Customer Service At The Real Estate Industry Essay

1. Introduction Internet is an important component in the development of real estate, and plays a key role in fierce on-line real estate sites competition. The concepts of customer-service are central to the success of on-line real estate companies. Existing research recognizes the critical role played by customer-service. Customer service in the real estate business is evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. One step forward is the simple realization that your current customers are potential gold-plated, low-cost ambassadors-the bottom-line lifeblood of your company. [Kathleen McKenna-Harmon, 2002] Surveys such as that conducted by Penny Patterson (2009) placed that Customer service at the center of the business and said: The needs of our customers were, and still are, paramount. Therefore, I think customer service is also at the heart of on-line real estate sites. On-line real estate services become a trend, as buyers can get listings based on the criteria they set with online computer real estat e services. [Kerwin, Ann Marie†¨,1992] The main challenge faced by on line real estate companies is about how to gain customers through fierce websites information competition, I would like to add great importance to combining on-line and off-line customer service together to increase the trading numbers. My main reason for choosing this topic is personal interest. It is my experience of working in real estate companies that has driven this research. It is not easy for a company toShow MoreRelatedEconomic Impact On The Real Estate Market Essay1592 Words   |  7 PagesEconomic Environment Impact Interest rates have a major economic impact on the real estate market. Interest rates directly affect property sales. Residential property realizes the greatest affect as interest rates have a considerable influence on a homebuyer’s capability to purchase a new property. The customer is affected when there are significant increases or decreases in interest rates. Declining interest rates lower the costs of obtaining a mortgage; this in turn creates higher demand for homesRead MoreMarketing Mix Of My Real Estate1352 Words   |  6 PagesQuestion 1 I would like to market my real estate services to my prospects. A real estate investor really needs today’s environment for investing professionals with competence, are available, are transparent and intelligent. Therefore, they will absolutely need real estate services from the professionals with the qualities. My expected financial compensation will depend on the number of clients and the type of buildings erected. Big commercial buildings I would expect $100,000 while the normal residentialRead MoreCase Study : Jack Conways Current State1441 Words   |  6 Pageswith take into consideration company’s current state in relation to the real estate industry, and other relevant notes. All relevant research and analysis will be framed with future growth and acquisition in mind. Information available for this client is very limited due to its standing as a privately own company. This will affect the clients overview; consequently, our understanding of the client will be fo cus on its industry. CLIENT’S OVERVIEW Name: Jack Conway Company, Inc. Founded: 1956 ChiefRead MoreAnalysis of a Leading Real Estate Company in Virginia, CBPRO1423 Words   |  6 Pages CBPRO is a leading real estate company in Virginia, an independent franchisor of the Coldwell banker brand since 2001. CBPRO’s business focuses on residential real estate services such as selling, buying, and leasing houses; has 299 agents in 13 offices. The residential real estate industry is influenced by the ups and downs of the economy. In good times it fuels consumers confidence and spending, and in bad times consumers are cautious and not willing to invest in a house etc. CBPRO had aRead MoreBenefits Of Online Travel Agencies Essay1437 Words   |  6 Pagesresources and information are convenient to reach, and customers no longer need to visit local travel retailers. Thus the online travel agencies(OTAs) take customers away, shrinking the travel retailers’ market share to one third. For example, in United States, the travel retail location declined from 34,0 00 in the mid-1990s to13,000 in 2013. (L. Weber, 2013) OTAs have somehow substituted travel retailers and become another intermediate between customers and merchants. The influence of Internet is determinantRead MoreCritical Success Factors Of A Firm s Performance985 Words   |  4 Pagescompany in the real estate business all of these critical success factors are either dependent upon or relate to the service provided by the firm. If a company is not providing the level or type of service which consumers are demanding, then none of the critical success factors mentioned above will show a positive position or future for the company. A generational change in the needs and wants of consumers in the real estate business has caused the growth of what the traditional service providers areRead MoreJob Title : Real Estate Developer Owners1444 Words   |  6 PagesREAL ESTATE DEVELOPER WANTED! JOB TITLE: REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER DEPARTMENT: MANAGEMENT GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION Real estate developers oversee the purchase existing or undeveloped residential, commercial or industrial real estate, make improvements to any buildings on it or construct new buildings, and sell or lease the improved land or buildings for profit. During the process of real estate development, developers are responsible for buying land, negotiating with zoning officials for the purpose ofRead MoreReal Estate Case Study: Security Captical Pacific Trust Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesReal Estate Case Study: Security Captical Pacific Trust 1. The lack of branding in SCPT? There are several reasons that explain the traditional lack of branding in the real estate industry. One of the most important reasons is that the real estate industry has been seen as a commodity business for hundreds of years; the main focus was on the property and so the product was considered as a tangible aspect only not about the customer. E.g. SCPT did not even know who its customers wereRead MoreBus210 Assignment Swot Analysis937 Words   |  4 PagesStart-Up Real Estate Business Plan. Golden Valley Real Estate, LLC (GVRE) is a start-up company located in the Tucson, AZ area and has designed a business model to provide full service real estate, mortgage, and title needs as well as a few ancillary services to a growing retirement demographic in the region. The founder of the company is Mrs. Susan Egan. Mrs. Egan possesses a significant and successful background in the real estate industry, having worked for RE/MAX Real Estate Company forRead MoreCase Study : Blue Ocean Strategy1587 Words   |  7 Pagescreating. ERRC Grid help company to remain on their competitive factors. Eliminating and reduce the factor that the transitional industry take it for granted can help the new strategy to remain unique from the transitional market. Nevertheless, raising and creating some unique competitive factor the transitional market never or seldom offered that is above the industry standard. With all these â€Å"Four Actions Framework† the company can escape the transitional red ocean market by activate a new blue

Rhetorical Analysis Of Bay Leaves And Cinnamon Sticks

A Rhetorical Analysis of Bay Leaves and Cinnamon Sticks: Life is Relationships are a vital component in ones everyday life. Moreover, in Bay Leaves and Cinnamon Sticks: Life is by Thelma B. Thompson, Millie, the main character in the book, has faced multiple obstacles dealing with relationships. Thompson uses a unique method of combining relationships with three different appeal schemes, ethos, pathos, logos. In fact, there are three major types of connections recycled throughout the book; which include, Romantic relationships, friendships, and family relationships. Furthermore, her relationships have steered her life in different directions since she was nine years old, and without them she definitely would not be the hardworking,†¦show more content†¦She had to save every hard earned dime she could toward her house, her place, with her name on the title.† (Thompson 11). This passage shows the reader that Millie is determined to provide for her family no matter what; literally, she left Jamaica and her family to make a better living for them. This also shows her selfless attitude, her willingness to go without just to see her family prevail; this establishes credibility with the reader considering they think Millie is not truthful in her plans. Another example takes place between Millie and the church, they want one tenth of Millie’s earnings, but she tells them that money is all she has to live on, and God has spoken to her in a dream; â€Å"Millicent, you are a hard working girl. Follow me. Follow the light to your new house† (Thompson 13). In other words, this passage is not only persuasion to the reader, but the church as well; this is because God provided proof in the dream. Now, not only does she believe in her ambition, but God reassures her. Ultimately, Thompson definitely leaves an imprint in the readers mind that Millie is about her business and values her relationship with her family so much that she is willing to do wha tever it takes to see them prevail. Secondly, following ethos is the appeal of pathos. Millie has endured more suffering than anyone in the book, for example, the

