Jessica Foy. Othello Essay. English Iii. 14 February 2017.

Jessica Foy Othello Essay English III 14 February 2017 Emilia Essay Character development is seen in almost every character in the play Othello. Most of the characters are seen tumbling in a downwards spiral of their former self; while other characters are seen becoming more powerful due to the loss of power from the people above them. One of the characters that developed from her superior’s weaknesses is Iago’s wife, Emilia. Emilia spends most of her time with Othello’s wife, Desdemona. Most of their conversation surrounds the topics of gender roles in society and in their relationships. Desdemona’s insecurity in her relationship leads Emilia to find her own voice in order to defend her friend. Shakespeare utilizes†¦show more content†¦Although Iago shoots her down; the fact that she even questioned him, shows change between Act I Emilia and Act III Emilia. Although Emilia gave her husband the handkerchief he so very much desired for his love; she still wondered what he had in store for her friend, Desdemona. In Act IV, Othello hits Desdemona and they both continue in a downward spiral. At this time, Emilia and Desdemona are really good friends and the audience sees a switch between the two. The outspoken Desdemona is now a reserved housewife; and the reserved Emilia is now the outspoken confidant that Desdemona relies on. She believes that her friend does not deserve the treatment that has been served to her; so she speaks out on her problems reversing the roles placed on them both. As Desdemona begins to settle into the housewife settings, she calls upon Iago and Emilia recalls most of the event to her husband herself. Throughout the conversation, she even brings up something she was too afraid to do so earlier: Iago’s accusations that â€Å"made you to suspect me with the Moor.†(IV.ii.173). Emilia has completely changed to a woman with an unfiltered speech; through the heat she gained from her anger at Othello for hurting her friend mentally and physically, she accounted some of her own relationship problems. Admitting her own problems made it easier for her to betray her

The Importance Of A Reflective Teacher And The Classroom...

This week there is a considerable amount of change occurring within myself, the students, and the classroom environment. I am learning how to effectively work with another teacher and how to utilize having two teachers in the room at once. Another important change I have noticed in myself is how much reflection occurs in my head after each activity. Meghan and I meet every day to discuss each part of that specific day and analyze whether or not it was valuable for the students learning. Thus, teaching style, pacing, timing of when subjects are taught, and behavior management have all been altered this week to fit the needs of our class. I can see myself becoming more of a reflective teacher that is always focused on if my students are†¦show more content†¦The most prevalent time for these behaviors to occur is normally during center time. However, I think that since we have IPads now to utilize during center time for our special education students, learning is improving and misbehavior is being eliminated. Explain The experiences that have taken place thus far relate specifically toward the goals of how to motivate students and how to work with special needs. Both of these are important goals, but definitely tasks I struggle with. That is why I find it imperative for the experiences that parallel with these goals to be described. So to explain, my biggest focus this week has been finding different ways to motivate the children and how to effectively work with individuals who have special needs in our classroom. One example is the use of class Dojo. We have been reinforcing and rewarding good behavior as much as possible through Dojo points. Once the students reach twenty-five, they get to pick their reward from a list of six items. This incentive seems to be effective with all of our students. I think that having this system in place has helped tremendously with motivating students, as well as keeping them on task. As the students become more acclimated to this system and closer to their goal of twenty-five points, motivation seems to be higher. For example, a student who normally causes many problems

Functions of Apec free essay sample

Functions of APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was established in order to enhance economic and diplomatic understanding between Asian and Pacific nations. In the present context of emerging cooperation between Asian and non Asian nations, it is important to analyze the functions of this organization. This paper will analyze the role of the APEC from its inception till today. The APEC shows the emergence of economic understanding between the two regions Asia and Pacific. This organization shows the emergence of alliance between countries belonging to Asia and Pacific regions. Since the 1990 decades the Asian countries have showed impressive economic development. In spite of the recent currency crisis problems, Asian economy is expected to grow from medium and long term perspective. Asian economies have gained through their economic alliance with Pacific countries. Therefore, it is important for the Pacific countries to have understanding with the major Asian economic powers

Analysis of Ethical Dilemma

Question-An explanation of how an ethical theory and/or ethical principle might be applied to address theAnalysis of Ethical Dilemma? Aging is said to be the process of declining human organs along with time. A lot of people believe that the process of aging is the indication of mortality and looking younger or living a longer life is a blessing. Few people are even feeling obsessed with their aged look for various reasons. Various other people would like to stay for longer time with their near and dear ones and others wish to look youthful for the professional purposes. Because of these apprehensions people have to search for medical intervention as they consider that healthcare or the medical sector has the power to modify the biological clock. As per the video The Race to Slow the Aging Process, the lead person has searched out for anti-aging counseling for the hormone therapy with the expectation of re-establishing back the lost years. This also represents various opinions in attempt to diminish the process of human aging from different experts to accomplish the wish of individual to remain young forever (Stoka mer, 2003). This has appreciated various anti-aging medicine companies. Currently, a great concern is present in the field of medicine regarding the marketing practice of medical products or it can be said that the pharmaceutical products. This is because incorrect way of marketing practices of medical products by the pharmaceutical executives has immense negative impact on health care personnel who are responsible for prescribing medicines and this can lead to the misuse of such products, introduce harm to the service consumers, increase the cost associated with the health care and change public perception regarding healthcare. Health care personnel have argued about the hormone replacement therapy effects. Temporarily this type of medicines may bring positive results but may also pose serious side effects later on the human life. However, an ethical dilemma is always present whether these service consumers should continue to have faith in anti-aging therapies and products to accom plish their dream of long life and alleviate the sufferings of attaining old age or should accept the normal life cycle and maintain a healthy life quality by taking part in active life styles (Touhy, Jett, Ebersole Hess, 2012). The procedures associated with age retardation making the process of aging both more controllable and adaptable as openly a human development and partly cut the age from connecting to time, maturity and nature. These are put in human hands but make these less comprehensible components of the entire human life. Having productive and long years with different knowledge and experience, would definitely bring happiness to all. But at the end, these procedures could also leave human individual somewhat unbalanced from of human life cycle (Salgado, 2014). With no proper direction of human biological cycle, people would be pushed to present form to their practical life cycle and to generate sense of what change, age and time should mean to each and every human ind ividual. References Salgado, C. (2014). Discovering the 21st Century Fountain of Youth: A Discussion of the Effectiveness of Popular Anti-Aging Therapies.Anaplastology,03(02). doi:10.4172/2161-1173.1000127 Stokamer, C. (2003). Pharmaceutical Gift Giving.JONA: The Journal Of Nursing Administration,33(1), 48-51. doi:10.1097/00005110-200301000-00009 Touhy, T., Jett, K., Ebersole, P., Hess, P. (2012).Ebersole Hess' toward healthy aging. St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier/Mosby.

To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Essay Example For Students

To Kill A Mockingbird: Prejudice Essay To Kill A Mockingbird: PrejudiceThe Main theme in this book is prejudice. You will learn aboutsegregation and how unfair it was. To Kill A Mocking Bird deals with many primal and basic lessons in humannature. The book exposes many issues that affect most people throughout theirlives. Scout, the main character was one of the most affected by these lessons. During the book she was exposed to many profound experiences, which no doubtwill leave a lasting impression. In the three years that the book took place,she may have learned the most important things she will learn over her entirelife. We will write a custom essay on To Kill A Mockingbird: Prejudice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now One person that affected Scouts life was Boo Radley. He brought wonder,fear and then finally relief to her heart. At first kids thought he was evil. There were rumours that while he cut out the newspaper for his scrap book hedrove the scissors into his parents leg.(pg11) He had tried to kill them. Even though this may have been just a rumor the kids were terrified of theRadleys. They described him often as a monster six-and-a-half feet tall withbloodstained hands. He was said to eat raw squirrels and any cats he couldcatch.(pg12) During the rest of the book Scout and companions tried to meetArthur (Boo) and get over their fear of him. They did not succeed. But he showedaffection for them by leaving them gifts in a tree. Finally at the end of thebook he proves he is a good person by saving Scout and Jems lives. In thisinstance Scout may have found that to negatively prejudge someone is wrong. Shealso learned compassion. Scout also learnt about the ugliness of life. About death and pain. This lesson occurred while her brother had to read to a sick and dieing old lady. This ladys name was Mrs. Dubose. She had been a morphine addict and had decidedto go clean till her death. To die as a free women, to die knowing she had won. Scout describes her as a ugly lady and during their reading sessions she wouldhave some kind of spasm-fits. Her head moved side to side. She would drool. Hermouth seemed to have a private existence of its own. (pg.107) After manyreading sessions with her having a fit each time, she died one day. Probably the most important person in Scouts life was the one who hadset the best examples for her. This was Atticus. He taught Scout how to dealwith people. One of his teachings was to be the bigger person. When Bob Ewellspit in Atticuss face and threatened his life, he did nothing and walked away. All he had to say later was,I wish Bob Ewell wouldnt chew tobacco.(pg.217)Atticus reacts with his brain not emotions. He encourages Scout to do the same. Another trait that he teaches is respect. Respect for people who aredifferent. People such as Boo Radley. The kids had been acting out a play whichinvolved Boos scissor incident. They also tried to give a letter to him, sothat he would come out to meet them. Atticus found out about both incidents. They were put in their place and told to, stop tormenting that man. He thentold them that, what Mr.Radley did was his own business.(pg.49) Atticus alsocommanded respect for black people. He once told Jem that if a white man cheatsa black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comesfrom, that man is trash.(pg.220) At the trial he also explained that there arebad and good black men as there are good and bad white men.(pg.204)Two more models that helped Scout out. The first was a valuable exampleset by Atticus. He had been told to defend Tom Robinson. The case was a lostcause because he was beat before he began, and itwould bring hardship tohimself and his family. He knew this, but did not give up. It was the rightthing to do. As he told his brother, do you think I could face my childrenotherwise(pg.88) Scout heard this conversation and understood it in later years. .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 , .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .postImageUrl , .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 , .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:hover , .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:visited , .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:active { border:0!important; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:active , .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175 .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8a6204894bfdb79015bc84d06e523175:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Rationale Approach In Human Resource Planning EssayAgain teaching this gives her a valuable example; Stick to what you believe in. A lesson in effort and commitment was also demonstrated by Mrs. Dubose. Afterfinding out that she would soon die, she decided to kick the morphine. This wasa very hard thing for her or for that matter anyone to do. She was the bravestperson I knew. said Atticus. He also again repeated that courage is when, youknow youre licked before you begin but you begin anyway.(pg.112) This is infact a mirror image example of what he was doing by taking on the Robinson case. And finally not so much a lesson but a warning for Scout. The warningcomes from Boo Radley, a man who keeps away from society as he seems to fear it. His life is a perfect testimony for all the bad and ugliness of our world. AsJem said best. I think Im beginning to understand why Boo Radley stayed shutup in the house all this timeIts because he wants to stay inside.It become apparent that the things that Scout has learned are all veryimportant. Some maybe the most important during her lifetime. This is why thesemay have been some of the most important years of here life. And that all theexperiences that she went though were essential. English

