The American Justice System Is Corrupt - 1536 Words

Do you believe that everyone should be free? Well the thing is that America is really taking that away from people who have done something wrong even when it s for petty stuff like writing a bad check. Some stuff is understandable like murder or other stuff, but some is outrageous. The American prison population has been absolutely ridiculous; it s crazy for the U.S. To have such high prison rates. The more you know about it the more frustrating it gets, and if you ask almost anyone you would think so too. The only people who might agree are big business s owners like American Express and Bank of American. The American justice system is corrupt. In the 80 s, the rising number of people locked up as a result of the War on Drugs and the wave of privatization that occurred under the Reagan Administration saw the rise of the for-profit industry. Prior to the 80 s, private prisons did not exist is the US. In a 2011 report by the ACLU, it is claimed that the rise of profit prison industry is a major contributor to mass incarceration, along with the stuffed state budgets. Louisiana, for example, has the highest rate of incarceration I in the world with the majority of its prisoners being privatized prisons, profit facilities. Such institutions could face economic failure without a steady influx of prisoners. A 2013 Bloomberg report states that in the past decade the number of inmates in for-profit prisons through the U.S. Rose 44 percent. Corporations who operate prisons,Show MoreRelatedDisadvantages of Mexicos Economy1338 Words   |  6 Pageswealthier of the two nations due to the value of the Peso compared to the value of the dollar, the corrupt status of the Mexican justice system and government, and Mexico’s lack of natural resources. The value of the Mexican peso is significantly less than the American dollar. According to Jose Alvarez-Ramirez, the value of approximately fourteen Mexican pesos is equivalent to the value of one American dollar. In All the Pretty Horses, one of McCarthy’s main characters, Rawlins, purchases drinks forRead MoreAnalysis Of Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson1402 Words   |  6 Pagesof the book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redempt, written by Bryan Stevenson, one could not understand what would be thrown at them after opening the crisp pages. Breaking the title of the book down, we know what ‘mercy’ is defined as the feeling toward offenders through a person with the ability to oversee justice within our system. Furthermore, the two words ‘just mercy’ is implied that our officials that are administering the justice within our system go about it in a conscionable way. Stevenson’sRead MoreRacism And The United States1178 Words   |  5 Pagesw ere established on that makes us a well-functioning society. Although, these American principles elude to a liberating, symbolic, and personal appeal, it is internally flawed by governments beyond the beltway. Corruption is the root of all political evil that it in essence is perpetuated intercontinentally. It is therefore the use of powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Over a third of the American population is made up of ethnic minorities and thus has the right to be a citizenRead MoreComposers Craft Novels in Order to Confront the Key Issues of Their Own Context. Discuss How the Authors of to Kill a Mockingbird and Montana 1948 Achieve This Purpose.1407 Words   |  6 PagesAuthors compose novels in order to highlight and confront the significant issues of their own context. Racial prejudice and the necessity of achieving justice are two key issues highlighted in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and also Montana 1948 by Larry Watson. 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Management performance efficiency and effectivity Free Essays

Efficiency is the relationship between the means and the end. It simply refers to the amount of resources used to achieve target production and company goals. The main objective of which is to increase productivity by increasing respective efficiency at all levels. We will write a custom essay sample on Management performance: efficiency and effectivity or any similar topic only for you Order Now Where the concept of process improvement relies on the provision of technology, it integrates links of all key business functions and makes use of integrated structured software to run and manage the company. The philosophy of planning and organizing company’s activities demands proper control and monitoring of its resources. This serves as the basis to making necessary corrections and guidelines. Information technology (IT) therefore plays an important role in the aspects of technology adaptation. Its vital design is accessibility to information or speed of access created to fit total client and business management system. However, the main consideration of the integration with IT is still the people, and the workflow. Teamwork and management leadership are factors that shall still be mutually carried over the entire workflow. Efficiency aims to bring together knowledge, people and materials to achieved optimal results in market positioning. It entirely reflects the methods and the means to try to accomplish the plan. Strong management leadership in line with employee motivations greatly influences the effects of efficiency. To recapitulate: efficiency enables the organization to support the business by leveraging on its integrated workflow management to customer relations management for higher productivity. This ensures virtual service quality in simplified mapping enhancements of the network performance reporting capabilities. The basic key of the process is to align every diverse constituent to critical information asymmetries that allows timing and participation in the cycle. Where the people are highly motivated and is performing at high levels, organization performance always refers to the means and methods used to achieve corporate goals. It focuses on management of human, conceptual and technical skills to enhance flexibility through teamwork in the art of getting things done through people and integration of technology in an efficient manner. The diversity of the corporate culture needs solid management skills and action in creating the conditions and environment to manage and run the company in an efficient manner to sustain its long term existence. The results of which can be measured on its productivity and effectivity. In comparison, effectivity is the means to measure the methods and applications applied to achieve corporate goals. Thus it is the task involve in making an analysis of the result and efficiency of the management tools and skills being utilized by the current organizational system and practices. It utilizes systems thinking to assess cause and effect variables of its applications in the fundamental aspects of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of each unit or department in reference to overall effectivity. Efficiency is the logical integration of people, equipment, and technology resources to promote productivity and achieve end values while effectivity measures the consistency of the means to achieve corporate goals by the measure of man-machine-systems efficiency and calculations of productivity ratios. Working in the efficiency of each individual, machine, and technology performance is what defines the heart and soul of an organization’s systems and procedures which aims to regulate management practices to enhance productivity. Efficiency is the primary indicator of either a successful or failing management performance. It can be improved simultaneously only by making critical analysis of its efficiency by measures of the individual productivity. This measure of efficiency and productivity is the task or the concept of effectivity. (Daft 2004). References Daft, Richard. (2004). Management. South Western College. Â   How to cite Management performance: efficiency and effectivity, Essay examples

