazon, SWOT Analysis, Porters Five Forces, and B Case Study

Essays on Challenges Faced by Amazon, SWOT Analysis, Porters Five Forces, and BCG Matrix Case Study The paper â€Å"Challenges Faced by Amazon, SWOT Analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and BCG Matrix† is a   Ã‚  breathtaking example of a case study on e-commerce. Amazom.com is a perfect example of the impact of the internet revolution and how such developments have changed the business scene. As a virtual company, it marks the influence of the internet on conventional business strategies mode and theories (Reading 2004). This report will analyze the Amazon business model and macro factors affecting the company’s future. The report addresses Amazon through its two recognized SBU’s North America (domestic) and international markets. The SWOT analysis will evaluate Amazon's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The porter’s five forces analysis will give insight into the online retailing industry and Amazon's competitive advantage over its rivals. This report will look at Amazon’s product portfolio and its market share in each categ ory. The report has given a recommendation to improve Amazon’s performance in the future.Industry overviewInternet access has been growing steadily over the past 15 years and continues to grow in the future as well (Heinemann Schwarzl 2010). This is a booming industry. There are few barriers to entry therefore fiercely competitive industry. The industry provides an alternative to the physical retailing industry which gives customers more choice because they can look for more suppliers supplying the same service. The online companies do not have to pay huge rent for the prime location but they have another technology cost.Amazon overviewAmazon.com is an American based online retail company. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, the company was established as an online bookstore in July 1995 in Washington (Mennen 2006; Annual report 2009). The company was reincorporated again in 1996 in the state of Delaware. The company got listed on May 15, 1997, on NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol ‘AMZN’ (Amazon Annual Report 2009). Amazon.com is the market leader in the e-commerce business. In a span of five years after the listing, the company’s revenue had grown from â€Å"$147.8 million to over $ 3.93 billion with sales registering a 26% growth in the fiscal year 2001† (Mennen 5; Cummings Worley, 332). However, investors did not gain a lot as the firm plowed back the profits in developing a number of warehouses and distribution centers across the country (McGrath MacMillan 2009). Today the company has become a multinational company successfully operating in many countries such as Japan, UK, and Germany (Annual report 2009). The company measures its success on the basis of the value it creates for its shareholders. The company believes in investing in its employees and benefiting from its talent. The company rewards its employees through shares rather than cash to motivate them to work in the best interest of shareholders. Amazon offers the world the largest selection of products making it the leading online shopping site throughout the world (Regan 2008). Amazon is one of the top brands in the online retailing industry.The company had an early mover advantage in the industry as one of the pioneer online retailers (Mennen 2006). Originally, the firm was a simple online low price bookstore before expanding to include CDs and DVDs in 1998. The company’s business model is to generate a large number of sales with a low margin profit which necessitated a change in strategy (Annual report 2009). In 1999, the firm engaged in networking as a growth strategy. Non-Amazon products such as used books and individual auctions of different products were placed under tabs on the company’s website and were not allowed to mix with the firm’s products. Such tabs were the ‘auctions’ tab and the ‘shop’ tab (Cummings Worley 2009). This strategy was later reviewed to allow small businesses placed under tabs to place their products in Amazon’s most visited sites at a fee. Another program, merchants@amazon.com, allowed larger partner retailers such as Office Depot, Circuit City and Borders Books to access Amazon’s customers for a service fee and commission while Amazon retained inventory ownership and controlled prices. Another business arrangement with firms such as Drugstore allowed Amazon users to be transferred to other websites with Amazon receiving a commission based on the number of visitors transferred (Cummings Worley 2009). In the recent past, the firm has entered the manufacturing industry through its Kindle brand an electronic reading device (Kaye Quinn 2010).

Football Coach Free Essays

Football Coach As the sun rises to its highest peak of the day, the local high school team starts heading to the dry dirt filled football field. As the athletes make their way to the field the dust rises and the smell of the soil hits their nose. The athletes continuing their daily ritual, get into their usual formations and start their warm ups. We will write a custom essay sample on Football Coach or any similar topic only for you Order Now The head coach, Shane Cox, walks around and initiates small talk with the players. Shane Cox inherited the head position at Fairfax High School in 1999. He turned around a football program that hasn’t won a single football game in two years; Shane Cox has won two Los Angeles Division II City Championships in the past decade. Serving for more than 13 years, Coach Cox has contributed a lot of his time and effort into this program at Fairfax High School. A high school coach has to work additional hours during the sports season. This can result in a work week over 40 hours. Working nights, holidays, evenings and weekends are common for high school coaches. A high school coach has to be prepared to work in bad weather and be willing to travel with the team to different locations for games. They also run the risk of injury due to being on the sidelines during sports games. Although Coach Cox’s accomplishments for coaching are impressive, his accomplishments off the field are impressive as well. A football coach’s job is to not only improve his player athletically, but as a person as well. How to cite Football Coach, Papers

Integrity Violations and Intellectual Property

Question: Discuss about the Integrity Violations and Intellectual Property. Answer: Introduction: This study deals with what is plagiarism and how to avoid it. Plagiarism is defined as a distinct crime or a failure to give credit to a specific source. It is mainly using works or ideas of other people without acknowledgment. From the optimistic point of view, avoidance of plagiarism helps one in achieving the potential to be a successful writer and develop skills to apply principles learnt on ones writing without breach of copyright (Graham Starr, 2013). Plagiarism comes from Latin word for kidnapper (Pecorari, 2013). Academic community considers it as breaking rules of honesty. An effective and justifiable use of sources should be the aim for all. This reduces the risk of plagiarism largely. Avoidance of plagiarism is a necessity as it enhances viewpoints of the students and clarifies their concepts. Several types of plagiarism are seen. Direct copying involves exact word-to-word copying of ones work without attribution. Word-switching or mosaic plagiarism denotes taking others work and making few alteration in the words present in the work or changing fragments of sentences. Concealing sources is another form of plagiarism in which the writer does not attribute the sources from where the ideas have been taken or if repetitive usage of sources has been done it has been mentioned once (Rousseau, 2016). For students, previous work should not be reused or works of other students should also not be sed. Avoidance of plagiarism helps to maintain academic integrity. Plagiarism can be avoided by several means. Firstly, the writer should understand the topic to be written and a thorough research of the same should be done. A brief outline of the topic should also be done. The outline should not only contain ideas of other people but also ideas and understanding of the writer also (Graham Starr, 2013). Coming to writing, the most commonly used way to avoid plagiarism is paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is putting down the information read from a source in ones own words . While paraphrasing a sentence, the meaning of the sentence should remain intact. Next comes citing which is another means of avoiding plagiarism. Quotation is another means to avoid plagiarism. It should always be done authentically in order to stay away from the allegations of plagiarism. To cite a particular quote is another way of avoiding plagiarism if the information is taken from any website or blogs. One should also cite oneself if one is using previous material to evade from self-plagiarism. Another important means to keep away from plagiarism is referencing the pages with page numbers and all other necessary details from where the information has been taken (Rousseau, 2016). Plagiarism if caught results in penalties if caught. In universities, if students are caught doing plagiarism students may also be suspended. Students might not even get the credits for the plagiarized assignments and students then have to rework (Wiwanitkit, 2013). Professionals if caught with plagiarism may be subjected to legal acts. They might not get service in the same field of work. Reputation is hampered to the extreme extent. If citations are missed laws of copyrights are desecrated by the plagiarists, which may lead to monetary damages ((Pecorari, 2013). Plagiarism is a criminal offence, which, is evident from the above discussions. Students thus should avoid plagiarism for maintaining academic integrity. Professionals must also avoid it to remain loyal to the profession and maintain reputation. Thus, people should always remain concerned while writing to avoid plagiarism. References Graham-M , L., Starr, S. (2013). Is it cheatingor learning the craft of writing? Using Turnitin to help students avoid plagiarism.Research in learning technology,21. Pecorari, D. (2013).Teaching to avoid plagiarism: How to promote good source use. McGraw-Hill Education (UK). Rousseau, J. (2016). Information Integrity Violations and Intellectual Property Theft Factors for Better Controlling Plagiarism Through Technological Regulators. Wiwanitkit, V. 2013). (How to avoid plagiarism.Annals of biomedical engineering,41(1), 3-3.