Precursor To vs. Precursor Of

Precursor To vs. Precursor Of Precursor To vs. Precursor Of Precursor To vs. Precursor Of By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Can you please tell me when to use precursor to and precursor of? Is there a difference between the two? Latin praecursor (â€Å"forerunner, advanced guard†) is from a verb meaning â€Å"to run in front of.† Latin cursor means, â€Å"to run.† The noun precursor entered English about 1500, chiefly in reference to John the Baptist as â€Å"Christ’s precursor.† The sense here is â€Å"a person who heralds the approach of another.† In current usage, precursor is used to refer either to a person regarded as someone’s forerunner, or a thing regarded as the prototype of something else. Here are two examples: Gilbert M. â€Å"Broncho Billy† Anderson is regarded by film historians as the precursor to better-known movie cowboys such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. [Dick Tracy’s] wrist radio was the precursor of the cell phone of today. The OED cites â€Å"precursor to† in 1675 and â€Å"precursor of† in 1716. On the Ngram Viewer, â€Å"precursor of† is far more common in printed books until the 1960s, when â€Å"precursor to† begins a marked rise, although it remains below â€Å"precursor of† on the graph. A Google search indicates that â€Å"precursor to† is more common than â€Å"precursor of† on the Web: precursor to (6,330,000 results) precursor of (4,230, 000 results) In my own use, I think I’m more likely to use â€Å"precursor to† when linking people and â€Å"precursor of† in reference to things, but random examples taken from the Web indicate that the phrases are used interchangeably: [The Scarlet Pimpernel] is  seen as a precursor to  the spy fiction and the superhero genres. Only about one in eight people with so-called pre-diabetes, often a precursor to full-blown disease, know they have a problem,   Was Marilyn Monroe a  precursor  of 1960s feminism? Its my belief that  Marilyn Monroe  was a  precursor to  the Womens Movement. Cyclorama paintings served as the  precursor to  movies. Carole Lombard was the  precursor to  all sexy comediennes. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your StoryPeople versus PersonsI wish I were...

Poverty in Africa the oil-rich Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poverty in Africa the oil-rich Country - Essay Example Major oil producer countries in Africa are Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, equatorial, Guinea and republic of Congo. Major oil producer countries in Africa are Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Chad. But the oil is not always a boon. It increases corruption and is responsible for grievance, relative poverty and instability. Studies have shown that countries with oil wealth in Africa grow more slowly, less equitably, more corruptly and more violently. Angola has huge oil reserves but the civil war in Africa made it hard to reach till 2002. Angola is second large producer of oil in the sub- Sahara region. But in Angola, the corrupt government officials and the well connected business man grow immensely rich using oil resources. The ruling dynasty uses oil wealth to consolidate its own position. The common man grows poorer. It is estimated that the government collected more than $10 billion in oil revenues in 2005 and this amount expected to go hi gher as the production peaks. But the riches are not evenly spread. More than 70% Angolans are still under poverty line. Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and has huge oil serves but it has also set records for corruption. Nigerian government’s anticorruption wing, the economic and financial crimes commission calculates that between 1960 and 1999, the countries rulers stole $400 billion in oil reserves. In the last 47 years, Nigeria lost one million people due to civil war as they mostly fought to control oil-rich areas. It has also seen 30 years of military rules with six coups in 47 years. More than 67 percent of populations live under poverty line. Gabon was once a huge producer of oil and its oil reserves are drying up. The country still ranks 124th on human development index. Sudan has some reserves of $63 million barrels of oils but is one of the poorest countries in the world. Majority of African nations are undeveloped

Jimi Hendrix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jimi Hendrix - Research Paper Example Considering that he only taught himself to play guitar when he was just a teenager in the quiet town of Seattle. He was influenced by then popular blues guitarist Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Buddy Holly, B. B. King as well as rockers Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry. His style was so original that he mouthed a six-string vocabulary in the tradition of Eddie Van Halen and Prince. Until now, it would be hard to compare a contemporary rock guitarist that would equal the virtuosity of Hendrix. According to the official website of Jimi Hendrix, he was born â€Å" Johnny Allen Hendrix† in November 27, 1942 but was renamed James Marshall by his father James â€Å"Al† Hendrix which was done in memory of his brother Leon Marshall Hendrix ( Hendrix, 1999). Even at an early age, Jimi would use the broom in his make-believe games of playing guitar everytime he was asked by his father to sweep his bedroom. Thus, in the summer of 1958, his father gave him a cheap second-hand acoustic guitar that captivated all his attention and time. He had to pay double attention in reading the notes since he was self-taught. Later, he joined group known as the Velvetones. When he was in high school, he participated in bands which gave him a happy experience before he finally joined the army in 1961. He was discharged later with an injury due to a parachute jump. However, his music days did not stop even when he was He didn’t waste timer getting back into the music scene since by â€Å" By the end of 1965, Jimmy had played with several marquee acts, including Ike and Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, the Isley Brothers, and Little Richard† ( jimihendrix.com) He later formed his own band known as . â€Å"Jimmy James and the Blue Flames† which introduced him to the public as a lead guitarist. His first recorded TV appearance was on Channel 5 of Nashville’s Night Train with the â€Å"Royal Company† as back-up to â€Å"Buddy and Stacy† on â€Å"Shotgun† ( Goldeart and Rodham,21).

Marketing of World Cup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Marketing of World Cup - Essay Example In order to understand well the history of soccer, it is appropriate to grasp how the professional sports came into being. People have always sought to have and enjoy leisure time which in most cases was not possible. This urge built up and people were able to form some organized sports in the mid ninetieth century. Before then, people, especially in America, had some forms of skills but they had not been put into practice and they were not standardized. It is the increased interests and the urge to make the recreational activities better and enjoyable that led to the development of various rules and regulations to govern the activities such that they became more organized. The organized groups developed into more established and well-managed teams with the members being more serious. The aspect of competition also came up where different teams could compete and have some rewards for the winning teams. The teams got skills through training and could now compete on national and intern ational levels. The games started with simple aspects like curling, bowling after which professional sports like baseball, basketball, hockey and football came about. Just like any other aspect, the field of sport has grown from very humble beginnings of very simple groups of social interactions to more organized activities, specialized and sophisticated professional sports. That has also transformed to the modern big tournaments like the popular world cup events. The splitting marked the beginning of the today’s most famous game, which is soccer.

