British Petroleum (BP) and its corporate Image Term Paper

British Petroleum (BP) and its corporate Image - Term Paper Example Every company needs a market and a public where to sell its products. This would only be possible if the company is known to the public, and they have a picture in their minds regarding it. This picture has to be positive; otherwise it could cost the company. A positive image increases a company’s credibility. This image is somewhat build through advertising, where the company portrays itself. Such advertising is not sales-oriented, but takes the help of the public relations department to promote a better reputation and name-awareness of the company. Corporate advertising uses strategies to build a sense of buoyancy and fascination among the consumers’ as well as the others in the industry. The whole company is advertised and branded, not just the products and services. Corporate image is an amalgamated psychological image, which continues to change, according to the firm’s products, strategies, media coverage and other events. The corporate image is a public opi nion of the company, and does not necessarily echo the company’s actual image, size or position. Corporate image is flexible and can change unexpectedly. It could go from best to worst, in hours, because of any scandal or any news, even fake, that found its way into the media, and that highlights a negative aspect of the firm. For example, in the 1990s The Food Lion supermarket faced a scandal that accused the store of unhygienic practices, which was a fraud; but the store was forced to withdraw from the  Houston,  Oklahoma,  Louisiana, and  Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex  markets, which it had recently entered, because of bad publicity. Or it could go from worst to good overnight, by a feature printed in the Wall Street Journal, or any other newspaper; written by a reporter who was impressed by your services. It is very unpredictable. Companies use advertising techniques to improve their depiction. Brands represent a philosophy; for example The Apple Computer Company has survived a lot of ups and downs, regarding its corporate image. Apple appealed to those computer users who were innovative and creative, who wanted to see themselves as unique and free-spirited people. Apple also faced complains and criticism for its iPhone 4, where there was a connectivity problem. Apple refused to accept that it was a technical error, instead asked the consumers that iPhones have to be held differently. Nowadays, the public relations departments are also involved in positive corporate image building. CORPORATE IMAGE AFFECTS BUSINESS SALES Corporate image helps consumers remember your company. How will people buy your products or services if they are not even aware that your company exists. According to the Gallup Poll, companies today are only 16% responsible, as compared to the 70% in 1968 (Argenti 5). In business, what matters most is what the public thinks and beliefs; and the public trust is what must be upheld and should not be broken. (Argenti 11) The pu blic trust in global companies is going in negative numbers. The statistics have been calculated by subtracting the percentage of distrust from the percentage of trust, expressed by the public during surveys. This shows that the public no longer trust the global companies, to upheld their rights and cater to their needs. (Argenti 15) Companies having good standing are more likely to achieve and maintain their status and public trust in

Overview of the organization of Wal-Mart Essay Example for Free

Overview of the organization of Wal-Mart Essay Today, one of the most common places known to everyone (Except Paris Hilton) is Wal-Mart. Last year, Wal-Mart had revenues of $191 billion and has 1,283,000 employees, as of 2002. Wal-Mart is the largest retail store in the United States, and is larger than any other retail chain in the world. Currently Wal-Mart operates over 4,150 retail facilities globally. According to the Fortune 500 index of the wealthiest and most powerful corporations in the world, Wal-Mart holds the number one spot, ranked by its total sales. The company is ranked as the second most admired company in the world by Fortune (www.fortune.com). With all these numbers, you would think they had a long drawn out plan with goals as long as their success, but when Sam Walton created Wal-Mart in 1962, he declared that three policy goals would define his business: respect for the individual, service to customers, and striving for excellence (www.walmart.com). Three very short, but successful goals, which have been working since. As I researched goals and planning, Wal-Marts goals are not the standard goals that I found. In the textbook there is information concerning characteristics of goals. Characteristics of Well-Designed Goals: 1) Written in terms of outcomes rather than actions. 2) Measurable and quantifiable. 3) Clear as to a time frame. 4) Challenging yet attainable. 5) Written down. 6) Communicated to all necessary organizational members. Management (Page 166 Para. 1) As we redirect to Wal-Marts goals, we can see that they would not be defined as well designed. Not many of the six characteristics would fit Sam Waltons goals. 1) Respect for the individual This could not be considered for outcomes rather than actions nor is it measurable and quantifiable. It contains no time frame and I hardly consider respect as a challenge. However the goals were written and have been communicated to all employees. When it comes to the respect from Wal-Mart stores many individuals feel Sam Walton has lost his sight. I researched what others had to say about the goals. Everyone says the store really got bad after Sam died, one individual explains. http://members.aol.com/walmopboy/abuse/strl.htm (Look Before You Leap) The site contains articles customers and employees have posted about the treatment they have received at various Wal-Mart stores. 2) Service to customers Once again this fits only the last two characteristics explained. It is written and has been communicated. 3) Striving for excellence This, compared to the other two fits the characteristics best. It could be considered for outcomes rather than action, and could be considered challenging. It is not measurable and quantifiable, nor clear as to a time frame. However, it is once again written down and communicated to the employees. When I researched how well these goals were communicated to the employees, I found that they are printed on the hiring paperwork. Once the paperwork is complete the employees do not see or receive the goals. Therefore, I do not feel the goals are communicated effectively among the employees and organization. In order for the goals to be achieved, I feel the employees must be aware of Sam Waltons sight. I believe the first step to achieve these goals effectively would be to instill them within the employees. They should be explained clearly and constantly. They should also be printed, in clear sight. This would help to  remind employees and show customers their attitudes. I also feel that the goals should have a clear time frame and measurable. For example: In one year, cut complaints to less than 20 per store. There should be some way to ensure the goals are being reached. By setting time frames and a measurable form the store can see how well or terrible they are doing. Resources: 1) Wal-Mart Homepage http://www.walmart.com/ [Accessed 18 July 2004] 2) Fortune http://www.fortune.com/fortune/ [Accessed 18 July 2004] 3) Wal-Mart Horror Stories Archives http://members.aol.com/walmopboy/abuse/strl.htm [Accessed 19 July 2004] 4) Robbins, Coulter (2005) Management Eighth Edition Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Custom Publishing

The Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti :: Nicola Sacco Bartolomeo Vanzetti

The Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti -- were they guilty or just victims of circumstance? You decide. This case was one of the most controversial court cases in America's history and soon you will know why. Sacco and Vanzetti were Italian immigrants who emigrated to America in 1908. At the time, Sacco was seventeen, and Vanzetti was 20. In April 1920, Sacco was working in a shoe factory, and Vanzetti was selling fish on the streets. Of the two immigrants, only Sacco had a family in the United States. His wife, Rosina, was expecting her second child. Their first son, Dante, was two years old. Both men were aliens, non-citizens, but Vanzetti had begun the process of citizenship. However, he did not speak English. Sacco and Vanzetti were accused of murdering the paymaster and a guard at the Slater and Morrill shoe factory in South Braintree, Massachusetts, on April 15, 1920. They were also accused of taking two payroll boxes which contained $15,776.51. Sacco and Vanzetti were arrested on May 5, 1920, when they went with two other men, Orciani and Boda, to pick up Boda's car from a garage. The car was not ready, so they left the garage and hopped a street car. The police stopped the street car and arrested them. Orciani was arrested the next day, but let go when his alibi checked out. Sacco was only charged with the Braintree murders. Vanzetti, however, was charged with both the Braintree murders, and another robbery, the Bridgewater crime. They were indicted on September 14, 1920, and put on trial on May 31, 1921. Their trial lasted almost seven weeks, and on July 14, 1921, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were found guilty of murder in the first degree. They would be executed for this crime. During the trial, there were many conflicting facts. For example, a hat found at the scene of the crime was assumed to be Sacco's. However, when Sacco tried it on, it did not fit his head. Sacco told the court he wore a size 7 1/8, and this hat was size 6 7/8. How could that have been Sacco's hat if it wasn't even his size? Sacco was also asked why he was carrying a gun on May 5. He replied, "My wife cleaned the house because we are to go Saturday to New York to get the boat to Italy. She found the pistol then.

Culture- IBM v. Trilogy :: miscellaneous

Culture- IBM v. Trilogy Whenever two or more people come together with a shared purpose, they form a culture with its own written and unwritten rules for behavior. Our families, workplaces and communities all have cultures. These cultures have a tremendous, though rarely recognized, impact upon our behavior as individuals, and as groups. Each cultural environment provides a somewhat unique set of standards to which we must adapt. Our behavioral patterns change dramatically from cultural context to cultural context. For example, on the job we are expected to behave in accordance with certain social standards. Expectations about behaviors at work usually differ from what is expected of us in our kitchens and in our bedrooms. We may not choose to behave in accordance with our cultures, but if we choose not to go along, we must be prepared for ongoing consequences. When we select goals for ourselves that violate the culture, we must either change the culture or endure a never-ending struggle. I'd like to illustrate the seeming similarities, and the actual differences, between the cultures of two organizations- Trilogy and IBM. This comparison is unique in that it points out the major similarities between two very different organizations. IBM with its 200,000+ employees is a virtual giant compared to Trilogy with just under 1,000 employees. How can these two cultures be so strikingly similar? Current industry recruiting trends follow what's desirable to college graduates! We're fast approaching the millenium, and the new buzz-words are PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE!!! But, while many companies boast to potential hires of freedom and friendship, many of those same companies fall short of following through with their promises. Realistically, there are limitations that come with having over 200,000 employees. Likewise, there are limitations with having only 1,000 employees. How do these two companies stack up in comparison? So, what are the desired job traits that college graduates are looking for? To name a few:  · Personal and Professional Growth Opportunities  · Flexible hours and freedom  · Likable teammates Personal and Professional Growth Opportunities It's not surprising that today's companies place emphasis on employee 'growth'. As recent graduates, new hires are accustomed to a constant stream of new knowledge and skills. Obviously this learning has led to great success, so why stop there? Recent graduates are well aware of the importance of marketability. To ensure a secure career outlook, continued training and experience are a must.