Business Capstone Project Part of Business Research

Question: Describe about the Business Capstone Project for the Part of Business Research. Answer: Chapter 3 Data Collection and Analysis Introduction to Data Collection and Analysis Data collection and the analysis of the data are the most important parts of a research (Andrews and Herzberg 2012). A research cannot be complete without the data or the figures that will help in proper completion the research work (Englander 2012). Improper data will lead to faulty results (Erickson 2012). The researcher should be able to select the correct participants. There can be various consequences if the data is not collected in a proper manner: The research questions, which are the help the readers to get an idea of the research work will not be answered accordingly The researcher will not be able to validate the study with the inappropriate data The findings will be distorted and the resources that have been collected for the research will be wasted It will mislead the future researchers and they might use the present research as the source of secondary data for their further study. In addition to this, the gaps that will be pointed out in the research work will be different from the one that would have been if the data was correct The decision will be compromising as far as the public policy is concerned Can harm the animal for human participants However, it is important to maintain integrity while collecting the data and quality assurance and quality control is necessary while collecting the data (Ritchie et al. 2013). A researcher need to carry out certain quality to see that the data that are being collected has certain quality (Wilcox et al. 2012). Some of the failure of the quality assurance activities can be listed in the following manner: Indecisiveness about the timing, type of participants, method that will be required to review the data The list of items that will be required in the research work in not complete The description of the instruments that will be used to collect the data is not mentioned properly as it should be done to complete the research work Improper identification of the strategies or specific content that will help in training the employees to collect the data Improper instructions and making adjustments in the equipments that will help in data collection No backup plan for not making the changes in the document that will help in proper investigation of the product Quality control is mainly are the activities that person should take into account while carrying out the interview of the participants (Cohen, Manion and Morrison 2013). Quality control mainly involves the activities or the actions that will be put to use once there is any problem arising in the data (Creswell 2013). Some of the problems that need a prompt action from the part of the researcher have been listed below: Error in individual data of the participants Systematic errors while carrying out the research work Violation of protocol by any of the participants while the research is going on Problems with any individual who is either a participant or helping in carrying out the interview Problems in the site where the data collection is going on Any case of fraud Any kind of scientific misconduct while the interview is going on For the present research as well, the research will keep in mind the actions required while collecting the data. The types of data that will be collected to complete the research work and the types of data analysis that will be used for the present research has also been mentioned accordingly. Data Sampling Method The data to complete the research will be collected both with the help of primary sources as well as secondary sources (Fowler Jr 2013). The secondary sources will be the research papers of other authors who have carried out studies on similar topics (Weigold, Weigold and Russell 2013). In addition to this, other online data like the blogs by any authors or the facilities provided by various restaurants if available online would act as the secondary data. On the other hand, the feedback of the customers will act as the primary data. The customers will be the parents of the kids who are coming to the restaurants with their family. They will be asked about the facilities provided by the restaurant to make the place better for the kids. The stress will be mainly on the food provided by the restaurant as well as the furniture for the kids. The sample for the primary research will be chosen based ion family visits to the restaurant. Only those members will be interviewed who will say that they have kids and they have faced issues with the kids. In addition to this, the managers of the hotel will be interviewed to know about the facilities they provide to the parents of the kids. Three managers will be questioned who are working in various managerial positions in the restaurant. The interview of the managers will be helpful in understanding the steps taken by the restaurant owners to make the kids comfortable in the restaurants. The amenities also help the parents to have family time in a tension free manner. Fifty customers will be interviewed to understand the problems they face with their kids. The feedback of the customers will be taken with the help of questionnaires. The questionnaires will be close-ended along with multiple-choice answers. The feedback of the managers will be taken in form of open-ended questions. As they have to describe the steps taken by the restaurant to support the kids, close-ended questions will limit the feedback of the managers (Witwe r et al. 2013). The feedback of the managers will be recorded in the audio format. The managers will be explaining a number of facilities for the kids and hence, it will be difficult for the interviewer to keep a track of their feedback. Moreover, the manager might not have time to write their feedback in paper or through e-mail. However, before the recording proper permission will be taken from the managers (Chan, Fung and Chien 2013). Ninety-five percent accuracy levels can be guaranteed from the data collected. The limitation will be the personal choices of the customers for any restaurant that might not have good amenities for kids but have other facilities that have been able to impress the customers. On the other hand, experiences will also act as a problem. The restaurant might have good amenities for the kids but due to some problems that customers might have faced some other time but not in the similar context. Due to the past experience they can give negative feedback, whi ch might make the result inaccurate (Kitchin and Tate 2013). Data Analysis The data will be analyzed with the help of narrative technique as well as using statistical methods. The feedback of the customers will be analyzed with the help of the software SPSS (Myers 2013). A co-relation analysis between the feedback of the customers and the services of the customers will be analyzed in the data analysis section. If the customers are happy regarding a particular service as asked to them, the positive reply will indicate that the restaurant is doing well (Gelman et al. 2014). On the other hand, the negative comment will indicate that the services provided by the restaurant are not up to the mark. The statistical methodwill be useful for any researcher who is taking into consideration a huge amount of participants. The feedbacks of the participants are given a code and the code is matched with the software. The feedback of the customers is limited to giving answers to multiple-choice questions. They are not allowed to give descriptiveanswers that are being that re being asked to them. As the numbers of participants are huge, it becomes difficult for the researcher to analyze descriptive data. The analysis with the help of statistical data could be useful to support the narrative analysis of present in the research. The statistical method is most useful for nay researchas it give the exact result to the questions. For the present research the feedback of the managers are narrative and to support the feedback of the managers, the statisticalanalysis of the customers data is would be required. The managers are talking about the facilities that theyprovide to the people who are coming to the restaurant. To validate whether the feedback of the managers are true, the feedback of the customer will be useful for the present research. The narrative research can be defined as the approach to analyze a data that mainly depends on written, spoken or visual data (Riff, Lacy and Fico 2014). The narrative approach mainly focus in the experience of the individual that they have faced in personal or professional life (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). The focus of this kind of research is on the story or narrations that the participant talks about and the ways that an even might have happened in the organization (Schmidt and Hunter 2014). Narrative approach can also be real world measures when the approach is mainly focused in real life problems. However, the narrative approach might not stand alone to help the researcher reach a proper conclusion of the report (Baskerville and Wood-Harper 2016). A narrative approach should take into consideration some of the facts or figures (Edwards and Lampert 2014). A research can be considered complete once they have certain data to proof that the research is correct (Ioannidis et al . 2014). The audience might be required to give a validation of the data that have been analyzed with the help of the narrative technique (Kruschke 2014). If a person is speaking about the problems or events then the feedback of the customers might be required to validate whether the data presented by the person is correct (Kruschke 2014). In addition to this, the narrative technique might have high level of inaccuracy. To save the name of the organization, it might happen that the person will give biased answers (Haberman 2014). However, to understand a problem or a topic in a proper manner, narrative technique will be useful for the research (Silverman 2016). The narrative method will help in understanding the feedback of the managers and the problems that they are facing in the organization (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). The managers will describe the services that have been already taken into account by the restaurant (Brown 2015). The managers will also throw light on the a ctions that have been taken into account for future development and make the atmosphere of the restaurant kid-friendly (Bryman and Bell 2015). The secondary data will be analyzed with the help of the descriptive method (Kabacoff 2015). The secondary data will have the evaluation of the papers that have been done by the authors (Keenan, van Teijlingen and Pitchforth 2015). Hence, it will have the feedback of other customers who have been to the restaurant and have faced issues with the child facilities (Cressie 2015). Thus, descriptive method will help the researcher to compare the data that have been presented in the paper that have been presented in the paper (Male 2015). Conclusion to Data Collection and Analysis The research is mainly based on an Indian restaurant where the faculties for the kids like proper furniture and proper food. The data will be collected from the customers as well as the managers of the Indian restaurant at Harris Park. The feedback of the customers will be quantitative in nature and will have close-ended questions along with multiple-choice answers. On the other hand, the feedback of the managers will be taken with the help open-ended question where the managers will be giving their feedback in a descriptive manner. The secondary data will also be analyzed in a descriptive manner. The data analysis will also be different for various sources. The feedback of the managers will be analyzed with the help of statistical and the feedback of the mangers will be analyzed with the help of the narrative techniques. The analysis of the secondary data will take into consideration the descriptive method to explain the data interpreted by the previous researchers. Chapter 4 Discussion of the results Discussion on Hypotheses H0: There is no need to take care of the food and furniture for the children in a restaurant H1: There is a need to take care of the food and furniture for the children in a restaurant After going through the literature review, it can be said that alternative hypothesis that is there is a need of different furniture and different needs for the children who are going to the restaurant. The null hypothesis has been rejected and the alternate hypothesis is selected mainly because of the fact that the Indian restaurant has thought of the family bonding, the health of the children and the problems they face while having food at a restaurant. In addition to this, the food habits of the children have also been taken care by the restaurant owners. The children are not able to reach the table due to their height. In addition to this, the food habits of the children should be taken care by the restaurant authority. The Indian restaurant can design their food in such a manner so that the children are attracted to their food and eat healthy. Discussion on Literature and Research Results The literature review mainly talked about the facilities and amenities that are required by children but at times are overlooked by the managers of many restaurants. At times, the marketing of the products is mainly based on grown up customers but they tend to forget that children are important customers any product. The example of McDonalds will be perfect in this manner. The happy meals are mainly directed towards the taste and preference of the children. Toys and gifts that are given with the meals will attract children. Foods like burger, pizza, chicken popcorns are favourites among the children. however, while marketing the food for the children, the marketer should keep in mind that children will eat less than the adults, hence the portion of products have to be designed for the kids should have small portions of food. for example if any offer for the adults have large cold drinks then the offer for the children should have small or medium cold drinks. The main setback that has been found is that the junk foods are quite favourite among the kids but the parents of the children are mainly concerned about the health of the kids and they do not let the children take junk food. Thus, the companies who are marketing junk food might face concerns from the parents regarding issue of health problems while marketing the products. The Indian restaurant, which is mainly thinking about the choices of children, might face issues, as they would not be able to make the westernized products like pizza and burgers. Hence, they have to market the foods by keeping in mind the appearance of the food. Kids are mainly attracted by the appearance of the food as they have little knowledge about the nutritional value of the food. Indian foods look traditional and the kids get attracted to the westernised food like the burgers, pastries and pizzas. The children do not like the Indian sweets. Thus, the Indian restaurant present at the Harrispark should give a different look to the food and make the nutritional food look good for the children. In addition to this, the sweets could be given a colorful appearance so that the colourful appearance attracts the children. In that way, the children will get the nutrition in the form of good-looking food and the business of the Indian restaurant will flourish accordingly. The literature also discussed about the spices that are being used in the cooking of the food. Many Indian families re well-acquainted in using spices while having the food. On the other hand, the many families ado not have spices in their food. However, spices should not be used in the food for the children. Hence, the restaurant owners should introduce food that is less on spices. As the literature review suggests food like sweet potato, flaxseed, yogurt and tofu should be given to the children who are coming to therestaurantforhaving the food. TheIndian restaurant at the Harrispark has taken into consideration the Indian culture while creating the ambience of the restaurant. It has decorated in such a manner that the children will be able to sit with their parents on the ground. Many children face problem because they are not able to reach the table due to the height of the table as well the distance of the table from the chair. It makes the dining even more difficult for the children. Indian holds the ancient ritual of sitting on the ground and having the food with family. However, nowadays the situation is entirely different for the restaurant present in the Indian market. Once a child will sit in the ground the problems of reaching the table will ultimately would not be there for them. They will be able to sit and have lunch or dinner with family as well as they will learn the age old tradition of India. Many restaurants have furniture that is mainly for the entertainment of the kids. They might not be there for any useful purpose but the kids will be entertained with the furniture. Due to this reason, the restaurant should be spacious enough so that things could be accommodated in the place even if it does not have direct link with the business. Once the kids will love coming to the restaurant. The parents will feel free to come to the restaurant. Eventually, the business of the restaurant will be enhanced accordingly. Recommendation Since, the business of operating a restaurant is completely based on the customers, it is important for the managers of the business to adopt effective measures that will help the business to achieve high level of customer satisfaction. In order to meet the objectives of the business regarding establishing a successful kid friendly culture, where the needs of the kids are met, there are certain strategies that have to be implemented into the business. Promoting the business of the restaurant helps the managers to increase the sales and the profitability. The company can promote effectively by offering a kids free eat day. Thus, it helps to boost up the lunch or the dinner sales. In the opinion of (Keenan, van Teijlingen and Pitchforth 2015), as mothers wants to treat their child specially, it is important for the managers to focus on the mothers by providing healthy food and services to the children. Developing a coupon strategy is also an attractive method to increase the sales. It helps the customers to repeat visits as the coupon offers combination meals that are even consumable by the children. Furthermore, the restaurant can offer small gifts or presents to the children, that will make the children ask their parents to visit the restaurant again. A variety of games and interesting contents that are based on take home menus can be offered to the customers. This will help to increase the customer satisfaction and thereby increa se the sales. In the modern era, technology has become an interest for all. Even the young generations are highly motivated by the use of technologies and constantly use the technology of their parents. Therefore, the managers of the restaurant business can consider providing digital entertainment to the customers and especially the children. However, the focus of the business needs to be providing kid-friendly food and furniture. The business has to introduce new recipes in the menu that are in more demand by the children. The presentation of the food needs to be more innovative that helps the business to attract the children and grow their interest towards the restaurant. Moreover, the quality of the food needs to be good such that the parents are satisfied with the food. Moreover, along with the food, the furniture of the restaurant needs to be based on the needs of the children. The chairs and tables of the restaurant should come with safety measures so that the children do not fall from seat while eating. Chapter 5: Conclusion The study deals with the topic accommodating the need of the children in the Indian restaurant. from the study, it can be inferred that as the restaurants in India are mainly based on family-oriented culture, the businesses have a high scope of developing if the needs of the children are paid special attention and the meeting the needs. The successful meeting of the needs will help the organisation to achieve higher level of customer satisfaction. The parents are able to enjoy the food and take full pleasure of the environment and the ambience only if their children remain engaged. The engagement of the children will help to avoid disturbance and making of noise. Thus, it can be observed that the suitable measures taken by the restaurant to provide accommodation of the children need in the business will help to achieve customer satisfaction and thereby increase the productivity of the restaurant business. However, it is important for the restaurant business to implement effective strategies to promote the unique kid friendly culture in the restaurant. The promotional strategies will help the restaurant to attract more customers towards the brand. The incorporation of child friendly furniture in the restaurants such as high raised chairs will help the children to have their food easily. In addition to that, the restaurants can arrange special food for the children that are healthy and therefore the parents feel highly satisfied. The introduction of certain foods such as flaxseed, tofu, sweet potato and yogurt helps to create a more effective kid friendly atmosphere in the restaurant. From the data analysis of the survey performed on the customers and the managers of the restaurant, it can be stated that there is a positive impact of the introduction of the kid friendly culture of the restaurant on the customers. The customers are highly satisfied with such environment and therefore vis it the restaurant even in future. The company is thus able to establish a brand image on the customers. The furniture of the restaurant is to be designed in a manner that will be able to create a kid friendly environment and meet the needs of the kids. Thus, the restaurants in India need to implement effective strategies that will help to provide the customers with a kid-friendly culture in the restaurant. Future work There is a huge scope for the researcher to carry out further work in the future regarding this topic or carrying out a research related to this topic. As the researcher faces a number of issues and limitations that hinders the quality work of the research, there is a chance of working on the research in future to improve the quality of the work. The limitations are influences that the researcher is unable to control and therefore, it hampers the outcome of the research in spite of the various precautions undertaken. The limitation of the study places restriction on the conclusion of research work. The researcher is unable to carry out a proper research, as there was limited time available. Moreover, as the researcher carries out both secondary as well as primary research work, the limitation to the work increases. The researcher is unable to force the respondents from taking part in the survey and neither can rely on the outcomes obtained from the respondents, as there is no certain ty. Moreover, the managers of the restaurant did not disclose the loopholes of the company and therefore detailed analysis of the research was not possible. Furthermore, due to limited time, the researcher could not carry out the research on a higher sample size and thus it can be assumed that the individuals apart from the respondents, who were surveyed, had different perception regarding the accommodation of the needs of the kids in the restaurant. Therefore, there is a chance of achieving a completely different outcome, when a different market or other groups of respondents are selected to carry out the research. On the other hand, while carrying out the secondary data collection, a number online journals and articles could not be studied due to the requirement of subscription. All these limitation increases the scope of the study in the future. The researcher in the future can consider a different company in order to analyse the need of the children in the restaurant. The researcher can further consider a different group of respondents to understand the perception of the individuals regarding the need of the children. Furthermore, the researcher can consider a larger sample size that will help to carry out a more elaborative study. Moreover, to make the study more effective the researcher can use strategically effective tools and techniques to analyse the outcome. This particular research will help the researcher in future to achieve information regarding the topic. Thus, the research in the future will become more concrete and effective. Therefore, it can be stated that there are a number of opportunities for the future scope of the study considering either a different business group, location or a different target customer. References Andrews, D.F. and Herzberg, A.M., 2012.Data: a collection of problems from many fields for the student and research worker. Springer Science Business Media. Baskerville, R.L. and Wood-Harper, A.T., 2016.A critical perspective on action research as a method for information systems research. InEnacting Research Methods in Information Systems: Volume 2(pp. 169-190). Springer International Publishing. Brown, T.A., 2015.Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research.Guilford Publications. Bryman, A. and Bell, E., 2015.Business research methods. Oxford University Press, USA. Chan, Z.C., Fung, Y.L. and Chien, W.T., 2013. Bracketing in phenomenology: only undertaken in the data collection and analysis process?.The Qualitative Report,18(30), p.1. Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K., 2013.Research methods in education.Routledge Cressie, N., 2015.Statistics for spatial data.John Wiley Sons. Creswell, J.W., 2013.Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. Edwards, J.A. and Lampert, M.D., 2014.Talking data: Transcription and coding in discourse research.Psychology Press. Englander, M., 2012. The interview: Data collection in descriptive phenomenological human scientific research.Journal of Phenomenological Psychology,43(1), pp.13-35. Erickson, F., 2012.Qualitative research methods for science education.InSecond international handbook of science education(pp. 1451-1469).Springer Netherlands. Fowler Jr, F.J., 2013.Survey research methods.Sage publications. Gelman, A., Carlin, J.B., Stern, H.S. and Rubin, D.B., 2014.Bayesian data analysis(Vol. 2). Boca Raton, FL, USA: Chapman Hall/CRC. Haberman, S.J., 2014.Analysis of qualitative data: Introductory topics. Academic Press. Ioannidis, J.P., Greenland, S., Hlatky, M.A., Khoury, M.J., Macleod, M.R., Moher, D., Schulz, K.F. and Tibshirani, R., 2014. Increasing value and reducing waste in research design, conduct, and analysis.The Lancet,383(9912), pp.166-175. Kabacoff, R., 2015.R in action: data analysis and graphics with R. Manning Publications Co.. Keenan, K.F., van Teijlingen, E. and Pitchforth, E., 2015. The analysis of qualitative research data in family planning and reproductive health care.Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care,31(1), pp.40-43. Kitchin, R. and Tate, N., 2013.Conducting research in human geography: theory, methodology and practice.Routledge. Kruschke, J., 2014.Doing Bayesian data analysis: A tutorial with R, JAGS, and Stan. Academic Press. Male, T., 2015.Analysing Qualitative data.Doing Research in Education: Theory and Practice, p.177. Myers, M.D., 2013.Qualitative research in business and management.Sage. Riff, D., Lacy, S. and Fico, F., 2014.Analyzing media messages: Using quantitative content analysis in research. Routledge. Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C.M. and Ormston, R. eds., 2013.Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage. Schmidt, F.L. and Hunter, J.E., 2014.Methods of meta-analysis: Correcting error and bias in research findings. Sage publications. Silverman, D. ed., 2016.Qualitative research.Sage. Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015.Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley Sons. Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015.Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley Sons. Weigold, A., Weigold, I.K. and Russell, E.J., 2013. Examination of the equivalence of self-report survey-based paper-and-pencil and internet data collection methods.Psychological Methods,18(1), p.53. Wilcox, A.B., Gallagher, K.D., Boden-Albala, B. and Bakken, S.R., 2012. Research data collection methods: from paper to tablet computers.Medical care,50, pp.S68-S73. Witwer, K.W., Buzas, E.I., Bemis, L.T., Bora, A., Lsser, C., Ltvall, J., Nolte, E.N., Piper, M.G., Sivaraman, S., Skog, J. and Thry, C., 2013.Standardization of sample collection, isolation and analysis methods in extracellular vesicle research.Journal of extracellular vesicles,2.