Strategic Justifications In The US Wine Industry

Strategic Justifications In The US Wine Industry Mergers refer to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling and combining of different companies that can aid in, finance, or assist a growing company in a given industry. As outlined by Lawrence Gitman, it is the combination of two or more firms, in which the resulting firm maintains the identity of one of the firms usually the larger. The primary reason for a merger is to improve a companys financial and strategic position. (Gitman, 2009) Determining whether the merger or the acquisition in the U.S. Wine Industry is offensive or defensive is dependent on each companys perspective. International Beverages quest for seeking an acquisition was considered a defensive action put forward by the company and it needed to lengthen its life within the organization. This company was known as a leading producer and marketer in the wine industry. This company being slow at achieving internal growth as their revenues grew at a mere 10% per year as a result of aggressive acquisition strategy. They needed to make an acquisition to prevent it from becoming a market failure as lack of any acquisition resulted in a no growth rate for the Company. This needed to be done to achieve growth internally and to refrain from going under. The wine industry has showed desirable preferences for change to higher end brand which placed International Beverage in a very dangerous position as customer would show a great deal of preference for the highe r end brand wines. International Beverage then had to take the initiative and move strategically in order to remain in the market as a key player, thus alleviating any adverse effects that would occur as a result of the new emerging preference in the future. One of the other companies to be acquired was Starshine. One of the main compositions of companies that International Beverage acquires was the fact that they were all producers of low end quality wine. Starshine was one of them. They too were also facing the fact that they could eventually lose in the market shares as the market began leaning towards a higher end brand of wine and Starshine were offering mid range labels in the market. Since Starshine produced only mid range brand wines, it would have been in their best interest to merge with the other company Bel Vino in order to secure a share in the market. This would have been their defensive action. The merger was crucial because had they not merged with Bel Vino, International Beverage could have acquired their company as the urgently needed some pull out, keeping in mind also that International Beverage also needed some fix for themselves to retain their market share. Starshine would then now be able to deal with their cost issues and competition from foreign producers. The merger between Starshine and International Beverage would be a defensive action with respect to the emerging market changes and also to avoid not having a say in the future business of the company. Bel Vino was producers of high-end wine with a very strong brand. Despite this, they also had sluggish performance, there prevalent management conflicts, these were the internal problems the company was faced with; also their inability to form good distribution lines, have a bad management team and as a result, has unflattering performance levels (Luehrman Kester, 2009). The market change favoured Bel Vino prospects as it allowed them to have more clients to form a better distribution line which will then have positive effects on its revenues. Bel Vino did not need a merger neither an acquisition because it could have solved the aforementioned issues by itself. Despite this fact, there was the option of solving these issues by taking advantage of the already established distribution lines and high earnings of both Starshine and International Beverage (Luehrman Kester, 2009). Given these reasons, Bel Vino is the only one that would be taking offensive action in both instances with respect to merger and acquisition. Question 2 What primary advantages did your company bring to the table? An acquisition of or merger with Bel Vino would benefit both company as Bel Vino, is the company that offered classic vintages and strong brands (Luehrman Kester, 2009). This would give them the comparative advantage over the other companies since these other companies, Starshine and International Beverage, deal mainly with lower end and mid range labels (Luehrman Kester, 2009). From the fact that industry has overcome the wine glut the demand for wine has shifted to the higher end products which neither of Bel Vinos competitors possess (Luehrman Kester, 2009). This was an advantage for Bel Vino since they were able to use this for their negotiations. This would be beneficial also for International Beverage and Starshine providing the opportunity to gain a market share and for their survival in the new market transformation. Bel Vino also benefited from the low cost advantages with respect to the merger with Starshine given the fact of the apparent cost control issues. (Luehrman Kester, 2009). Management in Bel Vino were able to utilize their finances as opposed to overspending on advertisement as Starshine did. All in all, Bel Vino brought several advantages to the table during this negotiation, all of which benefitted each of the companies of way or the other. Question 3 Compare the market positions, financial performance, and future prospects of Bel Vino and Starshine. What are the most significant sources of synergies for the potential transactions? Market position can be defined as the ranking of a brand, product, or firm, in terms of its sales volume relative to the sales volume of its competitors in the same market or industry (Business Dictonary, 2009). In analyzing the three companies, it was found that from the years 2006-2010 Starshine continually had higher net sales to that of Bel Vino. In 2006 Starshine had 475 million compared to Bel Vinos 359 million and International beverages 2980 million. In 2007 Starshine had 495 million compared to Bel Vinos 360 million and 2999.9 million. In 2008 Starshine had 525.1 million compared to Bel Vinos 366 million and 3019.9 million. In 2009 Starshine had 557.2 million compared to Bel Vinos 382.1 million and 6100.4 million. In 2010 Starshine had 591.5 million compared to Bel Vinos 390.1 million and 6141.2 million. (Harvard Business School 2009) This shows that Starshine had a greater market presence than that of Bel Vino and that Bel Vino was finding it difficult to generate sales esp ecially in the international markets to compete with its rivals. This was possibly due to its poor distribution lines. International Beverage could help Starshine and Bel Vino increase their market share both domestically and internationally and also help improve Bel Vinos distribution line. Financial performance refers to the measuring of a firms policies and operations in monetary terms. These results are reflected in the firms return on investment and return on assets (Business Dictionary, 2009). As the formula for return on assets is Net Income/Total Assets, the Return on assets for Starshine through the years 2006 to 2010 are; in 2006: 11.1/498.3 = 2.23%; in 2007: 8.6/503.9=1.71% ; in 2008: 17.4/507.5=3.43 ; in 2009: 28.3/531.5=5.32 ;in 2010: 36.9/556.9= 6.63%. In comparison, the returns on Assets for Bel Vino throughout the years are in 2006: 4.2/425.9=0.99%, in 2007:18.8/406.8=4.62%, in 2008: 27.7/389.4=7.11, in 2009: 33.2/403.6=8.23%,in 2010: 36.1/409.1=.8.82%. This shows that Bel Vino had a higher return on assets than Starshine. Our return on assets are as follows; in 2006: 162.2/1227.2=13.22%; in 2007: 109.9/1461.5=7.52; in 2008: 97.5/1544.5=6.31; in 2009: 423.7/22.32.7=18.98; in 2010: 446.6/2770.2=16.12. This again shows that our company, International Beverage company is a larger better run company. In relation to the future prospects of these companies, Bel Vino had to focus on the protection of their brands, increase in distribution lines and increase in sales volumes. Pertaining to Starshine, they need to cut costs and break into the high end market. Question 4 What was the rationale behind the choice of target for the opening bid and our overall bidding strategy? As we were in a better position than both companies, we were faced with the decision of it to stay as we were and run the risk of both companies merging or if to acquire on of the companies. We decided that were not under any pressure and we were going to keep our bidding low as we felt it was in the other companies best interest to merge with us. We started by making a bid for Starshine as we felt that with their greater presence in the markets would help us to gain an even stronger market share. We thus made an opening bid of $45 per share to Starshine. This bid was rejected. As a result our share price dropped by $0.50 to $64.70 while starshines rose by $2.26 to $56.64. We decided to start the bidding at such a low price so during negotiations; the ceiling price would not get too high. We realised that Starshine offered Bel Vino 1.05 new Starshine shares for each existing Bel Vino Share. So we decided to give Bel Vino something to think about by offering $39 per share. This was lo wer than their share price at the current time which was $45.96. We were not prepared to buy out any of these companies while incurring huge debts. This was another reason why our bids were kept so low. Bel Vino didnt see our bid as attractive despite the fact that we could improve their distribution line internationally considerably. So they rejected our bid. We thus decided it was not worth it to acquire any of the two companies as they lacked the vision to see that they could only benefit by merging with us. In the end Starshine accepted Bel Vinos offer and the companies merged. Question 5. If you were not successful at completing a transaction, why do you believe this was the case? Do you think it represents the best outcome for your shareholders? Would you do anything differently if given another chance to negotiate? According to the confidential information our team was provided with, both Bel Vino and Starshine were potential prospects for a merger. Our main prospect was Bel Vino since they sold high end products and our company would have received more value from this merger. We also noted that a merger with Bel Vino would have added worth to our company. Therefore in the long term, shareholder value will also be increased. In order to increase shareholders value, it is imperative that a company implements strategic planning. This can be done by increasing cost base while maintaining revenue and by increasing revenue share and by reducing cost (Ezine Article, 2010). A merger between Bel Vino and Starshine would have reduced cost of goods sold by roughly $3 million to $ 5 million. In addition, their Research and Development cost would decrease by a significant amount, roughly, one million on an annual basis. Bel Vino showed strategic planning and they recognized the goal of the company and beca use of their financial operations which were done effectively and efficiently, they were able to develop their working capital. There was a possibility of mergers between Bel Vino and Starshine, which actually came to fruition. Before any negotiation is made by any organization and for it to be successful it is critical for them to look over key issues that will affect their organization in the long run. In other words preparedness is one of the main key to successes in any business organization. In addition, a good strategy is also important for a healthy and long term existence of that company. Our team definitely lacked in the area of preparation was resulted in International Beverage not being able to merge with any of the two prospective companies. Our team members were definitely not ready to negotiate because we did not conduct enough background work in terms of focusing on our operating assumptions which included domestic and international revenues. In addition, due to the lack of understanding the game and time, we were not capable of making enough offers to the other two wine companies These factors needed to be decided upon before we ventured into the negotiation process. We also need to focus more on our balance sheet and make comparisons between Bel Vinos and Starshines balance sheets. Despite our unpreparedness, we were able to make bids by offers to both Bel Vino and Starshine at prices, $48.81 and $58.57 respectively. Both companies rejected our offers. We assumed that they believed that their companies were worth more than what we were offering them. At the end of the simulation, Starshine and Bel Vino merged. In conclusion, the wine simulation was a learning experience for our team and we realized the importance of conducting our homework before venturing into negotiations. It is important to learn about your counterparts in detail, as opposed to looking on the surface. Details such as financials are crucial in getting into mergers. If given the opportunity to negotiate again, we will definitely make serious preparations for the negotiations.

Computer-Based Career Information Systems Essay -- Technology Internet

Computer-Based Career Information Systems The adage "information is power" can certainly be applied to the marriage of career information with computers. In an era that is characterized by a rapidly changing employment and occupational outlook, the ability to access computerized career information has been empowering to both youth and adults (Bloch 1989; Tice and Gill 1991). Defined as "all that people need to know to make choices and take action . . . in relation to their paid or unpaid occupational activities and in relation to their preparation for these activities" (Bloch 1989, p. 120), career information includes knowledge about occupational areas and specific jobs; information about career preparation and where to obtain suitable education and training; facts about employment, including work environments and appropriate job behavior; job-search skills; and self-knowledge such as individual interests, values, and needs. Computers are an ideal medium for delivering career information because they can present current info rmation objectively in an interactive format that is appealing to many clients (Harris-Bowlsbey 1992). Two classes of computerized systems that provide information for career planning are computer-based career guidance systems (CCGS) and computer-based career information systems (CCIS) (Harris-Bowlsbey 1992; Mariani 1995-96). Although CCIS and CCGS share some common features, they differ in two important ways: CCIS provide local labor market information, whereas CCGS teach career development concepts online (Harris-Bowlsbey 1992). Guidance counselors frequently use CCIS in conjunction with clients, but youth and adults frequently access CCIS independently to obtain career information. This Digest focus... ...t: Concepts and Practices. 2nd ed., edited by H. D. Lea and Z. B. Leibowitz. Alexandria, VA: National Career Development Association, 1992. Mariani, M. "Computers and Career Guidance: Ride the Rising Tide." Occupational Outlook Quarterly 39, no. 4 (Winter 1995-1996): 16-27. National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. "Career Information Delivery Systems." <http://www.profiles.iastate.edu/ided/ncdc/cidstogo.htm> May 1996. Phelan, T. D. "Using Technology to Provide Self-Directed Learning Options for Power Utility Employees." New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education no. 64 (Winter 1994): 55-61. Tice, K. E., and Gill, S. J. "Education Information Centers: An Evaluation." Journal of Career Development 18, no. 1 (Fall 1991): 37-50. "Web Sites Link Job-Hunters with Career Possibilities." Columbus Dispatch, May 24, 1996, p. 3F.