Psychology Notes

Notes Definition of psychology: Psychology: the science of behavior and mental processes Science: approach to knowledge based on systematic observation Behavior: directly observable and measurable human actions Mental processes: private psychological activities that include thinking, perceiving, and feeling Theories: tentative explanation of facts and relationship in sciences 4 goals of psychology: 1 . Describe: the information gathered through specific research helps psychologists describe psychological phenomena more accurately and completely. Predict: psychologists are able to predict future behavior. 3. Understand: behavior and mental processes when we can explain why they happen. 4. Influence: psychologists hope to go beyond description, understanding, and prediction to Influence behavior in beneficial ways. Introspection: the process of looking inward at one's own consciousness Structuralism: the 19th century school of psychology that sought to determine the structure of the mi nd through controlled introspection.Gestalt psychology: the school of thought based on the belief that human unconsciousness cannot be broken down into Its elements Gestalt: an organized or unified whole Phi phenomenon: the perceptions of apparent movement between two stationary stimuli J. Henry Olsson: is the best known for his studies of the sensations of heat and cold. He discovered that we feel cold when one kind of nerve ending in the skin is stimulated, and we feel warm feel intense heat only when both the warmth and cold receptors in the skin are stimulated at the same time.Functionalism: the 19th century school of psychology that emphasized the useful functions of consciousness Cognition: mental processes of perceiving, beveling, talking, remembering, knowing, deciding, and so on. Cognitive processes, such as perception, memory, and thinking Hermann Banishes: he memorized lists of information and measured his memory for them after different intervals of time.He invented an e ntirely new set of meaningless items for his experiment called nonsense syllables such as KEBAB and MUG. Mary Whiten Calking: was a prominent teacher and researcher who was a leader in research on memory. She developed a method to study memory that differed from Banishes. She also pioneered the scientific study of dreams. Alfred Bines (Psychometrics): the useful functions of conscious mental processes in a very different but very practical direction. He developed a way to measure intelligence.Psychometrics: the perspective in psychology founded by Bines that focuses on the measurement of mental functions Behaviorism: the school of psychology that emphasizes the process of learning and the measurement of overt behavior Social learning theory: the viewpoint that the most important aspects of our behavior re learned from other persons in society?family, friends, and culture Unconscious mind: all mental activity of which we are unaware Motives: internal states or conditions that activat e behavior and give it direction Psychoanalysis: the technique of helping persons with emotional problems based on Sigmund Fraud's theory of the unconscious mind Humanistic psychology: the psychological view that human beings possess an innate tendency to improve and determine their lives by the decisions they make Neuroscience perspective: the viewpoint in psychology that focuses on the nervous yester in explaining behavior and mental processes Coloratura perspective: the theory of psychology that states that it is necessary to understand one's culture, ethnic identity, and other coloratura factors to fully understand a person Culture: the patterns of behavior, beliefs, and values shared by a group of people ancestors Ethnic identity: each person's sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group Gender identity: one's view of oneself as male of female Cultural relativity: the perspective that promotes thinking of different cultures in elate terms rather than Judgmental terms Colora tura factors in the history of psychology: Laurel Promote and Elizabeth Scarborough, Leonard Crasser, and Ellen Kismet have helped change our view of the role of women in the history of psychology by reminding us of some key facts. In the early days of psychology, it was extremely difficult of the most qualified women to obtain admission to graduate programs, when they receive training; they were rarely offered teaching position at the male- dominated institutions that they had the best equipped laboratories. Basic Areas of Modern Psychology: 1 .Biological psychology: study the ways in which the nervous system and other organs provide the basis for behavior. 2. Sensation and perception: how the sense organs operate and how we interpret incoming sensory information in the process of perception 3. Learning and memory: the ways in which we learn and remember new information, new skills, new habits, and new ways of relating to other people are studied in this problem solving 4. Cognitio n: with intelligent action: thinking, receiving, planning, imagining, creating, dreaming, speaking, listening, and problem solving 5. Developmental psychology: with changes that take place in people during their life span, as they grow from birth to old age 6.Motivation and emotion: the needs and states that activate and guide behaviors, such as hunger, thirst, sex, the need of achievement, the need to have relationships with others. The nature of the feelings and moods that color human experience is also a topic of this specialty 7. Personality: focuses on the more or less consistent ways of behaving that heartier our personalities 8. Social psychology: the influence of other people on our behavior: the behavior of people in groups, mobs, or organizations; interpersonal attraction and intimate relationships; and attitudes and prejudice toward others 9. Coloratura psychology: focus on ethnic and cultural factors, gender identity, sexual orientation, and related issues. Applied Areas of Modern Psychology: 1 .Clinical psychology: try to understand and treat emotional problems and correct abnormal behavior 2. Counseling psychology: help people with personal or school robbers and with career choices 3. Industrial and organizational psychology: focuses on ways to match employees to Jobs, to train and motivate workers, and to promote Job satisfaction and good relationships among workers 4. Educational and school psychology: is concerned with the ways children learn in the classroom and focus on the ways in which pressures, conflicts, hardships, and other factors contribute to poor health. To prevent health problems such as heart disease by teaching people to relax, exercise, control their diets, and stop high risk behaviors, such as smoking. Psychology Notes Notes Definition of psychology: Psychology: the science of behavior and mental processes Science: approach to knowledge based on systematic observation Behavior: directly observable and measurable human actions Mental processes: private psychological activities that include thinking, perceiving, and feeling Theories: tentative explanation of facts and relationship in sciences 4 goals of psychology: 1 . Describe: the information gathered through specific research helps psychologists describe psychological phenomena more accurately and completely. Predict: psychologists are able to predict future behavior. 3. Understand: behavior and mental processes when we can explain why they happen. 4. Influence: psychologists hope to go beyond description, understanding, and prediction to Influence behavior in beneficial ways. Introspection: the process of looking inward at one's own consciousness Structuralism: the 19th century school of psychology that sought to determine the structure of the mi nd through controlled introspection.Gestalt psychology: the school of thought based on the belief that human unconsciousness cannot be broken down into Its elements Gestalt: an organized or unified whole Phi phenomenon: the perceptions of apparent movement between two stationary stimuli J. Henry Olsson: is the best known for his studies of the sensations of heat and cold. He discovered that we feel cold when one kind of nerve ending in the skin is stimulated, and we feel warm feel intense heat only when both the warmth and cold receptors in the skin are stimulated at the same time.Functionalism: the 19th century school of psychology that emphasized the useful functions of consciousness Cognition: mental processes of perceiving, beveling, talking, remembering, knowing, deciding, and so on. Cognitive processes, such as perception, memory, and thinking Hermann Banishes: he memorized lists of information and measured his memory for them after different intervals of time.He invented an e ntirely new set of meaningless items for his experiment called nonsense syllables such as KEBAB and MUG. Mary Whiten Calking: was a prominent teacher and researcher who was a leader in research on memory. She developed a method to study memory that differed from Banishes. She also pioneered the scientific study of dreams. Alfred Bines (Psychometrics): the useful functions of conscious mental processes in a very different but very practical direction. He developed a way to measure intelligence.Psychometrics: the perspective in psychology founded by Bines that focuses on the measurement of mental functions Behaviorism: the school of psychology that emphasizes the process of learning and the measurement of overt behavior Social learning theory: the viewpoint that the most important aspects of our behavior re learned from other persons in society?family, friends, and culture Unconscious mind: all mental activity of which we are unaware Motives: internal states or conditions that activat e behavior and give it direction Psychoanalysis: the technique of helping persons with emotional problems based on Sigmund Fraud's theory of the unconscious mind Humanistic psychology: the psychological view that human beings possess an innate tendency to improve and determine their lives by the decisions they make Neuroscience perspective: the viewpoint in psychology that focuses on the nervous yester in explaining behavior and mental processes Coloratura perspective: the theory of psychology that states that it is necessary to understand one's culture, ethnic identity, and other coloratura factors to fully understand a person Culture: the patterns of behavior, beliefs, and values shared by a group of people ancestors Ethnic identity: each person's sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group Gender identity: one's view of oneself as male of female Cultural relativity: the perspective that promotes thinking of different cultures in elate terms rather than Judgmental terms Colora tura factors in the history of psychology: Laurel Promote and Elizabeth Scarborough, Leonard Crasser, and Ellen Kismet have helped change our view of the role of women in the history of psychology by reminding us of some key facts. In the early days of psychology, it was extremely difficult of the most qualified women to obtain admission to graduate programs, when they receive training; they were rarely offered teaching position at the male- dominated institutions that they had the best equipped laboratories. Basic Areas of Modern Psychology: 1 .Biological psychology: study the ways in which the nervous system and other organs provide the basis for behavior. 2. Sensation and perception: how the sense organs operate and how we interpret incoming sensory information in the process of perception 3. Learning and memory: the ways in which we learn and remember new information, new skills, new habits, and new ways of relating to other people are studied in this problem solving 4. Cognitio n: with intelligent action: thinking, receiving, planning, imagining, creating, dreaming, speaking, listening, and problem solving 5. Developmental psychology: with changes that take place in people during their life span, as they grow from birth to old age 6.Motivation and emotion: the needs and states that activate and guide behaviors, such as hunger, thirst, sex, the need of achievement, the need to have relationships with others. The nature of the feelings and moods that color human experience is also a topic of this specialty 7. Personality: focuses on the more or less consistent ways of behaving that heartier our personalities 8. Social psychology: the influence of other people on our behavior: the behavior of people in groups, mobs, or organizations; interpersonal attraction and intimate relationships; and attitudes and prejudice toward others 9. Coloratura psychology: focus on ethnic and cultural factors, gender identity, sexual orientation, and related issues. Applied Areas of Modern Psychology: 1 .Clinical psychology: try to understand and treat emotional problems and correct abnormal behavior 2. Counseling psychology: help people with personal or school robbers and with career choices 3. Industrial and organizational psychology: focuses on ways to match employees to Jobs, to train and motivate workers, and to promote Job satisfaction and good relationships among workers 4. Educational and school psychology: is concerned with the ways children learn in the classroom and focus on the ways in which pressures, conflicts, hardships, and other factors contribute to poor health. To prevent health problems such as heart disease by teaching people to relax, exercise, control their diets, and stop high risk behaviors, such as smoking.