Frankenstein Essay Example

Frankenstein Essay ‘Victor Frankenstein is justly punished for his blatant interference in the natural process of life. It is a clear case of science and ethical responsibility being abused To what extent do you agree with this assertion? Support with close textual reference Frankenstein’s instinctual lust for knowledge and mechanical love for the human anatomy drives his interference in the natural process of life. This interference is harshly ramified within Shelley’s novel through specific characterisations and reference. Frankensteins clear defiance and interference in the natural mechanics was a case of science and ethical responsibility being abused. Shelley’s explicit writing style and emphasis on the consequences which Frankenstein faced, highlights her ideas and concerns about the instinctive line separating science and ethical responsibility. â€Å"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to perform? † Frankenstein’s ambitious and hypnotised state of mind leads him to the creation of his ‘monster’. His efforts, however, are undercut by his creations grotesque appearance. Frankensteins monster was not a product of collaborative scientific effort but of dark, supernatural workings. The appearance of the monster and ultimate rejection by Frankenstein emphasises Shelley’s concerns about the extent of where science can go before it’s considered unethical or immoral. Frankenstein changes over the course of the novel from an innocent youth fascinated by the prospects of science, into a disillusioned, guilt-ridden man determined to destroy the fruits of his arrogant scientific endeavor. We will write a custom essay sample on Frankenstein specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Frankenstein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Frankenstein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In creating a being, Frankenstein was aware that the outcome of this beings physce or appearance could not be articulated or formulated. Shelley emphasises Natures inability to be formulated and it’s essence of beauty and tranquility and juxtaposes this with the ugliness of the Monsters physical appearance. â€Å"The cup of life was poisoned forever† This powerful analogy distinctively relates to this permanent change once structure has been interrupted. The soul binding effect on Creator and Creation is embedded within the underlying text of the novel and is at the forefront of its meaning. Once Frankenstein created this living entity he has an instinctive connection to it. The way in which Frankenstein rejected his creation and unremorseful in his allegations of its being amplified Frankenstein’s disappointment of his work. The cup being poisoned forever relates to the burden in which his creation has not only on Frankensteins life, but the natural voice of humanity. His creation doesn’t only provide inconvenience and suffering to his life, but ultimately this knowledge and creation could affect the mechanics of humanity’s progression. I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me Frankenstein’s monster is ultimately burdened with his grotesque appearance due to his creator’s flaws. Frankenstein not only has felt the burden of his creation but the monster himself has been alienated and isolated from humanity. Frankensteins interruption of the natural processes of life has not only affected him, but ultimately his creation. Frankenstein’s monster feels worthless due to his physical appearance, which really doesn’t bring to justice his natural benevolence and child-like curiosity within his workings. William, Justine, and Henry-they all died by my hands. Frankensteins eventual ultimatum that he had caused the death of his loved ones provides another shift of physce within his character. His emotionless and lobotomised state of mind has driven his character to this obsession of knowledge and natural process. The death of his family is a metaphor for a greater idea of Shelleyâ₠¬â„¢s. Frankensteins journey was ramified by numerous consequences, fatality, morbidity and ultimately his death. Retrospectively, this is only on small scale compared to the progressing image of this ethical responsibility and science dispute, which was coming to light in the 19th Century. Shelley presents devastating consequences for Victor Frankenstein’s over indulgence in the journey of knowledge and the blatant interruption in the natural process of life. Fatality, Morbidity and his ultimate death provide blows of warning and concern throughout her novel. Written by Adam Cuthbertson (A)