Aronald Bennet Essay

Looking at the social comments Arnold Bennett makes. Examine his use of language and literary devices to convey his point. In the story news of the engagement Arnold Bennett makes several social comments. He uses different types of language and literary devices to convey his message to the reader. Throughout the story Arnold Bennett shows the nature of the character Philips relationship with his mother. As the story progresses Arnold Bennett uses different techniques to convey Philips behavior and attitude towards his mother. At the end of the story his message is shown to the reader and from this point onwards my focus will be on Philips journey throughout the story, how he changes and his sudden realization of how poorly he has inwardly treated his mother The first significant phrase in the story appears early in the first paragraph. The phrase used is ‘preparing for me’ and it is a very important quote as it reveals Philips viewpoint towards his mother. The reader can infer immediately that Philip is appearing to be sarcastic or even patronizing. The word ‘preparing’ is deliberately placed between inverted commas by the writer. This is an extremely effective method of revealing to the reader Philips tone of voice. It can be perceived that Philip is talking in a tone of disrespect towards his mother and that he is sure that his mother has no other plans which exclude him. The text in itself is very informative. It is used to convey that Philips mother has little other activities to engage in other than ‘preparing’ for him. Seeing as Philip is speaking about his own mother, even at this early stage in the story it is clear that Philip is disrespectful towards her and seems to think negatively about her preparations for his arrival. The inverted commas also carry the suggestion that Philip is not at all surprised at his mother for ‘preparing’ for him. He might even be suggesting that his mother’s behavior is predictable or even boring. In the 3rd paragraph Philips innate selfishness discloses itself to the audience. The sentence used by the writer to display this was ‘I was the only son of a widow’. The word ‘widow’ is not only to inform the reader of the passing away of Philips father but to imply that his mother was totally alone both in terms of family and in terms of social communications. Since his mother has no other person of any significance in her life (according to Philip) he believes he is the top priority for his mother and that his mother’s life revolves around him. He is not only stating the fact that his mother is alone but also that she could not possibly have anyone else in her life. The phrase ‘all that my mother had’ is an ideal piece of writing to prove this. ‘All’ means everything and as far as Philip was concerned he was everything to his mother and anything else in her life was secondary to him. As mentioned previously Philips selfish ness is innate and this is because he is a product of his environment. Society at this time period would generally Share the same views as him if they were in a similar situation. In his eyes he is acting in a conventional and very orthodox manner. Further on in the story there is a piece of text written by Arnold Bennett which is constructed using descriptive language. It has an important role in the story and it further develops the readers understanding of Philips attitude towards his mother. The quote is ‘my little plump mother in her black silk and gold brooch†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The reader can instantaneously realise the fact that Philip is describing the physical appearance of his mother. In that time period and even in modern day times when you are asked to describe your mother. Her appearance is not the kind of description you are likely to say. What you describe is her character and her personality. The reader can infer that Philips views his mother as an object or slave to him. He doesn’t value her life and doesn’t appreciate her in the correct manner. In this quote Arnold Bennett uses one single simple word to great effect. The word ‘my’ is used and it shows that Philip firmly believes that his mother’s life revolves around him and that she is almost some kind of possession reserved only for his personal use. ‘Little’ and ‘plump’ are 2 words which people would rarely use to describe their mothers. This use of language further emphasizes Phillips innate selfishness and poor conduct towards his mother. Also these words are disrespectful and negative so it is clear that Philip is selfish and hurtful toward his, mother and that he doesn’t realize it at this point. Arnold Bennett uses a simile in the next paragraph. The sentence he used this technique on was ‘she hovered around me, like a sea-gull round a steamer’. This can be instantly perceived by the reader as Philip analyzing the outward reaction of his mother to his presence. It shows the audience Philips supreme confidence in terms of how his status and character are seen so positively by his mother and also how he thinks of his own importance. ‘hovered around me’ shows the reader that Philip is sure of his mothers excitement and joy as she is constantly coming close to him and showing her appreciation or gratitude that he has come to visit. The actual comparison was very informative about Philips attitude toward his mother. ‘Like a sea-gull around a steamer’ is showing that Philip may be disgruntled by his mother’s behavior. It is an unusual method of describing the event as it suggests that his mother is pestering him or even frustrating him by her actions. Referring to his mother as a sea-gull around a steamboat harbors the suggestion that he is unhappy at her relentless movements towards him and it also questions if he has any sort of respect for his mother at all. This type of comparison is certainly not conventional when talking about your own mother and although society at the time may feel Arnold Bennett’s use of language is slightly strong they would generally agree with his message as they are all products of the environment. Later on in the story Philip is shown to make even more assumptions about his mother when he says ‘more excited than my arrival ordinarily made her’. His firm beliefs are that his mother thinks that he is the most crucial part of her life and his life is the most important thing to his mother. We have already established these points and this are the reasons why he is suggesting that whenever he is visiting his mother she is filled with joy and excitement. On this particular occasion though, Philip senses and is in fact convinced that his mothers joy is even greater than when he usually visits. His immediate response to this was to not even consider that his mother may have some positive or intriguing news of her own but that ‘she may have got wind of my engagement’. This again reiterates Philips belief that his mother doesn’t have a life beyond him but it also introduces to the reader the concept that Philip is self engrossed. All he is thinking about is Agnes and how his mother has come to realize that he is engaged. All of this is a repetitive chain of events where Philip considers himself above everything and is immersed fully into his own private life. Another phrase which provides strong evidence for this point is ‘supper for three’. When Philip realizes that the dinner table is organized for three people he yet again assumes that his mother could not possibly have anyone come at her request. So his explanation is Agnes must be coming. He is totally dismissive of the idea that his mother could have another important person in her life other than him. Immediately after this phrase Philip exclaims ‘she hasn’t breathed a word’ again this is further evidence that he is totally consumed in his selfishness and that he believes his mother is again putting his life as the priority. The exclamation mark in the phrase is very effective. It puts great emphasis on all the points above and it presents a clear and accessible message of Philips conduct to the reader. As we know later on the story Philip realises the nature of the relationship his mother is experiencing with Mr. Nixon. Prior to this though there are many key events which take place and are significant to the outcome of the story. Just before the arrival of Mr. Nixon, Philip was anticipating excitedly the arrival of Agnes. He was also very pleased inwardly at his belief that his mother had concocted some sort of plan to unite him and Agnes. Previously he believed that Agnes and his mother have had no previous connections and he also thought that Agnes was staying in London. Philip says ‘she had delightfully fibbed’ when referring to this fact. He was now convinced that Agnes and his mother are involved in a surprise reserved for him and it is clear that he is fully immersed in this direction of thought. It is almost as if he is looking at this situation through a tunnel where there is only one way, which in this case is a plan made between Agnes and his mother. Of course the reader can quickly realise that Philips excitement is short lived. After ‘trembling with expectation’ instead of Agnes greeting him at the door it was Mr. Nixon. Philip did not instantaneously express his frustration and annoyance at this new development. Instead he described a bit of background information about Mr. Nixon and revealed his wealth and prosperity. He also revealed that Mr. Nixon was his ‘mother’s trustee’. He was completely unaware of the true nature of the relationship as he was blinded by the views shown by society as a whole at that time period. Philip was completely dismissing the fact that his mother could have a life involving anyone but him and he was also failing to acknowledge his mother as a fellow human being with the same rights as him. Again society plays a role in this because at the time women were seen as inferior to men and reiterates that Philip is a product of his environment and was born into this method of thinking. After the arrival of Mr. Nixon, Philip expresses his anguish. He says ‘not too well pleased by this information for I wanted to talk confidentially to my mother’ From this sentence it becomes very apparent to the audience that Philip is not in a good mood as he wanted to tell his mother about his engagement to Agnes. He still did not have any awareness about his mother’s intentions as he was too absorbed in his own situation with Agnes. When Philip eventually thought about the purpose of the visit he did suspect something was going on. ‘suspicion†¦ something had gone wrong with my mothers affairs’ is the phrase used by Arnold Bennett to convey Philips ‘suspicion’. But of course instead of suspecting a relationship between his mother and Mr. Nixon he came to the conclusion that his mother was in some sort of financial difficulty. He believed that this is the only reason why a man would visit his ‘widow’ mother. Even though he suspected his mother to be in financial difficulty he dismissed the problem by saying ‘I could easily afford to keep my mother and a wife too’. This sentence was carefully constructed by Arnold Bennett to show that Philip was the male playing the conventional stereotypical role of the provider and the protector of female family members. The reader can see that society is the main influence on the way that Philip acts and it is the reason for his behavior being the way it is. As he has done on countless occasions previously Philip is again showing his selfishness toward his mother. ‘I was still preoccupied in my engagement’ were Philips words and they again showed how selfish and ignorant towards his mother he was being. For the majority of the story Philips poor attitudes and beliefs have been the main focus. Now however Philip is about to learn the truth about his mother and Mr. Nixon. The focus now will be on his sudden realization that he has been going along with society’s stereotypical views and his treated his mother with such disregard. The other key points will be his reaction to the news and what he realises he has done wrong. When Philip first hears of the marriage proposal from Mr. Nixon he instantly is caught by surprise. This is recognizable due to Arnold Bennett’s decision to give Philip a certain tone of voice and because of the language he selected. The first words spoken by Philip after hearing this surprising revelation were ‘I was struck’ this evidently told the reader of the obvious state of shock Philip was in after hearing this news. His tone of voice was easy to understand even without any punctuation surrounding the words. Philip says ‘I stammered’ and this is clearly showing that he was finding it difficult to find the response to this piece of news and that his tone of voice sounded extremely surprised. At this point the audience cannot perceive whether Philip is pleased or unhappy at this news. But after an important section of writing written to display Mr. Nixon’s view on the matter it is clear that Philip is pleased with these developments. Just before Philip talks about his realizations that his views were incorrect and just before he expresses his joys on these new developments Arnold Bennett uses the technique of irony. The example of this is when Philip and Mr. Nixon use a similar phrase when discussing in which type of manner should their secrets be revealed. Philip said ‘you can’t write even to your mother’ and Mr. Nixon says ‘she couldn’t have written like that’. This was a very ironic development because throughout the story the writer has implied how Philip is a product of his environment and how he has hidden such an important fact from his mother. But now it is clear that both of these 2 people have been hiding secrets from each other due to the dictatorship of society and its strong influence on the actions of everyone. It is clear that Philip could also sense the irony of the situation. In fact it was a very important factor into his change of attitude as he realized that society had stopped him from fully appreciating his mother as a human being with her own personal life to lead. After considering this Philip then responded by laughing. ‘I laughed’ His laugh was one of happiness and he was now at a stage where he grasped the concept that his mother was not created just for him and that she had other purposes in her life. The next stage was for Philip to reflect on his mistakes and to think about how his attitude should change. He says ‘I never thought of my mother as a woman with a future’. This epitomizes as a whole his previous attitude towards his mother. As far as he was concerned she was only needed by him and that she was of no use to anyone or anything else. This phrase also shows that he is speaking about the past and that now he has differing views than he had previously. Philip also admits that he did not know ‘she was desirable and that a man might desire her’. He didn’t consider the fact that his mother was just like him, Just a human being craving compassion and love. He thought of her as an object and a slave and only at this stage was he reflecting on how wrong he was. Previously he dismissed the concept that any man would even consider looking at his mother as she was a ‘widow’ and was his to exploit and use. ‘Lonely existence†¦ not all she had the right to demand from life’ at this particular stage Philip is showing empathy toward his mother. He is putting himself in that situation and is now actually thinking of her as an ordinary woman who deserves love and companionship as much as any other person. He now sees that she is not just his mother and she can be anything a wife a sister not just stuck in one role. What the reader can also perceive from the last paragraph is that Philips selfishness has deteriorated and he has changed rapidly. Philip says very clearly that he is embarrassed about his previous behavior. He says ‘I was ashamed’. This is the ultimate proof to the reader that Philip is definitely aggrieved at his past actions and is looking to put them right. The word ‘was’ is used in order to covey that Philip was like this in the past but now he has changed. Another phrase Philip said was that ‘I would not intrude my joys on her until the next morning’. This was the first selfless act Philip has done for his mother throughout the story. He is now sacrificing a bit of time to his mother so that she can enjoy a happy and joyous occasion in her life. Instead of trying to overshadow his mother’s news he has kept quiet so his mother can allow herself to relax get composed and he will tell her his news the following day. This phrase also suggests that Philip understands that his mother’s life does not revolve around him and other things could make her equally as happy and equally as pleased. The message of the story is represented as a whole in the final sentence of the story. ‘We live and learn’. This is a sentence used to show that Philip is pleased with the fact that he was able to change his way of thinking and was able to finally change his views about his mother. It could also be a sentence used to try and influence society as a whole to change their way of thinking just as Philip did. The reader can infer from the last sentence that the writer himself is expressing his own views in order try and make the public notice quickly how they are actually behaving and how they should really conduct themselves. It is almost as if Arnold Bennett wants the reader to undergo their own sudden realization as to what is the truly correct way of behaving and whether or not they should follow some of the trends society has created