Thoreau civil disobedience Essay Example For Students

Thoreau civil disobedience Essay In Civil Disobedience, why does Thoreau refuse to pay his poll tax? In Thoreaus essay Resistance to Civil Government, Henry David Thoreau outlines a utopian society in which each individual would be responsible for governing himself. His opposition to a centralized government is an effort to disassociate with the American government, which at the time was supporting slavery and unjustly invading Mexico. While the individual rule would work well for Thoreau who is a man of conscience, it does not account for the immoral, dishonest or overly ambitious people in the nation. Resistance to Civil Government is a work of political philosophy where Thoreau lays out a plan for the way he believes the American government and society should be structured. The essay discusses the relation between the individual and society. We will write a custom essay on Thoreau civil disobedience specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This essay acts as a plea for individuals to follow their conscience when civil law causes a conflict. Thoreau calls for a conscious rebellion to bring about a radical change in the American constitution; a revolution against the American government. This notion of peaceable revolution is the moral center of this essay. By refusing to pay taxes he is not objecting the taxes specific use, he is refusing allegiance to the state as a whole. Thoreau does not advocate complete defiance of democracy with his protest as he willingly accepts the consequences of breaking the law. Because Thoreau chooses his integrity over compliance he feels freer in jail than the people outside who follow the law like sheep rather than thinking and acting for themselves. He accepts the consequence of imprisonment for not paying his lawful tax, believing that by being imprisoned he is forcing the government to consider whether he is in the right by practicing civil disobedience. Thoreau wishes to be separate from the American government because it supports slavery. Thoreau chastises the government. Thoreau pictures a utopian society where a persons conscience is a higher rule than that of the law. In Thoreaus utopia, government would only have the rights the individual allows it to possess, however a person under this government could deny the right to enforce consequences to that government, leaving him free to partake in evil or immoral actions without repercussions. Thoreau seems to believe that if people are given the chance to govern their lives by their conscience they would always do what is right by their conscience. .

Goats Plant and Goats Essay examples

Goats Plant and Goats Essay examples Goats: Plant and Goats Essay examples Miranda555 When people think of summer they think of brush, grass, weeds, and trees. People dread cleaning up there fields, well studies show now you don’t need too you can use goats. Who would have thought that goats would take care of our brush and weed problems and it would even be good for your fields. Today were going to look at some benefits of controlling brush with goats, how goats can help you fields and how many goats per acre. Some benefits of controlling brush with goats are that they prefer brush and weeds over grass so they won’t endanger to grazing land of cattle. Goats clear brush beneath the tree line, which leads to healthy grass growth beneath tree lines. They are also great producers of milk and cheese. Goats help fields in many ways. They can be utilized as an affective bio-control agent to reduce weed populations. They can eliminate the use of harm-full herbicides and pesticides. Goats eat poisonous plants like hemlock, poison oak, and blackberry bushes. Bru sh goats also help prevent forest fires, or at best slow a fire down by eating the underbrush. It generally takes 60 goats three to five days to clear  ¼ acre of brush that is moderately dense. There should be about three to four full sized goats per acre. Sometimes it depends on how big of goats you use, what type of weeds you have and how fast you want them to be gone. There is a specific type of goat that has been labeled â€Å"brush goat† by many goat breeders, but brush goats are simply goats

A Social Reminder

Later on, their children, Romina Montano and Julius Capule, engage in a love affair which worsens the cold connection between the two conflicting families. The couple strives hard to save their relationship, until they finally decided to abscond and marry each other giving birth to a child who became the key to solve the long existing clash the two families had. The actors that portrayed the characters in the movie like Sharmaine Buencamino, Nonie Buencamino, Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, Eda Nolan and Dominic Roco showcased their magnificent acting prowess and delivery in their unconventional lines with humor and emotions. Its effective plot is also admirable because it gives extensive interest to its viewers. Behind this promotion, it tackles some of our country’s great social predicaments. In the movie, competition for money greatly influences a person’s every action and way of living. Commonly, it is the reason that crashes the important relationships and friendships we have. The case of eloping couples is one of the most common problems we hear that events to unplanned families and financial problems. It also illustrates disobedience to parents which may lead to distorted futures and broken families. Generally, the movie tells us that arguing because of money is a waste of time. Friendships should not be destroyed because of small problems. Instead, it should become stronger by these obstacles we face. There is nothing better than to be love and feel peace when you’re with your friends, neighbors and family. For me, this movie deserves a high mark for showing a total package short film and excellent cinematography. Furthermore, I would like to give this movie a credit in putting on a wonderful story in a short length film. A Social Reminder Later on, their children, Romina Montano and Julius Capule, engage in a love affair which worsens the cold connection between the two conflicting families. The couple strives hard to save their relationship, until they finally decided to abscond and marry each other giving birth to a child who became the key to solve the long existing clash the two families had. The actors that portrayed the characters in the movie like Sharmaine Buencamino, Nonie Buencamino, Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, Eda Nolan and Dominic Roco showcased their magnificent acting prowess and delivery in their unconventional lines with humor and emotions. Its effective plot is also admirable because it gives extensive interest to its viewers. Behind this promotion, it tackles some of our country’s great social predicaments. In the movie, competition for money greatly influences a person’s every action and way of living. Commonly, it is the reason that crashes the important relationships and friendships we have. The case of eloping couples is one of the most common problems we hear that events to unplanned families and financial problems. It also illustrates disobedience to parents which may lead to distorted futures and broken families. Generally, the movie tells us that arguing because of money is a waste of time. Friendships should not be destroyed because of small problems. Instead, it should become stronger by these obstacles we face. There is nothing better than to be love and feel peace when you’re with your friends, neighbors and family. For me, this movie deserves a high mark for showing a total package short film and excellent cinematography. Furthermore, I would like to give this movie a credit in putting on a wonderful story in a short length film.

Leadership Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Journal - Essay Example and reducing the weaknesses would help the company in gaining advantage of the external opportunities and in countering external threats effectively and thereby improves the position of the company in the perceptual map (Morrill, 2010, p.162-163). Strategic business leadership in global organizations earns success through cultivation of both self and organizational knowledge that in turn enhances productivity. Global organizations take into account people belonging to different cultural and national diversities. These organizations through enhancing their knowledge resources need to understand the ethos of the different cultural groups and thereby to enhance communication to generate productivity (Harris, 2005, p.43). Managing a diverse cultural base of workers in the organization focuses on linking the needs and understandings of the employees to the policies, rules and regulations of the company. This policy helps in safeguarding the interests of the workers which in turn enhances the productivity of the concern (UCSF, n.d.). Organizational leaders often tend to manage the different cultural groups without reflecting sensitivity to the level of perception changes in the different individuals belonging to varied cultures. This fact tends to excite conflict. Some organizational leaders tend to respect the different cultural understandings and thus tend to modify and revise the rules and procedures in that respect (Morschett, Klein and Zentes, 2010, p.143). An individual to cope up as a global leader must reflect different types of skills like maintaining integrated relationships with people belonging to different cultures, having a stronger business acumen pertaining to offshore business and strategic endeavors, and possessing signified potential of organizing a strategic workforce. Further the business leader must reflect a potential vision and a cognitive understanding of the change movement (Mendenhall, 2008, p.54). The organizational leaders must make the

The Great American Indigence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Great American Indigence - Research Paper Example If the income distribution of a market is not equal, then the resource allocation becomes ineffective. In such circumstances, the economy gets bifurcated into two groups namely, the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. An increase in the strength of the latter is the underlying factor which generates poverty in the economy. This research paper will explain the poverty of U.S. in details. United States Poverty: Poverty is the state of misery that can exist in any nation in the world. If a nation is poor, then it is not capable of meeting the basic requirements of its citizens. Poverty not only dampens the economic prosperity of a country, but also brings about the downfall of human development in a nation1. This research paper will consider the extent of poverty in United States. It was earlier believed by the economists that poverty only had its presence in the lagging and underdeveloped nations in the world. However, the contemporary economic affairs of the world show that rich developed nations like, United States, also house substantial amount of poverty in its domestic economy. Poverty in United States: As recorded in 2011, the level of poverty in United States was about 15%. It was estimated that around 46.2 million individuals in the country were poor11. The median level of the family incomes of the individuals of the country had fallen by almost 1.5% from 2010 to 2011. It has been claimed by the researchers that the poverty in U.S. is actually responsible for the rise in the country’s level of unemployment. After the globalization of the world economy in 1990, the competences of the developed nations have fallen significantly. The fall in the core competences in U.S. have resulted in a decline in employment opportunities in the nation. The fall in the income prospects have increased the poverty in U.S. Then again, the poverty in U.S. is seen to be generally urban in nature. III. Causes of Poverty There are various causes or reasons that have caused the poverty in U.S. The big American corporate companies always outsource their requirement of skilled labor workforce from t he developing nations in the world. This is because skilled and educated workers in those nations are available at a cheaper cost. This has made the U.S. workforce less competitive in nature, thereby lacking the proper knowledge which is needed for maintaining high paid jobs. Thus, lack of higher education and knowledge among the youth of U.S. is a prime reason for its impending urban poverty. The recession in the world economy since 2007 has added fuel to the fire of dismay for the U.S. individuals. Low velocity of money circulation in the economy has reduced the productivity and investment thresholds of the nation2. A fall in the level of productivity in the economy has been responsible for the job losses in the nation. In figure 1 at the end, it can be observed that down the years from 1968 to 2012, the workforce participation in U.S. did not increase. Rather, the trend shows a fall in the employment opportunities. Then again, it is obvious and quite natural that the population s trength of the country has increased with time. The employment level in the nation has not increased in equivalence to the rise in the population of the nation10. This shows that a large proportion of the individuals in U.S. is unemployed and therefore, leads their lives as poor urban individuals. The