Hrm Strategy for Expats free essay sample

Executive Summary This study highlights problems in the preparation and selection process and hopefully will provide a HR department with a HRM strategy for any company operating internationally to select and prepare staff for expatriate management roles. The companies that prepare and select their expats effectively come in many sizes and from a wide range of industries. Yet research has shown if they follow the below general practices; the chance of success outweighs the chances of failure considerably, †¢ Assign overseas posts to people whose technical skills are matched or exceeded by their cross cultural abilities. Screen candidates’ spouses and families †¢ End expatriate assignments with a deliberate repatriation process. However when failure occurs in the international business arena the human and financial costs of failure in particular, indirect costs such as loss of market share and damage to overseas customer relationships may often be linked to poor management of expatriates. Since most expatriates work under minimal supervision in a distant location, mistakes in selection are likely to go unnoticed until it is too late. To choose the correct employee for an internation assignment the organisations should train the expatriate to prepare for their life and work abroad. Lack of training is a major cause of expatriate failure and approaches for overseas preparation would include: †¢ Visits to the host country †¢ Briefing by host country managers †¢ In-house management programs (with a focus on cross cultural adaptability) †¢ Training in local negotiation techniques (training in team building and conflict resolution) †¢ Introduction to organizations that provide personal and professional support (i. e. AMCHAM, ANZCHAM, In Touch Foundation) By management analyzing and addressing these issues companies would end up with much more loyal, culturally rich and enthusiastic international employees even when the international assignment ends. Introduction In today’s global economy having a work force that is fluent in the ways of the world isn’t a luxury. Its a competitive necessity. But international assignments don’t come cheap and are not always a guaranteed success. This study will look into a comprehensive description of what would provide the best HRM strategy for a company operating internationally to select and prepare staff for expatriate management roles. Companies increasingly operate in an interconnected world, and as mentioned well qualified people remain a crucial source of sustainable competitive advantage. The growth of international business at a time when most international organisations are under increasing cost pressures had led these organisations to take a sharp look at their policies for employees transferring from one country to another – the expatriates. An understanding of the management of these expatriates is of growing importance to new HRM strategies in the preparation and selection phase due or a number of reasons. Recent years have seen rapid increases in global activity and global competition. As the Multinational companies increase in numbers and influence, so the role of the expatriates in those companies grows in significance. †¢ The effective recruitment, selection, training and management of expatriates internationally are increasingly being recognized as a major determinant of success or failu re in international business. †¢ It is increasingly recognized that the human and financial costs of failure in the international business arena – while not so common as ometimes argued are considerably more severe than in the domestic business. In particular, indirect costs such as loss of market share, demoralization and demotivation of local staff and damage to overseas customer relationships maybe considered. There is evidence that many companies underestimate the complex nature of HR problems involved in international operations and that business failures in the international arena may often be linked to poor management of expatriates Criteria for selection of Expatriate Managers Reach has shown that the main criteria for the selection process are based primarily on the following factors:- Job factors †¢ Cultural empathy, flexibility and adaptability to cultural change †¢ Spouses and dependents situation †¢ Independence and self-reliance †¢ Leadership ability †¢ Language training †¢ Age, experience and education †¢ Motivation for a foreign assignment †¢ Physical and emotional health When a company takes into consideration the above criteria in most cases the international assignment for the expat will be a rewarding experience both for the individual and the company, however selecting the wrong person for any job can lead to failure and cost the company money. But the stakes are higher for expatriate assignments. Global projects always require extra care in handling different cultures, politics and business practices. And critical to their success is sending the right people abroad. Thats why planning is critically important in creating a successful international assignment program. Managers and HR people should be looking for and grooming candidates before a need arises. Preparation and selection In its approach to preparation and selection, an organization considers both headquarters’ practices and those prevalent in the countries of its subsidiaries. The choice of employee for an international assignment is a critical decision. Since most expatriates work under minimal supervision in a distant location, mistakes in selection are likely to go unnoticed until it is too late. To choose the best employee for the job, management should: †¢ Emphasize cultural sensivity as a selection criterion †¢ Establish a selection board of expatriates (with qualified local and expat managers) †¢ Required previous international experience †¢ Explore the possibility of hiring foreign-born employees who can serve as â€Å"expatriates† at a future date †¢ Screen candidates’ spouses and families A successful expatriate must be able to both do the job and handle(the stresses and challenges of ) a new cultural environment. Hence, the expatriate must do his job competently, learn to live comfortably in a new culture, and ensure that his family adapts as well. The companies that prepare and select their expats effectively come in many sizes and from a wide range of industries. Research has found that they all follow the following general practice. †¢ They assign overseas posts to people whose technical skills are matched or exceeded by their cross cultural abilities. Companies that select expats wisely do not assume that the people who have succeeded at home will repeat that success abroad. They assign international posts to individuals who not only have the necessary technical skills but also have indicated that they would be likely to live comfortable in different cultures. †¢ They end expatriate assignments with a deliberate repatriation process. Most executives who oversee expat employee’s view their return home as a non-issue. The truth is, repatriation is a time of major upheaval, professionally and personally, for the expats. Companies that recognize this fact help their returning people by providing them with career guidance and enabling them to put their international experience to work. Sending the right people As mentioned before, technical skill is frequently the main reason that people are selected for open posts. But managers often send people who lack the ability to adjust to different customs, perspectives and business practices. In other words, they send people who are capable but (may be) culturally illiterate. Question should be how do you weed out people who perhaps are culturally illiterate? Investigating these cultural characteristics that make an expat successful research shows the following:- †¢ A drive to Communicate. Most expats will try to communicate with local people in their new country, but people who end up being successful in their jobs are those that don’t give up after early attempts either fail or embarrass them. (Critical skills are listening, empathy, validating, confirming and consensus building) †¢ Broad based Sociability. The tendency for many people posted overseas is to stick with a small circle of fellow expats (â€Å"Expat ghetto†). By contact, successful global managers establish social ties to the local residents, from shop keepers to government officials for insight into a local market and to learn to adjust to strange unfamiliar surroundings. †¢ Cultural Flexibility. It is human nature to gravitate towards the familiar – thats why many Americans overseas find themselves eating lunch at McDonalds. But the expat who add the most value to their company by staying the duration and being open are those willing to experiment with different customs. †¢ Cosmopolitan Orientation. Expats with a cosmopolitan mind-set intuitively understand that different cultural norms have value and meaning to those who practice them. †¢ A Collaborative Negotiation Style. When expats negotiate with foreigners, the potential for conflict is much higher than it is when they are dealing with compatriots. Different cultures can hold radically different expectations about the way negotiations should be conducted. Thus collaborative negotiation style, which can be important enough in business at home, becomes absolutely critical abroad. Family Screening and Preparation Another reason and probably the biggest single reason why expatriate assignments fail is due to the spouse and children. Ask accompanying expatriate spouses anywhere in the world to identify the most overwhelming loss they feel after moving abroad and identity will likely be the near-unanimous reply. Who am I? They ask themselves this question too often lying prone on a bed in a new, unfamiliar, and half-unpacked home, overcome by depression and unable to imagine the exotic life which lay beyond the bedroom door. The spouses adjustment is one of the secret links to making any international assignment a successful one for the entire family. Virtually every study that has examined the causes of overseas assignment success finds the same thing which family and spouse adjustment are the most important factors. Too often spouses needs are disregarded, and they are left to their own devices when it comes time to move. Parents largest worry is often centered on their childs adjustment. Children, and especially teens, may be confused and upset with the anticipated changes, and feel powerless, as they are usually not the ones making the decision to leave. Below depicts the typical normal morale curves felt by both the expatriate and spouse leading up to the move and his term overseas, source by (Farnham Castle Center for International Briefing 2004) Expatriate training Expatriates are more successful when their organizations train them to prepare for their life and work abroad. Lack of training is also a major cause of expatriate failure approaches for overseas preparation would include the following: †¢ Visits to the host country – A previsit to the work location may be arranged for the Employee, accompanying spouse and children. The previsit enables the family to become acquainted with the new environment as well as to arrange for practical matters such as housing, banking and schooling of children. †¢ Briefing by host country managers – To advise the employee on their local subsidiary business related strategies in their respective organizations so that employee understand the strategies and is eager to make a great contribution to achieve them. †¢ In-house management programs – Support with tools to understand and develop engagement capabilities, e. g. ffer 360 assessment tools based on the new competency framework. †¢ Training in local negotiation techniques – Techniques and skills that can be applied to numerous circumstances when preparing an effective strategy for negotiation. Cross-cultural understanding and local practices can be a major obstacle to the effectiveness of an employee moving to another country. The ability to relate quickly and effectively with collea gues and clients and of individual family members to settle happily in a new country makes a very important contribution to long term success. Probably, especially for new young expatriats the most important aspect of expatriate training is cross-cultural training (CCT). Such training prepares an expatriate to live and work in a different culture because coping with a new environment is much more challenging than dealing with a new job. Table 1, outlines some of the popular models covered ones and give a brief description of each. Table 1. Cross-cultural training methods |Cultural Briefings |Explaination of the major aspects of the host country culture, including customs, traditions, | | |everyday behaviors. |Area Briefings |Explaination of the history, geography, economy, politics and other general information about | | |the host country and region. | |Cases |Portray a real life situation in business or personal life to illustrate some aspect of living| | |or working in the host cu lture. | |Role Playing |Allows the expatriate to act out a situation that he or she might face in living or working in| | |the host country. |Culture Assimilator |A written set of situations that the expatriate might encounter in living or working in the | | |host country. | |Field Experiences |An opportunity for the expatriate to go to the host country or another unfamiliar culture to | | |experience living and working there for a short time. | International Staffing Philosophies Examining the current different types of international staffing philosophies, they can be catogised in three different brackets. Ethnocentric staffing approach Companies following the ethnocentric approach assume the home country approach is best and that employees from other parts of the world can and should follow it. Key Managerial positions are filled with people from headquarters – i. e. parent country nationals (PCNs) and home country practices prevail. Headquarters from the home country make key decisions, employees from the home country hold important jobs, and the subsidiaries follow the home country resource management practices. Additionally with this approach, the cultural values and business practices of the home country are predominant. The disadvantages of this approach would be: †¢ Lack of opportunities or development for local managers, thereby decreasing their morale and their loyalty to the subsidiary. †¢ Unfamiliarity, communication problems, may not adapt to foreign culture Polycentric staffing approach †¢ Local managers – host country managers (HCM’s) – are hired to fill key positions in their own country. Each subsidiary manages on a local basis. A local employee heads a subsidiary because headquarters’ managers are not considered to have adequate local knowledge. Subsidiaries usually develop human resource management practices locally. With this type of approach HCNs managers are familiar with the local culture, language, and ways of doing business, and they already have many contacts in place and it is usually less expensive than transferring personnel from headquarters, but it may encounter: †¢ Difficulties with coordinating activities and goals between the subsidiary and the parent company. †¢ Loyalty may be to host country, not to the parent company Geocentric (global) staffing approach The best managers are recruited from within or outside of the company, regardless of nationality. The company that applies the global integrated business strategy manages and staffs employees on a global basis. The geocentric approach, organizations try to combine the best from headquarters and the subsidiaries to develop consistent world-wide practices. Manager selection is based on competency rather than nationality. With this type of appr oach the policy provides a rich pool of qualified and willing applicants from which to choose, which, in time, results in further development of an international executive cadre. However it may also encounter problems when:- †¢ The employee’s country does not maintain a good relationship with the host country. †¢ Locals may prefer their own citizens in key positions As Figures 1 and 2 show, there are other advantages and disadvantages to using local nationals and expatriates in foreign subsidiaries. Figure 1. Advantages and disadvantages of using local employees to staff international subsidiaries (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, Cardy, 1995) Advantages |Disadvantages | |Lower labor costs |Makes it difficult to balance local demands and global | |Demonstrates trust in local citizenry |priorities | |Increases acceptance of the company by the local community |Leads to postponement of difficult local decisions until they| |Maximizes the number of options available in the local |are unavoidable, when they are more difficult, costly, and | |environment |painful than they would have been if implemented earlier | |Leads to recognition of the company as a legitimate |May make it difficult to recruit qualified personnel | |participant in the local economy |May reduce the amount of control exercised by headquarters | |Effectively represents local considerations and constraints| | |in the decision-making process | | Figure 2. Advantages and disadvantages of using expatriate employees to staff international subsidiaries (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, Cardy, 1995) Advantages |Disadvantages | |Cultural s imilarity with parent company ensures transfer of|Creates problems of adaptability to foreign environment and | |business/management practices |culture | |Permits closer control and coordination of international |Increases the  »foreigness « of the subsidiary | |subsidiaries |May involve high transfer and salary costs | |Gives employees a multinational orientation through May result in personal and family problems | |experience at parent company |Leads to high failure rate | |Establishes a pool of internationally experienced |Has disincentive effect on local-management morale and | |executives |motivation | | |May be subject to local government restrictions | Conclusion Most companies use expatriates only for such key positions as senior managers, high-level professionals, and technical specialists. Since expatriates tend to be very costly, it makes little financial sense to hire expatriates for positions that can be competently filled by foreign nationals. An effective preparation program prior to any move should remove some fear of the unknown and provide up to date knowledge and skills to assist assignees and their families to make a quicker and more effective contribution in their new role. It will almost certainly prevent the necessity of an early return with all its associated costs. Companies that have learnt how to reap the full value of international assignments share a conviction that sustained global growth rests on the shoulders of key individuals, particular those with proven international experience. Companies that manage their expatriation process successfully follow two main practices that make the assignments work from beginning to end. 1. They make sure their candidates have cross cultural skills to match their technical abilities and 2. They prepare people to make the transition back to their home countries. From the repatriate perspective there is a growing recognition that where companies are seen to deal unsympathetically with problems faced by expatriates on re-entry, managers will be more reluctant to accept the offer of international assignments. Many expatriates leave their company on return, with the consequent loss of investment and expertise. Yet while it is widely accepted that the costs of expatriate turnover are considerable, few firms’ have formal repatriation programs to assist managers and their families with repatriation difficulties Companies with an effective HRM selection, preparation and repatriation strategy will retain more loyal, enthusiastic and worldly wise employees even far beyond the ending of any international assignment. References Deresky, Helen. 2006, International Management. 5th Ed, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Brewster, Chris. International HRM: Beyond expatriation. Human Resource Management Journal; 1997; Vol 7 No. 3 Black, Steward J and Gregersen, Hal B. Harvard Business Review March – April 1999 Mitchell, R. Terence, Holtom, C. Brooks, Lee, W. Thomas; How to keep your best employees: Developing an effective retention policy, Academy of Management Executive, 2001, Vol 15 No. 4 Farnham Castle Center for International Briefing 2004