The 5 Best Singulair Alternatives for Asthma and Allergies

The 5 Best Singulair Alternatives for Asthma and Allergies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you take Singulair for asthma or allergies? Are you wondering about possible Singulair alternatives? In this article, I’ll go through what Singulair is and how it works. I’ll also walk you through both prescription-only and over-the-counter Singulair alternatives, including the estimated cost and pros and cons of each one. What Is Singulair? How Does It Work? Singulair, or montelukast, is a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA). Leukotrienes are released by the immune system in response to allergens, such as pollen, and promote inflammation, bronchoconstriction (tightening of the airways in the lungs), breathing difficulties, and other allergy symptoms. The active ingredient, montelukast, in leukotriene receptor antagonists like Singulair binds to these receptors and opposes their function. Singulair is usually used to prevent asthma attacks and treat seasonal allergies. Singulair isn’t effective for acute asthma attacks or sudden, extreme allergic reactions. Instead, it’s commonly used long-term for maintenance purposes and is usually safe for extended, regular use. Why Use an Alternative to Singulair? There are several main reasons why patients with asthma and/or allergy symptoms might be looking for Singulair alternatives. Generally speaking, the reasons to choose another medication rather than Singulair are cost, side effects, and effectiveness. Cost Currently, a month’s supply (30 tablets) of Singulair costs around $246. You might be considering a Singulair alternative in order to save money. Side Effects For many patients, Singulair has no major side effects. However, some Singulair users report negative side effects like headache, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, skin reactions, or worsening asthma. One of the most worrying (though rare) side effects of Singulair is a change in mood or depressive symptoms, which may include suicidal thoughts or actions. For this reason, some patients with histories of anxiety or depression choose an alternative to Singulair. Effectiveness For whatever reason, Singulair might not effectively treat your symptoms. Perhaps a medication with a different active ingredient will work better for you, or maybe you need a stronger drug than Singulair. Singulair is usually used to treat asthma or allergies. Top 5 Singulair Alternatives The following Singulair alternatives are often used to treat asthma or allergies. For each one, I’ll go through how it compares to Singulair in terms of cost, side effects, and effectiveness. #1: Nasonex (Mometasone) Nasonex is a mometasone nasal spray used to treat congestion, runny nose, and other seasonal allergy symptoms, as well as nasal polyps. It is available by prescription or over-the-counter. Estimated Cost (Without Insurance): One 60-spray bottle of Nasonex costs about $150. Pros: Nasonex is more effective for allergic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages) and congestion than Singulair for most users. Also, Nasonex virtually never causes side effects like depression, behavioral changes, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors. These are more common with Singulair, so if you have trouble with anxiety or depression, Nasonex may be a better choice. Cons: Some negative side effects of Nasonex include headaches, bronchitis, nausea, sore throat, nosebleeds, and sores or white spots inside the nose or mouth. The main downside of Nasonex is that it doesn’t work right away. It should be used twice daily, starting one to two weeks before allergy season, in order to be effective by the time your allergy symptoms start. How Does It Compare? Nasonex is generally cheaper than Singulair, and is usually as effective or more effective in treating allergy symptoms like nasal congestion and inflammation. However, Singulair is more effective for asthma symptoms and in preventing asthma attacks. #2: Flonase (Fluticasone) Flonase is a corticosteroid nasal spray that’s used to treat allergy symptoms by reducing nasal inflammation. It’s available over-the-counter. Estimated Cost: For a bottle that contains around 120 sprays, you should expect to pay about $25 over-the-counter. Pros: Flonase is available at most pharmacies and only needs to be used when you’re experiencing asthma or allergy symptoms, so it’s cheaper, and unlike Singulair, you don’t have to take it every day. Flonase doesn’t have as many reported side effects as Singulair, especially those such as insomnia, aggression, anxiety, and depression or other behavioral changes. Cons: Because Flonase comes in spray form, it can be hard to keep track of how much you’ve taken or how much you have left. Also, Flonase is a Category C drug, meaning that risks can’t be ruled out for pregnant or nursing moms. Singulair is a Category B drug, so it’s generally considered safer for unborn and breastfeeding babies. How Does It Compare? Flonase is generally considered the first-choice treatment for seasonal allergies by doctors, because it doesn’t have to be used long-term and doesn’t carry as much of a risk of side effects as daily-use medications like Singulair. One study found Flonase and other nasal sprays containing fluticasone to be superior to montelukast for allergy symptoms. However, if you experience negative side effects with Flonase, have had nasal surgery, or have an irritated nasal passage, Singulair or another oral medication might be preferable to Flonase. Nasal sprays like Flonase can be the best available treatments for allergy symptoms. #3: Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine) Sudafed is a nasal decongestant used to treat allergy symptoms such as sinusitis and stuffy nose. It is often available over-the-counter, but requires a prescription in some states in the U.S. Estimated Cost (Without Insurance): Sudafed is generally inexpensive, with 24 tablets costing around $8-10 at generic pharmacies. Pros: One study found that Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) was more effective than montelukast in treating nasal congestion. If you’re experiencing congestion as your primary symptom, Sudafed is an inexpensive OTC alternative to a prescription drug like Singulair. Cons: Some Sudafed users report negative side effects like anxiety, restlessness, hyperactivity, a racing heartbeat, high blood pressure, insomnia, or hallucinations. Also, Sudafed can make users drowsy. Sudafed, unlike Singulair, doesn’t treat asthma or prevent asthma attacks. Also, after four days of use, Sudafed doesn’t work as effectively. How Does It Compare? Sudafed is a cheap, convenient alternative to Singulair if your main allergy symptom is nasal congestion or inflammation of the nasal passages. One study at the University of Chicago found Sudafed and Singulair to be equally effective in the treatment of hay fever and to have similar side effects. However, Sudafed isn’t appropriate for long-term use, for more severe allergy symptoms, or for people with asthma. #4: Allegra (Fexofenadine) Allegra is an antihistamine, meaning that it inhibits the release of histamines- compounds that trigger allergic reactions- in response to allergens such as pollen. It relieves allergy symptoms like itching, hives, watery eyes, and congestion. It’s available OTC. Estimated Cost: 30 tablets of Allegra will cost you around $20 at most generic pharmacies. Pros: Allegra users don’t report side effects of depression or weight gain as commonly as Singulair users. Allegra can be used in babies six months or older, while Singulair isn’t safe for a baby until he or she has reached 12 months of age. Also, Allegra, unlike Singulair, comes in liquid form as well as tablet form, which some users (especially children) might find easier to take. Cons: Users of Allegra some report negative side effects such as impotence, other sexual side effects, drowsiness, and weight loss. Allegra can’t be prescribed to anyone with kidney disease, as it can (rarely) cause kidney damage or failure. Allegra is only used to treat allergy symptoms. It isn’t approved or effective in treating asthma. The risks of taking Allegra while pregnant are unknown. It’s generally considered to be safer to take Singulair than Allegra while pregnant. How Does It Compare? Allegra users who experience adverse reactions to the medication report different, but potentially just as serious, side effects- such as kidney damage or failure, rapid weight loss, anxiety, impotence, and other sexual side effects- as those frequently experienced by Singulair users. Allegra is an inexpensive, and often effective, allergy medication, but won’t be as helpful if asthma attacks or other breathing difficulties are your main symptoms. Allegra is generally considered to be safe for regular use, but there aren’t as many studies on long-term use of the drug as there are on chronic use of Singulair, so there isn’t as much data available overall. #5: Accolate (Zafirlukast) Accolate is an alternative to Singulair for asthma and allergies. Like Singulair, it's a prescription-only LTRA except that the active ingredient is different (zafirlukast rather than montelukast). Estimated Cost (Without Insurance): Accolate tends to be cheaper than Singulair. Currently, a month’s supply of Accolate would cost you around $126.80. Pros: Although changes in mood and behavior can be side effects of both medications, Singulair users report more frequent suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as more symptoms of depression as a result of taking the drug. This is rarer among Accolate users. Additionally, overall, more patients report negative side effects with Singulair than they do with Accolate. Cons: Although Singulair users report more side effects over, Accolate carries a higher risk of liver failure than does Singulair. Though this side effect is rare, it is serious. More Accolate users report certain other adverse side effects, such as severe headaches, as well. On a less serious note, Accolate has to be taken twice a day, unlike Singulair, which some users don’t prefer as it’s more difficult to remember to take. Also, Accolate hasn’t been on the market as long as Singulair, and it isn’t prescribed as often. Therefore, we simply don’t have as much data on Accolate’s side effects, particularly of long-term use of the drug. How Does It Compare? One study didn’t find many differences in the effects, or effectiveness, of Accolate and Singulair. Overall, the two medications are very similar both in how, and how well, they work for people with asthma and/or allergies. The biggest differences between Accolate and Singulair are their cost and side effects, with prices usually much lower for Accolate than for Singulair, and fewer users reporting suicidal thoughts or attempts when using Accolate as opposed to Singulair. Also, although Accolate and Singulair are both leukotriene inhibitors and thus very similar, their active ingredients are different, so one may work for you while the other doesn’t. Many users report more success with Singulair than with Accolate, and vice versa.