Jemima J essays

Jemima J essays Jemima J by Jane Green is a classic story of ugly ducklings and swans for the Internet age. Jemima Jones is an employee at the Kilburn Herald, a small London newspaper. As she eats her way through her disappointments, her model thin, fly-by-night flat mates treat her like a maid. Two people touch Jemima very much in this story, Geraldine, a money-hungry, gorgeous co-worker who uses Jemima's writing abilities to her advantage. Then there is the striking and talented Ben Williams is also a co-worker. However, he also happens to be the love of Jemima's life, unfortunately, he is ignorant to the fact that Jemima has any feelings for him. As the Kilburn Herald goes online, she meets Brad, a wonderful California hunk, in an Internet chat room. After that day, everything changes for Jemima. To Brad, she is known as the slim, hip, spellbinding, glamorous, "JJ". Brad and her talk for some time and come to the conclusion that they should meet, there is only one major problem, Jemima isn't not the JJ that Brad thinks that she is and she much change in order to meet his expectations. Once Jemima is in California there are many people and events that help her to realize that California is not that place for her and that Brad is not the man he led her to believe he was. The theme of Jemima J is: outer beauty isn't worth all of the pain and struggle. Throughout the novel, Jemima struggles with her appearance. Whether it is getting passed over for assignments at work for a less-talented, more attractive Geraldine, getting treating like a maid by her roommates or getting the surprise of her life in California when she finds out just how vain Brad is. As the novel begins Jemima tells the reader a little about herself and her daily routine. This routine includes getting up in the morning only to feel horrible about her looks, going to a caf for breakfast and looking at magazines at the faces and bodies of the stunning mo...

International Finance Paper Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

International Finance Paper Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers International Finance Paper International Finance Paper FIN/419 June 1, 2015 Maria Johnson International Finance Paper Intro (Kaitlin) Explain how the global investment banking process has assisted the organization. Throughout the years, Apple Inc. has grown into one of the most recognizable international brands in the world. This accomplishment didn't happen overnight. Countless time, energy, and effort went into growing the company and entering into new markets. A global investment bank is an essential tool for Apples continuous growth internationally. A global investment bank can be defined as a financial establishment that helps businesses increase capital, deal with securities, and administer corporate mergers and acquisitions (Kautzman, 2011). Investment banks act as an advisor; catering to the very specific financial needs of a company. An investment bank would have been crucial in the beginning stages of Apples growth in foreign markets. An investment banker would be in charge of raising the capital, ensuring the financial instrument used will provide the maximum return, and while following all regulatory requirements. A company can raise capital in a couple of different ways; from private investors, issuing bonds, or selling common stocks. An investment banker would provide their expertise to ensure that Apple raises enough capital to expand into new markets. Its safe to say Apple Inc. has successfully used investment banks to entered foreign markets. As of 2014, 62% of Apples total net sales came from international sales ("Apple Inc. - Annual Report", 2014). Behind the US, Europe and China are the largest international markets which purchase Apple products. Investment banks also assist with mergers and acquisitions (M One main goal of an M with the goal of making their products and services better. Apple's business philosophy is to acquire small companies that can integrated easily into existing company projects ("List of Mergers and Acquisitions by Apple", 2015). The most notable acquisition of late would be Beats Electronics. Beats Electronics offers trendy headphone and an online music streaming service. Through the help of an investment banker, Apple Inc. structured and negotiated a deal to purchase this company for $3B. Once the acquisition was completed, it vastly improved the quality of Apples existing iPhone & iTunes services. Explain how regulatory bodies affect financial decision making. (Robert) Identify and evaluate contemporary issues in international financial management. (Shaunta) Conclusion (Kaitlin) References Apple Inc. - Annual Report. (2014). Retrieved from http://investor.apple.com/secfiling.cfm?filingid=1193125-14-383437&cik=#D783162D10K_HTM_TOC783162_11 Kautzman, K. (2011). What is Global Investment Banking? Investigating The Basics. Retrieved from brighthub.com/money/personal-finance/articles/37294.aspx List of mergers and acquisitions by Apple. (2015). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple

The Life and Work of Countess Markievicz Research Paper

The Life and Work of Countess Markievicz - Research Paper Example Her family was evidently well-connected in the country; in 1887 she was presented at the court of Queen Victoria, where she was called â€Å"the new Irish beauty.† In her teenage years, Constance enjoyed her place among the Anglo-Irish aristocracy and was regarded as a fine horsewoman and an excellent shot (Riordan). She was extremely passionate about art and studied at the Slade School in London, and later at the Julian School in Paris. It was here where she met and fell in love with her soon-to-be husband, the Polish Count Casimir Dunin-Markievicz. He too was from a wealthy family who owned extensive estates in Ukraine. Her career as an artist developed and in 1903 she moved to Dublin and set up as a landscape artist. At this time, Dublin was a thriving city and home to many artists, actors, and writers. Four years later, she helped to set up the United Arts Club, which sought to bring together all artists in the city (Riordan). There are two important factors which propelled Constance into political action. Firstly, the influence of the Irish poet William Butler, who, on his many visits to her parents home Lissadell, told Constance tales of Irish mythology, folklore, and his political ideas. Historians have recognized his influence on the Countess. Secondly, in her rented cottage at Dublin, whilst working as an artist, Constance found copies of the Peasant and Sinn Fein, revolutionary publications which enlightened her in the Republican cause. She felt â€Å"stirred to action† and instantly became devoted to the cause (Riordan). In 1907, Constance joined the group Inghinidhe na hÉireann, the Daughters of Ireland. This group had been formed in 1900 by a small group of women in Dublin. The group was a response to women's exclusion from other militant Nationalist organizations and at its heart was the commitment to free Ireland from British rule.  