Man was born free and is everywhere in chains Essay Example

Man was born free and is everywhere in chains Essay Example Man was born free and is everywhere in chains Paper Man was born free and is everywhere in chains Paper p. 29. 9 Ibid, p. 33. 10 Alexis de Tocqueville, The old Regime and the French revolution (New York: Double Day Anchor Books, 1955), p. 69. (original published 1856, publisher unknown) 11 Cited in Carter, p. 41. 12 Cited in Andrew Heywood, Modern Political Ideologies (London: Macmillan Press, 1992), p. 127. 13 Richard Sylvan, Anarchism in Goodin, Robert, Philip Pettit (ed. ), A companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy (Cambridge: Basil Blackwell, 1993), pp. 215-242. 14 Andrew Heywood, Political Ideologies: An Introduction (London: Macmillan Press, 1992). p. 193. 15 George Growder, Classical Anarchism (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991). p. 191. 16 April Carter, p. 169. 17 David Miller, Anarchism, (London: J. M. Dent Sons Ltd, 1984), p. 171. 18 George Growder, Classical Anarchism, p. 192. 19 Ibid,. p. 193. 20 Norman, P. Barry, An intro to modern political theory, (London: Macmillan Press, 1981). p. 83. 21 John Passmore, The Perfectibility of Man (London: Duckworth, 1970), p. 189. 22 Andrew Heywood, Political Ideologies, p. 211. 23 Harold Barclay, People Without Government, p. 134. 24 David Morland, Anarchism, Human Nature and History, in Jon Purkis James Bowen (ed. ), Twenty-first Century Anarchism (London: Cassell Press, 2000), pp. 8-21. p. 21. 25 Goaman, Karen Mo Dodson. , A Subversive Current? : Contempory Anarchism Considered in Jon Purkis James Bowen (ed. ), Twenty-first Century Anarchism (London: Cassell Press, 2000), pp. 83-97. 26 Murray Bookchin, Anarchism, Marxism, and the Future of the Left (Edinburgh: A. K. Press, 1999). p. 154. 27 Andrew Heywood, p. 211. 28 David Miller, Anarchism, p. 183. Andrew Wallace/1592038/Dr. P. Bradshaw/Political Science/MAS2010.

Abstinence Only Education and Sex Education in the U.S.

Abstinence Only Education and Sex Education in the U.S. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in April 2012 that teen birth rates in the U.S. hit a new low in 2010 and revealed which states had the highest and lowest rates, it prompted a question: Were these outcomes affected by individual states requirements for sex education (sex ed) and/or abstinence-only education? That was soon answered by the Guttmacher Institutes State Policies in Brief paper on Sex and HIV Education in May 2012. The institute has kept the numbers constantly updated since as the trend of lowered teen birth rates has continued to drop nationwide. Required Sex and/or HIV Education Sex ed is mandated in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Of that total, the following 22 states and the District of Columbia mandate both sex ed and HIV education: CaliforniaDelawareGeorgiaHawaiiIowaKentuckyMaineMarylandMinnesotaMontanaNevadaNew JerseyNew MexicoNorth CarolinaOhioOregonRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeUtahVermontWest Virginia Two states mandate sex ed only: MississippiNorth Dakota HIV education is mandated in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Of that total, 12 mandate only HIV education: AlabamaConnecticutIllinoisIndianaMichiganMissouriNew HampshireNew YorkOklahomaPennsylvaniaWashingtonWisconsin Must Include Contraception When sex ed is taught, some states have specific content requirements. In addition to the District of Columbia, 18 states require that information on contraception be provided when sex education is taught: AlabamaCaliforniaColoradoDelawareHawaiiIllinoisMaineMarylandNew JerseyNew MexicoNorth CarolinaOregonRhode IslandSouth CarolinaVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest Virginia One state allows local schools to include contraception with the permission of the State Department of Education: Mississippi Must Include Abstinence When sex ed is taught, 37 states require that information on abstinence is provided. Of those, 26 states require that abstinence be stressed: AlabamaArizonaArkansasDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaKentuckyLouisianaMaineMichiganMississippiMissouriNew JerseyNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOregonRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasUtahWashingtonWisconsin These 11 states require only that abstinence is covered during sex education: CaliforniaColoradoHawaiiMarylandMinnesotaMontanaNew MexicoNorth DakotaVermontVirginiaWest Virginia No Mandate There are nine states with no sex education or HIV education mandate: ArizonaArkansasColoradoFloridaIdahoLouisianaMassachusettsTexasVirginia Five of the states listed above also rank among the top 12 states with the highest teenage birth rates, and four rank in the top 6 (ranking indicated in parentheses): Mississippi (1)Arkansas (3)Texas (4)Louisiana (6)Arizona (12) An earlier report issued by the Guttmacher Institute in September 2006 compiled teen pregnancy statistics state by state. Among the top 10 states with the highest rates of teen pregnancy among females age 15-19, five are states without mandated sex education or HIV education (ranking indicated in parentheses): Arizona (2)Mississippi (3)Texas (5)Florida (6)Arkansas (10) That same report ranked the top 10 states with the highest rates of live births among teenage girls age 15-19. Again, five are states that do not require sex ed to be taught in schools. If and when it is taught, these states do not require information on contraception be provided, but they do require that abstinence be stressed (ranking indicated in parentheses): Mississippi (1)Texas (2)Arizona (3)Arkansas (4)Louisiana (7) Only one state that does not mandate sex education or HIV education appears in the listing of states with the lowest teenage birth rates: Massachusetts ranked at number 2. Sources Guttmacher Institute, State Policies in Brief: Sex and HIV Education. Office of Adolescent Health, Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health Care Reform - Essay Example What is more important is that an individual should consider his or her well being as essential in a given population (Pipes 81-6) Obamacare is one policy that will protect the well being and freedom of each individual. Through this, the government created this law to avoid private sectors or specific persons from harming or exploiting innocent citizens. Failing to agree with this governmental program will mean that a person finds it permissible to be manipulated and be assaulted by the stranger without any penalty accorded to this. Denying this policy is also denying oneself justice and the right to be protected and be taken care of by the government. If citizens agree, then it is inconsistent to reject Obamacare (Pipes 52). The objective of having a healthcare mandate is to promote people's well being. Health is sometimes forgotten when thinking of well being; sometimes it is treated as a luxury, yet it is the physical building block for a person's well being, satisfaction, and happiness. Â  

ABU DHABI ISLAMIC BANK - CASE STUDY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ABU DHABI ISLAMIC BANK - - Case Study Example Islamic banking became popular in Arab countries by 2003 and also in Malaysia. The number of banks increased to 450 during 2009; moreover about 300 conventional banks are observed to offer to Islamic banking products and services to the customers. In the last five years, Islamic banks had witnessed rapid growth in assets, which have doubled during the period (ADIB, 2014a). The Islamic bank is referred to the bank that follows the Shari’a principles with regard to financing, investment and banking. These banks are controlled and supervised by the Central Banks. The banks meet the requirement of the customers by following the Shari’a principles (Siraj, and Pillai, 2012). It provides with a number of options that helps the customers to safe guard their investments and finance. These options are Musharakah (joint venture), Ijarah (leasing), letter of credit, Murahaba (Cost plus) and covered cards. The banks have Shari’a boards, which comprise Islamic jurists, who consult and control the different aspects of the new banking transactions (ADIB, 2014a). During the global financial crisis, it is observed that the banks were affected severely; however, it hardly made any impact on the Islamic banks. Mortgage crisis was regarded as the main cause of the situation in the US. The stability in Islamic banks originates from its nature of business as the financing method is based on Shari’a principle, which dictates Musharakah, Ijarah and Mudarabah (ADIB, 2014a). In light of the above principles and practices that are followed by Islamic banks, the following case analyses the operation of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB). The case highlights the financial condition of the bank post and pre-financial crisis. ADIB was founded in 1980 and presently it has become the largest financial institution operating under Shari’a principle in Egypt. It has received the highest market standards. It employs around 2000 employers who form a dynamic

Muscular Disorders Case Report Essay Example for Free

Muscular Disorders Case Report Essay A mother presents with her 13 y/o son with a history of frequent falls, difficulty getting up from a lying or sitting position, trouble jumping, large calf muscles and poor grades in school. Based on the description and symptoms given, the likely diagnosis would be Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, or DMD; although DMD and its symptoms tend to show up at an earlier age but not always. This type of muscular dystrophy is the most common and severe form of the dystrophinopathic diseases. Dystrophinopathic diseases are muscular dystrophies that are of a genetic nature caused by a deficiency in the protein dystrophin. This protein is vital to muscle function and contraction. In the case of DMD, there is a mutation in the gene, called the DMD gene, responsible for producing dystrophin causing a deficiency. This gene mutation is X-linked recessive and is inherited. This means that females in the family carry the gene mutation and can pass is on to their offspring male or female, but it is expressed in the males. DMD is usually diagnosed when a young boy shows signs of muscle weakness and there is a family history of the disease. Per Genome (2010), â€Å"a muscle biopsy for dystrophin studies can also be done to look for abnormal levels of dystrophin in the muscle. † Genome (2010), also states that â€Å"genetic testing on a blood sample for changes in the DMD gene can help establish the diagnosis of Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy without performing a muscle biopsy. † For most individuals, a combination of these testing methods is used to confirm a diagnosis of DMD. There is no known cure for DMD. Treatment involves treating the symptoms and keeping the patient as comfortable as possible. Medline (2012) says that â€Å"steroid drugs can slow the loss of muscle strength and may be started when the child is diagnosed or when muscle strength begins to decline. † Other drugs, such as Albuterol, can be used to control breathing problems that occur in the later stages of the disease and drugs to help with heart functions are prescribed to help control any cardio symptoms that may be present. The prognosis for individuals with DMD is bleak; it is a rapidly progressive disease and patients with DMD usually surrender to the disease or complications from it in their 20’s or 30’s, sometimes even earlier. I grew up with a family next door to me in which the two oldest boys had DMD. The disease eventually took both of their lives. The oldest boy did live long enough to graduate from high school but the younger of the two died from complications when he was 16. It was horrible for the family to stand by and watch their sons slowly decline and eventually die. This disease continued to plague their lives when the daughters passed it on to their boys and probably still plagues them today. There have been great strides in the field of research in regards to DMD but as of yet no cure has been found. Hopefully one day, there will be a cure for this devastating, debilitating disease and no more families will be forced to watch their children die right before their eyes.