The Big Lebowski Essays - The Big Lebowski, Dude, White Russian

The Big Lebowski All of the relationships among the elements in the film the Big Lebowski may seem to be enigmatic with each other, but this style of film creates an integrated system of disunity. The Coen brothers demonstrate this style through various motifs through out the film, from the main character's name to what he drinks. The film is a perfect example of a film which has the theme of disunity. In the film the main character Jeffery Lebowski, refers to himself as "the Dude". This element of the story becomes a motif. The Dude is referred to, and refers to himself as the Dude because it represents his personality, which is an easygoing "cool" character. The common Western society slang which is associated with the word dude, is male prostitute. In the scene where the Dude returns home after being arrested in Malibu, he find himself engaging in sexual intercourse at the request of Mod Lebowski. After they finish, Mod explains to the Dude that she was using him to concede a child. Obviously he was not given money in exchange for sexual favours but, the Dude, (much similar to real prostitutes) was used for sex. The Dude is continuously used by his friends and business associates through out the whole film. Although presented as a laidback cool character, the Dude's title is representative of how he is seen by everyone around him. In the film, Bowling is seen as a man's activity, a place where go to compete and get away from the world. In the bowling alley there is never a female present in the shot within any scene. This motif is reinforced during the scene entitled Gutter Balls. In the Dude's trip-out it starts off as a bowling spoof pornographic film, which can also be considered a male thing. It has shots of floating bowling pins and balls rearranged in numerous sexual positions, where the pins represent the male genitalia. Further on in the dream, Mod, who is a strong independent character, is represented by Viking costume she is wearing. Contrary to this, she still required help from the Dude when bowling. In the Big Lebowski bowling is seen as a male dominated activity During the scene where the Dude and Mod Lebowski engage in sexual intercourse, the Dude pores himself a White Russian. The Dude explains that the alcohol and marijuana helps him think. "I'm keeping on a very strict drug regiment to ahh, keep my ahh, mind limber." This is shown when almost immediately after he smokes his marijuana and pours his White Russian he figures out where big Lebowski's money is. In contrast to this, the drugs and alcohol can also be seen as an obstacle in the Dude's effort to solve the case. At one point the Dude crashes his car after spilling his drink and dropping a lit joint onto his lap. In another scene the Dude is arrested because his White Russian was drugged. Drugs and alcohol become a paradox of the Dude's success. With these motifs in mind we are able to see that the Coen brothers used different motifs show any number of different things about the film. They are able to mesh together themes of masculinity to society's views of the weak. With this, the Big Lebowski has a theme which can only be called eclectic.

Medical Ethics2 essays

Medical Ethics2 essays Medical Ethics Bioethics comprise every possible aspect of health care, medical, moral, social, political, religious, legal and financial? (Weiss 3). This includes the questions raised by new research. It takes a look at the results of that research that is used on patients. It takes into consideration contemporary ideas of personal freedom and human dignity. It deals with growth in medical services available in the United States and the sky rocketing cost. Bioethics also deals with the medical advances in technology that has reshaped traditional medical ethics. Medical ethics have changed drastically over a period of years. From old commandments to new commandments, guidelines that provide structural framework, classic experiments that challenge that framework, or even how things are defined in medical ethics.Medical progress goes on, and the perils of progress must be heeded? (Leone 165). Changing times have in turn changed our codes of ethics. There are five old commandments of et hics and five new commandments of ethics. These commandments come from many years of heavily advised dictates from various people. A commandment by definition is, ... a dictate or a strongly advised piece of advice? (Halsey 201). The first traditional commandment is, Treat all human life as of equal worth? (Singer 190). This statement is very difficult to follow; almost no person believes this statement whole-heartedly. The statement makes more sense on paper or just being heard, but its application in life is almost impossible to ensure. In comparison to the first old ethic, the first new ethic states,Recognize that the worth of human life varies? (Singer 190). This statement allows for variation and livability in society. It gives way for someone to say, if a person is a vegetable, has no vital capabilities, this person's life is of no worth anymore. Without this sort of change in today's advancing civilization, it would make it ethically wrong topull ...

Event and Occasion

Event and Occasion Event and Occasion Event and Occasion By Maeve Maddox Karen writes: Wondering if you can do a post on the use of event and occasion are they interchangeable terms, or does one imply more significance than the other? To me, an occasion is more special than an event. The twins birthday is always a special occasion for the family. However, many speakers would use the word event in this example. The words are so close in meaning and have so many different applications that it is difficult to formulate a hard and fast distinction between them. Wikipedia lists 20 different senses for event: nine general meanings and eleven specialized meanings. Context is everything. The word event is common in writing about sports and entertainment. Fox and DirecTV hosting charity event for family of the late Will Flannery Apple announces special event for January 27 A rematch of top rivals Darrion Caldwell and Brent Metcalf is the Main Event of a seven-match card of wrestling bouts†¦ Conventions and conferences are events. Graduations and jazz festivals are events. Plain old parties are often called events. One distinction that can be drawn is that occasion carries the sense of a falling together of events to produce an opportunity for something. Let me take the occasion of this interview as the opportunity to question one of the received ideas about contemporary poetry. An event, on the other hand, is usually scheduled. Indeed, an event may be scheduled to celebrate an occasion: A conference will be held †¦ on the occasion of Richard Vargas 80th birthday The expression on occasion means from time to time: On occasion I have misspoken about my service and I regret that and I take full responsibility. An occasional poem is a poem written to celebrate a special occasion such as a coronation or a royal birthday. 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:50 Handy Expressions About Handsâ€Å"As Well As† Does Not Mean â€Å"And†Drama vs. Melodrama

Analyzing Criteria on Online Reporting Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyzing Criteria on Online Reporting - Article Example On the other hand, the website (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304898704577482650368103084.html) has employed the art of short sentences that nail the case to the bone (Maher, 2012). In other words, website information is easy and quick for understanding than other media forms in information dissemination. Furthermore, the avoidance of what people said in unlike in the latter website is an indication of a narrative writing technique that appeals to a mass readership. On that note, if compared to print media, there are some differences. For instance, the reportage of the sex abuse case in local papers delved into the smaller details of the case that did not feature in the online articles in the aforementioned websites. In conclusion, this means that information included in the websites are not always comprehensive as compared to print media (Craig, 2010). Alternatively, I think websites enhance a story with its visual information such as the websites described above. Additionally, the hyperlinks they provide give an element of human touch because of its visual

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing Research Paper

Select one of your favorite brands that is involved in licensing. Write one page on why or why not it works for the brand - Research Paper Example 529). Acne Studios is a part of the Creative Collective Acne. The Studio was founded in the year 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden. Acne Studios is a fashion manufacturing brand that designs fashion apparels and jeans. The operations of Acne Studio are not only limited to Sweden. In fact, the operations are expanded across the world. In order to expand its operations, the company relies on licensing agreements. With the help of licensing agreements, the company has successfully expanded its operations in Europe and Asia. The Swedish company is also planning to expand its business in London, Paris, and Japan. The effectiveness of licensing for Acne Studios can be realized from the fact the company has successfully expanded its operations in 35 locations with the help of licensing agreements (Okonkwo pp. 353). Under the licensing agreement, the company sells its licenses to other companies. Those companies use the brand, design, and IP of the parent company. The licenses can be sold to several companies in the same market. The licensing agreements have also allowed Acne Studios to exercise control over how the brand is used. This has allowed the company to maintain the standard of its products (Okonkwo pp. 353). Hagedoorn, J., S. Lorenz-Orlean, and H. van Kranenburg. â€Å"Inter-firm Technology Transfer: Partnership-embedded Licensing or Standard Licensing Agreements?† Industrial and Corporate Change 18.3 (2008):

Learning organization Essay Example for Free

Learning organization Essay Marquardt (2002, p. 211) presented 16 steps necessary to build a learning organization. A closer look at our organization revealed that there is still so much to learn and change. Using Marquardt’s metaphor, our organization is still in the caterpillar stage, â€Å"earthbound† and â€Å"nonlearning† (p. 235). The major challenge keeping our company in this status can be linked to only two things, attitude of employees and leadership style. Unfortunately, the 16 steps proposed by Marquardt boil down to these two things. Employees have negative view about change. They are not willing to leave their comfort zones, take risks or commit to transforming the company. They lack the motivation to educate, improve and develop themselves professionally. The old, tested way of doing things remains the norm. However, the more disturbing fact is the lack of effort from the leaders. Based on Marquardt’s discussion, the main effort for change should come from the top, from the leaders. Presently, the leadership style in the company does not cater to the needs of a learning organization. The organizational culture does not empower the empoyees to express their creativity or explore their potentials. In short, our organization is 16 steps away from transformation. Based on the guidelines, to effect change, the leaders need to recognize their role as the agents of change. According to Marquardt’s book, â€Å"The first step is for leadership to commit themselves to transforming the company into a learning organization† (p. 210). Before that could happen, leaders should first of all need to recognize the need to transform our caterpillar ways to that of a butterfly. This step corresponds to the creation of an organizational vision. The company needs a more dynamic, interesting, inspiring vision to keep both leaders and employees stimulated into transforming and improving the company as well as creating an environment for continious learning.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist Essay -- Ethical Issues, Religious Fanati