The Combining Form -pod

The Combining Form -pod The Combining Form -pod The Combining Form -pod By Maeve Maddox The Greek and Latin words for leg and foot have given English the combining form -pod. Some words formed with -pod entered English earlier, but a great many were coined in the nineteenth century as the study of entomology and paleontology expanded. Here are a few, with their literal meanings and the date of their earliest citation in the OED. arthropod 1861 (arthro=joint) Insects, spiders, and crustaceans are arthropods. cephalopod 1826 (cephal=head) Cephalopods are creatures like octopus and squid whose â€Å"legs† are attached directly to their heads. diplopod 1864 (diplo=double) Diplopods have numerous legs, attached in pairs on each segment of the body. Thousand-leggers (millipedes) are diplopods. gastropod 1826 (gastro=stomach) A snail is a gastropod. It moves along with a single muscular â€Å"foot† attached to its abdomen. hexapod 1668 (hex=six) Insects are hexapods. isopod 1835 (iso=equal) An isopod has seven pairs of equal and similarly placed thoracic legs. A familiar isopod is the roly-poly (aka woodlouse/pillbug). myriapod (myria=10,000) Some of these pod words overlap. A myriapod, like a diplopod, has a lot of legs attached in pairs to the segments of their bodies. octopod 1817 (octo=eight) Literally â€Å"eight-legged,† an octopod is a cephalopod with eight tentacles. ornithopod 1886 (ornith=bird) This name attaches to plant-eating dinosaurs with bird-shaped hips, three- or four-toed feet, powerful teeth and jaws and lack of such features as armor plating. polypod 1612 (poly=many) Any animal with several feet is a polypod. pseudopod 1874 (pseudo=false) The one-celled amoeba moves by extending bits of its central blob and using them as feet. pteropod 1833 (ptero=wing) These are sea mollusks whose â€Å"feet† have side projections that look like wings. Some pteropods have the lovely common names of â€Å"sea butterflies† and â€Å"sea angels.† sauropod 1884 (sauro=lizard) Literally â€Å"lizard-footed,† the sauropods were the really big dinosaurs, like Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, and Brontosaurus. Note: The Diplodocus got its name from a peculiarity of its tail bones. The word combines diplo, double+ dokos, beam. theropod 1891 (ther=beast) Theropods are the carnivorous dinosaurs whose feet resembled those of quadrupeds rather than birds. Other English words contain the element pod as a prefix or suffix, but this post focuses on animals. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and NumeralsUsing the Active Voice to Strengthen Your Writing12 Misunderstood and Misquoted Shakespearean Expressions

The History of Montessori Schools

The History of Montessori Schools A Montessori school is a school that follows the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori,  an Italian doctor who devoted herself to educating the children of Romes ghettos. She became famous for her visionary methods and insight into how children learn. Her teachings spawned an educational movement which is enormously popular throughout the world. Learn more about Montessori teachings. The Montessori Philosophy A progressive movement with more than 100-years of success worldwide, the Montessori Philosophy centers around an approach that is child-directed  and is based on scientific research that comes from observation of individuals from birth to adulthood. There is a particular focus on allowing children to make their own choices in learning, with a teacher guiding the process rather than leading it. Much of the education method relies on hands-on learning, self-directed activity, and collaborative play.   Since the name Montessori is not protected by any copyright, Montessori in the name of a school does not necessarily mean that it adheres to the Montessori philosophy of education. Nor does it mean that it is accredited by the American Montessori Society or the Association Montessori Internationale. So, buyer beware is an important caution to keep in mind when looking for a Montessori school. Montessori Methodology Montessori schools theoretically cover infant education through matriculation from high school. In practice, most Montessori schools offer infant education through 8th grade. In fact, 90% of Montessori schools have very young children: ages 3 to 6. The centerpiece of the Montessori approach is allowing children to learn on their own while being guided by the teacher. Montessori teachers do not correct work and hand it back with lots of red marks. A childs work is not graded. The teacher assesses what the child has learned and then guides him into new areas of discovery. This description of a Montessori school was written by Ruth Hurvitz of The Montessori School in Wilton, CT:   The Montessori Schools culture is devoted to helping each child grow toward independence by building confidence, competence, self-esteem and respect for others. More than an approach to education, Montessori is an approach to life. The program at The Montessori School, both in philosophy and pedagogy, is based on the scientific research work of Dr. Maria Montessori and on AMI Montessori training. The School respects children as self-directed individuals and fosters their growth toward independence and social responsibility, while creating a joyful, diverse and family-oriented community. The Montessori Classroom Montessori classrooms are designed in a multi-age mix from toddlers through adolescents which allow  for both individual and social development. The classrooms are beautiful by design. They are set up in an open style, with work areas throughout the room and materials available on accessible shelving. Most lessons are given to small groups or individual children while other children are working independently. The school uses stories, Montessori materials, charts, timelines, objects of nature, treasures from the wealth of cultures around the worlds and sometimes conventional tools to teach the children. Guided by the teacher, Montessori students actively participate in planning their time and taking responsibility for their work. Committed to diversity, The Montessori School community is inclusive and depends on the tenets of respect. The school believes in sharing what we have with those in need and encouraging children to learn to live responsibly in the world. At The Montessori School, students are inspired to live both passionately and compassionately in a global community. Montessori vs Traditional Primary Education One of the differences between Dr. Montessoris approach to early childhood education and the approach found in many primary schools is the adoption of elements of the multiple intelligences theory. Harvard professor Howard Gardner developed and codified this theory in the late 20th century. Dr. Maria Montessori would seem to have developed her approach to teaching children along very similar lines. Regardless of who thought of it first, the multiple intelligences theory proposes  that children do not just learn using reading and writing intelligences. Many parents live by this theory because that is how they nurture their babies from birth. There are many parents who believe that too often, children who have been raised to use all their intelligence will go off to schools where they are severely restricted in what they learn and how they learn it, thus making a traditional public school a less than ideal option. If multiple intelligences are important to your child-rearing philosophy, then Montessori and Waldorf schools are worth a look. You also will want to read about the progressive education movement which was germinating about the same time as Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner were putting their educational theories into practice.

Type 2 diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Type 2 diabetes - Essay Example If this process does not occur, then the blood sugar rises beyond the desired amount, which is 160 mg/dl on the upper limit (Macleod, 2007). Until recently, type II diabetes was considered to be a disease for the adults but current trends have shown that even children are at the risk of acquiring it thanks to poor lifestyles, which have culminated into numerous cases of childhood obesity. This paper will discuss type II diabetes, its causes and effects as well as its prevalence rate among other related issues. Type II Diabetes Type II diabetes is considered to be the most prevalent among the various types of diabetes that we have such as type 1 and gestational diabetes. This is due to the fact out of the approximated figure of 220 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide, 90% are said to be suffering from this type II diabetes (Zimmet, 2009). It is sad to note that a lot of people continue to lose their lives as a result of diabetes, which, according to health experts, is a d isease that is mostly reliant on our lifestyle and therefore is preventable. It is estimated that in the year 2004, 3.4 million patients lost their lives and to make matters worse, statistics indicate that the rate of deaths will have doubled in the period between 2005 and 2030. Currently, it is estimated that 285 million i.e. ... For example, India is believed to have the highest number of diabetic cases with approximately 51 million patients, followed by China with more than 43 million patients (Takrouri, 2007). This can be attributed to poverty, which makes it difficult for people to access medical services in terms of regular checkups so as to perform early diagnoses. Most people in these regions will find it necessary to visit a doctor when the condition has already become chronic and therefore more difficult to treat. This is made worse by the fact that type II diabetes is not easily detectable as it is considered as not having obvious symptoms in its early stages, which makes it almost impossible for someone to suspect that he or she is suffering from the disease. In fact, research indicates that a person can live with the disease for as long as 10 years or more without knowing (Chase, 2002). There are various symptoms which when observed, a person should take the step of consulting a doctor so as to co nfirm whether he or she is ill or not. These are for example frequent urination also known as polyuria, fatigue, increased hunger and thirst as well as unintended weight loss. Polyuria in this context results from high concentration of glucose in the blood, which triggers the flow of water from the cells through osmosis and into the bloodstream, in an effort to create a point of equilibrium (Elaine, 2007). Consequently, the water in the bloodstream increases and as a result, the kidney is forced to react by ejecting it out as urine and the cycle continues. By so doing, it means that a lot of water is discharged from the body unnecessarily and therefore, the patient becomes increasingly