To The Lighthouse :: essays research papers

To the Lighthouse, published in 1927 is one of Virginia Woolf's most successful novels written in a stream of consciousness style. The novel is divided into three parts, which revolve around the members of the Ramsey family and their guests during visits to their summer vacationing residence on the Isle of Skye. The central preoccupation within the novel however is not to be found within the lives of the characters, instead they are seen as being secondary to the overall grounding of the novel in the house itself. Woolf examines the actions of the characters and the passing of time from the perspective of the central symbol of the actual physical domestic space of the house.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The characterization of Mrs. Ramsey, who is identified as being the guardian, or the 'angel of the house', cannot be separated from the actual physical space itself. Just as the walls and doors of the house serve to keep out and protect the inhabitants from the outside world, Mrs. Ramsey works to create a domestic space where she can shield the people from the effects of modern life and offer a retreat into a more natural landscape. This natural landscape however can be seen as a threat, the pounding of the waves on the surf turns from a 'soothing tattoo to her thoughts'; to the 'ghostly roll of drums remorselessly beat(ing) the measure of life';, and terrified the sound makes her think 'of the destruction of the island and its engulfment in the sea';(23-24). The simple fact that sound of the pounding waves comes to her suddenly, whereas before it had been concealed by the sounds of conversations being held outside, points to the hollowness of the house. Mrs. Ramsey works to maintain the house as being a protective barrier, which can be seen through her obsession with wanting to keep all the doors closed, effectively trying to bar the outside world from entering: 'At a certain moment, she supposed, the house would become so shabby that something must be done. If they could be taught to wipe their feet and not bring in the beach with them – that would be something…And the result of it was…that things got shabbier and got shabbier summer after summer. The mat was fading; the wallpaper was flapping…Still, if every door in a house is left perpetually open, … things must spoil…it was the doors that annoyed her…'; (38-9).

Kantianism Essay

The thought of justifying means rather than ends seems to be more ethical in the long run, even if not more productive. As an officer we have trouble in this way of thinking for two reasons. First, we are in a profession in which our ends are what matters. We must produce the results that are needed, when they are needed, or we have failed to perform our duties. This means we have let down those in charge of us, as well as those whom we lead. Second, our means of doing things are also very important. We as officers must be moral in our decisions, for if we aren’t then we also fail to do our jobs. If we go about achieving a good end through bad means then we are no better than our enemies. Maxims are rules of law that we apply in our decision making to be considered rules of the Universe as a way of deciding if our actions are moral or immoral. One example of a maxim would be â€Å"I can use rob a bank or take money from people for financial gain†. When applying Kant’s rules we test it first to see if it can be generalized. This would end up as â€Å"anyone can use force to get what they want. This would not make sense in the long run because if everyone used force to get what they want then the world would be anarchic and full of chaos. Another example of a maxim would be â€Å"I won’t help this drowning person because they probably won’t pay me. † It almost makes sense to do this as doing something for little gain sometimes seems useless. However; if this were to be applied as a general rule then no one would ever get help unless the Samaritan deemed it profitable to them. Both of these show how decision making in Kantianism is the key factor in deciding what to do. There are both good and bad sides to Kantianism. First, as stated previously, we need to do things based on moral reasoning and not just end results. We can’t be officers who can go to the limit of Utilitarianism and allow for things such as an Omelas society. We do need to consider the good of the whole but we must do things that are moral by reason. We need to rationalize why and how we perform so that we can lead the way we’re supposed to. Kantianism is a good means for this and will allow officers to not only have good ends, but a good means of achieving them.

Providing Value Proposition to Customers: A Case Analysis on McDonald’s Essay

They have amazing story of their own organization relative with the organizational learning they have really gained insight from their history which later on made a lot of contribution for what now is MacDonald’s I would like to elaborate their story with two divisions and one of them Is early history and another after 90’s history. Early History When the MacDonald’s family back in 1930s around 90 years back they moved from Manchester to Hollywood where two brothers one is Richard and another is Maurice McDonalds started working. Еheir fathers had a â€Å"Air drome† McDonalds brothers realized that the most of their selling was for hamburgers, they closed down with a careful investigation so that they can open with a new starting and in a bigger way they started with the simple menu of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, shakes and more So they renamed their restaurant to the new name with McDonalds. After some time they realized one new thing that there was the time they need a new building for their restaurant so that they could improve more and make their goals achieve. The main two goals for them were efficiency and more catching appearance. Architects were chosen for the new ambience and new improvements. So being very careful new improvements were made for the appearance and for the betterment of the McDonalds. Mid History of McDonalds Company actual history was started from 1940 as two brothers Richard and Maurice opened up in the big phase of McDonalds as a restaurant with 20 menus. But the name was McDonald’s McDonalds hamburger as hamburgers were the most famous on their restaurant. As their revenue started increasing and they almost reached to $3500000 till mid 50’s. By then Raymond Kroc shows his interest on developing franchise of McDonalds and shows keen interest on making a chain restaurant so he registered McDonalds as a incorporation. so, in 1955 he became founder of McDonalds and changed the name so the new name and he current name of McDonalds came from that long way.. McDonalds Corporation. So, Kroc was the pioneer for the chain American restaurant for the fast food. Today McDonalds has become world’s largest fast food industry only in California they serve 47 million customers daily. It has managed to become one of the most prestigious values in all over the country. It got VRIO that is value, Ratio, and opportunities. Recent history So very recently from 2010, McDonalds has resigned its website and everything to a sleeker along with the certain changes made to the organization they also have introduced new way of approaching customers that is new advertising material to its website, they have unveil new pictures for restaurant ads, TV commercials, print advertising and online they all consists of real and 3d pictures of their products and services, by looking at that that looks so yummy and mouth watering. They also have make an announcement that the new the world biggest McDonalds restaurant will be built in London Olympics site. Changes made to turn the company As from their staring to till the current phase they have made so much of decisions that has taken the McDonalds to this new phase and I would like to show with the bullet points that how it the changes made to the company. McDonalds ?Firstly at their starting period it was more restaurants in a bus with different menus and lists of products. ? When they did a analysis they found out that the hamburgers were the most sold items so, the brothers decided to change the restaurant plans according to the need of the customers that they have introduced hamburgers, cheese burgers, apple pie, French fries with their core competencies product. ?When the restaurant was a big hit and widely accepted by customers now Raymond Kroc entered with new vision of changing that into the fast food chain and he owned with making McDonalds incorporation and making franchise and food chain were developed all over the America. As a change of this it has now become world’s largest fast food chain with employee of 18000 and more. ?Not changing the main product competencies of the McDonalds they have made other changed in marketing advertising and the environment care. ?With the change in market when they entered into the Indian markets they introduced maharaja burger which made them a big hit in India and they could captivate that market with their good brand name. McDonald’s customer centric plan and principals to win for the future are: The idea of customer centric has been credited to Peter ducker as he was the one to see the customer centric view and need to adopt those for the organization. † since the customer is central management understands that the organization must have a complete understanding of the customer needs and wants they must continuously develop various ways of tracking changes to the need of the customer. So, in overall I understood that the product must always satisfy customers needs and wants through their offerings. The seven principals of customer plan are as follows: McDonalds Drive sustained momentum So diversifying the products is the main theme of this, for example including kids dress, toys and other interactive video for the kids as they are doing it to diversify certain portion of risk and hence to minimize loss in order to successfully run the business. Generating broad based growth business Broad based growth simply for the McDonalds means going global, as they have been reached to 115 countries that is the best example we could have in different countries in different places but with the same name standardization and quality. McDonalds have expanded themselves to all over the world; this was their one of the strategy in order to prosper their organization. It had created huge impact on the profitability. Going beyond the borders as their strategy. Emphasis on 5P’s The five P’s that are people, place, product, price and promotion and making it all together so that the right mix would form for the McDonalds this I view as a focus strategy to the target customers. they have been creating products for the customers and as per customers needs and wants understanding customers which is also depth of customer centric plan. we can take an example of Indian market where beef is not allowed and McDonalds for the first time in their history they have introduced Maharaja burger which is a big success in Indian markets so, taking care of the customers through this 5 P’s. Stay sharply focused on here and now As we see the market is so dynamic and volatile the change is so fast and irrestable there are many organizations which were swept away by the market structure and the change in McDonalds technology so being focused and try knowing how and now are the points to be focused for the organization. Run day to day operations with maximum efficiency and productivity Operational excellence is the final key term for this, excel on what you do so that there will be no room for the competitors and take away your pie. As to captivate the market share organization needs to operate with their maximum efficiency it includes utilizing all their pr, marketing, advertising human skills, experience and even expert solutions to maximize the growth. The right people and process are intent on prospect Right people means human skills ensuing that the right candidate for the right jobs are handled down in order to have good labor relations and maximum efficiency so that the future would be secured. Skilled human will give organization certain outputs that are not even used for today even for the future the result is always positive if the human skills are competent enough to fight with the situation. Develop new innovations Organization In order to be competent and excel the market they must always be innovative and show the new approaches to meet the customer’s requirement. They must be innovative and creativity in order to exploit the opportunities that is in the market. Organizations must took innovations as the first tool to reach the customers and if threat is seen they must back out as soon as possible in order to minimize loss. Adding new product lines and certain changes in the product would be the example for the McDonalds to develop new innovations. McDonalds As for McDonalds as they have always viewed their customer as a treasure and no matter what they have always pays value to the customers knowing customers current needs Current product needs Looking to the problems of the customers through holistic approach I mean what actually the customer is wanting and what do they want is the organization question for example one customer wanting mobile phone with wireless charger could be his need and how the mobile company will address his problems is the secondary question. So what are current product needs for the customer and what actually does the customer wants. Future needs What are their future needs and wants what could be the expectations of the customers if he she buys a mobile phone then what could be the future expectation are the future needs of the customer. So it’s all about forecasting the future needs and wants of the customers it is gained through market research. Where the main aim of the customer centric is the organization where the learning and improvement are in the continuous format. They actually learn from their customers and respond in those manner resources, products and services are well utilized in order to gain the competitive advantage from them. It is well managed according to the strategies and goals of the organization and meeting them with the customers’ needs. So customer centric is the view from the customers need and the need is only the driving force for all the organization decision making. The main aim is to create the value of customer the value driven strategy. So until and McDonalds unless any company gives value to their customers there won’t be any progress made to the organization and there won’t be profitable return.