The characters Essay Example for Free

The characters Essay Harry Burns: A complete slob and a brooding pessimist with a grim sense of humor. Sally Albright: Shes cheerful, organized, and optimistic. The set-up The two main characters, Harry Burns and Sally Albright, dislike each other immediately. Shes cheerful, organized, and optimistic. He is a complete slob and a brooding pessimist with a grim sense of humor. Not long after meeting, they are stuck with each other on a long car trip from Chicago to New York City. To pass the time, Harry asks Sally to tell him the story of her life. The scene: Harry: So†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. since we have a long journey and I have all the time in the world. Tell me about your life. Your entire life story. Sally: My life story? Why would someone like you be interested in knowing my story? Harry: I am not interested. I just want to bite away some time. Sally: emm†¦ well, my life has nothing that interesting to talk about. Harry: I thought so†¦ u’r like one of those â€Å"high maintenance snooty new york execs† Sally: No, I’m not snooty! I am organized, I love my friends and care for my family. I don’t need to be judged by a slob like you. Harry: ohhhhhhh! Somebody’s offended. Sally: Ass holes like you think just because you can throw down a few drinks, and nail some slut at a swanky bar, your life must be wild! I despise people like you, mister! Harry: You despise us because you can never have what we have. Sally: We can have everything you have and much more. We just choose not to! Sally: I’m going to sleep now†¦ I can’t take any more of your noise! End of scene What does this exercise tell you about film dialogue and what makes it work most effectively? This exercise tells us that film dialogue needs to short. Not too long. It can be unexpected and doesn’t necessarily need to have logic. Does it suggest that dialogue in films is different from dialogue in literature and drama? Yes, I do believe dialogue in films is different from dialogue in literature and drama because in literature and drama the dialogues can be a little longer. But in films where each scene is about 2 minutes or less. It’s important to keep it short and sweet. In what ways is film dialogue close to or different from real-life conversation? Film dialogue is quite similar to real life conversation but unnecessary text may need to be cut out and all the lines would need to make an impact quickly to keep the audience interested. Since it needs to look real like the actors are actually having a conversation. It does have similar features of a real life conversation.

The Concepts Of Knowledge And Happiness In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

â€Å"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow† (Shelley 60). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, she expresses her beliefs regarding the danger of pursuing happiness through the attainment of knowledge, because true happiness is found in the emotional connections established between people. The pursuit of knowledge is not necessarily an evil thing, but it can cause destruction when it is pursued beyond natural limits. Victor Frankenstein becomes a slave to his passion for learning in more than one way; first his life is controlled by his obsession to create life, and later he becomes a slave to the monster he has created.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frankenstein describes the beginning of his life as a happy time with his family. During his childhood, Frankenstein was passionate about learning, but his emotional connection with Elizabeth kept him from completely engrossing himself in his studies (Shelley 38). When Frankenstein left home to study at the university of Ingolstadt, he became intent on his quest to uncover the mystery of life. He tells of working in the laboratory until sunrise and being indifferent to the beauty of the world around him (Shelley 56-63). These changes in Frankenstein’s way of life represent Shelley’s belief that one’s passions must be controlled or the passions wi...

Health Care System of Taiwan and the United States

Health Care Systems of Taiwan and the United States Health care is one of the most essential foundations for any citizenship in any country since whether it is effective or not, it definitely affects the standard of living and the life expectancy of a country. According to Johnson and Stoskopf (2009), â€Å"A health system as described by the World Health Organization (WHO) is the sum total of all the organizations, institutions, and resources whose primary purpose is to improve health,† (p. 3). Therefore, to positively improve a nation, having an effective ealth care system is crucial.Being recognized as one of the powerful countries in the world, the United States has a great shape of health care programs; however, sometimes it is inaccessible to some of the citizens. On the contrary, as a small country, Taiwan is famous for its health care system although there are still defective parts existing in the current system. To compare the differences of health care systems in Tai wan and the United States, we can observe the three major aspects: ownership, cost, and quality. First of all, Taiwan and the United States have different types of ownership in the health care systems.Thus, Taiwan owns a single-payer system, which is run by the government, forcing everyone to Join it and pay. Because of this policy, the coverage of health care is close to 99 percent (Underwood, 2009). In this country, the government-run system covers prevention, primary care, hospitalization, Chinese massage, acupuncture, traditional herbal medicine, mental health care, dental, vision, and long-term care. Unlike Taiwan, the United States possesses several types of ublic and private funding systems: Medicare and Medicaid are the two main public funded plans for Americans.There is also abundance of private insurance companies for people to choose, but they usually have a long list of pre-existing conditions, which restricts many patients since they are unable to receive health care in surance. Although the United States contains public and private programs, nearly 15. 6 percent of Americans had no health insurance in 2003, (Samuel D. , 2010). Secondly, the cost of health care for Taiwanese and Americans is divergent. Thus, Taiwan spends approximately 6 percent of G. D. P. on health care while the United State spends about 16 percent of G.D. P. (Seth B. , 2009, p. 1). Moreover, in Taiwan, people merely have to pay small amount of money set by the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) for each medical service received, and the BNHI will cover the rest of the payment (Taiwan Health Care Reform Foundation, 2010). As a result, no one in Taiwan goes bankrupt due to the medical bill. Unlike Taiwanese, a lot of Americans undergo bankruptcy since they cannot afford their medical bills. Finally, the quality of health care in Taiwan is not the same as that in the United to turn to.Moreover, there is no waiting time for patients which highly enhances the effectiveness o f health care. The competition between public and private hospitals improves the quality. Furthermore, every Taiwanese who is under the coverage has a Smart Card: an electronic health record, which is required for patient to bring along when seeing a doctor. The nurses would scan the card and all the medical record of that patient would appear clearly. It is a paperless system that improves treatment nd reduces redundant process of paperwork.Different from Taiwan, the insurance companies in the United States limit the patients in what doctors and hospitals they can go to, and it is necessary to set up an appointment in advance. In conclusion, it should be underscored that the ownership of health care systems plays an important role for a country because it might affect the entire system. The cost determines whether or not the citizens of the country are able to pay for the bills. The overall quality is a critical aspect of health care system since it ight either directly or indirect ly influence a patient's well-being.It is quite difficult for me to conclude which one of the health care systems is more effective due to the fact that Taiwan and the United States are distinctive in many ways, such as population and country size. Nevertheless, there are still several aspects that the United States can learn from Taiwan: for instance, studying other nations' health care system. Before deciding on a health care system, the experts in Taiwan carried out research on several successful countries' programs and eventually established its wn in 1995.