Fundamentalism is a strict adherence to a set of ideas or beliefs that are conservative in nature. It is a pejorative term usually associated with religious fanaticism. Usually, this is what comes to mind when there is mention of a fundamentalist. However, in Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist starring the protagonist Changez, a Pakistani Princetonian who is a top-ranked employee at a prestigious New York valuation firm, turns out not to be an Islamic fundamentalist, but a reluctant fundamentalist of US Capitalism. Hamid challenges readers to reevaluate their preconceived notions and prejudices of people different from themselves in post 9/11 America by employing the use of motifs, aphorism, and suspense, to create a conflation of corporate culture and violence in the form of an allegorical frame story. This story not only proves relevant in historical contexts pertaining to the United States and their involvements in past wars, but also in contemporary settings, as in the current ongoing wars. Simply put, history repeats itself. The story takes place within the span of a day, as Changez approaches an American in the district of Old Anarkali in Lahore, Pakistan. He invites the American to have tea with him, which eventually leads into dinner and continues on into the late evening while he recounts the events of his life which has led up to their fated encounter. The story is told in the second-person narrative, meaning the voice of the American is never heard, but his reactions are implied and guided by Changez. In this way, the audience plays an interactive part in the story, enabling the reader to identify with both parties and make judgements about the outcome of the story. The author constantly plays with the idea... ... by the hand. But why are you reaching into your jacket, sir? I detect a glint of metal. Given that you and I are now bound by a certain shared intimacy, I trust it is the holder of your business cards† (Hamid 184). And with that, the author leaves us with a cliffhanger, for us to determine the ending however we see fit. Hamid has made clear that ideas and truths are all relative, that people should actively search for answers, instead of believing everything they are told. His characters allowed us to exercise our intuitions in search of hidden truths, and mostly to reaquaint ourselves with the elusive, common sense. The aphorism, focus on the fundamentals, is accentuated even further by the suspenseful ending and challenges us to ponder the wisdom of the story, when we consider whether or not the fully-bearded Changez has become another type of fundamentalist.

Tutorial solutions

Customer's business name, address and contact details Type of information (economic / other) Other – details ensure business exists and invoices can be posted to the correct address . Years customer has been in this business Other – establishes track record and history 3. Total assets and estimates of values of assets in the business Economic – establishes size of asset base of business 4. Total liabilities (total commitments) Economic – establishes how much the business currently owes others to assess the extent of claims against assets 5.Profits of the business for the most recent and previous periods Economic – used to assess whether the business generates sufficient profits to cover the payments that will have to be made of their account 6. Credit references Other – enables Ashley to follow up with other businesses the customer already has accounts with, to assess whether the customer has paid their accounts in time and in full 7.Details Of any collateral or security that can be provided should the customer default on their payments Economic and other – Ashley will want to ensure that the business will be able to recover any unpaid amounts by claiming from a third party or having a claim over the assets of the business Page 2 of 19 Exercise 1. 7 Factors in making a government decision Consult the relevant business journal or newspaper article and identify the acts of your case involving an important government decision. Identify the key government decision involved.Discuss the impact of the decision and its relevance to the press and community. Factors to be taken into account in arriving at a government decision include: 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. The nature of the government decision. The government policy dictating the decision. The political impact of the decision. Identifying all parties affected by the government decision. Identifying all the stakeholders (I. E. Parties to which the decisi on will have a positive or negative impact). Identifying any particular lobby or special interest groups involved with the Issue.Identifying the available funding or resources available for the government decision. How is the government initiative to be funded? Identifying the cost of the initiative. Was the decision made in a consultative manner? Was there much political debate or commentary? Possible gains or losses anticipated to be experienced by the community. Possible alternatives which could have been employed by the government. Was the resultant decision considered to be the most efficient use of community resources? Page 3 of 19 Exercise 1. Economic decisions made by management Required: Provide examples of economic decisions that the following people would need to make with the use of accounting information: ; A manager in a sales department Of a shoe store ; A factory manager ; The manager of a state cricket team ; The manager of an animal shelter which relies on donation s for funding Manager of a sales department: Decisions about number of staff required, and when the busy times are (for additional staffing); type and quantity of stock to purchase (based on historic sales figures), cost of inventory researched (for deciding on selling prices and specials / discounts / sales during the coming season); average length of time for which stock is held; stock on hand at any point in time (for purposes of re-ordering); latest fashion trends; information about the demographics of the customer base to enable appropriate stock to be held and appropriate prices to be set. Factory manager: Decisions about appropriate factory staff levels; appropriate plant and machinery capacity to run the factory; costs of raw materials, labor and overhead, such as electricity, in order to make decisions bout goods to be manufactured, production mix; costs of occupational health and safety to make decisions about the most cost effective way to achieve compliance.Manager of a state cricket team: Decisions about the selection and costs of players and coaching staff; appropriate playing and training Venues and their location to the centre of the city; sponsorship enticements and entitlements; purchase of appropriate sporting equipment for training and match days. Manager of an animal shelter: Decisions about the cost of collection systems to receive donations and the most appropriate method of obtaining nations; the cost of maintaining animals in the shelter such as food and veterinary costs; overheads such as electricity, insurance and premises; the costs of full-time employment in the shelter, and the management of volunteers. Page 4 of 19 Exercise 1. 10 The small business owner What types of economic decisions would a person wishing to start their own small business be required to make?How could an accountant assist in making these decisions? The following are examples of the types of economic (financial) and non-financial decisions a small business own er would have to make: A clear definition of the product or service that is to be provided (non- financial), and what the business will charge for these products or services (financial) – this will determine the projected or likely income ; How the business will be funded – will the owners put all the money in or will there be other owners or lenders (non-financial and financial)? ; How the business will market its product or service (non-financial), and how much it will cost to do this? Financial) ; Where the business will be located (non-financial), and what the rental cost will be (financial) How much staff will be required, what skills do they need to perform their jobs properly (non-financial), and how much will they be paid (this will have to be benchmark against other businesses in the same industry or using staff with similar skills and experience) ; What equipment or other assets are required to start the business (non- financial), and how will these be acquir ed and at what cost (financial)? ; Will the business be registered for SST? ; What accounting and information systems are required for the business (non-financial and financial)?This should be adequate to provide information o the owners, and accurately capture transactions that take place, (including any SST components thereof) The above are just some examples of decisions that will need to be made by a person wishing to start a business. There are many others, and it should be noted that many decisions have both a financial and non-financial component – it is therefore often difficult to make non-financial decisions without considering the financial implications and impacts of those decisions. Accountants can help small business owners With the selection of an appropriate accounting system, with regulatory' acquirement such as registering for SST, registering a business name, and applying for tax numbers and other tax obligations (such as PAYS) as required – this wil l depend on the size of the business and what staff will hired.They can also assist by providing the financial information and assisting in the drafting of a sound business plan that covers all the likely financial impacts of the decisions to be made. They can provide book-keeping and page 5 of 19 accounting services to maintain accurate financial records for the business and assist in preparing income tax returns, SST returns and other regulatory porting requirements. Accountants can also help a small business owner prepare a budget for the business, forecast cash flow requirements, and make decisions about which assets to purchase and how best to finance them. CHAPTER 2 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR DECISION MAKING DISCUSSION QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS 2. Define the terms, assets, liabilities, and equity. Are these terms related in anyway? If so, how?Assets are defined in the Framework as resources controlled by the entity as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity. Liabilities are defined in the Framework as present obligations of an entity arising from past events, the settlement of which is expected to result in an outflow from the entity of resources embodying economic benefits. Liabilities require future payments from assets, generally in the form of cash, or the performance of services to cancel them. Equity is the owner's claim to (or the residual interest in) the assets of the entity after deducting all its liabilities. The basic accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity) indicates the relationship between assets, liabilities and equity.From the equation, the total assets of the entity equal the total claims against those sets by creditors and owners. Creditors' claims take precedence over owners' claims, and owners are seen as the ultimate risk-takers in the entity. Thus, equity is a residual claim on the assets of the entity after liabilities are fully paid, and the basic accounting model whic h expresses this idea clearly is: Assets – Liabilities = Equity 3. A local restaurant is noted for its fine food, as evidenced by the large number of customers. A customer was heard to remark that the secret of the restaurant's success Was its fine chef. Would you regard the chef as an asset of the business? If so, would you include the chef on the balance sheet of the business and at what value?Suggested topics of discussion: Asset definition – â€Å"Assets are resources controlled by the entity as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity. † Does the chef provide future economic benefits to the entity? Yes. Is the chef controlled by the entity? In Page 6 of 19 many cases, it is evident that he/she could not be controlled by the entity (e. G. He/she can resign when he/she likes, can take sick days). He/she cannot be â€Å"acquired† or â€Å"sold† by the business, I. . They do not have rights to possess him/her. How would you value the chef as an asset? Usually you have some idea of the â€Å"life† of the asset, however, the restaurant would not know how long the chef would be working for them (this argument relates back to controlling the asset). 6.Discuss the significance of the following assumptions in the preparation of an entity financial statements: (a) entity assumption (b) accrual basis assumption (c) going concern assumption (d) period assumption (a) Entity Assumption If the transactions Of an entity are to be recorded, classified and summarized onto financial statements, the accountant must be able to identify clearly the boundaries of the entity being accounted for. Under the accounting entity assumption, the entity is considered a separate entity distinguishable from its owner and from all other entities. It is assumed that each entity controls its assets and incurs its liabilities. The records of assets, liabilities and business activities of the ent ity are kept completely separate from those of the owner of the entity as well as from those of other entities. The accounting entity assumption is important since it leads to the derivation of the accounting equation. ) The Accrual Basis Assumption Under the accrual basis of accounting, the effects of transactions and events are recognized in accounting records when they occur, and not when the cash is received or paid. Hence, financial statements report not only on cash transactions but also on obligations to pay cash in the future and on resources that represent receivables of cash in future. It is argued in the Framework that accounting on an accrual basis provides significantly better information about the transactions and other events for the purpose of decision making by users of financial statements than does the cash basis. C) The Going Concern Assumption According to the Framework, financial statements are prepared on the assumption that the existing entity is expected to continue operating into the future.It is assumed that the assets of the entity will not be sold off and that the entity will continue its activities; hence, liquidation values (prices in a forced sale) of the entity assets are not generally reported in financial statements, as this assumes that an entity is to be wound up. When management plans the sale or liquidation of the entity, the going concern assumption is then set aside and the financial statements are prepared on he basis of estimated sales or liquidation values. The significance of the going concern assumption is in the valuation Page 7 of 19 placed on the assets of an entity in the mentis financial statements. The statements should identify clearly the basis upon which asset values are determined – going concern? Or liquidation? (d) The Period Assumption For financial reporting purposes, it is assumed that the total life of an entity can be divided into equal time intervals.Hence, the financial performance of the entity can be determined for a given time period, and the financial session of the entity can be determined on the last day of that reporting period. As a result of this assumption, profit determination involves a process of recognizing the income for a period and deducting the expenses incurred for that same period. Together, the period assumption and accrual basis assumption lead to the requirement for making balance day adjustments on the last day of the reporting period. These adjustments will be considered in a later chapter.