Human resources and Development Management ( Short Proposal) China Coursework

Human resources and Development Management ( Short Proposal) China - Coursework Example knowledge and advice of their foreign investors and business partners, China was made to realise that child labor is a form of abuse and it must be prohibited by the law (Schmitz, Traver, and Larson 2004). However, just last year (2014) issues came out that Chinese companies are starting again to practice child labor. Huge and international business organisations such as Samsung and Apple were alarmed with this news. Both of the companies are investing in China and are doing business with Chinese businessmen. They do not want their companies to link into these negative issues as these might affect the image of their firms. Samsung, one of the biggest electronic manufacturing in China released its stand about the issues (Samsung Finds China 2014). The management of Samsung strongly stated that they will not tolerate such unlawful acts. The undying child labor cases in China captured the attention of foreign investors as well as with the HRM practitioners. Resolving such issues will be a great challenge for them. Parents also have a significant role in deciding what they wanted their children to become in the future and how they wanted their children to live their lives. Hence, the main thrust of this paper is to identify the perceptions of parents and foreign businessmen on the child labor in China. Through the years, China had been very successful towards becoming one of the major players in the global economy. However, Lepillez (2015) in her article stated that along with the bright economic triumph of China is the dark negative side of it which is the forced labor of men and women, as well as children. Morley (2015) stated that due to the increasing demand for manpower and labor in China, labor violations among all workers including minors had been exacerbated. In other words, in other words, in order for China to stay competitive and to maintain its economic triumph, it needs to have a huge and strong labor force. This might be probably one of the major

Adam de la Halle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Adam de la Halle - Essay Example Although his poetry is indicative of possible aspects of his life, it is impossible to distinguish what is art, what is fiction, and which of the different aspects reflect his life ad which reflect that of his patrons. He died in 1288 and it is estimated that he was in his late forties or early fifties at this time (Marshall and de la Halle). Le Jeu de Robin et Marion According to Dane, â€Å"Le Jeu de Robin et Marion is among the first secular vernacular dramas. It is in part a dramatization of the medieval lyric pastourelle (a quasi-dramatic lyric type involving an encounter between a knight and peasant)† (49). The piece was written in French and represents the social opposition in which the story of Robin Hood is most often thematically written. The presentation of the play is only available through hypotheticals, a given representation not having been passed down in history, although it is considered the historic example of the beginnings of the comic opera. The music is h ighly rhythmic and representative of medieval troubadour music. Fi maris The chanson is courtly music that is â€Å"about love, rather than love songs in any Romantic sense† (Marshall and de la Halle 3). ... He did not, like a Romantic poet, reach out for the universal from a basis of personal experience† (Marshall and de la Halle 4). Fi Maris is written to express a witty look at infidelity and is written in French. Its monophonic tone and rhythmic background with harmonic vocals supply the form of the piece. Je muir, je muir d’amourete Je muir, je muir d’amourete is a rondeau, meaning that it had a rigid structure in which the verse and the refrain are repeated, from which the poetic rhythm scheme can be translated as AbaAabAB. Formed from the monophonic traditions, this piece is a gentle and sentimental work that has a beautiful introduction. The repetition sets up a sense of the emotions of the work. It is in French, with a gentleness that brings forward a meaning that is beyond the lyrical translation. Works Cited Dane, Joseph A. Abstractions of Evidence in the Study of Manuscripts and Early Printed Books. Farnham, England: Ashgate Pub, 2009. Print. Fi Maris. You tube.com. 24 September 2010. Lumina Vocal Ensemble. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnDZrJLJ2uk Je muir, je muir d’amourete. Youtube.com. 26 July 2010. Quellidelgiardino. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8MbPkdIppc Le Jeu de Robin et Marion. Youtube.com 17 May 2010. Cowboybepopp444. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ENI8s6tgY &feature=related Marshall, John H. and Adam de la Halle. The Chansons of Adam de la Halle. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1971. Print. Claudio Monteverdi Claudio Monteverdi was born in 1567 and died in 1643 and was a composer, singer, and musician playing the viola da gambe. His work can be considered for its transitional position between the Renaissance

Diversity Management as Beneficial For Employees Essay - 1

Diversity Management as Beneficial For Employees - Essay Example This paper illustrates that organization focuses on various factors of diversification such as product diversity, employees, management practices etc. The intention of the organization for diversification remains to maximize profits and increase productivity. It is examined that the effects of diversity are beneficial for the organization, but not for employees. The major factor of this argument prevails that employees had to work even harder and fruits are solely enjoyed by the organization. The key objective of this research work is to clarify ambiguities about diversity management. Critical evaluation and conclusion of this research are decisive to present the real market review. Organizations tend to diversify in order to expand business operations and activities. The motto behind this move is to generate revenues, build stronger human resource management department, systemize operations and explore new markets. Diversity can be very beneficial if it is done in the right way. Div ersity management ensures that greater productivity through employees can be gained. Engaging people from diverse cultures and giving them the opportunity to work in the organization depicts that organization is an equal opportunity firm and is against racism. The positive image of the organization is spread in the market. Problem-solving in management decisions is some of the fruits of diversity management. Creativity and innovation are practiced which brings new revolutionary ideas for the firm to expand its operations. Moreover, new products are formulated and every employee tries its best to be a useful asset for the firm. Diversity gives the organization an opportunity to compete globally as they are employed with staff from all around the world. Globalization of business is fundamental to an organization.

Freedom-politics and film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Freedom-politics and film - Essay Example Democracy in America is for the few wealthy individuals at the expense of the majority citizens. There has been public outcry about discrimination in the mass media although to some extent, controversial issues surround the nature of segregation. Both the conservatives and the liberals are not pleased with the behavior of the mass media. Conservatives argue that the mass media show liberal discrimination. On the other hand, the liberals argue that the mass media show a Plutocratic segregation in their coverage. However, such allegations are simplistic and faulty analysis of American economic, social, and political realm (Parenti 36). The mass media like other firms in America is determined to progress the interests of the rich people at the expense of the values, ideals and interest of the majority citizens. According to Dionne (15), this shows how the American political system is divided. Media pseudo liberalism in America shows the gap that exists between the wealthy and the poor. This is because they believe they are in the business to make profits using all means despite criticism from the public. This liberalism progresses the firm profit agenda whereby managers of these firms feel no ethical qualm. For a long time, the media has been consistent in its dealing with economic and political conservatism. It is true that at some point, the media attacks firms but surprisingly, how they do it is not as hard as expected from the public (Schmitter 59-60). There is need for mass media reforms where media corporations are barred from financing elections, and instead the issue of election funding be bestowed upon the public. However, this reform is not easy because mass media gets a lot of money from political advertisements, which motivate them to continue with their behavior (Dionne 66). Former managers of voice of America manage the public television and radio stations whose role was to propagate

Diversity Management as Beneficial For Employees Essay - 1

Diversity Management as Beneficial For Employees - Essay Example This paper illustrates that organization focuses on various factors of diversification such as product diversity, employees, management practices etc. The intention of the organization for diversification remains to maximize profits and increase productivity. It is examined that the effects of diversity are beneficial for the organization, but not for employees. The major factor of this argument prevails that employees had to work even harder and fruits are solely enjoyed by the organization. The key objective of this research work is to clarify ambiguities about diversity management. Critical evaluation and conclusion of this research are decisive to present the real market review. Organizations tend to diversify in order to expand business operations and activities. The motto behind this move is to generate revenues, build stronger human resource management department, systemize operations and explore new markets. Diversity can be very beneficial if it is done in the right way. Div ersity management ensures that greater productivity through employees can be gained. Engaging people from diverse cultures and giving them the opportunity to work in the organization depicts that organization is an equal opportunity firm and is against racism. The positive image of the organization is spread in the market. Problem-solving in management decisions is some of the fruits of diversity management. Creativity and innovation are practiced which brings new revolutionary ideas for the firm to expand its operations. Moreover, new products are formulated and every employee tries its best to be a useful asset for the firm. Diversity gives the organization an opportunity to compete globally as they are employed with staff from all around the world. Globalization of business is fundamental to an organization.