My motivation Essay

My motivation to attend a Historically Black College or University has a lot to do with black history but not for the most common reasons. For me to be able to properly express my sentiments in making this selection, I would like to begin by speaking of my experience as a black woman and the experience of being black in America. This, I feel, is the only way that I can clearly explain my decision to attend a Historically Black College or University. In the very beginning of this nation’s history, Americans were under the power of England’s monarchy. The Americans were able to overthrow the shackles of bondage and created a Constitution that declares its steadfast belief in the ideals of freedom, equality and the pursuit of happiness. But immediately after the Declaration of Independence and even after the Constitution was signed and accepted by leaders of the new government, not every American citizen is treated fairly. This led to the development of several plans that were aimed at making things equal. Among which, affirmative action was praised and pilloried as the answer to racial inequality. First introduced by President Kennedy in 1961, â€Å"Affirmative action† was designed as a method of reducing the discrimination that had remained despite the civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees. It was a method that was put in place as a â€Å"Temporary Measure to Level the Playing Field† through the offering of the same opportunities to all Americans. While the â€Å"Affirmative Action† plan was intended to have good effects, it resulted in exposing the flaws in the system as â€Å"Reverse Racism† began to emerge and the â€Å"Bakke† case came about where a white male was rejected two years in a row in favor of admitting other minorities through a quota system. This â€Å"Reverse Racism† and other flaws led to a mounting anger against â€Å"Affirmative Action† and soon it became a Zero Sum Game as jobs and opportunities became open to minorities but not to whites. During this period, â€Å"Preferential treatment† and â€Å"quotas† became expressions of contempt. This is where my drive to apply at this Historically Black College or University comes from because I am a firm believer in the progress that has been made to address this situation. The recent victory of Barack Obama in the United States Presidential Election of 2008 is one of the biggest issues among many other big events that have occurred in America this year. This year’s election was even more controversial because of the racial issue, which they barely, if at all, had in previous elections. During the course of the campaigns, other candidates may have mentioned the racial difficulties in their speech or public pledge, but no candidate ever represented him-self as a minority. The United States, I am proud to admit, has begun the long process of change. The idea of having a Black President was unthinkable and unimaginable ten years ago. Yet, it must be pointed out that it was only achievable because America is blended by multi-ethnicity, which means America is like a melting pot, where all different races and cultures are mixed in one particular land, often called â€Å"a country of immigrants†. Many other countries aside from than the United States were and still likely to deny minorities as their presidents. This recent success is a clear sign that Obama’s successful run for president has broken through the ‘last racial barrier’. America no longer has to be rudely awakened by the Civil Rights Movement to realize that there is still much work to be done with regards to racism in this country. When Martin Luther King, Jr. died, the nation was ready for a major change. Ending segregation in the South and improving the status of the Negro race is now the correct thing to do. The victory of Barack Obama sends a message of change that resounds with all the voters; it speaks of change and opportunity for all those who had none and all those who have none. It is this same message of change that has prompted me to embrace my country for taking steps in initiating this change. These Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been trying to change this trend since their inception and I feel that it is my duty to be a part of that proud history and continue the message of change by pushing back the barriers. As the United States continues to grow in population size, the impact that the minorities have on the future of America will no longer be a minor one, to say the least. Without any effective action, these minorities will not be able to take advantage of the opportunities that America has to offer. Affirmative action was supposed to be the future of a great America. An America as envisioned by the forefathers who declared that no person shall be denied the right to life, liberty or property just on the basis of the color of his skin. Any effective action, such as taking an active role by applying to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with regard to improving society should not be about segregating people or creating a different class. It should instead focus on creating opportunities for those who have none and building relationships that will ensure that America can remains as the great country that it has been and is for ages to come. It is said that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. I am one of those individuals who firmly believe in my dreams and am not afraid to work hard to attain them. I know that I have a long road to travel but I am neither daunted nor intimidated by this because I know that I can succeed. I am also confident in the fact that with the experiences that I can gain from this university there is so much more that I can accomplish in life and I look forward to the day that this dream becomes a reality.

The Ocean County Vocational Technical School Essays

The Ocean County Vocational Technical School Essays The Ocean County Vocational Technical School Essay The Ocean County Vocational Technical School Essay Learning is fun at Ocean County Vocational Technical School because Learning is fun at Ocean County Vocational Technical School because its teaching you how to start your Journey in life; it makes you become a better person and teaches you different things in your young adult years. The reason why I think its fun because it helps me get a Job, teaching me things I didnt know, showing me how to be in a work environment and having good communication skills. My first experience was my Junior year I was in culinary arts/ hospitality I was shown how to prep foods, cook different foods, and taught safety rules. While I was there I helped cook apple crisp for the annual apple festival in Lacey. We also would take orders and cook all kinds of different foods for all the staff, students, and family members. We would cater to the students of the month and honor roll students by making them a big meal. I was shown different methods of cooking, different equipments, and tools. My Job every Friday was to write in my portfolio about my Jobs I had and what I cooked. It felt like I was in a real live restaurant it was pretty cool I learned a lot of things in the cooking class. I really enjoyed culinary foods class in Waretown ocvts. The second reason why learning is fun at vocation school is Im in a retail store occupations this year. I was shown a lot of cool methods of working in a store for an example cashier, making smoothies, and in the hot foods station. Every day of the week besides Wednesday we open the Surfs Up Market which is in the class Im in at the Toms river center we get assigned a different Job every week. On Wednesday we learn about working in a store, how to fill out applications, safety rules, communication skills, we also study different math methods.

Paradise Lost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paradise Lost - Essay Example Powerful as God is, if they repented, he would have forgiven them and put things the way they previously were. God cared for man and thus immediately started the process of reclaiming His people from Satan’s grip. First were judges, kings, and prophets who were prominent leaders whose work was to convince the humankind to stop sinning and start obeying their Creator. As a last resort, God sent His son to save humankind from sins before they can join His everlasting Kingdom (Matthews & Platt 110). On the other hand, final destruction awaits those who will be sinning when the Kingdom comes. This is the story about the fall of man as Christianity tells it. The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of man in God’s eternal plan as presented by Milton in his epic book, Paradise Lost. Purpose of the Book. This book explains the origin of today’s cultures and beliefs starting with the fallout between God and one of His archangels, Lucifer. Lucifer then declared war on God, his main aim being to reclaim heaven and overthrow his Creator and Master. First, he organized his supporters among angels and then went on to recruit God’s latest creation; man to his ranks. Man fell to many of Satan’s, another of Lucifer’s aliases, tricks. ... olism and poetry, he also portrays the underlying factors that led to the fall including; Lucifer’s rebellion, the archangel Raphael who was sent to warn Adam of the looming danger and the fight between Michael and Lucifer which led to the latter being thrown out of heaven (Matthews & Platt 111 – 112). In addition, he tells the story about the coming of Jesus and salvation of humankind. Social Sin during Birth. According to Milton, Christianity states that since the original humans sinned, we are all guilty, and have to be forgiven regardless of whether we have sinned or not. Failure to ask for forgiveness condemns humankind to destruction together with Lucifer and his comrades come the last day. Though this is the general belief, humans are not guilty at birth because it is not their fault that the original parents sinned. Earlier teachers of law who used the Torah in their teachings propagated this belief in Exodus 21. However, the truth is that people are born with t he potential to do both good and evil things, and not born evil or good. A person becomes good or evil depending on the line of actions or thought they take. Freewill versus Obedience. Satan was the first angel to exercise freewill. This put Lucifer in opposition to his master, God. God’s anger at him was justified since it brought disorder in the heavenly monarch. Freewill made Lucifer do things that were against laid rules. Despite being a rebel, Satan’s resolve and reasoning is intriguing. His greatest mistake is that he used and continues to use his freewill to go against the Ruler in propagation of evil. If he had decided to have a parallel government ruled by good, maybe his master would have obliged to give him a position of power in His government. Instead, he chose to rebel which

Canadian History post confederation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian History post confederation - Essay Example The threat of 'race suicide' loomed large in the outlook of housing reformers as it did in all the social improvement campaigns of the era. It was widely believed that the deplorable health of the working class, most visibly demonstrated in the high failure rates in military medical inspections, and the large-scale 'infiltration' of non-British immigrants would jeopardize the future of the Anglo-Saxon 'race.' One worrying development noted by reformers was the hesitancy of landlords to rent dwellings to families with children. This reluctance was commonly noted by observers of the urban scene and became particularly serious after the war with the housing shortage. It represented a concrete manifestation of the potential conflict of interest between different sections of capital -- industrialists and landlords -- over questions such as the reproduction of the workforce. As one conservative union bureaucrat in Toronto, J.T. Gunn, put it blatantly in 1920, 'Landlords object to children, with the result that we are drifting into race suicide.' 'Race' was a loosely defined term used extensively by social commentators to designate the peculiar social attributes that allegedly derived from the biology or culture of a particular people. In the English-Canadian case, this attitude was largely rooted in a sense of the inherent superiority of British 'stock' and constituted a fundamental element of the social hierarchy. It reflected the ideological legacy of the conquest of French Canada and the Native peoples, the Anglo-chauvinism associated with the international hegemony of the British Empire, and the Eurocentric racism linked to colonialism and slavery. Whether one was an environmentalist who believed that active intervention could uplift the social and moral conditions of the indigent and socially 'misfit' or a hereditarian who envisioned that social problems originated in immutable biological traits, there was a common opinion that the Canadian 'race' could be bettered. Neither was there disagreement that the physical, mental, and moral state of the race faced grave danger unless prompt action was taken. Early reformers isolated infectious diseases as the main peril because they threatened to overtake the city as a whole. A 1906 editorial in the Toronto Daily News outlined this threat to the 'respectable' classes: 'The Ward constitutes a constant menace to the physical and moral health of the city. It is an open sore from which flow fetid currents which cannot but be corrupting to the whole community.' The metaphor of disease was widely used to depict the slum housing conditions of immigrants and the poor. Dr Charles Hodgetts, head of the Public Health and Housing section of the COC, argued that temporary shack towns on the outskirts of cities were quickly becoming the 'overcrowded permanent homes of a foreign population -- hot beds of parasitic and communicable diseases and breeders of vice and inequity.' Such bigotry was extended to working-class British and American immigrants as