Financal Statement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financal Statement Analysis - Essay Example Consequent to this, the share price movements of Inditex SA and Gap Inc over the past one year are analysed, following which the impact of credit crunch on both the retail firms are discussed. It also confers on their corporate governance issues in detail. Finally, the paper offers recommendations for both Inditex SA and Gap Inc with the purpose of improving their financial as well as operational situation in the upcoming years. Corporate Failure Models for Inditex SA and Gap Inc The findings from the previously conducted financial statement analysis of Inditex SA and Gap Inc suggest that both the companies are financially stable and fit. However, though the present financial position of both the retail companies is stable in comparison to the overall retail industry, it is imperative to assess the susceptibility of these companies to corporate failure or bankruptcy. This can be accomplished by computing the Altman’s Z-score of Inditex and Gap. This is because the Z-scores of the business organizations enable one to forecast the extent of financial distress encountered by the business. It also assists in assessing whether a particular organization is vulnerable to bankruptcy in the upcoming years. ... (Rachlin, 1997). In the above equation, Working Capital/Total Assets ratio determines the net value of liquid assets of the organization in relation to its total assets, while the Retained Earnings/Total Assets gauges the profitability of the organization over time. The EBIT/ Total Assets ratio is the most vital constituent of the equation as it determines the earning capacity of the company. The Market Value of Equity/Total Liabilities ratio determines the organization’s potential to endure a decline in its asset value, where as Net Sales/Total Assets ratio identifies the sales generating competence of the organization’s assets (Rachlin, 1997). The Z-score of Inditex SA and Gap Inc have been computed as follows: Financial Year 2011 Inditex SA (in millions Euro) Gap Inc (in millions US$) Current Assets 5202.51 3926 Total assets 9826.08 7065 Net Sales 12526 14664 Interest 3.56 0 Total Liabilities 3402.91 2985 Current Liabilities 2674.91 2095 Market Value of Equity 42105. 97 14212.29 Earnings before Taxes 2321.59 1982 Retained earnings 6272.3 1086 (Source: Gap Inc., 2011; Bloomberg (a), 2012; Bloomberg (b), 2012) Z-Score of Inditex SA Z= 1.2*(0.257) + 1.4*(0.638) + 3.3*(0.237) + 0.6*(12.374) + 1.0*(1.275) = 10.682. The elevated value of Z-score for Inditex is mainly due to the high value of Market Value of Equity to Total Liabilities ratio of the company. The company has much less liabilities in comparison to its large market capitalization value. Z-Score of Gap Inc Z= 1.2*(0.259) + 1.4*(0.154) + 3.3*(0.281) + 0.6*(4.761) + 1.0*(2.076) = 6.387. The decent z-score for Gap Inc is mainly due to the high value of Market Value of Equity to Total Liabilities and the

PUBLIC POLICY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PUBLIC POLICY - Essay Example However, democracy is currently increasingly criticized for not representing the interests of citizens or not taking into account the social justice and environmental concerns that span national boundaries. Undoubtedly, it is a potential challenge for democratic governments to represent diverse stakeholders and to manage risk in an accountable, inclusive way that is transparent to all. This paper will discuss the relevance of democracy in the present society with particular reference given to this system of government. Although democracy is the most accepted and suggested form of government today, many of its benefits proposed are hypothetical. The democratic progress was increasingly visible a couple of decades ago. The defeat of authoritarian military in Latin America, the failure of communist system around the world, and the fall of the Berlin wall were some of the notable examples of democratic progress (The Explosion of Third World Democracy, n.d.). However, the spread of democr acy has slowed down following the dramatic political events by the end of the last century. Democracy appears to be difficult to achieve its stated goals completely despite certain significant success events in the past. Although many countries have undertaken processes like the organization of competitive elections as initial steps toward the execution of democracy, they fail to meet the high expectations of citizens about an improvement in their living standards. Many followers (states) of the democracy have failed to develop this system from within national boundaries by eventually institutionalizing political processes and spreading core values that are intrinsic to the democratic system. The former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan stated that â€Å"†¦democracy is a universal right that does not belong to any country or region, and that participatory governance, based on the will of the people, is the best path to freedom, growth, and development† (World Movement for Democracy). However, it seems that most of the countries cannot transform the universal values of the democracy into the practice of democratic governance mainly because the supply of transformation is lagging behind the people’s high expectations. Creating a social contract with citizens is necessary for governments so as to manage the democracy building process effectively. It is also important to meet the expectations of the people who really provide the governments with the governing legitimacy. Unfortunately, most of the countries have not ensured such a social contract and it is one of the major reasons the democratic system is struggling globally. Though today governments worldwide try to promote public participation in policy making, such efforts fail to meet their goals due to lack of dialogue between people (Smith 2003. As scholars point out, dialogue is an integral element of the participative democracy. Over the centuries after the time of Plato, the dialogic form s of democracy have been losing their significance. Today democratic processes have become individual centered as majority of our representatives are more beholden to corporate giants and fund donors than they are to citizens (Lindeman, n.d.). Similarly, today the media are also playing a noticeable role in ruining the good sides of democracy (Fog

Chapters 15 20 Questions Answers Essay Example for Free

Chapters 15 20 Questions Answers Essay 1. In Chapter 15, Amir meets with the dying Rahim Khan. Where are they? Peshawar, Pakistan 2. What does Amir say about cliches? Why does Amir use the cliche about an elephant in the room to describe his meeting with Rahim Khan? They are usually dead on. The elephant is the truth about Rahim Khan’s condition – he is dying and doesn’t have much time left. 3. Afghanistan has been seized by what political group in Chapter 15? Taliban 4. In Chapter 16, Rahim tells us what happened to Hassan. What has happened? Where is he living? Hassan went to live in a village just outside Bamiyan where. Rahim Khan finds Hassan, who tells him that Ali was killed by a landmine. Rahim Khan asks Hassan and his wife, Farzana, to live with him. Hassan at first refuses, but agrees after learning of Baba’s death. Their first baby was a stillborn girl. Hassan’s mother, Sanaubar, returns to the home, starving and ill. Hassan and his wife nurse his mother back to health. She in turn delivers Farzana’s son, Sohrab. Sanaubar dies when Sohrab is four. 5. Who is Farzana? Who is Sohrab? Farzana is Hassan’s wife. Sohrab is their son. 6. What happened in 1998 by the Taliban in Mazar-i-Sharif ? The Taliban massacred many Hazaras in Mazar-i-Sharif. 7. In Chapter 17, Rahim gives Amir a letter from Hassan, who wrote it six months before. What is the tone of this letter? How does Amir react? Hassan is the same old Hassan; a loyal friend who is concerned about Amir. Hassan wrote the letter with excitement and pride. Hassan says he would like to see Amir again. Rahim Khan reveals, however, that Hassan and his wife were murdered by the Taliban a month after the letter was written. Their son, Sohrab, is now living in an orphanage in Kabul. 8. In Chapter 18, Amir finds out that both Hassan and his wife were shot by the Taliban while trying to protect Babas house, as a result, orphaning their son. Rahim tells Amir it is his job to find Sohrab in Karteh-Seh, Afghanistan, and take him to an orphanage in Peshawar, Pakistan. What is Amirs reaction? Do you think Rahims dying wish is unfair? Why or why not? Amir’s reaction is of shock and anger. He doesn’t understand why no one told him this before. Rahim’s wish is not unfair – this is how Amir will remove the guilt and pay back Hassan for what Amir never did in the alleyway years ago. 9. How does the cliche, like father, like son mentioned on page 238, relate to Baba and Amir? Baba and Amir were more alike than he’d ever known. â€Å"We had both betrayed the people who would have given their lives for us. And with that came this realization: that Rahim Khan has summoned me here to atone not just for my sins but for Baba’s too. † (209) 10. What clues hint at the secret that is revealed in Chapter 17-18? Baba had always been so close to Hassan and it makes sense now why he loves Hassan so much. (forgiveness of â€Å"theft†, cleft lip, threatened Amir over the â€Å"new servants† comment, bought the same gifts for Hassan and Amir (kite) – treated them equally, wishes Hassan was here (in America), etc.) 11. In Chapter 19, Farid is engaged to drive Amir from Peshawar to Afghanistan. Describe his first impression of Amir. When Farid said, Youve always been a tourist here, you just didnt know it, (page 245), what did he mean? What is Farids impression of emigrant Afghans who return to visit Afghanistan? Many are shocked at the changes in Afghanistan. They are like tourists in the country, considering the many horrible changes that have taken place. Farid believes that Amir has always been a tourist. Amir has only known a better Afghanistan. Afghanis only come back to sell their land and leave again. 12. What realization does Amir come to in Chapter 19? Amir realizes his life has been a lie all along. Baba favored Hassan in the past – Amir realizes this as a sign that Hassan is his half-brother. He also realizes he must leave to help Sohrab right away before he talks himself out of going. This was his last chance at redemption. (195) 13. In Chapter 20, Amir sees Kabul for the first time since leaving. Describe what he sees. Amir is shocked by the state of Afghanistan. On arriving in Kabul he discovers it has been severely damaged by twenty years of war. The Taliban patrol the streets looking for people to punish. Amir is advised to avoid even looking at them. Amir feels pain and sadness at what he sees. 14. In Chapter 20, the director of the orphanage, Zaman, tells Amir that Sohrab was taken by a Taliban official who takes children, usually girls, about once a month for his sexual pleasure. The official gave Zaman a great deal of cash. How does Zaman defend his actions? He has so many other children he must take care of. If he were not there, they would starve and die. If Zaman refuses, it could destroy the orphanage and save others from being taken and/or killed. The money also provides for their needs (i. e. food. ).