Change Agent Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Change Agent - Research Paper Example I plan on becoming a change agent in my community by creating a non-profit organization to promote both recycling and alternative energy. Creating awareness starts by educating the public about the problem. Each person in the United States is currently generating 4.7 pounds of waste everyday of which 33.4% is recycled, 12.6% is burned in combustion facilities, and 54% makes it to the landfills (Recyclingfacts, 2008). The excessive amount of waste going to the landfills is hurting our environment. The government is running out of places to accumulate more trash. Some of the materials that people can recycle include paper, aluminum, plastic, and glass. The organization I will establish will gather information about all the recycling centers available within 200 miles of the community. This information will be given to every member of the community so that they can utilize the knowledge to make changes in their daily habits. People should also be aware that a lot of these recycling centers will pay people for recyclable material. Some of the basic tactics people must learn is that the different materials should be stored in separate bags. The energy crisis is hurting the pockets of all Americans. Fuel prices are rising and there seems to be no end to how high they might reach in the near future. The current price of a gallon of gasoline is $3.93 a gallon (Reuter, 2012). My organization will take the initiative of analyzing consumer reports to determine the best green cars in the market. After evaluating the alternatives I will create a list of cars that people in my community can purchase to save money on gas. The information of the cars will include the price, brand, features, technology, and most importantly fuel efficiency of each vehicle. Two of the most promising green cars in the marketplace are the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. Another important aspect of the non-profit organization will be educating the

Persuasive speeches Essay Example for Free

Persuasive speeches Essay In order to begin this piece of work we looked at persuasive speeches in our lessons. These speeches were from famous people, such as Hitler and Tony Blair. However, my personal inspiration came from a speech from Diana Princess Of Wales, entitled, Women and children with aids. This acted as a style model for my final piece and gave me the basis for my ideas. As well as this it helped in my planning, as I could see which techniques were the most effective and how to craft the piece for maximum effect. My original idea was to write a persuasive speech about the very serious issue of poverty. However, I found it difficult to write a long enough speech to fit into the word count. I therefore changed my idea to writing a persuasive article and this is my final piece. The genre of this article is to persuade and it is written for an adult audience. The intention; to persuade, is brought across very well as many persuasive techniques are employed. Rhetorical questions, How will she live with no food? are used to make the reader reflect and ask themselves questions. Moreover, facts and figures, 9. 5 million , use of imperative, we must. , repetition, reference to expert studies and emotive language are used to persuade the reader further. The tone of the article is serious and reflective, however it is clear and to the point. This helps the purpose of the piece come across more clearly. The intended effect on the audience is reached as it stimulates the reader to reflect on themselves and other people, gently persuading the reader unconsciously. The structure of the article is clearly set out with a strong opening and ending. There is more descriptive language in the middle of the article as well as facts and figures used to back up statements. This makes the piece simple to read but effective at the same time. The lexis which is used is more challenging for the selected audience, acknowledge, desperation, judgemental. The lexis would be much more simple compared to an article for a child. The idea of helping the dark shadow of poverty fade and reaching the light at the end of the tunnel are used as figurative language features. This was also used as emotive language to stimulate the audience and their emotions. The successful aspects of this article include the lexis, which I have chosen to complement the genre, the shaping of the writing to the selected audience, as well as the purpose. The pictures help the graphology of the article to come across and shows the reader real life images, helping them to picture the situation and feelings of those in poverty. Moreover, the facts and figures are used to back up statements and provide the reader with realistic, additional information. This keeps the reader interested and aware that the truth is being told. The contrasts between facts and descriptive emotive language are also successful as it breaks up the information and does not over load the reader. The ways to improve the article are to use more imperatives, e. g. we must we can. This will help the audience become more involved and feel as though they can actually help. As well as this, more usage of metaphors, similes and other language features could be used to make the article more interesting. Personal opinions could be used to persuade the reader even more or more than one point of view could be adopted to give the reader freedom of choice.