Growing a business strategy for Coffee Angel Coursework

Growing a business strategy for Coffee Angel - Coursework Example Chris is of Turkish background and the business is family owned. The business was started in collaboration with his family who stands by him and supports him in financing the operations of the business. Opening time is 7.30 am on weekdays and opening times being 8: 30 am and 10: 00 am for Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with closing time at 7: 00 pm irrespective of the day of the week. Coffee Angel offers foods including breakfast, sandwiches and rolls, Panini menu, toasts, salads, and wraps, the drinks offered include freshly roasted coffee, milkshakes, smoothies, tea, iced coffee, and flavor. Catering and treats are also offered by Coffee Angel. The aim of strategic analysis is to have a better understanding of the position of the business in the macro environment and make a comparison with the competitors in the industry the firm is operating. An analysis of the Coffee Angel requires an understanding of the environment to be able to know the strategic capabilities of the firm. PESTLE is an acronym for political, economic, sociological, technological, environmental, and legal and is a useful tool for the analysis of the macro environment where a business operates. PESTLE is a tool for the generation of an understanding on the relation of the firm to the external environment. The main reasons for PESTLE analysis is that it is relevant in decision making as it informs the management on the situation of the firm in relation to the external environment. This part details the impact of political actions on the external environment of Angel Coffee. Government policies would have an impact on the functionality of Angel Coffee in some ways including laws on minimum wages that has recently been passed will influence Angel Coffee and rumors of further increase affect the company. Food safety controls by the government affect the performance of food

Budget Measures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Budget Measures - Essay Example A relaxing environment contributes to the well-being of a patient. Food - An External Caterer seemed to be a wiser alternative compared to an internal facility. An internal facility seemed too luxurious and could probably promote patients not eating on time. Aside from being less expensive, an external caterer would make the dining area more spacious. A larger eating area can house more patients so that they could eat together and thus promote interaction among one another. In the case of patients getting hungry between meals, the center still offers a facility for cooking light refreshments. Medication - Although much expensive, an Automatic Dispenser is more accurate. With the automatic dispenser residents can be traced they have indeed obtained their required medicine. And since they are the only ones who know their individual codes it is easy to check if they have complied with specific dosage regimen. Recreation - I checked Recreation Area, Library, and the TV Room. Recreation is essential to one's recovery from illness and trauma. The sports area will provide effective wellness and fitness programs for the residents. The upgraded amenities offered by the Library will be for leisure and also for learning process. A TV Room would be great for entertainment. These facilities will provide the patient with a "sound mind, sound body." I left out the Transportation because the residents wouldn't always be going out for a leisure trip and the two new vans can only accommodate 30 passengers and 12 wheelchairs. Perhaps renting transportation for occasional trips is wiser. Communication - I chose Dedicated Telephone over Internet Access because internet access is very expensive. If residents need internet services, they can access the web in the library. In addition, communication over the telephone is much clearer as compared to the internet Miscellaneous - I chose to install an Audio System because soothing music is proven to contribute to the wellbeing of persons in any environment especially in a health care facility. Improving the Interior Decoration will encourage the resident to stay outside the room and mingle with other residents. Social interaction is proven advantageous. But I left out Furnishing because it is unwise. Perhaps it is more appropriate for particular residents to furnish their individual rooms at their additional expense. My decision for the accommodation proved to be a good one as it caters the need of a larger part of the private payer population. The $3.3 million was wisely utilized for the expansion plan. With concerns to food, external catering was not a good decision. I guess I failed to consider the preference of the age group to flexible dining time especially when their families come to visit them. Medication through an automatic dispenser was also not a good decision. I should have researched more about it before preferring it over Common Inventory. Also it was unwise not to purchase new vans as these vans are aimed to provide the patients comfort while traveling. Anyway, I was right not opting to provide each room with a computer. The evaluation said that it was also a good idea to repaint the walls and provide the rooms and the corridors with paintings. I was also correct on deciding not to purchase new furnishings because it was very expensive and unnecessary.