Great Recession How It Can Be Avoided

Great Recession How It Can Be Avoided The great economic recession is a period marked by persistent decline in the economic growth of different countries across the globe with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracting within a period that is not less than six months. The 2008-2010 great recession affected the global economy and it arose from the developed economies in the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Great Recession: How It Can Be Avoided specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This period is marked by high levels of unemployment, decline in retail sales, real income, GDP, slow growth for businesses, and stagnant wages (Altig Fitzgerald and Rupert 66). When there is high unemployment rate, housing prices decline because of the inability of consumers to meet their obligations. A normal recession does not last longer than a year but the great recession does, and it is milder than an economic depression. Due to its effects, it is necessary to avoid th e great recession at all costs through various measures as discussed in this paper. An economic recession can be avoided through various measures undertaken by the government given the causes of the recession. To begin with, the central bank or the Federal Reserve should increase the level of liquidity in the economy by pursuing expansionary monetary policies. This involves increased supply of cash in the economy through overnight market operations and reduced interest rates. A recession is caused by reduced level of consumption in the economy. Therefore, an increase in the supply of liquidity will increase the purchasing power of consumers thereby stimulating the level of production in the economy. This will reduce unemployment while increasing output and economic growth. The recession can also be avoided by pursuing an expansionary fiscal policy such as increased government expenditures in various sectors of the economy. Such type of a policy would see the government reduce the le vel of unemployment while increasing the purchasing power of the public. This will stimulate the level of productivity while leading to economic growth and ending the recession. In addition to increased spending, the government can end the recession through bailout of bankrupt institutions especially the financial institutions that do not have enough credit for lending out to borrowers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The economy can avoid the great recession through adjusting the bank interest rates according to the projected economic situation. High bank interest rates discourage investors from borrowing and hence the money circulation in the economy decreases. By reducing interest rates, banks will increase the rate of borrowing and investments since more investors will borrow more funds. This will also encourage payment of bank loans. The government should set an interest ceiling and floor to be applied by commercial banks. This will bring an end to the recession experienced within an economy gradually. An economy should maintain equilibrium in the balance of payment (BOP), which is the graph showing the trade between a country and the other countries across the globe. To avoid the recession, exports should balance with the imports or even exceed the imports. When imports are in excess, it means that imports are cheaper than the domestic products hence there is excess demand and flow of foreign currency causing economic imbalance in the country. This leads to unemployment because the products produced by the domestic companies face a low local demand as compared to imports (Tcherneva 120). Therefore, increased imports could end the recession since the high level of exports increases production, reduces unemployment and promotes economic growth. Altig, David, Terry, Fitzgerald and Rupert, Peter. Okun’s law revisited: should we worr y about low unemployment? Economic Commentary. Cleveland: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, 1997. Print. Lee, Jim. The Robustness of Okun’s Law: Evidence from OECD Countries. Journal of Macroeconomics 22.2 (2000): 331–356. Print. Tcherneva, Pavlina. Permanent on-the-spot job creation- the missing Keynes Plan for full employment and economic transformation. Review of Social Economics, forthcoming 2.1 (2011): 112-127. Print.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Great Recession: How It Can Be Avoided specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

The Complete ACT Instructions Expert Guide and Tips

The Complete ACT Instructions Expert Guide and Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What exactly are the instructions on the ACT? Do they really matter? We will go over the complete ACT directions, including the main directions and the specific directions for each section. We’ll show how they reveal tips for how to do well on the test. You may be surprised by how many hints there are in the ACT directions! Furthermore, knowing these directions before test day can save you time and stress – so you can just focus on the questions! So read on to be as prepared as possible for the ACT. Overall ACT Directions These are directions that appear on the front of your test booklet and apply to the entire test. Read the complete directions below, and then we’ll discuss the most important points. Directions and sample questions via ACT's Preparing for the ACT Guide. We'll break down our observations into categories for the main directions since they're pretty long! Calculators You can only use a calculator on the math section. While you likely won’t be tempted to pull out your calculator for English or Reading, some students get confused since the Science section also contains numbers, graphs and charts. However, you cannot use your calculator on the Science section. If you pull out your calculator for a non-calculator section, you can be disqualified and your scores invalidated. Make sure to only have the calculator out for math! Notice that the ACT lists this rule before the even more basic ones about how to fill in answers, meaning they’re very serious about it. Marking Answers The mechanism for marking your answers is pretty basic if you’re taken standardized tests before: â€Å"Decide which answer is best, locate on the answer document the number that matches the question you’re on, fill in the oval completely.† This seems basic, but you need to be careful to check your answers every few questions to make sure you didn’t start filling out the bubbles off by one. How awful would it be if you found most of the right answers but bubbled in your test incorrectly? Also, make sure to â€Å"Use soft lead and make your marks heavy and black.† That means no ink or mechanical pencil. Make sure you bring enough sharpened pencils with you so you don’t have to get up and sharpen your pencil during the test. We suggest bringing at least four, one for each section, plus one for the essay if you’re taking the ACT Plus Writing. One other caution the directions bring up: â€Å"Mark only one answer for each question†¦erase completely if you change your mind.† Basically, you want to make sure your answer key is as clear as possible. You might leave time in the last few minutes of the test to double check your answer key to make sure all answers are filled in and neatly marked. Finally, only responses marked on your answer document are scored. Your booklet is not scored in any way. If you’re marking your answers in the booklet and then transferring a few answers at a time to the answer sheet, be very careful to make sure you don’t run out of time. Remember, you can only get credit for an answer bubbled onto the answer sheet. Guessing You might think that the ACT doesn’t care one way or the other how well you do on the test. Think again. Notice that they say in all caps, bold, and italic that â€Å"IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GUESS† ! They’re right, of course – since there is no point deduction for wrong answers, you can pick up a few extra points by filling in all the bubbles on each section, even if you’ve run out of time and you have to guess. You can read more about smart guessing strategies over here. But as we learn in the next section, you can only guess or fill in random bubbles while a particular section is being tested – you can’t, for example, fill in random bubbles for Math questions when you’ve moved on to Reading. Only Work on the Section at Hand You can work on a section only after the proctor has told you do so. You cannot go ahead to a different section, and you cannot work on a previous section. You can get disqualified for doing this! When I took the ACT last June, that particular rule was repeated several times during testing, so you can bet it’s important. The reason for the rule is that they want to make sure students only use the allotted time to work on each section. This also means you have to lay down your pencil exactly when time is called. You can’t continue to fill in or erase bubbles. Be extra careful when you are in the last five minutes of the test! It’s not worth the risk of having your whole test thrown out just to bubble in one more question. Not all proctors are going to be super strict on this (they might give you a grace period of a few seconds after they call time), but some are – and you don’t want to risk your entire test being cancelled because you’re trying to sneak in a last answer. Also, do not, do not, do not bubble in more answers for a section after you’ve moved on to a new section! Proctors walk around and mark down the last answer you’ve filled in right after a section, so they’ll notice if more bubbles get filled in later in the test. Again, it's not worth getting your test thrown out. ACT English Instructions Here are the complete directions for the English section, followed by the some important points: The directions say â€Å"The test is broken into five passages, each with 15 questions.† This comes out to 75 questions, meaning you have just 36 seconds per question! You’ll have to keep your pacing up during this section to answer all the questions. (This is why we highly recommend you make carefully-timed practice tests an integral part of your ACT practice, by the way!) As to the format, the directions say â€Å"Certain words and phrases are underlined and numbered, the questions each present alternatives for the underlined portions.† The English test is designed to help you move quickly between the question and the part of the passage it’s asking about. Still, you should do practice sections to get used to this format. Check out some example questions below. The test is designed so it's easy to see the part of the passage each question is asking about. The directions also tell you what kind of answers you should be looking for. â€Å"You are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole.† So if you get stuck on an English question, choose the answer that seems the clearest to you. (Of course, you should read more about the grammar rules you need to know for English so you're not caught unprepared!) Also, for many questions, the wording in the passage is already correct. â€Å"If you think the original version is best, choose 'No Change.'"This can be more often than you think! Don’t be afraid to choose this answer. Some questions are about a paragraph or the passage as a whole, which is why it’s important to at least skim the whole passage. However, we disagree with this part of the directions: â€Å"Read each passage through once before you answer the questions that accompany it.† You don’t actually have to do this. It’s possible to attack the questions immediately and skim the passage for bigger-picture questions. Try a few practice sections using both methods and use the method that works best for you. Finally, keep in mind that â€Å"For many of the questions, you have to read several sentences beyond to answer it.† This is important to remember. Even if you attack the questions immediately, don’t just read the single sentence. Make sure you have enough context to answer with confidence. Remember, you’re looking for the answer choice that makes the passage as a whole as clear as possible! ACT Math Instructions Read the directions below, and we’ll go over the important points: These are the basics of the math section: â€Å"Solve each problem, choose the correct answer, and then fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document.† Again, this seems obvious, but it’s helpful to think of the math section in terms of solving problems. You’re not just finding the right answer, like on the English questions. Math is a bit more involved. The directions offer some very important advice on this, especially given that you’re solving 60 problems in 60 minutes: â€Å"Do not linger over problems that take too much time. Solve as many as you can; then return to the others in the time you have left for this test.† This is a very important strategy. You have approximately one minute per question on math. If you waste five minutes on one question, you lose the opportunity to work on four other questions. We recommend wearing a watch during the test so you can keep an eye on how long you’re taking on each question. Remember from the overall directions that Math is the only section you can use a calculator on. The directions have some good advice about how to use the calculator, as well: â€Å"You may use your calculator for any problems you choose, but some of the problems may best be done without using a calculator.† This is good advice. If you become over-reliant on your calculator you can waste a lot of time on the test or even make silly mistakes if you enter in a number incorrectly. Again, this is why practice is so important. Practice taking math sections with a calculator, and figure out where using a calculator saves you time – and where you tend to waste time. (Learn about the best calculator for the ACT.) Finally, the ACT lays out some ground rules about how the math problems are presented: â€Å"Unless otherwise stated, all of the following should be assumed. Illustrative figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Geometric figures lie in a plane. The word line indicates a straight line. The word average indicates arithmetic mean.† So what does all this mean? The first rule, â€Å"figures are not drawn to scale† means you can’t solve problems just by looking at the picture and estimating. Many pictures are actually deliberately not drawn to scale to prevent you from taking a shortcut. Remember: you can’t solve any problems by using your fingers to estimate length or an angle. You have to do the math to solve the problems! "Geometric figures lie in a plane"means you can assume that geometric figures are on a flat surface. â€Å"The word line indicates a straight line† is straightforward, and basically allows the test makers to save space when writing directions. â€Å"Arithmetic mean† is the more precise word for average. It just means the sum of all numbers in a set divided by how many numbers there are. The ACT probably specifies "average means arithmetic mean" just to save space when writing questions. ACT Reading Instructions Check out the complete directions below for ACT Reading: Notice the directions say, â€Å"There are several passages in this test.† Actually, there are exactly four! One each of Literature, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Science. Read more about ACT Reading passage types over here. Also, while the directions say â€Å"Each passage is accompanied by several questions,† there are precisely 10 per passage. In other words, every passage is exactly one-fourth of the Reading test. You can use this info to help budget your 35 minutes! ACT says to approach the reading section like this: â€Å"After reading a passage, choose the best answer to each question and fill in the corresponding oval on the answer document. You may refer to the passages as often as necessary.† Our advice: You can actually decide if you want to read the questions or the passage first. For some people questions first is easier, others prefer to read the passage first. The best way to tell is to do a few practice sections, trying each method. Stick with the one that feels best to you. Also check out our article about different ways to read the passage for more advice on this. ACT Science Instructions The Science section’s directions are quite similar to reading. Check them out and read our advice below. Again, while the directions vaguely note that â€Å"There are several passages in this test,† actually there are seven! Again, use this to budget your time – you have approximately five minutes for each passage. Just like on the Reading section, the ACT advises you to read the passage first: â€Å"After reading a passage, choose the best answer to each question and fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document. You may refer to the passages as often as necessary.† Again, you don’t have to read the passage first, you can jump straight to the questions – try it both ways and stick with the strategy that works best for you. (When I took the ACT last June, I found it was much more effective for me to read the questions first on Science and then turn to the section, even though my strategy on Reading was the opposite. Practice, practice, practice so you can develop the best possible strategies for you!) Finally, remember that â€Å"You are NOT permitted to use a calculator on this test.† As we covered above, keep your calculator put away for every section except math! ACT Writing Instructions If you sign up for the ACT Plus Writing, after you complete all of the multiple choice sections you have to write an essay – in just 40 minutes. While you should prepare for the ACT by taking full practice tests so you can build up the stamina you need, you should also familiarize yourself with the essay directions so you waste no time on test day and get straight to your essay. That 40 minutes goes by fast. Check out the complete directions below. The basics are as follows: â€Å"You will have forty (40) minutes to read the prompt, plan your response, and write an essay in English.† Only essays in English will be graded, even if it’s not your first language. Also make sure you use that time wisely. It goes by fast. Practicing the essay is important so you can get quick at planning, drafting, and editing an essay within such a short period. (Read more about the essay over here. The directions say that â€Å"Before you begin working, read all material in this test booklet carefully to understand exactly what you’re being asked to do.†This is important! A big part of doing well on the ACT essay is responding specifically to the prompt and not getting off-topic. Taking an extra minute to fully digest the prompt is a better use of your time than an extra minute to scrawl down any idea that pops into your head. The directions also provide a good summary of how your essay will be graded: "Analyze and evaluate multiple perspectives on a complex issue, state and develop your own perspective on the issue, explain and support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed examples, clearly and logically organize your ideas in an essay, effectively communicate your ideas in standard written English." Translation? Take a stance on the position while acknowledging the other side, stay focused throughout your essay on your stance, use logical arguments and good examples to support your stance, use logical organization, and use clear language. In terms of the logistics, remember this: â€Å"You may use the unlined pages in this test booklet to plan your essay. These pages will not be scored.† Be careful not to spend too much time writing your essay outline – you will only be graded based on what makes it to the lined paper. Also, you might not need all the pages, but don’t skip lines when writing the essay! Even if you think writing every other line makes your essay look neater, this could cause you to run out of room. You can write corrections or additions neatly between the lines of the essay, but do not write in the margins. (These directions actually aren't stated, but they were on the previous year's ACT instructions and we think it makes sense to follow them!) Finally, keep in mind that illegible essays can’t be scored – remember the essay is graded by actual humans! So slow down if you notice your handwriting getting messy. That said, if your handwriting is messy but still readable, your score won’t be affected. This isn’t a penmanship test. So write as fast as you can while keeping your writing decently legible. Longer essays tend to be scored higher than short ones, so don’t sacrifice length for neat handwriting. If you finish early, you can review your essay. Put your pencil down as soon as time is called! Bottom Line The ACT reveals some test-taking strategy in the instructions – some helpful, some not so much. But remember the best way to develop a smart ACT strategy is to take complete practice tests. The more you practice before test day, the better prepared you'll be! Also, make sure you know these rules by heart on test day. You’ll save time if you don’t have to worry about the rules and can just dive into the questions. What’s Next? Looking for ACT practice tests? We’ve got ‘em! What else should you know about the ACT? Get a guide to ACT timing and ACT scoring. How can you prepare for the ACT? Start with our guide to ACT Science, a complete guide to grammar rules for English, and learn how to stop running out of time on Reading and Math. What’s a good ACT score? An amazing one? Find out here. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