Designing a training programme for supervisor skills at Primark Essay

Type of training and how long will the training take? (on the job or off the job) Shadowing/demonstration/coaching/external or internal course 1 hour/1/2 day/ 5 days? Provider of training and Location Sales floor/store training room/Primark head office/College/Distance course. Internal training. Who will carry out? HR manager/training manager Description of training content What will the you do /learn during the training Cost of the training Physical cost of external course/cost of paying salary to trainee whilst not doing their job role/providing cover whilst trainee is on course/travel expenses – train tickets to London if going on a head office course What will the training allow me to achieve? What skills will you have learnt? How will it assist you in being successful in your new role? Why is this skill important? Consequences Shadowing for 1 hour Sales floor watching experienced supervisor complete rota Organisation of staff rota, including breaks and lunches. Watch the supervisor complete her daily rota and then complete own rota and discuss with mentor to get feedback on how to improve it No direct costs however, Primark will still need to pay us both our  £8.50 an hour salary despite the fact that both the experienced Supervisor and I will be less productive during the training. This may impact on customer service as we won’t be available to help customers during the hours training . The training may disrupt other members of staff and reduce overall productivity of the department I will be able to complete the daily staff rota ensuring all staff get the breaks and lunches they are entitled to with minimal disruption to customer service Key feature in the job description of a supervisor. Failure to complete this correctly may mean that staff do not get the correct breaks and may become demotivated and lower their productivity as a result which will trigger a fall in customer satisfaction and potentially sales and profit Demonstration for 20 minutes Shown on the sales floor by an experienced supervisor . Whilst walking around look at the trends , most common sizes and the popular items . The ability to see when a specific product is in high demand and inform head office that more stock needs to be ordered. Listening to retail sales assistants when they tell you a product is in high demand . There are no direct costs. Although the experienced supervisor and I will need to be paid  £2.52 for the 20 minutes . I will be less productive during the training, this may impact customer service as I will be too busy to help out customers. The training may disrupt other members of staff and reduce overall productivity of the department The ability to spot trends , and items that are selling out. The ability to order in new stock . Failure in ordering a high demand products would mean Primark would miss out on an opportunity to make a profit . Failure is ordering any stock means that that Primark wouldn’t have any stock to sell and the customers would go else where. 1 day off job training completing the Impact Factory Customer service course Training by Impact Factory in London. I will be taught on how to give the best customer service and be more confident with employees. Dealing with customer complaints in the most appropriate way . Talking to unsatisfied customers and seeing what they can do to help and make sure this doesn’t happen next time.  £21.10 for the ticket to London. A whole day’s pay at  £7.57 an hour for 9 hours which is  £68.13. Although it’s more expensive than getting another supervisor to do the training , the training will be a lot more formal and I will take it more seriously . The course costs  £450. I will be trained by an expert in customer service . Although resentfulness amongst other members of staff who haven’t been chosen to attend the course and become demotivated and less efficient as a result. The overall cost will be  £539.23 . I will learn how to give good customer service , deal with rude/difficult customers , advance my listening/ responding skills, make the customers point of view work for me, gain confidence in giving customer service and handling complaints with empathy/ efficiency. A good retail supervisor needs to deal with customer complaints appropriately . This is because the supervisor will be the face of the branch and if they give a bad impression , there could be a drop in customers. The customers could go to competitors with better customer service. On the job training doing 20 minutes coaching and a 10 minutes session a week later. On the sales floor at a off-peak time with HR manager Learning how to use the supervisor function on the till to be able to give customers returns / change / cancel orders. No direct costs but both the HR manager and I will need to get paid . Although because this session is short, there will be a lot of time to do more productive things. The training may disrupt other members of staff and reduce overall productivity of the department. Customers may receive poor customer service such as long wait times at tills even though it is at off-peak time which would Lower sales. HR manager will need to be paid  £10 for the 30 minutes. I will need to be paid  £3.79 for the 30 minutes. The HR manager’s journey from London will cost  £21.10. The overall cost is  £34.89. I will learn how to use the supervisor function on the till , be able to give customer returns / change and cancel orders. As I have practiced at different times, I am now very clear on how to use the supervisor function on the till . This means in peak time if a customer needs a return I can quickly use the function on the till without holding up a long queue . This means the customers will be happier as they don’t have to wait a long time and I can go do more productive things. If I was unable to do this Primark would get a reputation for poor customer service and customers would go to competitors , which would lower sales. Off the job training for 30 minutes doing Job shadowing . 30 minutes observation On the sales floor with an experienced supervisor Ensuring that the sales floor is always kept clean, the shelves are fully stocked with products and there’s no clothes on the floor. In prime time the retail sales assistant are aware how to work in the peak times including the holidays and Saturdays . There are no direct costs but I will be paid  £7.57 for the hour and so will the experienced supervisor. I will not being my job during this training session meaning a loss of productivity . I may disrupt other employees and reduce the overall productivity of the department. Customers may have to wait longer on the tills / fitting rooms as I will be unable to help them, which would lower sales. The overall cost would be  £15.14 . I will be able to deal with the sales floor at its prime time. Through observation I can be told what my weaknesses are and how I can improve on them. If I wasn’t able to manage the store at prime the customers would be left waiting unreasonable times for the tills/ fitting rooms . They would eventually get annoyed and leave to go to a competitor, meaning a loss in sales. The employees would become demotivated as they are constantly having to work in a hectic unorganised environment and may leave. If an employee leaves Primark would have to pay for the recruitment costs for the next employee. Off the job training in London doing a leadership course – 1 day course In London being taught about leadership by CIPD Making sure all the retail sales assistants are working efficiently . Motivating all the retail sales assistants to do their work to the best of their ability . This means carrying out appraisals and dealing with any performance issues appropriately . The course costs  £545 . I will have to be paid for the full day at  £7.57 which is  £68.13 . I will have to pay for a peak return ticket to London for  £21.10 . The overall cost will be  £634.23. I will be unable to any of my tasks , therefore there will be a loss in productivity. There will be Resentfulness amongst other members of staff who haven’t been chosen to attend the course and become demotivated and less efficient as a result. I will learn which leadership characteristics I need to develop , be able to select motivational ideas with the most potential to motivate and engage the retail assistants . I will be able to motivate the retail sales assistants . Therefore they will be able to give good customer service which means happy customers , they will come more frequently . This will build a better image for Primark. If I was not able to motivate employees, they would eventually find a different job. Demotivated employees give bad customer service so the customers would get annoyed and go to competitors. Once the employee leaves , more will leave increasing the staff turnover which would make it less appealing to work for Primark . Recruitment costs are also very high and this would need to be paid for. Off the job training interview skills course In London with an interviewing expert . Working alongside Human resources manager to co interview potential candidates for the role of retail sales assistant. A ticket to London is  £21.10 . I would have to be paid for the full day at  £7.57 an hour , which is  £68.13 overall . The course costs  £30 . The overall cost is  £119.23. The setting will be more formal and I will take it more seriously . There will be a loss of productivity as I will not be there for the whole day to do my job. There may be resentfulness amongst other members of staff who haven’t been chosen to attend the course and become demotivated and less efficient as a result. I will learn: the equality act 2010 , the cost of recruitment and staff turnover, the causes of poor recruitment, strategies for effective recruitment practice, the stages of recruitment, how to design a job description and person profile, how to analyse application forms and cvs , and interview techniques . I will be able to make sure when I interview a candidate for the role of retail sales assistant I will do it in the best way possible . I will be able to choose the most suitable candidate . I will be able to make sure the candidate is not discriminated against and therefore save costs and the reputation of Primark. If I was unable to interview a candidate appropriately I could ask a question that breaks the equality 2010. This would give Primark a bad reputation and they would be fined. In house training for the 3 Hours The HR manager in a meeting room Providing induction training for new retail sales assistants and making them feel welcome and at ease. No direct costs but I and the HR manager will need to be paid for the 3 hours. The HR manager will get paid  £60 and I will get paid  £22.71. The train journey from London to this Primark branch will need to be paid for which is  £21.10. The overall cost would be  £108.31. Me and the HR manager will not be productive for those 3 hours . The training may disrupt other members of staff and decrease productivity over the whole department. Customers may receive poor customer service as I will be unable to help them. I will be able to provide suitable training for the new retail sales assistants . I will educate employees about the effective use of technology ,ensure that Primark has the competitive edge, promote health and safety, create opportunities for career development and personal growth, helps employees comply with laws and regulations and improve productivity. This is important because this means the employees will give good customer service . If I trained the employees incorrectly they could decide to leave or they could injure themselves because I didn’t mention a health and safety rule. This would mean an employee would be harmed and Primark would have broken the health and safety act and could face fines. If the employees are trained badly they could give poor customer service which would drive the customers away to the competitors , which would lower sales.