Technique to Facilitate Treatment of Urethral Strictures

Technique to Facilitate Treatment of Urethral Strictures Title:  A simple technique to facilitate treatment of urethral strictures with optical internal urethrotomy Konstantinos Stamatiou MD,PhD,Consultant Urologist, Urology Dpt, General Hospital Tzanio, Piraeus, Greece Aggeliki Papadatou MD, Radiology Resident, Radiology Interventional Radiology Dpt, General Hospital Tzanio, Piraeus, Greece Hippocrates Moschouris MD, Consultant Radiologist, Radiology Interventional Radiology Dpt, General Hospital Tzanio, Piraeus, Greece Corresponding author: Aggeliki Papadatou, General Hospital Tzanio, Zanni Afentouli 1 str, 18536, Piraeus, Greece Key words: urethral stricture, optical internal urethrotomy Introduction An urethral stricture is a narrowing of a section of the urethra. It causes a blocked or reduced flow of urine which can result in a range of manifestations, from asymptomatic to severe discomfort. Moreover, it can lead to serious complications such as urinary infections and renal insufficiency secondary to urinary retention. Blunt perineal trauma, urological instrumentation, chronic inflammatory disorders such as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and sexually transmitted diseases are the most frequent causes of strictures; a large proportion are iatrogenic . Currently, three different interventions are used to treat urethral strictures: dilations, optical internal urethrotomy and open urethroplasty(1). Dilations are easy to perform in every day clinical practice, however they show the highest recurrence rates while their outcomes are the less satisfying to the patients. On the other hand, open urethroplasty shows the lowest recurrence rates and its outcomes are the most satisfying to the patients (2). Although it is the current gold standard against which the traditional treatments are compared, this technique requires skills, expertise and equipment, often not available in the resource limited settings. For the above reasons, most patients with urethral stricture are offered optical internal urethrotomy . This procedure is preferred as the first treatment option by many urologists, as it is performed within short operative times, under either spinal, or local anaesthesia. It can be also done as an outpatient procedure for the treatment of short urethral strictures . Optical internal urethrotomy is performed by a rigid urethrotome or a flexible cystoscope/urethrotome combination. The instrument is inserted and guided to the face of the stricture and a small blade at the tip of the instrument is deployed using a trigger mechanism to cut the stricture at locations determined by the surgeon. Upon completion of the internal incision(s), the instrument is withdrawn and an appropriately sized Foley catheter is inserted through the repair and into the urinary bladder. Hospitalization lasts 2 days and the patient keeps the catheter a few days . However, technical difficulties associated with poor visualization of the stenosis or of the urethral lumen may increase procedural time and substantially increase the failure rates of internal urethrotomy. In this report we describe a technique for urethral catheterization via a suprapubic, percutaneous approach through the urinary bladder. Case Report A 35-year-old male patient, presented to our urology department with a severe (> 5 cm), tortuous stricture of the penile urethra, previously diagnosed by descending cystourethrogram (Figure 1). A suprapubic catheter was in place. Technique The urinary bladder was filled with 300 millilitres of diluted iodinated contrast (contrast/normal saline: 1/3) via the suprapubic catheter. A 0035†, J-tip standard angiographic guidewire was inserted into the urinary bladder through the suprapubic catheter. The latter was removed and exchanged with a short (11 cm), 5-French angiographic sheath. The angiographic guidewire was subsequently withdrawn and a Cobra-1 angiographic catheter (5 Fr, 65 cm) loaded with a 0035, hydrophilic, J-tip guide-wire was inserted into the bladder. Under fluoroscopy, the catheter-guidewire combination was guided towards the internal urethral orifice and urethra was catheterized. The hydrophilic guidewire was used to negotiate the stricture and was finally advanced through the external urethral orifice (Figure 2). The angiographic catheter was subsequently advanced through the stenosis, over the guidewire (Figure 3). The hub of the catheter was cut off and the vascular sheath was removed. The posteri or part of the catheter is stabilized on the abdominal wall with a suture. The patient was then taken to the operating room and placed in lithotomy position, under spinal anaesthesia. By keeping the angiographic catheter stretched, the rigid urethrotome was inserted in the urethra (Figure 4) and directed to the face of the stricture. The blade at the tip of the instrument was deployed using a trigger mechanism to cut the stricture at the 12 o clock location along the entire length of the stenosis. Upon completion of the internal incision, the instrument was withdrawn and a Foley catheter was inserted through the repaired stricture and into the urinary bladder. Results Antegrade catheterization of the urethral stricture and subsequent treatment of the stricture by using the angiographic catheter as a guide for the urethrotome proved feasible. No urethral injury, false passage or development of fistula were observed. The fluoroscopically guided antegrade catheterization of the stricture lasted 11 minutes. The patient remains free of recurrence 7 months post-operation. Discussion Internal urethrotomy has advantages of ease, simplicity, speed and short convalescence. However, success rates vary and long term results are generally low. In the short-term (less than 6 months), success rates are 70 to 80 percent. After one year, however, recurrence rates approach 50 to 60 percent and by five years, recurrence falls in the range of 74 to 86 percent(4). Although different studies have proposed different etiologies as poor responders to optical internal urethrotomy, technical and anatomical factors such as reduced visibility during the operation and stricture length are uniformly recognised as predictors of recurrence . Other factors associated with treatment failure are the perioperative urinary infection, the presence of periurethral fibrosis (spongiofibrosis) and stricture etiology(5). In cases of severe urethral stenosis or excessive urethral tortuosity the actual site of the stricture may not be visible at all4. Intraprocedural bleeding, presence of blood clots, inflammatory or injured tissues add extra difficulty in localization of the stenosis and in safe advancement of the urethrotome. Retrograde instillation of methylene blue through the suprapubic catheter and/or antegrade advancement forwarding of an ureteral stent are usually used in order to visualise narrowed urethral lumen, or to guide the urethrotome through a tortuous urethra respectively. However both manoeuvres are of questionable effectiveness. In several cases the procedure is concluded in two sessions; in other cases a scar appears after urethrotomy (probably as a result of a false route of the urethrotome) and this causes a new stricture. The above may explain surgical success rates as low as 20% . To overcome these problems, we devised a technique which is based on percutaneous, trans-cystic catheterization of the urethra. The technique requires low-cost, widely available materials of interventional radiology and a fluoroscopy unit. The procedure is brief, well-tolerated and requires no anesthesia. Our initial experience showed that even a long and severe stenosis could be negotiated with rotational and gentle probing movements of the hydrophilic guidewire. Of note, we preferred to utilize the angiographic catheter instead of the guidewire as a guide for the urethrotome; compared to the guidewire, the angiographic catheter proved more stable, more efficient for straightening of the urethra and more easily visible endoscopically. References 1. Tritschler S, Roosen A, Fà ¼llhase C, Stief CG, Rà ¼bben H. Urethral stricture: etiology, investigation and treatments. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110:220-6 2. Wani BN, Jajoo SN, Bhole AM. Outcome of urethral strictures managed by general surgeons in a rural setting of India. Indian J Surg. 2011;73:336-40. 3. Kreder KJ, Stack R, Thrasher JB, Donatucci CF. Direct vision internal urethrotomy using topical anesthesia. Urology. 1993;42:548-50. 4. Jordan GH, Schlossberg SM, Devine CJ. Surgery of the penis and urethra. In: Walsh PC, Vaughan ED, Retik AB, Wein AJ, editors. Campbells Urology. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1998. pp. 3316–3394. 5. Wong SS, Aboumarzouk OM, Narahari R, ORiordan A, Pickard R. Simple urethral dilatation, endoscopic urethrotomy, and urethroplasty for urethral stricture disease in adult men. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;12:CD006934. Legends Figure 1 Descending cystourethrogram showing severe stenosis of the penile urethra (arrow). Figure 2 Demonstration of the technique after the replacement of the suprapubic catheter with the angiographic sheath (arrow). The angiographic catheter (dotted arrow) and the guidewire (arrowhead) have been inserted through the angiographic sheath into the bladder. The guidewire has negotiated the stenosis and has been externalized through the external urethral orifice. Figure 3 The angiographic catheter (dotted arrow) has been advanced across the stenosis over the guidewire. Figure 4 Endoscopic view of the angiographic catheter which served as a guide for the urethrotome.

Essay on The Yellow Wallpaper, A Rose for Emily and Babylon :: Yellow Wallpaper essays

The Yellow Wallpaper, A Rose for Emily and Babylon It is amazing how differently people see the world. People from different walks of life interpret everyday experiences in different ways. This is ever so apparent when discussing the gaps that occur in stories by great authors. In The Yellow Wallpaper, a woman is being "treated" by a doctor (her husband) for a condition he refers to as anxiety. She is placed in a room, apparently one that was previously inhabited by a mental patient, and told to rest. Over the course of a few weeks the woman begins to exhibit signs of paranoia and regularly has hallucinations. Through the course of the story, the woman continuously makes reference to the yellow wallpaper. The first, and possibly the greatest, gap in the story comes when interpreting the meaning(s) behind the wallpaper. Does the color yellow infer something about insanity? The woman repeatedly refers to the patterns that the peeling wallpaper makes. Do the patterns suggest order from chaos? It is apparent, from the number of times that it is mentioned, that the wallpaper plays a role in the mental changes the woman experiences (and details her changes) throughout the story. Part way through the story, she begins seeing a woman moving behind the wallpaper, as if trying to escape it. Is she actually seeing herself in the wallpaper, as suggested by Chris Tildon, or is the hallucination what she fears she is becoming? At the end of the story, she takes on the role of the "creeping" woman and follows a smudge around the room and over her fainted husband. This supports the idea that she is the woman that has been trapped in the paper. Maybe she feels trapped and tormented by John's lack of sympathy for her condition. Another story that benefits from gaps is Babylon Revisited by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The gaps in this story are numerous, but the most important gaps involve Charlie's previous bout with Alcoholism, and his struggle to retrieve his daughter Honoria. Charlie claims to be a reformed man. However, after reading deep into the story, it is apparent that Charlie plays a role in his own downfall. Does Charlie actually try to rid himself of his past, or is he actually perpetuating it? In the story, Charlie visits his old "haunts", maintains a "one drink a day" attitude, and inadvertently brushes elbows with a couple of old drinking buddies.