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Location and layout: A physical location is important to our firm but a website will make our services more accessible to more customers located in different regions. Physical location will have to be offices that include small offices for our human resources, website designer and finally rooms and conference room for the training. The address should be in a neighborhood where there are a lot of offices and businesses. Such a location will be effective because it will put us in proximity to businesses that we can easily reach and in their turn will spread the word about us quicker. Also being located near other known businesses makes locating us easier by referring to their offices or location to be near us. We won’t buy the property but have a lease, preferably to have landlord who will be responsible for property taxes, insurance and maintenance. . The office should have a room for the main training and a space for open offices where employees will have different tasks to do. The total square meter should be between 50 and 60 to meters squares. We found offices with similar criteri...

Manage finance within own area of responsibility in health and social care Essay

When I was happy that the strategy was ready to roll out I explained the strategy to the staff within a staff meeting. I asked their thoughts on it as they were the ones that would be implementing it and using it on a day to day basis with the children and young people. I explained to the staff why we needed to use the strategy as it had been mentioned by Ofsted and that it was now a requirement that we work in this way. The staff were all enthusiastic and keen to work with the new strategy. To further gain the support of the staff each member of the Participation Team would have an instrumental role in the strategy being successful and it would also mean that they would spend more time individually with the children and young people so that they got a better understanding of the child/young person and their different levels of communication and how they learnt. The team would also learn a new skill of setting and working towards target setting and measuring outcomes. This would be a learning process not only for the children/young people but myself and all of the team. Explain the features of effective team performance Following on from managing and Leadership should you get the mix right this then will lead to an effective staff team. A staff team is made up of a group of people working together to achieve a common goal. An effective team has certain characteristics that allow the team members to function more efficiently and productively. An effective staff team develops ways to share leadership roles and ways to share accountability for their work products, shifting the emphasis from the individual to several individuals within the team. A team also develops a specific team purpose and concrete work products that the members produce together. Effective staff teams will have open-ended meetings and develop active problem-solving strategies that go beyond discussing, deciding, and delegating what to do; they do real work together. When necessary, individuals in a staff team will set aside their own work to assist other members of the team. In a well-functioning staff team, performance is based not on an individual member’s ability to influence other staff members, but rather is assessed directly by measuring the work products of the whole team. Rewards based on the whole team’s effort help underscore the importance of team responsibility. Characteristics of an Effective Team †¢Staff members share leadership roles †¢Staff team schedules work to be done and commits to taking time allotted to do work †¢Team develops tangible results †¢Team members are mutually accountable for evidencing results †¢Performance is based on achieving team results Problems are discussed and resolved by the team Leadership and management must go hand in hand. They are not the same thing. But they are necessarily linked, and complementary. Any effort to separate the two is likely to cause more problems than it solves. Leadership styles should be adapted to the demands of the situation, the requirements of the people involved and the challenges facing the organisation. As manager’s we must identify appropriate forums which will provide opportunities to our team members which will help to make their own recommendations on how they should allocate work fairly within the team. These forums could include:- Informal supervisionteam meetings Formal supervisionweekly case allocation meetings At Granville Lodge I have informal supervision this encompasses sitting down over lunch some days or a coffee another and having an informal chat about work, their home lives, the children and young people at Granville Lodge. During these informal chats, the staff will generally open up more as they don’t acknowledge that this is an informal supervision but just a chat so they don’t tend to hold back were as in formal supervision they tend to not say as much as perhaps they want to because it is formal and notes are taken. So for me those informal chats are where I get most of my knowledge and information about the team members and more important to me to gain a greater understanding of that individual. During our team meetings we discuss events that have happened over the previous month, we also discuss any changes that are being made to the business not just at Granville Lodge but the organisation as a whole. I feel it is important to let the team know what is happening in the organisation so that they understand my role also, in that some of the strategic decisions I make, but they don’t necessarily agree with are not optional for me but is a decision I am making for the good of the organisation if not  particularly right for Granville Lodge at that specific time. We also discuss internal matters such as annual leave, health and safety matters the children and young people, and any other matters that the team want to raise. We discuss the matters and generally try to come to a mutual agreement so that all or at least a majority of the team are happy with. If not all staff are happy with a particular suggestion made at these meetings we do try to reach a compromise, if a compromise cannot be met then the decision in the end is mine I will take the decision that I believe is correct for the children/young people, the unit and the team. 1.2 Identify the challenges experienced by developing teams 1.3 Identify the challenges experienced by established teams It is hard coming into a team which is already established and have worked together over a long time period. This was the case in Granville Lodge. The team were well established and had for a lengthy period had to manage with no permanent manager. They worked extremely well but at the same time were lack lustre about their jobs. When you first come into a team like this it is hard to break down barriers, they have a pre disposed idea of who you are and what you want to do to ‘their’ home, they automatically think you are coming in and immediately want to change things or even worse get rid of them. For me the way to deal with this was to get to the know the team on an individual basis, get to know them on a work level, find out what they think of the organisation, how they see the business in its current form and find out if they are open to change. Once I got to know each member of the team individually, I sat back for a few weeks and watched the team work together, I needed to understand the team dynamics, learn who was who and where they sat in the hierarchy of the team. Although you may have Team Leaders this does not necessarily indicate the true dynamics of who ‘is’ actually leading the team. Once I learned who was who, and were they stood in the ‘pecking order’ I could start to work with them to let them know that I was part of their team and wanted what was best for the children and young people who resided and stayed at Granville Lodge. I had to gain their trust, as a Manager I believe that you should understand the business from the ground up. I needed to have a true understanding of the roles of each  member of the team and if the need arose would fulfil that role if required. I wouldn’t expect any member of my team to undertake a role or task that I wouldn’t be prepared to do myself. 1.1Analyse how different management styles may influence outcomes of team performance There are a number of factors which can influence the staff performance in the home, the staff may feel negatively influenced because of micromanaging by their senior or shift patterns. Conversely, the staff will most likely feel inspired and otherwise positively influenced by having a larger input into the running of the home and a supervisor’s approachable management style. Regardless of the field or industry in which you work, the factors influencing staff performance and morale are very much the same. There are several different types of management styles when it comes to managing in the workplace and choosing the right type of style to lead with will have a big impact in terms of how the staff performs. But knowing the different leadership styles in management does not mean that I can simply pick one and then that is going to work because I would then in essence be trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. In most cases, the traits of the staff I am managing help me t o define the management styles I will use, blending a combination of the different categories. Different types of management styles and the situations when each of them may need to be used. A manager’s leadership style may seem to be set in concrete, hard and unchanging. Or it may be fluid, changing to adapt to the given situation. No matter what a manager’s individual leadership style, it is important to remember that not every style is suited to every occasion. Managers who are able to adapt their personal style to obtain desired results are generally more successful leaders than those who try to impose the same style of management on every employee. http://www.ehow.com/info_7772758_management-leadership-styles.html#ixzz2jCXbk8h3 Directive Democrat †¢A democratic leader welcomes and encourages input from employees throughout the decision making process. A directive leader micromanages workers, telling them exactly how to complete their day-to-day work processes. When combined, these two styles create a directive democratic style of leadership in which the leader obtains input from workers when making decisions but then closely oversees the work to ensure it is completed appropriately. Directive Autocrat †¢An autocratic leader is one who makes all important decisions within the organization with little or no input from employees. This is often combined with the directive style to create a manager who accepts no input from employees in the decision making process and also micromanages every aspect of work. This is perhaps one of the least effective management leadership styles, especially if it is the only style a manager knows how to utilise. However, it is essential in a working environment where workers are either unable or unwilling to do the work without absolute supervision. Permissive Democrat †¢A permissive leader is one who gives workers a great deal of flexibility in the workplace, allowing them the opportunity to determine how best to approach their day-to-day work processes. Combined with the democratic style, this is perhaps best suited when managing highly motivated employees who are capable of monitoring their own work processes. The permissive democrat elicits input from highly skilled workers, usually obtaining the most innovative ideas and solutions. This type of manager is often able to confidently delegate many high level duties to capable employees. Permissive Autocrat †¢A permissive autocrat is a manager who makes all important decisions within the organization but then allows workers flexibility in determining how to complete their day-to-day work processes. This is a useful leadership style for a highly motivated yet unskilled workforce who are willing to do the work but do not have the training or education to make important decisions for the organisation. I believe that my management style depends on what is required at that particular moment. I am a mix of many management styles, but mainly a Permissive Democrat. I believe that allowing staff to be flexible in their approach to work and encouraging them to bring forward their ideas gives them a sense of purpose and ownership of our business. As I mentioned earlier it was difficult coming into a team that was already established and had worked together for a long time. They already had formed a working relationship with each other they knew how they all worked individually and already had gone through the five stages of development as a team. These are traditionally known as:- †¢Forming: a group of people come together to accomplish a shared purpose. †¢Storming: Disagreement about mission, vision, and approaches combined with the fact that team members are getting to know each other can cause strained relationships and conflict. †¢Norming: The team has consciously or unconsciously formed working relationships that are enabling progress on the team’s objectives. †¢Performing: Relationships, team processes, and the team’s effectiveness in working on its objectives are synching to bring about a successfully functioning team. †¢Transforming: The team is performing so well that members be lieve it is the most successful team they have experienced; or Ending: The team has completed its mission or purpose and it is time for team members to pursue other goals or projects. The model used was first developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman who published his four stages of team development: the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model, in 1965. Dr. Tuckman seems to have