Virgil

Memorize Latin From the Aeneid by Vergil/Virgil One technique that may help if you are trying to re-learn Latin is to memorize a chunk of Latin poetry and make it your own. For this purpose, you might want to memorize the first 11 lines of Vergils (or Virgils) Aeneid. Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab orisItaliam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venitlitora, multum ille et terris iactatus et altovi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram;multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem,inferretque deos Latio, genus unde Latinum,Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae.Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso,quidve dolens, regina deum tot volvere casusinsignem pietate virum, tot adire laboresimpulerit. Tantaene animis caelestibus irae? Listen to Robert Sonkowsky reading this passage to get a sense of the pronunciation and rhythm of Classical Latin. After you have begun to learn the passage, read a translation and try to make the translation and the Latin go together. What you do with this chunk of Latin is up to you. You may just keep it in mind as a reminder of the word order in Latin – the first clause is â€Å"arms and the man I sing,† with the verb at the end. Or the fact that certain sentences, like the final question, don’t require an expressed verb at all. Or you may keep the whole passage in mind to remember the names, (Juno, Lavinia, Latium, Italia, Troy, and Alba). Or to try to make sense of the early legendary history of Rome. But here is my suggestion. After you have the passage down cold, try writing your own translation into good English. Then try reverse translating back into Latin prose. The purpose is not to do worry too much about the syntax but to see how different your phrase structure is from Vergil’s . If nothing else, this should give you an appreciation for the variety provided by the Latin language. Example: I sing about arms and the manarma et virum ego cano.

How to Use Singular They

How to Use Singular They "The employee believed their safety could not be guaranteed." The sentence above has an apparently overt grammar error. The subject of the sentence, employee, is singular but the pronoun their is plural. Most business writers would catch this obvious error. Subjects and pronouns need to agree in number, so the sentence should be"The employee believed his or her safety could not be guaranteed." The challenge with the corrected sentence is that it is awkward and it boxes individuals who do not identify as uniquely male or female into a category that doesn't fit for them. It's exclusionary, and style guides are addressing this. Using they as a singular pronoun has become acceptable in some cases, especially as a gender-neutral pronoun. The 2017 edition of The AP Stylebook - the style guide used most widely in business - stated: â€Å"They/them/their is acceptable in limited cases as a singular and/or gender-neutral pronoun, when alternative wording is overly awkward or clumsy.† For example, to avoid the specificity of an individual’s gender, this use oftheiris acceptable: â€Å"The employee believed their position was in jeopardy.† The Washington Post addressed this in 2015: â€Å"Allowing they for a gender-nonconforming person is a no-brainer. And once we’ve done that, why not allow it for the most awkward of those he or she situations that have troubled us for so many years?† The Chicago Manual of Style now states: â€Å"While this usage [they, them, their, and themselves] is accepted in those spheres [speech and informal writing], it is only lately showing signs of gaining acceptance in formal writing, where Chicago recommends avoiding its use. When referring specifically to a person who does not identify with a gender-specific pronoun, however, they and its forms are often preferred.† Garner’s Modern American Usage recommends its cautious use: â€Å"Where it can’t be avoided, resort to it cautiously because some people may doubt your literacy.† Microsoft Manual and Style advises: â€Å"Although . . .theyfor a singular antecedent is gaining acceptance. . . . Whenever possible, write around the problem.† Grammarly polled their readers and most objected to the singular use of they. Admittedly, it can become awkward: "They is a talented artist." As a comment below correctly noted, use the plural verb conjugation when using "they" to refer to an individual: "They are a talented artist." Or, just rewrite the sentence to avoid both a gender identification and the need for a pronoun: "The artist is talented." More on gender-neutral pronouns here. One of the aspects of business writing that I love most is that it evolves to reflect appropriate information flow and awareness. Style Guides are clearly addressing this with a cautious endorsement of the singular they. My recommendation now is to generally stick to standard grammar constructs and match singular pronouns with singular subjects and plural pronouns with pronoun subjects. But, do use they as a singular pronoun when it is respectful or more clear to do so. Words matter. Including everyone respectfully in the discourse warrants bending this grammar rule. Image Source: Grammarly

Public Relation is the New Propaganda Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relation is the New Propaganda - Outline Example Public relations refer to the processes, principles, and procedures guiding communication between companies, organizations, individuals with the media and the public. In most cases, public relations focus on the creation and maintenance of a positive image as well as a strong relationship with the target audience (Moloney 2006). Democracy   Democracy refers to a system of governance focusing on vesting the power in the people with the ability to rule directly or under the influence of the elected representatives (Schumpeter 2013). Political Economy of Information  For critical reasons, sociologists, political scientists and communication practitioners have the tendency of evaluating phenomena from the economists’ perspective. The condition makes them develop the aspect of becoming political economists, thus the concept of the political economy of information (Stilwell 2011). Theoretical Perspectives and Models  Various models have focused on illustrations of PR and propa ganda issues in the modern context. This section explores a critical review the most effective and prominent theoretical perceptions with the objective of understanding the research goals and scope effectively.  There are four critical theories in relation to understanding the concept of the public sphere: representative liberal, participatory liberal, discursive, and constructionist theories. Constructionist theory focuses on popular inclusion, empowerment, recognition, narrative creativity, and the eventual avoidance.

Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Analysis - Assignment Example A higher ratio is recommended since it indicates the firm’s ability to raise revenue from the investments. The 7th year had the best performance with approximately 24% return on equity this was followed by the 5th year; the 7th year exceeded the investor’s expectations while the 5th met the investor’s expectations. This is favorable to the stockholders since it implies that for every dollar invested the shareholder received 24 cents. The worst periods were 8th, and 10th year with negative ROI meaning the company was operating at a loss and 9th year when the ROI was 0. Stock Prices -Stock prices in most cases show the firm’s performance, a method of communicating to the public. The prices are expected to increase as the company grows. From the graph the investors have been expecting the prices to grow, the 5th and 7th years met these expectation while the rest of the years failed to do so. This is a bad image of the company and shows inefficient operations. In conclusion, the EPS, ROI, and stock prices are necessary tools to indicate on the firm’s performance and management efficiency. It is clear from the analysis that the 7Th year was the best performed followed by the 5th year. Poor performances were in 8th, 9th and 10th

Fast Food Franchise Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Fast Food Franchise - Case Study Example Fast food is a foodstuff that is readily available and dished up promptly at sites known as fast-food bistros. This is the multi-billion dollar business which inturn keeps on progressing extremely fast around numerous international locations. A fast-food franchise is somewhat different from fast-food points as it is recognized from nominal service and by meals simultaneously which may be presented immediately soon after placing the order. The food items around such dining places is usually prepared in volume upfront plus preserved hot for its reuse. A lot of fast food restaurants are sections of reputable restaurants or franchise's, while standard food products are supplied to every eating venue through main sites. As compared to some other food businesses, the budget fundamentals to set up a fast-food restaurant are comparatively compact in UK, especially at locations consisting of low and medium earning community. Mostly eateries wherever people sit a while and enjoy their lunch or dinner are also measured as fast food (Luffman & Sanderson, 2001).Fast Food Restaurant at Cambridge has proposed to offer the customers with a huge variety in terms of its menu products. Derived from the mentioned food items, the proposal suggests that CFF must offer low-priced combo food to its consumers. The proposed combo meal offers will contribute to increase the traffic to the restaurant. This is really appealing to undertake a sizable diversity of food products to grab an increased niche.