Human Resources Practice Essay

The Human Resources Profession Map was developed by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) to aid the HR industry and its professionals to adapt to the growing and future demands, setting out the foundation for global standards of competency for the HR profession. It recognises that people could enter the HR profession from a diverse range of backgrounds. Speaking at the 2009 CIPD Conference Chief Executive Jackie Orme added: â€Å"The map will allow us to maintain rigour while improving flexibility: the flexibility to meet the needs of generalists and specialists and to support professionals at all levels, and the rigour to ensure HR professionals and employees alike can be confident that a CIPD qualification delivers not just the capabilities needed for today, but the capacity to adapt to the growing demands that will be placed on the profession in the future.† The map is an online, interactive tool located on the CIPD website for all HR and L&D professionals to use. It explains the specialist functions, behavioural skills and knowledge required in order for HR personnel to deliver effective support to any organisation. The profession map is linked to the ‘My HR Map’, which is a self assessment tool providing targeted recommendations to improve skills and maximise career potential. The map comprises of ten professional areas at four different bands and eight key behaviours HR professionals need to perform their role and are considered benchmark within the industry. There are four bands of professional competence listed below which highlight the hierarchy of the profession and operate along with the behaviours and professional areas. Band One – Administrator / Support Level – Generally customer focussed individuals, who support colleagues with administration functions Band Two – Advisor Level – Responsible for delivering HR policies to employees, managing the HR related issues amongst teams Band Three – Management Level – Responsible for implementing strategy, change and HR policies Band Four – Director Level – Leads and manages an organisation or professional area, developing strategy There are eight key behaviours listed below which describe the knowledge and skills a HR professional should encompass and how they should carry out their activities. A description of each of the eight key behaviours listed below and how they relate to the HR professional can be seen in Appendix 1. Curious Decisive thinker Skilled influencer Personally credible Collaborative Driven to deliver Courage to challenge Role model There are ten professional areas, including two core areas namely ‘Insights, strategy and solutions’ and ‘Leading HR’. Both areas are fundamental to all HR professionals, regardless of their role, level or specialism. The remaining eight areas listed below demonstrate the knowledge and experience a HR professional should be competent within. A description of each of the ten professional areas listed below and how they relate to the HR professional can also be seen in Appendix 1. Service delivery and information Organisation design Organisation development Resourcing and talent planning Learning and talent development Performance and reward Employee engagement Employee relations Although I do not work in HR, from reviewing the HR Profession Map I can see that I relate to Band 1 ‘Service delivery and information’. 10.1.1 – It is very important within my role as a Customer Contact Team Manager to establish customer requirements quickly and question everything. My team seek information from me on a daily basis and I must be prepared to provide them with an answer, however this can only be done if I have understood the situation and circumstances surrounding the query. When dealing with customer service queries we aim to find a resolve which is suitable for both the customer and the company, this is no different within a HR role. 10.7.1 – We have service level agreements surrounding the role and must comply with legislative requirements such as the Data Protection Act, when dealing with customers information, and the Consumer Credit Act, when dealing with customers financial information and processing payments. As we are employed by an outsourcing company ttl Automotive and onsite with the client Porsche Cars Great Britain, we also have organisational procedures and policies which must be adhered to for both companies. We must be mindful that we are representing both companies at all times, onsite we represent ttl Automotive, however when dealing with customers we represent the Porsche brand. 10.9.1 – My day to day role involves many HR elements, I have listed below some of the areas I am responsible for: – Managing performance – Managing absence levels – Recruitment and selection of new staff – Training and development of new and existing staff – Working within service level agreements in alignment with company policy and targets – Ensuring compliance with legislation and company policy I am aware of what I am accountable for and have authority to action within the realms of my role, for example I can roll out information to the team, process staff requests and maintain this information on a database. I can produce absence reports for the management team, complete return to work interviews and organise occupational health visits. I am responsible for the recruitment process and interview of new staff, and set monthly/quarterly and annual objectives for the team based on information received from my line manager and the HR team. However, when there is an issue which falls outside of my knowledge and experience I seek advice and guidance from the HR team who guide me through the process. For example, in a previous role a member of staff came into work intoxicated, it unfortunately was late at night as I worked for a 24 hour call centre therefore a colleague and I had to deal with this incident. It was a very difficult situation to deal with at the time and when the HR team were informed the following day they aided me in completing all the necessary paperwork as this was deemed as gross misconduct. 10.13.1 – In 2012 Porsche took the decision to change outsourcing companies, this was an uncertain time for the team and I as we were unsure if we would be made redundant in the process. Fortunately it was a case of the team moving across to the new outsourcing company, which involved the TUPE process. During the transition time, it was very important for the team and I to maintain the level of service we had always provided and to remain as flexible as possible throughout the change. During the process our new outsourcing company, ttl Automotive, had their own ways of working so many meetings were held in order to ensure they complied with how Porsche wished for the contract to be managed. This resulted in very little impact on the team and the transition period went very smoothly. 10.14.1 & 10.16.1 – There were advantages to changing companies, for example as we were a new team ttl Automotive requested we pilot the change from  paper payslips to email payslips. We were also involved in the testing stage of online holiday forms and were requested to provide our user experience via a feedback portal called Survey Monkey. I really embraced this as I felt the company were forward thinking and innovative. I myself am keen to find better, smarter, more efficient ways of working and recently implemented an online payment system, which again the team were required to test prior to launch. Change is always an interesting time and there will always be hurdles, however if ultimately it is beneficial for the company and more importantly the user then it is for the greater good. Within my role I deal with a variety of customers, for example there are internal customers such as members of the senior management team, line managers and employees. I also have external customers, for example recruitment agencies and suppliers who we have service contracts with. Activity 2 The three main customers I deal with regularly are senior managers, line managers and employees. It is important for me to establish and understand each customers need quickly and the timeframe they require it be to actioned within. I must then review each request and prioritise based on level of importance. I am often handling a number of customer requests at any one time, which can cause conflict, however I ensure I prioritise on the basis of what is deemed to be a business critical issue and these are dealt with as a matter of urgency. With this in mind it is also important to set the expectations of each customer so they are aware when their request will be actioned, this can often alleviate any conflict. I have recently had the following requests from internal customers, which I have placed in the order of priority. Customer Customer need Priority Level Senior Manager Contingency Planning 1st Line Manager Recruitment 2nd Employee Flexible working 3rd In the process of reviewing the company’s overall strategic plan, senior managers were requested to develop alternative strategies as a means to accommodate unexpected conditions or events, such as economic recessions or catastrophic events. I had also been asked to complete this for my own team and deemed this as a business critical request, therefore set about ensuring it was completed as a priority within the timeframe set. Secondly a line manager required assistance with the recruitment process, following a member of his team being promoted. As it had been agreed that the member of staff would continue in the role until a successor was found, this was not deemed as critical as the contingency planning however could be actioned in the background. For example, liaising with head office and submitting the approved job description onto online job boards and the company website. Whilst we were concentrating on coordinating the contingency planning, the recruitment programme could run in the background allowing us to obtain a number of CV’s for when we were ready to commence with review and selection for interview. Finally an employee whilst on maternity leave contacted the department wishing to gain further information on flexible working. Whilst this is very important and ultimately could have an effect on the business, the employee had a number of months before she was due to return therefore I made the decision that I could action this request within the HR team’s service level agreement of 48 hours when responding to requests. Within my role there are many forms of communication used, for example: verbal, written form and practical/presentation. The type of communication  used is dependent on the nature of the request or situation. I have associated at Appendix 2, where I have detailed the advantages and disadvantages of the three main methods of communication I use in my day to day role. When considering the above internal customer requests several communication methods were used, for example the contingency planning coordination was completed with a mixture of verbal and written, and finally practical when presenting the findings. I, alongside my colleagues, were present in group brainstorming sessions where ‘if, buts and maybes’ were thoroughly discussed and explored, our attendance allowed us to provide support and guidance as and when required. Written guidance notes had also been prepared by the Senior Manager and stated the requirements of the plan and how she wished for the teams to produce their findings. The advantages of using a variety of communication methods for this particular request catered for all manner of different learning styles enabling all participants to understand the brief and therefore contribute accordingly. However, it is not always necessary or appropriate for all communication methods to be used. When considering the third request above, it would be crucial for any information provided for the employee regarding flexible working to be communicated in written form, as verbally can easily be misunderstood and email too informal. I always follow up any telephone or face to face conversations such as this with a letter and refer the employee to the staff handbook for final confirmation. I believe it is my responsibility to ensure the information provided is accurate, relevant and delivered in a timely manner, and therefore should be followed up in writing to avoid any future issues. In my role as Customer Contact Team Manager I am responsible for the Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) with Porsche Cars Great Britain and ttl Automotive. The SLA’s are reviewed annually and are a key measurement indicator in demonstrating effective service delivery, producing service on time and  within the agreed budget. I meet with both companies on a quarterly basis to ensure we are complying with the agreed terms and to highlight any concerns. The complaints procedure underpins the process for the organisation, which is followed accordingly. Recently a customer made a complaint to Porsche Head Office as they had not received their invitation to the driving experience centre following the purchase of a new Porsche. I established very quickly that the invitation had not yet been sent due to the dealership incorrectly placing the vehicle order, which resulted in the invitation not being generated. I dealt with the customer personally and understandably he was very disappointed to have not received the level of service he had come to expect of the brand. I followed the organisations procedures for dealing with customer complaints, and am pleased I was able to resolve his query by working within the guidelines set and offering suitable compensation for the inconvenience he had experienced, he has since remained an advocate of the Porsche brand.