The Hughes H-1 racer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Hughes H-1 racer - Essay Example Hughes, Jr.1 In 1934, Hughes formed the Hughes Aircraft Co., a division of the Hughes Tool Company. Their mission was to build the best racing planes in the world. Hughes Aircraft did just that when it built its first internally designed airplane in 1934: the H-1 racer. Howard Hughes, along with Richard Palmer and a small team of engineers, designed the H-1 racer and Glenn Odekirk, together with his team, built it.2 The wood and metal single-seat monoplane was streamlining at its very best, designed for speed, pure and simple. Designing, building, and extensively testing the plane took the team 18 months but it was well worth the effort. On September 13, 1935, Hughes himself piloted the H-1 to a record-breaking 352 miles per hour at Martin Field, near Santa Ana, California. The previous record was 314 miles per hour. The H-1 was not only the fastest plane, but it was the fastest plane that could fly from standard runways, had practical flight characteristics, and had an almost unimaginable range of nearly 4000 miles (Parker, 2002). The H-1 had two sets of wings. The wings Hughes used to break the landplane speed record were of a low aspect ratio and shorter than those which he used for high-altitude transcontinental flight. The former was originally intended only for short flights at low altitudes; in the latter, Hughes set a new transcontinental record on January 18, 1937 for long-distance, high altitude flights when he recorded an average speed of 332 miles per hour over a course of 2,490 miles.3 The H-1 was powered by a Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp Junior radial piston engine rated at 700 horsepower at 8,500 feet but which could deliver 1,000 horsepower for high-speed flight. According to Hughes (as cited in Michel, n.d.), â€Å"the H-1 racer was fast because it was clean and yet it attained its speed with a Pratt and Whitney engine of perfectly

Action Assignment #1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Action #1 - Assignment Example the individuals builds the desire to find out how well the front office staff receives their guests and what makes the guests come back for the services. The choice utilized the websites of the top hotels in the country, the site with many customers received the most consideration and hence the selection. At the first instance, the front office staff welcomes the guests with a beaming smile. As the guests approach the staff’s desk, she stands up and shakes their hand while welcoming them. She then offers them a seat and tells them to feel comfortable while she is serving them. At this point, the guests smile back and says appreciates by saying â€Å"Thank you.† These non-verbal cues of communication allow the guests to be comfortable while they receive services. Moreover, the welcoming smile and hospitality observed makes the guests come back for the services. As observed, the interaction was in a formal setup facilitating an official interaction between the front office staff and the guests. Firstly, the assumption that a warm welcome often bolsters the relations between the staffs and the visitors holds in this particular instance. Secondly, the first impression depicted by the front office staff warrants the extent to which the guests will give in to the services offered. Finally, the manner with which the staff receives the visitors determines the visitors’ satisfaction. The beaming smile portrayed by the staff demonstrates her hospitality. Additionally, the welcoming mood signals the nature of the services the staff offers. The impressions formed almost immediately as the front office staff seemed jovial, happy, and welcoming. The second observation finds its locale in an informal scenery. The case involves analyzing an interaction between two friends who seem to have been apart for a long time now. Hence, the interactions are informal involving extended non-verbal communication cues. The persons in this context meet and hug each other closely and

In the Cloud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

In the Cloud - Essay Example A number of options are available for individual use such as Dropbox, which is until to date the best cloud storage option at no charge available. Another option is the windows Skydrive, which offers a great option for people with lot of small files to share (Kunal, 2010). Both options are worth using as they provide a variety of features that suit individual needs. Cloud computing has gained popularity so easily amongst public, private and hybrid users due to its capabilities and efficiency it offers. Compared to traditional databases, cloud computing has proved more capabilities and efficiency, hence rapid growth and acceptance. Cloud focus is to maximize the effectiveness of shared resources. It saves money and time making business more responsive to the needs of clients. There is a large variety of options to access internet like Ipads, mobile phones, and Netbooks hence greater efficiency and improved service to customers (Kunal, 2010). Cloud software is cheap compared to traditional database software. Among other benefits associated with cloud and storage are; ease in collaboration, universal access, pooling of resources and energy efficiency. With cloud computing, doing business becomes easier for both managers and employees since clients accounts are accessible from anywhere (Kunal,