Role Of The Quantity Surveyor in Construction

Role Of The Quantity Surveyor in Construction 1.1 Background to the Study A competent design team is crucial for any new building project according to Lee (2008:127). The quantity surveyor can be a very valuable addition to the design team for the client, giving expert advice on contractual and financial matters. The quantity surveyor will have the clients interest as his number one priority and his services can be of great value to any person considering constructing a new building. According to Bowles Le Roux (1992:1) any person considering building or investing in construction projects needs expert advice from a quantity surveyor. No matter the size or complexity of a project, the quantity surveyor provides valuable advice through the various stages of the project. The Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) states that any client who is considering building any structure of any size, changing an existing structure or investing in construction projects no matter how simple or complex, needs the expert advice of a professional quantity surveyor for establishing budgets, cash flows, cost planning, cost management and obtaining value for money. Construction projects differ from each other and every project has its own unique challenges. Construction projects are not standard products which have been designed and mass manufactured in a controlled environment. There is a lack of a relatively stable market price. This is due to monthly payments which are made as the work proceeds, before the project reaches completion. As a result of technological, financial and economical influences the methods adopted for construction work are varied and complex and the expert advice of a quantity surveyor should be obtained before the start of any project planning. This is the main reasons why there is a need for the services of a quantity surveyor. (Bowles Le Roux, 1992:2) The ordinary member of the general public has little knowledge or experience in the construction industry. However economically active individuals who can be seen as potential clients for residential construction projects are often reluctant to utilize the services of a professional quantity surveyor. According to Lee (2008:123), a potential pitfall for the first-time homeowner is to utilize the services of a non-reputable contractor who is not affiliated to the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC). Members of the general public who are not experienced in the construction industry can be subjected to un-ethical practices and this may lead to their exploitation. Due to the many problems caused by these un-ethical and non-reputable contractors to the homeowners and other property professionals, the South African government passed legislation in 2001 known as the Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act. The intention of this Act is to guard homeowners against non-reputable contractors who build to substandard quality and then refuse to be held responsible. (Lee, 2008:123) One factor which may deter people from using the services of a quantity surveyor is the professional fees. According to research done by Cruywagen and Snyman (2005) professional quantity surveying services can be rendered as affordable in South Africa. The research shows that, due to the competitiveness of the market, it has become the norm for quantity surveyors to reduce professional fees. Cruywagen and Snyman (2005), state that there is a distinct relationship between the profitability for the quantity surveyor and the value of a project. This means residential projects are not profitable as compared to big industrial developments, shopping centers etc. This may be the reason for the lack of marketing in the residential sector and why the general public is not aware of the quantity surveying profession. The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the specific role of the professional quantity surveyor in the construction industry and to explain the significant effect a quantity surveyor can have on a construction project. 1.2 Problem Statement The general public who is not involved in the construction industry is unaware of the quantity surveying profession and the functions the quantity surveyor perform and this lack of knowledge can lead to their exploitation if a quantity surveyor is not involved. 1.3 Hypothesis For the purpose of this study the following hypotheses are set out: The general public is unaware of the quantity surveying profession and the services the profession provide. Fees associated with the quantity surveyor may intimidate homeowners who are looking to complete a project with as little investment as possible, not realizing that the quantity surveyor can save you a substantial amount of money by providing you with expert advice on financial and contractual matters. 1.4 Objectives This study has four primary objectives. The objectives are to: Outline the specific role of the quantity surveyor. Realize the major effect a quantity surveyor can have on a building project Make the general public aware of the quantity surveying profession and the functions the quantity surveyor performs. To learn why the general public is reluctant to use the services of a quantity surveyor. 1.5 Methodology A qualitative research approach was follow for the purpose of this study. The researcher has conducted a comprehensive review of relevant literature on the topic. The focus has been on the quantity surveying profession and the services it provide. Personal interviews have been conducted with professional quantity surveyors. To understand the broader picture members of the general public who recently became homeowners (of newly constructed buildings) was asked to complete a questionnaire. Attention has been given to whether or not the services of a quantity surveyor was utilized and if not, why? 1.6 Delimitations The research is limited to the residential construction industry. The focus of the research is on the services of a professional quantity surveyor and not that of the contractors quantity surveyor. Members of the general public who was approached with questionnaires was limited to those who were recently involved with the construction of a residential building. 1.7 Assumptions The researcher assumed that all data collected are accurate and all interviews and questionnaires conducted were answered truthfully. CHAPTER TWO THE QUANTITY SURVEYING PROFESSION 2.1 Introduction In this chapter all the literature on the related topic collected by the researcher will be reviewed. This review will include literature on the history of the quantity surveyor, the contractors quantity surveyor, competencies of a professional quantity surveyor, fees of the professional quantity surveyor, estimating and cost advice as well as the use of a bill of quantities. The core focus however will be to outline the specific functions of the professional quantity surveyor. 2.2 History of the quantity surveyor According to the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (2010), the quantity surveying profession started with the turn of the nineteenth century. The first recorded use of the term Quantity surveyor was in 1859. Before then the terms measurer, Custom surveyor or surveyor were used. At that time it was custom for the surveyor to work for the master builders, measuring the completed work and often submitting biased final accounts to the building owners. As a result of this behavior it became the norm for building owners to enter into a contract and invite tenders before any work commenced. According to Bowles Le Roux (1992:4), this gave rise to competition and builders tendering realized that they were spending an immense amount of time and effort measuring and calculating to arrive at a tender figure. In addition there was the added danger that the builders interpreted the architects drawings differently which would lead to inaccurate pricing and result in the tenders not being calculated on an uniform basis. The builders realized that a surveyor could be employed to act as an unbiased person to measure the quantities on their behalf. This insured that the builders tendered on the same basis whilst sharing the cost for the surveyor. Building owners were afraid of unethical practice between the builders and the surveyor and realized it would be to their personal advantage to appoint and compensate the quantity surveyor. This is how the independent professional quantity surveyor gained consultant status. In South Africa the title quantity surveyor is reserved under the Quantity Surveyors Act of 1970 for the sole use by those who had acquired the obligatory qualifications and experience stipulated under the Act. Furthermore, those persons must register with the South African Council for Quantity Surveyors before they can act as consultants to the general public (ASAQS, 2010) 2.3 Contractors quantity surveyor The main difference between a professional quantity surveyor and a contractors quantity surveyor is that the latter is employed by the construction company and not by the client. Dent (1970:7) states that a contractor who undertakes big projects will need a quantity surveying staff. The contractors surveyor will represent the contractor and the contractors interest will be the main priority. According to Cornick and Osbon (1994:108), the contractors quantity surveyor spends comparatively the same amount of time on cost planning, feasibility studies and tender appraisal as the professional quantity surveyor and significantly more on post-contract services but significantly less on preparing tender documentation. Project cost control is one function that requires equal efficiency by both surveyors, the contractors quantity surveyor on behalf of the contractor and the professional quantity surveyor on behalf of the client. Cornick and Osbon (1994:109) identified seven main functions for the contractors quantity surveyor namely: Valuation of work completed for payment from client and payment to subcontractor. Determination of change due to variation from client or designer. Preliminaries allocation. Subcontractor accounts to agree tender and actual costs. Financial reporting for quarterly account forecasts. Cost accounting for plant and material use by company. Cost accounting for labour use by the company. Clients expectations of project cost control will increase as the clients and their cost advisers become more complex. The clients will be expecting the cost of their buildings to be reduced to match their budget. Therefore contractors quantity surveyor must strive to improving their cost controlling and accounting capabilities for the construction companies that they work for. 2.4 The professional quantity surveyor According to Bowles Le Roux (1992:3) the quantity surveyor is a professional consultant appointed by the client who wishes to invest in property development. It is the quantity surveyors responsibility to advise the client, architect and engineer on all financial and contractual matters from the pre-tender stage right through to the completion of the project. For the quantity surveyor to accomplish this role he must develop a comprehensive understanding of the various construction methods and have a transparent understanding of the different forms of contract and sub-contract agreements available in the construction industry. The quantity surveyor must be capable of advising on the cost of alternative construction methods and costs of different materials. An analytical approach must be adopted in finding beneficial solutions in the interest of the client. The Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) states that a professional quantity surveyor will draw on extensive cost information obtained from client databases and experience from other projects for effective budget setting. It is the quantity surveyors ongoing implementation of financial discipline in the areas of budget setting, alternative design option costing, cash flow predictions, final cost forecasting, management of variations including potential areas of dispute and timeous final account settlement, etc. that allows the maximum value for money requirement to be achieved. 2.4.1 Standard quantity surveying services According to A Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments (2006) the standard services that can be provided by a professional quantity surveyor are: Financial viability studies and the initial budget planning prior to the detailed design to establish whether the project is feasible in terms of the clients financial budget; Preliminary cost studies and comparing alternative designs and materials in terms of operating and maintenance costs; Monitoring the design as it evolves to ensure it stays within clients budget; Preparing tender documentation for pricing by contractors and advising on contractual arrangements; Evaluating the submitted tenders and reporting on the suitability thereof; Negotiating the contract sums with the individual contractors; Preparing cash flow predictions; Preparing cost reports at regular intervals; Valuing construction work in progress; Preparing the final account thus determining the final cost; Settlement of the final costs with the contractor and sub-contractors. Additional specialist services that many quantity surveyors are experienced in providing are: Acting as project manager; Acting as principle agent; Consulting on property development; Valuation of buildings for insurance purposes etc.; Acting as an expert witness; Advising on the settlement of disputes through mediation and arbitration. Facilitating with fast track construction projects; Providing services for projects in engineering, mining and petro-chemical industries. It is recommended to employ the quantity surveyors full services as a professional consultant rather than in a technical/measurement role in order to utilize the quantity surveyors expertise to the best advantage. 