Targeted Advertisement

Targeted advertisement through data mining and privacy issue. Introduction A computer user sits in front of a screen and starts browsing their favourite website while their child similarly does the same. While this peaceful pastime activity is being enjoyed, however, they are unaware of the hidden pathways through which every detail about them is being disclosed. Because of these pathways, there are people that can get hold of the users’ names, phone numbers, IP addresses of the computers and their households.They have access to information about any users’ income, medical history, gender and age, not to mention what they searched on search-engines and which websites the users visited. They can even learn which online shopping purchases were performed by the users on any recent website. They, who know every detail of users, are not the Big Brothers of â€Å"1984† nor are they hackers; they are online advertisers who deliver advertisement on the Internet. The comp uter user is vulnerable to online advertising companies that value that specific personal data.The focus of this paper is to convince advertising companies that they should enforce regulation by providing an opt-out mechanism and practice permission based data mining in order to protect consumer’s privacy. Moreover, notifying and protecting users before distributing and taking advantage of their personal information is significant to company’s accountability and furthermore allow establishing a long term relationship with customers. I will explore the issue from consumer and also an advertiser’s perspective. As a design student who has been designed companies’ logos, it is significant to gain valuable insight from this topic.By gaining the necessary information in this issue, I can navigate the internet in a more safe and secure manner as a consumer. Background of Data Mining Online advertising is a growing industry that is based upon the traffic from onl ine views. â€Å"Fifty-six of the top hundred websites based on page views in February 2008 presented advertising† (Evan, 2009, p37). For every activity a consumer performs on the internet such as making a purchase, visiting a website or searching on search engines is collected (Charters, 2002).This information is processed and stored automatically through data mining practices and becomes a significant source of revenue for online advertisers without the granted permission or any notification to the customer. Data mining is an â€Å"overall process of preparing data, discovering patterns in data, and analyzing that data into useful knowledge† (Tavani, 1999, p137). According to Murphy, â€Å"the right to privacy involves the ability of individuals to decide for themselves, how much they are willing to share about their lives, thoughts, and feelings† (Murphy et al. , 2009).As personal and behavioural data are collected, stored and sold for more effective advertis ement, â€Å"loss of control† and â€Å"loss of identity† become issues (Drumwright et al. , 2009). Moreover, all the information we expect to be remained confidential, such as health insurance numbers and medical records, also become commodities for sale. Internet users have been paying for the â€Å"free† online services with their private and personal information (Goldfarb et al. , 2011). Effects of Data Mining Firstly, data mining is based on the Internet and affects the uninformed users by the loss of control over their personal information and right to privacy.Individuals are unaware that the data about them are collected and that they â€Å"have no say in how the information about them is used† (Tavani, 1999, p141). For example, search-engine providers summarize and store the entire search history categorically that â€Å"enables them to identify the individual IP address† (Evans, 2008, p55). While there is no warning to the consumers prior to collection and storage of their data, users are unaware of the fact that data mining is being conducted every time they click something on the websites.Although, Google has reduced the storing data period from two years to nine months (BBC News, 2008), the sale of data collection to online advertisers is still in progress. The transaction of information causes the loss of control over their right to privacy. Moreover, advertisers have an access to the â€Å"cookies†, which track the websites visited and every activity an individual does on the internet. Again, this becomes a privacy issue as advertising companies’ access this information without any granted permission. The privacy issue associates with the unawareness of this invisible phenomenon of data mining.Granting more control over their personal information to the users is critical. Thus, the usage of data mining without the consent of the user is an invasion of privacy. The user needs to have more authority over their information and prevent unwanted usage of their personal information. Secondly, data mining is more than just a personal and behavioural analysis. Every time the Internet client provides private information, such as medical records, all the information is being collected and saved (Buchholz & Rosenthal, 2002).The information we expect to remain confidential and anonymous becomes a source of profit to advertisers. There is a difference of scale between revealing one’s favourite color and revealing one’s social insurance number to the advertisers. For example, Google Gmail, which provides 7GB of free space, scans and records the content of emails while displaying targeted advertisements on the side that result from Google’s ability to examine the content of the emails (Evans, 2008). The vast amount of the provided space was not really â€Å"free† and users been paying it with their private information.Revealing personally identifiable data or pri vate information such as social insurance number through these services has potential risk of misuse. Consumers may concern more if they know â€Å"search engine provider is selling the data to another vendor that has figured out a way to associate the user’s IP with other personal information including name, address, and telephone number† (Evans, 2008, p57). Google’s company’s goal is to â€Å"organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful†(Google, 2011).Yet, our information also counts toward world’s information. We should be concerned if these companies with these types of mission statements can protect the users’ privacy; users should not be blindsided to the potential risks of misuse of our private information. Targeted Advertising and Consumer Relationships Regardless of the privacy concern associated with data mining and targeted advertisement, the reason why online advertising is still on the rise and is central to the e-commerce economy is because of its effectiveness on consumers (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2008). Detailed individual data can create more efficient advertisements, compared to traditional newspaper advertisements or old banners on the websites. For example, European Union practices privacy regulation on advertisers. The responses of â€Å"3. 3 million survey takers who had been randomly exposed to 9,596 online display banner advertising campaigns,† reveal that this government restriction reduces the effectiveness of advertising by 65% on average (Figure 1. ) in terms of changing stated purchasing intent (Goldfarb et al. , 2011), Therefore, regulation means a â€Å"trade-off between the benefits of consumer privacy and the benefits to consumers of a potentially broader, less obtrusive advertising-supported Internet† (Goldfarb et al. , 2011, p50). In addition, advertisers argue that â€Å"unauthorized secondary use of data† is f ound to be insignificant and consumers are used to this way of business in terms of traditional forms of advertising (Brown & Muchira, 2004).Although targeted advertising is an effective way to advertise to consumers, reflecting too much knowledge about consumers in their advertisements may offend the users (Evan, 2009). Often, the users may use internet to search or purchase what they do not wish to share or talk about with others. Online advertisements may do what is opposite of this wish. For instance, purchasing a self-help book online to treat depression does not mean you wish to sign up for an advertisement that shows lists of other books about depression.Moreover, since computers are shared online with other users, this purchase may be unintentionally revealed to the public. Advertisers should be advised of the precautions of data mining, which tracks every piece of information about consumers for effective and smart advertisement, could drive potential consumers away instead . Targeted advertisements are only effective if they respect the consumer’s privacy and use their information only when users are aware of the situation and give their permission. The foundation of strong relationships with consumers requires trust of both the website and usage of personal information.Lack of trust leads to privacy concerns and the users unaware what websites are legitimate. Resolving such privacy dilemma is, therefore, crucial to â€Å"creating stable and ultimately profitable customer relationships† (Brown & Muchira, 2004). The major factor that can weaken the relationship is â€Å"invasion† of the privacy (Attaran, 2000). It involves â€Å"contacting consumers who have not requested such contact and is often done repeatedly† (Brown & Muchira, 2004). Also, receiving unwanted junk mail and promotions from advertisers could irritate consumers (Korgaonkar & Wolin, 1999).The result of a survey that Brown and Muchira conducted indicates that consumers who have experienced online invasion of privacy are less likely to purchase products via the Internet. In other words, the ability to handle personal information is significant to advertisers to maintain a strong relationship with consumers. Advertisers should view the protecting privacy as an opportunity to establish long term relationships with consumers. Conclusion Government regulation is practiced in some European countries to resolve the privacy issues in online advertising.Nevertheless, government regulations that may be proposed to protect right to privacy, may end up violating â€Å"the principle of respect for individual† and create another invasion of privacy (Charters, 2002). Instead of government intervention to deal with privacy issue, online advertising companies should enforce regulation by providing opt-out mechanisms, and practice permission based data mining in order to protect consumer’s privacy. Advertising businesses need to store and s ell consumer’s private information with their permission of consent and a notification.Consumers may agree with giving their information about them if they can trust whom they are providing it to. That way, advertisers do not lose the opportunity to provide targeted advertisement to consumers, which is much more effective than providing non-targeted ones. Consumers also will benefit from receiving relevant advertisements against the cost of losing privacy. The balance between advertisers and consumers can be achieved through permission based practice. The computer user sits in front of a computer and starts browsing again.This time, the website asks for permission to collect the user’s information for online marketing and advertising business. The user has the ability to opt-out, and considers that this website is indeed secure. This website creates a transparency between by the Advertising contacts and the consumers. The user is informed, given options, and protected. Figure 1. 1 – Before and after the regulation by EU References Attaran, M. (2000), â€Å"Managing Legal Liability of the Net: a Ten Step Guide for IT Managers†, Information Management and Computer Security, 8(2)2.Brown, M. & Muchira, R. (2004). Investigating the Relationship between Internet Privacy Concerns and Online Purchase Behavior. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research 5(1),62- 71 Buchholz A. , and Rosenthal B. S. (2002), Internet Privacy: Individual Rights and the Common Good. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 67 (Winter), 34–40. Charters, D. (2002). Electronic Monitoring and Privacy Issues in Business-Marketing: The Ethics of the DoubleClick Experience. Journal of Business Ethics, 35 (February), 243– 254. Drumwright, E. M. , Murphy, P. E. , (2009).The current state of advertising ethics: industry and academic perspectives. Journal of Advertising. 38(1), 83-108 Evans, S. D. (2009). The Online Advertising Industry: Economics, Evolution, and Privac y. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 23(3), 37-60. Goldfarb, A. & Tucker C. E. (2011). Privacy regulation and online advertising. Management Science, 57(1). Korgaonkar, P & Wolin, L. (1999), â€Å"A Multivariate Analysis of Web Usage†, Journal of Advertising Research, 39(2), 53-70. Tavani, H. T. (1999) Informational privacy, data mining, and the Internet. Ethics and Information Technology. 1: 137–145.