Performance Related Pay And Employee Rewards Management Essay

Performance Related Pay And Employee Rewards Management Essay Performance Related Pay (PRP) has been defined by several scholars including Armstrong (2002:261) and CIPD (2009). They suggested that PRP is a method of remuneration that provides individuals with financial rewards in the form of increases to basic pay or cash bonuses which are linked to an assessment of performance, usually in relation to agreed objectives. This definition captures what performance related pay is all about. In order to understand how PRP works in practice in relation to theories, it is been analysed with the help of the current practices which are prevalent in the organisations of repute. The organisation mentioned here is Mc Donalds which is also referred to as McD, which is a private sector fast food chain with 31,000 centres in 118 countries around the globe, McD uses performance related pay in order to motivate their staff, and also has different pay structures. The main aspects of performances related pay schemes have been identified as the nature of performan ce measures, assessment of the performance against fixed standards and how this is related to pay schemes (Kessler Purcell, 1992; cited in Thorpe Homan, 2000). PRP started becoming popular by the early 1980s and have been a major factor in the pay and reward scenes for many organisations. PRPs effect is more than just motivation alone; it is a significant phenomenon in the change management philosophy of the modern organisations. Now they have much more expectations thrust upon them like improving quality and skills, changing the work culture and promoting co-operation apart from the normal roles like recruit, reward and retain employees (Cannel Wood, 1992). In recent years people have been the key source to competitive advantage and it is not surprising on how employers try buying employee commitment. However the question of if the methods adopted are successful is still debated. Motivational theories can be traced back to the time of Taylorism and the theories have evolved from scientific management to Hawthorne, Maslow amongst others. However the report will focus on Vrooms 1964 expectancy theory on which PRP is based. According to CIPD (2009) there are three main objectives of PRP systems. Firstly it motivates employees to give their best performance by linking performance to the pay scales. Secondly PRP encourages the organisation to build up a strong high performance based organisational culture. Thirdly the fact of fair-trade policy. The better performed employee in the organisation gets the best monetary reward. The Expectancy Theory points out that management needs to communicate and disseminate information to employees that efforts will be recognised and rewarded also it is managements responsibility to establish schemes to reward the behaviour they want. Furthermore, the theory also implies that money is a significant motivator for most, and will usually alter our behaviour either by increasing or directing effort in specific directions to secure a higher salary or bonus payment. Also, it suggest that money is important not simply for its own sake, but because it is a means to achieve other ends (Taylor 2000:19). The theory has three central concepts. The first is Performance Outcome Expectancy which implies employee working in a particular way will yield foreseeable consequences while the Concept of Valence is the second. It examines the value derived from the outcome of behaviour and the final concept is Effort Performance Expectancy which examines employees perception of the likelihood of achieving a desired objective (Marchington and Wilkinson 2005). However PRP can not be discussed without looking at the old pay and new pay. The old pay was more compatible with traditional organisations structures and employment relationship in the 1970s and 1980s. The concept was characterised to be bureaucratic, based on incremental progression, lacks horizontal integration with other HR activities and it detached pay from the strategic objectives of the organisation (Philbeam and Corbridge 2006:231). The system faced lot of challenges because; pay had become a form of entitlement to employees, was not motivating and does not drive change. In contrast to the above, the main concerns of the old pay were fairness, consistency, equity and transparency but; was criticised for inhibiting organisational development in the twenty first century (Philbeam and Corbridge 2006:231). Lawler (1971) developed the new pay system which was in response to the issues raised in the old pay. It was the opposite of the old system which sets out to achieve challenges faced by the old system. The new pay was supposed to replace the old pay, he however stated that the new pay doesnt necessarily mean implementing new reward policies or abandon the traditional ones; it means identifying new pay practices that enhance the organisations strategic effectiveness (Lawler 1995:1). It was also suggested that the new pay helps link the financial success of the employee and the organisation, shows a connection between employee pay and performance and suggests that employee are rewarded when they exhibit a desirable behaviour (Tropman and McAdams 2001, Philbeam and Corbridge 2006). However, the new pay has since evolved giving birth to various forms of pay such as team based pay, competency pay, skills based pay et cetera. Performance related pay varies between sectors and the 1998 IPD research shows that PRP is used by 72% of employers in the financial services and 41% in the public sector (Armstrong 2002:266). Furthermore, the idea of linking a portion of pay directly to performance appraisal and to the achievement of specific performance objectives has proved particularly attractive to employers and such approaches are becoming popular in both the private and public sector (Taylor 2000:19). Moreover, PRP has a beneficial effect on employee performance and the achievement of organisation objectives and goals (Lawson 2000: 311). A typical example is when the bank introduced PRP in 2008. Here, monthly targets were given to employees and those who met their targets at the end of the month were rewarded in cash to encourage them, this is also applicable in the trust but the competition is between doctors. This worked for sometime but led to mistrust between employees. Employees began working on customer relationships that were not assigned to them and blacklisting of fellow colleagues with customers and senior management became the norm. This is supported by Marc Thompson (1992) who stated that new forms of pay can have a damaging impact on trust and working relations (Armstrong 2002:268). Similarly, PRP motivates and de-motivates employees at the same time. This is supported by Marchington and Wilkinson (2005) who identified from their research that 83.4% of the sample believes that PRP de-motivates while the others believe otherwise. Employees who meet their target are motivated to put in more effort some who have not met their targets will try keeping up with the drive however in a situation where a staff has met 99% of its target and their effort is not rewarded will lead to de-motivation and this will have a ripple effect for other staff will take up the attitude of why put in more effort when the organisation will not reward a colleague who met 99% of their target and this is applicable in both organisations. This also leads to lower job satisfaction on the part of the de-motivated employee and vice versa (Price 2007:484). However, the employer prefers PRP because it enables them pay few people more money rather than promoting the hardworking staff who has not me t their targets thereby saving cost. Again it depends on how effectively it works as a motivating tool to reflect organisational performance, employee development, loyalty, responsibility and the sense of achieving the organisational goals (LGE, 2008). . However employers use PRP to attract and retain people to their organisations by offering them competitive financial rewards. The basic assumption of employment is that services are exchanged for benefits which could come inform of money. Moreover, in an industry such as the financial services where PRP is a norm and the pay is competitive, staff retention is substantially important because; it may lead to the loss of business when the employee is recruited by a competitor and is offered higher pay. At the present situation of credit crunch most of the organisations are looking to reduce the number of employees as well as attract and retain only the employees who are high performing and multi skilled employees. Again high performing employees eight out of nine times is most likely to agree with the system of pay for performance and the organisations needs to put this scheme in order to attract and retain high performing employees (Thompson, 1992). In simple, establishing a standard f or measuring and rewarding for high performance can assist in retaining the most industrious employees. On the other hand it causes unfairness to the other employees because they get to share the target of the staff that leaves the organisation. This leads to the employer requiring the employee to put in more effort to achieve the new target under the same scheme. The doctors in the trust are not faced with this pressure because their targets are not financial and it lies more towards overtime hours and on call visits. One of the key concerns of the old pay was to promote fairness in the workplace. However PRP could lead to unfairness. PRP in both organisations is based on performance appraisal where the manager will recommend a staff for reward at the end of an appraisal period. In a situation where the manager recommends an average performer for PRP and does not recommend a top performer because the manager believes the employee has not done enough while it is evident to other managers and team members that it was the recommendation was a case of favouritism. This highlights a key issue affecting PRP which has been argued of not having a consistent method of judgement (CIPD 2009). The difference with the process in the bank is the entitlement of the employee to fill in their comment at the end of the appraisal and decide if the appraisal was fair or not based on listed reasons. This also cements the fact that PRP leading to conflict and in this case a rocky relationship between the appraiser and the appraise. Furthermore, CIPD (2009) suggest that linking of pay awards to performance review process may inhibit an open and honest discussion of an individuals training and development needs. This statement could be interpreted as PRP identifying developmental needs of the employee during appraisal process. Using the trust as an example the PRP scheme requires employees with the exception of doctors to present their continuous development plan (CPD) during appraisal period to show how they have developed, their future plans and the manager helps identify where the employee is lacking and how they can develop those areas. When compared to the process in the bank, there is no CPD presented during appraisal but the manager and employee identifies the areas where there is need for development to improve performance and make recommendations to management. However, both organisations only review the staff development at the next appraisal. It is assumed that team working yields better results. UNISON suggests that efficient and effective service depends on cooperation from staff Labour Research Development (1994:5). However PRP undermines team working because it does not put into consideration group efforts but it rather promotes individual working. The practice in both organisations promote team working but staff are only rewarded individually, which leads to uncooperativeness from team members, poor service delivery, de-motivation and it generally promotes poor performance. Marchington and Wilkinson (2005:341-342) states that with emphasis PRP places on individual performance-leads to a short-termist approach whereby individuals look for quick returns from small scale projects rather than addressing more fundamental problems. This shows PRP motivates better in short term compared to long term. The McDonald company lives up to the philosophy of Pay for Performance when it comes to rewarding their employees. While examining the situation in McD, it was noted that the organisation keep broadband pay data both internally and externally of the employees base salary after screening their performance which actually helps the employees to review their performance. McD offers TIP or Target Incentive Plan which is an incentive pay plan offered at corporate and regional employees helping them to link their pay to the performance in the sector they work. Kohn (1993) states that by and large, rewards succeed at securing one thing only: temporary compliance. When it comes to producing lasting changes in attitudes and behaviour, however, rewards, like punishment are strikingly ineffective.. there is no firm basis that paying people more will encourage people to better work or even in the long run, more work (Armstrong 2002:272). PRP is introduced to organisations to improve performance and maybe promote staff development during the process. However, it has been noted that with the existence of PRP in an organisation, there is a lesser drive for self development. People want to develop themselves initially to get be able to earn more money while a lesser percentage wants to improve their knowledge. PRP ensures people get the money, but de-motivates the staff on the long run while not accomplishing the initial goal which is to improve performance. Kohn (1993,1998) suggests that extrinsic rewards can erode intrinsic interest and that there is no firm basis for the assumption that paying people more will encourage people to better work or even in the long run more work (Armstrong 2002:272). Critique of the Performance Related Pay System Having examined performance related pay as a motivational instrument, it was noted that it is a widely used instrument in private and public sector organisations both nationally and internationally. It has proved overtime as a valid instrument for motivation but it has been criticised by various authors CIPD (2009) inclusive which states it has proved in some circumstances a rather crude instrument and the 1990s witnessed a number of challenges to the theory. It was also criticised of not been the only or even an effective motivator. According to Brown Heywood (2002) PRP increases the stress factor among the employees. most of the line managers having the view that staffs tends to put more pressure on themselves as they get motivated by the rewards and incentives which are put forwarded for individual performances and achieving set targets. The employees feel pressurised by the fact that their promotions and appraisals are heavily linked by the performance based approach. Because of this the workers tend to feel more stressed and can even lead to the breakdown of a staff member. Beer (1984) corroborates this while suggesting that when pay is tied to performance, it reduces the intrinsic motivation which comes when individuals are spontaneously involved in work because they are given freedom to manage and control their jobs also, it signals that it is management that is in control which reduces the individuals feeling of competence and self determination (Armstrong 2002:272). Several academics have criticised PRP as an instrument which promotes jealousness among staff which can lead to organisational conflict. However, Oswald (2002) disagrees with this and suggested that if salaries were confidential, then there s no way it can lead to conflict also he suggested that people should be paid on merit and effort (Wright 2004:122).PRP is measured using performance appraisal systems but the decisions of line managers makes reduces the viability of the process. PRP undermines team working and works more as a de-motivator rather than a motivator this is supported by Thompson (1993), Marsden and French (1998). While Pfeffer (1998) states that it is time consuming, undermines team working and it undermines the performance of both the organisation and individual in reality (Wright 2004:118). Conclusion The search for a positive relationship between PRP and performance as been described as looking for the holy grail (Fletcher and Williams 1992, Price 2007) while CIPD (2009) said it was the holy grail of the 1990s. Having examined PRP has a motivator, on reflection it shows it is a motivating instrument which is more applicable and effective in some industries compared to the others. Also, even though it has been criticised by several authors for its weaknesses, it shows that every theory has a weakness and its weakness has given birth to other forms of performance related pay thereby giving hope to more research on how performance can be improved in an organisation. The Labour Research Department (1999:2) quoting a personnel manager who stated money is really a de-motivator and a company that states the constant measuring of people against each other fed into staffs sense of job insecurity by generating evidence of failure to meet jobs. However, with its negative effect on performa nce, motivation, team working and the fact that the process could be subjective and expensive organisations are still applying it and trying to modify appraisal methods in order to get it right. Likewise the manager employee relationship is considered the main important factor in determining the success of PRP in an organisation (Thompson, 1992). However, Armstrong (2002:287) states that PRP has a limited power to provide incentive through financial means alone should be recognised, but that does not mean it should be rejected out of hand. It does work as a reward process in some circumstances and it does satisfy the basic principle that it is equitable to reward people who do well more than those who do badly.