2.4.2 Competencies of the professional quantity surveyor Competencies can be defined as the ability a person should have in a given occupational area subject to external and internal factors like organization size, type, and age (Barret, 1992). (Holmes Joyce, 1993) defined competence as a description of an action, a mode of behavior or outcome that a person should be able to demonstrate, or the ability to transfer skills and knowledge to new situations within the occupational area. In the construction industry the quantity surveyor can be seen as the economist and cost accountant, whose services facilitate the client to obtain the maximum value for the clients investment. There are three aspects which reflect value for a client in the construction industry, namely cost, time and quantity. Quantity surveyors add value to the construction project performance by using the appropriate competencies. It is therefore important for an assessment of the quantity surveyors competencies in order to highlight the continuing relevance of their services in the construction industry (Nkado Meyer, 2001:483). The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) set out the competencies required by professional quantity surveyors in three categories, namely basic -, core and optional competencies. Table 1 below presents the competencies in three categories. Under the structure of the RICS the basic competencies are present in all construction professions, the core competencies primarily for quantity surveyors and the optional competencies are required for specialization in a specific field. Table 1: Competencies set out by the RICS (Nkado Meyer, 2001:484). A Study conducted by Nkado and Meyer (2001:484) identified 23 defined competencies which apply to quantity surveyors in South Africa. A questionnaire was sent to randomly selected members of the ASAQS of a different demographic background. The questionnaire listed the 23 competencies in alphabetical order. The respondents were asked to rate the importance of the competencies for a career as a professional quantity surveyor in South Africa at present, the importance in the future and the level of evidence of each competency in the quantity surveying profession. Rating worked on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"not important and 5 being à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"very important. The researchers ensured the respondents anonymity to attain an honest response. Table 2: Competencies ratings (Nkado Meyer, 2001:487). Table 2 shows the ratings which have been converted to percentages for effective interpretation. It is interesting to note that three of the traditional core competencies are rated in the top five competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa at present, the three being procurement and financial management, economics of construction and construction contract practice. The results showed that management orientated competencies were rated of higher importance for future services while the highest importance for current services were technically orientated. The five most important competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa at present are: Computer literacy and information technology; Procurement and financial management; Economics of construction; Construction contract practice; Measurement. The five most important competencies required by quantity surveyors in South Africa in the future are: Computer literacy and information technology; Procurement and financial management; Economics of construction; Project management; Marketing. Competencies utilized by quantity surveyors with greatest efficiency in South Africa are: Measurement; Procurement and financial management; Professional practice; Construction contract practice; Economics of construction. It is evident that management orientated competencies will grow in importance and will replace the traditional technically orientated competencies as the core competencies of the quantity surveyor (Nkado Meyer,2001:490). 2.4.3 Professional quantity surveying fees The fees charged by professional quantity surveyors are proportionate with the work done for the client and according to A Guide for Quantity Surveying Appointments 2006 there are 5 options available: A time charge; A percentage fee based on a tariff recommended by The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (see Table 3); An agreed percentage of the contract value; A lump-sum fee; Any other fee arranged between the quantity surveyor and the client. 2.4.3.1 Time Charges The following recommended hourly time charges for the private sector were approved by The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession with effect from 1 January 2010 (SACQSP, 2010). (All rates are exclusive of VAT.) Not exceeding 5 years experience R 700-00 Exceeding 5 years and not exceeding 10 years experience R 1 250-00 Exceeding 10 years experience R 1 750-00 Specialist work R 2 190-00 2.4.3.2 Percentage fees By using table 3 a basic fee will be determined and multiplied by the appropriate percentage (Table 4, 5 6). The basic fee shall be calculated on the value for fee purposes (see table 3). Table 3: Basic fee (SACQSP, 2010) Table 4: Appropriate percentages for building work (SACQSP, 2010) Table 5: Appropriate percentages for engineering work (SACQSP, 2010) Table 6. Appropriate percentages for management services (SACQSP, 2010) Once the primary charge (table 3) is established, the amount is multiplied by the appropriate percentage. In addition to this there will be a marginal rate which would be added to the primary charge. The gross amount will be payable to the quantity surveyor as the professional fees. 2.5 Estimating and cost advice Aibinu and Pasco (2008:1258) states: Pre-tender cost estimation (or early stage cost estimation) is the forecasting of the cost of a project during the planning and design stage. Research done by Trost and Oberlender (2003) identified 11 factors that play a role in the precision of estimates of which the 5 most important are: Process design; Estimator team experience and cost information; Time spent on preparation of estimate; Site requirements; The current labour and bidding climate. According to Bennett, Morrison and Stevens (1981) estimating is the main function of cost planning services provided by the quantity surveyor. They conclude that cost planning is unsuccessful without decent estimating. Morrison (1984:57) states that quantity surveyors have developed different methods for estimating to deal with the large variety of projects and designs. These different methods differ in detail with some estimates being very thorough, for instance a priced bill of quantities. Other may be very simple and only entail a simple lump sum estimate. All other factors being equal, the estimates accuracy will increase as the detail and time spent in preparing the estimate increases. 2.5.1 Clients brief The client, architect (design team) and the quantity surveyor are the most important members in the in the project briefing process. According to research done (Bowen, Pearl, Nkado Edwards, n.d.) it is vital to have an efficient client brief if the client is to reach his objectives with regard to the time, cost and quality of the project. Insufficient briefing of the design team by the client can lead to major frustration and unhappiness for the client. The brief procedure is the process where the client explains and spells out the objectives and requirements of a project (Bowen et al., n.d.). Bowen (1993) states that: The purpose of this stage is for the clients to communicate to the design team and specialist consultants their needs and objectives in initiating the project. For the client to be satisfied, the design of the building must fulfill the clients needs with regards to the technical aspects and quality standards. In addition to this the project must be completed within the budget and on time (Seymour Louw, 1990). In order to achieve this, a detailed and complete client brief is necessary to eliminate as many uncertainties as possible. 2.5.2 Feasibility studies After the briefing process, the quantity surveyor will do a feasibility study. The outcome of the feasibility study helps the client to decide whether to go ahead with the project. A feasibility study is conducted to ascertain whether a project idea is economically viable (Hofstrand Clause, n.d.). It is the quantity surveyors responsibility to make recommendations to the client on the viability of the project and give professional advice on any alternatives. The feasibility study involves economical and technical investigations that allow the client to decide whether to proceed with the project (Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, 2010). According to Hofstrand Clause (n.d.) a feasibility study: Identifies alternatives. Identifies reasons not to proceed. Indicate new opportunities. Gives quality information for better decision making. Assist in acquiring funding from banks and other investors. 2.6 Use of bill of quantities After the quantity surveyor completes the elemental estimate the client will decide whether the project will go ahead or not. This decision is largely based on whether the estimate is within the clients budget or not. If the estimate is within budget the client should instruct the architect to prepare detailed working drawings for construction. The quantity surveyor can start with the preparation of the bill of quantities once he has received these drawings (Bowles Le Roux, 1992). Davis, Love and Baccarini (2009:99) states that the bill of quantities has 2 main uses and these can be categorized under pre-contract and post-contract stage. In the pre-contract stage the bill of quantities aid contractors to prepare their tenders. In the post-contract stage the bill of quantities assists the quantity surveyor and the contractor in the valuation of the work in progress and work completed for payment purposes. The bill of quantities is mainly used for tendering purposes. It enables contractors to prepare tenders using the same information which will lead to more accurate tender sums. The bill of quantities allow for a common basis on which the tenders can be compared. This brings about a competitive market (Kodikara, Thorpe McCaffer, 1993:261). According to Bowles and Le Roux (1992) the bill of quantities describes the nature of the building. It is a document which lists all the items that need to be completed for the construction of the building. These items required for the completion of the building is measured from drawings and specifications received from the architect and engineers. The total cost for the project will be the sum of all the individual items added together. When these items are priced there must be an allowance for the execution of each item as well as a realistic profit margin. The information in the bill of quantities can be classified into three fundamental categories namely; preliminaries, preambles and bills. The preliminaries of a contract entail all requirements of the project which do not have a direct impact on the construction works. The preliminaries of a contract may include health and safety requirements, access to and from site, accommodation for workforce, insurances required etc. Preambles define the standards of workmanship and materials to be used. The bills contain the measured items needed to complete the works and comprises of the description, units and quantities (Kodikara et al., 1993:261). The bill of quantities, detailed construction drawings, engineering drawings and specifications will be issued to building contractors. These documents form part of the tender documentation. The tender documents enable contractors to submit a competitive tender for a project and aid them in determining an accurate price for the completion of the building. A practical time limit is set for the contractors to price the bill. All tenders should be handed in before the specified closing date. According to Davis et al. (2009:103), the bill of quantities has various advantages to the parties involved in a project: Pre-contract stage: Database à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides a cost database for future estimating Fee calculation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides a conclusive basis for the calculation of professional fees Asset management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provide data for asset management of finished building, insurance, maintenance schedules etc. Taxation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Provide basis for precise preparation of depreciation schedules as part of the asset management plan. Post-contract stage: Accurate progress payments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It becomes a basis from which the interim payments can be evaluated. This insures work is done at a reasonable price and gives the contractor and client peace of mind that the contractor is not paid too much or too little for work completed. Pricing of contract instructions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It provides a basis for the valuation of variations to the project. Risk management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Prices from the contractor in the bill of quantities can be compared with current market related prices. According to Davis et al. (2009:103), the major disadvantages of the bill of quantities are that the preparation is time consuming and it tends to increase cost. 2.7 Conclusion It is clear from the above that the quantity surveyor can be a very valuable addition to the clients professional team. Quantity surveyors in South Africa are competent professionals. From the inception stage of a project, right through to the final payment, the quantity surveyor will give expert advice on financial and contractual matters. The successful completion of a project can never be guaranteed due to the many uncontrollable factors in the construction industry. However having the services of a quantity surveyor at your disposal will greatly improve the chances of completing a project successfully and within budget. CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.1 Data In this chapter the data collection methods and the analysis of the data is explained. For the purpose of this study a qualitative research methodology was followed in order to test the hypotheses put forward. The research was conducted by way of a comprehensive literature review and collecting data through interviews and questionnaires. The research problem is mainly that the general public is unaware of the quantity surveying profession therefore data relating to the services that the quantity surveyor offer and the profession in general were required. 3.2 Collection of data Books and journals on the related topic from local and international sources were used for the collection of data. All the data was collected before the field work started and was done over a two month period. Furthermore, primary data was collected through personal interviews and questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with quantity surveyors. The interviews were informal but due to the researchers relative lack of experience in conducting interviews the questions were well prepared. Questionnaires were used to obtain the necessary data from members of the general public who were recently involved in the construction of a residential building. The questionnaires consisted out of open ended questions and were administered in person. To maximize to accuracy of the response the questions were short and in unambiguous language (Leedy Ormrod, 2005:190). To insure the validity of the research an honest response is required. For this reason the names of individuals and the quantity surveying company approached for the research will be held confidential. 3.3 Data analysis The qualitative data was organized, summarized and analyzed by the researcher in order to reach a conclusion and make recommendations. It should be noted that the sample is very small, but for the purpose of this study it is sufficient for the researcher to understand the problem at hand and reach a conclusion. CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction Primary data was collected through interviews and questionnaires as explained in the previous chapter. Ten individuals who were recently involved in a residential project were approached to complete the questionnaire. This chapter will discus the findings of the questionnaire and will incorporate the data collected from interviews with quantity surveyors. 4.1.1 Awareness of the quantity surveying profession Figure 4.1 Indicate the awareness of the quantity surveying profession. It was found that the large majority of the respondents were aware of the profession. However this does not necessarily mean they understand what the profession entails. An interesting observation was that the respondent, who was not aware of the quantity surveying profession, was the only respondent under 30 years of age. 4.1.2 Understanding of the quantity surveyor The question was what the understanding of quantity surveyors was by the respondents. Three of the ten respondents had reas