External Factors Affecting Hyatt Regency

External Factors Affecting Hyatt Regency Strategic planning determines where an organization is going over the next year or more and how its going to get there. Typically, the process is organization-wide, or focused on a major function such as a division, department or other major function. Simply put, strategic planning is clarifying the overall purpose and desired results of an organization, and how those results will be achieved.(Mc Namara, September 30, 2010) Strategic Planning in any organization clearly define its strategy or direction by using its available resources, making decisions for achieving its strategy including its investment and the manpower. Many organizations can use SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) in strategic planning process. It helps an organization to find out the future roadmaps, where to go. It deals with: Where are we nowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Current situation. Where we want to beà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..Objectives How to go thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..Strategy Which is the best possible meansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..Tactics Who is going to do whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Activities How do we ensure safety arrival?Control Measures This is all about the Strategic planning process. If an organization is clear about its mission and vision; than it can achieve its common goals by using its available resources and by using different strategy. Strategy planning is most essential in any type of firm. Ac1.1 Explain the importance of external factors affecting on Hyatt Regency: External factors are also called the macro factors. Market environment consist of all factors that in one way or another that affects or getting affected by an organization decision. The macro factors which may affects indirectly in an organization are- -Political -Environment -Social -Technological -Economical -Legal These all the external factors that may affects in the internal environment of an organization. The interior factors like 5 Ms are Management Money Manpower Machine Material The political disorder of any country may affects in the decision making process in an organization. Similarly the unstable government may be the other factor which may affects to provide the regular service to the customers. Similarly Social factors may include life styles of the people, age, sex, income of the people, etc. The legal factors, by which legislation in society may affect the business, e.g.: changes in the working hour of the manpower, etc. The term economic affect the business in the term of Taxation of the government, demand and supply policy, interest rates, exchange rates, etc. Besides these, the technological issues may affect in the business like how rapid pace of change in production processes and production of the business. The ethical issues may include the moral lesson like what is right and what is wrong for an organization to do. It may be culture of the society, norms and values, etc. Thus, we can say that the external factors will indirectly affects in the business. In order to get success in the competitive market, an organization has to think ahead and act according to the situation of the environment. AC1.2 Analyses the needs and expectations of stakeholders of Hyatt Regency: Stakeholders are an integral part of a project. They are the end-users or clients, the people from whom requirements will be drawn, the people who will influence the design and, ultimately, the people who will reap the benefits of your completed project. (Nick Jenkins 2011) Thus, Stakeholders can be a person, customers, group of people who have direct or indirect shares in the organization. In the Hyatt Regency, there are different types of stakeholders in the Hyatt regency, who play an important role in up grating profits for an organization. Some of the stakeholders are- Customers Board of Directors Government Staffs Shareholders Suppliers Stakeholders Needs and Expectations Customers -good customer service Quality product at reasonable price -Good, warm and peace, environment Board of Directors(BOD) -high profit margin -Bonus -expansion of Business -High Turnover Government -TAX -Security deposit -Community Support(CSR) -Creating job opportunities. Staffs -Secured job -High pay rate -Promotion -Annual pay leave -Intensive and benefits Shareholders -Dividend -Bonus shares -right shares -Loan at low interest Suppliers -Loyalty -Regular supplies -Money on time. Thus different stakeholders have the different expectations and different needs, they want from an organization and thus, they are investing their money within it. So, an organization has to look after each members expectation and make them unified in order to achieve target goals. Ac1.3 Analyses the major changes taking place in the external environment that will affect strategy of Hyatt Regency: PESTLE Analysis: This is the macro environment of the company which deals with all the environments which affects the company policy. PESTLE stand for Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Legal and Environmental. These all are same of PEST Analysis or PESTLE Analysis. (Andrew Whalley, 2010) Political/ Legal: Environmental regulation and protection Taxation international trade Regulation These all are about political and legal issues. Government may change policies, making rules and regulation may directly affect the business. So the Hyatt Regency (a food service industry) should develop its marketing strategy according to government policy. Economic: Economy growth (overall; by industry sector) monetary policy (interest rates) government spending (overall level, Specific spending priorities) These all about the economic issues, the increasing in the purchasing capacity of the people, Government policy towards unemployment benefits and government taxation will directly affects in the Hyatt Regency strategy. Social: Income Distribution (change in distribution of disposable income) Demographics (age structure of the population; gender; family size and composition; changing nature of the occupations) Labor / Social mobility These points are all about the Social aspect. The changing in the life style of the people will directly affect on our business, similarly the education will play a major role in the marketing strategic policy. Technological: Government spending on research. Government and industry focus on technological effort New discoveries and development These factors are all about the changing in technology. In this modern age, technology are changing rapidly, like internet, new discoveries, research, etc will directly affects on the marketing strategy of the Hyatt Hotel. So the hotel has to develop its plan by the above mentioned factors. Benefits of PESTLE in an organization: By knowing the current environment and the external factors, it will better placed an organization for the future than the competitors. It is the useful tools for understanding the risks associated with the market. It will helps an organization to understand Meso-economic and the macro- economic environments in which they operate. (The Meso-economic environment is the one in which we operate and have limited influence or impact, the macro-environment includes all factors that influence an organisation but are out of its direct control) Ac2.1 Use appropriate tools to analyses the effects of current business plans of Hyatt Regency: There are different marketing tools which can be used in an organization in order to lead the business in the path of success and prosperity. Some of the marketing tools are as follow: . BCG Matrix: This is called Boston Consulting Group Analysis. This is about chat which has been created by Bruce Henderson for the Boston Consulting Group in 1968. The main purpose of this BCG-matrix is to help the organization business units or product lines. It will help an organization to use the available resources and its brand marketing by using strategic management and the portfolio analysis. BCG-Matrix is very important for the manager and its a great tool because for studying it has two aspects. One is for relative marketing share and another one is marketing growth. Relative marketing is about the competitor around business. BCG Growth Share Matrix Relative Position (market share) Fig1.: The BCG Matrix Strategic marketing, page 58 BCG Matrix is divided into four areas. They are: Stars: Stars are high growth of businesses and the profitability is very high in compare to competitors. More often they need the very high investment in order to sustain. Frequently their business will be slow down and they have to maintain the market. Cash cows: Cash cows are the low growth business with the relative high market share. This is the successful period and maintain continue profit with less investment. So they continue gives strong cash flow to became star in the business. Question Marks: This is about the low market shares which operate in high market shares. They will have potentiality but in order to sustain they may invest in the business in order to struggle with competitors. The managers will have ideas about which one area should focus and which area should shrink. This is about question marks what to do and what to think. Dogs: The dogs refer in business which has low relative shares in uninterestingly. In this period the growth of market will be low. This period may generate enough cash flow to break-even but it is rare. Effects of this model in the organization: There are different stages in the business and the manager should evaluate their business in order to move a straight away with range of investment. The matrix ranks is about market shares, about the industry growth and its profitability. In the dogs period, may be business flowing continuously and may not require cash investment. The second things is that its all about business growth and the estimate or guesswork for the future. In the period of question mark, if the leader is smart and enthusiastic, he may invest lots of cash in order to maintain continuous profit. He should have an idea about time and situation and ability the capacity to grab it. Thus it is all about present situation of the organization and estimate for the future, how to go, where to go and what to achieve. B. Product life cycle: It has been assumption that every product has its life period, it will introduce in the market, it grows, and at the last point it may die. There are four stages on it. They are- 1. Market introduction stage 2. Growth stage 3. Maturity stage 4. Saturation and decline stage. 1. Market Introduction stage: This is the first stage of product life cycle. In this stage an organization has to spend lots of money on advertisement, demand has to be created, no profit margin , no competition at all, and in facts no sales volume. Growth Stage: This is the second stage of product life cycle. Here, profit will begins to rise, customers will aware about product, sales volume will increase, will increase competitions, etc. Cost and expenses will reduced and start to have more profits. Maturity stage: This is the third stage of product life cycle, here, in this stage, cost of an organization will minimum because of huge production, sales volume will reach on the peaks, brand differentiation and features diversification, and the industrial profits go down. Saturation and decline stage: This is the last stage of the product life cycle. Here, in this stage, sales volume decline, prices, profits diminish; profit will be more challenges on production volume, etc. http://www.quickmba.com/images/marketing/product/lifecycle/plc.gif Fig: Product life cycle The effects of product life cycle use in the Hyatt Regency: An organization can introduced new products in the market with fix separate budget. It will help an organization to lead their product globally and in competitive market. It will give general ideas about skills and resources required to launch new product in the market. Company can focus on the different stages for profit margin. Thus the use of marketing tools use by an organization will help them to come ahead in this competitive world with right products on the right place on the right time. 2.2 review the position of an organization in its current market. In order to find an organization position, a company can focus on the different criteria, which are as follow: Existing market shares: An organization should find out how much shares they have and how much percentage covered the market. The current product and services offer: The product which is supplied in the market, are up to customer target and these meet the customer expectation or not. Their competitive strength: The Company needs to find their strength and their possible criteria in the market. Their current size and location of the market: A company needs to understand the market size and their product consume customers, they can calculate to find out their position in the market. Their current planning strategy: In order to cover some marketing shares, planning plays an important role and their strategies for the future. Thus to find out company shares and their spreading products in the market, an organization can do more homework on its own for more quality product, applying reasonable pricing strategy (like different skim), etc. By doing so, a company will boost up with new and new ideas and cover more market shares. 2.3 evaluate the competitive strengths and weaknesses of an organizations current business strategies. In any organization, there are some strength and weaknesses on its own. The organization has to find out its strength and its weaknesses on its own. When finding out weaknesses and strength, they can convert the strength in to opportunities and can alert from the potential threats. Some of the strength are as follow: Strength: Loyal customers: Customers are Loyal on the brand of the company. Being international chain hotel, it has its own customers who always loyal and believe on the brands. High quality Products: Hyatt regency produce the high quality products by which guest are satisfy form it. High Skilled workforce: In the Hyatt regency there are lots of skilled members by which company is getting more popular among others. Locations: Hyatt Regency is opened in the heart of centre city Kathmandu, Nepal which is the strong points on its own. Weaknesses: Insufficient Resources: There are some less resources like Refrigerator, chilling freezer, big utensils for the party, etc. Outdated Technologies: The machines and electronics item use in Hyatt regency are old and not working properly. Lack of Planning: In the kitchen department, there is improper planning during party time and the busy time. Everyone are getting puzzle because of not clarity of job among them. Thus, if the company can rectify its weakness on its own, this company will lead successfully in the number one position in this competitive market. Ac 3.1 Use modeling tools to develop strategic options for Hyatt Regency: Strategic options are creative alternative action-oriented responses to the external situation that an organization (or group of organizations) faces. Strategic options take advantage of facts and actors, trends, opportunities and threat of the outside world. Strategic options can be identified after an institutional assessment, keeping in mind the aspirations (basic question) of an organization. The tool Strategic options helps to identify and make a preliminary viewing of substitute strategic options or perspectives. There are different types of strategic options use in an organization. such options are- Ansoff strategies, vertical, backwards and forwards integration, horizontal integration, differentiation, cost leadership, Mintzbergs strategies emergent, leadership and differentiation, strategic alliance, merger, acquisition, competitive strategies, value-based strategy, contingency strategy, etc. Some of them are describe below: Mintzbergs strategies: There are five definitions of strategies are- Plan Ploy Pattern Position Perspective Plan: In this strategy, the actions are made in advance to which is to apply and this actions are developed consciously and purposefully. Ploy: As plan, a strategy can be a ploy too; really just a specific man oeuvre intended to take in a challenger or competitor. Pattern: A pattern in a stream of actions. Strategy is regularity in behavior, whether or not intended. The definitions of strategy as plan and pattern can be quite independent of one another: plans may go unrealized, while patterns may appear without preconception. Position: Position means of locating an organization in an environment. By this definition strategy becomes the mediating force, or match, between organization and environment, that is, between the internal and the external context. Perspective: Perspective shared by members of an organization, through their intentions and / or by their actions. In effect, when we talk of strategy in this context, we are entering the realm of the communal mind persons united by common thinking and / or actions. B. Cost Leadership: This is concept developed by Michael Porter which is used in business strategy. The meaning of cost leadership is to operate a lowest cost of operation in an organization. The cost leadership strategy is depending upon organization efficiency, size, scale, and cumulative experiences. The main function of the cost leadership strategy is to find out the scale of production its scope and in other economies, producing highly standardized product and using of new technology. Cost leader companies do compete on price and are very effective at such a form of competition, having a low cost structure and management. Ac 3.2: Create options to form the basis of future organizational strategy (p9): Among all the strategic options I would like to recommend Vertical Integration in the Hyatt Regency. Vertical Integration: The word vertical integration describes a style of management control. Vertically integrated companies in a supply chain are united through a common owner. Usually each member of the supply chain produces a different product or (market-specific) service, and the products combine to satisfy a common need. It is contrasted with horizontal integration. The concept and use of vertical integration is introduced by Andrew Carnegie. This led other business people to use the system to promote better financial growth and efficiency in their businesses. Vertical integration is the point to which a firm owns its downstream suppliers and its upstream buyers. Contrary to horizontal integration, which is a consolidation of many firms that handle the same part of the production process, vertical integration is typified by one firm engaged in different parts of production (e.g. growing raw materials manufacturing, transporting, marketing, and/or retailing). The Benefits of using vertical integration by Hyatt Regency: Hyatt Regency is the chain international service industry. There are many hotels under the same management throughout the world, i.e. the same management policy. It has its own brand name products use in every hotels. For example, a company is using its own soaps, shampoos, towels, carpets, etc. Whenever we go, we will find out same quality and same brand name products, thus by being chain hotel, it has same system of servicing guest in each hotel. The same suppliers and manufacturer are engaged in producing guest supplementary product. Thus the vertical integration, a strategic option is the best in this scenario. Ac3.3 For your chosen organization purpose a suitable structure that would ensure participation of all stakeholders. (P10) A person, group, organization, or systems that affect or can be affected by an organizations actions are the stakeholders. The stakeholders may be directly or indirectly may involve in the organization decision process. The following chat would be suitable structure for the participation of all the stakeholders in the Hyatt Regency: Stakeholders strategies Way of communication Duration/time Customers Research on the needs and expectation of the customers, involving customer service department. Flip card, survey 3months Staffs Invent new products, Technicians, recruitment on research. Meetings with managers, survey and feedback, presentation, spot training, job trainings 1 month shareholders awareness about new products Internal meetings, 1 month Government BOD(board of director) Launching new product which has to be environmentally friendly, not affecting by government policies. Financial structure for the purposed plan, giving executive decision, Invitation on seminars, presentation Newspapers, meetings 15 days Up to 1 month Thus different stakeholders can participate in the organization decision process and launching of the new products according to their label. AC4.1: Develop criteria for reviewing potential options for a strategy plan (P11) There are different strategy plan for reviewing potential options are: attractiveness to stakeholders, balanced score card approach, stakeholder participation, feasibility studies, etc. Balanced scorecard approach: The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that is used extensively in business and industry, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals. (2011 Balanced Scorecard Institute ) http://www.balancedscorecard.org/Portals/0/images/balancedscorecard.jpg Adapted from Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System, Harvard Business Review (January-February 1996): 76. The balanced scorecard is a management system (not only a measurement system) that enables organizations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. It provides feedback around both the internal business processes and external outcomes in order to continuously improve strategic performance and results. The balanced score card have four perspective in order to develop metrics, collect data and analysis it. These four perspectives are as follow: The learning and growth perspectives: This is the growth phase of the organization. This includes employee training and corporate cultural attitudes related to both individual and corporate self-improvement. Here, employee skills are the most important factors than other else. The business process perspective: These perspectives indicate internal business processes. Metrics based on this point of view allow the managers to know how well their business is running, and whether its products and services conform to customer requirements. The customer perspective: These perspectives indicate how important customers are. Customers needs and expectations are the most important factors in this area. If the customers are not satisfy, they will choose the other options and our business will be on the decline stage. Thus we have to meet their needs and satisfy them. The financial perspective: Timely and accurate funding data will always be a priority, and managers will do whatever necessary to provide it. It is more over related to financial status of the company. Thus, balanced scorecard approach is the best approach to find out the plan and progress report of an organization. Ac4.2 Construct an agreed strategy plan that include resource implication: In order to launch the new product from the Hyatt Regency, we have to analysis, assessing and addressing issue. To analysis the current situation, SOSTAC is the best methods to evaluate. S stands for Situation Analysis which means where are we now? O stands for Objectives which means where do we want to go? S stands for Strategy which summaries how we are going to get there. T stands for Tactics which are the details of strategy. A is for Action or implementation putting the plan to work. C is for Control which means measurement, monitoring, reviewing, updating and modifying. Situation analysis In the situation analysis, we are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in this position and we want to reachà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. in this position. Objective Increased no of customer by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦%, brand expansion Strategies Launch new product within à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Months. Tactics Break down the strategy in to action, investment decision, new market shares, differentiation Action Company tactics into action, planning about finishing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.within 1 month à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦will finish with in 2 month, survey on the effects, feedbackà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..cost, location, etc Control Measures Control measures through monitoring, new technology Ac4.3: Compare core organizational values (ethical, cultural, environmental, social, and business) with the current business objectives of an organization. (P13) A business objective is a detailed picture of a step you plan to take in order to achieve a stated aim. Objectives should be SMART in order for the business to know what progress it has made towards achieving the objective: Specific clear and easy to understand. Measurable i.e. able to be quantified. Achievable possible to be attained. Realiable- Durable and T stand for time bound. In order to get the objectives of the company, the organization should focus on ethical, cultural, environmental social and business factors. Ethical: In order to operate the business the company not only should look forward for the profit but should also look for norms and values of the society; i.e. either the product of the company accepts by the society either it match with the society standard or not, right to life, right freedom, and right to privacy, such things are lies under ethics. Culture: Culture includes life style of the people, demand, age group, etc. The product what we launched in the market should focus on the people lifestyle and the demand of the people. Environmental: The Company should bring such a product which should be environmentally friendly. The product should not harm the environment from inside the organization and outside the organization. Social: The product should be community based like preservation of the wildlife, ecological friendly. In society there are various types of community and the product should focus on the societies norms and values Business: Business makes things happen and affect every part of our society. Whatever you want to do, understanding business will help you achieve it. Thus the Hyatt regency if launched a product in the market, the above mentioned points has to consider in the mind for the better product and public better life. Ac5.1 Develop appropriate vision and mission statements the organization. (P14) Mission: A mission report is the head and the heart of an organization and serves as the lens through which organizational programs and strategies are viewed. In this case a mission statement should be closer to the social need rather than the visionary social impact. A mission statement evolves as the social need evolves while also remaining anchored to the vision. In this context, a facilitator also has a role for helping an organization understand its mission as well as its vision. The following illustration creates the linear process: Social Need ==> Mission ==> Programs/Strategies ==> Vision of Social Impact. Vision: Vision creates that force of growing expectation about the future, where change is embraced as a step closer to that very compelling picture of whats coming next. The excitement about the future trumps any worry about the unsure change is recognized as the catalytic converter it is. Vision is being able to see where youre going, to see whats up the road ahead, in both literal and symbolic senses. The link between Mission and the vision: Mission and the vision are the statements from the organization that answer questions about which we are, what we value, and where we are going. For mission, managing with greatness and untamed strength, improving everything daily. For vision, leading with inspiration and courage, obsessed with future possibility, in a love affair with change. Vision is our desired picture (realistic though) of the future. Mission is what you want to achieve by our actions, so that the desired future would be reached. The vision is bigger picture and future oriented while the mission is more immediately focused on the present. Thus, the vision that defines the end game and the mission is the road map that will take. It is much more important that your vision and mission be understood by company employees. Customer do not want to know about what is written on the paper but they care immensely about whether or not a companys vision and mission are reflected in a fulfilled brand promise. So these both are interlinked and interrelated to each other. AC5.2 Produce agreed future management objectives for an organization: An objective is a sub goal. It identifies a short-term, measurable step within a designated period of time that is moving toward achieving a long-term goal.(SIL International 1999). Objectives of the company should be SMART. Where SMART stand for SMART Objectives SMART Meaning Examples Specific Objectives should sp