added a fifth stage, Adjourning, during the 1970s. Each stage of team development presents its own special challenges to a group of people striving to work together successfully by forming a cohesive team. The team and the organisation can take specific actions at each stage of  team development to support the team’s success in accomplishing the team mission. At each stage, the behavior of the leader must be adapted to the changing and developing needs of the group. As I was a new team member but also the leader we had to go through these stages again as I had a new vision and goals for the unit, so where the team had already reached the transforming stage we had to go back to the forming stage. I feel that at the present time we are between the norming and performing stages we are all now forming working relationships and working well together but not yet at the stage of transforming, but this will come with hard work on both sides. To achieve this we have to work in a team-oriented environment, where we all contribute to t he overall success of the organisation. We work with fellow members of the organisation to produce great results. Even though we all have a specific job function and belong to a specific departments, we are unified with other organisation members to accomplish the overall objectives. The bigger picture drives your actions; your function exists to serve the bigger picture. The process that results in employees who clearly understand and execute their performance expectations contains these components: †¢A company strategic planning process that defines overall direction and objectives. †¢A communication strategy that tells every employee where their job and needed outcomes fit within the bigger company strategy. †¢A process for goal setting, evaluation, feedback, and accountability that lets employees know how they are doing. This process must provide opportunities for continuing employee professional and personal development. †¢Overall organisational support for the importance of clear performance expectations communicated through cultural expectations, executive planning and communication, managerial responsibility and accountability, rewards and recognition, and company stories (folklore) about heroic accomplishments that define the workplac e. †¢To lead them I had to get them to understand why they are participating on the team? Do they understand how the strategy of using teams will help the organsation attain its communicated business goals? Can team members define their team’s importance to the accomplishment of corporate goals? Does the team understand where its work fits in the total context of the organization’s goals, principles, vision and values? Employee recognition is one of the keys to successful employee motivation. Employee recognition follows trust as a factor in employee satisfaction with their supervisor and their work place. I do feel that saying thank you to staff members is very important, it makes them feel valued and that you appreciate the effort they have made is ensuring that their business is running well and efficiently. I say thank you on a daily basis if I feel that the staff have performed their job well or have done that little bit extra. Informal recognition, as simple sometimes as saying thank you and please, should be on every employee’s mind every day. Supervisors and coworkers, especially, have the opportunity to praise and encourage best efforts daily. These tips will help you successfully provide more formal recognition that is valued, valuable, and motivational. Effective, fair, employee recognition is motivational for both the employees receiving recognition and their coworkers – d one correctly. Conflict is pretty much inevitable when you work with others. People have different viewpoints and under the right set of circumstances, those differences escalate to conflict. How you handle that conflict determines whether it works to the team’s advantage, or contributes to its demise.   Conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. Healthy and constructive conflict is a component of high functioning teams. Conflict arises from differences between people; the same differences that often make diverse teams more effective than those made up of people with similar experience. When people with varying viewpoints, experiences, skills, and opinions are tasked with a project or challenge, the combined effort can far surpass what any group of similar individual could achieve. Team members must be open to these differences and not let them rise into full-blown disputes.   Allen C. Amason, of Mississippi State University, has studied conflict and its role in decision-making. He suggests there are two types of conflict: Cognitive – conflict aimed at issues, ideas, principles, or process Affective – conflict aimed at people, emotions, or values His studies showed the presence of both types in any group setting; but he’s clear to explain that cognitive conflict is constructive, while affective is  destructive (Brockmann, 1996). Another researcher, Thomas K. Capozzoli (1995), reinforces this by describing the outcomes of constructive and destructive conflict: Constructive conflicts exists when†¦ 1.People change and grow personally from the conflict 2.The conflict results in a solution to a problem 3.It increase involvement of everyone affected by the conflict 4.It builds cohesiveness among the members of the team Destructive conflicts exists when†¦ 1.No decision is reached and problem still exists 2.It diverts energy away from more value-add activities 3.It destroys the morale of the team members 4.It polarizes or divides the team Trust is one of the most important elements of an efficient work environment. Organisations that have trust among employees are usually successful, those that don’t frequently are not. How can I build trust in the staff team, and how can I avoid losing it?† Well, it all starts with me as the manager, since trustfulness – and trustworthiness – can exist only if the management sets the example, and then builds that example into every member of staff. From doing research and through personal experience I’ve found four excellent ways to build trust into staff teams. †¢Establish and maintain integrity. It is the foundation of trust in any organisation. Integrity must begin at the top and then move down. This means, among other things, keeping promises and always telling the truth, no matter how difficult it might be. If its people have integrity, an organisation can be believed. †¢Communicate vision and values. Communication is important, since it provides the artery for information and truth. By communicating the organization’s vision, management defines where it’s going. By communicating its values, the methods for getting there are established. †¢Consider all employees as equal partners. Trust is established when even the newest staff member, a part-timer, or the lowest paid employee feels important and part of the team. This begins with management not being aloof, as well as getting out and meeting the staff. This should be followed by the manager seeking opinions and ideas (and giving credit for them), knowing the names of staff and their families and treating one and all with genuine respect. †¢Focus  on shared, rather than personal goals. When staff feel everyone is pulling together to accomplish a shared vision, rather than a series of personal agendas, trust results. This is the essence of teamwork. When a team really works, they trust one another. Accountability As the home manager I need to hold staff accountable for meeting commitments. This sounds simple, but in the messy world it can be a conundrum. Reason: People have a tendency to justify their actions based on their personal rationalisation. It may seem a lame excuse, but to the staff member, there was no way the commitment could have been made. The technology for holding people accountable begins with the notion that it is expected behaviour. There is a fine art to holding people accountable and still maintaining trust with not only the staff in question but also their colleagues. What techniques do I use to manage accountability without losing trust? Holding people accountable is a fundamental premise of good management. Establishing solid goals and providing feedback along the way helps staff recognise the importance of performing up to expectations. Unfortunately, some staff do not meet their goals for a variety of reasons. When this happens, I need to hold them accountable, but t here are often problems in executing this closure step. If goals were not met due to employee laziness, lack of initiative, poor attitudes, or any other negative personal trait, then the accountability step is appropriate and will be done along with the appropriate documentation. When staff fail to meet expectations due to things that are truly out of their control, then holding them accountable seems punitive beyond reason. I believe there is a direct link between holding people accountable in an appropriate way and the level of trust in the home. Unfortunately, many situations are in a gray area in between extremes. A staff member will usually have some sort of excuse that justifies not being able to perform up to expectations. That is, he or she has rationalised the lapse based on some mental process that exonerates the employee from toeing the line. When I attempt to hold the individual accountable for the failure, it seems unfairly harsh to the individual employee and trust plummets. The conundrum is that staff who witness their  colleagues not performing up to expectations, yet not being held fully accountable, leads to a lowering of trust in the home as well. For me, it is a kind of â€Å"darned if you do, darned if you don’t† situation . It is important for me to explain that I hold people accountable for their actions, and I do not condone a string of excuses or reasons why the goals were missed. Yet I will still need to all allow some latitude for truly uncontrolled situations where it was impossible for the staff to perform up to expectations. There is a direct relationship between how I handle the issue of accountability and the level of trust achieved at any point in time. I need to recognise this sensitive area and navigate the choppy waters with great care. Using the golden rule is a great way to apply the right amount of personal sensitivity to a situation, but still get the message across that people are expected to meet commitments. Properly reinforced, this attitude will maintain trust within the home even though some difficult or unhappy discussions need to happen with certain individuals. How the accountability is communicated to the employee has everything to do with how it is perceived and received. I need to be consistent with following through on commitments, and then staff cannot expect to be called out if goals are not met. Having a firm but kind conversatio n with the staff member, in private, about a performance lapse is far superior to catching the employee off guard and rubbing his or her nose in the problem. If I were to berate the staff member publicly and with a mean spirit, significant damage to the relationship would result. 3.1 Identify the factors that influence the vision and strategic direction of the team As a registered care home, Granville Lodge works with government legislation, National minimum standards and the Ofsted essential standards to help shape our policy and strategic thinking, this gives all employees a shared vision of better services. When there is a significant change in legislation, we have to assess the service support currently offered. This will have an impact on the team and the direction of our previous vision. At present any influence on the team direction is from our vision (statement of purpose) is a society where people with Profound and Multiple and Learning Disabilities  and Complex Health Needs are equal citizens and have access to the support and services they need. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of people with a disability. We work in partnership with people with a disability and family carers and all of our stakeholders to make sure that good practice in delivering high quality person centred support is developed, shared and evaluated. We believe that people with disabilities should be supported to live fulfilling lives as equal citizens who are involved and contribute to their communities. We will ensure that we are involved in making the disability policy agendas of equal citizenships, rights, choice, inclusion and independence happen throughout Great Britain. We will work in partnership with people with learning disabilities and family carers, recognising that they are the real experts and that their stories and life experiences should be central to developing and sharing good practice. We will listen and identify how to provide quality person centred support focusing on those groups that have often been excluded including. We are open to changing the way we work if this means that more people can have better lives through what we do. Bibliography Amason, Allen C (2011). Strategic Management. Taylor and Francis Brockmann, Erich. (1996, May). Removing the paradox of conflict from group decisions. Academy of Management Executive. v10n2, p. 61-62. Cappozzoli, Thomas K. (1995, Dec). Resolving conflict within teams. Journal for Quality and Participation. v18n7, p. 28-30 Covey, Stephen R, (1989), The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character. Ethic. Simon and Schuster, 11/09/2013 – http://humanresources.about.com/od/teambuilding/f/team_stages.htm 16/09/2013 http://www.rpi.edu/dept/advising/free_enterprise/business_structures/management_styles.htm 16/09/201 – 3 http://www.preservearticles.com/2012021323091/short-essay-on-leadership.html 30/10/13 – http://www.peelerassociates.com/blog/leading-versus-managing-eight-key-differences/ 30/10/13 – http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_79.htm#sthash.4LOPeQ9r.dpuf