Congressional and Presidential Budgeting Process Essay examples -- Ame

Throughout history there has been much concern over issues regarding the national debt and government spending. The United States has had its ups and downs with the national debt and the balancing of the budget. As a multitude of changes have been made to improve the budget system many believe that too much control over the budget is vested with the president and the executive branch. While the Congressional Budget and Reform Act of 1974 awarded Congress added power and influence in response to this concern over the budget process, the president still has an advantage in the budgetary process. The budget process begins with the formulation of the president’s budget or executive preparation, in which all agencies are required to submit their budget requests to the president. The Office of Management and Budget(OMB) which is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President administers instructions, policy guidance, and tentative budget ceilings to help facilitate departments and agencies fabricate their budget requests. These budget requests are then reviewed and overhauled by the OMB in conformance to the directives from the president. Agencies in disagreement with the OMB’s adjustments have the option of appealing to the president in which the president usually concurs with the OMB. The president then sends the budget to Congress which communicates the president’s discretions and priorities on issues regarding matters of overall size, possible effects on the economy, and allocation of funds among major agencies and programs. (Anderson, 2006) The budget proposal also includes volumes of supporting information intended to persuade Congress of the necessity and value of the budget ... ...ning to the growth or demise of the United States. Each process allows the president and Congress to retain both advantages and hindrances as checks and balances prevent the abuse of power and intrusion by government on individual liberties. Although the president and executive offices hold greater influence in the budget process, Congress has contingencies to assist legislature in obtaining its goals. The president should continue to enjoy leverage in the budget process as he must ensure the movement and progression of the country’s goals and priorities by acting as a facilitator between political parties. Works Cited Anderson, J. (2006). Public policymaking. Belmont, CA: Wabsworth. Library of Congress, Law Library of Congress. (2010). Presidential signing statements Washington, DC: Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/law/help/statements.php

My Journey With Reading and Writing :: Education Teaching

My Journey With Reading and Writing There have not been many obstacles that have gotten in my way for me to be a successful reader. I am able to confidently read "Hope in the Unseen" because it keeps my interest. I like the story. I feel for Cedric. I imagine and picture the story in my mind. When a large amount of reading is assigned, sometimes my brain gets exhausted and I have to take a break. Literally my brain gets tired. The reason why I have trouble getting all of my assignments in for "Writing and Being" is because the book does not hold my interest. I find it boring at times. I really like "Higher Learning" because the stories are like short stories, and they are adventurous in a weird way. I have gained some insight from certain readings. "Who Shall I Be" really struck me in a good way. It talks about the reality of positive and negative consequences resulting from some sort of change. Changes can be dangerous at times. Not physically, but mentally. I guess it could be physical in some situations. I feel I have become a more mature reader since high school. Reading experience leads to reading success. That’s my opinion. I used to not be able to focus when I read, but you just have to stick it out and read and read and read. I feel I am a focused reader now, I try hard. I have also gained mental reading confidence. You break that down. The greatest difficulty that I came across doing the first essay was retracing the past, retracing the sadness. Having to bring back sad memories that made my life terrible at the time. Doing the essay, I learned that I have gone through a lot of crap. I was sinking in quicksand and now I stand on the quicksand like it is rock solid. I am proud of myself. I was able to turn my life around and be the person that I am today. I might have the potential to be a good writer someday. People compliment on my writing skills every now and then when I write something long. That makes me feel like a real student. I say that because an old History teacher of mine used to tell kids to be students when they were not doing their work. My biggest concern these days, is whether I will be able to survive in college.